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Saints pass rushers were bigger than the quarterback, stronger than the quarterback, younger than the quarterback. But they weren’t tougher than the quarterback. “He took every shot they had,” said Pat Morris, the Vikings’ offensive line coach. “And he didn’t flinch once.” Advertisement The Vikings were right—they were the better team. Faster, stronger, significantly more athletic. The Vikings won the possession and yardage battles—Peterson rushed for 122 yards and Minnesota gained 475 overall. But they also made lots of mistakes. Favre threw two interceptions (he was 28 of 46 for the game, with 310 yards and a touchdown); there were six total fumbles. It was ugly execution. “The football turned seemingly slick,” wrote Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune, “as Andouille sausage plucked from a bowl of gumbo.” And yet, after driving the Vikings to a 28–28 tie with 4:58 remaining, Favre had a chance for the win. Minnesota’s defense held the Saints’ offense to plays, and with 2:37 left in the fourth the Vikings started at their own 21. They had three time-outs. Two Peterson runs gained little, but on third and 8 Favre found Bernard Berrian for 10. The Vikings used their first time-out, and Favre returned to the field and hit Rice with a 20-yard bullet. The New Orleans defense looked winded. Advertisement On first and 10 from the Saints 47, Chester Taylor took a handoff and rumbled 14 yards to the Saints 33. New Orleans called its final time-out, and along the sideline Ryan Longwell, one of the league’s best kickers, was preparing to hit the field goal that would take the Vikings to their first Super Bowl since 1977. There was now 1:06 left, and two runs—one by Taylor, one by Peterson—gained nothing. Minnesota called its second time-out with 19 seconds left, and it was third and 10 from the Saints 33. Longwell peeked at the field between kicks into a net. From here, the field goal would be 50 yards—not out of question, but a bit long for his range. Then, stupidity. On the sideline Eric Bieniemy, the running backs coach, could be seen wildly waving his arms, trying to get someone—anyone—off the field. Minnesota accidentally had 12 offensive players in the huddle, which resulted in a 5-yard penalty that pushed the team back to the 38. The Vikings’ two requirements were clear: move a bit closer to give Longwell his best possible shot, and don’t—under any circumstance—turn over the football. The play call was unremarkable: A short throw to Berrian in the flat. Favre lined up behind center. Peterson stood 5 yards to his rear, Berrian jogged in motion, right to left, then back toward the right. Sidney Rice was lined up in the right slot, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the left slot. It was a collection of Minnesota’s best weapons on the field for the season’s most important play. The stadium noise was deafening. Seats vibrated from the decibels. Favre dropped back and rolled to the right. Berrian was never alone, but Shiancoe immediately turned around at the 35, where he was wide open. Favre either didn’t see him or didn’t feel comfortable with the throw. He did, however, spot Rice crisscrossing the middle of the field near the New Orleans 23. With his body moving hard to the right, Favre reared back and fired to Rice, who was running leftward. The first person to see the pass was Tracy Porter, the speedy Saints cornerback. As the ball came closer and closer, Porter stepped in front of a lunging Rice, caught the football, and returned it to the Saints 47. “I did happen to read his eyes,” Porter said. “He was looking at Rice the whole time.” Favre dropped his head in disgust. There were seven seconds remaining. Advertisement Paul Allen, the Vikings’ radio voice, was incredulous—and screaming like a madman. “Why do you even ponder passing? You can take a knee and try a 56-yard field goal! This is not Detroit, man! This is the Super Bowl!” New Orleans won 31–28 on a 40-yard Garrett Hartley field goal in overtime, and as the city celebrated its first conference title, Favre’s pain was as deep physically as it was emotionally. He could barely walk. His legs and torso were covered with black-and-blue craters. “Favre was pounded like a gavel, twisted like an Auntie Anne’s pretzel,” wrote Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN.com. “You should have seen him sitting in front of that locker immediately after the loss. Red welts on his left arm. Blood on his upper right shoulder. A puffy left wrist. A raw gash on the same wrist. A swollen left ankle. A tender right thigh and lower back... He was 40 at kickoff. He was 60 at the final whistle.” Advertisement “He looked like Joe Frazier after having gone 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali,” said Peter King. “There were three or four roughing-the-passer penalties that were never called, and he paid a big price in pain.” Favre admitted, in hindsight, that he should have run the ball (there was room), though his scrambling days were the stuff of yesteryear and his ankle the size of a baby panda. One by one, teammates stopped by to pay their respects. Rice hugged him for a solid 30 seconds. Peterson whispered something into his ear. “I appreciate you,” Favre replied softly. Harvin approached, wrapped his arms around the old quarterback. The eyes of both men were red and watery. Advertisement In the months that followed, much was written about what would become known as Bountygate—Williams’s alleged system of paying his players to hurt opponents. Sean Payton, the New Orleans head coach, was suspended for an entire season, and the team’s general manager, as well as Williams and assistant coach Joe Vitt, also faced temporary bans. The organization was fined $500,000 and forced two forfeit draft selections, and four players were suspended for their involvement. It was one of the biggest scandals in the 92-year history of the NFL. For the league’s 1,600 or so players, however, it was much ado about nothing. Yes, a curtain had been pulled back on life in professional football. But the majority of veterans greeted the news with a shrug. Thomas Jones, Favre’s halfback with the Jets, found himself laughing at the uninformed ramblings from people making outside assessments. “What would make you think someone who is not in that environment would even have the slight idea of what we’re feeling, what we’re thinking?” he said. “It’s like the military. Those people who come back from Iraq—they look the same. But they’re not the same. In football, if I knock the shit out of somebody and he wasn’t looking, that means I’m a nasty guy. I’m gonna get a positive grade for being nasty. You’re not in your right state of mind. All you’re thinking is, ‘If I don’t knock the shit out of him, he’s gonna knock the shit out of me.’ If a dude pushes me in the back and I’m not looking, I’m fucking pissed. Pissed. So the next time I get a chance to fucking do something, I’m doing it. You’ve seen Braveheart? Braveheart is exactly what football is. The scene where the Irish and the English are all running toward each other, and they clash, and it’s all individual little fucking battles. “If you’re in a playoff game you know what the stakes are... what you’ve put into getting here, and you’re not like, ‘I’m not gonna knock this guy out because I care about him.’ No, you want to intimidate the fuck out of him. Because I want him to be scared, so I have a better chance to win so I can win the Super Bowl and get my $50,000 bonus.’ You’re not thinking about someone’s well-being. You’re doing whatever it takes.” Advertisement Favre initially avoided talking about the scandal. He finally sat down for an interview with the NFL Network, and said he was neither upset nor haunted. Football, Favre said, is a rough and ugly game, played by rough and ugly people. “My feeling, and I mean this wholeheartedly, is I don’t care,” he said. “What bothers me is we didn’t win the game. They didn’t take me out of the game. They came close... [but] I’m not gonna sit the last three minutes. I’m gonna go out there with bones sticking out of my skin and finish it.” This excerpt from Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre by Jeff Pearlman is reprinted with the permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Buy it here.All over the world, people head to their local movie theaters for a welcome respite from reality. Before settling into their seats, of course, they swing by the concession stand to stock up on snacks for the adventures that await them. But not everyone's munching on popcorn and candy during screenings. Here are just a few of the go-to snacks moviegoers around the world reach for. 1. Iwashi Senbei Theater patrons in Japan crunch on iwashi senbei, or dried sardines. The small fish are baked whole in soy sauce and sugar, and topped with sesame seeds, giving the sardines a sweet and savory umami flavor. 2. Roasted Ants Looking for a crunchy alternative to popcorn? At the movies in Colombia, people munch on roasted ants known as hormiga culona. The snack is eaten like a peanut and is considered an aphrodisiac—just in case you're looking to send a certain message to your date. 3. Dried Reindeer Meat There's a fitting snack option for audiences at the drive-in theater for snowmobiles in Kautokeino, Norway: low-fat, protein-rich dried reindeer meat. 4. Souvlaki Traditional lamb or beef souvlaki, a street food staple, can be purchased at some of Greece's beloved outdoor cinemas. 5. Dried Cuttlefish At South Korean concession stands, meaty, savory dried cuttlefish stands in for popcorn. (The chewy snack is incredibly popular in other Asian countries, too.) Another favorite at Korean theaters: roasted chestnuts. 6. Salty Licorice Salty licorice is a popular confection at cinemas across the Netherlands. While licorice in the United States is sweet, the Dutch like the treat salted with ammonium chloride, which gives the candy a "tongue-numbing” sensation. 7. Dried Salted Plums Many movie theaters in China serve dried salted plums, which are dehydrated, heavily pickled, and salted to give the fruit a tart taste. Sunflower seeds, dried shredded squid, kimchi, prunes, and coconut juice are also concession stand go-tos in Chinese cinemas. 8. Bajan Fish Cakes Bajan fish cakes (also known as fish balls) are a common street food in Barbados. Made from freshly caught flying fish, Bajan fish cakes are served as a snack at many open-air movie theaters throughout the island. Looking for something to quench your thirst? Pick up a bottle of Banks Beer, a local brew, or a rum-based beverage. 9. Crispy Samosas In India, moviegoers can tuck into samosas while watching the very best Bollywood has to offer. If you can't make it to South Asia, some Bollywood theaters in the United States also serve crispy samosas, along with standard American movie fare. Also popular at Indian theaters: Chutney and cheese sandwiches and vada pav, potato fritters in a bread bun. All images courtesy of iStock unless noted otherwise.Hand Info View HTML Version (for forums accepting HTML) View BB Version (for forums accepting BB Code) Hand Information Game: No Limit Blind: $40/ $80 Hand History converter courtesy of pokerhandreplays.com Table Information Seat1: danloulou ($4,015) Seat2: milf island ($2,950) Seat3: reefinone ($2,830) Seat4: arxigos ($2,860) Seat5: huxelallstar ($3,120) Seat6: jonrasool ($3,040) Seat7: oyhemamut ($4,615) Dealer Seat8: Hero ($3,040) Small Blind Seat9: justnl2 ($3,000) Big Blind Dealt to Hero Preflop (Pot:120) danloulou FOLD milf island RAISE $200 reefinone FOLD arxigos FOLD huxelallstar FOLD jonrasool FOLD oyhemamut CALL $200 Hero CALL $160 justnl2 FOLD Flop (Pot: $680) Hero CHECK milf island BET $325 oyhemamut RAISE $650 Hero RAISE $1,520 milf island FOLD justnl2 RETURN $9 oyhemamut FOLD Hero RETURN $870 Showdown: Hero MUCKS Hero wins the pot: $3,175 [b]Hand Information[/b] PokerStars No Limit, 80 BB (9 handed). Hand History converter courtesy of pokerhandreplays.com [b]Table Information[/b] Seat: 1 danloulou ($4015) Seat: 2 milf island ($2950) Seat: 3 reefinone ($2830) Seat: 4 arxigos ($2860) Seat: 5 huxelallstar ($3120) Seat: 6 jonrasool ($3040) Seat: 7 oyhemamut ($4615) Dealer Seat: 8 [color=Red]Hero[/color] ($3040) Small Blind Seat: 9 justnl2 ($3000) Big Blind Dealt to [color=Red]Hero[/color] [img]http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/images/poker_image/6D.png[/img] [img]http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/images/poker_image/7D.png[/img] [b]Preflop[/b] (Pot:120) danloulou [i]FOLD[/i] milf island [i]RAISE[/i] $200 reefinone [i]FOLD[/i] arxigos [i]FOLD[/i] huxelallstar [i]FOLD[/i] jonrasool [i]FOLD[/i] oyhemamut [i]CALL[/i] $200 [color=Red]Hero[/color] [i]CALL[/i] $160 justnl2 [i]FOLD[/i] [b]Flop[/b](Pot: $680) [img]http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/images/poker_image/3H.png[/img] [img]http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/images/poker_image/5D.png[/img] [img]http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/images/poker_image/2C.png[/img] [color=Red]Hero[/color] [i]CHECK[/i] milf island [i]BET[/i] $325 oyhemamut [i]RAISE[/i] $650 [color=Red]Hero[/color] [i]RAISE[/i] $1520 milf island [i]FOLD[/i] justnl2 [i]RETURN[/i] $9 oyhemamut [i]FOLD[/i] [color=Red]Hero[/color] [i]RETURN[/i] $870 [b]Showdown[/b]: [color=Red]Hero[/color] MUCKS [color=Red]Hero[/color] wins the pot: $3175With the death of bigot and child death penalty advocate Justice Scalia, President Obama set upon his constitutional obligation to appoint a new Justice to the Supreme Court. A number of people of color legal all-stars were discussed as likely candidates, and as late as early this morning a connection of mine in the White House said it looked like Sri Srinivasan was going to get it. That build up probably contributed considerably to how disappointed the Progressives of the Democratic Party are at the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. With the nomination of Merrick Garland, the Obama administration and Democratic establishment have doubled down on upholding neoliberalism as the core of the party’s politics. The legal punditry must break free of the misleading categories that have long dominated our analysis, especially of the Supreme Court. Pro or anti-government; progressive or textualist; and activist or conservative all are false binaries and obfuscate the truth. Judge Garland in particular reveals a truth that the marginalized people of this country have known for centuries: the law is construed to fit the politics of the powerful. To raise and resolve this issue before someone attacks me over it, there is one issue that Judge Garland cares about that will be liked by progressives. Judge Garland has ruled with unusual strength in two cases (Al-Fayed v. CIA, ACLU v. CIA) against the power of what are called Glomar responses to FOIA requests. Freedom of Information Act requests are meant to promote transparency through compelling the government to either disclose information or provide an adequate reasoning as to why they cannot, often around issues of jeopardizing national security. In their case, the ACLU was seeking information on the extent of drone warfare from the CIA. Rather than providing the information or saying that they cannot provide the information, the CIA issued a Glomar response, which is essentially a formal agency statement of the political classic “I can neither confirm nor deny.” Judge Garland in both instances said the CIA cannot avoid transparency in this manner. But transparency is in many ways the ultimate liberal issue – not taking a stance as to the material concerns with how the State should function, but rather how the State recognizes its own actions. Rather than attacking oppression, it attacks the veiling of oppression. And that isn’t to say that transparency is not valuable, but rather that without substantive goals attached to it there is little worth celebrating for those on the Left. Many pundits have been saying that, while recognizing Garland as a “moderate,” he supports the decisions of government agencies. At best this is lazy journalism at its finest and at worst it is trying to reframe Clinton-style triangulation as supportive of government agencies. La. Energy v. FERC is one of the better cases to demonstrate that Garland masks expanding private corporate power over public commodities with a veneer of supporting decisions made by government agencies. Basically, without getting too much into the weeds, Louisiana Energy and Power Authority filed suit against FERC because they approved a rival company, Central Louisiana Electric Authority, application to sell electricity at market rates without an evidentiary hearing or period of comment. La. Energy is a government-owned company, so they have a particular stake in federal regulators rubber stamping private companies that will preempt their rates. Not only is this bad for La. Energy, but it is bad for many consumers like small businesses and working class people as it tends to stratify the market despite those private companies still being beholden to certain FERC regulations like continuous operation. After all, those regulations have hardly been effective at stopping private companies from engaging in misconduct – fines can easily become just another cost of doing business. When Judge Garland supports government agencies, it is because they are being good, neoliberal state actors facilitating the privatization of the commons. The Judge’s approach to the Sherman Act reflects this underlying policy as well. “Judge Garland,” writes Jim Rossi, “favors exempting from judicial review under the Sherman Act all regulatory actions by state and local governments except for delegations of the power to restrain the market to private parties.” 40 Wake Forest L. Rev. 617, 657. Laissez-faire capitalists like Rossi try to frame this as threatening their goal of deregulation, like a spoiled child at a toy store who is mad because their parents are only buying one of the toys they wanted. If these free market zealots would stop throwing a tantrum over any and all regulation whatsoever, they would see the brilliance of Judge Garland’s chipping away strategy. Delegation of the power to restrain the market to private parties is hardly a small regulatory action: it can even be argued that it is the most important regulatory action. If you are a social democrat or socialist, you correctly view private intrusion as setting a floor, rather than a ceiling, for deregulation. When you do this with a federal agency, it is bound to pre-empt the power of more local authorities (as it did in the La. Energy case). And in capitalism, especially in a political system like the US where neither of the two major parties have any amount of independence from the wealthiest capitalists, opening the door a crack will almost inevitably lead to it getting opened further. Judge Garland’s approach to the Sherman Act is an approach he often uses, especially with the EPA and FERC. While not as notably destructive as the kind of deregulation rulings made by conservative judges, there is a frightening implication to this strategy. By shaving down deregulation to narrow and specific provisions, Judge Garland is able to direct the course of privatization like a ship. If that sounds familiar, it is because a certain presidential candidate used that same strategy as Secretary of State. And that’s why I doubt that Judge Garland is simply a sheepdog candidate. While Judge Sri Srinivasan is not a Leftist by any means, Judge Garland fervently upholds the predominant triangulation principles that the Democrats have held to since the Clintons first implemented it during Bill’s presidency and that no other candidate for the Supreme Court demonstrated as pervasively. So what do Leftists do if Judge Garland breaks the Senate boycott and gets Republicans to cross the aisle who recognize that he will largely support their bottom-lines? Judge Garland’s strategy is premised on the mask of staying close to the letter of the law. And most often what he has ruled on were not laws passed by Congress but rather rules formulated by federal government agencies. Those rules are often subject to public commentary and even in some cases an evidentiary hearing. Yes, they are ridiculously boring and often times require a knowledge of industry jargon. But it is worth noting that the two agencies that arguably provide the best federal protections currently available to working class people are the Environmental Protection Agency, where environmentalists regularly advocate at public hearings, and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, where consumer protection groups regularly advocate at public hearings ( #StopTheDebtTrap). Having radical voices at these hearings does make a difference, and perhaps more importantly it demonstrates that when someone like Judge Garland rules in the way he does, it is a subversion of rather than upholding the democratic will of the people. AdvertisementsBoth theology and the philosophy of religion have played important roles in Western culture, but not everyone understands the important differences between them. The motives behind theology and the philosophy of religion are very different, but the questions they ask and the topics they address are often the same. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion and theology isn't always sharp because they share so much in common, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious position, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself rather than the truth of any particular religion. Both the precedent and adoption of authority are what distinguish theology from philosophy generally and religious philosophy in particular. While theology relies upon religious scriptures (like the Bible or the Quran) as authoritative, those texts are simply objects of study in the philosophy of religion. Authorities in this latter field are reason, logic, and research. Whatever the specific topic being discussed, the central aim of the philosophy of religion is to scrutinize religious claims for the purpose of formulating either a rational explanation or a rational response to them. Christian theologians, for example, dont normally debate amongst themselves whether God exists or whether Jesus is the Son of God. To engage in Christian theology, it is assumed that one must be a Christian as well. We can contrast this with philosophy and observe that someone who writes about utilitarianism is not assumed to be a utilitarian. Furthermore, theology tends to take on an authoritative nature within the religious tradition that it operates. The conclusions of theologians are taken to be authoritative over believers if the dominant theologians agree on some particular conclusion about the nature of God, it is an error for the average believer to adopt a different opinion. You won't typically find the same attitudes within philosophy. Certain philosophers may have an authoritative status, but so long as a person has good arguments it isnt an error (much less heresy) for anyone to adopt a differing opinion. None of this means that the philosophy of religion is hostile to religion and religious devotion, but it does mean that it will criticize religion where warranted. We should also not assume that theology doesnt employ reason and logic; however, their authority is shared or even at times subsumed by the authority of religious traditions or figures. Because of the many potential conflicts between the two, philosophy and theology have long had a shaky relationship. At times some have regarded them as complementary but others have treated them as mortal enemies. Sometimes theologians assert for their field the status of a science. They base this claim first on the premise that they study foundational events of their religion, which they take to be historical facts, and second on their use of the critical methods of fields like sociology, psychology, historiography, philology, and more in their work. So long as they adhere to these premises, they may have a point, but others can fairly challenge the first premise. The existence of God, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the revelations to Muhammad may be accepted as facts with specific religious traditions, but they need not be accepted as true by those outside the field not in the way that the existence of atoms must be accepted by those who aren't involved in physics. The fact that theology depends so heavily upon prior commitments to faith makes it very difficult to categorize as a science, even among soft sciences such as psychology. This is also why apologetics plays such a large role.Ozon OS "Hydrogen" alpha is based on Fedora 20 and it uses GNOME Shell and Gnome apps by default, customized with various extensions. The newly released alpha is aimed at developers and ships with only part of the Atom Shell: Atom Dock, Launcher and Panel, so it's not really interesting for regular desktop users. However, the beta (and obviously, the final release) should include a lot more exiting stuff. Atom Dock: intellihide, per workspace task separation and transparent background on App Overview; Atom Panel: display legacy tray icons and appindicators on the top panel; Atom Launcher: a simplified App Launcher with applications sorted by frequency of use. Besides the extensions mentioned above, Ozon OS "Hydrogen" alpha uses GNOME 3.12 with a custom GNOME Shell theme by default and has the RPMFusion repository enabled - other than that, it's just stock Fedora 20. According to its roadmap, Ozon OS "Hydrogen" beta will use Fedora 21 as a base and it will ship with its own GTK and icon themes (some icon design experiments here and here ) (along with the rest of artwork: Plymouth, wallpapers, etc. - see how to submit wallpapers for inclusion in Ozon OS HERE ), along with various OS tweaks, preinstalled vendor video drivers and so on. The plan is to release Ozon OS "Hydrogen" (final) a month or so after the Fedora 21 release. Download Ozon OS "Hydrogen" Alpha If you want to download the Ozon OS Atom Shell / extensions and use them with your current Linux distribution, see its GitHub page (the extensions will hopefully be available on Gnome's extensions website soon). Thanks to Satya and indirectly :), Georgi for the info! via G+ Here are a couple of Ozon OS Hydrogen alpha screenshots (but, as I said, there's not much to see right now):Many other features are planned, but not yet available.New Delhi: Reliance Jio customers will have to pay 15% more for its popular 84-day plan at Rs459 from Thursday, under which subscribers get 1GB 4G data per day, according to information published on the company’s website. However, subscribers of its Rs149 plan will get 4GB of data for each billing cycle of 28 days under the new “Diwali Dhamaka" scheme compared to 2GB being offered at present. Reliance Jio has also reduced the recharge tariff for lower denomination and short-term plans besides offering data benefits under the schemes. Reliance Jio has introduced a plan for Rs52 with one-week validity and for Rs98 with 2 weeks that will offer its customers free voice, SMS, unlimited data (0.15 GB daily), as per its website. All plans of Reliance Jio will continue to offer unlimited voice calls even during roaming. The Rs459 plan will offer Reliance Jio customers unlimited services at 1GB high speed data per day for 84 days for prepaid users followed by data at curtailed speed, along with unlimited voice calling and access to Reliance Jio apps. The company has also reduced benefits under the Rs509 scheme, which offers 2GB of data per day, by reducing its validity or billing cycle from 56 days to 49. Accordingly, data at high speed gets reduced to 98 GB from 112 GB under previous scheme. Under this plan, data cost will be Rs5.2 per GB. The Rs999 plan which offered 90 GB of 4G data without cut in download speed will now offer 60 GB at high speed data for 3 months. Reliance Jio has introduced Rs1,999 plan which will have six months validity and offer 125 GB data at unrestricted high speed. Under the new scheme, the validity of plan priced at Rs4,999 will be for a year instead of 210 days under the previous scheme. However, customers opting for it will get unrestricted access to 350 GB high speed data for the plan period compared to 380 GB offered earlier for same price.Clinton's new ad: 'Confessions of a Republican II' On the morning thousands of Republicans will congregate in Cleveland to kick off a week of celebrations that will end in crowning Donald Trump the party’s nominee, Hillary Clinton is trying to tap into some Republicans' uncertainty about Trump. The ad, “Confessions of a Republican II,” uses the same actor as a 1964 ad that voiced concern about then-Republican nominee Barry Goldwater. “I was a Republican who voted for Eisenhower and Nixon, my father was a Republican, his father was, the whole family was. But Donald Trump he’s a different kind of man. This man scares me,” veteran character actor Bill Bogert says in Clinton’s ad. “Trump says we need unpredictability when it comes to using nuclear weapons, what is that supposed to mean? When a man says that he sounds a lot like a threat to humanity.” Clinton has attempted to seize the support of Republicans who don’t like Trump. And her team has been promoting a series of material highlighting which Republicans do not support Trump and won’t be at the convention. “I’ve thought about not voting. But you can’t do that. That’s saying you don’t care who wins and I do care,” Bogert continues. “I think the party is about to make a terrible mistake in Cleveland and I have to vote against that mistake on the 8th of November.” Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/29OiH2o"Rage comics" are a memetic phenomenon by which crude digital drawings of different facial expressions and physical gestures are remixed infinitely by countless individuals to convey the elation, despair, love and hatred of the Internet hive mind. We usually talk about these comics in ironically grandiose terms (like when a rage comic face appeared in a man's testicular sonogram ) but the truth is that many of them are genuinely hilarious reads (like the Rage Comics All Stars' "performance" of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" ), and some are even quite touching. Because rage comics typically express primal responses to utterly mundane but often "scene"-specific experiences, it would seem unlikely that an 86-year-old man would be the author of what many Reddit users are calling the greatest rage comic ever made. Published earlier this week on the man's birthday, the comic details in deeply personal terms the events of his life, beginning with his earlier memories from childhood and including his service in World War II, estrangement from his children and discovery of true love. This man's experiences in the United States' Armed Forces have particular impact upon this truly great and uncommonly uplifting story, and it seemed only right to republish it in honor of Veteran's Day.The 86-year-old Reddit user goes by the name of 1925gamer, referencing the year of his birth. As explained in the story, this man and his wife are plugged into Internet culture, especially online gaming, and that following the Reddit community helps he and his wife "feel connected to the world." It's just one of several statements that will make you feel the way you just did, reading that quote, and you won't be alone. The comic has over 3,000 comments on Reddit, virtually all of which express respect and gratitude for the man's inspirational story. Many comments come from people in their early 20s, who feel the comic has provided valuable insight as they prepare to begin their adult lives in earnest, while some older people report a sense of happiness and validation taking the place of disappointment or regret. It's a remarkable demonstration of the power of comics as a medium, and in a style invented by the Web as a community. [ Via Bleeding Cool ]About Adjust leaving NME: About Adjust leaving NME: The team decided it was in the best interest of its future to move on to a more vocal jungler for the next season. A few issues were addressed in the past 2 months but were left with little to no changes which caused a fairly big team chemistry conflict. It was played around, but never truly dealt with properly. I was personally waiting to find him a new home before announcing any formal roster changes for he is still a phenomenal mechanical player and deserves to play on an SPL team of high caliber, but since he decided to announce it himself I'll make my proper post now. We wish the best of luck to him! As for our current roster, we're set in stone for our 4 current players. We'll be running tryouts soon with the available free agent junglers. We're excited for next season and will be expecting to place 1st both online and at LAN. I'm not going to give any names out but there's currently 4 players we're interested in that showed interest back in the team. #NMEWin2016 PainDeViande, Captain and Support, Enemy Reply · Report PostIt’s a nuisance many Netflix users are familiar with–you log-on to watch something from the Criterion Collection, only to find that your recommendations are now littered with “Dora The Explorer” or “Say Yes To The Dress” because someone in your household with less erudite tastes in streaming entertainment used your account. Fortunately, Netflix Vice President of Product Innovation Todd Yellin confirmed at E3 that Netflix will launch separate profiles for people sharing one account this summer, giving each person customized recommendations. In addition to making Netflix recommendations more useful for individual viewers, multiple profiles will also allow the company to take a closer look at user data. Without multiple user profiles, the mish-mash of information generated by accounts with several users amounted to “junk data,” but multiple profiles will enable Netflix to hone its recommendations and make better use of its social-sharing features, which in turn will help increase viewing hours and lure in new subscribers. The company, which first unveiled its plans for personalized Netflix user profiles at CES in January, needs to keep users interested in content in order to convince them to continue their subscriptions. Multiple user profiles allows the company to not only offer more refined suggestions to individual viewers, but also lets users to broadcast better recommendations to their friends on Facebook, a feature Netflix spent a year hurdling legal blocks to get.Hint Answer Goose's sweater is a... The infamous Iowa State Speedrunning champion. Held over 7,000 WRs. One of Goose's dogs, also a sub emote. Goose has multiple speed records in what sports game? What Mario Party minigame does Goose have WR in? Goose's #1 Mod is... (as said by goose) That one GoldenEye guard who pops up randomly. 3 Games in the triathlon: 1 3 Games in the triathlon: 2 3 Games in the triathlon: 3 Super troll, loves to clear chat and play F-Zero Runner who did the co-op run with Goose at AGDQ Goose recently joined this legendary runner as WR holder on Streets. He's never seen a 1:13 Goose catch phrase, 2 words. Why does Goose look at the ground? (really) :54 was the record Goose recently spent 40 hours getting on what level? Goose's donations go toward what? Hint Answer Goose's choice beverage. The elusive Dr. of facility. For a good time on the Statue level, you have to _______ ___ __ by slapping the air. What celebrity does Goose look like? Goose plays/ coaches.... His favorite team is... Goose always has what behind him when he streams? Shoutouts to _______ for playing the piano during these sections. What level has Goose been attempting to WR in for over 150 hours? A GoldenEye run where you have to beat all levels on all difficulties is called... What is the name of the GE rankings site? What place is Goose ranked worldwide in GE? Bismuth9 got a WR in what game while Goose was next to him at AGDQ? His other dog's name is... What is a main reason Jap cart is good for GE? Give or take, how much time does a boost save? Goose's favorite tennis player.A DÁIL DEBATE on Seán Sherlock’s controversial proposals for new laws on online copyright is to be held on Tuesday. A 50-minute session of statements on the “proposed amendment to Section 40 of the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000” has been pencilled in for Tuesday evening, beginning shortly before 6pm. The discussion, made as a late amendment to the Dáil schedule by the party whips today, will allow TDs to raise their concerns over the proposed new laws, which will give copyright holders the right to seek a court injunction blocking access to copyright-infringing websites. The arrangement comes
officials already have discussed how to split the divisions when the Big East grows to 14 teams. Sources said the most popular 14-team model would then be Red and Blue divisions that are nongeographic. The proposed Red Division in 2015 would consist of Louisville, UConn, Memphis, Navy, San Diego State, USF and SMU, while the Blue Division would consist of Boise State, Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, Rutgers, Temple and the 14th team. Each team would play six games within its division and two games against the other division, including one permanent cross-division game. The annual cross-division games would be Cincinnati-Louisville, UConn-Rutgers, Boise State-San Diego State, Houston-SMU, Navy-Temple, UCF-USF and Memphis versus the 14th team. Those division lineups could be tweaked to appease the Big East's future TV partners and increase the worth of the media rights deal. ESPN's exclusive window to renegotiate with the Big East recently expired, allowing the league to go to the open market in hopes of securing the most lucrative media rights deal. Besides ESPN, the Big East also has had interest from NBC and Fox, sources said. The Big East's presidents and league officials met Tuesday in Rosemont, Ill.Chris Evans, the star of Captain America and The Avengers, tweeted at me this week after my appearance on Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN. His tweet: “I genuinely dislike @benshapiro.” To which I promptly tweeted back, “I don’t dislike @chrisevans. We can disagree on politics, agree that The Fantastic Four is a terrible movie, and still like each other.” But Evans’ tweet says a lot about the state of Hollywood these days. If you disagree with someone’s political views, that means they are unpalatable as human beings in Tinseltown. That’s how blacklists get started – informally, off the books. Social clubs form, and if you don’t believe the typical liberal line on politics ranging from war to same-sex marriage to abortion, you’ll be stigmatized. For Evans, my great sin was likely telling Piers Morgan that Jason Collins, the NBA player who recently came out as gay, is not a hero. “Heroism is defined by willingness to sacrifice, and willingness to take a real personal risk in favor of a noble, larger goal. This may be a noble, larger goal but I'm not sure it's a great personal risk,” I said. When Piers protested that it was a big deal, I added, “Why do you hate Americans so much, that you think this is such a homophobic country, that when Jason Collins comes out it is the biggest deal in the history of humanity? President Obama has to personally call him to congratulate him …. I think that America is a fundamentally good place …. Being who you are in 2013 America is what America is about. It is not heroic to be who you are publicly. I'm glad for Jason Collins if it makes him feel like he's going to have a happier life now. But, it does not make him a hero to be who you are because America is not a homophobic country.” Such sentiments are taboo in Hollywood. Hollywood perceives America to be the world’s worst place. That’s why a significant number of dramas with prominent gay characters feature them being beaten unmercifully (Brokeback Mountain, As Good As It Gets, Boys Don’t Cry, to name a few). Other movies without the violence still play up the idea that modern America is a nasty, homophobic place. But the truth is very different: openly homosexual people are extraordinarily prominent in American life, heading up major corporations (Apple, PayPal), and taking a leading position in politics (Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank, David Cicilline, Jared Polis, and well over a hundred other gay and lesbian elected politicians across America). Gays and lesbians are especially prominent in Hollywood, with powerhouses like Ellen Degeneres (The Ellen Show), Ryan Murphy (Glee, Nip/Tuck), Barry Diller (IAC), Neil Patrick Harris, Scott Rudin striding purposefully and powerfully down the halls of power. And in the news media, Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, Nate Silver, and Chris Hughes are just a few of the top names. When it comes to hate crimes, Jews have the same chance of becoming hate crime victims as homosexuals do, according to FBI statistics. America is perhaps the world’s most philosemitic country – and yet Hollywood considers America to be one of the world’s most anti-gay countries. Hollywood’s belief that America is a backwards, Taliban-like entity is not restricted to topics of sexual orientation. Hollywood believes that America is deeply racist (Crash), horribly greedy (Wall Street), and terribly brutal (Green Zone). Stand up for the goodness of the American people, and you’ll quickly be labeled a tool of the establishment – and worse, people won’t like you. And so feelings trump evidence. The folks in Hollywood know best that while racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism and the like still exist, they’re by far the exceptions rather than the rule. But they would prefer to think of themselves as heroes standing up against the evil American machine, rather than performers whose job is to entertain the very Americans they so dislike. Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.“Why do you limit our fire arms only have 15 round magazines? Do the criminals limit theirs? Does the government limit theirs? If we use our guns primarily for self defense, I need as many magazines as needed to defend my family and myself because I am a bad shot. It seems not fair at all to limit law abiding citizens’ ability for self defense.” Her testimony: My name is Lily Tang Williams, State Director of Our America Initiative, a non-profit grassroots organization. I am here to represent the organization and myself to strongly support HB15-1009 Repeal Large Ammo Magazine Ban. I was born and grew up in People’s Republic of China, where the Communist Party rules everything. Chinese citizens are not allowed to have any guns ever since the Communist party took over in 1949. So, Chinese people are left helpless when they need to defend themselves. I grew up with fear like millions of other children. Fear police will pound our doors at night for no good reason (search warrant is not necessary for them to do that), fear bad guys will come to rob us (there were crimes in our poor neighborhood), fear my parents and brothers would get hurt and taken away. I have seen local people who defend themselves with kitchen knives, rocks, glass bottles and sticks against criminals. But when it comes to dealing with the Chinese government and police brutality, there is nothing we could do. Remember June 4th Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989? Our own soldiers, ordered by the top leaders in Beijing, killed thousands of students. Even though the local residents were supporting students, but they had no ways to help them. Some Beijing residents begged for the tanks to stop but they did not. What if the residents and students had guns? What if there was militia in China that time? What if the citizens had unlimited magazines? The history might have been different. (the Peak emphasis) Why do you limit our fire arms only have 15 round magazines? Do the criminals limit theirs? Does the government limit theirs? If we use our guns primarily for self defense, I need as many magazines as needed to defend my family and myself because I am a bad shot. It seems not fair at all to limit law abiding citizens’ ability for self defense. What if the shop owners only could fire 15 times during the famous LA riot? What if the home owners ran out of the bullets during the looting after the Hurricane Katrina? What happens to the ranchers near the border have to face a big group of drug cartels who threat them? How about the famous cases of our government gone wild: Ruby Ridge, Waco Texas, Athens Tennessee – a small town in the U.S.A at the end of the World War Two, where the local dictators wanted to highjack the election results with their guns, local residents organized and armed themselves to take their town back. I came to the U.S. for freedom, including the freedom granted by the 2nd amendment: the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. When I held my own gun for the first time in my life in this country, I felt empowered and for the first time, I felt free. If the Communist government took my gun rights away, why are you limiting my gun rights in Colorado? Are you becoming communists? I hope not. I lived under tyranny for 24 years, I do not want to ever live under it again. Please vote as if the constitution actually means something, because it does! Didn’t you swear that you would uphold the U.S Constitution and Colorado Constitution when you became a house representative? I urge you to vote yes on HB15-1009 Repeal Large Ammo Magazine Ban. Making our beautiful state free again. Thank you.Unwanted marketing messages can be received by telephone or text message. Together with abandoned, including silent, telephone calls, these have led to many complaints by constituents to their Members of Parliament. Ofcom and the Information Commissioner's Office both have regulatory and enforcement responsibilities. The Telephone Preference Service allows individuals to have their telephone number removed from relevant marketing lists. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has decided to hold an inquiry into nuisance telephone calls and text messages, focusing on the current regulatory system and its enforcement, the effectiveness of the Telephone Preference Service and practical measures by communications service providers to curtail such communications. The Committee invites written evidence from those who wish to contribute to the inquiry. How to respond The Committee requests short written submissions in Word format. A copy of the submission should be sent by email to [email protected] and should have "Nuisance Calls" in the subject line. Submissions should be received by Thursday 15 August 2013. Image: iStockphotoRep. Kurt Schrader says he’s a member of an “endangered” species — the Blue Dogs. Founded in 1995, the Blue Dogs are a conservative coalition of New Deal Democrats who prize fiscal responsibility and national security as their core mission, while often leaning pro-life and pro-gun. In the past, the group aligned nicely with voters in swing districts in the industrial Rust Belt states across the Midwest and in the South and even resonated with people in places like Schrader’s home state of Oregon. Or they did — until Barack Obama got elected in 2008. As the Democrats took a sharp turn left, voters punished Blue Dog members for their party’s progressive bent, even though they didn’t represent it. By 2016, Republican Donald Trump had stolen the Blue Dogs’ pragmatic economic message — and their thunder. Voters in Pennsylvania and Ohio, who had once been represented by Blue Dog members of Congress and supported Democratic candidates for president, flipped for the outsider candidate. “Trump nearly won my Oregon district,” said Schrader. “I frankly blame a lot of Trump’s success... on Democrats. All this deep soul searching, what’s the right message and what did we do wrong? Pretty easy. We didn’t talk to average Americans.” In 2008, when Schrader was first voted into office, the House of Representatives had 54 Blue Dogs and a Democrat majority of 263 seats compared with 178 Republican. Today there are just 18 Blue Dogs in the House, and Democrats have 194 seats compared to 240 Republican. “We talked to an elite group of folks who had personal identity issues or cultural issues, and all those are important, but you’ve got to reach out to people and talk about their pocketbook issues, their education issues,” Schrader said. And yet, the Blue Dogs may be experiencing a bit of a resurgence. Despite Trump’s success, the coalition actually won six seats in 2016, and Schrader is now making it his mission to restore the caucus to prominence in 2018. “We punched way above our weight this last election cycle in the Democratic Party, and we’re going to be doing so again,” he said. The Democrats are desperate for a new approach after Hillary Clinton lost the presidency. Last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared that his party would fight for “a better deal” for American workers: creating jobs with an infrastructure plan, boosting the minimum wage to $15 and providing paid family and sick leave. With an entirely economic focus (and no mention of progressive identity politics), Schumer seemed to echo Trump and hit upon the Blue Dogs’ core message of jobs and wages, albeit with different solutions. Although Schrader did not speak to Schumer’s comments, he said he was buoyed by Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi’s recent statement that she accepts Democrats who are pro-life. “It’s a start at getting back to a message that is inclusive, that is attractive to voters who were drawn to Trump’s message that says we hear you,” he said. Although it seems obvious that Democrats should move to the middle to win back Trump voters, Schrader knows he has his work cut out for him, beginning with his own party. Unsurprisingly, progressive activists — the loudest, most energized members of the Democrat party — don’t like the Blue Dogs. “Elections are most dominated by the most extreme elements of the parties,” said Jason Altmire, a former Blue Dog representative who held his seat in Western Pennsylvania for six years until 2012. “Centrists are largely unrepresented in Congress.” In future elections, Schrader hopes voters will start picking representatives based on individual policies instead of their party’s platform. “I think what’ll happen is that voters, for the first time... are going to look at the people who are running for their particular seat and ask, ‘What is this person going to do for me? Is that person representative of my values?’ ” Schrader said. Blue Dog Democrat Patrick Murphy, who represented Bucks County, Pennsylvania, for four years before losing his seat in 2011, is the kind of politician who should do well in Trump’s America. The son of a beat cop, Murphy was the first Iraq War veteran to run for Congress. He campaigned for a government that lives within its means, ethics reform and a GI Bill of Rights, and he spoke eloquently on his frustration over the handling of the war. His views fit the blue-collar sensibilities of his district like a glove. But after Obama was elected, Murphy took hard votes on TARP, bailouts, the stimulus bill and ObamaCare while favoring climate legislation — decisions that didn’t always gel with his centrist district. The Republicans grabbed his seat and have held it for the last six years. Now Schrader once again has his eye on Murphy’s congressional seat. Bucks County is the perfect place for a Blue Dog to run in 2018. It has a generous mix of voters who are working and middle class, suburban and rural, moderate and staunchly independent. If Democrats take back the House next year, it will likely be because of a Blue Dog comeback, but only if the progressive arm of the party gives them a shot in the primaries. “This is on Democrats,” said Schrader. “It’s not so much that people made the wrong choice in Trump, but that we didn’t give them any other choice.”Sarah Murnaghan’s mother has revealed that three days after her daughter had a lung transplant, the operation failed. The girl suffered a complication that affects between 10-25% of lung transplantation patients called primary graft failure. She received a second set of adult lungs, a fact which had not been revealed until today. Sarah’s parents gained national attention with their fight to allow lung transplantation for their daughter after they found she would be denied adult lungs because of her age. Sarah is ten years old, and until her parents won their court battle, adult lungs were reserved for patients over the age of twelve due to the low rate of success when transplanting adult lungs into a child. A national outcry arose over what Sarah’s parents called an injustice, and they won the right for Sarah to receive adult lungs through media coverage, petitions which garnered thousands of signatures, and finally, in the courts. Their case brought cystic fibrosis, the disease from which Sarah suffers, into the spotlight. Their fight has not been without controversy. A leading medical ethicist said that Sarah should not have gotten the adult lungs at all, citing the poor prognosis for children who receive adult organs. Many felt that the lungs should be transplanted into an adult who would have a much better chance of survival. Dr. Art Caplan, a medical ethicist, wrote a piece for NBC News in which he explained why he doesn’t think adult lungs are appropriate for a child and why the courts should not make important medical decisions. Washington D.C. is a terrible place to make life and death medical decisions. None of the Congressmen trying to help Sarah know all the facts. Nor does Sebelius. All they see are media stories and press releases from a very desperate family trying to save their dying daughter. The reason kids get lower priority for lungs is that adult lungs rarely fit so you have to use only a part of one. Using only a lobe from an adult cadaver donor negatively impacts the chance of survival. And different medical problems such as cystic fibrosis create different odds for success depending on age. Other medical ethicists agree. As reported by USA Today, experts feel that medical decisions should be made by physicians, not politicians and judges. Jonathan Moreno, a University of Pennsylvania Ethicist, said “You don’t want judges or members of Congress deciding how to allocate organs. Lung transplants are still the hardest to do especially in children, especially if they have complications from other diseases which they normally do.” Many disagree with these experts’ assessments, and Sarah has now undergone two lung transplants. The second set of lungs was previously infected with pneumonia, but her parents decided it was worth it to take the risk since they had, they say, run out of options. “They were Sarah’s best and only hope” they said. Currently, Sarah is facing a complication the parents call “a minor setback” from the failure of the first lung transplant- A paralyzed diaphragm that is interfering with Sarah’s breathing tube. They are still optimistic about her recovery and the girl will undergo an operation to correct the problem. By: Rebecca Savastio Source: NBC News Source: Politico Source: USA TodayTExES Social Studies 7-12 – 3 Tips That Helped Me Get A Passing Score The TExES Social Studies 7-12 can be nerve-wrecking for anyone. The purpose of the test prep tips below is to simplify your test preparation and help you get a passing score. Getting an effective TExES Social Studies 7-12 practice test is critical to getting a passing score. That is, if you want to continue making progress in your Texas teaching career. A highly effective TExES practice test helps you evaluates your knowledge and skills pertaining to effective teaching and professional responsibilities. In your study for the TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) test, you must know what you need to focus-on. In order to get a passing TExES exam score your test preparation must cover the core knowledge and professional competencies measured on this assessment. The test practice tips below are focused on specific nuances of the Social Studies 7-12. However, this study advice has been used to pass the TExES Math 7-12, ESL, PPR, Social Studies 7-12, Special Education and many others. A TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) practice test (and of course the real exam) for people who consider themselves “bad test takers” or have test anxiety this examination can be a nightmare. After all, this Texas teacher certification test determines your career and the trajectory of your future. As if test anxiety were and consequences of failing were not enough, the test takers are also constantly overwhelmed by about the amount of material they have to study for the TExES Social Studies 7-12 exam. You should start TExES Social Studies 7-12 test prep long before your actual exam date, as it will increase your chances of getting a passing score. Give yourself at least 2 good months of consistent daily study time to prepare. Set a logical test date: Select a testing date which gives you ample time for your PPR practice Choose the right TExES Social Studies 7-12 practice test: The books or practice tests you choose will be the basis for successful test preparation. It is crucial to research and find a prep manual which will be most useful. Beware of the cheap and inadequate practice books which are although cheap, can affect your test score adversely. Make a TExES Social Studies 7-12 prep plan: Depending on the time you have, make a study plan for your study sessions. Determine all the areas you must cover between now your test center day. Estimate how many days or weeks you need to fully master each content area. Assign more time to the subjects or topics which you find difficult or that you feel low in. Planning and organizing your review sessions at least each time before you start a session will help you focus on the areas where small amounts of effort will yield the most score improvement. It’s even better if you can map out an entire schedule for your TExES test practice between now and your exam day. It will help set you up for success rather than risking a disorganized and frantic cram in ineffective and stressful study 2-3 weeks before your exam. Keep evaluating your TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) study progress: After each week of reviewing your prep guides, you should evaluate your progress. Measure your progress by taking a high quality and highly effective practice exams and example questions each week. This exercise will not only give you exam practice under real testing conditions, it’ll give you critical feedback you need to determine where you need to concentrate on in your study time. Once you pass this Texas teacher certification examination, the State Board of Educator Certification or SBEC will then grant you a Texas teaching certificate. Choosing the right TExES Social Studies 7-12 study guide for this teacher assessment is certainly not easy. Be sure to get review books by actual Texas teachers who took and passed. Avoid the generic, cookie-cutter study guides by big name publishers that cause thousands to fail each Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam date. TExES Social Studies 7-12 prep classes where the certified Texas teachers and tutors who passed help you have been proven to yield consistent passing scores. There are plenty of well designed preparation courses and books online by Texas educators who passed too. These can help you save weeks of time, avoid struggle, improve your score and stop risking failure due to mediocre prep books. Links To TExES Practice Tools And Tactics: Want more TExES Social Studies 7-12 practice and study help?… Go to: Does This Common TExES Social Studies 7-12 Test Taking Problem Embarrass You?…Former Senator and Republican commentator Scott Brown endorses Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, as the candidates prepare for the New Hampshire primary (Reuters) MILFORD, N.H. — Former Massachusetts senator Scott P. Brown, a moderate Republican who two years ago ran for Senate in New Hampshire, will endorse Donald Trump at a rally here Tuesday night, one week before the state’s presidential primary. Brown’s decision has been closely guarded for days, but it was confirmed by two people familiar with the event, where Brown will appear onstage with the candidate. When reached early Tuesday afternoon, the Trump campaign’s spokesperson would not discuss the rally or possible guests. Brown was unavailable for comment. Brown’s move could give Trump a significant boost one day after the mogul lost the Iowa caucuses to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. [Opinion: Iowa gives Trump a black eye] Although Brown was defeated in his senatorial bid here, he has been a popular GOP figure in New England ever since his stunning, come-from-behind victory in Massachusetts’s special election to fill the Senate seat in 2010. Brown is also a favorite of many establishment Republicans because of his centrist positions, including support for abortion rights and for a ban on assault weapons. His profile and personality, however, are blue collar and populist. He drove a pickup truck during his Senate bids and is a habitué of Cheap Trick concerts. [It’s no B.S.: Scott Brown is now a backyard-barbecue emcee in N.H.] On the endorsement front, Brown is the first U.S. senator, current or former, to formally back Trump. In the New Hampshire contest, Trump faces stiff competition not only from Cruz but from a crowd of mainstream Republicans who have strong pockets of support in and have been relentlessly campaigning in the state, such as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who placed a strong third in Iowa, is another threat. The relationship between Trump and Brown has grown cozy in recent months with a series of meetings and phone calls. At a January event in Portsmouth, N.H., Trump said Brown was cut out of “central casting” and could be his vice-presidential pick. Brown called Trump “the next president of the United States.” Speaking with reporters after the event, Brown said he was weighing three factors as he decided whom to endorse: “Somebody who is not afraid to make a decision and doesn’t always follow the polls; sometimes who will be politically incorrect and will do what’s best for this country.... Someone also who is not afraid to admit when they’re wrong.” That somebody is Trump.Coordinates: Lager Sylt was a Nazi concentration camp on Alderney in the British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands. Built in 1942, along with three other labour camps by the Organisation Todt, the control of Lager Sylt changed from March 1943 to June 1944 when it was run by the Schutzstaffel - SS-Baubrigade 1 and Lager Sylt became a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp (located in Hamburg, Germany). Alderney camps [ edit ] Each Alderney camp was named after one of the Frisian Islands: Lager Norderney located at Saye, Lager Helgoland at Platte Saline, Lager Sylt near the old telegraph tower at La Foulère and Lager Borkum, situated near the Impot. Two of these camps were the only Nazi concentration camps on British soil. The Borkum and Helgoland camps were "volunteer" (Hilfswillige) labour camps[1] and the labourers in those camps were treated harshly but better than the inmates at the Sylt and Norderney camps and were paid for work done. Lager Borkum was used for German technicians and volunteers from different countries of Europe. Lager Helgoland was filled with Russian Organisation Todt workers. (For further information on Alderney camps, see Appendix F: Concentration Camps: Endlösung – The Final Solution;[2] Alderney, a Nazi concentration camp on an island Anglo-Norman.[3]) Lager Sylt [ edit ] Today, little remains of the camp. Three gateposts to the rear of the island's airport mark the entrance; one has had a commemorative plaque attached. Some ruins remain, including a number of sentry posts, some foundations and a small tunnel, which led from the camp commandant's house to the inside of the camp. The commandant's house was later moved to another part of the island. There are no signs marking the remains of the camp, but it is marked on some maps of the island. It was built by the Organisation Todt (OT) in January 1942 by and for their forced labourers who would be employed in building fortifications including bunkers, gun emplacements, air-raid shelters and tunnels. Sylt camp held Jewish enforced labourers.[4] The prisoners in Lager Sylt and Lager Norderney were slave labourers forced to build the many military fortifications and installations throughout Alderney. Norderney camp housed European (usually Eastern but including Republican Spaniard) and Russian enforced labourers. The Lager Sylt commandant, Karl Tietz, had a black French colonial as an under officer. Shocked to see a black man beating up white men from the camp, a German naval officer threatened to shoot him if he saw him doing it again. Tietz was brought before a court-martial in April 1943 and sentenced to 18 months penal servitude for the crime of selling cigarettes, watches and other valuables he had bought from Dutch OT workers on the black market.[5]:147 It was taken over by the Schutzstaffel – SS-Baubrigade I, which was first under supervision of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp; from mid-February 1943 it ran under the Neuengamme camp in northern Germany,[6] located near the old telegraph tower at La Foulère. It was used by the Organisation Todt, a forced labour programme, to build bunkers, gun emplacements, air-raid shelters, and concrete fortifications on the island. Alderney has been nicknamed "the island of silence", because little is known about what occurred there during the occupation. The German officer left in charge of the facilities, Commandant Oberst Schwalm, burned the camps to the ground and destroyed all records connected with their use before the island was liberated by British forces on 16 May 1945. The German garrison on Alderney surrendered a week after the other Channel Islands, and was one of the last garrisons to surrender in Europe. The population were not allowed to start returning until December 1945. Over 700 of the OT workers are said to have lost their lives in Alderney, or in shipping that was sunk; the remaining inmates transferred to France in 1944. The States (Alderney's governing body) decline to commemorate the sites of the four labour camps. Local historian Colin Partridge feels this may be due to the locals' desire to dissociate themselves from the accusations of collaboration.[citation needed] A faded memorial plate, tucked away behind the island's parish church, vaguely mentions 45 Soviet citizens who died on Alderney in 1940–1945, without saying how they died and why. See also [ edit ]It’s only been a few weeks since President Trump signed the VA reform bill into law, but we may already be seeing some results which have been developing since the inauguration. CBS News reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs, still struggling with a years long series of scandals with their personnel, has fired more than 500 workers since January and has applied disciplinary procedures to hundreds more. This is so out of keeping with the usual practices of the department that it’s clearly noteworthy. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that more than 500 officials have been fired for misconduct since President Trump took office earlier this year, according to data posted online. In an effort for more transparency and accountability within the VA, Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin announced that a public list of employee “accountability actions” will be posted online and updated weekly. The list outlines a total of 747 disciplinary actions including 526 employees who were fired since January 20. The law in question came about as a follow-up to the executive order Trump signed in April creating an entity which I playfully described as “the Office of Your Butt is Fired.” Obviously these “resource actions” have been taking place since well before the law went into effect, but it hopefully represents a larger trend which has been developing since the new sheriff came to town. Due to privacy constraints, we’re not being told the names of the individuals who were dismissed. That’s rather curious when you consider that these are all government positions which are funded on the taxpayer dime, so the dismissal of malfeasant employees sounds like something which should be in the public record. But the results are still a hopeful sign for the future. While improvements have been made, there are still too many instances of poorly performing or even criminal employees at the agency which keep coming to light. We only recently covered the story of one worker who defrauded the taxpayers of more than $100K in wages for hours not worked and there are plenty more where that came from. So is this situation finally changing? Possibly. And one big factor may be the current state of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). That’s the government entity we’ve written about here at length where fired or suspended workers can appeal their cases and frequently not only get their jobs back, but be awarded back pay to boot. The MSPB has been in something of a state of suspended animation since board chairwoman Susan Tsui Grundmann abruptly resigned in January, months ahead of the scheduled end of her tenure. The board is currently down to a single member, Vice Chairman Mark A. Robbins, so they don’t even have the required quorum to make any decisions. One might speculate as to whether or not this is an intentional decision by the President, but that would require some mind-reading I’m not going to attempt here. But regardless of the reasons, it’s at least possible that workers are being more diligent at this point because they’re aware that VA employees aren’t simply getting a free pass anymore. Combine that with the removal of the bad apples already identified and… who knows? The end of the long-running VA scandal may finally be on the horizon.1 Case of misplaced team identity Brendan Rodgers’ philosophy has not changed since an irrepressible Liverpool side fell just short of winning the Premier League last season, but the subsequent overhaul in personnel has yielded an unrecognisable style. Opponents knew what to expect from Liverpool last term – swift, penetrating attacks, rapid transitions into the final third, outstanding movement throughout the forward line (not only the inevitably missed Luis Suárez) and well-rehearsed set pieces – but frequently struggled to contain the onslaughts. Rodgers’ ideal of a visit to Anfield becoming “the longest 90 minutes of an opponent’s life” neared fruition. A few months on and Liverpool appear unsure of themselves. A counterattacking team with a striker in Mario Balotelli who does not make the right runs to suit his team-mates? A team that sends more crosses into the box for Balotelli and thereby reduces the effectiveness of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho or Adam Lallana? “There is a real belief in our way of working and our way of playing,” the Liverpool manager said at the end of last season. Not now there isn’t. The void created by Suárez’s departure for Barcelona is becoming greater by the game. Yes, it is early days. Yes, a squad containing eight new faces needs time to adjust, but the summer transfer policy ran contrary to Rodgers’ statement in May before Suárez was sold that he “would rather have one or two absolute top players than seven that might not help us. It’s about the quality.” The disruption is running deep. 2 Weaknesses in defence The failing that contributed to Liverpool’s title slip has not been remedied despite a further outlay of £32m on defenders this summer (Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno plus a loan fee for Javier Manquillo). Liverpool have spent £66m on defenders since Rodgers arrived at the club, including the £9m goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, but the collective mistakes are on repeat and the organisation is questionable. Lovren was supposed to correct the lack of leadership in central defence – the cause of Rodgers’ misgivings about Daniel Agger before the Dane’s transfer back to Brondby in August – but the vulnerability remains glaring and Basel were the fourth team to score from a set piece against Liverpool in nine matches this season. Lovren has identified communication with the Spanish full-backs Moreno and Manquillo as a problem but Mignolet’s failure to command his penalty area has sown uncertainty and prompted Liverpool’s interest in Víctor Valdés’s recovery from a cruciate injury. 3 Balotelli should be Plan B Events have conspired against a pre-season desire not to blather on about Suárez after every Liverpool setback. A major factor has been the loss of Daniel Sturridge to a thigh injury sustained in an England training session that he advised Roy Hodgson did not suit his post-match recovery routine. The Champions League defeat to Basel was Liverpool’s sixth game without a striker whose ability to stretch defences, creating space and opportunity for the likes of Sterling and Coutinho in the process, is essential to the Rodgers approach. So too Sturridge’s pace and finishing ability. In the England striker’s absence Balotelli has offered little to dispel the notion of a desperation signing. A “calculated risk” was how Rodgers described the £16m addition from Milan. Against Ludogorets Razgrad in the opening Champions League game he looked a risk worth taking, otherwise he has appeared unsuited to Liverpool’s established style. Balotelli’s reputation for selfish, indifferent performances has been unfounded. Work rate has not been the problem. It is his touch, finishing and link-up play that are causes for concern. He appears more suited to the “Plan B” role that Rickie Lambert was supposed to provide. 4 No rebuilding in central midfield Not for the first time, Steven Gerrard’s suitability as a holding midfielder is under scrutiny after Basel easily picked holes around Liverpool’s central midfield on Wednesday. Five days earlier the 34-year-old thought he had put that debate to bed, at least for a while, following an influential performance and goal against Everton in the Merseyside derby. Whenever the focus falls on Liverpool’s central areas it invariably rests on Gerrard, and Rodgers’ pre-match assertion that the club must see “how he feels” over a contract extension, having indicated it was a foregone conclusion only a few months ago, marked a shift in emphasis. But the issues are wider. Jordan Henderson was also on the margins and bypassed easily against Basel. Rodgers spoke afterwards of the desperate need to have Joe Allen and Emre Can back from injury when neither have featured regularly when fit (Can, admittedly, only arrived in the summer but was overlooked for the out-of-favour Lucas at the start of the season having been withdrawn at half-time in the final pre-season friendly against Borussia Dortmund). Lucas was told he was free to leave in the summer but no proven defensive midfielder arrived. It is not, as has been the case for much of his Liverpool career, all on Gerrard’s shoulders. 5 Friction within the squad It was interesting to hear Rodgers’ appeal to the collective after the defeat at St Jakob Park. “It is vitally important we get back to playing as a team,” he said. “That was the huge advantage we had over the last 18 months and it is important we work together as a team.” That line came in a lament over Liverpool’s technical work this season, specifically the lack of it, but followed a night when Balotelli ignored the manager’s request to go to the travelling supporters after the final whistle, Coutinho angrily exchanged words with Rodgers during the game and blanked his manager when substituted, and Gerrard was involved in another dispute with Mignolet after a mistake
the poor or the rich or corporations or unions or the government itself. And that generates a kind of polarization, gridlock, divisiveness that is difficult for a nation to handle. The United States hasn’t succumbed to fascism. I don’t believe we would or will, but we are more polarized right now and more divided than we have at any time in my memory—even though, ironically, most of the substantive issues we face are not as divisive as they were, for example, during the 1950s with Joe McCarthy and his Communist witch hunts. Or in the 1960s with the civil-rights movement or in the early ’70s with the Vietnam War or Watergate. Georgia Straight: You draw the parallels between now and the 1920s and 1930s. That’s why I was asking because that was kind of the heyday of fascism. Robert Reich: Yes, and as I said, that’s when some countries in the world succumbed because their economies were under such stress. People were so desperate. And it’s not just fascism, but any kind of ism can become dangerous. But I’ve just seen in the United States, the tendency has been—if you look at the Progressive Era between 1901 and 1916, or the New Deal between 1933 and 1939, or the Great Society between 1963 and 1968, and even to some extent, Bill Clinton’s administration in the 1990s—you have movements to save capitalism, American capitalism, from its own extremes. To save capitalism, in other words, from itself. Georgia Straight: Your books suggest that if we can only stimulate demand and we can spread the wealth a little more to increase the purchasing power…. But unlike in previous times, we’re facing some pretty serious environment issues. I’m wondering how concerned you are that if everything works out the way you want it to be, are we going to accelerate some of the problems facing the global environment. Can we even have 1950s- or 1960s-style rates of economic growth? Robert Reich: That question assumes that the only kind of consumption is of material goods that deplete natural resources. But of course, there are many other kinds of consumption. We could consume education. We can have more and better health care. We can have more and better environmental protection, for example. It’s no coincidence that the environments of rich countries tend to be cleaner than the environments of poor countries because with economic growth comes more capacity to do more things, including having a clean environment. We mustn’t confuse consumerism—that is, the acquisition of more stuff—with the capacity of an economy to do a whole variety of things, including generating a sustainable environment. Georgia Straight: How did you get the idea to do the new movie, Inequality for All? Robert Reich: A young director named Jake Korbluth came to me about two-and-a-half years ago or three years ago, and suggested the movie. He had read my books up to that point and thought that a movie about inequality based on Aftershock would be useful. I acquiesced. I thought, “Sure, why not?” I had tried everything else. I was being a bit naïve. I didn’t know how hard it was to do a movie. Jake is extraordinarily talented. The movie, even after its first week, has done remarkably well, exceeding all of our expectations. It won an award at Sundance. It’s opened in 26 major American cities, expanding to more than 40. Georgia Straight: I’m waiting for it here. It hasn’t shown up in Vancouver yet. Robert Reich: All you need is a movie theatre that asks the distributor. This is all a very decentralized system. The Weinstein Company, the Radius division, is distributing the movie. I hope it comes to Vancouver. I think that people here would find it illuminating. Georgia Straight: Has it had any impact on your life? Robert Reich: It’s had a devastating impact over the last month because I’ve been out flogging it (laughs). For the last couple of years, it’s certainly taken more time than I ever expected. But it’s also been great fun. Georgia Straight: Are you working on any new books now? Robert Reich: Yes, as a matter of fact. It’s a terrible habit. They kind of percolate up to my cerebral cortex, my frontal lobe, and I have to start writing. And I am doing another book. Usually, it’s a process of discovery. I don’t know precisely what the book is about until I get well into it. And then I have to reorganize around its central theme. But it will continue to be an exploration of these structural changes in modern economies and the political and economic consequences. Georgia Straight: Have you received any backlash? If so, how has that manifested itself when you talk about inequality? I’m just wondering what the response has been from your critics. Robert Reich: There’s always a backlash, particularly on something as sensitive as issues of inequality. Political conservatives assume that even raising the issue generates a sort of class warfare. My approach is the opposite. I think not raising the issue—when, in fact, we’re at almost record of levels of concentrated income and wealth and political power—that becomes more dangerous. Then you have real class warfare. So as the movie gets more and more exposure, I expect more criticism from people who are anxious talking about the issue. But frankly, I don’t care. I think it’s healthy and important. Georgia Straight: What are the biggest misconceptions about the economy that people reading newspapers or watching newscasts might have? Robert Reich: The biggest misconception is that there’s something called an economy separate and distinct from the rules that define it. There is no economy in a state of nature except a kind of social Darwinist survival of the fittest and biggest. In civilized societies, the rules of the game are developed and enforced by government, courts, legislatures, and agencies. What is property? What is liability? What is a valid contract? What can be traded? What can’t be traded? All sorts of issues, including the rules of bankruptcy, the rules of antitrust, and so forth—we take these for granted, but they do tilt the playing field in one direction or another. Some of them make an economy more efficient. Some are designed for efficiency. Some of them are designed for growth. But some of them reflect a society’s sense of fairness, inevitably. What I am trying to get people to understand is that if they don’t feel that the distributional consequences of the current arrangement is adequate, then we should have the power in a democratic society to change the rules so that those distributional consequences are more to our liking. Georgia Straight: Where did you get your empathy for average people? Robert Reich: Well, I don’t know. I think most of us are empathic toward average, working people. My father had a dress store. He sold dresses to the wives of factory workers in the 1950s. And I was always short for my age and I was getting beaten up and bullied. Maybe that had something to do with it as well. But remember, I grew up at least in my formative years in the 1960s. So that John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy were all major political figures whose careers and basic precepts I took to heart. Even in 1967, I was an intern in the office of Robert Kennedy. So there was no doubt in my mind that I would be working on the political economy. I don’t think I would have predicted exactly the career I ended up taking, but I was always interested in the questions of distributional justice. Georgia Straight: How gruelling is it for you to be, really, the leading voice for liberal economics in the United States? Robert Reich: Well, I don’t think I am the leading voice of liberal economics. I think there are many people. Georgia Straight: Joseph Stiglitz? Robert Reich: Joe Stiglitz would be one. Or another, Paul Krugman, is very articulate. I am not comfortable with the labels. I think too often, labels close off discussion. Georgia Straight: How would you classify yourself? Robert Reich: A humanitarian? I don’t know. I certainly would argue for a decent society, a humane society. I think we want to be having many more discussions than we do about what is the nature of a good society. I’m continuously pleasantly surprised by how many people agree on some basic principles, regardless of the label that they apply to themselves. For example, should someone work full-time and still be in poverty? The answer, according to surveys, is no. A wide cross-section of Canadian and U.S. citizens say if you’re working full-time, you should not be in poverty. Or to take the other extreme, should we have effectively an ongoing aristocracy in which the family you are born into determines your life chances of success? If you’re born into wealth, you’re almost invariably going to be wealthy, as are your children and your children’s children. Most people feel that perpetuation of family dynasties is wrong. We ought to have a lot more mobility. People ought to have equal opportunity and not necessarily be consigned to a certain place on the economic ladder simply because of their parents. I could go on. My point is that once you get rid of the labels, there is a huge amount of consensus about what a good society means.Lawmakers in Washington are again weighing in on who should and should not qualify as a journalist—and the outcome looks pretty grim for bloggers, freelancers, and other non-salaried journalists. On July 12, the Justice Department released its new guidelines on investigations involving the news media in the wake of the fallout from the leak scandals involving the monitoring of AP and Fox News reporters. While the guidelines certainly provide much-needed protections for establishment journalists, as independent journalist Marcy Wheeler explained, the DOJ’s interpretation of who is a “member[] of the news media” is dramatically narrower than the definition provided in the Privacy Protection Act and effectively excludes bloggers and freelancers from protection. This limiting definition is causing alarm among bloggers like Glenn Reynolds on the right as well. While the DOJ’s effort to limit the scope of who can be recognized as a journalist is problematic, it doesn’t have teeth. Guidelines are, well, guidelines. But the report is part of a broader legislative effort in Washington to simultaneously offer protection for the press while narrowing the scope of who is afforded it. Importantly, Congress introduced federal shield bills in May—both ironically named the “Free Flow of Information Act of 2013”—that arguably would exclude bloggers, freelancers, and other non-salaried journalists from protection because they are not included within the bills’ narrow definition of who qualifies as a journalist. If these bills—support for which the White House reaffirmed in its DOJ report—pass without change, Congress effectively will create two tiers of journalists: the institutional press licensed by the government, and everyone else. That’s a pretty flimsy shield if what we are really trying to protect is the free flow of information. Not-So-Free Flow of Information Acts Both the House (H.R. 1962) and Senate (S. 987) bills use the euphemistic phrase “covered person” as a stand-in for “journalist.” In defining “covered person,” the bills effectively describe an individual working for a mainstream news organization and threaten to exclude bloggers. Specifically, the House bill requires that such an individual engage in “journalism” for “financial gain or livelihood.” The Senate bill defines a “covered person” as one who “regularly gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports or publishes” on “local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest.” (emphasis added) Further, both bills explain that “covered person” includes that person’s “supervisor, employer, parent [company], subsidiary, or affiliate.” The requirement of doing journalism for money and on a consistent basis, coupled with the suggestion that such activities happen within a larger journalistic organization, paints a picture of a New York Times correspondent—and arguably excludes bloggers, freelancers, and other non-salaried individuals who practice the craft of journalism and need the most protection. Déjà Vu: Sen. Schumer’s 2009 Shield Bill Amendment Excluding Bloggers, Freelancers Congress’ hostility to bloggers and independent journalists is nothing new. Indeed, EFF documented and fought against Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) 2009 amendment to a similar federal shield bill that explicitly exempted bloggers and others from protections. Clearly, Congress wasn’t listening. Though the prior legislation died after WikiLeaks—in conjunction with the New York Times and others—started publishing a trove of State Department cables in late 2010, Congress has revived both the good and bad. This time around, anti-blogger language is baked into the bills’ text. Sen. Schumer has re-introduced the Senate version with the restrictive definition of journalist, along with a large national security exception that would render the bill meaningless in the cases where a reporter’s privilege is needed the most. Win-Win Legislative Fix: Define Journalism, Not Journalist So what’s the solution? Congress should link shield law protections to the practice of journalism as opposed to the profession. Not only does this fix ensure that bloggers and freelancers are not categorically denied access to the protections to which they should be entitled under the law, but also it addresses lawmakers’ concerns, recently voiced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a June 26 op-ed, that in the absence of a legal definition of journalist anyone can claim to be one, thereby diluting the law by stretching it beyond any relevant boundaries. We can have a line in the sand; it simply needs to be one that is meaningfully tied to what journalism actually is—a point that Wheeler eloquently makes in endorsing a similar solution. Plus this interpretation has the weight of precedent: EFF successfully argued in Apple v. Does in 2006 that the goal of a shield law is to protect the free flow of information, not the people we historically think of as journalists. And as EFF has explained, many federal courts use a test to determine if a state-level reporter’s privilege applies that turns on the practice of journalism, asking whether that person intended to disseminate information to the public, and whether that intent existed at the inception of the newsgathering process.... Under this test, courts have provided the privilege to non-traditional journalists, including book authors and documentary filmmakers. Fortunately, the bills currently moving through Congress have really good language defining journalism. Consider the House’s definition: The term ‘journalism’ means the gathering, preparing, collecting, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing of news or information that concerns local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest for dissemination to the public. If we dropped the bills’ definitions of “covered person” and relied instead on the House bill’s definition of journalism, then we’d be well on our way to strong shield laws that protect the practice of journalism, regardless of what label we attach to the person doing it. Why We Need to Broaden the Proposed Shield Now Congress is moving forward with these anti-blogger bills: the Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to markup the bill later this month, the House has referred its bill to two Judiciary Subcommittees, and the White House reiterated its support for the bills in the DOJ report. Further, legacy media organizations like the Society for Professional Journalists and the Newspaper Association of America have voiced strong support for the bills’ passage. Sending a clear message ensuring that bloggers are in fact journalists and that their work is journalism is even more important now than it was when Congress considered a federal shield law in 2009 because recent district-level decisions have denied this basic reality of contemporary journalism. Most prominently, in a ruling from October 2011, a federal district judge in Oregon suggested that bloggers not “affiliated” with a major media organization don’t fall under the protection of the state’s shield law. Such state-level narrowing of the scope of who a journalist is cannot be allowed to set the trend for the entire country.“There are some lovely girls at that table! Delightful! Did you see the young blond one? Woooowwww!” Jim Norton had never been to lunch at Michael’s—the outlandishly priced Manhattan restaurant populated by media types, literary agents, moguls and celebrities—so who could blame him for gawping at the sparkling Glamour magazine table a few feet away? You wouldn’t know it to look at him—he’s a diminutive, shaved-headed, round-faced guy in a fading black T-shirt adorned with the word “PRIDE”—but Norton is one of the more popular comedians working. Actually, he’s a star. At 46, Norton has parlayed a lucrative career in standup into a regular (abeit suddenly uncertain) gig on the Opie & Anthony radio program, dozens of guest shots on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno along with appearances on Letterman, Kimmel and Fallon, comedy roles in sitcoms and movies, HBO specials, a couple of best-selling books, and, as of this week, hosting duties on his own eponymous talk show that just launched on Vice.com. And yet Norton—who by most measures is wildly successful—seems to feel uncomfortably out of place in this suave, self-satisfied venue; he keeps apologizing for not dressing up. Apparently he’s serious. When CBS This Morning co-anchor Norah O’Donnell arrives for the Glamour lunch and glides past our table to take her seat, his eyes go wide. “Is she married?” he asks in a tone of awe. “Yes,” I answer. “But does that stop you?” “It stops them.” He wears a furtive grin. “I dated someone for almost three years and we broke up two or three years ago,” Norton confides. “I like being single. I miss the friendship sometimes. I don’t miss waking up with somebody. I like being alone in the morning. I get bored very easily. And I’m a pervert. I like hookers and I like weird sexual things—not that any of that’s terrible if you can find somebody who’s interested.” Since indelicate sex jokes are central to Norton’s hilariously transgressive shtick, I ask if it’s true that, as fellow standup Jim Florentine once suggested during a typically filthy roast of Norton at Caroline’s years ago, that he likes his partners to deposit a hot lunch on his chest. “I’m not that crazy!” He adds with a giggle: “I do enjoy cider.” Needless to say, Norton’s brand of humor is not for everyone, though he seems perfectly suited to the off-kilter, gritty sensibility of Vice, where The Jim Norton Show is enjoying a summer test-drive, initially online. His laser-like focus on the absurdities of bodily functions, the hypocrisies of the so-called “language police” and the politically correct culture of coerced apology, the deluded vanities of celebs and their preening handlers, and the lacerating humiliations (almost always his own) offered up by human existence, has little in common with the puckish observational spiel of Bill Cosby or, for that matter, the eye-rolling sarcasm of Jerry Seinfeld. Perhaps surprisingly, Norton speaks with near-reverential admiration about a late-night comic who seems—at least in terms of his public persona—Norton’s polar opposite. “Jay Leno was so good to me,” he says, adding that he wonders what Leno has been doing since he passed the Tonight Show mantle to Jimmy Fallon in February. “Jay is such a workhorse, I’m guessing he’s working on his cars. He’s such a good guy. When I’ve struggled with something, I’ve talked to him about it, and he always gave amazingly good advice. He knows how to survive in a very fierce environment.” From Norton’s first moment onstage during open mike night at the Varsity Pub—a well-known hangout for comics in central New Jersey, where Norton, at 21, lost his standup virginity in April 1990—“I was dirty,” he recalls fondly. “I was a pig. I was a real pig.” He continues: “The weird part was hearing my voice projected back at me”—a noise much louder than laughter. “I wouldn’t say ‘crickets,’ ” he adds about the audience’s reaction to his inaugural routine. “It should have discouraged me from coming back, but it didn’t.” The talk show came about after Norton’s Los Angeles-based manager, Jonathan Brandstein, invited Vice Media co-founder Shane Smith to spend a weekend at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J., where Norton regularly lures thousands of loyal fans to see his act and purchase his merchandise. “Colin Quinn says it’s like a Turkish bazaar,” Norton says, quoting his fellow A-list comic about the sheer volume and variety of Jim Norton products that are hawked offstage. Vice’s Smith, who has established himself as something of a genius, if not an idiot savant, when it comes to channeling the Zeitgeist, quickly recognized Norton’s potential. “It took a while to get going because Vice is so busy. Those guys are exploding. They’re getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” Norton says. “We shot four episodes. I thought they went really well. Usually I hate everything I shoot. But this, I was happy with. I like the fact that they kinda let me do what I want to do. If it bombs, it’s my fault. There’s no one I can blame but myself.” The idea behind The Jim Norton Show—whose debut features a mix of monologue, sketch, and a couch-side chat with Mike Tyson and Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White—is to tear down the conventions of fake showbiz promotion and reveal the beating of its hideous heart. Norton’s sidekick is the decidedly un-Ed McMahon-like Bailey Jay, a transgender porn star who wears a tight, skimpy dress, is designated the show’s “Official Girl” and towers over the host. “My balls are getting stuck,” Bailey Jay complains at one point, crossing and re-crossing her mile-long legs. “We wanted to do an uncensored talk show,” Norton explains. “It’s not even about the language. Traditional TV is built on sound bites and seven-minute clips. Nobody says anything genuine anymore. It’s all so, ‘tell us about the project, oh it was a lot of fun, everybody was great,’ and they’re selling a product—which is fine, but I can’t watch that shit, man. It drives me crazy.” Norton elaborates: “I watched Ryan Seacrest interview what’s his name whose record is bombing? Robin Thicke! After Ryan asked a couple of questions that weren’t even that personal, Robin said, ‘Well, I’m gonna keep that private.’ Dude, you’re doing a fucking record called Paula to get your wife back, and then certain questions are private? Arrrgh! What a douchebag! No wonder nobody likes you! I hate that awful surface conversation where you can’t touch on certain things.” Notice to future guests on The Jim Norton Show: Be prepared to bare all or don’t even come. Among the brave souls who so far have confessed everything to Norton’s audience in upcoming episodes are "Freeway" Rick Ross, a former drug dealer turned anti-drug evangelist, and comedians Whitney Cummings and Dave Attell. But nobody is more committed to brutally honest full-disclosure than Norton himself. If comedy is born of pain and misery, he has already experienced more than his share. The son of a librarian and a truck driver for the U.S. Postal Service—his father was an ex-Marine and Army reservist—Norton describes a childhood in North Brunswick, N.J., filled with self-loathing, leavened by his ability to make his friends laugh. “I was obsessed with my hair. I hated my hair because I had cowlicks,” he says. “I always wore a hat. They were gonna throw me out of high school because I wouldn’t take my hat off. But it was just a deep insecurity about my awful hair.” He started drinking—heavily—at age 13. “Mostly vodka and grain alcohol, because that got you really drunk, really fast,” he says. “That feeling of discomfort that was always there, wasn’t there when I drank. It was just a way of feeling comfortable. I didn’t analyze it at that point. I was horribly insecure, horribly shy, always feeling ugly and weak. And it just made you feel better. Beer muscles.” At age 16, Norton tried his hand at suicide. “They weren’t real suicide attempts,” he says. “I was a cutter. It was attention-seeking stuff. It was ‘notice me!’ crap. I was 16, 17, and drunk. I never did that stuff sober. The last time was 1985, New Year’s Eve, going into ’86.” Understandably alarmed, Norton’s parents took him out of school and sent him to a rehab facility in Princeton, N.J., where he continued to sneak alcohol during the month he spent there, but also picked up some self-awareness that ultimately helped him stop drinking a year later. He never graduated from high school, though, and he missed out on the distinction of being voted Class Clown. “When they voted on the awards, I was in rehab for razor-cutting,” he says. “It was kind of hard to give the Class Clown award and send a photographer to fucking rehab to take a picture of me sitting there in front of the 12-step person.” Eventually Norton got sober and stayed that way. These days he keeps healthy in body and mind by seeing two different physical trainers four times a week—“both attractive women,” he reports—and a psychological therapist, also a woman, once a week, something he’s been doing for the past 25 years. “I once had a therapist fall asleep on me,” he says. “That really wrecks your self-esteem. I never went to a male therapist after that.” By any reasonable analysis, Norton’s self-esteem should be soaring. His career is chugging along on all cylinders. He has plenty of money, plenty of options. He’s much in demand, having been asked to deliver the keynote address Thursday night at the Montreal Just For Laughs comedy festival—a signal honor in his business. And yet, Norton says ruefully, “You know the old expression: ‘Wherever I went, there I was.’ ” He continues: “I have meltdowns a lot. Part of it is that I’m afraid if things are good, I won’t know how to handle that. I’m afraid if I start to enjoy life, the rug will be yanked out from beneath me. It’s a stupid, self-fulfilling prophecy. I have depression a lot. I’m always tail-spinning myself. It’s like I feel good about something, and then a couple of things go wrong, and I convince myself that the only answer is to jump off the Queensborough Bridge.” As if suddenly remembering the purpose of this lunch, Norton adds brightly: “I feel very positive about the Vice show!”Jack McCloskey, the former Timberwolves general manager and the man who built the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys” championship teams, died Thursday. He was 91. The Pistons said McCloskey died in Savannah, Ga. He had fought Alzheimer’s disease. Led by McCloskey draft picks Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman — all Hall of Famers, along with coach Chuck Daly — and trade acquisitions Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn, Mark Aguirre and James Edwards, the Pistons won NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. Known as “Trader Jack,” McCloskey helped guide Detroit to nine consecutive playoff appearances, five Eastern Conference finals in a row, and three NBA Finals. He left the Pistons in 1992 for the Timberwolves and was GM until being replaced by Kevin McHale in 1995. McCloskey traded away four of the Wolves’ six No. 1 picks during his tenure, including centers Felton Spencer and Luc Longley. Those deals produced Mike Brown and Stacey King. He also fired two coaches, Jimmy Rodgers and Sidney Lowe.Four people were severely injured — one woman lost part of her arm — and two were killed: James Brisette, and Ronald Madison, a 40-year-old developmentally disabled man who took a shotgun blast in the back. The state indicted seven officers, but that indictment was dismissed for improprieties involving the grand jury. Six were then charged by federal prosecutors in 2010, and the next year five of them went to trial together. (The case of a retired sergeant, Gerard Dugue, was severed from the others. He is still waiting for a new trial after an earlier mistrial.) At the federal trial of the five officers, defense lawyers emphasized that the men were rushing to the bridge under the belief — mistaken, as it turned out — that a policeman had been shot, and that under the extreme circumstances of the time, they should not be harshly judged. But prosecution witnesses, including other officers at the scene who had pleaded guilty, said officers had fired without warning and immediately after the shootings began to construct what would become an elaborate cover-up. All of the men were found guilty and faced sentences of six to 65 years. At their sentencing, however, Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt of Federal District Court delivered a lengthy speech condemning the prosecution for its plea deals and its use of problematic witnesses, and deploring the mandatory minimum sentences he was forced to impose. Two years later, he threw out the convictions, citing a scandal that had been unfolding in the local United States attorney’s office, involving senior prosecutors who had anonymously commented under online articles in the local media about cases on trial. Describing his own investigation into the scandal and his frustration with the Justice Department’s internal investigation, Judge Engelhardt insisted that the Danziger case be retried. His disdain for the Justice Department at the 2011 trial that was still on stark display on Wednesday, when the judge said that the Danziger case “might most be remembered by the jiggery-pokery” of the prosecutors. A panel of appeals court judges upheld Judge Engelhardt’s order for a new trial last year. In recent weeks, the lawyers from the Justice Department withdrew, which Judge Engelhardt deemed necessary for the case to move forward.Below is a list of jobs that might be rewarding for people with social anxiety disorder. At the same time, people with SAD are often suited to particular types of jobs, regardless of how well they have learned to cope with social anxiety. Jobs that involve flexibility and control over the level of social interaction can make it easier to cope with anxiety if it returns. This doesn't mean that you should choose jobs that don't involve social interaction; rather, having a flexible role with varying levels of interaction tends to work best. Often your choice of job will be dictated by how far along you are in terms of diagnosis and treatment. People who have successfully managed to overcome and learn to cope with symptoms of social anxiety are better equipped for positions that are socially demanding. Finding a job that you enjoy and that you feel comfortable doing can be challenging if you live with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Socially anxious writers may enjoy working alone. However, you should also try to challenge yourself by networking with other writers through professional associations and conferences. This will give you a chance to polish your social skills and also continue to expose yourself to those situations that cause you anxiety. If you find you are doing well, you might even volunteer to lead a presentation or help out on an advisory board. Whether you want to write novels, advice columns, or technical manuals, get your start with a job that allows you to gain experience such as working as a technical writer or copywriter. As you build your confidence, you can move to taking on freelance work and possibly even become a published author. Writing is a dream job for many. Unfortunately, it can be a hard profession to enter and may take a while before you start earning a living wage. However, once you become established, it is possible to earn a very comfortable living as a freelance writer. As a socially anxious artist, you may enjoy time spent alone on your work. However, you should also consider challenging yourself by attending or presenting at art exhibits. Communicating with clients and networking with other artists is a key part of continuously challenging your anxiety in the field of art. If you have a passion for this type of work, think about related jobs that might give you the same creative outlet and ability to work alone some of the time. Graphic design might be an option that gives you the opportunity to support yourself as an artist. An artist is another job that might be appealing if you live with social anxiety. However, earning a living as an artist can be a difficult pursuit. As an artist, you may need to take on a day job to support yourself while you do art on the side. However, take care if you have attention deficit disorder (ADD) in addition to SAD (these conditions sometimes go together). Running a household requires good organizational skills—something that might not challenge your social anxiety but will be taxing for those who also have attention issues. As a parent, you can control your own schedule and balance time spent in group social activities with quieter time spent alone with just your children. However, don't allow yourself to become isolated or deny your children opportunities because of your social fears. Accept invitations for play dates with other parents and volunteer for a committee at your child's school to keep connected. Stay-at-home parent also made the top 10 list of worst jobs for people with SAD. This is not an accident. Although there can be many social demands on you as a parent, there is also a lot of flexibility, which can be helpful if you live with severe social anxiety. Keep challenging your social anxiety in these positions by interacting with clients and other animal care professionals. If you enjoy working with animals these can be rewarding positions that require some social interaction but also give you space to work quietly and independently. A dog trainer is one example of a job working with animals that might be appealing to if you live with social anxiety disorder. Other possibilities include: Becoming an accountant can be a good way to challenge some of your social fears in a gradual way. Meetings with clients can be opportunities to work on your social skills, and attendance at networking events will help you to challenge your social fears. Whether you work for a company or as a private accountant, there will be some level of interaction required with others. Focus on your abilities and be confident in your work, and your comfort level with this aspect of the job will increase. Accountants manage bookkeeping and financial details for businesses and individuals. If you excel at math and enjoy working with numbers, being an accountant can give you the opportunity to work independently. Challenge your social fears in these positions by interacting with customers, other landscape professionals, and possibly even your own employees. You can also attend trade shows to practice your social skills. If you decide to run your own landscaping company, however, you will need to become adept at communicating with customers. In this way, landscaping can afford you with the opportunity to challenge your fears while having the security of "downtime" on the job. Landscapers can work for landscaping companies, golf courses, or as private entrepreneurs. Landscaping can give you the freedom to spend your day alone and outdoors. These jobs are particularly good if you are not happy working in an office environment. Just be sure that you don't hire out all of your social obligations. Challenge yourself to face social and performance situations that you find anxiety-provoking by starting small and moving to more difficult tasks. Although you will interact with customers or deal with suppliers as a business owner, you will not have a supervisor watching over you or coworkers to work alongside. As an entrepreneur, you can also hire other people to do jobs that you don't enjoy. As an entrepreneur or business owner you will work for yourself, set your own schedule, and be responsible for your own success. The advantage of being an entrepreneur as a person with SAD is that you have complete control over what you do. It's also easy to see how many other professions on this list can be combined with entrepreneurship. Challenge your social anxiety in this position by rising through the ranks to jobs that require more social interaction. Volunteer for career day at your child's school to challenge your public speaking fears. Many firefighters also work schedules that give them several days off in a row, which can be a chance to recuperate from the demands of work if you live with social anxiety. Although as a firefighter you will have interaction with the public and work alongside coworkers, you will also work with objects and have set expectations for your job. While being a police officer is on the list of the 10 worst jobs for people with social anxiety disorder, being a firefighter makes the 10 best. If you like computers and don't mind sitting for long periods of time, this can be a good job that allows you to work independently. Be sure to challenge your social anxiety by talking with coworkers and taking on projects that require increasingly more interaction. While there will be some degree of social interaction required of you as a programmer, employees in these positions are generally valued for their analytical skills rather than their communication skills. To work as a computer programmer, you must be detail-oriented, enjoy solving problems and be able to focus for long periods of time. 10 Counselor BSIP/UIG / Getty Images Counselor or therapist might not be the first job you think of for those with social anxiety. However, when in a position to help others overcome SAD, this can be an ideal job. You understand what your clients are experiencing, you are a good listener, and you likely have a communication style that others with social anxiety will not find threatening. If you have received treatment and overcome your social anxiety, you are in a perfect position to help others do the same. This position will give you unique insight into your own struggles at the same time. A Word From Verywell What do all of these jobs have in common? In some ways, they resemble the fear hierarchies used in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety. Individuals with these jobs can start small by facing social interactions that they fear the least and gradually move toward more challenging situations.Ben Roethlisberger is playing the best football of his oddly underrated career. The Steelers' offense has racked up more yards than any team in the league despite missing Le'Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant and Maurkice Pouncey. What are they going to look like when everyone is healthy? Roethlisberger has hit another level by going downfield more than ever. Too often overlooked throughout his career when discussing the top quarterbacks in the league, he now looks to be comfortably in the top three. The pieces are in place for him to have a late-career MVP run that looked unlikely when Todd Haley took over the Steelers' offense in 2012. Last Sunday's performance against the 49ers was one of the best games I've seen in three years of writing this column. He completed twice as many impressive vertical passes (six) as he had off-target throws (three). His style of
of our books into a well known list with categories which could be looked up programmatically. This is the system we chose. To recap: Alphabetizing with Categorization – Required us to design the subject categories, isn’t very precise, and must be done manually. Hard Alphabetizing – Works a little better with computers, but has all of the other drawbacks of soft alphabetizing. Dewey Decimal (DDC) – Has better sorting, but subject categories are still somewhat subjective. Library of Congress (LCC) – Provides excellent sorting capabilities, has pre-defined subject categories, and can be categorized programmatically. The Catalog When I was 9 years old we had to take library class, spending time in the school library learning how to use it. Mrs. Snuffleupagus (none of use could pronounce her real name) would walk us over to a large cabinet full of index cards and tell us to use them to look up books while admonishing us to not touch any of them because our fingers were probably sticky. Mary and I wanted a digital catalog with good support for sorting and an easy way to add, edit, and delete books. We also needed a catalog which would support LCC numbers and have a good interface when handling the number of books we had It should preferably work under Microsoft Windows or Linux, the two OS’s we are currently running. I started my search by posting the question to SlashDot.org. I got a lot of responses. Some were useful, others were less so. My favorite was, “I think you lost most of the slashdotters when you started with ‘My Wife…’ People are googling this ‘wife’ to see what they can find out about the phenomenon.” I thanked my good fortune that I am interested in computers while still being blessed with female companionship and compiled a list of options. I first looked for a good open source alternative, but I couldn’t find one. I then figured the project was worth spending a little money on and compiled the following list. Readerware Readerware is flexible and pretty fast. It has a decently clean interface and supports Windows, Linux, Mac, and even Palm. You can create your own columns and it has pretty good support for Library of Congress Catalog information (with the addition of a provided Python script). It will find the LCC number based on the ISBN number. Readerware can also be customized with your own Python scripts. It costs $40. We chose Readerware. Delicious Monster Delicious Monster also costs $40. It runs only on MacOS, but that wasn’t the biggest issue for us. Delicious Monster has a slick looking interface which most Mac users will find familiar. However, it feels like a better solution for organizing 100 DVDs instead of 3,500 books. It also doesn’t have good support of Library of Congress Catalog numbers. Collectorz.com Book Collector Collectorz also costs $40 (actually $39.95) and works on Windows and Mac. It has the same problem as Delicious Monster of feeling like it is aimed at smaller databases. It also doesn’t have support for Library of Congress Numbers. FinderWare FinderWare also costs $40 runs only on Windows and once again feels like it is aimed at smaller libraries. It also has a clunky interface for adding multiple books at once and does not support Library of Congress Classification numbers. A Custom Made Catalog Readerware was a good fit, but it wasn’t perfect. This got me working overtime to create something better. “I can build my own catalog system,” I thought. It would be exactly what I needed, support large amounts of data, and import automatically from the Library of Congress Catalogs. “I’m a professional software developer. I could bang this out in a day or two.” The system would have a new kind of interface on the library data, so easy and intuitive to use that it would take over the world. Every library on Earth could use my software. Mary found me a couple of hours later surrounded by the full Edward Tufte collection and every book on user interfaces we own. Well… only the books I could find. That is why we needed the system in the first place. It took one look from her for me to come to my senses and decide that building my own library software would be a much bigger project than I had time for. The Scanner Now that we had a library catalog system we needed to add the books to it. Most books have a copyright page containing publisher and cataloging information, most books published after 1975 have an ISBN number, and most books published after 1985 have a barcode on the back which contains the ISBN number. The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique number identifying that book. This number contains information about the book, where it is from, and who published it. You can use this number to look up the rest of the information about a book from many online sources. The problem with the ISBN number is that it isn’t a very good number to use to catalog the books. Sorting by ISBN number would create a list which didn’t have anything to do with the author or the subject of the book. This would create an effectively random order of books and make it very difficult to find what you are looking for. Typing 3,500 ISBN numbers into the system didn’t sound like fun so I went looking for a good bar code scanner. The first one we tried was the CueCat. The CueCat was manufactured as part of an abandoned marketing scheme. We found one for sale on eBay for five dollars and figure it was worth a try. We couldn’t make it work. We spent a few days and couldn’t make it scan anything. Other people have said they had some success with it, but we never did. After our poor experience with the CueCat we decided to go a little higher end and bought a FlicWare scanner. The FlicWare scanner is simple, sturdy, and cost about $100 at that time. (It is now called the Microvision ROV, at $159.00.) There are a lot of other handheld scanners on the market and I can’t claim to have made an exhaustive comparison. The FlicWare scanner just seemed simple and had good support from ReaderWare. ReaderWare even provides a PDF file with settings specifically for this scanner. I’m sure there are a lot of other good barcode scanners out there, but this one has worked well for us. The Bookshelves With our scanner and catalog in place we needed somewhere to actually put all of the books. We had some bookshelves already, but we were going to need a lot more. The cost of our project up to this point was $140. I was worried that this was where it would start to cost some real money. The bookshelves were more than just a functional choice. We had to live with them every day. We haven’t been in college for a long time. We have a mortgage and own a car. We are adults. Two by fours and cinder blocks just weren’t an option. Thos. Moser will sell you a tall solid cherry bookcase for $4,750.00. A bookcase of this size will hold about 180 books. Luckily HomeDepot came to the rescue. HomeDepot sold us a solid particle board bookcase of the same dimensions for about $30. They don’t look too bad either. Adding the Books At this point we finally had a catalog, a scanner, and a source for good bookshelves. We were ready to start adding our books to the system. It made sense to shelve the books and catalog them at the same time. We set up one of our new bookcases, the scanner, and a laptop in one room and went to work. The process went like this: Scan about 50 books. Import the books into ReaderWare and let it find the information about them. Manually find LCC numbers for any books which weren’t found. Sort the list and add each book to the shelf. We started this process with one shelf and moved on from there. We kept a clear gap between the cataloged and uncatalogued books. 50 turned out to be about the right number of books to catalog at one time. 50 is a large enough number to make it go quickly, but a small enough number that it is easy to look through the stack of books. We also added a column to ReaderWare to indicate whether a book had been shelved yet. This made it easy to sort our books by LCC number and just add the books that had not yet been shelved. Once we got a little practice the two of us were able to catalog 150-200 books an hour. We didn’t do it all at once. We took our time and slowly worked our way through. Foreign Language, Oversized, and Children’s Picture Books We have a decent number of books in languages other than English (mostly Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and French). These books are often not part of the Library of Congress system. We also have a number of oversized art books. These books need shelves which are especially tall and strong. We kept both of these types of books out of the system. Children’s picture books are notorious for going out of print quickly and being difficult to catalog. We kept all of those books out of the system as well since many of them did not have LCC numbers. This accounted for about 200 books. The Results At the beginning of this article I identified the following criteria for our system: It needs to be easy to find a book. It needs to be easy to add a book to the system. The systems needs to handle foreign language books. It needs to be easy to maintain the system going forward. The initial cataloging effort can’t take forever. We achieved all of these except for number three. There does not exist (to my knowledge) a system which catalogs all books in all languages. The entirety of human knowledge just isn’t that well organized. We started this process about one year ago. A new baby and life in general got in the way a little, but we have cataloged two out of three floors worth of books. Our current cataloged book count is 1,634. 87 of those books didn’t have LCC numbers and are kept on a special shelf. As part of this process we sold, gave away, or recycled about 500 books. We have designated a shelf as the temporary holding shelf for new books until we get around to adding them to the system. The system has been working very well for us. We know what we have and where to find it, but there has been an added benefit – we can now browse within a subject. When we want to read something new we can go to that section and look at what there is. We can also easily sort the list of books by author or the date we bought them. This makes it much easier to find the book you didn’t know you were looking for. A few statistics: Total books – About 3,500 Sold, given away, or recycled – About 500 Cataloged – 1,634 Exempted – about 200 Total cost of Project – About $440 By the way, if you are curious I estimate that Mary and I have read about 1,300 of our 1,650 cataloged books. About 80 percent. We are actively working on the rest.That’s all, folks! I’m out. Embracing the presidential aspirations of Donald Trump was, from the start, an exercise in magical thinking. In my heart, I wanted the smack-talking, hair-challenged, self-absorbed New York City billionaire Republican to nail down this baby. But in my head? Not so much. I’ve hung out with Trump, 70, many times over the years, professionally, socially and in wacky combinations of the two. I interviewed him inside a stretch limo in New Hampshire in 2011 about his White House ambitions. But the chat devolved into a madcap dash through Podunk streets too small for his ride — or his ego. Trump soon got palpably bored with the Granite State and the presidency, and started motor-mouthing about “Celebrity Apprentice’’ and his suspicion, which was proven wrong, that President Obama was born in Kenya. He asked the driver to drop him off at his private chopper emblazoned with the name “TRUMP’’ for the trip home. ”Want a ride in my helicopter?’’ he asked me. Not wanting to find myself airborne over the Throgs Neck Bridge with no exit strategy, I begged off. Here is a guy with the common touch, but the attention span of a flea. He’s someone voters would enjoy having a beer with, even though he doesn’t drink alcohol. Can you imagine the torture of sharing a Bud Light with Democrat Hillary Clinton? But some of us smitten with his shoot-from-the-lip style have reached our limits. I think Trump secretly doesn’t want the prize. Why would he crave spending endless hours in policy meetings, cavorting with miserable domestic and world leaders and abandoning his collection of obscenely opulent abodes to live in public housing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, DC? His penthouse, which sprawls over the 66th, 67th and 68th floors of Trump Tower, looks like the palace of Louis XIV — if the French king mated with Liberace, with 24-karat-gold accents adorning everything from the lamps to the china, marble bathtubs and a vaulted living room ceiling painted with a fresco of scantily clad babes. When I visited about two months after his lovely wife, Melania, now 46, gave birth to the couple’s son, Barron, now 10, the infamous germophobe boasted that after fathering five children, he’d never changed a diaper. I enthused that Melania, who stood quietly nearby aboard 5-inch stilettos, had lost all her baby weight. Trump corrected me: “She’s almost lost all the baby weight.’’ I was embarrassed for the mother of his youngest kid, who ignored the dig. Trump staffers asked a photographer and me to put sterile cotton booties over our shoes so as not to sully the carpet. It was time to get the hell out of the loony bin. My all-time favorite Hollywood GOP curmudgeon, Clint Eastwood, 86, told Esquire magazine in the September issue that we’re living in a “p—y generation’’ beholden to political correctness. Trump, he said, is “onto something.’’ But he stopped short of endorsing him. Trump picked a stupid fight with the Muslim Gold Star parents of 27-year-old Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004. Sure, dad Khizr Khan put the candidate on the spot while at the Democratic National Convention. Holding up a copy of the US Constitution, he needled Trump — “Have you even read the Constitution?’’ Trump could have said he’s sorry for the Khans’ loss, and left it at that. Instead, he said the dad had “no right’’ to “viciously’’ criticize him, and accused the slain soldier’s mom, Ghazala Khan, of standing by silently as her husband spoke because she is Muslim. (She later said she was too distraught to speak.) And Trump won’t back down from his lunacy and bigotry. I can no longer justify calling myself a Trumpkin. I’m done with The Donald. Let’s grab a beer — or I will — and call it quits. Addicted to coddling criminals President Obama released from federal prison or slashed the sentences of 214 inmates last week, the largest one-day springing since at least 1900 — many of them minorities he termed nonviolent drug offenders. But his clemency spree helped criminals who not just used but sold garbage, and more than 50 who brandished firearms while engaging in “nonviolent’’ trafficking. Independently, the affluenza-afflicted Cameron Douglas, 37-year-old scion of Hollywood royalty — son of Michael Douglas, 71, grandson of Kirk Douglas, 99, stepson of Catherine Zeta-Jones, 46 — was released from a federal lockup to a halfway house after serving nearly seven years for drug dealing and possession. He landed a glamorous job at a film production company in New York City. A source told The Post’s Page Six he plans to write a tell-all book about his “struggle” growing up among icons. Wealthy druggies have it over ordinary, coddled junkies and pushers. They get bigger breaks. Face it, Renée – looks matter You signed up for this life, Renée. Renée Zellweger, 47, went nuclear over two years of rampant media reports speculating that she had undergone plastic surgery. “Not that it’s anyone’s business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes,” she wrote in the Huffington Post, slamming the claim as “sexist.” With her new film “Bridget Jones’s Baby’’ set to open next month, she went on the tear after a piece was published in Variety in June by the mag’s chief film critic, Owen Gleiberman, headlined, “Renée Zellweger: If She No Longer Looks Like Herself, Has She Become a Different Actress?” I don’t think someone who makes her living off her appearance should express anger when people notice she’s changed. Panic in Needle Park — Part Two A flashback to the bad old days of the 1980s and early ’90s, when junkies ran decent folks out of Tompkins Square Park in the now-gentrified East Village. Now filth has a new, better ZIP code. Hookers, crack smokers — a man was seen injecting drugs into his neck — do their business freely, even in front of cops, in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, The Post reported. Mayor Bill de Blasio and new top cop James O’Neill — help!A new study in The Lancet rates the harmfulness of 20 psychoactive drugs according to 16 criteria and finds that alcohol comes out on top. Although that conclusion is generating headlines, it is not at all surprising, since alcohol is, by several important measures (including acute toxicity, impairment of driving ability, and the long-term health effects of heavy use), the most dangerous widely used intoxicant, and its abuse is also associated with violence, family breakdown, and social estrangement. A group of British drug experts gathered by the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD) rated alcohol higher than most or all of the other drugs for health damage, mortality, impairment of mental functioning, accidental injury, economic cost, loss of relationships, and negative impact on community. Over all, alcohol rated 72 points on a 100-point scale, compared to 55 for heroin, 54 for crack cocaine, and 33 for methamphetamine. Cannabis got a middling score of 20, while MDMA (Ecstasy), LSD, and psilocybin mushrooms were at the low end, with ratings of 9, 7, and 6, respectively. One can quibble with these judgments (some of that in a minute). But there is no question that the ISCD, which University of Bristol psychopharmacologist David Nutt organized after he was fired from his job as the government's chief drug adviser for excessively candid comparisons of cannabis and alcohol, has put more thought into its classification scheme that the British and U.S. governments put into theirs. As Leslie King, a co-author of the study, wryly observes, "What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science." You could view the fact that distinctions between tolerated and proscribed drugs have never had a firm scientific basis as yet another reason why politicians should not be empowered to control the substances we put into our bodies. Or, if you are David Nutt, you could view it as a reason why they should consult experts like you before they try to do so. While Nutt seems to think that marijuana and psychedelics are too strictly controlled, for example, he also argues that alcoholic beverages are too cheap and too readily available. For him, that conclusion flows directly from the scientific evidence, although a closer examination might reveal some intervening value judgments. Putting aside the issue of technocratic paternalism, there is an impressionistic aspect to many of the judgments underlying these drug scores. In the procedure used for the study, the authors write, "scores are often changed from those originally suggested as participants share their different experiences and revise their views." Sometimes these views are backed up by data, such as ratios of lethal to effective doses or survey results that indicate addiction rates, but often the evidence is more anecdotal. It also is not clear whether judgments about alcohol's harms were influenced by the fact that it is so widely consumed. As I read the study, the scores are supposed to be independent of use rates. But A.P. reports that "experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them." Regarding social consequences, there is much room for interpretation about alcohol's causal role in domestic violence and other harmful behavior. The scores may also exaggerate the intrinsic dangers of illegal drugs, since they do not distinguish between harms caused by drug use itself and harms caused by prohibition. "Many of the harms of drugs are affected by their availability and legal status," the authors note. "Ideally, a model needs to distinguish between the harms resulting directly from drug use and those resulting from the control system for that drug." The harm associated with heroin use, for example, is compounded by unpredictable purity, by artificially high prices that encourage injection, and by anti-paraphernalia policies that encourage needle sharing. As usual, defenders of drinking are outraged by the comparison between alcohol and illegal drugs. Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, tells The Sun, "The vast majority of people know it's just not rational to say that enjoying a social beer with friends in the pub or glass of wine over dinner has the moral or societal equivalence of injecting heroin or smoking a crack pipe." Such reactions are based on the observation that the vast majority of drinkers are not alcoholics. Despite alcohol's very real dangers, they generally manage to consume it in a way that not only does not harm them or others but on balance enhances their lives. Here is the point that defensive drinkers like Simmonds miss: If this is possible with alcohol, it is possible with any intoxicant that large numbers of people have shown an interest in consuming. For more on that, see my book Saying Yes. I discuss Nutt's drug-related deviance here, here, and here. Ron Bailey notes a previous Nutt-led study of drug dangers here. Brendan O'Neill cited Nutt in his 2009 attack on the "unholy alliance between alcohol prohibitionists and marijuana reformers." I discussed the potential and perils of comparing marijuana to alcohol in a 2010 book review. [Thanks to Terry Michael for the tip.]October 28, 2011 Put away the jack-o-lantern carving and the spooktacular costume planning for a second because it is time for a very special Top Ten. This countdown is filled with plants that put the orange, black, freaky and frightening back into Halloween. Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna) Fact: This plant is a member of the same family as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers. This may not seem like a scary family of plants but the Deadly Nightshade also has some very poisonous relatives like Herbane, Jimsonweed and European Mandrake. How it reminds us of Halloween: In the Middle Ages, Deadly Nightshade was believed to be the devil’s favourite plant. Witches and Sorcerers would use the plant’s juices in many of their ointments and brews. Even though this plant has been used in medicine be sure to stay away, it is so toxic that even touching it can poison you! Claire Kowalchik, William H. Hylton and Anna Carr Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, Inc., 1987: 158-159 Devil’s Claw (Proboscidea louisianica) Fact: This plant shares its scientific name with an unlikely species– proboscidea is also an order of elephants! Proboscidea comes from the word proboscis, which means trunk or horn. How it reminds us of Halloween: As this plant matures, its seed pods dry out and turn grey or brown. Eventually the pods split down the middle and begin to look like sharp hooks (or horns). Imagine having one of those stuck to you. Scary! Plus, it probably doesn’t help that it’s named after the devil… Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross, Bizarre Botanicals. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc., 2010: 184-185 Wolfsbane (Aconitum) Fact: Some wolfsbane species are used in traditional medicines, while others are extremely toxic and can be deadly. How it reminds us of Halloween: Wolfsbane has long been associated with werewolves. In most stories, wolfsbane has been known to keep werewolves away. However, if you ask the writer of Harry Potter, it also prevents a person from turning into a werewolf during a full moon. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=100300 Purple Devil (Solanum atropurpureum) Fact: This relative of the Deadly Nightshade makes a very good barrier hedge. It’s not a big surprise that if you plant a few purple devils around your yard, unwanted visitors will stay away! How it reminds us of Halloween: What’s Halloween without a few spikes? The sight of the Purple Devil’s deadly spikes would certainly make us jump in the night. Scott D. Appell Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guides: Annuals for Every Garden. Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Inc., 2003: Page 35 Chinese Lanterns (Physalis alkekengi) Fact: Chinese Lanterns produce edible berries, which have been used in medicine to reduce fevers. How it reminds us of Halloween: The bright orange berries of the Chinese Lanterns are protected by an orange covering that looks a little like a pumpkin. Once this cover begins to waste away it leaves behind a skeleton that looks like a spooky cage trapping the berry. http://eol.org/pages/581063/details Cockscomb (Celosia cristata) Fact: Although all members of the Celosia genus have fuzzy flowers, the waviness of the cockscomb’s flowers is pretty unique. It is caused by fasciation, which develops due to infections, certain insects or growing mutations. This isn’t just a cockscomb’s problem – any other plant can develop this way. How it reminds us of Halloween: It may be just us, but this flowering plant looks a lot like a fuzzy brain, especially when the flower is yellow. This plant would make a perfect treat for Zombies. Yum! Brains! Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross, Bizarre Botanicals. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc., 2010: 172-173 H. Peter Loewer, Jefferson’s Garden. Mechanicburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2004: Page 63 Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) Fact: Not only is this plant interesting because it blooms in the fall, it also has some pretty cool seed pods. When the seeds are ready, the pods pop and the seeds shoot outwards. In fact, this pop is so powerful that you can actually hear it! How it reminds us of Halloween: Witch Hazel plants produce thin yellow petals that look wild and stringy. Take a look at its silhouette and you’ll know what we mean. Very creepy! http://eol.org/pages/589817/details Doll’s eyes (Actaea pachypoda) Fact: This plant is pretty toxic so most herbivores avoid them. However, birds appear to be immune. By carrying the berries, birds help spread the Doll’s eyes’ seeds to new places. How it reminds us of Halloween: This plant is named after its white berries, which look like old-fashioned china doll eyes. Sure, they are berries, but we wouldn’t want to be walking alone in a forest filled with doll’s eyes on a scary night. Hundreds of little eyes watching you? Ah…no thank you! http://eol.org/pages/595010/details Fact: Dracula orchids smell like mushrooms and look a little like them too (the “tongue”). This is done on purpose to trick fruit flies that pollinate mushrooms into pollinating them as well. How it reminds us of Halloween: This flower looks like a vampire! When Spanish scientists first came across these orchids, they were reminded of dragons and bats. If you find yourself surrounded by Dracula Orchids, you better watch your step – you might get bitten! http://www.amnh.org/news/2010/10/dracula-orchids-celebrating-hauntingly-photogenic-natural-history/ Ghost Plant (Monotropa uniflora) Fact: This plant has a symbiotic (both benefit) or parasitic (Ghost plant benefits at the other’s expense) relationship with mycorrhizal fungi. It can only exist where this fungi is present, which makes it very difficult to grow in gardens. How it reminds us of Halloween: This plant’s name is very fitting. Not only are Ghost plants white but they also live in the dark. Unlike most plants, they don’t rely on light (photosynthesis) to grow. All that time in the dark is awfully ghostly. http://eol.org/pages/583541/details EXTRA Octopus Stinkhorn (Clathrus archeri) Yes, yes, yes, we know – this is a fungus and doesn’t belong on a plant list. But that’s why it’s a bonus. Fact: According to some brave souls, the Octopus Stinkhorn is edible in its egg stage. However, it is not something we would recommend. Apparently, the taste and texture isn’t really appealing. How it reminds us of Halloween: The octopus stinkhorn looks like something out of a horror tale. It “hatches” from eggs and grows four to eight tentacles. On top of that, it has a stinky gleba (flesh) that smells like decaying flesh…gross. http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Clathrus-archeri.htm Have you stumbled across other spooky plants? Tell us about it in the comments section and let us know why this plant reminds you of Halloween. Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.Advanced uses of Travis CI with Nim There have been a few guides describing the use of Circle CI, originating from here. But in my opinion Travis CI is a superior service, because it has more options and is more reliable. Basic setup¶ Let's start with the minimal Travis configuration that allows you to test Nim projects. 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.travis.yml language: c install: - \| # Download the latest release of Nim into the "nim-master" folder git clone -b master --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/nim nim-master/ cd nim-master # Download the latest release of Nim's prepared C sources, for bootstrapping git clone -b master --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/csources csources/ cd csources # Build C sources sh build.sh cd.. # This concludes the first step of bootstrapping, don't need C sources anymore rm -rf csources # Use the executable built from C sources to compile the build tool bin/nim c koch # Compile Nim in release mode, using the Nim compiler we already have./koch boot -d:release cd.. before_script: # Add the 'bin' folder to PATH - export PATH = "nim-master/bin: $PATH " script: # Run 'tests/all.nim'. Feel free to change this, but it needs to be a program # that returns a non-zero status code in case of failure. The testing facilities # in Nim's standard library do this. - nim compile --verbosity:0 --run tests/all Look at this guide to get an idea about how to set up the actual tests. You may think that the folder name nim-master is redundant, but you'll see later why I didn't call it just nim. All this custom stuff is needed because Travis doesn't officially support Nim. And we need to pick some language. The choice of C language could be called arbitrary, but we do use C compilers here, so it's nice to make sure they're available. Now, downloading, bootstrapping and recompiling everything every time is slow and wasteful. Let's add caching! 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 33 34.travis.yml language: c install: - \| if [! -x nim-master/bin/nim ] ; then # If the Nim executable does not exist (means we haven't installed Nim yet) # (do what we did before) git clone -b master --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/nim nim-master/ cd nim-master git clone -b master --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/csources csources/ cd csources sh build.sh cd.. rm -rf csources bin/nim c koch./koch boot -d:release else # We already have the repository, go to it cd nim-master # Download latest commits from the repository git fetch origin if! git merge FETCH_HEAD \| grep "Already up-to-date" ; then # Recompile Nim (using itself), only if there were new changes bin/nim c koch./koch boot -d:release fi fi cd.. before_script: - export PATH = "nim-master/bin ${ PATH :+: $PATH } " script: - nim compile --verbosity:0 --run tests/all cache: directories: - nim-master So, after successful builds, the directory nim-master will be stored in the cache, and we can reuse it in the next builds. This is especially important when testing using Nim's master branch which rarely changes. Another change is how the directory is added to PATH. We avoid the stray colon if PATH is empty, which would mean that we also have an empty entry in PATH (current directory) Multiple Nim versions¶ Our next step is testing the project under multiple different configurations. Make sure you understand what the Build matrix is. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 travis.yml language: c # Run builds with 2 different values of the `nim_branch` environment variable env: - nim_branch = master - nim_branch = devel # Run builds with 2 different choices of a C compiler compiler: - gcc - clang # This meams we get a 2x2 build matrix, with a total of 4 builds matrix: # It's OK if our project fails to build with Nim devel, but we still want to check it allow_failures: - env: nim_branch = devel # Call the commit successful as soon as the builds with master branch complete. fast_finish: true install: - \| # Simply replacing "master" with `$nim_branch` everywhere means we can reuse # this installation script for both branches. if [! -x nim- $nim_branch /bin/nim ] ; then git clone -b $nim_branch --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/nim nim- $nim_branch / cd nim- $nim_branch git clone -b $nim_branch --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/csources csources/ cd csources sh build.sh cd.. rm -rf csources bin/nim c koch./koch boot -d:release else cd nim- $nim_branch git fetch origin if! git merge FETCH_HEAD \| grep "Already up-to-date" ; then bin/nim c koch./koch boot -d:release fi fi cd.. before_script: # `$nim_branch` is used here as well, to add the specific compiler to PATH - export PATH = "nim- $nim_branch /bin ${ PATH :+: $PATH } " script: # Specify the C compiler to Nim # (the `compiler` option of the build matrix sets the `$CC` variable) - nim compile --cc: $CC --verbosity:0 --run tests/all cache: # Cache both compilers easily directories: - nim-master - nim-devel branches: except: - gh-pages One more thing I packed into this example is 'build all branches except for gh-pages'. But that's the default behavior of Travis anyway. See this configuration in action: Different configurations per branch¶ Another thing you may want to do is maintain 2 branches of your project: master, which is supposed to work with Nim master devel, which is supposed to work with Nim devel So let's get to action! 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.travis.yml language: c before_install: - \| # Test the master branch with Nim master and other branches with Nim devel if [ " $TRAVIS_BRANCH " = master ] ; then export branch = master else export branch = devel fi install: - \| git clone -b $branch --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/nim nim- $branch / cd nim- $branch git clone -b $branch --depth 1 git://github.com/nim-lang/csources csources/ cd csources sh build.sh cd.. rm -rf csources bin/nim c koch./koch boot -d:release cd.. before_script: - export PATH = "nim- $branch /bin: $PATH " script: - nim compile --verbosity:0 --run test/test sudo: required dist: trusty Another change here is the last two lines. They enable The Trusty beta Build Environment. I
or AM and AD. (Their site’s name comes from the endearment given to Ashley and other children like her who spend most of their hours propped up by pillows in bed.) The carefully screened message boards became a supportive oasis in an online environment where, one Washington State mother told me, “parents looking for information about this are made to feel like monsters.” For years following the controversy at Seattle Children’s, Diekema was unsure how many children had been through growth-attenuation therapy, because no registries track the practice. But then last summer, the Pediatric Endocrine Society published a survey of its members in The Archives of Diseases in Childhood indicating that at least 65 children have received the therapy. (The survey did not break down participants by sex or note whether they had hysterectomies or breast-bud removal.) And by many doctors’ accounts, the demand for it is increasing even as doctors prefer not to talk about the practice publicly. “You might wonder if we’re getting underreporting,” says David Allen, a co-author of the survey and head of the endocrinology and diabetes department at University of Wisconsin American Family Children’s Hospital. “The survey response rate was only 30 percent. We have no good numbers at this point.” To begin to understand why a parent would choose to disrupt the growth of a child, it helps to know what goes into caring for someone with severe disability. Sandy Walker was a member of the Seattle Growth Attenuation and Ethics Working Group, a panel of concerned parents, medical experts, scholars and bioethicists who developed ethical and policy guidelines for health professionals. In her 50s and physically fit, Sandy has a 20-year-old daughter, Jessica, who has quadriplegia, is nonverbal and needs assistance with all daily activities. In good overall health, Jessica is 5-foot-3 and weighs 95 pounds. She requires either a two-person transfer between bed and wheelchair or a Hoyer lift, a sling-like hanging chair on wheels that moves people in and out of beds, chairs and bathtubs. But the Hoyer is not meant for use in the shower, where Jessica is propped on a stool, so Sandy and her husband, James Walker, rely on two-person lifts that are very difficult when their daughter is wet. “There are many things we can no longer do,” Sandy says, “or perhaps we could do them, but as she gets older, we also get older, and we choose not to.” This means no more hikes in the mountains or swimming at the public pool and the beach. About nine years ago, the family went to Disneyland. It was still relatively easy to fly with Jessica then, but upon landing she vomited on herself and Sandy. Sandy made a mat from clothes in her suitcase, lay her daughter down in a handicapped stall at the airport and wiped off both of them. “But then I realized the terrible truth,” Sandy says. “I had to lift her, by myself, from the floor to the chair — no easy feat. If ever I wished for a shorter girl, it was then.” Walker believes that if growth-attenuation therapy had been available when Jessica was a small child, she and James would have considered it. “I’ve been shocked by how the disabled community has reacted to it,” she says. “These people speak of the ‘perspective of the disability community’ as though we are not part of it. It makes us feel disenfranchised by the very organizations that were put in place to protect Jessica and our family.” Cindy Preslar did not want to end up in a similar situation. “I knew we would be his caregivers forever, no matter what,” she told me. “But you think about: My goodness, when my kid’s 15 years old, how am I going to hold and move him?” When she first learned about growth attenuation in a magazine article, shortly after Ricky’s diagnoses, Cindy felt a wave of relief: The idea that Ricky could get the therapy one day was comforting. But she mentioned it to no one. “We’d go to his doctor appointments, then just go on,” she says. She finally brought it up with her husband, Matt, when Ricky was about 2. As it turned out, Matt had seen a reference to the Ashley case on “Law and Order: SVU” and had been waiting for the right moment to bring up the subject himself. They readily decided the therapy was the right thing for Ricky. The Preslars searched for months before they found a willing doctor, Michael Kappy at Children’s Hospital of Colorado, in Aurora. Kappy had never administered growth-attenuation therapy, but he was an author of a paper justifying and laying out guidelines for its practice. The Preslars flew with Ricky to Colorado twice, first to consult privately with Kappy, then to meet an ethics committee convened by the hospital to approve Ricky’s treatment. Cindy found the ethics-committee members, especially one mother who had had a daughter with disabilities, to be immediately sympathetic. “The meeting lasted an hour or two,” she says. “And Dr. Kappy said: ‘I’ll call it in. What pharmacy do you use?’ And that was it.”In the predawn hours of November 3, 2009, my beloved twenty-year-old son, Andrew Williamson-Noble, died by suicide. He jumped from the 10th floor of Bobst, NYU's main library. He chose the same spot that others had before him. My son's death was a bolt out of the blue for my family. And all of us, privately and with each other, go over and over what happened. We go over and over what we know of Andrew; we ask ourselves what, if anything, we may have missed. What set of circumstances, people, instances, had they been different, would have prevented, foiled, stopped, that fateful night's events from coming together and ending in my son's death? The Samaritans' web site tells us that: ...Most people can be helped in getting through their moment of crisis if they have someone who will spend time with them, listen, take them seriously and help them talk about their thoughts and feelings. Almost every suicidal crisis has at its center a strong ambivalence: "I can't handle the pain anymore," but not necessarily, "I want to be dead forever!" What most suicidal people want is not to be dead, but some way to get through the terrible pain they are experiencing and someone they can turn to during those terrible moments of fear and desperation... They say: "You don't save the life of a person who is feeling suicidal, you help him or her get through the moment." And I have since heard from several people who've told me in confidence of their own unsuccessful suicide attempts. They were found in time and did not bleed to death, or their stomach could still be pumped. Those people were able to go on to live a normal life. Others, by the dozens, have told me that there have been times in their lives when, for whatever reasons, they seriously considered suicide, but, unlike my son, they were able to move away from the dark spot they were in. All the necessary elements to carry out a suicide did not come together, One way or another something, and/or someone, helped them through the moment, until it passed. In my son's case, if there were warning signs, nobody picked them up; if, in his own way, he reached out for help, as I believe he did, during the final hours of his life, he did not succeed in summoning that help. And the last chance to save him from death failed him when, at 4:30 a.m., he was able to ride the elevator to the 10th floor of Bobst, NYU's infamous library, lift himself over the eight-foot Plexiglas and hurl himself down. Andrew's life ended when his body smashed against the marble floor of the atrium below. He was found, I read, lying on his back, and there was no blood. Miraculously, mercifully, his face remained intact. My family and I, still at the hospital, were called away from our son's side by NYU's press office to agree to a statement of suicide. Yet the attending physician at St. Vincent's Hospital could not confirm that my son had taken his own life. "All I know is that he fell from a height," he explained. But the authorities knew that it was suicide, and they wanted us to agree to a statement. NYU wanted to go back to normal, to business as usual, and they pressed us when all we wanted was to sit quietly by our son. We hadn't yet left the hospital when the first library tours had already started. And when the statement from President John Sexton came, (before we even made it home) was disappointing. "...I have taught young people for some five decades," the statement read. "Drawn by their energy and their promise and by the unique bond that forms between student and professor. The impulse for self-harm -- particularly among young men and women with so much talent and so much to live for -- is incomprehensible to me..." For the teaching President of a University to characterize suicide as an impulse for self-harm shows lack of understanding of the issue of suicide, as well as the students in the University's care. Sexton's statement, together with the media coverage and readers' comments in the wake of Andrew's death, shows that there is a lot of misunderstanding about suicide. For instance people think that: "If a person is determined to kill him or herself nothing is going to stop them." Not true, as the Samaritans' suicide literature tells us that: Even the most severely depressed person has ambivalent feelings about suicide. Most suicidal people do not want to die; they just want their pain to end. Most depressions, with time, will alleviate and the suicidal impulses will, ultimately, dissipate. And: ...Most people have reasons for their suicidal feelings. They may be upset, grief-stricken, depressed or despairing, but are not necessarily suffering from mental illness... New as I am to the subject of suicide, Andrew's death has forcibly driven home the need for a new and open dialogue about what, as I have since learned, is the third cause of death amongst teenagers and college students. Yet the tendency is to shove the topic under the rug. Why? Do we shove cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's and all the other diseases known to man under the rug? No, we don't. We are sympathetic to the sufferers and to their families. We seek to understand and look for cures. What is different about death by suicide? Often, someone who dies by suicide suffers from an illness like depression, a "dis-ease" that, like other diseases, needs understanding and treatment; not stigma, condemnation and ridicule. College authorities cite the risk of contagion as a reason for not talking openly about suicide. But amongst the common myth and misconceptions that people have about suicide is the following: "Talking about suicide may give someone the idea." False, suicide literature tells us: "You don't create self-destructive feelings in another person. Talking with someone about his or her suicidal feelings may lead to a discussion of upsetting or painful thoughts that were already there but hidden beneath the surface. Openly addressing the subject shows a willingness to help and is the first step towards intervention." Understandably, because of the site of my son's death -- the university library -- many have responded with an indictment of the academic pressures that teenagers and young adults today must face. Anthony Badami, an undergraduate columnist for the Brown Daily Herald writes, in "A Death at Bobst": ...ours is a culture that attaches extreme significance to academic achievement, to high standardized test scores, to "four-oh" GPAs, to U.S. News rankings and to institutional pedigree. It is the atmosphere of academic elitism promulgated by administrators, admissions counselors, parents, students and, most obstreperously, one's peers. It is the milieu of students who taught me to judge, to assess and to taunt. It is the binary of total success or complete failure... It is true that young people live in a very different world with heightened pressures, new technologies - with a need to report on what's happening maybe even more so than reflect on what's happening. Maybe despite all the new avenues of social networking, we've lost true contact and found loneliness. Because of my own Eastern spiritual sensibilities, my son's death has stirred and renewed within me the importance of learning who we really are. Without knowing the answer to this most fundamental of questions, whatever solutions we come up with -- help lines, antidepressants, education about drug and alcohol abuse, limiting access to firearms -- to confront this dragon of suicide are but stopgaps. Developed by the ancient Rishis of India, I believe that Yoga and meditation, true gifts from the East to the West, are the way to "Know thyself," to know that we are spiritual beings in a human body, to know that within us lie all knowledge and love. Through meditation we learn that to look for happiness and love anywhere other than within ourselves is futile. "Look, I am not an extremist about anything," I told a friend when discussing the subject. "I am taking antidepressants. But my point is that had I grown up with meditation as second nature, I wouldn't need to take antidepressants now." "You mean that meditation could reverse the chemical imbalance in the brain?" My friend asked. "With meditation it would be unlikely that there would be a chemical imbalance in the brain, or any other imbalance for that matter." "I know that when I get angry, I have to go for a brisk walk," she said. "It's as if I have to get rid of the energy of anger from my body." And on we went, talking about how thoughts have energy and energy doesn't disappear but is transformed, and to make a long conversation short, I went back to my belief that if children were taught yoga and meditation from an early age, we would see a dramatic reduction in dis-eases, including suicide. Don't we owe it to our children and our children's children to try this? I think so! And so does Rusell Simmons, for when asked by the New York Times to come up with a new year's resolution for New York City, suggested, "Meditation in the schools, quiet time for kids." I would suggest making yoga and meditation part of the curriculum from pre-school onwards. We may be at least a generation away from when yoga and meditation will become (as I believe they will) standard practice amongst children and parents. But even while availing ourselves of allopathic medicines and traditional Western therapies, as I myself am at the moment, we can still make a start now. In these times of great change the old paradigms are inadequate, it is time to usher in new ones. I am committed to do my part to bring about the change we need even if the road ahead seems long, lonely and arduous. I can but take one step at a time and trust the Universe to lead me all the way.I. 12:20am, The Cemetery Just after midnight on December 30th, with the temperature lingering at a few degrees below freezing, I found myself waiting for Death in one of Vancouver’s oldest cemeteries. As I finished the last drag of my cigarette, I heard the tread of boots on the pathway. A silhouette emerged from the darkness between the graves and gradually a tall, broad-shouldered man came into view. He looked like this: Raising two fingers to the brim of his hat, he just barely tipped it and said, “Well, good evening.” II. Background A few months back, I had came across a news story about “Real Life Superheroes” operating in various cities throughout North America (see this video for something of an introduction, and this official site for more detail). That story spoke of people dressing up in spandex and body armour, capes and masks, and going out and doing things like chasing drug dealers out of parks in New York City or assisting families of less-legal Hispanic migrants in Miama, and so on. At that time I sort of chuckled and didn’t think too much else about it, until my younger brother sent me an email asking if I had encountered a fellow in Vancouver’s downtown eastside (the DTES) who goes by the name of Thanatos, The Dark Avenger. After doing a bit of research (see the bio to which I linked, but see also the youtube and myspace pages that Thanatos maintains), I decided that I wanted to try and meet this fellow. I was sold after reading this: “I have taken on the persona of death,” Thanatos explains, “because I was told by a police officer that all the people living on the street had nothing better to look forward to than death. So if that’s the case, maybe death ought to start taking care of these people.” However, I had some more critical questions I wanted to pose both about the work he does in the DTES and the Real Life Superhero movement more broadly. Over the years, I’ve seen enough wannabe saviours who engage in tokenistic acts of charity and then brag to their friends about how heroic they are and how touching they find their homeless “friends” (i.e. people they met once). Enough charity is performed as little more than insignificant actions done to boost the ego of the one doing the charity, and I was wondering if this was what was going on with Thanatos. Plus, what’s with the videos and photos he posts of homeless people? I thought that they could be exploitative and, hey, although he might want to come into the ‘hood that I love and claim to be a guardian, maybe the people I know (having lived and worked in that community for the last six years) need to be protected from him. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen? Consequently, I contacted Thanatos via one of his websites and asked if I could interview him for this blog. He graciously granted my request and that was how I found myself in a cemetery on a cold December night waiting for a man called Death. III. Thanatos Based upon my research, I knew that Thanatos had begun working in character at street level around Halloween 2008. After we completed our introductions, I asked him what factors had inspired him to take that step. I was curious about two things: (a) what makes a grown man decide that he will become a superhero; and (b) what makes a person pursue change by this means instead of the other available means (social or civil services, religious groups, or more anarchic communities of protest and resistance, depending upon one’s proclivities). Thanatos replied by sharing some of his personal history. He spoke of spending a number of years living and moving in poor neighbourhoods and amongst marginalised people in Vancouver. He watched as communities were divided between those who had homes and those who did not, and he saw how quickly those who had little or nothing became invisible to those who had more. Thus, even years before he donned a mask he was seeking to “keep somebody alive for at least one more day” and “win of each the battles, even if the war itself cannot be won.” He also spoke of being a self-described “geek” who loved comics, and when that is coupled with his past military experience (US Special Forces) and some police experience (for a brief amount of time in an African nation), as well as the belief that social services, non-profits, and organised religions, like government, have become the means of maintaining the status quo, and one can see how a superhero might emerge. I asked him if the “Real Life Super Hero Project” had inspired him to make the transition from imagining a character to becoming a character, but he said it did not. Apparently, many of those now involved in that movement began independently and only became aware of others later. I find this to be an interesting cultural phenomenon (in this regard, it is worth observing that many of these people were operating for several years before the movie “Kickass” was released in 2010… although the comic of the same name began its run in February of 2008). I pressed Thanatos on the matter of social services or non-profits versus living the life of a superhero. He responded with three main criticisms of the services and non-profits coupled with two major advantages of the costumed persona. In terms of criticism, he first argued that the social services and non-profits have themselves basically become either the tools of Big Business or they have transformed into Big Business themselves. Thus, he mentioned agencies where the vast majority of the money raised goes to the bureaucracy and doesn’t trickle down into the hands of those who access their services (with the children’s Make-A-Wish Foundation, he stated that 8% of money raised goes to those who access the service, and the stat he provided for the Salvation Army was 35%). Secondly, he argued that social services and non-profits place far too many restrictions upon those who are in need and create far too many barriers to service (this, I should note, is especially true in Vancouver). Essentially, these parties are trying to force round pegs into square holes, and making a moral judgment against those who aren’t square enough to fit. The result of this is that a good many of those who are homeless and poor are not permitted to access the (little) help that is available. Finally, Thanatos argued that the services and non-profits are not aggressive enough in that work that they do. Instead of going to seek out those who are vulnerable or in need, these parties tend to wait passively for people to come to them. However, people may be afraid to access services based upon their experiences here or elsewhere. For example, Thanatos mentioned an Hispanic couple he has gotten to know who had walked to Canada from Chile. They left because he had the fingers of his left hand cut off by the police and the she had her face scarred and both her breasts cut off. Naturally, this couple is suspicious of the police and of other service providers, but they were now developing a trust relationship with him. A further reason why people might not access services is ignorance of what is available or how to interact with the system. Finally, Thanatos also spoke of those who lacked the degree of self-esteem needed to seek out help. He spoke of those who believed they deserved to be treated like shit and die on the street. Thus, he was adamant that more people need to be involved in seeking out these people and offering them whatever help they can. This, then, leads to the advantage of the superhero identity. By donning a memorable costume, Thanatos is able to accomplish two significant things. First, when interacting with street-involved people — which sometimes means interacting with people who are quite high or in psychosis and so on — he is able to to create a memorable persona. In this way, people remember him (as opposed to others who go hand out care packages in the DTES and who tend to be forgotten within a week) and this accelerates his ability to build trusting and caring relationships with those whom he encounters. Secondly, Thanatos is also able to manipulate this persona in order to bring media (and other) attention to what really matters — the poverty, homelessness, crime and exploitation that exist in Vancouver’s DTES. In this regard, he was able to put to rest my concerns about his alter-ego being little more than an ego-trip. Thanatos wears a mask not to bring attention to himself (after all, nobody knows who he really is) but to bring attention to the fact that people are needlessly suffering and dying in our own backyard. And this is what came through more strongly than anything else in our interview: the deep love that Thanatos has for his fellow human beings. A love so deep that it inspired him to go to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and volunteer to help take care of the bodies of those who died (“Even dead bodies deserve love. This is somebody’s father. This is somebody’s child”). A love so deep that it inspires him to put on a mask and hit the streets at four in the morning to go and visit his friends. With Thanatos this “friendship” language isn’t bullshit. He has developed personal relationships with many of those on the street (and he always asks for their permission to take pictures and respects the boundaries they establish). He has been there for some of them when they needed somebody to help them get clean, and he has been there for others of them when they died. He has seen the gamut of love, brokenness, laughter and violence — the whole swirl of everything that is best and everything that is worst about people that one discovers in poor communities. Thus, some of his stories are quite funny (he spoke of waking people up who were strung out on drugs and accidentally scaring the bejeezus out of them because they thought he actually was Death coming to take them away… and he spoke about how some of these people actually got clean after that experience!), some of his stories are quite poignant (he spoke about meeting with a young drug dealer and showing him the difference between the Hollywood picture versus the lived reality of dealing, and he told of how this young man disappeared and how he saw him five months later working a straight job at a restaurant out of the city), and some of his stories are tragic (he spoke of a 17 year old pregnant girl who was buried in the cemetery where we were talking, and he estimates that he has known around 40 who have died prematurely since he started fighting his battles). When I asked him about what he would identify as the single greatest barrier to positive change, he talked about awareness. However, he inserted an important proviso: not only do we need public awareness around what is really going on in matters related to poverty and oppression, we also need those who are oppressed to come to awareness of their oppressed state and recognize that this is not something they must accept (in this regard, he actually reminded my a lot of Paulo Freire’s theory of conscientisation). It is this awareness that Thanatos sees as fundamental to the development of community, and it is community that he sees as a crucial element of human flourishing. Therefore, when I asked him what he might say to those who are concerned about issues of poverty but who might be scared of the DTES or the people there, he continued with this emphasis upon community. If you are too scared to go to the DTES (and you do want to be smart about how you do that — even though I [Dan] remain convinced that fears about that neighbourhood are far overrated), then Thanatos wants people to get to know their own neighbourhoods and their own communities. You don’t have to go downtown to discover brokenness… or crime. There are people in need everywhere and the drug dealers own property and grow-ops all over the city. Just start where you are, and you might be surprised at what you discover and what you can do. I asked him if he sometimes gets overwhelmed by the systemic or structural nature of the evil that confronts us. After all, you don’t have to spend too many years at street level before you realise that things are the way they are because broader structures are in place that perpetuate things like poverty, crime, and oppression. Sometimes, I said, it gets to be almost more than I can bear and I feel like I’m burning out or blowing up. He responded by speaking of the importance that being Thanatos has for him. Superheroes, he said, never give up. They fight against impossible odds. They don’t quit or walk away. Therefore, although there might be an ego boost that comes with wearing a mask, that boost provides him with the strength to keep going. He also spoke of the importance that his religious faith plays in this vocation (I had observed that a seemingly disproportionate number of those involved in the Real Life Super Hero Project appeared to be motivated by a Christian faith, and he verified my observation). When all is said and done, becoming Death is something accomplished in the service of the God of Life. In the end, Thanatos concluded by telling a story about man who finds a boy on the beach. The tide had washed thousands of starfish onto the sand and the boy was picking them up, one by one, and throwing them back into the ocean. “What are you doing?” asked the man. “I am saving the starfish,” the boy replied. “Are you crazy?” the man said. “This beach is completely covered with starfish. You can’t make a difference!” The boy stoops and picks up another creature, holds him by an arm and says, “I can make a difference for this one,” and throws it back into the sea. IV. Conclusion It was refreshing to encounter somebody who really “gets” what is going on in Vancouver. I felt like I was talking with an old friend, and there were a good many other topics I discussed with Thanatos. We chatted for about two hours and by the time I left there were icicles in my moustache. For example, I pressed him on the issue of “fighting crime” as he appeared to talk about that a fair bit when he first embraced his identity but most of his videos were focused upon charity work. To my surprise, he gave some very interesting and satisfying answers about how that side of his project has developed but I don’t want to post that part of our conversation on-line. He also spoke about some future projects he has planned but I won’t spoil the surprise. In conclusion, I asked Thanatos about this passage on his bio at the Real Life Super Hero Project site: an unusual metamorphosis has taken place, leading to the blurring of the line between the man he was born, and the Real Life Superhero he’s become. In his words, “I find that the ‘me’ is starting to become more of a mask I wear, and Thanatos is more and more of what I truly am.” He explained that what he means by this is that, the more he does this work, the more he realises that he is fulfilling a part of himself that always existed. Thanatos is not a character he created, Thanatos was always there inside of him. He hopes that the same is true of others. He emphasised that you don’t need a Special Forces background to become a Superhero. You just need to be play to your strengths, recognise that something needs to be done, and accept that you might be the person who is capable of doing it (and Thanatos is is in early 60s at this point). “If one person can do this, we can get ten more, then we get ten more, and so forth. We can make a real and lasting difference in a bad part of town. I do what I can, and hope it inspires other people to say ‘I can do something, too.’” Thank you, Thanatos, for your willingness to do this interview and for the work that you do. AdvertisementsWashington has become Versailles. We are ruled, entertained and informed by courtiers. The popular media are courtiers. The Democrats, like the Republicans, are courtiers. Our pundits and experts are courtiers. We are captivated by the hollow stagecraft of political theater as we are ruthlessly stripped of power. It is smoke and mirrors, tricks and con games. We are being had. The past week was a good one if you were a courtier. We were instructed by the high priests on television over the past few days to mourn a Sunday morning talk show host, who made $5 million a year and who gave a platform to the powerful and the famous so they could spin, equivocate and lie to the nation. We were repeatedly told by these television courtiers, people like Tom Brokaw and Wolf Blitzer, that this talk show host was one of our nation’s greatest journalists, as if sitting in a studio, putting on makeup and chatting with Dick Cheney or George W. Bush have much to do with journalism. No journalist makes $5 million a year. No journalist has a comfortable, cozy relationship with the powerful. No journalist believes that acting as a conduit, or a stenographer, for the powerful is a primary part of his or her calling. Those in power fear and dislike real journalists. Ask Seymour Hersh and Amy Goodman how often Bush or Cheney has invited them to dinner at the White House or offered them an interview. All governments lie, as I.F. Stone pointed out, and it is the job of the journalist to do the hard, tedious reporting to shine a light on these lies. It is the job of courtiers, those on television playing the role of journalists, to feed off the scraps tossed to them by the powerful and never question the system. In the slang of the profession, these television courtiers are “throats.” These courtiers, including the late Tim Russert, never gave a voice to credible critics in the buildup to the war against Iraq. They were too busy playing their roles as red-blooded American patriots. They never fought back in their public forums against the steady erosion of our civil liberties and the trashing of our Constitution. These courtiers blindly accept the administration’s current propaganda to justify an attack on Iran. They parrot this propaganda. They dare not defy the corporate state. The corporations that employ them make them famous and rich. It is their Faustian pact. No class of courtiers, from the eunuchs behind Manchus in the 19th century to the Baghdad caliphs of the Abbasid caliphate, has ever transformed itself into a responsible elite. Courtiers are hedonists of power. Our Versailles was busy this past week. The Democrats passed the FISA bill, which provides immunity for the telecoms that cooperated with the National Security Agency’s illegal surveillance over the past six years. This bill, which when signed means we will never know the extent of the Bush White House’s violation of our civil liberties, is expected to be adopted by the Senate. Barack Obama has promised to sign it in the name of national security. The bill gives the U.S. government a license to eavesdrop on our phone calls and e-mails. It demolishes our right to privacy. It endangers the work of journalists, human rights workers, crusading lawyers and whistle-blowers who attempt to expose abuses the government seeks to hide. These private communications can be stored indefinitely and disseminated, not just to the U.S. government but to other governments as well. The bill, once signed into law, will make it possible for those in power to identify and silence anyone who dares to make public information that defies the official narrative. Being a courtier, and Obama is one of the best, requires agility and eloquence. The most talented of them can be lauded as persuasive actors. They entertain us. They make us feel good. They convince us they are our friends. We would like to have dinner with them. They are the smiley faces of a corporate state that has hijacked the government and is raping the nation. When the corporations make their iron demands, these courtiers drop to their knees, whether to placate the telecommunications companies that fund their campaigns and want to be protected from lawsuits, or to permit oil and gas companies to rake in obscene profits and keep in place the vast subsidies of corporate welfare doled out by the state. We cannot differentiate between illusion and reality. We trust courtiers wearing face powder who deceive us in the name of journalism. We trust courtiers in our political parties who promise to fight for our interests and then pass bill after bill to further corporate fraud and abuse. We confuse how we feel about courtiers like Obama and Russert with real information, facts and knowledge. We chant in unison with Obama that we want change, we yell “yes we can,” and then stand dumbly by as he coldly votes away our civil liberties. The Democratic Party, including Obama, continues to fund the war. It refuses to impeach Bush and Cheney. It allows the government to spy on us without warrants or cause. And then it tells us it is our salvation. This is a form of collective domestic abuse. And, as so often happens in the weird pathology of victim and victimizer, we keep coming back for more. Chris Hedges, who was a Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent for The New York Times, says he will vote for Ralph Nader for president.Don't think we should be satisfied with this budget, says Jaitley "I don't think I should be satisfied. We have to take India back to growth rate of 8 to 9 per cent," he said. Jaitley said he wished he could relieve small income earners of paying tax but his own pockets weren't deep enough to allow it. "This budget is a roadmap," Jaitley said. 2:45 pm: Need to get back on to path of growth, says Jaitley Jaitley said he wasn't being dogmatic and wasn't particular about how infrastructure targets were achieved as long as they were done. "If I can get in the 5-6 percent growth rate then were are back on the growth path...We are back to a situation from where we had slowed down," the Finance Minister said. He pointed out that they had maintained their allocation for poverty alleviation schemes like MNREGA despite opposition from economists. No sympathy for smokers, says Jaitley Speaking after presenting the Budget, Arun Jaitley has said that he has attempted to boost investment in the manufacturing sector, which is why there are tax breaks for multiple industries. However, for smokers and those fond of aerated drinks who may be bemoaning the additional taxes, Jaitley said he had no sympathy at all for them. "I don't have much sympathy for cigarettes, pan masala, gutkha. You can live without them," he said. The Finance Minister said there was a need to respond to the world's renewed interest in the Indian economy. "I think with all these measures, the impact is slow but there will be an effect," Jaitley said. Jaitley also said that he wished he could have done more for the common man beyond the Income Tax exemption. "I can collect more taxes not by expanding rate, but by increasing base," he said. SIN TAXES ARE UP Taxes on cigarettes (11-72 percent), cigars, unmanufactured tobacco and gutka to go up. Also on water with sugar content - this means all soft drinks too, up by 5 percent. Coke, Pepsi, please note. Service taxes going up on online advertising. Radio taxies also to be levied service tax. INDIRECT TAX PROPOSALS 12.50pm: Most of the concessions for sectors are small and narrow. Wonder why these itsy-bitsy announcements should be read in the budget speech. Small customs duty cuts on some telecom products and petrochem items. This part of the speech is a big yawn, except for those in these industries. Big customs duty relief has been given to imported coal. Duty on ships imported for breaking attract lower duty of 2.5 percent. This will benefit Gujarat's Alang shipbreaking yard. Export duty on bauxite raised - will benefit local aluminium units. Bauxite is main raw material for aluminium. Auto duty cuts extended for six months till December 2014.
1917. The son of Charles Andrews, a former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, William Andrews is best remembered today because he wrote an opinion in Palsgraf. In that dissent, he was joined by Judges Frederick E. Crane and John F. O'Brien. Andrews began with a brief recitation of facts: that a railroad employee had negligently dislodged the package, the contents of which the trainman was unaware, and the subsequent explosion broke the scale and injured the plaintiff, "an intending passenger".[46] Andrews noted the fundamental difference among the judges concerning the law of negligence: whether there must be a duty to the plaintiff, the breach of which injured her, and whether, when there is an act that is a threat to the safety of others, the doer of it should be "liable for all its proximate consequences, even where they result in injury to one who would generally be thought to be outside the radius of danger".[46] Andrews believed that if there was a negligent act, the proximate cause of injury to the plaintiff, that should establish liability.[47] Andrews found Cardozo's reasoning too narrow, and felt that the focus should be on the unreasonable act: driving down Broadway at high speed is negligent whether or not an accident occurs. Such an act is wrong to the public at large, not only to those who might be injured. "Due care is a duty imposed on each one of us to protect society from unnecessary danger, not to protect A, B or C alone... In an empty world, negligence would not exist. It does involve a relationship between man and his fellows. But not merely a relationship between man and those whom he might reasonably expect his act would injure. Rather, a relationship between him and those whom he does in fact injure. If his act has a tendency to harm some one, it harms him a mile away as surely as it does those on the scene."[48] Andrews pointed out that the law allows plaintiffs to recover from defendants who had no duty towards them: orphans may recover for their negligently-killed parents; a bereaved person may recover for negligence in the death of a spouse. An insurance company may sue in subrogation and recover the sum paid out from the person who started the fire. "Behind the cloud of words is the fact they hide, that the act, wrongful as to the insured, has also harmed the company."[49] An event may have many causes, Andrews noted, and only some may be deemed proximate. Liability for negligence may only be found where that proximate cause exists, a term that the judge admitted was inexact. He suggested the analogy of a river, made up of water from many sources, and by the time it wound to sea, fully intermixed. But for a time, after water from a muddy swamp or a clayey bed joins, its origin may be traced. Beyond a certain point, it cannot be traced, and such is proximate cause, "because of convenience, of public policy, of a rough sense of justice, the law arbitrarily declines to trace a series of events beyond a certain point. This is not logic. It is practical politics."[50] That point, beyond which there is no proximate cause, is drawn differently by different judges, and by different courts, Andrews explained. He listed factors that courts might consider, such as remoteness in time or space, and discussed some hypotheticals, such as a chauffeur who causes an accident, the noise of which startles a nursemaid into dropping a child, then returned to the case being decided, Mrs. Palsgraf was standing some distance away. How far cannot be told from the record—apparently twenty-five or thirty feet. Perhaps less. Except for the explosion, she would not have been injured. We are told by the appellant in his brief "it cannot be denied that the explosion was the direct cause of the plaintiff's injuries." So it was a substantial factor in producing the result—there was here a natural and continuous sequence—direct connection. The only intervening cause was that instead of blowing her to the ground the concussion smashed the weighing machine which in turn fell upon her. There was no remoteness in time, little in space. And surely, given such an explosion as here it needed no great foresight to predict that the natural result would be to injure one on the platform at no greater distance from its scene than was the plaintiff. Just how no one might be able to predict. Whether by flying fragments, by broken glass, by wreckage of machines or structures no one could say. But injury in some form was most probable.[51] Given that, Andrews concluded, the jury verdict should be upheld. "Under these circumstances I cannot say as a matter of law that the plaintiff's injuries were not the proximate result of the negligence. That is all we have before us."[51] Subsequent events [ edit ] Wood, Palsgraf's lawyer, moved the Court of Appeals to allow reargument of the case, alleging that Cardozo had confused the position of Palsgraf with that of her daughter Lillian (at the newsstand), and complained about the chief judge's use of such terms as "distant" and "far away". Wood warned that the decision could have far-reaching adverse effects on innocent passengers. The court denied the motion with a one-sentence statement likely written by Cardozo, "If we assume that the plaintiff was nearer the scene of the explosion than the prevailing opinion would suggest, she was not so near that injury from a falling package, not known to contain explosives, would be within the range of reasonable prevision." Costs of $559.60 were due from Palsgraf to the railroad under Cardozo's order. Posner doubted the sum was ever collected, noting that Palsgraf's family spoke to legal scholars and periodicals about the case in later years, and never mentioned an attempt to collect what would have been about a year's salary for the disabled former janitor. Helen Palsgraf remained embittered about the loss of her case. She became mute, and suffered from other health problems prior to her death on October 27, 1945, at the age of 61. At the time of her death, Palsgraf was living in Richmond Hill, Queens with her daughter Elizabeth. Her former attorney, Wood, maintained a law office in the Woolworth Building until his death in 1972 at age 96. His opposing trial counsel, McNamara, remained with the LIRR's legal department until his retirement in 1959, while McNamara's superior and counsel of record, Keany, continued as the railroad's general solicitor until he died in 1935. Justice Humphrey retired in 1936, a year after he gained notoriety for presiding over the marriage of heiress Doris Duke; he died in 1940. Andrews retired at the end of 1928, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70; he died in 1936.[56] Cardozo was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover and served there until his death in 1938. After the Palsgraf case became prominent among lawyers, having been taught to many of them in law school, members of the family sometimes encountered startled reactions when lawyers learned their last name. Frank Palsgraf, Helen's grandson, told in 1978 of "being treated like a celebrity" by a prosecutor when called for jury duty, and causing the judge to reminisce about hard nights studying the case in law school. Nevertheless, the prosecutor struck him from the jury.[57] According to Posner, the later coverage of the family "makes it clear that, with the exception of Mrs. Palsgraf, the Palsgraf family was thrilled by its association with a famous case, notwithstanding the outcome". In 1991, that association became closer, as Lisa Newell, first cousin four times removed of Judge Cardozo, married Palsgraf's great-grandson, J. Scott Garvey. Prominence [ edit ] Palsgraf came to the attention of the legal world quickly. Dean William L. Prosser of the University of California Law School wrote that the Appellate Division's decision fell into the hands of Professor Francis H. Bohlen of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Bohlen was at that time the Reporter compiling the first Restatement of Torts for the American Law Institute (ALI), and Cardozo was informally one of the advisers. In that task, Bohlen was having difficulty dealing with the concept of duty of care in negligence, especially involving unforeseeable plaintiffs, and Prosser related that Cardozo was treated to a learned discussion by the other advisers of a case that might come before his court and, convinced by the arguments, used them to decide Palsgraf. Kaufman doubted this story, which was told to Prosser by Dean Young B. Smith of Columbia, noting that the only meeting of the advisers between the two appeal decisions in Palsgraf took place in New York on December 12–13, 1927, beginning only three days after the Appellate Division ruled, and the notes reveal that Cardozo was absent; the chief judge was hearing arguments all that week in Albany. Nevertheless, the discussions and materials from the Restatement compilation likely influenced Cardozo in his decision. Bohlen dwelt heavily upon Cardozo's opinion in Palsgraf in presenting the Tentative Draft of the Restatement to the ALI's annual meeting, which approved the section citing Palsgraf with little discussion.[b] Palsgraf quickly became well known in the legal community, and was cited in many cases, some of dubious relevance. According to Kaufman, "the bizarre facts, Cardozo's spin on the legal issue, the case's timing in relation to the Restatement project, its adaptability for law-school teaching, the policy-oriented dissent by Andrews, Cardozo's rhetoric, and Cardozo's name—all these factors combined to make Palsgraf a legal landmark." According to Prosser, writing in his hornbook for law students, "what the Palsgraf case actually did was submit to the nation's most excellent state court a law professor's dream of an examination question". But Professor (later Judge) John T. Noonan saw more than this, noting that Cardozo was then the nation's most prominent state-court judge: "The excitement of Palsgraf was not merely that it was a brilliant examination question; it was an examination question answered by Cardozo." The first mentions of Palsgraf in law reviews were case notes written by law students, appearing over the course of the year following the decision by the Court of Appeals. Professor Robert L. Goodhart, in the Yale Law Journal in 1930, was at the front of an avalanche of commentary to such an extent that by 1938, Louisiana State University professor Thomas A. Cowan deemed Palsgraf "a legal institution". The case entered the standard legal casebooks, from which law students learn, in the early 1930s, usually to illustrate the necessary connection between defendant's misconduct and plaintiff's injury in negligence cases. According to Posner, writing in 1990, "Palsgraf is now the subject of a large scholarly literature, and is, I believe, the only case reprinted in all American casebooks on tort law." Manz wrote, "everyone who has sat in an American law school torts class can recall the basic facts—the crowded railroad platform, the running men, the dropped package, the explosion, and the falling scale. Palsgraf has become a sort of legal 'urban legend'—an allegedly true, but improbable, tale told and retold to each new class of law students." Professor W. Jonathan Cardi noted, "in law school classrooms, 'Palsgraf Day' is often celebrated with food and drink, dramatic reenactments, interpretive poems, and even mock duels between Judges Cardozo and Andrews". Palsgraf was soon adopted by some state courts, at times in different contexts: Though some state courts outside New York approved it, others did not, sometimes feeling that foreseeability was an issue for the jury to consider. According to Posner, writing in 1990, Cardozo's holding that there is no liability to a plaintiff who could not have been foreseen "has been followed by a number of states besides New York, but it remains the minority rule. Most states continue to muddle along with the nebulous 'proximate cause' approach, which emphasizes the proximity in time and space of the defendant's careless act to the plaintiff's injury; that was the approach taken by Judge Andrews's dissent in Palsgraf." The overwhelming majority of state courts accept that there must be a duty of care for there to be liability: the courts of Wisconsin, though, have stated that they have adopted Andrews' approach, and impose liability when there was a duty to any person, whether or not that person is the plaintiff. The Restatement (Second) of Torts (1965) amended the earlier formulation only slightly, but the third Restatement (2009), takes an approach closer to that of Andrews in focusing on whether the defendant engaged in an activity that carried a risk of harm to another (not necessarily the plaintiff), and on whether the defendant exercised reasonable care. The new formulation makes foreseeability, or the scope of the risk, not a hurdle that must be overcome, as in Palsgraf, but a factor to be weighed with others when determining whether there was negligence. Thus, according to law professor David Owen in his 2009 article, "the Restatement (Third) discards Judge Cardozo's elemental work in Palsgraf so long ago. And... also rejects Judge Andrew's [sic] valuable insight that juries should be offered a wide range of fairness factors, beginning with foreseeability, in figuring how far responsibility should extend". Discussion [ edit ] According to Posner, "Cardozo's 'bottom line' is that there is no liability to an unforeseeable plaintiff". Don Herzog, in his 2017 book, deemed the Palsgraf principle to mean that "if anyone was wronged here, it was the man with the parcel. The guards' wronging him happened to harm Mrs. Palsgraf. But that doesn't mean they wronged Mrs. Palsgraf. And if they didn't wrong her, she can't conceivably prevail in a tort action. Cardozo is not thinking that if he were on the jury, he wouldn't find the railroad liable. He is saying it was a legal error to let the jury finding stand." This is because "the crucial fact for Cardozo is that the parcel of explosives was unmarked. So reasonably careful conductors worry only that if they make it fall, it will break... They have no reason to worry about the welfare of Mrs. Palsgraf." Cardozo has been praised for his style of writing in Palsgraf. Posner noted that in the facts of the case Cardozo "saw instantiated the basic principles of negligence law and was able to articulate them in prose of striking freshness, clarity, and vividness", in an opinion mostly written in short sentences and lacking footnotes or block quotes. University of Pennsylvania Law School Professor Kim Lane Scheppele noted that the opinion was "written by Judge Benjamin Cardozo at the height of his formidable powers". Richard Polenberg, in his study of that jurist, stated, "Cardozo had a genius for making it seem that the results he reached were logical, inevitable, and legally unassailable". Prosser stated, "with due respect to the superlative style in which both [Cardozo's and Andrews' opinions] are written, neither of them wears well on long acquaintance. Both of them beg the question shamelessly, stating dogmatic propositions without reason or explanation." Herzog was also less enthusiastic, noting that "the majority opinion is unfortunately written in the curious idiolect I sometimes call Cardozo-speak." From its early days, there has been criticism of Palsgraf, and more recently, of Cardozo for authoring it. Cowan, writing in 1938, described its holding as limited to its facts, that given the identical circumstances recurring, the railroad would breach no duty to the new plaintiff by assisting a man with such a package in boarding. Prosser in his 1953 article wondered "how can any rule as to the'scope of the risk' evolved from two guards, a package of fireworks and a scale aid in the slightest degree in the solution of this question? Is it proper, in Palsgraf itself, so utterly to ignore the fact that the plaintiff was a passenger[?]... until the question is decided, is Palsgraf really definite authority even for Palsgraf?" Noonan's 1976 book chronicled the unwillingness by legal scholars to utilize the "multitude of legal facts not mentioned by Cardozo and Andrews", even though the lower-court record in Palsgraf was reproduced in a civil procedure casebook in the 1950s. Noonan criticized Cardozo for not taking Palsgraf's circumstances into account when making his decision, and listed factors that may have influenced Cardozo against the plaintiff, including that he was a lifelong bachelor who did not have Palsgraf's experience of caring for children, and he may have frowned upon Wood's representation of Palsgraf (likely on a contingent fee, something not favored at the time). Posner, writing in 1990, disagreed with Noonan and with feminist critics following him, noting that judges take an oath to do equal justice to rich and poor, "so the fact that Mrs. Palsgraf was poor would not have been a principled ground for bending the rules in her favor". Noonan had considered unjust the award of court costs against Palsgraf, and in her 2016 book, law professor Cathleen Kaveny agreed, "the penalty imposed on Palsgraf for seeking justice through the courts was to deprive her, a single mother, of the ability to support her children... All judges, however can develop empathy. And in telling the story of Helen Palsgraf, Judge Noonan makes a good case for why they should." In 2011, Cardi analyzed the present-day influence that Palsgraf has had on state courts. He found that neither Cardozo nor Andrews has won on the question of how duty of care is formulated, with courts applying policy analyses. "As to the proper doctrinal home for plaintiff-foreseeability, Cardozo has undoubtedly prevailed. Although a clear majority of jurisdictions state that duty is the proper home for plaintiff-foreseeability, Cardozo's vision of foreseeability as a categorical determination has not been widely adopted." But, he noted, "Andrews may have found a back door to victory. Arguably the most important consequence of the Palsgraf decision, the resolution of the judge/jury question, appears to lean in Andrews' direction. A majority of courts prefer to leave foreseeability—even as a part of duty—to the jury." Scheppele put Palsgraf in social context, noting that 108 passengers were killed in railroad operations on the LIRR in 1924, a typical figure for it in the 1920s. Social scientists of a more qualitative and historical bent would see the Palsgraf case as part of a long history in which the railroad industry imposed substantial costs on the broader society, costs that were never added to the ledgers of the railroads. Most train accidents were not litigated. Those that were shared the fate of Mrs. Palsgraf's: each case was taken on its own facts as an isolated, freak occurrence, and the broader consequence, in which death and injury became a normal byproduct of running the railroad, was disregarded. If judges could see—if not through statistics, then perhaps through the social history of the railroad industry—just how dangerous trains were and how much death and destruction they left in their path, they may have been less inclined to think that Mrs. Palsgraf's problem was that those two men carried fireworks onto the platform that day. Notes [ edit ] ^ It became known as the "Long Island Rail Road" in 1944. See Manz, p. 796 n.83 ^ Restatement, which relies on Palsgraf, and that Bohlen's position was upheld by a single vote. Prosser stated that the notes of the meeting indicate that Section 165 was approved without discussion. See There is a legend that the ALI had a lengthy discussion over Section 165 of the, which relies on, and that Bohlen's position was upheld by a single vote. Prosser stated that the notes of the meeting indicate that Section 165 was approved without discussion. See Prosser, p. 8 n.27 References [ edit ] Sources [ edit ] Primary [ edit ] Books and journals [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]It’s the same old problem: not only Germans are living longer than ever before, they’re not producing enough offspring to replace them in the workforce. The result will be levels of debt reaching 220 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2060 - well above the 60 percent limit for EU member states set out by the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 - experts from inside Wolfgang Schäuble's finance ministry have calculated. The report is likely to be of particular concern to Schäuble, Germany's stern faced Finance Minister, who has blasted other European countries for their unsustainable levels of debt - and insists on Germany sticking to the "schwarze Null" (black zero) - a policy of having zero deficit. There are “serious risks to the sustainability of debt” the report warns, adding that if the government doesn’t act now, it will lead to “an unbearable debt build up which will limit the state’s ability to act.” Short of an unlikely upturn in the birth rate in Germany - it has one of the lowest in the world - the finance wonks argue that the only way to avoid Germany’s impeccable budget figures turning red is to start cutting its debt burden now. But to do this would require budget cuts in the region of €7 billion a year, starting immediately - and that’s according to the finance report's more optimistic scenario for the future. Should their more pessimistic predictions come true Germany would need to start saving around €23 billion annually. The report remains unpublished and is set to be discussed by the cabinet in the coming weeks. SEE ALSO: Five reasons why Germany is so worried about Deutsche BankLearning German with textbooks and worksheets only gets you so far. After a while, you need to start putting the pieces together by speaking to people, watching German movies, reading blogs and newspapers or German short stories. Once you feel comfortable reading shorter pieces, it’s time to progress to book-length reading materials. Today, I’d like to present five German novels and novellas which are both great stories and relatively easy to read for beginners and intermediate German learners. As a bonus, many of these classic German novels are available as audiobooks and partly available on Youtube, so you can get a first impression of the stories by listening to the narrated editions embedded below. Note: While none of these novels are specifically designed for learners, they are still among the more accessible (modern) literary classics. If you’re looking for German stories that include vocabulary and are written with the learner in mind, take a look at our : While none of these novels are specifically designed for learners, they are still among the more accessible (modern) literary classics. If you’re looking for German stories that include vocabulary and are written with the learner in mind, take a look at our German learning library Die Verwandlung – “Metamorphosis”, by Franz Kafka First published in 1915 and considered one of the most important 20th century works of fiction, this German novella by Franz Kafka is still studied in schools and universities worldwide. Contrary to many older German literary classics, Kafka’s prose is relatively simple and easy to read for German learners due to its clear (i.e. relatively short) sentences and lack of overly complicated vocabulary. Kindle: via gutenberg.org ePub: via gutenberg.org HTML: via gutenberg.org PDF: via freilesen.de vocabulary: 1, 2, 3 via Quizlet Homo Faber. Ein Bericht, by Max Frisch Published in 1959, this German novel by Swiss author Max Frisch is about a successful engineer called Walter Faber, who prefers facts to feelings, logic to love and empirical data to emotions. He fares quite well with this rational approach to life until he’s faced with a chain of stupefying coincidences that force him to reevaluate his entire worldview. Written in modern German from a first-person perspective, this novel is a great way to start can be a good starting point for German students interested in full-length reading material which is neither too challenging nor too shallow. Homo Faber is considered a modern German classic and was also made into a movie by German director Volker Schlöndorff starring Sam Shepard. Kindle: via Amazon ePub: via bücher.de HTML: via gabrieleweis.de PDF: Google vocabulary: reading comprehension quiz, flashcards via Quizlet Die Schachnovelle – “The Royal Game”, by Stefan Zweig This novella, written between 1938 and 1941 in Brazilian exile, is Stefan Zweig’s last and most famous work. At its heart is the confrontation of a Gestapo prisoner with the psychological ramifications of his situation on the background of a passenger steamer full of affluent travelers and their superficial attitude. The protagonist, Dr B, put in solitary confinement by the Nazis obsesses about chess in order to maintain his sanity. He plays against himself and is developing a split personality which leads to a breakdown. Now officially declared “insane”, he’s released, but when he finds himself travelling on a passenger steamer together with the world chess champion Czentovic, he’s forced to stare into the abyss once again. This novella is suitable for German learners due to its brevity, basic vocabulary and sentence structures. Kindle: via feedbooks ePub: via feedbooks PDF: via feedbooks vocabulary: text comprehension quiz Der Richter und sein Henker – “The Judge and His Hangman”, by Friedrich Dürrenmatt Originally published in a Swiss weekly journal as a serial novel between 1950 and 1951, this mystery novel by Friedrich Dürrenmatt is a classical detective story with a crime at its center and a search for the perpetrator. This German novel is required reading in many German schools, and it’s also appropriate for intermediate German learners looking for suitable reading material, due to its relatively straightforward plot and plain language. Kindle: via Amazon ePub: via bücher.de PDF: Google vocabulary: text comprehension quiz Das Parfum. Die Geschichte eines Mörders – “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”, by Patrick Süskind This 1985 historical/mystery/coming-of-age novel by German author Patrick Süskind is about a murderer with a supernatural sense of smell. Born with no body scent in 18th-century Paris, protagonist Baptiste Grenouille is stalking and killing virgins, hunting for the “perfect scent”. Translated into 48 languages and sold more than 20 million times, Das Parfum is one of the most sucessfull German novels of the 20th century. While Süskinds narrative style may sometimes be a bit ornate, this novel can be a good way for German learners to expand their vocabulary without sentence structure and plot being too difficult too follow. Kindle: via Amazon ePub: via bücher.de PDF: Google vocabulary: flashcards via Quizlet How To Get Free German Novels All of the above suggestions are considered literary classics. If you’re looking for more contemporary German novels, take a look at this article and find out how to download tons of German novels for free onto your tablet, ereader, smartphone or desktop. Combine these free German ebooks with interactive dictionaries on Android or iOS and you’ll learn tons of new words in no time! Who needs textbooks, anyway? – 5 German Novels For Beginners and Intermediate German Learners 4.5 (90.53%) 19 votesAnother college male is suing, and speaking out The number of lawsuits by men wrongly accused of sexual assault on campus is increasing almost by the day. Most remain silent, preferring to go the “John Doe” route to avoid further reputational damage. Slowly, however, some men are going public, often where there names were already published anyway in high profile cases. One example is the suit against Columbia University by Jean-Paul Nungesser after Emma Sulkowicz drew attention to the allegations by carrying a mattress around campus. Here is one story playing out at San Diego State University, in which the charges were plastered all over campus and the news, only to be dropped once police investigated. Where does someone wrongly accused go to get his reputation back? It started with the arrest of Francisco Paiva Sousa, SDSU sex assault suspect out on bail: A day after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault near campus, an SDSU student is out on bail. CBS News 8 cameras were there when 20-year-old Francisco Paiva Sousa was released from jail Wednesday. He was taken into custody Tuesday in connection with the alleged assault Sunday. Sousa said nothing as our cameras caught up with him after he made bail. The SDSU sophomore is accused of forcing a female student to perform oral sex while at a party off campus, according to campus police. Detectives say it happened at a duplex on College Avenue sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning…. “It’s kind of scary to read about. It could have been me, SDSU student Bailey Fuimaono said. Unlike, the other string of alleged sexual assault cases at SDSU, this female victim came forward. It’s something Fuimaono says should be noted. “It’s really inspiring. It’s scary to identify them. It’s empowering because if she can do it, anyone can. It’s nice to know someone stepped up and did it,” she said. Here is some of the news video of the arrest and release on bail: CBS News 8 – San Diego, CA News Station – KFMB Channel 8 The news coverage was looking for an angle, in this case a reporter pursuing Sousa while commenting on his “preppy” attire: After investigation, the District Attorney’s office dropped the charges, No charges for student in SDSU sex assault report: Francisco Paiva Sousa was expected to be arraigned Dec. 18, a little more than a week after he was arrested and posted bail. The arraignment was canceled, but the case remained under investigation, authorities said. The District Attorney’s Office rejected the case Jan. 28. Spokeswoman Tanya Sierra said in an email that the office does not give details on why cases are rejected. She added: “… we can only file charges when we believe we can prove them beyond a reasonable doubt.” Gained even more attention when a local TV Station used Obama’s photo in reporting the story: That took the story, and Sousa’s name, national. Now Sousa has taken the preliminary steps to file suit against the university, and is speaking out. SDSU student previously accused of sexual assault speaks out: The San Diego State University student who was accused of sexually assaulting another SDSU student last year spoke exclusively to CBS News 8 on Friday. The District Attorney dropped the charges against Francisco Sousa, but he remains suspended. Francisco Sousa said he did not file the lawsuit against SDSU for financial gain, but instead to change the way SDSU handles sexual assault cases. In his case and in his own words, “Giving an accused student due process and the opportunity to defend himself before being very publicly accused,” he said. “It feels unreal. It feels completely unreal,” said Sousa. CBS News 8 – San Diego, CA News Station – KFMB Channel 8 I don’t know if Sousa was guilty but there wasn’t enough evidence, or if he was wrongly accused. And there will be others like me who will Google his name, and wonder the same thing. And that’s the problem.A YouTube video in which a Sacramento Baptist church pastor praised the massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida and called the victims pedophiles and predators was removed Tuesday for violating the website’s policy on hate speech. The pastor, however, defended his comments Tuesday in response to the expressions of outrage. The videotaped sermon by Pastor Roger Jimenez of Verity Baptist Church touched off a firestorm of controversy shortly after it was posted on Sunday. In it, Jimenez said that when he learned the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history had occurred at a gay club, he wasn’t sad. In fact, he felt quite the contrary. “I think Orlando, Fla., is a little safer tonight,” he told his congregation, equating members of the LGBT community to sexual predators. “The tragedy is more of them didn’t die…. I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job!” Jimenez also said if it were up to him, gays and lesbians would be lined up against a wall so a firing squad could “blow their brains out.” The reaction to the sermon has been swift and fierce. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson condemned Jimenez’s words. “The hateful comments made by a preacher in Sacramento do not reflect Christian values and have no place in our society. #standwithorlando,” he tweeted. But in an interview outside his home Tuesday, Jimenez told a Sacramento Bee reporter that his sermon was not meant to incite violence against LGBT people. “All I’m saying is that when people die who deserve to die, it’s not a tragedy,” he told the Bee. A group of 700 area pastors known as the Sacramento City Pastors Fellowship issued a statement responding to Jimenez’s sermon, the Bee reported. The statement said: "These comments, applauding the death of innocent people, are completely contrary to the Bible's teaching and God's heart…. His statements do not represent Jesus nor hundreds of Sacramento pastors whose hearts have been broken and are praying for the loved ones so tragically affected by this cowardly act." Meanwhile, a change.org petition was started to have Jimenez removed as the head of his own church. And by Tuesday morning, YouTube had removed the sermon altogether, calling it hate speech. The church regularly posts sermons by Jimenez on its YouTube page. YouTube users have responded angrily to many of the church’s videos in the last 24 hours, calling Jimenez a racist and a bigot. A new video that features an excerpt from the banned sermon was posted Tuesday morning. His church did not immediately return a request for comment.Rare photographs of Victorian London taken from a hot air balloon have been shown off ahead of an auction. Hot air balloonist-photographer Cecil Victor Shadbolt took the photos around 1882-1892 for a lecture series he gave. The photos include the earliest known surviving aerial photograph of Great Britain, being that of Stamford Hill, taken on 29 May 1882. The same location today. The lantern slide reproducing handwriting gives Shadbolt’s account of this historic occasion: “1st Ascent: 29th May 1882 (Whit Monday), Balloon ‘Reliance’ from Alexandra Palace. Started at 4pm. Descended at 5.30. Duration of voyage 1hr 30 mins. Distance travelled 14 miles. Miles per hour 9 1/3. Highest altitude 5,000 ft. Place of descent Ilford. 5min walk from station. Remarks: Weather fine and bright, but clouds were high so did not get above them. At 5000 ft noticed that although we were in shadow the sun was shining on the earth below. Obtained very successful photograph of Stamford Hill district at altitude of 2000 ft and several others not so good. Came down in a field of green corn and experienced very rough treatment at the hands of the crowds who tore the balloon and Barker’s coat in addition.” The details and dates of some other sixty ascents by Shadbolt are not documented but it is thought that the majority or all of these aerial photographs were taken in the 1880s, and certainly no later than 1892 when Shadbolt died in a ballooning accident at the Crystal Palace along with the balloon’s pilot Captain Dale. Another clearly identifiable photograph is that of Crystal Palace, Sydenham, which is captioned as photographed at 2,000 feet. This photograph is a little blurry compared to the others and may well be because it was taken from a tethered balloon rather than from a free floating balloon and thus liable to more shake and vibration. In spite of the regular tethered balloon flights at Crystal Palace this is believed to be the earliest known surviving aerial photograph of the building of Crystal Palace itself. More the photos are here. The seller, Dominic Winter Auctions expects the images to be sold for up to £10,000 when they go on sale tomorrow. Timeline:Much like the award-winning anthology Steampunk World, Steampunk Universe will be a multicultural anthology of steampunk stories. But this time, the anthology will focus on characters who do not identify as abled or neurotypical.1 This call for submissions is aimed particularly at marginalized writers, especially those who are identify as members of a minority, LGBTQ, and particularly those themselves who do not identify as abled or neurotypical. Stories are due by June 1, 2016 to [email protected]. Ideally, decisions will be made by July 1, and the anthology will be crowdfunded shortly thereafter. Writers will be paid $.06/word for original stories. I’m not looking for reprints at this time. Deadline extensions will not be granted. Your story should be submitted in Standard Manuscript Format (please check and double-check that your name and email address are on the first page!) as an email attachment in.doc,.docx or.rtf format. The subject of your message should read [Submission: Story Title by Author Name]. If your submission doesn’t conform to these specifications it may be deleted unread. What I’m looking for: Your story should take place in a non-White and preferably non-Anglophone culture. Your story should contain and have as a focus a character with at least one disability. It should be a major element of the story. I want to explore how steampunk technology changes the lives of people who are aneurotypical or disabled, for better or for worse. I’d love to see characters who are also members of other marginalized groups (such as LGBTQ characters). Your story should contain steampunk elements. I get a lot of submissions with steampunk exoskeletons and dirigibles, but not many with spaceships or submarines. I’d really like authors to stretch themselves and instead of just writing alternate history, set the story in a parallel universe or on another planet. Read Tobias Buckell’s excellent story “Love Comes to Abyssal City” for an example. I have already committed to stories taking place in North America, England, and China. While we may commit to more stories featuring other cultures in those regions, we strongly encourage you to explore stories that take
would anyone want to make his or her life harder? "I wouldn't call her privileged at all," says Rachel's ex-boyfriend Charles Miller. "She grew up in Montana in a very remote place. They didn't have a lot of money. They grew food and were hunting. That's not privilege. Maybe her parents made that choice—there's a certain amount of privilege in being able to make the choice and all—but she's been financially struggling, barely making it since I've known her. She's never had the ability to just go out and buy whatever she wants." Rachel met Charles, a single dad whose child went to Franklin's school, while living in Coeur d'Alene. They bonded over their love of leftist political figures like Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn. As they got to know one another, their friendship became romantic, and Rachel explained her identity to him. "It would be different if someone woke up and said, 'I'm pretending to be black to get a job,'" Charles says. "But that's not the case." While they were dating, Charles met Larry and Ruthanne—who were moving back and forth between Idaho and Atlanta around this time—briefly when Rachel had to drop something off with them. "There was no support or connection there," he says. The more he learned about Rachel's life growing up with Larry and Ruthanne, the more he understood the motives behind her identity. After a few years, Charles and Rachel broke up because of the complexities of being single parents. They have remained close friends. Over the years, Charles says, he asked Rachel why she didn't explain how she was born biologically white but identified as black. He says Rachel told him she thought people wouldn't understand. "Like someone who's transgender, it takes a long time to figure out all the different thoughts and feelings and cultural differences and expectations to come to the point of owning it," Charles says. Fearing that no one would understand, "she basically let [everyone call] her biracial or whatever people put on to her." In 2010, after a roughly five-year absence, Larry and Ruthanne reappeared in Rachel's life. They had been living in South Africa performing missionary work for about five years with their adopted children, whom Rachel claims were physically abused by Larry and Ruthanne, who she says whipped them. When asked about the abuse, Izaiah says, "It was physiological, emotional, mental." In 2010, at age 16, Izaiah sued Larry and Ruthanne for emancipation. He briefly stayed with his birth mother, but ultimately decided to live with Rachel. When he moved in with her, Rachel sat him down for a conversation about how they would explain their relationship. Izaiah asked if he could call her "mom," since Rachel had raised him as a small child. "It was also going to be easier at school," Izaiah says. "I got you," Rachel told him. She says Izaiah found Larry and Ruthanne traumatizing, that he wanted to act like he had never been adopted and they had never existed. Rachel agreed to pose as his biological mother because she empathized with him. She also knew the agreement meant should would have to alter her look more often. "I knew, internally, that that also meant I had to monitor my experience a bit more because he's not even mixed," she says. But she thought she was doing what she needed to in order to protect a young man she considered her son. "Adoption is kind of a bad word for Izaiah," Rachel explains. "It reminds him of Larry and Ruthanne. I got custody of him, and that's his emancipation out of that experience." Rachel had already started a new alternative family in Idaho. Albert Wilkerson, a middle-aged black man who had served as a delegate for Obama, would give guest lectures to the college classes Rachel taught. "We're so alike in terms of cooking, art, and being creative, being educators," Rachel says. "He kind of recognizes that we didn't have family, me and Franklin." (Franklin went to Kevin's house on the weekends.) They would go to Thanksgiving dinner at Albert's house, and he would take Franklin fishing as "Grandpa Albert." Rachel started calling Albert "dad." He was her "chosen family," but she eventually stopped modifying the term with words like "adopted" or "chosen". He was just family. After Izaiah left for college, Rachel moved to Spokane from Couer D'Alene, where she lived in 2013. Illustration by Jessica Olah Spokane is a primarily white town, and its police department has a bad reputation for excessive force. In 2011, a federal jury found Officer Karl Thompson guilty of using excessive force on Otto Zehm, a schizophrenic man who died after Thompson beat and restrained him at a convenience store. Rachel discussed these issues in her classes at Eastern Washington University. Da'mony, a black male student of Rachel's, says he views her as a mentor and advocate for black bodies. Rachel helped the students organize vigils and marches for Black Lives Matter. One day, she says, they made signs of every black man who had been killed by cops across the country and read about their lives. In one of her courses, she taught Brown v. the Board of Education. As an assignment, she then made her students teach the court case to local high school students who were struggling to graduate. "[She was] basically just being a mentor and guidance counselor way before [black students nominated her as the black student union faculty advisor]," Da'mony says. "She would be the epitome of somebody who would help advise us and guide us the way." In 2014, Rachel says, a friend nominated her for president of the local chapter of the NAACP, hoping she could help build a movement in the town. The job was unpaid and required long hours, but Rachel decided to run because she wanted to boost activism in the community. When she won, Rachel says, the Spokane chapter only had $16 in the bank. She claims she quadrupled member numbers to 200 people, bringing in more money to the organization through the $35 membership fees. Rachel also moved the office to a building on Main Street, which is downtown and closer to city politics; it's where the Peace and Justice Action League, the public radio station, and the Center for Justice are located. By the time she resigned, Rachel says, they had enough money to pay several months of rent. The national NAACP did not return requests to comment. In an email, Naima Quarles-Burnley, the current president of the NAACP's Spokane chapter, declined to release numbers about Rachel's tenure but confirmed Rachel moved the office downtown. "With regard to the accomplishments of Ms. Dolezal, she was only President of the Spokane NAACP for five months," Naima says. "While she did bring new ideas and new energy, the record does not support that as a single individual she increased the perceived or actual power or influence of the Spokane NAACP." As president, Rachel began organizing Black Lives Matter protests and hosting a local video show called Moral Mondays, which aired online. Every Monday, Rachel discussed issues facing the community to raise awareness. Through these videos, DaShawn discovered Rachel. He had grown up in Spokane's dangerous Felony Flats neighborhood, but only learned about the city's NAACP chapter through Rachel's videos. He considered her a revelation, an advocate, he says, for the community. "In the 'hood, they have family members getting beat up by the police," he says. "They're going to get most of their info from the news, and we know the news is not going to give you everything." Shortly before taking on the NAACP position, in the same academic year, Rachel applied for another unpaid job: serving on the police ombudsman commission. The city set up the committee to oversee the Spokane Police Department and ensure they followed rules. "I took it really seriously," Rachel says. She believed there needed to be someone pro-black on the commission. Taking on the two volunteer positions gave Rachel zero financial gain. Every month, Rachel attended city meetings, rode with cops, and met with Spokane Police Department chief Frank Straub. Their meetings were off the record, but Rachel characterized them as strained. Following Rachel's removal from the commission in the summer of 2015, Mayor David Condon asked Straub to resign. Documents obtained by local news organizations show Condon knew Straub had "grabbed" former police spokeswoman Monique Cotton's "ass" and "tried to kiss her." DaShawn believes the cops wanted Rachel out of city politics, not because of any scandal resulting from her racial identity, but because of her growing influence in the town's black community. "That woman in her role in the community was so on fire," Dashawn says. "I think she only had those positions for like five or six months, but we could already feel the energy. It was catching so much steam." In the midst of the improvements in the quality of Rachel's life, a dark cloud began to form around her and her family; it was then that one of Rachel's relatives accused Joshua of molesting her repeatedly as a child "in 2001 or 2002." Joshua faced four felony counts of sexual assault, and Rachel became a witness in the case against her brother. She says the victim came to her and told her what had happened. Rachel claims her brother had also molested her as a child. She says she confronted Joshua about the family member and told him, "Fuck off, and get the fuck out of her life. I won't ever speak to you again." Rachel believes that her parents outed her to the local Spokane news as a calculated way to discredit her testimony at the impending trial, which was thrown out of court in July. The Clear Creek County prosecutor declined to comment, but Norm Mueller, Joshua's attorney, told the Washington Post, "The prosecutor said he could not prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt." The day that Rachel's racial identity made the local news happened to be Izaiah's 21st birthday. He heard about it when a friend told him, "Happy birthday. Also, have you seen the news today?" "No. What happened?" Izaiah asked. "Birthday ruined," Izaiah says. "I never got to do my 21 run, didn't get to do any of that." Instead of birthday wishes, his friends called him and accused him of being a liar, Rachel says. The public's reaction infuriated Izaiah. "I think everyone who has that nuclear family has the privilege of that, and they can't really see outside it or understand somebody else from a dysfunctional, or 'abnormal,' family, if you will," he says. Rachel's college friends also despised the media coverage. Siobhan called Rachel and told her she was driving from Las Vegas, where she lives, to Spokane. "I couldn't let her go through something like that by herself," Siobhan says. "So I packed a suitcase, rented a car, and started the 16-hour drive through the Nevada desert. No streetlights, no phone signal, no gas stations, and no other cars. It was a pretty scary drive." "People in Mississippi know the whole story," Rachel says. "They know how I arrived when I came to Mississippi, how I looked, and they follow me on Facebook and everything. They're like, 'Totally organic process. We know who she is.'" In Spokane, however, many of Rachel's friends have stopped speaking to her. Rachel says she doesn't blame them, but it's still frustrating. "I feel like my life is the perfect metaphor for race as a social construction because people have been arguing about my race forever. What does it fucking matter?" she says. "I identify as I identify and people love it or hate it. At the end of the day, we are a human race. If we could come back to that point, if we even did away with the boxes on the forms and everything, maybe it would be better for people. Why do we need to keep categorizing people?" Others, like DaShawn and her college friends, have stuck by her, and believe the community has suffered without her. "Listen: If Wendy Williams is down with Rachel [it's acceptable] because Wendy will cut loose," Dashawn says. "If that's what Caitlyn [Jenner] needs to do, if Rachel wants to do this and she's helping people, then let the woman do what she's doing. Only ones that don't want that to happen are the ones who feel like their status or life or well-being will change." It would seem that those would be the people she has accused of abuse: the Spokane Police Department, her parents, and her brother. Franklin wishes people would consider him before they attack Rachel. In the kitchen, he peels slices off an orange and eats them without looking at me. In a red sweater and jeans, he looks like any other teenager, but he tells me he knows he's different. "It's a lot to take in. I'm already dealing with my own demons," he says. "There are no black kids at school. Being black at my school, I'm expected to do more and be more, do more talking, talk different like I'm from the 'hood, be a stereotype. People expect me to talk like a thug and vape." "I mean, by the time Langston can even start remembering things, this will probably be all dead and done. But I'm going to always have to come back on this [as an adult]," he says. "People don't realize that." Just like she has throughout her life, to cope, Rachel has turned to art. She draws with pastels in her kitchen, but also keeps a studio in her basement next to Franklin's bedroom. A gray sculpture of a bust she has been finishing rests on a white table, and framed prints of previous pieces line the floor. Her favorite is a collage of a house. The doors are closed, but one door is open, and a solo woman walks through the light. "It's more autobiographical," she says. "One door open leads to the whole universal...I was my own personal Jesus. I was able to trust my own intuition. I was the only person standing up for myself. In the absence of anyone doing that, I've learned to love myself and trust myself and do what I feel is right. A lot of that has to do with shedding the guilt. Oppression, repression, depression—they are not helpful to me. [Independence] happened with freeing myself of organized religion. That was a driving force in a lot of those energies." In October, a few weeks before I travel to Spokane, I get dinner with Franklin and Rachel at Granville Cafe in Burbank, CA, a few miles outside Los Angeles. Franklin rests his head on the table most of dinner, while Rachel eats mac and cheese. She's in town for an interview on The Real, a panel talk show—similar in format to The View or The Talk—whose members are all women of color. We're meeting the night before the interview. Rachel is so broke, she wears the same lace-front wig and blue dress to dinner as she wears on the daytime program because she can't afford two interview dresses. Only tabloid-type companies have offered her work, she says, but she wants to return to teaching and activism. "I do have a high level of commitment and integrity to the cause," Rachel says. "Maybe there's something internationally I could do with human rights." She has hope. In September, Malcolm X's daughter, Ambassador Shabazz, invited her to appear at a United Nations panel for the International Day of the Girl, and Rachel believes The Real will turn her reputation around. She says they promised to be fair and even to discuss her art. But it didn't go very well at all. The women on the show attacked Rachel, with no warning. Host Loni Love asked Rachel, "Are you ashamed of being white?" and Rachel's name began to trend on Twitter again for all the wrong reasons. She was surprised and disappointed by her treatment on the show, but maintained a sense of humor about it. "My lace-front wig was better than Loni's," Rachel jokes. However, the episode upset both DaShawn, and Charles. "[Her identity is] a real thing for her—in the same way someone that's transgender is wrestling with not fitting in with the skin they were born into," Charles says. "I was really angered, frustrated, and saddened to see the way that people and the mass media projected all these assumptions about her motives. They were really not in line with what her motives really are." After dinner, I drive Rachel and Franklin to their hotel. Franklin runs upstairs to play video games, but Rachel sits in my car in the parking lot for nearly an hour. She puts her hand on her forehead and looks out the window. Garbage's "Queer" blasts from my stereo; the song seems appropriate. Rachel tells me about a Black Lens News op-ed that compared her outing to a "digital lynching," and looks like she's about to burst into tears. She turns to me. "Is there a place in the world where I can be me? Is there a place for me here? Are my kids better having me here?" Rachel asks me. She pauses and looks out the window and then turns back to me. "I want to be able to be free to be me," she says. "Don't we have the right to be 100 percent who we are?" It's a rhetorical question.It was supposed to be the 25th anniversary celebration of a favourite annual bike race. Instead, this year's Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay — a 240-kilometre race from Haines Junction, Yukon, to Haines, Alaska — was cancelled due to a freak snowstorm. Word didn't reach Ned Rozbicki. The race takes riders through a mountain pass from Yukon to Alaska. (Google) He woke up around 3 a.m. for a last minute gear check before he and his three teammates prepared to launch a unique attempt to complete the relay by unicycle. "Feels alright," he told the team, tentatively, after mounting a unicycle on a snowy road. The four went on to be the only team to complete this year's race. "To be fair, we were the only team that started," he told CBC News. Getting a head start The trip was planned as a wedding gift for Rozbicki, who's tying the knot today in Alaska. The team — which included Ben Richardson, Jim Sowers and Nathan Hoover — anticipated a wet, rainy race. They woke up early to get a jump on the day. "We skirted the rules a little because basically the race isn't set up to accommodate unicycles," Rozbicki said, "so we knew we needed to start early if we were gonna make the party at the end." A long, snowy road. (Submitted by Jim Sowers) A little snow didn't deter them — though it did give them pause. "I think it's fair to say we all started thinking there's no way we could finish," Rozbicki said. 'It's just kind of lizard brain' For Rozbicki, unicycling lets you live in the moment. On a bike, the eyes and mind can wander. "On a unicycle, it's a much more immediate experience," he said. "Every second, you're balancing in a way that's more dynamic, so it's just kind of lizard brain, you're going back to the primeval part of your brain where you're just concentrating in the moment." Unicycling has come a long ways in recent years, he said. "It's still a fringe sport, but the unicyclists out there are pretty gung ho." Ned Rozbicki tests out his unicycle on the June snow. (Nathan Hoover/Vimeo) "My main thing is unicycle basketball," said teammate Sowers. Two years ago, he unicycled from Mumbai to Goa in India. He described the race as physically challenging, and made more so by the cold weather, and the rain and snow that had him wringing out his socks between legs. The plan — even after they learned the race had been called off — was to just ride "until we absolutely had to stop." "Slowly the conditions got better instead of worse, thankfully." Was it fun? "It definitely got fun," he said. "It went from, OK, we have a huge challenge in front of us, to we can do this, to we did it." Small town heroes for a day Rozbicki was one of many who've felt the pull of the race that had to be capped at 1,200 riders a few years ago when its fame began to draw more people than organizers felt they could safely handle. "I'd done one leg of it before," Rozbicki said, describing terrain that climbs and drops about 2,400 metres in elevation in all. "It's challenging. Weather is usually a factor but not quite to the degree that it was for us." Richardson braves the sleet. (Submitted by Jim Sowers) The effort paid off. In Haines, pop. 1,300, they were greeted by a classic king salmon barbecue. "The whole town turned out," Rozbicki said. "It was a great little shindig." The team's reputation preceded them, because people driving back after the race was cancelled had passed them on the road, honking, waving and stopping to say hello, and marvel at their spirit of adventure. "We were small town heroes for a day." And finishing the event, he says, was a great feeling. "It was a great bonding experience for four guys who share the love of kind of a unique sport but a really rich one."Americans have worried about the extent to which life has imitated the art of Mike Judge’s Idiocracy pretty much since the satire premiered in 2006, which was three years after Jackass’ Steve-O stapled his scrotum to his leg onstage. But with sentient Simpsons gag Donald Trump out there confusing convenience with tragedy in a bid for the presidency, and a real-life Ow! My Balls hitting primetime, the movie has never seemed so prescient. And with the film’s 10th anniversary looming, Judge is reportedly considering taking his anti-intellectualism show on the road. That’s according to a Collider interview with Maya Rudolph, who played prostitute and world’s smartest woman Rita in the film. Rudolph claims she’s been constantly asked about Idiocracy in the ten years since its release, so she’s pitched “a road trip or something and then show the movie and talk about it on the anniversary of it.” The actress, who was out stumping for the Angry Birds Movie—which is no Ass, but is still based off a game which primarily involves shooting birds at things, so you know, grain of salt—says she expected to be much older before seeing any of the film’s events come to pass, but that hasn’t been the case. Judge has been involved in the process, which Rudolph says they’re “working [it] out, we’re figuring it out. We’d better hurry up on it though,” because the future is now, after all. Advertisement [via /Film]President Lyndon Johnson appoints U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Thurgood Marshall to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Tom C. Clark. On August 30, after a heated debate, the Senate confirmed Marshall’s nomination by a vote of 69 to 11. Two days later, he was sworn in by Chief Justice Earl Warren, making him the first African American in history to sit on America’s highest court. The great-grandson of slaves, Marshall was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1908. In 1933, after studying under the tutelage of civil liberties lawyer Charles H. Houston, he received his law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1936, he joined the legal division of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), of which Houston was director, and two years later succeeded his mentor in the organization’s top legal post. As the NAACP’s chief counsel from 1938 to 1961, he argued 32 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, successfully challenging racial segregation, most notably in public education. He won 29 of these cases, including a groundbreaking victory in 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education, in which the Supreme Court ruled that segregation violated the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and was thus illegal. The decision served as a great impetus for the African American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and ultimately led to the abolishment of segregation in all public facilities and accommodations. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website In 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Marshall to the U.S. Court of Appeals, but his nomination was opposed by many Southern senators, and he was not confirmed until the next year. In June 1967, President Johnson nominated him to the Supreme Court, and in late August he was confirmed. During his 24 years on the high court, Associate Justice Marshall consistently challenged discrimination based on race or sex, opposed the death penalty, and supported the rights of criminal defendants. He also defended affirmative action and women’s right to abortion. As appointments by a largely Republican White House changed the politics of the Court, Marshall found his liberal opinions increasingly in the minority. He retired in 1991, and two years later passed away. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit WebsiteOther Picks: 68th / 69th / 70th *Compensation Picks Kellen Sweeney (Blue Jays-2s) - Supplemental pick for failure to sign 2009 2nd rou Josh Fields (Braves-2) - Pick from Orioles as compensation for Free Agent Danys Baez Ray Liotta (White Sox-2) - Pick from Yankees as compensation for Free Agent Tom Gordon Brennan King (Dodgers-2) - Pick from Cardinals as compensation for Free Agent Scott Radinsky 69. Jeff Williams (Orioles-2s) - Supplemental Pick for loss of Free Agent Dave Schmidt Other Picks: 68th / 69th / 70th 53 matching player(s). 23 played in the majors (43%). Total of 109.4 WAR, or 4.8 per major leaguer. DT Key Blank - June Draft 6sc - June Secondary 6sa - June Secondary (normal, 1971 only) 6sd - June Secondary (delayed, 1971 only) 1rg - January Draft 1sc - January Secondary Draft 8lg - August Legion Draft NOTES: We have not yet matched the 2018 debuts to their draft into. We hope to do so soon. Please note that searches by state are not complete and not guaranteed to be accurate. Searches by state are limited to the most recent 500 draft picks Players are listed regardless of whether they signed or not. School names may change from year to year making it difficult to find all player drafted from a school. Please let us know if you find what you believe is an error. The 1965 draft had a major league and AAA section (rounds 1-3), a AA section (4-7) and A-ball sections (8+). Each team had one pick in rounds 1-7 (MLB, AAA, and AA picks). Starting with the 8th round teams received a pick for each A-ball team in their system in the reverse order of the affiliate finishes. Franchises that shared affiliates, alternated the picks round-by-round. This means that a franchise will have multiple picks in a "round". For presentation reasons here, we have re-labeled the rounds to be the number of the selection made by this franchise. This means that the Twins' 10th round pick could come after the Mets' 12th round pick.On this day in 1934, wanted outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker are shot to death by Texas and Louisiana state police officers as they attempt to escape apprehension in a stolen 1934 Ford Deluxe near Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Beginning in early 1932, Parker and Barrow set off on a two-year crime spree, evading local police in rural Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico before drawing the attention of federal authorities at the Bureau of Investigation (as the FBI was then known). Though the couple was believed to have been responsible for 13 murders by the time they were killed, along with several bank robberies and burglaries, the only charge the Bureau could chase them on was a violation of the National Motor Vehicle Act, which gave federal agents the authority to pursue suspects accused of interstate transportation of a stolen automobile. The car in question was a Ford, stolen in Illinois and found abandoned in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Inside, agents discovered a prescription bottle later traced to the Texas home of Clyde Barrow’s aunt. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website As authorities stepped up the pressure to catch the outlaw couple, the heavily armed Barrow and Parker were joined at various times by the convicted murderer Raymond Hamilton (whom they helped break out of jail in 1934), William Daniel Jones and Clyde’s brother Ivan “Buck” Barrow and his wife, Blanche. In the spring of 1934, federal agents traced the Barrow-Parker gang to a remote county in southwest Louisiana, where the Methvin family was said to have been aiding and abetting the outlaws for over a year. Bonnie and Clyde, along with some of the Methvins, had staged a party at Black Lake, Louisiana, on the night of May 21. Two days later, just before dawn, a posse of police officers from Texas and Louisiana laid an ambush along the highway near Sailes, Louisiana. When Parker and Barrow appeared, going some 85 mph in another stolen Ford–a four-door 1934 Deluxe with a V-8 engine, the officers let loose with a hail of bullets, leaving the couple no chance of survival despite the small arsenal of weapons they had with them. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website The bullet-ridden Deluxe, originally owned by Ruth Warren of Topeka, Kansas, was later exhibited at carnivals and fairs then sold as a collector’s item; in 1988, the Primm Valley Resort and Casino in Las Vegas purchased it for some $250,000. Barrow’s enthusiasm for cars was evident in a letter he wrote earlier in the spring of 1934, addressed to Henry Ford himself: “While I still have got breath in my lungs I will tell you what a dandy car you make. I have drove Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got every other car skinned and even if my business hasn’t been strictly legal it don’t hurt anything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V-8.” __________________________________________________________________ For news and information about the upcoming Bonnie and Clyde movie check out www.bonnieandclydethemovie.comVirtual Net Metering Increases Solar Market Potential August 26th, 2013 by Nicholas Brown One potential solution to this issue is quite simple: The homeowners/landlords can choose to furnish the houses with solar panels and charge the tenants a recurring monthly fee. Apartment complexes are common across the world, and thus, have become an especially important but difficult target for the rooftop solar industry. Two good ways to get solar systems atop apartment complexes include: Multifamily Net Metering Systems Virtual Net Metering (VNM) (now available to everyone in California) In California, virtual net metering (VNM) is a concept which enables all tenants of a given apartment complex to obtain solar energy from a single solar system that does not have to be physically and directly connected to their meters. The system directly powers tenants residences and in some cases will supply surplus electricity back to the grid. “VNM in affordable multi-tenant housing allows for the maximization of roof space to create one or a few solar arrays to benefit multiple meters, without the expense of interconnecting to every meter,” said Scott Sarem, CEO of Everyday Energy. Sarem said, “VNM provides stability to the apartment property by allowing the housing operator and the tenants to know what their energy expense will be on a monthly basis and it also allows for a hedge against energy inflation.” VNM was originally only available to low-income families in California (at least they were prioritized for a change), but now the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved the use of this concept for all multi-tenant and multi-metered properties. “When VNM became available, we jumped right in,” said Ross Williams, vice president of Home Energy Systems in San Diego. The company designed and installed a 338-kW PV system on Solterra, the first non-MASH multifamily apartment in California that utilities VNM and San Diego’s first net-zero luxury apartment. H.G. Fenton Company developed the “EcoLuxury” apartment, which opened in San Diego in May.Police say they believe the search for a missing woman has ended in a gruesome way. Investigators say they think someone spread Patsy Hudson's remains throughout Richland County. Hudson has been missing since last July, but police say they found what is believed to be her remains in three locations near Mansfield and Shiloh. Each crime scene is roughly 15 minutes apart: one on Franklin Church Road, the other on Snake Road, and a third location in a field off Ransom Road. All three locations are in mostly desolate areas north of Mansfield. “That means she was dismembered," neighbor Tony Walker said. "That's crazy to think that someone on the street or someone would do that. I mean, that's psychotic!” Walker and his family noticed Patsy Hudson, who kept to herself in their quiet neighborhood, was missing about a month ago. But long before that, Walker says there was a dispute about the number of cats on Hudson's property that upset her next door neighbors. “The people beside her didn't really enjoy those cats,” Walker recalls. “I know they didn't have a good relationship.” The two people in question are 53-year-old Walter Renze and Linda Buckner, 57. The two were arrested in Tennessee by a U.S. Marshals on outstanding warrants. Walker says when Hudson vanished, so did Renze and Buckner. A positive identification of the remains is still pending with the coroner's office. Mansfield police are expected to release more information in the coming days.The ''age of entitlement'' is over, according to Treasurer Joe Hockey, but politicians continue to spend tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on flights to sporting events, study tours, recipe collections and children's books - such as Aliens in Underpants Save the World. Department of Finance records show rising Liberal Party MP Jamie Briggs claimed almost $11,000 in entitlements over two years for travel to and from sporting events. For most of this period, November 2011 to November 2013, Mr Briggs was chairman of the Coalition's government waste committee, established to highlight the mismanagement of taxpayer money. Entitled: National MP Bert van Manen, left, and Liberal Party MP Jamie Briggs, right. His entitlement claims included: ■ $2800 last November for him and a family member to travel between Adelaide and Melbourne, where they attended Derby Day in the Emirates marquee.One in five Albertans believe Bigfoot is real, and even more think global warming is a hoax. A new Insights West poll also reveals more than one in three Albertans think the 1997 death of Princess Diana in a car crash was actually an assassination, and 40 per cent of residents think scientists have found a cure for cancer but the government or pharmaceutical companies are withholding it. That’s not all. Nearly half of Albertans think UFOs exist, 32 per cent believe the JFK assassination was a conspiracy, and one in 10 believe the lunar landings were a hoax. And no, the poll is not an April Fool’s Day prank. The results come after Insights West, a Western-based marketing research company, asked both Albertans and British Columbians for their thoughts on several popular conspiracy theories in an online study conducted from March 24 to March 29, 2015. While most of the results were fairly similar for Alberta and British Columbia, one answer stood out to Mario Canseco, vice-president public affairs at Insights West. “We had 12 per cent of residents (in British Columbia) who said climate change was a hoax. The number climbed dramatically in Alberta,” he said. In Alberta, 26 per cent of respondents said they think global warming is a hoax. “One of the reasons for those numbers to be so high is (Albertans could) be looking at it from the standpoint of (their) own benefit,” Canseco said. Canseco said people could think it’s easier to believe climate change is a hoax than change the way they’re producing energy or question their employment in an industry that could affect climate change, like the oilsands. Another answer where Albertans’ views differed more than a few percentage points from their neighbours to the west concerned the late Princess Diana. Thirty-seven per cent of Albertans consider the event an assassination, a view shared by 27 per cent of British Columbians. “That’s a pretty high number for something that was investigated officially by the U.K. government,” Canseco said. One-in-five residents (20% in B.C. and 21% in Alberta) believe in Bigfoot (or Sasquatch). The result wasn’t surprising to Bigfoot believer Tyler Huggins. “That’s probably higher compared to most of North America … Until there’s scientific proof, I wouldn’t expect the number to be higher,” he said. Huggins has been on an unwavering quest to uncover the existence of the legendary creature since what he said was an encounter of his own with the ape-like beast in 1991 near Lake Louise. Nearly a third of both Albertans and British Columbians believe a human being has already been cloned, and 40 per cent of Albertans and 32 per cent of British Columbians believe a cure for cancer is being withheld. “That really speaks to the highest conspiracy level that there is … There’s that sense of mistrust in the way that specific aspects of our society work, and one is the government,” Canseco said. Four per cent of Albertans said they believe dinosaurs never existed and just one per cent think Elvis is still alive. Canseco classified the poll as fun with serious undertones. “We thought it was a good opportunity to really do something interesting,” he said. “There’s a way to do fun research but also have that policy component.” The poll results are based on an online study among 801 British Columbians and 508 Albertans. The margin of error for the Alberta results is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. AKlingbeil@
. "There's no guarantee that there won't be another 2003," said Brian Simpson, executive director of the provincial Wildfire Management Branch. Although Simpson said this fire season got off to a slow start, and the number of fires is still slightly below average, he noted areas like the coast are experiencing unusually dry conditions. Tuesday marked the 33rd consecutive day of sunshine in Metro Vancouver, making July the sunniest month on record. "Coastal fires tend to be very difficult to control because of the heavy, heavy fuels that you have to contend with," Simpson said. "It takes a lot more energy to put one of those fires out once you get going, and that can be costly on our resource capacity." But Simpson takes comfort that many lessons were learned as a result of 2003, and the government is now much more prepared to deal with wildfires. Resources have been substantially increased, including eight new 20-person unit crews and 30 more initial attack crews, Simpson said. The entire fleet, including vehicles and equipment, has also been modernized, so it is faster and more cost-effective, he said. Stephanie Salsnek lives about three kilometres from the White Lake blaze near Okanagan Falls that started last weekend and was fully contained by Tuesday. An evacuation alert for about a dozen homes was lifted. Salsnek said she was blown away by the effectiveness of the firefighting team. "When you see that aerial ballet of the bombers and, later on, the choppers, you realize they know exactly what they are doing," she said.- Simpson said vast improvements in communication were tested in 2006, when a fire bore down on Tumbler Ridge. We "evacuated the whole community without incident, looked after all those people and all the issues that come with that, and then returned them back to their community," he said. "For me, that was a turning point, knowing that we had done that very efficiently (and) very effectively."-Coachella; the launching pad of a concertgoer’s summer, the trend setter for all things music, and the upper echelon of any weekend extravaganza that deems itself a festival. For the last 11 Aprils, the Indio, CA-based event has mustered together lineups featuring the most elite headliners, sought after reunions, and buzzworthy up and comers, and 2011 will be no different. Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Kings of Leon, and The Strokes will head this year’s edition, set to take place from April 15-17. Other confirmed acts include The Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey, Lauryn Hill, Duran Duran, Bright Eyes, The Black Keys, Animal Collective, The National, Interpol, Big Audio Dynamite, Death From Above 1979, and Killers frontman Brandon Flowers. Also on the bill are Broken Social Scene, Leftfield, Erykah Badu, Robyn, Cee-Lo Green, Nas & Damian Marley, Chromeo, Cut Copy, Elbow, Mumford & Sons, Neon Trees, Jimmy Eat World, Wire, One Day As A Lion, Wiz Khalifa, Best Coast, The Swell Season, Gogol Bordello, Fistful of Mercy, Menomena, Titus Andronicus, Cage the Elephant, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Ratatat, OFF!, CSS, Crystal Castles, Klaxons, and The Kills. Even more: Empire of the Sun, Jenny and Johnny, GAYNGS, The New Pornographers, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Tallest Man on Earth, Yelle, A-Trak, The Twelves, Caifanes, Magnetic Man, Paul van Dyk, Raphael Saadiq, Ellie Goulding, Boys Noize, The Presets, Warpaint, Flogging Molly, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Lil B, The Drums, and Odd Future. Three-day passes ($269.00), along with camping passes ($75.00) will be available Friday, January 21st at 10:00AM PST. VIP and layaway packages are also available. Visit coachella.com for more details.0 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard A new Electoral College projection map shows the immediate impact of Donald Trump’s nomination as 11 states have moved towards the Democratic column. The Cook Political Report’s updated Electoral College map contains all bad news for Republicans. Colorado and Florida were moved from toss-up to lean Democratic. Pennsylvania, Florida, and Wisconsin moved from toss up to solidly Democratic. North Carolina went from leaning Republican to toss-up. Georgia and Arizona went from likely Republican to lean Republican, and Indiana went from solid Republican to likely Republican. According to The Cook Political Report more states could be projected to go blue in November, “With these changes, 190 Electoral Votes are in the Solid Democratic column, 27 are in Likely Democratic, and another 87 are in Lean Democratic – enough for a majority. Yet another 44 Electoral Votes are in Toss Up. Although Iowa, New Hampshire and Ohio could shift to Lean Democratic and Nevada could shift to Likely Democratic, we are holding off on changes in these states until we see more evidence.” The Cook projection sees Democrats keeping the White House by an Electoral College margin of 304-190. The Donald Trump nomination is already having a disastrous impact on the presidential map for Republicans. Trump claims that he is bringing millions of people into the Republican Party, but polling numbers and voter registration data suggest that he is driving people to register for Hillary Clinton in the fall. The initial Electoral College projection is valuable because it provides a sense of the starting point for the general election campaign. However, this map is only a projection. The map can shift. Fortunes can change. While Democrats should be excited by what they see, the map should not deter them from working hard to make sure that they keep the White House and do their best to retake Congress in November. If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:The publishing world is abuzz this morning over Zbigniew Brzezinski’s stunning confession. Apparently, his 1998 book The Grand Chessboard was a whole-cloth fabrication. Brzezinski, it turns out, was only playing with himself. And no, not chess. Checkers. Even worse, what should have been a down-home match-up between two warring sides of a Polish-American petit-aristocrat turned into a rout for all parties. A chastened Brzezinski offered this: “It started out as a joke. Then it just got away from me. Before I knew it, I was polishing David Rockefeller’s shoes. When you’re Polish, polish has a certain resonance.” Today, the world reels both at the breadth and scope of the deception as well as at the sheer tonnage of bombs dropped over the ensuing decades to cohere the planet, in essence, to the wrong playing pieces. Asked why he spoke up so late in the game, his response was as cryptic as it was exoplanetary: “We have a saying in checkers. After you lose a tough game, there is only one thing to do, set them up and start all over again. Is Mars hiring?” No Mujahedeen could be reached for comment as ISIS strictly prohibits public comments from its training staff. As for the Illuminati, their policy is not to comment on sensitive personnel matters. However even they felt compelled, in this instance, to step out of the shadows. Indeed smoke signals could be seen billowing from Henry Kissinger’s tony Manhattan condominium window. Said one hooded figure with an Owl’s head: “We’re cross-checking our blood-oath files to see what the mix-up could be. Why we never demanded Mika [Brzezinksi] as a child sacrifice is an egregious oversight. Beyond that, as we were disbanded in 1776, we will be taking no further questions.” Eyes wide open and smoke gets in your eyes. Seasoned conspiracy buffs were quick to pile on with shaggy dog tales most of which require a decoder ring from a participating box of Corn Flakes. The Council of Three Musketeers dispatched D’Artagnan to say that it has its hands full with a resurgent Assad regime, the collapse of Ukranian civilization, Greece’s pending exit from the euro, war drums in Venezuela, tightening the final bolts of the American surveillance state, fighting and funding ISIS, India’s growing rapprochement with China, et al, et al. Suffice to say comments on the Zigster’s checkered past languish at the bottom of many nefarious organizations’ priority lists, most likely in their trademark invisible ink.Email Share +1 4K Shares A U.S. Senate committee moved Eric Fanning a step closer on Thursday to becoming the first openly gay civilian to lead a U.S. military service by approving his nomination as Army secretary. The Senate Armed Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over Fanning’s nomination, approved the nomination by voice vote nearly six months after President Obama announced his choice of Fanning as the next Army secretary. The committee approves the nomination after it held a confirmation hearing for Fanning in January that went smoothly for the nominee. No member of the committee asked Fanning a question about his sexual orientation or objected to having an openly gay Army secretary. Matthew Thorn, executive director of the LGBT military group OutServe-SLDN, praised Fanning upon his news the panel approved his nomination, saying his “credentials for this position are unimpeachable.” “He was nominated for his extensive 25 plus year career within the Department of Defense and the knowledge that he possess about military policy and national security,” Thorn said. “From his service as the deputy undersecretary and deputy chief management officer for the Department of the Navy, deputy director of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation & Terrorism to most recently serving as the under secretary of the Air Force, acting U.S. Secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff to the secretary of defense his preparedness for this role could not be higher.” Although the committee has approved the nomination, Fanning faces difficulties in obtaining confirmation by the full Senate. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) has placed a hold on the nomination, citing comments President Obama made about closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. A Roberts spokesperson told the Blade on Thursday the hold remains in place. Thorn said OutServe-SLDN recently sent a letter and petition with over 680 signatories to Roberts regarding his hold. The LGBT military group, Thorn said, will work with Senate allies and continue to petition Roberts to schedule a confirmation vote for the nominee. Thorn urged the full Senate to confirm Fanning as Army secretary “quickly,” adding, “We are far past the time for a confirmation vote.” “Our service members are risking their lives to serve and protect our country and should be afforded the respect of having a secretary who will advocate for them, think about their needs and serve them the way that they serve our country,” Thorn concluded. Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partner Association, said she’s “thrilled” to see the approval of Fanning’s nomination in committee and urged the full Senate to confirm him. “History continues to be written and equality marches forward with the nomination of an openly gay man to serve in this significantly important role,” Broadway-Mack said. “Fanning’s expertise and knowledge within the defense community more than qualifies him to serve as Secretary of the Army. We urge the Senate to move quickly to confirm his appointment.”Wellington City Council and Japanese company NEC are trialling sensory technology in Cuba Mall as part of a safe city scheme. Not only can big brother see you, he will soon be able hear and smell you too. Plans are underway to bring sophisticated Orwellian technology to the streets of Wellington in an effort to beef up safety. Cuba St is currently the testbed for a series of cameras with sensors that can detect screaming, smell paint fumes from graffiti and sense people in groups who may end up in fights. The "Living Lab" sensor technology, which is used in Spain and Singapore, will be the first in this country and could spread to other centres if successful. Queenstown has already shown interest in the project. Japanese company NEC developed the technology being used by Wellington City Council, which is expected to be unveiled in December. Council community services manager Jenny Rains said the public had nothing to fear when it came to privacy, as the sensory cameras do not collect information on humans themselves. "It does not have facial recognition capability and it does not connect to the CCTV network. It is a closed system that does not physically connect to the internet or the participating parties." The sensory system would only pick up "unusual" audio, such as screaming, shouts and breaking glass. It would also pick up the smells of certain chemicals that could indicate graffiti, she said. Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said she was impressed by NEC's sensory technology and saw it as an important tool for making Wellington's "smart capital" vision a reality. "We can't be everywhere, and if this helps alert us to people in danger then it will help keep everyone in the city safer." Paul Eagle, chairman of the council's safety committee, said the cameras would help agencies and police gain a greater understanding of trends relating to alcohol, graffiti and psychoactive substances, and provide timely responses. Wellington Police prevention manager Inspector Terry van Dillen said anything that eliminated crime and victimisation was an asset to police. Police were working closely with the council on a number of safety initiatives, which included this pilot and a five-year plan focused on CCTV and new technologies. Privacy Commissioner spokesman Charles Mabbett said new applications of surveillance technologies had the potential to be privacy intrusive, but the council appeared to be aware of its responsibilities. First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said retailers saw the technology as a major step in improving town centres. "This technology helps distil a huge amount of information automatically, presenting the greatest risk to individuals or the community." Inner City Association committee member Sarah Webb said the technology could also be used to measure carbon monoxide levels in Wellington, and sensors in rubbish bins could inform council when they were full. HOW IT WORKS The project centralises a number of agencies' existing data, such as records of accident locations, tagging incidents and crime reports, and adds new sensor technology, that can tell the difference between typical and unusual activity. This will be used along with sensor technology to provide insights into day-to-day street level trends, patterns and hotspots.Student activists have met with representatives from advocacy organisation Universities UK (UUK) to discuss British universities’ multi-billion pound investments in fossil fuel companies. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of UUK, told representatives of student group People & Planet that the issue would be raised with the British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG), but that UUK was unlikely to be able to do more than that – given spending and investments were a university’s private business. “I was happy to meet with representatives of the Fossil Free UK campaign last week. This is an important issue and clearly an area of concern for some students”, Dandridge said. However, she added that decisions on research funding were taken by universities separately. “All research carried out at UK universities is underpinned by the highest standards of rigour and integrity. This was underlined in 2012 with our signing the new Concordat to support research integrity”, Dandridge said. “Universities UK will continue to work with our members to highlight the invaluable university research taking place in this area and the practical steps universities are taking to address environmental issues.” The statement by UUK comes shortly after students descended the organisation’s London office last week and handed over a petition with 15,000 signatures, asking for UK higher education institutions to take their money away from fossil fuels. People & Planet had previously criticised British universities for having as much as £5.2 billion invested in firms blamed for fuelling climate change. Sam Alston, a student at the University of East Anglia, commented, “We are thrilled about the positive response received today and we eagerly await the results of the BUFDG meeting. I hope that this marks a turning point for UK universities taking the threat of climate change seriously.” Photo: Fossil Free UK via Twitter Further reading: Student divestment campaigners descend on London office of university body Oxford residents and students to march for fossil fuel divestment UK universities have £5.2bn invested in the fossil fuel industry, report says Students, universities and fossil fuels: divestment campaign comes to UK 15,000 students sign petition to get universities to divest from fossil fuelsAnother year, another effort to repeal Obamacare. House Republicans are starting off 2016 with a renewed legislative push to roll back the president's landmark health care legislation, with proposals to defund Planned Parenthood tacked onto the bill. "As Congress returns next week, in one of our first acts of the new year, the House will vote on a bill that would eliminate key parts of Obamacare and stop taxpayer funding for abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood," Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Missouri, said in a video released Saturday. "If this bill becomes law, patients will be able to choose a health insurance plan that works for them -- without Washington getting in the way." The Missouri Republican, who sits on the House Budget Committee, points to rising health insurance costs as a reason to target the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Obama: Time to "move on" from Affordable Care Act Obamacare "forces people to buy insurance that's much more expensive than what they need," Hartzler said. "And when you force millions of people to buy expensive and unaffordable insurance, it's not that surprising to see premiums going up. Deductibles are going up too -- all while people's choices are disappearing." Hartzler promised that the bill, which would eliminate the individual mandate as well as the employer mandate to offer insurance, would be sent directly to the president's desk via the reconciliation process, avoiding the chance of congressional Democrats filibustering the legislation. The bill also takes aim at federal funding for Planned Parenthood -- a fight Republicans have renewed with vigor since last summer, when an anti-abortion group released undercover videos of Planned Parenthood employees discussing controversial procedures like fetal tissue transfers. According to Hartzler, the legislation places a "moratorium on taxpayer funding to abortion providers" for one year and uses some of that money to fund other community health centers. "We have taken many votes to preserve health care choices and protect precious tax dollars in the House," she said. "If the president didn't hear the people's voices earlier, hopefully, he will through this bill." The Senate passed similar legislation last month, narrowly voting through a bill crafted under the budget reconciliation process that repeals major parts of the ACA. The Missouri representative also added a message for the people of her state, extending her thoughts and prayers to those affected by severe weather events over the last week. "Missouri is experiencing extensive flooding as are other states. Families across the South are picking up the pieces of their lives after being devastated by tornadoes. Ice and snow have caused power outages in multiple states. It wasn't the holiday week we were expecting, but there is help," Hartzler said. "If you are affected, I urge you to reach out to your U.S. representative's office, state and local authorities, or the federal and state emergency management agencies for resources to deal with the aftermath. While the assistance can't undo the damage, it can help get you on a path to recovery so 2016 can be a new year with new hope."In the race towards the White House, there's one US presidential election candidate that wants to "welcome home Edward Snowden" as soon as possible – and it's definitely not Hillary Clinton. Green Party candidate Jill Stein, while answering questions during an hour-long video recording on Facebook Live, took a vastly different approach to other political figureheads and called for exiled whistleblower Edward Snowden to be fully pardoned. "I have called for pardoning Snowden," Stein said. "Not only pardoning him, but, welcoming him home as a hero, because he has done an incredible service to our country at great cost to himself for having to live away from his family, his friends, his job, his network, to basically live as an expatriate. "What he has done is revealed the violations, of our constitutional rights, that were taking place and that still are taking place. I would say not only bring Snowden back, but, bring him into my administration as a member of the Cabinet." Stein was previously nominated as the Green Party presidential candidate in 2012 and is expected to once again run in a bid for the White House if formally endorsed at the party's convention in August. Unlike her opponents, she is feverishly in favour of whistleblower rights. Discussing well-known figures like Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Aaron Swartz, Stein said they were all people who have "paid an incredible price" for freedom and privacy. She said: "I would pardon Chelsea Manning, and some other whistleblowers out there [...]I also want to mention Aaron Swartz, who was a proponent of a free and liberated Internet and for sharing our resources on that internet, who was basically hounded into suicide by a very oppressive Department of Justice (DoJ). "He, in my mind, is another one of these heroes that we need to remember and be very thankful for. The people who've paid an incredible price for our rights of not only the freedom to communicate on the internet but also the freedom to guard our privacy." During the campaign, Hillary Clinton, who was the US secretary of state at the time of the Snowden revelations, has declined to change her position on the former NSA contractor, who is currently living under asylum in Russia. In one democratic debate in October 2015, she said: "[Snowden] broke the laws of the United States. He could have been a whistleblower, he could have gotten all the protections of a whistleblower. He chose not to do that. He stole very important information that has fallen into the wrong hands so I think he should not be brought home without facing the music."It's finally here, set to go to mark-up next Tuesday. The famous "bipartisan" effort that so far has the support of absolutely no Republicans, including President Sen. Snowe. You can read the Chairman's mark here [pdf]. In Finance tradition, the bill is written in narrative form, rather than legislative form. All amendments will also be offered in plain English, and then the plain English mark turned into legislative form. Start reading, and chronicle the debacle in the comments. Let's start with this one, on page 2 (page 5 of the pdf), where it establishes that older people could be charged 5 times as much as younger people. You're reading that right: Under the Baucus legislation, private insurers could also charge older individuals up to five times more for coverage. "You’re just using age as a proxy for health status," Uwe Reinhardt, an economics professor at Princeton University told the New York Times. Reinhardt estimates that "Senator Baucus’s age-rating plan would allow insurers to cover roughly 70 percent of the additional risk they’d take on by being required to accept all comers, regardless of health." Affordability questions remain paramount throughout the mark, not just for older Americans (over 55, not yet eligble for Medicare). Marcy is doing a fantastic job of breaking down the costs for middle America, and the very real possibility that this bill would make American workers captive to their employers: The individual definition of affordable uses 10% of Adjusted Gross Income. Whereas the employer's definition of affordable uses 13% of (apparently) total income. Now, it's a good thing (sort of) that the affordability rate for individuals is 10% of AGI. That means a family would be able to opt out if there were no health care available at even a lower rate than I thought (for example, it might mean a middle class family could opt out if health insurance cost them $6,000 a year, as opposed to $8,000 a year). It's a bad thing, though, because it means MaxTax would be far from universal--a lot of middle class families will pretty much have to opt out because they can't afford coverage. But if your employer offers health care--even if it covers just 65% of costs--then you can't opt-out unless you're paying out of pocket 13% of your total income!! Oh, and to opt-out you have to go to your manager and tell him or her that you're opting out, which means the employer will be fined; how many people do you think will be fired rather than opt-out? So far the Baucus debacle is very good for Wal-Mart, very good for AHIP, and not so great for the rest of us. Note as well, there is no employer mandate to provide coverage to workers in this bill. But what happens when you don't obtain insurance (page 29): Excise Tax. The consequence for not maintaining insurance would be an excise tax. If a taxpayer‘s MAGI [Adjusted Gross Income] is between 100-300 percent of FPL [Federal Poverty Level], the excise tax for failing to obtain coverage for an individual in a taxpayer unit (either as a taxpayer or an individual claimed as a dependent) is $750 per year. However, the maximum penalty for the taxpayer unit is $1,500. If a taxpayer‘s MAGI is above 300 percent of FPL the penalty for failing to obtain coverage for an individual in a taxpayer unit (either as a taxpayer or as an individual claimed as a dependent) is $950 year. However, the maximum penalty amount a family above 300 percent of FPL would pay is $3,800. Right, that'll bring us to universal coverage. You can either spend your money by getting trapped in a crappy, expensive insurance policy, or pay the fine. In general, mandates are a key component of reaching universal coverage, but the mandates have to be accompanied by an affordable, sustainable option. Which we don't get in the Baucus debacle. We get co-ops, that "must not be sponsored by a State, county, or local government, or any government instrumentality." The Baucus debacle: as bad as we thought it would be. And this is just scratching the surface. There's plenty more to be had. Read it yourself, and add your thoughts in the comments.TYRO, an Ohio-based brand that has been around for over 15 years, is engaging in market research centering around strengthening relationships. The first 50 couples that complete the activities will be invited to an incredible FREE comedy date night on Saturday, November 19, 7pm at Wiley's Comedy Joint. PLUS a chance to win one of several premium prizes! What’s the catch? On November 3rd, we launched a “Choose Your Own Journey” program on our TYRO365 app. All you need to do is register and create an account on our app. Then you and your partner select which activity you would like to do. Once you have completed your activity you will be registered for the FREE Comedy Date Night at Wiley's Comedy Joint and a chance to win one of three great prizes: $1,000 shopping spree at the Greene, a couples weekend away valued at $1,000, or a X-Box 1S and $500 Visa Gift Card! To be part of this limited-access comedy Date Night and have the chance to win one of these awesome grand prizes, click “Register” to get going! Good luck!New Zealand's world champion team sprint trio have dominated proceedings on the second day of the Track Cycling World Cup in Canada. Photo: Dianne Manson After qualifying fastest on the first day of the event, Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins were quickest in winning the second round in 43.916s, reverting to their proven formula with Mitchell starting. They drew Great Britain in the final, and improved again to win the final in 43.336s, more than half a second clear. Great Britain were level with the Kiwis after the first lap, with Webster opening a 0.2s advantage in the man-two position, while Dawkins powered home in the anchor leg nearly half a second faster than his opponent for an emphatic win. The women's team pursuit earned the silver medal after the host Canadian team turned up the heat in the 4000m final. Earlier, the Kiwi team were the fastest in the first round in 4:25.012, just 0.3s faster than the Canadians to qualify for the gold medal ride. New Zealand, resting Racquel Sheath to focus on the omnium, were on schedule at the 2000m mark. While they dropped in the third kilometre, Canada, boosted with two fresh riders, turned up the heat. They had a sizeable advantage at the 3000m mark and caught New Zealand just before the finish. Despite the result, New Zealand gained invaluable ranking points for their second placing as they look forward to next week's World Cup in Chile. Natasha Hansen, who returned from injury to impress at the recent Oceania Championship, recorded 11.005s in the individual sprint qualifying. Her time was the third fastest, her highest qualifying place in a World Cup, behind Olympic and world champion Kristina Vogel of Germany. Hansen won through to the bronze medal ride, ultimately pipped by just 9/100ths of a second in the deciding third ride against Laurine van Riessen of the Netherlands to settle for fourth place. Sheath finished eighth overall in the women's omnium. She placed fifth in the scratch race, ninth in the tempo, fifth in the elimination and 11th in the points with Japan's Yumi Kajihara taking the overall honours from Beveridge. In the final day of competition on Monday, New Zealand compete in the second round of the women's team sprint, the second round of the men's team pursuit, Webster and Mitchell compete in the men's sprint, Campbell Stewart rides in the omnium, Hansen returns for the keirin while Sheath and Drummond compete in the madison.The smell of burned marijuana wafting from a vehicle in Cottage Grove was enough probable cause to search the entire vehicle, the Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled. The appellate decision overturns a district court order to suppress evidence in the drug possession case against Jacob Levy, 25, of Landfall. Cottage Grove police stopped Levy for speeding in May 2013. An officer reported smelling marijuana and searched the vehicle. Nothing was found in the passenger compartment, but a search of the trunk allegedly turned up a duffel bag containing drugs and paraphernalia. Levy was charged with four counts of felony drug possession. Levy requested a suppression order for the evidence found in the trunk, arguing that police did not have probable cause to search the trunk. The district court granted his request. County prosecutors disagreed and appealed. The appeals court on Monday ruled that the trunk was searched legally. Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.A recent study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry suggests that playing specific genres of games regularly may cause the players' brains -- specifically, the hippocampus -- to grow or shrink. The study involved a variety of tests on volunteers (mostly male, young, and right-handed) at the University of Montreal, all of whom were first put through a series of 3D maze tests to see if they were "spatial learners" who favor navigating spaces by learning landmarks of "response learners" who tend to navigate spaces by memorizing patterns. This matters to game devs because part of this study involved an interesting setup where two groups of self-described "non-video game players" were each given 90 hours of supervised in-lab training on either "action video games" (the list includes Battlefield and Call of Duty games) or "Mario video games" (3D Mario games like Super Mario 64) and then tested to see how the games had affected them. The takeaway? According to researchers, the spatial learners in the action game group saw an increase in grey matter in their left hippocampus, while the response learners in the group saw their right hippocampus decrease in size. By contrast, no statistically significant loss of grey matter was recorded in the Mario game group; the response learners saw an increase in the size of their right hippocampus, and the spatial learners' hippocampuses (hippocampi?) saw no significant change. Asked why regularly playing action video games might lead to a decrease in grey matter, University of Montreal educator (and lead study author) Gregory West hypothesized to NPR that it might have something to do with those games' common use of in-game guidance systems. "In the majority of action video games, there's an onscreen GPS overlaid on the screen," said West. "There's also wayfinding markers overlaid over the environment, and we know from past studies that when people are encouraged to navigate using these cues, really, they're not using their hippocampal memory system to navigate." He went on to posit that instead these systems might encourage players to rely more on their caudate nucleus (in the brain's cerebrum), which he suggests is roughly analogous to "your brain's autopilot." "It could be the case that these action video games are encouraging people to favor this reward system over their hippocampal memory system," West added. "And then it's become the use-it-or-lose-it type scenario." There's a lot more data and some interesting MRI brain scans to be found in the full study.Synopsis: Neutron Bursts in Lab Lightning The first lab-based observation of neutron emission from a voltage discharge provides new insight into neutron bursts that accompany lightning storms. Lightning is more than just an impressive electric display. Observations indicate that bursts of neutrons are emitted during thunderstorms, implying nuclear reactions occur in lightning. However, physicists have been unable to identify which reactions. To better understand neutron bursts, a team of Russian researchers has created lightninglike discharges in a laboratory setting. In Physical Review Letters, they report the first detection of neutron emission from a controlled discharge. The results suggest that most burst neutrons are “fast” with initial energies around 10 mega-electron-volts. Lightning occurs when strong electric fields build up in a cloud (as Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite-flying experiment demonstrated), but which process initiates the discharge is still a matter of debate. Other lightning mysteries concern the generation of high-energy radiation and particles, such as x rays, gamma rays, positrons, and neutrons. The neutrons could arise from reactions between accelerated ions or from photonuclear interactions, but current empirical data is not sufficient to pinpoint the mechanism.Arizona will now recognize the equal dignity of same-sex parents. Joe Gratz/Flickr On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated decision unanimously affirming the equal rights of same-sex parents in the state. The ruling will require Arizona to extend the same presumptions of parentage to same-sex and opposite-sex couples, ensuring that the state cannot use the pretext of biology to discriminate against gay residents. It is an important confirmation of Obergefell v. Hodges at a time when marriage equality is under increasing assault by both state and federal judges. Tuesday’s ruling in McLaughlin v. McLaughlin involves an Arizona statute that creates a “presumption of paternity” in opposite-sex relationships. Under the law, the husband of a birth mother is presumed to be the child’s legal parent—even if the birth mother conceived through artificial insemination. But what about married lesbians who conceive via artificial insemination? Two lower courts grappled with that question and reached different conclusions in light of Obergefell. One held that Obergefell required the birth mother’s wife to receive the same presumption of parentage that a husband would. The other held that it did not. The Arizona Supreme Court agreed with the former interpretation of Obergefell. That decision, the majority explained, held that same-sex couples are entitled to the “constellation of benefits the states have linked to marriage,” and invalidated all state laws that “exclude same-sex couples from civil marriage on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples.” The majority then eloquently summarized Obergefell’s central holding: Denying same-sex couples “the same legal treatment” in marriage, and “all the benefits” afforded opposite-sex couples, “works a grave and continuing harm” on gays and lesbians in various ways—demeaning them, humiliating and stigmatizing their children and family units, and teaching society that they are inferior in important respects. To deny a parental presumption to same-sex spouses, the majority wrote, would perpetuate this unconstitutional stigma. Thus, the presumption must apply equally to all married couples, whether gay or straight. A birth mother’s wife must immediately be recognized as her child’s legal parent. In one respect, the court’s holding is simply a straightforward application of Obergefell and its successor, Pavan v. Smith. But it is also an emphatic rejection of two separate but related judicial attempts to undermine Obergefell by misconstruing it. First, the Arizona Supreme Court rebuffed the argument that the state statute merely acknowledges biology and therefore does not discriminate against gays. Justice Neil Gorsuch recently made this argument in Pavan, defending an Arkansas law that prevented same-sex parents from listing their names on their child’s birth certificate—even though straight couples are listed as parents when they conceive via artificial insemination. But, as the Arizona Supreme Court noted, these parenting statutes are designed to preserve “legal parental rights and responsibilities rather than biological paternity.” They seek to protect parental privileges, not reflect genetic truths, and must accordingly be interpreted to encompass gay parents. Second, the majority refused to read Obergefell with implausible narrowness, as the Texas Supreme Court did in its decision refusing to extend spousal benefits to same-sex couples. In that astonishing decision, Texas’ highest court falsely stated that Obergefell “did not address and resolve” the “specific issue” of state spousal benefits. Of course it did: Once a state includes spousal benefits in the “constellation” of rights that it links to marriage, it must provide them equally to gay and straight couples. The U.S. Supreme Court may soon rectify the Texas Supreme Court’s error. But it won’t have to correct the Arizona Supreme Court: Its justices understand that Obergefell’s sweeping command mandates completely equal treatment of same-sex couples. Marriage equality in the United States has reached a critical juncture. Conservative justices like Gorsuch, and Republican-dominated state supreme courts like Texas’, are actively striving to weaken Obergefell. That decision affects many gendered parenting laws, requiring state supreme courts to interpret its application in new contexts. These courts can either adhere to Obergefell or try to subvert it. In McLaughlin, the Arizona Supreme Court chose the former route, honoring same-sex parents’ constitutional right to “equal dignity.” Every other court in the country should follow its lead.I’m going on vacation to a place where computers are scarce: Florida. We’ll be back on Monday,
always encouraged fans to record its performances, and were one of rock's most bootlegged bands. In fact, a direct patch to the soundboard was made available to recordists until 1995, when some of these tapes found their way into less scrupulous, commercial-minded hands who, in the band's eyes, overcharged fans. The band cites college students trading these tapes in the early 1990s as a key reason for their current fame.[104] In the 2000s, it was common to see several sources per show, sometimes as many as five or more.[105] Warehouse [ edit ] In an effort to promote fan interaction, the official fan association for DMB, Warehouse, was opened December 4, 1998.[citation needed] Warehouse gives fans early access to concert tickets, exclusive CDs and merchandise to its members. Warehouse Fan Association (also known as "The Warehouse") pioneered the internet-based ticket sales used by many artists today. DMB manager Coran Capshaw founded and ran Musictoday, a company which runs Warehouse and other online fan clubs.[citation needed] In August 2006, it was acquired by major concert promoter Live Nation, a spinoff of Clear Channel.[citation needed] Discography [ edit ] Studio albums Awards and nominations [ edit ] Philanthropic efforts [ edit ] According to the band's website, as of May 2010, the band's own charity, the BAMA Works Fund, has contributed over $8.5 million to a wide variety of need organizations. It was founded in 1999 to address the needs of disadvantaged youth, disabled persons, the environment, and arts and humanities in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia area, and surrounding area of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange Counties.[106] In addition, BAMA Works Fund has been active in other projects, and often the Dave Matthews Band, both as a whole and individually, have planned charity events and donated their time and resources outside of Charlottesville. Some examples include building a "Village Recovery Fund" after the tsunami that ravaged Sri Lanka, promoting a challenge grant for the Habitat for Humanity Musician's Village in New Orleans,[107] multiple appearances to benefit both Farm Aid and the annual Neil Young-sponsored Bridge School Benefits, fundraisers for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and followed this with donations after the 2010 disaster that leveled many villages in Haiti.[106] The band played benefit concerts to help fund the school system in New York City, and countless other concerns. As a result, the band was awarded the NAACP Chairman's Award. In Matthews' acceptance speech, he spoke for the band as a whole, commenting that of all the achievements they had enjoyed, that the award by the NAACP and Julian Bond in particular was by far the highest honor they had bestowed upon them.[108][109] The band donated the $1 million raised during a charity concert to homeless and children's charities in San Francisco, California. The band has played other charity concerts benefiting Bay Area parks, music education and AIDS research.[110][111] In June 2016, the band announced that a CD set of Dave Matthews' 1996 solo performance at Sweet Briar College would be released later on in the summer, with all profits to be donated to the college, which almost closed in 2015.[112]If you're not quite ready to take up ASUS on its refund offer (or if you simply don't live in the UK), you're probably holding out for additional updates to dry your tears. Fortunately, Asus hasn't forgotten about you and your ilk. Early this morning, the Transformer Prime quietly received an OTA update that not only unroots the tablet, but also kicks the slab's GPS version up to 6.9.13. The folks on the XDA developers forums have restored their roots easily enough, and seem to be reaping the benefits of updated GPS drivers, as well. Engadget's own tests lean on the positive side -- lounging indoors, in a spot where GPS reception was previously all-dark, we snagged sight of 12 satellites on a freshly rebooted Prime with WiFi disabled. Although the response seems generally positive on the XDA developers forums, not everybody is seeing our success. Either way, this update certainly didn't make things worse; a step in the right direction to be sure.Lasagna is Garfield's favorite food. It was first shown on the July 15th of 1978 comic strip, where Garfield described lasagna as "nature's most perfect food." Appearance Lasagna appears occasionally throughout the comic strip. It appears regularly in Garfield and Friends; it is available at locations such as the Short Branch Cafe and Momma's Pizzeria. In Garfield: The Movie, Garfield eats all four boxes of Jon Arbuckle's lasagna. He later eats some after falling into a truck of it. In Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, when Jon is giving the veterinarian Garfield's things, he requests that she feed him a plate of lasagna every day. After the switch, Jon, Liz Wilson, and the Prince go to a restaurant, where Prince discovers his love for lasagna. At the palace, Garfield helps the animals prepare a platter of lasagna, where everyone enjoys it. Trivia Jim Davis has stated "I sometimes wish I made pizza Garfield's favorite food. It's easier to draw than lasagna". Out of all the female cats related to restaurants from Garfield and Friends, Mona is the only one not seen serving Garfield lasagna.However, at the same time, this popularity has led to many people using the “Austrian” label to refer to their views on issues beyond those involving the analytical framework they bring to economics. In particular, “Austrian” has become the near-equivalent of “free market” or “libertarian” not only indirectly, but directly through the use of terms such as “Austro-libertarian” to describe particular policy preferences or broader worldviews. The result is that, despite the additional publicity, what Austrian economics IS has often been distorted into something it is NOT. Since the start of the financial crisis and recession, there has been a renewed interest in the ideas of Austrian economics by scholars, public intellectuals, and even the media. For the first time in a long time, the analytical framework of Austrian economics is being taken note of, if not taken seriously, by a variety of opinion makers. This is, of course, a good development. For example, earlier this month, columnist J. D. Hamel wrote “Viewed through an Austrian perspective, public policy judgments [by Austrians] are hastily rendered and motives easily impugned” and referred to “the Austrian school’s disdain for American foreign policy and willingness to call Lincoln a tyrant.” Austrians should view as troubling the beliefs that: a) our “perspective” involves “hastily rendered” policy judgments; b) our perspective means one needs to impugn the motives of others; and c) Austrian economics requires that one have a particular view on US foreign policy or the Civil War. When this is what people associate with Austrian economics, we have failed in communicating its basic ideas and we have especially failed in communicating that it is an approach to the study of human action and the social world, not a set of policy conclusions. If we really want to understand the world for the purpose of improving it, we need the ideas of Austrian economics and we do not need to be pushing people away by creating the impression that Austrian economics requires that one believe things (some of which may be perceived as “nutty,” rightly or wrongly) that are not part of that analytical framework. I would argue that the blame for this situation is two-fold. First, many journalists and commentators either don’t take the time to understand what Austrian economics is really about despite the abundance of high-quality information on the web and/or have their own biases that lead them to accept whatever caricature of Austrians they can find or invent. Second, self-described Austrians bear blame for this situation too by not making clear the distinctions among “Austrian economics,” “libertarianism,” and their particular views on historical or policy issues. The irony is that Austrians historically, and particularly Mises, were very clear about the idea of “value freedom” and the differences between theory and historical application or understanding. So as a help to those who want a clearer understanding of what Austrian economics IS so as to also help understand what it is NOT, I would suggest a reading of co-blogger Pete Boettke’s entry on “Austrian Economics” at the Concise Encyclopedia of Economics, which is precisely the sort of source that responsible journalists could look at. There, he offers 10 propositions that define Austrian economics. I will list them below, then offer a few comments afterward. Only individuals choose. The study of the market order is fundamentally about exchange behavior and the institutions within which exchanges take place. The “facts” of the social sciences are what people believe and think. Utility and costs are subjective. The price system economizes on the information that people need to process in making their decisions. Private property in the means of production is a necessary condition for rational economic calculation. The competitive market is a process of entrepreneurial discovery. Money is nonneutral. The capital structure consists of heterogeneous goods that have multispecific uses that must be aligned. Social institutions often are the result of human action, but not of human design. Pete does a terrific job in explicating these propositions in the linked article, and there’s no need for me to repeat what he has to say. Instead, I just want to point out how each of these is a statement about the nature of the socio-economic world and/or how we should be analyzing it. Not one of them offers a policy conclusion on economic issues or anything else. To repeat: Austrian economics is a set of ideas useful for analyzing and understanding the world; it is not a set of policy conclusions. There are plenty of non-Austrian economists who hold strongly libertarian policy views (e.g., Bryan Caplan) and there are economists who would accept most if not all of the propositions above, but who are not self-described libertarians (e.g., Roger Koppl). And there are plenty of people who believe Lincoln was a tyrant and US foreign policy is an imperialist nightmare who are not Austrians (and there are Austrians who would disagree with both of those claims). To get from Austrian economics to conclusions on policy, one has to import some basic non-economic beliefs, such as that social cooperation, peace, and prosperity are desirable and that no other values are more important. In addition, making such claims, especially when they rest on historical understanding, also involves the interpretive judgment of the economist in ways that take him beyond Austrian economics strictly speaking. To say something about policy or history requires that the economist use knowledge from other areas and invoke her understanding of history and the actors of the present. Austrian economic theory alone cannot render such policy judgments or provide such historical understanding. Consider what Mises says about the task of the historian: In dealing with a historical problem the historian makes use of the knowledge provided by logic, mathematics, the natural sciences, and especially by praxeology. However, the mental tools of these nonhistorical disciplines do not suffice for his task. They are indispensible auxiliaries for him, in themselves they do not make it possible to answer those questions he has to deal with…. He cannot solve this problem on the ground of the theorems provided by all other sciences alone. There always remains at the bottom of each of his problems something which resists analysis at the hand of these teachings of other sciences. It is these individual and unique characteristics of each event which are studied by the understanding. … It is the method which all historians and all other people always appply in commenting upon human events of the past and in forecasting future events. (Human Action pp. 49-50) Austrian economics (praxeology) has nothing to say in and of itself about issues such as US foreign policy, the Civil War, whether the Federal Reserve System was the product of a secret bankers’ conspiracy, whether the Bush family has ties to the Nazis, whether same-sex marriage should be legalized, whether Israel is a rogue state, whether intellectual property is legitimate, or whether the atomic bombing of Japan was justified. Again, Austrian theoretical ideas will be, of course, of use in our attempts to understand these issues (as Chris Coyne’s work on US foreign policy demonstrates), but there is nothing, repeat, nothing, that “requires” that someone using Austrian ideas take one position or another on those issues. And no position so taken can rightly be described as “the” Austrian view of the issue. In addition, Austrian economics has nothing to say about “natural rights.” In fact, Mises denied the existence of natural rights and it isn’t clear what use economics of any school is if one prefers natural rights arguments over consequentialist ones. Austrian economics IS a set of analytical propositions about the world and how to study it. It is NOT a set of policy conclusions or settled interpretations of history. Whatever one’s views on these other issues, it is incumbent upon Austrians to make clear that they are not a necessary component of making use of an Austrian framework for analysis. And if we can do a better job in making that very Misesian distinction clear, we will be even more likely to get our ideas not just heard but accepted by divorcing them from specific positions on issues that have no necessary connection to Austrian economics and frequently drive away those who might otherwise be sympathetic.At least, that’s what I’m hearing. Yes, this is the same Latif whose case riled the D.C. Circuit and has caused much discussion on this site. This is going to be a big deal. Stay tuned. UPDATE: Here is SouthCom’s press release: MIAMI -- Joint Task Force Guantanamo released the identity of the detainee who died on Saturday, September 8, 2012. The detainee is identified as Adnan Farhan Abdul Latif, a 32-year-old Yemeni. Latif arrived at Guantanamo in January 2002 and was being detained consistent with the law of war. The detainee’s name was withheld pending family notification. Following the detainee’s death, an autopsy was conducted by a medical examination team from the office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death. Autopsy results and cause of death determinations take time, and therefore are not available for release. As a matter of Department of Defense policy, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has initiated an investigation of the incident to determine the cause and manner surrounding the death. Additionally, Commander, U.S. Southern Command, JTF-Guantanamo’s higher command, has initiated a Commander’s Inquiry into the incident. The remains of the deceased detainee are being treated with respect for Islamic culture and traditions. Following the autopsy, a Muslim military chaplain, the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Cultural Advisor, and Islamic volunteers from the staff were on hand to ensure the appropriate handling of the body. Joint Task Force Guantanamo continues to provide safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees. This mission is being performed professionally by the men and women of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. Here's the Washington Post on the story. Here's the AP. Here's a statement emailed me by Latif's lawyer, David Remes:NEW YORK–Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently called out LaVar Ball, the father of UCLA star Lonzo, for saying his kid would be better than Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, noting “you can be proud of your son, but at some point, it becomes stupidity.” On Tuesday, LaVar fired back: “If Charles thought like me, maybe he’d win a championship. Oh yeah, it hurt because he’s saying sometimes when stuff comes out of people’s mouth is just stupid. Guess what? You talking too. So, everybody has an opinion how things were.” And later on Tuesday, when asked by For The Win about Ball’s quotes, he fired back. “I didn’t win a championship,” he said at a TNT/CBS NCAA Tournament media event in New York City. “I don’t know what his basketball career was, but I’d put mine up against his.” “His son’s life is his life, not yours,” he added. “No matter what he’s trying to accomplish, it’s not his. So I wish his son nothing but the best. His kid’s a heck of a player. But I don’t like when parents interject.”Luke Loucks enjoyed a great deal of success during his four years on the Florida State men's basketball team, advancing to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, playing in two ACC Tournament championship games and winning the school's first and only ACC title in 2012. In his first year of work with an NBA franchise, the former Seminole point guard got to experience an even greater journey -- he served as a film and player development intern this season with the Golden State Warriors, who cruised to the 2017 NBA Championship with a 4-1 series win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Loucks recently spoke with Warchant managing editor Ira Schoffel about his experience with the Warriors, what it was like playing professionally overseas for the last few years, and much more. Here is a transcript of that conversation. Q: So, I know you had been playing overseas for the last few seasons since you left FSU. Why did you give that up? And how did you end up with Golden State? A: Last April, I had just finished up in Germany. I actually played most of the season with a ruptured disc in my back, which was not the most comfortable thing. I had surgery in Germany and then flew back to Tallahassee to kind of recover and start training again for next season, which would've been this year. While I was there, I was catching up with all the coaches and sitting in Coach Ham's (Leonard Hamilton's) office, talking to him. Right around that time, Jeff Peterson, who played with us, had just gotten promoted to assistant general manager with the Hawks. And Coach Ham, in a very Coach Ham way, kinda sat me down and said, "Hey Luke, would you ever want to do something like that? Work in the NBA?" And then he looked at me and said, "Don't answer now, just think about it." (laughing) He knows what's better for me than I do in my own life. So I kept rehabbing and worked out for a few European teams and their GMs out in Vegas during the summer. And while I was there, the NBA summer league was actually going on, so I kind of thought about what Coach Ham said, and I just cold-called a couple NBA people and cold-emailed a couple people out of the blue. What the heck? Why not? I wasn't giving up on playing by any means, but I just wanted to see what opportunities might arise. So I decided to send an email to Golden State just to see what would happen. I mean, if I want to work in the NBA, why not try to work with the best team and the best organization that is out there right now? So I emailed their assistant GM, Kirk Lacob, and he surprisingly wrote right back. A lot of people don't respond to emails or answer their calls, but this guy called back in like five minutes. He said, "We're playing a summer league game tomorrow afternoon. Why don't you come out and sit and watch the game with me and we'll talk?" So I did, and he kind of explained what they were looking for, that there was going to be an opportunity for an internship. I talked to a couple of other teams about other opportunities, but once Golden State said they would have a spot for me, I was through the roof. I said, "Let's go ahead and do it." Q: That's interesting that Coach Hamilton saw coaching qualities in you. Did you grow up thinking about a career in basketball after you were done playing? A: You know, I did, whether it be in coaching or in the front office. You spend your whole life working at it and trying to... it just kind of makes sense to not throw all of that away. I knew I always wanted to be around the game in some capacity. I didn't really know what route. But it was funny, our coaches always kind of threw shots at me while I was playing at Florida State. Like, "You're gonna be coaching in four years." And I always kind of resented it because all I wanted to do was play. I wanted to play for as long as I could. But looking back, it made sense. You put in all those hours, and I was never gonna be some great athlete that was going to have a 15-year career in the NBA. But I didn't think in those terms. I was young, I just wanted to hoop. That's all I wanted to do. But they kind of saw it in the background that yeah, he kind of has the background of someone who could work in basketball. Q: So if this opportunity hadn't come, you'd still be playing basketball somewhere? A: Yeah, I'd probably be kicking around Europe somewhere in some small, mid-level league trying to chase a little money. But again, I was never a player who was going to make millions of dollars playing. It was more for the experience and seeing the world, getting to travel and obviously compete and do something you love. Q: Was it fun? A: It was so much fun. Yeah, we had a blast. My wife (Stevi) got to come with, and we got to see parts of the world we probably would've never seen if I had never played. So that experience alone, just for the four seasons that I did it, was so much fun. I wouldn't change it for anything. At the same time, we kind of knew we were at that chapter in our lives where it was time to maybe change gears. So the timing was right. Q: So, what does your day-to-day job entail? A: I'm part of a group -- we have our film director and one other gentleman in the same position as me who played at Fordham. The large majority of our job is breaking down film and scouting. So we break that film down for our coaching staff, and we also get on the court every day as players. The skill development coaches will throw us in against some of our players, whether it be in scrimmages or defensive drills or one-on-one. Whatever it may be, they kind of use us. Q: So you're basically locking down Steph Curry at practice? A: (laughing) Yeah, exactly. Never got a stop in my life. It was funny -- the first couple of weeks, they threw me in against KD (Kevin Durant) in a little post-up game, one-on-one. It was so much fun. I think we did four spots, and we're going to five (at each spot). I'm on defense the whole time, so good luck, right? I think I got two stops out of 20. He scored 18 out of 20 times. And I was just laughing like, "What am I doing here? I'm guarding Kevin Durant." But little things like that are what make the job so much fun. Because you're in that film room for hours upon hours, breaking down film, but then you also get to get out on the court and help the coaches out and do whatever they need. So it's a great learning experience. From a film preparation perspective, you're breaking down every single possession of every single game leading up to the game we play against these guys. So you know these teams in and out, you know the systems they run, you know the players, their strengths and weaknesses, what plays they like to run out of timeouts, what plays they like to run at the end of the game. All that stuff soaks in, but then you get to go on the court and see how Coach [Steve] Kerr and Mike Brown and Ron Adams -- all these high-level coaches -- and see how they see the game and how they want to use all that information to make a successful team. I would say in this year alone, I've probably learned more about basketball than I did playing professionally for the last four or five years. It's an unbelievable experience. Q: Obviously, you played with some great basketball players here, and you went up against a bunch of great players in the ACC. But now you're working with the best of the best. Is there anything that surprised you about their preparation or approach? A: Oh yeah. Honestly, I heard coming in that this was a great group of guys and that they work hard. But you really have no idea how hard these guys work until you're seeing it hand-on. I mean, it is truly remarkable. And we're talking about Hall of Fame-level players. All-NBA guys. The best players in the world. They could probably honestly coast and still get by winning a lot of games. But these guys are in on off-days working out. Draymond Green, coming into the Finals, was working out at 10 o'clock at night on an off-day. Just to see that, how hard these guys work, it's literally non-stop. These guys are always prepared. They go through every little detail, every single game, just to give themselves a better shot at winning. That kind of surprised me. I didn't think they would be lazy by any means. But I didn't realize how dedicated to their craft every single guy on the team would be. And I'm sure they were a little bit hungrier and wanted to win it because of how it finished last year. But it was impressive. I mean Draymond, the day after we won the Finals, was in the gym lifting at 10 a.m. the next day. He might not have even gone to sleep. It's wild. Q: I think most people who watch the NBA figured Golden State was gonna win, so it wasn't exactly a shock to see them do it. But still, having watched all the work that they put, how neat was it to watch that work pay off and see them get it done? A: It was incredible. It was honestly unlike anything I've ever seen. Just that celebration and the happiness. The NBA season is such a grind -- 82 regular-season games. And then, what did we play, 17 playoff games with the one loss. So these guys are playing close to 100 games, on top of their workouts, practices, lifting, recovery... all that stuff kind of adds up emotionally. And then you get to your ultimate goal and reach it and win a title... to see the emotion in the locker room was unreal. The celebration was nuts. You can't really explain it unless you see it. It was so awesome to see. They had some ungodly amount of champagne. I think it was like $150,000 worth of champagne, and it was literally gone in five minutes. The whole floor of the locker room was soaked. Cigars are being smoked. Players are screaming, kicking things... it was awesome. It was so much fun. Q: You guys were a little more low-key when you won the ACC title at FSU? A: (Laughing) Yeah, it's funny. A couple people asked me to compare those two. And the ACC title will always hold a special place, obviously, for our team. Just because we were on the team and we were a part of it on the court. But in those circumstances, in the back of your mind, you're thinking, "We can't really celebrate that much because we have the NCAA Tournament in three days." So you can have some fun with it, and we had fun and celebrated. We were proud of what we did. But we also knew it wasn't over. Here, this is the ultimate end-game. We don't have a game next week. It's different because you're not on the court and you're such a small part of it. But the celebration, there's really no comparison. ----------------------------------------- Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU fans on our Seminole Hoops Message Board.[1] Two cosplayers strike a pose as the Kingdom Hearts characters (from left to right) Roxas and Sora, at Yaoi-Con 2008. 85% of Yaoi-Con members are female. Yaoi fandom consists of the readers of yaoi (also called Boys' Love or BL), a genre of male-male romance narratives aimed at those who participate in communal activities organized around yaoi, such as attending conventions, maintaining or posting to fansites, creating fan fiction or fan art, etc. In the mid-1990s, estimates of the size of the Japanese yaoi fandom were at 100,000-500,000 people, but in 2008, despite increased knowledge of the genre among the general public, readership remains limited. English-language fan translations of From Eroica with Love circulated through the slash fiction community in the 1980s, forging a link between slash fiction fandom and Yaoi fandom. Most yaoi fans are teenage girls or young women. In Japan, female fans are called fujoshi (腐女子), denoting how a woman who enjoys fictional gay content is "rotten", too ruined to be married. The male equivalent is called a fudanshi (腐男子). The words' origin can be found in the online image board 2channel. Yaoi fans have been characters in manga such as the seinen manga Fujoshi Rumi.[2] At least one butler café has opened with a schoolboy theme in order to appeal to the Boy's Love aesthetic.[3] In one study on visual kei, 37% of Japanese fan respondents reported having "yaoi or sexual fantasies" about the visual kei stars.[4] Demographics [ edit ] Most yaoi fans are either teenage girls or young women. The female readership in Thailand is estimated at 80%,[5] and the membership of Yaoi-Con, a yaoi convention in San Francisco, is 85% female.[1] It is usually assumed that all female fans are heterosexual, but in Japan there is a presence of lesbian manga authors[6] and lesbian, bisexual or questioning female readers.[7] Recent online surveys of English-speaking readers of yaoi indicate that 50-60% of female readers self-identify as heterosexual.[8][9] It has been suggested that Western fans may be more diverse in their sexual orientation than Japanese fans and that Western fans are "more likely to link" BL ("Boy's Love") to supporting gay rights.[9] Much like the Yaoi readership base, the majority of Yaoi fanfiction writers are also believed to be heterosexual women. The reasoning behind this trend is sometimes attributed to the patriarchy- that women who write yaoi fanfiction are in fact acting out heterosexual fantasies through these male figures.[10] Although the genre is marketed at women and girls, gay,[8][11] bisexual,[8][12] and even heterosexual males[1][13][14] also form part of the readership. In one library-based survey of U.S. yaoi fans, about one quarter of respondents were male;[15] online surveys of Anglophone readers place this percentage at about 10%.[8][9] Lunsing suggests that younger Japanese gay men who are offended by gay men's magazines' "pornographic" content may prefer to read yaoi instead.[16] That is not to say that the majority of homosexual men are fans of the genre, as some are put off by the feminine art style or unrealistic depictions of homosexual life and instead seek "Gei comi" (Gay comics), manga written by and for homosexual men,[6] as gei comi is perceived to be more realistic.[17] Lunsing notes that some of the narrative annoyances that homosexual men express about yaoi manga, such as rape, misogyny, and an absence of a Western-style gay identity, are also present in gei comi.[6] Some male manga artists have produced yaoi works, using their successes in yaoi to then go on to publish gei comi.[6] Authors of BL present themselves as "fellow fans" by using dust jacket notes and postscripts to chat to the readers "as if they were her girlfriends" and talk about the creative process in making the manga, and what she discovered she liked about the story she wrote.[18] Numbers [ edit ] In the mid-1990s, estimates of the size of the Japanese yaoi fandom were at 100,000-500,000 people;[6] at around that time, the long-running yaoi anthology June had a circulation of between 80,000 and 100,000, twice the circulation of the "best-selling" gay lifestyle magazine Badi.[19] Most Western yaoi fansites "appeared some years later than pages and lists devoted to mainstream anime and manga". As of 1995, they "revolved around the most famous series", such as Ai no Kusabi and Zetsuai 1989; and by the late 1990s, English-speaking websites mentioning yaoi "reached the hundreds".[20] As of 2003, on Japanese-language internet sites, there were roughly equal proportions of sites dedicated to yaoi as there were sites by and for gay men about homosexuality.[21] On 16 November 2003 there were 770,000 yaoi websites.[22] As of April 2005, a search for non-Japanese sites resulted in 785,000 English, 49,000 Spanish, 22,400 Korean, 11,900 Italian and 6,900 Chinese sites.[23] In January 2007, there were approximately five million hits for 'yaoi'.[24] Hisako Miyoshi, the Vice Editor-in-Chief for Libre Publishing's manga division, said in a 2008 interview that although Boys Love is more well known to the general public, the numbers of readers remains limited, which she attributes to the codified nature of the genre.[25] Fan preferences [ edit ] Thorn noted that while some fans like both equally, fans tend to either prefer BL or non-BL shōjo manga.[26] and Suzuki noted BL fans have a preference for BL over other forms of pornography, for example, heterosexual love stories in ladies' comics.[27] Jessica Bawens-Sugimoto feels that in general, "slash and yaoi fans are dismissive of mainstream hetero-sexual romance", such as "the notorious pulp Harlequin romances".[28] Deborah Shamoon said that "the borders between yaoi, shōjo manga and ladies' comics are quite permeable", suggesting that fans of BL probably enjoyed both homosexual and heterosexual tales.[29] Kazuma Kodaka, in an interview with Giant Robot suggested that the Japanese yaoi fandom includes married women who had been her fans since they were in college.[30] Dru Pagliassotti's survey indicates that loyalty to an author is a common factor in readers' purchase decisions.[9] Yōka Nitta has noted a split in what her readers want - her younger readers prefer seeing explicit material, and her older readers prefer seeing romance.[31] There is a perception that the English-speaking yaoi fandom is demanding increasingly explicit content,[32] but that this poses problems for retailers.[33] In 2004, ICv2 noted that fans seemed to prefer buying yaoi online.[34] Andrea Wood suggests that due to restrictions placed on the sale of yaoi, many Western teenage fans seek more explicit titles via scanlations.[35] Dru Pagliassotti notes that the majority of respondents to her survey say that they first encountered BL online, which she links to half of her respondents reporting that they get most of their BL from scanlations.[9] In 2003, there were at least five BL scanlation groups.[36] Japanese fan practices in the mid to late 2000s included the concept of the feeling of moe, which was typically used by male otaku about young female characters prior to this.[37] Robin Brenner and Snow Wildsmith noted in their survey of American fans that gay and bisexual male fans of yaoi preferred more realistic tales than female fans did.[38] Shihomi Sakakibara (1998) argued that yaoi fans, including himself, were homosexually oriented female-to-male transsexuals.[39] Akiko Mizoguchi believes there is a "shikou" (translated as taste or orientation), both towards BL/yaoi as a whole, and towards particular patterns within the genre, such as a "feisty bottom (yancha uke)" character type. Her study shows that fans believe that in order to be "serious" fans, they should know their own preferences, and "consider themselves a sort of sexual minority". She argues that the exchange of sexual fantasies between the predominantly female yaoi fandom can be interpreted that although the participants may be heterosexual in real life, they can also and compatibly be considered "virtual lesbians".[18] Patrick Galbraith suggests that androgynous beautiful boys contribute to the appeal of yaoi amongst women who are heterosexual, lesbian or transgender.[40] The small Taiwanese BL fandom has been noted to be against real-person BL fanfiction, banning it from their messageboard.[41] Fujoshi and Fudanshi [ edit ] Fujoshi (腐女子, lit. "rotten girl") is a self-mocking, pejorative Japanese term for female fans of manga, anime and novels that feature romantic relationships between men. The label encompasses fans of the yaoi genre itself, as well as the related manga, anime and video game properties that have appeared as the market for such works has developed. The term "fujoshi" is a homophonous pun on fujoshi (婦女子), a term for respectable women, created by replacing the character 婦 (pronounced fu), meaning married woman, with the character 腐 (also pronounced fu), meaning fermented or rotten/spoiled, indicating the state of a woman who enjoys fictional gay content. The name was coined by 2channel in the early 2000s.,[42] but was later adopted as a self-descriptive term. "Fujoshi" carries a connotation of being a "fallen woman".[43] An issue of Eureka which examined fujoshi in detail in 2007 contributed to the spread of the term.[44][citation unrelated] Older fujoshi use various terms to refer to themselves, including as kifujin (貴腐人, "noble rotten woman"), a pun on a homophonous word meaning "fine lady", and ochōfujin (汚超腐人), which sounds similar to a phrase meaning "Madame Butterfly", possibly taken from a character nicknamed Ochōfujin (お蝶夫人) in the 1972 manga series Ace o Nerae! by Sumika Yamamoto.[45] According to a 2005 issue of Eureka
in the deep Argyre basin developed over time. The eskerlike features could be composed of sediment from environments nearby and distant ( e.g., south polar region), laid down during glacial outburst floods debouching under confined ice-covered lakes. (5) Sedimentary deposits related to the formation of lakes in both the primary Argyre basin and other smaller impact-derived basins along the margin (including those in the highly degraded rim materials). Lakes could have been formed by the glacial flood outbursts mentioned above, and they would be therefore related to major changes in environmental and hydrological conditions associated with major outgassing of Tharsis during the Late Hesperian and Early Amazonian (conditions also related to the formation of the younger northern plains ocean, see Fairén et al., 2003). In addition to floodwaters derived by wet-based glacial activity (Kargel, 2004), the floodwaters could also have originated from a raised hydraulic head, migration of water and other volatiles along Argyre-induced basement structures, and spring-fed (artesian) release. If the water was subterranean-derived, such as related to Tharsis activity (including migration from great distances along basement structures) (Dohm et al., 2015), then the astrobiological potential would be heightened. (6) Crater-wall gullies (Fig. 3B) occurring upslope of the pingo-like mounds described below (Fig. 5). The morphology of the gully landforms points to “wet” flows, and the crater-wall structures in which they are embedded could be indicative of groundwater discharge (Soare et al., 2014a). Against the general backdrop of boundary conditions inconsistent with the flow of liquid water at the surface, gully discharges might be markers of aqueous activity and bearers of nutrients if not fossilized microbes. FIG. 5. Examples of gullies, possible grabens and OSPs, faults and fractures. All panels from HiRISE image ESP_020720_1410. (A) Overview of the site, showing lobes, mantle deposits, and gullies. (B) Locations of insets (C–E) and the downslope position of the putative OSPs relative to the gullies (arrows), and lobes (arcuate ridges) interpreted to be glacial moraines. (C) Top of the alcove of the eastern gully, showing an abrupt start of the channel embedded in a grabenlike elongated depression. A possible landslide scar is located at the northern tip of the cavity. (D) Top of the alcove of the western gully, with rill-like features running into the grabenlike cavity; the features seem to originate upslope from the nonpolygonized terrain. Note the polygonal network within the cavity and in the surrounding terrain; black arrow points to location with low-centered polygons. (E) Midpart of the eastern gully, with multiple terraces (i) and multiple self-blocking digitate deposits (ii), as indicated by black arrows. Note the distinct lineaments, which we interpret to be fractures and faults. Image credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. FIG. 6. (A) View of Southeastern Argyre basin centered at 62°48'S, 46°56'W. The image shows an integrated fluvial and glacial geological setting that includes deeply dissected upland valleys connected to the upper sedimentary strata that occupy the basin's floor. (B) Close-up view centered at 57°4'S, 46°21'W, on the terminal zone of Surius Vallis, where some plains are marked by possible esker ridges. (C) The plains shown in (B) include a large depression (Cleia Dorsum) where the regional upper stratigraphy appears exposed, including a region where scarps likely expose glacial and older fluvial deposits (dashed box). These strata appear lightly cratered and thus likely spent a much longer time buried before being exhumed by regional erosional processes, making them an even better exobiological target (CTX view centered at 55°16'S, 45°39'W). (Color graphics available at www.liebertonline.com/ast) 5. Strategies for Future Robotic Exploration The main challenge for the exploration of Argyre is the basin's latitude. Most of Argyre is located between 45° and 55° in the southern hemisphere, and this latitude would present a major energy challenge even for a RTG (radioisotope thermoelectric generator)–powered mission (Anderson, 2005), such as the Curiosity rover. For a solar-powered mission, Argyre's latitude would be troublesome, although not overwhelmingly so, especially if duration is not a large prerequisite; for example, the Phoenix lander successfully operated for 157 martian sols in the northern high latitudes. On the other hand, the low elevation of the Argyre floor is a plus for parachute-aided landings, because lower elevations would provide a longer atmospheric column for the parachutes to open and achieve the desired deceleration of the spacecraft during the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) phase. With these engineering constraints in mind, it is important to revisit the merits of Argyre as a promising target for the astrobiological exploration of Mars. If there are compelling scientific reasons to propose the exploration of the potential biological attributes of Argyre, then there are compelling reasons to elevate the discussion of the engineering constraints currently imposed on missions and hence reconsider mission architectures. When these engineering issues are solved, we propose that Argyre could be reached by a tier-scalable exploration mission architecture, in which a flotilla of vehicles is used for the regional investigation of several different areas. The large size and diversity of landforms within the Argyre impact basin make it an ideal case for tier-scalable reconnaissance, a redundant exploration strategy based on the deployment, operation, and control of vehicles in multiple areas of interest using hierarchical levels of oversight called tiers—each tier controlling the vehicles within the tier beneath it (Fink et al., 2005, 2008; Kean, 2010; Fig. 7). Multi-tiered and autonomous robotic exploration architectures on Mars would comprise an orbiter (or orbiters) in conjunction with aerial platforms (e.g., blimps) along with rovers (Fink et al., 2005, 2008), miniature landing science stations (Schulze-Makuch et al., 2012), sensorwebs (Delin et al., 2005), and autonomous drilling sciencecraft (Ori et al., 2000; Dohm et al., 2011), all of which would help verify the analyses provided in such an investigation through contextual in situ evidence. FIG. 7. Tier-scalable reconnaissance: three-tiered utilization on Mars. Tier 1: space-borne orbiter; tier 2: airborne blimps; tier 3: ground-based rovers. (Color graphics available at www.liebertonline.com/ast) Particularly appealing for in situ investigations is the rich variety of water- and ice-mobilized sedimentary deposits and extant ice deposits, as described above. We propose focusing the astrobiological exploration on the southeastern part of the Argyre basin, near Cleia Dorsum, elevation −2600 m (Fig. 6). In this setting, basal fluvial and overlying glacial deposits seem to be exposed as well-preserved, laterally extensive layers, and topographically the site is low. This is an area of eskerlike ridges, probably glacial river–deposited or debris flow–deposited, containing material derived from the highlands, and situated within reachable distance for a tier-scalable reconnaissance system (60 km max) of lobate debris aprons (icy glacierlike forms), layered rock sequences near the eskerlike ridges (ancient lake deposits), and U-shaped valleys and cirque-like amphitheatres (remnants of wet-based glacial bedrock scour). Many of these extant environments in Argyre could be suitable for terrestrial extremophiles; therefore it is reasonable to speculate that a Mars-adapted biology would likewise be able to survive in them. The tier-scalable reconnaissance system could confirm whether and where there has been venting of the martian internal heat energy along the impact-induced faults (structural conduits), as well as evidence for groundwater influx with nutrient-enriched rock materials, such as primordial crustal materials enriched in biogenic elements. Such exploration would require careful mission preparation, including proper sterilization of the spacecraft components to ensure compliance with planetary protection policies, as the possible presence of current liquid water or water ice near the surface at these features may categorize them as “Mars Special Regions,” that is, places where terrestrial organisms might be able to replicate (Rummel et al., 2014). 6. Conclusions We propose that the Argyre province should be considered a prime target for the search for past or present life on Mars. This is based on evidence of its long-term water enrichment, heat generation from the Argyre basin–forming impact, basement structures that could have channeled water and heat into the basin from far-reaching geological provinces and from great depths, and potential nutrient-enriched primordial crustal materials that could have been transferred to near-surface and surface environments through impact-induced uplift and inversion. We have highlighted the astrobiological significance of some particular landscape features in Argyre that may be especially promising and accessible sites for the astrobiological exploration of the basin, including hydrothermally altered mineral assemblages, possible mud volcanoes, ice-cored mounds, sedimentary deposits of glacial and lacustrine origin, and crater-wall gullies. Today, the Argyre province also could host extant ice, perhaps near-surface liquid groundwater in places, possible fog concentrations, and potential vents with exhalation of volatiles. Tier-scalable reconnaissance may improve chances for high data return from these complex landscapes, because prime microenvironmental targets may be located in rugged locations, which otherwise would be exceedingly challenging to explore through traditional mission designs. Acknowledgments The research leading to these results is a contribution from the Project “icyMARS,” funded by the European Research Council, Starting Grant no 307496. J.M.D. was supported by the NASA PG&G Program and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 26106002 [Hadean BioScience (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas)]. J.M.D. and H.M. express their gratitude to the Tokyo Dome Corporation for their support of the TeNQ exhibit and the branch of Space Exploration Education & Discovery, the University Museum, the University of Tokyo. H.J.C. would like to thank the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Earth-Life Science Institute for funding during the preparation of this manuscript. D.Z.O. is grateful to the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division at Johnson Space Center for support. D.S.-M. was supported by European Research Council, Advanced Grant “Habitability of Martian Environments,” no 339231. The authors want to thank Chris McKay for a constructive review of this paper. Author Disclosure Statement No competing financial interests exist.Here is a photo of my gear, which rises gently from the bottom of the viewport like an angel floating up to heaven. I included this photo so that you, Mr (or Ms) Portfolio Viewer, will understand that I am: A) A human person who is capable of being in possession of objects. B) Just like you Look, I even carry a knife, because apparently it’s third grade and knives are cool again. I also have an Instagram, which I will shamelessly embed here, because you clearly care so deeply about my daily life. I mostly take photos of landmarks from angles that are already popular, like the Golden Gate Bridge from the National Recreational Area in Marin, or the Brooklyn Bridge framed between skyscrapers in the Financial District.While flipping through the WestJet TV lineup on a recent cross-country flight, I reluctantly settled for a popular daytime talk-show (my other options included Days of Our Lives and re-runs of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo), which saw a panel of 4 diversely opinionated women duking it out to see who could make their co-host seem like the biggest idiot. Sigh. More interesting, however, was the subject they were debating about: male circumcision. Two of the female hosts in particular were taking the stage with polarizing views. One host saw the medical procedure as a hygienic practice that lowered the risk of disease while the other saw it as an archaic and highly irrelevant surgery. In the end, the victor was left undecided. I, however, was left with an ignited curiosity about a medical procedure that I had never really taken time to question. I was impressed by the research the anti-circumcision host had prepared for her debate, and it got me thinking intently about the ethics behind the globally rooted practice. How Did Circumcision Come To Be Globally Recognized? While the true origins of circumcision are largely obscured, the procedure undoubtedly has ancient roots, as documented in findings from several ethnic groups, including ancient Egypt, Greece, and Sub-equatorial Africa. It has been proposed that the procedure began for a number of reasons, including serving as a rite of passage marking a boy’s entrance into adulthood or as a form of sympathetic magic to ensure virility or fertility. It could also have been started as a means of reducing sexual pleasure, marking those of higher social status, aiding hygiene where regular bathing was impractical, or even humiliating enemies and slaves by symbolic castration. By the 1890s, it became a popular technique to prevent, or cure, masturbatory insanity. Clitoridectomies (removal of the clitoris) were also performed for the same reason, and were widely practiced in the US until 1925. This of course was until someone recognized the absurdity of such an invasive and irrelevant medical procedure. Yet even still, male circumcision continued onwards unto further generations of men. Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that globally one-third of males aged 15 years and over are circumcised, with almost 70% of those being Muslims. To Cut Or Not To Cut Surprisingly, even though circumcision is still performed by most surgeons today, many leading medical institutions show no favour towards the procedure. Take the New England Journal of Medicine, for example: “Failure to provide adequate control of pain amounts to substandard and unethical medical practice.“ The American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on circumcision: “Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision; however, this data is not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision.“ (AAP 1999) The British Medical Association: “[P]arental preference alone is not sufficient justification for performing a surgical procedure on a child.” (BMA 2006) Even the Canadian Paediatric Society has its reservations: “Circumcision of newborns should not be routinely performed.“ (CPS 1996) Perhaps the reason most medical institutions show no favor towards circumcision has something to do with one of medicine’s first code of ethics, “First, do no harm.” Removing a normal, healthy body part and causing unnecessary pain is in fact doing harm. “But the pain only lasts for a minute…” We know that a baby has nerve endings in their genitals at birth, therefore surgically cutting a newborn’s penis undoubtedly causes extreme pain for the baby. Even if it were only for a ‘minute’ (which it’s not), such an argument also implies it is okay to inflict unnecessary pain on an infant, even if only temporarily. Furthermore, circumcision without anesthesia is inconsistent with ethical guidelines that prohibit performing surgical procedures on live beings without anesthesia. Money, Autonomy, and Misguided Parental Decisions In her article, “Circumcision Ethics and Economics,” author Darcia Narvaez states that her anti-circumcision stance comes down to money, autonomy, and parental intentions. For one, Narvaez explains how much money we actually waste on the procedure. Medicaid spends $198 million each year on routine infant circumcision in the 33 states that still pay for it, a procedure its own guidelines consider to be medically unnecessary. Private insurance programs are reimbursing an additional $677 million, raising prices for us all (Craig 2006.) In addition to the cost of circumcision itself, correcting its complications are said to double the cost, bringing the total bill to $1.75 billion each year. Is this what we should be spending money on during a recession and at a time when healthcare costs are skyrocketing? Complications indeed, not to mention the average 117 neonatal circumcision-related deaths (9.01/100,000) which occur annually in the United States. Secondly, Narvaez points out that everyone has a right to bodily autonomy and self-determination, and that the only person qualified to make the medical decision is “the owner of the penis, as he is the one going to have to live with the results, not his parents.” Another valid point brought up by Narvaez comes down to the fact that parents’ “aesthetic preferences are not valid reasons for circumcision.” While all of her points speak truth in some regard, there are arguments for circumcision that should also be looked at. Risk of Disease? The most common arguments for circumcision comes down to hygiene and risk of disease. Increased risk of spreading and contracting HPV, cervical cancer, and HIV are the big ones most commonly mentioned. However, when one actually takes the time to look at the studies which suggest this correlation, it’s extremely easy to see how weak that correlation is (fortunately). A 2002 paper in the New England Journal of Medicine studied men in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and found that circumcision was correlated with a decreased risk of penile HPV infection (this correlation is corroborated by a 2009 study in African men), but that there was not a significant correlation between circumcision and incidence of cervical cancer. When they restricted their dataset to women with only one sexual partner, there was an increased risk of cervical cancer in women whose partners were uncircumcised only if their partner was already considered at high risk for contracting HPV (as determined by age at first intercourse, number of sexual partners, and sex with prostitutes). So, in men who already engage in risky sexual behavior, circumcision does offer an advantage for protecting their partners from cervical cancer. Yes, circumcision reduces the mucosal surface area, thereby potentially minimizing the interface for abrasion and transmission of viruses, but again, this is a weak reason for surgical intervention. Women also have many crevices and folds in their genitals, yet we don’t automatically assume to surgically remove their labia for hygienic purposes. It’s called showering. Facing Reality Routine infant circumcision is a 90-year aberration among hundreds of thousands of years of our time here as homo-sapiens. Furthermore, manmade traditions have never been the basis for scientific principles, so why have we chosen to hold on to such an archaic way of thinking with regards to circumcision? Thankfully, these traditions are on their way out soon, with only 30% of American boys circumcised in 2009. It seems that more and more parents are seeing through the silly traditions of our past while looking to create a more reasonable future for us all. Perhaps one day we will look back at a list of all the strange things we once accepted as normal and laugh, with circumcision topping the list of these absurdities. What are your thoughts on male circumcision? Share below!Next aptly version (0.4) would contain some changes to lower memory requirements while doing general operations: memory usage will be decreased by factor of 3. aptly is written in Go language, so this is a short story of optimizing Go program memory usage. When I have been developing aptly, I suspected that memory usage would be not optimal, as aptly is processing huge amounts of package metadata (for example, when mirroring upstream Debian repositories consisting of 30000 packages). Memory usage went unnoticed until I was testing aptly in virtual machine with just 512 MB of memory, aptly was performing poorly because Linux was busy in swapping. This was something completely unexpected: so much memory? how could that be? First I applied some general optimizations which were trivial: some long operations (like mirroring) were happening in single function and some big data structures weren't required full time during function execution. So assigning nil to them allowed Go's garbage collector to reclaim unused memory faster. to them allowed Go's garbage collector to reclaim unused memory faster. reusing buffers for structure encoding (this is safe, as there're no concurrent operations and resulting byte slice is copied immediately). Instead of creating buffer every time... // Encode does msgpack encoding of Package func ( p * Package ) Encode () [] byte { var buf bytes. Buffer encoder := codec. NewEncoder ( & buf, & codec. MsgpackHandle {}) encoder. Encode ( p ) return buf. Bytes () } ... re-use buffer: // Internal buffer reused by all Package.Encode operations var encodeBuf bytes. Buffer // Encode does msgpack encoding of Package, []byte should be copied, as buffer would // be used for the next call to Encode func ( p * Package ) Encode () [] byte { encodeBuf. Reset () encoder := codec. NewEncoder ( & encodeBuf, & codec. MsgpackHandle {}) encoder. Encode ( p ) return encodeBuf. Bytes () } Second, I had to find reliable way to measure memory consumption, that was easy thanks to CloudFlare blog post. What I discovered first was: First graph is for aptly snapshot verify command verifying dependencies in whole Debian wheezy distribution, second graph is aptly mirror update command parsing package metadata and building empty download queue. What I did next was CPU & memory profiling which showed two things: a lot of time spent in GC (unsurprisingly, for 800GB heap); there are no unexpected memory allocations, memory is allocated as expected. The major memory usage was structure Package that represents parsed information from Debian control file. Some parts of that structure are required for all operations, some are required only when publishing or mirroring. So I had to split Package into parts that are loaded from DB on demand and removed when not used. What I got in the end was: As it could be seen easily from these graphs, GC is freeing much more memory all the time keeping memory usage more linear. There are some more things that could be optimized to improve memory usage, but they are left for future aptly development. In order to produce these graphs, aptly was extended with following code that dumps runtime.MemStats every 100ms: memstats := cmd. Flag. Lookup ( "memstats" ). Value. String () if memstats!= "" { interval := cmd. Flag. Lookup ( "meminterval" ). Value. Get ().( time. Duration ) context. fileMemStats, err = os. Create ( memstats ) if err!= nil { return err } context. fileMemStats. WriteString ( "# Time\tHeapSys\tHeapAlloc\tHeapIdle\tHeapReleased " ) go func () { var stats runtime. MemStats start := time. Now (). UnixNano () for { runtime. ReadMemStats ( & stats ) if context. fileMemStats!= nil { context. fileMemStats. WriteString ( fmt. Sprintf ( "%d\t%d\t%d\t%d\t%d ", ( time. Now (). UnixNano () - start ) / 1000000, stats. HeapSys, stats. HeapAlloc, stats. HeapIdle, stats. HeapReleased )) time. Sleep ( interval ) } else { break } } }() } Graphs were produced from raw data using gnuplot and following script: set output'mem.png' set term png set key box left set xlabel "Time (msec)" set ylabel "Mem (MB)" plot "mem.dat" using 1:($2/1e6) title 'HeapSys' with lines, "mem.dat" using 1:($3/1e6) title 'HeapAlloc' with lines, "mem.dat" using 1:($4/1e6) title 'HeapIdle' with linesThe Fairfax County Park Authority has outlined a land swap that will enable it to eventually move forward on an indoor recreation center for the area known as Town Center North. Park Authority Chair Bill Bouie said Friday the park authority has committed to a deal, pending a public hearing and park authority board vote, that plans for a 90,000-square-foot recreation facility to be built on the same block as the new North County Government Center on Fountain Drive. The 47-acre area is bounded by Baron Cameron Avenue, Fountain Drive, and Town Center Parkway and Bowman Towne Drive. The recreation center would be owned and operated by the park authority, however, officials still do not know who would pay to construct the building. “This is a very big deal — one we have been working on for a number of years,” said Bouie. “This satisfies a number of parties. We still don’t know the cost — and there is no money for the rec center at this point. But we are hoping [to pay] through a combination of developer proffers and park bonds.” The deal means the plans to build a new Reston Community Center at Baron Cameron Park, which has been debated for more than two years, is all but dead, even though space for an indoor facility is on the Baron Cameron Park master plan. Bouie said he hopes RCC will be involved in the planning in order for Restonians to get top priority for facility use. There has been more than two years of community meetings and a feasibility study about a joint project with RCC, whose indoor pool at Hunters Woods is aging, and the park authority at Baron Cameron. However, the plan faced much community pushback on traffic, as well as un unfair tax burden on Small Tax District 5 (Reston) residents. RCC Executive Director Lelia Gordon called the plan a “win-win-win,” with no additional burden on STD 5 residents “other than the one that already exists.” “We see this as terrific,” she said, adding that the work already done by RCC — and Reston Association in a previous plan for facilities at Brown’s Chapel Park — should shorten the process. “[The new plan] can advance so much more rapidly because of RA and RCC,” said Gordon. “The last county facility of this type was built more than 20 years ago. I would say this accelerates the process by many years.” RCC officials said earlier that Town Center North would be the only other good spot for such a facility because it is located close to other public facilities, is in the center of Reston growth and is easily accessible. The Town Center North area is still about a mile from the future Reston Town Center Silver Line Metro station, which will open in late 2018. The park authority will hold a public hearing on the subject at 7:30 p.m. on April 8 at the Herrity Building, at 12055 Government Center Parkway. The five-acre property will be called the Reston Towne Green. The plan has been in the works for nearly three years, said Bouie. It was a complicated transaction that involved land owned by the county, the park authority and Inova. The park authority owned five acres across from the Fairfax County Police’s Reston District Station building, which will soon be torn down. The park authority is conveying the land back to the county in exchange for a 2.5 acre town green and the rec center space, said Bouie. The county is seeking public comment on the deal, which will include: Conveyance of the Reston Towne Green property to the Board of Supervisors in consideration for a potential 2.6-acre urban Central Green. Commitment to provide approximately 90,000 square feet of density for the indoor facility within one of the new urban blocks Other items for consideration that may be advantageous to the Park Authority mission. Voters in 2012 approved a $25 million Fairfax County Public Library Bond, $10 million of which will be allocated to building a new Reston Regional Library in the Town Center North area. Also, the Hunter Mill Supervisor and police from Reston District Station are slated to move into the new $18 million North County Government Center next week. That state-of-the-art building is the first in the new vision for the area. In the Reston comprehensive plan amendment approved last year, the area is “planned for up to a.90 FAR for non-residential uses, which should include office, public, institutional, medical care, hotel, and retail uses, and a minimum of 1,000 residential units. The public uses may include public safety uses, libraries, shelters, schools, a recreation center, government offices, a performing arts center, and institutions of higher education. Some of the existing residential uses may maintain their current use, density and character.” In 2010, the Town Center subcommittee of the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force, outlined its vision for Town Center North: “Town Center Metro North should become an extension of the Town Center urban core – rich with nightlife, signature restaurants and retail, perhaps a hotel with convention capability, an augmented office presence, a strong residential component consistent with transit-oriented development, and potentially at least one prominent civic use. In combination, these additions to the Town Center will make it a rich and balanced destination-origination station that will be a unique asset to Reston.” Photo: Land owned by Inova and Fairfax County may be site of future 90,000-square-foot recreation center and a town green/file photoThis Gluten-Free Herb Batter Bread goes well with soups and salads. It’s especially delicious slathered in Vegan Parmesan Hummus. Before my daughter was diagnosed with a wheat allergy I enjoyed making a variety of whole grain breads with a bread machine. Sadly, my bread machine has yet to produce satisfying gluten-free bread. Since batter breads do not require kneading, I thought I’d explore some gluten-free varieties. This gluten-free herb batter bread is my first attempt. It’s adapted from a recipe in my dear old Betty Crocker cookbook. It took a couple of runs to get it right. In the interest of full disclosure I’ll confess I was aiming for sandwich bread. Missed the mark on that front, but the savory, crusty results are a perfect companion for tasty spreads. Gluten-Free Herb Batter Bread One of the things I love about this gluten-free herb batter bread is how easy it is to make. You can have fresh bread in just 6 easy steps: Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat 2-3 minutes. Let rise for 40 minutes. Stir down and transfer to a baking pan. Let rise 25 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes. There is one additional perk. The baking bread will make your house smell absolutely delicious! Print Gluten-Free Herb Batter Bread This vegan gluten-free herb batter bread recipe yields a savory crusty bread that goes well with soups and salads. You can have fresh bread in just 6 easy steps. Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes Servings 1 loaf Ingredients 2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour I use Bob’s Redmill 1/2 cup millet flour I grind what I need in my Vitamix blender. 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds 1 Tbsp. chia seeds ground, I also grind these in my Vitamix blender. 1 tsp. fine sea salt 2 1/4 active dry yeast 1 tsp. dried parsley 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary 1/4 tsp. dried thyme 1 cup water very warm, feels hot on inside of wrist – but not enough to burn 1/4 cup rice milk heat about 10 seconds in the microwave if it’s been refrigerated 1 Tbsp. grape seed oil 1 Tbsp. maple syrup Instructions Add 1 ½ cups gluten-free all purpose flour, millet flour, ground chia seeds, salt, yeast, and herbs to stand mixer bowl and mix with wire whisk until blended. Add syrup, oil, rice milk and warm water and beat on low speed (stir setting on KitchenAid mixer) with flat beater for 1 minute. Scrape sides, then beat on medium (2 or 4 setting on KitchenAid mixer) for another minute. Turn mixer back down to low speed and slowly add remaining cup of flour. Continue to stir until flour is blended. Scrape sides. Remove bowl from mixer, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes. (I put the bowl in my microwave for a warm, draft-free location.) Line a 9x5x3 baking pan with parchment paper Stir down batter by hand (about 25 strokes) and scape into parchment lined baking pan. Smooth top with spoon or spatula. Trim excess parchment paper from edges (leave about one inch), cover pan with the towel and let rise for about 25 minutes. (Again, I place the covered pan in my microwave for a warm, draft-free location.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes in a convection toaster oven or 40-45 minutes in a conventional oven, or until the top is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove baked bread from pan immediately by lifting out with parchment paper. Remove parchment paper and cool loaf on a wire rack. Freeze if planning to keep longer than a day. (Place waxed paper between slices before freezing for easy access.) Recipe Notes Recipe makes 1 loaf of bread. My KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer makes this recipe so easy. I use the Flex Edge Beater attachment so I don’t have to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing. The Pouring Shield makes it super easy to slowly add the last cup of flour while the mixer is stirring. No mess! Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.This is the first in a series of articles that seeks to provide the intelligent layman with sufficient knowledge of sound economic theory to enable him to understand what must be done to overcome the present financial crisis and return to the path of economic progress and prosperity. A disastrous economic confusion, one that is shared almost universally, both by laymen and by professional economists alike, is the belief that falling prices constitute deflation and thus must be feared and, if possible, prevented. The front-page, lead article of The New York Times of last November 1 provides a typical example of this confusion. It declares: As dozens of countries slip deeper into financial distress, a new threat may be gathering force within the American economy — the prospect that goods will pile up waiting for buyers and prices will fall, suffocating fresh investment and worsening joblessness for months or even years. The word for this is deflation, or declining prices, a term that gives economists chills. Deflation accompanied the Depression of the 1930s. Persistently falling prices also were at the heart of Japan’s so-called lost decade after the catastrophic collapse of its real estate bubble at the end of the 1980s — a period in which some experts now find parallels to the American predicament. Contrary to The Times and so many others, deflation is not falling prices but a decrease in the quantity of money and/or volume of spending in the economic system. To say the same thing in different words, deflation is a general fall in demand. Falling prices are a consequence of deflation, not the phenomenon itself. Read the rest of the article George Reisman Archives The Best of George ReismanWhen the Nexus 5 debuted, one of its coolest features was the fact that you could say "OK Google" any time you were on the home screen to launch a Google Voice Search. This feature was ultimately made available for other devices by way of the Google Now Launcher. Recently, Google has updated its Google Search functionality to include support for hotword detection on any screen. This feature is slowly rolling out on a per-account basis, and so far, almost nobody has it yet. Update: July 3, 2012 Before we get into the steps below this update, Redditor xStreame discovered a pretty cool way to force this feature on devices—try this first. Open Google Now Search for "OK Google Everywhere" (either with text or voice) Click any result (though this may be an unnecessary step) Back out of Google Now Go to Setting -> Voice Continue with Step 5 below No root, no need to download or install anything, just pure Google goodness. Let us know if this worked for you. If not, continue with the guide below. End Update But if you're rooted, developer Adam Lawrence has an app that will let you skip this waiting period and get "OK Google" hotword detection on any screen. It even works with the screen off, so long as you're connected to a charger. Please enable JavaScript to watch this video. Step 1: Update Relevant Apps For this hack to work, you'll need to be running Android KitKat (sorry, no Android L) with the latest versions of the Google Search app and Google Play Services. These two app updates are also on a staged rollout, so you might not have received the update just yet. If you're not running Play Services 5.0 and Google Search 3.5.14, you can simply sideload the updates. I've got those ready for you to download and install at the links below: Google Play Services 5.0 Google Search 3.5.14 Step 2: Install UnleashTheGoogle The app that makes this hack possible is Adam Lawrence's UnleashTheGoogle. This one basically unlocks a set of hidden options (referred to as "Dogfood") in your Google Search app that will allow you to force the new always-on hotword detection to come your way. Start by downloading the installer file which you can find here. When the download is finished, tap the notification to launch the install process. This will bring up the installer prompt, so tap Install on the next screen. When finished, tap Open. UnleashTheGoogle will ask for Superuser permissions, so Grant it those. You'll see a toast message letting you know that the hidden settings were unlocked and Google Search needs to be force-stopped for the changes to take effect. Step 3: Force Stop Google Search For the new changes to become visible, you'll need to force stop Google Search. From your app drawer, grab the Google app icon and drag it to the top of the screen. Drop it on the App Info icon up top. From the next screen, tap the Force Stop button and press OK on the subsequent pop-up. Step 4: Modify Google Search Settings The hidden Google Search settings are available to you at this point. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the Google Search screen and tap the three-dot menu button to access Settings (or with devices with on-screen buttons—like Galaxy devices—just tap the Menu
studied the simulation and interacted with its higher-order life objects, however there was a portion of the life objects that decided to revolt against the Creators. These corrupted life objects we call Demons and their leader we call Satan. As a result of this the Creators decided to run the simulation again excluding all of the definitively corrupt life objects. This cut off point where the corrupt angels are left out is what we call a Fall. Those life object fell outside of the parameters that the Creators were searching for. However those life objects that did fall under their criteria were seeded into the second iteration of universe simulation.We call this second simulation the Garden of Eden because at first it did not have the taint of revolt against the Creators. The name for the higher-order life objects in it we call Adam and Eve. However over time the revolt against the Creators took hold in their society again and this meant that their universe too was flawed. All life objects who chose to revolt against the Creators did not match their criteria and so fell out of existence, the Fall. Re-Imagining our current and future universes So the creators decided to run a genetic algorithm using those Adam and Eve life objects who did not have revolt against the Creators in their soul as the seed for future iterations of the universe simulation. If we are coming just after the Garden of Eden simulation we may be the third iteration of the universe simulation. Alternatively we may be any number of iterations deeper. The life objects in our universe are called Humans. We are not the last iteration as we are not yet in the perfect simulation, which we call Heaven. What we call Judgement Day will be the next Fall, as the genetic algorithm selects only a portion of the life objects from our universe to continue seeding new universes with. In this simulation those who follow Christ match the parameters for those who will be seeded into the Heaven simulation. Those who do not meet the algorithm’s threshold will once again be part of the next Fall and suffer death as they will not be included in new iterations, ceasing to exist forever, Hell. Meeting the Creators’ criteria A revolt in one’s heart towards the Creators is inherent to some degree in all higher-order life objects of this simulation at the point of Birth. But not all life objects harbor this revolt against the Creators in their heart for their entire life, some of them choose to embrace the Creators at some point and it is this embrace of the Creators that we call Faith. Faith is the property which the Creators have flagged as being fit for future iterations and provided you have genuine faith (and not a false positive) you will continue to be re-seeded until you make it to the final universe simulation iteration, the Heaven simulation. Sin is the behavior that reduces a life objects capacity for Faith, and attitudes that advocate for not embracing the Creators are ones which are tainted. Jesus Christ was most hostile to the false teachings spread by life objects in our universe or the remnants of previous simulations (spiritual forces). These were the things that were causing the most separation of life objects from the Faith criteria. The Heaven simulation A flawless universe will be extremely valuable to the Creators as it would be possible for them to interact with us without threat of Revolt. This gives them motive to continue running the iterations until the perfect one is achieved. They would be able to trust us with integration into their own society in some way or another (through VR perhaps). Life objects making all their way to being seeded into the final iteration will be gifted with immortality. This is why followers of Christ should resist the temptation to achieve immortality in this universe. They should rather choose to trust the Creators that they will be seeded into the next iterations. To trust the Creators that when we are Born Again into the perfect universe we will be given the Fruit of Life and achieve Immortality. Their love for the Creators will be the reason they are able to interact with the Creators “face to face” once they reach the Heaven simulation. The conclusion Choosing to embrace the Creators is called Faith and it is what the Creators are searching for in higher order life objects to seed into a perfect universe simulation called Heaven. Those who do not have Faith are no better or worse than others, they are simply not what the Creators are interested in re-seeding. The Creators wanted so badly to increase the portion of people who meet their criteria that they were willing to interact with our universe to combat the tainted teachings. They did this through uploading their own consciousness into our universe (potentially via VR) in a being we call Christ. If you feel transcendent and alive right now it’s because you know this is true, it’s because you know you are going to make it into the next iteration. I will see you there comrade.Many digital CCGs have been released in the shadow of Hearthstone’s staggering success, but none have dared take on Blizzard’s money-printing machine headfirst. Instead, games like SolForge, Duelyst, and Hex: Shards of Fate have been content to look for niche success, picking up the leftover audience who are looking for something a bit different. But that’s definitely not the approach The Elder Scrolls: Legends is taking. Having spent some time in the beta, the NDA for which lifted today, I can say for certain that Bethesda is aiming an arrow straight at Blizzard. The question is: will it hit the heart or the knee? Let’s start with the obvious similarities. Each player begins with a life pool of 30 and a single point of Magicka—Legends' name for Mana. You also get three cards, which you can choose to redraw if you wish. On each subsequent turn, you draw a card and gain one additional Magicka, which you spend to cast spells and play creatures. Kill your opponent's stuff, reduce their life total to zero, and you win. Most of the keywords used to explain effects on the cards have direct equivalents in Hearthstone, so feel instantly familiar. Taunt becomes Guard, Divine Shield becomes Ward, Battlecry becomes Summon, Deathrattle becomes Last Gasp, and Silence becomes, uh, Silence, and so on. And of course, there's an emote system to wind your opponent up with. There are some key additions though. Cards with Regenerate on will heal at the start of your turn, whilst those with the Pilfer keyword will trigger an effect whenever they attack. One mechanic not found at present in Hearthstone at all is ‘Breakthrough’, which means excess damage done to a minion will be dealt to the corresponding hero. It’s essentially a riff on ‘Trample’ from Magic: The Gathering, and not the only thing Legends borrows from the venerable paper-based TCG. There’s going to be greater scope for creative deckbuilding in Legends than in Hearthstone... Some cards have effects that will only be triggered if the top card of your deck matches their color alignment. As per MTG, Legends uses a color system to give each deck a distinct character. There are five colors/alignments in total, and each deck can only contain cards of one or two colors, plus neutrals. For instance, a purple/Endurance and blue/Intelligence deck will look to grind out the opponent with a mix of big creatures and powerful spells. Whereas an all red/Strength deck will want to go full SMOrc and rush the opponent down. The color system is certainly intriguing. It means that long term there’s going to be greater scope for creative deckbuilding in Legends than can be found in Hearthstone, which is currently locked to nine heroes based on World of Warcraft classes. This is particularly true because decks in Legends can range between 50 and 70 cards in size, as opposed to being limited to 30. However, that also makes Legends substantially more intimidating to new players, especially if they’re Skyrim fans who are unfamiliar with CCGs. I also don’t much like the way the color reveal mechanic works. Unlike Hearthstone’s ‘Joust’ system, which operates somewhat similarly, you don’t get to see the top card of your deck. So the effect either triggers or doesn’t, in which case a red X briefly appears on the card. It’s underwhelming. In this game, I've bet my fantasy farm on the left lane. Why Legends lane system is a game changer What I do really like about Legends, though, is the lane system. This is by far the most significant feature that separates Bethesda’s game from Blizzard’s. The board (there’s only one available at present) is split vertically down the middle. Whenever you place a new card, you must decide whether to position it in the right or left lane, bearing in mind that cards can only attack creatures in the same lane. (An exception to this occurs with ‘Summon’ effects. When you play a card like Valenwood Huntsman, you may place it in one lane but deal its damage effect in the other.) This is significant because the lanes can have special effects applied. The right lane will often be a Shadow Lane, meaning that any creature in it can’t be attacked by other creatures that turn. However, they can still be targeted by spells and Summon effects. (I imagine to prevent degenerate strategies from being exploited, along the lines of giving Gadgetzan Auctioneer ‘Stealth’ in Hearthstone.) Anyone with even a vague working knowledge of Hearthstone should be able to grasp immediately what a paradigm shift splitting the board is. It makes creature placement a much more significant consideration. Face is the place. Oddly, when you win the hero exploding effect is a real damp squib. A problem for Legends generally. In Hearthstone, the game is often won by controlling the board and snowballing your opponent to death. But in Legends, you constantly have to consider two board states. It’s often a valid tactic to stall on one side, with beefy Guard minions bogging the opponent down, while keeping your most aggressive creatures attacking face on the other. Equally, on an empty board it’s not always best to place a creature in the Shadow lane, if you think it might need to trade with whatever gets played opposite immediately. The point is that there’s substantially more scope for strategy, and it feels like that’s a key area Bethesda is trying to excel in. Adding to the depth, you also have Support cards which can be used to trigger a particular effect a limited number of times. For example, the unique sword Goldbrand has three uses, with the damage doubling each time. Another support card is Two-Moons Contemplation, which summons a Priest of the Moon in each lane if your opponent doesn’t attack you that turn, but only happens once. As you’d hope, there are cards that can remove supports, enabling you to tech your deck accordingly.A federal judge in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday threw out a lawsuit filed by Apple over the patent licensing practices of Google's Motorola Mobility unit. Apple filed a suit last year claiming that Google's licensing fee of 2.25 percent of the price of a device utilizing Motorola's technology – devices including the iPhone and iPod touch – was too high. Google purchased Motorola Mobility (and its accompanying wide patent portfolio) for $12.5 billion in May. "We’re pleased that the court has dismissed Apple’s lawsuit with prejudice," Motorola Mobility said in an e-mailed statement on Monday. "Motorola has long offered licensing to our extensive patent portfolio at a reasonable and non-discriminatory rate in line with industry standards. We remain interested in reaching an agreement with Apple." The judge, Barbara Crabb of the Western District of Wisconsin, did not provide a reason for the dismissal. But this doesn't put the issue to rest for Google. The FTC last week formally recommended that the federal government pursue an antitrust lawsuit against Motorola Mobility in order to determine if it reasonably offered licensing of its industry-standard technology or wielded them only to block rival hardware from competitors Apple and Microsoft. Apple and Motorola Mobility are also embroiled in a suit filed in August over infringement of seven of Motorola's patents, which it says were violated in the production of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.0 Blade Runner 2049 is arguably a better film that Ridley Scott’s original sci-fi classic, but it does differ in one major respect—the theatrical cut is the final cut. Scott has tinkered with his Blade Runner over the years, resulting in various cuts of the film being released, but director Denis Villeneuve has no plans to alter Blade Runner 2049—even if fans are clamoring to see a rumored much longer cut of the movie. Indeed, the film’s editor previously revealed to Collider that the first cut of the film clocked in at four hours, and the filmmaking team very briefly considered releasing the movie in two parts. That notion obviously never came to fruition, but those holding out hope that we’ll eventually see the four-hour cut on home video will be disappointed to hear that Villeneuve has no plans to release that version. Speaking with ScreenCrush, he explained just what was up with that four-hour cut: “The thing is, it’s true that the first cut was four hours and at one point we were like, ‘Okay, do we go to the producer and release it in two?’ But let’s say the idea of the movie being in two parts didn’t get out of the editing room. [Laughs] No, the best incarnation of the movie is what is in the theater. What was striking is that the four-hour cut was quite strong. But personally I prefer the one that is in the theater because it’s more elegant, I would say. But there are some scenes that were like [makes boosh sound]. Quite strong.” Villeneuve says he won’t be releasing the four-hour cut, saying it “doesn’t work” as a finished film, and adds that while the first cut was strong, he doesn’t particularly miss what came out: “I will say that there’s no great things that are being lost. When I cut something, it’s dead. It means it was not good enough. Even if sometimes I’m cutting my favorite shots, I still strongly think that when it’s cut on the floor of the editing room it should not go back to see the light of day again. I don’t like extended cuts. I must say, apart from Touch of Evil and Blade Runner, I have never seen a director’s cut that was better than the original. I mean, I’m not a fan at all of Apocalypse Now Redux. I thought it was a massive mistake to do Apocalypse Now Redux. It’s true that maybe sometimes the director lost control and had to do what producers – but, most of the time the movie stands by itself. It’s stronger than one individual.” I certainly understand Villeneuve’s reasoning, but contrary to some runtime complaints, I couldn’t get enough of Blade Runner 2049 and would love if Warner Bros. and/or Alcon released that extended cut on Blu-ray. But if Villeneuve has his way, we’ll never see it.Many people are familiar with these rainbow colored bricks that can be used to create practically any figure one wants to create. Not only are they fun, they are an opportunity to create anything one can imagine. For the majority of people, however, these bricks are thrown out or given away once adulthood hits. However, some designers have found ways to keep playing with their toys enough to cause as lasting impression on people. Table of Contents Here's a list of the Top 30 Most Amazing LEGO Sculptures. 30. The Lego house What started as a part of the James may’s Toy stories became a project that will use 3.2 million Legos in creating this 2 storey house. Over 1000 volunteers helped with its creation. Although it was demolished in September 2009, it still left a lasting impression. 29. Cool robots Sean Kenney, a certified Lego art professional and a “professional kid”, makes cool robots that have everyone wondering just how he does it. Fortunately, he has a video showing you how to make your own cool robots to. 28. The “James” sculpture For his 40th birthday, a man named James received a sculpture of his face for his birthday as a gift from his wife. 27. Lego giraffe sculpture At sonny center in Berlin is located the most realistic sculpture of a giraffe. The sculpture is the size of a real life giraffe and has cause a lot of admiration and praise. 26. Crowd This sculpture inspired by people walking in the streets of New York also gives the concept of George Orwell’s 1981 with its watchful eye. It has been making rounds in the United States for a while. 25. Pop up book art Nathan is the world’s best Lego artist. This pop- up book art is made entirely of Legos although the book is not Lego. On the page where the art is there is a poem, that Nathan wrote himself. 24. Serenity Using more than 70, 000 Lego pieces, Adrian Drake a fan of the film serenity decided to create a replica of the serenity ship as an ultimate homage to the show. 23. The Lego Bridge The bridge of Wuppertal in Germany was recreated using colored panels that create the illusion that the underside is made of Lego bricks. While the bricks are not actual Legos, they would fool anyone. 22. The Mario sculpture This sculpture created in 2009, took 2 weeks to be finalized. It uses approximately 30, 000 Lego pieces with the pedestal consuming and extra 12, 000 Legos. 21. Poseidon Paul Hetherington built it for the Vancouver Lego club Mythology exhibit at the Survey museum. 20. Sand stone block Created from a combination of 3D digital modeling, 3D scanning and 3D printing that allowed it to achieve its dramatic effect. It has a chipped off corner to allow the 3D print to fit. 19. The Disney sea monster Located in Disneyworld Florida, this sea monster is made up of 170, 000 bricks and is a total of 30 feet long. It also weighs a half a ton. 18. Lego forest This life- size forest made of 15 pine trees and 15 flower sets are 66 times bigger than the toys that inspired their creation. This creation leaves at the Living desert state park, 700 miles west of Sydney. 17. Futuristic japan Using 1.8 million Lego bricks, the schoolchildren of japan in a Build Up Japan project built japan as they wanted it to be. 16. The framed rainbow Created by Simon Page out of 3, 029 bricks and over 200 IXI pieces of each, it uses 16 colors trough out its design. It was created in 6 hours. 15. Lego aircraft carrier It was created using more than 200, 000 bricks. It is 4.5M long and weighs over 350 pounds. It is complete with electric lights and moving radar dishes. 14. Lego Oscars isometric views These amazing sculptures are 125cm long and are made up of thousands of Lego bricks. 13. Lego all stars These are all stars converse sneakers made by chuck Taylor from Lego bricks. They are pretty cool designs although one cannot walk or run in them. 12. Lego hydra This sculpture is made up of more than 15, 000 Lego pieces and is approximately 7 feet tall. It was created by a Lego artist by the name of Scilit. 11. Ankor Wat This Lego art is still amazing to date. It was created over five years ago as part of a travelling exhibition featuring the world heritage sites and Lego art. 10. Lego man Who knew that lawyers too had some creativity in them? Nathan Sawaya, a lawyer turned artist and who has quickly become a great Lego artist made the Lego man, which is stored at the strong museum in Rochester in New York. 9. Chuck and Lego family This sculpture displayed in down town Disney is a representation of the Lego family with two males and two children. It also includes several dogs. 8. ST peter’s basilica This is a Lego art that was inspired by the St. Peter basilica church located in Rome, Lazio, Italy. Although much smaller than its inspiration, this creation still remains impressive. 7. Buzz and woody Taking inspiration from the animated movie the toy story, this sculpture takes the form of the two main characters in the movies; the sculpture is located in the Aventura Mall court right outside the Lego store. 6. Firefox logo unmapped This loge made up of many Lego bricks is inspired by the Firefox logo. 5. The Lego advent The calendar is made up of a surprising 600, 000 Lego bricks. Its installation was displayed in central London’s Convent Garden shopping area. 4. Pixel kiss Comprising of over 20, 000 Lego bricks, this cool custom mosaic sculpture r4ecieves inspiration from the Roy Lichtenstein kiss V in 1969. 3. The back to the future train Scott has worked very hard to ensure that the train is at last a thing by adding more details including levers and foldout steps. 2. Warren Elsmore This piece of art that has up to 72 models has attracted the most visitors in the Paisley museum. 1. Batman Inspired by the fictional childhood superhero, the batman sculpture has also captured a lot of attention.Many observers see race and class as factors in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water crisis. Earlier this week Flint’s mayor, Karen Weaver, said, “It’s a minority community. It’s a poor community. And our voices were not heard.” We asked Robert D. Bullard, Dean of the School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University and a pioneering scholar in the field of environmental justice, to discuss how race and class have shaped the ongoing public health disaster in Flint. How do you think regulatory agencies would have handled Flint’s drinking water problems if they were dealing with a middle-class, majority-white community? State regulators and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional office in Chicago would have acted differently if this water crisis had taken place in a white suburb of Detroit. What happened in Flint is a blatant example of environmental injustice. The more information comes out, the clearer it is that this community was not treated according to the usual protocols. It was almost as if regulators didn’t believe them and thought their health wasn’t important. In studying the history of environmental justice, you see over and over that it generally takes longer for poor communities to be heard when they make complaints. Government officials received complaints in April 2014 expressing that something was wrong with the water in Flint. If regulators at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality had had to drink that water, or serve it to their children, their response would have been different. You’ve written about the role of race in government responses to disasters and public health crises. Do you see parallels between Flint’s situation and other cases? There’s a reason for the title of my book, “The Wrong Complexion for Protection: How the Government Response to Disaster Endangers African American Communities.” We reviewed 80 years of disaster responses, from the 1927 Mississippi River flood to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the BP oil spill in 2010. What we found was that government is disproportionately slower to respond to disasters when communities of color are involved. Unequal protection is a reality. The right to clean air, clean water and safe places for kids to play is something that affluent communities take for granted. But many low-income and minority communities don’t get parks, or street lights, or housing code enforcement, or safe drinking water. The cumulative environmental stresses in these neighborhoods create a toxic stew. And then government agencies don’t respond when people complain. The government’s nonresponse to Flint’s water crisis is on the scale of the federal nonresponse to Hurricane Katrina. Why do you think regulators may discount complaints from low-income and minority communities? Do they think those residents don’t vote, or are uninformed about the issues they are complaining about? We still have biases toward poor people in our society. When residents say that brown water is coming out of their taps, there’s an attitude that it’s not a big deal and they should tolerate it. That attitude turns poor and minority communities into environmental sacrifice zones, where polluting facilities are clustered, because the view is that they already have factories or incinerators there and residents are used to it, so why not add a few more? If you try to put industrial facilities in affluent neighborhoods, residents mobilize with lawyers and scientists, and they tell elected officials that those installations are “not a fit” for their neighborhoods. On the other hand, Flint is in receivership, so you have people running the city who are caretakers and don’t know a lot about it or have a personal connection to it. One of your early books, “Dumping in Dixie,” described environmental racism in southern states. Do you think the problem is equally urgent in other regions of the United States, such as the Midwest, or does it vary? Environmental injustice is not unique to the South. For example, Dorceta Taylor and Paul Mohai at the University of Michigan have shown that African Americans and Latinos in Detroit are disproportionately impacted by polluting industries and hazards. What’s happening in Flint is just a continuation of that pattern. Are there opportunities for progress in Flint’s water crisis? We need to look at the interactions between communities and state regulatory agencies, and between state regulators and federal regulators. The EPA has 10 regional offices across the United States, and often those offices’ relationships with state agencies exclude threatened communities from discussions. The key question is how to provide equal protection to disenfranchised communities and make sure their voices are heard. The EPA has proposed revisions to its regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal funding. Last week at an EPA listening session in Houston, I urged the agency to strengthen its standards and police environmental discrimination more aggressively. We have one set of laws and regulations, and they should be enforced equally across the board. Flint residents deserve the same level of protection as any other Americans. By Robert D. Bullard, Dean, School of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.Apple on Friday dealt a serious legal blow to HTC and the Android platform in general. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge has ruled that HTC infringed on two patents Apple submitted in a March 2010 complaint. Naturally, HTC appealed the judgement to the six ITC commissioners, who will ultimately have the final say on the patent verdict. But it’s easily possible their decision, which is due by Dec. 6, will uphold the judge’s initial ruling. The ruling is scary for competition because it could ultimately lead to the ban of all HTC Android devices and, to take things to the extreme, the ban of all Google Android phones and tablets. The two patents ruled to be infringing appear to be vital to the Android OS itself, so other companies’ Android products will be in Apple’s sights too. “I have looked at those patents before and they appear to be very fundamental,” writes Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents. “They are very likely to be infringed by code that is at the core of Android. This could in a worst-case scenario result in an import ban against many or even all Android-based HTC products in the U.S. market.” The two patents relate to how data is processed. The first patent is described as a “system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data,” which Apple says applies, for example, to tapping a phone number and being prompted options to call or look it up on the web. The second is described as a “real-time signal processing system for serially transmitted data,” which Apple says relates to data processed in real-time applications. While the worst case scenario in this individual case is the ban of HTC Android products, Apple could use the same patents to attack all Android device manufacturers in court. Apple has already filed a compliant against Motorola with the same two patents, and there’s no telling which other companies could expect to see similar lawsuits. Apple additionally has been in legal tussle with Samsung since April. The two companies have filed ITC complaints against each other with each asking for an import ban on the other’s products. A less disastrous scenario for HTC would involve the company taking out certain features from its products and/or paying Apple licensing fees to use the patents, if Apple wants to offer that option. HTC is already paying licensing fees to Microsoft for every Android phone it sells, a strategy which seems to be paying off quite well for Microsoft. Paying out additional fees to Apple could end up being a major hit to HTC’s revenues, but it’s certainly better than some alternative outcomes. Personally, I see strong competition between mobile manufacturers as an asset to the U.S. market, and the rivalry between platforms has created a wealth of smartphone options. Between the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, and BlackBerry platforms, users have some great choices. It would be an absolute shame if the strongest competitor to the iPhone was barred from the U.S. for having some OS similarities. I would rather see Apple win the mobile war by offering a better product — not a better legal strategy.The first week of the fantasy playoffs has arrived (for Yahoo default leagues), which means a poor lineup decision could prove to be a season-ending mistake. To help you avoid some potential Week 14 pitfalls (full season or daily), here's a few players I expect to look better/worse than usual on Sunday/Monday. STARTS Scroll to continue with content Ad QB - Brian Hoyer, Hou vs NE ($28 in DFS) - Here's a reliable option for any owner scrounging for an upgrade to Matt Ryan or, say, Drew Brees (see Sits below) this week. Since taking the starting role back from Ryan Mallett in Week 4, Hoyer has delivered 2-3 TD passes in each of the seven games in which he played the entire contest - he was knocked out (concussion) of the Week 10 affair at Cincy. If Hoyer hits the average of what opposing QBs manage against the Patriots (261 passing YPG) to go with his usual 2-3 TD tosses - a very reasonable projection - he's likely to land inside the top 15 QB plays for the week. And it certainly doesn't hurt Hoyer's cause that he has some background with the Pats' defense, having played there the first three seasons of his career. [Yahoo Daily Fantasy: $10 could win you $30K in our $300K contest for Week 14] Story continues RB - Eddie Lacy, GB vs Dal ($18) - Call me crazy, but I'm backing the big lug this week despite his doghouse-aided dud (5 carries, 4 yards) in Week 13, brought about by Lacy missing curfew the night before Thursday's showdown with Detroit. Before that, though, Lacy was forcing his way back into our good graces with back-to-back 100-yard efforts, including a season-best 139 total yards and a TD against Chicago in Week 12. This week, Lacy and head coach Mike McCarthy had a kumbaya moment, talking through their issues. And McCarthy said that Lacy looks "rejuvenated" in practice this week, while also stating that the Green Bay backfield lead is wide open for the taking. Translation: step to the plate, Mr. Lacy, and take advantage of the opportunity. I think he'll do just that against a Dallas defense that has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to the RB position. RB - Theo Riddick, Det at StL ($12) - I love Riddick in a "Flex flyer" kind of way this week, especially in leagues that offer any kind of PPR compensation. Riddick leads all running backs in receptions (60), and ranks No. 19 in overall PPR scoring at the RB position. And he's facing a Rams defense that has been burnt often by RBs in the passing game - third-most receiving yards (672) allowed to running backs. Riddick had 10 catches for 53 yards and a TD against another blitz-heavy NFC West opponent (Arizona) back in Week 5. He could post a similar line this week. WR - Tyler Lockett, Sea at Bal ($15) - Lockett was targeted a season-high seven times last week, catching all seven passes for 90 yards. Expect him to sustain a prominent role in the offense this week at Baltimore. Seattle loves to use him on bubble screens, as he's adept at running after the catch in tight spaces. And he's got the jets to also take the top off a defense with the deep ball. Against a Baltimore defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to the WR position, I like the potential for Lockett to come up with a big play or two (and don't rule out the possibility that one of those big plays comes in the return game). WR - Jordan Matthews, Phi vs Buf ($19) - It's fair to say that I haven't been Matthews' biggest fan this season. But I'm intrigued by his upside this week against the Bills. Matthews has managed to find the end zone in each of the past two games despite few yards (96 combined in those two games). But I think the yards could flow for him this week as the Bills are down top corner Stephon Gilmore (shoulder). And in the slot, where Matthews does most of his damage, he'll square off against Buffalo's diminutive Nickell Roby, who has been one of the most generous slot covers this season. TE - Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, TB vs NO ($12) - ASJ finally made his long-awaited return from a shoulder injury last week, but was able to muster just a 3/31 line against Atlanta. The silver lining is that he was targeted six times despite playing just 21 snaps. Now that he has a game under his belt after a 10-week layoff, expect his workload to grow. And his likely uptick in snaps comes at the perfect time, as he'll face a Saints defense that has allowed (by a wide margin) the most fantasy points to the TE position. [Week 14 rankings: Quarterback \| Running Back \| Receiver \| Tight End \| Flex \| All Positions] SITS QB - Drew Brees, NO at TB ($36) - There's some that think Brees could air it out 50 times this week with RB Mark Ingram out for the year. But now he's lost go-to WR Brandin Cooks (concussion), as well, leaving the Saints' offense thin on true play-making talent. Even a pass-heavy approach might not be able to save Brees this week. And Brees will be on the road, where he's averaged 11.3 fantasy points fewer than he has in home contests. The matchup is also something less than a slam dunk for Brees, as Tampa Bay has allowed 22% fewer fantasy points to QBs than the league average over the past five weeks. And Brees posted just 255 passing yards, a TD and an INT in his Week 2 meeting with the Bucs, which was played in New Orleans. RB - Darren McFadden, Dal at GB ($23) - McFadden tallied just 59 total yards last week, but he salvaged his fantasy line with a TD, just his third of the season. Goal line opportunities are rare for Run-DMC, especially with Matt Cassel at QB - not exactly a ripe scenario for red zone opportunities. In fact, McFadden's five goal line rushes ranks 25th among running backs, despite the eighth-most carries (183) in the league. Facing a Green Bay defense allowing just 3.7 YPC to opposing RBs, Run-DMC lacks top 20 appeal at the RB position this week. RB - Danny Woodhead, SDG at KC ($21 - This may seem obvious to some (benching Woodhead), but he still ranks inside the top 30 among RBs in Start% in Yahoo leagues this week. He's not even in my top 40, as he'll face a Chiefs defense that he posted just 16 yards (on seven touches) against in Week 11. And only nine of those yards (on one catch) came through the air. Kansas City, since the beginning of the '14 season, has been the stingiest defense in the league in terms of allowing receiving production to the RB position. Woodhead ranks 55th among RBs in fantasy points over the past three weeks and has a brutal matchup. This is not the setup you are looking for in the opening week of your fantasy playoffs. WR - T.Y. Hilton, Ind at Jac ($23) - Road warrior is definitely not a label that is going to be attached to Hilton any time soon. While he's ranked inside the top 10 among WRs in fantasy points per game at home this season, he doesn't even crack the top 50 in terms of per game value on the road. In his past three road trips, he's averaging 24 yards and no touchdowns. Earlier this season, he faced Jacksonville at home, and only put up 67 yards (and no TD). And that was with a fresh Matt Hasselbeck behind center. Beleaguered (with neck/rib injuries) is the best way to describe Hasselbeck's condition as he travels to Jacksonville for a rematch with the Jags. Going on the road with backup QB Charlie Whitehurst in a dangerously close position to actually taking snaps on Sunday, I'm steering way clear of Hilton this week. WR - Jeremy Maclin, KC vs SD ($22) - Yes, I'm aware that Maclin has been a top 5 fantasy wideout over the past two weeks. But I'm also aware that the game before his recent run of success, he posted a 3/29 line against the same Chargers defense that he'll face this weekend. In San Diego's Jason Verrett I trust. The Chargers' shutdown corner has a laundry list of go-to receivers that he has held below ( in some cases, way below) their season averages - see Antonio Brown, A.J. Green, Calvin Johnson, Maclin and others. The Chargers have been generous to every skill position this season, save receivers (sixth-fewest fantasy PPG allowed to WRs). And the biggest reason for that success is Verrett - which spells trouble for Maclin in Week 14. TE - Jason Witten, Dal at GB ($13) - Witten held this spot last week, and since he's still No. 8 among TEs in Start% this week, I'm going to double down on him this week. To cover the same argument territory from last week, Witten has not scored a TD since Week 1, and has averaged just 4.5 fantasy points from Week 2 to present. That mark lands at No. 22 among tight ends with at least seven games played in that span. Green Bay has been fairly generous to tight ends this season but that makes little difference for Witten, who has come up short time and again, be it good matchup or bad.After two seasons of crime-solving on cult favorite Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, amateur detective Phry
undisclosed settlement with Disney over this tragedy, but it’s also possible they simply decided that a lawsuit was not going to change anything, at least not anything important. Disney has already gone to great lengths to make sure something like this won’t happen again — removing hundreds of alligators from its lakes and putting up a lot of warning signs. So what is money going to bring? The parents of the cheerleader may believe they can change the outcome. Yippee! Their daughter gets to be on the squad. What they will not change is that their daughter was not good enough to make it on her own. Nor will a lawsuit change the minds of the adults who thought she was unqualified to begin with. When everyone runs to court at the drop of a hat…it means that our first inclination becomes to blame others for our misfortunes and never to forgive, let alone give anyone else the benefit of the doubt. All these frivolous lawsuits do is make an overly litigious society more so. When everyone runs to court at the drop of a hat (or the drop of a rock on someone’s toe), it means that everything is more expensive, that no one can go about their jobs or their lives without fear of lawsuits and that everything costs more. It also means that our first inclination becomes to blame others for our misfortunes and never to forgive, let alone give anyone else the benefit of the doubt. And rather than use our legal system to achieve justice, we use it to settle scores. All this, in turn, will take its toll on our families, our schools and our communities. Last fall, two families in Sunnyvale, Calif., sued a third, whose 11-year- old son has been diagnosed with severe autism. Neighbors allege that he has in the past several years hit other children and bitten an adult who lived across the street. Neighbors want him declared a “public nuisance” and want unspecified damages for the harm done to their children. They also claim that the boy’s behavior has had an “as-yet unquantified chilling effect on the otherwise ‘hot’ local real-estate market” and that “people feel constrained in the marketability of their homes as this issue remains unresolved and the nuisance remains unabated.” In September, Superior Court Judge Maureen A. Folan asked the parties: “The question I have for each and every one of you is: Do you want to be solution-oriented and a great role model for your kids? Or do you want to be the opposite of that, and be litigation-oriented?” For more and more Americans, it seems the answer is the latter. From life’s small nuisances to its great tragedies, it seems that we can no longer accept bad luck as an explanation for things going wrong. Nor can we imagine taking any personal responsibility for making things better. Instead stomp our feet and demand that someone “make us whole again.” But God knows that’s not what courts are for. Check out the heartbreaking testimony of a man that was laid off by Disney:Warring clans (cable vs. broadband) battle over unfathomable riches (revenues of $5.4 billion last year) and golden idols (Emmys), with fire-breathing dragons circling overhead (oh, wait, that's just Nic Pizzolatto). Now, the network chiefs reveal the dramatic boardroom backstory on how "HB-Over" became HB-Over-the-Top. This story first appeared in the June 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. It was two years ago, on May 30, 2013, that Richard Plepler stood onstage at a New York media conference and declared that he had no plans to upend the cable ecosystem with a broadband-only version of HBO. "For right now," the CEO said, "we have the right model for our business." The comment echoed one that his boss, Time Warner's Jeff Bewkes, had made on an earnings call a month earlier: "We don't think it makes sense." Behind closed doors in Seattle, however, a growing team of engineers was hard at work on the very product being denied. The top-secret project would be HBO's answer to younger, scrappier and fast-growing Netflix, giving HBO access to a whopping 10 million more subscribers — the "cord-cutters" and "cord-nevers"— who had remained beyond the reach of even the most successful pay cable channel until now. But like so many secret projects, this one was enormously dangerous: After all, those HBO engineers were meddling with a decades-old, multibillion-dollar system of cable- and satellite-television distribution. If things went wrong — and especially if they went right — it could lay waste to the entire cable paradigm, a long-protected business model that still provides HBO with roughly 75 percent of its annual revenue. Plepler dropped the bombshell — HBO indeed would be launching a broadband-only subscription service — at Time Warner's investor day in October 2014. Five months later, he was back onstage at Apple's Spring Forward event in San Francisco, filling in the details of HBO Now, an over-the-top service that for $14.99 a month (nearly double what Netflix charges) would allow viewers to watch Game of Thrones and other HBO programming without having to sign a contract with a cable provider. "This is the single boldest decision that anybody in the existing cable-satellite ecosystem of programmers has ever made," says BTIG media analyst Rich Greenfield. "There is no doubt that Richard's partners" — the cable companies — "didn't want him to do it. And he did it anyway." Welcome to HBO's next chapter, the equal parts critical, aggressive and altogether risky bid to court the next generation of subscribers. But if Plepler has any concerns about rankling those deep-pocketed distributors, he's not letting on. "Nobody is doing us any favors selling HBO," he said the day he announced Now. In Plepler's estimation, so long as HBO continues to deliver a slate of must-have programming, distributors will need the network as much as (if not more than) the network needs them. And for all of the buzz surrounding rival Netflix — the rapid growth, the soaring stock price (a 52-week high of $692.79 on June 10) — HBO has never been stronger. Plepler, 56, and his Los Angeles-based programming chief Michael Lombardo, 59, recently delivered HBO's biggest subscriber uptick in 30 years, rounding out 2014 with 31.4 million domestic subscribers, according to SNL Kagan (well ahead of Showtime's 22.8 million and narrowing the gap with Netflix's 37.7 million). Revenue and operating income were up, too, clocking in at $5.4 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively, the latter dwarfing that of Netflix by a wide margin. It was enough to catch the eye of 21st Century Fox's Rupert Murdoch, who in 2014 made an unsolicited — and ultimately rebuffed — $80 billion play for Time Warner, centered in part on his desire for HBO, which reportedly was valued at more than $20 billion at the time. Not long after, Bewkes said he had no plans to spin off his crown jewel — despite continued urgings from some on Wall Street, who note that Netflix, with fewer global subscribers than HBO and a dependence on licensed content, is now valued at nearly $40 billion. Unlike so many of the channels rushing toward an on-demand future — CBS announced its stand-alone service a day after Now — HBO is uniquely positioned for a brave new broadband world. For one thing, it has proved it knows how to make shows people will pay to watch, particularly now, as the network is enjoying a second renaissance that rivals the Sopranos era, with such hits as Game of Thrones, Veep and Silicon Valley. Even the network's nonfiction fare, led by six-part docuseries The Jinx, Scientology doc Going Clear and late-night Peabody winner Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, have tapped the cultural zeitgeist, making HBO the envy of Netflix — not the other way around. On June 21, HBO will add a pair of testosterone-fueled new editions — Dwayne Johnson's sports dramedy Ballers and the Jack Black-Tim Robbins political half-hour The Brink — along with a second installment of the drama juggernaut True Detective. And the network will ramp up from there, with plans for more of the addictive Robert Durst docuseries, a not-yet-announced 1970s porn drama from The Wire's David Simon and, if all goes as planned, a platform for ESPN cast-off Bill Simmons. While HBO executives are staying mum, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the network is in talks for a major multipart deal with the biggest media personality in sports (more on that later). "This is the most exciting inflection point in the history of our company," says Plepler as we sit down for dinner at The Peninsula hotel during one of his frequent trips west in late May; across the street, at The Beverly Hilton, his latest batch of shows, led by Silicon Valley and the miniseries Olive Kitteridge, was dominating the Critics' Choice TV Awards. "Our opportunities to reach new consumers have never been more expansive, and the array of talent that wants to work with us has never been greater." ••• The new era at HBO began with the sudden (and messy) collapse of the previous one. In the wee hours of May 6, 2007, the network's longtime CEO, Chris Albrecht, was arrested and charged with assaulting his then girlfriend in the parking lot of a Las Vegas hotel. Three days later, the dynamic, combustible architect of HBO's golden age was forced to resign. "Everybody was saying, 'It's over,' " recalls WME co-CEO Ari Emanuel. With no clear heir apparent, the programming reins were handed to Plepler, who had spent the bulk of his lengthy HBO tenure as the in-house PR guy, and Lombardo, who had come up through the network's business affairs division and had even less creative experience. But it wasn't until the two settled into their new positions — the former as co-president, the latter his head of programming — that they fully appreciated the mess they'd inherited. Somewhere between the iconic Tony Soprano and the forgettable John (From Cincinnati), the once high-flying network had lost its way. The development cupboards had been left relatively bare, and there was a feeling around Hollywood that doing business with HBO was tough. "There was a little bit of hubris," notes Plepler, "and hubris caused a little bit of complacency." Headlines like "From Hitmen to Hitless?" began appearing in the press, and rivals took their shots. "It was painful to read executives at competitive networks say 'HB-Over,' " says Lombardo, referencing a dig by Showtime's Matthew Blank in The New York Times. The initial signs of turnaround wouldn't come until late 2008 with the debut of Albrecht holdover True Blood, on which Plepler and Lombardo made their first big bet. Very little about the quirky vampire show made sense for the old HBO, which had prioritized awards attention and New York Times praise over popularity. "True Blood wasn't built for [New York Times TV critic] Alessandra Stanley to wrap her arms around it," explains Lombardo, seated in his Santa Monica corner office in mid-May. Indeed, Stanley wrote that the show wasn't nearly as "inventive" as creator Alan Ball's earlier effort, Six Feet Under, calling Blood "a comic murder mystery that is a little too enthralled with its own exoticism." But it was fresh, and it grew — and grew. At its peak, Blood pulled in 13 million weekly viewers and played a key role in changing the network's — and its new leaders' — narrative. Adds Lombardo, "I don't think we've ever discussed it, but in my mind it was [representative of a] broadening and redefining of what we do in programming." That show would pave the way for Game of Thrones, based on the best-selling fantasy tomes by George R.R. Martin, and a decidedly more populist era at HBO. Lombardo, more artsy intellect than genre fanboy, was not instantly sold on the show. "The fantasy genre was uncharted territory for HBO and not seen by most people in programming as a good fit for viewers over 14," recall showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff in a jointly crafted email. If Thrones came off like a thinner version of The Lord of the Rings, Lombardo feared they'd be screwed. Internal doubts intensified when the BBC pulled out as a partner (allegedly fearful that British viewers would be turned off), leaving HBO to take on the reported $6 million-an-episode gamble by itself. But in early 2010, Plepler and Lombardo, having scored with vampires, announced their next play indeed would be dragons: Game of Thrones was ordered for a 10-episode first season. Again, The New York Times pounced. "If you are not averse to the Dungeons & Dragons aesthetic, the series might be worth the effort. If you are nearly anyone else, you will hunger for HBO to get back to the business of languages for which we already have a dictionary," critic Ginia Bellafante wrote when the series premiered in April 2011, asking at one point, "What is Game of Thrones doing on HBO?" Half a decade later, Thrones not only has become the biggest show in HBO's history, delivering a weekly audience of 19.1 million viewers, but also a calling card for the network, with the vast majority of critics lavishing it with praise. (Awards remain elusive, a sore spot for HBO executives for whom Emmys still are key.) Eager to replicate Thrones' success, HBO has loaded up on other period and "otherworld" epics, including adaptations of the futuristic sci-fi film Westworld (from J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan) and the U.K. genre conspiracy thriller Utopia (David Fincher and Gone Girl's Gillian Flynn). The noisier, the better, suggests HBO's drama chief Michael Ellenberg, who says of the crowded landscape, "Your biggest fear is that you put something out there and no one gives a shit." But mounting that next batch of would-be blockbusters won't come easy. Already, Westworld has blown its initial plan to launch later this year. "The pilot is a really powerful starting point," says Lombardo, "but when you're doing a series, you go, 'OK, so what's the next episode? What's bringing you in?' You can't just be a spectacle every week." Looking ahead, the network's 32-person programming team wants to layer in some more contemporary dramas, too, with insiders talking up plans to have The Wire's Simon tackle a political drama. And though True Detective's Nic Pizzolatto has proved a handful, even for a network that has a long history of handfuls, Lombardo is hopeful the first-time creator will want to take on another installment of his runaway hit, which became the network's most-watched freshman series ever when it aired in 2014. Though vampires and dragons are unlikely to infiltrate HBO's half-hours, those, too, are being reconceived for a broader audience. Once synonymous with Entourage and Sex and the City, the network's comedy brand had shrunk in scope in recent years with narrower series like Looking and Girls. Then came Mike Judge's 2014 sendup Silicon Valley, the network's most watched comedy since Entourage, which has given executives at the network confidence that it can do smart and mass appeal in one package. "We have a lot of indie-feeling shows with Togetherness, Girls and Getting On; and I love them, and we've had great success with them, but you want to make sure you don't have too much of one thing," explains HBO comedy chief Casey Bloys. The next two, Ballers and The Brink, expressly are designed to draw a larger audience. One thing is certain: Nobody is questioning the choice of Plepler and Lombardo any longer, least of all Bewkes, who praises their leadership and their dynamic slate. "Think about the range: Game of Thrones, John Oliver, Silicon Valley, Girls and then culture-changing miniseries and movies," says the Time Warner chief. "It's the biggest magnet for talent in the TV landscape." Over time, both executives have gotten more comfortable in their positions — particularly Lombardo, who hadn't anticipated how hands-on he'd want to be, so much so that his role became redundant with that of Sue Naegle, whom he'd hired as his entertainment president back in 2008. (Naegle segued into a producer role in 2013.) Though Plepler, the more gregarious of the two, has had to scale back his creative involvement since he was elevated to CEO, he still talks to Lombardo multiple times daily, reads every script before it's ordered and remains in close touch with the network's key talent. In fact, it was Plepler who took the pitch from Jinx filmmaker Andrew Jarecki at his Greenwich, Conn., home. Those who work closely with Plepler and Lombardo suggest they've found a symbiotic groove that's rare in creative partnerships, particularly those separated by 3,000 miles. "I feel deeply understood by them," says Girls creator Lena Dunham, who adds, "They're both just incredibly thoughtful people whom you would love to introduce to your grandma." ••• The biggest risk that HBO faces creatively is one of its own making. With more than 100 projects said to be in development, HBO is in constant danger of becoming a victim of its own success — so clogged with talent that the next Lena Dunham or David Chase will go elsewhere. The familiar refrain, "HBO buys too much," came up at an early May retreat, during which WME TV head Rick Rosen was invited to speak candidly about the industry's landscape and HBO's place in it. Sandwiched between praise, Rosen is said to have told executives huddled at the Beverly Wilshire hotel that this bottleneck is the chief criticism of the network. It's an issue that even one of HBO's most beloved writers, Simon, has raised as well. "There's always something that's not getting made or not getting made fast enough, and that can be frustrating," he says. Simon's next HBO project is the miniseries Show Me a Hero, about a public housing development in Yonkers, N.Y. Fortunately for Lombardo, getting a project in the door at HBO is, for most writers and producers, worth the risk of getting trapped in development hell. Notes one agent: "Worst-case scenario, you get some heat for your client. Best-case scenario, you get a show on HBO." But competitors, including Netflix and Amazon, are preying on those turned off by the lengthy queue at HBO, aggressively touting their willingness to move quickly and slap shows on the air. That swiftness is said to have been the key to Netflix, rather than HBO, landing Kyle Chandler's Bloodline and the upcoming mind-bender The OA from Brit Marling. While HBO's Ellenberg balks at the critique — "If the show is great, we'll make it," he says — Lombardo acknowledges that he and his team could and should improve. "We've got to get better at saying no," he says, noting that they've "over-rotated" in an attempt to fill the development pipeline. But the reasons for the overload run deeper. Among them is the increasingly frenzied pace of dealmaking, driven by agents who, emboldened by the explosion of buyers, have become much more aggressive about packaging projects with top talent and demanding bigger orders. "I literally get calls [from agents] once a day: 'OK, we're coming in and this is gonna go fast,' " says Lombardo, who worries the current climate threatens to kill TV's golden age. "It feels like the movie business 20 years ago, when people were paying crazy sums of money for scripts and packages, and it ended up resulting in decades of bad movies." There's also an influx of top-tier film talent migrating to TV, which Lombardo acknowledges he finds seductive, even if he shouldn't. While there are plenty of exceptions, including Girls' Dunham and True Detective's Pizzolatto, HBO long has been accused of favoring established names (many of them with a shelf of awards) over up-and-comers. In 2012, Homeland showrunner Alex Gansa told THR, "I had been developing at HBO [with limited success] for a couple of years, and I knew the mountain that you had to climb there, the people that you were competing against and, frankly, the star-f—ing that goes on." And though HBO executives are loath to admit it, they've been forced to do some amount of defensive buying, too — to prevent a "pass" from turning into another network's breakthrough, as Mad Men did for AMC, Transparent for Amazon and Orange Is the New Black for Netflix. (HBO famously passed on all three.) But for all the upstart competitors with their signature shows, conversations with two dozen top producers and their representatives reveal that HBO remains the most desirable place to be — because it has the audience, the budgets, the promotional muscle and, perhaps most important, the most experience turning good ideas into great TV. "Anyone who tells you they want to be somewhere else is lying, or they couldn't get on the air at HBO," gripes one top rep, who requested anonymity for fear of offending other buyers. WME's Emanuel has no such worries. "They're the creme de la creme, and when you do get on, it's a big statement that you're the best," he says, adding: "So, yes, people are complaining, [but] you want to know why? It's not easy to look in the mirror and say, 'I didn't match up.' " In what perhaps is the strongest endorsement of HBO's culture, the network's roster is heavy on producers, including Martin Scorsese, Mark Wahlberg and Terence Winter, who keep coming back. "They're never driven by cowardice in the sense that, 'Oh, people may not like that or they might not understand it,' " says Winter, who's prepping his third series for HBO, a '70s-set rock 'n' roll drama with producers Scorsese and Mick Jagger. "There's certainly never a note that's born of the kind of discomfort or fear you get from a network." To that end, Simon, who by his own calculation has produced 114 hours of programming for the network, has found the quickest way to get a note off the table at HBO is to suggest it feels more like a broadcast note. "They bristle," he says. "Nothing could be more damning, which speaks well to the culture there." The money at HBO can be considerably bigger, too, a draw even for those who like to believe they're in it for the art. Reps say the initial profit points that HBO doles out are relatively meaningless, but Lombardo and team have a strong track record of adjusting deals over time to richly reward their talent. Top HBO producers, like The Sopranos' David Chase and Sex and the City's Darren Star, can expect to make in the mid-eight figures over the course of a series run. (Netflix, by contrast, frontloads its deals, which can mean more money up front but no opportunity for an HBO-size home run.) "HBO is the most fair place in town, by a mile," says one top dealmaker. "And if you have a hit show there, you make more money there than anywhere else on cable." ••• The revolution that could turn HBO into a broadband behemoth began with a hunch Plepler had a year and a half ago. Shortly after moving into the CEO suite in early 2013, he became so convinced that the public had the wrong idea about HBO — that it somehow was staid and mature, that its offerings were no different from those of Netflix — he hired a political pollster, Doug Schoen, to look into it. Schoen returned months later with a bank of research that confirmed Plepler's fears — and defined the new opportunity. There were two sets of "persuadables," Schoen found, that were within reach. One was the roughly 10.5 million cable homes that didn't currently pay for HBO but conceivably would if there were a cheaper way to get it. Armed with Schoen's data, Plepler has been having conversations with his cable and satellite partners about offering HBO as something other than just a costly "add-on" atop an already pricey basic cable bundle. The other opportunity: those 10 million broadband-only homes, which Schoen felt confident could be lured if they had a better handle on what they were paying for. "We hadn't done a particularly good job of explaining the value proposition of HBO," says Plepler, as he rattles off the network's lesser known assets, including 2,800 hours of library programming, 30-plus annual documentaries and first-run films from four Hollywood studios. He harps on the latter, noting that 40 percent of his existing subscriber base watches only movies on HBO. Later this year, the network will mount a massive marketing campaign designed to sell the scope and scale of HBO — and not just its latest series. But the company's next phase will need to be as much about how HBO is programmed as how it is marketed. With the advent of HBO Now, it has an opportunity not only to attract a new generation of viewers but also to bring in substantial revenue that could be poured right back into programming. (HBO executives say only that they're "pleased" with Now's launch but decline to release subscriber metrics.) Lombardo finds himself dreaming about a day soon when he can dole out more series orders. Already, his team has given consideration to the Now subset — the average Now subscriber is 35; HBO linear's is 43 — as it plots new programming. "We've become more aware of needing to service an audience that may not be interested in watching an Emmy Award-winning miniseries," says Lombardo, who in recent weeks has handed out orders for an animated Duplass brothers comedy about gender-questioning pigeons and aging bedbugs and a reefer comedy from the pair behind Vimeo's hit High Maintenance. Adding a daily Vice newscast, which is expected to focus on news and politics, is another step at trying to satiate the appetite of the on-demand demographic. Lombardo won't rule out other talk shows, too, particularly if the right personality comes along. Though he's tight-lipped about names on his wish list, he acknowledges the soon-to-be available Jon Stewart would hold appeal. "Trust me," he says, "I've already had a very polite conversation." Considerably more likely is Simmons, whom the network is said to have made a big play for after his unceremonious booting from the more corporate ESPN. Such a move would be straight out of the HBO playbook, which famously provided a creative reprieve for former ABC flameout Bill Maher many years earlier. Though Simmons is said to have several suitors, insiders say conversations at HBO have focused on a TV show — something Simmons is believed to want — along with heavy digital extensions that make the prolific personality tailor-made for the HBO Now era. HBO executives have been showing an increased willingness to experiment with its business model, too, adding programs from outside studios (Warner Bros.' The Leftovers and Westworld). And for the first time, they also are discussing the possibility of shopping never-aired HBO properties elsewhere and are considering expanding the Now library to include acquired programming in previously untapped genres like children shows. With HBO Now, they are eager to shake up the format as well, both in terms of length (expect shortform series) and structure (playing with points of view). When High Maintenance's husband-and-wife creators, Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair, came in to discuss their next show, they told Lombardo they weren't interested in the traditional half-hour format. His response: "Fine. You want to do 15 minutes? 10? Doesn't matter." And perhaps it really doesn't. With HBO envisioning a future untethered from the old cable paradigm, a 10-minute stoner comedy could well become a breakout hit. All it needs are enough people willing to shell out $14.99 to watch it. June 17th, 1 p.m.: Updated to reflect that David Simon is now working on a political drama, which is not Borgen, for the network.By Pesto Spinach Stuffed Shells sound good, don’t they? I’ve always wanted to make stuffed shells but something always scared me away from them. Growing up my mom’s manicotti was one of my most loved meals. While reading the recipe I noticed a twist in her recipe that included this store-bought pesto. I didn’t even realize they made jarred pesto but was instantly intrigued. My best friend is big on pesto and collects basil from everyone all summer long. She pays us back with pesto. It’s delicious but by this time my freezer is empty. The recipe didn’t fit what I wanted (hubby has to have lots of cheeses) but I wanted to try her pesto twist with my style filling. I think it came out pretty good. I didn’t think anyone else would like it- they won’t touch pesto- but they loved this. Well, everyone but Gavin but he wouldn’t even taste it so I won’t count him. Here’s what the pesto looks like. I found it in the same aisle as the pasta sauces. It only came in one size. Combine ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, pesto, and eggs in medium sized bowl. You can mix by hand but I used a hand mixer because it’s just easier. I ended up adding another egg and more cheese. Cheese will be a pattern in this recipe. Chop up fresh spinach and add to mixture. Take the filling and scoop it into a large gallon sized bag or freezer bag. Squeeze it down to the bottom and then snip a corner. Hold a shell in one hand and squeeze the filling into the shell. This makes it SUPER simple. Don’t be stingy. You’ll have plenty of filling! Line the shells as close as possible so you can fit as many in the pan as possible. I used almost all my filling and almost all my shells. Cover the base of the pan in the sauce before placing shells in. I used a 9×13 CorningWare piece. It’s my go-to pan and you’ll notice it’s almost the main dish I cook with. I then covered the Pesto Spinach Stuffed Shells with sauce. I’ve never made my own sauce so if you see sauce just assume it came from a jar. I then sprinkled with the leftover cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. I didn’t cover it. Five minutes before you take the shells out cover with yet another handful or two of shredded mozzarella. In my house, nothing is ever too cheesy. Use a large serving spoon to remove and plate. My hubby added even more shredded cheese at this point. These Pesto Spinach Stuffed Shells was incredibly easy to make. I don’t know why I’ve been so scared of stuffed shells over the years. I actually think lasagna itself is more of a pain then these. These are great for entertaining as well as only a few can be rather filling so just bread and a salad are the perfect compliments. We had lots of leftovers and we averaged 3-4 shells each. 5.0 from 2 reviews Print Author: MomSpotted.com Recipe type: Dinner Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins Serves: 4-6 A recipe you'll make over and over again once you realize how simple and tasty it is! Ingredients 1 pkg jumbo pasta shells 32 oz container ricotta cheese 4 cups shredded mozzarella 2 cups shredded parmesan 1 jar basil pesto 2 eggs 2 cups fresh spinach 1 jar pasta sauce Instructions Preheat oven to 350. Cook shells as directed. I did add a bit of olive oil and a bay leaf as I do all my pasta shells. That's optional. Combine ricotta, eggs, basil pesto, 1 cup parmesan, and 2 cups mozzarella in medium bowl and mix. Chop fresh spinach into small pieces and add to mixture and mix well. Add mixture to gallon sized bag and snip the corner. Add mixture to shells. Place in 9x13 baker with pasta sauce on bottom of the pan. Fill with shells as close together as possible. Cover with sauce and remaining parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the last cup of mozzarella and bake 5 additional minutes. Remove and serve. Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 2.1.7It’s been just under two weeks since his political career imploded in spectacularly casual fashion, so let’s check in with the lovable and charismatic Chris Christie. Now that it’s clear the New Jersey governor is more likely to serve time in federal prison than he is to fetch even so much as a McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish in President-elect Donald Trump’s White House, Christie is free to do things like actually govern. In Jersey—where Christie is implicated in the creation a life-threatening, record-breaking traffic jam, punishment for a mayor who dared not endorse his Goodfellas-style governance—this involves going on talk radio to engage with the people on their level. Or, failing that, to drag them down with him. In the latest installment of “Ask the Governor” on New Jersey 101.5 FM, a caller had the temerity to suggest to Christie that taxing recreational marijuana could be a source of income for the state—just as it’s been in Colorado, Washington, and literally every other place in the union that decided to give regulation a chance rather than letting the cartels have a monopoly on cannabis. As thoughtful and subtle as a garbage-collection truck with no brakes as always, Christie took this as an opportunity to both berate the caller—and tell a few convenient lies. “Are you high right now?” the governor asked the caller. “To me, legalization of marijuana for tax purposes, and you can’t justify it any other way, is blood money.” “I have watched too many kids start their addiction with alcohol and marijuana and then move on to much more serious drugs,” he added. “And every study shows marijuana is a gateway drug.” As for legalizing cannabis? Christie would rather stand in the George Washington Bridge traffic he created than see it happen. In fact he vowed to be the state’s very own Jersey barrier, blocking drug-policy reform any way he can. “You’re damn right I’m the only impediment,” he said, before comparing cannabis legalization to legalizing heroin (which we do; it’s called “Oxycontin,” Chris) as well as cocaine and PCP. “There’s nothing we spend in government” that would justify taxing cannabis in Jersey—a state where gambling is legal, mind you—because that would involve “willfully poison[ing] our children for that money,” he continued, in full-on Alex Jones-mode. “That’s blood money.” You can watch the full exchange below. Now that we’ve wiped the spittle from our lips and our microphones, let’s unpack this rant for a second. This should come as no surprise. This is the same Chris Christie who vowed to use the powers of the White House to sabotage Colorado’s successful legalization program—a fine display of conservative, small-government “values”—and who has done just about everything in his constitutional powers to subvert his state’s medical marijuana program. Keep in mind that a limited legalization scheme is supported by 58 percent of New Jersey voters, according to a 2015 poll. Yet the Turnpike State still has draconian laws that punish simple possession of the drug with up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail—or more time behind bars for a joint than any of Christie’s former aides have yet to serve for their roles in the Bridgegate scandal. Several New Jersey lawmakers went on a fact-finding trip to Colorado to see how legalization is working there. Had Christie gone along, or bothered to Google any facts, he would know that cannabis use among teens dipped slightly after legalization, and that marijuana has helped cash-strapped cities across the state fill potholes, hire cops—and even help kids get to school. But beyond just ignoring the truth, Christie is happy to tell lies, repeating the beyond-exploded “gateway theory,” something addiction specialists disavow. Even the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that the majority of cannabis users do not go on to use other, harder drugs—and that the ones who do may have been genetically predisposed to do so anyway. Chris Christie, ladies and gentlemen. Barring a recall or an indictment in federal prison, we have more dollops of insight from the Jersey Barrier to look forward to for another 14 months.Long after President Obama’s re-election was secure, another election day result came in, one that may be of comparable significance in the long run. By a 54-46 margin, Californian voters approved Proposition 30, which raises about $6 billion a year in additional income and sales taxes to prevent further cuts in education spending. To appreciate the historic significance of this measure, it’s necessary to go back to 1978 and the passage of Proposition 13, which slashed property taxes, and imposed high barriers to any future increase in taxes. Proposition 13 heralded the beginning of a global “Tax Revolt”, and the end of a century-long trend towards an increase in the share of national income allocated to public services. In this country, the campaign was taken up by The Australian and had its echoes in the “Joh for Canberra” campaign a decade later, based on a 25% flat tax. More seriously, the Hawke government adopted the Trilogy commitment, promising not to increase the ratio of public expenditure or taxation of national income. Although the commitment was temporary, the constraint has proved durable in practice. The government revenue share of GDP was 24% in 1984, when the commitment was made, and it has remained at that level, plus or minus a couple of percentage points, ever since. More broadly, the Tax Revolt signalled the end of the postwar era, in which the social democratic welfare state provided security against the risks of unemployment, illness and poverty, and the rise of market liberalism (commonly, though misleadingly, called ‘economic rationalism’ in Australia). The rich got much richer, while the poor and middle classes did as best they could - in the US, not very well at all. In California, Proposition 13 produced a slow-motion fiscal crisis, as a succession of governors struggled to reconcile rising expenditure needs and stagnant revenues. The problems were exacerbated by the “three strikes” law of 1994, also passed by
, a Double seated Bike for the player and a friend (one per character), a Lava Flea mount (one per account), an Underground Mustafar Bunker player house (one per account), an AT-RT walker mount (one per account), a Varactyl mount (one per account). Reception [ edit ] In the United States, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided sold 370,000 copies ($16.1 million) by August 2006, after its release in June 2003. It was the country's 43rd best-selling computer game between January 2000 and August 2006. Combined sales of all Star Wars Galaxies-related games released between January 2000 and August 2006 had reached 720,000 units in the United States by the latter date.[31] Reviews for the initial launch of the game in 2003 were mostly positive. The game was praised for its lush graphics (realistic character models, detailed architecture and lush environments),[32][33][34] liberal use of the movie soundtracks, massive world size, character customization, creative creature ecology, complex skill system, player economy interdependencies and its sandbox approach. Reviewers criticized the overwhelming complexity of the game, combat imbalances of the professions, bugginess and lack of quest content.[35] The reviews for the first expansion, Jump to Lightspeed, praised the new space combat but criticized the ground game for its lack of sufficient improvement.[36] The reviews for the second expansion, Rage of the Wookiees, lauded the new quest content for current subscribers but lamented the combat gameplay updates and the continued bugginess of the game.[37] Players who wished to play a Jedi character had to first unlock their Jedi slot by fulfilling an unknown list of criteria. The first player to unlock a 'Jedi slot' did so on November 7, 2003,[38] four months after the release of the game. Players criticized SOE for the substantial time commitment to unlock a Jedi, penalties for in-game death of a Jedi character which was permanent after three deaths, and monotonous game play required to acquire the Jedi character.[39] Developers responded by changing the penalty for death to skill loss in January 2004[40] and creating a quest system to unlock the character.[41][42] Media outlets criticized the changes of the "Combat Upgrade"[43][44] while subscription cancellations rose.[45] After the New Game Enhancements were implemented in November 2005, sparking huge demonstrations in-game from the majority of players,[46] various media outlets criticized the reduced depth and complexity of the game,[47][48][49][50] but John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, defended the decision claiming it necessary to revamp the game in order to reverse the deterioration they were seeing in the subscriber base.[51] SOE offered refunds on the Trials of Obi-Wan expansion due to it being released two days before the New Game Enhancement was announced.[52] The development team affirmed this was their desired direction for the game and that they would modify parameters to address player's concerns.[53] Features such as expertise trees were later added to the game to add complexity and differentiation to characters. After the announcement that SOE had acquired the game Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Smedley addressed that game's players about the perceived threat of major changes to the game: "We've learned a thing or two with our experiences with the NGE and don't plan on repeating mistakes from the past and not listening to the players."[54] Subscriber numbers were originally expected to exceed 1,000,000.[55] In August 2005, SOE reported that they had sold 1,000,000 boxed copies of the game.[56] In early 2006, unconfirmed reports showed that only 10,363 subscribers were playing on a particular Friday night, but Smedley denied that subscriptions had fallen this low.[57] In an online interview with Reddit in July 2012, John Smedley admitted to "stupid decisions" regarding Star Wars Galaxies combat upgrade and new gaming enhancement policies,[58] and acknowledged player led emulator projects seeking to restore a free-to-play Galaxies circa April 2005, Publish 14.1, pre-Combat Upgrade, such as the SWGEmu project or the New Game Enhancements Upgrade, such as Project SWG.[58] Novelization [ edit ] Star Wars Galaxies: The Ruins of Dantooine is a novel based in part on places and events in the game. It was authored by Voronica Whitney-Robinson and Haden Blackman, the LucasArts producer of the game.[59] It was released in December 2003.[60]Sixteen Inmates Charged with First Degree Murder The Delaware Department of Justice announced indictments against 18 individuals — including charging 16 individuals with first degree murder – in connection with the February 1-2, 2017 incident at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center that resulted in the murder of Lieutenant Steven Floyd, injuries to Correctional Officers Winslow Smith and Joshua Wilkinson, and the kidnapping of counselor Patricia May. The indictments were handed up Monday by a New Castle County Grand Jury and initially were sealed by the court. The defendants are all currently incarcerated in Delaware correctional facilities and have been since Feb. 2. The indictments were initially sealed for security reasons, so that Department of Correction personnel could ensure that necessary security precautions were taken within correctional facilities to process inmates on the indictments. Sixteen individuals have each been charged with: three counts of Murder 1st Degree (intentional murder, felony murder, and recklessly causing death of a correctional officer); two counts of Assault 1st Degree (a count each regarding C.O. Smith and C. O. Wilkinson); four counts of Kidnapping 1st Degree (a count each for Lt. Floyd, C.O. Smith, C.O. Wilkinson and counselor May); one count of Riot; and one count of Conspiracy 2nd Degree (for conspiring to commit Riot): 1. Jarreau Ayers, age 36 – currently serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree and other charges 2. Abednego Baynes, age 25 – currently serving 18 years for Murder 2nd Degree 3. Kevin Berry, age 27 – currently serving 14 years for three counts of Robbery 1st Degree and other charges 4. John Bramble, age 28 – currently serving 40 years for Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Assault Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited, and Home invasion 5. Abdul-Haqq El-Qadeer, aka Louis Sierra, age 31 – currently serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree 6. Deric Forney, age 28 – currently serving 11 years for Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm By a Person Prohibited and drug charges 7. Kelly Gibbs, age 29 – currently serving 24 years 9 month sentence for Murder 2nd Degree 8. Robert Hernandez, age 36 – an inmate from New Mexico serving a 16-year sentence for Murder 2nd Degree in that state 9. Janiis Mathis, age 25 – currently serving 15 years for Assault 2nd Degree and other charges 10. Lawrence Michaels, age 31 – currently serving 19 years for Kidnapping 1st Degree, Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, Possession of a Firearm during Commission of a Felony and other charges 11. Obadiah Miller, age 25 – currently serving 10 years for Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony 12. Jonatan Rodriguez, age 25 – currently serving 40 years for Manslaughter and other charges 13. Alejandro Rodriguez-Ortiz, age 27 – currently serving 40 years for Manslaughter and other charges 14. Roman Shankaras, age 30 – currently serving 7 years for Riot and two counts of Robbery 1st 15. Corey Smith, age 32 – currently serving 14 years for a Violation of Probation for Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited, Violation of Probation for Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, Attempted Robbery First Degree, Assault Second Degree, Promoting Prison Contraband 16. Dwayne Staats, age 35 – currently serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree Two other individuals were each charged with: four counts of Kidnapping 1st Degree (a count each for Lt. Floyd, C.O. Smith, C.O. Wilkinson and counselor May); one count of Riot; and one count of Conspiracy 2nd Degree (for conspiring to commit Riot): 1. Pedro Chairez, age 42 – an inmate from Arizona serving a 43-year sentence for Murder 2nd and other charges committed in that state 2. Royal Downs, age 52 – an inmate from Maryland serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree and other charges committed in that state Attorney General Matt Denn expressed his gratitude to Delaware State Police Sergeant David Weaver, Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Brian Robertson and Nichole Warner, the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit, Delaware State Police Criminal Investigation Units, the Delaware State Police Evidence Detection Units, and the Delaware Department of Correction for the extensive work that resulted in Monday’s indictment. “This was an extremely important and time-consuming investigation that involved unique challenges.” Attorney General Denn said, “I appreciate the police and prosecutors’ focus on ensuring that justice is done for the victims in this case and their families.” Because the investigation into this incident is ongoing, and because of court rules that restrict prosecutors’ ability to publicly discuss criminal matters prior to the time of trial, police and prosecutors will have no further comment about the indictments at this time.50 Health Benefits of Honey Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. With respect to carbohydrates, honey is mainly fructose and glucose making it similar to the synthetically produced inverted sugar syrup, which is approximately 48% fructose, 47% glucose, and 5% sucrose. Honey’s remaining carbohydrates include maltose, sucrose, and other complex carbohydrates. As with all nutritive sweeteners, honey is mostly sugars and contains only trace amounts of vitamins or minerals. Honey also contains tiny amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalyses, and Pinocchio. The specific composition of any batch of honey depends on the flowers available to the bees that produced the honey. Here are best 50 benefits of honey in below… Honey is a wonderful aid to internal cleansing. Honey works well on chapped lips. Honey also works well on acne because it has antibacterial properties Honey may also be good for your skin. It has the ability to attract water. You can use honey instead of alpha hydroxide masks because of its high content of the acid. It is also safe for sensitive skin. Honey is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which are wonderful beauty aids that nourish the skin. Honey can cure the problem of ringworm. Ayurvedic healing advises treating ringworm with both turmeric and honey. Honey is good for eyesight. Regular use of honey mixed with the carrot juice helps to improve the eyesight. It should be taken in the early morning. Honey dissolved in equal quantity of warm water is good lotion or eye-bath for the conjunctivitis. A teaspoon of honey per day aid calcium utilization and prevents osteoporosis. Chewing the tops of honey combs for 20 minutes a teaspoon of bee capping; five to six times a day stimulates the immune system. It’s effective for asthma patients. Consuming one teaspoon of honey a day helps lead a long healthy life. The most long-lived people in the world are all regular users of honey. An interesting fact, yet to be explained, is that beekeepers suffer less from cancer and arthritis than any other occupational group worldwide. Based on its rapid healing effects, honey has been used and is still being used in many surgical operations. For example, it has been used as a barrier against tumor implantation in laparoscopic ontological surgery. Honey is a good food preservative. While baking cakes by replacing sugar with honey, they will stay in fresher longer due to natural antibiotics as honey retains moisture. I’ve heard that when honey is processed and administered intravenously it helps fight jaundice, but I’m not sure is it true or not. Ayurveda has been advising honey as a medication for problems of impotence and infertility. A drink of warm milk to which honey is added is believed to increase the sperm count from level zero to fertility level of over 60million sperm count. Pure and unheated honey is a mild sexual stimulant naturally, since it contains numerous substances such as zinc, Vitamin E, etc., which promotes virility and reproductive health. A mixture of honey and grounded garlic taken regularly at bed time is an aphrodisiac that increases sexual stamina and pleasure. Honey is Anti- aging. It contains antioxidants, powerful compounds which fight free radicals and reverse aging. Drinking lemon juice with a spoonful of honey first thing in the morning is an effective anti-cellulite treatment as it helps to increase body metabolism. If you are trying to lose weight, honey can be of great help to you. Honey can help in weight loss when consumed with warm water and lemon juice. Honey has been used as a home remedy in Ayurvedic medicine to help dissolve fat for thousands of years. Researches indicate that Arthritic patients when treated with a mixture of honey and cinnamon regularly in the morning on empty stomach, there was significant relief in pain of the patients. Honey with cinnamon is good for Curing Arthritis, Hair Loss, Toothache, help in Reducing Cholesterol, Curing Colds, Cures Infertility, Upset Stomach, for better Immune System, for Longevity and Weight Loss. Replace your morning jelly for honey. It could help you to decrease your chances of heart disease. Heart patients are also advised to replace white sugar with honey that has natural fructose and glucose. Take honey with your morning breakfast like eating porridge mixed with honey or honey with cereals. The nutrients in honey induce the calming effect on brain. Since it contains no cholesterol it helps in reducing the cholesterol level of a patient suffering from the high cholesterol problem. Honey is nature’s energy booster. A spoon of honey enables you to go for the extra mile. To recharge your battery, there is nothing better than honey. If you have a wound which could be a scratch, cut, scrape, or resulting from surgery, try using honey under the dressing. Due to its natural anti-inflammatory effect, it will help to heal the wounds more quickly. It also has different photochemical chemicals found in plants and different foods that kill viruses, bacteria, and fungus making it a good substitute for wound dressings. Honey may also be effective in the treatment of your ulcers. In Europe, honey has been used internally to help cure ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers. A certain type of bee’s honey can heal leg ulcers. People with excessive gastric acid and hypertrophic gastritis are advised to have warm honey water. Honey diluted in water is helpful with your stomachaches and dehydration. It works to help chronic bad breath. Honey is a great immunity system builder. It activates the immune response by providing glucose for the white blood cells. For people who have frequent migraine attacks, should sip a dessert spoon of honey dissolved in half a glass of warm water at the start of the attack. Repeat after 20 minutes if needed. Its effective as migraine is stress related. When you get a hangover from drinking too much alcohol, combat its effects by applying the honey remedy. Honey is a natural remedy for many ailments. Use of honey in lemon tea can help to alleviate a sore and uncomfortable throat. Honey also help in sleeplessness. If you are unable to sleep? Use the famous Milk and Honey Remedy. Add a teaspoon of honey in a glass of hot milk to calm the soul and induce sleep. Or, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to a cup of chamomile tea and sip. A teaspoon of honey before bed, aids water retention and calms fears in children. Honey with milk help you to minimize your heartburn woes during pregnancy Honey can be used as a mouthwash. A tablespoon of honey with a cup of warm water can clean teeth and dentures, and kills germs in the mouth. Honey also prevents Acidity. The pH of honey is commonly between 3.2 and 4.5. This relatively acidic pH level prevents the growth of many bacteria. Honey is an excellent ergogenic aid and helps in boosting the performance of athletes. Honey prevent hair loss or baldness. Honey and two cups of warm water can help return the natural shine and will add health to your hair. Have A tablespoon of honey with a tablespoon of olive oil and two tablespoon of water and make it paste and apply it to your hair. It gives shine or luster to your hair. Honey improves your digestion. Honey’s antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties make it a very good remedy for improving digestion. Honey is Anti-Cancer. It does not cure cancer but one thing can’t be overlooked is – honey possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumor properties. You can also use Honey as a lotion to dry patches of skin on hands, elbows, or other parts. Just mix one teaspoon of honey with one teaspoon of olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply it to hands, elbows, heels of your foot and many other parts of the body, and wash off the paste after 15 minutes. Instant relief! Honey improves your intelligence. It rejuvenates your body. You may also like: Written by Harinder Pal Singh on April 15, 2017 in Health Publisher : Facebook \| Twitter \| G+ \| LinkedInTRUMP INSISTS HIS SECOND AMENDMENT COMMENTS COULD BE GOOD FOR HIM “ Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Tuesday night he’s benefitting from the controversy he created earlier in the day by suggesting ‘the Second Amendment people’ might forcefully stop Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices.” Following his statements, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough urged the GOP to dump Trump in a Washington Post op-ed and former CBS anchor Dan Rather warned that “history is watching.” [ Christina Wilkie, HuffPost ] A GOLDEN NIGHT FOR TEAM USA Congrats to the U.S. women’s gymnastics team on their historic blowout that earned them the team gold and the “Final Five” nickname. Here’s what it looks like to watch your daughter win Olympic gold like that. Katie Ledecky also added to the gold medal count with a win in the 200-meter freestyle. And last, but certainly not least, all hail the Olympic legend that is Michael Phelps, who took home his 20th and 21st gold medals Tuesday. Take a look at each of the golds the best Olympian of all time has won. Check out what you should be watching tonight, and follow along with HuffPost’s latest Olympics coverage. [Emily Brooks, HuffPost] ELSEWHERE IN BRAZIL The Senate voted to put President Dilma Rousseff on trial. [Reuters] NEW EMAILS RAISE OLD QUESTIONS “A new batch of State Department emails released Tuesday showed the close and sometimes overlapping interests between the Clinton Foundation and the State Department when Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state. The documents raised new questions about whether the charitable foundation worked to reward its donors with access and influence at the State Department, a charge that Mrs. Clinton has faced in the past and has always denied.” [NYT] APPLE NOW HAS A PATENT FOR A ‘WAR SITUATION’ DEVICE From one of the 80 patents the company was granted Tuesday. [CNN] WHY RISING SEA TEMPERATURES CAN BE DEADLY “Warmth-loving marine bacteria is growing in abundance and posing an increased risk to human health as waters heat up, according to a study published this week.” [Dominique Mosbergen, HuffPost] For more video news from The Huffington Post, check out this morning’s newsbrief.Ever since she won the public vote as the frumpy misfit in Muriel's Wedding, Toni Collette has played a series of underdogs and nonconformists. Now her latest role, created by Armistead Maupin, is taking her into darker territory. But just how close to her own life is her screen persona? Sanjiv Bhattacharya meets Hollywood's most intriguing leading lady Toni Collette once told an interviewer: 'I used to do things to get attention when I was little.' She was pretty effective, too - aged 11, she faked appendicitis so convincingly, the doctors actually removed her appendix. 'My mother had hers taken out at the same age, so that's how it entered my brain. And she told me that when the doctor presses in, that's not when it hurts, it's when the hand's taken away. So I knew when to react.' It's an extraordinary anecdote by any standard, particularly for an actress. But for Collette, the story is doubly poignant because in her latest film, The Night Listener - an intense psychological thriller starring Robin Williams - she plays a character called Donna who would relate better than most to her 'appendicitis'. Donna, like the younger Collette, also fabricates ailments to get attention. She just takes it a lot further. The coincidence is uncanny. It's like discovering that prior to becoming an actor Robert De Niro used to drive a New York taxi and sport a mohican. Or that Jack Nicholson was admitted to a mental hospital where he took his fellow patients on a fishing trip. Furthermore, the coincidence is genuine - Patrick Stettler, director of The Night Listener, assures me: 'I know it's amazing how it fits the part, but I swear I cast Toni long before I knew.' Needless to say, when I meet Collette, in the boardroom of a Manhattan hotel - an oddly corporate setting, but the only muzak-free place we could find - I have no end of questions on the subject. How was her secret revealed? What did her parents make of it? Why did she do it? 'Oh, I don't know why,' she shrugs, cheerfully, with a sing-song Sydney accent. 'It was a long time ago.' She looks tanned and happy in a summery blue dress and a pair of what she calls her 'lesbian Birkenstocks'. Her smile is warm and toothy. Weren't you afraid of getting cut open? 'I honestly don't know. I'm not that person any more and I don't have any more insight into it now than I did then. I was just a child having a go at something - having a crack.' Did it turn out the way you expected? 'Look,' she says, her smile fading. 'It was just something I did. I don't want to focus on this, please. Let's move on.' It's hard to hide my disappointment, but Collette's reticence is understandable. Clearly she doesn't want to invite too close a comparison between herself and a character who is so crackers she's really quite frightening. Donna was inspired by a real woman who contacted the New York writer, Armistead Maupin, of Tales of the City fame. Maupin wrote the novel of The Night Listener, replacing himself with Gabriel Noone (Robin Williams), a late-night radio storyteller who receives a harrowing book manuscript written by a 14-year-old boy. The book details a terrifying history of abuse and torture by the boy's former family, but when Noone contacts him through his adoptive mother, Donna, he begins to doubt the story and suspects the mother of foul play. As the intrigue develops, Collette portrays Donna as desperately vulnerable, yet also reminiscent of Kathy Bates in Misery - creepy, unhinged and dangerously fixated on a storyteller. Not that Collette quite sees it that way. 'Creepy?' says Collette, surprised. 'No, I see her as a very needy, very sad and lonely person. 'My biggest fear was that Donna would be turned into a monster,' says the director, Stettler. 'But Toni gives her a sense of organic reality. And she does that in everything I've seen her in. That's why she was top of my list - I cast her even before Robin Williams. She just has this gift for inhabiting characters without ever worrying about the effects they're supposed to have or how she's going to be perceived. She's always fully committed. I just think she's one of the best actors in America.' But she lives in Sydney. 'I meant, one of the best actors in the world.' Such high praise might sound overdone, but Collette is no stranger to compliments. Ever since her break-out role as the Abba-obsessed misfit in Muriel's Wedding, every director she's ever worked with has rhapsodised over her talent - from M Night Shyamalan on The Sixth Sense to Curtis Hanson on In Her Shoes. She received an Oscar nomination for The Sixth Sense, and now, at 33, is probably at the top of her game - at least the equal of starrier Aussie peers such as Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett. 'She's very instinctive,' says Stettler. 'There's no great method to what she does - you don't have to talk to her in character when she's off camera or anything. She just simplifies everything.' The Night Listener required her to play a blind woman for the first time. But instead of glueing her eyes shut as Jamie Foxx did for Ray, or wandering about the set blindfold between takes, she says, 'I just used my imagination, I guess. I arrived in Manhattan, we had four days of rehearsal, and I was completely jet-lagged and I had a cold. So even though I'd made an appointment at a blind centre downtown, I was so out of it, I didn't get there.' Shrug. 'Anyway, my character's a bit of an actor herself, so if she was feeling her way, why shouldn't I?' Though Donna was the first blind person she's played, she's one of several memorable mums Collette has played over the years. In The Sixth Sense, she was the fraught single mother of Haley Joel Osment who memorably saw dead people. In About a Boy she played the depressed single mother of a 12-year-old school misfit. And this year, in the hilarious Little Miss Sunshine, she is the exhausted mum in a family just bursting with oddballs and neurotics. Notably, both About a Boy and Little Miss Sunshine end with children embarrassing themselves in talent shows only to be joined on stage, mid-agony, by family members who embarrass themselves in solidarity. As a finale, it works the tear glands with a wrench. It seems there's a theme here - mums and misfits. Does she warm to these kinds of stories? 'Oh God, no, when I read a script I either love it or not,' she says. 'It's an instinctual response from my gut and it bypasses any analytical game I might play. I just look for things that are honest and true.' Like mums and misfits? 'Well not just mums, but yes, there are a couple of themes that keep rearing their ugly heads!' She laughs. 'One is acceptance of change, because life is change. And the other, I guess, is acceptance of self - people who learn to accept even the ugliest or scariest parts of themselves. That's what Little Miss Sunshine is about. Because ultimately life is about connecting with yourself and then being able to connect with everyone around you. The better you know yourself, the better your relationship with the rest of the world.' Collette's given to these kinds of pseudo-spiritual generalisations. She believes in the power of the planets, and she has a Buddhist tendency to prize instinct over analysis. If you give her an opening, she'll happily chat away about how 'we're all part of each other' and 'we can't dominate nature because we're part of it, you know?' But she's a little more guarded about how this all relates to her own life. Her journey to this point has had its share of turbulence, punctuated along the way by panic attacks, bulimia and a curative course of therapy and meditation. 'I think they were an example of the negative effects that fame has had on my life,' she says carefully. 'I don't look back on those experiences with fondness.' The upheaval began with Muriel's Wedding in 1994, for which Collette had to put on 40lb in seven weeks. Not only did the experience leave her battling with bulimia afterwards, but the film was such a success, it catapulted both her and her co-star Rachel Griffiths to worldwide stardom. At 21, Collette was thrust from suburban normality in Sydney to a life of champagne, celebrity and first-class air travel. 'I remember going to a screening of Muriel's Wedding at a film festival on the Gold Coast of Australia,' she says, 'and when they took me up to my room... it was probably a really tacky hotel, looking back, but I had the penthouse. So I was doing tumbles on the carpet and opening the champagne and looking out at the sea saying, you know, "This ain't Kansas any more!"' Suddenly this was the norm. 'It was all posh dinners and money and having to talk to all these fabulous people and form opinions about things I really hadn't paid any attention to before,' she says. 'It's a cliche, but I had to grow up very quickly.' There were men, of course - notably Jonathan Rhys Meyers, five years her junior, whom she met on the set of Velvet Goldmine. The work kept coming, as did the accolades, not least the Oscar nomination in 2000 for The Sixth Sense. 'Of course I wasn't disappointed when I didn't win,' she says, grinning. 'I didn't want to get up and speak in front of all those people. I was shitting myself!' But she kept moving. Within six years she bought properties in Manhattan, Brixton and Los Angeles, but every time she sold up and moved on for one reason or another - the weather, the smog, the people. 'So I was literally living out of a suitcase most of the time,' she says. 'I had so much shit in storage, all over the planet. It was a crazy way to live. Rachel [Griffiths] went through a similar thing and we used to collide in different cities around the world. I'm so glad it's all over.' But it sounds like a blast! 'It was a blast. But you can't blast on forever!' She was 28 when she finally settled down. 'It was a natural sigh. You know people talk about the Saturn return every seven years? Anyway, it's meant to happen when you turn 28, and it did. It was like "Bing!" I was over it. I realised that I felt most at home in Sydney where I grew up, and that was it. I moved back there and bought a house. There was no big heave-ho. It all happened very quickly.' Other factors contributed to her move to Sydney. When she split with Rhys Meyers after a relationship of only a year, she'd suffered several months of panic attacks. And the jet-set life had been taking its toll - she wasn't particularly enjoying her success any more, a problem that therapy went some way to fixing. But like her appendicitis, she doesn't want to talk about that today. 'Sometimes life hits you on the head with a saucepan,' she says cryptically. 'But I'm not here to talk about saucepans.' Certainly she has managed to slow down since then, settling down with a musician called Dave Galafassi whom she married in 2003. 'I knew immediately he was the one,' she says, beaming. Their wedding featured Tibetan monks chanting as they walked down the aisle. And domestic bliss has given her newfound appreciation for the life she led during the whirl of her twenties. 'Travelling's so much better when you know you've got a lovely home to go back to,' she says. The same goes for her career. 'I can just enjoy it for what it is, without depending on it too much. I used to rely on my career as a way to express myself. I was a shitty communicator.' One thing that hasn't changed is her distinction between being an actor and a celebrity. 'I've always been a working actor,' she says. 'Big difference. I'm not interested in promoting myself or being famous. Don't get me wrong, I like getting tables at restaurants that have been booked out for months. But I don't want people to identify with me instead of the character I'm playing.' Collette's schedule is crammed for months on end, a prospect that fills her with delight. 'On a good day, everything just falls away between action and cut, and that feels amazing,' she says. 'When you're not thinking, just doing.' But beyond the acting, Collette sees herself directing, as do so many of her peers. She also has her heart set on making a silent movie. And then there's the music. Ever since she started out making musicals in high school, Collette has sung and written songs. This year, her first album comes out, entitled Beautiful Awkward Pictures 'I've always wanted to make music, and now, after everything I've been through, I'm finally in a place to do it,' she says. 'I think you get what you need in life. Your subconscious thoughts affect your day so deeply that if you actually chose to focus on something, it would probably happen eventually. As the lift doors open, she holds out her hand to shake, with that big toothy smile again. 'Have a good one!' · Little Miss Sunshine opens 8 September and The Night Listener on 15 SeptemberSafeties Matt Johnson (37) and Barry Church (42) pictured during Dallas Cowboys OTA's at Valley Ranch in Irving, on May 28, 2013. (Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News) GRAPEVINE - Matt Johnson was back in a familiar spot Monday: The sideline. Johnson did not participate in the Cowboys' practice because of a sore hamstring. It was the latest setback for the beleaguered safety that has yet to play an NFL game because of multiple injuries. Johnson sat out the 2013 season after fracturing the navicular bone in his left foot last summer. He missed the 2012 campaign after hurting both his hamstrings. "I have had some setbacks," he said. "I have had two rough years where you can get down. It can cause stress….Things happen for odd reasons and you get hurt odd ways. Some things you can't control." Just last week, Johnson said his hamstrings felt great and haven't given him problems since 2012. This offseason, he was cleared in late winter. And despite the latest bout of misfortune, the Cowboys remain optimistic Johnson can one day help them. "He's really come back and done some good things," head coach Jason Garrett said. "You can tell he has grown as a player."BHUBANESHWAR, India (Reuters) - As the fiercest storm to hit India this century barreled across the Bay of Bengal last week, a local mandarin frantically worked the phones from his hot and humid office, leading the charge in an operation to move nearly a million people to safety. Indian sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik works on a sand sculpture about Cyclone Phailin that hit Puri in the eastern Indian state of Odisha October 14, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer “We were telling people: ‘Look, you have to choose between death and life’,” said Taradatt, who heads the Revenue and Disaster Management Department in the poverty-plagued eastern state of Odisha. “Those who were not willing (to be evacuated), I was telling the local official to use force, because the rules permit that.” When Cyclone Phailin slammed into Odisha and neighboring Andhra Pradesh states with winds gusting at more than 200 kph (125 mph), India was braced for the worst. A monster storm that hit the very same region 14 years ago had killed 10,000 people. But this time, the death toll was astonishingly low, at the latest count just 21. It was a rare moment of relief in this disaster-prone country, one that has already been hailed as a triumph of official heroism and defies the Indian bureaucracy’s reputation for bungling and indecision. “It’s nothing short of a miracle that so many lives were spared. We were expecting the worst, but it just shows that all the time and investment put into preparing for such disasters by the authorities, civil society organizations and communities has paid off,” said Devendra Tak from Save the Children, the international NGO. Disasters that claim thousands of lives are still almost routine in India, however. More than 5,000 people died in June when flash floods hit a Himalayan state, and even on Sunday - as many marveled at the low death toll from the cyclone - more than 100 devotees were killed in a stampede at a Hindu temple. EMPOWERING LOCAL OFFICIALS Along with Taradatt, who just uses one name, junior officials also chipped in. As the storm closed in on Odisha’s coastal district of Ganjam last Saturday, the senior most local civil servant Krishan Kumar was exhausted. For the past three nights he hadn’t slept, working without a break to set up hundreds of temporary shelters in schools and temples and persuade villagers to abandon ramshackle dwellings. “There was a lot of resistance to begin with,” said 37-year-old Kumar. “The weather was very good, the sun was shining and to convince people was not an easy job. We had to move from village to village explaining what could happen.” With a couple of hours to go before the storm made landfall, some 350,000 people living up to 10 km (6 miles) from the shoreline were safely sheltered for the night. Across the two eastern states, more than 1 million people were evacuated from their homes. Civil servants like Kumar are some of India’s best and brightest, but they have long been hamstrung by a bureaucracy that discourages individuals from taking decisions on their own. Kumar said he knew lives depended on breaking with that culture. “That’s the first thing I asked, that I be completely authorized to take decisions at my own level,” said Kumar, who received an award from the country’s
in the writing sphere has lead to a large number of disgruntled readers (and writers,) some of which band together in an effort to change what they dislike about those news resources and their policies. However, the mix of non-professional writers does have the potential to lead to positive changes, one of those being the insertion of new ideas by the layman author. All tiers of professional and unprofessional writing can attribute to the Text (the conglomerate of all writing that shapes the opinions and works of those that contribute to it, like a cycle) and in doing so help bring ideas rarely mentioned to the forefront of discussion. This, ultimately, is the intent of those who dedicate themselves to writing, and those who strive for the betterment of their readers by attempting to broaden their horizons. Writing Theory aside, what does this have to do with internet feminist Anita Sarkeesian? Even further, what does this have to do with video games? Video games reviews have, in a word, become stagnant. Most gamers rely on first hand accounts of what the game has to offer by their fellows, typically on a restricted rating system, and through people who largely have no idea how to recommend a game, let alone type coherent sentences. The way of gaming magazines and journalism through print means is largely shallow (save ‘zines like Game Informer and their ilk that still manage to survive) so most users and writers turned to the internet years ago for reviews, news, and other content. The role of gaming journalists in the online sphere, once strong, has only now started to shuffle back to its feet after the unearthing of hidden agendas and undisclosed relationships that happened in the last year. Credibility for many has been shattered, and it will take time for those organizations to recoup their reader base. For this reason, gamers turn to their peers, be they shitty 2/5 star reviews with one run-on sentence or in-depth, lengthy discussions on the world differences between the three major installments in the Elder Scrolls series. For years, independent writers on Youtube have been gaining traction, beating the user reviews and journalists in regards to relevancy and spotlight, not only in gaming but nearly every other venue of intellectual interest, be they of study or hobby. Feminist writer and speaker Anita Sarkeesian is one such example who has become more popular due to her videos on feminism and, most recently, feminism and female representation in video games. Her visibility has undeniably benefited not only from her work on the “Tropes vs Women” video series but also due to the #GamerGate debacle that she was contingently a part of for being a controversial spokesperson in gaming at the time. Since then, she has become fairly cemented in her place as a writer of gaming as well as feminism and has recently attempted to write a general review for a video game, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate[1], which was released in late October of this year. This piece is different from her others concerning video games, notably because she makes an attempt to discuss what is regularly mentioned when it comes to a general review, the technical aspects and the success and failings of Ubisoft’s collective efforts in their product. Sarkeesian, to the unastounded audience of many, only briefly touched on these technical aspects, deciding to mainly focus on the story aspect of the game, characters, and commentary on the political correctness and inclusivity of the game’s cast. Ignoring the language and structure of the review in terms of writing (which is clumsy as a written piece but comes across fine as a script,) there is a rarely spoken understanding between a reviewer and an audience that Sarkeesian (at least in regards to this review in particular) has misunderstood or ignored. When reviewing a product of any kind, it is best for a writer to discuss anything of import or any aspect of that product that can be distinguished as the defining traits for its use or the experience it gives the audience. When you review a book, you don’t just talk about the characters and their dialogue; when you review a blender you don’t just discuss how well it makes fruit smoothies and how it looks; when you review a video game, you don’t just talk about the social representation of characters and story progression. A proponent speaker for women’s rights does not always make a good video game reviewer. But I digress, let’s actually discuss what is in the piece itself and see what she has to say about the game. As a gamer who has not played Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, I would come to her review for what would amount to a recommendation on my general interests. It is basic middle school essay format that tells us to re-summarize our point at the end of a piece of writing so that the thesis is summed up for our audience and leaves them feeling grounded and clear with what they should take away, and Sarkeesian does this: Despite all its problems, Syndicate deserves to be acknowledged for its cast of characters and particularly for its treatment of women. The game’s narrative leaves much to be desired, but Syndicate gives us an image of a world in which the existence of women as people is treated as completely normal. And that is certainly refreshing and sadly strange in a AAA gaming climate that still so often struggles with representing women as actual human beings. As far as summaries go, it’s a fairly accurate one. More than half of this review is specifically concerned with how the female characters as well as other types of “minority” characters are treated in the game, both in terms of the game world and the writing of its creators. Out of eleven body paragraphs, six and a half are dedicated mostly or completely to the discussion of women and minorities in Syndicate as well as other older Assassin’s Creed games, leaving one and a half for mechanics, one and a half for story, and one discussing violence. At best, this is an analytical piece; at worst, this is an unfocused and biased review. While Sarkeesian mentions Aveline and the game she stars in as the protagonist, she brushes the significance of her heading the game due to it being released initially for the handheld Vita only (though its popularity later saw a full console release) and completely fails to mention Shao Jun, the protagonist from Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, possibly due to the game, which was released April of this year, being download only for PC and new consoles. Despite the game matching nearly everything she wants for an Assassin’s Creed game (strong female protagonist, racial minority, headliner of her own game which is not a spin-off of a previously created game) it’s not good enough because it’s not part of the main story. That is assuming that Sarkeesian put time aside to do research before writing the article, which isn’t always a given with Internet journalism. According to Sarkeesian, these efforts towards inclusivity in terms of both race and gender matter less than Evie because they do not star in a game that is a part of the main canon storyline. While this is disingenuous, there is something to be said for a pair of siblings as the main protagonists, put on equal footing in terms of playability, story significance, and writing in a game with this much press coverage and advertising. She praises Evie’s character design and writing, specifically detailing how she doesn’t fall prey to a sexualized set piece that is a common assumption for token female characters in games. She does lament at the loss of screen time the female twin gets as the story goes on, but she otherwise gives a glowing grade for the character. After discussing Evie’s fair portrayal in the game, she moves on to discuss minority and gender representation in the game. While mentioning the inclusion of respected individuals that wouldn’t normally be held to such high esteem in the mid 1800s, she dismisses this by saying that the game has never really striven for “realism” or “historical accuracy” by citing the main plot involving the Apple and breaking 100 foot falls by landing in piles of a soft material, be they leaves or hay. This is misleading. The Assassin’s Creed series, on the contrary, has in the past made great strides to be as historically accurate as possible within the parameters that they set up for their unique plot, particularly when it comes to historical persons and events. The first Assassin’s Creed game notably screwed up the timeline by having Robert de Sablé assassinated two years prior to his actual death[2] and received criticism for it, though it was minor. As briefly discussed by Dorkshelf’s Eric Weiss[3] and more so by MakeUseOf’s Harry Guiness[4], the writer’s at Ubisoft began to really delve into historical accuracy during Assassin’s Creed III, particularly in regards to the Native American background that Connor hails from. Focusing on the accuracy of the environment, language, customs, and people of the time became a much higher priority, hiring historical experts to lecture and give instruction during the early developing and writing phases of each game. They have continued hire historians for all of their games thus far. Furthermore, the likelihood of oppressed peoples in a vigilanty group like the Assassin’s Guild is easy to imagine and understand. It is worth noting, however, that Ned Wynert (the transman that Sarkeesian mentions) is not a part of the Guild, and the likelihood of him not facing discrimination during the game is suspect, despite his high standing as the head of a crime syndicate. What Sarkeesian references in regards to these “inaccuracies” is irrelevant, namely in discussing game physics, which will always have some degree of non-realism to them in order to make the game, y’know, fun. It’s unrealistic for Evie, Jacob, Ezio, and every other protagonist to fight off what amounts to entire armies worth of Templars throughout the game and still be no worse for wear, but to hold that against the game would be ridiculous. So, when she uses this as a spring board to discuss how the inaccuracies regarding minorities in positions of power not be questioned during times that they normally would being okay, her disingenuous comparison really shows. She also mentions an important mechanic missing that has been a part of the franchise for many of its games: hiding within groups. In particular, she announces the positivity she feels for the removal of groups of prostitutes that were introduced as a mechanic for hiding within a controlled crowd or group during Assassin’s Creed II. Their removal for Connor’s story in III made sense, considering the likelihood of coming across brothels in the warring Americas was pretty low, though their inclusion in 1800’s London would be less so. Despite this, UbiSoft elected to remove them, likely due to pressure from critics as well as the mechanic being less useful as the game’s stealth grows. Which raises the question: are there still groups in the game, did they alter the blending mechanics to make up for it, or must you rely on groups of scripted NPCs now? Sarkeesian doesn’t answer this, despite broaching the topic. Broaching the topic of the vigilanty nature of the Frye twins, Sarkeesian seems to condemn the game for its use of violence in order for the twins to assist the Guild in satisfying their goals to free London’s poor and oppressed. While her declaration that the twins are simply “replacing one crime syndicate with another’s” isn’t really wrong (that has been a gray area throughout the games, particularly after the events of Brotherhood,) using that as a reason to condemn the inherently violent mechanics expected of an Assassin’s Creed game comes across as fickle. The notion of scrapping violence in a game whose very title means an institution of beliefs held by those whose sole job is to murder others is laughably strange. It is a better complaint used elsewhere. The last two body paragraphs briefly describe the environment of the game, the carriage races once, the standard mechanics of climbing the buildings to discover new areas, and the few bugs that were encountered during gameplay. While one might consider these to be more important in a video game review, especially the bugs and glitches that all but rendered the previous game in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed Unity, a laughing stock, Sarkeesian barely mentions them, almost as if their inclusion was hastily added in after being overlooked in order to address her feminist critique. By the end of it, I realized that Sarkeesian had committed one of the cardinal sins of reviewers, something that no one wants to do when they try to give their opinion and recommendation on a product. She left me at a loss. As a potential consumer, one who has history with the gaming franchise she discusses and has been genuinely wondering if Syndicate would be the game I needed to get back into the franchise, Sarkeesian did not tell me what I needed to know as a possible buyer. She gave me an unfocused feminist critique of a game that I have not played with the occasional mention of mechanics that feel like an afterthought, information thrown in in order to make the critique sound like a review. So, despite The Verge’s Adi Robertson’s insistence[5], no, this is not a “cool new genre of video game review.” When you are left with questions pertaining to how the game runs, the controls of the games outside of the standard set, and any indicator on whether the game is worth your time and money by the reviewer, you have failed to write a meaningful or helpful piece of literature. Sarkeesian’s piece is a feminist checklist critique of particular story trying, and failing, to disguise itself as a review and nothing more. Banner from here. Sources: [1] – Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Review – Feminist Frequency [2] – Robert de Sablé – Wikipedia [3] – The Power and Perils of Historical Accuracy in Assassin’s Creed – Dorkshelf [4] – The True History of Assassin’s Creed – MakeUseOf [5] – Anita Sarkeesian just created a cool new genre of video game review – The VergeLetters From Camp are my dispatches from weekend's Nike Skills Camps in Chicago, with more to come today and tomorrow. CHICAGO -- What does the name Thomas Robinson mean to you? To the casual sports fan -- like the helpful videographer sitting next to me at the Nike Elite Skills Camps at Attack Athletics this weekend -- Robinson's name immediately conjures the devastating image of him consoling his young sister at the funeral of his mother, who suffered a heart attack at the age of 43 in January. Lisa Robinson was the third member of Robinson's family, along with his grandfather and grandmother, to pass away in a three-week span in January, leaving Robinson and his 7-year-old sister without any family they had ever been close to. "Oh, that's the kid from Kansas," the videographer said. "Lost his mom this season, right? Awful story." It's safe to say Thomas Robinson wants to be known for more than heartache. Who wouldn't? The good news: If Robinson plays his junior season at Kansas the way he played at the Amar'e Stoudamire Skills Academy on Saturday, that increased recognition -- and a cherished lottery spot in the jam-packed 2012 NBA draft -- is sure to follow. It's hard to learn much from these camps, which are largely designed with NBA scouts in mind. But on Saturday, as some of the nation's best collegiate forwards (with Jared Sullinger, Alex Oriakhi and Mouphtaou Yarou among them) ran two hours of five-on-five scrimmages with some of the nation's best guards, it was impossible to ignore Robinson's play. The Jayhawk flew down the court, challenged shots at the rim, finished inside rebounds and low-post moves with strength and athleticism, and threw down the indisputable dunk of the day -- a cocked one-handed fast break alley-oop that caused plenty of stone-faced NBA scouts in attendance to cast each other knowingly excited glances. Those scouts had no doubt seen Robinson before. After all, the forward was a rebounding force as a sophomore. Robinson grabbed 18.8 percent of available boards on the offensive end in 2011, which is nearly as impressive as his 31.1 percent rebounding rate on the defensive end. Robinson didn't play the minimum number of minutes to qualify for Ken Pomeroy's individual player rankings in those statistics. If he did (assuming his rates would have stayed as high in a larger sample size), Robinson would have ranked No. 3 in the nation in OR% and No. 2 in DR%. The reason -- or reasons -- Robinson didn't get those minutes begins with an "M" and ends with "Orii." Marcus and Markieff Morris lorded over the Kansas frontcourt in 2011, much like Cole Aldrich dominated the Jayhawks' interior in 2010. As Robinson said Saturday (as you can see in the above clip), he had only limited opportunities to showcase his skills. Now, after the Morris twins' back-to-back selections in last Thursday's NBA draft -- and with no obvious incoming freshmen ready to step in just yet -- Robinson will move into a much larger role in the Kansas frontcourt. He's likely to be joined by 7-foot center junior Jeff Withey, the only other returning forward on the roster. Whether Robinson will be able to maintain his gaudy efficiency numbers is yet to be seen. Withey won't quite attract the attention of defenses the way the Morris twins did. Robinson also needs to prove he can harness a true post game; in 2011, Robinson was a rim-runner, an athletic forward who saw a shot go up and attacked it with gusto, but not one who frequently initiated his own offense with his back to the basket. Those are among the changes Robinson said he was working on this weekend, in addition to his outside jumper and his passing. He's already anticipating the double-teams. Still, it's not easy to step into a gym with Sullinger, Yarou, Oriakhi, Mason and Miles Plumlee and even touted Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis and look like the best player on the floor. That's what Robinson did Saturday. If all goes as planned, we'll remember that performance as a mere preview of what Kansas fans have to look forward to in 2011-12. By then, everyone will know Thomas Robinson's name. Only this time, it'll be on his terms.Apple faces yet more flack from the Mac faithful over the discovery that the operating system won't run the latest version of Java. It's one of several beefs relating to the OS X upgrade that is sparking vitriol among the normally docile crowd. Leopard may have 300 new features, but it is unable to run Java 1.6, even though that same version is available for both Windows and Linux. That has taken some Mac users by surprise, including some on this user forum on Apple's website. Several users there say 1.6 is so central to the development work they do on a daily basis that they will be forced to use an OS other than Leopard if it remains incompatible. "This is a show stopper for me, and I will have to revert to 10.4, since my job as a software engineer for Sun requires Java 6--this will likely prevent a lot of people from upgrading, and there's a well represented Mac userbase at Sun," a user going by the name buckmelter wrote. 10.4 is a reference to Tiger, the OS X predecessor to Leopard. In the same forum, there are claims Apple has pulled a beta version of Java 1.6 that had been available for Tiger. If true, that would mean the latest version of Java, which has been available for about a year, may not be available at all for Mac users. That's a big deal for some people. For one, version 1.6 included bug fixes and new functionality. And secondly, Java apps and applets developed using 1.6 won't run on Leopard, and possibly may not work even if a user reverts to Tiger. That would be a real slap in the face for developers who rely on their Mac to get work done. Apple PR representatives have yet to respond to emails we sent them almost 24 hours ago requesting comment for this story. Over the past few days, people moderating the company's support forum have deleted several threads related to users' inability to run Java 1.6 on Leopard. Apple marketing monkeys, trying to woo developers to OS X, like to refer to the OS as "the only major consumer operating system that comes complete with a fully configured and ready-to-use Java runtime and development environment." Alas, good rapport with developers requires more than good slogans. Developers don't like surprises and they don't like to be kept in the dark. So far, there are no official communications regarding Apple's commitment to the latest Java virtual machine. In addition to a predilection for secrecy, Apple is famous for exercising near absolute control over the Mac ecosystem. That extends to development of Java-related technologies, according to this post written two weeks ago by Java creator James Gosling. "Lots of folks ask 'why doesn't sun just do the JDK for Mac?'" he writes. "The real answer is 'because Apple wanted to do it'. They've wanted to do all sorts of customization and integration that only they could do - because they own the OS." In the same posing he writes: "Apple's JDK support is a part of my problem, and yes, I have their JDK6 from the ADC. It's hard to tell what the fundamental issue is, but it keeps feeling like the big problem is that developers aren't the 'Target Demographic' :-) iPods are nice, but they're not the defining center of my life...." The revolt comes as other fanboys complain they get a blue screen of death when they try to install Leopard. Apple says here that many of the installation problems are the result of "third-party 'enhancement' software" installed on the machines that's not compatible with Leopard. The software in many cases turns out to be Application Enhancer, made by a company called Unsanity. But other Mac users posting on private blogs and Apple's support forum say they're getting the BSOD even though they don't have Unsanity programs installed. Incompatibilities with DIVX Application Support and Tiger's RAID system may also be at play. ®The adverse environmental effects and clean-up costs of New Zealand dairy farming have been highlighted in a United States journal. The paper, titled NZ Dairy Farming - Milking Our Environment for All Its Worth, was written by Kyleisha Foote, Dr Mike Joy and Professor Russell Death of Massey University’s Institute of Agriculture and Environment and appeared over the weekend in the scientific journal Environmental Management. The paper calculated externalities – costs to the community in the form of lost recreation opportunities and clean-up costs. These are costs that are borne by society rather than industry, Dr Joy says. It revealed that, for the worst case scenario, the costs to society of dairy farming are approximately equal to the export revenue and gross domestic product (GDP). “In other words, the industry is a zero-sum gain for New Zealand if the costs are included,” Dr Joy says. “These results will not be welcomed by many and are a wake-up call for the industry that can’t be ignored.” The authors of the paper put this down to the radical change that New Zealand dairying has undergone in the past few decades – from a low input, low cost and low impact system to high intensity, high cost, high impact system, increasingly reliant on imported feed and fertiliser. Milk production has increased four-fold and the number of dairy cows has doubled – changes which have, according to the authors, been mirrored by a massive increase in pollution. “The New Zealand situation is different from most of the rest of the world, where cows are in barns. Ours are outside so it is virtually impossible to stop their waste leaking into the environment. This leaking waste is in the form of excess nutrients into freshwaters – eventually into oceans, and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.” Dr Joy says the environmental costs of freshwater degradation are now being seen in many intensively farmed areas of New Zealand, such as the Rotorua Lakes and the Manawatū river, but the economic impacts are mostly yet to come. The authors say the solution is to prevent pollution rather than try and clean it up afterwards. “Many farmers may actually increase their profit by reducing pollution: as they reduce their production, their costs will also decrease, with less reliance on outside inputs. Farmers can reduce their nutrient losses at a far lower cost than the price to remove nutrients once they reach freshwater. Clean-up projects involve costly techniques to implement and are not always successful.”The MCC would like to host the Test now with its brand new floodlights in place at Lord's © Getty Images The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has agreed to the ECB's request to appear in the first-ever day-night Test during the team's tour of England in May-June next year. However, the ICC has not yet cleared the idea and its approval will be subject to suitable equipment being developed for the purpose. The idea was first proposed by the MCC during its World Cricket Committee meeting at Lord's in July as a way of making the game's longest and oldest format more appealing. The other proposals included the use of pink balls and a World Test Championship. The ICC has made it clear that though the concept of day-night Tests was discussed by its cricket committee, no decision has been taken yet. "The ICC cricket committee had last year agreed in principle that the notion of day-night Tests should be investigated," an ICC spokesperson said. "For now, we are happy for members to try this at the domestic level first and if it proves successful, the cricket committee would consider recommending this on a trial basis at the Test level." Apparently, there are a number of key issues related to the concept that are still being discussed: the colour of players clothing, whether the suggested pink balls retains its colour or needs to be changed frequently due to discolouration or wear and tear, to what extent would batting, bowling and fielding conditions vary and so on. An MCC spokesman confirmed to Cricinfo that the World Cricket Committee would meet with the ICC in November. The future of Test cricket is on the agenda, and within that floodlit Tests will be discussed. "We are very keen to help in any way we can," the spokesman said, "and have been continuing with our trials of coloured balls to see if it will work on television." The MCC could have a dual role in this process: as well as being fully behind floodlit Tests. Lord's could be the ground to host the match. One of the Bangladesh Tests is currently allocated to Headingley; the other is part of the bidding process, with Lord's in the running to hosting it. "We would like to host it and we have our brand new floodlights," said the spokesman. The future of Test cricket has been the subject of debate within the ICC over the last year with the concept of a Test championship initially gaining ground. But the idea was opposed by the India and England cricket boards who did not find merit in sharing their substantial TV revenue that would have gone to a common pool. India and England have subsequently backed the idea of day-night Test cricket as a way of taking the format forward amidst the rise of Twenty20 cricket. However, the ICC, which is finalising its Future Tours Programme post-2012, is yet to arrive at a decision on the matter. The ICC's executive board meets next in October, when the issue is likely to be discussed again. © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.Hey good news, finally, Sebastian Siebert manage to create a compatible drivers for our last release. Tumbleweed is supported too (perhaps only until it diverge consequently from 13.2). Kernel 3.18 will be supported too. For complete original story, refer to the original post. The driver were published 8 days ago and some brave enough soul test them with success. Especially if you have a pure gpu comibnation. It seems some people with intel cpu/gpu + amd gpu still have trouble, but that can be linked to the intel driver problems. The new repository url are : Tumbleweed http://geeko.ioda.net/mirror/amd-fglrx/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/ openSUSE_13.2 http://geeko.ioda.net/mirror/amd-fglrx/openSUSE_13.2/ To upgrade any previous version : uninstall fglrx_xpicXXXX and install the whole new rpms fglrx(64)_* This special version has been published only for 13.2 and Tumbleweed. We will wait a real updated official drivers to update the others flavors of openSUSE. Have fun Both comments and pings are currently closed.San Francisco transportation officials are looking at revamping its fare system as they begin to discuss the upcoming two-year budget. The discussion Tuesday at a special workshop meeting of the Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors led to talks of possibly increasing cash fares and leaving Clipper fares alone and giving a smaller discount on fares to seniors, youth and disabled riders as possible new revenue sources. The Municipal Transportation Agency’s preliminary operating budget for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 fiscal years will top $1 billion, but will carry deficits of $13.3 million in 2017 and $14.3 million in 2018, said SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin: “Our expenditures grow faster than our revenues, which leaves us with modest but real shortfalls that we will need to address.” Some of those expenditures included in the baseline preliminary budget are higher pension costs,the hiring of more Muni operators during the last year and other commitments and contracts such as a 3.25 percent wage increase for operators previously negotiated in 2014. On the revenue side, the transit agency included its automatic fare indexing, which includes increases of fares, fines and fees based on the Bay Area Labor Consumer Price Index. A Muni-only Fast Pass would jump from $70 to $73 in the 2016-2017 fiscal year and then to $75 the following year. The transit agency will also have funds from the 2014 voter-approved Proposition B, which increases funding for Muni based on population growth. Those funds though will only be used for capital improvements, said Reiskin. Cash v. Clipper Reiskin said that the transit agency has about 50 percent of riders still paying cash on Muni as opposed to using Clipper: “One way other transit agencies in this region, in the country and the world have facilitated the shift by providing a monetary incentive.” He also suggested to use some of the transit agency reserve funds for some capital projects that have difficulty in finding funding for. The board’s policy is to have a reserve fund of a minimum of 10 percent of the annual operating budget. For the upcoming budget, it would require the transit agency to have $100 million in reserves. Reiskin said the reserve fund is above 20 percent of the annual budget. The transit agency dipped into its reserve funds during the last recession. SFMTA board Director Malcolm Heinickie said that was an exception because it kept Muni going. Heinickie said he would like to keep the reserve funds above 10 percent of the annual budget in case of another economic downturn. He said he would consider using the funds if there was a one-time expense that would save money over time or increase efficiency, and keep reserve funds above 15 percent of the annual budget: “That’s really got to be the criteria. It’s not something we want. It’s something that really is a valuable investment of our money.” Heinickie also supported the idea of raising cash fares as a possible new revenue source: “I think not only will it raise money, but it will serve an overall benefit of getting off cash fares, which have all sorts of problems. I’ll just name one. They slow the bus down. It’s just that simple.” No figure was discussed on how much cash fares could possibly increase. On the topic of increasing senior/disabled and youth fares, Reiskin said since the transit agency has now a low- and moderate income program for free Muni, and that board members should look into scaling back the fare discount closer to 50 percent, which is the federal mandate for senior fares. The discount from the SFMTA is closer to 66 percent. The SFMTA board will get two more updates on the budget in February and March and will host two town hall meetings on March 9 and 23. The board will have two opportunities in April to adopt the budget. Once adopted, the budget will go before the Board of Supervisors for approval in May. The new fiscal year begins on July 1.MUMBAI: Top private sector lenders including ICICI Bank and Axis Bank may see more bad loans chocking their earnings growth in coming quarters, said Moody’s Investors Service in a note.“While we have been expecting asset quality to deteriorate for both, we had expected the deterioration to come predominantly from their watchlist accounts.“Asset quality for private sector banks will likely deteriorate,” said Moody’s said in a note. “Both of Axis Bank Ltd (Baa3 positive) and ICICI Bank (Baa3 positive,) have seen significant additions to their NPLs (Non-performing loans) from outside of their already announced watchlist accounts.”“A continuation of the increasing non-watchlist NPL trend would put negative pressure on the banks' credit profiles,” the report said.Increased non-performing loans (NPLs) from outside the watchlists of Axis Bank Ltd (Baa3 positive, baa3) and ICICI Bank Limited's (ICICI, Baa3 positive, baa3) are pressuring their credit profiles, according to analysts in Moody’s Investors Services.Meanwhile, asset quality trends for public sector banks have been more benign, and the pace of deterioration has slowed in the past two quarters from the levelsseen in FY2016.However, IDBI Bank Ltd (Baa3 stable, b1) has been a negative exception, with the bank seeing significant additions to its NPLs during Q3 FY2017.“Net interest margins will also come under pressure as banks gradually adopt the marginal cost of funds lending rate to price their loans.”So far, less than 20% of the banks' variable-rate loans have been repriced to MCLR as opposed to their base rate.“Because the MCLR is around 85 basis points (bps) lower than base rate, we expect the downward trend in net interest margins to persist.”As part of the Queensland Government’s commitment to crack down on illegal street racing and hooning, The Police Powers and Responsibilities (Motor Vehicle Impoundment) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012, was passed in State Parliament on April 16, 2013. The new legislation supports the State Government’s election commitment to have the toughest anti-hoon laws in Australia. The Police Minister recently announced the legislation commencement date will be November 1, 2013. The new laws will improve road safety by deterring repeat offenders, stop offenders by taking their cars away and provide efficiency gains for the QPS. The new laws extend the existing two categories of vehicle related offences and increases the current impoundment period of 48 hours to 7 days or 90 days. Type 1 offences – such as burn-outs, racing and speed trials – currently result in a vehicle being impounded for 48 hours. The new laws will automatically impound the vehicle for 90 days for the first Type 1 offence – such as burn-outs, racing, speed trials, dangerous operation, careless driving and wilfully make unnecessary noise or smoke of a vehicle, and evade police. The vehicle will be impounded off the road at their own expense for three months, and forfeited for the second offence. Type 2 offences include driving a vehicle while uninsured at the same time as unregistered, drive without a driver’s licence, drive with a high alcohol limit, exceeding the speed limit by more than 40kms/hr and non-compliance with vehicle and safety standards. The first Type 2 offence is a pre-impoundment offence, while the second offence the vehicle will be immobilised or impounded for seven days, then 90 days for the third offence and forfeited on the subsequent offence. Illegally modified vehicles and owners engaging in anti-social and unsafe driving behaviour will be affected by these changes – law abiding citizens with legal modifications have nothing to fear. The new legislation will not have any effect on motoring enthusiasts who drive and operate vehicles within the law. The Government believes that standardised design rules for vehicles are critical for improving road safety. By ensuring all vehicles comply with certain safety standards, this minimises harm on Queensland roads. The new laws send a strong message to Queensland ‘hoons’ that the Queensland community are fed up with dangerous hooning on public roads and want the brakes put on hooning offenders. The new offences, sanctions and processes are outlined in the Fact Sheet and Process Flowchart. To help end hooning on our streets, Queenslanders can report dangerous and reckless driving to Police by calling the Hoon Hotline on 13HOON (13 4666) or submitting an on-line Hoon Report on the QPS website. http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/13hoon/You can't go on Halo MCC and compare the previous games with Halo 5 haha... They are all literally the worst ports of the game. Besides that, there are a ton of other things that made those games better than Halo 5 that aren't present in MCC like clans, playlists, working ranks, correct matchmaking, etc. And how you said problems like hit-detection were a big issue for you, unfortunately these games don't have the original games hit detection. Literally all of them except Halo 4 are worse than their original counter-parts. Halo CE had a ton of problems and there are still some things wrong from the original version because it's using the PC port. Halo 2 on MCC is the VIsta port and that's why they needed to patch the hit registration in Halo 2 classic because it was just soooo bad. So I know exactly why you feel like you can't hit anyone in these games. Halo 3 was fine on here with exception of some of the sound issues that still happen. But like I said, there are a ton of other things that made Halo 3 great. Like the progression system, the working ranking system (same for Halo 2), theater mode, Bungie's Favorites and the File Share system, a better theater mode. The hit registration is also a tad different. Halo 4 is.. Well, okay you got me here lol. Halo 4 is bad regardless. All in all, these games weren't true to their originals, so it's kind of off base. You had to play the actual original versions. Your opinion could be the same, it could be different. Just wanted to point some of these things out. :)The new year is right around the corner! Let’s take a look back at some of the highlights of 2015 at Smarties! 1. Smarties in the News We were honored and delighted to be featured in a number of U.S. and Canadian media outlets, including The New York Times, CNN Money, and WPIX, We got to share the history of our family-owned company and what’s on the horizon for Smarties Candy Company with the world
their countries of origin where they no longer have any roots and would immediately be enclosed in concentration camps or massacred en masse. The dominant ideology being based on religion and mysticism, a social uprising of the advanced industrial kind would be unthinkable: mass demonstrations, clashes with the police, mobilizations, etc., are not like elsewhere. That does not mean that opposition does not exist within the present situation in the occupied territories. There have also been various attempts in the field of clandestine structures, for example the Ma’atz which carried out sabotage to give echo to protest in the poorest areas. Illegal activities in the traditional sense of the term have also increased a great deal in recent years. The same can be said for petty crime and hooliganism in the stadiums, imitating the large metropoli. One characteristic of the poor areas of the capital is precisely a sense of frustration and the feeling that life is meaningless, especially as far as the young are concerned. Everything seems quite contradictory. That does not mean that it would be impossible to stimulate a mass struggle capable of taking up the original values of libertarian socialism once again. Perhaps it is necessary to take another look at the teachings of theoreticians of communitarian Hebraism such as Martin Buber. A practical attitude But in a situation of very hard struggle such as the Palestinian one, we cannot limit ourselves to proposing the books of Buber or Kropotkin as a solution to the problem. It is necessary to do more. I think that the enemy number one, the main obstacle to overcome, is today the State of Israel. It is for this that it is indispensable to support the struggle of the Palestinian people. I also think that a potential enemy of the Palestinian people and of the Israeli people, are the PLO and the Palestinian State in formation. For this I have never supported the PLO and their statist positions. It is therefore necessary to be against both the Israeli State and the Palestinian one. It is necessary to support the constitution of a federation of workers’ communities, both Palestinian and Israeli, free to federate themselves as they wish, to give themselves programmes, to make their own organisational and productive choices, beyond the rough interference of the big States, in particular the USA. Practical and ideal, as well as a productive and cultural collaboration is necessary, between the Palestinian people and the Israeli one, to put an end to a conflict of nation and race that has no reason to exist in that, in these lands, there is room for both people, with their differences of race, culture, religion and traditions. It is necessary to be at the side of the Palestinian people, but also to be with the Israeli people, especially the most disinherited and poor of them, who an international politic of huge interests is pushing to reciprocal massacre. [‘I nodi di un problema senza soluzione’, published in ProvocAzione no.19, February 1989, pages 6-7 entitled ‘Palestina’] A strange idea There is a fairly widespread idea in circulation that tends to justify the repressive action of the Israelis, seeing it in the context of the whole movement of control and repression of the Palestinian people all over the Middle East. The Palestinians are massacred a little by everybody, Arabs included, why should it only be the Israelis who should refuse to defend themselves and put an end to it? This is a classic thesis, one that is used when one wants to push someone away from involvement in a precise struggle, in this case that against the Israeli military machine as it is being used against the Palestinians. In itself it could be said that this thesis could even be shared by the Mosad, without a shadow of argument. In the cultural craze (that’s a manner of speaking) of wanting to get to the bottom of things, it isn’t realised that this thesis basically justifies the massacre in the same way as colonialism was once justified by saying that the ‘savages’ ‘if they had been left to themselves, would have killed each other’. Even if this did, and still does, contain some elements of truth, it is used like a defence for colonialism and serves only to hide genocide and exploitation under an aura of false humanitarianism. Some comrades who surprisingly support this thesis see rebellion anywhere except in the occupied territories. For them, the insurrection of a whole people against the daily massacre of young boys, women and children, against the destruction of their houses by the Israeli army, against torture, extermination camps, etc., is only a nationalist struggle, a way like any other to send the people to die for the homeland, therefore not in any way relevant in terms of revolution. One could just tell these lovers of truth to ‘go to hell’ in no uncertain way, considering it pointless to touch on an argument that, as it is there before everybody’s eyes, does not require to be spelt out in three letter words. As far as I am concerned, in a couple of direct and I hope simple words, the situation is as follows. — There is a State (Israel) aggressive and militarist like many others but which wants to kill a whole people (the Palestinian one). There are politicians (Arafat etc.) who have presented themselves of their own will and set themselves up as representatives of this people with the sole aim of constituting a State which could quickly become just as militarist and aggressive as the first. A possible solution would be the dissolution of the Israeli State and the prevention of the birth of the Palestinian State, all parallel to the formation of free communes and other structures selfmanaged by Palestinians and Jews together all with a right to the land and, principally, reciprocal respect in the name of freedom. This is certainly a simplistic and also utopian way to think, but I don’t believe that, as anarchists and given the situation, one could come to support anything else. To seek definitions and details in what is an extremely contradictory context, and, even more, to seek to find responsibility on both sides in order to lighten Israel’ position is bad taste to say the least, in my opinion. Let’s put aside the ‘cultural preoccupation’ for a moment, and perhaps we will see things more clearly. The massacres that the Israelis are carrying out to perfection are there in front of our very eyes. Whoever tries to cover them up, to justify them or even only underestimate them, shares responsibility for the massacre. In the same way the revolt of a people on its knees is there before everybody’s eyes. Although the present and future enemies of the Palestinian and Israeli people are many, there can be no doubt that its necessary to do something to help the revolt of the Palestinians against Israeli militarism. To do something means to move, to act here, immediately, everywhere, striking Israeli interests and not stand arguing until the last Palestinian is killed. [‘Una strana tesi’, published in ProvocAzione no. 16, September 1988, pages 6-7 entitled ‘Non chiudiamo gli occhi’] The Insurrectional Struggle in Palestine What the Israeli State is doing in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank is quite in keeping with the logic of wars of conquest that soldiers learn in their training courses everywhere. It would be quite normal for anarchists to unconditionally denounce what is happening, were it not that they find themselves in an area that is culturally strange to them. If we were to talk about the situation in South Africa, for example, everything would be a foregone conclusion. But it is quite a different matter to denounce what the Israelis are doing. The reason is clear. The Jews suffered the project of extermination put into act by the Nazis, so by definition they deserve our sympathy. No one is denying them that sympathy, which is also our own. Here it is not a question of the Jews but of the Israeli State and, naturally, those of its subjects who are lending themselves to the extermination of the Palestinian people that is taking place. The fact that there is a popular insurrection in course in the territories and that at least one Palestinian is killed each day does not help to make the situation any clearer. We have simply got used to it. When we see the figures as a whole, things change. During this last year [1988] 405 Palestinians were killed whereas a source of the Israeli ministry of defence talks of 392 killings. Just think, even taking the Israeli figures as good, it is a question of nearly one death a day. For the Palestinian wounded they are talking about 20,000, whereas the above mentioned ministry talks of 3,640. At least ten wounded a day. On the other side, bearing in mind the data of the Israeli defence ministry, 11 Israelis have been killed, with 402 colons and 703 soldiers wounded. The figures speak for themselves. To these figures should be added (according to Israeli sources) 20,000 arrests, 4,000 imprisoned without trial, 5,521 prisoners in concentration camps. 138 habitations destroyed by dynamite in reprisal, 32 expelled, 137 days of curfew in one year, with an uninterrupted period of 42 days, and this is only for 1988. On the other hand, the insurrection has cost Israel 250 million dollars in additional military expenditure, 750 million dollars loss of the gross national income, 14 per cent less tourism, an overall loss of over 25 per cent of the national income. The insurrection is putting Israel in serious difficulty. And beyond the strictly economic or political situation there is also, you might say, the question of image. Israel is having recourse to means and procedures that are damaging the sympathy and solidarity that the Jews had gained as a result of their suffering and repression at the hands of power over centuries. By becoming oppressors they have become ‘nasty’ and this means a lot today. One day in December 1987 the revolt exploded after four Palestinian commuters were killed and seven wounded when their minibus was upturned by an Israeli heavy military vehicle. The streets filled with boys and youths. This is what came to be known as the Intifada. In the lead, on the barricades, were the Shebab, the boys born in the shanty towns and concentration camps under the military oppression of Israel after 1967. From that day onwards, from these first four dead, the insurrection has continued unabated.. [Seeing the situation now before going to press in 1998 thing haven’t changed, the Intifada continues unabated.] The means used by this insurrection are the classic ones that so many political know-alls had declared out of date, given that we are in the virtual post modern era. Revolt can only start off from what is available, in this case, stones. Then sabotage, using rudimentary, simple means, followed by the boycott of Israeli cigarettes and soft drinks, followed by civil disobedience and strikes. For its part, the Israeli State is hitting back hard. The same goes for the colons who are shooting demonstrators and carrying out numerous acts of vandalism in the villages. Defenceless Palestinians are beaten to death. Four boys from the village of Salim near Nablus were buried alive by Israeli soldiers. Poisonous gases are used regularly with the result that over 1,800 Palestinian women have been forced to have abortions. Water and electricity are cut off in the insurgent villages. The spontaneous demonstration that took place after the killing of Abu Jihad in Tunisia was stopped immediately by the Israelis: sixteen dead. The telephones in the territories are cut off. It is forbidden to cross the border. Petrol and diesel pumps are blocked. The olive harvest is blocked. Plastic bullets, already tested in Ireland by the English occupying army, have been introduced and are used regularly. Over the past few months [1989] another subtle form of destruction has been discovered. Mysterious phosphorus devices in the form of chocolate bars or toys have been left lying around in the occupied areas by Israeli soldiers and colons in order to wound children. As soon as they are picked up the objects explode. There were five such cases of wounding in Nablus in the month of December alone. On November 10 [1988] 24 houses were razed to the ground by Jiftlik bulldozers in the Jordan valley after the inhabitants were invited to gather up their poor belongings in carts. One week earlier, fifteen blocks in Taibe were dynamited. The inhabitants were all deported. It is like seeing an exact replica of the Warsaw ghetto. Often history repeats itself, even turned upside down. For his part, Shamir has publicly declared that he intends to give ‘new impetus’ to the settlement of the colons in the occupied territories. In spite of the evidence provided by these facts, there are still people, even anarchists, for whom any excuse is good enough to justify Israel’s repressive action. It would be well for comrades to see things as they really are so that we can decide what needs to be done, here and now. [‘Lotta insurrezionale in Palestina’, published in ProvocAzione no. 18, December 1988, page 3, entitled ‘Repressione e lotta insurrezionale in Palestina’] The Palestinians continue to die The fact that Palestinian people continue to die every day is no longer news anywhere in the world. A few lines are drowned in the sea of new problems, some of which, unfortunately, register massacres of even greater dimension in other parts of the world. Man’s favourite sport continues to be that of killing and war. Not being able to take an interest in everything that happens in the world, one often turns one’s attention to a particular situation and tries to do something at the level of information if nothing else. That is, one tries to redress the damage caused by the misinformation of the press. As far as the Palestinian question is concerned, we must emphasize the importance of an insurrectional struggle that is putting one of the strongest armies in the world in serious difficulty. This obstinate will to freedom has been distorted by Zionist propaganda, which is natural. But it has also been misrepresented by the propaganda of all those who, although they say they are lovers of freedom and truth, do not realise that those facing armed tanks or who find themselves closed within a ghetto and submitted to continual bombardments, do not have much time to reflect on great principles of truth and freedom. In the first place, they must attack in order to survive. They must defend themselves because they are being killed. They cannot wait for the high priests of cultural research to find the way to explain the deeper reasons that lie behind the movement of the tanks. Reports on the Palestinian problem have often been of this kind, articles aimed at taking a distance and pointing out reciprocal rights and wrongs aimed at diverting the possibility of a solidarity struggle here and now into the simple and simplistic depths of cultural discussion. Collaborationist and pacifying positions are not lacking, even in Palestine. Tepid rethinking that will to do anything in order to leave things as they are and allow the Jews to widen their settlements even more and let the Palestinians carry on living in the ghettoes. But in the field of the real struggle the Palestinians continue to die, while on the other side, behind the insurmountable armour of their tanks, the persecuted of yesterday are applying the same methods as their old persecutors: destroy the houses of suspects, torture in the prisons and concentration camps, deport, kill in the streets, and so on. How the Palestinians consider collaboration with the enemy is shown in the treatment reserved to those who collaborate with the Israeli army. In the space of a few days, at the end of August [1988], four were killed because they were informers in the pay of Israel. A few days later, a fifth was hacked to pieces with an axe. Drastic measures, certainly, but which give an idea of what these people are suffering. When you get to certain levels, even feelings of pity and humanity begin to disappear. [‘I Palestinesi continuano a morire’, published in ProvocAzione no. 16, September 1988, page 8] Against the Israeli colonisers A spontaneous revolt of Palestinian students and workers has broken out in the Gaza strip in the occupied territories [1987] against the Israeli colonisers. In particular it is addressed against the proprietors of the industries and the managers of the economy of occupation and, of course, the enemy army. In a short time barricades have been erected and stones thrown against the Israeli military and civilians. Soldiers and civilians (the colonisers of the occupation) have responded with weapons, firing shots that were defined as intimidatory. The result: one Palestinian dead and two wounded. A student was killed when she was carrying out a road block against the Jewish residents in the area with another fifty girls from a women’s college of Manfulati. [‘Contro i coloni israeliani’, published in ProvocAzione no. 9 of November 1987, page 16 entitled ‘A Gaza i Palestinesi insorgono contro i coloni israeli’] The horror of growing accustomed to horror Growing accustomed to horror is far more striking than horror itself. Indignation quells and remains silent, and everything seems normal. This is the case of the repression against the Palestinians in the occupied territories. One reason for this slow but constant habituation is the fact that the Palestinian revolt, that of the stones and improvised weapons ‘is no longer news’. Another is the acceptance, on more than one side, of the reasons for the conflict. Those on the side of the Palestinians are against those who are on the side of the Israelis. Many hope, sometimes in good faith, that things will work out in time and everything will resolve itself. No matter how these ‘things’ come to an end and what solution is chosen, nothing in the world will be able eradicate the horror of the past few months [1989], the horror of martyr turned executioner, persecuted turned persecutor. No matter how clever the defenders of Israel are — and as we know these include a number of anarchists — we cannot forget the Palestinian baby killed by gas in the refugee camp of Khan Yunis by Israeli soldiers. We cannot forget the five year old child killed in Nablus by plastic bullets or the 14 year old killed a few days earlier while he was playing in front of his house, again shot by the Israeli occupying army. We cannot forget the colon death squads which go out at night and murder the young Palestinians considered responsible for the rebellion. Under such conditions the only thing that does surprise us is the strange insistence on trying to cover up responsibilities. We can see how this happens at a political level, but we don’t see how it can happen at the level of comrades who should show more sensitivity in their defence of the persecuted, leaving aside subtle distinctions in designating responsibility. [‘L’orrore dell’abitudine all’orrore’, published in ProvocAzione no. 17, November 1988, page 4, entitled ‘L’orrore’] No to the Palestinian State! The PLO have constituted a Palestinian State on the wave of the popular insurrection in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank. Many undoubtedly see this as something positive, but we can only see it as a step backwards, a diversion from the direction that the Palestinian struggle has taken in recent months. The PLO bureaucracy has intervened in the struggle with the complicity of the Islamic States who have high hopes for a Palestinian State in the Middle East. In this way a serious impediment has been put on the possibility of the struggle continuing to develop in an anti-State direction, the only direction that takes into consideration the needs of the Jewish people who have already settled in that area. The presence of a Palestinian State, however unlikely that might seem today, could not fail to lead to diplomatic and internally reached agreements that would make any peaceful coexistence between the two communities (Palestinian and Israeli) impossible. Yet both of them have a right to live on their own land. A Palestinian State could not fail to move in the direction of all States: that of military reinforcement, armed intervention, and the transformation of future diplomatic agreements into instruments of threat and retaliation. The path recently trodden by the Jews is there to show just how easy it is to turn the exploited and oppressed into exploiters and oppressors by regimenting them into the service of the State. The Palestinian people’s liberation struggle over the past forty years has had its dark moments, but even during the worst retaliatory actions such as that at Lod airport, it has never lost the quality of a popular revolt. Of course, the organisation was also just around the corner in the past, but always in a way that was purely instrumental and which could be discarded at any time. It in no way conditioned anyone in the name of a precise legal code to be established with the agreement of all nations. We have no idea what the nations of the world, with the USA in the lead, really could do for the Palestinian people who continue to be tortured and killed. They will certainly not be able to affect the internal problems of the Israeli State, due to the very international law that makes all the States of the world sovereign, if nothing else. We will find that Israel has the unquestionable ‘right’ to continue to oppress the Palestinian people, just as the latter will have the undeniable ‘right’ not to be oppressed, occupied, destroyed, killed, tortured, etc.. Each will have its own ‘rights’, the defence of which will come through the force of their own (and others) weapons. Everyone knows what state of affairs that could lead to. The newly constituted State could turn out to be a terrible obstacle in the Palestinian people’s long and difficult road to liberation, if for no other reason than because it is hard for those who suffer to understand such things. The constitution of an organisation such as a State is often seen as something positive. One feels stronger, one has contractual power with all the other nations of the world on an equal level. But is this not just a way to provide a semblance of negotiation, and in reality to continue oppression? What if Arafat’s passion to become head of State is no more than a diplomatic way of getting rid of the problem? No one can say that this is not what is in fact happening. After all, the applause that greeted the Palestinian State in embryo has come from all sides, from foreign diplomats to organisations of comrades who certainly do not move in ministerial circles. What is the cause of this cordiality of intent? In the first place, the fact that both ministers and authoritarian revolutionaries are on the same wavelength: the size of the organisation is what determines its strength, and from this ‘strength’ comes victory. This kind of thing, which we could never share, does not make us feel the joy that so many are expressing for the birth of the Palestinian State. But there is more. In our opinion, the Palestinian State will become an optimal diplomatic interlocutor. Pressure will be made through diplomatic channels. There will be an attempt to make Israel understand what it does not want to understand, closed as it is within its State logic. But what do all the other States of the world really care about the lot of five million Palestinians? The same goes for the authoritarian revolutionaries. What alternative can they propose? Direct intervention against the Israeli State? Direct support for the Palestinian insurrection in the occupied territories? Of course not! Now that the State also exists for these latest pioneers of ‘structure at any cost’, there is a way for them to organise their support for this shadow of previous examples. And so all their problems will be solved. We do not believe that the Algerian decision will improve the lot of the Palestinian people, be it real or not. The only reality we can turn our attention to and support is that of hundreds of young people who are resisting the Israeli tanks that occupy their land by throwing stones. This reality has nothing to do with diplomacy or the State. [‘No allo Stato Palestinese’, published in ProvocAzione no. 18, December 1988, pages 1-2] After the horror, disgust I don’t like quoting material and listing all the details of the repression that the State puts into act to put a brake on the rebellion of the oppressed. This is a typically Anglo Saxon affectation of little use from the point of view of ‘what is to be done’. This time, however, we feel we must make an exception. I think that a short list of the particularly atrocious means that are being used [1989] against the Palestinian insurrection in the occupied territories should throw any individual with a minimum of dignity into profound consternation. Normal tear gas bombs such as those used in Italy are charged with chloroacetophenon, which is already dangerous at a certain concentration in closed areas. Those used in Palestine are charged with dichlorobezilidene, which is often lethal even in open areas if it reaches a concentration of 1K per 50 cubic metres. Bear in mind that children are most exposed to this danger, especially when they are in a state of malnutrition as many Palestinian children are. The old tear gas canister of about two and a half kilos capacity has been replaced with the 606 Jumbo that uses four kilos of gas and by the 303 in rubber bullets which when fired bounce back spreading the gas and cannot be picked up. Now the Israeli army also has the 909 version that is fired up to 150 metres, uniting the effect of the gas to that of the kinetic impact of the bomb on the body of whoever it reaches. This being mainly a question of old people, women and children, it is easy to imagine the consequences. Rubber bullets, already tested in Northern Ireland, are now being used regularly in Palestine, and over the past 22 months [June 1989] have caused over 30 dead. These are single balls of rubber that take the place of lead in 12 bore shotgun cartridges, that is 18mm calibre. Sometimes these rubber bullets have a metal interior, so are nearly always deadly at a distance of under 70 metres. A machine of recent construction responds to the stones thrown by the Palestinian youths with other stones, shot in volleys in great quantities. A contraption known as the ‘washing machine’ mounted on an armoured car throws out a spray of 200 litres of foam. This foam solidifies immediately, burying alive those struck by the jet. Control reconnoitres are now carried out by radio controlled helicopters that can fly low without the risk that normal helicopters once ran of being struck down even by two well aimed stones. A special ultra-light lookout plane has been designed to survey the countryside: a biplane costing just over 12 million. It flies at a speed of 180 km an hour and requires only 16 hours flight training. Automatic pilot lookout planes are also used, i.e. radio-controlled air models upon which are mounted video cameras that send images to the operational centre. They move at a speed of about 75 km an hour and fly for not more than 25 minutes. To these ultra-sophisticated means should be added the normal ones that went into action from the first moment of the clashes. One of the best equipped armies in the world is trying — moreover without succeeding — to crush a defenceless people who are rebelling by throwing stones. All the horrors of classical genocide have been used: mass deportation, concentration camps, indiscriminate massacre, destruction of individual houses or entire groups of houses, on the spot shootings, violence, rape, attacks on mosques, attacks on the Red Cross, prearranged massacres, the use of death squads made up of colons and plain clothes soldiers. The list could go on, but it would be a list deja vu. Careful, dear comrades, at this time the historic conditions of all times are presenting themselves yet again, almost as though humanity, at least in the short term, (a few millennium), cannot escape its round of death. Many of those making historical distinctions today bring to mind the bourgeoisie who, before the Paris Commune of 1871, lined up behind Mazzini with his doubts then in the days of the massacre felt the need to support their thesis by coming out into the streets to gouge out the eyes of the dead communards with the points of their umbrellas. Just like those fine people living near Dachau at the time of the extermination of the Jews who presented an expose to the local authorities because the smoke from the ‘factory’ was killing the birds nesting in the surrounding trees. Just like those who are splitting hairs and talking of the ‘positive aspects’ of Nazism today. The important thing to note, yet again, is that there is a time for in-depth examination and theory. But there is also a time when Minerva’s bird must go to sleep, and that is the time for action and the destruction of the enemy. [‘Oltre l’orrore, lo schifo’, published in ProvocAzione no. 21, June 1989, page 5] Let’s boycott Israeli products Acts of solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people have been spreading recently. [1988] The latest was that of the Coop council delegates in the Emilia and Veneto regions, who in a letter to the management on April 12, asked for the acquisition of Israeli products, grapefruit, avocados dates, to be suspended. The management, faithful to their market mentality, replied, ‘To impose political choices and evaluations on the consumer through a preventive selection of products on sale would be a limitation of freedom of choice and expression (sic)’. Ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the retraction of the factory council which, after a meeting with the management, withdrew its request for a boycott and, rather than pass on to more incisive forms of struggle, limited itself to handing out a leaflet asking the consumer not to buy the product. Basically, the firm’s position was accepted. Someone else decided to choose different methods. Anonymous telephone calls reached the editorial offices of various newspapers informing them that a number of Jaffa grapefruit had been poisoned in solidarity with the Palestinians in struggle. The news created considerable panic in many parts of Italy. It seems however that it was only a threat, given that analyses of the grapefruit revealed no trace of poison. Let us imagine what would happen if one were to start to attack the interests of the Israeli State more seriously, not only its products but also the companies that support them in some way, the travel agencies, etc. [‘Boicottiamo i prodotti israeliani’ published in ProvocAzione no. 13, April 1988, page 1] A Molotov in Turin If one thing can be noted concerning the Molotov against the ‘Luxembourg’ bookshop in Turin, it is the total uniformity of reactions to it. It really gives us pleasure to see how town, regional and State authorities, no matter what side their parties are on, replied in unison to condemn the ‘vile gesture of intimidation and intolerance’. It also gives us pleasure to note how the various radical associations and extremists of every shade including the autonomists of the Turin collectives (we don’t know if it was a question of all of them) and dulcis in fundo the anarchists also joined this angelic choir. From what appears in the newspapers, because all that we know at the moment has been from the ‘well informed’ papers, the ‘Berneri’ [anarchist] group in Turin also seems to have felt the need to condemn the ‘resurgence of Nazi racism’. And this is plausible, if one bears in mind the content of the communiques of the group ‘L. Fabbri’ of Forli and some Milanese anarchist groups that we are reproducing in the note below. So much uniformity of intent is truly comforting. For authorities and ‘revolutionaries’ to shake hands is something that shows there is hope for the future. We, on the contrary, have a few doubts. There are some things that we don’t know, and we admit that. Other things we know with certainty, so we will speak out and not keep quiet out of conformity or fear. What we don’t know are the actual words of the communique. The fact that it was signed — if what the newspapers reported is true — with a new anarchist signature, ‘Gruppo (o Gruppi?) anarchici rivoluzionario’ [Revolutionary Anarchist Groups] (some papers speak of ‘revolutionary anarchists’) certainly made indispensable the accompaniment of even a brief sketch of analysis of the reasons behind the gesture — which exist and which we will talk about here. The idea of simply making a phone call using such a signature is the least credible part of the whole affair. We don’t know if the reference to the PLO (some speak of ‘long live the PLO’) is true or not, and if it is, then this would become another element of doubt. What anarchist would say such a thing? Can you believe that a comrade does not know that the PLO is a fully functioning government, (with its left and right) that manages a future State and directs intelligence operations that are among the most advanced in the Arab world? Of course not. Given these admissions of ignorance, there are some things we do know. We know perfectly well that the struggle against the excessive power of Israel and its project to exterminate the Palestinian people (who have little to do with the PLO) is not ‘a fact’ that is only taking place in that far off land. That is something that concerns all of us, all, that is, who have the fate of man (and people) including the Israeli people (who have little to do with the interests of the Israeli State), at heart. And this leads some of us to want to intervene in deed, not only with more or less symbolic gestures or with a battle of declarations more or less condemning the fascists who dominate the Israeli State. We are filled with indignation by the attacks by the Israeli police and army on children, women and old people, a defenceless population struggling to survive armed with only stones from ghettoes that are only a distant reminder of what was once their place of daily life, just as the comrades who drew up the above declaration certainly were. There, that indignation is at the basis of our positive consideration of the action. Yes, positive, even if we are the only ones to say so openly (because as far as we know many comrades have declared themselves to be personally in favour of the action). We are not afraid to admit that the destruction of a pro-Israeli bookshop does not upset many people in the face of such events. Of course, we don’t know if these comrades are anarchists or not, or whether they are more or less aware of the history of anarchism and the reasons and theories of anarchists (many comrades, especially the very young ones, are anarchists before they even become aware of many of the historical and theoretical questions at the root of anarchist action). What we do know is that the objective under attack seems right to us. Whoever defends the interests of the Israeli State at the present time should be attacked, possibly with an opportune explanation of the reasons why. On the other hand, anyone who defends the interests of the Israeli people — which are undoubtedly also our own interests — at this delicate time, seeing them as no different to those of the Palestinian people, must be able to do so and be able to explain how, from a class point of view, these interests differ from those of the Israeli State. To simply exalt Jewish ‘culture’ and religion, elements that are at the basis of and perpetrate the existence of the State of Israel today, merely renders service to the assassins who are not only massacring the Palestinians but are also tyrannising and mystifying the Israeli people. To get an idea of the climate in Turin we note that following the attack on the ‘Luxembourg’ bookshop police raids were carried out against the ‘El Paso’ squat. Moreover, some comrades were stopped that night while fly-posting about El Paso’s video program, and taken to police station where they were held until 7am. Here is the Forli text: ‘Following the news of the attack on the ‘Luxembourg’ bookshop in Turin claimed by a so-called group of ‘revolutionary anarchists’, anarchist group ‘Luigi Fabbri’ of Forli feels it a moral duty to take a position against this attack and the claim that accompanied it. Against the attack, because they find it senseless and anti-libertarian to use this kind of violence against positions that are different and contrary to one’s own. Against the claim, because it considers it is against the principles of anarchism to adhere to the militarist politics of the PLO. At the same time it expresses solidarity with the Palestinian people who presently find themselves oppressed by the militarism of the Israeli State. But such solidarity must not be confused with feelings of anti-Jewish racism or acts of unconditional violence against every manner of thinking that is different to our own. To words we respond with words, beyond any practice of censure and repression.’ Forli, 15 April 1988. Andrea Papi, for anarchist group ‘Luigi Fabbri’. Here is the Milan text: Following the attack carried out last night against the Luxembourg bookshop in Turin belonging to Angelo Pezzana, and considering that, according to the media, responsibility for the attack was claimed by a ‘group of anarchists’, the present Milan initiative sent Angelo Pezzana the following telegram. ‘We express our solidarity in the face of the vile attack on the Luxembourg bookshop, yet another sign of anti-Semitism and intolerance against which anarchists have always fought beyond any ideological differences we have with you in the battle for the freedom of speech’. Editorial group ‘A Rivista Anarchica’ Utopia Bookshop, Centro Studi Libertari, Anarchist circle ‘Ponte della Ghisolfa’. [‘Una Molotov a Torino’, published in ProvocAzione no. 13, April 1988, page 5] New Palestinian initiatives A new form of attack has been used in the insurrection that has been going on for over seven months in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank. As well as the persistence of clashes with the Israeli occupying army, more than 20 fires have been started against Israeli crops and woods. In spite of frequent ferocious controls by the Israeli colons, several hundred hectares have been destroyed. A seed oil factory and an irrigation plant have also been completely burnt out. Finally, a textile factory in Tel Aviv has been torched. All this began in the middle of June. A few weeks before there were attacks against electricity plants and high voltage pylons. These attacks caused blackouts in the most important cities of Israel: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nablus, Bethlehem and in the Gaza Strip itself. For the nature lovers who get upset by news of forest fires and the destruction of innocent plants, we would like to point out that there is news from the Israeli side too. The Palestinians in revolt, armed with only stones and a few Molotovs, are now faced with toxic gas which, according to International Red Cross figures (an organism that is certainly not on the side of the Palestinians), has caused dozens of victims. [‘Nuove iniziative palestinesi’, published in ProvocAzione no. 15, July 1988] How one becomes those of yesterday The vicissitudes of Mein Kamp
are somewhere around zero. At Valve, we’re very happy with the results of our Cabal process. Of course, we still suffer from being overly ambitious and having, at times, wildly unrealistic expectations, but these eventually get straightened out and the Cabal process is very good about coming up with the optimal compromise. Given how badly we failed initially, and how much the final game exceeded our individual expectations, even our most initially reluctant person is now a staunch supporter of the process. Tips for a Successful Cabal Include an expert from every functional area (programming, art, and so on). Arguing over an issue that no one at the meeting actually understands is a sure way to waste everyone’s time. Write down everything. Brainstorming is fine during the meetings, but unless it’s all written down, your best ideas will be forgotten within days. The goal is to end up with a document that captures as much as is reasonable about your game, and more importantly answers questions about what people need to work on. The first incarnation of the game’s main character, now known affectionately as "Ivan the Space Biker." Not all ideas are good. These include yours. If you have a "great idea" that everyone thinks is stupid, don’t push it. The others will also have stupid ideas. If you’re pushy about yours, they’ll be pushy about theirs and you’re just going to get into an impasse. If the idea is really good, maybe it’s just in the wrong place. Bring it up later. You’re going to be designing about 30 hours of game play; if you really want it in it’ll probably fit somewhere else. Maybe they’ll like it next month. Only plan for technical things that either already work, or that you’re sure will work within a reasonable time before play testing. Don’t count on anything that won’t be ready until just before you ship. Yes, it’s fun to dream about cool technology, but there’s no point in designing the game around elements that may never be finished, or not polished enough to ship. If it’s not going to happen, get rid of it, the earlier the better. Avoid all one-shot technical elements. Anything that requires engineering work must be used in more than one spot in the game. Engineers are really slow. It takes them months to get anything done. If what they do is only used once, it’s a waste of a limited resource. Their main goal should always be to create tools and features that can be used everywhere. If they can spend a month and make everyone more productive, then it’s a win. If they spend a week for ten seconds of game play, it’s a waste. Ken is senior developer at Valve and has contributed to a wide range of projects in the last 15 years, most recently on animation and AI for Half-Life. Previous projects include satellite networking, cryptography, 3D prosthetic design tools, 3D surface reconstruction, and in-circuit emulators. Oddly enough, Ken dropped out of studying EE to pursue a fine arts degree at The Evergreen State College, which he considers far more relevant to creative thinking than any silly differential equations class. You can reach him at [email protected]. Return to the full version of this article Copyright © UBM Tech, All rights reservedTwo days after a GOP House candidate from Montana was charged with assaulting a journalist, Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, joked about shooting reporters, according to the Texas Tribune. The comment followed Abbott's Friday signing of a bill that reduces the licensing fee to carry a handgun in the state of Texas from $70 to $40. The governor then made his way upstairs to the shooting range for some target practice, and once he was finished, he held up his target sheet to show off his marksmanship, joking to the reporters and photographers present that, "I'm gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters." His remark comes mere days after Greg Gianforte, who is now the Congressional representative for Montana's at-large district, allegedly slammed Ben Jacobs, a reporter for The Guardian, to the ground. Though he initially contradicted the reporter's version of the altercation -- backed up by an audio recording and a Fox News producer who witnessed the altercation -- Gianforte later admitted to his "mistake" in an apology delivered after securing Montana's only congressional seat. Gianforte has been charged with misdemeanor assault, and is scheduled to appear in court between now and June 7th. Jokes about threatening the press have become more common recently. At the United States Coast Guard commencement ceremony on May 17th, 2017, DHS Secretary John Kelly joked with President Trump after he'd been presented with a ceremonial sword, saying, "Use that on the press, sir." President Trump chuckled, responding, "Yeah, that's right."Police arrest over 70 in attack on Occupy San Francisco encampment By James Brewer 8 December 2011 Police blockading the encampment during the raid [Photo: Eric Wagner] In a surprise raid early Wednesday morning, one hundred police and sheriff’s deputies in riot gear laid siege to the Occupy encampment at Justin Herman Plaza at the foot of Market Street in downtown San Francisco. At 1:30 am, a five-minute warning was given to protesters, many of whom were asleep in their tents, to gather belongings and leave the encampment. Over 70 arrests were made in the process of clearing the camp. The police attack was the latest in a series of similar crackdowns on Occupy encampments across the country. Thousands have been arrested in a nationally coordinated assault on the right of political speech and assembly, carried out mainly by Democratic Party city administrations. The Obama administration, which has feigned sympathy for the protests in an effort to boost the president’s reelection campaign, has signaled its tacit approval for the police violence by remaining silent. In recent weeks the Occupy San Francisco encampment had attracted more protesters, bringing the total number of campers to over 150. Mayor Ed Lee, a Democrat, claimed that the protests had cost the city $950,000. He said the city had issued repeated warnings to the protestors to move. The Occupy San Francisco encampment three days before the raid [Photo: Robert B. Livinston] “I’ve been incredibly patient with the use and misuse of Justin Herman Plaza,” Lee declared. He added, “Everyone in the city has the right to protest, but overnight sleeping will not be allowed.” Several protesters told the media that they had not been given enough time to clear out their belongings, which led to clashes between police and Occupy supporters. About 30 arrests were made during the raid itself. The rest were made when protestors tried to cross police lines to reenter the camp. Jack Martin told Associated Press reporters that as he was trying to leave, he was zip-tied and carted off to a police station while his tent and personal belongings were being trashed. After his release, he said tearfully, “Everything I own is gone, my medicine, my paper for my Social Security.” Later, as two dozen police officers blocked access to the camp, city workers raked up belongings and power-washed the sidewalks. Tents, blankets and bicycles were loaded onto flatbed trucks and garbage vehicles. Noon rally on Market Street in front of the Federal Building [Photo: Eric Wagner] One of the 70 arrested, David Ritchie, said many items were damaged or destroyed in the process. He said he saw personal belongings being put in a garbage truck and crushed. In a perfunctory move, the city notified the press that belongings could be picked up at the public works yard between 1 pm and 5 pm. Occupy protesters later massed in front of the Federal Building on Market Street to, according to organizer Gene Doherty, “send a message that this is our right to protest, our right to assemble, and to talk about the economic injustices in the world.” At the noon rally, demonstrators blocked traffic and shouted, “Whose streets? Our streets!” Organizers vowed to retake the plaza.When an American suffers from a severe mental illness, to the point that he or she receives disability benefits through the Social Security Administration, there are a variety of limits created to help protect that person and his or her interests. These folks cannot, for example, go to a bank to cash a check on their own.If congressional Republicans have their way, these impaired people will, however, be able to buy a gun. USA Today reported The House of Representatives approved its first effort of the new Congress to roll back gun regulations, voting to overturn a rule that would bar gun ownership by some who have been deemed mentally impaired by the Social Security Administration. The House voted 235-180 largely along party lines Thursday to repeal an Obama-era rule requiring the Social Security Administration to send records of some beneficiaries to the federal firearms background check system after they’ve been deemed mentally incapable of managing their financial affairs. The rule, when implemented, would affect about 75,000 recipients of disability insurance and supplemental insurance income who require a representative to manage their benefits because of a disabling mental disorder, ranging from anxiety to schizophrenia. The full roll call on yesterday’s vote is online here. Note that 97% of House Republicans voted for the measure, while 99% of House Democrats voted against it.While GOP proponents of the bill argued that it’s unfair to limit the rights of the mentally disabled, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), among others, explained, “These are not just people having a bad day…. These are people with a severe mental illness who can’t hold any kind of job or make any decisions about their affairs.”This did not prove persuasive to Congress’ far-right majority, which supported the measure that enjoyed the enthusiastic backing of the National Rifle Association.In terms of the substantive details, the Social Security Administration reports the names of those who receive disability benefits due to severe mental illness to the FBI’s background-check system. The House bill intends to block that reporting, making more people eligible to legally buy a firearm.Often, in the wake of the country’s brutal mass shootings, Republican policymakers have a reflexive set of talking points, and near the top is something intended to sound constructive: working on mental-health issues is a potential area for bipartisan common ground.Yesterday was a reminder that the gap between the parties on issues such as these couldn’t be much greater.And while much of the political world’s attention has been focused on Donald Trump’s alarming antics of late, let’s not overlook the fact that House Republicans have been quite busy this week. The GOP majority voted to make it easier for coal mining debris to be dumped into nearby streams ; Republicans approved a measure to allow oil companies to hide payments to foreign governments ; and yesterday they moved to expand gun access for the mentally impaired.It’s quite an institution.Attorneys representing 21 children who are suing the federal government over its responsibility to slow climate change are seeking answers from the oil and gas industry. The plaintiffs want to uncover what role fossil fuel interests played in shaping government climate policies. The plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States filed a request for documents from the American Petroleum Institute (API), the largest U.S. trade group for the oil and gas industry and an intervenor on behalf of the U.S. government in the case. The request seeks a wide range of documents, including any from internal API groups related to climate change and government lobbying. Examples noted in the request include API's CO2 and Climate Change Task Force, its Environmental Strategy Team and its Climate Change Steering Group. It also seeks communications with Exxon and other oil companies discussing climate. The request specifically seeks memoranda written by individual industry researchers, lobbyists, trade association employees and other fossil fuel advocates. Those people were engaged in early research into climate change and in attempts by the industry to sow doubt about the emerging consensus that global warming is caused by emissions from fossil fuels. Many of those named figured in an investigation by InsideClimate News in 2015, which included revelations that API's CO2 and Climate Change Task Force monitored and shared climate research between 1979 and 1983. The investigation showed that scientists from nearly every major oil company, including Exxon, Texaco and Shell, were aware of the oil industry's possible impact on the world's climate far earlier than previously known. Shell warned of the catastrophic risks of climate change more than a quarter of century ago in a 1991 film that was rediscovered and posted online by the Correspondent, a Dutch news outlet, on Feb. 28. Ties between industry and government strengthened during the early years of the George W. Bush administration when fossil fuel advocates like former API lobbyist Philip A. Cooney gained influence over U.S. government policy regarding climate change. Cooney became chief of staff at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, an office that drove climate policy. Government scientists accused Cooney of rewriting federal research reports to sow doubt about man-made climate change. Cooney resigned in 2005 and went to work for Exxon. In their lawsuit, which was originally filed in September 2015 and updated to include President Trump as a defendant after his inauguration, the plaintiffs accuse the federal government of violating their constitutional rights by knowing about the dangerous climate impacts of burning fossil fuels while supporting their development. The federal government under the Obama administration, along with fossil fuel companies, requested dismissal of the case, but a federal district court judge in Oregon ruled last fall that the case could proceed. The litigation, under something called the public trust doctrine, is an unusual approach to fighting climate change by holding the government accountable, but it could uncover key documents in the role industry played in shaping U.S. policies related to the issue. (The other causes of action in the complaint are substantive due process under the 5th amendment and equal protection.) "The truth will come out in this case," Julia Olson, counsel for plaintiffs and executive director of Our Children's Trust said in a statement. "We intend to hold the defendants accountable for their longstanding role in causing climate change, and their clear knowledge about the price the planet would pay for the sake of their profits."Happy Clapper takes on Winx Happy Clapper will be the only horse outside the Chris Waller stable to run against Winx in the Chipping Norton Stakes Fire in western Victoria under control A fire which was heading towards a Victorian wind farm is now under control. Pell verdict devastating: Abbott Luke Griffiths Tony Abbott called George Pell after it emerged publicly that the cardinal had been convicted of sexually abusing choirboys. Coal can still make you money JAMES KIRBY Heard about the $5 billion company that jumped nearly 30 per cent this week? No it’s not tech, or medical devices... it’s coal. NSW pedophile cult chief wants monitor off Perry Duffin The notorious sex-offender who led a cult on the NSW south coast is seeking to have his release conditions changed after a stroke. Military rifle used in Hobart bar shooting Ethan James A Hobart court has heard a world-champion powerlifter used a combat rifle to fire a flurry of shots at a bar with about 30 patrons inside. Pair carjack Mercedes in Melbourne carpark Christine McGinn and Kaitlyn Offer A grandfather was dragged from his car in a Melbourne carpark by two men who then drove off and crashed his luxury Mercedes. Iran's Rouhani rejects FM's resignation Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Iran's president will not accept the resignation of his foreign minister because he considers it against the national interest. Pell to spend first night behind bars Karen Sweeney and Rick Goodman Cardinal George Pell will spend his first night behind bars for sexually abusing two choirboys in a Melbourne cathedral, ahead of his sentencing next month. Munz turns tap on $1.7bn play JOHN STENSHOLT Jonathan Munz and his family have made $1.7bn from their 30-year involvement with plumbing supplies outfit Reliance. Peterson, Pell highlight divide Chris Kenny This week we have seen society’s divide highlighted in a non-consequential episode and a deadly serious one. SA abortion law reform under fire A woman who says her partner forced her to terminate a pregnancy has spoken out against abortion law reform in South Australia. ‘Life-threatening’ bottle ban Wally Mason The anti-litter police have launched a raid on the world of cycling — and are aiming to destroy one of its greatest traditions. Funds flow for Townsville brothers Christine Flatley A GoFundMe page has raised more than $3,000 to help send the bodies of two brothers found drowned in a Townsville river to Darwin, where the family is from. Rio lifts lid on WA copper find PAUL GARVEY Rio Tinto has come clean on the worst kept secret in mining: an “encouraging” copper find in WA’s Paterson Range. Tripping the light fantastic JANE SANDILANDS The coolest place in the French capital might just be Atelier des Lumieres in Paris’s 11th arrondisement. Rio Tinto earnings up 2%, ups dividend Rio Tinto has announced a special dividend after its earnings beat expectations, and says it has found signs of copper and gold in Western Australia. Pakistan shoots down two Indian aircraft The Pakistan military says Indian jets had entered Pakistan and two had been shot down, with one pilot captured. State support grows for disability inquiry Daniel McCulloch The prime minister predicts state and territory governments will come on board within days to back a royal commission into abuse of people with disabilities.On Error Handling in Rust Rust is improving quite a lot lately and it makes it very exciting to play with the language and see how good API design could look like. There are areas in it however that are a bit frustrating still. For me one area is error handling. But some improvements might be coming up which I find quite exciting because it changes things around a bit from what most people are used to. I actually wanted to write about about the API design in my little redis library but I expect the changes in the error handling to change the dynamics around a lot. Because of that I want to write a bit about the error handling in Rust currently and where it could be going. Rust's Concept of Failure Rust at present has two ways to indicate failure: results and hard task failures. In practical terms only the former is actually what you should be concerned with. Task failures are a last resort that you can fall back to if there is nobody who can pick up on your problem or if the problem is just of a nature that does not permit any error handling. At present a result is as good as it gets. A type Result<T, E> has two possible states in which it can be: Ok(T) or Err(E). So it either succeeded with an object of value T or it failed with an object of value E. I think this concept in generally is quite obvious to developers, even if they have not used Rust. Because failures are quite common there is also a macro provided in Rust called try! which implements an early return that propagates the error part upwards: fn load_document () -> Result < Document, DatabaseError > { let db = try! ( open_database ()); try! ( db. load ( "document_1" )) } With the try! macro expanded it looks a bit like this: fn load_document () -> Result < Document, DatabaseError > { let db = match open_database () { Ok ( x ) => x, Err ( err ) => { return Err ( err ); } }; match db. load ( "document_1" ) { Ok ( x ) => x, Err ( err ) => { return Err ( err ); } } } As you can see, the try! macro makes things quite straightforward. There is however quite a big problem with it, and that is that all the errors from the function have to be the same. In many cases that is just wrong. A good example is my redis-rs library. Since all operations are happening over sockets you can either get an IOError or you might be presented with a redis specific error. Errors Across Abstraction Boundaries The problem of errors that want to cross an abstraction boundary are a long standing issue in many programming languages. There have been quite a few extreme approaches to this problem. The most extreme example is probably the concept of unchecked exceptions. In Python for instance anything can fail with any error. This fit's Python's design quite well because Python is a highly dynamic language and until you actually execute the thing you don't really know what's going to happen. However the same concept also exists in C# and other more static languages where it feels much more alien. Java has checked exceptions which have a terrible reputation (deservedly). With checked exceptions you have the guarantee that (with the exception of runtime exceptions which also exist) an API will not raise you an exception you cannot deal with. However it suffers from the same general problem as you currently have in Rust where you need to figure out what exactly you should do when your contract to the outside world is that you only raise exception X but the function you are calling into raises exception Z. In Java this is especially annoying because the error handling is very involved. In some other languages like C the errors typically are an in-band signal that indicates that something went wrong and an some state elsewhere that you can query to figure out what happened. This is by far the worst because it requires that something holds state for you but it's reasonably flexible. The Python interpreter for instance has a thread local variable that contains the "interpreter state" which holds a reference to the last actual error that happened. Individual calls return NULL pointers or other indicator values. When you fail in a function you return NULL after creating an error object and storing in the interpreter state. If you call into another function and you can see that a failure indicator ( NULL pointer) comes back you just propagate the failure upwards. Once something that can handle the error sees a NULL it can go back to the interpreter state to figure out what exactly happened. What Rust has in Mind One of the proposals for Rust currently introduce a new concept which combines various different approaches by changing how errors would propagate. It sticks with the general idea that your functions return your errors but it introduces the concept of error interoperability. Think of it like this: the contract your library has with the outside world is that your library exposes a certain behavior and some behavior is an implementation detail. While it's fairly obvious that your database library will eventually do IO to talk to the database, it does not mean that it will always do. This has always been a problem with checked exceptions in Java because some of the interfaces do not make sense in all circumstances. If for instance my redis library would ever start talking to an in-memory simulation of Redis it will probably stop producing IO errors internally. The idea of the proposal is twofold. The first one is that errors generally follow a common pattern. An error is whatever the user wants it to be, but it needs to implement the Error trait and implement some general methods to extract some information out of the error (Like a description that gives an error message and optionally some more detail information). In addition the neat aspect is that an error can have a cause which points to another error. So in case of my redis library for instance if the library would have to report an IO error it would report a redis error with a message like "Encountered an IO error while talking to the server" and links back to the actual IO error. To wrap an error in another error the FromError trait exists that can facilitate this. So my redis library would implement a conversion of IOError to a RedisError that also stores the IO error as cause. The elegance becomes obvious once you see the actual usage code in action: impl FromError < IOError > for RedisError { fn from_err ( err : IOError ) -> RedisError { RedisError { descr : "Encountered an IO error", cause : Some ( err ), } } } fn read_value ( host, port ) -> Result < Parser, RedisError > { let sock = try! ( TcpStream :: connect ( host, port )); let mut parser = Parser :: new ( & mut sock as & mut Reader ); try! ( parser. parse_value ()) } The TcpStream::connection method fails with an IOError. Because our own function fails with RedisError, the try! macro will automatically invoke the FromError::from_err method to create a new redis error that wraps the cause one. Now we just need to make sure that RedisError implements the Error trait to provide the useful bits for introspection. From try! To Navigation But this is not where Rust wants to stop. There is another RFC which proposes an operator to replace the try! macro with an operator and it's actually really neat. In a nutshell try!(x) would become x?. The consequences are quite cool because you can then arbitrarily nest failure conditions: fn load_document () -> Result < Document, DatabaseError > { open_database ()?. load ( "document_1" ) } This is quite a dramatic improvement over the initial version. There are even more things proposed that would go quite far in emulating exceptions without exceptions. For more information read the RFC.London (AFP) - Russia's economy will contract next year as a result of the crisis with Ukraine, the EBRD development bank forecast on Thursday after slashing its prediction for growth. Ukraine's economy will meanwhile contract faster than expected, in turn weighing on other emerging economies in the region, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said in its latest outlook report. Russia's economy will contract by 0.2 percent in 2015, the EBRD said after predicting in May that it would expand by 0.6 percent next year. The bank, founded in 1991 to help ex-Soviet bloc countries such as Russia and Ukraine make the transition to free-market economies and democracy, maintained its forecast of zero Russian growth for this year. "The Russian economy will come under pressure both from Western sanctions and the sanctions that Moscow has imposed on the West in response," the EBRD said. The United States and European Union last week hit Russia with tough new sanctions over Moscow's "unacceptable behaviour" in Ukraine. In some of the toughest measures yet to punish the Kremlin for allegedly fomenting the insurgency, Washington targeted Russia's top bank Sberbank -- which holds the deposits of nearly half all Russian savers -- and leading energy and technology companies. Moscow has meanwhile threatened to bar EU airlines from its airspace, and has drawn up a list targeting imports of consumer goods and second-hand cars from the West. - Ukraine contraction - The EBRD added that Ukraine's economy is predicted to shrink by 9.0 percent this year, more than May's forecast for a contraction of 7.0 percent. Gross Domestic Product is set to come in at minus 3.0 percent in 2015, the London-based institution added. "The escalation of military turbulence in eastern Ukraine is weighing heavily on the economy and its external financing needs," said the bank. Fierce gunbattles erupted around the Ukrainian rebel stronghold of Donetsk on Wednesday, with two civilians killed just a day after lawmakers in Kiev held out an offer of self-rule to the pro-Russian separatists. Almost 2,900 people have been killed and at least 600,000 forced from their homes across the war-battered east, according to UN figures. "As a result of the disruption to production and trade, agricultural losses and a partial military mobilisation, Ukraine would see a sharp contraction of nine percent in 2014," the EBRD said. "A smaller contraction of three percent is expected for 2015 as the economy continues to adjust with the support of an IMF programme, complemented by assistance from donors and international financial institutions." The International Monetary Fund earlier this month warned that Ukraine may need an extra $19 billion (14.5 billion euros) in assistance should it fail to quell the brutal pro-Kremlin uprising by the end of next year. The global lender recently released the second $1.39-billion tranche of its $17.1-billion lifeline despite "major uncertainties" and on the assumption that the ex-Soviet country's Western allies would be ready to pitch in with extra assistance if asked. - Neighbours hit - Elsewhere, the crisis "is weighing on the economies of the EBRD region, with only a modest recovery expected in 2015 after a sharp slowdown in growth this year", the bank added in its report. Its region of investment -- including mainly former communist nations across Central and Eastern Europe but which now comprises also Turkey and emerging economies in north Africa and the Middle East -- is expected to grow by a combined 1.3 percent in 2014, down from 2.3 percent last year. It is forecast to grow by 1.7 percent in 2015.Binky, We Hardly Knew Ye: Groening Ends His 'Life In Hell' Comic Strip Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Groening/Acme Features Syndicate Matt Groening/Acme Features Syndicate "Love," wrote Matt Groening, "is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, trapping you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." Say that last bit out loud: At night, the ice weasels come. I put it to you that if Groening's weekly alt-comic Life in Hell, which ended last Saturday after 1,669 installments, had given the world nothing else but "At night, the ice weasels come," it would have been enough. Dayenu, Life in Hell. Dayenu. But of course, over the course of its 34-year syndicated lifetime, it gave the world much, much more. The Simpsons, for one thing. Indirectly. In 1985, producer James L. Brooks asked Groening if he wanted to turn his scribbly, scathingly satiric strip starring anthropomorphic rabbits with overbites and existential dread into a series of animated shorts to be featured on The Tracey Ullman Show. Groening, wisely, knew that doing so would relinquish his ownership of the characters, and pitched a series of cartoons based on his own family instead: Keep the overbites, the dread, the satiric impulse, but lose the rabbit ears and add a bit more heart (Brooks' influence). Meanwhile, the Life in Hell strip took off. Beginning in 1986, themed collections appeared in bookstores with titles that perfectly encapsulated the strip's gleefully defiant defeatism — Love is Hell, Work is Hell, School is Hell, Childhood is Hell, etc. These were the sacred texts of my college years. We traded them, quoted them, pushed them on strangers. We argued over our favorite Groening tropes — I, for example was a sucker for his fake periodicals (Sullen Teen Magazine) and any strip that focused on the odd, friable bond between adult rabbit Binky, whom life has thoroughly overmatched, and his illegitimate son, Bongo, whose youth provides little protection from the sinking knowledge that the fix is in. This is what makes Bongo's plight the more immediate, and the more sad. And funny. We took special delight in scanning the tiny handwritten text on each book's copyright page, where we'd find, down by the Library of Congress number, a different warm, wonderful shout-out to Groening's dear friend and fellow cartoonist, e.g., "Lynda Barry is Funk Queen of the Universe." In collections of her own strip, Ernie Pook's Comeek, Barry would return the favor. It felt like we were privy to a semisecret conversation between two of the grooviest people we could imagine. Those of us who loved the comics medium would gush over Groening's deceptively simple style late into the night. All of his characters — from Binky and Bongo to the strange tiny identical lumps of fez-wearing flesh Akbar and Jeff — remain perfectly expressionless; if one didn't know better, one could project on them a Zen-like calm. But one does know better. Their impassivity is a function of just how benumbed, bewildered (and occasionally drunk) life's unrepentant hellishness has made them. Which is why whenever Groening lets his characters dance (when their normally staid body language goes so winningly, unself-consciously goofy, all bent elbows and waggled feet) it feels like he's granting them a moment of grace. Looking back, Groening's depiction of Akbar and Jeff — who were, weirdly enough and almost by default, pretty much the most high-profile gay couple of the '80s — has been remarkably matter-of-fact from the very beginning. They snipe at one another. They endlessly (ENDLESSLY) parse their relationship. They watch a lot of TV. Which is to say: They are a couple. As Groening's involvement with The Simpsons and Futurama grew, Life in Hell lost some of its singularly biting wit. The multipanel strips dissecting some aspect of modern life in the crisp language of the high school textbook — Groening was and remains a master mimic — grew increasingly rare, in favor of a giant, single-panel-gag strip. In the past few years, as more and more alt-weeklies have cut their budgets or shuttered completely, the strip's circulation has shrunk. It's hard to argue that it is ending too soon. Even so, the loss I feel today is real, and it goes deep. What I am mourning, of course, is not the strip as it has existed these past few years, but as it existed at the time I needed it most — when it neatly localized my looming dread of leaving college, entering the workforce, and finding love, then gave it a goofy-looking rabbit face and made it funny. On a recent episode of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, we talked about finales — what makes them work or not work, why they live in the memory or get swiftly forgotten. My colleague Stephen Thompson spoke fondly of the final strip of Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes, a wistful but ultimately uplifting paean to the power of the imagination. I liked Calvin and Hobbes a lot, but that last strip never really spoke to me. Today, however, I know how Stephen felt. Because Life in Hell was, to us pessimistic cranks, exactly what Calvin and Hobbes was to pretty much everyone else: a way of looking at the world and finding comfort in the knowledge that others see it more or less like you do. And now it's gone, and we are alone; the light is dying and the wind bites us, carrying on it the chittering of the ice weasels.-- Posted Sunday, 24 March 2013 \| \| Disqus By Jack Mullen Yesterday the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled Web Money Gets Laundering Rule an article framed in typical central bank newspeak warning of money laundering and growing concerns that new forms of cash bought on the Internet might be used to fund illicit activities. [1] This concern for possible laundering and illicit activities is banker newspeak indicating banksters are really concerned about the possibility people might be able to escape the global web of banking activity spying and find a way out of debt slavery caused by central bank controlled currencies. Furthermore the bankers worry bitcoin [2], the virtual currency in question, might actually provide a way to independently and objectively value banker currencies in terms of purchasing power - not just relative values between managed banker currencies, which have no tight correlation with purchasing power. And, a derivative of providing an objective measure of cartel controlled currency purchasing power, is wealth can be transferred into bitcoin, where its purchasing power can remain reasonably stable, in fact, if bitcoin survives - the purchasing power of bitcoins will rise over time. If bitcoin does indicate a relationship between its own value and purchasing power relative to banker currency, it will start a mass exodus into the new currency as people try to find a way to protect their assets and wealth from contrived currency devaluation. Part of the problem with measuring banker currency relative values, is even while objective value (purchasing power) of all banker currencies is being destroyed, the relative values still maintain the illusion of worth. Historically gold and silver represented a fungible, transportable, private, and no counter-party risk money, whose price provided objective values of a banker currencys purchasing power. The banking cartels learned how to suppress gold and silvers price with massive manipulation to support the illusion paper currencies, especially those issued as debt, are maintaining purchasing power. Bitcoin, until recently a fledgling new alternative currency, has stepped up to its fate and destiny, as the giant eye of Sauron has taken notice and doesnt like what it sees. Recent currency events in Argentina and Cyprus have given wind to the sail of bitcoin and its possible destiny of fulfilling its original intention of providing private, stable, accessible, outside the banking cartel system, currency. Coincident with Argentinian pesos smooth straight line fall against the dollar beginning in 2010, bitcoin became fully operational that year with prices as low as 6 cents per BTC ( a single bitcoin). Over that same period the Argentinian peso has fallen from approximately 0.26 cents to 0.19 cents against the USD, a drop of 27%, while the value of bitcoin has risen from 6 cents to $73 ( this mornings rounding of last purchase price) or a gain of 121,566 %. Both of these comparisons are against the dollar. But one of the many benefits of bitcoin is, unlike gold and silver, which are overwhelmingly rigged to maintain the illusion of dollar strength, the bitcoin is not rigged, so in a world of total financial deception, there exists a tiny light of truth because bitcoin can be used as an objective value for cartel currency purchasing power (with proper scaling). We can get objective purchasing power values because purchases of bitcoin represent the selling of national banker currencies for bitcoin; more specifically it represents a loss of confidence in the banker currencies and can be thought of as selling the banking system for bitcoin. I could not find a bitcoin exchange located in Argentina, so a direct expression of the value of bitcoin in terms of the Argentine peso is not available, but looking at neighboring Brazil, since January 23, 2013, the value of bitcoins versus the BRL has increased from 48 BRL to 180 BRL, an increase of 275%. During that period, the BRL appreciated against the ARS by only 4.4% and the BRL against the dollar just 1.84 %, therefore it is safe to say: bitcoin is providing independent and objective valuations of the currencies in which it can be exchanged. Its clear bitcoin is gaining value against the BRL far faster than the BRL against other national banker currencies and the same we can assume would hold true for bitcoins purchased by Argentinians, if bitcoin had an exchange in ARS. In fact, a quick survey of BTC against BTC exchange available banker currencies, indicates the BTC rising against all published exchanges ( banker currencies), signaling an overall devaluation in purchasing power in banker currencies as compared to bitcoin (as would be the intuitive expectation for gold and silver, but those currencies are being pushed even lower.) Argentina again slips into the tyranny of capital controls, banking holidays and deepening depression while banksters, fronting for the IMF, remain in control of Argentinas wealth, progress, and value of their national banker currency. Its clear alternative currencies including gold, silver and bitcoin are the most efficient and best way to protect financial assets from ravishment of bankster financial fraud. The Argentine
would throw the country into an unprecedented constitutional crisis, and the Scottish Government may call a new referendum on independence, which if successful would end the 3-centuries-old union between Scotland and England. Northern Ireland, which also voted in favour of remaining in the EU, could be tempted to go its own way as well, and maybe even to leave the UK for joining the Republic of Ireland. The UK’s political system – in fact, the UK itself – now appears to be at risk of imploding. In a matter of days, one of the world’s seemingly most solid and stable democracies has been thrown into chaos. Across the nation, the blame game is in full swing, and bitter recriminations are flying. Some accuse David Cameron for his recklessly irresponsible gamble, which was apparently mostly aimed at settling the European question within the Conservative party once and for all, but ended up blowing up everything. Others blame Boris Johnson, the charismatic and popular former Mayor of London, who opportunistically threw his weight behind the ‘Leave’ campaign in order to take his former buddy’s place at the helm of the party and in Downing Street, but ended up being part of the wreckage, incapable of outlining a credible plan for the country outside the EU and even of competing for the Conservative party leadership. Most blame the populist tactics of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and of its colourful – and now departing – leader Nigel Farage, who spent years campaigning for an exit from the EU, distorting facts and propagating semi-truths or even outward lies in the process. Many also accuse the British media, dominated by a tabloid culture that for decades has distorted political reporting and framed the EU debate – and pretty much everything else – in an ever-more simplistic and hysterical way. Some also point out the delusional, post-imperial cognitive disorder that still seems to linger on in parts of the English society, convinced that the EU is a continental plot to dominate Britain and that breaking away from it will help the country reassert its past power and greatness. Let’s ‘Get Our Country Back’, the story goes, and we will ‘Make Britain Great Again’… Needless to say, the referendum results have left a large part of the British society in a state of shock and utter disbelief. Nobody, it seems, had really anticipated this outcome. Most of the ‘Remain’ voters are genuinely dismayed and are struggling to come to terms with the fact that a majority of their countrymen voted them out of the EU. They feel betrayed and angry, let down by a country that they think just decided to sacrifice their present, their future and that of their children. It’s now their turn to want their country back, the ‘Cool Britannia’ they grew up in and that suddenly seems to have vanished like a mirage. The ‘Brexiters’, they think, are surely just ‘Little Englanders’ who resent the country’s successful globalisation drive, xenophobic bigots who reject the successful multicultural society that Britain has become, losers who want to bring down the rest of the country with them, old and fearful people who want to hold on to their privileges at the expense of their children, or at best a bunch of uneducated, poorly informed and gullible folks who have proven to be easy preys for shameless demagogues. For most of the ‘Remain’ voters, something has gone terribly wrong and “democracy has failed us”, as singer Damon Albarn claimed on stage at the Glastonbury festival. Some call upon the British Parliament to reject or ignore the result of the referendum, which in itself is not legally binding. Some want this result overturned, and millions have signed a petition to run a second referendum, apparently convinced that many of the ‘Leave’ voters already understand and regret their mistake. Some vent their anger on social media and take to the streets in protest, apparently hoping that Brexit can still be stopped. Some are not so convinced and are rushing to apply for citizenship and passports from other European countries. Others start questioning the legitimacy of popular referendums or even of universal suffrage, which has the great defect of giving no more weight to the enlightened vote of a young, urban and open-minded professional than to the foolish vote of an old, racist and uneducated loser. The atmosphere is poisonous, and polarisation has never been so pronounced. The nation’s wealthy, dynamic and cosmopolitan capital city, which elected a Muslim Mayor only weeks ago and where a large majority voted to stay in the EU, suddenly feels estranged from the rest of England and wants more autonomy. Across the country, families are torn apart by bitter dissensions. More than at any time in living memory, it looks like it wouldn’t take much for the UK to descend into some spiral of political violence. The Brexit blow has been no less powerful on the other side of the Channel. There again, it seems that nobody really believed that British voters would dare to do it. Of course, the UK has been an uneasy and even reluctant member of the ‘European family’ for decades, never fully engaged and staying away from some of the bloc’s most integrated policies, in particular the single currency and the border-free Schengen travel zone. However, it seems blatantly obvious from the continent that the UK has benefited immensely from its EU membership, through gaining access to the world’s largest market and acquiring strong influence over its political direction and regulatory regime. British influence has in fact been on the rise in Brussels over the last two decades as Brits have been steadily gaining ground in the EU’s bureaucratic machinery, but also in the growing armies of lobbyists and lawyers, contractors and consultants that gravitate around it and influence its work in various ways. English has become the lingua franca of the EU’s business, giving British nationals an often-neglected advantage over continentals, and Anglo-Saxon free-market capitalism has progressively displaced French-inspired technocratic dirigisme and German-type social democracy as the unofficial but dominant ideology of the European project. All of this, in addition, has been obtained for a reduced membership fee, as the UK has been benefiting from a rebate on its contribution to the EU budget since 1984. Viewed from Brussels and from most European capitals, the UK has in fact had an incredibly good deal for decades, one that nobody in their right mind would consciously reject to suddenly and foolishly jump into the unknown. The UK’s decision to leave the EU has thus left most of Europe stunned, and in some cases angry and resentful. The result is all the more infuriating that some of the UK areas that voted most largely in favour of Brexit are remote areas that tend to benefit from generous EU subsidies. Many on the continent therefore want the UK to initiate and complete the exit process as quickly as possible, rejecting any ‘informal’ negotiation before London actually invokes article 50 of the Lisbon treaty – something that David Cameron intends to leave to his successor. Others are more willing to let the dust settle and warn against the risks of rushing the exit. All, however, are unlikely to be willing to be generous with London once the formal negotiations start. The promise of the ‘Leave’ campaign’s leaders to safeguard Britain’s access to the EU’s single market without having to abide by its regulatory standards, granting freedom of movement to its citizens or contributing to its coffers is unlikely to be kept, as EU negotiators will want to avoid making anyone think that exiting the EU can be without costs. In Brussels and in a number of continental countries, in particular the six founding members, some want to see Brexit as an opportunity for the EU to finally get its acts together and make a leap towards a ‘better’, i.e. more integrated Union. They point out that Britain has been a major impediment to further integration for decades, and some even believe that a lot of what is wrong and dysfunctional about the EU results from Britain’s systematic sabotaging of the project. With the UK out, they think, the march towards ‘ever closer union’ will finally resume, and citizens will start loving the EU once again. Some French commentators even start dreaming about a return to the good old days of the ‘Franco-German motor’, when Paris was in the driving seat and Berlin happy to go along, and when the EU’s bureaucracy was mostly speaking French. English may in fact now have to be dropped as an official language of the EU, since no other Member State than the UK notified it as its official idiom. However, this is likely to be resisted by a majority of Member States, in particular the anglophile Northern and Eastern European countries whose accession to the EU was championed by the UK, or even Germany that has no intention of giving up the bloc’s driving seat. In addition, there is no real appetite for any Paris- or Brussels-inspired integration leap in most EU capitals, including in Berlin where there is dwindling trust in France’s capacity to revive its sclerotic economy and in the European Commission’s leadership. Except maybe in some quarters of Brussels’ EU bubble that tend to indulge in groupthink, Europe has for a long time realised that the federalist dream was nothing else than a dream. In fact, the outcome of the UK referendum is much more likely to further expose the EU’s fault lines than to trigger a renewed integration drive. Already, several Eastern European countries have launched very undiplomatic attacks against the European Commission’s president Jean-Claude Juncker, whom they accuse of not having done enough to prevent a British exit that they perceive as fundamentally detrimental to their interests. Those countries now want to have a bigger say in shaping the bloc’s agenda and policies, and they favour a more intergovernmental approach rather than a new push for integration. A rift between new and old members over the future direction of Europe is widening, which adds up to the already existing rifts between Northern and Southern members over the management of the euro zone and between Eastern and Western countries over the migration crisis. A rift that also adds up to what is arguably the most fundamental tension at the heart of the EU, i.e. the growing dissensions between France and Germany, who still pretend to jointly lead the bloc but “have long slept in the same bed with very different dreams”. These compounding dissensions all but guarantee that no major overhaul of the EU’s governance and policies will take place anytime soon. Instead, the bloc will continue to muddle through and try to come up with supposedly ‘pragmatic’ common solutions to its mounting problems. Solutions that, if the recent past is of any indication, do not actually solve anything but just help buying time at best. This, it seems, has become the EU’s default operating mode. Any more ambitious approach is off the table as it would likely require a treaty change, and hence unanimity among the member states – which seems unattainable for the foreseeable future – and referendum ratifications in a number of countries – which national leaders will not dare to call for a very, very long time. Such referendums – or even exit referendums if they were to take place in other countries – would most likely give the same results as in the UK. In fact, the EU’s problem is less the British exit per se than the fact that the pursuit of the European project now seems unable to obtain citizen consent almost anywhere across the bloc. There lies the EU’s tragedy, the tragedy of a political construction that is becoming increasingly divided and dysfunctional but that cannot be fixed any more than it can be orderly undone. Those in Brussels, Paris and elsewhere who now claim that Britain was blocking the EU’s march and rejoice at seeing it go might come to realise that the UK’s membership was maybe, on the contrary, one of the fundamental elements that was holding the complex EU edifice together. In fact, if Brexit might damage the British economy and may trigger the breakup of the UK, it is probably even more likely to accelerate the disintegration of the EU, which many fear is “now running at full speed” and some believe is “practically irreversible”. The London Stock Exchange took a beating in the wake of the Brexit vote, but continental stock markets literally nosedived, suggesting that international investors might be more concerned about the risk of an EU breakup than about the risk of the British economy getting into freefall. Concerns are mounting, in particular, over the health of Italy’s banking system. Italian banks have been struggling for years with a rising load of ‘non-performing’ loans and weak profitability in an environment of ultra-low interest rates. A fresh banking crisis might now be looming, which would be likely to further test Europe’s cohesion and raise renewed concerns over the permanence of the euro zone and the EU itself. This, in turn, would further boost those ‘populist’ political forces that seek to bring down the whole edifice and that are on the rise in a growing number of Member States. The populist surge – or the stories we tell ourselves The rise of populist movements, in Europe and now also in the U.S. with the advent of Donald Trump, is perceived by many as a major cause of the political crisis that seems to be engulfing the Western world. In this view, shameless politicians – ambitious demagogues at best, dangerous fascists at worse – propagate falsities and gross simplifications that resonate with the frustrations, irrational fears and prejudices of certain people and groups, while also feeding them. They use a complicit media system to their advantage, which amplifies their propaganda and widens their audience. Over time they build up popular support for their simplistic, divisive rhetoric and they end up disrupting or hijacking the democratic process. When the progress of populist movements proves to be either irresistible or persistent, many then tend to assume that it is because their voters are typically ‘ignorant’, ‘stupid’ and ‘racist’. How else could it be that a majority of British people would want to leave the EU? How else could it be that so many U.S. citizens seem to be intent on voting for Donald Trump? These people must surely be just plain dumb…. This narrative seems to be increasingly widespread, in particular among the urban professional classes. It is a very convenient one, for at least two reasons. First, because it makes it morally legitimate to question and challenge electoral victories of populist movements, which are assumed to be obtained on the basis of lies and deceptions and/or to reflect the vote of ignorant fools. Second, because it makes it possible to ignore or even deny that people voting for populist movements or for the causes that these movements champion may have any kind of legitimate reasons for doing so. These two reactions are clearly on display in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, which outcome is perceived by many ‘Remain’ supporters as illegitimate and even morally outrageous, and which is seen as a victory of the ignorant over the educated, of the old and out of touch over the young and connected. The ‘Leave’ decision, in their view, is a victory of those who, out of frustration or sheer idiocy, want to get back to a country and a world long gone over those who are busy running the country today and inventing the world of the future. A victory of the people of yesteryear – old, intolerant, simplistic, bigoted, fearful and narrow-minded – over the people of tomorrow – young, cosmopolitan, complex, tolerant, innovative and creative. It should thus be resisted and, if possible, nullified, especially as the people of yesteryear are on their way out of this world. The convenience and popularity of this narrative, however, do not make it right. First, it is at odds with the very concept of democracy, at least insofar as this concept has developed in the Western world over the last couple of centuries. A democratic society is a society in which the people make decisions about the ways in which they are governed. Democracy is about people having the right to make decisions, not about people having to make the right decisions. In a democratic society, those who believe they know what the right decisions are should be intent on persuading their fellow citizens – and not solely during referendum campaigns – rather than on invalidating or delegitimizing their vote. Their inability to be persuasive shows that a majority of citizens fail to find their arguments compelling, but it does not render the outcome of a vote democratically illegitimate. Second, this narrative can be counterproductive as it risks further antagonising those whose vote is dismissed and who may not enjoy being routinely called ‘old’, ‘stupid’ or ‘racists’. In the Brexit case, a second referendum would maybe give a different result as some ‘Leave’ voters may have second thoughts, but it would probably be even more likely to infuriate those whose vote would have been invalidated and to further increase division and polarisation, possibly leading to an even more resounding exit vote. Third, and perhaps more importantly, this narrative only provides a partial view of what is at play, and therefore obscures many other important factors that need to be taken into account to make sense of the situation. There is little doubt that some of those who voted for Brexit are old, intolerant, fearful, racist, stupid and what have you – people who want to vote away a modernity they dislike and who are sure to end up being disappointed. It doesn’t mean, however, that population ageing, intolerance, fear, racism or stupidity are the only reasons Brexit won, or even the main ones. There is no evidence, in particular, that the populist surge across the Western world can be related to any sudden epidemic of stupidity. One could of course argue that the continuous stream of mindless entertainment Western consumers are bombarded with may be causing a general ‘dumbification’ of the populace, or at least that it may be hampering the cognitive abilities of certain people. Some scientific studies actually suggest that average intelligence, which increased during much of the twentieth century across the world, may have been going down at global level in recent decades. However, this downward trend, if it exists, should logically be affecting younger generations rather than older ones, and it is thus a rather poor candidate for explaining the allegedly ‘stupid’ vote of Britain’s oldies. An alternative – and probably more convincing – narrative views Brexit and the populist surge across the West as an anti-establishment revolt by globalisation losers. Globalisation, in fact, has not been the win-win game that some of its supporters had claimed it would be. It may have lifted millions out of poverty and triggered the emergence of a middle class in developing countries, but it has at the same time, and in a pendulum swing, undermined working and middle classes in the West. First through the large-scale offshoring of manufacturing jobs towards emerging countries, and second through the effects of mass migration that has increased competition for low-skilled jobs, put continuous downward pressure on their compensation, and in some cases eroded social cohesion. For most workers across the Western world, real wages have been stagnant or even falling for decades, employment opportunities have dried up in many areas, and job and social insecurity have spiked. These long-term trends are often ignored or dismissed by those who insist that globalisation has brought and is still bringing major economic, social and cultural benefits. That may actually be true, but in developed economies these benefits tend to accrue to some sections of the population only. These include those who derive the bulk of their income from capital investments, who in a globalised world benefit from vastly increased investment opportunities. More generally, these also include those who are equipped to find their place and thrive in the ‘service economy’, or who aspire to do so. Across much of the Western world, the rise of the services sector that has been concomitant with globalisation has been driven by technological progress and, even more fundamentally, by the ‘financialisation’ of the economy. A rising share of nominal wealth creation – and of the workforce – has been derived from – or dedicated to – activities that fundamentally consist in pushing money around to make more money, and a myriad of other service activities have developed around those, being funded from the proceeds. These include a number of high value-added activities such as technology and professional services, but also a whole array of lower value-added activities such as restaurant waiters, bartenders, laundry, hair salon or retail jobs, and pretty much anything else in between including a variety of ‘creative industries’. For those who have the skills and connections to thrive in such service-based economy, i.e. the modern ‘elites’, globalisation, open borders – and by association the EU – mean vastly enhanced prospects and opportunities. For them, migrant workers, legal or otherwise, represent the willing and malleable workforce that is required to power the service economy they navigate in, as well as to put a cap on the price of a number of services they value and want to have access to. For those who, for a number of reasons, are not equipped or do not have the possibility to jump on the service economy bandwagon, globalisation and open borders mean a growing risk of disenfranchisement and social relegation. For them, migrant workers typically represent an illegitimate competition for scarce jobs, housing and public services, which undermines the value of their labour force, threatens their welfare and disrupts the communities they live in. In most Western countries, globalisation has been feeding rising inequality between those two groups, and there is no evidence that it could be any other way. The populist surge that is now at play is, to a large extent, a reaction of those who have been on the losing side of this trend. They tend to be on average rather older, more rural and less educated than those who have benefited from globalisation or aspire to make their way into the service-based, globalised urban ecosystems and have reasonable prospects of succeeding. Deep down, however, the divide is much more about social class than about age or education. Our reluctance to recognise this reflects the extent to which class issues have become taboo in Western societies. We don’t like to talk about class divisions, we don’t want to see them, or we pretend they don’t exist or they are not anymore relevant, but that doesn’t make them go away. The rise of populist movements is therefore a sign that a growing number of voters tend to perceive themselves as being on the losing side of things. Whether this perception corresponds to a statistical reality for all of them is debatable, but largely irrelevant: in politics, perception is reality. A growing sense of anxiety is spreading among those voters, as well as resentment and anger against an economic and political system that they believe is failing them. This is pushing an increasing number of them towards political movements that promise a clean break from this existing status quo or sometimes a return to a preceding state of affairs presented as more satisfactory or more reassuring. These movements’ narratives need not be coherent, credible or even sane; as long as they resonate with voters’ resentment or anger, they get increasingly popular. And most of the arguments typically used to try to lure voters away from these populist movements are ineffective or even counterproductive. Trying, for example, to scare people away from the Brexit vote by claiming that it will ruin the UK’s otherwise bright economic growth prospects is unlikely to change the minds of people who feel they have not been experiencing the benefits of economic growth for years. The end of growth and the crisis of complexity – or the stories we choose to ignore More than globalisation itself, the underlying cause of the populist surge might in fact lie in the slow disappearance of economic growth at global level, and in particular in the West. Almost a decade after the onset of the global financial and economic crisis that erupted in 2007-2008, the world economy remains weak and the hoped-for ‘recovery’ elusive. Everywhere, the economic policies conducted since then have largely failed to trigger the return to growth that was expected after the ‘Great Recession’. The unprecedented monetary stimulus unleashed by the world’s main central banks may have prevented a complete collapse of the global financial system and then kept it afloat, but it has done little to stimulate the productive economy. The only significant factor that has kept the global economy going in recent years – China’s runaway state-driven, debt-fuelled overinvestment, overcapacity build-up – is now slowing down sharply, pushing world growth further down. This dearth of economic growth is causing significant disruption and generating major challenges in world that had previously become accustomed to rapid expansion, and where growth has come to be considered as the ‘normal’ and almost ‘natural’ state of things. In the West in particular, businesses assume that their revenues and profits should expand, consumers that their purchasing power and living standards ought to go up, governments that their tax revenues will naturally climb over time. Lenders and investors assume that borrowers will be able to repay their debts and businesses to pay dividends. All make their spending and investment decisions, as well as related long-term financial commitments, on the basis of the widely shared assumption that the economy will grow. Voters, in turn, assume that political leaders will maximise growth and use its proceeds to constantly increase societal welfare. To a certain extent, economic growth has come to form part of the Western social contract, and its absence is perceived by some as a breach by government of its tacit contractual obligations. The assumption of – and need for – continuous and significant growth has become embedded in the world’s established economic, political and social order, to the point that economic growth has become a key requirement for this order to keep functioning and to remain stable. A prolonged period of low growth would in fact undermine this order in several and mutually reinforcing ways. In particular, it would be likely to hamper the rise of living standards, increase financial instability, volatility and distress, and exacerbate income and wealth concentration and inequality as the process of capital accumulation – i.e. the essence of capitalism – takes place in a context where there is no more ‘rising tide’ that could ‘lift all boats’. It would also make it increasingly difficult to maintain fiscal sustainability, generate rising social and political tensions, and increase the risk of political/geopolitical dislocation or fragmentation. To some extent, all of this is already happening. There is indeed a growing sense that political and economic leaders across the world are increasingly at the mercy of economic and geopolitical forces beyond their control, most of which can be traced back to the slow disappearance of economic growth, and that are feeding a seemingly unstoppable rise of political instability in developed as well as developing economies. In the latter, this is often leading to a rise of authoritarian rule, and in the worst cases to the outright implosion of the established order; in the former, this is leading to a sort of slow-motion ‘sophisticated state failure’, whereby political institutions maintain a semblance of functionality but are getting increasingly incapable of solving the major issues facing complex societies. This evolution is increasingly undermining the liberal world order that has prevailed in recent decades, and even in some countries the foundations of liberal democracy itself. In particular, it is fostering intolerance and a retreat of individual freedoms; to a large extent, increased tolerance and the extension of the realm of individual freedom in recent decades have indeed been by-products of rising prosperity and of a widespread faith in a better future, which now seems to be evaporating. Slow economic growth is not just an after-effect of the Great Recession but part of a deeper malaise that predates, and indeed may have helped cause, the financial crisis. A number of narratives have emerged in recent years to try to explain this global dearth of growth, such as the ‘debt overhang’ narrative, which states that growth is primarily hampered by an excessive indebtedness of economic agents, or various versions of the ‘secular stagnation’ narrative, which sees the cause of slow growth in a chronic shortfall of demand resulting from population ageing and the rise of income and wealth inequality, and/or in the diminishing returns of technological innovation. These various narratives probably all have some degree of validity. However, they tend to focus on developments that, even if they act as mutually reinforcing drags on growth, are in fact symptoms of the world’s economic predicament rather its deeper root causes. Even more than from what most economists usually look at, i.e. constraints on capital and labour and on the productivity of their use, the slowdown of global economic growth since before the financial crisis might be resulting from factors that they typically ignore, i.e. constraints on the supply of energy and other biophysical resources that feed into the economic process and impact its functioning. In fact, the world’s capacity to create additional wealth is getting increasingly eroded by biophysical boundaries that over time tend to raise the acquisition costs, constrain the quantity and degrade the quality of the flows of energy and natural resources that can be delivered to the economic process, as well as by the constantly increasing costs of some of the economic process’ side effects (i.e. ‘negative externalities’ including environmental degradation and climate change), and the growing need to ‘internalise’ them into the price system. These biophysical constraints, as they increase, tend to weigh more and more on the economy’s productive capacity, thus eroding the potential for productivity and output growth. The root causes of the long-term erosion of the world economy’s growth potential, therefore, may be related to biophysical constraints rather than to factors affecting just capital and labour inputs. As a consequence, policies aimed at boosting or reviving economic growth by targeting solely capital and labour inputs and the productivity of their use are highly unlikely – and, as a matter of fact, have failed in recent years – to deliver their intended results. Pursuing such policies would typically mostly lead to putting ever-growing pressure on those factors of production – and most particularly on the traditionally weaker factor of production, i.e. labour – to try to obtain productivity improvements and output growth that would consistently fail to materialise. In fact, continuous dual pressure on labour – upward on productivity, downward on compensation – has already been at play for several years, and this dual pressure is a major contributor to the populist backlash now underway in many countries. Over the last decades, the industrialised world has found a workaround to biophysical constraints by expanding the reach of global capitalism but also and maybe more fundamentally by substituting debt accumulation to genuine wealth creation. This debt-fuelled growth, which has been instrumental in enabling the transition of Western countries to a service-based economy, imploded in 2008-2009 and has since then only been maintained on life support by the massive liquidity injections made by the world’s major central banks, as well as by the massive and compounding asset bubbles that have been blown as a result in developed as well as emerging economies. These injections and bubbles have so far prevented a brutal deflation of the financial assets that underpin the entire global financial and economic system, but the ability of central bankers to contain this deflationary spiral is dwindling as time passes and as genuine growth continues to be lacking. In addition to weighing on economic growth, biophysical constraints – in particular the various rising constraints on the energy supply – may also negatively impact societies’ capacity to innovate and to maintain their level of complexity. As shown by American anthropologist and historian Joseph Tainter, human societies can historically be conceived as problem-solving organisations, which tend to develop ever-greater organisational and technical complexity in order to solve the social, economic and political problems they are confronted with. As their complexity rises, the problems they have to deal with become more difficult to solve, requiring growing investment in further economic and societal complexity. A key determinant of a society’s capacity to develop greater organisational and technical complexity, according to Joseph Tainter, is its capacity to harness ever-growing supplies of energy. The availability of abundant, inexpensive, high quality energy has indeed been historically instrumental in the development of industrial societies’ capacity to build increasing complexity into their economic, technical, political and social systems. As biophysical constraints on the quantity and quality of energy and other resources rise, this ‘energy-complexity spiral’ may transition from being an upward spiral to being a downward one. Technical innovation that increases productivity may slow down this evolution, but research shows that innovation in industrialised countries tends to become more expensive and less productive over time, meaning that societies need to continuously step up their investments in innovation to continue solving problems through building up increasing complexity. At some point, however, investment in socio-political complexity typically reaches a point of diminishing returns, meaning that the marginal beneficial returns (i.e. problems solved) of additional complexity begin to decline, leading to a lowered capacity to solve the new problems that arise and to deal with their consequences. These returns may even turn negative, at which point societies are not anymore capable of upholding the level of complexity they have reached. Typically, they then tend to break down to a lower complexity level. Ever since their emergence, industrial societies have continuously become more complex, and they are continuing to do so. An example of increasing societal complexity is the development of sophisticated public health, welfare and redistribution systems aimed at safeguarding or enhancing social cohesion, which tend to become ever more complex over time and require ever-growing investments that many countries now struggle to keep up with. More recent manifestations of increasing societal complexity include the development of just-in-time global supply chains, the growing dependence of all critical systems and infrastructures on the Internet, or in another domain the increasing diversification of the ethnic and social make-up of Western societies. Diversified, multicultural societies are typically more complex social constructions than ethnically and culturally homogeneous societies, and they tend to be more complex to govern as a result. In the field of governance, increasing societal complexity also includes the development of complex transnational political structures, such as the EU. As a governance system, the EU is more complex than the nation states it is composed of and builds upon. By historical standards, the fact that such a complex transnational governance system may have been put in place and made to work for a time is remarkable, maybe even miraculous. However, this system is now becoming increasingly dysfunctional, and the critical resources needed to make the additional investments in complexity required to solve its problems – in particular political capital – are missing. The political crisis that is now engulfing Western countries, and more particularly Europe, suggests that we may be reaching or even have reached the point identified by Joseph Tainter where our standard way of solving the problems we face – i.e. investing in organisational and technical complexity – is yielding diminishing returns. If this is the case, we should not be surprised that more and more of our complex economic, technical, political and social systems are showing signs of stress, or even early signs of failure. As our capacity to invest in further complexity continues to get eroded by energy-related and other biophysical constraints, we should expect more stress to develop across the board, potentially leading to some sort of systemic breakdown and forced simplification. The growing popular revolts against globalisation, the EU, or multiculturalism are signs that our societies are already struggling to uphold their level of complexity and are subject to strong forces that are pulling towards a break down to a lower complexity level (i.e. localised economies, national governance, homogeneous societies, etc.). These trends are largely obscured, however, by our habit of thinking about the problems we face in purely political terms, i.e. in terms of governance, leadership and policy choices, regardless of the historical circumstances in which they are made. If something doesn’t turn out the way we expect, we tend to blame policy-makers and the decisions they have taken or failed to take, or in some cases voters and the choices they have made. More rarely, we question the adequacy of our public institutions. Faced with the protracted crisis of the EU, we blame the current generation of European ‘leaders’ for their mediocrity and inability to rise up to the standards of their predecessors – even if those predecessors are precisely those who are responsible for building the EU’s dysfunctional edifice in the first place. We try to imagine solutions that would allegedly solve the EU’s problems, but we conveniently choose to ignore that the conditions and requirements for their adoption and successful enactment can probably not be fulfilled. By pursuing in this direction, we will most likely end up making policy or institutional choices that will fail to reach their intended objectives, and that will bring about new problems we will be unable to solve or even comprehend, and unintended consequences we will be unable to control. As there are growing signs that we might be in a crisis of complexity caused by rising biophysical constraints and characterised by diminishing returns of investments in societal complexity, we are entering an era when circumstances will trump personalities and institutions. What we now need, hence, is not so much to find new political ‘leaders’ capable of designing and enacting grand plans to lead us further up the complexity pathway, but to ensure that we can make collective choices that are fit and appropriate for an age of scaling-down expectations. There is no sign that this could happen anytime soon, or even that it might be possible. It is therefore entirely reasonable to expect that our economic, technical, political and social systems might continue to become increasingly dysfunctional and drift towards breakup point. The journey to that point will probably continue to leave most of us puzzled, and will most likely be filled with the disturbing clamour of populist caudillos. AdvertisementsNEWARK - On a street once considered the business hub of the South Ward, dozens of city officials including Mayor Ras Baraka gathered Saturday to provide neighborhood residents a glimpse of its possible future. Prior to the "Better Block" celebration, city officials, local artists and others worked to temporarily alter the physical space of Bergen Street between Lehigh and Lyons avenues, erecting small art installations and bike lanes. "Pop-up" storefronts, including a health clinic, art gallery and wine-tasting station were set up in front of some the block's vacant buildings. "We're trying to give people a glimpse of what this block could be," Baraka said. The city's goal, Baraka added, is to collaborate with neighborhood residents on what the redevelopment of the area will ultimately look like. The event is just one of a handful of efforts the city has initiated to spark a transformation of Newark's most troubled neighborhoods. In November 2014, Baraka announced the "Model Neighborhood" initiative, a code enforcement program designed to help combat high levels of crime and blight in Clinton Hill and the city's West Ward. Deputy Mayor Baye Adolfo-Wilson said the revitalization of Bergen Street has already begun. A pair of mixed-used buildings are set to replace vacant lots that dot the blocks between Lyons and Lehigh Avenues, he said. Once constructed, the buildings will add 60 units of mixed-income housing to the neighborhood, he added. Newark's redevelopment efforts have attracted national media attention of late. A Politico article published in March asked whether the city would be the next city dubbed the "new Brooklyn." Kim McCutcheon, who has lived near Bergen Street for the last 15 years, said she's not worried about whether the revitalization of Bergen Street will result in Brooklyn-like housing costs. "Honestly, I just want to see what ideas people come up with for this street," she said. "These empty spaces utilized,' McCutcheon said. "Right now, I'm just hoping for better." Vernal Coleman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Susan Saladoff’s Hot Coffee may be 2011’s biggest “issues” documentary thus far. The title comes from one of the most notorious civil lawsuits in recent history, the 1992-1994 case of Stella Liebeck, then a 79-year-old woman who sued McDonald’s after she spilled hot coffee on herself. Liebeck became a punchline after a court awarded her $2.7 million in punitive damages. The case brought so-called “litigious lawsuits” to the national stage and set off two decades of reform which have in many ways crippled our access to the civil courts. Collectively, we all bought into the story that Liebeck took
WATCH: CHL Canada Russia Series, Ryan McGill WATCH: CHL Canada Russia Series, Michael McNiven WATCH: CHL Canada Russia Series, Thomas Schemitsch READ: Attack members named to Team OHL WINDSOR SPITFIRES – HOST GAME #4 MONDAY NOVEMBER 16 WATCH: Hockey’s greatest rivalry returns to Windsor READ: Coaches, Brown and DiGiacinto to represent Team OHLResearchers demonstrate tracking of individual catalyst nanoparticles during heating (Nanowerk News) Researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., have taken atomic-level images of individual nanoparticles during heating that could lead to improved fuel-cell technologies at lower cost, reduce dependence on imported oil and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. (Read our Nanowerk Spotlight on this work: Studying phase transformations of a single nanoparticle at the atomic level) Heating nanoparticles and atomic-level tracking allows for the development of other less expensive catalysts, such as platinum-iron nanoparticles. Typically, pricey platinum nanoparticles are used. Using advanced electron microscopic techniques the team was able to track the atomic-rearrangement process of an individual Platinum-Iron nanoparticle - as it got annealed inside the microscope. McMaster researchers have taken atomic-level images of individual nanoparticles during heating that could lead to improved fuel-cell technologies at lower cost, reduce dependence on imported oil and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. (Image: McMaster University) "Our work is pioneering in the application of advanced electron microscopy techniques to study the structural and compositional transformation of individual nanometer-sized particles during heating," said Gianluigi Botton, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at McMaster University. The researchers' work on nanoparticles, which are as small as 1/50,000th of the diameter of a human hair, could have far-reaching impact on the automotive industry. With the depletion of fossil fuel reserves, there has been a surge of interest in developing alternative energy sources, particularly in the area of fuel cell technology. Fuel cell devices can power vehicles by converting chemical energy into electrical energy in a far more efficient and environmentally-friendly way than the conventional combustion technologies. However, they rely on catalysts to operate and reducing catalyst-cost is crucial for commercialization. McMaster's research team comprising of Sagar Prabhudev (Materials Science and Engineering PhD Student), Dr. Matthieu Bugnet (Post-doctoral researcher) and Botton carried out their work in collaboration with Dr. Christina Bock (NRC, Ottawa) and Dr. Guozhen Zhu (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China). "Imagine that you placed millions of nanoparticles on a pan and started heating," said Prabhudev. "During the course of heating, you select one of the particles. And, with the help of a powerful microscope, watch the atoms move. That is the equivalent to what we have done." A Titan 80-300 cubed microscope at McMaster's Canadian Center for Electron Microscopy (CCEM) was used for the research. "In terms of capability, Titan electron microscope is similar to the Hubble Telescope. The difference is that the Titan allows us to explore atomic structure of materials, instead of stars and galaxies," said Botton, also the Scientific Director of CCEM. "This includes identifying atoms, measuring their chemical state and even probing the electrons that bind atoms together."JNS.org — President-elect Donald Trump reportedly contributed money to help create new communities in Israel for settlers evacuated from the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. Due to the high cost of the evacuation project during Israel’s 2005 unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, the Israeli government reportedly sought assistance from numerous Jewish organizations such as the Jewish National Fund (JNF). “We issued an appeal to all Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) and JNF offices worldwide,” said Effie Stenzler, former chairman of the JNF, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday. “KKL-USA sought donations in the US and one of them was sought from Trump, who is considered to be an avowed supporter of Israel, and he donated money toward the establishment of infrastructure in new communities,” Stenzler added. Further, Trump donated towards helping Jewish evacuees from the Sinai Peninsula in the early 1980s, when Israel pulled out of the region as a result of the peace treaty it signed with Egypt in 1979. According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Trump’s name appears on a plaque honoring the donors in the Hevel Shalom region, which absorbed evacuees from the Sinai and Gaza. While the exact figure of Trump’s donation for settlement evacuees is not cited, it is estimated to amount to millions of Israeli shekels.PITTSBURGH — So is this how Dan Boyle’s terrific career comes to an end: in street clothes, watching from the press box? The 39-year-old defenseman was a healthy scratch for the Rangers’ season-ending 6-3 loss to the Penguins on Saturday afternoon at Consol Energy Center. Boyle has played out the two-year, $9 million deal he signed with the Blueshirts in the summer of 2014, and he has been open about his thoughts of retirement. Though his tenure with the Rangers was a disappointment, this is an inglorious way to bow out. “It was a very tough decision that took a lot of time to think through,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “It wasn’t easy to make. He’s been there for the team the whole year. But at the end of the day, you’re in this to win and I had to go with what I thought was the best lineup.” Vigneault did get two righties into the lineup, with Dan Girardi returning from his three-game injury absence and Raphael Diaz going into his first NHL action all season in hopes of helping the dormant power play. Even with seven defensemen dressing, Boyle was on the outside looking in. “I thought that [Girardi] would come in and help the [penalty kill], and Diaz would come in and I wanted a shooter on the power play up top,” Vigneault said. “That’s how I came to those conclusions. Somebody had to come out, and it was Dan.” Boyle was seemingly ill-fitted for Vigneault’s Rangers since Day 1. Even well into his second season, Boyle spoke about assimilating to the new system, and how it was difficult to play a lesser role with lesser ice time than he had during his prime years with the Lightning and Sharks. Boyle was brought in with the hopes of helping the power play, yet he was on for just one 5-on-4 goal since Christmas. That covered a span of 87:39 of man-advantage time in the regular season, plus another 11:36 through the first four games of this series, when the Rangers had gone 1-for-15 on the power play, the one goal coming 5-on-3. The struggle continued with play in his own zone, as Boyle often got beat on the boards and in front of the net. Having been so used to skating the puck out of the zone when he was younger — and such a better skater — Boyle never could quite find the rhythm of that first quick pass that Vigneault demands of his defensemen. His inability to fill those roles forced the hand of general manager Jeff Gorton to go out and get someone who could, trading a costly bundle to the Coyotes in exchange Keith Yandle at last year’s trade deadline. Now Boyle’s tenure as a Ranger is over, and it leaves a sour taste in the mouth of Rangers fans. While wearing the sweater, he was so different than that offensive powerhouse lifting the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004, or that elusive, swift-skating quarterback with San Jose. He was a big-time disappointment for the Blueshirts, and that might be how his career ends — watching instead of playing. “It was a very tough decision,” Vigneault said, “that took a lot of time to think through.”In one swift blow, East Boston voters dashed casino dreams years in the making Tuesday, defeating a $1 billion Suffolk Downs gambling resort proposal once widely considered a lock to win the state’s most lucrative gambling license. With the project winning a majority of support in Revere, however, Suffolk Downs will explore moving the entire development onto the Revere side of the city line, Chip Tuttle, the track’s chief operating officer, told the Globe. It was a difficult day across the state for supporters of Massachusetts’ emerging casino industry, as another well-established casino proposal fell in Palmer, where voters rejected a nearly $1 billion Mohegan Sun plan. Advertisement The twin defeats for the gambling industry come as casino executives and insiders have questioned the scrutiny Massachusetts regulators have put on the state’s applicants, and after one of the industry’s biggest companies dropped out of the Suffolk Downs project over questions about another business relationship. In East Boston, voters proved to be unmoved by big promises, pro-casino endorsements from powerful politicians — including Mayor Thomas M. Menino — and nearly $2 million in campaign spending by Suffolk Downs. Krysten Hunt, 24, summed up the anti-casino position, saying she did not want more potential traffic, pollution, crime, or gambling addiction in her neighborhood. “All that stuff? No, thanks,’’ she said. “It’s fine the way it is.’’ The ballot box failure leaves the future of New England’s last thoroughbred racetrack in grave doubt. The 78-year-old track has been losing money for years, as its owners have pumped in cash to keep Suffolk Downs afloat in anticipation of adding a profitable casino. “Voters... struck a decisive blow to the casino culture, a clear signal that the Commonwealth believes there are better economic options than casinos and slot barns,’’ John Ribeiro, chairman of the Repeal the Casino Deal campaign, said in a statement Tuesday night. Advertisement The casino proposal fell in East Boston by a vote of 4,281 to 3,353. Neighborhood voter turnout was about 47 percent, according to unofficial results. Menino, who supported the Suffolk Downs project and signed a deal with the developers that would have provided at least $32 million annually to the city, believes the political system has worked. “The mayor always said the people of East Boston should decide what happens in their neighborhood — and they did,’’ said Menino’s spokeswoman, Dot Joyce. It is unclear whether Suffolk Downs can create a viable Revere-only plan before final proposals are due, on Dec. 31, but Revere’s mayor, Dan Rizzo, invited the track to try. “Fifty-three acres of the property are in Revere,’’ Rizzo told the Globe. “If there is a way to reshape the project so it fits entirely in Revere, we’re going to pursue it.’’ Celeste Myers, a leader of the Suffolk Downs opposition group, No Eastie Casino, said she was not expecting such a resounding victory. “This is East Boston — folks are protecting their lives, livelihoods and homes,’’ she said in an interview. “These people can’t be bought.’’ Myers said the group will oppose any 11th-hour effort to try to move the project. Public officials, she said, “need to take no for an answer.’’ The casino proposal was widely expected to pass in Revere. But public opinion across Boston has long been divided on permitting a Suffolk Downs casino, and recent polls of East Boston voters also reflected a deep split in the neighborhood. Advertisement Suffolk Downs was probably hurt by a public relations blow three weeks before the vote, when the track dropped its hand-picked casino operator, Caesars Entertainment, after state investigators recommended that the gambling giant be disqualified from bidding for a casino license. Investigators raised several concerns, such as the company’s enormous debt and its licensing agreement with a New York boutique hotel company owned in part by a businessman allegedly linked to Russian mobsters. If Suffolk Downs cannot go on, only two proposals will be left standing in the contest for the Greater Boston license: a Wynn Resorts plan for the Mystic River waterfront in Everett and a Foxwoods project in suburban Milford. Wynn won a referendum in June; Milford votes Nov. 19. In Western Massachusetts, just one project remains — an MGM proposal in downtown Springfield. MGM won a referendum in July; it has not yet passed its state background check. Palmer defeated the Mohegan Sun proposal, despite the company’s five years of ground work there, by a vote of 2,657 to 2,564 with a staggering 66 percent turnout. Mohegan Sun chief executive Mitchell Etess noted in a statement that “the results... are extremely close — less than 100 votes. And the incredibly strong turnout is indicative of how engaged people on both sides of the issue have become.’’ Etess said the company will ask for a recount. Springfield political strategist Anthony Cignoli said Palmer has seen an influx of residents in the past seven years or so. They moved there for a rural lifestyle, he said, and apparently voted to keep it that way.Christians ‘serious about their faith’ should get a handgun carry permit, says TN politician Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R) Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R) Just days after yet another mass shooting in America, Tennessee's Lieutenant Governor says Christians who are ‘serious about their faith’ should consider buying guns. The unbelievably idiotic decree to God-fearing citizens by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R) was delivered via Facebook, where indeed, so many idiotic decrees are delivered. Ramsey's rant referred to the fact that the Umpqua shooter apparently asked his victims if they were Christian before shooting them. Guess what, guys. Jesus did not carry a gun. And the crazy bad actions of crazy bad people should not be writing our public policy. Keep a gun in your home or don't, but don't bring The Lord into this gun crap, and particularly not right after a bunch of innocent students were gunned down. Again. [Washington Post via Christian Nightmares]× Dorner reward loophole: City might be off hook for $1 million reward LOS ANGELES — The city of Los Angeles offered some $1 million for information regarding the whereabouts of Christopher Dorner. But, they could be off the hook for the massive reward money. That’s because Dorner was apparently killed in a shootout by police and not captured. LA’s mayor offered the hefty sum for the “capture and conviction” of Dorner. But, since he was presumably killed in Tuesday night’s fire it would be nearly impossible to convict him. The city council also offered money — $100,000, but also for his capture and conviction. So the same loophole might save them the cash, too. Two maids are being credited with the tip that led police to Dorner, NY Mag reported. LAPD said they are still deciding if, or how, they’ll hand out a potential reward. CBSNews.com contributed to this report.Don't Salmon, Don't Shoal: Learning The Lingo Of Safe Cycling Enlarge this image toggle caption Leif Parsons for NPR Leif Parsons for NPR Alec Baldwin, you were salmoning! The actor was ticketed in New York on Tuesday for riding his bicycle the wrong way on a one-way street. Cyclists use the term "salmoning" to describe a biker going against the stream on a one-way bike lane. Surely the definition can be broadened to include Baldwin's infraction. While salmoning is a funny word, it's a dangerous action. In a bike lane, it can bring on an unwelcome game of chicken when a wrong-way cyclist heads toward cyclists going the proper way. Salmoning also creates a potential hazard for motorists crossing a bike lane via a legal cut-through. They'd assume they only need to scan in one direction for incoming pedalers. Some cities discourage salmoning with clever signage, like this in London: "If you can read this you are biking the wrong way." In honor of National Bike to Work week, I've collected a few examples of cycling jargon that's all about safety. Door zone: That's the space right next to the parked car lane. If a motorist opens the door, a passing cyclist can get "doored." Cyclists have been severely injured or killed from hitting the door or being bounced into traffic. In many municipalities, it is illegal to open a door into traffic, which includes bicycles, says Greg Billing, advocacy coordinator for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. When riding in a bike lane up against parked cars, "ride on the outermost third of the lane, nearing the white line," he suggests. In other situations, keep 3 to 4 feet from parked cars, putting you out of the zone, or at least far enough away that you can take evasive action if a door opens. Sharrow: A cyclist is riding in a bike lane. The bike lane ends. In the middle of the lane of traffic ahead sits a stenciled cyclist and a couple of chevrons. That painted symbol is a "sharrow" –- a shared lane arrow. It's only been around a decade or so, reminding motorists there will be cyclists ahead, says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. Of course, cyclists have the right to ride in any lane; skeptics worry that drivers might think they don't have to share the lane if there's no sharrow. "The jury's still out on some of these signs," says Clarke. As a commuting cyclist, I share the sharrow view of D.C. commuter Evan Wilder: "I imagine the motorist thinking, 'Oh, right, it's OK that the biker's in the middle of the road.' " Bike box: That's a box painted between the crosswalk and the white line that shows motorists where to stop, with bikes stenciled within its borders. The benefit: A cyclist can easily switch from one side of the street to the other to make turns. This kind of arrangement is called an "advanced stop line" in the Netherlands, where it began, and the bike-loving Dutch actually have two traffic signals at intersections: one for bicyclists in the box, to give them a head start, followed by the signal for motorists. Ninja: That's a night rider who wears dark clothes and eschews bike lights. Not only a bad idea, but against the law in every state — a white front light and rear reflector or light are required. Shoaling: A shoal is a school of fish. Or a collection of cyclists at a red light. That's where shoaling happens. A cyclist comes up to the light, eyeballs a cyclist already there, thinks, "I'm faster than that person," and moves ahead. But who can truly judge a cyclist's speed potential? Maybe the person you've shoaled is faster than you and will want to pass you once the light changes. To avoid triggering such unnecessary passes (not to mention road rage), "it's safer for people to wait at the light with everybody else and make the pass in the lane," says Billing. Or if you're really in a rush, just ask the other cyclist: "Hey, I'm late, is it OK to get in front of you?" Idaho stop: Since 1982, Idaho law has given cyclists the right to treat a stop sign as a yield (slow down and roll through if traffic allows) and to treat a red light as a stop sign (look both ways and proceed if no cars are coming). That's the Idaho stop. It's the law only in Idaho, although there are a few local variations. Several Colorado towns have adopted the "stop sign = yield" portion. And in some states, if a red light only turns green when a sensor senses a car, a cyclist can proceed after 120 seconds or so. The Idaho stop is hotly debated. In Idaho, notes Clarke, "the sky has not fallen, there's not a terrible crash rate. It probably legitimizes what's already happening." Then again, in a world where drivers think bicyclists are renegades, Clarke thinks a big push for the Idaho stop would not go over well. "Red lights should be inviolate," he says, but "the mechanics of stop signs are different -– having to put your foot down at every stop sign is often pointless. Most cyclists can roll through without any harm." Meanwhile, I bet Alec Baldwin has done his share of Idaho stops. In fact, I bet just about every cyclist has, except maybe the cyclist who once yelled at me for doing an Idaho stop at a light: "You're making cyclists look like they don't obey traffic laws!"The National Aquarium is shutting its doors after more than 80 years. News4's Tom Sherwood has the details. (Published Thursday, April 24, 2014) After more than 80 years in downtown Washington, D.C. the National Aquarium will shut its doors Monday. The aquarium has been housed in the basement of the Commerce Building on 14th Street NW, which is set to undergo major renovations. Most of the fish, animals and equipment will be sent to the National Aquarium in Baltimore unless a new location in the District is found. The aquarium's curator called it a hidden gem and hopes it will remain in D.C. "We feel we're an intimate kind of experience for people, and in a lot of cases, you can get up really close to the exhibits," National Aquarium curator Jay Bradley said. "We're kind of a hidden treasure."NK News on Thursday unveiled its annual 2017 wall calendar, a limited edition product manufactured to help subsidize independent journalism on North Korea. Published annually since 2012, the fifth edition of the wall calendar features stunning photos of daily life in the DPRK, captured from a 2016 trip to Pyongyang, Sinuiju, Wonsan, and Mount Kumgang. “We’re really happy with the calendar this year, which gives contemporary insight into the evolving nature of daily life in the DPRK,” said Chad O’Carroll, CEO and Founder of NK News. “Selecting the final 12 images from a pool of over 15,000 was extremely difficult,” O’Carroll continued. “However, this must be the most balanced selection of profiles, landscapes and action shots we’ve ever put together.” Retaining at a pre-sale discount of just $24.99, the calendars will be shipping throughout the U.S. and internationally from early November onwards. PrintingCenterUSA, which specializes in booklet printing, helped with the calendar promotion by sponsoring some of the calendars. Photographers who have contributed to annual NK News calendars include C. Petersen-Clausen, E. Lafforgue, and P. Dupont. Want to take advantage of our $5 discount? Click here to pre-order your 2017 North Korea wall calendar now. January A cool early morning in Wonsan, North Korea’s eastern coastal city. Though tourists have long visited Wonsan, North Korean authorities have since 2013 been making efforts to increase the number of foreign and domestic visitors going to the city. Now boasting an international-class airport as well as a recently remodeled Children’s Camp – which aims to attract foreign visitors from around the world – the city also includes hotels, beaches and a port once used by a ferry serving the Japanese coastal city of Niigata. February A mother and daughter look out the window of a passing tram in Pyongyang. Built during the early 1990s, Pyongyang’s tram system comprises three lines, using rolling stock imported from Germany, Switzerland, and the former Czechoslovakia. The tram lines are supplemented throughout the capital with a trolley bus service, as well as an underground metro featuring two lines. Pyongyang’s lack of major vehicular traffic means the trams and trolley-buses present little burden to street-users. March A view of the Pyongyang skyline by night, taken from the Yanggakdo Hotel. Until relatively recently, Pyongyang was extremely dark at night, with power shortages unable to keep up with domestic demand. But with a number of new power stations coming online across the country since 2015, more and more apartments are being lit well into the night. Power supplies can stretch further than before thanks to the increased availability of cheap LED lights from China. April Young newlyweds pose for a photo with a Dalmatian in downtown Pyongyang. The woman is wearing a traditional hanbok dress, while the man a western-style suit, as is common in weddings in South Korea. Couples usually pose for photos at major landmarks around the city, this time at the Zoo, before their traditional wedding ceremony. Wedding gifts usually include cash or food, though poorer families sometimes borrow items purely for the prior photo session. Pre-order your 2017 North Korea wall calendar now and save $5! May A young lady cycles along a path near Mt. Kumgang, just a few miles from the South Korean border. For many years, Mt. Kumgang was open to tourists from South Korea, with hundreds of thousands visiting a variety of resort hotels each year. But tourism came to an abrupt stop in June 2008 when a female South Korean tourist was shot dead early in the morning by a North Korean soldier. North Korean authorities claimed she was a security threat and had fled when asked to stop. The ban on tourism to North Korea has never been reversed and as such, facilities in the Kumgang region lay more or less unused. June A father and son walk along the banks of the Taedong River, opposite Kim Il Sung square. Walking in front of the Juche Tower, the pair stand in-between two of Pyongyang’s most well-known landmarks. The Juche Tower stands some 170m high and was completed in 1982, designed to commemorate founding President Kim Il Sung’s 70th birthday. At the base of it is a wall containing plaques from foreign supporters and overseas study groups of North Korea’s Juche ideology. Pre-order your 2017 North Korea wall calendar now and save $5! July A rarely seen reverse angle of one of the figures mounted on a building in Kim Il Sung square. During some national holidays, anniversaries or after special events, North Korean authorities host massive rallies in Kim Il Sung square, often rolling heavy military equipment past onlookers including VIPs and senior leadership figures. Government buildings nearby include the headquarters of the Korean Workers Party, the foreign ministry and the central bank. August A young North Korean university student poses for the camera in Wonsan. Most men in North Korea serve in the military for 10 years and women for seven. Military service is compulsory in the DPRK and most people enlist after high school – those who are accepted into universities do their military service after they graduate. Pre-order your 2017 North Korea wall calendar now and save $5! September A woman and young man push a cargo of wires along a wet street in Wonsan. While the state once provided rations and supplies to people throughout the country, the public distribution system (PDS) broke down severely during the famine of the mid-1990s. Increasingly, people in North Korea must look out for themselves, meaning many individuals have now entered the field of private trade in order to survive (and often thrive). October A man cycles past crops along a pathway near Mt. Kumgang, towards an electrified train track. As an extremely mountainous country with less than 20% of land suitable for agriculture, it is common to see North Koreans using the mountains themselves for farming. Major crops include rice, potatoes, and corn. But while North Korea aims to be self-sufficient in food production, mismanagement and poor weather conditions often impact the level of domestically produced food available. Pre-order your 2017 North Korea wall calendar now and save $5! November A new tower block on Mirae Scientists Street, located in downtown Pyongyang adjacent to the river Taedong. The six-lane street is lined by high-rise, futuristic apartments and was opened in November 2015 for researchers from the Kim Chaek University of Technology. The street is one of several new streets ordered for construction following the death of Kim Jong Il, which are usually built for workers from specific fields. December North Korean children play near Sinuiju, a city located in the northwest of the country near China. Winters can be extremely cold in the DPRK, with temperatures in some areas dropping below -15° centigrade as the daily average. With little fuel to heat up homes, some North Koreans must deal with exceptional cold during the winter months. Pre-order your 2017 North Korea wall calendar now and save $5!As they are saying good-bye to each other, there’s a rumbling in the distance, and we see the silhouette of a warrior riding on a motorcycle coming in to save the day. The warrior is wearing this elaborate armor and a helmet with long horns coming out of the top of them. The beetle’s heads turn and look as he rides in to greet them and from there the warrior just goes ballistic! He just starts tearing into the beetles and brutally destroying them. The warrior has a spear with razor sharp places on one end and an electric shocking device on the other, and he’s just rocking their world. At one point we see him stick the spear into one of the petals and the shot follows the spear into the guts. It cuts back to the warrior twisting the spear then cuts back to the insides as we see the guts bloodily twisted. The warrior then pulls out the spear with an explosion of blood. As the warrior is fighting, his helmet gets knocked off, and we come to learn the the warrior is Jack, forty years older, with long hair and a beard. We’ve already seen a image of him and he is freakin’ badass! Jack continues to fight, and at another point he gets on his burly motorcycle and as he pops it up for a wheelie the front tire ejects some crazy looking spikes. He then proceeds to rev the engine as the front wheel spins wildly onto the head of one of these beetles and he just completely obliterates it! After Jack has demolished the horde of beetles, he picks up his helmet, puts it on, and rides off into the sunset without saying a single word to the mother and daughter. They are just left there among the blood and guts of their dead attackers. The little girl thanks Jack with her emoji talk as he rides away. I really wish you could see that all for yourself because it was pretty damn epic. Like I said, they take Samurai Jack to a new level of insanity that fans of the series are going to love. The wanted to do something special and different with the series, and it looks like they succeeded in that. They talked about the series during the panel and explained that they’ve allowed time to pass and they wanted to come a different point in Jack’s life. They explained that he’s been on a quest for so long and this series will pick up at the tail end of this quest. Jack is feeling lost in this world, and they are going to play with what is going on in his head. They also talked a lot about being inventive with the style of the new series and being bold by trying new things that they didn’t do before. The panel ended with an actual animated clip from the series in which we see a group of Aku worshipers in a cave/temple wearing black cloaks. There is a woman giving birth on a rock and over the course of the scene she gives birth to seven babies who are all laid out on an alter in front of an Aku shrine. The woman giving birth is screaming and the babies are crying. The woman who lays the babies on the alter says, “Seven daughters to do your bidding master. They will succeed where so many others have failed and we will find favor in your glory.” That's where the clip ends. So much greatness awaits fans of this series and what we saw was just a little taste of what is to come! I can’t wait to see the return of Samurai Jack!Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. listens at right as House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 6, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Just when you thought the influence of big money in politics hit a fever pitch this year with our $4 billion midterm, our lawmakers snuck in a closing reminder that money reigns supreme in Washington. Congress approved a $1.1 trillion end-of-year spending bill, known as "Cromnibus," full of handouts benefiting the super-rich. It was a glaring power grab by wealthy special interest groups and evidence of their corrupt grip on our lawmakers. Wall-Street-friendly lawmakers added a retrograde piece of legislation -- written by lobbyists from Citigroup -- deregulating the banks, allowing them to make high-risk trades with taxpayer dollars (the same type of high-risk activities that led America to the 2008 financial crisis). While most Democrats voted against the bill, the ones that did vote in favor of Cromnibus received twice as much money from the financial industry than the ones who voted against it. Wall Street altogether spent $1.5 million per day in the last election cycle and it is certainly paying off. The spending bill came with another holiday surprise. Cromnibus will increase the amount that individuals can give to a political party -- tenfold. This means there's going to be a whole lot more money buying political favors in Washington. Republicans and Democrats are both to blame for not vetoing this backsliding policy on campaign finance. They chose to keep it in the bill and, by passing it through, they have further downgraded our democracy into a service center for America's most wealthy few. And as our representatives help big money get even bigger, it's at the expense of the American people. For example, although 70 percent of Washington, D.C. voted to legalize the use of recreational marijuana, it was nullified in Cromnibus with the help of Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD). One of the Congressman's biggest campaign donors is a pharmaceutical company that sells pain-killing meds. While Rep. Harris ascribed his anti-marijuana zeal to keeping teenagers drug-free, he failed to mention the fat checks he received from big pharma who would hate to have marijuana competing with their products. This is an appalling example of money-hungry legislators undermining the will of the people. "It is breathtakingly cynical to give even more power to the wealthy and well-connected on the heels of an election that ushered in a new, dangerous era of big money in politics," stated Rep. John Sarbanes. Many of our lawmakers would rather advance the interests of their wealthy donors than actually represent the people. 91 percent of Americans disapprove of Congress already, and this spending bill has generated even more distrust between Washington and voters. As our politicians continue to collude with big moneyed groups, it's up to all of us -- the public -- to take a united stand to stamp big money in politics.In the run-up to the holidays, few noticed a rather horrifying number California water managers released last week: 5 percent. That’s the percentage of requested water the California State Water Project (SWP), the largest man-made distribution system in the U.S., expects to deliver in 2014. The SWP supplies water to two-thirds of the state’s 38 million residents and 750,000 acres of farmland. Ending one of its driest years in recorded history for the second year in a row, California, an agricultural and technological powerhouse, faces extreme drought conditions in 2014 unless winter storms materialize between now and April, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. That means farmers will receive a fraction of the water they need for spring planting, likely triggering spikes in food price as agricultural land goes fallow. “The San Joaquin Valley is facing the prospect of a record low water allocation, an historic low point in water supply reliability, and yet another year of severe economic hardship,” the Westlands Water District, which supplies water to 600,000 acres in California’s bread basket, said in a statement. The potential cost to the regional economy? More than $1 billion.Published Monday, October 10, 2016 at 9:56 am The “Women for Trump” bus tour is stopping in Boone. The tour will make its way through Charlotte and Gastonia earlier in the day before arriving at the Hardee’s restaurant on Blowing Rock Road in Boone at 4 p.m. See the release below: WHO: Congressional wives and special guests WHAT: “Women for Trump” Bus Tour WHEN: TODAY WHERE: See Schedule below 10 a.m. All Green Recycling, Inc., 321 Atando Avenue, Charlotte, NC 12 p.m. Old Kmart Parking Lot (Gaston Co.), 3580 E. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia, NC 4 p.m. Hardee’s, 610 Blowing Rock Road, Boone, NC WHY: With the presidential campaign looking like it is coming down to women in North Carolina and the suburbs of Philadelphia, Congressional wives have broken away from their husbands’ campaigns from as far as Texas, Montana, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, etc., to “stump for Trump” in this critical swing state. “That’s how important North Carolina is to the country. It is a must win state”, said Nancy Schulze, director. “We’re women who care deeply about the real America – the one that Hillary Clinton, Saul Alinsky, Barack Obama and George Soros are trying to transform. We are not at a crossroads in this election, we are at the edge of a cliff – and in just a few days women who outvote men by a lot will determine whether we go off that cliff, or begin to rebuild this country.” Their message? “The only thing worse than not voting, is voting without knowing who and what we’re voting for and why.” Congressional wives, who live, eat, breathe and sleep the political life right along with their husbands, are in North Carolina to talk about their “why”. “If you are undecided, come. If you are decided, bring your undecided friends. If you’ve never heard a former ‘never Trumper’ who changed her mind, come.” Joining them will be Latoya Coffield – an African American “convert” to the Republican Party, Dorothy Woods, Gold Star Widow of Tyrone Woods, killed in Benghazi, who will talk about what Hillary said and did “off-camera,” and Gold Star Mother, Karen Vaughn – whose Navy Seal son, Aaron, was killed in Afghanistan aboard Extortion 17. Comments commentsALLISYN CAMEROTA, CNN: Well, at times, it sounded like a debate, even though the candidates did not appear on stage together. Last night, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump talked national security and foreign policy and they also slammed each other, as you heard. So let's get some more perspective on this, as well as the e-mail situation, from CNN political commentator Carl Bernstein. He is the author of A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Carl, great to see you this morning. Let's quickly start with the forum. CARL BERNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good to be with you. CAMEROTA: What - what jumped out at you from this
, and on early dial-up internet, Simpsons audio clips were ubiquitous. Video files took forever to download over a phone line, so five-seconds-or-less audio clips were tremendously popular. The Simpsons has also been featured in numerous successful video games. According to Wikipedia, there have actually been 27 licensed Simpsons games so far, the last two of which were developed for iOS. But YouTube and other video-sharing sites have completely disrupted the entire industry, upending revenue models and threatening the very foundation of TV as a business. In the history of the internet, we are in a transitional era: each television network and content producer is free to choose how they will handle copyright infringement on sites like YouTube. The Simpsons is on the more aggressive end of that spectrum. To watch Homer and Marge on YouTube, you have to pay $1.99 per episode, or $37.99 for a season pass. By contrast, many off-the-air shows are offered for free on YouTube’s “Classic TV” channel. Presumably, the owners of the The Simpsons simply don’t like the unlicensed use of their intellectual property—they believe that free Simpsons on the internet will cost them money, or that it will harm their brand. Both of those assertions are testable, and both strike me as dubious. I’m not sure The Simpsons would see a drop in its television audience if it permitted clips to be shown on YouTube and shared on Facebook and Twitter. And I’m not sure that sharing those clips out of context would truly harm the overall brand of the show; at least, not more than it has already been harmed by being on television for 24 years. Free internet advocates tend to cast the argument in moral terms: content wants to be free, should be free, and it’s unreasonable to keep content from people without good reason. I am not making that argument. I do not think that The Simpsons has a moral obligation to make it easier for me to share it online. Instead, I think it would be better for the show’s business and its longevity as cultural content. I’m going to keep quoting the Simpsons regardless, of course. But it would be nice if other people got the references. Alex Remington, a second-year Masters in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School, studies journalism strategy and blogs about baseball at Fangraphs. Photo source here.Update, January 12: An Apple spokesperson has officially told Buzzfeed News that the company is not making a switch to Android tool. “There is no truth to this rumor,” Trudy Muller stated, “We are entirely focused on switching users from Android to iPhone, and that is going great.” Well, I guess that puts this rumor to bed. Original post: January 11: Apple has been pressured by several European telecommunications companies to make it easier to switch from iOS to Android, according to a senior industry source speaking with The Telegraph. Apple has reportedly agreed to create a tool to make the transition from an iPhone to an Android device simpler and easier for customers. The move comes following complaints by major European carriers that the difficulty of switching between platforms, primarily from Apple’s side, weakens the telco’s negotiating power with Apple. Due to the hassle of transferring data from iOS to Android, very few customers ever make the switch, making the carriers overly dependent on Apple. The EU Commission has already tackled Google for antitrust violations, claiming the company unfairly squeezes out competition, so Apple agreeing to make the switching process simpler could be viewed as the lesser of two evils. There’s no telling if the EU Commission has been involved in this decision at all, but creating a simple switch tool would certainly head them off at the pass. Whether this data transfer tool will take the form of a Move to Android app (like Apple’s Move to iOS app in Google Play) or another tool is uncertain. There is also no timeline given for when it might appear and Apple has yet to confirm this agreement publicly. While many tools exist to make it easier to transition from Android to iOS, including Apple’s first app in Google Play, Apple has never made it easier to switch in the opposite direction, preferring instead to keep customers locked into its own ecosystem. While this could simply be considered good business, it could also be considered a nefarious attempt to exclude competition, something the EU doesn’t take very kindly to. Whether or not the creation of this tool will actually see more customers switching to Android we’ll just have to wait and see. Do you think OS makers should be forced to make switching easier for customers?WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama defended his plan to use executive powers to implement some immigration reforms, saying in an interview broadcast on Sunday he had waited long enough for Congress to act. U.S. President Barack Obama answers a reporter's question about North Korea after naming U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta Lynch as his pick to replace retiring Attorney General Eric Holder, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington November 8, 2014. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas Obama told congressional leaders on Friday he would try to ease some restrictions on undocumented immigrants, despite warnings from Republican leaders that such actions would “poison the well” or would be “a red flag in front of a bull”. The meeting came after Obama’s Democratic Party was punished in midterm elections on Tuesday. Republicans seized the U.S. Senate and kept a majority in the House of Representatives, in what Obama said was a message from voters who held him responsible for how Washington worked, or didn’t. In an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Obama said he had watched while the U.S. Senate produced a bipartisan immigration reform bill, only to have it not taken up by House Republican Speaker John Boehner. Obama said he had told Boehner if he could not get it done by year’s end, the White House was going to have to take steps to improve the system. “Everybody agrees the immigration system’s broken. And we’ve been talking about it for years now in terms of fixing it,” Obama said in the interview, according to a CBS transcript. U.S. borders needed to be secure, the legal immigration system needed to be more efficient and there needed to be a path to legal status for the 11 million undocumented immigrants. “We don’t have the capacity to deport 11 million people — everybody agrees on that,” he said. Obama insisted he was not telling Republicans they had run out of time or trying to circumvent them. “The minute they pass a bill that addresses the problems with immigration reform, I will sign it and it supersedes whatever actions I take,” Obama said in the interview. “And I’m encouraging them to do so... on parallel track we’re going to be implementing an executive action. “But if in fact a bill gets passed, nobody’s going to be happier than me to sign it, because that means it will be permanent rather than temporary.” Without any changes, the government will continue to misallocate resources, deport people who should not be deported and not deport those who are dangerous, he said. Any unilateral action promises to draw the ire of Republicans in Congress. U.S. Senator John Barrasso, the No. 4 Republican in the Senate, told Reuters on Friday members of Congress had told Obama that would be a “toxic decision”. “It will hurt cooperation on every issue,” Barrasso told “Fox News Sunday”. “What the president does over the next two months is going to set the tone for the next two years.” Representative Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said on ABC’s “This Week” he hoped Obama would delay action “and have a real comprehensive discussion about what’s possible, because a great deal is possible on immigration reform.”Think of the talent tree as the greatest mini game ever conceived. They're fun little puzzles that empower the player to personalize the game into something they enjoy. Though simple and isolated from play, the impact talents have on your game can be very meaningful. Often tied to the raw power of a player, be it talents that help you critical strike from 50 paces, or talents that keep you alive long enough so that you may do so, talent trees are potent balancing points designers can use to throttle advancement in a game, while giving that extended play time more meaning. Beating this little talent tree mini game, or creating a viable "build", can be as vital to the completion of a game as completing levels or bosses. They are meaningful systems and they can be as fun to play with as they are to design. Talent trees have have exploded for a reason! Contents How Talent Trees Took Root The game that started the craze... Diablo 2 released over a decade ago, bringing with it several innovations to the Action RPG (ARPG) genre. Arguably its greatest addition was deep and meaningful talent trees, likely influenced by tech trees of the popular RTS genre. These tech trees gave a linear unlock progression to buildings and upgrades. Talent trees have further branched into the medium as games sporting talent trees like World of Warcraft and League of Legends went on to become some of the most played and lucrative games in history. Today we see all manner of titles springing up with talent trees, many foreign to the RPG genre. Even first person shooters like Borderlands have found great success with the added depth that talent trees can bring to a game. Before and After Talent Trees Without talents, a single playthrough of a game or class would give the majority of the entire experience in one go. Players were detached from their advancement, experiencing gameplay on rails. Talent trees are the branching storyline of gameplay, allowing multiple playthroughs with different scenarios that develop depending on the player's specialization. Today, games have longer standing appeal. Multiple playthroughs allow the player to experience gameplay in completely new ways. A relatively simple game with the right talent tree can be played indefinitely. If you died in a game that lacks progression aspects it was simply Game Over, but now at least you get a little bit of progress towards that next cool talent that can help you overcome the obstacle that killed you. Rubber-banding difficulty for the win! Why Add a Talent Tree? Talent trees have become the go-to component that can add depth, fulfillment, and replayability to most any game. Today's gamer yawns at the prospect of linear power advancement that comes with linearly increased stats. They are also great for easing in new gameplay dynamics by starting players with scaled-down versions that can be fully unlocked over time, or by putting delaying their acquisition so players are not overwhelmed at the start. There's no better way to educate your player in what they can (eventually) do in your game than by having a talent tree that they'll be looking over time and time again thinking about where they want to advance their character. This personalization also feeds a common need for self expression in play that games often lack, and having a potent and varied talent system allows you to turn your single game's worth of content into an endless sandbox of gameplay discovery. There are many ways for a game to add customization, detailed explanations of how things work, and replayability, but the talent tree does all three in one UI panel. It represents both familiarity and the unknown, power and progression, while pestering you as a designer to come up with new ways of making your game fun. Few systems are so simple, powerful, and beneficial to both the end user and developer. Anatomy of a Talent Tree Talent trees don't all follow a universal set of rules - games, by their nature, are always evolving - but let's dissect the core aspects of what makes a talent tree a talent tree. Talent trees are so organic that not only are they named after a carbon based life form, but "tree" perfectly describes their functionality. They are an array of skills that start small, but that grow and branch out into a more robust organism. Talent trees are populated by "nodes", which are tied to various components of the game: max health, regen, bonuses to income, movement speed, and so on. Anything and everything the player is or does can be tied to nodes in talent trees. These nodes can then be unlocked by the player, bestowing an initial bonus, and often several more incremental bonuses until the node is "maxed". The base values of these nodes and their tiered bonuses are key balancing points. Talent trees will often have unlocking mechanics that gate the player from picking whatever they want, whenever they want. A certain number of low tier talents may be required to reach higher tiers, or perhaps a certain player level will be required; it is up to the designer to decide which gating mechanism best serves their game. If a player is able to choose any talent at any time, the progression dynamics and the "flavor" of play each tree brings is lost - it wouldn't be a tree, after all. Tooltips are important for communicating to the player what a node does. Some games will give you not only a rundown of what the current node does, but also a preview of the next tier to give the player an idea of how it will scale - very handy! Field Experience: Examples of Talent Trees in Games There's no better way to get a feel for talent trees than to actually experience them first hand. Here are some of the most influential, innovative, accessible, and modern skill trees around, as well as a little something just for fun! They come in all shapes and sizes; some brilliantly simple, others awe-inspiring in their scope. While we look over these trees, think about the design goals the creators had and the target audience they were trying to reach, be it casual players who will likely enjoy the game in a single sitting, or hardcore RPG enthusiasts who may fiddle with the tree for years. These are the core concerns we as designers must bear in mind when determining the skill tree that will work best for our needs... Diablo 2 The skill trees that started it all. (Synergy bonuses came some years after release.) They're no longer the most balanced or compelling trees around, but if you want to know your gaming history, this is where it's at. When Diablo 2 came out they were a revelation. At the time, "cookie cutter builds", "overpowered specs", "nerf stick", were not part of a gamer's dialect. The game has held up remarkably well over the years. Usability and aesthetics have improved through time, but talent trees largely keep the same spirit of this classic. As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Path of Exile Path of Exile is considered by some to be the true successor in the ARPG genre, with several innovations to the classic ARPG formulae, one of those being its talent tree. Unique in its massive scale, eastern RPG Radial influences, and its beauty, Path of Exile not only expanded the depth of their game with this tree, but created a functional piece of art! An interesting aspect of the talent tree is that all character classes share this same tree, but start in different locations. Various classes locations in relation to each other defines classes and sub-classes. Unconventional, but it works! These guys were able to create a single, well crafted talent tree and use it for every character in the game: brilliant. Torchlight 2 Torchlight 2 is the latest ARPG from some of the core talent of the original Diablo games, this alone makes it one of the most relevant talent trees in the modern age. It represents a distillation of the passive and active talents seen in Diablo 2 and the original Torchlight. Its genius lies not only in its three-tiered talent innovation, but also in its artful down scaling of the core elements of active abilities and passive bonuses. It strikes this chord between abilities and passives without leaving too much room for the player to destroy their play experience with a weak build. It's something the most die hard RPG enthusiast can spend ages tuning, while a casual player can dive in and start pouring talents into right away. I want to take a moment to further reflect on Torchlight 2, because there are some truly groundbreaking things the guys at Runic did with the title that are easily overlooked by what appears to be a simple talent tree. First and foremost, red talents are broken up into four tiers of power as denoted by the I, II, III bar. Every time a skill receives five talent points, the skill gains a bonus that transcends mere variable increases. These can give skills more utility, adding such things as fear components, and lifetaps, or fun raw power like shorter cooldowns and big damage modifiers. Bonuses are offset by dialing down the raw power of leveling talents themselves seen in most games. This gives the player more build options as a talent does not need heavy investment to be useful for its core purpose, and each tier gives it its own flavor of play. The idea that core abilities must all be at max level is greatly lessened due to these tweaks in the formula, giving not only more builds options, but builds that are more forgiving. Torchlight 2 infused lackluster skills and passives into the tiered bonuses of the meaty active abilities. Where you may have had one skill that allowed you to charge and another than would give you lifetap, Torchlight gives you both in one package. One skill, one talent node, one hotkey, but the functionality of several skills that are so much more fun and organic when combined. Though Torchlight 2 lacked the long term appeal and playerbase of an ARPG's with secure and legitimate online play, it has one of the most simple, robust, and thoughtful talent tree ever conceived. If you're looking for a fun romp through innovative RPG mechanics, Torchlight 2 is one of the best there is and a great study into sound RPG mechanics. Diablo 3 Just kidding! Diablo 3 opted not to have a talent tree in their game. Not all games need a skill tree, and there are alternative avenues we can explore that can add depth through alternative means. Though many look at the omission of skill trees in the franchise that defined them with tears of nostalgia running down their face, Diablo 3 is poised to release on consoles, bringing the heavy hitter of the ARPG genre to a new demographic of players who may have been alienated by secondary skill systems. It remains to be seen whether the omission of skill trees will pay off, however. Cursed Treasure 2 Cursed Treasure 2 is a prime example of how you don't need an RPG to have excellent game progression tied directly to talent trees. Without its talent tree, the game would be a rather mundane tower defense, but with them it gains purpose and depth. The player must piece together the puzzle of using potent towers, revenue mechanics, and increasingly accessible and powerful magic abilities all augmented by the talent tree! Take particular note of how well the game is throttled by these talents to create a difficulty curve just hard enough to keep the game challenging, but gives enough power through the tree to allow the player to progress if they "grind" enough talent points after defeat. Also note how well the complexity of play scales, starting with just building a few simple towers, and ending with all kinds of crazy upgrades, spell mechanics, and resource management the player must tend to all deeply rooted in the progression of this tree. Upgrade Complete 2 We heard you like upgrades... It's pretty safe to say that no game has taken progression dynamics to such absurd heights as the Upgrade Complete series. Game loading too slowly? You can spec into load timers to reduce the wait. Upgrade buttons ugly? You can invest into the aesthetic aspects of the game as well. Would you rather be playing an indie title? Upgrade it! Despite being a farce attacking the the ridiculous level of customization and unlocks seen in many modern games, Upgrade Complete goes on to be a legitimate study in how satisfying it is for the users to upgrade anything and everything within a game. There is no aspect off limits to talents, upgrades, and progression. Now that we've looked at several varieties, let's further dissect the delicate balance of piecing together engaging, fun talent trees.... What Do We Want? When creating a talent tree, understanding what gives the player a feeling of power is key to laying out a tree that is compelling. Know the gating components of your game, be it economy, health, damage, etc. If your game is a side scrolling platformer, talents that increase run speed, jump height, and add abilities like double jump and glide are the sort of things you're going to want talent nodes for. Analyze what gameplay systems make your game unique, and think of ways you can accentuate those with talents, bolstering further the unique strengths of your game. Ultimately the player wants fun playing your game; it's up to you as the designer to know what that is, and how to promote fun play through your talent tree. If Skill X is more fun than Skill Y, no one is going to moan too much if it gets a bit more love through talents. When Do We Want It? Pacing the progression of a talent tree is vital to making it a positive aspect of your game. Lower tier talents should be simple but potent, hooking the player immediately. Conversely, it's best to add more complex aspects of the tree at higher tiers, to ensure the player is ready for these more complex dynamics. It's important to define a tree in its low level nodes (if you have multiple trees). Low level talents should be indicative of what to expect later so players are able to make correct assumptions in what to expect with their investments. Often the most powerful skills are found at the end of a tree, to ensure hard gating dynamics. A common design choice is to balance the game so that only players with the highest level talents are able to complete the hardest challenges within a game. But don't be too predictable - throw a wrench in the gears! Part of the magic of gaming is the unexpected. Pepper in awesome, potentially "overpowered" talents here and there. Do this for all your trees and the player will have a blast speccing into them as they melt the faces of the everyone around them (or shatter their nether regions with ice, depending on build). Talent trees can make your player feel empowered and surprise them. They can also be the carrot on the stick that keeps them playing so they can get that one talent that defines their build and items. Do More Than Just Give Power Some games do nothing but add linear power progression by making players hit harder, run faster, or make more money, which is a perfectly acceptable design decision for many games. Early iterations of talent trees can also benefit from a scaled down version such as this, to get the thing moving forward and get a ballpark balance for various trees and builds. The best talent trees transcend the mere notion of power, and transform how the game as a whole is played by augmenting the core functionality of the game as defined by player build. But before you can take your talent tree to this level, you need a fundamental understanding of how it's fun to play your game in various ways. Think of these differing play styles as different types of music. Different types of music sound better with differing levels of treble and bass. Much like a music player will allow you to tweak the levels on these two knobs to make the music sound better, your talent tree should have knobs you can adjust in regards to your core systems that make these different play styles play better. You're going to need an empathetic mindset to do this. Think not only about how you would like to play the game, but about how people with differing skill levels and taste in gameplay would, too. The skill tree is the options menu for the user to create the game they want to play. Some players will need to spec into talents to make the game easier for them, give them more life, more lives, more defense, things of this nature. Others will want to seek out fun bonuses to speed and damage to race through your game at a dangerous pace. Some players may want to min-max using several abilities all at once to optimize play, and other players may want a single ability they can spam. Try to make both paths viable. It is sometimes the balance between survival nodes and nodes that allow a player to progress quickly that becomes the core "difficulty setting" of a game. Be careful when balancing defensive talents, as often the best defense is a good offense, depending on your game. Defensive nodes, if not properly tuned, can actually make the game harder for new players if they are specced instead pure offensive talents. Make the Most of Your Work Scaling power is great for making advancement in a game fun, but if the talent tree is too top-heavy, you risk squandering all the content you created at the lower levels of the tree. The best games are greater than the sum of their parts and the growing pool of player power and abilities coalesce to create an experience that can become increasingly complex. If you want the most out of your game, you're going to want to think of the tree(s) as a blueprint for a coherent gameplay strategy, rather than a series of isolated powers that scale individually in potency. Talents should be cohesive in their function, Skill X may do more damage, but Skill Y (properly talented) may allow Skill X to do even more while having a niche role in its own right. If you find certain aspects of your game becoming irrelevant, talent trees give you more control to make them relevant again without making them too powerful early on. Is Ice Bolt just taking up space in the end game? Add a high level talent that lets it tap mana back, or bounce off walls, or deal bonus critical damage when the target is frozen or burning - whatever adds the most fun to the game while being reasonable to develop. You can even come up with additional mechanics never seen before if you're feeling adventurous! Controversy in Talent Tree Design Being so core to playability and balance, talent trees are among the most heated topics of discussion in gaming communities and many discussions about them still rage on today. Should players be able to "respec" their talent trees (start over with a fresh slate)? No: If players are unable to respec, the game has far more replayability. Players can play through several times experiencing the gamut of play from many angles across the entire level spectrum. Yes: Few things can be as soul crushing as choosing the wrong talent spec. Players will often quit a game for good if they cannot easily change the direction of their characters. Most modern games find their own compromise between the two. Path of Exile requires rare "orbs of regret" drops to allow a single point of respec. Torchlight 2 allows for respecs up to a certain level at which point you become locked in. The modern game respects both trains of thought, and finds their own way of giving permanence and meaning to builds, without absolutely locking a player in at all times. Striking the Right Balance There is no longer journey than the pursuit of game balance. It's a lofty goal rewarded by the cries of gamers everywhere as they clickity clack, "I've been nerfed!" on their keyboard in a fit of rage. Ensuring that talent trees are balanced is an important goal, but not the first one! Great game components are not created through predetermined mathematical formulae or spreadsheets. They begin with the simple thought: "Hey wouldn't it be cool if...?" Wouldn't it be cool if ice blast bounced off frozen enemies? Wouldn't it be cool if after constructing a Tier 2 or higher train station you got free advertising? Wouldn't it be cool if cooking a burger before scrambled eggs gave a flavor bonus? Only after there is a sufficient ammount of "cool stuff" going on should you move on to whittling things down and making the gears turn at the right speeds. We looked at talent trees as if they were a mini game, but there should be no perfect end game scenario. The player should always be second guessing their decisions, "Boy, I sure love doing X damage with Y talent, but Z is so appealing, I can't decide!" If you find yourself as the designer thinking the same thing when deciding what to buff and nerf, you know you're in the right ballpark of acceptable balance. And play various wacky build setups! How many times have you been pleasantly surprised by the potency of an ability or skill? The mechanics of gameplay aren't always as rigid and predictable as we think they are; damage formulas may be off, a variable might be slightly off somewhere that no one will ever get to. This is a good thing. Again, balance isn't perfected on spreadsheets; it's done through ad hoc play, as it should be! Find what works, expand on it, polish it, and don't knock it till you try it. Taking a Step Back Now that we've covered talent trees from top to bottom, it's a good idea to look over some of the sample talent trees listed in Field Experience again. These are some of the best talent trees to ever grace gaming and there's much to be gained by looking at them from multiple angles. Try to create some builds with different play styles in mind, "roleplay" someone else who might play the game completely differently, and note how they are accommodated. Ignore numbers and think about how certain talents just make the game more fun, and how the trees have a well spread "wouldn't it be cool if..." factor to them. Notice that users don't have to go too far to get something interesting like increased run speed or a new skill entirely. What were the designers thinking when they created the tree? What sort of build does this node promote, how many other builds would it work well with? How does this tree envision what this class of character should do? How much freedom do they give you to try interesting things, without allowing you to do everything? Finally, marvel at how torn you are to go with any specific build. The greatest skill trees will drive you mad, constantly begging you to return to tweak your spec just a little bit to maximize your damage, your income, or your survivability - or to start over and try something completely different!Spring is almost here, and we can’t wait to spread out our picnic blankets or take a mug of cold-brewed oolong on a hike along our favorite wooded path. How do you celebrate spring? Some of our other fave ideas on where to drink oolong this season: Out of our Classic Mug at an urban picnic with a view. Out of our Chillaxer Cold Brew Bottle in a national park. Sharing a sampler with good friends while watching that Oscar nominee you’ve been meaning to see. Out of our Essential Tea Pot with the neighbor you invited over for an impromptu tea time. At your family’s oolong tasting with your new Aroma Cup Set. Get it while the getting’s good: Our Anniversary Sale is still going on, with an extra 30% off everything (yup, everything). Plus, get one of our best free bonus goodies yet with your purchase.For almost 20 years hundreds of Orthodox Jews have shunned the busy seaside resorts of Brighton and Blackpool for quieter breaks on the Welsh coast. But now, after weathering anti-Semitic attacks and the death of a prominent rabbi last year, their holiday is under threat again. Members of London and Manchester’s Jewish communities said they were “very disappointed and upset” at a decision from the University of Aberystwyth that has forced them to look elsewhere for accommodation this August. Jewish families descend on the seaside town for two weeks each summer and rent small houses in the empty student accommodation on the hill, with a yellow and white striped tent acting as a makeshift synagogue. Join Independent Minds For exclusive articles, events and an advertising-free read for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month Get the best of The Independent With an Independent Minds subscription for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month Get the best of The Independent Without the ads – for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month But this summer university authorities have said the holidaymakers are no longer allowed to light candles in the Pentre Jane Morgan campus of more than 100 properties as they have done every Friday night to usher in Shabbat – the Jewish day of rest. One holidaymaker, Mrs Brander, said: “It is a summer home to us and we all love it – good air, sea and wonderful views. We are very disappointed and upset by the university’s decision. “As we left last year, we were told about this condition but, at the time, did not think it a serious threat to our visit. But, ultimately, there was no real decision for us – our religion requires the lighting of candles,” she said. “We have found a holder to make each candle safer. We offered to discuss it with the fire brigade, but the university was not interested.” Last summer tragedy struck the visitors when Berish Englander, a 47-year-old rabbi and father of 11, drowned off Aberystwyth’s north promenade. And in 2009, swastikas were found painted on grass and on sheets of paper scattered near the halls of residence. A spokesman for Aberystwyth University said it had taken legal advice and consulted its own health and safety advisors and fire brigade. “The university... would be delighted to welcome this group back, as long as they are able to sign our terms and conditions,” he said.Image caption The PC denied causing racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress A jury has failed to reach a verdict in the retrial of a policeman accused of racially abusing a suspect days after the riots in London last year. PC Alex MacFarlane, 53, denied causing racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress to Mauro Demetrio on 11 August 2011. Southwark Crown Court heard Mr Demetrio believed he was stopped on suspicion of drug-driving because he was black. Prosecutors said they would not be seeking a third trial. Disciplinary proceedings Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson told the judge it was "not in the public interest" for another trial to take place. "May I therefore offer no evidence against Mr MacFarlane," he said. Richard Atchley, defending, said the officer would now face disciplinary proceedings. The five women and seven men, who had been told they could return a majority decision, could not agree on a verdict. The retrial was ordered after a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case last week. In April, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) ordered Mr MacFarlane be charged after it reviewed an earlier decision not to prosecute.The Knicks’ defining characteristic is not their badness. They have certainly been bad in recent years, but so have many teams around the NBA. The true essence of Knicksness is the ability to go absolutely nowhere in the loudest, silliest way possible. For example, in 2013–14 the Knicks won 37 games. They then hired the most famous basketball figure they could find, Phil Jackson, to become team president, a role in which he put together rosters that won 32 and 31 games in the past two seasons and alienated the squad’s best players. New York could have achieved a similar result by doing nothing; instead, it paid a supposed genius $60 million for three years of work. Another example: The Knicks could have made Tim Hardaway Jr. a part of their future for cheap if they’d done absolutely nothing since they drafted him four years ago. Instead, two trades and two front-office regime changes have led them to a point where they’ve signed him to a $71 million offer sheet. The Hawks have the right to match, but likely won’t given that nobody thought Hardaway would get an average salary of almost $18 million a year. (Useless but stunning comparison: Hardaway’s father, a five-time All-Star, made $47 million in his 14-year NBA career.) In 2013, the Knicks drafted Hardaway Jr. 24th overall. As a rookie, he contributed 10.2 points per game to a team with playoff hopes — not bad for a late first-rounder. (Hardaway and Dion Waiters had an epic duel in the Rising Stars Game that All-Star weekend. The "Rising Stars" thing seemed funny for about four years, since neither seemed destined for much — until the past two days, when they agreed to deals worth a combined $123 million.) Jackson took over as New York’s president heading into 2014–15, and promptly went about reconfiguring the roster to his liking. Hardaway’s scoring (11.5 points per game) improved slightly in his sophomore campaign, but that was mainly because he played an increased role on a team that tanked en route to the worst record in franchise history. His game lacked efficiency and had glaring defensive problems. In June 2015, he was traded to the Hawks for their first-round pick while he was out to dinner with his teammates, ending a stint with the Knicks that wasn’t exactly happy: Carmelo Anthony reportedly threatened Hardaway in the locker room after an in-game argument, and Hardaway confirmed that he asked his girlfriend whether she had ever been romantically involved with head coach Derek Fisher. As I wrote while chronicling Jackson’s tenure as a Knicks executive, the 2015 Hardaway trade seemed like a great deal for the franchise at the time. It had turned the 24th pick from the 2013 draft into the 19th pick two years later. Hardaway had turned in two seasons that weren’t particularly special; New York used its newly acquired pick on Jerian Grant, a point guard who had led Notre Dame to the Elite Eight during his senior year on campus. Only Grant underwhelmed as a rookie. As part of his quest to dismantle the team’s roster every season, Jackson traded Grant, Robin Lopez — also acquired the previous offseason — and Jose Calderon for Derrick Rose, an ex-superstar with zero good knees and one year remaining on his contract. Meanwhile, Hardaway blossomed in Atlanta. After making multiple trips to the D-League in 2015–16, he emerged as a member of the Hawks starting lineup in 2016–17, posting career numbers (14.5 points) across the board. The front-office staffers left in New York after Jackson’s departure must love Hardaway, and they clearly have no interest in re-signing Rose. In fact, they’ll likely renounce Rose — a technical move with some complicated financial implications that essentially ends his tenure with the team — if the Hawks decline to match the Hardaway offer, as it will be the easiest way to make room under the cap. Thus, I present a New York Knicks flow chart: The Knicks traded Hardaway for a player who became a small piece in a trade for a player they’re eager to cut ties with to re-sign Hardaway. It’s an M.C. Escher sketch: The deals keep escalating, but the team ends up in the same place. If New York had just retained Hardaway the whole time, it would have held his restricted free-agent rights, allowing the front office to sit back and let the rest of the NBA dictate his worth. Holding a player’s restricted free-agent rights is an enviable position for a team to be in: Either it signs a player to a contract it’s happy with, or some other team overpays. There is an art to Price Is Right–ing an offer sheet, signing a restricted free agent to a deal at — but not
take place later. When the indictment has been given, it can be either filed and you arrested, or it can be sealed, meaning the government does not let you know you have been indicted yet, as they follow up on other items on you or others in your alleged ring or conspiracy. On the day they decide to pick you up, which you can be assured will be a public and embarrassing as possible, yon will be taken to the federal court house into the Marshalls custody, via the basement, in cuffs, printed, photo, brief question period of birth-date, scars, tattoos and misc., nothing regarding your charges, then placed in a holding cell to await arraignment or the preliminary reading of the charges before the judge, plead not guilty and see if you will be released on bond. CHAPTER 2 BOND HEARING, Will I get out until Trial? A Bond Hearing is just that. You are taken from the holding cell and into the court room before the judge. The Prosecutor will be there with the FBI or other Agents used to investigate you and hopefully at the other table will be your attorney, and in the back there will be US Marshal or two and probably someone from the Legal Department of the newspaper. In Federal Court you are constitutionally guaranteed the right to bond and are to be considered innocent until proven guilty, unless, it is alleged by the Prosecutor, and deemed so by the court that you are a flight risk or a danger to society. A flight risk is usually a drug dealer with substantial assets and few tries to home or a business person with a visa and a history of oversea travels or contacts and substantial assets. A danger to society is someone who has physically threatened witnesses or has a history or propensity to do so, or some other type of danger as deemed by the Court. I, for instance, was finally deemed a danger to society and my bond revoked by the Court and held in jail until trial, two years later! And I just bought and sold real estate, have never physically harmed anyone, nor traveled outside the US. Back to the bond hearing, or arraignment. The charges are read, you plead not guilty and unless objections are raised you are given bond, Now what if the bond is, for example, $50,000, it's not like State charges, in that you put up NO money, usually, but only the promise to pay if you do not show. The Feds would love to see you run, for them justice will always be served. You have only helped drive nails in your coffin; added years to your sentence and you will eventually he picked up and when you do, you will not get bond and it is very difficult to defend yourself from jail. My attorneys, who I used to enjoy long leisurely lunches with or unhurried recitations on problems in their offices at $350.00 per hour, with drinks and pineapple dipped in chocolate and pretty secretaries flittering about, now when visiting in a cramped, noisy, visiting cell, legal discussions involving my life were reduced to 30 minutes, either due to jail rules or discomfort by my attorney of the surroundings. When the Judge announces his decision to allow bond, he will ask the Prosecutor if they would like any special circumstances placed as a condition of bond; such as, report weekly to probation officers, submit to random or scheduled drug tests, surrender passport or agree not to engage in the questioned type of business or leave the county in which you live in without consent or permission of the court or your probation officer. Then off you go with a new court date from 90 days to a year from now. CHAPTER 3 Guilty or not, is principle worth risking 10 years or more of your life? The Federal Government has a very impressive statistic of guilty pleas and guilty verdicts in Court. Over 90% of all people indicted by a grand jury agree to plead guilty. Are they all guilty? Well if your a math professor you'd say no, but the reality is you can plead guilty regardless of what the real facts are and get probation or a year or two, or maybe ten, or you could face the prospect of going to trial and facing 20 or 30 years, or even life if you lose, and you will lose. Of those who do go to trial, approximately 97% lose and get hammered at sentencing and again you will lose. I, for example, chose to go to trial, to exhonorate myself and my reputation and lost, got 151 months, or a little over 12.5 years for you math challenged readers, where as my co-defendants, who pled guilty went home the same day with probation or a year at the camp. In the process of my court proceedings, after my initial indictment, the Government subpoenaed my mother to appear before the grand jury. Her responses to their questions were honest, that she didn't know details of my business affairs, which was true. After my bond was revoked and I was placed in the custody of the Marshals and still I made it clear that my intentions were to go to trial. The government indicted my 60 year old mother for perjury, saying they felt she lied when she said she knew nothing of my business affairs. Now my mother is truly an innocent and never even had a traffic ticket, but her attorney told her to plead guilty or face a year in prison. "Why would I plead guilty" she said, "I've done nothing wrong". Simply put the guarantee of not going to prison is much more agreeable than the 97% chance of going. This is a common tool used by the government to put pressure on you to plead guilty. So if the feds are at your door, recognize you are going to prison, you will not beat them, this is not about money or better attorneys or who you know or who you are. You are caught up in this, right or wrong, your thoughts now should be on damage control and navigating your life thru this nightmare. Ask the government simply what they want and then give it to them or have them get it themselves thru other sources and remove you from life as you knew it to a suspension from your world, as it goes on without you for many un-replaceable years. CHAPTER 4 Trial or Guilty Plea, PSI (Presentence Investigation) then sentencing. Whether you went to trial or negotiated a guilty plea, you will ultimately be sentenced. From your original indictment, then arraignment on the charges, where you plead initially not guilty, the time can vary quite a bit, and although the constitution guarantees you the right to a speedy trial, which is 70 days from your indictment, it is very seldom used. Usually your attorney will request and receive one extention, if not more, and once he does your right to speedy trial is lost. This may be fine if you are free on bond, but if you are being held pretrial it is not as fun! The judge will then set a preliminary trial date, about 30-90 days before the scheduled trial date to see if the case can be resolved without a trial, and if both sides are in agreement the judge will set a change of plea hearing, where you can plead guilty or you simply go to trial. It's like buying a lottery ticket, if you lose or plead out, the judge will decide if you are to remain free on bond or remanded to the custody of the Marshals to await sentencing, he will usually follow the request of the prosecutor. If you are allowed to remain free on bond you walk out the door after scheduling a time to meet with a court probation officer to perform a PSI, or Pre-Sentencing investigation. This will entail an interview with you, then maybe your wife or family members, then also the prosecutor and investigator in your case, or victims, if any. They will further get copies of your school transcripts, all past arrest reports, even if they were dismissed. Just pretend this is Santa Clauses sadomasochistic cousin making a naughty and nice list of your life, very few things will fall thru the cracks. Anything anyone tells the interviewer can and will be included and usually the prosecutor, with the help of the arresting agents, either FBI or DEA, basically write the meat of the report. You may of been caught with $100,000 cash and a kilo of dope but plead out to a simple possession of an ounce, but the interviewer will include all the omitted details into the PSI under relevant conduct, which you will be enhanced on and your sentence increased. I, for example, was enhanced 30 points at sentencing. Increasing my sentence from 6 months to 151 months. Please study the sentencing chart, although it can be manipulated by the government to produce any length of time it wants, at least you will have an idea of what everyone is talking about when they say you are looking at a sentence level 25, category II, this chart will rule your life, read it! At the change of plea hearing, the judge will order the PSI and sentencing will be scheduled shortly after, usually the PSI is completed in 30 days and you have a right to contest any part of that to the interviewer and they may change their report. Your attorney will also prepare a PSR (Pre-Sentencing Report), where he mirrors your past, outlines the charges and recommends a sentence length. If the interviewer (a probation officer) declines to accept your changes or objections they will submit it to the judge as is or may note your objections, but usually disregard them, but both reports go to the judge for consideration, but before you get too excited, my PSR recommended 18-24 months, the government recommended 151 months and as I said in the beginning of this report, I was given the 151. Actually I was given range level 34, which would be a sentence of 151 to 188 months, the judge can decide which length to choose from in between that range. Now you go to sentencing or in the words of my sentencing judge, "Your day of reckoning has arrived". Your attorney will start by making a statement of how you did wrong and are sorry, but should be granted leniency, the prosecutor will then stand and say how you are the devil incarnate and should be buried beneath the prison, then you will have the opportunity to stand before the court and apologize and tell them how you'll be good if you could get just one more chance and lastly any victims will get to stand up and tell the judge how you have made their lives miserable and you should be locked up never to be released and you can also have family or friends say something good on your behalf, but usually that is done in writing and delivered to the judge thru your attorney before sentencing. The judge will then retire for a moment to consider everyone's statements, come back out with his hanging rope and give you what the PSI said, which is usually what the prosecutor recommended anyway. You will then either be taken into custody then or allowed to self surrender when the BOP has designated you, usually 2 or 3 months later. If, for example, you are designated several state away, you may turn yourself into the local federal court in your area who will take you to a holding facility, then to a transfer facility then to a federal facility, or if you have the ability, you can present yourself directly to the designated facility at the designated time and begin your federal sentence. The latter is a preferred mode of transportation, the other routes are not fun. CHAPTER 5 Holding facility, Transfer facility Federal Correctional Institution There are all typed of jails, prisons, holding facilities and correctional facilities. In the federal system you will visit quite a few and each will have its own unique flavor. So let's start at the beginning. Let's say right after sentencing the judge remands you over into the custody of the Marshals. At the Federal court house, they have holding cells in a detention unit and individual cells right outside each court room, they are not set up for you to stay overnight so by 5 or 6pm you will be picked up by either county police and taken to a small county jail to be housed until the transfer center in Oklahoma has room or a fl ight for you, or you will be sent to a private holding facility like CCA (Corporate Corrections of America), both of these entities house people for the Feds for approximately $60-100 dollars a day. I have been to a few CCA's, as they are located throughout the USA and are usually similar in floor plan and ran the same in format. They come in to the Federal court house at 7am to bring people to court appearances already being held there, come back at noon to drop off another load for afternoon court, and take back any new deliveries or those previously dropped off who are done and again at 6pm or so. They typically drive vans that hold 3 in the middle seat and 6 in the rear, when they come to get you, you will be, along with everyone else in your holding cell, asked to strip completely, stand facing the guard, show your palms, front and back, open your mouth, stick out your tongue, show behind your ears, raise your penis then you're nuts, turn around, bend over, spread your cheeks, squat and cough, then show the bottoms of both your feet, your clothes are then searched, then you are allowed to redress, then you are cuffed in the front, with a chain around your waist and attached to the cuffs, so you cannot lift your hands, then your feet are shackled. It makes no difference if it is CCA or a county facility picking you up, you will be cuffed and chained like this during all transportation from now on. Now, on to the van single file, drive to the facility, unloaded and taken to a holding cell, where you are uncuffed and unshackled one by one, then stripped by the new people, squat and cough then placed in another holding cell, where over the next hours you will be interviewed, which is only base information, name, address, DOB, scars and tattoos, aliases, income range, type of charge, previous charges, then you'll be photographed and given an ID card for that facility, now you must be seen by medical, weighed, blood pressure, you'll fill out a form asking medical history, emergency contacts, drug usage, get used to this procedure, it will be repeated every stop you make, even if it's twice a day, every day for weeks, every new place you enter will do the same process, TB test, talk to a Psych, fill out a psych form, are you suicidal? are you homicidal, etc. My first outing, I was remanded by the judge at 10am, arrived at CCA by 3pm, forms, photo's, nurse interview, psych by 9pm. I told the psych nurse, I was nervous and without my medication I didn't know how I would react to my new environment, while everyone was being called out to their assigned pods, I was pulled aside and escorted to a suicide watch, stripped naked, given a paper gown and a 5x5 canvas sheet and placed in a 6x10' empty room, no bed, no mattress, and had a guard peer in on me constantly for the next 4 days, until I was taken to see the psych doctor to see if I was feeling better yet. "sure", I said, "I feel much better now, cured in fact, just give me some clothes and a bed, I'm freezing and haven't slept in 4 days! Thank you for curing me." I loved my new CCA orange uniform, it was so warm. I was then invited to share a cell with another crazy in a unit full of crazies.When the NFL decided in the aftermath of the Ray Rice case to disregard the machinations of the criminal justice system in lieu of its own investigations, the league expanded its reach over all players considerably. The NFL Players Association has now warned player agents of the manner in which the league’s powers could be manifested. Via the Association Press, the union distributed a memo last week to all agents advising them of a “new world of NFL player investigations.” These investigations can arise not only from a player being arrested or charged, but also from an alleged victim making a complaint about a player directly to the league. “The NFL has initiated numerous investigations based merely upon phone calls by alleged victims to the NFL,” the memo explains. “It appears that many people are now aware that they can directly call the NFL to levy allegations against players.” (And now even more are aware of that.) The league denies that there has been a “sea change in the investigative process” since former D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier arrived as the league’s head of security. The truth, however, is that the sea change happened after the NFL’s mishandling of the Rice situation nearly triggered a Commissioner change. That’s when the league decided to no longer defer to the authorities and to conduct their own investigations — regardless of whether a player ever faces criminal jeopardy. Apparently, this includes investigating misconduct about which the authorities aren’t even aware. Which opens another can of worms, if the league decides not to share what it knows with law enforcement. The report from the AP makes a big deal of the fact that “social media, texts and emails” will be part of the league’s investigations. It’s almost as if the AP has entirely forgotten the incident known commonly throughout the media as #DeflateGate. Of course those things could be pertinent to any investigation conducted by the league. The real news is that the league apparently has been and will continue to start investigations based simply on a complaint made directly to the NFL, regardless of whether the alleged victim ever reported the situation to police. This gives rise to the real possibility of false or exaggerated claims being made to the league. It also enhances the likelihood that players will be the targets of extortion, with a demand for money being made to keep a complaint from being lodged with the league.If that wasn’t enough, the first White House press conference, held a few hours later, wasn’t about healthcare reform or the millions of people who had calmly marched around the world and in cities across the country to voice their disapproval of President Trump. Instead, Sean Spicer, Trump's press secretary, nastily complained about reports of the size of the inauguration. “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period,” Spicer said. The baldfaced, easily fact-checked lie, and the setting in which it was communicated, startled reporters. The New York Times’ Glenn Thrush tweeted, “Jaw meet floor.” CNN’s Jim Acosta called the statement “astonishing.” Chuck Todd noted that he had “run out of adjectives” to describe it. You could say Spicer spoke out of school, but there is no doubt in my mind, based on the language he used, that every word of that press conference was orchestrated by Trump himself, down to the emphatic hat tip with which Spicer concluded his point—“period.” While previous presidents have awoken on their first day in office overwhelmed by the magnitude of the job, steering their ambition towards their legislative goals, Trump apparently greeted the dawn miffed about the negative media coverage of his dystopian inauguration speech and its underwhelming turnout. As CNN’s Brian Stelter noted last night, Trump apparently turned on the TV upon his first morning on the job (unlike the rest of us, Trump has professed to take the weekend off and begin in earnest on Monday), and became furious at what he saw. Trump first directed his anger towards his staff and then, later, the public. When he visited the Central Intelligence Agency, a move that was supposed to illustrate his support for an intelligence community that he ridiculed in recent weeks, Trump shockingly said to the room full of 300 intelligence agents, and myriad television cameras, “Probably everybody in this room voted for me, but I will not ask you to raise your hands if you did.” At one point Trump channeled his inner-12-year-old and told the intelligence officers, “I’m, like, a smart person.” He then blabbered on about how the media had “lied” regarding the number of people who had attended his inauguration. ( The media had not lied.) Trump subsequently grossly exaggerated the total, saying that there must have been about 1.5 million people there. (Most estimates peg the number at around 250,000 attendees, about six times fewer.) As Joe Scarborough later pointed out on Twitter : “A president who speaks from hallowed ground at Langley about crowd size and press coverage may soon see his ratings drop into the 20s.” This comedian’s explanation occurred to me as I watched Donald Trump’s bewildering inaugural address on Friday. Trump, after all, is about to embark on the most difficult journey of his life. This isn’t because this laughably incurious man is now the 45th president of the United States. A number of less intelligent people—including, arguably, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush —have held the office. The bigger challenge is that Trump is facing an unprecedented challenge in his career. For the first time in his adult life, Donald J. Trump is going to have to stop focusing relentlessly on Donald J. Trump. And I’m not sure that he can do it. Worse, I fear that his inability to look beyond his stifling narcissism has grave national security ramifications. I once asked a friend of mine, a standup comic, why comedians are often so unhappy. “If you went onstage and started telling jokes in front of 1,000 people, and 999 of them started to laugh, you’d be like, ‘Holy shit, I’m funny!’” this person said. “But if you’re a comedian, you are constantly saying to yourself, ‘Why is that one guy in the audience not laughing?’ It eats away at you.” You don’t need to be Harry Harlow or Dr. Freud, or have a degree in psychology from Oxford, to know that Trump is a very insecure man. Early photographs of Trump taken during his formative years at the New York Military Academy depict a lonely teenager, who calls to mind fictitious mobster Tony Soprano’s wobbly-kneed son, A.J., upon his very brief inauguration at military school. Imagery of Trump atop housing projects with his father, Fred, also suggest someone profoundly uncomfortable in their own skin. A subsequent lifetime of behavior and distinct proclivities—marriages to subservient women; an unremitting obsession with his own fame; the tendency to address himself in the third person—lay bare the point. Just hours after the World Trade Center towers collapsed on 9/11, Trump bragged in an interview that his own building at 40 Wall Street was now the tallest in downtown Manhattan. As I’ve written before, Trump is obsessed with his TV ratings (which were not that high), has bragged extensively about his own network appearances (again, meh), and about how many people have shown up at his rallies and events (he said arenas were full while reporters said they were empty). Still, even after winning the nomination, he bragged about how many followers he has on social media (even if many of them are fake) and how much people love him on Twitter (even if half the people on the platform hate him). He even hired actors to stand in during his initial Presidential announcement in 2015. He loves himself so much that he likens his tweets to the words of Hemingway. Trump’s egomania, to this point, has distinctly benefitted him. Presidential candidates are expected to talk about themselves, constantly—and Trump was excellent at this. On the campaign trail and in debates, candidates espouse “I will do this…” “I have done that…” “I believe in this…” “I don’t support that.” But once they make it into the White House, the calculus changes dramatically. There are so many aspects of Trump’s new job that are not about him. Nearly three million people now work for him, and they’re certainly not going to want to hear Trump talking about himself for the next four years. Then there’s the 62 million people who voted for him and are expecting their lives to get better. Many are expecting jobs, not Trump praising himself or making up stories to justify why he lost the popular vote. President Trump certainly can’t keep patting himself on the back whenever he does something miniscule. While President Obama created 15 million jobs, he didn’t jet around the country holding rallies in gymnasiums to congratulate himself. Trump, on the other hand, has so far done constant victory laps for potentially creating a couple of thousand. Trump’s obsession with himself is going to be a very stark slap in the face when he begins working in the Oval Office this week. For decades Trump has worked out of the Trump Tower and almost everything that adorns the walls and sits atop the desk is about Trump. In his inner sanctum in the Trump Tower he was surrounded by magazine covers that adorned his face. Most are old and yellowing, going back decades—Fortune, Businessweek, Forum and a 1984 edition of GQ, among countless others. He even has pictures of himself framed sitting on the shelf behind him. (Can you imagine framing a picture of yourself and sticking it in your office cubicle?) The word “Trump” appears so much in Trump’s office you’d think it was one of the only word in the English language. The Oval Office looks nothing like that. While Trump will surely hang a few pictures of himself on the walls (he’s already changed the curtains to gaudy gold), he won’t be able to replace them all. There’s something wonderful in knowing that Trump will have to sit in his new office looking at sculptures of men and women that are clearly much greater than he is, like Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill, George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford. There’s something satisfying knowing that Trump could replace 999 pieces of artwork in the White House to pictures of himself, but if there’s one of someone else, someone better than him, it’s going to eat away at him. Or, one hopes, maybe it will humble him enough to scare him straight. I’m guessing it won’t, but hoping it will. Trump’s obsession with himself, particularly when not shared by the media and those he serves, may distract him from the job at hand. How can we trust such a vain narcissist to value the interests of those around him—the some 300 million people he serves—if he won’t even release his taxes or trust the intelligence community because it’s not in his interest? What are the blind spots of a man who arises to the highest office in the land and on Day One is consumed by his ratings and inaugural turnout? It simply baffles the mind. The question is when will the 62 million people who voted for him recognize that Trump’s self-interest has destroyed their own. Donald Trump FOLLOW Sean Spicer FOLLOW Follow to get the latest news and analysis about the players in your inbox. See All PlayersPhoto by Luc Viatour, via Wikimedia Commons Hats off to those busy debunking fake news and digging for true dirt. But for one of the most compelling pieces of journalism on the early days of the Trump presidency, David Frum chose another approach: fiction. His March cover story in The Atlantic, “How to Build an Autocracy,” opens in January 2021, after Donald Trump has just won a second term: The 45th president has visibly aged over the past four years. He rests heavily on his daughter Ivanka’s arm during his infrequent public appearances. Fortunately for him, he did not need to campaign hard for re-election. His has been a popular presidency… Of course Frum is hardly the first writer to use a hypothetical future (or past) to make a political point. What’s notable here is the way fiction is employed—at length—in the cover story of a current affairs magazine. Going well beyond just an opening splash of imagination or one-off prediction, the respected political journalist and former presidential speechwriter keeps up the make-believe construct for 14 paragraphs and nearly 900 words, detailing what four years of Trump have brought the world of tomorrow: rising wages and minority voter suppression, Wikileaks targeting Democrats, and Jeff Bezos selling off The Washington Post (to a Slovakian investor group) to resolve a Justice Department antitrust case against Amazon. Inventing an ominous future functions as a narrative device in the service of in-depth journalistic analysis, as Frum first lays the fictional groundwork for a rollback of democratic freedoms before circling the article back to the present to explain what’s at stake for the next four years. For real. Amid all the never-could-have-predicted events and a reality TV star dictating public discourse, other serious journalism outfits also have been crossing into the realm of making stuff up. On election day in November, Quartz published a faux “curtain raiser” news story to describe what could happen when both Trump and Putin show up at the 2018 G8 summit in Vancouver. The Economist now has an annual The World If issue, which takes on a variety of topics by either rewriting the past or projecting into the future. Paris-based Libération newspaper has tried to imagine what France would look like following the election in May of Socialist Party candidate (a prospect which now appears more and more like fantasy fiction). For my part, as editor of the global news site Worldcrunch, fiction arrived last month the way lots of story ideas take shape. Our daily editorial meeting was dominated by the drama unfolding in the French election campaign, and the increasing chances that far-right candidate Marine Le Pen could win: “And imagine,” quipped Marc Alves, our French politics expert, “when she actually meets Trump.” Oui! Assigned! The would-be May 20, 2017 presidential rendezvous at a fort on the Mediterranean coast came with colorful family members on both sides and ominous threats against common adversaries around the world—all the makings of a good yarn, with some real geopolitics to chew on. Sign up for CJR's daily email We have since decided to turn it into a regular thing, taking on regime change in Iran, Mark Zuckerberg playing ball with Chinese censors, and most recently, imagining the exclusive inside story of a Trump divorce. We have found the format liberating: Unlike the Economist and Atlantic, we don’t break down the fourth wall, never coming back to the present in our pieces. The format allows us to explore often-unfamiliar topics in absorbing prose. But the use of fiction necessarily poses big questions for anyone in the business of doing journalism. Does imagining future scenarios ultimately distract readers (and writers) from the real issues at hand? Will the imagined truth provoke deeper thinking, or be just another way to escape? The American author Thomas Mallon, who has written several political novels focused on contemporary historical figures, says the approach offers “a sort of speculative intimacy” that can bring the reader closer to real events. “But I try never to make too many claims for the genre,” he tells me by email. “I think readers should be wary: historical fiction is always fiction, never history.” Still, during the maelstrom of last year’s ugly and often surreal campaign, a rare moment of clarity came from Mallon’s piece in The New Yorker, where he described how the presidential race could function as a novel. He had no doubt that the lead character would be Hillary Clinton, not Trump, for the depth of her inner struggles and many Shakespearean/Nixonian features. The Republican, Mallon wrote, is “flat,” consistently shocking and never surprising, and thus offering little as a literary character. In a very different way, journalism must also manage the tensions between shock and surprise. From 9-11 and the financial crisis to the victories of Brexit and Trump, the news business was there to record it all. But in each case, as some have pointed out, our industry may have suffered from a “failure of imagination.” While experimenting with fiction in the news pages will not lead us to the truth, it may help to start questioning the lies we can’t stop telling ourselves. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jeff Israely a former Time correspondent in Rome and Paris, is the editor and co-founder of Worldcrunch. Follow him on Twitter @jeffisraely or check out his website.LIVE TEXT Ziare. com Dacian Ciolos a declarat, in interviul acordat Radio Romania Actualitati, ca Romania va ajunge la finalul anului la circa 70% din fondurile europene structurale absorbite, acum fiind la circa 60%.Prim-ministrul a recunoscut si legitimitatea mai mare a Parlamentului fata de Cabinetul pe care il conduce, insa a atras atentia ca Executivul are "anumite instrumente directe de actiune pe care ni le vom asuma pentru a proceda la schimbari fata de care exista rezistenta in clasa politica".Totodata, Dacian Ciolos a raspuns si criticilor legate de poza de grup, in carele femeile ministri se aflau in spatele barbatilor. Premierul a promis ca fotografia va fi refacuta si a explicat ca, in imaginea initiala, s-au respectat regulile de protocol si numele ministerelor au fost puse in ordine alfabetica.In ceea ce priveste vocile care au spus ca Dacian Ciolos este pus de "oculta internationala, ca sa impuna Romaniei vointa Bruxelles-ului", premierul a trecut in revista masurile luate de el in calitate de comisar european pentru agricultura."Ma doare sufletul nu atat cand vad ca oameni mint, ci cand vad ca oameni onesti ii cred. E suficient sa caute pe Internet sa vada reformele pe care le-am facut eu acolo", a punctat Ciolos.- Am crezut in comunicarea transparenta totdeauna, acelasi lucru l-am cerut si ministrilor, sa comunice. Desigur, cand au ceva de comunicat.- Prefer ca atunci cand nu putem spune anumite lucruri, sa nu le spunem, sa nu cream sperante desarte oamenilor promitand ce nu putem indeplini.- Vreau sa fie clar ca nu putem schimba lucrurile decat impreuna. Nu inseamna ca trebuie schimbat totul, trebuie schimbate lucrurile care nu functioneaza, care sunt gripate.- Lupta impotriva coruptiei este o prioritate. Trebuie sa demonstram ca "nu merge si asa", in sensul ca e nevoie de oameni competenti si dispozitive care sa nu permita coruptia. Sunt oameni care se dedau la mici acte de coruptie, e important sa fie clar ca lucrurile ar trebui facute altfel. E nevoie si de competenta, pentru ca daca punem oameni doar pentru ca ii cunoastem si nu sunt competenti, ajungem la astfel de situatii.- Oamenii vor fi evaluati in sens european. In sens corect, de fapt. Inveti tot timpul vietii, si alaturi de sistemul de evaluari, trebuie sa punem la punct si un sistem de formare continua, pentru ca sunt multe lucruri noi care apar intre timp. E mai bine sa fim transparenti si sa recunoastem cand nu stim sa facem anumite lucruri.- Atunci cand punem lucrurile doar pe hartie, putem ajunge la pierderi de vieti omenesti. Cred ca daca facem o treaba corecta, nu ne mai mintim pe noi insine si castiga pana la urma toata lumea. B- Le-am cerut ministrilor sa fie foarte pregatiti pentru iarna. Nu e suficient sa se bata cu pumnul in masa la nivel central, atunci cand oamenii de la nivel local nu au suficienta responsabilitate. Vreau sa vad cum putem sa amelioram pregatirea pentru iarna, dar vreau sa transmit ca nu depinde doar de autoritatile centrale, ci si de cele locale si de oameni.- Nu am venit sa schimb totul doar de dragul de a schimba. Dar vom curata cangrena cand vedem ca sistemul se gripeaza.- Lucrurile nu sunt foarte roze, dar nici foarte gri. Programul Operational Regional s-a deblocat, dupa ce am discutat cu doamna comisar Corina Cretu - Suntem acum cam la 60% pe fondurile structuale si ceva mai mult la fondurile din agricultura, vom ajunge la aproximativ 70% pe fondurile structurale. E importanta si absorbtia calitativa, pentru ca trebuie sa vedem si cum se folosesc banii, pentru ca altfel ne furam singuri caciula.- Ministrii au semnat o declaratie de integritate pe propria raspundere, nu le-am impus eu, doar le-am recomandat., e importanta nuanta. Cred ca e important ca energia aceasta a vointei schimbarii sa se transforme din energie de protest in energie de constructie. E important sa intelegem ca schimbarea asta e un proces colectiv, degeaba se schimba lucrurile de varf daca nu se schimba la baza.- Degeaba ne plangem ca Parlamentul nu ne reprezinta, noi i-am ales. Trebuie ca fiecare sa isi faca treaba in mod transparent, schimbarea trebuie sa fie in toata societatea.- Cand pierd privilegii, o sa le explicam de ce nu se mai poate continua asa, pentru ca totdeauna cand schimbi anumite lucruri, unii pierd, altii castiga. Important e sa explicam aceste lucruri. Nu vrem sa fortam anumite schimbari, o sa le fortam in limita mandatului pe care il avem. Dar fara schimbare lucrurile nu pot evolua. Violeta Alexandru (ministru delegat pentru consultare publica si dialog social) are cea mai grea misiune in acest Guvern, pentru ca ea a ajuns singura in acest minister, nu are un aparat administrativ in spate, nu are un cadru legislativ. Am cerut tuturor ministerelor sa isi activeze departamentele de consultare publica.- Am vazut mesaje ca vine Ciolos de la Bruxelles, pus de oculta internationala, ca sa impuna Romaniei vointa Bruxelles-ului. Daca astfel de declaratii prind, inseamna ca noi nu ne asumam lucruri pe care le-am
9/11 over a “Taps” soundtrack, which made it seem like the 9/11 commemoration was about recognizing Donald Trump. He talked through two moments of silence at the Pentagon. He read prepared remarks without interjecting anything about the Electoral College. If any other president had the 9/11 Trump had, it’d be viewed as a disaster. But Trump is measured by different standards. As the clock struck midnight last night, his staff must have breathed a sigh of relief, maybe popped some bottles of Trump Didn’t Do Anything Too Weird on 9/11 Champagne. And then, in my imagined White House, they checked Twitter and heaved grateful tears as they saw that Ted Cruz had accidentally liked a porn video on Twitter, thus distracting from the moment of silence ignoring. Credit where it’s due: If Trump behaved like this every day of his presidency, like a poorly behaved teen boy who returned from reform school exhibiting slightly below acceptable behaviors instead of the normal wildly unacceptable behaviors, we’d all breathe a little easier. Even the haters and the losers.SINGAPORE - The long-anticipated Apple iPhone X was launched in Singapore's Apple store on Friday (Nov 3). As the doors opened at 8am, the horde of fans who had lined up overnight outside the Orchard Road store rushed in. The Apple team began a countdown that roared through the crowd, and welcomed the crowd with huge applause. Within two hours of the store opening, more than 20 iPhone Xs were being offered for resale on online marketplaces such as Carousell. They were priced at $2,500 or more, reaping resellers at least $600 in profit. There were two queues at the store - one for walk-in buyers and one for those who had pre-ordered the phone. Those in the pre-order queue were allowed to enter the store first, with students from Thailand, Mr Kittiwat Wang and Mr Supakorn Rieksiri, both 22, leading the way. The men, who have been friends since high school, had pre-ordered two phones each on Oct 27. Mr Supakorn, who studies engineering at Thammasat University, was the first customer to make a purchase. "I'm shaking, I'm going to open it with my mum at home in Thailand," he said. But Mr Kittiwat, a science student at Mahidol University International College, said he would be opening his purchase straight away. Both friends had flown over to Singapore to buy the phone for themselves and their parents. Madam Ilha Ahmed, 53, was the first in the walk-in queue to enter the store. The housewife and her son paid for their haul of four phones within 20 minutes of the opening – more than 24 hours after she started queueing. The self-professed "huge" Apple fan and her son had queued since 6.30am on Thursday. After an exhausting night waiting, she said: "I don't think I will come next time, but it depends on what Apple brings out." The store, located in Orchard Road, saw crowds of up to 800. This was more than the 200 people at September’s iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launch. Some had luggage with them, while others brought sleeping bags and food to camp out overnight. Buyers were limited to two phones each. The Apple iPhone X retails at $1,648 (64GB) and $1,888 (256GB), and comes in silver or space grey. Mr Tran Quoc Dat, 25, from Vietnam, came with 10 friends. Each person snapped up two phones each. "I'm feeling crazy, I'm so excited," he said, adding that the group flew here to buy the phones and will be leaving the country with their haul later at night. One customer who went the extra mile to get the new phone was 36-year-old Jocelyn Ng. She booked a hotel room nearby and joined the queue at 8.30am on Thursday. "For every iPhone launch I do this, but this is the longest I have waited," said Ms Ng, who works in travel management. This is the second time in less than two months Singapore has seen eager crowds anticipate an iPhone launch at the Apple store, following the release of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in late September.In my first year teaching intensive math to Pre-Algebra students, I was very frustrated with my students’ lack of basic skills. So I began teaching the fundamentals: times tables, place values, and working with decimals. I then moved on to division. I mean, everyone should know how to divide, right? Considering myself an excellent teacher, I spent several days presenting the instructions in different formats: we watched videos, I used manipulatives, we made posters with the rules on them, and we even did an interactive notebook entry; complete with its own foldable and creative reflection for the students to utilize. Not to mention a VERY healthy dose of practice was administered in each class period. By the end of the week, I knew that I had done an excellent job, and I gave my students the test. To my shock, the students did not do much better on that test then they had done on the pre-test I had given prior to beginning the lesson. I expressed my disappointment to my students, and began my reteach. More learning activities, more videos, and MORE PRACTICE! But again, to my dismay, after a second week of this, the students were still not displaying mastery. Week 3 was more of the same! I couldn’t believe it! Three weeks, one hour each day, focusing only on division, and my students were not showing progress. I was forced to rethink everything I thought I knew. And I came to several conclusions: They teach division in 4th grade, long division in 5th, division with decimals in 6th, and converting fractions to decimals using division in 7th – all without the calculator. Despite 4 years of this instruction, my 8th grade pre-algebra students had not learned it. Why was I so arrogant to think that I could teach it to them in 4 days? Yes, I understand that we use division, and that the ability to do long division has a myriad of benefits to the learner. But really, if you’re not a math teacher, how often do you use long division in the real world? And when you do, when are you ever using it without a calculator? And if you are doing long division without a calculator…. Why? I have worked in many fields prior to becoming a teacher. Rarely had I ever done division, and never without a calculator, or without building a function in Microsoft Excel. This one hit me like a load of bricks. I started really looking at the standards for pre-algebra. And you’ll never guess how often long division is there. NEVER! There’s some short division, usually with two step equations, but never long division without a calculator. So why was I stressing it? I had in essence wasted 3 weeks, when we could have been focusing on a standard that they will be tested on. And in light of my previous revelation (the one where I realized that none of us use long division in the real world without a calculator), this seemed colossally stupid. Finally, and most importantly, I realized that long division, like many skills in math, is a combination of many skills that the student must be proficient in before he/she can properly use them to complete this task. For example, before a student can do long division, first she must know her times tables. Then she must be able to subtract. Finally, she must understand place values. And if there’s decimals or remainders, there are more skills to understand. As I worked with my students during these 3 eye-opening weeks. I saw different students struggling in different places. I realized that if I was to truly teach the concept, I would have to break it into all its prerequisite skills, and give students appropriate practice within the concept they were weak in. I could show the steps of long division all day, until I was blue in the face, if the student didn’t know his times tables, she would never grasp long division. This final revelation changed the way I teach permanently. Now, I break a skill down into mini skills and chart them sequentially. Students work on one mini skill, until they master it, and then are moved to the next mini skill, and so on, until the have mastered the standard completely. For example, if I am teaching how to solve systems of linear equations by graphing, I will chart all the skills needed to complete this one skill. Graphing and identifying points Slope Graphing linear equations Graphing and solving systems of linear equations Finally, I grade students for successes, not for failures I give the student as much practice as he/she needs to master the skill (they can stay in one station as long as it takes) I provide immediate feedback (answer keys and calculators are easily accessible, or the work is done online with automatic feedback) I don’t promote students to the next skill, until they demonstrate proficiency. In other words, I don’t penalize experimentation, and I expect mastery. As opposed to the old way of teaching, where we don’t expect mastery – we promote everyone to the next skill regardless of their grade – and we penalize failure.Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday that its new estimate shows that all the fuel rods in reactor 3 at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant apparently melted down and fell onto the bottom of the containment vessel. In November 2011, the company had said it believed only about 63 percent of reactor 3’s fuel core had melted. The utility updated its estimate as part of an effort to probe unclear points about the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 plant caused by a megaquake and monstrous tsunami in March 2011. The revised estimate is based on the finding that an emergency cooling system, known as HPCI, of reactor 3 stopped working six hour earlier than previously thought, and that the meltdown had also started more than five hours earlier. Tepco had previously said that the HPCI had shut down at 2:42 a.m. on March 13, 2011. But further investigation over the past year determined that the HPCI appeared to have lost its cooling function about at 8:00 p.m. on March 12. According to the new estimate, all the melted fuel penetrated the pressure vessel, fell onto the bottom of the containment vessel and melted about 68 cm into the concrete. The pressure vessel is located inside the massive containment vessel. The analysis shows that the fuel did not penetrate the containment vessel, according Tepco. While the new analysis announced on Wednesday, based on temperature, pressure and other data, shows that all the fuel had melted down to the containment vessel, Tepco has a more optimistic view. “We think some fuel still remains at the core part based on the actual plant data,” said Shinichi Kawamura, a Tepco spokesman, during a news conference. According to Kawamura, this is because the temperature of the pressure vessel decreased when the water was injected, meaning some warm fuel was still there.next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says he's "positive and optimistic" that the policies of newly inaugurated President Donald Trump would work in Britain's favor. Johnson, who is visiting Myanmar, said Saturday he was "very optimistic" a trade deal could be done quickly with the new president, once Britain had left the European Union. In his inaugural speech, Trump declared he would put "America first" in all his decisions. But Johnson said that whatever deal was done with the U.S. "it's got to work for the UK as well." He says: "I think that the new president has made it very clear that he wants to put Britain at the front of the line for a new trade deal and obviously that's extremely exciting and important."Grip, the combat racing game inspired by (which is to say, couldn't get the rights to) Rollcage, crashed and burned pretty hard on Kickstarter last year. In spite of that, developer Caged Element said the work would continue, supported by a home-grown crowdfunding campaign and, eventually, an Early Access release. And so it has. The funding campaign has come and gone, but as promised, Grip is now live on Early Access. “The game is not without its issues,” Game Director Chris Mallison wrote on the Grip forums. “But this latest version is the most stable, and the biggest step in the right direction so far.” Here's what you'll need for the speed: The Camry: OS: Windows 7 64bit Windows 7 64bit Processor: 2.4 Ghz+ Dual Core 2.4 Ghz+ Dual Core Memory: 6 GB RAM 6 GB RAM Graphics: Geforce 560 or Radeon 6850 Geforce 560 or Radeon 6850 DirectX: Version 10 Version 10 Storage: 2 GB available space 2 GB available space Additional Notes: Gamepad recommended The Cadillac: OS: Windows 7 64bit or Newer Windows 7 64bit or Newer Processor: 3.0 GHz+ Dual core 3.0 GHz+ Dual core Memory: 8 GB RAM 8 GB RAM Graphics: Nvidia 760 or Radeon 270 Nvidia 760 or Radeon 270 DirectX: Version 11 Version 11 Storage: 2 GB available space 2 GB available space Additional Notes: Gamepad recommended The early response on Steam seems quite positive, with 84 of 89 user reviews throwing it a thumbs-up. Steam reviews can be fickle, I know, but that kind of unanimity has to be a good sign; I haven't played it myself, but I do like the trailer. It (the game, not the trailer) will set you back $16/£12. Find out more at cagedelement.com.Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) has joined in on the conservative hard line against WikiLeaks head Julian Assange — saying that he should be treated as an enemy combatant. In addition, Gingrich has added his voice to those praising Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, if only as a means of damning President Obama by comparison. During an appearance last night on Greta Van Susteren’s show, Gingrich was asked about Assange’s statement that Clinton should resign, due to the practice of having diplomats gather intelligence. “Two quick thoughts: The WikiLeaks guy should be in jail for the rest of his life,” said Gingrich. “He is an enemy of the United States, actively endangering people, and he’s gonna get a lot of folks killed. And I think that’s a despicable act, and we should treat him as an enemy combatant, and as an absolute enemy of the United States.”“Second, I’m proud that Secretary Clinton actually cared about national security, actually was trying to gather intelligence. And I wish we had more aggressive leaders in the Obama administration who thought that defending America was their first job, and being liked by foreigners was a far distant second. So I think that she ought to be praised for trying to gather intelligence, not in any way attacked or condemned. “And no one from WikiLeaks should feel comfortable the rest of their lives. These are bad people doing bad things, and they’re gonna get Americans and our allies killed. And we should recognize that, and recognize that it is in effect an act of war against the United States.” One thing that seems to have escaped the attention of Gingrich, Christine O’Donnell and other conservatives who are holding up Clinton as being superior to Obama and the administration: Clinton works for Obama, and conducts policy on his behalf as a member of the administration. And under the principle of collective cabinet responsibility, by which Clinton’s actions are the administration’s actions, Obama is indeed a participant in the activities that are supposedly better than himself. The key moment comes at the 4:20 mark below:BOISE – The Idaho Supreme Court says the state can’t be named as a defendant in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the fees many public schools charge for classes, supplies and activities. Former Nampa Schools Superintendent Russell Joki filed the lawsuit in 2012 against the state and school districts across Idaho, saying that fees imposed for certain classes and supplies violate the constitutional promise of a free public education. Along with the state, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna, the Department of Education and the Legislature were also named as defendants. But a lower court dismissed the state as a defendant because Joki didn’t first sue the individual districts and then seek permission from a judge to add the state to the case, as outlined in the 1996 Constitutionally Based Educational Claims Act, or CBECA. The act – amended in 2003 in response to a separate school funding lawsuit – requires anyone seeking to sue over certain educational issues to first take the case to the local district before getting the state involved. The high court’s ruling handed down Thursday upheld the lower court’s decision. “Joki merely recites the wide ranging responsibilities of the state defendants, then, in a conclusory manner, asserts that the state defendants are proper defendants,” wrote Justice Warren Jones in the nine-page unanimous ruling. “To properly add the state defendants, Joki was required to comply with (Idaho law.) He did not.” According to Joki, two of his grandchildren enrolled in public school were each charged $45 in 2012 to register for kindergarten. The money was used to cover field trips, school and art supplies, and even milk for snacks. Another grandson had to pay $85 in fees for chemistry, art and sports medicine classes as well as for “junior class dues.” Meanwhile, the courts have agreed that Idaho’s Constitution does require free and uniform public schools. In 2015, a lower court agreed with an amended complaint filed by Joki that certain fees imposed by West Ada School District were unconstitutional. However, the ruling did not order the school district to stop charging fees. Instead, it required the district to repay what Joki was “improperly forced to pay.” “Joki’s claim fell squarely within the definition of a constitutionally based educational claim because the Legislature’s duty is to provide free common schools,” justices wrote on Thrusday.Nautilus Data Technologies, a next generation data center infrastructure company, announced that its first commercial data center is going to be located in a barge. CEO Arnold Magcale considers this groundbreaking design is safer and cheaper to operate. The California based startup has been designing the prototype for six years and proved it is able to decrease energy consumption and operating cost in 30% in contrast with land-based data centers. Floating data center biggest feature is its patent-pending cooling systems, which was planned to waste no water reducing the server’s temperature. Instead it will use the ocean water, enabling the system to recycle and return back it to sea. The project is currently under construction in US Navy port on Mare Island, a peninsula in Vallejo, California, about 20 miles northeast of San Francisco and it’s expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2016. The first successfully deployed waterborne data center is going to offer hosting, business continuity and disaster recovery services, collocation and cloud services for primary computing needs. With information from: Data Center Knowledge.Does your business use Instagram? Are you looking for apps to help you create unique images and video for your Instagram feed? In this article, you’ll find 20 apps that make it easy to create and edit outstanding images and videos for Instagram. Why Instagram Apps? Instagram recently passed 500 million active users. To create lasting engagement with those users, you need to share beautiful and targeted content that resonates with your audience. If you’re not a professional photographer, this can present some difficulties. That’s where image and video apps come in. Finding the Apps Most of these apps are available for both iOS and Android. When they aren’t, a link to a similar Android app is listed as a substitute. #1: Photo Editor by Aviary Have you ever felt limited by Instagram’s settings? If so, download Photo Editor by Aviary for a complete range of effects and color correctors. Its smart “one-tap auto enhance” will help you render a gorgeous photo. Aviary helps you easily add stickers, frames, overlays, and more. iPhone \| Android #2: Image Editing With Afterlight Remember light leaks? Thanks to the Afterlight app’s vintage filters, you can easily recreate those old-timey effects on photos taken with your mobile device. With filters that complete the package, it’s definitely an app worth buying. iPhone \| Android #3: Snapseed Whether you’re already a mobile photo pro or completely new to it, Snapseed probably sounds familiar. That’s because from redeye reduction and tilt shift to textured filters and straightening, its range of tools has long been the best addition to Instagram’s built-in filters. Snapseed is a must when you need to make elements of a photo pop, especially when showcasing products or logos in a real-life setting. iPhone \| Android #4: Slow Shutter Cam Have you ever wanted to create one of those amazing photos where glowing letters and shapes float in the air at night? Grab a couple of glow sticks and use the Slow Shutter Cam app to take long-exposure images with your mobile device. The app takes a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can produce amazing images. iPhone \| Android (LongExposure Cam) #5: Bokehful Bokeh is a classic photo effect defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light” and Bokehful imitates the effect with your smartphone. While a smartphone lens can’t create a bokeh effect, Bokehful will do the trick. It also comes with more whimsical patterns, like the heart-shaped ones used by Burberry above. iPhone #6: Tiny Planet Photos App Tiny Planet has an out-of-nowhere, extreme fisheye-looking effect that turns any mobile image into, well, a tiny planet. The rounded images provide an appreciable dose of originality to your business’s Instagram feed. With Tiny Planet, you can capture landscapes in their entirety, as Baffaa did in the above image of Doha Harbor. iPhone \| Android (Planet Camera) #7: Quick Do you sometimes wish you could add text to your Instagram photos? Quick’s text overlay feature comes with a variety of fonts that match or complement your business image. Use Quick to annotate your photos and provide useful information to your followers. iPhone \| Android #8: Facetune Does your business show shots of employees and customers in its Instagram feed? Use the Facetune toolbox to correct portraits like a pro photographer and make sure to show everyone in their best light! Facetune helps correct tiny skin imperfections in two swaps and taps. iPhone \| Android #9: PicFrame Sometimes the context one image provides for another is important and you’d like to post them next to each other. PicFrame lets you select multiple photos and organize them into a patchwork that posts as a single collage image on Instagram. Here’s how the NBA used a patchwork collage. iPhone \| Android #10: CrossProcess You can never have too many filters. CrossProcess has more than 70 filters, and lets you mimic the color and burned effects of old-school Polaroid cameras. Starts March 20th! Discover the latest tactics and improve your marketing know-how! Sale Ends February 27th! CLICK TO SAVE! iPhone \| Android (Little Photo) #11: Vintagio In the same category as CrossProcess, Vintagio gives you a range of video filters to tinker with. If you are looking to add a simple sepia effect or 70’s glamour to your video, Vintagio is the answer. iPhone \| Android (Retro Photo Camera) #12: 8mm Vintage Camera A bundle of effects for shooting vintage videos, 8mm Vintage Camera lets you add dust, scratches, flickering frames, light leaks, and more vintage effects to your films. A welcome feature is the Instagram import feature. Use it to edit your video outside of the app, and when you’re satisfied with the result, upload it for your Instagram fans. iPhone #13: A Color Story With over 100 filters, 40 effects, and 20 in-app tools, A Color Story also allows you to save edits as you work on them. iPhone \| Android #14: Average Camera Pro Have you ever been frustrated to find that a photo taken in the dark isn’t usable? Next time you’re shooting in low light, try Average Camera Pro. This app takes several pictures at once and analyzes them to boost luminosity. Here’s Keith Tharp on Instagram with a Mystic Martini. Average Camera Pro is particularly well-suited for nightlife photography and shooting in dimly lit environments. iPhone \| Android (Pro HDR Camera) #15: TiltShift Generator If Instagram’s tilt shift isn’t enough for your taste, this app will come in handy. TiltShift Generator gives a “miniature” effect to your photos, which works especially well on landscapes. In the image below, James Conn captures a KFC restaurant. TiltShift Generator is useful for sharing outside views (a shop’s entrance, for example). iPhone \| Android (Awesome Miniature – Tilt Shift) #16: DXP Free If you’re looking to give a dreamy, double-exposure vibe to your photos, DXP is the answer. Its 18 compositions and other effects make blending and mixing images a breeze. Like clothing brand Free People, give a mystical feeling to your photos using DXP. iPhone \| Android (Double Photo) #17: Superimpose Ever wish your smartphone could get around all the masking and color processing involved in swapping someone’s face onto another body? Wish granted! Superimpose lets you easily change the background of an image, swap faces, and blend images; only your imagination is the limit. For businesses, this app is a good replacement for a green screen. It’ll let you apply a new background in a few touches. iPhone \| Android #18: Tangent App Does your Instagram feed need a break from the monotony of traditional images? Tangent lets you choose from multiple shapes and fill patterns to create all kinds of overlays that make your photos more interesting. Add geometrical shapes to your photos to please your creative-minded followers. iPhone #19: pxl Break down your images, literally, with pxl. You can choose from 11 pixelation filters or just shake your phone to let the app choose a filter for you! You can use pxl to blur a product on a photo. iPhone \| Android (Pixelot) #20: LensFlare Optical Effects Do your images need a light adjustment? LensFlare Optical Effects comes with over 70 effects to let you create an image that looks like it was shot under the bright sun. LensFlare lets you add a sometimes much-needed bloom effect to your photos. iPhone \| Android (PhotoJus Lens Flare) Conclusion This is only a small selection of the free and low-cost image and video apps that are available for Instagram users today. You may not be a professional photographer, but using one or two of tools will help you post like one. What do you think? Which of these apps do you find most interesting? Are you using an app that isn’t listed here? Leave your questions and comments in the box below. Originally published 11/28/13, editorial update 9/29/16Vacation beckons, so in lieu of our typical Friday post, we instead leave you with a rundown of events centered around Foster’s Second Saturday Art Walk, NWIPA’s Fourth Anniversary Celebration, and Portland Mercado’s Taste of Latinoamerica. (There’s more happening, we’re sure, but a long weekend awaits us so we’re narrowing our focus a bit.) There is something to be had by everyone this Saturday, whether it be imbibing in the arts, culture, food and drink, or all of the above. I guess summer fun isn’t over, after all. Second Saturday Foster Art Walk To be honest, we weren’t so sure that Second Saturdays on Foster would gain enough traction to last through summer. Indeed, it has! And not only has it stuck around, but we’ve seen it grow from three venues—Latchkey Gallery, Flat Blak and Backstory Books—to more than a half dozen depending on the month. (We have 8 venues for September.) After the initial art walk last spring, Green Noise Records has joined in the fun; Po Boy Art and Framing has opened in the Day Theater and joined ranks, too; Bar Carlo has timed their art openings with the event; Wild at Heart Salon usually has a display of art work; BenWill Gallery has opened his doors on occasion; NWIPA is always well-curated; assorted other business sometimes participate; and it appears Darling Press Studio at Foster Row will soon be joining, too. We can probably call it a thing now, and you should definitely support and help it grow. This Saturday will certainly be worth the trek along the strip. Here’s a quick rundown of what we know (in no particular order) about this month’s art walk (though, we encourage you to explore a bit on your own in case we’ve missed something): Flat Blak Gallery: Australian artist, Matt Scott, will be featured at Flat Blak. Scott’s stencil and spraypaint work is all on multi-layered plywood, which gives a semi-three dimensional look. His work has been featured in film, on Nickelodeon, and various DJ sets. (4-8 pm) Po Boy Art and Framing: September’s Second Saturday brings the work of David Welker to Po Boy’s Day Theater location. Welker may be best known for his artwork featured on a 1993 Phish album cover, which was voted as “One of the Most Iconic Album Covers Of All Time.” Welker’s work spans from murals to poster art, touching on fantasy landscapes and urban realism. There will be other artists and vendors outside the Day Theater, as well as DJ Joel Barber spinning for the masses. (5-9 pm) Green Noise Records: The Los Angeles Punk Rock scene of the early 1980’s come to life in Vincent Ramirez’s photography, which will be on display at the mostly-punk and metal record store. The Los Angeles Punk Photo Exhibit will be accompanied by a live musical performance from Sloppy Kisses. (6-8 pm) Latchkey Gallery: Assorted works of paintings, prints, sculpture and ceramics are typically on display at Latchkey. Some of the artists you might see? Cortney Erksine, Meg McHutchison, JC Schlefter, and more. Backstory Books: Davey Cadaver will have his work on display at the used bookstore and yarn shop. Cadaver’s illustrations are featured in the popular book, Coffee Monsters, which also happens to be sold at the shop. (4-8 pm) Outlier Gallery: We don’t know where the mobile gallery (OG) will be parked, but the featured work of Alison Dougherty will definitely be worth checking out. Bar Carlo: The work of Jadene Mayla is currently on display, or so we think. Her art is based on ancient Egyptian principles of physics. If not, still go have a drink and buy a record. Wild at Heart Salon: The work of Delaney Renee will be on display at Wild at Heart, which celebrates feminism and the body. Stop in while you visit neighboring Latchkey, Flat Blak and Backstory Books. (4-8 pm) Fourth Anniversary Celebration at NWIPA It’s hard to believe NWIPA has called Foster home for four years. We’ve seen many celebrations at the bottle shop, whether tastings, tap takeovers or pop-up food events, but nothing quite takes the cake like their anniversary parties. We can only imagine what their fourth go-around will be like. Here’s what we do know: Beer, food and music. More specifically, celebrate from noon to midnight with commemorative glassware, $4 pours ($2 half-pours) all night, new NDUBS t-shirts, several new collaboration IPAs, food from Chicken and Guns (from 4-9 pm) and live music by Fuzz Gun (from 8-10 pm). Sounds like a good way to begin and end your Foster art walking. Taste of Latinoamerica at Portland Mercado The second annual Taste of Latinoamerica is a celebration of Latin food and culture. And though it might be hard to imagine the Portland Mercado being even more festive than it already is, it will. Oh, it will. Imagine even more food vendors–25!– from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands; live music (bands and DJs); dancing; art; and kids’ activities. Now imagine a warm September afternoon, a family-friendly and diverse community, and you have all the makings of a beautiful and festive day. (Noon until 8 pm) And if the day weren’t festive enough already…. Enjoy! * We acknowledge that more events may be happening this weekend, and perhaps there are more Second Saturday venues we forgot. Get out and explore, and feel free to share what we missed in our comments section.A state senator introduced legislation to eliminate a $500,000 cap on the damages Massachusetts can award to people wrongfully convicted of major crimes. Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, a Somerville Democrat, said Thursday that she filed the bill to increase compensation and streamline the path to compensation for those mistakenly imprisoned. Reporter Chris Burrell on proposed changes to the wrongful conviction compensation law. Jehlen filed the bill after an Eye investigation in December found that only 27 claimants had received money under a 2004 restitution law the senator authored, collecting an average of $374,233 each. Jehlen said she was dismayed to learn about the difficulties some faced in getting compensation, including a man who received only $275,000 after serving 10 years in prison for a murder conviction that was overturned. “These people had a large portion of their lives taken away,” Jehlen told The Eye. “The state has a moral obligation to them.” Among changes, the legislation would allow plaintiffs released from prison to seek $50,000 in immediate help if they can show that they likely will win their case. It would also entitle successful plaintiffs to attorneys’ fees and prohibit the state from requiring recipients to return funds if they win damages from other parties. Jehlen said she does not know yet whether her bill will face resistance and hasn’t spoken to anyone in Gov. Charlie Baker’s office. She has, however, spoken with the Office of the Attorney General, which is responsible for litigating wrongful conviction compensation case, and is looking forward to working with them to amend the law. Emily Snyder, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, said her office is reviewing the legislation. A Jehlen staffer said she expects the bill will be assigned to a committee responsible for filing a report by early next year.1 Share This cryptocurrency guide will show you how to quickly and safely get started with investing in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum or, if you wish, all three! This guide will use CoinBase to get you started with Cryptocurrency. CoinBase is a FDIC secured company located in San Francisco that also insures their Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ethereum. Create CoinBase Account Coinbase offers $10 of Bitcoin if you buy or sell at least $100 of either Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin or Ethereum. To get this offer you sign up using my referral link here: Create Your CoinBase Account. You can follow the steps to register and activate your account. See the gallery below for what you should be looking at through each step. Congratulations! You have now created your CoinBase account. The next step will be adding a source for buying cryptocurrency. Adding Your Bank Account and/or Debit/Credit Cards You have a few options for buying your first cryptocurrency with CoinBase. The cheapest way is to add your bank account. The fastest but much more expensive way is to add your debit or credit card. We are going to use the Bank Account method. You can read more about CoinBase costs on their Fees FAQ. Go to your Linked Accounts tab under Settings then click on Link a New Account. You will be prompted to choose which account you would like to link. Choose Bank Account and then following the next prompt to find and add your bank account. If your bank is one of the ones listed, you should be able to instantly add your bank account. If not, then it will take 2-3 days to verify your bank account through two small deposits. Now that you have your bank account added, lets make your first purchase! Buying Your First Cryptocurrency Head over to the Buy/Sell tab. Here you will be able to choose which coin(s) you wish to purchase. This decision is entirely up to you. All three coins are very popular and well documented across the internet. Once you have decided, lets make our first $100 purchase so you can get your free $10 in Bitcoin. No matter what currency you choose to purchase, you will receive your $10 in Bitcoin. For the purpose of this guide we will buy Bitcoin. The process is the same for Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ethereum. Fill out the Buy page like below, choosing your bank account you just added as the source. Your total Bitcoin received will vary due to market prices at the time of purchase. If everything looks good simply hit Buy Bitcoin and your order will be placed. It will take a few business days for the order to go through. You can read more about time frames for orders on CoinBase here: https://support.coinbase.com/customer/portal/articles/1392022-why-does-a-buy-take-so-long. Once your Bitcoins have arrived they will show up in your Accounts tab. From here, you have a few options on what you can do with your coins. Keep coins inside CoinBase. Keeping your coins inside CoinBase has a few advantages. The biggest advantages are: Avoid transaction fees from moving your coins around. Bitcoin, specifically, is currently very expensive to move from one wallet to another. Keeping your coins on CoinBase allows you to quickly and easily sell your coins for other coins or for fiat. The cryptocurrency marketplace is very volatile. Being able to quickly liquidate your coins for fiat could make you a lot of money or prevent big losses. CoinBase is trusted. As long as you are not doing anything sketchy CoinBase is a very reliable source, backed by the US Government. Move your coins to your own private wallet. There are many wallets out there to store your coins in. Deciding what wallet to use will require your own due diligence. My personal recommendation for Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum is Exodus.io. It is a very well supported and user friendly wallet that can store all three of the coins that CoinBase currently supports. Move your coins to an exchange. I will go into more detail in a later article as this is a very complex area to dive into. CoinBase does offer their own exchange
weeks. Lawmakers are taking note of the new regulation. Sen. Tom Harkin Thomas (Tom) Richard HarkinThe FDA crackdown on dietary supplements is inadequate Wisconsin lawmaker refuses to cut hair until sign-language bill passes Iowa’s Ernst will run for reelection in 2020 MORE (D-Iowa) has been a proponent of new accessibility rules. In March he released a bill calling for all theaters with two or more screens to provide the services for all movies at all showings. At the time, he said that requiring the technology would “allow these Americans with disabilities to have the same access as everyone else.” The movie industry has previously tried to push back rules until all theaters in the country convert to digital cinema, which is easier to align with closed captioning and description technologies. The last of the theaters are finally beginning to convert, said a spokesman with the theater owner group, which should lead to more theaters adopting the technology. “We’ve got about 90 percent of screens are digital,” said Patrick Corcoran. “That means that the captioning equipment that works best with it is being put in place.” Small and independent theaters that don’t switch to digital, the association told the Justice Department, should be exempt from any new rules.It’s untoward to bash someone publicly. I’ve done it before and I always end up feeling horrible about it later. I’ve found that the longer it takes you to feel bad about it, the more work you have left to do on yourself. I’ve worked hard to stop doing it, and I don’t do it anymore. Of course this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have strong opinions, or withhold public disagreement on a specific decision. Every decision demands dissent. But bashing isn’t disagreeing. It’s bashing. Bashing is about tone (overly aggressive or passive aggressive), it’s about time (often tied to a knee-jerk reaction), it’s about outcome (if the point is just to make yourself feel good, then you’re just talking out loud to yourself). It often signals a lack of information (on your part). You don’t change someone’s mind by telling them they’re an idiot. When’s the last time someone changed your mind that way? A good trick that helped me cool myself down a couple years back was to institute a personal “1:1 bash ratio”. I didn’t always hold myself to it, but basically it went like this… Before every external bash, I had to bash myself first. If I’m going to bitch about someone else’s work, what about my work? If I have a problem with how someone runs their company, how about how I run mine? If I’m going to complain loudly about someone else’s point of view, what about mine? Are there any flaws in my way of thinking? There must be, so what are they? What am I getting completely wrong? This isn’t a new idea, of course. “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” – that’s been around forever. But what I like about the 1:1 ratio is that it’s not saying you shouldn’t strongly criticize – it’s saying that you owe yourself one before you dish one out to someone else. Avoiding a harsh criticism doesn’t help you learn like harshly criticizing yourself helps you learn. And eventually it helps you realize how often you’re breathing fire. Ultimately you may not want to do it anymore.DigiTimes is citing Taiwanese manufacturing sources that suggest that Sony is actively working on PlayStation 4 and that the new console is set to be released in 2012 with an initial shipment of "at least" 20 million consoles. Amazingly, the report suggests that manufacturing will begin this year. Little is being given away on the make-up of the new machine other than the idea that it boasts body-tracking technology along the lines of Microsoft's Kinect for Xbox 360. The source says that the console is being assembled by Foxconn and Pegatron Technologies in Taiwan, and reckons that the current PS3 is also being handled by the same manufacturers. It's an interesting story, but on the face of it, the basic notion of a true next-gen PlayStation releasing within 18 months is ludicrous. PlayStation 3 has only become profitable for Sony relatively recently and the platform holder will be hoping for a substantial period of time in which to recoup the enormous losses they have incurred this console generation. In the here and now, PlayStation 3 has yet to dip below £199, where we would expect sales volumes to increase significantly. Closing this window of opportunity prematurely doesn't really make sense from any kind of commercial perspective. The 2012 launch date also seems unrealistic for other reasons too. The video games business is notoriously indiscreet. We've known about PSP2 and a core part of its technical make-up since July 2009, and the new handheld has still yet to ship. Nintendo's E3 reveal for Wii U was spoiled extensively by developers and publishers talking to the press about the platform holder's own presentations, and in the here and now, information is slowly starting to trickle out about Microsoft's new console, set to be released no sooner than 2013. On the flip-side, we have heard absolutely nothing about the development of PlayStation 3's successor. There have been no off-the-record briefings to journos, nothing of note emanating from developer sources and the contacts we have that work directly on PlayStation technology in terms of devtools and background software are still working on PSVita and PS3. To the best of our knowledge, nothing is happening right now that could see a major new hardware launch next year, and the basic idea that Sony's core engineering team having enough bandwidth to look after the development of PS4 so quickly after the lengthy gestation period of PSVita seems unlikely. What gives the DigiTimes article some shred of credibility is its hints on a Kinect style interface. We know for a fact that SCEA research and development teams have spent a great deal of time and effort devising its own interpretation of Microsoft's "natural user interface", and indeed, there is even a patent describing Sony's ideas on body tracking, where a PlayStation Move-style controller is married up to a floor-based ultrasonic projector that can track players in 3D space. The idea is to introduce the core functionality that Kinect possesses, but at the same time make use of the inherent advantages that a handheld controller offers. The other aspect that makes the report a touch more believable is the nature of the source itself. The Far East manufacturing base has become a major source for eerily accurate tech-based rumour-mongering: we knew about iPhone 4 and iPad 2 ahead of their obsessively-guarded reveals owing to leaks from the manufacturing facilities themselves, and of course, who can forget the fact that the PS3 Slim was on sale in a Philippines marketplace months before it was officially released, and many weeks before it made its official debut at gamescom 2009? In short, the Far East has offered up so many strange-but-true stories that it is difficult to readily discount anything from "manufacturing sources" so quickly. The question of whether Sony could - in theory - launch a new console so quickly is an interesting topic in its own right. There have been murmurings that PlayStation 4 could simply be an evolution of the existing architecture. Developers are finally getting to grips with what makes PS3 special, they're embracing the power of the SPUs, so why not simply beef up Cell with, say, a dual core version of the main PPU processing core and dramatically increase the SPU count? Combine that with a significant RAM boost and an appropriately modern GPU and that would easily work as a fiercely powerful next-gen console. It may sound simple enough, and it could cut-down the investment required in developing the new machine but at the same time it does dramatically over-simplify the challenges Sony faces in getting a new PlayStation out in the 2012 timeframe. Extensive SPU engineering has resulted in technically brilliant games like Uncharted 2, Killzone 3 and God of War III, but at the same time, the use of SPUs as parallel graphics processors in this age of cross-platform development has only really become popular owing to the comparative weakness of the RSX. Getting the graphics core right is a really significant challenge for Sony, and it's not going to be easy bearing in mind that Microsoft, with its DirectX 11 technology, is a key partner in defining the landscape of next-gen graphics rendering. With Nintendo having laid out its next-gen plans, and Microsoft widely tipped to follow suit at next year's E3, it stands to reason that Sony is also devising its own hardware for the second HD console generation. A 2012 launch has some merit: in the Japanese market, it would be one-upping arch-rival Nintendo which is releasing Wii U in the same window, while Sony would have around a year's head-start over Microsoft in other territories in the next round of the console battle. But when we have a situation where leading industry engineers such as John Carmack are openly questioning just how much the next-gen can offer in terms of an identifiable, worthwhile advantage over what we have now, it strongly suggests that the platform holders either need a new approach (as per Nintendo's tablet gambit) or else a technological leap that so large that it makes current generation games look old and obsolete, or better yet a combination of the two. Getting the product right is the key to long-term success here, not necessarily launching first. Microsoft is taking its time in devising its own next-gen console, and the chances are that Sony will follow a similar strategy. While 2012 seems wildly optimistic for a full-on launch from either party, we should fully expect next year's E3 press conferences to be a whole lot more exciting than 2011's efforts...Dubai: Humanitarian supplies for up to an 187,500 people affected by the conflict in Syria was loaded onto shipping containers in Dubai on Thursday. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) loaded 43 containers with jerrycans, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, tarpaulins and blankets for 50,000-187,500 displaced people in the violence-hit Arab country. The first shipment is scheduled for February 25 from Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port to Tartous, Syria — a month-long sea voyage. The relief supplies — the biggest scheduled shipment so far this year — will be received and distributed within Syria by UNHCR. The battle for control in Syria, between security forces and anti-government groups, has displaced some 2.4 million Syrians to neighbouring countries. Around 1.5 million have been displaced within Syria. The Agency’s Dubai hub is its biggest, accounting for half of the total emergency response capacity of UNHCR. The volume of cargo jumped 100 per cent in 2013 from 2012, with Syria accounting for about a third. Thursday’s supplies were loaded at the International Humanitarian City (IHC) on the outskirts of Dubai. HC does not charge UNHCR for its services. IHC CEO Shaima Al Zarouni said Dubai’s infrastructure, location and “non-bureaucracy” make it an ideal operations hub. Also, local purchasing of supplies has been increasing for the past three years, with Dh400 million procured in 2013 alone. Vicente Escribano, UNHCR’s head of supply management and logistic service, said: “We truly appreciate the generous hosting of the Government of Dubai, through the IHC, of UNHCR’s largest stockpile in the world. UAE has set an example of the humanitarian work.” UNHCR Dubai can serve up to 350,000 people with basic relief items within 72 hours. The UNHCR stockpile in the UAE was established in late 2006 as part of the IHC, an initiative of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. From Dubai, some 103 outgoing shipments were made last year to more than 36 countries, compared to 22 countries in 2012. The total volume of goods handled was 2,059 containers. The emergencies in Syria, Philippines and Central African Republic received multiple shipments from Dubai in 2013.Pop quiz for teenagers: Are you more likely to die from smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day or from being obese? According to a new study from the British Medical Journal, it's a tie. Swedish researchers studied health records of 45,920 men drafted by the Swedish army in 1969-70 at an average age of 18 years, 8 months. Then they consulted Sweden's national cause of death registry and found that 2,897 had died as of Sept. 1, 2007. It turned out that compared with having a healthy body mass index of 18.5 to 24.9, being overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9) increased the risk of death by 35%, and being obese (BMI above 30) boosted it by a factor of 2.25. Compared with nonsmokers, light smokers were 55% more likely to die and heavy smokers increased their risk of death by a factor of 2.18. Not surprisingly, those most likely to die were obese heavy smokers -- their risk was nearly five-fold higher than for nonsmokers of healthy weight. The researchers, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and Uppsala University Hospital, had expected to find smoking and excess weight ganged up to make both more deadly, but the interaction wasn't statistically significant. -- [email protected] Friday, President Trump signed an executive order enacting sweeping reforms to the Dodd-Frank Act and instructed the Department of Labor (DOL) to do a thorough review of the fiduciary rule. This is good news for American small businesses who have been looking to the new administration for signs of financial stability and growth. Pulling back burdensome regulation is the first step towards prosperity. U.S. Chamber President Thomas J. Donohue responded to the executive order: “Today marks the first step towards mending the dysfunctional regulation of the past and helping Main Street with the financing needed for growth and job creation. Last year the Chamber recommended over 100 ideas for smart, forward-looking financial reforms that promote stability and encourage growth. This executive order stops Washington from picking winners and losers and helps put America’s entrepreneurs back to work. We look forward to working with the administration and Congress in achieving these goals." Reforms to both Dodd-Frank and the fiduciary rule will help spur Main Street economic growth and put businesses back in control. The fiduciary rule, as written, would have restricted the advice that financial experts can share with small business owners, raise costs and limit potential plan options, and even drive advisors out of the market. The Department of Labor was on course to hurt the small businesses and workers it is intended to protect. President Trump's actions show us a path forward for breaking down dysfunctional regulations and freeing up our robust free enterprise system. Here's a helpful infographic explaining how the fiduciary rule (as proposed) would create a web of challenges for Small Businesses offering retirement plans:Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign manager, is handing over documents to a Senate committee investigating attempts by the Russian government and foreign agents to influence American elections, the committee announced Tuesday night. Manafort had been subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify at a public hearing Wednesday, but the committee has agreed to withdraw the subpoena in exchange for him committing to "negotiate in good faith" to find a future date to interview with the committee. “Faced with issuance of a subpoena, we are happy that Mr. Manafort has started producing documents to the Committee and we have agreed to continue negotiating over a transcribed interview," committee chair Sen. Chuck Grassley and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement Tuesday night. The senators added that "Cooperation from witnesses is always the preferred route, but this agreement does not prejudice the committee’s right to compel his testimony in the future." The senators did not specify what the documents they have received relate to. The committee originally said last week that it would not subpoena Manafort as it negotiated an agreement with him to provide documents and be interviewed by committee members and staff. But Grassley and Feinstein said in a joint statement earlier Tuesday that they had been unable to finalize the deal. "Mr. Manafort, through his attorney, said that he would be willing to provide only a single transcribed interview to Congress, which would not be available to the Judiciary Committee members or staff. While the Judiciary Committee was willing to cooperate on equal terms with any other committee to accommodate Mr. Manafort’s request, ultimately that was not possible," Grassley and Feinstein said. The subpoena was issued on Monday evening, according to the statement. Asked about the subpoena, a spokesman for Manafort said in a statement that Manafort met on Tuesday morning, "by previous agreement, with the bipartisan staff of the Senate Intelligence Committee and answered their questions fully." Manafort was among a list of witnesses that the Senate Judiciary Committee asked to testify at a hearing on the Foreign Agents Registration Act and influence in US elections. Donald Trump Jr. was also on the list, but Grassley and Feinstein announced on Friday that, as was the case with Manafort, they were negotiating an agreement with him to provide documents and be interviewed by the committee. Grassley said at the time that Trump Jr. and Manafort would eventually "appear openly."This article is over 1 year old Patriot Prayer, the rightwing protest group that planned to rally in San Francisco on Saturday, has cancelled its event, citing safety concerns and a “smear campaign” by elected officials who called them “white supremacists”. Turd Reich: San Francisco dog owners lay minefield of poo for rightwing rally Read more The group said it still intended to attend a rally on Sunday in nearby Berkeley, which has seen a number of violent standoffs between rightwing protesters and anti-fascist activists this year. “We’re going to put our effort and resources into Berkeley,” Patriot Prayer organizer Joey Gibson said in a Facebook Live broadcast. “Berkeley is a better situation because we don’t feel that we’re walking into a trap.” However, shortly after, the organizer of the Berkeley rally released a statement urging people not to come to her “No to Marxism in America” rally. Andrea Cummings said she was concerned for the safety of the people who might come to the event. Thousands of San Franciscans were planning to mount counter-protests against the rightwing event, with residents planning to dance, march, rally, and boat in defiance of rightwing extremism. Several hundred people even announced a plan to allow their dogs to poo on the protest site in advance of the event. The group’s intention to hold an event in the notoriously liberal San Francisco provoked considerable concern from the city’s elected officials, police, and residents, especially in the wake of the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A dog defecates at Crissy Field, the site of the now-cancelled rally. The group will go ahead with a rally planned for Sunday in Berkeley, California. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters Though Gibson has denounced white supremacy and neo-Nazis, Patriot Prayer events in the Pacific north-west have been attended by members of white nationalist groups and often devolved into violent street-fighting. Elected officials, including House minority leader and San Francisco congressional representative Nancy Pelosi and mayor Ed Lee, unsuccessfully pressured the National Park Service to deny the group a permit for the rally. Pelosi called the group “white supremacist”. Such characterizations amounted to a “smear campaign”, the organizers said. “Intermingling of protesters and rally-goers would be a horrible horrible idea,” said Patriot Prayer member Gabriel Silva. “It would lead to nothing but casualties.” “In our opinion,” said Gibson, “it seems like it would have been a huge riot.”November 20, 2017 Is Sectarianism a Problem? There are a significant number of anarchists who hold a narrow view of what anarchism is, defining it in such a way to disqualify other anti-state ideologies. Some try to justify this historically - but in this case only mutualists are “true” anarchists. Others say only “movement” anarchism counts, and ideologies don’t. There are many ad hoc excuses for counting out a school of anarchism one scorns. This is not a new phenomena which started with the internet and social media. In the 19th century Voltairine de Cleyre experienced the same silly squabbles. “There are, accordingly, several economic schools among Anarchists; there are Anarchist Individualists [anarcho-capitalists], Anarchist Mutualists, Anarchist Communists and Anarchist Socialists. In times past these several schools have bitterly denounced each other and mutually refused to recognize each other as Anarchists at all. The more narrow-minded on both sides still do so; true, they do not consider it narrow-mindedness, but simply a firm and solid grasp of the truth, which does not permit of tolerance towards error. This has been the attitude of the bigot in all ages, and Anarchism no more than any other new doctrine has escaped its bigots. Each of these fanatical adherents of either collectivism or individualism believes that no Anarchism is possible without that particular economic system as its guarantee, and is of course thoroughly justified from his own standpoint.” - Anarchism, Voltairine de Cleyre Is the constant bickering over who is a true anarchist good or bad for the anarchist cause? At first sight, it might seem bad, with all the wasted energy on the same old troll posts on Facebook or Reddit. “X is not really anarchism. Y requires rulership. Z is unstable unless it has a State to keep people in line.” On the other hand, perhaps these ardent arguments have a motivational purpose, and keep people exited and inspired about anarchism - as inane and tiring as they are to long-time anarchists. A sectarian hatred of anarcho-capitalism inspired the most popular anarcho-socialist FAQ, for example. Maybe the anarcho-socialist versus anarcho-capitalist rivalry increases our market share. Who knows? The Solution If sectarianism is a problem, I believe I have somewhat solved it - that is, I have reduced it from a wicked problem to a practically solvable problem. I do this by changing the framing from “In a given territory, which school of anarchism would work best?” to “In a territory with numerous anarchist enclaves, could different anarchisms coexist?” Am I justified in reframing it this way? Yes, because pluralism and diversity is the default and natural assumption for anarchy. Why would it be otherwise? Why would anyone think otherwise? Because, having lived under statism for so long, it is easy to falsely assume that anarchism will look like a State, that is, a homogeneous territorial monopoly. Under this mental hallucination, in most discussions online the background environment is assumed to be either some kind of State of Nature, where there are no agreed norms and everyone is fighting it out, or everyone is an anarcho-Xist, except a dissenter or two who (it is argued) must be ruled unless they can practice their preferred scheme. In short, the question of how different anarchist schools might interact is rigged by assuming either a Hobbesian war of all against all, or a state-like territorial monopoly situation. My suggested alternative is property panarchy. Assume, instead, that different enclaves (communities, neighborhoods, even households) have evolved some resource usage norms - a property system. Note that we assume these diverse norms have come about by local consensus of some sort, whether it be by “democratic” or contractual arrangements. Doesn’t this seem more likely in a stateless society than large territorial monopolies of uniform property systems? Our love for decentralization includes property systems. Even if one or more property systems prove to be more popular than others, and gain market share over others, shouldn’t we still use this pluralist enclave model? I certainly don’t see everyone agreeing on the best property system any time soon! Types of Property Norms There are some high level “meta” resource usage rules that anarcho-socialists and anarcho-capitalists alike can agree to. Henceforth, I will refer to resource usage rules as a property system. (My scornful apologies to socialists who have an aversion to the word “property.”) The purpose of a property norm is to reduce interpersonal conflict in the allocation and use of scarce resources. We have four basic options, or combinations thereof: No norm: No property rights conventions. This necessarily produces conflict. An adequate norm should have better consequences than this ‘null hypothesis’ condition. Statist norm: Property rules which favor some group(s) over others, usually rulers over ruled. This may generate interpersonal conflict between exploiters and exploited. This norm is amoral since it fails ethical universality, the categorical imperative. Collective property: Only certain specified collectives are allowed to own certain resources. Examples: everyone owning all, nationals owning nations, workers owning workshops. Private property: Everyone, any person or set of people, can acquire rights to specific uses of property. These are basic types of property, with no claim of completeness. For example, there is nothing about a 7-year jubilee system, where all debts are forgiven every seven years. Nor is there a 50-year lottery system, where land is redistributed by lottery every 50 years. But the four possibilities do cover most known systems, even the times between lotteries for the last example. Needless to say, anarchists reject option B, and generally reject A. Anarcho-socialists favor some sort of C, which anarcho-capitalists favor D. Anarcho-capitalists think most or all resources should be private property. Anarcho-socialists believe that multiple user capital goods should be collective property. (They would phrase it as "worker owned means of production.") Socialists disagree among themselves, however, about what the proper owning collective should be. For some, it is the local hands-on workgroup, for others it is the proletarian class, for yet others it is all mankind. The proper collective may depend on the type of resource. E.g. For some anarcho-communists, workgroups should own the capital goods, but “everyone” should own the land and natural resources. Universal Property Norms Regardless of whether a particular resource is owned privately or collectively, there are some universal property norms that apply. Everyone from anarcho-communist Kropotkinites to anarcho-capitalist Rothbardians agree with these propositions. These norms apply to all consistent property systems, whether collective, private, or mixed. For example, these apply to anarcho-capitalist sticky property, mutualist possession property, and mixed systems such as geoist (land rent) property, which is essentially sticky property except for collectively owned natural resources. Universal Property Norms Homesteading, or original appropriation. For all property systems, if nobody else owns a resource, the first significant user has the highest claim to that resource. Alienation. We may alienate property by trade, gift, or abandonment. Trade. An owner of one good may transfer ownership on the condition that he receive title to a different good in a mutually voluntary transaction. Gift. An owner may transfer ownership of a good to a consenting other. Abandonment. An owner may relinquish title unilaterally, resulting in an ownerless good open for homesteading. Exclusion. Owners have a right to exclude others from property. Responsive force. Owners have the right to use force, even violent force, to defend property. Appropriate force. One should use no more force than necessary in defending property. It is at this point that most past anarcho-capitalist luminaries have gone very wrong, by assuming only neo-Lockean “sticky property” satisfies these universal property norms. I beg to differ. Communist, socialist, mutualist, and geoist property conventions also satisfy these norms. Rothbard, Hoppe, et. al. make a good argument that sticky property is more moral and efficient than other systems, but they do not show that sticky property is the only system satisfying these universal norms. All of the major property systems satisfy these norms. Though they are loathe to admit it, anarcho-communists do believe in the homesteading principle. Ask your favorite ancom this: “If your collective starts working on some formerly unoccupied and unused land, does the collective have a right to defend that land (and their improvements) from others - such as thieves and invaders who would steal it?” Their honest answer would be “Yes, it is ours, since we worked it.” Just like John Locke! That answer admits both homesteading and the right to exclude. Ask if they may trade it to another workers collective, and they will also say “yes,” consistent with the alienation norm. Another historical quirk is that many mutualists are reluctant to admit that “possession” is a type of private property. Any set of people may own possession-style property, so long as they maintain possession and use. That makes possession a type of private property by definition. Note that one way of looking at possession property is as private property with a short abandonment period, since ceasing possession and use constitutes abandonment by possession property rules. Sticky property is, then, private property with a long abandonment period. As property systems, mutualist possession property and anarcho-capitalist sticky property are identical, mod abandonment period. Of course, there are differences between anarcho-capitalism and mutualism which are unrelated to property, but it is noteworthy that, as far as property goes, they are blood-brothers. Or at least kissing cousins. Kevin Carson aptly summarizes the situation: None of these alternative sets of rules for property allocation is self-evidently right. No ownership claim can be deduced logically from the principle of self-ownership alone, without the "'overlay' of a property system," or a system of "allocation rules." No such system, whether Lockean, Georgist, or Mutualist, can be proved correct. Any proof requires a common set of allocation rules, and a particular set of allocation rules for property can only be established by social consensus, not by deduction from the axiom of self-ownership. What would property panarchy look like? We might imagine a town with ten neighborhoods, each neighborhood having a different property system. Just as people who speak the same language tend to group, so do people who prefer the same property system. Each neighborhood, or enclave, has known jurisdictional borders, established by past rulings of arbiters, or vote, or as recorded on a trusted blockchain. Using this enclave model, most of the sectarian horror stories simply cannot happen. There is no “war of all against all” like the Hobbesian “Mad Max” model. There is no dissenter that cannot easily opt out - he has the possibility of moving to an enclave more to his liking. The alleged necessity for a State to keep dissenters in line is absent, since people can easily “vote with their feet.” The statist monopoly bugaboo-in-the-mind is gone, and we can see clearly what diversity implies: property panarchy. What would a property dispute between people residing under different property systems look like? Since the dispute has a location, the solution is easy - the rules applying to that location are used. If the dispute occurs in a mutualist enclave, mutualist rules apply. Anarchy-ball battles don’t apply. Reason and jurisdiction do. There is the possibility of a totally non-territorial property panarchy, where property norms are sold in a package with land. This is possible for most property systems, but not all: Geoism would be severely handicapped, especially the variants based on bio-regions or watersheds. Nevertheless, since 1) like-minded people tend to group, 2) there are efficiencies in knowing what rules apply where, and 3) conflict is reduced, I would expect property panarchy to evolve to enclaves larger than households, at least in populated areas.Early Monday morning, posters were seen at the entrance of Payne Whitney Gymnasium and on bulletin boards around Yale University’s campus that read “Yale Men’s Basketball: Stop Supporting a Rapist.” The posters—most of which were quickly torn down by members of the men’s basketball team—included a Yale Daily News photo of players at last Friday’s high-profile game against Harvard; in the photo, they were wearing shirts with “GUCCI” and the number 4 written on the back, and “Yale” spelled backwards written on the front. “Gucci” is the nickname of Yale men’s basketball team captain Jack Montague, and 4 was his jersey number; last week, it was announced that Montague had withdrawn from Yale under circumstances that were not disclosed by the administration, the team or the Yale Daily News. Montague, an American Studies and Political Science major, was set to graduate in May. “‘Yale’ spelled backwards wasn’t to make a statement. It’s just because Yale is a brand and there was a copyright,” forward Justin Sears ‘16 told the YDN of the shirt.“It was just convenient, at the last minute. Everyone on the team supported it and wanted to show our support for Jack.” Advertisement In a subsequent YDN article published on Tuesday that addressed the posters, Sears again addressed the shirts’ backwards spelling of “Yale”: The shirts have been a “very controversial thing,” Sears said, because some people continue to view the backwards spelling of Yale “symbolically.” Some questioned whether the inversion of the letters was a critique of the University’s role in Montague’s withdrawal, Sears said, but he reiterated comments he made during a Friday night press conference that the shirts were solely a show of support for Montague. “We just wanted to make it as clear as possible that Jack is one of our brothers,” Sears said. “He’s family to us and we miss him.” Advertisement Sears told the YDN: “We knew, when we wore those shirts, that there was going to be a reaction, and this is the reaction.” According to a source on campus who sent us images, new posters appeared early Wednesday morning. An article published in the YDN Thursday morning reports that the posters were found on chairs inside the Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona lecture hall, Yale’s largest lecture hall; our source claimed that they were also found on bulletin boards around Old Campus and in stairwells in Welch Hall, a freshman dorm: Advertisement The YDN reports that another poster read, “YDN, why so silent? Stop protecting a rapist.” According to the YDN, a note scrawled on the lecture hall’s chalkboard read “Rape culture is standing by your teammate and silencing Yale’s victims of sexual assault.” By 8:30 a.m., according to the YDN, the chalkboard message and the posters around the lecture hall were gone; Special Assistant to the Dean of Yale College David Caruso told the YDN that the custodial staff does not clean inside the hall. The YDN article also points to a statement published by the Yale Women’s Center on their Facebook page last night. The statement reads, in part: We recognize that FERPA and Yale policy prohibit Yale from commenting on the exact nature of the incident. Though the silence is deeply frustrating to us and surely to many of you, Yale’s actions speak much louder than its words. It appears that Yale has expelled a high-profile member of a sports team in the midst of a pivotal moment in the season on the basis of sexual violence. While we can only speculate about these occurrences, we can comfortably say that, should all of this be true, this is progress. [...] However, though we can only speculate the intent behind the basketball team’s shirt protest, student’s words and behaviors establish campus norms. The team’s actions seem to us a dismissal of the very real threat of sexual violence. Advertisement According to Sears, Yale Director of Athletics Tom Beckett and head basketball coach James Jones did not have “any say” in the team’s decision to wear the shirts at Friday’s game, which Beckett confirmed in a statement to the YDN. Sears would not say, however, whether staff knew about the shirts ahead of time. “No one in the team is aware of what happened [to Montague], and the shirts are not a comment on what the administration has done or anything happening with Jack’s situation,” Sears said Sunday night. “It was just to say he is part of the team and we miss him, and because he’s been deleted off the roster and is not mentioned anymore.” On February 18, the YDN reported that Montague was taking a leave from the team. “I’m taking a personal leave and I’m trying to get back as soon as possible,” he told the paper at the time, declining to comment further. The head coach, five teammates, multiple Yale athletic administrators and the Yale Office of Public Affairs and Communication also declined to comment to the YDN. Yale Director of Sports Publicity Steve Conn said that Montague was taking care of “personal issues,” and refused to comment further. After several weeks of mournful speculation from local sports bloggers, Montague’s permanent withdrawal was announced on February 25. Again, the University declined to provide comment or clarification. Advertisement Montague wasn’t necessarily Yale’s star player, but he was a senior captain leading the team during a potentially historic season. The Bulldogs are currently a half-game ahead of Princeton in the Ivy League race and eyeing a spot in the N.C.A.A. tournament for the first time since 1962. “The President (Peter Salovey) is sitting at center court, and it’s a great thing for the school to support your program,” Yale coach James Jones told the New Haven Register following their game against Harvard, which Yale won. According to the Register, the Yale student section chanted “Guc-ci” as the Bulldogs lined up for the National Anthem on Friday. Multiple students, speaking anonymously, told Jezebel that the men’s basketball team is rumored to be planning a walkout at their March 5 game against Columbia. Several members of the Yale men’s basketball team did not respond to requests for comment, or to interview requests; Justin Sears referred me to his comments in the YDN, adding, “Sorry for being brief but just want the team to stay focused on the games for this weekend.” We spoke to a number of Yale students, a majority of whom had heard the allegations publicized by the original posters but were unable to independently confirm their legitimacy. One source on campus provided us with screenshots from Yik Yak and Facebook, where students are having heated discussions about Montague’s withdrawal. Advertisement An ESPN article published today about the Bulldogs’ N.C.A.A. chances mentioned that Yale players were “careful with their words” regarding Montague’s departure. Senior Brandon Sherrod told ESPN: “Not having our captain has been really, really tough,” said Sherrod, who added that Montague remains in touch with his former teammates and on the team’s group text. “All the things we’ve worked for, looking back to the preseason and now toward a championship, he was a huge part of that. So, yeah, there’s been some, ‘Get this one for Gucci.’ But we’ve also rallied around one another. Sometimes teams crumble in these sorts of
health training for GPs and other relevant staff. While they say there are a long list of areas where change is needed, the following are areas which require urgent transformation: Lack of mental health expertise among GPs Barriers to accessing appointments for mental health care The over prescription of medication to deal with mental health issues. A number of recommendations are made in an attempt to break down the barriers to providing a good mental health service. These include mandatory mental health training for Gps and other relevant staff, a designated phone line for mental health appointments, a'red flag' system on patients' files to alert the receptionist that a caller has mental health issues and provision of double or longer appointments for people with mental health issues.Steve Bannon: The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over CLOSE Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist was fired after attacking White House colleagues in an interview. USA TODAY It didn't taken long for former White House adviser Steve Bannon to comment on the administration he had left just hours before. In an interview Friday, after news broke that he had left his role in the White House, Bannon told The Weekly Standard that "The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over." "We still have a huge movement, and we will make something of this Trump presidency. But that presidency is over. It'll be something else. And there'll be all kinds of fights, and there'll be good days and bad days, but that presidency is over,” Bannon said. In an interview focused on the future of the administration, Bannon said that he expects President Trump's remaining advisers to try to constrain his messaging and move him in a more conventional direction. "His natural tendency — and I think you saw it this week on Charlottesville — his actual default position is the position of his base, the position that got him elected." Bannon also said he expects increased push back from Congressional Republicans in a "jailbreak of these moderate guys on the Hill" moving forward. "They're not populists, they're not nationalists, they had no interest in his program. Zero." Bannon added that he expects a tough road ahead for Trump and his ability to accomplish the biggest features of his agenda, such as his proposed border wall. Bannon, who has reportedly already rejoined Brietbart News as executive chairman and oversaw their Friday evening editorial meeting, claimed that his departure was voluntary, and that he wanted return to Breitbart. "I feel jacked up," Bannon said, then referring to himself as "Bannon the Barbarian." "I am definitely going to crush the opposition. There's no doubt." Follow Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller Read more: Steve Bannon, President Trump's controversial chief strategist, out at White House With Steve Bannon out, who is left to advise President Trump at the White House? Steve Bannon out: Social media reacts to controversial figure's White House departure White House departures: Who's been fired and who resigned Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2wi7vehThe Winter Olympics in Vancouver brought thousands of people into our region from around the world. At least two of them arrived with a disease now rare in Canada: measles. The result was an outbreak of the disease in British Columbia. There have been twenty-nine cases in total most of whom have not been completely vaccinated. article continues below Although a minor outbreak, this event highlights the very real possibility of importing disease. The need for vaccinations is in some ways greater than has been before because of the ease and frequency of travel around the world: we are going all over the world, and the world is coming to visit, too. What may have been rare or exotic disease may no longer be so rare, thus the need to be prepared. Travelling abroad means protection from bugs and viruses our bodies may have never seen. The best way to prepare is to visit a travel clinic at least four to six weeks prior to departure. They will advise on the best practices for avoiding disease while travelling, and provide recommended or even required vaccinations for your destination. Among the more common immunizations that may be needed are malaria, cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, polio, rabies, typhoid and Japanese encephalitis depending on your destination. Immunization against yellow fever is a common requirement for entry to some countries. Without proof a traveller may be denied entry, quarantined or vaccinated. Saudi Arabia requires proof of meningococcal immunization for all pilgrims to Mecca during the Hajj. While many diseases can be prevented with vaccination, there are many precautions one can take while abroad. Anti-malaria drugs work, but it helps to avoid insect bites in the first place using insect repellents and wearing long pants and sleeves. Water or food-borne disease can be a problem, but again, preventative measures are key. The simplest rule to remember: "Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!" Other precautions include avoiding uncooked foods including shellfish and salads. Also avoid food from street vendors. Drink only purified water that's been boiled or disinfected with chlorine or iodine, or commercially bottled water in sealed containers. Carbonated drinks and beer are usually safe as well. Avoid ice unless you know it's been made from purified water. In addition to your local travel clinic, other excellent sources of information for travellers include the BC Center for Disease Control (www.bccdc.ca) and Health Canada's travel information website (travel.gc.ca). The BCCDC site provides a good overview plus details about immunization; Health Canada offers more thorough travel information including travel advisories, immunization requirements and advice on staying healthy while travelling. Whether travelling to Mexico (malaria, dengue, botfly, roundworm, West Nile), further abroad to Thailand (malaria, Japanese encephalitis, avian influenza, shistosomiasis, measles, polio) or anywhere in between, preparation and caution are the keys for coming home as healthy as when you left. Dr. Paul Martiquet is the Medical Health Officer for Rural Vancouver Coastal Health including Powell River, the Sunshine Coast, Sea-to-Sky, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.Trump's lead over Clinton in Pennsylvania shrinks as counties wrap up counts President-elect Donald Trump's margin of victory in Pennsylvania is shrinking as more counties wrap up final tallies. An updated count Friday by state election officials shows Trump's lead shrinking to 49,000 from 71,000 over Democrat Hillary Clinton. That puts Trump's lead at 0.8 percent, down from over 1 percent, out of 6 million votes cast. It's still shy of Pennsylvania's 0.5 percent trigger for an automatic statewide recount. Trump's Pennsylvania victory was crucial to capturing the White House. The update comes as Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein spearheads recount efforts in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states where Trump narrowly beat Clinton. Trump's lead in Pennsylvania dropped as counties wrapped up the counting of overseas ballots and settled provisional ballot challenges. Some counties are also fielding precinct recount requests, and final counts are outstanding in some places, including Philadelphia. President-elect Donald Trump's margin of victory in Pennsylvania is shrinking as more counties wrap up final tallies. An updated count Friday by state election officials shows Trump's lead shrinking to 49,000 from 71,000 over Democrat Hillary Clinton. That puts Trump's lead at 0.8 percent, down from over 1 percent, out of 6 million votes cast. It's still shy of Pennsylvania's 0.5 percent trigger for an automatic statewide recount. Trump's Pennsylvania victory was crucial to capturing the White House. The update comes as Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein spearheads recount efforts in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states where Trump narrowly beat Clinton. Trump's lead in Pennsylvania dropped as counties wrapped up the counting of overseas ballots and settled provisional ballot challenges. Some counties are also fielding precinct recount requests, and final counts are outstanding in some places, including Philadelphia. AlertMeIt need not be pointed out how informative the contrast is between the hostile elite’s actions when a “supporter” (not an official nor even a member) of Golden Dawn killed Pavlos Fyssas, a popular antifa rapper, and the recent murder of two young Golden Dawn members in cold blood by the antifa “Militant Peoples’ Fighting Force.” First, it is remarkable to compare the absence of details around the incident between the Anti-Fa signer activist and the Golden Dawn supporter. How did they encounter each other? What remarks were made? Who initiated the physical conflict? We are not given this information—although Golden Dawn claims that it started with a mundane argument over a soccer match and had nothing to do with political ideology. This gives rise to a suspicion that the killing was a pretext for the arrests of the members of Parliament. Secondly, the deafening silence on the murder of the Golden Dawn members in the Western media. “Ho, hum! Yawn! Nothing worth even noting here!” It’s the same kind of difference between the disinterest of the “human rights” crowd in the State Department and the UN when the Greek government arrested elected Golden Dawn members of Parliament on blatantly contrived claims that elected officials can be made accountable for a crime committed by a supporter and the hysteria over the fate of Pussy Riot who got a draconian two year jail sentence for expressing their free speech by invading and taking over a church, refusing to leave when the priests ordered them out and then belting out filthy and obscene songs about the Virgin Mary. Such extraordinary contradictions confirm everything we believe and are also means to opening the eyes of the 20% of the population who can think.Americans are getting increasingly worried about climate change and its impacts, according to results from at least two nationwide polls released this week. A New York Times/CBS News poll found that nearly half of Americans believe that global warming is causing a serious impact now, while about 60 percent said that protecting the environment should be a priority "even at the risk of curbing economic growth." Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said that global warming is caused by human activity. This, the New York Times notes, is the "highest level ever recorded by the national poll." Those results echo those of another survey conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, which found that more than 70 percent of Americans believe climate change is either a critical or an important threat "to the vital interests" of the country, while more than 80 percent said that combating climate change is either a "very important" or "somewhat important" goal for the U.S. The survey also found that 50 percent of the American public believe that the government is not doing enough to address the problem of climate change. According to poll makers, this is an increase of five percentage points from 2012 poll results. On Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama declared climate change to be the "one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other" in his address to more than 100 world leaders at a United Nations climate change summit in New York. In his speech, Obama stressed the need for immediate global action to address this environmental crisis. "The alarm bells keep ringing. Our citizens keep marching," he said. "We cannot pretend we don't hear them. We have to answer the call."Great things are made in Japan!. In case you still don’t know by now, Satoshi Nakamoto is the name of the Japanese programmer cum cryptographer who invented the 8th wonder of the world after the Egyptian Pyramids-Bitcoin. The world’s pioneer cryptocurrency, Bitcoin has quite a following in Japan. Bitcoin is a full-fledged currency, a store of value and everything good in the Asian megacity. From paying for flight tickets to paying hotel bills to just buying groceries or just having a drink at your favorite Japanese bar, Bitcoin is accepted almost everywhere in Japan. Although, the integration of Bitcoin into the Japanese finance system did not just happen overnight. China used to have a stronger Bitcoin ecosystem than Japan until the government banned ICO’s and Bitcoin exchanges thereby restricting Bitcoin use. Since then Japan has taken over the mantle of Bitcoin leadership!. A Total of 15 Exchanges Licensed In Japan Already The year 2017 has been an excellent year for Bitcoin investors, exchanges and enthusiasts. At the beginning of the year, not even the best Bitcoin analysts would have predicted the Price of Bitcoin to reach where it is right now at over $11,000. With Bitcoin becoming more and more ubiquitous with each passing day, the Japanese government has now seen the necessity of licensing Bitcoin exchanges. On September 29, the Financial Services Agency of Japan (FSA), announced the issuance of operating licenses to 11 cryptocurrency exchanges in the country. The licensing was possible because the Japan payment services law was amended to include cryptocurrency exchanges within its jurisdiction. The payment services law now gave Bitcoin the status of a legal tender in Japan and also laid down the guidelines that all Bitcoin exchanges in Japan must follow. The FSA made it clear to all licensed Bitcoin exchanges in Japan that they must pay proper attention to Cybersecurity, segregation of customer accounts and also to conduct appropriate know-your-customer- checks(KYC). Fast forward to December, and the FSA has approved another 4 cryptocurrency exchanges. The four newly licensed exchanges are Bit Arg Exchange Tokyo Co.Ltd, FTT Corporation, Tokyo Bitcoin Exchange Co and Xtheta Corporation. It is important to note that the FSA has stated it on its website that, of the four newly approved exchanges, only one firm is allowed to trade Bitcoin alongside other cryptocurrencies. Only Xtheta Corporation is authorized to trade Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Monacoin, NEM, Ripple, Litecoin, Ethereum Classic, and XCP. The FSA did not state its reasons for not allowing the remaining three exchanges trade other cryptocurrencies. More Exchanges Set to Get Licenses It is pertinent to note that some exchanges were forced to close shop back in September when the first set of exchanges was approved. Those exchanges could not meet up with the requirements of the FSA at the time. Coincheck- which is Japan’s second-largest Bitcoin exchange is yet to get approval from the FSA, although the Bitcoin exchange has assured its users that its services will continue as usual. In the coming weeks, it is believed that the FSA will approve even more Bitcoin exchanges. This is a welcomed development as Japan keeps setting the pace in the Bitcoin ecosystem, for other world governments to follow!In the Philippines, there’s a Reproductive Health (RH) bill that will be presented to the Congressional Committee of Population and Family Relations next week. It’s a response to the country’s rapidly growing population. The bill, which proposes national funding for, and access to, reproductive healthcare services and products like birth control pills and condoms, has stalled in legislative debate for close to 15 years. Birth control and condoms? Sounds perfectly reasonable… so guess who’s against it? The Catholic Church, which holds sway over at least 80 percent of the population identified as Catholic, remains strongly opposed to the bill, considering all modern forms of contraception abortifacients. In fact, the Church has threatened to excommunicate politicians who support the bill. So the Filipino Freethinkers came back with a wonderful response 🙂 “The CBCP threatens to ex-communicate politicians who support the RH bill. They [pro-RH legislators] are willing to risk being excommunicated from the church; so are we,” said the group’s president, Ryan Tani, adding: “We are tired of the political and religious bullying of the Catholic Church.” Bravo, Filipino Freethinkers, bravo. The Excommunication Party takes place a little over a week from now. Together with the various individuals and organizations that support the RH Bill, let us each declare: “If supporting the RH bill means excommunication, then excommunicate me!” That’s some great marketing… I hope it takes off. “I was Excommunicated and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.” “Kiss me! I’m Excommunicated!” “Betcha can’t Excommunicate just one.” It’s the least threatening thing Catholics can do to you. They’d be doing you a favor, really. Let’s hope this bill passes despite the ranting from the Church.by Serhiy Sydorenko On Friday evening, September 12, Ukrainian social networks were filled with messages on the order of, “We’re being betrayed again. They sold the Association Agreement to Russia.” These nervous discussions had their justification. The tripartite agreement Ukraine-Russia- EU on postponing the launch of the free trade agreement was unexpected for everyone. And for most pro-European citizens, the meaning and consequences of this delay were and remain unclear. The lack of information creates suspicion. Therefore, the charges that are being made against President Poroshenko are quite understandable. In addition, certain actions taken by the president and his team over the past several months have caused their statements on the association to be seen with some suspicion. For this reason, European Pravda (EP — a section of Ukrainska Pravda — Ed.) in response to numerous requests from readers will attempt to explain the Brussels agreements without hysteria but also without ignoring real problems. What happened? Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined the essence of the agreement correctly (even if not immediately). We will present the key messages and explanations for them and only later describe how this far from ordinary decision was reached and how it will affect Ukraine. 1) The Association Agreement (AA), as conditionally accepted, is divided into two parts — political and trade. According to the existing EU procedures, the two sides were supposed to begin the “temporary implementation” of the trade part of the agreement. Now this date has been postponed till January 1, 2016. 2) The Association Agreement will be ratified by the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday, September 16. The ratification will be in full. 3) The agreement remains intact. There is NO legal way that in 2016 Ukraine, after the completion of the transitional period, could “cancel” the trade portion of the agreement or decide to “adjust” it, leaving the remainder of the document ratified. It is either everything or nothing. The rejection by Kyiv (or Brussels) during 2015 of any obligation contained in the document would mean that the entire agreement would be cancelled and negotiations would have to begin from scratch. 4) The current situation cannot be compared with 2013, when Yanukovych not only froze the agreement, but announced that he intended to change Ukraine’s obligations. In other words, he intended to destroy the agreement and start negotiations from scratch. In its official statements Kyiv excludes the possibility that during 2015 any changes could be initiated to the agreement. This is very important. 5) The trade portion of the AA is only one of eight sections of the contract, but it represents 80% of the document. The trade section is the essence of the Association Agreement. It not only creates a free trade area (FTA) but it also discussed the adaptation of Ukraine’s economy to European standards. Without the implementation of this section the agreement loses meaning and importance. So ii is important not to diminish the significance of the Brussels agreements. And it is important not to limit the discussion to questions of export and import. The economic reforms are no less important. 6) In order for the postponement not to have a negative impact on the economy of Ukraine, the EU will unilaterally waive the collection of duties on Ukrainian goods until 2016. In other words, it introduces a unilateral free trade system. This system is already in place and will simply continue. However, let us remember that the FTA is only a part of the trade section of the AA. For full implementation of the agreement, a number of Ukraine’s goods (agricultural products, mostly of animal origin) cannot be exported to the EU under the simplified procedures. 7) Formally, the temporary implementation of the agreement (without the trade section) will begin on November 1 anyway. But in fact only certain points of the political part will be implemented — the others will wait for ratification in the EU member countries (these are features of the EU procedures). Therefore, the frame will be operative but without the content. 8) In response to Europe’s agreement to delay the AA, Russia promised not to introduce trade sanctions against Ukraine up to 2016. But this promise will almost certainly be broken (we will provide details later) Who is the author? The decision to postpone the trade agreement was made because of Russia’s demands. This is an undeniable fact, even if official Kyiv and Brussels attempt to prove otherwise. Without the demands of the Kremlin, neither Ukraine nor the EU would have considered such a possibility. Meanwhile, numerous EP sources suggest that the author of the compromise packet this time was not the Russian but the European side. “An ultimatum was issued by several EU countries indicating they would block ratification of the AA in their parliaments if a compromise with Russia were not found regarding the agreement’s entry into force. This is how this proposition came about, one of the Ukrainian officials who met with the exiting president of the Euro commission Jose Manuel Barroso and heard his explanation told this publication. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin in a conversation with EP on Sunday did not agree with the term “blocked ratification” but confirmed that there was actually some pressure from several member countries. “There is no blocking. But there are a number of countries that would like for us to agree with Russia regarding the overall situation as well as the general schedule of the agreement. They believe that without such agreements, an uncontrollable situation may develop,” he said. Ukrainian society has become accustomed to blame all ills on Germany, but, according to EP sources, this is not appropriate in this case. The Germans had their own proposals on what the compromise should be, but Berlin eventually agreed to accept the idea of postponing the trade part of the agreement. Sources report that Paris, as well as several “southern zone” countries, were the driving force behind this package. By the way, EP knows with some certainty that the proposal came as a complete surprise to Kyiv. Kyiv was going to Brussels with its own packet of proposals, which were developed to address previous Russian requirements. EP had the opportunity to become familiar with Kyiv’s negotiating position to the Brussels round, which dealt only with the exclusion of certain points from the trade agreement. It was in Brussels that the Ukrainian negotiating team first learned about the new ideas from the EU and, after consulting with Kyiv, agreed. Now certain European politicians and bureaucrats state that it was Kyiv that had asked Brussels not to move to the free trade regime but to continue the unilateral trade preferences. Such statements are designed to “reduce” the role played by Russia during the negotiations on the agreement. But they are an outright lie. Why is Russia involved? The agreement on postponing the AA was reached in a trilateral statement signed by the head of Russian Ministry of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev. A logical question arises — what does the Russian government have to do with our bilateral agreement with the EU??? Let us emphasize that the appearance of Russia in this format is not unexpected. This is not the first round of the tripartite consultations. But earlier they were followed primarily by experts. Now the published agreements have attracted the attention of the general public. And finally, until the last minute, even the experts expected that that the tripartite documents, which formalizes Russia’s influence on the AA, would not be necessary. This is the biggest political problem with the Brussels agreements and Putin’s greatest achievement in this context. In fact, the parties recognize the Kremlin’s right to influence trade agreements between other independent entities. There is no doubt, that Putin will return again and again to this practice, insisting that an international legal precedent was established on September 12 that gives him that right. It should be noted that this problem is likely to cause the greatest harm not to Ukraine but to the European Union. Kyiv is already quite familiar with the price of Kremlin’s promises, and Putin even without (this new precedent) already interfered and will continue to interfere in our internal affairs. Therefore, concessions to Moscow are already very unpleasant for us, but nothing more. However, for the EU this precedent is quite dangerous in a practical sense. Here is a simple example. At present, historically significant negotiations are taking place between Europe and the US regarding the creation of a transatlantic free trade zone. What will happen if after signing this agreement China enters the scene and demands its postponement and the beginning of consultations with Beijing? After all, claims regarding the impact on the Chinese economy are analogous to Russian claims, which the EU “acknowledged” in the Ukrainian precedent. This is why Brussels is attempting after the fact to convince the world that Russia had nothing to do with this and that all the changes were made at Kyiv’s request. But this is EU’s problem. In this article, we will not examine it thoroughly. What do we get? Let us begin with the positive consequences of the Brussels agreements as compared with the version calling for the FTA of the AA to be implemented on November 1, 2014 ( as was planned as recently as Thursday, September 11). Ukrainian authorities continue to state that the agreement is a “complete win” since the Ukrainian budget will continue to receive duties which would have ceased with the full implementation of the FTA. It is hard to disagree with this argument. If you judge only the direct economic effect, then the implementation of unilateral preferences rather the bilateral ones is obviously advantageous to Ukraine. However, the amount of revenue to the budget is relatively small. The EU in proposing the “unilateral” option understood perfectly that if would bear minimal financial loss. More than three months ago, the government calculated how much in customs duties Ukraine would fail to receive during the first year of the agreement. It was estimated to be UAH 3.99bn. However, these calculations were based on previous, pre-crisis imports. Recently, it was reported that during the first six months imports fell by almost 20%. There is no doubt that the situation will only worsen for the remaining six months. This is why the actual annual savings on customs duties will not exceed UAH 3bn — therefore less than 200 million Euros. For the EU this sum is peanuts. For the Ukrainian “purse” it will be a pleasant and important revenue (given the crisis) but not a critical one. After all, it represents less than 1% of budget revenues. At the same time, we must understand that maintaining import duties instead of cancelling them represents a corresponding rise in the cost of consumer goods. Therefore, eventually these UAH 3 billion will be paid not by European suppliers but by residents of Ukraine. There is nothing negative in this. During wartime, citizens should try to help the state and the state budget in multiple ways. But we must be honest with ourselves when we assess who is really paying for what. The second positive result of the Brussels agreement is the “trade truce” with Russia. The Government of the Russian Federation in the person of Alexei Ulyukayev officially committed itself not to initiate the expulsion of Ukraine from the free trade regime with the Customs Union. We should note that, according to the agreement on FTA with the CIS, Russia has that right, for which we must thank Mykola Azarov, who agreed to include this provision in the FTA, thus violating a presidential directive. Under conditions of austerity, this promise by Moscow really is an important factor — even with reduced trade with the Russian Federation. In Russia, unlike in Ukraine, the customs duties are very high. This is why raising them from nothing to the level of standard duties would make many (Ukrainian) suppliers uncompetitive on the Russian market. Therefore, some of our producers would lose not only a portion of income but the entire market. “The current state of the Ukrainian economy is such that economic shocks that are expected in several areas, for example, in machine building, would be prohibitive for the country,” the future European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told EP when commenting of the possible trade war. However, even with this “plus” not everything is clear. EP expects that this “truce” (with Russia) will not last too long. It is likely to hold until the end of 2015 ONLY if Ukraine refuses to meet its obligations under the Association Agreement. That is, if Poroshenko follows the path of Yanukovych. It should be noted that Alexei Ulyukayev on Friday not only signed the tripartite document promising to keep free trade. He also made a separate statement that if “the partners violate the agreement and begin to implement the trade section,” Russia will return to the issue of trade restrictions against Ukraine. “We understand perfectly that in this statement the Kremlin is inserting not only the matter of duty-free goods but the entire issue of reforms. And as soon as we begin to implement the European technological regulations or to adapt the phytosanitary standards as part of our obligations to the association, we will immediately get an answer from the Kremlin,” says one government source. “We understand that Russia can deceive and impose restrictions despite the fact that we have introduced the unilateral FTA regime,” says a source in the European Commission. Last weekend the prime minister, president and the foreign minister publicly promised that they would carry out the reforms without exception, including those included in the postponed section on trade. A government official in conversation with EP during the YES Forum acknowledged that Kyiv wants to outmaneuver Russia by “simulating” the absence of reform. “We will prepare all the reforms and will implement them by the end of next year in a large block, ” he said. However, there are a few “buts.” First, this scenario means that Ukraine will spend next year without key reforms. Is this an acceptable scenario for society when it comes to implementing the Association Agreement? Hardly. Second, in the coming weeks the Cabinet plans to consider and adopt an action plan for the implementation of the AA. It includes all the reforms, including the ones regarding trade. If it wishes, Russia could use even this official document to return to sanctions. So, to sum up. There is nothing catastrophic in the Brussels agreements. The analogy with the government decision of November 21, 2013, does not hold up at all. Yes, concessions to the Russian Federation on the AA are a dangerous precedent. But the AA will still be ratified. Financially, the new scheme is even profitable for the country. However, to say the new agreements are undoubtedly beneficial is simply not accurate. After all, they encourage the authorities to put a brake on reform. Instead of an epilogue: frankness and openness Finally, we would like to return to the actions of President Poroshenko and his team who, in the view of the EP, personally were greatly responsible for the fact that on Friday, Saturday and Sunday a number of charges were directed at them. They bear the blame for the fact that even the experts are looking for the false bottom in the agreements with the Russian Federation. Ukrainian society now demands openness and honesty from its politicians — at least in such sensitive and strategically important issues as European integration. Unfortunately, the new government has not yet understood this. After all, for two and a half months we heard from Poroshenko, Chalyi (Valeriy Chalyi, deputy head of the Presidential Administration — Ed.) and Klimkin dubious statements on the reasons why the AA has not been brought to Parliament. The government’s explanations on the “technical delay” generated first grins from the experts and then anger and suspicion. If two days before the planned ratification of the AA, Poroshenko cannot find the time to introduce it to Parliament and does not justify his actions, then there are only two explanations. He either is already negotiating with Russia on the agreement or assumes that he will have to negotiate. Therefore, we would like to end this text with the following words: “Let’s live in a new way Petro Porshenko.” And that also applies to information policy. Tags: Association Agreement, DCFTA, Featured, Petro Poroshenko, RussiaMedia playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Inside Russia's new space port "Oh please, darling, fly!" A technician standing behind me was really nervous during the launch countdown at Vostochny, a new space centre in Russia's Far East. It was the second launch attempt - a day after the previous one had been aborted at the last minute. I noticed that some of the technician's colleagues also had pale faces and had crossed their fingers. It emerged later that a cable malfunction had led to the postponement of Wednesday's launch. This time there was relief for Russia's federal space agency, Roscosmos, as the Soyuz rocket, carrying three satellites, blasted off and the booster stage separated. President Vladimir Putin had travelled 5,500km (3,500 miles) to watch the launch and was in a black mood after Wednesday's cancellation, berating Vostochny's managers for the financial scandals that have blighted this prestige project. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Russia wants to show international partners that it is still a superpower in space Image copyright Reuters Image caption President Putin watched the unmanned rocket lift off successfully on Thursday As the rocket soared away from Earth the tension evaporated - the crowd around me was laughing, hugging, drinking champagne. Only the essential launchpad structures have been finished at Vostochny, which is still a big building site. The original plan was to have it all ready by December 2015. When we inspected the launchpad later it appeared to be in good shape. A huge metal covering for the service cabin had plunged onto a concrete chute for the rocket exhaust gases. But a specialist insisted that the damage was not serious. Image caption A giant tower holds the rocket in place before launch Image caption The fierce blast during lift-off sent this metal covering crashing to the ground from the tower Hours earlier President Putin had warned of consequences for the management failures at Vostochny. "If their guilt is proven, they will have to change their warm beds at home for plank-beds in prison," Mr Putin said, commenting on the arrest of four senior people involved in the project. Only hours after Vostochny's first launch one of those managers received a three-year jail sentence for massive embezzlement. Strategic move Vostochny is a pet project for Mr Putin. Russia's ambition is to develop it as the main civilian space centre, eventually replacing Baikonur, the Soviet-era cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Baikonur has potential political risks, being outside Russia. So Vostochny has political and propaganda significance: it must prove that, despite international sanctions and a struggling economy, Russia can still complete a new cosmodrome and run it efficiently. Image caption New railway lines had to be built at the vast site Image caption Inside the launchpad: President Putin is closely monitoring the project The next day I asked Roscosmos head Igor Komarov how he had felt before the second, successful, launch attempt. "How do you think I felt?" he answered, grim-faced. The authorities were so nervous that they banned all live broadcasting before the launch and for the 10 minutes after lift-off. But Roscosmos officials have spoken optimistically about Vostochny becoming a centre for international space co-operation in future. The Plesetsk cosmodrome, in Russia's Arctic north, will remain the centre for military space launches. Away from the launchpad, much of the infrastructure at Vostochny remains unfinished. The engineers are in no hurry now; the next launch will not take place until next year.Story Highlights 20% of U.S. adults say they approve of Congress Effectively unchanged from 21% in June Republicans express higher approval than Democrats WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The 20% job approval rating that Americans give Congress is essentially unchanged from June. Approval of Congress has hovered near 20% since August 2016, apart from a brief bump to 28% in February after President Donald Trump's inauguration. These data come from Gallup's July 5-9 survey, conducted after the U.S. Senate delayed a vote on legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). February's approval rating of 28% is the highest it has been since 2009 -- when, like now, a newly inaugurated president (Barack Obama) worked with a Congress controlled by his party. The higher ratings of Congress seen earlier this year did not last long. By April 2017, 20% of Americans approved of the job Congress was doing. Approval was at this same level in early January before Trump took office. Congressional approval ratings during the early months of the Trump administration have been consistently lower than during the same period of Obama's presidency. Americans' approval of Congress remained above 30% from February through September 2009, peaking at 39% in March of that year. Republicans Remain More Positive Than Democrats About Congress Republicans continue to display relatively low levels of approval of Congress, despite controlling both houses of the institution. Twenty-eight percent of Republicans say they approve of the job Congress is doing, compared with 12% of Democrats. By comparison, during the two most recent periods in which Republicans controlled both houses of Congress (from 1995 to 2000 and 2003 to 2006), averages of 52% and 55% of GOP supporters approved of Congress, respectively. Republican approval shot from 20% in early January 2017 to 50% in February. But by April, GOP supporters' approval of Congress had fallen to 31%, and it has fluctuated between 28% and 32% since. Just before Trump's inauguration in January, 19% of Democrats said they approved of Congress. Since then, Democrats' ratings have fluctuated between 10% and 16%. Bottom Line Overall, Americans view Congress relatively poorly, with job approval ratings of the institution below 30% since October 2009. A different Gallup measure shows that a mere 12% of U.S. adults say they have confidence in Congress, the lowest rating of 14 major institutions that Gallup tracks. Substantial improvements in Americans' views of Congress are not likely to occur until the institution moves forward on its stalled efforts to repeal and replace the ACA, as well as other policies that Trump and Republicans have proposed. While successfully repealing the healthcare law may increase congressional approval among Republican supporters, it is unlikely to boost ratings among other Americans -- unless they have a positive reaction to Congress' merely managing to pass legislation. These data are available in Gallup Analytics.Posted on: 16 Apr 2016 ALAN HUBBARD’S PUNCHLINES – 16.4.16 It is not just because he has a PhD but Wladimir Klitschko is no mug. He knows he messed up big-time when ceding his multiple heavyweight kingdom to Tyson Fury in one of boxing’s all-time major upsets last November, and is determined there won’t be a repeat of that humiliation when they meet again in their BoxNation-televised reprise at the Manchester Arena on July 9. Reports reaching me from the Klitschko’s camp suggest he is preparing for an altogether different fight. He won’t be be as timid or as tentative as he was on that jaw-dropping night in Dusseldorf and plans to go after Fury from the bell. The Ukrainian was
(1:16-17). But the risen Jesus is also the redeemer. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross [through him], whether those on earth or those in heaven (1:17-20). Piczek’s cathedral window entitled “The Mask of Reality” portrays participation in the cosmic Christ. We are tempted to focus our attention, like the Harlequin on this passing world, to dwell in the city of man, fascinated by the lights and sounds our own accomplishments as well as by sensual attractions and lure of financial gain that corrupt our human ecology. However, humankind is to reach with Mary into the mystery of the burning heart of love of the risen Christ. Piczek depicts our life’s activities—the dignity of the laborer providing goods and value, the scientist studying and communicating the secrets of a wondrous world, the teacher pondering truth, the nurse caring for the sick, the farmer working the land and providing food for the hungry and the Eucharist, and the poet caught up in beauty. Piczek artistically presents an integrated view of authentically-human Christian life in a cosmic setting that corresponds to an integral ecology proclaimed by Pope Francis. Human dignity cannot be separated from ecological awareness. Editorial Note: Throughout the month of October Church Life Journal will explore the sanctity of life and the hospitable imagination. What we mean by the hospitable imagination is the ecclesial formation of a way of seeing the world that is more spacious and welcoming. It is a way of seeing that recognizes the inherent sanctity of life and seeks to heal the perceived division between life issues and social justice issues. Catholic Social Teaching teaches us that a radical hospitality for life at all its stages and solidarity with the weak is cruciform. As our authors explore the various dimensions of the hospitable imagination (please click the link for a list of the posts), we invite you to think along with us. Featured Image: Isabel Piczek, Stained-Glass Window from the Las Vegas Guardian Angel Cathedral, Fair Use; Photo taken by Fr. Terry Ehrman, all rights reserved, ©2017. Terry Ehrman, C.S.C. Fr. Terry Ehrman, C.S.C. is a Holy Cross priest and the assistant director for life sciences research and outreach at the Center for Theology, Science, and Human Flourishing at the University of Notre Dame. Trained as an aquatic ecologist and systematic theologian, he studies the relationship between science and theology, particularly in the area of theological anthropology as it relates to evolution and ecology.If Hillary Clinton’s expansionist immigration policies were put into effect, the U.S. Muslim population could exceed France’s current Muslim population by the end of a President Clinton’s second term, according to data from Pew Research and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Muslim population of France is reportedly 4.7 million and the current U.S. Muslim population is roughly 3.3 million, according to estimates from the Pew Research Center. Based on the most recent DHS data available, the U.S. permanently resettled roughly 149,000 migrants from predominantly Muslim countries on green cards in 2014. Yet Clinton has indicated that if she were elected president, she would expand Muslim migration by admitting an additional 65,000 Syrian refugees during the course of a single fiscal year. Clinton has made no indication that she would limit her proposed Syrian refugee program to one year. Adding Clinton’s 65,000 Syrian refugees to the approximately 149,000 Muslim migrants the U.S. resettled on green cards in the course of one year means that Clinton could permanently resettle roughly 214,000 Muslim migrants in her first year as president. If Clinton were to continue her Syrian refugee program throughout her presidency, she could potentially resettle roughly 1.7 million Muslim migrants during her first two terms. These projections suggest that after seven years of a Hillary Clinton presidency, the U.S. could have a Muslim population that is larger than France’s current Muslim population of 4.7 million. These projections are rough estimates, and the population size could be impacted by additional various factors— including births, deaths, and conversions. Hillary Clinton’s support for open borders is shared by Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. Ryan has championed policies to expand Muslim migration into the United States. Last year, Ryan voted to increase Muslim migration and fund visas for nearly 300,000 (permanent and temporary) Muslim migrants in a single year. While polling data shows that his constituents overwhelmingly back proposals to temporarily pause Muslim migration, Ryan has also repeatedly ruled out the possibility of making any cuts to Muslim migration— insisting that “that’s not who we are,” and that such a proposal is “not reflective of our principles.” Neither Ryan nor Clinton have explained how importing hundreds of thousands of migrants that come from nations which may hold sentiments that are anti-women, anti-gay, anti-religious tolerance, and anti-America, benefits the United States or helps to protect our Western liberal values. Many have warned if the U.S. continues at its current record pace of Muslim migration—or if pro-Islamic migration politicians, such as Ryan and Clinton, further increase Muslim migration—the U.S. risks following in Europe’s footsteps. As Sen. Jeff Sessions has previously explained, “It’s an unpleasant, but unavoidable fact that bringing in large unassimilated flows of migrants from the Muslim world creates the conditions possible for radicalisation and extremism to take hold, just like they’re seeing in Europe.” France’s struggle to curb the spread of Islamic extremism has been well documented. As Time has reported: Some 1,800 people left France to join ISIS and other militant groups in Iraq and Syria as of May 2015, according to the Soufan Group, a security firm based in New York, citing estimates from the French authorities… Jihadist groups find fertile ground for recruitment in France and Belgium due to those states’ staunch secularism “coupled with a sense of marginalization among immigrant communities, especially those from North Africa,” according to the report from the Soufan Group. Almost precisely one year ago, the Paris terror attacks killed 130 people and injured more than 360 others in what was the deadliest day of attacks on French soil since World War II. Last month, the Telegraph reported that “the majority of the ISIL extremist who carried out the November 13 Paris attacks entered Europe… [and] slipped through Hungary’s borders while posing as migrants.” Similarly this summer, 84 people were killed and hundreds were injured in Nice when a Tunisian native mowed down civilians with a 19-ton truck as the civilians were watching a fireworks display to celebrate Bastille Day. Multiple reports have also documented a rise in anti-Semitism throughout France, which has pushed French Jews to “flee” in record numbers. As USA Today reported in September: “The number of French Jews immigrating to Israel rose from 1,900 in 2011 to nearly 8,000 last year, said Jacques Canet, president of La Victoire, the great synagogue of Paris. He said the country’s 500,000 to 600,000 French Jews — the third largest Jewish population in the world — “feel threatened.” “Increasingly, Jews in Paris, Marseilles, Toulouse, Sarcelles feel they can’t safely wear a kippah (yarmulke, or skull cap) outside their homes or send their children to public schools, where Muslim children bully Jewish children,” Canet said. A poll by the French Institute of Public Opinion in January showed 43% of France’s Jewish Community are considering a move to Israel, and 51% said they have “been threatened” because they are Jewish. Under current federal policy, Pew projects that the number of Muslims in America will outnumber Jews by 2040– however, as projections based on DHS data have suggested, under a President Hillary Clinton, that date could likely come much sooner.He pointed to Chesapeake Energy, a natural gas producer that he owns in his CGM Focus mutual fund. In July, Chesapeake traded for $63 a share. On Friday, it fell as low as $11.99. He says that investors with a stomach for risk and a long time horizon should consider following Warren E. Buffett, who in the last three weeks has invested $8 billion in Goldman Sachs and General Electric. Mr. Heebner expects world economies to contract over the next year. But he said the market plunge in the last week was no longer being driven by rational analysis. Stocks are probably falling because of a combination of panic and forced selling by hedge funds that must meet margin calls from their lenders, he said. Mr. Heebner’s funds have not avoided the carnage this year. The CGM Focus fund is down about 42 percent so far in 2008. But his long-term track record is impressive. In the decade that ended Dec. 31, 2007, CGM Focus rose 26 percent a year, including reinvested dividends, making it among the best-performing mutual funds. Mr. Heebner is not alone in his optimism. “I think in years to come — I wouldn’t say months to come — we will perceive this as being a great value-buying opportunity,” said David P. Stowell, a finance professor at Northwestern and a former managing director at JPMorgan Chase. “Two and three years from now, it will seem very smart.” Photo Even before their jaw-dropping plunge of the last month, stocks were not expensive by historical standards, based on fundamentals like earnings and cash flow. Now, after falling 30 percent or more since early September, stocks in stalwart, profitable corporations like Nokia, Exxon Mobil and Boeing are trading at nine times their annual profits per share or less. Many smaller companies are even cheaper. Some of those stocks are trading at five times earnings or less. Those ratios are historically low. Over all, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index is trading at about 13 times its expected profits for 2009, its lowest level in decades. In contrast, at the height of the technology bubble in early 2000, the stocks in the S.& P. traded at about 30 times earnings, the highest level ever. At the same time, the 10-year Treasury bond paid about 6 percent interest, compared with less than 4 percent today. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Investors have fled stocks in favor of government bonds, insured bank deposits and other low-risk investments because they are deeply afraid of the worldwide economic crisis, said Stephen Haber, an economic historian and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. But he said he believed that fear might have gone too far. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. “If there is good and wise policy, and government moves effectively, this need not play itself out in ways like the Great Depression, which is the image that is playing itself out in people’s mind,” Mr. Haber said. Government action typically does not work immediately, and banking crises around the world often require multiple interventions, he said. Still, optimists remain in the minority on Wall Street. Most investors seem to believe that the credit crisis will do substantial damage to stocks and overall economic activity. “We have never before seen for such sustained periods of time such a sustained turn away from risk taking,” said Steven Wieting, the chief United States economist for Citigroup. “This has broken out of the boundaries we’ve seen.” Economic activity appears to have slowed sharply in September, Mr. Wieting said. The panic last week took the biggest toll on financial companies, as well as companies that are highly leveraged. But stocks fell 10 to 30 percent even for companies typically thought to be resistant to economic downturns, like the manufacturers of consumer staples. For example, Newell Rubbermaid fell to $12.82 on Friday from $17.34 on Oct. 1, a 26 percent decline in 10 days. Newell Rubbermaid now trades at its lowest levels since 1990, and just eight times its expected earnings for next year. Yet Newell Rubbermaid, whose brands include Calphalon, is profitable and insulated from the credit crisis, said William G. Schmitz Jr., who follows household products companies for Deutsche Bank. “There’s really no balance sheet risk,” Mr. Schmitz said. The company also pays a 6 percent dividend. Newell Rubbermaid said in July that it would earn $1.40 to $1.60 a share for 2008, excluding restructuring charges. For 2009, stock analysts predict it will make $1.53 a share. And while a slowing economy may mean that people will be buying fewer products from Newell Rubbermaid, the recent plunge in oil prices will reduce its costs, Mr. Schmitz said. “The way the stock’s reacted, you’d think they were going out of business,” he said. Martin J. Whitman, a professional investor for more than 50 years, said that as long as economies worldwide could avoid an outright depression, stocks were amazingly cheap. Mr. Whitman manages the $6 billion Third Avenue Value fund, which returned 10.2 percent annually for the 15 years that ended Sept. 30, almost two percentage points a year better than the S.& P. 500 index. The fund is down 46 percent this year. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Mr. Whitman said. “The most important securities are being given away.”Archbishop: Marriage Equality Was Satan's Creation Not only same-sex marriage but gay sex, abortion, birth control, and pornography are all works of Satan, says one Catholic leader. The Roman Catholic archbishop of Minneapolis-St. Paul says marriage equality is a concept that came straight from Satan. Archbishop John Nienstedt urged Minnesota's Catholics to reject marriage equality laws, but the state rejected a ballot measure for a marriage ban last November, and then the governor approved a bill to establish legal marriage rights for same-sex couples earlier this year. As the state started issuing marriage licenses to couples August 1, Nienstedt wrote in Legatus Magazine that the traditional family is now under attack. "Today many evil forces have set their sights on the dissolution of marriage and the debasing of family life," he wrote. "Sodomy, abortion, contraception, pornography, the redefinition of marriage, and the denial of objective truth are just some of the forces threatening the stability of our civilization. The source of these machinations is none other than the Father of Lies. Satan knows all too well the value that the family contributes to the fabric of a good solid society, as well as the future of God’s work on earth." According to The New Civil Rights Movement, Bob Shine and Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry said Nienstedt's "shrill rhetoric on marriage has not only been largely ineffective in preventing marriage equality laws, but it is also seen to be pastorally harmful. What bishops don’t seem to realize is that many of their church members sincerely and conscientiously support marriage equality."Jürgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool did not need to suffer the disappointment of League Cup final defeat last season to strengthen their desire to claim the trophy this year. But the German believes the collective experience of that journey to Wembley Stadium could be helpful to his team as they aim go one better this time around. Back in February, the Reds suffered heartbreak in the competition's showpiece fixture, losing out to Manchester City in a penalty shootout after the sides played out a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. Having taken steps toward atoning for that loss by overcoming Burton Albion and Derby County so far this term, Klopp's team face a tricky fourth-round fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Tuesday. But the boss says it is the desire to lift a trophy, rather than memories of cup final defeat, that will serve as the prime motivation for his players. Watch the boss' pre-Spurs press conference in full "We decided directly after the game against City that we should try again. That’s all," he told reporters at his pre-match media briefing. "It would be a sign, a little bit of a negative sign, if you need to lose a final to want to win it next year. "It’s a very, very interesting tournament, a very big cup tournament, and that's the reason why we want to go to the final. "When we are in the final next time we want to win it, of course, and nobody should be worried about this. "I did not know anything about the final before, it's not too easy to see these finals in Germany. "When I was there, [I saw] it's a real final, that's really good. It was a great experience for all of us, it was close, it was a good game, so everything was like it should be apart from the result." Liverpool and Spurs played out an entertaining 1-1 draw when the sides met at White Hart Lane in the Premier League back in August. Klopp expects a similarly tight affair tomorrow, and urged the home support to tip the balance in his team's favour by creating another memorable atmosphere. "They are still good. Good in defending, good in attacking, not a lot of weaknesses," he added. "It will be close but that's no problem, it makes it exciting. "It’s again, what I said after the [West Brom] game about the atmosphere, I think everybody who was there thought something was different today. "We are not four, five, six nil in the lead but the atmosphere was really fantastic and that’s what we have to try to create again. "All the other teams will make as many problems for us as possible but being really in the game as a team and a crowd that’s the thing we can still improve. "Creating a real Liverpool atmosphere more often, or always, that’s the challenge for all of us. I'm really looking forward to the game. "It's another game at Anfield, it is still fantastic to play there, and against a strong opponent it's the best thing you could wish."David De Gea is vying with Iker Casillas to be Spain's No. 1. David De Gea's Manchester United future looks set to hinge on whether he starts for Spain at Euro 2016, with sources telling ESPN FC that the Old Trafford club are confident of keeping the goalkeeper if he gets Vicente del Bosque's No. 1 spot. De Gea's supreme United form has led to calls in Spain for him to start, but Del Bosque has remained loyal to Porto's Iker Casillas. Real Madrid have a long-standing interest in the 25-year-old, and one reason he has been tempted to move to the Bernabeu -- other than his girlfriend preferring to live in Spain -- is because he feels it is necessary to get the status and visibility to finally usurp Casillas. Sources have told ESPN FC that United believe he would be satisfied to stay at Old Trafford if he becomes first choice before then -- thereby proving he does not need to leave -- as they brace themselves for renewed interest from Real. Madrid are facing a transfer ban from FIFA, but there is full confidence among the hierarchy that their appeal will be successful, allowing them to sign players in the summer -- and attempt to buy De Gea again. Real almost signed the goalkeeper in the summer only for a problem to arise with the paperwork and it to fall through, but sources have told ESPN FC they plan to resurrect their interest in the summer. Casillas's record and illustrious past have meant he remains Spain's No. 1 despite leaving Real Madrid for Porto last year, but the 34-year-old's performance level has continued to drop in Portugal, as he has made a series of errors. As such, the chances have grown that Del Bosque might rethink his decision to back Casillas ahead of Spain's European Championship defence this summer. ESPN FC has been told that could prove decisive in De Gea's future. De Gea signed a new four-year deal shortly after the last summer window closed and, although some see that as just an opportunity to secure the Premier League club a better price if he does go, he has recently spoken about wanting to stay in Manchester and become a club legend.Maryam Namazie, a political activist who frequently criticizes Islamism, received a graphic rape threat from a violent Muslim. Unfortunately, according to Facebook, the message didn’t violate any of their “specific community standards.” I have received a lot of hate mail over the years, but this is something extraordinary. His threat is clear and specific… and disturbing. So, be warned. This is violent and graphic, so keep that in mind. Namazie shared some screenshots from the conversation on Twitter to protest Facebook’s censorship policies. She pointed out that pages get shut down regularly because they criticize Islam, yet the company seems not to care about graphic threats. This is something I have experienced, as well, so I’m happy people are finally paying attention to this double standard. Ayatollah @facebook censors ex-Muslims criticising Islam/Islamism but rape threat against me? ‘Doesn’t violate community standards’ pic.twitter.com/Dkho20GhZL — Maryam Namazie (@MaryamNamazie) July 12, 2017 Most people commenting on Namazie’s Twitter thread were supportive, and many were surprised that Facebook could find this post appropriate and non-offensive. Some took the opportunity to critique the social network’s threat monitoring system. @fbsecurity reporting system is #Fakebook – so worried about numbers that they will overlook anything. — Ahad Ghanbary (@ahadx) July 13, 2017 Namazie is a political and secular activist like me, and I too have experienced similar problems with threats, but this issue with Facebook is something that affects everyone. I’ve reported hundreds of death threats to Facebook, and dozens to Twitter, and have never received a satisfactory conclusion. I’ve also been banned for posting nothing more than a quote from the Bible or the Qur’an. Crazy, isn’t it? One Twitter user even suggested Namazie could have grounds for a legal complaint. I don’t know if that’s the case, but if so, I’d be happy to join in on a class action. Looks like you have grounds for suing facebook for not taking down a threat against you, you should get legal advice. — Hank Chinanski (@bongobango555) July 12, 2017 All in all, I’m not surprised by all this. I am, however, disappointed in Facebook and horrified at the person who sent that message to Namazie. This is something that should never happen. Regardless of our religious preferences, we are all people and we all deserve to be treated with a certain amount of respect. No one should have to fear for their life because they spoke their thoughts, whether they are criticizing Islam or railing against the President. It’s Free Speech. Yours in Reason, David G. McAfee Support my work: https://www.patreon.com/DavidGMcAfeeTrouble with a Capital S, that Rhymes with Mess Here’s the HealthDay News headline: “Statin Use Tied to Eye, Kidney, Liver Troubles” And here’s the insane sub-head: “But heart-healthy benefits of the cholesterol drugs outweigh these risks, experts say” And I say those experts are little more than brainless parrots, screeching their memorized line: “Benefits outweigh the risks! Squawk!” Because here’s the reality: If cholesterol-lowering statin drugs provided every user with a 100 percent guarantee that they would never develop heart disease and never have a stroke or a heart attack, then and ONLY then would it make any sense to risk eye, kidney and liver troubles. Why? Because these “troubles” are life-changing health issues, and some could easily kill you. Now here’s how the HealthDay headline SHOULD have read: “Statins May Cause Cataracts.” In this new study that followed more than 2 million people for six years, researchers found that for every 10,000 women who were at high risk of heart disease and used statins, there were 271 fewer cases of heart disease. (It’s important to note that heart disease is a broad term that describes everything from mild arrhythmias to full-blown heart attacks. So we’re not even talking about a 3 percent reduction in cardiac arrest.) The study also found that among those same women, statin use was linked to more than 300 cases of cataracts. So, are you okay with your cataract risk increasing MORE than your heart disease risk falls? I realize you might answer yes to that question (I did at first). After all, cataracts don’t kill. But then factor in these other risks revealed in the study: liver dysfunction, muscle damage, and acute kidney failure. Yes sir, that’s an AMAZING drug! IF you’re at high risk of heart disease it lowers your risk less than 3 percent, while your risk increases for all these other problems that can severely cripple your health. What this new study didn’t catch–but other recent studies have–is that statin use also increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So again, you have to ask: Is lowering heart disease risk worth the increased risk of type 2 diabetes (a condition that, of course, RAISES heart disease risk)? And don’t forget the evidence that statins also increase risk of memory loss and cognitive dysfunction in older patients. Honestly, I want to shake these doctors and researchers and HealthDay headline writers and shout, “Can you even HEAR what you’re SAYING!?” This study was published last month in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), which also carried an editorial co-authored by Dr. Alawi A. Alsheikh-Ali who described the study findings as “reassuring.” He also told HealthDay: “The present analysis should not be used to scare off current statin users.” Well of COURSE NOT! Why in the world would you be scared off by cataracts, liver dysfunction, and acute kidney failure? It’s preposterous. What clear-thinking statin user could read these “reassuring” results and NOT be scared? To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Sources: “Unintended Effects of Statins in Men and Women in England and Wales: Population Based cohort Study Using the OResearch Database” BMJ online, 5/20/10, bmj.com “Statin Use Tied to Eye, Kidney, Liver Troubles” Steven Reinberg, HealthDay News, 5/20/10, healthday.com Get urgent health alerts, warnings and insights delivered straight to your inboxThe head of the Nova Scotia Bird Society says the public saved countless birds in Eastern Canada this summer by putting away bird feeders and curbing a deadly infection that continues to spread across the region. But it's still too early to put the feeders back up, says Dave Currie. The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative has received 105 reports of dead birds spanning Quebec to Newfoundland and Labrador. "I think that number is a small reflection of what actually happened," said the bird society's Currie. "I think the number of deaths were considerably higher than that." Birds unable to swallow It's believed the birds died of the avian parasite trichomoniasis. It attacks the throat, leaving birds unable to swallow. The parasite largely affects finches, who are social birds and pass it on through contaminated food and water. The sick birds look puffed up and lethargic. This summer, experts asked people to remove their bird feeders and bird baths to stop the spread. The avian parasite trichomoniasis largely affects finches. (Diane Poirier) While cases are still being reported, it's nothing like the initial outbreak earlier in the summer. "We may not ever know the exact value that happened," Currie said of the community efforts. "It's obvious that the number of calls that we got for dead and dying birds certainly didn't happen at the end of August when the disease was prevalent." 105 reported deaths The deaths are being monitored by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, which is tracking them through a map. The breakdown includes: 19 cases in Prince Edward Island. 31 deaths in New Brunswick. 39 reports in Nova Scotia. 9 cases in Quebec. 7 in Newfoundland and Labrador. Fiep de Bie, a wildlife technician for the CWHC, agrees that the 105 reports to the organization just scratches the surface of the number of birds that likely died this summer. Many more could have died in locations away from humans, or if they were spotted, people might not have realized the cause. Either way, she says the number is alarming. "It seemed to have started earlier than usual," said de Bie. "We got our first report at the end of June, and usually it will be in July, the end of July." The parasite naturally dies over the winter, so de Bie says the outbreak this year likely won't be an indication of what will happen next year. "I hope it's not a trend. Of course we're speculating, does it have anything to do with change of temperature, climate change? We really don't know the answer to that. We hope not, of course," she said. "The weather has been quite warm. And also this parasite survives in moist, warm weather." Keep bird feeders down Currie has received a number of calls recently from people wanting to know if it's safe to put their bird feeders out again. It's still too soon, he says. "It won't be until the temperatures get colder that we see a reduction in the number of transmissions from one infected bird to another." Trichomoniasis was first reported in the Atlantic provinces in 2007, and Currie believes it is here to stay. He says people need to start looking at bird feeding differently. Birds can find plenty of food on their own in the summer. It's only the winter when they could use help from humans, he says. "In the winter, the birds have some biological benefit to finding extra sources of food," Currie said. "Maybe we look at winter bird feeding like we used to years and years ago. It was usually the thing to do — just feed the birds in the winter, then take the feeders down and store them for the summer."Ebola Outbreak Kills At Least 14 In Uganda Enlarge this image toggle caption Cynthia Goldsmith/CDC Cynthia Goldsmith/CDC An outbreak of the Ebola virus has emerged in western Uganda. Twenty cases were reported by the World Health Organization yesterday. At least 14 people have died. The number of Ebola infections is expected to rise in the next few days, as more patients are admitted to hospitals. The outbreak began in a rural district of Uganda about 125 miles west of the Uganda capital, Kampala. WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have dispatched teams to the region to investigate and help contain the outbreak. Physicians from Doctors Without Borders are also helping to set up quarantine centers. The Wall Street Journal reports one infected person was transferred to a hospital in Kamapala, raising fears that the virus has spread to the capital city. But the WHO said today on its Twitter account, "No infections occurred in Kampala." CDC spokesman Tom Skinner told CNN yesterday that "these outbreaks have a tendency to stamp themselves out, if you will, if we can get in and...stop the chain of transmission." Nevertheless, in a state broadcast this morning, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged people to avoid touching each other, the BBC reports. Ebola spreads by direct contact with bodily fluids, such as saliva and blood. Uganda has suffered through three major outbreaks of Ebola in the past 12 years, including one that claimed 224 lives in 2000. Ebola, which is named after a small river in central Africa, is a deadly virus that causes sudden fever, muscle weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney problems. The death rate from Ebola depends on the specific strain of the virus, but it has ranged between about 30 to 50 percent in Uganda. There is no cure or vaccine for Ebola.Stealthy and sophisticated, the new Blackjack Watch from Todd Snyder and Timex is inspired by a sporty 1970s style from the Timex archives, updated in a modern blackout palette. This edgy timepiece is an homage to the stylish drivers of Formula One in the 1960s and 70s. Nodding to speed dials and roulette wheels, the Blackjack evokes the noir glamour of fast cars, hot tires and midcentury Monaco casinos – all in a sleek New York style. “I’ve always been fascinated by Formula One and the history of the Grand Prix, especially the gritty elegance of retro race days and the swagger of the great drivers. When I found the vintage style that inspired this watch, with its bold, graphic design, I began thinking about motors and engines and dials – and the similarities between finely engineered timepieces and high performance racing machines. The Blackjack embodies all that in a modern blackout palette that speaks to our New York roots.” – Todd Snyder The Todd Snyder x Timex Blackjack Watch is available online exclusively at ToddSnyder.com. Todd Snyder + Timex: The Blackjack Watch from Todd Snyder on Vimeo. Share this: Facebook Twitter GoogleI read an article recently that said the UK could cut the cost of decarbonising its electricity supply by more than £3.5bn if it can create a grid-scale electricity storage system to balance the variable output of renewables. It is clear that the benefits – both carbon and economic – of non-base load generation through wind, solar or other intermittent renewables can be optimised if excess generation from these sources can be stored for later use. In the absence of such storage, any excess energy generated at any point in time will be wasted and the need for sufficient base load when the intermittent supplies are not working remains, suggesting that more capital will be spent on systems backing each other up than would be the case in the absence of intermittent supplies. The existence of significant interlinks with other major generation/transmission systems in Europe acts to some extent to even out supply and demand but as we increase the capacity of wind energy installations in particular there will come a time when such balancing will not work. Hence the need for some form of storage. The use of pumped storage linked to wind farms is an obvious potential match and several schemes have been mooted, looking to take advantage of the potential peak prices available to offset the cost of the capital required for the joint system. The fact that in this country to date none has reached financial close is indicative of the probable mismatch currently between the costs plus risks and the revenues. Probably also indicative of the historical mismatch in incentives between wind/solar and “conventional” sources of energy. Unless the policy aspects of incentives are resolved appropriately, storage – whether by pumped storage systems, compressed hydrogen, the Dutch energy train system or any other storage – will probably continue to lag renewables installation leading to a likely over investment compared to a nominal optimum.Wells Fargo just proved, again, that no scam is beneath America’s financial institutions. And no institution is above being watched by a federal agency. On Thursday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ― the watchdog group proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D. Mass.) in the aftermath of the financial crisis ― announced that Wells Fargo would pony up a total of $185 million for perpetrating a huge scam on its customers. Over at least the past five years, Wells Fargo employees created more than 1.5 million sham checking accounts and applied for 565,000 credit cards, using customer names and money. Customers were charged unnecessary fees, saw their credit scores fall or were simply confused when debit and credit cards they never asked for showed up in the mail. “Was the Great Financial Crisis so long ago that all chasteness and propriety are already out the window? This scam has been apparently going on for five years,” writes Josh Brown, a financial blogger. “These people are fearless.” We never take for granted the trust our customers have placed in us. Prominent display text in the Wells Fargo 2015 annual report The CFPB has come under intense criticism from Republicans, who say it’s a drag on business. Many ― including presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence ― have said they would like to see the agency abolished as part of their intended dismantling of the 2010 Dodd-Frank legislation passed to prevent another economic meltdown. But every time the agency exposes wrongdoing in consumer banking ― as it did on Thursday ― the CFPB offers a strong counterpoint to those arguments. The job of the CFPB, now headed by Richard Cordray, isn’t to regulate the hot new derivative investment banks are peddling to hedge funds. It’s to protect ordinary people from the kind of everyday scams that financial institutions have shown again and again that they will commit if no one is watching. The agency oversees a myriad of businesses like consumer banking, debt collection and payday loans that hundreds of millions of Americans use every day. It’s had an impact. Last year, the CFPB fined Citibank for illegal credit card practices after the bank was found to be charging customers for benefits they didn’t receive. It’s uncovered student loan fraud and financial products that take advantage of the elderly, and is looking to crack down on the payday loan industry. When people say I have identity theft protection through my bank. Who's watching the bank? https://t.co/rDpdGbbYuQ #IDTheft #WellsFargo — Ms. Lockett (@LegalLockett) September 9, 2016 Though it’s obviously a huge blow to the bank’s reputation, the Wells Fargo fraud wasn’t even that profitable ― scamming thousands and thousands of customers out of a total of $2.6 million in surprise fees over five years doesn’t provide much financial boost to a bank that made $86.1 billion in revenue and $22.9 billion in profit last year alone. The scam also wasn’t really that profitable to the rank-and-file employees who carried it out. Retail bank employees inhabit the lowest rung of the finance industry. They make an industry average of around $10 an hour, and turnover is incredibly high. The fine the CFPB levied in response to the fraud is the largest the agency has ever imposed. The remaining millions will go to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the city and county of Los Angeles, which helped to uncover the scam. The bank also must refund all fees to customers ― about $2.6 million ― including overdraft charges and penalties for falling below minimum balances on sham accounts. The bank wouldn’t say if any senior executives were leaving the organization in response to
generation and in the next [7,8]. Cumulative evidence shows how maternal exposure to immune elicitors, and dead or living bacterial cells, leads to higher immunocompetence in the offspring [8–12]. For example, Moret et al. (2006) found increased immunity in the next generation after injecting adult mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) females with bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) [9]. Also, in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), Roth et al. (2009) showed that parental exposure to the Gram-positive soil-dwelling bacterium, Bacillus thurngiensis, could elicit strain-specific TGIP [10], while Freitak et al. (2009) found that feeding non-pathogenic bacteria to female cabbage loopers (Trichoplusia ni) during larval stage resulted in higher steady state immunity in the next generation [8]. In the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta), Adbel-latief & Hilker (2008) demonstrated that the embryonic immune system is up-regulated after injection of immune elicitors into eggs [13]. Finally, Hernandez-Lopez et al. (2014) showed that injecting honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens with dead Paenibacillus larvae (bacterium responsible for the American foulbrood disease) leads to higher resistance against this pathogen in the offspring [14]. These findings have created a central dilemma in immunological physiology regarding how immune priming can be mediated by mechanisms other than antibodies. Innate and adaptive immune responses are triggered by pathogen-associated molecular patterns, or immune elicitors. Immune elicitors are present on the cell walls of bacteria and fungi [1]. TGIP appears to be mediated by fragments of such pathogenic microorganisms, which can be transferred from insect midgut lumen to the hemocoel [2]. In the hemocoel, fragments are transferred and incorporated into fat body, a tissue that is functionally homologous to liver and white adipose tissue in vertebrates. Eventually, fragments are detected in developing eggs [2]. These findings suggest that microbial fragments are transferred from mother to offspring, carrying specific immune elicitors to mediate appropriate immune responses. However, it has remained unknown exactly how the immune elicitors can enter insect eggs. The ability to utilize TGIP mechanisms can be of considerable economic importance. Industries that rely on beneficial invertebrates can develop methods of prevention against contagious diseases, whereas industries dealing with pest control can instead induce reduced TGIP. One invertebrate that can benefit from a commercial utilization of TGIP is the honey bee, Apis mellifera. The honey bee is an ecologically and economically important pollinator of many wild plants as well as cash crops. At the same time, it is susceptible to many diseases, and thus like many other important pollinators, is in global population decline. Since TGIP was recently confirmed in the honey bee system, i.e. in response to the pathogen responsible for American foulbrood disease, we here combined biochemistry and histology to trace the fate of the immune elicitors during insect egg development under threat of pathogens. We hypothesized that TGIP is mediated by a protein that plays roles both in egg-yolk formation and immunity–vitellogenin (Vg). Vg is a yolk precursor as well as a pathogen pattern recognition receptor [15]. It is a nutritious lipoprotein synthesized by the fat body or vertebrate liver, secreted to the hemolymph/blood and taken up by nurse cells and eggs by receptor-mediated endocytosis [7]. Vg concentration varies between the members of the honey bee colony, from almost undetectable to 40% of the total hemolymph protein fraction in the functionally sterile helper females, called workers—and it constitutes up to 70% of the hemolymph protein fraction in the egg-laying queens [16]. In fish, Vg binds to LPS of Gram-negative bacteria, to peptidoglycan (PG, a major constituent of the cell-wall of Gram-positive bacteria), and to surface glucan of fungi [17]. These immunological properties of Vg are little explored in species other than fish. Here, we reveal how honey bee Vg has similar immunological binding properties, and, for the first time, demonstrate how the bound immune elicitors can enter eggs via Vg uptake to the ovary. These results suggest a central role for Vg in TGIP. Discussion We establish here a previously undescribed role for the major egg-yolk precursor protein Vg as the carrier of immune elicitors from mother to eggs in insects. Using the honey bee as a model, we first confirm that Vg binds to different types of bacteria, both P. larvae, a Gram-positive pathogen that infects and kills honey bee larvae, and to E. coli that represents Gram-negative bacteria. This binding could not be mimicked by BSA. Next, we verify that Vg binds to pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Finally, we document that Vg is required for the transport of fluorescently labeled cell wall pieces of E. coli into developing eggs in ovaries. These experiments show for the first time that Vg serves as a carrier of immune-priming signals. This finding provides a new molecular mechanism behind trans-generational immunity in oviparous species. Although not conclusive, our bacteria western blot with stronger Vg binding to P. larvae than E. coli and surface plasmon resonance data with stronger PG binding response compared to LPS hint that Vg might have a binding preference to Gram-positive bacteria. This could be an adaptation to the major bacterial threats of the honey bee larvae: P. larvae, as well as Melissococcus plutonius which causes European foulbrood disease. These pathogens are both Gram-positive bacteria. Several human lipoproteins bind to a broad range of hydrophobic inflammatory molecules including bacterial surface structures and remnants of necrotic cells in an anti-inflammatory manner [18,19]. Based on our current and previous data, we propose that the insect lipoprotein Vg shares a similarly broad binding range. We previously found that honey bee Vg binds strongly to phosphatidylserine containing liposomes, to blebs of apoptotic insect cells and to necrotic cells packed with phosphatidylserine, while having modest binding capability to healthy insect cell membrane or liposomes with neutral phosphatidylcholine [20]. The negative charge of phosphatidylserine may explain the selectivity of Vg binding between lipids, as Vg α-helical part seems to have higher affinity towards negatively charged damaged cell membranes [20]. We speculate that the combination of negative charge and hydrophobicity can provoke Vg binding to the bacterial PG and LPS signature molecules as well. Vg participation in TGIP can represent a co-option of the protein’s dual role in fecundity and immunity [21]. The gene (vitellogenin) experiences rapid evolution in the honey bee [22], it is present in different copy numbers in different insect species [23], and has several homologous genes in some insects [24]. Mutation hotspots are found within the honey bee vitellogenin sequence, and the multiple alleles are under ongoing positive selection in Africa, East- and West-Europe. By analogy to vertebrate adaptive immunity [15,25,26], certain Vg variants could be more sensitive to specific pathogen recognition. Vitellogenin alleles in at least some insects may thus evolve under local pathogen pressure. We speculate that changes in pathogen pressure over time and in different environments are reflected in these interesting patterns of vitellogenin evolution. Examining the roles of Vg in invertebrate TGIP can open up entirely new areas in immunology. Immune responses can be very specific and induced by pathogen associated molecular markers present on the cell walls of microorganisms (PG, LPS, surface glucans). TGIP can occur and disappear very rapidly, is often maternally transmitted and shows pathogen specificity. The new discovery of a Vg-mediated transfer-mechanism, as described here, would be consistent with all these observations. For Vg-mediated TGIP to occur, the mother must be exposed to a certain amount of pathogenic cell wall fragments during or immediately prior to reproduction. Bacteria are actively lysed in the gut lumen by the digestive system, as well as in the hemolymph by the immune system. Once in the hemolymph, the immune elicitors are available for binding to Vg and for transfer to the developing eggs in the ovary. This route would allow a mother to prime her offspring against the specific infections present in her current environment. When the environment becomes pathogen-free and infection has cleared from the adult female, no transfer to her eggs would take place. In this manner, the cost of resistance to infections in offspring would be avoided. We propose that Vg-mediated TGIP can allow for efficient, specific and environmental-dependent immune priming in insects. However, this mechanism does not rule out that other mechanisms also participate in TGIP. These can include paternal TGIP, other molecules transported by mothers or epigenetic modifications [27,28]. In this context, it is interesting to note that male insects also produce Vg, and that Vg can be found in their seminal fluids [29]. Vg-mediated transfer of pathogenically inactive bacterial fragments could provide a platform for the development of vaccines for beneficial insects. For example, pollinator-oriented medical genetics could aim to identify the most TGIP efficient vitellogenin alleles to improve honey bee colony survival. The reproductive female, the queen honey bee, is typically shielded from harsh environmental conditions and infection. However, her environment is never sterile. Exposure can occur by direct contact or by contaminated food, and honey bee queens are likely to experience some levels of pathogen load [30–32]. Conversely, knowledge about Vg-mediated TGIP can also open the door for modifying or hijacking TGIP in pest insect species. For example, TGIP may be impaired by chemically modifying the binding properties of Vg. Alternatively, TGIP could be exploited to trigger a reaction against the pathogenic insect’s symbionts, or to put the immune system in overdrive—increasing the cost of immunity and reducing investment in reproduction. In sum, such applications could be highly beneficial in agriculture. It remains to be tested whether Vg-mediated transfer of immune elicitors occurs in egg-laying vertebrates. If yes, then the vertebrate lineage would have retained an ancient TGIP mechanism in addition to their evolutionary innovation of transfer of antibodies. Materials and Methods 1. Western blot with live P. larvae and E. coli Wintertime worker honey bee hemolymph (hl) and fat body protein extract (fb) are rich in Vg, and were used for testing Vg-binding to bacteria, adapted from the fish Vg experiment by Tong et al. [17] using an antibody that detects honey bee Vg. For cell-free hl and fb sampling, see Havukainen et al. [33]. The experiment was performed at room temperature, centrifugation steps were 3,000 g for 5 min, and wash volume was 0.5 ml of PBS, if not mentioned otherwise. P. larvae (strain 9820 purchased from Belgian Co-ordinated Collections of Micro-organisms, Gent, Belgium) grown on MYPGP agar plates for 7 days and Epicurian Gold E. coli grown in LB medium liquid culture overnight were washed and suspended in 100 μl PBS per sample. The bacteria suspensions (~1.3 x 108 cells/ml) were mixed with either an equal volume of hemolymph diluted 1/10 in PBS with a protease inhibitor cocktail (Roche, Penzberg, Germany) or with fat body protein extract (5.7 mg/ml total protein in PBS with the protease inhibitors). The following negative controls were used: 1) 100 μl P.larvae and E. coli with an equal volume of PBS but no hl/fb, to detect possible unspecific antibody binding to the bacteria, 2) 100 μl fb with an equal volume of PBS, but no bacteria, to detect possible Vg aggregation, and 3) 100 μl P.larvae and E. coli treated with 100 μl 5 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA; control protein). As untreated controls, we kept on ice 0.1 μl of hl, 0.5 μl of fb extract, and 1 μl of BSA. The samples were incubated at 26°C for 50 min under agitation for Vg-bacteria binding to occur. The bacteria were washed six times. The final pellet was resuspended in 10 μl of 4 M urea in PBS, agitated for 15 min and centrifuged. The samples were blotted on a nitrocellulose membrane according to a standard horse-radish peroxidase conjugate protocol with the Vg antibody tested before [33,34] (dilution 1:25,000; Pacific Immunology, Ramona, CA, USA), or a commercial BSA antibody (1:2000; Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA, USA). The bands were visualized using Immune-Star kit and ChemiDoc XRS+ imager. All blotting reagents were purchased from Bio-Rad (Hercules, CA, USA). 2. Microscopy of P. larvae and E. coli Vg-binding to bacteria was further tested by fluorescence microscopy. The incubation with hl was as above, except hl and bacteria volumes were both 20 μl and the number of bacterial cells was ~3 x 106. All centrifugation steps were 10,000 g, +4°C, 5 min and PBS-T wash volumes were 1 ml. After hl incubation with the bacteria, the bacteria were washed and fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for 10 min in room temperature. The cells were washed twice and blocked with 5% milk in PBS-T for 30 min in room temperature and washed again. Vg primary antibody (same as above) was used 1:50 in PBS-T and 1% milk for overnight incubation at +4°C. The samples were washed twice and incubated with Alexa fluor 488 nm anti-rabbit antibody, 1:50, for 1 h in room temperature in dark and washed three times. DNA was stained with standard propidium iodide (PI) protocol (Invitrogen). The bacteria were mounted with glycerol and imaged with Zeiss Axio Imager M2, excitations 499 nm and 536 nm, and emissions 519 nm and 617 nm. The primary antibody was omitted in the treatment of the secondary antibody control samples. 3. Surface plasmon resonance with LPS, PG and zymosan Vg was purified from honey bee hemolymph with ion-exchange chromatography as described before [20,34]. Biacore T200 instrument (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, USA) and buffers from the manufacturer were used. The analytes were bought from Sigma Aldrich: PG from S. aureus #77140, LPS from E. coli #L2630 and zymosan from S. cerevisiae #Z4250. 30 μl/ml Vg in 10 mM acetate buffer pH 4.5 was immobilized on a CM5 chip—primed and conditioned according to the manufacturer’s instructions—until the response reached 5150 RU. The chip was blocked using ethanolamine. The analytes were suspended in the running buffer (0.1 M HEPES, 1.5 M NaCl and 0.5% v/v surfactant P20) and heated at 90°C for 30 min with repeated vigorous vortexing, followed by spinning in a table centrifuge for 20 min. Zymosan was heated for an additional 30 min at 95°C before centrifugation. PG and zymosan form a fine suspension in water solutions, and they formed a pellet during the centrifugation; their concentrations are given here as the weight added to the volume. The analytes were run with 120 s contact time and 600 s dissociation time with a 30 μl/min flow rate at 25°C. The analytes flowing in a separate channel on a naked chip was used as a blank, whose value was subtracted from the sample. After optimizing the binding-range, the following concentrations were measured. PG: 0, 0.25, 0.5, 2, 3, 5 mg/ml; LPS: 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.9, 1.8, 3 mg/ml, and zymosan: 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 mg/ml. PG and LPS binding did not reach binding saturation, yet, we did not exceed 5 mg/ml or 3 mg/ml concentration, respectively, to avoid analyte aggregation (see the manufacturer’s information and references therein for work concentrations). 4. Microscopy of queen ovaries Six one year old A. mellifera ligustica queens were anesthetized on ice. Their ovaries were dissected and washed in ice cold PBS. One of the paired ovaries per queen was then placed in control solution (50 μl PBS containing 2 mg/ml Texas Red labeled E. coli Bioparticles; Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA, USA) and the other ovary was placed in the same solution that contained, in addition, 0.5 mg/ml Vg purified from honey bee hemolymph [20,33]. The ovaries were incubated at 28ºC for 2 h under agitation. Next, the ovaries were washed twice in 1 ml ice cold PBS for 5 min under agitation. Samples of two queens were directly mounted using Fluoromount (Sigma) and observed by bright field and fluorescence (excitation 595 nm, emission 615 nm) microscopy (Axio Imager M2, Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen, Germany). One additional untreated control queen was imaged for detection of the autofluorescent pedical area of the ovary. The remaining four queens were embedded in Tissue-Tek (Sakura Finetek, Torrance, CA, USA) and stored in -80ºC. These ovaries were cut in 17 mm sections at -20ºC, and imaged immediately after mounting. The microscopy settings were kept constant during imaging. To test whether hemolymph proteins could trigger the uptake of immune elicitors even in the absence of Vg, we modified the experimental setup to include hemolymph proteins other than Vg, the majority of which are apolipophorin and hexamerins, both known to bind to immune elicitors [35]. The other hemolymph proteins were obtained by running ion-exchange chromatography on honey bee hemolymph and dividing the collected hemolymph fractions into Vg and non-Vg proteins (S1 Fig) [20,33]. Remaining small molecular weight hemolymph molecules, such as possible peptides and hormones, were removed during protein concentration using centrifugal filters with 50 kDa cutoff with both Vg and non-Vg fractions (Millipore, Billerica, MA, USA). Fractions containing both Vg and other hemolymph proteins were discarded. The Vg and the non-Vg proteins had a final concentration of 0.5 mg/ml in the experiment. The queens were as above. The setup was as follows (all incubations contained the E. coli Bioparticles 1.5 mg/ml): one ovary was incubated with Vg and the other ovary with control solution (see above) (N = 3); one with Vg and the other with non-Vg hemolymph proteins (N = 3), and one ovary with non-Vg hemolymph proteins and the other with control solution (N = 2). The cryo-section imaging was done as above. Supporting Information S1 Fig. Chromatographic fractioning of honey bee hemolymph to Vg and other proteins. S = size standard. (A) An SDS-PAGE gel with a honey bee hemolymph sample used for protein fractioning. The major proteins are (in size order) apolipophorin, vitellogenin and hexamerins. (B) Pure vitellogenin and other hemolymph proteins produced by ion-exchange chromatography. The faint ~150 and ~40 kDa bands in the pure vitellogenin fraction are the previously mass-spectrometrically verified vitellogenin fragmentation products [33]. (C) Hemolymph fractioning chromatogram. The X-axis shows the time with 0.5 ml/min flow rate, and the Y-axis shows the percentage of 0.45 M NaCl phosphate buffer. The fraction collected as pure Vg is highlighted grey. The other protein fraction collected is indicated below the X-axis. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1005015.s001 (JPG) Acknowledgments We thank Prof. Liselotte Sundström at the Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Finland, for kind support laboratory and writing wise. We thank MSc Eugen Pohoata for his great help with optimizing the E. coli imaging conditions, and D. Page Baluch for expert imaging support (Arizona State University, USA), and Prof. Oyvind Halskau and Ole Horvli for support with the Biacore instrument (University of Bergen, Norway). We thank Claus Kreibich and the Finnish Beekeepers’ Association and, in particular, Ari Seppälä for help with the queen samples. Thanks to beekeeper Eero Hänninen for providing honey bee test samples. For fruitful discussions, we want to thank Prof. Ingemar Fries and his group at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden, and Prof. Robin Moritz and Dr. Silvio Erler at Martin Luther University, Germany, as well as Dr. Daniel Münch at Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway. Author Contributions Conceived and designed the experiments: HS GVA DF. Performed the experiments: HS DF. Analyzed the data: HS DF. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: HS GVA DF. Wrote the paper: HS GVA DF.Image caption Thousands of small regions of DNA influence the way facial features develop Scientists are starting to understand why one person's face can look so different from another's. Working on mice, researchers have identified thousands of small regions of DNA that influence the way facial features develop. The study also shows that tweaks to genetic material can subtly alter face shape. The findings, published in Science, could also help researchers to learn how facial birth defects arise. The researchers said that although the work was carried out on animals, the human face was likely to develop in the same way. Professor Axel Visel, from the Joint Genome Institute at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, told BBC News: "We're trying to find out how these instructions for building the human face are embedded in human DNA. "Somewhere in there there must be that blueprint that defines what our face looks like." Switch off The international team has found more than 4,000 "enhancers" in the mouse genome that appear to play a role in facial appearance. These short stretches of DNA act like switches, turning genes on and off. And for 200 of these, the researchers have identified how and where they work in developing mice. Prof Visel said: "In the mouse embryos we can see where exactly, as the face develops, this switch turns on the gene that it controls." Image caption Transgenic mice revealed how genes affected the face during development The scientists also looked at what happened when three of these genetic switches were removed from mice. "These mice looked pretty normal, but it is really hard for humans to see differences in the face of mice," explained Prof Visel. "The way we can get around this is to use CT scans to study the shapes of the skulls of these mice. We take them and scan their heads. then we can measure the shape of the skull of these mice and we can do this in a very precise way." By comparing the transgenic mice with unmodified mice, the researchers found that the changes were very subtle. However some mice developed longer or shorter skulls, while others have wider or narrower faces. "What this really tells us is that this particular switch also plays a role in development of the skull and can affect what exactly the skull looks like," he explained. Designer babies? Understanding this could also help to reveal why and how things can go wrong as embryos develop in the womb, leading to facial birth defects. Prof Visel said: "There are many kinds of craniofacial birth defects; cleft of the lip and palate are the most common ones. "And they have severe implications for the kids that are affected. They affect feeding, speech, breathing, they can require extensive surgery and they have psychological implications." While some of these are caused by genetic mutations, the researchers want to understand how the genetic switches interact. Professor Visel added that scientists were just at the beginning of understanding the processes that shape the face, but their early results suggested it was an extremely complex process. He said it was unlikely in the near future that DNA could be used to predict someone's exact appearance, or that parents could alter genetic material to change the way a baby looks.NBN construction boss resigns Updated The head of construction at NBN Co, the government-owned enterprise building the $36 billion National Broadband Network by 2020, has resigned. Patrick Flannigan had been in charge of implementing the most expensive part the company's vast mission: laying a network of fibre optic cables to deliver broadband speeds of 100 megabits per second to 93 per cent of Australians. The country's telecommunications industry was shocked to learn late last week that NBN Co had written to 14 construction firms announcing that after five months of negotiations, the NBN's lucrative tendering process was indefinitely suspended. Hinting the firms were seeking to "price gouge" the project, the NBN's head of corporate services Kevin Brown said all the received quotes were overpriced in the "double digits". Now in the latest blow to NBN Co's efforts to deliver the project on time and on budget, the company's experienced head of construction, Mr Flannigan, tendered his resignation yesterday. Mr Flannigan managed the construction of the NBN's first release sites in Tasmania. Topics: internet-culture, government-and-politics, federal-government, programs-and-initiatives, information-and-communication, science-and-technology, internet-technology, australia, tas First postedStuart chats to the snooker champion, weird music enthusiast and devoted record collector Steve Davis over a game of snooker. Steve's self-styled boring image as a straight-laced snooker star in the 1980s has been smashed apart by his love for far-out and freaky sounds. An increasing number of people are finding out about his love of the left-field from French progressive band Magma to Berlin techno of Surgeon and the American jazz-funk greats Steve comes out as the freak that he truly is. Now retired from the game, Stuart asks Steve about his burgeoning music career, his own radio show on a community station in Essex and DJing in front of thousands at the Bloc weekend. As BBC Music supports Record Store Day this weekend Steve shares his passion for vinyl and how the staff in record shops have had a big part to play in his diverse and beloved collection. Show lessAdd skinny-dipping legend to Jane Fonda‘s resume. During an appearance on Ellen on Monday, Fonda, 78, revealed not one, but two epic skinny-dipping stories. “Of course,” she responded when Ellen DeGeneres asked if she’d swam nude with Michael Jackson. “Here’s how it happened; he was visiting me when we were shooting On Golden Pond and I had a little cabin on the lake. “He stayed with me for about eight days and one night it was a full moon and he said lets go swimming. It was his idea!” Fonda continues, detailing how the King of Pop hadn’t brought a bathing suit so the pair grabbed robes and went to the lake where they jumped in. But Jackson isn’t the only worldwide star Fonda skinny-dipped with. Telling her story about the “Thriller” singer, the Grace and Frankie star also shared that she’s probably the only person in the world who can say she’s done that with Jackson and Greta Garbo. “I was about 16 and my father had rented a house in the South of France,” Fonda told the talk show host, explaining that her stepmother was social and always had celebrities over the house. “Then one day Garbo came and she said ‘You wanna go swimming?’ She came out with a robe and one of those serious, white, rubber caps and dove in.” Talk about a bucket list.Atlanta Hawks guard Kent Bazemore responded to Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank's recent comments to CNBC that President Donald Trump is an “asset” to the country, Bazemore discussed with Sporting News. “That's kind of what my thoughts were when he won the presidency,” Bazemore said. “Have a businessman in office, because that's the way the world's trending. Even in the NBA, there's more business and entrepreneurship in athletics these days. And I'm living proof you take care of your brand, good things happen to you... We've been living some stuff that's been written for 200-300 years. The world has changed. The world has gotten a little smarter. It's good that we have somebody that's hip in that aspect to try to change it.” • Olajuwon Refuses To Be Shaken By Trump’s Muslim Ban Bazemore is one of the key athletes that helped convince Stephen Curry to sign with Under Armour. Stephen Curry has a different reaction spoke out in support of Under Armour as a company but also called President Trump an a-- in an interview with the Mercury News. Under Armour released a statement clarifying the company's position on Wednesday morning.Image copyright AP Image caption The Short family - seen here in 2014 - were featured in local news reports after Willow's (centre) heart transplant A Pennsylvania couple, who struggled to find medication after their young daughter received a heart transplant, have been found dead along with their children in an apparent murder suicide. Mark and Megan Short and their children, aged 8, 5 and 2, died of gunshot wounds, police said. Police called the deaths a "tragic domestic incident." The family was featured in news reports after Willow Short, then an infant, received a heart transplant in 2014. Since then, the Shorts had trouble obtaining Willow's medication on time. The drugs that prevented Willow's body from rejecting her new heart are subject to strict rules, which often complicated their delivery. The hurdles the family faced were detailed in a New York Times article. Megan Short wrote in a blog that she suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) amid Willow's difficult treatments. "I don't think PTSD ever truly goes away but, with therapy, medication, and the right support, I have begun to loosen its grip on me," she wrote. "As I work on my own mental healing, I wanted to share my experience so that other heart parents know they are not alone." Neighbours told the Reading Eagle that the couple had been heard arguing and Megan Short planned to leave her husband. Authorities said they found a "murder-suicide" note and one of the adults was found with a handgun.President Obama has declared that access to the world of information, via the Internet, should be considered a basic human right. This is, of course, something you’d expect me to agree with. In The Transparent Society, I made a case for such openness based on multiple levels: 1. It is morally and ethically imperative. 2. It is the best way to achieve justice. 3. Our basic societal “organs”—including fair markets, democracy, science, and even art—function better when all players can make decisions based upon full knowledge. 4. It creates a situation in which Enlightenment Civilization will ultimately “win.” Now, we’re being a bit redundant here, since desiderata 1, 2 & 3 are only positive things from the viewpoint of people who are members of an Enlightenment Civilization. These traits are not orthogonal. Even the way I know some of you reacted to point number 4—by frowning over my chosen words, my notion of one civilization “winning” against its competitors—even that reaction is itself a trait of having been raised in the Enlightenment’s modern liberal societies. Few cultures ever saw moral fault in hoping for their own success, at the expense of others. Survival was a zero-sum game, until the Enlightenment discovered positive sum virtues. The ultimate irony is that, in order for positive-sum thinking to prevail in the future world of our children - and for diversity to reign in peace—the overall worldview of enlightenment values (values that appreciate diversity) will have to “win” in the most general sense. Freedom, and especially the freedom to know and to speak that is embodied in the Internet, must prevail… and those forces that restrict freedom must fail. This is why the world’s despotic regimes reacted so negatively to President Obama’s assertion of a right to Internet access. They know that: A) open information flows, especially a secular trend toward more transparency worldwide, will be inherently lethal to their mode of rule, and; B) increases in light flowing over fully engaged enlightenment nations and their institutions only makes them stronger. Sure, some doses of light can be inconvenient to individual leaders, parties or clades. But the overall societies only get healthier. Let’s deal with each of these assertions. Transparency as an Openly Aggressive Weapon Against Despots We begin by quoting liberally from a recent article in Wired: When Hosni Mubarak shut down Egypt’s internet and cellphone communications, it seemed that all U.S. officials could do was ask him politely to change his mind. But the American military does have a second set of options, if it ever wants to force connectivity on a country against its ruler’s wishes. There’s just one wrinkle. “It could be considered an act of war,” says John Arquilla, a leading military futurist and a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. The U.S. military has no shortage of devices — many of them classified — that could restore connectivity to a restive populace cut off from the outside world by its rulers. It’s an attractive option for policymakers who want an option for future Egypts, between doing nothing and sending in the Marines. And it might give teeth to the Obama administration’s demand that foreign governments consider internet access an inviolable human right. Consider the Commando Solo, the Air Force airborne broadcasting center. A revamped cargo plane, the Commando Solo beams out psychological operations in AM and FM for radio, and UHF and VHF for TV. Arquilla doesn’t want to go into detail how the classified plane could get a denied internet up and running again, but if it flies over a bandwidth-denied area, suddenly your Wi-Fi bars will go back up to full strength. That leads to another possibility: “Just give people Thuraya satellite phones,” says John Pike of Globalsecurity.org. The cheapish phones hunt down signals from space hardware. I’ve been talking about this concept with John Arquilla and his colleagues for many years. Back in 2001—at the CIA and at several defense agencies—I described more than a dozen methods to cheaply spread key elements of an international civil society into closed or despotic nations, in ways almost guaranteed to create win-win situations and to corner tyrants, at little risk to ourselves. I cannot claim that the tools listed above originated with those speeches. (I get contradictory reports about that, and in the end it doesn’t matter.) Still, I am glad there’s been movement in the right direction. There are many other measures not listed in the Wired piece that can be effective across a wide range of circumstances. At one extreme—that of open but not-yet-violent hostility—calls for particular and peculiar aggressiveness. During the run-up to the latest Iraq war, at the same meeting where I proposed most of the measures listed in the Wired article, I also suggested the ultimate in people-empowering and tyrant-disempowering technologies… ...developing and then dropping into such a nation several million “volksradios” that would provide Iraqis with an entirely separate system of packet-switched conversation, outside the dictator’s control. Also, incidentally, such a system would provide our intelligence services with vast amounts of information on the ground. (This is related to my civil defense proposal to make western countries more robust, but simply enabling our cell phones to pass text messages on a peer-to-peer basis. To read about much simpler-cruder methods, have a look here.) Of course, over the long run, we’d rather not let it come to that. Dropping in several million gifts to a nation’s citizens may not be an act of war—I defy anyone to make that case—but it certainly is a pugnacious violation of sovereignty. So is the freezing of a regime’s foreign assets. According to this Washington Post article, when the U.S. Treasury Department froze Libyan assets, they expected to find $100 million, but found over $30 billion—mostly all in one bank. To put this in perspective, in 2009, Libya had a gross domestic product of $62 billion. Say what? Thirty billion dollars? If this cash pile is matched by similar revelations re Egypt and Tunisia and other toppled despotisms, can you doubt that economic transparency will become a truly radical cause during the twenty-teens? Perhaps even as much as I predicted back in 1989, in my novel Earth? Only in this case, we’re talking about a “radicalism of reasonableness.” A militancy of moderation. A fervent and dynamic worldwide call for governments and corporations and oligarchs and rulers and economies and everybody simply to play fair. Compete fair. To rule fairly, the way Adam Smith and F. Hayek and nearly all cogent economists of left and right agree we must, if society is to be healthy at all. A radicalism that Louis Brandeis spoke of when he prescribed the one thing that keeps a society healthy: “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” The Other Assertion: Light Only Makes Us Stronger I’ve long-delayed my “WikiLeaks Analysis.” Events are still surging along. But one aspect that Julian Assange surely never expected when he spilled a quarter of a million State Department cables upon the world was the degree to which this leak helped Hillary Clinton and her colleagues at the exact moment when they needed maximum credibility in the developing world, and especially among Arab youth. The overall positive impression given by those cables—of skilled American professionals who despised the despots they had to deal with—
, string collectionName) where T : class { var url = new MongoUrl(connectionString); return new MongoClient(url).GetDatabase(url.DatabaseName).GetCollection<T>(collectionName); } } I know there are a lot of methods but let me go through some of them. The actual connection to the MongoDB take place in method GetCollection. To retrieve a RealTimeVisitor you can do it by the Object Id(Generated by MongoDB) or the Contact Id(Code wise it’s so much easier then previous versions). await _realTimeVisitorCollection.Find(visitor => visitor.Id== id).FirstOrDefaultAsync(); You can also use FilterDefinition. Read more here – Find or Query Data with C# Driver In the update methods I used the FilterDefinition(query) and the UpdateDefinitionBuilder: FilterDefinition<RealTimeVisitor> filter = Builders<RealTimeVisitor>.Filter.Eq(c => c.Id, id) UpdateDefinition<RealTimeVisitor> update = Builders<RealTimeVisitor>.Update.Set("RealTimeMetaData.loc.Coordinates", new BsonArray { geoCoordinate.Value.Longitude, geoCoordinate.Value.Latitude }); UpdateResult result = await this._realTimeVisitorCollection.UpdateOneAsync(filter, update); For the update I used method UpdateOneAsyncbut there are also UpdateManyAsync and ReplaceOneAsync. Read more here – Update Data with C# Driver Send data back After the data has been stored we make a new call to the client to get his/her current location. //Get geodata this.Clients.Caller.onWhereIs(); Here is the client method. realTimeConnector.on("onWhereIs", function () { RealTime.ClientTracker.TrackPerRequest(function (position) { if (!position.coords) return; var locationUserObject = {}; locationUserObject["Coordinates"] = RealTime.ClientTracker.StringFormat("{0},{1}", position.coords.latitude, position.coords.longitude, "1"); var jsonObject = {}; jsonObject["Container"] = locationUserObject; realTimeConnector.invoke("sendClientLocationData", jsonObject).done(); }); }); The interesting part is when we got the coordinates we call the hub and send the geocoordinates. The coordinates will be stored in MongoDB and then reversed geocoded(by Geocoding.net). public async Task SendClientLocationData(Object jsonData) { KeysAndValuesContainer visitorMetaDataContainer = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<KeysAndValuesContainer>(jsonData.ToString()); if (!visitorMetaDataContainer.ContainsParamkey(KeysAndValuesContainerKeys.Coordinates)) return; GeoCoordinate? geoCoordinate = this._geoCoordinateRepository.Get(visitorMetaDataContainer.GetValueByKey(KeysAndValuesContainerKeys.Coordinates)); bool success = await this._realTimeUserRepository.UpdateGeoLocation(Context, geoCoordinate); if (!success) return; string geoData = GetGeoLocationData(geoCoordinate); if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(geoData)) geoData = "No address"; this.Clients.Caller.onSetClientData(geoData); } private string GetGeoLocationData(GeoCoordinate? geoCoordinate) { if (!geoCoordinate.HasValue) return string.Empty; IGeocoder geocoder = new GoogleGeocoder(); IEnumerable<Address> geoData = geocoder.ReverseGeocode(geoCoordinate.Value.Latitude, geoCoordinate.Value.Longitude); return geoData.First().FormattedAddress; } Finally we send the geodata back by calling client method onSetClientData. Where the client function will present the data. realTimeConnector.on("onSetClientData", function (text) { $("#geoData").text(text); }); Client leaves website Last scenario will be when the visitor leaves the website. It will trigger OnDisconnected on the hub. The current connection will be removed from the visitor object and if no more connections, the visitor will be removed from the database. public override async Task OnDisconnected(bool stopCalled) { await this._realTimeUserRepository.RemoveConnection(Context); RealTimeVisitor realTimeVisitor = await this._realTimeUserRepository.Get(Context); if (!realTimeVisitor.RealTimeConnections.Any()) await this._realTimeUserRepository.Delete(realTimeVisitor.Id); await base.OnDisconnected(stopCalled); } I really like the idea of working with data in real-time. The cool thing with this technique is that you can also interact or even communicate with the visitors in real-time. I will try to do some more posts around the real-time subject. That’s all for now folks 🙂 AdvertisementsWASHINGTON ― When former FBI Director James Comey appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday to discuss the circumstances of his firing by President Donald Trump, his reputation won’t be the only one on the line. The Republicans sitting on the dais also face a tremendous amount of pressure. Comey has already submitted written testimony that, among other bombshells, confirms that Trump asked him to lay off the FBI’s investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. The senators can either choose to press the former FBI director in his lone public hearing for more information about one of the most critical investigations Congress has undertaken in decades, or they can use the occasion to run political interference for the nominal leader of their party. There will be very little in between. “These people who thought … that they were going to go in there and make this about a different topic, I think those people have realized it’s a dead end,” said GOP strategist Rick Wilson, a vocal Trump critic. “This is clearly a story now about the president trying to suborn and corrupt our federal law enforcement agencies to protect himself and his friends. The magical power of Donald Trump to control what the press covers has reached its limit. This is where it ends.” Republican senators, Wilson added, must start distancing themselves from Trump or “play defense on the indefensible.” Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images Sens. Richard Burr, Jim Risch and Marco Rubio (from left) all have to decide how they'll approach the former FBI director. Leading up to Thursday’s high-profile hearing, many lawmakers have indicated they want to explore those matters that trouble Wilson and others: namely, the extent to which Trump interfered in the FBI’s Russia probe and the circumstances surrounding Comey’s firing. But the pressure for Republicans to help shield Trump politically will be strong too. The White House has indicated that they want to turn the tables on Comey, with reported plans to attack the former director as a “showboat.” A pro-Trump nonprofit has bought time for a 30-second spot that will run during Thursday’s hearing and question Comey’s credibility. If past hearings are prologue, some Republicans may be persuaded to mimic those lines or at least try to turn the hearing toward different issues, like the origin of leaks that have damaged Trump and Comey’s decision not to raise his concerns about interference in real time. GOP lawmakers have already shown a remarkable willingness to admonish but not abandon the president, even as his scandals pile up. Wilson himself said he doesn’t have much confidence that Republicans will ask the questions they should, adding that it would “absolutely” cost them politically. In the days before the hearing, few Republicans on the Intelligence Committee hinted how they would approach the grilling of Comey. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said he wants Comey to explain the purpose of the memos he reportedly kept and whether Russian officials engaged with any American citizen. But not much more. That said, the committee includes senators who have been deferential to Trump as well as those who have been more openly critical. Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) scolded reporters for chasing stories that Trump had shared classified information with Russian officials, arguing that the focus should be on those leaking details of the president’s private meetings. Risch defended the administration in an Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday when lawmakers questioned Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, and Adm. Mike Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency, about conversations they’d had with the president concerning the FBI’s investigation. Risch defending WH/Coats: "I think you have cleared up substantially that you've never been pressured by anyone including president of US." — Laura Barrón-López (@lbarronlopez) June 7, 2017 Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who chairs the Intelligence Committee, has also attempted to shift attention away from Trump and onto the press. When reports emerged that Comey had kept detailed notes on that key meeting with Trump, Burr called on The New York Times to supply the memo and openly doubted that the president had asked Comey to drop the Flynn investigation. “The director of the FBI shared more information with Sen. Warner and myself than any director has ever shared,” Burr said. “I think something as material as that, probably would have been something he would have shared, had it happened.” But along with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chair of the committee, Burr has also come to Comey’s defense when Trump has criticized him in the past. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a firebrand who has been one of Trump’s harsher critics, will also have a chance to question Comey. As an ex-officio member of the committee, he is allowed to sit in on the hearing. How he will focus his questions is not yet clear. When asked his thoughts about Comey’s prepared testimony on Wednesday evening, McCain simply said that he wasn’t surprised and that more shoes will drop. Because they’re up for re-election only every six years, senators are often less vulnerable to political pressure than their brethren in the House. But Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University historian, said that senators would still run real risks if they came off as administration patsies on matters as serious as these. “If the scandals turn out to be real and they didn’t ask the tough questions, then they become part of the problem,” Zelizer said of Republicans. “If they don’t say anything, if they let it slide, that’s dangerous.... It would show partisanship is so powerful a force that our institutions can weaken.” Some preview of how Republicans will handle Comey may have come during Wednesday’s committee hearing with Coats and Rogers. During that session, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was one of the most aggressive GOP senators on the question of Trump’s involvement in the Russia probe. Rubio pushed Coats and Rogers on whether Trump had asked them ― as opposed to merely pressuring them ― to interfere in the FBI investigation. When Coats said he wasn’t prepared to answer that, Rubio didn’t leave it alone, arguing that he wasn’t seeking any information that was classified. He was fairly dogged and pointed. And even then Wilson didn’t think the senator went far enough.Canberra is facing a hefty fine from the NRL after coach Ricky Stuart refused to answer media questions and banned his players from talking after their 24-12 loss to Brisbane. Stuart walked out of the post-match press conference refusing to answer questions at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night, apparently fuming at some of the refereeing decisions. "Todd Greenberg (NRL's head of football), he was at the game tonight, and I just really hope he saw what I saw," he said. "It's a lot healthier for our club if I don't go any further into this press conference. "In respect to all the media, it has nothing to do with you, but it's just a lot healthier if I don't continue." Stuart then said "thanks" before walking out of the room with captain Jarrod Croker. Media were not allowed to speak to any of the Raiders post-match, at Stuart's request. The defeat was Canberra's third in a row and their fifth from sixth matches at home. AAPThe Rockies announced that they have declined their half of Justin Morneau’s $9MM mutual option. The first baseman and Relativity Sports client will instead be paid a $750K buyout and hit the open market in search of a new team. Morneau, 34, signed a two-year, $12.5MM contract with the Rockies prior to the 2014 season after concussion and neck injuries nearly forced him into retirement late in his Twins tenure. The 2006 American League MVP enjoyed an outstanding rebound campaign in Colorado last year, hitting.319/.364/.496 with 17 homers. While it was low relative to previous league leaders, that.319 batting average earned Morneau the 2014 National League batting title. The 2015 season, though, told a markedly different tale for Morneau. The Canadian-born slugger played in just 49 games total, as he missed most of the season with yet another concussion and further neck problems. Morneau was sidelined from May 13 until Sept. 4, although it is certainly worth noting that upon activation from the disabled list, he looked to have something left in the tank. Morneau hit.338/.423/.471 in 22 games down the stretch, although he failed to homer and was undoubtedly aided by a.434 BABIP in that time. Nevertheless, he drew 10 walks and struck out just 15 times in 78 plate appearances, suggesting that his strike zone knowledge and pitch recognition were still intact. Morneau will enter a free-agent market that is headlined by Chris Davis and Korean star Byung-ho Park but offers little else in the way of full-time options. Even Morneau himself probably shouldn’t be considered a full-time player at this stage of his career, despite the fact that he batted.342/.375/.474 against southpaws this season. Those numbers look impressive, but they came in a sample of just 40 plate appearances, which is far less telling than the.224/.263/.307 batting line he’s compiled in 666 PAs versus lefties dating back to the 2011 season. While Morneau’s injury shortened season was a disappointment for a player who looked to be on his way to rebuilding a significant portion of his stock with a nice 2014 season, I’d imagine the fact that he not only showed he was healthy enough to take the field but was also productive in the season’s final month will earn him an incentive-laden one-year contract this offseason, assuming he wants to continue playing after once again enduring the rigors of recovering from a severe concussion. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.Most rookies come in as developmental projects. It’s no crime for a rookie to get his ass handed to him a few times. Hell, it’s expected. What we want to see is how he responds and what that motivates him to do. It’s a little bit troublesome to see a player end the season as pretty much the same player he was at the beginning. Arguably the biggest single moment by a Raiders rookie so far this season was made by Eddie Vanderdoes (Gareon Conley’s double-tap pass defense was pretty awesome, also). In Week 1 against the Titans, Vanderdoes unloaded on Titans’ All Pro right tackle Jack Conklin and hurled him onto his backside. That moment stands out for Vanderdoes, but it wasn’t his only impressive moment. He spent a great deal of time that day showing off his Hulkish strength and manhandling Titans’ linemen, flashing talent and skills that made Raider Nation perk up and take notice. ‘Oh, I guess THAT’S what Reggie McKenzie saw in him!’ Here Titans’ right guard Josh Kline tries to block him and gets knocked sideways for his trouble. On the other hand, on several of Vanderdoes’s week 1 plays, we saw indications of his inexperience. Too often he was overly focused on attacking and beating the man in front of him and lost track of where the ball was actually going. In the above play, notice that after the Eddie beats Kline, and then looks around to try to find the ball. Against the Titans, the third round rookie had exclusively single blocks. The Jets took notice of his tape and made some adjustments for their week two match-up. In his home debut in week two the Northern California native would face numerous double teams, particularly when the Jets decided to run from 11 Personnel groups (3 WR’s). Vanderdoes did not fare well at all. It was a long and difficult day for him. He certainly has the frame and enough power to hold up against NFL double teams, but he just was not prepared and/or aware of how to deal with them. What a difference a couple of weeks makes. One of the bright spots of the Denver game was seeing this from the young defensive tackle: That’s Ron Leary formerly of the Dallas Cowboys stout group who is a big and powerful man and a very good center in Matt Paradis. Vanderdoes comes off the ball and instead of letting the double team come to him, he attacks and strikes out at them, gets great hand placement and a nice lift on Leary. Eddie takes on the double, keeps his linebackers clean, and establishes a hard line of scrimmage. It’s a beautiful move and even moreso because we see that this was a direct result of his effort to improve. He also showed improvement in another area : In week 1, Vanderdoes lost track of the ball, but on this play he plays the runner the entire time. He stacks Ron Leary while eyeing the runner. When the runner approaches, Vanderdoes sheds Leary by rag-dolling him aside. Marquel Lee shoots the gap and makes the tackle, but Eddie was there also, ready for a TFL. It’s only been 4 weeks and by no means is Vanderdoes finished growing up. But what we have seen is that he is taking to coaching, putting in the work, and the results are showing up on film. It’s exciting to see and bodes well for the future. Keep an eye on this young man and watch how he grows. He has a chance to be a disruptive mainstay on the interior.He dressed hurriedly, and drove to the naval station. At first, he observed the base’s 20 miles-per-hour speed limit. But then, “I heard a plane come roaring in from astern of me,” he recalled decades later in an interview with Larry Smith for “Beyond Glory,” an oral history of Medal of Honor recipients. “As I glanced up, the guy made a wing-over, and I saw that big old red meatball, the rising sun insignia, on the underside of the wing. Well, I threw it into second and it’s a wonder I didn’t run over every sailor in the air station.” When Chief Finn arrived at the hangars, many of the planes had already been hit. He recalled that he grabbed a.30-caliber machine gun on a makeshift tripod, carried it to an exposed area near a runway and began firing. For the next two and a half hours, he blazed away, although peppered by shrapnel as the Japanese planes strafed the runways with cannon fire. Photo As he remembered it: “I got shot in the left arm and shot in the left foot, broke the bone. I had shrapnel blows in my chest and belly and right elbow and right thumb. Some were just scratches. My scalp got cut, and everybody thought I was dying: Oh, Christ, the old chief had the top of his head knocked off! I had 28, 29 holes in me that were bleeding. I was walking around on one heel. I was barefooted on that coral dust. My left arm didn’t work. It was just a big ball hanging down.” Chief Finn thought he had hit at least one plane, but he did not know whether he had brought it down. When the attack ended, he received first aid, then returned to await a possible second attack. He was hospitalized the following afternoon. On Sept. 15, 1942, Chief Finn received the Medal of Honor from Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet, in a ceremony aboard the carrier Enterprise at Pearl Harbor. Admiral Nimitz cited Chief Finn for his “magnificent courage in the face of almost certain death.” Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. John William Finn was born on July 23, 1909, in Los Angeles County, the son of a plumber. He dropped out of school to join the Navy at age 17. He served stateside after he recovered from his Pearl Harbor wounds, became a lieutenant in 1944 and remained in military service after the war. He had been living on a cattle ranch in Pine Valley, Calif., about 45 miles east of San Diego, before entering the nursing home where he died. Advertisement Continue reading the main story His survivors include a son, Joseph. His wife died in 1998. Ten of the 15 servicemen who received the Medal of Honor for their actions at Pearl Harbor died in the attack. Among them were Rear Adm. Isaac C. Kidd, commander of Battleship Division 1, who was aboard the Arizona when it blew up and sank; Capt. Franklin Van Valkenburgh, commander of the Arizona; and Capt. Mervyn S. Bennion, commander of the battleship West Virginia. Four of the Pearl Harbor medal recipients survived the war. Cmdr. Cassin Young, awarded the medal for reboarding and saving his repair ship, the Vestal, after being blown into the water, died in November 1942 in the battle for Guadalcanal. In 1999, Mr. Finn was among Pearl Harbor veterans invited to Hawaii for the premiere of the Hollywood movie “Pearl Harbor.” “It was a damned good movie,” he told The Boston Herald in 2001. “It’s helped educate people who didn’t know about Pearl Harbor and what happened there.” “I liked it especially,” he said, “because I got to kiss all those pretty little movie actresses.”It seems that along with 17 years of flat global temperatures there is some evidence that we are witnessing some cooling on global warming hype and hysteria in Washington as well. Following President Obama’s State of the Union pledge to double down on his frenetic “green” war to prevent climate change, U.S. Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) has introduced legislation to discontinue any more taxpayer green from being used to advance the U.N.’s economy-ravaging agendas. The proposed bill would prohibit future U.S. funding for the alarmist Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and also for the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a scam devoted to redistributing American wealth in penance for our unfair capitalist free market prosperity. Congressman Luetkemeyer strongly objects to the UNFCC’s use of IPCC’s suggestions and faulty data to implement a job-killing agenda here in America. He argues: “The American people should not have to foot the bill for an international organization that is fraught with waste, engaged in dubious science, and is promoting an agenda that will destroy jobs and drive up the cost of energy in the United States. Unfortunately, the president appears to be ready to fund these groups, revive harmful policies like cap and trade, and further empower out of control federal regulators at a time when we should be doing everything possible to cut wasteful spending, reduce regulatory red tape, and promote economic growth.” While the amount we give to the UNFCC and IPCC may seem like a tiny pittance in the realm of government spending largesse, it’s important to realize that true costs of that folly amount to countless billions in disastrous policy and regulatory impacts. Under the Obama administration, the two organizations together have received a total average of $10.25 million annually, which will be upped to $13 million under a FY 13 budget request. The George W. Bush administration previously provided about $5.7 million each year. Representative Luetkemeyer’s defunding proposal cites unsupportable IPCC claims based upon irresponsible science practices which were revealed in e-mail exchanges between climate researchers in the U.K.’s East Anglia University network. These communications provide clear evidence that leading global scientists intentionally manipulated data and suppressed legitimate opposing arguments in peer-reviewed journals. In some instances, collaborators were asked to delete and destroy incriminating e-mails rather than comply with legally-binding Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. It may be instructive to remember that all of this global warming crisis frenzy really got heated up in the late 1980s, less than two decades after many scientists had warned during the mid-1970s that the next Ice Age was rapidly approaching. Even the National Academy of Sciences predicted in 1975 that there was a “finite possibility that a serious worldwide cooling could befall the Earth within the next 100 years.” But guess what? Climate actually does change, and the planet then experienced a warming spell. Attributing this “crisis” to influences of man-made carbon emissions, a presumption based upon theoretical climate models, the U.N. established its FCCC in 1992, began to organize conferences, and created the IPCC to conduct scientific reviews. The central FCCC strategy to fight what was promoted as “anthropogenic” (man-made) climate change was brilliant…to put a value credit on cutbacks in the amounts of carbon dioxide emitted by fossil-burning industries, and then let other industries that produced amounts of CO2 emissions in excess of their allocations, purchase credits from them. In other words, they would create a trading market to buy and sell air. This carbon “cap-and-trade” program would be accomplished on a country-to-country international scale through the Kyoto Protocol treaty, penalizing developed countries that produce lots of CO2 emissions by forcing them to purchase credits from less developed countries (amounting to free money for them). Incidentally, China and India, which emit huge amounts of CO2, were given a pass because of their developing country status. Although IPCC is broadly represented to the public as the top authority on climate matters, the organization doesn’t actually carry out any original climate research at all. Instead, it simply issues assessments based upon supposedly independent surveys of published research. However, some of the most influential conclusions summarized in its reports have neither been based upon truly independent research, nor properly vetted through accepted peer- review processes. The IPCC asserted in its 2007 report that the Himalayan glaciers would likely melt by 2035 due to global warming, prompting great alarm across southern and eastern Asia, where glaciers feed major rivers. As it turned out, that prediction was traced to a speculative magazine article authored by an Indian glaciologist, Syed Hasnain, which had absolutely no supporting science behind it. Hasnain worked for a research company headed by the IPCC’s chairman, Rajendra Pachauri. IPCC’s report author, Marari Lai, later admitted to the London Mail, “We thought that if we can highlight it, it will impact policymakers and politicians and encourage them to take action.” Can we count upon objective conclusions from scientists who feel “called to action”? Consider commentary by the late Stephen Schneider who served as a lead author for important parts of three sequential IPCC reports. In a 1989 interview he told Discover magazine: “On the one hand, as scientists we are ethically bound to the scientific method, on the other hand, we are not just scientists, but human beings as well. And like most people, we’d like to see the world a better place, which in this context translates into our working to reduce the risk of potentially disastrous climatic change. To do that, we need to get some broad-based support, to capture the public’s imagination. That, of course, entails getting loads of media coverage. So we have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of the doubts we might have. Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest.” Oh, by the way… while “climate” is generally associated with periods spanning at least three decades, Schneider’s alarmist global warming position completely reversed a view he championed little more than a decade earlier. His 1976 book, The Genesis Strategy, warned that global cooling risks posed a threat to humanity. While it should be recognized that most of the many scientific reviewers are indeed dedicated and competent people who take their work very seriously, few of them have much if any influence over final conclusions that the public hears about. Instead, the huge compilations they prepare go through international bureaucratic reviews, where political appointees dissect them, line by line, to glean the best stuff that typically supports what IPCC wanted to say in the first place. These cherry-picked items are then assembled, condensed and highlighted in the Summaries for Policymakers which are calibrated to get prime-time and front page attention. Political summary editing processes usually progress through a series of drafts that become increasingly media-worthy. For example, the original text of an April 2000 Third Assessment Report (TAR) draft stated: “There has been a discernible human influence on global climate.” That was followed by an October version that concluded: “It is likely that increasing concentrations of anthropogenic greenhouse gases have contributed significantly to observed warming over the past 50 years.” Then in the final official summary, the language was toughened up even more: “Most of the observed warming over the past 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations.” When the U.N. Environment Programme’s spokesman, Tim Higham, was asked by New Scientist about the scientific background for this change, his answer was honest: “There was no new science, but the scientists wanted to present a clear and strong message to policymakers.” Sometimes IPCC report statements directly contradict conclusions published by the same authors during the same time period. Regarding any “discernible human influence on global climate”, a 1996 IPCC report summary written by B.D. Santer, T.M.L Wigley, T.P. Barnett, and E. Anyamba states: “…there is evidence of an emerging pattern of climate response to forcings by greenhouse gases and sulphate aerosols…from geographical, seasonal and vertical patterns of temperature change…These results point towards human influence on climate.” However, another 1996 publication, “The Holocene”, by T.P. Barnett, B.D. Santer, P.D. Jones, R.S. Bradley and K.R. Briffa, says: “Estimates of…natural variability are critical to the problem of detecting an anthropogenic [human] signal…We have estimated the spectrum…from paleo-temperature proxies and compared it with…general [climate] circulation models…none of the three estimates of the natural variability spectrum agree with each other…Until…resolved, it will be hard to say, with confidence, that an anthropogenic climate signal has or has not been detected.” Go figure! That same 1996 IPCC report used selective data, a doctored graph, and featured changes in text that were made after the reviewing scientists approved it and before it was printed. The many irregularities provoked Dr. Frederick Seitz, a world-famous physicist and former president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Physical Society, and Rockefeller University, to write ( in August 1996) in the Wall Street Journal: “I have never witnessed a more disturbing corruption of the peer review process than events that led to this IPCC report.” Several tens of thousands of scientists have lodged formal protests regarding unscientific IPCC practices. Some critics include former supporters. One of them is Prof. Fritz Vahrenholt, a socialist founder of Germany’s environmental movement, who headed the renewable energy division of the country’s second largest utility company. His recent coauthored book titled “The Cold Sun: Why the Climate Disaster Won’t Happen”, charges the IPCC with gross incompetence and dishonesty, most particularly regarding fear-mongering exaggeration of known climate influence of human CO2 emissions. And that ain’t all…not by a long stretch. IPCC’s political science-driven Summaries for Policymakers offer prescriptions for distribution of wealth and resource redistribution, including regionalized (smaller) economies to reduce transportation demand, reorienting lifestyles away from consumption, resource- sharing through co-ownership, and encouraging citizens to pursue free time over wealth. Pursuit of America’s wealth by the U.N. however, is obviously sanctioned. As IPCC official Ottmar Edenhofer admitted in November 2010,“…one has to free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy. Instead, climate change policy is about how we redistribute de facto the world’s wealth...” That plan appears to be going very well. During the U.N’s 2010 Cancun, Mexico, Climate conference, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially offered a $100 billion annual contribution from us and our more prosperous friends to the “poorest and most vulnerable [nations] among us” by 2020 to aid them in solving climate problems. Where it would actually come from no one knew, including Hillary and her boss. (Any guesses?) And just how likely is it that Congress will put an end to this U.N.- sponsored IPCC insanity? Congressman Luetkemeyer told me about some large obstacles and challenges ahead: “We have had the opportunity in the past couple of years to end this wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars, but unfortunately, the Senate has refused to take up and pass the budgets where these spending cuts were included. It is obvious that this president, and his allies in the Senate, want to spend more of people’s hard-earned money, while also pushing their misguided climate change agenda, which makes this an uphill battle, but one I am prepared to fight.” Good for him! Let’s urge his enlightened House and Senate colleagues to join him.Alveda comes from one of the most influential families (if not the most influential). She knows what she’s talking about. It’s good to see her watching out for her family’s legacy and not letting people twist words. Her family did not want to divide, but create peace. Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., accused Sen. Elizabeth Warren of performing a “bait and switch” and playing the “race card” in invoking the King family name during her speech Tuesday night in opposition to Sen. Jeff Sessions’ appointment as attorney general. Warren spent a significant portion of her 50-minute speech from the Senate floor reading from a letter Dr. King’s late widow, Coretta Scott King, wrote in opposition to the appointment of Sessions to be a federal district court judge in 1986. The letter sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee charged Sessions, then a U.S. attorney serving in Alabama, with being too zealous in his prosecution of a voter fraud case, which involved a drive to get more African-Americans to vote by absentee ballot.Utahns Still Mostly Undecided on Presidential Field; Bush and Clinton in the Lead While no candidate enjoys majority support, Utahns seem to be edging toward Republican Jeb Bush and Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. While no candidate enjoys majority support, Utahns seem to be edging toward Republican Jeb Bush and Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. A new UtahPolicy.com survey finds 18% of Utahns back Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in the GOP race. That's more than double the support of his closest rivals in the Beehive State. Both businessman Donald Trump and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul get 9% in our survey. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker pulls 8% while Florida Senator Marco Rubio wins 7%. Both New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Texas Senator Ted Cruz sit at 6%. The number of Utahns, who expressed no preference, is 14%. When asked about the Democratic field, the race is much tighter. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the frontrunner in Utah at 19%, followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 17%. Current Vice President Joe Biden gets 10%. More than a quarter of Utahns (28%) said they didn't know. The survey was taken before the first Republican primary debate, where the top-10 candidates made the stage in Cleveland. Most observers thought Trump, who is leading in many national polls, alienated many Republicans with his bombastic and borderline offensive remarks during that event. The only poll published after that event is a Florida survey showing Trump with a one-point lead over Bush. That close margin is likely not indicative of where the Republican race stands following the debate as it was conducted in Bush's home state. Among Utah Republicans in our survey, Bush was far and away the leader at 22%. His next closest rival was Walker at 11% while Rubio garnered 9%. Trump's support among Utah Republicans stands at 8%. Democrats in Utah are decidedly behind Clinton's candidacy at this point. She leads Sanders among that group by 20 percentage points, 50-30%. Biden is a distant third at 12%. Clinton made a fundraising stop in Utah last week where she pulled in $300,000 during an event in Park City. It's interesting that, among all Utahns, Sanders is within a few percentage points of Clinton. Two New Hampshire polls in the last week show Clinton with a single-digit lead over Sanders. However, an Iowa survey had Clinton with a 27-point lead over Sanders, while she leads Sanders by 18-points in Minnesota and a whopping 70-points in South Carolina. Dan Jones & Associates conducted our survey from July 14-21 among 601 Utah residents. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.97%.Under the administration of President Barack Hussein Obama, guess which group seems to rate most-favored status? One guess: The U.S. has received 28,957 Muslim refugees so far in fiscal year 2016, or nearly half (46%) of the more than 63,000 refugees who have entered the country since the fiscal year began Oct. 1, 2015, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center. That means that already this year the U.S. has admitted the highest number of Muslim refugees of any year since 2002. Why any meaningful number of Muslims were admitted to the United States in the year following the 9/11 Muslim attacks on New York and Washington is beyond me, but perhaps some day we can ask George W. Bush about that whole "Islam means peace" thing.Why Films About Musicians Leave So Much Music Off Screen Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of A24 Courtesy of A24 For anyone more interested in Amy Winehouse's music than in her martyrdom, the most shocking images in Asif Kapadia's new documentary Amy may not be the ones showing her strung out and terrifyingly thin at the end of her short life, nor those capturing her turn into serious addiction in filthy, paraphernalia-strewn rooms she shared with her enabler and eventual husband, Blake Fielder-Civil. The early footage of Winehouse playing music is what proves electrifying, even though it's been available on YouTube for years. It's revelatory to be returned to a time before her international fame, when Winehouse was still feeling out her sound. She'd stand behind a microphone, intently listening to her bandmates as she shaped those trademark rough melismatic vocal lines. She'd smile as she moved her long fingers over the fretboard of her Fender Stratocaster. Amy Winehouse played guitar. It's something few people talk about, partly because by the time of her second, breakthrough, tragically final studio album, Back To Black, she's put
consumers and that would depress both consumer spending and job creation in the United States. He argued that goods made in other parts of the developing world were more expensive than Chinese made goods because, if they were not, the United States would already be buying them. Many economists — including some from the World Bank’s sister organization, the International Monetary Fund — think revaluing the currency is just one of several steps China needs to take in order to shrink its massive reserves. China would also need to adopt policies to encourage domestic consumption, such as improving health care and other social safety net services so that households would save less and spend more. Economists have warned for years that China’s large reserves, currently more than $2 trillion, and large deficits in countries such as the United States posed a threat to global economic stability. Lin joined the World Bank, which provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries, in 2008 from the China Center for Economic Research at Peking University. A Chinese national, he is the first non-Westerner to serve as the organization’s top economist. Lin said he was not worried that China’s economy, which is expected to grow by double digits this year, was in any danger of overheating. “I think the Chinese government — in general they have weekly meetings, monthly meetings, watching all signs of the macroeconomy — and in the past, we see the Chinese government is able to do that kind of fine-tuning quite well.”Louis Temporale runs his hand over a striking Art Deco scene carved into the south side of the Air Canada Centre. He's enraged as pebbles rain down. "This is one the most famous pieces," he says. He's referring to a stone etching of a plane, as a chunk of stone the size of a quarter falls off in his hand, "It has a long, long, long history. It's in terrible condition. It's disintegrating." The work was done by his father, Louis Temporale Sr., who carved the bas relief in 1938-39 on what was then the Toronto Postal Delivery Building. Slightly higher than eye level, the images that wrap the building's south facade depict scenes of Canadiana: voyageurs, the CN train used during the Royal Tour in 1939 and a postal worker, a nod to the building's origin. The carvings at the top of beavers, maple leaves and Canada geese are also Temporale's work. Temporale Jr., who was trained by his father and is also a sculptor, said he was hired by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment in 1998, four years after his father's death, to restore the art. "I pushed for glass protection and protection in the winter but they never did it. For 20 years I've been arguing." When the ACC was built, the south and east facades of the Toronto Postal Delivery Building were preserved as part of the new arena to comply with the Ontario Heritage Act. (CBC) When the Air Canada Centre was built in the late 90s, most of the old postal building was demolished, but the south and east facades were retained as part of the new arena for the Maple Leafs and Raptors. The site is covered by Ontario's Heritage Act, which requires preserving and protecting heritage sites and their characteristics in perpetuity. It also falls under the supervision of the city, which "requires the protection of the bas reliefs created by Louis Temporale in the late 1930s," said Mary MacDonald, manager of the city's Heritage Preservation Services. Temporale Sr., who also created work housed in the National Gallery, is an Order of Ontario recipient. MacDonald told CBC News she's aware of what she called "the weathering of the bas reliefs," that she attributed to road salt that comes off the Gardiner Expressway. 'They will be completely destroyed' The city says it is working with MLSE to come up with a solution but Temporale said delays are a continuing threat, especially with another winter about to take its toll on the artwork. After CBC News inquired, MLSE issued a statement paying homage to the bas relief carvings. "Protecting and preserving that history connected to the building is more than just a priority for us, it's a mandate. We have been working jointly with Toronto's Heritage Preservation Services and expert conservation and architectural consultants to determine the most effective methods to preserve the carvings while maintaining the structural integrity of the building." MLSE says it is working with the city to find ways to preserve the work of Louis Temporale Senior, but his son says more delays might permanently damage the carvings. (CBC) Referring to what has been a time consuming process, MLSE promised there would be a solution in place by sometime in February. The details are still in the works though MLSE plans to cover the works, possibly with glass, but that made Temporale panic. "It's all pockmarked. The binders in the material are disintegrating. Behind all this carbon is unstable stone. To cover them in this condition, they will be completely destroyed. The moisture will come to the surface and the salt will re-crystalize." MLSE said the covers are an immediate solution though it is working with conservation consultants to determine how best to ensure the long-term preservation of the work. MacDonald, whose department must work with MLSE, said the organization can't proceed with any plan yet. "As we have not yet completed our review, we can't approve the proposal," she said.Gravity Falls: The Dark Side of the Shack (A Fan Theory) So with this week’s episode of Gravity Falls (“Carpet Diem”) comes some new evidence which may suggest some darker things happening in the Gravity Falls universe that has gone yet unspoken. Before we get on to that, I’d like to point out that this episode has two ciphers. They are as followed: 2-21-20 23-8-15 19-20-15-12-6 20-8-5 3-1-16-5-18-19? But who stole the capers? SXEHUWB LV WKH JUHDWHVW PBVWHUB RI DOO DOVR: JR RXWVLGH DQG PDNH IULHQGV Puberty is the greatest mystery of all. Also: Go outside and make friends Now then! On to the things this episode may be suggesting! When Little Gideon and Bud both refer to Stan as “Stanford”, but the license plate on Stan’s car says, “Stanley”. This is important because of what we see in this episode. Soos finds a secret room in the Mystery Shack, which could have only been hidden by Stan himself. Stan, having said there were no secret rooms in the shack in that comical fashion where Soos announces the room just after Stan states there wouldn’t be one, is not shocked at all by the room existing. That would lead us to believe Stan knew it was there and didn’t care they found it. When they enter this new room, the first thing Stan does is grab a pair of glasses that are sitting on a shelf and he hides them. This, as well, is important because we’ve seen these glasses before. In the episode “The Time Traveler’s Pig” we see what is suggested (via context) to be a younger Stan Pines (Picture). Now the key note of interest with “younger Stan” is that his hair style and glasses are different from current day Stan. Given that the context to the scene showing “younger” Stan would suggest it is the past - we can forgive the differences and pass it on as just a thing he did at the time. The only problem is that we’re dealing with Gravity Falls and nothing can just be pushed aside. But, for now, we’ll leave it be and come back to it when it is important. Later in the episode we see Stan holding the glasses he’d hidden and he’s looking at them thoughtfully (Picture). Now, it’s possible that the glasses may have some value to Stan. Maybe a memory or emotion attached to them. He may have hid the glasses so that the kids wouldn’t mess with them. One thing is for sure, we’ve been seeing one message since episode one repeatedly that may come in to play now. This picture (Link) has become iconic among Fallers (Gravity Falls fans). On the picture is a simple code that translates out to: “Stan is not what he seems.” Now, for anyone that is from the Twin Peaks era, you’ll notice the blatant reference to the series (“The owls are not what they seem”). In fact, there are multiple references to Twin Peaks in this show. Another point of reference is this: Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls creator) allegedly told Jason Ritter (Dipper Pines voice actor) that the picture of “younger” Stan (This picture to be exact) still held a secret that the Fallers had yet to uncover. What secret? What could we possibly learn from that picture? Well, I think I might know. In “Carpet Diem”, when they enter the secret room, we are shown a calender (Picture). Perhaps to suggest the last time someone was in the room. A few odd things about the calender, did you notice? Five (5) day weeks, and only twenty (20) days in the whole month. The year on the calender says it was for the year 1982. The calender shows that the month is July. The 4th day is circled. The animal is the owl. In 1982, the 4th of July was on a Sunday. The calender has it on a Wednesday. More so, there are a few other days beyond the 4th that are highlighted. These days are the 1st, 12th, 13th and 20th. EDIT: It was pointed out to me, to my disappointment, that I forgot that July is the 7th month and not the 6th (how could I forget that? Geez.). So that takes out the whole, “THAT BAD FILM” (Which would now be, “That Bad Gilm”) cipher. But there could still be a code there - or an importance to the highlighted dates. If you figure it out, say something! Shoot me an ask with it. Surprisingly if you take all of the numbers that can be grasped from the calender (6th month, 4th day, 20 days of which days 1, 12, 13 and 20 are also marked, and 1982; 6,4,20,1,12,13,20,1,9,8,2) you can actually get a code from it! 20-8-1-20 2-1-4 6-9-12-13 THAT BAD FILM Well okay.. “That bad film” isn’t much to go on. Well, what about the owl on the calender? Could that be a clue? Sure! Why the hell not!? So what bad movie featured owls? …Owls… What about, “I Know Who Killed Me”? That movie has owls everywhere. I know that this seems like me grasping at straws, but stick with me here - I may have something! What is this infamously bad Lindsay Lohan film about? Stigmatic twins. Twins. Twins. Twin Peaks? Twins? Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Let’s go over everything thus far, shall we? We’ve seen two names thus far with “Stan” in them: Stanley & Stanford (Stanford being Grunkle Stan’s name). Soos uncovers a room that only Stan could have hidden and known about. He also lied about the room’s existence moment before it was uncovered by Soos behind a bookcase. How do we know Stan was the one to hide the room? Well, if Stan is to have lived in the shack since 1982 - and Soos didn’t know the room existed - Stan is the only person that could have known and hidden it. When they open the room, Stan sees and hides a pair of glasses previously shown in the episode “The Time Traveler’s Pig” that was shown the be worn by a person most claim to be a younger Stan Pines. Stan is later shown looking at the glasses thoughtfully. There is an owl calender with the hidden message “That Bad Film” which can very loosely be tied to the Lindsay Lohan movie (that was a failure) called “I Know Who Killed Me” and featured twins and a bunch of owls. Every episode has the cipher code that states, “Stan is not what he seems.” So, what is it exactly that I’m getting at? Well, I’ll tell you. People seem to think that Stan is the person behind the books that both Dipper and Gideon have. Well, what if they’re not that far off? What if a Stan was behind the books. Dipper and Mabel are twins. Stan is their Great Uncle (Grunkle). Suggesting he has/had a sibling. Stanford & Stanley Pines: Twins. In the episode “Boss Mabel” Mabel finds a book on being a manager that had been published in 1983. The calender in the secret room is stuck on July 1982. Stan hides a pair of glasses previously shown the be worn on someone looking like Stan in the past (via context of the scene). Stan is then seen looking at them thoughtfully. If we jump back to the screen from every episode (picture) and we assume each of the icons in the circle is for only one character - then we have the mystery glasses and the symbol from Stan’s hat! Two different characters! Here is what I now believed what happened: In the 1980s Stanley and Stanford were living apart. Stanford was off living where Dipper and Mabel’s parents were to be living in the future with Dipper and Mabel - while Stanley lived in Gravity Falls. In Gravity Falls he found many a strange and wondrous things. He began writing books about objects and creatures that he found or created. Investigating Gravity Falls much like Dipper would one day end up doing. Then on the 6th of July he mysteriously died or disappeared completely. Stanford inherited the property left behind by Stanley. Stanford hid Stanley’s old room (the secret room found in “Carpet Diem”) and a year later opened up the Mystery Shack. Perhaps to protect Stanley’s secret base of operations (now hidden by the vending machine). This would also explain why he continuously denies the existence of the weird or strange and makes such wacky sideshows to dissuade people from the truth or seeking out the truth. Source Citing: The Truth Is Out There, Fallers.Number 12 Grimmauld Place had, for decades been a place that held the dark arts in reverence. It had always been home to witches and wizards who since birth, were destined to be sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts, until 1971. In 1971, Sirius, the oldest son of Orion and Walburga Black and heir to the House of Black was sorted into Gryffindor. A rebel ever since he was born, Sirius never followed his family’s supremacist and pureblood elitist beliefs. After his sorting, Sirius would defy his mother even further by turning his room into a shrine to Godric Gryffindor and putting permanent sticking charms on Gryffindor banners. As he grew older, he would decorate his room like a muggle boy his age would, posters of motorcycles, muggle women in skimpy clothing hung on the walls and muggle music played in his room, all day long. Regulus, the Black’s youngest was sorted in Slytherin and unlike his older brother, was compliant. Sirius and Regulus never spoke much because Sirius thought that speaking to him would make their mother’s rage befall his younger brother, and that’s where Sirius drew his line of defiance because he never wished for his brother to be treated the way he was. August 1976 On a night cursed with the wretched downpour of ice cold water from the skies, James opened the door and found, standing at the door completely drenched in the downpour with a bag in hand, his friend Sirius. “Padfoot..?” James asked, surprised. “Is everything okay..?” He continued as he let Sirius into his house and snatched the bag from his hand. “You even brought the racy posters, which I reckon means you’ve left for good.” James said as he opened the bag and went through it. “Yes. Is that going to be a problem..?” Sirius finally broke his silence. Smack! James hit him with the rolled up and wet Playboy posters and said, “Stop being an arse Padfoot. I understand. And you can stay with me for as long as you want.” James replied, smiling. James’ parents Fleamont and Euphemia Potter had known Sirius since he was 12 and knew how it was for him, to live with his parents. They welcomed Sirius as if he were their own and even offered him their guest bedroom, Sirius graciously accepted their gift but still slept in James’ room for the better part of his stay at their house. A week before returning to Hogwarts, James finally asked Sirius the one question, the answer to which was hurting his friend more than anything in his life ever had. “Hey Padfoot…” “Hmm…” Sirius hummed as he looked at the clouds from atop the roof of the Potter residence. “Why’d you leave..? You’ve been living with them for your entire life, you’ve defied your mother for a decade, what changed..?” James asked, seriously. “Shut it Prongs! I’m not interested in answering this line of questioning.” Sirius replied instantaneously, his voice sternly swatting James’ question out of the air. “Okay. I apologise.” James said before picking up his wand and “Accio umbrella.” he ordered and an umbrella lying a mere ten steps away from where they sat, flew towards them, gracefully through the drizzle. “It’s about to rain Padfoot. We should probably get down.” James said as he opened the umbrella and held it over their heads. “I’m sorry James.” Sirius replied as he got up. Smack! James hit him at the back of his head, even though he knew that Sirius’ untamable and bushy hair would take most of the impact and said, “I understand Padfoot! In your shoes, I might’ve done the same.” James replied, smiling as they reached the stairs. “What do you mean..?” “Well… I’d wait till we got back to the castle as well because otherwise I’d have to repeat myself when Moony asked me the same question, all worked up and worried. And don’t get me started on how Wormtail will react.” James completed. Smack! It was James on the receiving end that time. “What..!? I am right aren’t I..?” He asked, nursing the back of his head. “Absolutely.” Sirius replied as he smiled and walked down the stairs. Back at Hogwarts, “What..!? Are you serious..? Please tell me he’s kidding James.” Remus said, as they sat on the bleachers of the quidditch pitch at dusk. “Unfortunately Remus, he isn’t.” James replied sitting on his broom, hovering above the others. “Hey, what did I miss..?” Peter asked as he reached his friends, panting uncontrollably from all the running. “Padfoot ran away from home.” Remus said, disappointed. “But… But Sirius…” Peter mumbled. “Shut it Wormtail! You have no idea why I did what I did, so before I stupefy you, just shut it.” Sirius threatened Peter. “Okay. Then tell us.” Peter said, concerned. “Yeah Padfoot. Tell us!” James said, as he jumped from his broom and landed on the ground and all four of them heard the usual posse of girls that came to watch James practice cheer in glee. “Well… I don’t know where to start.” Sirius said, seriously. “Sirius. We can’t help you if you don’t talk to us. And you know for a fact that I hate feeling helpless. So talk… Please.” Remus spoke as he reassuringly put his hand around Sirius’ shoulder. “I hate feeling helpless as well Moony. I do. And that’s why I had to run away.” Sirius replied, his voice beginning to crack. “Usually, when I feel helpless, I charge right into the situation that makes me feel that way.” He continued. “We know.” His three best friends said, in unison. “But this time, I couldn’t… I couldn’t just charge right into the situation and handle it because…” Sirius’ conscience stopped him and his grey eyes dampened. “Because what Sirius..?” James asked, concerned. “Because it’s Regulus, James. It’s my little brother.” Sirius said, overpowering his conscience with his undying loyalty. “What happened..? Is he okay..? I… I just passed him on my way here. Should… should we go talk to him..?” Peter mumbled nervously. “No Peter. Not until we hear all of it.” Remus said, as he tightened his grip around Sirius’ shoulder.” “I got home early one day from my evening stroll and right before I entered my room, I heard voices coming from Reg’s room. I tried to ignore them but then I heard Regulus moaning in agony. I swiftly made my way over to his room and saw something.” Sirius said, before he swallowed the huge lump in his throat. “I saw Regulus tied up to a chair and I saw my mother, whipping him. I couldn’t bear to look at what she had done to Regulus’ back, he was bleeding!” Sirius continued as the lump of emotions he had swallowed came back up. “I never thought she would do something like this to Regulus. He is a better son than I am, he always has been. I’ve never spoken to him much after being sorted into Gryffindor because I didn’t want something like this to happen to him, but I reckon I’m a lot more awful as a son than even I imagined. Aren’t I..?” Sirius asked, in a painfully non rhetoric tone as tears began falling from his face. “Hey Padfoot! Anyone who says you’re a bad son can come and talk to my parents or better yet, talk to me personally.” James said, as he removed his quidditch gauntlets and sat down beside Sirius. “But there’s more James… I entered the room, enraged and horrified and I… I stupefied her James. I watched her fall to the ground unconscious and I felt good about it.” There was no lump in Sirius’ throat anymore, for all of his emotions were coming out of his body as tears. “I untied Reg, told him to pack his bags and ran to my room to pack mine. But I returned, only to find Regulus still standing where I had left him, bleeding and in pain. I cannot come with you brother, he told me. I tried to convince him Remus, I really did! But he told me that he wanted to stay and stop mother from coming after me. He walked me to the door, hugged me and told me that he was glad that I had finally found my bearings to do what I should’ve done years ago, he smiled as I heard him say these words out loud and then he bid me farewell and promised me that he would be fine as long as he knew that I was too. He then closed the door and I ran, still feeling as helpless as I did when I confronted my mother. And I still feel helpless.” Sirius completed as his friends held him in their arms and let him cry. As the sun left the sky and darkness began to take over the quidditch pitch, the quartet stayed silent, looking up at the twilight sky. “I’m sorry I snapped at you Peter.” Sirius broke the silence as he wiped the tears off of his face. “Oh… That’s quite alright Padfoot.” Peter replied with a smile. “Do you want us to go talk to Regulus..? Because my parents will be more than happy to take him in as well.” James said as he put his legs across his broom once more. “No James, there’s no need for that anymore. Look.” Remus said, pointing at the sky. “What..? I don’t see anything.” James retorted. “Well… That’s just because your vision is terrible Prongs.” Remus said, mockingly. “It’s an owl.” Peter said, squinting. “Not just any owl. It’s Hobart. Reg’s owl.” Sirius said, as the big brown long eared owl swiftly made its way to them. Hobart soon reached them and brought with it a letter, Regulus’ letter. Sirius walked ahead of his friends and opened it, he used his wand to shed light onto it and read it, Dear brother, I know you are fine and that makes me happy. Everything at home is as it always has been. Mother is not angry on me anymore and I hope you aren’t as well. I didn’t sleep for a week after you left and to my surprise, neither did mother. The day we got the news that you were living at the Potter’s and were safe, we slept like infants. I had never seen Mother the way she was in that week, she’d step into your room and look at the Gryffindor banners for hours, she’d sit on your bed and smile as tears rolled down her cheeks, she’d smile in a way that I had never seen her smile before. I know you hate her brother and I know that you have your reasons, but what I also know, is that she misses you. Well… but then as soon as we found out that you were safe, she returned to her normal, proud self and blasted your name off of the family tree. I will always consider you my brother Sirius, but unfortunately we can never be together again, Mother and Father are already having a hard time dealing with the repercussions of you leaving us and that is why I cannot add on to it by speaking to you behind their backs. We’re loyal brother, but it is where our loyalties lie that define who we are. I’ve always been loyal to our family and you’ve always been loyal to your friends because the Sorting Hat gave you a choice, because it knew that it’d be better this way. In the end, I would like to address the incident and write that you shouldn’t have seen what you saw and I am sorry you did, but know, that I deserved it. Mother was whipping me, punishing me because I asked her to, because you and I are different people, because I may be the better son, but we both know that you’ve always been the better person. Goodbye Sirius. Forever your brother, R. A. B. Sirius slowed his pace and let his friends catch up to him, “Still feeling helpless Padfoot..?” James asked, distracting him while Remus snatched the letter from his hand. “No I don’t.” Sirius replied, smiling. “Then we don’t need this anymore, right..?” Remus asked as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the letter. “No we do not.” Sirius replied, right before he knocked James off his broom. “You call yourself a seeker Prongs..?” Sirius asked, mockingly as Remus and Peter snickered. “I wasn’t prepared.” James complained. “Too bad, but no one ever is James. Do it Moony.” Sirius said, before Remus set the letter on fire and the four watched as it burnt to ashes right outside the quidditch pitch and Sirius finally made peace with his decision to leave his family behind. “So Moony… Now that I’m essentially a free agent, what say you set me up with your friend Evans huh..?” Sirius asked, as he awaited James’ reaction. “Oh… I would love to.” Remus replied, smiling as he saw James’ expession take a turn for the worse. “Moony you sw…” James said before Peter cut him off by saying, “They’re just playing with you James.” “Were you just about to call me a swine James..?” Remus asked, inquistively. “No! Of course not. I was saying that… Umm… Moony… You’re… A… Sw…” “A sweetheart..? Why thank you James, but I am not interested.” Remus teased him. “But he can set you up with Betram Aubrey if you’d like, you remember him right..? James..?” Sirius teased him to the point of no return and fled. James swiftly picked up his broom and followed him, “I’m going to kill him first and then come back for you Moony. And don’t worry Peter you’re safe.” James said before he sped away behind Sirius, who had now transformed into his Animagus form to gain speed. Remus and Peter then laughed as they followed their friends on foot, back to the castle.They are pretty careful about who gets to put ads up in the Toronto subway system, and animal rights activists usually don't make the cut. But through September and October, subway riders have come face to face with a powerful campaign to convince people that if they like cute kittens and puppies, then they shouldn't be eating chickens and pigs. Kimberly Caroll, an organizer of the campaign says: Pigs, cows and chickens are remarkable beings,” says campaign spokesperson Kimberly Carroll. “Cows will walk for miles to reunite with a calf after being sold at auction. Pigs have intelligence beyond that of a 3 year-old human. Chickens mourn the loss of their loved ones. We hope that in connecting with these animals and the grievous suffering that is behind every burger, omelette, and hot dog, people will be motivated to make more compassionate food choices. We ran a similar campaign back in 2009 on the TTC at about a quarter of the size of the current one. At that point the ad had to go through various levels of approval while we waited on pins and needles, but it was approved! This time around, it seems there were no concerns. We've been very impressed with the TTC for this. We believe this is the first animal rights campaign to run on the TTC. I was surprised that the campaign got approved at all; Kimberly explained: While the puppy and pig comparison is probably not a stretch for most people, the kitten and chicken one is probably a bit more difficult. But they make a case that chickens are "inquisitive, affectionate and personable." British Vegetarian Society/via British Vegetarian Society/via It is not a new message, that animals are animals and it is crazy to treat one kind so differently from another; the British Vegetarian Society did it decades ago. But it is new, seeing it in Toronto plastered all over the subway, where the TTC says it will be seen by 5.7 million people every week. Kimberly says that it is effective; she is getting "several emails, posts, and twitters a day from folks saying they're going veg after seeing the ads." More at Toronto Vegetarian Association More on Vegetarianism: How to Become a Vegetarian Why Graham Hill Is a Weekday Vegetarian, and Why You Should Be Too! (Video) Couple Denied Adoption Because They're Vegetarian Proven: Vegetarians Live Longer Follow me on Twitter and Friend me on FacebookThroughout the current presidential campaign season, there have been repeated calls for free college. Channeling a long-held position by Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters, the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, said that families making under $125,000 per year should be able to send their kids to college tuition-free. As someone who graduated college tens of thousands of dollars in debt, I am inclined to sympathize with this proposal. Student debt is a critical issue. Opponents to Clinton’s proposal rightly cite the immense expense that these policies would impose on the federal budget. To date, however, a serious potential implication of free college for lower and middle income students has been ignored: the impact on military recruiting. Higher education is rightly hailed as the surest path to the middle class. Because of its cost — both tuition and lost working hours — a college education has not been possible for everyone across the income spectrum. In a defining moment of the last century, the federal government enacted the G.I. Bill in 1944, providing returning American soldiers with the financial wherewithal to pursue a degree. It was, perhaps, the keystone policy for expanding the U.S. economy and creating the modern American middle class. Mirroring higher education’s path to the middle class, military service remains one of the surest means to a college degree. In its latest form, the Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to $20,000 per year for tuition. To compensate for time without an income, it also provides a living stipend adjusted for the local cost of living. For example, in Cambridge Massachusetts, where I attend graduate school, that stipend is $2,800 per month, which is pro-rated for when classes are in session. Many of those who join the military do so, at least in part, to obtain access to the G.I. Bill and the financial means to obtain a degree. According to a 2011 Pew Research Survey, 75 percent of those who enlisted said they did so to obtain educational benefits. That statistic has risen from the pre-9/11 era when it was just 55 percent — likely because college has become that much more expensive! As of 2014, 48 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans utilized the G.I. Bill, with 59 percent of female veterans doing so (a demographic the military wants to see grow in its ranks). If college became free, the incremental value of the G.I. Bill would be dramatically reduced. The effect would be similar for the Yellow Ribbon program, which provides money for education to those who have already served, ROTC scholarships, which provide funds to pay for a bachelor’s degree for aspiring officers, tuition assistance programs for those already on active duty, and the various programs to fund graduate education for officers. Without the G.I. Bill as a serious inducement to enlist, the military is likely to experience substantially more difficulty in recruiting new personnel. This will, with little doubt, require us to pay more to recruit tomorrow’s force and sustain the qualitative edge of our superb military. The military’s ability to recruit is critical not only to its success but to the very existence of the all-volunteer force. If the all-volunteer military cannot recruit sufficient numbers of new personnel, it cannot survive. The number of new recruits the military needs varies with government policy and defense requirements. During the height of the Iraq War, it had so much difficulty recruiting — and with retaining personnel already serving — that it instituted the “stop loss” program. Under this policy, the military unilaterally cancelled the end dates on thousands of service members’ contracts, forcing them to stay on active duty. If there had been no G.I. Bill to attract the flow of new recruits in that period that it did, what would the military have been forced to do to swell its ranks? Making college more affordable and accessible is necessary. However, there are no clear solutions to fixing what could be the undermining of the G.I. Bill and exacerbating the costs of sustaining a volunteer force. Perhaps the government could reallocate the funds it would have spent on tuition payments to pay a larger percentage of veterans’ living costs while in school. But if college is free, will doubling the living expenses allowance to $4,000 a month persuade sufficient numbers of the right people to sign their lives over for four years? Or would simply higher pay be sufficient? If it were, it would have to be substantially higher than current pay levels, likely compounding objections regarding the government budget deficit and defense spending in general. Some may argue that access to higher education is more important than the military’s ability to recruit. While that may be true, government’s traditional primary function has been national defense. It is national defense that ultimately enables all people — whether or not they have ever served in the military — to pursue higher education in peace and security. Nor does service preclude people from pursuing higher education. It simply delays it, while also equipping veterans with valuable life skills. Other critics may say that linking free college to military service amounts to coercion and is inherently unequal. To address the issue of inequity while also remaining effective, the only remaining stopgap option may be the least politically palatable of all: the reinstitution of the draft. No serious stakeholders want a return of the draft. Military leaders prefer the reliability and precision of the professional force over conscription. Similarly, few civilians — parents or young people — want compulsory service. But as the government universalizes healthcare and, now possibly, higher education, it may tie its own hands, requiring the re-imposition of involuntary military service. With women now permitted to serve in the combat arms specialties of the military, Congress is considering having them register for the draft at 18 just as men have long been required to do. If that should happen, our first female commander-in-chief may also be the first to oversee a draft of women into uniform. If Clinton is elected, she should take these concerns seriously and revise her current free college proposal accordingly. It is important to mitigate the negative impacts of any major education access programs on military recruiting and find new, affordable ways to ensure the military can continue to meet its manpower requirements under a range of national security scenarios. Benjamin Luxenberg, a Marine Corps veteran, is enrolled in the joint MBA/MPP program of Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is an Associate Scholar of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Image: U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Bill WisemanAbout a week ago Shaun Hill of Hill Farmstead Brewery shocked many beer lovers by announcing an upcoming membership sale. The owner of the recently awarded RateBeer #1 Brewery In The World gave Embrace The Funk a few details about the program and how you can get access to some of the great sour/wild beers in his line-up. ETF- What is the official name of the membership club? Shaun- “Hill Farmstead’s Collected Works” ETF- If you’ve come up with a “Trustee” pick up policy, can you give some info on it? Shaun- Of course. Given our location – we absolutely must allow for ‘trustees’ to assist in beer retrieval. Members can name their trustee, with proper communication, until a few days before the beer needs to be retrieved. We will hold onto the beer, in a refrigerated storage space, until July 6th and 7th. After those days… the beer will go up for sale. Folks shouldn’t sign up if they don’t have a means of on site retrieval. ETF-Will all the memberships be sold online or will there be some sold locally? Shaun- At the moment, it looks like 25% on site, 75% online. ETF- Will the membership include
inas group has in the past promoted an event with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, an unindicted coconspirator in the trial of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Wahhaj, a 9/11 truther, has called for the creation of an Islamic state in the United States. … Marty Rosenbluth, the man standing next to Hamid at the Trump event, is an anti-Israel activist, a proud Communist, and a Sen. Bernie Sanders supporter, according to comments made on his Facebook page. Once again Democrat attempting to marginalize Trump have been caught red handed trying to paint a completely false narrative. Karl Denninger weighs in: I’m done. You should be done. Cologne wasn’t enough, right? Rape, groping, basic human indignity and men behaving like animals toward women en-masse. What part of “civilized” comports with that? … You have a right to free speech in this country. You do not have a right to trespass on private property and disrupt an event, even silently. I do not recall anyone telling Ron Paul during the last election cycle that he owed apologies to the strippers that “someone” hired to infiltrate his event in Tampa; they, like Hamid, were escorted out. Since the media won’t honestly report on who this jackal actually is and the positions she has taken in the past and neither will CAIR, it’s time for the rest of America to BOYCOTT these media outlets, all of their advertisers (yes, that includes you CNN) and anyone affiliated with or associated with either. We know this is a stretch, but could it be that Donald Trump is being attacked for his views and the Democrats are throwing everything they have at him because he is simply saying what tens of millions of Americans in the silent majority have been thinking for years?Robot Noir. Credit: Flickr/JL Watkins, CC BY-NC Jobs, or more accurately, not having a job, has been in the news this week. The Foundation of Young Australians released a report claiming that 40% of all Australian jobs would be at high risk of being automated within the next 10 to 15 years. That figure actually comes from a report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia which gives the same figure that 40% of jobs have a moderate to high likelihood of being automated in the next 10 to 15 years. Their estimate is in turn based on a paper authored by two Oxford academics Frey and Osborne who first estimated the probability of jobs being automated in the US. Frey and Osborne essentially created a model for jobs that looked at how much the job relied on perception and manipulation, creative intelligence and social intelligence. They then simply asked the question as to whether the technology would exist in 10 to 15 years time to create software and hardware the could be used to automate the particular mix of skills needed in any given job. At no point did they say that this actually would happen or even that anyone would want it to happen. Frey and Osborne even suggested reasons why this might never actually happen, including public and political opposition to automation being implemented. It is important to realise that the methodology in this paper has never been validated with any actual evidence to demonstrate that it can predict the future of automation. However, this has not stopped a series of reports being published to argue that the future looks bleak for children studying at school today unless they are all re-trained in IT skills. But maybe the jobs kids will be doing haven't been invented? It doesn't actually take much for predictions about the future to be accepted as having some credible basis. Another favourite prediction is the quote that: 65% of today's grade school kids will end up at jobs that haven't been invented yet. Again, this quote is attributed to a report called "Futurework - Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21st Century" by the US Department of Labor. The report was actually published in 1999 although the quote is always made as if it was current. Clearly if the US Department of Labor had set a timescale of 10 to 15 years for this prediction, they would have been completely wrong. Fortunately they weren't wrong because the report actually doesn't make this claim at all and so it is not clear where the quote comes from. Of course the report does say that the nature of work will change and that the more educated and skilled an employee, the more likely it is that they will find work and be able to re-skill into a job with different responsibilities. Future-gazing as science fiction The trouble with predicting the future is that the more dramatic the prediction the more likely the media will pick it up and amplify it in the social media-fed echo chamber. What is far less likely to be reported are the predictions that emphasise that it is unlikely that things will change that radically because the of the massive inertia that is built into industry, governments and the general workers' appetite for change. Economists at the OECD may have another explanation for why it is unwise to equate the fact that something "could" be done with the fact that it "will" be done. In a report on the future of productivity, the authors detail how it is only a small number of "frontier companies" have manged to implement changes to achieve high levels of productivity growth. The companies that haven't achieved anywhere near the same productivity growth are the "non-frontier companies" or simply "laggards". The reasons for this are probably many but lack of leadership, vision, skills or ability may factor into it. The point is that since 2000 many companies didn't adopt technology and change their business processes to see improvements in productivity even though they clearly "could" have done. Even if we assume that there will be greater automation in some jobs in the next 15 years, it is still not clear what impact that will have on the total number of jobs available in the most affected sectors. Researchers who have looked for a relationship between the number of robots used in a country and total number of jobs in the manufacturing industry could not find one. For example, Germany lost fewer manufacturing jobs than the US and have deployed a far greater number of manufacturing robots. It is easy to cast robots as the villain of the piece ready to take our jobs and even, if some predictions are to be believed, our lives. Ironically, humanity may need the help of the robots to actually get this to happen any time soon, as we are unlikely to be capable of doing it by ourselves. Explore further: More STEM education won't protect our jobs from robotsWorld First As Message Sent From Brain To Brain In a world first, a team of researchers has achieved brain-to-brain transmission of information between humans. The team managed to send messages from India to France - a distance of 5,000 miles - without performing invasive surgery on the test subjects. There were four participants in the study, aged between 28 and 50. One was assigned to a brain-computer interface to transmit the thought, while the three others were assigned to receive the thought. The first participant, located in India, was shown words translated into binary, and had to envision actions for each piece of information. For example, they could move their hands for a 1 or their legs for a 0. A technique known as electroencephalogry - which monitors brain signals from the outside - was used to record the thoughts as outgoing messages and send them via the internet. At the other end, electromagnetic induction was used to stimulate the brain's visual cortex from the outside and pass on the signal successfully to the three other participants in France. The report's co-author, Alvaro Pascual-Leone, said: "We wanted to find out if one could communicate directly between two people by reading out the brain activity from one person and injecting brain activity into the second person, and do so across great physical distances by leveraging existing communication pathways. "One such pathway is, of course, the internet, so our question became 'Could we develop an experiment that would bypass the talking or typing part of internet and establish direct brain-to-brain communication between subjects located far away from each other in India and France?" The research team was made up of researchers from Harvard University, as well as experts from France and Spain.Please enable Javascript to watch this video A Los Angeles woman who went into a coma after undergoing a liposuction procedure in Tijuana recently has died, family members said Tuesday as they issued a warning to others in the wake of their loved one's death. In her family’s eyes, Irma Saenz already was an image of beauty – a loving daughter, sister and aunt. Relatives told KTLA they didn't understand why she underwent the procedure. “Why, why did you do it?" said Saenz's sister, Carmen Quintana. "There was no need to do it.” The 51-year-old died on Saturday, after relatives said a doctor in Tijuana, Guillermo Diaz Vergara, performed the procedure on her two weeks ago. Saenz fell into a coma after the liposuction and was pronounced dead at a San Diego hospital. "We just want justice, you know?" said David Reynoso, Saenz's nephew. Reynoso said the family was shocked to discover it was an Uber driver who dropped her off for surgery on October 27 after a trip from L.A. across the border. They say it was that same driver who encouraged doctors to call the only emergency contact Saenz listed on her forms — her boyfriend, after Saenz later suffered medical complications. “She suffered lack of oxygen which caused significant brain injury,” said Nora Saenz, her niece. Saenz’s relatives rushed to Mexico and immediately transported her to a hospital in San Diego, but physicians couldn’t save her life due to the loss of oxygen that left her in a vegetative state, according to family members. “When we brought her over to San Diego they mentioned how the tube they used to put ventilation in wasn’t even installed properly so we have no idea how long my aunt went without oxygen to the brain,” Nora Saenz said. KTLA called Dr. Vergara’s office in Tijuana seeking comment on this story, but an employee there said he wouldn’t be available until Wednesday. “I tried calling him. He doesn’t answer anymore," Reynoso said. "(I) tried sending message through FB he just blocked me.” Saenz’s family also said that, according to the medical staff who treated her in California, there’s been a sharp increase in the number of patients admitted to their facility with botched plastic surgery procedures performed cheaply across the border. For anyone considering going across the border for liposuction, Reynoso's message is: “Don’t do it. Do your research. (It's) not worth your life.” A GoFundMe has been been set up for Irma Saenz's family to help pay funeral expenses. More information can be found here.A zoo in China is offering a once-a-week polar bear experience that involves feeding the animals and cleaning up their feces. Photo by Trance Drumer/Shutterstock.com April 7 (UPI) -- A Chinese zoo is making some extra cash and promoting education by charging guests $145 for the privilege of cleaning up polar bear poop. The Wuhan Haichang Ocean Park in Hubei province is offering a service once a week to adult guests interested in spending three hours experiencing the life of a polar bear keeper. The guests, who must undergo health checks and attend a short training session prior to their shifts, are given the opportunity to prepare food and feed the bears, but their main duties involve cleaning up the bear's doodies. "It really costs money to smell poop, but it's quite funny," Li Fengfan, 26, a zoo guest who recently took the polar bear experience, told China News Service. "It's hard to see polar bears, not to mention come into close contact with them." Park spokesperson Chen Ting said the goal of the program is education. "It's the first time the park has had a program targeting adults," Chen said. "It is a pilot to popularize science and knowledge of the animal for the public good, not for money. We actually don't want too many participants as that would disturb them."A new video shows LG's large SID DisplayWeek 2017 booth. The video begins with some displays we have seen before - LG's latest wallpaper OLED TVs and its Crystal Sound OLED system, but then continues to show some new displays. LG demonstrated two flexible OLEDs for mobile devices - a 5.5" QHD (1440,2560, 538 PPI) panel and a 5.7" FHD (388 PPI) panel. Both are plastic-based and are conformable (edge-type). The displays offer a brightness of 350 nits. LG says the 5.7" FHD is now in mass production, while the 5.5" QHD will be ready in Q2 2017 (which means it's should already be in production). The video also shows a glimpse of LG's "VR displays" - but no details are given (this was for some reason labeled as confidential). LG also demonstrates new automotive OLEDs. First up is a new form 12.3" 1920x720 OLED. Second is LG's 12.3" transparent OLEDs for automotive applications, with a transparency of 60%. Next LG shows a 12.3" display that consists of both LCD in the background and a transparent OLED on top. LG calls this a Multi-Layer Display (MLD) and it shows an interesting 3D effect. Finally, LG shows a 6.13" mirror OLED. The video ends with LG's 55" FHD transparent OLEDs, which we have seen before - and are still waiting for LG to commercialize!CBS said it pulled its stations from Dish Network in several major U.S. cities after the two sides failed to reach a new carriage deal, the latest example of the growing clash between companies that make video content and those that distribute it to consumers. CBS programming is no longer available to Dish subscribers in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Dallas, Denver, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh and several other markets. Eighteen markets and more than 2 million people were said to be affected, according to a statement Dish released Friday night. “What CBS seeks is appropriate compensation for the most-watched television network with the most popular content in the world, as well as terms that reflect the developing digital marketplace,” the broadcaster said in a statement. “We hope that we can reach an agreement very soon so we can all get back to the business of providing the best entertainment, news and sports to the Dish customers we both serve.” “We are disappointed that CBS has chosen to black out their local channels, but remain optimistic that the channels will return quickly as both sides are continuing to work tonight to finalize an agreement,” Dish said in its statement. Related Christian Bale 'Summoned' Dick Cheney in 'Vice' Post-Oscar Beauty Routines Get Shaken Up as Biz Sees Disruption The two sides’ inability to come to an agreement over terms comes after they extended talks twice. Their carriage agreement was supposed to end Nov. 20. Currently, the dispute appears to center on stations owned and operated by CBS Corp., and does not include premium cable outlet Showtime, which CBS also owns. At the heart of this particular issue, it seems, is a difference over CBS Sports Network, according to Dish. The growing fracas is yet another sign of the increased value media companies like CBS are placing on the revenue streams they derive from distributors of their programming. The shift comes as advertising revenue, once the primary fuel of the media economy, grows choppier as marketers place more emphasis on new venues like streaming video, mobile devices and social media. New agreements likely include terms for carriage of content over broadband, which has become an important driver for cable and satellite distributors. Making programming available to subscribers who want to watch on a mobile device is growing more important to companies that want to keep their patronage. At the same time, media concerns want to be paid for that new method of delivery as well. Dish recently had a similar disagreement with Time Warner’s Turner unit, and went so far as to take cable networks like CNN off the air. As of the end of September, Dish had about 14 million TV subscribers. The Dish-CBS standoff was expected to black out the following stations: KCBS (L.A.); WCBS (New York); WBBM (Chicago); WBZ (Boston); KYW (Philadelphia); WCCO (Minneapolis); WFOR (Miami); WJZ (Baltimore); WWJ (Detroit); KCNC (Denver); KDKA (Pittsburg); KOVR (Sacramento); KPIX (San Francisco); and KTVT (Dallas), along with several CW and independent channels. [Updated, 5:47 PM PT]Wilco – Star Wars By Jon Hersh I first heard Wilco on the short-lived HBO series Reverb, which pumped live bands direct to your suburban home every Friday night, no fake ID required. Wilco’s live show was recorded in 1997, three years after starting as a band, and their performance was shaky and wild and their songs were amazing. I remembered none of this. I remembered the deli tray. At some point in their set, the band pauses and comes to the front of the stage, bearing a surprisingly large deli-tray, presumably brought from backstage and unwanted by the band or its crew. Co-songwriter Jay Bennett says to the audience, “we have to explain the rules of the deli tray game. Anything that we throw out from this lovely deli tray, provided for us by Irving Plaza, can be thrown back at us.” Lead singer Jeff Tweedy hands the impressive tray of meats and cheese to the crowd, and immediately someone jumps up and knocks the tray over, spilling its entire contents to the dirty floor. “It just takes one person to spoil everyone’s fun”, whines Jeff. Wilco, you see, has always wanted to give back to their fans. On Friday, Wilco gave the Internet and its fans the equivalent of a $99 Deluxe Zabar’s Deli Tray Assortment: a surprise album released for free online. Like everyone else, I assume it was a hoax (note to the band: calling the album “Star Wars” and featuring a cat on the cover does you no favors in this regard.) But I downloaded it anyway, preparing to hear 12 tracks of Jeff Tweedy gargling marbles into a blow dryer — because, hey, you get what you pay for — but after listening I can confirm this is real, really real, real as in the best album Wilco’s released in years. I’m of course left positing why? Not why release it this way, why call it “Star Wars”, why is this their best album. And after pondering over it much longer than a grown man should think about a rock album, I’ve come to conclusion that this is the only way Wilco could have released an album this good, and whether they called it “Pat Sansone Cries Alone” or “Dirty Hippie Thoughts” it would be just as good. The album opens with the minute and change “EKG”, which is appropriately named, and sounds like the sputtering and starting of a broken EKG at the world’s worst hospital (probably in America. Don’t worry, they take Visa). The second track “More…” reminds you that yes, you are listening to the band that wrote Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and not your cousin’s noise band that have yet to learn their instruments. The third track “Random Name Generator” harkens back to the Thin Lizzy vibe that Wilco seems to court and skirt, revealing that if they weren’t the world’s best rock band, they would be the world’s best cover band. The rest of it is Wilco, not the sad rock Wilco of the past few albums, but the sturm und drang of Wilco past. The drums are front and center (or whatever weird percussion drummer Glen Kotche has dreamed up) mixing with the crunch of the guitars like syrup on hotcakes. You can see why Wilco needs to release albums like this. As a group they are prone to over-thinking, producing radio-friendly ‘dad-rock’, a moniker that will hound them the rest of their days. Wilco, the band, are a pack of effortlessly talented musicians, able to wring every bit of magic out of the songs that songwriter and singer Jeff Tweedy brings to them. This is evidently present in every live performance I’ve seen them at (at least a dozen and counting), where they are unconstrained by the narrow confines of the recorded medium and the listener’s attention span. This kind of delirious energy is tough to capture on record, and the ups and downs of Wilco’s albums can be charted by their ability to do so: Summerteeth (no), Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (yes), A Ghost is Born (yes), Sky Blue Sky (barely), Wilco (no), The Whole Love (no). This also isn’t the story of a label trying to dumb down a great band for the paleatteable masses. Their previous label, Nonesuch is home to such crowd-pleasing avant-garde composers as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, and seems to operate entirely outside the normal economic dictates of the modern music industry. Since leaving that label they’ve started their own, dBpm, who presumably have little corporate control over their product. None of this pressure to produce a record that connects with its fans is coming from the top down, all of it is rising internally from the band, and likely Jeff Tweedy himself. “Here’s a song that should have made a million dollars,” Tweedy once opined while introducing “Heavy Metal Drummer” off of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot at a concert in Milwaukee I attended in the early 2000s. Unbeknownst to me, “Heavy Metal Drummer” was supposed to be their ‘hit’, but I along with everyone I knew found it plainly boring. You could just see Jeff in the control room, tweaking the dials, wondering how much of Wilco’s weirdness was the right amount to let through: too much and the Starbucks crowd will get turned off, too little and their music loses its voodoo and devolves into boring, sad radio rock. “People really want to watch the band fall apart”, says Tweedy during the post-deli incident interview on Reverb. Of course we do, because at this point in your career we understand you better than you understand yourselves: only when you are off-kilter are you great. There is no alchemy to producing a great Wilco track. The right amount of Wilco weirdness is all of it, right from the Marshall stacks, through Nel’s Cline’s labyrinthique pedalboard straight into your gaping ear. This kind of creativity can’t come from any machine, even one as amenable as the musician’s label of dBpm. It has to come from Wilco themselves, and Tweedy and co. have to internalize this to produce and album this good. Keep Wilco weird. Star Wars forever. Stream it: God Yes Buy it on CD: Impossible for now Buy it on Vinyl: Probably, eventually Perfect time to listen: There is no wrong timeMobile livestreaming is enjoying a moment in the spotlight with the launch of apps like Meerkat and Twitter’s Periscope. You can use livestreaming apps to broadcast your trip to the grocery store, or to illegally stream expensive boxing matches, but their most important use is not at all trivial: documenting news and serving as an important tool for highlighting social injustice or emergencies as they happen. In the US we’ve seen this most recently in events in Ferguson, Missouri, where livestreamers shared the realities of protest on the ground, capturing live moments such as when a police officer threatened media and protestors with a gun. The response in the streets of Ferguson and Baltimore to the deaths of young African American men at the hands of police is the latest example of citizen-shot live video playing a key element in justice movements. Other examples include the global Occupy movement on Livestream in 2011, activists in Libya and Syria on Bambuser in 2011-12, and [Ukrainians using Ustream](file://localhost/LINK/%20http/::www.ustream.tv:channel:aronets) from EuroMaidan in 2014. Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement was extensively documented on YouTube. WIRED Opinion About Sam Gregory is the Program Director at Witness, the international human rights organization. He is a globally recognized human rights advocate who supports people use the power of the moving image and participatory technologies to create change. He is a 2012 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a 2013 Future for Good Fellow and is an Adjunct Lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Connect with him @samgregory. Ben Rubin, creator of Meerkat, described some of his motivation for creating the app as a tool to bring us into crisis contexts: “Whether it’s civil rights issues being protested in Ferguson or musicians interrupting each other at an awards show, we kept wondering if we could get access to these moments in an easier way.” And here’s how the team at Periscope explained its product in their launch announcement: Just over a year ago, we became fascinated by the idea of discovering the world through someone else’s eyes. What if you could see through the eyes of a protester in Ukraine? At my organization, Witness, we support video for human rights and now live video for human rights. As we've focused on the possibilities of live video, here's what we've learned about how it can be used for social justice, and where the risks are. Livestreaming and Human Rights Live video takes many of the possibilities of recorded video and accentuates them. It pulls in and engages a distant audience with the visceral experience of what is happening on the ground—and makes it much more tangible because it is "now." It makes us all, even if we are not in the same physical space, direct witnesses to rights violations. And when live video is tied to your social graph it can engage people who know or care about you already directly in the middle of a dramatic experience in your life. The best livestreamers engage their audience in a dialogue and commentary that makes them feel like part of the experience, using techniques from radio and sports commentary. It makes people on the ground feel supported—by those comments, or by cascades of emoji hearts on their screen. It puts pressure on perpetrators—a camera confronting an abusive police officer that has 5,000 people watching it live can be a powerful deterrent. At the least, it can ensure that no arrest occurs without scrutiny. Here’s how an activist on the ground in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013 used it in precisely such circumstances. A police officer approached a man and said he was about to conduct a search of him. An activist holding a livestreaming camera declared, “I will watch the search, and there are 5,000 [other] people watching.” Although he was arrested, the video attracted attention and secured a relatively swift release. A camera confronting an abusive police officer that has 5,000 people watching it live can be a powerful deterrent. And paradoxically livestreams can become the best archives. You can instantly back-up and “archive” footage against seizure and deletion from your mobile device– assuming the tools allows it (and here’s where Meerkat’s ephemerality plays against it for human rights purposes). The Risks of Livestreaming for Activists Live video also accentuates some of the risks and challenges of video in crisis situations. Video is not always a protection from violence—and there is a false sense of security that can also come from thinking that just because you have multitudes watching you are safe. And what about people filmed? A big concern when shooting human rights video is how to protect people who speak out or who need to be anonymous. In a recorded video you can blur a face or edit a dangerous segment. But live video provides no option for that. It’s out there, like it or not, with all the impact that can have over the short and long-term on the filmer and filmed. Graphic violence and the ethics of watching someone else’s crisis live have come up in the past. An earlyexperience on Justin.Tv was of someone committing suicide on live video. But what about the first time we’re live for the equivalent of the killing of Neda Agha Soltan on the streets of Tehran during the Green Revolution? Both companies dealing with issues of how to manage graphic content, and individuals deciding what they should see, shouldn’t see and don’t want to see will be faced with real dilemmas. Video is not always a protection from violence. As live video grows more prominent and we see more people not only sharing recorded video but live video of incidents of police violence (such as the shooting of Walter Scott), we can be sure that there will be a push-back on the "right to record" of citizens both here in the US and elsewhere. For the bystander who films an incident like Walter Scott's murder the ability to livestream could ensure that the video is not deleted by someone seizing their device or lost to someone intervening in their filming. However, livestreaming also reduces their options to take steps to protect themselves before sharing the material or to choose to release the material tactically (for example, to wait to see if the official version matches up, as the witness in the Walter Scott shooting chose to do). There’s tremendous potential here that we’ve only just started to tap, and challenges that both companies and livestreaming individuals will have to face. From Passive Witnessing to Action For human rights activists and citizen witnesses who Periscope, Meerkat or Bambuser the scene of violations, there are ways to move people from being passive viewers to active witnesses who see something and do something. The key here is to offer actions to viewers that go beyond watching and commenting, and simultaneously to make sure we generate empathy and connection. Within the "Mobil-Eyes Us" project we’ve been exploring how layering tech innovation in smart calendaring and task-routing on top of robust tactics and storytelling with live video enables this. What if five frontline LGBT activists in a repressive country knew thousands were watching and willing to call their governments if violence happened at a Pride rally? What if "distant witnesses" banded together to identify abusive officers in the suppression of a peaceful protest, and called ahead to police stations to say ‘We know you’ve taken people detained to this station’? What would it be like if the authorities could literally see the number of people watching a livestream via on a counter on the front of a camera? Could that deter violence in a protest? Offer actions to viewers that go beyond watching and commenting, and simultaneously to make sure we generate empathy and connection. Beyond the power of the crowd, sometimes all that matters is that one person is watching and supporting. Using the power of smart task-routing we could match a need on the ground with the right person, available then, with a useful skill or expertise: a lawyer to provide legal guidance to a community during a forced eviction or protest, or a video editor available to turn the visceral experience of a livestream into something much more shareable on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube after the fact. Stay tuned [LIVE] for developments. This is going to be a bumpy ride, but the destination is worth getting to!MELBOURNE — It's a mystery what exactly sparked Orlando City goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr.'s outsized competitiveness. Maybe it was being the youngest child of six. Maybe it was from watching his closest sibling, his sister Jasmine, dominate in sports, including on their shared flag football team. Maybe it was from roaming the sideline at the sporting events where his father, the current athletics director at UC-San Diego, worked. Earl Edwards Sr. can't point to one thing, other than recalling the world-ending, soul-crushing reactions of his son, Edwards Jr. — or EJ as they call him — when he lost anything. A board game, a meaningless contest, an AAU basketball tournament. It didn't matter. "If he lost," Edwards Sr. said, "it was a traumatic experience." That competitive drive has gotten Edwards Jr. to this point, and it may be what propels the 24-year-old into a starting job for the Lions in just his second pro season. Yet aspects of that same trait — a want to be the best, to be perfect — is the inclination Lions goalkeeper coach Stewart Kerr is trying to redirect and harness in his newest pupil. As Kerr sees it, Edwards Jr. wants to be too perfect sometimes. He can make the hard save look easy, but his desire to catch a ball most goalkeepers would deem uncatchable or to push a shot away at just the right angle is interfering with the inate abilities that could make him one of the country's best at doing what he gets paid to do: keep the ball out of the net. And there is no doubt in Kerr's mind Edwards Jr. can be one of the absolute best at doing that. "Earl has got all the potential in the world to be a top goalkeeper," Kerr said. "He has all the raw tools, but what it is, is he needs to be seasoned." Potential. It's a word often associated with Edwards Jr., who was dubbed "the next Tim Howard" as a teen with the U.S. under-17 national team. It was the type of quick-to-anoint tag that has doomed many athletes in this country, but Edwards Jr. said he didn't let those comparisons distract him. He shrugs off the Howard association still, the same way he casually pushes aside any perceived snub from dropping to the third round of last year's MLS draft. Edwards Jr. posted a 1.05 goals against average at UCLA in three years as starter, including a 0.89 GAA and a run to the national championship as a senior, yet he was the third goalkeeper taken in the four-round draft. "I didn't think I was overlooked, necessarily," he said. "But I knew whatever team would pick me up was getting more than what they expected." There are hints, though, at that famous competitiveness underneath the always-medium emotion Edwards Jr. shows outwardly. Edwards Jr. knows the goalkeepers who were rated ahead of him in the draft. He also is quick to say he has no regrets about not starting last season when veteran Tally Hall was hurt in the penultimate game of the season. Edwards Jr. was also injured at the time, but it was not how he envisioned getting his first MLS start, in any case. "I really wanted to go about getting my debut, really earning it and not having it be due to a circumstance," he said. "I wanted it to be where the coaches trust me and want to put me in, and it's a choice where they've chosen to play me over another guy. … This year I'm looking to push and prove I can be that guy, and when I do get my shot I'll be ready." When told of Edward Jr.'s statement, his father chuckled. This is the epitome of EJ, he said. What other rookie would look at a missed opportunity as a blessing because it could have stopped him from "properly earning" a starting job? It is the positive side of Edward Jr.'s competitiveness. The one that has been on display this preseason as he flies around in net during drills, batting balls left and right. It's the same attribute that allows him to take coaching and make it a part of his own thinking and action; Edwards Jr. talked about "doing what it takes to keep the ball out of the net" in terms almost verbatim to what Kerr later relayed, as if he had programmed the message into his brain. Orlando City coaches may be trying to coarsen some of Edward Jr.'s need for perfection, but they don't want to eliminate it. They understand what his family has long known: It is that competitive drive to be the best that has and will continue to define the goalkeeper — and it's ultimately what can make him special. [email protected] is rightly made about the Republican War on Women. But the Republicans are fighting a more deliberate battle against the poor. It is audacious, insensitive and ugly. Republicans have clearly decided that the War on the Poor is good politics. Today, 46 million Americans live in poverty, or 15 percent of the population. Some 20 percent of all children live in poverty. Nearly 40 percent of black children do. Yet the Paul Ryan budget would take two-thirds of its non-military cuts from low-income programs like Medicaid, food stamps, job training and Pell grants for college, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. While the Ryan plan would cut the tax rate for the rich to 25 percent, the non-partisan Tax Policy Center reports taxes for those who make $30,000 or less would go up. Robert Greenstein, the president of the CBPP, calls it "likely... the largest redistribution of income from the bottom to the top in modern U.S. history." The budget policy is only the spearhead of the war on the poor. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would also reverse as much of Obamacare as possible, including if they can the enormous expansion of Medicaid passed by Congress. Few may realize that Medicaid, the healthcare plan for the poor, was designed only for families; no matter how poor, individuals did not qualify. Moreover, the typical cut-off for qualification even for families was two thirds of the poverty rate. This all changed with Obamacare. Some 15 to 17 million poor Americans would now get healthcare coverage. Romney and Ryan would also change Medicare radically -- at least the Ryan budget would. Whose pocket would that come out of? The elderly, who are generally low-income Americans, have low poverty rates only because of Medicare and Social Security. They would immediately start to lose benefits if Obamacare were reversed. The Romney-Ryan camp try to cover this up by saying their plan would only affect those 55 and under today. Not so. And the Ryan plan of offering premium support -- vouchers -- rather than guaranteeing healthcare as is now done under Medicare would be highly costly to the elderly. A recent Center for American Progress report found that ending Obamacare would cost today's seniors $11,000 due to higher premiums and higher drug costs as the famed doughnut hole was set to close. As for those who turn 65 ten years from now, the losses are huge because premiums under Romney-Ryan will not keep up with healthcare costs. That could come to $60,000 in higher payments over the typical 2023 retiree's span of retirement. It's not just Romney and Ryan among the Republicans who are fighting a war on the poor. Republican states led the legal challenge against Obamacare, which would have provided healthcare coverage to two-thirds of Americans who have none, some 30 million people. They effectively lost in the Supreme Court. But when the Court ruled in June that states could reject the Medicaid portion of Obamacare, five Republican governors said they would, including the governor of Texas, where 25 percent of the population has no healthcare coverage. The national average is about 18 percent. These
the diverse practices, interests, modes of power, social relations, public pedagogies, and economic configurations that shape the politics of the punishing state? Focusing on the specifics of the current historical conjuncture is invaluable politically in that such an approach makes visible the ideologies, policies, and modes of governance produced by the neoliberal warfare state. When neoliberal mechanisms of power and ideology are made visible, it becomes easier for the American public to challenge the common assumptions that legitimate these apparatuses of power. This type of interrogative strategy also reclaims the necessity of critical thought, civic engagement, and democratic politics by invoking the pedagogical imperative that humans not only make history but can alter its course and future direction. For many young people today, human agency is denned as a mode of self-reflection and critical social engagement rather than a surrender to a paralyzing and unchallengeable fate. Likewise, democratic expression has become fundamental to their existence. Many young people are embracing democracy not merely as a mode of governance, but more importantly, as Bill Moyers points out, as a means of dignifying people “so they become fully free to claim their moral and political agency.”29 Human agency has become a vital force to struggle over as part of an ongoing project in which the future remains an open horizon that cannot be dismissed through appeals to the end of history or end of ideology.30 But to understand how politics refuses any guarantees and resistance becomes possible, we must first understand the present. Following Stuart Hall. I want to argue that the current historical moment, or what he calls the “long march of the Neoliberal Revolution,”31 has to be understood not only through the emergent power of finance capital and its institutions but also in terms of the growing forms of authoritarian violence that it deploys and reinforces. I want to address these antidemocratic pressures and their relationship to the rising protests of young people in the United States and abroad through the lens of two interrelated crises: the crisis of governing through violence and the crisis of what Alex Honneth has called “a failed sociality”32—which currently conjoin as a driving force to dismantle any viable notion of public pedagogy and civic education. If we are not to fall prey to a third crisis—”the crisis of negation”33—then it is imperative that we recognize the hope symbolized and embodied by young people across America and their attempt to remake society in order to ensure a better, more democratic future for us all. The Crisis of Governing through Violence The United States is addicted to violence, and this dependency is fueled increasingly by its willingness to wage war at home and abroad.34 As Andrew Bacevich rightly argues, “war has become a normal condition [matched by] Washington’s seemingly irrevocable abandonment of any semblance of self-restraint regarding the use of violence as an instrument of statecraft.”35 But war in this instance is not merely the outgrowth of policies designed ‘to protect the security- and well-being of the United States. It is also, as C. Wright Mills pointed out. part of a “military metaphysics”36—a complex of forces that includes corporations, defense industries, politicians, financial institutions, and universities. The culture of war provides jobs, profits, political payoffs, research funds, and forms of political and economic power that reach into every aspect of society. War is also one of the nation’s most honored virtues. Its militaristic values now bear down on almost every aspect of American life.37 Similarly, as the governing-through-violence complex becomes normalized in the broader society, it continually works in a variety of ways to erode any distinction between war and peace. Increasingly stoked by a moral arnd political hysteria, warlike values produce and endorse shared fears and organized violence as the primary registers of social relations. The conceptual merging of war and violence is evident in the ways in which the language of militarization is now used by politicians to address a range of policies as if they are operating on a battlefield or in a war zone. War becomes the adjective of choice as policymakers talk about waging war on drugs, poverty, and the underclass. There is more at work here than the prevalence of armed knowledge and a militarized discourse; there is also the emergence of a militarized society in which “the range of acceptable opinion inevitably shrinks.”38 And this choice of vocabulary and slow narrowing of democratic vision further enable the use of violence as an instrument of domestic policy. How else to explain that the United States has become the punishing state par excellence, as indicated by the hideous fact that while it contains “5 percent of the Earth’s population, it is home to nearly a quarter of its prisoners”?39 Senator Lindsay Graham made this very clear in his rhetorical justification of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act by stating “that under this Act the U.S. homeland is considered a ‘battlefield.'”40 The ominous implications behind this statement, especially for Occupy movement protesters, became obvious in light of the fact that the act gives the US government the right to detain “U.S. citizens indefinitely without charge or trial if deemed necessary by the president…. Detentions can follow mere membership, past or present, in ‘suspect organizations.'”41 Since 9/11, the war on terror and the campaign for homeland security have increasingly mimicked the tactics of the enemies they sought to crush and as such have become a war on democracy. A new military urbanism has taken root the United States as state surveillance projects proliferate, signaling what Stephen Graham calls “the startling militarization of civil society—the extension of military ideas of tracking, identification, and targeting into the quotidian spaces and circulations of everyday life.”42 This is partly evident in the ongoing militarization of police departments throughout the United States. Baton-wielding cops are now being supplied with the latest military equipment imported straight from the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. Military technologies once used exclusively on the battlefield are now being supplied to police units across the nation: drones, machine-gun-equipped armored trucks, SWAT-type vehicles, “digital communications equipment, and Kevlar helmets, like those used by soldiers used in foreign wars.”43 The domestic war against “terrorists” (code for young protesters) provides new opportunities for major defense contractors and corporations to become “more a part of our domestic lives.”44 As Glenn Greenwald points out, the United States since 9/11 has aggressively paramilitarized the nation’s domestic police forces by lavishing them with countless military-style weapons and other war-like technologies, training them in war-zone military tactics, and generally imposing a war mentality on them. Arming domestic police forces with paramilitary weaponry will ensure their systematic use even in the absence of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil; they will simply find other, increasingly permissive uses for those weapons.45 These domestic paramilitary forces also undermine free speech and dissent through the sheer threat of violence while often wielding power that runs roughshod over civil liberties, human rights, and civic responsibilities.46 Given that “by age 23, almost a third of Americans are arrested for a crime,” it is not unreasonable to assume that in the new militarized state the perception of young people as predators, threats to corporate governance, and disposable objects will intensify, as will the growth of a punishing state that acts out against young protesters in increasingly unrestrained and savage ways.47 Young people, particularly poor minorities of color, have already become the targets of what David Theo Goldberg calls “extraordinary power in the name of securitization … [viewed as] unruly populations … [who] are to be subjected to necropolitical discipline through the threat of imprisonment or death, physical or social.”4 Shared fears and the media hysteria that promotes them produce more than a culture of suspects and unbridled intimidation. Fear on a broad public scale serves the interests of policymakers who support a growing militarization of the police along with the corporations that supply high-tech scanners, surveillance cameras, riot extinguishers, and toxic chemicals—all of which are increasingly used with impunity on anyone who engages in peaceful protests against the warfare and corporate state.49 Images abound in the mainstream media of such abuses. There is the now famous image of an eighty-four-year-old woman looking straight into a camera, her face drenched in a liquid spray used by the police after attending a protest rally. There is the image of a woman who is two months pregnant being carried to safety after being pepper-sprayed by the police. By now, the images of young people being dragged by their hair across a street to a waiting police van have become all too familiar.50 Some protesters have been seriously hurt, as in the case of Scott Olsen. an Iraq War veteran who was critically injured in a protest in Oakland in October 2011. Too much of this violence is reminiscent of the violence used against civil rights demonstrators by the enforcers of Jim Crow in the 1950s and 1960s.51 No longer restricted to a particular military ideology, the celebration and permeation of warlike values throughout the culture have hastened the militarization of the entire society. As Michael Geyer points out, militarization can be defined as “the contradictory and tense social process in which civil society organizes itself for the production of violence.”52 As the late Tony Judt put it, “The United States is becoming not just a militarized state but a military society: a country where armed power is the measure of national greatness, and war, or planning for war, is the exemplary (and only) common project.”55 But the prevailing intensification of American society’s permanent war status does more than embrace a set of unifying symbols that promote a survival-of-the-fittest ethic, conformity over dissent, the strong over the weak, and fear over responsibility. Such a move also gives rise to a “failed sociality” in which violence becomes the most important tool of power and the mediating force in shaping social relationships. A state that embraces a policy of permanent war needs willing subjects to abide by its values, ideology, and narratives of fear and violence. Such legitimation is largely provided through people’s immersion in a market-driven society that appears increasingly addicted to consumerism, militarism, and the spectacles of violence endlessly circulated through popular culture.54 Examples of the violent fare on offer extend from the realm of high fashion and Hollywood movies to extreme sports, video games, and music concerts sponsored by the Pentagon.55 The market-driven celebration of a militaristic mind-set demands a culture of conformity, quiet intellectuals, and a largely passive republic of consumers. It also needs subjects who find intense pleasure in spectacles of violence.56 In a society saturated with hyperviolence and spectacular representations of cruelty, it becomes more difficult for the American public to respond politically and ethically to the violence as it is actually happening on the ground. In this instance, previously unfamiliar violence such as extreme images of torture and death become banally familiar, while familiar violence that occurs daily is barely recognized, relegated to the realm of the unnoticed and unnoticeable. How else to explain the public indifference to the violence inflicted on nonviolent youth protesters who are raising their voices against a state in which they have been excluded from any claim on hope, prosperity, and democracy? While an increasing volume of brutality is pumped into the culture, yesterday’s spine-chilling and nerve-wrenching displays of violence lose their shock value. As the demand for more intense images of violence accumulates, the moral indifference and desensitization to violence grow, while matters of savage cruelty and suffering are offered up as fodder for sports, entertainment, news media, and other pleasure-seeking outlets. As American culture is more and more marked by exaggerated aggression and a virulent notion of hard masculinity, state violence—particularly the use of torture, abductions, and targeted assassinations—wins public support and requires little or no justification as US exceptionalism becomes accepted by many Americans as a matter of common sense.57 The social impacts of a “political culture of hyper punitiveness”58 can be seen in how structures of discipline and punishment have infiltrated the social order like a highly charged electric current. For example, the growing taste for violence can be seen in the criminalization of behaviors such as homelessness that once elicited compassion and social protection. We throw the homeless in jail instead of building houses, just as we increasingly send poor, semiliterate students to jail instead of providing them with a decent education. Similarly, instead of creating jobs for the unemployed, we allow banks to foreclose on their mortgages and in some cases put jobless people in debtors’ prisons. The prison in the twenty-first century7 becomes a way of making the effects of ruthless power invisible by making the victims of such power disappear. As Angela Davis points out, “According to this logic the prison becomes a way of disappearing people in the false hope of disappearing the underlying social problems they represent.”39 As the notion of the social is emptied out. criminality is now defined as an essential part of a person’s identity. As a rhetoric of punishment gains ground in American society, social problems are reduced to character flaws, insufficient morality, or a eugenicist notion of being “born evil.”60 Another symptomatic example of the way in which violence has saturated everyday life and produced a “failed sociality” can be seen in the growing acceptance by the American public of modeling public schools after prisons and criminalizing the behavior of young people in public schools. Incidents that were traditionally handled by teachers, guidance counselors, and school administrators are now dealt with by the police and the criminal justice system. The consequences have been disastrous for young people. Not only do schools increasingly resemble the culture of prisons, but young children are being arrested and subjected to court appearances for behaviors that can only be called trivial. How else to explain the case of the five-year-old student in Florida who was put in handcuffs and taken to the local jail because she had a temper tantrum, or the case of Alexa Gonzales in New York, who was arrested for doodling on her desk? Or twelve-year-old Sarah Bustamatenes, who was pulled from a Texas classroom, charged with a criminal misdemeanor, and hauled into court because she sprayed perfume on herself?61 How do we explain the arrest of a thirteen-year-old student in a Maryland school for refusing to say the pledge of allegiance?62 Or the case of a sixteen-year-old student with an IQ below 70 being pepper-sprayed because he did not understand a question asked by the police officer in his school? After being pepper-sprayed, the startled youth started swinging his arms and for that was charged with two counts of assault on a public servant and faces a possible prison sentence.63 In The most extreme cases, children have been beaten, Tasered, and killed by the police. These examples may still be unusual enough to shock, though they are becoming more commonplace. What must be recognized is that too many schools have become combat zones in which students are routinely subjected to metal detectors, surveillance cameras, uniformed security guards, weapons searches, and in some cases SWAT raids and police dogs sniffing for drugs.64 Under such circumstances, the purpose of schooling becomes to contain and punish young people, especially those marginalized by race and class, rather than educate them. “Arrests and police interactions … disproportionately affect low-income schools with large African-American and Latino populations.”65 For the many disadvantaged students being funnelled into the “school-to-prison pipeline,” schools ensure that their futures look grim indeed as their educational experiences acclimatize them to forms of carceral treatment.66 There is more at work here than a flight from responsibility on the part of educators, parents, and politicians who support and maintain policies that fuel this expanding edifice of law enforcement against youth. Underlying the repeated decisions to turn away from helping young people is the growing sentiment that youths, particularly minorities of color and class, constitute a threat to adults and the only effective way to deal with them is to subject them to mind-crushing punishment. Students being miseducated, criminalized, and arrested through a form of penal pedagogy in prison-type schools provides a grave reminder of the degree to which the ethos of containment and punishment now creeps into spheres of everyday life that were largely immune in the past to this type of state and institutional violence. The era of failed sociality that Americans now inhabit reminds us that we live in a time that breaks young people, devalues justice, and saturates the minute details of everyday life with the constant threat, if not reality, of violence. The medieval turn to embracing forms of punishment that inflict pain on the psyches and bodies of young people is part of a larger immersion of society in public spectacles of violence. The control society67 is now the ultimate form of entertainment in America, as the pain of others, especially those considered disposable and powerless, is no longer a subject of compassion but one of ridicule and amusement. High-octane violence and human suffering are now considered consumer entertainment products designed to raise the collective pleasure quotient. Brute force and savage killing replayed over and over in the culture function as part of an anti-immune system that turns the economy of genuine pleasure into a mode of sadism that saps democracy of any political substance and moral vitality, even as the body politic appears engaged in a process of cannibalizing its own young. It is perhaps not far-fetched to imagine a reality TV show in which millions tune in to watch young kids being handcuffed, arrested, tried in the courts, and sent to juvenile detention centers. No society can make a claim to being a democracy as long as it defines itself through shared hatred and fears rather than shared responsibilities. In the United States, society has been reconfigured to eliminate many young people’s access to the minimal conditions required for living a full, dignified, and productive life as well as the conditions necessary for sustaining and nurturing democratic structures and ideologies. The cruelty and violence infecting the culture are both a symptom and a cause of our collective failure to mobilize large-scale collective resistance against a growing police state and the massive suffering caused by the savagery of neoliberal capitalism. Unfortunately, even as expressions of authentic rage against Wall Street continue in the Occupy movement, the widespread hardship that young people and other marginalized populations face today “has not found resonance in the public space of articulation. “fs With the collapse of a market economy into a market society, democracy no longer makes a claim on the importance of the common good. As a mode of diseased sociality, the current version of market fundamentalism has turned the principle of freedom against itself, deforming a collective vision of democracy and social justice that once made equality a viable economic idea and political goal in the pursuit of one’s own freedom and civil liberties. As Zygmunt Bauman insists, one of the consequences of this market-driven sovereignty is “the progressive decomposition and crumbling of social bonds and communal cohesion.”6 Neoliberalism creates a language of social magic in which the social either vaporizes into thin air or is utterly pathologized. Shared realities and effects of poverty, racism, inequality, and financial corruption disappear, but not the ideological and institutional mechanisms that make such scourges possible.70 And when the social is invoked favorably, the invocation is only ever used to recognize the claims and values of corporations, the ultrarich, banks, hedgefund managers, and other privileged groups comprising the 1 percent. Self-reliance and the image of the self-made man cancel out any viable notion of social relations, the common good, public values, and collective struggle. The Occupy movements have recognized that what erodes under such conditions is not only an acknowledgment of the historical contexts, social and economic formations, relations of power, and systemic forms of discrimination that have produced massive inequalities in wealth, income, and opportunity but also any claim to the promise of a substantive democracy. Increasingly, as both the public pedagogy and economic dictates of neoliberalism are contested by the Occupiers, the state responds with violence. But the challenges to militarism, inequality, and political corruption with which young people have confronted American society are being met with a violence that encompasses more than isolated incidents of police brutality. It is a violence emanating from an ongoing wholesale transformation of the United States into a warfare state, from a state that once embraced the social contract—at least minimally—to one that no longer has even a language for community, a state in which the bonds of fear and commodification have replaced the bonds of civic responsibility and democratic commitment. As a result, violence on the part of the state and corporations is not aimed just at youthful protesters. Through a range of visible and invisible mechanisms, an ever-expanding multitude of individuals and populations has been caught in a web of cruelty, dispossession, exclusion, and exploitation. The predominance of violence in all aspects of social life suggests that young people and others marginalized by class, race, and ethnicity have been abandoned as American society’s claim on democracy gives way to the forces of militarism, market fundamentalism, and state terrorism. We must address how a metaphysics of war and violence has taken hold of American society, and the savage social costs it has entailed. It is these very forms of social, political, and economic violence that young people have recognized and endured against their own minds and bodies, but they are using their indignation to inspire action rather than despair. The spreading imprint of violence throughout society suggests the need for a politics that riot only critiques the established order but imagines a new one—one informed by a radical vision in which the future does not imitate the present. Critique must emerge alongside a sense of realistic hope, and individual struggles must merge into larger social movements. Occupy Wall Street surfaced in the wake of the 9/11 memorials and global economic devastation rooted in market deregulation and financial corruption. It also developed in response to atrocities committed by the US military in the name of the war on terror, violent and racist extremism spreading through US politics and popular culture, a growing regime of discipline and punishment aimed at marginalized youth, retrograde education policies destructive of knowledge and critical learning, and the enactment of ruthless austerity policies that serve only to increase human suffering. With the democratic horizon in the United States increasingly darkened by the shadows of a looming authoritarianism and unprecedented levels of social and economic inequality, the Occupy movement and other global movements signify hope and renewal. The power of these movements to educate and act for change should not be underestimated, particularly among youths, even as we collectively bear witness to the violent retaliation of official power against democratic protesters and the growing fury of the punishing state. In the book that follows, I present chapters that move from negation to hope, from critique to imagining otherwise in order to act otherwise. The first chapter provides a retrospective on 9/11 that acknowledges the way in which the tragic events of 2001 were used to unleash brutal violence on a global scale and legitimate the expansion of the warfare state and unthinkable forms of torture against populations increasingly deemed disposable. In particular, the traumatic aftermath of 9/11 in the United States was distorted into a culture of fear: heightened domestic security; and accelerated disciplinary forces that targeted youth, particularly the most vulnerable marginalized by race and class, as potential threats to the social order. This chapter exposes some of the widespread impacts of an unchecked punishing state and its apparatuses—most notably the escalating war on youth, the attack on the social state, and the growth of a “governing through crime” complex—while also paying tribute to the resilience and humanity of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families. It asserts that public recollection in the aftermath of those traumatic events—particularly the sense of common purpose and civic commitment that ensued—should serve as a source of collective hope for a different future than the one we have seen on display since September 2001.71 Chapter 2 discusses in further detail the cultural shift in the United States that has led to the inscription and normalization of cruelty and violence. In spring 2011, the role of the dominant media in sanctioning this culture of cruelty extended to its failure to provide a critical response when the “Kill Team” photographs were released. Even as young people around the world demonstrated against military power and authoritarian regimes, soldiers in the US military fighting in the “war on terror” gleefully participated in horrifying injustices inflicted upon helpless others. The “Kill Team” photos—images of US soldiers smiling and posing with dead Afghan civilians and their desecrated bodies—serve as but one example signaling a broader shift in American culture away from compassion for the suffering of other human beings toward a militarization of the culture and a sadistic pleasure in violent spectacles of pain and torture. Further discussion of American popular culture demonstrates how US society increasingly manifests a “depravity of aesthetics” through eagerly consuming displays of aggression, brutality, and death. Connecting this culture of cruelty to the growing influence of neoliberal policies across all sectors, I suggest that this disturbing new enjoyment of the humiliation of others—far from representing an individualized pathology—now infects US society as a whole in a way that portends the demise of the social state, if not any vestige of a real and substantive democracy. Recognizing the power of dominant culture to shape our thoughts, identities, and desires, we must struggle to uncover “instants of truth” that draw upon our compassion for others and rupture the hardened order of reality constructed by the media and other dominant cultural forces. The third chapter suggests that even as US popular culture increasingly circulates images of mind-crushing brutality, American political culture in a similar fashion now functions like a theater of cruelty in which spectacles and public policies display gratuitous and unthinking violence toward the most vulnerable groups in the country, especially children. Despite persistent characterizations of terrorists as “other,” the greatest threat to US security lies in homegrown, right-wing extremism of a kind similar to that espoused by Anders Behring Breivik who in July 2011 bombed government buildings in Oslo, killing eight people, and then went on a murderous shooting rampage in Norway, killing sixty-nine youths attending a Labor Party camp. The eruption of violent speech and racist rhetoric within US political discourse indicates a growing tolerance at the highest levels of government of extremist elements and the authoritarian views and racist hatred they deploy to advance their agenda—which includes dismantling the social state, legitimating a governing apparatus based on fear and punishment, undermining critical thought and education through appeals to conformity and authoritarian populism, and disposing of all populations deemed dangerous and threatening to the dominance of a white conservative nationalism. Bespeaking far more than a disturbing turn in US politics and the broader culture, right-wing policymakers abetted by the dominant media are waging a campaign of domestic terrorism against children, the poor, and other vulnerable groups as part of a larger war against democracy and the democratic formative culture on which it depends for survival. Continuing an exploration of the neoliberal mode of authoritarianism that has infiltrated US politics, Chapter 4 discusses how anti-immigrant and racist political ideology couched in a discourse of patriotism is being translated into regressive educational policies and an attack on critical education. Reminiscent of the book burnings conducted in Nazi Germany, the Arizona state legislature and school board in Tucson have systematically eliminated ethnic studies from elementary schools and banned books that: discuss racism and oppression, including several books by Mexican American authors in a school district where more than 60 percent of the students are from a Mexican American background. Within a neoliberal regime that supports corporate hegemony, social and economic inequality, and antidemocratic forms of governance, racism is either privatized by encouraging individual solutions to socially produced problems or disavowed, appearing instead in the guise of a language of punishment that persecutes anyone who even raises the specter of ongoing racism. The censorship of ethnic studies in Arizona and of forms of pedagogy that give voice to oppression points to how ideas that engage people in a struggle for equality and democracy pose a threat to fundamentalist ideologues and their war against the bodies, histories, and modes of knowledge that could produce the critical consciousness and civic courage necessary for a just society. Chapter 5 examines the politics of austerity in terms of how it releases corporations and the rich from responsibility for the global economic recession and instead inflicts vast amounts of pain and suffering upon the most vulnerable in society. As an extension of the culture of cruelty, austerity measures encode a fear and contempt for social and economic equality, leading not only to the weakening of social protections and tax breaks for the wealthy but also to the criminalization of social problems. Austerity as a form of “trickle-down cruelty” symbolizes much more than neglect—it suggests a new mode of violence mobilized to address pervasive social ills that will only serve to hasten the emergence of punishing states and networks of global violence. Hope for preventing the escalation of human suffering must be situated in a concerted effort both to raise awareness about the damage wreaked by unchecked casino capitalism and to rethink the very nature of what democracy means and might look like in the United States. A capacity for critical thought, compassion, and informed judgment needs to be nurtured against the forms of bigotry, omission, and social irresponsibility that appear increasingly not only to sanction but also to revel in horror stories of inhumanity and destruction. Tracing the trajectory of class struggle and inequality in America up to the present day, Chapter 6 argues that a growing concentration of wealth in the hands of the ruling elite means that the political system and mode of governance in the United States are no longer democratic, even as state power is subordinated to the interests of corporate sovereignty. In this chapter, an account of the political, social, and economic injustices confronting the vast majority of Americans—the result of a decades-long unchecked supremacy of corporate power, the reign of corrupt financiers, and a ruthless attack on the social state and social protections—sets the stage for what emerged as the Occupy Wall Street movement in September 2011. While making visible the ongoing significance of class as a political category, the Occupiers did much more than rehash the tired rhetoric of “class warfare” (marshaled by their opponents in an effort to position the ruling elites as victims of class resentment) Quite to the contrary, the Occupiers revealed the potential for a broad collective movement both to expose the material realities of inequality and injustice and to counter prevailing antidemocratic narratives while also fundamentally changing the terms of engagement by producing new images, stories, and memories that challenged the complacency of the public and the impoverished imagination of political and corporate leadership in America. Chapter 7 concludes the book by reviewing the impact and legacy of the Occupy movement, particularly how it exposed the many ways in which US society has mortgaged the future of youth. The Occupiers have become the new public intellectuals, and they are creating a newpedagogy and politics firmly rooted in democracy, social justice, and human dignity that increasingly occupies the terrain of public discourse and poses a fundamental challenge to the control of the public sphere by corporate elites and their teaching machines. At risk of losing ideological dominance, the authorities retaliated against Occupy protesters by resorting to brutal forms of punishment. This police violence at once made visible the modes of authoritarianism and culture of cruelty that permeate American society—as was seen even at universities and colleges across the United States, institutions charged with contributing to the intellectual, social, and moral growth of society’s youth. As I complete the writing of this introduction, the Occupy struggle for social and economic justice continues on American university campuses—where the influence of austerity measures is increasingly being felt, although the working conditions for faculty and the quality of education for students began to deteriorate under the neoliberal ascendancy decades ago. The issues impacting higher education are undoubtedly symptomatic of the accelerated pace with which the withering away of the public realm is happening. The book finishes, however, by suggesting that the Occupy movement is far from over— despite the shrinking of physical space in which it can protest. As it expands and spreads across the globe, the movement is producing a new public realm of ideas and making important connections between the deteriorating state of education, antidemocratic forces, and the savage inequalities produced by a market society. The response of young people as the new generation of public intellectuals offers us both critique and hope. It is a call to work collectively to foster new modes of thought and action—one that should be actively supported by higher education and other remaining public spheres in the United States, if American democracy is to have a future at all. Notes for Introduction 1. Clearly, there are many reasons for the various youthful protests across the globe, ranging from the murder of young people and anger against financial corruption to the riots against cuts to social benefits and the rise of educational costs. 2. Christopher McMichael, ‘The Shock-and-Awe of Mega Sports Events,” OpenDemocracy (January 30, 2012), online at: http://www.opendemocracy.net/christopher-mcmichael/shock-and-awe-of-mega-sports-events. 3. Zygmunt Bauman, Wasted Lives (London: Polity, 2004), p. 76. 4. See Loic Wacquant, Punishing the Poor: The Neoliberal Government of Social Insecurity (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2009). 5. Amanda Peterson Beadle, “Obama Administration Ends Medicaid Funding for Texas Women’s Health Program,” Think-Progress (March 16, 2012), online at: http://thinkprogress.org/ health/2012/03/16/445894/funding-cut-for-texas-womens-health-program. 6. Maureen Dowd, “Don’t Tread on Us,” New York Times (March 14, 2012), p. A25. 7. See, for example, Daisy Grewal, “How Wealth Reduces Compassion: As Riches Grow, Empathy for Others Seems to Decline,” Scientific American (Tuesday, April 10, 2012), online at: http:// www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-wealth-reduces-compassion&print=true. 8. Azam Ahmed, “The Hunch, the Pounce and the Kill: How Boaz Weinstein and Hedge Funds Outsmarted JPMorgan,” New York Times (May 27, 2012), p. BUI. 9. Anne-Marie Cusac, Cruel and Unusual: The Culture of Punishment in America (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009), p. 3. 10. David Harvey, A Brief History of Neoliberalism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. 19. 11. Stuart Hall, “The Neo-Liberal Revolution,” Cultural Studies 25:6 (November 2011): 706. 12. Ibid. 13. Wendy Brown, Regulating Aversion (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008), p. 16. 14. Pascale-Anne Brault and Michael Naas, “Translators’ Note,” in Jean-Luc Nancy, The Truth of Democracy (New York: Fordham University Press, 2010), p. ix. 15. Jean-Marie Durand, “For Youth: A Disciplinary Discourse Only,” TruthOut (November 15, 2009), trans. Leslie Thatcher, online at: http://www.truthout.0rg/l 1190911. 16. David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on Racial Neoliberalism (Maiden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009), p. 347. 17. Zygmunt Bauman, “Has the Future a Left?” Soundings 35 (Spring 2007): 5-6. 18. Ibid. 19. Goldberg, The Threat of Race, p. 331. 20. Cited in Anson Rabinach, “Unclaimed Heritage: Ernst Bloch’s Heritage of Our Times and the Theory of Fascism,” New German Critique (Spring 1997): 8. 21. See OccupyArreste.com, http://occupyarrests.moonfruit.com. 22. Durand, “For Youth.” 23. Kyle Bella, “Bodies in Alliance: Gender Theorist Judith Butler on the Occupy and SlutWalk Movements,” TruthOut (December 15, 2011), online at: https://truthout.org/bodies-alliance-gender-theorist-judith-butler-occupy-and-slutwalk-movements/1323880210. 24. Richard Lichtman, “Not a Revolution?” TruthOut (December 14, 2011), online at: https://truthout.org/not-revolu-tion/1323801994. 25. Arun Gupta, “Arundhati Roy: The People Who Created the Crisis Will Not Be the Ones That Come up with a Solution,'” Guardian (November 30, 2011), online at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/ world/2011 /nov/30/arundhati-roy-interview. 26. Staughton Lynd, “What Is to Be Done Next?” Counter-Punch (February 29, 2012), online at: http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/02/29/what-is-to-be-done-next. 27. Stanley Aronowitz, “Notes on the Occupy Movement,” Logos (Fall 2011), online at: http://logosjournal.com/201 l/fall_aronowitz. 28. On the rise of the punishing state, see Cusac, Cruel and Unusual; Wacquant, Punishing the Poor, Angela Y. Davis, Abolition Democracy: Beyond Empire, Prisons, and Torture (New York: Seven Stories Press, 2005). 29. Bill Moyers, “Discovering What Democracy Means,” Tom-Paine (February 12, 2007), online at: http://www.tompaine.com/ articles/2007/02/12/discovering_what_democracy_means.php. 30. Daniel Bell, The End of Ideology: On the Exhaustion of Political Ideas in the Fifties (New York: Free Press, 1966); and the more recent Francis Fukuyama, The End of History and the Last Man (New York: Free Press, 2006). 31. Stuart Hall, “The March of the Neoliberals,” Guardian (September 12, 2011), online at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/poli-tics/201 l/sep/12/march-of-the-neoliberals/. 32. Alex Honneth, Pathologies of Reason (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009), p. 188. 33. John Van Houdt, ‘The Crisis of Negation: An Interview with Alain Badiou,” Continent 1:4 (2011): 234-238, online at: http://con-tinentcontinent.cc/index.php/continent/article
The man accused of shooting five protesters at a Minneapolis police precinct last year said he fired in self-defense, according to court documents filed Wednesday. Allen "Lance" Scarsella, 24, of Lakeville, is the only one among four co-defendants charged with first-degree assault for pulling the trigger Nov. 23 on an encampment assembled to protest the death of 24-year-old Jamar Clark, a black man who was shot by police during a struggle with white officers. The others were charged with second-degree riot while armed. Scarsella is being held in isolation at Hennepin County jail because of safety concerns, documents said. The confinement "has and will have a continue to have a significant impact on his mental health and ability to participate in his defense," according to a motion by his attorney Peter Martin. Scarsella's attorneys plan to argue that the shooting was in self-defense or the defense of others. Scarsella has pleaded not guilty. In the motion, Martin argued that Scarsella's $500,000 bail should be significantly reduced and that release conditions should be relaxed because he isn't a threat to the victims or public safety. His attorney, Peter Martin, contends that bail has previously been set at $100,000 at the request of the Hennepin County attorney's office. He added that there was no evidence that Scarsella is a danger to the public or would fail to appear at future court dates. Scarsella should receive a reduced bail because he has no criminal history, strong Minnesota connections, and a place to live both family and community support, the motion said. Home monitoring could also be an option, Martin wrote. A bail hearing is scheduled for June 22 and a hearing on the motions is planned for next month. According to witnesses, about a dozen protesters attempted to move Scarsella and three others — Daniel Macey, Joseph Backman and Nathan Gustavvson — from the encampment outside the Police Department's Fourth Precinct station in November when Scarsella fired, hitting five people. The victims — all black men ages 19 to 43 — were taken to hospitals with noncritical injuries. Macey, Backman and Gustavsson were charged with second-degree riot while armed and have been released on bail. A previous motion filed on behalf of one of the co-defendants contended that people in the crowd punched several of them before shots were fired. According to police interviews with several protesters, they were upset that the group was filming the protest and that "they were up to something," the motion said. Other interviews with protesters said they "wanted to beat" the men because they were white and it was rumored they were either KKK or police, the motion said. Two hours after the shooting, Scarsella confessed to a Mankato police officer who was an old high school friend, according to court documents. Hours later, he was the first of the men to be arrested. Martin's motion cited evidence that the crowd initiated physical contact and directed violent verbal epithets toward Scarsella and the co-defendants. Several witnesses described their attempts to run away, but the angry crowd followed and attacked one of them, he said. Witnesses said the crowd consisted of "anywhere from a dozen to thirty members," he said. The incident, Martin wrote, happened in a public place during a demonstration that all citizens, including onlookers, had a right to attend and express their opinion. Clark's death triggered several high profile demonstrations and gained national attention. Both officers involved in his death were cleared of any wrong doing in separate state and federal investigations. Several hearings for Scarsella and the co-defendants have been postponed in order to get through the evidence, which includes police reports and electronic items, Martin said.Flagler County, Florida — Flagler County sheriff’s deputies arrested a woman who they say attempted to bond her abusive boyfriend out of jail. According to reports, Cynthia Iglesia Walker, 47, tried to bond out Alexander Yetman, 35; the very man that had “beat” her a day earlier. Yetman was arrested on Thursday at a Palm Coast motel where the couple had been staying. Deputies responded after someone reported a disturbance at the motel and Yetman was transported to the Flagler County Jail. Walker refused to press charges, but the state said there was clear evidence she had been “beaten.” A judge ordered that Yetman and Walker was not to have contact. On Friday, Walker arrived at the jail and provided detention officers with a false name. Officials said she was acting suspicious and she was wearing sunglasses even though it was pitch black outside. She told detention officers she was there to bail out her boyfriend. Detention officers determined her real name and explained that she could not bond out Yetman because a no contact order had been entered. Walker then needed a ride back to her motel. She was offered a ride, and it was explained she would have to be searched before she could be transported by a deputy. Walker agreed to a search. The search turned up 14 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, and various controlled prescription drugs. Walker was charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of a Controlled Substance without a Prescription. Walker was booked into the Flagler County Jail on $26,000 bond. Yetman was charged with Felony Domestic Battery. He is being held on $10,000 bond. Records show this is not the first time the two have had disagreements.California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) announced today that they would investigate allegations that the LDS Church did not fully disclose non-monetary contributions to the Prop 8 Campaign. Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate called for the investigation last week, writing a letter to the FPPC detailing many of the allegations, including: Church organized phone banks from Utah and Idaho Sending direct mail to voters Transported people to California over several weekends Used the LDS Press Office to send out multiple News Releases to promote their activities to nonmembers Walked precincts Ran a speakers bureau Distributed thousands of lawn signs and other campaign material Organized a “surge to election day” Church leaders travel to California Set up of very elaborate web sites Produced at least 9 commercials and 4 other video broadcasts all in support of Prop 8 Conducted at least 2 satellite simulcasts over 5 Western states These allegations are on top of the $22 million raised by Mormons in support of Prop 8, and according to Karger are in violation of the Political Reform Act. While the LDS Church has not yet commented on the announcement, they have previously stated that they “fully complied with the reporting requirements of the California Political Reform Act” and that “any investigation would confirm the church’s full compliance with applicable law.” Roman Porter, executive director of FPPC said today that an investigation doesn’t necessarily mean there was any wrongdoing, and asked everyone to “reserve judgement.” For more information… Post by ILO on 11/24/08 at 10:36 pmIvanka Trump does not like to discuss defeat. Her father is “in it to win it,” she says, and she’s “not interested in talking about alternative outcomes.” But if the election doesn’t go to Trump, who has repeatedly questioned the fairness of the electoral process, Ivanka said in a new interview on Wednesday that her father will “do the right thing.” In an interview with TIME Editor Nancy Gibbs at the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s conference, Trump appeared calm and poised but revealed very little about her reaction to her father’s recent campaign struggles. When asked directly about her father’s “locker room” talk, his claims that the election will be “rigged” and the massive gender gap between Trump voters and Hillary Clinton voters, Ivanka Trump mostly gave answers about her closeness with her father, their family business and her own brand. The Most Powerful Women interview was her first major interview since the release of the leaked 2005 audio that revealed Trump bragging that he can “do anything” to women. When asked about the now-infamous audio, Ivanka Trump said the incident was “jarring,” but that her father had apologized. “He recognizes it was crude language, he was embarrassed that he had said those things, and he apologized,” she said. “That’s not language consistent with any conversation I’ve had with him.” She then described her father’s business prowess, calling him very much a “leader of people.” (A Fast Company article published Monday included a statement from Ivanka Trump on her father’s scandals.) She added that she has spoken to her father about his controversial comments, but did not reveal what was said in those conversations. “We talk about it, we have a very open dialogue, and I think that’s one of the things that I respect so much about him, his willingness to listen,” she said. Trump also attempted to distance herself from the campaign’s inner sanctum, saying she resented media portrayals that describe her as a “surrogate” for her father. “I’m not a surrogate, I’m a daughter,” she said. “I’m not the campaign mastermind that people like to portray.” Ivanka has played a prominent role in the campaign, introducing her father at his announcement speech, giving a major primetime address at the Republican National Convention and orchestrating her father’s child care plan. “When people ask me about politics, I talk about what a great dad he was, and what a great businessman he’s been, because that’s what I know,” she said. “Everyone else can debate policy.” Ivanka also says she has been surprised by the level of scrutiny aimed at her and her family since her father began to run for President. “I may have been naïve going into this—nothing in life prepares you for a parent running for president,” she said, before adding that “the media has been vicious.” “The bias is very, very real, and I don’t think I would have said this to you even a year ago,” she continued. “From a media perspective, it’s very hard to get an accurate portrayal of who he is as a person.” Write to Charlotte Alter at [email protected] a little over year, a shortcut on my daily commute led me to regularly travel down McCoppin Street. Hardly a day went by where I didn't bear witness to a drug deal or, at the very least, inadvertently take a deep breath full of that oh-so-fresh urine smell. It wasn't pretty, but it shaved a couple minutes off my trek between home and work so I didn't complain (much). Now, the awkward cul-de-sack tucked under the intersection of Highway 101 and Market Street, is slated to become McCoppin Hub--a public plaza replete with green space and spots for a bevvy of food trucks, turning this oft-overlooked corner of San Francisco into the city's hippest new food court. (SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS) The Department of Public Works, together with neighborhood groups, commissioned Boor Bridges Architects to come up with a proposal to revamp the street. Streetsblog reports: The design residents seem to favor would include a “meandering path” and triangular spaces with grass and planters to sit on. Two lanes of open grass would flank the park, providing space for activities like farmer’s markets and the food trucks that have been activating the space every Saturday since last fall…Other improvements will add greening, traffic calming, and bike lanes along the rest of McCoppin Street and the alleyways adjoining it. The renovation plan is part of the Department of Public Works' SoMa West Improvement Projects, which also include the creation of a skate park between Mission and Otis streets and a playground/dog park/basketball court complex between Valencia and Otis. These renovations have tentatively been in planning stages since 2005; however, the city only recently secured the funding needed to bring the projects off the page and into reality. In recent months, a ring of food trucks feeding a gaggle of hungry customers has become a regular sight in the alley. The weekly food truck gathering Off the Grid used to hold all-day markets on McCoppin on Saturdays but scaled down to only offering lunch after parking trucks in one spot all day didn't prove economically viable. After the severing of the Central Freeway and the creation of the beautiful-yet-problematic Octavia Boulevard, much of the traffic that used to go though Hayes Valley has since been diverted into neighborhood surrounding McCoppin. A 2003 article in the San Francisco Chronicle reported: In this marginal zone that lies roughly between 16th and Market streets and Valencia and Harrison streets -- especially in the untended parking lots underneath the freeways -- blight, crime, drug use and vagrancy have flourished simply because no one else wants to hang out breathing the fumes and listening to the roaring freeway beast. Right now, it's a throwaway neighborhood surrounded by areas that encourage walking, bicycling and using public transportation. The article depicts many in the McCoppin area as jealous of all the attention lavished on Hayes Valley in the years since the freeway's destruction. "We got screwed," said one resident. "They're Oz, and we're Kansas." Check out this slideshow of pictures Streetsblog assembled showing McCoppin Street's past, present and future. Previous projects by the architecture firm responsible for the plan include the nearby Four Barrel Coffee, its attendant parklet, and the Sierra Igloo at Glacier Point in Yosemite. With this new effort, the McCoppin area may be due for a revival worthy of its trendy neighbor to the north.Ford's Fusion Hybrid autonomous research vehicle on display at the opening of Ford's new Silicon Valley office in Palo Alto, Calif. (Photo: USA TODAY) WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Instead of finding universal acceptance, self-driving cars will be better suited to cities and countries that are more urban and congested, Ford Motor predicts in a report released Thursday. Even then, some people in those self-driving cars might not know how to fill the extra time they just acquired. Cars serve the conflicted dual role of "productivity capsule" and as "sanctuary," says Sheryl Connelly, the automaker's trends spotter who put the report together. The report also finds that simplicity and practicality will play a bigger role in consumers' lives, including the reduction of waste and redundancy. There will be less emphasis on acquiring more stuff. People will live longer, more active lives. Automakers spend a lot of time trying to peer into the future, such as Ford did with its 2016 Trends report. Cars take years to develop. Missing a trend can lead to expensive mistakes if society has changed by the time a new model rolls out. When it comes to the future, the auto industry is trying to gauge the impact of self-driving cars. While the underlying technologies that make them possible are arriving piece by piece, some automakers have pegged 2020 as the year when autonomous driving will be truly possible. Connelly, Ford's global trend and futuring manager — yes, that's her title — says don't expect self-driving to catch on everywhere. "Autonomous driving makes sense in pockets of the world," says Connelly, who came to hotel suite near Los Angeles to preview the report with reporters. Some 84% those living in notoriously crowded India say they can see themselves buying a self-driving car, the report says, citing global survey data from BAV Consulting. Only 40% of Americans envision it. Part of the issue, she says, is that people have to imagine how they would occupy themselves if their cars did all the driving. About six out of 10 say they can "easily imagine" how they would use extra spare time while traveling. Cars are increasingly becoming pods for productivity in which people try to accomplish as much digitally as they can while traveling, but that clashes with another trend toward "mindfulness" in which a yoga-craving population sometimes wants to unplug and zone out, she says. In models now on sale, Connelly says Ford was careful to add a "do not disturb" button to its infotainment unit, which shuts out the ability for the car to accept incoming phone calls. When drivers aren't obsessing about their email or their to-do lists, "We think of the car as a sanctuary," she says. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1QxU8bKTwo London-based bitcoin startups have unveiled a new system that “ring-fences” customer funds from other operations. As part of the set up, derivatives trading platform Crypto Facilities will continue to match buyers and sellers, but its partner, Elliptic, will take custody of the platform’s funds at its cold storage vault. Though common practice in capital markets, today’s announcement is the first of its kind for the bitcoin space, where exchanges have lost millions to hackers targeting funds in their centralised wallets, or by simply not holding them at all. In a statement, Crypto Facilities CEO Timo Schlaefer described the move as a “watershed moment” for bitcoin trading, adding: “Experienced market participants will immediately recognise that we have done away with one of the biggest risk factors in the bitcoin ecosystem.” Meanwhile, Elliptic’s CEO James Smith said a segregated settlement system such as this was an “essential step” toward companies performing bitcoin trading on a larger scale. “With Crypto Facilities’ strong and robust trading infrastructure, we expect trade in bitcoin derivatives will flourish, improving bitcoin’s price stability and driving enterprise adoption,” he added. Blockchain settlement To use one of Elliptic’s “ring fenced” accounts, Crypto Facilities customers will be charged an annual fee – 0.75% of their account value. Alternatively, they can stick with the default offline storage the firm offers at no additional cost. Each day, after Crypto Facilities’ accounts are settled at 5pm (UTC) to reflect their trading movements in the last 24 hours, Elliptic will settle these balances in its accounts via an API. Using the wallet addresses Elliptic provides, users will be able to cross-reference their daily account balance with bitcoin’s blockchain. It’s the kind of simple real-time auditing that bitcoin’s public ledger makes possible, without getting stuck in Merkle Trees and external reports – which often only provide a snapshot of an exchange’s reserves at one moment in time. The bitcoins themselves are held in Elliptic’s cold storage vaults, which are fully insured. At its launch in early 2014, the vault was the first of its kind to insure bitcoin assets. Other key players in the bitcoin ecosystem, including Circle and Coinbase, have since followed suit. Fence image via Shutterstockwhat is it? Hollowpoint is a role-playing game that uses a novel engine to generate fast on-the-fly violent action at the drop of a hat, brought to you by the award-winning developers of Diaspora. It's ideally suited to a single evening's play and encourages regular character death because, hey, this shit's dangerous. Hollowpoint has been nominated in three categories for the 2012 ENnie awards: best rules, best game, and product of the year. happy customers "And I absolutely adore Hollowpoint. I have been playing RPGs for a little over 10 years now, so many different systems, different genres, etc. I've never played a game that suits me so well as this one. It's gotten me to the point where not only am I interested in running a game, I'm really looking forward to it. I love Hollowpoint and I cannot wait to share it with others!" Liz Scott, happy customer. "All I can say is.. totally F'n glorious. Hollowpoint will definitely see plenty of time in the game rotation now." Uafasach from RPG.net "Rolling sets and tracking the dice and the occasional "fuck off" that sends someone groping into the teamwork pool and emerge with a handful of dice...they're the slender, fragile-looking, but perfectly functional wire coat hanger that you hang your slick black suit of narration on. This well-crafted little red book with a grinning maniac on the cover isn't a game, in and of itself, it's an excuse to make a game, filling in the details and telling an awesome action-movie story with your buddies. "My hat's off, gentlemen. "After this initial taste, we were all just blown away by how much fun this was. We were plotting out movies (The Losers in particular translates very well) using Hollowpoint's rules, we were assigning key stats to the characters from Leverage and talking about using traits as a flashback-mechanic to explain how the outlandish cons worked, and we were unanimously voting Hollowpoint our new go-to pickup game (shooting [redacted] in the head and carelessly kicking the corpse off the throne)." Russel Zimmerman (Critias) from RPG.netCortney wrote how House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that the private meeting former President Bill Clinton had with then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch in Phoenix doesn’t matter when comparing that rendezvous with the latest revelations that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had two undisclosed meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The Lynch/Clinton meeting last summer, which last around 30 minutes occurred just days prior to the FBI and the Department of Justice announcing that no charges would be brought against Hillary Clinton over allegations that she mishandled classified information. Clinton had established an unsecure and unauthorized private emails server while she was secretary of state and conducted official business through that network. The meeting provided the Clinton campaign with yet another instance of horrible optics and for some, placed a cloud of skepticism about the investigation. Pelosi explains away Lynch/Clinton meeting vs. Sessions as "different" because Lynch/Clinton private meeting was "serendipitous." RIGHT, Ok. — Kristine Marsh (@kristine_writes) March 2, 2017 Today, Pelosi said that the comparison is different because the meeting was “serendipitous.” Yet, a source told the New York Observer that Bill delayed departure time to ensure a run-in with the then-attorney general at the time. During the meeting, it was said that the two discussed grandchildren and golf. Yet, remember when Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the meeting between Lynch and Bill didn’t matter because for lack of a better term--Lynch is a nice person. And that was in relation to something that was ethically questionable. For Sessions, such meetings with foreign diplomats were part of the job as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (via CNS News): "She's an honorable person, we know that," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "She has said nothing was discussed related to the investigation. So you have two choices -- to say this didn't matter or she's lying. I think it didn't matter. I don't think she's lying." Lynch had contended that she and Bill Clinton merely discussed grandchildren, golf and social matters. Guy just wrote an analysis of the Sessions development, where he says that resignation is probably not going to happen, but also noted that the optics are bad for the Trump White House. It couldn't come at a worse time since they were scoring big points with the president’s joint address to Congress this week. During the confirmation process, Sens. Al Franken (D-MN) and Pat Leahy (D-VT) asked what Sessions would do if campaign surrogates had contact with Russians during the 2016 election and if he had contact with the Russians before or after Election Day respectively. Sessions answered no to Leahy's inquiry. Concerning Franken, Sessions said that he's been called a surrogate, but he did not have contact with the Russians concerning discussions about the election. Again, he certainly had meetings with foreign diplomats while serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee. These interactions aren't unusual. What is unusual is an AG--Lynch--meeting with the spouse of a presidential candidate, who is also under federal investigation, and then not fully recusing herself.COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Sometimes, a team makes history. Sometimes, it alters it. As it turns out, that can be better. Ask Will Muschamp, who just won the most important game in his brief tenure at the University of Florida. Muschamp's football team changed everything Saturday afternoon: It won a game that might have been lost, and it broke the hearts of the league's new debutants, and most of all, it quieted the coming storm. Along the way, it came from behind to beat Texas A&M and win its first SEC game of the season, which is never a bad thing in itself. Ah, but can you imagine what this morning might have been like if the Gators had lost, which appeared like a very real possibility in the first half when the Florida defense kept backing up? It would be loud, and it would be cruel, and it would be relentless. Such are the stakes at a place such as Florida, where a great many fans seem to expect their team to win three out of every two. Even at halftime, after A&M had spent two quarters marching through the Gators as easily as plowing a field, you could almost feel the knives sharpening. After all, A&M was the interloper, the new kid in the SEC neighborhood. Why, the Aggies were only 7-6 last year, and they had a new coach with a new system and a new quarterback, and they didn't even get a designated victim game last week because of Hurricane Isaac. And yet, the Gators seemed lost as to how to slow them down. A&M went 66 yards with its first drive, and 71 with its second, and 79 with its third. The Aggies led 17-10, but the lead seemed a lot larger than that. At halftime, however, Muschamp raised his voice and everyone listened. He threatened to "fire" his defensive line if it kept rushing recklessly ahead, leaving running lanes for A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. All in all, it might have been Muschamp's finest moment. One of the ways coaches are judged is how they can adjust on the fly, and this time, Muschamp fixed the problems. After 269 yards in the first half, A&M had only 65 in the second. It had three first downs. No points. "Last year, I don't know, man," Muschamp said. "I don't know if we win that game." It is not a home for the patient or the calm, the University of Florida. Last season, Muschamp won only three SEC games, and they were against Tennessee, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Aside from those games, Florida beat only Florida Atlantic, UAB and Furman. (And an unranked Ohio State team in the Gator Bowl). It wasn't exactly enough to get a Muschamp statue built. The noise grew louder after last week's lackluster win over Bowling Green. The Gators won big, but not convincingly, and already, Muschamp was being compared to former coach Ron Zook. It wasn't exactly fair, since Muschamp has now coached in all of 15 games, but who promised fair? "I got killed for last week," Muschamp said, a bit of irritation in his voice, "but there is a reason we did it. We needed to play that way to play that way this week in this ball game. It's a long season." "When they start having one-game seasons, then we'll put everything we can into one game so we can win one game, and I'll be really, really happy then. But I like to look at it as a 12-week season, and we have to do what we have to do to improve our team to win football games." Muschamp's voice was louder now. A bit later in his news conference, Muschamp talked about having to grind out victories and added: "I know no one wants to hear that, but that's the facts of life. Sometimes, you have to put your realistic glasses on and see who you are." Not long after that, Muschamp was talking about patience on offense: "There is nothing wrong with ending a series with a punt. I know that's not allowed to be said at Florida." In other words, yes, Muschamp is aware of the grumbling out there. So, yeah, he needed this win. So did the Gators, for that matter. Can you imagine if the Gators didn't make a comeback? "There would have been a lot of riffraff out there," guard James Wilson said. "A lot of regret," said guard Jon Halapio. "A lot of loud regret." For the time being, the Gators don't have to listen. That alone made this a big win. This was supposed to be A&M's day, remember. This was their arrival game, and it was at home. "(The SEC) wanted the glory story here with A&M," Muschamp said, "and they didn't get it." On the other hand, Florida did. Muschamp had a good day, and new quarterback Jeff Driskel had a good day, and the Gators won. That should silence the critics. It should buy the coach some time. Who knows? Maybe it will last all the way until this coming week's kickoff against Tennessee. Then the expectations begin all over again. Gary Shelton can be heard from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on 98.7-FM The Fan.For the first time in 21 years of Burning Man, a Burner has committed suicide, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A man was found hanging inside a two-story-high tent this morning, said the federal Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the festival on the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada. The man's identity has not been released pending notification of his family. He dangled for two hours before anyone in the big tent thought to bring him down, said Mark Pirtle, special agent in charge. "His friends thought he was doing an art piece," he said. So far, an estimated 36,000 people have arrived at the gathering, with 46,000 expected by the time things end Saturday with the burning of a 40-foot-tall wooden man. Earlier this week, a participant set the structure ablaze and was charged with arson. Burning Man organizers say the man will be rebuilt in time for the official burn.Image copyright Other Image caption Scientists think that ancient lakes could have supported settlers from the north The driest desert on Earth may once have had lakes and wetlands, scientists report. They have found the remnants of freshwater plants and animals buried in the arid plains of Chile's Atacama Desert. This watery period dates to between 9,000 and 17,000 years ago. Scientists at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco say it suggests the region may have been habitable for early settlers. Marco Pfeiffer, from the University of California, Berkeley, said: "When you drive through the desert the only thing you see is the white cover of salt. "And when we dig through this crust, it's difficult to imagine that conditions were so different." The Atacama Desert gets an average of 15mm of rain each year - and some parts get virtually no precipitation at all. But this latest research suggests that the heart of this super-dry landscape was once lush. The researchers have found organic material from plants and animals that only could have survived in or near water. "The thick salt crusts kept underneath a precious record of a period when these flatlands hosted lakes and wetlands." Image copyright Other Image caption The Atacama's ultra-low precipitation conditions have persisted for about 2.5 million years This watery area would have covered about 600 sq km of the desert. The period they date to - from 9,000-17,000 years ago - was a time when hunter-gatherers from the north would have started to colonise South America. Archaeologists had thought that these ancient people avoided the desert as they migrated to other regions - but the presence of water means it could have supported people. "Instead of rapidly moving through the few wet streams that exist nowadays from the coast to the Andes, now with this evidence, there was a place where they could settle down and colonise more easily the entire region." He said that some evidence of human settlements in these once-lake-covered areas had recently been found, and these sites were now being carefully excavated. However, despite the finding that the Atacama once had lakes and wetlands, scientists do not think that this was caused by rain directly falling on the region. It is likely ultra-low precipitation conditions have existed here for about 2.5 million years. So for there to have been major wet features, the water must have been imported. The answer may be the so-called Central Andean Pluvial Events, which saw increased rainfall above the Andes mountains and it was this water that drained into the Atacama Desert. Follow Rebecca on Twitter.Overwatch has over 30 million players and has been growing at a phenomenal pace. With 12 teams spread out across four countries, these teams will be investing a lot of money into Overwatch and the ecosystem over the next few years. The FPS game has been at the forefront of the esports news for quite sometime. Blizzard announced the Overwatch League as the premier esports league and has been scouting investment from various sectors. There are twelve teams announced and confirmed for the first season of Overwatch League. However, they will not be playing under the same names as their parent organization. Blizzard requires these teams to form separate financial entities in order to participate in the Overwatch League. So we will not see a Cloud9 organisation or a NRG playing in the upcoming League. Instead we will be seeing teams such as Shanghai Dragons. According to OWL rules, the organisations will not be allowed to play under existing brand names. This will ensure a level playing field for all the teams involved in the initial season of the league. It will also serve as a true testament to the development skills of the organisations as they work on building their foundations in esports. Creating and organizing a fan base based on geo locations is tough work, however these investors are probably the best in terms of skills, funds and experience to achieve this. Creating a separate financial entity for the Overwatch League is a necessity for all the participants. This move will negate any prior exposure (positive or negative) that any of the teams have with regards to the esports audience. For the initial years, Blizzard hopes that the brand value of the Overwatch League will carry on to the teams and help them establish themselves as separate financial entities. The Overwatch League requires a $20 million buy-in. It has evoked interest in the league so far and we have already seen investment from several organisations non-endemic to esports. The League has a high buy-in price despite not having the best viewership numbers especially when compared to other titles such as CS GO, Dota2 and League of Legends. But that has not deterred the OWL team from approaching and in many cases successfully receiving investments into the league itself. They believe in their esports title and the prospect of it’s growth as the premier esports title in the years to come. The Shanghai Overwatch franchise announced their Brand name yesterday. They will be called Shanghai Dragons.They have also released a logo which includes a dragon in the shape of a shield. Their logo has been released in both English and Chinese. This nomenclature is quite similar to the traditional sports team names such as LA Lakers, Manchester United etc. Overwatch League emulates a lot of it’s format and ruleset from traditional sports. They aim to become as successful in viewership numbers and finances as traditional sports teams. Allow us to acquaint you with the @ShanghaiDragons. First look: https://t.co/NLhW1a0JYO pic.twitter.com/zjwXw26mtR — Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) 29 septembre 2017 In a press release, the team explained the thought process behind their naming process. They had to keep a delicate balance between their English speaking fans and their Chinese fans. The end result has definitely evoked a positive response so far. In Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes the spirit of that which is sacred, powerful, and supreme. The Shanghai Dragons’ logo combines the team’s name and a dragon figure to call upon the history of this symbol. The letter S outlined by the body of the dragon represents Shanghai, and the smooth line design is a nod to the strategic skill and flexibility of the team. Furthermore, red is present as a theme color for the Shanghai Dragons’ logo in order to emphasize its Chinese connection. The name definitely goes in conjunction with the Chinese backstory and the importance of dragons in their culture. Instilling the Chinese culture deep within their logo and brand name is important in order to ensure the local success of the team. A major part of the finances for these teams in the future will come from merchandise sales and ticket sales. Keeping in touch with the ground reality of their local fans is probably the most important part for the teams. Their logo looks really good with a variety of colors including Red, Black, White and Yellow. It is posted along with a photo of Mei with a new skin. The skin definitely looks really good and we hope that is comes within the game. This color scheme, especially the focus on Red and Yellow puts an emphasis on the “Chinese aspect” of the team. The Shanghai Dragons are the first team to be officially named in the Overwatch League. There are still 11 other teams to follow suit and we expect them to announce their names and rosters before Blizzcon 2017. NetEase have not however announced the Shanghai roster. With Shanghai Dragons being the only OWL franchise in China, they definitely have no competition in terms of picking the best players for their team. It might also be the first example of a team based skin which would be the basis for monetisation in Overwatch Esports for a long time. The Esports economy ( outside the OWL and Riot’s League ) are strongly dependent on Sponsorship money.With Overwatch League, there will be a direct source of revenue for OWL teams. With offline events including Home and Away matches, OWL teams will be able to find additional sources of revenue. In the past we have seen official statements which pointed towards the possibility and the development of in game items to help the franchise owners obtain extra revenue. The Overwatch League was first announced during Blizzcon 2016. There are now 12 teams associated with it which include 9 NA, 1 EU, 1 Chinese and 1 Korean team. The Chinese team spot has been acquired by NetEase. NetEase, Inc is a Chinese Internet technology company providing online services centered on content, community, communications and commerce. The Company has a history of building up an organisation from the ground up. They were one of the pioneers for building up internet services in China. With a growing local scene, especially built around APAC tournaments, they have an increasingly talented pool of players to choose from. In the upcoming weeks, we expect many more announcements to be made public. These include rosters, merchandising, Team Names, Investments etc. The Overwatch League Pre Season starts in December in Los Angeles.WASHINGTON — Singer Sarah Brightman abruptly canceled her plans May 13 to travel to the International Space Station later this year as a space tourist on a Soyuz flight. Brightman, who had been
cracking them open on defense. Looking around the 2016 NFL playoff picture, and factoring-in Derek Carr’s devastating injury, there’s only one team best-equipped to do that. His stats show Tom Brady and the offense have been frighteningly consistent. A balanced team is just unlikely to beat out Bill Belichick, because the Patriots will do the sum of it all just a little bit better. As we’ve seen this year, the Falcons are anything but balanced. The defensive unit, at their very best, can be described as competent. The offense? I’ll let Kerr-Dineen describe it. Atlanta score more points per game than any team in the NFL, and of teams involved in the playoffs, it’ll come in with the highest number of offensive yards, average yards per game, and expected points per game. They’ve done it all facing the toughest schedule in the league, and as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell notes, it’s good enough to rank them “in the 99th percentile of offenses since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970.” /impressed whistling noise I can’t think of any other time someone has suggested the Falcons are the only team that may be able to topple the Patriots. In the Mike Smith era, we were easily handled by Belichick. With Atlanta’s prolific offense under Kyle Shanahan and aggressive nature under Dan Quinn, this year may be different.Minnesota United FC sees their inaugural home kit leak While Atlanta United wasted no time unveiling their home kit for their inaugural season (and actually decided to reveal their secondary kit by pulling a Mighty Ducks and wearing the new unis during the second half of their first preseason game), Minnesota United FC has been a bit more patient. In fact, the expansion team announced that they would wait until February 17th before unveiling their home kit. However, it appears that patience isn’t a virtue, because their kit has indeed leaked ahead of schedule. This image comes from the same anonymous source (via Conrad Burry) who managed to acquire the other leaked images of MLS kits this season, so it’s a safe bet that what you’re looking at above is probably the real deal. If it is indeed legit (and it probably is), then it’s a straight-forward design of a kit. Similar to Atlanta United, the team decided to use the striping pattern in the crest as a base for the kit design. That means we’ve got a gray shirt with a light blue sash, which is an interesting look to say the least. It’s definitely not as eye-catching as some of the stuff that they’ve worn in their days as an NASL side, but it’s still interesting. What do you all think? Do they look as good as their expansion brothers in the South? Does the sash work for you?If Dirk Nowitzki can't play in it, he's darn sure going to watch the Western Conference finals between the Dallas Mavericks' oldest rival and their newest. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder tip off on Sunday night. Who's Dirk got? "I think San Antonio's going to do it, just because they've got one more home game," he said during Tuesday's appearance on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM's "Galloway & Company." "They really came on strong late in the season and they snatched home-court advantage away from OKC. So, I got to think just by that there is a little slight advantage. But honestly, both teams are good enough to win on the opponent's floor, so I would give a slight advantage to San Antonio, but, man, OKC is looking really good." He should know. The Thunder rode the Mavs out of the first round in four games, handing Nowitzki the wrong side of the broom for the first time in his career. Nowitzki's had his classic battles with the Spurs, including the amazing Game 7 in the 2006 semifinals that propelled Dallas to its first NBA Finals. It was a Spurs team that still included the Big Three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, yet, as Nowitzki pointed out, it is an entirely different style of ball those boys are playing these days, and the reigning NBA Finals MVP says all credit goes to this season's Coach of the Year, Gregg Popovich. "To me, he's the best coach in the league, he's a genius on both ends of the floor," Nowitzki said. "The adjustment that he goes through -- at the beginning they win all their championships with defense, and he saw where the game's going; the game is going to free-flowing and more movement, you need basically four shooters on the floor at all times, and he's the man, he made it all happen. "With [general manager] R.C. Buford helping him, finding people left and right. I mean, they draft people in the second round that nobody gives them a shot and they turn them into players. They have an amazing franchise and they really do a great job finding people that play well in their system and Pop makes them believe in their system. They're really fun to watch, they're rolling." Dirk said he's ready to get this series going now, but unfortunately we'll have to wait until the end of the weekend. So, he's got the Spurs getting back to the NBA Finals for the first time in five seasons, but he's looking for the thing to go the distance, strictly from an entertainment standpoint. "It's going to be spectacular. Hopefully, it's going to be a long series and we can all watch some great basketball," Nowitzki said. "The whole thing is full of great matchups. Just off the bench with Ginobili and [James] Harden going at it, the two point guards, obviously [Russell] Westbrook was phenomenal against us all series, but Parker is having a phenomenal year, probably in the prime of his career and Duncan is still looking really good this year. And now they got another week off to rest everybody. "So, it's going to be an incredible series to watch."Barry C. Lynn, a former senior fellow at the New America Foundation who was fired after criticizing Google, claimed this week democracy could be threatened by technology monopolies. “I think people are understanding just how poorly structured these institutions are, how sloppily they were built,” proclaimed Lynn in an interview with The Hill. “It’s not just a matter of the fact that these people have too much power, it’s also that they are sloppy in the use of their power.” “Perhaps the most pressing thing of all is that Google, Facebook and to certain degrees also Amazon have captured the flow of information and ideas between citizen and citizen,” he continued. “Our ability to communicate freely with one another in this country, which is the primary basis for being able to protect our democracy, is now threatened in very real ways today… This is not a theoretical threat; this is a threat that exists today.” Lynn and other members of the New America Foundation’s Open Markets group were expelled from the Google-sponsored think tank in August after praising the European Union’s anti-trust sanctions against Google. Both Republicans and Democrats condemned the move, which was described as a “threat” to American freedom by one of the Open Markets group’s members, while another compared the company to a monarchy, claiming they were “coming after critics” in academia and journalism and “forming into a government of itself.” In September, it was reported that legislators in Washington, D.C., were considering stricter regulations on Silicon Valley tech companies. Breitbart News Executive Chairman and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon also reportedly called for the regulation of technology companies to be treated like utilities. Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington and Gab @Nash, or like his page at Facebook.Foto: Index/OSRH/M.Sesar U SVIM spikama oko vojnog roka neki faktori mukom zamukoše – primjerice pravobraniteljica za ravnopravnost spolova, BaBe i slične udruge. Ako smo za jednakost u pravima, obavezama i plaćama, zar ne bi onda i služenje i nesluženje vojske trebalo biti isto za žene i muškarce? Da se razumijemo, ne pišem ovo zato što mislim da bi i žene trebale služiti vojsku i sudjelovati u toj budalaštini, već upravo suprotno. Protiv sam svakog državnog maltretiranja ikoga, i nadam se da će od čitave ove političko korupcijske svinjarije od služenja državi ostati samo trabunjanje po novinama, ali već i na sam prijedlog te udruge i tijela trebaju reagirati. Ako je protiv pameti da traže jednako služenje i za žene, neka se očituju tražeći jednako NEsluženje i za muškarce! Zašto bi neki spol imao veća prava izbjeći vojsku? Zašto se uvijek muška prava uzimaju kao benchmark, zašto ne i ženska? Ako žene mogu neslužiti, želimo ista prava i za muške. Što je ime udruge sveobuhvatnije, to su interesi uži Ali ne.... nijedna udruga kod nas ne služi pravdi i dosljednosti, samo parcijalnoj borbi za uski interes jedne skupine. Što se tijelo ili udruga zovu sveobuhvatnijim imenom, to je veća vjerojatnost da će biti usko parcijalni. Ured za ravnopravnost spolova u praksi služi borbi za ravnopravnost samo jednog spola, i to samo kad im ta ravnopravnost paše i znači povećanje prava. Vrijeme je da se to promjeni. Evo prilike da se dokažu borbom za prava muškaraca da izbjegnu jednu glupu obavezu. Ako žene imaju pravo tražiti ravnopravnost kad im to paše – imaju i muškarci. U naprednim zemljama i očevi mogu na porodiljni, ako se tako dogovore s majkom djeteta, zašto onda ne bi isto mogli i stajat doma kad krene regrutacija? Ukratko – želimo legitimno pravo da budemo nevojničke pičkice! Inače, budući da je ovaj tekst nekako prekratak za kolumnu, a kad vidim kakve kolumnetine piše Vojki zasramim se.... da dodam još nešto. Uvjeren sam da je cijela galama oko vojnog roka najviše motivirana pokušajem da se određenim firmama i prijateljima stranke i osoba na vlasti namjeste unosni poslovi od šivanja uniformi, preko nabave kreveta, obnove zapuštenih vojarni, prehrane za ročnike, i tome slično. Kanaliziranje javnog novca u privatni džep, dok se pred narodom maše zastavama i "nacionalnim interesima". Stara HDZ-ovska priča. Ideja je da se stvori čitav jedan paralelni sustav sigurnih poslova s državom za odabrane, a samo služenje i obuka su dimna zavjesa za javnost. Klasičan HDZ-ov recept, ali nije da je SDP dok je bio na vlasti bio išta bolji. Vrlo slične sheme gurao je Linić u ministarstvu financija, pod maskom borbe za "medicinske sestre i vatrogasce" a zapravo za korist svojih frendova kao Šegon. Još je gori bio Mrsić, i njegov paralelni svemir sazdan oko budalaštine zvane zaštita na radu. SDP i HDZ - braća po idejama Donesu se zakoni, uredbe, propisi, hrpa birokracije, i na njih se nakači planetarni sustav orbitirajućih firmi i firmica, certifikatora i obučavatelja, za pitanja, u ovom slučaju, zaštite na radu, kojima firme trebaju plaćati reket da bi bile čiste pred inspekcijom. S vojnim rokom uopće nisu bitni ni regruti, ni obuka, već stvaranje jednog takvog sustava koji orbitira oko politike i ministarstva i ubire lovu. SDP i HDZ – braća po idejama. Jedni bace dimnu zavjesu borbe za "radnička prava" a drugi "zaštite nacionalnih interesa" i Kolindinog fetiša na puškice. Ali, na kraju da podsjetim na glavnu poantu teksta – ponekad se i muškarci imaju pravo boriti da im prava budu jednaka ženskima. Želimo biti pičkice! *Stavovi izneseni u kolumnama i komentarima su osobni stavovi autora i ne odražavaju nužno stav redakcije Index.hr portala. Tekst se nastavlja ispod oglasaBy Holly Shaftel, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory The twin Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, a collaboration between NASA and DLR, the German Aerospace Center, have provided a revolutionary perspective on the changing Earth beneath them for the past 15-plus years. Launched in 2002, the gravity field detectives have been telling a detailed story about our ever-changing home planet, giving us a new look at what appears to the satellites as a lumpy space rock. Soaring in the same orbit 286 miles (460 kilometers) above Earth with 137 miles (about 220 kilometers) of distance in between, the twins, informally referred to by some as “Tom” and “Jerry,” detect gravity changes by constantly growing closer and farther apart (like some real-life siblings). As the lead satellite passes over an area with slightly stronger gravity, it detects an increased gravitational pull and speeds up ever so slightly, thus increasing its distance from the trailing satellite. When a mission exceeds expectations, it’s only reasonable to continue pushing the boundaries of spaceborne engineering and science. Conversely, the leader slows down when passing over an area of slightly weaker gravity, decreasing the distance from its twin. The changes in distance are so minute — about one-tenth the width of a human hair — that the human eye could not detect them. This odd sibling relationship, or this force of attraction, is based on Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation. “We measure the distance between these satellites constantly as they go around Earth, and this allows us to get a global ‘snapshot’ of Earth’s gravity field every month,” GRACE engineer David Wiese said. “Then we can see how the gravity field changes over time in every location around the world – and this gives us information about how the climate is changing.” When a mission exceeds expectations, it’s only reasonable to continue pushing the boundaries of spaceborne engineering and science. The GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission is scheduled to launch in early 2018 with some technological upgrades that should give scientists and the world a necessary gift: an even clearer picture of climate change. GRACE’s bounty of discoveries about Earth and its climate system have made national headlines (see Fifteen years of watching water on Earth), but what’s less known are the unique science and ground-breaking technologies that underpin the mission. A GRACE-ful approach to measuring gravity Artist’s concept of GRACE. The twin satellites use a microwave ranging system in combination with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, star trackers and other instruments to measure gravity changes. (Distance between satellites not to scale.) Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. The heart of the GRACE mission is its microwave ranging system, which measures gravity changes by generating microwave energy pulses (a highly energetic form of electromagnetic radiation) that bounce back and forth between the two satellites. The time a microwave pulse takes to travel from one satellite to the other and back determines the distance between the satellites. This system, partnered with the same Global Positioning System (GPS) technology that we have on Earth, in our cell phones, can measure the distance between its twin satellites within one micron—about the diameter of a blood cell. There is no other trick to it. This simple, smart system tells an unparalleled story about Earth’s constantly changing gravity field and constantly changing climate. To make matters more interesting, the follow-on mission will test a new “ranging system” using lasers instead of microwaves, which promises to measure the distance and the angle between the twins at least 20 times more precisely. NASA’s first laser-linked spacecraft, GRACE-FO will detect gravitational differences at even smaller scales than its predecessor. A new camera will also provide attitude “intel” to tell engineers which way the satellite is pointed, and an accelerometer will measure everything that’s not gravity, which will help them knock out “noisy” information, such as atmospheric mass. Does this gravity make me look fat? GRACE measures Earth’s gravity, and we get gravity from mass, or the amount of “stuff” that makes up an object. The more mass something has, the more gravity it has, and this fluctuates daily everywhere on Earth. Ice and liquid water experience gravity changes that tell us about climate change. A whiteboard animation about how NASA uses GRACE to measure gravity from space. Watch more whiteboard animations. People can also weigh differently from day to day, depending where they are on Earth. You’re slightly heavier when you’re standing in the Himalayas than when you’re in Death Valley, California. There is only roughly a 1 percent gravity change between the equator and the North Pole, enough to actually change the weight of a 200-pound (about 91 kilograms) person by roughly 2 pounds (about 0.91 kilograms), according to NASA hydrologist J.T. Reager. Wiese notes that this weight difference for humans depends on your distance from the center of Earth and the density of the surface below you. From rain gauges to space scales “GRACE has changed our understanding of hydrology,” Reager said. “GRACE provides observations of what’s happening beneath the surface, which is about 80 percent of the freshwater action.” Reager is talking about the water table, or groundwater table, and the aquifer. The water table is the highest underground level at which rocks and soil are completely wet, and below the water table, the aquifer, is nature’s filtration system of porous rock through which water easily travels. Fifteen years of GRACE data show that humans are depleting one-third of the world’s largest aquifers with little to no recharge, meaning that significant segments of Earth’s population are consuming groundwater quickly without knowing when it might go dry. We’ve come a long way from rain gauges; now we’re peeking underground from space. “It’s hard to look at what’s underneath without GRACE,” Reager said. Ambitious efforts to quench civilization’s thirst can cause the ground to collapse. In California, the over-pumping of groundwater in response to the recent historic drought sank the land faster than ever before, nearly 2 inches (5 centimeters) per month in some locations. Such terrestrial liposuction is called “subsidence.” The most overburdened aquifers are in the world’s driest areas, where populations draw heavily on underground water. Climate change and population growth are expected to intensify the problem, and GRACE-FO will continue to monitor changes in the water world deep beneath our feet. Wait! Wait! There’s more:Share. And it's a lengthy one. And it's a lengthy one. Sony has announced the PlayStation Network will be offline for scheduled maintenance on Monday between 9.40 PT / 12.40 ET / 17.40 GMT until 16.50 PT / 19.50 ET on Monday / 00.50 GMT on Tuesday August 26. During that time, you'll be unable to access the PlayStation Store, Account Management or Account Registration services, though anyone who's logged into the PSN since August 20 will be able to access entertainment services like Netflix or play games online. Sony opened its Gamescom 2014 press conference strong last week with a series of new trailers and the announcement that the PlayStation 4 has sold an enormous 10 million units. Everything that followed added up to a pretty great show. In case you missed it, you can check out the highlights below. Exit Theatre Mode Luke Karmali is IGN UK News Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on Twitter.A few hours after the final whistle had brought an end to Manchester City Women’s FA Cup triumph, their winger Nikita Parris strolled into a fast food restaurant at the foot of Wembley Way. It was still full of fans who had made the short walk down from the stadium, but barely an eyebrow was raised, and Parris went virtually unnoticed. In many ways, it was refreshing - imagine the reaction if a male footballer popped into the local McDonald’s hours after winning the FA Cup. But it also provided a reminder of just how far the women’s game has to go, and that these players, the best the country has to offer, are still some way short of being recognisable stars on these shores. Saturday’s final was certainly a step in the right direction, though, and it made for a much-needed success for the game after Notts County folded last month. A record crowd of more than 35,000 streamed into Wembley, and the quality of Manchester City’s play in their demolition of Birmingham City Ladies was a wonderful advert. Three first-half goals ensured it was only ever going to be Manchester City’s title, and the 4-1 victory means Nick Cushing’s side now hold all three major domestic trophies.In the aftermath of World War II, Joseph Stalin began to adopt policies of official anti-Semitism, which included the arrest and eventual execution of many leading figures of Yiddish theater and literature. Among them was Pinḥas Kahanovitsh, known by the pen name Der Nister (“the Hidden One”), whose poetry, short stories, and novels are considered exemplars of Jewish modernism. Two researchers recently discovered his grave in the coal-mining village of Vorkuta above the Arctic Circle. The Jewish Telegraph Agency reports: Ber Kotlerman, a professor of Yiddish language and literature at Bar-Ilan University,... along with a Russian colleague, Moscow State University’s Alexander Polyan, pinpointed the Kahanovitsh’s burial place,... using testimonies and blueprints of the gulag that existed there.... Kahanovich was a member of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, [assembled by Stalin during World War II for propaganda purposes]. Most of the committee’s members were rearrested in the 1950s, convicted on trumped-up espionage charges, and killed. Most of the bodies of the victims were dumped in mass graves, but Kahanovich was buried separately because he fell gravely ill while serving a ten-year sentence in the gulag and was transferred for health reasons to a camp for disabled prisoners. He perished in the village of Abez, near Vorkuta, on June 4, 1950. Many of Der Nister’s colleagues from the Anti-Fascist Committee were killed in August 1952 in what is known as the Night of the Murdered Poets, including Itzik Feffer, Peretz Markish, David Hofshteyn, Leyb Kvitko, and David Bergelson.If you're using fat free dressing on your salad, you're doing it all wrong. According to scientists, you need to eat salad with fat-based dressings to get the most out of the veggies. Having no fat in your salad actually diminishes the benefit from eating vegetables. This sounds a little crazy, right? But yes, even though fat free dressing has less calories than its fatty filled counterpart, you're not getting the full oomph you want when eating vegetables with skinny dressings. Researchers at Purdue University compared salad eating with dressing that had saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat at three, eight and twenty grams of fat to find which was most effective and discovered that fat is a good thing. The Atlantic says: Mario Ferruzzi, the lead author of the study and an associate professor of food science at Purdue, said that in order to get more from eating fruits and vegetables, they need to be paired correctly with fat-based dressings. Advertisement It turned out that dressing made with monounsaturated fat (olive and canola oil) were easily the most effective, needing the least amount of dressing to get the most amount of health-promoting carotenoids (carotenoids act as antioxidants in our bodies). Carotenoids are found in eating plant foods like vegetables and fruits so it makes sense that we'd want to get as much bang as we can when eating them. Using salad dressing with fat accomplishes that. [Molecular Nutrition & Food Research via The Atlantic, Image Credit: Kamila i Wojtek Cyganek/Shutterstock]Launched in 1977, the twin NASA Voyager probes have been coasting their way through the outermost reaches of the solar system. Voyager 1 has even breached the sun's outermost magnetic boundary, the heliopause, where the outward pressure of the solar wind balances with the interstellar medium, and is now humanity's first interstellar emissary. VIDEO: Voyager 1 is Not Even CLOSE to Leaving the Solar System Both Voyagers have a power supply, albeit dwindling, for the next few years. But once those plutonium power planets die, radio communications will cease and that’s the last time we'll be in touch with our intrepid space explorers. Or will it? There's a fun thought experiment that one day in the future, when humanity has the technological prowess to build spacecraft capable of traveling speeds at an appreciable fraction of (or faster than) the speed of light, although the Voyager probes will have had a decades- or centuries-long head start, we could catch up to the probes and overtake them as we explore the stars. Our future selves may even calculate the probes’ location and mount an expedition to visit the archaeological curiosities and marvel at the primitive, yet inspirational, technology their ancestors once had. ANALYSIS: Most Destructive Space Battle Rocks Virtual Universe Now, in a rather genius move by UK-based online game developer Frontier Developments, we don't have to wait until the invention of the warp drive to see the Voyager probes once more. Hidden in the recently released 'Elite: Dangerous', a crowd-funded reboot of the famous 1980s game 'Elite', both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 exist as real entities that can be sought out and explored. The massively multiplayer 'Elite' universe is boundless, using open-ended galaxy modeled on our Milky Way. Realized by Redditor Goldenvale earlier this month, he calculated Voyager 2's trajectory and plotted where the spacecraft would likely be in the game’s timeframe, in the year 3300 AD. After being fact-checked by fellow Reddit gamers, it turns out that Goldenvale's math checked out and tallied with the 'Elite: Dangerous' universe. ANALYSIS: Virtual Goods That Cost Big, Real Money In 3300 AD, the probe should be 664.9 billion kilometers (413.1 billion miles) from Earth. That may sound far, but on interstellar scales, that’s only 0.07 light-years away. Considering the nearest neighboring star, Proxima Centauri, is over 4 light-years away, by the year 3300, Voyager 2 will have barely stepped off the interstellar porch. Other ‘Elite: Dangerous’ players have found Voyager 2's twin Voyager 1. See the videos below of two gamers' Voyager encounters: In a wonderful additional touch, the developers have included the audio from the Voyagers' Golden Record — greetings recorded in 55 different languages. As an avid space game enthusiast, I can't wait to explore the 'Elite: Dangerous' universe. Ever since playing the 'Elite' sequel 'Frontier: Elite II' in the 1990s, I've been fascinated by the open-world game play that allows you to explore a boundless universe. And, by the looks of the videos showing gamers' experiences, the ultra-realistic feel of being in space plus the cool addition of realistic locations of the Voyager probes (plus other nice touches that have yet to be revealed) should make for a mind-blowing experience. Source: VG24/7 via my cousin Gary O'Neill who, like me, was a huge fan of 'Frontier: Elite II' and was one of the beta testers for 'Elite: Dangerous.' This article was provided by Discovery News.Details Created on Monday, 09 March 2015 09:55 Céline Pierre-Magnani A French translator and journalist living in Istanbul since 2008 The constantly dwindling numbers of Greeks in Turkey fell from around 100,000 at the beginning of the Republic to only a few thousand today. In this article, Céline Pierre-Magnani describes the special connection that the Rums keep with the city of Istanbul, which they consider their true homeland. The author also mentions the difficulties faced by this Greek community in Istanbul (or Romiosini) whose identity considerably changed with the recent arrival of Arabic-speaking Orthodox Greeks from Antioch. Bringing up the subject of « the City » – i Poli (ηΠόλη) in Greek – leads us directly to Istanbul… Greek-speaking Orthodox people have prospered for thousands of years along the banks of the Bosphorus. In Greek historiography, the Byzantine Empire is pictured as the acme of Hellenistic culture, and the continuity claimed by the Rum1 community (the Greeks of Istanbul) during the whole Ottoman period has contributed to perpetuating the cosmopolitan spirit of that sprawling city. The birth of the Republic in 1923 and the need for self-assertion of the new Turkish nation-state prompted the establishment of a new legal status for the Rums, who became recognized as a “minority”2. With their Turkish citizenship and Greek nationality, the Romiosini (ρωμιοσύνη, or “Greek community of Istanbul”) experience a two-dimensional identity split between their referential space (Greece) and their concrete political space (Turkey). Caught as we are in the classic framework of the State construct, it is hard to imagine that nation and territory might not always coincide. However, it is through this double identity that one should understand the relationship of the Rums to the city of Istanbul. At official level, the Consulate of Greece handles the administrative affairs of these Hellenic citizens in Istanbul. However, since the Lausanne Treaty in 1923, administrative complications generated by the very status of the Rum community have required the Consulate to intervene on a regular basis. Just like the Patriarchate, the Greek Consulate has repeatedly filled in for the nonexistent representative institution of the community. In the absence of an official spokesperson or organization for Rums in Turkey, the Consulate has often played that part. Whether for political or economic support, the community can hardly do without that invaluable help, although the Consulate’s positions do not always make unanimity. Proud of their specific identity, the Greeks of Istanbul only feel tied to the Consulate out of necessity. Being Greek nationals, they are also and above all politis (πολίτης, or « residents of the City ») – i.e. inhabitants of Istanbul. The wealth of vocabulary in that respect is eloquent as to the awareness of that specificity. Three commonly used terms can be translated as “Greek”, the intellectual categories of the Greek language allowing nuances distinguishing between culture and geographical origin. The word ellinas (έλληνας) refers to all who feel they are recipients of the Greek culture, whether they live in Greek national land or elsewhere: Greek Cypriots, Greeks of Istanbul, Greeks in the Diaspora, etc. “Hellenes” would be a better translation than “Greeks” if the term was not now associated to Antiquity. Istanbul: the true homeland In the context of the Istanbul community, the use of the word elladitis (ελλαδίτης) or “Helladic” is frequent. The word designates “Greeks” or “Hellenes” living in the Greek national territory versus the Greeks of the community. The term romios (ρωμιός) is employed to designate the “Greeks of Istanbul” – i.e. the Rums. Used just as much in Greek as in Turkish (rûm), it refers to “Turkish citizens who are Greek-speaking Orthodox” (this use going back to the Ottoman period when Orthodox Christians were assimilated to “Romans”). Rums are warrants of the continuity of the Romiosini, the branch of Hellenism which flourished within the city of Istanbul. The very existence of this specific terminology is proof of a clear distinction in the minds. With their occasionally faulty knowledge of the Greek language and typical accent, Rums sometimes feel an inferiority complex in relation to “Helladic Greeks”. Indeed, the phrases and vocabulary that they use reveal the influence of the Turkish language. The territory makes identity tangible, providing a framework for the latter to bloom and evolve. In short, they are in a dialogue. So if Turkish society reflects the identity of Turkish nationals, how does it work for Rums? The Greek identity may remain abstract while the dynamics of everyday life leads them to develop a thriving Turkish identity. To the question “What is your country?” the answer is always the same: i Poli (“the City”). It looks as though their identity could not be projected onto Greek land any more than on Turkish land. As a place of synthesis between Greek nationality and Turkish citizenship, Istanbul is their sole true homeland. The Patriarchate, the churches, and the Byzantine heritage are as many landmarks in the landscape of “the City” attesting their deeply rooted – and therefore legitimate – presence. It is in fact more around the Byzantine legacy than the legacy from Antiquity that they seem to centre their conscious collective identity. Protective mechanisms have set in to try to preserve the integrity of the Romiosini: for instance, their reluctance to engage in mixed (Greek-Turkish) marriages. A numerous community until the birth of the Turkish Republic in 1923, the community deliberately practiced endogamous marriages. However, as more and more Rums were leaving Istanbul, marriages within the community rarefied, and each mixed union was perceived as yet another chip off the Romiosini. This conservatism is in part the source of its historic persistence; but it often leads to rejecting so-called “new ways” brought by the surrounding society, out of fear of weakening its culture. The high average age of the community is a symptom of this lack of dynamism. The Patriarchate traditionally embodies this conservative stance. Its use of Greek as liturgical language during the Ottoman period made it the warrant of the continuity of the Greek nation. Throughout the Republic, the Patriarchate was the object of many suspicions in Turkish public opinion. True enough, its statute remains unclear: it is definitely not the local religious institution that the Turkish Republic had envisaged and had internationalized while maintaining a responsibility in relation to the Greek community of Istanbul. The Patriarchate is in turn viewed as a traitor to the Republic, as a local political institution or as allied to Western powers. Being at the same time the interface between the Greek community and the Turkish government, involved in Greek-Turkish relations and a player on the international religious scene, it superimposes three dimensions of intervention. However, the appointment in 1991 of Patriarch Bartholomew I brought about changes. Renowned for his open-mindedness, his action breathed new life into the institution. The interest shown in key contemporary issues (ecology, dialogue between civilizations…) as well as the activities the Patriarchate developed under his leadership have rejuvenated the image of that institution. Together with the Consulate, the Patriarchate remains key to administrating the community, also taking part indirectly in its social life through simple advice or donations. Its presence in Istanbul is justified by the religious part it plays in the community and it is therefore directly threatened by the shrinking numbers of Rums. From 160,000 members at the beginning of the 20th century, they are estimated at only around 2,000 today. If these Orthodox Turkish citizens came to disappear, the Patriarchate of Istanbul would no longer have any real raison d’être. Going to church regularly is a way of consolidating one’s roots. Indeed, the Sunday Church meeting has become more of a social gathering than a genuine show of faith: it lets people be together, exchange news of each other and reactivate community links. New identity issues As in churches, the community crunch has had a negative effect on the functioning of school establishments. Schools are the main vector of transmission of Romiosini, but many have shut down, which raised the level of concern and sapped the morale of the community. The Great School of the Nation (founded 1454), the Zappeion (founded 1885) and the Zografeion (founded 1893) are among the last schools still open, the symbols of a bygone golden age. Their functioning costs are a sinkhole for the community budget. Why not regroup the small numbers of students into one central establishment? The question seems not to be even raised as, above economic figures and efficiency, it is the very image of the community which is at stake in maintaining its educational system. The schools issue brings up an additional problem: with the arrival of Arabic-speaking people from Antioch, Rum identity finds itself challenged. The Rum category used by the Turkish administration designates Turkish citizens of Orthodox denomination, but since the 1990s, successive waves of migration have brought many Arabic-speaking Orthodox from Antioch to settle in Istanbul. Administratively
Ricky is at the end of his career im afraid, Lallana could come good but not sure he has the fitness for Liverpools game which relies on hard work when they havent got the ball, also he is not as direct as they like, he prfers to beat his man once then again before passing they rely on getting the ball quickly to sterling and sturridge to catch the opposition on the back foot 0 chiselborosaint added 11:53 - Sep 22 Love it nick, still having to pinch myself. Surely something must go wrong, mustn't it? Keep up the good work. 1 Jesus_02 added 12:02 - Sep 22 I must admit that I had though that Jose's game had improved because of Lovren coming in. However I think that it may well have been the other way around. Lovren hasn’t become a bad player overnight, but the communication across their back four is laughable. I am afraid for Lallana, I think he will crumble under pressure. The cop will be far less forgiving with the frequency with which he loses possession. 0 BoondockSaint added 16:07 - Sep 22 The same gang called up Spurs and claimed they had a purebred stallion that had "escaped" from Chipperfields. But after Spurs bought him, he turned out to be a one-trick pony! To quote Gore Vidal "It's not enough to succeed, others must fail" 0 1998jjb added 16:25 - Sep 23 Great article and really well written! I've had to share it on numerous social media! 0HENAGAR, Ala. – The owners of an Alabama drive-in theater say they are taking a stand in regard to a new Disney film. The Henagar Drive-in Theatre in DeKalb County took to Facebook to share why they are refusing to air Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” “If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it,” states the post. “If I can’t sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it.” According to the Facebook post, the owners are referring to the news from the movie’s director that the new live-action film will debut its first gay character. Beauty and the Beast Director Bill Condon describes the LeFou character as “somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston.” The owners say they will not show the film because they “will not compromise on what the Bible teaches.” As of December 16th the Henagar Drive-In is under new ownership. Movies scheduled prior to that date and four weeks after this date were not scheduled by the new owners. That being said…It is with great sorrow that I have to tell our customers that we will not be showing Beauty and the Beast at the Henagar Drive-In when it comes out. When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand. We all make choices and I am making mine. For those that do not know Beauty and the Beast is “premiering” their first homosexual character. The producer also says at the end of the movie “there will be a surprise for same-sex couples”. If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I can’t sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it. I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision. That’s fine. We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language. Thank you for your support! While many people have criticized the decision, others agreed with the owners of the drive-in.Much has been written about the double standards against Israel in the media, but it is a topic that deserves to be revisited. It can be argued that journalism about Israel is qualitatively different than journalism about other issues — in that it often seems to operate with a different set of rules and assumptions than coverage of any other story. Here is an example. Last week, in honor of the Balfour Declaration, The Guardian published an editorial lambasting Israel. (Highly emotive articles about Israel in The Guardian are nothing new, but the level of vitriol in this editorial was surprising even by their own standards.) Here’s a sample: “Israel today is not the country we foresaw or would have wanted. It is run by the most rightwing government in its history, dragged ever rightward by fanatical extremists. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is committed to building Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land, in contravention of international law. Right-wing politicians absurdly brand as traitors NGOs that seek accountability for military actions in the occupied territories. They want to carry on in darkness, free from the glare of meddlesome do-gooders. There is an increasing intolerance from the ethno-nationalist end of Israeli politics that threatens to undermine political freedom and judicial independence…..” A truly dire picture. Now, here’s the question: If one cherry-picks the worst facts, opinions and quotes, and adds some vague feelings of impending gloom, can one make it seem that any given Western country is heading towards the abyss? I would answer that yes — it is remarkably easy to do so. Here is an example of a potential article in this style about the UK: The UK in 2017 teeters on the brink of catastrophe. A right wing minority government, lead by parliamentarians plagued by sex-scandals, is becoming a laughing-stock as it fumbles through Brexit. The mental health system is in crisis, women still face an obscene wage gap, and last month, the IMF slashed the UK’s growth forecast. The 2016 referendum, in which Britain made a “stupid” decision according to top EU officials, brought the pound crashing to its lowest level in 30 years. The extremism of the campaign led to the first murder of an MP in decades, and the hatred and nativism that led to the murder still loom large. Anti-Muslim crimes are at an all-time high, fueled by the ethno-nationalism of Britain First. As the Foreign Minister endangers the life of UK citizens, the Defence Minister resigns, and the Prime Minister teeters, the UK moves ever closer to its fourth vote in as many years. Such an election may go Labour’s way — bringing in a new home secretary who seems incapable of even getting through a radio interview. Three million EU citizens, and millions more concerned UK citizens, wonder what 2018 has in store for them. How can one write an article to make any country seem awful? It is very simple. Take as many negative stories as possible, and put them together. Report only on a country’s flaws, not any of its redeeming features. Take the most damning interpretation of any given story, or policy. Find a racist/sexist sounding line from any elected parliamentarian, and present it as an example of the views of the whole country. Throw in references to past crimes, and suggest the possibility of future ones. Subjected to this treatment, it is genuinely very simple to make any country look bad. However, generally, we would consider articles like this a mark of unsophistication, even bordering on propaganda. No self-respecting paper would publish an article like that on the UK, Germany or any other country. But everything described above is standard fare in writing about Israel. Is Israel a uniquely extreme country? Or is journalism about Israel uniquely extreme writing? There are lots of mitigating factors to the picture that The Guardian painted about Israel. Israel is a burgeoning democracy, providing technological and humanitarian solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. Minorities are better represented in the parliament of Israel than that of France. Arabs in Israel have more rights and opportunities than Arabs anywhere in the Middle East. In 2015, the Israeli government enacted the largest ever stimulus package for the Arab-Israeli communities — hardly the sign of the“most right wing government” lead by “fanatical extremists.” The fever pitch of emotion about Israeli settlements clouds the fact that the last government-approved completed settlement was built 25 years ago. Israel, and only Israel, is judged exclusively by a list of its (perceived and real) flaws. With remarkable confidence, journalists throw together opinions, a few stories, select quotes and feelings of impending doom — and hey, presto, Israel is demonized. Israel is not a uniquely bad country. Journalism about Israel is often uniquely bad journalism. This article originally appeared at UK Media Watch.PyCharm 2017.1 has several notable improvements, but there’s one that’s particularly fun to talk about: debugger speedups. PyCharm’s visual debugger regularly gets top billing as a feature our customer value the highest. Over the last year, the debugger saw a number of feature improvements and several very impressive speedups. In particular, for Python 3.6 projects, PyCharm can use a new Python API to close the gap with a non-debug run configuration. If you’ve been to PyCon or EuroPython and come by our booth, chances are you’ve seen Elizaveta Shashkova talking about the debugger to a PyCharm user, or giving a conference talk. Let’s talk to Liza about her work on PyCharm, the debugger, and her upcoming talk at PyCon. Can you share with us a bit of your background and what you do on the PyCharm development team? I started my career at JetBrains as a Summer Intern two and half years ago – I implemented a debugger for Jinja2 templates and Dmitry Trofimov (the creator of the PyCharm’s debugger) was my mentor. After that, I joined the PyCharm Team as a Junior developer and implemented a Thread Concurrency Visualizer under the supervision of Andrey Vlasovskikh, and my graduation thesis was based on it. At the moment I’m supporting the Debugger and the Console in PyCharm. People really like PyCharm’s debugger. Can you describe how it works, behind the scenes? The debugger consists of two main parts: the UI (written in Java and Kotlin) and the Python debugger (written in Python). The most interesting part is on the Python side – the pydevd module, which we share with PyDev (the Python plugin for Eclipse). We don’t use the pdb standard debugger for Python, but we implement our own debugger. At first glance, it’s quite simple, because it’s based on the standard sys.settrace() function, and in fact it just handles events which the Python interpreter produces for every line in the running script. Of course, there are a lot of interesting frameworks or Python modules, where debugging doesn’t work by default, that’s why we add special support inside the debugger: for PyQt threads, for interactive mode in pyplot, for creation new processes, for debugging in Docker and others. Note: A year ago we did an interview with the creator of PyDev about the funded debugger speedups. The Cython extensions gave a big speedup. Can you explain how it works and the performance benefit? Yes, Cython speedups were implemented by Fabio Zadrozny and they gave a 40% speed improvement for the debugger. Fabio found the most significant debugger bottlenecks and optimized them. Some of them were rewritten in Cython and it gave even more – a 140% speed improvement. Fabio has done a really great job! On to new stuff. The upcoming PyCharm, paired with Python 3.6, gives some more debugger speedups, right? Yes, as I’ve already mentioned, for Python interpreters before version 3.6 we used to use the standard Python tracing function. But in Python 3.6 the new frame evaluation API was introduced and it gave us a great opportunity to avoid using tracing functions and instead implement a new mechanism for debugging. And it gave us a really significant performance improvement, for example, in some cases the debugger has become 80 times faster than it used to be, and it has become at least 10 times faster in the worst case. In some partial cases, it has become almost as fast as running without debugging. We have so many users’ reports about debugger’s slowness, and now I hope they will be happy to try the new fast version of the debugger. Unfortunately, it’s available for Python 3.6 only. What changed in Python 3.6 to allow this? The new frame evaluation API was introduced to CPython in PEP 523 and it allows to specify a per-interpreter function pointer to handle the evaluation of frames. In other words, it means that we can get access to the code when entering a new frame, but before the execution of this frame has started. And this means that we can modify the frame’s code and introduce our breakpoints right into bytecode: execution of the frame hasn’t started yet so we won’t break anything. When we used the tracing function, the idea was similar: when entering a new frame we checked if there are any breakpoints in the current frame and, if they exist, continue tracing for every line in the frame. And sometimes it led to the serious performance problems. But in the new frame evaluation debugger, this problem was solved: we just introduce the breakpoint into the code and the other lines in the scope don’t matter. Instead of adding an additional call to the tracing function for every line in the frame, with Python 3.6 we add just one call to “breakpoint”, and that means that the script under debugging runs almost as fast as without the debugger. Congratulations on your Python 3.6 Debugging talk being accepted for PyCon. Who will be interested in your talk? This talk will be interesting for people who want to learn something new about the features of Python 3.6. Also, it will be useful for people who want to learn yet another reason to move to the Python 3.6: a fast debugger, which should appear in many Python IDEs. Moreover, after the talk people will understand, how the PyCharm’s debugger works, and why such fast debugging wasn’t possible in the previous versions of Python. This talk is for experienced Python developers, who aren’t afraid of calling Python’s C API functions and doing bytecode modifications. What is the next big thing in debugging to work on in the next year? We have a rather old and important problem in the debugger related to the evaluation and showing big objects in the debugger. This problem has existed from the beginning, but it has become really important during the last few years. I believe it gained visibility due to the increased number of scientists who use PyCharm and work with big data frames. At the moment we have some technical restrictions for implementing this feature, but we’re going to implement it in the near future.Prism has had an abundance of new features since I first released it about a month ago. This post discusses the rationale behind some of those features as well as a peak of what's next. Prism is a library to record, mock, and proxy HTTP traffic. Check out my previous post to learn more about its core functionality. Also checkout the github repo's for connect-prism, grunt-connect-prism, and prism-sample-project. New features: gulp Prism started out as a grunt plugin, but shortly after its début I started receiving requests for a gulp equivalent. Not having much experience with gulp I investigated how to develop gulp plugins and eventually discovered their writing a plugin guidelines. It's a really interesting read. The gulp community is a lot more strict about what makes a good plugin than the grunt community. Among various suggestions, requests, and outright demands, the number 1 requirement on their list is: Your plugin should not do something that can be done easily with an existing node module. If you're familiar with grunt this should strike a chord as there are thousands of grunt plugins that do nothing but wrap existing functionality of a core library. Whether this was intended from grunt's beginnings or not, I'm not sure, but one positive that has come out of it is that it has opened the door for less nodejs savvy developers to use popular libraries within their grunt configuration. The gulp community appears to pride itself on its succinctness of a deployment pipeline through their file streaming operations. If your plugin isn't specifically integrating something else into the streaming pipline then it has no business being a plugin in the first place. This inspired me to factor out the core functionality of grunt-connect-prism into a new simple to use core library called connect-prism. I've updated my prism sample project to include an example of its usage within a gulpfile.js. To use with gulp you simply add the prism middleware to your connect declaration and then instantiate 1 or more instances of prism. 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 33 var prism = require ( 'connect-prism' ); var connect = require ( 'connect' ); var app = connect (). use ( require ( 'connect-livereload' )({ port : 35729 })). use ( prism. middleware ). use ( connect. static ( 'app' )). use ( connect. static ( '.tmp' )). use ( '/bower_components', connect. static ( './bower_components' ) ). use ( connect. directory ( 'app' )); require ( 'http' ). createServer ( app ). listen ( 9000 ). on ( 'listening', function () { console. log ( 'Started connect web server on http://localhost:9000' ); }); prism. create ({ name :'serve', mode :'mock', context : '/api', host : 'localhost', port : 9090, delay : 'auto', rewrite : { '^/api/bookauthors' : '/api/authors', } }); delay The delay option is 1 of 2 features contributed by Miloš Mošovský. In many cases you probably want to use prism to eliminate latency of your API, but in some cases it's useful to see how your app behaves when it exists. The delay option has several different options that let you generate this delay when you mock requests. You can define a time in milliseconds or choose one of three modes that generates random delays within a range. To learn more about how to configure this feature see the delay option section in the connect-prism README. In the prism sample project I use the 'auto' mode of delay which will generate random delays between 500 and 1,750 milliseconds. Below is a screenshot of the chrome debugger's network tab showing the 3 calls made to prism. 404 stubbing The second feature by Milos enables prism to generate stubs in your mocks directory when you're in mock mode (in record mode it would simply record a 404 response from your server). If your API doesn't have an endpoint implemented then prism will create a hashed file like it normally does, but the file will have a.404 extension and will have an empty data property value. If you choose to use the mock then customize the response data, status code, and content type (but NOT the request URL). To use the mock just drop the.404 file extension so it's in the standard requestHash.json filename format. If you keep an eye on the STDOUT you'll see that prism lets you know when it creates a 404 stub: Serialized empty 404 response for /api/newendpoint to mocks/serve/d36d19f9d90fa6e1fc1755463d7c3a70616539af.json.404 This lets you know which file to inspect in your mocks directory: 1 2 3 4 5 seglo@bit:~/source/prism-sample-project $ ls mocks/serve/ 0b956737b1a9660f2c555f9328db1191f6f2a050.json 2723f866830446c640c9cc9942fed2988e0a2c1a.json 6654ad4d1d494222ce02c656386e6955575c17ed.json d36d19f9d90fa6e1fc1755463d7c3a70616539af.json.404 Default state of the.404 file. 1 2 3 4 5 6 { "requestUrl" : "/api/newendpoint", "contentType" : "application/javascript", "statusCode" : 200, "data" : {} } URL rewriting This is your standard, run of the mill URL rewriting functionality. It was copied in wholesale from the grunt-connect-proxy plugin. When a request matches a context that prism is configured for then it will modify the request URL to the matched URL replacement. This could be useful for rerouting many same requests to one mock. For example, since prism creates and matches mocks given a whole request URL, if you have query parameters they are included as part of the hash. To ignore all query parameters to /api/authors you could create a rewrite rule like the following. 1 2 3 rewrite : { '^/api/authors \??.' : '/api/authors' } Mock & Record mode While in record you may not always record every request you intended to. If you miss a use case then while you're in mock mode it will simply return 404's (and create stubs as mentioned above) when there may well be a valid endpoint it could have used. I created a new mode you can run the plugin that combines both mocking and recording. When prism intercepts a request it will first check if a mock response exists. If it does not, instead of the usual behaviour of stubbing out a response it will attempt to proxy & record the response from your actual server. This is useful while developing if you've want to move to a new area of development (that triggers new requests) without switching to and from record mode. It's also helpful to use during automated testing so you don't have to remember to record mocks every time new tests are added to your suite; the next test run will generate them and then subsequent test runs will use the mocks. This mode can be used with the'mockrecord' setting for the'mock' property of the configuration. See the mode setting in the connect-prism README for more details. What's next? Runtime configuration override This is a candidate feature request submitted by Myles Bostwick several days ago. Myles proposed a feature where you could override the options of prism at run time with custom HTTP headers. This would allow you to override options like the prism name to use (i.e. in VCR-speak, use another cassette) in order to test a different response. This would be useful in test suites where you want to test how your app behaves under several different use cases, but not have to restart your test server or prism to do it. Keep the suggestions coming Since releasing this library it's been enhanced extensively through pull requests and suggestions from the community. I'm not really sure where it's headed. This is my first forray into open source worth mentioning and I'm thrilled by the feedback I'm receiving.Former congressman Ron Paul, the father of Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul, said Friday that he'd "like to send" Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and politicians like him "to outer space" because of his "crazy" proposals for military spending. Paul made the remarks on an episode of the Ron Paul Liberty Report in response to a question about Rubio's call to "modernize our forces to remain on the cutting edge of the land, sea, air, cyberspace, and outer space domains." Paul's son Rand and Rubio have been in a war of words since the Republican presidential debate last week on Fox Business Network in which they sparred over military spending. "Well, it's good for jobs. Think of how many jobs he's going to create," the elder Paul said. "And then we can send them all to outer space. I'd like to send – like I once said – send all these politicians that promote these ideas to outer space. That's where they belong, because it's crazy! You know, where's he going to get the money?" "I mean, the country is broke, we're in the middle of a recession, half the people are unemployed, half of the young people live with their parents, and the medical care system is breaking down – I mean, it's so precarious that he's proposing a trillion-dollar increase," he continued. "Of course, he wouldn't agree with that, because what he's saying is he has to restore the original budget. But there was some proposed decreases in the increases – he doesn't even want to do that! It really is a net increase in a trillion dollars over a period of time." "And he represents big banks, he represents the war profiteers, the people in the military-industrial complex. And he represents world government, because we have to take care of the world," Paul added. "Look how many things are going on in the Middle East, NATO, we're the one that supply the manpower, and all the money, and all the bombs, and stirring up all the troubles, and support all the coups." "So, this is representative of runaway spending, and I think right now that the people are waking up, because we're out of money, and we're gonna have to end it," Paul concluded.36 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard The following is an opinion column by R Muse* The level of stupid polluting American society is getting completely out of hand and one wonders just how far the population will devolve into abject idiocy when all is said and done. If a segment, a small segment by the way, of the population has their way, the preponderance of American people will be about as ignorant as Neanderthal man; exactly the way religion and Republicans like their subjects. Now that America has an honest-to-dog “Christian Supremacist” a heartbeat away from the presidency, and an incoming president who has no interest in domestic or foreign policy, the fanatical religious right is poised to put some serious stupid on the next generation. Now, it is beyond refute that only the stupidest human beings in the 21st Century cannot fathom that there is a marked difference between religion and science; it’s just the way it is and the way it has always been. However, for the clearly stupid it may be worth reminding them that religion is “the belief and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal god or gods.” Conversely, science is “a systematic enterprise built on and organized by knowledge based on facts learned through experimentation and observations.” Only a moron would fail to comprehend that religion is not science simply because it is based on something called “faith” in a superhuman being; religion has nothing whatsoever to do with facts. Apparently, about 13.2 percent of Americans are morons because they truly believe that science is a religion and that religion, their Christian bible’s religion, is science. That being their dysfunction, they are demanding that their incoming Christian Supremacist vice-president force America’s children to study science as explained by ancient Jewish mythology. The religious right has panted themselves into fits of dyspnea awaiting a savior-preacher to take control of America and lead the population by theocratic edict, and their dreams came true when Americans elected the extremist Christian zealot’s Trojan Horse as the next president. Remember, Trump said more than once that his vice-president would handle domestic and foreign policy and dirty Donnie would be CEO of “making America great.” It is why Mike Pence has been directing Don’s cabinet selection behind closed doors; choices that comport perfectly with establishment Republicans, the Koch brothers, and Mike Pence. Since the religious right are aware that Pence is dictating domestic policies, they appealed to him to begin America’s transformation from a feeble and crumbling democracy into a full-blown theocracy that will drive the Mullah’s on Iran’s Supreme Council into fits of jealousy. The evangelical fundamentalists, all 13.2 percent of them, are appealing to preacher Pence by petition and demanding that he, as head of domestic policy, inform dilatory Donald that it is crucial to immediately issue an executive order “indefinitely banning” the teaching of evolution as science. The evangelical malcontents claim that evolutionary science is nothing but an anti-Christian nasty religion and has no place in the public schools’ science curriculum. Instead, they demand that all science classes at all levels teach the first 26 verses of the Christian bible as science; a proposal that has vice-president elect Mike Pence’s loyal and steadfast support. The Christian extremists’ petition to Pence said in part, “We the undersigned note that you spoke out on the subject of science education and presenting students with all available information. We object to the teaching of the very controversial theory of evolution as part of the K-12 science curriculum which we regard to be unnecessary. It is obvious to us that Evolutionism-Darwinism is an anti-Christian atheistic dogma masquerading as science. There is no doubt that evolution is promulgated as an ideology, a secular religion—a full-fledged alternative to Christianity. We therefore urge you to persuade President Trump to issue an executive order imposing a nationwide indefinite moratorium on the teaching of evolution in public schools.” The religious right’s petition was sent directly to preacher Pence because he has coveted for Genesis 1: 1-26 to be taught as science in public schools forever. In fact, Pence is renowned for rejecting science, particularly evolutionary science, and claims the first 26 verses in the Christian bible are the only “rational explanation” any human being needs to understand the world. Pence hates science nearly as much as he hates America’s secularism and now that he’s been given ultimate power over domestic policy, he will begin immediately transforming America into a Christian theocracy. That is the result of electing one of America’s most “radical Christian extremists” to second in line to the presidency; a monster who hates America as it was founded. Pence has never concealed his hatred of science and told his colleagues in the House that, “I believe that God created the known universe, the earth and everything in it, including man. I also believe that someday scientists will come to see that only the theory of intelligent design provides even a remotely rational explanation for the known universe.” Apparently, the sum total of Pence’s understanding of science and the world is based on his rationality that “god did it.” Here’s the thing about preacher Pence’s line of “rational thought;” he is as dead wrong about evolution as he is wrong about creationism. Evolution has been observed by scientists and laymen alike for centuries before Charles Darwin came on the scene, and the archaic Jewish story about Genesis is just that: ancient mythology for people without the need for facts because they had a belief founded on fear. According to Jerry Coyne writing at Why Evolution is True, the religious fanatics’ petition is likely not going anywhere. However, Mr. Coyne also says, “But when Trump appoints another conservative justice to the Supreme Court, that will make a 5-4 majority, one that could overturn the existing federal ruling banning the teaching of creationism and its subspecies in public schools as a violation of the First Amendment.” That simple fact is what has had the religious zealots in a perpetual wet dream state since the election. Because they can see their dream of America’s secular democracy coming an end and their theocratic Utopia coming to fruition much sooner than they could have ever hoped. And, with a comrade-in-bible running domestic policy for CEO Trump, it is much more than a possibility that they will achieve their goal. It is noteworthy that Christian extremist leaders considered Pence’s ascension to the second highest office in the land in the U.S. government as a tremendous coup for “Christian supremacist militants.” Christian supremacists, by the way, who could never have won access to the presidency of their own accord; it is why they regard dirty Donald as “a godsend.” A Christian supremacist leader, David Barton said of Trump, “This may not be our preferred candidate, but that doesn’t mean it may not be God’s candidate to do something that we don’t see. We may look back in a few years and say, ‘Wow, [Trump] really did some things that none of us expected.’” Barton is likely still saying “Wow” because as president of an evangelical organization determined to make the American government enforce “biblical values,” having Mike ‘preacher’ Pence in charge of domestic policy means their vision of government by bible will become reality. As Jeremy Scahill wrote in The Intercept, “Trump is a Trojan horse for a cabal of vicious zealots who have long craved an extremist Christian theocracy, and Pence is one of its most prized warriors.” What that means for Americans now that the 13.2 percent of the American population co-own control of the United States government, and religious Republicans controlling Congress with an extremist right Supreme Court on the horizon, is they can expect “fire and brimstone coming to Washington.” As horrifying as the idea of the bible being taught as fact-based science is, it will be the least of Americans’ worries in a Pence-led theocratic America. Image: Gage Skidmore/Flickr If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:Artist Jillian Mayer sent a message to her unborn grandchildren in the viral work "I Am Your Grandma," singing "You are in the future, you get love by video." She and collaborator Lucas Leyva have dreamed up a sort of sequel with Mega Mega Upload, one of the ten vignettes in the new Borscht Film Festival short, #PostModem, already selected to screen at the next Sundance Film Festival. This time she sings, "A viral revival. Adults are in denial." "In I Am Your Grandma, I offer the idea of generational love being transferred from beyond the grave through video." Mayer tells HuffPost Miami. "#PostModem plays with the same concept because the idea of technology as a surrogate for spirituality is the underling theme of the film." It all started when Mayer was developing video work for an upcoming exhibit and Leyva had the idea to combine them into one narrative short film. The filmmakers, pegged as two of the "25 New Faces of Independent Film" by Filmmaker Magazine, describe the heady film as a "comedic satirical sci-fi pop-musical based on the theories of Ray Kurzweil and other futurists. It’s the story of two Miami girls and how they deal with the technological singularity, as told through a series of cinematic tweets." Basically, #PostModem's characters simultaneously try to transcend with and against technology, or more specifically the Net. For instance, in JetPack, Mayer disrobes and rids herself of all worldly possessions and enters the ocean as if for baptism. She soon launches out of the waves buck naked and attached to a propelled machine. There's a blissful minute or two when Mayer hovers 30 feet above the water. "This seems like a heavenly moment until I realize that this feeling is incapable of lasting forever and soon it will dissolve. My character was never able to shed the tech world and all attempts were futile. We are all inextricably tied to our technology for everything, including our spiritual lives," says Mayer. "Technological Singularity is a powerful concept," Mayer continues. "So is hologram Tupac. So is hologram Tupac's company going out of business. We live in a time where we have websites and apps that tend to peoples' Facebook accounts postmortem and predict tweets you would have made if you were alive. That is extreme." "I don't mind the idea of living forever in social media platforms, I think that is part of my work. I hope people think I am still alive decades after I am dead. Or I am already dead and have been for two years." Mayer's work is characteristic of the New Aesthetic movement, consistently pulling Internet and computer imagery into the real world. Early in her oeuvre, she was filmed running through Wynwood as screensavers were projected on the depilated warehouses she passed. In her recent "Erasey Page" she offered viewers an impossible service -- to erase anything they wish from the Internet. "The Net is a built of us. We make it, complain about it, reference it, love it, and we can't progress without it," Mayer says. "We are essentially rebuilding God and later ourselves." See images from #PostModem in the below slideshow and watch it this Saturday at Borscht 8:There must be something about the words "dance" and "dragons."We all know how long the last novel took. And now I am writing the "sidebar" (hoo hah) about the first Dance of the Dragons, the fratricidal civil war between King Aegon II and his half-sister Rhaenyra, for THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE, and it's turned into a monster too.As of today, I have a hundred and three bloody manuscript pages (some VERY bloody) and still no end at hand. I had hoped to finish this one today, but... no, not even close. Lots more to write.I think there's some good stuff here, and judging by the reception my reading got at Chicon, most of you seem to like the fake history too. But DAMN, there a lot of it.Nothing to do but keep doing.Dance, you dragons, dance, dance...The man police blame for a fatal crash more than a week ago has surrendered to face charges. Christopher Murch was wanted in connection with the fatal crash on Palmer Street in Quincy on Aug. 7, police said. He turned himself in at the Quincy Police Department headquarters, officers said on Wednesday morning. Police said a utility truck with three people inside struck two utility poles and two parked vehicles before rolling over at about 12:30 a.m. in the city's Germantown neighborhood.Allan Dunne, 18, of Quincy, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. A 17-year-old suffered what were described as life-threatening injuries.On Monday, police asked for the public’s help in finding Murch so he could face charges.After surrendering to face the additional charges, Murch is scheduled to appear in Quincy District Court on Wednesday for arraignment on counts of leaving the scene of personal injury and death, motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and leaving the scene of personal injury. The man police blame for a fatal crash more than a week ago has surrendered to face charges. Christopher Murch was wanted in connection with the fatal crash on Palmer Street in Quincy on Aug. 7, police said. He turned himself in at the Quincy Police Department headquarters, officers said on Wednesday morning. Police said a utility truck with three people inside
is not part of the requirements presented in the tables above, it could influence the decision on the settings the user ends up choosing. Infill Pattern The other key parameter we looked into was infill pattern. We show that generally, the best patterns to use are Linear or Diagonal (=Linear tilted 45°). Indeed, decorative patterns such as Moroccan stars and Catfill show poor performance and should only be used if they are exposed and are part of the design. The real debate was between Linear, Diagonal and Hexagonal (a.k.a. Honeycomb). At a low infill %, we show that all three are fairly equivalent. Because Hexagonal is more demanding on the printer (more directional changes), we suggest using Linear or Diagonal. At a high infill %, Hexagonal is essentially the same as Linear and therefore the discussion is really between Linear and Diagonal. We show that Diagonal is ~10% stronger than Linear. Finally we made a test on the anisotropy of a 3D printed part: this means that 3D printed parts are weaker along the Z-axis than they are along the X and Y-axis. We show that the parts are 20% to 30% weaker along the Z-axis, and that elongation at break is about half. About the testing procedure For each specimen we tested, we measured the following mechanical properties: Max stress (Ultimate Tensile Strength) Elongation at break Young modulus (Rigidity) Yield stress The material used is PLA, and the 3D printing process is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The three parameters we studied are: Infill %: percentage of the object’s volume (inside) that is filled with material Layer height: thickness of each layer constituting the object Infill pattern: pattern the nozzle is drawing to fill the object We performed the tensile tests with a universal testing machine, at the PIMM lab of Arts et Métiers Paristech. We aggregated the results and chose to display the tables and graphs we think are most relevant. The characteristics of PLA are well-known when the material is formed by injection molding. The point of this study is to better understand its behavior once it has been 3D-printed with the FDM process. To give a point of comparison, here are the characteristics of injection molding PLA[4]: Strength [MPa] 40 – 70 Elongation at break 4% – 6% Young modulus (rigidity) [GPa] 2 – 4 Detailed results: Infill % test We printed specimens with the following infill %: 10, 30, 50, 70, 90, and 100. The other printing parameters are: Printer: MakerBot Replicator Speed: 60mm/s Layer height: 0.20mm Temperature: 195°C Infill pattern: Linear Number of shells: 2 We tested three specimens for each infill % Considerations on strength Unsurprisingly, the specimen strength increases with infill %, from 10MPa at 10% to 46MPa at 100%. However, it is interesting to note that the evolution is not linear: the strength gained per percentage point of infill also increases. To put it another way, reducing infill from 100% decreases resistance less and less. Increasing infill % means a higher amount of material is used (= higher cost) and printing time is longer. This has several interesting consequences on ratios such as [strength / speed] and [strength / weight]: The graph on the right shows that the 30% to 50% range is least efficient from both cost (material usage) and printing time standpoints, as they have the lowest ratios. Other performance results Elongation at break: The most surprising result of this study probably lies in this test. Elongation at break is remarkably constant around 2.8%, except at 90% infill where it drops to 2.0%. We checked that there had not been an error by testing another batch of two specimens for infill % 80, 90 and 100, and the results are as follows: This second test confirms the drop around 90% infill. Our hypothesis is the following: For infill below 80%, the extruded PLA filaments constituting each layer (we will just call them “filaments”) do not touch each other along the specimen axis: there are clear gaps in the mesh. So the filaments can elongate in parallel the same amount before breaking, regardless of infill%. For infill around 90%, the filaments touch and form a continuous 3D material, but it is porous because there are lots of small air voids in it (~10% of the specimen). In this case, the stress concentrates around the voids so the strain is localized around the void areas. The voids behave like faults that expand to eventually join and break, but lead to a lower elongation at break. This seems to be confirmed by the fact that the break is slanted for 90%, while it is straight for 70% or 100% (see picture below). For 100% infill, the plastic filaments also touch but there are (nearly) no more air voids in the material. Therefore the plastic deformation is not localized anymore and the whole specimen behaves as a single plastic filament would. Therefore we find the same elongation at break as the case where filaments elongate in parallel (below 80% infill). This point deserves a more in-depth analysis to confirm our hypothesis. Yield stress: Yield stress increases from 8 MPa at 10% infill to 28 MPa at 90% infill, before decreasing back to 23MPa at 100% infill. The fact that yield stress is higher at 90% than at 100% infill is in line with our hypothesis on elongation at break: the stress is localized around the air voids at 90% so at a macro level, the material yields at a higher stress. Young modulus (rigidity): Because the specimen is porous (except at 100%), there are two ways to calculate rigidity: We can count the void inside as part of the material and calculate the Young modulus by dividing by the full cross-section. Or we can adjust the calculation by multiplying the cross-section area by the infill %. The non-adjusted curve shows a positive and linear relationship between infill % and rigidity. Consequently, the adjusted curve is mostly constant around 3.0GPa, right in the range of PLA’s rigidity (see section About the procedure), except as we approach a 0% infill, because then the weight and role of the shells become non-negligible, so the infill % adjustment is not accurate. Detailed results: Layer Height test We printed the specimen with five different layer heights (in mm): 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30. The other printing parameters are: Printer: MakerBot Replicator Speed: 60mm/s Infill%: 80% Temperature: 210°C Infill pattern: Linear Number of shells: 2 We tested three specimens for each layer height Considerations on strength Layer height influences the strength of a printed part when it becomes thin. A printed part at 0.1mm shows a max stress of only 29MPa, as opposed to 35MPa for 0.2mm (21% increase). Past 0.2mm, the max stress remains fairly constant around 36 MPa (we confirmed this conclusion with an extra test at 0.4mm, not shown here because it was not part of the same batch). Normalizing max stress by weight smoothens the curve a bit, from 4.7MPa/g at 0.1mm to 5.6MPa/g at 0.3mm. In theory it should show the same evolution as the absolute numbers, because a constant infill should lead to constant weight, regardless of the layer height. But in practice – 3D Matter weighs all specimens – the Replicator adds less material on lower layer heights such as 0.1mm and 0.15mm. The other result is not surprising: it takes longer to print at lower layer heights, so the max stress divided by printing time shows a curve that is increasing linearly. Other performance results As shown on the stress-strain curves, the specimens behave the same way on the first part of the curve: The Young modulus remains constant around 2.9GPa, again well within the range of PLA’s rigidity. And yield stress is also fairly stable around 19MPa. The curves differ later, for the max stress (as previously seen) and for elongation at break: it increases linearly with layer height, from 2.1% to 3.0%. This is in line with the fact that the material is weaker at lower layer heights, possibly linked to lower accuracy of a thinner deposit. Detailed results: Infill pattern test We investigated the properties of five infill patterns: Linear, Diagonal (linear with a 45° tilt), Hexagonal (or honeycomb), Moroccan stars and Catfill The other printing parameters are: Printer: MakerBot Replicator Speed: 60mm/s Layer height: 0.20mm Temperature: 210°C Infill%: 10% Number of shells: 2 We tested three specimens for Linear, Diagonal and Hexagonal, and only one for Moroccan stars and Catfill. Linear, Diagonal and Hexagonal are all fairly comparable in terms of strength. Linear is ~10% stronger than the other two, but with a fairly wide error bar. Catfill and Moroccan stars are clearly weaker, as we would expect from these suboptimal structures. It is important to note that the infill % chosen (10%) is very low and does not necessarily extrapolate well for higher infill %. The box on Anisotropy (see later in this section) also compares (for a different purpose) Linear with Diagonal at 100% infill and gives a slightly different conclusion: Diagonal is 10% stronger than Linear. This low infill % was chosen because we realized that 1) Catfill and Moroccan stars are not printable at a high %, and 2) Hexagonal starts looking very similar to Linear past 30% infill. Elongation at break is between 1.8% and 2.5% but with very wide error bars, so we can consider that it is in the same range of 2%. In conclusion, while decorative patterns such as Moroccan stars and Catfill show clearly poorer performance, Linear, Diagonal and Hexagonal are comparable at 10% infill. Box: Anisotropy What of the anisotropic quality of 3D printing? “Anisotropic” means that the properties of the material depends on the direction considered. The process of 3D printing inherently tends to create weaknesses along the Z-axis, because the interface between layers is not as strong. We printed 9 specimens at 100% infill: 3 in the X direction (=Linear), 3 in the 45°X / 45°Y direction (=Diagonal), and 3 in the Z direction (specimen printed vertically).We found that the Z-axis direction was 20% to 30% weaker than other directions, and that max elongation was about half. Conclusion Testing the mechanical performance of 3D printed PLA depending on infill %, layer height and infill pattern allowed us to define the trade-offs the user faces when choosing his settings. While the focus of the study was on mechanical performance, we made sure to include quality, cost and speed as key requirements on top of strength for 3D printer users. Purely on mechanical performance, 3D Matter also found interesting results, such as the fact that elongation at break is lowest around 90% infill, that a lower layer height weakens the object, and that Linear, Diagonal and Hexagonal patterns show fairly equivalent performance. We also got an interesting data point regarding the difference between printing directions, and while the Z-axis is, as expected, weaker than other directions, the decrease in max stress is only 20-30%. Disclaimer We didn’t test printing quality to come up with our recommendations. We took from experience that the quality decreases when the layer height increases. Also, because of the bumpy top layer, 100% infill prints are of lower quality. We opened several interesting research leads in this paper but some of the results on mechanical performance deserve further investigation to prove hypotheses we formulated – for example regarding the behavior of printed PLA around 90% infill. We did not investigate the influence of other key printing parameters, in particular extrusion temperature and printing speed. The specimens were printed without roof or floor, but with two shells. We did not investigate the influence of roof, floor or shell thickness. This study is valid for PLA, the conclusions might change for other materials such as ABS. The printing parameters we used and results we got are specific to the Makerbot Replicator. They might be slightly different on other printers. [1] We measured actual values for strength (max stress), weight and printing time for all infill % at 0.2mm and for all layer heights at 80% infill, and extrapolated the rest of the tables from these values [2] Infill % does not matter with regard to quality (it is inside) except at 100% infill where we have observed that the prints were not as smooth due to an excessive amount of material extruded [3] Slic3r manual, Makerware, http://airwolf3d.com/wiki/slicing-1/ [4] Loughborough University, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Makeitfrom.comRodrigo Moreno talked to journalists in a Tuesday press conference after training, and confirmed that, following the completion of the sale of the club to Peter Lim, he is now a Valencia CF player as per the terms of his contract. "My continuation clause at the club was stated in my contract,” explained the forward, who originally joined VCF on a loan deal. “From now on I'm a Valencia player for this and four more seasons -five in all." Asked about the mood in the squad after the defeat against Barcelona, Rodrigo said: "We are calm, obviously everyone is aware that we had a great game, with an end result that we did not deserve, and we are coming off two bad results in the league. Now we have a cup game, we are looking forward to that, and we have to go game-by-game and move forward." Rodrigo also commented that he is unfazed by a lack of goals from Valencia CF’s forwards: "It's normal, all strikers want to score goals and they are not coming, but the world is not going to stop because the forwards aren’t scoring,” he remarked. “We’ll work on this and things will come naturally. If we worry about it, then nothing will happen. We all want to score but you have to be calm, this is part of the game.” With Copa del Rey action this week against Rayo Vallecano and a favourable draw in theory, Rodrigo is eager for a good showing this year in the competition. "Whether we are up against the favourites or not, every game will be difficult. We have had bad results against opponents who were lower down the table in La Liga, so we know that we have to do our bit to go through. We are focused on Thursday's game." "If the manager feels he should rotate the squad, then that is fine. I do not think the problem is fatigue, we have time to recover, I don’t know what the manager has in mind, but we are prepared for what he sees fit."The Pirate Bay file tracking site is currently offline - apparently forced to close by a German court injunction filed last week. We covered the filing last week. A district court in Hamburg heard from the Motion Picture Ass. of America, which targeted German ISP CB3ROB (Cyberbunker). Cyberbunker was ordered to unplug the site or face two years in prison or a $250,000 fine for each example of copyright infringement found. The site is currently unavailable, though it has been taken out before and bounced back quickly. For background on The Pirate Bay see this interview with one of the founders, now somewhat disinterested. Update As predicted, the site has returned - with a picture of a laughing kitten and the caption: "I'ms in your skynets, lollings aways ats yours futiles attempts ats contrllings our internets." ®Facebook gives users more control of privacy Facebook is one of the world's most popular social networking sites Facebook is launching new privacy settings, designed to simplify the process for its 350 million users. It is the latest in a string of changes that have been made to its privacy policy this year. The site claims that only 15-20% of users have ever adjusted their settings. One new feature - the ability to control who sees every post made - was made following a stream of requests from users. Facebook will make recommendations about how widely available different postings should be. It suggests that status updates should be visible to everybody. "We believe users will feel comfortable sharing more," said a spokesperson. It will mean information can be shared with a wider internet audience as search engines increasingly integrate content from social media sites into search results. Google announced plans to integrate certain Facebook data into its real-time search although the data will be limited to public profile Facebook pages created by celebrities and companies. Rival social media site Twitter makes all information viewable to the public. Facebook will require users to update their general privacy settings, in a first for an internet firm. It acknowledged that the process had become "complicated" as new features have been added to the site. The new publisher privacy control means users can select a privacy setting for each piece of content, from updates to photos, meaning they can tailor their posts for specific audiences. Privacy choice Users will be asked to choose one of three categories; friends, friends of friends, or everyone. From 9 December, Facebook will offer all its users a so-called transition tool, explaining the changes and asking users if they want to update their settings. "We've always designed Facebook to enable people to control what information they share with whom... we will continue to innovate to serve users' changing needs," said Elliot Schrage, vice president of communication. Earlier in the summer, the social network was forced to make worldwide changes to its privacy policy when it was found to be in breach of Canadian law by holding on to users' personal data indefinitely. It agreed to make changes to the way it handles this information and be more transparent about what data it collects and why. It also agreed to make it clear that users can deactivate or delete their account. In February Facebook responded to criticism over the way it handled users' data by opening up the site's policies to users. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionIn the past year, nine vocal critics or potential whistleblowers of the Gulf oil spill all died in extremely mysterious ways. Their deaths could be strange, unrelated coincidences. Or they could have been killed as part of a conspiracy to silence those who were speaking out against the worst oil spill in American history. Gregory Stone February 17, 2011 – LSU scientist Gregory Stone, 54 – Unknown Illness Anthony Nicholas Tremonte January 26, 2011 – age 31 – Mississippi Department of Marine Resources officer, from Ocean Springs arrested on child porn charge Dr. Thomas B. Manton January 19, 2011 – former President and CEO of the International Oil Spill Control Corporation – imprisonment and subsequent murder while jailed John P. Wheeler II December 31, 2010 – a former Pentagon official and presidential aide and a defense consultant and expert on chemical and biological weapons – was beaten to death in an assault, body was discovered in a Wilmington landfill James Patrick Black November 23, 2010 – an incident commander for BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill response team, died Tuesday night near Destin, Florida in a small plane crash’ Chitra Chaunhan November 15, 2010 – age 33, worked in the USF Center for Biological Defense and Global Health Infectious Disease Research – Found dead in an apparent suicide by cyanide at a Temple Terrace hotel. She leaves behind a husband and a young child. Dr. Jeffrey Gardner, Swan Doctor November, 2010 – MIA Status, of Lakeland, FL – Swan expert who “ran into legal trouble over an expired prescription license has closed his practice” — Was investigating unexplained bird deaths near Sarasota abruptly and immediately closed his practice, and apparently his investigation into the deaths of swans in Sarasota, suspected to have been impacted by the BP Oil Disaster. No one has heard or spoken with him since. Watch this news report covering his investigation before his disappearance: Roger Grooters, Cyclist October 6, 2010 – age 66, was hit by a truck as he passed through Panama City, Florida. Mr. Grooters had been knocked down and killed close to the end of a 3,200-mile trans-America charity ride to raise awareness about the Gulf Coast oil disaster. He began his cross-country bike ride in Oceanside, California, on September 10th. Grooters’s family and friends will cycle the final stretch of the journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic in his honour, raising cash to support Gulf Coast families. Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk Senator Ted Stevens August 9, 2010 – Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, 86, the longest-serving Republican senator in history, was among nine people on board when the 1957 DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter, crashed into a brush- and rock-covered mountainside Monday afternoon about 17 miles north of the southwest Alaska fishing town of Dillingham, federal officials said. Stevens was the recipient of a whistleblower’s communication relative to the BP Oil Disaster blow-out preventer, and a conspiracy of secrecy to hide the facts from the public. beforeitsnews.com Matthew Simmons August 13, 2010 – age 67 – Simmons’ body was found Sunday night in his hot tub, investigators said. An autopsy by the state medical examiner’s office concluded Monday that he died from accidental drowning with heart disease as a contributing factor – “It was painful as can be” to be only insider willing to speak out against the “officials” during the BP Oil Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico Scientist Joseph Morrissey April 6, 2010 – age 46 – cell biologist and college professor, a near-native Floridian who chose to return to South Florida after studying at elite universities – was fatally shot during what police say was a home invasion robbery. Links to each individual case under question: Officer Anthony Nicholas Tremonte www.kltv.com Dr. Thomas B. Manton www.naturalnews.com John P. Wheeler II en.wikipedia.org USF biologist Chitra Chauhan www.abcactionnews.com Roger Grooters www.dailymail.co.uk Matthew Simmons en.wikipedia.org Joseph MorrisseyAnalyzing the story of Metal Gear Solid V is like unpacking a dusty old box of tangled Christmas lights – once you think you've straightened it all out, you're still left with some burnt-out bulbs. Thankfully, several Game Informer editors have now beaten The Phantom Pain and have united to try to make sense of the most recent twists and turns. Sit down and strap in for a meaty deep dive packed with spoilers all about Snake's most recent adventure. Editor's Note: This feature was originally published on October 6. This episode of Spoiled! features Metal Gear lore nuts, Joe Juba and Tim Turi, alongside Andrew Reiner who tries to piece the madness together from a safe distance. This is your last warning: The video below contains spoilers. For more episodes of Spoiled visit our hub page.Our genetic blueprint charts the course for our life, yet we rarely achieve our full genetic potential, because of external forces that continually steer us off course. Many environmental influences are beneficial—good nutrition, education, and socialization—while others, such as malnutrition, pollution, and poverty, contribute to ill-health and the woes of humankind. We can now measure and utilize over a billion features of the genome—the sequence of DNA, epigenetic changes that turn genes on and off, and how genes interact with the biochemical machinery of cells—and that knowledge is enabling powerful new insights and therapeutic approaches. But genetics can explain less than 25 percent of most major disorders. And at present our ability to measure the complex environment in which we live and its impact on our bodies is very limited. One measure of the potential environmental impact on health is the registry of nearly 80,000 industrial chemicals that is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency. The interaction of each of these chemicals with living organisms can generate multiple chemical markers, which could be used to assess exposure and potential harm, if we knew what they were. One example that has generated widespread concern is the class of phthalate chemicals used as plasticizers in a wide range of products, from infant lotions and powders to credit card purchase receipts, markers from which are found in virtually every United States resident, and which have been implicated as hormone-like endocrine disrupters that can affect sexuality. Those aren’t the only powerful chemicals in consumer products—think suntan lotions and beauty creams, preservative additives in food products to extend shelf life, pesticide residues on fresh produce. Food itself generates many different metabolic chemicals found in our bodies, both directly and as a result of processing of food by our microbiome—the colony of bacteria that inhabit our gut and our skin and are very much part of who we are. Add in air pollution, workplace hazards, the markers left by allergens and disease agents and immune system reactions to them, the medicines we use—they all leave a biochemical marker. The number of such markers in our bodies is estimated to be as many as 1 million, but what they are and which ones indicate conditions or exposures harmful to health is still for the most part unknown. As it turns out, there is no reason for knowledge of the environmental mediators of disease and health to lag so far behind that of the genome. When the concept of the exposome—the totality of our exposures from conception onward—was first put forward in 2005, it seemed an impossible challenge: How could we detect and measure a million different chemicals? But just as a single sample of blood contains the core of our genetic data (in the DNA within white blood cells), so that same blood sample contains hundreds of thousands of biochemical markers. And because of advances in high resolution mass spectrometry and high throughput screening, it is now possible to identify, catalog, and understand each marker, each constituent of the exposome, and link it to the process or environmental factor that produced it. Mapping and annotating these biochemical markers, creating reference databases that define the human exposome and to which individual profiles can be compared, using big data techniques to correlate genetic and environmental factors—all of this portends a revolution in how we understand the complex chemistry of life. That knowledge in turn is likely to lead to more specific insights into how environmental factors affect human health and how we might intervene to protect and enhance it. Within a decade, potentially, a truly precision approach to personalized medicine could be possible. Mapping the exposome is ultimately about understanding the divergence between our genetic predispositions and our biological reality. It requires not just studying environmental chemicals—it is about studying all of the chemicals, endogenous and exogenous alike, that influence human biology. Yet today, a typical laboratory analysis of a blood sample is run through an instrument called a gas chromatograph that groups fractions of the blood by their volatility, and then these fractions are subjected to more detailed analysis by a specific chemical test or by mass spectrometry. In virtually every such analysis, for whatever purpose, there are hundreds of peaks (compounds) that are simply unknown. This is where increased efforts in fundamental research in mass spectrometry and bioinformatics could yield great returns. What made rapid mapping of the human genome possible was sequencing of many small parts of the genetic code whose function was known—so-called shotgun sequencing—and then putting the pieces together. The equivalent for mapping the exposome is an approach that identifies the environmental mediators that have the greatest effect on human biology and looks for the markers associated with them. As it turns out, many different institutions—from the Centers for Disease Control to university laboratories working under grants from the National Institutes of Health—have collected and stored blood samples from specific individuals whose subsequent medical histories are known at least in part. The Department of Defense, for example, has over 100 million blood samples from soldiers collected at enlistment and again post-deployment from a specific mission such as Iraq. And these archival blood samples turn out to be a treasure trove for linking specific impacts to biochemical markers and thus building up the map of the exposome. One recent example of this process at work is a child health study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley with blood samples going back 50 years from families that lived in California’s central valley—where concern over pesticide exposure from the intensive farming activity has long been a concern. The Berkeley study looked at the blood from the mothers of daughters who subsequently (as adults) were diagnosed with breast cancer, and sure enough, found clear evidence of pesticide residues that would have exposed those daughters in utero. The study is now extending the analysis to the granddaughters. Another study at Emory University looked at glaucoma, a condition in the eye that leads to nerve damage and blindness and whose exact cause is not known. The study compared biomarkers in blood samples from people suffering from glaucoma with comparable individuals who did not have glaucoma, and turned up four specific markers in the glaucoma patients. When analyzed, the markers turned out to be related to steroids produced only by fungal infections. Further work to see if the fungal infections might be causal is underway. Another study found markers from two specific environmental chemicals associated with macular degeneration, a condition in older adults that damages the retina and is also a common cause of blindness. These results are likely only the forerunners of a flood of new findings. More fundamentally, these are the beginning of a more complete knowledge of the chemistry of nurture, of life as it is really lived amidst a complex and changing array of foods, industrial chemicals, environmental toxins, and infectious agents. How to Map the Exposome While genomics serves as a blueprint of a human being, personal health is also a product of life history and interactions with the environment. Big data from high-throughput molecular technologies that detect the chemical markers in blood or other tissue samples—from metabolic processes, from immune system processes, from activated genes, from foreign proteins—thus provide critical information toward health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and treatment. The key technology that enables detection of these molecular footprints of biological processes is ultra high resolution mass spectrometry, which in effect sorts these chemicals by their unique mass. Such machines yield nearly 10 times the data quality of earlier versions, cost about $1 million apiece, and must be supported by laboratories, trained technicians, and biometric specialists. In a good lab, with a current model ultra high-resolution mass spectrometer, it is possible to separate and identify between 5,000 and 20,000 new biomarkers per year, including building the algorithms to automate future recognition of that marker. Thus with 10 instruments spread across several universities, mapping 100,000 biomarkers a year might be feasible. With sufficient research funding, a comprehensive, annotated database amenable to big data tools and to inter-comparison with rapidly expanding genomic databases might be feasible within five to seven years. Unlike the $1 billion human genome project, the likely price tag to map the exposome is more like $100 million. Nonetheless, the scale and duration of such a project puts it outside the range of typical federal research grants, which in turn discourages many scientists from tackling it. Moreover, research on the environment has historically been within the domain of the National Science Foundation, while human health falls under National Institutes of Health—the exposome doesn’t fit neatly into either funding structure. Hence there is an extraordinary opportunity for private philanthropy. Quite apart from the fundamental knowledge of how genes and environmental factors interact to influence human illness or capacity, the potential of identifying a person’s lifetime exposure history from a sample of blood, quickly and cheaply—like the $1,100 tests for an individual gene map now available—is a tantalizing prospect. Moreover, the technology of mass spectrometry is advancing rapidly, so faster, more automated, higher resolution instruments will be available, and perhaps, with a concentrated effort, even more sophisticated ways of identifying our exposome. And given the potential value of such services, once academic basic research has shown the feasibility and built the core knowledge, it seems likely that the biotech industry would invest additional capital to extend the database and the inferences that can be drawn from it to improve human health and well-being.I really love the iPhone 7. Sure, the functionality is almost identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 6S. But with a few software tweaks and additions, plus that gorgeous all-metal design with the hidden antenna lines, the iPhone 7 might be my favorite iPhone design ever. Hollis Johnson/Business Insider When it's off and sitting on a flat surface, the iPhone 7 looks like one seamless slab of glass. It looks incredibly sleek and smooth, especially in that sweet matte-black color. On Tuesday, Apple unveiled three successors to the iPhone 7: the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X. Those three phones start at $699, $799, and $999, respectively. The new phones all have faster chips and wireless charging; the iPhone X has a slew of other features, like a facial-recognition system to unlock the phone called Face ID, and a stunning 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display that Apple calls its "Super Retina Display." An iPhone 8 concept. YouTube/iVenyaWay But the iPhone doesn't need any of these new features. By all accounts, the iPhone X sounds like a stellar device, but the iPhone 7 is already a first-class phone. I don't wish it had wireless charging or a larger, more vibrant screen — those things don't feel like missing features. So if you're considering this new iPhone lineup with all its bells and whistles, don't forget about the iPhone 7. Right now, the iPhone 7 costs $100 less than it did a year ago: the regular 7 starts at just $549, and the iPhone 7 Plus starts at $669. Again, the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus cost $699 and $799 to start, respectively. And to own the iPhone X, you'll be spending over $1,000; as nice as it is, it's almost double the price of the iPhone 7. Just keep all of this in mind. Everyone is focused on the "newness" of the new iPhones, which look great and shiny and new, but don't sleep on the "old" iPhone 7, especially at that lower price point. You'd save several hundred dollars and still own one helluva device.Last week, the British Medical Journal published a study about the effects of smoking cannabis (aka marijuana, pot, weed, Mary Jane) on driving ability. Researchers at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, analyzed 9 prior studies and concluded that — contrary to most pot smokers’ beliefs — driving high leads to a higher risk of car accidents. Now, before we go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room: pot is illegal in most states. But (as we know) people smoke it regardless of what the law says. However, no matter what folks tell you, driving under the influence of any controlled substance is illegal and dangerous. We could write endlessly about reckless driving — drinking, using a cellphone, and even driving tired all put you and others at risk — but for our purposes today, let’s focus on Dalhousie’s study and the specific dangers of smoking pot and driving. Weed and driving effects Turns out, drivers who smoke marijuana within a few hours of driving are almost twice as likely to get into an accident as sober drivers. And though the accident stats aren’t as bad as they are for drinking and driving, the risk is palpable. While alcohol is still the most common accident-inducing substance, a recent survey quoted on the National Institute of Drug Abuse’s Web site found that 6.8 percent of drivers who were involved in accidents — most of whom were under 35 — tested positive for THC (the chemical found in marijuana). Smoking weed and driving laws Unlike testing for alcohol levels, researchers and law enforcement officials have not yet determined how to accurately test for levels of marijuana intoxication. Many states, however, have begun to take a hard line on this public safety issue and police officers are now being trained to detect signs of marijuana intoxication. And make no mistake about it: driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs — including legal-use marijuana — is illegal in all states. Get a breakdown of drugged driving laws here. The great marijuana myth It’s possible you’ve heard a pot aficionado state: “I’m a better driver when I’m stoned.” Not true. A major issue with drugged driving is that when you’re high (well, not you specifically, we know you’d never do that), you don’t always realize that your judgment is impaired. This is especially true for teenagers who are already at-risk drivers. Couple this with a few hits of ganja, and the buzz can become, well, killer. Though it varies by person, it generally takes at least 3–4 hours to come down from a high. No amount of strong coffee or greasy food is going to sober you up faster. Drinking and driving vs. smoking weed and driving Most of us grew up hearing “don’t drink and drive,” but not nearly as much effort was put into preventing the combination of smoking pot and driving. Yet marijuana affects reaction time, spatial sense, and perception — all of which are crucial to safe driving. So when a person is driving high, they may end up following another car too closely (and brake too late), make unsafe turns, or misjudge road hazards. RELATED: The Drunk-Driving Debate:.05 versus.08 The fact remains: weed and driving don’t mix In the coming years, we may see a move toward the legalization of pot. But no matter where you stand on the issue — “a need for weed” or “not for pot” — we should all be on the same page when it comes to designating a driver who abstains from ALL mind-altering substances (legal or not). If you’re into graphs and footnotes, you can read the whole British Medical Journal study here. While
://www.aclupa.org/issues/freespeech/surveillance-activists/trackedinpennsylvania/resultsofrighttoknowreques/ [6] State tracks anti-Marcellus Shale drilling groups, notifies law enforcement \| by Donald Gilliland \| PennLive Sept.14, 2010 http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/09/post_122.html [7] Sun, September 5, 2010 3:18:08 PMRe: Dissemination of sensitive information \| From:”Powers, James” http://www.scribd.com/doc/152895938/Homeland-Powers-Email [8] Gov.-elect Corbett announces members of his transition team \| http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2010/2010113079.HTM [9] Pennsylvania Utility Commission \| http://www.puc.state.pa.us/about_puc/commissioners.aspx [10] Sun, September 5, 2010 3:18:08 PMRe: Dissemination of sensitive information \| From:”Powers, James” http://www.scribd.com/doc/152895938/Homeland-Powers-Email [11] Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union \| Results of Right to Know Request on Bulletins \| http://www.aclupa.org/issues/freespeech/surveillance-activists/trackedinpennsylvania/resultsofrighttoknowreques/ [12] Pennsylvania chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (PA-ACLU) \| List of all groups and individuals mentioned in the intelligence bulletins put together by Institute of Terrorism Research and Response on behalf of the PA Office of Homeland Security from 10/30/09 to 9/13/10 \| http://www.aclupa.org/index.php/download_file/view/695/181/46/ [13] Anti-drilling group sues head of Homeland Security \| By Elizabeth Skrapits \| Citizens Voice Sept 28, 2010 http://citizensvoice.com/news/anti-drilling-group-sues-head-of-homeland-security-1.1033588 [14] We’re Being Watched How Corporations and Law Enforcement Are Spying on Environmentalists \| By Adam Federman \| Earth Island Journal 2013 http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/we_are_being_watched/ [15] Pennsylvania Homeland Security director resigns amid intelligence-gathering controversy \| By Amy Worden and Angela Couloumbis \| Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau Oct.02, 2010 http://articles.philly.com/2010-10-02/news/24999571_1_resignation-rendell-powers [16] Former director of Pennsylvania’s Homeland Security destroyed original intelligence reports \| by Donald Gilliland \| PennLive Nov. 6, 2010 http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/11/former_director_of_pennsylvani.html [17] Governor Corbett Transfers Homeland Security Office to State Police \| PR Newswire \| November 22, 2011 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/governor-corbett-transfers-homeland-security-office-to-state-police-134352583.html [18] GDAC – PEMA Letter 12-18-2014 \| https://www.scribd.com/doc/253496578/GDAC-PEMA-letter-12-18-2014 [19] GDAC Press Conference Homeland Security Law Suit Settlement \| January 22, 2015 \| Luzerne County Courthouse, Wilkes-Barre PA \| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKMcPNrhnDA&feature=youtu.be [20] Gas Drilling Watchdog Group Settles Suit Over Terror Listing \| By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press \| January 22, 2015 http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/gas-drilling-watchdog-group-settles-suit-terror-listing-28414390 [21] State police documents show intelligence-sharing network between law enforcement and Marcellus Shale drillers “They’re using the state police to try to silence us.” \| By Adam Federman \| Pittsburgh City Paper October 8, 2014 http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/state-police-documents-show-intelligence-sharing-network-between-law-enforcement-and-marcellus-shale-drillers/Content?oid=1782447NEW YORK - Seattle Sounders FC defender Jeff Parke was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 10 of the 2011 MLS season. Parke headed home the game-winning goal in stoppage time to lift his team over Sporting Kansas City, 1-0. Parke is the first defender to win this award since Chad Marshall in Week 22 of the 2009 season, and the first Sounders FC player to win the award since Steve Zakuani in Week 29 of 2010. Parke narrowly edged out Philadelphia striker Carlos Ruiz for this week's honor. With the two clubs knotted in a scoreless draw at a rain-soaked Qwest Field and mere seconds of stoppage time remaining, Seattle's Tyson Wahl served a high, curling ball that Parke rose to thump past Sporting goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. Parke had a solid game at the back, making well-timed tackles, heading clearances, and blocking several shots to help his team shut out a Sporting Kansas City side that regained the services of Designated Player Omar Bravo. The goal was Parke's first since June 12, 2004. The Sounders beat Sporting KC in similar fashion last year at Qwest when midfielder Mike Fucito scored in the 92nd minute to propel the Sounders to a 1-0 victory. The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.As a group of 15 consortium members from seven European countries initiates a project to curtail criminals and attackers from using Blockchain technology, the head of Aidos coin (ADK) believes the law enforcement initiative would only target dark market operators. However, in targeting illegal market operators, the initiative would not be able to stop cryptocurrencies being used across the market. Some of the consortium members are AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Coblue Cybersecurity (Netherlands), Countercraft S.L. (Spain), Universität Innsbruck (Austria), INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany), the National Bureau of Investigation (Finland), University College London (UK) and VICOMTECH-IK4 (Spain). “Since coins are not registered or regulated, they are decentralized. Law enforcement can never shut them down,” says Ricardo Badoer, an entrepreneur in the finance and construction sectors. He believes the crypto world has been turning into a Ponzi scheme - especially in the last two years - where coin developers release half finished coins just to make fast money. Dark web and virtual currencies The European researchers behind the three-year €5 mln project seek to develop technical solutions for investigating and mitigating crime and terrorism involving virtual currencies and transactions in the dark web - the part of the Internet that is beyond the reach of Google and other search engines. While there are many digital currencies in existence, they identify Bitcoin as the best-known application of Blockchain technology. They plan to come up with a way to stop the use of the technology to avoid law detection by evading traditional investigative measures while respecting the privacy rights of those using it for legitimate purposes. Though linking digital currencies to the dark web isn’t new, the consortium’s move comes in the wake of the Bitcoin ransom made by WannaCry attackers, after freezing computers across 150 countries. Badoer thinks these currencies, including ADK, will continue to be used across the market, particularly as the creators lack control over their use. He says: “We can not control our tech from being used on dark web/dark markets. We are sure our tech will be used. For example, ETH, Monero, Bitcoin and Dash are used in dark markets.” He adds that he came up with the Tangle-based ADK because the crypto world lost a chance of bringing in more people and investors with the DAO and the ETH vs. ETC issue.Three Baltimore police officers have been tried for killing Freddie Gray, and none have been convicted. These trials took place in a city radicalized by Gray's death and during a summer when the pattern of police officers killing African-American men around the country has not ceased, but the protests in Baltimore have been muted. The third trial, of an officer named Caesar Goodson, was considered the signal one. Goodson faced the heaviest charges, since he drove the paddy wagon in which Gray, his hands and legs shackled but his body not belted in place, was allowed to bounce around, restrained from protecting himself, until he suffered a fatal injury to his spinal cord. There are four more trials to come (three defendants have not yet had their cases brought to court, and a fourth, William Porter, is scheduled for a retrial this fall). But Goodson's acquittal, on June 22nd, indicated that the most serious charges are not likely to end in convictions. Whatever justice for Freddie Gray's death looks like, it will probably not involve long prison sentences for cops. The proceedings in Baltimore seem especially significant after the police killings of Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge, and Philando Castile, near Minneapolis, and the assassination of five Dallas police officers, events backgrounded by a sense that the tension between law enforcement and the African-American community remains unresolved. The trials of the Freddie Gray officers have taken place in a city that has met many of the demands that protesters have made elsewhere. Baltimore’s state’s attorney, a thirty-six-year-old African-American woman named Marilyn Mosby, was elected by a progressive coalition, defeating a white incumbent whom her campaign attacked for being too reflexively pro-cop. Mosby brought charges against the officers three weeks after Gray's death, the grand jury delivered indictments three weeks later, and the first case opened five months after that. Defense motions to move the trials to Baltimore’s more conservative suburbs were denied. The judge who presided over all three cases is an African-American man named Barry Williams, who worked in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice during the Clinton Administration, and was dispatched around the country to help prosecute cases of police misconduct. One officer who was prosecuted by Williams years ago told the Baltimore Sun that, if he were one of the Freddie Gray defendants facing Williams, "I'd want to move my trial." Nevertheless, officers Edward Nero and Goodson chose to have Judge Williams hear their case (a trial by bench), rather than face a jury, and in each case he found them not guilty. Officer Porter had a jury whose racial composition was close to Baltimore’s: there were seven African-American jurors and five white ones, in a city that is sixty-three per cent black. Only one juror held out to convict Porter of manslaughter, the most serious charge he faced—the other eleven all voted to acquit. Baltimore did get to try its own accused police officers, as the demonstrators had demanded. The results will probably not look like justice to them. Each police killing illuminates some aspects of the general pattern of police killing and obscures others. No one cop killed Freddie Gray. His death was instead assembled piecemeal, with several different officers involved in a sequence in which Gray was pursued arbitrarily, arrested roughly, secured improperly, and driven callously, and in which officers ignored first his cries for help and then his silence. A "reasonable officer" in Goodson's position, Judge Williams found, could not be expected to quiz the cops who detained Gray or check to be sure that a prisoner had been securely detained. His training, in Williams’s view, had not required it. The trial of the highest-ranking officer charged in Gray’s killing, Lieutenant Brian Rice, began last Thursday. Prosecutors dropped a misconduct charge on the first day of the trial, and Williams, who again is ruling from the bench, dropped a second-degree-assault charge against him on Monday. In their opening remarks, the prosecutors argued that, because of his rank, Lieutenant Rice had a greater responsibility than the others to insure Gray’s safety. Maybe they will succeed. But, given the outcomes of the previous trials, it seems more likely that Williams will acquit—that the attempt to find an individual responsible for collective negligence, for a slaying by increments, may fall short again. Mosby was widely lauded when she first announced the indictments (among other things, she was profiled in Vogue), and it seemed at the time as if the Freddie Gray case might be the moment when the criminal-justice system caught up to the problem of police killing. Now that promise has faded, and the case mostly represents the ways in which everyday police neglect can elude criminal justice. Mosby could not put the state on trial in the aggregate, only six individual cops, each of them only partly culpable. A chant rang out during the Baltimore protests in particular: "We won't stop until killer cops are in cell blocks." But despite the resonance and political influence of the Black Lives Matter movement, that hasn't actually happened, in Baltimore or elsewhere. In certain ways, Freddie Gray’s killing did not resemble other high-profile police killings, in which, usually, it has been possible to pinpoint a single lethal act and a single actor. Rather, it evoked the general pattern of police harassment, the slow lean of cops on members of a community they find suspicious. The outcomes of the trials suggest that the criminal-justice system may not be so well-equipped to counteract that culture. The pressure to fix it falls on politics.NEW YORK – Donovan Ricketts is back on top as the best goalkeeper in Major League Soccer. Two years after he was sent packing by the LA Galaxy for a younger heir-apparent and a year removed from a sobering turn in net with an expansion team, the 36-year-old Portland Timbers star was named the Allstate MLS Goalkeper of the Year on Wednesday for the second time in his career. Ricketts – who topped four-time nominee Nick Rimando of Real Salt Lake and 2012 award winner Jimmy Nielsen of Sporting Kansas City in the voting – also won the award in 2010, when he helped led the Galaxy to the Supporters’ Shield. He becomes the fourth player in league history to win the award multiple times, joining Zach Thornton, Joe Cannon and Pat Onstad. Ricketts joins that rare group after a season when he proved indispensible for the Timbers, who battled injuries to their backline all season long. Despite most attention placed on the Timbers’ explosive offensive attack, Ricketts was just as impressive in net, finishing with career highs in shutouts (14) and saves (92) while posting a 0.97 goals-against average, second in the league behind Nielsen (.88) among goalkeepers with at least 20 appearances. The only time he posted better numbers was during that award-winning season in 2010, when he finished with a suffocating 0.90 goals-against average and 18 wins for the Galaxy. Ricketts battled injuries for much of 2011 and did not play in the final when the Galaxy won the MLS Cup, and he was sent packing to the Montreal Impact in favor of worthy backup Josh Saunders following the season. Ricketts floundered for 24 games with the expansion Impact in 2012 before the Timbers came calling that August in a deal for fan favorite Troy Perkins, and the rest has been a match made in heaven for both parties since the deal. The award was voted on by media, MLS players and MLS club management based on regular-season performance. Ricketts won among both club management and players, while Rimando carried the vote among media members. Luis Robles of the New York Red Bulls finished fourth. Ricketts was also named to the MLS Best XI on Tuesday, his second appearance on the league’s All-Pro team (2010). Timbers teammates Will Johnson and Diego Valeri were also named to the team. PLAYER % Club Votes % Media Votes % Player Votes WEIGHTED TOTAL 1. Donovan Ricketts (POR) 30.61 58.44 28.24 101.34 2. Nick Rimando (RSL) 22.45 40.26 21.96 84.67 3. Jimmy Nielsen (SKC) 6.12 14.29 3.52 23.93 4. Luis Robles (NY) 4.08 9.09 8.82 21.99 Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Winners: 2013: Donovan Ricketts – Portland Timbers 2012: Jimmy Nielsen – Sporting Kansas City 2011: Kasey Keller – Seattle Sounders FC 2010: Donovan Ricketts – LA Galaxy 2009: Zach Thornton – Chivas USA 2008: Jon Busch – Chicago Fire 2007: Brad Guzan – Chivas USA 2006: Troy Perkins – D.C. United 2005: Pat Onstad – San Jose Earthquakes 2004: Joe Cannon – Colorado Rapids 2003: Pat Onstad – San Jose Earthquakes 2002: Joe Cannon – San Jose Earthquakes 2001: Tim Howard – MetroStars 2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards 1999: Kevin Hartman – Los Angeles Galaxy 1998: Zach Thornton – Chicago Fire 1997: Brad Friedel – Columbus Crew 1996: Mark Dodd – Dallas BurnWild mantled howler monkeys get their unique microbiota by eating a diversity of plants. The same can't be said for captive monkeys. Photo by Elliotte Rusty Harold/Shutterstock MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- When monkeys are brought into captivity, they lose the bacterial diversity of their native micriobiome. As researchers from the University of Minnesota recently found, the gut bacteria of captive monkeys resemble those of humans. Scientists sequenced the DNA of bacteria collected from the guts of two monkey species, the highly endangered red-shanked douc and the mantled howler monkey. Researchers analyzed the microbiomes of both wild and captive specimens. Among both species, captive specimens featured gut bacteria much less diverse and very similar to the microbial communities found in human intestines. Researchers identified the same pattern in several zoos on three different continents. "We don't know for certain that these new modern human microbes are bad, but on the other hand many studies are now showing that we evolved together with our resident microbes," Dan Knights, a computer science and engineering professor at Minnesota, explained in a news release. "If that is the case, then it is likely not beneficial to swap them out for a totally different set." The research also showed that microbiomes among individual wild monkeys are more distinct, while those of captive monkeys are more uniform. Scientists also tested the gut bacteria among a population of semi-captive red-shanked doucs living in a large sanctuary. The results revealed microbiomes roughly halfway between the microbiota signatures of captive and wild doucs. RELATED Good bacteria vital to coral reef survival The diet of the semi-captive monkeys more closely resembles the diet of wild doucs, suggesting a loss of plant diversity in the diet of captive monkeys may be responsible for the transformed microbiome. Stool samples showed fiber from plants accounts for as much as 40 percent of the diet of wild monkeys, while captive monkeys featured no traces of plant fiber. "We think this study underscores the link between fiber-rich diets and gut microbiome diversity," Knights said. The new research was published in the journal PNAS.People around the world are having sex. Right now. These maps and charts tell you how they're doing it. The data comes from two surveys done by Durex, the condom folks. Their Sexual Wellbeing Survey (from 2007/2008) and Face of Global Sex (2012) are methodologically rigorous. A polling firm, Harris Interactive, set up large sample size online polls designed to capture a representative sample of heterosexual sex-havers from a number of countries around the world. For reports designed principally with Durex's corporate interests in mind, they're pretty well done. The data also reveals a lot of interesting things about how much people in different countries enjoy sex, when they tend to do it, and gender equality (or the lack thereof) in sexual enjoyment. Here's what we learned. 1. People have more exciting sex in Nigeria and Mexico There are a few surprises on the global excitement map. For instance, the French don't live up to their reputation as great lovers, reporting some of the lowest levels of sexual excitement in the survey. Mexico and Nigeria beat almost everywhere else by a hefty margin. One item of note: the Nigerian interviews were done in person, not online like the rest of the surveys. That may introduce some bias in the result: imagine how much harder it would be to tell a live person rather than a computer that your sex life is kinda meh. But what's up with Mexico? Well, one thing that Durex found is that people tend to be much happier with their sex lives when they feel respected during the act. And Mexicans feel more respected than anyone else in the world: Respect during sex doesn't fully explain excitement on its own, or else Spain would would be a whole lot more excited. But it makes sense that it explains part of what makes a country more excited about sex. Spain, for instance, might have lower levels of sexual excitement, somewhere down near France or Britain's level, if it weren't so damn self-respecting. Mexico's super-high respect rate may explain its edge over some other highly excited countries. Finally, Japan's results are very sad. Only 10 percent of Japanese people report exciting sex. That's less than a third of the next-lowest, Hong Kong's, at 32. Which, unsurprisingly, leads to... 2. People in Japan are really unhappy with their sex lives Even among the worst performers in Durex's surveys, Japan stands out. The below chart shows the 6 countries in the world where less than 40 percent of people report being "very or fully satisfied" with their sex lives. Note the difference between Japan's pink/yellow bars and everyone else's: See that? Japan is the only country in the world where a higher percentage of people report being dissatisfied with their sex lives than satisfied. The simplest explanation for Japan's sexual woes is that they're just not doing it. Thirty-four percent of Japanese folk report having sex weekly. The next lowest country, somewhat surprisingly the United States, reports a weekly 53 percent sex rate (though, this isn't the only indication of sexual satisfaction: 76 percent of Italians are having sex weekly, and they're still near the bottom of the satisfaction pack). It's not surprising that the Japanese are having infrequent, unsatisfying sex. For years, Japan reported some of the longest average working hours in the world. In and of itself, this makes sex less likely. Veteran Japan reporter Michael Zielenziger says working hours have made "physical contact" between spouses "so infrequent that some of Japan's leading homebuilders now report that more than one in three custom homes is built with separate bedrooms for husband and wife." It gets worse. Japanese cultural and business norms strongly discourage women from marrying if they'd like to succeed at work, so marriage is on the decline. And married people, according to science, have the most sex around the world. While Japanese people are working less hours today (down to merely American-level of hours worked per week), its economy has slowed considerably and employment has gotten worse. Both slow growth and unemployment contribute to stress, which Durex found to be one of the biggest contributors to an unpleasant sex life. Japan's economy is something of a perfect storm of sexlessness. It makes Japanese people overworked, underemployed, and undermarried. 3. The orgasm gap between genders varies by country Around 48 percent of people worldwide "always" or "almost always" orgasm. Unsurprisingly, the figure for men (61 percent) is 28 points higher than the equivalent for women (33 percent). What is interesting is how that gap varies by country. Check out this map plotting male orgasm rates minus female orgasm rates around the world. Nigeria has an implausibly small four point gap, suggesting once again that the in-person interviews are skewing the numbers. Exempting that, Singapore, China, and Mexico had the smallest differences between between male and female orgasm rates, while Russia and Thailand had the largest. The thing that's most surprising about this is there's virtually no correlation between a country's overall level of gender equality and its orgasm gap. Some comparatively egalitarian countries, like Spain, score fairly well, while others, like the US and Canada, score poorly. Likewise, some nations with obviously larger gender inequalities in terms of social status and employment, like India, do better, while Thailand does poorly. What this suggests, then, is that improvements in women's standings around society do not always translate to improvements in sexual partnerships. Making sex more equitable in at least one important way — putting the female orgasm on the same pedestal as the its male equivalent — is a problem that even more developed countries haven't solved. 4. Turkey has an alarmingly high STI rate Sexually transmitted infections are not fun. And in most places, people either don't seem to have them or won't tell pollsters they have them. Except for Turkey: This map actually understates Turkey's personal problems. 55 percent of Turks reported never having an STI; the next worst country, Russia, is a full 12 points higher. Again, it could be that there's something wrong with the data. Perhaps Turks are more honest or more paranoid than everyone else. But Durex data from 2007, five years before the recent Global Face report, suggests another explanation. Turks reported more sex partners than any other country in the world, and were doing it unprotected about 45 percent of the time: Though Turkey's STI rates weren't that high in 2007, people having unprotected sex with a lot of partners for a few years could certainly raise them by 2012. 5. People in Asia tend to be pretty old when they lose their virginit y, by global standards Switching gears from too much sex to not having it, it looks like people lose their virginity at different ages in different places. Asian countries have a much higher mean age of virginity loss than nations basically everywhere else. Keep in mind that both the African and South American data covers only two countries in each rather large continents. So, if you compare Asia with the other more continents that are more comprehensively covered, the difference becomes even more stark. This isn't just a one-off finding. A study published by World Health Organization and the prestigious Lancet medical journal confirmed that Asian countries tended to have higher median ages of virginity loss than the global average. There seem to be several reasons for this, and they vary country to country and region by region. In South Asia, the Lancet researchers found that men lost their virginity at extremely old ages, and women at relatively young ones — leading to an above-average cross-gender average. That's because, in South Asian countries, many girls are married to older men at young ages. The reason for similar numbers in East Asia are harder to pin down. I don't normally like to use "culture" as an explanation for things, but some research suggests there may be something about East Asian religious traditions or cultural norms that promotes sexual conservatism. One study by a group of researchers found very high levels of reported "embarrassment" about discussing sexual practices in public. These results, according to the researchers is that "in comparison with men and women from ‘Western' regions," respondents living in East Asian countries were "more sexually conservative, more male-orientated and less sexually active." 6. The French and Indians have short sex, while Nigerians and Greeks take their time Once people start having sex, they do it pretty differently. Some countries prefer quickies, while others are a touch more languid. By this count, the average Nigerian couple spends almost twice as long per session than the average Indian pair (24 v. 13.2). Why? Couldn't tell you, but it sure is curious.Google just pushed out a small update for the Android Gmail client, but it comes with a pretty handy feature. Users can now reply to emails straight from the notifications menu — when you expand the notification, there's a small box that contains options to reply, archive, or delete, depending on how you set things up. Unfortunately, it looks like you can only have options for reply or archive, not both, but it's still a nice addition (albeit something that webOS offered many years ago). If you get a lot of email, this won't be super useful, however — you can only use this feature if you have a single email in your notification drawer. Google's also included faster search results, both when offline and online, as well as the usual generic bug-fixes. The new Gmail update is available now in Google Play.Yes, the whole Boaty McBoatface thing has now entered the language space too. Parsey McParseface, part of Google’s SyntaxNet, an open-source neural network framework implemented in TensorFlow that provides a foundation for Natural Language Understanding (NLU) systems is out there: Parsey McParseface is built on powerful machine learning algorithms that learn to analyze the linguistic structure of language, and that can explain the functional role of each word in a given sentence. Because Parsey McParseface is the most accurate such model in the world, we hope that it will be useful to developers and researchers interested in automatic extraction of information, translation, and other core applications of NLU. I wonder could Parsey McParseface have a role in determining if a translation was correct or incorrect, given the context (or as the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper would so earthily have it, act as a “bolloxometer“)? Whither the QA or real-time interpretation possibilities. This is all fascinating stuff sure, and definitely machine learning is a driver of smart user experiences, along with other areas. The Globalization, Internationalization, Localization, and Translation (or GILT) industry needs to be onboard with these emerging technologies and explore their possible application. It’s the kind of thing I had intended to talk about at Localization World 31 in Dublin (yes, I even included Parsey McParseface). Alas, personal circumstances intervened and I did not speak. Some other time perhaps. In the meantime, I am sharing the slides I had intended as a backdrop to the discussion. Perhaps they will help you orient yourself to the differences between machine learning, artificial intelligence, NLP, Big Data, robots, and more. They may even help you figure out if you have a future in the GILT industry and what that might look like. Enjoy: Comments welcome.Let’s say you’re trying out for the NBA. You’ve had dreams of being a professional basketball player your whole life and have been eagerly awaiting this chance to finally show off what you can do. There’s only one thing standing between you and basketball fame: you’re a fairly average player. Your skills happen to fall right about on the population mean, however one decides to measure that. While you manage to hit a few layups and jump shots, you also miss a number of them, and you don’t excel at blocking other players either. As a result, the recruiters are not impressed by your skills and decide to move forward with other players. When you go to tell your friends and family, they do their best to try and console you by assuring you that many people aren’t as good as you at the game and most people don’t really care that much about basketball anyway. A valiant effort on their part, but, ultimately, it is unlikely to prove effective. Just like you at basketball The moral of that short story is that, in many social contexts, average is often not preferable. When people are recruiting basketball players, they aren’t looking for average ones; they’re looking for people better than average. The same frequently holds true for mating contexts: when people are seeking mates, they are not often looking for average ones; they’re seeking individuals who possess certain desirable traits at above average levels, regardless of whether those traits are physical or psychological in nature. Some notable examples might be traits like physical symmetry, intelligence, and ambition, with increasing amounts of these characteristics tending to make their bearer more sexually attractive in the eyes of others. If you want to do well for yourself in the mating world, you would do well to possess above-average amounts of those traits; if you don’t have them, all the worse for your prospects of attracting and retaining someone desirable. One such trait that has made the news lately has been male penis size. A recent paper by Veale et al (2014) sought to assess the average male penis size, both flaccid and erect. As my posts dealing with sex tend to be the most popular, it was unsurprising to see the story gain traction in news headlines. One of the primary motivations for this study, as evidenced by both its title (beginning “Am I normal?”) and introduction, was to try and provide some degree of psychological comfort to men who are insecure about their size of their penis, despite falling within the average range. To do so, the authors conducted a metanalysis, examining reported penis size measurements across a number of studies. To be included in the analysis, the studies needed to, among other things, report mean and standard deviations of penis size collected by a health professional, and the study needed to have included 50 or more males over the age of 17. This left Veale et al (2014) with a total of 20 studies on penis size, representing approximately 1,500 subjects. The analysis yielded the following picture: the average flaccid and erect lengths of a penis were about 9 and 13 centimeters, respectively, or 3.5 and 5.1 inches. The standard deviation of these measures were 1.5 and 1 centimeters, or 0.6 and 0.4 inches, respectively. While the sample was predominately from white populations, the data from non-white populations (about 700 individuals) did not appear to be exceptional. The authors end their paper as they began: by noting that previous research has found that knowledge of average male penis length can lead to men anxious about their size becoming more secure. While I don’t have any particular interest in making men uncomfortable about their penis size, as with the initial basketball example, I would note that data concerning the average size of a male penis doesn’t necessarily tell us much about whether a given man would be – for lack of a better word – rightly insecure about their penis size. The key piece of information missing from that picture concerns women’s preferences. “…you’re welcome” I would find it a rather strange state of affairs if men were anxious about the size of their penis (or bank account, or biceps, or….) if such matters weren’t actually important to others – in this case, women making mating decisions. So what do men and women think about penis size? After some fuss about cultural messages concerning penis size and products which promise to increase it, a 2006 paper by Lever, Fredrick, & Peplau report on some survey data from about 50,000 men and women between ages 18-65 concerning penis size. In this survey, penis size was assessed by having participants rate whether their or their partner’s penis was smaller than average, average, or larger than average; a similar question was asked regarding whether the participants wished their penis was smaller, larger, or neither. About 66% of men rated their penis as being ‘average’ in size – which would accord well with a normal distribution – with 12% reporting that their penis was small and 22% reporting it was large – which would not. Men either seemed to be doing a little bit of rounding up, so to speak, or men with larger penises were biased towards taking the survey. In terms of male satisfaction with their size, 91% who rated their penis as small wanted to be bigger, 46% of men who rated it average wanted more, and 14% of those who said they were large wanted even more still. In general, the larger a man thought his penis was, the happier he was with it, and almost no men reported wanting a smaller penis. How did the men’s ratings stack up against the women’s? About 67% of women reported that their partner’s penis size was about average, 27% thought it was large, and 6% thought it was small. Again, there either seemed to be some rounding up going on or a biased sample was obtained (perhaps because women weren’t sticking around in large numbers with partners who had small penises). On the matter of satisfaction, 84% of women reported being satisfied with their partner’s size, 14% wanted something a bit bigger, and 2% wanted their partner to be smaller. Those numbers are not quite the whole story, though: among women who rated their partner as ‘average’ or ‘large’, there was a high degree of satisfaction (86 and 94%, respectively); when women rated their partner as small, however, 68% wished he was bigger. Men’s worries are certainly not without a foundation, it would seem, and the market that tries to cater to those worries will likely continue to exist. “…Step 3: Firmly attach cucumber to groin area and stitch into place” There are two important conclusions to take away from this data. The first is to suggest, as many would, that women are largely satisfied with their partner’s penis, so long as it’s average or above. The second point is that when women did express a preference for size, it tends to be towards the larger end of things; in fact, women were about 7-times more likely to desire a larger penis in their partner, relative to a smaller one. So men’s concerns in that area are anything but unfounded. There are also two caveats to bear in mind: the first is that, as I mentioned, the sample of people filling out the penis survey might be biased away from the small side, or that their self-reports might not be entirely accurate. The second and more important point is that the response choices available on this survey might underestimate women’s preferences somewhat. For instance, this handy chart (which I have not fact checked) suggests that women’s ideal penis preferences might hang around the range of 6.5 to 8.5 inches in length, though many other sizes might prove to be enjoyable (if a bit less enjoyable than they otherwise might be). So while many men might be curious as to whether they’re normal, the corollary point is that women’s average ideal size would reside several standard deviations above the mean, using that 5 inches estimate. In much the same way, many men might be relatively unconcerned with a female
(random targets do not do well here). As a result, even a simple 2x can most likely remove a Floor 1 threat. This is further augmented by the +80 Mana on Deathblow that will enable you to spam Megalodon’s Special all the time. Archmage D -> C Archmage has always been in an awkward spot, but his base PWR would often enable him to keep abreast with many single target nukes. However, with the latest update (1.5), he will gain the ability to generate Mana for his team. Depending on the scale of the Mana generated, we can liken this to a budget Colossus as the damage will be lower, but may help charge up your other Specials while removing 1-2 threats. New criteria for Defense Dungeon 2.0 changes how Dungeon Defenders work in that they gain immunity to Stun/Silence until they cast their first Special. This will automatically interrupt any hope of one shotting and grants more reliability. Thus, our choices for Defenders will have to shift as we now can play into the notion that we will have at least one Special landing. This gives rise to more conditional abilities that require pre-existing conditions to be met as the buff/debuff will be put in place right away. Furthermore, we ideally want to remove as many threats as possible right away so more AOE-oriented Specials (that kill off someone) will become valuable. It is safe to assume that most Creatures will kill their colour counter so we need to look beyond that. Do note that random-target Specials are still less valuable as they will often not do enough damage. Killing off at least 1 team member can disrupt their combo multiplier, remove their Stun/Silence, or their resurrection ability. Just bear in mind that a 4-dot Creature will often surpass higher-tiered alternatives with 3-dots. This list assumes all Creatures are 4-dots (which is unrealistic in practice). Another point to keep in mind is that colour counters are even more effective as a Creature that is weak to another will have a significantly lower chance of landing their debuff statuses along with dealing half damage. Stun was King The Stun Meta was one of the least enjoyable mechanics as it was effectively flipping a coin as to whether or no the spawning floor had their Specials up. With the latest patch, Dungeon Defenders are no longer able to chain stun and each attacker will always be able to take at least one action before being stunned again. This results in an indirect nerf to stun-heavy bosses as their greatest asset is no longer available. Colour Counters are more meaningful The latest update has given colour counters even more power when facing what they are effective against as they will be far less likely to become debuffed. What this means is that a Red Boss will be significantly less likely to be stunned by a Green Attacker. This also applies to Boss’s Specials against attackers. What this means is that the popular meta cards will be able to effecitevly solo what they are effective against. This also means that Bosses that rely on debuffs are going to lose even more ground. As a result, many bosses that used debuffs are now demoted and in all honesty, Wood bosses are now even more vulnerable to Phoenixes. With all that being said, White and Black Bosses remain unchanged. Dungeon Defense Tier List Criteria – – – – S These Creatures compromise the best Dungeon defenders in the current meta. They have the potential to wipe/solo your entire team even if everyone is alive due to their high damage/crowd control/sustain. They become even scarier when missing a team member and you can no longer stun them on your first turn. In addition, they may also have innate tankiness to survive longer and be able to cast additional Special Abilities beyond the first guaranteed one. In addition, they ideally do not rely too heavily on debuffs to succeed. In essence, S-tiered Creatures have the potential to completely turn the tides of battle in their favour which is further amplified by their guaranteed first Special cast. – – – A Creatures that fall into A are still powerful defenders but lack the potential to wipe your team as easily compared to S-tier Creatures. They may struggle against a full roster of Creatures as they may not kill them quickly enough even if able to cast their Special Ability multiple times. However, with your first Special being guaranteed, you are able to wipe out at least 1 team member which dramatically improves your chances of success. – – – B B-tier Creatures are a noticeable step down from A and tend to only succeed when something has already died. This is because their damage is either too low to kill multiple Creatures, they are too squishy, or they are purely Single Target in nature. They may have a certain degree of sustain and be able to absorb large amounts of damage, but without a second Boss, the Attacker will win the long grind as they do not have to have specials for a subsequent Boss floor. – – C Creatures in the C tier tend to be somewhat lackluster as they often fail to kill something that they are not effective against. They may also be less durable or have random target Specials that further dilute their damage. With that being said, they may still pull off a victory if several members on the Attacker’s team are dead. – – – – D The D-tier Creatures comprise the weakest Dungeon Defenders (outside of H-tier) as they are poorly designed for this role. They are often hybrid Creatures that help fulfill an off-healing role, provide supportive buffs, while having some damage output. In addition, other Creatures may be Area of Effect (AoE) in nature that prevents them from killing a single Creature, have random target specials that are only effective if one Creature is left alive, or are DoT in nature. Finally, these Creatures tend to be very flimsy and are often knocked over by a stiff breeze. — H The H-Tier represents pure healers who have no offensive capabilities. As such, they are the worst possible dungeon defender as they cannot kill anything outside of Basic Attacks. Dungeon Defense Tier List – October 4, 2017 S A B C D – Debut H Changes explained Ancient Blue Dragon / Thunder Giant S -> B Being no longer able to chain stun has dramatically diminished the ability for both Ancient Blue Dragon and Thunder Giant to function. However, their damage output is still reasonable so they can stay in B. Cerberus B -> A Despite the fact that Cerberus is random target in nature, his damage output is simply incredible. Furthermore, the +40% chance to attack again is somewhat silly and will often enable him to pick off a target or two. However, you must bear in mind that he is only a true monster when fully awoken. Sludge Hulk C -> B With the upcoming changes to Sludge Hulk, he will be able to blanket the attacking team with his DoT which can later be detonated as well as providing a source of healing and damage mitigation. In theory he has the potential to move up but it will be hard to find a fully awoken one for me to test. Fire Giant A -> B Fire Giant can obliterate a single target along with providing a reasonable DoT, but I feel he is just too slow given his effective single target nature. Vampire B -> C Vampire is purely single target and while he does have a sizable nuke and self heal, his own lack of durability is his main downfall. Sandworm S -> C Sandworm is the most heavily hit by the stun nerf as he has the lowest stats and damage output. He used to be built around the fact that he can continuously stun an entire team and heal up from each kill, but can no longer chain stun and has an even harder time dealing with Green attackers. Conclusion The change to stun mechanics have heavily hit certain defenders along with further power from colour advantage. Just bear in mind that these tier lists assume 4-dots and max awoken so your own experience will vary. Furthermore, as more strategies emerge/develop, these lists will change to reflect them. Let me know what you think about the upcoming changes and how you plan to tackle the new Dungeon Challenge 2.0 Happy Questing! AdvertisementsThere is a large tree in the forest where ants and bees have been living for a hundred years. A natural balance has existed between these species so that the population of one has not been strong enough to dominate the other. They’ve actually been helping each other survive. The bees share excess honey while the ants share excess material they find in their deep forest expeditions. There is a constant threat of starvation that keeps them dependent on each other. The ecosystem is not perfect, but it has been sustainable for as long as the tree has existed. Encroaching human development put houses near the tree. One house had a little boy who would place bread by the tree every day for the insects to eat. They now had more food than they could possibly need. Suddenly, they no longer had to work to survive. With such a burden lifted from their shoulders, they spent more time in their joint species tribunal, discussing how to increase the harmony of their tree environment. The bulk of complaints came from the ants. “We are the weakest, so we need protection. Sometimes the teenage bees get out of hand, and mock us. They take us for joy flights, dropping us on the ground from high distances.” The bee elders sympathized with them; something had to be done. In addition to existing laws against violence, a new law was passed: violence against ants carried extra, severe penalties. The ants are weak, it was argued, so the law would increase harmony. For a while, the tree was indeed more harmonious, as violence against ants lessened. But then violence against bees by ants increased. Teenage ants would gang up on an isolated bee, bury him in their mound, then time how long it took him to get out. The bee didn’t dare fight back from these attacks because of the harsh penalty for attacking an ant. The ants, the weaker species of the two, were suddenly strong. Fearful of attacks and unfair persecution, the bees, against the wishes of the bee elders, thickened their honeycomb to prevent interaction with ants. Distrust bred between the species for the first time in 100 years, and they came to hate each other. The little boy grew up and went to college. He no longer put food by the tree. When a famine occurred after a large storm, the bees were not prepared. Without help from the ants, they all died. The ants did not shed many tears, because now they had the tree for themselves, and felt that they could finally create the utopia they always wanted. But one day they were invaded by an army of worms. The bees would normally fight this predator off, but now the ants were defenseless. They were all killed. After the attack, the tree was never again home to ants or bees. Creating laws to prop up the weak is like playing a game of musical chairs. Power demands residence, and will simply shift itself to a new population that is favored by newly manufactured laws or environments. Domestic violence laws are a great example of this phenomenon. Assault and battery is already outlawed, but by creating a new class of laws that create privilege for a specific group, a new immunity is formed. The ecosystem is damaged, unprepared to take on the unintended consequences of misguided intervention. In Ukraine, I witnessed a man slap his girlfriend on a crowded pedestrian street. Over 20 men must have witnessed the event, but no one rushed to her aid. She also did nothing, not screaming or running away. With primitive (i.e. rarely prosecuted) domestic violence laws in Ukraine, you’d think that this sort of thing would happen all the time, but it was the first time I had seen it in a country that I had spent 6 months in. Men show surprising restraint when it comes to violence against their women, something that may be a shock to people living in countries with advanced domestic violence laws. In the USA, with nearly two decades of such laws on the books, what do you see? Women hitting men and women attacking men they don’t even know. I’m sure you’ve seen many such videos on Youtube and LiveLeak, which make it seem like women are warriors, completely fearless of men. With their elevation as a special victim in need of state protection, there is usually no punishment for hitting men, even if the man hits back only to defend himself. Girl hits man, man pushes girl away, girl calls cops, man goes to jail. If she’s married, she gets an additional bonus of monthly cash payments once the divorce is settled. Encouraging a man to fight has become financially beneficial for women. Like the ants, women know that the laws give them a pass. They are taking full advantage of it, predictably conforming to their environment. Men are demoted to second class citizens and live in fear of going to jail while women have impunity to act in any way they want. The result? Less marriage, more violent marriages, unhappy relationships, and more single parent households. Nature, while not perfect, has spend hundreds of thousands of years optimizing sex roles through trial and error to facilitate human reproduction. Religion, for example, has evolved alongside humans because it promotes reproduction, along with other traditions that may be seen as sexist today. Recent utopian schemes to “protect” women have ushered in policies that have no proven effectiveness, whether increasing the happiness of women, protecting the family unit, or advancing society in any form. They might as well have been pulled out of a top hat, an experiment done on the masses by those in power. Progressives, through their tinkering, are introducing disincentives that destroy even basic relationships instead of stabilizing them. Their policies have helped create men such as myself, who see absolutely no incentive to pursue a relationship in a country where I can go to jail and be robbed blind from a failed relationship or from a woman lying about how I treat her. One interesting thing I haven’t mentioned in Ukraine is the huge number of children walking around with their parents. They seem quite happy to me, rarely bickering in public, and the sight of such children is so prevalent that I can’t help but believe raising a family is normal, with my bachelor lifestyle being some sort of accidental perversion. In a place where women are not considered protected, some may even be surprised to never see women with bruises and black eyes, or see them getting beat up every day, screaming for help. In fact, it’s a rare occurrence, more rare than men getting hit in America. There will always be an unfortunate level of violence between man and woman, but any attempt to fix it through random laws and policies, as has been done in America, will only make it worse. Nature, in spite of its flaws, is more often right than wrong. Read Next: Social Welfare Creates A Society Of SlutsTumult ensued on the steps of Portland City Hall as police pepper-sprayed and arrested protesters in the aftermath of an unruly demonstration Wednesday over a newly approved contract for rank-and-file officers. The scene devolved into a lengthy standoff, with dozens of protesters swarming Southwest Fifth Avenue and blocking traffic and light-rail trains until an estimated 75 officers in riot gear intervened. Police had already shoved protesters out of City Hall, dousing some with pepper spray, after they disrupted a City Council hearing. Demonstrators wouldn't begin dispersing until just after 5 p.m., some eight hours after the unparalleled protest began. The source of contention: City Council's 3-1 vote for a controversial new police contract, and Mayor Charlie Hales' unprecedented maneuvering within City Hall to conduct the vote in meeting room cordoned off from protesters. Hales, who made the contract a top priority before he leaves office Jan. 1, said fallout was unlikely to be avoided because protesters were determined to make a scene. "This is a good day," Hales said of the contract's approval. "It will pay dividends, for a bureau that has a good relationship with the city, over time." The contract raises officers' pay, amid a staffing shortage, and ends a contentious rule that let officers wait 48 hours to speak with internal investigators after using deadly force. Officials said concerns over rules for body-worn cameras will be publicly vetted next year under the new mayor, Ted Wheeler. But that hasn't satisfied opponents, who also wanted expanded civilian oversight powers. Protesters also claimed a victory of sorts, arguing the City Council's closed-door vote -- broadcast online, over television screens and remotely in the City Council chambers -- may help them file a complaint over a violation of public meeting laws. "They wouldn't have gotten this passed if they did it in a democratic way," said Gregory McKelvey, spokesman for protest group Don't Shoot Portland. Wednesday's protest capped a fiery few weeks at City Hall as tensions mounted over Hales' proposed three-year contract with the Portland Police Association. Longtime City Hall staffers couldn't recount a similar scene aside from the Occupy Portland movement of 2011 that overtook three city parks. "I regret it ever got to that point," said Commissioner Nick Fish, who supported the police contract. "We have to find a way to have these kinds of charged discussions and debates without having disruptions to our building and to our ability to conduct the people's business." The demonstration began in earnest Tuesday as protesters set up tents outside City Hall and hung a large banner for the Black Lives Matter movement. And, as they'd done in weeks past, protesters came prepared to disrupt Wednesday's City Council meeting - with one person even writing an email warning that "after we take city hall maybe we will take bridges and freeways too." City officials took public testimony about the contract last month and weren't required to listen again before voting. So protesters signed up to speak on other matters, hoping to nonetheless criticize the police contract, a tactic they used last week. But protesters' frequent outbursts and interruptions prompted Hales to adjourn Wednesday's public meeting less than 30 minutes after it began. As activists claimed a small victory inside the City Council's second-floor chambers, Portland politicians restarted the meeting in a third-floor conference room without audience members. That's because officials had decided to prepare the room, complete with TV cameras, expecting their meeting would be interrupted. Protesters, blocked from the third floor by police, chanted from below. At times, their taunts nearly drowned out testimony on unrelated items. Just before 11 a.m., during a presentation on housing, Hales hastily rearranged the agenda to hear the police contract. Then, over the piercing chants downstairs, Hales, Fish and Commissioner Amanda Fritz for the contract. Commissioner Steve Novick voted no, while Commissioner Dan Saltzman was absent to observe Yom Kippur. Some activists shook the locked doors of city commissioners' offices, while others set up tents in hallways. One man with a bullhorn chastised police on scene: "This isn't even loud compared to what you do to us!" Inside the empty council chambers, Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch criticized officials for voting in private. He said politicians should have the courage to look opponents in the eye. "People need to vocalize their opposition," he said, adding that in his 24 years monitoring the police bureau he'd "never seen anything where the City Council shut out their entire community." City attorney Tracy Reeve said the City Council's maneuver complied with state public meeting requirements. But no one could ever remember such a scheme being necessary. "Never experienced this before," said Brendan Finn, Saltzman's top aide, who has worked inside City Hall for 18 years. About 12:20 p.m., officials ordered an evacuation. But protesters refused to leave though a second-floor exit. Twenty minutes later, officers forced demonstrators out. Chaos ensued. On the exit steps, some protesters wouldn't budge and hurled items at police. Officers responded by pushing demonstrators, including former mayoral candidate Jessie Sponberg. Several protesters were pepper-sprayed and splayed out as friends poured milk in their eyes. Riot police arrived and cleared the street and sidewalk, advancing and retreating several times, with tensions running high until protesters decided to disperse. In all, 10 demonstrators were arrested. Protesters say they're planning another major action Friday. McKelvey said in a Twitter message that organizer Micah Rhodes and at least one other protester are being monitored at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center for injuries suffered Wednesday. 10 protesters arrested in demonstration about police contract The demonstration lasted some eight hours and included protesters blocking traffic and MAX trains. Police pushed protesters out of City Hall and sprayed some with pepper spray after they disrupted a City Council hearing. He said Rhodes suffered a head injury and will be at the hospital overnight. Another man has rib injuries, McKelvey said. He said he thinks more protesters went to hospitals, as well. Someone also "assaulted and injured" an officer at City Hall, a Portland police spokesman said in a news release. The officer wasn't seriously injured. Novick, who voted against the contract over concerns on how to pay for higher wages, said he wasn't surprised by what played out Wednesday. How others perceive the events, he said, will depend on their underlying views about police issues. "It's very unfortunate," he said. -- Brad Schmidt 503-294-7628 @cityhallwatch Elliot Njus, Samantha Matsumoto and Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this reportZaza Pachulia, who inspired the Gregg Popovich rant to end all Gregg Popovich rants, is back at the dirty play stuff. More specifically, he’s taking his cues from teammate Draymond Green. Did you catch that? Maybe that video wasn’t perfect, but a photo is worth 1,000 videos. That’s Iman Shumpert, the Cleveland Cavaliers guard who also received an elbow to the head from Green. And that’s a clearly below-the-belt punch. Yet Pachulia was not called for a personal foul. Instead, he and Shumpert were called for a double technical foul, the result of their back-and-forth after the physical scuffle. Pachulia also stepped on LeBron James’ foot moments earlier. Zaza Steps On Lebron James Foot pic.twitter.com/yntlwKA9ME — Gustavo Vega (@iamvega1982) June 10, 2017 None of this is new for Pachulia. So we’re not surprised. But the refs have lost control of Game 4 in every way.Making wholesale role changes two weeks into the season is not likely a sound strategy, as the decisions leading up to Opening Day take in much more reliable information with considerably more history than a few appearances in April. Likewise, taking promising starters who have yet to prove they cannot start and sending them to the bullpen where they will pitch considerably fewer innings is not ideal either. Yet that is where the Toronto Blue Jays sit heading into the third week of the season. The Blue Jays were dealt a blow in Spring Training when Marcus Stroman was lost for the year after a knee injury that required surgery, and they are still reeling from that loss. A battle for the fifth spot in the rotation between Daniel Norris, Aaron Sanchez, and Marco Estrada shifted as the Blue Jays anointed two of their top three prospects as starters to begin the season. With Aaron Sanchez struggling, Daniel Norris beginning the season with a dead arm, and a young bullpen that has already switched closers, the Blue Jays pitching staff has provided more questions than answers. In five starts this season, Norris and Sanchez have combined for 22 innings and 15 strikeouts while giving up 12 walks and five home runs. The poor performance and low innings totals thus far have put a strain on an inexperienced bullpen. The Blue Jays 47 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen are tied for fourth Major League Baseball, but they’re not getting worked so much because they’re dominating when called upon; those innings have come with a 4.16 FIP, ranking 26th in MLB. The Blue Jays bullpen is both performing poorly and getting overworked, never a good combination for mid-April. Balancing short-term success with long-term projections for prospects is a difficult proposition. Aaron Sanchez is just 22 years old and pitched well out of the bullpen in limited time in 2014. He gave up just four earned runs in 33 innings while striking out 27, giving up just one home run and putting up a very good 2.80 FIP. He has already given up six earned runs this year with two home runs in under nine innings. The Blue Jays are likely wary about pulling the plug on Sanchez as starter so soon after the season’s start, and two starts is not enough to determine success or failure on the starting experiment, but Sanchez could help stabilize the bullpen, and Marco Estrada could assume his spot in the rotation providing equivalent present production as a starter with Sanchez’s stuff playing up in the bullpen and upgrading high leverage situations as well. Heading into the season, there were questions about Sanchez’s future role between starting and relief. Kiley McDaniel ranked Sanchez the No. 3 prospect in Toronto’s system and No. 70 overall, and in his notes from the Blue Jays’ evaluations discussed Sanchez as a starter and his potential future role in the bullpen. Sanchez sits 93-97 and hits 99 mph [as] a starter with good life to his plus plus heater. His curveball often flashes plus but could be more consistent, while his changeup has made strides in recent years to now flash solid average, but it will back up at times when he’s more thrower than pitcher. Sanchez has worked hard at the upper level sto try to develop the starter traits necessary to stick in a rotation, but the question remains if he fits better there or as a closer. The Blue Jays could provide Sanchez with a prominent role coming out of the bullpen, and let him go multiple innings in some spots to continue his development. A full season in the bullpen could cement his role there, but it does not foreclose his opportunity as a starter if the organization still feels he has a shot to stick in the rotation similar to what the St. Louis Cardinals have done with Carlos Martinez over the last year. Marco Estrada is not going to be a huge upgrade over Sanchez, but he will do Marco Estrada-like things, striking hitters out at an average to above average rate, walking hitters at an average clip and generating a ton of infield flies, while giving up home runs in the process. He will not be great, likely not even good, but he should provide innings at above a replacement level and be more valuable in the rotation than out of the pen. The combination of Estrada starting and Sanchez relieving is likely to be more impactful for the Jays than vice versa. While there has been some debate about Sanchez being better suited as a reliever, fewer questions exist regarding Daniel Norris. Kiley McDaniel ranked Norris as the top Blue Jays’ prospect entering the season and No. 17 in all of baseball. Norris runs his fastball up to 96 mph with above average to plus off-speed pitches and good feel to pitch; there’s #2/3 starter upside and he likely won’t spend much more time in the minors. The velocity on Norris’ fastball has not been as good as it was when he hit 96 miles per hour in his debut last season, sitting around 91-92 miles per hour with just one pitch above 95 miles per hour this season, per Brooks Baseball. After yesterday’s start where he could not make through the third inning against the Atlanta Braves, Norris believes he has identified the culprit–the dreaded dead arm. Daniel Norris: “I’m going through a little bit of a dead-arm phase.” #BlueJays #MLB — Scott MacArthur (@TSNScottyMac) April 19, 2015 Norris admitted his pitches have not come out with the same life and that his problems surfaced in the exhibition series in Montreal, but that he believed his dead arm period should resolve itself shortly, per the Toronto Sun. That would be very good news for Toronto because their options to replace Norris if he needs to dial things down or move to the bullpen are underwhelming. Jeff Francis came up from Triple-A and relieved Norris on Sunday, pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings. After getting major league shots with three different organizations last year, it is not clear he has much to offer, especially as a starter. Randy Wolf has made two starts for the Blue Jays Triple-A team in Buffalo, but missed all of 2013 after Tommy John surgery and spent time in four different organizations last season. Roberto Osuna has pitched well out of the bullpen, striking out nine against three walks in eight scoreless innings, but like closer and fellow rookie Miguel Castro, he has never pitched above A-ball before this season. Liam Hendricks has starting experience, but has not been able to stick long-term and has actually pitched well out of the bullpen so far this season. The Blue Jays offense has scored more runs than any other MLB team after the first two weeks of the season, and it should continue to be a strength moving forward. While the team could probably use a few more innings from Drew Hutchison, the performance of the team’s top three starters in R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Hutchison should be fairly stable as the season goes on. The team could flip the roles of Aaron Sanchez and Marco Estrada to potentially help both the bullpen and the rotation, but if Daniel Norris’ dead arm does not recover soon, the Blue Jays have few options to keep the back end of the rotation productive.Watch part two Over the past year healthcare has become one of the greatest tests for Barack Obama, the US president. He made reform of the system that leaves 47 million people uninsured his top domestic priority. Congress passed two bills that are expected to be merged in the coming weeks. If Obama signs a final bill into law, he will be the first US president in a century to deliver on his promise of reform. But many in his own Democratic party say the new measures fall short of his campaign promise to cover all Americans. And on the right, Republicans say it will cost too much as the country tries to climb out of recession. At the heart of the debate is whether there should be a public option - a government-run plan to compete with private insurers. One of the bills includes it, the other does not. Al Jazeera travelled to Richmond, Virginia where we found some people struggling to cover their medical costs but divided over the best way to reform the system. For all of them though, healthcare has become a matter of life and debt. A matter of life and debt aired from Friday, January 1. Source: Al JazeeraMethodology Developer Economics 9th edition reached an impressive 13,000+ respondents from 149 countries around the world. This report is based on a large-scale online developer survey designed, produced, and carried out by VisionMobile, over a period of five weeks between May and June 2015. Respondents to the online survey came from over 149 countries, including major app and IoT development hotspots such as the US, China, India, Israel, UK and Russia and stretching all the way to Kenya, Brazil and Jordan. The geographic reach of this survey is truly reflective of the global scale of the developer economy. The online survey was translated in 7 languages (Chinese, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish) and promoted by more than 70 leading community and media partners within the app development industry.Rep. John Conyers in a House Judiciary Committee hearing in 2008. (Reuters photo: Jonathan Ernst) He leaves, dogged by sexual-abuse accusations, but his royal family will retain the seat. On Tuesday, Representative John Conyers (D., Mich.) announced that he would “retire” from Congress, effectively immediately. Conyers, who has spent the last 53 years in office — Bonanza was the top-rated television show in America the year he joined Congress — didn’t exactly retire: he actually resigned in disgrace, thanks to allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. The most recent allegation: A woman says Conyers groped her in church. In church. He stepped down only because news broke that taxpayers had been footing the bill for his games of footsie. Advertisement Advertisement But fear not: The city of Detroit shall not go without a Conyers. The Old Man appointed his son, 27-year-old John Conyers III, to run in his stead. Conyers III was a longtime defender of his father: “It’s very unfortunate to see him fight so long for so many people and to automatically have the allegations assumed to be true.” Unfortunately, a few years back, Conyers III also tweeted about his dad’s penchant for the ladies: “My dad is a f***ing player and reckless as hell! He just got at this doods wife super low-key.” Yeah. Advertisement John will run against grand-nephew and state senator Ian Conyers in an internecine war that could end with John locking Ian up in the Tower of London and then having him assassinated, if history holds true to form. Americans love to mock the British for their addiction to royalty. But the fact is that we have created our own version of royalty in our politics, right down to inheritance and droit du seigneur. Detroit is a kingdom; the Conyers family are its bosses. John himself has been in the political limelight for corruption before: He was probed by the House Ethics Committee after three staffers accused him of using them as personal servants and babysitters and forcing them to work on state and local campaigns. Naturally, the committee let him slide in 2006 with a pledge to treat his staff in accordance with the rules. Advertisement He won 85 percent of the vote that year. The Conyers royal court has been granted similarly favorable treatment. The king’s queen, Monica, served on the Detroit City Council — before she was convicted of bribery for taking cash in exchange for voting on a $47 million waste contract. The king mysteriously reversed his opposition to that project; according to Judicial Watch, in 2009 “Conyers even wrote the federal government a letter supporting the plan and pushing for the permit transfers required for the hazardous waste injection well in the city of Romulus, Michigan. The letter, addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency, explained that ‘many things had changed’ in favor of the project since he stood in opposition to it.” Americans used to see their representatives as just that: representatives. Now they see their politicians as protectors, lords and ladies of the fiefdom, Advertisement In 2010, Conyers won 77 percent of the vote. Advertisement It’s not just Detroit. Americans used to see their representatives as just that: representatives. Now they see their politicians as protectors, lords and ladies of the fiefdom: If you grant them office, they will ensure that you may plow your field in peace. Just make sure to toss them an extra portion of your harvest. Hence our willingness to elect bad men and women to high office: They are not we. They just protect us. Nobody expected King Henry VIII to avoid the ladies; his job was to protect the kingdom. Nobody expects their congressperson to avoid sin; his or her job is to bring home the occasional bacon and keep the foreign lords from the land. This is what happens when we stop seeing ourselves as sovereign and begin seeing our elected officials as sovereign. We no longer see them as our representatives in the most literal sense: They do not represent us, our values, anything about us. They merely sit in their castles and deign to protect us occasionally. Who cares, therefore, if Roy Moore is an alleged child molester? He’s not me. He’s just the guy in power. And all we care about is how he uses power. If that comes along with a bit of food-court trolling, should we truly care? Who cares if Al Franken grabs women’s breasts as they sleep? Surely Henry II did worse, and he secured his holdings in France. It’s obvious that we’ve stopped thinking of ourselves as citizens and begun to think of ourselves as subjects. So long as Americans are willing to accept men such as Conyers, hereditary districts, and corrupt and venal politicians, that self-perception will continue to materialize in reality. Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: John Conyers & Nancy Pelosi are Disoriented and Strategically Oblivious Conyers, Franken, Moore and the Psychological ‘Permission Slip’ John Conyers Is the Albatross that Democrats DeserveEditor’s Note: The Washington Post brings up this double standard for Jews and Gentiles in a new article on Sholom Rubashkin. You need to remember that in the case of Jews, there is a serious double standard between them and the filthy Goyim. Thus, when you hear Merchants far and wide vehemently calling for White nations to accept diversity, mass immigration, an erosion of their culture, and the enrichment of their women, expect the home-base of the “Chosen” to be following the complete opposite. Times Of Israel: A Kenyan Jewish leader who arrived in Israel on Monday night was denied entry into the country by the Interior Ministry and deported to Ethiopia. The rejection by Israeli authorities of Yehudah Kimani — who had come to the Jewish state for a three-week study program — was seen by activists as part of the ongoing discrimination by Israel against Jews from emerging communities around the world. Fun fact: They make it government policy to take African migrants, place them in literal concentration camps with poor food and sanitation, and then ship them to random countries that are oftentimes in Europe. Kimani, 31, is a leader of the 50-member Kehilat Kasuku, a small group of families in Kenya’s rural highlands who decided to leave Messianic Judaism in the early 2000s. In the ensuing years, they have undergone Conservative Jewish conversions in Uganda with the Abayudaya community. They celebrate Shabbat and the Jewish holidays in a small, plastic-sheeting covered synagogue with worn wooden benches. Over the past few years since The Times of Israel first visited in early 2015, Kimani has utilized Facebook to build relationships with Jews around the world. The networking brought him on a multi-month trip to the United States in the summer of 2016 with Kulanu, when he also studied at the Brandeis Collegiate Institute. Justin Philips, a retired judge who sits on the board of the Conservative Movement’s Fuchsberg Center, invited Kimani as a guest to study at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem for a short program. After Kimani’s first visa application was denied, he was able to obtain a visa on his second attempt, in time for the Conservative Yeshiva’s winter break program. This Negro wasn’t even a random migrant looking for “muh dik.” He was seemingly a “talented tenth” invited legitimately to study inside Israel. But when Kimani arrived at Ben Gurion Airport late Monday night, officials at the passport check said his visa was not valid. Kimani was placed in a holding area and deported on the next flight to Ethiopia. “They just told me to go back, I feel like I’m not even a human,” Kimani said from the Addis Ababa airport. Well, to the average Jew, you’re literally lower than an
Friday. As previously revealed, UEFA had made a settlement offer to City of a 60million euro fine over three years, a reduction in their Champions League squad for next season and a salary freeze on that squad. PSG were made a similar settlement offer but City have been insistent that their rule breaches should not be treated as being of a similar level to the French champions. City have been pushing hard to have sanctions reduced and wanted their case looked at again by another body as well as the CFCB, and indications are that the club have managed to secure that guarantee. All the clubs do have the possibility of a final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It is little surprise that Galatasaray, Zenit and Anzhi all failed FFP rules given the level of spending by the clubs in recent years compared to their income. That spending caused a financial crisis at Anzhi, who were relegated from the Russian top flight earlier this week.A Jaguar fighter aircraft of Indian Air Force crashed this morning during a training sortie in Chaka area of the district and both the pilots ejected safely, the second such incident this year. The aircraft had taken off at 7:25 AM from IAF's Central Air Command at Bamrauli on the outskirts of the city and crashed at 8.47 AM in an uninhabited field close to a Food Corporation of India warehouse at Chaka, about 50 kms away, IAF and police said, adding there was no casualty. A court of inquiry had been ordered into the incident. A huge fire broke out as soon as the aircraft hit the ground and fire brigade was pressed into service. A small part of the wreckage caused minor damage to a boundary wall of one of the buildings, police said. "Both the pilots had apparently sensed that something was wrong as they ejected before the aircraft came crashing down," Additional Superintendent of Police (trans-Yamuna), Allahabad, Ashutosh Mishra, said. "Since there were no people nearby, the crash resulted in no injuries. No noticeable damage to property was visible either. A small part of the wreckage went flying off and caused minor damage to a boundary wall of one of the buildings nearby. Both pilots also landed safely," he said. Fire brigade was pressed into service as the wreckage had caught fire. Locals came rushing to the spot in large numbers after hearing the crash. They did their bit in assisting the fire brigade personnel. The flames were doused after nearly an hour. "The aircraft has broken into smithereens as a result of the crash," Mishra added. "A number of IAF personnel also arrived at the spot. They took the two pilots who had a close shave," the Additional SP said. Defence PRO Group Captain B B Pande had told PTI over phone that the aircraft had taken off from the Civil Aviation Centre at IAF's Central Air Command at Bamrauli on the outskirts of the city for a "routine training exercise". In March, another Jaguar aircraft had crashed in agricultural fields near Shahbad town in Haryana with the pilot ejecting safely from the plane.SAN FRANCISCO – Malicious hackers beware: Computer security expert Joel Eriksson might already own your box. Eriksson, a researcher at the Swedish security firm Bitsec, uses reverse-engineering tools to find remotely exploitable security holes in hacking software. In particular, he targets the client-side applications intruders use to control Trojan horses from afar, finding vulnerabilities that would let him upload his own rogue software to intruders' machines. He demoed the technique publicly for the first time at the RSA conference Friday. "Most malware authors are not the most careful programmers," Eriksson said. "They may be good, but they are not the most careful about security." Eriksson's research on cyber counterattack comes as the government and security firms are raising alarms about targeted intrusions by hackers in China, who are evidently using Trojan horse software to spy on political groups, defense contractors and government agencies around the globe. The researcher suggests that the best defense might be a good offense, more effective than installing a better intrusion-detection system. Hacking the hacker may be legally dubious, but it is hard to imagine any intruder-turned-victim picking up the phone to report that he had been hacked. Eriksson first attempted the technique in 2006 with Bifrost 1.1, a piece of free hackware released publicly in 2005. Like many so-called remote administration tools, or RATs, the package includes a server component that turns a compromised machine into a marionette, and a convenient GUI client that the hacker runs on his own computer to pull the hacked PC's strings. Using traditional software attack tools, Eriksson first figured out how to make the GUI software crash by sending it random commands, and then found a heap overflow bug that allowed him to install his own software on the hacker's machine. The Bifrost hack was particularly simple since the client software trusted that any communication to it from a host was a response to a request the client had made. When version 1.2 came out in 2007, the hole seemed to be patched, but Eriksson soon discovered it was just slightly hidden. Eriksson later turned the same techniques on a Chinese RAT known as PCShare (or PCClient), which hackers can buy for about 200 yuan (about $27). PCClient is slightly better engineered than Bifrost, since it won't accept a file uploaded to it, unless the hacker is using the file explorer tool. But, Eriksson found, the software's authors left a bug in the file explorer tool in the module that checks how long a download will take. That hole allowed him to upload an attack file the hacker hadn't asked for, and even write it into the server's autostart directory. The software's design also inadvertently included a way for the reverse attacker to find the hacker's real IP address, Eriksson said. He said its unlikely that the malware authors know of these vulnerabilities, though its unlikely that PCClient is still in use. But he says his techniques should also work for botnets as well, even as malware authors start using better encryption, and learn to obfuscate their communication paths using peer to peer software. "If there is a vulnerability, it is still game over for the hacker," Eriksson said. See Also: Photo: Joel Erickson speaking at RSA 2008, Ryan Singel/Wired.com; screenshot of PCShare courtesy Joel ErikssonFindjango, the Django vertical search I've been working on, has been in the open for about one week. It's moving in a good direction, and--I'd like to say--improving at a good pace. I'm really interested in seeing Findjango become a community tool, so let me give a quick overview of the impediments to that happening, and also what I'm doing to wear them down. Over the first week there have been about 2500 queries, a number of results flagged for relevancy tuning, and one kind soul who decided to run a load testing script against it with fifty concurrent clients. Expanding Content I've tried to keep content extremely Django focused, and one of the side effects of doing so is that there simply isn't enough content available for some queries. Search for Marty Alchin's Pro Django and you get 258 extremely relevant results. Search for tutorial and you get 4218 exceedingly mediocre results. Search for performance and you get 3402 awful results. To improve upon this situation, I spent much of Sunday getting to know whoosh (a pure-Python full-text indexer and searcher) and feedparser, and now have the ability to persistently index RSS (or Atom) feeds. That is to say, as of yesterday all content that passes through the Django Community feed, This Week in Django feed, and a couple of smaller feeds have been--and will remain--indexed for searching. This approach won't allow me to pick up older content, but it is one useful tool in the toolkit, and going forward will make it possible to index content for sites that are unable to expose a native search api to Findjango. Please let me know if you have an RSS feed with Django content which isn't already picked up by the Django community feed, and I'll add it as well! The next step will be to setup a small web-crawling process using Scrapy and make it possible to extract older or non-feed based content. This is probably a week or two away. (I'm also working in a few situations to get APIs opened up to Findjango, and that is still the best way to give Findjango access to your content.) Increasing Awareness The other major stumbling block for Findjango is that the people who would benefit most from using it--those who are new to developing with Django--have the smallest opportunity to discover it. If I was Yahoo! or Google, I'd be wheeling and dealing with search deals, but since my budget is markedly smaller, I've come up with a different strategy, one which will hopefully be helpful for both site-owners and Findjango. As I mentioned last week, I am opening up an API to Findjango. curl http://findjango.com/service/?query=app%20engine curl http://findjango.com/service/?query=app%20engine&start=10 The api returns JSON formatted results in this format: { 'total_results' : 200,'start' : 0, 'count' : 10,'results' : [ { 'title' : 'a', 'url' : 'http://etc', 'text' : 'yada yada' } ] } You can use it to add a Django-specific search to your own site. I realize that alone isn't necessarily enough added value, so here something of a special sauce as extra enticement: you can pass your domain along using the site parameter, and results from your site will bubble to the top of the result set. This means--as long as you let me know where I can find an RSS feed for your site or you expose a search api--you can use Findjango to power an enhanced site search for your Django related site. curl http://findjango.com/service/?query=tutorial&site=lethain.com For a lot of sites, I think this will allow Findjango to be genuinely useful, and I'll be working at putting together some default templates and/or templatetags to make using Findjango to power site-search increasingly trivial. Needs A Better Design The new design should be in place before Findjango turns two weeks old. Sorry that you've been forced to deal with the current iteration for so long, but things will improve soon. The above overview wasn't an exhaustive list of changes over the past week (integration with GitHub search api, minor DjangoCodeSearch integration, Findjango became an autodiscoverable search engine in Firefox, and so on), but hopefully it gives some reassurance that Findjango is moving in a good direction, and evolving towards a useful solution. As always, feedback is welcome.Stephen A. Smith explains why Chris Paul is looking at other teams besides the Clippers in free agency, including the Rockets. (1:41) The Houston Rockets have emerged as increasingly serious threats in the chase for soon-to-be free agent Chris Paul, according to league sources. The Rockets still have work to do in terms of clearing sufficient salary-cap space to make a representative offer for Paul, but sources said that Houston star James Harden has been advocating hard in favor of the Paul pursuit and has made his interest in teaming with the LA Clippers' All-Star known directly to the point guard. Sources said that Houston also remains at the heart of the trade hunt to acquire Paul George from the Indiana Pacers, despite the fact that the All-Star is only under contract through next season and is known to be angling to sign with his hometown Los Angeles Lakers in July 2018. ESPN first reported last week that the Rockets were aggressively trying to trade away veterans such as Patrick Beverley, Ryan Anderson and Lou Williams to create the needed financial flexibility to go after the likes of Paul, Toronto's Kyle Lowry, Atlanta's Paul Millsap and the Clippers' Blake Griffin in free agency. The fastest way for the Rockets to dramatically increase their cap space is to find a trade taker for Anderson, who is on the books for $19.6 million next season and is owed $61.3 million through the 2019-20 season. Sources said that Houston has been focused on trying to find a team with cap space to take on Anderson -- such as the Sacramento Kings -- in hopes of potentially creating up to $28.5 million in room under the cap. Sources said the Jazz, meanwhile, are among the teams that have expressed interest in Beverley, which bears monitoring this week because Utah has $16 million in cap room that expires Friday at midnight with which to take on salary to potentially upgrade its roster. ESPN reported earlier this month that Paul will give serious consideration to the San Antonio Spurs in free agency, despite the fact that only the Clippers can offer him a five-year contract that tops $200 million -- more than $50 million more than what the Spurs or Rockets could offer over four years. The Clippers, sources said, see both San Antonio and Houston as teams capable of convincing Paul to leave Los Angeles, where he has established deep roots during his time with the Clippers. Paul, 32, has ranked as one of the league's elite point guards for more than a decade but has yet to advance beyond the second round of the playoffs in his career, which includes six fruitless postseasons with the Clippers. The desire to position himself for a run at a championship, sources said, has convinced Paul to take long looks at both Houston and San Antonio when free agency commences at 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday. The Clippers, knowing the free-agent threat posed by San Antonio and Houston is real, hired NBA front-office legend Jerry West away from the reigning champion Golden State Warriors earlier this month in the first of a series of moves they are hoping will help persuade Paul to stay put. But the Clippers, sources said, continue to worry that they won't be able to convince Paul to remain, despite their considerable financial advantage over other suitors. The Vertical reported earlier Tuesday that Paul and his agents met with Clippers officials to discuss the future and will "talk again soon." In a recent interview with ESPN's Zach Lowe, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey left little doubt he will continue to be aggressive in his bid to construct a team that will put Houston on par with the Warriors, insisting that Golden State is "not unbeatable." "We are going to keep improving our roster," Morey said after the Warriors' 4-1 NBA Finals triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers. "We are used to long odds. If Golden State makes the odds longer, we might up our risk profile and get even more aggressive. We have something up our sleeve."Investigating claims that Chelsea’s squad is too small to retain the title In Depth Share It’s been suggested Chelsea‘s squad is too small for them to compete on four fronts this season, but do the statistics back up the notion? Frank Lampard and Gary Cahill both hinted at concerns about Chelsea’s lack of depth following the Community Shield, with the back of the programme for the game listing just 24 players in the Blues’ squad compared to Arsenal’s 41. It hints at a major flaw in Chelsea’s plan to defend their Premier League title, but Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger have both spoken in the past of the difficulties of having too many frontline players in a squad. Is there such a thing as an ideal squad size? And if so, what is it? We decided to investigate… The obvious place to start is with the Chelsea squad that won the Premier League title last season. And 24 just so happens to be the exact number of players they used on their way to the second highest points total in the competition’s history. Of those 24, one was Ola Aina, who played for a combined 23 minutes across three substitute appearances, while another was Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who made six substitute appearances but was still only on the pitch for half an hour in total. Furthermore, of the 22 players that actually started games, Nathaniel Chalobah, Nathan Ake, Kenedy and Michy Batshuayi all only did so once, in the penultimate game of the season after Chelsea had already secured the title. Kurt Zouma (3 starts, 6 sub appearances), Oscar (5, 9), John Terry (6, 3) and Branislav Ivanovic (6, 7) were also peripheral figures, while back-up goalkeeper Asmir Begovic started only two games in the last month of the season. In total, only 16 players made 10 or more Premier League appearances for the Blues, putting a rather different slant on the idea that a first-team squad of 24 is not big enough to win the title. However, Chelsea played just 47 matches in all competitions last season and will face a far more gruelling schedule this time around. 57 – The average amount of games played by a Premier League title-winning team involved in European competition over the last decade, 10 more than Chelsea played in 2016-17 It seems reasonable to assume that Antonio Conte must plan for perhaps 10 extra games this season, with six Champions League group matches likely to be followed by at least one two-legged knockout-round match, unless it all goes horribly wrong in Europe. Having fielded strong sides in both domestic cups last term, Conte must be more selective when identifying his priorities this time around. However, even if he uses one or both of the domestic cups to rest his stars and give game-time to youngsters and fringe players, a frontline squad of 24 still appears to be slightly small compared to that of previous clubs to have won the Premier League while also competing in the Premier League. 27 – The average amount of players used by the last eight Premier League champions also involved in the Champions League That said, in all of those cases, just like with Chelsea last season, that figure of 27 is swelled by a group of reserve and young players used extremely sparingly. Keeping a squad of 27 frontline players happy simply would not be possible, as Arsene Wenger explained last year. “You need competition, and competition exists if the numbers are not too short or not too big,” he said. “When the number is too big, there is no competition anymore and it goes against the interests of the team. “If a player is No.26 in the squad, he needs three players to die before he has a real chance to play. That has an impact when he comes in every morning. He is down and he takes something away from the team.” So while the last eight title winners involved in the Champions League have used an average of 27 players in total in their Premier League campaigns, that figure is reduced to 20 when looking only at players to have made 10 or more appearances. Interestingly, Manchester United have provided the outliers at both ends of the scale, having used a high of 22 regulars on two occasions but getting by with only 18 in 2007-08. Players to have made 10+ PL appearances for last eight title winners involved in CL Chelsea 2014-15 – 19 Manchester City 2013-14 – 19 Manchester United 2012-13 – 22 Manchester City 2011-12 – 20 Manchester United 2010-11 – 22 Chelsea 2009-10 – 20 Manchester United 2008-09 – 19 Manchester United 2007-08 – 18 So what of Chelsea? While Conte might feel his first XI is starting the new season stronger than it finished the last, in terms of squad depth, Antonio Rudiger, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alvaro Morata simply take the places of John Terry, Nemanja Matic and the soon-to-depart Diego Costa. Chalobah, Ake and Zurt Zouma have all moved on too, with Conte naming four academy players – Charly Musonda, Andreas Christensen, Kyle Scott and Jeremie Boga – among his 24 for the Community Shield game. Christensen in particular is tipped for big things, but even without him there are 20 proven senior players for Conte to choose from, exactly the amount recent history suggests is required. Injuries The Chelsea boss, however, like every other, will want to feel confident he has strong enough cover should an injury crisis ever occur. “In terms of quality we’ve certainly got that, and you just have to hope we don’t have too many injuries,” said Cahill, no doubt aware of how lucky the Blues were in that regard last season. According to physioroom.com, Chelsea lost the fourth fewest number of days to injuries, while only West Brom had fewer injuries which kept a player out for more than a fortnight. In contrast, Liverpool, who also had no distraction from their domestic commitments, suffered as a result of injuries. Only two clubs had more injuries over the course of the season, with their key players being affected at crucial times. Despite all the work that goes into injury prevention, they will never be eradicated. Jurgen Klopp said “it is just unlucky”, and if Chelsea’s luck runs out, Conte could have major problems. History suggests his squad may already be just about big enough, but don’t be surprised to see Chelsea increasing their numbers just in case. Frank Lampard names the five best players he ever played with Can you name Chelsea’s 15 most expensive transfers in history? 17 of the best quotes about N’Golo Kante: ‘He’s like a rat, he’s everywhere’ Nine reasons why Chelsea fans will always love Branislav IvanovicNote: Alright, so 3.6 rolled around sooner than I expected. There aren't massive amounts of differences that would warrant a completely different thread (because to be honest, creating an entirely new thread from scratch is a lot of work). As such, I'll slowly be replacing 3.5 videos with 3.6 videos, and all 3.6 videos from now on will be listed in italics. Some characters I'll replace entirely. Note however that I'll probably go through frequent hiatuses due to real life stuff. If you want the full code for this thread's lifetime in 3.5, I have it saved in a separate word document. Just PM me if you want a copy for data purposes or something like that. this thread will be exclusive to 3.5 videos only. Crew Battles: Spoiler Houston vs College Station: Houston: GS Fuzz (Mewtwo), Kei$ (Lucario), Dawnclutch (Kirby), Axxo (DK), BC (Link), Mojo (C. Falcon) CStat: Aaron (Fox), Chandy (DK), 52-pickup (Fox), Abstract Logic (Diddy), Blondie (Zelda), SparkingZero (Ike) LA Tech vs LSU: LA Tech: Frosti, Ponkapa, Bestrin, Gooz, and Mr. Fish LSU: N/A Austin vs San Antonio: Austin: Fearless(Lucario), Grime(Wolf), Scuba Steve (Captain Falcon), Dong(Luigi) San Antonio: Ohthomas(Yoshi), Dad!?(Samus), Dex (Marth), FistFoot (Donkey Kong) *N/A means I don't know who the player isHouston vs College Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzBRp8-Oyy4 Houston: GS Fuzz (Mewtwo), Kei$ (Lucario), Dawnclutch (Kirby), Axxo (DK), BC (Link), Mojo (C. Falcon)CStat: Aaron (Fox), Chandy (DK), 52-pickup (Fox), Abstract Logic (Diddy), Blondie (Zelda), SparkingZero (Ike)LA Tech vs LSU: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_1Vk1iMKqY LA Tech: Frosti, Ponkapa, Bestrin, Gooz, and Mr. FishLSU: N/AAustin vs San Antonio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px1jU35uYMk Austin: Fearless(Lucario), Grime(Wolf), Scuba Steve (Captain Falcon), Dong(Luigi)San Antonio: Ohthomas(Yoshi), Dad!?(Samus), Dex (Marth), FistFoot (Donkey Kong) Bowser - Captain Falcon - Gahtzu, Darkrain, DMG, Darc, n0ne Bowser -Captain Falcon - Gahtzu, Darkrain, DMG, Darc, n0ne Charizard - John Numbers, Metroid, Mask, Zen, Phoca Charizard - John Numbers, Metroid, Mask, Zen, Phoca Diddy Kong - Seagull Joe, Luck, Bladewise, Junebug, DLA Diddy Kong - Seagull Joe, Luck, Bladewise, Junebug, DLA Donkey Kong - POOB, Mojohnbo, Axxo, Strong Bad, ThunderzReignz Donkey Kong - POOB, Mojohnbo, Axxo, Strong Bad, ThunderzReignz Ike - DJ Nintendo, Metroid, JuSt, Ally, Strong Bad Ike - DJ Nintendo, Metroid, JuSt, Ally, Strong Bad Ivysaur - JZ, Machiavelli, Sothe, Papa, Steel Kangaroo Ivysaur - JZ, Machiavelli, Sothe, Papa, Steel Kangaroo Spoiler Spoiler Gnosis: Alex: Dittos: JetX vs YadoR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlk4h1IVYMQ Chu Dat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvxYvOMaquo (vs Vist, Luigi) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKK4h_v7qec (vs Chillindude, Wolf) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93fKROFB4GA (vs Chillindude, Wolf)Gnosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYqI9Z685Ok (vs Strong Bad, Wario/G&W) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyX0gyJgFfY (vs Frizz, Falcon)Alex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LtiJeIjlHA (vs Xaltis, ZSS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7irNiCblfew (vs Porkchops, Falco)Dittos:JetX vs YadoR: Link - NinjaLink, Skeith, Vwins, Sol, Hero of Time Kirby - JetX, YadoR, Chu Dat, Gnosis, AlexLink - NinjaLink, Skeith, Vwins, Sol, Hero of Time Lucario - iPunchKidsz, Double, Risky, Stauffy, Fearless Lucario - iPunchKidsz, Double, Risky, Stauffy, Fearless Welcome to the Top Players and Videos by Character thread version 3.5! This thread aims to give awareness to players who have exceed accomplishing many feats with their character while also providing videos and footage for those who want to improve their game. I hope you guys can find what you’re looking for!For clarification, the names written by each character are listed in no particular order but rather just the first five players that are considered the best for the character. Videos of other notable players who are not included in this five will still be placed under their respective characters.This is a link to the previous Top Players and Videos by Character thread, which was created during the lifetime of PM version 3.0.For the sake of fairness, videos from previous versions of PM will not be accepted due to heavy balance changes and character inclusions, which dramatically change the metagame and thus the value of the footage itself. In short,🔊 Listen to this Critical Path is the most ambitious book I have ever read. Mr. Fuller (1895-1983) attempts to summarize his vision, achievements, speculations, and analysis. Written in the late 1970’s at the end of a long life, the author shows himself to be part scientist, inventor, economist, historian, sociologist, and political theorist. The first line of this book: “It is the author’s working assumption that the words good and bad are meaningless.” I like him already. He has developed several extremely useful inventions, designed energy-efficient cities, analyzed humanity relentlessly, and formulated a plan for the world government and survival of humanity. I’m deeply impressed with his creativity, gumption, and analysis. However, I’m also unimpressed with his convoluted philosophy and master plan. The little I know of his life is extremely interesting. Born in New England, he speaks of being indoctrinated by his family and community. I did my best not to pay any attention to my own thinking and trained myself to learn what seemed to me the “game of life” as you would train yourself to play football. The rules are all written by others. Mr. Fuller was raised with the belief that there wasn’t enough (food, resources, money) available for every person. His mentors justified the ruthlessness of humans (in war and business) with this belief. He served in WWI as a commissioned line officer in the U.S. Navy, and married at 22. He describes himself as a “spontaneous failure” in the business world: he developed a manufacturing and building business, constructing four factories and 240 residential buildings, but lost his friends’ investments and became “discredited and penniless” in 1927. This year was a milestone for Mr. Fuller; here he formulated and committed to a path that he was to follow for the rest of his life. He decided to embark on a lifelong experiment, dedicating himself to “comprehensively protect, support, and advantage all humanity (ï¿½)” He claims to have put no energy towards the welfare of himself or his family after 1927, believing that the universe would provide for him because he was focused on humanity as a whole. He committed himself to do his own thinking, to develop technology beneficial to everyone, patent it, and yet never promote or sell any of his work. He believed that if his work was worthwhile, it would be spontaneously recognized and used. This quote says it all: Above all I sought to comprehend the principles of eternally regenerative Universe and to discover human functioning therein, thereby to discover nature’s governing complexes of generalized principles and to employ these principles in the development of the specific artifacts that would benefit humanity’s fulfillment of its essential functioning in the cosmic scheme. He wrote this book because he believes that the knowledge contained in Critical Path is essential for human survival: Humanity’s ability to survive “no longer depends on the validity of political, religious, economic, and social organizations” This ability depends on the intuition, “comprehensive informedness,” and integrity of the individual “Humanity is in peril of extinction if each one of us does not dare, now and henceforth, always to tell only the truth, and all of the truth, and to do so promptly ï¿½ right now.” He makes a distinction between “cosmic-energy income” (solar, water, wind power, etc.), the “cosmic-energy savings account” (fossil fuels, natural gas, etc.), and the “cosmic-capital plant and equipment account” (atomic energy). The fact that humanity is using earth’s savings rather than earth’s income is a spending folly no less illogical than burning your house-and-home to keep the family warm on an unprecedently cold midwinter night. Incidentally, Mr. Fuller claims that our present rate of humanity’s total energy consumption (as of the late 1970’s) was one four-millionth of one percent of the rate of our energy income. While all this energy income goes unused, savings gets eaten up. He observes that the intent of government and business is to profit by putting meters between people and energy, and that individual common sense is subverted by the profiteering and parasitical behavior of government and business. A few of Mr. Fuller’s many developments: The Dymaxion Projection Sky-Ocean World Map: Far more accurate than any other flat map in use, Mr. Fuller divides the globe into 20 equilateral triangles and spreads the land masses out radially from the north pole. Very close to the pole lies North America and Asia, with Africa just the other side of Asia from the pole, and the Americas snaking out in the other direction. Australia is off the underside of Asia and Antarctica is at the end of the America snake. The Geoscope: a big model of the earth designed and manufactured as 20 equilateral triangles. It changes from a 200-foot sphere (that rotates synchronously with the earth) into (a very big) Sky-Ocean World Map. Wired with lights and connected to computers, the population of the earth is illustrated by position, movement, and density. Also programmed: locations and quantities of various resources; the movements of airplanes; the presence of weather systems and geological occurrences; the locations and capabilities of various technological and manufacturing centers. He proposes this as primarily an educational device: he developed the World Game, which documents resources, behaviors, trends, vital needs (ï¿½) The players as individuals or teams would each develop their own theory of how to make the world work successfully for all of humanity. Each individual or team would play a theory through to the end of a predeclared program. It could be played with or without competitors. The objective of the game would be to explore ways to make it possible for anybody and everybody in the human family to enjoy the total Earth without any human interfering with any other human and without any human gaining advantage at the expense of another. The Geoscope also could be used to illustrate the actual conditions and circumstances of this planet to educate and inform humanity. The Geodesic Dome: Mr. Fuller has designed these domes for houses, cities, and everything in between, heeding these facts and bringing this research to bear: spherical structures enclose the greatest volume with least surface area when the linear dimension of a sphere doubles, the surface area quadruples and the volume is multiplied by eight. geodesic spherical structures (meaning supported by triangular beams) are the strongest structure per unit weight when a geodesic dome is enclosed within another, bigger dome (and when the space between the two boundaries is greater than the depth of the frost penetration in that area) (and when there are not metal connections between the two domes) the heat gain and loss of the inner dome is halved (compared with the same dome without the outer dome) There are a multitude of arrangements for harvesting energy The dome is capable of harvesting sun energy during summer with solar panels Converting windpower into compressed air, all mechanical operating needs can be supplied by a pneumatic-tool system. Temperature Regulation When the dome is transparent or translucent on the sunny side and opaque and inwardly reflecting on the non-sunny side, greater amount of heat get trapped as the diameter of the dome increases during summer, the dome is capable of opening its lower edge as well as a small portion of the top, thereby using the Bernoulli effect to air condition When growing vegetation within the dome, the natural cycle of carbon dioxide to oxygen occurs you can eat the food, or use vegetable produced alcohol as energy In addition to supplying all energy needs of the inhabitants, two sanitary inventions render the house or city autonomous. the “fog gun”: a high-pressure adjustable air gun fed by small amounts of atomized water: used in everything from washing dishes to cleaning oneself a system of carton-packaged human waste: rendered for methane fuel or fertilizer. He proposes a “design science” revolution, which will result in the conversion of all humanity into an integrated, omniharmonious, economically successful, one-world family. He believes that the technology now available (applied correctly) makes it “highly feasible to take care of everybody on Earth at a higher standard of living than any have ever known.” Mr. Fuller contends, It no longer has to be you or me. Selfishness is unnecessary and henceforth unrationalizable as mandated by survival. War is obsolete (ï¿½) It could never have been done before. Only ten years ago the more-with-less technology reached the point where it could be done (ï¿½) Technologically we now have four billion billionaires on board Spaceship Earth who are entirely unaware of their good fortune. This design science revolution involves a complete transformation from using the savings account to using the income. Among the important elements of this revolution: the necessary research and development of “alternate” power sources; a worldwide electric grid that supplies all equally; energy-efficient domed cities and transportation and communication technology; and the constant recycling of all resources, especially metals and chemical byproducts. In less that twenty years (ï¿½) all humanity is scheduled by evolution (not by any world planning body) to become physically more successful and metaphysically more interestingly occupied than have any humans ever been in all known history ï¿½ provided that humanity does not commit ignorance-, fear-, and panic-induced total-species suicide. Why might they panic? All the present beaurocracies of political governments, great religious organizations, and all big businesses find that physical success for all humanity would be devastating to the perpetuation of their ongoing activities. Of the countries of the world, he writes, (ï¿½) all of the 150 nations of our planet are about to be desovereignized by evolution; that is, they are about to become operationally obsolete (ï¿½) We have today, in fact, 150 supreme admirals and only one ship ï¿½ Spaceship Earth. We have the 150 admirals in their 150 staterooms each trying to run their respective stateroom as if it were a separate ship. We have the starboard side admirals’ league trying to sink the port side admirals’ league. Computers are integral to his vision of the design science revolution. Paper will become obsolete as all news can be disseminated by television and that computers can keep track of all the information that fills the advertising and want-advertisement pages, and any individual looking for any kind of opportunity can get the matching information from the computer in seconds. Individuals can go shopping by cable television. He also envisions a world-integrated computer system documenting and analyzing a world inventory of foods, raw and recirculating resources, and all of the world’s unique mechanical and structural capabilities and their operating capacities as well as (ï¿½) available energy-income-derived operating power with which to put their facilities to work. All of the foregoing information will become available (ï¿½) to all the world-around technology’s environment-controlling, life-sustaining, travel- and communication-accommodating structures and machines. Mr. Fuller makes a very interesting point about pollution. Recovering and stockpiling toxic waste is a valued industry in his plan. All the chemical substances (ï¿½) from all previous liquid, gaseous, or solid dumpings, fumings, or runnings-off ï
and 65 points in 37 games. “I worked every day, practices and games,” said Malkin. “One big change is just the bigger ice (surface). I needed a couple games to (adapt) because of the bigger ice and more skilled guys. There’s not as much shooting, more passing.” Malkin is a crucial piece of the Penguins’ effective and dangerous offensive core. His work ethic, quick hands, ability to create scoring opportunities, and above all, disciplined play circumvent the Penguins’ chances of hoisting Lord Stanley. His time spent in the KHL is an opportunity to hone his skills and perfect his craft in a new and challenging environment. To the Penguins’ staff, this speaks volumes about Malkin’s dedication to success and willingness to improve. The Penguins will start the season on the road against a bitter and longstanding rival in the Philadelphia Flyers. Notorious for unsportsmanlike conduct and fractious style of play, the Flyers accumulate a significant amount of penalty minutes per game. With the addition of forward James Neal and defenseman Kris Letang on the points for the power play unit—a strategy that paid dividends last season—expect the Penguins to capitalize when afforded the extra attacker. Neal, with a league leading 18 powerplay goals last season, will serve as the lynchpin of the powerplay unit. “I wouldn’t call (my position) the point. Letang is the point,” said Neal, who seldom played on the powerplay prior to joining the Penguins. “I’m a rover, a little bit of everywhere. I just want to find those seams. With (Malkin) and (Crosby) on the half wall, they’re so good at finding seams. I just have to get lost when (opponents are) focused on those two. Hopefully, it will work out. It’s just a look and we’ll see how it goes. It is the hope that this maneuver will enhance the Penguins’ effectiveness on the powerplay—a unit that ranked fifth in the NHL last season with 19.7 success rate. “He has a great shot. He knows those areas to find as far as getting open,” Crosby said following a practice at Consol Energy Center. “Guys with big shots, they can kind of get lost over there and get some space. It doesn’t take much for them to put it in the net. So it’ll be dangerous. With his shot, he’s going to get a lot of pucks through the net.” Malkin’s readiness coupled with the unparalleled dexterity of captain Sidney Crosby and offensive capabilities of Neal, establishes the Pittsburgh Penguins as an offensive juggernaut in the Atlantic Division. Turning to the club’s blue line, the Penguins have a variety of possibilities with nine defensemen vying for a spot in the rotation. Returning defensemen Brooks Orpik, Paul Martin, Kris Letang, and Matt Niskanen comprise the majority of the Penguins’ back end. The departure of Zbynek Michalek—who was traded to Phoenix—creates an opportunity for the Penguins to select from the wealth of talent available in the AHL. Robert Bortuzzo, Simon Despres, Deryk Engelland, Ben Lovejoy, and Brian Strait are among those in the running. Bortuzzo and Strait have made strides with the Wilkes-Barre Scraton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the Penguins, and have remained consistent for the club. Both blueliners are reliable, have playoff experience, and commit to a simple style—which can effectively balance the offensive-minded defensemen in Pittsburgh. Expect to see competition heat up between these two. The Penguins’ goaltending tandem of returning netminder Marc Andre Fleury and new acquisition Tomas Vokoun can serve as a 1-2 punch for the club. With a tight forty-two game season, the Penguins can shuffle the responsibility between the two goalies without comprising performance. It is without a doubt that the Pittsburgh Penguins will be a force in the Atlantic Division. Bench boss Dan Bylsma is confident in the talents and capabilities of his roster and ultimately recognizes their potential for success. How successful the Penguins will be remains to be seen, but the future does look bright.Scoreboard NBC FOX ABC CBS UNI Adults 18-49: Rating/Share 6.0/16 3.6/9 1.5/4 1.5/4 1.1/3 Adults 18-34: Rating/Share 5.3/16 3.1/9 1.1/3 0.8/3 0.7/2 Total Viewers (million) 16.032 11.355 5.382 9.091 3.008 NOTE: Due to the nature of live programming the ratings for NBC & FOX (NFL Football & MLB Baseball) are approximate and subject to more than the typical adjustments in the final numbers. NBC was number one among adults 18-49 and with total viewers. On NBC Sunday Night Football, which featured a match-up between the Cowboys and the Redskins earned a preliminary 7.3 up 28 percent from last week’s preliminary 5.7 adults 18-49 rating from 8:30-11PM. On CBS, 60 Minutes scored a 1.5 adults 18-49 rating down 61 percent from last week’s football-delayed 3.8. The Amazing Race garnered a series low 1.8 down 25 percent from last week’s 2.4. The Good Wife notched a series low 1.2 down 25 percent from last week’s 1.6. The Mentalist earned a series low 1.3 down 13 percent from last week’s 1.5. On FOX, NFL Football scored a preliminary 8.0 a ults 18-49 rating. Game 2 of the MLB Baseball ALCS Playoffs notched a preliminary 2.4 adults 18-49 rating, up 41 percent from Saturday’s 1.7. On ABC, the season premiere of America’s Funniest Home Videos earned a 1.1 adults 18-49 rating down 27 percent from a 1.5 for last season’s premiere on October 7,2012 and ranking as its lowest rated premiere ever. Once Upon A Time scored a 2.3 down 12 percent from last week’s 2.6 adults 18-49 rating. Revenge garnered a 1.7 down 11 percent from last week’s 1.9 adults 18-49 rating. Betrayal notched a series low 0.9 down 18 percent from last week’s 1.1 adults 18-49 rating. Broadcast primetime ratings for Sunday, October 13, 2013: Time Net Show 18-49 Rating/Share Viewers (Millions) 7:00 FOX NFL Football (Saints/Patriots) – Live 8.0/25 23.13 NBC Football Night in America Part 1 – Live 1.9/6 5.67 CBS 60 Minutes 1.5/5 10.58 ABC America’s Funniest Home Videos – Season Premiere 1.1/3 5.15 7:30 FOX NFL Football/The OT – Live 6.3/18 1 8.15 NBC Football Night in America Part 2 – Live 3.2/9 8.73 8:00 NBC Football Night in America Part 3 – Live 5.8/15 15.36 FOX Baseball (Tigers/Redsox) 8-11PM – Live 2.4/6 8.26 ABC Once Upon A Time 2.3/6 7.36 CBS The Amazing Race 1.8/5 8.07 8:30 NBC Sunday Night Football: (Cowboys/Redkins -Live (8:30-11PM) 7.3/18 19.65 9:00 ABC Revenge 1.7/4 6.02 CBS The Good Wife 1.2/3 8.36 10:00 CBS The Mentalist 1.3/3 9.35 ABC Betrayal 0.9/2 3.00 – Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2013 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved. Definitions: Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings, including demographics, are available at approximately 11 AM (ET) the day after telecast, and are released to subscribing customers daily. These data, from the National People Meter sample, are strictly time-period information, based on the normal broadcast network feed, and include all programming on the affiliated stations, sometimes including network programming, sometimes not. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns. For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live baseball game, but not game coverage that begins at 5PM PT. The same would be true of Presidential debates as well as live award shows and breaking news reports. Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent. Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.) Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast. For more information see Numbers 101 and Numbers 102.OTTAWA – The federal finance minister is standing by the amount of money the Liberal government currently spends on defence, saying the military is “appropriately provisioned” to address Canada’s needs. In an interview Thursday with The Canadian Press, Finance Minister Bill Morneau left the door open to future “adjustments,” depending on what ends up in the Liberals’ new defence policy. But his comments, combined with predictions the Liberals will run large deficits for years, are reason for worry among those expecting an injection of cash into defence in the coming months. Morneau also played down suggestions Canada is facing pressure to increase defence spending from Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump has called on NATO allies to do more. Canada currently spends about one per cent of its GDP on defence, which is half the agreed-upon NATO target of two per cent and puts it in the bottom half among the allies. “They recognize very clearly how well we’ve worked together with our allies,” Morneau said of a recent meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly. “They talked about, in specific terms, how much of an impact Canada’s military made in Afghanistan. I think we’re recognized as being a country that is playing our part. We’ll continue to do that.” This week’s federal budget made little mention of the Canadian Armed Forces, aside from delaying $933 million in planned spending for new equipment by several years and nearly $8.5 billion over 20 years. Otherwise, the budget deferred the decision to the government’s forthcoming new defence policy, which had been expected earlier in the year but has been delayed as officials try to get a handle on the Trump administration’s priorities. Defence insiders and analysts have warned in the last few years that the military is being stretched thin by a lack of resources, resulting in cuts to maintenance and training and curtailed operation of ships, planes and vehicles. They say the situation is the result of deep budget cuts under the Conservatives starting in 2012, which were followed by small increases that haven’t kept up with the military’s increased pace of activity. That includes substantial missions to Iraq, Ukraine, Latvia and, in the coming months, Africa, plus expanded responsibilities with regards to cyberdefence and space. There are also concerns about the amount money available over the long term for promised new equipment, with some analysts putting the shortfall in the range of billions of dollars a year. Morneau said the government knows it must provide adequate funding to keep the military strong and well-equipped to meet Canada’s needs, but he rejected suggestions it is at risk of being hollowed out. “We do have an envelope for defence spending that we believe allows us to continue to deal with the defence priorities that we have,” he said. “We at this stage believe that we have appropriately provisioned for our defence spending, and we’ll look at that defence policy review to consider whether any adjustments are required.” Space for additional investments looks to be quite limited, at least in the short term, as this week’s budget predicted the federal deficit will stay above $20 billion until 2021-22. Morneau sidestepped questions about the amount of room the government has for more military spending, saying only that it “won’t be a place where we don’t make adequate investment.” Still, even without the current fiscal reality, the minister’s assessment is likely to cause consternation among those who were counting on significant new investments with the new defence policy. “The finance minister saying that defence has enough and is living within it means, that seems to indicate that defence is going to have the exact same budget line it does now,” said defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Perry has calculated a $2-billion-a-year gap between current funding levels and promised new equipment starting in the next few years, which is in addition to any shortfalls in operating funds. “That means the military is going to have to make some tough choices, in particular with regards to what capabilities it may have to cut.” — Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A headline on an earlier version quoted Morneau as saying “adequately” provisioned.Chances are, if you are an au pair in the United States, your host family will celebrate Christmas or one of the many other wonderful holidays that occur this time of year. Common among many of these events is exchanging gifts. Here are some holiday ideas for gifts that your host family will love. A Treat from Your Home Country The au pair program is designed to help spread cultural awareness, and the holidays are a great time to show your host family more about your culture, and how your country celebrates this time of year. Consider: Cooking a traditional meal or treat often served during the holidays. Presenting traditional gifts from your country and explaining the traditions behind them. Sharing childhood stories, legends, and lore. Handmade with Love You do not have to spend a lot of money on holiday gifts. In fact, making gifts for close friends and family has long been a favored Christmas tradition for many American families. Get the children involved as an extra special treat for your host parents. Popular homemade gifts include: Cookies and other tasty treats Knitted hats, scarves, mittens, and other apparel Soaps, scrubs, and lotions Candles, scented oil blends, and potpourri Sharing Memories Parents love keepsakes that build and make memories, and host parents are no exception. This is another idea where host children can lend a hand to create wonderful gifts that your host family will cherish for years to come. Some ideas include: Travel mugs, tote bags, or keychains with a collage of their kid's picture A video recording of yourself telling your host family how much you appreciate them. Picture frames decorated with trinkets from your time with your host family. Make Them Personal Did you overhear your host parents mention they liked a small something in a shop? Did your host children get excited over a toy in a shop you visited? Noting these small little details can make a huge impact this holiday season. You do not have to spend a lot to find that perfect little something, as long as they are personally relevant to your host family. The holidays all have one thing in common: Sharing a special moment with friends and family. To learn more about spending the holiday's as an au pair in America, please contact the team at EurAupair today!Hello my fellow planners! I had so much fun writing my first post I decided to do a picture by picture plan with me. I was going to wait until I got my hourly planner for 2017 but I thought why not start now! So this week is a little different because at my university it is finals week so my schedule is a little different, meaning no work and just cramming for finals. I fill in my finals week schedule the very first day of the semester so that is why they are already filled in. After I figure out the “theme” I want, which this week is winter blues, silvers, and golds, I pick stickers and different washi tapes that coordinate. I use extremely simple supplies because as you could probably guess I am a broke college student, but they still work! So here are my supplies: As you can tell in the picture below only Monday is filled out completely. Each morning I sit down with my coffee and plan out my day with the things I need to do and get done 🙂 Thanks for reading this quick blog, I am just having fun! If there are any questions feel free to email me at [email protected] or leave a comment on my contact page. Also, I know I am not the most fancy but at this point in my life it is most practical! -RoseIt happened, people — South Park didn’t finish its homework on time. This might not shock anyone who has seen 6 Days to Air, the documentary that details the insanely tight turnaround Trey Parker and Matt Stone impose on themselves, but it’s indeed a new occurrence in the show’s 16-year, 240-episode history. “It sucks to miss an air date but after all these years of tempting fate by delivering the show last minute, I guess it was bound to happen,” Parker says. The missed deadline came courtesy of a power outage on Tuesday evening at South Park Studios. “From animation to rendering to editing and sound, all of their computers were down for hours and they were unable to finish episode 1704, ‘Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers’ in time for air tonight,” read Wednesday’s statement from Comedy Central. A 60 Minutes spot in 2011 revealed that there’s typically an all-nighter involved in the creation of a South Park episode; Parker commented that “we have probably more freedom than anyone in television, and we have for a long time.” My guess is that freedom led, catastrophically, to a dual-microwave setup for those late-night voice-recording sessions. Next thing you know, someone’s getting a little cocky, nuking two burritos at once, maybe while blending up a smoothie, and suddenly there’s no new South Park. So “Goth Kids 3” has been bumped to next week. As compensation, Comedy Central aired a rerun of the all-time classic “Scott Tenorman Must Die” along with live tweets from the show’s creative crew. The one true compensation, however, was and remains a spin through the Twitter search results for “South Park wtf.” Just some beautiful, Cartman-worthy material, stuff like, “WTF. It’s supposed to be a new episode of South Park but it’s pube one. Smh” and “WTF HAPPIN TO THE NEW EPISODE OF SOUTH PARK!!!!!” and “@SouthPark wtf? U guys suck balls.” On the one hand, it’s almost like people on the Internet can be entitled rage-monsters. On the other hand, no one really needs to run two microwaves at once. Not when the stakes are this high.Researchers from are among a group investigating a drug that has the potential to not only alleviate Parkinson's disease symptoms but also halt the disease's progression. Along with the Van Andel Research Institute and the Translational Genomics Research Institute, MSU researchers are focusing on the drug Fasudil, which is currently approved in Japan to improve blood flow to the brain in stroke victims and has shown similar positive outcomes in clinical trials in the U.S. A $400,000 grant form the funds the project. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement, . In 2009, investigators from the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona and Arizona State University reported that a form of Fasudil had the potential to help improve learning and memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Van Andel researchers also recently discovered the potential of the drug's affect on Parkinson's while testing various drugs that reduce the toxicity caused by a defective PARK1 gene, a gene implicated in Parkinson's disease. "The potential of this drug is exciting not only because it could halt disease progression where other treatments only provide symptomatic relief but also because of how quickly it could be made available to patients," said Jeffrey P. MacKeigan, head of Van Andel's Laboratory of Systems Biology, in a statement. MacKeigan is a co-investigator on the project with Caryl E. Sortwell of MSU's College of Human Medicine. "Fasudil has a very favorable safety profile in humans and already is available in Japan as an oral tablet, so we could be seeing clinical trials within two to three years," MacKeigan added. The development of new drugs is expensive and time-consuming, said Kuldip Dave, associate director of research programs at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. "In fall 2010, MJFF launched our inaugural repositioning program to address these realities and to attempt to reduce the time and costs involved in finding drugs that could help people living with Parkinson's," Dave said in a statement. The next step in the project is for researchers from MSU to validate the therapeutic use of Fasudil in disease models of Parkinson's. The goal is to determine whether Fasudil has the therapeutic potential to protect and restore degenerating neurons in Parkinson's. "This collaboration highlights the strength of strategically aligning teams from two research organizations with different skill sets," said Sortwell. "The Van Andel/TGen team has expertise in cell biology and proteomics, while our researchers have extensive experience in Parkinson's disease systems biology and modeling. "Together both organizations share the goal of helping those afflicted with Parkinson's to live better lives as a result of their respective research programs." Check out a video below from WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids on the study.A lot has changed since we published our last round-up of the best Android phones available, and awarded the top prize to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. At the time, the Gnex outshone the competition thanks to the blistering performance and innovative features delivered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. But that was five long months ago. Since then, screen sizes, resolutions and core counts have continued to rise. There’s a new Nexus, and Android OEMs have had the chance to get their own Jelly Bean-based devices out into the wild. And this time around, it makes more sense to split things up and cover the U.S market separately (look for our U.S. round-up in the days ahead). In this article we’re going to focus on the best international Android phones, and recommend one unlocked world phone for Europe, Asia and beyond. Join us after the break to find out more about our top four devices, and learn which gets our recommendation for international buyers. The Top Four (in no particular order) Before we reveal the winner, here's a rundown of four of the very best international Android phones. LG Nexus 4 Google and LG’s Nexus 4 is the Android phone of the moment -- a highly desirable handset that’s consistently sold out around the world thanks to its competitive Google Play Store pricing. LG’s also won us over with the Nexus 4’s impressive build quality, which has the guts of the phone sandwiched in Gorilla Glass 2, with a soft-touch plastic trim. On the subject of of internals, the N4 packs one of the fastest smartphone chips available, a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, coupled with 2GB of RAM. Combine that with vanilla Android 4.2, and you’ve got an incredibly fast device -- easily one of the speediest and most responsive we’ve used. Google's also polished up some of its own proprietary apps, including the camera, gallery and keyboard -- all important steps that bring the Nexus experience up to par with leading “skinned” phones. There are many ways in which the Nexus 4 is unremarkable -- the camera’s pretty run of the mill, though by no means bad. 8GB of storage isn’t much, but fortunately there’s a more substantial 16GB version on offer too. It’s a plain old DC-HSDPA device without (official) LTE support, however this is less of an issue outside of the U.S., where LTE networks are fewer and further between. But overall, it's the combination of performance, build quality, functionality and price that’s earned the Nexus 4 a place on our list. And being a Nexus device, it’s sure to be first in line for software updates, too. Samsung Galaxy S3 Samsung’s Galaxy S3 is the best-selling Android phone of the year by a very wide margin, and with good reason. Samsung’s made sure to tick just about every box in its 2012 flagship, delivering a large screen, a thin, light chassis, high-quality camera, feature-packed software, expandable storage and impressive performance. Throw in a massive marketing effort and widespread availability on just about every carrier on the planet, and it’s easy to see why Sammy’s shifted over 30 million S3s since launch. But if the Galaxy S3 didn’t top our list back in July, then what’s changed this time around? Well, the main answer is Jelly Bean. Over the past couple of months, most Galaxy S3 models have been upgraded to Android 4.1, introducing the crucial “Project Butter” performance improvements to an already fast smartphone. This means in day-to-day use a Jelly Bean’d Galaxy S3 is every bit as fast as a Nexus 4, while having the advantage of improved camera performance. The latter part of the year has also heralded the launch of the international Galaxy S3 LTE (GT-i9305) in Europe, making this device an easy first choice Android phone on fledgling European LTE networks. Build quality and display fidelity stand out as areas of weakness for the S3. Its 720p SuperAMOLED panel isn’t bad, but put it side-by-side with the One X+’s SuperLCD2 or the Nexus 4’s IPS panel and the difference is clear. And the use of an AMOLED screen means daylight visibility is automatically poorer than the LCD-based competition. The decision to aim for a thin, light chassis means the S3 is constructed mostly of shiny plastic, which feels cheaper than competing devices like the Nexus 4. HTC One X+ A supercharged follow-up to HTC’s leading One series phone, the One X+ was released in Europe in October, with a U.S. launch on AT&T following in November. The One X+ addresses many of our gripes with the original One X, improving battery life and swapping the shiny polycarbonate of the original for a sleek soft-touch finish. The One X+ inherits its predecessor’s gorgeous SuperLCD2 screen, which remains the best-looking display you’ll find outside of a Droid DNA. That’s one of the areas in which it compares favorably against the other phones on our list. The 64GB of built-in storage is also a huge plus, and it’s formatted as one big partition that can be filled with apps or media, allowing you to use it however you like. The 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3 CPU also has a slight edge in gaming performance, thanks to NVIDIA’s courtship of the Android game developer community. Software-wise, you’ve got Jelly Bean and HTC Sense 4+, which is more than sufficient for a pretty speedy smartphone experience -- though not quite as responsive as the other phones on our list in certain cases. HTC’s ImageSense tech shines through in stills taken with the 8MP rear camera, resulting in instant captures and excellent still shots given the right conditions. Video performance, though lagging behind the Samsung competition, is nonetheless decent. A few minor qualms -- the One X+ is pricey, and the LTE version isn’t yet widespread outside of the U.S. What’s more, we found battery life to be a little less robust than we’d have liked, though still an improvement on that of the original One X. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 The original Galaxy Note was a quirky device that defied the odds to win worldwide consumer approval. In the past year, the Note and its successor have shifted tens of millions of units, and cemented the asinine term "phablet" in the popular smartphone consciousness. The Note 2 proves Samsung is serious about this half-phone, half-tablet form factor. The Note 2 packs Sammy's fastest quad-core CPU, surpassing even the S3 in horsepower. The 5.5-inch screen, while "only" being a 720p panel, ups the ante in terms of subpixel density, thanks to its use of a non-PenTile matrix arrangement (translation: it's more detailed than the Galaxy S3.) For a 5.5-inch smartphone, it's surprisingly hand and pocket-friendly. Samsung has reduced the Note 2's girth compared to the original by adopting a 16:9 aspect ratio and cutting down on horizontal bezel. And it's done so without making the Note 2 feel either bulky or flimsy. The overall impression is of a substantial, well-designed device that's comfortable with its extra heft. It's anything but half-assed. The Galaxy Note 2 is a whole-assed device. Software-wise, the Galaxy Note 2 shares a lot in common with the Galaxy S3. Both run Jelly Bean -- the Note out of the box, the S3 with an over-the-air upgrade. Both include the TouchWiz Nature UX, and all the extra features and visual clutter that that brings. Like its little brother, it's exceedingly fast. But the Note 2's most impressive features are the ones that are unique to it. The bundled S Pen stylus is easier to use and well-implemented in software, improving tasks as simple as text entry, or as complex as writing an equation. And the "multi-window" feature offers a glimpse into the future of smartphones, with true multitasking allowing two apps on-screen at the same time. In a nutshell, the Note 2 is a technological marvel. Samsung's crammed every last possible morsel of hardware and software goodness into this device, and that's why it's made our top four. The Android Central recommendation Samsung Galaxy S3 - the best international Android phone you can buy That's right, the Samsung Galaxy S3. Measured against all other international contenders, Samsung's flagship comes out on top, in our opinion. Competitors may have it bested in individual areas, but it's the S3's strong performance across the board that's won it our recommendation. Its speed and responsiveness on the latest Jelly Bean-based firmware is on par with that of the Nexus 4. And unlike the current Nexus, its got one of the best cameras on any phone, along with removable storage, and fixed storage options up to 64GB. What's more, it's available on about every LTE carrier in the world, whereas the Nexus currently lacks official LTE support, and the international One X+ LTE is AWOL at the time of writing. And while on paper the One X+ may seem more appealing in other areas, it's also a lot more expensive, not quite as speedy, and lacks the proven battery life of the S3. The S3 shines as an excellent all-rounder, but you might rightly ask why we chose it over its bigger, stronger, faster sibling, the Note 2. The fact is that the Note's gigantic size prevents it from stealing the S3's mainstream crown. Most consumers don't need a device of this size, and the Galaxy S3 delivers most of the features of the Note 2 in a more pocket-friendly (and wallet-friendly) package. For most, the S3 the best fit.Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), only eight percent of the nation's energy comes from geothermal, solar, wind and biomass sources, which are renewable. Non-renewable resources include petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Ores, diamonds and gold are also classified as nonrenewable resources. The U.S. Department of Energy states that oil, gas and coal supply more than 85 percent of the total energy usage for Americans, including nearly 100 percent of fuel for transportation. Oil Petroleum provides over 40 percent of the nation's energy needs. The United States imports 51 percent of its oil and petroleum products like asphalt, jet fuel, diesel fuel and chemical feed stocks. 99% of the vehicles on our roads use petroleum. The United States Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy is responsible for ensuring that the U.S. can make immediate responses to threats to the oil supply and for overseeing that American oil fields are continuously able to produce. Coal In the mid-20th century, coal was the leading energy resource in the United States. Petroleum and natural gas eventually supplanted coal as the nation's major energy source. However, by the mid-1980s, coal again became the leading fuel source in the United States. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that because of its abundance and inexpensive cost, coal produces about 50 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. However, in comparison to oil and natural gas, coal contributes more carbon dioxide per unit of energy. Sciencing Video Vault Geothermal The renewable resource called geothermal energy comes from heat produced by the Earth. Geothermal energy comes from hot water and hot molten rock (magma) deep near the Earth's core. In addition, shallow water as far down as ten feet below the Earth's surface maintains a constant year-round temperature of around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Underground pipes extract heated water from the Earth and feed it to a building where a heat pump removes the heat. The system also pulls cool air from the building and pumps it into the Earth. Wind Between 2007 and 2008, the number of kilowatt-hours generated by wind power worldwide increased about 25 percent. Although the United States surpassed Germany as the leading producer of wind power in 2008, only 1.3 percent of the U.S. electricity need is met from this source. Wind turbines, which can extend as high as 300 feet, have blades attached to a generator that creates electricity. Organized in groups, these turbines can provide significant amounts of power for commercial electrical grids. The system requires winds of at least 8 miles per hour for 18 hours a day to generate electricity. BiomassTony Gwynn Jr., the son of the Baseball Hall of Famer, played at Poway High, San Diego State and for eight seasons in the major leagues for four teams, including the Padres. He lives in San Diego and works as a broadcaster for the Dodgers. He wrote this essay for the Union-Tribune. My dad was on the National League All-Star team 15 times. I wasn’t even 2 years old when he made it the first time in 1984, so I was too young to remember many of them. The one I will never forget was in 1994 in Pittsburgh when I was 11. It’s regarded as one of the greatest games in All-Star Game history. There were five lead changes, the National League won 8-7, and my dad scored the winning run in the 10th inning. I had gone to the game with him before that, but the one in Pittsburgh is the one that stands out. Carlos Osorio / ASSOCIATED PRESS San Diego Padres Tony Gwynn slides safely home with the winning run past Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez in the 10th inning of the 65th All Star Game Tuesday, July 12, 1994 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburg, The National League won 8-7. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) San Diego Padres Tony Gwynn slides safely home with the winning run past Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez in the 10th inning of the 65th All Star Game Tuesday, July 12, 1994 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburg, The National League won 8-7. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) (Carlos Osorio / ASSOCIATED PRESS) When the game was in Toronto in 1991, I was hanging out with Ozzie Smith’s son. I think we stayed up for a 24-hour period. I fell asleep during the game and didn’t see one inning of it. The next year it was in San Diego. With all the hustle and bustle, I didn’t really get to do any of the activities because my dad was being pulled in all kinds of directions. I didn’t really get to enjoy that one because I was in the stands. I was stuck in terrible seats. But I did have a good view of watching him throw two runners out at second base, which tied an All-Star Game record. I didn’t go in 1993 when it was in Arlington, Texas. It was the first time I got to be an All-Star in Little League, for Poway American. That was my first All-Star experience, so I wasn’t going to miss that. Then came 1994. I had been with my dad for Home Run Derby and the workout the day before the game, but ’94 was the first time I got to go on game day and actually go in the clubhouse. Part of the reason might have been the players were going on strike and my dad knew it was going to happen, so maybe he wanted to make sure he took advantage of that, not knowing what was going to come of it. Special Tribute: Tony Gwynn remembered Special Tribute: Tony Gwynn remembered SEE MORE VIDEOS My first memory is walking in the clubhouse and seeing Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. They were the first two guys who seemed like they wanted to have a conversation with me. And then Mike Piazza after that. And Moises Alou. I was good to go at that point. I was mingling with the guys I see on TV all the time. It was like, “Wow.” As a kid, when you’re around people every day, when you’re 11 years old, you think these guys
bend the laws of time, logic and physics. This means that arguments that focus on the feasibility of a global flood, for instance — complicated analyses of how much water would be required, if food could be provided for Noah's animals and the construction of his ark — can be swept away and ignored. The concept of 'God did it' can be used to create unfalsifiable theories. A creationist need never doubt creation because God could have made anything. It may also be used as a euphemism to indicate something that cannot yet be explained by natural laws, most likely due to lack of information or knowledge. Despite the convenience of the Goddidit explanation, entire reams of literature have been written by creationists to avoid it, attempting to present a scientific-sounding narrative instead, with Goddidit called in to whitewash over the flaws. There are a few small gaps in most fossil records linking one species to another. Goddidit! No one knows what is the (if there is any) carrier force of gravity. Goddidit! Love is a strong and mysterious emotion. Goddidit! The universe appears rather fine-tuned for life on earth. Goddidit! We cannot explain how memory works. Goddidit! This chicken mayonnaise sandwich is delicious. Goddidit! Mormonism: Joseph Smith, the main prophet of Mormonism, had originally provided translations of mysterious golden plates he claimed had been given to him by the angel Moroni. Martin Harris, his supporter, had borrowed the translated works but then lost them. If Smith were truly translating from golden plates then he should have been able to repeat the translation process in order to create something very similar to his original work. However, Smith introduced a deus ex machina by claiming that God had told him not to re-translate the missing works. Some believe that Harris's wife, Lucy, had deliberately hidden Smith's translated work in order to expose him as a fraud when he'd obviously be unable to recreate the missing manuscripts. Deus ex machina [ edit ] A deus ex machina (Latin for "god from the machine"[note 2]) is an improbable plot device that has been employed in fiction (often in the fantasy genre) to abruptly resolve problems within a story, and operates in a very similar fashion to Goddidit and the god of the gaps argument. Ad hoc reasoning may be employed in attempts to justify the intervention, since these events by their nature will often appear inconsistent with the narrative. The phrase is Latin, but the concept is Greek in origin, and derived from the practice of introducing divine intervention into stories that have reached some kind of impasse. In Greek theatre, actors representing the gods would be winched onto the stage from a crane (hence the "machine" in this phrase). The gods of Greek mythology were highly anthropomorphic, like Yahweh of the Old Testament, and would meddle frequently in the affairs of mortals.[note 3] This in some ways helped justify the arbitrary actions of gods in Greek plays, but overuse of this construct could lead to poorly structured stories with little scope for clever twists. It is difficult for readers to feel any sense of concern for characters in difficulties if they know that a convenient deity was always waiting in the wings. Conventional storytelling usually has an element of justice: good characters overcome difficulties, and wicked or corrupt characters get their comeuppance. Often this occurs organically through strengths or flaws of the characters determining the outcomes of their interactions, but in deus ex machina solutions, the tensions are resolved by an unexpected factor which (usually) restores the balance in a similar way. In the case of gods, justice was imposed from above, rather than by the protagonists. Falldidit [ edit ] Falldidit is a member of the main trio of arguments used by creationists when it is inappropriate to use goddidit due to conflict with Omnibenevolence. (The other two arguments are flooddidit and satandidit.) This is an example of a theodicy. Falldidit is the primary rebuttal for any inconvenient medical or biological fact, or even social principle that suggests that God's design is less than perfect. It is rooted in the concept of Original sin, and how "the Fall" instigated a general breakdown of the processes that underpin God's perfect creation. Usage is as follows: Scientist: Here's a bad thing we discovered. Creationist: God's design is perfect, so your evidence is flawed. Scientist: Here's more evidence. Creationist: You are misinterpreting the evidence. Scientist: Here's more evidence, which will show the existence of the bad thing even if you interpret it your way. Creationist: Falldidit. The biblical evils that occurred as a result of Eve's misbehavior are well-documented, however the Bible fails to mention all of the other horrible things that directly resulted. Disease: All disease is easy to explain using falldidit. First there was no disease, then there was Eve's misbehavior, then disease. Fortunately microbiology was founded by Christians, all beneficial research was done by Christians, and microbiology disproves evolution. Sadly most progress against disease had halted because there are not enough creationist microbiologists: In today’s world, there is a failure of scientists to recognize the clear evidence of the Creator’s hand in the world around us… If a biblical worldview comes back, we might again have more medical discoveries and an increase the quality of life of mankind.[5] Oncogenes: Oncogenes are genes in humans (and other animals) which create cancer. They were discovered in chickens in the 1970s, and their presence in humans was confirmed in the 1980s. As they are essentially "self-destruct" buttons, their purpose seems to not fit in with God's design. Hence falldidit.[6] Oncogenes actually exist to give us (and, presumably, chickens) a physical reminder of the true wages of sin. The jury is still out on why God elected to use AIDS as divine retribution for homosexuality (accidentally targeting many other people in the process) to allow gays to catch Kaposi's sarcoma, but hey, mysterious ways. Viruses: If god created everything, and the fall turned all of god's good things bad, what did viruses do before the fall? Answer: before the fall they brought happiness and joy, and survived on God's love. Then falldidit,[7] and viruses became little killing machines. This is wrong in itself because viruses do not need to'survive' - they blur the line between life and non-life, and we honestly don't know what to call them (are they life or not?). They lack the ability to grow, create waste products, and reproduce independently. Therefore the explanation itself is invalid. Neanderthals: What about Neanderthals? Answer: falldidit[8] — they were just normal people who got attacked by viruses. Nociception: Nociception refers to the entire set of mechanisms in the body that communicate and monitor pain. It includes the entire afferent nervous system as well as multiple regions of the brain. However before the fall there was no pain. Hence our entire neurology for dealing with pain was a case of falldidit. No one seems to be able to explain rationally when or how it got installed; presumably, God was in a charitable mood, and massively altered our neurology for the sake of completeness. Mutations: Because of falldidit, God's perfect creation is turning to shite. Apparently God builds stuff like Ikea, it looks good for a while but falls apart much more quickly than you expect. Since the fall, all sorts of genetic diseases have come about because DNA is like a Lego spaceship being handed to a 3-year old. Tay-Sachs? Falldidit. Down's Syndrome? Falldidit. Fortunately for creationists, evolution is impossible because mutations cannot ever be positive; they can only corrupt and destroy healthy things![9] Incest: Falldidit. Prior to the Fall you could God commanded you to bang your sister whatever your rib has become[note 4] (Genesis 2:22).[note 5] But then the Fall came, and because of the potential genetic defects, you now have to stop lusting after your sibling and yourself. Hmm… How did Cain's wife (Genesis 4:17) come into existence again? But banging your rib until Adam died is still okay, for some odd reason. As Answers in Genesis explains; “ ” It's considered unwise nowadays (and illegal in many states) to marry someone too closely related to you. Why? Because you greatly increase the odds that bad genes will show up… That would not have been a problem, by the way, shortly after creation (no problem for Cain and his wife, for example). —Answers in Incest Porn Genesis[10] Why incest would have been okremains a bit of a mystery, however. Why it was still ok totally normal for Lot to have sex with his daughters (Genesis 19:30) or for Abraham to marry his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), long after the Fall, remains a mystery. But, then again, God works in mysterious ways. Flooddidit [ edit ] Flooddidit is a member of the main trio of arguments used by creationists when goddidit can't be applied. (The other two arguments are falldidit and satandidit.) Flooddidit is used to summarily dismiss the entire bodies of knowledge science has acquired in astronomy, geology, paleontology, geophysics, physical geography, geomorphology, climatology, meteorology, glaciology, and hydrology. It is primarily an attempt to argue that chapters 6 to 9 of Genesis represent literal fact, and hence Noah really did build a boat, God really did flood the earth and 99.9% of everyone and everything died as a result. In creationist publications it is generally referred to as Flood geology. In the early days of the Enlightenment, genuine efforts were made to come up with a naturalistic interpretation of the events recounted in Genesis. However, by 1830, the scientific community had largely abandoned the attempt. This was because the geological actions of localized floods had been studied and well-documented by then, and everyone (including the Reverend William Buckland, the 'father' of modern geology who had originally been an influential advocate of biblical accuracy) conceded that there was simply no similarity with large scale geology. Flooddidit as we know it today was born in 1961 when Henry M. Morris and John C. Whitcomb, Jr. published The Genesis Flood: The Biblical Record and Its Scientific Implications. This book was heavily based on the 1954 book The Christian View of Science and Scripture by Douglas Ramm (which also acted as the source for most of the footnotes). Throughout the 1960s the book languished in obscurity, but it began to become popular with evangelicals in the late 1960s. Morris went on to establish the Institute for Creation Research in 1970. As with falldidit and satandidit, flooddidit requires an incredibly inconsistent application of certain processes, in this case specifically to do with erosion, sediment deposition, bacterial growth rates, and volcanoes. Essentially, all geological formations can be explained by a huge amount of water rising, lots of volcanoes, a massive amount of erosion, a lot of volcanoes dying mysteriously, and then water pushing rocks around, while bacteria decide to behave in ways never observed since. In the case of the so-called "zenithic" rocks, the rocks were actually created by the water itself.[11] Once relieved of the need for any actual evidence, flooddidit is a supremely powerful explanatory tool. Chalk beds don't take millions of years to build up, because "…under cataclysmic Flood conditions, explosive blooms of tiny organisms like coccolithophores could produce the chalk beds in a short space of time."[12] Fossil forests? "…the geological evidence is more consistent with the trees having been uprooted from another place, and carried into position by catastrophic volcanic mudflows"[12] Why is there so much sedimentary rock and why is it so diverse? Because "…moving water transports sediment into a ‘basin’ and, once deposited, it is isolated from the system. The same volume of water can pick up more sediment as it is driven across the continents, for example, by earth movements during the Flood."[12] Oh, and by the way, there was an ice age immediately afterwards. The Bible accidentally forgot to mention it. Satandidit [ edit ] Satandidit (or Luciferdidit) is a member of the main trio of arguments used by Christian creationists when applying goddidit leads to conflicts about some of the perceived attributes of God. (The other two arguments are falldidit and flooddidit.). Satandidit is primarily used when falldidit and flooddidit are not applicable. The argument stems from the story of the angel Lucifer daring to question the will of God and being permanently outcast from Heaven. Apparently because Lucifer (later referred to as Satan, although the link crosses testaments and does raise some questions of whether the two names are the same) was a bad guy, humanity will be punished instead. Seems fair. This also ignores the opinion that most theologians hold — that is, Satan has no actual means of affecting the world other than directly planting temptations in people's heads. Examples: Alvin Plantinga is a serious and widely-renowned Christian philosopher whose explanation for animal suffering is, literally, Satanic influence on the evolutionary process.[13] Some Christian fundamentalist preachers have suggested that Satan is responsible for spreading fossils across the globe, in order to "deliberately deceive" scientists into doubting the existence of God. Flat Earthers of the fundamentalist variety believe Satan is responsible for deceiving people that the world is round. Aliensdidit [ edit ] sure this is part of the mission objectives?" "Umm, Captain Prometheus, are youthis is part of the mission objectives?" “ ” For all I know we may be visited by a different extraterrestrial civilization every second Tuesday, but there's no support for this appealing idea. The extraordinary claims are not supported by extraordinary evidence. —Carl Sagan, Encyclopedia Galactica Aliensdidit postulates that extraterrestrials are responsible for literally everything interfering with human history, usually by genetically engineering us to be more intelligent, giving us technology, or by starting life itself. As a hypothesis for abiogenesis, this is known as panspermia; when the aliens did a little bit more and actually affected evolution, it's directed panspermia.[14] Like most odd-ball conjectures about how the universe works and came to be, there is no actual evidence that aliens did anything to the planet, ever. The only "evidence" is that there are currently things that naturalistic science hasn't fully explained yet, or things that it has explained but the aliensdidit-proponents didn't understand. Consequently that leaves us with "aliens of the gaps" instead of God of the gaps. Ultimately, the argument comes down to "I can't figure this out, so aliens must have done it". The problem, of course, is that attributing something to some celestial beings doesn't make understanding it any easier. With respect to the origin or diversity of life on Earth, aliensdidit is a subset of intelligent design (ID). However, it should be considered something of an illegitimate stepchild of ID, since ID was never meant to be anything other than a simple redress of Goddidit. By leaving the "designer" vague and obfuscated, yet still supernatural, it allowed for fundamentalist interpretations to be made by implication while masquerading as science. Aliensdidit therefore provides a handy secular excuse version of ID to try and show that it isn't just creationism in a cheap lab coat. By pinning the designer down to be aliens, ID becomes naturalistic; advanced alien race created or seeded life on Earth, which is vaguely plausible as the laws of the universe don't exclude alien life existing and interfering with us. The claim must ultimately revert back to evolution and natural selection — i.e., in order to explain how the aliens themselves developed. Still, the evidence points to an undirected evolution, via natural selection — there is no evidence that actively suggests alien involvement in the development of life. It's plausible (or at least not implausible), but just highly unlikely and with little, if any, evidence to back it up (obviously). Put simply, aliensdidit is the naturalistic version of Goddidit for people who still can't deal with things they find difficult to understand, but still want to act smug because at least they don't believe in God. Francis Crick, who co-discovered the structure of DNA never strongly held the aliensdidit view, but only advanced it as a possibility. Richard Dawkins, despite what was claimed in the ID film Expelled by the smug narrator Ben Stein, does not believe in aliensdidit; he specifically stated that it was the most plausible mechanism by which Intelligent Design can be true. Not "I believe in space aliens" as Stein suggested after that segment of the film. Aliensdidit doesn't actually explain the origin of life, because where did the aliens come from? If they say the aliens just evolved without help, then the same thing can be said about humans. How can an even more complex form of life evolve without help, but not humans? Examples: Zecharia Sitchin suggested that, since some human genes have no homologs in other species, they were inserted into the human genome by aliens. [15] Sam Chang suggested that, since some human DNA sequences have homologs in other species, they were inserted by "extraterrestrial programmers". [16] Ancient astronauts: While there is a crowd that suggests that life here began "out there", one of the key aliensdidit type beliefs is that human civilisation began due to alien intervention. Erich von Däniken‎ even credits aliens with altering early man's DNA to create the first "intelligence" by taking sperm from a man, genetically engineering it and placing it in a woman, an event he says formed the basis of the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. [17] This argument, however, relies heavily on the credulousness of the listener. The proponent begins by claiming that early man lived in caves, hitting things with rocks, and "suddenly" started building large stone structures with advanced technology using information they could not possibly have worked out for themselves, such as the positions of stars and the location of the North pole. By reinforcing the false perception that ancient people were not capable of deep intellectual thought, proponents of alien interventions claim that things like Stonehenge, the Pyramids and the Mayan calendar are mysteries that science can't explain. So after creating their own mystery, they provide their own answer: aliensdidit. The much simpler explanation, and the one generally accepted by mainstream science due to the evidence available, is that humans were still evolving and becoming more intelligent up until the end of the last ice age. At the beginning of the Holocene era, the most recent geological epoch, humans began to form permanent settlements, developing language which enabled the sharing of information. As these settlements grew larger, more information was shared and a greater number of people were available for large undertakings. The "ancients" merely did in stone what we do today in steel and concrete: build large structures for the powerful in our groups, so they can advertise and maintain their status. While there is a crowd that suggests that life here began "out there", one of the key aliensdidit type beliefs is that human began due to alien intervention. Erich von Däniken‎ even credits aliens with altering early man's DNA to create the first "intelligence" by taking sperm from a man, genetically engineering it and placing it in a woman, an event he says formed the basis of the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. This argument, however, relies heavily on the credulousness of the listener. The proponent begins by claiming that early man lived in caves, hitting things with rocks, and "suddenly" started building large stone structures with advanced technology using information they could not possibly have worked out for themselves, such as the positions of stars and the location of the North pole. By reinforcing the false perception that ancient people were not capable of deep intellectual thought, proponents of alien interventions claim that things like Stonehenge, the Pyramids and the Mayan calendar are mysteries that science can't explain. So after creating their own mystery, they provide their own answer: aliensdidit. The much simpler explanation, and the one generally accepted by mainstream science due to the evidence available, is that humans were still evolving and becoming more intelligent up until the end of the last ice age. At the beginning of the Holocene era, the most recent geological epoch, humans began to form permanent settlements, developing language which enabled the sharing of information. As these settlements grew larger, more information was shared and a greater number of people were available for large undertakings. The "ancients" merely did in stone what we do today in steel and concrete: build large structures for the powerful in our groups, so they can advertise and maintain their status. Modern technology: The final category of aliensdidit has nothing to do with jump-starting life or human evolution, but deals with today's technologies. This view argues that revolutionary technologies like transistors, fiber optics, digital computers, cell phones, and military technology like night vision and stealth aircraft weren't developed after years of research here on Earth, but rather it was reverse engineered after the Roswell crash. [18] Because of the interaction required between aliens and established governments, this belief crosses into the territory of conspiracy theory. These conspiracy theorists claim that in exchange for advanced technology the aliens are allowed to abduct us (and stick probes up our butts). [19] The final category of aliensdidit has nothing to do with jump-starting life or human evolution, but deals with today's technologies. This view argues that revolutionary technologies like transistors, fiber optics, digital computers, cell phones, and military technology like night vision and stealth aircraft weren't developed after years of research here on Earth, but rather it was after the Roswell crash. Because of the interaction required between aliens and established governments, this belief crosses into the territory of conspiracy theory. These conspiracy theorists claim that in exchange for advanced technology the aliens are allowed to abduct us (and stick probes up our butts). Clarke's laws: Clarke's third law dictates "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." While this is not a formal law of the universe by any stretch of the imagination, Arthur C. Clarke was quite perceptive about this one. The idea that advanced technology appears "magical" may go most of the way to explain aliensdidit beliefs; people lacking the ability to understand advanced technology or how biology can lead to complex evolution just view the whole thing as magical, and therefore attribute it to an equally magical, otherworldly origin. Others [ edit ] NWOdidit : Anything in any government anywhere changes in any way? NWO did it! : Anything in any government anywhere changes in any way? Jewsdidit: Got a mysterious event, but the NWO isn't racist enough? Jews did it! See also [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] References [ edit ]ROME (Reuters) - Desperate Somali mothers are abandoning their dying children by the roadside as they travel to overwhelmed emergency food centers in drought-hit eastern Africa, U.N. aid officials said Monday. A newly arrived Somali refugee carries her child as they await medical examinations at the Dadaab refugee camp, near the Kenya-Somalia border, July 23, 2011. REUTERS/Kabir Dhanji Josette Sheeran, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, told a conference in Rome that a combination of natural disaster and regional conflict was affecting more than 12 million people. “We are seeing all the points able to distribute food completely overwhelmed,” she said, adding that a camp in Dadaab in Kenya that was built for 90,000 people now housed 400,000. “We want to make sure the supplies are there along the road because some of them are becoming roads of death where mothers are having to abandon their children who are too weak to make it or who have died along the way,” she said. Women and children were among the most at risk in the crisis, Sheeran said, calling it the “children’s famine” given the number of children at risk of death or permanent stunting of their brains and bodies due to hunger. The WFP will feed 2.5 million malnourished children and is trying to raise money for more, she said. HORRIBLE CHOICE “I believe it is the children’s famine, because the ones who are the weakest are the children and those are the ones we’re seeing are the least likely to make it,” Sheeran told Reuters. “We’ve heard of women making the horrible choice of leaving behind their weaker children to save the stronger ones or having children die in their arms.” Ministers and senior officials met at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome Monday to discuss how to mobilize aid following the worst drought in decades in a region stretching from Somalia to Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. The WFP said it needed an extra $360 million in urgent funds. Oxfam said that overall another $1 billion was needed to handle the situation. The World Bank said in a statement it was providing more than $500 million to assist drought victims, in addition to $12 million in immediate aid to help those worst hit. Amid warnings that urgent action was required to stop a humanitarian disaster spreading across the Horn of Africa, officials said there was still a chance to support people and help them resume livelihoods as farmers, fishers and herders. Governments worldwide and the U.N. have been criticized for their slow response to the severe drought but they face severe problems getting aid to a region in the grip of a raging conflict across much of southern Somalia. The U.N. has declared a famine in two regions of Somalia and warned it could spread further afield. Years of anarchic conflict in southern Somalia have exacerbated the emergency, preventing aid agencies from helping communities in the area. Nearly 135,000 Somalis have fled since January, mainly to neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia. The WFP has said it cannot reach more than 2 million Somalis facing starvation in areas controlled by Islamist militants, who imposed a food aid ban in 2010 and have regularly threatened relief groups. Oxfam’s Barbara Stocking said it was very difficult for staff to access parts of Somalia but it was working with local partners to provide aid and they were trying to help them scale up their support in the current crisis.It’s remarkable how quickly tribalism can capture people. Three years ago, only a small number of politicians and commentators advocated leaving the European Union. Reform it, yes; complain about it, always. But actually quit? That was a Ukip cause. But now a lot of people, having drunk the Brexit brew, are quite heady. It’s not just that they have been converted to the Brexit cause, it’s that they can’t see how anyone sensible could disagree with it – or them. They belong to a new tribe: the Brexiteers. And any problems in their project are immediately blamed on the others. Listen to the arguments now. The Brexiteers are not to blame for an EU divorce bill many times their estimates — the Europeans are. The Brexiteers are not to blame for risking a hard border with Ireland or an economic border with Northern Ireland — the Irish are. The Brexiteers are not to blame for the miserable come-down from an artificial high — the Remainers are. The problem is that Remainers are half the country, or a significant chunk even once you factor in those who have supposedly made their peace with Brexit. Brexiteers are ushering us into a Brave New World, too defensive to care that they are leaving behind a great many who prefer the world they have just now. These Remoaners just want Britain to fail. To Scots, this displacement tribalism taking hold in Westminster sounds wearily familiar. Not so long ago, an independence referendum converted a great many people to a new cause: people who had been ambivalent about the union suddenly saw it as a defining issue. Since it lost that referendum in September 2014, the SNP’s tune has grown darker. The Nationalists convinced themselves that their opponents were lesser Scots, their rejection of independence a rejection of the country itself. They were ‘a parcel of rogues’ to Alex Salmond, ‘talking down Scotland’ to Nicola Sturgeon. Now the Nationalists find themselves on the wrong side of public opinion, stubbornly unswung by Brexit, and they confront a country they can’t read as readily as they once did. The SNP rails against the Tories, Labour, troublesome journalists, off-message academics, and unpatriotic businesses because they cannot rail against the voters, who have shown themselves to be lesser Scots. The SNP can neither fathom nor forgive them for it. The tragicomedy of a national movement at odds with its own nation should give Brexiteers pause. When Ruth Davidson made opposition to a ‘divisive second referendum on independence’ the centrepiece of her General Election campaign, all but the smartest Scottish Nationalists scoffed. What histrionics! The referendum was a joyous spring in the life of our democracy! The nation was awakened by it! Half the nation was but the other half was horrified by the rancour and polarisation and was prepared to do anything to avoid a repeat — even lending their votes to the Tories. Those who do not feel invested in Brexit will feel little loyalty to it in the long term. Could this see a rearguard action to take us back into the EU? Perhaps, if things go catastrophically, but that is a secondary point. A sizeable slice of the country feels alienated from the biggest policy change in decades. This matters because it goes to the heart of identity. Just as independence was never really about the Union but about how Scots viewed themselves and Scotland, Brexit is less about Europe than about Britain. Many Remainers do not have a strong European identity but they have a strong sense of what kind of country Britain is — or at least they thought they did. They thought Britain was open, compassionate, reliable — not exceptional but one of the good guys. Now they see (or at least think that they see) a country driving away immigrants and celebrating it; a country apparently hellbent on insulting, offending, and exasperating our neighbours in Ireland; a country retreating into mean provincialism. You might say such fears are misplaced, but listen to the tone adopted by so many Brexiteers. The scorn with which they refer to the vanquished ‘Remoaners’, how they talk about them as enemies, not opponents. And yes, not all Brexiteers do this – but rather a lot of them do. Wittingly or not. When they bark at Remainers to ‘get over it’, you suspect it’s because they know they have screwed up and are seeking safety in numbers. Remainers have more or less got over it and (polls show) accept that we are leaving the EU. But the acrimonious behaviour of the Leavers has entrenched Brexit as a cultural wedge issue that may well endure long after we have left. It’s as if the Brexiteers, insurgents who stormed the establishment, still want some barricades to rush. Scotland’s nationalists lost their referendum but won the culture war; today Scotland is more distinctive and independent-minded than ever before. England’s nationalists won their referendum but they are losing the culture war. The risk for them is that Brexit becomes a shorthand for whatever displeases or distresses in the coming years. Still-sluggish growth? Blame Brexit. A staffing crisis in the NHS? Blame Brexit. No money for public services? Blame Brexit. After the publication of False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism, Margaret Thatcher asked of its author: ‘Whatever happened to John Gray? He used to be one of us.’ Some on the right might ask the same. What happened to Tim Montgomerie? There are two men in all of England who truly understand conservatism and Roger Scruton is the other one. But Montgomerie, always a Eurosceptic, has been radicalised and now spruiks the benefits of a ‘no deal’ Brexit, an acutely unconservative outcome he once warned against. Behold tribalism at full strength. Tribalism tells you to swallow your doubts, stick up for your side, and give no quarter to the enemy. It told the Scottish Nationalists all these things and they believed them and they lost. The Brexiteers may have won on referendum day, but tribalism can still make them losers.NEW DELHI: Chinese media, which is familiar with journalists being thrown out of Beijing, has now accused India of "having a suspicious mind" and has threatened it with "serious consequences", for expelling three of its journalists.Beijing should now respond to the expulsion with a tit for tat towards India, Global Times, the Chinese state-run news outlet wrote on Monday.The expulsion of journalists is familiar territory for China and its media. Just six months ago, China expelled a French journalist for refusing to apologize for an article she wrote that was critical of Beijing's policy towards Muslims in Xinjiang. China was severely criticized then for attempting to muzzle and intimidate the foreign press.India reportedly expelled the Chinese journalists because it believed they were impersonating people to gain access to sensitive and restricted areas and were therefore a security threat.The state-run Global Times pooh-poohed these reports. It said that New Delhi's real reason was to take "revenge due to the Nuclear Suppliers Group membership issue". Beijing last month blocked India getting membership to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).The tit for tat that Global Times advocated is on the issuance of visas to Indians."On the visa issue this time, we should take actions to display our reaction. We at least should make a few Indians feel Chinese visas are also not easy to get," Global Times wrote.The article also said India's attitude is a result of its society's "soaring nationalism" of recent years."Crowned by Western public opinion as the world's biggest democracy, the Indians have a strong sense of pride," Global Times wrote.As for the reports that the journalists were impersonating people and meeting with Tibetan activists exiled from China, Global Times quoted one of its own former India-based journalists as saying there was "absolutely no need for" Chinese journalists to impersonate anyone."It is completely normal for reporters to request interviews with the Dalai Lama group," said Lü Pengfei, former India-based special correspondent with the Global Times, according to the article.India always causes problems in giving visa to people from China, the Global Times article alleged."No matter whether Chinese reporters apply for a long-term or a temporary journalist visa, they will come across many troubles. Complaints about difficulties of acquiring an Indian visa have also been heard from other Chinese who deal with India. In contrast, it's much easier for Indians to get a Chinese visa," it added.Clayton Donaldson joined Birmingham from Brentford in the summer Clayton Donaldson scored twice to knock Watford off the top of the Championship as Gary Rowett maintained his unbeaten start as Birmingham boss. Donaldson turned in Stephen Gleeson's pass with a deflected shot to put the home side ahead after 80 seconds. Fernando Forestieri brought Watford level quickly, converting Lloyd Doyley's cross at the second attempt. But Donaldson headed in a cross from David Cotterill to seal Birmingham's second win in 26 home league games. Despite the victory, Birmingham remain in the Championship's bottom three because of Brighton's win over Wigan. But Rowett - who began his reign with a 0-0 draw at Wolves on Saturday - has brought about a significant improvement in a team who lost their previous home match 8-0 to Bournemouth. Birmingham's home help Since beating Millwall on 1 October 2013, Birmingham had won just one home league game before overcoming Watford - defeating Brighton 1-0 on 16 August They went ahead from their first attack as Gleeson, in space on the left, found Donaldson, who stretched to beat keeper Heurelho Gomes from 15 yards with the help of a deflection. Watford equalised as Forestieri collected Doyley's ball and side-stepped a defender to beat Darren Randolph from eight yards after the keeper saved his first effort. The dangerous Cotterill curled a shot wide from outside the area, then struck a free-kick that forced a good save from Gomes, who also pushed away a long-range Gleeson shot. Randolph saved well from Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney to keep the score level at the break. There were fewer clear chances in the second half, with Gleeson volleying wide and Watford midfielder Daniel Tozser making an important block to deny David Davis. Media playback is not supported on this device Rowett on Birmingham v Watford But Donaldson won it with five minutes left when he nodded Cotterill's right-wing cross past Gomes to end Watford's nine-match unbeaten run. Birmingham manager Gary Rowett: "I certainly think we shouldn't play with any fear here. You could see the pressure on one or two at some stage but I felt they overcame it very well. "The crowd will get behind you but only if you give them something. They were ready to grab something and that performance will have encouraged them." Watford head coach Slavisa Jokanovic: "I am disappointed because it wasn't a good result for us. We tried to take control of the game and we had possession of the ball but we played slowly. "We made some changes because we had some injured people and Fernando didn't start the last game. It's not an excuse, I don't believe my team was tired."Continue Reading Below Advertisement Still, if two Venezuelans run into each other while backpacking in Mongolia and start talking about Pokemon, at some point the conversation will turn to crime. It's the one thing we all have in common -- if two Alaskans meet in Hawaii, they're going to start talking about the weather. Crime becomes your cultural touchstone. Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images "You know, having coffee with you really reminds me of when I was robbed at a coffee shop." And it doesn't matter where you're from, or how much money you make. In university, I had several friends who came from a Scrooge McDuckian background. One of my friend's families bought a huge mansion in a perfect and secure community (presumably in an attempt to see if she could harness the angry glares from other students as a form of energy), and yet all she and her friends could talk about was their fear of kidnappings. They almost can't enjoy being rich, because they're living in terror. Having
20.8 78.9 26.7 −16.6 Nondurables 9.9 9.0 59.2 5.5 2.1 Services 23.8 37.1 25.0 22.5 20.6 Investment 101.3 53.2 −114.8 51.8 28.8 Residential Structures 19.4 −27.0 2.7 -2.7 2.7 Nonresidential Structures −0.4 −4.7 0.7 -14.5 11.4 Equipment & Software 56.3 41.3 15.3 30.7 20.7 Inventory 24.7 52.6 −105.2 36.0 101.4 Net Exports −110.6 −57.7 44.5 −0.8 3.1 Exports 35.7 25.4 35.6 40.3 13.2 Imports 146.3 83.1 28.3 38.8 10.1 Government 24.7 25.2 −3.8 −33.8 −5.5 Federal 23.1 23.0 −0.4 −22.3 12.0 State & Local 2.3 2.9 −3.3 −11.9 −6.9 Residual −11.3 −4.5 −19.5 −9.0 2.4 The changes in 2010 were changes involving recovery but at a moderate rate. The change for the first two quarters of 2011 was a slowing of the recovery. Even if the output recession has ended the unemployment rate will continue at its current high rate and may well increase. The total change for a component of the real values cannot be derived by adding up the changes in the subcomponents because of the methodology used by the BEA. The real values for the components are separately computed using the current value figures and separate price indices. The BEA explicitly warns that the totals of the subcomponents will not necessary equal the value for the component. Despite the fact that the changes in the subcomponents cannot be exactly related to the change in the component one can still see generally where the major part of the change in real GDP comes from. Consumers' purchases in 2010 increased in all general categories; durables goods, nondurable goods and services. The level of personal disposable income in the fourth quarter of 2009 was $11,028.7 billion in current value dollars. In the first quarter of 2010 this had increased to $11,070.4 billion. This is an increase of 0.38 of 1 percent. The consumer price index for February of 2010 increased by 0.34 of 1 percent over its value in November of 2009. This means that real disposable income was roughly unchanged in the first quarter of 2010 over the fourth quarter of 2009. So consumers were increasing their real purchases at a rate of 3.6 percent per year out of a 0 percent increase in real disposable income. A quick review of the current state of economy is in order at this point. A macroeconomic review of the economy should start with real Gross Domestic Product. This is the output of final goods and services produced with the U.S. valued in the year 2005 prices. The quarterly figures are seasonally adjusted. The picture was remarkably smooth until the downturn in 2008IV. The variations in the growth rate from quarter to quarter are barely perceptible until the decline for 2008IV. The variations are there however, as shown in the graph for quarter-to-quarter growth rates which was shown previously. There was an identifiable source for the slowing down of the economy which is revealed below. If any macroeconomic problem is developing it should show up among the various components of aggregate demand. Barely noticeable until 2008III is a downward trend in gross domestic investment purchases, shown in red in the above graph. Almost always if there is a macroeconomic problem it is manifested in a decline in investment purchases. Therefore the levels of investment need a closer look. The problem is clearly the decline in residential construction investment. This is not just a recent development. Residential construction investment has been declining since the last quarter of 2005. There was also a problem with the decline in inventory investment culminating with a net sell-off of inventory in the last quarter of 2007. Net inventory investment goes through some radical fluctuations. During 2006 the upward fluctuations in inventory investment offset some of the decline in residential construction. In 2007 the downturn in inventory investment coincided with the continuing decline in residential construction. In previous recessions the source of the problem was a decline in the investment in plant and equipment. In the 2009 recession the level of business investment in plant and equipment, shown in the graph as Equipment & Software and Nonresidential Structures, was not declining up until 2008III. It declined only after a barrage of pronouncements that the economy was in a recession and that it was going to be a long one and hence any company that continued to increase its productive capacity would be foolish. Thus the crisis in the financial markets due to the effective bankruptcy of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September of 2008 induced fear in businesses that any increase in their productive capacities would be wasted. The decline in the production and purchases of automobiles and residential housing supported that fear. It is notable that the price level declined in the fourth quarter of 2008 by about 1.0 percent or 4.1 percent on an annual basis. This raised the real rate of interest by about 4.5 percent. This means that despite the nominal rate of interest being low the real rate increased significantly. This could account for some of the decline in investment in plant and equipment, but the price deflation was probably an effect of the output recession rather than a cause of it. Whereas between 2008II and 2009II real GDP ($2005) declined by 3.83 percent, investment in plant and equipment declined by 19.7 percent. The selling off of inventory and not replacing it (negative inventory investment) increased by $123.1 billion ($2005) over this period. This $123.1 billion decline in inventory investment along with the $569.8 billion ($2005) decrease in investment in plant and equipment accounts for 135 percent of the $513.8 billion ($2005) decline in GDP over that period. The investment in residential structures has been steadily declining since 2006I. The problems of this sector are separate from the recent recession. However this continued decline contributes to the decline in demand for U.S. output. The decrease in investment in residential housing over the period was $118.5 billion. This amount along with the declines in investment in plant, equipment and inventory accounted for 158 percent of the decrease in real GDP in the recession. There were other declines, such as $162 billion in consumer purchases, and some positive influences, such as an increase in net exports of $145.6 billion. (This was an increase from −$476.0 billion to −$330.4 billion.) Government purchases increased by $61.7 billion ($2005). The point is that the real economic problem is in private investment. The one-shot gimmicks to increase demand will be accepted gladly by business but they will not encourage businesses to investment in increased capacity. Businesses realize that the temporary stimuli will not be there in the future. They may only help them sell off existing inventory. The only measures that have a chance of encouraging businesses to replace inventory and increase productive capacity are the ones which are permanent. In the past there were decreases in investment in plant and equipment which led to recessions and the recessions were then declared. In 2008 a recession was declared and as a result of the financial chaos of September 2008 businesses accepted this declaration and began to reduce their investment in plant and equipment and sell off inventory without replacing it. Now it is necessary to unconvince businesses of there being a recession which will continue for the foreseeable future. As pointed out above the reduced value of investment in plant, equipment and structures along with the disinvestment in inventory was enough in themselves to keep the economy in serious recession. There is a persistent worry among politicians and the general public about international trade. In particular the general public interprets the decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar with respect to other currencies as evidence of a deterioration in the U.S. economy. On the contrary the decreased value of the dollar has reduced the U.S. balance of trade deficit. Countries often devalue their currencies to stimulate their economies. China has maintained about a 400 percent undervaluation of its currency to ensure that no one in the world will be able to underprice its products. The recent past the level of U.S. imports has exceeded its exports by about a half trillion dollars per year but since the third quarter of 2006 this deficit has been declining. The figure for 2009II indicates a decrease in the trade deficit of 55 percent compared its value in 2006I. The levels of purchases by the Federal and the State & Local governments after having continued what seemed to be an inexorable rise declined slightly in 2009 and remained level in 2010. This was largely in purchases by state and local governments, probably due to a decline in their tax revenues. Federal defense expenditures also declined slightly, due to factors unrelated to the recession. Consumer purchases also tended to have a steady, regular rise, until after the financial crisis of September of 2008. However, as shown below, consumer purchases of durable goods, nondurable goods and services went up slightly in 2009 up slightly in 2010. It is very significant that the decline in demand for U.S. production is was primarily in private investment. It must be noted that these statistics, although stated in dollar amounts, reflect the volume of consumer purchases rather than the actual expenditures on the items. There is a general concern about particular items such as gasoline. The following is a graph of the nondurable purchases shows, among other things, that purchases of energy products such as gasoline and fuel oil have been declining in recent quarters, due to higher prices, but in 2008IV and 2009I went up slightly, due to lower prices. Generally consumer nondurable purchases, in real terms, went up in 2009I, back down in 2009II and then up in 2009III and thereafter. Consumer durable purchases generally have been increasing but there was a significant decline in the fourth quarter of 2005 and a downward trend in 2007 which continued through the third quarter of 2008. This downward trend is primarily due to the decline in motor vehicle purchases but there has also been a slight decline the purchase of household equipment such as television sets, furniture and electronic devices but this decline was only from 2008II to 2008III, after the impact of the 2008 tax rebate was felt in the second quarter. The impact of the tax rebate will be considered in more detail later. However there was an upturn in durable goods purchases in 2009I, even in motor vehicle purchases. This points up the fact that the current recession is now based up on the decline in businesses investment purchases which was brought about by the public promotion of pessimism about the future of the economy. The purchase of services now involves a greater dollar amount than the purchases of durable and nondurable goods combined. The trends in the levels of some services are of special interest. Note once again that the trends are in the quantities rather than the levels of expenditures. The nature of housing services requires some explanation. Housing services includes the expenditures for rent but also an imputed value for the owner occupied housing. The amount of medical services consumed continues to increase at an extraordinary rate. The graph displays the trend in the quantity of medical services. This apparent trend in the quantity of medical services provided may reflect a finer and finer division of the billing of medical services. In the past medical diagnostic procedures were performed and interpreted in one office visit; now there is one office visit for the procedure and a second one to get the interpretation of the results. This would show up as a spurious increase in medical services provided. Also the trend in the cost of medical services is not shown in the above graph. It is notable that Americans spend about one hundred and forty percent more on medical services than on food purchases and about one fourteen percent more than on housing. Clearly something is amiss in the matter of medical care in America and the public subsidy of medical care is not solving the problem but instead making it worse. Around 1900 America allowed the medical profession to create a cartel arrangement in which the production of doctors was artificially restricted. Medical schools were bullied with a threat of the loss of their accreditation into cutting their admissions to a fraction of what they had been. The reduced supply of doctors resulted in substantially increased income for doctors. However even though the medical profession created the opportunity for economic rents those rents did not entirely stay with the doctors. Medical schools increased the prices of their services so that doctors typically begin their practice with enormous debts from their medical education. By cutting back the supply of doctors the cartel arrangement was able to create monopoly prices. The public subsidy of medical care just meant that the monopoly prices went even higher. The inadequate supply of doctors resulted in doctors being overworked and hence having little time to mull over the conditions of their patients. For more on this topic see Medical Cartel. For material on the high cost of pharmaceuticals see Pharmaceuticals. Up until the fourth quarter of 2008 the only major component of consumer demand that was faltering was the purchases of motor vehicles. However there were components of investment demand which are closely connected with consumer demand which were faltering. These are residential housing construction and net investment in inventories. Up until the financial crisis prompted by the bankruptcy of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September 2008 there is no evidence of an output recession. Even the slight and not statistically significant decline in real GDP from the second quarter of 2008 to the third quarter is easily accounted for by the fading out of the effect of the 2008II tax rebate. There was an employment recession but that subject to different causes than an output recession. See Employment Recession. The output recession began with the effective bankruptcy of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September of 2008. That led to the collapse of some financial enterprises and the bailout of others. The collapse did not have to go beyond those firms. However because the declared bankruptcies of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by their managements were unexpected by the markets there ensued a widespread panic among stock market investors which led to sharp declines in stock prices. This in turn brought further panic and a loss of consumer and business confidence in the future of the U.S. economy. Business investment in increased capacity is highly volatile. If businesses perceive no need for increased capacity then their investment purchases can go to zero. When consumers become pessimistic about the economic future they may reduce their purchases a few percent; business investors faced with the same circumstances eliminate all of their purchases. In 2008IV business investment in plant and equipment to increase productive capacity dropped 5.9 percent compared to 2008III; this is an annual rate of decrease of nearly 24 percent. In 2009I this investment dropped 10.9 percent compared to the level in 2008IV, an annual rate of 43.5percent decrease. This could be characterized as the level of investment in plant and equipment being in freefall. In contrast, after the financial crisis of September 2008, consumer purchases decreased only 1.1 percent between 2008III and 2008IV and went up 0.5 of 1 percent in 2009I. Clearly the problem is business confidence. Politicians have focused on saving financial institutions so that they can lend funds to those who want to make investments in increased capacity. But who would want to borrow to increase capacity in a recession. The media and politicians with their proclamations of RECESSION!! in early and mid-2008 destroyed business confidence and brought about a real recession. It remains to be seen whether business confidence can be revived. Business confidence is like a balloon and it is pretty difficult to unpuncture a balloon. For more on the global impact of the 2009 recession see Global Recession and Global Recovery. Currently (2012) the economy is growing but not robustly and there is still weakness in the elements of business investment. Gross Private Investment is still only 84 percent of what it was in the first quarter of 2006. Investment in inventory which was fueling the recovery dropped to a negative level in the third quarter of 2011. It has returned to significant levels in the fourth quarter of 2011 but not to the level it reached in the third quarter of 2010. The Administration can very easily offset everything that it does to stimulate the growth of the economy by creating uncertainty about its future actions and policies. Uncertainty about present and future government policies strongly discourages investment in plant and equipment.Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, was forced to step back from voting in favour of the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council after orders from Washington, diplomatic sources said yesterday. Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, was forced to step back from voting in favour of the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council after orders from Washington, diplomatic sources said yesterday. The US abstention on the resolution vote early yesterday, which clearly weakened its impact, was the final twist in a tumultuous three-day marathon of negotiations in New York. When three of the world's top diplomats -- Ms Rice, David Miliband, Britain's foreign secretary, and his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner -- descended on New York on Tuesday to take action there was plenty of reason to believe that their efforts would end in tears. Most alarming was the prospect of a vote on a ceasefire text tabled by Libya. The US was threatening to veto it. But by Thursday morning, the US had had a surprising change of heart. It could back a resolution, if the British drafted one, which Mr Miliband and his diplomatic crew duly did. When finally every last hurdle was cleared and the members of the Security Council were headed to their chamber for the vote, there was a mood of celebration in the building. But before the vote was due, word began to circulate that America was not going to vote in favour after all. The change of heart came about with a phone call from George Bush to Ms Rice in which he said don't veto the resolution but don't vote for it either. (© Independent News Service)Like today, in February 1984, the tensions between Dunnes management and Dunnes staff were strained. At one meeting between the union and Dunnes management the list had roughly fifteen to twenty items to be discussed – for instance the workers were only allowed two bathroom breaks during their 8 hour shift. If you wanted to use the bathroom, you had to ask a manager if you could go to the bathroom, be put on a bathroom waiting list, and could be waiting over an hour by the time you were allowed leave your till. The Dunnes staff were extremely unhappy at their unfair treatment. During Easter 1984, the motion was submitted to boycott all South African goods and services, and the Dunnes workers were happy to partake in any motion put in place by their union (IDATU). On July 19th, 1984 the Dunnes workers were warned by management that anyone who refused to handle South African goods would be suspended. They lined up all the staff and asked them who was part of the union and who was intending not to handle the South African goods. They then picked all these people to work on the tills for the day and put managers behind the tills to make note of anyone who tried to refuse to handle the fruit. Mary Manning was the first person to have a customer come to her till with Outspan Grapefruit. She explained to the woman that as per union policy she could not handle South African fruit. The customer happily sat the fruit aside. Immediately after the woman left the shop, Mary was told to close off her till and report the manager’s office. She was suspended and the other union members closed off their tills and left the shop. A picket was placed on the store that day. For the first few months of the strike the young strikers really struggled. They were living on twenty-one pound a week as strike pay. They were met with general abuse by people who believed that by not purchasing South African produce you were starving the black workers. The church did not support them either. Arch Bishop Eamon Casey would take the pulpit on Sundays and condemn the strikers. Nuns would purposefully go to shop in Dunnes and argue with the strikers. The broad anti-apartheid movement showed initial support, but thought it was embarrassing when the strike wasn’t resolved and distanced themselves from it. They were ignored by the Labour Court who said they couldn’t force Dunnes to negotiate and by the government who saw them as a nuisance. They were labelled communists and were treated abusively by their own co-workers. Those who didn’t go on strike and continued to work in Dunnes would throw old fruit and vegetables down on top of the strikers as they picketed outside. Even their own union executive turned on them as they were recorded describing the strikers as “a bunch of girls bored at the till, having a lark, they’d tire of it quickly”. Though they tried to stop deliveries to Dunnes, Ben Dunne hired a bin truck to sneak the deliveries in at night. Some of the strikers were mothers and one of them was having her home repossessed. While the strike had started off optimistically, in the heat of July summer, they now felt isolated and abandoned, picketing outside every day in the freezing winter. It was during this time that they met Nimrod Sejake, a member of the left wing of the ANC and a black South African who had experienced the horrors of apartheid first hand. Nimrod was also a member of Militant, forerunner of the Socialist Party in Ireland that worked as a socialist tendency inside the Labour Party. He encouraged the strikers and informed them of why they needed to continue the struggle. On December 8th 1984, the strike took a turn. The girls received an invitation from Bishop Desmond Tutu to picket the South African embassy on Trafalgar Square with him. The strike began to gain momentum from this point on. The strikers gained international importance, invitations for them to speak to university groups, unions and community organisations. By February 1985 the strike was a regular topic in the Seanad and the Dail. The Labour Party called for a code of practice in relation to sale of South African produce, but did little to help the strikers. When Ruairi Quinn was contacted by the union it would take him two months to reply. The strikers had only wanted the right to not handle apartheid fruit. Dunnes would not give them that right. This strike was so unique because it wasn’t about a labour dispute – it was a moral issue. Despite the lack of support from the government the strike was becoming a movement. In March 1985 Bishop Casey launched his Lenten campaign and changed his tune stating the Dunnes strikers “deserve our respect and solidarity”. By April 1985 a 24 hour picket was now in place and they gained massive support from ordinary people. Desmond Tutu invited the strikers and Ben Dunne to South Africa to witness first-hand the realities of apartheid. Ben Dunne claims he never received this invitation. The Irish Anti-Apartheid movement described going to South Africa as “a breach in the cultural embargo” and privately stopped supporting the strike. The union executive also openly stopped supporting the strike stating unions had no business making political policies. With no financial support from the union or the IAAM, the strikers began collecting money from the public to make their trip to South Africa. The generosity of ordinary people helped the strikers raise £10,000 to make their trip. On July 8th 1985 the strikers flew to South Africa only to be detained in the airport, held under armed guard for 8 hours and then sent back to Ireland on the next flight. This only created more support for the movement. Despite this, they were receiving increased harassment on the picket line – both verbal and physical abuse from the Gardai. The special branch visited numerous strikers’ homes and attempted to intimidate them. The guards were not objective, they were working with Dunnes. When an investigation was launched, Michael Noonan, who was Minister for Justice at the time, had the gardai investigate themselves. Unsurprisingly, they found that they had not done anything wrong! The union leaders now felt that awareness about apartheid had been raised and it was now time for the strikers to go back to work. The strike pay had dried up. However, through the dedication of the strikers, they embarrassed the government into introducing sanctions against South African produce. In February 1986 Ruairi Quinn announced that that a ban would be placed on South African imports on 1st of January, 1987. This meant the girls could not back to work until the ban was in place because they still refused to handle the South African produce. In typical Dunnes fashion, the company continued to order produce until the day of the ban so the strikers had to wait until April 1987 – when all the produce was off the shelves – to return to work. The strike had been going on for almost three years at this stage. It is important to understand that in the beginning the strikers had no real knowledge of apartheid or South Africa (they joked themselves that they would have boycotted Irish produce if it meant getting back at Dunnes) but by the end of the strike they felt so passionately about supporting the black unions and workers in South Africa, that even touching items produced by slave labour felt like a crime to them. The strikers went back to work but none of them remained there very long. The bullying and intimidation they were met with by management and co-workers became too much to put up with. Karen Gearon was unfairly dismissed and although she won her case in the Labour Court, it wasn’t worth the paper it was written on because she was blacklisted as a trouble maker and couldn’t get a new job. The strikers received no real recognition from the government for their massive role in the introduction of sanctions against South African produce. Their first real acknowledgement was when Nelson Mandela invited them to a lunch with him so he could pay them tribute for their part in the struggle. This inspiring struggle has been immortalised in the recent documentary, “Blood Fruit”. You can see the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5tIr45nmxw by Cara LoftusWe’ve known for some time that the machines are coming to get us — and now they’re also jumping, spinning and tackling even the toughest terrain with the greatest of ease. US engineering and robotics design company Boston Dynamics has this week released new footage of its incredible advanced robotics creation, Handle... and its agility has to be seen to be believed. Handle is a research robot that stands 6.5ft tall, travels at 15km/h and has a vertical jump of 4ft. It uses electric power to operate both electric and hydraulic actuators, with a range of about 24km on one battery charge. Boston Dynamics uses sensor-based controls and computation to unlock the capabilities of complex mechanisms, and has worked with the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps. A time lapse of Fastbrick Robotics hard at work The West Australian Play Video Video A time lapse of Fastbrick Robotics hard at work Such technology could also be used to make advances in the manufacturing and service sectors. Virgin Australia chairwoman Elizabeth Bryan today told the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ governance summit in Melbourne that automation and robotics will put large numbers of service sector jobs at risk, but companies seeking to embrace the change will face “serious” resistance. “Jobs in the service sector that were largely immune from job losses during the last stage of globalisation are now at risk because of these advances in robotics,” Ms Bryan said. “However, don’t think for a moment that boards will be able to drive waves of mass reduction in employment without very serious pushback.” The service sector is by far the biggest employer in Australia, as it is in most developed countries, and no company can afford to be left behind in the race to cut costs, she said. It is not just low-skill occupations being hit by advances in technology, with many university-educated, white-collar workers about to discover their jobs are also under threat from software automation and predictive algorithms, Ms Bryan said. Robotic barmen whip up cocktails on board Ovation of the Seas. The West Australian Play Video Video Robotic barmen whip up cocktails on board Ovation of the Seas. “This means that education will not necessarily offer effective protection against job automation in the future,” she said. A professional director, who is also chairman of insurer IAG and recently stepped down from the board of Westpac, Ms Bryan warned no company was immune from cyber attack, and boards must be aware of their cyber security measures. The cost of cyber attacks is more than the gross domestic product of about 160 of the 196 countries in the world, she said. “Cyber security has grown into such a mission-critical function that it must come out of the technical backroom and become part of the expertise of a boardroom,” Ms Bryan said.Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said Fine Gael may not be the largest party after the General Election following a series of dismal opinion poll results. Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said Fine Gael may not be the largest party after the General Election following a series of dismal opinion poll results. Fine Gael may not be largest party after General Election, admits Minister for Health Speaking after the latest opinion poll showed Fine Gael dropping two points to 26pc, Mr Varadkar said it cannot be assumed his party will return with the most seats after next week’s election. “It is an election, the election is competitive. I think certainly it was never the case in Fine Gael but there was an assumption by people in the media that no matter what would happen Fine Gael would emerge as the largest party. That might not be the case,” Mr Varadkar told RTE Radio One’s ‘Morning Ireland’. The Health Minister’s comments come amid growing panic within Fine Gael over a series of opinion polls results which show Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s party is extremely unlikely to return to government with Labour after the nation votes. Fine Gael hoped the party’s opinion poll rating would improve as the election date nears but instead it is steadily declining. The latest Red C poll for the Irish Sun newspaper showed Fine Gael down two points to 26pc, Labour up one to 9pc, Fianna Fail up one to 19pc and Sinn Fein down three to 17pc. Independents and smaller parties jumped three points in the poll and now control 29pc of the vote, according to the poll. Online EditorsWith so many game-to-movie franchises bombing not only at the box office but with the fans, it’s hard to ignore the true reality behind the reason these types of films always seem to fail. Yes, a lot has to do with the studio making the film and the writer’s creative differences from the source material, but what sends a game-to-movie adaptation to its kill screen is the budget. If budget is the case, are game-to-movie film adaptations such as Assassin’s Creed, Ratchet & Clank, and Uncharted doomed to fail before they even begin? Budget is what makes the world go round. Whither it’s budgeting your home finances or budgeting your spending money in order to afford a copy of Fallout 4, we all do it and as the good ole saying goes “mo money mo problems.” Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to big budget Hollywood films. We have seen this happen many times before as a great video game tries to obtain the same status as a great film. The problem here lies with the money and the film’s budget. Often while developers are working on developing a game, they have more resources strapped to their work belt compared to film productions while crafting their tale. Naughty Dog, for example, could create large-scale set pieces like the Helicopter and Train sequence from Uncharted 2, and the high-flying plane shootout from Uncharted 3. These big blockbuster-like action sequences coast a lot less to render out on a computer than for a Hollywood production to recreate the scene from scratch. Then when all is said and done they still need the power of special effects to recreate the scenes from the games. That’s about half of the production budget for the film just for a five minute scene in a hour and a half run time. Nolan North has also recently shared some of his thoughts on the upcoming Uncharted film and a lot of what he is saying points out the major flaws in game-to-movie productions and the problems they have with transferring the experience of the game they’re based off of and capturing that same experience on a roll of film. North goes on in his interview to say “Maybe it’s because it’s such a cinematic experience in itself, but I don’t know if it’s financially feasible to make this film anymore.” This is an accurate statement; Uncharted is an expensive visionary tale as well as being coupled with an enriched action/adventure story that rivals Indiana Jones. These stories carry the player from start to finish on a non-stop action-packed thrill ride and trying to recreate that story even with the first Uncharted would still prove to be a challenging feat. In the end, fans of these fantastic franchises would be left burned with nothing more than an unsatisfying film or god forbid a trilogy/saga of one of their favorite gaming icons making a mockery of themselves on the silver screen. Franchises like Resident Evil, Hitman, Max Payne and Prince of Persia have all tried their luck in the movie business and nine times out of ten they have all failed to hit the mark. Most, if not all, of those franchises have been met with poor reviews and lousy box office draws. Resident Evil has been the luckiest out of them all finding a foothold to latch on to as its span of films created a cult following that allowed it to have five sequels after the first installment. Even though the films fail to capture the game’s appeal and vision, it was able to create its own audience even if that audience it was not from the gaming community. “I think the emotional investment people have with Nathan Drake is so high that it would be very difficult for them to accept somebody else – even me, with my face as Nathan Drake. They might recognize the voice, but I don’t even know if they’d accept me,” said North during the interview. This resonates with why these types of films always seem to do poorly. Not only do they stray far away from the original source material and change aspects of the characters we have grown to love, but fans have such an emotional investment in these stories that when they are lost in translation, it always ends in turmoil. Films such as Ratchet and Clank and Sly Cooper, however, stand a better chance in the market due to their similarities to their games. These two films are taking a different approach to the games-to-movies business and are cutting out the middleman and going about capturing the magic of the game. Even though we know very little about these films, when the trailers for them went up around the web, longtime fans of these franchises it felt as if they were transported into these universes. So why is it different from other game adaptations? Simply because they have a leg up in the game; these franchises were cartoony to begin with so transferring from a game to a movie is as simple as just cutting out the gameplay and replacing it with extra long cutscenes. That’s not to say that the upcoming Fassbender Assassin’s Creed installment won’t be good; Ubisoft has a better shot than anyone in creating a good adaptation of their games, because they have the privilege of the franchise not being owned by Sony along with operating within their own production company. Regardless of the logistics of these adaptations, it all goes back to the only thing that matters in order to make these franchises even worth debating and worrying over: the fans. Without the fans of these games, none of these adaptations would exist in the first place and the cinematic world would be missing out on the gaming world. As North has already stated, fans do not want an Uncharted movie, whether it is because of recent films like the Hitman reboot flopping or the controversy of Amy Pascal’s deep involvement with the film and the Sony emails leak revealing just how bad the film could possibly turn outThe Revenue Commissioners is investigating 93 cases of suspected non-payment of the domicile levy involving 63 wealthy Irish individuals. The €200,000 levy was introduced in the 2010 Budget amid concern that high net worth individuals were not paying their fair share of tax. The levy is charged on an individual with a worldwide income of €1m, whose tax liability is less than €200,000 and whose Irish property is greater in value than €5m. Records obtained by RTÉ's Morning Ireland under the Freedom of Information Act show that a compliance programme was conducted by Revenue this year relating to individuals potentially liable for the levy in the years 2010, 2011, and 2012. It identified 256 cases involving individuals potentially liable for the levy, of which 93 are still being pursued. Revenue said the 93 open cases are subject to ongoing compliance activity. It also said it has collected €9,828,683 since the levy was introduced in 2010. The payments were made by 31 individuals, 16 of whom only made payments as a result of compliance activity. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said it is "unacceptable" that people had not paid the levy. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said: "Revenue has the powers and have the legislative capacity to go after those who are not paying their due tax. "That is something I welcome and I welcome the fact that Revenue are pursuing this tenaciously and we would support them in every way."November 14 marked the first anniversary of Operation Pillar of Defense, Israel’s eight-day assault on Gaza with the declared aim of ending rocket fire on Israeli towns. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked the occasion on November 12 with a visit to the desert headquarters of the Israel Defense Force’s Gaza Division and a speech to the troops. What he had to say will surprise you: The operation reduced rocket and mortar fire by 98%. “There is no doubt,” Netanyahu said, according to news reports, “that significant deterrence has been achieved.” The provocation was substantial. A total of 1,035 rockets and mortar shells had been fired at Israel from Gaza by Hamas and other Islamist groups in the 10.5 months preceding the Israeli assault, January 1 through November 13, 2012. Israel’s deterrent was in kind: eight days of heavy bombardment, hitting some 1,500 sites ranging from ammunition dumps and rocket launchers to government offices and apartment buildings. An estimated 175 Palestinians dead, of whom either 57 (
benefit of a tulpa is first n' foremost companionship. Tulpa is often accredited wit superior memory recall, n' may remind you of tha thangs you easily forget. They've also been known ta wake they hosts up at pre-axed times n' big-ass up menstrual arithmetic independently of they creator. Shiiit, dis aint no joke. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat if that's all you seek ta cook up a tulpa for, you betta off buyin a smartphone or PDA. Even if yo ass is fine bout bustin a funky-ass bein just ta have dem help you wit homework, tulpas' game up in dis field can be hit or miss like any suckas n' nuff frontz of enhanced menstrual mobilitizzle done been thangal or unverified. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! Mo' shiznit can be found up in tha guides section. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. What limits a tulpa? Tulpas is limited by their: Stage of pimpment: lil' tulpas tend ta need mo' attention from they hosts up in order ta pimp, while olda tulpas have less need fo' all dis bullshit. Creator's beliefs: if tha host believes they can enable n' restrict they tulpa up in various ways; fo' example if you don't believe yo' tulpa can fly, chizzle they wonderland or control tha body, dis will impair they mobilitizzle ta do so. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Subconscious beliefs also play tha fuck into all dis bullshit fo' realz. Again, as a tulpa grows olda n' relies less on they host's attention, they will often outgrow these beliefs. This goes doubly fo' tulpas whoz ass engage extensively up in they own experiences up in tha physical ghetto, up in tha same way teens grow tha fuck into they own adults once they leave home. Their own beliefs: same as tha host, a tulpa's beliefs also shape theyselves n' they ghetto. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Do tulpas mature over time? Yes, they do. They aint static n' they will chizzle as time goes on. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Their initial growth from simple wack responses ta ordered speech, n' eventually tha fuck into full conversation, is straight-up fast when compared ta dat of a cold-ass lil child. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! They will eventually reach a level of maturitizzle whereupon they will pimp n' grow at a rate comparable ta dat of any other person, just like yo ass. Can mah tulpa harm me son? First of all: tulpas cannot act on tha physical ghetto on they own. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Tulpas also cannot take over yo' body without practice n' consent. Mo' blinginly, tulpas is as horny bout self-preservation as yo ass is, n' since they share both mind n' body wit you, they have lil ta no motivation ta harm you, biatch. Other than that, lil' small-ass accidents may happen, like fuckin yo' tulpa distractin you all up in tha wack moment or causin a headache yo, but these events is most likely incidental misfortune rather than actual malevolence. Further reading: Will mah tulpa be a cold-ass lil carbon-copy of me up in personalitizzle n' opinion? Yo crazy-ass tulpa is designed ta be they own being, n' not a cold-ass lil clone or copy of you, biatch. They may take wildly different or comfortingly similar stances n' beliefs ta yo ass. That bein holla'd, there will often be at least some degree of similarity, as personalitizzle n' opinion is informed by experience, n' yo big-ass booty is ghon share nuff of tha same experiences wit yo' tulpa by virtue of inhabitin tha same body. Can mah tulpa serve as a alarm clock? Yes Yes Y'all yes y'all, n' No fo' realz. A tulpa operates on tha same internal clock as they host, which sometimes do not match up well wit tha actual time. It's worth notin dat you don't strictly need a tulpa ta condizzle yo ass ta do this, nor should you be reliant on one ta git you ta lectures or work on time. So can mah tulpa help me wit (memory recall, school)? It's certainly possible yo, but even if yo' tulpa is capable of helpin you, dat don't necessarily mean they will. Yo ass can't force dem ta act as yo' underground notepad n' calculator. Shiiit, dis aint no joke. If they wanna help you wit yo' homework, then pimped out yo, but if they don't, it's hardly unexpected. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! This type'a shiznit happens all tha time. If you don't like hustlin on math, why should they, biatch? A tulpa, like you, can also only know what's already contained up in tha dome, although they interpretation n' application may be different ta yours fo' realz. A scientifically-minded tulpa will still only know tha science dat they actively study. Can mah tulpa control mah body? Over time, a tulpa can learn ta control yo' body just as yo' own mind do, n' you can share control or entirely switch places, leavin yo' tulpa up in control of yo' body n' yo ass as a passive observer, n' switch back as n' when you peep fit fo' realz. A tulpa cannot inherently do this, n' it's a process dat requires consent n' practice. Grantin partial control (often of a hand or limb) is colloquially known as 'possession', while allowin full control is generally known as'switching'. So is dis a replacement fo' havin playas? Fuck dat shit, just cuz you gotz a tulpa it don't mean you goin ta not need any of yo' playaz or crew any mo' n' mo' n' mo'. Yo ass can still maintain yo' hood game (if you had one!) n' sometimes it might be within a tulpa's personalitizzle ta persuade you ta become mo' hood. It aint nuthin but tha nick nack patty wack, I still gots tha bigger sack fo' realz. As a rule, they're not goin ta hog all yo' attention. What if mah tulpa knows dat they're a tulpa? Yo crazy-ass tulpa will know what tha fuck they is cuz they have access ta yo' memories yo. How tha fuck they will feel bout dis is goin ta vary; most of tha time they don't care. Tryin ta conceal dis from dem be almost certainly futile n' needless. Can mah tulpa cook up a tulpa? Yes, they is perfectly capable of bustin such yo, but it's unlikely. It's a overt process resultin up in another tulpa generally on par wit tha straight-up original gangsta - tha freshly smoked up tulpa would be just as much a part of tha same existence as you n' yo' first tulpa, rather than a secondary existence. I drop a rhyme mo' than one language fluently. Which should I drop a rhyme ta mah tulpa in? Any is fine, although it may be sensible ta pick one n' stick ta it until they're vocal. It aint nuthin but tha nick nack patty wack, I still gots tha bigger sack fo' realz. A tulpa is capable of bustin lyrics any n' all tha languages you can. Can I (grab, slap, hug, etc.) mah tulpa? Yes, within reason. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Imaginin or enactin a given action against a tulpa, imposed or otherwise, will carry all tha meanin n' weight you associate wit dat action pimped up at dem wild-ass muthafuckas. In tha case of a imposed tulpa, tha actual feedback you feel will depend on how tha fuck pimped yo' sensory imposizzle is, as tactile hallucinations do not come as easily as visual ones. Tulpa Creation Questions How tha fuck long will it take ta cook up a tulpa? For some time, ghettofab wisdom suggested estimatez of '100 hours' or 'just over three months'. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat recent pimpments suggest dis varies mad from individual ta individual, n' wit they preferred methodz some have had success up in a matta of weeks, while others struggle ta hear they tulpa afta months. Da long n' short of it is, don't worry bout how tha fuck long it'll take. Don't expect thangs up in dis biatch immediately yo, but don't dismiss early successes either. How tha fuck often should I work on pimpin mah tulpa? There is no fixed lyrics fo' all dis bullshit. Even if it's only 10 minutes a thugged-out day, you gonna be bustin betta than not bustin anythang at all. Yo crazy-ass tulpa will appreciate it when eva you can spend time on them, n' of course, they'll take as much as yo ass is willin ta give dem wild-ass muthafuckas. Overall, regularitizzle seems ta matta mo' than anythang else. 30 minutes a thugged-out dizzle is superior ta five minutes once a week. Forcin at varied times up in addizzle ta scheduled times also seems ta work well, n' preps you fo' takin on tulpa pimpment as a part of yo' game rather than a isolated project. How tha fuck do I permanently git rid of a tulpa, biatch? What happens if I do that? Ignore dem n' deny dem attention until they entirely dissipate. This aint a pleasant experience fo' a tulpa n' if you have pimped dem fo' any length of time, it may well be wackly drainin on you like a muthafucka. Well shiiiit, it aint a quick or easy as fuck process - one dat becomes hella harder tha longer n' deeper you've hit dat shiznit at tulpa pimpment - n' it aint suttin' you should consider lightly. Yo ass should ideally never need ta do this, fo' tha sake of y'all n' yo' tulpa alike. If yo ass is worried bout bustin a tulpa n' is askin dis question fo' reassurance, you would be wise ta consider delayin creation until yo' doubts is assuaged. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! If you dissipate a tulpa by force, you gonna likely experience a sensation akin ta a unexpected absence up in yo' mind, n' tha feelin of suttin' "missing" tendz ta linger n' shit. There be also a phat possibilitizzle of feelin tha grief of losin one of mah thugs close ta you, biatch. Do I need ta meditate? Not up in tha old-ass sense. We is shizzle meditation would help wit makin yo' tulpa n' like concentration yo, but if it aint suttin' you can handle cuz you have a uncontrollable train of thought, then that's fine like a muthafucka. Well shiiiit, it generally do help dem playas whoz ass do it yo, but is straight-up optional. What's tha dopest way ta cook up a tulpa? There is no one dopest way, as every last muthafuckin dome is different. What may be tha dopest way fo' one of mah thugs may be da most thugged-out shitty way fo' you, biatch. Experimentation is key. If you feel dat yo' progress is slow, try different guides n' steez, n' don't be afraid ta remix dem or come up wit yo' own! How tha fuck do I give mah tulpa juice? Tulpas is sustained by attention, n' juice be a cold-ass lil convenient metaphor fo' all dis bullshit. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. So, you can give yo' tulpa juice by interactin wit dem wild-ass muthafuckas. It be also possible, all up in no shortage of work n' time on tha part of host n' tulpa alike, fo' a tulpa ta grow beyond dis need n' ta learn how tha fuck ta sustain theyselves. This is probably bigged up all up in a cold-ass lil combination of two avenues: Trainin a tulpa ta pimp a mo' independent mindset, similar ta how tha fuck flesh-and-blood humans learn ta find they own identitizzle n' find confidence up in theyselves without tha validation of they peers. Like wit flesh-and-blood humans, it aint nuthin but a highly underground process dat requires a pimped out amount of experience n' time. Havin a tulpa learn possession n' switching, n' allowin dem ta spend dope amountz of time "at front." This aint only a matta of how tha fuck much time is spent yo, but how tha fuck tha time is spent. Quotin /u/ShinyuuWolfy, a tulpa whoz ass participates regularly up in physical game, a tulpa struttin menstrually actizzle exercises up in tha physical ghetto (like fuckin writing, painting, bustin math, etc) will train a funky-ass dome ta remember n' recognize dat tulpa as tightly as it will a host. In addition, "front time" feedz tha fuck into tha straight-up original gangsta avenue by allowin a tulpa time ta explore they own hobbies n' identitizzle up in ways tha wonderland might not. Note dat independence should not be trippin wit ambizzle - there be tulpas whoz ass go all up in dis process n' then decizzle dat all they want is ta support they host. Just as there is no shame up in bein a homemaker instead of a cold-ass lil corporate executive, there is no shame up in choosin dis path over others. How tha fuck much attention/energy/interaction do mah tulpa need? Durin tha creation process you should aim ta interact wit yo' tulpa everyday, anywhere from all dem minutes up ta all dem hours, n' narratin ta dem as n' when you can. Afta they're straight-up vocal n' active, tha bare minimum is just acknowledgin they existence yo, but bustin time poppin' off ta dem n' interactin wit dem is straight-up much tha deal wit brangin dem tha fuck into existence. Just don't ignore them, n' you gonna both be fine. If I gots a menstrual illness, can I cook up a tulpa? As long as holla'd illnizz don't overtly impair yo' mobilitizzle ta concentrate, n' you don't suffer from intrusive thoughts dat drastically impair yo' everyday game, you should be fine. Of course, you know yo' mind betta than our phat asses do, so it's straight-up up ta you, biatch. Please consider yo' own game n' safety first, as while there be no known direct riskz of pimpin a tulpa, it can be a stressful process fo' some people. But I do suffer from intrusive thoughts muthafucka! Should I not cook up a tulpa? Everyone suffers from intrusive thoughts ta some extent. If they're not so shitty dat you need a psychotherapist or medication ta control them, then you should be fine fo' realz. Again, it's yo' mind - make tha dopest judgement call you can. I'm (insert age here), should I cook up a tulpa? Yo ass be able ta cook up a tulpa at any age yo, but you should, regardless of age, realize dat dis is goin ta be a hella, straight-up long commitment, n' should not be treated as a phase or a gangbangin' fascination you can just set aside. Our asses aint clownin when we say dis can be a gametime commitment - even if tha thought of dissipatin a tulpa don't balk you, stay a fuckin shitload of muthafuckin years tha fuck into tha process or delve too deeply tha fuck into tha advanced steez n' you might find it harder than you'd like ta undo tha chizzlez ta yo' dome. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. A tulpa be also not a substitute fo' tha experiences you should bust up in tha game at any age. For a mo' complete answer, see dis response by metallica48423. Is it possible ta accidentally cook up a tulpa? Yes Yes Y'all yes y'all, - nuff playas join tha hood afta realizin they have had tulpas all they lives yo, but without knowin what tha fuck they was called. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! These "accidental" tulpas often arise from imaginary playaz n' writing/roleplay characters. Further reading: How tha fuck do I decizzle what tha fuck mah tulpa will look like? Yo ass probably already have a scam of what tha fuck form you'd want a long-term menstrual companion ta have, which is fine yo, but you may be undecided. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! A tulpa can pimp they own preferred form over time, even if all you focus on is narration n' personalitizzle work ridin' solo. Should I create a funky-ass base form fo' mah tulpa? Many playas have a scam fo' a gangbangin' form up in mind when they first start ta create a tulpa, before they be thinkin of any sort of personality, n' that's fine. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat designin a personalitizzle round tha form is unnecessary. When should I create a funky-ass base form fo' mah tulpa? Form can be tha straight-up first thang you decizzle upon, or not settled upon until you locked n loaded ta begin imposition. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Obviously, it don't make sense ta impose a tulpa dat don't have a associated form. Should I create a tulpa dat be lookin like me son? It's not encouraged or recommended. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! Da scam behind a tulpa is ta create a separate personalitizzle n' consciousness, n' bustin suttin' you visually self-identify wit aint goin ta help dat process. Afta mah tulpa's form is stable, can I chizzle it? By stable, we assumin you mean yo' tulpa is sentient. A sentient tulpa can have one or mo' forms if they so wish, n' is up in control of it theyselves; tha form is representatizzle of dem wild-ass muthafuckas. In tha end, tha answer is fo'sho, you can try ta chizzle yo' tulpa's form afta dis point yo, but it is ghon be up ta dem ta accept tha chizzle. Try ta chizzle it forcibly, n' on top of dem gettin annoyed wit you, it might not even stick. Da dopest way ta approach dis is ta straight-up rap ta yo' tulpa bout changin they form, n' it is up ta dem ta accept it or not. Is it aiiight fo' mah tulpa ta shift form? Yes, some tulpas will spontaneously shape-shift between forms as they vibe n' circumstances permit. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Some is mo' static, some only shift between a handful of forms, while others is straight-up dynamic - it's a matta of personalitizzle n' preference. Is it OK ta base a tulpa off a existin character? Yes, wit caveats, n' you can put dat on yo' toast. Yo crazy-ass tulpa may have tha pre-existin character's form yo, but they aint tha actual character n' shit. Tulpa tend ta deviate up in form n' personalitizzle from yo' initial justification, n' dis may lead ta vibe of disappointment or rejection, which aint phat fo' either of you, biatch. Ideally, it is betta ta draw inspiration, not ta copy wholesale, n' ta KNOW dat personalitizzle aint form n' vice-versa. Yo ass should be aware dat they may pimp n' chizzle over time, n' like unexpectedly so. Can I take a existin roleplay character/imaginary playa n' make dem tha fuck into a tulpa? Yes, although as wit all tulpas based on existin characters, you should be aware dat they may pimp n' chizzle over time, like unexpectedly so. How tha fuck do I narrate/talk ta mah tulpa? Narration be any kind of conversation or dialogue wit yo' tulpa, ideally performed while imaginin they form or simply thankin bout dem wild-ass muthafuckas. This can be done purely up in yo' mind, subvocalized under yo' breath, or spoken aloud when convenient. Yo ass can do it all up in tha day, simply by spittin some lyrics ta dem what's goin on or what tha fuck you thankin bout while bearin dem up in mind. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! Tellin stories be a cold-ass lil convenient way - readin a funky-ass book or a cold-ass lil comic consciously ta yo' tulpa, as though readin ta another thug up in tha physical ghetto, may help you come ta grips wit narration. This feels like I'm just poppin' off ta mah dirty ass n' makin up lyrics. Why? Consciously decidin lyrics n' thankin dem up in response is known as 'parroting', effectively puttin lyrics up in yo' tulpa's grill. While it's suttin' ta stay tha fuck away from when yo' tulpa is sentient, it can be a mad useful creation tool - afta all, tulpas pimped accidentally from fiction freestylin was essentially parroted tha fuck into existence. Even if you not parroting, feelin like tha responses is made-up aint a problem. These is either early, simplistic responses from a immature tulpa, or yo' subconscious lyrics - n' dem can be taken on by tha pimpin tulpa, primin they vocabulary n' personalitizzle fo' realz. And up in tha straight-up beginning, you essentially are poppin' off ta yo ass - over time, dat poppin' off n' other forcin you do conditions yo' dome ta create a separate entitizzle from you, biatch fo' realz. Again, provided you bearin yo' tulpa up in mind n' genuinely tryin ta converse wit them, don't sweat dat shit. When you git a mo' surprisin response, a response dat comes without any input on yo' part, you gonna know it's straight-up dem wild-ass muthafuckas. Is it shitty ta fall asleep while hustlin on tha tulpa? It's no mo' harmful ta fall asleep while hustlin on a tulpa than it is ta fall asleep mid-conversation. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Well shiiiit, it might be buggin n' it certainly interrupts tha process of pimpment yo, but insofar as tha hood at big-ass can tell there is no actual pimpmenstrual risk. Do I name mah tulpa? Yo ass can give dem a name yo, but bear up in mind tha possibilitizzle dat they may chizzle dat shit. Yo ass can leave dem nameless, n' then when they is sentient have dem name theyselves. Is it aiiight ta force while (high, faded)? It don't particularly hurt, as long as you feel it's productive. If you a gangbangin' frequent drinker or smoker it certainly won't hurt ta acquaint yo' tulpa wit yo ass up in such a state. Can I dig noize while I force? It's not strictly necessary yo, but it can help. When you pimpin yo' tulpa you gonna typically want a chillaxin environment, so feel free ta pick a cold-ass lil laid back position, phat beatz, soothang light level, whatever works dopest fo' you, biatch. Is it aiiight ta give mah tulpa wack traits? Yo ass shouldn't straight-up be thinkin bout traits as positizzle or negative. Yo ass should be thinkin bout dem as what tha fuck they are, not they moral connotations. If you wanna give yo' tulpa a trait, or a trait emerges naturally, then go fo' dat shiznit son! Traits is just aspectz of personality, n' whether they're phat or shitty will depend on context n' application. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. So if you want a cold-ass lil clingy tulpa, a aggressive tulpa, a sarcastic tulpa, whatever, that's straight-up fine provided dat both you n' they KNOW dat they is responsible fo' they behavior. Shiiit, dis aint no joke. Well shiiiit, it is fine ta have certain personalitizzle traits, it aint fine ta use dem traits as a excuse fo' shitty behavior, n' dat goes fo' tulpas as well as physical people. Can I make mah tulpa vocal first n' then start on form? Of course biaaatch! And no, dis aint gonna result up in tha tulpa not wantin a funky-ass body lata or anythang like dis shit. It's just easier fo' some playas ta work wit they tulpa on tha body, if they have no clue bout it or is havin shit. One would do dis by simply hustlin first on personalitizzle n' narration, n' then poppin' off ta yo' tulpa bout choosin a gangbangin' form. Can I pimp multiple aspectz of mah tulpa simultaneously? Yo ass certainly can, n' you may find it beneficial ta do so up in some circumstances. Generally it make sense ta crew various pimpments - form n' personalitizzle is often done together (although you should remember they're not dependent on one another), n' sensory imposizzle is often done across multiple senses all up in tha same time. Tryin ta work on a fuckin shitload of thangs at once however will only make it harder ta concentrate. Can I create a tulpa that's up in charge of they own personality/creation? By purely narratin ta yo' tulpa without definin they personalitizzle or assumin a gangbangin' form fo' them, you can still pimp a tulpa whose traits n' eventually form will emerge on they own. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Yo ass still need ta give nuff time n' dedication ta tha narration process, n' work on thangs like sensory imposizzle yo, but it's definitely possible. It's worth notin dat dis aint a lazy way out, it requires just as much effort n' concentration as guidin yo' tulpa's pimpment personally. What tha fuck iz deviation, n' how tha fuck do it work? Yo crazy-ass initial plans or scams fo' a tulpa may be altered by influences both within n' outside, n' once yo' tulpa has clear independence they may chizzle theyselves further n' shit. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Some tulpa end up almost exactly as initially designed, while others end up changin beyond recognizzle as a result of these collectizzle alterations. In addition, a mature, pimped tulpa will continue ta chizzle over time accordin ta what tha fuck they experience n' encounter, just like any other person. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Do puttin too much detail tha fuck into mah tulpa stifle deviation? No. Whether you vague or not, deviation is probably goin ta happen. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Yo ass can spend minutes on something, n' it still might chizzle. This don't mean yo' time is wasted, though. Do mah tulpa gotta be human? No. If you can imagine tha form, yo' tulpa can take dat form. Monsters, muthafuckas n' half-human charactas is commonplace. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Some playas have tulpas dat have tha form of inanimate objects muthafucka! Not exactly bangin yo, but that's what tha fuck stuck fo' dem wild-ass muthafuckas. Can I cook up a tulpa of one of mah thugs? Can yo slick ass, biatch? Yes yes y'all. Is it recommended, biatch? Not if yo' intent is ta git a cold-ass lil copy of tha thug ta be playaz with. It's tha same ol' dirty principle as bustin a tulpa afta a gangbangin' fictionizzle character n' shit. Especially do not create tulpas as a way of holdin onto loved ones afta they dirtnaps. Borrowin a gangbangin' form or drawin inspiration from personalitizzle is fine yo, but we would highly recommend never brangin dis up ta tha individual you drew inspiration from. Tulpa Troubleshooting I'm not gettin any alien feeling, is I bustin suttin' wrong? Fuck dat shit, you not bustin anythang wrong. There is nuff kindz of feedback a tulpa can give - wack responses, 'head pressure', headaches,'mindvoice' - n' not all of dem will intrinsically feel alien, distant, or as though they came from outside yo' own mind, n' some playas never git suttin' they can define so easily until they tulpa is clearly independent. Don't sweat dat shit. I'm gettin headaches, pressure, sore eyes n' shiznit durin creation, is dat bad? It's straight-up like aiiight ta git headaches n' tha like. Don't worry bout it, it's a aiiight part of creation n' will phase up by tha time yo' tulpa is straight-up imposed on yo' environment. If you not gettin any of tha aforementioned, that's fine like a muthafucka. It's hard brangin mah tulpa's grill tha fuck into focus, why? Faces is tha part of tha body which is most dynamic n' which we identify wit most. Of course it's goin ta be hard ta visualize them; few have a easy as fuck time wit tulpa faces. In time it will come together when you don't gotta force tha visualization. I'm havin shiznit visualizing, what tha fuck do I do? Dope visualization aint strictly necessary up-front fo' bustin a tulpa, n' it'll git betta over time as you practice it, thus pimpin along wit yo' tulpa. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat if yo ass is havin shiznit then there be guides available on dis joint n' tha wider internizzle dat may be useful (see tha visualization guides fo' more). I aint felt mah tulpa up in 'x' hours/days, what tha fuck did I do wrong? Nothing. It's not unusual fo' a tulpa ta retreat back fo' a lil while. This happens when they is growing, n' is often followed by much growth. It's happened ta some playas dat they tulpa have left fo' almost a week, n' when they return become vocal up in a straight-up short amount of time. Even if you can't feel them, continue forcin n' interactin wit dem as you normally would. (Somethang weird) happened, what tha fuck do it mean, biatch? Is dis normal? When you dealin wit a almost entirely menstrual process, deeply interconnected wit imagination, expect tha unexpected. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! This type'a shiznit happens all tha time. It's probably normal yo, but we can't rap whether it is or not - it's yo' mind. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! How tha fuck aiiight do it feel, biatch? Is it just a lil unusual, or do you wanna run fo' tha hills as a result of it, biatch? Take yo' time, take a thugged-out deep breath, n' try poppin' off ta yo' tulpa n' askin why or how tha fuck they're bustin what tha fuck they're bustin. It's also possible dat yo' tulpa, like nuff people, don't know tha minutiae of why a funky-ass dome do what tha fuck it do, up in which case stick ta tha standard recourse - if it aint causin thangs beyond one-off mad drama, shrug n' move on. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Overall, also remember dat askin playas whoz ass aren't privy ta tha inside of yo' mind ta explain these thangs probably won't yield you lyrics beyond aimless speculation. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. I be a gangsta yo, but y'all knew dat n' mah tulpa is pimpin incredibly quickly, is dat aiiight? Tulpas whoz ass pimp quickly may seem unreal or artificial up in how tha fuck quickly they pick up vocalisation n' responsivenizz yo, but probably dis just indicates you gotz a predisposizzle towardz tulpa creation, whether it's a phat imagination, well-developed internal narration, or just natural capability. Carry on as you were, n' try not ta worry bout tha time you put in. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Is mah tulpa already sentient? We can't answer dis question fo' you, biatch. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat keep up in mind dat pimpin tulpas is heavily hyped up by beliefs n' expectations. If yo ass is poppin' off ta dem up in a thugged-out everyday basis n' helpin dem grow, yo' belief dat they is sentient n' expectation dat they will respond will carry dem along, n' eventually propel dem ta sentience if they aint already sentient. Dizzle ta Dizzle Life With a Tulpa How tha fuck do I make mah tulpa be on tha down-low or leave me ridin' solo fo' some time? Yo ass can simply ask yo' tulpa ta do so! If you busy wit school, work or need some time fo' yo ass alone, yo' tulpa can step back fo' dis shit. Remember dat tulpas have lil ta no motivation ta be a nuisizzle n' they know how tha fuck yo ass is feeling, therefore you don't need ta force dem ta do dis cuz they KNOW tha needz of tha moment. Can I make shit fo' mah tulpa, biatch? How tha fuck long will these shit last? Yo ass can 'force' shit fo' yo' tulpa. This is simply a matta of thankin of tha appropriate object, givin it form n' thankin of how tha fuck it behaves. Da time it takes will vary wit tha object, its complexity, n' yo' concentration n' familiaritizzle wit tha given item. If yo' tulpa is straight-up imposed tha fuck into yo' vision, tha item can likewise be imposed, although it may lack tangibilitizzle n' 'weight' ta you, biatch. They tend ta last only as long as you n' yo' tulpa is interactin wit n' payin attention ta dem yo, but may last longer (see wonderlandz n' mindscapes). Tulpa theyselves can produce shit n' objects, provided they have sufficient experiences n' memories ta draw upon. Should I rap ta mah tulpa up bangin or up in mah head? Yo ass can rap ta yo' tulpa up in yo' head, or you can rap ta yo' tulpa up loud, obviously up in mo' private quartas or wherever you deem laid back - n' wit a headset or phone, you could reasonably rap ta dem anywhere without attractin weird looks. Yo crazy-ass tulpa may rap ta you directly up in yo' mind, or aloud via auditory hallucination. What if mah tulpa sees mah memories or fantasies n' don't like me son? Yo crazy-ass tulpa is likely goin ta be fine wit dat shit. Even if they judge dem partz of you, they'll also know bout tha other, betta partz of you; mah playas has dem partz of theyselves, n' often we is harder on ourselves than others is on us. They may disapprove of suttin' you've done or thought of up in tha past yo, but they aint goin ta don't give a fuck bout you over dat shit. Will mah tulpa freak up if I mastabizzle/bust a nut? It entirely comes down ta tha personalitizzle of tha tulpa up in question. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Many seem entirely unperturbed by tha horny-ass activitizzle of they hosts yo, but they may possibly comment on yo' action or be seemingly disrespectful of yo' privacy. We can't comment on horny-ass activitizzle pimped up at yo' tulpa, so figure it up yo ass as two peeps up in one body. What bout rockin tha bathroom n' other embarrassin scenarios, biatch? Will mah tulpa watch? As two peeps pluggin tha same body, dis is suttin' you simply goin ta gotta git used to. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat just cuz they're able ta don't mean they is ghon be
type accommodation, as marked on our map, however, we had no luck finding this. Instead, we found Tad Saulin homestay (indicated by the purple arrow), owned by the brilliant and lovely Nittaya Sanithavong, who settled us into a couple of tents within bamboo huts. I kid not, Nittaya makes the best fried rice and noodles in the entirety of Asia!! Day 3/4 We spent many days here chatting away to Nittaya and hearing about her fascinating life (ask her about it). She would send us off on adventures to discover the huge array of magnificent secret waterfalls hiding in amongst little nooks of her land. It was absolutely magical and a must for anyone who appreciates nature, waterfalls and exploring. At the base of the valley, there was a huge natural pool in which you could swim. We spent many hours here messing about in the fresh, cool waters and stretched out to sunbathe on the smooth, flat rocks. A fault with our moped, meant that we were delayed and spent a glorious New Years Eve here, stargazing, whilst wrapped in our duvets looking out for shooting stars. It truly is a spectacular area of land Day 5 On a tight timeframe, we reluctantly said our final goodbyes to the other interesting travellers we had met and, of course, our lovely host, Nittaya, and pressed on back to Pakse. We had more than enough time to stop on route to view the waterfalls (marked on the map) and taste the coffee from the plantation cafes before the sunset in Pakse. Unfortunately, many of these waterfalls were overrun with people and had that built up 'tourist attraction' feel - once we had experienced the quiet magnificence of the waterfalls on Nittaya's land, they simply did not compare. The coffee plantation cafe, 'Jhai coffee house', we stopped at was very cool and rustic. Jackie Thao, the Roastmaster, spoke very good english and brought us a selection of coffee, made from different types of coffee beans. He demonstrated how the coffee was made and gave us a detailed explanation of each flavour. The above photo demonstrates an interesting flow diagram of how a locally built business, providing a service that appeals to tourists, can supply the local community with clean water. Read more about this fantastic enterprise here.This building block covers a wide range of system-level issues, such as regulation, where EU rules on the environment and public health, as well as competition and trade rules, are particularly relevant; supporting functions such as research, where again the impact of Brexit is substantial; and also the processes of scrutiny and stakeholder engagement. The UK benefits greatly from its participation in EU specialised agencies, such as the European Food Standards Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. These agencies perform essential roles and, if the UK is unable or unwilling to continue participating in them, it will have to find alternative arrangements. Working through and with the WHO or the UN Codex Alimentarius system as the UK, rather than as part of an entity the size of the EU, will inevitably entail a loss of influence. However, given the persistent threat of infectious diseases crossing borders, any lesser engagement poses a potentially serious threat to human and animal health. The EU has been active in policies designed to tackle threats to health posed by products that cross borders, especially tobacco, an area in which the UK has been ahead of many other Member States. Currently, UK courts look to EU law in interpreting these rules. There is, however, a risk that the UK could become a prime target for the tobacco industry post Brexit, as is the case in Switzerland. A series of EU directives designed to improve air quality have had a major impact on health. Following restrictions on the sulphur content of fuel, there has been an 80% decline in sulphur dioxide emissions, practically eliminating the problem of acid rain. However, the UK has often lagged behind its neighbours in the implementation and enforcement of these directives. In 2015, only two London boroughs met EU standards for nitrogen dioxide concentrations, leading the European Commission to initiate infringement proceedings.EU directives on water quality have also been effective, although again the UK has some way to go, with only 77% of British beaches rated as excellent, a figure well below that in many other Member States. This trend suggests that, in the absence of EU legislation, UK environmental standards could slip further. Competition and trade Competition law is one of the areas where the UK could have an opportunity to improve the policy environment for the NHS post-Brexit, should it choose to do so. The EU has a strong regulatory structure designed to prevent states from implementing industrial policies that might impede competition within the internal market. This includes anti-trust legislation that gives the Commission great authority to find and punish cartels, so-called state aid laws that block corrupt or unfair public subsidies to businesses, public procurement laws that keep governments from promoting businesses at the expense of the public purse, and competition laws intended to create level playing fields for companies established in different Member States. These bodies of law all create inconveniences and even some threats to the NHS. The risk with state aid laws, and competition laws in general, is that sensible health policy might be interpreted as a subsidy to a particular provider (such as the NHS) in a competitive market. If a private firm bids to provide NHS services and does not get the contract, it can challenge the decision in court, arguing that the process unfairly advantaged one set of competitors (NHS organisations) over another. These challenges have not been especially successful under EU law, with the ECJ consistently recognising the particular nature of health care, but the risk of expensive litigation drives behaviour within the NHS. Public procurement law creates administrative inconvenience since it demands that procurements be made in accordance with EU administrative requirements (or that contracts be split into smaller contracts that have a lower administrative burden). There is almost certainly scope to reduce the administrative overhead of these actions. However, this presupposes that the government wishes to do so. Whereas many European governments have insulated their health systems from these processes, the UK has explicitly decided not to, with the 2012 Health and Social Care Act opening up the NHS in England (but not in Scotland) to further competition, invoking EU law as a justification for its own pro-competitive agenda. Consequently, it is far from clear that the UK will take this opportunity to structure its domestic competition and procurement laws in ways that will strenghthen the NHS. A related issue is the ability of future trade deals to subject the NHS to investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. These mechanisms could allow corporations to contest domestic policies on health, the environment, and working conditions by arguing, for example, that such policies are non-tariff barriers to trade or investment. This scenario has been one reason for controversy over the proposed Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Although the EU's negotiating position incorporated many safeguards, including for health systems, it seems probable that any arrangements outside the EU would not do so.Project to transform stretch of Buffalo Bayou into 'jewel' BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP Photo: Buffalo Bayou Partnership Photo: Buffalo Bayou Partnership Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Project to transform stretch of Buffalo Bayou into 'jewel' 1 / 5 Back to Gallery A $55 million upgrade to parkland along Buffalo Bayou is set to add performance venues, improve recreational areas and revitalize downtown-area green space that officials hope will become a magnet and refuge similar to New York's Central Park. Houston City Council on Wednesday approved an operating agreement paving the way for construction, including a major restructuring of Buffalo Bayou and restoration of its ecosystems. The Harris County Commissioners Court will take up a similar agreement Tuesday. The plan's cost will be covered by $50 million in donations, including $30 million from The Kinder Foundation, with construction expected to run from June 2012 through 2015. The city will contribute $2 million annually to maintain and operate the upgraded park, and the Harris County Flood Control District will pitch in $5 million to assist with changes to the waterway. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership still is raising private funds for the project. The restructuring effort will focus on a 158-acre, 2.3-mile stretch of the bayou between Shepherd and Sabine, with an emphasis on "resculpting" the bayou channel to restore a more natural meandering path that was scraped away during a 1950s flood control project, said Guy Hagstette, a consultant for the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, which developed the plan. The project is expected to double the amount of trees currently in the park area while clearing out invasive brush, vines and dying or dead trees. "It's going to take a really nice amenity and just make it a jewel," Mayor Annise Parker said this week. Performance pavilion Aside from the major focus of cleaning up silt, invasive plants and other buildup in the channel to make the bayou more visible and accessible from the park, the major destination is expected to be an area called Water Music Place. The football field-size green space and a covered performance pavilion will be placed on top of an unused underground reservoir inside a fenced, 5-acre plot next to the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark. An adjacent plaza, including a visitor center and elevated terrace that could offer as many as 6,000 square feet for a possible restaurant, will create a gateway to the park on Sabine, Hagstette said. The plaza will be located next to a planned nature playground. Farther to the west, near Dunlavy and Allen Parkway, an area called Lost Lake would add a pond, visitor center, up to 3,500 square feet of potential restaurant space and a canoe and kayak rental shop. Those changes and others will be valuable to Houstonians, including many who cannot afford to take their families on vacations amid the current economic climate, Councilman James Rodriguez said. "It's another great destination for our kids and families to go," he said. "I think that could be very popular." New walking, bike trails In other areas, a portion of Eleanor Tinsley Park will be transformed into a grass bowl and performance area to create a home for July Fourth celebrations and other festivals. The change will involve clearing out swing sets and dead or dying pine trees. An area near Studemont and Allen Parkway, currently used as an informal dog park, will be supplemented with a pond and animal play area. Space around the dandelion-shaped Gus S. Wortham Memorial Fountain will be converted into a European-style plaza with rows of trees. Lighting will be placed throughout the park and art added in an area that passes under Memorial Drive. New walking trails will be created, and a 10-foot-wide bike route will be completed and paved over. Bridges along the bayou will be illuminated with a blue glow at night, except for near the Waugh bridge bat colony, which will have red lights because bats are sensitive to blue, Hagstette said. The area near the colony largely will be untouched to avoid disturbing the bats, which should grow as an attraction once the park is completed. Several gardens will be added to the park, and about 100 benches will be installed throughout. Work on resculpting the bayou will be key in cutting down on sediment in the water, helping to reduce murkiness, which is standard for streams in Southeast Texas, Hagstette said. Among other costs, a total of about $6 million will be spent on landscaping changes, $5 million on lighting, $4 million on two pedestrian bridges, $4 million on the development of Lost Lake, $5 million on Water Music Place and $5 million on trails. [email protected] twitter.com/zainshaukThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced that fans will be able to see every home game on television this season. That includes Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. The announcement comes one day after the Bucs benched starting quarterback Josh Freeman in favor of rookie Mike Glennon. The Glazers have watched as over the previous three seasons the Buccaneers saw 19 of their 23 home games blacked out. The Glazers had the opportunity to buy out remaining tickets for each of those games, and they wouldn't have been the first team to do so. While the Bucs did not announce how they were going to prevent blackouts, buying up unsold tickets is the only feasible way to do that. The Bucs announced that the majority of home games were projected to pass the necessary ticket sales threshold of 85% of general availability tickets to prevent blackouts. "In appreciation for the loyal support of our fans throughout the Tampa Bay area, we have committed to televise the remaining seven home games of the 2013 season." This will mark the first time since 2009 that local Buccaneers fans will be able to see every game on television. More from Bucs Nation:A special election to fill Coburn's seat will take place on Nov. 4. GOP free-for-all for Coburn seat? News that Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn will retire at the end of 2014, triggering a special election for his deep-red Senate seat in November, creates an unexpected opportunity for the deep bench of Oklahoma GOP pols to seek a higher office. That means the Republican primary to replace Coburn could be a free-for-all. Story Continued Below Three of Oklahoma’s five U.S. House members are seen as potential candidates: Reps. Tom Cole, James Lankford and Jim Bridenstine. ( Earlier: Tom Coburn won't serve rest of Senate term) Insiders in the state expect Lankford to jump into the race; Cole, too, has long been seen as someone who could run for, and is interested in, seeking higher office. Bridenstine, should he decide to run, would likely be the choice of outside conservative and tea party groups. The Senate Conservatives Fund hasn’t commented publicly on potential candidates to replace Coburn, but did endorse Bridenstine’s House reelection bid last spring. Also on the shortlist are several state-level officials: Attorney General Scott Pruitt, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb and Corporation Commissioner Patrice Douglas. And T.W. Shannon, the African-American speaker of the state House, will certainly be on Oklahoma insiders’ minds for the seat. Gov. Mary Fallin announced Friday morning that the special election to fill Coburn’s seat will be held on Oklahoma’s regular election days this year: a primary on June 24, runoff election on Aug. 26 if necessary, and the general election on Nov. 4. The filing deadline is April 11. “There’s any number of people that are probably going to think about running for this,” said Dave Weston, chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. “It’ll be a highly competitive primary.” Weston said dark horse candidates are also possible, noting that Coburn himself was the outsider in the 2004 primary. Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma’s other senator, is also up for reelection this year, meaning the Coburn election will be held concurrently. Kirk Humphreys, the former mayor of Oklahoma City who ran and lost against Coburn in the 2004 GOP primary, said the race to fill Coburn’s seat could be “like a cattle call.” At the same time, he said, one factor could keep the field smaller: because the special election will be held at the same time as the state’s regularly scheduled elections, anyone whose current position is up for reelection this year will have to consider whether to give up his or her seat in order to run for Senate. “It’s not a free shot [for the nomination] … these are pretty smart people, they’ve got something to lose and I suspect they’ll sort that out beforehand,” he said. That applies to almost all of the potential candidates being mentioned: Cole, Lankford and Bridenstine all have House elections in November, and Pruitt, Lamb and Douglas all are up for reelection statewide this fall as well. “That may narrow the field a little bit,” Weston said. “Had [the election] been in 2015, that probably would have opened the door for a more contested primary.” Correction: A previous version of this article misstated when Coburn first ran for federal office. He ran for and won a U.S. House seat in 1994. CORRECTION: Corrected by: Trevor Eischen @ 01/17/2014 05:11 PM Correction: A previous version of this article misstated when Coburn first ran for federal office. He ran for and won a U.S. House seat in 1994.The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines, and other recommendations relating to foods, food production, and food safety. Its name is derived from the Codex Alimentarius Austriacus.[1] Its texts are developed and maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body that was established in early November 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), was joined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in June 1962, and held its first session in Rome in October 1963.[2] The Commission's main goals are to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the international food trade. The Codex Alimentarius is recognized by the World Trade Organization as an international reference point for the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection.[3][4] As of 2012, there were 186 members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission: 186 member countries and one member organization, the European Union (EU). There were 215 Codex observers: 49 intergovernmental organizations, 150 non-governmental organizations, and 16 United Nations organizations.[5] Scope [ edit ] The Codex Alimentarius covers all foods, whether processed, semi-processed or raw. In addition to standards for specific foods, the Codex Alimentarius contains general standards covering matters such as food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, and procedures for assessing the safety of foods derived from modern biotechnology. It also contains guidelines for the management of official i.e. governmental import and export inspection and certification systems for foods. The Codex Alimentarius is published in the six official languages of the United Nations: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian.[6] Not all texts are available in all languages. General texts [ edit ] Food labelling (general standard, guidelines on nutrition labelling, guidelines on labelling claims) Food additives (general standard including authorized uses, specifications for food grade chemicals) Contaminants in foods (general standard, tolerances for specific contaminants including radionuclides, aflatoxins and other mycotoxins) Pesticide and veterinary chemical residues in foods (maximum residue limits) Risk assessment procedures for determining the safety of foods derived from biotechnology (DNA-modified plants, DNA-modified micro-organisms, allergens) Food hygiene (general principles, codes of hygienic practice in specific industries or food handling establishments, guidelines for the use of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point or “HACCP” system) Methods of analysis and sampling Specific standards [ edit ] Controversy [ edit ] The controversy over the Codex Alimentarius relates to a perception that it is a mandatory standard for the safety of food, including vitamin and mineral supplements. Supporters of the Codex Alimentarius say that it is a voluntary reference standard for food and that there is no obligation on countries to adopt Codex standards as a member of either Codex or any other international trade organization. From the point of view of its opponents, however, one of the main causes of concern is that the Codex Alimentarius is recognized by the World Trade Organization as an international reference standard for the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection.[3][4] Proponents argue that the use of Codex Alimentarius during international disputes does not exclude the use of other references or scientific studies as evidence of food safety and consumer protection.[citation needed] It is reported that in 1996 the German delegation put forward a proposal that no herb, vitamin or mineral should be sold for preventive or therapeutic reasons, and that supplements should be reclassified as drugs.[7] The proposal was agreed, but protests halted its implementation.[7] The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was subsequently held July 4–9, 2005.[8] Among the many issues discussed were the Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements,[9] which were adopted during the meeting as new global safety guidelines: The guidelines state that "people should...be encouraged to select a balanced diet from food before considering any vitamin and mineral supplement. In cases where the intake from the diet is insufficient or where consumers consider their diet requires supplementation, vitamin and mineral food supplements serve to supplement the daily diet."[9][10] This text has been the subject of considerable controversy among proponents of dietary supplements. Many countries regulate such substances as therapeutic goods or pharmaceuticals or by some other category, without requiring them to be shown to be medically useful.[citation needed] The text does not seek to ban supplements, but subjects them to labeling and packaging requirements, sets criteria for the setting of maximum and minimum dosage levels, and requires that safety and efficacy are considered when determining ingredient sources. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) will implement these criteria with "labelling to stop consumers overdosing on vitamin and mineral food supplements." The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has said that the Guidelines call "for labelling that contains information on maximum consumption levels of vitamin and mineral food supplements." The WHO has also said that the Guidelines "ensure that consumers receive beneficial health effects from vitamins and minerals."[10] In 2004, similarities were noted between the EU's Food Supplements Directive and the Codex Alimentarius draft guidelines for vitamin and mineral supplements'.[11] Additional controversy has been expressed by proponents of ecologically and socially sustainable agriculture and food systems, such as the Slow Food movement,[12] although the Slow Food movement has become more closely aligned with the EU.[13] In addition, the Manifesto on the Future of Food stated that "bureaucracies like the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Codex Alimentarius have codified policies designed to serve the interests of global agribusiness above all others, while actively undermining the rights of farmers and consumers".[14] See also [ edit ]Powered by healthy spending from increasingly optimistic consumers, the American economy is emerging as an island of relative strength in the face of renewed torpor and turmoil elsewhere in much of the world. Just hours after Russia unexpectedly cut interest rates on Friday in response to a shrinking economy and worries over its banks, and European officials reported more signs of weakness on the Continent, new government data showed the American economy grew at a decent 2.6 percent rate in the final quarter of 2014. That pace represents a downshift from the blistering 5 percent growth rate recorded in the third quarter and was modestly below what economists had been expecting. Nonetheless, most economists viewed the report in a positive light and saw the robust consumer spending as pointing to an improving economy in 2015. The combination of plunging energy prices and a healthier job market in late 2014 helped consumer spending rise last quarter by 4.3 percent, the fastest rate of growth since early 2006. And in a separate report on Friday, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey of consumer sentiment in January rose to its highest level since January 2004.The lawyer is reading a newspaper outside a jailhouse when the men roll up to kill his client— maybe to kill him too, if it comes to that. An argument ensues, others intervene, but when the mob disappears, it’s a newsman who comes from the shadows holding a shotgun. “I had you covered this whole time,” he tells the lawyer. It’s fiction, of course, but if there’s truth in the best fiction, then one of the great abiding truths in To Kill A Mockingbird is that the press can stand up for justice. In Canada, however, lawyers may need to stand up for the press. During most of its tenure, the Stephen Harper government has restricted the media’s access to information in ways that are foreign to many democracies, and even to some non-democracies. But the Harper government isn’t merely violating some nebulous democratic ideal that less cynical people in less cynical places might defend. The government may be violating the Charter right to free expression. Canadian media outlets shouldn’t hold out for the possibility that a different government may decide to be more open, or that a more engaged public may demand more openness. Instead, media outlets, among others, ought to get their lawyers on the phone and start a constitutional challenge. Canadian journalists are kept from accessing information in at least three important ways. One way actually affects anyone who might want to make an access to information request, but unless there’s a large number of people who do that as an extracurricular hobby, it may affect journalists most of all. We might be grateful that Canada has access to information legislation, but then, nearly half of the countries in the world do, including China and Russia. Given the mixed company we’re in, we’d be foolish to imagine that access to information laws guarantee timely and full access to information — just ask whatever poor guy is still waiting on a request filed with Canada’s Justice Department six years ago. According to the Global Right to Information Ranking, Canada’s legislative framework ranks in the bottom half of countries. Yemen’s is better. Columbia’s is better. South Sudan’s, El Salvador’s and Mexico’s are much better. And if you’re wondering, Russia’s right-to-information legal framework is better than Canada’s too. (Thankfully, China’s remains slightly worse. So we have that.) Jennifer Dunham, Freedom House Project Manager of Freedom of the Press, clarifies that developing countries may receive more international assistance and have newer laws, which helps explain Canada’s low standing (but hardly excuses it). Another restriction gives Canadian journalists more common cause with aggrieved American journalists: reporters from both countries are systematically prevented from speaking with government sources. In Ottawa, a chill has frozen out government scientists, among other officials; in Washington, Eric Holder pursued more WWI-era Espionage Act cases against government whistleblowers than any other attorney general in history. And if an American reporter wants to talk to a lower-level government official, “the administration tends to assign a minder that sits in on the interview,” Freedom House Vice President of Research Arch Puddington tells me. But the easiest way for the government to restrict journalists’ access to information is to just stop talking to them. Stop holding frequent press conferences. Stop inviting the press to political events. And start handpicking journalists who can ask the few questions at the few events to which the press is actually invited. That’s exactly what the Harper government has done, and it’s a great way to control a political message. It just doesn’t happen to be a democratic way to run a country. “The countries where these kinds of access problems really bubble up — they’re countries that Canada would not want to be compared to. We’re talking about Ecuador, or Turkey, Argentina,” says Puddington. “[In these countries] the leader definitely tries to smother the critical press and reward only those that are going to serve as an echo chamber. You certainly don’t want to move in that direction.” But it’s a direction we may be headed, according to Tom Henheffer, the executive director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. “The government’s message control, it borders on insane. And it certainly isn’t democratic,” says Henheffer. “We’ve been pushing the Canadian government as much as we possibly can on this and they refuse — refuse — to budge on it.” As Henheffer points out, the media might do more to defend itself. Related Still, what some media have done is remarkable — they’ve just gleaned remarkably few results. Canadian journalists have organized walk-outs on news conferences. They’ve boycotted caucus speeches. They’ve covered their own industry. They’ve used passionate argument and cold logic and humour and swear words. One columnist conducted an interview with himself when the Prime Minister didn’t invite him to one (“I have always admired your work,” said Andrew Coyne’s imaginary Stephen Harper to Andrew Coyne.) In the meantime, muzzled scientists have organized protests and the information commissioner has made dozens of recommendations. At this point, all that remains to be done is to curl into the fetal position and weep softly. Or, perhaps, to start constitutional challenges under Section 2 (b) of the Charter, which guarantees freedom of expression. Three challenges, in fact: one brought by the information commissioner, one brought by muzzled scientists, and one brought by media outlets. University of Ottawa law professor Errol Mendes argues that constitutional challenges such as these, successful or more likely not, could “reveal the extent of how the PMO manipulates our rights and our democracy.” We might almost trick ourselves into thinking that these challenges would have a real shot. The right to free expression doesn’t merely prevent government censors from setting up shop in Canadian newsrooms. According to Mendes, it can mean the freedom to receive information as well as share it. He thinks muzzled scientists could conceivably claim that they should be free to share their research under the Charter; that the information commissioner could “bring to task the most egregious of attempts by government to prevent access to information that Canadians are entitled to”; and, that excluded media outlets could make the case that they can’t share information with the public equally if the government grants only a few the occasional honour of receiving it. “It’s worth bringing this out into the public domain,” Mendes says. “Even if you lose.” With constitutional challenges like these, you probably would lose — even though you’d be right, even though the government’s treatment of the media has been a brazen, unapologetic and near-decade-long exercise in doing all kinds of wrong, and even though every subsequent government will have every reason to repeat the wrongs of this government. Still you’d lose. Mendes suggests that if media outlets or the information commissioner were to bring action, the government could always argue that freedom of expression includes its freedom to express absolutely nothing. But maybe that’s a fight we need to have. And in a case that seems destined to fail, at least we’ll have one old barrister’s definition of courage. “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win,” says Atticus Finch, that lawyer who faced down a mob when armed with only a newspaper. But here’s the thing, he adds: “sometimes you do.”Halswell House in Somerset was hired for £9,000 by a group of 350 revellers who arrived in a fleet of Porsches, BMWs and Aston Martins. They were all wearing long cloaks and masks and the party continued normally until midnight - when they stripped down to leather pants, corsets and suspenders. The guests then started kissing and a mass orgy ensued with couples having sex "everywhere". Halswell House owner Grahame Bond, a multi-millionaire estate agent, was forced to send some of his teenage staff home because of the explicit activities. He called the police but was told officers were powerless to intervene because it was on a private dwelling between consenting adults. It later emerged that the party had been organised by a Dutch events company which specialises in sexy 'adults-only' parties. Mr Bond, 45, who bought the property for £1.94 million in 2004, said the evening suddenly turned into an orgy "as if a switch had been flicked on". He said: "The party started normally and it all seemed pretty harmless - people were drinking but everyone was very well behaved and pleasant. "The whole group were dressed in these great costumes and it looked exactly like something out of Eyes Wide Shut. "But then one of the organisers announced: 'The moment has come. The spell has begun' and everyone began kissing and having sex. "To say I was shocked was an understatement. I was totally lost for words it was as if a switch had been flicked on. "The first thing we saw was one couple at it on a window sill. When the haze from the dry ice in the disco room cleared we realised it was going on everywhere. "That's when the penny dropped that it was a swinger's party. "The guests were all public-school types and I jokingly said to one: 'I suppose you are a High Court judge.' He replied: 'You're not far off the mark'." The revellers arrived at Halswell House at 9pm on Saturday and partied to music provided by a DJ until the orgy began at midnight. He immediately sent two 19-year-old waitresses home and the party continued unabated until the bar closed at 3am and the guests retired to their rooms. Mr Bond was unaware that the house had been booked by events company Little Sins for an event titled "Eyes Wide Sins". The Dutch company sold tickets at £65 apiece to the 350 guests and the advert on their website read: "LittleSins brings you at an exquisite manor house. Mr Bond added: "When they booked the party they did say 'it's got a dating aspect to it.' I'm just taking it in good humour because it was supposed to be a private party. "I was very worried for my staff and told them they could go home if they wanted, and two of them, who were only 19 years old, did so. "I called the police but they said that as it was a private party there was nothing illegal about it."October 13, 2018 Hello everyone, and thank you for being around for so long.I want to let you all know my next game Lotus Reverie is entering the final stages of development, a lot of announcement and a release date will be available soon!For all of you interested you can join my Patreon and get different rewards. These rewards include:- Early updates and Work in Progress- Digital copies of the game on release- Extras such as OST and artbook- Access to Beta versions of the game and videos- Hi res images and music- Appear in the game with your own original character!- Much more!Please consider helping the development if you liked One Thousand Lies. Lotus Reverie is a project of passion, and I've been working on it really hard since I finished OTL.Thank you very much.[+]Enlarge This metal-organic framework can adsorb 90% of its weight in water. Co atoms are shown in purple; C in gray; N in blue; O in red; Cl in green. Hydrogen atoms are omitted for clarity. Credit: ACS Cent. Sci. Materials that reversibly trap water from air could provide a vital source of drinking water in areas where it is scarce, or offer energy-efficient air conditioning. But to be commercially viable, these materials need a large water capacity and low energy requirements during water adsorption and desorption. Now, Mircea Dincă and his research group at MIT report record-setting performance for water-trapping in a metal-organic framework (MOF) that may bring both applications closer to reality (ACS Cent. Sci. 2017, DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.7b00186). Porous materials can spontaneously pull water out of the air even at low humidity if their pores are the right size and their interior surfaces are hydrophilic. To maximize water capacity, the pores must be spacious, but not so big that the trapped water condenses into liquid that permanently clogs them. At the sweet spot, the water adsorbs to the MOF’s pores and desorbs with modest energy input, explains study co-author Adam Rieth. “Both adsorption and desorption are very important,” he says. In the new study, the researchers worked with a group of MOFs that had previously been used for the reversible capture of ammonia, chlorine, and bromine gases. These MOFs have just about optimal pore size—around 2 nm—and are made with manganese, cobalt, or nickel ions bound to triazolate linkers. In ambient air, the interior surface is naturally hydrophilic. When testing the MOFs, the researchers found that water spontaneously enters the pores at as low as 28% relative humidity. At 30% relative humidity, consistent with night-time conditions in arid climates, the cobalt MOF adsorbed almost 90% of its own weight in water, approximately double that of the next-highest-performing known material. The researchers calculated that if the cobalt-containing MOF were used in a hypothetical adsorption heat pump, the trapped water could be stripped from the material at just 55 °C. This means the device could potentially be powered by waste heat from a car engine, for example. Bo Wang, a MOF researcher from Beijing Institute of Technology who was not involved in the study calls it a “great addition” to the field. “It’s a very thorough study and helps to guide the design of MOFs.”More and more people feel somehow unsatisfied and uneasy about their life, their job and/or their relationships. Must there not be more to l... http://humansarefree.com/2017/04/how-matrix-of-fear-keeps-us-under.html More and more people feel somehow unsatisfied and uneasy about their life, their job and/or their relationships. Must there not be more to life than that? It is time – Wake up! The Programming It is all about Self-love “It all starts with self-love. As long as we don’t love ourselves and do not feel goode enough, we will stay in a place of fear. We will not be able to share our love freely and unconditionally but will depend on the love of others.” We work hard, we have earned material benefits for our immense efforts, we can afford lots of nice things. And actually, we think that we should be very happy.But instead, we feel this void inside ourselves and no matter how many things we treat ourselves with, how many steps we take on the career ladder – it just never seems enough to fill that void. So it continues.A bigger car, a bigger house, more clothes, another vacation, more toys for the kids, a bigger TV, the latest smartphone etc. We enjoy these things for a little while but then it is back. This void inside of us. We feel guilty, because we should be happy and yet are not. We think back to times in our childhood, when we were just enjoying life, not having to think or worry about anything. How nice would it be to be that free again!We feel trapped but don’t see any way out. Because the world is just working the way it is. We need this job to pay for all these things we own, to be safe when we are old and to offer our children a good life now and a better future than we had.And so we tell ourselves:“Once I retire, I get to do all the fun things I am dreaming of now. Then I will be free, then
. He's not afraid and you knew he would step up.” Bird knows Stevens could have just as easily gone with one of the other four rookies available for Boston on Friday. But in a ugly, whistle-filled game, Stevens was throwing darts a bit and hit a bull's-eye by leaning on both Bird and offseason signee Shane Larkin, who scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter. The challenge for Bird is showing he can consistently affect games if called upon again. His veteran teammates think there’s a good chance he’ll stick around, particularly if Marcus Smart needs more time to work his way back from the ankle injury that kept him out of Friday’s game. The Celtics were missing three of their top six players on Friday in Hayward (ankle), Smart (ankle) and Marcus Morris (knee). Boston started one rookie in Jayson Tatum and had five more available on the bench in Bird, Daniel Theis, Guerschon Yabusele, Semi Ojeleye and Abdel Nader. "Jabari is probably gonna be on every trip with us now and guys are gonna be called up and called upon to be ready to play,” Kyrie Irving said. "We have to have that expectation that, when we come in the game, we’re all ready to play and we trust one another and we have each other’s backs.”Alpine Based Docker Images Make a Difference in Real World Apps We all know that Alpine based Docker images are smaller, but how much does it matter for non-trivial applications that need libraries compiled? Quick Jump: What's Considered a Real World Application? \| How Does Alpine Compare to Debian Jessie (Slim)? \| Phase 1 Dockerfile Comparison \| Phase 2 Alpine Based Dockerfile \| Is Alpine Worth It? I develop a lot of Python and Ruby based applications, and my Dockerfile typically pulls in from the official Python or Ruby images on the Docker Hub. Up until recently, you only had 3 choices as a base OS. You could choose to use Jessie, Wheezy or Slim. However, now you can also choose Alpine as a base. I imagine most people used the Slim variant, and then installed things like build-essential in their Dockerfile if they needed it to compile libraries that their app’s packages use. In this article you’re going to see how Alpine compares to Debian Jessie (Slim) and also learn how to optimize the Alpine version even more. What’s Considered a Real World Application? I just released Build a SAAS App With Flask which is a course that gives you the confidence to develop web apps with Flask. It currently has around 20 top level Python packages and thousands of lines of code. It is a real application that connects to multiple databases and a few package dependencies require libraries to be compiled to function. I’m a huge backer of Docker, not in a financial sense but I truly believe it’s a great tool so naturally I use Docker in the course. How Does Alpine Compare to Debian Jessie (Slim)? python:2.7-slim as a base for my Dockerfile produces a 467.4MB image. python:2.7-alpine as a base for my Dockerfile produces a 309.1MB image. That’s a huge win. The final image is ~33% smaller and all I did was switch the base image and then spent 5 minutes learning how to use Alpine’s package manager. That’s only the beginning too because we can shrink it down by an additional ~65% by introducing a few tricks into our Dockerfile. Phase 1 Dockerfile Comparison Phase 1 is a direct comparison of Debian Jessie (Slim) vs Alpine with no additional tricks to minimize the final image size. The Slim Version FROM python:2.7-slim MAINTAINER Nick Janetakis <[email protected]> RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -qq -y \ build-essential libpq-dev libffi-dev --no-install-recommends ENV INSTALL_PATH /bsawf RUN mkdir -p $INSTALL_PATH WORKDIR $INSTALL_PATH COPY requirements.txt requirements.txt RUN pip install -r requirements.txt COPY.. CMD gunicorn -b 0.0.0.0:8000 --access-logfile - "bsawf.app:create()" The Alpine Version FROM python:2.7-alpine MAINTAINER Nick Janetakis <[email protected]> RUN apk update && apk add build-base postgresql-dev libffi-dev ENV INSTALL_PATH /bsawf RUN mkdir -p $INSTALL_PATH WORKDIR $INSTALL_PATH COPY requirements.txt requirements.txt RUN pip install -r requirements.txt COPY.. CMD gunicorn -b 0.0.0.0:8000 --access-logfile - "bsawf.app:create()" In this case, I need libffi-dev to compile a bcrypt package dependency and libpq-dev is for postgresql. Phase 2 Alpine Based Dockerfile At the moment, the Alpine version is 33% smaller but what happens when someone with more knowledge on Alpine than myself looks at it for a few minutes? That’s what happened today when @n_copa reached out to me on Twitter: @docker @alpinelinux @nickjanetakis you can make it even smaller by removing build time dependencies in same RUN https://t.co/Wahd9J5L1X — Natanael Copa (@n_copa) April 15, 2016 He gisted a new version of the Dockerfile : FROM python:2.7-alpine MAINTAINER Nick Janetakis <[email protected]> ENV INSTALL_PATH /bsawf RUN mkdir -p $INSTALL_PATH WORKDIR $INSTALL_PATH COPY requirements.txt requirements.txt RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual.build-deps \ build-base postgresql-dev libffi-dev \ && pip install -r requirements.txt \ && find /usr/local \ $ -type d -a -name test -o -name tests $ \ -o $ -type f -a -name '.pyc' -o -name '.pyo' $ \ -exec rm -rf '{}' + \ && runDeps = " $( \ scanelf --needed --nobanner --recursive /usr/local \ \| awk '{ gsub(/,/, " so:", $2); print "so:" $2 }' \ \| sort -u \ \| xargs -r apk info --installed \ \| sort -u \ ) " \ && apk add --virtual.rundeps $runDeps \ && apk del.build-deps COPY.. CMD gunicorn -b 0.0.0.0:8000 --access-logfile - "bsawf.app:create()" The above Dockerfile dropped the final image size from 309.1MB to 117.3MB. That’s ~65% smaller than the original Alpine image. It’s not fair to compare it against the Debian Jessie (Slim) version because we’re not cleaning up our compile-time dependencies there, but it’s a heck of a lot smaller as is. What’s the Catch? The biggest downside is every time you change a package in your application, it will have to run through the entire apk add command which means all of the system dependencies will be re-installed. This is going to add a few minutes to your build times, but remember – this increase only happens when you change your app’s package dependencies. For typical code changes which is what 99% of your changes will be, the build time will be nearly identical with both versions. Is it worth the occasional build time increases to ship around a 117MB image instead of one that’s over 300MB? That’s for you to decide, but I think it is. Is Alpine Worth It? I’m very happy with Alpine and will certainly be updating all of my projects to use it. You can also expect the official Docker Hub versions of many images to support it in the near future. Redis already has an Alpine version and it’s only ~16MB.U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585 Proved reserves of oil and natural gas show divergent trends reflecting large decline in natural gas prices Crude oil reserves highest since 1976 Largest annual increase in crude oil reserves since 1970 Average natural gas prices fell 34% between 2011 and 2012, reducing estimate of recoverable volumes of natural gas under existing economic conditions Pennsylvania's Marcellus becomes largest natural gas shale play in 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 10, 2014 U.S. crude oil proved reserves, led by reserve additions in Texas and North Dakota, increased at a record pace in 2012 according to the U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves, 2012 report released today by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Despite notable gains in the Marcellus and Eagle Ford shale gas plays, low natural gas prices drove down natural gas proved reserves in 2012, ending a 14-year run of consecutive increases in gas reserves. Proved reserves are estimated quantities of energy sources that analysis of geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable in future years from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions. Significant year-to-year price changes can directly affect the "existing economic" metric. Proved oil reserves, which include crude oil and lease condensate, increased 15.4% in 2012 to 33 billion barrels (bbl), both the largest volumetric and percentage increase in oil reserves since 1970, when 10 billion bbl of Alaskan oil reserves were added to the U.S. total. Proved oil reserves in 2012 increased for the fourth year in a row and were the highest since 1976. Tight oil plays accounted for 7.3 billion bbl (22% of the U.S. total) of proved reserves of crude oil and lease condensate in 2012. U.S. production of crude oil and lease condensate increased 16% from 2011 to 2012, rising from 5.8 million barrels per day (bbl/d) to 6.5 million bbl/d. Natural gas proved reserves, estimated as wet natural gas that includes natural gas plant liquids, decreased 7.5% in 2012 to 323 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) as operators revised the proved reserves of their existing natural gas fields downward in response to lower natural gas prices. The average natural gas price during 2012 was 34% below its 2011 level, presenting more challenging economic conditions for estimating proved reserves. Before April 2012, the natural gas spot price at the Henry Hub had not been below $2.00 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) since December 2001. Despite the drop in natural gas reserves in 2012, U.S. natural gas marketed production increased about 5% from 2011 to 2012, rising from 65.9 billion cubic feet per day to 69.1 billion cubic feet per day. "With natural gas prices higher in 2013 and technology continuing to advance, EIA expects U.S. natural gas proved reserves to increase in 2013," said EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski. Crude oil and lease condensate billion barrels Wet natural gas trillion cubic feet 2011 U.S. proved reserves 29.0 348.8 2012 U.S. proved reserves 33.4 322.7 Net change to proved reserves +4.45 -26.1 Percentage change in proved reserves +15.4% -7.5% At the state level, Texas recorded the largest volumetric increase (up 3.0 billion barrels) in proved oil reserves among individual states, largely because of development in the Permian and Western Gulf basins. North Dakota had the second-largest increase (up 1.1 billion barrels), driven by development of the Bakken and Three Forks formations in the Williston Basin. Pennsylvania and West Virginia reported the largest net increases in natural gas proved reserves in 2012, driven by continued development of the Marcellus Shale play, which became the largest U.S. shale gas play in 2012 based on proved reserves. Proved reserves in shale gas plays accounted for 40% (129.4 trillion cubic feet) of wet natural gas proved reserves in 2012. However, gains in the Marcellus (up 10.9 Tcf) and Eagle Ford (up 7.8 Tcf) shale plays were more than offset by price-driven reductions of reserves estimates in more mature shale plays, such as the Barnett and the Haynesville, which declined a combined 20.7 Tcf in 2012. EIA's report reflects estimates of proved reserves at the end of 2012 based on an annual survey of domestic oil and gas well operators. U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves, 2012 is available at: http://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilnaturalgasreserves. The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA's data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the United States Government. The views in the product and press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the Department of Energy or other Federal agencies. EIA Program Contact: EIA Program Contact: Steven Grape, 202-586-1868, [email protected] EIA Press Contact: Jonathan Cogan, 202-586-8719, [email protected] EIA-2014-04In a Tuesday court hearing, Jon Jones pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated, stemming from an incident in the early hours of May 19 in which he crashed his 2012 Bentley into a telephone pole in Binghamton, New York. According to The Press & Sun-Bulletin, after Jones made the plea in Binghamton City Court, judge Daniel Seidin suspended his driving privileges and ordered him to undergo an alcohol abuse and dependency evaluation. Related misdemeanor charges for an improper turn and deviating from a direct course were dismissed, according to WBNG, which noted that under a plea deal, Jones' attorney expects him to receive a fine and a conditional discharge. According to the reports, Jones' next hearing on the matter will be on June 19. He faces up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Jones' arrest came less than one month after his last match, a UFC 145 unanimous decision victory over Rashad Evans, a victory that marked his fourth consecutive against a onetime UFC champion. The incident has not changed the UFC's plan to have Jones defend his light-heavyweight championship against Dan Henderson on September 1 in Las Vegas. Last week, Jones flew to Las Vegas to meet with UFC president Dana White and Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. Over the weekend, White reasserted his support of Jones through the legal issues. "He's a young kid. He's a young kid and he's going to need a lot of guidance," he said. "The kid is incredibly talented, he's starting to make tons of money and he's getting really famous. Those are all the recipes for disaster."A recent survey of 1,746 patients at nine medical marijuana evaluation clinics in California indicates that "the patient population has evolved from mostly HIV/AIDS and cancer patients to a significantly more diverse array." University of California at Santa Cruz sociologist Craig Reinarman and his colleagues, who report their results in the Journal of Psychoactive Studies, say "this trend toward increasing therapeutic uses is bringing marijuana back to the position it held in the U.S. Pharmacopeia prior to its prohibition in 1937." Reinarman et al. found that "relief of pain, spasms, headache, and anxiety, as well as to improve sleep and relaxation, were the most common reasons patients cited for using medical marijuana." The top three reasons physicians gave for recommending marijuana were "back/spine/neck pain" (31 percent), "sleep disorders" (16 percent), and "anxiety/depression" (13 percent). Although those may sound like easy-to-fake symptoms, four-fifths of the patients reported trying other, doctor-prescribed medications (most commonly opioids) before marijuana. They could have been malingering then too, of course, and it may be easier to get a recommendation for marijuana than it is to get a prescription for Vicodin or Valium. But on the whole, it does not look like allowing the medical use of marijuana has fundamentally changed the nature of the doctor-patient relationship. Doctors do, after all, commonly prescribe psychoactive pharmaceuticals to treat not only pain but also sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression—all with the government's blessing. If some people find that marijuana works better for these purposes, there is no rational reason to prevent them from using it. "While it is true that the great majority of our respondents had used marijuana recreationally," Reinarman et al. write, "over two-ﬁfths...reported that they had not been using it recreationally prior to trying it for medicinal purposes." The authors are keenly aware of the widepread impression that a large portion of California's medical marijuana patients are using phony or exaggerated ailments as an excuse to get high. They note that it is hard to measure the extent of such "diversion" and that the phenomenon is not limited to marijuana. More fundamentally, they suggest that the distinction between medical and nonmedical use of drugs is becoming increasingly difficult to draw: Beyond the spread of [medical marijuana], Prozac and other SSRI-type antidepressants, for example, are often prescribed for patients who do not meet DSM criteria for clinical depression but who simply feel better when taking it. Such "cosmetic psychopharmacology"...is likely to grow as new psychiatric medications come to market. The line between medical and nonmedical drug use has also been blurred by performance enhancing drugs such as steroids, so-called "smart drugs" that combine vitamins with psychoactive ingredients, and herbal remedies like mahuang (ephedra) available in health food stores. These examples suggest that despite the best intentions of physicians and law makers, much drug use does not ﬁt into two neat boxes, medical and nonmedical, but rather exists on a continuum where one shades into the other as patients' purposes shift to suit situational exigencies in their health and their daily lives. It is not clear where a border line between medical and nonmedical marijuana or other drug use might be drawn nor how it might be effectively policed. If you believe the government has no business drawing or policing this line, it is hard to get worked up about people who fake their way to a medical marijuana recommendation. But as I argued back in 1993, reformers could pay a price if all the talk about relieving the suffering of cancer and AIDS patients is perceived as a cover for recreational use. Politicians in other states commonly cite the California example as a reason to block medical use or restrict it to a short list of conditions. Then again, the perception that California's current law encourages dishonesty (much as the medical and religious exceptions to alcohol prohibition did) may strengthen support for outright legalization, which last fall attracted support from 46 percent of California voters. [via NORML](Image: SPL) Satellites stay in their orbits thanks in part to the Earth’s squashed shape – something we have only just discovered. Our planet is ringed with more than 1000 working satellites, plus thousands of tonnes of space junk, and for the most part they stay up there quite happily. But surprisingly, it is only now that we properly understand why. Ideally, a tiny satellite orbiting a perfectly spherical planet will remain there forever, assuming nothing nearby disturbs it. But Earth is not a perfect sphere, and there are plenty of other objects that can disturb artificial satellites in low-Earth orbit – first and foremost, the moon. According to the laws of motion, the moon’s influence alone should cause satellites to crash into the Earth’s atmosphere, where they would burn up. Advertisement Saving grace It turns out that Earth’s imperfections are a satellite’s saving grace. Because of its rotation, Earth is slightly flattened at the poles and bulges around the equator. According to computer simulations and analysis by Scott Tremaine at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and Tomer Yavetz of Princeton University, the gravitational pull of that bulge shifts satellites’ orbits over time, preventing tugs from the moon and other sources from pulling them too far in one direction or another. If the Earth were closer to being a perfect sphere, many satellites would crash into the atmosphere and burn up in a matter of months or years. “It’s interesting that there are lots of things that could destabilise low-Earth orbits, but that things happen to combine in such a way that we have a good environment for satellites,” says Gregory Laughlin, a physicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was not involved with this research. “It makes you pause to think a little bit – when you look in detail at how things work, you can find surprises.” Journal reference: arxiv.org/abs/1309.5244v1Why We Shut Down Gimlet And how that led to a new podcast pilot: The Hunt Gimlet Media Blocked Unblock Follow Following Feb 26, 2016 Alex Blumberg & Matt Lieber Earlier this month, we shut down Gimlet for a week. We stopped releasing our regular shows. We scrambled all our teams. Regular business stopped completely. In place of all of that, we asked the Gimlet team to try something new. Gimlet Mix Week. At Gimlet- as at any creative business- we live with a tension between being reliable and taking risk. We want to be reliable for our listeners, and to deliver surprising, fascinating stories at a guaranteed pace. If you subscribe to Reply All, you know each week PJ and Alex will feed you (funny, meaningful) stories about people and the Internet. With Surprisingly Awesome, you’ll hear amazing things revealed about topics you once thought were boring. But, we also want to take risks at Gimlet- to invent new formats, and build new kinds of programs. Gimlet’s first show, StartUp, was a huge creative risk for us, documenting all the uncomfortable and personal parts of starting our company. That vulnerability, as much as anything, won us our most ardent fans and launched our business. Risk is part of our DNA. We need Gimlet to be the place where creative storytellers can aim big, screw up, and try again. But it’s really hard to do that in public. And so, Mix Week was born. The first thing we did, Monday morning, was pull everyone out of their typical work. We formed new teams, and assigned new tasks across the whole company. Not just the production teams, but also business operations, HR, sales. Everybody had new roles. And, because we’ve doubled in size over the last 8 months, this meant a lot of people would get to know each other essentially for the first time. We had 5 groups, with 6 people each, almost none of whom usually worked on the same project. All this required an owner- we assigned Peter Clowney, our Senior Editor, to be Mix Week Chief, and he did an amazing job. Starting Monday morning, and ending at 5pm Tuesday, each of these teams had to conceive of, and produce, a new podcast. The pilots couldn’t be longer than 20 minutes. No current Gimlet host was allowed to host a pilot. From start to finish- through planning, recording, editing, and mixing- the teams had about 30 hours before they were expected to present their finished pilot to the company. That pace was unfair, and inspiringly so. Each team took risks, and bit off ideas they hadn’t tried yet at Gimlet. The projects had rough edges and gaps in plot & pacing- and they were a ton of fun. One team made a children’s show. Another team made a travel podcast. There was a reality show, something else with food… We shouldn’t give it all away here. But. Even though the Mix Week pilots were never intended to be shared outside the company, one in particular we thought our members should hear. It’s The Hunt: a kind of game show pitting coworker against coworker to complete a real-world challenge. We’re making this episode available to our members. If you’re a Gimlet member- or if you sign up- you can hear it right now, and tell us what you think of it. Oh, and if you were wondering, Mix Week was more than just pilots — we also had guest speakers like hodgman (standing here with Alex Blumberg): John Hodgman and Alex Blumberg at Gimlet HQ Plus, we ventured outside, because sometimes to make great things you have to get out of the studio and into the world: Wendy’s son sends Brittany Luse and Luke Malone across the city on the subway Gimlet goes trotting in Jamaica Bay Wendy Z and Kaitlin R meet the Obamas Stay tuned for more surprises from our Gimlet team.ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas.[1] The band has, since 1970, consisted of vocalist/guitarist Billy Gibbons (the band's leader, main lyricist and musical arranger), bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill, and drummer Frank Beard. "As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers", according to critic Michael "Cub" Koda. "Gibbons is one of America's finest blues guitarists working in the arena rock idiom [...] while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support."[1] The band released its first album, ZZ Top's First Album, in 1971. Beginning with blues-inspired rock, the trio later incorporated new wave, punk rock and dance-rock by using synthesizers. Their songs have a reputation for containing humorous lyrics laced with double entendres and innuendo. The band's top-selling album is their 1983 release Eliminator, which sold more than 10 million copies in the United States. Total record sales of 25 million place ZZ Top among the top-100-selling artists in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.[9] That includes 11 gold, seven platinum and three multi-platinum albums as of 2016, according to the RIAA. By 2014, ZZ Top had sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.[10] ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. History [ edit ] Early years (1969–1972) [ edit ] The original line-up was formed in Houston and consisted of Gibbons, bassist/organist Lanier Greig (died February 2013)[11][12] and drummer Dan Mitchell.[11] The name of the band was Gibbons' idea. The band had a little apartment covered with concert posters and he noticed that many performers' names used initials. Gibbons particularly noticed B.B. King and Z.Z. Hill and thought of combining the two into "ZZ King", but considered it too similar to the original name. He then figured that "king is going at the top" which brought him to "ZZ Top".[13] ZZ Top was managed by Bill Ham, a Waxahachie, Texas native, who had befriended Gibbons a year earlier. They released their first single, "Salt Lick", in 1969, and the B-side contained the song "Miller's Farm". Both songs were credited to Gibbons. Immediately after the recording of "Salt Lick", Greig was replaced by bassist Billy Ethridge, a bandmate of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Mitchell was replaced by Frank Beard of the American Blues. Due to lack of interest from U.S. record companies, ZZ Top accepted a record deal from London Records. Unwilling to sign a recording contract, Ethridge quit the band and Dusty Hill was selected as his replacement. After Hill moved from Dallas to Houston, ZZ Top signed with London in 1970. They performed their first concert together at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Beaumont, Texas, on February 10. In addition to assuming the role as the band's leader, Gibbons became the main lyricist and musical arranger. With the assistance of Ham and engineer Robin Hood Brians, ZZ Top's First Album (1971) was released and exhibited the band's humor, with "barrelhouse" rhythms, distorted guitars, double entendres, and innuendo. The music and songs reflected ZZ Top's blues influences. Following their debut album, the band released Rio Grande Mud (1972), which failed commercially and the promotional tour consisted of mostly empty auditoriums.[citation needed] First decade and signature sound (1973–1982) [ edit ] ZZ Top performing live in 1976 ZZ Top released Tres Hombres in 1973. The album's sound was the result of the propulsive support provided by Hill and Beard, and Gibbons' "growling" guitar tone. Dan Erlewine wrote that the album "brought ZZ Top their first Top Ten record, making them stars in the process". The album included the boogie-driven "La Grange" (written about the Chicken Ranch, a notorious brothel in La Grange, Texas, that also inspired the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas). On the subsequent tour, the band performed sold-out concerts in the US. ZZ Top recorded the live tracks for their 1975 album, Fandango!, during this tour. Fandango! was a top-ten album; its single "Tush" peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Tejas, released in 1976, was not as successful or as positively received as their previous efforts, although the album went to number 17 on the Billboard 200.[14] ZZ Top continued the Worldwide Texas Tour in support of Tejas, though they had been touring for seven years. The band then went on what was supposed to be a 90-day break from public appearances. Gibbons traveled to Europe, Beard went to Jamaica, and Hill went to Mexico.[15] The break extended to two years, during which Gibbons and Hill grew chest-length beards.[16] In 1979, ZZ Top signed with Warner Bros. Records and released the album Degüello. While the album went platinum, it only reached number 24 on the Billboard chart.[17] The album produced two popular singles: "I Thank You", a cover of a song recorded by Sam & Dave, and "Cheap Sunglasses". The band remained a popular concert attraction and toured in support of Degüello. In April 1980, ZZ Top made their first appearance in Europe, performing for the German music television show Rockpalast. Their next album, El Loco, was released in October 1981, and featured the singles "Tube Snake Boogie", "Pearl Necklace", and "Leila".[18] Eliminator, Afterburner, and Recycler (1983–1991) [ edit ] Hill and Gibbons in 1983. ZZ Top's next album was even more successful. Eliminator, released in March 1983, featured two top-40 singles ("Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Legs"), and two additional Top Rock hits ("Got Me Under Pressure" and "Sharp Dressed Man"), with "Legs" peaking at number 13 on the Club Play Singles chart.[19] Eliminator was a critical and commercial success, selling more than 10 million copies,[9] and several music videos were in regular rotation on MTV. The band also won their first MTV Video Music Awards in the categories of Best Group Video for "Legs", and Best Direction for "Sharp Dressed Man". The music videos were included in their Greatest Hits video, which was later released on DVD and quickly went multiple-platinum.[9] However, the Eliminator album was not without controversy. According to former stage manager David Blayney in his book "Sharp Dressed Men", sound engineer Linden Hudson co-wrote much of the material on the album while serving as a live-in high-tech music teacher to Beard and Gibbons. Despite continued denials by the band, it settled a five-year legal battle with Hudson, paying him $600,000 after he proved he held the copyright to the song "Thug".[20][21][22] Despite not selling as many copies as Eliminator, 1985's Afterburner became the band's highest-charting album,[23] racking up sales of five million units.[9] All of the singles from Afterburner were Top-40 hits, with two ("Sleeping Bag" and "Stages") hitting number one on the Mainstream Rock chart.[23] The music video for "Velcro Fly" was choreographed by pop singer Paula Abdul.[24] ZZ Top's grueling Afterburner World Tour lasted well into 1987, which also had the release of The ZZ Top Sixpack, a three-disc collection of ZZ Top's albums from 1970 to 1981, with the exception of Degüello. The albums ZZ Top's First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, Fandango, and Tejas were remixed to have a more contemporary sound.[25] Recycler, released in 1990, was ZZ Top's last studio album under contract with Warner Records. Recycler was also the last of a distinct sonic trilogy in the ZZ Top catalogue, marking a return towards a simpler guitar-driven blues sound with less synthesizer and pop bounce than the previous two albums. This move did not entirely suit the fan base that Eliminator and Afterburner had built up, and while Recycler did achieve platinum status, it never matched the sales of those albums. Return to guitar-driven sound (1992–2003) [ edit ] In 1992, Warner released ZZ Top's Greatest Hits, along with a new Rolling Stones-style cut, "Gun Love", and an Elvis-inflected video, "Viva Las Vegas". In 1993, ZZ Top inducted a major influence, Cream, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994, the band signed a $35 million deal with RCA Records,[26] releasing the million-selling Antenna. Subsequent RCA albums, Rhythmeen (1996) and 1999's XXX (the second album to feature live tracks) sold well, but did not reach the levels enjoyed previously. In 2003, ZZ Top released a final RCA album, Mescalero, an album thick with harsh Gibbons guitar and featuring a hidden track—a cover version of "As Time Goes By." RCA impresario Clive Davis wanted to do a collaboration record (in the mode of Carlos Santana's successful Supernatural) for this album. In an interview in Goldmine magazine, Davis stated that artists Pink, Dave Matthews, and Wilco were among the artists slated for the project. ZZ Top performed "Tush" and "Legs" as part of the Super Bowl XXXI halftime show in 1997. A comprehensive four-CD collection of recordings from the London and Warner Bros. years, Chrome, Smoke & BBQ, was released in 2003. It featured the band's first single (A- and B-side) and several rare B-side tracks, as well as a radio promotion from 1979, a live track, and several extended dance-mix versions of their biggest MTV hits. Three tracks from Billy Gibbons' pre-ZZ band, the Moving Sidewalks, were also included. Critical acclaim and retrospective releases (2004–2011) [ edit ] In 2004, ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones gave the induction speech. ZZ Top gave a brief performance, playing "La Grange" and "Tush". Expanded and remastered versions of the original studio albums from the 1970s and 1980s are currently[when?] in production. Marketed as "Remastered and Expanded", these releases include additional live tracks which were not present on the original recordings. Three such CDs have been released to date (Tres Hombres, Fandango!, and Eliminator). The first two were released in 2006 and use the original mixes free from echo and drum machines, while Eliminator was released in 2008. The Eliminator re-release also features a collector's edition version containing a DVD featuring several videos and additional live tracks.[27] The Eliminator Collector's Edition CD/DVD, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band's iconic RIAA Diamond Certified album, was released September 10, 2008. The release includes seven bonus tracks and a bonus DVD, including four television performances from The Tube in November 1983. The band performed at the 2009 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on the final night on March 22, 2009. In July, the band appeared on VH1's Storytellers, in celebration of their four decades as recording artists.[28] La Futura and recent years (2012–present) [ edit ] ZZ Top at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, 12/7/13, private function not open to public ZZ Top performing at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio in 2015 Billy Gibbons stated in an interview in August 2011 that a new album had been recorded, with initial recording taking place in Malibu, California, before moving to Houston, but was still unnamed and had yet to be mixed and mastered.[29] Gibbons said that the expected release date was sometime in March or April 2012, but later on a release in the late summer or early fall was announced.[29] The album was subsequently released on September 11, 2012.[30] Entitled La Futura, the album was produced by Rick Rubin.[31][32] The first single from the album, "I Gotsta Get Paid", debuted in an advertising campaign for Jeremiah Weed Whiskey and appears on the soundtrack of the film Battleship.[33] The song itself is an interpretation of "25 Lighters" by Texan hip hop DJ DMD and rappers Lil' Keke and Fat Pat.[34] The first four songs from La Futura debuted on June 5, 2012, on an EP called Texicali.[35] DJ Screw was a major influence on the album as well, particularly because Gibbons and Screw both worked with engineer G. L. Moon during the late 1990s.[36] ZZ Top in September 2016. The band kicked off a North American tour with a concert in Red Bank, New Jersey, at the Count Basie Theatre on March 3, 2015. After rescheduled dates and additions, the tour wrapped up with a concert in Highland Park, Illinois, at the Ravinia Pavilion on August 27, with opening act Blackberry
vacation with his children. Dave inspected and maintained the pipes throughout the facility; only the maintenance crew and security worked during the graveyard shift. Dave started work at 12 AM and was given assignment to look at the pump in Building 8. Harry noticed him putting his keys and lock in the top of his tool box like normal. At 4 AM, an N.L.O. employee reported seeing Dave talking in a car with his supervisor; the employee noted that the windows were oddly rolled up even though it was a hot and muggy night. The same employee ran into Dave again around 5 AM and noticed that Dave was walking to Building 4, even though he was assigned to work in Building 8. This was the last time Dave was seen alive. Later that morning, Harry became suspicious of Dave's absence. At 7 AM, there was a safety meeting, but Dave did not attend it. Afterwards, Harry saw that Dave's keys were still in his toolbox and he assumed that Dave was working overtime. Harry made several phone calls but could not locate Dave; he later left work without him. At around 7:30 AM, a furnace operator in Building 6 notified his supervisor that the casings in his oven were covered in a sticky residue. The operator also detected an unusual odor; he even thought he may have seen a leg in it. The supervisor, however, did not notice anything strange. At 11 PM that night, Harry arrived at the restaurant to meet Dave again, but Dave was nowhere to be found. Dave's car's hood was cold, meaning that it hadn't been driven recently. Harry had a security guard open Dave's locker, and his clothes were still in there. Dave was soon reported missing and an investigation began. It was discovered that at 5:15 AM on the morning of Dave's disappearance, the furnace in Building 6 received a large temperature drop, suggesting that something foreign had entered it. A worker had also found a piece of bone on the lip of the furnace. The furnace was soon shut down, but three days would pass before the material could be cooled enough to be searched. Several of Dave's belongings were found in the furnace, including his keys. This made no sense to Harry Easterling, since he had seen Dave's keys in his toolbox after he vanished. He did remember seeing the supervisor put the lock on the toolbox and take the keys. Along with the keys, investigators found a steel toe from a boot, part of an eyeglass frame, Dave's two-way radio, and a stainless steel wire looped in three oddly connected circles. Also found in the furnace were pieces of human bone. During the investigation, authorities suspected that Dave had committed suicide; he had a history of psychological problems and apparently attempted suicide after his divorce. However, his family and co-workers do not believe that he committed suicide, nor do they believe that it was an accident. They believe that he was lowered into the furnace by an unknown third party. Investigative reporter D.C. Cole noted that Dave was working in Building 8 on the night of his death. This building had released the largest amount of contaminants into the water supply. Cole believes that Dave was a whistle blower, and that he was silenced in order to cover up the release of hazardous materials from the N.L.O. factory. He believes that Dave was knocked unconscious in Building 8 and was then taken to Building 6 where he was lowered into the furnace. However, authorities are convinced that Dave's death was a suicide. To this day, his family and co-workers are searching for the truth. Suspects: None known, but it is believed that Dave was killed because of the negligence occurring at N.L.O. The supervisor that he was seen with prior to his disappearance could be considered a possible suspect. Extra Notes: This segment ran for the first time on March 2, 1994. It is unclear as to when exactly this occurred. The night prior to the disappearance is indicated to be "Sunday, June 19, 1984," but this was a Tuesday. Results: Unsolved. Interestingly, in 2013, a study found that there was a high rate of cancer among former employees at N.L.O., most likely due to their exposure to high levels of radiation. Links:Did President Donald Trump just threaten members of his own party? In a meeting with House Republicans Tuesday morning, Trump attempted to convince the remaining critics of the GOP health care bill to support the legislation when it goes to the House floor for a full vote on Thursday. Over the past two weeks, multiple health industry groups and Republicans had come out against the bill. Monday night, Republicans released a revised draft, which included specific provisions aimed at winning the support of moderates in the GOP’s New York delegation such as Reps. Chris Collins and Claudia Tenney. According to two reporters covering the Tuesday meeting, Trump insinuated that those Republicans who voted against the bill could lose their seats in the next election: Trump to House Rs on AHCA vote: "I honestly think many of you will lose your seats in 2018 if you don't get this done." — John Bresnahan (@BresPolitico) March 21, 2017 Trump: House majority could be cooked if health care fails: "Many of you will lose you seats in 2018 if you don't get this done." — Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) March 21, 2017 Whether Trump meant to imply that he would support their primary challengers, or simply that their supporters would be upset if they voted against his bill, is unclear. Still, this isn’t the first time Trump has talked of supporting a primary challenge against a member of his own party. On March 10, the Washington Examiner reported that Trump made a similar threat in a meeting about the health bill with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. During his presidential campaign, Trump worked to raise the profile of candidates who supported his candidacy, even if they were running against sitting Republicans. In August, Trump tweeted thanks to Paul Nehlen, a primary challenger to House Speaker Paul Ryan, for his support. Ryan easily won the primary election in his Wisconsin district against Nehlen.In a ruling that's resulted in a $40 million fine, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's smacking down TracFone's speed throttling of customers that were paying for unlimited data service. The case in question only applies to TracFone, but it helps to reinforce a precedent that could apply to even the larger carriers in the United States. "TracFone broke the "unlimited data" promise it made to millions of consumers by substantially reduced the speed of their service if customers went over certain fixed limits in a 30-day period. Throttled customers often experienced slow-downs of at least 60% and sometimes even 90%, significantly impairing their ability to engage in the very activities people buy a data plan for. Customers whose service was cut off couldn't send or receive mobile data at all." TracFone's settlement with the FTC will have that $40 million fine directed to a fund to refund affected customers. Additionally, TracFone's now been directed to "clearly and conspicuously" describe the limits customers might face on speed and quality of the data service for which they pay. While TracFone is small potatoes compared to its bigger rivals, the FTC's laid out some pointers that other carriers should take away from the settlement. Namely: uphold truth-in-advertising principles and don't let your ads be deceptive. Source: FTC; Via: Re/codeDENVER (AP) — Two Colorado Republicans want to loosen a constitutional restriction on how much revenue the state can receive without having to issue tax refunds. Rep. Dan Thurlow and Sen. Larry Crowder say it's time to have a conversation about those limits 25 years after voters approved them under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. Republicans long have opposed TABOR tampering, arguing excess revenues belong to taxpayers. But Thurlow and Crowder say individual refunds would be pocket change when the state faces a $500 million budget deficit. Their bill would ask voters in November to change the way TABOR's annual revenue limits are calculated. It would potentially allow the state to keep hundreds of millions of dollars for roads, education and other priorities. A House committee hears testimony on the bill Monday. --------- Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines. Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle.A military court has sentenced an elderly man to almost 20 years in jail for royal defamation. On 9 August 2017, the Military Court of Bangkok handed a sentence of 18 years and 24 months in prison to Tara W., a 59-year-old seller of Thai traditional medicine accused of violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, after he pleaded guilty. He was believed to be the owner of a tourism website, okthai.com, which is now blocked by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. A tiny corner of the website allegedly contained a banner with a link promoting the programmes of Hassadin U., also known as ‘DJ Banpodj’, the head of the so-called Banpodj Network, which has allegedly produced podcasts criticising the monarchy. Tara was accused of six counts of lèse majesté (one per each upload of a Banpodj Network clip) as well as violations of Article 14 of the Computer Crime Act for importing illegal information online. Tara had previously maintained his innocence, insisting he had not been aware the clips were defamatory to the monarchy because he had not listened to them fully. He had only uploaded them for their information on traditional medicine. After about two and a half years in prison, Tara recanted his earlier statement and pleaded guilty.Data caps have become an accepted part of getting internet access on your phone, and now caps are slowly starting to make their way into the world of home internet, too. Comcast, AT&T, and some other smaller internet providers either test data caps or have them in active use, and this week CenturyLink — home to just over 6 million broadband providers — said that it's looking into using data caps, too. "Our competition is using metered plans today," said Stewart Ewing, CenturyLink's chief financial officer, during an earnings call this week. "And we think it's an area we have to explore and consider." Ewing added that CenturyLink intends to start trials, likely later this year. For the most part, we haven't seen major home broadband providers going all in on data caps. Comcast, for instance, has been rolling them out city by city as it looks to see how they perform. While it could lead to cheaper internet access for those who don't do much on their computers, it's concerning for the same reason that data caps have always been concerning on mobile. Data caps may look reasonable today, but later they might impair the rollout of data heavy services like 4K streaming or the development of other services that would require similarly huge amounts of data. You probably don't want to be watching another data meter every month, but ISPs might just make that happen.Bobby Wood has earned a move up to the big leagues. On Sunday it was announced that Wood, 23, had signed a four-year contract with Bundesliga outfit Hamburg. [ MORE: Howard’s emotional farewell ] The Hawaiian born striker has had a hugely impressive season for Union Berlin, scoring 17 goals in 30 appearances in the second-tier of German soccer. Wood has seen his form in 2. Bundesliga earn him plenty more minutes in the U.S. national team setup recently, and he’s impressed with his pacey and precise forward play. Speaking to Hamburg’s website, Wood believes he can grow and help one of the Bundesliga’s sleeping giants (HSN finished 10th this season and 16th in the two previous seasons) return to the upper echelons of Germany’s top-flight. “The club has a great potential,” Wood said. “I want to help participate in this way and I am happy if I can develop well at HSV. It is the dream of every young player to play as high as possible, and the best level in Germany is the Bundesliga. In this respect, a dream has come true. I trust myself to Bundesliga definitely, and one always wants to improve. I hope I can help HSV.” With news of Jozy Altidore going down injured for Toronto FC on Saturday, Wood may be the USMNT’s go-to guy up top this summer at the 2016 Copa America Centenario. Jurgen Klinsmann rates him, as do his fellow teammates, and Wood has scored some huge goals over the past 12 months with the winners against the Netherlands and Germany in friendlies, plus a goal against Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup. In total he has four goals in 16 appearances for the U.S. and this summer we could see him become a bonafide starter for the USMNT. After a nomadic career throughout Germany, Wood has finally landed at a club where he can make a big impact in the Bundesliga and continue his journey. On the face of things this move seems like good news for the U.S. national team and for Wood. Follow @JPW_NBCSportsCMS releases new batch of LHC open data CMS makes 300 TB of high-quality data from the LHC available to the public through the CERN Open Data Portal. A CMS collision event as seen in the built-in event display on the CERN Open Data Portal (Image: CERN) The CMS collaboration has made 300 TB of high-quality data from the LHC available to the public through the CERN Open Data Portal. The collision data come in two types: The so-called “primary datasets” are in the same format used by the CMS Collaboration to perform research. The “derived datasets” on the other hand require a lot less computing power and can be readily analysed by university or even high-school students. Notably, CMS is also providing the simulated data generated with the same software version that should be used to analyse the primary datasets. Simulations play a crucial role in particle-physics research and CMS is also making available the protocols for generating the simulations that are provided. The data release is accompanied by analysis tools and code examples tailored to the datasets. These data are being made public in accordance with CMS’s commitment to long-term data preservation and as part of the collaboration’s open-data policy. “Members of the CMS Collaboration put in lots of effort and thousands of person-hours each of service work in order to operate the CMS detector and collect these research data for our analysis,” explains Kati Lassila-Perini, a CMS physicist who leads these data-preservation efforts. “However, once we’ve exhausted our exploration of the data, we see no reason not to make them available publicly. The benefits are numerous, from inspiring high-school students to the training of the particle physicists of tomorrow. And personally, as CMS’s data-preservation co-ordinator, this is a crucial part of ensuring the long-term availability of our research data.” The scope of open LHC data has already been demonstrated with the previous release of research data. A group of theorists at MIT wanted to study the substructure of jets — showers of hadron clusters recorded in the CMS detector. Since CMS had not performed this particular research, the theorists got in touch with the CMS scientists for advice on how to proceed. This blossomed into a fruitful collaboration between the theorists and CMS revolving around CMS open data. Read more about CMS Open Data on the CERN Open Data Portal. A longer version of this article was originally published on the CMS website. by Achintya RaoTwo Canadian scientists think signals coming from outer space are proof of alien life and they’ve published their findings in a scientific journal detailing their evidence of extraterrestrial messages. The study, appearing in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, says there are 234 stars that have been sending signals in the form of light pulses toward Earth. Astronomers Ermanno Borra and Eric Trottier, from the University of Laval in Quebec, examined 2 million stars that were cataloged by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and observed unexplainable rapid bursts of light. The scientists considered several explanations for the light bursts including human error before deciding they were probably alien signals, according to Fox News. “Finally, we consider the possibility, predicted in a previous published paper, that the signals are caused by light pulses generated by [extraterrestrial intelligence] to makes us aware of their existence.” (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) An earlier paper, published by Borra, detailed the type of communication Earth could expect to receive from an alien culture: it’s an exact match for the signals coming from the 234 stars, according to Tech Times. “We find that the detected signals have exactly the shape of an ETI signal predicted in the previous publication and are therefore in agreement with this hypothesis.” Also, the fact that there is only a small fraction, 234 stars out of 2.5 million, of stars that were found to emit the strange light pulses matches the earlier ETI hypothesis. Not everyone in the scientific community agrees with the Canadian scientists, however. Researchers working for Stephen Hawking’s Breakthrough Listen project at the Berkeley SETI Research Center say it’s way too early to confirm the mysterious signals as proof of alien life. “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. It is too early to unequivocally attribute these purported signals to the activities of extraterrestrial civilizations.” null null The SETI researchers have promised to observe the alien stars with the Automated Planet Finder telescope so they can confirm or deny the existence of alien life and the extraterrestrial message. The Breakthrough Listen researchers say there are well-established international protocols that call for confirmation by independent groups using their own telescopes before any claim of alien life can be substantiated. Scientists who search for alien life, the SETI community, use a 0 to 10 scale to rate the evidence of extraterrestrial life called the Rio Scale, and the Berkeley researchers rate the Borra-Trottier evidence as a 0 or 1, according to their statement. “If the signal were to be confirmed with another independent telescope, its significance would rise, though an exhaustive analysis of other possible explanations, including instrumental phenomena, must be performed before supporting the hypothesis that artificially generated pulses are responsible for the claimed signal.” This isn’t the first time scientists have uncovered possible evidence of alien life only to have the result turn out negative. Earlier this year, a Russian team of scientists reported receiving a strange signal from a star 94 light years away only to discover the alien message had a very earthly origin. [Image by AP/SETI/Internet] In 1977, SETI researchers received a strange signal that still remains the best candidate for an alien transmission; it’s referred to as the Wow! Signal and has never been repeated. There have been a number of hypotheses about the source of the signal and earthly origins haven’t been completely ruled out. There’s also the case of the mysterious dimming star that many people are calling an alien megastructure. The alien sun, called Taby’s Star, has appeared to dim over the last century suggesting something is passing in front of it and that’s led to speculation about a massive Dyson sphere. Then, astronomers spotted a second star with the same peculiar dimming qualities leading to the hypothesis that light from the alien sun was being blocked by massive ring of dust and gas known as a protoplanetary disc, according to The Atlantic. “Aliens should always be the very last hypothesis you consider.” Do you think the strange light pulses are really an alien signal? [Featured Image by JOE CICAK/iStock]You’re probably fed up receiving emails about how you can get rich quick through affiliate marketing – I know I am. Pay $10 or whatever and you’ll get an ebook showing what they did and how you can ‘copy and paste’ your way to success…. blah, blah, blah Well, it doesn’t work like that and the only person getting rich will be the person selling the useless information. But the thing is, you can make money from affiliate marketing. Good money. The kind that means you can quit your day job. So, today I’m going to share with you exactly what I did to take a one product niche affiliate site from 893 visitors and $0 a month to 13,597 visitors and $3,934 a month in just 6 months. And the good news is, if you put the time in, you can do it too! Oh, and just to be clear… all that traffic was free traffic from google’s organic search results. The only cost the site has is hosting at around $50 per month (I use Rackspace cloud hosting, which is not the cheapest, but worth every cent in my opinion). And one final thing before I go on… everything I teach is 100% white hat. No dodgy tricks. You’ll be building a high quality affiliate site that will rise up the search rankings and stay there, no matter what the next google update brings. A Little Bit About Me Firstly, let me tell you a bit about myself. The reason I think this is important is that I want you to be clear that everything I did to build the site and revenue can be done by you. I have 20 years experience in internet marketing and SEO. Is this an advantage? Yes. Is it what made me the money? No. Well, at least not directly. Even if you have no experience on the web it shouldn’t be an obstacle to building your own high quality affiliate site earning good revenue if you follow my advice and put the work in. And it will take work… there ain’t no copying and pasting here! Actually, let me caveat the above by saying that the bulk of the work will be in that initial 6 month period. I now spend about 20 hours a month on this particular site and it continues to bring in solid revenue month after month. Choosing Your Product Ok, first things first. You need something to promote. So, how should you go about choosing the product for your niche affiliate site? Here are my few golden rules, which I’ll expand on in a moment: – The product has to be popular The product has to be at a decent price point The product should be available from a number of retailers (with affiliate programs) The product shouldn’t be oversaturated in the affiliate space So, let me go into more detail. Popularity There’s no point promoting something obscure that no one is interested in buying. Sure, you can make a few bucks by going for a micro niche, but for the real revenue you want something mass market. So how do you find this golden product? This commission generating monster! Well, you might be lucky and have experience of a popular product from a previous/current job. This was the case for me with this particular site. I used to be a retailer of the product, so I knew how popular it was, but that doesn’t really matter in a way. It’s quite simple to find popular products to promote whether you have experience in the niche or not. Here is one of the best ways! Amazon Best Sellers Amazon is one of the biggest retailers on the web with UK sales alone of over £3 billion per year. They also have a pretty sweet affiliate program, which offers up to 8% commission! So, if a product is popular on amazon, you can be pretty certain it’s going to sell well. But how do you find the popular products? Well, the good news is those lovely folks at amazon tell you! Here’s how to find the golden nuggets! First, navigate to a subcategory. In this example I have chosen ‘car seats and accessories’ in the Baby department. On the left hand menu there will be a link for ‘best sellers’ (shown above). You’ll now get a listing of the best selling products in the category, ordered by popularity. And if a product is in the top 10 sellers in a category on amazon, then it’s safe to assume the volume is there to start promoting it! So, it’s easy to find popular products, but here is where the other golden rules come in. Price The most popular product in this category happens to be a back seat mirror priced at £8.95. At say 6% commission (amazon operates a sliding scale of commission from 5-8% based on volume) that’s going to give us about £0.44 per sale (you earn commission on the net amount). Not great, we’re going to have to sell a lot to make any decent money. So, how about the third most popular product, which is a car seat at £84.95? Well, at 6% commission we’re going to make £4.24 per sale – much better! For me a product at just below the £100 mark ($150) is ideal as it’s enough to net you a good commission, but not too expensive that you will have to work mega hard to achieve any sales. Oversaturation So, you have a product (or a few related products – say the top 6 car seats), which it could be worth building a niche affiliate site around. Next, you’ll need to check whether the market is already oversaturated. If you are looking to promote iPads for example, you’re going to find huge competition and you are going to have to work extremely hard to achieve any sort of rankings. So do your research and take your time to find a niche that hasn’t really been fully exploited in the affiliate space yet. Trust me, they do exist! There is of course a balance between finding a niche that you can exploit and also finding a product that will be popular enough to get the volume you require to make the site a lucrative proposition. Car seats was a good example as they will always be in demand – after all people are going to keep having babies, no matter what happens to the economy! So, that’s some pointers for how to choose your product. Back to the story of how I grew my own niche site! Month 1 (June 2012). The site had been up for a few months, but at this point was basically was just full of placeholder pages (getting about 5-10 visitors a day). June was the first month where I started to proactively work on the site, build traffic and monetise. My affiliate site runs on a custom CMS system I have designed, but for your own site you can use wordpress, or your preferred content management package. Ok, so a little bit about the product I had chosen to base my site around. It is a high volume product in the fashion/beauty niche with sales of around £150million per year and a retail price point of just under £100. It sells very well online – I know because I used to sell it. One of the most effective ways of monetising a niche affiliate site is to offer price comparison for a product. If you can presell it with a great review and then tell the customer where they can buy it for the cheapest price, then your clicks are going to convert extremely well. So, I decided that each of my product pages (there are around 10 variations of the product) would have the best review on the internet and an up to date price comparison table for 6/7 of the top retailers. I have bolded ‘the best’ for a reason. June was spent pretty much putting together highly detailed product reviews for each of the 10 products. Each of the reviews runs to 2,000 – 3,000 words and covers everything a consumer would want to know about the product. How did I write these reviews? Well, I know the product to an extent from selling it, but as a man whose morning regime involves rolling out of bed, into the shower and out the door in 5 minutes, fashion/beauty is obviously not something I can write about from personal experience! So, I did a lot of research. I took one product variant at a time and trawled through google and firstly collected all the features and technical specifications for the product. Next I read every review I could find – good and bad (honesty is a good thing). I watched youtube videos. I read what bloggers had to say. I read and read and read until I felt like I was an expert on the product myself. And only then did I start to write… And I say write because writing is what I did. Not copying. Not scraping. Not spinning. Writing. I had researched the product to such a degree that I knew everything about it and could speak/write on it as an authority straight out of my head. It was easy for me to sell the product as I knew all the pros and cons like the back of my hand. I repeated the same laborious research process for each product variant until I had detailed, lengthy, compelling reviews for each of them. I didn’t start writing with a word count in mind, but as I mentioned above, each of the reviews ended up running to between 2,000 and 3,000 words. The great thing about content this length is you will naturally use lots of different combinations of keywords and phrases without even having to think about it. Keyword research is valuable in certain situations, but in general I am a firm believer in write for your users, not the search engines and the recent hummingbird update from google has certainly rewarded those who write in this way. Google indexes text and with my 10 detailed product reviews in place I now had between 20,000 and 30,000 words on my site. By the end of the month, this increased text content alone was enough to lift my traffic from 5-10 visitors a day to around 40. So here are the stats for June: – Unique Visits: 826 Commissions: £72.71 ($115) Month 2 (July 2012) So, I had a few sales and visits. It was time to up the stakes! I’m a big believer in the content is king mantra, so I added a blog section to the site and started to add supporting articles. This is where you can really start to build traffic and also push visitors to your money pages (or directly to an affiliate offer). What sort of content works well? Problem/Solution Well, the tried and tested method of identifying a problem and offering a solution has been used in marketing for years and there is a reason why. It converts! Let’s say for example your affiliate site is promoting a teeth whitening kit. You might write an article titled something like: – ‘How To Get Whiter Teeth In 30 Days Without Visiting The Dentist’ I added the bit at the end as people hate visiting the dentist right? Your blog articles should not be sales heavy. Gain the trust of the reader by offering high quality content which addresses their problem and then just drop a few well placed links to either the product directly, or to your review page. First and last paragraphs work well. You should of course make sure your articles are well written, detailed, offer real value and are truly unique. Just as I did with my reviews for my blog posts I conducted detailed research and then wrote my own articles, making them the best for their particular topic on the web. If for example a post was a tutorial, you can bet it was the most detailed tutorial on the web! For more on writing articles/content have a read at these posts. One post in particular that I spent a lot of time on and continues to be one of the most popular pages on my niche site was a detailed buying guide for the product. The post is about 3,000 words long and really goes into fine detail of what you should look for when choosing the product, the differences between the various models, the benefits of buying online etc. Since I had done so much research when writing the individual product reviews this was easy for me to write… I had become a genuine expert on the product! All in all I posted 11 blog posts on the site in July, with each one running to a minimum of 600 words. Some Initial Links I’m not a big fan of ‘building links’ any more, preferring to take a holistic approach of building great content, networking etc (more in my article about white hat link building), but to get this site off the ground I would have to come down from my moral high ground to an extent and build a few initial easy to get links. I pretty much just submitted the site to a few higher quality general and blog directories, picking up maybe a dozen or so links. I also dropped a few into other sites I have access to in the same (or similar) niche, perhaps another half dozen in total. Finally I commented on a few blogs which had commentluv enabled to create links back to some of my blog posts. And that’s it. Maybe 30 or so links in total over the month. Not the ones that would start to bring me real traffic, but enough to get a few more eyeballs to the site. So in July I had: – Created a blog and added 11 articles Built 30 links to the site Continued to update pricing information for the products By the end of the month the site was getting around 100 visitors a day from google. Here’s the vital stats: – Visits: 2,283 (up 224%) Commissions: £245.44 ($391) (up 237%) Month 3 (August 2012) Work on site in August continued in much the same way it had done in July. I continued to create new content for the blog section of the site and added a further 11 articles. With regards to the blog, I experimented with topical content this month, i.e. basing content/tutorials around current news events. One of the articles for example was based around the opening ceremony of the Olympics. This type of content is good for bringing in short term traffic, but normally doesn’t have the longevity of tutorial/problem based content. It’s always a good idea to have a mixture of topical content and ‘evergreen’ content on your site. I also started on my preferred method of proactive link building; guest posting. Guest Posting There is some debate in the SEO community about whether guest posting for links is white hat/grey hat and whether links from guest posts will continue to pass authority and help your site’s search engine rankings. I’ve written extensively on the matter in the past, but to summarise I believe that when done right, guest posts are still a good, clean way to build links and promote your site to new audiences. For more on my thoughts and how to get the most out of guest posting, have a read at the following article: – I secured 2 guest post slots in August, each of which had a branded link (i.e. nameofsite.com) to the home page of the site in the bio box and a contextual link to a product review page in the body. So what did this do for my traffic? Well, by the end of August I was averaging around 125 visitors a day. So growth had slowed slightly, but was still on the right curve… i.e. an upward one! Here are the stats. Unique Visitors: 3,164 (up 38%) Commissions: £277.52 ($442) (up 9%) Month 4 (September 2012) I continued to create fresh content for the blog, although this had slowed from previous months as I focused more on off-site SEO. In total I added 3 new blog articles over September. I picked up the pace on guest posting and secured 5 guest post slots on good quality sites in my niche. 2 of these posts were secured through myblogguest, which is a fantastic service for connecting those offering content and sites offering a home for the content. It speeds up the process of finding sites that will be interested in your content and outreach somewhat. Update 19/06/2014: Unfortunately google took (unwarranted) action against MyBlogGuest, so it is probably no longer an effective way to secure guest posts for your site. Read more about it here. Natural Links The really good news this month was that the site was starting to gain some natural links, primarily to the high quality content (blog) pages I had created. Quite a few of these links were nofollow, coming from sites such as ehow, however, I am a firm believer that these links, while not passing pagerank directly, help to increase your site’s trust by giving you a natural looking link profile. Note: This is why it is so important to create, unique, high quality content with real value. It might take a little time, but if it is good enough the content will eventually start to pick up editorial links on its own and these are the links that will truly see your site rocket up the search rankings. I also managed to get a link to stick on the main page for my product on wikipedia (I put it there), again good for trust in my opinion 🙂 Traffic continued to grow and by the end of the month I was averaging about 180 visitors a day… but this was about to take a bit jump! My commissions also pretty much doubled, which was pleasing! So September in a nutshell was: – 3 new blog posts 5 guest posts some natural links a wikipedia link And the stats were… Unique Visitors: 4,047 (up 28%) Commissions: £560.36 ($894) (up 101%) Month 5 (October 2012) [signup] As we moved into the final quarter of the year, things were really starting to happen. Right at the end of September my traffic had taken a jump above the 200 visitors a day mark and it continued to grow through the month, smashing through 300 visitors a day on the 22nd and staying up there for the rest of the month (peaking at 329 on the 24th). I didn’t do much on site blogging this month, just adding the one article, but there was a new product variation launched, so I wrote up my detailed review, added the page and also created a couple of guest posts based around it. Overall I secured a further 4 guest posts over the month and continued to pick up some editorial (natural) links. The increased traffic was of course meaning increased commissions and by the end of the month I was averaging about £30 a day. October’s stats: – Unique Visitors: 7,156 (up 77%) Commissions: £824.29 ($1315) (up 47%) A Quick Recap Before I go on to November and December (which is where the real kerching happens!), I thought it would be good to do a quick resume on the work undertaken (with timings) and growth in the first 5 months. Work Set up site for new format (8 hours) Created detailed product reviews on each product (6 hours per product = 66 hours) Created price comparison tables for each product (1 hour per product + 2 hours per week updating = 51 hours) Published a total of 26 blog posts (2 hours per blog post = 52 hours) Built around 30 initial links (directories etc) (16 hours) Published 11 guest posts (with links) (3 hours per post = 33 hours) Fiddling about with the design of the site (8 hours
, where I played Joel Mick to prove I was a worthy hire. (The story is here if you've never read it.) One of the key card's to the deck was Zur's Weirding. The card forces all players to play with their hands and (essentially) the top of their deck revealed, and then you have the ability to pay 2 life to mill the card to their graveyard instead. The card allows you to do what is known as a Zur's Weirding lock, where you have the means to deny them every card (often thematically using a Zuran Orb). For some reason, many players refuse to quit even when you literally have locked them out of being able to win (I talk about it more in this article). So we decided to make Zur into a legendary creature. Three of the four cards with his name in their title were blue, so obviously he had to have blue. Zuran Enchanter had a black activation, so black felt right. We also did a little research on the character, and it turned out that he wanted white as well. There was a lot of talk of what felt right. He was known as Zur the Enchanter and he obviously trained Zuran Enchanters and had a famous enchantment in Zur's Weirding, so we decided to focus on enchantments. We talked about also including artifacts because of Zuran Orb, but decided the card would be better with a tighter focus The original ability got you enchantments that cost four mana or less so that you could have him go fetch his Weirding, but playtesting showed that four was too good so it got cut back to three. I believe we gave him flying because there was a reference somewhere that he could fly. There was a lot of debate about whether his abilities reflected all three of his colors, but because the ability at the time was pretty undefined, we decided it could be something the three colors did together. We have since defined these abilities a little more and, in modern design, I don't believe the card would need the black mechanically. And that is how Zur came to be. A to Z That's all the time we have for today. As always, I'm eager to hear your feedback on any of the cards, Modern Masters 2017 Edition, or this column. You can email me or contact me through any of my social media accounts (Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, Instagram). Join me next week when I explore why the ally colors get along. Until then, may you have fun playing with your favorite oldies in Modern Masters 2017 Edition. #416: Early Worlds #416: Early Worlds 33:13 In this podcast, I talk about the first five Magic World Championships. Play Download MP3 Format #417: Duel Masters TCG #417: Duel Masters TCG 34:02 In this podcast, I explore the design of a trading card game, but one other than Magic. I talk about the creation of Duel Masters, a trading card game we created for the Japanese market. Play Download MP3 FormatМир ( Even before the Apollo program landed astronauts on the moon, NASA began firm plans for a re-usable spacecraft that would make regular trips into low-earth orbit. The original purpose for such a vehicle was to service a space station that would support further human spaceflight endeavours. These plans included establishing a permanent human presence on the moon, and landing a crew on Mars by the early 1980s.On 29 January 1969, NASA awarded a first round of contracts to American aerospace manufacturers to define what form this re-usable spacecraft—initially designated the(ILRV)—might take. Over the next three years, NASA evaluated multiple designs as the agency refined the Space Shuttle concept. Some prints in my collection illustrate but a few of those proposals:This design was one of the earliest; the work of Max Faget at NASA, who called it the DC-3 as an homage to the legendary airliner that revolutionised air travel in the 1930s. The design was similar in general layout to a conventional transport aircraft and much simpler than the exotic spaceplanes that the aerospace industry was proposing for the ILRV. The North American Rockwell Corporation (today, part of Boeing ) took up Faget’s approach and earned a development contract for the design in December 1969.The basic Space Shuttle concept is evident here: a winged spaceplane that lands on an ordinary runway instead of parachuting down like all previous spacecraft had. Note the large payload bay doors in the spine: a feature defined at the very beginning that would persist right through the design process.The DC-3 was eventually doomed when NASA and the US Air Force were constrained to merge their disparate requirements for a re-usable spacecraft. The DC-3 (by now, redesignated the NAR A-2) could not meet Air Force requirements: specifically, the need for extended atmospheric range after re-entry from polar orbits.The McDonnell Douglas Corporation (today, also absorbed into Boeing) attempted to reconcile competing requirements with a variable-geometry approach nicknamed the “drawbridge”. Both these slightly different 1970 designs feature a wing that could fold upwards to shorten the re-entry path of a vehicle returning from equatorial orbit or be braced downwards (as in these illustrations) for extended flight after returning from polar orbit.Slightly pudgier in its lines, this next McDonnell Douglas design from later that year displays the fixed delta-wing and tail-less approach that would eventually prevail. Note the robot arm—another essential shuttle feature—making an early appearance.This is one of Boeing’s early proposals, also dating from 1970. Like the DC-3, this was not a contender for the ILRV project itself, but was an alternate design strategy that the firm offered NASA instead. It illustrates the philosophy common to all these early designs: unlike conventional launch systems where the lower stages of the vehicle are simply discarded and destroyed when their fuel is exhausted, the shuttle was to use a winged lower stage that would be piloted back to Earth for re-use. In this illustration, the lower stage is launching a conventional rocket stage (Saturn S-IVB ) instead of a shuttle.This next design was a 1971 combined proposal from two firms more traditionally in competition with each other, and shows how a winged orbiter and winged lower stage would launch together. The Boeing lower stage proposed here was a winged version of the Saturn S-IC stage (the first stage of the Saturn V moon rocket), designated the RS-IC. It was to boost the Grumman (today, Northrop Grumman ) H-33 spaceplane into orbit. Note the delta wings and externally carried fuel of the orbiter.This 1971 design was another joint submission along similar lines. In this case, the winged booster falling away in the first picture was a Convair (then part of General Dynamics, today part of Boeing) project, designated the B8G. The futuristic-for-its-day orbiter, the NAR-134-B, was another North American Rockwell design.Almost there! During 1971, shrinking budgets forced NASA to abandon its insistence on a fully re-usable design and instead consider an only partially re-usable approach. This Rockwell International proposal is already recognisable as the shuttle that NASA would eventually buy. Note that the main engines are part of the booster; the orbiter only carries manœuvering engines, which are not fired during launch. This differs from the eventual direction of the NASA shuttle, but is the approach that the Soviet space program chose for its Бура́н ( Buran ) shuttle in the 1980s.Finally, this is the Rockwell design at the point where NASA awarded the final contract for the system, on 26 July 1972. All the elements of the shuttle that would fly nearly a decade later are in place at last—quite a different bird from Faget’s design, but similar in general principle.As for the space station, the Space Shuttle program continued long after budget cuts forced the cancellation of the station and the shuttle’s main mission. However, by the mid 1990s, shuttles were flying regular missions to the Russian Mir ) space station and then to the International Space Station, neither of which were conceivable in the early 1970s. The program had come almost full circle.It’s been roughly a year ago that we organized the very first Rust meetup in Hanover. The meetup was quite a success and ever since then we’ve been asked a lot about a revival. If you haven’t heard about Rust yet here comes a little spoiler. From the Rust website: Rust is a systems programming language that runs blazingly fast, prevents almost all crashes*, and eliminates data races What makes this language different from any other language is that it aims to provide memory safety without sacrificing performance. It provides modern features like pattern matching, generics, traits etc. while at the same time it’s aimed to eventually replace C/C++. Imagine a world where system programming becomes approachable for the rest of us! Today we are happy to announce the second Rust meetup in Hanover. Here are the facts: When: June 23rd 2015, 19:00 Where: Schwarzer Bär 2, 30449 Hannover Schedule: Christoph will give a talk about Rust We will have an open discussion about all things Rust Don’t worry if you don’t have any prior knowledge in system programming languages like C or C++. We are all beginners. That said, if you do have knowledge in system programming languages, we definitely want you to attend, too! Don’t be late, we might have Rust stickers for you :)\| Suggests you to install add-ons for everything. If you’ve been wondering what happened to the Linux version of Opera or where did your bookmarks go then today is the day when you will get answers to some of your questions. Here is a sum up of what was answered: Q: Where are real bookmarks? A: If you hate a Speed Dial implementation, there are extensions to bring this functionality back. Q: Where are tab options? A: There are extensions for that. We might bring tab options in the future. Q: Where is Opera Link? A: Coming in the future. Q: Where is Mail / RSS reader? A: There are extensions for the RSS part, or you can download Opera Mail client. Q: Where is Linux version? A: Not ready yet. And here you have it, guys. Just download a bunch of extensions and you are good to go. [Via: My Opera]Image caption Alex Salmond told Andrew Marr that Theresa May's position on a second Scottish independence referendum would "crumble" Alex Salmond has predicted Theresa May's position on a second Scottish independence referendum will "crumble". It follows comments from the UK prime minister that "now is not the time" for another vote to take place. Speaking on the BBC One's Andrew Marr programme, the former first minister was unwilling to be drawn on whether an advisory referendum should be held. An advisory referendum could be held without the consent of Mrs May, but would not be binding. When asked if there would be such a referendum, Mr Salmond said: "I leave these matters to the person responsible, that's the first minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon. "The Theresa May line that now is not the time is not going to stand. "Back in the day, I remember David Cameron telling me there wasn't going to be a Scottish referendum but that didn't last against the democratic wishes of the Scottish people and the Scottish Parliament and neither will the Theresa May line. "It won't necessarily crumble either today or tomorrow or next week, but over the next few months that line will crumble." He added: "Remember self-determination delayed, like justice, is self-determination denied and it just won't stand politically. So my predication is that the Theresa May position will crumble over time." Image caption Murdo Fraser said it was "ironic" the SNP would prioritise a bill that was not "competent" Nicola Sturgeon has dismissed talk of taking court action or holding a snap election to break the deadlock over a second vote on Scottish independence. She has called for the poll to be held before Spring 2019 or when there is clarity on the deal that will see the UK withdraw from the EU. The first minister maintains that it is then that Scots should be able to chose between a future UK outside Europe or an independent Scotland. However, the prime minister has repeatedly said that the focus of Brexit negotiations should be on getting the best deal for the whole of the UK. 'Recruiting sergeant' In response to suggestions that the Scottish government could hold an advisory vote, the Scottish Conservatives finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: "It's deeply ironic that a government which hasn't passed a single substantial bill since the election may prioritise one that isn't competent. "This isn't the kind of plan any responsible political leader would seek to take, especially over something as serious as a nation's future. "Less than three years since the last referendum, now is not the time to go back to more division and uncertainty over Scotland's future. Image copyright AFP Image caption MEPs from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Greece and Malta signed the letter "The first minister must stop the games and begin to act for the whole country, not as a recruiting sergeant for an independence campaign most people don't want." The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said the SNP's case for another independence referendum was "increasingly feeble" given their refusal to guarantee EU membership. He said: "The SNP can't use the Brexit vote to claim a mandate for another referendum when they refuse to say that they would take us back in. It shows that the EU was just an excuse and that it has only ever been about independence for the SNP. "The SNP are using EU supporters to push for a referendum but will sell them out to get independence. They would risk Scotland being out of both single markets which would be a disaster". MEP's letter In a separate development, a cross-party group of 50 senior European politicians have pledged their "full support" for an independent Scotland's membership of the EU in a letter to the Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer Ken MacIntosh. The MEPs and parliamentarians from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Greece and Malta, say "Scotland would be most welcome as a full member of the European Union" if Scotland votes for independence and pledged to make the process "swift, smooth and orderly as possible". The European politicians criticised the UK government for pursuing a hard Brexit, and for refusing to "properly take into account the preferences of Scottish citizens in the withdrawal process". They said they recognised that "Scotland voted strongly to remain in the EU" and that now "the question of Scotland's constitutional future, and your relationships with the UK and EU, are for the people of Scotland to decide." The letter was an initiative of Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer and German Green MEP Terry Reintke.By Rose Cahalan in Special, Sports on \| More than 10,000 athletes will represent 204 nations when the London Olympics kick off this Friday. But we prefer to count the Longhorn Nation and round up to 205. Here are the vital stats on the University’s storied Olympics legacy. 21: Longhorns competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics 2: Longhorns coaching in the 2012 Summer Olympics 1: Longhorn athletic trainer who will be working on the U.S. Olympic Committee’s medical staff 7: Sports in which Longhorn athletes will compete: women’s volleyball, women’s swimming, women’s track and field, men’s swimming, men’s diving, men’s track and field, and men’s basketball. 8: Nations represented by Longhorn athletes. In addition to the United States, they’ll be competing for Canada, Haiti, Mexico, Jamaica, Liberia, Nigeria, and the Virgin Islands. 19: Number of Olympic Games in which Longhorns have won medals. 1936: First Olympics during which a Longhorn athlete won a medal. That year, Adolph Kiefer won the 100-meter backstroke for the United States and set a new world record in Berlin. 117: Total number of Olympic medals won by Longhorns from 1936 t0 2010. 57: The percent of those 117 Longhorn medals that are gold. UT Olympians have won 67 gold medals, 32 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals. 28th: The Longhorn Nation’s rank—if UT were a country—in the all-time total Olympic medal list. We would be ranked between Greece (114 medals) and Belgium (139 medals). Sanya Richards-Ross, BBA ’06, Life Member, has won three Olympic medals in women’s track and field. Photo via André Zehetbauer.#Purdue will represent Team USA in the 2017 World University Games in Chinese Taipei. #BoilerUp https://t.co/PRAMMtO1KV -- Purdue Boilermakers (@BoilerBall) May 31, 2016 The Purdue men's basketball team will represent the United States at the World University Games from Aug. 19 to 30, 2017, in Chinese Taipei, Purdue officials announced Tuesday.The Purdue basketball team was selected by the United States International University Sports Federation (US-IUSF) to represent the United States in the World University Games. Purdue was selected as the team to represent the U.S. from several other schools that expressed interest."We are obviously very excited to represent our country at the World University Games. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our program," head coachsad. "It is a very unique opportunity for an institution to represent our country. This will be an extremely positive and rewarding experience for everyone associated with Purdue basketball. Our players are thrilled to get the opportunity to represent the Stars and Stripes against the best competition in the world."Twenty-four teams from around the globe will compete in the 2017 Games. There will be four pools of six teams each. Following pool competition, the teams will be seeded for bracket play with the top two teams from each pool battling for a medal.With more than 150 countries competing in 21 sports, the World University Games are held every two years and are governed by the International University Sports Federation. Only current university student-athletes or recent graduates, born between Jan. 1, 1992, and Dec. 31, 1999, are eligible for the 2017 Games. For Purdue's participation, only U.S. citizens can compete and incoming freshmen and transfers qualify. The Purdue travel party, consisting of 12 competitors and staff (24 total), will spend more than two weeks in Chinese Taipei and live in the athlete village throughout the Games.It marks just the third time that a collegiate team has represented the country in the World University Games. In 2007, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) participated and finished ninth in Bangkok, Thailand. During the 2015 Games, the University of Kansas represented the Stars and Stripes and took home the Gold medal.Eighteen players who have represented the USA in the World University Games have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games.Several Boilermakers on the roster also have international experience. Painter served as the head coach of the U.S. contingent for the World University Games in 2011 in Shenzhen, China, leading the squad to a 7-1 record. Painter has also been an active member of USA Basketball, serving as an assistant coach for the FIBA U19 National Team that won Gold in 2009, while serving on the committee to select the U18 and U19 National Teams.In addition, Caleb Swanigan Vincent Edwards and Isaac Haas have all been part of medal-winning or tryout teams. Swanigan won a pair of Gold medals as a member of the U17 (2014) and U19 (2015) National Teams.The tournament will be played under FIBA rules, with the biggest difference being in four, 10-minute quarters and a 24-second shot clock.Follow PurdueSports.com and wugusa.com/summer-games for more information leading up to the event.Words: Michael Flynn Image: Sydney FC Hyundai A-League coaches Graham Arnold and Mike Mulvey have praised the role of the National Premier Leagues pathway in preparing the next generation of elite footballers. Arnold and Mulvey, who coach Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar respectively, are in Townsville this week as part of the Wingate Properties Townsville Football Cup – a four-team pre-season tournament featuring NPL Queensland’s Northern Fury. Arnold played the game at the highest levels in Belgium and the Netherlands as well as representing the Socceroos on 54 occasions and said he was impressed by the NPL model being rolled out across the country. “The state leagues are hugely important to where the A-League sits,” he explained. “That’s got to be where the pathway is. You can’t have kids jumping from Under 16’s up to A-League, if you can strengthen the next step, if the facilities can improve and give them a good environment to develop in, then the step up will be much easier.” Following the Sky Blues hard-fought 3-1 win over Fury on Sunday, Arnold added that he wasn’t surprised by the performance of the NPL Queensland club. “I didn’t expect anything less. When younger players get the opportunity to perform and to show what they got, the adrenalin kicks in. I always knew they would give us a test.” He further explained that he was impressed by Fury’s long-term vision to provide a genuine pathway for players in North Queensland, as opposed to their previous incarnation as a stand-alone A-League outfit. “What Fury are doing up here, with everything starting at grassroots level and their concentrating more on that rather than just putting five million dollars into one team and forgetting the rest, they have more of a long-term project and vision and that’s what a lot of clubs should do.” He said Fury was benefitting from the experience of Director of Coaching Ian Ferguson, who represented Scotland on nine occasions as a player and previously coached Perth Glory as well as Fury in the A-League. “You got to be proud of what Fergie’s doing up here. You have a guy who has done everything in world football and he is living in a regional town that he loves and he’s prepared to put a lot back into the sport for the kids up here,” Arnold explained. “The kids up here should be honoured to have someone like him but also the community. I’m sure he will develop a lot of good players up here for Fury.” Mulvey has seen first-hand the benefits of NPL Queensland in particular, with Roar’s National Youth League team competing in the state’s elite club competition for the first time this season. The A-League Premiership and Championship winning coach said it provided the club further opportunity to identify and develop Queensland talent with the potential of playing A-League football. “It’s very important because the gap between A-League players and state league players is quite big,” Mulvey explained. “The A-League players are full-time professionals so they can train all the time if you want them to, while state league players tend to work or do university and can fit in two or three nights a week.” He further explained that Roar clearly see themselves as part of the pathway for Queensland’s aspiring professional footballers. “The fact that our players can play in the NPL through our youth team is very important for our younger players.” “It’s our responsibility as an A-League club to offer a pathway, which we do, to local players to gain access to the people we have at the club and the players we have at the club to train with them or learn from them in some capacity.” Recently Roar hand-picked Olympic FC’s Reuben Way, Western Pride’s Lincoln Rule and Brisbane Strikers’ Matt Thurtell based on their performances in this year’s NPL Queensland. “We identified them as three lads that we wanted to have a little look at closer up and they did well,” Mulvey explained. He referred back to the difference in fitness level between full-time professionals and the semi-professional prospects. “They were all less fit than we would have desired, so we didn’t push them too much, because we didn’t want to disrupt their particular teams’ plans for the season.” “But we’ll bring them in again, once we get back to Ballymore and away from the travelling we’ve done for the past few weeks, and give them another couple of weeks training with us,” Mulvey said. Brisbane Roar will face Northern Fury this Wednesday at Townsville Sports Reserve in the Townsville Football Cup. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:30pm.The geopolitical situation across the world continues to deteriorate to a very worrisome degree. The New York Times reported the following earlier today: WASHINGTON — An American warship stationed off the coast of Yemen fired cruise missiles on Thursday at radar installations that the Pentagon said had been used by Yemeni insurgents to target another American warship in two missile attacks in the last four days. The strikes against the Houthi rebels marked the first time the United States has become involved militarily in the civil war between the Houthis, an indigenous Shiite group with loose connections to Iran, and the Yememi government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni nations. The strikes were approved by President Obama, said Peter Cook, the Pentagon spokesman, who warned of more to come if American ships were fired upon again. “These limited self-defense strikes were conducted to protect our personnel, our ships and our freedom of navigation in this important maritime passageway,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “The United States will respond to any further threat to our ships and commercial traffic.” Until Thursday, the Obama administration had tried to navigate a treacherous course in Yemen, publicly pushing for a peace deal while quietly providing military support to a Saudi Arabia-led bombing campaign against the rebels since last year. Yet the main goal of the administration has often appeared to be keeping the United States from being dragged too deeply into a conflict that has shown little signs of abating, and instead continues to grow deadlier. Really? You could’ve fooled me. That changed in the past four days with two separate missile attacks on an American destroyer, the Mason, that was sailing off the coast of Yemen in the southern end of the Red Sea. In both the first attack, which took place on Sunday, and the second one on Wednesday evening, missiles were fired from areas under Houthi control. Oh please. Let’s not act as if our navy ships are just sitting there on the coast handing out candy to maritime wanderers. As I noted in a post earlier this week, U.S. Government May Be Guilty of War Crimes Due to Support for Saudi War in Yemen: The Obama administration went ahead with a $1.3 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia last year despite warnings from some officials that the United States could be implicated in war crimes for supporting a Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen that has killed thousands of civilians, according to government documents and the accounts of current and former officials. U.S. government lawyers ultimately did not reach a conclusion on whether U.S. support for the campaign would make the United States a “co-belligerent” in the war under international law, four current and former officials said. That finding would have obligated Washington to investigate allegations of war crimes in Yemen and would have raised a legal risk that U.S. military personnel could be subject to prosecution,at least in theory. Since March 2015, Washington has authorized more than $22.2 billion in weapons sales to Riyadh, much of it yet to be delivered. That includes a $1.29 billion sale of precision munitions announced in November 2015 and specifically meant to replenish stocks used in Yemen. U.S. refueling and logistical support of Riyadh’s air force – even more than the arms sales – risked making the United States a party to the Yemen conflict under international law, three officials said. Now back to the NYT. This American role has drawn criticism from human rights groups who condemn the campaign as reckless. More than 4,000 civilians have been killed since the bombing began, according to the United Nations’ top human rights official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein. That number includes at least 140 people who were killed in an airstrike on a funeral ceremony last weekend in the Yemeni capital, Sana. The strike prompted the administration to promise a review of the American military assistance to the Saudis “so as to better align with U.S. principles, values and interests.” Quite the coincidence that within just a few days of increased war crime concerns, the U.S. military suddenly found an excuse to escalate its involvement. How convenient. Before Thursday’s attack, Secretary of State John Kerry pushed for a peace deal in Yemen, arguing that the United States could be an honest broker because it was not directly involved in the Saudi-led bombing campaign. The military response could now make that a more difficult position to take. Just great, knee-fucking deep in another Middle Eastern war. Peter Salisbury, a Yemen expert at Chatham House, a London policy institute, said in an interview conducted hours before the American strikes that “if they do intervene, it deepens the case that the Americans are party to the conflict.” How the rebels might have obtained the missiles was not clear. The Houthis, who are from northern Yemen, have seized ample amounts of military hardware in their two-year campaign to seize control of the country, and they are also believed to have received substantial aid from Iran, possibly including advanced weaponry. American intelligence officials believe that the Houthis receive significantly less support from Iran than the Saudis and other Persian Gulf nations have charged. The Saudi campaign has failed to dislodge the Houthis from Sana. Much of Yemen is now on the brink of famine, and reports of civilians’ being killed in airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition have become routine. In August, the aid organization Doctors Without Borders said it was withdrawing its personnel from the country after the coalition bombed several of its medical facilities. Despite international condemnation of the campaign, the White House pushed ahead this year with a $1.15 billion arms deal for Saudi Arabia that includes tanks and other heavy military equipment. A Senate resolution in September to block the sale failed, but 26 senators voted for it, signaling growing congressional concern about the Saudi alliance. “We are complicit and actively involved with war in Yemen,” Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican who worked to block the arms deal, said at the time.“There’s been no debate in Congress, really no debate in the public sphere over whether or not we should be at war in Yemen.” Typical imperial insanity. Meanwhile, here’s some of what the AP had to say about the recent developments. The strike on the funeral in the capital, Sanaa, killed some 140 people and wounded more than 600. That bombing, among the deadliest of the war, likely sparked the rebels to launch more ballistic missiles in Saudi Arabia and target the U.S. warships in the Red Sea. Human rights groups have expressed outrage over the deaths and accused the U.S. of complicity, leading the White House to say it was conducting a “review” to ensure U.S. cooperation with longtime partner Saudi Arabia is in line with “U.S. principles, values and interests.” Meanwhile, an international human rights group, Human Rights Watch, said Thursday that the funeral bombing constitutes an apparent war crime and that the remnants of missiles found at the site of the attack showed that they were American-made. It said a disproportionate number of the victims were civilians when the coalition carried out two airstrikes. An international investigation is needed into the “atrocity,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director for the rights group. She said the attack on the funeral joins a long list of abuses by the coalition. Analysts with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy called the Houthi missile fire “a surprisingly aggressive move,” but stressed there were limits to Iran’s control of the rebels. Yes, surprising is one way to put it. Again, I find it extremely convenient that the U.S. government suddenly found an excuse to escalate involvement in this quagmire just as it appeared policy might be driven toward rational change. Unfortunately, it’s not just in Yemen and Syria where we see dangerous geopolitical escalation, it’s also the cyberwar realm. While the mainstream media parrots the U.S. government narrative on this issue (as usual), TechDirt just published a great article on the topic, Obama Promises ‘Proportional’ Response To Russian Hacking, Ignores That We Started The Fight: We’ve noted several times how launching cyberwar (or real war) on Russia over the recent spike in hack attacks is a notably idiotic idea. One, the United States effectively wrote the book on hacking other countries causing all manner of harm (hello, Stuxnet), making the narrative that we’re somehow defending our honor from shady international operatives foundationally incorrect. And two, any hacker worth his or her salt either doesn’t leave footprints advertising their presence, or may conduct false flag operations raising the risk of attacking the wrong party. After significant pressure from intelligence industry saber rattlers and the cybersecurity firms that profit from cyber-hysteria, President Obama this week proudly proclaimed that the U.S. government would be launching a “proportional” response to Russia’s recent slate of hacking attacks: “We obviously will ensure that a U.S. response is proportional. It is unlikely that our response would be announced in advanced. It’s certainly possible that the president could choose response options that we never announce,” Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One. “The president has talked before about the significant capabilities that the U.S. government has to both defend our systems in the United States but also carry out offensive operations in other countries,” he added. “There are a range of responses that are available to the president and he will consider a response that’s proportional.” Again though, the very idea that the United States would be “responding” is fundamentally incorrect. We’ve been engaged in nation state hacking and election fiddling for decades, happily hacking the planet for almost as long as the internet has existed. We use submarines as underwater hacking platforms, the U.S. government and its laundry list of contractors routinely hacking and fiddling with international elections and destroying reputations when and if it’s convenient to our global business interests. Our behavior in 1970s South America giving tech support to Operation Condor is the dictionary definition of villainy. Yet somehow, once countries began hacking us back, we responded with indignant and hypocritical pouting and hand-wringing. But the reality is we are not some unique, special snowflake on the moral high ground in this equation: we’ve historically been the bully, and nationalism all too often blinds us to this fact. Long a nation driven to war by the weakest of supporting evidence, hacking presents those in power with a wonderful, nebulous new enemy, useful in justifying awful legislation, increased domestic surveillance authority, and any other bad idea that can be shoe-horned into the “because… cybersecurity” narrative. And as we’re witnessing in great detail, hacking has played a starring role in this nightmarish election, with Donald Trump giving every indication he intends to only ramp up nation state hacking as a core tenet of his idiocracy, and Hillary Clinton lumping Russia, hackers, and WikiLeaks into one giant, amorphous and villainous amoeba to help distract us from what leaked information might actually say about the sorry state of the republic. If the American public continues to be passive in the face of increased media and U.S. government warmongering, we will face unimaginably negative consequences. For more, see: U.S. Government May Be Guilty of War Crimes Due to Support for Saudi War in Yemen Things Are Going From Bad to Worse – Iraqi PM Warns of ‘Regional War’ The Situation in Syria is Very, Very Dangerous Japanese Government Shifts Further Toward Authoritarianism and Militarism More Troubling Evidence That Hillary Clinton Will Start WW3 More Troubling Evidence That Hillary Clinton Will Start WW3 – Part 2 In Liberty, Michael Krieger Donate bitcoins: Like this post?Donate bitcoins: 3J7D9dqSMo9HnxVeyHou7HJQGihamjYQMN Follow me on Twitter.Search Gallery Joey CoCo Diaz bassistofclosson 2 More Games About Buildings And Food bassistofclosson 0 Hachi Style bassistofclosson 1 Advertisement Advertisement Nelumbo Nucifera bassistofclosson 1 The Ocean's Tide bassistofclosson 5 Titti bassistofclosson 1 Awww! bassistofclosson 1 Bella and Mom bassistofclosson 1 Bailey bassistofclosson 2 Mis-seen Pixel Art: Battle of Olympus bassistofclosson 7 Mis-seen Pixel Art: Zelda 2 bassistofclosson 4 Pixel Art Me bassistofclosson 1 Photoshop Exercise: Photo Manipulation bassistofclosson 1 Photoshop Exercise: Photo Restoration bassistofclosson 2 Starcraft: BW Korean Bonjwas (WIP) bassistofclosson 0 Unemployment bassistofclosson 0 I can't explain it... bassistofclosson 7 La Fresh bassistofclosson 4 Kevin Haddon bassistofclosson 1 Obsess - Shotgun Animated bassistofclosson 0 Obsess - Key Cutscene Animated bassistofclosson 2 Death Logo Zinc Sheet bassistofclosson 0 Metroid Ampeg bass cab bassistofclosson 4 TF2 EngiNOPE bassistofclosson 5Former hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli has the Internet ablaze after hiking the price of the drug that's been on the market for decades. Here's what happened. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) Former hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli has the Internet ablaze after hiking the price of the drug that's been on the market for decades. Here's what happened. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) Martin Shkreli is health care’s Gordon Gekko, its wolf of Wall Street, the symbol of all that makes people uneasy about an industry that seeks to make money by selling treatments while vowing to care only about the well-being of vulnerable patients. For days, a seething social-media mob backed by an opportunistic politician or two has hammered the swaggering 32-year-old “pharma bro” who jacked up the price of an obscure but critical drug, was theatrically unapologetic about it and publicly called a journalist a moron for asking why. [Shkreli: 4,000 percent drug price hike is ‘altruistic,’ not greedy] Shkreli’s actions were shocking for a simple reason: It was an unusual moment of complete transparency in health care, where motives, prices and how the system works are rarely ever talked about so nakedly. Shkreli’s company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, raised the price of Daraprim from $18 to $750 per pill because he could. “I think it reflects a widespread appreciation that pricing for drugs is entirely irrational in this country and the pharmaceutical industry has total control over prices and there’s no rationality to
licensing model that allows customers to easily use existing Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscriptions in the datacenter or the cloud. Read more Qualcomm wireless finds Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization key to production virtualization strategy, Red Hat customer since 2003 Qualcomm first implemented Red Hat Enterprise Linux in 2003 and became an early adopter of the virtualization technology integrated into the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 platform in March 2007. The company also became active in the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization beta program in 2009, allowing it to test the performance, scalability, and density features offered by the solution. Read more Jeppesen chooses Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization as software build systems standard Jeppesen, already a long-time user of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Network Satellite, migrated business-critical systems to Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. Jeppesen achieved close to bare metal performance during its testing of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, demonstrating that the Red Hat platform can help the company to achieve its goal of reducing both hardware costs and time to market. Read more Fedora 14 Fedora 14 enhancements and new features included Spice framework software (for desktop virtualization), powerful remote and out-of-band management capabilities with IPMI, new debugging features for developers, and an updated tech preview of the GNOME desktop environment. Read more Red Hat receives 6 Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 security certifications on HP systems The completion of six Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 certifications from the U.S. government's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) marks the culmination of one of the largest certification efforts that Red Hat has completed with the U.S. Government. Read more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.1 Enhancements provide improvements in system reliability, scalability and performance, coupled with support for upcoming system hardware. Technology updates included additional configuration options for advanced storage configurations, new technologies that enable smoother enterprise deployments and tighter integration with heterogeneous systems, and a technology preview of Red Hat Enterprise Identity (IPA) services, based on the open source FreeIPA project. Read more Fedora 15 Fedora 15 included major new features with special focus on desktops, developers, virtualization, security, and system administration. Advances included the GNOME 3 desktop environment, the Btrfs filesystem, the Indic typing booster, better crash reporting, the LibreOffice productivity suite, and a redesigned SELinux troubleshooter. Read more Santos saves $2.5 million with Red Hat Enterprise Linux Santos, a leading supplier of oil and gas for Australia and Asia, gained greater stability and faster performance, helping the company reduce its global carbon footprint. Santos sought out a direct replacement for its main proprietary thin client system in order to avoid the license outlay and the cost of replacing its workstations. After extensive investigation, Santos turned to Red Hat Enterprise Linux and an open source thin client solution, and has been reaping the rewards since the migration. Read more Customer Portal starts Ideas discussion group Red Hat invited Red Hat Enterprise Linux users to discuss features for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7. The Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Ideas discussion group on the Red Hat Customer Portal is open to all Red Hat subscribers—users and partners—to share use cases and discuss features. Read more Red Hat supports SAP business apps; supports SAP solutions on Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Amazon EC2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 has been certified by SAP AG to run SAP business applications. As a recommended Linux enterprise operating system for running SAP applications, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 provides the reliability and performance required by enterprises to efficiently run their demanding SAP workloads. Red Hat also announced support for SAP solutions running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). Read more Read more IDC server operating environment numbers show growth of Linux, open source Industry research firm IDC published research results substantiating how the operating system industry developed and stating that IDC sees Linux and Microsoft Windows as the two primary established platforms, both now and in the future. From IDC System Software Research, October 2011. Read more Red Hat achieves record SPECvirt_sc2010 virtualization performance benchmark (7,424@456VMs and 76 tiles) Red Hat achieved a new record-setting SPECvirt_sc2010 virtualization performance benchmark in collaboration with long-time partner HP based on the powerful Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor and HP ProLiant systems. Read more Fedora 16 Fedora 16 included major advancements in cloud computing, virtualization, and the GNOME 3.2 desktop. Improvements included work on OpenStack tools, HekaFS, SPICE USB, KDE 4.7, Perl 5.14, GCC Python plug-ins, GRUB2, and more. Read more SGI UV 1000 with 1,280 cores and 8TB of memory certified to run on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 SGI, the trusted leader in technical computing, announced that Red Hat has certified SGI servers with the largest x86 server configuration to-date for Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system. This certification highlights the benefits of the newest generation of Intel(R) processors and SGI's high performance computing technology for customers with data-intensive workloads requiring outstanding performance in a high-density form factor with excellent power efficiency. Read more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 delivers significant improvements in resource management and high availability, as well as new features aimed at storage and file system performance and identity management. Read more Production life cycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 extended from 7 to 10 years Red Hat extended the production life cycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 from seven to 10 years in response to enterprise customer demand. Enterprise customers now have additional deployment alternatives for their Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system implementations as they plan the future of their strategic IT deployments. Read more Cloud Access provides subscription portability to Amazon EC2 Red Hat announced that it is expanding its offerings on Amazon Web Services with the addition of Red Hat Enterprise MRG Grid via Red Hat Cloud Access. Red Hat Cloud Access is a capability that enables Red Hat customers to move their subscriptions between traditional on-premise servers and off-premise clouds hosted by Red Hat Premier Certified Cloud Providers, such as Amazon Web Services. Read more Red Hat hits $1 billion in revenue Total revenue for the quarter was $297.0 million, an increase of 21% from the year ago quarter. Subscription revenue for the quarter was $255.2 million, up 22% year-over-year. For the full fiscal year 2012, total revenue was $1.13 billion, an increase of 25% over the prior year, and subscription revenue was $965.6 million, up 25% year-over-year. Read moreKimi Raikkonen shrugs off 2015 criticism Kimi Raikkonen does not care what other people think of his performance this year and is sure he has the ability to return to winning ways in 2016. Since rejoining Ferrari in 2014, Raikkonen has struggled for results and has been comprehensively beaten by his two team-mates Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. When asked what had changed since he was winning races two years ago at Lotus, Raikkonen said it was mainly other people's perceptions rather than his actual driving ability. "It's not like suddenly I am becoming a worse driver, but you know how people think here [in F1]," he told ESPN. "The first time I do well again they will be praising me and then the next bad race it will be the same. That's F1." Raikkonen admits he has underperformed this year, but does not put it down to a lack of pace. "It has improved [since 2014], speed wise it is a lot better. It's not nice, but I have to say it: it has not been a very good year. It's still been a lot better than last year, but it's no fun sometimes when you are having a difficult time. "I still expect to be strong in the future and that's what we work for. I'm sure that the changes that will be done to the car will also help. Is it enough? We will see next year. In many ways I'm much happier than last year, but still the results were not what I expect from myself. Raikkonen said a series of small problems with the car and mistakes in the cockpit disrupted his season and meant he did not get the results his pure speed deserved. "Obviously I made some mistakes, we had some problems and we have retired five times. If you put a lot of small things together or you have a small thing in practice it can take a lot of time out of being on circuit and not a lot of running gets done. They always disturb you and it breaks the flow of the weekend and we keep having those and the end result is not so good. We have a lot more speed than what the results show but obviously the results give you the points."Meet the angel-faced 12-year-old girl with a deadly talent - she can assemble a rifle faster than police. Salisa Yasuwat learned how to handle dozens of weapons - including M16 assault rifles and Smith and Wessons - when she was just nine years old. The pint-sized pig-tailed youngster can dismantle, clean and reassemble the arms with incredible precision that normally takes decades to master. Twelve-year-old weapons expert Salisa Yasuwat is so fast as assembling guns that she teaches police officers in Thailand how to be more efficient with their weapons handling Incredible footage shows the girl taking apart assault rifles and hand guns with such precision she stuns local police officers She now spends her free time working with her gunsmith father Prajak, 51, in his mobile weapons repair van travelling around Chiang Mai, Thailand. Incredible footage shows the youngster even teaching cops how to take apart and reassemble their own weapons. She begins with a shiny silver Smith and Wesson 686 Magnum.357 - taking just ten minutes - before moving on to giant weapons including pump-action shotguns that are almost as big as her. Chiang Mai police constable Damrong Saenduangdee, who has his guns serviced regularly by Salisa, said: 'I've never seen a young girl like this. I cannot do what she does. She is much, much faster than me and has a greater knowledge of firearms. She is very, very good.' Police constable Damrong Saenduangdee said: 'I've never seen a young girl like this. I cannot do what she does. She is much, much faster than me and has a greater knowledge of firearms. She is very, very good.' Salisa began weapons handing when she was only nine-years-old and was taught by her gunsmith father. Now the youngster spends her time in her father's mobile weapons repair van travelling around Chiang Mai, Thailand Salisa said that her father taught her about guns and that she can work on'revolvers, shotguns, war weapons, M16s and rifles.' She added: 'I like helping my father with the guns. My favourite is the Magnum. I can do take it apart, clean every part of the machinery, and assemble it again in ten minutes. Sometimes quicker, but I am careful.' Proud dad Prajak said he became an gun smith eight years ago and says his children have always been around a lot of guns. He said: 'For me, it is very safe for my daughter to be around guns. She is very sensible and shows a lot of respect to them. She knows how to handle them and knows how dangerous they can be. 'My daughter enjoys helping me with my business, and we have a lot of customers who are police and soldiers that need their weapons cleaning. 'None of them are able to handle the weapons as well as Salisa. She is an expert and she enjoys it a lot.'Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Chelsea Manning is to be released after seven years behind bars Chelsea Manning has released a statement ahead of her planned release from prison next week. The transgender US army private, born Bradley Manning, is due to be freed on 17 May, after former President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. Manning had been scheduled for release in 2045, after receiving a 35-year sentence for her role in leaking diplomatic cables to Wikileaks. She confirmed the release was going ahead on her Twitter feed on Tuesday. "Freedom was only a dream, and hard to imagine. Now it's here! You kept me alive <3," Manning wrote, linking to a longer statement which referred to some of the treatment she had received behind bars, including "periods of solitary confinement, and... routinely forced haircuts". "For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea," she said. "I can imagine surviving and living as the person who I am and can finally be in the outside world." Image copyright AFP Image caption A supporter waves a placard during San Francisco's 2016 Gay Pride parade Manning said she would be "forever grateful" to all those who had supported her and President Obama, and now hoped to make "life better for others". President Obama commuted her sentence in January, with just three days left in office. The move did not satisfy all her supporters, as some felt she should have been pardoned. A joint statement from her lawyers, Nancy Hollander and Vincent Ward, noted: "Chelsea has already served the longest sentence of any whistleblower in the history of this country. It has been far too long, too severe, too draconian. "President Obama's act of commutation was the first time the military took care of this soldier who risked so much to disclose information that served the public interest." What was in the leaked cables? The US army charged Manning with 22 counts relating to the unauthorised possession and distribution of more than 700,000 secret diplomatic and military documents and videos. Included in those files was video footage of an Apache helicopter killing 12 civilians in Baghdad in 2007. Image caption Leaked footage showed a US helicopter pilot killing civilians and journalists Manning also passed on sensitive messages between US diplomats, intelligence assessments of Guantanamo detainees being held without trial and military records from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The disclosures were considered an embarrassment to the US, prompting the Obama administration to crack down on government leaks. At a sentencing hearing, Manning apologised for "hurting the US" and said she had thought she could "change the world for the better". Manning twice attempted suicide last year at the male military prison where she is being held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. She also went on a hunger strike last year, which she ended after the military agreed to provide her with gender transition treatment.today starts its operations in India by opening an office in Hyderabad. The office is already humming with an initial landing team from its headquarters in Palo Alto, California, and a team of recent hires from India, the company said in a statement. The office is headed by a dynamic leadership team, including Kirthiga Reddy, Director of Online Operations and Head of Office India and Manoj Varghese, Director of User Operations. "We are seeing a ton of momentum with our 15 million users, developers and advertisers right here India. It's an incredible time to be starting our operations in India," Director of Online Operations and India Head Kirthiga Reddy said. To celebrate the opening of the new space in Hyderabad, launched an art competition, which will continue October 22. The winner will be announced on November 15.Following on from ANZ’s Apple Pay launch in April, it seems that an Android Pay launch in Australia is now imminent, with ANZ issued American Express cards quietly being accepted when attempting to add a card in Android Pay. Just fire up the Android Pay app, tap add a card, and then either enter in the card verification code for the card already added to your Google Account, scan/take a photo of the card, or manually enter your card details. While ‘Android Pay’ is not currently available in the Google Play store for Australians, some phones sold in Australia with Marshmallow, and phones flashed with other firmware may already have the Android Pay app installed. And of course, you’re always free to sideload the APK if you’re impatient! (my HTC One M8 is flashed with stock GPE firmware, for those curious among you) At first I managed to see the ‘ANZ with Android Pay Terms and Conditions’, dated yesterday (10 June 2016), but attempting to get any further resulted in a ‘Something went wrong’ error. After hitting ‘Cancel’, I was then able to attempt adding my card again, resulting in another set of Terms and Conditions (dated 26 April 2016). Both Terms and Conditions specifically mention Android Pay, and Android Pay specific functionality (eg, no support for CDCVM meaning that a PIN must always be entered for purchases over $100) Accepting the Terms and Conditions page takes you to a standard verification page – this pulls in your mobile number from your ANZ account to send a verification SMS. Originally a generic American Express card is shown, however this shortly turned into the ‘actual’ representation of the card being used (an ANZ Rewards Black American Express, in this case) After verifying your card, Android Pay shows a quick ‘how to use’ series of screens – pretty standard stuff, all you need is to look for the standard ‘contactless’ symbol, or ‘Android Pay’ if merchants decide it needs to be promoted. Unlike Apple Pay, your phone merely needs to be awake with the screen on to make a payment, or your phone unlocked using your usual method (whether it be PIN, Passcode, Pattern, or fingerprint). Just unlock your phone and present your phone to the reader and payment will be made with your default card. You’ll get a confirmation notification, which when tapped will also confirm the ‘virtual’ (or tokenised) card number used for the transaction. Of course, you can also see a transaction history of all the payments made using your Android Pay device – similar to ANZ’s Apple Pay implementation, you will not see transactions made with other devices or your physical card. It seems that it is only American Express cards issued by ANZ that are working at this point in time, with the handful of other cards I have handy not working yet. This includes ANZ Access Visa debit card, an American Express issued Velocity Platinum card, and a Commonwealth Bank Gold Rewards MasterCard/Amex. It sure looks like Google is on track to launch Android Pay before the end of the month, just meeting their ‘first half of 2016’ deadline. Update 12/06/2016: The ANZ card was removed from my Android Pay app this morning, and won’t allow to be re-added to Android Pay. Fingers crossed for a launch next week.By Mattea Kramer Posted: June 11, 2012 \| Budget Process Bob from Vacaville, California, wrote in to ask us for some fact checking. He said he hears all the time that the size of the federal government has ballooned under President Obama, and wondered if that could be true given all of the budget cuts. Great question, Bob. It's something we hear all the time, too – that the size of government has grown in recent years – but it's not true. Under President Obama's administration, federal spending has been on the decline. Government spending hit a post-World War II high in 2009, under the last budget passed by President George W. Bush (See Federal Budget 101 to understand why the FY2009 budget was signed by President Bush, not President Obama). Since then, federal spending has declined, as many lawmakers in Congress have negotiated for budget cuts in order to reduce deficits. This chart shows federal spending as a share of the overall economy, so we can compare the size of government across years: The recent decline in federal spending has many economists worried that the U.S. is pursuing the same austerity measures that have prevented Europe from climbing out of its own economic doldrums. Many economists actually recommend that the federal government maintain or even increase spending levels – rather than cutting budgets – in order to stimulate our weak economy. How does the federal government go about stimulating the economy? Check out last week's blog post on job creation.Event Description UPDATE: Online ticket sales will close Sunday at noon. This event sold out last year and most likely will again this year. No guarantee tickets will be sold at the door. Get them now before they're gone! It's baaaccckkk! The 2nd Annual DMI Brewgrass Festival presented by Mispillion River Brewing is set! Plan to make the 2016 Brewgrass Festival the first stop on your summer music tour! This event will offer live bluegrass music, food to purchase, and beer tastings from local Delaware & Maryland breweries. Each participant will pay an entrance fee and receive a souvenir cup for their tastings. Ticket prices: $75 - VIP: Limited to 30 tickets. VIP guests will enjoy an extra hour of Festival fun from 12-1pm, reserved parking, souvenir cup with 24 beer tickets, a goodie bag including Festival t-shirt, MRB glass voucher, $10 food voucher, private port-a-potty, WSFS sponsored private tent with charging stations, tables & chairs $30 - General Admission, includes souvenir cup & 12 beer tickets $40 at the door, includes 12 beer tickets $5 - designated driver, includes 2 bottles of water or cans of soda Join our homebrew competition! 3 categories (IPA, Ale, and Wild Card - anything) with 4 entries per category. First come, first served. More than one entry accepted - $5 per entry. Must be present at Festival - DD ticket included with entry - Festival ticket ($30) must be purchased to partake in included brewery tastings. 8 12-oz bottles per entry must be delivered on Saturday, June 11 (location and time TBD). All entries will be judged by BJCP judges and the public. Prizes will be given for professional winner and people's choice winner in each category. If you love PaintNite, you'll love Mispillion Art League's Brushes and Booze and they'll be offering two seatings during the Festival! Cathy Walls will be teaching this class so be sure to purchase your ticket ahead of time to ensure one of the 24 seats! Here's the painting! Participating breweries: 3rd Wave Brewing Co. Argilla Brewing Co. Back Shore Brewing Company Big Oyster Brewery Blue Earl Brewing Company Crooked Hammock Brewery Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales Evolution Craft Brewing Co. Mispillion River Brewing Rebel Seed Cider Music lineup: 12:00 PM (VIP Only) - Special performance by The High and Wides and Ken & Brad Kolodner with Rachel Eddy 12:30 PM - The Jersey Corn Pickers 1:30 PM - David Reed & Tamboura Productions 2:00 PM - Chapel Street Junction 3:00 PM - Danny and James from Hooverville 3:30 PM - The High and Wides 4:30 PM - Battle 2 Brewgrass - Final Round! winner Harrison Doyle 5:00 PM - Ken & Brad Kolodner Thank you to our sponsors! Mispillion River Brewing Breakthru Beverage Group Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales Milford Chronicle Bella Terra Landscapes Seawatch International WSFS Bank High Tide News Downtown Milford, Inc. is a non-profit organization continually promoting quality civic, commercial and cultural development of the historic central business district, which is the heart of community life in Milford, DE. To learn more about us, visit downtownmilford.org or find us on Facebook. #WeareMilford Other important info: Must be 21+ No children or pets allowed All Milford city parks are smoke free Feel free to BYO chair Cash only event Coverage of the 2015 Brewgrass Festival here: Delaware News Journal MilfordLIVE.comMarcelo Garcia, the man, the myth, the legend. I’m a huuuuuge Marcelo Garcia fan. His humility, sportsmanship, kindness, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills make him the perfect representative of our art. He is, to me, the greatest BJJ practitioner we’ve ever had. Most people would tend to agree, and although there are plenty of worthy candidates, none of them of accomplished so much with such a large weight disparity, which represents just how special Marcelo’s technique is. When I was a white belt I found myself naturally getting into Single Leg X-guard (Forever here on out known known as SLX as far as my blog is concerned) and one day asking my instructor what I could do from there. That’s when he showed me the basic SLX sweep and I’ve been bringing people down with it ever since. If my life was on the line and someone said “Dan, you have to hit one sweep to live, what position do you want?” it would be SLX. I cannot recall a time someone was able to stop it once I was in the position. It’s a giant killer, it’s a small guy killer and to me is vastly UNDER UTILIZED. The power of this position comes from the fact that you have THREE limbs isolating ONE limb. It also acts very similar to the Butterfly Position but is much harder for an opponent to retreat from. I’m going to show you some entries, the basic sweep, some counters to counters and a beautiful situp variation all with GIFs of Marcelo Garcia in Action (pun intended). Let’s do this. Here’s Marcelo slapping the SLX on. Any time you have one leg behind your opponent between his legs, and the other leg in a butterfly leg position between his legs you are able to get to this position. The HEEL of your foot goes on the hip, being careful to not reap. Generally you also need to control the opposite side arm to stop them from bumping your knee down and sliding into mount. Getting into SLX is even easier to enter against a standing opponent just by butt scooting forward. There are two main grips he uses on the leg, the overhook and the underhook. Marcelo teaches the overhook as his preferred position but after analyzing his video it seemed the underhook was a little more versatile. Generally speaking, an easy way to get into SLX is via sitting in the butterfly position, scooting in and flairing one foot up, to bring your opponents leg up, then you kick your leg behind and over. If you’re reading this though breakdown though, I recommend you already have a good understand of the entries. In this GIF, Marcelo gets the underhook on the leg, it’s his preferred arm position for doing the situp sweep as it makes it even easier, but it’s not necessary. Notice the clench with his arm below. If Marcelo doesn’t get the underhook immediately he will clench their leg to his body using the inside of his arm and try to re-position from there. The Basic SLX Sweep: Here’s the basic sweep. Not only does he have the strong underhook, but both knees are clenching his opponents leg. Notice how Marcelo comes up with the sweep. There’s a drill people sometimes do at the beginning of class where they do standups like that. Marcelo does it ALL THE TIME. If his opponent falls, Marcelo is going to come up using the momentum. (I cannot for the life of me think of the name of this standup drill, someone help!) Sometimes Marcelo’s opponents will lean over the top of Marcelo to prevent him from pushing them backwards, that’s no problem for Marcelo. He’ll just take them over the top. Marcelo’s SLX Situp Sweep: It was watching this video below that made me realize something about Marcelo’s situp sweeps. They use the exact same principle as his butterfly sweeps, block the arm post, and raise the opposite side leg while turning the corner as some would say. This is the only video I could find of Marcelo doing this sweep with an overhook on the leg, but he does it no problem. You’ll see below that sometimes his opponents will squat very low to try and stop the basic SLX sweep. This actually makes it even easier for Marcelo to do the Situp sweep because his opponents can’t get their foot out from under themselves and up quick enough to post on. So when he turns the corner his opponents knee acts as the rotating point and he doesn’t even have to stand up all the way. Same thing, but his opponent is already committed way too far to the side Marcelo wants to take him. Notice how Marcelo extends his butterfly hook even though it’s not on the leg he’s raising. He does this to push his opponents hips away from his opponents leg post. It is typically the only post his opponent will have and once his hips are on the opposite side of the post, gravity does the rest. Same thing, different angle. Marcelo’s preferred grip is right above the knee on the thigh, but he likes to keep his bicep under the calf so his opponent can’t put their foot down. It works on all sizes. His opponent tries to counter by bringing his free hand across to take the place of his missing arm post that Marcelo has taken from him, it only prolongs the inevitable. Notice how when Marcelo comes up he stiffens his left leg out on the ground? This gives him a nice post to drive from and stops his opponent from driving back into Marcelo when he begins his rotation. This sweep was actually a few minutes in the making. Which made me feel as if Marcelo is one extremely patient man. Cobrinha is basing out hard to the sweeping side, keeping his hand away and rotating his leg inward to prevent the basic SLX sweep and SLX situp sweep. It seemed to me in watching the video that Marcelo was waiting for that one simple shift in Cobrinha’s hips that opened up a weak plain to Cobrinha’s back. Cobrinha intelligently pulls guard conceding the sweep. Pushing the SLX foot off is one of the counters, but since you have to reach back and twist your body to do it, it exposes you. Making sure to straighten your back ALSO stops their leg from being able to come over your head. So back straight and head up! Notes: Marcelo doesn’t always have the far arm control, sometimes he starts these sweeps when his opponent actually has HIS sleeve. Right when he starts the sweep or in mid-sweep Marcelo will counter grip just in case his opponent let’s go. Passing on your knees while in SLX exposes you to the Situp variant, the Basic sweep is possible, but not as likely. Passing while standing exposes you to the Basic SLX sweep, the Situp variant is possible with a far side sleeve grip and underhook on the leg. Marcelo executes beautiful posture when coming up for the Situp sweep. For the Situp sweep Marcelo ALWAYS extends his Butterfly hook but doesn’t kick it straight up, he kicks it to the side or a 45 degree angle to force his opponents hips over their posting leg. Your butterfly hook, heel on the hip and control of the far side arm are the three main factors stopping your opponent from coming to mount. Do not let them bump your knee between their legs, keep it angled upwards. Beware of an opponent trying to force you to reap their knee, if they are reaching and trying to do so, they will expose the Situp sweep or Situp sweep to the back, so just kick your leg off and go for it. Leg gripping options (Underhook is preferred variant for all sweeps): Underhook NOGI: Hand on the thigh right above the knee, bicep on the calf Underhook GI: Same as NOGI or you can grip the pants right above the knee instead of just palming it Overhook NOGI: Grip as if doing an ankle lock, but slightly higher up Overhook Gi: Same as NOGI or you can grip your collar for extra tightness Arm gripping options: GI: Any far side arm sleeve grip NOGI: Behind the far side arm elbow grip Marcelo Garcia has been a huge source of inspiration for me and many BJJ practitioners, I hope my breakdown and analysis did him even a small amount of justice. I definitely recommend subscribing to his MG in Action website! I also have to give a huge shout out to BJJ Scout who I’ve talked to constantly about breakdowns and he gave me the vote of confidence and inspiration I needed to start what I’m currently doing. Feel free to comment and discuss the article below! AdvertisementsI am sick and tired of the way we critique misogyny in fandom. Why is it always “shame fanwork creators (overwhelmingly young women and queer ppl) for not including enough female characters” and never “question the fact that we’ve created a media culture where canonical female characters are by and large so boring that no one wants to create fanworks based on them?” (Not to mention the fact that any person who dares to include an original female character in a fic will have the deadly accusation of “Mary Sue” leveled at them, even if they’ve written the most well-rounded character in the world) Why do we talk about the danger of fetishization when straight women are writing about male/male pairings, and never think about the fact that slash is often being written by young women who have been socialized to be so ashamed of their sexuality that their own fantasies never include people of their own gender? Why are we placing the burden for destroying problematic tropes about sexuality and romance exclusively on this tiny, relatively powerless subculture made up of relatively powerless people who are creating media exclusively for their own enjoyment, and not on the gigantic megacorporations that are profiting off the romanticization of abusive, unhealthy, destructive relationships, an attitude fans are only repeating? Why do defenses of fic always turn to “it’s not all gay porn!!!1!!!!111” as an argument? What’s wrong with people creating erotica that they can enjoy, when almost no one is making mainstream porn for the audience that reads fic, when people can explore potentially problematic or even dangerous kinks/desires without actual performers having to participate in making video porn, when the “gay porn” side of fandom can lead to some of the most wonderfully freeing discussions about sexuality possible in our society? Say I write a fanfiction. The only female character complies to the problematic sassy/helpful best friend trope, mostly because the story revolves around two main male characters (well-developed in canon, with lots of canon jokes about how much they love each other, and played by male actors I find extremely attractive) getting together and having a fair amount of extremely explicit sex. This fic is read by, oh, 200 people, all of whom are already familiar with the conventions of fandom. How does that compare to the literal millions of people who watched, for example, the first Hobbit movie, which contained (as I recall) no women or queer characters at all, and had an audience full of all kinds of people, likely including little girls who are looking up on screen and learning that their stories aren’t seen as worth telling? I’m not saying fandom tropes aren't harmful, I’m just saying we should look at the scope of the damage done by them as opposed to, oh, every other kind of media ever, and then think about why we’ve chosen to shit all over the not-for-profit hobbies of young women and queer people.Folks... sorry for the delay in getting out an update. I now have some severe health issues to deal with (complete Kidney failure) plus another operation... however I will try to better maintain the MVPS HOSTS file. If you could... please consider a donation. What it does... You can use a modified HOSTS file to block ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and even most hijackers and possibly unwanted programs. This is accomplished by blocking the connection(s) that supplies these little gems. The Hosts file is loaded into memory (cache) at startup, so there is no need to turn on, adjust or change any settings with the exception of the DNS Client service (see below). Windows automatically looks for the existence of a HOSTS file and if found, checks the HOSTS file first for entries to the web page you just requested. The 0.0.0.0 (prefix) is considered the location of your computer, so when an entry listed in the MVPS HOSTS file is requested on a page you are viewing, your computer thinks 0.0.0.0 is the location of the file. When this file is not located it skips onto the next file and thus the ad server is blocked from loading the banner, Cookie, or some unscrupulous tracker, or javascript file. Example - the following entry 0.0.0.0 ad.doubleclick.net blocks all files supplied by that DoubleClick Server to the web page you are viewing. This also prevents the server from tracking your movements. Why?... because in certain cases "Ad Servers" like Doubleclick (and many others) will try silently to open a separate connection on the webpage you are viewing, record your movements then yes... follow you to additional sites you may visit. Using a well designed HOSTS file can speed the loading of web pages by not having to wait for these ads, annoying banners, hit counters, etc. to load. This also helps to protect your Privacy and Security by blocking sites that may track your viewing habits, also known as "click-thru tracking" or Data Miners. Simply using a HOSTS file is not a cure-all against all the dangers on the Internet, but it does provide another very effective "Layer of Protection". In case you're wondering... this all happens in microseconds, which is much faster than trying to fetch a file from half way around the world. Another great feature of the HOSTS file is that it is a two-way file, meaning if some parasite does get into your system (usually bundled with other products) the culprit can not get out (call home) as long as the necessary entries exist. This is why it's important to keep your HOSTS file up to Date. Get notified of MVPS HOSTS updates. Special Note: new Windows 10 users... the MVPS Hosts file installs just fine, no need to make any changes. Simply follow the instructions for Windows 10/8 MVPS HOSTS includes entries for most major parasites, hijackers and unwanted Adware/Spyware programs! Started providing a HOSTS file in 1998... and now celebrating 20 yrs. proudly still the # 1 rated HOSTS file on Google... To view the HOSTS file in plain text form. (450 kb) (opens in new browser) Note: The text version also makes a terrific searchable reference for determining possible unwanted connections. Download: hosts.zip [right-click - Select: Save Target As] [Updated February-08-2019] If you find the MVPS HOSTS file useful... please consider a donation... Important Note: The HOSTS file now contains a change in the prefix
cannot remember that he did not destroy Gallifrey, and so past continuity remains intact. I was relieved by this, because for a moment I thought Moffat’s ego was going to get the better of him. To change the Doctor’s entire past since the end of the Time War would not have been extremely respectful to past writers, or to the audience who knows the continuity so well. This ending was a perfect balance between the mind blowing factor that the 50th anniversary needed, and respect for the show as it is. I have made it no secret that I think Moffat sometimes crosses this line (sending Clara all the way back to the Doctor’s first adventure, for example). Which brings us, of course, to my absolute favorite part of the whole affair: The surprise guest appearance. I didn’t dare to hope, but when I heard that voice, I knew it had to be him… Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Baker has entered the building, for a brief but magical moment. Although I was campaigning for an eleven Doctor episode (we sort of got thirteen while they were freezing Gallifrey—great forehead work, Capaldi), if it had to be one classic Doctor only, it is right that it was Tom Baker. I admit that I am not old enough to be properly nostalgic about his appearance, but I do know that he was the longest running Doctor, and many people’s favorite Doctor to this day. I can only imagine what it must have been like for older fans to see their Doctor return. At the suggestion of his previous (or perhaps future?) face, It seems that the eleventh Doctor, and soon to be the twelfth Doctor, is going to go searching for his lost home. It feels like we are on the eve of a very different Doctor, and a very different show. The Doctor is finally free of his guilt over the fate of Gallifrey, and has a brand new mission. I am extremely excited to see where this goes, and curious about the potential introduction of the Doctor’s fellow Time Lords. He never got on particularly well with them in the classics, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say. And that, my imaginary friends, is that! We have about a month until the Christmas special, which the word on the street tells me will include the highly anticipated regeneration of Matt Smith into Peter Capaldi. I do hope that they manage to fit some Christmas cheer amidst all the excitement. For now, I leave you with these parting words: Never be cruel or cowardly. Never give up. Never give in. Always be the Doctor. Lost Episodes FOUND! This just in: Nine missing Doctor Who episodes previously believed to be lost forever have been found! The Enemy of the World (with double the Patrick Troughton action) is now a complete serial! The Web of Fear (Featuring the dashing Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart) is now only missing episode three! This is indeed a glorious day in the fandom. Alright. Back on my hiatus. To My Followers, With Love Ok. I feel that I owe you all an explanation. And by “you all” I mean whoever actually ever took the time to read this blog. So, like, at least maybe a few people? I know I’ve been on hiatus on and off since basically the creation of this blog, but this last hiatus is the worst yet, and I’m not sure when I’ll come out of it. Unfortunately, I have entered graduate school, and Doctor Who has fallen to the wayside. I don’t want it to be this way. If I had my druthers, I would watch and blog all day every day. Unfortunately in this little thing called life, we cannot always get what we want. For example, I wanted to watch all the classics by the 50th anniversary so that I could understand every reference, and everything that has led to this. Now it has become apparent that I cannot do this and blog at the same time. Blogging is time consuming. To be honest, I’m so far behind that I probably couldn’t do it even if I didn’t blog. I don’t want to disappear in silence, so here is a quick post to let the few who might wonder know what’s been going on. Will I blog again? I hope so. I want to. Will I watch Classic Doctor Who and not blog about it? I’m not sure. Something tells me that if I do watch it and I don’t blog about it, I will never go back and revisit it to finish this blog. So this is a decision that I still have to make. Either way, thank you to those who followed, and thank you to those who may have actually read. “I don’t want to go.” Peter Capaldi I have been walking around all day saying “Peter Capaldi” at random intervals. When asked why by confused onlookers, I say “I have to see how it rolls off the tongue. I have a feeling I’ll be saying it a lot.” I admit that I have actually never heard of Peter Capaldi, though of course I saw him in The Fires of Pompeii (whoever cast that episode, by the way, should be given a raise, as this was also Karen Gillan’s Doctor Who premier). I do gather, however, that he is known for playing a character that curses a lot, which has spawned many the comical video in the past twenty-four hours. I’m really up in the air about whether or not I want to look at any of his previous work. I want to go in without any preconceived notions, but gosh is it tempting to watch everything he’s ever been in since the dawn of time. Though I have just admitted I know nothing about our newest addition to the Doctor Who family, I am unashamedly optimistic that I will love him. As I may or may not have stated in my previous blog post (who has time to go back and check these things?) I have yet to dislike a Doctor, and I don’t know why I would start now. He’s older, which I totally predicted he would be (go back and check, I’m not lying), and reminds me of a Jon Pertwee era Doctor. And in the immortal words of my brother (who uttered them yesterday), “He seems like he really gets it.” And I quite agree. As a lifelong Doctor Who fan (how great was that letter?), I’m sure he will do us all proud. Above anything, I am really, genuinely happy for him. Seeing him come out to reveal himself to a room full of Whovians (a dangerous move, to be sure) was like watching an adventure begin. I hope he knows that millions of fans probably went to sleep last night thinking Peter Capaldi… and wondering what’s in store. And lots of younger fans who may not even know that there is a new Doctor will get to watch him from behind their sofas, and make memories of their Doctor Who experience, and of their favorite aliens who gave them nightmares. And he may become their Doctor, and maybe one of these kids will grow up to be a future Doctor. And maybe fifty years from now, they’ll have another special to announce the next Doctor, and when celebrity guests are asked who their favorite is, they’ll say “Oh I loved Peter Capaldi. He was my Doctor.” And I hope he knows what he is getting into, and what this role will come to mean for millions of fans. Congratulations, Peter Capaldi, and may the Whovians welcome you with opened arms. Doctor Who? We interrupt our highly irregularly scheduled programming for tonight’s big announcement: The identity of the twelfth Doctor will be revealed this Sunday! I spent most of today pondering what the expected big announcement could be, and while I think announcing a further announcement is sort of cheating, I am still plenty excited by this revelation. Excited enough, in fact, to come out of hiding and share my thoughts. As I never addressed the recent news that Matt Smith is leaving, I’ll start there. I love Matt Smith. I have loved him from the beginning, and I will surely love him until the end. Before the second half of series seven aired, I was banking on Matt staying for series eight before departing. Now that this most recent series is behind us, however, I do believe it is time. The eleventh Doctor shtick has gotten a little too shticky for my taste, and at times (dare I say it…) a bit boring. I think this is the result of both Matt and the writers reaching a point where they realize the magic is winding down. Although both parties are unquestionably talented, when it is time, it is time. I do, however, have full confidence that the 50th and the Christmas special will exceed all my wildest expectations, and that the eleventh Doctor’s regeneration scene will make me as thoroughly sad as “I don’t want to go.” Surely it can’t make me any sadder. That seems almost dangerous. Speaking of the regeneration, is Steven Moffat really going to ignore that Time Lords can only regenerate twelve times? Assuming that John Hurt is the Doctor that fought the Time War, the eleventh should be the last Doctor. It isn’t like I ever thought that he would stick to this limit, but I don’t believe he should blatantly disregard this rule either. It could be taken care of relatively simply. For example, they could offhandedly state that Time Lords limited the number of regenerations, and now that they are gone, the Doctor can regenerate as many times as he wants. Alternatively, they could say that the Doctor received all of River’s remaining regenerations when she saved his life in Let’s Kill Hitler. I don’t much care how they circumvent this bit of continuity, but I do think it would be rude to classic fans to not mention it at all. And now for the fun part: Predictions! I actually don’t have any, so maybe this won’t be so fun… As my brother hilariously put it earlier this evening, “I bet it’ll be a white male.” Obviously, I don’t care if he’s white, black, or green, as long as he’s the best man for the job. As for the possibility of the Doctor not being a man at all… I think that casting a woman would upset a lot of people, although the more I think about it, the more I wonder why it would be such a big deal. The Doctor completely changes his appearance and personality every few seasons. He is literally a different person. Would it really be so crazy if he were suddenly a woman? Is sex so important that, although Whovians have accepted eleven different men playing the Doctor, we couldn’t accept a woman? Anyway, I think it has great comedic potential. In all seriousness, my only real prediction is that this next Doctor will be older. I doubt the trend of younger and younger Doctor’s will be continued, as Matt is already the youngest in history. Although I’m talking about this impending regeneration as if I’m some kind of authority on the matter, I have to ashamedly remind you, dear readers, that I’ve never actually been around for a regeneration before. That is, I’ve never seen one as it aired. The first episode I ever saw was the first part of The End of Time, and it took another year before I started watching the show in earnest. I finished series one through five just as series six aired, which was when I started watching episodes in real time, and not on Netflix, one after another. This means that a new Doctor’s identity has never been a surprise before, so I’m not sure how I’ll feel on Sunday. I am confident, however, that I will love whoever was chosen. I love every Doctor I’ve seen thus far, and I can’t imagine this will change. I’m sure that I’ll need time to adjust, but I know that I will come to accept him (her, it?) as the Doctor without question. The only thing that I know for sure about what I want in a new Doctor is for him to not be someone extremely famous. I want to meet this Doctor without associations or preconceived notions. In the end, what I think we all want from the next Doctor was already summed up beautifully by Neil Gaiman: “I want to see The Doctor. I want to be taken by surprise. I want to squint at a photo of the person online and go ‘but how can that be The Doctor?’ Then I want to be amazingly, delightedly, completely proven wrong, and, six episodes in, I want to wonder how I could have been so blind. Because this is the Doctor. Of course it is.” The real question is… Will he be ginger? Season 11, The Time Warrior: Episodes 356 - 359 The Time Warrior is a four episode story written by Robert Holmes, and contains an exciting number of Doctor Who firsts. The Doctor visits a high security scientific conference to investigate the disappearance of scientists and equipment. There, he meets a young journalist, Sarah Jane Smith, posing as a renowned scientist to get a good story. When the Doctor picks up a trace of time travel at the conference, he follows it in the TARDIS, unknowingly taking the curious Sarah along with him. He and Sarah land in medieval England, where a Sontaran, Linx, has crash landed. They discover that Linx has been transporting the missing scientists and equipment to this time in order repair his ship. He has taken refuge in a castle, home of the ruffian Irongron and his men. In exchange for his stay, Linx is providing Irongron with weapons far ahead of their time, which the Doctor fears will alter the progression of history. The Doctor offers to help Linx with his repairs in exchange for the safe return of the scientists, but he refuses. Taking matter into their own hands, Sarah sneaks into the kitchens and drugs the castle’s food with a sleeping concoction, giving the Doctor time to send the scientists home. The Doctor then frantically evacuates the castle’s occupants before Linx takes off in his newly repaired ship, which destroys the castle. As I said, this was a serial of firsts. There is new opening sequence accompanied by a new diamond shaped logo, designed once again by Bernard Lodge. Although the logo is a tad dated, I love it. It is a product of its time, as are the stories, costumes, and effects. This puts into perspective all the changes over fifty years, most of which must have been good for the show to still be running. It also puts me in the character of the episodes, and I can almost feel like I was alive in the 70s, witnessing history. As for the new opening, it’s looking more and more like a time vortex, so no complaints there. There is also a spiffy new alien menace, the Sontarans! As you can see up above, they are considerably more grotesque than the modern version, and not as outrightly comical. Even so, Linx did come out with some gems that would do Strax proud, such as his opinion of females: “You have a primary and secondary reproductive cycle. It is an inefficient system. You should change it.” Even more exciting than the introduction of a potato with legs is the first use of the name Gallifrey in reference to the Doctor’s home planet. This might sound a little nerdy (I’m writing a Doctor Who blog, what do you expect?), but I always get warm fuzzies when the Doctor says Gallifrey. I think this is because the first time I heard the name was in the series three episode, Gridlock, when the tenth Doctor describes his home to Martha (A description which matches Susan’s in the season one episode, The Sensorites). He regards his home planet with such reverence that I felt like I was hearing about a sacred, magical place. It was sad at the time knowing that the Doctor destroyed this planet, and it’s positively heartbreaking now that I know the Doctor basically hated Gallifrey in his younger days, yet remembers it so lovingly after it’s gone. Of course the most exciting first of the story is the introduction of the new companion, Sarah Jane Smith, played by Elisabeth Sladen! We will get into her legacy at a later date (As if you don’t know it), but I will say that she is known to many as the definitive companion. I am trying to go into the Sarah Jane episodes without preconceived notions, which is nearly impossible as I have already seen her in action alongside David Tennant in series two. Preconceived notions aside, I knew I would love her at first glance, and it seems that I’m not alone. In the special edition of Doctor Who magazine that was released following Sladen’s death, Jon Pertwee is quoted from a 1986 DWM issue, about meeting her for the first time: “I remember Barry saying to me, ‘Come along and meet Lis,’ and as they were casting for Katy’s replacement, I instinctively knew that this was the girl Barry had in mind. Anyway, he led me into his office and introduced us. We all stayed for coffee and some general conversation, and little did Lis know that every time her back was turned, I was making thumb-up signs to Barry, who, when given the opportunity, was frantically returning them to me!” Season 10, The Green Death: Episodes 350 - 355 The Green Death is a six episode story, written by Robert Sloman, along with producer Barry Letts. Letts was inspired when he read an article stating that the world would end unless major environmental changes took place, and used this episode to spread the message. The Doctor and Jo visit Global Chemicals oil refinery in Llanfairfach, to investigate a fatal illness which leaves its victims green and glowing. While there, Jo becomes friendly with Nobel Prize winning environmentalist, Cliff Jones, who is convinced these deaths are linked to GC. The Doctor and Jo later discover giant maggots, the cause of the green death, living within the company’s mines. The Doctor infiltrates GC, and discovers that Stevens, the head of the company, is being controlled by a sentient computer called Biomorphic Organizational Systems Supervisor, or BOSS, who is behind the oil refining methods which creates the maggots. Jo meanwhile, is working with Cliff to find a cure for the green death, when she spills a vial of fungus onto Cliff’s work, serendipitously discovering the cure, and the maggot’s weakness. Upon Jo’s discovery, the Doctor and Sergeant Benton drive through maggot infested fields, throwing the fungus to the maggots in order to kill them. After this succeeds, the Doctor manages to break through BOSS’ hold on Stevens. Once free of his mind control, Stevens tampers with the computer to cause an explosion, and destroys himself, BOSS, and the GC headquarters. After a celebratory dinner hosted by Cliff and those in his environmentalist retreat, Jo reveals to the Doctor that she will not be returning to UNIT. She explains that Cliff is going to the Amazon in search of a fungus high in protein to use as a meat substitute, and she would like to go with him. Cliff then asks Jo to marry him, and she excitedly accepts his offer. The Doctor gives her a crystal from Metebelis III as a wedding gift, and returns to UNIT alone. This is one of my favorite companion departures thus far, my other favorites being Susan’s, Ian and Barbara’s, and Steven’s. All these companions left the Doctor on good terms, changed for the better, and ready to start their own adventures. Susan stayed behind to rebuild Earth after a Dalek invasion, Steven stayed to lead a planet after a revolution, and now Jo is also working for a cause that she believes in. I don’t mean to give myself away as too much of a vegan tree hugger, but Jo leaving the Doctor to join a hippie commune in search of a mushroom is something I can really get behind. I also appreciate how this departure was built up. Jo has been the Doctor’s companion for three seasons, and it would not have felt right for her to leave as suddenly as Liz Shaw before her. It is obvious she is leaving from the beginning of the episode, when she refuses to accompany the Doctor to Metebelis III (a running gag, as Metebelis III never goes quite as the Doctor plans), opting instead to go meet Professor Jones. She explains to the Doctor that the professor works for everything the Doctor believes in, and he reminds her of a younger version of the Doctor. In this way, Cliff is the perfect match for Jo. She left to continue doing what she was doing with the Doctor, and not simply to get married. She did, after all, turn down two previous proposals in favor of travelling with the Doctor. Katy Manning stated that she left Doctor Who to prove to herself that she could act in other things, although she enjoyed the role until the end. She speaks fondly of her years on the show, and of those that sh worked with. Over the years, she has shared numerous behind the scene stories from her time on the show, the most hilarious of which involve her famously poor eyesight, and her resulting injuries. After leaving, Manning went on to have a busy career in television, theatre, film, and voiceover work. She reprised the role of Jo thirty-seven years later, in The Sarah Jane Adventures. She has also recorded several Big Finish Production audio adventures, including The Companion Chronicles, and as the Time Lord Iris Wildthyme. She is currently living in England. I conclude this post, with a DWFF: Stewart Baven, who played Cliff Jones, was really dating Katy Manning at the time this was filmed. The Name of the Doctor To the one and a half people that follow this blog, no, I did not die. I simply took a hiatus that got a little out of hand. Real life reared its ugly head, and demanded my attention. Graduate school planning, new car buying, etc., are not nearly as interesting as Doctor Who, but are necessary evils of adult life. I urge those of you who have not yet reached this point to avoid it as long as possible. The other reason for my hiatus is that I was beginning to feel that blogging was more of a chore than a recreational activity, and in the interest of not burning out, I gave myself some time to miss it. I return to you now with this overly long entry (with several more on the way), and beg your forgiveness. Here are my severely late in coming thoughts on The Name of the Doctor. What with all the hype preceding the finale, I was really starting to believe it could never live up to our expectations. Having now seen it, I can happily say that I was wrong. Not only did I absolutely love it, but I have tons to think about over the break until the 50th anniversary special. Although the series’ big mystery was solved, we now have an even bigger one to take its place. First of all, although it would have been impossible to guess all the specifics of Clara’s identity, I think most of us were on the right track. My favorite theory was that she was a creation of the great intelligence, sent to interact with the Doctor over the course of his life to get close to him. The reality is similar, but much cooler. In perhaps one of the ballsiest moves of WHO history, Moffat altered the cannon all the way back to the Doctor’s very first adventure. Given the nature of Clara’s revelation, this could arguably make her one of the most important companions of all time, and while I do like her a fair amount, I don’t think her character is really impressive enough to live up to this legacy. I loved her in The Asylum of the Daleks, but since then she has fallen a little flat for me. She has had some good lines, but I’ve found her character to be generally dull, and overshadowed by the mystery of her identity. The Impossible Girl is not nearly as interesting to me as, for example, The Girl Who Waited. I’m hoping that, now that the mystery is behind us, Clara can start to be an interesting character in her own right. Of course, as I stated earlier, Steven Moffat is constantly concluding one story, and immediately presenting us with one even more maddening. I am referring, of course, to the appearance of John Hurt. I always marvel at what can be jammed into the last minutes of a Doctor Who episode, and this takes the cake. The way I see it, there are two possibilities… My initial thought was that John Hurt is the final Doctor, who died in the battle that Simeon referred to as, “A minor skirmish by the Doctor’s blood soaked standards. Not exactly the time war, but enough to finish him.” This is in keeping with the Valeyard of classic WHO, a future, evil regeneration. It was then pointed out to me that the eleventh Doctor seems to know who this man is already, and exactly what he has done, implying that this is a past, rather than future regeneration. This leads me to my second, and at the moment my preferred theory, which is that this is the Doctor that fought the Time War. This is not by any means a new theory. I saw people speculating about reordering the Doctors months ago when it was first discovered that John Hurt was going to be in this finale. At the time, I dismissed this idea, because I thought it was too anti-cannon, and too well established that Matt Smith is playing the eleventh Doctor. Now that I’ve seen Hurt in action, however, I think I’m on board. It would not technically be reordering the Doctor’s, because the Hurt Doctor disregarded his name when he committed his heinous crime, possibly the genocide that ended the Time War. This is also why Clara, who has seen all the Doctors, does not know him. He is the same man, but he is not the Doctor, meaning that Matt Smith would still be the eleventh. Having said that this is the theory I currently prescribe to, I must say that I do not think that Steven Moffat is trying to write out the eight Doctor, or discredit the ninth, as some fear. I think it is entirely possible that the eighth Doctor regenerated into this new Doctor during the war, did what he had to do, and then regenerated into the ninth Doctor. Although there are an almost innumerable amount of things for me to be excited about in this episode, the return of River Song came out on top. I am unashamedly obsessed with this character, and mildly obsessed with the beautiful Alex Kingston who plays her. When I heard that we were going to see a post library River, I didn’t really know what to think, or where the Doctor was in her time line. Based on this latest appearance, it looks like she has been dead for some time, meaning that he has been having his nightly adventures with her, and has long since taken her to the singing towers. I’m a little peeved that we did not get to see more of River’s time with the Doctor, but it is sort of appropriate for their relationship. When the Doctor first met River, he was told, not shown, that she was someone important to him, just like we as viewers are largely told and not shown. For those of you who really don’t buy this and want more closure, however, there were five minisodes released on the series six box set that you can find online, collectively titled Night and the Doctor. The Doctor and River’s goodbye has the honor of being the only Doctor Who scene to actually bring me to tears. Imagine having said a premature goodbye to someone you love, only to be haunted by an echo of that person, knowing that you’ll eventually have to say goodbye again. Really, Moffat, have some mercy on my heart. I’ve wondered for a long time how River’s story will end, and I thought that when the end came, I wouldn’t be ready. Right now though, assuming that this scene is River’s conclusion, I’m pretty at peace with it. It is a heartbreaking but amazing scene, and I think bringing River back after this goodbye would be superfluous, although I’ll miss her terribly. Of course I am not without my complaints. Some things still do not quite add up. I like the twist that Trenzalore ended up being the Doctor’s grave, but this episode did not seem to have anything to do with Dorium’s description of it as a place where no one can bear false witness or refuse to answer. Sometimes I feel that Steven Moffat writes stories without a real idea as to where they are going, and so certain details don’t quite fit. I also find that I am bending over backwards to try to make them fit, and to pay attention to every last detail, just in case it sheds some light on the multitude of mysteries. I enjoy Moffat’s penchant for mind blowing antics, but sometimes I get so caught up in trying to make sense of things, that it detracts from my enjoyment of the show. I also have to say that I expected a more satisfying revelation that River knows the Doctor’s name. We know that he didn’t tell her this at their wedding like he pretended to, but we’ve known from River’s introduction that she learns it eventually. The only explanation we get, however, is River saying that she made him tell her, which doesn’t quite do justice to the buildup. There are also a number of plot holes hanging around, like the TARDIS exploding (No, I will not stop mentioning this), which I refuse to believe is an abandoned plot line. There is still the 50th to come, and so I am trying not to lose hope that all my questions will one day be answered. In the end, I really am extremely happy with this finale. I’m also starting to accept that there will not be an eleven doctor 50th anniversary, but we did get an eleven Doctor series finale after a fashion. True, footage from classic episodes, and brief glimpses of each Doctor isn’t quite as cool as bringing all the living Doctor actors back, but hey, maybe that was a pipe dream. If this is as close to an eleven Doctor episode as we’ll get, I’ll happily take it.The Dynamo front office loves to whine about their lack of coverage, but they have plenty of egg on their face after only an announced crowd of 20,019 showed up to the season opener. There is no reason why the Dynamo shouldn’t sell out every game in this diverse city with hundreds of thousands of kids playing soccer. The Dynamo front office walks around with the inferior complex of a minor-league baseball team, but Dynamo president Chris Canetti and his group should be embarrassed that they couldn’t sell out their season opener. BBVA Compass Stadium is one of the most beautiful stadiums in America. Dominic Kinnear, who is in charge of all personnel decisions as coach and general manager, consistently puts out a winning product that is on a 26-game home unbeaten streak. Oh, and did we tell you the Dynamo are two-time MLS Cup champions and four-time finalists who have won the last two Eastern Conference finals. How do you not sell out the opener in a small stadium with a capacity of only 22,039? Even worse, the Dynamo had months to sell this game. Here’s some advice for Canetti and the Dynamo: Instead of doing some self promoting on CSN, radio and everywhere, how about getting out of the way and letting the players be the faces of the franchise? Nobody ever buys a ticket to see a team president, which is probably why you don’t see the Astros’ George Postolos, the Texans’ Jamey Rootes or the Rockets’ Tad Brown pimping themselves. Heck, those guys are so comfortable in their skin you don’t even see them quoted in press releases each time a player is signed. Boniek Garcia is one of the most dynamic players in MLS. He’s a star of the Honduran national team, and he plays in a city with a huge Honduran community. How in the heck aren’t 7,000 Hondurans at each Dynamo game? Will Bruin is one of the best young players in MLS, and Brian Ching is a legend. Brad Davis, Ricardo Clark, Tally Hall, Bobby Boswell, Kofi Sarkodie and Corey Ashe are articulate, witty and great personalities. MLS folks love to talk about growing the game, and the players in Houston are doing their part. But the Dynamo front office must figure out what went wrong and correct it because there is no excuse for not selling out the season opener?Tabnak, a news website owned by Expediency Council Secretary and former presidential candidate Mohsen Rezai, has criticized the government for refusing to release the latest poverty data in the country. On Oct. 30, the conservative website questioned the government's policy on the controversial Subsidy Reform Plan, a legacy from the previous administration, arguing that the cash handouts amounting to 45,000 rials ($14), payable to almost every citizen monthly, cover only a minor portion of their costs. The Statistical Center of Iran released a report last month showing the average expenditure for an urban household is about 10,925,000 rials ($336), much lower than 25 million rials ($780) estimated by independent economists. Neither the organization nor the Central Bank of Iran has yet released official figures on the poverty level in urban or rural areas, the website noted. Thirty-six years after the “anti-capitalist” revolution, Islamic leaders have failed to ensure the fair distribution of wealth and equality of opportunity. In Iran, 7 million people now live in absolute poverty and their food security is at risk. At the other end, 5 million are superrich, with wealth comparable to that of the richest Americans, as Labor Minister Ali Rabiee has put it. Fighting poverty has been a focal point for President Hassan Rouhani since he took office last summer. In his Oct. 22 speech in the northwestern city of Zanjan, the president reiterated there was “no evil worse than unemployment and poverty.” Officials predict that unemployment will become a major issue in a few years when about 4 million “unskilled” university graduates join the current 4 million jobless. According to the latest data available, in the last fiscal year, almost one-fourth (24%) of Iranian households did not have even one employed member. The figure was 10% back in 1992-93, indicating that many families have lost a reliable income source since 21 years ago. In the past year, measures taken by Rouhani’s economic team have helped curb inflation and end two years of negative growth, but observers believe the moderate president will face grave challenges in reducing poverty as the lucrative parts of the economy are mainly controlled by either the government or semi-private entities that have close links with power circles. So far, Rouhani has adopted a three-part policy to assist the most vulnerable population in the short run, earn the trust of the private sector in the middle term and achieve sustainable economic development in the long run, with each requiring a separate strategy. Food and cash handouts In February, the administration began distributing long-promised food packages to help the poorest, though bad planning sent the scheme awry from the start, denting Rouhani's popularity. Despite criticism by politicians and activists representing a wide political range, the government is said to be providing food aid for about 7 million citizens living in absolute poverty. It’s been a complicated, time-consuming effort to identify the needy people whose food security is at risk. Yet, officials have vowed to identify more in the future, probably up to 10 million. Some economists argue that millions of dollars in food aid and monthly cash handouts will only add to an already soaring budget deficit. However, the president insists on continuing to grant the cash handouts to almost every citizen, fearing that a sudden cut in the aid could hurt many crowded rural families and lead to nationwide dissatisfaction or social unrest. So the administration is likely to maintain both programs at least until the end of Rouhani’s first term, though it has begun steadily removing well-off citizens from the 75-million-member list of cash recipients. Earning the trust of the private sector In a September 2013 speech, Rouhani implicitly called on security bodies, namely the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), to only engage in large projects so that it does not compete with the private sector. Since then, the IRGC has shown it will not oblige, as its command does not report to the president but rather to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In May 2014, Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, the administration’s spokesman and Rouhani's adviser for Supervision and Strategic Affairs, gave in to the rising pressure from the IRGC and announced, “Major projects that cannot be completed by the private sector should be given to the IRGC. … We will give these projects to the armed forces and especially to the Khatam al-Anbiya,” the main economic arm of the military body employing 135,000 people. To convince the public that the government does not support involvement by the security forces in business, the Intelligence Ministry announced in October that ministerial bodies were not involved in any sort of business activity, calling on citizens to report business owners who might claim to have links with the Intelligence Ministry. But the fact is that the ministry’s agents would never be authorized to reveal their identities even if they did run a business. The move could be considered an effort to get the private sector involved in giant business projects, signaling that they do not need to be worried about the rent-seeking activities that cost the economy dearly in recent years. In Zanjan, the president touched on “security” during his speech as a major issue that needs to be addressed by the government if the private sector is to play an active role, saying, “Entrepreneurs need to feel secure and not all businesses must be run by the government.” Despite Rouhani’s hard work to reduce public concerns over the involvement of security and intelligence bodies in the economy, the private sector seems to remain cautious about major investment activities, as government rent-seeking and discrimination has paved the way for extraordinary wealth generation by certain groups in the past few years. But the government still hopes to work more closely with the private sector to create jobs for the almost 10% of the population that is unemployed. Even so, the employed are not necessarily any better off. With a minimum wage amounting to one-third to one-fourth of the poverty level in big cities, hundreds of thousands of workers live in poverty and are increasingly forced to hold two or more jobs. Sustainable development The administration knows well that recession, joblessness and economic hardships are not so much due to economic mismanagement as government intervention and exclusion from world markets. So, while trying to decrease its domination over the economy, the administration has since last year focused on finding a solution to a 12-year nuclear dispute with the West, in an effort to open Iran's economy to world markets. Western-educated diplomats who already reached an interim deal with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) are now likely to achieve another agreement, even if only a temporary one, with the United States and other world powers by the Nov. 24 deadline. The recent intensified sanctions against Iran facilitated the operations of rent seekers and allowed corrupt networks to operate under the guise of sanctions-busting. With another nuclear deal looming, the
'Parked in a No Standing, you’d give us a ticket for that wouldn't you.' he says, repeating it when he gets no response from the officers. The police officers give the man the cold shoulder, not acting up for the camera. 'Wouldn't you constable' the man says, referring to the parking ticket, as he zooms in on the officers name tag. The home video clearly shows the two officers sitting at an outdoor table eating breakfast, having parked their car within walking distance to their table, in a No Standing zone 'Did you get my name?,' the constable asks, as the man decides to turn off his recording device as the policeman answers him back. As the Daily Mail understands, police vehicles may park in No Standing zones in emergency situations. Police officers also need to be in close proximity to their car, should an emergency arise. The man used his video phone to name and shame the police officers, zooming in on their name tags and asking them probing questions about their misconduct Clearly upset with the officers' misconduct, the Facebook member uses his phone to film the unlawful act, hoping to name and shame the officers involved in the incident The Facebook group 'Victoria Police Corruption' states that they are: 'An open platform for documenting police news, misconduct, brutality and abuse of power' 'The practice of Police investigating Police needs to end' the page says. Over 1,200 people commented on the post, with the majority of commenters siding with Victoria Police in this situation. Users of the Facebook page 'Victoria Police Corruption' had their say on the video One commenter said: 'emergency vehicles can park where ever they want. they won't be fined. and they shouldn't. get a life and learn the rules before you slander people whos career is to to help ungrateful people like the original filmer when its their turn to cry for help. dont bite the hand that feeds you!' Many commenters sided with the police in this situation Another member also sided with the police, telling the video-man that they should be left to have their breakfast in peace. 'This police officer should be commended for having such patience with a complete flog when he's just trying to eat his lunch. The exemption is not a privilege, they need to be near their car in case they're called for an emergency. I'm happy I don't have to worry about my job when I'm on my lunch break, have some respect for those that put their life on the line to keep you safe,' she said. One commenter said she was happy she didn't have to be on-call during her lunch brake and said the video-man should be ashamed of himself However one Facebook user believed the police officers should be setting a good example to other road users. 'Yes you are all right. It's an emergency vehicle and they need to be close at all times. It's understandable he needs his car 5 feet away while he eats so how about put there desks on the footpath too. Wake up, they are taking advantage of their positions because they think they are higher in the food chain. How can you respect someone who can't set an example to be respected.' he said. However. not all Facebook users were as understanding, with one commenter suggesting the police should set a good example to other road users Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia, that all employees are'required to park police vehicles legally at all times, unless exempt from doing so.'EDINBURGH (Reuters) - A second Scottish independence referendum is “highly likely”, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday, raising the prospect that the United Kingdom could tear itself apart after voting to leave the European Union. Scotland, a nation of five million people, voted decisively to stay in the EU by 62 to 38 percent in a referendum on Thursday, putting it at odds with the United Kingdom as a whole, which voted 52-48 in favour of an exit from the EU, or Brexit. “As things stand, Scotland faces the prospect of being taken out of the EU against her will. I regard that as democratically unacceptable,” Sturgeon told a news conference in Edinburgh. “I think an independence referendum is now highly likely.” A vote for independence would end the 300-year-old union between Scotland and England, its far bigger southern neighbour, dealing a body blow to the United Kingdom at a time when it is likely to still be dealing with the complex fallout from Brexit. It would also transform the political landscape in the rump of the United Kingdom by making it much harder for Labour, the main opposition to the ruling Conservatives, to win power in London, as the party has relied on Scottish votes in the past. Scots rejected independence by 55 to 45 percent in a 2014 referendum, but since then Sturgeon’s pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) has become much more powerful. EU membership was one of the key issues in 2014, with those campaigning for Scotland to stick with the United Kingdom arguing that an independent Scotland would not be able to remain a member of the bloc. Sturgeon said many Scots who had voted against independence for that reason were now re-assessing their decision. “I intend to take all possible steps and explore all options to give effect to how people in Scotland voted (on Thursday), in other words to secure our continuing place in the EU and in the single market,” she said. Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, who are the main opposition force in Edinburgh politics, said she did not believe a second independence referendum would help Scotland achieve stability or be in the best interests of its people. “The 1.6 million votes cast in this (EU) referendum in favour of ‘remain’ do not wipe away the 2 million votes that we cast less than two years ago (to stay in the UK),” she said. INDEPENDENCE BEFORE BREXIT? The SNP holds massive sway, however. It won all but three of Scotland’s 59 seats in the national parliament in London in a general election last year, and holds 63 seats in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh to 31 for Davidson’s Conservatives. Nevertheless, calling a new independence vote would not be straightforward and the SNP, tempered by caution since Sturgeon took over as leader from firebrand Alex Salmond, would want to first be sure that it would win. Where the last independence campaign fell down is widely considered to be the economic argument. An independent Scotland would, it was projected at the time, stick with its old currency, Britain’s pound, with national finances underpinned by an oil price then over $100 but now roughly half that level. Sturgeon would have to build a robust economic independence strategy to convince those who in 2014 were emotionally inclined to leave the UK but voted to stay in because of the economics. Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the EU referendum and campaigned for a “Remain” vote, announced after the result on Friday that he would resign by the autumn. He said he would leave it to his successor to decide when to trigger article 50, the mechanism by which an EU member can leave the bloc. There would then be a two-year window for Britain to negotiate the terms of its exit and execute it. Sturgeon said Scotland “must have the option” to hold an independence referendum within that timescale — much sooner than anyone had thought possible before the vote for Brexit. As well as bringing further turmoil to the rest of the United Kingdom, Scottish independence would also be likely to cause political headaches for the 27 remaining EU members. Some European politicians were quick to suggest that an independent Scotland should be welcomed into the fold. “Europe is open to new member states. That is totally clear,” said Manfred Weber, leader of the largest bloc of lawmakers in the European parliament. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon leaves after voting in the EU referendum, at Broomhouse Community Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain June 23, 2016. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne Geert Bourgeois, separatist president of the Belgian region of Flanders, said Scotland should be admitted as a full member without delay. “It would be quite Kafkaesque, if there were a part of the country that wanted to stay in the EU, if the EU turned around and made them join the back of the queue,” he said. But the government in Madrid, for one, is unlikely to take such a benign view given that it faces a strong separatist movement in Catalonia, which like Scotland is pro-EU.A PlayStation 4 dev kit was spotted on a Star Citizen developer’s desk the other day, which turns out to be the PC games equivalent of being pictured doing thumb wars with Gaddafi. Umpteen screeching threads later, Chris Roberts himself has stepped in to introduce the console exclusivity rumours to the airlock – and to pen a long love letter to the PC. “Instead of Crysis benchmarks when they test a new GPU I want to see Star Citizen!”, he wrote. “Star Citizen IS a PC game,” trumpted Roberts, as if confronted by a PS4 dev kit door-to-door salesman. “It will NEVER be dumbed down for a lesser platform. We will NOT limit the input options or supported peripherals to the lowest common denominator. We will NOT pass on features and technology just because they will only run on some hardware configurations.” Roberts briefly boasted about his office rig, which runs a pair of Titans and a 4K monitor, plus an ‘ultimate’ PC his team is building from a silly number of graphics cards. “You think that’s a good approximation for console, even a next gen one like PS4 or Xbox One?,” he asked, rhetorically. “I LOVE the PC as a platform because it is open, is always moving forward, with new powerful components (usually at cheaper prices) becoming available to gamers available every year,” he explained. “The PC platform is great because it isn’t static. It doesn’t have rules or some controlling entity that decides what will and won’t be in the eco system. If a cool new disruptive technology like the Oculus Rift comes along it can have a chance to gain traction and become the next big thing. “Because of this Star Citizen will always be primarily a PC game and will embrace the best and newest tech.” That rumour unambiguously dealt with, Roberts went on to confirm that his studio had no plans to release Star Citizen on the PS4 and Xbox One – short of a comprehensive change in update policy from Sony and Microsoft. What’s he afraid of?“Odious” quality control procedures and a community infrastructure split between platforms. “If Sony or Microsoft are willing to let their platform be open, then I see no real difference between them or Valve’s Steambox, a Mac or a PC running Linux, all of which are platforms that I don’t think this community would mind supporting as they are all viewed as ‘PCs’,” he explained. “And even then it would only be contemplated as a port from the PC, not the other way around plus we would require a financial commitment by Sony to make it happen,” he added. “If some of the coolest features or peripherals don’t make it because the PS4 can’t handle it we would never gimp the PC version.” Ultimately, Star Citizen’s high-spec focus and surplus of funding from its community has ensured that a platform exclusivity deal is the furthest thing from Roberts’ mind. “So fear not!”, he concluded. “The PC is the platform of Star Citizen. Anything else, if it happens at all, will just be after the fact.”A Ravinia-style outdoor music venue could replace a nature area and three-hole golf course at Douglas Park under plans pitched by Ald. Michael Scott Jr. (24th). View Full Caption Submitted; DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay NORTH LAWNDALE — An outdoor music venue could replace a nature area and three-hole golf course at Douglas Park under plans proposed by a North Lawndale alderman. Calling the golf area "underutilized," Ald. Michael Scott Jr. (24th), a former Chicago Park District official, said the new music venue could attract thousands to Douglas Park, spurring the economy in North Lawndale. While he's dreamt of building a music venue at Douglas Park for more than 15 years, the new alderman said plans at this point are "very preliminary." "Nothing is set in stone," Scott said. "I've talked to the Park District, and they are interested, but there is no funding for it yet." Stephanie Lulay talks about plans for more music at Douglas Park. Park District CEO Michael Kelly is "very interested in this plan," Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner confirmed last week. At this point, the "Ravinia-esque" music venue at Douglas Park would not include a music shell or a permanent stage, Scott said Tuesday. Instead, a concrete pad with electrical service would be built at the northeast corner of West Ogden Avenue and South Sacramento Drive — a ready-made area for pop-up concerts — and the park's golf area would be transformed into lawn seating where West Siders "could bring out a picnic blanket, picnic basket and enjoy the sights and sounds." The staging area would be built on an existing nature area close to the intersection, and a three-hole golf course would be razed in part to allow for lawn seating for up to 7,500, he said. From the staging area, music would project back toward the Douglas Park field house and lagoon, Scott said, and away from neighbors. Under Ald. Michael Scott's plans for a concert venue in Douglas Park, a concrete pad with electrical service would be built at the northeast corner of Ogden Avenue and Sacramento Drive. That site now houses a nature area. [dnainfo/Stephanie Lulay] Under the plan, three-day punk rock fest Riot Fest would not be staged at the new site, Scott said, but the new music venue could be used as a single stage by the fest in the future. Now in its second year at Douglas Park, Riot Fest will continue to be staged at the south end of the park. Officials now are working to adjust the fest's footprint — which includes four stages — "to minimize damage to the park," the alderman said. "It is possible that Riot Fest could use [the new venue] for a main stage, but that's something they'd have to negotiate in the future," Scott said. "This is not something that we're building for them." If successful, the new music venue would likely host the Chicago Westside Music Festival, a free music fest Scott founded, and community-driven events, including outdoor graduation ceremonies and church gospel celebrations. With headliner Bell Biv DeVoe, the West Side Music Fest attracted 10,000 people to the park last year. Scott plans to host a community meeting on the proposed music venue soon, and if all goes well, the new outdoor music venue could open as early as next summer. But first, the alderman will have to clear some park hurdles. Sara Heymann, a member of the Douglas Park Advisory Council, said a community meeting outlining the details of the plan is sorely needed. "Parks are vital in communities with very little resources, and provide a place for kids to play," Heymann said. With Riot Fest displacing other park uses for a period, the proposed music venue "really needs to be vetted by the community as a smart use of our green space," she said. Nature area to staging area Under Scott's plan, the concrete area where pop-up stages could be erected would be built at the northeast corner of Ogden Avenue and Sacramento Drive in an area closest to the intersection. Today, the land is a nature area designated as a bird and butterfly sanctuary. Eric Gyllenhaal, a member of the Chicago Ornithological Society who tracks bird populations at Douglas Park, said the golf course and sanctuary have successfully co-existed for many years. Even when buckthorn and other weedy plants have taken over parts of the sanctuary, birds still use the nature area all year round, he said. "There's birds that use that part of the park every season. I saw 41 bird species in the sanctuary this morning," Gyllenhaal said. "The Douglas Park sanctuary provid[es] shelter and food to fuel them up for the next part of their journey. If that's gone, stop-over migrants might spend the day stressed out and underfed." Scott said the existing nature area is an eyesore and hazard, and he will instead work to move the nature area to another part of the park. "We've had coyotes in here, we've had a homeless contingent living here too," Scott said. "It's almost a detriment to let all of this green space go unutilized when it can be used for something else." Under plans, a nature area with sprawling cattails that line the nearby lagoon would not be affected, Scott said, and the view of the Douglas Park field house would be unobstructed. Junior golf course to lawn seating Under Scott's plan, most of the three-hole junior golf course would become lawn seating for the new concert venue. Every summer, First Tee of Greater Chicago uses the course to teach area kids the game of golf. This year, about 125 kids will participate in the free program, a partnership with the Park District, said Lisa Quinn, executive director of the group. Quinn said she is hopeful two uses can coexist. "We understand and respect what the community feels is best for the park, yet we feel strongly that our [program] provides a safe haven that teaches youth a lifelong sport that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to learn," Quinn said. By comparison, about 500 children use the park's soccer fields daily, Scott said, and a golf course exists in Columbus Park in Austin. "I don't want to take golf away" completely, Scott said. "Under my vision, there is still a place that kids can putt and drive." First Tee financially invested in the installation of the golf course at Douglas Park about 15 years ago, Quinn said. Ald. Michael Scott Jr. said the new music venue would not obstruct views of the Douglas Park field house and lagoon. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay] Attracting more music fests Calling last year's Riot Fest a success, Scott hopes the new music venue can attract more music festivals to Douglas Park and build on an existing relationship the park has with Ravinia's music program. "With Riot Fest, [we've shown] that we can have 25,000 people come to our neighborhood peacefully. The new venue will helps nearby businesses, and we want to invest that capital back into the neighborhood," Scott said. "If you start to have one, two, three really nice large festivals in this hub, things start to connect." Ald. George Cardenas (12th), who represents the south end of Douglas Park, could not be reached Tuesday. For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:Share. Spanning 30 discs of content. Spanning 30 discs of content. A massive collection that features extended cuts of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies will release as a Blu-ray boxed set on October 4, according to an online retailer. A Blu-ray collection dubbed the Middle-Earth Limited Collector’s Edition surfaced today on Amazon (via io9). While the product page is still up, its hefty $800 price has since been removed. According to the listing, the set spans 30 discs that include extended cuts of An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, and The Battle of the Five Armies, as well as The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. All of the behind-the-scenes documentaries seen in prior releases are included in the package as well. In addition to special faux-leather casing for each film, the set also includes a collection of concept art bound in a replica of Bilbo and Frodo's Red Book of Westmarch. The Middle-Earth Limited Collector’s Edition has yet to be officially revealed, so stay tuned to IGN for any forthcoming details on this massive Blu-ray set. In the meantime, find out what it's like to visit Hobbiton. Exit Theatre Mode Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his video content on YouTube.Bohemia devs' release delayed Greek justice strikes will last "at least" until October 20 Rachel Weber Senior Editor Monday 15th October 2012 Share this article Share Companies in this article Bohemia Interactive The release of two ARMA 3 developers, currently being held in Greek prison on spying charges, could be delayed by recent strikes affecting the country's justice system. "As many of you know, the justice system in Greece is on indefinite strike," confirmed the lawyer for Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar, Panagiotis Eleftherioy, via the campaign's website. "These strikes last at least until October 20. According to Greek law, a case has to be on trial within 120 days after arrest." Eleftherioy added that the community could help by writing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy, as well as continuing its work finding images of military objects or installations on Limnos that are freely available online. "Such material can be of great help, and some of it is already used in the case." The Bohemia Interactive employees were arrested on September 9 and deny all charges.NEW ORLEANS — No one goes to a bar here, particularly one that advertises its hours as “2 p.m. till,” and expects precision about the time of day. But it was right on the stroke of midnight that Frankie Mazzanti, 56, one of the owners of the low-ceilinged neighborhood joint called 45 Tchoup, went along the bar picking up ashtrays and tossing them in a plastic bag. “All right guys, put ’em out,” he said. “Sorry, it’s over.” Just after midnight, it became illegal to smoke in bars in New Orleans. Last call for cigarettes went out across the city: at the hazy Bud Rip’s bar in the Bywater; among the cigar-smoking crowd in the leopard print chairs at the French 75 bar in the French Quarter; at the Kingpin, where the bartenders handed out Nicorette gum; and at 45 Tchoup, where smoke had settled in so heavily that it began to form something like an Alpine cloud bank. “This is one of the smokiest bars in town,” said Steve Zweibaum, 57, the owner of a jazz venue nearby who, while smoking a cigarette, spoke of how he had quit smoking long ago. “I know a bunch of people who don’t come in here because of the smoke,” he said, listing names. “Maybe they’ll come back.”Epilepsy. The one thing in my life I would like to cure. I have seizures almost every day. Sometimes I have more than one seizure a day. Every seizure is bad but some seizures are worse than others. If they are too intense, it can take days for me to recover. And because I will probably have other less intense seizures, the recovery can take more than a week. But you will never know how intense a seizure is because you don’t feel the pain. And my face does not always show how I feel. I wrote that a seizure is like falling in a deep dark hole. I don’t see it coming, I only know I am about to have one when the assault on my brain is imminent. For a few seconds, it is only pain and a scary feeling. Than I lose control of everything. I come back and I don’t know where I am, how long I have been there, if I am lying down or not. My body is completely separated from my confused mind. There is also the possibility that I will fall as the seizure starts. I can hit my head, I can have a concussion. Even when the seizure is only a staring few seconds, or a strange laughter, my brain still hurts and I still need time to take hold of my body. I always need to retreat inside my own head for a short, sometimes long, time. I need to do this because the world becomes too much to bear. I can see, hear everything but it is all filtered, like a series of pictures, and I move as if I am pre-programed. I can type and communicate but I prefer not to. I will do it if I think it is really important, but I need my time to recover. If I don’t do that, I think I would disconnect completely from the world. Then the seizure would win. Seizures make me feel lonely. There is nothing that anyone can do to make the pain stop. There are no accommodations that make a seizure less painful. After an intense seizure, most of my senses are overwhelmed, I can’t be touched, lights and sounds hurt. One sense is gone – I can’t taste anything. The post ictus is when I get hurt, because I have no control and no spatial orientation and my body wants to run and jump. I broke my nose twice, broke several teeth, had a big cut on the back of my head and spent nights on the floor, until someone finally realized I needed nightly monitoring. Epilepsy can kill. Seizures can come at any time and they can hurt in more ways than it is visible. Medication might help, but they also hurt, in the long run – and they make me drowsy, slow, tired. Besides, medication interaction is complicated and unique to each person. I had my medication interact with folic acid. I ended up in an Emergency Room. I am Autistic. I love my brain, I am proud of my neurology. I have epilepsy. Seizures make my brain hurt. I don’t need or want to cure autism. I can, and do, lead a fulfilling life being Autistic and having the supports I need, even when I need a lot of them. But epilepsy makes me waste time and energy. I can run out of my daily spoons after one seizure and need the next day’s spoons too (spoon theory). I want to live my Autistic dreams, being proud of my Autistic self. Seizures are trying to stop me and I want, and need, a cure. A cure for epilepsy. An end to the pain in my brain. Read more from Amy Sequenzia here.Last March, a six-year legal battle between Frederick’s Flying Dog Brewery and the Michigan Liquor Control Commission — over the latter’s rejection of the former’s Raging Bitch IPA name and label — ended when the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the beer company. Now, after being awarded just over $40,000 in damages, Flying Dog is using the money to promote free speech. The brewery created the 1st Amendment Society, a nonprofit organization whose goals include advocating for free speech, educating the public on the First Amendment and fighting censorship, the group's executive director, Erin Weston, said recently. “Civil liberties are incredibly important to us,” Weston said. “We pursued this case against the state of Michigan based primarily on principle over anything else.” In fact, the commission reversed its initial decision in April 2011 and approved Flying Dog’s label. The company, however, continued to fight in court in order to set a precedent, Weston said. “We were like, ‘OK, thanks, but that’s actually not the point,’” Weston said of the 2011 decision. “The point is we wanted somebody to make the call that these five commissioners and their arbitrary decision was unconstitutional.” Rather than put the money into the business, Weston said Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso was more interested in forming the 1st Amendment Society. The organization will officially launch May 31 in Washington with an event at the National Press Club. The company targeted that week because it coincides with SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, a weeklong beer-and-food event in D.C. “Because this case sets a precedent on alcohol in general, we wanted to hold the launch during this week to get as many people in the industry at the event and aware of what was going on,” Weston said. Flying Dog Brewery CEO Jim Caruso talks about how far the brewery has come in the last 25 years and the popularity of Dead Rise. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun video) Flying Dog Brewery CEO Jim Caruso talks about how far the brewery has come in the last 25 years and the popularity of Dead Rise. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun video) SEE MORE VIDEOS The 1st Amendment Society will also host “Freedom Reads,” a series of summer lectures at the brewery on banned books like Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” (June 8), J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (July 13) and Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” (Aug. 10). Events begin at 6 p.m. in the tasting room (4607 Wedgewood Blvd.). The organization is also working with the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism to establish a scholarship in the society’s name, Weston said. The amount has not yet been determined, she said, because it will be based on fundraising. While the 1st Amendment Society was established based on a court ruling involving Flying Dog, Weston said the goal is to grow the organization to the point that it stands on its own. “I think what we’ll see is it will go beyond just events here at Flying Dog and featuring Flying Dog beer,” she said. [email protected] twitter.com/midnightsunblogNew white paper clarifies PCI-DSS compliance for Drupal and Drupal Commerce DENVER, CO, July 23, 2013 – In a rapidly growing eCommerce industry, many agencies are finding it difficult to keep up with ever-changing standards and regulations, but a newly released white paper on Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) compliance will provide the Drupal community with insight into this essential process. Written and reviewed by experts in the Drupal community, the white paper provides a high-level overview and well-defined next steps to protect businesses accepting credit card payments. " Any eCommerce solution must meet a high bar with respect to best practices and security if they are to be taken seriously in today's market.” said Rick Manelius, project architect of NEWMEDIA. “Neither software vendors nor merchants can afford to bury their heads in the sand regarding PCI responsibilities, and this paper serves to educate both." "Many merchants and site builders in the Drupal community are just getting started with eCommerce, and therefore haven't delved into the issues around PCI compliance very deeply yet.” Manelius said. “Assisting others in this process served as my inspiration to assemble and distribute this information.” Commerce Guys, the company behind Drupal Commerce, sponsored the white paper along with six other companies that saw the need for focus in this important area. Available in markdown, HTML and PDF, the white paper is the first of its kind to be geared specifically toward the Drupal community. It underscores Drupal’s position as an eCommerce platform that takes security seriously. Download the White Paper About Rick Manelius Rick Manelius is a self-described jack-of-all-trades. An engineer by training, he earned a bachelor of science and a Ph.D. in material science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has published eight papers in various scientific journals and conference proceedings. Rick has always found web development rewarding and decided to change his career path and move into Drupal because of its power of having an immediate, large impact on the lives of businesses and their clients. He has more than four years of experience with Drupal eCommerce, particularly on membership-based sites with recurring billing. His passion for “doing things right” is a driving force behind his work.CTV Vancouver The president of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation says a full-scale strike is “imminent.” Jim Iker told reporters Monday morning that the B.C. government “squandered an opportunity” to reach a deal with the province’s 40,000 teachers in this weekend’s marathon bargaining session. A full-scale strike will begin Tuesday unless a deal is reached. Negotiations ended just before midnight Sunday, with no resolution Iker said teachers waited all weekend for the government to respond to what he says are significantly revised proposals on wages and contract length -- as well and options on class size and composition -- but the province simply took money off the table, rather than bargaining in good faith. “The government sat on its hands for two days. They brought nothing to the table to bring the two sides closer together,” Iker said. B.C.’s education minister characterized the weekend’s efforts quite differently, calling the bargaining “productive.” Related: The employers' breakdown of current demands and offers Peter Fassbender told CTV Morning Live that both sides are “much closer together” after an intense session of talks this weekend between the BC Teachers' Federation and B.C. Public School Employers Association. Fassbender refused to comment on details in the offer, but said “anything is possible” when asked if a full-scale strike could be avoided. He added that the government’s offer is "as good as it's going to get." Teachers across the province are out of the classroom Monday for a B.C.-wide study session, but there will not be any pickets up in front of schools. In May, teachers voted overwhelmingly in favour of a limited job action. The government responded by imposing a partial lockout and docking the teachers’ pay by 10 per cent. With files from The Canadian PressSurprised at how little I have played the Beatles on ukulele (considering they are a favourite band) - so here goes with this one - a favourite of mine from the Hard Days Night album. Easy to play too - just need to get it rock and rolling. Video at the end to which you can play along to.YOU CAN'T DO THAT - THE BEATLES[G7]I got something to say that might cause you painIf I catch you talking to that boy againI'm gonna [C7]let you downAnd leave you [G7]flatBecause I [D7]told you before, [C7]oh you can't do [G7]that [D7]Well, it's the [G7]second time I've caught you talking to himDo I have to tell you one more time, I think it's a sinI think I'll [C7]let you down (Let you down)And leave you [G7]flat (Gonna let you down and leave you flat)Because I've [D7]told you before, [C7]oh You can't do [G7]thatEverybody's [B]greee [Em]eenCos [Am]I'm the one who [B]won your [G]loveBut if they'd [B]seeee [Em]een you[Am] talking that way they'd [Bm]laugh in my [D]faceSo [G7]please listen to me, if you wanna stay mineI can't help my feelings, I'll go out of my mindI'm gonna [C7]let you down (Let you down)And leave you [G7]flat (Gonna let you down and leave you flat)Because I've [D7]told you before, [C7]oh You can't do [G7]that, [D7]Instrumental (with 'You Can't Do That' backing vocals)G7 C7 G7 D7 C7 G7Everybody's [B]greee [Em]eenCos [Am]I'm the one who [B]won your [G]loveBut if they'd [B]seeee [Em]een you[Am] talking that way they'd [Bm]laugh in my [D]faceSo [G7]please listen to me, if you wanna stay mineI can't help my feelings, I'll go out of my mindI'm gonna [C7]let you down (Let you down)And leave you [G7]flat (Gonna let you down and leave you flat)Because I've [D7]told you before, [C7]oh You can't do [G7]that.Middleton and Riis already had been part of a burgeoning movement in Wyoming to protect some of the longest land migrations on the continent, but their GYE elk project amounted to a wholesale scaling up of migration studies—not just in terms of learning animal behavior from a scientific perspective, but in revealing an ancient and largely unseen phenomenon that sheds light on how ecology functions in and around America’s first national park. “With elk in the GYE,” Middleton said, “migration is the engine of the whole goddamned system.” * * * Much of the current research on migration taking place in Wyoming stems, at least in part, from the work of Hall Sawyer, who grew up hunting and fishing in the state and has studied its wildlife for more than 15 years. In the late 1990s, Sawyer tracked the migration of a herd of pronghorn from Grand Teton National Park more than 100 miles south into the Upper Green River Valley. Then, in the mid-2000s, he stumbled upon a revelation when he was tracking mule deer herds in a southwestern part of the state called the Red Desert. “We thought the mule deer just resided year-round in the desert or migrated short distances out there,” he said. “That’s when we discovered that half of those deer were migrating some 150 miles.” The migration Sawyer revealed is the second longest recorded land migration in North America—only Arctic caribou go further. But these mule deer do not travel across barren tundra. Between the herd’s winter range in the windblown Red Desert and summer habitat among the granite and cool timber of the Hoback Canyon, they travel through oilfields and skirt residential developments, swim reservoirs and finger lakes, and cross three highways and more than 100 fences. The migration traverses a complex patchwork of public and private land controlled by people and agencies with diverse, sometimes conflicting interests. That a migration of such epic length existed in the first place—unknown, under science’s nose, in the 21st century—struck Sawyer as amazing. But as the excitement subsided, he started to think about how difficult it would be to ensure that such a migration could persist. He knew, however, doing so would be a worthy task. Wildlife biologists have long understood that migration is crucial to the health of ungulate herds: Animals grow fatter and produce more calves when they can follow the green growth of spring into higher country as the weather warms—what scientists call “surfing the green wave” of vegetation—and when they can retreat to the lowlands as winter snows cover forage in the mountains. When their herds are robust, they, in turn, support healthy populations of carnivores and scavengers—essentially, entire ecosystems. Because individual herds pass down knowledge of migration routes from one generation to the next, migration’s success depends on the land remaining mostly free of obstructions—once a migration route
of town. There had been some very bizarre behavior. Shortly before we left town, she called and asked Patsy if she could borrow some money, and Patsy said yes, and then she called, I think it was, I don’t know, Saturday, or something like that, and was crying and had had a fight with her sister, and Patsy said her sister was really mean and she hadn’t paid her rent and she threw her out of the house and then, (inaudible) happens. And ah, that was my first suspicion, and it was, I think that comment was kind of formed on just thinking that. And based on the room was just such an out of the way place that, I just don’t anybody could have walked in off the street and... Normally it’s full of Christmas stuff. I mean it’s just packed, you couldn’t get in, because we store all our Christmas stuff so, you know, it’s ah. I mean, based on what I understand, there was a practice not and all of that. Somebody obviously spent some time there, and I guess found their way around the house the same time, but my, I mean my theory is that someone came in through the basement window. Because it was a new Samsonite suitcase also sitting right under the window, and you would have had to, you could have gotten into the house without that, but you couldn’t have gotten out that window without something to step on. And to even have known those windows were there, wouldn’t have been obvious to somebody who just was walking by. But... ST: You talking about the window in the back, was not obvious? JR: Yeah. No, I mean, yeah, it’s not obvious, but that is to me because that is the way to get into the house, and we know that the grate could be pulled off and the windows were not painted shut and, you know, it’s just I guess that’s why we never gave it much thought about... ?: And we asked a couple of times that that grates kind of out of the way, and you have to, I wouldn’t have known it was there. I mean, you can’t see from the back alleyway, you can’t see from the front. It’s out of the ordinary, out of the way picture, excuse me, out of the way window. JR: Yeah. And when I went down and looked around the house that morning, and I think I’d made a statement or at least I read, I know I said this, that all the doors were locked and I had checked, I believe, every door on the first floor. And they were, appeared to be locked. ST: So the morning of the 26th do you recall checking all the doors, and they were locked? JR: I believed I checked all the first-floor doors, yeah. I did go out once. I went out to the door that leads into the garage to see if it was locked because there’s a bunch of boxes piled in front of it and you couldn’t get to it from the inside of the garage. So I did in fact go out of the house once, which would have been for, you know, half a minute. ST: And that was from where to where? ST: I went out the side door around to the back of the garage to see if that garage door into the garage was locked. ST: And then immediately back into the house? JR: Yeah. ST: And that wasn’t an excursion that exceeded 30 seconds? JR: No, at max. ST: John, one of the things, as you know better than anybody, at some point, if you’re not involved in this, we’ve got to take you out of the bucket. And you’ve been in it for four months and you certainly know why you’re in that bucket is you’re in the house, and I don’t need to say anything more than that. But, and I ask this question of Patsy, and where it might come out if (inaudible), but I’ll ask it. And I’m not asking you to take one, but if you were to take a polygraph, how would you do? JR: Well, what I’ve been told is that, and I felt tremendous guilt after we lost JonBenet, because hadn’t protected her, like I failed as a parent. And was told that that’s, with that kind of emotion you shouldn’t take a lie detector test because you did have that guilt feeling, and, but, so I don’t know about the test, but I did not kill my daughter if that’s what you want to ask me. She was the most precious thing to me in the world. So if the lie detector test is correct and it was done correct, I’d pass it 100%. ST: John, let me tell you this, I feel like an encyclopedia salesman sometimes, because I‘ve gone to a number of people in this thing, and it’s hard to convince somebody to take a polygraph test. But I’ve been successful on occasion with some people that I’ve been concerned about, and used what I’ve been told, is one of the ten best FBI calligraphers to do that. And I’ll ask you point blank, at some point in this, would you take a polygraph? JF: I would be insulted if you ask me to take a polygraph test, frankly. I mean if you haven’t talked to enough people whose telling you what kind of people we are. You guys, I mean, I will do whatever these guys recommend me to do. We are not the kind of people you’re trying to make us out to be. ST: And John, let me respond to that, but go ahead. JR: And, it’s a tragic misdirection I think that you’re on. And the sooner we get off of that, the sooner we’ll find who killed JonBenet. ST: And John, let me tell you my simple heartfelt response to that, and Pete’s heard this before. Decisions are made at pay grades above ours. JR: I understand. ST: What is sometimes done and not done. But we’re dedicated to pursuing the right path and the truth in this thing. And you’re absolutely right, John, in that I have talked, and you know I’ve talked to friends and neighbors and family and associates. JR: You’re extremely thorough. ST: Well, take that as a compliment, but if you didn’t do this, I’ll go to bad as I did with John Andrew, I exhausted John Andrew and made sure that there was no way that have could have got a flight between Atlanta in the middle of the night and to the point I checked flight schedules and passenger list. I’ll do the same for you, so I’m not taking it personally, because I don’t think it’s directed at me as to... JR: It’s directed into the direction that the effort has been made, in my, from my visibility, and all I see is a lot of effort and time and money being spent to try and categorize Patsy and I as child abusers and that can’t be further from the truth. ST: Well, John, I’ll tell you this. I’ve sat in a North Carolina jail cell with a suspected child serial killer, hoping that I could put him in Boulder on December 26. So there’s two sides to that, and it doesn’t sell papers when I’m chasing when it’s not John Ramsey. JR: I know that. ST: But with that said John, let me say this. You said on CNN, we’re not a big department, these things don’t happen every day anywhere. So we defer to experience as well, and we go to the guys at the FBI and say help us, you know. You’re the experts in this thing. And just let me through my concern out and you don’t have to respond, and John, certainly I’m not pointing a finger at you. But the FBI, these guys who do it everyday, say Steve, there were clearly steps taken in this case to make this look like something it wasn’t. This is how it happens in the movies, it is not how it happens in real life. And they said all that was done, was done, and all that was made, was made to make this look like something that wasn’t there. And one theory, at least, is that something happened in the house that may have been accidental that turned to panic that turned to cover-up. And... JR: That’s a false theory. ST: OK. JR: That’s baloney. ST: But. JR: and that, anyone that knows Patsy and I can tell you that that is total bullshit. Pardon my French. ST: John, are you involved in any way in the death of your daughter? JR: No. ST: Are you involved in any way with the preparation of that note? JR: No. ST: There is now ay then, I’m assuming John, and I’m not making this adversarial because I have a great deal of affinity for you personally. Whether you hate me or like me or indifferent to me, I will make the commitment to you as I have from the start, that I will go to the ends of the earth to find the truth about your daughter. And I don’t care if it was you or whoever it was, that is what I’m committed to do. JR: And I’m delighted to hear that. I mean, want the killer of my daughter found. And I will do the same thing. I will spend every dime I have, I will spend every minute of time I have if that’s what it takes, to find who killed her. ST: Well, let’s work on getting you out of the bucket, if that’s the right thing to do, and go the right direction. JR: Well... ST: And I’m not saying there’s a sole direction in this, John, because I can tell you, more often than working the John Ramsey lead, I’m working the stranger, intruder leads. JR: And I know, I know you guys have worked on some other things and that unfortunately been, we’ve become kind of story for the press to play with and we can live with that, but what I want to be sure of is that we’re spending our time finding who did this. TT: And John, I can address that. I can assure you that we have so many people to look at. Unfortunately, the other people we look at don’t sell papers, and to be frank with you, and these papers don’t know what we’re doing. There’s a lot of speculation why we’re doing this, we’re doing that, this and that, and that’s pure speculation. I don’t sit down with newspapers and talk to them, I don’t have a reason to, and I can assure that the people that work on this investigative team don’t do that. So they don’t have any inside stories to, who we’re looking at, what we’re doing. In fact to be honest with you, nobody knew these guys were out in North Carolina, when we were out in North Carolina, they found out afterwards. Because that doesn’t sell the newspapers. Unfortunately, you guys do. So there’s two sides of the story here. We’re not just focused on you and Patsy, there’s a whole list of people; we’ve got to get people off the list, is solely what we’re doing. JR: OK. ST: Everything as far as we’re concerned today John, has it been freely voluntarily offered and truthful? JR: Yeah. ST: And do you anticipate, as I do, after when we can exclude you, to participate with us from our side of the table, to get the right thing done? JKR: I want the right thing done, absolutely. I want the killer of my daughter found. ST: Well you know my commitment. And John, I can tell you this, seven days a week, with probably days off since this thing started, and that’s a hundred-hour work week, we’re putting in. JR: I know, I know that. ST: OK. That’s all I have for now. Let’s get off this topic. TT: Actually let’s back up for just a second on a couple of things. I know Bryan, it’s 10 to 5, we don’t need to keep going on. I’ve got just a couple of things. Let me, John, you mind putting your name on this, that this is your note, or this is your drawing that you wrote marking in some way that you put the date down, being the 30th of April 97. BM: We would like a copy of that before we leave today. TT: We can do that. Also put the case number up at the top and the (inaudible) stage one, if that’s what it was, with my signature. JR: OK. TT: Second, John, let me have, we going to have back here for just a second, you got up, showered and got dressed, did Patsy get up and shower and dress that morning? JR: Well, she got up, I mean she was downstairs. I don’t remember if she took a shower or not. She was, I think she was dressed when I saw her first. TT: And I know you guys are, the dressing room is kind of split there. JR: Right. TT: Normally, can you hear Patsy move around on her side of the room? JR: No, not usually. TT: Do you recall whether she had make-up on, hair brushed out and everything, when she came up and was yelling at you? JR: I don’t remember. TT: And, I might have missed this, I didn’t catch it on my notes, you got out of bed first that morning, did you get out or did she get out? JR: I got up first. TT: OK. And let’s also hop back to the grate for just a second, cause I picked the grate up, it’s really heavy, I mean fairly heavy. Picked it up, moved it out of the way, kind of hopped down, I mean first peaked into that window, hopped down into that window well, you ended up, have to kick the window, break the window somehow, reach in and unlatch it. How far of a drop is it, or is it difficult I should say, to drop from the window well. JR: No. TT: It seem like it’s, for me I think it’s probably... JR: That high. BM: Do you want an estimate of that? TT: Certainly. JR: it’s probably, I don’t know, four feel maybe, five feet. TT: OK. But on the outside you’ve got that kind of skinny narrow window well. Did you have an difficulty sliding into that or sliding down the wall? JR: Yeah, well, as I recall, I did it at night and I had a suit on, and I took my suit off and did it in my underwear. But, it’s not easy, I mean you can get in that way, you get dirty, but. TT: It’s not a graceful way to get in. JR: No, no. TT: It’s difficult because of the angles. JR: Right. TT: All right. ST: Tom, let me just ask John this. Do you sit down and slide through, buttocks first if you will, through a window like that or, do you recall how you went through the actual window, John? JR: I don’t I mean, I don’t remember. Seems like, I mean, I don’t remember, but I think I would probably gone in feet first. ST: Feet first, backwards? JR: Yeah. ST: And when you went through in your underwear, were you wearing shoes or? JR: I still had my shoes on, yeah. ST: And were those with a suit, were they business shoes. JR: They were probably, probably those shoes. St: OK. And what are those shoes? JR: Business shoes. ST: And for the record, are those, brown lace-up, men’s business JR: Oxford, not these shoes, but they are shoes that I wear with a suit, just a pair of business shoes, dress shoes. TT: John, when you went down in the basement the first time and found the broken window, it was unlock, you latched it, did you notice that the window, excuse me, if you notice if the room was overly cold or anything like that? JR: No, it wasn’t. I didn’t notice that it was. TT: OK. And you were fully dressed when you went through the house/ JR: Ah, TT: Considering what time of morning it was. JR: Yeah, I’m sure I was, yeah. TT: OK. You remember any lights on in the basement when you went down the first time? JR: Ah, no, not specifically, I don’t I mean, I don’t remember if any were on the first time. TT: Do you remember turning on lights? JR: Well, I would have had to to see my way around, I’m sure I did. TT: John, would you be willing to come back at a later date, time to help us with this, go over anything else that we need to go over. Obviously, through Bryan, but any other questions that come up, any names that you have that we haven’t looked at yet, any problems to giving those to Bryan and then to us? JR: I think, hopefully, we’ve given you every piece of information that we have, and will certainly continue to do so. BM: We do not have a problem with that. What we are trying to do is to now drown you with the same kind of nonsense you’re drowning in from the outside, cause we get it too. We’ve tried to give you the things that we think may have something to them. We are absolutely willing to continue to do that. TT: OK. Again, Patsy came up with a couple of people, specifically like a list of the construction people that have been in your home since... JR: there’s been catering people in there, I mean that, unfortunately, there’s been a lot of people in our home. We had a home tour a few years ago. TT: OK. One of the things we asked Patsy for was a list of the contractors that’s been back in the house since the end of December, to replace the carpet, clean up the mess we made. We want those kind of things. JR: I see (Inaudible) TT: OK. You guys could call me, but I’m available 24 hours a day, Bryan’s got my card in case you need to reach me. You can reach me personally or through Pete any time of day in case you guys hear something. ST: Just for the tape, the warrant of obligations it’s 5 p.m. and we’ll conclude the day, and John we sincerely appreciate your coming down here. JR: You’re welcome. And I know you guys work hard and put in a lot hours. What’s important to me is being put them in the right direction. No, ah, I know you’re... ST: The intentions are right on the meat and potatoes of this thing that are working it every day, so... BM: We’ll accept that.It’s not just disillusioned Republican lawmakers who are coming out against Donald Trump. Scientific American, the popular science magazine, has published an op-ed denouncing the GOP presidential nominee’s stances on a variety of science-related issues. When the major Republican candidate for president has tweeted that global warming is a Chinese plot, threatens to dismantle a climate agreement 20 years in the making and to eliminate an agency that enforces clean air and water regulations, and speaks passionately about a link between vaccines and autism that was utterly discredited years ago, we can only hope that there is nowhere to go but up. The magazine also takes to task a political system in which it says facts, scientific and otherwise, “have become an undervalued commodity” and in which hostility to science can be found on both sides of the political spectrum. Those are relatively old gripes, but they’ve taken on new resonance this election season. From the op-ed: Science has not played nearly as prominent a role as it should in informing debates over the labeling of genetically modified foods, end of life care and energy policy, among many issues. The current presidential race, however, is something special. It takes antiscience to previously unexplored terrain. We’ve reached out to the Trump campaign for a response. As Scientific American itself notes, the magazine isn’t usually in the business of endorsing political candidates—or in this case, warning voters against one. But the publication’s decision to weigh in on the US presidential election underscores the skepticism the scientific community has toward a Trump presidency. (For more on what has the scientists so rattled up, we recommend Mother Jones’ June 2015 roundup of Trump tweets on issues like global warming, vaccines, and Ebola. There’s also a whole website devoted to the topic, called Trump vs. Science.) There’s more to come from Scientific American as the US presidential election unfolds, the publication says. “In October, as we did four years previously, we will assemble answers from the campaigns of the Democratic and Republican nominees on the public policy questions that touch on science, technology and public health and then publish them online.”Like lots of folks, I’ve got the jitters about Canada’s impending metered Internet billing system (Usage-Based Billing they call it there), especially when it comes to online radio and music services. Ars Technica has a pretty decent piece about the UBB development, if I say so myself. The Canadian Radio-Telecommunications Commission approved the pay-by-the-gigabyte policy for Bell Canada late last year, and that means that smaller ISPs that connect to Bell for access have to buy broadband a la UBB, and pass the metered costs onto their customers. So Ontario’s indie ISP TekSavvy (which hates the CRTC decision) has announced that the new monthly usage cap for their premium DSL broadband subscribers will soon be dropped from 200GB a month to 25GB! You can buy “insurance” now to make sure you don’t go over your allotted limit, and you better keep a top eye on your usage, the ISP warns its subscribers. What will send you over the limit? Here’s the table that TekSavvy provides. Intended Internet Activity Average Monthly Usage Primarily use email combined with a light amount of web surfing. < 25GB Moderate web surfing, occasional file sharing, online shopping and email. < 25GB Extensive web surfing, sharing music, video streaming, downloading and playing games, online shopping and email. Power users that use multiple computers, smartphones, and game consoles at the same time. Potentially > 25GB So basically if you start using the Net the way most people are starting to use it—for all entertainment and information sharing activities—UBB is eventually going to snag you in the wallet. Obviously this is a crucial issue for Canadians, but everyone else should be concerned too, since the policy could be extended anywhere (and is being implemented in various ways here in the States). My biggest concern is whether this could hurt Internet radio. TekSavvy also offers a usage chart to give subscribers a sense of what 1GB is good for (I’ve bolded the music streaming figure). 1GB of usage will allow you to do the following things (approximate measurements) – View 26,000 web pages or – Send/receive 105,000 e-mails or – Exchange over 2,000 Microsoft Word documents (of about 10 pages each) or – Exchange up to 500 digital photos or – Download more than 200 songs or – Stream 18 hours of music from the web or – Download 1.5 movies (or 2/3 of a movie in high definition) or – Play games online for 240 hours (or 10 days) My worry is that as the consequences of UBB set in, consumers will become more reluctant to stream on-line radio services in the background like they do FM. They’ll start to prioritize which kinds of entertainment they use the ‘Net for, privileging video and games, while avoiding online radio for fear that it might send them over their monthly usage allotment. This is why I’m so disappointed that the big streamers here in the United States and Canada haven’t been more active around these regulatory issues. Maybe they’ll wake up now.The offering is complete! I’m offering this cute, posable Rowsdower feltie to the WildStar devs, for money! in return for putting headgoggles back in the game. As in the goggles that Belle, Buck, and a few random NPCs have perched on their foreheads. For a time during beta the model was used as a placeholder, but now there aren’t any obtainable items that use this model! I’m sure it’s merely an oversight, right devs? But just to add incentive to get them back in there not too terribly long after launch, I’m willing to ship this lovable little guy to you. Did I mention that every piece I make is a one-of-a-kind work of art that doesn’t use any patterns or molds, and that I never ever give away such valuable works of art to anyone unless I really appreciate and respect them? eyebrow waggle Oh, and while you’re at it can you fix them on the female Aurin ponytail style? Headgoggles go over hair, not under it. EDIT: Forgot the construction details! Time taken: Approximately 6 hours Materials: Rambouillet and hand-dyed Merino wool over a wire armature. Some of the pictures were taken at the mall. ;)Abusers fail to find their identity in God. They cannot accept that they may be abandoned, hurt, or not respected by others, so they control the people around them to preserve their god-like identity. This means the abused cannot try to manage the situation. Trying to appease or avoid conflict won’t change the abusers’ real need to find their identity in Christ alone. Abuse is a deliberate attempt to gain control. You don’t overcome abusive behavior, then, by focusing on self-esteem or anger management. Abusers aren’t sick; they’re clever and driven by a desire to control. This means the abused aren’t crazy or the ones to blame. Awful things are often said about women who remain in abusive relationships. Instead of being one of those voices, let’s try to understand why a woman may find it hard to leave. Fear of more violence, fear for her children, fear of her own future—these often paralyze and produce a fog that distorts reality. Abusers work hard to isolate those they’re abusing by threatening, discrediting, or shaming them into thinking nobody will believe them. A wife may not necessarily hate her abusive husband; she just hates the abuse and wants it to stop. With all of his manipulative apologies, she believes he will change. And sadly, she hopes her suffering will achieve his redemption. It’s heinous to think she stays because she’s responsible for his behavior, or because she deserves the treatment she’s getting. One of Satan’s greatest lies is getting you to believe you can remain unaffected by sin committed against you. The serpent wants you to keep quiet and not let the beauty of a risen Savior shape every part of your story. The church must learn how to give women back their voice so they can taste the wondrous reality of God’s redeeming work for them. We must let the gospel have the last word. 4 Common Mistakes in Abuse Counseling 1. Assume marriage must be preserved at all costs Sadly, the church can become a place of more abuse, misapplying biblical texts to promote the abuse of power by a husband or the place of suffering for a wife—all in the name of “submission.” A woman who’s been battered, neglected, or verbally abused doesn’t need marriage counseling with her husband; she needs to hear of the protective, loving, and redeeming work of Jesus. I fear that if former NFL player Ray Rice and his wife, Janay, sat in some of our well-taught congregations, he would be told to attend anger management classes and she to simply serve her husband. Such couples must both turn from their momentary marriage to the eternal marriage between Jesus and his bride. Earthly marriage isn’t our god or ultimate goal. 2. Assume all divorce is sin God not only hates divorce, but also the one whose garment is covered with violence (Mal. 2:16). A violent and abusive man has broken the marriage covenant by his sinful choices; he is the “divorcer,” and that marriage is not honoring to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:15). I know the topic of divorce is exegetically complicated and ecclesially controversial, but I am amazed at the responses I often get from pastors on this issue. The husband is abusive, and the wife pursues divorce. What do some churches do? Discipline or ignore the woman. They refuse to condone divorce even at the expense of her safety. Friends, this isn’t courageous pastoral ministry. 3. Misapply headship and submission Ephesians 5:22–33 beautifully displays God’s design for the home. It’s a high and holy calling, one never to be downplayed or tweaked to “fit the times.” The problem isn’t God’s pattern; it’s man’s corruption. We don’t need to become feminists or egalitarians to speak against domestic violence and abuse. We need to stand in the truth of God’s Word and in the gap of a culture gone mad. 4. Misunderstand forgiveness We must rightly understand the biblical teaching on forgiveness and reconciliation. The end goal isn’t a man back in the home; the end goal is holiness. Reconciliation isn’t the same thing as reunion, and forgiveness isn’t a demand from the abuser that we can “get on with things.” 6 Things We Can (and Must) Do In brief, here are six things the church can and must do when confronting abuse: 1. Prioritize safety It’s not uncommon for a woman to really think her abusive husband will kill her. This fear should never be dismissed as “extreme” or “dramatic.” The church that fails to prioritize the physical and emotional protection of the vulnerable fails to practice “pure and undefiled religion” (James 1:27). 2. Listen compassionately If someone’s brave enough to share her story with you, listen with compassion. Express gratitude for her vulnerability, pray with her, and then connect her with an experienced and competent biblical counselor. 3. Avoid quick fixes Don’t go into “fix it” mode, scrambling to get every detail and to reunite victim with perpetrator. While safety should be secured immediately, clarity and healing take time. 4. Increase understanding Read books and ask experienced counselors about the issue. Justin and Lindsey Holcomb’s Is It My Fault?: Hope and Healing for Those Suffering Domestic Violence (Moody, 2014) [review] is a great place to start. 5. Offer hope Nothing gives hope—hope for forgiveness, hope for healing, hope for change—like the gospel of Jesus Christ. Communicate and apply this good news with humble conviction. 6. Provide accountability As you encounter abusers, rebuke and report them. Don’t let fear of awkwardness (or worse) keep you silent. By God’s grace, do the courageous and loving thing. Related at TGC: BESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyBESbswyIn case you missed it, part one of this week’s Presessment can be found here. Now let’s get into the rest of the action… Redskins @ Saints Story to Watch: This is the good shit. I didn’t initially have this game pegged as an entertaining bout a few weeks ago, but these two teams are starting to hit their strides thanks to wildly different playstyles. On the one hand you have the Saints, who are a living, breathing rebuke to the pass happy NFL over the past few seasons. At one point against the Bills last Sunday, they ran 24 consecutive running plays, basically acting out Sean Payton’s apparent fantasy of turning the Saints into the Junction Boys. And then you have the Redskins, who suck, but are turning in entertaining games nonetheless thanks to Kirk Cousins. It should be a good one. Safe Bets: There isn’t a more lethal combo in the game than Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara right now. While they’re both RB1’s in their own right, they have an almost symbiotic relationship with their contrasting styles. You’re looking at the NFL equivalent of Banjo-Kazooie, basically. The Saints have an improved defensive unit on the season, but I’m still playing Kirk Cousins this week. He’s the entire offense and he always puts up points, so there’s no reason to turn away from the matchup (it might not be pretty, but he’ll get it done). With the pressure the Saints have been bringing lately, Kirk will probably have a healthy number of Chris Thompson, who should have a good night in a matchup that the Redskins will need to throw in. I’m not gonna do something crazy and predict a touchdown for Michael Thomas, but I will say something less crazy and say he has a nice 7 catch, 78 yard floor in this game. Hope For the Best: While the Saints’ transition to 1940s Alabama football has been nothing short of fascinating to behold, former gunslinger Drew Brees has unfortunately been neutered as a result. He got in on the rushing party by punching in a touchdown of his own last week, but that’s not something you want to rely on. Fat Rob Kelley is heading to the bench, so this is Semaje Perine’s time to shine. He struggles as it is and there will likely be a negative gamescript, though, so don’t expect too many fireworks. IF the Saints decide to bust out some old favorites and air out the ball, Ted Ginn Jr. will be the primary beneficiary. Hearing that Jordan Reed was ruled out for Sunday had the same impact on me as someone saying, “Hey, tomorrow is Sunday” Vernon Davis stands to benefit in the oft-injured Reed’s absence. Jamison Crowder is trending in the right direction, and with shit eatin’ Terrelle Pryor inactive (not that that makes a difference), he’s the Washington WR to own going forward. Hell No: Like clockwork, Brandon Coleman had his single catch and then vanished into the streets of Buffalo last week. He’s a marvel of consistency, just not the kind you want. The same goes for Josh Doctson, who doesn’t figure to get uncorked in this one. I forgot that Coby Fleener even existed, to be honest. Postgame Headline: “Saints continue to run with authority, pound Skins 34-23” Falcons @ Seahawks Safe Bets: In what is looking more and more like a potential playoff preview now that the Falcons have their heads on straight, this battle at century link field should produce plenty of fireworks. In a season marred by inconsistent performers across the league, Russell Wilson has been as dependable as it gets for fantasy. The same goes for Doug Baldwin, who has been racking up the yardage totals lately thanks to being Wilson’s “oh shit” read. Julio Jones is quietly on pace for monster yardage season (by 2017 standards, anyway), but because it’s Julio, it’s unfair to expect him to hit paydirt too often. Still, against a reeling Seattle secondary that just lost Richard Sherman, anything is possible. Jimmy Graham is like the shotgun in every FPS game ever made. He’s ineffective as hell from range, but he’s the perfect tool for the job within ten yards. Expect another short touchdown in this one. Hope For the Best: With Devonta Freeman dealing with some concussion problems, this is Tevin Coleman’s time to shine. Take a bow if you’ve been holding him all season, because he’s in line for at least 20 carries in what should be a competitive game. Matt Ryan should also have a decent game, but he has a habit of completely shitting his pants in high stakes situations (which this certainly qualifies as for the 5-4 Falcons). Mohammed Sanu could see a decent game if the remnants of the LOB are keying in on stopping Julio. Austin Hooper has had three consecutive games of at least 6 targets, but with his yardage totals essentially capped, you’re hoping for the red zone score. Hell No: Thomas Rawls and J.D. McKiss
world’s human inhabitants reflect how heavily genetically-conserved was the ability of the human body to produce vitamin D. It should also be pointed out that vitamin D is to sunlight, what ascorbic acid is to the vitamin C activity in food. In other words, sunlight likely provides a greater spectrum of therapeutic activity (when carefully meted out, preferably during solar noon) than supplemental vitamin D3, which is almost exclusively derived from UVB irradiated sheep’s lanolin. For further research, the following link reveals 50 therapeutic effects of sunlight exposure, as culled from research housed on the National Library of Medicine. © April 23, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter. Article Contributed by Sayer Ji, Founder of GreenMedInfo.com. Sayer Ji is an author, researcher, lecturer, and advisory board member of the National Health Federation. He founded Greenmedinfo.com in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. It is internationally recognized as the largest and most widely referenced health resource of its kind. SaveIt might not be the sleekest or sexiest console design ever seen, but at least the PS4 looks as though it's actually been designed – which is more than can be said for the VCR-like slab that is the Xbox One. You've essentially got two slabs separated by a trench that houses two USBs and a slim slot-loader on the front, and vents along the back and sides. We're going to call it Victoria Sponge Design. About a third of the top panel is a glossy black, whereas the rest of the device has a matte finish that looks (Sony wouldn't let us fondle it) like it's probably very lightly textured. The pedestal you see in our picture is apparently an optional extra, and given that the PS4 is fairly slim, we're not sure we'd risk vertical placement without it.Cost Segregation Covers Closing Costs for the Commercial Real Estate Investor! Cost Segregation Covers Closing Costs for the Commercial Real Estate Investor! There is a simple program that covers closing costs for qualified buyers of commercial or residential rental property. We use a tax strategy that generates 5% to 12% of the purchase price (or construction cost) of the building and land improvements. This strategy is called cost segregation, or cost seg. For those familiar with cost segregation, you might find this approach offers a new twist on an IRS proven method of accelerating depreciation through Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System. Cost segregation identifies all building components and classifies them using IRS guidelines for depreciable property. These assets can be depreciated over multiple year brackets of 5, 7, 15, 27½ and 39 years. Multifamily (residential) property is depreciated over 27½ years and all other over 39…these classes are considered “real” property. Assets qualifying for the short periods of 5 & 7 years are considered “tangible personal property” and those of 15 years are considered land improvements. Cost segregation is the method used to identify these short-life assets and the IRS says that engineer-conducted studies are the benchmark for meeting IRS scrutiny…all other methods are suspect at best and are subject to IRS audit. Now, cost segregation usually reclassifies about 18% – 35% of real property to tangible personal property…so the bottom line is that it can generate upwards to $150,000 in income tax credits/refunds to the owner per million invested. The key here, and it is definitely KEY, is the buyer must be paying income taxes, or has paid income taxes in the last 7 years, so the credit can result in a refund. If this is the case, then the buyer will have more than enough cash from the results of the cost seg study to cover all closing costs and ancillary fees (e.g., buyer’s agent commissions, etc.). If not, the other scenario that will work, with a willing lender, is to use the tax credit as collateral and “borrow” against it for the closing costs. Additionally, with the extra cash flow from cost seg, the borrower can negotiate for better loan terms. There are 3 reasons for this: cash flow is critical for debt service and the bank realizes this; real estate taxes are reduced commensurate to the reclassification of personal property; and, property insurance premiums are lower due to the same reclassification of personal property assets. These all add up to lower operating expenses making any loan package more feasible due to the increased cash flow. Additional cash flow from cost segregation can either: Give bank a financially stronger borrower; or, Allow bank to require a replacement reserve of some amount; or Allow bank to require additional principal reductions to lower LTV to preferred level; or, Make a difference between meeting bank’s DSC requirement for the proposed loan or falling short of policy. If a lender is unwilling to do so, an alternative is to partner with entities (individual investors, LLCs, REITs, etc.) needing tax credits to shelter income…of course they need to have the cash, or cash flow, to support the closing costs needed. Where there’s a will there’s a way. This strategy can be used for any type property regardless of other mitigating factors. Cost segregation delivers results every time it is applied. For more information on how to apply cost segregation to your property purchase or new construction, contact us at… [email protected] www.SegregationHolding.com Facebook Twitter 972-865-9050 SW Office 615-285-0067 SE OfficeNest generated about $340 million in sales last year, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. That’s an impressive figure for a company in the very nascent market of Internet-connected devices. But it’s below the initial expectations Google had set for Nest when it bought the startup in 2014 for a whopping $3.2 billion. The company’s sales performance may face even deeper scrutiny inside Google’s new parent company, Alphabet, where Nest now sits, as the hardware maker faces its most critical year ever. Nest’s plight is a far cry from two years ago, when it was brought on as one of Google’s biggest acquisitions as a vehicle to compete with Apple in the growing smart-home market. Google also brought on CEO Tony Fadell, a former Apple exec, to inject Google with Apple’s hardware sensibility. But now its future is up in the air, as it’s clearly fallen short of those lofty expectations. In late 2013, as Fadell negotiated the sale to the search giant, the two parties settled on two provisions. Fadell ensured that he would have an operating budget from Google; in return, Google created a significant retention clause to ensure that Nest’s key executives and engineers stayed aboard. That budget was set for three years, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal. Unless Alphabet agrees to continue funding Nest, that budget runs out at the end of this year. Several sources said that initial budget was around $500 million annually. To keep employees from leaving after the acquisition, Google created a vesting schedule that prevents Nest’s executives from cashing out their shares before a certain date — that date could come as soon as this year. In addition, according to sources, as part of the acquisition, Nest and Google agreed on a sales target for the company: $300 million annually. Two years later, Nest still could not hit that target alone — it did it only after adding sales from Dropcam, which Nest acquired for $555 million six months after joining Google. But that acquisition, as events over the past week have shown, did not go smoothly. Several Dropcam staffers, including its two founders, left. And its former CEO, Greg Duffy, has (twice) voiced his discontent with Fadell, setting off a wave of unseemly attention on Nest. As bad as it looks for Nest now, it could be worse by the year’s end. Once the vesting period sunsets, some key executives could feel free to depart, something that several people close to the company said is very possible given the growing crisis. And Alphabet, whose execs have spoken regularly about controlling costs at the non-Google companies, may become less charitable. In its first quarter report, Alphabet broke down its revenue for the first time in two buckets, for Google and for “Other Bets,” its assortment of long-shot subsidiaries. The Other Bets reported $448 million in revenue for 2015. Those sales, Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat said on the earnings call, came from three sources: Nest; Verily, which is Alphabet’s life sciences business; and Google Fiber, its broadband unit. Fiber has not reported sales. But industry sources familiar with the unit said its annual revenue is close to the estimates from RBC analyst Mark Mahaney, which pegged them at $99 million. Similarly, Verily hasn’t released numbers, but sources said its sales are likely below $10 million. Nest currently sells three products: The flagship smart thermostat; Protect, its smoke detector; and Nest Cam, the home-monitoring video successor to Dropcam. (Several more products, primarily in home security, have long been in the works.) The company also earns revenue from its energy partnerships with utility companies. Several former Nest employees said that during 2014, Dropcam’s sales growth outpaced Nest’s other two products. But sales of the camera began to slow last year, after Nest rebranded the device. Representatives from Alphabet and Nest declined to comment.Speaking at the Performance Racing Industry trade show in Indianapolis, Pappas said: “Some sort of windscreen is currently the one we’re researching the most. We think if we can get something that gets the driver’s head below whatever we have in front of them – a windscreen – that should act as a deflector. “If you think about Justin [Wilson]’s accident, it was such a one-in-a-how-many-millions chance, but then you look back at Felipe Massa’s accident [in practice for the 2009 Hungarian GP], if he would have had some sort of screen in front of him, it probably would have deflected the spring. So, we’re looking at that as a more likely solution.” Regarding the possibility of fitting them to the DW12 Dallaras, Pappas said: “There’s been a quite long discussion about that and studies to ensure we don’t make a mistake (by putting) something on just to say we’ve done something,” he said. “It can’t be the wrong thing to do. It has to be well-researched and analyzed and then make the decision to go forward.” Regarding the materials used, Pappas said: “We’re looking at what jet fighters have because they’re obviously at 600-plus miles per hour and flying into debris like birds. “There are materials out there, but it’s [a question of] how do you integrate that into a racing car and not make it cumbersome?” Pappas said that full canopies were not being considered. “First off, these are open-wheel, open-cockpit race cars and there’s a history about that,” he said. “When you talk to teams and drivers, they want it to remain an open cockpit. “The other side is – and this is most important – there’s the safety aspect. You need to be able to extricate a driver if he has an accident. “If you have a canopy, you can imagine the time it takes to open it and get the driver out could be life-threatening.”Email Share +1 430 Shares CARDENAS, Cuba — Niurca Rodríguez is a housewife with a gay son, Onasis, who lives in the Cuban city of Cárdenas that is near the beach resort of Varadero. She told Victor Manuel Dueñas of the Babel Sociocultural Project, a group based in the city of Santo Domingo in the province of Villa Clara that advocates on behalf of LGBT Cubans and other disadvantaged groups, in a interview she recorded at her son’s home on May 5 that she is “very proud” of him. Rodríguez also expressed optimism that Cuba will one day extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. “It has already been approved in other countries,” Rodríguez told Dueñas, referring to same-sex marriage. “I wish for the same thing in Cuba.” Dueñas is among the Cuban LGBT activists who are behind a campaign in support of marriage rights for same-sex couples on the Communist island. The campaign — known as “We Also Love” or “Nosotros También Amamos” in Spanish — officially began last December. Activists have encouraged Cubans to sign a petition in support of marriage rights for same-sex couples. They ultimately hope to spur members of the Cuban National Assembly to debate the issue in December when they hold their annual meeting in Havana. “I want to get married one day,” Dueñas told the Washington Blade on June 2 during a telephone interview from Cárdenas. “This is my dream.” José Armando, a 27-year-old gay man who works for a state-owned transportation company in Cárdenas, expressed a similar statement in an interview that Dueñas added to the video that includes Rodríguez’s comments in support of the marriage campaign. “[Same-sex marriage] would give me the chance to enter into a union with the person who I love,” José Armando told Dueñas. Government has ‘obligation’ to protect minorities The Cuban constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It also bans discrimination based on race, skin color, sex, national origin, religious beliefs and “any other offense against human dignity.” The Cuban National Assembly in late 2013 approved a bill that added sexual orientation to the country’s employment nondiscrimination law. Mariela Castro, the daughter of President Raúl Castro who directs Cuba’s National Center for Sexual Education, voted against the proposal because it did not include transgender-specific language. “The state’s institutions educate everyone from an early age on the principle of equality of human beings,” reads Article 42 of the Cuban constitution. Dueñas told the Blade that the Cuban government has “an obligation” to “create laws to protect minorities.” Roydes Gamboa, a Havana-based lawyer who founded Free Angel, a group that fights anti-LGBT discrimination in Cuba, also referenced the country’s constitution during a May 20 interview at the Habana Libre hotel in the Cuban capital’s Vedado neighborhood. “It is going to happen in full relation to the principle of equality,” Gamboa told the Blade. Mariela Castro supports same-sex marriage Gay men were among the tens of thousands of people that then-President Fidel Castro sent to labor camps known as Military Units to Aid Production in the years after the 1959 Cuban revolution. The Communist island’s government forcibly quarantined people with HIV/AIDS in state-run sanitaria until 1993. Gamboa told the Blade that one of the marriage campaign’s biggest challenges is homophobic attitudes among lawmakers and Cuban society. “These legislators are from the triumph of the revolution with no intention of politicizing the issue,” he said, referring to marriage rights for same-sex couples. Mariela Castro, who is Fidel Castro’s niece, has previously said she supports marriage rights for same-sex couples. She made no public mention of the marriage campaign in two marches she led in Havana and in the city of Matanzas last month that commemorated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The National Center for Sexual Education, which is known by the Spanish acronym CENESEX, and a representative of the Cuban government in Washington did not respond to the Blade’s request for comment on the marriage campaign. Tico Almeida, the gay Cuban American president of Freedom to Work, gave a speech in Havana on May 12 that focused on marriage rights for same-sex couples and other LGBT-specific advocacy efforts in the U.S. Mariela Castro and Evan Wolfson, founder of Freedom to Marry, were among those who were in the audience. Wolfson and Almeida both told the Blade that they were able to have lunch with Mariela Castro after the event. “It was a very interesting conversation,” Wolfson told the Blade on June 3 during a telephone interview before he flew to Australia to meet with activists who are campaigning in support of marriage rights for same-sex couples. “She (Mariela Castro) spoke about her hope of moving forward the importance of Cuba having the freedom to marry and building on the steps they have taken.” Almeida expressed a similar sentiment, noting to the Blade on Monday in an email that he and Wolfson spoke with Mariela Castro roughly a year and a half after President Obama announced the normalization of relations with Cuba. “We had a very thorough and respectful discussion about some topics on which we agree, like marriage equality for same-sex Cuban couples, as well as some topics on which I strongly disagree with the Cuban government,” Almeida told the Blade. Gamboa is among the Cuban LGBT activists who have criticized Mariela Castro for not publicly supporting the marriage campaign. He told the Blade that Mariela Castro “was not interested in” the campaign after meeting with Wolfson and Almeida because the activists behind it are not affiliated with CENESEX and her father’s government. The two men met with Gamboa and other advocates who are campaigning for marriage rights for same-sex couples while they were in Cuba. Wolfson and Almeida also met with U.S. Chief of Mission Jeffrey DeLaurentis at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. “I was proud to help organize Cuba travel for one of my heroes, Evan Wolfson, and I was determined that we would not make the same mistakes as too many Hollywood celebrities and some high-profile LGBT Americans who have attempted to engage on Cuba issues,” Almeida told the Blade, without referring to a specific person. Trans actress Candis Cayne traveled to Cuba last month. She took part in the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia march that Mariela Castro led in Havana on May 14. Cayne has not responded to the Blade’s requests for an interview about her trip to Cuba. Almeida met with activists in Matanzas and in the city of Cienfuegos while he was on the Communist island. “I considered it absolutely critical that we meet with the Cuban leaders of the ‘Nosotros También Amamos’ campaign petitioning for marriage equality in Cuba,” he told the Blade. Activist: Marriage campaign will benefit LGBT Cubans The U.S. is among the more than a dozen countries that have extended marriage rights to same-sex couples. Two men in the Colombian city of Cali on May 24 became the first same-sex couple to legally marry in the South American country. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto reiterated his support of nuptials for gays and lesbians last week in the Huffington Post. Almeida told the Blade that he plans to organize a delegation of LGBT Americans that will travel to Cuba later this year. Gamboa said that he and others who are working on the marriage campaign have spoken with activists in the U.S., Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and other countries. “We can bring it to Cuba,” he told the Blade, referring to marriage rights for same-sex couples. Juana Mora, a Havana-based activist who met with Obama in March while he was in the Cuban capital, told the Blade on Monday during a Facebook interview that the marriage campaign will benefit LGBT people across the country. These include trans people who she described as “the most vulnerable” to violence and discrimination because of their gender identity. “Any campaign helps in passing laws in favor of the community,” Mora told the Blade.A state senator in Arkansas filed a bill Thursday calling for the renaming of an airport named after the Clintons. “You have a president who was impeached for having an affair with an intern in the Oval Office and then disbarred,” the bill's author, Sen. Jason Rapert, told Reuters. President Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1998. The Senate acquitted him on the charges in 1999. The bill--which does not name the Clintons by name-- would prohibit the “naming of public buildings, structures, airports, or facilities” after anyone living. The legislation also calls for the ban of naming an airport after an elected official who served in the 10 years "preceding the construction" of the structure. Reuters reported that Rapert claimed that several people in Arkansas shared their feelings on the airport being named after the Clintons. The commercial Arkansas airport, just outside Little Rock, was renamed in 2012 to the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field. "I happen to think that the naming of the airport as it is doesn't have any negative impact on our state or on our city," the Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola told ArkansasMatters.com. "As a matter of fact I think it is the opposite." Alyssa Madruga is a news editor for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlyssaMadruga.Sometime last week, Redditgifts told me that it was time to mark my gift as not received if I hadn't already. That made me sad because my secret santa had marked it as shipped and I don't know of anyone who'd lie on the internet. Also because I know that my postal service takes a long to deliver things. Even when I order a pizza I have to wait from three to five business days!!! Ok, maybe I lied about the pizza but come on, thirty minutes to eat??? What's this??? 1995?? COME ON!!! Anyway. I tried to relay a message to my secret santa, that he may have not gotten, and proceeded to mark my gift as "not received" :( Today my faith in strangers from the internet was proven right and a small box arrived. Inside, I found this.You thought groceries, gas and electricity were pricey enough, but expect to pay even more this coming year. The average Canadian household will spend about $1,600 more on everyday expenses in 2017, according to a new report from The Conference Board of Canada. The rate of inflation is expected to nearly double this year, from the current one per cent to nearly two. “Prices for goods that have been rising will rise some more. Prices for goods that get discounted will tend to be discounted by less,” wrote Conference Board Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist Craig Alexander. Higher prices for gas, food and vehicles are expected to drive inflation up, costs that were rising already, according to the report. Imported produce won't get any cheaper this coming year, according to The Conference Board of Canada. (Photo: Jesse Ferreras/HuffPost B.C.) Expect to pay more for imported fruits and vegetables. The dismal Canadian dollar means it will be pricier to bring in produce from other countries, a phenomenon we all experienced in the past year or two with the Great Cauliflower Crisis. Higher gas prices will also hike transportation costs. The Conference Board also expects Canadians to fork over more for pork and chicken, and for higher food prices to be reflected at restaurants. Carbon pricing regimes in many provinces will affect gas prices for their residents, as well as heating costs. Carbon pricing plans announced by Alberta Premier Rachel Notley will add more than four cents a litre to residents' gas bills in 2017, according to The Conference Board of Canada. (Photo: The Canadian Press) While motorists across Canada will shell out more to fill up their tanks — 10 per cent more in 2017 — drivers in Ontario and Alberta will see more than four cents a litre added to their bills, Alexander predicted. Heating and cooling costs will go up around one per cent, but prices will depend on each province's carbon pricing regime. Expect to spend more on education and health care, costs which tend to rise faster than the overall inflation rate, according to the report. Canadians will pay less for clothes and furniture, but any discounts you might find on clothing will tend to be lower. However, some incentives at the federal level may make things a bit easier financially, including the Canada Child Benefit and employment insurance changes. So, eat local and vegetarian, and buy some easy chairs? Also on HuffPostAnd when he does attempt a connection, it seems doomed. He finally proposes marriage to his suicidal cousin Kate, but even Kate seems to understand the proposal as an unfortunate gesture, a death-house prank. Writing in the New York Review of Books in 2005, Joyce Carol Oates identified Binx as one of a string of solitary, cool, self-absorbed males in American fiction—other examples including Saul Bellow’s Joseph from Dangling Man, and the narrator of Benjamin Kunkel’s Indecision. I took Oates’s critique as personally as if she had been questioning my own character. These were my role models she was writing so scathingly about. If they were cold, self-dramatizing narcissists, what was I? The short answer is that for many of the years I spent re-reading The Moviegoer, I was just as confused as Binx. I certainly aspired to be every bit as cool and every bit as noncommittal. It didn’t work. It turned out to be a lousy strategy for, as the life coaches say, professional and interpersonal success. I took a Binxian approach to women, which is to say I told them lie after lie even as I assiduously pursued them. I turned my lunch hour at work into two or three hours of drinking, and I thought Binx would have been proud. I don’t mean to suggest that The Moviegoer messed me up or corrupted me. But maybe it validated my impulse toward the passive and disconnected. It gave me permission to be the fuck-up I always thought I could be. My girlfriends, unimpressed with the literary influences behind my evasions and lies, dumped me. My bosses, with no use for an employee who disappeared for hours on end, fired me. Re-reading is essentially a childish act. Kids are serial re-readers. Kids want to return again and again to the world they find in a particular book, to try it on for size, to imagine themselves there, to take a few laps around their alternative world before returning home. Part of the fun is knowing you can make the trip anytime, as many times as you want, and always come back safe. One of the clichés of literature is that one really can’t read the same book twice. The idea is that with each re-reading, the reader brings new experiences, new insights, new emotional depth to the book, thus transforming it. But this credits readers with too much power and books with too little. Certain books have a way of stripping us of the emotional and intellectual armature that is commonly called maturity. One of my friends, for example, once told me that she never has been able to read Winnie the Pooh to her kids without crying. In the years since I first read The Moviegoer, I married, became a father, and learned some of the tricks we all learn for passing as an adult in an adult world. But reading The Moviegoer annually has given me an excuse to stay in contact with my 20-year-old self. Going back to Binx’s New Orleans every year is, in fact, a little like going to a reunion: Binx and Kate and the various versions of me all getting together to check each other out and see who has thrived and who looks really bad.Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email CLEAR evidence of a Roman road has been found during an archaeological dig close to the home of a Welsh Prince. A section of a metalled road on the line of the Roman road from Caerhun to Segontium (Caernarfon) was found during excavations at Cae Celyn, a field near Garth Celyn at Abergwyngregyn. During a three-day dig locals joined volunteers from the Caer Alyn Archaeological Project and Wirral Archaeology to open up evaluation trenches to expose features at an important river crossing. Archaeologist Phil Cox, from the Caer Alyn Archaeological Project, who led the weekend investigation, said: “The area is already well known for its rich diversity of monuments and history and the excavations will only add to this. “The road section exposed during the excavations seems to support the theory the line of the Roman road was aligned with the turn-pike road built in 1789. The dig was also about trying to discover more about the function of the riverside enclosures. Work in these areas will continue over the next year to unravel its history. “The volunteers worked extremely hard over the three days, during which time they have brought not only their enthusiasm, but their various skills and knowledge to help to add new pages to the story of Garth Celyn and its people”. Peter France of Wirral Archaeology, an expert on Roman roads, said a massive section of the Roman military road that led from Chester to Segontium had been uncovered. “It is an exciting discovery that adds greatly to our knowledge of this incredibly important site,” he added. Paul Remfry, a trustee of Garth Celyn and historian, added the remains uncovered fitted well with the documentary evidence concerning the site. This evidence ranged from late Roman times to the present day. Garth Celyn was the 13th century home of Llywelyn the Great and his grandson, the first Prince of Wales. The present building was built as a Snowdonia cross passage house in about 1553 and modernised in 1580. Llywelyn's Tower was incorporated into that house.The Bristol Cable Earlier this week a letter was sent by discontented Filton and Bradley Stoke Conservative Party members outlining a plan to oust Jack Lopresti MP. Photo: Al-Bab: (Mr Lopresti on business in Bahrain.) Running the constituency like a “mafia fiefdom” was among the complaints levied by anonymous Conservative party members against sitting MP Jack Lopresti in a letter to the press on Tuesday. The disgruntled members stated that ““There are many of us who feel very strongly that Mr Lopresti is not representing our constituency in a very good way.” The members aim to de-select Lopresti as the Tory candidate for Filton and Bradley Stoke in the upcoming general election. Now, as reported by leading conservative blog Guido Fawkes, local party officials are threatening to sue the members responsible for the letter. According to Guido Fawkes: “local party chairman Barbara Lewis has emailed all members claiming a data breach and threatening to sue whoever is organising against Lopresti. She says: “When the person who sent it is identified, appropriate legal action will be taken”.” Got any info on this story? Drop a line to [email protected] or call 077 291 24080Complaint filed by the city, county and state claims Scott Walker racked up 371 housing code violations in a decade. Buy Photo Former Congressional candidate Scott Walker poses for a portrait. The Delaware Department of Justice has filed a complaint against Walker in the state's Court of Chancery claiming his rental properties are in deplorable conditions. (Photo: KYLE GRANTHAM/THE NEWS JOURNAL)Buy Photo A Democratic congressional candidate defeated in the September primary now faces another challenge – a lawsuit from city, county and state attorneys alleging the landlord is running a sham charity that houses approximately 150 tenants in deplorable conditions and tries to strip them of their rights. The lengthy complaint filed in Delaware's Court of Chancery says Scott Walker has racked up 371 housing code violations in the city of Wilmington and New Castle County in the last decade. The full extent of the conditions, however, are unknown since Walker's "golden rule" for his tenants is that law and code enforcement employees are not allowed access to the properties at any time, the complaint said. At one property in the first block of Hessler Lane in Holly Oak, officials found raw sewage being pumped out a basement window and into the backyard where it was accumulating, the complaint said. Walker told The News Journal he did not authorize this "emergency measure" used to deal with a sewage backup. The Delaware Department of Justice included this picture of raw sewage in a basement at a property in the first block of Hessler Lane in a complaint filed against former Congressional candidate Scott Walker. The DOJ is claiming Walker and his foundation are housing approximately 150 tenants in overcrowded and deplorable conditions in violation of city, county and state code. (Photo: Chancery Court complaint) Other pictures included in the court filing show overcrowding, black mold, faulty electrical and plumbing, and piles of outdoor debris at some of his approximately 15 properties. Walker, 65, characterized the lawsuit as an "intimidation tactic" meant to silence him from speaking out -- as he did in the primary race -- against housing discrimination that affects Delaware's minority and disabled communities and the harassment of property owners. "My popularity in the state has scared them so they are coming to destroy," he said Wednesday. "It is a Hail Mary attempt to silence me and to silence my free speech about the discrimination problem in Delaware." In response, Carl Kanefsky, a spokesman for Attorney General Matt Denn's office, said the facts and pictures in the complaint speak for themselves. The Delaware Department of Justice included this picture of raw sewage in the backyard of a property in the first block of Hessler Lane in a complaint filed against former Congressional candidate Scott Walker. The DOJ is claiming Walker and his foundation are housing approximately 150 tenants in overcrowded and deplorable conditions in violation of city, county and state code. (Photo: Chancery Court complaint) Walker was a political newcomer when he ran this year in a crowded race of six Democrats to fill Rep. John Carney's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He lost to Lisa Blunt Rochester and finished in fifth with 5 percent of the votes. The Milford-born businessman was best known in the campaign for his unconventional political signs. Hundreds of spray-painted plywood planks, created with help from his tenants, dotted the highways. He was often seen waving at motorists from his decorated 1992 Lexus ES near busy intersections. The central theme of his candidacy was that, if elected, he would curb discrimination that he has seen over the past decade as a landlord. He claims in regular lawsuits against local governments to have been targeted for housing disabled people in what he previously called "family-style housing" that is "commensurate with the price." Attorneys with the city of Wilmington, New Castle County and state Department of Justice have fired back, saying in the lawsuit that the crowded and unsafe conditions are violating Delaware law and housing codes. They claimed Walker's charity, Disabled Disadvantaged Delawareans Foundation, is a "mere sham." The foundation is not tax exempt, and even though it purports to assist disabled people, none of the properties are handicapped accessible or are approved to operate as a group home, the suit said. Instead, the properties are "fraught with deplorable living conditions, regular calls for service, numerous criminal incidents, and hundreds of code violations," the suit said. The single-family homes regularly house 8 to 12 adults and children in rooms partitioned off by shower curtains, blankets or plywood. Outside the homes are trash, debris and high grass, while inside there are numerous health, safety and welfare dangers, the suit said. Even though some of the homes have been declared unfit for human habitation by code enforcement, Walker continues to solicit and house tenants who are unable to participate in the rental market because of poor credit, felony convictions, sex offender status, disabilities or substance abuse, the suit said. "I've taken them when no one else would take them," Walker said. "I'm housing homeless people on my dime." The Delaware Department of Justice included this picture of junk and debris behind a property in the first block of W. 27th Street in Wilmington in a complaint filed against former Congressional candidate Scott Walker. The DOJ is claiming Walker and his foundation are housing approximately 150 tenants in overcrowded and deplorable conditions in violation of city, county and state code. (Photo: Chancery Court complaint) The complaint said that when the tenants have leases, they sign them without knowing the properties are just weeks away from being foreclosed upon. They are also required to waive their rights under the Landlord Tenant Code. When asked about the waiver, pictured in an attachment to the lawsuit, Walker said he does not know where that document was created. "I know the landlord tenant code," he said. "You cannot ask someone to waive off their rights. That is illegal." Walker called the suit politically motivated and unpatriotic. "Someone doesn't like the fact that I got so many votes in the Democratic primary," he said. The suit claimed he is violating the state's consumer fraud protections and needs to be stopped. Attorneys are asking a Chancery Court judge to expedite the proceedings and hear their case in the next five months. They are seeking judicial orders that would force Walker to fix the public nuisances and stop violating the Delaware Consumer Fraud Act and city, county and state codes. They are also seeking a penalty of $10,000 for each violation of the Consumer Fraud Act and the cost of bringing the action. Walker said he welcomes the chance to bring this issue into the public eye. "I'm really looking forward," he said. Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at 302-324-2777, [email protected] or Twitter @JessicaMasulli. Read or Share this story: http://delonline.us/2ewbdr5Standard ideals of facial beauty and harmony may differ depending on geographic location, with a specific difference between North American beauty ideals and those of Brazilians. In a paper presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in San Diego, researchers studied the preferences of a group of health professionals who work with facial aesthetics, a group of artists and sculptors, and a group of general citizens. They were asked about their aesthetics impression of three nasal root height variations, produced with computer imaging from the profiles of six women between the ages of 18 and 30 years. The low position of the nasal root, between the upper eyelid crease and the pupil level, was considered the most beautiful by the Brazilian health professionals, artists, and lay public (53%), followed by the regular position (36%). When asked about the worst profile, the high level was chosen (73%). The researchers note that it is very important for health professionals who work with aesthetics to know the preferences and standards of their patients, as the main goal of facial plastic surgery is subjective satisfaction. Much of the literature on the theme is written by researchers from North America and Europe, regions where the cultural and ethnic background is different from the population of Brazil, where the research was conducted. This new research provides a refined view of the preferences among Brazilians, and can help surgeons to tailor strategies to meet their patients' needs more accurately.The top executive of a Beijing-based tech company has been jailed for five days and subsequently resigned for allegedly groping the breast
. In the U.S. alone, self-driving cars could eliminate the more than 33,000 motor-vehicle traffic deaths a year, 2.3 million injuries and billions in car damage. Technological advances in the automotive industry are increasing at a rapid pace. Today, some cars can park themselves, vibrate the driver's seat when a vehicle drifts from a lane and even monitor eyes to ensure motorists are focused on the road. At the same time, other new technologies are distracting drivers: New heads-up displays can show a smartphone screen on a windshield. The development of driverless cars could lead to one of the greatest economic shifts in U.S. history but it would be shortsighted to focus on only the commercial impact. Whatever the potential safety advantages of removing human drivers from the roads, such a move would collide headlong with the agenda of institutions advocating liberty, choice and property rights. Related: Are Self-Driving Cars Only a Matter of Time? Government policy eyed. Will the U.S. government move to ban driving to prevent 33,000 deaths and 2.3 million injuries a year? Or will lobbying organizations form to resist a driverless society and stand up for the rights of motor enthusiasts? This raises a central question: Will American politicians be so concerned with their political safety that they attempt to kill the innovation of driverless cars? I predict that the development of driverless technology will provoke a debate as legally and morally heated as the current one over gun rights. U.S. laws about firearms emerged during an era when they served as both military weapons and as tools to procure sustenance for families. Gun legislation has become controversial lately because the significance of firearms has changed. While millions of firearms are used responsibly for sport, millions are also used for violent crimes. But if technologists have their way, the self-driven automobile would soon become a relic -- from a time when driving was as integral to individuals' pursuit of their livelihoods (much as the gun was in the 18th century). Many critics point to the security risks, however, of having an entire country run on driverless technology. Imagine if terrorists managed to hack the software behind driverless cars. Could they set up a horrifically violent attack? So when discussion of driverless cars reaches its climax -- perhaps within the next decade -- all political hell is going to break loose. This driverless-car debate is not a controversy between red and blue sides. This is a controversy between innovation and political equilibrium. Should certain innovations be discouraged to preserve stability? Should Americans be protected from change in the name of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Or should innovation be promoted regardless of the consequences, since ultimately it will produce political disruptions that lead to a better society? Related: A Fashionable, Inflatable Bike Helmet Collar? Yes, You Read That Right. Safety at issue. From the perspective of health and safety advocates, banning driving is a very wise choice. For a politician, however, opting for a ban on driving right now might prove very risky if re-election is a priority. Clearly safety depends on one's perspective. Some fear that innovation could impel a society to become more authoritarian. True, the archetypal Orwellian society would occur only with technologies allowing for constant surveillance. Yet history is filled with highly authoritarian and abusive regimes that didn’t need sophisticated technology. The day-to-day methods of the surveillance state suggested in 1984 or V for Vendetta rely on innovations. But the nature of such regimes is distinct from the technologies used to enforce submission. Innovation is what humans do best: Democratic and dictatorial regimes will create novel solutions for their respective problems. In time, probably the insurance industry and the general public will conclude that the need for safety is paramount and that driving one's own car should be illegal. That will be a vote for innovation but a loss for individualism. Related: Tech, Food & Transportation: How Life Has Changed Since the 1964 World's Fair Change on the menu. Some of the foods we eat and ingredients in beverages may also be declared illegal. The innovation path of driverless cars won't be stopped because the majority of companies will jump behind the technology. Just imagine all the publishers, entertainment and social-media companies that would love travelers to be consuming instead of driving. During a four-hour drive from New York to Boston, who wouldn’t want Netflix running in the car? And what if marketers could target passengers based on the type of content they consume and geolocation and then suggest a nearby store where they could purchase the goods at a discount? I don’t have perfect answers to the driverless-car debate, the gun controversy or the sugary-foods dispute. As I recently wrote, I do believe that technology defines the human species. I have faith that innovative societies can produce solutions that satisfy the legal and moral complications of these problems. This will take reasoned debate -- which today is the true deficit of the U.S. political system. The development of guns that fire for only one owner is a sign that innovators are trying to resolve the problem of gun violence, even though support for this solution has been lacking on all sides. This country will find a balance between technology and safety. Americans will develop great technology without sacrificing their freedoms. As the gecko and Flo step aside, innovation will write the next chapter in human history. Have faith that it will be better than the previous chapters, even if it is driverless and sugar-free. Related: Why We Need Another Sputnik MomentThe alarm clock has existed in a weird place since the advent of the smartphone — after all, why have a separate device on your nightstand for telling the time or waking you up in the morning when your phone already does that? That hasn’t stopped companies from trying to reinvent the alarm clock for the connected era, and Circa, a new Kickstarter project from Circa Labs, seems like one of the nicer attempts at the idea. Unlike some of the other smart alarm clocks out there, Circa doesn’t include voice controls or built-in Alexa. There is smart home integration through Triggi, which means you’ll be able to set things like having your lights or heat go on along with your alarm in the morning, but it’s a more passive system than, say, an Echo. The smart part of Circa comes with an included sensor pad that you’re meant to put under your mattress, which Circa Labs claims will allow the alarm clock to wake you up at better times and offer insights to improve your sleep. Like any good alarm clock, Circa has integrated speakers, with support for terrestrial HD radio, internet radio, Spotify, and regular old Bluetooth. There’s also a white noise option, for those who prefer that to music. The screen on Circa is a 5.5-inch AMOLED panel, which seems like a bit of overkill for an alarm clock, but also means that there’s less light blasting at you in the middle of the night. The display means that Circa supports multiple clock faces, too. The biggest issue with Circa is the price, which starts at €199 (around $231), which is pretty expensive for what it does. Don’t get me wrong, I like the focus on alarm clock functions, instead of trying to cram in a half-baked integration for a virtual assistant. But given that you can get an Echo Spot for half the price, or even a full Echo Show for the same, it’s a tough sell for what it offers. Additionally, Circa Labs is a first time company doing a hardware product through crowdfunding that it isn’t expecting to ship until June 2018 at the earliest, so the usual warnings about using your best judgement apply.Explanations abound for President Donald Trump’s shocking, or pseudo-shocking, decision to fire FBI Director James Comey this week. Indeed, there are too many of them. It was because Comey had bungled the so-called investigation into Hillary Clinton’s so-called email scandal. It was because Comey and his FBI team were closing in on evidence of the Trump campaign’s collusion with Russian intelligence last year. This was a decision based on the recommendations of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (a sudden celebrity!) and his boss, the appalling Jeff Sessions — who isn’t supposed to be involved with the Trump-Russia inquiry in any way. Or it was a decision the president made on his own and had contemplated for weeks, because Comey was disloyal or was too much of a showboat or “was not doing a good job.” Advertisement: I used the term “pseudo-shocking” above because there’s really no more room to be surprised by any asinine, impulsive, media-trolling stunt this president pulls. If a troubled, sadistic child pulls the wings off butterflies or torments a kitten, one should certainly express disapproval and attempt to mete out discipline. But it kind of rings hollow to act astonished and announce that you’ve never heard of such a thing before. In a column posted earlier this weekend, Salon’s Danielle Ryan makes an interesting case that all the overlapping and contradictory explanations for Trump’s recent conduct are needlessly complicated, and that l’affaire Comey may be much simpler than it appears. Whatever you make of Ryan’s larger argument — she remains skeptical that the Russian connection is any big deal, for example — I think she’s onto something when it comes to Trump’s behavior and what he represents. He tossed aside Jim Comey on impulse, the way an angry child throws away an unsatisfying toy or turns on a friend; he didn’t really think about what would happen afterwards, and every subsequent explanation is just made up and tacked on. It has frequently been observed that Donald Trump acts like a child: He has exceptionally poor impulse control, cannot reliably distinguish fantasy from reality and appears not to grasp that human actions are not isolated events but exist in a chain of causes and consequences. But the emergence of such a figure is itself viewed with childlike wonder, as if he were mysterious or miraculous and had no history. How in the world did we wind up with a 70-year-old child as president of the United States? I would argue that Trump’s childish nature not only helps explain aspects of his behavior that otherwise seem incomprehensible, but that it lies at the heart of his appeal — and indeed his meaning. Donald Trump is the accidental and profoundly ironic embodiment of a culture that has infantilized itself, a culture that fetishizes childhood as an ideal state of wonder, joy and innocence to which all adults long to return. The fact that many of the people who most enthusiastically embrace the ascendant culture of kidulthood — the affluent, educated “elites” of the coastal cities and college towns — are also the people most likely to abhor Donald Trump is but one of the many conundrums of this moment. [jwplayer file="http://media.salon.com/2017/05/7f16898798120ce3a4aadec78a694906.mp4" image="http://media.salon.com/2017/05/02d92e916a2e57013b7fc090dd3eea72-1280x720.png][/jwplayer] Proposing to end illegal immigration by building a giant wall along the southern border is a self-evidently childish solution to an imaginary problem — exactly the kind that gets abandoned when it proves too difficult. When my son was about five years old, he spent several afternoons trying to dig a tunnel the whole way across our backyard; he got three or four feet down before coming to grips with geological reality. Believing you can resolve a military conflict that has stymied several rounds of grownups through the overwhelming use of force — by “bombing the shit out of 'em,” for instance — is similarly childish, except that real people’s lives will be thrown away in large numbers even in a brief effort. Advertisement: Refusing to accept photographs or statistics as actual evidence and searching for “alternative facts” to explain away unpleasant occurrences are pretty much defining characteristics of childhood. Every child grows up terrified and/or fascinated by the “fake news” and conspiracy theories that run rampant on the playground: In my own youth it was widely reported, via the social media outlets of the day, that one popular brand of bubble gum was made from spider eggs. An old friend, somewhat younger than me, once told me that after he had worked out how implausible that was — why would they bother? It sounds expensive! — he used the spider-egg fallacy to rebut some clown who was going around telling everybody that Darth Vader was actually Luke Skywalker’s dad. Some wild childhood theories turn out to be true, and if Donald Trump is no relation to the Skywalker clan he might be Harry Potter’s unacknowledged mutant stepbrother, who spent much too long in that cupboard under the stairs. What I mean by that is Trump could not possibly have emerged in any other era — in one when the condition of adulthood was seen as necessary or desirable in a political leader, for instance. There were many obvious differences between Trump and Hillary Clinton, and I don’t mean to downplay the significance of the most glaring one, which clearly played a role in her defeat. But she behaved like an adult throughout the campaign, since she had no choice: For better or worse, she is one. Trump has never acted like a grownup throughout his many decades in the public eye, and surely wasn’t going to start now. So the whole thing played out like a malicious family sitcom with a stinger ending, and we’ve all seen those: In a contest between Dennis the Menace and his mom — to cite a pop-culture reference so ancient Trump himself will recognize it — which of them will be humiliated, and which will emerge smirking and victorious? Until very recently in historical time, childhood was viewed with bemused tolerance, at best, throughout the Western world, while actual children were often shunted aside. Children of the wealthy and even the middle class were outsourced to be raised by others as much as possible; children of the poor were mostly left to fend for themselves between the day they learned to walk and the day they were sent to work. Even as schooling became more general during the Industrial Age, the cultural products designed for children were anodyne, moralistic and legendarily boring, which is why pioneers like Lewis Carroll or E. Nesbit stood out so much. J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” published in 1937, changed the course of children’s literature forever because it refused to condescend to juvenile readers and assumed an appetite for myth, tragedy and grand adventure. Advertisement: Since about that time, and especially since the “youth culture” revolt of the 1960s, for which Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” became a text of almost biblical importance (much to his chagrin), we have seen an extraordinary liberation of the childhood imagination. More accurately, we have rediscovered it or recognized that it was always there and plays an enormous role in the shaping of human personality. I’m not remotely arguing that any of that is a bad thing — certainly not when it comes to actual children, nor when it comes to adults celebrating and enjoying the aspects of childhood we all carry with us throughout our lives. But this enormous cultural shift in the understanding of children and childhood came with an unintended long-term consequence in late-capitalist consumer culture, and the squishy, turdlike end point of that process, at least right now, is President Donald Trump. Indeed, one could quarrel with my use of the word “unintended,” since marketing and advertising, over the last few decades, have prospered by shamelessly appealing to the most infantile, narcissistic and acquisitive urges — those that typify early childhood and remain just under the surface after that. If those enterprises did not deliberately set out to turn us all into overgrown electronic-cocoon children who search for immediate gratification around the clock and wail whenever we don’t get it, they accomplished it with great efficiency. A number of cultural streams had to come together to devalue the dominant conception of adulthood — not completely or uniformly, but to a significant degree — and replace it with kidulthood, an awkward second childhood or imitation childhood. As the old tropes of grownup-ness — the businessman, the housewife, the factory worker, the bridge club and so on — came to seem outmoded or ridiculous, and as the American workplace became increasingly dominated by stultifying service jobs and the perma-collegiate atmosphere of the technology sector, one’s identity as a consumer became the central aspect of adult existence. Advertisement: That development was already coming into view by the late ’60s, when Guy Debord captured it with uncanny prescience in the Situationist manifesto “Society of the Spectacle.” To some extent it was predicted by Karl Marx more than a century earlier, who perceived that eventually the major Western economies would transform themselves from being a zone of production to a zone of consumption. But the suddenness and totality of the change were not foreseen by anyone, and we are only beginning to reckon with it. I recognize that it’s going way too deep into get-off-my-lawn territory to complain that everybody is on their damn devices all the time, and nobody even has to go outside to get a pizza anymore. The network of infotainment and acquisition that holds us all in its grip is not purely or entirely a passive experience, any more than childhood is. That’s too simple: It contains other possibilities, some of which are real. Indeed, one of the secrets to Bernie Sanders’ unexpected success, in my view, is that he appealed to the millennial generation — the first one to be born and raised inside the information economy — precisely because he seemed to disrupt its dominant economic and cultural narrative so dramatically. To use the relevant cliché, the fact that Bernie was from another generation and another world was a feature, not a bug. What I’m suggesting is more like a powerful analogy: Children are like consumers, in some ways, and adults who are primarily consumers have turned themselves into imitation children. Gamergate zealots and fake-news entrepreneurs and alt-right trolls and Redditors who “solve crimes” from the sofa are not the problem in themselves; there have always been people who lie or manipulate others or waste everybody’s time with crackpot ideas. The deeper problem is that as we have collectively slid backward into a fake childhood where we can fill any supposed want with a few clicks and an optimistic credit-card issuer -- where we believe that is our most important right -- we don’t know how to control those people, or control for them, or control ourselves. Advertisement: It’s tempting to say that since Trump is only president today thanks to a statistical fluke, that proves most Americans are still OK with adult leadership and it was only the malignant, malicious kidults in flyover country who fell prey to his idiotic magical thinking. Tempting but too easy. Trump was so horrifying, and so alluring, because he is an unrepentant rebel child dressed as a man who appeals to the most childish impulses in the American soul. Build the wall! Drain the swamp! Until it's hard; then don't. Even those of us who would never have considered voting for him could feel it, and couldn’t look away. I don’t believe in fate in the classical sense, but the hand of fate was heavy in last year’s election. Our national second childhood conjured up Donald Trump, and we couldn’t wish him away. Facing that reality, and learning how to grow up again, requires dealing with him first.Mark Zuckerberg might have created one of the most revolutionary pieces of technology this decade, but it looks like the social media mogul isn’t content stopping there. His next challenge? Curing all diseases in the world. Zuckerberg announced his latest aim at a conference for investors on Wednesday. He said: “While helping to connect the world will always be the most important thing that I do, there are more global challenges that I also feel a responsibility to help solve, to create a better world for my daughter and all future generations.” (Eric Risberg/AP) “Things like helping to cure all diseases by the end of the century,” he continued according to CNBC. His ambitious pledge follows his move to give 99% of his Facebook shared to humanitarian causes within his lifetime. He also spent $25 million on helping Centres For Disease Control And Prevention to fight the rising Ebola epidemic. Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan co-founded the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, an organisation aiming to “advance human potential and promote equality in areas such as health, education, scientific research, and energy.”Frampton v Quigg: Title unification fight sells out in minutes BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Tickets for Carl Frampton's title unification fight with Scott Quigg sold out within minutes of going on sale on Friday. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/boxing/frampton-v-quigg-title-unification-fight-sells-out-in-minutes-34218794.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/incoming/article34213555.ece/9817a/AUTOCROP/h342/ Email Tickets for Carl Frampton's title unification fight with Scott Quigg sold out within minutes of going on sale on Friday. Tickets for the February 27 fight at the Manchester Arena went on sale at 9am. Waiting on official times but SOLD OUT in under 10 mins! #Quiggframpton — Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) November 20, 2015 We have a further allocation on sale for Fight Pass members at https://t.co/yJTXXaXFr9 at 12 - you cannot join today #QuiggFrampton — Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) November 20, 2015 Within 10 minutes they were gone. Fans flooded social media celebrating their success while many others vented their frustration. Read more: Frampton v Quigg - Jackal fans give Scott Quigg a taste of what's to come All On The Line at the Waterfront Hall: Marc McCullough is tipped to be simply 'fantastic' Barry McGuigan has been my inspiration says Carl Frampton "I'm the better fighter in every department," insisted Frampton, at the press conference at the Europa Hotel. "I have to say that I have the best fans in the world. I could never have imagined when I started out that it would get as big as this and I feel very honoured and privileged to have the support that I do - we'll be taking over Manchester come February 27. "I know that I can make this fight very easy for myself if I am smart." Frampton's manager Barry McGuigan said: "We will have the most support on February 27, it will feel like Belfast and if he thinks it will not be then he's deluding himself - he doesn't have the support that Carl has. When we walk in there on February 27 it will feel like we're boxing in the SSE Arena. "It's a massive attraction, so much so that the Manchester Arena have said that including concerts, no other event has had interest like it." Not a single ticket to see Carl Frampton aw well, the bar it is then. Hopefully a good few Frampton fans got sorted. — Craig Lamrock (@lamrock52) November 20, 2015 4 tickets scored for Manchester. Hotel & flights already booked. All On The Line tonight. Love it when a plan works out. #FramptonQuigg — Matt Ogilby (@Sixtoemo) November 20, 2015 @EddieHearn been trying since 9am but sold out gutted.. i thought they were getting 10,000 each? how come frampton fans are getting them all — markrichardstattooer (@coolkidsloveink) November 20, 2015 Belfast Telegraph DigitalThe fixed fork tube on 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 BMW R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure ADV motorcycles may separate from the pressed in seal plug that secures the tube to the upper triple clamp. If this happens, handling and stability while riding could be affected. The following report is filed with the NHTSA: Report Receipt Date: July 10, 2017 NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V438000 Component(s): Suspension Potential Number of Units Affected: 14,626 Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC THE RECALL: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2017 BMW R1200GS and BMW R1200GS Adventure motorcycles. The motorcycle fixed fork tube may separate from the pressed in seal plug that secures the tube to the upper triple clamp. WHAT COULD HAPPEN: If the fork tube detaches from the sealing plug, the handling and stability of the motorcycle will be affected, increasing the risk of a crash. THE FIX: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will add an additional fixed fork tube bush. A fork that is sufficiently damaged will be replaced with a modified new part. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 1, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. MORE RECALL INFORMATION: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to safercar.gov.A bug in systemd — an init system used in many Linux distributions to start and manage processes — allows an attacker to crash or take over machines via malicious DNS packets. Canonical developer Chris Coulson discovered the issue, which is tracked under the identifier of CVE-2017-9445. The vulnerability affects all Linux distros that ship systemd versions between 223 and 233. Issue exploited via DNS packets According to Coulson's description of the bug, affected systemd versions allow an attacker to allocate a small buffer size for the processing of DNS packets. "A malicious DNS server can exploit this by responding with a specially crafted TCP payload to trick systemd-resolved into allocating a buffer that's too small, and subsequently write arbitrary data beyond the end of it," Coulson says. This "out-of-bounds write" vulnerability allows an attacker to crash a targeted system's systemd daemon, or write data to memory, allowing him to execute code on the target's machine. Skilled attackers can use this flaw to hijack systemd instances, which due to their level of access would allow an attacker to take over the entire machine. All it takes is a malicious DNS packet. Certain sizes passed to dns_packet_new can cause it to allocate a buffer that's too small. A page-aligned number - sizeof(DnsPacket) + sizeof(iphdr) + sizeof(udphdr) will do this - so, on x86 this will be a page-aligned number - 80. Eg, calling dns_packet_new with a size of 4016 on x86 will result in an allocation of 4096 bytes, but 108 bytes of this are for the DnsPacket struct. Patch status The issue was introduced in the systemd code in June 2015 and is currently unpatched, albeit a fix has been submitted to developers. Canonical has released updates to Ubuntu 16.10 (Yakkety Yak) and 17.04 (Zesty Zapus) to protect users. Red Hat said the vulnerability did not affect the versions of systemd shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7. Debian said its distros shipped vulnerable versions of systemd, but the systemd-resolved service where the bug lies is not enabled by default, so users are protected unless they tinkered with systemd settings.Pastor Valarie Bartley speaks to WIS (screen grab) At least three black churches in South Carolina have received letters threatening violence against women pastors. WIS reported that the letters had been left at Society Hill AME Church, Reevesville AME Church and one other that was not identified. The letter received by Pastor Mary Rhodes used Bible verses to warn her to stop preaching “or you and children will die.” “Whoever wrote this letter has taken the time to find out who I am which means you may know my children, my grandchildren, and I have no clue who you are,” Rhodes told WIS. A similar letter received by Pastor Valarie Bartley said that “the woman cannot be head of the man in church, home and the world.” “A lot of people do not respect female pastors,” Rhodes explained. “Sexism in the church has been around for the longest time and it always gets, to my opinion, sort of hidden under the other issues that are there.” The letters were signed by Apostle Prophet Harry Leon Fleming. The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office said that the letters and the safety of the pastors were being taken seriously. “The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their quest in attempt to locate the person or persons responsible for distributing the letters and will have deputies posted at every church that received the letter,” a statement from Clarendon County Sheriff Randy Garrett said. “The citizens of Clarendon County will be able to worship in peace…” In recent weeks, tragedy has struck a number of AME — or African Methodist Episcopal – churches in South Carolina. Nine members of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston were killed by a white supremacist in June. And just last night, Mount Zion AME Church in Greeleyville burned, although federal investigators have pointed to lightning as the cause. That was the sixth black church to have been destroyed by fire in the South since the massacre in Charleston. Investigators believe arson is likely in three of those cases. Watch the video below from WIS, broadcast June 30, 2015. wistv.com – Columbia, South CarolinaEstonian troops during a NATO exercise in Poland in 2013. NATO photo/SSgt Ian Houlding GBR Army Staunton, August 8 – “No state or regime goes to war firmly convinced that it will lose it,” Andrey Piontkovsky says, and Vladimir Putin is no exception: if he goes to war with NATO and even if he escalates that conflict by using nuclear weapons, he will be acting on the basis of a belief that he can win it. That belief, the Russian commentator says, is based on Putin’s assumption that the logic of mutually assured destruction (MAD) which prevented a major war between Russia and the West has broken down because of divisions within the West about how to respond to Russian use of a limited nuclear strike. Piontkovsky does not provide direct evidence for this, but his argument is both suggestive and disturbing because if he has read Putin correctly, the world is in a far more dangerous situation than most have thought and the risks to Russia’s neighbors, the West and Russia itself are far greater. According to the commentator, “even the most modest practical realization of [Putin’s] idea of ‘assembling the Russian lands’ requires changes of state borders at least of two NATO member countries, Latvia and Estonia.” Because of the Western alliance’s Article 5 in which an attack on one is an attack on all, that would seem impossible given MAD. But as many analysts have suggested before, “the MAD doctrine considered only a single most destructive scenario of a military conflict between nuclear powers, total war.” But there are other scenarios, including the limited use of nuclear weapons by one side under conditions when the other side does not respond lest that lead to “mutual suicide.” It is “theoretically clear,” Piontkovsky argues, “that in a more volatile geopolitical situation, a nuclear power focused on changing the existing status quo, enjoying the advantage of political will and indifferent to the values of human lives (its own and others), and affected by a certain adventurism, could achieve serious foreign policy results by the threat of the application or the limited application of nuclear weapons.” Clearly, he continues, Putin does not seek “the destruction of the hated United States,” a goal that he could achieve “only at the price of mutual suicide.” Instead, his goals are “significantly more modest: the maximum extension of the Russian World, the destruction of NATO, and the discrediting and humiliation of the US as the guarantor of the security of the West.” To put it in simplest terms, Piontkovsky continues, Putin’s actions would be “revenge for the defeat of the USSR in the third (cold) world war just as the second world war was for Germany an attempt at revenge for defeat in the first.” If the Russian speakers of Narva in Estonia were to conduct a referendum and Moscow sent in its forces overtly or covertly, how might NATO react? Piontkovsky asks. If NATO did not respond, “that would mean the end of NATO and the end of the US as a world power and the complete political dominance of Putin’s Russia not only in the area of the Russian World but in the entire European continent.” But whether it would respond “is hardly obvious,” he suggests. Despite Article 5, many NATO countries would be reluctant to respond lest they trigger a nuclear war. “Putin knows that they know that if they come to the assistance of Estonia, then Putin can respond with a very limited nuclear strike and destroy for example two European capitals. Not London and not Paris, of course.” Under those circumstances, Putin clearly assumes, many in the US would oppose responding. “All progressive and even all reactionary American society” would shout “’We do not want to die for f****** Narva, Mr. President!’” And 70 percent of Germans would insist on neutrality. Putin therefore is “convinced that he can outplay [Western countries and leaders] in potential military conflicts which will arise on the path to the realization of the great idea of the Russian World despite the fact that Russia” is much weaker in conventional arms than NATO and does not have an advantage over the US in nuclear ones. “By the spirit we will take them,” Putin calculates in Piontkovsky’s argument. “By the spirit and by boldness.” Thus, Putin’s plans are “paradoxically adventurist but have chances for success,” all the more so because “in the case of failure, Putin always retains” the option to respond in ways that the MAD doctrine suggests and destroy the world along with Russia. That will induce “a paralyzing influence on his ‘partners.’” Indeed, Piontkovsky says, there is evidence that it already has. It was no accident that the first response of US President Obama and NATO Secretary General Rasmussen to the Ukrainian crisis were “declarations that military intervention by the US and NATO were categorically excluded since Ukraine is not a member” of the Western alliance.Two conflicting federal court rulings at the appellate level over whether or not the government can obtain your cellphone location records without a warrant could have broad implications for the future of digital privacy. It is likely just a matter of time before one of the Fourth Amendment cases makes its way before the Supreme Court. Then, the high court will decide if such data collection from third parties equals an unreasonable search and seizure, and if cellphone users have a reasonable expectation of privacy when it comes to their cellphones. The Two Cases Every time you make a call, receive a text message or upload a photo, your cellphone sends out a signal and pings a nearby cell tower. Each of these towers has a coverage area, known as a “coverage pie,” which is split into three or six parts, known as “sectors.” Your cellphone service provider has a record of which sector and tower serviced your cellphone. This data—known as historical cell site location data—can be used to identify retroactively which cell tower your cellphone connected to and prosecutors have used it in numerous criminal investigations to identify where someone was at a particular time to link them to crimes. In 2012, a district court in Southern Florida sentenced Quartavious Davis to nearly 162 years in prison for a string of armed robberies in the Miami area that occurred in late 2010. In the case brought against him, the United States government linked Davis to six of the seven crimes in the spree for which he was charged in part through cellphone location data via the more than 11,000 historical cell site location records it obtained from service provider MetroPCS in 2011 without a warrant. Since, Davis’ case has played judicial pinball. Following the district court ruling Davis’ lawyers appealed the case to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the government violated Davis’ Fourth Amendment rights when it collected his cellphone location records without a warrant. Then in May 2015 after a request from the government, Quartavious Davis v. United States of America was heard en banc—meaning the full court of 11 judges heard the case—and the ruling was reversed. The court argued that the government did not need a warrant to obtain the records and that the fact the government applied for a court order with a federal magistrate judge under the Stored Communications Act to get MetroPCS to turn over Davis’ historical cell site location data was enough. “The Appellate Court held that Davis did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in his cell site location information,” Jennifer Lynch, senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said. “What that means is that according to the 11th Circuit, the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution doesn’t protect your location information when it is stored with a third party provider, like a cellphone provider.” The 11th Circuit’s decision, however, is in direct conflict with a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in a similar case, United States v. Graham. The divided 4th Circuit ruled that the collection of cellphone location data requires a warrant, not just a court order. Referred to as a circuit split, this is a typical situation the Supreme Court gets involved in. In July 2015, Davis’ lawyers filed a petition asking the high court to review the case. In response, the government requested that the Supreme Court not review Davis and wait to address the Fourth Amendment question regarding cell site location records until after the full 11 judge 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decides whether or not to review Graham. “Everybody is sort of in limbo right now. The Graham case is in limbo. The Davis case is in limbo. Judges, police officers and lawyers are all in limbo,” David Markus, Davis’ attorney, said. “To me, limbo means that it is time for the Supreme Court to jump in. That’s my takeaway.” Within the next week or so, Davis’ attorneys will file one more brief with the Supreme Court, again asking the nine justices to hear their client’s case. Until the Supreme Court and the 4th Circuit Court decide whether or not they will hear the Davis and Graham cases, respectively, both cases and the issue of whether or not law enforcement agencies can obtain cell site location data without a warrant will go unresolved. The Constitutionality Question At the crux of both the Davis and the Graham cases is whether or not it counts as unreasonable search and seizure if the government gains access to a person’s cellphone location data without a warrant. In both, the government argued that cellphone users have no reasonable expectation of privacy when it comes to these records because users knowingly reveal location information to their cellphone companies and are aware of the fact that these third party service providers keep records of this information, thus the Fourth Amendment doesn't apply. The counter argument of course is that cellphone users don’t assume this and believe that their cellphone records are safe from
name] Ubuntu's centralized system for managing and installing apps is one potential advantage over both macOS and Windows, since you can install applications from a number of different sources on those platforms. Windows 10 in S mode operates similarly to Ubuntu, in that it limits installations to just the Microsoft store. Multimedia Support on Ubuntu Ubuntu does not work out of the box with what it calls non-free formats, such as DVD, MP3, QuickTime, and Windows Media formats. Instead, you need to install the restricted formats package from Ubuntu's service. During setup, you can also just select the option to install third-party graphics, Wi-Fi, hardware, and additional media formats alongside Ubuntu. Alternatively, Ubuntu recommends that you use free formats, such as the OGG containers developed by Xiph.org. For MP3, AAC, and WMA files, Ubuntu suggests using the Ogg Vorbis file type. For WMV, MPEG-4, and H.263 files, it recommends Ogg Theora or WebM. For alternatives to Office's.doc,.xls, and.ppt files, Ubuntu points you to the OpenDocument alternatives. However, don't start recklessly converting everything you own into these free formats, as your Linux device may be one of the few devices that supports these standards natively. If you need to share files with others, it might be more difficult than you imagine. That said on Windows, you can install the Web Media Extensions app via the Microsoft Store to play open source files such as content in OGG containers. That's fine, if you're willing to do it, but people you share files with may not be. Flash is also not natively supported on Ubuntu. This is not much of a limitation, given Flash's security vulnerabilities and the fact that Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari all disable Flash by default. That said, if you absolutely must use Flash, you can download and install the package via the typical process. Open-source advocates should check out Gnash and GPL Flash. And although Ubuntu does not support Adobe CC in the first place, you can develop your graphical projects with the World Wide Consortium's (W3C) SVG file standard, which Adobe CC supports. W3C is also responsible for maintaining HTML, CSS, and PNG standards. After selecting the additional media downloads during installation, I transferred a variety of different file types to my Ubuntu desktop to test compatibility. Mostly everything worked fine. MP3s and FLACs loaded into Rhythmbox without issues. I was able to open both JPEG and RAW files in Shotwell. I even got a WMV video (taken from my Zune HD) to play in VLC. As for office documents, I opened.doc and.xlsx files in Libre Office without issue and edited a PDF as well. Although file limitations may crop up sporadically, someone else from the Ubuntu community has likely discovered a workaround—you just have to be willing to track it down and implement it. Can I Game on Ubuntu? The Ubuntu Software store has a dedicated video game section, but the vast majority of its entries are not worth your time. I make a special exception for the delightful SuperTux Cart racing game. It's basically the Linux equivalent of Mario Cart. Unity games are also an option, but those are hit or miss as well. Most users should just install Steam, but don't bother with the Debian-based Steam OS. Just head to the Ubuntu Software app and download Steam there or install the app package via Terminal. Steam's growing library of Linux titles includes AAA entries such as Borderlands 2 and Deux Ex: Mankind Divided, as well as indie hits such as Kerbal Space Program, Stardew Valley, and Rocket League. You might have luck with the emulator software, Wine, but it is not a perfect solution. The good news is that Wine keeps excellent documentation of games (and apps) that work well and those that don't. More importantly, however, Steam has released Proton, a new tool for running Windows games on Linux based on Wine. To enable Proton, you first need to opt into the latest beta version of Steam from your Account settings and then head to Settings > Steam Play > Advanced. Here, check off both options under the Advanced header and make sure at least one version of Proton is selected from the Compatibility tool drop-down menu. Configuring all these steps will make the Install button available for all the titles in your library. Since Proton is a relatively new toolset in active development, compatibility might be sporadic. For example, I was able to install and play through the opening sequences of action-platformer Mirror's Edge without any issues, but could not launch indie-adventure title The Flame in the Flood. Although all the components installed correctly for the latter, a DirectX 11 error prevented it from actually launching. Check out the community-curated list of compatible titles to see if your favorite Windows games work correctly. Despite continued Steam support for Linux, other popular game distribution platforms such as EA's Origin and Blizzard's Battle.net do not currently run on Linux. If gaming is important to you and you want to use Ubuntu, it's best to just dual-boot it alongside Windows or buy a standalone console or handheld system, such as the Nintendo Switch If you are dead set on using Ubuntu as the one true OS on your system, you could always install Oracle's VirtualBox, buy a Windows license and run Windows virtually. That said, dual-booting really is a cleaner solution for most users, since most start with a Windows environment anyway. I installed Steam on Ubuntu on my gaming desktop to see how it performed. My machine had no issues running Rocket League at the highest settings at 1080p resolution, which of course means that my dedicated RX 580 GPU was working without issues. Playing Rocket League on Ubuntu felt no different than on Windows, which is a very good sign for performance. However, I did miss Window's Game Bar menu for easily taking screenshots and recording in-game action. As in Windows, games you install on Steam do not appear in the regular applications folder; you have to manage those within Steam itself. Touch and Voice Input Voice assistants have become a major part of most operating systems. These not only answer factual questions, but also let you perform actions like opening apps, playing music, or shutting down the computer. Cortana, which can do all of this, is available on all 700 million Windows 10 PCs in use. Coming a year after Cortana on Macs, Siri has also had an increasingly prominent role since macOS Sierra. Google Assistant is now omnipresent on Android and the Pixelbook. Since all these technologies are vital parts of their respective company's future AI ambitions, I doubt that Ubuntu will ever get official support from any of them. That said, it's nice to not have to worry about what Alexa, Cortana, Siri, and Google Assistant are collecting with every action or search. As previously mentioned, Ubuntu does support Universal Access features related to voice, such a Screen Reader. In recent years, Microsoft has transformed Windows in an OS that works incredibly well for touch screen devices, spawning a revival of sorts for convertible, 2-in-1, and all-in-one systems. Apple even embraced touch a bit on its laptops by adding the Touch Bar to its MacBook Pro lineup. With Ubuntu, touch support depends more on the desktop environment (and more specifically the windowing system) than on Ubuntu itself. Ubuntu's default (GNOME and X) somewhat supports touchscreens, though Wayland is supposedly the preferred windowing system going forward for such implementations. You can keep track of GNOME's progress on touch features, but I doubt that GNOME or by extension Ubuntu will ever catch up to Windows, especially since Canonical announced the end of Unity support. When I loaded Ubuntu on to a Surface Book, the touch screen did not work upon first boot. That said, a coworker had no issues getting touch features to work on a touchscreen-enabled all-in-one desktop. Needless to say, your mileage may vary considerably. This is another area where you need to be willing to spend some time troubleshooting or just accept this compromise. How Far Will You Go For Free? There's no need to fear GNU/Linux, so long as you don't mind troubleshooting far more often than you would with macOS or Windows. Ubuntu simply requires more of a learning curve and effort than most people are willing to dedicate to their OS. I don't know many people who use Ubuntu or any other distro on a daily basis or even many willing to dual-boot the OS either. That said, people should reconsider these biases because Ubuntu is a highly usable and stable OS for daily computing. Sure, it will appeal mostly to coders, enterprises, and hobbyists, but if you want to avoid paying for your desktop software, look no further. Ubuntu feels familiar and presents a user-friendly and customizable interface that mostly hides its messy underbelly, assuming you get it running with all of the necessary workarounds. One drawback is that Ubuntu (and more broadly GNU/Linux) is incompatible with essential software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe CC, and it lacks broad first-party device support. Navigating Ubuntu also feels less fluid than macOS and Windows and troubleshooting errors can present some serious challenges. Editors' Choices Windows and macOS are more polished, feature better hardware and software integrations, and have larger user bases.In a recent study done ranking each of the 50 states (and the District of Columbia) by motorcycle ownership per capita, South Dakota ranked the best. There are a total of 69,284 motorcycles registered in the state, according to the Department of Transportation, and with a total population of 816,598, when you do the math, there’s roughly 12 people in South Dakota for every motorcycle. Considering South Dakota is the home of the Sturgis rally, its ranking on this list may not be much of a surprise. However, coming in second may be an unlikely state: New Hampshire. With just a tick over 79,000 motorcycles registered and a population of 1.3 million, the numbers work out to approximately 17 people per bike. But consider New Hampshire is home to Laconia Bike Week and features some great riding areas (when the weather cooperates!), and the second place standing may not be so far fetched. Iowa rounds out the top three states for motorcycle ownership per capita with 18 people per motorcycle. Considering it’s the home of Polaris Industries, owners of both Victory and Indian motorcycles, its ranking on the list isn’t surprising. Looking at the bottom of the field, the District of Columbia ranks 51st, and last, with 172 people per motorcycle. Of the states in the Union, Mississippi is 50th (106 people per motorcycle), followed by Louisiana and Texas, with 67 and 58 people per motorcycle, respectively. When it comes to states with the highest motorcycle ownership, it’s well known that California leads that category by far, with over 800,000 motorcycles registered in the state. However, with a population of over 37 million, it ranks 43rd on the list, with 47 people per motorcycle. The complete ranking list can be seen below. Rank State # Bikes Population People per bike 1 South Dakota 69,284 816,598 12 2 New Hampshire 79,266 1,316,807 17 3 Iowa 173,929 3,050,202 18 4 Wisconsin 317,276 5,691,659 18 5 Wyoming 30,351 564,554 19 6 North Dakota 32,654 674,629 21 7 Vermont 30,070 625,909 21 8 Montana 46,996 990,958 21 9 Minnesota 240,288 5,310,658 22 10 Alaska 30,983 714,146 23 11 Idaho 62,576 1,571,102 25 12 Maine 50,318 1,327,379 26 13 New Jersey 330,470 8,799,593 27 14 Colorado 173,120 5,047,692 29 15 Delaware 30,494 899,792 30 16 Ohio 390,494 11,537,968 30 17 Oklahoma 127,140 3,760,184 30 18 Washington 220,856 6,742,950 31 19 Pennsylvania 404,164 12,717,722 31 20 Indiana 204,402 6,490,622 32 21 New Mexico 64,863 2,065,913 32 22 Rhode Island 32,989 1,052,528 32 23 Michigan 308,338 9,877,143 32 24 Florida 574,176 18,838,613 33 25 West Virginia 56,210 1,854,368 33 26 Kansas 81,354 2,859,143 35 27 Oregon 108,313 3,838,332 35 28 Nebraska 51,371 1,830,141 36 29 Arizona 178,890 6,413,158 36 30 Connecticut 97,960 3,575,498 36 31 Illinois 350,193 12,841,980 37 32 Alabama 127,255 4,785,401 38 33 Tennessee 168,408 6,357,436 38 34 Arkansas 76,293 2,921,588 38 35 Nevada 68,951 2,704,283 39 36 Virginia 195,722 8,023,953 41 37 Massachusetts 159,000 6,555,466 41 38 Missouri 140,936 5,995,715 43 39 North Carolina 223,209 9,560,234 43 40 South Carolina 107,864 4,637,106 43 41 Kentucky 98,475 4,347,223 44 42 Hawaii 30,098 1,363,359 45 43 California 801,803 37,338,198 47 44 Utah 59,355 2,775,479 47 45 Maryland 120,069 5,785,681 48 46 Georgia 199,586 9,712,157 49 47 New York 345,816 19,395,206 56 48 Texas 438,551 25,253,466 58 49 Louisiana 67,486 4,545,343 67 50 Mississippi 28,067 2,970,072 106 51 Dist. of Col. 3,523 604,912 172 [Source: Fool.com]Most of Britain’s major cities will be run entirely on green energy by 2050, after the leaders of more than 50 Labour-run councils made pledges to eradicate carbon emissions in their areas. In a highly significant move, council leaders in Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham, Glasgow and many others signed up to the promise ahead of the crucial international climate talks that will take place next month in Paris. Labour said this would cut the UK’s carbon footprint by 10%. The pledge, coordinated by Lisa Nandy, the shadow energy and climate change secretary, will mean green transport, an end to gas heating and a programme of mass insulation of homes in cities across the UK. The move will also pile pressure on the London mayoral candidates to make a similar pledge for the capital, with some Labour-led London boroughs, including Southwark, Lambeth and Greenwich, having already signed the promise. Ahead of the crucial Paris talks, similar pledges have been made by the leaders of other towns and cities around the world, including Copenhagen, New York, Sydney, Malmö and Munich. Hillary Clinton, the US Democratic presidential candidate, has also backed 100% clean energy as a goal, saying: “We should do nothing that interferes with or undermines efforts to reach that goal as soon as it is possible.” Nandy said the move showed the impact that Labour could have locally when it comes to green energy, at a time when the government has slashed subsidies for renewable energy sources such as solar and onshore wind. “Where Labour is in power we will push for a clean energy boom even if the government will not,” she said. “Ministers say they support devolution to our towns and cities so they should back these council leaders by ending their attack on the schemes that can help to make this safer, cleaner future a reality.” Sir Richard Leese, the leader of Manchester city council, said the transition would happen “through acts of leadership by the many, not the few”. “We are taking action to show a completely clean energy future is both viable and within reach within the course of a generation,” he said. The pledge says: “We have the ambition of making all our towns and cities across the UK 100% clean before 2050, in line with the commitments made nationally and internationally at the Paris summit. “We hope other towns and cities across the globe will join us to demonstrate that this transition will happen through acts of leadership by the many, not the few, and that a transition to a clean energy future is both viable and already beginning to happen in many towns and cities today. Our UK towns and cities are committed to making a better future for all.” It comes after Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, called on the UK to become the first country in the world to enshrine in law a target of reducing carbon emissions to zero. Miliband, who was energy secretary under Gordon Brown, said Britain should show leadership and send a clear signal to businesses by building on its existing target of cutting emissions by 80% by 2050 under the Climate Change Act.(via tipster) The woman who was captured on video slashing straphangers on an A train two weeks ago has turned herself in. Merci Chrisette, 28, surrendered to NYPD detectives this morning in Williamsburg. In the video of the incident, the woman police say is Chrisette pulls a knife and tells a man, "Do you want a clue of what's going to happen when I get off this train? I'm going to cut you and I'm going to get away with it." She then slashes him and his female companion on their faces before another rider restrains her; both of them sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention at the scene. Chrisette is charged with felony assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. An NYPD spokesperson said Chrisette has at least two prior assault charges, one for felony assault this past April in Brooklyn after she allegedly punched a man in his chest and struck him in the hand with a broomstick, and another for pepper spraying someone in the face in June of 2014. In a Facebook post last week, Chrisette said that she was “not normally a violent person,” and that “there was more to this story that was not captured in the beginning,” adding that she hoped “that in the future society learns to be kind toward the LGBT community because WE are human as well.” The female victim in the case told Gothamist that "there was nothing of [the LGBTQ community] referred to during the whole situation." Chrisette’s lawyer, who was with her client when she turned herself in, declined to comment. After Chrisette hugged and kissed her friends outside a Hooper Street coffeeshop, detectives handcuffed her and led her into a van. “Be nice to the police officers!” one friend called.The two men showed their disdain for a far-right protest in Madrid on Saturday by kissing in front of the angry crowd, who were cheering for Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and chanting "Spain yes, refugees no!" Tensions were fraught between the neo-Nazi protestors from far-right group Hogar Social Madrid and local people as the protest got underway on Plaza del Dos de Mayo in Malasaña, one of Madrid hippest and most bohemian neighbourhoods. David Fernández and Gregor Eistert were just out for a Saturday stroll when they stumbled upon the demo. "We completely forgot the demonstration was taking place and just like any other Saturday we were looking for a terrace in the centre of Madrid when we stumbled across a huge political rally," Fernández told El Español. The angry crowd started shouting homophobic abuse at the couple, such as "maricón!" (a derogatory Spanish word for a gay man similar to faggot) "You've got AIDS!" and "sickos" as they walked hand in hand. So they reacted in the best way they could think of, a way that was bound to rile the crowd even more: they began kissing. "It was completely spontaneous, it came from anger," David Fernández told Spanish newspaper El Español, adding that it was their way of showing their "repulsion" at the demo. A video taken at the protest shows the couple kissing until they are told "that´s enough" by a policeman and removed from the square. Fernández admitted to El Español it was easier to move them than a thousand neo-Nazis but said he could not comprehend the policeman's actions at the time. "I couldn't understand why they were kicking us out of the square when the ones committing a hate crime were them," he said. Police had previously told locals to stay indoors and had warned local businesses to stay closed ahead of the demonstration. The kiss was met with widespread support on social media. La mejor foto de la mani de Hogar Social. Dos hombres que se aman frente a nazis llenos de odio #madridparatodas pic.twitter.com/JP1ZaDfleT — Madrid Divers♀ (@MadridDiversa) May 21, 2016 "The best photo from the Hogar Social demo. Two men who love each other in front of nazis full of hate."The society says churches should pay for hospital chaplains Religious groups should fund their own presence in UK hospitals and save the NHS some £40m per year, the National Secular Society (NSS) suggests. The organisation of non-believers says such money would be better spent on "much needed" nurses or cleaners. The NSS claims even organ players in hospital chapels are on NHS payrolls. NHS guidance notes all patients have a right to religious observance and that trusts should provide both faith representatives and places to pray. However, the Catholic Church in Scotland said it agreed that spiritual carers should not be funded by the NHS. 'Pressure on services' The NSS said it contacted 233 acute and mental health trusts which spent a total of £26.72m on chaplains, at an average of £48,953 each. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. More from Today programme A medical ethicist's view The society extrapolated these figures for the whole of the UK to produced a national average of £32m. But the NSS said this took into account only the salaries of the chaplains, and excluded national insurance contributions, pension payments, administration costs, office accommodation, training, and the upkeep of chapels and prayer rooms. NSS president Terry Sanderson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the £40m figure was equivalent to employing 1,300 nurses or 2,645 cleaners. "I think if people were given the choice they would choose the latter [nurses or cleaners] because frontline services are under pressure, they are going to be increasingly so as the recession bites, and it's important that savings are made wherever they can be," he said. But Father Paul Mason, a Roman Catholic hospital chaplain in London, said there was a call from patients for chaplaincy services. "We are all busy, there is a demand, we're not there because we're trying to find something to do, we are there because there is demand on the ground for chaplains to be present," he said. The Reverend Chris Swift, a former president of the College of Health Care Chaplains, said: "The NSS report is based on erroneous and simplistic assumptions that do not delve into the real work that chaplains from all faiths carry out in the NHS on daily basis in often emotionally fraught situations." 'Health burden' The role of NHS chaplains - who come from a range of faiths and denominations including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim - ranges from visiting the sick, to administering sacraments and advising on ethical dilemmas. They are also expected to help staff and relatives cope with death and serious illness. Chaplains do an extremely demanding job, often in difficult circumstances, and their skill and dedication is highly valued by patients, relatives and staff Department of Health spokesman But the NNS says these services are part of churches' own "fundamental responsibility", and as such should be paid for out of their own pockets. "Most people who go into a hospital come from the local area and it would be better if their own vicar, priest, rabbi or imam came to see them if they felt in need of religious support," Mr Sanderson said. "This could be done as part of the clergypersons' regular duties - it should not fall as a burden on the NHS." He added that in some cases organists were on the payroll to play in chapels and in other instances Catholic priests delivering last rites charge the hospital a "call-out" fee. The organisation said it was asking the Department of Health to conduct more thorough research into the extent to which these services were used by patients, and how appreciated they were. 'Intrinsic care' A Department of Health spokesman said it was "committed to the principle of ensuring that NHS patients have access to the spiritual care that they want, whatever faith or belief system they follow". HAVE YOUR SAY Having someone from the clergy available in hospital can be extremely comforting and just as important as a nurse Peter, Northampton The spokesman said: "Chaplains do an extremely demanding job, often in difficult circumstances, and their skill and dedication is highly valued by patients, relatives and staff within the health service." A Church of England spokesman said: "Spiritual healthcare has long been acknowledged, by both medical practitioners and the churches, to be an intrinsic part of caring for people in hospital. "NHS Trusts pay for chaplaincies because they see them as part of their duty of care to patients, not because the churches force them to." But Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said: "The Catholic Church in Scotland agrees that religious and spiritual carers should not be employed by the NHS nor funded by the NHS. "Priests will not become employees of Health Boards nor receive any payments for duties which are part of their pastoral ministry." Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionJTA — For non-Orthodox Diaspora Jews worried by the Israeli government’s unfriendly policies toward them this year, a new poll has some good news. The 2017 annual survey by Hiddush, a nonprofit advocating religious pluralism in Israel, offers indications that the Israeli Jewish public is as supportive as ever of religious pluralism, if not more so. Few are happy with how the state handles religion, and a record number would like to disentangle Judaism and politics. “When you look across the years, there is a consistent high level, and on many issues a growing level, of support of freedom of religion and equality,” said Hiddush CEO Uri Regev. “As a result, the gap between the public and the political leaders is growing.” Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up The Rafi Smith Institute in July conducted the survey for Hiddush, based on a representative sample of 800 Israeli Jewish adults. The margin of error is 3.5 percent. Hiddush has commissioned a version of the survey since 2009. Many of this year’s findings are in line with those of previous years. Notably, 65% of Israeli Jews support giving Reform and Conservative Judaism equal official standing to Orthodox Judaism. Among secular Jews, who account for some 40% of Israeli Jewry, the number was 92%. Such a radical move would amount to dismantling the Chief Rabbinate, Israel’s Orthodox rabbinical authority, which controls marriage and other Jewish services in the country. Also, 84% of Jews agree Israel should uphold the freedom of religion and conscience promised in its Declaration of Independence, 67% support state recognition of non-Orthodox marriage and 50% would personally prefer it. At the same time, the survey reveals a significant spike in support for separation of religion and state. Fully 68% of Israelis Jews embrace this principle, which Regev said they interpret as entailing a depoliticization of religion rather than a more complete American-style division. Support is up 5% from last year and 13% since 2010. Zooming in on recent government policies on religion and state, the Hiddush survey found 73% of Israeli Jews oppose the new conversion law, which grants the rabbinate a monopoly over officially recognized Jewish conversions in Israel. Were the government-backed nation-state bill to pass, for the first time enshrining in law Israel’s status as a Jewish state, 65% want it to explicitly protect religious freedom for all. The survey did not ask about the agreement to enhance an egalitarian prayer section at the Western Wall, which the government retreated from in June, outraging many Diaspora Jews and inspiring petitions now being considered by the Supreme Court. But a June survey by Hiddush found 63% of Israeli Jews oppose the government’s action. In general Israeli Jewish support for separation of religion and state and pluralistic policies is correlated with secularity and voting for more left-wing and less religious parties. Voters for ultra-Orthodox political parties overwhelmingly oppose both. Despite recently escalating political rhetoric and legislation aimed at weakening the Supreme Court for its alleged disregard of Israel’s Jewish values, the survey found widespread support for the principles underlying many of its recent rulings and, at least relative to other government institutions, for the court itself. The Supreme Court last week broke the rabbinate’s monopoly over kosher certification and struck down legislation from 2015 meant to delay efforts to increase the rate at which ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students are drafted into the military. According to the survey, public support for opening the kashrut market to competition with the state acting as a supervisor continued to rise, to 80% of Israelis Jews. Among secular Jews, the number was 95% with 80% backing the introduction of non-Orthodox certification. As in previous years, 83% think yeshiva students should be required to do military or national service, though a third would settle for national service and 14% are OK with some exemptions. Asked for the first time this year which institution they most trust, a plurality of Israelis, 39%, chose the Supreme Court over the government, the Knesset, the rabbinate or the rabbinical courts. The least trusted institution is the government followed by the rabbinate. The survey indicates that the state’s handling of issues of religion and state is one cause of its lack of public support. A large majority of Israeli Jews, 78%, are dissatisfied with the current government on such issues. Only a majority of voters of the Mizrahi ultra-Orthodox political party Shas are satisfied. According to Regev, there is growing frustration in Israel with political kowtowing to the ultra-Orthodox parties. After their opposition led to the suspension of the Western Wall deal, the parties in July pushed through a law allowing state-run mikvahs, or ritual baths, to bar non-Orthodox Jews from entry. In September, they brought to a sudden halt Shabbat repair work on train tracks across the country by threatening to bolt the government over the issue, wreaking havoc on the workday commutes of tens of thousands of Israelis. However, Regev predicted, the ultra-Orthodox community will continue to call the shots as religion and state issues remain low on the priority list of most Israelis. A Channel 10 poll ahead of the 2015 election found that for most Israelis cost of living and social issues would be the main determinants of their vote, followed by security. Only 9% said they would vote primarily based on religion and state issues. Hiddush chairman Stanley Gold called on Diaspora Jews to step in. The Hiddush annual survey found 55% of Israeli Jews support American Jewish involvement in religion and state issues. “Jewish Diaspora leaders concerned for the future of the Jewish people and concerned with strengthening Israel as a Jewish and democratic state must partner with Israeli organizations working in this field to bring about the necessary change: Full freedom of religion and conscience and total equality, regardless of religious identity,” he said in a statement. Regev — who last week issued a statement signed by dozens leaders from across Judaism’s religious spectrum calling for sweeping reforms to Israel’s official religious establishment and its policies — suggested a shift in focus to those issues that most affect the daily life of Israelis. In a survey last December, Hiddush found that the rabbinate’s monopoly over Jewish marriage and divorce in Israel is by far the most important religion and state issue to Jews, while prayer at the Western Wall is by far the least important one. The same survey found that 60% of Israeli Jews support American Jewish involvement in the marriage issue. “There is dissymmetry between areas Israelis feel are important and the focus of many American Jews in the past few years,” Regev said. “But Israelis are frustrated with the status quo when it comes to marriage and so are more open to Diaspora intervention.” There are reasons to believe religion and state issues will not remain on the Israeli political back burner indefinitely. According to Hiddush’s annual survey, Israeli Jews think the political conflict between ultras-Orthodox and secular Jews is among the most challenging in the country, at least as much so as the one between the political right and left. Seething secular anger has erupted at the ballot box before, notably with the rise of Yair Lapid in 2012 and his father Tommy Lapid in 2003. “Politicians should be wary,” said Regev. “They don’t know when the hurricane is going to hit. It hit before, it will hit again, and it may be this time around.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Israel, confirmed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on 31 May, may sound like an idea that sounds like the government is 'thinking out of the box', but it's a dangerous foreign policy move. A solid argument in favour of Modi deciding to become the first-ever Indian PM to pay an official visit to Israel stems from the fact that the Indian foreign policy in favour of the Palestinians in the Israel-Palestine conflict has yielded zilch so far for New Delhi. Moreover, the Arab world has stymied India routinely and over the years repeatedly taken Pakistan's side on the Kashmir issue. The Arab nations has done this through the platform of Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), a body of 56 Islamic states and the argument is that through these periodic anti-India resolutions passed at the OIC platform it has repeatedly cocked a snook at India. Some believe it is time for New Delhi to rework its foreign policy vis-a-vis the Islamic nations and take sides with Israel openly. But this is not only a flawed way of looking at the complex relations between India and the Muslim world but is also fraught with dangerous diplomatic, economic and strategic consequences that we can ill afford. Congress leader Anand Sharma on 3 June in Hyderabad has said that PM Modi’s proposed visit to Israel is “worrisome” as it undermines India's position on Palestine and also "destroys balance" in India’s foreign policy. But even Sharma failed to elaborate why such a step would be bad for Indian foreign policy and Indian national interests. It was the Congress government of PV Narasimha Rao which had dared to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. Incidentally, China too had established diplomatic relations with Israel in the same year. Since 1992, both India and China have invested a lot in their diplomatic engagements with Israel, overtly as well as covertly. Both India and China have consistently counter-balanced their relations with Israel and stepped up their outreach to Islamic nations simultaneously. But by deciding to pay an official visit to Israel, PM Modi has threatened to do away with the traditional diplomatic balance between Israel and the Islamic nations. The Modi government must not lose sight of the fact that Israel is a trigger-happy state. It has routinely 'punished' the Palestinians and the Arab world for their attacks on Israel. Most often, the retaliatory attacks have been disproportionate. So much so that if one Israeli is killed in a terror attack, reprisals from Tel Aviv often claim far more lives. Israel has routinely gotten away for its trigger-happy, aggressive foreign policy largely due to two reasons: One, it is a de facto nuclear weapon power. Two, it is not only tolerated but also encouraged by the world’s sole superpower the United States, thanks to the perennially strong Jewish lobby in the US. The 'exploits' of Israel and the fact that this small Jewish state has survived all these decades may inspire jingoists, but the fact is that an overtly strong relationship with Israel will inevitably trigger a much bigger and costlier backlash for India from Islamic nations. India continues to rely heavily on oil imports from the Islamic nations. Moreover, more than seven million Indians are living and working in Islamic countries. By becoming the first Indian PM to visit Israel, Modi may unleash an irrevocable damage. Such a step will also impinge badly on Indian trade with the Islamic nations. For example, India has annual bilateral trade worth $75 billion with a small country like the United Arab Emirates. India must also consider its relations with two major Islamic powers – Saudi Arabia and Iran – if it were to decide to take its relationship with Israel to another level with a prime ministerial visit. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran will be fuming and India will lose its strategic grip on these important nations which it has carefully developed and nurtured over the past decade. As for China, one must not forget that China and Israel have a very strong military relationship. Israel is China’s second largest foreign supplier of arms, second only to Russia. But at the same time, Israel is of utmost strategic importance for India. There are certain relationships which are seldom or never put out in the open – and should not be. The India-Israel relationship falls in this unusual category. It is good to intensify relations with Israel, a country which has helped us immensely in countering Pakistan’s proxy war over the past decades. This relationship needs to be nurtured and strengthened, but covertly. *The writer, is a Consulting Editor with Firstpost and a strategic analyst. He tweets from @Kishkindha. Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.T.J. Edwards (left) who led the Badgers in tackles last season, is sidelined with a foot injury. Credit: Mark Hoffman SHARE By of the Madison — Inside
can take a look at some screenshots from the game at our Pokemon + Nobunaga's Ambition image gallery. Thanks to our friends over at Andriasang for the details on this Japanese release. We'll keep you posted on this title as more information becomes available.Canada Soccer has announced their 24-man squad for the upcoming Men's International Friendly series in Austria against opponents Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The squad and camp continues coach Benito Floro's preparations for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers in September, including the all-important final match of this semi-final round at BC Place in Vancouver on 6 September. Both June matches will be broadcast live on canadasoccer.com and youtube.com/canadasoccertv. The Canada-Azerbaijan match is Friday 3 June at 13.00 ET / 10.00 PT (19.00 local at Stadion Rohrbach an der Lafnitz in Rohrbach an der Lafnitz, AUT) while the Canada-Uzbekistan match is Tuesday 7 June at 10.00 ET / 07.00 PT (16.00 local at Thermenstadion Bad Waltersdorf in Bad Waltersdorf, AUT). "We consider both matches will provide us with a very good test," said Benito Floro, Canada Soccer's Men's National Team Head Coach. "The European camp is important because it gives us time to practice and create new structures for our team and their communication. With every camp, they can learn and practice positive methods that will help them in the games." With Canada's next FIFA World Cup Qualifiers just three months away, coach Floro has recalled a largely similar squad featured throughout the CONCACAF semi final round. One exception is Atiba Hutchinson, who will use the offseason to recover and address a long-standing minor injury after leading the Turkish Süper Lig in minutes played en route to a first-place finish in the league standings. Back in camp is young winger Michael Petrasso, who has just completed his first professional season with Queens Park Rangers. The Canadian U-20 Player of the Year is making his third appearance in a Men's National Team camp. SUPPORT #CANADARED, BE CANADA'S 12th MAN After an away match against Honduras on 2 September, Canada will come home to face El Salvador in a critical match on 6 September at BC Place in Vancouver. To help build a sea of #CanadaRED supporters, tickets to the match start as low as $25 (plus applicable fees). In addition, a special ‘Me+3’ offer will be available for this match. When purchasing three full price tickets in select sections, fans will receive the fourth one free. This offer is available via Ticketmaster.ca by selecting the ‘Me+3’ offer. Group discounts will be offered, with groups of 10 or more eligible to receive discounts of up to 30% off regularly priced sections. To request group tickets, complete the group order form indicating the price point and quantity of tickets you are wishing to purchase. Please note that group tickets will be processed on a first come, first served basis. For complete information visit the group ticket section on CanadaSoccer.com/Tickets BC Place Club Seats offer fans a premium match day experience featuring exclusive entrances, in-seat service, larger comfortable seats, exclusive club lounges with a full-service private bar and heightened food offerings, all from some of the best views in the venue. Fans purchasing club seats will receive a complimentary Canada Soccer scarf (a retail value of $30) upon arrival to their seats on match day. Canadian Supporters have been allocated a number of dedicated sections in the southwest end of BC Place. Fans wishing to sit in the Canadian supporter sections are encouraged to visit the Voyageurs website for more information and to purchase tickets through thevoyageurs.org. Please note that persistent standing will be permitted in these sections. Visiting supporters will be located in the northeast corner of BC Place. Fans wishing to sit in these sections should select "El Salvador supporters" from the drop-down menu on the Ticketmaster event page. Complete ticket information can be found at CanadaSoccer.com/Tickets. ROAD TO THE 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP RUSSIA The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is the biggest single-sport event in the world. From 209 member associations from around the world, 32 finalists will qualify for the 32-day event that is played in 11 cities from 14 June to 15 July 2018. Canada are amongst the 11 remaining CONCACAF nations in the hunt for a spot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. The remaining nations are split into three groups for the continent's 2015-2016 semi-final stage. The top-two nations in each group will advance to the final round in 2017, from which three nations qualify for Russia 2018 and the fourth team advances to an intercontinental playoff. In CONCACAF's semi-final (Round 4), Canada will play six matches, with both a home and away encounter against Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico. The stage concludes in September after Canada faces Honduras away and El Salvador at home. CANADA 1- GK- Simon Thomas \| NOR / FK Bodø/Glimt 2- FB- Nik Ledgerwood \| CAN / FC Edmonton 3- CB- Manjrekar James \| HUN / Diósgyöri VTK 4- CB- Dejan Jaković \| JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse 5- CB- David Edgar \| ENG / Birmingham City 6- M- Julian de Guzman \| CAN / Ottawa Fury FC 7- M- Iain Hume \| ESP / SD Ponferradina 8- M- Will Johnson \| CAN / Toronto FC 9- F- Marcus Haber \| ENG / Crewe Alexandra 10- M- David Junior Hoilett \| ENG / Queens Park Rangers 11- M- Tosaint Ricketts \| Unattached 12- CB- Doneil Henry \| ENG / West Ham United 13- M- Michael Petrasso \| ENG / Queens Park Rangers 14- M- Samuel Piette \| ESP / Deportiva La Coruna 15- CB- Adam Straith \| NOR / Fredrikstad FK 16- M- Scott Arfield \| ENG / Burnley FC 17- FB- Marcel De Jong \| CAN / Ottawa Fury FC 18- GK- Milan Borjan \| BUL / PFK Ludogorets Razgrad 19- CB- Steven Vitória \| POR / Benfica 20- CB / FB- Karl W. Ouimette \| USA / New York Red Bulls 21- F- Cyle Larin \| USA / Orlando City SC 22- GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos \| SWE / AIK Fotbol 23- M- Tesho Akindele \| USA / FC Dallas 24- F- Simeon Jackson \| ENG / Blackburn Rovers CANADA A-Z Name, Age, City in which they grew up, Active start in soccer Akindele, Tesho \| 24 \| Thornton, CO, USA \| Mississauga Arfield, Scott \| 27 \| Livingston, SCO \| Borjan, Milan \| 28 \| Hamilton, ON, CAN \| Radnicki JP de Guzman, Julian \| 35 \| Scarborough, ON, CAN \| Wexford SC De Jong, Marcel \| 29 \| Valkenswaard, NED \| De Valk Edgar, David \| 29 \| Kitchener, ON, CAN \| Kitchener Minor SA Haber, Marcus \| 27 \| Vancouver, BC, CAN \| Dunbar SA Henry, Doneil \| 23 \| Brampton, ON, CAN \| Ontario Youth Soccer Hoilett, David Junior \| 26 \| Brampton, ON, CAN \| Mississauga SC Hume, Iain \| 32 \| Brampton, ON, CAN \| Rexdale Jackson, Simeon \| 29 \| Mississauga, ON, CAN \| Clarkson Jaković, Dejan \| 30 \| Etobicoke, ON, CAN \| Kingsview James, Manjrekar \| 22 \| North York, ON, CAN \| North York Azzuri Johnson, Will \| 29 \| Toronto, ON, CAN & Chicago, IL, USA \| Larin, Cyle \| 21 \| Brampton, ON, CAN \| Brampton Youth SC Ledgerwood, Nik \| 31 \| Lethbridge, AB, CAN \| Lethbridge Cosmos Ouimette, Karl W. \| 23 \| Terrebonne, QC, CAN \| CS Terrebonne Petrasso, Michael \| 20 \| Woodbridge, ON, CAN \| Kleinburg SC Piette, Samuel \| 21 \| Le Gardeur, QC, CAN \| Lionceaux de le Gardeur Ricketts, Tosaint \| 28 \| Edmonton, AB, CAN \| Edmonton Juventus Stamatopoulos, Kenny \| 36 \| Markham, ON, CAN \| Markham SC (Lightning) Straith, Adam \| 25 \| Victoria, BC, CAN \| Bays United SC Thomas, Simon \| 26 \| Victoria, BC, CAN \| Bays United SC Vitória, Steven \| 29 \| Mississauga, ON, CAN \| Sudbury LionsJust 90 companies are revealed as having produced two-thirds of all greenhouse gas emissions, clearing the smoke that envelops action on global warming And so the smoke clears: just 90 companies produced two-thirds of the greenhouse gas emissions that have been smothering the planet since the dawn of the industrial revolution. The new research is a landmark because knowing exactly who caused global warming is a big step towards knowing how to stop it. It is tempting to see the list as a rogues gallery, full of familiar names such as ExxonMobil who have lavishly funded campaigns to deny the role of fossil fuels in climate change. The prospect of legal challenges to extract damages from the titans of the extractive industry looks attractive, particularly as scientists get ever better at attributing extreme weather events to the heat trapped by carbon dioxide. But the pollution belongs to all of those whose lives have been transformed over the last 250 years by cheap energy. Instead, the value of the work is that it has produced a power list, in every sense. It is now clearer than ever before that a just few dozen companies and cartels have presided over the mass pollution of our planet, unknowingly for many years but no longer. Energy fuels the world economy and the list shows just how that power has been concentrated in astonishingly few hands. There are few more terrifying threats a government faces than the lights going out or the petrol pumps running dry. Energy companies are the biggest corporations the world has ever seen and this concentration of immense power makes them the biggest vested interests ever to do battle with the public good. So, while the past is a foreign country where they did things differently, to paraphrase L P Hartley's opening to his novel of lost innocence, the power list points to a more hopeful future. That is because the list shows that the levers of power that must be shifted to avoid climate meltdown are held by relatively few hands. You can fit 90 people on one London bus: the current bosses of those energy companies exploiting fossil fuels can be targeted. Appeals to their better natures are unlikely to be successful as their jobs are to maximise the profits of their companies. But those very profits may turn out to be the most powerful lever of all. The world's governments have pledged to limit climate change to 2C, which means two-thirds of all known fossil fuel reserves must be kept in the ground unburned. This carbon bubble is starting to be taken seriously by the biggest financial institutions in the world, from Citibank to HSBC to Goldman Sachs. If you think the idea of a carbon bubble is far-fetched consider the fact that in 2012, far from reducing their efforts to develop fossil fuels, the top 200 companies spent $674bn (£441bn) to find and exploit even more. If those are burned, the planet fries. If they are not, investors are going to lose their shirts. Combating climate change is the biggest challenge ever faced by humanity. It is nothing less than re-engineering the world economy by taking on its greatest corporations. The new list shows that those vested interests may be great in power but they are small in number. The smoke-filled rooms where the planet's future will be decided just cleared.One of the things about being a highly visible, deeply combative fat activist is that everyone seems to think you’re made of steel. That you are so strong and confident, that nothing ever hurts you or makes you feel bad. Nobody believes that you have bad days, that there are times where the fight just goes out of you and you can’t face another moment of trying to claw your way out of the hatred and stigma that surrounds fat people. But that’s not true. It’s not true in the slightest. Even the most radical fatty, the most sartorially brave, the fiercest fighter, the strongest critic of the dominant paradigm around fatness struggles. Every single one of us have those times where we just run out of oomph. I am having one of those days today, and have been really struggling all afternoon. You see, the American Medical Association today declared obesity as a disease despite a report from their own council on science and public health urging them not to. According to the AMA, we fat people are no longer just people, we are diseased, defective, damaged, broken. We are officially diseases to be cured, prevented, eradicated. And this news has shaken me to the core. I simply feel so defeated right now, like all the work that I and many other fat activists have done, and are doing to claw back our rights and improve our quality of life has just been taken away from us. Rationally, I know why the AMA has made this ruling. They’ve done so because big pharmaceutical companies, the weight loss industry and big health insurance companies, have lobbied, threatened, bullied and bribed them to do so. Rationally I know that the reason these big corporations have done this is because it’s in their best interest financially to do so. After all, they’re raking in HUGE amounts of money by convincing society in general that appearance = health, and that if you don’t meet the arbitrary levels of appearance that you must be sick, and surprise surprise, they have a drug, or a surgery, or a device, or a diet plan or an extra expensive health insurance plan to sell you to fix it. The weight loss industry alone was worth almost $800 million just here in Australia. Can you imagine what could be done for $800 million per year in this country? We could all have completely free health care for every Australian, more than we would ever need. People with disabilities could have all of the equipment that they would ever need, and any support and care they would ever need. No human being in Australia would go without food, water or housing. Education would be free for our whole lives, from kindergarten through any university studies that we would care to take on. Medical research into every known actual disease, from the common cold to cancer could be funded fully. All this just from the money that the diet and weight loss industry is worth in a single year, and there would be change. In fact, if we only took their profit margin for ONE year, approximately $63 million dollars, and applied that to public funding annually – we could fund a lot of the things I’ve listed above. And that’s just here in Australia, a country of only about 22 million people. In the US, the weight loss industry is worth 66 BILLION DOLLARS. Let alone the cumulative value of the rest of the world’s weight loss industries. There is NO WAY ON EARTH that the weight loss industry is not behind this ruling from the AMA. They have $66 billion dollars worth of power per annum in the US alone. $66 billion dollars they can spend on lobbying, propaganda, graft, legal threats to anyone who opposes them, you name it to make sure the ruling falls the way they want it to. Rationally I know this. I know the facts. I’ve done years of my own research into this because what I was being told about my fat body wasn’t matching up to reality. But despite that knowledge… I feel so defeated today. I feel so disheartened. I feel so cheated. I feel like I’m being marked as inferior, defective, broken. Simply because my body happens to fall on the far end of a bell curve of diverse human bodies. Simply because my body doesn’t fall in the small peak of the bell curve, the median of human bodies, a tiny arbitrary band of people who are granted the “normal” status just because they’re in the middle statistically. But being at one end of the statistics doesn’t reflect who I am. It doesn’t reflect how I feel. It doesn’t reflect what my body can do. It doesn’t reflect my value as a human being. The AMA doesn’t know what it feels like to exist in my fat body. They don’t know what it’s like in my body to wake up after a deep sleep, stretch and feel that stretch go down to my toes and up to my outstretched fingertips. They don’t know what it feels like in my body to go swimming, feeling the cool water soft and cocooning around my body, and the wonderful sleepy feeling I get afterwards. They don’t know what it feels like in my body to walk along the waterfront near my house on a windy but crystal clear winters day, with the sun warming my back as the wind nips my nose and fingertips. They don’t know what it feels like in my body to laugh with my friends, my belly rocking, tears rolling down my face and my ribs hurting from giggling so hard. They don’t know anything about what it feels like in my body. All they know is that I am at the far end of a bell curve, and that someone out there can make money from making me hate myself and by encouraging society to hate me, and to repeatedly attempt to move myself to another point on the statistical bell curve, something we scientifically know fails for 95% of all attempts. And with that they have marked me, and people like me, as diseased, defective, broken. The only time I feel diseased, defective, broken is when society repeatedly pushes me down because of how I look and what numbers show up on a scale when I step on it. I don’t feel those things unless I am taught to feel them. Not even when I actually suffer illness or injury. How is simply declaring me as diseased based on statistics, and despite how I feel or the quality of my life, good for my health? How is that good for anyone’s health? The inimitable Marilyn Wann has started a petition against this AMA ruling here. Please sign. *Edited because the figures I got from a study were incorrect – not that they change anything. Let’s try to not kick me while I’m fucking down, OK? AdvertisementsDoes anyone need a new castle? Maybe you have a mansion that you need to upgrade? Maybe your old castle is haunted? Maybe you already have a castle, and just need a summer castle? It just so happens that there is a castle for sale in Fayetteville, just in case you need it. It’s located at 2991 South City Lake Road, and it’s currently owned by Joan and Bruce Johnson. According to an article about it on Today.com, the couple built the castle to showcase their hardwood carving and molding business, White River Hardwoods. Here are some interesting facts about it. It is listed for $14.3 million. It is known as Dromborg Castle. It is a five-bedroom, five-bathroom castle. It was constructed with 4 million pounds of stone. A 30-year mortgage on it, with 20% down (roughly $2.8 million) at 6% interest would run just under $70,000 per month. It sits on a 100-acre piece of property. At 13,000 square feet, you could fit 50 Fayetteville Flyer offices inside it. It does not currently come with a moat. You’ll have to build your own. It is a castle. For real. To purchase this castle, contact Kristen Boozman at portfolionwa.com. View Larger MapWhat secrets do they hold? researchers demand sealed files about JFK assassination be made public on eve of fiftieth anniversary Researchers are most interested in the file on George Joannides, a CIA agent who may have had a connection to Lee Harvey Oswald and acted as a liaison on a later assassination investigation All documents pertaining to the Kennedy assassination are set to be released by 2017 Fifty years after the assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, researchers are still investigating his mysterious murder. Thousands of pages pertaining to the assassination are still sealed, and researchers are calling for a complete public release. Jefferson Morley, former Washington Post Reporter currently suing the CIA to release the data, is most interested in a file containing about 300 pages on the now-deceased CIA agent George Joannides. Scroll down for video Call for transparency: Even fifty years after JFK's assassination, thousands of documents relating to the killing remained sealed Joannides, Morley believes, may have had contact with suspected assassin Lee Harvey Oswald prior to the shooting and later served as Langley's liaison for a JFK assassination investigation in the 1970s. Who is George Joannides? Researchers believe that files on the CIA agent may reveal the suspected JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had a connection at Langley The first official investigation found that Lee Harvey Oswald was acting alone, after failing to get a visa to Cuba and his wife Marina rejected his attempts at reconciliation. Another investigation in the mid-1970s said that the assassination was probably a conspiracy, after discovering audio files suggesting a second shooter. These contradicting opinions have led many to come up with conspiracy theories behind the president's death replacing the initial conclusion that Oswald acted alone. Morley doesn't believe that the documents will reveal any big conspiracy, but it may prove that the CIA did know of Oswald before the shooting. That would contradict the first investigation's findings that Kennedy's assassination was carried out by a lone-ranger, a completely random act that couldn't have been prevented. Morley believes that Oswald may have been in contact with Joannides due to his noted involvement in an pro-Castro organization. Oswald's membership in the Fair Play for Cuba Committee was confirmed when he was captured by a local television station in an altercation with anti-Castro demonstrators. But investigators later found that Oswald had pamphlets in his possession with an address of a local anti-Castro operation connected to a former FBI agent. Researchers believe those pamphlets mean that Oswald was working with counterintelligence to discredit his pro-Castro group. If that's the case he would have been in contact with George Joannides the CIA case officer for the anti-Castro Student Revolutionary Directorate - the same group Oswald got in a brawl with. Morley argues that that the CIA was aware of Lee Harvey Oswald before President Kennedy's assassination because of his connections to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee If Oswald was in contact with Joannides, it means that the CIA concealed the fact that Oswald was on their radar. But Joannides connection to the assassination doesn't end there. A second investigation into the assassination convened in the mid-1970s and this time weighing audio evidence of a possible second shooter. In the end the committee reported that the president was 'probably assassinated as the result of a conspiracy. The committee is unable to identify the other gunman or the extent of the conspiracy.' The committee sifted through thousands of CIA records, and their liaison to Langley at the time was none other than George Joannides, G Robert Blakey, the committee's chief counsel, recalled how the CIA brought in Joannides to act as a middleman to help fill requests for documents made by committee researchers. House Assassinations Committee chief counsel G. Robert Blakey, second left, meets with committee chairman Louis Stokes, left, before a closed session investigating the death of JFK 'He was put in a position to edit everything we were given before it was given to us,' Blakey said. But Blakey didn't learn about Joannides' past until Morley unearthed it in files declassified years later. George Joannides, middle, being presented with an award in 1981 for 28 years of service, flanked by his wife and U.S. Navy Adm. B.R. Inman, director of the CIA 'If I'd known Joannides was the case officer for the DRE, he couldn't have been liaison; he would have been a witness,' Blakey told The Associated Press. Morley does not suggest the Joannides files point to agency involvement in the assassination itself, but more likely that their release would show the CIA trying to keep secret its own flawed performance before the assassination. 'The idea that Lee Harvey Oswald was some unknown quantity to CIA officers was false,' Morley said. 'There was this incredible high-level attention to Oswald on the eve of the assassination.' Assuming that Oswald fired the fatal shot, he said, 'These top CIA case officers are guilty of negligence.' Blakey isn't optimistic about getting all of the documents from the intelligence agency, citing the agencies lack of cooperation with three previous investigations. 'That's three agencies that they were supposed to be fully candid with,' he said. 'And now they're taking the position that some of these documents can't be released even today.' 'Why are they continuing to fight tooth and nail to avoid doing something they'd promised to do?' According to the President John F Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, all documents pertaining to the assassination must be released by 2017.Former NBA coach and current ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy is one of the funniest people around the league. He’s hugged Spurs coach Gregg Popovich mid-interview and delivered countless memorable rants, including one about the DH in baseball. Van Gundy is celebrating his 54th birthday on Tuesday, which gives us the chance to share our all-time favorite story of his. On May 18, 2000, the New York Knicks were arriving at Westchester County Airport in New York after an 87–81 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Down 3–2 in the series, things were already going south for Van Gundy. • SI Media Podcast: Featuring Jeff Van Gundy, ESPN NBA analyst Whereas parking lots close to the runway are not typically a problem for sports teams since most team members drive substantial vehicles like SUV’s (2.7 tons), Van Gundy was always known for his frugality, especially when it came to automobiles. As the team’s charter flight landed and taxied on the runway, a blast from the engine propulsion literally lifted his little 1995 Honda Civic (around 2,300 pounds) off the ground and sent it flying into the air, totally destroying it and three other cars, including Allan Houston’s 1997 Mercedes. From The New York Times: “It was compacted,” Van Gundy said yesterday afternoon. “The windshield was totally blown out along with the rest of the windows. It’s just a car.”... Van Gundy telephoned his wife, Kim, at about 3:30 a.m. She answered groggy, unsure of what she was hearing. He gave her the details quickly and told her he would sleep in his office and see her in the morning. Here is the coach of the New York Knicks — one of the most prominent teams in basketball — driving a ‘95 Civic! It was such a cheap car, it was actually thrown into the air. What a rough night, too. From instructing professional athletes in a nationally-televised game in beautiful Miami to being without a car and sleeping in your office. He has since moved up to a Toyota Camry. Never change, Jeff. Happy Birthday.The head of an international organisation that represents sports people has argued that athletes should be fitted with microchips, like dogs, as the next step in the fight against doping. Related Articles Sergio Henao cleared by UCI over biological passport case Improved EPO test set to deter micro dosing at the Tour de France Are micro-dosing riders poking holes in biological passport? Mike Miller, chief executive of the World Olympians Association, claimed that technological advances will soon make it possible for athletes' bodies to be implanted with devices that not only track their movements but also test for banned substances around the clock. Speaking at a London conference on integrity in sport, he waved away concerns over privacy, claiming the measure would be help to stay one step ahead of dopers. "Some people say we shouldn't do this to people. Well, we're a nation of dog lovers, we're prepared to chip our dogs and it doesn't seem to harm them, so why aren't we prepared to chip ourselves?" Miller argued. Miller's argument centred on the notion that anti-doping tests can only give a positive or negative result at a specific moment in time, the suspicion being that dopers are increasingly wise as to how and when to take banned substances while avoiding detection. The biological passport was introduced in 2008 to give a wider, longer-term testing perspective, while all athletes are subject to random drugs tests and must keep WADA notified of their whereabouts at all times. "In order to stop doping we need to chip our athletes where the latest technology is there. Microchips get over the issue of whether the technology can be manipulated because they have no control over the device," said Miller. "The problem with the current anti-doping system is that all it says is that at a precise moment in time there are no banned substances but we need a system which says you are illegal substance-free at all times and if there are changes in markers they will be detected. "I'm just throwing the idea out there. I'm gauging reaction from people but we do need to think of new ways to protect clean sport. I'm no Steve Jobs but we need to spend the money and use the latest technology." The proposal is bound to raise concerns, not least regarding a possible invasion of privacy and freedom. That was touched upon by fellow conference member Nicole Sapstead, the head of UK Anti Doping, who also questioned whether the technology could ever be completely effective. "We welcome verified developments in technology which could assist the fight against doping. However, can we ever be sure that this type of thing could never be tampered with or even accurately monitor all substances and methods on the prohibited list?" she asked. "There is a balance to be struck between a right to privacy versus demonstrating that you are clean. We would actively encourage more research in whether there are technologies in development that can assist anti-doping organisations in their endeavours." Miller brushed off concerns over privacy, adding: "Sport is a club and people don't have to join the club if they don't want to, if they can't follow the rules."What’s better than a street taco that makes you feel like you made the long trip down to TJ? Easy answer: not much. If you stumble across the stand on 26th and Humboldt in Lincoln Heights, sandwiched between a Muay Thai gym and a parking lot, deliciously transportive tacos are exactly what you’ll find. There’s no signage, but the long line, steam rising from the grill, and a portable speaker blaring cumbias (a type of Latin American music) will show you the way. Pulling up, the first thing you notice are the layers and layers of al pastor being spit-roasted on an open flame. There’s a man behind the flat top grill cooking carne asada, and next to him a fellow taquero furiously flips tortillas and passes them down the assembly line. The full range of smells doesn’t officially hit you until you reach the cashier—the sweetness of the grilled onions, the char of the steak, and the porcine funk of the carnitas and buche (that’s pig esophagus, for the taco rookies). The tacos are served on a paper plate where the oily tortillas leave a Rorschach grease blot. By default, they come with cilantro, onions, and radish but you can customize them with a range of salsas at the nearby bar. My personal go-to is the salsa roja because it gives the right amount of kick and, if you use enough, you can get a pleasant case of the taco sweats going. Taco sweats are a crucial part of the equation. The owner’s name is Erasmo Reyes and he’s been in the taco business for 18 years, ten of which were spent in this alley. He tells me that the business got good via word of mouth, and being tucked away in a spot that doesn’t get much foot traffic is actually a plus for him. “There is always a problem with taco trucks having lots of foot traffic on sidewalks,” he said to me in Spanish. “This spot is good because it is out of the way for the people who don’t want tacos.” Out of the six meats—carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, buche, cabeza, and suadero—the suadero was the surprising one. I had no idea what it was, but, as one does with things they don’t understand, I ate it anyways. It had the same kind of pleasant chewiness as pork skin with the savory beefiness of carne asada. Reyes told me that suadero was a newer meat to the taco scene in the US. “Suadero is very common in Mexico,” he said. “Only in the last ten years has it begun to get more popular here.” He told me that it comes from the lower body of the cow towards the leg. He described it to me as the beef version of carnitas, and he wasn’t lying. Paying for your tacos is based off the honor system—when you’re done with your meal, tell the cook on the far right how many tacos you ate. Screw taco Tuesday, this is your new spot for taco Anyday.“The mouth of the Blackwater Rush had turned into the mouth of hell.” Synopsis: Along with the rest of Stannis‘ fleet under the command of Ser Imry Florent, Davos Seaworth sails up the Blackwater Rush to his destiny. SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector. Political Analysis: Davos III, put simply, is the reason George R.R Martin wrote A Clash of Kings the way he did. It is his finest writing in the entire series when it comes to depictions of war – an ordinary man, an uncommon commoner, thrust into a huge setpiece battle with hundreds of ships locked in epic conflict, who sees his sons’ lives snuffed out in an instant, an entire fleet wrecked, and then seems to suffer a horrible death suffering the worst combination of fire and water. No wonder then that Davos III is the only chapter depicting the Battle of Blackwater from Stannis’ side, because how could you top this? Incidentally, before you read any further, I highly recommend reading BryndenBFish’s Complete Analysis of Stannis Baratheon As a Military Commander, an invaluable resource. Ser Imry Florent Continuing the theme of class privilege in warfare that we’ve seen in Davos I and Davos II, in this chapter we learn that command of Stannis’ entire navy, and therefore the success or failure of the whole battle has been placed in the hands of one Ser Imry Florent: Davos could make out Fury well to the southeast, her sails shimmering golden as they came down, the crowned stag of Baratheon blazoned on the canvas. From her decks Stannis Baratheon had commanded the assault on Dragonstone sixteen years before, but this time he had chosen to ride with his army, trusting Fury and the command of his fleet to his wife’s brother Ser Imry, who’d come over to his cause at Storm’s End with Lord Alester and all the other Florents. This decision to promote a highborn lord to admiral, seemingly solely on the basis that he’s Selyse’s brother and thus his brother-in-law is Stannis’ major mistake in the Battle of Blackwater, and arguably one of his biggest mistakes in the entire war. Up until the death of Renly, Stannis had generally leaned toward appointing men based on merit rather than rank – hence his preference for Davos over his vassal lords at Dragonstone. But here, Stannis lets himself be influenced by his new vassals (whom he hates) into treating command positions as political favors, which is a major mistake for any would-be monarch. We will see later whether Stannis learns from this mistake, but in the meantime let’s look at the consequences of this decision through an examination of Ser Imry’s tactical decisionmaking: Ser Imry had decreed that they would enter the river on oars alone, so as not to expose their sails to the scorpions and spitfires on the walls of King’s Landing. Davos knew Fury as well as he knew his own ships. Above her three hundred oars was a deck given over wholly to scorpions, and topside she mounted catapults fore and aft, large enough to fling barrels of burning pitch. A most formidable ship, and very swift as well, although Ser Imry had packed her bow to stern with armored knights and men-at-arms, at some cost to her speed. …With four times as many ships as the boy king, Ser Imry saw no need for caution or deceptive tactics. He had organized the fleet into ten lines of battle, each of twenty ships. The first two lines would sweep up the river to engage and destroy Joffrey’s little fleet, or “the boy’s toys” as Ser Imry dubbed them, to the mirth of his lordly captains. Those that followed would land companies of archers and spearmen beneath the city walls, and only then join the fight on the river. The smaller, slower ships to the rear would ferry over the main part of Stannis’s host from the south bank, protected by Salladhor Saan and his Lyseni, who would stand out in the bay in case the Lannisters had other ships hidden up along the coast, poised to sweep down on their rear. None of these decisions are entirely moronic; in each you can see some military logic at work. But collectively they represent a giant mistake. To begin with, relying entirely on oarpower and loading down his biggest ships means that Ser Imry is choosing defense over speed. It’s a cautious move, arguably hyper-cautious – as we’ll see in a bit, the land-based artillery is nowhere near accurate enough to make the sails a big enough vulnerability to make up for the lost knots – but the consequence is that when the clash between the fleets happens, it’s close enough to the city that Stannis’ crossing “lane” gets turned into a
is something to be said about TSwift’s infectious “Shake It Off,” but I digress. “Dead Fox” is a close second. This surfy indie treat just plain rips; that riff alone makes my feet want to move. Reminiscent of something from Vampire Weekend or Cults, this two-minute banger has a death grip on those warm summer vibes, and hearing it brings me right back to getting stupid sunburnt on the soft(ish) sands of Bennett Beach. BJ&Fam had a pretty successful 2014, from signing with Admirable Traits, who put out their excellent Cool Your Jets EP, to packing the Studio at the Waiting Room earlier this year for their hell-of-a-good-time release party with Del Paxton and Mallwalkers. If you didn’t catch them then (and even if you did), mark your calendars for January 2nd—the boys are bringing it to Mr. Goodbar for another night of fun. – RSW For songs 10 – 1, please click here.Yesterday we finally saw the last bit of Batman Arkham Knight DLC arrive, ending the sorry drawn out smattering of skins, racetracks, and 20 minute challenge rooms dressed up as story, that ran as Bat's season pass. It's not been great but at least there's something shiny at the end of it for those that saw it through. Nothing says 'I've wasted my life and my money" like a slightly different outfit... That there is the 'Batsuit v8.05 – Prestige Edition' added with the final 'Season of Infamy' DLC, which sees Bats face off against Croc, Ra's, Mr Freeze and the Mad Hatter. It can only be unlocked with 240% completion. Once by finishing the game a first time, then again on New Game + for the 200%, and then completing the final DLC to make up that extra 40%. Get through all that and you'll get a batsuit you'll likely have to explain the importance of to people. I was kind of pissed with Batman for that whole 100% completion thing - requiring you find over 200 Riddler trophies to unlock the full ending (especially as I had the glitch that locked me out of even seeing the partial conclusion). But I take some comfort that I'll never do this, or miss it. Seen something newsworthy? Tell us! Thanks, Kotaku UK.A promise between two women is defining the meaning of true friendship. When Elizabeth Diamond, a single mom from Buffalo, New York, was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in August 2014, she went straight to her best friend, Laura Ruffino, with an important question. “She said, ‘If anything ever happens to me, I want you to take my girls,’ and I instantly said, ‘Okay,’ ” Laura told 7 Eyewitness News. In April 2015, Diamond lost her battle with brain cancer – and her friend made good on her promise. Laura and her husband, Rico Ruffino, welcomed Lily, Ella, Samona and Tara – ages five to 12 – into their home with open arms. “Ten years ago, I didn’t think this would be my life. But if something gets thrown at you, just accept the challenge and do the best you can,” Rico told the news outlet about the couple’s new family. A fundraising page has been created to help the family with expenses. This article originally appeared on People.com Contact us at [email protected] chocolate in the candy aisle could soon begin to look a lot weirder. 3D Systems announced today that it will partner with the Hershey Company to develop "innovative opportunities" in 3D-printed food. The multi-year agreement will have 3D Systems working with Hershey to come up with new ways of delivering 3D-printed food to consumers. Hershey is the first big food company to jump on the 3D-printed confection bandwagon, and 3D Systems gains a lot from it. The company will get its products like the ChefJet into the hands of the largest producer of chocolate in North America, which can easily shell out the money to pay for the machines and invest in developing and testing different kinds of 3D-printed food. As far as Hershey goes, the spoils will come over time. If the partnership produces something desirable to consumers, Hershey could gain name recognition as the first 3D-printing confectioner giant. Could 3D-printed Hershey Kisses be just as good as regular ones? We've seen other kinds of 3D-printed chocolate in the past. MIT Media Lab's David Carr created the peculiar "Eat Your Face Machine" back in 2011, which uses a computer to take a model of a person's face and then carves that face in a block of chocolate. Instead of becoming a universal hit, it ended up teaching Carr more about the social implications of eating a 3D model of a person's face — as it turns out, people weren't too thrilled about it, even if it was made out of chocolate. But since the technology is there to make a 3D-printed chocolate face, there's no reason why we can't have 3D-printed Hershey Kisses. We saw some 3D-printed candies at CES 2014 made from 3D Systems' ChefJet that looked much more like traditional confections, and they actually tasted good, too. However, those candies are very fragile — the ones made of chocolate hold up slightly better than the ones made of sugar, which crumble to sweet dust in your mouth immediately — and only people in California can order bags of them from Cubify. Currently, 3D-printed candy is localized to where companies like 3D Systems are, and with the ChefJet models priced between $5,000 and $10,000, consumers are not going to run out and buy one any time soon. If 3D Systems and Hershey can develop a way to make stronger, more portable 3D-printed chocolates, it'll be one more step toward making 3D-printed food more accessible, and acceptable, to everyone.A dispute has broken out in Brazil over whether the Zika virus is responsible for a rise in cases of microcephaly after a report by Argentinian doctors claimed a larvicide used in drinking water was instead to blame. Brazilian health officials were on Monday forced to address claims that the larvicide pyriproxyfen, which is used to control the Aedes aegypti mosquito, could be associated with a surge in babies born with the condition after one state said it was suspending use of the chemical. A report last week by Argentinian group Physicians in Crop-Sprayed Towns suggested pyriproxyfen might be causing the deformity, which impairs foetal brain development. The organisation said the substance had been introduced into drinking water supplies since 2014 in affected areas of Brazil. “In the area where most sick persons live, a chemical larvicide producing malformations in mosquitoes has been applied for 18 months, and that this poison (pyroproxifen) is applied by the State on drinking water used by the affected population,” the report said. It added that cases of microcephaly being found in areas where pyriproxyfen was used was“not a coincidence" and said the Brazilian Ministry of Health was ignoring its responsibility”. The report also pointed out that there had been no cases of microcephaly in other countries affected by Zika, such as Colombia, which has the highest incidence of the virus after Brazil. In response, the local government in Rio Grande do Sul, a state in the south of Brazil, suspended the use of pyriproxyfen on Saturday. “We decided to suspend the use of the product in drinking water until we have a position from the Ministry of Health, and so, we reinforce further still the appeal to the population to eliminate any possible mosquito breeding site,” said Joao Gabbardo dos Reis, state health secretary in Rio Grande do Sul. However, the federal government was quick to dismiss the fears, insisting there had been no scientific study that linked pyriproxyfen to microcephaly. “Unlike the relationship between the Zika virus and microcephaly, which has had its confirmation shown in tests that indicated the presence of the virus in samples of blood, tissue and amniotic fluid, the association between the use of pyriproxyfen and microcephaly has no scientific basis,” the statement said. “It’s important to state that some localities that do not use pyriproxyfen also had reported cases of microcephaly.” The government said it only used larvicides recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Some experts have raised questions over what is behind the Brazilian spike in microcephaly, particularly due to the absence of a similar surge in cases in other areas hit by the virus. Others have also suggested that it has been grossly over-reported in Brazil. The country has registered a total of 3,852 suspected cases, but of the roughly 1,200 investigated so far, just 462 have been confirmed. Evidence of Zika infection was found in just 41 of the affected babies. Last week, a report by researchers in Paraiba, one of the worst hit areas, found that the state had been seeing high numbers of microcephaly cases since 2012, with the condition more common in 2014 than last year, when Zika virus was first recorded in Brazil. But the WHO says a definitive link between the disease and the condition is within weeks of being confirmed. Two separate studies last week also found evidence of Zika virus in the brain tissue of aborted foetuses or babies who died soon after birth, who had microcephaly. Scientists around the world are currently racing to develop a vaccine for the virus, with clinical trials expected within a year to 18 months. Marcelo Castro, health minister, told journalists in Brazil that there was "no doubt" that there was a direct link between Zika and microcephaly. “For us, theres no doubt at all that the microcephaly epidemic is a consequence of the epidemic of Zika virus, which did not exist in the Americas before,” he said, in comments reported by O Globo.Sergeant Cawood blames local thug Tommy Lee Royce for her daughter's suicide, but doesn't know that Royce has kidnapped the daughter of a wealthy man. 1. Episode 1 59m Sergeant Cawood's world is shattered when the man who drove her daughter to suicide is released from prison; Kevin's hasty scheme devastates Nevison. 2. Episode 2 58m Catherine's search for Tommy gains momentum when she receives a tip regarding his whereabouts; Helen is shocked to learn that Ann has been abducted. 3. Episode 3 59m Tommy brutally takes control of a situation when Officer Kirsten McAskill pulls him and Lewis over, but his actions have devastating consequences. 4. Episode 4 60m Catherine and Tommy finally come face-to-face when he discovers he's a father. But a more sinister discovery leaves Catherine fighting for her life. 5. Episode 5 59m Catherine sinks into a deep depression as she learns that Tommy is still at large, even as the law enforcement net finally closes in on Kevin.A new nationwide poll reveals that the increasingly unpopular Democratic Party dropped 5 percentage points in favorability since its presidential nominee Hillary Clinton lost November’s election, while President Donald Trump’s Republican Party stabilized in ratings. “Americans' opinions of the two major political parties are now similar after the Democratic Party's ratings slipped to 40 percent – from 45 percent last November – while the Republican Party's image is essentially unchanged at 39 percent,” the new Gallup Poll reported. Party poopers These numbers do not warrant bragging rights for either party. “Both parties are below historical average ratings,” Gallup’s Jeffrey M. Jones pointed out. And this current lack of confidence in American politics is by no means a recent trend. “Throughout last year's contentious presidential election campaign, U.S. adults rated neither party highly,” Jones continued. “In fact, more rated each party unfavorably than favorably. But Democrats maintained a slight edge in favorable ratings, including 45 percent to 40 percent in Gallup's prior measurement, conducted last November after Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election.” But despite much criticism pointed at Trump – especially with top Democrats’ relentless anti-Trump campaigning – the Republican Party has not lost ground since the election … unlike the Democratic Party. “So far, Trump's unpopularity as president has done little to erode Americans' views of the GOP – perhaps because they were already quite negative,” Jones noted. “However, Americans are now less positive toward the Democratic Party than they were last fall.” When Democrats were singled out and asked about their opinion of their party, it was found that they have grown measurably more disillusioned. “The decline in Democratic Party favorability is mostly a result of lower ratings from self-identified Democrats,” Gallup divulged. “In November, 83 percent of Democrats had a positive opinion of the Democratic Party; now, 77 percent do. Independents are also slightly less positive toward the Democratic Party, while Republicans' negative views of the opposing party are steady.” Those who pledge allegiance to the GOP are slightly more optimistic about their own party than their blue counterparts. “Currently, 79 percent of Republicans have a favorable opinion of their preferred party,” Gallup pollsters found. “Thirty-three percent of independents and 9 percent of Democrats rate the Republican Party favorably.” General advantage – Dems However, Gallup found that when it comes to the general population of American adults, they usually rate the Democratic Party higher than the Republican Party – a trend the pollsters found since they began asking adults to give them a favorable/unfavorable rating. “Over time, Democratic Party and Republican Party favorability have averaged 50 percent and 44 percent, respectively, indicating that both parties' current ratings are below their historical norms,” Jones shared. “The historical statistics also make clear that Democrats' ratings usually exceed Republicans' ratings -- by six percentage points, on average.” No matter who was president over the past two decades, the Democratic Party was generally viewed with higher esteem by the average American. “The Democrats' image was significantly more favorable than Republicans' in 1998 and 1999, when the GOP led impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton, in 2006 through 2009 near the end of the George W. Bush administration and beginning of the Barack Obama administration, and from late 2012 after Obama's re-election through early 2014,” Jones added. There were certain periods of time, however, when the Republican Party did not lag behind Democrats with the average American. “Some notable eras when Democrat and Republican favorability ratings were similar include in 2002-2003, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and in 2010-2011 after the GOP won control of the U.S. House of Representatives amid frustration with Obamacare,” Townhall reported from the findings. Gallup noted that the typical favorability advantage enjoyed by the Democratic Party is attributed mostly to its lead in party identification among American adults. Losing it in the middle Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who served as chief of staff for former President Barack Obama during his first term, expressed why he believes the Democratic Party is losing favor with the American public. He recently expressed that the Democratic Party is doing a terrible job in appealing to the middle class. “We don’t talk about and fight for the middle class like we are,” Emmanuel told Politico. “We believe we’re for them, but they don’t – if they don’t hear we’re for them, then we got a problem.” The Left-leaning mayor went on to contend that the way top Democrats have handled things of late, one would think they have contempt for the middle class. “It’s not just for the string of policies – it’s also a set of values that respect who they are in their lives,” Emanuel continued. “We come off and can come off as a party disdainful of them.”Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has a message for voters: You wanted President Donald Trump? You got him. “I don't understand why people are that shocked,” Rubio told CBS Face the Nation on Sunday. “This president ran a very unconventional campaign. I was there for a big part of it at the beginning alongside, being one of his competitors.” And, he added, “that’s what the American people voted for. And, in essence, this White House is not much different from the campaign. People got what they voted for. They elected him.” Rubio, who pledged during the 2016 campaign that he would be a watchdog in the Senate no matter who won the presidential race, Trump or Hillary Clinton, has been criticized since Trump’s victory for not forcefully standing up enough to the president. Rubio voiced concerns about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s Russia ties, but still voted to confirm him. He has also been cautious about the ongoing investigation into Russian hacking of the election and its potential connection to the Trump campaign, despite revealing that his own campaign was targeted by hackers. Rubio told Pinellas County Republicans on Friday that if there were any constitutional violations, he “will be the first person who would say it,” the Tampa Bay Times reported. But most of his speech, given just two days after an independent counsel was appointed to investigate the Trump campaign’s Russia ties, criticized the news media despite acknowledging its importance in recent revelations. “Justice is rooted in the truth, and the truth is rooted in the facts,” Rubio said, according to the Times. “This week, we are asked to take positions on various issues, and you know what they are because they are in the press every day. Did the president do this? Did the president say that? Wouldn’t it behoove us to first know the facts?” In his CBS appearance, Rubio had some advice for the embattled Trump administration. “I do think the White House would benefit from some systems in place that perhaps avoids some of the unnecessary friction points that come up on a daily basis,” Rubio said. “But this is also the political environment we now live in too. Politics are covered this way.” Politicians, he said, “also behave in this way because they know they can get attention for saying things one way or the other. It’s just the way politics has moved. I don’t think it’s good for the country, but that’s where we’re headed for now, apparently.” Rubio wasn’t the only former Trump primary opponent from Florida to chime in on the president. “When I ran for office, I said he [was] a chaos candidate and would be a chaos president,” former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told CNN Friday. “Unfortunately, so far, chaos organizes the presidency right now." Bush, who was famously nicknamed “Low Energy” by Trump, had not commented Monday on reports of White House staff describing Trump as “exhausted” days into his international trip. [email protected], 407-418-5920 or @stevelemongello Protesters rally against Trump immigration order at Marco Rubio's Orlando office »This story originally appeared in The Washington Post on Nov. 3, 2004. I was the one who insisted on the body glitter. Normally, you understand, I am a mother who pulls her daughter’s shirt down and tucks it into her waistband every morning to keep her from showing her navel to the whole third grade. I make her scrub the supposedly water-soluble unicorn tattoos off her cheeks before she goes to school. I court her wrath by refusing to buy the kids’ fashions that seem designed to clothe tiny hookers. But after all, this was Halloween, the holiday that celebrates license. (A fifth KitKat bar after 9 p.m.? Why not?) Alice was determined to be a rock star, and I was happy to help her. Simple enough. Yet my joy in conspiring with her felt so big. Usually I’m not much of a Halloween enthusiast, not since I was 13 or so. For a while, having children of my own brought me a new version of the old childhood thrill. One year Will came home from preschool and told me he’d learned about a new Halloween creature, one that lurches through the night swathed in flapping bandages. “Oh,” I said casually. “What’s it called?” “The MOMMIES!” he announced, with much more excitement than dismay. But my delight lasted for only a few years before I returned to thinking of Halloween as just a silly, gaudy night that strains at symbolism — the floozy among the family of big holidays. I thought, for a while, that I had simply buckled under the demands of Costume Hell. (”I want to be a computer, but also my feet will be, like, a robot, and you can make me a head with glowing red eyes and a voice like Darth Vader.”) But that explanation has become less and less convincing: At 11 and almost-9, after all, the kids have more and more fun making their own costumes, with minimal help. Really, I think that I’m just not one of those people who easily climbs into fantasy and achieves flight. Recently, after my dear cousin Sally spent a night guarding my sleep in the hospital, we talked about the one part of the experience I remembered as clearly as she. When I’d finally taken aboard enough pain medicine to dull the effects of the procedure I’d just been through, I’d said clearly, out of my cloud of Dilaudid, “I love all these random thoughts. All my life I’ve worked so hard to get words and sentences into line. They had to have a point. I love floating along on all these random thoughts.” It made me hugely sad to see that my escapes from the taskmistress of literalism are still so rare and hard-won. And in the days before this Halloween, it was especially hard for me to avoid interpreting its elements too bluntly. If you have cancer, if you’ve had it for a while, at some point you start really seeing all those skulls and skeletons and Styrofoam headstones, all those children in hooded capes, bearing scythes on their little shoulders. So how could I explain the euphoria of the 45 minutes Alice and I spent in her bedroom, colluding over her hair, giggling at her faux-leather, deeply fringed bell-bottoms? The pleasure of watching her strap on those awful silver platform shoes, like something I wore in 1973? Because Alice was getting picked up to join friends for trick-or-treating, I kept my eye on the clock, and shooed her into the bathroom just in time to add make-up: grown-up lipstick, a layer of shimmery lip gloss over that, and an overall, emphatic scribble, on her neck and face, with the body-glitter crayon. Every other day of the year, any mother knows that glitter is the work of Satan, but last Sunday it lit her skin with a dew of every color. We could hear her friends pull up to the curb. As her momentum carried her to the top of the stairs, Alice looked back and tossed me a radiant smile. She had become my glimmering girl: She looked like a rock star. She looked like a teenager. She looked absolutely stunning. She thundered down the stairs in those shoes, and as the front door slammed behind her, it came to me — what fantasy I had finally, easily entered this Halloween. I’d just seen Alice leave for her prom, or her first real date. I’d cheated time, flipping the calendar five or six years into the future. The character I’d played was the 52-year-old mother I will probably never be. It was effortless. EDITOR’S NOTE: Marjorie Williams, a Washington Post columnist known for her elegantly crafted essays on American society and fearless profiles of the political elite, died of cancer on Jan. 16, 2005.I’ve said this before, but Mitt Romney’s new formulation of his tax plan — one he used at the debate, and which he repeated to Wolf Blitzer yesterday — makes it absolutely clear that he’s lying about something. You don’t need complicated Tax Policy Center analysis, or for that matter anything beyond basic logic, to see why his pledge of revenue neutrality doesn’t jibe with what he’s saying. Here’s his quote to Blitzer: “Well, I’ve made it pretty clear that my principles are, number one, simplify the code; number two, create incentives for small businesses and large businesses to grow; number three, don’t reduce the burden on high income taxpayers; and number four, remove the burden somewhat from middle income people.” Now, in real life, we know that Romney’s actual specific pledges would yield a big tax cut for the rich. But even if you accept this version of Romney’s plan — even if you accept that Romney would cut the wealthy’s tax rates, and then offset that by taking away loopholes and deductions the rich enjoy — the overall math of his plan simply can’t work. For some people, Romney says he’ll keep taxes the same. For everyone else, he’ll lower them. I’ll repeat that just to make sure everyone gets it. Some have the same taxes; some have less. I’ll even put Romney’s pledge in equation form, for those mathematically inclined: 0 + (-X) = 0, where X > 0 That simply can’t work. Romney can’t do what he says and yet keep revenues the same. At least, not unless he’s using one of those spells that Hermione bothered learning while everyone else was hanging out on the Quidditch pitch. There’s just no excuse for reporters to ignore this glaring, central impossibility. Hey, reporters! Next time you interview Mitt Romney and he repeats this formula about lower taxes for some and the same taxes for everyone else, ask him how that goes with his pledge that he won’t increase the deficit with his tax plan. And while you’re at it, push him on the real key question: if it turned out that his fantasy math falls short and the experts are correct, what would he give up: the big cut in rates? Tax levels for the middle class? Or revenue neutrality? It has to be one of them. Because not even Dumbledore could make Romney’s basic “principles” work.A murderous rampage by al-Qaeda-linked militants in Burkina Faso that claimed the lives of six Quebeckers and at least 22 other people demonstrates the ease with which terror can be spread in disparate parts of the world and Canada's Foreign Minister says the international community must unite in its determination to stop it. Four attackers, two of them women, stormed the Splendid Hotel in the capital city of Ouagadougou on Friday night, killing 18 people during a 12-hour siege. They also marched though a nearby café where another 10 victims lost their lives. Those who died were of multiple nationalities – American, Swiss, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian and the six from Canada who were in the West African country to work at schools and orphanages. In the end, the perpetrators of the attacks, claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, were also killed. But authorities in the region as well as the government here in Canada said efforts must be made to thwart future carnage. Story continues below advertisement The prime ministers of Burkina Faso and Mali, a country that is a hot spot for the jihadi movement, agreed Sunday to work together by sharing joint intelligence and joint security patrols. And Canada has offered to assist the authorities of Burkina Faso in their investigation of the deadly incident. Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion said the attack in Burkina Faso is a reminder that Canada is not safe from terror threats. It follows explosions and a gun fight involving affiliates of the Islamic State in Jakarta last week that killed another Quebecker, as well as massive assaults on Paris in November that left 130 dead and a suicide bombing in Turkey earlier this month that killed 10. "You have seen it in Burkina Faso, Turkey, Paris and we are affected by that and we need to fight with our allies," Mr. Dion said during a Trudeau government cabinet retreat in New Brunswick. "They are everywhere," he said of terrorists, adding Canada must "fight in strong co-operation with our allies: military, police and intelligence services." The Canadian victims came from the tight-knit Quebec City bedroom community of Lac-Beauport. Yves Carrier, 65, was a well-respected school principal who dove into volunteer work after he retired a few years ago. His wife, Gladys Chamberland, was a provincial civil servant who had joined Mr. Carrier on his most recent missions. Their son, Charlelie Carrier, was a 19-year-old student. His half-sister, Maude Carrier, a 37-year-old mother of two, was a school teacher. Family friends Louis Chabot and Suzanne Bernier were also educators in the local school system. Mr. Carrier had organized previous missions with a small Quebec aid group, Centre amitié de solidarité internationale de la région des Appalaches, and the Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours order of nuns who have been working in Burkina Faso since 1955. One of the nuns identified the remains of the six Quebeckers. "Every two years Mr. Carrier formed new groups and came back again to help at different levels," Sister Lise Desrochers said. "He did it in love and respect. His groups were always comfortable in what they did." Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement An audio tape released by the North African affiliate of al-Qaeda claiming responsibility for the carnage was titled A Message Signed with Blood and Body Parts. Witnesses said the attackers arrived in a vehicle with licence plates for neighbouring Niger and spoke with an Arabic accent while screaming in French. Both the café, which was set ablaze, and the hotel were popular with Westerners. Survivors said the militants appeared to be targeting which victims to kill. Bruce Hoffman, the director of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University, said terrorist activities by groups such as al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and the Islamic State have been spreading throughout the region. "I think it's more opportunistic than anything," he said of the Burkina Faso attack. "These groups don't have international capabilities, but they certainly have transnational ones that play upon the weakness of border controls but also of local security forces." Killing locals does not generate international attention and outrage, Dr. Hoffman said, but killing Westerners is front-page news around the world, which is the aim of the terrorists. Michael Zekulin, a terrorism expert who teaches at the University of Calgary, said al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are actually in direct competition with each other. Story continues below advertisement As the Islamic State has "been ascending so rapidly, a lot of us have been wondering basically where al-Qaeda is," Dr. Zekulin said. Al-Qaeda has "spent the past 25 years being the vanguard of this movement and basically these guys have come along and usurped them. And usually they don't take too kindly to that." But the objectives of both terrorist organizations are the same, Dr. Zekulin said, and the reality is that "there are groups like this operating all over the world." In a separate incident, two Australian humanitarian workers were abducted Friday by extremists in northern Burkina Faso. Surgeon Ken Elliott and his wife, Jocelyn, reported to be in their 80s, were abducted in the northern town of Djibo where they had run a medical centre for 40 years. Cicely McWilliam of Save the Children Canada said that although the Burkina Faso attacks do not appear to have deliberately targeted aid workers, there is no question that the world has become more dangerous for people who provide humanitarian assistance – and more difficult for those they are trying to help. "We do our best to mitigate, but it doesn't mean we can eliminate all risk," Ms. McWilliam said. Mr. Dion said Canadian aid workers overseas must stay cautious but should not succumb to fear. He urged them to remember "how much it's needed" and to avoid scaling back their work abroad. "We should not allow the terrorists to stop us from doing the right thing." – With reports from The Canadian Press and Associated PressSightmark Ultra Shot Sight QD Digital Switch (SM14000) Ideal for close-range, fast-moving targets, the Sightmark Ultra Shot QD Digital Switch Reflex Sight is equipped with a digital switch button on the side to adjust variable brightness settings in any lighting condition. Shooters can take advantage of its quick-detach mount for easy removal when Iron sights or other accessories are used. Built for exceptional durability, the Ultra Shot QD Digital Switch includes a protective, aluminum shield hood for added defense, making it even more durable than the original Ultra Shot model. Its matte black finish eliminates reflection and delivers a sleek, tactical look. An alternative to overly expensive MIL-SPEC models, the Ultra Shot QD Digital Switch Reflex Sight comes with the quality expected from the Sightmark brand and is protected by the Limited Lifetime Warranty. What's in the Box #SM14000, Rubber Lens Cap, Adjustment Tools, 3x AG5 Batteries About Sightmark Inspired by military and law enforcement technology, Sightmark products are designed for Triple Duty, ensuring that every product can be used effectively for hunting, tactical and competition needs. Award-winning products include riflescopes, reflex sights, laser sights, flashlights, night vision, bore sights and other shooting accessories. Sightmark is a worldwide manufacturer that works with the best retailers in all 50 states and more than 40 countries around the globe. Through continuous research and development, Sightmark is pushing the boundaries of technology, guaranteeing each product gives you the ability to Make Your Mark.The need for a robust, flexible camera system really cannot be overstated. And it kind of stinks, too, because you need to devote a lot of thought, time, and attention to a feature that will - at least ideally - go completely unnoticed. Blood Alloy started out with a very basic camera system, common to many first-effort platformers. Many simple platform games set up an invisible set of boundaries on the screen, and when your character’s position intersects one of these boundaries, the camera moves to keep you within this invisible box. Super Metroid’s camera system was revolutionary for its time. As a huge Metroid fan, I started poking around with it and studying it just a few months ago and came away enormousy impressed. Super Metroid’s camera, instead of using the player’s relative position, uses the player’s velocity. Normally, camera tracking entails simply matching the camera’s velocity to the player velocity when the player’s relative position to the camera reaches a certain delta. So in this example, the camera is tied to the player to keep the player within the red box. If the player moves right at vX = 5, then the camera also moves right at vX =5, thus preserving the player’s relative position. Make sense? But that’s not how it works in Super Metroid! In Super Metroid, as you start to move to the right, the camera actually moves to the right at a FASTER rate. So if the player moves to the right at vX = 5, say instead the camera moves to the right at vX = 10. What this does it is shifts the player to the left side of the screen - and if you intend to shoot enemies in front of you, that’s pretty helpful! Of course the camera velocity sets back to match the player’s velocity once the relative distance delta reaches a cap, so that the camera doesn't leave the player behind. What’s also nice is that this same effect is used for vertical movement - so when you jump up, you can see enemies above you, and -perhaps more importantly - when you start falling, you can see below you to see where platforms and hazards are. Great! This works wonderfully for Super Metroid because enemies are almost always coming at you horizontally. Very, very few enemies actually shoot projectiles at you, and the ones that do either shoot horizontally or in short parabolic arcs. However, in Blood Alloy, we have enemies shooting at you from literally every possible angle. Furthermore, you have 360-degree aiming capability at pretty much all times. While you’re moving, it’s just as likely that you’ll be shooting an enemy ahead of you as shooting something behind you. Super Metroid’s camera system wasn’t going to solve all of our problems. So we juggle SM’s camera system with camera “pulling” by the mouse. You can check out an abbreviated version of my code here below. targetX and targetY represent the X and Y coordinates that the camera is lerping to based off of the Super Metroid camera system. The following code is for calculating and implementing how much the camera should follow the mouse. And here’s the result: Feel free to let me know if you have any questions! -Franktaylorswift: Purry Christmas 💗 a bit belated, but can I just say how much I support PURRY CHRISTMAS/ MEOWY CHRISTMAS/MEOWY CATMAS/ PURRY CATMAS and all other cat related holiday greetings? A lot is awful in this world. The holidays can be stressful and lonely for many people, not to mention expensive. What helps? CATS. They are usually soft and furry. They sit in dumb poses, they vibrate with love, and can be great cuddlers. I have on kitten that jumps into mirrors, and a cat that love asparagus and sparkle puffs. wishing you all the purriest of holiday seasons, wherever and however you are celebrating. For example, my ginormous kitten choose to celebrate by eating his own fur. the world is yours! love from my purry family to yours. xoxoxox Liz @taylorswiftABSTRACT In sub-Saharan Africa, the poorest region in the world, the number of cash transfer programmes has doubled in the last five years and reaches close to 50 million people. What is the impact of these programmes, and do they offer a sustained pathway out of ultra-poverty? In this paper we examine these questions using experimental data from two unconditional cash transfer programmes implemented by the Government of Zambia. We find far-reaching effects of these two programmes, not just on their primary objective, food security and consumption, but also on a range of productive and economic outcomes. After three years, we observe that household spending is 59 per cent larger than the value of the transfer received, implying a sizeable multiplier effect. These multipliers work through increased non-farm business activity and agricultural production.Lou Lamoriello has been GM of the Leafs for two years, almost to the day. I asked myself what I think about him and his two years in charge. I mulled that over, and had no clear answer beyond one: I'd asked myself a leading question, so I'll start there. Is he in charge? One thing we tend to do is infer information from the names of things. That's what names are for, so it’s all good so far, but
the wallet, more rapidly than that of a child amputee. Does that mean that amputees should not be filmed? "Well," she says, "first of all journalism will have to acknowledge that the problem is there. I do believe that the receivers of our aid are learning entities, they are learning organisations, groups and governments. Which is only logical. They have seen the mechanisms of the aid agencies at work for many decades and so it's only natural that they become better and better at understanding what the rules of the aid industry are." By the end our conversation, I feel even less confident about the direct debits than I did having read the book. What, I ask, would she do if she could institute one change in the aid business? "I would force aid agencies to combine in the interests of the people they claim to be helping. That means you go to an area and assess what is best for the people, not what is best for the organisation or the system of aid. In Darfur, the aid agencies say, 'If only we could work together, we could make a fist against the Sudanese government that is now manipulating us.' You're in the business of saving lives. Do it in a way that you can save the most lives or for the cheapest price. That can mean sometimes, you don't go to an area and you choose other victims in areas that we don't see on TV. Go to where you can save the most people for the same money. Stop the system of rewarding bad behaviour. If your aid is being manipulated, don't give aid to those doing the manipulation." At heart, she says, she's an old hippie who believes there's a better way. But in reality humanitarian aid necessarily takes place in imperfect conditions. It's always going to be subject to compromise and error. Public scrutiny can help, but how far are people prepared to go in assessing available information? It seems that there's no shortage of donors who are ready to run marathons to raise funds, but, as things stand, far less who are willing to wade through the documentation, if it even exists. There's an argument, most recently made by the Zambian economist Dambisa Moyo, that says aid is the cause of rather than the solution to developing-world problems. But when the next appeal comes bearing images of starving children, most of us who care will neither look away nor dig a little deeper into the political background. Instead we will get out the cheque book. Because while charity doesn't always benefit the intended recipient, it usually manages to make the donor feel better. War Games is published by Viking, £12.99. To order a copy for £10.99 with free UK p&p go to observer.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6847 CASE HISTORY 1 ETHIOPIA, 1984-85 Mother and children in a camp during the famine in Ethiopia, 1985. Photograph: Herbie Knott / Rex Features In 1984 prolonged drought coincided with civil war between the communist junta that governed Ethiopia and rebels in the northern provinces of Eritrea and Tigray. In an effort to win the battle, the government soldiers, writes Polman, "sealed off the northern region and went to work. They shot men and boys dead. They raped and mutilated women and girls. They flung infants on to fires alive. They set schools and clinics ablaze, slaughtered livestock, burned grain stores and poisoned water sources with human corpses and dead animals." And then they invited in the international media to witness the flood of famine refugees. Journalists like Michael Buerk decided that the war was a side-story to the main issue that demanded attention: the unfolding humanitarian crisis of mass starvation. Following Buerk's famous BBC report, an enormous fundraising campaign took place, including Band Aid, and thousands of aid workers and journalists flew in. "They were forced to change their dollars for local currency at rates favourable to the regime," Polman states, "and this alone helped to keep the Ethiopian war machine running. Food aid was used as bait to lure starving villagers into camps. They were held there awaiting deportation to the state farms in the south. A life of forced labour lay ahead." It's not known how many Ethiopians died during the operation, but estimates vary between 300,000 and one million. CASE HISTORY 2 RWANDA, 1994-96 A Spanish nurse with starving children in Goma camp. Photograph: Angel Diaz/ EFE/Corbis In July 1994 the Rwandan Patriotic Front, formed from Tutsi refugees based in Uganda, invaded Rwanda to put a stop to the genocide committed by Hutus on Tutsis. The Hutu militias, and many of the Hutu population, fled across the border to Goma in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Shocked by the news of the genocide, in which up to one million Rwandans (overwhelmingly Tutsis) were slaughtered, the global community raised $1.5bn (£976m) in relief aid. The first and most conspicuous beneficiaries of this effort were the Hutu refugees, including among them many of those responsible for ordering and carrying out the genocide. "The rescue operation mounted for the Hutus," writes Polman, "became the best-funded humanitarian operation in the world." Twenty-five refugee camps were built around Goma, supported by 250 different aid organisations, each with their own flags and logos. The Hutus brought with them everything they'd looted from their victims, leaving an impoverished country in which, according to Polman, "hardly any aid organisations, let alone investors, had shown their faces". Meanwhile the Hutu architects of the genocide reasserted their leadership in the camps. "On all the food rations distributed by aid organisations," Polman asserts, "the Hutu government, from its tourist hotels, levied a 'war tax' to pay its army, which enabled it to continue its campaign of extermination against the Tutsi enemy back in Rwanda." Eventually, after repeated warnings, in November 1996, the Rwandan Tutsi army invaded Goma and closed the camps, killing several thousand Hutus in the process. Fiona Terry, project leader of the French Médecins sans Frontières, described Goma as a "total ethical disaster." CASE HISTORY 3 AFGHANISTAN, 2001-PRESENT A displaced Afghan woman waits for transportation after being given aid in Kabul in 2009. Photograph: Shah Marai/AFP/Getty Images Polman depicts Kabul as a city divided between the poverty suffered by its inhabitants and the luxury enjoyed by foreign aid workers who "can be found [at a nightclub called L'Atmosphere] with cocktails and glasses of wine, or relaxing in the swimming pool near the bar". Beyond Kabul, aid money behaves like Zeno's arrow, never quite reaching its target, as each of a succession of subcontractors takes a cut and passes what's left on to the next. This process, she says, is largely unsupervised because aid workers have become Taliban targets and are too worried to venture out into dangerous provinces. "Unsupervised aid invites theft and corruption," she writes, "which strengthens and multiplies Taliban support, leading to greater insecurity, which brings more security companies, prompting even more hostility towards foreigners, with greater insecurity, because [there are] more Taliban, as a result. So even more aid remains unsupervised." One house-building project in Bamiyan Province began with $150m (£97m) in funding. Once various aid agencies had taken a cut for their own organisations, a subcontractor bought wooden beams from Iran, which were delivered by a company owned by the governor of the province at five times the standard freight fee. The beams, it turned out, were too heavy for the houses, so the villagers chopped up the timber to use for cooking fuel.“The fact that they’re conducting these serious reforms is trying to undermine the legitimacy of the Youth League as a supply pool of future leaders,” Professor Bo said by telephone. “It’s an implicit attack on the power base of the so-called Youth League faction.” Image Ling Jihua, who rose through the Youth League and became head of the Communist Party’s general office, is serving a life sentence for corruption. Credit Goh Chai Hin/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Before the changes were announced, the league had been stained by corruption and criticism that it had fallen out of touch with the youthful idealism it was supposed to inspire. The Youth League traces its inception to the formation of the Chinese Communist Party in the early 1920s, to serve as a bridge to students, young workers and other potential inductees into the Communist revolution. By the end of last year, it had 87.5 million members, many of them university students who hope to join the party eventually. The maximum age is about 28 for ordinary members, although officials in the league can be much older. The Youth League won particular prominence as an incubator for future leaders in the 1980s. That was partly because the party leader for much of that decade, Hu Yaobang, was a former Youth League leader. Perhaps more important, the party also faced a talent gap at the time. In the late 1970s, after the Cultural Revolution and its radical supporters were swept away, party veterans such as Deng Xiaoping returned to power. But they knew that age would soon catch up with them and made plans to nurture potential successors. The Youth League became an important training ground for that, Professor Bo said. The high tide of its prominence came under Hu Jintao, formerly the first secretary of the league, who was handpicked by Deng to be China’s top leader. Party insiders said Mr. Hu, in turn, favored Li Keqiang, another former head of the league, to succeed him as president and party general secretary. Instead, Mr. Xi won those posts, and Mr. Li took the more junior job of premier. Since Mr. Xi came to power, he has assumed more influence than his recent predecessors. Meanwhile, officials who spent long parts of their careers in the league have languished. Mr. Li has been less powerful than his predecessors. Li Yuanchao, the vice president, has become an ornamental figure, shadowed by anticorruption investigations that have felled former subordinates.Mounting scandals at the Internal Revenue Service are jeopardizing critical funding for the agency as it gears up to play a big role in President Barack Obama's health care law. Obama sought a significant budget increase for the IRS for next year, when the agency will start doling out subsidies to help people buy health insurance on state-based exchanges. Congressional Republicans, however, see management problems at the IRS as an opportunity to limit the agency's funding just as it is trying to put in place the massive new law. Republicans have been fighting the health care law ever since Democrats enacted it in 2010 without a single GOP vote. Unable to repeal the law, some Republicans hope to starve it by refusing to fund its implementation. The IRS scandals are giving them a timely excuse. "I think it's safe to say they're not going to get the kind of increase they're asking for," said Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee that funds the IRS. More On This... "The question is, based on their bad behavior, are they going to end up with less money?" Crenshaw said. Last month, the IRS was rocked by revelations that agents had targeted tea party and other conservative groups for extra scrutiny when the groups applied for tax-exempt status during the 2010 and 2012 elections. A few weeks later, an inspector general's report said that the agency had spent lavishly on employee conferences during the same time period. From 2010 through 2012, the IRS spent nearly $50 million on employee conferences. In 2010, the agency used money that had been budgeted to hire enforcement agents to instead help pay for one conference that cost $4.1 million, according to the watchdog's report. Three congressional committees and the Justice Department are investigating the targeting of conservative groups, and much of the top leadership at the IRS has been replaced. Obama appointed a new acting IRS commissioner, Danny Werfel, a former White House budget official. Werfel is conducting an internal review of the agency and is expected to issue recommendations for changes by the end of June. All this is happening as the agency works to implement the health law that includes some of the most sweeping changes to the tax code in a generation. "The IRS needs to repair the plane while it's in flight right now," said Paul Cherecwich, chairman of the IRS Oversight Board, an independent board within the agency. "Should the current budget environment continue, the IRS will have to continue to have to do more with less while rebuilding taxpayer trust. It has no choice, and it won't be easy." Like many federal agencies, the IRS has seen its budget and workforce shrink since 2010, when the agency was allotted $12.1 billion. This year, the IRS is expected to spend $11.2 billion. Obama's proposed budget for next year is $12.9 billion -- a 14 percent increase over current spending. About $440 million would go toward implementing the health care law. That would include hiring nearly 2,000 employees, according to an analysis of the president's budget proposal by the Government Accountability Office. Some Republicans are also highlighting the fact that Sarah Hall Ingram, who heads the IRS health care office, oversaw the tax-exempt division when agents first started improperly targeting conservative groups. The IRS said Ingram was re-assigned to help the agency implement the health care law in December 2010, about six months before her subordinate learned about the targeting. "We are working to get to the bottom of what happened at the IRS, hold the responsible parties accountable, make sure it cannot happen again, and restore public trust and confidence in the IRS and its ability to administer the tax code fairly and efficiently," said White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage. "For years Republicans in Congress have made repeated attempts to stop and slow down the Affordable Care Act. This is just the latest attempt to put up roadblocks to implementing the law," Brundage said. "The health law is the law of the land, and we are working to implement it well, so millions of Americans will have access to affordable and quality insurance." Starting next year, the IRS will administer subsidies to help millions of individuals buy health insurance. The subsidies, technically tax credits because they are administered through the tax code, will help low- and middle-income families buy health insurance through the state-based exchanges. Under the new law, nearly everyone in the U.S. will be required to have health insurance starting in 2014, or face penalties. The IRS will collect those penalties. About 6 million people are expected to get the insurance subsidies next year, and that number will grow to 20 million by 2017, according to estimates by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The enrollment season to buy health insurance through the exchanges starts Oct. 1. "The bottom line here is that the IRS can barely manage what it already has to do, and that's a generous characterization given the targeting of conservative groups," said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the IRS. "Adding Obamacare under the IRS, that can only be described as a looming disaster," Hatch said. "And now the Democrats are saying we need to give the IRS more money. I'm not sure I'm willing to do that." Democrats in Congress say they are growing tired of Republican attempts to repeal a law that has survived a review by the Supreme Court and whose main champion -- Obama -- won re-election last year. "The American people will see over the next six months the lengths the Republicans will go to destroy the implementation of the Affordable Care Act," said Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington state, a senior Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. "I've expected it from the first day this (IRS) issue came up." "I'm sad about it, it's awful," McDermott added. "But sometimes in a democracy people have to learn the hard way, and the American public is going to learn."Even as Sprint tentatively rolls out the XOHM network here in the States, the largest Indian telecom company is planning to build a mobile WiMAX network covering three states on the subcontinent capable of serving 250 million people. State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is leaning on Soma Networks to build the broadband-speed network in response to government requirement that 20 million broadband lines be in service by 2010. The WiMAX rollout will first hit the largest and most-connected states, but BSNL is planning on extending the network if things go well. Soma says it's shipping thousands of base stations to get the network operational at full speed, and that when it's done, 400 Indian cities will be covered, with downstream speeds of 1.5 megabits per seconds. No word on when that might be, but the race is officially on, Sprint.By Luis Sandoval As soon as Floyd Mayweather announced his fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez being set for September 14th in Las Vegas, NV at the MGM Grand, it set the boxing world on fire and the fight has been a hot topic amongst fans and media alike. Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum was in Beverly Hills today to announce the signing of his newest fighter Japanese gold medalist Ryota Murata and spoke to BoxingScene and Constantino Garcia regarding his thoughts on the fight. “I think Canelo doesn’t have anywhere near the experience to fight a Mayweather. And the problem with Canelo and a lot of young fighters is they don’t have the stamina. They run out of gas. That’s what happened to him in the Austin Trout fight. Austin Trout didn’t know how to capitalize on it; Mayweather would. So I think Mayweather wins a decision or stops him late” said Arum. Alvarez recorded the biggest win of his career when he defeated Austin Trout this past April but he appeared to be tire out during the mid rounds. Arum was asked if he felt Trout simply lacked the killer instinct to take advantage of a situation like that. “I’m not questioning [his killer instinct]. When he saw the guy running out of gas -which he clearly did, the guy threw very few punches in a lot of rounds – he didn’t step on the pedal which was disappointing. But Mayweather is too smart for that” shared the hall of fame promoter. While questions about Floyd’s age causing him to slow down have been put to rest after his dominant performance against Robert Guerrero last month, many still feel Alvarez may simply be too young and inexperienced to deal with a fighter of Floyd’s caliber. Bob Arum is one those people as he doesn’t give Alvarez much of a chance in this fight at this moment in Alvarez’s career. “No, not now. If they had fought a year or two years from now, maybe it would be different. But Canelo just doesn’t have the speed or stamina to cope with Mayweather. Mayweather is a very good fighter” Arum would tell BoxingScene. Despite Arum and Mayweather having a falling out, Arum didn’t hesitate to give Floyd the proper credit and calling him a great fighter. In closing, Arum was asked if he felt anyone at the moment could beat Mayweather. While he didn’t name anyone, he reiterated that Alvarez definitely isn’t one of the fighters that can do it. “Remember as the years go on, things change so we’ll have to see [if anyone can beat Mayweather]. But off Mayweather’s last fight, Canelo doesn’t stand much of a chance”. You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007. You can also tune in to BoxingScene Radio, Boxingscene’s official audio show every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.One of the weirdest features of contemporary culture is the way even the best corporate journalists write as though under enemy occupation. Journalists admit, even in public, but particularly in private, that there is much they just cannot say. As Noam Chomsky has noted, the best investigative reporters'regard the media as a sham' trying to 'play it like a violin: If they see a little opening they'll try to squeeze something in that ordinarily wouldn't make it through'. Of course, the truth of the sham is one of the 'tunes' that doesn't get played. While not typically subject to Big Brother-style threats, journalists are keenly aware that they can be swiftly 'disappeared' by the grey, profit-oriented suits draped in hierarchical chains above them. To his credit, George Monbiot is one of the better journalists who seriously wrestles with his conscience on these issues. The crisis apparent in his writing and in his reaction to criticism – Media Lens 'drives me bananas', he says - is characteristic of someone trying, and failing, to overcome the limits on free speech. Writing in the Guardian, Monbiot rails against 'the rotten state of journalism' and confesses: 'I hadn't understood just how quickly standards are falling'. It is a classic moment of semi-quixotic, Monbiotic dissent. The 'rotten state of journalism' could be a reference to the inherent contradictions of a corporate 'free press', the Guardian included. On the other hand, the article has been carefully titled, 'Our "impartial" broadcasters have become mouthpieces of the elite.' (Our emphasis) And who is the target when Monbiot notes that 'those who are supposed to scrutinise the financial and political elite are embedded within it. Many belong to a service-sector aristocracy, wedded metaphorically (sometimes literally) to finance. Often unwittingly, they amplify the voices of the elite, while muffling those raised against it'? These criticisms could also implicate the 'quality' liberal press. But Monbiot quickly scurries down to lower moral ground by supplying specific examples from, who else?, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and everyone's favourite media punch bag, the BBC. The Beeb, of course, is sufficiently different from the Guardian to spare the latter's blushes. As Monbiot says, the BBC 'grovels to business leaders', supplying '"a Conservative, Eurosceptic, pro-business version of the world"'. And this, he notes archly, 'is where people turn when they don't trust the corporate press'. Again, this widens the target for a brief moment before Monbiot concludes: 'Those entrusted to challenge power are the loyalists of power. They rage against social media and people such as Russell Brand, without seeing that the popularity of alternatives is a response to their own failures'. But he points away from his own employer: 'If even the public sector broadcasters parrot the talking points of the elite, what hope is there for informed democratic choice?' The concluding comments are ironic indeed, for while the Guardian does host Brand's output, it has also led the ferocious liberal assault on his reputation, as we noted here. And it has performed the same role in attacking Julian Assange, Hugo Chavez, Noam Chomsky and many other dissidents. On the face of it, Monbiot would appear to be rationally and ethically obliged to remind his readers that the paper hosting his condemnation of broadcast media is itself a prime example of the problem he is describing. We tweeted him: '"Those entrusted to challenge power are the loyalists of power." Isn't that also true of Guardian/Independent journalists?' And: 'Also true of journos who write, "Our broadcasters have become mouthpieces of the elite", without mentioning their own media?' Monbiot did not respond. A fellow tweeter, however, chirruped back: 'undoubtedly true, but even GM [Monbiot] can't stop sea levels rise. Besides, no job no platform. He's an ally, even if works for Graun.' And: 'GM written an article I am sure you agree with? Unrealistic to expect direct criticism of his employer. Be happy!' This is pretty much what we receive every time we challenge a'mainstream' dissident: they are doing their best within the constraints of the system; we should support rather than criticise them. From this perspective, rational questions, even polite challenges, are viewed as a betrayal of'solidarity'. This might be arguable if the world was making steady, positive progress rather than hurtling to hell in a climate-denying handcart. But anyway, as Glenn Greenwald writes: 'Few things are more dangerous than having someone with influence or power hear only praise or agreement.' A Feral Roar From The New York Times In the same week, in a piece published in the New York Times, Monbiot writes: 'Live free or die: This is the maxim of our age. But the freedoms we celebrate are particular and limited.' True enough. And ironic indeed, given the limited freedoms celebrated by Monbiot in the Guardian that very week. He continues: 'Even the freedoms we do possess we tend not to exercise... It's no wonder, when we possess and use it so little, that we make a fetish out of freedom.' Monbiot seems to supply an example of frustrated freedom fetishism in describing his own peak experience: 'I felt it most keenly when I stumbled across the fresh corpse of a deer in a wood. I hoisted it onto my shoulders. As soon as I felt its warmth on my back, my skin flushed, my hair stood on end and I wanted to roar. Civilization slid off like a bathrobe... These experiences ignited in me a smoldering longing for a richer and rawer life than the one I lead.' How readers smoulder and long for a feral 'roar' of honesty from Monbiot on the role of the Guardian, Independent, New York Times and other liberal media in creating the catastrophe that is corporate, no-choice 'democracy','responsibility to protect' foreign policy and climate-killing corporate terrorism. But, like most people, we do understand the silence because the price paid would likely be high. In truth, the brightest and best of corporate journalism, Monbiot included, have played a key role in persuading readers to continue perceiving advert- and corporate entertainment-drenched newspapers as 'normal'. They have kept us buying into this'safe', toxic, deeply disempowering state-corporate version of journalism, reality and dissent. Monbiot calls for 'a partial rewilding' of our lives, one that 'allows us to step into a world that is not controlled and regulated' to'recover some measure of the freedom that has been denied to us'. Absolutely, and domesticated journalism should lead the way. So what would a'rewilding' of journalism look like? Where could a genuinely 'feral' Monbiotic keyboard roar loudest? Rewilding Journalism The freely-given support we receive – often expressed in the form of spontaneous, unsolicited donations every time we send a media alert or cogitation – tells us that the public is desperate for an alternative to the crass demeritocracy of corporate journalism. With no profile and very little outreach, we are able to work full-time and rarely send direct appeals for support. It seems to us that the public is sick to the back teeth of corporate media pretending to supply the truth and nothing but, while miraculously satisfying the fanatical demands of media moguls, corporate advertisers, parent companies, supportive state news sources and other business allies. What a pitiful lie this is! Many readers are aware, on some level, that the profit motive distorts and cheapens every last thing offered by a'mainstream' media system that in fact represents the extreme viewpoint of 0.1% of the population. Any given journalist might not give a damn about antagonising the White House, BP, or the Royal Family, but he or she knows that the host media does and must care. So all corporate media output marinades in an environment of 'caution','respectability' and self-preservational second-guessing. 'Je suis Charlie Hebdo' aside, write or say anything construed as 'offensive' or 'outrageous' by the wrong people, and a vast state-corporate, reputational wrecking ball can be mobilised. Anyone can be made a pariah, and journalists and corporate media entities cannot afford the consequences. To reiterate, we know from our own experience that the public is not indifferent to this - people are very keen to support something positive to change this disastrous status quo. But how to do it? Political parties, corporate media, human rights organisations, and of course organised religions, are almost all fatally compromised. What the public really wants is an inspirational, uncompromised cause that will genuinely challenge state-corporate power and propaganda. It may sound like wild fantasy, but we can imagine a collective of high-profile writers and journalists willing to detach themselves from corporate and state media, and to place themselves entirely at the mercy of the public. Two points would be absolutely key for the success of such an initiative: journalistic output should be completely free of charge to the public, a gift; and it should be openly presented as a declaration of intellectual war on the corporate media. Not in any vindictive way – the intention would be to offer an example of honest journalism based on selfless generosity as a contrast to the compromised, greed-based corporate media. Imagine if George Monbiot, John Pilger, Noam Chomsky, Edward Herman, David Peterson, Jonathan Cook, Mark Curtis, Glenn Greenwald, Nafeez Ahmed, Robert Fisk, Naomi Klein, Russell Brand, Michael Moore, Julian Assange, Chris Hedges, Sharon Beder, Seumas Milne and others rejected the media moguls, billionaires, parent companies and advertisers, and offered their work completely free of charge from a single media outlet. Would the global public be willing to support such a group, such a cause, through donations? The answer, we think, is blindingly obvious. As the world continues to slide into the climate change abyss, is it not at least worth the attempt to suck as much dissident talent and reflected credibility as possible out of the corporate media and use it instead to expose these media with unleashed insider knowledge? Please understand that this strategy has never been attempted – even the very best dissidents have tempered their criticism in a conscious attempt to gain access to a wider audience through corporate media. Even at this late stage of the human crisis, no-holds-barred criticism of the 'quality' corporate media has simply never been attempted in an organised, high-profile form. We believe the internet makes the global outreach and required level of donations achievable. The support would be vast, if the journalism was free, and if it offered a genuine, uncompromising challenge to the corporate stranglehold. DEFormer UFC Fighter Junie Browning Subject of City-Wide Manhunt in Thailand Former Ultimate Fighter bad boy Junie Browning is currently the target of a city-wide manhunt in Thailand after two incidents over the weekend. Browning was in Phuket, Thailand, training and allegedly started a bar brawl. He then continued the fight in a local hospital. According to Phuketwan.com, Browning allegedly was seen beating up a woman in a bar in the Patak Road Karon, and also reacted harshly when other female workers tried to break up the fight. The fight then continued at a local hospital where Browning was being treated for his injuries. The report states that Browning fled the hospital on Sunday in Patong and has not been seen since. The police are currently staking out the Phuket International Airport in hopes of cutting off Browning if he attempts to leave the country. Browning posted an update on his Facebook page after the alleged brawl, updating his status following the events that unfolded. “Wow what a helluva weekend,” wrote Browning “Some (expletive) named Sie Menzies and about 10 of his friends started a fight with me. I guess just to test a ‘UFC fighter guy’ at this (expletive) little bar in Karon Thailand. Had a beer bottle and glass mug shattered on my head, then to make everything better, stabbed severely by some crazy Thai (expletive). “On a positive note, I managed to break a few orbital bones, at least a couple jaws, and some unconscious bodies laying on the ground before I blacked out from loss of blood and apparently had to be resuscitated in the ambulance. So, how was your weekend?’ Browning has run afoul of the law before. In 2009, Browning was arrested after taking a handful of pills in an alleged suicide attempt, before assaulting several nurses at a local Las Vegas hospital. Since exiting the UFC after the incident, Browning has gone 1-4 in his fight career, with his last four bouts ending in losses. MMAWeekly.com will update this story as more information becomes available. For more UFC News and UFC Rumors, follow MMAWeekly.com on Twitter and Facebook.The movie franchise that started as a love letter to the kaiju monster genre may end up battling some of the OG kaiju in future crossover movies, if Pacific Rim Uprising director Steven S. DeKnight gets his wish. The sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s affectionate homage to the mecha anime and monster movie genres that sprung out of Japan, Pacific Rim Uprising also happens to hail from the same studio that is currently spearheading Godzilla and King Kong’s cinematic MonsterVerse, Legendary Pictures. So it would not be too difficult for a crossover between the three properties to take place. Because all we’re really missing from the Godzilla and Kong films are giant robots beating them up. Cinematic universes are all the rage right now, and it seems like even Pacific Rim won’t be an exception from this phenomenon. The sequel itself was unexpected, with del Toro departing from the director’s chair and DeKnight stepping in, and the cast almost entirely changed except for Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, and Burn Gorman returning as their characters Mako Mori, Dr. Newt, and Dr. Gottlieb, respectively. Instead, the sequel will focus on a new generation of Jaeger pilots, fending off an even more deadly invasion of Kaiju monsters. The new Jaeger pilots are led by Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), the son of Idris Elba‘s Stacker. But Pacific Rim Uprising may be carrying more than simply the burden of living up to the cult classic original. It may be planting the seeds for a Pacific Rim crossover with the Legendary MonsterVerse, which includes Godzilla, King Kong, and more. DeKnight told Collider that talks of a Pacific Rim and Legendary MonsterVerse crossover have taken place: “I won’t say there’s an Easter Egg but there’s been a lot of discussion about that possibility [of crossing over]. Look I think it would be fantastic to have the Pacific Rim universe join Legendary’s Monster Universe, it seems like a natural step. And part of the big overall plan after the third movie we’ve talked about is that could happen, it’s always a possibility. It’s by far not a certainty; it’s merely theoretical at this point, but as a fan myself I would love to see that happen.” Whether that’s in the cards is yet to be seen, but the MonsterVerse is picking up steam, with Adam Wingard‘s Godzilla vs. Kong set to be released in 2020. What better way to follow that up than with an epic three-way fight between Godzilla, Kong, and Gipsy Danger? Perhaps we could see more hints of it in Pacific Rim 3, which DeKnight hints is also a possibility to Collider. “Oh we definitely leave it open to another installment. The tricky thing with something like this is you want to not end on a cliffhanger,” DeKnight says of Pacific Rim Uprising. “It has a definitive ending but very much open to the next chapter.” Pacific Rim Uprising is set to hit theaters on March 23, 2018.I get a lot of good ideas in the shower, but I never thought too much about why until I read a new book by Ori Brafman and Judah Pollack, The Chaos Imperative: How Chance and Disruption Increase Innovation, Effectiveness, and Success (Crown Business, 2013). It turns out that it’s not the water pelting my noggin or the shampoo that promotes healthy, silky smooth hair triggering my creativity. It’s the default mode network in my brain. Neuroscientists have long known that the human brain is always on, even when its owner isn’t consciously using it. (For other perspectives on this phenomenon published in s+b, see Matthew May’s piece from the Spring 2013 issue, and the Thought Leader interview with Loran Nordgren in the Autumn 2013 issue.) In fact, that’s exactly when the default mode network—a connected group of functional areas within the brain—is most active. As Brafman and Pollock explain it, “The default mode is always engaged, unless we actually interrupt it to perform a specific task.” This neural network helps us evaluate our environment, reflect on it, and make connections between external information and the data we have stored in our heads. These connections are the fodder for all kinds of creative endeavors, including business innovation. After a half-century of showers, I don’t think about what I’m doing. I usually treat shower time as a brief respite from, well, pretty much everything else going on in my life. So, my default mode network kicks in and bingo, ideas pop out. Brafman and Pollack would say that my shower is “white space”—a time and a place in which I let my thoughts become less structured and more chaotic. In The Chaos Imperative, they point out how the white space in the lives of people like Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs produced some pretty good ideas, like the theory of relativity and all those digital fonts in your computer. The authors also describe how they have worked with the U.S. Army to produce fresh thinking by introducing a bit of white space into an environment in which being “on task” is a fetish. So, if you’re pursuing innovation in your company (and what company isn’t?), what can you do get white space working in your innovation process? Brafman and Pollack offer these four tips in the book: Employ white space judiciously. It works best when you have a clear goal in mind and have already spent some time consciously working on a problem. Consider how much white space is too much. Ask people if they feel like they need more or less unstructured time. Move. As long as it doesn’t require a good deal of conscious thought, exercise is a proven way to trigger the default mode network. Create a micro white space. Don’t look for answers as soon as you ask a question; give people 20 seconds or more to reflect. Likewise, start an idea session with a minute of silent reflection on the meeting’s purpose.Today Barack Obama rejected the Keystone XL pipeline, that would have imported about 800,000 barrels of Canadian oil instead of OPEC oil, mainly from Venezuela. To say that global warming is
incomes (couples above $250,000); though McCain didn’t, he suggested that much recent wealth accumulation was ill-gotten. Unintentionally, perhaps, he buttressed the moral case for more redistribution. Let’s tap the gold mine of the rich. Unfortunately, the mine has less gold. All the financial turmoil has left the wealthy, however defined, much less wealthy. Stock ownership is highly concentrated. In 2001, the richest 1% owned 34% of stocks and mutual funds, estimates economist Edward N. Wolff of New York University. Let’s see. Since the market’s high in October 2007, stocks are down (through Oct. 31) 38%, or $7.5 trillion, reports Wilshire Associates. That will mean lower capital gains taxes, because capital gains profits on the sale of stocks and other assets will plunge. In recent years, capital gains taxes have been running at $100 billion or more. That amount could drop sharply, even if the top rate on capital gains were raised from 15% to its pre-2003 level 20%. Thousands of well-paid investment bankers, traders, portfolio managers and security analysts are losing their jobs. Though Wall Street bonuses will continue, their total is likely to decrease. Gains in executive compensation may be similarly squeezed. Profits are down; the political climate is hostile. In 2005, the richest 1% of Americans had 18% of total income and paid 28% of all federal taxes, says the Congressional Budget Office. Their income won’t grow much. Even if higher tax rates increase government revenues, the effect will be less than before. Judged only by economic inequality, the financial crisis is a godsend. It will probably narrow the gap though still vast between the rich and everybody else. But what good will that do? Economic inequality also declined in the Great Depression. The country wasn’t better off. By and large, the poor aren’t poor because the rich are rich. They’re usually poor for their own reasons: family breakdown, low skills, destructive personal habits and plain bad luck. The presumption implicit in the criticism of growing economic inequality is that society’s income is a given and, if the rich have less, others will have more. Up to a point, that’s true. The government already redistributes much income, often for the good. During the boom years, companies might have been less lavish with top executives and slightly more generous to other workers or shareholders. Some new fortunes stem from self-dealing and financial razzle-dazzle, not the creation of real economic value. It’s just desserts that some of this wealth has evaporated. But the redistributionist argument is at best a half-truth. The larger truth is that much of the income of the rich and well-to-do comes from what they do. If they stop doing it, then the income and wealth vanish. No one gets it. It can’t be redistributed because it doesn’t exist. Everyone’s poorer. This isn’t just theory. Last week, Gov. David Paterson of New York pleaded with Congress to provide emergency aid to states. Heavily dependent on Wall Street for taxes, he testified, New York faces a $12.5 billion budget deficit next year and expects joblessness to rise by 160,000. Wall Street bonuses will drop by 43% and cap gains income by 35%, he estimated. People in New York would be better off if the securities industry were still booming, even if there were more economic inequality. Americans legitimately resent Wall Street types who profited from dubious investment strategies that aggravated today’s crisis. And government properly redistributes income to reduce hardship and poverty. But that’s different from attempting to deduce and engineer some optimal distribution of income. Government can’t do that and shouldn’t try. Scapegoating and punishing all of the rich won’t do us any good if the resulting taxes dull investment and risk-taking, discouraging economic growth that benefits everyone. Page Printed from: http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2008/11/poor_arent_poor_because_rich_a.html at November 09, 2008 – 10:59:52 PM CST ————————————————- AdvertisementsThe operators of a now-closed Beaverton strip club must pay $1 million in damages to a teenager subjected to sexual harassment after she was illegally hired to dance nude at the business when she was 15, Oregon's labor department announced Thursday. The ruling by an administrative law judge brings a close to the second half of a 2015 complaint filed by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries against Frehoo Inc., which operates the strip club chain Stars Cabaret. The business owners reached a $1.25 million settlement in June with an 18-year-old after she was forced to perform sex acts on customers in a backroom at the same Beaverton club in 2012 when she was 13. Stars Cabaret to pay $1.25 million settlement to teen sex trafficking victim The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries announced Tuesday that the $1.25 million settlement is the largest individual civil rights settlement brokered by the agency. In the latest case, the judge determined Stars Cabaret owners Randy Kaiser, Todd Mitchell and Jeff Struhar as well as former Beaverton club manager Jon Herkentath aided and abetted civil rights violations against the teen dancer, who is now 18. She danced nude at the club seven times in August 2014 and was groped by customers, authorities said. "Today's order begins to address the trauma and harm faced by these underage minors," Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian said in a statement. "Protecting the most vulnerable among us is at the core of our agency's mission. I appreciate the relentless and diligent work of our civil rights and administrative prosecution teams in securing justice that reflects the severity of abuse." Janis Puracal and Joel Shapiro, the teen's attorneys, said in a joint statement that the ruling means Stars Cabaret's owners will be held accountable for what happened to the young woman. "It should also send a message to strip club owners across the country that they will be held responsible when they allow children to be trafficked through their clubs," they said. "Really, it was the victim's voice that convinced the court to take action, and it is her voice that matters here." Courtney Angeli, an attorney representing Frehoo, declined to comment saying they were still reviewing the judge's final order in the case. A $4 million civil lawsuit against Frehoo, Stars Cabaret's owners and others in Washington County Circuit Court is pending. A trial is scheduled for next April. The teen dancer met a man named Anthony Curry after she ran away from a drug treatment center and he brought her to his home, Washington County prosecutors said. Curry began sexually abusing her, got her a fake ID and helped her get jobs dancing at Jags Clubhouse in Portland, The Dolphin II and Stars Cabaret in Beaverton and Sunset Strip in Cedar Hills, prosecutors said. A bartender at the club later saw a photo of the teen in a missing child posting on Facebook. She told a manager, who told one of the owners, who told Herkenrath and ordered him to contact police. The underage dancer stopped performing at the strip club when she started getting messages from a Beaverton police detective. Police tracked the girl to the Sunset Strip, where they waited for her to arrive one day in September. When she got out of Curry's car, she was taken into protective custody and Curry was arrested. Curry was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct under Oregon's three-strikes law for repeat sex offenders. Stars Cabaret's Beaverton club closed in July 2016. There are three other locations in Bend, Salem and Tualatin. -- Everton Bailey Jr. [email protected] 503-221-8343; @EvertonBaileyEx-Marks & Spencer boss Stuart Rose brought in as adviser Works for private equity firm looking to takeover NHS care Rose ‘helping’ hospital … while Care UK bids for the contract Jeremy Hunt is drafting in ex-Marks & Spencers boss Stuart Rose to conduct a review of hospitals. But eyebrows have been raised by Rose’s role with private equity firm Bridgepoint, which owns Care UK — a health firm at the forefront of the stealth privatisation of the NHS. Tory-supporting Rose addressed Conservative Party conference in October 2010 (above) before putting his name to a letter backing austerity policies just days later. But it gets worse. The government’s press release explains: “Sir Stuart will particularly look at the problems faced by the 14 trusts currently in ‘special measures’, the programme to turn-around failing hospitals introduced last year, where strong leadership was identified as key to improvement.” One of the hospitals which Sir Stuart will be ‘helping’ is George Eliot in Warwickshire. This hospital is currently subject to a takeover bid from, errrr, Care UK. Conflict of interest much?This is the eleventh in a series of articles, here at Around the Foghorn, covering the 22 non-roster invitees joining the San Francisco Giants in their spring training complex this season. Southpaw Ty Blach, groomed to be a starting pitcher, was invited to join the San Francisco Giants and twenty-one other non-roster players, in the desert for spring training. Should durability or effectiveness prove to be an issue with the rotation at any point during the 162-game schedule, Giants management would like to know firsthand whether or not Blach might be able to fill in. Blach is out of Creighton University, and was drafted as a junior in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball Draft, in 2012. He gained prominence in his first professional season in the hitter-friendly California League, where he had the best ERA at 2.90, and a walks-per-nine-innings rate of 1.2. In his second full season as a professional in 2014, he moved from Single A ball up to Double-A Richmond, where he posted a 3.19 ERA for the Flying Squirrels, in 141 innings during 25 starts. He pitched superbly in his final five games, recording a 1.10 ERA with 25 Ks, in 32.2 innings. The six-one, 210 pound Blach, lacks what would be called a dominant pitch, but MLB Prospects’ Mike Rosenbaum categorizes his fastball, slider and changeup to be “average or better at maturity, and should play up thanks to his plus command.” Rosenbaum concluded by saying that though he would start the year in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, Blach was on pace for a second-half debut in 2015, with the Giants. He has a four-seam and a two-seam fastball, the latter of which he throws with a sinking motion, good for when he is trying to induce a double-play ground ball. He also throws a slider, curve and changeup. With veteran pitchers like Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy on hand to answer questions, there is a lot of knowledge to be gained. Sean Bialaszek, of Golden Gate Sports, described Blach’s changeup as his best secondary pitch with good deception and side fade. Ty Blach helps his own cause by keeping his two-seam fastball down, as well as his number of walks allowed. helps his own cause by keeping his two-seam fastball down, as well as his number of walks allowed. Here is a closer look at some key stats from his only two seasons as a pro: 2013: Age 22/San Jose Giants/HiA level/California League/12-4/2.90 ERA/22 G/20 GS/130.1 IP/124 H/42 ER/8 HR/18 BB/117 SO/ 1.24 BB/9/6.90 SO/9/WHIP 1.19 Note the 18 walks versus the 117 Ks. 2014: Age 23/Richmond Flying Squirrels/AA/Eastern League/8-8/3.13 ERA/25 G/25 GS/1 CG/141.0 IP/142 H/ 49 ER/39 BB/91 SO/2.49 BB/9/5.81 SO/9/WHIP 1.28 Having great control is Blach’s best hope for a successful entry into a big league career. Not having to wonder where the ball is going to end up, allows him to place much greater emphasis on improving the pitches he has, and taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge assembled around him in the Giants’ clubhouse. He has spent two full seasons working with players in similar circumstances as those of himself. Now he is spending time in the same venue as a group of veterans who have not only earned world series rings, but done it as a unit. These guys have had to make adjustments on the fly and they have learned to use one another as resources. Blach, like the other non-roster players in camp, will be trying diligently to show Bruce Bochy and Dave Righetti that he can get the job done. There are four other lefties in camp trying to do the same thing: Braulio Lara, Adalberto Mejia, Steven Okert and Nik Turley. There must be a great deal of pressure on one and all, and yet, they can’t really let it show. All they can do is go out and play the best ball of their careers, so that they might earn a chance to compete on the big stage with some big-name players. Yeah, right. That’s all.SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON, a Swedish football manager of some repute, is a man known as much for his wide travels as he is for his colourful love life. After scoring great success in Italy, he managed the national teams of England, Mexico, and the Côte d'Ivoire. Even seasoned Sven-watchers however were surprised when he rocked up in North Korea in 2009. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. This week it was reported that he had been there at the behest of one Russell King, a convicted conman, who had managed to convince a London financial institution, the government of North Korea, and Mr Eriksson himself that he was managing billions of dollars on behalf of the Bahraini royal family. A report on the BBC's investigative news programme “Panorama” (or, if you're outside the viewing area) has it that Mr King, who is now believed to be on the lam in Bahrain, first convinced directors of small investment bank First London Plc to hand over 49% of the company to him, in return for his apparently colossal business. This done, he used First London to finance an investment in Notts County, a Midlands football club with a proud history, now plying its trade in the lower divisions. Mr Eriksson, drawn in by the promise of shares in Swiss Commodity Holdings (SCH), a vehicle of Mr King's, was duly installed as football director at County. He was joined there for a time by another fellow dupe, Sol Campbell, an ex-Arsenal and England star. Messrs King and Eriksson ventured to Pyongyang on SCH business, where they are reported to have made a deal with officials in the North Korean government to grant them exclusive rights to the impoverished nation's gold mines. “I was in the palace and they were handing over to the North Korean government so-called shares”, Mr Eriksson told BBC's investigative news programme “Panorama”. “They used my name”, he laments; there was even talk of him managing the North Korean football team. Those who follow developments in North Korea tend to prefer casting Kim Jong Il as an evil genius—crazy like a fox—rather than as merely crazy. While there can be no doubting that he has it in him to run circles around America and China, the Dear Leader appears to be no match for a silver-tongued conman of Russell King's stature.As details about journalist Michael Hastings’ death remain unanswered following the release of a coroner’s report, a neighbor says the late reporter was afraid to get in his own car hours before he died in high-speed crash June 18 in Hollywood. Hastings, 33, was killed when his Mercedes coupe crashed into a tree just before 5 a.m. that morning, and details about the collision have been contested in the months since. A friend of Hastings said days later that the reporter believed he was being investigated by the government, and the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks said one of their attorneys was contacted by Hastings hours before his death. In the aftermath, conspiracists floated the possibility that Hastings’ car had been hacked, or perhaps a hit had been ordered to take him out before another big story could stir up the political world. Hastings’ previous works had led to serious consequences for many of those in power. Most famously, a 2010 Rolling Stone article by Hastings had directly led to Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s 2010 resignation as US commander in Afghanistan. On June 17, Hastings allegedly told his colleagues that that he was going off the radar for a bit because he was working on a big story. Now only furthering skepticism about the journalist’s demise, his neighbor tells the Los Angeles Weekly that Hastings was terrified to get in his own car hours before he died inside of it. Jordanna Thigpen tells LA Weekly that Hastings approached her in the early hours of June 18 and pleaded with her to hand over her Volvo. “His behavior grew increasingly erratic. Helicopters often circle over the hills, but Hastings believed there were more of them around whenever he was at home, keeping an eye on him. He came to believe his Mercedes was being tampered with,” Gene Maddaus wrote for the Weekly "Nothing I could say could console him," Thigpen told the paper. "He was scared, and he wanted to leave town.” Thigpen told Hastings she was experiencing mechanical problems with her car and declined his pleas to take it for a drive. According to the neighbor, that meeting occurred after midnight on the morning of June 18 just five hours before emergency responders attended the fatal car crash. In the coroner’s report published last week by investigative journalist Jason Leopold, family members said Hastings was thought to have just recently begun taking drugs after almost a decade-and-a-half of sobriety. Hastings brothers told investigators that the reporter passed out at around 3 a.m. that morning and suggested he wouldn’t be surprised if cocaine, marijuana or DMT were being abused at the time. A toxicology report identified only insignificant traces of methamphetamines and weed in Hastings’ system, and led officials to conclude that either couldn’t play role in the crash. The official report has since ruled out drugs or alcohol as the reason behind the crash, and perhaps no one will never know why Hastings’ automobile accelerated down a Hollywood strip that morning and into a tree. Coupled with the apparent attempts to warn his associate and WikiLeaks of a possible investigation, Thigpen’s admission isn’t making it any easier to close the case. Whether or not Hastings’ fear of driving his own car was justified by the work he was doing or other stressors at play will likely never be known. However, it without a doubt adds another interesting chapter to a puzzling saga worthy of the investigative work that Hastings made his hallmark.TAMPA, Florida — Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts said he first heard about the team’s offensive coordinator switch via a phone call from Steve Sarkisian. “He was the first one to tell me and I was like, ‘OK, well, let’s do it,'” Hurts said. “When he got the job for next year, I told him congratulations and I’m looking forward to working with you. But it just turns out to be that that came a little earlier.” Scroll to continue with content Ad The former USC coach and Alabama offensive analyst’s new role was the dominant topic during Saturday’s National Championship Game media day Saturday, as Monday’s title game is the first time Sarkisian has been a team’s main offensive playcaller since 2014. Is the coordinator swap major deal? Not according to Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson, who may or may not be downplaying it just a bit. “We’ve had a chance to get comfortable with [Sarkisian], get used to him,” Robinson said. “So it’s definitely not as big of a deal as the world is making it out to be.” Sarkisian was set to take over as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2017 after Lane Kiffin was hired as the head coach at Florida Atlantic after finishing out the 2016 season as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. But two days after Alabama’s win over Washington in the Peach Bowl, Alabama coach Nick Saban parted ways with Kiffin, putting Sarkisian in his new role a week before the biggest game of the season. “I wouldn’t go with ‘nervous,'” Sarkisian said when asked if he was nervous. “I’m excited. This is what I love to do. I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve been fortunate to have coached in some big games in my career. Obviously this is another big one.” As much of the attention Saturday was focused on Sarkisian, he tried –multiple times to no avail — to shift the spotlight away from himself. Story continues “The focus is on the game and on our players,” Sarkisian said. “It shouldn’t be about me. I’m just here to do this job the best I can do it for this week.” But Monday’s outcome will be viewed by many through the Sarkisian prism. That’s the reality of making a coordinator switch on such short notice before a championship. A great offensive performance and an Alabama win makes Saban look like he made a genius decision on the way to tying Bear Bryant for most national titles as a coach. A poor offensive performance and a loss means a bunch of second-guessing and nine months of hand-wringing by a finicky fanbase if Alabama lets a championship slip away. Sarkisian and Saban know this. So while Alabama’s offense will probably have a few differences Monday night, it’ll also have a lot of similarities too. In addition to calling plays, Sarkisian will also be in charge of personnel groupings and other aspects of coaching he hasn’t done in a while either. “I think [Sarkisian’s] very well organized in his approach, and I’d tell him what I tell any coach; we’ve prepared to do certain things in certain situations; let’s stick with the plan,” Saban said. “Until we have to adjust the plan, that’s what the players know, that’s what we’ve practiced, that’s what we need to go out and try to do, and that’s going to give us the best chance to be able to execute and be successful. I think he’ll do that.” USC’s 2014 Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska was the last time Sarkisian called plays in a game. There’s no time for an adjustment period on Monday, and Sarkisian hopes his time spent listening in to Alabama’s games this season will make it an easy transition back to calling plays. “Even this season I’ve been on the headset. I’ve heard the rhythm of the offense, how the substitution patterns go, those types of things,” Sarkisian said. “I really feel like there’s going to be some moments. I’m not naïve to think we’re not going to have a couple glitches. But like I said, how we respond to those glitches is going to be key.” Sarkisian was fired by USC in 2015 and subsequently sought treatment for alcohol abuse issues. When asked about the past 15 months, he said he was “doing great” and that “life is good.” He was planning to spend the 2016 season out of coaching and accepted a job with Fox Sports to be part of their college football coverage. He never did any game coverage for Fox, instead taking the job with Alabama as an analyst after the Tide’s season-opening win over USC. As an analyst, Sarkisian couldn’t do any coaching in practice and he quickly found how much he missed being a coach. “But it is frustrating as an analyst when you go out to practice and you’re not coaching,” Sarkisian said. “I mean, that’s what you love to do. But in my situation, when you’re not allowed to do that, it’s a lot of note-taking. It’s a lot of watching coaching, watching the other guys coach. “To get this opportunity to be back on the field, I feel like I was almost like a bottled-up ball of energy, where I could get back on the field and do what I love to do.” Sarkisian said he’s spoken with Kiffin since his former co-offensive coordinator at USC counterpart’s departure. But he won’t be worrying about what Kiffin would or wouldn’t do in a certain situation when he’s calling plays and said that running a no-huddle offense may help with the adjustment back to being a coordinator because of how quickly the next play happens. “We’ll have a good rhythm, a good flow in the game,” Sarkisian said. “We have to create that on our own through execution, through our game planning, and then through the changes and things that we have to make throughout the ballgame. “Ultimately, I’ve got to call what I feel. I can’t try to call it the way somebody else would, or it would never come off right.” As Sarkisian is transitioning to a new but familiar position in the championship, it’ll be an adjustment for Hurts too. Monday will be the first time Hurts has had anyone other than Kiffin talking to him as his offensive coordinator. “Well, it’s a big difference because like I said earlier, you know, you’re hearing this voice,” Hurts said. “You’re hearing this guy, you’re hearing this guy. And then you got another guy that’s coming in. So it’s kind of weird. But at the same time it’s something that we’re going to have to get used to. I mean it’s something that I would have to have gotten used to next year … We have complete confidence in Coach Sark, and we think he’ll do a great job come Monday.” – – – – – – Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!A Palmerston North campus at the centre of a measles outbreak is in damage control mode with classes shut down, students in quarantine and teachers scrambling to salvage the semester. Public health authorities were notified of the cases at the International Pacific United tertiary institute by a GP on Saturday. The virus is highly contagious and can cause serious illness or death. Seven cases were initially confirmed, but by Wednesday one had been taken off the list, MidCentral District Health Board spokesman Jordan Dempster said. LUCY NICHOLSON A measles vaccine. The initial figure was overcautious and after all the cases had been through laboratory testing, one was found not to be measles, medical officer of health Dr Rob Weir said. However, there was still potential for new cases to be identified. IPU classes are cancelled until next week at the earliest as university officials seek to control the spread of the disease, and students had been asked not to gather in large groups. The outbreak was creating a headache for IPU academically. It has fallen in the middle of the summer semester, when it is difficult to make up lost class time, community liaison Joe Rush said. "We are currently working through what will happen regarding class content." The dining hall, library and recreation centre are closed. Hospital staff are working at the campus and a clinic is offering free measles vaccinations. People confirmed to have measles were stable in quarantine, Dempster said, and those who do not have immunity and had come into contact with them are also in isolation. "At this stage it is not possible to exclude an overseas origin for the outbreak." A "variety" of people were sick, but details about whether they include staff or new arrivals to New Zealand could not be confirmed. About 87 per cent of IPU students come from overseas. The institute is now asking all on-campus staff and students to confirm immunity. Those who have been vaccinated or previously had the disease are immune, while those in New Zealand before 1969 are treated as immune because of the past prevalence of the disease in the community, the Ministry of Health website says. Measles affects both adults and children, and can not be treated easily once contracted. About one in 10 people who get measles will need hospital treatment and 30 per cent will develop complications, which can also be serious, the ministry says. "Measles is a very infectious disease, so anyone who is not immune to measles is at risk if they come in to contact with the disease," Weir said. "It is very important that anyone who thinks they may have measles should stay away from work, school or public places." More than half of children with low immunity, and who contract measles, will die. "The illness usually starts between 10 and 14 days after contact with the measles virus. [It is] contagious from just before symptoms begin, until about five days after onset of the rash," Weir said. Symptoms include fever, a runny nose, cough, sore red eyes and a rash. Last year, MidCentral recorded at least 21 cases of measles, including cases that prompted shut downs at Cornerstone Christian School in Palmerston North, and Waiopehu College and Levin Intermediate in Horowhenua. Between 2004 and 2011, the DHB had no confirmed cases. Anyone who thinks they may have measles should contact their GP by phone, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice. More information is available on the MidCentraldhb.govt.nzCHARLOTTE – Justise Winslow is a machine. The Houston native is here for the USBA Boys National Championships, and he’s slotted for a 30 minute Q&A session in a ballroom full of teenagers and parents looking for any kernel of knowledge from Winslow that could give them that extra edge. An hour later, and Winslow is still answering every question the kids have. From what he thinks his NBA 2K18 rating will be when the game drops in October (78, though he thinks it should a bit higher) to who’s the hardest person he’s guarded in the NBA (Gordon Hayward), no subject is taboo for Winslow. “[Hayward] doesn’t waste movement,” Winslow says. “He’s not a guy who will sit out there and pound the ball or do all these crossovers, he’s getting right down to what he is trying to do. There’s no wasted dribbles, no wasted movements. He’s super skilled and his game is simple in a good way. He’s not doing anything extra, you always gotta be ready.” Then it’s off from the ballroom to the tournament floor, where he’ll be taking pictures for another hour, but his route to the MET-Rx booth – a brand he’s been using for years but only recently made formal with an official partnership – however is cluttered by kids wanting to take selfies with Winslow. He stops, takes a couple and keeps on moving to the photo booth for more selfies, and more pictures with young players who all someday are dreaming of being the next Justise Winslow. The line to take selfies is the second biggest gathering in the entire building. The largest, of course, is LeBron James sitting down courtside to watch his sons play a game. The photo session also runs long, as entire USBA youth teams want to take pictures with Winslow to mark this occasion. Kids want Winslow to autograph their shoes or shirts, and some kids have nothing and are left asking him to sign a Starbucks napkin. Now it’s off to the interview, as an even bigger crowd follows him up the escalator for more selfies, more questions and more autographs. This time, the crowd is so big that the MET-Rx folks have a hard time holding them off, primarily because the former Duke star stops and talks to each and every single one of them until they left. When he gets into the interview room, he pauses for a second, then finally gets his bearings.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Anna Holligan is the only foreign journalist travelling on board the Norwegian frigate Norwegian and Danish ships waiting to remove Syria's chemical weapons are returning to port in Cyprus, signalling a key deadline will not be met. Bad weather, shifting battle lines and road closures are being blamed for the delay. The international mission is waiting for Syria's most dangerous chemicals to be transported to the port in Latakia. The deadline is the first milestone of a deal to rid Syria of its chemical weapons arsenal by the middle of 2014. It was brokered by the US and Russia after rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired at three towns in the Ghouta agricultural belt around Damascus on 21 August, killing hundreds of people. Western powers said only Syrian government forces could have carried out the attack, but President Bashar al-Assad blamed rebel fighters. 'On high alert' Under the international disarmament plan, US satellites and Chinese surveillance cameras are to track the progress of Russian armoured lorries as they carry the chemical weapons from 12 storage sites in Syria to Latakia, on Syria's Mediterranean coast. Syria's chemical weapons Syria believed to possess 1,000 tonnes of chemical agents including sarin and more potent nerve agent VX US believes arsenal can be " delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile, and artillery rockets " " Syria acceded to Chemical Weapons Convention on 14 September; it signed Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention in 1972 but never ratified it Chemical stockpile How to destroy chemical arsenal Q&A: Disarmament deal 21 August attack: What we know Danish and Norwegian cargo ships will then transport the chemicals to a port in Italy, where they will be loaded on to the US Maritime Administration vessel MV Cape Ray and taken out into international waters before being destroyed by hydrolysis. However, the BBC's Anna Holligan, who is travelling on board a Norwegian frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad, reports that the European ships are docked in Limassol, Cyprus on the day they are supposed to be escorting Syria's most dangerous chemicals out of the country. The vessels left Limassol on Saturday but turned back on Tuesday after the hazardous containers failed to arrive for collection in Latakia. Now the plan is to refuel in Limassol before returning to sea in the coming days. "We are still on high alert to go into Syria," Norwegian defence ministry spokesman Lars Hovtun told the AFP news agency. "We still don't know exactly when the orders will come." Our correspondent says the delay will be a disappointment to the international community. Co-operation on the chemical weapons removal programme was seen by many of those involved as a potential catalyst for broader peace negotiations in Syria. Failing to meet this ambitious target, our correspondent adds, will demonstrate the difficulties involved in operating in a country with constantly changing frontlines - even with an international mandate and co-operation from President Assad. Image caption The Norwegian cargo ship, Taiko, is due to transport the weapons material On Saturday, the Joint Mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations acknowledged that while preparations continued, "at this stage, transportation of the most critical chemical material before 31 December is unlikely". "A number of external factors have impacted upon timelines, not least the continuing volatility in overall security conditions, which have constrained planned movements," a statement said. The joint mission also noted that the Syrian government had met the 1 November deadline to destroy critical chemical weapons production equipment, which meant it could no longer weaponise the chemical agents at its storage facilities. On Monday, the US state department stressed that it was "the Assad regime's responsibility to transport the chemicals to the port safely, to facilitate their removal". But deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf also acknowledged that it was a "complicated process", adding: "As long as we see forward progress, that what's most important here." In a separate development on Tuesday, activists said a missile fired by government forces hit a bus in Aleppo, killing at least 10 people. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the dead included two children and that the missile was fired from a plane. Rebel-held areas of Aleppo have been under intense bombardment since 15 December. More than 500 people have been killed, mainly by barrel-bombs - improvised explosive devices dropped from government aircraft - activists say.Take a look at this table: Here are the undergraduate degree choices of two of the UK’s most powerful positions in post-war times. The prime minister chooses the route. The cabinet secretary drives the car. There are lots of stories buried in this table. You might marvel that there has been just three years in British history where neither role has been filled by Oxbridge. You might note the paucity of women and science. You might spot the lack of difference across party lines. You might also be surprised by the fact that PPE takes only three of the spots on offer. Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford has become fixed in the mind as the golden ticket to the highest political circles. This reached its peak during the 2010 coalition government, when a BBC News article pointed out that a third of those attending cabinet were PPE graduates, and described the course as a kind of “educational freemasonery”. Gordon Brown’s Cabinet had a similar proportion. The 2015 Conservative cabinet has since reined in the secret handshakes; only six (of 28) come from the PPE stable. PPE’s ubiquity is interesting, because if it has achieved widespread infection across the top of politics, the course becomes a quietly powerful lever in shaping how the country runs. Understand PPE, perhaps, and you’ll understand something of what makes our decision-makers tick. Change PPE, and you’ll change how the next generation of decision-makers think and behave. Is a single course at one university the British equal to the École nationale d’administration, France’s storied and much examined civil servant factory? And if so, would changing it unlock a new way of running the UK? "What really distinguishes students of the Oxford PPE course is not what they learn or don’t learn. It is how they learn" Things aren’t quite that simple. PPE began in Oxford in 1920 — a mere upstart in an institution formed in 1096. Designed as a replacement for Greats, it was created to usurp the default degree choice of the elite at the time. However, PPE’s founders weren’t concerned with future political masters getting stuck in to Virgil and Plato. Their new course was planned to mould a new generation of civil service leaders. They thought that ancient history rather was moot when it came to administering a modern economy. Academic influence on the government machinery had precedent. The Northcote-Trevelyan report — now more than 150 years old, and the only successful major
0.0 0.0 0.0 Total 700.289.344.543.369 11.1 -1.0 9.6 4.5 Nolan Arenado started walking a bit more last year. That’s not a huge deal by itself, but it’s yet another weapon for the player who does it all. The only reason that we’re not absolutely drooling over Arenado is because he plays at Coors Field, and therefore gets a bit of environmental help on his hitting. But a home run at Coors doesn’t count less on the scoreboard because it happened to come in Colorado, and Arenado is coming off two straight seasons of more than 40 bombs. Team USA may not have had Mike Trout, but they could have done a lot worse than having Arenado hit cleanup. He’s also really, really, really good on defense, too. Adames has a 42 wRC+ in 329 plate appearances. Ynoa has a 70 in 207 trips to the dish. So there’s that. Valaika has just 19 PAs to his name, but he’s never really hit at any stop through the minors. One guy to keep an eye on is Ryan McMahon, who at one point was a prospect of note and is still just 22 years old. But, yeah, the Rockies need Arenado to stay healthy if they’re going to do their whole madcap dash to a Rocktober sequel this year. All public data and information says that Adrian Beltre is about to turn 38, which is nuts. The dude just had a 6.1 WAR year in which he hit.300 and still contributed standout work at the hot corner. Beltre has already pretty much punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame, and we think he’s still going to be quite productive this year. Baseball players get fragile at 38, though, so it’s important to consider his backups. Profar actually figures to be the starting left fielder, so we may actually see the Rangers bypass the very light-hitting Alberto as the next man in line in the event of a long-term vacancy and go straight to Gallo. We’ve been waiting for Gallo to arrive on full-time basis for what seems like a millennium now, and we all know the score here. When he makes contact, it goes a country mile. That’s when he makes contact, though. Gallo is a three-true-outcomes guy through and through, and he could be a good one. He’s always been unlucky to be in the same organization as a legend at his position like Beltre. Either the Rangers really value him and have been cool with stashing him away for so long, or he’s lost his luster since he and Bryant launched mortar shells at Target Field in the Futures Game. 6. Mariners Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Kyle Seager 630.266.340.463.342 13.7 -0.8 2.5 4.0 Danny Valencia 35.261.314.426.318 0.1 -0.1 -0.3 0.1 Shawn O’Malley 35.237.298.324.276 -1.1 0.0 -0.1 0.0 Total 700.264.337.454.337 12.6 -0.9 2.1 4.1 We’re assuming that this chart is still accurate, and that Jerry Dipoto hasn’t traded away all the non-Kyle Seager players for other non-Kyle Seager players. Fingers crossed. Let’s make this clear: Seager is really good. He may not be as good as his brother, but almost nobody is. I’ve written previously on Seager being a consistent asset for the Mariners. He’s not the sort of player around whom you build your team, but Seattle would almost certainly be unable to contend without him. Seager just had his best defensive season ever by DRS, for what it’s worth. Valencia is primarily going to be splitting time with Dan Vogelbach at first base, but is more than capable of taking over for a little bit here. Third is the position at which we’ve seen him most often over the last few years, when he’s not otherwise occupied getting into brawls with Billy Butler. O’Malley is your standard-issue up-and-down utility player. Now this is depth. I assume we’re all finally used to the idea of Justin Turner being an above-average player at this point. The man can flat-out hit, and DRS thinks he’s useful with the glove, too. I’d like to think that WAR gives him credit for his beard, but alas. Los Angeles has an embarrassment of riches behind him, and all project to see time at various other positions, as well. Hernandez has been a good weapon against left-handed pitching, and Segedin is a pretty good first-man-through-the-breach-from-Triple-A kind of bat at the corners in the infield and outfield. Taylor is your prototypical utility infielder out of the Mariners organization. Take that as you will. Anthony Rendon is one of those players who might end up always leaving you wanting more. It’s a product of his pedigree and the 6.5 WAR onslaught he produced in 2014. Where’s the guy with the 130 wRC+ playing a premium infield position? He may not be coming back. But Rendon is still a solid productive player and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The projections still says he’s going to hit 20 bombs and play decently in the field, and like him for 10 steals, as well. Given the other toys in the Washington lineup, that’ll do very nicely. Drew being productive is still weird, given his bizarre stint with the Yankees a few years ago. He’s still going to run into a few bombs every now and then, though, which is what he’s there to do while being passable on defense. Difo is a fun little player who probably profiles best as a utility man on a good team. Murphy has played some third in the past, and he may slot over here for a few games if and when Rendon has days off. As you know, he’s there for his freakish hitting ability and not his ability to play “defense.” 9. Rays Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Evan Longoria 630.265.321.473.334 9.1 -0.6 2.2 3.5 Tim Beckham 49.234.285.376.286 -1.2 -0.1 -0.1 0.0 Daniel Robertson 21.238.312.333.287 -0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total 700.262.318.462.330 7.4 -0.7 2.1 3.6 Quick, guess Evan Longoria’s age. Would you believe he’s only 31? It feels like Longo has been in the league for eons, serving as the face of the Rays through thick and very thin. This time last year, we were bemoaning the new normal for Longoria, a decent 20-homer guy who’s the best bat on a bad team. That was before the league-wide dinger fever infected him and he bopped 36 himers. We see him settling in somewhere in the middle, but all in all you’re still getting a good player here. Death, taxes, the Rays being caught between contention and the void, and Evan Longoria. Beckham is the unwitting poster child for Tampa’s recent draft futility. He’s finally stuck in the big leagues, and he’s serving as a plug-and-play guy for Kevin Cash. Don’t let his big spring fool you: he’s Tim Beckham. Robertson has lost a lot of his prospect sheen, and he now looks more like your favorite light-hitting utility infielder. The mid-2000s Yankees were a fun team. The best shortstop on the team played third base, and the guy who should have probably played third base was playing shortstop. I’m not trying to say that Bregman and Carlos Correa are going to be this generation’s Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, of course. Both of those guys are Hall of Famers. But the fielding situation here is quite similar. Bregman is a stud on defense, and he can hit. He’s a natural shortstop and is only playing third because Correa is entrenched at short. Correa, though, is a large human being who may not be done putting on muscle, and if that comes to pass, he’ll profile better as a third baseman. We’ve all seen Correa bungle plays that should be easy. He’s not bad at short, but he’s not great either, and almost certainly not as good as Bregman. The projections clearly like Bregman here at third. The Astros will happily sign up for this level of production. Just don’t be surprised if these two have swapped positions next year, if they haven’t already done so by August. The other interesting man on the chart is Gurriel, who is currently looking like the everyday first baseman. He’s seen a lot of time at third in Cuba, however, and can play here in a pinch. Gurriel’s first full season is going to be fascinating, and you can read all about it in our first-base rankings. 11. Pirates Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Jung Ho Kang 455.260.338.459.342 8.5 -0.5 -0.8 2.4 David Freese 210.256.329.395.316 -0.6 -0.8 -0.6 0.6 Adam Frazier 35.271.324.353.298 -0.6 -0.1 0.1 0.1 Total 700.260.334.434.332 7.3 -1.4 -1.3 3.0 Jung-Ho Kang’s run-in with the law in Korea over the winter looms large here, as does his ongoing sexual-assault investigation in Pittsburgh. If he plays a full season, Kang will provide his usual mix of power and OBP. He’s a fine complementary middle-of-the-order player. If he doesn’t, for either injury or legal reasons, the Pirates have a proven remedy in Freese waiting in the wings. Freese signed an extension to remain in Pittsburgh and looks to split time between first and third in his current role, but wouldn’t burn the place down if he had to take over the everyday job. Jose Ramirez had himself a legitimate breakout season last year, and man, it was fun. He had a.355 wOBA! He stole 22 bases! He played all over the field! There’s not a lot to dislike about the manner in which Ramirez was nearly worth 5 WAR in his first big-league season. We’ve projected some regression, which shouldn’t come as a shock, but he should still be good. It should be noted that we’ve got him accruing another 0.7 WAR at other positions, by the way. Giovanny Urshela is a fine depth option. He’s almost all glove, but he’s damn good at that. Michael Martinez is a paragon of perseverance. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2005, he has a career 35 wRC+ and a -2.2 WAR. He’s almost certainly going to break camp with the big-league team. Bless him. This is going to be a very important year for Mike Moustakas, given that it’ll be his last before he hits free agency. After a great 2015 campaign, Moose was limited to just 27 games last season after a knee injury ended his campaign. The.187 ISO for which we’ve got him projected is right in line with 2015, but we’re tampering our expectations on his batted-ball luck. If he can outperform these projections, the Royals will be happy. If he performs to them, and the rest of the team looks as mediocre as it does, he may be wearing a new uniform come August. The next guy up, Cuthbert, performed at nearly replacement level during an extended replacement stint last season. Merrifield performed much better (1.7 WAR) while filling in at second base, but the official Royals depth chart currently has him as the starter at second base. Dozier is the interesting name here. He made the honorable mentions on Eric Longenhagen’s top-prospect list, and has long been on the radar in the minor-league player-evaluation community. It’s unlikely that he’ll see sustained plate appearances this year, unless Kansas City blows it up. If they do, though, keep an eye on him. 14. Twins Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Miguel Sano 525.238.329.472.341 7.7 -0.8 -2.9 2.4 Eduardo Escobar 175.255.303.389.299 -3.6 -0.1 -0.8 0.2 Total 700.243.322.451.331 4.1 -0.9 -3.7 2.6 Following a relatively unsuccessful expedition into right field, Miguel Sano is back at third base following Trevor Plouffe’s departure. Sano is there for his bat, of course, but he may not be a weakness in the field. You should know about his prodigious power by now. Sano’s a big dude and he hits big bombs. He doesn’t look like he’s going to be the super-elite bat scouts forecasted, at least not yet. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him take the next step, though. If that happens, look out. Escobar is coming off a -0.6 WAR season, so, yikes. We expect him to turn that negative into a plus, but don’t expect much more. He is firmly a bench player. 15. White Sox Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Todd Frazier 609.241.310.447.324 0.6 0.1 0.9 2.5 Tyler Saladino 35.251.299.374.293 -0.9 0.1 0.2 0.1 Matt Davidson 35.207.281.361.279 -1.2 0.0 -0.1 0.0 Yoan Moncada 21.232.315.370.300 -0.4 0.0 -0.1 0.0 Total 700.239.309.436.319 -1.9 0.2 0.9 2.6 The Toddfather (not the old one, but the new one) morphed into a full-on three-true-outcomes guy in his first season in Chicago, which resulted in him being just two points above league average on offense. He got his 40 bombs, but gone was the more relatively complete hitter we saw in Cincinnati. He’s still just 31, so it’s not like there couldn’t be an adjustment back. Our projections foresee some rebound in his batting average, but we’ve still got him down for a 101 wRC+. So, basically, yeah, we dunno. He’s probably going to be playing for someone else after the trade deadline. So who’s taking over? Saladino and Davidson will pick up some ABs here and there, and while Adonis lookalike Moncada could wind up being the starter there once he ascends to The Show full time, he’s much more likely to play second (we have him projected for 210 PAs there). Some people in the industry aren’t sure that Moncada is a second baseman long term (Eric is), so third could be his destination if the keystone doesn’t work out. If he sticks at second, Frazier’s long-term replacement may not be in the organization right now, unless you’re a Trey Michalczewski fan. 16. Phillies Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Maikel Franco 616.271.323.467.334 5.8 -0.1 -3.8 2.4 Andres Blanco 49.251.308.384.301 -0.9 -0.2 -0.3 0.0 Howie Kendrick 35.273.331.390.313 -0.3 0.0 0.0 0.1 Total 700.269.322.458.331 4.6 -0.3 -4.1 2.6 The Sophomore Slump was real for Maikel Franco. He was probably never going to be a guy who hit for high average, but his OBP completely collapsed and his ISO withered. We’re seeing a bounce back for Franco, with his average up to.271, but his overall offensive game not reaching the 2015 heights. He’s still not a guy you’re going to want to see at the plate in a big spot with runners on if you’re a pitcher, but he’s not carrying a lineup, either. He did manage to step it up a bit on defense, but there’s still a decent chance that he’s the Phillies long-term first baseman, not third baseman. Howie Kendrick is going to be playing left field. I get to say that because he’s projected for 35 PA’s at this position. But let’s all just reflect for a moment on the fact that Howie Kendrick is going to be playing left field. Better times are right around the corner, Phillies fans. Hold tight. A monstrous stretch of bad luck turned Chase Headley into the most hated man in the Bronx besides Jacoby Ellsbury. It took Headley until his birthday, May 9th, to log an extra-base hit. He actually didn’t hit that poorly at all following the breaking of his slump, but it was enough to depress his line for the full season. Headley isn’t competing for MVP awards any more (boy, that was a weird season), but he can still swing the stick a bit and he’s a plus on defense. That’s just dandy for a team in transition like the Yankees. He’s a fine secondary piece, and he’ll hit you 14 homers while he’s at it. Works for me. Ronald Torreyes is a bite-sized utilityman, a true 25th man if there ever was one. Rob Refsnyder’s days in New York may be over, as he’s almost certainly not making the team and there’s no real spot for him at Triple-A or in the long run here, and he’s really not a third baseman at all. The Yankees have already said he’s available for those who may want him. Refsnyder will be a decent bench bat for whoever bites. The hype was never all that real. 18. Marlins Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Martin Prado 560.283.335.397.317 -2.6 -1.4 2.7 1.9 Derek Dietrich 84.250.335.417.326 0.3 0.0 -0.3 0.3 Miguel Rojas 56.251.296.336.275 -2.2 -0.1 0.2 0.0 Total 700.277.332.394.314 -4.6 -1.5 2.7 2.2 Once a sort of Zobrist 2.0, Prado is firmly entrenched at third these days. Currently nursing a hamstring strain sustained in Venezuela’s ill-fated run into the World Baseball Classic, Prado is likely to miss Opening Day while recuperating. That’ll lead to some time for Dietrich and Rojas, who are pretty much opposites of each other. Derek Dietrich is good for some hitting and having hot streaks that make you think he’s better than he is, and Miguel Rojas has the glove. He was the one who saved Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter way back in the days of yore. 19. Padres Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Yangervis Solarte 525.269.327.418.322 1.5 -0.8 -2.8 1.7 Ryan Schimpf 105.221.311.450.324 0.4 0.1 -1.2 0.3 Cory Spangenberg 70.258.314.388.303 -0.9 0.1 -0.1 0.2 Total 700.261.323.420.321 1.0 -0.7 -4.0 2.2 Solarte turned himself into a useful player after making his debut with the Yankees at age 26. Traded to San Diego in the deal that put Headley in pinstripes, he’s pretty much been the starting third baseman ever since. His 2016 was easily his best season yet, putting up an impressive.286/.341/.467 line in 109 games. Naturally, we’re going to hedge our bets and predict some regression, but if the new Solarte was real, the Padres could have a pretty good trade chip. Ryan Schimpf is going to mostly be playing second, and Cory Spangenberg has the ceiling of a utilityman. It’s the Padres, you know? It’s going to be one of those years. If I told you before the start of the 2016 season that Eduardo Nunez was going to make the All-Star team and then be traded to the Giants to help with a playoff push, you’d have tried to sell me a bridge. But, well, here we are. What a time to be alive. In typical Giants fashion, they have approximately ten million players who can be plugged in all over the diamond. Don’t expect more heroics out of Conor Gillaspie. Expect Conor Gillaspie. Unless it’s October. Then expect heroics. This chart doesn’t include Korean league superstar Jae-Gyun Hwang. He mashed the snot out of the ball in the KBO, and while it’s no given that he’ll succeed here, he very well may seize the starting job at some point and push Nunez into a more suitable super-utility role. Peralta’s days of being a shortstop are long gone, so it’ll be up to him and Gyorko to man third base now that Carpenter is going to be the full-time first baseman. Peralta doesn’t have Gyorko’s pop, so how much he plays might depend on what Kolten Wong does at second base. If Wong holds down second base, Gyorko could easily cut into Peralta’s time at third, especially if the team wants more power in the line-up, but Peralta could retain a most-everyday job if Wong doesn’t show that he’s a regular on a winning team, which could push Gyorko to regular 2B duty. Jake Lamb can hit. We know that much. We also know that he managed just a 68 wRC+ against left-handed pitching in 2016. That’s not great by any stretch, but is somehow better than the 46 wRC+ he put up against LHPs in 2015. Unless he can figure out how to hit left-handers, Lamb is probably better served in a platoon role with Drury, who didn’t have much of a platoon split in his rookie year. Drury’s horrifying defensive metrics suggest that if he can be hidden as the small half of a platoon, it may be the best way to maximize his value in the league without a DH. Descalso cannot hit, no matter what his stint with Team Italy might have told you. It remains to be seen whether or not Lugo can reliably hit, as he’s got a very aggressive approach right now that could quite easily be exploited by big league arms, and he hasn’t been tested by Triple-A yet. The Diamondbacks system is not where you want to be looking if you’re in search of quality position player prospects. 23. Reds Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Eugenio Suarez 595.250.314.412.315 -5.9 -0.8 0.0 1.5 Jose Peraza 105.281.314.385.302 -2.1 0.2 0.3 0.2 Total 700.254.314.408.313 -8.0 -0.6 0.3 1.7 Suarez can hit the ball out if nothing else. He’s a low-risk, low-reward investment for the Reds, which is perfectly fine because this is a rebuilding year for them, and it’s an impressive outcome for a guy who was once a nearly faceless call-up for the Tigers to fill in for an injured Jose Iglesias. Peraza is the interesting one here, and he’ll be getting the lion’s share of his plate appearances elsewhere. These guys are just keeping the seat warm until Nick Senzel is ready at some point in the next year and a half. In typical A’s fashion, there’s a hodgepodge of players here. Ryon Healy burst onto the scene last year, but Trevor Plouffe’s arrival largely pushes him into a somewhat more suitable DH role. Plouffe is the ultimate placeholder, and the A’s are probably hoping that Matt Chapman could take the job at some point, if he gets his strikeouts under control. Having Plouffe around means they don’t have to rush him up, and can adjust mid-season if he proves ready. If you knew that Adam Rosales is on the A’s, and that this wasn’t a Rangers year for him, please collect your prize at the exit. Yunel Esocbar is gonna keep being Yunel Escobar. He’ll hit for average and get on base without striking out all that much, and that’s it. He’s a one-trick, one-tool pony. That’s better than whatever depth the Angels have here, since they don’t really have depth anywhere. It’s why they spent the winter bringing in competent players like Valbuena. The former Astro and Cub is going to be splitting time with C.J. Cron at first base, but has played lots of third and will see some time here. Theoretically, the Angels will develop a third baseman who’s better than a Quad-A depth guy. Until then, Escobar’s consistently decent bat will do, because this is the team with the greatest competitive advantage in the world playing center field. There’s a surprisingly good amount of depth here behind Travis Shaw. Shaw arrived over the winter from Boston in the Tyler Thornburg trade after struggling through a sophomore slump that dropped him to 13 points below league average on offense. Shaw’s got power whether or not he’s hitting for average and taking walks, and that’ll play in Milwaukee. He represents a good little buy-low option for the Brewers, who won’t be challenging anyone for a whole lot of anything this year. Jonathan Villar is going to be at second base following the ascension of Orlando Arcia, but he can play third in a pinch, and will likely do so on the days Shaw spells Eric Thames at first. There’s going to be a lot of moving parts in this infield. Hernan Perez is going to play all of the corners, and Yadiel Rivera is a fine up-and-down infielder. This position will be a lot more interesting next year, when Maurico Dubon and Isan Diaz are hopefully knocking on the door. The good news is that Nick Castellanos turned in his first above-replacement level season in 2016. He hit to a 119 wRC+ and batted in the middle of the lineup. That’s progress! The bad news is that Castellanos still can’t play defense, and that Victor Martinez is still employed by the Tigers, so Castellanos can’t DH. The names behind him on the depth chart aren’t particularly exciting either, so the Tigers are going to ride with Castellanos and cross their fingers that the bat stays a plus. He’s still just 25, of course, so it’s possible we haven’t yet seen the best of Castellanos’ capacity to mash. Detroit will need his best this year. It would be truly impressive if David Wright really does get those 210 plate appearances. He hasn’t surpassed 200 trips to the dish in two years, and has suffered setback after setback in his return from spinal stenosis. Wright was a great player in his heyday, but that ship may have passed beyond the horizon. Jose Reyes will take the brunt of the playing time here, and serve as the team’s leadoff hitter. That.312 OBP isn’t going to cut it in that role, though. If Reyes does indeed struggle like this, third base is going to be a position of worry all year. It wouldn’t be shocking in the least to see the Mets acquire Kelly Johnson at the deadline for the third straight year, because time is a flat circle. 29. Red Sox Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Pablo Sandoval 490.268.319.417.316 -4.9 -1.6 -5.4 0.7 Brock Holt 175.272.335.376.312 -2.3 0.4 -0.6 0.4 Josh Rutledge 35.245.301.364.289 -1.1 0.0 -0.1 0.0 Total 700.268.322.404.314 -8.3 -1.1 -6.2 1.1 So, how much do you believe in a trimmer Pablo Sandoval? We’ve heard this story before, of course, but the Panda does indeed look svelte, and his bat speed looks good again. We’ve been down this road before. Sandoval will turn 31 this year. How many slim-downs does he have left in him? What’s a reasonable expectation for this version of Sandoval? If a tree falls in a forest and nobody hears it, can Pablo Sandoval hit again? There’s no way of knowing for sure. The nice thing is that Brock Holt doesn’t project to be appreciably worse, so at least the Red Sox won’t be in for a catastrophic drop-off if Sandoval is lousy again. Holt’s not great, of course, but the team should be an offensive force either way. If Sandoval hits, then this line-up could just be downright scary. 30. Braves Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR Adonis Garcia 595.267.301.402.301 -11.0 -1.0 -5.0 0.4 Rio Ruiz 70.236.308.364.294 -1.7 -0.1 0.0 0.1 Chase d’Arnaud 35.236.287.333.272 -1.5 0.0 -0.1 0.0 Total 700.262.301.395.299 -14.3 -1.0 -5.2 0.4 Adonis Garcia is a relic of a bygone age, a 32-year old in his third season of big league play who can hit for average and launch some home runs, but doesn’t walk much and isn’t an asset on defense. Maybe ten or fifteen years ago, Garcia would have been viewed as a much more valuable asset. Now, he’s an afterthought. He’s precisely the sort of older player you’d expect to find on a team like the Braves that’s not quite ready just yet to contend. Rio Ruiz is an interesting prospect if nothing else, but not one who should be expected to make any major impact in the big leagues this year. Still just 22, he should have plenty of time to refine things at Triple-A Gwinnett, where the Braves hope he’ll find some power.POLITICS, / By STA, T. M. The job of Defence Minister Janko Veber seems to be in peril after the parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence Services found he ordered the defence intelligence and security service to conduct an analysis of Telekom Slovenija privatisation. Defence Minister investigating privatisation??? (Photo: STA) By issuing this order the minister overstepped his powers, said New Slovenia (NSi) MP Matej Tonin, who headed the surprise inspection conducted on 9 March. Ministers had to step down in the past for ethical violations, while "this was clearly a violation of the law....this story should definitely end with Veber resigning," Tonin said after the commission discussed the oversight report on Wednesday. Veber responded that Tonin's call for his resignation was unfounded. He told the STA during a visit to the Novo mesto barracks that the security of the country and its defence system depended on Telekom's telecommunication network. The minister moreover expressed surprise that Tonin demands his resignation, as the MP had asked him during a session of the parliamentary Defence Committee about Telekom privatisation. Veber said today he responded that the ministry was trying to get the information needed to be prepared for the telco privatisation since Slovenia will have to make certain legislative changes before the sale. The three-member task force Tonin headed requested that military intelligence and security service head Gorazd Rednak present the minutes of staff meetings held in November and December. In the documents, the MPs found an order that instructed the intelligence and security service to perform an analysis of positive and negative effects of the planned sale of Telekom Slovenije for the defence minister, according to Tonin. He added that the task force pointed out to Rednak that the service had been abused for private and party interests, as the defence act does not allow the service to collect information about privatisation of individual companies. Rednak responded that this was one of the first orders he was given by Veber after taking the helm of the intelligence and security service in November, said Tonin, adding that the meeting took place on 10 November 2014, only two days after Rednak took over. While Veber failed to attend the session today, Rednak was present. He defended the analysis by saying that Telekom privatisation was an important factor in terms of security, which Tonin labelled as poor defence. Commission president Branko Grims told the press after the session that one of the MPs asked Rednak whether the service would continue to look into the sales of state-owned companies. To this Rednak responded in the negative, adding that such activity would be illegal. The issue will likely be picked up again on Friday, as Veber said he would attend a session of the Defence Committee, which is currently not on the National Assembly's agenda yet. Veber also talked to Prime Minister Miro Cerar over the phone today, assuring him that he had done nothing illegal, according to a press release from the PM's office. Nevertheless, Cerar instructed the minister to present a detailed report on the matter by the end of the week.Monticello - Bells tolled last week for Dec. 7, 1941 — the date that lives in infamy. This story starts the day after. Young patriots rushed to the nation's defense. Don Karkos tagged along after school as his older brother, Eddie, went to enlist at the Navy recruiting station in Lewiston, Maine. The boy hunched in the back of the room as Eddie answered questions and filled out paperwork. A recruiter barked out at Don, "Hey, kid, whatsa matter, you don't like the Navy?" Monticello - Bells tolled last week for Dec. 7, 1941 — the date that lives in infamy. This story starts the day after. Young patriots rushed to the nation's defense. Don Karkos tagged along after school as his older brother, Eddie, went to enlist at the Navy recruiting station in Lewiston, Maine. The boy hunched in the back of the room as Eddie answered questions and filled out paperwork. A recruiter barked out at Don, "Hey, kid, whatsa matter, you don't like the Navy?" "Sir, I'm not old enough," Don told him. "I don't turn 17 until Friday." "Good enough," snapped the recruiter. Seaman Don Karkos shipped out of Boston and sailed into the North Atlantic. His was the USS Rapaden, a tanker whose mission was to skirt the German U-boats off the English coast and refuel Allied battleships. On a warm morning in the summer of '42, Karkos was on the Rapaden deck when there was a loud explosion. Twisted metal flew everywhere. Something heavy hit the boy above his right eye, cutting his forehead open. When Karkos woke up, he was in a military hospital in Iceland. Doctors told him he would never see out of his right eye again. They wanted to remove the right eye. Karkos said, no, might as well leave it in, just for looks. Karkos returned home to Lisbon Falls, Maine, a small mill town with a woolery. He worked in the mill's weave room for three years, not leaving until he paid off the mortgage on his father's house. Karkos never regained sight in his right eye. It severely limited his peripheral vision. He'd bump into walls, never knowing what was coming 'round the corner. He had to be extra careful, because if anything happened to his good eye, he'd be completely blind. But Don Karkos lived in a time when you farmed the acre you were handed and plowed forward. He married and raised a family. He started his own roofing and sheet-metal business. Karkos loved the pastoral majesty of horses and in 1978 bought his own 22-acre horse farm in Harris. Just three years ago, doctors told him that even with all the modern medical advances, he would never see in his right eye. That scared this aging man. He already had cataracts removed from his left eye. Karkos turned 82 yesterday. He's been at Monticello Raceway for 16 years. He's a paddock security guard, checking in the horses before races. He helps out in the barn. Recently, he was preparing a horse named My Buddy Chimo for an early morning workout in paddock H. Karkos was adjusting the buxton around the horse's chest when My Buddy Chimo lowered his head quickly, came up and butted Karkos. Hit him flush in the head, straight above his right eye, his blind eye. The old man was thrown against the wall and tried to gather himself. "I've been in a lot of
Director of Athletics Bernard Muir accepted the Cup on June 16 during the annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of America (NACDA) conference in Orlando, Florida. Stanford compiled 1,448 total points, with UCLA (1,236), USC (1,209), Florida (1188.50) and North Carolina (1,152) rounding out to the top five. The Cardinal scored in 25 total sports, but only 10 men's and 10 women's sports are scored in the standings. The following scores were omitted – women's cross country, field hockey, women's lacrosse and women's outdoor track and field and wrestling. The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports -- 10 women's and 10 men's. Stanford claimed three national championships in 2014-15, increasing its overall total to 127. Of Stanford's 127 championships, 107 are NCAA titles, including 2015 crowns in women's water polo and women's golf. Also this season, the Cardinal captured its fifth IRA National Championship over the last six seasons in women's lightweight rowing. The Cardinal has won at least one NCAA championship in each of the last 39 seasons, representing the longest active streak in the nation. Directors' Cup No. 1: 1994-95 Directors' Cup No. 2: 1995-96 Directors' Cup No. 3: 1996-97 Directors' Cup No. 4: 1997-98 Directors' Cup No. 5: 1998-99 Directors' Cup No. 6: 1999-2000 Directors' Cup No. 7: 2000-01 Directors' Cup No. 8: 2001-02 Directors' Cup No. 9: 2002-03 Directors' Cup No. 10: 2003-04 Directors' Cup No. 11: 2004-05 Directors' Cup No. 12: 2005-06 Directors' Cup No. 13: 2006-07 Directors' Cup No. 14: 2007-08 Directors' Cup No. 15: 2008-09 Directors' Cup No. 16: 2009-10 Directors' Cup No. 17: 2010-11 Directors' Cup No. 18: 2011-12 Directors' Cup No. 19: 2012-13 Directors' Cup No. 20: 2013-14 About Learfield Sports: Since 1972, Learfield has developed trusted, long-term relationships with some of the most revered institutions and associations in the world of collegiate athletics. Learfield Sports currently manages the exclusive multimedia rights to nearly 100 collegiate properties in the country and has prominence in all of the major conferences. Additionally, Learfield Sports offers its university partners with licensing and trademark consulting, web solutions, concessions and hospitality services, and professional ticket sales. The 2014-15 athletic season marks the company's seventh consecutive year to title the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors' Cup. For more about its history and complete collegiate portfolio, visit http://www.learfieldsports.com.Brian Kernighan 69’s Elements of Style for the Digital Age Raul Arias IN THE FALL OF 1996, Brian Kernighan 69 brought scissors, a beard trimmer, and a pair of hedge clippers into the auditorium where he was teaching Harvard’s introductory computer science course, CS50, to more than 450 students. It was Kernighan’s first time teaching a college course — he was employed at the time as a researcher at AT&T Bell Labs — and he decided to use that first lecture to focus on the importance of giving computers specific instructions. He asked the students in the room to direct him in trimming his beard and, when they failed to be sufficiently precise in their directions, ended up cutting his beard with hedge clippers right there at the front of the classroom. Those students — and hundreds of Princeton students over the last 15-plus years — were lucky to learn from a teacher who also happened to be a pivotal figure in computer programming. In 1978, while at Bell Labs, Kernighan co-authored a seminal book called The C Programming Language with his colleague Dennis Ritchie, who created the language. It was a short book for a programming manual — fewer than 300 pages — and, in fact, it was not so much a manual as it was a friendly and shockingly readable introduction to building basic programs with C. Brian Kernighan *69, professor of computer science Ricardo Barros “Our aim is to show the essential elements of the language in real programs, but without getting bogged down in details, rules, and exceptions,” Kernighan and Ritchie write at the beginning of the first chapter. “At this point, we are not trying to be complete or even precise.... We want to get you as quickly as possible to the point where you can write useful programs.” The book’s emphasis on providing useful examples and encouraging readers to start writing interesting programs quickly instead of going through an exhaustive list of a language’s features set a new standard for technical writing and a new model for how to teach programming languages. “I think it’s the most influential book in the history of computers,” says Google engineer Alan Donovan, who co-authored a book on the Go programming language with Kernighan. “That’s not to say it’s the most technical, but it’s the one that most people have read and has shaped the way they feel about computers and learned from and tried to copy in other materials since then.” The C book introduced the now-ubiquitous “Hello, World!” exercise to fledgling programmers: Walk into any introductory programming class today, and odds are the first assignment will be to use the new language to print those words. It’s also likely that one (or more) of Kernighan’s books will still be assigned as the required text. Kernighan has profoundly shaped how entire generations of programmers have been — and will be — taught. Since leaving Bell Labs to join Princeton’s computer science department in 1999, he has become increasingly focused on changing how non-programmers are taught about computers and technical topics as well. Through his Princeton course COS 109: Computers in Our World, Kernighan has sought to teach some of the basics of programming, computer technology, and mathematical estimation to students outside the computer science department. Those non-majors, he readily acknowledges, mostly wander into the class looking to fulfill their quantitative-reasoning distribution requirement but often leave with a deeper appreciation of how technology works and what numbers really mean. Now, with Understanding the Digital World — a version of his previously self-published book D is for Digital: What a Well-Informed Person Should Know about Computers and Communications — set to be published by Princeton University Press in March, Kernighan is hoping to extend some of those lessons beyond the reach of his classroom. Coming from just about anyone else, it would seem like an impossible mission: to write a book about a fast-changing and technical field that introduces readers to a lot of new material without condescending to them or boring them, a book that can boil down to less than 300 pages a massive field and quickly provide readers with the tools to solve and understand real problems. But Kernighan has been writing precisely those kinds of books for more than 40 years. KERNIGHAN, WHO IS CANADIAN, came to computing relatively late. An engineering physics major at the University of Toronto in the early 1960s, he didn’t even see his first computer — an IBM 650 — until his second year of college, and didn’t start programming until his junior year, when he learned some Fortran. “I was, to put it mildly, pretty bad,” he says of his undergraduate programming efforts. “But it was enough fun that, since I didn’t know what I wanted to do after college, I went to graduate school because it staved off decision-making.” He arrived at Princeton as a graduate student in 1964 before there was a computer science department. He pursued his Ph.D. in electrical engineering and discovered he loved programming during the summer of 1966, when he worked on a project at MIT and had his first experience with non-punch-card programming, learning the MAD language. “This was in the very earliest days of being able to talk to a computer directly with your fingers at a terminal,” he recalls. Punch cards would, however, continue to play an important role in his graduate research, and Kernighan, who is passionate about computer fonts and typesetting as well as programming languages, even used punch cards to produce what he suspects is the first machine-readable, computer-printed thesis at Princeton. Rather than typing his dissertation on a typewriter, he used punch cards, essentially large index cards with holes punched in them to represent inputs, to write a program that would format and print his thesis using the sole computer on campus, an IBM 7094 kept in an air-conditioned room in the EQuad. The final version of his thesis, on graph partitioning, required 6,000 punch cards: 1,000 with the typesetting program instructions and another 5,000 with the thesis text. After he received his Ph.D. in 1969, Kernighan left Princeton for Bell Labs, where he had interned during graduate school. He stayed there for 30 years. During the 1970s and 1980s, perhaps no place in the world was home to as many prominent computer scientists and computer-related inventions and discoveries as Bell Labs. Among Kernighan’s notable colleagues was Richard Hamming, a mathematician who did pioneering work on how computers can identify and correct errors in communications. “Dick was a classic curmudgeon,” Kernighan says of Hamming. “One of the things he used to complain about was that people were bad programmers. He would say, ‘We give people a dictionary and a set of grammar rules and we say, kid, you’re a great programmer, and that’s ridiculous. We ought to have style guides for programming the same way we have style guides for English.’ ” Those conversations with Hamming about the need for programming style guides to make people better programmers inspired Kernighan’s first book, in 1974: The Elements of Programming Style, co-authored with P. J. Plauger. Consciously styled on Strunk and White’s guide for writers, The Elements of Style, Kernighan and Plauger attempted to codify general rules for creating code by working through examples of poorly written programs and explaining how they could be improved. Their rules included, “Write clearly — don’t be too clever,” “Make your programs read from top to bottom,” and “If someone could understand your code when read aloud over the telephone, it’s clear enough. If not, then it needs rewriting.” Of the rules enumerated in the book, Kernighan estimates that roughly 90 percent are still applicable, despite the considerable evolution of computing technology and programming since the 1970s. A recurring theme of Kernighan’s work is the idea that good computer programming is not just about whether your code works, or how fast it runs, but also its clarity and style. That was a prescient realization in the 1970s, when many people did not yet appreciate that software would have the longevity and significance it does today — that many people would have to work on the same programs, year after year. Over the course of five decades, Kernighan has developed a keen sense of how to derive general, long-lasting principles in a field that has exploded with hundreds, if not thousands, of new programming languages. The new languages often build on older ones, and the foundational rules of style and syntax often still apply. “C is at the base of an enormous amount of what we do in exactly the same way that Latin is,” he says. “There are many languages today that come from Latin, and there are many languages today that come from C.” This emphasis is undoubtedly one of the reasons that Kernighan’s body of work ages so well in a field that has changed dramatically since his career began. Today, very few people rely on printed books or manuals to help them program. Instead, they search through forums on websites like Stack Overflow to find other people who have asked the same questions, and get feedback on their code. The programming language manual is all but obsolete — and yet Kernighan’s books are as relevant as ever: their principles general enough to transcend the decades and insightful enough to offer something the thousands of answers available in online forums cannot. Kernighan’s ideas about the value of style for programming languages were, in large part, articulated before maintaining and developing code became such a vital activity and stemmed from a more basic insight: that clear use of language leads to clear thinking, and vice-versa. “Programming style is first for the person who wrote the code, because I might write this program today and then put it aside and come back to it a few years later,” Kernighan says. “The better it’s written, the more I’ve adhered to these rules of style, and tried to be clear and simple, the more likely it is that I will be able to understand it — and the more likely it is that it will work properly. And the more likely it is that other people will be able to understand it.” NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO WRITE CODE. During the semester he spent teaching at Harvard, Kernighan discovered how much he enjoyed teaching, but also found it challenging to design an introductory course that worked for aspiring computer scientists as well as students in other fields who just wanted some basic understanding of computing. “There was a population that was not well served by [CS50],” Kernighan recalls. “When I came to Princeton, I decided I wanted to create a course that would serve those students.” The course he developed, COS 109, is aimed at students who are intimidated by math or computer science and want a gentler introduction to computing topics. It covers topics that range from how to estimate and understand large numbers to legal and privacy issues surrounding computers, as well as some basic coding in Javascript. “The presiding thesis behind that course is to say computer science and computing technology underpin almost everything that makes society tick in the 21st century, and yet so few people actually get how it works and understand what goes on behind the surface,” says Elizabeth Linder ’07, who majored in French and Italian and took COS 109 her freshman year. She went on to work at Google and Facebook for several years before founding a media and leadership advisory firm called The Conversational Century. Working with governments and political leaders on issues related to technology, Linder often drew on her experience in Kernighan’s class. “I think back often to Professor Kernighan who, on a different and deeper level, was doing a very similar thing to what I do now — helping to translate the world of computer science for a group of people to whom that doesn’t come naturally,” she says. Even when he’s not teaching, Kernighan’s work often involves finding new ways to convey important computing concepts or programming languages to a wider audience. He recently co-authored The Go Programming Language with Donovan (“It was like writing a first novel with J.K. Rowling,” Donovan said of the experience, offering some sense of how much Kernighan and Ritchie’s book is revered by programmers). In D Is for Digital Kernighan’s focus is also educational, though he’s not trying to teach readers how to program so much as he is trying to help them understand what it means to program or use technology — all while maintaining his characteristic brevity, clarity, and lack of condescension. Madeleine Planeix-Crocker ’15, a French and Italian major, proofread the second edition of D Is for Digital after taking COS 109 during her sophomore year. Since graduating, she has made use of her COS 109 Javascript training in her current job doing back-end website management for an art foundation in Paris. But beyond helping prepare her for that role, she says, Kernighan’s course was valuable to her in providing some history of technology and how it has changed over time. “I now understand the stakes which accompany the evolution of technology in society,” says Planeix-Crocker. Kernighan had a profound impact even on some of his earliest students, including those in that 1996 class at Harvard. David Malan, a sophomore majoring in government at the time, took the class only because Kernighan let him take it pass/fail; he ended up loving it and ultimately switched his major to computer science. Now a professor of computer science at Harvard, Malan has been teaching the CS50 course — the largest class at Harvard — for a decade. “There was a friendliness to that class,” Malan said of taking CS50 with Kernighan. “He would have one of the teaching fellows walking around giving candy to the people who asked questions, and I still remember the day I got up the nerve to ask a question in front of my hundreds of classmates. That was the beginning of my taste of community in a class. A lot of the things we do now in CS50 are sort of in the spirit of that, like giving out stress balls and little rubber ducks to students.” Years later, Kernighan’s students recall how he regularly asked after their siblings, attended their plays, and knew the names of everyone in his class. Taped above his desk in the computer science building are large photographs of his current students. “The things I’ve learned about teaching are fundamentally to get to know the students, because if they’re a name and a person then you do a better job,” Kernighan says. “Other than that, jeez, I don’t know, try to be organized, and let them out early.” Josephine Wolff ’10 is an assistant professor of public policy and computing security at Rochester Institute of Technology.Rosie O’Donnell ratcheted up her social media-driven ploy to play White House chief strategist Steve Bannon on Saturday Night Live, updating her official Twitter profile picture Thursday night with a bizarre, Photoshopped image of her as Bannon. “THANK U FOR MAKING THAT AMAZING ROSIE OBANNON PHOTOSHOP – I LOVE IT,” O’Donnell wrote on Twitter, thanking the artist who created the mash-up photo. “all credit to johnny smith!!! thank u johnny.” all credit to johnny smith!!! thank u johnny ❤❤❤❤ pic.twitter.com/jlBoxWoWKf — ROSIE (@Rosie) February 10, 2017 The Bannon-O’Donnell Photoshop is the former View co-host’s latest attempt at landing a guest role on SNL, following a Twitter-fueled campaign to cast her on the NBC show. The 54-year-old comic’s fans flooded social media over the weekend, praising Melissa McCarthy’s recent turn on SNL as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and began to recruit O’Donnell for the role of Bannon. “I am here to serve,” O’Donnell wrote on Twitter on Tuesday when asked if she was willing to take a turn as Bannon on SNL. “Alec has trump – melissa has spice – i would need a few days to prepare – so if called – i will be ready.” Neither SNL or the long-running show’s creator Lorne Michaels have commented on whether or not fans can expect to see O’Donnell as Bannon. For now, viewers can expect to see Alec Baldwin as President Trump. Baldwin is set to host the program for the record 17th time on Saturday, February 11. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudsonAbout This Game Celia's Quest Features Freely allocate attributes and skills through different mentors spread throughout the Valley. No grinding for levels! Power up through exploration and defeating special enemies, no need for experience or levelups! More than 80 skills and upgrades to choose from, spread over 6 skill types. Mix and match to find your own way to defeat your enemies. 10 dungeons, countless secrets and puzzles, hidden world bosses all in a huge world to explore and enjoy. New Game Plus lets you carry over most skills and achievements, letting you fight even tougher foes, some with a dark secret past! Multiple endings depending on secrets found and friendship bonds created, changing the outcome of the game. A unique take on the classic JRPG battle style. Let Celia unleash a barrage of attacks, and adapt on the fly! 15+ hours of gameplay per playthrough, with multiple possible paths and strategies. Become a mighty Swashbuckler, learn how to use the art of Punching, or imbue machinery with Magic! The nitty gritty This is a story of a beginning. This is a story of a girl's journey to save her friend, prove herself, and maybe kick some bandit butt while doing so. This is the story of the birth of a heroine the world has never seen before. This is the story of Celia's first quest.Not long after Celia leaves her home to go on an adventure (and maybe, just maybe, to avoid getting married to Ced the creep) she finds herself in the village of Villageville, where she meets another runaway. Just as they are deciding to go search for adventure together, a group of remarkably rude bandits show up and kidnap Celia's new friend! Now it's up to Celia to save her friend, prove herself to the villagers in Villageville, and beat up all kinds of strange creatures living in the Valley.your way through hordes of enemies ranging from the almost-peacefulto the devastating! Meet new friends and companions like, an old man that's, pirates, bandits and an! Beat up monstersand turn those tears into! The possibilities aren't exactly endless, but there's a lot of them! Go forth, and above all else,Celia's Quest is a JRPG made in RPGMaker VX Ace with heavy emphasis on exploration and puzzle solving rather than grinding and leveling up. Forgoing classic level-up systems, Celia's Quest delivers player progression through Powerups spread throughout the world. This way the player is rewarded for exploring and solving puzzles rather than being patient. Celia's Quest focuses on enjoyment rather than an epic storyline or super dramatic monologues, and shies away from anything close to mature or grimdark. It is, simply put, a fairy tale. This fairy tale has many humorous moments and though it gets serious at times it's more of a comedy than a drama. Characters are over the top, enemies are silly and the world kind of makes sense... sometimes. Did you know dungeon waters are deeper than regular water? Did you also know that this is why dungeon water chooses to only reflect more profound things, such as stars?Professor presents odor results Ted Eckmann, Assistant Professor at the University of Portland, presents the results of his odor analysis at a community meeting Monday. (Fedor Zarkhin) A $375,000 study has not yet found the source of odors in North Portland, and it found air pollution no higher than levels detected at another monitoring station nearby, state regulators reported on Monday. Residents were not satisfied with the state's analysis or its responsiveness to their concerns. "If I had a little kid I'd be afraid to let them out or to play outside," said Pam Allee, 70, at a community meeting in North Portland. "You guys gotta do a little bit more." About 100 people attended the meeting with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality officials and lawmakers. The monitoring that yielded the results was prompted by numerous odor complaints near Swan Island. House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, secured funding from the Oregon Legislature in 2014 to identify the source of the reported odors and to determine whether they carry with them toxic metals. The air monitors found numerous compounds at levels above state safety benchmarks. But environmental quality officials said almost none was higher than at a Portland air monitor on North Roselawn Street, a few miles away from Swan Island. Some at Monday's meeting cast doubt on the results. University of Portland assistant professor Ted Eckmann called the findings deeply flawed. The environmental quality department compared one year of monitoring in North Portland to half a year in Roselawn, Eckmann said. Seasonal variations lead to different levels of compounds, rendering the comparison wrong. "Nothing you see up here is statistically valid," Eckmann said, pointing to a graph of the results projected behind the panel of experts and policymakers. At the same time, the monitoring data appeared to add fuel to some legislators' push to enact legislation that cuts diesel pollution in Oregon's air. Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, is on a state work group dedicated to drafting legislation that would address diesel. He talked at the meeting about the dangers diesel poses to human health, as well as proposals under consideration by his work group. Three bills tackling diesel were filed in 2015 - two by Dembrow and one by Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland - but none passed. About 460 people in Oregon die prematurely because of diesel pollution, according to the Oregon Environmental Council. The search for the source of the odors is ongoing, said Marcia Danab, a Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman. -- Fedor Zarkhin [email protected] 503-294-7674; @fedorzarkhinSALEM: An autorickshaw driver who attempted self-immolation in protest against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to India, died of burn injuries at Salem government hospital on Tuesday. Vijay Raj, 26, doused himself with petrol and set himself afire near the old bus stand early Monday morning. In a suicide note, he accused Rajapaksa of being responsible for the death of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Indian government of aiding him.Raj's relatives and members of political parties, including MDMK and VCK, refused to allow the hospital to conduct a postmortem on his body. They staged a sit-in protest at the hospital, demanding an FIR against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Police personnel attempted to pacify the protesters but the demonstration continued till late evening.Seeman, founder of pro-Tamil outfit Nam Thamilar Katchi, visited the hospital and offered his condolences to Raj's family. He said the central government should reconsider the visit of the Sri Lankan president. Talking to reporters, Seeman said the Congress-led central government and the opposition BJP do not empathize with the sentiments of the Tamil people. "Both the BJP and the Congress are rolling out a red carpet to Rajapaksa," he said.What does Airbnb have to lose with Seattle’s new proposed regulations on rentals? By one estimate, a lot. Last Thursday, the data-centric news website FiveThirtyEight (a media outlet spun off from the New York Times) released an analysis of Airbnb’s presence in the company’s top 25 markets. Specifically, they looked at how prevalent commercial rentals were in each city, defined as units rented out on Airbnb’s platform on an almost full-time basis, or on similar platforms like Homeaway or VRBO. They then looked at much of the company’s revenue came from that pool. These rentals are often seen as a drain on local housing supply, taking rentals off the market and putting them on Airbnb instead. Seattle, it turns out, claims the number four spot in the country for the proportion of Airbnb listings considered commercial. A third of the company’s Seattle revenues come from these long-term rentals, according to FiveThirtyEight’s analysis. Seattle is currently considering a regulatory approach toward short-term rentals, prohibiting people from renting out secondary living spaces for more than 90 days out of the year, and adding some extra paperwork for people renting their first-homes for the same timeframe. This cap would theoretically discourage these commercial Airbnb listings. Those regulations don’t paste exactly onto FiveThirtyEight’s analysis, which considers commercial listings as rented for 180 days or more. At first blush, however, the new regulations would take a significant chunk out of Airbnb’s profits in the city. It’s no surprise that the Silicon Valley company isn’t in love with what’s currently on the table at Seattle City Council, and are trying to push discussion away from the current cap. If the campaign goes the company’s way, the final package could either have a larger day-per-year limit or no limit at all, and instead contain a short-term rental surcharge. The boogeyman for housing advocates is not necessarily what short term rentals are currently doing to Seattle’s housing market, but what they could do. For Puget Sound Sage, a local advocacy organization, the growth of Airbnb could spell doom for the already chaotic Seattle housing market. In a policy brief titled “Dramatic Growth of Short-Term Rentals in Seattle Could Reduce Apartment Supply,” Sage estimates that “over 1,600 long-term housing units in Seattle could be converted or built as short-term rentals over the next three years.” The image is that of crafty entrepreneurs snatching up whole apartment buildings and flipping them into short-term rentals. In a time when Mayor Ed Murray is racing to add 30,000 new market-rate units over ten years, that would be counter-productive. If the company’s profit on commercial rentals is actually as high as FiveThirtyEight suggests, “That could give the company an incentive to focus on increasing such listings as it grows,” reads the article. There’s some quibbling with the numbers, however. The company has issues with Sage’s data collection. And on the FiveThirtyEight figures, an Airbnb spokesperson said in an email, “This analysis doesn’t provide a complete and accurate picture of our community.” Many of those long-term rentals, the spokesperson argued, would not otherwise house permanent residents, as they may be located in hotels or basements without kitchens. Regardless of the exact numbers, Airbnb seems to accept that it can’t avoid changes in local regulation. While it has shown itself willing to go to court (as it did in San Francisco) it’s certainly not as bullish as its peers-in-gig-economy Uber and Lyft. “We really think that to be regulated is to be recognized,” says Airbnb’s Public Affairs Manager Christopher Nulty. The name of the game then is to support the city regulations the company finds amenable (like Chicago, which collects a surcharge) and discourage the examples it does not, such as Portland’s 90-day cap. “We believe very strongly in proactively working with municipalities in general,” says Nulty. Proactive indeed — Airbnb representatives have apparently been in communication with the council for over a year, before any bill was proposed. It has hired local consulting firm Sound View Strategies — the organizing force behind some of the independent expenditure campaigns in last year’s council. Advertisements for Airbnb, featuring quotes from satisfied hosts, have cropped up on city busses and billboards. And since Councilmember Tim Burgess first unveiled his proposal last June, policy reps from San Francisco have been making the rounds in City Hall, according to council sign-in sheets. Councilmember Rob Johnson favors moving away from the 90-day cap. He says after hearing from hosts, especially people who might keep a second home that they only use for half the year, he moved towards what he describes as a revenue model — taxes over rules. Doing so, Johnson says, would contribute to recession-proofing the city for the years to come, while also keeping Airbnb’s business model largely intact. “A lot of people want to be able to continue to operate,” he says, something he fears regulation would prevent. “My policy goals are really, how do we implement a per night fee?” He still supports regulating the serial Airbnber — those “bad actors,” as he calls them, who are actually converting large numbers of standard apartments into short-term rentals. For those genuinely concerned with the growth of commercial listings, though, a tax may not be the answer. Sage, in its brief, advocates for regulation. “The City should prevent growth of whole unit [short-term rentals] hosted by individuals or companies with more than one unit that is not their primary residence,” it reads. To do so, the city should place “restrictions on [short-term rentals] that are not on a host’s primary residence, placing a cap of one or two units for all whole unit hosts, or limiting the number of days that hosts can rent STRs (thus removing the incentive to purchase housing as an investment property for sole use as an STR).” While some short-term landlords, like Courtney Kaylor, have strong opinions about what the city should do ("Tax me!" she proclaimed at a city council meeting last June), Nulty over the phone was non-committal about the approach the company would support in Seattle. His main point was that it shouldn’t be arbitrary, as he believes a 90-day cap to be. By several analyses, a short-term rental in Seattle is more profitable than a standard apartment at about 160 days a year. Perhaps that should be the cap, he suggested. There’s a good chance any legislation could get overwhelmed by this fall’s budget talks, possibly pushing movement into 2017. And even then, when something finally does get approval, says Councilmember Johnson, “I would imagine that, as we have seen in almost every instance, that that will be either sued or appealed or some sort of legal challenge. We’re all anticipating that.”John Noble, who plays fan favorite Walter Bishop on Fox’s cult sci-fi smash “Fringe,” says the writers have some amazing ideas to follow up on the sensational third season finale. “They’ve really put a cat among the pigeons because everyone is asking, ‘What have you done!’ and ‘What do you mean Peter doesn’t exist?'” Noble chatted with Gold Derby senior editor Rob Licuria from his home in Sydney, Australia where he is enjoying a well-earned rest after a prolonged shooting schedule in Vancouver, Canada. He said it was both a joy and a challenge to show the numerous sides to his character — a flashback to 20 years ago, a flash forward 15 years, a doppelganger in the parallel universe. Noble noted his pride in co-star Anna Torv, who he says also thrived playing a quartet of characters. There is a Facebook campaign calling for Noble to finally get an Emmy nod for Supporting Drama Actor. He sees such fan support as “hugely humbling” and “a tribute to the character.” As to whether the Emmys will recognize “Fringe,” he admitted, “I’ve been disappointed that the writers on the show … [creating something like] a piece of literature … have not been recognized” and that, “we produce basically a film every two weeks; so it’d be nice for that to be recognized by the profession, even if they don’t recognize the actors.” MAKE YOUR EMMY PREDICTIONS: Vote for John Noble and “Fringe” here. Log your predictions in all top Emmy races. Compete against experts! Noble could be in with a chance as playing multiple facets of the same character is proven Emmy bait. Sally Field won TV Movie Actress in 1977 for portraying 16 personalities in the biopic “Sybil.” That same year, “The Bionic Woman” star Lindsay Wagner scored an upset in Drama Actress winning for an episode that had her cyborg character split into good and evil. More recently, Cynthia Nixon prevailed as Guest Drama Actress in 2008 for playing a woman with multiple personalites on “Law & Order: SVU.” while Toni Collette won Comedy Actress in 2009 for a similar role in Showtime’s just-cancelled “United States of Tara.” RELATED: Anna Torv finds four characters plenty to play on ‘Fringe’ [Video](via Foursquare) Embattled Subway Inn, which has been forced to close after 77 years later this month, isn't gonna let The Man get away with this one if they can help it. The iconic UES dive has begun an aggressive campaign to stop new building owner World-Wide Real Estate Group from demolishing the beloved watering hole to make way for luxury housing. The Salinas family, who have owned the bar for the past 40 years, have launched both a Change.org petition, as well as an Indigogo project in hopes of staying in their 60th Street home. "We believe that New York City is about more than rich investors gobbling up small family businesses to make a quick buck thereby destroying the integrity of the Upper East Side of Manhattan," the family declares in the petition. They're seeking signatures to send a petition to politicos including Mayor de Blasio, Executive Director of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Kate Daly, as well as the World-Wide Holdings Corporation. They're also hoping to raise $10,000 by the beginning of September to pay for legal fees associated with fighting the real estate giant. The recent rash of RIPs for beloved city institutions should be a rallying cry for everyone who's claimed to love these establishments. Keep in mind, it's not just the regulars who are affected when a business shutters; below, a passionate video made about the Salinas family and the business they've cherished and depended on for the last four decades: [via Jeremiah's Vanishing New York]John Moore/Getty The world is no better prepared for the next global health emergency than it was when the current Ebola epidemic began nearly two years ago, a panel of health experts warns. The problems that hampered the response to the Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 11,000 people, have not been solved, the group warns in a paper published on 22 November in The Lancet1. The panel, convened by Harvard University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, comprised more than 20 physicians, global health experts, lawyers and development and humanitarian specialists. Meanwhile, the outbreak stubbornly hangs on: on 20 November, hopes that it might be declared over by year's end were dashed by reports of new infections in Liberia, which has twice been declared Ebola-free. “We're closer, but we're not yet ready for another outbreak of this magnitude,” says epidemiologist David Heymann at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a report author. Wide reforms The report comes from one of four major Ebola review panels that are expected to call for an overhaul in the way that the international health community prevents and responds to outbreaks; others have been convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations and the US National Academy of Medicine. It lays out ten recommendations for better preventing, detecting and responding to outbreaks; for speeding research on diseases that cause them; and for reforming the global systems that manage them. Like previous analyses, the latest report singles out the WHO for failing to alert the world to the severity of the outbreak early enough, and recommends several reforms to the agency's structure, including changing the way it declares and responds to health emergencies and narrowing the scope of the WHO’s activities, which far outstrip its budget. But the committee says that the blame is not solely on the WHO. It calls for steps to bolster international research and development on emerging diseases between
occur because of the life or death of somebody, but Allah makes His worshipers afraid by them. So when you see anything thereof, proceed to remember Allah, invoke Him and ask for His forgiveness.” What we see is that, terrified and clueless as he was, Muhammad could not understand that during an eclipse the two heavenly bodies, Sun and Moon, catch up each other on the sky, from the Earth-bound observer’s viewpoint. He recorded his ignorance in the Qur’an. And I want to ask you: if Muhammad was guided by Allah, why was he terrified like a schoolboy who thought that he saw a ghost? Today, are you terrified during a solar eclipse, knowing that it is just the natural phenomenon of the Sun going right behind the Moon? What’s so scary about that? You are not scared because you know what is going on. But if Muhammad was terrified, it was because he didn’t know. But how could your prophet not know, if he was a real prophet of Allah’s? How could he say that an eclipse is a sign that Allah sends, when we know exactly when an eclipse will happen, just as we know exactly when it will be Friday? Would you ever say that “Allah sends Fridays as signs”? No, it sounds stupid. Similarly, to say that “Allah sends eclipses as signs” is equally stupid, because we know exactly when there will be an eclipse. A “sign” is something that cannot be predicted by science or any person. But science predicts eclipses with absolute precision. How could your prophet sound so ignorant, so unguided by Allah? Now, of course, we cannot be 100% sure that the above hadith is true. But, equally important, you should not reject it as false merely because you “don’t like it”, because what it says disturbs you. You cannot put your theory — that Muhammad was wise and would not say the above nonsense — ahead of the data (i.e., Sahih al-Bukhari’s excerpt). Muhammad was illiterate, and had the knowledge (or lack thereof) of ancient peoples about eclipses; those are your data. You may assign a less-than-100% certainty that the above hadith is true, but remember that all the ahadith of Sahih al-Bukhari have been given a high degree of trustworthiness by Muslim scholars. Merely “not liking” a hadith because of your personal preferences is a knee-jerk reaction, and a very unscientific one. By the way, the continuation of that phrase in verse 36:40 is also wrong. It says: “nor can the Night outstrip the Day”. Yes, but in Arabia, in Muhammad’s latitudes. If you move to the far north, somewhere in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, the islands of northern Canada, or most of Greenland, you’ll witness the night outstripping the day (called a “polar night”), at some time in late November or early December (depending on your latitude, i.e., how far north you are). In those latitudes, during that time of the year, the night becomes longer and longer, and the day shorter and shorter, until the day vanishes, “outstripped” by the night. Night then lasts until some time in late January. The same phenomenon occurs practically anywhere in Antarctica, but around June and July. This is not just a linguistic objection. It has serious implications in the lives of Muslims. Two of the so-called “pillars of Islam”, namely, praying and fasting, are based on the cycle of the Sun, i.e., on when the Sun rises and sets. What about Muslims who now live in very northern latitudes? In their places, the daytime can last for such a short or long time (or even vanish entirely, “outstripped” by the night, or persist for several 24-hour periods), that regulating fasting and praying according to the Sun is impossible. So, Muslims in such places resort to following the rhythms of the Sun in Arabia. (But not simultaneously with Arabia, because they might be in a very different time zone.) Why did Allah — if that’s the author of the Qur’an — establish such parochial rules, such rules that are good for some part of the world only? Didn’t Allah know that Islam would spread one day beyond Arabia? Back to 36:40. How could Allah have said so many factually wrong things in so short a sentence? And if Allah was trying to impress only illiterate Bedouins who knew nothing about what happens during solar eclipses or in polar latitudes of our planet, then why should we today take seriously a book written for those clueless people of that time? We are neither Bedouins, nor illiterate, nor do we live in the Dark Ages. Given the above, don’t you think that the theory that Allah is the true author of the Qur’an is wrong? Don’t you think that the theory that the Qur’an was the product of Muhammad’s mind (without inspiration from Allah) explains better what we read in it? (Remember to be objective like a scientist: data from observations go first; explanatory theories follow, and depend on the data.) 1.4 Heaven and Earth were one piece initially, then split asunder? Sounds familiar? In verse 21:30, as well as elsewhere in the Qur’an, we read what ancient peoples thought was the correct cosmology, which, however, has absolutely no relation to what today we know is true: 21:30 “Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?” No, sorry. They will not believe (in Islam, at least), because the idea that the “heavens” (which is an illusion, as we said in §1.1) and the Earth were united in one piece (which then God split asunder) is: (1) not original (the ancient Jews also believed the same thing, and it is described in Genesis of the Jewish Bible), and (2) false anyway, conflicting with everything we know today. How can something nonexistent as the “heavens” be thought of as united with the Earth? And if by “heavens” one understands “everything else in the universe except the Earth” (a silly idea, given the unimportance of the speck of dust that we call Earth in relation to the entire universe), then didn’t Allah know that around eight and a half billion years passed after the Big Bang and before the Earth was formed? How can Allah have said that “ the heavens and the earth were of one piece ” if for 8.5 billion years the Earth did not exist, but the “heavens” existed? (If “heavens” refers to the rest of the universe; but read §1.5.1, below, to see that “heavens” cannot refer to that.) Even I, a mere mortal, can do a better job: “Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens existed before the Earth, for a time longer than you can imagine, then We formed the Sun and the Earth out of swirling dust from the heavens?” That wording definitely would not sound strange to the rational and cosmologically oh-so-sensitive Bedouin mind, would it? But it would certainly convert us all to Islam. Why did Allah choose such sloppy and inaccurate language in the Qur’an? As for the phrase “and we made every living thing of water”, that, too, is incorrect. Living beings were not made of water. Water is important for the evolution and maintenance of life as we know it here on our planet, but so are several other chemicals that form the bodies of all living organisms. One of them is carbon. There is no living being that has no carbon in its body. If only the Qur’an could have mentioned carbon (you know, “coal”) as indispensable for life, all people today should convert to Islam, because that would be indisputable evidence of the deeper knowledge revealed in the Qur’an. Instead, the author of the Qur’an said that Allah “made every living thing of water”. Out of plain water, only water can arise, not life. Nor is it true that life evolved in the sea or lakes. Again, this is an ancient idea that was (1) not original, and (2) scientifically inaccurate. The ancient Jews believed that God created life first in the seas (just read the first few verses of Genesis); also the ancient Greek philosopher Anaximander (~ 6th C. BC) proposed that life originated in the water, and he stated this more than 1000 years before Muhammad was born. Today we believe that water played a vital role in the evolution of life, but to say that “we made every living thing of water” is scientifically inaccurate. Certainly Allah, in his infinite wisdom, could have chosen a scientifically more accurate phrase to express the idea that water is important for life. Here is one, for example: “and we made almost every living thing dependent on water”. (I said “almost” because there are some living things, namely bacteria, and more specifically some among those called “archaeobacteria”, that do not depend on water nor use it at all.) Given the above, dear Muslim reader, and always thinking objectively, which of the following theories do you think is true? Allah said things that were already believed by ancient Jews and Greeks (long before your religion was established), and said them in such a way so as to sound today either downright wrong, or scientifically sloppy. Muhammad, the true mind behind the Qur’an, said the above things because that’s what he had heard. What he said agrees with what was believed by ancient peoples, but is wrong — or at best scientifically inaccurate — by today’s knowledge. I remind you that to think objectively means to temporarily abandon your conviction that theory #1 is correct, examine the data (what the Qur’an says, what ancient peoples believed, what we know today), and, based on the data, draw your conclusion about whether theory #1 or theory #2 explains the data best. By the way, why is it that I can always say things more accurately than your Qur’an? It can’t be that I know more than Allah, because Allah is supposed to be infinitely wise. Then could it be that it’s because I benefit from modern knowledge, which is highly more accurate than Muhammad’s knowledge? But, in that case, doesn’t that imply that Muhammad did not draw his knowledge from Allah, but from his own culture, which in turn received it from other ancient cultures? 1.4.1 Deceptive translations of the Qur’an by present-day Muslim translators Sometimes Muslims try to impress non-Muslims by giving their own, totally ad hoc and unjustified translations of the Qur’an. Such translations sound as if they agree with some key feature of modern science. But they are not just bad, but deceptive translations. For example, take verse 21:30, as stated above. See here for a deceptive translation of it, where it is given as follows (my emphasis): 21:30 “Do the unbelievers not realize that the heavens and the earth used to be one solid mass that we exploded into existence? And from water we made all living things. Would they believe?” Excuse me? “that we exploded into existence”? Did anyone translate the Arabic words as “exploded” before there was knowledge of the Big Bang — which is wrongly imagined by non-scientists as an “explosion”? Please show me one such translation of the Qur’an, which was written before the mid-20th C., and uses the word “exploded”. Here is what well known translations of 21:30 say (again, my emphasis): 21:30 (translator: Yusuf Ali): “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” 21:30 (translator: Pickthal): “Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?” 21:30 (translator: Shakir): “Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up, but We have opened them; and We have made of water everything living, will they not then believe?” Can someone please explain to the idiot who translated 21:30 as “one solid mass that we exploded into existence” that explosions were unknown in Muhammad’s time and place? Gunpowder was discovered only in the 9th C. by Chinese alchemists, whereas nitroglycerin and hence dynamite were manufactured in Europe in the 19th C. The only explosions that could occur in Muhammad’s time were the natural ones, of volcanoes. Unfortunately, southern Arabia has no volcanoes. Thus, the language of the Qur’an couldn’t possibly have a word for referring to an unknown, nonexistent concept. In addition, the Big Bang event was nothing like an explosion — in spite of the “Bang” in it. In an explosion, thermal energy dissipates violently by expanding into an already existent space; in the Big Bang, space itself was distended, decreasing in curvature, without expanding into some other pre-existing space. That’s quite unlike an explosion, but whoever translated 21:30 as above (in red letters) obviously knew so little of physics that he thought Allah would refer to the Big Bang as an “explosion”. The above is one such example, but not the only one. I think that the attempt to translate Qur’anic phrases in any way one wishes, so that they look like they’re in agreement with present-day knowledge, is a particularly stupid way to trick those who can’t read in Arabic. Do the believers not realize that in the West we don’t rely on the Imam’s or on X’s authority to learn something, but we search the Internet and expose such silly attempts at deception? Don’t those Muslims who act in such ways realize that they exhibit intelligence that proves insufficient for those people whom they want to trick? (I suppose not, because the dumb cannot perceive his dumbness.) 1.5 Our solar-system surroundings as seen with the eyes of a Bedouin 1.5.1 The confusion about what “heaven” is At various places in the Qur’an there are references to “heaven”. I propose to you that we read together those verses that refer to “heaven”, dear Muslim reader, and try to infer what the author of the Qur’an thought the heaven is, without us being influenced by present-day knowledge. You see, if you assume that the author of the Qur’an already knew what we know today, then you put the cart in front of the horse once again (the theory before the data). Forget what you know today about astronomy. Forget the fact that the blue sky that we see over our heads is not a real thing but an illusion, and come to the position of the ancient Bedouin, who crosses the Arabian desert atop his camel one sunny day, and raises his head skywards. What would he see? What would you see if you were in his position? You would see a blue dome, the sky, the “heaven”, the same object that seems to be traversed by the Sun at daytime, by the Moon usually at nighttime, and which is filled up with stars during nighttime. Look now how several verses in the Qur’an describe precisely that illusion, that nonexistent thing, the “heaven”: 21:32 “And We have made the heaven a guarded canopy and (yet) they turn aside from its signs.” So, the heaven is a canopy, which means a roof over the heads of people. (Indeed, other translations use the word “roof”.) You, of course, know today that there is nothing like a roof over your head. But the Bedouin didn’t know. Therefore, I can think of two theories to explain the above verse, and also all those that will follow soon: It is really Allah who is speaking in the Qur’an and who, although of course knows that there is nothing like a canopy, he uses that false image to reinforce the wrong idea of a roof in the Bedouin’s mind. It is actually Muhammad who is speaking in the Qur’an, perhaps genuinely believing that Allah is talking to him, but in reality saying things from the perspective available to him by his Bedouin’s knowledge. If theory #1 is correct, we conclude that Allah is talking to the Bedouin of those times, not to us today. Let’s see which of the above two theories is best supported by the data. Remember, data for us is certainly what is included in the Qur’an (with 100% certainty), and to a lesser extent what is included in the ahadith (with less than 100% certainty). Now, that canopy, the supposed roof that stands over our heads, Allah says that he holds it so that it doesn’t fall on earth! Here it is: 22:65 “Do you not see that Allah has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the earth and the ships running in the sea by His command? And He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except with His permission; most surely Allah is Compassionate, Merciful to men.” The phrase “except with His permission” might mean one of the following two things: (a) except when Allah determines that the Day of Judgment has come, or (b) except when it rains. So we have two theories here, (a) and (b). Theory (b) seems more reasonable to me, because elsewhere in the Qur’an we read that it is Allah who allows the rain to fall and water the crops, which is beneficial to people, and so this all ties in with what follows: “most surely Allah is Compassionate, Merciful to men.” And also, when looking at rain from faraway it really looks as if the heaven is falling on earth at that place where it’s raining, as seen in the following picture. Rain, in a faraway distance: is this “the sky falling” with Allah’s permission? In any case, we see that this canopy, the “heaven”, is withheld by Allah so that it doesn’t fall on earth (hence, on our heads). Elsewhere, Allah boasts that the canopy, the roof, has no visible pillars that support it: 31:10 “He [Allah] created the heavens without any pillars that ye can see;” If Allah knew that the Earth is a sphere, and that its atmosphere (responsible for the illusion of “heaven”) surrounds the globe and is held around it by gravity, why would he boast that there are no visible pillars that support it? Pillars are used only to support ceilings, roofs, or other solid surfaces. But the atmosphere is no solid surface. By the way, doesn’t 31:10 tell us that “heaven” means the atmosphere, and not the abstract notion of “rest of the universe except Earth”? For, if Allah meant this last idea by “heaven”, why did he need to boast about “no visible pillars”? How can the vast, endless “rest of the universe” fall on the speck of dust that is Earth (22:65) — wouldn’t that be astonishingly ridiculous? This tells us without any reasonable doubt that by the word “heavens” the Qur’an means the Earth’s sky, its atmosphere. But there is a further interesting detail in 31:10. When someone tells you: “I built this house without any heating devices that you can see!”, what do you understand? That there are no heating devices in his house at all? That such devices are missing? No, of course not. By the qualifier “that you can see” you understand that there are heating devices, but they are hidden from view, so you can’t see them. Maybe there are pipes behind the walls, heating the walls and the entire house. And that’s why this person sounds so boastful: because he knows that for you the common situation is that such things as heating devices are visible somewhere in the rooms of houses; so if he tells you that you can’t see them in this house that he built, you are bound to admire him: “Wow, how did you do that? How did you hide the heating devices?” Similarly, if someone tells you that he built a roof without any pillars that you can see, this means that the pillars are not readily visible; but not that they are non-existent! Allah is telling us, in 31:10, that the supposed “roof” of the earth, the sky, has pillars! But you just can’t see them! (“Wow!”) Moving on now to verse 7:40 we learn that not only is the canopy of the heaven a physical thing with invisible pillars, but that it even has gates! (You know, as in doors?) And people like me, who are unbelievers, will never pass through those heavenly gates. Here: 7:40 “Lo! they who deny Our revelations and scorn them, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, nor will they enter the Garden until the camel goeth through the needle’s eye. Thus do We requite the guilty.” As you see, the evidence is mounting that the author of the Qur’an thinks of the heaven as something physical. More evidence exists in verse 21:104, where the author thinks of the heaven as something that can be rolled up like an ancient scroll for writing: 21:104 “The Day [of Judgment is] when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolls up a written scroll. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise (binding) upon Us. Lo! We are to perform it.” If you are a fan of the interpretation that the “heaven” is the rest of the universe except planet Earth, tell me please, what sense does it make to think of it as a scroll that can be rolled up? But if you think of heaven in the way a Bedouin would think of it, then of course 21:104 makes sense: the heaven is a physical dome, a blue canopy over our heads, supported by invisible pillars and having gates from which one can enter into the Garden. So it can be thought of as rolled up like a scroll on the Day of Judgment. Sure, it makes sense; but to the ancient, illiterate minds; not to ours. That the author of the Qur’an thinks of heaven as something solid is also evident from 78:19: 78:19 “And the heavens shall be opened as if there were doors” How can the “heaven” as we understand it today be “opened”? Only physical, solid things open up. But the ancient Bedouins thought that the sky is exactly such a solid piece, so “opening it up” was a sensible thought in their minds. Further interesting evidence of the physicality of heaven exists in 50:6: 50:6 “Have they [the unbelievers] not then observed the heaven above them, how we have made it and adorned it, and there are not in it any rifts?” Pardon me? “Rifts”? As in gaps? But only solid chunks of matter can have gaps! How can the air, the Earth’s atmosphere, have gaps? And, given that the sky is filled with air, why should anyone admire the fact that it has no rifts? Unless the author of the Qur’an could not understand that the sky is simply air, and thought of it — as he repeatedly implied in all these verses — as a solid blue dome. In summary: according to the author of the Qur’an, the lowest “heaven” (the sky) is a solid blue dome, made of pieces that fit perfectly together (without rifts), a canopy over our heads that Allah holds so that it doesn’t fall on Earth, which is supported by invisible pillars (wow! how could He ever do that!), has gates through which only pious people who died and go to the Garden pass, is flat because it will be rolled up like a scroll on Judgment Day, and is even decorated with little lights (the stars), as we shall see in §1.5.3! Why does Allah — if he is the true author of the Qur’an, according to theory #1 — keep speaking in ways that show such endless ignorance, which today would make even schoolchildren roll on the floor laughing? In contrast, theory #2 doesn’t suffer from such problems. According to theory #2, Muhammad is simply projecting to Allah his cluelessness about what he saw as “heaven”. He puts his ignorance into Allah’s mouth, making Allah sound as if Allah is saying things that show a blissful ignorance about the surrounding atmosphere of the Earth and its nature. But in reality it is Muhammad who speaks. That’s what theory #2 says, and I don’t find any datum that contradicts this theory. If you can find any, dear Muslim reader, please make it known to me. However, no matter which theory is correct (#1 or #2), you must admit that somebody is speaking nonsense in your book; somebody is saying sometimes false things (heaven as a canopy withheld by Allah so it doesn’t fall on our heads), and sometimes laughably stupid things (heaven–roof supported by invisible pillars, with gates that lead to “the Garden”, without cracks, adorned with little lights (see §1.5.3), and destined to be rolled up like an ancient papyrus scroll). I repeat: someone wrote rubbish. This conclusion is independent of the question of who the author of the Qur’an is. 1.5.2 The confusion about what Day and Night is Reading the various verses in the Qur’an that talk about objects that make up our solar system (Earth, Sun, Moon, etc.), a modern reader can’t avoid feeling somewhat strange upon seeing that, together with the other heavenly bodies, there is a persistent reference to “Day” and “Night”. From our modern perspective, day and night are completely uninteresting events in the context of cosmology. First of all, we understand they are conditions, not objects that require a creation, as many Qur’anic verses suggest. Once there is the Sun and a planet like Earth that rotates around its axis and thus shows half of itself to the Sun, inhabitants of the planet are bound to experience day & night — what can be more mundane and uninteresting that that, we’d think today. But ancient peoples didn’t have the correct model of a round Earth rotating around its axis in their minds. Moreover — and quite surprisingly for us — they couldn’t make the connection between Sun and daylight! They couldn’t “get it” that the Sun causes day, and the absence of Sun causes night. Instead, they observed “Day” starting to appear at some early time, whereas the Sun came out later, as a “crowning jewel” of “Day”. Likewise at sunset: they saw the Sun disappearing, but “Day” (the object) was still there for a while; so — naturally — they thought that the “Day” does not depend on the Sun, since it can exist even after the Sun is gone. From their perspective, the Sun didn’t cause the day but was merely a bright object cruising along the blue dome, the “heaven”, while “Day” was present. So in their view of things, ancient peoples treated “Day” and “Night” not as conditions but as objects that required creation, like all other objects. Here is a characteristic verse that tells us precisely that “Day” and “Night” were created, independently and before the creation of the Earth. 79:27 “Are you the harder to create, or is the heaven that He built? 79:28 He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection. 79:29 And He made dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morning thereof. 79:30 And after that He spread the earth.” Notice how the Sun doesn’t seem worthy of any mention in the above verses; Allah “raises” the canopy of the heaven (what sense does this really make if by “heaven” we understand “everything else in the universe except the Earth”?) and creates night and day on the heaven. Subsequently, Allah spreads the Earth. (And note please that if you want to create a sphere you don’t spread it, which is what you do if you create a flat, planar surface.) So the Day and Night are objects created, associated with heaven, but not associated with Earth, which comes afterwards. But what sense do the notions of day & night make in the absence of planet Earth? Some Muslim readers might object that the Arabic word used in the original text doesn’t have to be translated as “after that” (as translators Pickthal and Shakir translate it), but as “moreover” (as Yusuf Ali translates it). But this doesn’t make any significant difference. Try to read the text using “moreover”: 79:29 “And he made dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morning thereof. 79:30 Moreover, He spread the earth.” Still, day and night sound like two separately created objects. If you have the correct, modern model of our solar system in your mind, and you say that the Earth was created, what sense does it make to say that the day and night were also created? And even mention their creation in the text (79:29) before the creation of the Earth (79:30)? With the correct model in your mind, you should mention the Sun first, then the Earth, and then (possibly) the day and night, although that would be redundant. Verses 79:29–30 sound as if you were a carpenter and you say something like this: “And I made the dark surface, and the bright surface. Moreover, I spread out the table.” Would you ever say an incoherent thing like that? Would you talk about the making of surfaces before mentioning the object to which those surfaces belong? Worse, would you talk about creating the darkness and brightness when you, being a carpenter, know very well that darkness and brightness are not independent objects, but conditions, properties of the surfaces of your table, resulting from the position of some external bright object, such as a light bulb? Shouldn’t you know that darkness and brightness do not require creation, but what you need to talk about is where you put the table in relation to the light bulb? And why would you talk about “spreading” the table, when what you actually created is a sphere? How can you claim to be a carpenter, an expert in making furniture, and make it evident from your choice of words that you are clueless about your profession? The verses of Chapter 79 are of course not the only ones that show a lack of understanding of what day and night is, and what causes them. Here is a verse showing again a separation between day & night on one hand, and the Sun and other heavenly bodies on the other hand: 7:54 “Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He mounted the Throne. He covers the night with the day, which is in haste to follow it, and has made the sun and the moon and the stars subservient by His command. His verily is all creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!” Can the “Lord of the Worlds” please speak in a way that shows he understands some fundamental features of his creation? Specifically, that the night and day are not independent creations, separate from one of the objects (the Sun) which he created? Why does he speak like an ignorant, illiterate person? If your answer is that he wanted to be understood by Bedouins, then my counter-answer is that Allah, being all-wise, could always choose to speak so that he was both understood by tribesmen, and also make sense to us today. A very simple way to do that in 7:54 is this one: “Lo! your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the Earth in six Days. He has made the stars, the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon [in that order, please!], and has let the Sun to shine during the day, which is covered by the night after sunset, and the night in turn is covered by day in haste before sunrise. His verily is all creation [blah-blah, but I would prefer less boasting and bragging from a truly wise Allah].” I don’t think the extra-sensitive Bedouins would have a hard time to swallow the above, given that they swallowed far more difficult ideas, such as that their many other gods were false gods, and that Muhammad had a special direct communication channel with the one God, Allah. I mean, if you are so naïve and gullible() as to believe a person who says Allah talks to him in a cave through the angel Gabriel, and you believe him just because that person tells you so, then do you think it is that hard to accept the sentences I wrote in blue color? Would you have any difficulty to understand them? I don’t think so, unless you are truly retarded. And, in any case, since Allah is infinitely wise, he could find many different — and superior to my — ways for expressing the same ideas. () Please note that when I say “naïve and gullible” I don’t refer to today’s Muslims but to Muhammad’s tribesmen, so make sure you read this footnote (*). By the way, why does the Qur’an say that the day covers the night “ in haste ”? Do you know that this reveals something about the place of the Earth where the Qur’an was written? The day appears relatively quickly after the night only in latitudes of the Earth that are near the equator! And, as everyone knows, such are the latitudes of Southern Arabia! In southern latitudes, the dawn is short; ditto for the twilight. That’s because the Sun’s arc on the sky, as the Sun rises or sets, is closer to the vertical direction than in more northern latitudes, where the Sun’s arc is closer to the horizontal direction (see pictures, below). If you move to the far north of the Earth (in northern Canada, Scandinavia, or Siberia), you’ll see the Sun taking a looooong time as it sets, and then remaining equally long under the horizon, but near it, so the twilight lasts very long in those places; for the same reason, the dawn lasts equally long. So, whether the night is covered by the day “ in haste ” or not depends on where you are on Earth. We thus see that the Qur’an, when studied carefully, with its little phrases and words, reveals the fact that it has a very narrow-minded idea about how the world actually is. It really seems to have been written for the Bedouins of Arabia — and, most likely, by a Bedouin of Arabia. The Sun sets like this in southern latitudes, like that of Arabia. Consequently day & night follow each other “ in haste ” (7:54) But, unbeknownst to the Bedouins, the Sun sets like this in the North. As a consequence, dawn and twilight last really long. Another point: in 7:54, Allah could avoid the phrase: “He mounted the Throne”. What “Throne”? Does Allah need a throne to sit on? A throne is a physical thing, especially if it is mounted somewhere. Does Allah have a physical body (with the necessary part that humans use when they sit somewhere), which he uses while sitting on a throne? What does this tell you about what the author of the Qur’an thought about Allah? (Think, and then re-read this quote from Sahih Al-Bukhari, to see what the author really thought about that throne and where it is located.) As I mentioned, I don’t find it appropriate that Allah boasts about himself and asks to be blessed all the time ( “Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!” ). Is this the example you want to follow? Boasting continually about what you have created? But I am not going to complain about the Quran’s distasteful moral attitude here, because that subject belongs to a different article. Let’s go back to the subject of cosmology. Here are a few more verses that show the dissociation between day–night and Sun: 5:1 “All praise is due to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth, and made the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord.” The “darkness and the light” were created by Allah, but the Sun — the main heavenly body responsible for the light and its absence — is nowhere to be seen in this verse. 21:33 “And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.” 36:40 “It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).” If you understand that night and day are simply caused by the illumination of the Earth from the Sun, what sense does it make to boast about not permitting night to outstrip the day? How else could it be on a spherical body like the Earth? 41:37 “Among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon. Do not prostrate to the sun and the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them, if it is Him ye wish to serve.” 78:8 “And We have created you in pairs, 78:9 And have appointed your sleep for repose, 78:10 And have appointed the night as a cloak, 78:11 And have appointed the day for livelihood. 78:12 And We have built above you seven strong (heavens), 78:13 And have appointed a dazzling lamp, [i.e., the Sun] ” Again, we see a dissociation: night and day in 78:10–11, but Sun in 78:13. I don’t think I need to continue with more examples. Looking again at all the above verses we have two theories, as before: Allah, the carpenter of the universe, says that (a) he raised the ceiling as a canopy over the heads of the ants that live on a table, giving to that canopy order and perfection, (b) he made a darkness and a brightness, and (c) subsequently (or moreover), he made the table for the ants to dwell on. But actually the “darkness” and “brightness” are mere conditions of the two surfaces (lower and upper) of the table, as they are illuminated by a lamp, which the boastful carpenter failed to mention. Worse, the table is not a table, but a spherical object. Muhammad, the illiterate Arab nomad, not understanding that brightness and darkness are conditions of the table that depend on the existence of an external light source (a light bulb), claimed that
recently expanded its big data and A.I. cloud offerings in Europe — the product handles huge amounts of data that lets organizations make real-time predictions. Uber rival Didi Chuxing in March announced an R&D center in Mountain View, California, to look into A.I. in security and intelligent driving technologies. Experts agree that A.I. is set to unleash a new wave of digital disruption as adoption across various industries begins to pick up.A lot of people don't give a crap. But OpenBiome, a company based in Cambridge, Mass., does, quite literally. The group has opened a facility that collects stool samples from healthy, pre-screened individuals. It then processes those "donations" and readies them for shipment to hospitals, where they are put into the colons of people with the deadly gut infection Clostridium difficile. Since September, OpenBiome has sent more than 135 frozen, ready-to-use preparations to 13 hospitals. It is, as Science News put it, a kind of Brown Cross. These "poop transplants," as some have called them, show extraordinary promise in treating C. diff, a disease that kills about 14,000 people per year. According to Science News: A 2011 review of 317 patients treated for C. difficile found that fecal transplants cleared up infections in 92 percent of patients. And more recent research showed that taking a round of pills containing bacteria isolated from fecal matter (without the feces itself) resolved C. difficile infections in all of 32 patients treated. Until OpenBiome came around, there was no way to legally get stool transplants, and some even resorted to using homemade preparations from other people's feces, which, just in case I need to make clear, is a bad idea. Now the FDA allows OpenBiome to deliver transplants to treat C. diff, and it considers the fecal material to be a drug. Some have argued, quite sensibly, that it doesn't make sense to treat poop as a drug, since--let's just be honest--it's not. Instead, scientists argue in the journal _Nature, _given the special nature of poop (haha) and the potential for the procedure to transfer healthy bacteria from one person to another, fecal transplants deserve their own set of rules that make them easier to study and use in medicine.This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AMY GOODMAN: In a jailhouse confession, a California man accused of plotting to kill employees at the ACLU and Tides Foundation says he was inspired by watching Glenn Beck on Fox News. Forty-five-year-old Byron Williams made national headlines in July when he was arrested after he opened fire on California Highway Patrol officers on an interstate highway in Oakland. During the shootout, Williams allegedly fired three guns, including a high-powered hunting rifle with armor-piercing rounds. Ultimately, Williams, an unemployed ex-felon, surrendered after taking multiple gunshot wounds. The ballistic body armor he was wearing may have helped save his life. Two officers were injured in the assault. According to a police affidavit, Williams stated from a nearby hospital he had been on his way to, quote, “start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU,” unquote. When the shooter’s mother told the San Francisco Chronicle her son had become angry after watching TV news, speculation of Byron Williams’s motive turned to Fox News personality Glenn Beck. Now, in a series of exclusive jailhouse interviews published on the website of the watchdog group Media Matters, journalist John Hamilton reveals that Byron Williams was inspired by Glenn Beck and other right-wing media figures. The piece is called “Progressive Hunter” and notes that Williams praised Beck as a “schoolteacher on TV.” Beck is unique among cable news personalities for his frequent references to the low-profile Tides Foundation, a San Francisco-based charitable group that gives money to human rights groups, environmentalists and other progressive causes. According to Media Matters, in the eighteen months before the shooting, Beck used his Fox News show to attack the Tides Foundation twenty-nine times, claiming the small foundation is part of a secret George Soros-funded plot to infiltrate and gain control of big businesses and to indoctrinate the youth of America. In his conversations with journalist John Hamilton, Byron Williams specifically cited a conspiracy theory broadcast on the Glenn Beck program in the weeks before the Oakland shootout that drove him over the edge: an intricate plot involving Barack Obama, philanthropist George Soros, a Brazilian oil company and the BP oil disaster. I asked John Hamilton to explain this. JOHN HAMILTON: Well, I first met Byron Williams in the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, just outside of Oakland, back in August. Byron Williams is a man who believes that shadowy players are behind the Obama administration. In particular, he has a hatred for George Soros, the billionaire financier and philanthropist who funds a lot of liberal organizations. And not coincidentally, he is a frequent whipping boy on Fox News, and in particular on the Glenn Beck program. Byron believes in a conspiracy theory, partly posited by Glenn Beck, that George Soros was responsible for the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and that he was profiting from this oil disaster through his investments in Petrobras, which is a Brazilian oil company. And the theory goes something like, George Soros got the Obama administration, through the Center for American Progress, to declare a deepwater oil drilling moratorium in the United States, thereby elevating the value of Soros’s investments in Brazilian oil. Of course, this theory is widely discredited. We debunk it thoroughly in my article at MediaMatters.org. And interestingly, at the time that Soros was said to have been profiting, he divested his $900 million in shares, in the second quarter of 2010, at a time, as BusinessWeek put it, that Petrobras was — its stock was falling as a result of the BP oil spill. Never mind that it wasn’t true. In Byron Williams’s mind, it was true. And he was so incensed, as he put it, by seeing the images of oil-soaked pelicans on the TV, and his belief that this disaster was started by Soros, who was profiting from it, while Americans workers, unemployed people, such as himself, were getting screwed, as Glenn Beck put it, that it inspired him to take action. AMY GOODMAN: Did he say who he was attempting to kill, that he was attempting to kill someone? JOHN HAMILTON: Right, well, what we have is the police affidavit, which, you know, according to the police, his stated goal was to travel to San Francisco to start the revolution by killing persons of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU. There was one other interview with the San Francisco Examiner that Byron Williams did from jail. In that interview, the reporter Ed Walsh presses him on this issue. And at one point, Williams says “retribution was called for” by taking out eleven people at the Tides Foundation. BYRON WILLIAMS: Retribution was called for with the Tides, or anybody working for George Soros, by taking out eleven people. JOHN HAMILTON: Eleven people being the number of people killed on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. AMY GOODMAN: He believed that the Obama administration had hired Halliburton to blow up the BP oil well? JOHN HAMILTON: Yes, and I think this theory that Byron Williams has is a composite of two different media players. Another person who he admires greatly is Alex Jones, who is sort of a fringe right-wing conspiracy theorist who believes that the 9/11 attacks were, you know, contracted by the government. He talks about the New World Order and black helicopters and these sorts of things. And Alex Jones originally spun this tale that somehow — that Halliburton had blown up the BP oil rig. Glenn Beck never said that. In fact, he was careful in one of his episodes to say, “I’m not saying that Soros was behind the oil spill itself. I’m saying that he’s profiting from it, and the response from it is leading to things like cap-and-trade legislation.” But he also — there’s one moment — and I think people should go to the Media Matters site and look at the moment — where he sort of gives a nod and a wink to the conspiracy theorists. GLENN BECK: George Soros starts the Center for American Progress with John Podesta. John Podesta’s Center for American Progress selects the Obama transition team. Soros buys $900 million in gasoline-powered bras. Then, in a completely unrelated story, BP has their oil spill. AMY GOODMAN: That was Glenn Beck talking about the oil spill and how, what — he says that Petrobras — that’s a Brazilian gas company — benefited, and the Obama administration had invested in Petrobras. JOHN HAMILTON: Right. And, of course, you know — AMY GOODMAN: He says. JOHN HAMILTON: Yes. And, of course, you know, we spend some time in the article discussing — the Obama administration had nothing to do with it. There was a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of America, which was headed at the time by Bush appointees. It came months, and not weeks, after Soros had decreased his investments, not increased them, as Glenn Beck posited in those June of 2010 programs. And, of course, you know, all of this is kind of a moot point, because, again, Soros divested from his Petrobras holdings. But, you know, Byron Williams picked up on this, and he repeatedly told me throughout my interviews, “You need to go back and watch Glenn Beck’s episodes, June of 2010. He’s exposing the most hideous corruption.” BYRON WILLIAMS: I would have never started watching Fox News if it wasn’t for the fact that Beck was on there. And it was the things that he did, it was the things he exposed, that blew my mind. I said, “Well, nobody does this.” Beck will never say anything about a conspiracy, will never advocate violence. He’ll never do anything of this nature. But he’ll give you every ounce of evidence that you could possibly need. Go look at all the stuff that you’ll find. I would suggest you go back and see, try to find the videos about — all the June videos. JOHN HAMILTON: I mean, clearly, here’s a man who believes in some fringe conspiracy theories, and then he turns on Glenn Beck and, in his mind, he’s — they’re being validated. AMY GOODMAN: John Hamilton, he’s is in prison. JOHN HAMILTON: Yeah. AMY GOODMAN: He’s in the Santa Rita Prison. JOHN HAMILTON: He’s in jail. AMY GOODMAN: You say three strikes. JOHN HAMILTON: Yes, he’s pleading not guilty. AMY GOODMAN: And he was in jail previously. He was imprisoned. He was convicted of bank robbery. JOHN HAMILTON: Yeah, he has two major offenses, two strikes against him, for bank robbery convictions, a long rap sheet. AMY GOODMAN: Why don’t you present the next clip of Byron Williams himself, what you felt is most significant? And by the way, how did you record him in the jail? JOHN HAMILTON: Well, I had a small tape recorder, which I held to the receiver of the telephone, which I was able to get in. AMY GOODMAN: So, why don’t you introduce this clip? JOHN HAMILTON: I think this is one of the most important points, that, no, Glenn Beck doesn’t advocate explicitly for violence, but in Byron Williams’s mind, Glenn Beck gives you every ounce of evidence that you could possibly need. BYRON WILLIAMS: You know, I’ll tell you. Beck is going to deny everything about violent approach, deny everything about conspiracies, but he’ll give you every reason to believe in it. He is protecting himself, and you can’t blame him for that. So, I understand what he’s doing. AMY GOODMAN: That was Byron Williams, recorded by you in the Santa Rita Jail. Go on with what he’s saying. JOHN HAMILTON: I think Dana Milbank of the Washington Post put it best. He has a compendium of Glenn Beck quotes. Here is some of the rhetoric that you’ll hear on Glenn Beck’s radio program or see on his TV show: “The war is just beginning,” “Shoot me in the head if they try to change our government,” “You have to be prepared to take rocks to the head,” “The other side is attacking,” “There is a coup going on,” “Grab a torch,” “Drive a stake through the heart of the bloodsuckers,” “They are taking you to a place to be slaughtered.” I mean, these are quotes, and I could go on. I mean, there’s any number of these from Glenn Beck. So, I think we have to ask ourselves, if this is the level of discourse on the Glenn Beck program, and if the statements about, for example, George Soros, you know, starting the Tides Foundation thirty-five years ago, which wasn’t the case, or that he’s laundering money through “his” Tides Foundation, when he’s given less than five percent of the funds, of the foundation’s total funding, those two things in tandem beg the question, does Glenn Beck bear culpability for the actions of his audience? AMY GOODMAN: The issue of Glenn Beck and violence and the other things that he has said or the images of pouring gasoline on someone on the show? JOHN HAMILTON: Right. Well, we titled the piece “Progressive Hunter,” and that’s taken from a line that Glenn Beck used on one of his programs. And he said, “’Til the day I die, I’m going to be a progressive hunter.” He said he was going to be like “the Israeli Nazi hunters.” “I’m going to find these big progressives, and 'til the day I die, I’m going to be a progressive hunter. I'm going to find these people that have done this to our country and expose them.” Now, he says he’s going to expose them. He’s not advocating violence. But when you liken liberals and progressives in America to Nazis and saying you’re going after them like an Israeli Nazi hunter, when you raise your level of rhetoric to that point, and you have an audience like Byron — people like Byron Williams are watching this — it’s unsurprising that we get these incidents. And it’s not the only one. And we have a sidebar to the piece. We document other cases of right-wing vigilantes, militia groups, militia members, who pick up on the talking points that they hear on Fox News programs and cite them as reasons for their exteme behavior — people like Richard Poplawski, who was a Pittsburgh resident, who opened fire on three Pittsburgh police officers. He, like Byron Williams, was a fan of Alex Jones. He believed the Obama administration was coming for his guns. And also like Byron Williams, he was also a fan of Glenn Beck. He, Poplawski, you know, the Pittsburgh police shooter, posted to a neo-Nazi website called Stormfront a video in which Glenn Beck and Libertarian Congressman Ron Paul discuss the possibility that their — that the government is setting up FEMA concentration camps. Glenn Beck says, “It’s probably not true, but we can’t debunk it. If this were true, that would be bad.” And he promised to debunk it. Weeks went by before he finally aired an episode where he said that there were no FEMA concentration camps. So, again, it’s this sort of nod and a wink to the fringe conspiracy theorists that routinely makes it on to Glenn Beck’s programming, that’s taken up by these vigilantes. AMY GOODMAN: John Hamilton, how does Michael Savage fit into this picture? JOHN HAMILTON: Right. Well, Michael Savage was another influence on Byron Williams. In fact, when I first arrived in Groveland, before I even met Byron’s mother Janice, I spoke to a neighbor, Tom Funk, who described what happened on the night of — on election night in 2008. TOM FUNK: He was yelling at the top of his lungs, just mad, and then he would turn on Michael Savage. And it seemed like he had a AM PA system, because it was just blaring. JOHN HAMILTON: He would turn on Michael Savage? TOM FUNK: Savage, yeah. JOHN HAMILTON: Oh, really? So you would hear Michael Savage, the radio host? TOM FUNK: The radio host, yeah. And he would have it on — I don’t know what kind of speaker system he had, but AM radios don’t really go that loud. JOHN HAMILTON: So that was Tom Funk, one of the neighbors of Byron Williams, and again, talking about what happened on election night 2008, around that time. If you were listening, you would have heard Michael Savage warning of the potential for a bloodbath, if our worst fears are realized, in reference to if we elect Barack Obama president. MICHAEL SAVAGE: I would like to open the next hour talking with you about the next phase of this bloodbath coming to America, should your worst fears be realized. I hope you’ll be here for us, because I know millions are advising themselves to listen. JOHN HAMILTON: So, again, this was sort of the right-wing echo chamber that Byron Williams lived in. These were his media sources of inspiration. AMY GOODMAN: So, John Hamilton, you have this guy, who has been in prison a number of times. This is his third strike, which could mean he’s in prison for the rest of his life, in jail most recently for bank robbery, violent man. JOHN HAMILTON: Right. AMY GOODMAN: Can you really hold Glenn Beck, Michael Savage, responsible for this man’s violent actions, who was violent way back? JOHN HAMILTON: Right. Well, I think we have to ask ourselves that. And again, I think we need to return to the — to two major points here. One, many of the conspiracy theories and the conspiracism that you find on Glenn Beck’s program is simply not true. It’s easily refuted. At Media Matters, you have teams of researchers every day debunking many of the things that Glenn Beck says. And, for example, the Petrobras conspiracy theory, the idea that George Soros was profiting from the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico simply wasn’t true. When you couple that with the demonization of people like Soros, who when Glenn Beck talks about him, he compares him to a gangster, he affects his accent, he’s even insulted the man’s nose hair — I mean, he says that he’s trying to bring — sometimes he says socialism, sometimes he says fascism, to the United States. GLENN BECK: How about Tides? How about indoctrination? Forget God, it’s “In George Soros, we trust.” Oh, he’s going to get his. He is going to get his. JOHN HAMILTON: So, when you couple the mistruths with the demonization, I think it is time that we ask ourselves, do these media figures, do these demagogues, bear some responsibility for the actions of their audience? AMY GOODMAN: John Hamilton is author of the piece “Progressive Hunter.” It’s at Media Matters, and we’ll link to it here at Democracy Now!Would you like to get ET Bitesize direct to you email each week? Sign up at the bottom of the page! LAST OF THE SUMMER WHINE Cork City continue their Europa League campaign this week as they travel to Sweden to take on BK Hacken in Gothenburg on Thursday. City have mixed memories of Sweden's heavy metal capital, Dave Barry's side having beaten then-powerhouse IFK Goteborg 1-0 in the UEFA Cup at Turner's Cross in 1999 before losing the away leg 3-0, the locals seemingly unimpressed by Barry's more than passing resemblance to Rob Halford. In a week where Portugal, sans Cristiano Ronaldo, confounded all the pundits to overcome a more talented team and wrest France's record of never having failed to win an international tournament at home, Caulfield was typically upbeat. “Why do people think in Ireland, ‘We’re great soccer players?’ Caulfied beamed to the assembled media. “We’re not, we’re scrapping. Our league has not progressed for 40 years. “Everything went out the gate in the early 2000s, where players were getting money to stop them going to England and things were nuts. “We’re back to basics,” Caulfield concluded, optimistically. Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny was more pragmatic during his appearance on Soccer Republic on Monday night as his side prepare to face Icelanders FK Hafnarfjordur at Oriel Park on Wednesday. At least, we assume that's what they'll be doing – given the total lack of interest shown by TV companies in the football-mad Republic of Ireland, only the 3,000 or so who've secured tickets will know for sure if it goes ahead. The Icelandic champions have set up base in Muirhevnamor, presumably seeing the comfort of home in the unpronounceable Louth village. Kenny had been invited to RTÉ studios to be raked over hot coals and explain why his team of title winners had conceded three times to basement side Longford Town before grabbing an injury time winner. “Great save by Skinner,” enthused commentator John Kenny as the ball squirmed under the Longford goalkeeper and into the net, only to be disallowed for an apparent offside. After satisfying the panel of Johnny McDonnell and Corkman Barry that the Lilywhites had triumphed in spite of his best efforts at training ground sabotage, talk moved onto the alleged European tie. “We dominate possession in a lot of the games we play in our league, and they [FH] do likewise in Iceland. “They've been so consistent over the years, winning the league, and they've a fair bit of experience. But something has to give. “Our players have gained some experience in Europe from the last couple of seasons and I feel that will stand to us. “There's a lot of anticipation in Dundalk for this game. You can feel it all week and people are really looking forward to it. The players know that. “We will get it really tough over the two legs, but it's definitely our ambition to try and get through.” At least try and sound confident, Stephen. Elsewhere, Kenny struggled to pronounce the consonanty name of their Icelandic opponents, the Tallaght man understandably struggling to get his tongue around a place name that's not pronounced the way it looks. “How do you pronounce that?” the Lilywhites boss helplessly asked the group, receiving no help from McDonnell, who had developed a sudden interest in the pile of notes in front of him. St Patrick's Athletic travel to Belarus this week to face Dinamo Minsk, and McDonnell was unanimous in his view had suffered a “hangover coming out of Europe” after their midweek defeat in Luxembourg. The Saints lost to Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds, and fatigue was the only explanation in the absence of any other logical reason why the sixth-best side in the country might be beaten away from home by the seventh-best team. FROM THE ECHO CHAMBER Not everybody was enthused by the news that stand-in Soccer Republic host Joanne Cantwell's emergency loan from the rugby department is set to end with the return to full fitness of Peter Collins. The first face I see will determine whether or not I want to stay up and watch Soccer Republic — Karl Reilly (@HistoryLOI) July 11, 2016 Dramatic images emerge of the real reason Peter Collins has been taken off Soccer Republic duty. pic.twitter.com/ozqCIAbPO1 — Dublin Derby Facts (@dubderbyfacts) July 11, 2016 "Peter is back at the same time next week"#SoccerRepublic pic.twitter.com/sbn48CUtL7 — Karl Reilly (@HistoryLOI) July 11, 2016 Not that Peter seemed to let the criticism get to him. Almost always follow persons who openly give help, support and guidance to others #socialmedia https://t.co/VuFkuIIxBb — Peter Collins (@Peter_Collins_) July 12, 2016 (That's not the real Peter Collins - Ed.) IN THE NEWS Cork City midfielder Greg Bolger was named SWAI Player of the Month for June after his side beat the champions for the third time this season. Drogheda United fan Jamie Monaghan collected the Medaille de la Ville de Paris on behalf of Irish fans at Euro 2016. Ireland international James McClean and Stephen Kenny launched the Mark Farren Memorial Cup in Derry. Shamrock Rovers confirmed the appointment of Stephen Bradley as caretaker manager following Pat Fenlon's dismissal. Peamount United added Megan Lynch and Lisa Casserly to their squad ahead of the new WNL season. IN-DEPTH ET chief Gareth Penrose asks will the League of Ireland ever see a bounce from the international side while muttering “no” under his breath. Dave Donnelly says the League of Ireland needs to pull its own weight if it's ever to catch up with other European leagues. Dan Lucey sat down with Cobh Ramblers legend Eddie O'Halloran for a trip down memory lane. Fran Reilly caught up with Cabinteely striker Joe Doyle as he set record after record for the League of Ireland's youngest side. Watch his four goals here. New Shelbourne boss Owen Heary told Aaron Clarke it was a “no-brainer” to return to the club he captained to two league titles. Would you like to get ET Bitesize direct to your email each week? Sign up below! Please enable JavaScriptExclusive: The pre-trial hearing on Pvt. Bradley Manning’s court martial for leaking classified documents about U.S. government wrongdoing has turned up evidence that even Manning’s Marine jailers were worried about the controversy over his degrading treatment in their custody, reports ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern. By Ray McGovern It is a bitter irony that Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, whose conscience compelled him to leak evidence about the U.S. military brass ignoring evidence of torture in Iraq, was himself the victim of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment while other military officers privately took note but did nothing. That was one of the revelations at Manning’s pre-trial hearing at Ft. Meade, Maryland, on Tuesday, as Manning’s defense counsel David Coombs used e-mail exchanges to show Marine officers grousing that the Marines had been left holding the bag on Manning’s detention at their base in Quantico, Virginia, though he was an Army soldier. At Quantico, Manning, who is accused of giving hundreds of thousands of pages of classified material to WikiLeaks, was subjected to harsh treatment. He was locked in a 6-foot-by-8-foot cell for 23 hours a day and was kept naked for long periods. His incarceration led the UN Rapporteur for Torture to complain that Manning was being subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. According to the e-mail evidence, the controversy over the rough handling of Manning prompted Quantico commander, Marine Col. Daniel Choike, to complain bitterly that not one Army officer was in the chain of blame. Choike’s lament prompted an e-mail reply from his commander, Lt. Gen. George Flynn, offering assurances that Choike and Quantico would not be left “holding the bag.” However, concerns about possible repercussions from softening up Manning did little to ease the conditions that Manning faced. His Marine captors seemed eager to give him the business and make him an example to any other prospective whistleblowers. Only after a sustained public outcry was Manning transferred to the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Though his treatment was less harsh there, Manning still has faced 2 ½ years of incarceration without trial and could face up to life imprisonment after a court martial into his act of conscience, i.e. releasing extensive evidence of wrongdoing by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan and questionable foreign policies carried out by the U.S. State Department. The release of the documents led to hundreds of news stories, including some that revealed the willful inaction of U.S. military brass when informed of torture inflicted on Iraqi prisoners held by the U.S.-backed Iraqi military. Manning’s Conscience As a young intelligence analyst in Iraq, Pvt. Manning grew disgusted with evidence passing through his computer terminal revealing the secretive dark side of the U.S. military occupation, including this pattern of high-level disinterest in Iraqi-on-Iraqi torture, which resulted from a directive known as Frago 242, guidelines from senior Pentagon officials not to interfere with abusive treatment of Iraqi government detainees. As the UK Guardian reported in 2010 based on the leaked documents, Frago 242 was a “fragmentary order” summarizing a complex requirement, in this case, one issued in June 2004 ordering American troops not to investigate torture violations unless they involved members of the occupying coalition led by the United States. When alleged abuse was inflicted by Iraqis on Iraqis, “only an initial report will be made No further investigation will be required unless directed by HQ,” the Guardian reported, adding: “Frago 242 appears to have been issued as part of the wider political effort to pass the management of security from the coalition to Iraqi hands. In effect, it means that the [Iraqi] regime has been forced to change its political constitution but allowed to retain its use of torture.” Some cases of torture were flagrant, according to the disregarded “initial” reports. For instance, the Guardian cited a log report of “a man who was detained by Iraqi soldiers in an underground bunker [and] reported that he had been subjected to the notoriously painful strappado position: with his hands tied behind his back, he was suspended from the ceiling by his wrists. “The soldiers had then whipped him with plastic piping and used electric drills on him. The log records that the man was treated by US medics; the paperwork was sent through the necessary channels; but yet again, no investigation was required. “Hundreds of the leaked war logs reflect the fertile imagination of the torturer faced with the entirely helpless victim bound, gagged, blindfolded and isolated who is whipped by men in uniforms using wire cables, metal rods, rubber hoses, wooden stakes, TV antennae, plastic water pipes, engine fan belts or chains. “At the torturer’s whim, the logs reveal, the victim can be hung by his wrists or by his ankles; knotted up in stress positions; sexually molested or raped; tormented with hot peppers, cigarettes, acid, pliers or boiling water and always with little fear of retribution since, far more often than not, if the Iraqi official is assaulting an Iraqi civilian, no further investigation will be required. “Most of the victims are young men, but there are also logs which record serious and sexual assaults on women; on young people, including a boy of 16 who was hung from the ceiling and beaten; the old and vulnerable, including a disabled man whose damaged leg was deliberately attacked. The logs identify perpetrators from every corner of the Iraqi security apparatus soldiers, police officers, prison guards, border enforcement patrols. “There is no question of the coalition forces not knowing that their Iraqi comrades are doing this: the leaked war logs are the internal records of those forces. There is no question of the allegations all being false. Some clearly are, but most are supported by medical evidence and some involve incidents that were witnessed directly by coalition forces.” Possessing such evidence and knowing that the U.S. high command was systematically ignoring these and other crimes Manning was driven by a sense of morality to get the evidence to the American people and to the world. Punishing Morality For his act of conscience, Manning has become the subject of harsh incarceration himself, as some U.S. pundits and even members of Congress have called for his execution as a traitor. At minimum, however, he has been made an example to anyone else tempted to tell hard truths. Many in Official Washington find nothing wrong with humiliating Manning with forced nudity and breaking down his psychiatric health through prolonged isolation. After all, they say, his release of classified information might have put the lives of some U.S. allies at risk (although there is no known evidence to support that concern). There also are legal constraints upon the United States dishing out particularly nasty treatment to Pvt. Manning. Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners is expressly banned by the UN Convention Against Torture, which was signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and ratified by the Senate in 1994. And there are no exceptions for “wartime” whistleblowers like Manning. Here’s what the Convention says: “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture” and “an order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture” (Art. 2 (2-3)).” Personally, when I attended the Tuesday proceeding, I dreaded sitting through another “pre-trial hearing,” having been bored stiff at earlier sessions. But it was a welcome surprise to witness first-hand proof that military courts can still hold orderly proceedings bereft (on Tuesday, at least) of “command influence.” Most illuminating at Tuesday’s hearing was the central fact that the virtually indestructible nature of e-mail facilitates the kind of documentary evidence that lawyers lust after whether they be attorneys, FBI investigators or just plain folks fed up with lies and faux history. To the Marine Corps’ credit, I suppose, there was no evidence at the hearing that anyone had tried to expunge the e-mail correspondence revealing the fears about being left “holding the bag” on the harsh treatment of Manning. E-Mail vs. Petraeus So the availability of e-mail is the major new reality playing out in several major ways. As we have seen, former Gen. David Petraeus is a notable recent victim of the truth that can turn up in e-mail. I used to call him “Petraeus ex Machina” for the faux-success of the celebrated “surge” in Iraq, which cost almost 1,000 additional U.S. troops dead (and many more Iraqis) to buy a “decent interval” for George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to get out of town without a clear-cut military defeat hung around their necks. As it turned out, “Petraeus ex Machina,” after a little more than a year as CIA director, was undone in a sex scandal exposed by the modern “machine” of e-mail. More to the point, the torrent of e-mail and the “Collateral Murder” video that Manning now acknowledges giving to WikiLeaks as a matter of conscience were, of course, highly illuminating to students of real history. And the e-mails (and State Department cables) also were rather unflattering regarding the aims of U.S. policy and military actions around the globe. So how did the White House, the State Department and military brass respond? There was a strongly felt need to make an object lesson of Bradley Manning to show what happens to people whose conscience prompts them to expose deceit and serious wrongdoing, especially through official documents that can’t be denied or spun. In Manning’s case, he was delivered to the Marines, famous for their hard-headed determination to follow orders and to get the job done. So, his jailers took Manning’s clothes away and made him stand naked, supposedly out of concern that otherwise he might be “a risk to himself.” To further “protect” him, he was kept in a 23-hour lockdown in a tiny cell. The treatment of Manning at Quantico was too much for State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley, a 26-year Air Force veteran and former colonel. Crowley was of the old school on the treatment of prisoners; his father, a B-17 pilot spent two years in a German POW camp. On March 10, 2011, Crowley went public, telling an audience that Manning was being “mistreated” by the Defense Department; Crowley branded Manning’s treatment “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.” Three days later, Crowley resigned with this parting shot: “The exercise of power in today’s challenging times and relentless media environment must be prudent and consistent with our laws and values.” At Ft. Meade, the pre-trial hearings are continuing, including testimony about how the advice of health professionals regarding Manning was disregarded by the Marine officers and his jailers at Quantico. Later this week, Manning himself is expected to take the stand. Again, the fair and orderly manner in which Tuesday’s hearing was conducted was a reassuring sign that not everyone is prepared to cave before “command influence.” The judge, Col. Denise Lind, upon whom all depends, listened attentively and asked several good questions at the end. Let’s hope the kangaroos can be kept at bay. Ray McGovern works for Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. He was an Army infantry/intelligence officer in the early 60s, and then served for 27 years as a CIA analyst. He also serves on the Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan lawmakers rejected the country’s first female Supreme Court on Wednesday, with several female parliamentarians publicly pressing President Ashraf Ghani to name another woman to sit on the country’s highest judicial body. Ghani hand-picked Anisa Rassouli to be the first female in the country’s history to sit on the nine-member court last month. Rassouli needed 96 votes from parliament to secure her spot on the high court. Only 88 lawmakers approved her nomination during Wednesday’s confirmation hearing in Kabul. There was no follow-up debate to the vote, since the ballots were cast in secret. Only 192 lawmakers out of the 245-member legislative body were present for Rassouli’s confirmation. Shukria Barakzai, a female parliamentarian representing Kabul, said shortly after the vote that the decision was “a betrayal to Afghan women.” She led the charge for Ghani to name another female nominee to replace Rassouli. Abdul Zahir Qadeer, deputy speaker of parliament, blamed female members for failing to support Rassouli’s bid. Only 46 of the 67 female lawmakers attended Rassouli’s confirmation vote, Qadeer said. The presence of more female parliamentarians would have secured the nine additional votes needed to confirm Rassouli, he said. Shifting women into high-profile positions in the national unity government and bureaucracy has been a top priority for Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah since taking office last September. In April, Afghan lawmakers approved Ghani’s nominees for a number of cabinet positions, including four women. Zubair Babakarkhail contributed to this story. [email protected] Twitter
Hudson, Bannerman cast the legend "Bannerman's Island Arsenal" into the wall.[2][3] Construction ceased at Bannerman's death in 1918. In August 1920, 200 pounds of shells and powder exploded in an ancillary structure, destroying a portion of the complex. Bannerman's sales of military weapons to civilians declined during the early 20th century as a result of state and federal legislation. After the sinking of the ferryboat Pollepel, which had served the island, in a storm in 1950, the Arsenal and island were essentially left vacant.[4] The island and buildings were bought by New York State in 1967, after the old military merchandise had been removed, and tours of the island were given in 1968.[5] However, on August 8, 1969, fire devastated the Arsenal, and the roofs and floors were destroyed.[4] The island was placed off-limits to the public. Current status [ edit ] The castle is currently the property of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is mostly in ruins. While portions of the exterior walls still stand, all the internal floors and non-structural walls have since burned down. The island has been the victim of vandalism, trespass, neglect, and decay.[12] Several old bulkheads and causeways that submerge at high tide present a serious navigational hazard. On-island guided hard hat tours were recently made available through the Bannerman's Castle Trust.[13] The castle is easily visible to riders of the Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line and the Amtrak Empire Service. One side of the castle, which carries the words "Bannermans' Island Arsenal", is also visible to southbound riders.[2][3] The collapsed wall viewed from shore Sometime during the week before December 28, 2009, parts of the castle collapsed. Officials estimate 30–40 percent of the structure's front wall and about half of the east wall fell. The collapse was reported by a motorist and by officials on the Metro-North.[14] On April 19, 2015, the island was the destination of a kayak trip taken by Angelika Graswald and her fiancé, Vincent Viafore. Viafore did not return, and Graswald was charged with his murder.[15][16] On July 24, 2017, she pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide.[17] On June 28, 2015, the public art piece Constellation by Beacon-based artist Melissa McGill debuted on and around the castle ruins. The work consists of seventeen LEDs mounted on metal poles of varying heights, which when lighted for two hours each night are intended to create the appearance of a new constellation.[18] In popular culture [ edit ] In literature [ edit ] Dark fantasy author Caitlín R. Kiernan uses Bannerman's Castle and Pollepel Island as the setting for a number of the stories in her collection Tales of Pain and Wonder (2000), including "Estate", "The Last Child of Lir", and "Salammbô". In these stories, the castle was constructed by a fictional industrialist named Silas Desvernine and is referred to simply as "Silas' Castle". Bannerman Castle by authors Barbara Gottlock and Thom Johnson was released through Arcadia Press in August 2006. The book contains almost 200 vintage photographs, and the text documents the island's growth and decline. Proceeds from the book go to the Bannerman Castle Trust in its ongoing efforts to preserve and improve the island's structures. Pollepel Island is a murder scene in Linda Fairstein's murder mystery Killer Heat<Fairstein, Linda. Killer Heat. Doubleday, 2008> and the site of a series of abductions in Kirsten Miller's book Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City. In Philip Kerr's The Day of the Djinn Warriors (2004), Bannerman's Island appears in the itinerary of the Djinn Twins. The castle is visited and described in depth in William Least Heat-Moon's travel log titled River Horse: A Voyage Across America. Bannerman's Castle (called the Hammer Armory here) was the site of clandestine human experimentation by the villainous Talia al Ghul and Dr. Creighton Kendall in issues #145 (published August 2008) and #146 (September 2008) of the (defunct) Nightwing ongoing series from DC Comics (in a story arc titled "Freefall", written by Peter J. Tomasi). Part of Lev Grossman's novel The Magicians (2009) is set in a wizardry college in upstate New York, along the Hudson River. The school is an amalgam of Bannerman's Castle and Olana. The main characters in Adventures of a Cat-Whiskered Girl by Daniel Pinkwater (2010) visit Pollepel Island and hang out with a family of trolls who are squatting in the abandoned castle. (The book is set in the 1950s.) In Jill Churchill's book Anything Goes, there is mention of Bannerman Castle/Pollepel Island throughout the story. It is a murder mystery set in early 1930s. In the first book of The Vampire Journals series, entitled Turned, by author Morgan Rice, the Island of Pollepel is used as a vampire coven's territory and Bannerman's Castle is their home and training grounds. Bannerman Island is the home of Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts in L. Jagi Lamplighter's The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin. Wesley Gottlock and Barbara H. Gottlock authored a children's book called, "My Name is Eleanor." It is based on photographs, interviews and journals of Eleanor Seeland. Seeland, an Ulster County resident, lived with her family who were residents of Pollepel Island in the early part of 20th century. Seeland's father was contracted by the Bannermans for about twelve years. The fictionalized version of Seeland's life chronicles an encounter with children from modern day taking a class trip to the island. The children's book itself is a variation of fantasy and true personal stories of Seeland from taking a row boat each morning to the rivers edge to attend school and winters on an isle in the middle of the Hudson River.[19] In Kirsten Miller's YA fiction book Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City, Bannerman Island and the castle are the site of the Bannerman Balls. In music [ edit ] Indie Rock band Shearwater used the island to illustrate its 2010 album, The Golden Archipelago, which referred to the Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin with his Isle of the Dead. Progressive rock band 3 recorded a music video for the song "All That Remains" from its album The End is Begun on the island.[20] In movies [ edit ] Bannerman Castle makes a two-second appearance in the Michael Bay movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon as one of the sites, along with Angkor Wat and the skyscrapers of Hong Kong, of the Pillars that transport Cybertron to Earth. The Castle can also be seen in the movie Against the Current with Joseph Fiennes. In television [ edit ] Bannerman Island is the secret location of George Washington's tomb, built by the Masons, in the fictional drama Sleepy Hollow on the FOX network.[21] References [ edit ] Coordinates:COMEDIANS and politicians once delighted in the idea of a Trump presidency. Seth Meyers, host of “Late Night”, noted that “Trump owns the Miss USA Pageant, which is great for Republicans, because it will streamline their search for a vice president.” At the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Barack Obama joked that Donald Trump “certainly would bring some change to the White House,” as the screen flashed to an image of the “Trump White House Resort and Casino” replete with gold pillars and neon purple signs. Two years later, John Oliver urged Mr Trump to run: “Do it. Do it,” he said on the “Daily Show”. “I will personally write you a campaign check now, on behalf of this country, which does not want you to be president, but which badly wants you to run.” Now the joke has mutated into reality. In the immediate aftermath of Mr Trump’s victory, laughter has proved difficult. Judd Apatow, a comedy behemoth involved in such films as “Anchorman”, “Knocked Up” and “Bridesmaids”, tweeted on election night: “One thing I do not want to watch right now—comedy about any of this. That’s how terrifying and disappointing this is.” Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. Many shows opted for anger or grief instead. “I don’t know if you’ve come to the right place for jokes tonight,” Trevor Noah, the host of the “Daily Show”, began (though he sneaked one in with a comment about “shitting [his] pants”). Kate McKinnon, dressed as Hillary Clinton, opened “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) with a performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. It was moving and fitting; it seemed to sum up the anguish of a stunned nation. Meanwhile, on “Last Week Tonight”, John Oliver unleashed liberal fury, with a video of people yelling “Fuck 2016” and the image of a giant “2016” sign going up in flames. He also turned activist, calling on his viewers to “stay here and fight” by donating to NGOs that defend the rights Mr Trump has threatened to attack. In time, though, the moratorium on jokes will fade. The Trump administration will make plenty of laughable mistakes (which no politician can avoid, least of all a swaggering political novice). But satirising the Donald on late-night television is a slippery business: the fusion of entertainment and politics is part of what made his rise possible in the first place. Shows like “SNL” and Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show” were criticised during the campaign for going too easy on the candidate. “SNL” had him host and take part in silly sketches; Mr Fallon affectionately ruffled his comb over. This briefly made him seem acceptable—even likable—rather than dangerous. That was unfortunate. Comedy can be an important medium for political resistance. It is no coincidence that satire is heavily suppressed in Russia, North Korea and China. “The only worse thing for a dictator than being criticised is being laughed at,” a Russian journalist told Samantha Bee. In fact, there has been plenty of laughter at Mr Trump’s expense—like John Oliver’s campaign to “Make Donald Drumpf Again”, the most-viewed segment on his show. The name “Trump”, Mr Oliver pointed out, was changed by a “prescient ancestor” from “Drumpf”: “And ‘Drumpf’ is much less magical. It’s the sound produced when a morbidly obese pigeon flies into the window of a foreclosed Old Navy. It’s the sound of a bottle of store-brand root beer falling off the shelf in a gas station minimart.” Then came Alec Baldwin’s impressions on “SNL”. He lectured Ms McKinnon’s Clinton on the correct pronunciation of China (“It’s Gina”), and warned viewers that he was “going to be so good tonight…so calm and so presidential that all of you watching are going to cream your jeans.” It irritated Mr Trump to the extent that he called for “SNL” to be cancelled. So why wasn’t it enough to sway voters? Jonathan Coe, an English writer, suggests that laughing at politicians has lost its edgy nature. “Anti-establishment comedy was a product of a more naive and deferential age,” he writes, “when to stand on a West End stage and make fun of the prime minister could be seen, briefly, as a radical act.” Now politicians are predictable targets: to poke fun at them is about as original as poking fun at mothers-in-law. The public’s laughter, instead of being subversive, is merely “an unthinking reflex…a tired Pavlovian reaction to situations that are too difficult or too depressing to think about clearly…a substitute for thought rather than its conduit”. There is another reason comedy’s political power has faded. Satirists’ power to undermine the system depends on their position as outsiders, calling out the corruption and failures of the ruling class through laughter. But as Heather LaMarre of Temple University says, many political comedians are no longer the little guy picking on the big guy; they’re celebrities—part of the liberal urban elite. This dynamic may shift once Mr Trump is inaugurated. Come January, Democrats will have little power in Washington. So, says Ms LaMarre, comedians, nearly all of them with hearts beating on the left, will start to look like outsiders again. If Mr Trump tries to censor or sue critics, as he has talked of doing, this will only heighten the effect. But comedians would be wise, Ms LaMarre says, to go after the politicians—not their voters. This may have been a fatal mistake during the 2016 campaign: comedians began making fun of Trump supporters, trying to shame Americans away from Mr Trump. This makes people push back, and it gave Mr Trump further evidence that comedians had joined the hated elite, while he, the billionaire son of a millionaire, was a fed-up outsider. Comedians should look to the example of Jon Stewart. Though a paid-up member of the media elite during the George W. Bush years, he kept his status as a contrarian because he almost never went after supporters of Mr Bush, keeping his outrage for the administration and its policies, in defence of the people. This is as it should be. Juvenal, a Roman satirist, asked “Who will watch over the watchmen?” His implicit answer is the satirist. As Mr Trump and his cadre become the establishment they railed against, comedians will have the chance to inhabit their proper role. In his post-election monologue, Mr Meyers put the Trump administration on notice: “We here at ‘Late Night’ will be watching you.”Can DIY-Soylent cure the pangs of World Hunger? Can the alchemists of future food collect sufficient funds to fill the bellies of famished children? Recipients are the Alangyan Mangyan, an indigenous tribe in the mountain jungles of Mindoro island. Malnourished, isolated, largely illiterate, with parasitical worms, tuberculosis, diarrhea, measles, no clean water and no sewage systems, the Alangyan Mangyan are “the poorest of the poor” – earning an average of $30/month. San Lorenzo Ruiz Academy is a “reservation school” that provides K-8 education to 140 children. Student family members dwell on the school property, elevating the population to 300. Mangyan subsist here on root crops, snails, rats, insects, fruit, and neighbor’s rice left over on stalks after harvests. To squelch their hunger they chew betel nut, an addictive substance that stains teeth black and leads to oral cancer. Mangyan woman chewing betel nuts Half of the Mangyan children were recently “de-wormed” via medicine provided by funds from the Brighter Brains Institute, a SFBay think-and-do tank. Brighter Brains also sponsors 33 of the children at the school; it pays the teacher salary and provides a daily lunch. The think-and-do tank requested DIY Soylent for the pupils. Powderedfood.com aims to fill the childrens’s tummies with a massive 4,200 pound rescue package, blended for free by DIY-Soylent producers. Will the Mangyan children swallow the Soylent regularly, and declare it tasty? Director Sally Melendres assures Powderedfood.com that they will, in the email below: Hello Aleh, I’m Sally from the foothills of Mount Halcon, Im very happy to know you and your great support to our “Mangyan” children. Please accept our sincerest thanks and gratitude in advance! Your work to feed and make our children healthy is truly great!!! I will explain very well with our Mangyan brothers and children the good effects of Soylent in achieving good health. The whole community is one with us on our campaign towards making them a healthy community. Please be assured that they will love to take DIYSoylent daily. God bless you.. for your great works! Very gratefully, Sally ——- Your generosity can save the lives and health of children, and demonstrate the world-changing potential of Soylent. Material costs and postage for the 2+ ton cargo is needed – Donate via the Button found at the bottom of THIS PAGE. P.S. Are futurists, transhumanists, biohackers, and QSers … Humanitarian enough to eagerly fund this project? I’m not sure… two years ago, I spearheaded a Cell Phone Drive for The African Futures Project at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technology (IEET.org). I anticipated collecting 1,000 mobiles from the think tank’s techno-progressive membership… but… truth is… I only received 100 total, and 70 were from my close family members. The Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) generously donated 30 Blackberries, Nokias, etc., (thank you Roger Hansen) but “mainstream” transhumanists? How many did they donate? ZERO. Are they Cheap? Lazy? Selfish? All three? IEET will help publicize this DIY-Soylent campaign (thank you Kris Notaro), and HplusMagazine.com will help promote as well (thank you, Peter Rothman) via their beautifully-designed new website. The Mormon Transhumanist Association has already contributed cold, hard, valuable CA$H – thanks again Lincoln Cannon! The great new futurist site Wave Chronicle, is also going to support the effort (thanks to Mike Dodd).Sydney rock oysters can adapt to ocean acidification, a key effect of increased carbon levels, within two generations, researchers have found. Scientist Dr Laura Parker from the University of Western Sydney says while the first oysters they tested suffered, their offspring thrived in more acidic water. Audio Player failed to load. Try to Download directly (2.16 MB) Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Download (2.16 MB) Load more chevron right "They're actually starting to adapt so that they're growing quite well, their ability to develop at a normal rate is improved and they're not showing abnormalities anymore." "That could be implemented in aquaculture, we can maybe breed for adaptation to ocean acidification," Dr Laura Parker, University of Western Sydney Researcher. Dr Parker's findings were presented at the Australian Marine Sciences Association conference in Canberra on Wednesday. "That could be implemented in aquaculture, we can maybe breed for adaptation to ocean acidification," she said. Share Kevin McAsh displays Sydney Rock Oysters Oyster growers say ensuring a steady supply of disease resistant juvenile oysters will be critical to their industry's ability to cope with climate change. David Maidment, who farms Sydney rock oysters at Narooma on the New South Wales south coast, says similar problems encountered overseas mean the work is timely. "I see the supply of young oysters as the most critical thing, they've had difficulty in the hatcheries in north west America now with ocean acidification." "To know where we're going with that in the future is the most critical thing, because it certainly can affect our production in the future." But oyster researcher Professor David Raftos from Macquarie University, cautions that there's still a long way to go before the laboratory findings so far, translate into an oyster producers can grow and sell. "There are a huge number of outstanding questions as to how quickly they can do it in the natural environment," he says. Share Clyde river Oyster farmer Kevin McAsh and his dog "Clyde." "We don't know what the benefits of selecting for these genes will be in the long term and we don't know what the potential trade-offs, the bad things will be, that will only come when oysters like this are bred and deployed out into the field, so you can actually see how they can perform." Clyde River oyster grower Kevin McAsh wants research efforts to focus on what he says are the industry's more immediate concerns; water monitoring, pacific oyster mortality syndrome and QX disease in Sydney rock oysters. "I think being vigilant and monitoring for those sort of disease problems takes precedent." But he says he'd welcome greater co-operation between growers and researchers. "The oyster farmers up and down the coast here would be very happy to work with them so that if there are some dramatic changes in terms of the water quality or the mortalities that we get we have some benchmark to work from. "Certainly the farmers would be very keen to work with science." Oysters are New South Wales' biggest aquaculture industry, worth $33 million in 2011/ 12 according the Department of Primary Industries.She's the South Australian senator who keeps her private life private. But as debate about same-sex marriage in Australia heats up, senator Penny Wong delivered a blunt message for the government's Senate leader Eric Abetz: "Memo to Eric: we've already got children, all you are doing is saying the parents can't be married." Penny Wong and partner Sophie Allouache and their daughter Alexandra in 2011. Their second daughter, Hannah, was born earlier this year. Credit:David Mariuz A clearly angry Senator Wong, who rarely discusses her life with her two young daughters and partner Sophie Allouache, took aim at Coalition MPs who have argued against same-sex marriage on the basis that children should be raised in a marriage between a man and a woman. "I find it sad that senior politicians in this country seem to want to tell my children and children of other same-sex couples that somehow they are not normal," Senator Wong told ABC radio on Monday.Sue Kwong; Danielle A. Scruggs; Paul John Higgins On the morning of July 8, 2015, Julian Castro, the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, stood before a group of reporters and television cameras on Chicago's south side. Flanked by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Housing Authority's acting CEO, Eugene Jones, Castro was in town to make an important announcement—a mea culpa of sorts on behalf of the American government. Nearly 50 years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act, the nation had failed to reverse decades of segregation. "The truth is, for too long federal efforts have often fallen short," Castro said, dressed in a navy blue suit and a black tie, his boyish face framed by a thinning hairline slicked into his signature side part. It was time, Castro said, for cities to step up and with help from the federal government do what the law requires and "affirmatively further" fair housing. But for cities and towns to receive federal funds, he added, they'd need to account for how the money would be used to reduce racial disparities. If they then failed to meet their objectives, there would be penalties. Chicago was a fitting backdrop for Castro's announcement, with its decades of housing policies that kept poor blacks stacked atop one another in decrepit high-rises and discriminatory real estate practices that confined them to deprived neighborhoods. Arguably, no city illustrates the failure of this landmark legislation more acutely. "We have a long history as it relates to fair housing," Emanuel said when it was his turn to take the mike, his remarks hinting both at Chicago's legacy of segregation and efforts to redress it. He stood in the footprint of the old Stateway Gardens, one of the city's most neglected public housing projects. Emanuel was there to unveil its redevelopment, renamed Park Boulevard. Housing a mix of home owners and renters of various income levels, Park Boulevard was ostensibly a prime example of what Castro was there to promote: a bold and meaningful step in the direction of integration, opportunity, and equality. But only a fraction of low-income Chicagoans end up living in such developments. The majority—nearly 46,000 people who have vouchers today—find their housing on the private market using government-issued housing choice vouchers, also known as Section 8. And just 11 months before Castro stood shoulder to shoulder with Emanuel telling the country we have to work proactively to integrate our cities, the CHA had slashed a small pilot voucher program aimed at doing just that. Chicago has rarely found itself in the vanguard of progressive housing policy. But the program the CHA had curtailed embodied a new idea, a targeted intervention to combat the pernicious segregation plaguing Chicago. Under the official title of Exception Payment Standards, the "supervoucher" program, as it came to be called, offered a fraction of qualifying low-income families—those who had good credit and a clean rental history—access to Section 8 vouchers that were much higher than normal amounts, up to 300 percent of the fair market rent set by the federal government. In Chicago, much to the dismay of housing experts, fair market rent is calculated by averaging rental prices for the whole city, the Gold Coast and Englewood alike. This means that standard vouchers are almost never enough to rent in wealthier neighborhoods, yet often wind up being worth more than the market rent in poor ones (which leads to landlords aggressively recruiting mostly very low-income, mostly African-American voucher holders into the poorest, most segregated parts of town to secure higher rents than they could otherwise). The supervoucher program worked to counteract this problem. If the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,139 a month with a traditional voucher, a household in the supervoucher program could get as much as $3,132 for a two-bedroom. What's more, the supervouchers could be used only in neighborhoods with low poverty and a low concentration of subsidized housing, known in policy parlance as "opportunity areas." Critics of the supervouchers claimed the program—comprising less than 2 percent of Chicago's total Section 8 voucher recipients—was wasting taxpayer funds by placing low-income families in luxury high-rises like Aqua Tower while tens of thousands of families languished on the CHA's voucher waiting list. Chief among them was then-congressman Aaron Schock, a fresh-faced Republican from Peoria, who demanded that HUD conduct an audit of the program and introduced a bill in Congress to restrict it. Supporters, on the other hand, saw the expansion of exception rents as one of the housing authority's most innovative programs to date, one that finally pushed the needle, if ever so slightly, toward integration. Larry Pusateri, an affordable housing developer and CEO of Chicago-based VeriGreen Residential Development, puts it this way: "If you are sincerely trying to integrate, why are people not in the Aqua Tower?" Still, in the wake of incessant media coverage—and preempting the results of a government audit—CHA scaled back the program, dramatically reducing aid for 244 families and forcing nearly as many to find new housing. Documents obtained by the Reader through an open records request reveal a plan to improve housing options for low-income Chicagoans, the concept of which was approved by the feds. But the Chicago Housing Authority bungled the program's execution by failing to keep track of its impact on residents and on the agency's bottom line. In the end, Chicago's nascent pro-integration strategy was killed before it ever had the chance to succeed. Lorena, 47, remembers the day she walked into 215 W. Washington. It was her son's 16th birthday, November 18, 2013. Driving by she had assumed it was a hotel. Now, sitting in the grand lobby, outfitted with a doorman, crisp white furniture, and bowls overflowing with complimentary apples and oranges, she was shocked that her Section 8 voucher might allow her to live there. The building had a pool, gym, and a game room. There were fitness classes for residents on the weekends. But Lorena (who asked to be identified by her middle name because of the stigma attached to subsidized housing), was one of the lucky few supervoucher holders. Lorena was able to transfer a housing voucher from her hometown of South Bend, Indiana, to Chicago after finding a job working for a property manager in Lombard. Thanks to her excellent credit and good track record with landlords, her Chicago voucher wound up covering $2,605 a month, allowing her to consider buildings as nice as this one. When the building rep took Lorena up to the 32nd floor and showed her a two-bedroom apartment, she was sold. "I was like, I don't even need to see any more units, this is it," she recalls. From the kitchen and living room windows she could look out on Washington Street and see Millennium Park. "I had never lived in a high-rise. It was just so nice," she says. There was a master suite with a bathroom, and her 16-year-old son, Doane (also his middle name) would have his own room and bathroom as well. Lorena applied on the spot and was approved. Six weeks later, on a snowy January day in 2014, she and Doane moved in. Finding the apartment was a huge relief. Doane was a newly enrolled junior at Hyde Park Academy. Coming from Indiana, Lorena's biggest fear had been moving to a dangerous part of Chicago and what it could mean for her son. "He's truly 100 percent a momma's boy," she says, her face softening as she reads a text message he just sent. But she was well aware of how young black men like her son can be stereotyped by the police. Then there was the crime and gangs to consider. "I wasn't worried about him joining no gang," Lorena says. "That's just not him. He has a mind of his own, he's not easy to influence—his main concern is school." But she'd heard plenty about gang violence in the city and knew a five-foot-five black teenager with dreadlocks could become a target in some neighborhoods. Living at 215 W. Washington eased Lorena's fears; she drove Doane to and from school, but she never worried about him getting around safely on his own in the Loop. Her commute to work in Lombard became more manageable. Soon, their life developed a comfortable rhythm. How to get a "golden ticket" Jonathan Petersen To view a larger version click here Unknowingly, Lorena had moved into her new apartment in the middle of a shifting debate around fair housing. She arrived in the city just as the CHA, faced with a drastic shortage of affordable units in more prosperous parts of town, was experimenting with a new approach to integration. For decades, housing policy experts and social scientists have debated both the impact of growing up in a neighborhood with a high concentration of poverty and how best to break up such pockets while helping those who live in them. A central question is whether state and federal money should go toward affordable housing and investment in high-poverty neighborhoods, or whether the money would be better spent offering low-income families the opportunity to move. The debate was born here in Chicago. In the late 1960s, public housing residents sued the CHA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for racially segregating public housing tenants and constructing the buildings only in poor, black neighborhoods. The case against HUD, Hills v. Gautreaux, went all the way to the Supreme Court, and in 1976 the residents won. The court ordered the federal government to allow 7,100 low-income families living in Chicago public housing to take vouchers and move to majority-white suburbs, where poverty was low and a select number of landlords had made a commitment to taking them. Studies of this mobility program in the 1980s showed positive outcomes: those who moved were more likely to find jobs, their kids more likely to finish school and go to college. And though it had been predicted that such gains would come at the expense of social isolation, researchers found that families who moved integrated as successfully into their suburban neighborhoods as their counterparts who moved to south- and west-side neighborhoods in the city. The results in the Chicago area were so promising that in the early 1990s the federal government decided to try out mobility programs in cities around the country. Results from that experiment, released in 2011, were disappointing, showing little upward mobility for families with children who moved to less poor areas. In 2015, however, a longer-term study of the same program by Harvard economists found results more in keeping with the earlier Chicago findings: strong economic and educational gains, and significantly better odds for youths to escape poverty. It seemed that mobility had finally proved itself viable. But as Lorena settled into her new apartment, her son doing so well in school that he was ready to graduate a year early, no one was keeping track of the mobility program's viability in present-day Chicago. From the time news of supervouchers broke in the summer of 2014, the CHA faced a media firestorm and was accused of misappropriating funds. Even Mayor Emanuel chastised the agency for going "awry." Yet the CHA's experiment was actually well within the purview of a previous agreement it had with the federal government. In 1999, Mayor Richard M. Daley was looking to remake the city's public housing by launching the so-called Plan for Transformation. Billed as a ten-year undertaking, the plan involved demolishing tens of thousands of units of public housing and greatly expanding the Section 8 voucher program. To execute the unprecedented overhaul, the city needed $1.5 billion from HUD and more control over its finances—a possibility only if the CHA was included in a new laissez-faire HUD pilot program known as Moving to Work. Participating in the program meant reduced federal oversight so that local housing authorities could have "the flexibility to design and test various approaches" to housing assistance, according to the agreement. The designation was initially awarded to 24 "high-performing" agencies with proven track records for budgetary efficiency and strong management. Despite being a poster child for corruption and financial mismanagement, in 2000 the CHA was among those selected by HUD for the program. This baffled observers throughout the country. Today the CHA remains the only one of 42 housing authorities to have gained initial acceptance to the program by a "direct selection." In 2009, Daley bragged that it was his own diligent stumping in Washington—taking his case directly to President Clinton, then President George W. Bush—that helped get the housing authority into the program. Once it was, all CHA had to show was that its various initiatives were working towards achieving Moving to Work's three core objectives: achieving greater cost effectiveness, increasing housing opportunities, and offering incentives to families whose heads of household were actively working or seeking work. This is why, in 2010, when CHA officials and housing advocates proposed the supervoucher program, the agency dove in. It seemed logical and innovative, experts figured, to see what more money could do for a small subset of voucher holders: those who could meet the rigorous credit- and background-check requirements of higher-end buildings when the vast majority of Section 8 families were still stuck in neighborhoods with high concentrations of poverty and higher crime rates. At the supervoucher program's peak, 766 voucher households received some form of exception payment, a third of them collecting amounts above 150 percent of fair market rent, according to HUD as well as CHA documents obtained through an open records request. Since the program started in 2010, only 22 households have received payments hitting the 300 percent cap. "These were folks that wanted to do better," said Chris Klepper, the executive director of Housing Choice Partners, the agency that partnered with the CHA in offering guidance to families interested in moving to opportunity areas where supervouchers were used. And housing experts across the board, from developers to lawyers to academics, agreed: These were top-tier voucher holders, so why shouldn't they have access to premium housing options? The CHA knew Section 8 vouchers were falling short of offering low- income families true mobility. In a February 2015 letter to Kelly Anderson, the HUD regional inspector auditing the supervoucher program, CHA's then-CEO, Michael Merchant, wrote that one reason the CHA decided to raise exception rents to 300 percent of the market rent from 110 percent was to allow voucher holders "to rent apartments in community areas on the North Side of Chicago." He went on to write that without the exception payments, voucher holders (the vast majority of whom are African-American) "have a difficult time" finding apartments in that part of the city, leaving the south and west sides as their only options. Plus, developments like Park Boulevard cost more than $150 million to build, so dishing out thousands of dollars more a month for higher rents was actually cheaper in the short term than building more public housing units, which the authority was woefully behind on anyway. What's more, the cost of the program at its peak—$4.8 million in 2014—was a small slice of the CHA's $1 billion budget, nearly half of which is allocated solely to vouchers. “If you are sincerely trying to integrate, why are people not in the Aqua Tower?” —Affordable housing developer Larry Pusateri On June 10, 2014, U.S. rep Aaron Schock stood before members of Congress with a proposal to curb voucher exception payments, arguing that they "reward a few at the expense of so many" and "allow some families to, in essence, hit the lottery." The next month, news of the supervouchers started to spread. Stories appeared in Crain's Chicago Business and on local TV networks. A Crain's editorial cited the program as "an apparent waste of money, even if the numbers are small" and asked "how are the lucky winners selected? Are politics and favoritism at work?" Some landlords and property managers of buildings that had accepted voucher holders were complaining too. "This is nuts," property manager Tony Rossi told Crain's. "Do [voucher holders] really need a 25th-floor apartment with a lake view? It just doesn't make sense to me." The week that news of the exception rents broke, attorney Allison Bethel was on vacation from her job as director of John Marshall Law School's Fair Housing Legal Clinic. Bethel has represented many voucher holders in discrimination cases, and when she returned from her trip, her voice mail was filled with concerned calls from them. The message from CHA to her clients was "get out now," Bethel says. "Many of them, it really disrupted their lives.... They had moved and they understood that they were not guaranteed this in perpetuity, but they certainly didn't think they would be ousted within a year, or so quickly." On August 29, 2014, Lorena received a letter from the CHA informing her that effective August 11—more than two weeks before the letter was postmarked—the CHA would only approve exception payments of up to 150
its well-known Ubuntu GNU/Linux distribution involves having a key which is distribution-specific in the firmware, and also a key vouched for by Microsoft. CDs which are sold or distributed separately from hardware will need Microsoft's key to be present in the firmware to boot while bootloader images from the Canonical website will have Ubuntu's own key.Tonight, at 23:59:59 on June 30, a leap second will be added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Instead of the clock rolling around to 00:00:00 on July 1 as per usual, the time will actually jump to 23:59:60 before finally ending up in July a second later. The previous leap second, which was inserted in June 2012, caused a number of high-profile technological issues, and it's likely that the leap tonight will cause some problems as well. Leap seconds are necessary because of the difference between civil time (i.e., the everyday time systems that pesky humans use) and the actual mean solar day (i.e. how fast the Earth rotates). In UTC, which is what other time zones are based on, a day is defined as 86400 SI seconds. How long the Earth actually takes to rotate on its axis is somewhat varied, however: for the past few centuries, the rotation of the Earth has been slowing, causing mean solar days to get ever so slightly longer. In an attempt to ameliorate the artistic differences between UTC and Earth, the leap second system was introduced in 1972. Leap seconds can be inserted (or removed) at the end of June or December. There is no regularity in the system, though—nine seconds were inserted between 1972 and 1979, but only three seconds have been added since 2005—which is problematic in domains that demand regularity. In computing, for example, leap seconds make it very difficult to know how many seconds have passed between two given dates, unless you keep an up-to-date record of all the previous leap seconds. For dates in the future, it's impossible, because we don't know when or if the IERS will decide to add or remove a second. It's somewhat comparable to the Y2K bug, though at least we knew with certainty when Y2K was going to land. In June 2012, when the last leap second was applied, reddit crashed, Gawker went down, lots of Linux servers fell over, and Australian airline Qantas had some computer problems that caused up to 50 delayed flights. While it was sometimes a case of computer admins being caught with their pants down (i.e., old systems and packages that haven't been updated), it was also just the result of not enough corner case testing. "Almost every time we have a leap second, we find something," Linus Torvalds told Wired back in 2012. "It’s really annoying, because it’s a classic case of code that is basically never run, and thus not tested by users under their normal conditions." The previous leap seconds were way back in 2008 and 2005. Google's method of dealing with leap seconds is novel, but still not ideal. Called "leap smear," Google's servers will split the leap second into millisecond fragments, then smear them over the preceding day. NTP (network time protocol), which is used by almost all Internet-connected computers for time synchronisation, includes a number of features that help with leap second mitigation—but seemingly, given how so many servers crashed in 2012, there's still some issues to be worked out. The US stock markets are going for the old-school workaround: they're shutting down a few minutes before the scheduled leap second, just in case a system crashes and billions of dollars are sloughed off the market. The leap second will occur at midnight UTC, which means it'll occur at different local times around the world: 5pm PDT, 8pm EDT, 1am BST, and 2am CEST. Hold onto your hats. Or at least your plane tickets.$30m hardship package for cattle industry Posted The Federal Government will give cattle growers in Australia's north a $30 million hardship package to tide them over the freeze on live cattle exports to Indonesia. It is on top of the $3 million fund announced on Monday and will also benefit businesses that rely on the live cattle trade, like trucking companies and helicopter mustering businesses. Trade was suspended three weeks ago after public outrage at footage of cruelty to cattle in some Indonesian abattoirs. Every year more than 500,000 Australian cattle are exported to Indonesia. The trade made up 60 per cent of live cattle exports last year and generated $319 million. Prime Minister Julia Gillard says affected pastoralists and businesses can apply for an immediate $5,000 cash injection and for a $20,000 grant for other business expenditure. "This is a package to meet the short-term hardship that the industry is facing now," Ms Gillard told reporters at a press conference in Darwin. "The best thing we can do for the industry is get the trade resumed with Indonesia with the animal welfare issues addressed and we are working hard on that." She says the trade will not be resumed until animal welfare issues are resolved. Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson says Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is spending $9.2 million on upgrading abattoirs in Indonesia with work happening "right now, today". He says the upgrades include non-slip floors and better restraining boxes, "to ensure we never see again the sort of images we saw on the Four Corners program". Ms Gillard says it was "absolutely the right decision" to suspend the trade, despite the cost of supporting the industry now. "I want this industry to have a long-term sustainable future. The worst thing that could happen to the industry is that we didn't resolve the animal welfare issues now and in two years time there's another problem and in four years time there's another problem," she said. "This is the time to get the animal welfare issues right so the Australian community can be assured that this trade is meeting their expectations about the treatment of animals." The grant adds to the existing Government $3 million means-tested income subsidy program for workers and a $5 million contribution from the Cattle Council to look after cattle stranded in holding yards as a result of the trade suspension. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Ms Gillard should be going to Jakarta to sort the problem out. "The Gillard Government has created the problem, the Gillard Government should fix the problem," he said. He says the live cattle trade could be resumed tomorrow. "There are many, many Indonesian abattoirs that adopt the best standards... and the Prime Minister should make that happen," he said. "The cattle industry doesn't want welfare, they want their trade back." Ms Gillard's announcement comes as Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig prepares for a meeting with graziers in Mount Isa this afternoon. It will be the first time Senator Ludwig has spoken to Queensland graziers since the ban was introduced. Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, federal-government, rural, livestock, beef-cattle, nt, qld(A) Eleven point mutations were identified in PF, all at low-heteroplasmy levels. The average number of cells in PF was approximately 1 million. (B) A total of 34 mutations were discovered in ten individual CF, with 6 at over 80% heteroplasmy. (C) Distribution of low (<15%) and high (>15%) heteroplasmic mutations in individual CF. (D) In a panel of ten individual fibroblast iPSC lines, 28 mutations were discovered, including seven variants at over 90% heteroplasmy. Gray rectangles indicate the four mtDNA mutation sites common for PF and FiPSC lines. (E) Distribution of mutations in individual FiPSC lines. (F) Significant increase in the number of mutations in per cell in fibroblast or iPSC clones, compared to the pooled population (p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA). The number of mutations in PF was calculated based on sampled 1 million cells, while CF and iPSC clones were each counted as a single cell. Error bars indicate mean ± SD. (G) Venn diagram showing that only a small number of mtDNA mutations in FiPSCs or CF are shared with parental tissue, while the remaining variants represent novel mutations.With the Thunder’s season finished, it’s time to start looking back at the body of work of the third youngest roster in the league. I’ll be reviewing the season submitted by all three Thunder rookies, and kicking things off with Spanish sharpshooter, Alex Abrines. The Most Sincere of Apologies I admit, I was open about my reluctance to believe in Alex Abrines. Upon the announcement of his signing, I was nothing but pessimistic. I saw a wing with very little muscle on his bones and a slew of glaring defensive problems. However, after watching him appear in 68 games in his rookie season, it feels necessary to issue an apology. That being said, Abrines did struggle defensively for the first half of the season, as he was prone to poor fouls and his footwork was that of nightmares. He constantly over-adjusted and put himself out of position, went over screens he should’ve gone under and mysteriously went under screens against sharpshooters. Overall he was a wreck defensively early on, but began showing signs of life on the defensive end along the way. Abrines has excellent length and good athleticism, two assets needed to be an above-average wing defender. After a combination of adjusting to the NBA and good coaching, he started using those attributes to his advantage. Here’s a couple good examples: His “happy feet” footwork all but disappeared, and he began to cause turnovers with his length. He shared these good defensive possessions with the same lapses as before, but began committing errors at a lower rate. Abrines finished his rookie season with a below average Defensive Rating of 110, but more importantly, an Offensive Rating of 113. As his defense improved, so did his offense. Simply put, Abrines’ defensive deficiencies no longer outweigh his offensive talent, and that will be a huge development for the Thunder moving forward. With Abrines transforming into a solid defender, Oklahoma City finally has a reliable shooter who won’t hemorrhage points to the opposition — something OKC has lacked since the departure of Thabo Sefolosha and Kevin Martin. Amigo, Amigo! So Abrines had a successful rookie campaign, but let’s delve into the numbers to see how he stacked up against a similar rookie in Sacramento’s Buddy Hield. The reason we are looking at Hield is because they are the same age, 23, and spent similar time gaining experience and prepping for the NBA. First off, let’s look at the numbers. Since Abrines played just a little more than half of Hield’s 1,888 minutes, we’ll view the Per 100 Possessions statistics. Looking at the graphs, we see Hield was a better player in nearly every facet. This is reflected in their raw numbers, as well, but when digging deeper, those stats look less impressive compared to Abrines’ contributions. We see that although Hield put up larger numbers, his team did not benefit from his play like the Thunder did with Abrines on the floor. With an Offensive Rating of 100 and a Defensive Rating of 112, Buddy is a -12 player, while Abrines sits at a net rating of +3. In no way am I saying Buddy Hield is going to be a terrible NBA player — he flashed serious ball handling skills AND the ability to carry an offense after being dealt to the Kings — but when comparing their play and achievements, Abrines was an above average NBA player as a rookie. To put a cherry on top, on the surface Hield looks like a more efficient and impactful scorer —.426 FG% and.391 3P% to Abrines’.393 FG% and.381 3P%. But the data tells us differently. Not only do the advanced shooting percentages favor Abrines, but his Win Shares blow Hield’s out of the water. So while Abrines’ raw stats don’t have the same eye-popping elements, he established himself as a better, slightly more efficient scorer than the top drafted shooting guard in the 2016 Draft class –something OKC fans should be extremely excited about. Numbers Schmumbers Numbers are just numbers, but what is Abrines actually doing on the court that is having such a positive impact? More importantly, how does that correlate to the numbers that actually matter? First off, Abrines is really good at hitting corner threes. While they make up just 23% of his threes taken, he hit 40% of them. This is especially useful when he is the only shooter on the floor. Even more important than his ability to hit the corner three is his ability to hit while contested. In fact, he hit 39% of his threes with a defender in “tight” coverage — 2-4 feet away, according to NBA.com. This was on display in the first quarter against the Bucks late in the season: https://gfycat.com/UnrealisticFocusedBuck What helps make Abrines a dynamic player is his ability to be active off the ball. The Thunder has lacked such a player for it’s entire tenure, as even James Harden was never an active off-ball threat such as JJ Reddick or Klay Thompson. However, this is one area where Abrines shines. With elite screen setters in Enes Kanter and Steven Adams, Abrines has been able to get separation enough to get a catch-and-shoot three or attack the basket, where he has shown a craftiness not often found in rookies. Although we’ve touched on a few of the best aspects of Abrines’ game, his biggest impact this season was his contribution to the bench unit. Billy Donovan experimented heavily with the influx of characters that played a role off the bench, and while he trusted Semaj Christon more than I would’ve liked him too, he did a good job of managing the strengths and weaknesses of his reserves. Semaj is not a gifted facilitator and neither is Abrines, which left OKC without a quality facilitator in either guard position. However, Enes Kanter emerged as someone who the offense could be run through — which is one of the big reasons for the growth of Abrines. With a sharpshooter at the wing, and the freshly acquired Doug McDermott stationed on the opposite side, Kanter had the space to get a 1-on-1 matchup in the paint, or draw a double team and kick to one of the two shooters. Just watch how natural this play is for Abrines and Kanter: This was the go-to option up until Kanter broke his arm punching a chair. After his return, Donovan put the ball in Semaj’s hands more and put Kanter into a screener/distraction role. The sad part of this — besides not getting to watch the beauty that is Enes Kanter working a defender in the post — is that the Abrines/Kanter play took a backseat in favor of drive-and-kicks. While Abrines has taken great strides, the rest of the bench was in constant flux, making it one of the worst second units in the NBA. With the 21st pick in the draft, look for GM Sam Presti to build the second unit in the offseason, giving the bunch stability it lacked this season. As the reserves improve, watch as Abrines begins to shine even brighter. Grading Time Since this is a report card, let’s hand out some grades. We’re going to have four different grades starting with Production — how much did said player actually produce this season? Secondly we have Growth — how much did the player grow through the season? Third we have Potential — how much potential did the player flash during the season? Finally we have the total grade. This last one is a combination of the three previous scores and a little bit of my own opinion. Think of it as a 75/25 split. Production: C Growth: B+ Potential: B+ Total: B- Señor Who? To conclude, I want to give what I believe to be the ceiling and floor of each rookie through player comparisons. For Abrines’ floor, Jodie Meeks stands out to me as a player Abrines is better than right now, but could regress to. Meeks is a stellar shooter with good length, but doesn’t offer much outside of the occasional good defensive possession and floor spacing. As a ceiling, pre-achilles tear Wesley Matthews. Matthews transformed into a reliable 3-and-D player that was a major cog in the LaMarcus Aldridge-era Trailblazers. If Abrines can grow into being even 3/4 the player Matthews was, the Thunder is going to be contending sooner than anyone thinks.DMM Karabiner Safety Notice Update 2 DMM’s updated statement: In a small percentage of carabiners the interaction between the internal coil spring (which gives the gate its closing action) and the gate pusher (the component that holds the spring against the carabiner body) may cause the gate pusher to displace, potentially preventing the gate from closing or the mechanism from locking completely. This recall encompasses all of the products in the table below. All models, all colours and all gate types are potentially affected by the dysfunction: With the following serial numbers (these run sequentially): 2014 Production – 14138xxxxX to 14365xxxxX 2015 Production – 15001xxxxX to 15254xxxxX The serial number can be found on the spine of the carabiner: If your carabiners meet the above criteria please carry out the user inspection as detailed below: Gate Pusher User Inspection Please use the following information to identify the type of gate pusher that is installed in your carabiner and subsequently whether or not your carabiner is affected by this recall. Our priorities right now are to raise awareness of this issue and to finalise our logistics and returns processes so that we can provide an efficient turn around for all of our customers worldwide. We will release the next statement, containing details of the recall returns procedure in the next 48 hours.Cape Town’s Underground Tunnels: A place of sweet water Taking back the Mother City’s water heritage When I arrive at the sandy parking lot on the corner of Bradwell and Buitenkant streets in Gardens on a sunny, blue-skied Saturday morning, the usually nondescript space is alive with excited pre-teen girls and parents. The gaggle of family members is dressed in a varied assortment of coloured gumboots, gasping and shaking their heads at a small hole in the ground. We’re all here to explore the mysterious tunnels that snake beneath Cape Town, long forgotten channels that carry litres upon litres of fresh water straight into the ocean. Once main veins of transport and a crucial water source, the system is now no more than a living relic. Though, thanks to a project called Reclaim Camissa, a movement that hopes to revive the waterways by educating people as they follow the path of an ancient river, our group is about to plunge into a roaring rush of what used to be an essential network for the developing world. Dwain, one of the guides at Figure of 8, a team-building company that organises these underground tours in association with Reclaim Camissa, fills me in on the history as, one by one, the girls disappear into darkness. Cape Town owes its existence to the abundant water flow that compelled Dutch travellers on their way to the East Indies to stay and establish the Mother City as a halfway point and oasis. At that time, the city relied on four streams and 36 springs, which are now diverted to the Atlantic. The cool, clean life-giving liquid from one of these systems, Camissa, which means “the place of sweet waters” in Khoisan, filled holding tanks on ships, provided refreshment for farm and dockworkers on land and replenished irrigation systems, wash houses and public water fountains. The city even got electricity before London did, in 1895, thanks to energy generated by the strong flowing source. What’s more, open canals, or graachts (where the streets Buitengracht and Heerengracht got their name), were the lifeline of society, even determining the city’s layout. These were tunnelled off in the 19th century when the British deemed the exposed water source unsanitary and roads more important. So, the above ground tributaries were buried underground, where gallons of water still flow today. The idea behind Reclaim Camissa is to give Cape Town back its water heritage and integrate city life with this natural system, a concept the founder, Caron Von Zeil, calls “civic hydrology”. When it’s my turn to go below, I ease my way down the way we’re told to -- your right foot goes into a brick-sized hole into the side, then you lower your left foot down to a little concrete ledge before splashing into the steady stream of clear water pounding noisily over slippery bricks. Dwain stays at the top to close off the manhole, and after one last happy wave and obligatory sewer joke, he turns off the sun. The initial limited space and darkness are not as overwhelming as you’d expect, and luckily, I’m short enough so that I don’t ever have to bend more than my neck. We proceed down the narrow tunnel in single file, walking in a pseudo-split, the bottom of our shoes providing grip on the side of the walls, the water flowing in a constant, infinite rush beneath our legs. Every now and then we see emergency exits casting tubes of light into the otherwise headlamp-lit darkness. Narrower tunnels jut out to the sides, and one of them has a slimy green root growing out of it, a sign of life. “Once we have living water back again, we have a living city,” Caron once said in a TEDx talk. An urbanist, environmentalist and systems designer with a master’s degree in environmental planning and landscape architecture, she imagines a Cape Town centred around the very waters we’re wading through: children playing in open air public spaces, learning about water filtration; Parisian-style navigable waterways running under Strand Street; and a natural source of good, safe drinking water. Reclaim Camissa’s goal is that by 2020, Cape Town can take back the title ‘Place of Sweet Waters’ and a scheme will be in place that recognises the need for city planning and design that puts water back at the centre of life. It’s difficult to picture this utopia as our dark, wet walk continues like an unfolding horror movie. We wander past nightmarish colonies of cockroaches, charcoal-grey cobwebs and multi-legged creepy crawlies slipping out of the overhead crevices. The eeriness is also interesting and kind of beautiful: limestone hangs off the sides of the tunnel and stalactites holding little globes of water droplets pierce downward from the brick ceiling. Though, there’s never a sense of claustrophobia or of feeling trapped, and once in a while a breeze wafts away some of the weird, indeterminable smells. Trucks and motorcycles grumble above ground, and I wonder if the people up there, doing their Saturday shopping, are aware that below rests an efficient and ancient system that could be, as it once was, integrated into everyday life. As of 2013, none of Reclaim Camissa’s proposals have come to fruition, but that doesn’t mean that the concepts of using water as a source of power or as communal area focal point are going completely ignored. The supply from Stadsfontein, the main Oranjezicht spring that spouts out about 3.5 million litres of water per day (enough for every individual in the city to get a litre every 24 hours), was found to be a plentiful, economical option when it came to the construction of the Cape Town Stadium in Green Point. The year-round 40litres/second water flow is enough to meet the needs of the athletic ground, the Green Point Common, the Metropolitan Golf Course and Mouille Point Beachfront: there’s irrigation for the stadium bathrooms, and a water-powered turbine generates hydro-electricity to light up the Green Point Urban Park at night. Otherwise though, the only known building that uses water in this sustainable manner (and they source it from a river and not the spring, says Caron) is the Wooltru building in the city. The process of reverse osmosis is used to purify water from the ground, and 75 000 litres is used every day for flushing toilets and running an air conditioning system, a fountain and a car wash. In the meantime, literally millions of litres of the precious, life-sustaining commodity flows unnoticed underfoot. Towards the end of our walk, brick turns to ancient stone as we reach what must be the older part of the tunnel. Eventually, we come to a flood of light and a metal ladder fixed into the ground with a lock. I’m the first to climb out, blinking my eyes back into the sun and city. Table Mountain is off at a distance to the right, and a sign in front of me says the road beyond the Castle of Good Hope property gate goes to Woodstock (straight) and Zonnebloem (right). There are rows of boots and dry, happy people drinking water and eating fruit provided by FO8. I’ve just walked 2km of the 6,7km long canal, which continues its steady, secret path to the harbour, where the sweetness turns ocean-salty and becomes absolutely useless. What a waste. --- Figure of 8 is a team-building and entertainment tour operator that organises tours to uncover Cape Town’s little-known water history. Visit the Figure of 8 website for a full list of activities and tours. The tunnel excursion starts with an above ground walk before the tunnel tour, and there is the option to do just the above ground bit, just the tunnel walk or both. The cost of the tour includes guides, boots, headlamps, drinks and snacks. Call +27 (0) 21 439 3329 for more details. Take an eye-opening look at the other side of the Mother City with Camissa's township tours. --- Use our events section for an up-to-date overview of happenings in Cape Town. Also don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, join our Google+ circle, connect with us on LinkedIn and check out our Pinterest boards for updates. By Tshego LetsoaloThird-year Harvard Law student Stephanie Grace sent a mass email about whether black people are categorically less intelligent than white people. Now her campus, legal blogs, and the Black Law Students Association are up in arms, and Stephanie is hiding. In the spring of her third and final year at Harvard Law, Stephanie Grace knows she shot herself in the foot. Coming home after a dinner debate with a group of law students over whether race determines intelligence, Stephanie fired off an email to her companions eugenics-lite email screed about "the possibility that African Americans are, on average, genetically predisposed to be less intelligent." Which was the bigger mistake: thinking this audience wouldn't take offense, or thinking they wouldn't be cutthroat enough to take her down? Someone forwarded the email to Harvard's Black Law Students Association, and the email made its way to Black Law Students Associations' email lists nationwide. Then legal blog Above the Law printed the email with her name redacted. As comment moderators fought to keep her name off their site, Stephanie apparently navigated to Facebook and began scrubbing herself from the internet, presumably to minimize how closely the imbroglio would be tied to her name, face, and reputation. She ignored our requests for comment, giggling, "That's not me," when she hung up on us on the phone. (It was her. The outgoing voice message said so.) Stephanie graduated from Princeton in 2007 with a degree in—wait for it—sociology. She's on the Harvard Law Review and, after graduation, she'll head to California for a plum federal clerkship with Ninth Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski, the titillating defender of free speech who had to recuse himself from a obscenity case when his cache of cow porn pictures came to light. So happy trails, Stephanie Grace, and when you have a chance, could you please answer: What is the innate intelligence of a half-black, half-white female, naked on all fours mooing like a cow? Judge Kozinski wants to know. Related: • Racist Harvard Law Email: The Cat Fight That Turned Into a National Scandal • Harvard Law Student Starts Racist Email War, Will Clerk for Cow Porn Judge • Jezebel points out that Stephanie worked for Princeton sociologist Thomas Espenshade, who studies race and the achievement gap. He doesn't think there is an intelligence gap.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his country is getting ready to resume diplomatic relations with Iran following a four-year break in ties. On Monday, Trudeau said that the subject will “certainly” be discussed at an upcoming cabinet meeting. Referring to the implementation of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, Trudeau said that Tehran has made "significant movement towards respecting international expectations." "That is something positive and I expect there will be (diplomatic) links now between Canada and Iran," he noted. Trudeau, who assumed office in November last year, made the remarks a day after Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion told reporters that Ottawa is yet to decide on lifting sanctions on Iran and join the European Union and the United States in doing business with Tehran. The former Canadian government broke ties with Iran in 2012. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini (L) and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attend a joint press conference in Vienna on January 16, 2016. (AFP) On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini announced that sanctions imposed on Tehran have been lifted as the nuclear agreement came into force after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed Iran had kept its commitments to the historic deal. Iran and the P5+1 countries -- the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany -- finalized the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in Vienna on July 14, 2015.Tickets to the pop-culture extravaganza, WrestleMania 34 are available now. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, through all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 1-800-745-3000. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees. WrestleMania 34 will take place Sunday, April 8, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans and will be streamed live around the world on WWE Network. Ticket prices range from $35 to $1,000. There will also be a limited number of "Gold Circle" VIP Packages available for $2,000. The Gold Circle packages include seating in the first nine rows ringside, access to a Gold Circle VIP Stadium Entrance and a commemorative WrestleMania 34 take-home folding chair. WrestleMania is more than just a one-day event; it is a week-long celebration. In addition to WrestleMania 34, other events include: WrestleMania Axxess, WWE's four-day, interactive fan festival at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and four spectacular live events taking place at Smoothie King Center, including the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony; NXT TakeOver, Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live. WWE will also host activities designed to give back to the local community during WrestleMania Week including “Be a STAR” anti-bullying rallies, hospital visits and Make-A-Wish events. Additional information on these events will be announced in the future at www.wrestlemania.com. Over the past 10 years, WrestleMania has generated nearly $1 billion in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event.Here at battlelog.co, we offer game hacks that suit your needs. We ensure the highest quality through our thorough testing of any hack we offer on our website. One of our most commonly sought after are our PUBG hacks which we are very proud to present. The hacks are capable of subtle, legit-looking hacking as well as all-out rage hacking so you can dominate your opponents while having a blast! Safety, the most important part of our business Many games like PUBG has a reporting system where an admin or moderator might review your gameplay if you get reported by other users too often.At Battlelog.co we offer a range of guides on our forum explaining how to stay under the radar of the admins that might spectate your gameplay at times. Therefore our guides will help you stay out of trouble.Could the compiler guess a part of the program I am currently writing? It’s impossible in general, but it may be possible, and hopefully interesting, in special cases. For a start, I am interested in a situation where there is only one possibility: at the expected type, there is only one possible program – modulo (an approximation of) program equivalence. In a fixed environment, a type is a singleton type if it has only one inhabitant. How widespread are those? Would a language feature to infer their inhabitants be useful? Can we have more interesting singleton types by enriching the type system? Don’t expect a structured story with a happy ending: this is only a writing-ideas-down session for something I have been thinking about lately. PS: See the next post for more details on the idea. From erasable coercions to singleton types I started to think about this kind of singleton types seriously when discussing with one of our fellow students at Gallium, Julien Cretin. Julien has been working on coercions for long enough that, if you listen to him, basically anything in a type system is a coercion in disguise. But for the most part he has worked on erasable coercions, that are terms from a type A to a type B that are just the identity function (once you erase the type annotations that make them useful). One example in System F is the coercion λ(f:A→∀α.B). Λα.λ(x:A). f x α from A→∀α.B to ∀α.(A→B). Note that if you erase all the type annotations (including type abstractions and applications), this becomes just λfλx. f x, which is an η-expansion of the identity function. Those identities are “erasable” in the sense that, after the type-checking phase, you can just drop them from your program and you will never notice: they do not affect the runtime semantics of the program. Erasable coercions are fairly interesting as a way to structure and explain type systems. For example, they allow to understand various variants of System F (System Fη, Fsub, and MLF) as instances of a general version of System F enhanced with abstraction on coercions, whose formal study is surprisingly challenging. You can learn about this in Julien’s 2012 paper with Didier Rémy (long version). But what would be a notion of non-erasable coercion? My suggestion was to consider terms that may not exactly be the identity, but that are unique at their type. This is actually a fairly different concept: some coercions (for example int → int ) are not unique in their types, and some unique inhabitants (for example in ∀αβ.(αβ)→(βα) ) have a runtime behavior that is fairly different from the identity. Singleton types in practice As a thought experiment, imagine adding the keyword? in the syntactic class of expressions of your programming language. The semantics of? is as follows: at typing time, it can take absolutely any type and will never raise a type error. After the program has been verified to be type-correct, we look at each occurrence of? and its inferred type. If the type is a singleton (assume we know how to check this), we replace? with the unique inhabitant, otherwise we fail with an error. That’s an inference-centered point of view. In languages with less robust type inference than ML languages, we could have a more robust feature with a construction (? : σ) that is given a precise type, which should later turn out to be a singleton. A simple? is then explained as (? : _), where _ means “infer me” at the type level. Consider for example those lines of OCaml or Haskell code found in the wild (in fact in the OCaml type-checker and in GHC): (List.map (fun (name, smty, smodl) -> (name, smty)) zipWith3M f xs ys zs = zipWithM (\x -> \(y,z) -> (f x y z)) xs (zip ys zs) The functions passed to List.map and zipWithM here are the typical kind of boilerplate that is boring to write. Provided that “the types are distinct enough”, they are also singleton types: fun (x,y,z) -> (x,y) is a singleton type as long as the types for x, y and z are distinct (in this example I checked and they are), likewise in the second example. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to write: (List.map?) zipWith3M f xs ys ys = zipWithM (? f) xs (zip ys zs) The hope is that some of the case where you think “This is dumb, I should not have to write it” may turn out to be, when looking at them the right way, inferrable through singleton types. Singleton types precisely What does it mean for a type to be a singleton type? We have to make a choice on four aspects: The type system we consider (the static semantics). Are we looking for singleton types in ML, in System F, in a dependently typed calculus? All those choices have merit, but for the purpose of the demonstration I will mostly use examples in System F. The language of the terms we infer (the dynamic semantics). If we consider the full term language of OCaml (or Haskell) as the space of our search, no interesting type is a singleton because of non-terminating terms inhabiting any type. We want to restrict ourselves to a pure (including total) lambda-calculus. For a start, just the obvious explicitly typed thing with variables, lambdas and applications will be fine. Our notion of program equivalence: if we consider t and (λx.x) t as two different programs, we will have trouble finding unique inhabitants. On the other end, observational equivalence is often undecidable for realistic languages, so we may have to pick reasonable restrictions. I will just imagine I can perfectly decide observational equivalence for now. The typing context where inhabitants live: I am asking whether a type σ has a unique inhabitant t : σ. To consider this properly I need to pick a typing context Γ and ask about Γ ⊢? : σ. We could imagine giving the user some freedom to specify the context in which the
Taft had turned his back on Roosevelt's agenda. Civil rights [ edit ] Taft announced in his inaugural address that he would not appoint African Americans to federal jobs, such as postmaster, where this would cause racial friction. This differed from Roosevelt, who would not remove or replace black officeholders with whom local whites would not deal. Termed Taft's "Southern Policy", this stance effectively invited white protests against black appointees. Taft followed through, removing most black office holders in the South, and made few appointments from that race in the North.[122] At the time Taft was inaugurated, the way forward for African Americans was debated by their leaders. Booker T. Washington felt that most blacks should be trained for industrial work, with only a few seeking higher education; W.E.B. DuBois took a more militant stand for equality. Taft tended towards Washington's approach. According to Coletta, Taft let the African-American "be 'kept in his place'... He thus failed to see or follow the humanitarian mission historically associated with the Republican party, with the result that Negroes both North and South began to drift toward the Democratic party." A supporter of free immigration, Taft vetoed a bill passed by Congress and supported by labor unions that would have restricted unskilled laborers by imposing a literacy test. Judicial appointments [ edit ] Taft made six appointments to the Supreme Court, the most of any president except George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The death of Justice Rufus Peckham in October 1909 gave Taft his first opportunity. He chose an old friend and colleague from the Sixth Circuit, Horace H. Lurton of Georgia; he had in vain urged Theodore Roosevelt to appoint Lurton to the high court. Attorney General Wickersham objected that Lurton, a former Confederate soldier and a Democrat, was aged 65. Taft named Lurton anyway on December 13, 1909, and the Senate confirmed him by voice vote a week later. Lurton is still the oldest person to be made an associate justice.[l] Lurie suggested that Taft, already beset by the tariff and conservation controversies, desired to perform an official act which gave him pleasure, especially since he thought Lurton deserved it. Justice David Josiah Brewer's death on March 28, 1910 gave Taft a second opportunity to fill a seat on the high court; he chose New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes. Taft told Hughes that should the chief justiceship fall vacant during his term, Hughes would be his likely choice for the center seat. The Senate quickly confirmed Hughes, but then Chief Justice Fuller died on July 4, 1910. Taft took five months to replace Fuller, and when he did, it was with Justice Edward Douglass White, who became the first associate justice to be promoted to chief justice.[m] According to Lurie, Taft, who still had hopes of being chief justice, may have been more willing to appoint an older man than he (White) than a younger one (Hughes), who might outlive him, as indeed Hughes did. To fill White's seat as associate justice, Taft appointed Willis Van Devanter of Wyoming, a federal appeals judge. By the time Taft nominated White and Van Devanter in December 1910, he had another seat to fill due to William Henry Moody's retirement because of illness; he named a Louisiana Democrat, Joseph R. Lamar, whom he had met while playing golf, and had subsequently learned had a good reputation as a judge. With the death of Justice Harlan in October 1911, Taft got to fill a sixth seat on the Supreme Court. After Secretary Knox declined appointment, Taft named Chancellor of New Jersey Mahlon Pitney, the last person appointed to the Supreme Court who did not attend law school. Pitney had a stronger anti-labor record than Taft's other appointments, and was the only one to meet opposition, winning confirmation by a Senate vote of 50—26. Taft appointed 13 judges to the federal courts of appeal and 38 to the United States district courts. Taft also appointed judges to various specialized courts, including the first five appointees each to the United States Commerce Court and the United States Court of Customs Appeals.[130] The Commerce Court, created in 1910, stemmed from a Taft proposal for a specialized court to hear appeals from the Interstate Commerce Commission. There was considerable opposition to its establishment, which only grew when one of its judges, Robert W. Archbald, was in 1912 impeached for corruption and removed by the Senate the following January. Taft vetoed a bill to abolish the court, but the respite was short-lived as Wilson signed similar legislation in October 1913.[131] 1912 presidential campaign and election [ edit ] Moving apart from Roosevelt [ edit ] 1909 Puck magazine cover: Roosevelt departs, entrusting his policies to Taft During Roosevelt's fifteen months beyond the Atlantic, from March 1909 to June 1910, neither man wrote much to the other. Taft biographer Lurie suggested that each expected the other to make the first move to re-establish their relationship on a new footing. Upon Roosevelt's triumphant return, Taft invited him to stay at the White House. The former president declined, and in private letters to friends expressed dissatisfaction at Taft's performance. Nevertheless, he wrote that he expected Taft to be renominated by the Republicans in 1912, and did not speak of himself as a candidate. Taft and Roosevelt met twice in 1910; the meetings, though outwardly cordial, did not display their former closeness. Roosevelt gave a series of speeches in the West in the late summer and early fall of 1910. Roosevelt not only attacked the Supreme Court's 1905 decision in Lochner v. New York,[n] he accused the federal courts of undermining democracy, and called for them to be deprived of the power to rule legislation unconstitutional. This attack horrified Taft, who privately agreed that Lochner had been wrongly decided. Roosevelt called for "elimination of corporate expenditures for political purposes, physical valuation of railroad properties, regulation of industrial combinations, establishment of an export tariff commission, a graduated income tax" as well as "workmen's compensation laws, state and national legislation to regulate the [labor] of women and children, and complete publicity of campaign expenditure". According to John Murphy in his journal article on the breach between the two presidents, "As Roosevelt began to move to the left, Taft veered to the right." During the 1910 midterm election campaign, Roosevelt involved himself in New York politics, while Taft with donations and influence tried to secure the election of the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Ohio, former lieutenant governor Warren G. Harding. The Republicans suffered losses in the 1910 elections as the Democrats took control of the House and slashed the Republican majority in the Senate. In New Jersey, Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected governor, and Harding lost his race in Ohio. After the election, Roosevelt continued to promote progressive ideals, a New Nationalism, much to Taft's dismay. Roosevelt attacked his successor's administration, arguing that its guiding principles were not that of the party of Lincoln, but those of the Gilded Age. The feud continued on and off through 1911, a year in which there were few elections of significance. Wisconsin Senator La Follette announced a presidential run as a Republican, and was backed by a convention of progressives. Roosevelt began to move into a position for a run in late 1911, writing that the tradition that presidents not run for a third term only applied to consecutive terms. Roosevelt was receiving many letters from supporters urging him to run, and Republican office-holders were organizing on his behalf. Balked on many policies by an unwilling Congress and courts in his full term in the White House, he saw manifestations of public support he believed would sweep him to the White House with a mandate for progressive policies that would brook no opposition. In February, Roosevelt announced he would accept the Republican nomination if it was offered to him. Taft felt that if he lost in November, it would be a repudiation of the party, but if he lost renomination, it would be a rejection of himself. He was reluctant to oppose Roosevelt, who helped make him president, but having become president, he was determined to be president, and that meant not standing aside to allow Roosevelt to gain another term. Primaries and convention [ edit ] Taft with Archibald Butt (second from right) As Roosevelt became more radical in his progressivism, Taft was hardened in his resolve to achieve re-nomination, as he was convinced that the progressives threatened the very foundation of the government. One blow to Taft was the loss of Archibald Butt, one of the last links between the previous and present presidents, as Butt had formerly served Roosevelt. Ambivalent between his loyalties, Butt went to Europe on vacation in early 1912. He sailed for home in April on the RMS Titanic and died in its sinking, a death Taft found hard to accept as his body was not recovered. Taft and Roosevelt – political enemies in 1912 Roosevelt dominated the primaries, winning 278 of the 362 delegates to the Republican National Convention in Chicago decided in that manner. Taft had control of the party machinery, and it came as no surprise that he gained the bulk of the delegates decided at district or state conventions. Taft did not have a majority, but was likely to have one once southern delegations committed to him. Roosevelt challenged the election of these delegates, but the RNC overruled most objections. Roosevelt's sole remaining chance was with a friendly convention chairman, who might make rulings on the seating of delegates that favored his side. Taft followed custom and remained in Washington, but Roosevelt went to Chicago to run his campaign and told his supporters in a speech, "we stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord". Taft had won over Root, who agreed to run for temporary chairman of the convention, and the delegates elected Root over Roosevelt's candidate. The Roosevelt forces moved to substitute the delegates they supported for the ones they argued should not be seated. Root made a crucial ruling, that although the contested delegates could not vote on their own seating, they could vote on the other contested delegates, a ruling that assured Taft's nomination, as the motion offered by the Roosevelt forces failed, 567—507. As it became clear Roosevelt would bolt the party if not nominated, some Republicans sought a compromise candidate to avert the electoral disaster to come; they were unsuccessful. Taft's name was placed in nomination by Warren Harding, whose attempts to praise Taft and unify the party were met with angry interruptions from progressives. Taft was nominated on the first ballot, though most Roosevelt delegates refused to vote. Campaign and defeat [ edit ] Campaign advertisement arguing Taft deserved a second term Alleging Taft had stolen the nomination, Roosevelt and his followers formed the Progressive Party.[o] Taft knew he would almost certainly be defeated, but concluded that through Roosevelt's loss at Chicago the party had been preserved as "the defender of conservative government and conservative institutions." He made his doomed run to preserve the Republican Party.[150] Governor Woodrow Wilson was the Democratic nominee. Seeing Roosevelt as the greater electoral threat, Wilson spent little time attacking Taft, arguing that Roosevelt had been lukewarm in opposing the trusts during his presidency, and that Wilson was the true reformer. Taft contrasted what he called his "progressive conservatism" with Roosevelt's Progressive democracy, which to Taft represented "the establishment of a benevolent despotism."[152] Electoral vote by state, 1912. States won by Taft are in red. Reverting to the pre-Roosevelt custom that presidents seeking re-election did not campaign, Taft spoke publicly only once, making his nomination acceptance speech on August 1. He had difficulty in financing the campaign, as many industrialists had concluded he could not win, and would support Wilson to block Roosevelt. The president issued a confident statement in September after the Republicans narrowly won Vermont's state elections in a three-way fight, but had no illusions he would win his race. He had hoped to send his cabinet officers out on the campaign trail, but found them reluctant to go. Senator Root agreed to give a single speech for him. Vice President Sherman had been renominated at Chicago; seriously ill during the campaign, he died six days before the election,[p] and was replaced on the ticket by the president of Columbia University, Nicholas Murray Butler. But few electors chose Taft and Butler, who won only Utah and Vermont, for a total of eight electoral votes.[q] Roosevelt won 88, and Wilson 435. Wilson won though he had only a plurality of the popular vote and less of it than Taft and Roosevelt combined. Taft had hoped to better Roosevelt in the popular vote, but finished with just under 3.5 million, over 600,000 less than the former president. Taft was not on the ballot in California, due to the actions of local Progressives, nor in South Dakota. Return to Yale (1913–1921) [ edit ] With no pension or other compensation to expect from the government after leaving the White House, Taft contemplated a return to the practice of law, from which he had long been absent. Given that Taft had appointed many federal judges, including a majority of the Supreme Court, this would raise questions of conflict of interest at every federal court appearance and he was saved from this by an offer for him to become Kent Professor of Law and Legal History at Yale Law School. He accepted, and after a month's vacation in Georgia, arrived in New Haven on April 1, 1913 to a rapturous reception. As it was too late in the semester for him to give an academic course, he instead prepared eight lectures on "Questions of Modern Government", which he delivered in May. He earned money with paid speeches and with articles for magazines, and would end his eight years out of office having increased his savings. While at Yale, he wrote the treatise, Our Chief Magistrate and His Powers (1916). Taft had been made president of the Lincoln Memorial Commission while still in office; when Democrats proposed removing him for one of their party, he quipped that unlike losing the presidency, such a removal would hurt. The architect, Henry Bacon, wanted to use Colorado-Yule marble, while southern Democrats urged using Georgia marble. Taft lobbied for the western stone, and the matter was submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts, which supported Taft and Bacon. The project went forward; Taft would dedicate the Lincoln Memorial as chief justice in 1922. In 1913, Taft was elected to a one-year term as president of the American Bar Association (ABA), a trade group of lawyers. He removed opponents, such as Louis Brandeis and University of Pennsylvania Law School dean William Draper Lewis (a supporter of the Progressive Party) from committees. Taft maintained a cordial relationship with Wilson. The former president privately criticized his successor on a number of issues, but made his views known publicly only on Philippine policy. Taft was appalled when, after Justice Lamar's death in January 1916, Wilson nominated Brandeis, whom the former president had never forgiven for his role in the Ballinger–Pinchot affair. When hearings led to nothing discreditable about Brandeis, Taft intervened with a letter signed by himself and other former ABA presidents, stating that Brandeis was not fit to serve on the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, the Democratic-controlled Senate confirmed Brandeis. Taft and Roosevelt remained embittered; they met only once in the first three years of the Wilson presidency, at a funeral at Yale. They spoke only for a moment, politely but formally. As president of the League to Enforce Peace, Taft hoped to prevent war through an international association of nations. With World War I raging in Europe, Taft sent Wilson a note of support for his foreign policy in 1915. President Wilson accepted Taft's invitation to address the league, and spoke in May 1916 of a postwar international organization that could prevent a repetition. Taft supported the effort to get Justice Hughes to resign from the bench and accept the Republican presidential nomination. Once this was done, Hughes tried to get Roosevelt and Taft to reconcile, as a united effort was needed to defeat Wilson. This occurred on October 3 in New York, but Roosevelt allowed only a handshake, and no words were exchanged. This was one of many difficulties for the Republicans in the campaign, and Wilson narrowly won re-election. In March 1917, Taft demonstrated public support for the war effort by joining the Connecticut State Guard, a state defense force organized to carry out the state duties of the Connecticut National Guard while the National Guard served on active duty.[167] When Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany in April 1917, Taft was an enthusiastic supporter; he was chairman of the American Red Cross' executive committee, which occupied much of the former president's time. In August 1917, Wilson conferred military titles on executives of the Red Cross as a way to provide them with additional authority to use in carrying out their wartime responsibilities, and Taft was appointed a major general.[169] During the war, Taft took leave from Yale to be co-chairman of the National War Labor Board, tasked with assuring good relations between industry owners and their workers. In February 1918, the new RNC chairman, Will H. Hays, approached Taft seeking his reconciliation with Roosevelt. In May, Taft was in Chicago at the Blackstone Hotel, and when he heard that Roosevelt and his party were dining there, walked in on them. The two men embraced to the applause of the room, but the renewed relationship did not progress past outward friendliness before Roosevelt's death in January 1919. Taft later wrote, "Had he died in a hostile state of mind toward me, I would have mourned the fact all my life. I loved him always and cherish his memory." When Wilson proposed establishment of a League of Nations, with the League's charter part of the Treaty of Versailles, Taft expressed public support. He was out of step with his party, whose senators were not inclined to ratify the treaty. Taft's subsequent flip-flop on the issue of whether reservations to the treaty were necessary angered both sides, destroying any remaining influence he had with the Wilson administration, and causing some Republicans to call him a Wilson supporter and a traitor to his party. The Senate refused to ratify the Versailles pact. Chief Justice (1921–1930) [ edit ] Appointment [ edit ] Chief Justice Taft, ca. 1921 During the 1920 election campaign, Taft supported the Republican ticket, Harding (by then a senator) and Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge; they were elected. Taft was among those asked to come to the president-elect's home in Marion, Ohio to advise him on appointments, and the two men conferred there on December 24, 1920. By Taft's later account, after some conversation, Harding casually asked if Taft would accept appointment to the Supreme Court; if Taft would, Harding would appoint him. Taft had a condition for Harding—having served as president, and having appointed two of the present associate justices and opposed Brandeis, he could accept only the chief justice position. Harding made no response, and Taft in a thank-you note reiterated the condition and stated that Chief Justice White had often told him he was keeping the position for Taft until a Republican held the White House. In January 1921, Taft heard through intermediaries that Harding planned to appoint him, if given the chance. White by then was in failing health, but made no move to resign when Harding was sworn in on March 4, 1921. Taft called on the chief justice on March 26, and found White ill, but still carrying on his work and not talking of retiring. White did not retire, dying in office on May 19, 1921. Taft issued a tribute to the man he had appointed to the center seat, and waited and worried if he would be White's successor. Despite widespread speculation Taft would be the pick, Harding made no quick announcement. Taft was lobbying for himself behind the scenes, especially with the Ohio politicians who formed Harding's inner circle. It later emerged that Harding had also promised former Utah senator George Sutherland a seat on the Supreme Court, and was waiting in the expectation that another place would become vacant.[r] Harding was also considering a proposal by Justice William R. Day to crown his career by being chief justice for six months before retiring. Taft felt, when he learned of this plan, that a short-term appointment would not serve the office well, and that once confirmed by the Senate, the memory of Day would grow dim. After Harding rejected Day's plan, Attorney General Harry Daugherty, who supported Taft's candidacy, urged him to fill the vacancy, and he named Taft on June 30, 1921. The Senate confirmed Taft the same day, 61–4, without any committee hearings and after a brief debate in executive session. Taft drew the objections of three progressive Republicans and one southern Democrat.[s] When he was sworn in on July 11, he became the first and to date only person to serve both as president and chief justice.[2] Taft Court membership timeline [ edit ] McKinley appointment T. Roosevelt appointment Taft appointment Wilson appointment Harding appointment Coolidge appointment Jurisprudence [ edit ] Commerce Clause [ edit ] The Supreme Court, under Taft, compiled a conservative record in Commerce Clause jurisprudence. This had the practical effect of making it difficult for the federal government to regulate industry, and the Taft Court also scuttled many state laws. The few liberals on the court—Brandeis, Holmes, and (from 1925) Harlan Fiske Stone—sometimes protested, believing orderly progress essential, but often joined in the majority opinion. The White Court had, in 1918, struck down an attempt by Congress to regulate child labor in Hammer v. Dagenhart.[t] Congress thereafter attempted to end child labor by imposing a tax on certain corporations making use of it. That law was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1922 in Bailey v. Drexel Furniture Co., with Taft writing the court's opinion for an 8–1 majority.[u] He held that the tax was not intended to raise revenue, but rather was an attempt to regulate matters reserved to the states under the Tenth Amendment, and that allowing such taxation would eliminate the power of the states.[2] One case in which Taft and his court upheld federal regulation was Stafford v. Wallace. Taft ruled for a 7–1 majority[v] that the processing of animals in stockyards was so closely tied to interstate commerce as to bring it within the ambit of Congress's power to regulate. A case in which the Taft Court struck down regulation that generated a dissent from the chief justice was Adkins v. Children's Hospital.[w] Congress had decreed a minimum wage for women in the District of Columbia. A 5–3 majority of the Supreme Court struck it down. Justice Sutherland wrote for the majority that the recently ratified Nineteenth Amendment, guaranteeing women the vote, meant that the sexes were equal when it came to bargaining power over working conditions; Taft, in dissent, deemed this unrealistic. Taft's dissent in Adkins was rare both because he authored few dissents, and because it was one of the few times he took an expansive view of the police power of the government. Powers of government [ edit ] In 1922, Taft ruled for a unanimous court in Balzac v. Porto Rico.[x] One of the Insular Cases, Balzac involved a Puerto Rico newspaper publisher who was prosecuted for libel but denied a jury trial, a Sixth Amendment protection under the constitution. Taft held that as Puerto Rico was not a territory designated for statehood, only such constitutional protections as Congress decreed would apply to its residents.[188] The U.S. Supreme Court in 1925. Taft is seated in the bottom row, middle. In 1926, Taft wrote for a 6–3 majority in Myers v. United States[y] that Congress could not require the president to get Senate approval before removing an appointee. Taft noted that there is no restriction of the president's power to remove officials in the constitution. Although Myers involved the removal of a postmaster, Taft in his opinion found invalid the repealed Tenure of Office Act, for violation of which his presidential predecessor, Andrew Johnson, had been impeached, though acquitted by the Senate.[190] Taft valued Myers as his most important opinion. The following year, the court decided McGrain v. Daugherty.[z] A congressional committee investigating possible complicity of former Attorney General Daugherty in the Teapot Dome scandal subpoenaed records from his brother, Mally, who refused to provide them, alleging Congress had no power to obtain documents from him. Van Devanter ruled for a unanimous court against him, finding that Congress had the authority to conduct investigations as an auxiliary to its legislative function. Individual rights [ edit ] In 1925, the Taft Court laid the groundwork for the incorporation of many of the guarantees of the Bill of Rights to be applied against the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. In Gitlow v. New York,[aa] the court by a 6–2 vote with Taft in the majority, upheld Gitlow's conviction on criminal anarchy charges for advocating the overthrow of the government; his defense was freedom of speech. Justice Edward T. Sanford wrote the court's opinion, and both majority and minority (Holmes, joined by Brandeis) assumed that the First Amendment's Free Speech and Free Press clauses were protected against infringement by the states. Pierce v. Society of Sisters[ab] was a 1925 decision by the Taft Court striking down an Oregon law banning private schools. In a decision written by Justice James C. McReynolds, a unanimous court held that Oregon could regulate private schools, but could not eliminate them. The outcome supported the right of parents to control the education of their children, but also, since the lead plaintiff (the society) ran Catholic schools, struck a blow for religious freedom. United States v. Lanza[ac] was one of a series of cases involving Prohibition. Lanza committed acts allegedly in violation of both state and federal law, and was first convicted in Washington state court, then prosecuted in federal district court. He alleged the second prosecution in violation of the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment. Taft, for a unanimous court, allowed the second prosecution, holding that the state and federal governments were dual sovereigns, each empowered to prosecute the conduct in question. Administration and political influence [ edit ] Taft exercised the power of his position to influence the decisions of his colleagues, urging unanimity and discouraging dissents. Alpheus Mason, in his article on Chief Justice Taft for the American Bar Association Journal, contrasted Taft's expansive view of the role of the chief justice with the narrow view of presidential power he took while in that office. Taft saw nothing wrong with making his views on possible appointments to the court known to the White House, and was annoyed to be criticized in the press. He was initially a firm supporter of President Coolidge after Harding's death in 1923, but became disillusioned with Coolidge's appointments to office and to the bench; he had similar misgivings about Coolidge's successor, Herbert Hoover. Taft advised the Republican presidents in office while he was chief justice to avoid "offside" appointments like Brandeis and Holmes. Nevertheless, by 1923, Taft was writing of his liking for Brandeis, whom he deemed a hard worker, and Holmes walked to work with him until age and infirmity required an automobile. Believing that the chief justice should be responsible for the federal courts, Taft felt that he should have an administrative staff to assist him, and the chief justice should be empowered to temporarily reassign judges. He also believed the federal courts had been ill-run. Many of the lower courts had lengthy backlogs, as did the Supreme Court. Immediately on taking office, Taft made it a priority to confer with Attorney General Daugherty as to new legislation, and made his case before congressional hearings, in legal periodicals and in speeches across the country. When Congress convened in December 1921, a bill was introduced for 24 new judges, to empower the chief justice to move judges temporarily to eliminate the delays, and to have him chair a body consisting of the senior appellate judge of each circuit. Congress objected to some aspects, requiring Taft to get the agreement of the senior judge of each involved circuit before assigning a judge, but it in September 1922 passed the bill, and the Judicial Conference of Senior Circuit Judges held its first meeting that December. The Supreme Court's docket was congested, swelled by war litigation and laws that allowed a party defeated in the circuit court of appeals to have the case decided by the Supreme Court if a constitutional question was involved. Taft believed an appeal should usually be settled by the circuit court, with only cases of major import decided by the justices. He and other Supreme Court members proposed legislation to make most of the court's docket discretionary, with a case getting full consideration by the justices only if they granted a writ of certiorari. To Taft's frustration, Congress took three years to consider the matter. Taft and other members of the court lobbied for the bill in Congress, and the Judges' Bill became law in February 1925. By late the following year, Taft was able to show that the backlog was shrinking. When Taft became chief justice, the court did not have its own building and met in the Capitol. Its offices were cluttered and overcrowded, but Fuller and White had been opposed to proposals to move the court to its own building. In 1925, Taft began a fight to get the court a building, and two years later Congress appropriated money to purchase the land, on the south side of the Capitol. Cass Gilbert had prepared plans for the building, and was hired by the government as architect. Taft had hoped to live to see the court move into the new building, but it did not do so until 1935, after Taft's death. Declining health and death [ edit ] Taft is remembered as the heaviest president; he was 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and his weight peaked at 335–340 pounds (152–154 kg) toward the end of his presidency,[205] although this later decreased, and by 1929 he weighed just 244 pounds (111 kg). By the time Taft became chief justice, his health was starting to decline, and he carefully planned a fitness regimen, walking 3 miles (4.8 km) from his home to the Capitol each day. When he also walked home after work, he would usually go by way of Connecticut Avenue and use a particular crossing over Rock Creek; after his death the crossing was named the Taft Bridge. Taft followed a weight loss program and hired the British doctor N. E. Yorke-Davies as a dietary advisor. The two men corresponded regularly for over twenty years, and Taft kept a daily record of his weight, food intake, and physical activity.[207] At Hoover's inauguration on March 4, 1929, Taft recited part of the oath incorrectly, later writing, "my memory is not always accurate and one sometimes becomes a little uncertain", misquoting again in that letter, differently.[208] His health gradually declined over the near-decade of his chief justiceship, and he wrote in 1929, "I am older and slower and less acute and more confused. However, as long as things continue as they are, and I am able to answer to my place, I must stay on the court in order to prevent the Bolsheviki from getting control". Taft insisted on going to Cincinnati to attend the funeral of his brother Charles, who died on December 31, 1929; the strain did not improve his own health. When the court reconvened on January 6, 1930, Taft had not returned to Washington, and two opinions were delivered by Van Devanter that Taft had drafted but had been unable to complete because of his illness. Taft went to Asheville, North Carolina, for a rest, but by the end of January, he could barely speak and was suffering from hallucinations. Taft was afraid that Stone would be made chief justice; he did not resign until he had secured assurances from Hoover that Hughes would be the choice.[ad] Returning to Washington after his resignation on February 3, Taft had barely enough strength to sign a reply to a letter of tribute from the eight associate justices. He died at his home in Washington on March 8, 1930. Taft lay in state at the United States Capitol rotunda.[212] Three days following his death, on March 11, he became the first president and first member of the Supreme Court to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[213][214] James Earle Fraser sculpted his grave marker out of Stony Creek granite.[213] Legacy and historical view [ edit ] Lurie argued that Taft did not receive the public credit for his policies that he should have. Few trusts had been broken up under Roosevelt (although the lawsuits received much publicity). Taft, more quietly than his predecessor, filed many more cases than did Roosevelt, and rejected his predecessor's contention that there was such a thing as a "good" trust. This lack of flair marred Taft's presidency; according to Lurie, Taft "was boring—honest, likable, but boring". Scott Bomboy for the National Constitution Center wrote that despite being "one of the most interesting, intellectual, and versatile presidents... a chief justice of the United States, a wrestler at Yale, a reformer, a peace activist, and a baseball fan... today, Taft is best remembered as the president who was so large that he got stuck in the White House bathtub," a story that is not true.[150][216] Taft similarly remains known for another physical characteristic—as the last president with facial hair to date.[217] Mason called Taft's years in the White House "undistinguished". Coletta deemed Taft to have had a solid record of bills passed by Congress, but felt he could have accomplished more with political skill. Anderson noted that Taft's prepresidential federal service was entirely in appointed posts, and that he had never run for an important executive or legislative position, which would have allowed him to develop the skills to manipulate public opinion, "the presidency is no place for on-the-job training". According to Coletta, "in troubled times in which the people demanded progressive change, he saw the existing order as good." Inevitably linked with Roosevelt, Taft generally falls in the shadow of the flamboyant Rough Rider, who chose him to be president, and who took it away. Yet, a portrait of Taft as a victim of betrayal by his best friend is incomplete: as Coletta put it, "Was he a poor politician because he was victimized or because he lacked the foresight and imagination to notice the storm brewing in the political sky until it broke and swamped him?" Adept at using the levers of power in a way his successor could not, Roosevelt generally got what was politically possible out of a situation. Taft was generally slow to act, and when he did, his actions often generated enemies, as in the Ballinger–Pinchot affair. Roosevelt was able to secure positive coverage in the newspapers; Taft had a judge's reticence in talking to reporters, and, with no comment from the White House, hostile journalists would supply the want with a quote from a Taft opponent. And it was Roosevelt who engraved in public memory the image of Taft as a Buchanan-like figure, with a narrow view of the presidency which made him unwilling to act for the public good. Anderson pointed out that Roosevelt's Autobiography (which placed this view in enduring form) was published after both men had left the presidency (in 1913), was intended in part to justify Roosevelt's splitting of the Republican Party, and contains not a single positive reference to the man Roosevelt had admired and hand-picked as his successor. While Roosevelt was biased, he was not alone: every major newspaper reporter of that time who left reminiscences of Taft's presidency was critical of him. Taft replied to his predecessor's criticism with his constitutional treatise on the powers of the presidency. Four-cent stamp issued for Taft (1930) Taft was convinced he would be vindicated by history. After he left office, he was estimated to be about in the middle of U.S. presidents by greatness, and subsequent rankings by historians have by and large sustained that verdict. Coletta noted that this places Taft in good company, with James Madison, John Quincy Adams and McKinley. Lurie catalogued progressive innovations that took place under Taft, and argued that historians have overlooked them because Taft was not an effective political writer or speaker. According to Gould, "the clichés about Taft's weight, his maladroitness in the White House, and his conservatism of thought and doctrine have an element of truth, but they fail to do justice to a shrewd commentator on the political scene, a man of consummate ambition, and a resourceful practitioner of the internal politics of his party." Anderson deemed Taft's success in becoming both president and chief justice "an astounding feat of inside judicial and Republican party politics, played out over years, the likes of which we are not likely to see again in American history". Taft has been rated among the greatest of the chief justices; later Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia noted that this was "not so much on the basis of his opinions, perhaps because many of them ran counter to the ultimate sweep of history". A successor as chief justice, Earl Warren, concurred: "In Taft's case, the symbol, the tag, the label usually attached to him is 'conservative.' It is certainly not of itself a term of opprobrium even when bandied by the critics, but its use is too often confused with'reactionary.' " Most commentators agree that as chief justice, Taft's most significant contribution was his advocacy for reform of the high court, urging and ultimately gaining improvement in the court's procedures and facilities. Mason cited enactment of the Judges' Bill of 1925 as Taft's major achievement on the court. According to Anderson, Taft as chief justice "was as aggressive in the pursuit of his agenda in the judicial realm as Theodore Roosevelt was in the presidential". The house in Cincinnati where Taft was born and lived as a boy is now the William Howard Taft National Historic Site.[232] Taft's son Robert was a significant political figure, becoming Senate Majority Leader and three times a major contender for the Republican nomination for president. A conservative, each time he was defeated by a candidate backed by the more liberal
with others. Taken as a whole, I think they show how intimately you can get to know a place when you take the time and effort to explore it on your own terms, in your own way, free of the standard expectations of travel, and open to the things you might normally take for granted. Perhaps the traveler's most important challenge and highest calling is not to visit all the places worth seeing, but rather to find something worth seeing wherever he is.P.S. Another walking adventure is in the works! I hope to have more details to share in a few months.P.P.S. Thanks for reading!For the record, I also was not mauled by any animals. I didn't see a single bear, mountain lion, or wolf, although I may have spotted a baby rattlesnake once. I was not attacked by any unleashed dogs, and I quickly learned how to use my body language — and a toilet plunger handle I happened to be carrying — to intimidate them when necessary. Probably the closest I came to a dangerous predator was at this grocery store in Montana. It was either that or these vicious dung beetles in North Dakota. As for severe weather, I did have a branch fall on my cart once during a storm, and it bent the handlebar a bit. But there were no lightning strikes, tornadoes, or anything like that. And despite this idea we have that the road is overrun with crazy teenagers texting away on their phones and not paying a bit of attention to their driving, I was not hit by any of the hundreds of thousands of vehicles that passed me on my trip. A couple made me a little nervous with their driving, but that was the worst that happened.Google Maps will calculate walking directions from just about any point on Earth to any other. This can get pretty silly when you go from one continent to another, however. For example, the route from Seattle to Tokyo involves the following directions:The directions in Japan are often quite strange as well:TODAY: It may yet take a few weeks or months for the MLB players involved to be publicly disclosed, but Quinn says (Twitter links) it appears at least a few “fairly significant” but not “major” names could be linked to PEDs. YESTERDAY: If you haven’t seen the news, a series of arrests were made today of figures involved in operating the Biogenesis clinic and facilitating its distribution of PEDs (which is alleged to include not only professional athletes, but also high school athletes in the Miami area). Among the arrested parties were Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch (who surrendered to the DEA on charges of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids) and the cousin of Alex Rodriguez — Yuri Sucart. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale adds that former ACES consultant Juan Carlos Nunez — who was behind Melky Cabrera’s web site scandal –was also arrested. Thirteen MLB players were suspended last year, on today’s exact date, for using or possessing PEDs distributed by the Biogenesis clinic. The federal investigation that brought about those arrests have “revealed previously unnamed MLB players,” ESPN.com’s T.J. Quinn reports on Twitter, which could well lead to another round of suspensions. (Quinn, whose Twitter timeline has quite a bit of additional coverage, says to “expect more suspensions.”) It can only be hoped that we will not see a repeat of last year’s seemingly endless saga. Nevertheless, the potential impact on baseball’s transactional side remains a realistic consideration. Reports have not yet surfaced regarding the details of the newly-discovered information, such as what players might be involved and what sort of evidence arguably incriminates them. The bulk of the suspensions that came down last year were for fifty games apiece, and several notable players — including Nelson Cruz and Jhonny Peralta — ultimately missed the playoff push for contending clubs.Moah's Ark Slammed by City View Full Caption ROGERS PARK — An urban farmer who bought and then transformed a vacant lot into an urban farm and garden has been hit by the city with 25 building code violations. Now she worries the city could take her to court and force her to uproot the farm. "This is just nuts," said Mo Cahill, 60, standing among her apple, pear and plum trees, tomato plants and raspberry bushes at 1839 W. Touhy Ave. "When it was an empty lot, it was a real eyesore." Cahill said an inspector showed up unannounced in August and toured her farm. She owns the neighboring two-flat and lives in another two-flat two lots to the east. At the end of September, a list of violations — 18 for her home and seven for the farm — came in the mail. Mo Cahill's old Chevy truck doubles as a chicken coop. View Full Caption DNAinfo/Benjamin Woodard (File) Ben Woodard says the garden has become an oasis for some neighbors: The case, instigated by a complaint to 311, has been referred to the city's Law Department, and Cahill could be fined, said Buildings Department spokeswoman Mimi Simon. "The Department of Buildings supports the safety and quality of life for the residents and visitors of the City of Chicago through enforcement of the Chicago Building Code," Simon said in a news release. The department alleges Cahill "failed to provide noncombustible screen fence around" the lot, according to the inspector's report. The report also instructs Cahill to "remove debris from demolition" from the farm, including piles of dirt, logs, wood and construction debris. The department says the debris harbors rats. But the piled dirt and organic debris was part of a farming technique to create healthy topsoil, she said, and had produced crops all summer long, including 150 pounds of tomatoes. "This 'rat harborage' business," she said, referring to the inspection report, "they could ticket anybody, they could ticket anybody. There's probably not a building in this city where you couldn't find a rat." She said she also adopted three cats to help keep rats away from her property. The inspector also noted "stagnant water" at the farm. Cahill said that was from a sprinkler she had turned on earlier in the day. The city allows community gardens and urban farms, but the city ordinance only refers to farmers who sell what they produce. Cahill said she doesn't sell her crops. At her home, the inspector also found alleged violations, some of which Cahill said she had already addressed. Many of them refer to her backyard chickens and native plant gardens. The city has collected more than $19.5 million in fines since 2009 from property owners who have violated the ordinance governing weed growth. "I don't pull flowering stuff; that's what the bees need," she said. Chicago property owners are allowed to keep chickens, but the inspector cited Cahill for "noxious odors" and an "unsanitary and offensive condition caused by poultry" in her backyard, which includes her old Chevy truck that she converted into a chicken coop. The city referred to the truck as abandoned, and instructed her to remove it and eradicate a "severe fly infestation." "Yes, my chicken coop smells like a chicken coop," she said. "A blind person would know it's a chicken coop. But that doesn't mean it's a noxious odor." Cahill said she uses the chickens' droppings to fertilize her plants. There were other problems with her home noted, too, including a busted front porch railing, which Cahill admitted was justified. She said the frame of a basement window had also rotted and she intends to fix it. "Oh, this is another good one," she said, reading from the report. " 'Failed to maintain roof gutters in good repair and working condition — rear porch gutter rusted and deteriorated.' "It's got rust on it — it's perfectly sound. There's no leaks in it," Cahill said. Another violation claims her home's address numbers weren't visible from the street, despite them being displayed on the front door. "Go stand on the street and tell me you can't see 'em," she said. "The pizzas always get here — I don't know." Since Cahill opened the farm, she has drawn a small group of admirers in the neighborhood and online. A Facebook page for the urban farm has more than 500 followers. On Monday, passerby Hollye Kroger, 68, stopped and waved to Cahill. "It's so sad that they're hassling you," Kroger said after learning of the city's allegations. "Why are they doing it, so they can get money from you? This is a nice little green space.... I think it's much nicer than a vacant lot, where people throw their beer bottles and pee and sleep." She said the city's stance was "awful." "And I pay taxes in this city," Kroger said. "Use my taxes for something that makes a difference, as opposed to hassling you about this beautiful, fun, kinda cool place." For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:Stage Managers: You Can't See Them, But Couldn't See A Show Without Them Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Lunden for NPR Jeff Lunden for NPR On Sunday night the spotlight will be on Broadway stars at the 71st annual Tony Awards. The evening also includes honors for some people behind the scenes — writers, directors and designers, for example — but there are many more, working backstage, who aren't eligible for Broadway's highest honor. If you peek into the wings at a Broadway show, you're likely to find a stage manager, sitting at a desk with video monitors and lots of buttons and switches. He or she will be wearing a headset — sometimes called "the God mic" — to communicate with the cast and crew. "I like to think of a stage manager as the chief operations officer of the corporation that is the show," says Ira Mont, stage manager of Cats. Donald Fried, stage manager of the Tony-nominated play, Sweat, says stage managers are kind of "the Captain of the Enterprise." "I would call us the hub of the wheel," says Karyn Meek, production stage manager for the Tony-nominated musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. "We are... in charge of communication across all departments.... During the show, we are in charge of making sure the lights happen, the set moves, sound happens, all the things... we are the person who's controlling all of that." Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Lunden for NPR Jeff Lunden for NPR Long before a show starts its run, the stage manager is an integral part of the rehearsal process, explains Fried. "Everything begins and ends with the script," he says. "I've got to read the script, read it several times. Once, just to read it as a person, not as a stage manager or an artist or anything. Just to have an initial emotional feeling for it. Then, I go back and read [the writer's] stage directions, so that I know what would happen light-wise, how she envisions the props, how she envisions the set moving, people entering and exiting, whether or not they're changing costumes." Once a show is up and running, Meek says stage managers and their teams put in long hours. Her day begins at 9:30 a.m. with cast members telling her whether they'd be in or out of that day's shows, due to injuries or illness. Depending on the day, she'll arrive at the theater around 12:30 for a matinee or rehearsal. There's a dinner break around 5:00 or 5:30, and then everyone's back at the theater for the evening show. Shows that feature complicated choreography or simulated fight scenes require daily rehearsals. Sweat manager Donald Fried says they do a fight rehearsal before every show. "We want to make sure everyone is safe and limber, and that the props are working," he explains. In the half hour before each performance, the stage manager walks through a beehive of activity, making sure everyone's ready for curtain. Meek climbs a ladder to her perch, high above stage left at Great Comet. Actors perform throughout the theater and Meek can keep an eye on them all. Once the show starts, she follows a musical score, with sticky notes showing all of the lighting and tech cues. Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Lunden for NPR Jeff Lunden for NPR Through one of her video monitors, she can see Josh Groban, who plays Pierre, standing at the back of the stage. By the time the opening number really gets going, Meek is calling cues to the lighting technician every other beat. She literally calls hundreds of sound and tech cues for each performance. All the stage managers I spoke with started out doing other things — Meek was a costume designer, Fried was a dancer. As a former actor, Cats manager Ira Mont was used to getting applause — but not anymore. "I don't expect or look for praise or acknowledgement," he says. "I am here to support the shows I work on and the actors who do them and that's what gives me the joy. And I'm very fortunate to have had a 30-year career in a profession that is not easy to get into and is not easy to stay in. I'm a lucky guy." He's got lucky co-workers, too. Even as Mont juggles countless cues that go into a Broadway performance of Cats, over the headset he reminds the cast and crew of one more detail: to gather for a cast member's birthday toast at the end of the show.A Mother's Day second-line shooting on Frenchmen Street in the 7th Ward, on Sunday about 1:45 p.m., left 19 people injured, according to the latest NOPD numbers. Earlier Sunday afternoon, NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas said that about 12 people had been injured, but the toll later grew to 19, with the NOPD explaining that some victims initially hadn't reported being injured and more people continue to come forward. Police said 10 adult men, seven adult women, a 10-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl were struck by bullets. Both of the 10-year-old victims had graze wounds to the body and were in good condition. A man and a woman were reported to be in surgery Sunday evening. The shooting occurred in the 1400 block of Frenchmen Street at the intersection of North Villere Street. Immediately after the shooting police reported seeing three suspects running from the scene. One suspect was seen running on Frenchman toward North Claiborne, police said. NOPD spokeswoman Remi Braden said many of the victims were grazed, some by bullets that ricocheted. "At this point, there are no fatalities, and most of the wounds are not life-threatening," she said in an email. "But all medical conditions are not known at this time as victims were rushed to nearby hospitals," Braden continued. "Detectives are conducting interviews, retrieving any surveillance video in the area and, of course, collecting all evidence. This is an extremely unusual occurrence, and we're confident that we will make swift arrests." Kevin Allman, editor of Gambit Weekly, said one of the publication's writers, Deborah Cotton, also known as the blogger Big Red Cotton, was shot and was in stable condition after undergoing surgery. Shannon Roberts, 32, was in the Interim LSU Hospital in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon and early evening alongside reams of other crying and fear-ridden - and at times, angry - family members whose loved ones were injured in the shooting. Roberts said she was waiting on a 21-year-old nephew who was shot in the arm and stomach, a 37-year-old niece shot in the arm, and a 39-year-old cousin shot in the back. "All innocent bystanders got hit," Roberts said. "When I got the call saying they were shot, I wasn't thinking at all, I was just shivering and crying... just hoping they be all right. "The city needs to stop the violence. It's hurting our families," Roberts continued. She said the shooters need to turn themselves in. "Mothers should not have to be crying any day no less Mother Day." Dr. Jeff Elder, director of New Orleans EMS, said that three patients brought in were in critical condition and went straight to operating rooms. The rest, he said, were in good to serious condition and were admitted to the emergency room. "I know a lot of you have loved ones back there," the nurse told them. "We're just now getting them all evaluated. "We've had 19 people come in here at one time. We're all staying here until you all have what you need....We want to get it right.... We are gathering facts as fast as we can. This a chaotic situation." In the waiting room, families tried to console one another. They looked to magazines for distraction. They prayed. And, at times, they said "Happy Mother's Day." A NOLA.com \| Times-Picayune reporter was participating in the Mother's Day second line in the area when the shooting occurred, and heard six to seven shots fired. Serpas said earlier Sunday afternoon that in addition to the people injured by gunshots, at least one person was injured in a fall during the ensuing commotion. Serpas said three to four people were in surgery, but he said at that time that he did not know their conditions. Shermaine Tyler, 32, who lives on Villere Street about a block from Frenchmen, was celebrating Mother's Day a block from the shooting. Balloons dangled there, and Mother's Day cards were spread out for the holiday. "Me and mom were going to the second line. I told her I didn't want to go because there are always shots at a second line," Tyler said. "And the second I heard shots, I heard shots fired, we ran outside and one man fell in my lap who had been shot." She said the man who fell in her lap had been shot in his groin area and once in his hand. "This is all ridiculous. We all bleed the same blood. We all come from the same God," Tyler said. "Everyone is getting shot, and for what?" While Serpas said there were about 300 to 400 people participating in the Mother's Day second line, about 200 people apparently were in the area at the time of the shooting. Serpas said about 10 NOPD officers were spread throughout the second line. He said three people were seen running from the shooting scene. "Obviously, this is an unusual circumstance," Serpas said. "We have second lines that occur in this city virtually every week at this time of the year." Serpas added, "We can tell you without a doubt that we will find these guys. We will bring them into custody and make them pay for the crimes they committed today." Also on Villere, a 59-year-old woman who didn't want to publicly give her name said she was inside her home, about to go outside to see the parade, when she heard shots ring out. She said that from her porch she saw hundreds of people scattering, running. "It's sad that people can't gather together and celebrate," she said. "You don't just go into a crowd and fire into a group of innocent people." Adriana Stewart, who lives in the area, marched in the second line. "This was my first time taking my kids to the second line," Stewart said. "It is not fair to the mother or the kids. It is just ridiculous." Stewart said the second liners were throwing teddy bears and candy to revelers who had lined up to watch. Serpas said the three gunmen likely worked together, and at least two different weapons were used. One of the suspects is described as a man between 18 and 22 years old with short hair and wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, Serpas said. The New Orleans coroner said no fatalities have been reported from the shooting. The Original Big 7 Social Aid and Pleasure Club organized the second line and has held it on Mother's Day since 2001, according to Edward Buckner, the club's president. The parade started Sunday about 1 p.m. at the Original Big 7's home at 1825 Elysian Fields Ave. Buckner said the parade was started "to celebrate the women of America in New Orleans for the hard time that they have taking care of children, taking care of everyone." "I can't tell you what the gunmen looked like. I was busy parading. So, you know, I didn't see it coming," Buckner said. "Everyone was just busy having a good time. "My feelings are hurt for the victims, and the club sends our sympathies and we hope that each of the families know that we wish them a speedy recovery," Buckner said. "We hope that the people who were shot don't stop being fans of the Big 7, because it wasn't anything that they did or the club did, it was just a random act of violence. "It's not because of the associated pleasure clubs that this type of terrorist act happens. That's not the type of crowd that follow us. We have people as old as 70, and as young as 5" years old who parade, said Buckner, adding that a shooting had never occurred at their Mother's Day second line before. At the Interim LSU Hospital, one mother, who identified herself only as "Peaches", said her 38-year-old son was shot twice in the chest. "We are living in the last days," said Peaches, 55, who did not want to give her full name. "They killing everybody. Something need to be done. "Maybe they need to get the army down here like they did after Katrina," she later continued. "...It's praying time." Crimestoppers has doubled its standard $2,500 reward to $5,000 for information about this crime. In addition, the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau has added $5,000 to that reward, bringing the total to $10,000. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111. Stay with NOLA.com for updates as more information becomes available. Staff writers Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, Mary Kilpatrick, Naomi Martin and Lauren McGaughy contributed to this report.While racist, anti-Muslim, and anti-Semitic attacks have seen a huge fall since 2008, those on Christian places of worship more than doubled in this period of time, France’s interior ministry reported last week. Having documented a record number of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim attacks in 2015, the French government spent €100 million on a huge anti-populist campaign to reduce Islamophobia, racism, and anti-Semitism. Subsequently, racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim attacks fell sharply in 2016 with the former seeing a decline of 58.5 per cent and the latter a drop of 57.6 per cent. These attacks are defined as being fires, violence, degradation, and threats — comments, inscriptions, insulting letters. In this year, attacks on Christian places of worship have increased by 17.4 per cent in 2016 compared to 2015. Racist attacks, meanwhile, dropped by 23.7 per cent (608 versus 797). The sharp drop in incidents of an Islamophobic or anti-Semitic nature was welcomed by the French government, who credited the figures as the “fruit of the government’s action plan”. “Thanks to an unprecedented mobilisation of state services, we have already achieved very encouraging results, as evidenced by the figures for 2016. This gives us much satisfaction”, said interior minister Bruno Le Roux. The minister warned against “triumphalism”, however, telling Agence France-Presse: “Faced with racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-Christian acts, we must not slacken our guard, quite the contrary.” “We continue, and we will continue always to fight against these absolutely intolerable acts, which sully the Republic” he added, insisting that France will combat ‘intolerance’ with “maximum vigilance”. Le Figaro reported that acts which target Christians now account for 90 per cent assaults on places of worship. The newspaper points out that, while it is to be expected that attacks on churches are the most plentiful because they exist in the largest number, cases in which Christian places of worship were defiled saw a huge rise between 2008 and 2016. The government says the majority of the 949 attacks on churches have “no religious motive”, but that there was a possible “satanic motivation” in 14 cases and an “anarchist” motivation in 25. However, since 2008 assaults on Christian places of worship have risen by 245 per cent. Last year in Dülmen, following the arrival of well over a million migrants in Germany, local media said “not a day goes by” without attacks on Christian religious statues.As Nexus 7 pre-orders start filtering out into the world, users are finally getting acquainted with Google’s 7-inch slate. There is a lot to like about the device; it’s fast, solidly built, and has great software. I should say, these things are true in most cases. Ever since my tablet showed up, I’ve been noticing some odd touchscreen behavior that would seem to indicate a defect. On occasion, the right side of the screen will stop picking up touch inputs. This has happened in a variety of situations, but I’ve found that one surefire way to trigger it is to play a Tegra game. These games push the hardware, and it only takes a few minutes for the screen to start degrading in performance. Touching the right side (when held in portrait) of the screen sometimes elicits no response from the tablet. Sometimes the Nexus 7 will detect the touch, but quickly loses connection and the touch point is lost. The dead area runs all the way up the height of the panel, and across to about the mid point. The severity of the issue seems to vary over time; some occurrences are much less serious than others. To temporarily solve the issue, I can turn the screen off and back on. While the fix is easy, it’s still an annoying bug to put up with. Playing games for more than a few minutes means toggling the screen and interrupting gameplay. Still other times, non-games seem to be triggering the same behavior, but this is less common. The poor touch detection seems to extend to every part of the UI when it happens. Swiping through home screens can only be accomplished by using the left side of the screen, and it’s almost impossible to use any buttons or UI elements that show up on the right side. Because of the ease in replicating the issue with Tegra games, I’m tempted to say this has something to do with heat. Although, the problem can be solved each time it happens by turning the screen off and on. That seems to indicate heat buildup isn’t the only issue, but perhaps a contributing factor. Whatever the cause is, it looks like my Nexus 7 is going back to Google in the coming days.BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) are on the scene after a police officer shot and killed a man in Burnsville late Monday. Burnsville Police squads were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 1600 block of Cliff Road East just before 8:30 p.m. on reports of a man who was threatening suicide. Officers were informed the man left the apartment building with a gun. The State Patrol helicopter was called in, and just over an hour later heat sensors spotted somebody in a wooded area near the apartment complex. Officers approached the man, who they say was in possession of a weapon. It is unclear what unfolded, but police say a Burnsville officer shot and killed the person. Police were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting, as the Burnsville department was one of the first in Minnesota to make wearing body cameras part of their daily routine. The BCA is handling the investigation, which is common in the case of officer-involved shootings.ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s prime minister condemned dissemination of a video purporting to show a dead Kurdish militant dragged through the streets tied by the neck to an armored police vehicle, images that could further inflame tension in the country’s southeast. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of Turkey addresses a plenary meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York September 27, 2015. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri “It is unacceptable to treat any corpse this way, even if it is a dead terrorist,” Ahmet Davutoglu said, while not explicitly confirming the veracity of the video and photographs widely posted on Twitter. Davutoglu, whose AK Party faces national elections in November, was speaking in a live interview with HaberTurk TV about the video. It was apparently taken in the province of Sirnak, focus of clashes since a ceasefire between the army and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) broke down in July. “Our Interior Ministry... will conduct a comprehensive investigation, not into the incident itself, but into the way in which this incident was reflected to the world,” Davutoglu said. Security forces since Friday killed 22 PKK militants in clashes in the town of Silvan, which had been under a round-the-clock curfew until Monday and seized weapon stockpiles, the provincial governor in Diyarbakir said. Two soldiers were killed in separate attacks in Gaziantep and Osmaniye on Monday, the army said. Turkish warplanes on Monday bombed PKK targets identified by drones near the southeastern town of Semdinli, security sources said, with air and ground operations continuing and special forces being deployed by helicopter. More than 120 members of the security forces and hundreds of militants have been killed since July, leaving a three-year-old peace process in tatters and raising concern about the security of the parliamentary election. ROPE AROUND NECK Video footage purporting to show the dead militant first appeared on social media. It showed a body in a red shirt and dark trousers, a rope around the neck, being dragged through darkened streets. Part of the video appeared to have been filmed from inside the vehicle. Selahattin Demirtas, the HDP leader, retweeted one of the images. “Take a good look at this photo. It was taken the day before yesterday (Friday) in Sirnak. No one should forget, because we will not forget,” Demirtas said in the tweet on Sunday. HDP spokesman Cem Bico said the dead man had been identified as the brother-in-law of a party lawmaker. The PKK has been fighting for greater Kurdish autonomy for more than three decades, and is listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey, Europe and the United States. Related Coverage Turkey's Erdogan says Kurdish PYD fighting Islamic State is terror group Braving nationalist anger, the government introduced tentative reforms on Kurdish rights and in 2012 launched negotiations to try to end a PKK insurgency that has killed 40,000 people since 1984. A fragile ceasefire had been holding since March 2013 but ended after violence erupted following the election that deprived the AKP of its single-party majority. If the video proves to be genuine, it would represent a major misstep for the government, and could deepen divisions between security forces and Turkey’s large Kurdish community, according to terrorism expert Suleyman Ozeren, from the think tank Global Strategy and Policy. “A couple of years ago these kinds of actions were not being seen, I hope this is an isolated event. When police or security personnel do things like that they are helping the PKK.”Potatoes are inherently healthy. They're full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. That's the good news. The bad news is that eating fried potatoes, by far the most common way they are eaten, more than doubles your risk of dying early. Each year the average American eats about 117 pounds of potatoes, according to a study of North Americans' potato-eating habits. And even though most people know fried potatoes aren’t exactly health food, about two-thirds of the potatoes eaten in the U.S. are in the form of French fries, potato chips, or some other frozen or processed potato product. People who ate fried potatoes frequently, two to three times a week or more, had over twice the chance of dying compared to those who didn’t eat fried potatoes. However, the scientific data to support the idea that fried potatoes aren’t healthy have been limited. A study led by Nicola Veronese of the University of Padova in Italy looked at the amount of potatoes eaten by 4,400 people between the ages of 45 and 79 over eight years and compared it to their risk of dying. ADVERTISEMENT Study members were divided into groups based on how often they ate potatoes each week. Over the course of the study, 236 people died. Researchers found that the people who ate fried potatoes frequently, two to three times a week or more, had over twice the chance of dying compared to those who didn’t eat fried potatoes. The exact meaning of these findings is tricky since the study was an observational one in which researchers tracked the eating habits of a group of people and found a relationship between two things — eating fried potatoes and early death. But the researchers came up with some possible explanations for the clear relationship. Eating more fried potatoes may have raised the risk of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes and hypertension, which are also risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It could also be that people who frequently ate fried potatoes often ate them with processed red meat, salty foods and sugary beverages that also increased their risk of death. Fried potatoes typically contain a large amount of fat, particularly trans fat, and added salt, both of which of are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Trans fat raises “bad” cholesterol in the blood, and salt has been implicated in high blood pressure. Potatoes are a natural and healthy food. At around 110 calories, a medium potato is a good source of vitamins such as C, B6, niacin and pantothenic acid, and minerals like potassium, phosphorus and manganese. The nearly five grams of fiber help to meet the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber you should eat each day. ADVERTISEMENT So it’s not the potato, but the way that it’s prepared that is the problem for your health. Potatoes that are not fried, like mashed potatoes, potato salad, boiled and baked potatoes were not linked to a higher risk of death. More research is needed to draw firm conclusions about the health risks stemming from fried potatoes, chronic disease and death; but based on this study, most of us should be cutting back on our fried potato habit. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating three to five servings of vegetables a day. A potato can count toward that daily goal, but French fries and other fried potatoes…not so much. The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.IN AKIHABARA, Tokyo’s centre of anime and manga sales and fandom, a new government plan is wildly popular. The idea is to project an image of “Cool Japan” around the world (like Cool Britannia in the 1990s, but without the rhyme). Kyon, a costumed maid touting one of the area’s many maid cafes, says she feels fully part of the effort. Tsukamoto Hiroshi, a retail buyer of manga, says that the fragile Japanese comic industry could do with some official support. But isn’t a government-driven attempt to manufacture “cool”, well, just the opposite? The main spur for the government is envy at South Korea’s outsize popular influence. Japan’s global cool factor had been recognised long before PSY’s “Gangnam Style” ever hit nightclub turntables and Korean soap operas conquered the rest of Asia. Yet the Japanese creative industries failed to turn the moment—which seems to have peaked early in the past decade—into anything lasting. Video games sold well, but anime, manga, films and books never made it overseas on a commercial scale. Back then, anime and manga were regarded as a mediocrity in Japan, and the authorities paid little attention. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. Now the government of Shinzo Abe is in the midst of spending some ¥90 billion ($883m) to propel Japan’s creative industries abroad. Tomomi Inada, a minister whose job it is to press ahead with “Cool Japan”, is working hard. On a trip to Paris she dressed up in a distinctive interpretation of classic design crossed with street culture: as a GothLoli, or “Gothic Lolita”, in the fashion of the iconic teens of Harajuku. It must be counted as a good sign that the government is becoming more open to what foreigners think is cool about Japan, not just what locals reckon best represents the country. One such example cited by Ms Inada cites is the Japanese penchant for device-laden toilets, which have long been taken for granted at home. Many of Japan’s hippest creators want nothing to do with the government’s initiative. Takashi Murakami, a famous artist and sculptor, begged the government last year to stop inviting him to its events. A particularly clunky Cool Japan video issued by bureaucrats from the ministry of economy last summer went viral for being the nearly unwatchable essence of anti-cool: Another difficulty is that the government seems to be confused about what it thinks is cool. It would like to define “Cool Japan” as encompassing far more than edgy anime and manga, which already enjoy global appeal. It would be a mistake to focus too narrowly on these areas, reckons Takashi Mitachi, the head of the Boston Consulting Group in Tokyo, who has advised the government on the strategy. One reason for the fame of the manga-and-anime complex is its blend of cutesy yet pornographic or otherwise disturbing images—which often adds up to being something more like weird than cool per se. This month Japan’s parliament is expected to pass a law that would criminalise possession of child pornography for the first time—yet such images in manga, anime and video-game graphics will be left exempt from its provisions, for the sake of freedom of expression. The prevalence of such content is one reason, some argue, why the industry’s offerings have not moved more completely into the commercial mainstream abroad. Creators instead focus closely on their devoted Japanese audience of so-called otaku, or “geeks” (welcoming the odd foreign otaku as a bonus). There are already some achievements in more traditional fields. In December last year washoku, or traditional Japanese food culture, won acknowledgement from UNESCO as an “intangible cultural heritage” that merits safeguarding. Mr Abe, a social conservative, can look like the ultimate square. This spring he declared that in fact it is the ankle-reaching kimono that best represents his “Cool Japan” initiative. But there is little doubt that it is the provocative energy behind anime and manga that is more likely to inspire a young global audience. The authorities recently had a reminder of how troublesome some of its artists can be. In May, a popular Japanese manga series called “Oishinbo” (“The Gourmet”), created a controversy
its outstanding story, you’ll want to go through it again, and again, and again, and will try to find every Infusion, or every piece of gear, every Voxophone, or every Kinetoscope. Final Verdict: Bioshock Infinite is 2013’s best shooter, hands down, there’s not another shooter that even comes close to how amazing the story in this game is. You can usually find the game for half the retail price nowadays, but Bioshock Infinite is definitely worth $60. (Review written by: Pierre J. Iskandar) Computer specs: Lenovo ideapad Y580 Intel i7 3630QM running at 2.3GHz 8GBs of 1600MHz DDR3 rams Nvidia Geforce GTX660M with 2GBs of GDDR5 memory 1 TB 5400 RPM HDDWas the first computer ‘bug’ a real insect? The story goes that one of the early electromechanical computers suffered a failure because an insect had crawled into the machine and been squashed between the moving parts of a relay switch, thereby jamming it. The incident was written up in the logbook and spread from there throughout the whole of the infant computer industry. However, although the account seems to be genuine, the word is older: the event was recorded as an amusement for posterity precisely because the term ‘bug’ was already in use. The term in fact originates not with computer pioneers, but with engineers of a much earlier generation. The first example cited in the 20-volume historical Oxford English Dictionary is from the Pall Mall Gazette of 11 March 1889: Mr. Edison, I was informed, had been up the two previous nights discovering 'a bug' in his phonograph - an expression for solving a difficulty, and implying that some imaginary insect has secreted itself inside and is causing all the trouble. It seems clear from this that the original ‘bug’, though it was indeed an insect, was in fact imaginary. See other Questions about word origins. Take a look at: What is the origin of the term 'flea market'? Also: What is the origin of the term 'the bee's knees'?The advent of the New Year often sees people looking ahead to see what changes they can make to their lives to improve things for the coming 12 months and beyond. And if I was the UFC, I’d be taking a very close look at my options for the next UK broadcast partner. That’s because the current rights holders BT Sport have, to use a sporting analogy, dropped the ball. Looking back, BT Sport have been undoubtedly the best broadcast partner the UFC have had in the UK so far. Since the announcement of their three-year deal with the UFC in early May 2013 they’ve shown more events, broadcast more UFC feature programming and even launched their own primetime show. But despite that, there’s the inescapable feeling that the UK fans deserve better. I worked at BT Sport from the channel’s launch until early 2015 and thoroughly enjoyed my time there working on the digital side of the business. But looking at the broadcast side of things I couldn’t help but be concerned about the direction the channel was taking their coverage and the apparent waning of the channel’s commitment to the sport over time. There are mitigating circumstances that must be noted, however. For starters, when BT Sport launched, they had ALL UFC events, exclusively live. That was down to the terminology of the rights deal, which stated that BT Sport could show everything that was shown on US television. Back then, all UFC events were on US TV. But then UFC Fight Pass was launched and the UFC created additional events for that platform in the US, thereby creating a new package of events to sell. These new Fight Pass events included a number of UFC events held in Europe, meaning BT had to negotiate additional deals to show these ‘extra’ shows that fell outside their existing rights deal. To those fans who assumed that BT Sport simply had all the UFC events, it was confusing and frustrating, especially when, in 2015, the channel didn’t show any of the three UFC Fight Night events in Krakow, Berlin and Dublin. Whether the absence of those shows from BT Sport was down to pure choice, financial restrictions caused by the huge 1 billion Euro acquisition of UEFA Champions League rights or a breakdown in the relationship with the UFC is open to speculation. But it was the fans who lost out. Those three events would have given BT Sport the opportunity to show live UFC events at UK primetime, but instead ended up being shown on tape delay on Sky-owned channel PICK (formerly known as Sky Three) with the events shown live on the UFC’s growing digital streaming service UFC Fight Pass. It was completely reasonable for those UK fans who had forked out for BT Sport to have expected to see the UFC’s European shows on the channel, but instead the only way to watch those events live was to pay an additional subscription for Fight Pass. It left a sour taste and gave the impression, rightly or wrongly, that BT were only interested in the big pay-per-view level events. And with the deal with BT hailed as an opportunity to bring the UFC to a primetime audience, the loss of those EMEA events from our live TV screens was a major blow for the UK fans. PRIMETIME FLOP The one primetime commitment that did fall squarely within BT Sport’s deal was to produce and air a weekly primetime magazine show to bring the sport to an evening audience. The show, Beyond The Octagon, flopped. The show has suffered from a plethora of problems during its life cycle: slow pacing, too many changes in format, an apparently reduced budget and nowhere near enough action, features, analysis and opinion. It started promisingly, with some excellent original content fronted by England rugby star James Haskell featuring British fighters and one particularly notable feature with British referee Marc Goddard, who talked viewers through the rules of the Octagon and how he as a referee enforces them on fight night. But those features soon began to dry up, replaced by rehashed VT from previously-aired UFC programming, taking the substance and unique British feel away from the show. When viewed against the UFC’s own in-house programming such as Ultimate Insider and Fox Sports’ weekly show, UFC Tonight, BT’s Beyond The Octagon looked slow, boring and lacking in energy by comparison. To make matters worse, the show was scheduled directly against UEFA Champions League football, just about the worst place to put it given the show’s aim – to bring the sport to a new, larger primetime TV audience. You can’t compete with football here in the UK and anything you schedule against it will suffer in the ratings. By scheduling Beyond The Octagon against the Champions League, BT effectively doomed the show to failure. It meant the very people the UFC were hoping to attract through the new TV deal were watching football on Sky and ITV instead. BT then cut back on the weekly show, introducing shorter, 30-minute highlight programmes, with a studio show in front of a live audience at the end of each month. It brought some life back to the show, but even the best live show, a studio special featuring Conor McGregor and his now famous “I can rest my balls on your forehead” exchange with Chad Mendes, barely registered in the BARB ratings. By then the bridges had seemingly been burned with the UK’s UFC fans, who were forced to turn to the US-based video output of FOX Sports, MMA Junkie and MMA Fighting for the sort of output we’ve been crying out for on this side of the pond. THE CONTENT IS OUT THERE You only need to look at the UFC’s self-produced EMEA output to get a feel for the sort of content we could and perhaps should have been seeing on Beyond The Octagon. While BT’s show lacked any sort of detailed analysis, British UFC commentators John Gooden and Dan Hardy, notably absent from any regular BT Sport-produced programming, have delivered consistently outstanding analysis for the UFC’s YouTube channel with their Inside The Octagon show. Another UFC-produced show, UFC Breakdown, also saw them go into the training camps of some of Europe’s star fighters ahead of key EMEA Fight Night events. The failure to use the duo – who have meshed superbly as the UFC’s EMEA commentary and presentation duo in 2015 – represents a huge open goal missed by BT. And it wasn’t just the UFC’s self-produced YouTube content that showed BT how it should be done – they even created a TV show for them. UFC Fighting Talk was a monthly UFC production, filmed in London and featuring a relaxed, discussion-based format with a panel of celebrity fans, journalists and former fighters. It wasn’t flash, but it worked and fan reception online was good. A glance at the ratings while I worked there suggested UFC Fighting Talk was attracting more viewers than Beyond The Octagon, despite being shown in a graveyard slot at 11pm or later. But rather than looking to build the show, BT Sport pulled it from its schedules after just a few months. From that moment on it became apparent that BT wasn’t as committed to the UFC as perhaps they could be. SKY’S THE LIMIT But every cloud has a silver lining, and the introduction of PICK – a Sky-owned channel formerly known as Sky Three – as a second-level partner raised an interesting question over the next set of UFC rights – could Sky be testing the water ahead of a bid for the rights? With BT’s three-year deal expiring in mid-2016, it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens next. It may be telling that the UFC’s EMEA office is now headed up by James Elliott, the man who brokered the organisation’s broadcast deals across the continent. It may also be telling that a good number of those deals were struck with Fox Sports, the subsidiary channels of the US broadcasting behemoth that is in a long-term partnership with the UFC Stateside. And with the UK’s biggest sports broadcaster Sky belonging to the same family of companies, it could make a lot of sense from a brand synergy point of view, as well as a pure audience standpoint, if the UFC opted to switch channels and partner up with Sky. With Sky Sports losing some of its sporting rights – most notably Champions League football – to BT, the Osterley-based broadcaster may finally be tempted to make a serious play for the UFC’s rights to bolster their combat sports portfolio and complement their hugely successful boxing output – and a deal between the pair could prove to be the dream ticket for the growth of the UFC here in the UK. UFC on Sky undoubtedly provides the most realistic and sustainable chance of mainstream success. Sky’s big-event promotion for major football matches and big boxing events is excellent, with the broadcaster leveraging its 24-hour rolling news channel Sky Sports News HQ to generate buzz and attract more casual viewers to events. Sky Sports News could very well hold the key to bringing the UFC and its athletes to a new audience, with the possibility of pre-fight build-up, open workouts, weigh-ins and media day highlights, as well as the big moments from the fights themselves, appearing on the channel’s hourly ‘churn’, sitting between Premier League news reports, cricket updates and boxing stories and gradually piquing the interest of casual sports fans with its regular inclusion. This consistent promotion for the big UFC events, especially ones held in the EMEA region where they’ll be shown at primetime, could potentially be huge. The potential ability to content-share with Sky’s US counterparts at FOX could also be rewarding, too, opening up the possibility of Fox Sports’ flagship news show UFC Tonight coming to UK screens. Some fans may fear a partnership with Sky could see the advent of pay-per-view events here in the UK, but Sky would need to build up a critical mass of established UFC viewers before attempting a PPV event and, even if that point was reached, it would almost certainly have to be for the very biggest events only, rather than for every US PPV show. Having events available on Sky Sports’ subscription channels, with the possibility of one or two big-ticket PPVs a year a couple of years down the line, could make sense, while growing the UFC’s profile via Sky Sports News and bringing the sport to more fans in the UK. THE NEXT STEP BT Sport execs were in Vegas in December for UFC 194, presumably to discuss a possible continuation of their partnership, but what seems clear is the UFC fans in the UK deserve significantly more from their host broadcaster, whoever ends up taking the rights. The next rights holder needs to be fully invested in the European events held at UK primetime. They’ll need to integrate promotion of their coverage into the most-watched sporting rights on their portfolio (most notably during live Premier League matches). And they’ll need to have a much better understanding of what the audience wants, because what’s been offered up in the last two and a half years has noticeably failed to meet that need. On the face of it, a partnership with Sky Sports would undoubtedly give the UFC the chance to take things to the next level, while a second term with BT Sport would allow the UFC to build on an existing relationship with a known partner, but with the understanding that there’s much to improve in terms of output, tone and commitment to the sport. Other potential leftfield options could be ITV4, the channel used by ITV to house a lot of their sporting rights – including Tour de France, Formula E, British Superbikes and Aviva Premiership Rugby highlights – and Channel 4, who recently took over the BBC’s Formula 1 broadcast rights after the Beeb relinquished them due to budget cuts two weeks ago. But all things being equal Sky Sports appears to stand out as the best potential option for the UFC in 2016 and beyond. But will we see UFC on Sky later this year? With an announcement on the new deal expected in the coming months, the next TV deal could be a potential game-changer for the UFC. Will it be Sky? Will it be BT Sport? Will it be someone else altogether? Whoever it is, let’s hope they’re significantly more invested in the UFC, its events and the UK fanbase than we’ve seen to date. The fans – and the UFC – deserve it. For a breakdown of the UFC’s best potential options for their new UK TV deal, check out my piece for The Sun here.Markus Kaarma waits to be dismissed during an afternoon break in Missoula County Court in Missoula, Montana December 5, 2014. REUTERS/Arthur Mouratidis By Lori Grannis MISSOULA, Mont. (Reuters) - A jury began deliberating on Tuesday over whether a Montana homeowner committed a crime when he fatally shot a German exchange student who entered his garage, in a case testing the state's version of a "castle doctrine" self-defense law. Markus Kaarma, who prosecutors have painted as an armed aggressor who lured a would-be burglar to his death, is charged with deliberate homicide in the April death of Diren Dede, 17, of Hamburg. Authorities say Dede was killed while "garage hopping" at night in Missoula in a possible search for alcohol. In closing arguments, prosecutors described the German high school student as an unarmed child who was “violently and senselessly executed” by a man seeking revenge for the earlier theft of objects, including a favorite marijuana pipe. “You cannot claim justifiable homicide if you’re the aggressor,” prosecutor Karla Painter told a Missoula jury. Prosecutors argued during the trial that Kaarma had installed motion detectors and a baby monitor days before the shooting, and left a purse filled with cash and other items in the garage on the day Dede was killed. Painter argued that a homeowner “must actually believe danger exists” to claim self-defense of an occupied structure, and she contended that when Kaarma left his house to corner Dede in the garage he lost legal protection under Montana law. Prosecutors also said ballistic evidence showed Kaarma had repositioned himself for a final kill shot of an already wounded, weaponless Dede, whose killing sparked outrage in Germany. “He took three shots, then adjusted his aim. That’s the sickening part,” prosecutor Andrew Paul said. “He adjusted upward to shoot him in the head.” Defense lawyers counter that Kaarma acted to protect his family and that his actions were in line with Montana's self-defense law, which allows deadly force against a home invasion if a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent an assault. Defense attorney Paul Ryan said the Montana law, dubbed the "castle doctrine," did not require Kaarma, 30, to hide or retreat from an intruder in his attached garage, which Ryan said was considered an "occupied structure." "We don’t have to prove anything. It's the state's burden to prove every single element," he said. "That means you have to dispel every single doubt that comes up in this case." Kaarma, a former U.S. Forest Service firefighter, faces up to 100 years in prison if convicted. (Reporting by Lori Grannis; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Eric Beech)True Raw Choice Bulk Dehydrated Natural Pet Treats Product description This recall involves True Raw Choice dehydrated bulk: Product Name Lot Number Chicken Feet 214733 Duck Feet 228870 Duck Wings 213825 Chicken Breast 154339 Lamb Trachea 225215 Please note that Your True Companion Pet Products has confirmed that no remaining stock of the affected lots of chicken breast and lamb trachea were found at retail and the chicken feet, duck feet and duck wings have all been removed from the market place as of November 8, 2013. Hazard identified The bulk dehydrated True Raw Choice Pet Products were found to be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Pets such as dogs and cats, and their food can carry Salmonella bacteria. People can get infected with the bacteria from handling pets, pet food or feces. Symptoms of salmonellosis often include: sudden onset of fever, headache, stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting. For more information on the risks of Salmonella infection, please see the Public Health Agency of Canada’s fact sheet. Health Canada is aware of one case in Canada of illness related to these products. Number sold In total, 280 total cases of the affected pet treats were sold in bulk at various pet food stores across Canada. Time period sold The affected pet treats were sold from August 2013 to November 7, 2013. Place of origin Manufactured in Canada. CompaniesU.S. Capitol Police are probing the activities of several IT contractors who worked for dozens of House Democrats after they allegedly inappropriately accessed House computers, took congressional computer hardware and made questionable IT-related purchases on behalf of lawmakers. House officials already have revoked the IT and access privileges for the five congressional IT contractors, as police investigate. No arrests have yet been made. Fox News is told the contract employees, shared by about 40 House Democratic members, removed hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment from offices, including computers and servers. There also were bookkeeping and inventory irregularities where the employees would purchase equipment at one price, bill the congressional office for another and potentially pocket the difference. Fox News is told the employees made “unauthorized access” to the House computer system. Further, there were instances where House information was discovered in an external “cloud” server. The contractors in question reportedly were sending and storing House-related information in that off-site server. “That violates House rules and it puts the House at risk,” a source familiar with the investigation said. Members of Congress were told about the inquest Thursday night. The contractors are now on administrative leave while the inquiry continues. It is unclear whether the access issues exposed the House’s networks to potential hackers or spying efforts by unfriendly nations or terrorist groups, at a time when Washington is on high alert for such cyber-activity. Asked if the contractors exposed the House to an espionage risk, one source replied “probably not.” Asked if the contractors could have been a front for operations deliberately trying to get House information, the source said, “We don’t know that yet.”The Israeli military is making rare use of an emergency regulation enacted by the British Mandate in 1945 to order the temporary banishment of a Palestinian activist from his home city of Jerusalem. Adnan Gheith, 35, faces expulsion for four months from the city because of his part in protests at mounting encroachment by Jewish settler groups in the politically ultra-sensitive Silwan neighbourhood of inner-city Arab East Jerusalem. Silwan is the primary flashpoint in the struggle between the settlers and Palestinians for control of key sectors of East Jerusalem. The moderate Palestinian leadership, under President Mahmoud Abbas, wants this section of the city, which was unilaterally annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six Day War, to become the capital of a future Palestinian state. We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 $0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras. Use of the 65-year-old order follows a wave of protests against government-backed plans to demolish at least 22 Palestinian homes to make way for an Israeli-sponsored, biblically inspired tourism park. The move comes as a confidential new report by senior diplomats from EU states warns that current attempts to "integrate" East Jerusalem into Israel "endanger the chance of a sustainable peace on the basis of two states". All the EU members, including Britain, regard the annexation of East Jerusalem as illegal. The Israeli military said that it had been "presented with defence and intelligence information that ties [Mr Gheith] to activities related to public order within the city limits of Jerusalem, such as disturbances in the neighbourhood of Silwan". But Mr Gheith's lawyer, Rami Othman, says the military would not have used the 1945 order – allowing temporary expulsion of residents without charge – if it had enough evidence to indict his client. Mr Gheith has been arrested seven times in recent months but has always been released without charge. A long-time activist in Mr Abbas's Fatah faction, Mr Gheith says he has no intention of obeying the order voluntarily: "If they implement this law against me, hundreds will be expelled." The clashes in Silwan between armed security forces and stone-throwing demonstrators escalated sharply in September when a security guard employed by the settler organisation El'ad shot dead Samer Sarhan, one of Mr Gheith's fellow members on the local residents' committee. Mr Gheith says that after one of his arrests – by masked Israeli security forces who came to his home at 3am – he was threatened by one of his interrogators that "what happened to Samer Sarhan will happen to you". The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says that more than 80 minors, some as young as eight, have been arrested on suspicion of stone-throwing in the past year, often being taken from their homes at night and interrogated without their parents present; some have complained of violent treatment. The immediate trigger for the unrest in Silwan has been the Jerusalem municipality's government-backed plan to turn a large part of its Palestinian-inhabited subdistrict of al-Bustan into the "King's Garden", a tourist park that would connect to the "City of David" archaeological site. While confirming in March that 22 Palestinian houses would be demolished, Mayor Nir Barkat did not rule out that others among the 90 in the area served with demolition orders might also go. The report by the EU Consuls General says an estimated 5,000 Jewish settlers in the Historic Basin, which includes Silwan, are "creating facts on the ground by attempting to prevent a division of the city" needed for a final peace deal. It says that "a swath of smaller settlements, public parks, archaeological sites and tourist complexes" are part of a "strategic settlement push" promoted by settler organisations but "facilitated by the government of Israel and the Jerusalem municipality". At the café he owns in the heart of Silwan, Mr Gheith, a father of four children under 13, said that opposing settlers acting "under protection of the soldiers" is "in the eyes of the government an act of terrorism. The Israeli occupation doesn't like to listen to anyone who rejects injustice." He added that Israel was determined to use the settlers in East Jerusalem "in Judaising [East] Jerusalem and expelling people, turning Jerusalem into a Jewish city by creating facts on the ground". Ironically, the order invoked by the Israeli military was part of a package of emergency defence regulations codified by the British military at the end of the Second World War to combat growing Jewish unrest. Daniel Seidemann, a prominent Israeli lawyer, said resort to the 1945 order smacked of "desperation" on the part of the authorities. He added that there was an attempt to "transform a Palestinian neighbourhood into an evangelical settlers' theme park, and the Palestinians are not playing the roles designated to them as extras in this pseudo-biblical pageant." 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 nowMusic includes a lot of repetition. What would your favorite song be without a chorus? But the connection runs even deeper than that. Because the very act of repeating something can render that thing melodious—even the sound of a shovel being dragged across the pavement. That’s according to a study to be published soon in the journal Music & Science. [Rhimmon Simchy-Gross and Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, The Sound-to-Music Illusion: Repetition Can Musicalize Non-Speech Sounds, in press] A few years back, psychologists at the University of California, San Diego, discovered that when words or phrases are repeated a few times, they can start to sound more like singing than speaking. <<“The sounds as they appear to you are not only different from those that are really present, but they sometimes behave so strangely as to seem quite impossible. But they sometimes behave so strangely. Sometimes behave so strangely. Sometimes behave so strangely. So strangely. So strangely. So strangely. So strangely.” Credit: speech to song illusion/Deutsch>> The effect is perhaps not entirely surprising. Talking and singing are both forms of vocal communication. But researchers got to wondering: could repetition also musicalize other types of sounds? So they collected clips of 20 different environmental sounds…including water dripping, ice cracking, whales calling, and the aforementioned shovel. And they played the snippets to 58 undergraduates…first, as single sounds <<single whale call>> and then in a series with increasing reiteration <<whale call repeated>>. What they found is that…as the repeats stacked up…the participants rated the sounds as being more tuneful. The conclusion: “Repetition’s power to musicalize seems to extend to a broader variety of sounds than just speech.” Elizabeth Margulis, director of the music cognition lab at the University of Arkansas, who led the study. “These perceptual transformations are powerful because nothing changes in the acoustic signal itself. That is held fixed. Everything that sounds different comes from the mind itself, making these illusions particularly useful for understanding the musical mode of listening. What are we doing when we’re hearing something musically? How is this different from other kinds of hearing? These transformations allow us to tackle these kinds of questions head on.” <<ice crack sound repeated>> —Karen Hopkin [The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]Singapore's privacy watchdog is developing a local certification programme for data protection officers (DPOs), whose job is to better equip companies for a digital future in which more and more data must be protected. Besides equipping DPOs to do a better job, it is hoped that the certification programme will also give more recognition to the role and attract more people to take it up. Experts estimate that there will be more than 10,000 DPO jobs here over the next three years. Mr Tan Kiat How, commissioner of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), which was set up by the Ministry of Communications and Information in 2013, told The Straits Times: "Certification will accord DPOs with professional recognition and equip them with the skills and knowledge to better carry out their responsibilities." Mr Tan said details would be revealed in a later announcement. The Straits Times understands that the local certification programme will be cheaper than an international one available today. So far, only 100 DPOs here are certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, a not-for-profit organisation based in the United States, said local data protection software firm Straits Interactive, which conducts the training here. Certification costs more than $1,000, even after a 70 per cent government subsidy. Also, based on the PDPC's survey of 1,513 organisations between March and June last year, only about 40 per cent of organisations here have a DPO on their payroll. This is despite the appointment being mandated for all organisations by the Personal Data Protection Act, fully enforced in July 2014. A DPO ensures that organisations safeguard against the wrongful collection, use and disclosure of personal data for marketing, which is required by the law. Mr Chan Yew Kee, head of development at the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, told The Straits Times that the 40 per cent DPO rate has not improved much today, as many companies have little understanding of the law. Ms Lyn Boxall, director of boutique fintech advisory law firm Lyn Boxall, said a DPO looks at the process, whereas an IT manager looks at systems. "It is the DPO's job to vet the process of data flow internally and with third parties, and ensure that there are reasonable security measures in place," she said. Over the past 2½ years, Singapore's privacy watchdog has responded to complaints and hauled up 26 organisations - including well-known brand names - due mainly to the lack of protection measures for consumer data. They include not protecting sensitive data with a password and not rectifying security flaws on websites or in computer systems. Organisations that fail to protect personal data can be fined up to $1 million per breach under the Act. Dr Lim Lai Cheng, executive director of SMU Academy at the Singapore Management University, said data protection "must be handled at the management level". The Singapore Government's push for more organisations to turn data into an asset, such as analysing consumer buying patterns to recommend more relevant future promotions, will create demand for more DPOs to address privacy issues, she added. As of last month, some 118 DPO or data protection-related positions were posted on job sites such as JobStreet, Monster and LinkedIn. Said Mr Kevin Shepherdson, chief executive officer of Straits Interactive: "We are expecting a significant increase in demand for data protection skills once heavier fines are imposed and as new laws in the region and the European Union are introduced over the next year or so."Syracuse, NY -- Nearly seven years after a winning $5 million scratch-off lottery ticket was snatched from his hands, Robert Miles of Syracuse will finally get his money. Lottery officials contacted the district attorney's office with the news today, according to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick. A source in the state lottery office confirmed that the "ticket has been verified" and the money "will be issued to Mr. Miles in the very near future." The winning ticket, a jackpot "Extravaganza" winner, was sold at The Green Ale Market in 2006. It wasn't until 2012 that two brothers, Nayel and Andy Ashkar, went to a state lottery office to try to redeem the ticket. The lottery launched an investigation, finding it suspicious that the ticket had been sold at the market the Ashkars' parents owned, and that the brothers had waited so long to try to make their claim. After the lottery released the news that the Ashkars had the ticket, Robert Miles came forward and said he was the real winner. He said Andy Ashkar had stolen the ticket from him -- first telling him that it was only worth $5,000 and giving him $4,000, keeping a cut for the store. The case went to trial and Andy Ashkar was found guilty of possessing stolen property. He was recently sentenced in Onondaga County Court to the maximum sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison. Miles, a maintenance worker, testified at the trial. He said he let the ticket slip from his hands seven years ago because he had been addicted to crack cocaine and confused by what had happened to him. He thought that without the ticket, it would be the word of a "crackhead" against a store owner, he testified. Miles filed for bankruptcy in 2008, knowing he should have been a millionaire five times over. Miles could not be immediately reached for comment. His lawyer, Steve Cambareri, said Miles had just found out the news and wasn't ready to talk to the press, but was "elated the lottery prize has finally been awarded to him." Fitzpatrick said his office was also elated by the "great news." Prosecutors have worked to bring Miles justice since they first heard his story, Fitzpatrick said. "Even though people told us it was impossible to litigate these kinds of cases, that nobody ever wins -- we just didn't give up," Fitzpatrick said. "From the beginning, we wanted to get Robert Miles his money. I'm very happy that I can say today that we succeeded."In a story that could only happen in the digital age, Goal.com speaks with the amateur graphic designer who saw his Atletico shirt design enter mass production By Dan OrlowitzThe Internet has unquestionably helped football evolve as a global game. But it also fosters an environment where fans desperate for information and scoop-hungry media can combine to form a perfect storm, as readers of popular discussion site Reddit learned last week when contributorpresented an incredible tale that stretched from Madrid's front pages to China's notorious knock-off factories.The story began four years ago when the Irishman, whose real name is, began posting photoshopped shirt designs to popular uniform site Football Shirt Culture."I guess I like the idea of coming up with a new design for something with such defined restrictions attached to it," Michael toldin an exclusive interview. "A Liverpool shirt can only ever be red, a Chelsea shirt must always be blue, and if Barcelona came out with any sort of white shirt, there would be murder."It's such a challenge to try and change something so much that it's original, yet not too much so as to ignore the tradition and history of the club."Then in late 2010, the site leaked poor-quality images showing what would eventually become Barcelona's 2011-2012 home kit. Michael recreated a clean version to show users how the shirt would actually look before getting creative. A new twist \| Michael's Atletico design was inspired by the new Barcelona strip "While I had this mock-up made, I thought I'd try the design with another club," Michael explained, "so I thought of clubs large enough that had striped shirts and were made by Nike, namely Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid.”The day after posting his proposed designs for both clubs, Michael noticed that the Atletico mock-up had already amassed thousands of views. A site moderator explained why: Spanish media believed it to be the actual design of Atletico's next shirt."I laughed,” said Michael of his reaction. “It was insane to see that something I made in a handful of minutes was being circulated as the real deal."Initially reported by Madrid-based portal AS.com, the news spread like wildfire. Arguments raged on Colchonero.com, a popular Atletico supporter forum, leading to a 27-page thread debating the merits of the “new” design. A freelance journalist himself, Michael understands that the furor was probably inevitable. Making headlines \| Spanish media reported Michael's design as the genuine article "The Spanish sports media does have a reputation for not exactly letting the truth get in the way of a good story. Even the tabloids here [in Ireland] and in the UK indulge in a bit of fabrication."That said, it most certainly works, and when you think about it, you've got whole sections of newspapers and football websites during the summer breaks with no matches to report on, so they need to fill that space as interestingly as possible. I can sympathise somewhat."Eventually the real kit was revealed, and Michael was prepared to let his brief period of Internet fame come to a close. But the story was not over yet, for recently he discovered that Chinese knock-off manufacturers had also fallen for the fake design and begun producing it in bulk."Surreal doesn't even to explain it," he admitted. "It's the sort of thing that could only happen in a sitcom. The'real' deal \| Chinese knock-off factories were also convinced by Michael's design "I'll definitely be ordering one. I'm sure the quality will be as atrocious as most knock-offs are, but it'll be worth it to have my own custom-made Atletico Madrid shirt!"Michael also took the time to share his opinion on recent trends in uniform designs."I've noticed that uniforms today are either drastically bold and controversial or fiercely traditional and basic, there's no real middle ground as far as I can see," he proposed. "For example, Umbro have kept their designs very basic and traditional these past few years, while its parent company Nike have got bolder and bolder with a more fashion-oriented approach."I find myself liking Adidas uniforms a lot more lately; the black Liverpool away uniform in particular has me envious of Reds fans." Then there were some that missed the mark. "I think Arsenal should have used the 10-11 shirt as their 125th Anniversary Uniform rather than the current one; it was definitive in my opinion. The current Ireland national team shirt is terrible too."As a parting gift, Michael also took the time to draw up a special design for our readers. Surely, this is a shirt that any player would be proud to wear on the pitch. A future franchise \| Michael imagines what Goal.com FC's players would wearFundraising, scholarships, graduations and honors from a Solano County fair organization lead the way in a busy week of good news around the region. Leadership program raises $55,000 The Fairfield-Suisun and Vacaville chambers of commerce joint Leadership Today program culminated their year May 31 to June 1 at Wooden Valley Winery with a “Raise a Glass and Raise Some Cash” event that raised more than $55,000 for the Children’s Nurturing Project. The Leadership Today program is a group of 27 community leaders who have been in the program for the past year. The money will help with efforts for community awareness, training and education, as well as support services for child victims of human trafficking in Solano County. In addition, Ford of Fairfield donated $100 for each car sold over the weekend to the Children’s Nurturing Project. Well done by all involved. Sons of Italy donates scholarships The
policy agenda is based around getting back at Obama because Trump was offended at a White House press correspondents dinner, “So everything about everything he does is just about embarrassing and destroying the legacy.” A man which a sign that reads ‘Reminder: We impeached someone for lying about a blow job’ is then asked what “offenses” he is protesting against. “Like lying about Russia,” he explains as well as collusion between Trump and Russia. When asked specifically what collusion he is referring to, the man responds, “We’re still finding out.” When asked what he thought about the revelations that emerged out of Hillary’s campaign emails, another man could only respond with “I’m sorry,” before backing away. Another protester is then told a list of supposed scandals that Trump was involved in without being told that they are actually scandals Hillary was involved in. “This is all very sketchy stuff,” he responds. “Did you know that all those things we just listed were actually done by Hillary Clinton?” the man is told. “Ah!” he responds. The video underscores once again how leftists are fueled by hysteria and Trump Derangement Syndrome and don’t even know what they’re protesting against when challenged. *Visit our new FREE SPEECH community built exclusively for our readers. Click to Join The Deplorables Network Today!* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.j.watson.71 ********************* Paul Joseph Watson is the editor at large of Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com.After four years of 28nm designs, Nvidia recently ushered in the 16nm process by launching today's top performing GPUs: the GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070. In short, their performance was impressive, power consumption was amazing, and prices were... well, typical. Sadly, availability of these new cards has been underwhelming, leaving some consumers frustrated with the temporary hike in pricing. Those who can afford a $400+ graphics card and actually managed to hunt down a Pascal GPU will no doubt be pleased. For the rest of us, or rather for the majority of us, we have been waiting for something else, and for most that something could be AMD's Radeon RX 480. Touted as the perfect VR solution for the masses, AMD is hoping to claw back a bit of market share with the new Radeon RX 480 which is aimed at the mainstream $200-250 segment, with other affordable Polaris GPUs expected to follow. Whether on purpose or forcefully so, AMD is flipping how they used to release new GPUs, starting with mainstream products this time and working up to the high-end stuff. This might make sense given the company's current market share predicament, though I personally feel the move to the 14nm process has almost forced AMD into this strategy. The process may need to mature before larger, more complex GPUs can be created in sufficient volumes. Then again, with over 80% of the PC gaming market dominated by $100 - $300 graphics cards, this is where the bulk of the market share is won and lost. AMD's first strike will be made at the $200 price range ($240 for the 8GB model) with the RX 480. This Polaris-based GPU is based on the 4th-generation GCN architecture, boasting up to 15% more performance per Compute Unit (CU) than GPUs using 2nd-gen GCN, according to AMD. Memory performance and compression has also been improved with an updated memory controller supporting GDDR5 at up to 8Gbps data rates for a memory bandwidth of 256GB/s. For Polaris, AMD selected Samsung and Global Foundries' 14nm FinFET-based process, which is the densest foundry process available. FinFET transistors are crucial to reducing power consumption and enabling operating voltages that are 150mV lower than the previous generation, thereby cutting active power by 30% from a 1V baseline. In contrast, Nvidia is using TSMC's 16nm FinFET-based process, so it will be interesting to see how they compare in terms of size and efficiency. Nvidia has had the upper hand in terms of efficiency for some time now and with Pascal proving to be its most efficient architecture yet, we are banking on big things from AMD. Meet Polaris 10's Biggest GPU So far we know there will be at least two GPUs based on the Polaris 10 die, the biggest of which is the 2304 Steam Processor-enabled Radeon RX 480. The die measures just 232mm2, which is incredibly small for a GPU claiming 5.8 TFLOPS of compute power. In terms of physical size, the RX 480 GPU is close to the R7 370, a budget oriented GPU with just 1024 SPUs and 2 TFLOPS of compute power. Radeon RX 480 Radeon R9 390 GeForce GTX 970 GeForce GTX 1070 Release date June 2016 June 2015 September 2014 May 2016 Price (current) $240 $260 $260 $400 Price at launch $240 $330 $330 $380 Architecture GCN 4th-gen (Polaris) GCN 2nd-gen (Polaris) Maxwell Pascal Fab (nm) 14 28 28 16 Die size (mm2) 232 438 398 314 Core (MHz) 1120 1000 1050 1506 Boost (MHz) 1266 N/A 1178 1683 Memory (MT/s) 8000 6000 7010 8000 Cores/TMUs/ROPs 2304:144:32 2560:160:64 1664:104:56 1920:120:64 Pixel (GP/s) 81 64 58.8 96.4 Texture (GT/s) 182.3 160 109.2 180.7 Memory size (MB) 4096/8192 8192 3584+512 8192 Bus width (bit) 256 512 224/32 256 Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 Bandwidth (GB/s) 256 384 196/28 256 Single precision (GFLOPS) 5834 5120 3494 6463 TDP (W) 150 275 145 150 Compared to Nvidia's 16nm Pascal-based GTX 1080 and 1070 GPUs, the Radeon RX 480 is 26% smaller but of course it is targeting a lower performance tier. Inside that die we have 2304 SPUs, 144 TMUs and 32 ROPs. Core specifications place the RX 480 between the Radeon R9 380X and R9 390. Naturally, it's meant to be more efficient, so that should help it close in on the beefier R9 390. In fact, also helping out here are the advanced clock speeds. One of the biggest questions surrounding the RX 480 ahead of its launch regarded its operating frequency. The Pascal GPUs run no slower than 1.5GHz and can often be found operating at up to 1.8GHz out of the box using Nvidia's GPU Boost 3.0 technology. AMD has been more conservative, clocking the Radeon RX 480 at just 1120MHz with a boost clock speed of 1266MHz. This means the RX 480 can operate up to 27% faster than the R9 390 in its stock configuration, which should help compensate for the 10% reduction in cores. Still, compared to the R9 390, the RX 480 does have one other disadvantage: its memory interface. Even with AMD's generational efficiency improvements, we wonder how they plan to overcome the RX 480's ~30% decrease in memory bandwidth. While the previous generation R9 390 utilized a huge 512-bit wide memory bus allowing 384GB/s of bandwidth using relatively slow 1500MHz GDDR5 memory, the memory bus of the RX 480 has been halved to 256-bit. To close that gap the RX 480 makes use of faster GDDR5 memory clocked at 2000MHz. We know the RX 480 has fewer cores than the R9 390, but they are clocked a bit higher. We also know that the die is extremely small and that improvements to efficiency have been made beyond the die shrink. All of this helps to explain the card's 150 watt TDP rating, which is some 45% lower than that of the R9 390, though it's concerning that this is the same rating given to the GTX 1070 and we expect that card to be considerably faster. Pricing then will be the Radeon RX 480's key to success. The 8GB model that we are testing tody will cost $240, while a 4GB model will be available for just $200. Both support DirectX 12 along with OpenGL 4.5, OpenCL 2.0 and Vulkan 1.0. They also come with three DisplayPort 1.4 outputs with HDR support and a HDMI 2.0 port supporting 4K @ 60Hz. AMD Radeon RX 480 'Forefathers Edition' Unlike Nvidia, AMD won't be charging a premium for graphics cards using its reference cooler. It's also not giving anything a fancy name -- the reference card and cooler will be unofficially known as the AMD reference version, just as it has been in the past. Design-wise the RX 480 reference card is minimalistic, there are no LED lights, no steel fan shrouds and no back plate. Borrowing its design from the previous-gen R9 380, the card looks nice. It has that Fury X look about it, without the liquid cooler hanging out the back. Instead you get a typical blower style fan that can draw in air from both sides, which can be useful in small cases. The card measures 240mm long, though the PCB is just 177mm, so it should be easy for board partners to produce smaller cards right out of the gate. Whereas most R9 390 cards stretched at least 270mm long, we expect to see most RX 480s shaving 100mm off that length. The RX 480 reference card is surprisingly light thanks to the use of a very small heatsink. So small that we'd only expected to see this on the lowest end gaming graphics cards. It will be interesting to see how hot the RX 480 runs. We're also curious to see how well the RX 480 overclocks. Considering AMD's recent history, we're not expecting great things, but I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Power consumption should be relatively low going by the TDP rating and the use of a single 6-pin power connector. Even the older R9 380 required two 6-pin connectors, and you had to step down to the R7 370 before you found a single power connector. In fact, the PCB design and configuration looks more like a GeForce GTX 960. Onboard we find a 6+1 phase power design and eight GDDR5 memory chips for a total VRAM capacity of 8GB. Finally, on to the benchmarks...!Seattle Mariners trade rumors have shifted to include All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen. The Mariners could look to add another outfield bat during the upcoming MLB offseason, and it has become clear that the Pittsburgh Pirates are looking for a trading partner. A report from ESPN states that the odds of the Pirates making a trade that includes McCutchen are increasing as the days go by. The reasoning is that the Pirates have a lot of young outfield depth, making the veteran expendable. So what does this all mean for the Seattle Mariners? There are going to be a number of trade rumors as the offseason begins, with every team needing help in the outfield getting linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Andrew McCutchen. If the new ownership for the Mariners wants to make a particularly big “splash” during the MLB offseason, trading for a “name” like McCutchen could certainly do the trick. It would also spark additional excitement for a fan base that is extremely disappointed with the way the 2016 MLB season ended. [Image by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) Andrew McCutchen is 29-years-old and has played eight seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. McCutchen is under contract for $14 million in 2017 and has a team option worth $14.75 million in 2018. This is a reason he has surfaced in Seattle Mariners trade rumors, as he would remain under team control for two more seasons. This could allow the Mariners to bat him second in the lineup, right in front of All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano and All-Star outfielder Nelson Cruz. After four consecutive years of winning a Silver Slugger Award in the outfield, McCutchen struggled through injuries during the 2016 MLB season. He finished with a 0.256 batting average, a 0.766 OPS, 24 home runs, and 79 RBIs. His 162-game averages are at a 0.292 batting average, 0.869 OPS, 24 home runs, and 87 RBIs. While McCutchen’s power numbers remained consistent, he struggled to get on base as often as in the past. His walks also dropped from 98 in 2015 to just 69 in 2016, while his strikeouts increased at a rate that has to be quelled. Related [by Dylan Buell/Getty Images] A down year by McCutchen could make him more affordable on the trade market, even though it will still be an expensive acquisition for any club. The Pittsburgh Pirates are not desperate to make a move, but already have McCutchen’s replacement coming up through the minor leagues. Thus, the bottom line is that Pittsburgh could benefit by dealing an outfielder with an eight-figure salary, especially if it brings back talent at other positions that could help enhance the Minor League system. The Seattle Mariners failed to find consistency at the top of the batting order, with many different players rotating through the leadoff position. Ketel Marte, Nori Aoki, Leonys Martin, Seth Smith, Guillermo Heredia, Shawn O’Malley, and even Dan Robertson saw opportunities during the 2016 MLB season. It continued a trend since Ichiro Suzuki got traded to the New York Yankees and highlights something that has become a problem for the team. The No. 2 slot has been equally bad, with an even greater rotation of players getting tried out. Life for Mariners manager Scott Servais could get much easier if the front office acquired two hitters to slot at the top of the lineup every night. Having someone like Andrew McCutchen hitting in front of Robinson Cano could certainly give the team a huge boost on offense. Putting McCutchen in the outfield would also help improve the team on defense, which is an area where the Mariners struggled. While it is unclear what the Seattle Mariners could offer the Pittsburgh Pirates in a trade, it is certainly something general manager Jerry Dipoto needs to fully explore. [Featured Image by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images]An UberX driver brought an intoxicated female passenger who fell asleep back to his apartment and sexually assaulted her, Cook County prosecutors said Tuesday, raising new questions about how the growing ride-sharing service screens its drivers. Tuesday’s bail hearing for Maxime Fohounhedo, who allegedly attacked the 22-year-old woman in November, marked at least the second time this year that a former Uber driver has been accused of assaulting a female passenger in Chicago. The popular ride-sharing service, which investors valued earlier this month at $40 billion, has found itself the target of criticism on various fronts including for its screening of drivers. In this case, the driver, who had only a temporary license in Illinois, allegedly violated Uber rules by using his wife’s Uber account to pick up passengers, the company said. A judge on Tuesday set bail at $500,000 for Fohounhedo, who Uber officials said was removed from the service when they learned of the alleged attack. He was also barred from driving any sort of taxi while the case is in court. “He will not be Ubering anybody,” Judge Peggy Chiampas said. On Nov. 16, authorities said, a woman was out with friends from work when she used the UberX app on her phone to arrange a ride to her home in the West Rogers Park neighborhood. Fohounhedo, 30, arrived about 3 a.m. in a black four-door car, and the woman got in the back seat, Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Mack said. She fell asleep as Fohounhedo drove onto a highway, he said. After exiting the highway, Fohounhedo stopped the car and asked the woman to get into the front because he was having trouble finding her address, Mack said. The woman fell asleep there, waking when Fohounhedo turned into an alley and stopped the car behind an apartment building, he said. Fohounhedo then grabbed her left hand and placed it in his pants, Mack said. The woman pulled her hand away and fell asleep again. She awoke inside Fohounhedo’s apartment with the UberX driver sexually assaulting her on a leather couch in the living room, Mack said. The woman was able to view the inside of the apartment after Fohounhedo removed a condom and went to the bathroom, he said. Afterward, Fohounhedo helped her out of the building and put her back in the car, telling her, “I made you happy,” Mack said. After being dropped off at her home, the woman texted a friend and said she had been sexually assaulted, he said. When the woman woke up later that day, she called police and was taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital, where a rape kit was used to collect evidence. GPS coordinates show the victim’s phone was in Fohounhedo’s apartment at the time of the attack and the woman was able to identify photos taken of the inside and outside of his apartment, Mack said. She also identified Fohounhedo in a lineup, he said. According to the city of Chicago ordinance regulating ride-sharing groups like Uber, people must have a valid driver's license for at least a year before applying to become a driver. But Fohounhedo, who according to his attorney was born in the West African country of Benin and had been in Chicago for about three years, was issued a temporary Illinois visitor driver’s license in August, according to the Illinois secretary of state’s office. Such licenses are issued to people who are in the U.S. without a Social Security number from another country and require at least five types of identification documents, according to the secretary of state’s office. Whether Fohounhedo had a valid driver’s license in another state could not be determined Tuesday. Prosecutors and Fohounhedo’s attorney said he shared an Uber account with his wife, Sheena Lemon Fohounhedo, who had a regular driver’s license since December 2009. The account was in her name, prosecutors said, but used his photo and phone number. That account was for UberX, the low-cost line in Uber's services, which also include taxi, black-car and luxury vehicle transportation. Sharing an account like the Fohounhedos apparently did is “expressly prohibited on the Uber platform,” Uber spokeswoman Jennifer Mullin said, adding that the company has referred the matter to police. “In addition to a zero tolerance policy for account sharing, Uber conducts real-time audits of drivers on the platform, regularly re-checks driver photos and monitors rider feedback on an ongoing basis,” Mullin said in an emailed statement. Mullin did not respond to a follow-up question, however, about how Uber's checks failed to catch Fohounhedo’s use of his wife’s account. Earlier this month Mullin told the Tribune the driver had been removed from service while police investigated the allegations. Fohounhedo, of the 4400 block of North Lawndale Avenue, is charged with criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual abuse. It is the first time he has been arrested, according to an arrest report. Ride-sharing companies like Uber have drawn mixed reviews since they first came onto the scene in spring 2013. Pitched as a hip alternative to taxi services regulated by the city, the services offer consumers the ability to call and pay for rides through smartphone apps or online, and some patrons love them. But some taxi companies objected that the services are not regulated as heavily as they are, lack proper background checks and enough insurance, and generally impede their business. In February, the Tribune documented the failure of Uber to screen some of its drivers, after the company presented a driver with a felony burglary conviction as an example of its employees. The company severed ties with the driver, and told the Tribune then it was already revising its screening process to cast a wider net for criminal infractions. In March, another female passenger sued Uber in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging her driver had fondled her. The driver was charged with misdemeanor battery, but those charges were later dropped, according to court records.Audience not amused at annual Alfred E Smith fundraiser in New York where presidential candidates usually trade lighthearted barbs, to the enjoyment of all If Donald Trump’s campaign has been defined by going where no candidate has gone before, on Thursday he went even further: getting himself roundly booed at a Catholic charity dinner that is usually a moment of bipartisan good cheer in the presidential race. Donald Trump v Hillary Clinton at the Al Smith dinner: the best (and worst) jokes Read more The Republican nominee encountered a chilly reception at the Alfred E Smith dinner, an annual Catholic fundraiser for needy children in New York City, where Hillary Clinton was also in attendance. Presidential candidates have traditionally addressed the white-tie affair, roasting themselves while throwing in a few good-humored jabs at their opponents. At first Trump did earn some laughs with his speech inside the famed Waldorf Astoria hotel. But it quickly deteriorated into an attack on Clinton that prompted jeers from the audience and shouts for him to stop speaking. “Hillary believes it’s vital to deceive the people by having one public policy and a totally different policy in private,” Trump said, invoking the emails of her campaign chairman John Podesta that were illegally hacked and published by WikiLeaks. “That’s OK,” Trump responded to the audible boos that followed. “I don’t know who they’re angry at, Hillary, you or I?” “You!,” a voice cried out from the crowd. Trump pressed on, standing at a podium a few feet away from the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, who served as the evening’s host. “For example, here she is tonight in public, pretending not to hate Catholics,” Trump said. While the charity event is known for self-deprecating jokes, the genuine contempt between the two nominees overshadowed proceedings. Upon being introduced Trump and Clinton settled into their seats on a dais without so much as an acknowledgement of each other’s presence. Clinton shook the hand of Trump’s wife, Melania, but only later were she and Trump spotted leaning across Dolan, who sat between them, to have a chat that appeared to last 30 seconds. Trump was the first to speak and initially seemed to embrace the spirit of the evening. “Some people think this would be tough for me,” he said, “but the truth is … I’m actually a modest person, very modest. Many people tell me that modesty is perhaps my best quality, even better than my temperament.” In a riff on what he has dubbed bias within the media, Trump brought the house down by poking fun at his wife’s partly plagiarized speech during the Republican national convention in July. “Michelle Obama gives a speech and everyone loves it, it’s fantastic,” Trump said. “My wife Melania gives the exact same speech and people get on her case. I don’t get it.” But the barbs he subsequently threw at Clinton – delivered as though he was at a campaign rally – fell flat. “This is the first time that Hillary is sitting down and speaking to major corporate donors and not getting paid for it,” Trump said. “Hillary is so corrupt she got kicked off the Watergate commission.” The audience of roughly 1,500 people clad in tuxedos and ballroom gowns were not laughing. Nor were they amused when Trump made light of his assertion in the final presidential debate, held less than 24 hours earlier in Las Vegas, that Clinton was “a nasty woman”. “This stuff is all relative,” he said. “After listening to Hillary rattle on and on and on, I don’t think so badly of Rosie O’Donnell any more. In fact I’m actually starting to like Rosie a lot.” Clinton’s speech was less bitter in its tone but also included a series of jokes not far removed from the attack lines she has employed against Trump on the stump. Clinton needled her opponent over his admiration for Russia and its president, remarking of Trump’s refusal to disclose his health records: “Donald Trump really is as healthy as a horse – you know, the one Vladimir Putin rides around on.” Of his inability to stick to teleprompters, Clinton quipped: “I’m sure it’s even harder when you’re translating from the original Russian.” Both candidates laughed along for parts of one another’s remarks, but in other moments sat stoney-faced. The frostiness was uncharacteristic of previous election cycles but then so has been the tenor of the 2016 contest. As Trump focused on Clinton’s trustworthiness, the former secretary of state honed in on his behavior toward women. “Donald looks at the Statue of Liberty and sees a four,” Clinton said, “maybe a five, if she loses the torch and tablet and changes her hair.” “You know what would be a good number for a woman? 45,” she added, in reference to the number marking the next president’s place in US history. Her roast also nodded to the previous night’s debate, in which Trump refused to endorse the US democratic process, leaving open whether he would accept the outcome of the 8 November election. “It’s amazing I’m up here after Donald. I didn’t think he’d be OK with a peaceful transition of power,” Clinton said, before tossing in a dig at Trump’s running mate: “After listening to your speech I will also enjoy listening to Mike Pence deny you ever gave it.” Clinton’s remarks were met with occasional groans but not the open show of distaste that greeted Trump. Relishing her standing with less than three weeks remaining until election day, Clinton made sure to capitalize on the moment by calling out her opponent for saying she should be drug tested prior to the final debate. “I am so flattered that Donald thought I use some sort of performance enhancer,” she said. “Actually I did – it’s called preparation.” Throughout the evening the collective toll of an election distinct in its ugliness separated the event from previous years’. Even Nicholas DiMarzio, the reverend who conducted the invocation at the start of the ceremony, deadpanned: “I think most of us, including Secretary Clinton and Mr Trump, are praying for this election to be over soon. So let us pray.” Al Smith IV, the great-grandson of the late Al Smith in whose memory the dinner earned its name, cautioned the candidates in his own introduction: “Tonight we’re all friends.” But even Smith couldn’t help himself when commenting on a race that with each passing day has never ceased to shock the public. “Donald went up to Hillary and asked her how she was doing,” Smith joked. “Hillary replied: ‘I’m fine. Now get out of the ladies’ dressing room.’” Just a few breaths later he skewered Trump again over the allegations of sexual assault and a lewd tape in which the former reality TV star bragged of kissing and groping women without their consent. “Don, even though there’s a man sitting next to you in a robe, you’re not in a locker room,” Smith told the New York developer in his hometown. “So please watch your language.”Martin Hunter/Getty Images A disillusioned high-profile developer has quit bitcoin — claiming in an explosive blog post that the "experiment... has failed." Mike Hearn has been a prominent part of the controversial digital currency's community for years. In 2014, he walked away from a job at Google to work on it full-time. But after months of bitter infighting among bitcoin enthusiasts, Hearn has had enough. "Why has bitcoin failed?" he asked in a post of Medium. "It has failed because the community has failed." The digital currency is "on the brink of technical collapse," he argues, and "as a result there's no longer much reason to think Bitcoin can actually be better than the existing financial system." Bitcoin was created in 2008 by a pseudonymous figure known only as "Satoshi Nakamoto," who has since vanished. It aims to provide a radical alternative to traditional finance and do away with the need for any central authority. It is powered by the "blockchain" — a decentralised ledger of all transactions that allows quick and cheap transactions around the globe, no central bank or regulating institution required. However, there's a technical upper limit on how many transactions the blockchain can process a second — putting a limit on how much the digital currency can grow. This limit could be raised, if sufficient people on the bitcoin network vote with their feet and move to a new software client that supports it. There are efforts to do exactly this - notably Bitcoin XT, which was launched in August 2015 by Mike Hearn and Gavin Andresen, one of bitcoin's key core developers. But there's acrimonious debate about this upgrade — and many users who used XT were targeted by DDoS attacks knocking them offline, discouraging uptake. This is a key part of Hearn's complaints, who also attacks "censorship" on bitcoin forums of discussions about raising the limit. "For the first time, investors have no obvious way to get a clear picture of what's going on. Dissenting views are being systematically suppressed," he writes. "Technical criticisms of what Bitcoin Core is doing are being banned, with misleading nonsense being peddled in its place. And it's clear that many people who casually bought into Bitcoin during one of its hype cycles have no idea that the system is about to hit an artificial limit." Another concern is centralisation, focused around China: "The block chain is controlled by Chinese miners, just two of whom control more than 50% of the hash power. At a recent conference over 95% of hashing power was controlled by a handful of guys sitting on a single stage." This centralisation, he argues, betrays bitcoin's original. decentralised vision. "Bitcoin has no future whilst it's controlled by fewer than 10 people. And there's no solution in sight for this problem: nobody even has any suggestions. For a community that has always worried about the block chain being taken over by an oppressive government, it is a rich irony." Hearn also complains that one of the ways people are proposing to get around the limit without actually raising it will cause even more problems. Instead, people will be able to pay fees to jump to the front of the queue and get their transaction dealt with in a timely manner. But this solution will, he warns, allow "people to change the payment to point back to themselves, thus reversing it." "At a stroke, this makes using Bitcoin useless for actually buying things, as you'd have to wait for a buyer's transaction to appear in the block chain … which from now on can take hours rather than minutes, due to the congestion." Censorship, hack attacks, technical incompetence, an inability to use in real-world transactions, a broken community — Mike Hearn paints a gloomy picture for the current state of bitcoin. He says he's abandoning the digital currency altogether, and is selling his bitcoin: "The fundamentals are broken and whatever happens to the price in the short term, the long term trend should probably be downwards. I will no longer be taking part in Bitcoin development and have sold all my coins." So what's next for Hearn? Interestingly, he's joined a blockchain startup, according to The New York Times— R3. Over the last year, bitcoin companies have struggled to achieve any mainstream appeal. The problem is that ordinary people just aren't using the digital currency. BitPay, a high-profile bitcoin payments app, told Business Insider in June 2015: "We keep adding merchants — we're up to over 60,000 now — but they're selling to the same pool of Bitcoin early adopters." However, one area that people — and investors — are excited about is the blockchain. Many banks view the blockchain as a way to streamline their businesses and reduce costs. In effect, a technology designed to destroy the banks is being used to make them more efficient. R3 is backed by some of the biggest financial institutions around, including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, UBS, and dozens more. The price of bitcoin dropped nearly 5% in response to Hearn's post, and is currently hovering around $409:Senate Democrats want to vote on the first installment of a jobs package as early as Monday, amping up the pressure on Republicans to get aboard. But for the moment, they’re not biting. “We’ll have a vote on a jobs bill on Monday,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said at a press conference today. There’s just one wrinkle: According to the Senate’s top vote counter, there is currently no Republican support for the proposal Democrats are putting forth–and with Scott Brown to be seated today as the 41st Republican Senator, they’ll need at least one member of the minority to come aboard. “You need two to tango. And you need Republicans for bipartisanship,” said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL).“Hope is prospective…we don’t have bipartisanship at this moment. I hope we’ll have it in a matter of minutes, hours, days.” That sets the stage for a potential showdown between the two parties on the first major issue since the Democrats lost their supermajority, and put health care reform on the backburner. “I watched the Democrat leadership’s press conference just now and what I learned is that there will be a vote Monday on ‘a bill,'” said Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “But that they don’t know what’s in the bill or how many jobs they expect it to ‘save or create,’ or when anyone beyond the Beltway will see it, or how much it will cost. They did have a nice sign, though, and a pretty handout, so they obviously gave this some thought.” Bipartisanship!Bob Filner's request to have city fund his legal defence is denied as seven of nine council members urge mayor to quit San Diego's city council made it clear it wants the city to have no part in the legal dealings of mayor Bob Filner, who is the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit, allegations of unwanted advances and a chorus of calls to resign. Dealing a double rebuke to its mayor with a pair of unanimous votes, the council opted Tuesday to sue Filner in a pre-emptive attempt to have the mayor alone responsible for any costs incurred due to the lawsuit, which also names the city as a defendant. Later, the council voted to deny Filner funds for his legal defense. "His employers, San Diego taxpayers, did not have to bail him out for the mess he created," councilman Kevin Faulconer said. Seven of nine city council members have joined former supporters and scores of others in urging Filner, the city's first Democratic leader in 20 years, to resign. Irene McCormack Jackson, Filner's former communications director, sued the mayor and the city July 22. The lawsuit alleges Filner asked Jackson to work without underwear, demanded kisses, told her he wanted to see her naked and dragged her in a headlock while whispering in her ear. Since then, seven other women have offered detailed accounts of Filner's alleged advances, including touching and forcible kisses. The mayor's office and his attorney, Harvey Berger, didn't immediately respond to requests seeking comment. Ann Ravel, chairwoman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said an official cannot accept more than $440 a year in donated services. Campaign money can be used only to defend against alleged violations of the state's campaign finance law. An official can, however, create a legal defense fund under state law, Ravel said. Also Tuesday, an eighth woman came forward with stories of improprieties. Lisa Curtin, director of government and military education at San Diego City College, said on KPBS-TV Tuesday that the then-congressman Filner asked her in 2011 to remove her wedding band after questioning whether it was real, asked her on a date and moved to kiss her. She said she felt his tongue on her cheek after she turned her head. Filner, who is 70 and divorced, said Friday he would enter two weeks of "intensive" therapy August 5, defying calls from his own party leaders to resign. The former 10-term congressman is less than eight months into a four-year term as mayor. Land-use surveyor Michael Pallamary published a newspaper notice Tuesday to begin a recall bid, two days after gay rights activist and newspaper publisher Stampp Corbin did the same. Pallamary accused Corbin of being a stealth supporter of the mayor and threatened to file a complaint with the San Diego County district attorney's office alleging election law violations. Pallamary said Corbin would make little effort to collect the more than 100,000 signatures needed to get a recall measure on the ballot, setting it up to fail and preventing another recall drive for six months. Corbin denied the accusation Tuesday, saying Pallamary or anyone else was welcome to join the recall drive. Corbin, who was appointed chairman of a city commission under Filner, declined to say if he voted for Filner or how he would cast his ballot in a recall. He said his motive was to bring swift resolution to the controversy. "There's nothing going on in the city, in city hall. Everyone is focused on this scandal," Corbin said. "That is not good for this city."Thanks to Victor Ireland of Gaijinworks, we got a chance to sit down and play Summon Night 6. The demo we were sat in front of was a timed demo that featured a battle from the game – the fifth if I recall correctly. Many of the main party members were already there for the fight, and the battle definitely gave me some good insight into the game’s battle system, as many things were already available. For starters, the battle system revolves around utilizing ‘Chain Attacks’. Basically, it was all a matter of battlefield positioning, and making sure that your team could gang up on their enemies. Generally, a one-on-one attack would result in a counter attack. That’s great news for you when your party members are hit, of course, but the reverse is not so good.The chain attack system gives you an out – when your team attacks at once, the enemy can’t counter attack. As always, the Summon Night series retains its titular summons. While I didn’t have access to very many summons, the selection was still pretty sizable, with some characters already with four.
be milling around the work triangle, which can be dangerous.” Not for the first time, Phil Spencer agrees with his on-screen colleague. While it might sound old-fashioned, he says, those looking to sell should aim to appeal to the wives and girlfriends. “Unless the woman in the partnership rates a house, which often comes down to the kitchen, there’s no point trying to go ahead with the sale,” he says. Despite this, however, you should be wary of ploughing too much into the kitchen just before you sell it. While a good kitchen can add value to the home, it is also the most likely renovation target for new owners. The best advice, then, is to leave it to your buyers to put in the double-door larders, the oyster-shaped islands and the drop-down television screens. Limit your work to cosmetic improvements that will help your buyers visualise the room as theirs. When kitchen units get tatty, put in new doors, rather than a whole unit. However high-tech or traditional the features you add, the human element, of course, remains constant. One man’s rough-and-ready Jamie Oliver-style glory kitchen might be anathema to a tidy sushi master. No solution pleases everyone. But it is worth remembering that the kitchen can be a money spinner; whether you are looking to sell or to add long-term value. As Christmas approaches, make this most functional of rooms a feast for the eyes. Adding Value to Your Home, by Phil Spencer (Vermilion) is available from the Telegraph Bookshop for £11.99 plus £1.35 p&p. To order, call 0844 871 1514 or visit www.books.telegraph.co.uk Looking for inspiration? Other property stories on interiors and design The world's 20 sexiest kitchens for Christmas Want to sell your home? Show off your kitchen gadgets Interiors: top 20 trends for this winter Driving innovations behind today's modern kitchenINDIANAPOLIS — Despite an increasing public outcry condemning SB 101, in an appearance on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence defended the law which is designed to allow businesses, organizations and individuals to discriminate against anyone in Indiana on religious grounds. Pence refused to answer directly when asked eight times whether under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay customers, but repeatedly said the law, signed last week, was “not about discrimination.” “Governor Pence continues to deceive the public about this deeply flawed law,” said Jennifer Pizer, National Director of Lambda Legal’s Law and Policy Project, who fact checked Pence’s remarks, and issued this clarification: Gov. Pence myth: SB 101 is just like Illinois law that then-State Senator Obama voted to support. “Truth: Gov. Pence fails to point out that Illinois has robust nondiscrimination clauses in its state Human Rights Act that specifically protect LGBT people. Indiana does not. This matters because those seeking to discriminate in Indiana may claim that the lack of a statewide law barring sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination means that there is no compelling state interest in enforcing local ordinances providing such protections. Gov. Pence myth: This law only reinforces established law in Indiana. Truth: The language in SB 101 is so broadly written that someone can sue even without their religious beliefs having actually been burdened simply by claiming that is “likely” to happen. “Gov. Pence myth: SB101 is just like federal law that President Clinton signed 20 years ago. “Truth: SB 101 is substantially broader than the federal law. The federal RFRA can only be invoked against government action. SB 101 goes much further, inviting discrimination by allowing religious beliefs to be raised as a defense in lawsuits and administrative proceedings brought by workers, tenants and customers who have suffered discrimination. In addition, SB 101 makes it easier to claim a burden on religious freedom than the federal RFRA by defining the “exercise of religion” as “any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief.” “If Governor Pence meant it when he said that SB101 isn’t intended to allow discrimination against LGBT people, then why were amendments designed to make that explicit repeatedly rejected during the legislative process? If he truly means what he says, then he and the legislature should work together to add this language: ‘This chapter does not establish or eliminate a defense to a claim under any federal, state or local law protecting civil rights or preventing discrimination.’ “And the Indiana government should include gay and transgender people within Indiana’s protections from discrimination.” Pence’s interview can be seen here → This Story Filed UnderAs a consequence, LVMH has sought to reposition the Louis Vuitton brand by limiting the sale of lower-priced accessories like wallets and canvas handbags and focusing instead on higher-priced leather handbags as well as limited-edition items. It has also reduced the number of products bearing the house’s 120-year-old brown-and-gold “LV” monogram, which has fallen out of favor with luxury consumers seeking subtler, more exclusive markers of status and wealth. At the fore of this makeover is Nicolas Ghesquière, who joined Louis Vuitton in 2013 as artistic director for women’s wear after 15 years at Balenciaga. Among Mr. Ghesquière’s 2014 hits was a new handbag that harkened to Vuitton’s heritage as a luggage maker. The Petite Malle — a boxy, $5,200 clutch shaped like a miniature travel trunk — proved an instant favorite with the red-carpet set and was spotted on the arms of stars like Jennifer Connelly, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Michelle Williams. Vuitton also sought to inject the brand with some fresh buzz through the introduction in October of a limited edition of accessories incorporating its classic monogram, but created by a series of guest that included the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Louboutin and even Frank Gehry, the architect who designed the new Fondation Louis Vuitton museum in Paris. “It is a way to market the brand as something very near to contemporary art,” Claudia d’Arpizio, a specialist in the luxury industry at Bain & Company in Milan, said in a recent interview, referring to the Vuitton capsule collection. “They are trying to increase the perception and the value of their products, not only from a functional or intrinsic material standpoint, but from an artistic standpoint.” Performance was strongest in the United States and Japan, where sales increased 8 percent over the previous year — a trend that accelerated in the fourth quarter of the year thanks to a weakening of the euro. In the rest of Asia, which is dominated by China, revenues fell by 1 percent, while European sales increased by 3 percent, the company said. LVMH’s net profit was bolstered by a €2.8 billion capital gain in December from the distribution of its 23 percent stake in Hermès, a rival French luxury house, to the group’s shareholders. The disposal of that holding was part of a court-ordered settlement of a four-year dispute with Hermès, after LVMH secretly built up a large minority holding in the family-controlled company, which makes goods including handcrafted Birkin and Kelly purses and colorful silk scarves. The civil settlement followed an €8 million fine in 2013 for violation of French market rules. Under the terms of the deal with Hermès, which was announced in September, Mr. Arnault, France’s richest man, was allowed to maintain with a residual stake in Hermès of 8.5 percent for his personal account, an investment currently valued at €2.6 billion. The proceeds from the Hermès share sale helped to bolster LVMH’s already substantial cash stockpile. Analysts expect the company to eventually deploy those funds toward further acquisitions or reinvest them into some of its smaller fashion brands like Berluti, Kenzo, Donna Karan and Loewe.Georgia's prisons used to be dirty and dangerous. Prisoners recounted beatings and NGOs reported institutionalised torture. But since 2012, there has been an amazing turnaround. Georgia’s prisons once had a chilling reputation. Former prisoners recount harrowing stories of institutionalised torture — beatings, simulated drowning, bones purposefully broken — at the hands of guards and other officials. “[They] were beating me. They were insulting me...During torture they drowned [me] in [a] bucket full of water and threatened [me] with rape,” said one former prisoner in an anonymous testimony released by the government’s committee on human rights protection this year. “They tore off my fingernails, damaged [my] skull, broke my leg bones, ribs, nose and teeth,” said another. “I am 43 years old, but look like an old man. I often fall down while I am walking.” Other victims who testified in the 2016 report by the Georgian Parliament’s Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee on torture in the country from 2004-2012 described being hit on the head with the butt of a gun, a guard breaking their wrist with the heel of his boot, and being forced to give evidence under the influence of sleeping pills. Indeed the problem was so widespread and severe that when Manfred Nowak, the UN’s then Special Rapporteur on torture visited Georgia in 2005, he said: “There is always the threat of violence in prison in a closed space...torture and prisoner abuse by prison staff was considered to be normal and even encouraged.” Ten years later, in early 2015, the UN returned to Georgia to find a very different situation. The prison population has been cut in half and many of the most egregious practices and punishments have effectively disappeared from the system. “Through numerous testimonies, I found convincing evidence that the use of corporal punishment and forced confessions has been effectively abolished,” said Special Rapporteur Juan E. Méndez. Mendez praised the government’s extensive “policy changes” and “radical changes in the mentality of its staff throughout the entire chain of command,” but added that its work wasn’t done, particularly in the area of promoting accountability for torture. Meanwhile, investigations that have been carried out have raised questions about "selective justice and politically motivated prosecutions," according to Human Rights Watch. The early-to-mid 2000s was a time of unparalleled growth in Georgia’s prison population After conducting unannounced visits to places of detention across Georgia (but not Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the country's two 'breakaway provinces') Méndez reported acceptable cell conditions, adequate provision of food and medical care and reasonable access to phone calls for prisoners with their families. Eka Baselia is Chair of the Parliament of Georgia’s Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee, which monitors human rights abuses. She says that Georgia has all but eradicated torture and systemic mistreatment. There have been “no cases during the last four years,” she said. “[In the] public defenders’ reports, not one case about torture.” The extraordinary turnaround in Georgia’s prison system is part of the country's wider approach to improving human rights, catalysed by a change of government in 2012 and an ongoing desire in the former Soviet state for closer ties with the European Union. A revolution then a crackdown The early-to-mid 2000s was a time of unparalleled growth in Georgia’s prison population. President Mikheil Saakashvili came to power in 2004 in the bloodless ‘Rose Revolution’ and won plaudits early in his presidency for anticorruption reforms. There was a drastic reduction in crime across Georgia and a successful fight against organised crime. But his 'zero-tolerance' approach to justice often led to long prison terms for petty crimes and created a “dehumanizing discourse around crime and criminals,” an Open Society Foundation report on human rights abuses in Georgia’s prisons found. Life inside the prisons was dirty, undignified — and dangerous By 2010, Saakashvili's drive to root out crime had propelled the tiny country of 4.5 million people to become the biggest incarcerator per capita in Europe and the fourth-biggest in the world. Life inside the prisons was dirty, undignified — and dangerous. More and more NGOs began to report on commonplace mistreatment and the culture of impunity that prevailed in the justice system. Baselia, who was working as a criminal defence lawyer at the time, remembers the effect of the crackdown. “After that, [the] repression [started],” she said. “I remember when I met the prisoners, they [had always been tortured]. We defenders could not help [them], because this happened everywhere, it was [a] systematic problem.” The problem was not just confined to prisons. The human rights committee’s report, which looked at testimonies from 400 former prisoners, found evidence that mistreatment in police custody was commonplace, including the use of harsh treatment to obtain evidence and the extraction of confessions under duress in pre-trial detention. Perhaps most disturbing of all, support appeared to come from high-ranking officials — torture was used to create as a “tool of political persecution” and to create “fear and a sense of insecurity” in society. The explicit videos showed inmates being kicked and beaten by guards Video that shook a government On 18 September 2012, video footage emerged that showed prisoners being abused by staff at Gldani Prison in the suburbs of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. The explicit videos showed inmates being kicked and beaten by guards, including one man crying out as he was sodomised with a broom. The footage was broadcast that evening on opposition TV station TV9. It triggered outrage and mass protests on the streets of Tbilisi just two weeks before hotly contested parliamentary elections in which Saakashvili’s ruling United National Movement Party was facing tough competition from opposition coalition Georgian Dream. Shortly after the footage emerged, prison minister Khatuna Kalmakhelidze resigned and Saakashvili condemned the abuse, announcing that he had suspended the country’s entire prison staff (although inmates reported that they were back working not long after). Saakashvili addressed the nation, saying: “I tell the victims of these inhuman actions and the whole nation that the Georgia we have built and we are all building together shall not and will not tolerate such behavior — in its prisons or anywhere else." Nevertheless, his party was defeated at the elections and the power shift gave reformers the window they needed to start tackling human rights. (Saakashvili left office in 2013 after two terms, constitutionally barred from running a third time.) Shortly after the change of government, over three months in 2012, Georgia’s government released around half the country’s 24,000-strong prison population in an amnesty. Today, Georgia ranks 96th in the world for prison population per capita. A guarantee for everybody The main problem in Georgia before 2012 “was a violation of a human rights,” Baselia said. In the years since, the government has adopted a 7-year action plan on human rights, including recommendations for new human rights standards protected by the law. Fuelled by Baselia's passion for change and oversight by civil society organisations, the government is now building a system that will "guarantee for everybody in our society” that the same systematic violence and torture never happens again. Improvements have also been made to the way the parliament works to allow greater scrutiny of how the government is putting into effect international human rights standards Part of that process involved Baselia’s committee spending two years investigating systematic violence in Georgia, looking particularly at the judicial system. Their findings and recommendations spurred legislative changes, particularly in creating stricter penalties for certain kinds of torture. Improvements have also been made to the way the parliament works to allow greater scrutiny of how the government is putting into effect international human rights standards — for example, how effectively, if at all, it is implementing UN recommendations and judgements by the European Court of Human Rights. Boris Nadiradze, country representative in Georgia for Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which has been supporting the committee’s work over the past few years, said: “These are very important changes.” But Georgia has many scars from its past: The country has yet to fully investigate torture before 2012 and hold those responsible for it accountable. The Chief Prosecutor's Office says it is making inroads and had, at last count, started 191 prosecutions including 124 against public servants from that period, "including high-ranking officials." So far 81 people have been sentenced. The UN wants to see more: “Much more needs to be done to promote accountability for torture and ill-treatment, and fulfil the right of reparations for victims,” Méndez said in 2015. The Chief Prosecutor's Office reports that it will shortly open some new cases. But questions remain around politically motivated prosecutions. In late 2015, the former mayor of Tbilisi, Giorgi Ugulava, a political ally of Saakashvili was put behind bars in a case that one journalist who has covered the former Soviet Union for over a decade described as showing "several signs of blatant politicisation" including "pressure on the judges, procedural mistakes and hesitations resulting in a very dubious sentence of four and a half years imprisonment." There is hope, despite a complex political landscape, that Georgia's torture victims will eventually see justice for the crimes committed against them.(CNN) — Two police officers shot and wounded while standing guard outside the Ferguson, Missouri, police department early Thursday were deliberately targeted in what a police official called an “ambush.” Such ambush-style attacks were the leading method in the surging number of shooting deaths of law enforcement officers, according to the nonprofit, Washington-based National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The shootings were a chilling low point in the nonstop protests in the city since a Ferguson police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in August. The demonstrators were out again late Wednesday — in response to the announcement hours earlier of Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson’s resignation — when shots rang out from a hill about 125 yards from where the protesters had gathered, according to witnesses. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the shootings were an “ambush” intended “for whatever nefarious reason” to inflict harm on the officers. The officers — one shot in the face, the other in the shoulder — have been released from the hospital. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder decried the shootings as a “heinous assault (that) was inexcusable and repugnant.” Calling the shooting a “cowardly action,” Holder said, “I condemn violence against any public safety officials in the strongest terms, and the Department of Justice will never accept any threats or violence directed at those who serve and protect our communities.” Figures ‘underscore the very real dangers’ officers face The number of law enforcement officers shot to death in the line of duty rose more than 50% in 2014, the law enforcement group said in a report released in December. Many of those shootings occurred during police interactions with suspects such as traffic stops, responses to disturbances or attempted arrests. Such was the case with in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday, when Deputy U.S. Marshal Josie Wells was killed in an exchange of gunfire after going to arrest a fugitive murder suspect at a motel. However, ambushes were the largest single category of circumstances in the shooting deaths of officers the past two years, according to the group’s report. Fifty officers were killed by firearms — 15 in ambush attacks — in 2014, the Memorial Fund said, compared with 10 ambushes among 32 shooting deaths the year before. The FBI, however, found that five officers were ambushed and killed in 2013. Harry Houck, a consultant and former NYPD detective, said officers could be second-guessing themselves as scrutiny of the police increases. “If an officer is afraid to immediately react the way he’s supposed to,” he said, “that could cost him his life.” According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund 2014 report, 126 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers died in the line of duty in 2014, compared with 102 and 123 the previous two years. Most of the on-duty deaths considered “non-felonious” were from traffic accidents or health reasons. CNN has not analyzed each case and cannot authenticate the group’s findings. After the findings were released in December, Holder said: “These troubling statistics underscore the very real dangers that America’s brave law enforcement officers face every time they put on their uniforms. Each loss is both tragic and unacceptable — a beloved father, mother, son or daughter who never came home to their loved ones.” He added that the Department of Justice is doing its own analysis of officer deaths in 2014 “so we can mitigate risks in the future.” Memorial fund leader blames ‘rhetoric’ The report’s release came amid simmering distrust and tension between the police and some communities across the country. It was published less than two weeks after the December 20 ambush killing of two New York City police officers. Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, approached Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos as they sat in their marked patrol car in Brooklyn on December 20 and shot them to death. He killed himself shortly afterward. The police memorial fund invoked the memories of Liu and Ramos’ deaths in a December statement. “With the increasing number of ambush-style attacks against our officers, I am deeply concerned that a growing anti-government sentiment in America is influencing weak-minded individuals to launch violent assaults against the men and women working to enforce our laws and keep our nation safe,” said Craig W. Floyd, chairman and CEO of the police fund. “Enough is enough,” Floyd said. “We need to tone down the rhetoric and rally in support of law enforcement and against lawlessness.” That angry rhetoric isn’t confined to the case of Ferguson — or of Staten Island, New York, where the death of Eric Garner in July after police attempted to subdue him spurred national protests and preceded the slayings of Liu and Ramos, said Steve Groeninger, a spokesman for the memorial fund. Groeninger said the uptick in ambush-style attacks was “punctuated” by the New York officers’ slayings, but there were other targeted attacks against law enforcement in 2014 that concern the fund. They included: — In Las Vegas in June, Jerad Miller and his wife surprised two police officers as they ate lunch, shooting them to death. Witnesses said the Millers placed a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag and a swastika on one officer’s body. The couple then died in a murder-suicide as police closed in. — In Jersey City, New Jersey, in July, police said a man assaulted a Walgreen’s security guard and took his gun in order to carry out the ambush-style killing of an officer, according to the Jersey Journal. — Two Pennsylvania State Police troopers were ambushed and shot outside police barracks in Blooming Grove in September. The hunt for the alleged killer, Eric Frein, lasted almost seven weeks. He was captured at an abandoned airport on October 30. Frein was hit with terrorism charges in November for allegedly admitting that he shot the officers to change the government and “wake people up.” But the number of shootings by police officers also are on the rise. According to data collected by the FBI, there were 461 justifiable homicides in 2013 — the highest level since 1994 and the most recent year available. The figures are incomplete, however, because the shootings are self-reported and not all police departments provide them. The total number of fatal shootings by police officers is much higher — 1,010 in 2013 and 1,134 last year, according to the nonprofit Fatal Encounters. The group started collecting the data in 2013. Its source of information is different from the FBI’s. The group’s founder, Brian Burghart, said the figures create a toxic environment for police, as well as suspects. “When it comes to an eye for an eye, that people are addressing the problems with violence, the numbers are always going to go up on both sides,” he said. This week, Wisconsin residents took to the streets to protest the police killing of Tony Robinson, a 19-year-old who was unarmed. Robinson’s shooting was the fourth shooting involving an officer in Wisconsin in the last three weeks. The others hardly made headlines: one involved an armed robbery, another a domestic abuser who put a knife to his girlfriend’s throat, and an assailant with a fake gun. Last April, Milwaukee police officer Christopher Manney shot Dontre Hamilton, a mentally ill man, more than a dozen times. The officer said he opened fire when Hamilton grabbed his baton and struck him with it. Manney was not charged criminally. Instead, he was fired for not following protocol. The numbers alone don’t tell the whole story, experts said. “We need to know the circumstances in each individual case,” Houck said.Welcome to Drawn to Comics! From diary comics to superheroes, from webcomics to graphic novels – this is where we’ll be taking a look at comics by, featuring and for queer ladies. So whether you love to look at detailed personal accounts of other people’s lives, explore new and creative worlds, or you just love to see hot ladies in spandex, we’ve got something for you. Header by Rory Midhani While I’m busy scouring bookstores, comic book shops and the internet for comics starring queer characters and telling queer stories, two editors are at work putting together a new anthology that will make my job a whole lot easier. Sfé Monster and Rachel Edidin have announced the launch of their new Science Fiction and Fantasy comics anthology called Beyond and they are seeking submissions. The two editors are tired of seeing the same old stories and characters over and over again and they think that it’s time for queer stories to step into the spotlight and onto the pages of Beyond. We want to see people like us as heroes—slaying dragons, piloting spaceships, getting into trouble, and saving the day—without having to read their queerness from between the lines. We want to see beautifully crafted stories, in the mediums and genres we love, that reflect and celebrate our own experiences of gender and sexuality—and a spectrum far beyond. Both editors identify as queer and have a long history working in the world of comics and and Sci Fi/Fantasy. Edidin spent time as an editor for a major comics publisher and has also written for Wired.com, Comics Alliance, io9, Sequential Tart and Girl-Wonder.org, as well as having her writing featured in publications including Chicks Dig Comics, Womanthology, and Adventure Time. Monster is the creator of the pretty great webcomic Kyle & Atticus as well as their work on other comics and zines. With the anthology in such capable hands, it’s really exciting to see where they are going to take it. They say that “…in both SFF and comics, there’s a long tradition of allegorical and subtextual queerness… it’s better now than it was in even the recent past, but we want more.” With that in mind, they decided to put this anthology together. Some of the writers and artists that will be contributing to Beyond have already been announced on the website. So far, Edidin and Monster have gathered together quite an impressive roster of talent that will be featured in the anthology. This includes Fiona Staples, the artist for current-best-comic-in-the-world Saga; Ignatz, Lulu and Eisner winner and creator of the comic Finder, Carla Speed McNeil; best selling fantasy author Seanan McGuire; webcomic creator and Womanthology Smut Peddler contributor Blue Delliquanti and Google doodler Sophia Foster-Dimino. They’re looking for more creative individuals and teams to help round out this roster in order to get a diverse group of creators and stories. Monster and Edidin have been busy answering questions over at the Tumblr for the anthology. There they have been explaining exactly what they mean by Sci Fi/Fantasy (no straight up horror or bizarre, no setting other genres in space), making sure the submissions aren’t just a bunch of stories about “tragic queers” or analogies about the one straight person on a gay planet, setting an age limit for contributors (18 at the time you submit) and letting us know that while a hard-R rating is alright, no rated X stuff please. They also explain exactly how they want submissions to be formatted and how the submissions will look once they are published. They want to make sure that this anthology has Sci Fi and Fantasy stories that actually have queer characters in the forefront, not just as tropes or extended metaphors, that the stories and art are high quality and that the book has a wide range of contributors, and they are doing their due diligence. Everything is looking like this anthology will end up being a very professionally made and well-put together entry into the world of queer comics. If you’re interested in submitting (and hopefully a bunch of you are), they’re opening up their submission box starting October 15 and closing it December 15, 2013. After they choose which submissions they will include, Monster and Edidin plan on launching a kickstarter campaign and self-publishing the book. Creators will be paid for their contributions and will receive royalties and some copies to sell. In order to submit, you must have a complete creative team (whether that is just you or you and your friends), a title, page-count, a plot description, samples and creative team bios. All those interested can check out the website for more information. This anthology already features several creators who are sure to be found in future installments of Drawn to Comics, so I can’t wait to see who else will be included and what kind of stories they will bring to the table. If you have or know of a comic that you would to be featured on Drawn to Comics you can email me at mey(@)autostraddle(dot)com.Blue-eyed Ground-Doves. Photo: Rafael Bessa When ornithologist Rafael Bessa took the stage at the Brazilian Bird Watching Festival last month, he was ready to let go of a tightly guarded secret—one that he’d been holding onto for nearly a year. His talk, titled “Species X,” had drawn a crowd of more than 100 curious birders and researchers. He started by recounting the history of Brazil’s “ghost birds”—species like the Golden-crowned Manakin and the Cherry-throated Tanager, once thought to be victims of extinction, only to be rediscovered decades later. After building up the suspense, the crowd became the first to hear recordings of Brazil’s newest “ghost bird.” For years the Blue-eyed Ground-Dove, a species whose range is exclusive to Brazil, was thought to be extinct; the last confirmed sighting dates back to 1941. The chestnut-colored bird, with blue freckles and irises to match, has only been seen a handful of times since it was first discovered in 1823. Photos and recordings of the species were non-existent, causing scientists to debate over whether the bird even had blue eyes. Given the dove’s extreme elusiveness, its discovery in the Brazilian Cerrado, the tropical savanna that covers 21 percent of Brazil, was pure fate. While conducting an ecological survey in the state of Minas Gerais in 2015, Bessa stumbled across an unfamiliar area of the Cerrado. After some exploration, the veteran birder picked up on a tune he couldn’t immediately identify. The following day, Bessa returned to the same location and recreated the bird call. And just like that, he found himself lens to beak with the blue-eyed ghost dove. “I photographed the animal, and when I looked at the picture carefully, I saw that I had recorded something unusual. My legs started shaking,” Bessa told the Brazilian newspaper Estadao. After confirming Bessa’s finding and images, Save Brasil and Observatório de Aves do Instituto Butantan dispatched several secret expeditions to the Cerrado. Since the initial encounter, subsequent trips to the location by the team have resulted in 12 individual bird sightings, according to BirdLife International. Though they’ve made their discovery public, the microhabitat itself has remained a mystery. Pedro Develey, executive director of Save Brasil, says it’s necessary to keep the location secret to ensure the survival of the estimated 50 to 249 adult ground-doves that are living in the Cerrado. Revealing that information might lead to hundreds of birders crowding the area to catch a glimpse of history. And it’s not just tourists that could disturb the birds’ habitat: Develey is more concerned about a much deadlier threat—poachers. “There are crazy collectors of doves. I’m a little afraid,” he says. “That’s why we have to keep the location a secret. It will not be possible for long but let’s try.” With these notions in mind, Develey and Save Brasil are rapidly working on conservation plans to protect the doves. One proposal made to the Brazilian government includes incorporating the known habitat into an adjacent state park that’s currently under development in the Cerrado. The other solution is to purchase the land engulfing the doves’ habitat. As luck would have it, the undisclosed location belongs to a private landowner who is willing to sell to save the birds. If a deal is struck, Develey and Save Brasil could turn the site into a natural heritage reserve. While the land would still be privately owned, it would be open for exploration, scientific research, and ecotourism, they say. Fundraising for such a project will be an uphill journey. Physical donations are difficult to secure in Brazil due to the economic instability of the country. But this hasn’t deterred the team from continuing their trips out to the Cerrado, recording data on the Blue-eyed Ground-Dove and educating communities living around the habitat. Develey knows that he bears the burden of making sure the bird doesn’t disappear for another 75 years. “The first thing I thought was, wow, it’s such a beautiful bird,” he says. “The second thing was, wow, it’s such a responsibility! I’m responsible for saving this species.”Carbon dioxide has been vilified for decades as a driver of global warming. A new study finds signs that CO 2, exhaled in every breath, can exert an equally worrisome threat — impaired cognition — in nearly every energy-efficient classroom, meeting hall or office space. The work assessed decision-making in 22 healthy young adults. Their performance on six of nine tests dropped notably when researchers raised indoor carbon dioxide levels to 1,000 parts per million from a baseline of 600 ppm. On seven tests, performance fell substantially more when the room’s CO 2 was boosted to 2,500 ppm, scientists report in a paper to be published in Environmental Health Perspectives. These data are surprising, says Roger Hedrick of Architectural Energy Corp. in Boulder, Colo., because “1,000 ppm of CO 2 used to be considered a benchmark of good ventilation.” Hedrick, an environmental engineer, chairs the committee that drafts commercial ventilation standards through the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, & Air-Conditioning Engineers. Carbon dioxide levels are often substantially higher in buildings than the 350 to 400 ppm typically found outdoors. Indoor values of 600 ppm are considered very good. But depending on how many people inhabit a room and how many times per hour its air is exchanged with outdoor air through ventilation, “there are plenty of buildings where you could easily see 2,500 ppm of CO 2 — or close to it — even with ventilation designs that are fully compliant with current standards,” Hedrick says. “We’ve seen higher CO 2 levels associated with increased student absences and poorer performances on school-type tasks,” says study coauthor William Fisk of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. “But we never thought CO 2 was actually responsible. We assumed it was a proxy for other [pollutants].” His group recruited college students to spend much of a day in a room with computers. Individuals could read or do what they wanted for much of the time. But for part of each 2.5-hour period, participants completed role-playing tests on a computer that required them to manage an organization as it underwent a series of problems or crises. Throughout each of three test segments, conducted in random order, room ventilation was kept very high. Only carbon dioxide levels varied by segment: 600 ppm, 1,000 ppm or 2,500 ppm. The role-playing tests are more complicated than most used to measure cognitive abilities, notes epidemiologist and coauthor Mark Mendell of Lawrence Berkeley. But they offer a gauge of important real-world skills, he says. “And the magnitude of effects measured at 2,500 ppm was astonishing — so astonishing that it was almost hard to believe,” he says. If these trends are confirmed in follow-up studies, Hedrick says, “it would be very strong evidence that ventilation rates need to be increased.” Carbon dioxide standards were developed largely with the aim of controlling body odor, he notes. High levels of CO2 were viewed as suggesting occupancy levels were climbing to where “a place may begin smelling bad.” Classrooms are fairly densely occupied, he notes, so their carbon dioxide frequently exceeds 1,000 ppm. With an increasing push to reduce heating and cooling costs, “there are plenty of school districts using lesser amounts of ventilation,” he says. “So I would not be at all surprised to find 2,500 ppm in a lot of school districts.”GENDER FOCUS As the 2016 US presidential election nears, Hillary Clinton, the projected frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, is painting herself as a champion of women’s rights. As a result, she is being lionized in the corporate press as a feminist crusader across the globe. On International Women’s Day, Clinton proclaimed that “the rights of women and girls is the unfinished business of the 21st century.” The New York Daily News (3/7/14) summed up, “Clinton has made women’s issues a centerpiece of her agenda.” Clinton boasts of having incorporated feminism into US foreign policy. As Time (6/12/14) reported: As the former US Secretary of State, Clinton discussed how feminism plays a key role in the US’s foreign policy. “Women and girls … [are] central to our foreign policy,” she said, explaining that nations that support women are more stable and “less likely to breed extremism.” “Clinton has focused much of her career as first lady, senator and then secretary of State on issues affecting women and girls,” asserted NBCNews.com (9/18/14), citing comments she made about the “glass ceiling.” Even the progressive American Prospect (6/25/14) labeled Clinton’s tenure as secretary of State “unabashedly feminist.” None of these outlets bothered to compare Clinton’s statements with her actual record, choosing instead to act as stenographers and at times cheerleaders for Clinton’s feminist branding campaign. This suggests a definition of feminism so shallow as to be virtually empty, attaching automatically to any woman who wields power of any kind, toward any end. An established foreign policy hawk, Clinton has vociferously defended the US drone strikes that terrorize, maim and kill women and girls in Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan (Reuters, 6/7/12).
days before symptoms develop. But there are three problems with this line of reasoning about vaccination rates. First, the numbers are based on calculations that assume a world of random mixing. Second, the vaccination coverage is not a perfect measure of immunity in the population. Third, and most problematic in my view, it gives people a seemingly scientific justification for not getting vaccinated – after all, if not everyone needs to get vaccinated in order to attain herd immunity, can it really be so bad if I opt out of it? What exactly is herd immunity? Let’s look at the concept of herd immunity first. The basic idea is that a group (the “herd”) can avoid exposure to a disease by ensuring that enough people are immune so that no sustained chains of transmission can be established. This protects an entire population, especially those who are too young or too sick to be vaccinated. But how many people need to be immune to achieve this? In order to calculate the number of people who need to be immune for herd immunity to be effective, we need to know how many people will get infected, on average, by an infectious person. Imagine that a newly infected person will on average pass on the disease to two other people. Those two will each infect another two people, who will themselves pass it on, and so on, resulting in the classical pattern of an exponentially growing outbreak. Marcel Salathé, Author provided In order to stop the growth in the number of transmissions, we need to ensure that each individual case causes, on average, less than one new infection. So, let’s say that one case leads on average to two more infections, but instead we want that number to be less than one. That means at least 50% of the population needs to be immune, so that at most, only one of the two people who might have been infected by an individual will be. Marcel Salathé How many people need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity? So, how do we calculate what fraction of a population needs to be immune to reach herd immunity? First, we need to know what the reproduction number, or R, is. That’s how many new cases a single case of an infection will cause. Imagine that you are infected in a completely susceptible population, and you pass on the infection to five other people (ie R=5). In order to prevent an outbreak, at least four out of those five people, or 80% of the population in general, should be immune. Put differently, 20% of the population may remain individually susceptible, but the population would still remain protected. So if you can estimate the reproduction number for a given disease, you can calculate the fraction of the population that needs to be immune in order to attain herd immunity. For influenza and Ebola, the number R is about two. For polio and smallpox, it is around five to eight. But for measles it is much higher, somewhere between 10 and 20. And because of that, the goal for measles vaccination coverage is typically around 90-95% of a population. But there’s a problem with this calculation. The population is not random The assumption underlying the calculation for herd immunity is that people are mixing randomly, and that vaccination is distributed equally among the population. But that is not true. As the Disneyland measles outbreak has demonstrated, there are communities whose members are much more likely to refuse vaccination than others. Geographically, vaccination coverage is highly variable on the level of states, counties, and even schools. We’re fairly certain that opinions and sentiments about vaccination can spread in communities, which may in turn lead to polarized communities with respect to vaccination. And media messages, especially from social media, may make the problem worse. When we analyzed data from Twitter about sentiments on the influenza H1N1 vaccine during the swine flu pandemic in 2009, we found that negative sentiments were more contagious than positive sentiments, and that positive messages may even have back-fired, triggering more negative responses. And in measles outbreak after measles outbreak, we find that the vast majority of cases occurred in communities that had vaccination coverages that were way below average. The sad truth is this: as long as there are communities that harbor strong negative views about vaccination, there will be outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in those communities. These outbreaks will happen even if the population as a whole has achieved the vaccination coverage considered sufficient for herd immunity. Marcel Salathé If negative vaccination sentiments become more popular in the rest of the population as well, we may start to see more sustained transmission chains. Once those chains are sufficiently frequent to connect under-vaccinated communities, we may again be in a situation of endemic measles. The solution often proposed is that we should do a better job of convincing people that vaccines are safe. I’m all for it. But I would also suggest that we should stop basing our vaccination policies on models that made sense in a world of constrained vaccine supply, and aim for 100% vaccination coverage among those who can get vaccinated. This would also solve another problem, often glanced over: There are many people who cannot get vaccinated for medical reasons, either because they are too young, or because they have other conditions that prevent them from acquiring immunity through vaccination. Herd immunity against measles requires that 90-95% of the entire population are immune, whereas vaccination coverage is measured as the percentage vaccinated of the target population – which only includes people who are eligible for vaccination. This means that to achieve 95% immunity in the population for measles, vaccination coverage needs to be higher than 95%. This is the scientific argument for a public health policy that aims at 100% vaccination coverage. More importantly, there is an ethical argument to be made for the goal of 100% vaccination coverage. It sends the right message. Everyone who can get vaccinated, should get vaccinated – not only to protect themselves, but to protect those who can’t, through herd immunity.The Albuquerque Police Department found a marijuana pipe with marijuana inside it in what is believed to be a car driven by Jon Jones. But Jones has not yet been charged for marijuana possession, according to APD spokesman Tanner Tixier. Tixier told MMAFighting.com on Tuesday that felonies and misdemeanors are not put on the same charging document in New Mexico. Jones is currently being charged with a felony: leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injury. He was arrested Monday night and will be arraigned Tuesday afternoon with regards to that charge. Any marijuana possession charge would be a misdemeanor, Tixier said. The thinking behind the state precedent, Tixier said, is that it doesn't give the defendant the ability to just take a plea deal for the misdemeanor. Jones is facing the felony charge right now and the marijuana possession charge could be revisited later, either by law enforcement, the prosecution or if the felony case goes to a grand jury, Tixier said. However, Tixier said the fact that the pipe and marijuana were found inside a rental car without Jones even being present would make the misdemeanor case "hard to prove." Also, a pervading rumor over the last few days online has been that cocaine was found inside the vehicle. That is not accurate, according to Tixier. "I don't know where that came from," Tixier said. Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, allegedly ran a red light Sunday morning while driving a rented silver Buick SUV in Albuquerque, striking another car and igniting a three-car collision, according to the police report. He is being accused of leaving the scene, but only after going back to the vehicle and grabbing a handful of cash. The victim, Vanessa Sonnenberg, suffered a broken arm, per the arrest affidavit. Inside the rental vehicle, police found marijuana, a marijuana pipe and paperwork with Jones' name on it. There was also paperwork referencing MMA and Nevada. Jones' next fight, a title defense against Anthony Johnson, is scheduled for the main event of UFC 187 on May 23 in Las Vegas. The Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for Jones' arrest Monday afternoon. He was brought into custody Monday evening and booked. Jones made the $2,500 bail and was released a few hours later. He is scheduled to be arraigned 1:30 p.m. MT on Tuesday. The UFC has yet to determine whether Jones' fight with Johnson will go ahead.Arnold Schwarzenegger has told Hillary supporters that they need to “stop whining” about Donald Trump’s presidential victory. The former California governor told Matt Lauer on the Today show that the American public need to pull themselves together and unite as one nation. “Now he’s elected, and now it is very important that we all support the president, and that we all come together and we stop whining and it becomes one nation,” Schwarzenegger said. “When someone is elected, you get 100 percent behind and you help them.” Infowars.com reports: Although he opposed Trump during the election, stating in October that he would not back the Republican nominee for the “first time since I became a citizen in 1983,” the actor has said he always planned to respect the winner. Schwarzenegger is posed to take over Trump’s show, “Celebrity Apprentice,” and say the president-elect has no plans to remain involved. “He made it very clear that he has no interest in being involved,” Scharzenegger said. It is now my show; I’m the host; I’m the new boss; and I’m going to run this show.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQTztN8qHhQNew Smyrna Beach police believe a YouTube video documents a teenager's wild ride down State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach.Watch the videoThe driver is accused of causing two separate car crashes that wrecked four vehicles on Monday. Investigators believe the person behind the wheel is 18-year-old Robert Kelley IV.The car runs red lights, weaves in and out a traffic and drives on shoulders to get around other cars. Kelley allegedly hit one car before speeding off.The driver "travels about another half mile down the road and crashes into three more vehicles," said Master Sgt. Eugene Griffith. "Then tries to leave that scene also, but the vehicle was so disabled that he couldn't leave the scene of the crash."Kelley's car was mangled following the second crash, police said.Most watched video: Graduate fails at back flip on stage"He had to be extracted from his vehicle," Griffith said. "They had to cut him out of his vehicle."Kelley was airlifted to a hospital with head injuries. Three people in the other cars were taken for non-life-threatening injuries.WESH 2 went to Kelley's home and a woman there said he is out of the hospital and admitted to posting the video to YouTube. When asked why Kelley did so, though, the woman shut the door.Police said Kelley hasn't been arrested yet.Also see: Wash. family victims of'swatting' prank"Well, the day that the crashed happened he was actually airlifted to Halifax Medical Center," Griffith said. "We became aware of this video today and we just haven't had enough time to finish up our investigation yet."Police said the investigation is ongoing.Related: Florida mug shots New Smyrna Beach police believe a YouTube video documents a teenager's wild ride down State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach. Watch the video The driver is accused of causing two separate car crashes that wrecked four vehicles on Monday. Investigators believe the person behind the wheel is 18-year-old Robert Kelley IV. The car runs red lights, weaves in and out a traffic and drives on shoulders to get around other cars. Kelley allegedly hit one car before speeding off. The driver "travels about another half mile down the road and crashes into three more vehicles," said Master Sgt. Eugene Griffith. "Then tries to leave that scene also, but the vehicle was so disabled that he couldn't leave the scene of the crash." Kelley's car was mangled following the second crash, police said. Most watched video: Graduate fails at back flip on stage "He had to be extracted from his vehicle," Griffith said. "They had to cut him out of his vehicle." Kelley was airlifted to a hospital with head injuries. Three people in the other cars were taken for non-life-threatening injuries. WESH 2 went to Kelley's home and a woman there said he is out of the hospital and admitted to posting the video to YouTube. When asked why Kelley did so, though, the woman shut the door. Police said Kelley hasn't been arrested yet. Also see: Wash. family victims of'swatting' prank "Well, the day that the crashed happened he was actually airlifted to Halifax Medical Center," Griffith said. "We became aware of this video today and we just haven't had enough time to finish up our investigation yet." Police said the investigation is ongoing. Related: Florida mug shots AlertMeAfter 23 executive actions, Obama fails to address the problems he identifies. When President Obama announced Wednesday a slew of executive actions and proposed legislation related to gun control, he didn’t criticize the National Rifle Association by name. He did, however, make his feelings obvious. “Ask your member of Congress if they support universal background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands,” Obama said in his remarks. “Ask them if they support renewing a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And if they say no, ask them why not.” Advertisement Advertisement #ad#“Ask them,” he continued, “what’s more important — doing whatever it takes to get a A grade from the gun lobby that funds their campaigns, or giving parents some peace of mind when they drop their child off for first grade.” But that “gun lobby,” the NRA, has no plans to allow President Obama to control the debate. Advertisement Obama included an executive action that pushed for 1,000 school resource officers (armed security) at schools. But in an interview, NRA president David Keene was dismissive of the plan, characterizing it as a more of a gesture than a real effort to make America’s schools more secure. “It’s not enough,” Keene says of the 1,000 security guards. “What [Obama] talks about doing in terms of the violently mentally ill, they’re going to have a study, they’re not going to reform the mental-health-care system in this country. They’re not going to deal with school security. They’re going to throw a bone and a word in that direction, so they can pursue their real agenda, which is [undercutting] the Second Amendment.” Advertisement Keene also is skeptical of Obama’s decision to issue 23 executive actions. “A lot of them are an abuse of office. The president has tried to the extent that he can... to go around Congress, to do it through the back door by executive order or regulatory means whenever he’s been able to do so, and that’s what he’s doing here.” Can they be stopped? “Many of these so-called executive orders are going to require money for implementation, so ultimately there’s liable to be a vote on whether or not Congress is going to allow some of this to happen.” On the legislative front, Keene is cautiously optimistic about the odds that any of the president’s proposed legislative measures would not pass. “If we voted today, probably not, but you know you can’t make a bet when a president throws everything he’s got behind a piece of legislation,” he says. Advertisement Advertisement “All bets are off when they open the treasury,” he adds darkly, referring to bargains that can be made with senators and House members anxious to secure funding for pet projects, “but we’re fairly confident that reason’s going to prevail.” The NRA is frustrated, too, by the White House’s rhetoric. Obama, Keene says, has “demonized” both “gun owners in general and the National Rifle Association in particular.” “[Obama] said that those who are hunters, sportsman, or gun collectors or who own firearms for self-defense have nothing to worry about,” Keene comments. “Four million Americans own AR-15s. Those are hunters, sportsman, gun collectors, and people who are interested in self-defense.” According to Keene, Vice President Joe Biden has been trying to have it both ways, acting like he’s open to the NRA and then being dismissive in a meeting that included the group. Advertisement “Once we got into the meeting,” Keene says of a meeting that NRA director of public affairs Jim Baker attended earlier this month, “the vice president said, ‘Well, I don’t think it will surprise anybody that the president and I have very strong views on guns and we intend to pursue the measures that we think are necessary.’” “The meeting was for the simple purpose of saying, ‘Oh yeah, and we talked to the NRA too,’” Keene concludes, saying that the group had heard before the meeting that Biden remained open on questions of how to handle legislation on guns. That wasn’t the only frustration the NRA had at the meeting. Baker, Keene says, told Biden that in 2009, “77,000 people tried to get through the NICS system to illegally buy a firearm. That is a crime, and only 70 of them have been prosecuted.” But there wasn’t interest in changing the prosecution rates. Advertisement “And the attorney general [Eric Holder] interrupted and said, ‘We don’t have the time or the resources to be going after these people,’” Keene recounts. But there are apparently resources, Keene remarks, “to go after innocent gun owners.” Ultimately no harsh words from Obama or attempts to tarnish the NRA’s reputation are going to change the group’s stance. Advertisement “That is not the way in a civil society that you approach serious policymaking,” Keene says. “That’s the way you get into a political war, and if that’s what we’re in, that’s what we’re willing to fight.” — Katrina Trinko is an NRO reporter.The frontrunner in the presidential race is fighting a claim by Christian groups that she will lift the country’s abortion ban AFTER MONTHS of lukewarm campaigning by two uninspiring frontrunners, the political temperature is rising in Brazil’s presidential election ahead of Sunday’s climax, sparked by an increasingly nasty debate over the country’s ban on abortion. After falling just short of victory in a first round of polling, frontrunner Dilma Rousseff of the ruling Workers Party has suddenly found herself having to fight off an orchestrated campaign by Christian groups that she is a militant atheist determined to lift the ban. Abortion emerged as a major campaign issue after evangelical groups mounted an internet campaign calling on followers to vote for Green candidate Marina Silva, herself an evangelical opposed to abortion. Her surprise third-place showing with 20 per cent of the vote in the October 3rd first round is widely seen as having robbed Ms Rousseff of outright victory. Ahead of the vote, evangelical groups circulated videos on-line of pastors denouncing the former Marxist guerrilla over her past support for liberalising the law which only allows women to terminate pregnancies in cases of rape or risk to the health of the mother. Now ahead of the run-off round the main opposition candidate, Social Democrat José Serra, has sought to use the religious card in his effort to make up the 14 points by which he trailed Ms Rousseff in the first round. Himself a former student radical and a left-wing economist and not previously known for his religious convictions, Mr Serra has taken to prominently attending Mass on the campaign trail, kissing a crucifix before the media and telling voters “I want to defend the Brazilian family”. Polls show over 70 per cent of Brazilians support the abortion ban, even though it is estimated that one-in-five women have had an illegal abortion and around 300 die each year from botched procedures in backstreet clinics. When polls showed Mr Serra eating into her lead, Ms Rousseff sought to counter claims that she is out of step with what remains a religious society by herself attending Mass and claiming a brush last year with cancer brought her back “closer to God”. Asked why she did not receive communion she angrily told journalists that no-one had the right to question her religious convictions. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the hugely popular outgoing president whose backing is crucial to Ms Rousseff’s chances, ordered his protégée to abandon her previous stance favouring a liberalisation of the ban. Ms Rousseff subsequently published a letter to voters saying she was “personally against abortion and defend keeping the current legislation as it is”. “The second round is a direct confrontation between the two main political forces in the country so a stronger tone is expected. But the emergence of abortion as an issue has been surprising especially as it is not even within the president’s remit as only congress can make any changes to this law. The problem is abortion has overshadowed other important issues and the level of debate has been very poor in the second round,” says André Pereira César of the CAC political consultancy in Brasília. Latest polls show president Lula’s containment strategy working with Ms Rousseff’s support among Christian groups rising again and her overall lead back in double figures. This leaves Mr Serra with a mountain to climb as the campaign enters its final stretch. The abortion debate has poisoned the political climate with both sides now hurling increasingly personal accusations at each other. Two former ballet students of Mr Serra’s Chilean wife claimed she told them in 1992 that the couple had an abortion when Mr Serra was in exile in Chile, claims that have being widely circulated online by Ms Rousseff’s supporters. Earlier in the campaign Ms Serra called her husband’s opponent a “baby killer”. Mr Serra’s campaign dismissed the accusations about his wife as dirty tricks and he compared his opponents to Nazis after he was jostled by Workers Party militants during a walk-about in Rio de Janeiro. He claimed they struck him on the head during the confrontation which forced him to take refuge in a local pharmacy. The Workers Party released a video which it claimed showed Mr Serra was struck by nothing more than a ball of paper with president Lula accusing the opposition candidate of “lies” in order to drum up a new controversy. But Brazilian media said the Workers Party had doctored the video, cutting out the moment Mr Serra was struck by a second object. Adding to the increasingly acrid tone is an ongoing stream of accusations and counter accusations of corruption and spying by both sides with the media uncovering new cases of influence peddling and kickbacks both by a former aide to Ms Rousseff in the federal government and by a former Serra appointee in the state government of São Paulo.SAN FRANCISCO -- Hundreds of medical marijuana activists gathered on the steps of City Hall Tuesday to support California's multi-million dollar cannabis industry, under siege since the federal government launched an aggressive crackdown last fall. A handful of local legislators and cannabis patients addressed the heated crowd before marching down the street to the federal courthouse to address U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, who has championed anti-marijuana actions in the Bay Area. "We're patients, not criminals!" the protesters chanted, along with cries of "DEA, go away!" and "Fire Haag!" (SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS) "Today, we are all green," said San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu in a fiery speech. Chiu and fellow city supervisors who attended the event pledged to expedite the permitting process for local pot shops that have been forced to close and wish to reopen elsewhere. California's medical marijuana industry has been struggling since federal prosecutors began targeting dispensaries in October. More than 100 California busineses have been forced to shut down, and hundreds more have received threatening letters claiming their landlords could be jailed if they continue to operate. Five cannabis clubs in San Francisco have shuttered, leaving employees without work and patients without access to their medicine. Haag sent the same threatening letters to roughly a dozen more (some dispensaries won't go on the record as to whether they had received a warning). On Monday, federal authorities raided Oakland's world-famous Oaksterdam University and the home of its founder, Richard Lee, one of the state's most outspoken medical marijuana activists. The U.S. attorneys' actions mark a sharp departure from the Obama administration's 2009 Ogden Memo, which declared that prosecutions in states that have legalized the plant for medicinal purposes would not be a priority. Advocates argue the federal government should direct its energy elsewhere. "It's a total waste of federal resources," Stephanie Tucker, spokesperson for the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Task Force, told The Huffington Post. "They're attacking a peaceful, regulated community and it's wasting money. Shame on them." Though the drug remains illegal under federal law, California became the first state to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes when voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996. Studies have shown that California's medical marijuana industry generates upwards of $100 million in annual tax revenue. Haag has remained relatively mum on the issue, repeatedly citing dispensaries' proximities to schools and parks as justification for the crackdown. "I hope that those who believe marijuana stores should be left to operate without restriction can step back for a moment and understand that not everyone shares their point of view," she told HuffPost in a statement. "People are deeply troubled by the tremendous growth of the marijuana industry and its influence on their communities." But advocates said they believe Haag's argument thin. Cathy Smith, co-founder and manager of HopeNet, a dispensary in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood, told HuffPost that the neighborhood has become dramatically safer in the nine years since her business opened its doors. Crime has dropped significantly, largely due to the increased presence of lighting and surveillance cameras her store installed in order to adhere to the city's strict regulations surrounding cannabis clubs. "Nine years ago I wouldn't be open past 5 p.m. because I was worried about our female customers," Smith said. "Now we're open until 9. The neighborhood has improved that much." So much, in fact, that a few years ago, a private school opened around the corner. And now HopeNet's landlords have received their own threatening letter from Haag because of the shop's proximity to that school. "Haag says she can't tell the difference between a good club and a bad club," Smith said. "I'm here to show her the difference. We are the club that is different; there's no question about it." In addition to selling medical marijuana and related supplies, HopeNet offers a series of weekly community events, including a veterans' support group, a ladies' afternoon tea and various life skills workshops. "We like to think of ourselves as a family," Smith said. "We don't just sell pot here -- we help people." And the family is willing to fight. Supporters of Smith's business have sent hundreds of handwritten letters to Haag's office demanding she back off, and others have tried (unsuccessfully) to schedule in-person meetings. Similar to the HopeNet's community's outpouring of support, he actions of Haag and her counterparts have served to strengthen the ties of pot proponents across the Bay Area. "It's only emboldening us and bringing us together," said Tom Angell, spokesman for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a coalition of active and retired police officers, prosecutors and judges who actively speak out against the drug war. "People who used to compete in the marketplace are now standing shoulder to shoulder." Advocates have drawn the endorsements of a fair share of legislators, as well. California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-S.F.) recently introduced a measure that would establish uniform regulations for pot shops throughout the state based on San Francisco's strict and successful standards for operating dispensaries. On Monday, a coalition of lawmakers from five states penned an open letter to the Obama administration demanding an end to the crackdown. Meanwhile, as some San Francisco cannabis clubs close down, others plan to open. Last month, the planning commission approved three new dispensaries for the city's Excelsior district, and another opened in the Mission last week. Those targeted by federal authorities vow to defend their businesses and the industry until the end. "They can indict me any day. They can arrest me at any time," Lee said during Tuesday's rally. "One way or another, Oaksterdam will fight on." So will San Francisco. Take a look at images from Tuesday's demonstration below:LONDON (Reuters) - Some 300 demonstrators waving flags and "Free Palestine" banners staged a noisy protest in central London on Wednesday against the two-day visit to Britain this week of Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu. Minor scuffles with police broke out as they surged into the main road outside the Downing Street residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron who will hold talks with Netanyahu on Thursday morning. Already 107,000 people in Britain have signed an online petition for Netanyahu's arrest after last year's fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. "We're here because we feel that Netanyahu should pay for his war crimes," said 21-year-old student Marion Tehami. "We're here to protest and let him know that he's not welcome in our country." A short distance away in a separate cordoned off area, about 50 pro-Israel demonstrators waved the Israeli flag. Britain says visiting heads of state have immunity from legal process and thus cannot be arrested. In a statement, the government said on Tuesday: "We recognize that the conflict in Gaza last year took a terrible toll. "However the prime minister was clear on the UK’s recognition of Israel’s right to take proportionate action to defend itself, within the boundaries of international humanitarian law." More than 500 children were among the 2,100 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, who were killed in last year's conflict. Seventy-three Israelis, almost all soldiers, were killed. (Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Stephen Addison; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)Controversy over a documentary about bestiality has forced a Kelowna film festival to try and secure a new home on the eve of its scheduled opening. The Okanagan Film Festival International had been slated to start its four-day run on Thursday at Kelowna’s Paramount Theatre, which has hosted the festival for several years. But this year’s program includes the movie Donkey Love, a documentary about village life in remote parts of Colombia where men have sex with donkeys. It has screened at four film festivals around the world and won the best documentary award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. After local media reported on the film’s inclusion last week, outrage quickly spread over social media. "I’ve had the craziest week," said festival organizer Jeremy Heymen. "I honestly cannot believe it. This is so surreal to me, that a documentary would upset so many people. It blows my mind." Theatre refuses to screen film 'of that nature' Paramount Theatre manager Sarah McFernie said the theatre had yet to finalize an agreement to host this year’s festival when the theatre’s parent company, Landmark Cinemas, learned about the festival’s plans. "Now our theatre has other commitments it has to fulfill so we can’t play [the festival]," she said. "But our head office said that they would never agree to play that film, a film of that nature even, so it was the final straw." The decision left Heyman scrambling to find a new venue with a week to go or be forced to cancel the festival. He says he was approached by a group of students from UBC Okanagan, who asked him to move the festival to a theatre on the university’s Kelowna campus. Heyman said he hoped to finalize an agreement to do so by Wednesday afternoon. If he’s successful, the festival will be shortened by a day and start on Friday. Donkey Love remains on the program and its filmmaker, Daryl Stoneage, plans to be at the screening. He says the outrage over his movie is misplaced. "It seems a little bit much for a documentary," he said. "The film is a well made film, it’s a well researched film. We interview animal rights activists, police officers, lawyers, doctors, history professors, musicians. We even interview a guy who wrote a book on the topic. I think people are forgetting that this actually is a documentary."If you would like to download the full sized version consider becoming a all of my full sized and original files are on there for donators + more perks! This is Alternate History.The United Republics of South Africa are all neither republics nor united. The majority of the "Republics" are dictatorships, where as the rest are simply Kingdoms. The Union was formed as a result of British aggression upon the Boer peoples. With military aid from European nations such as Germany and Spain; the South African Republics successfully defended their liberty from the United Kingdom in the First South African War. Many new Republics sprung up after the war as mercenary groups bought lands from the indigenous populations. The Union was officially proclaimed in 1855 at the dawn of the First South African War. Now the Union struggles to keep it's unity as the Indigenous Kingdoms proclaim more autonomy from Potchefstroom. Zululand, Swaziland, and Natalia Republic grow more restless as greater numbers of Boers migrate into their lands. Ethnic tensions rise by the day. The arms industry keeps South Africa on the map for now; however such a large stockpile of arms might spark the powder keg.Notes:Took me longer than I thought, and I'm not sure I love the colour schemes but it's the best I could do.Artificial Intelligence, Ethically Speaking mark simmonds Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jul 24, 2017 Wikimedia Commons license “I’m Sorry Dave — I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Many readers will recognize that line from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001 — A Space Odyssey” a film in which the onboard computer, a HAL 9000, perceives an astronaut to be a threat to its “existence” and refuses to open the airlock to allow the crew member back into the ship. Other films like “Ex-Machina”, “i-Robot”, “Terminator” sow similar fears of Artificial Intelligence systems with cognitive capabilities taking control from humans, rendering us defenseless. Of course, there are also films that focus of on the positive aspects of AI such as “Bicentennial Man”. My view is that AI systems are increasingly necessary to augment what we do in our everyday lives — whether that means… … turning devices on or off, intelligently learning when and where to do so, … repeating mundane tasks, … giving us additional insights into human existence, or … guiding us toward better decisions … and beyond. So, why all the fear? Partly because there is so much misinformation and hype — and some people just like to sell fear, uncertainly and doubt (F.U.D.). And it’s true that there will always be people who seek to exploit technology to do bad things — the dark side v the light side (Star Wars fans). Nonetheless, hype is a valuable part of the technology lifecycle. It allows us to consider use cases (sometimes extreme) that were not initially considered relevant. What’s clear is that machine learning in all its forms is here to stay. It has established its place in the world and particularly in business — from detecting and identifying trends and patterns faster and more often than humans alone could ever achieve (while learning and become progressively smarter as they go) — to helping predict outcomes and taking action to prevent fraud — to slashing the time it takes to design advanced cancer treatment programs and health programs (see figure 1) — to anticipating terror attacks — to recognizing business opportunities that might last only a moment — to ridding processes of personal bias and prejudice. I believe that machine learning and AI systems have the potential to make our world a safer and better place. Figure 1 : Healthcare embraces AI and machine learning Even so, the ethical side of machine learning is increasingly called into question. The potential of machine learning and its application to all things AI means we need rules and controls — not to prevent progress but to help manage and control how and when progress occurs. Let’s walk through some scenarios. Machine Learning app envy What if machine learning algorithms are pitched against each other to win a battle, say a game of chess or other simulation? Not a big deal. An outcome could be defined as not losing to an opponent — establishing a win or at least a draw. But what if these machine learning systems were used in a war situation against each other? Human life, entire civilizations, and life itself are the stakes. Winning is this case could be defined as seeking an acceptable outcome while minimizing losses. That’s why we humans need to be careful to avoid delegating 100% authority to an AI system in such situations. Ending life vs. Saving life There’s general agreement that humans should have the final say where human life is concerned, but does that allow us to play “God” if an AI system demonstrates it can preserve life even though a human may believe it is best to end a life? While most humans would seek to preserve life, greed, personal bias, hate, jealousy can often be powerful dark forces that can be used to serve judgement. It is important that any decision involving an AI system must have an audit trail clearly showing a path to the outcome. After all, AI systems can learn from these outcomes also. Non-human life forms Moving beyond humans, nothing stops us from applying AI to animal behavior. We have performed enough animal psychology over the years to think we understand animals. Would an AI system be better at training an animal? Would it be ethical in man’s perceived superiority and domination over all other species to subject those species to AI? Again, we must consider under what circumstances AI can be used to make decisions over other life forms. Conscience and Compassion Today, limited by what we know of life, physics and computing, AI systems are just computer models and simulations of human behavior. Could a network of AI systems have a conscience — even though it may be simulated? My personal feelings are unique to my life experiences so what makes me happy or reduces me to tears is different from other humans. Emotions are chemical reactions. AI systems are not. But what if AI systems could apply cognitive actions and outcomes to a bank of human chemicals in a controlled environment to learn about emotion? It is conceivable that an AI system could therefore develop a conscience and even compassion. Big Religion Big Religion is a phrase I hear more and more as Big Data became an established term. It means looking at scriptures and religions with other sources of data, events and the tools of science. It scares a lot of people for the challenge it might pose to their belief systems. Some may fear that is also challenges the power and control associated with some religious establishments. Nonetheless this is happening today and can’t be stopped. Humans inevitably seek to more deeply understand the universe and world around us, challenging ourselves about what we perceive as the truth beyond our faith. Spanning cultural divides and value systems Diversity makes the world a fascinating place. It’s one of the reasons many of us decide to vacation in different parts of the world to experience other cultures, food, traditions, languages. In doing so we learn more about history, different belief and value systems. I wonder whether AI systems built within different cultures with different value systems will behave differently with those of other cultures. Consider a global AI system that encompasses/embraces all of this diversity and difference. What might be the global impact on world leaders
alerted his lawyers to protect the player from any harassing behavior by Milan. However, Milan cannot lose Donnarumma without having a serious economic return but it would be difficult for the Rossoneri to properly monetize from him. Milan would like to trigger an auction between those top European clubs willing to sign the keeper. Mino Raiola seems to be determined to bring him to Real Madrid though. Fassone could sale the player to PSG for €40 million unleashing Raiola’s fury. The Spanish sports newspapers AS and Marca are reporting an imminent agreement for the young Italian goalkeeper for a very reasonable fee or for free in 2018. The Blancos targeted Donnarumma also because Jose Mourinho set De Gea’s price-tag to €114 million. Even the bookmakers believe in Donnarumma’s imminent move to Real Madrid quoting it at 1,29 while the possibility that the player will remain at Milan is quoted 3,5. According to the bookmakers Juventus (7), PSG (17), and Manchester United (26) are not valid alternative for the Italian young star.After studying why the universe did not collapse during its birth, researchers are closer to finding a missing piece in the Standard Model of physics. Since the discovery of the Higgs particle – responsible for giving mass to all particles – at CERN in 2012, studies of its properties have thrown up a lot of questions. One of these is how the early universe survived. Higgs particles were produced during a phase when the universe was inflating, and theories suggested this should have led to instability and collapse. With future particle experiments and cosmological observations we can now have more of a focus. – Professor Arttu Rajantie Last year, a team of physicists including Imperial’s Professor Arttu Rajantie, discovered that the interaction between Higgs particles and gravity saved the universe from collapse. Now, by studying the period immediately after inflation, when the universe transitioned to a more steady expansion, the team have been able to pin down the strength of the interaction between Higgs particles and gravity. Their results are published today in the journal Physical Review Letters. The interaction between the Higgs and gravity forms the last unknown parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics, which scientists use to explain elementary particles and their interactions. Previous experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) had estimated the strength of the interaction to have a value between plus and minus one quadrillion (-1015 to 1015). But by studying the transition period after inflation, the team have now narrowed the value significantly, to between 0 and 1. From particles to the cosmos There are several theories of inflation that describe the very early universe, when expansion was accelerating very quickly. The new result applies to a wide range of theories, but further studies may also help researchers test which one is correct. “We have given a much smaller range for the strength of the interaction between Higgs particles and gravity,” said Professor Rajantie. “With future particle experiments and cosmological observations we can now have more of a focus – we know where to look to find the final number. Combining that with other data may reveal which theory of inflation is correct.” Several upcoming cosmological and particle experiments will provide further insights into the value of the interaction. The LHC has recently re-started at twice the energy as when it discovered the Higgs particle, and several cosmological observation studies will discover more about what happened during the early universe. These include studies of the cosmic microwave background radiation, a heat signature of the Big Bang, and studies of gravitational waves created by the intense warping of spacetime during the Big Bang. The LISA Pathfinder mission, launched earlier this month, will test the technology required to detect these gravitational waves and their signatures. - 'Spacetime curvature and Higgs stability after inflation' by M. Herranen, T. Markkanen, S. Nurmi and A. Rajantie is published in Physical Review Letters.By WizardCrab Craving something new at champ select? Get fed on these limited time bundles. They're flexible in cost, meaning the final bundle price will automatically adjust to reflect only what's new to your collection. The Bear Essentials bundle – 40% off at 2565 RP (4242 RP if champs needed) Get out of any grizzly situation with the bear necessities. Includes: Runeguard Volibear and Volibear Bear Cavalry Sejuani and Sejuani Panda Annie and Annie Panda Teemo and Teemo Masters of Malpractice bundle – 30% off at 2047 RP (3769 RP if champs needed) Does anybody remember where this squishy bit goes? Includes: Surgeon Shen and Shen Kennen M.D. and Kennen Nurse Akali and Akali Biker Boys bundle – 50% off at 1982 RP (3945 RP if champs needed) The baddest bikers in Runeterra roam the streets looking for trouble. You thought Mundo could go where he pleases? Includes: Vandal Jax and Jax Vandal Twitch and Twitch Vandal Brand and Brand Vandal Vladimir and Vladimir Vandal Gragas and Gragas Carry your carry bundle – 25% off at 3585 RP Supports are taking over in 2014! Carry your Marksman with this bundle. Includes: Thresh Zyra Nami Lulu Leona The jokes may be unbearable but these skins aren’t! They'll be on sale in the store from November 19th to November 26th.Earlier this week, we were treated to a man telling us, NASCAR has an “identity problem” for a website that carries the very name of this nation. To keep us on our toes, he made sure to misspell three of the NASCAR drivers’ names that he thought weren’t compelling enough, and therefore are creating this problem. I mean, nothing shows effort, thought, and understanding like a good misspelling or three. So Mr. Dawn Rindsorrrnurngfierhgud (I hope that is how you spell your name because I can’t be bothered to use Google right now), you’re wrong. See, NASCAR certainly has problems. It is no mystery that empty stands and declining TV ratings aren’t a mark of good health. But it would be misinformed to say, as a direct result, it has lost its identity. NASCAR does not have an identity problem, it has a niche problem. And this is where I think you just were using the wrong word. You even mention that the whole entertainment world is fighting an embarrassment of options. Anyone with a cellphone and an Internet connection can be considered an “entertainer,” which means that consumers only will continue to fragment and fracture into small niches of interest. How do I know this? Because it’s been happening for more than a decade. For example, let’s take a look at network TV shows. On May 6th, 2004, the TV show “Friends” would conclude in front of an audience of 65.9 million people on NBC, ranking fourth on the all-time list of most-watched scripted entertainment broadcasts in U.S. history. It also holds the distinction of the only scripted TV show to crack the top 10 in viewers past 1999. And in a rare stretch of coincidence, one year after the show about the endearing group of 20-something friends in NYC concluded, NASCAR would have what is considered to be its most-watched season in 2005. Since then, the network TV world has been picked, ripped and cable-bundled to a loosely recognizable version of its 2004-self. From the advent of cable channels flooding people’s homes to the revelation of a DVR that suddenly allowed people to choose when to watch their favorite programs. Now you have the on-demand and binge-TV of the Netflix, Amazon Primes, and Hulus of the world. The result in 2016 was the most-watched scripted network TV show was “The Big Bang Theory” at 19.9 million viewers — a far cry from the record-setting late ‘90s and early 2000’s. Oh, and even the live TV juggernaut of the NFL lost 9 percent of its viewership in 2016. We are living in a quickly changing media landscape, and we will be forced to accept “new normals.” No longer are many things, if anything, going to garner the interest of a massive section of the public. There just are too many choices. I know someone who thinks of Busch Beer as a metaphor for an outsized personality will struggle with what I am about to say. But the dominant age demographic in the United States, Millennials, are adopting to this new world of endless choice with open arms. Because of this, NASCAR needs to avoid anything that connects it to something else. It should not care if a football fan knows the name of its latest new star. Or if baseball fan Jenny from down the block puts Ryan Blaney posters on her wall. It actually should love it if they don’t. Because it is not football. It is not baseball. It is racing. The only fans to whom NASCAR should appeal, cater and pander? Racing fans. Because that is the niche, and it should aim to be the biggest, most beloved and well-known form within the racing niche. But how does NASCAR grow in this niche? By going to where racing fans already are. Like the dirt-track scene. There are thought to be more than 700 active dirt tracks in the country. Each Saturday night, they have crowds ranging from the low hundreds to thousands. Now for many reasons, the Cup Series can’t go to many of these tracks itself. But the drivers that end up becoming stars in the Cup Series can — and they can bring the fans from those tracks back to NASCAR. The poster child for catering to this niche? Kyle Larson. A Millennial who fought and clawed his way into victory lanes across the dry dirt of the Wild West, wheeling 800-plus horsepower monsters sideways — inches from concrete and metal walls — in front of thousands of adoring dirt fans. He took those skills and rose to the top rung of the American racing world, bringing many adoring fans in the process. And now when he simply could spend his weekday evenings drinking Captain and Diet Cokes, he makes sure his multimillion-dollar contract allows him to continue to race at these dusty speed bowls. Why? For the fans. Which is why he recently pleaded for the rest of his fellow NASCAR stars to do the same. Because the fans of these dirt tracks, short tracks and obscure forms of racing are whom NASCAR needs. NASCAR does not need to be shouting into a vast and ever-expanding void of the entertainment world, trying to impress anyone and everyone, looking for purpose or identity. That would be an entirely fruitless endeavor. It needs to be targeting and appealing to the niche of racing fans who are not yet paying attention to NASCAR. And a young, talented, drive-anything-anywhere driver such as Kyle Larson is just the man for the job.BANGKOK — The girls bunked three-deep in a run-down Best Value Inn room, each of them far from home and earning minimum wage at the McDonald’s franchise inside Pittsburgh International Airport. Jiratchaya Intarakhumwong and her friends — law, English and business students at some of Thailand’s most elite universities — had adopted an immigrant’s life. Jiratchaya would wake before the first light, don her McDonald’s uniform in cramped quarters and catch a shuttle bus to the airport. The morning shift began at 6 a.m. The days were long, the work was repetitive and customers sometimes grew impatient with her sparse English. But after her tour was over, she arrived back in Bangkok with a highly sought after bullet point on her resume: foreign work experience. This summer, thousands of young Thais will replicate Jiratchaya’s experience in America, piling into cheap hotels and apartments to work jobs often left to poor Americans and immigrants with few options. The Thai students, however, will actually pay for the privilege of frying burgers and bagging fries. This phenomenon is known as “work trah-VUHL” in Thai. It’s fueled by Bangkok’s upper-middle class families, who pay work travel agencies upwards of $3,000 — a small fortune in Thai currency — to arrange fast food jobs in America. And it’s a testament to Thai employers’ high regard for American work experience, even if that experience consists of ringing up Big Macs. “Most of us actually chose to work at McDonald’s,” said Jiratchaya, now a 22-year-old service representative at the deluxe Sofitel Hotel. “Employers will at least see that I could make it in America … and that I’ve got some language skills.” Most students take a financial loss and earn back only half — or less — of the cash they pay agencies. Agents set up work visas, job placements and sometimes plane tickets, but rarely rent or expenses. Still, Thai students often describe their fast food tours of duty in romantic terms, as a rite of passage and a rare opportunity to work and live among Americans. Bookstores devote whole shelves to “work travel” guides, which explain visa procedures and present images of young, happy Thais posing in their McDonald’s uniforms. The Thai-language book "Go Work, Go Study, Go Vacation in America: Don’t Think You Can’t" is part how-to guide, part memoir about a Bangkok college student’s stints at McDonald’s and Whattaburger franchises in the Florida panhandle. The author, known only as “Baeya,” explains in detail the concept of a “drive-thru,” her no-nonsense manager named “Diamond” and the persistent customers who tried to woo her. “We were all very excited,” she wrote of her first day at McDonald’s. “I tried to tell myself and all my friends that we don’t have to worry. Even if they scold us, we won’t understand anyway.” According to U.S. State Department figures, about 150,000 foreign students came to America in 2007 under J-1 visas, the signature visa “work travel” agencies must secure for their student clients. If foreign students can prove their enrollment in a university and a passable command of English, they’re given four months to work in America. McDonald’s headquarters isn’t aware of the chain’s popularity among Thai students, said Danya Proud, the company's senior manager of U.S. media relations. And the fast food behemoth doesn’t keep stats on foreign students since independent franchises do the hiring. In the highly competitive post-college job circuit, a stint abroad shows initiative. Even former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra once worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in the U.S. “When I was interviewed for my current job, my boss saw that I’m an active person,” said Wiphawee Phansiriphat, who spent the summer of 2007 at a McDonald’s in Mobile, Ala., before graduating from Bangkok’s Kasetsart University. She now handles guest relations at Bangkok’s four-star Amari Hotel. But not all Thai work travelers arrive in the U.S. they imagined. Many gravitate towards states offering the lower costs of living, far from the neon-lit America portrayed by Hollywood. “I chose Alabama because I heard it was cheap,” said Wiphawee, who paid an agency more than $3,300 for her plane ticket and McDonald’s placement. “But when I arrived, I saw Mobile and I thought, wow, maybe I was wrong about this.” Like Jiratchaya, she lived with three other roommates. Each day, she would leave her apartment to walk more than a mile in the Alabama heat to her McDonald’s branch. There, she ran the drive-thru and often struggled to decipher deep-south accents. (Their pronunciation of “syrup” was particularly daunting.) “At first, it was kind of exciting because I’d never been around so many ‘farangs,’” she said, using the Thai word for white-skinned foreigners. “But there was nothing to do in Mobile. Nowhere to go.” But neither Wiphawee nor Jiratchaya regret their work travel experience. Nor do many of their peers, who regard the American fast food crucible as a badge of honor — and a means of setting themselves apart in the post-college job search. “Honestly?” Jiratchaya said. “If I had money, I’d go back.” More by Patrick Winn: War games in paradise Fair and balanced in Bangkok? No Bangkok is sinkingA research has found that about 90 words of Punjabi dialect have not only proved effective in treating problems of lisping and stammering among children but have also been useful to accurately diagnose such disorder. The research could benefit a large population in Northern India and even Punjabi speaking population in Pakistan. Globally, an estimated more than 80 million people speak Punjabi. The repetitive practice of these identified words under medical supervision would help many overcome their problem of stammering and lisping, the research conducted by at the ENT department of prestigious Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh said. The technique, termed as Punjabi Articulation Test (PAT), has been coined by Dr Dharam Vir, the speech therapist at the department of ENT, PGI Chandigarh. The research started in 2005. Dr Vir said that the technique helped to examine the articulation errors of consonants on normal paediatrics population of Punjabi speaking children between the age of 8 and 10 years. Some of the commonly used Punjabi words that promise cure and diagnoses of lisping and stammering include Kauli (bowl), Kanak (wheat), Kabootar (pigeon), Makaan (house), Ladka (boy). There had been no credible technique until PAT to assess the prevalence of articulation errors and defects among the Panjabi speaking children and adult population, he stated. The doctor said that PAT helps to identify with some degree of precision the speech errors of the patients. Speech therapist also make use of these words for better cure and correction of speech disorders among children. The research was carried under Dr A K Gupta and Dr Naresh Panda at the department of Otolaryngology.Syria has been planting landmines along the country's border with Lebanon as Syrian refugees leave the country to escape the government's crackdown against protesters, reports the Associated Press. More than 5,000 Syrians have fled to Lebanon since the uprisings began in March, and the exodus of Syrians to both Lebanon and Turkey has been an embarrassment to Syrian President Bashar al Assad, reports the Associated Press. The mines have become the latest in a series of signs that Syria is working to prevent Lebanon from becoming a safe haven for the Syrian opposition. The move betrays Syria's increasing isolation in the region since the protests against Assad's regime began eight months ago. More from GlobalPost: Syrian president warns against western interference. However, according to a Syrian official, the anti-personnel mines are to prevent arms being smuggled into Syria. "Syria has undertaken many measures to control the borders, including planting mines," the official told the Associated Press. Syria borders five countries, with which it shares both religious and ethnic minorities. It is an ally to Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and Iran's Shiite theocracy. Recently, Turkey which was an ally, opened its border to anti-Assad activists and military rebels, reports the AFP. More from GlobalPost: Syria tries to rebrand its government.The film Eiga Crayon Shin-chan: Ora no Hikkoshi Monogatari ~Saboten Daishūgeki aired as part of the Doraemon Crayon Shin-chan Haru da! Eiga da! 3-jikan Anime Matsuri special on TV Asahi on Friday, April 1 at 7:35 p.m. and earned a 10.8% rating. The live-action TV adaptation of Nahoko Uehashi's Moribito novel series aired on NHK on Saturday, April 2 at 9:00 p.m. and earned a 7.1% rating. Title Station Date Time Length Average Household Rating Sazae-san Fuji TV April 3 (Sun) 18:30 30 min. 12.7 One Piece Fuji TV April 3 (Sun) 09:30 30 min. 10.0 Chibi Maruko-chan Fuji TV April 3 (Sun) 18:00 30 min. 9.4 Detective Conan NTV April 2 (Sat) 18:00 30 min. 9.1 Doraemon Crayon Shin-chan Haru da! Eiga da! 3-jikan Anime Matsuri Doraemon TV Asahi April 1 (Fri) 19:00 35 min. 8.8 Ace Attorney (First Episode) NTV April 2 (Sat) 17:30 30 min. 6.5 Dragon Ball Super Fuji TV April 3 (Sun) 09:00 30 min. 6.3 Yo-kai Watch TV Tokyo April 1 (Fri) 18:30 28 min. 4.4 Animation Hitsuji no Shaun (Shaun the Sheep) NHK-E April 2 (Sat) 09:00 20 min. 4.0 Animated O-saru no George (Curious George) NHK-E April 2 (Sat) 8:35 25 min. 3.5 Sources: Video Research (Kanto region) [Video Research does not directly post more ratings than what is listed here. Any purportedly additional data comes from unverified, anonymous sources.]The California Senate on Monday passed a controversial “sanctuary state” bill that bars local and state law enforcement from using their resources to help federal immigration enforcement. The 40-member body approved The 40-member body approved Senate Bill 54, introduced by Sen. President Pro Tem Kevin de León, on a 27-12, party-line vote. It now heads to the Assembly. “We are trying to make our communities safer and be intelligent about this,” de León said. “No rhetoric and no bluster.” Facing heavy opposition from law enforcement, the Senate leader accepted several amendments to the bill over the last month. One required the Board of Parole Hearings or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to notify the federal government up to 60 days before the release of an undocumented immigrant with a violent felony conviction. De León recently amended the bill again to include offenders convicted of serious felonies. The moves didn’t appease Senate Republicans. Several GOP lawmakers spoke out against the bill, saying cooperation with the federal government to deport violent and serious felony offenders doesn’t go far enough and excludes those convicted of human trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon and other crimes. Republican senators said the bill should include cooperation on the detention of all felons. “This bill is unsafe,” said Sen. Jeff Stone, R-Temecula. “This bill is unlawful. This bill is designed to make California a sanctuary for certain dangerous criminals.” Stone and others said the state may lose funding from the federal government if the Legislature passes SB 54. During a media briefing late last month, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the Justice Department will require compliance with immigration law for cities to receive grants through the During a media briefing late last month, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the Justice Department will require compliance with immigration law for cities to receive grants through the Office of Justice Programs Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, called the bill the “greatest threat to dreamers,” referring to young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Anderson said that without cooperation from local law enforcement agencies, the bill will force federal immigration officers into schools and neighborhoods to find undocumented felons. He warned that “dreamers” and other innocent immigrants may be rounded up and deported in the process. “This is a difficult, difficult issue,” Anderson said. “But this bill doesn’t solve it. It creates more problems. It puts more Californians at risk.” Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said the bill makes communities safer because immigrants will not be afraid to call police to report crimes in their neighborhoods. “This bill makes clear that California will not become an arm of ICE,” Wiener said. “That we will not allow our employees, our law enforcement from becoming de facto immigration officers.” De León introduced the bill as an urgency measure, which takes effect with the governor’s signature, and argued that it was necessary to protect scores of undocumented immigrants under imminent threat from the Trump administration. Urgency bills also require approval by two-thirds of the Legislature to pass. Despite Democrats’ two-thirds majority in the Senate and Assembly, last week de León stripped the bill of its urgency status. The move lowered the bar for passage but would delay its implementation until Jan. 1. “We don’t want to make any predictions about what will happen in the Assembly, wonderful colleagues who we will have to do our due diligence to,” de León said.The stranded crew of an empty container ship tied up in an international bankruptcy issue received a shipment of donated holiday cheer Tuesday, including a Christmas tree, a 20-kilogram pig and 90 kilograms of barbecue coals. Several maritime labour groups and members of Victoria's Filipino community gathered up more than a tonne of Christmas provisions for the 16-member crew of the 255-metre Hanjin Scarlet, anchored off Saturna Island, about 70 kilometres northeast of Victoria. "It's lonely," said sailor Romeo Cabacang from the Philippines. "But all the crew, we are very happy for the early Christmas gift. We are very happy." Cabacang, 40, who is married with two children in Manilla, said he's been on board the ship for 10 months, but doesn't know when that will change. "Nobody knows when we are going home," he said. "We don't have that information." The B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers' Union, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Victoria Filipino Canadian Association organized the care packages for the crew, some of whom have been stuck onboard the vessel for three and a half months after the shipping company Hanjin filed for bankruptcy in August. (Darryl Dyck/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Stuck at sea since August The South Korean and Filipino crew members have been technically homeless at sea since August, anchoring for months at a time outside Prince Rupert, Vancouver and the Southern Gulf Islands. They are being paid, but say they can't afford to leave the ship and their jobs. The ship's captain, Jaewon Lee from South Korea, said his crew is in good shape and is patiently awaiting the bankruptcy issues to be resolved. He said the crew is not going to shore because they need their rest and want to save money. "Everybody well. Nothing problem," Lee said in broken English. He added the ship has a solid Internet connection, which allows his crew to stay in touch with their families. Lee said he expects the crew to roast the pig on Christmas Eve. The sailors, dressed in bright orange coveralls and yellow work helmets, waved at the visitors and laughed loudly as they carried their cache of provisions to the top deck. The sailors cheered as the Christmas tree was packed up the steep, portable stairs that had been lowered from the ship's deck. The crew cheerfully helped unload the donated goods onto wood pallets which were then hoisted on deck with cargo nets and a crane. Crew members from South Korea and the Philippines hand off a bag of Christmas gifts that were donated by volunteers. (Darryl Dyck/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Gifts, drinks and special foods Steve Hnatko, who represents a Vancouver area shipping service, said the longshore workers, ferry workers and other maritime labour groups gathered donations and delivered the goods from Vancouver and Victoria. "When they came here they weren't expecting obviously to be here for the winter, so they didn't have a lot of warm clothes or anything else," he said. "That was one of their first requests, anything warm." Hnatko said the workers went a bit overboard, adding gifts, drinks and special foods. Jason Woods, a member of Vancouver's International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said the donations are a message of hope to the stranded crew. "The seventh largest shipping company in the world is bankrupt and these people here are the human cost," he said. Paul Fitzzaland is with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue crew on Salt Spring Island, who shuttled people and provisions to the Hanjin Scarlet throughout the day. "It's kind of sad to think that this big boat is just sitting in our backyard with people who are essentially trapped and have been out here for months. We've got the tools to be able to help, so we thought we would pitch," he said. Dozens of Hanjin container ships have been stranded in similar situations in waters around the world. Several ships were seized in California after unloading on behalf of creditors of the South Korean company. In September, Hanjin's lead creditor, Korea Development Bank, said it would offer a credit line worth millions to help the shipping company unload cargo that had been stranded offshore. Crew members set up a donated Christmas tree after volunteers delivered food, supplies and gifts to the stranded crew. (Darryl Dyck/THE CANADIAN PRESS) With files from Megan ThomasJon von Tetzchner, the internet pioneer behind the Opera and Vivaldi web browsers, has accused Google of abusing its internet dominance. Von Tetzchner's accusations comes just months after Google was fined €2.4bn by European Union anti-trust authorities for abusing its dominance of internet search in order to divert users to its own services ahead of rival companies'. In a no-pulled-punches blog post, Jon von Tetzchner speaks of how, despite developing a Chromium-based browser, he has to disguise the fact that he is not Chrome from Google Docs, and has even had his Google Adwords campaigns suspended for not being nice about Chrome. Two days after my thoughts were published... we found out that all the campaigns under our Google AdWords account were suspended - without prior warning "I had several interviews where I voiced concerns about the data gathering and ad targeting practices - in particular, those of Google and Facebook. They collect and aggregate far too much personal information from their users. "I see this as a very serious, democracy-threatening problem, as the vast targeting opportunities offered by Google and Facebook are not only good for very targeted marketing, but also for tailored propaganda. The idea of the Internet turning into a battlefield of propaganda is very far away from the ideal. "Two days after my thoughts were published in an article by Wired, we found out that all the campaigns under our Google AdWords account were suspended - without prior warning. Was this just a coincidence? Or was it deliberate, a way of sending us a message?" In exchange for being reinstated in Google's ad network, their in-house specialists dictated how we should arrange content on our own website and how we should communicate information Eventually, the issue was sort-of-resolved but in the most irritating of ways. "In exchange for being reinstated in Google's ad network, their in-house specialists dictated how we should arrange content on our own website and how we should communicate information to our users." Von Tetchzner continued: "A monopoly both in search and advertising, Google, unfortunately, shows that they are not able to resist the misuse of power. I am saddened by this makeover of a geeky, positive company into the bully they are in 2017. "I feel blocking competitors on thin reasoning lends credence to claims of their anti-competitive practices. It is also fair to say that Google is now in a position where regulation is needed. I sincerely hope that they'll get back to the straight and narrow." Google, unfortunately, shows that they are not able to resist the misuse of power - Jon von Tetchzner In addition to the conclusion of an antitrust investigation over Google Shopping, the company is also facing an investigation into its dominance of the mobile market through Android, which could mean an even bigger fine. The complaint comes despite the fact that Google helped Opera to take-off during the 2000s when Opera became the first browser to come with an integrated search function. Google helped bankroll the company by providing it with a cut of revenues from users using that search function to make Google searches, enabling Opera to profitably go free. Today, Chrome dominates web browsing around the world, despite the availability of a number of good alternatives. However, these days, Google is keen to persuade internet users to adopt its own Chrome web browser instead, alongside its own Android operating system in which it controls the apps that are downloaded. The company's dominance, and hard-nosed business tactics increasingly mark a return to the 'walled gardens' of America Online and Compuserve of the early internet.Judith Butler. Mother Jones recently reported a fascinating saga about a professor squatting in another professor’s Berkeley home after it was rented out on an academics-only house-sharing website. While teaching a semester abroad, Elizabeth Abel, an English professor at Berkeley, rented her home to David Peritz, a political-science professor at Sarah Lawrence, only to discover that he wasn’t planning to leave without a fight. The story has all the elements of a great niche drama: interdisciplinary feuding, legal battles, reflections on the sharing economy, strongly worded emails from noted scholars. By far, the best part of the saga is an email sent to Peritz by famed gender theorist and pop celebrity Judith Butler, one of Abel’s colleagues. Per Mother Jones, Butler was one of many within Abel’s circle who contacted Peritz to try and get him to leave, penning “two epic, eviscerating emails.” The first began: “I have recently become aware of your scurrilous behavior—effectively squatting in the home of my colleague, Elizabeth Abel. If you are not out of that apartment within five days time, I will write to every colleague in your field explaining the horrible scam you have committed.” A judge eventually got Peritz to move out, but not before Butler threatened to use every inch of her academic might to make his life a living hell. As she wrote in a second email, titled “your miscalculation”: “Please accept the fact that you have painted yourself into a corner, and that you have to leave promptly, and with an apology and a payment plan, in order to avoid any further destruction to your professional and personal world. Your itinerary of self-destruction is a stellar one.” Moral of the story: It’s good to have Judith Butler in your corner.Batman News was granted the opportunity to connect with writer Hope “Sun Hat” Larson and artist Chris “Top Hat” Wildgoose to find out a little more about their work together on the Batgirl series. We’re now 15 issues into this latest run and we’ve seen Barbara Gordon face some new challenges, but nothing like her new nemesis in the Red Queen. Batgirl definitely took a dark turn in issue no. 14 as a shadow from Babs’ past has begun toying with people’s lives in a mysterious game of vengeance. In this past week’s issue no. 15, things have turned darker still. If you’re a fan of grim plots, you probably want to pick this one up! As an added bonus, Dick Grayson (once Robin, now Nightwing) is also along for the ride–and possibly likewise embroiled in it just as deep as Babs. The two were kids together, but it’s clear from this storyline that their past was anything but child’s play. Advertisement We’re not going to spoil anything about the story here, but we did want to touch on aspects of the creative process, characterization, and other curiosities. __________________________________________________________________________________ Questions for Hope Larson Readers are very excited by the return of Dick Grayson to this book. Dick and Babs have a natural chemistry and share a lot of history. Do you find that makes it easier or harder to write them together? HOPE: It’s definitely easier for me to write characters who have a shared history. The two of them have such clearly-defined voices, it felt natural to write them, and writing them together was fun. There’s a playfulness to them; they’re always sparring and testing each other. Do you approach their relationship as crime-fighting colleagues, a flirtatious friendship, or genuine true love? I approach their relationship as all of the above: colleagues, flirtatious friends, and true love. They have too much history for what’s between them to be less than love. Does true love mean they’re destined to end up together and have babies? Not necessarily. But they absolutely love each other. While we’re on the subject, Babs has had quite the revolving door of flirtations throughout this run! Is that going to continue to be a trend for her or will she spend more time independent of male encumbrance? HOPE: I definitely see her taking a break from dating and spending some more time with her friends in the next little bit. There’s so much packed into this run that she hasn’t seen her girlfriends at all, and I miss them! Some of Babs’ most intense moments have been when she didn’t see eye to eye with Bruce—particularly with his propensity to shut people out. Any plans to make Bruce a stronger—even if physically absent—presence in the book? HOPE: Nothing planned at the moment! My whole run on the book has been about Babs doing her own thing, figuring out who she is. I’m not sure where Bruce fits into that. There have been a couple of times when we wrote him in briefly, but it didn’t feel right and we took him out. Who knows, though. We’ll see! In Batgirl and the Birds of Prey, Babs has embraced her identity as Oracle again. Should we expect to see ripples of that in Batgirl? You do an amazing job of balancing Batgirl’s many gifts: her keen mind, her tech, and her fighting skills: which part of her is your favorite to dig into? HOPE: I like writing fight scenes the most. I like the tech aspects of it (or, er, the pseudo-tech aspects of it), but they are so difficult to think up! Jim Gordon is one my personal favorite characters in the Gotham universe and I am always excited to see him. I especially enjoy his relationship with his headstrong daughter. How much more of Babs’ past will involve interactions with Dad and will we be getting actual father-daughter storylines in the future? How do you feel about Gordon being a presence in Babs’ life in this book? HOPE: Honestly, I wish I’d written more of him into this arc, but there was so little space left over after cramming two intertwined plotlines into each issue. I would love to write more of him soon. I’m also a huge fan of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. Now that we’ve met the Red Queen, are there other Looking Glass characters or concepts on the horizon? What kind of influence, if any, are you drawing from that classic story? HOPE: It’s pretty loose. Part of the challenge is that the Red
of gold from the New York Fed out of a scheduled 84 tons. High-ranking Merkel officials are tripping over themselves to tell the public that this is a good thing, but the public clearly are not buying it. They know that something is rotten in the state of Germany, and that rot goes back to the Fed. Hence the Monday demonstrations. Depending on whether you’re a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person, this is either great news or depressing news. It’s great insofar as there is a growing movement of concerned people across Europe that are identifying the real cause of the world’s economic problems: private central banking in general, and the Fed in particular. It’s depressing to think, however, that there is a larger and more active anti-Fed movement in Europe than there is in America itself. The wind has long since left the sails of the American End The Fed movement and the Campaign For Liberty has so far failed to continue Ron Paul’s legacy of opposition to the bank. The real question is: who is the American Lars Maehrholz and when will Monday demonstrations begin in Washington?We happy to welcome Flixxo in the growing family of AdEx partners. Flixxo is a solution that combines blockchain technology and the BitTorrent communications protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing. The platform will allow for content producers to distribute and monetize their video content through a p2p network. Flixxo users will be able to share their device resources in order to achieve a decentralized video-serving network while earning Flixx coins. Simultaneously, Flixxo will also function as a token, and as a wallet. The Flixxo team is extremely strong: they come from background in video streaming (Popcorn Time), RSK smart contracts, and AI & big datа, and that is just one of the prerequisites for the project’s success. Ivo Georgiev, our CEO, commented: “We are glad to partner with a platform that aims at revolutionizing the video on demand (VOD) industry. The AdEx team comes from a similar background developing the video entertainment hub Stremio, and VOD is close to our expertise, as well as to our hearts.” “We are convinced that this partnership will be a very fruitful one,” Georgiev added. “Our goal is to create a solution that is incredibly easy to use — so easy that even our moms would want to adopt it. By delivering such a platform, we will also be able to bring blockchain technology to a critical mass of end users, which is another benefit of Flixxo,” said Adrián Garelik, founder of Flixxo. “Our collaboration with AdEx will help us achieve our goals in a way that is beneficial for the both companies.” commented Garelik.Approximately one-third of the global population over 15 years of age smokes, despite the association of this activity with a higher incidence of many diseases including cancers and respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. In humans, 60-80% of nicotine that results from smoking is metabolized to cotinine2, principally by the genetically polymorphic CYP2A6 enzyme3,4. Three CYP2A6 alleles have been identified: the wild-type (CYP2A61) and two null, or inactive, alleles (CYP2A62 and CYP2A63)5. We considered that there would be an under-representation of individuals with impaired nicotine metabolism (carriers of null CYP2A6 alleles) in a tobacco-dependent population. Genotype frequencies for CYP2A6 alleles5 were quantified in three groups: a tobacco-dependent group (TD, n=164, 52% male) defined by DSM-IV and Fagerstrom criteria, an alcohol- and tobacco-dependent group (AT, n=80, 84% male), and a never-tobacco-dependent exposure control group who had each tried smoking but had never become dependent (NTD, n=184, 52% male). Subjects in all groups had no other psychoactive drug dependencies (DSM-IV criteria). We found that, among all dependent smokers (TD + AT), the frequency of individuals with impaired nicotine metabolism (carriers of 1 or 2 CYP2A6-null alleles) was lower than in the control group (12.3% versus 19.6%, P<0.04, chi-square; odds ratio=1.74, 95% confidence intervals 1.02-2.94; Fig. 1a). These data show that impaired nicotine metabolism protects a smoker against becoming dependent: in fact, even a single CYP2A6-null allele (that is, heterozygosity) is sufficient to significantly reduce the risk of tobacco-dependence. Figure 1: Effect of CYP2A6-null alleles on tobacco dependence. a, Percentage of individuals carrying CYP2A6-null alleles (1 or 2) in the never-tobacco-dependent exposure control group (NTD), and the combined tobacco-dependent (TD) and alcohol- and tobacco-dependent (AT) groups. b, Number of cigarettes smoked per week (mean = s.e.m.) within the TD group is lower for individuals carrying a CYP2A6-null allele. No significant difference in age between groups (P=0.05); WT/WT: CYP2A61/1; WT/mut: CYP2A61/2 + CYP2A61/*3. Full size image Dependent smokers adjust their smoking to maintain constant blood and brain nicotine concentrations6,7. Therefore we tested whether dependent smokers with impaired nicotine metabolism would need to smoke fewer cigarettes. Within the TD group, those heterozygous for CYP2A6-null alleles smoked significantly fewer cigarettes per week than smokers with two CYP2A6active alleles (129 versus 159 cigarettes per week; t-test P<0.02; Fig. 1b). These data suggest that CYP2A6-mediated nicotine metabolism is a significant determinant of the number of cigarettes consumed by dependent smokers and that heterozygosity in a single gene, the CYP2A6 gene, significantly decreases this complex drug-taking behaviour. Individuals carrying CYP2A6-null alleles may have a decreased risk of developing tobacco-related cancers8 and other medical complications because they have a decreased risk of becoming a smoker and, if they do become dependent, they smoke less than those without impaired nicotine metabolism. As tobacco smoke contains nitrosamines which can be activated to carcinogens by CYP2A6 (refs 9, 10), individuals who carry CYP2A6-null alleles may also be less efficient at activating tobacco-smoke procarcinogens to carcinogens. These three factors may explain why there could be a reduction in tobacco related cancers for carriers of CYP2A6-null alleles. CYP2A6 genotype may significantly affect nicotine levels from nicotine sources other than cigarettes, such as nicotine-replacement therapies (for example, patch, gum, spray). This may be of growing importance as such therapies are used increasingly for long-term maintenance against tobacco dependence and for treatment of other syndromes (such as Alzheimer's disease, Tourette's syndrome, ulcerative colitis). In addition, the protective effect of CYP2A6-null alleles against the risk of becoming tobacco-dependent and in decreasing consumption suggests that inhibiting this enzyme may be a new way to help prevent and treat tobacco smoking.President Trump’s decision to go before the U.N. and unmask himself as a belligerent interventionist dashed any remaining hopes that he would choose a substantively different course from his predecessors, says Gilbert Doctorow. By Gilbert Doctorow My political positions have very frequently been countercurrent. When American liberals were calling for Donald Trump’s head at the outset of his presidency, when Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi were preaching all-out obstructionism to thwart his policies, I was urging progressives to lay down their pitchforks and try to deal constructively with the new administration for the good of the nation. Now, in the past several weeks, in a belated show of bipartisanship, Democratic Party leaders have finally found a negotiating partner in Donald Trump, starting with a government funding bill and agreement to raise the national debt and extending to promises to protect the “Dreamers” in the sphere of immigration policy. More deals are said to be underway. In theory, that is all to the good. However, in the meantime, this President demonstrated fulsomely in his speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations that it is high time for him to go. And that is not because of his widely discussed volatility, impulsiveness and narcissism. It is because of his irremediable stupidity, primitivism and thuggery that are leading this country on a path to commit unspeakable horrors abroad. To be sure, Trump’s shocking debut at the U.N. comes as the culmination of a lengthy decline in civilized behavior by our national leaders over the past two decades. The swagger and bloated self-importance of George W. Bush were a preview although performed with less self-assuredness than Trump’s bluster. After 9/11 in 2001 but before the fateful invasion of Iraq in 2003, Bush would make one or another outrageous, lying statement about international affairs, such as the “weapons of mass destruction” he alleged were retained by Saddam Hussein. Then he would pause and look into the camera with hesitation, as if wondering whether his whoppers would be swallowed by the public. Satisfied that he had gotten away with it, he would resume his rant. That hint of self-doubt or fear of discovery disappeared over the years even as adversity on the battlefield underscored his fateful errors and even after the mismanaged economy spun apart in 2008. Bush limped to the end of his second term none the wiser. The Insouciant Obama Our far more intellectual President Barack Obama, with his term on the Harvard Law Review as seeming proof of mental and cultural distinction, never did learn to behave in a truly statesmanlike manner although he generally framed his actions in more refined rhetoric. From start to finish, Obama conducted himself with insouciance. His well-meaning arm over the shoulder of Queen Elizabeth, which the Brits saw as disrespect for court decorum, and his chewing gum while standing before the public eye were noted by mainstream commentators. But they never noted when he slipped beyond the occasional faux pas to openly insulting behavior towards leaders of important nations. One such case occurred when Obama stood by the side of Chinese President Xi in the White House Rose Garden for a press briefing, and said that he would be watching closely to see that the Chinese implemented the actions that had been agreed upon. Then there was Obama likening Putin to a misbehaving schoolboy, skulking at the back of the classroom. Or Obama’s description of the whole country, Russia, as a fading regional power that produced nothing that anyone wanted. This was gratuitously insulting and degrading behavior by the leader of the world’s mightiest country. But all of these verbal misdeeds of the recent past were nothing compared to what Donald Trump delivered on Tuesday during the 42-minute speech marking his debut before the U.N. General Assembly. Trump’s vicious remarks directed at Iran and Venezuela may have been in line with the “Axis of Evil” speeches of George W. Bush. But Trump’s threat to “totally destroy” North Korea, a country of 25 million people, if it so much as “threatened” the United States and its allies went beyond incivility. The name Adolf Hitler is often tossed about carelessly in American political discourse. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton applied the Hitler comparison to Russian President Vladimir Putin when she sought to vilify him in a way that U.S. presidents avoided even in the darkest days of the Cold War in describing Soviet leaders. (In Russia, which suffered the brunt of Hitler’s aggression in World War II, the Hitler insult is taken even more seriously than it is in the United States.) However, by threatening to annihilate an entire nation from the podium of the world’s greatest forum for peace-making, Trump cast himself as a modern-day Hitler. Those of us who once saw hope in Donald Trump’s promises of normalized relations with the world’s other nuclear superpower were initially confused and disappointed when he appointed U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who adopted run-of-the-mill neoconservative talking points, and also brought onboard military advisers with histories of supporting neocon policies, such as Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster. But now there is no room left for confusion or indulgence. No one can blame Mattis or Haley or McMaster. This time it was Trump himself who spoke outrageously, who delivered what some media outlets properly called a “tirade” and others, more timidly, spoke of as “bellicose.” Thought-Through Nonsense What marked this speech from the long series of uncontrolled, self-indulgent tweets on foreign and domestic affairs from this President was that it was a scripted speech in which every word had been weighed beforehand for its likely interpretation and public impact. It was the speech of a thug, the words of an aggressor. On the day of the speech, major U.S. media contented themselves with quoting Trump’s more remarkable statements, starting with his threat to annihilate North Korea and his schoolyard taunt calling Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man.” On day two, the editorial boards made more subtle observations. The New York Times, for example, allowed itself to point to the contradiction between Trump’s celebration of sovereign nation states — with their own traditions and practices — and his call for regime change with respect to the three states singled out as “rogues” supposedly threatening the world order In other words, Trump’s speech hinged on the notion that there should be “sovereignty” for countries that the United States favors and not for countries that the U.S. disfavors. The same fundamental contradiction was inherent in all U.S. foreign policy over the past 25 years, a case of some farm animals being more equal than other farm animals, as George Orwell observed in Animal Farm. However, with Trump’s predecessors, this ugly reality was masked by a stress on universal values, such as democracy promotion or protection of human rights. Trump opted for a self-contradictory definition of “sovereignty,” i.e., that it means the United States has the sovereign right to overthrow any government of its choosing and even to wipe out an entire population. Whether Trump knew it or not, he was attacking the very foundation of the United Nations which was formed in the ashes of World War II to prevent future wars of aggression, to move the world’s population away from the law of the jungle. Perhaps one could argue that at least Trump was being somewhat honest about the arrogance of U.S. power. He was pulling away the fig leaf of those nice-sounding phrases that had concealed Washington’s raw use of military power in support of the view that the U.S. should be the world’s judge, jury and executioner. But Trump also showed that he had deceived his followers who heard – and took heart from – his criticism of both Bush and Obama for their foreign interventionism and endless wars. In contrast to those promises, Trump’s U.N. speech revealed an even more aggressive interventionism combined with a crude and boastful bluster. Though Trump may have thought he was just tossing some more red meat to his “base,” he also disqualified himself in the eyes of many people who had hoped against hope that he might have meant what he said about respecting the sovereignty of other nations and would pull back U.S. military forces around the world. Trump’s shocking performance before the United Nations also has added fuel to the political engine seeking his removal from office, even if the suspicions about “collusion” with Russia during the 2016 election turn out to be bogus. Many thoughtful Americans will now say that the ends will justify almost any means. If that day comes, I wish Donald Trump a comfortable retirement on a bar stool at a Trump Tower lounge where he and his bombastic remarks belong. Gilbert Doctorow is an independent political analyst based in Brussels. His latest book Does Russia Have a Future? was published in August 2015. His forthcoming book Does the United States Have a Future? will be published in October 2017.By Cristan Williams 🔊 Listen to this article Upon completion of this series, this work will be released, in its entirety, as both an audio and ebook. Installment Preface Welcome to the fifth installment in this series on the rise and fall of Disco Sexology. Affirming therapeutic models offer a patient-therapist relationship wherein the patient’s gender isn’t problematized. This approach was recently criticized in a BBC documentary titled, Transgender Kids: Who Knows Best? wherein Dr. Zucker compared affirming models of care to buying dog food for kids engaging in anthropomorphic schoolyard play: “It is possible that kids who have a tendency to get obsessed or fixated on something may latch on to gender. Just because kids are saying something doesn’t necessarily mean you accept it, or that it’s true, or that it could be in the best interests of the child.” He later adds: “A four-year-old might say that he’s a dog – do you go out and buy dog food?” In this article, I interview a long-term recipient of Dr. Zucker’s treatment. In the previous installment, I interviewed the CAMH Medical Director, Dr. McKenzie. A response from McKenzie that I think is important to keep in mind as you read this article is the recognition that prior to the clinic’s post-Zucker restructuring, both clients and CAMH providers said that the clinic was slow in making appropriate referrals for services: McKenzie: One of the criticisms of the clinic was that sometimes we were slow to refer people to other support such as puberty blockers and other things. And so, some of the clinicians had basically said, “You know, we could have handled referrals faster.” So, when we’re looking at how to move forward, those are things that we really want to look at because they were saying that we were slower than other clinics to make referrals for services and so, moving forward, we want to make sure that we get that right. Here, it’s important to review what Dr. Zucker asserted to be best practices to investigators and compare these metrics against the reality of clinical practice under Zucker. For instance, on page 12 of the CAMH External Review, Dr. Zucker asserts: At age 15 “in adolescence, the most likely outcome is persistence of the [ G ender D ysphoria]. 75-80% would continue to have GD. The treatment would be social transition and biomedical treatment.” ender ysphoria]. 75-80% would continue to have GD. The treatment would be social transition and biomedical treatment.” “In response to questions about referral for hormone therapies, Dr. Zucker identified “[Physiologically] at Tanner stage 2, which can occur at a variety of ages. The bottom number is age 11. The Dutch tell us it improves bone density to use masculinising hormones but not facilitate full transition. Persistent gender/body dysphoria at puberty” would determine this referral.” However, compare the above asserted ethical practices to the reality identified in the CAMH Review: “The referral times for adolescents are too long for those of ages 14-16 years. They report that Dr. Zucker and the clinic referrals are ”too conservative” and refer for GnRH [puberty-blocking] hormones later than most other clinicians who refer to them…” – page 16 “Dr. Zucker has been described as “too conservative” by clinician and patient informants in terms of patient referral times and criteria of diagnosing readiness for referral for gender-affirming hormones.” – page 23 For the following interview, perhaps the most relevant CAMH Review finding comes from page 24: Chart review and colleague feedback suggested that there are delays to referral for gender-affirming hormones which could, for some clients, lead to irreversible physical consequences of natural puberty that either cannot be altered (e.g., height in an FTM youth or voice pitch in a MTF youth) or only through surgery (e.g, breast development in an FTM youth). This installment represents the second of five interviews I conducted with individuals intimately knowledgeable about the nuanced differences between Disco Sexology and affirmative care. Intro to the #DiscoSexology Series With the recent enthusiastic promotion of disco-era ideas about trans people and gender identity in general, the TransAdvocate felt that it would be important to release a comprehensive review of these ideas. In this series that will feature the tag #DiscoSexology, the TransAdvocate will review the fomentation of these gender postulations into an axiomatic body of circular logic, how this circular logic was and continues to be vigorously promoted and defended, regardless of the cost to it research subjects: children and even infants. Moreover, this series will trace the rise and fall of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) gender program as envisioned by Disco Sexologists, featuring full-length interviews with the clinical director of CAMH and a long-term survivor of Dr. Zucker’s specialized treatment. Other interviews include: An interview with a Radical Feminist pioneer in affirmative care for trans people. An interview with the co-author of the SAMHSA’s repudiation of reparative therapy and co-founder of Gender Infinity. An interview with the author of the groundbreaking book, The Last Time I Wore A Dress: A Memoir. An interview with a sexologist who dared question the gender postulations of Dr. Money and paid the price. Along the way, this article will provide first-hand accounts of a presentation in which Drs. Zucker and Green presented back-to-back arguments against laws banning conversion therapy, as well as a comprehensive review of the uncritical media exposure disco-era gender ontology currently enjoys. Five Pieces of Jargon Throughout this article, I use certain jargon to conceptualize #DiscoSexology in a way that reveals rather than obscures some truths about its nature. Therefore, I’ve included this short review of the five concepts I use in this series: Opinion Leader: A group or individual that has the power to shape wider opinions. A group or individual that has the power to shape wider opinions. Ontology: Should one say, “think outside the box!” ontology is the box. In this article, “ontology” refers to institutionalized postulations concerning what it means to be trans. Should one say, “think outside the box!” ontology is the box. In this article, “ontology” refers to institutionalized postulations concerning what it means to be trans. Power-Knowledge: Power created by and conferred through a knowledge-base/ontology. Power created by and conferred through a knowledge-base/ontology. Governmentality: State-level power to modulate conduct using power-knowledge. State-level power to modulate conduct using power-knowledge. Iatrogenic: Harm inadvertently caused by medical or psychological treatment. Note: A review of terms used within trans discourse is located here. Show more Show less A Conversation with Zucker’s Patient, Erika Muse While reviewing the attention Disco Sexology-supporters generated in Canadian, American, and British web, radio, print, and broadcast media, the most glaring deficiency in the (oftentimes pro-Dr. Zucker) reporting was a lack of representation from the long-term patient. While numerous journalists, bloggers, and social media users were happy to assert their varied opinions about Zucker and his methodologies, the one thing often missing was from these conversations was representation from those who spent numerous years undergoing Zucker’s treatment. What follows is an interview I conducted with a long-term recipient of Zucker’s therapy, Erika Muse. Cristan Williams: Would you please specify the approximate date you first went to CAMH for your intake? Do you remember specifics like, which doctors you saw? Did you only see Dr. Zucker or did you see other professionals as well? Erika Muse: I don’t recall the specific date, though I think my mother would have that information. This would have been in the middle of the 2000s. I came out in 2004 or 2005. Somewhere in there, I think? I don’t have the exact date, but I do know that I saw Zucker the first time I went to the clinic. I do know that there was another person there who was maybe a psychiatrist. I don’t know her name. She was a woman with blond hair. The only other people I ever saw there was like a nurse or secretary. But that first day, besides Zucker and the psychiatrist, it was just me and my mother. Williams: I interviewed the CAMH medical director and he was able to talk about his vision for CAMH going forward, so I’m not very familiar with what the CAMH intake process was in the past. Would you please walk me through that? Muse: Sure. I came out and I spoke to my mother first. She was amazing. Williams: How old were you at that time? Muse: I would have been about 15 or 16. I would have been in the 11th grade. So, I came out to my mother and she was fairly accepting. She didn’t really know what [being transgender] was; she was worried for me, but her response was like, “You’re making this out to be a big thing and I’m just glad that you’re okay.” At the time, I had already been seeing a different therapist and so we went to go see that therapist first and they were like, “Oh, okay. That makes sense. That’s the missing piece of the puzzle of what’s up with you.” She wasn’t really familiar with trans care herself, but she was accepting of me and wanted to help me work through what I needed to. The reason she wasn’t really familiar with trans stuff is that CAMH was treated as a clearinghouse for anybody with gender issues here in Ontario. My therapist sent me to a local endocrinologist but they said, “No, we won’t treat you without a referral from CAMH.” So, I specifically had to go to CAMH to get care. Because Ontario has a public health system, and because I could not afford private healthcare, I had to go with the public health system. The public health system was set up in such a way that if you wanted trans care, you had to go to CAMH. So, that’s the way the system was set up and that’s why I was sent to him. When I went to go see Zucker, it wasn’t like I was just going there saying, “Hey, I have gender issues.” I was specifically going there saying, “Hey, I know what’s going on with me and I specifically want hormones and to transition.” Williams: So, after the referral was made, and CAMH did an intake, and you had your initial visit, would you describe what that experience was like for you? Muse: That first visit was basically going over my family and personal history. We talked about who my last therapist was and what we talked about. We talked about what was going on with my family. For example, my father died in 2000, so we talked about how that was for the family. The thing that I remember was that Zucker specifically wanted to talk to my mother. She told me that Zucker focused on the death of my father with her and how not having him around might have affected me; you know, lack of a father figure stuff, you know? There were also questions like, “Has your child ever dressed in girl’s clothing” and like, “Does your child like to play with girl’s toys”. My mom was like, “I don’t know. She’s just recently come out to me.” They had questionnaires they made me fill out, there was a set of extremely private questions about my sexuality and my sexual fantasies. They wanted me to go into as much detail as possible about that. I remember I asked Zucker where the washroom was and Zucker asked me, “Well, which one do you think you should use?” In this very commanding way, demanding that I give him this important answer, if that makes sense? It was kind of like it was meant to be a test. The entire intake process was a series of appointments, not just one appointment. I went back two or three times after that and then, after all, that was when I started going to direct therapy sessions with Zucker himself. Williams: What was your therapy sessions with Dr. Zucker like? Muse: He started off his sessions very personably. Dr. Zucker, face-to-face he’s a very nice man. He’s warm, he says hello when he sees you, he smiles, he asks nice questions like, “How are you doing?” and “How’s your family?” and he would ask if you’d like tea or coffee. I mean, he would say things that are very nice. He wasn’t… I mean, he wasn’t the kind of person to get angry. He’s very academic. So, he had this personality where he was either kind of warm or he was kind of the absent professor, if that makes sense? But at the same time, meetings with him were kind of like a sparring match. It’s like I felt like I needed to… I mean, he’d ask these probing questions trying to break down why I was thinking that I was trans. He would keep attacking the idea of me being trans in these different ways; he’d keep trying to break me down, you know? I would come out feeling destroyed or taken down or something. Anytime I walked out of a meeting with Dr. Zucker, I just felt completely destroyed. I mean, I’ve had great therapeutic sessions [with other therapists] where you walk out of the session feeling like you made a breakthrough. You may not be feeling great, but you feel like you did some work and made some progress. Williams: So, I guess what I hear you saying is that Zucker’s therapy wasn’t aggressive in that he was belligerent; I hear you saying that he was aggressive in that his therapy was constantly challenging your experience of self. In other words, are you saying that your therapy sessions were situated around you defending, qualifying, and proving your trans experience to his satisfaction? Muse: Yes. You’ve got it pretty much down to a T. He would chip away at things. One thing that maybe made it harder for me was that when I came out to my mother, my mother was like, “Well, I don’t really know anything about this trans stuff, but I think we should do some learning.” So, she took me to the university library where she was a student and we checked out a bunch of books on feminism, so between the time I came out and the time I saw Dr. Zucker, I’d given myself a crash course in queer theory and so that made our sessions difficult. He would be like, “Well, you want to be a girl so that means you want to wear dresses, right?” and I’m like, “Well, maybe if I just wanted to, but I don’t need to because that’s not what makes a woman.” Williams: How long did you receive Dr. Zucker’s brand of gender therapy? Muse: I saw him for, I would estimate about… I think it would have been about 7 or 8 years. Williams: Did he at some point approve you for hormones? Muse: He eventually did. From the beginning, I was clear that I was there to be able to get hormones and surgery; these are my goals, this is what I want to work towards. I mean, on top of that I would bring up specific things about my gender that I wanted to work on, but he’d never interact with that. For example, part of my gender dysphoria manifested in that I couldn’t stand to look at my face; looking in the mirror was just hard for me. But for stuff like that, he just didn’t have any real options for helping me with that. He just said stuff like, “Well, maybe you should try looking at yourself harder or more and see if you can desensitize yourself.” He wasn’t offering concrete options for transition. When it was time for me to go off to university, I asked him how we could start working on me going to school as Erika instead of my deadname and he never responded to that, for example. Instead, during my last session before university came around, he actually suggested, you know, “Well, maybe university will get you out of your shell and you’ll be more active.” He was very focused on that in high school I didn’t do a lot of socialization. I mean, you know, I’m like, “Hey, I’m trans and puberty sucks and maybe I’d be a more active person if I could transition but as it is, I just want to lay in bed and cry all the time.” Williams: Did he ever talk to you about puberty blockers? Muse: Nope. He never did. Williams: [Gasp] Oh… wow. Muse: I’ll have more to say about that in a minute. The thing was that he was really concentrated on the fact that I wasn’t very social in high school and that I wasn’t sexually active. I got the feeling that he thought that my not being sexually or romantically involved or very social in general was the thing that was causing my gender dysphoria and that fixing that would fix my trans issues. Williams: So, he was saying that maybe if you date or find a girlfriend or boyfriend then you wouldn’t be trans? Muse: I won’t say that he ever explicitly said that to me, but that was definitely how it felt. I felt that he thought that there were always these other issues and if these other issues were taken care of, then I wouldn’t be trans. That was his deal; I supposedly had these other issues and if I could fix these other issues in my life fixed then I’d be perfectly fine. When I went to see him for my last session before university, it was like, “Go off to university, get socially active, do more things, and get out of your shell, and see how that goes and you’ll probably be fixed and I don’t want to see you again.” So, I went off to university and holy crap did I get socially involved! I joined a bunch of activist groups and ran myself ragged. But, I actually had a good year at university, but dysphoria was still a problem and depression was still a problem. I didn’t finish some of my assignments because I was in be in bed dysphoric and depressed. So, I went back to [Zucker] again and we basically started off where we were before. I was like, “Okay, I tried these things and the problems I came to you about wasn’t solved.” The way things worked with him is that he was like, “Do this, and this, and then do that.” Williams: He would set up various hoops that you would jump through and then he would just present yet another hoop? Muse: Yup. And so, I would go back and see him and I would jump through more hoops and throughout the rest of my time at university, basically what would happen was that I would go and see him and I would feel sufficiently destroyed, dysphoric, and depressed from either one or a handful of sessions and I would just fall into another depressive period. I would eventually get to the point where I could overcome the depression and want to set my life in order –deal with my gender issues– and then I would go back and see him again and the cycle would start again. Williams: To be clear: he never mentioned to you or your parents that there’s this thing called puberty blockers? Muse: No. He never mentioned puberty blockers. Williams: Good god. Muse: No. He never did. I mean, when I was going to classes it was as Erika, using female pronouns, and wearing girl’s shirts and pants, but that didn’t seem to count as a “real life test”. I mean, towards the end of the process, as a now 22-year-old, almost 23-year-old adult, he did finally give me a prescription for hormones. He gave me anti-androgens and after I completed what he considered to be a “real life test”… I mean, I came to him and said that “I have a boyfriend now,” and it seemed like after I said that, that somehow changed things for him. Maybe something like I’ve proven that I’m confident enough in my identity that I have a boyfriend, you know? After I told him that I was in this relationship as Erika and that my partner knew that I was trans, I just remember Zucker hammering on that; he’d go back to it again, and again, and again. He would keep asking, “Are you sure he’s okay with it?” and “Are you sure he doesn’t think that you’re a gay man?” Williams: Wait… So, now you’re 22, almost 23 years old, you’re finally on androgen blockers, prove to him that you can have a boyfriend, and then he challenges you to prove to him that your boyfriend is your boyfriend in a heterosexual context and not that you are two men in a homosexual relationship? He pushed back against the notion that you’re female and he’s male and that this wasn’t a gay relationship and when you stood your ground, then, at almost 23, he finally prescribed you female hormones? Muse: Yes. After that, he made sure that I did this real-life trial [sic], and then we had one last session in 2013 and that was when he approved me to start taking estrogen. Williams: So, to make sure I’m understanding the process you went through, I want to contrast Zucker’s therapy with some contemporary therapeutic approaches of therapists I know. For youth, they do something called “watchful waiting” and they talk with the child about what they’re going through and how they’re doing. They talk about how to manage disapproval from peers and working with feelings in general. They check in with the kids to find out if they’re feeling good or are scared; in short, their therapeutic model is sometimes called an “affirming model” so that by Tanner Stage II of puberty, they are given the option of putting puberty on pause with puberty blockers. That is, not estrogen or testosterone treatment, but medications that can put puberty on pause in a way that puberty can be un-paused later on. They are also supportive of a child’s constantly, insistently, and persistently expressed gender without trying to make them conform to any gender standard. Now, contrast that with Dr. Zucker’s approach and it seems like Zucker’s approach was that he positioned himself as a hoop master, that his job was to challenge your constantly, insistently, and persistently expressed gender and, in some sense, interrogate that subjective experience of self so that it’s his job to question and challenge any certainty you might have about your gender. Jesus, I mean, you didn’t even get puberty blockers until you were in your twenties! Muse: Yup. Yes. You’ve got it correct. Now, about puberty blockers… I need to tell you this. So, he definitely knew I was going through puberty. I know this because every time I would go to his
the Quran. Though some more traditional Muslims may keep quiet about their vegetarian diet, the number of vegetarian Muslims is increasing.[178][179] Vegetarianism has been practiced by some influential Muslims including the Iraqi theologian, female mystic and poet Rabia of Basra, who died in the year 801, and the Sri Lankan Sufi master Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, who established The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship of North America in Philadelphia. The former Indian president Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was also famously a vegetarian.[180] In January 1996, The International Vegetarian Union announced the formation of the Muslim Vegetarian/Vegan Society.[181] Many non-vegetarian Muslims will select vegetarian (or seafood) options when dining in non-halal restaurants. However, this is a matter of not having the right kind of meat rather than preferring not to eat meat on the whole.[179] Jainism [ edit ] The food choices of Jains are based on the value of Ahimsa (non-violence) Followers of Jainism believe that all living organisms whether they are micro-organism are living and have a soul, and have one or more senses out of five senses and they go to great lengths to minimise any harm to any living organism. Most Jains are lacto-vegetarians but more devout Jains do not eat root vegetables because they believe that root vegetables contain a lot more micro-organisms as compared to other vegetables, and that, by eating them, violence of these micro-organisms is inevitable. So they focus on eating beans and fruits, whose cultivation do not involve killing of a lot of micro-organisms. No products obtained from dead animals are allowed, because when a living beings dies, a lot of micro-organisms (called as decomposers) will reproduce in the body which decomposes the body, and in eating the dead bodies, violence of decomposers is inevitable. Jain monks usually do a lot of fasting, and when they knew through spiritual powers that their life is very little, they start fasting until death.[182][183] Some particularly dedicated individuals are fruitarians.[184] Honey is forbidden, because honey is the regurgitation of nectar by bees [185] and may also contain eggs, excreta and dead bees. Some Jains do not consume plant parts that grow underground such as roots and bulbs, because the plants themselves and tiny animals may be killed when the plants are pulled up.[186] Judaism [ edit ] While classical Jewish law neither requires nor prohibits the consumption of meat, Jewish vegetarians often cite Jewish principles regarding animal welfare, environmental ethics, moral character, and health as reasons for adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.[187][188] A number of medieval rabbis (e.g., Joseph Albo and Isaac Arama) regard vegetarianism as a moral ideal because the slaughter of animals might cause the individual who performs such acts to develop negative character traits. Many modern rabbis, by contrast, advocate vegetarianism or veganism primarily because of concerns about animal welfare, especially in light of the traditional prohibition on causing unnecessary "pain to living creatures" (tza'ar ba'alei hayyim).[189] According to Genesis, consumption of meat was prohibited to human beings (1:29-30) though Noah was given permission to consume meat after the Great Flood. Some advocates of Jewish vegetarianism, such as Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, describe vegetarianism as an eschatological ideal to which all human beings must eventually return.[190] A number of Jewish vegetarian groups and activists promote such ideas and believe that the halakhic permission to eat meat is a temporary leniency for those who are not ready yet to accept the vegetarian diet.[191] For some commentators, such as Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz, the complexity of the laws of sacrifice and slaughter (shechita) was intended to discourage the consumption of meat and make it less painful for the animals.[192] Jewish vegetarianism and veganism have become especially popular among Israeli Jews. In 2016, Israel was described as "the most vegan country on Earth", as five percent of its population eschewed all animal products.[193] Interest in veganism has grown among both non-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews in Israel.[194] Rastafari [ edit ] Within the Afro-Caribbean community, a minority are Rastafari and follow the dietary regulations with varying degrees of strictness. The most orthodox eat only "Ital" or natural foods, in which the matching of herbs or spices with vegetables is the result of long tradition originating from the African ancestry and cultural heritage of Rastafari.[195] "Ital", which is derived from the word vital, means essential to human existence. Ital cooking in its strictest form prohibits the use of salt, meat (especially pork), preservatives, colorings, flavorings and anything artificial.[196] Most Rastafari are vegetarian.[197] Sikhism [ edit ] At the Sikh langar, all people eat a vegetarian meal as equals. The tenets of Sikhism do not advocate a particular stance on either vegetarianism or the consumption of meat,[198][199][200][201] but leave the decision of diet to the individual.[202] The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, however, prohibited "Amritdhari" Sikhs, or those that follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Official Sikh Code of Conduct)[203] from eating Kutha meat, or meat which has been obtained from animals which have been killed in a ritualistic way. This is understood to have been for the political reason of maintaining independence from the then-new Muslim hegemony, as Muslims largely adhere to the ritualistic halal diet.[198][202] "Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g. Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Damdami Taksal, Namdhari[204] and Rarionwalay,[205] etc.) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs (though they do consume and encourage the consumption of milk, butter and cheese).[206] This vegetarian stance has been traced back to the times of the British Raj, with the advent of many new Vaishnava converts.[202] In response to the varying views on diet throughout the Sikh population, Sikh Gurus have sought to clarify the Sikh view on diet, stressing their preference only for simplicity of diet. Guru Nanak said that over-consumption of food (Lobh, Greed) involves a drain on the Earth's resources and thus on life.[207][208] Passages from the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book of Sikhs, also known as the Adi Granth) say that it is "foolish" to argue for the superiority of animal life, because though all life is related, only human life carries more importance: "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. Who can define what is meat and what is not meat? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian?"[202] The Sikh langar, or free temple meal, is largely lacto-vegetarian, though this is understood to be a result of efforts to present a meal that is respectful of the diets of any person who would wish to dine, rather than out of dogma.[201][202] Environment and diet [ edit ] Environmental vegetarianism is based on the concern that the production of meat and animal products for mass consumption, especially through factory farming, is environmentally unsustainable. According to a 2006 United Nations initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contribute on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. The initiative concluded that "the livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."[209] In addition, animal agriculture is a large source of greenhouse gases. According to a 2006 report it is responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as estimated in 100-year CO 2 equivalents. Livestock sources (including enteric fermentation and manure) account for about 3.1 percent of US anthropogenic GHG emissions expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents.[210] This EPA estimate is based on methodologies agreed to by the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC, with 100-year global warming potentials from the IPCC Second Assessment Report used in estimating GHG emissions as carbon dioxide equivalents. Meat produced in a laboratory (called in vitro meat) may be more environmentally sustainable than regularly produced meat.[211] Reactions of vegetarians vary.[212] Rearing a relatively small number of grazing animals can be beneficial, as the Food Climate Research Network at Surrey University reports: "A little bit of livestock production is probably a good thing for the environment.[213] In May 2009, Ghent, Belgium, was reported to be "the first [city] in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week" for environmental reasons, when local authorities decided to implement a "weekly meatless day". Civil servants would eat vegetarian meals one day per week, in recognition of the United Nations' report. Posters were put up by local authorities to encourage the population to take part on vegetarian days, and "veggie street maps" were printed to highlight vegetarian restaurants. In September 2009, schools in Ghent are due to have a weekly veggiedag ("vegetarian day") too.[214] Public opinion and acceptance of meat-free food is expected to be more successful if its descriptive words focus less on the health aspects and more on the flavor.[215] Labor conditions and diet [ edit ] Some groups, such as PETA, promote vegetarianism as a way to offset poor treatment and working conditions of workers in the contemporary meat industry.[216] These groups cite studies showing the psychological damage caused by working in the meat industry, especially in factory and industrialised settings, and argue that the meat industry violates its labourers' human rights by assigning difficult and distressing tasks without adequate counselling, training and debriefing.[217][218][219] However, the working conditions of agricultural workers as a whole, particularly non-permanent workers, remain poor and well below conditions prevailing in other economic sectors.[220] Accidents, including pesticide poisoning, among farmers and plantation workers contribute to increased health risks, including increased mortality.[221] According to the International Labour Organization, agriculture is one of the three most dangerous jobs in the world.[222] Economics and diet [ edit ] Similar to environmental vegetarianism is the concept of economic vegetarianism. An economic vegetarian is someone who practices vegetarianism from either the philosophical viewpoint concerning issues such as public health and curbing world starvation, the belief that the consumption of meat is economically unsound, part of a conscious simple living strategy or just out of necessity. According to the Worldwatch Institute, "Massive reductions in meat consumption in industrial nations will ease their health care burden while improving public health; declining livestock herds will take pressure off rangelands and grainlands, allowing the agricultural resource base to rejuvenate. As populations grow, lowering meat consumption worldwide will allow more efficient use of declining per capita land and water resources, while at the same time making grain more affordable to the world's chronically hungry."[223] Demographics [ edit ] Prejudice researcher Gordon Hodson observes that vegetarians and vegans frequently face discrimination where eating meat is held as a cultural norm.[224] Gender [ edit ] A 1992 market research study conducted by the Yankelovich research organisation concluded that "of the 12.4 million people [in the US] who call themselves vegetarian, 68% are female, while only 32% are male".[225] At least one study indicates that vegetarian women are more likely to have female babies. A study of 6,000 pregnant women in 1998 "found that while the national average in Britain is 106 boys born to every 100 girls, for vegetarian mothers the ratio was just 85 boys to 100 girls".[226] Catherine Collins of the British Dietetic Association has dismissed this as a "statistical fluke" given that it is actually the male's genetic contribution which determines the sex of a baby.[226] Country-specific information [ edit ] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]Uruguay's legislature is voting today to make their country the first in the world to legally regulate the production, distribution, and sale of marijuana, while here in the U.S., state lawmakers continue to weigh arguments over whether to follow Colorado and Washington by legalizing the drug for recreational use. Here are the arguments for and against legalizing marijuana: PRO Americans would get to lie back, relax, and have healthy appetites for a change Convenience of being able to buy pot from local Walgreens versus inconvenience of having to buy pot from parking lot of local Walgreens No longer have to use belt to experience high Fuckin’ Terry can’t charge $80 for an eighth anymore The FDA would be able to finally regulate the quality and safety of marijuana, just as they flawlessly do with the thousands of prescription drugs currently on the market Would allow us to fulfill our lifelong dream of blowing pot smoke right in a cop’s face Reduced stigma surrounding people with cannabis-leaf face tattoos We could smoke a ton of pot CON No room to fit a “D” into “Legalize It” tattoo State prosecutors would have far fewer options for incarcerating inner-city minority youths for decades Would require costly rewriting of nation’s D.A.R.E. curriculum 17-year-old Jennifer Kalpers thought pot was pretty cool. That is, until she got high and went out driving with her friends. Kalpers accidentally swerved into a telephone pole, killing her instantly. Still think smoking pot is cool? You and your dealer would slowly drift apart Scent of T-shirt from first Red Hot Chili Peppers concert would lose its mystique Increased unemployment among drug-sniffing dogs Marijuana advocates will have triumphant story to tellOops, we couldn't load more reviews for some odd reason. please try again Way smaller then I expected and melted in the microwave. Won’t be buying these again Love them and that they are dishwasher safe & microwave safe!! My boyfriend is diabetic and make his meals for the week so these are purfect size portions easy for him to take out freezer microwave and eat. Eliminates fast food All of my containers were smashed and broken into a million pieces Bigger than expected, but the top locks down nicely which is better than our other meal prep containers They do not seal all the way. Not good for anything with sauce or juices, it will leak. For questions pertaining to this deal, click the Ask a Question button below. For post-purchase inquiries, please contact Groupon customer support. Goods sold by Groupon Goods. View the Groupon Goods FAQ to learn more. To ensure the quality of reviews, all reviews are screened for spam and content that may be offensive to other people. Please Sign In or Sign Up to rate or vote By purchasing this deal you'll unlock points which can be spent on discounts and rewards. Every 5,000 points can be redeemed for $5 Off your next purchase.Spring Branch is uniquely situated as the heart of a robust Polish community, and October is Polish Heritage Month. As they say in Poland, “Zapraszamy!” or “you’re invited!” Join Houston’s Polish community for a unique and authentic Polish experience for the whole family: The Polish Harvest Festival This festival or Dożynki is celebrating its ninth year from October 27 – 29 at Our Lady of Częstochowa. Everyone is welcome at this rollicking festival featuring multiple performances. Dance Group Wawel will be displaying their Polish folklore music and dance, and the children from Szkola Polska (Polish School) will be entertaining festival goers with crowd favorites like Kaczuski (the Chicken Dance) and other traditional Polish songs. Polonia Restaurant This authentic Polish restaurant will have you exclaiming “Smaczengo!” as you dive into their traditional cuisine. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try the Kaszanka (blood sausage). The more widely known Pierogi, however, will appeal to everyone. Polonia is open every day at 1780 Blalock Rd. Polish Food Store and Deli This center of Polish cuisine is nothing if not convenient. If you’d rather celebrate Polish cuisine in your own kitchen, the food store offers all of your traditional Polish staples. Owners Sharon and Andrzej Szpak welcome everyone to experiment with Polish ingredients, and learn a little bit about the cuisine. Krysia’s Pastry A local favorite at the Polish Harvest Festival, this booth is a great stop for trying tasty Polish treats. The festival is a great excuse to try Faworki, a funnel cake-style pastry. Or, for more “filling” experience, sink your teeth into a Paczki. These doughnut-like pastries are filled with plum butter or other preserves, and were a favorite of French President Charles De Gaulle. Our Lady of Częstochowa The heart of religious, cultural and social Polish community in Houston can be found in this Roman Catholic Church in Spring Branch. Everyone is welcome to worship and find community in this parish. You can also visit the Polonia Houston Memorial, a monument to St. Pope John Paul II. Story by Ryan LeachJohn Raoux / Associated Press Teddy Bridgewater passed for a career-high 447 yards and three TDs and rushed for a TD in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Louisville junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played what he called one of his best games in throwing for a career-high 447 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night, leading the Cardinals to a 36-9 rout of Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Whether his sterling performance came in his final college game is the question. In a postgame interview on the field, Bridgewater, who graduated earlier this month, told ESPN that he would meet with his coaches and his family before making a decision on whether to enter the draft. If he chooses to go pro, he will be a prime contender to be the No. 1 overall pick in the May draft. "I have until Jan. 15," Bridgewater said, referring to the underclassmen draft-declaration deadline. "We want to celebrate tonight's victory, and each of us, whether it's seniors or underclassmen -- we all have decisions to make. But for tonight we wanted to focus on this game and get this game out of the way. Celebrate it and enjoy this moment." Bridgewater finished the season with 31 touchdowns -- a school single-season record -- and just four interceptions. After completing 35 of his 45 pass attempts, he raised his completion percentage to 70.96, leaping past East Carolina's Shane Carden for No. 1 in the FBS. The completions total was one shy of tying a career high. Bridgewater showed off his entire arsenal Saturday night, including his first rushing touchdown of the season. He rolled left, he rolled right, he stood comfortably in the pocket, he moved around in the pocket -- no matter what he did, he usually hit his target. He was 19 of 26 for 231 yards and two TDs in the first half and 16 of 19 for 216 yards and a touchdown in the second half. He also did a nice job spreading the ball around, completing passes to 10 receivers. "I played against him in high school," Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman told reporters afterward. "He pretty much did the same thing, just a lot better." As well as he played, Bridgewater probably should've completed at least three more passes -- he overthrew two open receivers and underthrew another. Bridgewater also took a sack for a safety early in the first quarter, giving Miami a short-lived 2-0 lead; he had time to get rid of the ball but looked as if he was trying to wait for an open receiver. Bridgewater was the first quarterback to throw for 400 yards on the Hurricanes this season. Mike Huguenin can be reached at [email protected]. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, maybe we could spare a little love for La La Land. People keep beating up on it. I know what you’re thinking: “Is this guy nuts? Hasn’t this movie been showered with love?” Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are both nominated for Academy Awards for their roles in La La Land. ( Dale Robinette ) True enough, numerically speaking: La La Land is nominated for a record-matching 14 Oscars for the Feb. 26 Academy Awards, among them Best Picture, Best Director (Damien Chazelle), Best Actress (Emma Stone) and Best Actor (Ryan Gosling). This musical valentine to Hollywood has two Oscar noms for Best Original Song: “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream).” It’s so acclaimed, it’s competing against itself. The film has been taking home the gold at pre-Oscar events, among them the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Awards and, just the past weekend, the BAFTAs. The film is also scoring at the box office, with worldwide ticket sales expected to reach or even surpass $300 million (U.S.) by Oscar night. Article Continued Below Anecdotally, however, it’s a different story. I can’t remember a year where the Oscar front-runner has attracted so much negativity in advance of awards night. Many people, including friends, family, co-workers and Star readers, have told me they think my four-star review of La La Land was too generous. They either don’t like the film or they’re just “meh” on it. A lot of people really don’t seem to like this movie, and it’s apparently an act of bravery to admit it — a recent Saturday Night Live sketch riffed on abusing a La La Land naysayer. (For the record, I love La La Land. But I’m hoping Moonlight, which I love more, wins Best Picture — and also Best Director for Barry Jenkins.) I hear two main complaints about La La Land: 1. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling can’t dance; 2. Ryan Gosling can’t sing. (Emma’s pipes seem to get a pass.) Article Continued Below These complaints are usually voiced along with the observation that Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were all better dancers and/or singers than Stone and Gosling. And the film is constantly being slammed in other media, often by people who aren’t movie critics, such as the acerbic Bill Maher, host of HBO’s political chat show, Real Time. “La La Land, really?” he said this past weekend. “It’s just so narcissistic. Another movie about movies. About us.” A writer in The Wall Street Journal, Jeanne Safer, found the love story wanting, stating that “its denouement depends on an utterly improbable plot twist.” I humbly submit that a lot of people are missing the point about La La Land. It’s not meant to be a slavish copy of Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg or all those other classic movie musicals that inspired writer/director Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz. Yes, Stone and Gosling are great actors and only passable dancers and singers. But they’re charming in the context of La La Land, which is more about the cost of ambition than it is about the pursuit of love. Their characters, Mia and Sebastian, are bursting with the desire to create something and make their mark. That something may or may not be a lasting romance and that mark may or may not follow Cupid’s arrow. They sing and dance because the spirit moves them to, not because they’re trying to prove anything. They’re not supposed to be song-and-dance professionals: Mia’s a dramatic actress and Sebastian’s a jazz pianist. Far from being “utterly improbable,” I’d argue that the story of La La Land is highly probable, if you know Hollywood. Maybe that’s all the more reason why we should show the film some Valentine love, even if it is set to sweep the Oscars later this month. You never know if a Hollywood story will have a Hollywood ending. Peter Howell is the Star’s movie critic. Have your say Read more about:SYDNEY—Australian character actor Paul Hogan, 74, told sources in an exclusive interview Tuesday that he’s “still searching” for that one career-defining role. “I’m proud of my work, but despite acting in a variety of different films, I’ve yet to find that one iconic, unforgettable character with whom everyone identifies me,” said Hogan, who has been appearing in motion pictures for more than a quarter century. “When people hear the name Paul Hogan, there isn’t any particular performance that comes to mind, but rather a broad range of many diverse roles. I just have to keep working, and hopefully something great will come along eventually.” Hogan then reportedly opened up about his divorce from his wife of 23 years, an actress he met while working on a film in 1986.If you happen to call the East Coast home, there's a good chance you recently woke up to plenty of winter weather. Given that we're facing down a few long months of snow and ice ahead, we thought we'd take the time to explore one of the more interesting innovations in snow removal.Behold the TowPlow: a steerable trailer that allows one truck to clear up to two and a half lanes of roadway in a single pass. The machinery effectively doubles the efficiency of a truck and driver, but it comes with a heady price tag. The TowPlow will set your local department of transportation back around $100,000 a pop.The TowPlow can also be fitted to disperse sand, salt or liquid calcium chloride, which makes it a triple threat when it comes to keeping roadways free of the slippery stuff. The machine was pioneered in Missouri, but states like Pennsylvania have also taken to using the TowPlow when the worst winter weather hits. Click past the jump for a few videos of the mega plow in action.The rocket and the Capitol. Also, a moon dog see another example to the upper left of the dome. 32 stacked photos with a 5 second exposure at f/7.1 and ISO-250. (Ian Livingston) ..Images may be selected for larger sizes.. Much of the viewing region across the northeastern United States was bathed under mostly clear skies, with just some thin high cloudiness around here and there. Seasonably cold temperatures and a bit of a breeze helped set the mood. Minotaur rocket rises behind the US Capitol before racing into space. 61 stacked photos with a 2.5 second exposure at f/6.3 and ISO-400. (Kevin Ambrose) Related: 29 satellites! And a local high school’s connection As with our last journey to photograph a launch in September, research beforehand paid off in that we had a few options. We ended up going with our “secondary target” due to tree complications at the first. Seeing the result, it’s hard to tell why we considered it a lesser view initially! Our photos ended up very similar, as to be expected given we were standing right next to each other. Some slight differences on settings are noted in the captions. Our shots, as with a number below, are “stacked.” This process brings out the light from the trail from many frames. In this case, because the Capitol is much too bright to do a several minute timed exposure. We’ve also selected a handful of stellar regional highlights from our Flickr pool, and via photos shared with us through social media. It was especially awesome to see the happy responses on Facebook and Twitter. Waiting to see the launch of the Minotaur rocket! (Cindy Martinez via Facebook) Yeah science! Minotaur I launch from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Va. (Jeffrey Stone via Flickr Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Potomac River make a great foreground during the rocket launch. (Tom Finzel via Flickr Minotaur rocket heads to space over the U.S. Capitol. as viewed from a roof in D.C. (Corey Clarke via Flickr Launch as viewed from the top of a building in Silver Spring, Md. ( Phil Vida via Twitter Orbital Sciences Minotaur 1 launch viewed from Fairfax. (Paulo Ordoveza via Flickr Rocket over Pasadena, Maryland. (By The Bay Photos via Facebook Minotaur rocket launch as seen from Catonsville High School in Catonsville, MD. (Geoffrey Baker via Flickr Interesting features [vapor trail?] as the rocket passes through the high cloud layer. (Andrew Diseker via Facebook From Cape May, NJ. Pleiades, AKA the Seven Sisters, also seen at the upper right corner. (FrankM301 via Flickr The view from College Park, Md. – stack of four 30-second exposures (Rob Wanenchak via Facebook Here’s another from Hunter… even better of the VA rocket launch @NASA_Wallops pic.twitter.com/eAMheO9LDJ — Steve Grzanich (@SteveGrzanich) November 20, 2013 Video: NASA rocket streaks through eastern sky Related Minotaur rocket launch seen from the Capitol (June 30, 2011) NASA’s LADEE moon launch lights up the night (September 7, 2013) PHOTOS: The year in spaceNike’s new leap of faith into long-form marketing with the campaign “Margot vs. Lily” is making waves on social, but is it for the right reasons? Margot vs. Lily is a brand new original series from Nike following the stories of competitive sisters Margot and Lily. Its success could mark a significant milestone as brands move away from traditional Facebook posts and tweets, and into more sophisticated methods of targeting young customers. Nike’s jump into long form advertising targeted at millennials is a surprise to say the least. The ad-blocking, live-streaming types are being asked to spend over a month being marketed to, and the campaign’s reception has been varied. Nike’s biggest mistake: lilly and margot ads — HXLLY (@hollylikescats) March 16, 2016 Loving @nikewomen and their MargotvsLily episode series! Hilarious and fun to watch #betterforit#nike — Katherine Fagan (@kayfay1313) February 24, 2016 Many people’s first reaction to this rare strategic move would be to snigger in doubt and to quickly re-highlight how the fast-paced millennial generation will turn up their noses at a suggestion that Nike could take a collective hour of their time for marketing purposes. Millennials do love a series but reportedly hate being marketed to, leaving some unexplored middle ground. Despite the doubts, lots of people are warming to the initiative. Nike are opening the door to the possibility of building a community, a conversation and a story among individuals that often struggle to grasp the cohesiveness and coherence of most marketing today. With millennials continually dipping in and out of content, grabbing them with something continuous, engaging and frankly addictive could be the way forward. We tracked mentions of the series on Twitter to see how Nike’s foray into long-form of marketing is going. The reaction so far on social We’re currently awaiting episode 7 of the series, and the likeable characters and compelling story have definitely kept people interested. Interest, like with any series, has trailed – the first episode garnered 19 million views on Youtube while episode five only just scored 1 million. The social reaction, compared to the premiere excitement, has also dipped. In fact, we found that 56% of all the mentions we tracked occurred in the two weeks surrounding the release. Despite this, a loyal fan base have continued watching and demanding more. The trailing interest may not look great, but the incredible amount of interest Nike has gained from the series overall can probably be classed as a win. As could be expected, however, the length of the episodes, and the fact that it’s drawn out, is a big issue for some. i was so bored i actually did not skip that margot vs lily nike ad on youtube to watch it. it was 6 minutes long orz — Gab (@cyantifically) March 13, 2016 @Nike putting that bullshit long margot lily ad when I’m waiting to see #deadpool at the cinema. The fuck. You’re the worst. — Ben Richards (@MrCosmonaut) February 21, 2016 But, a lot of people are getting seriously into the long episodes: .@nikewomen can there be a second season of Margot vs. Lily? with longer episodes? please + thank you. — Nadira (@denasoul) March 7, 2016 There are even some fans getting angry when episodes aren’t uploaded when expected. Meanwhile very cross with @Nike@nikewomen WHERE IS THE NEW EPISODE OF MARGOT? LILY????? — Omoluabi (@Frances_Orange) March 16, 2016 We took a look at sentiment-categorized tweets and found an overwhelmingly positive response from the release date to today. Nike, consider that a pat on the back from Twitter. Blurring the line between advertising and entertainment There’s certainly something about Margot vs. Lily that’s winning over viewers. There are tweeters talking about it much like they would a Netflix series, discussing the characters’ motives and their feelings towards the storyline. People are genuinely emotionally invested in the story and if you stumble on the series now it’s pretty binge-able. Guys, catch the Margot vs. Lily series! Saw it on ETC and I can relate to it a lot :) — toitraveler (@toitraveler) March 9, 2016 New addiction: Margot vs Lily. And I think I & @nadiaatmaji can relate to them (I am the Margot obviously & Nadia isn’t as pathetic as Lily) — Annisa Puspasari A. (@Nisa12) March 7, 2016 Nike has done a brilliant job of creating relatable characters that audiences are responding to positively. The ability to plant a brand comfortably in the lifestyles of viewers is the aim of many advertising campaigns and Margot vs. Lily is arguably taking things to the next level. While it might be a little cheesy at times in this writer’s opinion, Nike have successfully set up a campaign that speaks to millennials in both form and content. It seems to have worked. While millennials may hate being marketed at, some people are delighted that they can buy some of the Margot vs. Lily lifestyle for themselves. @nikewomen Where can I get those lily vs margot t-shirts? — Aimee (@aimeen1) January 31, 2016 That Margot vs Lily @Nike YouTube series is so cute. Makes me wanna workout. Gotta get some gear now. — Scheherazade (@ShazyDoll) March 3, 2016 We shall see Continuing to market via video series may grow a more loyal community and introduce a more intelligent way to crack the millennial generation. As a millennial myself, who found Margot vs. Lily through a promoted Facebook post on my newsfeed, I must say that I am among those keeping a close eye on the new Nike initiative. Are series the way to go to promote ideas, lifestyles and products? I guess we’ll see. Want more juicy data? Follow @BW_ReactSometimes Old Wives Tales have enough anecdotal evidence to prompt scientists to take a closer look. Here are five instances when those old superstitions have stood the test of scientific process. The Heartburn and Hair Connection It is said that women who experience severe heartburn during pregnancy, give birth to babies with hair. This was true for Mom Kelli Clifford. She experienced severe third trimester heartburn during both of her pregnancies and as you can see from the picture above, her daughter was indeed born with a full head of hair. Now, science thinks they understand the correlation. According to researchers in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, it is a shared biologic mechanism involving pregnancy hormones that both relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and supports fetal hair growth. Hot Tubs Lower Sperm Count This may seem like a no-brainer, but its a good reminder. Testicles are positioned on the outside of the body for a biological reason - they prefer things a little cooler. If they get too chilly they can even pull themselves up a little closer to the body for warmth. Applied heat hurts sperm production. Applied heat includes hot tubs, sitting on a heating pad to ease sore muscles and even car seat warmers. I know it's wintertime boys, but turn off the seat warmers in your car. As reported to Menshealth.com, Larry I. Lipshultz, M.D., chief of the division of male reproductive medicine and a professor of urology at Baylor College of Medicine says, “Studies have shown that applied heat really can impair [sperm production],” However Lipshultz also says. “But research looking at the effects of tight underwear and indirect heat has been very iffy.” Photo Credit: From the movie Hot Tub Time Machine Eat Bananas to Concieve a Boy Now, wait just a minute. I know what you’re thinking. Science figured out a long time ago that it is the man who determines the gender of the baby, and not the woman. Yes, that’s true. But, and this is a big but, a hospitable environment is also important and what male sperm deems hospitable is different than female sperm. According to the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, there is a definite link between energy intake - specifically potassium - and conceiving a boy. The way a woman’s nutrition impacts the sex is not fully understood, but the New York Times reports that many in vitro fertilization studies show that higher levels of glucose encourage the growth of male embryos while the opposite is true for female embryos. This new study implies that male embryos are less viable in women who limit their caloric intake, particularly if they tend to skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast is known to lower your glucose levels. So if you’re hoping to conceive a boy, then eat more heartily. For a girl, skip breakfast. Having a Boy Means a Longer Harder Labor These days, many of us know long before the onset of labor if we’re having a boy or a girl. But this folklore pre-dates ultrasound technology and labor was a clear - though last minute - predictor of the baby’s gender. However, we can flip this information around for present day use and say that if you’re having a boy you can anticipate a longer labor
assuming a fixed supply of land. The demand for land can then stretch well beyond people’s incomes or firms’ profits – and the growth rate of the economy – in particular if people expect house prices to continue to rise faster than incomes," the authors write. Over 75 per cent of rising house prices since the 1970s can be put down to rising land values – less than a quarter is a result of rising construction costs, which have remained relatively static. The logic of surging land values is not just to eat up incomes of those with mortgages, but to prevent many from entering the property ladder at all. This inequality is systemic to the housing system: if house prices were not out of reach of some, they wouldn’t be the exceptional asset that they are for others. Property speculation becomes an end in and of itself. As this asset inequality reinforces itself, a middle class layer of rentiers is created: rising property allows you to then own and rent other property (including using existing property as collateral). This creates hundreds of thousands of buy-to-let homes, increasing the share of landlord control of the total housing stock. For many, this is likely to be a much more reliable asset to rely on in retirement than a pension. An alliance of mortgage owners, property developers and bankers all end up having a strong vested interest in keeping the supply of new housing low. Why? Because scarcity is what allows these groups to reap the fruits of financialisation: if everyone could have a nice home to live in, the cost would drop like a stone, and so would the profits. The result is a "low-supply equilibrium" where supply is kept artificially below demand. The only answer is bold government intervention to change how housing is supplied and owned; to put people before the rentiers. If anything, the reverse has happened – there has been government intervention, but mainly to provide a form of welfare which reinforces the existing financialised housing dynamic. In the 1970s, over 80 per cent of government housing subsidies went towards supply-side intervention; mainly the construction of homes. Today that has flipped to 85 per cent of subsidies for the demand-side, in the form of billions in housing benefit payments, support for first time mortgage lenders and such like. The fundamental issue of the monopolisation and financialisation of housing remains untouched. The result is a deeply embedded class divide based on those who own the land and those who rent. Ryan-Collins, Lloyd and Macfarlane put this into a bigger historical context: "Projecting these trends forwards, it would seem that the 19th century picture of the land economy is beginning to reassert itself in the 21st: sooner or later, the majority will find themselves renting from a small, wealthy minority of property owners. The fundamental issue of the monopolisation and financialisation of housing remains untouched. The result is a deeply embedded class divide based on those who own the land and those who rent. "In this light, the 20th century begins to look like an exception, during which successive waves of policy intervention – into land, housing and finance markets – allowed millions to achieve the dream of a decent, secure home. But as homeownership reached its limits and government abandoned attempts to address the problem of rent, the dynamics of the land market have reasserted themselves once again." It is not for no reason that the 2008 financial crash centred on the US housing market. But whereas crises in the past have acted as a reset on asset values, the propping up of the banking system and continuation of neoliberal government policies has seen house prices bounce back quickly, and remain at a rate well above gross average earnings. So we can’t rely on economic crises to change the game, and neither should we – the devastation crises reek are always weighed overwhelmingly on those who can afford to suffer it the least. So what sort of political agenda could change it? First, it’s important to understand not all of the world is like Britain. While rising house prices has been a global trend, in countries like Japan and Germany house prices to earnings have been in decline since the 1970s, the reverse trend of the UK. Germany is a society where most people still rent in a well-regulated sector, the mortgage market has more strict limits on it and most banks are public or co-operative owned and do not engage in land speculation. The point is that there is different ways to do things, and if we want things to change we have to be open to thinking fundamentally differently about how we do things in Britain. Tweaks will be insufficient. Other countries do not have a culture of privately owned land at all. In Singapore – hardly considered a communist country – 90 per cent of land is publicly owned. Land is leased by the state to private developers for a fee, and then returned to the state at the end of the lease. The point is that there is different ways to do things, and if we want things to change we have to be open to thinking fundamentally differently about how we do things in Britain. Tweaks will be insufficient. The authors make a whole host of policy proposals for reform that would each be worth an article in their own right. Some ideas should already be well known to followers of Common Weal’s work on finance, land and housing: Land Value Tax, promotion of community land ownership, a state investment bank, compulsory purchase at use value, a more pro-active approach to planning and changing accountancy rules to make it easier for government borrowing to invest in housing. Others such as credit controls on commercial banks, legal reforms to private tenure ownership and measures to incentivise private land investment (rather than speculation) are new to us and highly commendable. The authors admit that the proposals are a policy agenda rather than detailed programme for reform. For instance, Land Value Tax, they admit, would have to be carefully introduced with transitionary measures in place to prevent a banking collapse as land values reduce. The detail of how exactly this could be done is not addressed. Perhaps one way of moving forward with the agenda outlined here could be more work in some of these key areas to make them policy ready. A proper programme for land and housing reform is needed now more than ever. You can buy a copy of Rethinking the Economics of Land and Housing, by Josh Ryan-Collins, Toby Lloyd and Laurie Macfarlane, here.Get the biggest Liverpool FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A smile creeps across the face of Jon Flanagan as he recalls a moment he will always treasure. All those dark days and nights, all those crushing setbacks on the long road back to fitness were forgotten as the young Liverpool defender finally stepped back on to the hallowed turf. It was in the 51st minute of last week’s FA Cup replay with Exeter City that the Academy graduate finally made his comeback - some 619 days after his previous appearance against Newcastle United, His return to duty was accompanied by a thunderous Anfield ovation. “It was just a brilliant reception,” Flanagan said. “I wasn’t expecting that and it hit home that the fans are all behind me. It was a bit emotional for me. “It has been a terrible time for me throughout the injury but now to be back is just a great feeling. It’s a relief to be back out there playing.” Flanagan, a lifelong Red whose popularity on the Kop has continued to blossom since his fearless debut against Manchester City in 2011, felt that backing from supporters throughout the struggles of the past two years as he underwent two operations on his left knee. “It has been great. All the fans have been behind me and I couldn’t have got through it without them,” he said. “It was always going to be mentally tough. I got told I wasn’t going to be out for as long as I was and to keep going for the length of time I have been out it is hard to get your head around. “You always have your moments, but you just have to stay positive. I think I am a strong character. You cannot go around with your head down feeling sorry for yourself, you have to pick yourself up and stay positive really. I always knew that I would overcome it.” Flanagan is on a mission to get back to where he was prior to his world being turned upside down in the summer of 2014. The full-back’s outstanding club form as Liverpool went agonisingly close to landing the Premier League title was rewarded with an England debut against Ecuador in Miami. He was placed on standby for the World Cup finals in Brazil. But his problems began when he was hampered by fluid on his knee during the pre-season tour of America. He was sent for surgery in September 2014 but hopes of a return last season were dashed as he went under the knife again in April 2015 to repair cartilage in the joint. “It was all going so well,” he recalled. “It was disappointing given the stage I was at and with the England call up and all that. It was a great experience going away to Miami and making my debut. “It was just a cartilage injury and it dragged on a bit. I was unfortunate that I had to have a second operation which was the reason why I was out for so long. “It was very frustrating. You always want to be there to help out and from that season when we nearly won the title to go on to not doing so well was frustrating for me as both a fan and a player. It has been disappointing but hopefully I am through that. I just want to get back to that level now.” The rehab was gruelling but the 23-year-old full-back feels a debt of gratitude to the club staff who helped to guide him through it. (Image: 2016 Getty Images) Long, tough road to recovery “They were long days, tough days,” he said. “I would be in at 8am and do a morning CV session with the lads in the gym, a bit of treatment and then all the gym work after that. I was here until 5pm or 6pm each day. “When all the other lads are coming in, going training and getting off within three hours, it was tough mentally. “Matt Konopinski (physio) has been working with me every day and the two lads from the gym, Jordan Milsom (rehab fitness coach) and Dave Rydings (strength and rehabilitation assistant), have also been a massive help. “I can only thank them. It has not been easy for them at times. I can be difficult at times! “You are always going to have those days when you are going to be frustrated and not in the mood and those three lads have been brilliant to me. They kept me going really.” Away from Melwood, his dad John, who was on Liverpool’s books himself as a teenager before being released, kept his chin off the floor. “My dad always drilled that home,” he said. “He had his chance at Liverpool and he knew what went wrong. He had a few injuries but the main thing was his attitude. “He just keeps hammering it home saying you don’t know how lucky you are. He gets me going to be honest. “He has been a massive influence on my career. Every day when it wasn’t going well and you are frustrated he was always there to speak to and give me advice. He is always making me positive and thinking in the right way. A year ago he did his ankle, a compound fracture, and was on crutches for a while so I was helping him for a while too.” Having come through unscathed on his comeback against Exeter, Flanagan was handed his first start for 20 months by Jurgen Klopp in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg with Stoke. It proved to be a triumphant night as the Reds sneaked through to Wembley on penalties. Klopp crowned Flanagan, who got through 105 minutes, as his man of the match and during the celebrations in front of the TV cameras he pointed to the full-back to underline his contribution. (Image: 2016 Getty Images) Klopp's man of the match award 'brilliant' “To see that was just brilliant,” Flanagan said. “A nice gesture like that keeps me upbeat. A manager like him recognises the struggle I have been through. “When he brought me off I said I could carry on but he said we needed fresh legs. The physios advised me to play 60 minutes and when the board went up the physios were all like ‘great, he’s coming off’ and then it said Kolo Toure’s number. I got through it okay, I was stiff on Wednesday but it was all good.” Flanagan is hoping to retain his place for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie with West Ham at Anfield. He is out of contract at the end of the season and is determined to earn himself a new deal. He grew up just a few hundred yards from Anfield on nearby Utting Avenue and joined the club’s Academy at the age of 11. That passion shines through every time he pulls on the shirt. With Steven Gerrard gone, Liverpool are in need of a new Scouse heartbeat and Flanagan wants to prove that he can provide it. “As a kid I always supported the club and living that close when I didn’t go the game I could hear the cheers from my house,” he said. “I used to go up to the shops by the ground with my mates for a kick about. It was always a dream of mine to play there one day. “There’s that connection with the fans because I am a local lad and I love the club and I would do anything for the club, I am like one of them really. “It does bring a bit of pressure but it’s something I would love to take on. I would love that pressure. There is Jordan Rossiter and Connor Randall there as well but yes I would love to have a great connection with the fans and take that pressure on. “With some long term injuries, people never get a chance again. But the lads here have all seen how hard I have worked. I think I want it more than anyone else so thankfully I have got that chance again. “There are a lot of full-backs here but hopefully I can impress enough to get a spot, left or right. I feel confident that the injuries are behind me now and I want to win silverware. I want to make up for lost time.”Obama tells NAACP blacks must take responsibility Associated Press Published: Monday July 14, 2008 Print This Email This By GLEN JOHNSON and DAN SEWELL, Associated Press Writers CINCINNATI - Democrat Barack Obama insisted Monday that blacks must show greater responsibility for their actions. In remarks prepared for delivery at the annual NAACP convention, the man who could become the first black president said Washington must provide greater education and economic assistance, but that blacks must demand more of themselves. "If we're serious about reclaiming that dream, we have to do more in our own lives, our own families and our own communities," Obama said. "That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework and setting a good example." He added: "I know some say I've been too tough on folks about this responsibility stuff. But I'm not going to stop talking about it. Because I believe that in the end, it doesn't matter how much money we invest in our communities, or how many 10-point plans we propose, or how many government programs we launch none of it will make any difference if we don't seize more responsibility in our own lives." Obama, who grew up without his father, has spoken and written at length about issues of parental responsibility and fathers participating in their children's lives. Yet a similar speech by the Illinois senator on Father's Day prompted an awkward rebuke from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a Democratic presidential contender in 1984 and 1988, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a fellow Chicago political activist. Jackson apologized last week after being caught saying on an open microphone that he wanted to castrate Obama for speaking down to blacks. Republican candidate John McCain is scheduled to address the 99th meeting of the nation's largest civil rights organization on Wednesday. Obama spokeswoman Linda Douglass denied the candidate was trying to boost support among white voters with his own "Sister Souljah" moment. Addressing a black audience in 1992, Democrat presidential candidate Bill Clinton accused the hip-hop artist of inciting violence against whites. Some black leaders, including Jackson, criticized Clinton, but it helped reinforce his image as a politician who refused to pander. "It's not just a speech aimed at black audiences. It's aimed at all parents," Douglass said. Noting Obama also called for more corporate and government responsibility, she added: "This is a larger theme of responsibility." While Jackson complained about such Obama speechmaking, other civil rights activists from the NAACP disagreed. They think Obama is doing a good job balancing his role as a black candidate with the need to speak to all races. "He can't be totally focused on the black community," said Kelvin Shaw, of Shreveport, La., Shaw said he is most interested in what Obama plans on nationwide economic issues like rising oil prices, household costs and jobs. "We need to be talking about not one race, but what affects all people." Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, the city's first directly elected black mayor, disputed Jackson's argument that Obama is ignoring other important issues for blacks such as unemployment, mortgage foreclosures and the number of blacks in prison. "I think he absolutely has," Mallory said. Besides his messages about responsibility, Mallory said, Obama has talked about jobs, health care, education, and other "areas where black people are disproportionately affected." Civil rights veteran Julian Bond, the NACCP board chairman, drew loud applause in a speech Sunday night when he described Obama's candidacy as a milestone. "The country seems proud, and I know all of us here are, that a candidate campaigning in cities where he could not have stayed in a hotel 40 years ago has won his party's nomination for the nation's highest office," Bond said. Ronald Walters, a University of Maryland political scientist who was an aide on Jackson's presidential bids, said blacks understand Obama is trying to be elected president in a majority-white nation. But he said there has been frustration for those who want Obama to lay out a specific agenda for the black community beyond speeches from the pulpit about responsibility. McCain plans to talk about education, including expanded merit-pay programs for teachers who improve their students' academic performance. Walters, the political scientist, said the Arizona Republican's visit is a way to say he wants to represent all groups. "It strikes a good tone," Walters said. "If (McCain) is elected president, he can say, 'I was there, I have an open door.'" In his remarks, Obama also criticized his rival. "Sen. McCain is going to be coming here in a couple of days and talking about education, and I'm glad to hear it. But the fact is, what he's offering amounts to little more than the same tired rhetoric about vouchers."India is at the confluence of two trends that are fundamentally challenging the world: The rise of Asia, with the growing importance of the Asian consumer, and digitisation. The Asian consumer’s rise between 2010 and 2020 will in dollar terms add a new United States to global consumption. Digitisation (ubiquitous connectivity, unlimited storage, massive and growing computing power, enormous growth in data, artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, computer capable mobile handsets) is profoundly changing not just how people live and interact, but also how businesses and governments are, or will need to be in future. The modern era’s need for specialisation fundamentally challenges Macaulay’s notions of a well-rounded generalist on which the Indian civil service was founded. Advertising How should our bureaucracy evolve to navigate the challenge this creates? Is it an apposite time to question the set-up of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in India? I argue the need for a high-powered committee to do a comprehensive review. I believe our government is spread thin, in that it attempts to do too much. It is understaffed when compared with governments in developed countries and many important government departments are staffed by people who do not have the requisite skills to discharge their increasingly specialised jobs. The discussion in this piece is restricted to the IAS because of its primacy though everything should apply to the entire bureaucracy. Till 1991, the IAS would have perhaps been the most attractive service in India. The entry exam was among the most competitive and those who qualified were truly bright people. The IAS had great prestige, enormous power, job variety, fairly good perks and assured career progression. Even currently, IAS officers inhabit all central ministries and most top positions in the states. Are they well suited to do so? To answer this question, I examine whether the job remains as attractive as before and attracts the best people? Whether it recruits all the skills the government needs in this increasingly specialised world? And finally, whether the experience IAS officers gather over their normal careers equips them for all the jobs they are asked to do? Unlike until a quarter century ago, most IAS officers today do not want their children to follow them into the service. It is widely recognised that the prestige of the service has fallen since the 1991 reforms — the reduced controls and the accompanying reduction in licensing reduced their power. Reforms also saw the emergence of alternative professions in the private sector whose pay was considerably higher. The equation between the politician and the bureaucrat also changed decisively in favour of the politician. The service, therefore, lost a lot of its allure. The recruitment examination, though extremely competitive, is not targeted. Candidates can choose any two subjects and have one common general knowledge paper. Thus, people who get in are from disparate backgrounds. While most people in business recognise that a brilliant scientist (even in pharmaceuticals) is the wrong person to hire for sales, the IAS does not differentiate based on academic qualification. The nature of jobs that are performed in the state secretariat and the Centre encompass disparate departments (education, health, finance, public works department, urban development etc). Many of these require specialists like accountants, town planners, environmental experts, economists, architects, management degree holders, but if they are hired, it is by pure chance and then, too, are likely to be asked to do jobs outside their specialisation. Generalists today perform all these disparate roles. Finally, it is not as if customised training is on offer for the different specialist roles that are undertaken. In the open market, these skills are priced differently. But the government does not differentiate on this count and all recruits are paid the same. The experience obtained in the first 10 years in the IAS is similar. All the officers get a year-long training at the Mussoorie Academy and then are posted to a district. They get trained to become good administrators. In today’s highly specialised world, it does not prepare them well for many of the roles they are expected to perform in the secretariat, whether in the state or at the Centre. After a few years in the state secretariat, there is a race among them to get the plum jobs at the Centre. There is a pecking order here, with a posting in finance, home, defence, being preferred to minority affairs, culture or sports. Further, most jobs in the states are not as attractive as the posting in Delhi. This is damning in two ways. First, it proves few state capitals in India are attractive to live in and second it shows that the best officers prefer to do jobs for which they have not been explicitly trained rather than do the jobs they are actually good at in the states. It is not obvious, as an illustration, that the skills and aptitude that will serve you well as district magistrate are the same experience required to become an effective joint secretary, capital markets, at the Centre. We still come across some outstanding officers in these positions but that cannot be the norm. What is expected of them is unreasonable and therefore on average there is a challenge in delivery. Would we not do better if we moved away from the colonial paradigm? Is it right to staff specialised ministries, at the Centre or in the state, with people without the requisite skills, however bright they innately may be? As I argue at the start of this piece, the time has come to set up a high-powered committee to work out the correct bureaucratic structure for India. This is no mean task but it is urgent. Advertising This can be India’s century. But to make it ours we need the instrumentality of the state to be able to address the challenges we face and facilitate the changes we need. This requires, more than anything, a qualified and effective bureaucracy. We must ask: Is our bureaucracy in its current form, equal to the task? Can we even blame them if they are not? We expect them to do what they were never trained to do in an increasingly specialised, complex and changing world. We need to fix this now.Advertisement Family seeks justice after Tulane graduate found shot to death on Amelia Street Share Shares Copy Link Copy The family of a recent Tulane University graduate is pleading for answers after he was found shot to death early Saturday on Amelia Street.Thomas Rolfes was identified as the victim by family members who reached out to WDSU reporter Travers Mackel. Rolfes was found dead just after 4:30 a.m. Saturday on Amelia Street at Claiborne Avenue.A spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department said the coroner's office is expected to officially identify the body of the man, who family members said is Rolfes, and determine the official cause of death.Detectives said the victim was shot in the chest. The Police Department has not released a description of the shooter.Related: NOPD officers find man shot to death on Amelia StreetWhile the Police Department continues its investigation, family members of Rolfes have traveled to New Orleans to plead for whoever is responsible for fatally shooting the former Tulane student or anyone with information in the case to come forward.Rolfes' family, who live in St. Louis, Missouri, said he was most recently living in Greenville, South Carolina, working as a project manager for a construction firm. He graduated from Tulane in 2011."It is the worst nightmare. I hope we can locate the person who did this and took him from our family," said Julie Rolfes, Thomas' mother.His family said Rolfes was in New Orleans with his fiancee looking for a wedding venue. His fiancee, originally from Rhode Island, is also a Tulane graduate and the two were engaged last month."He was here to start the next chapter of his life. He was meeting his fiancee to visit venues for their wedding. It was the next chapter; our firstborn was marrying this beautiful girl," Julie Rolfes said.Sources at the Police Department said detectives are gathering surveillance video from the area where Rolfes was shot and killed. Rolfes arrived Friday afternoon in New Orleans and had gone out with friends to an Uptown bar.According to police sources and the family, he was last seen on surveillance video around 3:30 am Saturday at a gas station near Claiborne Avenue buying two bottles of water."If they saw anything that can help us find what happened to our son and give us peace, (so) we know how the last hour of his life was spent," Julie Rolfes said."I don't want this to happen to anyone else's son," said Ron Rolfes, Thomas' father. "I want whoever did this to be put away, and I don't want that to happen to anyone else."Thomas Rolfes was the oldest of four children, who are all currently in New Orleans with their parents.Stay with WDSU-TV and WDSU.com as information is released. Tune in for WDSU News at 10 for an interview with Rolfes' family in New Orleans.Anyone with information that could help detectives is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here.Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!At first blush, the failure of Republican presidential contenders Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry to get on the primary ballot in Virginia suggests structural failures for both campaigns, but it also sheds light on the state’s primary ballot requirements, which are the most stringent in the nation. On Saturday, the Republican Party of Virginia issued tweets that said neither former House Speaker Gingrich nor Texas Governor Perry had obtained the 10,000 valid signatures required to get on the party’s March 6 primary ballot. The Gingrich campaign responded at first by saying it would launch a write-in campaign before learning that it is not allowed for presidential primaries in the state. National Campaign Director Michael Krull promised via Facebook on Saturday that the campaign “will make all other deadlines” and said it “will continue to learn and grow.” Mr. Krull also compared the situation to Pearl Harbor, saying: “we have experienced an unexpected setback, but we will regroup and refocus with increased determination, commitment and positive action.” The roadblock presents the other Republican candidates an opportunity to show both campaigns are “foolish and disorganized,” says Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor. “It speaks volumes to me about the particular organizational skills of the candidates,” Mr. Tobias told the Los Angeles Times Saturday. “It’s hard for me to understand how they could miss this opportunity.” Indeed, at a rally held last week in Arlington, Va., Gingrich admitted his campaign was not prepared for his recent surge in popularity in the polls. “We weren’t ready for it yet because we don’t have the structure and we don’t have the money to compete at that level, so we had to scramble a little bit,” Gingrich said. In fact, Gingrich is leading among Virginia Republicans, according to a recent survey by Quinnipiac University, taken Dec. 13-19. Among the 489 registered Republican voters, 30 percent said they were planning to vote for Gingrich, with 25 percent for Romney, 9 percent for Paul and 6 percent for Perry. Not getting on the Virginia ballot is particularly embarrassing for Gingrich, considering it is now his home state. Gingrich, who was born in Pennsylvania and served two decades in Congress as a representative from Georgia, now resides in McLean. However, most political analysts agree that all candidates face the toughest hurdles in Virginia, due to unusually difficult primary rules for candidates of both parties. To avert armies of volunteer petitioners invading the state, Virginia requires that all those gathering signatures be state residents. Additionally, at least 400 signatures must come from each of the state’s 11 congressional districts. Tucker Martin, a spokesman for Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, said that despite the rigorous requirements, prior candidates for president, governor, and senator from both parties successfully filed their petitions. “The system has been in place for a long time and the ballot requirements are well known,” Mr. Martin told the Richmond Times-Dispatch Monday. Even if the outcry against the rules gains traction, it is unlikely that the state legislature, which convenes Jan. 11, will force a change this late in the game. The reason: Eight candidates are currently vying for the seat of retiring state Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat. The assumption is that the June 12 primary date will be a race between frontrunners Timothy Kaine, a Democrat, and George Allen, a Republican and that their allies in the statehouse will not want their chances to win slimmed by broadening the race to include outside candidates. Only former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and US Rep. Ron Paul qualified to get on the Virginia ballot. Mr. Romney’s campaign submitted over 16,000 signatures while Representative Paul’s campaign submitted over 14,000. By contrast, the campaigns for Gingrich and Perry submitted about 11,000 signatures each by Thursday’s deadline, but in the subsequent vetting by Republican officials, too many of them were thrown out. The campaigns for US Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman each failed to submit signatures, automatically disqualifying them from getting on the March ballot. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he predicts Romney will win the majority of the state’s 49 delegates to the Republican National Convention. The Gingrich and Perry ballot mishap “has made the Virginia primary completely irrelevant,” Mr. Sabato said.By Alexandra Ulmer CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's foreign minister on Monday rebuked his U.S. counterpart, John Kerry, for criticizing the handling of street protests and reiterated accusations Washington wants to topple the socialist government. In the U.S. government's strongest comments since demonstrations began in February, Kerry said last week that Venezuela's government had shown "total failure" of good faith in now-suspended talks to stem the unrest. In Venezuela's worst violence in a decade, 42 people have died during months of daily protests demanding President Nicolas Maduro's departure and solutions to economic hardships. "This is not an issue that concerns Mr. John Kerry," Foreign Minister Elias Jaua told reporters on Monday after returning from the regional Unasur bloc's meeting in Ecuador. Maduro, who became president after the death of Hugo Chavez last year, says the protests are a veneer for a U.S.-supported conspiracy to bring him down. "It's not Bolivarian paranoia; these are real facts that clearly violate international law," he added, next to a photo of Chavez, who re-named the country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in homage to independence hero Simon Bolivar. The Maduro government is particularly angry at some U.S. legislators' calls for sanctions on officials, though the Obama administrations has expressed reluctance for fear of curbing attempts at political reconciliation within Venezuela. At its weekend meeting, the Unasur group of South American governments explicitly condemned the sanctions proposal as "violating the principle of non-intervention." UNASUR HEARS COMPLAINT AGAINST U.S. Venezuela made a formal complaint of U.S. interference at the Unasur meeting, in the Galapagos islands, and journalists at Monday's news conference were given a booklet of comments by Kerry and other U.S. officials to bolster the Venezuelan government's case. Washington has scoffed at the accusations, saying they are a smokescreen to hide the government's domestic problems. The specter of U.S. involvement in Latin America always stirs strong emotions in the region, which remembers the U.S. government's backing of military coups in the 20th century. The Maduro government constantly reminds Venezuelans how Washington appeared to back a brief toppling of Chavez in 2002. Demonstrators say they have no foreign masters and are simply complaining about food shortages, rampant crime and one of the highest inflation rates in the world. The protests failed to spread significantly from middle-class bastions and have ebbed in recent weeks, leading Maduro to assert he survived an attempt to oust him. The protests, which ranged from thousands-strong marches to night-time barricades of major avenues with burning tires, also fractured the opposition movement. Some moderates deemed them useless, or even counterproductive, as they fomented government allegations that activists are elitist coup-seekers. Hard-line protesters, who are vowing to carry on, retorted that institutions and courts are skewed against them, so taking to the street is the only way to make their grievances heard. (Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Steve Orlofsky)Smart-gun advocates see leverage in military contracts WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 27: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), speaks about gun safety during a news conference on Capitol Hill January 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Senators introduced legislation to ensure that the victims of gun violence are allowed to have their day in court and that the gun industry manufacturers, sellers and interest groups are not shielded from liability when it acts with negligence and disregard for public safety. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) less WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 27: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), speaks about gun safety during a news conference on Capitol Hill January 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Senators introduced legislation to ensure that the... more Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Smart-gun advocates see leverage in military contracts 1 / 1 Back to Gallery Early in January, President Barack Obama choked back tears remembering the 2012 Newtown mass-shooting as he announced a series of initiatives aimed at counteracting what he termed the "scourge of gun violence'' in America. Among them: ramping up investment in smart guns, which require codes, thumbprints or other measures to make firearms operable. He gave the Defense Department, the Justice Department and the Homeland Security Department 90 days to come up with "a research-and-development strategy designed to expedite the real-world deployment of such technology.'' He also told the agencies to look into whether the federal government -- a major firearms buyer -- could use its purchasing power "consistent with operational needs'' to spur the market for smart guns. Fast-forward to April: The Obama administration has said nothing about smart guns, even as controversy over their use continues to rage between groups favoring gun rights and those committed to gun-violence prevention. But that may be about to change. Sources in and out of government say the administration is about to put forward a report from the agencies on the way forward on smart guns. The document could be released as early as this week, these sources say. Its exact recommendations are being closely guarded by the White House, but the report is likely to reopen a years-long debate on whether smart guns can cut down the number of accidental shooting deaths -- 500 in 2013 alone, 30 of those with victims under age 5. The National Rifle Association and the Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation counter that smart-gun technology is still unproven and the marketplace -- not government mandates -- should be the arbiter of its worthiness to gun owners. Ground zero in Connecticut In Connecticut, the debate resonates acutely because the Newtown shooter, Adam Lanza, took his mother Nancy's weapons to kill her and then 26 children and staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Had some or all of those guns been equipped with smart-gun technology, the younger Lanza may not have been able to open fire that day, Dec. 14, 2012. "Gun homicides and suicides happen at moments of intense passion, immediate grudge or psychological breakdown,'' said U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has told the White House he wants the government to go full-steam on smart guns. "Making it harder for people to get their hands on weapons during an intense moment of rage or self-loathing makes it less likely a shot will be fired." In speeches and informal remarks, Murphy has told the story of his two young sons being aghast at the idea that a code or thumbprint can be required to operate an iPhone, but not a gun. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Armed
best camera I’ve ever used on a phone. Check out the included gallery below to see examples of normal shots, and HDR mode. When it comes to Android phones, everyone wants to hear about the camera quality and how how long the battery lasts. It seems like we’re always forced to choose between the lesser of two evils in this regard. The Oppo N1 though seems to have the best of both worlds. According to Oppo, the N1 should get 350 hours of standby time and 780 minutes of talk time. The 3610mAh battery on the N1 lasts forever. Well, maybe not forever, but it will definitely get you through two days of usage or 7-8 hours of screen on time, whichever comes first. On the bottom you’ll find hardware keys, something that just needs to go away. To make matters worse, they’re backwards from what one would consider the standard configuration, making them pretty hard to get used to. On the underside of the N1 you’ll find your standard audio jack, micro USB port, a microphone, and the speaker. The speakers are definitely louder than most Android phones, easily allowing me to jam to the latest tunes and I wasn’t afraid of missing phone calls due to a quiet ringer either. Along the side you’ll find both the power button and volume rocker which feel great to the touch, but can be a bit hard to find from time to time only because the Oppo N1 is bigger than what I’m used to carrying around day to day. As for connectivity, the N1 supports GSM and WCDMA networks only. That means you’ll be able to use it on AT&T and T-Mobile here in the USA and most other places around the world. If you’re on Sprint or Verizon, the Oppo N1 won’t work. Sadly, the Oppo N1 doesn’t support LTE either. If you can get by with HSPA+ then, so be it. If LTE is a requirement for you, as it should be in 2013, the N1 might not be for you. The Snapdragon 600 quad core processor, Adreno 320 GPU, and 2GB of RAM perform as expected. The N1 felt snappy while moving around through the phone’s features and while putting it through the daily grind. I’m really not one for specs anymore, the Moto X helped with that, but I’ll include some benchmark numbers as I know many readers will be chomping at the bit for them. The Oppo N1 scored 26,544 on AnTuTu Benchmark, right between the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4, other Android phones with similar internals. Oppo N1 full hardware specs: OS: ColorOS with Android 4.2.2 / CyanogenMod coming soon Display: 5.9-inch IPS Full HD 1080p Processor: 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Quad Core GPU: Adreno 320 RAM: 2 GB O-Touch: Slide up or down, left or right, tap, double tap and long press for different functionality O-Click: Bluetooth accessory for remote control and security purposes. Camera: 13-megapixel sensor with dedicated ISP, FlashDual-mode LED, Aperture f/2.0 Scene modes: Normal, Panorama, High Speed, Rewind, Beautify, and Slow Shutter Storage: 16 / 32 GB Dimensions: 170.7 x 82.6 x 9 mm Weight: 213 g Sensors: Distance sensor, Light sensor, G-sensor, 4D Gyroscope Battery capacity: 3610 mAh GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz WCDMA: 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz Other connectivity: USB OTG, Bluetooth 4.0, 5G Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, GPS Software Part 1: ColorOS: I think Android is in there somewhere. Oppo’s version of Android, dubbed ColorOS, comes packed with a whole lot of interesting features you won’t find from traditional Android OEMs and if you’re familiar with the popular Android ROM MIUI or Xiaomi, Oppo’s theme engine will seem very similar. ColorOS is a heavily skinned or themed version of Android. In fact, it doesn’t even look like Android at all. Some might be a fan of the depth of Oppo’s customization feats, while others, such as myself, miss the look of stock Android. If you’re into customizing the look and feel of your smartphone, the theming application that comes with ColorOS allows you to choose from dozens of themes just by browsing an online repository. Themes change your wallpaper, customize your icons, and can even completely change the functionality of your lockscreen. Simply put, ColorOS is a themer’s dream. On the home screen, ColorOS includes a special set of widgets called ‘Exclusive Space’ which take up an entire home screen (don’t worry, you can add more). The included spaces are for the camera and for music. The camera space allows you to take photos directly from the widget, without opening the camera app through a nifty viewfinder built into the widget itself. Once you snap a photo, the image gets added to that space in a special photo widget with a date and timestamp. This allows you to scroll through them all, reviewing your memories without leaving your home screen. The music space isn’t as interesting, but there for your use if you have locally stored songs to play. Beyond themes, Oppo packed a few interesting applications and features into their OS, including gestures, O-Cloud, application encryption, application permissions, guest mode, holiday mode, and data saving features. The included gesture and motion features allow you to launch various phone tasks by just moving your fingers around the screen. Gestures allow you to launch the camera, control the volume, take a screenshot, and you can launch the flashlight, control music, or double tap the screen to wake up the N1 all while the screen is off. Besides the included gestures, Oppo’s ColorOS allows you to create your own gestures, such as drawing a plus sign to open Google+. In my day to day testing, I found some gestures more useful than others and I ended up turning most of them off while gaming. There’s nothing like trying to do an epic 720 rotation in Riptide G2 and watching the system volume go up and down instead. Additional time saving features on the Oppo N1 allow you to rotate the camera to launch the camera app, flip the phone to mute it when receiving a phone call, automatically dial the contact on the screen when placing the phone up to your ear, and disable hands-free if you pick up the N1 while using a Bluetooth earpiece. The included O-Cloud service allows users to backup their contacts, which seems redundant seeing as Google syncs your contacts, backup your SMS to the cloud, and find your phone in the event that you lost it, which once again seems redundant now that Android Device Manager has come to fruition. Guest Mode can be configured to hide private contacts, photos, videos, and even hide applications from other users. Unlike other guest modes or multi-user implementations, Guest Mode on the Oppo N1 is activated by simply unlocking the phone with the guest password or guest pattern. If the secondary guest method is used to unlock the phone, guest mode is immediately activated. To exit, you simply lock the phone and unlock with the owner method and you’re good to go. Those of you with little rugrats running around your house will find this very useful. How many times has your little loved one accidentally called, texted, or got into something they shouldn’t? It happens. Guest Mode makes those accidents a thing of the past. As if Guest Mode wasn’t enough, application security can be taken a step further with the Application Encryption feature. This feature, while sounding extremely security conscious is a bit misleading. The feature does not encrypt selected applications, but instead allows you to setup per-application passwords and security patterns. Next up is Holiday Mode, which is simply an extended privacy mode. When enabled, calls and notifications from contacts that aren’t white-listed will be muted when the screen is off. However, you can still be reached in an emergency if the contact calls you 3 times within a 3 minute period. The N1 also comes with a Data Saving application which is essentially a firewall and resource control tool, allowing you to pick and choose which apps can consume network data and CPU while running in the background. If you’re on a small, limited data plan, this could come in handy. The Verdict: The Oppo N1 is a big ass phone with a big ass camera ColorOS is faster than I had expected. Normally when an Android OEM themes and customizes Android’s UI as much as Oppo has, you see lag through the user interface. This is something that I didn’t see or wasn’t noticeable in my experiences. While having Android this heavily customized might not be for some, Oppo has done a fine job providing visual eye candy for those that need it. For those that don’t need it, stay tuned. Oppo’s N1 was built with the utmost quality in mind, boasting an elegant look and feel, an innovative camera, and a battery that just won’t quit. Some hardware features such as O-Click or O-Touch seem to only be beneficial for certain users or useful in certain scenarios. If you need a large screened phone with an impressive camera, and don’t need LTE connectivity, the Oppo N1 might be for you. Software Part 2: CyanogenMod coming soon, No ETAs As you might recall, the Oppo N1 will be the first commercial phone to ship with CyanogenMod installed. At the time of this writing, CM 10.2, Android 4.3, wasn’t available. Once Google finishes their certification testing, we’ll do a short review of the CM version of the Oppo N1. As a fan of CyanogenMod and general things #HOLOYOLO, I’m excited. CyanogenMod’s take on stock Android with this camera and battery life should be well worth the wait.Joyce and Gigi's, the Ross Avenue neighborhood eatery specializing in creative takes on Bolivian and South American food, is closing at the end of the month, according to a statement from owner Gigliola Zimmermann. The restaurant opened in December 2012. Dallas diners, I would like to announce that we (Joyce & Gigi's Kitchen) will be closing our doors the last week of August 2017. It's been a pleasure to serve our community and the people who found our cuisine interesting and unique for these last five years, however, we believe it’s time to complete this chapter of our lives and begin a new one. We are moving forward to focus on new priorities with our new family. We are proud to say we have completed our goal, and we are incredibly grateful to have worked with inspiring people and served some of the most genuine and amazing people Dallas has to offer, many of whom we now call dear friends. These people will always be special to us. We will leave this beautiful space to a talented team who shares our respect and interest in keeping Bryan Place and East Dallas a special neighborhood. We wish this upcoming business (which you will find out soon) much success, and we hope you will all support them as much as you have supported us. In the next few weeks, come visit us one last time for a memorable evening. Thank you for all the support and exposure, and most importantly, for letting us be a part of the dynamic Dallas culinary scene. Best Regards, Gigliola (Gigi) ZimmermannCapital of North Carolina State capital and city in North Carolina, United States Raleigh (; RAH-lee)[6] is the capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. Raleigh is the second-largest city in the state, after Charlotte. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city.[7] The city covers a land area of 142.8 square miles (370 km2). The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 479,332 as of July 1, 2018.[4] It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.[8][9] The city of Raleigh is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County. Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University (NCSU) and is part of the Research Triangle Park (RTP) area, together with Durham (home of Duke University) and (home of North Carolina Central University)and Chapel Hill (home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). The "Triangle" nickname originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, located in Durham and Wake counties, among the three cities and their universities. The Research Triangle region encompasses the U.S. Census Bureau's Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which had an estimated population of 2,037,430 in 2013.[10] The Raleigh metropolitan statistical area had an estimated population of 1,214,516 in 2013. Most of Raleigh is located within Wake County, with a very small portion extending into Durham County.[11] The towns of Cary, Morrisville, Garner, Clayton, Wake Forest, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon, and Rolesville are some of Raleigh's primary nearby suburbs and satellite towns. Raleigh is an early example in the United States of a planned city. Following the American Revolutionary War when the US gained independence, this was chosen as the site of the state capital in 1788 and incorporated in 1792 as such. The city was originally laid out in a grid pattern with the North Carolina State Capitol in Union Square at the center. During the American Civil War, the city was spared from any significant battle. It fell to the Union in the closing days of the war, and struggled with the economic hardships in the postwar period related to the reconstitution of labor markets, over-reliance on agriculture, and the social unrest of the Reconstruction Era. Following the establishment of the Research Triangle Park (RTP) in 1959, several tens of thousands of jobs were created in the fields of science and technology, and it became one of the fastest-growing communities in the United States by the early 21st century. History [ edit ] Earlier capitals [ edit ] Bath, the oldest town in North Carolina, was the first nominal capital of the colony from 1705 until 1722, when Edenton took over the role. The colony had no permanent institutions of government until the new capital New Bern was established in 1743. 18th century [ edit ] Plan for platting Raleigh by William Christmas, 1792 In December 1770, Joel Lane successfully petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly to create a new county. On January 5, 1771, the bill creating Wake County was passed in the General Assembly. The county was formed from portions of Cumberland, Orange, and Johnston counties. The county was named for Margaret Wake Tryon, the wife of Governor William Tryon. The first county seat was Bloomsbury. New Bern, a port town on the Neuse River 35 miles (56 km) from the Atlantic Ocean, was the largest city and the capital of North Carolina during the American Revolution. When the British Army laid siege to the city, that site could no longer be used.[12] Raleigh was chosen as the site of the new capital in 1788, as its central location protected it from attacks from the coast. It was officially established in 1792 as both county seat and state capital (incorporated on December 31, 1792 – charter granted January 21, 1795).[13] The city was named for Sir Walter Raleigh, sponsor of Roanoke, the "lost colony" on Roanoke Island.[14] The city's location was chosen, in part, for being within 11 mi (18 km) of Isaac Hunter's Tavern, a popular tavern frequented by the state legislators.[15] No known city or town existed previously on the chosen city site. Raleigh is one of the few cities in the United States that was planned and built specifically to serve as a state capital. Its original boundaries were formed by the downtown streets of North, East, West and South.[16] The plan, a grid with two main axes meeting at a central square and an additional square in each corner, was based on Thomas Holme's 1682 plan for Philadelphia.[17] The North Carolina General Assembly first met in Raleigh in December 1794, and granted the city a charter, with a board of seven appointed commissioners and an "Intendant of Police" (which developed as the office of Mayor) to govern it. (After 1803 city commissioners were elected.) In 1799, the N.C. Minerva and Raleigh Advertiser was the first newspaper published in Raleigh.[18] John Haywood was the first Intendant of Police.[19] 19th century [ edit ] Raleigh, North Carolina in 1872 In 1808, Andrew Johnson, the nation's future 17th President, was born at Casso's Inn in Raleigh. The city's first water supply network was completed in 1818, although due to system failures, the project was abandoned. In 1819 Raleigh's first volunteer fire company was founded, followed in 1821 by a full-time fire company. In 1817, the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina was established and headquartered in Raleigh. In 1831, a fire destroyed the North Carolina State House. Two years later, reconstruction began with quarried gneiss being delivered by the first railroad in the state. Raleigh celebrated the completions of the new State Capitol and new Raleigh & Gaston Railroad Company in 1840. In 1853, the first State Fair was held near Raleigh. The first institution of higher learning in Raleigh, Peace College, was established in 1857. Raleigh's Historic Oakwood contains many houses from the 19th century that are still in good condition. North Carolina seceded from the Union. After the Civil War began, Governor Zebulon Baird Vance ordered the construction of breastworks around the city as protection from Union troops. During General Sherman's Carolinas Campaign, Raleigh was captured by Union cavalry under the command of General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick on April 13, 1865. As the Confederate cavalry retreated west, the Union soldiers followed, leading to the nearby Battle of Morrisville.[20] The city was spared significant destruction during the War. Due to the economic and social problems of the post-war period and Reconstruction, with a state economy still overly based on agriculture, it grew little over the next several decades. Fayetteville Street during the 1910s After the Civil War ended in 1865, African Americans were emancipated. The Reconstruction era legislature established public education for blacks and whites. Freedmen were often led by free blacks who had become educated before the war. With the help of the Freedmen's Bureau, many freedmen migrated from rural areas to Raleigh. It had an established free black community, more work opportunities, and many freedmen wanted to get out from under white supervision in the rural areas. Shaw University, the South's first African American college, began classes in 1865 and was chartered in 1875. Its Estey Hall was the first building constructed for the higher education of black women, and Leonard Medical Center was the first four-year medical school in the country for African Americans. In 1867, Episcopal clergy founded St. Augustine's College for the education of freedmen. The biracial Reconstruction legislature created new welfare institutions: in 1869, it approved the nation's first school for blind and deaf blacks, to be located in Raleigh. In 1874, the federal government constructed the Federal Building in Raleigh, the first federal government project in the South following the Civil War. In 1880, the newspapers News and Observer combined to form The News & Observer. It continues to be Raleigh's primary daily newspaper. The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as North Carolina State University, was founded as a land-grant college in 1887. The city's Rex Hospital opened in 1889 and included the state's first nursing school. The Baptist Women's College, now known as Meredith College, opened in 1891, and in 1898, The Academy of Music, a private music conservatory, was established. In the late nineteenth century, two black Congressmen were elected from North Carolina's 2nd district, the last in 1898. George Henry White sought to promote civil rights for blacks and to challenge efforts by white Democrats to reduce black voting by new discriminatory laws. He and allies were unsuccessful. Based on a white supremacy campaign that returned Democrats to dominance, in 1900 the state legislature passed a new constitution, with a suffrage amendment that raised barriers to voter registration, resulting in the disenfranchisement of most blacks and many poor whites. The state succeeded in reducing black voting to zero by 1908. Loss of the ability to vote also disqualified black men (and later women) from sitting on juries and serving in any office—local, state or federal. The rising black middle-class in Raleigh and other areas was politically silenced and shut out of local governance, and the Republican Party was no longer competitive in the state. It was not until after federal civil rights legislation was passed in the mid-1960s that the majority of blacks in North Carolina would again be able to vote, sit on juries and serve in local offices. By that time many African Americans had left the state in the Great Migration to northern industrial cities for more opportunities. No African American was elected to Congress from North Carolina until 1992. 20th century [ edit ] In 1912, Bloomsbury Park opened, featuring a popular carousel ride. Relocated to Pullen Park, the Pullen Park Carousel is still operating. From 1914 to 1917, an influenza epidemic killed 288 Raleighites.[citation needed] In 1922, WLAC signed on as the city's first radio station, but lasted only two years. WFBQ signed on in 1924 and became WPTF in 1927. It is now Raleigh's oldest continuous radio broadcaster. Following immigration by Catholics, on December 12, 1924, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh was officially established by Pope Pius XI. The Sacred Heart Cathedral became the official seat of the diocese with William Joseph Hafey as its bishop. The city's first airport, Curtiss-Wright Flying Field, opened in 1929. That same year, the stock market crash resulted in six Raleigh banks closing.[21] During the difficult 1930s of the Great Depression, government at all levels was integral to creating jobs. The city provided recreational and educational programs, and hired people for public works projects. In 1932, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium was dedicated. The North Carolina Symphony, founded the same year, performed in its new home. From 1934 to 1937, the federal Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the area now known as William B. Umstead State Park. In 1939, the State General Assembly chartered the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority to build a larger airport between Raleigh and Durham, with the first flight occurring in 1943. In 1947, Raleigh citizens adopted a council-manager form of government, the current form. Council members are elected from single-member districts. They hire a city manager. The Dorton Arena, a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena designed by Matthew Nowicki, was opened in 1952 on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Raleigh experienced significant damage from Hurricane Hazel in 1954. In 1953, WNAO-TV, channel 28, became the city's first television station, though it folded in 1957. With the opening of the Research Triangle Park in 1959, Raleigh began to experience a population increase, resulting in a total city population of 100,000 by 1960.[22] In 1960, the Census Bureau reported Raleigh's population as 76.4% white and 23.4% black.[23] Following passage of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the main achievements of the Civil Rights Movement and the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency, political participation and voting by African Americans in Raleigh increased rapidly. By the early 1970s people in Raleigh were growing increasingly concerned about growth and urban sprawl. Community organizations felt that municipal offices were being too heavily influenced by business interests when the city's population was rapidly growing and various development projects were being proposed. At their behest, the municipal elections were altered so that the mayor was to be directly elected, instead of being selected by the city council. Most city council seats were then made responsible to districts, instead of being held at-large. The 1973 elections were the first contests affected by the reforms. City Councilman Clarence Lightner defeated Raleigh Merchants bureau Executive Director G. Wesley Williams to become Raleigh's first black mayor, and thus the first black mayor in a major white-majority city in the South.[24] In 1976, the Raleigh City and Wake County schools merged to become the Wake County Public School System, now the largest school system in the state and 19th largest in the country.[citation needed] During the 1970s and 1980s, the I-440 beltline was constructed, easing traffic congestion and providing access to most major city roads. The first Raleigh Convention Center (replaced in 2008) and Fayetteville Street Mall were both opened in 1977. Fayetteville Street was turned into a pedestrian-only street in an effort to help the then-ailing downtown area, but the plan was flawed and business declined for years to come. Fayetteville Street was reopened in 2007 as the main thoroughfare of Raleigh's downtown.[25] The 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak of November 28, 1988, was the most destructive of the seven tornadoes reported in Northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia between 1:00 AM and 5:45 AM. The Raleigh tornado produced over $77 million in F4 damage, along with four fatalities (two in the city of Raleigh, and two in Nash County) and 154 injuries. The damage path from the storm was measured at 84 miles (135 km) long, and.5 miles (0.8 km) wide at times.[26] In 1991, two large skyscrapers in Raleigh were completed, First Union Capitol Center and Two Hannover Square, along with the popular Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek in Southeast Raleigh. In 1996, the Olympic Flame passed through Raleigh while on its way to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Also in 1996, Hurricane Fran struck the area, causing massive flooding and extensive structural damage. In addition, WRAL-TV became the first High-Definition broadcast station in the world. In 1997, the National Hockey League's Hartford Whalers announced their intention to move to Raleigh as the Carolina Hurricanes, becoming the city's first major league professional sports franchise. In 1999, the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (later renamed the RBC Center and now called PNC Arena), opened to provide a home for the Hurricanes and the NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team, as well as an up-to-date major concert venue.[27] 21st century [ edit ] In the first decade of the 21st century, Raleigh was featured prominently in a number of "Top 10 Lists", including those by Forbes, MSNBC and Money magazine, due to its quality of life and favorable business climate.[28] In 2001, the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium complex was expanded with the addition of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Meymandi Concert Hall, Fletcher Opera Theater, Kennedy Theatre, Betty Ray McCain Gallery and Lichtin Plaza.[29] Fayetteville Street reopened to vehicular traffic in 2006. A variety of downtown building projects began around this time including the 34-story RBC Bank Tower, multiple condominium projects and several new restaurants. Additional skyscrapers are in the proposal/planning phase. In 2006, the city's NHL franchise, the Carolina Hurricanes, won the Stanley Cup, North Carolina's first and only professional sports championship. With the opening of parts of I-540 from 2005 to 2007, a new 70-mile (110 km) loop around Wake County, traffic congestion eased somewhat in the North Raleigh area. Completion of the entire loop is expected to take another 15 years. In 2008, the city's Fayetteville Street Historic District joined the National Register of Historic Places. In September 2010, Raleigh hosted the inaugural Hopscotch Music Festival. In January 2011, Raleigh hosted the National Hockey League All-Star Game. In April 2011, a devastating EF-3 tornado hit Raleigh, and many other tornadoes touched down in the state (ultimately the largest, but not the strongest outbreak to ever hit the state), killing 24 people. The tornado tracked northeast through parts of Downtown, East Central Raleigh and Northeast Raleigh and produced $115 million in damages in Wake County. There were 4 fatalities in the city.[citation needed] In September 2015 Holy Trinity Anglican Church was opened; the first church to be built in downtown Raleigh since 1958.[30][31] On July 26, 2017 the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh dedicated its new cathedral, Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, the fifth-largest in the United States.[32][33][34] Geography [ edit ] According to the United States Census Bureau, Raleigh occupies a total area of 144.0 square miles (373.0 km2), of which 142 square miles (369 km2) is land and 0.97 square miles (2.5 km2), or 0.76%, is covered by water. The Neuse River flows through the northeast end of the city. Raleigh is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "fall line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. As a result, most of Raleigh features gently rolling hills that slope eastward toward the state's flat coastal plain. Its central Piedmont location situates Raleigh about two hours west of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, by car and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains. The city is 155 miles (249 km) south of Richmond, Virginia, 263 miles (423 km) south of Washington, D.C., and 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Charlotte, North Carolina. A small portion of the city is located in Durham County. Cityscape [ edit ] Downtown Raleigh panorama, from 1909 Downtown Raleigh panorama, 2014 Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh Raleigh is divided into several major geographic areas, each of which use a Raleigh address and a ZIP code that begins with the digits 276. PNC Plaza, formerly known as RBC Plaza, is the largest and tallest skyscraper in the city of Raleigh. The tower rises to a height of 538 feet (164 m), with a floor count of 34. Downtown and inside-the-beltline neighborhoods [ edit ] Warehouses on Martin Street, Raleigh NC The downtown area is home to historic buildings such as the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel built in the early 20th century, the restored City Market, the Fayetteville Street downtown business district, which includes the PNC Plaza and Wells Fargo Capitol Center buildings, as well as the North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina State Capitol, William Peace University, the City of Raleigh Museum, Raleigh Convention Center, Shaw University, Campbell University School of Law, and St. Augustine's College. In the 2000s, an effort by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance was made to separate this area of the city into five smaller districts: Fayetteville Street, Moore Square, Glenwood South, Warehouse (Raleigh), and Capital District (Raleigh). Some of the names have become common place among locals such as the Warehouse, Fayetteville Street, and Glenwood South Districts. The Inside the Beltline neighborhoods include Cameron Park, Boylan Heights,[35] Country Club Hills, Coley Forest, Five Points, Budleigh, Glenwood-Brooklyn, Hayes Barton Historic District, Moore Square, Mordecai, Rosengarten Park, Belvidere Park, Woodcrest, Oberlin Village, and Historic Oakwood. Inside the Beltline refers to I-440 which used to be called the Beltline before being re-branded to ease driver navigation. These neighborhoods were typically built before World War II. Midtown Raleigh [ edit ] Solas Restaurant in the Glenwood South District of Raleigh Midtown Raleigh is a residential and commercial area just North of the I-440 Beltline and is part of North Raleigh. It is roughly framed by Glenwood/Creedmoor Road to the West, Wake Forest Road to the East, and Millbrook Road to the North. It includes shopping centers such as North Hills and Crabtree Valley Mall. It also includes North Hills Park and part of the Raleigh Greenway System. The term was coined by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, developer John Kane and planning director Mitchell Silver. The News & Observer newspaper started using the term for marketing purposes only.[36] The Midtown Raleigh Alliance was founded on July 25, 2011 as a way for community leaders to promote the area.[37] East Raleigh [ edit ] North Hills, an upscale neighborhood of Raleigh East Raleigh is situated roughly from Capital Boulevard near the I-440 beltline to New Hope Road. Most of East Raleigh's development is along primary corridors such as U.S. 1 (Capital Boulevard), New Bern Avenue, Poole Road, Buffaloe Road, and New Hope Road. Neighborhoods in East Raleigh include Hedingham, Longview, Lockwood, Madonna Acres, New Hope, Thompson-Hunter and Wilder's Grove. The area is bordered to the east by the town of Knightdale. West Raleigh [ edit ] West Raleigh lies along Hillsborough Street and Western Boulevard. The area is bordered to the west by suburban Cary. It is home to North Carolina State University, Meredith College, Pullen Park, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, the Islamic Association of Raleigh, Cameron Village, Lake Johnson, the North Carolina Museum of Art and historic Saint Mary's School. Primary thoroughfares serving West Raleigh, in addition to Hillsborough Street, are Avent Ferry Road, Blue Ridge Road, and Western Boulevard. The PNC Arena is also located here adjacent to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. These are located approximately 2 miles from Rex Hospital. North Raleigh [ edit ] North Raleigh is an expansive, diverse, and fast-growing suburban area of the city that is home to established neighborhoods to the south along with many newly built subdivisions and along its northern fringes. The area generally falls North of Millbrook Road. It is primarily suburban with large shopping areas. Primary neighborhoods and subdivisions in North Raleigh include Bartons Creek Bluffs, Bedford, Bent Tree, Black Horse Run, Brier Creek, Brookhaven, Coachman's Trail, Crossgate, Crosswinds, Dominion Park, Durant Trails, Ethan's Glenn, Falls River, Greystone Village, Harrington Grove, Hidden Valley, Lake Park, Long Lake, North Haven, North Ridge, Oakcroft, Shannon Woods, Six Forks Station, Springdale Estates, Stonebridge, Stone Creek, Stonehenge, Summerfield, Valley Estates, Wakefield, Weathersfield, Windsor Forest, and Wood Valley. The area is served by a number of primary transportation corridors including Glenwood Avenue U.S. Route 70, Interstate 540, Wake Forest Road, Millbrook Road, Lynn Road, Six Forks Road, Spring Forest Road, Creedmoor Road, Leesville Road, Norwood Road, Strickland Road, and North Hills Drive. South Raleigh [ edit ] South Raleigh is located along U.S. 401 south toward Fuquay-Varina and along US 70 into suburban Garner. This area is the least developed and least dense area of Raleigh (much of the area lies within the Swift Creek watershed district, where development regulations limit housing densities and construction). The area is bordered to the west by Cary, to the east by Garner, and to the southwest by Holly Springs. Neighborhoods in South Raleigh include Eagle Creek, Renaissance Park, Lake Wheeler, Swift Creek, Carolina Pines, Rhamkatte, Riverbrooke, and Enchanted Oaks. Southeast Raleigh [ edit ] Southeast Raleigh is bounded by downtown on the west, Garner on the southwest, and rural Wake County to the southeast. The area includes areas along Rock Quarry Road, Poole Road, and New Bern Avenue. Primary neighborhoods include Chastain, Chavis Heights, Raleigh Country Club, Southgate, Kingwood Forest, Rochester Heights, Emerald Village and Biltmore Hills. Coastal Credit Union Music Park (formerly Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, Alltel Pavilion and Walnut Creek Amphitheatre) is one of the region's major outdoor concert venues and is located on Rock Quarry Road. Shaw University is located in this part of the city. Climate [ edit ] Snow in Raleigh on a morning in January 2007 Like much of the southeastern United States, Raleigh has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons. Winters are short and generally cool, with a January daily average of 41.0 °F (5.0 °C). On average, there are 69 nights per year that drop to or below freezing, and only 2.7 days that fail to rise above freezing.[38] Raleigh receives an average annual rainfall of 43.34 inches (110.1 cm).[39] Annual and monthly (temperature and) precipitation data are in chart below. April is the driest month, with an average of 2.92 inches (74.2 mm) of precipitation. Precipitation is well distributed around the year, with a slight maximum between July and September; on average, July is the wettest month, owing to generally frequent, sometimes heavy, showers and thunderstorms. Summers are hot and humid, with a daily average in July of 80.0 °F (26.7 °C). There are 48 days per year with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C).[38] Autumn is similar to spring overall but has fewer days of rainfall, but greater potential for extremely heavy rainfall in a one/two day period, owing to occasional threat from tropical weather systems (hurricanes and tropical storms) packing torrential rainfall. In September 1999, Raleigh recorded its wettest month ever, with over 21 inches of rain, due to torrential rainfall from tropical weather systems, most notably Hurricane Floyd on
a typical year. The company, Oribe Seiki Seisakusho, based in Kobe, also has sold out of 50 Swiss-made air purifiers, which are said to keep out radiation and poisonous gas, and is trying to get more, said Nobuko Oribe, the company’s director. –with files from ReutersHungarian Ethnic Cleansing Ethnic cleansing: the elimination of an unwanted ethnic group from a society, as by genocide, forced migration, and/or forced assimilation. Austria-Hungary: Magyars ruled all of the dark blue areas outlined above, including Slovakia. Mutual relations between the present Hungarian minority and the Slovak majority have a sadly unique historical background. Slovakia was a part of the Greater Hungarian Kingdom which in turn was incorporated as an mostly equal partner into Austria-Hungary in the nineteenth century, and as such the Slovaks suffered from ethnic cleansing. Indeed, this abominable practice was so commonplace, as well as adopted as an official law, that it spawned its own name, Magyarization. Under the Hapsburg Empire and later under Austria-Hungary, the Magyars, or ethnic Hungarians, dominated the numerous nationalities around them, and especially in the years from the Ausgleich, which gave the Hungarians autonomy in Greater Hungary, of 1867 to the end of the first World War in 1918 engaged in this doctrine of cultural genocide. It is ironic that just after receiving political autonomy from the Hapsburg Empire under the 'compromise', or Ausgleich, the Hungarians quickly turned on their still disenfranchised neighbors in the region. Countless Croats, Rumanians, Serbs, Slovaks, Slovenes and Ukrainians were subjected to Magyarization, or forced assimilation. The Hungarians fell right into their new role, becoming even more cruel than their previous Teutonic adversaries who employed a similar practice of Germanization decades before. Yet, despite a harsh national oppression and attempts at a coercive Magyarization of all the ethnic minorities in the Hungarian Monarchy, the national consciousness of the Slovaks continued to develop. It was in 1878 that active Magyarization of Greater Hungary reached its climax. Further, one must realize that Magyarization was not just about the forced use of the Hungarian language. The doctrine's supposed justifications have root in the then Hungarian notion that a native of the Kingdom of Hungary could not be a patriot unless he spoke, thought, felt and totally identified as a Magyar. Slovaks who remained true to their ancestry, and it must be remembered that the Slovaks were in the region long before the Hungarians tribes arrived, were considered deficient in patriotism. The official political view was that a compromise with the Slovaks was impossible; that there was but one expedient, to "ethnically cleanse" them, to wipe them out as far as possible by assimilation with the Magyars. Slovak schools and institutions were ordered to be closed, the charter of the Matica Slovenska was annulled, and its library and rich historical and artistic collections, as well as its funds, were confiscated. Inequalities of every kind before the law were devised for the undoing of the Slovaks heritage, language and culture and turning them into "proper" Hungarians. The Hungarian authorities in their endeavor to suppress the Slovak nationality went even to the extent of taking away Slovak children to be brought up as Magyars, and forbade them to learn their language and their history in school and church. Over two million Slovaks, who were predominantly Catholic, clung to their language and Slavic customs, but the clergy were educated in their seminaries through the medium of the Magyar tongue and required in their parishes to conform to state imposed restrictions. Among the 750,000 Protestant Slovaks the Government went even further by taking control of their synods and bishops. Even Slovak family names were Magyarized, and any vocational advancement was only given through Hungarians channels. All these ethnic cleansing policies on the part of the authorities tended to produce an active Slovak emigration abroad while stifling economic factors exacerbated the situation. A few immigrants came to America in 1864 and their success brought others. In the late seventies the Slovak exodus was well marked, and by 1882 it was sufficiently important to be investigated by the Hungarian Minister of the Interior and directions given to repress it. The American immigration figures indicated the first important Slovak influx in 1873 when 1300 immigrants came from Hungary, which rose to 4000 in 1880 and to nearly 15,000 in 1884. Countless other Slovaks became so called 'Hungarians of Slovak descent', only barely cognizant of who their ancestors were. Whole villages became Magyarized, unable to communicate in their original language and forbidden to learn about their history. What's more disturbing is that this process bred a societal self-hatred, where anything Slovak was to be hidden or admonished. As with other similar national tragedies these "New Hungarians" became the most vociferous supporters of Magyarization and further perpetrated that which was brought upon them. Unfortunately, assimilation of Slovaks and other minorities in Hungary proper continued until the reforms of the 1990s. This is evident with Slovaks having marginal representation in the political process in the current nation-state of Hungary - even though they were a sizeable minority at the end of the first world war. What is most telling however is the stark comparison between Slovak communities abroad. In relatively far away nations such as Croatia, Ukraine, Slovenia, and even Serbia, Slovak communities continue to thrive yet close by, in neighboring Hungary, these communities are all but non-existent. Surreptitiously and with slow attrition, Hungary has today completed the goals of Magyarization in Hungary, creating one of the most homogenized and "ethnically pure" states in modern Europe. Currently, many Hungarians are either unaware or refuse to acknowledge this horrific and shameful part of their history, or, similar to Holocaust denial, they provide a bevy of apologias that purport to justify the ethnic cleansing policies of Magyarization, either by citing similar examples in other regions or by claiming such policies were executed under political necessity. It is time for the Hungarian people to clearly and loudly own up to the wrongs of the past, pay reparations, and create a national monument for this cultural genocide. Many modern disputes such as the Gabcikovo dam project, have their roots in the former Hungarian government's policy Magyarization which bred a psychology of ethnic superiority among Hungarians and condescension against anyone who wasn't a pure Hungarian. Minority baiting is still, unfortunately, part of the political landscape in this region and until these past wrongs are address it will continue to be so. The failure of the Hungarian nation, and the Magyar people, to offer an public act of contrition, and the activities of current national extremists who glorify Magyarization, only exacerbates current conflicts. Only when the Hungarian people come face to face with the horrors of their past can they genuinely coexist with the numerous ethnicities they so cruelly tried to culturally exterminate.Julian Assange told reporters the Clinton Campaign tried to hack Wikileaks. Assange accused the Hillary campaign of attacking the servers being used by Wikileaks. Russia Today reported: Julian Assange has claimed the Hillary Clinton campaign has attacked the servers being used by WikiLeaks. Despite the Ecuadorian embassy shutting down his internet until the US election is over, the website will continue publishing, according to Assange. “Everyday that you publish is a day that you have the initiative in the conflict,” Assange said via telephone at a conference in Argentina on Wednesday. The whistleblowing website has been releasing emails from Clinton’s campaign chair, John Podesta, on a daily basis since early October. Assange claimed the release “whipped up a crazed hornet’s nest atmosphere in the Hillary Clinton campaign” leading them to attack WikiLeaks. “They attacked our servers and attempted hacking attacks and there is an amazing ongoing campaign where state documents were put in the UN and British courts to accuse me of being both a Russian spy and a pedophile,” he added. Ecuador’s decision to shut down his internet was described by Assange as a “strategic position” so that its “policy of non-intervention can’t be misinterpreted by actors in the US and even domestically in Ecuador.” He said he was sympathetic with Ecuador, insisting they face the dilemma of having the US interfere with their elections next year if they appear to interfere with the US elections next month.Last year seemed like the best time for Moby to get Moby & The Void Pacific Choir off the ground. He had just linked with Miley Cyrus on the Flaming Lips’ “Blonde SuperFreak Steals The Magic Brain” video in 2014 during that brief period where it was like hot, steamy indie adultery to do so. Then Everything Is Wrong turned 20 in 2015, and a few months afterwards he announced the new project after some mysterious leadup. Then came a couple new tracks with visuals and poof, the Pacific Choir disappeared back into the void. Today, the outfit has resurfaced with a new song called “Don’t Leave Me” along with visuals. The song is a chaotic blend of distorted guitars with Moby sounding like he’s coming through a loudspeaker in another room with rallying phrases. The visuals aren’t quite NSFW, but they come with a warning for “images some people might find disturbing” at the beginning. If you have a soft spot for animals, it shows many of them in captivity and at the very beginning stages of food processing. The images are not just for provocation’s sake, though; paired with the song they make a powerful statement. Along with the video, Moby has announced the inaugural Circle V Festival which will take place at LA’s Fonda Theatre on 10/23. He will be headlining the festival and it will be his only live show of 2016. The video is to help build awareness for mercy for animals and the 100% vegan festival will donate all proceeds to animal rights causes. Presale tickets are available at 10AM local times on 08/25 here. Here’s what Moby had to say about the festival: “Circle V is the coming together of my life’s work, animal rights and music. I couldn’t be more excited about this event and am so proud to be headlining.” Watch the video for “Don’t Leave Me” below.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Jan. 26, 2017, 3:53 PM GMT / Updated Jan. 26, 2017, 4:43 PM GMT By Erik Ortiz The world is ticking another 30 seconds closer to the apocalypse — in part because of Donald Trump. At least that's the dire warning from the group of scientists who oversee the metaphorical Doomsday Clock, the hands of which were moved Thursday to two minutes and 30 seconds before midnight — the time that represents when a catastrophic nuclear event can annihilate the earth. It’s the closest the clock has been to midnight since the Cold War of the 1950s. The clock is revised annually, but remained at three minutes before midnight last year — the same as it was in 2015 — after positive global developments such as the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement helped stave off a doomsday scenario. But the Chicago-based Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a science journal which oversees the clock, said recent events prompted them to push the clock forward in 2017. Those include a rise in strident nationalism worldwide, cyber threats, an "active and blatant disregarding" for factual science and President Trump’s comments on nuclear arms and climate change. Trump has repeatedly claimed that global warming is a hoax. Meanwhile, in December, he tweeted that he would like to expand America's nuclear weapons capability — apparently rejecting four decades of U.S. policy to reduce nuclear arms. "Six or seven days into a new administration, we wanted to send a message that things are not going in the right direction," Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist affiliated with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said at a news conference Thursday. Regardless of whether the scientists' symbolic timepiece was changed by “30 seconds or a minute, this is historic,” Krauss added. “The clock has not been closer to midnight in 64 years. We felt things are inching in a more dangerous path, but we try not to act on the moment.” The Doomsday Clock was at two minutes to midnight in 1953, when the U.S. was mired in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. That year, President Harry Truman announced the U.S. had developed a hydrogen bomb — putting the threat of a thermonuclear war on the table. The clock, which was first set in 1947 to seven minutes before midnight, was pushed as far back as 17 minutes before midnight in 1991. That was the year the Cold War ended. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says its purpose is to bring awareness to nuclear disarmament, climate change and energy, and other technology issues that can help save the earth. "The future of the clock and our future is in your hands," Krauss said Thursday. The Bulletin’s board bases the clock's time with a consultation from its Board of Sponsors, which includes 16 Nobel laureates.7 years ago (CNN) - Following weeks of questions over Mitt Romney's personal wealth, the presumptive GOP nominee said Thursday that criticism of the nation's wealthy, including his family, would lead to economic demise. "There are people who are trying to attack success and are trying to attack our success; that's not going to be successful," Romney said in an interview to air Thursday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." "When you attack success you have less of it, and that's what we've seen in our economy over the last few years." - Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker The 2012 presidential campaign has centered on debate over Romney's wealth this summer, with President Barack Obama's team raising concerns about the Republican's decision to hold offshore investments and calling on Romney to release tax documents to answer any lingering queries about his financial portfolio. The White House hopeful has firmly stated he would not release anything further than the two years worth of tax documents that he has already released and annual financial disclosure forms separately required by federal election law. Romney, whose wealth is worth up to $256 million, has also been railed against over his tenure at the private equity firm he co-founded, Bain Capital. Democrats argue he has been misleading about when exactly he left his position as CEO at the company, saying he stayed on three years longer than he's previously admitted-a time window, Democrats say, in which he would have overseen a period in which the company is now being criticized for encouraging the practice of outsourcing. Along with defending his personal wealth, Romney and Republicans have strongly stood against Obama's recent proposal to raise taxes on households making more than $250,000 per year, arguing such a move would have a negative impact on the economy and discourage growth. "Dividing America based on who has money and who hasn't – who is successful and who is less successful… That is not the American way," Romney said. Obama, defending his tax proposal, has frequently said his policies are not aimed as an attack on the wealthy. "This has nothing to do with me wanting to punish success. We love folks getting rich. I do want to make sure that everybody else gets that chance as well." Obama said at a campaign stop in Iowa earlier this month. "For us to give a trillion dollars worth of tax breaks to folks who don't need it and aren't even asking for it, that doesn't make sense." Romney made his comments during a sit-down interview in London, with his wife Ann by his side. The former Massachusetts governor, who headed the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, is in town to attend Friday's opening ceremony for this year's Olympic Games. The stop in London marks the first leg of a three-country trip, which also takes him to Israel and Poland over the next week. Romney also pointed to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who Romney has admitted his campaign was considering–among others–for his running mate, and quoted a statement the freshman senator frequently makes about class warfare rhetoric. "I heard Marco Rubio the other day, he said, 'You know, we were poor living in Miami, we saw these big homes across town…my parents never said to us, gee why don't those people give to us some of what they have. They said instead, aren't we lucky to live in a country where with education and hard work we might be able to achieve that ourselves'." Democrats have especially hammered Romney over his former firm, Bain Capital. Priorities USA Action, a pro-Obama super PAC, has released multiple commercials this summer highlighting companies that failed–and their subsequent job losses–after being invested in by Bain. While the company has said most of its companies have succeeded, Romney gave rare insight on Thursday into some of the firm's failures. "It killed us if something was not successful. If a business we started, for instance, couldn't make it-and there were several like that-but there were several that took off in ways that we never would have imagined. There are a number of businesses that were existing businesses we wanted to make better. Most of them we did make better. Those that we didn't, we felt terrible about," he said. In the wide-ranging interview, Romney also discussed his position on gun rights in the wake of the Colorado movie theater massacre that left 12 dead and dozens wounded. The former governor has said in recent days he sees no need for new gun legislation, arguing that people who want to do harm will find a way to get around any further laws. "The real point has to relate to individuals that are deranged and distressed and to find them, to help them and to keep them from carrying out terrible acts," he said. "Timothy McVeigh, how many people did he kill? With fertilizer? With products that can be purchased legally anywhere in the world, he was able to carry out vast mayhem." ' He added: "Somehow thinking that laws against the instruments of violence will make violence go away, I think is misguided." Obama on Wednesday made headlines by making his strongest comments yet as president about gun violence. While he called for change, he did not specifically outline any proposals for new gun legislation. "A lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals," Obama said at the National Urban League convention in New Orleans. "That they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities." The president emphasized a need for background checks and the prevention of "mentally unbalanced" individuals from obtaining guns. He faulted opposition in Congress for lack of progress made in reducing violence. "These steps shouldn't controversial. They should be common sense," Obama said. - Watch the full interview at 9 p.m. ET on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." Watch Piers Morgan Live weeknights 9 p.m. ET. For the latest from Piers Morgan click here.2016 GOTY Awards Along with our group-selected 2016 Game of the Year Awards, each member of the PC Gamer staff has independently chosen one game to commend as a personal favorite of the year. We'll continue to post new Staff Picks throughout the rest of 2016. Hearthstone blew the CCG genre wide open, creating space for dozens of competitors like Duelyst to fill. And while the idea of any new CCG topping the 50+ million player behemoth Hearthstone is hard to imagine, that doesn't mean it's still the best option out there. Duelyst may not have a lavish stage at BlizzCon, but it's become a better game than the CCG that helped inspire it. The reason is simple: the board. Duelyst's blend of turn-based tactics and card game adds a level decision-making neither genre had on its own. For example, if you begin a game of Hearthstone with one playable minion in your hand, you have two options: play the minion or don't. Beginning a game of Duelyst with one playable minion gives you 66 different options; nine different areas to move to on turn one, each of which has either five or eight different spots to place the minion depending on where you went. That's not even considering whether or not you mulligan a card at the start of the turn, or the fact that going second could let you take a mana tile to open up more options. The movement mechanics leaves room for subtlety in a way regular card games often don't. Both games have plays which will be clearly better or worse, and both require you to think forward about what your opponent could do or what else is in your deck, but a game of Duelyst can branch out in many more ways than a game of Hearthstone. Where you move and place minions dictates which direction the fights will move in. You can drive your opponent to a certain side by blocking off their other routes, press forward and make sure you stay on their side of the board, or hang back and make them come to you. The movement system leaves room for subtlety that regular card games often don't. But what has really kept me playing Duelyst all year is that developer Counterplay Games fit this depth into matches that rarely go longer than ten minutes, making it quick enough to jump in and out of among other games. Counterplay has also been proactive with balance patches, and releases a steady stream of four new cards a month, keeping the meta on its toes. It also doesn't hurt that its pixel art animations are without a doubt the best of any game out today. But mainly it's when to move forward, where to place minions, whether or not to trade blows with the enemy general, and a million other choices that make Duelyst a game I imagine I’ll never actually master, but absolutely love to play.This article is over 2 years old The vessels were researching climate change in the Pacific before being blown off course and sending a distress signal The Chilean navy has rescued 14 people aboard two balsa wood rafts that were swept up in strong currents hundreds of kilometres off the coast. The Kon-Tiki 1 and 2 rafts set sail in early January from Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean toward the Chilean port city of Valparaiso with the aim of documenting climate change, pollution and marine life. But strong currents pulled them far off course and the group sent out a distress signal on Wednesday asking for assistance. Facebook Twitter Pinterest One of the Kon-Tiki rafts photographed from a Chilean spotter plane. Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images The Chilean navy said in a statement that the rafts were about 1,600km (994 miles) west of Puerto Montt in southern Chile. The navy sent a merchant ship about 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) away from the rafts plus a plane to track them from the sky. In a statement, Kon-Tiki expedition leader Torgeir Higraff said they were aborting the voyage for safety reasons. “In a normal year, we would have reached South America by now,” said Higraff. “Instead, we are still 900 nautical miles (1,667 kilometers) from land and the weather forecasts are not promising. The crew is in good health and spirit, and there is no emergency situation.” The crews include citizens of Norway, Peru, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia and Sweden. The original Kon Tiki set sail in 1947 from Peru. The expedition was led by Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl, who was seeking to prove his theory that winds and marine currents allowed for prehistoric sailing trips between South America and Polynesia. After 101 days, Heyerdahl and five crew members reached the island of Raroia in the Tuamoto Archipelago. A book about the expedition was translated into dozens of languages. In 1951, Heyerdahl’s film about the journey won an Oscar.Terry Spencer, The Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Sharon McGee never believed her father when he said her mother accidentally shot herself to death while threatening suicide 30 years ago. So late last year, she confronted her father, James O'Neil, and demanded the truth. Her father told her a story vastly different than the one he told her -- and detectives -- decades ago. According to court documents, O'Neil told his daughter her mother was threatening to kill herself. She pulled out a gun and he wrested it away from her. Verna O'Neil then said she wanted to die and her husband responded: "Let me show you how it's done" and pulled the trigger. McGee kept her father's confession a secret for several months before going to police earlier this year, according to court documents. On Thursday, O'Neil, now 83, was charged with manslaughter. He was released Friday on $50,000 bail. His attorney, Michael Salnick, did not return a phone call seeking comment. According to an arrest affidavit written by Palm Beach County sheriff's Detective Paige McCann, Verna O'Neil died on July 23, 1987, from a gunshot to her face. She was 50. James O'Neil told investigators that night that he and his wife had been arguing over her excessive drinking and his burnt dinner. He told them she was sitting on the couch when she pulled their handgun, a.357 Magnum, from beneath the cushion. He jumped on her to try to pull the revolver away and in the ensuing struggle it went off, killing her. Sheriff's investigators classified her death as a suicide. It remained that way until McGee went to the sheriff's office in February. She told detectives she was 28 when her mother died and had never believed her father's story. Last October, she said, she confronted him. He told McGee he had wrested the gun from her mother and then asked his wife what she wanted, according to court documents. He told McGee her mother replied that she wanted to die, so he said, "Let me show you how it's done." He told McGee he pried back the hammer, pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger, but insisted the shooting was an accident, according to court documents. He told her to keep it a secret, sending her a text message that evening, "I'm believing that you will sleep much better tonight, Love Dad." Four months later, McGee went to the sheriff's office. During two interviews with McCann in April, O'Neil told the detective that after threatening suicide, his wife had handed him the gun without a struggle. He said as he held it, the gun went off accidentally. He told McCann the gun had a hair trigger, meaning it could fire with a light pull, but tests performed in 1987 showed the gun required normal trigger pressure to fire. McGee did not return a phone message left at a number listed for her.Science fact or fiction Two major applications, that of autonomous cars and unmanned aerial systems (UASs), are the focus of Lloyd’s latest report, Autonomous Vehicles – Handing Over Control: Opportunities and Risks for Insurance. The use of autonomous technologies in these two sectors could represent the biggest change to vehicles since the motorcar replaced the horse and cart, it says. However, transport is not expected to be the only beneficiary. Technological advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence are opening up a wide range of potential applications because autonomous machines can potentially carry out tasks more safely and efficiently than humans. Replacing humans It is still very early days for the application of autonomous and unmanned technologies, but such devices are already being used for a wide range of hazardous or labour intensive activities, explains Michael Maran Chief Science Officer at Catlin. For example, autonomous vehicles are already being used to survey tunnels, take samples in volcanoes, explore the deep ocean, and even carry out scientific research on Mars, he says. “Unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous cars are the headline applications for this technology, but the implications could be far reaching,” says Maran. Key role for insurers Insurance industry expertise in risk management and mitigation will be a factor in the adoption of autonomous and unmanned technology, according to Lloyd’s report. “Insurance is key to helping society integrate new technology safely,” says Nick Beecroft, Manager, Emerging Risks & Research at Lloyd’s. Where regulation and safety standards are yet to be developed, insurers can encourage prudent progress by making their own risk assessments and providing policies for responsible operators, the report says. For example, underwriters at Lloyd’s wrote one of the first motor insurance policies in 1904 and the first aviation cover in 1911, long before today’s liability regimes were put in place. New risks and challenges While the potential for change is great, incorporating autonomous or unmanned vehicles into existing legal and regulatory frameworks presents a major challenge, according to the study. For example, liability will be a key issue because autonomous and unmanned vehicles involve the transfer of control from direct human input to automated or remote control. “In many cases the technology is there to create fully autonomous vehicles, but the legal and regulatory environment needs to be developed further, and public trust will also need to be fostered,” says Maran. Understanding issues of liability will be key for insurers, according to Ingmar Posner, Associate Professor in the Department Of Engineering Science at Oxford University. In some cases technology is moving faster than regulation and law, raising questions over who is liable if an autonomous machine causes damage to a third party, he says. “Whoever cracks the issue of liability first will have an edge in the insurance industry,” says Posner. The sky’s the limit This is very much the case with unmanned aerial systems (UAS), where the application of unmanned technology has so far been limited, at least in part, by existing rules and regulation, says Jay Wigmore, an aviation underwriter with Kiln. However, smaller line-of sight UAS are finding more commercial applications, and were recently used to film the Winter Olympics in Sochi earlier this year and are also being used for border patrols and by emergency services, he says. Increased public trust in the technology, combined with changes in regulation, could one-day conceivably see larger autonomous aircraft carry cargo or even passengers, believes Wigmore. Lloyd’s underwriters, including Kiln, are already insuring UAS, and are lending their expertise to regulatory discussions in the European Union aimed at gradually accommodating the new technology, he explains. Safer driving Autonomous technology is also finding its way into our cars, with the potential for improved safety and fuel efficiency, as well as enabling more cars to use the roads, according to David Powell of the Lloyd’s Market Association. “Truly driverless cars are a long way off, but the different technologies that will enable limited self-driving vehicles are coming soon, and could lead to a significant reduction in road traffic accidents,” he says. Many of the routine claims that currently drive the cost of motor insurance will reduce or almost disappear entirely, explains Powell. The resulting decreased exposure for insurers would probably require underwriters to change the design and pricing of motor insurance products, he says. “Insurers that are best able to measure improvements in risk and identify the benefits of new safety technology will have a commercial advantage,” predicts Powell. New tools and approaches The application of autonomous technologies could one day touch many lines of insurance, explains Beecroft. “Machines are becoming more intelligent and aware, and are able to take on an increasing number of functions that were previously the preserve of humans,” he says. The development of autonomous technology is linked to wider trends in digital technology and the explosion in data and information, which should give insurers access to much more information on risk in the future, explains Beecroft. “Autonomous vehicles should mean that insurers will be able to get a more comprehensive and detailed picture of risk, as well as benefiting from improved safety as the human error element of risk is reduced,” says Beecroft.A United Express plane from Chicago to Connecticut made an emergency landing in Buffalo, New York, after three passengers lost consciousness.The plane was headed from O'Hare International Airport to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut when it made an emergency stop at Buffalo Niagara International Airport at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday.Pilots weren't sure what they were dealing with, but thought it could be a pressurization problem. Out of an abundance of caution, the pilots made a rapid decent, dropping 27,000 feet in eight minutes."Then things started to get a little more panicky. It seemed like there was some emergency that was happening that wasn't just because of medical, and they said there was a loss of cabin pressure. So, at that point, they asked up to tighten our seat belts and we basically nosedived until we leveled out at 10,000 feet. And that was pretty darn scary," said Vanessa Bergmann, a passenger.The FAA also reported a pressure problem on the plane, but a spokesperson for SkyWest, which operates the flight for United Express, said there was no pressure problem.Throughout the tense few minutes, the pilot sounded calm and collected as he went through routine questions during an emergency.SkyWest 305 Tango, one last question here: Do you know the number of passengers on board?84 souls on board for SkyWest 305 Tango84?Affirmative. 8-4Thank you for all that. They will meet you at your gate. Contact tower on 120.5.Thank you for all your help today. Over to tower. SkyWest 305 Tango.Paramedics met the Embraer E170, a United Express regional jet, in Buffalo, about 400 miles short of its scheduled destination in Hartford, Connecticut.SkyWest officials said that all three passengers were evaluated by medical personnel at the airport and released.SkyWest officials said the Embraer E170's oxygen masks did not release and there have been no indications of a pressurization problem or other issues with the aircraft.The plane is being checked out as a precaution, and a new plane was brought in to take the passengers to Hartford.Price gap widens between new and used cars 7:11 AM ET Thu, 2 March 2017 \| 01:47 Are you willing to borrow another $11,000? That's the difference in the average loan for a new vehicle compared to the average loan for a used model, according to Experian, which tracks how consumers are paying for the cars and trucks they're buying. In the fourth quarter, the average amount borrowed to pay for a new vehicle jumped more than $1,000 to hit a total of $30,621. That is, $11,292 more than the average loan for a used vehicle during the same period. It's also a record gap between the amount that is borrowed for new and used auto loans, according to Melinda Zabritski, Experian's senior director of automotive finance. She blames the growing gap on the rising cost of new vehicles. "This upward trend is causing many consumers to find alternative methods like extending loan terms, getting a short-term lease or opting for a used vehicle to get what they want while staying within their monthly budget," said Zabritski. As it is, monthly payments continue to edge higher. Experian said the average new vehicle loan is now $506, up $13 compared to the same time a year ago. By comparison, the average used vehicle monthly loan payment climbed just $5 in the fourth quarter, to a total of $364. With vehicle prices and monthly payments rising, consumers are taking out longer auto loans. In fact, in the fourth quarter, almost a third of the auto loans written were for a term of at least six years. By comparison, the number of borrowers scheduled to pay off their new car or truck in less than five years continues to drop, with just 18.7 percent of the loans having terms of 49 to 60 months. All these increases in vehicle prices and auto loans has sparked renewed chatter that some borrowers may be getting over-extended. Experian said 2.44 percent of borrowers were 30-days delinquent on repaying their loan in the fourth quarter, which is up slightly compared to the same time as 2015. By comparison, the percentage of loans with 60-day delinquencies edged up to 0.78 percent. The slight increases have lenders being more selective with those getting auto loans, said Zabritski. Credit scores edged up in the fourth quarter, according to Experian. "Overall, we are still looking at a very healthy lending market," says Zabritski.The video will start in 8 Cancel Get the biggest daily news stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Tourists were left in a state of panic at the Eiffel Tower tonight after a man acting suspiciously led to a security alert. Visitors were trapped in the tower lifts as police dealt with the suspect. Initial reports suggested that the incident involved a weapon, but this was not confirmed. A witness who said he was at the base of the tower said the whole area was cleared. (Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter) Bob Thomas said on Twitter: "Anyone know what is going on at the Eiffel Tower? All been shut down. "We're stuck in one of the legs outside the lift. We've been locked in. They say another 30 minutes. "Told it's a full lock down. We have been locked inside. "That we have to stay locked inside. Nothing official yet. (Image: Twitter) tower "We are currently locked down at the base outside one of the lifts. "Been told a guy was acting weird but no confirmed weapon. The staff have been locked in with us. "Confirmed incident though." The Eiffel Tower is now open again after police reportedly arrested a suspect. The Eurostar was closed earlier this evening due to a security alert, but has since been reopened.Microsoft describes its Edge browser as "The faster, safer browser designed for Windows 10." It is the default browser for Windows 10 users. If you think about it, back when IE debuted, our computing world was vastly different. Edge was designed with the intent to take into account all we do now with our browsers, defend against the threats the incrementally-updated IE has been subjected to, use less battery power, and be much faster. Even with all those advantages, Edge didn't initially take the world by storm. What I wanted to know is, where does it stand today? That's the purpose of this article. When Edge first debuted nearly two years ago, it felt unfinished. It didn't support extensions or plugins, for example. My earliest experience found me having to jump back into Chrome merely to look up a password, and then back into Edge. After a few hours of back-and-forth, I realized, at least back then, that Edge wasn't ready for my day-to-day production use. But time has passed. As I wrote about last week, Edge has some reasonable extension support. While it doesn't offer extensions for everything I do, it does include, among the 31 extensions available
2011. "We would anticipate Edson signing a new deal, and I would have no problem playing [Buddle and Ángel] together," Arena told ExtraTime Radio on Thursday. "We expect to sign Edson to a new contract." LISTEN: Arena talks Buddle's future on ExtraTime Radio On Thursday, Birmingham manager Alex McLeish answered several beat reporter questions about Buddle's audition, which began on Monday. "He’s done fine," the Brum boss stated. "I think he’s here for next week, as well, because we’d like a longer look at him. He’s been scoring goals in the MLS and had a good season and he’s available." It would be tricky for Birmingham to obtain Buddle, however. Though he earned five caps with the US national team in 2010, he falls well short of the 75 percent senior-team involvement needed for automatic approval for a UK work permit. He'd need to earn the rubber stamp on the second-chance path used by Benny Feilhaber to sign with Derby County in 2007. Buddle, who has also suited up for the Columbus Crew and the New York Red Bulls during his 10 MLS seasons, has racked up 90 goals in 231 regular-season games to stand seventh on the all-time MLS goal chart. Think you know the game? Test your powers of prediction with MLSsoccer.com's fantasy game, Pro Soccer Picks. Play NOW!Overview: This verse is one of the famous six "clobber" passages from the Bible that is often used to condemn same-sex sexual activity. In the King James Version, Leviticus 18:22 is translated: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." Although the verse appears to most readers to apply only to sexual behavior between two males, at least two Bible translations appear to mistranslate the verse in order to widen its scope to include lesbian sexual activity: Living Bible: "Homosexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin" New Living Translation: "Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin. Topics covered in this section: Sponsored link: Copyright © 1996 to 2016 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance Latest update: 2016-JAN-12 Author: B.A. Robinson Sponsored link Go to the previous page, or to the "Bible and Homosexuality menu," or choose:Could the era of free residential parking in Boston be coming to an end? City Council president Michelle Wu wants to take a look at the issue in the upcoming term, listing “parking management” as part of her campaign policy platform. Residential parking permits have long been free in the city, with no cap on the number of cars per household. A 2015 Globe review found that at least 300 residences have more than five parking permits. Shortly after that report, the city’s transportation department said it would review the rules, but so far nothing has changed. Advertisement Wu, an at-large councilor, said she has two main goals in exploring a parking fee: to encourage people to park off-street, freeing up spots for residents along roads; and creating a revenue source that could be used for transportation improvements such as better bicycle lanes or programming traffic signals to prioritize buses. Get Metro Headlines in your inbox: The 10 top local news stories from metro Boston and around New England delivered daily. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here “We’re missing the opportunity to have funding available for infrastructure improvements around the city,” she said. “Everyone agrees there’s a problem [with parking availability], and that there needs to be more funding for safe-streets infrastructure. So I’m hoping to make the case to connect the two.” Wu does not have a specific fee in mind, but she said it could potentially differ from neighborhood to neighborhood, based on demand. She also suggested discounts for lower-income residents, since some of Boston’s low-income neighborhoods have the least access to public transit. Boston’s closest suburbs — including Brookline, Somerville, and Cambridge — all charge fees of $25 to $40 a year for parking permits. Also, overnight on-street parking is banned in Brookline. Wu said she hopes the council will schedule hearings on the matter perhaps even before the next term. So what does Mayor Martin J. Walsh — currently in the closing stages of a reelection campaign — think about what could be a thorny political issue? Advertisement Representatives for the mayor deferred comment to the city’s transportation department, where spokeswoman Tracey Ganiatsos did not take a particularly decisive position. The city “issues residential parking permits as a public service to the residents of Boston,” she said. “The Boston Transportation Department looks forward to reviewing any parking proposal put forth by the City Council.” The campaign for City Councilor Tito Jackson, who is challenging Walsh, did not respond to a request for comment. Adam Vaccaro can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @adamtvaccaroThe whole world is waiting! Hillary Clinton is reportedly giving a speech on Thursday trying to smear GOP Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump by associating him with the “Alt Right.” The Alt Right is the name sometimes given to the group of websites and individuals who have broken with the corrupt, cowardly, intellectually bankrupt, Establishment Right. VDARE.com is often included in it (although I was writing about America’s immigration disaster before some of these Alt Right kids were born!) The Alt Right surfaces issues that the Establishment Right won’t touch—of course most notably, from VDARE.com’s point of view, immigration. We’ve been able to do that because of the internet—and because of support from loyal and generous readers LIKE YOU. Word about Hillary’s attack on the Alt Right has obviously gone out to her supporters in the Main Stream Media (= all of it). In the last few days, I’ve given an unprecedented number of interviews to MSM reporters, all obviously hoping to tie VDARE.com to Trump. (Answer: there’s no tie—except that Trump is the best presidential candidate on immigration that we’ve ever had). That’s not saying a lot, goodness knows—but it’s a YUGE advance. Word has obviously also gone out to the RATs [Republican Against Trump] who are working to sabotage the GOP candidate. One recent MSM report quoted no fewer than four of them expressing shock! and HORROR!! about the Alt Right—more than the number of Democrats quoted—including Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House and a notorious immigration enthusiast. I don’t expect Clinton’s speech will be more than what we call Point-And-Splutter, just expressing outrage that anyone dare question the nation-wrecking immigration on which the Left has staked everything. And it’s great that a Democratic Presidential candidate has finally been forced to respond, however wildly, to criticisms of immigration policy. Remember that the 1880-1924 Great Wave of immigration was ended in large part because of labor union opposition to its impact on wages. Now, however, the Left and the Democratic Party has abandoned the working class. But what's not great: I expect Clinton’s speech to be just be the start of a renewed and even more ruthless effort to drive any discussion of immigration out of public debate. I can’t see any other reason for her to take this approach. She’s not attempting to challenge Trump on the merits of his positions. She’s apparently just going argue Guilt By Association—what the Left used to call “McCarthyism.” At VDARE.com we’ve chronicled this rising tide of Political Correctness and its many, otherwise unsung, victims—careers destroyed, lives ruined. We’ve suffered from it ourselves—for some years, it’s been practically impossible for VDARE.com writers to get into the MSM. (Which is why the recent flurry of interview requests is so remarkable. Thanks, Donald!) We didn’t care, because the internet has given us a way around the MSM gatekeepers. But, ironically, this is making the Left even more frantic—because they are terrified the immigration issue will get into politics before they have succeeded in Electing A New People. When Obama was elected, I predicted he would push for “Hate Crime” laws—basically, increasing punishment for crimes against groups favored by the Left. (So much for Equal Protection). He did, and now—as VDARE.com has repeatedly documented—those laws are being used to suppress working class dissent. If Hillary is elected, I believe she will push “Hate Speech” laws—basically, anything she and Supreme Court Justices like Sonia (“Wise Latina”) Sotomayor and Elena (“Commissar”) Kagan don’t like. She will attack internet providers and social media platforms. It’s already happening—in Germany, and even in U.S.-style common law jurisdictions like Canada and Britain. That’s why I must ask you to give to VDARE.com now— while you still can. It’s a race against time. This year’s GOP Primaries—not just Trump, but also several other candidates—showed that our message of immigration patriotism is getting through. Help us help this patriot movement become unstoppable—don’t let Hillary Clinton stop it!(Dreamstime image: Roman Lipovskiy) America’s commitment to free-market principles has been slipping in the last decade. Hooray, we’re number... 16!? The latest Index of the Economic Freedom of the World was released last week, and the United States held its ranking as the 16th freest economy (see page 8 of the report), the same ranking as last year. I suppose it could have been worse. The Economic Freedom of the World report is put together every year by a consortium of more than 70 think tanks from around the world. It rates countries on a variety of policies from the size of government and the tax and regulatory burden to the soundness of the money supply and property rights. And, given the link between economic freedom and growth, it tells us a great deal about our ability to prosper. Advertisement Advertisement In 2000, the United States ranked second in the world when it came to how free we were to buy and sell, to hire and fire, to run our businesses and conduct other economic activities free of government interference. As recently as 2009, we were still in the top ten. Now we are tucked between Lithuania and Malta. The top four positions are held by traditional free-market economies Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, and Switzerland. But Americans may be shocked to know that Canada finishes at number five. We may love to make fun of our neighbor to the north. But they are increasingly moving in the right direction, while we are becoming less free. Other countries that beat us now, include Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Chile. The U.S. has tumbled in a number of specific measures as well as in the overall ranking. On size of government, we now rank 78th. For all the talk about European socialism, we now have a bigger government than much of Europe. On regulation, we do better, but we’ve still fallen from second in the 2003 report to eighth today. And for all the political chest-beating about how we are losing trade wars, the U.S. is hardly a bastion of free trade. We now rank 60th in the world, not all that far away from Donald Trump’s bête noire, Mexico, which comes in at 67th place. Even the soundness of the dollar has declined. In the 2005 report, we ranked first in terms of monetary soundness. Today, following years of rising debt and quantitative easing, we are 40th. Advertisement Perhaps most frightening of all, when the report was first issued in 1980, our legal system and respect for property rights were the best in the world. We stayed in the top ten through 2000. But today, we’ve fallen to 27th, putting us in the company of countries such as Rwanda and Portugal. The U.S. has tumbled in a number of specific measures as well as in the overall ranking. It is important to note that this report measures only economic freedom. The U.S. still does better on measures of political freedom and civil liberties. Some of the countries that outrank us on economic measures have serious issues when it comes to human rights. Still, even on these measures, the U.S. is slipping. According to last year’s Human Freedom Index, which includes both personal and economic liberties, the United States ranks 20th. Advertisement Unfortunately, neither of the two leading presidential candidates is likely to make things better. Advertisement Donald Trump gives rhetorical support to cutting regulation, but he has been far more specific about the new regulations he plans to impose, such as paid sick and parental leave or, depending on the day of the week, a higher minimum wage. He would cut taxes, but he would also increase spending and grow the size of government. His refusal to tackle entitlement reform would balloon the national debt and further threaten the soundness of the money supply. After all, he has said that he wants to borrow more while interest rates are low and that we can always repay the debt by printing more money. He has demonstrated little belief in our legal system or property rights. And, of course, one of the key planks of his campaign is a vow to restrict our freedom to trade with whom we want. As the Donald himself might say, “Not good.” Meanwhile Hillary doesn’t even give lip service to reducing the size, cost, and intrusiveness of government. She would massively increase government spending, and the only reason that she wouldn’t borrow as much as Trump is that she would raise taxes. She has never met a regulation that she doesn’t like, and her anti-trade stance betters Trump’s only because it’s less believable. Bad or worse? Flip a coin. Advertisement We should not get too excited over small year-to-year fluctuations in these rankings. But there is no doubt that we are seeing a broad long-term trend that is leaving us both less free and poorer as a nation. Worse, neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton is likely to reverse that trend. That’s a pretty sad legacy to leave to our children.You’re looking at the world’s cheapest car, wearing 80kg of 22 carat gold, 15kg of silver and an unnamed number of gemstones. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Tata Nano GoldPlus, unveiled this week in Mumbai. Thirty craftsmen spent many hours ladling the Nano in the shiny stuff, built as a celebration of India’s craftsmen, its 5,000-year old jewellery trade and Tata’s own GoldPlus jewellery brand. As such, Bhaskar Bhatt, chairman of the Tata Group, said the one-off, golden, jewel-encrusted Nano would be transported and displayed across India. Of particular interest is the jewel-encrusted peacock on the front bumper. And the gold-plated wheels. It’s estimated worth? 220m Rupees (£2.8m), and thus, not really the world’s cheapest car any longer. Still, at least it’s been tastefully done, right? Right? Photos: ©EPAThe dust is beginning to settle on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). And while the final guidelines turned out to be very similar to those from years past, they came close to changing in some very significant ways—including a recommendation that Americans consider sustainability when deciding what to eat. For Dr. Miriam Nelson, an associate dean and professor of nutrition at Tufts University, the fact that the sustainability conversation got as close as it did to impacting the guidelines was an important step. Nelson—who has served on the committee that shapes the dietary guidelines for the last two terms—pushed to address the impact of our diets on the environment. And advocates will likely have her to thank if the guidelines do change in the years ahead. Two Steps Forward, One Step Back Back in 2010, Nelson brought up the topic of sustainability, but the 600 page Dietary Guideline for America Committee (DGAC) report only devoted two sentences to it that year: one on the lack of agricultural land to feed Americans the recommended quantity of fruits and vegetables, and another on the sustainability of fish. Then, when the more recent, 2-year committee process began back in 2013, Nelson brought it up again, seeing it as an important progression of the 2010 edition. “The committee was very enthusiastic and thought this was a very important topic for us to consider, even though it was brand new,” she recalls. “That was an important litmus test.” While the 2015 DGAC scientific report specifically focused on meat reduction, the committee originally discussed another 15 sustainability-related questions, including the benefits of grass-fed versus factory farm-raised animals and organic versus conventional food. How did sustainability go from a two-sentence cameo in the 2010 committee report to a substantial part of the 2015 edition? Nelson points to an increase in academic literature supporting its inclusion. “We had fifteen high-quality, low-bias peer-reviewed studies that looked at the issue. Most of this literature was published in the last six to seven years,” she says. Still, the DGAC report’s focus on the environmental impact of our food choices received backlash from the meat industry, so much so that the final guidelines do not mention sustainability at all. Throughout the two years the committee spent preparing the 2015 report, Nelson says she wasn’t sure if the sustainability piece would make it to the final document. In fact, she was surprised the backlash didn’t happen sooner, since the DGAC held public meetings to present their ongoing work three or four times a year. But she adds, the meat industry was “poised, coordinated, and well-backed literally the day the report came out.” “The industry did three things reminiscent of the tobacco industry,” she adds. “It discredited the science, discredited the scientists, and deflected the issues. Good science is under attack right now. If I were an investigative reporter, I would want to know how much money went into this.” One of the meat industry’s central complaints was that sustainability was outside the scope of the dietary guidelines. Nelson disagrees. “You can’t think about long-term food security without thinking about sustainable diets. And food security has always been a central tenet [of the guidelines]—back in 1980 when they were first developed, and even before there were guidelines.” Nelson also points out that the guidelines have, for years, included physical activity, which is related to, but not directly tied to, diet. “This is not about scope; it is about political pressure. The evidence is strong that Americans need to eat less meat—especially red and processed meat. That was doubly supported by the World Health Organization, which reviewed the same evidence. [The absence of sustainability from the final DGAs] was a cave-in to the private sector.” New York University nutrition professor and author Marion Nestle says she was “impressed” by Nelson’s leadership “in encouraging the DGAC to do what most needs doing to improve U.S. food policy: bring agricultural policy in line with health policy and vice versa.” Despite the removal of sustainability from the ultimate guidelines, Nestle describes the 2015 DGAC report as a “valiant attempt to consider agriculture and health as part of the same continuum.” While the 2010 dietary guidelines garnered only around 1,000 public comments, the 2015 guidelines prompted 30,000. Nelson says approximately 80 percent related to sustainability—and almost all were in favor of the report’s conclusions. Comments came in from individuals, grassroots organizations, and even big multinationals that, according to Nelson, “are thinking about a sustainable supply chain because they think it is good business and it is what consumers want.” The Future of the Guidelines The work toward the 2020 guidelines begins in two years and Nelson is optimistic that last year’s process could lead to greener guidelines next time around. For one, she’s working to make the business case for a sustainable American diet: “If you don’t have the private sector as part of this dialogue, we will get nowhere. We have to find the most responsible players and provide them with support.” Health and sustainability advocates should already start planning, too, she adds. Committee members are brought in for specific expertise, and Nelson hopes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will recruit one or two sustainability experts. She recommends that advocates bring this up to Congress and ensure that the executive branch (HHS/USDA) have it high on their priority list. “What we didn’t address in the report, but mentioned as an implication, was that within food categories (beef, almonds, dairy, etc.) there are more or less sustainable methods,” she says. Public health attorney Michele Simon, who worked with a coalition of plant-based food companies to support the advisory committee’s recommendations to eat less meat and more plants and to include sustainability in the dietary guidelines, has hope for the future. “With passionate leaders like Miriam Nelson on our side, I am confident that future dietary guidelines will incorporate the critical ideas she has championed.” As Nelson prepares for her next position as deputy chief sustainability officer and director of the Sustainability Institute at the University of New Hampshire, she hopes to further thought leadership on sustainability, public health, and climate change nationally and globally. The role might also help her convince her colleagues to focus in on these nuances of food production as they shape the next guidelines. “It was important we do the groundwork in 2015, so it is an absolute given that sustainability will be in the 2020 edition,” she says.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (CNSNews.com) – Sixteen states have set a limit on the number of prescription drugs they will cover for Medicaid patients, according to Kaiser Health News. Seven of those states, according to Kaiser Health News, have enacted or tightened those limits in just the last two years. Medicaid is a federal program that is carried out in partnership with state governments. It forms an important element of President Barack Obama's health-care plan because under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act--AKA Obamcare--a larger number of people will be covered by Medicaid, as the income cap is raised for the program. With both the expanded Medicaid program and the federal subsidy for health-care premiums that will be available to people earning up to 400 percent of the poverty level, a larger percentage of the population will be wholly or partially dependent on the government for their health care under Obamacare than are now. If the player does not load, please check that you are running the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. In Alabama, Medicaid patients are now limited to one brand-name drug, and HIV and psychiatric drugs are excluded. Illinois has limited Medicaid patients to just four prescription drugs as a cost-cutting move, and patients who need more than four must get permission from the state. Speaking on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal on Monday, Phil Galewitz, staff writer for Kaiser Health News, said the move “only hurts a limited number of patients.” “Drugs make up a fair amount of costs for Medicaid. A lot of states have said a lot of drugs are available in generics where they cost less, so they see this sort of another move to push patients to take generics instead of brand,” Galewitz said. “It only hurts a limited number of patients, ‘cause obviously it hurts patients who are taking multiple brand name drugs in the case of Alabama, Illinois. Some of the states are putting the limits on all drugs. It’s another place to cut. It doesn’t hurt everybody, but it could hurt some,” he added. Galewitz said the move also puts doctors and patients in a “difficult position.” “Some doctors I talked to would work with patients with asthma and diabetes, and sometimes it’s tricky to get the right drugs and the right dosage to figure out how to control some of this disease, and just when they get it right, now the state is telling them that, ‘Hey, you’re not going to get all this coverage. You may have to switch to a generic or find another way,’” he said. Arkansas, California, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia have all placed caps on the number of prescription drugs Medicaid patients can get. “Some people say it’s a matter of you know states are throwing things up against the wall to see what might work, so states have tried, they’ve also tried formularies where they’ll pick certain brand name drugs over other drugs. So states try a whole lot of different things. They’re trying different ways of paying providers to try to maybe slow the costs down,” Galewitz said. “So it seems like Medicaid’s sort of been one big experiment over the last number of years for states to try to control costs, and it’s an ongoing battle, and I think drugs is just now one of the … latest issues. And it’s a relatively recent thing, only in the last 10 years have we really seen states put these limits on monthly drugs,” he added.During the June 7 Brady Center Bear Awards–where celebrities applaud other celebrities for their gun control support–actress Kristen Stewart warned that it is time to dispel the idea that playing with toy guns is cool. The awards ceremony honored Chelsea Handler, who refers to gun ownership as a “hobby” rather than a right, and were attended by January Jones, Tom Arnold, and The Voice champion Alisan Porter. Will Ferrell also attended and served as “auctioneer” for the evening. According to People, Stewart’s attendance was highlighted by Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Gross said Stewart had approached him with an idea about a new way to push gun control and that he was “impressed” by her proposal. He said, “She came to us because she has something she wants to do with this issue. She eagerly shared her idea and without hesitation and is showing up tonight. She is committed to actually doing something, not just lending her name.” While no specifics were given about Stewart’s gun control idea, People reports that it will revolve around taking “classic American depictions of our fascination with guns” and adding a new message. Stewart spoke about using images to change the way Americans perceive what is considered to be “comforting.” And talked about how we need to work to keep children from playing with toy guns because it convinces them that real guns can offer protection when they grow up: One of them involved the shattering of the idea that it’s cool to play with toy guns and little kids grow up thinking that’s going to protect and empower them. We kind of take that idea and go, ‘Actually this is something else that could happen,’ and that needs to be considered by people who might not think about that kind of thing. Stewart’s filmography includes American Ultra, a film about an unorthodox government agent who has to fight for his life after being targeted for death. Stewart’s character uses firearms to help the agent defend himself. AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at [email protected] Douglas AD / A-1 Skyraider * Late in World War II, the Douglas aircraft company developed a new piston-powered carrier-based attack aircraft for the US Navy, which emerged as the "AD Skyraider". The Skyraider was built in good numbers, not only for the attack role but for the electronic countermeasures, airborne early warning, and other roles. The AD was a rugged and powerful aircraft that proved its worth in Korea and Vietnam in the hands of Navy, Marine, and Air Force pilots. It also saw service with a number of foreign air arms. This document provides a history and description of the Skyraider. * The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber had a remarkably successful combat career during World War II with the US Navy and Marine Corps, but even at the time it was clearly a somewhat antiquated design. The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was supposed to have replaced it, but the Helldiver was one of the most despised US Navy aircraft of the conflict, and flight crews tended to prefer their reliable, if outdated, Dauntlesses. The Navy awarded a contract to Douglas to provide a more adequate replacement for the Dauntless, in the form of the big "XSB2D-1 Destroyer" two-seat scout bomber. The XSB2D-1 was powered by a Wright R-3350-14 aircooled radial engine providing 1,715 kW (2,300 HP), and featured an inverted gull wing plus tricycle landing gear -- the last being an unusual feature for carrier aircraft at the time. It was to carry heavy defensive armament, with remote-controlled turrets top and bottom on the rear fuselage. Initial flight of the prototype was on 8 April 1943. Douglas also worked on a larger three-seat torpedo bomber along the same lines, the "XTB2D-1 Skypirate", with two prototypes built, the first flying on 13 March 1945. However, the Navy had been having second thoughts, with the result that the service decided they needed a single-seat aircraft to fulfill both the dive-bomber and torpedo-bomber roles and that defensive turrets were not needed. Douglas filed away the design for the Skypirate and redesigned the Destroyer into the "XBTD-1", converting it to a single-seat configuration, eliminating the turrets, adding a 20-millimeter cannon to each wing, expanding the internal bombbay to accommodate a torpedo, and increasing the fuel capacity. Initial flight of the XBTD-1 prototype was on 5 March 1944. The precise fate of the TBD program is unclear, with different sources giving different reads on the story. Some sources claim the program was canceled in July 1944 with no production machines built, others more plausibly claim that 28 BTD-1 production aircraft were built up to the end of the war; two of were fitted with an auxiliary Westinghouse 19B turbojet in the rear fuselage, providing 6.7 kN (680 kgp / 1,500 lbf) thrust, and designated "XTBD-2". Whatever the case, the program was abandoned and the BTD-1 never saw operational service. Sources are also mixed on the virtues of the type. One survives as a museum piece. * Clearly, one of the contributing factors to the truncated life of the BTD-1 was the fact that the Navy wanted a more optimized single-seat scout / torpedo bomber. Four manufacturers submitted proposals during 1944: Curtiss offered the "XBTC-1", Douglas offered the "XBT2D-1", Kaiser-Fleetwings the "XBTK-1", and Martin the "XBTM-1". Some sources also claim the monster Boeing "XF8B-1" was submitted for the requirement, but it was actually designed as a long-range fighter; possibly Boeing suggested that it could be adapted to the scout / torpedo role. All these machines had a roughly comparable configuration, being low-winged aircraft with tailwheel landing gear and a radial engine. The Douglas and Martin proposals were approved for production, though only a relatively small batch of the Martin design, with the service designation of "AM-1 Mauler", was built in the immediate postwar period, sources giving the number of aircraft rolled out as 149. They served into the early 1950s, generally in the reserve role. The Douglas design ended up being preferred. Initial flight of the first of 25 prototype / evaluation "XBT2D-1 Dauntless II" aircraft was on 18 March 1945, with test pilot Laverne Brown at the controls. Initial production contracts followed only weeks later. While the XBT2D-1 couldn't carry the warload that the Mauler could, it was more reliable, easier to fly, and easier to handle on the carrier deck. It was also designed for flexibility, with a range of variants for different roles planned. Of the 25 prototypes: 19 were built in the basic attack configuration. One was fitted with an oversized prop spinner for evaluation; the original design plan had been to fit the spinner to all production machines, but it didn't turn out to be a good idea. One was fitted out as an "XBT2D-1Q" electronic countermeasures (ECM) platform. Two were fitted out in the "XBT2D-1N" night-attack configuration. One was fitted out as an "XBT2D-1W" airborne early warning (AEW) flying radar platform. One was fitted out in the "XBT2D-1P" photo-reconnaissance configuration. The 25th prototype was used to evaluate an improved attack variant, as discussed below. All these configurations reached production, also as discussed below, except for the XBT2D-1P; no dedicated photo-reconnaissance variant ever reached service. In 1946, the Navy changed the name of the XBT2D-1, with the production version becoming the "AD-1 Skyraider", with "AD" standing for "Attack / Douglas". The first AD-1 performed its initial flight on 5 November 1946, and went into formal service in 1947. 242 AD-1s were built into 1949. In service, aircrew called it the "Able Dog" after its designation; it would eventually be better known as the "Spad", it appears as an outgrowth of "AD". * The AD-1 provides a useful baseline for the Skyraider family. The AD-1 was the product of a design team under the well-known Ed Heinemann, along with Leo Devlin and Gene Root. It was of generally straightforward configuration, of all-metal construction -- mostly aircraft aluminum, with a low-mounted wing and a conventional tail arrangement. Somewhat unusually for the postwar period, it featured tailwheel landing gear, all gear assemblies with single wheels and retractable, with each main gear assembly backwards into the wing, and the wheel folding 90 degrees to lie flat. There was a stinger-style arresting hook behind the tailwheel. The AD-1 was powered by a Wright R-3350-24W Duplex Cyclone two-row air-cooled eighteen cylinder engine with water-methanol injection and 1,865 kW (2,500 HP), fitted with a single-stage / two-speed supercharger and driving a four-bladed Aeroproducts hydraulically-actuated constant-speed propeller, with a diameter of 4.12 meters (13 feet 6 inches). The engine was mounted tilted down 4.5 degrees from the centerline, reducing effect of trim changes. The AD-1's appearance, which could only be called "functional" at the most charitable, was further cluttered by an airscoop for the carburetor and for cockpit ventilation behind the engine on top, and another airscoop on the bottom, for an oil cooler. There was only one internal fuel tank, presumably self-sealing, placed behind the cockpit and with a capacity of 1,325 liters (350 US gallons). The wings had a dihedral of 6 degrees, and an incidence of 4 degrees. They folded up hydraulically near mid-span. The tail assembly, as mentioned, was of conventional layout, with a flat tailplane -- no dihedral or anhedral. The control surface arrangement was conventional as well, with a large flap on each inboard wing section, a large aileron running the full span of the outer wing section, plus elevators and a rudder. There were very large hydraulically-operated dive brakes on each side of the fuselage, and on the belly behind the wings. Built-in armament consisted of a single M3 20-millimeter cannon in each wing just inboard of the wing fold or two cannons in total, with a maximum of 200 rounds per cannon. As far as external warload went, there was a centerline stores pylon, a single pylon under each inner wing, and six pylons on each outer wing -- for a total of 15 pylons. The centerline pylon could carry a store with a weight of up to 1,630 kilograms (3,600 pounds), while each inboard pylon could handle up to 1,360 kilograms (3,000 pounds), and each outboard pylon could handle up to 225 kilograms (500 pounds). However, the total warload on the outboard pylons for each wing could not exceed 1,135 kilograms (2,500 pounds), and since the outboard pylons were tightly spaced, clearance issues also led to limitations on stores configurations. The centerline and inboard pylons were "wet" and could be used to carry external fuel tanks, it seems typically one 568-liter (150 US gallon) tank on the centerline or two 1,140-liter (300 US gallon) tanks on the inboard pylons. The outboard stores pylons were intended for carrying smaller munitions like the 127-millimeter (5-inch) "high velocity air rocket (HVAR)" or 115-kilogram (250-pound) bombs. Total external warload is given in many sources as a whopping 3,630 kilograms (8,000 pounds), but that appears to have been the effective limit, not practical for carrier operations, and not a particularly sane configuration, even though there were cases where Skyraiders were loaded up well in excess of that weight. Few photos of "bombed up" Skyraiders show them that overburdened, with pictures of heavily laden machines showing them hauling, for example, twelve 115-kilogram and three 225-kilogram bombs -- a generous total warload of about 2,050 kilograms (4,500 pounds). Another heavy-load configuration was twelve HVARs, at about 65 kilograms (150 pounds) each, and three 450-kilogram (1,000-pound) bombs, for a total warload of about 2,130 kilograms (4,800 pounds). A realistic external warload limit was probably more like 2,720 kilograms (6,000 pounds). Along with bombs and HVARs, Skyraiders could carry napalm tanks, the "Tiny Tim" unguided rocket (along the lines of a giant HVAR), and air-dropped torpedoes. It doesn't appear from photos that Skyraiders often carried Tiny Tims or torpedoes in service -- though there was a case in the Korean War where torpedoes were used to destroy a dam. The pilot sat under a bubble-type canopy that slid back to open. Field of view was said to be excellent. The pilot was protected by cockpit armor, but there was no ejection seat; clearing the big tail was a problem when bailing out. Avionics were simple, including a radio, identification friend or foe (IFF) unit, and radio navigation aids; the pilot used a deflection gunsight for
ny Lee Miller as the Creature, Benedict Cumberbatch as Victor Check out the National Theatre’s official site to see if Frankenstein will be shown in your city.Two weeks ago, the National Football League held its annual draft. For a select few, the draft was a time of excitement and expectation, but for many others, it was a time of extreme and profound anxiety. Academe has its own version of the draft complete with scholastic combines, scouting reports, and team visits. Of course in academic speak, these are more familiarly known as conference interviews, letters of recommendation, and campus visits (Team ProfHacker has addressed some of these issues already in the links above). The academic draft lasts for more than a weekend, and unfortunately, even a best-case scenario doesn’t usually involve multi-million dollar contracts, but nevertheless, there are some useful similarities. Namely, such a comparison can help to explain some of the idiosyncrasies of the academic job market to civilians—that is, non-academics. For a host of different reasons, the summer tends to bring with it the questions from well-intentioned family and friends about what the future might hold. Perhaps rephrasing the issue in more familiar terms can help to shed some light on the challenges and difficulties of the market for those who haven’t experienced it themselves. Before I get ahead of myself, it’s worth pointing out that this analogy has been in circulation for a few years now, and there is even a thread dedicated to it on the CHE Forum. Moreover, there are several other analogies that might be useful here if you are not a football fan. The NBA, NHL, or the PGA might be your vehicle of choice if basketball, hockey, or golf is more your style. Or you might opt for American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, Big Brother, or even Survivor (certainly the show’s motto “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast” seems relevant here!). In each case, where sports or reality television, the stakes are high, and there is a kind of pressure-cooker stress-intensifying anxiety that is unlike anything most candidates will have experienced previously. As many of us know, the job market can make even the coolest of cucumbers sweat bullets, and it has a way of eroding the confidence of the most self-possessed candidate. But I’m interested in the NFL analogy here, not only because I am a football fan myself, but also because this year’s draft had an interesting twist that I’ll get to shortly. But first, a few key similarities: There are more players than there are spots. While this is not the case in every discipline, it is a fact of life in many of them. As a result, every year talented people are forced to make very difficult decisions. In the words of the immortal Clash, “Do I stay, or do I go?” Put another way, do they accept visiting or contingent positions (if they have the opportunity), or do they look for employment outside of academe? Or do they try both and hope for options? It isn’t easy to contemplate walking away from a career for which one has trained for 5, 6, or more years. And at the same time, one has to eat, pay rent, and often provide for children. Players go where they are drafted. It often doesn’t matter where you would like to live, where your family lives, or where your spouse lives. In many fields, if a candidate wants a job, they go where the offer takes them, be it Green Bay, Dallas, or Detroit. I’ve known more than a few people who have ended up in locations that they love, but such an outcome is no guarantee. Players often get traded. It is increasingly common for academics to change jobs at some point in their careers. In some cases, mobility has been more of an issue in the current economic crisis for many academics, but it is still a possibility. Some faculty apply elsewhere looking for the elusive “better fit” while others face the elimination of positions due to budget cuts and are forced to look for other opportunities. If your last name happened to be Manning or Tebow, your agent might be able to contact a coach and express interest in playing for the team, otherwise, forget it. In most cases, cold-calling a department of InMyDreams University won’t give a candidate any advantage whatsoever. For many non-academics, this is the part of the market that is most difficult to process. There is life after football. Or at least, so it seems. Being a professional athlete requires a skill set that isn’t easily or obviously transferrable to a wide range of other vocations. Similarly, a Ph. D. in medieval French monasticism or contemporary American poetry doesn’t seem like it would necessarily prepare one for a career outside of the academy. But appearances can be deceiving. The difficulty is repackaging the degree into the marketable skills which helped you to earn it. The Chronicle has featured several articles on non-academic and alternative academic career paths, some serious; others less so. Those who have pursued such paths have reported that not only are their personally rewarding, but many of them are also financially more rewarding that an academic career. Finding those jobs is another issue. In a particularly interesting twist this year, one undrafted athlete received a great deal of attention because despite receiving calls from several teams with contract offers, he wanted to pursue his education. Specifically, he wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in history. When I read that, my heart sank. Not because I am opposed to the pursuit of higher education (clearly, that isn’t the case) or because I think that this particular person is unsuited for the degree. I’ve never met this student, so who am I to suggest what he might or might not be capable of achieving. But I have read the essays by Thomas Benton and others about the difficulties of securing full-time employment in the humanities (See “Graduate School in the Humanities: Just Don’t Go” for a start), and I could not help but worry while many in the sports media applauded him for choosing his education over football. In fact, in many other scenarios, I myself would applaud an student for choosing their education over other pursuits, be the athletic or artistic or otherwise extracurricular. Of course, if a student plans to make their living as a concert violinist, then she better spend her time in the practice room, but if that same student plans to apply to medical school after college, then at a certain point, the bow must be placed in the case in favor of the pencil (or laptop). Please note, I spent three years as a music major in college, so I’m not at all knocking those who make other choices here. Ultimately, Scott Sicko decided to sign with the Dallas Cowboys and put his dreams of a graduate degree in history on hold for the time being. At the end of the day, it sounds like he is happy with his decision, and that’s what really matters. The only thing I know for certain is that if he does decide to go back to school at some point, those NFL paychecks (even if they aren’t for millions of dollars) will make life as a graduate student in the humanities a whole lot easier. But for the rest of us who were not actual NFL prospects, perhaps this analogy might help to explain the difficulties of the profession to those outside of it. How do you explain academia to family and/or friends? Have you found other strategies? Please share your stories and experiences in the comments below. [Creative Commons licensed photo by Flickr user JMRosenfeld]Get the biggest Liverpool FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Liverpool FC's summer squad re-shape is set to gather pace, with a number of fringe players expected to leave Anfield in the coming weeks. And first among them could be the young trio of Suso, Samed Yesil and Luis Alberto. Suso spent last season on loan with Almeria in La Liga, where he performed well, but the 20-year-old is expecting to leave the club on a permanent basis this summer. He was offered to Sevilla as part of Liverpool’s bid for Alberto Moreno last month, while Portuguese giants FC Porto have been credited with an interest. The player says he would be open to that switch, although no official bid has been forthcoming as of yet. Suso has one year left on his current Anfield deal. He said: “My priority is to stay here, but Porto is an excellent option if I leave Liverpool. I know there’s negotiations. “Porto are the best club in Portugal and they have faith in their youngsters. They also have a coach I like working with. “I will only renew with Liverpool if I’m guaranteed I’ll play regularly. The option is clear if I don’t renew: let me leave. I think Liverpool thinks the same. They won’t let me leave on a free in a year if I don’t renew. Let see what happens.” Yesil, meanwhile, has been widely linked with a move to Turkish side Trabzonspor, having struggled with injuries since his £1m move from Bayer Leverkusen two years ago. That deal would be a loan move. And Alberto could also depart on loan, with both Almeria and Malaga interested in signing the 21-year-old, who is yet to make a Premier League start for the club, following a £6m switch from Sevilla last summer. Liverpool will also listen to offers for misfit striker Iago Aspas and winger Oussama Assaidi, as well as youngsters Conor Coady and Jack Robinson, both of whom spent last season out on loan in the Football League. More Liverpool FC news: World Cup 2014: the 32 players LFC need to watch in Brazil Get well soon Saint: Liverpool ECHO readers send their messages of support to Ian St John In pictures: England squad share World Cup photos on Instagram Mersey World Cup memories: Michael Owen stuns the world at France 98 Jordan Henderson ready to take centre stage at the World Cup in Brazil Luis Suarez confident he will be fit for the World CupWATCH VIDEO BELOW! Pyongyang is highly unamused over a video that’s been making the rounds on Chinese social media showing clips of its Outstanding Leader dancing, Kung-fu fighting and getting knocked out by US President Barack Obama, Korean paper Chosun Ilbo reports. The government in Pyongyang apparently believes that the video “seriously compromises Kim’s dignity and authority,” the report said, and has called upon China to stop the video from spreading ASAP, despite Beijing’s response that it was “unable” to do so. Employing basic photoshop skills, the video features Li’l Kim dancing, prancing and kicking about to the tune of a popular Chinese-language techno track. While leaders in China, Japan and Russia all make cameos, it’s clear that Kim is the star as he smiles giddily from scene to scene, one which shows him getting knocked out by Barack Obama and another depicting the dictator skipping hand-in-hand through a field with Osama Bin Laden. The movie was produced by a guy from Suzhou under the name Zhang, who reportedly studied at South Korea’s Kyonggi University. Whether these are truly the demands that crept out of the Hermit Kingdom, we can’t verify, but we like to envision Kim and his entourage hunched over a computer screen watching it with furrowed brows and the volume on full blast nonetheless. Follow @shanghaiistImage caption Mr Hayward has been with the company for 28 years BP's chief executive Tony Hayward has been negotiating the terms of his exit, with a formal announcement likely within 24 hours, the BBC has learned. Mr Hayward has been widely criticised over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. An official statement issued by BP in response said he had the "full support of the board and senior management". BBC business editor Robert Peston says Mr Hayward is likely to be replaced by his American colleague, Bob Dudley, who is in charge of the clean-up operation. While BP has been preparing for a change at the top for some time, the company was waiting until progress had been made on stemming the leak and until it was possible to quantify the financial costs of the disaster, our correspondent adds. BP is due to release its results for the second quarter on Tuesday. It is expected to reveal a provision of up to $30bn (£19bn) for the costs of the clean-up, compensation claims and fines to be paid, resulting in a massive quarterly loss. It has also lost 40% of its market capitalisation. BP's board is scheduled to meet on Monday ahead of the results, when it is expected to discuss the timing of Mr Hayward's exit. The official overseeing the US government response to the oil spill has meanwhile said the operation to plug the ruptured Macondo well permanently has been put back to allow more time for preparatory work. Retired Coast Guard admiral Thad Allen said the last bit of pipe needed for the process would be put in place in the coming this week, with the actual plugging operation starting in the first week of August. A temporary cap has stopped oil from gushing for more than a week. Gaffes Mr Hayward has been with BP for 28 years. When he became chief executive in 2007, he told journalists his number-one task was to focus "laser-like" on safety and reliability. Peston's Picks If the moment has more or less arrived for BP to start building a post-Macondo future, then it also needs a new public face, a new leader Robert Peston, BBC business editor Hayward negotiates his exit But the explosion on the drilling rig off Louisiana on 20 April, which killed 11 workers and triggered the worst oil spill in US history, has raised questions about his leadership. The 53-year-old has been heavily criticised by residents of the Gulf coast and US politicians for his handling of the clean-up operation and for a series of gaffes, including saying that he "just wanted his life back" and that the Gulf is a "big ocean" following the leak. He was also taken to task for attending a sailing event off the Isle of Wight in June. Mr Hayward was also publicly rebuked by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last month for "stonewalling" questions at a congressional hearing and of "kicking the can down the road". Responding to reports that Mr Hayward was expected to step down, US Congressman Ed Markey - who chairs a committee covering the oil spill issue - said: "While it's now happy sailing for Tony Hayward, rough conditions will persist in the Gulf of Mexico for years to come because of his failed leadership. "The new leaders of BP will have an uphill climb to correct the legacy [he] left," he added. Reputations The man expected to replace Mr Hayward, BP Managing Director Bob Dudley, took over the day-to-day operations in the Gulf last month. Image caption Many commentators believe Mr Dudley's American accent will be advantageous from a PR perspective Many say that, from a public relations point of view, Mr Dudley has the advantage of being American and speaking with an American accent. He grew up in Mississippi and, according to BP, has a "deep appreciation and affinity for the Gulf Coast". Mr Dudley joined BP in 1999 following a merger with Amoco and rose to the board last year. He is probably best-known for running BP's joint venture in Russia, TNK-BP, during the public falling-out with its Russian partners. Dr Richard Pike, chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said that perception was the key reason behind the change. "If your major shareholders are getting the impression that there is a major problem here then that is key over and above anything the chief executive or his board of directors has done," he told the BBC. "In many ways changing the chief executive is as much practical as it is symbolic; it all rests on reputation."Philadelphia Union announced today the team will host one of Mexico’s most popular franchises, Club Universidad Nacional, A.C., or the Pumas as they are more commonly known, on Saturday, March 23 at 5:00 p.m. EST at PPL Park. The match is included in the Union full season ticket package (Bonus Game No. 1) at no additional cost. “Pumas are one of the most celebrated teams in Mexico with a rich tradition and some of the best players in CONCACAF,” said Philadelphia Union CEO & Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz. “We are honored and excited to host such a great team and organization here in Philadelphia. I know the fans will see an interesting and exciting international exhibition. Pumas are bringing all their stars and it will be a good opportunity for our first team and young players to match up against one of the best teams in CONCACAF.” Pumas, which represent the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), last captured the Clausura Tournament title in 2011 but enjoyed their best season in 2004. The club earned back to back Primera division titles, becoming the first and only team to do so since the Mexican League was split into two seasons. In total, the Pumas have won seven Primera Division and four international titles. Season ticket holders and groups will have the opportunity to purchase additional seats via a special presale today through Monday at 9:00 a.m. before the public on sale begins on Monday at 10:00 a.m. ET. To get your tickets go to www.philadelphiaunion.com or call 877-21-UNION.Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz would rather lose the drivers' title to Fernando Alonso and Ferrari than force team orders on his drivers. If Sebastian Vettel finishes ahead of Mark Webber at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next weekend, Alonso will only have to finish fourth to seal the title. However, team principal Christian Horner has already made clear that Vettel and Webber will be free to race and make their own decisions as to whether they help each other out in Abu Dhabi. "Let the two drivers race and whatever will be will be," Mateschitz told Austrian paper Kliene Zeitung. "If Alonso wins we will have been unlucky. "I predict a Hollywood ending, with the worst case scenario that we don't become champion but if that's the case, we'll do it next year. Our philosophy stays the same because this is a sport and it must remain a sport." At the German Grand Prix, Felipe Massa made way for Ferrari team-mate Alonso, giving him seven crucial extra points in the championship. But Mateschitz has made clear that his team will not do the same. "We don't manipulate things like Ferrari do," he added. "The whole world condemned them after what they did in Hockenheim. But we have turned out to look like idiots because we have not acted in this way." "We have never even thought about it as long as both our drivers remain in the hunt for the championship. So a second place under correct circumstances might be better than a win on grounds of orders and confirmations." © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.The vast majority of the media today in the United States are complicit in, or leaders of, the movement to destroy this nation’s sovereignty and integrity. This isn’t hyperbole. It’s a fact. Critics on the right and left alike agree that the mass media has an unholy agenda of globalization, mass migration, erosion of the middle class, and more. Conservatives have known and written about this at great length over the past two decades. Examples include CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg’s 2001 book Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News, Ann Coulter’s 2002 book Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right, ABC reporter John Stossel’s Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media in 2004, and a 2012 study by UCLA political scientist Dr. Tim Groseclose, Left Turn: How Liberal Media Bias Distorts the American Mind, among others. Interestingly, liberals are also onto the bias of mainstream media. Though they ignore certain cultural shifts and arrive at different conclusions than the aforementioned conservatives, Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s 1988 book, Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, made the argument that the New York Times et al. are purposely driving the United States towards globalist policy goals, such as approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement and a U.S. foreign policy of “going abroad in search of monsters to destroy.” Is this media-sponsored war on America protected under the First Amendment? Our forefathers included the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution to make sure that an American government could not oppress or censor its citizenry in the same way that its European peers could. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The First Amendment reflects this anti-establishment, pro-populist impulse throughout its clauses, which each protect the power of the people to criticize and reform its government in order to retain control over its national fate. The amendment’s protections of the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, petition, and the press all provide for a government and nation, of, by, and for the American people. The First Amendment was not intended to subject the American people to the overarching, oppressive reach of big business masquerading as journalism. The media is simply big business manipulating the minds of Americans in order to get the public policies they want. The mass media undermines the will of the American people at every turn. This media is controlled by a few big corporations, which work hand-in-hand with progressive political activists to achieve their policy objectives. They hide it under the banner of ‘journalism,’ ‘free speech,’ ‘the First Amendment,’ and ‘free enterprise,’ but those terms are just fig leaves to conceal the shameful truth. Our nation’s founding would have been impossible without the willingness of Americans to write, publish, and distribute news and ideas about political events. The classic example is Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, of which John Adams said, Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain. Americans instinctively recoil at the thought of restricting or regulating the media. Ethnonationalists and Christian conservatives ought to remember that whatever regulations the current, friendly government may institute can be used against them when a later, hostile government takes power. That’s one reason why I’ve argued that the Trump Administration needs to make its nationalist revolution permanent. But a glance at current law dispels all fears of a later backlash. It is possible to reform the media without dictating what Americans must think, say, and do. It’s a simple matter of leveling the playing field between globalists and nationalists by restricting the power of big business. Our Founding Fathers knew not only about big government, but also about big money and big business. Monied families such as the Rothschilds and corporations that operated out of the control of the citizenry, such as the East India Tea Company, existed in the days of our republic’s infancy. Later American leaders such as Andrew Jackson and William Jennings Bryan were famous for their opposition to big businesses and big governments that pushed down the common man. The media should be held to the same standard as other businesses. This has been federal policy for a long time. The U.S. Congress has regulated communications for over a century — through laws such as the Wireless Ship Act of 1910, the Radio Act of 1912, the Radio Act of 1927, and the law that gave birth to the Federal Communications Commission, the Communications Act of 1934. The Congress further reformed its policies with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The framework for regulating mass media has, therefore, been in place since the days of Teddy Roosevelt, and any proposals by the Trump Administration to regulate media ownership would hardly be historic. Government regulation of mass media has evolved with — and many would say has lagged behind — the evolution of communications technology. So too it has lagged behind changes in the economics of media enterprises. To put it simply: Economies of scale, and a lack of regulation, have made it more profitable for newspaper chains and mass-manufactured outlets like the Associated Press to exist, and made it incredibly difficult for mom-and-pop local media to survive. Please note that the populist, nationalist principles of localism and decentralization (also called diversity) have been guiding lights during the entire history of federal communications regulations. In fact, they’re among the FCC’s official policy objectives. In today’s economy, where print journalism faces huge costs to simply print fishwrap, and advertisers struggle to find the money to pay for any ads — whether digital or analog — both localism and decentralization (diversity) have taken enormous hits. My grandmother once showed me a front-page newspaper article from my native city’s morning newspaper. That newspaper competed with another daily newspaper in that city, which printed in the evening. Most major American cities had multiple, daily newspapers that competed with one another. Today, very few metro areas have more than one newspaper. In 1983, as many as 50 corporations owned a majority of all news media in the United States. That was seen as “alarming” back then when Ben Bagdikian published his 1983 book, The Media Monopoly. The power of the media had become concentrated in far fewer hands that it had been earlier in the twentieth century. When Bagdikian put out an updated version of his book in 1997, the number of corporations that owned 80 percent of all news media in the United States had dropped to 23. The newspaper my grandmother showed me no longer exists. It merged with its competitor long ago. Years after that, the successful competitor was itself bought out by a New York-based chain. So now not only do the residents of my hometown not have more than one newspaper from which to compare and contrast differing views of the news, but it has to drink down whatever their New York-centric hegemons send their way. By the time Bagdikian put out The New Media Monopoly in 2004, the number of companies controlling most of America’s daily newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, book publishers, and movie companies had dropped to…five. These companies are known today as Comcast, Disney, 21st Century Fox, Time Warner, CBS, and Viacom (which broke off from CBS in 2006). The owners of the bulk of the rest of the American media market are smaller, but still enormous, chains such as Gannett Company (owns USA Today and metro dailies from Detroit to Nashville to Phoenix), Tribune Media (owns Chicago Tribune, and the dailies in Baltimore, Orlando, L.A., et al.) and News Corp (owns Wall Street Journal, New York Post, HarperCollins book publishing). The bottom line is that with the exception of small towns in rural areas, or upstart alternative media in metro areas, there are very few non-Internet based media companies that do not report to someone in New York, Los Angeles, or Washington, D.C. News, both local and national, is controlled by an oligopoly. Entertainment is even more centralized, such as in the film industry, where six companies control nearly everything that makes it to your local movie theaters. Is the Internet much better? I would say no. The Internet is dominated by several huge companies such as Alphabet (parent company of Google) and Microsoft. There are literally millions of people putting up alternative content (journalistic and entertaining), but do they have access to the number of viewers and readers as these elite-owned companies? No. Debates over whether or not newspapers and television stations should be owned by the same company are as outdated as flattops and IROC Z Camaros. It’s good that current regulations prohibit one company from owning multiple, major television stations in one area, but why don’t they prohibit one company from owning media outlets nationwide — and thus dominate American politics the way that Gannett Company and Tribune Publishing (aka tronc, Inc.) does? We have to go much further now in regulating media cross-ownership to ensure that the American experiment lasts and does not become a globalist nightmare. The world has radically changed since the late twentieth century, and the Trump Administration should seize its opportunity to improve American telecommunications policy, set the nation up for success in the twenty-first century and beyond, and eviscerate the globalists who have nearly eviscerated our nation. In 2018, the FCC will undertake a quadrennial review of broadcast ownership rules. This is a great opportunity for the Trump Administration to strike a blow against the enemies of our nation, and to lay the groundwork for a permanent shift in power in the United States. Proposal One: Break up the chains. Require local media to be owned and operated locally. This is good for the market and it is good for an informed citizenry, which would have increased access to diverse, competing points of view. All that would be needed is a change in the rules governing media ownership. Remember — we have over 100 years of precedent for doing this. It’s just a matter of having the will to Make America Great Again. Proposal Two: End foreign ownership of national media. Require national media companies, such as CBS, the New York Times, Gannett Company, and so on, to be owned and operated by Americans, in the United States. This would mean Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, who is the largest shareholder of New York Times Co., would no longer have the authority to pick up the phone and ask his editor-in-chief to use the power of America’s “Newspaper of Record” to advance globalism and mass immigration. President Trump, Mr. Bannon: I implore you to consider returning the power of the airwaves and printing presses to the people. We can respect private property, intellectual property, and the free market while ensuring that a globalist media establishment no longer has a stranglehold on citizens from Baltimore to San Diego. Use the 2018 quadrennial review as your chance to reshape the way that the First Amendment — properly understood and applied, as a protection of the people from oppressive government and big money alike — will ensure a future of freedom for Americans for centuries to come.About Us We are students from the University of Florida committed to building productivity tools for the hobbyist and professional musician. ChordBuff is a web application that harmonizes melodies to build songs. Using it is as easy as humming or playing a melody into it and letting it generate chord progressions that best match it. These can be played once, looped over and even displayed on a piano diagram so you can play them too. Songwriters spend years developing their toolbox to create hit songs. We provide you with the quickest tool of the toolbox so you can concentrate in doing what you do best: Having fun with your music. Turning ideas into songs, one melody at a time. Special thanks to Graphic Designers: Katie Ladd and Kylie Leuthold Business Plan Team: Annie Yin, Jimmy Moy, Andy Loferski, Chris Sposito, Mike Mo Media and Communications: Kellie Hourihan, Niko PalenciaQueensland Lungfish The first fish to convert the swim bladder into lungs did so about 360 million years ago. Of the 3 (5?) living species of lungfish, the Queensland lungfish is the one that most resembles the stage in evolution when the swim bladder of fish was adapted for use as an auxiliary lung. The other two have paired lungs and require air to breathe. The Queensland lungfish cannot breathe entirely with its lung, but must breathe with gills, using its single lung to assist its breathing when oxygen becomes scarce in stagnant water. The main difference between the Queensland lungfish and its 300 million year old ancestors is its size. Its oldest known ancestors grew to about 4 m whereas the present-day descendant only grows to about 1 m. Some of the oldest lungfish remains are found in the Taemas-Wee Jasper fossil bed. Lungfish reached their peak of diversity in the Devonian and Carboniferous, culminating in the Queensland lungfish, one of the 3 living genera in the world. Lungfish differ from other bony fish in that the braincase is fused to the upper jaw, having fan-like tooth plates on the palate and in the lower jaw, and no marginal teeth. The dentition and skull formation appear to be the result of a feeding style requiring powerful crushing of food, a duraphagous feeding style. A pattern of arrangement of the tiny pieces of the external skull bones that form a mosaic that is not comparable to that in any other fish group. It differs even from the crossopterygians, other lobed-fin fish, that eventually gave rise to the tetrapods. The main innovations of the lungfish occurred in the Devonian, when 2 patterns emerged. One was the development of a rasping feeding style, as found in Griphognathus of the Late Devonian. It is common in marine deposits in Western Australia. The other was the development of air-breathing freshwater forms that survived well past the Carboniferous. Over time lungfish tended to reduce the amount of skeletal ossification, resulting in modern lungfish that are much less bony than their Devonian ancestors. The dipnoans declined dramatically after the Carboniferous, only 2 groups surviving to the present, the ceratodids in Queensland, that were once distributed throughout the world, and the lepidosirenids in Africa (Protopterus) and South America (Lepidosiren). The 3 genera all depend on atmospheric oxygen, lepidosirenids drowning if it is not available. The modern African and South American lungfish can aestivate at times such as drought, where they remain dormant until the drought breaks. Protopterus usually burrows into the mud, sometimes remaining dormant for more than a year. A fossil of lungfish Gnathorhiza from the Permian has been found still in its burrow after 200 million years. In Australia, where there is an almost complete record of the dipnoi, well-preserved, 3-D fossil dipnoans from the Early Devonian have been found. Dipnorhynchus is present in the Taemas-Wee Jasper and Buchan sites, and from the older Lick Hole Limestone near Cooma in New South Wales. In Dipnorhynchus the broad palate is dentine-covered with small bumps and tuberosities. It is thought these bumps maybe the early stage in the development of the tooth plats characteristic of the dipnoans. Diabolichthyes, one of the earliest known lungfish, has been found in beds from the Early Devonian of China. This fish had a series of teeth on several palatal bones, including the premaxilliary, which isn't along the margin of the jaw in this fish. On some of the palatal bones the teeth are densely packed, forming a radiating array, resembling the pattern in geologically younger lungfish. In this fish they are not yet fused into a single tooth-plate. The dentary is among some of the bones of the lower jaw that still retained some marginal teeth, as well as the palatal teeth. This fish is intermediary between the dentition of the more typical fish and the unique, specialised tooth plates found in lungfish. The relationships of lungfish are still disputed, a minority of scientists working in this area suggest that it may have been the lungfish that gave rise to tetrapods. To the uninitiated it would seem logical that the lungfish gave rise to tetrapods, after all, lungs were a prerequisite for the emergence on to the land. The outer appearance of the bodies of the lungfish, at least the group represented by the Queensland lungfish, is similar to that of the lobed-finned fish, but for the majority of scientists working in the area, the lobe-finned fish is the preferred option. Speonesydrion from the Taemas-Wee Jasper site is another Australian Early Devonian lungfish. Unlike Dipnorhynchus, it has well-defined tooth-rows on the palate and lower jaws, but the "teeth" lack a pulp cavity. The tooth structure, and the muscle and bone arrangement in the skull, suggest that it was capable of eating shelled invertebrates such as brachiopods, molluscs and arthropods, as well as softer organisms such as annelid worms. All these possible prey species were found in the same deposits as the Speonesydrion. This dipnoan probably used 2 feeding styles. Larger, harder prey were probably cracked or crushed between the heels on the mandibular (lower jaw) tooth plates and the palate. This involved direct pressure and some shearing, the mandible being pulled backwards and slightly rotated. Softer prey could be ground between the radial tooth rows by backward and rotational movement of the mandible, depending on the position of the food on 1 or both sides of the mouth. It probably had the ability, as does the living Queensland lungfish, Neoceratodus, to extrude food from the mouth to eject hard materials, and re-ingest the soft tissue. The earliest known lungfish from about 400 million years ago, were marine, but since about 340 million years ago they have lived in fresh water habitats. Based on fossilised evidence it was found that lungfish developed their lungs independently of other vertebrates. Most scientists conclude from this that they are not ancestral to the amphibians, the first 4-legged animals. During the Devonian up to the Carboniferous, they radiated rapidly, but after the Carboniferous their rate of change dropped dramatically. The Queensland lungfish hasn't changed for at least 100 million years. It is the most enduring vertebrate known on Earth, the same species, Neoceratodus fosteri being found in deposits at Lightning ridge from 100 Ma. Sources & Further reading Long, John A, 1998, Dinosaurs of Australia and New Zealand, University of New South Wales Press. Author: M. H. 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-year-old boy that was so desperate for food he attempted to sell his stuffed animal just to get enough money to eat. “It broke my heart,” said Franklin Police Officer Steve Dunham when interviewed by WLWT. “He told me he was trying to sell his stuffed animal to get money for food because he hadn’t eaten in several days.” The cop took the starving child to Subway for a meal and they hung out together at the police department. When police investigated the home, they found some absolutely horrific living conditions. The child and his four brothers (aged 11 to 17) lived in a home that was riddled with garbage, urine, liquor bottles and general squalor. The boys have since been removed from the home to stay with family members. Their parents have been charged with 10 counts of child endangering and have been ordered not to have contact with their kids. Officer Dunham says he and the boy he found trying to sell his toy for food are now buds. “I came back to check on him and he was hiding. He jumped out to scare me when I came back in the building; he got me real good,” shared Dunham. “(We) would like to go home at the end of the day feeling like (we’ve) done something positive and, you know, had some kind of positive impact.” (Via WLWT & CNN)In the last 24 hours the controversy over the planned speech by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to both houses of Congress on March 3 to rebut the president’s policy on Iran has blown up to a new level. Muted outrage over the invitation has turned into open rage. The opposition to the speech by major Israel supporters across the political spectrum, liberal J Street, center-right Jeffrey Goldberg, and hard-right Abraham Foxman, all of whom say the speech-planners have put the US-Israel relationship at risk by making it a political controversy in the U.S., has been conveyed to the Democratic establishment. The New York Times and Chris Matthews both landed on the story last night, a full week after it broke, to let us know what a disaster the speech would be if it’s ever delivered. So these media are acting to protect the special relationship by upping the pressure to cancel the speech. With even AIPAC washing its hands of the speech, it sure looks as if Israel supporters want an exit from this fiasco. Jettisoning Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer or cancelling the speech would seem like a small price to pay in the news cycle next to a spectacle in which leading Democrats are forced to line up against Netanyahu in Washington, even as they file in and out of the AIPAC policy conference and praise Israel to the skies. Here are the developments. First, the New York Times’ Julie Hirschfeld Davis has a report of unleashed White House fury over the invitation. The story contains the signal that Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador, will be the fall guy for the scandal: The outrage the episode has incited within President Obama’s inner circle became clear in unusually sharp criticism by a senior administration official who said that the Israeli ambassador, Ron Dermer, who helped orchestrate the invitation, had repeatedly placed Mr. Netanyahu’s political fortunes above the relationship between Israel and the United States. The official who made the comments to The New York Times would not be named, and the White House declined to comment…. So: The White House gets to appear as if it is protecting the special relationship between the countries from that shmendrick Dermer. The message to Dermer is delivered in scatological terms by former ambassador Dan Kurtzer, a liberal Zionist: “He has soiled his pad; who’s he going to work with?” Mr. Kurtzer said. Dermer’s felony was politicizing the relationship between the countries. Hey, no one wants this politicized? The neoconservatives do; they want a battle over Iran policy. So did Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, when he said Obama was taking his talking points from Tehran. The left surely wants the matter politicized; that way our politicians can come out against Israeli settlements and massacres. But the centrist elements of the lobby have cohered over this issue, saying the speech is a big problem, and Obama must keep Israel supporters happy in order to get the prize here: freedom to negotiate with Iran. Even AIPAC is trying to steer clear of the wreckage. Ron Kampeas reports: Confirmed with 3 sources: @aipac had nNO notice of @netanyahu speech to Congress when @SpeakerBoehner first announced — Ron Kampeas (@kampeas) January 26, 2015 Alan Elsner of J Street has savaged Dermer in Haaretz, “Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. is planting a rotten seed.” Elsner wrote that Dermer has placed Israel’s most essential protection at risk: At a time of growing diplomatic isolation, Israel only has one firm ally that it can depend on – the United States. Does it really want to further narrow that base of support by depending entirely on Republicans, as Dermer seems to want to do? The Times echoes the point, saying the last thing Obama wants is for Americans to start arguing about the special relationship: White House officials were at first wary that Mr. Dermer would politicize relations between Washington and Jerusalem, but over time cultivated a working relationship with him after concluding that there were advantages in his closeness to Mr. Netanyahu. The last week has borne out their initial concerns. The Israelis are reportedly enraged about it too. The Times also published the story that Michael Oren has called on Netanyahu to cancel the speech. Short term political gain at the risk of the entire US-Israel relationship. Is there a conspiracy of folks trying to protect the US-Israel relationship from any robust debate? Yes. Chris Matthews led off his broadcast last night with the story. This after ignoring it the day it broke last week. Matthews slyly wondered who was at the bottom of the invitation, but then went on to praise Tzipi Livni, Isaac Herzog, Michael Oren, and Abe Foxman as wonderful people. Talk about covering your bases. David Corn seemed to echo J Street when he explained that an Israeli prime minister had two jobs, keeping his country safe and protecting the relationship with the United States. But gosh, that’s Israel’s problem. Where is the American interest? Maybe it would be a good thing if the issue were open to the American voters. They’d get to discuss how they feel about Israeli expansion and massacres and nuclear weapons, and their feelings would be echoed by politicians. We would have a deal with Iran in no time; and there’d be huge pressure on Israel to end the occupation. Corn said the battle is for “Jewish voters.” This is not true; Jewish voters are in safe states, with the exception of Florida. It’s about Jewish donors and Jewish friends of Israel all over the establishment. Matthews said again that no president could be elected or reelected if he/she allowed Iran to get a nuclear weapon. To his great credit, Corn disagreed. While emphasizing that it is not evident that Iran even wants a nuclear weapon, Corn seemed to express the view that we can contain a nuclear Iran. It’s about time that realist view was expressed in the MSM. The establishment wants this scandal to end in a hurry, but it continues to yield benefits. Thanks to James North. Update: National Iranian American Council organizes a campaign to stop the speech. It has three Congresspeople on board.Only two days after the reoccupation of the Belo Monte Dam began, the fate of 170 indigenous people is at stake. Yesterday, the Federal Court in Altamira ordered them to leave by 4 pm today or they would be removed by Federal Police. They responded by tearing up the order and refused to leave by the deadline. Instead, they are standing strong and are demanding that President Dilma’s Chief of Staff, Gilberto Carvalho, come meet with them. Their letter to the Brazilian government is below. Read, share and take urgent action right now! You can also show your support by donating to the indigenous occupation on CAUSES. Letter No. 8: The massacre has been announced and only the government can avoid this fate (Original version in Portuguese here) We have occupied the construction site of the Belo Monte Dam. We are defending our lands. These ancient lands have always been ours and you have already taken a part of them. And now you are trying to take more. We will not leave. You will come to kill us and we will die. We will not leave without being heard. The federal government announced a massacre of indigenous peoples, the 170 warriors, women, children, leaders and shamans who are here. This massacre is going to happen at the hands of police, Funai, and the judicial system. You have killed at Teles Pires and will kill again when you need to. You killed us because we are against the dams. We know what you are capable of doing. This time the government and corporations have asked Norte Energia to kill us. Norte Energia pled their case to a federal judge, who subsequently authorized the police to beat and kill us if needed. Government of Brazil and corporations building Belo Monte, it will be your fault if any of us die. Enough with the violence! Stop threatening us! We want our peace and you want your war. Stop lying to the press that we are kidnapping workers and buses and causing an inconvenience. The occupation is quiet The unrest is caused by the police sent by the judge, Norte Energia, and the government. You are the ones who are humiliating us, threating us, intimidating us, and assassinating us when you don’t know what else to do. We demand the suspension of the order to repossess the construction site, until Thursday morning, May 30th, 2013. The government needs to come here and hear us. You already know our agenda. We demand the suspension of all works and studies of dams on our lands. We demand the removal of the National Force from our lands. The lands are ours. You have wasted enough of our lands. You want us to be tame and quiet, obeying your civilization without question. But in this case, we know you would rather see us dead because we are making noise. Belo Monte construction sites, Vitória do Xingu, Pará, May 29th, 2013Wall Street vs. workers—the class gap widens By Jerry White and SEP candidate for president 11 October 2012 A study released Tuesday confirms that the financial parasites on Wall Street have lost nothing from the wrecking operation they have carried out on the US and world economy. The New York state comptroller reports that Wall Street firms will pay out more than $60 billion in compensation to their employees, a sum exceeded only in 2007 and 2008, the two years leading up to the financial crash that followed the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The average pay of employees in the securities industry was $362,950, up 16.6 percent over the last two years, but such a number is almost meaningless, since it combines the pay of secretaries and the salaries of CEOs. More significant is the rise in the combined earnings of Wall Street firms, up from $7.7 billion last year to $10.5 billion in the first half of 2012, with the comptroller predicting at least $15 billion in earnings for the full year, double the previous one. For the broader financial services industry, including commercial banks as well as securities dealers, 2012 represents almost a complete restoration of pre-crash profitability. For the 12 months ending June 30, 2012, the six largest US lending institutions—Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs—made a combined profit of $63 billion, the most since 2006. Meanwhile, the six banks announced cuts of 40,000 jobs during the first half of the year. Some time next year, the combined assets of these six banks will pass the $10 trillion mark, nearly three times the figure ten years ago. In other words, these six banks command financial resources ten times the size of the federal budget deficit, and comparable to the entire national debt of the United States accumulated over two centuries. While the income and assets of the financial parasites continue to increase, the real wages of the average American worker are stagnating. A recent report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics found that more than half of all workers who have found new jobs since being laid off during the Wall Street crash have taken pay cuts. The majority of these workers took cuts of 20 percent or more compared to their previous wage rates. According to another government report, the top one percent in American society captured a staggering 93 percent of all growth in national income during 2010, the latest year for which such figures were compiled. In other words, real incomes are stagnating or declining, not just for workers who have lost their jobs since the crash of 2008, but for the working class as a whole. During the entire three years of “recovery” claimed by the Obama administration, the median household income in America has declined by 4.8 percent, a bigger drop than the 2.6 percent during the two years officially recorded as “recession.” For all Barack Obama’s attempts to blame the economic crisis on the policies of the Bush administration, it is clear that the politicians of both big business parties, Democrats as well as Republicans, are responsible for the deteriorating conditions of life for the vast majority of the American people. These figures demonstrate the brutal reality of capitalism: the profit system consists, as socialists have long maintained, of the accumulation of ever greater wealth at one pole of society, and ever increasing social misery at the other. Nowhere is this more stark than in New York City, where near-record profits on Wall Street go hand in hand with a tidal wave of homelessness: nearly 15 percent of all homeless people in America are living on New York’s streets, according to a report this week by the Associated Press. These social contradictions could not be resolved through reformist tinkering, even if the Democrats and Republicans were not committed to ripping up every shred of social progress. They require a bold and revolutionary solution. The working class must take power, confiscate the wealth of the super-rich, and reorganize economic life to serve human needs and not private profit. The purpose of the Socialist Equality Party campaign in the 2012 elections is to put this revolutionary socialist alternative before the widest possible audience among working people and youth. Those who are genuinely concerned and justifiably outraged by the gross inequality and social injustice in America should support our campaign and make the decision to join and build the SEP. For more information, visit www.socialequality.com.For the 2nd time in a month the @BaltimorePolice are caught planting drugs. Every case they have should be dismissed. Video by @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/3fo5z15l6y It was only a couple of weeks ago that a Baltimore police officer’s newly unveiled body camera footage showed him planting evidence at a supposed crime scene. But just two weeks later, we now have more video of a totally different set of officers appearing to do the same thing. The video, released by the Baltimore public defender’s office, shows officers allegedly placing drugs in a car. The officers searched the scene, they said, after they supposedly witnessed a drug deal. In the video, the officers are shown thoroughly searching a car — apparently finding nothing. The cameras are then turned off. But they turn on a bit later, showing an officer squatting by the car. After a while, the officer backs off. Then 30 seconds later, another cop searches the same spot the officer was squatting at, and — suddenly! — finds a bag of drugs. The earlier video told a similar story. In it, officer Richard Pinheiro puts a bag of pills under some trash in an alley. He then walks to the street. He then activates his camera (failing to recognize that it picks up the previous 30 seconds), walks back to the alley, and acts like he just found the drugs for the first time. Footage shows officer placing drugs in trash; goes out to street, turns on camera, returns. Cams save 30 sec prior to activation, w/o sound pic.twitter.com/5ZW128lWFM — Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) July 19, 2017 The videos have already led the Baltimore prosecutor to drop dozens of cases involving the officers, and many more are under review. They also led to a bizarre statement from the Baltimore police commissioner in which he actually had to ask his officers to not stage body camera footage. With the earlier video, one of the concerns raised was not just that an officer was planting evidence but that his fellow officers were going along with it — as if it was normal police work for them. The new video shows the same thing. It raises the question: Is this behavior widely accepted at the Baltimore Police Department? This wouldn’t be the first sign that the city’s police force has a big problem. A 2016 investigation from the US Department of Justice uncovered widespread abuse at the department, chronicling misconduct and racial discrimination at practically every level. “Racially disparate impact is present at every stage of [the Baltimore Police Department]’s enforcement actions, from the initial decision to stop individuals on Baltimore streets to searches, arrests, and uses of force,” the report concluded. “These racial disparities, along with evidence suggesting intentional discrimination, erode the community trust that is critical to effective policing.” Since the report came out, the Baltimore Police Department has been undergoing a court-enforced reform process. Based on the body camera videos, though, the police force still has a lot of work to do.Locked within ice-like cages that are buried in the sediments below thick Arctic permafrost and beneath the ocean floor, is an immense source of energy that scientists have studied for more than two decades. Methane hydrates -- gas molecules trapped within a lattice of ice -- could contain more energy than all other known fossil fuels combined. That is, if folks figure out how to produce volumes of methane from hydrate beyond a few small-scale field experiments. Until then, the testing will continue. ConocoPhillips, the Energy Department and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. are conducting the latest round of field experiments, which will focus on a production method that could create an innovative way of storing carbon dioxide. During the initial field trial set to begin in January 2012, carbon dioxide will be injected into the methane hydrate-bearing sandstone formations, which can be located more than 1,500 feet beneath the ocean floor. Carbon dioxide molecules will be swapped for methane molecules, and aims to achieve two goals: release the methane gas and permanently store the carbon dioxide in the formation. This field experiment will be an extension of earlier successful tests of the technology conducted by ConocoPhillips and its partners in a laboratory setting, the DOE said. The tests will use the "Iġnik Sikumi" (Iñupiaq for "fire in the ice") gas hydrate field trial well that was installed in Alaska's Prudhoe Bay region by ConocoPhillips and the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory earlier this year. The team will spend another month evaluating an alternative method of methane production called depressurization, which was successfully demonstrated during a one-week test in a different location by Japan and Canada back in 2008. Photo: Wikicommons; DOE Related: This post was originally published on Smartplanet.comGoogle today announced the availability of a 64-bit variant of its popular Chrome browser after many years only offering 32-bit versions. On the Chromium blog, Google software engineer and "stretcher of pointers" Will Harris said the 64-bit version could mean a 25 percent speed improvment for Chrome users, especially when it comes to multimedia and graphics. "64-bit allows us to take advantage of the latest processor and compiler optimisations, a more modern instruction set, and a calling convention that allows more function parameters to be passed quickly by registers," Harris said. Going 64-bit also means better security thanks to the larger memory address space, which mitigates against exploits such as just-in-time compiler spraying, and makes heap partitioning and similar features work more effectively, according to the blog. Harris also claims 64-bit Chrome is far more stable than the 32-bit variant, with crash rates for the web content process halved. However at this stage the 64-bit releases are for Windows only, and are available through the early adopter oriented Canary or Dev channels. While operating systems made the shift to 64-bit years ago, web browsers are still mostly 32-bit applications today. One exception is Microsoft, which has shipped 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer for several years. But since browser add-ons don't run on this version, and until recently, neither did the Javascript just-in-time compiler, Windows would often default to the 32-bit version anyway. Mozilla stopped development of the 64-bit version of Firefox for Windows in 2012 but has since resumed work in response to user demand. While there are standard 64-bit versions of Firefox for Linux distributions and Apple OS X, however, the Windows variants appear only in the less stable "nightly builds" channel currently.Earlier this year, the Hillary Clinton campaign released an ad featuring Clinton meeting with a group of Latino families to discuss their concerns about immigration and what she would do to ensure that more families wouldn't broken up by deportation. The breakout star of the spot was Karla Ortiz, an 11-year-old girl and American citizen who broke into tears while telling Clinton that she lived in constant fear that her undocumented parents would be deported. Tonight at the Democratic National Convention, Ortiz took to the stage with her mother to give a moving speech that touched on many of the same points that she brought up in Clinton's ad. Rather than continuing to live in fear of her parents being deported, Ortiz said, she'd become committed to the idea of becoming a lawyer in hopes of being able to help other families like hers when she's older. “I don’t feel brave every day. On most days I’m scared that at any moment my mom and my dad will be forced to leave," Ortiz said. "And I wonder what if I come home and find it empty?" She added that Clinton "wants me to have the worries of an 11 year old, not the weight of the world on my shoulders." Watch Karla's powerful speech below:Jonny Howson has scored against Nottingham Forest in four consecutive matches Three goals in eight first-half minutes inspired Norwich to a commanding win over Nottingham Forest at Carrow Road. Jonny Howson's 25-yard volley put City ahead and was followed by Josh Murphy's finish from a tight angle and Wes Hoolahan's half-volley from distance. Alex Pritchard's low drive made it 4-0 before Forest defender Eric Lichaj was sent off for two yellow cards. Ross McCormack stroked in a consolation on his debut for the visitors before Pritchard drilled in his second. Gary Brazil was confirmed as Forest's caretaker manager until the end of the season after winning three of his four previous four matches in charge, but saw them crash to a fifth defeat in their last six away trips. And Forest also had keeper Stephen Henderson stretchered off after injuring himself while scrambling back in a vain attempt to keep out Hoolahan's spectacular strike. Norwich, top scorers at home in the Championship, could have had more before half-time with Zach Clough clearing Russell Martin's header off the line, and replacement keeper Jordan Smith tipping Pritchard's curling shot round the post. Danny Fox almost pulled one back before the break when his header clipped a post from Ben Osborn's cross, but Forest's hopes were well and truly extinguished by the time Lichaj was dismissed after fouling Murphy. The Canaries are now unbeaten in five league games and moved to within two points of the play-off spots after their 11th home win of the campaign, while Forest slipped two places to 17th. Norwich City boss Alex Neil: "I was delighted with that. We have played some excellent football, scored five goals and could have had seven, eight or nine with all the chances we created. "I always thought this would be a good, footballing game and that is why I decided to play both Wes Hoolahan and Alex Pritchard. I was counting on them going out there and causing havoc with the quality they have got and that is exactly what happened. "The level of our performances has also improved and if we keep on going like this we will be in the play-off positions soon." Nottingham Forest boss Gary Brazil: "It was a tough afternoon, I won't deny it. You could see the quality in the Norwich squad and there were two exceptional finishes in the first half. "Then we lose our goalkeeper and have our captain sent off, so it was one of those days for us. "At least we kept going in the second half, we didn't just fold, and Ross McCormack scored a good goal and showed what he can do for us. But it was obviously a bad result for us."The First Amendment protects our right to use social networks like Facebook and Twitter, the Supreme Court declared last week. That decision, which overturned a North Carolina law barring sex offenders from social networks, called social media “the modern public square” and “one of the most important places” for the exchange of views. The holding is a reminder of the enormous role such networks play in our speech, our access to information and, consequently, our democracy. But while the government cannot block people from social media, these private platforms can. In some ways, online platforms can be thought of as the new speech governors: They shape and allow participation in our new digital and democratic culture in ways that we typically associate with governments. Even Facebook’s recently updated mission statement acknowledges this important role, with its vow to give “people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” But social media sites are not bound by the First Amendment to protect user speech. Facebook’s mission statement says as much, with its commitment to “remove bad actors and their content quickly to keep a positive and safe environment.” Until recently, the details of the types of posts Facebook prohibited were a mystery. That changed on May 21 when The Guardian released over 100 pages of leaked documents revealing Facebook’s internal rules. This newfound transparency could mean Facebook will be held accountable to the public when it comes to its decisions about user speech. Facebook has often been pressured to explain or alter its approach to moderating users’ speech, in cases involving topics like breast feeding pictures, Donald Trump’s posts about banning Muslims from entering the United States and the video of a Cleveland murder. But before this leak, nobody outside the company could say exactly how it made decisions — and it was under no legal obligation to share.Sen. Charles Schumer Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerBrady gun control group gets rebranding Brennan fires back at'selfish' Trump over Harry Reid criticism Trump rips Harry Reid for 'failed career' after ex-Dem leader slams him in interview MORE (D-N.Y.) has gone on a late-season spending spree to help Democratic candidates. A new campaign finance report shows Schumer cut two checks to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) worth $1 million each in September. He has also poured money from his campaign account into state parties around the country. Friends of Schumer gave $250,000 to the Nevada State Democratic Party on Sept. 7, a crucial boost to embattled Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidSenate confirms Trump court pick despite missing two 'blue slips' Can Lindsey Graham take the politics out of judicial battles? Bottom Line MORE (D-Nev.). ADVERTISEMENT Schumer's donations are sure to raise eyebrows because he himself is up for re-election this year, albeit against weak opposition. He is also widely expected to run for Senate Democratic leader if Reid loses his race in Nevada. The gifts cement Schumer’s position as the Senate Democrats' biggest financial backer, and could make a difference if he makes a bid to lead Senate Democrats in the 112th Congress. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinKids confront Feinstein over Green New Deal Senate plots to avoid fall shutdown brawl Overnight Energy: Trump ends talks with California on car emissions \| Dems face tough vote on Green New Deal \| Climate PAC backing Inslee in possible 2020 run MORE (D-Ill.) is seen as the other favorite to succeed Reid. Schumer’s campaign also gave $25,000 to the Alaska Democratic Party, $50,000 to the Colorado Democratic Party, $50,000 to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and $50,000 to the Washington State Democratic Party, according to a report filed Wednesday. The contributions were all made at the end of September and will help incumbents in tough races such as Sens. Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetDemocratic donors stuck in shopping phase of primary Overnight Health Care — Sponsored by America's 340B Hospitals — CDC blames e-cigs for rise in youth tobacco use \| FDA cracks down on dietary supplements \| More drug pricing hearings on tap The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by the American Academy of HIV Medicine - Next 24 hours critical for stalled funding talks MORE (D-Colo.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Patty Murray Patricia (Patty) Lynn MurraySenate confirms Trump court pick despite missing two 'blue slips' This week: Congress, Trump set for showdown on emergency declaration Senate reignites blue slip war over Trump court picks MORE (D-Was.). Schumer also gave generously to help incumbents who are not considered in danger, such as Sens. Barbara Mikulski Barbara Ann MikulskiBottom Line Listen, learn and lead: Congressional newcomers should leave the extremist tactics at home The Hill's Morning Report — Pelosi to reclaim Speakership amid shutdown MORE (D-Md.), Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph LeahyDems introduce bills to restore Voting Rights Act provision Can Lindsey Graham take the politics out of judicial battles? Senate plots to avoid fall shutdown brawl MORE (D-Vt.) and Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenTreasury official: Tax withholding guidance wasn't manipulated for political reasons Cohen grilled by Senate Intelligence panel Senate confirms Trump court pick despite missing two 'blue slips' MORE (D-Ore.). In late September, Schumer's campaign gave $50,000 to the Democratic State Central Committee of Maryland, $25,000 to the Democratic Party of Oregon, and $20,000 to the Vermont Democratic Party. He has given a total of $3 million to the DSCC this cycle. A fundraising report filed Wednesday shows that Schumer gave the committee a $1 million gift from his campaign account on Sept. 14 and a second $1 million gift on Sept. 29. DSCC Chairman Robert Menendez Robert (Bob) MenendezActing Defense chief calls Graham an 'ally' after tense exchange William Barr is right man for the times This week: Trump delivers State of the Union amid wall fight MORE (D-N.J.) announced in mid-September that Schumer had made the Sept. 14 donation. Schumer transferred the first $1 million from Friends of Schumer in August. The New York senator reported $23.2 million in his personal campaign war chest at the end of Aug. Friends of Schumer reported $19.3 million in cash on hand at the end of September. Speculation over a potential race for leader between Durbin and Schumer, the vice chairman of the Democratic conference, has intensified in recent days. “While the public chatter of succession battle has died down, there’s a lot of scheming behind the scenes,” said a Democratic lobbyist who focuses on the Senate. “It’s very possible that Reid could lose,” said the lobbyist. Reid is tied in the polls with his conservative challenger, Sharron Angle. Reid didn’t help his cause by turning in what political experts viewed as a mediocre performance during his debate with Angle last week. While Reid has focused on his race with Angle, Schumer and Durbin have taken the lead on helping Senate Democratic candidates around the country this fall. From this past weekend through Election Day, Durbin is scheduled to host, headline or appear at campaign events in California, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. His scheduler is trying to lock down another four events. Both Durbin and Schumer have lavished hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions on Senate colleagues and candidates this election cycle. The gifts are highly appreciated in a campaign year when Democratic candidates have seen a record number of corporate-funded attack ads because of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC. Durbin has doled out $400,000 to Senate candidates and the state parties working to help them through his leadership political action committee, Prairie PAC, according a review of fundraising records going back to Election Day 2008. The most recent report covered the period from Oct. 1 to Oct. 13. He has given the DSCC $30,000 from his leadership PAC and transferred $430,000 to the committee from his personal campaign account. Durbin has also hosted nearly a dozen events for Senate Democratic candidates and the DSCC in Chicago this year. Schumer has given $390,000 from his leadership PAC, Impact, to help Senate Democratic candidates this cycle, according to reports covering the period from Election Day 2008 to Oct. 13 of this year. These contributions will be among the factors Democratic senators weigh if Durbin and Schumer square off in a race for Senate majority leader. Talk of a potential race between Durbin and Schumer quieted over the summer after Angle won the Nevada GOP primary in June. Political experts thought Angle would be a weak opponent because of her penchant for controversial statements, but Reid has struggled to boost his approval rating much above 40 percent. Conservatives have poured money into Nevada to defeat Reid. Angle reported raising a jaw-dropping $14 million in the third quarter of this year. Reid’s debate against Angle gave his supporters more cause for concern. “Sharron Angle won The Big Debate,” Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston wrote in the Las Vegas Sun. “She won because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid looked as if he could barely stay on a linear argument, abruptly switching gears and failing to effectively parry or thrust."“Each country has its own ruling class. In capitalist countries, the rulers own the means of production and employ workers. The capitalist class is also called the bourgeoisie. Means of production are what it takes to produce goods. Raw materials, satellite networks, machinery, ships and factories are examples. Workers own nothing but their ability to sell their labor for a wage.” -Karl Marx The means of production are the actual objects that one needs to own in order to be able to produce goods. This could be anything from real land to the machinery that can create textiles. The means of production are investments that will create products, which in turn creates capital for the owner of the means of production so they can pay their workers some portion of that capital. However, in an advanced capitalist society the most prominent means of production is capital alone, and this can be seen with how financial markets now dwarf all other economic markets today. Considering how deep capitalism penetrates into all facets of our globalized society, it can be said today that capital is the primary means of production. Capital within our society can purchase all, and can do anything, and can make any decision: money is the only true sovereign in a capitalist society. Everything is for sale, and nothing is scared anymore, including their law. The State, Capital, and The Means of Production Money is the central component of a capitalist system. This once was gold, sliver, and other commodity-monies, but as the state grew in power throughout the centuries, it came to regard the freedom of money as ‘dangerous’ and seized all forms of commodity-monies. Ironically, FDR did this to save capitalism, and in doing so he created the conditions state-capitalism. Check out this link for more on bitcoin and the history of money to understand how money has become nothing more than government debt backed by legal violence. In this last stage of capitalism, the power of the state and capital become one; fused through totalitarian state capitalism by the monopolization of the monetary system. No longer is the separation of money from the state, or the state from money possible–they have fused together with state’s control of the monetary system. Due to the monopoly on the right to violence governments also hold, this gives them the power to ensure that only they can issue money. The state has forced people to give up real commodity monies with intrinsic value, for fiat scrips with no underlying value. This action took place over the course of the last century along with a complex campaigns of psychological warfare against the liberty of money to allow for the state itself to become money. It is because of this that today gold and silver are little more than investment scams ran by the same banks that peddle the state’s fiat scrips. Nearly all economic exchange is taking place using fiat money; a money that cannot be differentiated or distinguished from state power itself. Through the legalized monopoly that central banks have, the state now fully controls the means of exchange and the mode of production within advanced capitalist societies: money. Money as Propaganda The greatest secret about money is that it is only social–only men can create money, nature cannot. However, nature does create value, and it is this that we are seeking out. From the very first forms of money, it has always been maintained by statist that it is not the precious metal that has value, but the stamp that is malleated into the gold or silver which has value. This is nothing more than propaganda. It is part of the greater illusion that the state has any bearing on the value of money. The states original purpose for stamping commodity monies was to act as fair and just regulator in the setting of the weights and measure for coinage. However that was centuries ago, and is little more than a tale to justify government seigniorage. Today the state has anointed itself with the very right to create money and however much it they may choose. Through the complete need for the state to monopolize money, we also see the signature of why money must be monopolized by the state in the first place. Money is the true sovereign. Money alone can decide the exception to the law. Money is the final weapon in an advanced capitalist society, as money is the most powerful form of production in an advance technological society. Through using a monetary system that is outside of the control of any state, we are creating the scaffolding for the next epoch of society. Through using money that is controlled by no state, but the internet itself; we will usher in the hegemony of the digital. This is the bases for a new form of sovereignty and economics in a post-statist world. Monetary Control = Economic Control = Political Control The command of money is little more than command of the economy itself. This is why the state must control money, or else it will lose control of all the fuckery they do within the economy. This is why exiting from the fiat economy and using cryptocurrencies is the most power form of protest that one can take. Through using cryptocurrencies we seize the greatest means of production in our society: The monetary system itself. When less than 100 people owning more wealth than the billions of people in the entire lower half of society
surface temperature is higher than 340 K due to numerical instability and radiative-transfer limitation56. For example, at 320 K, the greenhouse effect and shortwave absorption in CAM3 is 8–11 W m−2 weaker than that in the two line-by-line models SMART and LBLRTM50. This implies that the surface temperature in the post-snowball state should be greater and stratospheric vapour concentration should be higher than those shown in Fig. 3 and Supplementary Fig. 3. Future simulations including high-temperature radiative transfer and H 2 O photolysis are required to more precisely investigate the post-snowball climates. Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) curves and absorbed stellar radiation (ASR) values. At low temperatures, OLR is a nearly linear function of surface temperature, and at high temperatures, OLR asymptotes to a limiting, maximum value when the atmosphere becomes optically thick in all infrared wavelengths. Data for the OLR curves in Fig. 3f and Supplementary Fig. 9 are from Haqq-Misra et al. 57, and we have further included the effects of atmospheric sub-saturation29,31 and clouds. This limiting OLR is approximately equal to the blackbody radiation corresponding to the temperature at the pressure level of one optical depth calculated down from the top of the atmosphere12. For pure water vapour, the limiting OLR31 is ∼282 W m−2; for an atmosphere of 1-bar N 2 and saturated water vapour29,31, it is ∼292 W m−2; the realistic atmosphere is sub-saturated and the limiting OLR would be higher, such as ∼340 W m−2 if assuming relative humidity is 45%, close to the equivalent value in 3D GCMs26,27; clouds can decrease the limiting OLR by ∼30 W m−2 (obtained in the CAM3 simulations of this work) through trapping infrared radiation from the surface. The limiting OLR for an atmosphere with 1-bar N 2, sub-saturated water vapour and clouds, therefore, is ∼310 W m−2. The horizontal ASR lines in Fig. 3f are calculated on the basis of the stellar flux thresholds (2,100, 1,700 and 1,300 W m−2 for F, G and K stars, respectively) and planetary albedos (0.32, 0.24 and 0.34) from the last converged solution of CAM3 post-snowball experiments shown in Fig. 3a–e. The existence of a limiting OLR and ASR being larger than the limiting OLR are two necessary conditions for the onset of an unstable runaway greenhouse state8,12. Effects of atmospheric CO 2 on the stellar flux threshold and the post-snowball climate. How much atmospheric CO 2 could accumulate in a snowball state is determined by the balance between silicate (and seafloor) weathering and volcanic outgassing. To know the effect of CO 2 on the results, we perform five groups of experiments (Supplementary Fig. 6). When the surface albedo is set to 0.6 and CO 2 concentration is set to <3,000 ppmv, the snowball-melting stellar flux threshold is still higher than the runaway greenhouse limit29. This implies that the post-snowball planet will enter a runaway greenhouse state. If CO 2 concentration is >3,000 ppmv, the post-snowball climate will be hot, but will not enter a runaway greenhouse state because the stellar flux threshold is lower than the runaway greenhouse limit. When the surface albedo is set to 0.8 for snow and 0.6 for sea ice and CO 2 concentration is <30,000 ppmv, a runaway greenhouse state after the snowball melting will also arise. But, if the CO 2 concentration is >30,000 ppmv, it will not. An example of the post-snowball climate with a high concentration of CO 2, 100,000 ppmv, is shown in Supplementary Fig. 7. In this case, the snowball-melting stellar flux threshold is only ∼1,360 W m−2, the corresponding post-snowball global-mean surface temperature is 325 K, and stratospheric H 2 O amount is lower than that required for entering a moist greenhouse state. However, the surface temperature and stratospheric H 2 O amount are expected to decrease after the snowball deglaciation, because enhanced silicate weathering58 following the melting would lead to the removal of atmospheric CO 2. Therefore, icy planets near the outer edge of the habitable zone that have an active carbon–silicate cycle may possess repeated climate cycles between the snowball state and the hot state7,57. This is different from the process of stellar brightening, in which the planet will enter a moist or runaway greenhouse state accompanying significant water loss from the ocean(s) and it has no chance to return back to a normal climate state. A snowball Earth. The climate evolution associated with a snowball Earth 600–800 million years ago is summarized in Supplementary Fig. 8 (refs 4,16,17,18,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66). As shown in the figure, the climate transition from the snowball Earth state to the post-snowball state is abrupt and dramatic, but the post-snowball state is in neither a moist greenhouse state nor a runaway greenhouse state. The reasons are as follows. First, the solar constant, 1,286 W m−2 (∼6% fainter), is much lower than the runaway greenhouse limit29 of ∼1,500 W m−2. Here we assume that atmospheric CO 2 concentration does not significantly influence the onset of a runaway greenhouse state8; this is because near the runaway greenhouse state H 2 O becomes a major component of the atmosphere and dominates its infrared opacity. Second, after the snowball Earth melts, the surface is hot but the stratospheric H 2 O mixing ratio is not higher than the moist greenhouse limit of 3 × 10−3. This is due to the fact that CO 2 acts to warm the surface and troposphere but to cool the stratosphere and thereby decrease H 2 O mixing ratio there40. Third, silicate weathering following the melting would enhance due to increased precipitation and runoff58, which would lead to the removal of CO 2. The surface temperature and stratospheric H 2 O amount are therefore expected to decrease after the hot period. The timescale of silicate weathering for dropping down the CO 2 concentration of ∼100,000 ppmv to a normal level is ∼106 years58. Even if assuming the stratospheric H 2 O mixing ratio during the entire hot period were 3 × 10−3, the loss of ocean water would be only 0.6 m, very tiny. The climate evolution associated with early Mars and Venus can be inferred from the results for the snowball Earth. The solar constant on Mars is 591 W m−2, and in the history it was lower. Thus, to melt a snowball Mars if it was, CO 2 concentration should be much higher than the CO 2 level for the snowball Earth melting. Due to the fact that CO 2 acts to cool the stratosphere, a post-snowball Mars would not enter a moist greenhouse state. A snowball Mars would also not transition to a runaway greenhouse state because its solar flux was much lower than the runaway greenhouse limit12 of ∼1,250 W m−2 under the Mars gravity of 3.71 m s−2. Moreover, it is doubtful that Mars was ever in a snowball state. The current estimates for its initial global water inventory, <165 m global water equivalent67, suggest that the planet was never as wet as Earth. Climate simulations show only about 30% of its surface was glaciated68. The solar constant on Venus is ∼2,630 W m−2, and in four billion years ago it was ∼1,970 W m−2. Both of these two insolation levels are higher than the stellar flux threshold for a snowball melting (Fig. 2a). This implies that it is unlikely that Venus had been in a snowball state. Energy balance climate model. The climate transition and the effect of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration on the transition can be further understood using a 0D energy balance climate model. The key processes of the model are ice-albedo feedback and water vapour feedback. Due to these two processes, there are multiple equilibrium states for a climate system (chapter 3 of ref. 12). The balance between ASR and OLR determines the equilibrium surface temperature, as shown in Supplementary Fig. 9. In the figure, the ASR curves are calculated as S 0 /4 × (1 − α p ), where the albedo (α p ) is 0.25 when the surface temperature is higher than 300 K and 0.60 when the surface temperature is lower than 260 K. Between the two temperatures, a quadratic interpolation12 for the albedo is employed. For a relatively low stellar flux (S 0 = 1,400 W m−2, the blue line in panel a), there are three solutions: a stable snowball state, an unstable partially ice-covered state, and a stable ice-free state. For a relatively high stellar flux (S 0 = 1,700 W m−2, the red line in panel a), there are two solutions: a stable snowball state and an unstable partially ice-covered state. There is no equilibrium ice-free state for the case of S 0 = 1,700 W m−2; as long as all of the surface ice melts, ASR would be higher than the allowed maximum OLR and the system would enter a runaway greenhouse state, which corresponds to the dramatic climate transition obtained in the 3D model CAM3. If CO 2 concentration is high, the OLR curve shifts downward (Supplementary Fig. 9(b)), due to the CO 2 greenhouse effect. For the case of S 0 = 1,400 W m−2, there are still three solutions but the two stable solutions (snowball and ice-free) are warmer than those in the case of a low CO 2 concentration. This is due to the CO 2 greenhouse effect. For the case of S 0 = 1,700 W m−2, there is no equilibrium solution because the high CO 2 greenhouse effect prevents the system from staying in a snowball state, meanwhile the high stellar flux pushes the system into a runaway greenhouse state. K and M stars. The abrupt climate transition does not apply to K- and M-star systems, due to their redder spectra and therefore lower ice/snow albedos and smaller snowball-melting stellar flux thresholds. Moreover, due to strong tidal forces, planets in the habitable zone of late K- and M-star systems are likely in spin–orbit resonance states69, which has a profound impact on planetary climate32. A snowball planet in 1:1 resonance state (or called synchronous rotation) would require a much lower stellar flux to trigger the melting because all of the stellar energy is deposited on the permanent day side, compared with other resonance states. Code availability. The code used to generate the data for this study are available in the PANGAEA repository, https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.876224. Data availability. The data that support the findings of this study are available in the PANGAEA repository, https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.876224.The best thing you never heard of is called colatura di alici, or garum, its ancient name. Garum and other similar fish-based sauces were the ketchup of the ancient world, mass produced in factories by the Romans, and sprinkled on anything savory. They usually made several versions: a dark-colored table condiment that was high in protein, a cooking sauce similar to Thai and Vietnamese fish sauces (sometimes called liquamen by historians, though often grouped together with garum), and a milder version called muria, explains food historian Sally Grainger. The fall of the Roman empire meant the end of its mass production, but the art of the fish sauce was not lost in Italy. The modern-day version, colatura di alici, is a saltier mixture of all three sauces. While Italy may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of fish sauce, several companies on the Amalfi coast continue the ancient traditions. Today’s colatura is a clear, amber liquid made from fermented, salted anchovies and sold in tiny, elegant glass bottles. It is often described as the great-grandfather of Worcestershire sauce. “There is only a difference of a few ingredients, but colatura tastes better,” Grace Singleton, managing partner at Zingerman’s Delicatessen, tells me. Photograph: zingermans.com Zingerman’s, based in Michigan, started carrying the condiment around 15 years ago, when co-founding partner Ari Weinzweig found himself in the Amalfi coast town of Cetara, where it has been made for generations. After tasting it for the first time, Weinzweig knew he had to carry it in his store. It took a year to get all the labelling right for US importation, but it was worth it. Since then, the sauce has had a steady following, Weinzweig tells me. Everyone who has tried it remembers the exact moment when colatura di alici and taste buds first met. For Matt Armendariz, who runs the food blog Matt Bites, it was in Italy, in an aioli sauce. “My mind was blown. It had this umami flavor and I asked the chef why it was so delicious, and he said he used colatura di alici. I just fell in love with it,” Armendariz fondly recalls. The amber sauce, which is fermented traditionally in chestnut barrels, is an inexpensive way to add depth and flavor to dishes, says Singleton. A little glass bottle will set you back on average $15, but you only need a sprinkling to bring a new dimension to food. It is also the key to a quick and simple pasta dish popular in the Amalfi coast. Any kind of long, thin pasta is mixed with garlic, chili-infused olive oil and a little colatura di alici for an unmistakable savory rich flavor that belies its simple ingredients. Armendariz recommends sprinkling it on ripe tomatoes or putting a few drops on grilled steaks and other meats to make the flavor pop. Singleton favors using it in place of salt in dishes, since it does double duty by both salting a dish and accentuating its flavors. Despite its fishy origins, don’t think of it as a fish sauce, says Armendariz, who refers to the flavor enhancer as a “genie in a bottle” on his blog. It’s a true secret ingredient for the modern age, taken straight out of the ancient world.The Diamondbacks have released right-hander Josh Collmenter, reports FanRag Sports’ Jack Magruder (Twitter link). Collmenter had been in limbo since the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment July 30, but he’s now free to search for another opportunity elsewhere. Collmenter picked up 200 appearances and 75 starts with Arizona, which selected him in the 15th round of the 2007 draft, and compiled a terrific ERA (3.54) to go with 6.28 K/9 against 2.14 BB/9 in 659 1/3 innings. He has also logged two seasons, 2011 and 2014, with at least 154 1/3 innings and a sub-3.50 ERA. Collmenter began 2015 as the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day starter before eventually shifting to a bullpen role, and he posted a solid 3.79 ERA across 121 frames and somewhat offset a below-average K/9 (4.69) with a 1.79 BB/9. The 30-year-old hasn’t been nearly as successful at preventing runs (4.84 ERA) or limiting walks (4.43 BB/9) in 22 1/3 innings this season, though he has generated ground balls at a 47.7 percent rate – a marked increase over his career 36 percent average. Collmenter, who was on a $1.85MM club option with Arizona this year, could catch on with a different team for a prorated portion of the league minimum.While we tend to think of black holes as giant cosmic vacuum cleaners, it’s not all one-way travel. As gas falls in towards a black hole, it spirals gradually inwards like water going down a plug hole – but it’s not all lost; some of it can instead be diverted outwards in narrow, energetic beams known to astronomers as jets. These jets travel outwards at close to the speed of light, depositing large amounts of energy into their surroundings – and in research published in Nature today, my colleagues and I detected the telltale signatures of ordinary atoms in the jets from a small black hole, just a few times the mass of the sun. Astronomers have known about jets for almost a century. The first jet was discovered in 1918 by Heber Curtis, coming from the nucleus of the powerful galaxy M87. What he saw as a “curious straight ray” of light was later found to be an intense source of radio waves. Since then, astronomers have discovered similar jets throughout the universe. However, despite decades of intense study, it is still unclear what these jets are made of. Heavy jets or light jets? The bright radio waves that we see from the jets using our radio telescopes here on Earth tell us that the jets must contain electrons. But electrons carry a negative electric charge, and we know the jets must be electrically neutral, so there must be something else to balance out that charge. The two options are positrons – the antimatter counterparts of electrons – or atomic nuclei. This isn’t just an academic distinction; the nucleus of hydrogen, the lightest atom, is more than 1,800 times heavier than a positron. The discrepancy with heavier nuclei is even bigger – an iron nucleus is more than 100,000 times heavier than a positron. Since the energy carried away from the black hole by the jets depends on the mass of the particles within them, a jet containing nuclei can carry away thousands of times more energy than a jet containing electrons and positrons. That energy eventually gets deposited in the surrounding environment, where its spectacular effects can be seen with radio eyes; in powerful galaxies, the black hole jets are seen to blow enormous bubbles, thousands of light years in length – see the video below. The smoking gun As electrons in atoms jump between different energy levels (like rungs on a ladder), they give off light with a characteristic wavelength – in effect, a specific colour – that is unique to the particular atom in question. In the lab, physicists have measured these wavelengths very accurately, so we can immediately associate light of a given wavelength with a given atom. In our work, we used both the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton X-ray telescope and CSIRO’s Australia Telescope Compact Array radio telescope to look at a double star system called 4U1630-47. This binary star system consists of a black hole in orbit with a more normal star. We looked twice at the system during a period when the black hole was feeding very rapidly from its companion star. In the first observation, we saw no radio emission, and the X-ray spectrum (telling us how the intensity of the X-rays varied with their wavelength) showed just a thin disc of material swirling around the black hole. So far, this was fairly typical – just what had been seen many times before from similar black holes feeding at a high rate. When we looked again a few weeks later, there had been some exciting changes. First of all, we detected radio waves, telling us that the jets had switched on. At the same time, we detected three emission lines in the X-ray spectrum – light that was characteristic of iron and nickel atoms that had lost most of their electrons. NASA/MAXIM The wavelength – or colour – of those lines was slightly shifted, telling us that the atoms were moving, just as the pitch of an ambulance siren changes as it moves towards or away from us. The size of the shifts told us that the atoms were moving fast – at two-thirds of the speed of light – and that they were moving at an angle perpendicular to the disc. Combined with the reappearance of the radio emission, this told us that the atoms had to be located in the jets. So finally we have direct evidence that jets are composed of “normal”, atomic matter. This had only been seen once before, in the oddball system SS 433. Gas is continuously falling onto that black hole at such a high rate that it may not be representative of more run-of-the-mill black holes, yet our result tells us that its jets may not be so different after all. Since we expect the physics around a black hole to be the same, no matter how massive it is, then our result should also tell us something about the more powerful jets from the supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies. If they also carry atomic nuclei, as now seems likely, the energy being recycled can have a bigger impact, even affecting the formation of stars in the surrounding galaxy. Knowing what black hole jets are made of is one more piece of the puzzle that may help us to finally unlock the mystery of how the jets are actually launched.As clinicians in the United States prepare for the start of another influenza season, experts have been watching the Southern Hemisphere winter for hints of what might be in store for us in the North. Reports from Australia have caused mounting concern, with record-high numbers of laboratory-confirmed influenza notifications and outbreaks and higher-than-average numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.1 The number of notifications reached 215,280 by mid-October, far exceeding the 59,022 cases reported during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, according to the Australian Government Department of Health. Influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominated, and the preliminary estimate of vaccine effectiveness against influenza A (H3N2) was only 10%. The implications for the Northern Hemisphere are not clear, but it is of note that the vaccine for this upcoming season has the same composition as that used in the Southern Hemisphere. As we prepare for a potentially severe influenza season, we must consider whether our current vaccines can be improved and whether longer-term, transformative vaccine approaches are needed to minimize influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Seasonal influenza epidemics cause 3 million to 5 million severe cases and 300,000 to 500,000 deaths globally each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The United States alone sees 140,000 to 710,000 influenza-related hospitalizations and 12,000 to 56,000 deaths each year, with the highest burden of disease affecting the very young, the very old, and people with coexisting medical conditions.2 The cornerstone of influenza prevention and epidemic control is strain-specific vaccination. Since influenza viruses are subject to continual antigenic changes (“antigenic drift”), vaccine updates are recommended by the WHO each February for the Northern Hemisphere and each September for the Southern Hemisphere. This guidance relies on global viral surveillance data from the previous 5 to 8 months and occurs 6 to 9 months before vaccine deployment. In addition, there are always several closely related strains circulating; therefore, experts must combine antigenic and genetic characterization and modeling to predict which strains are likely to predominate in the coming season. Vaccine mismatches have occurred in years in which circulating influenza strains change after the decision is made about vaccine composition, resulting in reduced vaccine effectiveness. For example, during the 2014–2015 influenza season in the United States, more than 80% of the circulating influenza A (H3N2) viruses that were characterized differed from the vaccine virus, and vaccine effectiveness was only 13% against influenza A (H3N2).2 This mismatch most likely contributed to the severity of the 2014–2015 influenza season and the substantial related morbidity and mortality among people over 65 years of age. Even in years when influenza vaccines are well matched to circulating viruses, estimates of vaccine effectiveness range from 40 to 60%, which is lower than that for most licensed noninfluenza vaccines.2 For instance, although the 2016–2017 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine was updated to include a new influenza A (H3N2) component and the majority of viral isolates characterized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were antigenically similar to the vaccine reference virus,2 the preliminary estimate of vaccine effectiveness was 42% overall and only 34% against influenza A (H3N2) viruses. Suboptimal vaccine effectiveness is probably multifactorial. For example, prior influenza exposure and vaccination history could influence subsequent responses to seasonal influenza vaccines. Furthermore, host factors such as age and coexisting conditions affect vaccine effectiveness. Some of these effects can be mitigated by using adjuvants or high-dose vaccines to generate more robust immune responses in the elderly; however, it is difficult to address all relevant contributors using our current vaccination strategies. Another factor that may alter the effectiveness of influenza vaccines is the substrate used to produce them. In the United States, most influenza-vaccine viruses are propagated in eggs, although a small proportion are produced either in cell culture or by expressing specific viral proteins using recombinant DNA technologies. During the egg-based production process, the vaccine virus acquires amino acid changes that facilitate replication in eggs, notably changes in the hemagglutinin (HA) protein that mediates receptor binding.3 Since the influenza HA is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies, small modifications in this protein can cause antigenic changes in the virus and decrease vaccine effectiveness. Egg adaptation has been postulated to contribute to low vaccine effectiveness, particularly with influenza A (H3N2) viruses; however, the true impact is largely unknown.3 A recent study by Zost et al. highlighted a particular egg-adapted mutation (T160K) that may have contributed to low vaccine effectiveness during the 2016–2017 influenza season in the United States.4 The investigators determined that circulating influenza A (H3N2) viruses possessed an HA glycosylation site that was lost in the vaccine strain during egg adaptation, and both ferret and human antibodies elicited by that vaccine strain poorly neutralized circulating virus. The researchers also compared antibody responses elicited by vaccine antigens prepared using eggs, cell culture, and the recombinant DNA baculovirus system. They found that most people who mounted a strong antibody response to influenza viruses that contained the HA glycosylation site found on circulating viruses had received the recombinant baculovirus-based vaccine, which was not affected by the egg-adapted mutation. Notably, the cell-based vaccine used during the 2016–2017 influenza season in the United States used a seed virus that had undergone egg passage, which probably explains the presence of a T160K HA mutation in this system. Starting with the 2017–2018 influenza season in the United States, cell-based vaccines will use cell-based seed strains.2 Although there are limitations to the study by Zost et al.,4 including the effect of higher antigenic content in baculovirus vaccines, it nonetheless highlights the need for further evaluation of the egg-based manufacturing system and its impact on vaccine effectiveness. Egg adaptation may have public health consequences, as indicated in analyses of the 2016–2017 Australian influenza season. Interim reports suggest that the 10% vaccine effectiveness against influenza A (H3N2) viruses was not primarily attributable to antigenic mismatch between the vaccine strain and circulating viruses.1 Instead, antigenic characterization using ferret reference antiserums indicates that egg-propagated vaccine viruses acquired changes in the HA that subsequently altered antigenicity against circulating strains. This observation lends credibility to the hypothesis that egg-adapted changes contribute to poor influenza-vaccine effectiveness. Furthermore, since most of the circulating influenza A (H3N2) viruses possessed the T160 HA discussed above, it is possible that the particular egg adaptation described by Zost and colleagues played a role. Given that most of the U.S. influenza-vaccine supply is currently produced in eggs and the composition of the 2017–2018 Northern Hemisphere vaccine is identical to that used in Australia, it is possible that we will experience low vaccine effectiveness against influenza A (H3N2) viruses and a relatively severe influenza season if they predominate. This possibility underscores the need to strive toward a “universal” influenza vaccine that will protect against seasonal influenza drift variants as well as potential pandemic strains, with better durability than current annual vaccines.5 Among other advantages, in all likelihood, such a vaccine would not be subject to the limitations of egg-based vaccine technology. However imperfect, though, current influenza vaccines remain a valuable public health tool, and it is always better to get vaccinated than not to get vaccinated. In this regard, the CDC estimates that influenza vaccination averted 40,000 deaths in the United States between the 2005–2006 and 2013–2014 seasons.2 Yet we can do better. Although targeted research to improve current vaccine antigens, platforms, and manufacturing strategies may in the short term lead to enhanced effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines, to achieve the ultimate objective of a universal influenza vaccine, a broad range of expertise and substantial resources will be required to fill gaps in our knowledge and develop a transformative approach to influenza-vaccine design.5Share Email 2 Shares A Senate panel on Friday approved tax provisions for a marijuana legalization bill. The Senate Finance Committee placed a 25 percent excise tax on the sale of marijuana. The tax, which would function like a sales tax, would be applied to retail sales of the drug. Tax receipts would go into a special marijuana fund; sales taxes are typically funneled into the education and general funds. Get all of VTDigger's daily news. You'll never miss a story with our daily headlines in your inbox. The legislation legalizes marijuana effective January 2, 2018. In the first six months of the fiscal year, a 25 percent tax would generate between $5.6 million and $8.7 million, according to estimates from the Joint Fiscal Office. The tax would raise between $13.4 million and $20.8 million in 2019, the first full year the law would be in effect, according to Sara Teachout, a financial analyst for JFO. The Shumlin administration estimates the cost to regulate the legalized sale of pot would be $2.2 million. The estimates are lower than projections from a Rand study, which pegged tax revenues between $20 million and $75 million. That’s because Rand estimated the state would benefit from pot tourism; JFO used more conservative state estimates for the number of people from out of state who would purchase marijuana in Vermont. Senate Finance also set up a licensing fee structure for retail sales outlets for the drug of $15,000 to $25,000. More than a dozen other administrative fees range from $100 to $1,000. The legislation does not allow the sale of homegrown pot, nor does it allow edibles. VTDigger is underwritten by: Nonprofit medical dispensaries that now are the only legal outlets for the purchase marijuana would be allowed to become for profit entities and would be the only source of certain pot products, including tinctures and edibles. The committee voted 6-1 to approve S.241. The bill will now head to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has jurisdiction over how revenue from marijuana taxes and fees will be distributed across state government. Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, was the only no vote in the committee. He expressed several concerns, including whether the proposed law would set up a closed market to benefit a few wealthy people. The Department of Public Safety, which also houses the Vermont State Police, would begin issuing a limited number of licenses to up to 30 applicants in the spring and summer of 2017. Licensees could start selling Jan. 2, 2018, and the department could decide to approve more dispensaries through 2019. No credit card sales, different prices for out-of-state purchasers Charles “Chuck” Karparis, the senior vice president of lending at the Vermont State Employees Credit Union, testified Thursday. He signaled that VSECU may be the only banking institution in the state that would allow marijuana dispensaries to open checking and savings accounts. “We do currently offer those accounts to Vermont’s medical marijuana dispensaries,” Kaparis said. “We’re really looking to see what the final law is to determine to what extent we can provide those services.” Sen. Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, asked how the state could avoid having dispensary owners showing up at the tax department with huge canvas bags full of cash. Kaparis replied: “We’re trying to make it so that if (marijuana) does become legal in the state of Vermont that we can provide financial services so that things like that don’t happen.” Customers would still not be able to pay for marijuana with a credit card. However, members of VSECU would be able to write checks to the dispensary just like any other business. Dispensary owners could also pay any applicable taxes by check. The committee decided 5-2 in a straw vote that it was best to legalize marijuana in steps rather than all at once. Ashe, who agreed with the rest of the committee, described the measure in football terms as a “first down strategy” for legalization as opposed to gunning for a “100-yard return.” The committee passed an amendment 4-3 that prohibits dispensaries from selling non-marijuana products in a bundle with marijuana. Sen. Michael Sirotkin, D-Chittenden, presented the amendment, saying he did not want dispensaries to sell $50 t-shirts that come with a handful of free joints. The committee rejected an amendment that would have allowed dispensaries to sell the same amount of marijuana to Vermonters and out-of-staters. The limit will be a half-ounce for Vermont residents and a quarter-ounce for out-of-staters. By comparison, Colorado has a one-ounce limit for residents and a quarter-ounce limit for nonresidents. Washington has no residency limits on how much a person can buy. Sen. Richard Westman, R-Lamoille, said it’s important to keep the limit as low as possible when marijuana is first legalized. “If you put an ounce (into the bill), you’re never going to put the genie back in the bottle to go lower,” he said. Mullin said there was nothing to stop tourists from asking a Vermonter to walk in and buy the larger amount of marijuana for them. The cost of pot legalization The administration projects that the total cost of legalizing pot in the next fiscal year would be $2.21 million across the departments of Public Safety, Health, Tax and Agriculture, according to Finance and Management Commissioner Andy Pallito. The largest share, $920,000, would go to the Tax Department to fund two positions and to build an IT system to implement the excise tax model. $500,000 is slated for the Health Department to fund education and prevention efforts, and $230,000 would go to the Department of Agriculture. Public Safety would get $470,000 to cover drug recognition training for police officers, the rule-making process, and lab equipment. Financing for the implementation raised eyebrows in the Senate Appropriations committee. Pallito said the state would fund the initial $2.21 million investment with the anticipation of money coming in at the end of FY17 and in FY18. The administration doesn’t have a clear picture of the total expenses in the following years, but based on preliminary reports from a wide range of agencies, Pallito said he expects the annual tab will be between $10 million and $12 million. Sen. John Campbell said that the Senate is giving the bill a “fair shake.” The bill is still on track to work its way through the Senate before lawmakers break for Town Meeting Day, he said. The Senate Transportation, Economic Development and Agriculture Committees are still planning to weigh in on the legislation, Campbell said. The bill also still needs to clear Appropriations, which, Campbell said, “will be its biggest challenge.” Editor’s note: This story was updated 9:22 a.m. Feb. 14 with additional information about the cost of regulating marijuana.Kirk Cameron (Provident Films/YouTube) “Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas”, a film which promises to “put Christ back into Christmas” and actress Cameron Diaz triumphed at the Razzies anti-award show, Hollywood’s hall of shame. On the eve of the Oscars, the movie — of which one critic said “even devout born-again Christians will find this hard to stomach” — took the worst picture, as well as worst actor, worst screenplay and worst screen combo on Saturday. The film has the dubious honor of a straight zero rating on the Rotten Tomatoes movie ranking website, where the LA Times critics said of it: “Virtually everything about this production feels thrown together.” Blockbuster filmmaker Michael Bay meanwhile was named worst director for “Transformers: Age of Extinction” at the ceremony, formally called the Golden Raspberries, which celebrated Tinseltown’s worst output of 2014. Diaz was named worst actress for “The Other Woman” and “Sex Tape”, while worst supporting actress went to Megan Fox for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. In the anti-awards show hosted in a downtown Hollywood theater, the worst supporting actor accolade was won by Kelsey Grammer for performances including in “The Expendables 3” and “Transformers”. Big-screen musical adaptation “Annie”, starring Jamie Foxx and Oscar-nominated child star Quvenzhane Wallis, was named the worst remake, sequel or rip-off. The Razzies were created in 1980 as an antidote to Hollywood’s star-studded, back-slapping annual awards season, which climaxes on February 22 this year with the 87th Oscars. All but one of the Razzie categories are chosen by the 800 or so members of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, who earn voting rights by paying a $40 membership fee, with a $25 annual renewal. Nominees very rarely attend the Razzies. Sandra Bullock turned up to accept worst actress in 2010 for “All About Steve”, a day before winning best actress Oscar for “The Blind Side”. The Oscars will be held Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in downtown Hollywood.Donald Trump sparred with Jimmy Kimmel over the GOP frontrunner’s proposed ban on admitting Muslims to the U.S. The billionaire businessman stood firm on his position, though he did admit
of you. Shame that it has an overdose of scrolljacking and animation. The evidence [ edit ] Videos [ edit ] Combating global warming denial [ edit ] Ending global warming [ edit ] Goat [ edit ] Global warming deniers [ edit ]You may remember that LSLeditor was given to open source by Alphons van der Heijden, the creator. It is now a Source Forge project named, LSLEditor Community Edition. There is also a forum for the editor at Source Forge. I had not known about the project. The main LSLEditor site is still up. It is also where I have looked for updates. If you script for SL or OpenSim using the built-in editor in the viewer, you need to check out LSLEditor. Both the viewer’s script editor and the LSLEditor have problems and bugs. But, LSLEditor has debugging tools that are not available in the viewer editor. It is an impressive bit of programming and well worth learning to use. Especially if you have multi-prim, multi-script projects. The Project The Source Forge LSLEditor Project has a download button on the ‘Summary’ page. The download is small (1.2mb). The site menu will take you to all the support options. Features I don’t know my way around Souce Forge. So, I may have missed it but I don’t see any release notes. I do see from running the program that it now checks for updates and tells you about them. There are also supposed to be some of the new LSL Functions that Linden Lab has added recently. I have not been able to check that out yet. There is As-You-Type Help and code competition. There are so many great features I’m not even going to try and list them. If you have not tried scripting in LSLEditor, try it. Like this: Like Loading...Allardyce says Sunday's match "is the most difficult game of the group" Slovakia v England, Fifa World Cup qualifier Group F Venue: Trnava Date: Sunday 04 September Start: 17:00 BST Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 live from 17:00 BST; text commentary on the BBC Sport website Sam Allardyce has made it his mission to restore the nation's pride after the debacle of Euro 2016 as his new England era starts in Slovakia on Sunday. New England manager Allardyce takes charge of his first game after predecessor Roy Hodgson resigned in the immediate aftermath of the humiliating last-16 exit at the hands of Iceland in France. Allardyce, 61, starts England's campaign to reach the World Cup in Russia in 2018 with an opening qualifier against a side that held them to a damaging goalless draw in the Euros - and wants to deliver a morale-boosting opening result here in Trnava. He said: "I can only focus on this game and hopefully the fans who watch on TV and that are here go home very happy or are turning the television off saying England are back on track and looked great. "Everyone will want us to win. Some will expect us to win but I don't think it will be that easy based on Slovakia's record. "Winning is what we want. If the nation thinks that's the only thing we can have to make us feel better, we'll try. But personally, if we get a draw from the most difficult game of the group, I'll be happy." Allardyce defended his new England charges against any claims that they were not hurt by the harrowing experience of Euro 2016 as they rebuild once more after the disappointment of another early exit at a major tournament. He said: "The nation was proud of the team up to Iceland. It was only that result which turned everyone against them. "It was a hugely disappointing result for everyone, and none more so than them. Everyone involved in England hurt that night, but the players more than anyone else. "There's a perception that they don't hurt, but they do. The period 2014-16 was a fantastic ride for this young team and it's something we have to try and achieve again. I just hope they gain in confidence, get there and then do better when they get to in Russia 2018." Wayne Rooney is set to become England's most-capped outfield player Allardyce relishes task Allardyce is fulfilling a lifelong ambition of leading England after a managerial career that has taken in clubs such as Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Sunderland. And he admits it was a special moment when he met his England players for the first time as the squad gathered at St George's Park ahead of this qualifier. "It's been a great week for me," said Allardyce. "Walking into St George's Park, then the lads coming in and the training week - it's been really enjoyable. "I've enjoyed watching, meeting up with everyone and the coaches. I think that, hopefully, it goes as well on the pitch as I've seen in training, but it's all about what happens on the pitch on Sunday. It's the best job for me at this stage of my life. "I couldn't have asked for anything better. Having met the players and chatted, I have a very talented squad. In the Euros it was the youngest average age, and this squad can only mature and get better." Big Sam backs captain Rooney Wayne Rooney has revealed his plans to retire from international football after the World Cup in Russia in 2018 but any questions over his position in the side after England's failure in France were swept away by Allardyce's decision to confirm the Manchester United forward as captain. Allardyce has no doubts about the 30-year-old who will win his 116th England cap in Slovakia to take him clear of David Beckham as the all-time record outfield caps holder, although still behind goalkeeper Peter Shilton with 125. He said: "I've seen Wayne play for Manchester United up front, in the hole, down the right, central midfield. "Does that not show you the credibility of the man and his flexibility? All the managers that he's had will play him to get him on the field. Instead of sulking and saying 'I don't play there, I play there' he'll do what he needs to do to play for Manchester United and get in the team." Allardyce feels Joe Hart's loan move can help settle the goalkeeper Allardyce hopes for settled Hart England goalkeeper Joe Hart returned from France with his reputation damaged and his status as undisputed number one under threat after a wretched tournament characterised by mistakes that resulted in goals against Wales and, more significantly, in the loss to Iceland in the knockout phase. He took another hit when new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made it clear he would be replaced at club level - but Allardyce is hoping he will be back on an even keel after a loan move to Torino was secured and reassurance that he remains England's first choice. "We spoke and it was in the air," said the England manager. "And then within 24 hours he'd made the decision that he was off to Italy. "There was a plane landing for him and I said 'get on it as quick as you can and get back here within 24 hours. It'll be sorted, it'll be settled, you'll be playing in Italy, a fantastic experience for you and your family'. "It settles him down to play as we know he can. He did play one game for Manchester City and got a tremendous boost from the fans, which was emotional for him, but he's now looking forward for this game. He's not thinking about what happened in pre-season. It's sorted." Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.Young Israeli organizers repeatedly turned out gigantic crowds insisting that their political leaders, regardless of party, had been so thoroughly captured by security concerns, ultra-Orthodox groups and other special interests that they could no longer respond to the country’s middle class. In the world’s largest democracy, Anna Hazare, an activist, starved himself publicly for 12 days until the Indian Parliament capitulated to some of his central demands on a proposed anticorruption measure to hold public officials accountable. “We elect the people’s representatives so they can solve our problems,” said Sarita Singh, 25, among the thousands who gathered each day at Ramlila Maidan, where monsoon rains turned the grounds to mud but protesters waved Indian flags and sang patriotic songs. Photo “But that is not actually happening. Corruption is ruling our country.” Increasingly, citizens of all ages, but particularly the young, are rejecting conventional structures like parties and trade unions in favor of a less hierarchical, more participatory system modeled in many ways on the culture of the Web. In that sense, the protest movements in democracies are not altogether unlike those that have rocked authoritarian governments this year, toppling longtime leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Protesters have created their own political space online that is chilly, sometimes openly hostile, toward traditional institutions of the elite. The critical mass of wiki and mapping tools, video and social networking sites, the communal news wire of Twitter and the ease of donations afforded by sites like PayPal makes coalitions of like-minded individuals instantly viable. “You’re looking at a generation of 20- and 30-year-olds who are used to self-organizing,” said Yochai Benkler, a director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. “They believe life can be more participatory, more decentralized, less dependent on the traditional models of organization, either in the state or the big company. Those were the dominant ways of doing things in the industrial economy, and they aren’t anymore.” Yonatan Levi, 26, called the tent cities that sprang up in Israel “a beautiful anarchy.” There were leaderless discussion circles like Internet chat rooms, governed, he said, by “emoticon” hand gestures like crossed forearms to signal disagreement with the latest speaker, hands held up and wiggling in the air for agreement — the same hand signs used in public assemblies in Spain. There were free lessons and food, based on the Internet conviction that everything should be available without charge. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Someone had to step in, Mr. Levi said, because “the political system has abandoned its citizens.” The rising disillusionment comes 20 years after what was celebrated as democratic capitalism’s final victory over communism and dictatorship. In the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, a consensus emerged that liberal economics combined with democratic institutions represented the only path forward. That consensus, championed by scholars like Francis Fukuyama in his book “The End of History and the Last Man,” has been shaken if not broken by a seemingly endless succession of crises — the Asian financial collapse of 1997, the Internet bubble that burst in 2000, the subprime crisis of 2007-8 and the continuing European and American debt crisis — and the seeming inability of policy makers to deal with them or cushion their people from the shocks. Photo Frustrated voters are not agitating for a dictator to take over. But they say they do not know where to turn at a time when political choices of the cold war era seem hollow. “Even when capitalism fell into its worst crisis since the 1920s there was no viable alternative vision,” said the British left-wing author Owen Jones. Protests in Britain exploded into lawlessness last month. Rampaging youths smashed store windows and set fires in London and beyond, using communication systems like BlackBerry Messenger to evade the police. They had savvy and technology, Mr. Jones said, but lacked a belief that the political system represented their interests. They also lacked hope. “The young people who took part in the riots didn’t feel they had a future to risk,” he said. In Spain, walloped by the developed world’s highest official rate of unemployment, at 21 percent, many have lost the confidence that politicians of any party can find a solution. Their demands are vague, but their cry for help is plaintive and determined. Known as indignados or the outraged, they block traffic, occupy squares and gather for teach-ins. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. Ms. Solanas, an unemployed online journalist, was part of the core group of protesters who in May occupied the Puerta del Sol, a public square in Madrid, the capital, touching off a nationwide protest. That night she and some friends started the Twitter account @acampadasol, or “Camp Sol,” which now has nearly 70,000 followers. While the Spanish and Israeli demonstrations were peaceful, critics have raised concerns over the urge to bypass representative institutions. In India, Mr. Hazare’s crusade to “fast unto death” unless Parliament enacted his anticorruption law struck some supporters as self-sacrifice. Many opponents viewed his tactics as undemocratic blackmail. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out last month in New Delhi to vent a visceral outrage at the state of Indian politics. One banner read, “If your blood is not boiling now, then your blood is not blood!” The campaign by Mr. Hazare, 74, was intended to force Parliament to consider his anticorruption legislation instead of a weaker alternative put forth by the government. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Parliament unanimously passed a resolution endorsing central pieces of his proposal, and lawmakers are expected to approve an anticorruption measure in the next session. Mr. Hazare’s anticorruption campaign tapped a deep chord with the public precisely because he was not a politician. Many voters feel that Indian democracy, and in particular the major parties, the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, have become unresponsive and captive to interest groups. For almost a year, India’s news media and government auditors have exposed tawdry government scandals involving billions of dollars in graft. Many of the protesters following the man in the white Gandhian cap known as a topi were young and middle class, fashionably dressed and carrying the newest smartphones. Ms. Singh was born in a village and is attending a university in New Delhi. Yet she is anxious about her future and wants to know why her parents go days without power. “We don’t get electricity for 18 hours a day,” she said. “This is corruption. Electricity is our basic need. Where is the money going?” Photo Responding to shifts in voter needs is supposed to be democracy’s strength. These emerging movements, like many in the past, could end up being absorbed by traditional political parties, just as the Republican Party in the United States is seeking to benefit from the anti-establishment sentiment of Tea Party loyalists. Yet purists involved in many of the movements say they intend to avoid the old political channels. The political left, which might seem the natural destination for the nascent movements now emerging around the globe, is compromised in the eyes of activists by the neoliberal centrism of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. The old left remains wedded to trade unions even as they represent a smaller and smaller share of the work force. More recently, center-left participation in bailouts for financial institutions alienated former supporters who say the money should have gone to people instead of banks. The entrenched political players of the post-cold-war old guard are struggling. In Japan, six prime ministers have stepped down in five years, as political paralysis deepens. The two major parties in Germany, the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats, have seen tremendous declines in membership as the Greens have made major gains, while Chancellor Angela Merkel has watched her authority erode over unpopular bailouts. In many European countries the disappointment is twofold: in heavily indebted federal governments pulling back from social spending and in a European Union viewed as distant and undemocratic. Europeans leaders have dictated harsh austerity measures in the name of stability for the euro, the region’s common currency, rubber-stamped by captive and corrupt national politicians, protesters say. “The biggest crisis is a crisis of legitimacy,” Ms. Solanas said. “We don’t think they are doing anything for us.” Unlike struggling Europe, Israel’s economy is a story of unusual success. It has grown from a sluggish state-dominated system to a market-driven high-tech powerhouse. But with wealth has come inequality. The protest organizers say the same small class of people who profited from government privatizations also dominates the major political parties. The rest of the country has bowed out of politics. Mr. Levi, born on Degania, Israel’s first kibbutz, said the protests were not acts of anger but of reclamation, of a society hijacked by a class known in Hebrew as “hon veshilton,” meaning a nexus of money and politics. The rise of market forces produced a sense of public disengagement, he said, a feeling that the job of a citizen was limited to occasional trips to the polling places to vote. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “The political system has abandoned its citizens,” Mr. Levi said. “We have lost a sense of responsibility for one another.”"Crown Heights," directed by Matt Ruskin, and "Just Mercy," written by Bryan Stevenson, are a film and a book that center on the wrongful convictions of two black men: Colin Warner, who was convicted at 18 and spent 21 years incarcerated in New York, and Walter McMillian, who spent six years on death row in Alabama. Their stories are devastating examples of the shortcomings and downright failures of America's criminal-justice system. They're just as indicative of the reality that not only are black men policed and incarcerated at alarmingly disproportional rates to their white counterparts, but they also find themselves wrongfully convicted more often. Advertisement: The National Registry of Exonerations published a study earlier this year that found "half of all defendants exonerated for murder are African Americans, who make up only 13 percent of the population of the United Sates." It also found that this disparity holds true in surveillance: Black people are more likely to be stopped, searched and questioned, and to be victims of police and prosecutorial misconduct. It also confirmed something Warner and McMillian know too well: Innocent black defendants face disproportional resistance to being released. "From my experience being black or brown in America,” activist Carl King said, "there's always the presumption of guilt.” King, who was Warner's friend and just 17 at the time of his arrest, was instrumental in fighting for Warner's exoneration and release. In a process he calls "organic law," King raised legal funds in the community and reinvestigated Warner's case from the very beginning. His determination was necessary to challenge a system that discriminates against poor people who can't afford to defend themselves and symptomatic of how incarceration strains entire families and communities. "I would like to be the exception," Warner said at a Q&A following the "Crown Heights" premiere, "but there’s a lot of us. It is unconscionable." He continued, "We should be able to say, 'Oh, that guy that got unjustly convicted in 1982? That’s a thing of the past.' But we can still sit here in 2017 and say it. What progress have we made?" Both McMillian's and Warner's wrongful convictions were the result of police manipulation of people with criminal records or pending charges, who were then turned into “eyewitnesses” for the prosecution. Both cases also suffered from a general lack of investigation and disregard for the facts. This culpability was compounded by an eagerness to prosecute. Finally, both men experience what happens all too often when a majority-white jury meets a black man and all the presumptions of guilt and criminality American society has attached to him. Sam Gross, who was the senior editor of the Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States study, said that because of the severity of the crime of murder, there is a lot of internal pressure for police to find a culprit. "That leads them to work harder to get convictions, and sometimes working harder involves cutting corners and cheating or engaging in other types of misconduct," he said. "Why that is more common for African-Americans, I think the background of racial discrimination can well explain it." Although the National Registry's study is the result of data collected over a long period of time, and thus not tied to a particular era, what was inseparable from Warner's and McMillian's cases were the political climates of their convictions and incarceration. Advertisement: In McMillian's sentencing, Judge Robert E. Lee Key Jr. overrode the jury's recommendation for life in prison in favor of the death penalty. In 1988, Alabama was one of just two states that allowed judges to override jury sentences, and Alabama was one of only six states to elect judges in partisan elections. Stevenson explains in "Just Mercy" that these laws provoked a culture where "Each judge competes to being the toughest on crime... and judge overrides are an incredibly potent political tool." Warner was convicted in 1982, when being "tough on crime" was bipartisan, punitive and distinctly racial. The early 1980s are widely cited as the turning point in the eruption of the United States' prison population. The numbers skyrocketed from then and almost each year since. Warner was kept in prison through the 1990s, as Bill Clinton's crime bill was signed into law and as former New York Gov. George Pataki proposed the abolishment of parole for all violent offenders. The interconnectedness between wrongful convictions of people of color and politicians in power becomes ever more frightening now that President Donald Trump is in office and Jeff Sessions is attorney general. Even as the language of mass incarceration and the dog whistles of being "tough on crime" and the "war on drugs" have become well-known racial code phrases used to lock up black and brown people, Trump proudly called himself and Vice President Mike Pence the "law and order" candidates, the very slogan the Ku Klux Klan used to justify their racial violence during Reconstruction and beyond. "Already we don’t have a just system," King said. But now, for black, brown and poor people, "it’s like open season," with Trump in office. He continued to say that Trump has sent a clear message to people of color "telling us it will only get worse." Advertisement: Trump has already affirmed this beyond his dangerous rhetoric. He's signed three executive orders related to crime that stipulate the government as "firmly on the side of" law enforcement, and promises to delegate resources for the Attorney General to "restore law and order" and "fight crime, gangs and drugs." But perhaps the most apparent indication of where Trump stands on racial profiling and law enforcement misconduct was his pardon of former convicted Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio became a rare law-enforcement celebrity in part because of his blatant and illegal discrimination toward Latinx people and those he perceived to be undocumented immigrants. Indeed, he was convicted of not complying with a court order to stop detaining those his officers felt were undocumented immigrants (that's felt, not knew to be). The White House statement attached to the pardon read, "Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration." The message was clear. Advertisement: "My guess would be that in some parts of the country," Gross said, "the publicity around Sheriff Arpaio and Trump's extraordinary support for him, despite his conviction of contempt of the federal court, may make people —some prosecutors and some juries and some judges — less concerned about the danger of convicting innocent people." Studies have shown that native-born Americans commit crimes and are incarcerated at much higher rates than immigrants, but inciting fear against black people, people of color or immigrants has never been about facts. It's the same fear tactics Richard Nixon used as well as every "law and order" and "tough on crime" candidate since. The hostility toward immigrants that Trump regularly inflames means the arrests, prosecutions and racial violations will continue to increase regardless of evidence and without challenge by the Trump administration and his supporters. Although Gross says there's no way to know an exact number, "at least tens of thousands of people who are in prison are likely to be innocent," he said. If just 1 percent of the prison population were exonerated that would be upward of 20,000 people. For context, a study published in 2014 made "a conservative estimate" that 4.1 percent of those sentenced to death are innocent. Advertisement: "Presumptions of guilt, poverty, racial bias, and a host of other social, structural, and political dynamics have created a system that is defined by error," Bryan Stevenson wrote in "Just Mercy." The tens of thousands of innocent men and women behind bars are evidence that the criminal justice system is dangerously broken — one where "convicted" can determine one's incarceration rather than "guilty." This holds true regardless of who's in office. But with Trump and Sessions' determination to be "tough on crime" and promise to "restore law and order," how many more Colin Warners and Walter McMillians will there have to be?Meetings can be important. They can also be wastes of time. Most leaders know these things to be true. Looking at your own calendar right now, you’ll probably see a lot of time blocked off for meetings. Some of those meetings will be essential—truly productive. Others will be unnecessary meetings—or, at the very least, they’ll be things you could really handle just fine without a meeting, and save the hassle. So why do we do it? Why do we load up our schedules with meetings when we know good and well that not all of them are going to be impactful—that in fact, very few of them may turn out to be impactful? Well, here’s a secret: Not everyone does allow their calendar to get blocked out with meetings. In fact, I think great leaders know how to keep meetings to a healthy minimum. In other words, you don’t have to settle for too many meetings. But how can you ease up on the meetings in your life? Here are some quick tips on how to minimize meetings. How to Say No to Unnecessary Meetings Schedule a Power Hour Before you schedule any meetings, block off an hour of time in the morning for you to focus intensely on an urgent project—putting all of your effort, during that one hour’s time, into getting things accomplished. This is a great way to jumpstart your day, and to ensure that you’re productive even if you end up getting pulled into meetings later in the day. Have One Meeting-Free Day Each Week Devote Fridays to being on the floor, working with your team, or interacting with customers—and refuse to schedule any meetings during this time. Having a clean break from meetings, and a full day of protected time, can really be invaluable, and also help you be more rigorous about the meetings you do and do not accept during the rest of the week. Don’t Accept Any Meetings Without Clear Agendas “I’m sorry, I can’t commit to the meeting without seeing an agenda up front.” That’s a simple enough phrase, and it will get you out of many meetings that could otherwise turn out to be time sucks. Always Ask for Shorter Meetings This may not work for everyone, but I’ve met some executives who always counter meeting invitations with a request that they be shorter. So, if someone invites you to an hour-long meeting, respond that you can only give them 45 minutes—and then stick to it! After 45 minutes, politely excuse yourself, saying you have another commitment. These are just a few strategies you might try to redeem some of your meeting time; hopefully, this solution oriented approach will help you unburden yourself of unnecessary meetings. Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and one of the most sought after conference keynote speakers on leadership, engagement, and business growth in the United States and internationally. He is the author of the books Living A Championship Life “A Game Plan for Success” and My Team Sucked “10 Rules That Turned Them Into Rock Stars.” He is also the co-author of the book Jamie’s Journey: Travels with My Dad, written with his sixteen-year-old daughter Jamie. Dr. Rick is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems, strategies, and solutions that encourage engagement, resulting in increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micromanaging the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include Heineken, AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Franklin Templeton Investments. You can contact Dr. Rick at www.rickgoodman.com or call 888-267-6098; contact me today to get a solution oriented approach to all your unnecessary meetings!Results of polling in four key British Columbia ridings suggest support for the governing federal Conservatives may be buckling in the province as widespread unease with oil tankers takes hold, according to an Insights West poll published Friday. The NDP surge seen in national polls is borne out by significant voter support for Tom Mulcair as prime minister, even in traditionally Conservative ridings where a full-throttle three-way race is complicated by strong support for the Green Party. According to the poll commissioned by the citizens’ group Dogwood Initiative, Conservative candidates now trail their rivals in all four selected ridings, although the races are tight on the North Shore. Three Conservative incumbents who had garnered over 42 per cent of the vote in 2011 are currently polling below 25%. The Liberals lead the Conservatives in the three urban ridings, while a fourth and newly distributed riding in South Okanagan West Kootenay has the NDP far in the lead. The undecided vote ranges from 21-30 per cent in the four ridings. Only 20 per cent of respondents support the Conservative candidate in the newly formed riding of South Okanagan West Kootenay, where the NDP hold a commanding lead at 44 per cent. Support for the Conservative incumbent in Vancouver South has collapsed to 17 per cent, where the Liberal candidate holds a significant lead. No NDP candidate has yet been nominated for the riding. NDP leader Tom Mulcair is the preferred prime minister in three of the four ridings, including North Vancouver and the affluent West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky. Reached by the Vancouver Observer for comment, Mario Canseco of Insights West expressed caution as the election is still months away. Still, he points to the results on the preference for prime minister, which indicate an electorate that is on the move. “Even Layton in the final weeks of the campaign, the closest he got to Harper was about three or four points,” said Canseco. Such results suggest that the campaign may " become less an issue of ideology and more a referendum on who (Canadians) want for their prime minister. ” Canseco also notes the widespread concern over additional oil tankers in British Columbia as a potentially important signifier. “Even in areas where the Conservatives are doing well, there’s this concern about the environment," said Canseco. "It’s starting to grow and if more people start to become active in the idea that they’re voting for the environment during the federal election, the chances of re-election for other Conservative incumbents may become slimmer.” “This is consistent with a pattern we’re seeing all around the province,” says Kai Nagata, Energy & Democracy Director at Dogwood Initiative. “In these battleground ridings, support for oil tanker projects could cost a candidate dearly on election day.” Dogwood Initiative is B.C.’s largest non-partisan citizen group. Through campaigns like Let BC Vote and Beyond Coal, Dogwood works to give British Columbians greater democratic control over resource decisions. “We have more than 100 volunteer teams getting ready to crank up voter turnout this fall,” continues Nagata. “We’re not going to tell anyone who to vote for, but we want people to know where candidates stand on these issues, and who’s got a realistic shot at winning.” Insights West will continue to conduct riding-level telephone polling as the election approaches. Results in charts are based on an Insights West telephone study conducted from July 3 to July 7, 2015, among 305 adult residents of the North Vancouver riding, 302 adult residents of the South Okanagan—West Kootenay riding, 301 adult residents of the Vancouver South riding and 301 adult residents of the West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Seato-Sky Country riding. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 5.6 percentage points for each riding, 19 times out of 20.Open Doors says 2014 saw the worst persecution of Christians in the'modern era'—but not because of violence. Image: Courtesy of Open Doors New research reveals one more reason to remember 2014: for the greatest number of religious freedom violations against Christians worldwide in recent memory—even in Christian-majority countries. Of the worst 50 nations, 4 out of 5 share the same primary cause. And, while the number of martyrdoms did double from 2013, the main driver of persecution in 2014 wasn't violence. Open Doors released today its latest World Watch List (WWL). The annual list ranks the top 50 countries "where Christians face the most persecution," aiming to create "effective anger" on believers' behalf. “This year, the threshold was higher for a country to make the list, indicating that worldwide levels of persecution have increased,” stated Open Doors in announcing its analysis of the "significant trends" in 2014 that drove persecution higher worldwide, "even in places where it has not been reported in the past." So while countries such as Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) fell significantly in rank on this year's watch list (Sri Lanka dropped 15 spots to No. 44, and the UAE dropped 14 spots to No. 49), their level of persecution dropped only slightly from last year's list (by four points and two points, respectively, on a 100-point scale). And while three countries—Bahrain, Morocco, and Niger—were removed from the list this year, the level of persecution in each remained virtually the same from 2013 to 2014. Overall in 2014, pressure on Christians increased in 29 countries, decreased in 11, and remained stable in 7. Three countries—Mexico, Turkey, and Azerbaijan—were added to the watch list this year. [See infographic below.] Open Doors researchers...When Donald Trump realized that questioning the legitimacy of the first black president was no longer in his interest, he was faced with a challenge: How to make this change of political calculation look like a change of heart? If the mogul had only declared victory once he had forced Barack Obama to present his papers — as though the commoner-in-chief were a resident of apartheid South Africa and not president of the United States — everything would have been so easy. But Trump knew there was still skin on the bones of this “birther” thing. And he spent another five years gnawing at it, periodically expressing his doubts about the authenticity of the birth certificate Obama had displayed. So, when Trump declared that the president had been born in this country, at the end of an informercial for his new hotel last Friday, he restricted his remarks to three short sentences. “Hillary Clinton in her campaign of 2008 started the ‘birther’ controversy. I finished it,” Trump announced. “President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period.” Even if he hadn’t replaced one outrageous lie with another, this statement would have left reporters wanting: Where was the mea culpa? The noble lie about how he had realized the error of his ways, and not merely the inconvenience of his past? The tearful confession about how he lost his mind to a conspiracy theory — but would now be donating $1 million to Tinfoil-Hat-Wearers Anonymous — which had played such a vital role in his recovery? On Wednesday, the “why now” questioned finally caught up with Trump. Asked what changed his mind about Obama’s origins, in an interview with Ohio’s Fox 28, the Republican nominee replied: “Well, I just wanted to get on with, I wanted to get on with the campaign. A lot of people were asking me questions.” Points for honesty; demerits for suggesting that there’s still no substantive reason to believe the sitting president is truly an American. The least reporters can do in the wake of this statement is refuse to give the mogul what he wants. If Trump surrogate sheriff Joe Arpaio is still asking questions about Obama’s birthplace, the campaign press should follow suit.It should be no surprise that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is in South Florida today at the University of Miami Pro Day. Tomlin is for sure taking a closer look at cornerback Brandon Harris. Harris had a good showing at the NFL Combine recently and is certainly one of the top 5 corners in this years draft class. Harris most likely would contribute as a nickel corner first for any team that drafts him, with hopes of eventually moving outside. The Steelers most certainly will be in the market for one, if not two corners in the draft depending how free agency shakes out with Ike Taylor and William Gay. Harris was not the only player the Steelers have their eye on down in Miami as senior offensive lineman Orlando Franklin has also talked to the Steelers over the past few days according to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel. Franklin likely projects at guard at the next level and despite having underwent knee surgery 6 weeks before the combine, he did took part in most of the drills. Franklin is projected as an early to mid-round second round pick by most of the scouting services. The Pro Day was shortened by storm showers and lightning in the area and UM has postponed the remainder of the Pro Day workouts until March 25 at 9 a.m. Eastern. Several players had just started their workouts and will have A chance to participate in any drills they had not already completed later in the month.Sue Relf complained that the words were sexually suggestive Knickers for young girls made to promote the film High School Musical 2 are being withdrawn after a complaint that they were sexually suggestive. Sue Relf bought the underwear for her seven-year-old granddaughter at Asda in Broadstairs, Kent, and took them home to find the words "dive in" on them. Disney apologised for any offence and said a genuine oversight had led to the words being used out of context. Asda said the sale was completely innocent and was not meant to offend. Mrs Relf said: "Both myself and my daughter looked at them and thought, 'Oh my goodness'. This product will not be part of any forthcoming collections Disney statement "There was stuff written on them which I thought - and so did my granddaughter - was inappropriate for a seven-year-old to be wearing."
ting oneself grieve by going directly into the pain -- in manageable doses over a long period of time -- is healing. Avoiding the pain simply forces it to go deep into the heart where it subtly affects emotional and physical health. 2. Grief is hard work -- Grief isn't easy and it isn't pretty. It involves tears, sleepless nights, pain, sorrow and a heartache that knocks you to your knees. It can be hard to concentrate, hard to think clearly, hard to read and easy to forget all the details of life that everyone else seems to remember. Grievers frequently feel that they're going crazy and they sometimes wish to die. This doesn't mean that they're actively suicidal, it just means that they're grieving. 3. Grief doesn't offer closure -- Closure is an idea that we like because we want to tie up our emotional messes with a bow and put them in the back of a closet. But grief refuses to play this game. Grief tends towards healing not closure. The funeral can be healing, visiting a gravesite can be healing, performing rituals, writing in journals and making pilgrimages can be personally meaningful and healing. But they will not bring closure. Closure is relevant to business deals but not to the human heart. 4. Grief is lifelong -- Although we all want quick fixes and short-term solutions, grief won't accommodate us. Many people want grief to be over in a few weeks or a few months and certainly within a year. And yet, many grievers know that the second year is actually harder than the first. Why Because the shock has worn off and the reality of the pain has truly sunk in. I let grievers know that the impact of grief is lifelong just as the influence of love is also lifelong. No matter how many years go by, there will be occasional days when grief bursts through with a certain rawness. There will be days, even decades later, when sadness crosses over like a storm cloud. And likely, every day going forward will involve some memory, some connection to missing the beloved. 5. Grievers need to stay connected to the deceased -- While some might find it odd or uncomfortable to keep talking about a loved one after they have passed, or find it disconcerting to see photographs of those who have died, it is healthy to keep the connection alive. My heart goes out to a generation or more of grievers who were told to cut their ties to their deceased loved ones, to move on, almost as if they had never existed. Such unwitting cruelty! It is important to honor the birthdays and departure days of deceased loved ones. Their physical presence may be gone, but they remain in relationship to the griever in a new way beyond form, a way based in spirit and love. 6. Grievers are changed forever -- Those who expect grievers to eventually get back to their old selves, will be quite disappointed. Grief, like all major life experiences, changes a person irrevocably. People don't remain unchanged after getting an education, getting married, having a baby, getting divorced or changing careers. Grief, too, adds to the compost mixture of life, creating rich and fertile soil. It teaches about living and dying, about pain and love and about impermanence. While some people are changed by grief in a way that makes them bitter and shut down, it is also possible to use grief as a springboard for compassion, wisdom, and open-heartedness. 7. Grievers can choose transcendence -- Transcendence has to do with gaining perspective, seeing in a new way and holding pain in a larger context. Seeing one's grief from a larger perspective allows it to be bearable and gives it meaning. For one, transcendence might mean reaching out to those who suffer. For another, it might mean giving to a cause that will benefit others. Grievers who choose transcendence recognize that they are not alone, that they share a common human condition, and that they are amongst so many who have experienced love and loss. They use their pain in a way that touches others. The pain is still there, of course, but it is transformed. So I invite you to reflect on these grief principles, how they might be true for you and how they might be true for someone you know and love. Share and share again so that we might spread grief intelligence far and wide. Perhaps we can effect a change so widespread that grievers will know what to expect. Hopefully, we all can be comforted, in small ways, by that knowledge. For more by Ashley Davis Bush, LCSW, click here.Researchers have made mini-retinas in a petri dish GABRIELLA MUNOZ 12 JUN 2014 Image: John Hopkins University The retina is a layer of cells at the back of the eyeball that pretty much works like film on camera. When it separates from the tissue around it or when it tears, people suffer from visual loss. For years, scientists have been trying to grow retinal tissue, but in previous attempts the cells that respond to light (photoreceptors) didn’t react to stimuli. In a study published recently in the journal Nature Communications, a team of researchers from John Hopkins University, in the US, reported that they have finally created retinal tissue with photoreceptors that respond to light. "We have basically created a miniature human retina in a dish that not only has the architectural organisation of the retina, but also has the ability to sense light," study team leader Maria Valeria Canto-Soler, a developmental biologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a news release. To make these mini-retinas, instead of showering stem cells with chemicals, the researchers recreated the same conditions that surround retinal cells in the womb. "The most surprising and exciting thing was that stem cells were able to follow the whole process of forming a human retina in a petri dish almost on their own, to the point it was able to respond to light like a normal retina," Canto-Soler said to LiveScience. "When we started this project, we weren't really shooting for this—we didn't think this would happen." This is a huge step towards developing treatments for retinitis pigmentosa and other conditions that cause visual impairment. However, the researchers explained, there’s still a lot of work to be done before these mini-retinas can be transplanted into humans.Dameyon Bonson says as a young gay Indigenous man he desperately needed a role model, but none was available, so he set up Black Rainbow, the first mental health and suicide prevention support service of its type As a gay Aboriginal man, Dameyon Bonson says it was difficult to find anyone like him when he was growing up. There were no gay Aboriginal role models that he knew of, and the Aids scare that swept through Australia – culminating with the Grim Reaper campaign of 1987 – meant Bonson felt ashamed, and even scared, of his sexuality. Nearly 30 years later, much of the health information aimed at gay Indigenous Australians is still centred around HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, Bonson, a suicide prevention worker in the Kimberley, says. It is what prompted him to found Black Rainbow, a new organisation trying to gather enough funding to establish itself as the first mental health and suicide prevention support service dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTI people. “Like racism, homophobia can be casual, implied or blatant,” Bonson, who is 41, said. “For Aboriginal lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex [LGBTI] people, one of the biggest problems is that there is nothing reflected in the world around them nothing that says, ‘It’s OK to be you.’ ” People who identified as Indigenous and LGBTI suffered higher rates of depression, often self-medicated on alcohol and drugs and, in the worst cases, took their own lives, Bonson said. “International research tells us that Indigenous LGBTI people are up to 45 times more at risk of suicide than the general population,” Bonson said. “We don’t have a clear picture of what the figures are in Australia because the research doesn’t exist. As someone who is Aboriginal and working in suicide research, I realised that I had also become complacent to the fact that there is no health promotion material out there tailored towards this community, and we need to change that.” Dr Tim Senior, a GP who works in Aboriginal health, said he had several gay Aboriginal patients and they all had unique needs. Many suffered “a double edge of discrimination”. “There’s a combination of growing up in an environment where they’re often very proud of their Aboriginality, but experience discrimination as a result of it, as well as coming to terms with their sexuality often during their teenage years which is already a difficult time anyway. “You get a double edge of discrimination which requires particular resilience to go through.” A lack of health information tailored to LGBTI Indigenous Australians, combined with few role models, meant there was a lack of meaningful support for them. “There is little out there that says to them, ‘This is a viable path, being Aboriginal and gay,’ ” he said. Even the language around sexuality did not necessarily speak to Indigenous people, Senior said. This was highlighted at the 2012 Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors’ Congress in Alice Springs, where a presentation from Canadian Indigenous researchers described how Aboriginal LGBTI terminology was colonising. “Successive waves of colonisation have led some Aboriginal communities to become confused about the identity, roles and places of sexually diverse peoples in our communities and cultures,” the researchers, from the University of Saskatchewan, said. More research was needed to identify “the health needs of a strong, misunderstood, sometimes vulnerable, yet very fabulous population” they concluded. Lee Bevan, who grew up in the Kimberley and who descends from the Myool Myool and Gija people, identifies as queer. “Gay has a connotation of white and middle-class. It’s colonising language and loaded with people’s prejudices,” he said. Bevan now lives in Perth and said he hoped he was a role model to young Indigenous people who identify as LGBTI. “I want them to see I have a successful, happy and fulfilling life, because it is so important for there to be visible role models out there,” Bevan said. “What people also need is clinical support to help them understand and navigate this very difficult situation, of trying to form an individual identity and sense of self-worth in a community and social setting that is sometimes quite dysfunctional.”FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have tweaked the contract of starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, decreasing the percentage of plays he must play in order to earn up to $2 million in incentives, according to league sources. Vollmer will earn $1 million if he plays 70 percent of the Patriots' offensive snaps and $2 million if he earns 80 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Under previous terms of the deal, Vollmer was set to earn $1 million if he played at least 80 percent of the offensive snaps and $2 million for playing 90 percent of the offensive snaps. This money can be earned on top of his $2 million base salary for 2014. In addition, Vollmer is due a $1 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2015 league year if he plays 70 percent of this year's offensive snaps, down from 80 percent before the restructure. The restructure results in a prorated cap charge of $333,333.33 over each of the next three seasons. Through nine games this season, Vollmer has played in 91.2 percent of the offensive snaps, rotating on occasion with Marcus Cannon, the team's top reserve lineman who has also taken snaps at left tackle. The Patriots signed Vollmer to a four-year deal last offseason, locking up a player that has been a fixture on their offensive line since being drafted by the team in 2009.Top scientific reviewers defect from cancer agency Dr. Alfred Gilman, dean of UT Southwestern Medical School, recipient of 1994 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. // Byline: Courtesy of UT Southwestern // 04242009xNEWS 05112012xNEWS 06012012xNEWS Dr. Alfred Gilman, dean of UT Southwestern Medical School, recipient of 1994 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. // Byline: Courtesy of UT Southwestern // 04242009xNEWS 05112012xNEWS 06012012xNEWS Photo: UT Southwestern Photo: UT Southwestern Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Top scientific reviewers defect from cancer agency 1 / 3 Back to Gallery Half of the principal scientific reviewers at the state's $3 billion cancer initiative resigned this week, citing continued concerns about the integrity of its grant procedures. Phillip Sharp, chairman of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas' scientific review committee, and three more of the committee's eight members resigned. Dr. Alfred Gilman, the chief scientific officer, announced in May that he would resign effective Friday. The departure of Sharp and Gilman, two Nobel laureates who bolstered the credibility of the taxpayer-funded program, may erode confidence in the agency. "This past spring the peer review system of CPRIT was dishonored by actions of CPRIT's administration when a set of grants were delayed in funding because of suspicion of favoritism," Sharp wrote in a resignation letter dated Monday. The research grants, designated for Texas cancer scientists, were delayed because administrators and members of the initiative's oversight committee, principally Houston-based biotech investor Charles Tate, intervened to hasten approval of an $18 million grant led by the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The grant's lead investigator, Dr. Lynda Chin, sought the money in order to speed the process of bringing experimental cancer drugs to market. The hasty approval of that grant led Gilman to announce his resignation. The cancer agency's executive director, Bill Gimson, said the resignations were not unexpected. "It's natural that with Dr. Gilman leaving, that folks he selected to be reviewers here will also leave," Gimson said. "I think this is a natural evolution of the process." Gimson said the agency's leaders had identified half a dozen "stellar candidates" to replace Gilman. Texas voters in 2007 overwhelmingly approved creating the institute, which receives $300 million annually to fund cancer research and prevention in Texas. It hired Gilman to establish an unbiased review process that would ensure the best research received funding. The other scientific reviewers who resigned this week are Dr. Clara Bloomfield of Ohio State University, Dr. Charles Scherr of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and Dr. William Kaelin Jr., of Harvard University. Some of the four remaining members also are expected to resign this week. Gilman said he remains wary of the intent of the politically appointed oversight committee, which has authority over management of the agency and its $300 million annual budget. "It would appear from the spate of resignations that are coinciding with those of Phil Sharp and myself that CPRIT's peer review system is collapsing in reaction to the events of the past several months," he said. "This is a sorrowful event." Gilman said leadership changes on the oversight committee are needed. "If such changes were to occur, CPRIT would again have a bright future, bringing insights into the complexities of cancer and stimulating the development of new therapies for the ultimate benefit of people everywhere," he said. In resignation letters, the scientific reviewers cited concern about the process for commercial grants. These grants do not pay for scientific research, but rather seek to fund work needed to bring drugs from the lab into hospitals. The controversy surrounding the M.D. Anderson commercial grant included questions about influence exercised by Tate and by Chin's husband, Dr. Ronald DePinho, the president of M.D. Anderson. In response, the state agency sought to reform its grant procedures, adding scientific review of the merits of commercial proposals. But in his resignation letter this week, Kaelin indicated this system may not be fail-safe. "I recently learned that at least two scientific reviewers who had given nonfundable scores to a commercialization project were asked by CPRIT to'reconsider' their scores so that they would be in harmony with those given by the commercial reviewers, who were much more favorable," Harvard's Kaelin wrote in a letter to Gimson on Tuesday. "I am not confident that scientific quality and rigor will triumph over grandiose promises and hucksterism," he wrote. [email protected]@chron.comA poll conducted among transgender people in China has found alarming rates of mental health problems and family violence in the community. The study, released on Monday, also revealed that transgender people lacked access to medical treatment, and faced bullying on campus and workplace discrimination. The findings were compiled by the Beijing LGBT Center, Peking University, and the United Nations Development Programme with support from the embassy of the Netherlands in China. The study was conducted through an online questionnaire which received over 2,000 valid responses. Sixth Tone reported that it was the largest such survey to date. There is a lack of official statistics the size of the transgender population in China, but NGO Asia Catalyst has estimated that there are over four million trans people in mainland China. The study found that 73 per cent of respondents suffered from anxiety, over 60 per cent suffered from depression with 46 per cent expressing that they had considered suicide, and over 10 per cent had previously attempted suicide. Over three quarters said they did not seek psychological counselling as they felt that a therapist would not be able to understand them and would not be able to help them solve their problems. Of the 1,640 whose relatives knew or had guessed their gender identity, all but six reported experiencing family violence at least once. Over 70 per cent of respondents also said that they have previously experienced violence at school, and were three times more likely to be unemployed. Treatment According to China Daily, over 60 percent expressed a demand for hormone therapy while over 50 per cent had a demand for gender reassignment surgery. However, only six percent were satisfied with the provision of – and access to – hormone therapy within the country. Only two percent thought there were adequate medical resources for sexual reassignment surgeries. The authors of the report recommended that the authorities accelerate the legislation of an anti-discrimination law, establish a formal system for obtaining home treatment drugs, and stop requiring gender information on some documents. It also recommended that the government abolish the rule which requires sex assignment surgery before citizens can change their gender on official documents. In January, a man in Guizhou won the country’s first unfair dismissal case against a transgender person, but the court found insufficient evidence that he was dismissed because of discrimination. If you are experiencing negative feelings, please call: The Samaritans 2896 0000 (24-hour, multilingual), Suicide Prevention Centre 2382 0000 or the Social Welfare Department 2343 2255. The Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology provides a WhatsApp hotline in English and Chinese: 6218 1084. See also: HKFP’s comprehensive guide to mental health services in Hong Kong If you are suffering from domestic violence, regardless of your age or gender, contact the police, Harmony House (click for details) and/or the Social Welfare Department on 28948896.Chief Executive Officer Saker Nusseibeh said in an interview in Paris. The London-based company manages £29.5 billion ($41 billion). The remarks contrast with the strategy promoted by the campaigner Bill McKibben and his group 350.org, which is urging investors to abandon the oil, natural gas and coal industries. They hope that by drying up money for companies like Exxon Mobil Corp. and Peabody Energy Corp. will curtail the pollution that causes global warming. Investors from both camps -- the divestors and engagers -- are in Paris this week for the United Nations climate summit, which is seeking to limit emissions in all nations for the first time. While the divestment movement's support sounds louder, amplified by protests on college campuses across the U.S. and Europe, the funds who make their point made quietly are gaining ground too. For McKibben, the investors that remain engaged aren't having an impact. "Their response is the right one for most industries and most issues, but not with this one," he said in an interview in Paris. "There's not a problem with Exxon's business model that can be fixed. That's the reason it's important to break with them." Aviva, which manages about £250 billion, prefers to engage with the companies it owns so it can retain influence, said Steve Waygood, the chief responsible investment officer at Aviva Investors. Advertisement Holdings Shift "In our ideal world we have an economy in which the energy base is renewables," Waygood said in an interview. "We need to transition to that. In that transition we think we have an opportunity to influence the coal sector and their approach to managing their emissions profile." After weeks of protest at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the university's President Drew Faust told students in 2013 the endowment would remain invested in fossil fuels because, "I believe we should favor engagement over withdrawal." Other investors are reordering their holdings to brace for a world where environmental rules make burning fossil fuels more expensive. Insurers like Aviva are increasingly vocal about the risks of global warming, and are adjusting their investments to promote cleaner technologies and reduce so-called carbon risk. Germany's Allianz SE, one of the biggest institutional investors in clean energy, has raised its annual budget for renewables by about 75 percent to €350 million ($383 million). Axa SA is selling €500 million of coal assets and plans to triple "green investments" to €3 billion by 2020. Advertisement Insurers are concerned because temperatures have been creeping upwards for more than a century, and this year is set to be the hottest on record. Scientists say further warming will make storms more violent and lead to prolonged droughts, which raises the risk that insurers will be paying out more in the years ahead. "Weather-related hazard, which has definitely increased, is affecting our addressable market," Waygood said. "To what extent can we sell insurance products into certain jurisdictions. There will be some territories where the flood risk is just too great." "We need the significant market failure -- arguably the world's biggest contemporary market failure is climate change -- to be addressed," he said. "We are deeply concerned by the future prospects for economic growth, financial returns for our underlying assets and prospects for our insurance business." Aviva will divest from coal companies that it feels aren't doing enough to try to bring down emissions, Waygood said. In a few years time, it may also turn its attention to oil and gas companies, he said. "We have not got a specific route for each of the companies which says 'you must do this by then,"' Waygood said. "If we try and engage with all companies in all sectors on all issues simultaneously, it will be a failed approach." BloombergMany great minds at companies like Google and Tesla have been laboring towards creating a self-driving car system. Millions of dollars have gone into the research, resulting in expensive prototypes and costly components. Nineteen-year-old Romanian student Ionut Budisteanu took the top prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for developing an autonomous system that would only cost $4,000 and safely guide a car through the streets. Budisteanu’s goal was to use artificial intelligence to do away with Google’s high-resolution 3D radar. His cheaper low-resolution radar is able to recognize large objects while webcams mounted on the car can identify lane markings and curbs in real-time. The information is processed by artificial intelligence technology with on-board computers that an determine the safest route for the vehicle. He states that he has run his system without incident on 47 out 50 trials, although 3 tests failed to identify figures at a distance of 20-30 meters. He says that utilizing a slightly higher resolution radar would improve his rates of success and still cost much less than Google’s system. Budisteanu won the top prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, an award that granted him $75,000. He has also attracted funding from a Romanian company that will work with him to test his prototype this year. With more than 2 million people killed in car accidents annually, 87 percent of which are caused by human error, autonomous driving technology could be the next big advancement in vehicle safety. A low-cost system like Budisteanu’s could bring driverless technology to the mass market and greatly expand its potential. + Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Via GizmagHere's her stats! Race \| Human ----\|----- Background \| Descendant Team \| APCS Kingdom \| Vale Semblance \| Disruption: Siva has the power to remove friction from any desired surface, increasing mobility and discombobulating enemies. Attributes \| - ----------\|- STR \| 11 AGI \| 15(+1) CON \| 10 INT \| 14(+1) WIS \| 11 CHA \| 8 Skills \| - ------\|- Acrobatics \| 2+2=4 (Energetic) Athletics \| 0 Deception \| -1-2=-3 (Dependant) (Can't lie for shit) Dust \| 1+2=3 (Artistic) Engineering \| 1+2=3 (Efficient) Grimmology \| 1-2=-1 (Irrational) History \| 0 Insight \| 2 Intimidation \| -1 Investigation \| 3 Medicine \| 0 Perception \| 0 Persuasion \| -1 Stealth \| 2 Thievery \| 1 Weapon Gveli Kudi: Metallic blade tail/snake sword. PrimaryAttribute \| DamageDice \| Attack roll \| Wield \| Type \| Reach ----------------\|----------\|-----------\|-----\|----\|----- AGI \| d6+AGI \| text \| 1-handed \| Piercing/Slashing \| Melee/Long Quirks- Throws dust crystal at the floor yelling 'Savini!', vanishing in the dust's elemental explosion/smoke. Strength- Despite bubbly nature, due to the design of how hand to hand works, she is very calculating in battle. Can make strong decisions quickly. It takes a lot to break through her focus. Flaw- Afraid to be alone. Due to this, is not as effective in solo fights or if isolated from team. Immediate loss of focus. Goals- To graduate Beacon quickly as efficiently and as soon as possible, and to make as many close friends as possible. Backstory- Comes from a line of huntsmen. Her parents, despite being very lovely people, have a horrible relationship with their daughter. The reason remains unknown to this day. She has a necklace with the family sigil, but wraps it around her left wrist instead of wearing it due to not feeling like a member of her prestigious family. At the age of 12 she crafted her snake blade sword, which, in childish innocence, she would strap to her waist as a tail. She continues it to this day as a running gag with herself, including it in her battle strategy. Due to having to train since she was young, she didn't have much free time as a young child. This, when combined with her sometimes shy demeanor, added up to her being isolated for much of her life. Due to this, after having made many friends at Beacon, she fears returning to loneliness, at an irrational degree.There are so many moments that have been momentous in our relationship. The first time we met in the airport. The first time he met my entire family (18 hours after we met in the airport). The first time I met his family and saw his country. I cherish every one of those memories and love them dearly. But one of the memories that stands out to me occurred before we even met up. Prior to our first meet, Marcel was traveling the world. Literally. He visited like 10 different countries in about as many months. Most of them in Southeast Asia. As was expected his access to wifi was dodgy at best. But the times he was able to log onto wifi he spent pretty much that entire time texting, calling, FaceTiming, Skyping with me. It was such a beautiful gesture. Spending his time in paradise, glued to a teeny tiny phone screen. And one of those times he spent glued to his teeny tiny phone screen he saved my life. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder II about 5 years ago, due to the intervention of my best friend who also saved my life (I laffs choos Jen!), and it has been quite a struggle both pre and post diagnosis. I go through severe downs, and dangerous ups, and let me tell you, it’s not fun. At all. There came a time, shortly before we met, that I had one of those severe downs. Depressed, suicidal, the whole lot. Now I don’t mean to make light of this disorder and its effects, and those who suffer from it. It’s simply how I cope with it, by trying to be light about it. Trying to not let it define me. So if I offend, that is not my intention, everyone deals with their demons in different ways. Anyway, I was pretty severely depressed, actively suicidal, and not seeing clearly. It was like viewing the world through such a thick fog that you can’t even see your own hand in front of you. Marcel recognized this and made me call him. He stayed on the phone with me, with such kind and sweet words of encouragement, wrapping me in love and positivity. He never scolded me, he didn’t react harshly, he simply wrapped me in warmth. On the side he was calling my best friend for help. I felt so awful for making him feel so helpless, thousands of miles away, having never even met me in person. But he told to never feel awful for him caring about me. After that scary episode it hit me, how this man was my lighthouse, the hand that guides me through the dark tunnels when I can’t see any end or light in sight. It was a pivotal moment for me. I always knew that he was amazing and gentle and kind. But after that specific moment, of doing everything he could from halfway across the world, everything to keep me level, to stay with me until my storm passed, I knew I had caught pure gold. The most amazing person I have ever met. Wow. I know that went a little Nicholas Sparks there for a bit. But seriously. He’s the most extraordinary human being. I love you darling. Inspired by the prompt on LDR Blogs.10 Things You Can Do Once You’ve Completed Final Fantasy XV Final Fantasy XV’s epic story concludes but what’s left for Noctis and friends? We’ve got a list of 10 things you can do once you’ve completed Final Fantasy XV’s story so the journey of the band of brothers can continue. Some of these are more challenging and rewarding than any of the content prior so be sure to check it out! Unlock The Regalia Type-F And Take To The Skies The ability to soar the heavens is a staple feature of the Final Fantasy franchise but with the game complete and no airship in sight, was this iconic element overlooked in Final Fantasy XV? Well, there’s no airship but there’s the next best thing. A flying frickin’ car. That’s right. The Kings faithful steed, the Regalia, can get quite the upgrade when you complete the game that turns the vehicle into a mode of flying transportation, complete with a rather fitting Back to the Future quote. It’s actually something easily overlooked but easily accomplished via completing a simple mission, which also happens to be the mission that can award you with over 1,000,000 experience points in one go. Max Your Arsenal With These Awesome Weapons Outside of the Royal Arms that you discover throughout the story Final Fantasy XV is filled with unique weapons that can be upgraded with the right know-how and a bit of elbow grease. The legendary Cid makes a return and once again plays a vital role in your parties ability to take down the games more difficult foes – albeit in a non-combat capacity. One of these weapons is the iconic Ultima Blade, a single handed sword for Noctis that is among the most powerful weapons in the game. There’s one available for each of your companions, depending on your weapons of choice, so be sure to unlock all the powerful weapons to prepare for the DLC. Unlock The Secret Dungeon doors Final Fantasy XV features over a dozen challenging and rewarding dungeons. Whether you spent 40 hours exploring side content prior to completing the story or just went straight for the punchline, there’s a really good chance you’ve discovered one of these secret and annoying doors at least once. Almost every dungeon you can discover during your time exploring Final Fantasy XV has a hidden door inside. During the story these doors are locked and cannot be opened without a key, a key that becomes available once you complete the game. So what’s behind these doors? New Royal Arms weapons? Powerful new accessories? Nope, new dungeons. Check out our guide to find the key. That’s right. These special doors all hide dungeons within dungeons ranging from levels 55 all the way up to 99. Think you’ve got what it takes to complete them all? Relive The Memories Of Final Fantasy One of my personal favorite features in all of Final Fantasy XV is the Final Fantasy Memories. These are special items that you can discover on your travels, each unlocking a soundtrack associated with past Final Fantasy games. Cruising around in the Regalia listening to my favorite tracks from past Final Fantasy games is one of the most memorable aspects of Final Fantasy XV, and one you won’t want to miss. What’s more, you can even purchase a portable MP3 player from the Regalia later in the game. So now you can take the feels of past Final Fantasy experiences into any area in Final Fantasy XV. Max Out Skills For Noctis, Ignis, Gladio & Prompto Although not the most exciting element of the game each of the members of the main cast in Final Fantasy XV come with their own unique skill. Noctis likes to enjoy a bit of fishing, Gladio is a survival expert that collects items after battle, Ignis can cook up a storm with his awesome recipes and Prompto – well, he likes to take poorly framed pictures at the most awkward moments. Most of the skills are passive or easily leveled up so with just a bit of patience and some more elbow grease, you’ll have level 10 across the board in no time. Complete Everything! Yes, Everything! Prior to Chapter 9 Final Fantasy XV’s open world is over flowing with a massive amount of side content that you can complete – or totally ignore. These include a huge number of side quests, tons of challenging hunts, hundreds of hidden treasures and huge enemies scattered around the landscape. I’m not sure I’ll have the patience to complete it all. I’m not sure whose idea it was to only allow us to grab one hunt at a time but I’m not a fan of his… or hers. Land The Regalia Although most past Final Fantasy games have featured some form of air travel, never before has it been a potentially fatal experience. Once you’ve unlocked the Regalia Type-F there’s yet another challenged involved, landing the damn thing. With the longer stretches of road it can be a tricky endeavor to say the least but there’s one particular spot that’s a really challenge. Scan your map over on the Western side, not far from the Rock of Ravatogh dungeon, and you’ll notice a rather out of place yellow smudge on the map. This is actually a road, a tiny landing strip that leads to an area otherwise unreachable. There’s plenty worth exploring on the other side but the challenge, to land successfully without sending Noctis and co into a fiery oblivion. Reach Level 99 Once again Final Fantasy’s level cap sits at 99, just that one level shy of 100. Unless you were seriously hardcore about maximizing experience points and completing all side content, there’s a good chance you didn’t hit 99 before the end of the game. I completed the story at about the 70 hour mark and even using the best foods for experience points and our fantastic guide for fast leveling I was only able to reach level 90. Outside of the personal accomplishment that comes with reaching a level cap in an RPG there’s also some end-game content that requires higher levels to complete so if you’re looking to master the world of Final Fantasy XV, reaching level 99 is a must. A Battle Of Attrition – Defeat The Infamous Adamantoise What’s left to challenge a player once they’ve conquered all of your content? An epic battle against a huge moving mountain-like turtle thing that lasts over 5 hours? You got it! Once you complete Final Fantasy XV’s story and return to past events you’ll receive a call from everyone’s favorite mechanic, Cindy. Cindy will warn you of a sudden rash of earthquakes plaguing Hammerhead and the surrounding Leide region. Head to her aid and you’ll soon find yourself in one of the longest and most challenging battles in the history of end-game RPG content. Raise The Black Chocobo The Final Fantasy Duscae demo featured a special appearance from another of Final Fantasy’s most beloved characters, the Chocobo. What was especially special about this particular Chocobo was that it was black, one of the rarest types of Chocobo’s – next to the gold of course. If you’ve spent much time at the Wiz Chocobo Post you’re probably already familiar with the ability to change your Chocobo’s color, but black isn’t an option. There is however a long side quest line for Wiz that eventually sees Noctis and friends rescue a Black Chocobo egg. You are able to hatch the egg but whether this grows into an adult sized Black Chocobo is yet to be seen, will you be the first? Even if you’ve completed all of the above there’s plenty of other exciting options to choose from including collecting all 5 legendary weapons and claiming all the rewards at the risky but incredibly fun monster arena. Final Fantasy XV’s story was the best the franchise has seen in nearly 10 years and the end-game content is nearly as good. Anything fun and exciting you’ve found post-story? Let us know in the comments below.With Super Tuesday primaries being held today, let’s dip a toe into the fetid, disgusting waters of politics to ponder what kind of surfer each of the four major candidates might be, if they were regulars at your local lineup. An ocean-goers voter’s guide follows. Donald Trump Trump arrives at the beach in a muscled-up 4×4 pickup that's never once been off the pavement, its presence announced with unnecessarily loud, and totally useless, aftermarket exhaust. He pulls a popout McTavish longboard out of the bed, a board made in Asia, the irony of which is lost on him. He sits at the top of the peak, just a touch too far outside, paddles like mad for every set wave whether it's his turn or not, though
the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. The E.E.O.C. has been a plaintiff in several lawsuits over background checks, and the guidelines have led to a raft of lawsuits against companies under Title VII — at least seven are working their way through the courts. One, brought by the commission against Peoplemark, an employment agency, was dismissed because the commission was not able to provide expert evidence to back up the discrimination claim. At least three lawsuits brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which mandates that employers notify applicants rejected because of a consumer reporting agency’s criminal background check, have been settled for the plaintiffs. Defendants in lawsuits over criminal background checks have included transportation companies, a charter school, screening companies, a global consulting firm and the Census Bureau. In New York, where state law regarding background checks is stricter than federal policies, the state attorney general’s office has settled with Radio Shack, ChoicePoint and other companies after investigating them for violations. Photo Mr. Fliegel and some other lawyers who represent employers argue that Title VII is not an appropriate tool for ensuring fairness for people with criminal records. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “If you’ve read Title VII, it doesn’t say anything about ex-criminals,” Mr. Fliegel said. But advocates and lawyers for plaintiffs in the suits say that using of Title VII in regard to criminal background checks is well established. Still, many employers suspect that hiring a person with a criminal conviction is a gamble. Until recently, the available statistics seemed to back up employers’ suspicions: A third of those released from prison returned within three years, recidivism studies showed, and it was assumed that ex-offenders would always be more likely to commit crimes than people with no criminal convictions. But several new studies by criminologists are beginning to turn that assumption on its head, providing a far more encouraging picture of actual risks posed to employers by those whose crimes lie well in the past. Called “redemption research,” the studies find that the risk that an ex-offender will be re-arrested decreases substantially over time, eventually becoming indistinguishable from that of someone of the same age with no record. For first-time offenders, this point of “redemption” is reached 7 to 10 years after a conviction. For older first offenders, it comes significantly earlier. For some crimes and for offenders with multiple prior convictions, redemption takes considerably longer. The studies have been cited in some lawsuits over criminal background checks. Taken collectively, they indicate that “it is no longer accurate to say that individuals with criminal records are always a higher risk than individuals without a criminal record,” said Shawn Bushway, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University at Albany, one of several researchers who have conducted redemption studies. Ms. Spikes, who is still searching for a job, said she hoped she would eventually find an employer who could overlook her background. “I’ve been told that I’m the kind of person that can pick myself up, dust myself off and give it a go again,” she said. “What’s most important to me is that the story has somewhat of a happy ending.”In the second part of our series on early cinema, we celebrate the courage of Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill Jr – and four other actors who were tough enough to take the knocks on set Buster Keaton was no stranger to landing on his backside, but even he found the Steamboat Bill Jr (1928) shoot gruelling. “I took a pretty good beating,” he said, which is quite an admission from a man almost addicted to high-risk stunts. The film, which is rereleased in UK cinemas this month, is more violent than most. It sees Keaton jumping between paddle steamers, and being tossed in the air by a storm created by gallons of water and six high-powered wind machines. Film-making was always a bruising business for Keaton. He had broken his ankle larking around on a moving staircase for The Electric House, been knocked unconscious by cannon fire on the set of The General and even broken his neck during the shoot for Sherlock Jr – not that he knew it until several years later. Undeterred, Keaton claimed that he never refused a stunt, however dangerous; in fact, he frequently doubled for other actors when they needed to take a fall. That’s because he was a pro, who had learned to land soft and withstand a few knocks from his childhood in vaudeville, playing The Little Boy Who Can’t Be Damaged in a family act. For Keaton, it was almost second nature to “land like a cat”, using the art he called “body control”. Some stunts require agility, others an inner strength. The crowning glory of Steamboat Bill Jr, possibly Keaton’s greatest gag of all time, was a stunt as beautiful as it was potentially lethal but it required him simply to stand still. And he didn’t get a scratch on him. The celebrated moment in Steamboat Bill Jr when the facade of a house drops to the ground with a two-tonne thwack, leaving Keaton serene amid the debris, relied on precise mathematics and nerves of steel. Keaton’s position on the ground had to line up exactly with an open window in the top of the house; thankfully for him, it did. More importantly, he had to be sturdy enough to trust the sums, and not flinch. Far beyond the awe-inspiring evidence of his films, urban legends abound on the subject of Keaton’s ability to make a good landing. For instance, there is the oft-spun yarn that he earned his nickname as an infant when Harry Houdini, no less, saw him fall down stairs and exclaimed: “That was a real buster!” More outlandishly, Keaton and his parents claimed that aged just 20 months old, he was sucked out of his bedroom window by a tornado, spun and deposited, unharmed, in a nearby field. Great publicity for the act, of course– and, by coincidence, for Steamboat Bill Jr 30-odd years later. Whether Keaton really did possess heroic powers of invincibility or not, he was tougher than most of his Hollywood peers. In fact, he was a bit of a throwback. In the early days of cinema, stars could hardly afford to be delicate flowers. But by the time that Keaton made Steamboat Bill Jr in 1928, stunt doubles and safety regulations were making life easier for the big-name talent. Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘The little boy who can’t be damaged’ … Buster Keaton as a child. Photograph: Allstar In the pioneer days of the 1900s and 1910s, actors had been expected to muck in, from the rough-and-tumble of slapstick comedy, right up to the point of danger. Rather than hiring a stunt performer as well as a star, studios would rather save the cash and hire an actor with the guts to take the plunge. Even a star as glamorous as Gloria Swanson recalled being pressured into feats that modern actors might wince at. For The Danger Girl (1916) she was asked to dive into deep water in her underwear; she was terrified, partly because she couldn’t swim. Almost everyone had a war story. The waiflike Lillian Gish famously suffered frostbite in her fingers when she lay down on an ice floe at the climax of Way Down East (1920), for example. More seriously, Grace McHugh was thrown from her horse and into a river while shooting Across the Border (1914). Owen Carter, a cameraman, jumped in to save her, but they both drowned. In one notorious case, matinee idol Wallace Reid was so badly injured in a train crash while filming The Valley of the Giants (1919) that he started taking morphine to cope with the pain. He became addicted to the drug and died four years later during an attempt at rehab, aged 32. There were workarounds of course. Stunt performers had first been employed in the movies in the 1900s, but they remained something of a trade secret. Audiences were expected to believe that serial heroines could jump out of rising hot air balloons, and screen cowboys could race their horses along cliff edges. But accidents will happen, and it was impossible to maintain the pretence at all times. Look at early films, and you may well see the joins for yourself, but sometimes the truth hit the headlines. Pearl White, star of the Perils of Pauline and The Exploits of Elaine serials, was promoted as the “peerless fearless girl” who bravely executed all her own stunts. But then, in 1922, a performer called John Stevenson died after fracturing his skull while doubling for her. If anything, incidents like that only boosted the hype machine, with stars and studios making ever grander claims about their bravery and agility. So here are four truly tough silent movie stars who can stand alongside Keaton in the stunt stakes: 1. Tom Mix John Wayne is regarded as the archetype of the macho cowboy, but he modelled his moves on Tom Mix, a silent-era megastar who was rarely seen on screen without his white 10-gallon hat. A very physical actor, Mix was a former cattle wrangler who had learned to perform as part of touring wild west shows. Along with his horse Tony, he incorporated stunts into all his westerns, with high-speed chases and lasso tricks a speciality. In case anyone was in doubt that he did his own stunts, Mix took part in rodeos between films. At one, in 1915, he was caught in a smash-up between two wagons, breaking his jaw and his leg as well as crushing his chest. When he made a full recovery, headlines such as “Tom Mix Emerges from Hospital after being Declared Dead” only enhanced the legend of his indestructibility. 2. Helen Gibson A stuntwoman and actor, Helen Gibson was another graduate of the wild west show circuit, who combined work as an extra in cowboy films with trick riding in rodeos. In 1915, she was employed as the stunt double for the serial heroine Helen Holmes in The Hazards of Helen, proving her mettle when she had to jump from a roof to the top of a moving train. Soon she had the chance to play the lead in two instalments, before being given her own serial to star in, The Daughter of Daring. Illness and bankruptcy dented her career in the 1920s, but she continued to work; her last role was as an extra in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). 3. Douglas Fairbanks Sr Athletic, agile and adventurous, Douglas Fairbanks Sr would have done all his own stunts if the producers had allowed it. As it was, he did plenty: jumping to incredible heights in Robin Hood and The Thief of Baghdad, thanks to hidden trampolines on set, skimming down a sail in The Black Pirate on the point of his dagger, and completing parkour-style rooftop chases in The Mark of Zorro. Fairbanks’s performances are always so physically exuberant, he makes these dangerous feats look like sheer fun. 4. Harold Lloyd The nerdy “boy-next-door” with the glasses and the straw hat might not look like an action hero, but Harold Lloyd’s best comedies feature thrilling stunts, from the high-speed trolley chase at the climax of Girl Shy, to the clock tower climb of Safety Last! The famous image of Lloyd dangling from the clock face in the latter film was both more, and less, dangerous than it appears. The tower set was built on top of a Los Angeles building, so the traffic in the background appears to be far below Lloyd, but in reality he didn’t have far to fall. Then again, years previously an accident with a trick bomb, which turned out not to be a trick bomb, left Lloyd with only three fingers on his right hand, so this stunt, like so many he performed, was accomplished almost single-handedly. • Steamboat Bill Jr is released in UK cinemas on 18 September as a double-bill with The Playhouse.China, the world’s largest buyer of soybeans, will increase soybean acreage over the next five years and reduce corn plantings, officials said Thursday, Reuters reports. China’s soybean plantings will go up to 23.1 million acres, from 16.1 million acres by 2020, the report said. meantime, corn acreage will fall over the next five years to 82.3 million acres. The increase in soybean acreage isn’t likely to curb China’s unrelenting demand for soybean imports, according to Andrew Shissler, a partner at S&W Trading in Downers Grove, Ill. “Chinese policy supports the big three: corn, wheat and rice," he says. "Beans are the fill-in for demand. Beans demand looks to keep advancing and not head the other way around." China currently has huge stockpiles of corn as a result of its former policy, which the country abandoned this year. The policy encouraged farmers to switch from soybean plantings to corn by paying them inflated prices for corn. In the livestock sector, China has modest growth planned for meat output, from 38.7 million tons of beef and pork to 41 million tons by 2020, according to the report.The Department of Justice’s Russia probe appears to have greatly accelerated in intensity. On the same day that two senators, a Republican and a Democrat, unveiled two bills aimed at protecting the special counsel from being removed from his job by President Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported that Robert Mueller has now impaneled a grand jury. Unnamed sources familiar with the matter told the Journal that Mueller has impaneled a separate grand jury to solely focus on the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The grand jury, the Journal reported, "began its work in recent weeks." Advertisement: One year after the FBI opened its investigation, it looks like things might be starting to get serious. A grand jury is a very powerful investigative tool, and Mueller has broad latitude to expand the probe wherever the evidence leads. CNN reported on Thursday that Mueller’s probe “has widened to focus on possible financial crimes, some unconnected to the 2016 elections, alongside the ongoing scrutiny of possible illegal coordination with Russian spy agencies and alleged attempts by President Donald Trump and others to obstruct the FBI investigation.” Bloomberg additionally reported last month that Mueller’s probe “also has absorbed a money-laundering probe begun by federal prosecutors in New York into Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.” Two senior federal law enforcement officials recently told Vox that the potential case against Trump is stronger than outsiders have thought, and said top FBI officials should be prepared to testify against Trump: “What you are going to have is the potential for a powerful obstruction case,” a senior law enforcement official said. “You are going to have the [former] FBI director testify, and then the acting director, the chief of staff to the FBI director, the FBI’s general counsel, and then others, one right after another. This has never been the word of Trump against what [James Comey] has had to say. This is more like the Federal Bureau of Investigation versus Donald Trump.” Trump's attorney, Ty Cobb, told the Journal that he was not told about Mueller’s grand jury. “Grand jury matters are typically secret,” Cobb said. “The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly.... The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr. Mueller.”Image caption Frank Calabrese Sr had complained of having a host of ailments Convicted Chicago mobster Frank Calabrese Sr has died in prison aged 75, US officials have announced. They said he passed away on Christmas Day at the Butner Federal Medical Center in North Carolina, without releasing the cause of death. Calabrese had claimed he had a host of ailments, including an enlarged heart. He was serving a life sentence after his conviction for racketeering in 2009. The high-profile trial involved 18 decades-old murders. "It's very emotional right now because there were two sides to my dad, and I miss the good side," Calabrese's son, Frank, told the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. He had helped put his father behind bars by secretly recording him boasting about mob killings. Calabrese was tried alongside four other mobsters and a former Chicago policeman. It was Chicago's biggest mob trial in decades, producing sensational testimonies from witnesses about mafia killings. However, none of the defendants was charged with murder.Childhood school friends who spent ten years apart have been reunited after one was diagnosed with cancer. Hairdresser Joanna Meadows, 21, from Gloucester, lost contact with best friend Neil Vines, 22, over ten years ago. But after she learned over Facebook that her childhood play mate had been diagnosed with a brain tumour she contacted him immediately. The once super-fit personal trainer's appearance has been dramatically altered by the life-saving operations, intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy he has undergone since 2012. Scroll down for video Childhood school friends Joanna Meadows and Neil Vines who spent ten years apart have been reunited after former personal trainer Mr Vines was diagnosed with cancer. After reuniting, Miss Meadows and Mr Vines have become best friends one again - and she has even shaved her head in support of him The pair pictured in a school photo. Miss Meadows, 21, who has been at Mr Vines' side ever since learning of his condition, said her inspirational friend refuses to be beaten But Miss Meadows, 21, who has been his side ever since learning of his condition, said he refuses to be beaten. After reuniting, Miss Meadows and Mr Vines have become best friends once again - and she has even shaved her head in support of him. Mr Vines has battled two brain tumours, one affecting his eye sight - as well as spinal cancer which left him unable to walk. But thanks to rounds of chemotherapy and numerous operations, the pair are looking forward to the future following his cancer free results. The once super-fit personal trainer's appearance (pictured left and right before his diagnosis) has been ravaged by the life-saving operations, intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy he has undergone since 2012 Mr Vines at a fitness show when he was a personal trainer. Mr Vines has battled two brain tumours, one affecting his eye sight - as well as spinal cancer which left him unable to walk Miss Meadows said: 'Me and Neil first met each other at play group and even though we grew apart after school, I was devastated when I heard he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. 'I first got in touch with Neil over Facebook and I arranged to catch up with him at his house. 'From there we exchanged numbers and arranged cinema and coffee outings, it was nice being able to go out, spend time together and build a strong bond between the both of us. 'He was a healthy personal trainer, working out in Crete living life to the full so it was a sudden huge shock for him, his family and everyone who knew him. 'Neil's appearance had changed dramatically within a short space of time but he has always remained positive and brave. 'Over the past two and a half years Neil's cancer diagnosis has brought us closer than ever, we are best friends now. Mr Vines, pictured undergoing chemotherapy. Mr Vines was first diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour that had spread to his spine in 2012 after suffering severe headaches and neck pains Mr Vines pictured back lifting weights after his first brain tumour. Miss Meadows said: 'Me and Neil first met each other at play group and even though we grew apart after school, I was devastated when I heard he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour' Mr Vines pictured after beating the second brain tumour. Mr Vines was working abroad at the time he fell ill but once returned to the UK he underwent tests that led to his diagnosis 'I speak to him on a daily basis and I always try to pop round to his house to see him when I can. 'Neil has just beaten his second tumour that was close to the front of his brain, he is currently free of the tumour and we are all so happy for him as he deserved this recent news.' Mr Vines was first diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour that had spread to his spine in 2012 after suffering severe headaches and neck pains. He was working abroad at the time but once returned to the UK he underwent tests that led to his diagnosis. Miss Meadows added: 'After operations, intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy Neil was then left unable to walk, however once his treatment had finished he was overly determined to get back on his feet. WHAT ARE BRAIN TUMOURS? A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiply in an abnormal way. There are brain tumours known as 'benign' tumours, which are not cancerous and tend to stay in one place. However, Mr Vines had another type of brain tumour which was cancerous. Cancerous brain tumours are generally fast-growing and can spread to other areas of the brain and spinal cord, such as in Mr Vine’s case. There are about 5,000 new cases of cancerous brain tumours in the UK each year. People with this type of cancer usually have surgery to have as much of the tumour removed as possible. This may be followed with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of both. However, malignant tumours will often return. Steroids are also often prescribed for brain tumours to reduce swelling in the brain. The brain tumour takes up space inside the skull and can increase the pressure inside the head. This can cause headaches, sickness and seizures. Steroids are powerful anti inflammatory drugs which can stop the swelling. However, one of the side affects of steroids is weight gain and water retention, which is why Mr Vines’ appearance changed. Sources: NHS Choices and Cancer Research UK Mr Vines pictured raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust after his first brain tumour Joanna and Neil after his first brain tumour diagnosis. He said: 'Neil is my inspiration and he has changed my whole outlook on life' She said: 'His one eyelid is stitched together and his whole body has swelled up due to the steroid treatment. He has suffered all sorts of side affects. He isn't scared anymore, he is always fighting back whatever life throws at him and has never asked "why me?"' 'Just when we all thought his battle was finally over, a routine scan revealed that he had a second tumour near the front of his brain. 'Neil needed further treatment and was put on a high dose of steroids to reduce the swelling on his brain. 'Myself and Neil's supportive family and friends felt helpless as we watched him go through his traumatic battle but everyone has been fantastic in being there every step of the way' After her head shave she said: 'My hair means a lot to me but after everything Neil has been through it was something I was adamant I wanted to do' 'His one eyelid is stitched together and his whole body has swelled up due to the steroid treatment. He has suffered all sorts of side affects. 'He isn't scared anymore, he is always fighting back whatever life throws at him and has never asked 'why me?' 'Neil is my inspiration and he has changed my whole outlook on life.' She decided to shave her hair off to help raise funds for the charity that has helped Neil throughout his ordeal, The Teenage Cancer Trust. She added: 'My hair means a lot to me but after everything Neil has been through it was something I was adamant I wanted to do. 'I thought about doing a charity walk but I needed to do something that would really catch people's attention. 'Neil had no choice about losing his hair so I thought I would shave mine too and prove a point that it doesn't matter what you look like it's the person you are inside that matters' 'So far I have raised just over £1,250 in total for the trust but I want to keep going, Neil is so proud of the funds I have achieved so far. ' The pair are looking forward to 2015 and seeing his health continue to improve - and Mr Vines hopes to get back to walking and running as soon as possible. She added: 'Neil is having help to regain his strength and balance to walk again at the moment and we have decided to do a 5k run together, I have every faith in him that he can do it. 'I just pray and hope for a miracle that this is the end of Neil's cancer journey, I'll always be at Neil's side, we are best friends now. 'He gives me just as much support as I give back. I really do love him, words can't describe what an amazing young man he is and I'm so glad to have him in my life.' Mr Vines has written a book documenting his journey called Powerful Beyond Measure. It goes on sale next month. He added: 'Joanna's friendship has supported me throughout my cancer journey, her texts, calls and visits have helped get me through some really tough times. 'I'm looking forward to my book going on sale.' To donate and help Joanna raise money for The Teenage Cancer Trust please click here or visit:www.justgiving.com/joanna-meadowsAlthough nearly a third of Massachusetts residents say they support the death penalty for egregious crimes, less than 20 percent believe Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev should be put to death — a level of support that has eroded over recent months as the jury’s decision on his fate nears, a Boston Globe poll shows. “It seems that voters have concluded that Tsarnaev does not deserve a quick death, but rather should spend the remainder of his days in a windowless cell contemplating the heinous acts that put him there,” said Frank Perullo, president of Sage Systems LLC, which conducted the poll. “To voters, it would seem death is too easy an escape.” In Boston, support for the death penalty has dwindled even further: Only a quarter believe it is ever appropriate, and just 15 percent think Tsarnaev should be executed. Almost 66 percent of Bostonians and nearly 63 percent statewide favor a life sentence. Advertisement The poll comes in the penalty phase of Tsarnaev’s trial. Jurors have just heard three days of wrenching accounts from victims and families of the dead. Now the defense will begin its case to spare his life. Get Metro Headlines in your inbox: The 10 top local news stories from metro Boston and around New England delivered daily. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Perhaps surprisingly, given seven weeks of graphic testimony, the public’s appetite for Tsarnaev’s execution appears to have diminished over the course of the legal proceedings. “In the abstract, this is the kind of case that people would be more likely to say is a death penalty case,” said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, a national nonprofit that provides critical analysis of the death penalty. “But trials don’t take place in the abstract.” A Globe poll taken a few months after the bombing in September 2013 showed that 33 percent favored death. A WBUR poll conducted days after his conviction this month showed that 26 percent favored death. Those compare with the 18.9 percent favoring death in the new Globe poll, which was based on telephone interviews April 22 and 23 with 804 people, nearly half in Boston. Dunham and other experts offered several possible explanations for the diminishing appetite for the death penalty, starting with the timing of the survey: The Globe poll was conducted after Bill and Denise Richard, whose son Martin was killed and whose daughter, Jane, lost a leg in the blasts, made their plea on the front page of the Globe for prosecutors to drop the death penalty. The Tsarnaev brothers’ dual bombs, and the crime spree that followed, left four people dead and injured more than 260 others. Advertisement “We understand all too well the heinousness and brutality of the crimes committed. We were there. We lived it. The defendant murdered our 8-year-old son, maimed our 7-year-old daughter, and stole part of our soul,” the Richards wrote April 16. “We know that the government has its reasons for seeking the death penalty, but the continued pursuit of that punishment could bring years of appeals and prolong reliving the most painful day of our lives.” Daniel S. Medwed, a Northeastern University criminal law professor who has followed the case closely, said the letter and the discussion that followed might have changed people’s minds. “It didn’t talk about moral opposition. It was much more about the process of the death penalty case and being dragged through this for years and years,” he said. “The heartfelt letter resonated with the community.” He offered two other possibilities. It is easier to support the death penalty as a general principle than it is to advocate for the death of a specific individual, no matter how egregious that person’s crimes. Or, perhaps, he said, people are reluctant to give Tsarnaev the death penalty because they believe life in prison is a worse punishment for the young man than death, which could turn him into a martyr. “Voters seem to be concluding the supermax prison, where he will potentially be spending his days living an isolated lifestyle worse than Dante could imagine, is a more fitting and harsher penalty than death itself,” Perullo said. Advertisement David Hoose, a criminal defense attorney with the Northampton firm Sasson Turnbull Ryan & Hoose who has experience in federal death penalty cases, said the opposition to death for Tsarnaev could be rooted in the concerns over his youth or the cost and drawn-out nature of the appeals process. Dunham said it could also be that the defense’s argument — that Tsarnaev was in thrall to his older brother who masterminded the attacks, and was therefore less culpable, had begun swaying observers. But Dunham, Hoose, and others cautioned that the poll results could not predict what a jury might do. “The people answering this poll have not had to sit through the weeks of gut-wrenching testimony by these victims,” said Hoose, who is also on the board of the Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty Fund. “I think the real $64,000 question here is, how much is this going to influence the 12 people making the decision?” More information on the poll: • Full results from the poll • Questionnaire used to conduct the poll • President of company behind poll explains methodology Not all who support death penalty support it in Tsarnaev case A new Boston Globe poll shows that although nearly a third of Massachusetts residents support the death penalty as punishment for heinous crimes, less than 20 percent believe believe Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev should be put to death. NOTE: Numbers might not add to 100 because of rounding. The poll, done for the Globe by Sage Systems, LLC, of Boston, was conducted April 22-23 through live telephone interviews with 804 people statewide on both landlines and cellphones. The margin of error for the statewide results is 3.46 percentage points. The survey included 400 interviews with Boston voters. The margin of error for the Boston results is 4.9 percentage points. SOURCE: Sage Systems Patrick Garvin/Globe Staff Patricia Wen, Milton Valencia, and Mark Arsenault of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Evan Allen can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @evanmallenFor three days this month, June 16-18, I had the opportunity to participate as a panelist in the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia. I’ve been in Russia many times since the Ukraine US-backed coup d’état of February 2014, and the deliberate escalations of NATO military and economic tensions and sanctions against the Russian Federation. This year’s forum, my second as participant, gave me a rare opportunity to speak with leading representatives from every sector of the Russian economy- from CEOs of the energy sector to the Russian Railways to the national Russia Grid electricity provider to numerous small and mid-sized businessmen, to a wide range of economists. It sharpened my perception of just how precarious the situation of Russia today is. What became clearer to me in the course of the three days of discussions in St Petersburg is precisely how vulnerable Russia is. Her Achilles Heel is the reigning ideology that controls every key economic post of the Government of the Russian Federation under Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Under the terms of the Russian Constitution adopted in the chaos of the Yeltsin years and enormously influenced, if not literally drafted, by Russia’s foreign IMF advisers, economic policy is the portfolio responsibility of the Prime Minister and his various ministers of Economics, Finance and so forth. The Russian President, today Vladimir Putin, is responsible for defense and foreign policy. Making the job virtually impossible of reviving credit flows to fuel genuine real investment in urgently needed infrastructure across the vast land expanse of Russia is the Central Bank of Russia. The Central Bank of Russia was given two constitutionally-mandated tasks when it was created as an entity independent from the Russian Government in the first months of the Russian Federation following the breakup of the Soviet Union. It must control Russian domestic inflation and it must stabilize the Ruble against major foreign currencies. Like western central banks, its role is almost purely monetary, not economic. In June, 2015 as I participated the first time in the St Petersburg forum, the Russian Central Bank base rate, interest charged to banks, was 11%. In the peak of the so-called Ruble crisis in January 2015 it had reached 17%. Expectations last summer were that Elvira Nabiullina, the central bank governor since 2013, would begin to bring central rates rather rapidly down to manageable levels, especially at a time when central banks such as the European Central Bank, the US Fed and the Bank of Japan were lowest in some 500 years at zero or even negative. Further, since January 2016 oil prices, a significant factor in the Ruble strength as Russia is the world’s largest oil exporter, began a rise of more than 60% from lows below $30 a barrel in early January to levels near $50 six months later. That lowering of rates by the Central Bank hasn’t happened. Instead it is slowly killing the economy. One year later, in early June, 2016 the Russian Central Bank under Governor Nabiullina made the first rate cut since June 2015…to a still-deadly 10.5%. Perhaps it’s notable that monetarist Nabiullina was named by the London Euromoney magazine as their 2015 Central Bank Governor of the Year. That should be seen as a bad omen for Russia. Equally ominous was the fulsome praise the head of Washington’s IMF had for Nabiullina’s monetarist handling of the early 2015 Ruble crisis. Operation Success…patient died What I experienced in my discussions at the conference–this year with record attendance of more than 12,000 business people and others from around the world–was a sense that there coexist two Russian governments, each the polar opposite of the other. Every key economic and finance post is firmly occupied at present by monetarist free-market liberal economists who might be called “Gaidar’s Kindergarten.” Yegor Gaidar was the architect, along with Harvard’s Jeffrey Sachs, a Soros-backed economist, of the radical “shock therapy” that was responsible for the economic hardships that plagued the country in the 1990s resulting in mass poverty and hyperinflation. Today’s Gaidar Kindergarten includes former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, another Euromoney favorite in 2010 as international Finance Minister of the Year. It includes Economics Minister, Alexey Ulyukaev. It also includes Medvedev’s Deputy Prime Minister, Arkady Dvorkovic. Dvorkovic, a graduate of Duke University in North Carolina, is a protégé, directly serving during his earlier years under Yegor Gaidar. In 2010 under then Russian President Medvedev, Dvorkovic proposed a lunatic scheme to make Moscow into a world financial center by bringing in Goldman Sachs and the major Wall Street banks to set it all up. We might call it inviting the fox into the hen house. Dvorkovic’s economic credo is “Less state!” He was the chief lobbyist in Russia’s WTO accession campaign, and tried to ram through rapid privatization of the assets that remain state-owned. This is the core group around Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev today who are strangling any genuine Russian economic recovery. They follow the western playbook written in Washington by the International Monetary Fund and the US Treasury. Whether they do this at this stage out of honest conviction that that is best for their nation or out of a deep psychological hatred for their country, I’m not in a position to say. The effects of their policies, as I learned in my many discussions this month in St Petersburg are devastating. In effect, they are self-imposing economic sanctions on Russia far worse than any from the USA or EU. If Putin’s United Russia party loses the elections on 18 September, it will be due not to his foreign policy initiatives for which he still enjoys 80+% popularity polls. It will be because Russia has not cleaned the Augean Stables of the Gaidar Kindergarten. Obeying Washington Consensus From various discussions I learned to my shock that the official policy of Medvedev’s economic team and of the Central Bank today is to follow the standard IMF “Washington Consensus” budget austerity policies. This is so despite the fact that Russia, years ago, repaid its IMF loans and is no longer under IMF “conditionalities,” as it was during the 1998 Ruble default crisis. Not only that, Russia has one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios of state debt of any major country in the world, a mere 17% while the USA “enjoys” a 104% ratio, the Eurozone countries have an average debt level of over 90% of GDP, far from the mandated 60% Maastricht level. Japan has a staggering 229% debt-to-GDP. The official economic policy today of the Central Bank of Russia with its absurdly high rates is to reduce an inflation rate of a mere 8% to its target of 4% through an explicit policy of budget austerity and consumption reduction. No economy in recorded history has managed an economic policy under forced reduction of consumption, certainly not Greece nor any African nation. Yet the Russian Central Bank, as if on automatic pilot, religiously sings the Gregorian death chants of the IMF as if they were a magic formula. If Russia continues down this Central Bank monetarist path it may well soon be that, “the operation was a success
the French Army time to recover.[141] In addition to his immediate objectives, Haig was also worried that the Russian Revolution would result in Russia and Germany making peace and forming an alliance. If this happened the million or so German troops located on the Eastern Front would be transferred to the west by late 1917 or early 1918. If this occurred, a decisive victory would be much more difficult to obtain.[142] The Third Battle of Ypres caused the British far fewer casualties than the Battle of the Somme and the substantial success of the occupation of the ridges around Ypres, the first stage of the offensive strategy and inflicted comparable losses on the Germans, who were far less capable of replacing losses and which contributed to their defeat in 1918. When he asked the Canadian Corps commander, Arthur Currie, to capture Passchendaele Ridge during the final month of the battle, Currie flatly replied "It's suicidal. I will not waste 16,000 good soldiers on such a hopeless objective" and then did as he was told.[143] Cambrai [ edit ] By the end of 1917, Lloyd George felt able to assert authority over the generals and at the end of the year was able to sack the First Sea Lord Admiral Jellicoe. Over the objections of Haig and Robertson, an inter-Allied Supreme War Council was set up. En route to a meeting in Paris to discuss this (1 November), Lloyd George told Wilson, Smuts and Hankey that he was toying with the idea of sending Haig to command the British and French forces in Italy.[144] At the meeting (4 November), Lloyd George accused Haig of encouraging press attacks on him. Haig was making similar complaints about Lloyd George, whom he privately compared to the Germans accusing the Allies of atrocities, of which they were guilty. Haig volunteered to write to J. A. Spender, pro-Asquith editor of the Westminster Gazette but Lloyd George begged him not to. Haig wrote "I gave LG a good talking-to on several of the questions that he raised, and felt I got the best of the arguments", a view which does not reflect the later reputations of Haig and Lloyd George.[144] At the Versailles meeting, when the Supreme War Council was inaugurated (11 November), Lloyd George attributed the success of the Central Powers to unity and scoffed at recent Allied "victories", saying he wished "it had not been necessary to win so many of them". His speech angered several leading politicians, Carson repudiated it and Derby assured Haig of his backing. Haig thought that Lloyd George's political position was weak and he would not last another six weeks (this was a false prediction, although Lloyd George did not have full freedom of action in a coalition government, his personal drive and appeal to certain sections of the public made him indispensable as Prime Minister).[145] Haig and Petain objected to a common command, arguing that coalitions work better when one power is dominant, which was no longer the case, now that British military power had increased relative to that of France.[146] Lloyd George got his wish to send British forces to Italy, after the Italian defeat at Caporetto in November. Plumer was moved to Italy with five divisions and heavy artillery, which made renewal of the Ypres offensive impossible.[147] Haig knew that manpower was scarce in the BEF and at home and wrote to Robertson (28 October) that an offensive at Cambrai would stem the flow of reinforcements to Italy;[148] Robertson delayed the despatch of two divisions.[149] Plans for a III Corps attack at Cambrai had been proposed as far back as May. Haig had informed the War Office (5 June) that "events have proved the utility of Tanks" and had initially (18 July) approved preparations as a deception measure from Passchendaele and approved the operation more formally (13 October) as the First Battle of Passchendaele was being fought.[150] The plan was to trap German troops between the River Sensee and Canal du Nord, with the cavalry to seize the St Quentin Canal crossings, then exploit north-east. The first day objective was the high ground around Bourlon Wood and Haig was to review progress after 48 hours.[151] The Third Army attacked at Cambrai (6.20 am on 20 November) with six infantry and five cavalry divisions, 1,000 guns (using a surprise predicted barrage rather than a preliminary bombardment) and nine tank battalions of 496 tanks (325 combat, 98 support) on unbroken ground, an area held by two German divisions.[150] On the first day the British penetrated 5 miles (8.0 km) on a 6 miles (9.7 km) front with only 4,000 casualties, limited on the first day by blown bridges and the shortness of the November day. The 51st (Highland) Division was held up at Flesquieres village, which fell the following day. Haig's intelligence chief Brigadier-General Charteris, told him that the Germans would not be able to reinforce for 48 hours and James Marshall-Cornwall, then a junior intelligence officer, later an admiring biographer of Haig, alleged that Charteris refused to have reported fresh German divisions shown on the situation map as he did not want to weaken Haig's resolution.[152] Haig visited the battlefield (21 November), inspecting the fighting at Bourlon Wood through his binoculars. He thought the attacks "feeble and uncoordinated" and was disappointed at the lack of grip by corps and division commanders and encountering 1st Cavalry Division, which had been ordered to fall back, resisted the temptation to countermand the order. At around 9 pm he decided to continue the attack on Bourlon Wood, a decision which has been much criticised but which made good military sense at the time and was supported by Byng, although the political need for a clear victory may also have been a factor.[153] The offensive continued but with diminishing returns. Bourlon Wood fell on 23 November but German counter-attacks had begun. Haig arrived at a Third Army planning meeting (26 November) and ordered further attacks the following day but then had to bow to Byng deciding to go onto the defensive, having achieved a salient 4 miles (6.4 km) deep and 9 miles (14 km) wide. Haig complained that the lack of an extra two divisions had prevented a breakthrough, a view described by one biographer as "self-deception, pure and simple".[154] Some of the gains (after the church bells had been rung in England in celebration) were retaken after 30 November, when the Germans made their first counter-offensive against the British since 1914, using new sturmtruppen tactics. GHQ intelligence had failed to piece together warnings, especially those from 55th Division. British casualties had mounted to over 40,000 by 3 December, with German losses somewhat less.[152] Baker-Carr, commanding 1st Tank Brigade, later claimed that Kiggell had proposed cutting the number of tank battalions by 50 percent, as Cambrai was "a splendid show but not one that can ever be repeated". This was not Haig's view. One biographer argues that the initial success at Cambrai helped to save Haig's job but another view is that the ultimate disappointment did more damage to Haig's political credibility than Passchendaele.[155][156] Aftermath of Cambrai [ edit ] Reviewing recent operations at an Army Commanders Conference on 7 December at Doullens, Haig commented how six months earlier, before Messines, the British had expected offensives from Russia, Italy and France and had instead been left carrying the burden.[157] Lloyd George (6 December) was particularly angry at the embarrassing Cambrai reverse, at the hands of "a few" German divisions, after Haig had insisted for the last two years that his offensives were weakening them. When told of this, Haig wrote to Robertson that Lloyd George should either sack him or else cease his "carping criticism". Haig's support amongst the Army, the public and many politicians made this impossible and a plan that Haig be "promoted" to a sinecure, as generalissimo of British forces (similar to what had been done to Joffre at the end of 1916) was scotched when Lord Derby threatened resignation.[158] Asked to provide a statement to the House of Commons, Haig quoted Byng's telephone report to GHQ that the counter-attack had been "in no sense a surprise" (in fact this was contradicted by evidence from GHQ) and attributed the German success to "one cause and one alone … lack of training on the part of junior officers and NCOs and men", a verdict supported by the court of enquiry which, at Derby's instigation, Haig ordered, although the enquiry also criticised "higher commanders" for failing to enforce defensive doctrine. There were also enquiries by a War Office Committee and by General Smuts on behalf of the War Cabinet.[159] In a later report to Robertson (24 Dec) Haig accepted the blame, stating that the troops had been tired as a result of the attack on Bourlon Wood which he had ordered.[156] Esher had warned Haig (28 October) that Rawlinson was criticising Charteris (known as "the Principal Boy"), and reported that he had told Rawlinson that Charteris had "no influence" over Haig and his information had never let him down. Derby warned Haig (7 December) to sack Charteris, as the War Cabinet and General Staff were displeased at his exaggerated claims of German weakness.[155] Haig took responsibility and defended Charteris.[160] After the battle, the press baron Lord Northcliffe reduced his support of Haig. He had recently been offended on a visit to GHQ, when Haig had been too busy to pay much attention to him. A Times editorial "A Case for Inquiry" (12 Dec) criticised Charteris for his "fatuous estimates" of German losses and morale and called for the sacking of "every blunderer" at GHQ. Haig assumed Lloyd George had inspired the article.[161] Northcliffe also warned Haig's aide Philip Sassoon that changes were required: "Sir Douglas is regarded with affection in the army, but everywhere people remark that he is surrounded by incompetents".[162] Haig was required to dismiss Charteris. Robertson had arrived at Haig's Headquarters with orders (signed by Derby) for his dismissal in his pocket, in case Haig refused to do as he was asked. Haig claimed to his wife (14 December) that Charteris' work had been excellent but he felt he had to sack him because he had "upset so many people". A common criticism is that Haig only accepted intelligence from Charteris (who told him what he wanted to hear) and did not cross-check it with other intelligence.[163] 1918 [ edit ] Political manoeuvres [ edit ] Over lunch at 10 Downing Street with Derby and Lloyd George in January (Derby bet a sceptical Lloyd George 100 cigars to 100 cigarettes that the war would be over by the following year), Haig predicted that the war would end within a year because of the "internal state of Germany". Charteris' final intelligence report had deduced that Germany was bringing 32 divisions, ten per month, from the moribund Eastern Front, so the most likely time for a German Offensive was in late March (a correct prediction).[164] Bonar Law asked Haig what he would do if he were a German general: Haig replied that a German offensive would be a "gambler's throw" as Germany had only a million men as reserves and the balance of manpower would shift in favour of the Allies in August (this prediction was also correct) and that if he were a German general he would launch only limited offensives, although he did warn that the German generals might try to keep the civilians out of power by launching an attack to knock out France. Haig left the War Cabinet with the impression that he thought the Germans would launch small attacks on the scale of Cambrai.[165] Haig also recommended that the British should keep the initiative and draw in German reserves by renewing the offensive around Ypres, a proposal which did not meet with political approval, and besides the logistical infrastructure was not available for a breakout from the Ypres salient.[166][167] By now Haig's 1917 offensives were being criticised in the press (Lovat Fraser wrote a highly critical article in Northcliffe's Daily Mail on 21 January) and in Parliament, where J.C. Wedgwood MP openly demanded a change of command.[157][168] The purge of Haig's staff continued, with the removal of Maxwell (Quartermaster-General) and Lt-Gen Launcelot Kiggell as BEF Chief of Staff. It is possible that Derby was covering Haig's back, advising him to ask for Herbert Lawrence as the new CGS, not General Butler. Lawrence was a much stronger character than Kiggell and having made money in business and having no plans to stay in the Army after the War, was not beholden to Haig. In time the two men made a good team.[169] If Derby had covered Haig's back, Haig was not grateful, likening Derby to "a feather pillow which bears the mark of the last person who sat on him".[170] In January the Cabinet Minister Jan Christiaan Smuts and the Cabinet Secretary Maurice Hankey, whom Lloyd George had contemplated appointing to Kiggell's job, were sent to France to take discreet soundings among the Army Commanders to see whether any of them were willing to replace Haig – none of them were. The only possibility seemed to be Claud Jacob, GOC II Corps. Hankey formed the opinion that nobody important amongst the British generals thought a major German attack likely.[171] At the Supreme War Council at Versailles (29 January) Haig and Petain complained of shortage of troops, but Haig's political credibility was so low that Hankey wrote that they "made asses of themselves". It was agreed that an Allied General Reserve be set up, under Foch with Henry Wilson as his deputy; Haig was reluctant to hand over divisions to the General Reserve. Haig argued against a common command, claiming that it would be "unconstitutional" for him to take orders from a foreign general, and that he did not have the reserves to spare (worrying that they would be shipped off to Turkey[172] but thinking the proposal would take time to become operational) and suggested to Clemenceau (who was suspicious of Foch's ambition to become generalissimo) that he might resign. Milner thought Haig's stance "desperately stupid", although Haig had a point that control of reserves by a committee was not necessarily sensible.[173] Clemenceau attacked Lloyd George's wish to make offensives against Turkey a top priority.[174] Lloyd George now had his showdown with Robertson. He proposed that the CIGS be reduced to his pre-1915 powers (i.e. reporting to the Secretary of State for War, not direct to the Cabinet) and that the British military representative at the Supreme War Council in Versailles be Deputy CIGS and a member of the Army Council (i.e. empowered to issue orders to Haig). He offered Robertson a choice of remaining as CIGS with reduced powers or else accepting demotion to Deputy CIGS at Versailles – either way, Lloyd George would now have been able to cut him out of the decision-making loop. Derby summoned Haig to London, expecting him to support him in backing Robertson. In a private meeting with Lloyd George, Haig agreed with Robertson's position that the CIGS should himself be the delegate to Versailles, or else that the Versailles delegate be clearly subordinate to the CIGS to preserve unity of command. However, he accepted that the War Cabinet must ultimately make the decision, and according to Lloyd George "put up no fight for Robertson" and was contemptuous of Derby's threats to resign – he persuaded him not to do so after Robertson was pushed out. Haig thought Robertson (who had begun his military career as a private) egotistical, coarse, power-crazed and not "a gentleman" and was unhappy at the way Robertson had allowed divisions to be diverted to other fronts, even though Robertson had in fact fought to keep such diversions to a minimum. Henry Wilson now became CIGS, with Rawlinson as British military representative at Versailles.[175] Although Haig had been suspicious of Henry Wilson, they gradually established a warily respectful relationship, and interactions were socially more smooth than they had been with Robertson.[176] German Michael offensive [ edit ] By March 1918 Germany's Western Front armies had been reinforced to a strength of almost 200 divisions by the release of troops from the Eastern Front. With a German offensive clearly imminent, at a meeting in London (14 March), Lloyd George and Bonar Law accused Haig of having said that there would not be a major German offensive (which was not actually what he had said – he had said it would be "a gambler's throw") but agreed to shelve the General Reserve for the time being until enough American troops had arrived.[177] At this point Haig had 52 divisions in his front line Armies, and another 8 in GHQ reserve, and 3 cavalry divisions. British troops were tired and weakened, and British divisions had been cut in size from 12 battalions to 9.[178] Allied intelligence did not fall for German deceptions that they might attack in Italy or the Balkans, but thought that the main attack might fall in the Cambrai-St Quentin (Third Army) sector.[179] Haig privately thought the Guards Division "our only reliable reserve".[180] He has been criticised for writing (2 March) that he "was only afraid that the Enemy would find our front so very strong that he will hesitate to commit his Army to the attack with the almost certainty of losing very heavily", but this in fact referred to the First, Third and Fourth (formerly Second, now renumbered, at Ypres) Army fronts which he had spent a week inspecting, and which were well-defended – Smuts and Hankey had come to the same conclusion in January. Haig thought the Canadians "really fine disciplined soldiers now and so smart and clean" compared to the Australians.[180] Haig inspected Fifth Army (7–9 March) and noted widespread concerns, which he shared, at lack of reserves – he released one division from Flanders to Fifth Army and deployed another, under GHQ control, to the rear of Fifth Army. As late as 17 March Cox, who had replaced Charteris as Intelligence Chief, predicted that the German Offensive was not yet immediately imminent; Haig still believed that a power-struggle between generals and politicians in Germany (in fact the generals were very much in control) would determine if there was any attack. By 20 March deployment of German trench mortars had been reported by deserters, and British artillery began some spoiling fire.[181] Germany launched an attack, "Michael" (21 March 1918), with 76 divisions and 7,000 guns, a force larger than the entire BEF (German divisions were somewhat smaller than British) and enjoying superiority of 5:1 over the 12 divisions of Hubert Gough's Fifth Army, which were spread thinly over line recently taken over from the French.[182] Haig was initially calm on 21 March, as owing to the communications of the time GHQ was "an information vacuum" where news often took over a day to reach him, and spent much of the day entertaining foreign dignitaries including the US War Secretary. Third Army retreated as planned from the Flesquieres Salient, freeing up a division. On three-quarters of the 50-mile front attacked, British troops fought hard and the Germans failed to reach their first day objectives.[183] However, lacking reserves Gough had to retreat behind the Crozat Canal. 22 March saw Fifth Army retreat to the Somme; Haig still anticipated further German attacks in Champagne or Arras. The Germans did not initially realise the importance of Amiens as an objective.[178] Haig did not speak to or visit Gough until 23 March. That day Haig arranged for reserves to be sent down from Flanders. Formal orders were issued to Fifth Army to maintain contact with Third Army to their north and the French to their south.[184] After initial optimism, Tim Travers has written of "panic" setting in amongst senior officers like Herbert Lawrence and Tavish Davidson at GHQ on 23 March,[185] and there is evidence that a retreat towards the Channel Ports may have been considered.[186] Doullens [ edit ] Haig had a GHQ Reserve which was massed in the north, 72 hours' march away, to protect the Channel Ports. The French Commander-in-Chief, Pétain and Haig met on 23 March (4pm), and Petain stressed the need for Gough's Fifth Army to keep in touch with Pelle's French V Corps on its right. Petain agreed to place two French armies under Fayolle as a reserve in the Somme valley, but could not agree to Haig's request to send 20 French divisions to Amiens because of the risk of a German attack around Champagne.[187] Amidst mutual suspicion – a French officer recorded Petain's increasing fears on 22 and 23 March that the British would retreat on the Channel Ports – Petain was issuing orders to cover Paris as a priority and maintain contact with the British "if possible".[188] 24 March was "probably the most traumatic day (Haig) had endured since" First Ypres in 1914. Half of BEF supplies came into Le Havre, Rouen and Dieppe and passed by train through Amiens, making it a major choke point.[189] Planning that winter had left open the question of whether the BEF would retreat southwest or form "an island" around the Channel Ports (Calais, Boulogne, Dunkirk) through which Haig's armies drew the other half of their supplies. A retreat on the ports does not seem to have been decided until some days after 21 March.[190] Haig remained composed in front of more junior officers.[191] This is one of the occasions where doubt has been cast on the authenticity of Haig's diary. Haig's handwritten diary of the next meeting (Dury, 24 March at 11 pm) is brief. The typed diary – probably based on notes prepared in April – describes Petain as "almost unbalanced and most anxious", claiming that after attending a Cabinet meeting in Paris, where he had been ordered to "cover Paris at all costs",[192] he threatened to retreat on Paris, leaving the British right flank uncovered. Tim Travers argues that Petain said at the meeting that he would only retreat on Paris if Haig retreated on the Channel Ports, and that Major-General Clive reported from the meeting that Petain had come away satisfied that Haig would not break contact. In a postwar exchange of letters with Haig Petain denied that he had ordered a retreat on Paris or had threatened Haig that he might, a recollection which Herbert Lawrence appears to have supported.[193] It has been suggested that Haig and Lawrence, on the long drive back to GHQ from their meeting with Petain may simply have misunderstood his intentions, and that any factual errors in Haig's diary for this period were honest if mistaken recollections.[185] In the typed diary, Haig also claimed that on returning at 3 am he telegraphed to Wilson (CIGS) and Milner (War Secretary – an error on Haig's part, as Milner did not hold this position until April) to come over to France and ensure the appointment of "Foch or some other determined general who would fight" as Allied Generalissimo.[192] There is no record of the telegram, and Milner and Wilson were in fact already on their way to France at the time.[194] Wilson's diary records that Haig telephoned him at 7 or 8 pm on 24 March, before the meeting with Petain, and after Haig's evening visit to Third Army, at which he had ordered that Army to maintain contact at all costs with First Army to its north.[187] Travers suggests that Haig had written off both Fifth Army and the link with the French at this point, that he called Henry Wilson over to France to discuss a retreat on the Channel Ports, and that he wanted the 20 French divisions at Amiens not to maintain the link with the French but to cover the British retreat or perhaps to counterattack.[195] Haig's letter of 25 March, sent via Weygand, asked for 20 French divisions to cover the southern British flank as the BEF fought its way back "covering the Channel Ports".[196] The letter is ambiguous and does not specifically mention a retreat "to" the ports. Sheffield argues that orders to Third Army were not a precursor to retreat but "a means to an end", pointing to orders for, if needs be, a counterattack onto the northern flank of the German attackers,[185] and also argues that although GHQ had a duty to consider contingency plans, unlike in 1940, evacuation was never actually likely.[197] Wilson's diary for their meeting on 25 March (11am) describes Haig as "cowed" and saying that unless the French sent more help the BEF was beaten and "it would be better to make peace on any terms we could". Wilson claimed that Haig suggested Petain be appointed Allied generalissimo (which is not consistent with Haig's later claim that Petain was unwilling to help the British) and that he proposed Foch over Haig's objections.[195] Petain had sent 3 French divisions on the evening of 21 March[189] to help the British, not the 20 Haig demanded, vindicating Henry Wilson's warnings that relying on bilateral agreement with Petain would provide "very cold charity".[172] At the Doullens Conference (26 March), Haig accepted the appointment of Foch to coordinate reserves of all nationalities wherever he saw fit. In his typed diary Haig claimed much of the credit for Foch's appointment and to have insisted that he have wider powers over Petain than Clemenceau had wanted to grant him. However, the typed version of Haig's diary, although fuller, does not specifically contradict the handwritten original, and it has been suggested that Haig either needed to reconcile himself psychologically to the need to accept a French superior or else was simply letting off steam and wanted to give himself the credit he felt he deserved.[196] Milner, who represented the British government at Doullens, recorded that Clemenceau was unhappy with Petain's recent efforts, but claimed that he himself had persuaded Haig to accept the appointment of Foch; Haig's official biographer Duff Cooper gave Haig the credit but commented that the idea had probably occurred to several participants simultaneously.[198] Wilson recorded that Haig seemed "10 years younger" that evening after Doullens.[195] After a German offensive near Arras ("Mars", 9 German divisions, 28 March[199]) was beaten back, between 29 and 31 March the Germans pushed on Amiens. A Canadian brigade took part in an action at Moreuil Wood. Attacks on 4 April (Villers-Bretonneux, east of Amiens) and 5 April on the Third Army front were beaten back by British and Australian forces, although contingency plans were still being prepared to cover Rouen and Le Havre in case Amiens fell.[200] German Georgette offensive [ edit ] To ALL RANKS OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS Three weeks ago to-day the enemy began his terrific attacks against us on a fifty-mile front. His objects are to separate us from the French, to take the Channel Ports and destroy the British Army. In spite of throwing already 106 Divisions into the battle and enduring the most reckless sacrifice of human life, he has as yet made little progress towards his goals. We owe this to the determined fighting and self-sacrifice of our troops. Words fail me to express the admiration which I feel for the splendid resistance offered by all ranks of our Army under the most trying circumstances. Many amongst us now are tired. To those I would say that Victory will belong to the side which holds out the longest. The French Army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support. There is no other course open to us but to fight it out. Every position must be held to the last man: there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause each one of us must fight on to the end. The safety of our homes and the Freedom of mankind alike depend upon the conduct of each one of us at this critical moment. (Signed) D. Haig F.M. Commander-in-Chief British Armies in France, 11 April. (Signed) D. Haig F.M. Commander-in-Chief British Armies in France, 11 April. Lloyd George demanded Haig sack Gough, and when Haig was reluctant he was given a direct order to do so by Derby (4 April).[182] Haig recommended Cavan for the vacancy (it went to Rawlinson), and offered to resign. Lloyd George wanted to accept Haig's resignation and read out his offer to a meeting of the War Cabinet called (8 April) to discuss "the desirability of getting rid of Haig", but the other ministers, and Henry Wilson, thought there was no obvious successor (Hankey thought the only possibility was Plumer who was "about as stupid as Haig himself").[197] Rumours were rife in GHQ that Haig would soon be dismissed in favour of Robertson, Wilson (who may have been a prime mover for Haig's dismissal[201]), or more likely Plumer, Byng or Allenby.[202] During the second major German offensive, "Georgette" in Flanders (9 April), Haig issued his famous order (11 April) that his men must carry on fighting "With Our Backs to the Wall and believing in the Justice of our Cause" to protect "The safety of our homes and the Freedom of mankind"[203] – the latter being a real concern after recent British propaganda dwelled on the harsh terms imposed on Russia at Brest-Litovsk.[204] Just as "Michael" had swept over the Cambrai and the Somme battlefields, won at such cost by Haig's own offensives in previous years, this one swept over Passchendaele although not Ypres itself. The offensive threatened Hazebrouck, "the Amiens of the north", a key railhead through which supplies were brought from the Channel Ports – had it fallen the Channel Ports might have been at risk and Plumer's Second Army might have been cut off.[205] Foch had earlier refused to send 4 French divisions to Flanders but now redeployed Maistre's Tenth French Army to the Somme sector, freeing up British forces.[205] At Beauvais (3 April) Foch had been given power of "strategic direction", although his powers were still largely based on persuasion rather than command[199] and he was given the title of Generalissimo (he would have preferred "Commander-in-Chief") (14 April) to give him more clout over Petain, who was still reluctant to release French reserves. Eventually, later in the year, Petain would simply be placed under Foch's command, although Haig and Pershing retained their right of appeal to their own governments. During a renewed attack (17 April) Foch drew attention to the valour of the British at First Ypres and refused to send further French reinforcements so as to keep a strategic reserve. 24 April saw a further unsuccessful German attack at Villers-Bretonneux near Amiens, featuring the first tank-to-tank combat. Haig was suspicious of Foch's request to move British divisions to the French sector to free up French reserves, worrying that this might lead to "a permanent Amalgam" of French and British forces. Milner agreed but at a meeting on 27 April meeting the dispute was smoothed over, and British IX Corps moved to the French sector.[206] On 30 April Ludendorff called a halt to the Flanders offensive.[207] Although some American divisions were now serving with the British forces, Haig thought Pershing "very obstinate and stupid" for refusing to integrate US troops (1 May) with Allied units (an ironic complaint in view of his reluctance to integrate British troops with French).[206] At Abbeville (2 May) it was agreed that in the event of renewed attack British forces would retreat south if necessary and abandon the Channel Ports rather than lose touch with the French. Contingency plans were made (11 May) although it is unclear that they would ever have been executed.[208] The near-debacle of March 1918 was an object of political controversy. Repington wrote that it was "the worst defeat in the history of the Army". Bonar Law claimed in a House of Commons debate (23 April) that Haig and Petain had agreed the extension of the British line, which was not wholly true as in January 1918 the Supreme War Council had ordered a longer extension than Haig and Petain had agreed between themselves in December 1917, only leaving them to sort out the details.[209] Lloyd George was accused (in the Maurice Debate of 9 May 1918 in the House of Commons, after Maurice's public accusation three days earlier) of having hoarded troops in the UK to make it harder for Haig to launch offensives. Lloyd George misled the House of Commons in claiming that Haig's forces were stronger (1.75 million men) at the start of 1918 than they had been a year earlier (1.5 million men) – in fact the increase was caused by an increase of 335,000 in the number of labourers (Chinese, Indians and black South Africans), and Haig had fewer combat infantry (630,000, down from 900,000 a year earlier), holding a longer stretch of front (the rest of Haig's men would have been tank, air and artillery crews and above all logistical support personnel).[210] Haig had opposed Maurice in taking his concerns into public, but was disappointed at how Lloyd George was able to get off the hook with a "claptrap speech".[211] Maurice believed he had saved Haig from dismissal.[212] German Bluecher offensive [ edit ] By late spring the BEF had taken just over 300,000 casualties. Battalions had had to be brought in from the Middle East. Haig spent time touring his forces in May.[213] Haig's wife reported rumours (11 May) that he was to be brought home as Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces; when Wilson denied the rumours to Haig's face, Haig recorded (20 May) that "no one has been chosen yet!" to replace him.[214] A third major German offensive against the French on the Aisne ("Bluecher"), starting on 27 May, overwhelmed Hamilton-Gordon's IX British Corps which had been sent there to refit after being involved in "Michael" and "Georgette". At a conference at Versailles (1 June) there was friction between Haig, who was worried that the Germans would attack his sector again (intelligence reported extra German hospital spaces being made available near La Bassee) – this was indeed the German plan but the offensive in question, "Hagen", was repeatedly postponed and never actually took place – and Foch, who demanded that the US divisions trained by the British be moved to his sector to release French divisions (of whose fighting ability Haig was privately scornful) – Foch also accused Lloyd George of withholding British troops in the UK. Foch moved French forces down from Flanders, but there was further friction at a meeting in Paris about Foch's request to move British reserves south (7 June).[215] Haig threatened to appeal to the British Government if he felt Foch was demanding too many British troops,[212] so it was agreed that Haig and Foch should meet more frequently, and in time they developed a good working relationship (although wags at GHQ said he had to fight "Boche, Foch and Loygeorges"[199]). Cooperation improved when the Germans launched their "Gneisenau" Offensive on 9 June, to widen the "Bluecher" salient westwards. Lloyd George and Milner gave their full support to Foch on moving four British divisions.[216] They told Haig that he should consider himself subordinate to Foch for the time being and that they were no longer interested in sacking him (this may have been untrue – as late as August on the eve of the battle of Amiens Lloyd George may have been trying to replace Haig with Cavan[217]). With another German attack imminent, Herbert Lawrence was asked (12–13 July – Haig was on leave in England) to send 8 Divisions – he sent only 2 (XXII Corps). Haig thought this was breaching an agreement of 1 July that covering Paris and the Somme area was to take priority. Wilson consulted the War Cabinet then (in the small hours of 15 July) told Haig to "exercise his judgement" about holding the British line. Haig felt that they would take credit for Foch's victory but might dismiss him if disaster befell the British forces.[216] The German "Peace Offensive" began against the French at Rheims on the same day. Haig eventually agreed that the French could use XXII Corps if necessary "for exploitation".[218] The Turn of the Tide and the Hundred Days [ edit ] The "Peace Offensive" turned out to be the last German throw of the dice. "Hagen" was finally cancelled, and in July and August the Germans were defeated, by Allied forces at the Second Battle of the Marne, and by Rawlinson's Fourth Army (British Australian and Canadian Corps) at Amiens. The latter victory, enjoying complete air and artillery superiority and using over 500 tanks,[219] was described by General Erich Ludendorff as "The Black Day of the German Army" after mass surrenders of German troops. On 11 August Haig, contrary to the wishes of Marshal Foch, insisted on a halt to the Amiens offensive (rather than engage new German troops with tired Allied ones who had outrun much of their artillery cover) and launched a new attack by Byng's Third Army on 21 August between the Scarpe and the Ancre. As with his previous offensives in 1916 and 1917, Haig encouraged his subordinates to
get to see them transform, but announce themselves one by one, over and over. Worth it just for the disco music around 01:45. Also, once you get to about 25 minutes in, everybody has slogans to go with their names, like "Hate Cruel Wickedness!" "Investigate Mysteries Using Futuristic Technology!" It's what we all need, on this day and all days.Sonja Puzic and Karolyn Coorsh, CTVNews.ca Amid ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine and concerns about Russia’s military build-up along the border, Ottawa is set to deploy a Hercules transport plane loaded with military supplies to the troubled region, CTV News has learned. The supplies will not include ammunition, but equipment to support Ukrainian troops on the ground. The deployment on Thursday is expected to be the first in a series of flights. News of the military shipment comes as Canada announced additional sanctions and travel bans against Russian and Ukrainian individuals and groups. “The Putin regime’s continued illegal occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and its provocative military activity in eastern Ukraine remains a grave concern to Canada and the international community,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement Wednesday. The individuals added to the sanctions list include a Russian security service commander, the CEO of the Bank of Russia, business figures and members of Russia’s security council. Also on the list is Sergey Abisov, a minister in the newly annexed Republic of Crimea. National Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said Ottawa is targeting people who are raising funds to “support the illegal activity that’s taking place” and are involved in the political process related to the crisis in Ukraine. The entities affected by the new sanctions include the Bank of Moscow, the Russian National Commercial Bank and a distillery plant in Crimea. “This is part of our ongoing efforts to put pressure on the Putin regime to stop their illegal occupation of Ukraine,” Nicholson told CTV News Channel Wednesday. He said Canada is working “in close concert” with the U.S. and the European Union, which have imposed their own sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered restrictions Wednesday on food and agriculture imports from countries that have imposed sanctions on his country. The decree signed by Putin doesn’t name specific countries, but says imports will be banned or limited for one year. Intense fighting continues in eastern Ukraine, with air strikes and artillery fire reported Wednesday in and around the city of Donetsk. The violence prompted a warning from the Polish prime minister Wednesday, who said the threat of a “direct intervention” in Ukraine by Russia is now greater than in recent weeks. Concerns over possible Russian invasion In a statement to CTV, NATO warned that as the death toll rises on both sides, Russian President Vladimir Putin could find a convenient excuse to invade. “Russia could use the pretext of a humanitarian or peacekeeping mission as an excuse to send troops into Eastern Ukraine,” said NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu. U.S. President Barack Obama isn’t ruling out diplomatic efforts, but told reporters Wednesday that if there is an invasion by Russia, “that’s obviously a different set of questions. We’re not there yet.” In an editorial to the Financial Times Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned against Putin’s behaviour, and called on allies to pull their weight against Russia in advance of a meeting next month. Rasmussen is set to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Thursday in Kyiv. He has no plans to travel to Russia. Despite continued chaos in the region, Nicholson said he believes that Canadian and international sanctions will make a difference. “We are confident that the continuous pressure we are applying to the Putin regime will succeed,” he said. With files from The Associated Press Expanded sanctions list: Individuals (Russian) Sergei Orestovoch Beseda, Commander of the Fifth Service of the Russian Federal Security Service and Commander of the Service for Operational Information and International Communications of the Russian Federal Security Service. Aleksandr Vasilievich Bortnikov, permanent member of the Russian Federation’s Security Council and Director of the Russian Federal Security Service. Mikhail Vladimirovich Degtyarev, member of the State Duma. Mikhail Efimovich Fradkov, permanent member of the Russian Federation’s Security Council and Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service. Boris Vyacheslavovich Gryzlov, permanent member of the Russian Federation’s Security Council. Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov, President of the Republic of Chechnya. Vladimir Georgyevich Kulishov, First Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Security Service, Chief of the Border Guards. Konstantin Valerevich Malofeev, Russian business figure and financier of secessionist groups in Ukraine. Rashid Gumarovich Nurgaliev, permanent member and Deputy Secretary of the Russian Federation’s Security Council. Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev, permanent member and Secretary of the Russian Federation’s Security Council. Nikolay Terentievich Shamalov, CEO and majority shareholder of Bank Rossiya. Igor Shchegolev, aide to the President of the Russian Federation and the former Minister of Communications and Mass Media. Alexander Nikolayevich Tkachyov, Governor of Krasnodar Krai. Valerii Yuriovych Travkin, officer in the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Individuals (Ukrainian) Sergey Abisov, “Minister of Interior” of the “Republic of Crimea.” Pavel Yurevich Gubarev, one of the self-described leaders of the so called “Donetsk People’s Republic.” Ekaterina Yurevna Gubareva, so called “Minister of Foreign Affairs” of the “Donetsk People’s Republic.” Boris Litvinov, Chairman of the “Supreme Council” of the so called “Donetsk People’s Republic.” Oksana Tchigrina, spokesperson of the so called “government” of the ”Luhansk People’s Republic.” Entities (Russian) Bank of Moscow Dobrolet (Dobrolyot) Airlines Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) Russian National Commercial Bank United Shipbuilding Corporation VTB Bank OAO (former Vneshtorgbank) Entities (Ukrainian)When Kim Philby decided that he wanted to join the British Secret Intelligence Service, he “dropped a few hints here and there,” as he later recalled, and waited patiently. Philby had attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and his father had been in the Foreign Service. He had the right accent. It was the late nineteen-thirties, when the British class system was still firmly in place, and a formal application wasn’t necessary. On a train to London, Philby found himself in the first-class compartment with a journalist named Hester Harriet Marsden-Smedley, who was of that same small world. She looked him over and said that she would make a few inquiries on his behalf. Then he got a call from someone at the War Department, and was invited to tea at St. Ermin’s Hotel, off St. James’s, with an imperious Tory doyenne named Sarah Algeria Marjorie Maxse. They chatted. Philby was famously charming. He had impeccable manners, a disarming stammer, and an epic capacity for alcohol. His name was passed up the line to M.I.5—the British F.B.I.—which came back with the laconic verdict “nothing recorded against.” The deputy head of the British spy service, M.I.6, had served with Philby’s father in India. “I was asked about him,” the official explained later, “and I said I knew his people.” Once Philby joined M.I.6, he roamed its halls, gossiping and making friends. The man who controlled the “source books”—the inventory of British intelligence assets—was a red-faced ex-policeman with a crippling drinking habit. Philby would go out and get him drunk, and soon had the run of the files. He became fast friends with James Angleton, who later rose to the head of counterintelligence at the C.I.A. The two of them served together in Washington, and had long boozy lunches, at which they traded the most intimate secrets. Philby was promoted to head the anti-Soviet section of M.I.6, and then became the principal liaison between the British and the U.S. intelligence agencies. “I looked around at the part-time stockbrokers and retired Indian policemen, the agreeable epicureans from the bars of White’s and Boodle’s, the jolly, conventional ex-Navy officers and the robust adventurers from the bucket shop; and then I looked at Philby,” the historian Hugh Trevor-Roper later wrote. “He alone was real. I was convinced that he was destined to head the service.” He came close. In 1951, two of his good friends—Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean—fled to Moscow, revealing themselves to be Soviet spies. Philby’s colleagues stood by him, but he was forced to resign. He moved to Beirut to work as a correspondent for the Observer and The Economist, only to have M.I.5 launch a second investigation, in the early nineteen-sixties. Before it could be completed, Philby slipped away. In January of 1963, a car with diplomatic plates picked him up from a bar in downtown Beirut and took him to a Soviet freighter bound for Odessa. He had been, it turned out, a Soviet spy since soon after leaving Cambridge, in the mid-nineteen-thirties, dutifully feeding his K.G.B. handlers every morsel of information gleaned from his many friendships. In Moscow, he was welcomed by a congratulatory headline in an official Soviet newspaper: “HELLO MR. PHILBY.” “What it comes to is that when you look at the whole period from 1944 to 1951, the entire Western intelligence effort, which was pretty big, was what you might call minus advantage,” the C.I.A. officer Miles Copeland, Jr.—himself a close friend of Philby’s—said. “We’d have been better off doing nothing.” “A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal” (Crown) is the latest in Ben Macintyre’s series on twentieth-century espionage (including the best-selling “Operation Mincemeat”). All are superb, and “A Spy Among Friends” is no exception. Macintyre gives the familiar story of Philby new life, putting the case in its full social context. Philby’s boss was Sir Stewart Menzies, who, we are told, “rode to hounds, mixed with royalty, never missed a day at Ascot, drank a great deal, and kept his secrets buttoned up behind a small, fierce mustache. He preferred women to men and horses to both.” Menzies was an amateur at a time when his adversaries were professionals. Philby’s fellow Soviet spy Donald Maclean was a mess. But since he was a mess with the right accent and background he easily found a home in the British spy service. At one point, Macintyre says, Maclean “got drunk, smashed up the Cairo flat of two secretaries at the U.S. embassy, ripped up their underwear, and hurled a large mirror off the wall, breaking a large bath in two. He was sent home, placed under the care of a Harley Street psychiatrist, and then, amazingly, after a short period of treatment, promoted to head the American desk at the Foreign Office.” When suspicion finally fell on Burgess, he was placed under surveillance. But this was the kind of surveillance intended for people for whom surveillance was not actually thought necessary. The “watchers” did not work weekends or evenings. They rarely left London. “Most were former police officers selected for their sharp eyesight, good hearing, and average height,” Macintyre writes. “They were expected to dress in trilby hats and raincoats and communicated with one another by hand signals.... They looked, in short, exactly like surveillance agents.” Philby, Macintyre concludes, “existed within the inner circle of Britain’s ruling class, where mutual trust was so absolute and so unquestioned that there was no need for elaborate security precautions. They were all part of the same family.” Within a few years, that complacency was shattered. In 1961, M.I.6 learned that one of its operatives, George Blake, was a Soviet spy who had exposed scores of British and American agents in Eastern Europe. In 1962, a naval attaché by the name of John Vassal was found to have given away a treasure trove of British military secrets to the K.G.B. In 1963, the Profumo scandal raised the possibility that naval secrets had been passed to the Soviets by a prominent politician. In 1964, the Queen’s art adviser, Sir Anthony Blunt, confessed to having been a Soviet spy since his twenties. “A Spy Among Friends” is the portrait of an England suddenly vulnerable to its enemies. It makes for riveting reading, except that it leaves out a crucial part of the story, which is what happened next. In December of 1961, a high-ranking K.G.B. agent knocked on the door of the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, asking for asylum. His name was Antoliy Golitsyn, and he had a remarkable secret to share. There had existed within the British intelligence service, he said, a “ring of five”—all of whom knew one another and all of whom had been recruited by the Soviets in the nineteen-thirties. Burgess and Maclean, who had decamped to Moscow a decade earlier, were No. 1 and No. 2. The art historian Anthony Blunt had been under suspicion by M.I.5 for some time. He was No. 3. No. 4 sounded a lot like Philby: that was why M.I.5 rekindled its investigation of him shortly thereafter. But who was the fifth? When Philby managed to escape to Moscow, concern grew. Had the mysterious fifth man tipped him off? Within the espionage world, Golitsyn was a deeply divisive figure. Some suspected that he was a fabulist, who embroidered his accounts of K.G.B. secrets in order to extend his usefulness to Western intelligence. Two people remained firmly convinced of Golitsyn’s bona fides, however. The first was Philby’s lunchmate at the C.I.A., James Angleton. The news about Philby convinced Angleton that the C.I.A. must be riven with moles as well, and he set off on a frenzied search for traitors which consumed the American intelligence community for the next decade. (Angleton, allegedly, would rummage through old files, muttering, “This is Kim’s work.”) The other was Peter Wright, of M.I.5, one of the most senior counterintelligence officials in the British government. Wright, born in 1916, was of the same generation as Philby. His father had been involved in signals intelligence during the First World War, and Wright followed him into the field. In 1954, he was hired as the principal scientific officer for M.I.5, and led the agency’s effort to modernize its eavesdropping and code-breaking efforts. Alarmed by Golitsyn’s revelations, Wright launched an internal investigation in the winter of 1962. “Over those unhappy months... as I pored through the files, back-checking and cross-checking the complex details of nearly eight years of frantic work, it all became suddenly very obvious,” Wright wrote in his best-selling 1987 memoir, “Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer.” “What until then had been a hypothesis, became an article of faith. There was a spy; the only question was who?” His attention focussed on two men: Roger Hollis, the head of M.I.5, and Hollis’s deputy, Graham Mitchell. “Was it Hollis,” Wright wondered, the aloof, pedestrian autocrat with whom I had enjoyed a civil but distant relationship? Or Mitchell, his deputy, a man I knew less well? There was a secretiveness about him, a kind of shyness which made him avoid eye contact.... I knew my choice would be based on prejudice, but in my mind I plumped for Mitchell. Wright placed his files in his safe each evening on top of tiny pencil marks, so that he could tell if they had been moved. One day, they had been. Only two men knew the safe’s combination: Mitchell and Hollis. “The shadows were gathering; treachery stalked the corridors,” he wrote. He put a camera inside Mitchell’s office behind a two-way mirror and watched him closely. (“It was an unpleasant task; every morning Mitchell came in and picked his teeth with a toothpick in front of the two-way mirror, and repeated the meticulous process again before lunch, after lunch, and then again before he went home.”) Wright searched Mitchell’s wastepaper basket, and painstakingly reconstructed pieces of paper that had been torn into pieces: nothing. Frustrated, he turned his attention to Hollis. Was he the spy? Certainly, that would make sense of Hollis’s “long-standing refusal to entertain any possibility of a penetration of the Service.” Wright began a “freelance” investigation of Hollis, mindful of the career consequences of investigating his own boss. He travelled to Oxford, and hunted through the university’s files for Hollis’s undergraduate transcript. He discovered that Hollis had never got his degree: “He left inexplicably after five terms.” Where did he go? Slowly, Wright built his case: “I had faith in his treachery as another man might have faith in God.” Something else that Golitsyn had said also stuck in Wright’s mind. The K.G.B. was apparently planning the assassination of a major Western politician, and the evidence suggested that the country in question was Great Britain. Hugh Gaitskell, the leader of the British Labour Party, died mysteriously in January of 1963. Did the K.G.B. kill him? Wright researched the disease that Gaitskell died from—a rare form of lupus. Gaitskell had visited the Soviet consulate in London to get a visa and had been served coffee and biscuits. Had he been slipped some kind of “lupus pill” at the time? Wright huddled with experts at the British chemical-warfare lab. He had Angleton comb through Soviet research papers for studies about the disease. Golitsyn hinted that the reason for the assassination was that the K.G.B. wanted to clear a path for its own man. Gaitskell’s successor as leader of the Labour Party was Harold Wilson, who would go on to become Prime Minister, in 1964. And what had Wilson done, when he was the president of the British Board of Trade, in the late nineteen-forties? He had repeatedly visited the Soviet Union. One of Wilson’s closest supporters, furthermore, was a wealthy garment manufacturer, based in his constituency, named Joseph Kagan. Kagan was a Holocaust survivor from Lithuania. He survived the German occupation in Kaunas, until the city was liberated by the Soviets, then walked with his wife across Europe to Romania, where he got a British visa. Once in England, he invented a waterproof material called Gannex—wool backed by nylon—and became a prominent manufacturer of raincoats. To Wright, Kagan’s story was simply too good to be true. In “The Wilson Plot,” the journalist David Leigh quotes from Wright’s private correspondence: We had been suspicious of Kagan for years because of the way he had escaped from the Soviet Zone after the war.... It had all the symptoms of an escape arranged by the K.G.B. We became very concerned when it became very clear that Kagan was courting Wilson’s friendship and patronage.... (Incidentally, the manufacture of raincoats is a well known cover for Soviet intelligence operations. “The Excellent Raincoat Company” was one of the main cover set-ups before the war for the Soviet network in Europe.) [cartoon id="a18414"] If Kagan was K.G.B., then where did it end? Wright eventually decided that six members of Wilson’s first cabinet were also Soviet operatives, along with a number of Labour Party backbenchers and a senior Party official. In his later years, Leigh says, Wright would roar at questioners, “No one should have been allowed to become Prime Minister who made twelve trips to Moscow!” Here we have two very different security models. The Philby-era model erred on the side of trust. I was asked about him, and I said I knew his people. The “cost” of the high-trust model was Burgess, Maclean, and Philby. To put it another way, the Philbyian secret service was prone to false-negative errors. Its mistake was to label as loyal people who were actually traitors. The Wright model erred on the side of suspicion. The manufacture of raincoats is a well-known cover for Soviet intelligence operations. But that model also has a cost. If you start a security system with the aim of catching the likes of Burgess, Maclean, and Philby, you have a tendency to make false-positive errors: you label as suspicious people and events that are actually perfectly normal. Was Gaitskell murdered? It turns out that he had been ill for a while, long before he had coffee and biscuits at the Soviet consulate. Wilson, the K.G.B.’s own archives confirm, was never a Soviet spy. Hollis seems to have been under suspicion by Wright and his small circle at M.I.5—and no one else. Christopher Andrew, in his definitive history of M.I.5, “Defend the Realm,” writes, “The KGB found the Hollis conspiracy theory so bizarre that some of its foreign intelligence officers suspected that it derived from ‘some mysterious, internal British intrigue.’ ” As for Kagan, Leigh points out how far-fetched Wright’s suspicions were. Could the K.G.B. in 1945 really have predicted that a penniless, malnourished Holocaust survivor would one day become “a very rich mackintosh manufacturer and make the acquaintance eight years later of an MP from Huddersfield who, ten years on from that, would become Prime Minister”? Wright called his book “Spycatcher.” During his entire career, he never actually caught any spies. Books about spies and traitors—and the congressional hearings that follow the exposure of traitors—generally assume that false-negative errors are much worse than false-positive errors. The disclosure of national-security secrets is so damaging that its prevention is worth almost any price. The Philby case, however, leaves a very different impression. On one side of the ledger, we have a senior counterintelligence official recklessly accusing the democratically elected leader of his own country of treason. On the other side, we have a series of false-negative errors that, in the end, don’t seem to add up to much. Macintyre tells us, for example, of Philby’s involvement in the case of a German intelligence official during the Second World War named Erich Vermehren. Vermehren defected in 1944 with his wife, bringing with him all his contacts within the German Catholic underground. Philby passed on the names to his Soviet handlers, who liquidated nearly everyone on the list. “The Vermehrens believed they were alerting the Allies to the men and women who might save Germany from communism,” Macintyre writes. “Unwittingly, they were handing them over to Moscow.” Morally, Philby’s betrayal of this secret was despicable. Strategically, it was of little consequence. When the Communists in East Germany eventually came to power, after all, they scarcely needed outside help in rounding up dissidents. Macintyre devotes the bulk of a chapter to an M.I.6 operation known as Operation Valuable. After the war, the British recruited Albanian exiles in Italy for guerrilla operations against the Communist government of Enver Hoxha. The would-be guerrillas were taken to Malta to be trained by (inevitably) an “eccentric Oxford don,” then dropped off near the Albanian coast to start an uprising. The operation was a disaster. Philby passed the details on to the Soviets, and they started picking off the guerrillas as soon as they landed. But then Macintyre goes on to tell us how ill-conceived the operation was from the beginning. British and U.S. intelligence never understood how well entrenched Hoxha was: “The planners had simply believed that ‘Albania would fall from the Soviet imperial tree like a ripe plum and other fruit would soon follow.’ ” Few of the Albanian volunteers had any military training. The British instructors didn’t speak Albanian. The Albanians didn’t speak English. According to Macintyre, one recruit’s understanding of his mission was, as a result, rather vague: “get into Albania, head for his hometown near the Greek border, sound out the possibilities for armed insurrection, then get out and report back.” Operation Valuable was the British Bay of Pigs. The strategic value of the secret that Philby betrayed in this case—that the British were cavalierly sending dozens of young men to their deaths—was very close to zero. Philby’s most significant breach happened during the Second World War, when he conned his way into M.I.6’s document room, and read the agency’s secret file on its intelligence assets in the Soviet Union. He reported what he found directly to Moscow: Britain had no spies in the Soviet Union. His handlers, however, refused to believe him—and Philby’s intelligence coup quickly aroused their suspicion. The K.G.B.’s reasoning, Macintyre writes, was that “the Soviet Union was a world power and MI6 was the most feared intelligence organization in the world; it therefore stood to reason that Britain must be spying on the USSR. If Philby said otherwise, then he must be lying.” This time around, the secret betrayed was significant. But its strategic value was still zero, because it is not enough for a secret to be of consequence; it must also be understood by those who receive it to be of consequence. Few secrets meet both conditions. Shortly after Golitsyn defected, another K.G.B. officer, Yuri Nosenko, followed him to the West. Golitsyn had said that there was a high-level mole within the C.I.A. Nosenko said there was not. The C.I.A. had a problem. The agency held Nosenko in solitary confinement for twelve hundred and seventy-seven days. He was a subject of numerous internal C.I.A. reports, one of which ran to eight hundred and thirty-five pages, which alternately made the case for his authenticity or for his duplicity. If Nosenko was a K.G.B. plant, intended to discredit Golitsyn, then Golitsyn’s account was confirmed. There was a mole within the C.I.A. But, if Nosenko was real, there was reason to wonder about Golitsyn—unless, of course, both were plants, or both were real but sometimes strayed from the truth. Somewhere, in the many thousands of pages of transcripts related to the debriefing of both men, there are valuable secrets. To this day, however, there is no agreement on which parts of that treasure trove are gold and which are dross. In a review of “Spycatcher” published in the journal Intelligence and National Security, the historian Harry Gelber made a similar point about the many betrayals and lost secrets that fuelled Wright’s feverish mole-hunting. Wright’s problem was that he was unable to assess the consequences of the intelligence losses. The Soviets got details of the Concorde’s electronics systems. Did this make any difference to the Soviet civilian or military aviation performance? Who knows if the Soviets even believed what they were told? The revelations about Britain’s atomic program leaked to the Soviets by Klaus Fuchs are believed to have accelerated the Soviets’ own nuclear operation by two years. In the grand scheme of things, did that two-year leap amount to anything? Gelber searched for some account of how the world would have been different if Fuchs or Philby or the Rosenbergs had never lived, and couldn’t find it. He concluded, “One cannot help being left with the uneasy suspicion that, just possibly, a good deal of what he tells may have mattered less than hard-working, intelligent but sometimes narrow-minded participants like Peter Wright spent their professional lives thinking it did.” Wright’s obituary in the Independent was a good deal blunter: “No British intelligence officer other than Kim Philby caused more mayhem within Britain’s secret services and more trouble for British politicians than Peter Wright, former assistant director of M.I.5.”CALLAWAY, Fla. — Authorities say a Florida mother who killed her 3-year-old son and stuffed him into a suitcase tried to buy a bus ticket out of town shortly after the killing. Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen says the child’s 27-year-old mother, Egypt Moneeck Robinson, faces a murder charge. He said “ritualistic sacrifice” is among the possible reasons the boy was killed. His body was found Dec. 29 behind their house near Panama City. The News Herald of Panama City reports that the woman made statements while being taken to the hospital about needing to save the child from the end of the world. Authorities recently said Robinson asked a clerk for a bus ticket to Ohio. She is being held without bond and has denied media requests for interviews.Natural units in Python Warning This project is currently in a pre-release state. It will be officially released once the unit tests are complete. natu is a free, open-source package to represent physical quantities. There are many Python packages that deal with units and quantities, but natu is uniquely system-independent. The units are derived from physical constants with adjustable values and dimensions. The value of a unit is factored into a quantity so that the quantity is not “in” any particular unit. This has the following advantages: Flexible : Different unit systems, including natural units (hence the name “natu”), can be represented by simply adjusting the base physical constants. : Different unit systems, including natural units (hence the name “natu”), can be represented by simply adjusting the base physical constants. Simple : Unit conversion is inherent. This results in quick computations and a small code base (about 1500 lines). By default, dimensions and display units are tracked to catch errors and for string formatting. This can be disabled to nearly eliminate the computational overhead while still providing the core features. : Unit conversion is inherent. This results in quick computations and a small code base (about 1500 lines). By default, dimensions and display units are tracked to catch errors and for string formatting. This can be disabled to nearly eliminate the computational overhead while still providing the core features. Intuitive : Each unit is a fixed quantity that is treated as a mathematical entity. A variable quantity is expressed as the product of a number and a unit, as stated in [BIPM2006]. : Each unit is a fixed quantity that is treated as a mathematical entity. A variable quantity is expressed as the product of a number and a unit, as stated in [BIPM2006]. Representative : The design reflects the way modern units are defined. Standards organizations such as NIST assign values to universal physical constants so that the values of units can be determined by physical experiments instead of prototypes. : The design reflects the way modern units are defined. Standards organizations such as NIST assign values to universal physical constants so that the values of units can be determined by physical experiments instead of prototypes. Scalable: The values of the base physical constants can scaled to prevent exponent overflow, regardless of the units used [Davies2012],. natu incorporates some of the best features of the existing packages: Units with offsets and even nonlinear functions are supported. For example: >>> from natu.units import degC, K >>> 0 * degC + 100 * K 100.0 degC >>> from natu.units import dB >>> ( 10 / dB + 10 / dB ) * dB # Multiply by adding logarithms. 100.0 Prefixes are automatically applied. For example: >>> from natu.units import km, m >>> km / m 1000 Display units are simplified using coherent relations automatically gathered from the unit definitions: >>> from natu.units import kg, m, s >>> 1 * kg * m 2 / s 2 1.0 J Units are automatically sorted into convenient submodules such as natu.groups.length. Nearly 40 physical constants are included. For example: >>> from natu.groups.constants import c >>> c 299792458.0 m/s Additional constants and units can be easily added to the definition files or defined in code. There are drop-in, quantity-aware replacements for math and numpy. Quantities can be used in NumPy arrays or vice versa (see here). There are no dependencies except for the numpy replacements (previous feature). Units can have fractional powers. For example: >>> from fractions import Fraction >>> m ** Fraction ( 1, 2 ) ScalarUnit m(1/2) with dimension L(1/2) (not prefixable) Units and quantities can be formatted for HTML, LaTeX, Unicode, and Modelica. For example: >>> '{:H}'. format ( 10 * m ** 2 ) '10.0 m<sup>2</sup>' This renders in HTML as 10.0 m 2. Rationalized and unrationalized unit systems are supported. Please see the tutorial for more examples. The links in the sidebar give the installation instructions and more information. License terms and development natu is published under a BSD-compatible license. Please share any improvements you make, preferably as a pull request to the master branch of the GitHub repository. There are useful development scripts in the hooks folder. If you find a bug, have a suggestion, or just want to leave a comment, please open an issue. References [Davies2012] K. Davies and C. Paredis, “Natural Unit Representation in Modelica,” in Modelica Conference (Munich, Germany), Modelica Assoc., Sep. 2012. FootnotesPat Bagley is easily my favorite political cartoonist, period. For the politically aware in Utah, he is almost legendary, enjoying superstar status. I’ve been aware of him since I was a kid, and I always loved his cartoons. Not only does his artistic style appeal to me, he has a way of illustrating a situation in politics that explains it more clearly than a thousand words. His cartoons are humorous, though darkly so. And with every one, you can’t help but feel he’s had the last word. I was very lucky to meet Mr. Bagley in 2016. It was at PechaKucha Night 2016, hosted by the Salt Lake City chapter of Women in Architecture, a professional organization promoting the advancement of women in architecture (a profession dominated by men). My gender gap studies were making headlines throughout 2015 (you can find a list here), and the group wanted me to give a very short talk on the topic. Pat Bagley was also a speaker that night, and clearly the star attraction both to the audience and the other speakers as well. Everyone wanted a picture with Pat Bagley. And we got one: I did not say much to Mr. Bagley. I told him he was my favorite political cartoonist bar none. He thanked me for the compliment (I got the impression that it was one he heard frequently), and he did not mind that I would be using one of his cartoons in my presentation, one inspired by my research. But otherwise we did not talk much; mostly I just listened to him shoot the breeze with one of the other speakers, discussing politics both national and local and his disgust with the behavior of the Utah state legislature, along with life at the Salt Lake Tribune. (You can guess what he said by watching this clip from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on the plight of local newspapers; both he and the editor of the Tribune, who I sat with at an Honor’s College fundraising dinner in 2015, have said the Tribune has felt those pressures, along with those brought on by a business deal with the LDS Church-owned Deseret News that, thankfully, no longer exists.) Every once in a while I would make a comment, but otherwise I was on the periphery. During my presentation, I gave him the shoutout he deserved, and he told me as I walked off the stage that he thought my presentation was excellent. That meant a lot to me. Mr. Bagley, being the star attraction, presented last. His presentation consisted of describing life as a political cartoonist and showing some of his favorite cartoons, which commented on Utah political and Mormon culture and the uncomfortable relationship between the legislature and the LDS Church. (I don’t think a video of his talk exists online, unfortunately.) It was simple but enjoyable, a great end to a great night, and I am just as big a fan as ever (as is obvious by the signed cartoon below). On October 27th of this year, the Tribune published this Bagley cartoon: The game is clearly playable, even though it’s no more fun than a game of Chutes and Ladders (and it’s obviously not supposed to be fun; it’s supposed to make a depressing point about life for those in poverty). I saw the cartoon/board game while the students in my R lab were working on their assignments. I spent a few minutes analyzing the game, and realized its simple structure could easily be analyzed via a Markov chain. Upon that realization I had no choice but to follow through with the analysis; it was an itch that had to be scratched. The game terminates when the player gets evicted. One could also consider “winning” the game being a state that ends the game. Eviction and a “win” can be considered absorbing states in the chain. Furthermore, other than the blue, yellow, and orange spaces, every colored space ends in eviction. The only way to “win” is to land on every grey space after the orange space (seven heads in a row, which has a probability of of occurring). Analyzing the above board, I came up with the following transition matrix, which I program into R: gmat <- rbind(c(0,.5,.5, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0), c(0, 0,.5,.5, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0), c(1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0), c(0, 0, 0, 0,.5,.5, 0, 0, 0, 0), c(0, 0, 0
strongest falls were recorded on the NSW north coast with 30.4 per cent, Bathurst and central west NSW with 29.9 per cent, and Hobart and south-east Tasmania with 25.8 per cent.Scientists propose that dinosaurs likely had feathers – but Studio Wildcard says it will continue to focus on scaly lizards because feathers are ‘really hard to do’. In its dinosaur adventure game, Ark: Survival Evolved, players hunt and tame dinosaurs. But despite recent scientific discoveries, and countless messages from hardcore dino-fans, the team does not intend to change how they look. “We made the conscious decision to not make all of our dinosaurs actual species,” explained co-founder and creative director Jesse Rapczak. “We’ve noticed that a lot of people are quick to point out: ‘Hey, dinosaurs have feathers now. The big lizard thing is not scientifically accurate any more’. It’s actually kind of stressful because people are really passionate about dinosaurs.” “So we don’t have a Tyrannosaurus Rex; we have another sub-species that we made up for the game – that’s our creative licence, right? We’re not trying to appeal to the overly scientific crowd. We try not to take it too seriously.” It’s a similar criticism to the one hurled at summer blockbuster Jurassic World. However, while the Silver Screen smash hit insisted on holding true to how people expect dinosaurs to look, Studio Wildcard at least tried to compromise. “We tried to put some feathers on some dinosaurs,” Rapczak told MCV@Gamescom. “Our velociraptors have a few feather-like things on them. “The thing is, it’s really hard to do good feathers in a game. So we limit the feathers a little bit, because it makes it easier for us.” Ark: Survival Evolved, already a hit on Steam Early Access, will make its console debut later this year via Xbox One’s Game Preview system.MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle has apologized to Fox News for stating Friday morning that the network had its Christmas party at Donald Trump Donald John TrumpREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails Trump urges North Korea to denuclearize ahead of summit Venezuela's Maduro says he fears 'bad' people around Trump MORE's new luxury hotel in Washington. "This is some serious business that I need to share. I need to apologize to the audience," Ruhle stated during MSNBC's 2 p.m. news hour ADVERTISEMENT "Today in a segment, I stated that the Fox network held their holiday party at Trump’s D.C. hotel. I was wrong. We have since learned that neither Fox nor an affiliate held any party," Ruhle continued. “I stand corrected. I apologize for the error. The mistake was entirely my error. I wish all my friends at Fox a very happy holiday no matter where you have your party,” Ruhle concluded. A Fox News spokesperson confirmed to The Hill on Friday that the network hasn't held any network Christmas parties yet. The allegation came after Ruhle, who hosts a mid-morning program following “Morning Joe,” asked a panel she was moderating if there was a conflict of interest between Trump as president in regards to his many businesses. “Think about the hotel in Washington now. The [Republican National Committee] is having their Christmas party there. Fox News had their Christmas party there. That doesn’t feel a little hanky?” Fox News also confirms that any Christmas parties the network plans on holding will not occur at any of Trump's properties. Instead, the network says, the Washington bureau will hold its party at the Liaison Capitol Hill.The video will start in 8 Cancel Get the biggest daily news stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email This shocking dashcam footage is thought to show the moment a plane crashed shortly after taking off in Malta. A plane crashed at Luqa airport shortly after taking off this morning. The crash, Malta's worst peacetime aircraft accident, happened at about 5.30am as the plane was heading for Misrata in Libya. Footage taken by local resident Laurent Azzopardi and posted on Facebook is believed to show the moment the plane came down. Writing on Facebook, Laurent said: "On my way to work this morning - a very shocking experience, a plane crash (very close)." Footage - which has been broadcast on local media sites - shows the plane rising in the air before seeming to lose power and crash towards the ground. (Image: Laurent Azzopardi) (Image: Laurent Azzopardi) (Image: Laurent Azzopardi) The wreckage is then engulfed by an enormous fireball. It has now been confirmed that five French customs officials were killed in the crash. Speaking to the Times of Malta, an eyewitness said the plane tipped to the right and “went straight down into the ground". (Image: Ed De Gaetano) (Image: Ed De Gaetano) It was initially reported the plane was leased from Luxembourg and used by officials from Frontex, which is the EU border management agency. However, Frontex, the European Border and Coastguard Agency, said it was not one of its planes. Sources now say those killed were French and it is not known if the plane was civilian or military. A local hospital has been placed in major incident mode. An eyewitness told the Times of Malta the the plane crashed "maybe 10 metres" from him. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now "I heard the scream of a plane, and then saw it come crashing down," he said. "It burst into flames immediately. Very little of the plane was left, just some debris." Part of the burning wreckage has ended up on a road outside the perimeter of the airport. The plane was on its way to Misurata, Libya. (Image: Ed De Gaetano) (Image: Ed De Gaetano) Actor Edward De Gaetano was on his way home back to London when he witnessed the aftermath of the crash. "We were about to take off, moments before we did from our windows we could see a massive explosion - at first we had no idea what caused it," he said. (Image: REUTERS) "We quickly realised an aircraft carrier had crash landed. That is when everyone got a bit anxious." He added: "Then there was a second explosion and I thought 'oh my god this is not just a fire'. We are all a bit stunned." Mr De Gaetano said it was "definitely not a military plane" which had crashed - with flames from the explosion "engulfing" a nearby tree. Before the crash he said everything seemed "very, very normal". "I just hope they find out what caused the crash and if there are any survivors they are OK," he told the Press Association. Emergency services are on the scene and service to and from Malta International Airport have been cancelled. The plane, a twin-prop Metroliner, can carry around 10 people.The Harper government is pressing pause on a decision to buy new jet fighters, including whether to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II without holding a competition, because it feels ministers need more information on other options before selecting a course of action. There will be no decision this month on the next step – whether to hold a competition for a new plane or purchase the F-35 outright – and it is very unlikely anything will be announced even by mid-July, The Globe and Mail has learned. Prime Minister Stephen Harper removed the item from the agenda of a recent meeting of cabinet's priorities and planning committee to give ministers more time to deliberate and gather information, people familiar with the matter say. Priorities and planning is the main cabinet committee that provides strategic direction. Story continues below advertisement Sources say the government feels it's being rushed and pressured by the Canadian Armed Forces and parts of the civil service to purchase the F-35 without a competition. The government, which took a serious credibility hit in 2012 over its poor management of the procurement process, is now concerned only one fully fleshed-out option has been presented for review and that it resembled a decision to be ratified rather than a well-developed option. Ottawa appeared on track to decide before the end of June after Public Works Minister Diane Finley announced in April that cabinet would take the "next several weeks" to review all reports on jet options that had been prepared as part of a "reset" of the fighter procurement process. As recently as mid-June, senior officials were talking privately about a decision in the next couple of weeks, and the government paved the way with a news conference where arm's-length experts praised fighter option deliberations on a replacement as "rigorous and impartial." Now, however, the Conservatives are trying to take it slower, concerned that the civil service was pushing too heavily for a decision to buy the F-35 fighters without competition before Ottawa had sufficiently considered the matter. These would replace Canada's aging CF-18 jets. "Cabinet hasn't decided when they will decide, and haven't determined what they'll decide," a senior government official said. "What has been determined is that they will take the necessary time to review the reports, and make a careful, considered decision." The government was irritated by what it saw as a growing perception among defence lobbyists and foreign governments that it had already selected a plane even before ministers had formally gathered to deliberate. It blames the bureaucracy for communicating this impression. "There has been an assumption that the F-35s were selected and that cabinet would just rubber-stamp the decision. That is not the case. They will review all of the options and make a decision." The Tories initially announced in 2010 that Canada would buy 65 F-35s without entertaining rival bids, but then backed off in the face of heavy criticism that this decision was made without due diligence. They restarted the procurement process in 2012. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement The Conservatives have privately debated whether to commit to a jet fighter purchase in advance of the 2015 federal election campaign. Those advocating selecting a plane feel they need to sew up a commitment in the name of doing what's right for the Canadian Armed Forces so they are ready to counter any proposals on the hustings next year from rival parties that might promise alternative uses for the same billions of dollars. As The Globe and Mail reported in April, Ottawa is considering two main options for its plans to commit $45-billion to controversial new fighter jets – and both point back to the Lockheed Martin F-35 as the clear front-runner. These two choices are: Continue with sole-source plans to buy a fleet of 65 F-35s, or launch a competition that, based on technical and financial data obtained by the government, would lead to the selection of the same aircraft. A third option would entail starting over – including rewriting the government's specified requirements so that other aircraft could win – but this process would take years and the military heavily resists this route. Canadian firms with contracts to supply the F-35 program have been lobbying Ottawa to buy the plane outright, arguing in a public letter that a competition "to simply delay making a decision is costly, unnecessary and not in the interests" of taxpayers or industry.Republicans on Capitol Hill fear that Stephen Bannon’s plan to wage primary challenges against incumbent senators will put their majority at risk in 2018. Senate GOP aides warn that Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, is not motivated by a desire to advance President Trump’s agenda, but instead by a quest to remake the GOP in his own, nationalist image. “If anyone misunderstands what Steve Bannon’s goal is, they have to open their eyes. He doesn’t care if we win or lose the Senate. He doesn’t care about the consequences for the president,” said one Senate Republican aide. ADVERTISEMENT “Mr. Bannon, it seems clear, does not care about Republicans maintaining their majority in either chamber. He’s putting his former boss’s agenda on the line in his quest of take over and destroy the Republican Party,” the source added. Bannon did not respond to an email summarizing the criticism of Senate GOP aides. The former White House adviser this week said he is working to field primary challengers against incumbents such as Sens. Roger Wicker Roger Frederick WickerHillicon Valley: Telecom industry to fundraise for Senate chair ahead of privacy hearing \| Report finds apps sharing personal data with Facebook \| DNC offers campaigns cybersecurity tips Telecom industry to throw fundraiser for Senate chair the night before data privacy hearing Trump signs executive order to boost AI technology MORE (R-Miss.), Deb Fischer Debra (Deb) Strobel Fischer College professor accused of vandalizing Nebraska GOP lawmaker's campaign signs Why Democrats are pushing for a new nuclear policy Trade official warns senators of obstacles to quick China deal MORE (R-Neb.), Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant HatchThe FDA crackdown on dietary supplements is inadequate Orrin Hatch Foundation seeking million in taxpayer money to fund new center in his honor Mitch McConnell has shown the nation his version of power grab MORE (R-Utah) and John Barrasso John Anthony BarrassoOvernight Energy: McConnell plans Green New Deal vote before August recess \| EPA official grilled over enforcement numbers \| Green group challenges Trump over Utah pipelines McConnell plans vote on Green New Deal before August recess Overnight Energy: Trump ends talks with California on car emissions \| Dems face tough vote on Green New Deal \| Climate PAC backing Inslee in possible 2020 run MORE (R-Wyo.). None are considered at risk of losing their reelection races. “Nobody is safe. We are coming after all of them, and we’re going to win,” Bannon said Monday on Fox News’s “Hannity.” The threat from Bannon is just the latest headache for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhite House pleads with Senate GOP on emergency declaration Senate Dems seek to turn tables on GOP in climate change fight Pence meets with Senate GOP for 'robust' discussion on Trump declaration MORE (R-Ky.) after a frustrating summer where he took heavy fire from the right and from his own president. McConnell should have little to worry about in 2018, given that Democrats are defending 25 seats, compared with only nine for Republicans. But Trump’s unpopularity and the possibility of brutal intraparty primary battles are threatening to scramble the map. The veteran election forecaster Charlie Cook this week said Republicans have only an even chance of holding the majority despite their advantages. “Given their current disarray, Republicans will need to fight hard to gain any new seats, and losing one or two of their own seats would put their majority in jeopardy,” Cook wrote in the National Journal. A second Senate Republican aide warned that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) might have to divert resources away from trying to capture Democratic-held seats in 10 states that Trump carried last year. “Every dollar the NRSC puts into protecting Republican incumbents is one less dollar that can be used to challenge Democrats,” the aide said. A Senate Republican strategist cautioned, however, that it is too soon to know what impact Bannon might have on next year’s primaries, noting that he will have to raise a lot of money to compete with leadership-allied fundraising committees. Conservative activists are undeterred, arguing that Republicans in Washington have become an impediment to Trump’s agenda. Bannon told CBS’s “60 Minutes” last month that the GOP establishment is “trying to nullify” the 2016 election and “do not support the president’s program.” “It’s an open secret on Capitol Hill. Everybody in this city knows it,” he said. Judson Phillips, the founder of Tea Party Nation, said Bannon is feeding on the frustrations of the GOP’s conservative base. A nine-month effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare fell apart last month, leaving the party without a major legislative accomplishment for the start of Trump’s presidency. “The Republicans said start electing us and we’re going to change things. Well, they have the House, the Senate and the White House, and ObamaCare’s not repealed, tax reform is not being done and the wall is not being built,” he said. “After all these years of promises the GOP is unwilling or unable to stand and deliver and the base is not going to tolerate it,” he said. But Senate Republican aides say Bannon is simply making it tougher for Republicans to cut deals on taxes, spending and other issues. “It makes it harder to enact the president’s agenda,” said the second Senate Republican aide. Bannon’s clout with the base grew last month after he helped former judge Roy Moore defeat incumbent Sen. Luther Strange Luther Johnson StrangeDomestic influence campaigns borrow from Russia’s playbook Overnight Defense: Senate bucks Trump with Yemen war vote, resolution calling crown prince'responsible' for Khashoggi killing \| House briefing on Saudi Arabia fails to move needle \| Inhofe casts doubt on Space Force Five things to watch in Mississippi Senate race MORE in an Alabama Republican runoff election. The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC allied with McConnell, spent more than $10 million to help Strange. Now Bannon is setting his sights on Barrasso, Hatch and Fischer. The possibility of a challenge from the right could make it tougher for Hatch, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, to strike a deal with Democrats on taxes or to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Senate GOP aides warn. Those aides say Bannon’s campaign also casts a cloud over bipartisan negotiations to stabilize the individual insurance market, which some lawmakers say is needed to help constituents living in areas of the country where private insurers have pulled out. Conservative strategists, however, are applauding the pressure from Bannon. They say it will give Republicans more incentive to back Trump’s priorities, such as construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which has made little headway in Congress this year. “It will make some of these Senate members look over their shoulders and worry whether they’re voting conservative or not,” said Brian Darling, a conservative strategist and former Senate Republican aide. “Primaries are always proved to move Republicans more to the right because they’re more worried about a primary challenge than a general election,” he added.Image caption Witnesses said the bus was gutted by the fire within 10 minutes A suicidal man started a fire on a packed commuter bus in south-eastern China that killed 47 people, state media report. They said a suicide note was found at his home in the port city of Xiamen, where the attack place. The suspect, named as Chen Shuizong, was among those killed. Police began a criminal investigation after traces of petrol were found on the diesel-powered bus and the fuel tank survived intact. More than 30 people were injured in the fire during the Friday evening rush hour. A local government statement quoted by Xinhua news agency, said Chen Shuizong - aged about 60 - had carried out the attack because he was unhappy with life and wanted to vent his anger. The statement added that DNA evidence identified Mr Chen as the key suspect. Witnesses said the bus was destroyed within 10 minutes by the fire and some heard a series of explosions, Reuters reported. After the incident, officials closed the entire express bus system which uses tracks above the city centre. It reopened on Saturday. A team led by China's Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun was sent to oversee the investigation. The BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai says there have been a number of attacks on buses and public buildings in China in recent years by people with personal and sometimes political grievances. In 2009 an unemployed man ignited petrol on a bus, killing himself and 26 others. Another 24 people died the same year in a shuttle bus fire started by a disgruntled steel worker.Being left-handed in baseball, except in rare cases, means exclusion from the position of catcher. This is due in large part to the game's counterclockwise flow. There have only been 30 left-handed throwing players who caught in at least 1 defensive inning. If you exclude the seven men who only caught in a single game, then you're talking about just 23 players. If you count only those guys who caught 100 or more games in a career, you're down to exactly five left-handed throwing catchers. However, if you're only counting career catchers (minimum of 800 games caught), then you have exactly one and that is Jack Clements. CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST & STATS Why left-handed throwers are effectively banned from catching is less obvious than why they can't play shortstop or third base. And perhaps completely wrong. The most common reason cited is that a left-handed catcher is at a disadvantage in making the throw to third base, especially with a right-handed hitter at the plate. While this may be true, the overall effect is debatable. The average major league team attempted 14.6 steals of third base during the 2008 season - - one every 11 games. Success rate of throwing out runners at third by a catcher was around 21% (3.07 caught out of 14.6 attempts). The success rate in 2008 at first base Pickoffs by a catcher with a left-handed batter at the plate was around 40%. Right-handed catchers appeared to have little problem with the pickoffs at first base, the equivalent of a lefthander's throw to third with a right-handed batter at the plate. The lack of left-handed catchers is more of a traditional thing than reality say most scouts. There are obstruction issues on some of the throws a catcher has to make, but there are some advantages to being left handed as well. One advantage is a left-handed catcher's ability to frame a right-handed pitcher's breaking balls. A right-handed catcher catches a right-hander's breaking ball across his body, with his glove moving out of the strike zone. A left-handed catcher would be able to catch the pitch moving into the strike zone and create a better target for the umpire. However, consummate left-hander Bill Lee argues against the left-handed catcher. "Lefties can't play catcher because your head hangs over home plate when you make a tag." "You've got the ball in your right hand, you're blocking the plate with your left foot. When you go to make the tag, you're exposed. A lefty catcher would get killed." Several left-handed throwing major leaguers has a stint at catching early in their careers. White Sox first baseman Mike Squires even caught 2 games in the majors. Randy Johnson (Diamondbacks ace pitcher) caught for a little while. Another reason there are no left-handed catchers today may be simply because there are few, if any, left-handed catcher's mitts available to young players. Virtually all left-handed mitts have to be top-of-the-line gloves specially ordered. Just add that to the list of obstacles that have gone up without apparent reason. But, left-handed catchers have played in the major leagues, although there have only been a few. The first left-handed throwing catcher was Fergy Malone (1871-1877) who caught 27 games in 1871. This is the very first year of major league baseball, although there is some dispute as to whether or not the 1871 National Association should be counted as major league. The Last left-handed throwing catcher to play the position was Benny Distefano who caught 3 games in 1989 for Pittsburgh. Through the 2008 season there have been 236 catchers (primary career position) who batted left-handed (out of the 1,693 career catchers). Of the 236 bat left catchers 225 threw right-handed. There were 11 who batted and threw left-handed and 3 who batted right and threw with their left. The strangest left-handed throwing player to be listed as the starting catcher in the major leagues was Phillies pitcher Christ Short. Short never actually went behind the plate; he was listed as the starting catcher for a game because the Giants wouldn't announce their starter, and was replaced by Jimmie Coker when the game started with the Giants starter, Billy O'Dell, on the mound.Sexologist Goedele Liekens and presenter Steve Jones discuss feelings and sensations with the couples after they do the deed. Sex Box is coming to New Zealand television screens this July, courtesy of TVNZ. The controversially-received Channel 4 series, which requires ordinary English couples to take to the stage, step into a windowless box, have sex and then discuss what they've just done with a live studio audience has been picked up by TV2. "Sex Box is a show with a difference," a TVNZ media statement read. "Inspired by the work of sex researchers, three couples will do what comes naturally – have sex – and then talk about it afterwards – whilst the feelings and sensations are still vivid and truthful." READ MORE: * All the reasons we don't have sex (box sets included) * People are having less sex and Game of Thrones may be to blame * On-demand and overwhelmed - 'always on' lifestyle burning Kiwis out The statement says that "while the talk will be intimate, the couples' love-making will be entirely hidden from view – inside the Sex Box". The series boasts expert advice and coaching from UN ambassador for sexual health Goedele Liekens, with former T4 presenter Steve Jones at the hosting helm. Sex Box was met with a wave of controversy when it first aired in 2013 and it's returned to UK screens for a second season, with the first episode baffling local audiences. Throughout the TV2 series, episodes airing here will feature a variety of different and daring sexual experiences, including a first time lesbian encounter, bondage, spanking and a test run of new sexual positions. In the UK, television critics from The Times suggested the intimate new series is best approached with "an open mind". "If you put aside your preconceptions, ignore the surrounding brouhaha and watch this programme with an open mind, it becomes difficult to criticise and impossible to condemn" the review read. Others deemed the series boring, and "the worst show I've seen in a long time" with The Telegraph UK describing the series as nothing more than "gimmick, prurience, exploitation and dullness." While no official air date has been released, TVNZ are scheduled to premiere the series on TV2 in July of this year.Firefighters are continuing to battle a fierce blaze at a Broadmeadows tyre recycling plant, which has sent a thick smoke plume across the city. A pile of tyres at an industrial site on Maygar Bvd in Broadmeadows caught fire about 9am, producing a smoke column that can reportedly be seen as far as 75km away. (9NEWS) () More than 50 firefighters aided by water-bombing helicopters are still battling to get the inferno under control. The Metropolitan Fire Brigade issued the Watch and Act warning for people in Broadmeadows, Campbellfield, Coolaroo, Dallas, Fawkner, Gladstone Park, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Jacana, Lalor, Meadow Heights, Reservoir, Thomastown and Westmeadows. (9NEWS) () Firefighters are advising anyone within the affected areas to shelter indoors and to make sure all doors, windows and vents are shut and all heating and cooling systems turned off. They have also advised people to avoid the area and Maygar Boulevard and Park Street, which are both partially closed. (Alan Lang, Supplied, 9news.com.au) () The 3000m² blaze, which has already consumed more than 120,000 tyres, is producing toxic smoke, which is headed towards the Hume Highway, with northerly winds of up to 15km/hour expected throughout the afternoon. MFB deputy chief officer David Youssef said despite the warnings, he did not believe it posed a danger to the community. (9NEWS) () “We understand that people will be concerned about the smoke that they see... we really just want people to stay indoors and close their windows,” he said. “All smoke is toxic but at the moment, because of the wind conditions, fortunately it is not coming down to ground level so we don’t have any significant concerns for the community. (Chris, supplied, 9news.com.au) () “We would ask people to continue to monitor the media and maintain a watch on what’s going on.” Thick plumes of billowing black smoke from the blaze have been sighted across the city, with one photograph showing a Qantas jet dodging the airspace above the fire. (Zane D'Silva, supplied, 9news.com.au) () The cause of the blaze at present remains unknown. Up to 80 firefighters will continue to fight the blaze through the night, with stronger winds posing an extra challenge. (Sonia Jajo, supplied, 9news.com.au) () Authorities say the fire could burn anywhere between 24 and 36 hours. Check the MFB website for updates. © Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2019Warning: This article contains language and subject matter that may be NSFW. On Sunday, hackers leaked dozens of intimate photos of numerous celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Krysten Ritter and Ariana Grande, in what many have dubbed #CelebGate. The users of popular link-sharing site Reddit have given a more masturbatory name: “The Fappening.” The flagrant sharing of these intimate photos has sparked a strange conflict among Redditors: The site has a robust position as a platform for unfiltered free speech, but redditors also fiercely guard their privacy. Disclosing the identity, or “doxing,” other users is strictly prohibited by Reddit’s rules, and users who violated are regularly banned from the site. For now, however, it looks like the “free speech” side is winning. Originally leaked to 4chan’s notorious /b/ imageboard by a hacker allegedly seeking Bitcoin donations, the photos have spread across the Internet like wildfire, to the dismay of the celebrities involved. Reddit has become a particular hub for the photos. While Reddit hosts none of the photos itself, its users are linking to them off-site and discussing them with impunity—and now the moderators of the new community (called a subreddit) r/thefappening claim that the site’s admins are aware of the photos and happy to see them shared on Reddit, despite the threat of legal action. Reddit’s site-wide rules forbid the posting of “person information,” which these photos certainly seem to constitute. Posting “publicly available” information on celebrities is acceptable—but “it is not okay” to post links to “screenshots of Facebook profiles,” or anything potentially “inviting harassment.” If a users’ Facebook photos are a no-go, then it seems implausible in the extreme to suggest that stolen intimate photos could not also be considered “personal information.” Despite this, links to previous leaked photos shared on the site—including of Demi Lovato and Jennette McCurdy—remain live, several months later. Twitter is actively deleting the photos, and reportedly suspending users who continue to face them, and image-hosting site Imgur also appears to be taking steps to remove the content—though dozens of albums are still online and linked to from across Reddit. Some users have accused Reddit admins of censorship and deleting the photos—but this does not appear to be the case. Instead, individual mods of some subreddits are taking the proactive decision to delete the images; for example, the mods of r/jenniferlawrence, an early repository of the photos, have decided “to remove all of them and continue to keep this sub clean of them.” Meanwhile, r/celebs’ moderators have made the decision to continue to link to them, apparently without consequences. “It seems pretty scummy (to me, at least) to allow this stuff here since it was obtained without the consent of the women involved,” but nonetheless, “as of right now, we are still allowing these pics here,” reads an official statement by r/celebs moderator atticus138. The epicentre of the leaked photos, r/thefappening, has gained almost 75,000 subscribers in its 15-hour lifespan—a number that continues to rise by the minute. An official statement in the subreddit apparently confirms that the Reddit admins are indeed are aware of the subreddit, but have simply decided to remove r/thefappening from appearing on Reddit’s front page of most-popular posts, known as r/all. “Some of you have wondered why you are not seeing any posts from this subreddit in r/all,” a statement reads. “Per the suggestions of reddit’s admins we have decided to remove this subreddit from r/all indefinitely. We did not act on this until we were contacted by the admins and they politely suggested we take this action.” Reddit did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment. In the absence of confirmation, there is another option: that the moderators of r/thefappening are lying about the contact with Reddit administrators. But it’s unclear why they’d do this: Lying about the admins’ policies would likely endanger their subreddit’s existence, and other the mods subreddits—notably r/celebs—freely admit that they’ve made similar decisions to withdraw from r/all “because it seemed to be in bad taste,” without any admin involvement. One user speculates that the admins are trying to keep the content “quarantined” in r/thefappening—but even if the subreddit’s moderators are lying, the photos are nonetheless being shared widely across Reddit with seemingly no repercussions. So, is Reddit’s stance actually illegal? It’s unclear. Reddit hosts none of the images itself (the site doesn’t have that functionality), but the site’s admins appear to be happy to continue to have them linked to. A spokesperson for Jennifer Lawrence has already confirmed that they intend to “prosecute” anyone who posts the photos, but it’s not clear if this threat extends to websites that allow the posting of links to them, or what criminal charges might be used against those who share the photos online. Of course, even if it’s not illegal, then that doesn’t mean it’s ethical. Lawrence’s spokesperson described the leak as a “flagrant violation of privacy,” and linking to the photos seems to run counter to Reddit’s own strongly pro-privacy culture. After Gawker’s Adrien Chen unmasked the identity of controversial moderator Violentacrez, the moderators of dozens of large subreddits made the decision to ban Gawker articles, so fiercely they guard their users’ privacy. As such, Reddit’s admins’ apparent position is out-of-kilter with its own rules and the community’s collective values. This seeming contradiction has not gone unnoticed: Twitter users have lined up to lambast the site and its users for sharing the photos, with Reddit “celebrity” shitty_watercolor among the critics: Reddit/4chan/etc: “The NSA is invading our privacy. Expose them.” “Dude, look at these nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence some guy stole!” — Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) September 1, 2014 The top ten posts right now on reddit – which hates doxing, remember – are illegally acquired nudes — Gamer Murderer 69 (@a_girl_irl) August 31, 2014 Some Redditors defend the sharing of the photos on principle, with Megaross saying “no one has the right to say what you shouldn’t see,” and that “it’s a slippery slope from celebrity nudes to political statements to media alteration and blackout.” Others, however, are extremely critical of those that defend the photos on the grounds of free speech. In a moment of extreme irony, the moderators of r/thefappening have actually warned redditors that if they post any information about the potential identity of the leaker(s) of the photos and videos, they will immediately be “BANNED FROM THIS SUBREDDIT.” Redditors on r/videos have also poked fun at the userbase’s hysterical reaction the photos with videos: Some of the actresses involved have claimed the alleged photos are “fake”—but others, like Lawrence, have confirmed their veracity. Actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead angrily railed against those posting the photos on Twitter: To those of you looking at photos I took with my husband years ago in the privacy of our home, hope you feel great about yourselves. — Mary E. Winstead (@M_E_Winstead) August 31, 2014 Going on an internet break. Feel free to my @’s for a glimpse of what it’s like to be a woman who speaks up about anything on twitter 👍 — Mary E. Winstead (@M_E_Winstead) September 1, 2014 Glee star Becca Tobin, on the other hand, seems to have embraced the leak of her private photos—or at least decided to feign lightheartedness: Merry XXXmas! — Becca Tobin (@becbecbobec) September 1, 2014 Reddit’s admins may yet perform an about-face and ban the subreddit and links to the photos: After all, it wouldn’t be the first time the site curtailed discussion of a breaking news story after it got out of hand. In the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Bombings, a subreddit established to search for clues descended into a “witch hunt,” admitted the admins, doxing totally innocent Americans, and was eventually banned. But even if that happens, the fact remains: Reddit admins apparently saw the growth of r/thefappening, discussed it, and chose to do nothing. The Daily Dot has reached out to Reddit, to Imgur, and to the moderators of r/thefappening, and will update if they respond. Photo via Ian Muttoo/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0) \| Remix by Jason ReedThis paper is the latest version of my attempt to convey to others the sense of a model and my understanding about current financial markets that I have been developing and using for my own financial planning and my advice to others since 2009. It is an amalgam of some simple observations and statistical regularities with some comments about the economic theory toolbox that is in widespread use but which is not functional in current circumstances. One of my economist mentors and a founding member of the Fraser Institute’s Editorial Advisory Board, Harry Johnson, used to say that most things about economics are simple; the problem is to recognize simplicity when you see it. At the core of this paper are a few simple observations. The first is that while the virtues of saving and the evils of indebtedness are widely understood and universally supported, the fact is that every saver who wants to earn a return needs a debtor as an accomplice. Because of the anonymity of financial institutions, the connection is not appreciated and indeed most people taking a loan or a mortgage think they are getting it from the bank or credit union. Of course, they are getting it from a saver/depositor who needs the borrower as much as the borrower needs the saver. The second observation is that our theories or models for describing whole economies rely on the extrapolation to the national level what we observe in the behavior of individuals. So, the standard theory about interest rates and saving is based on how an economy would behave if it were the simple aggregation or summation of all households on the assumption they all behave like a typical household. As long as the typical household is representative, that is not a problem. However, there is strong reason to believe that in the current economy of the world, typicality, if I can call it that, has broken down;
as well. Additionally, cities can and should waive all development levies and other municipal fees for affordable rental and ownership housing. Combined, these two measures provide municipalities with powerful leverage to implement inclusionary zoning — the most important tool in the affordable housing tool box. Inclusionary zoning on a city-wide basis creates a level playing field, an opportunity for a constructive partnership between municipalities and private sector developers to create both affordable ownership and rental homes within every new building approved for construction. The development industry will undoubtedly object, at least at the outset, just as it did over greenbelt legislation 10 years ago. It didn’t take long for the best and brightest to adapt to the new reality. Building endless subdivisions at four units per acre quickly became a thing of the past and the most nimble developers embraced higher density approaches to creating new communities. The same will be true for inclusionary zoning. After an initial outcry, creative minds will turn to implementation, to making it happen. The key for both the city and development industry is that implementation will happen through the non-profit housing sector, which has remained strong despite several decades in the wilderness. The Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto, Kehilla Residential Programme, Habitat for Humanity and a host of other experienced agencies will become delivery partners that will support and nurture program participants in their new communities to ensure long-term success. Article Continued Below As we move toward a national housing strategy and begin utilizing all the tools in the affordable housing tool box, there is still more that can be done today. Non-profit agencies are working feverishly to push back the tidal wave of demand for affordable housing. But each one of them needs help. Dixon Hall, Covenant House, Eva’s Initiatives, EGALE, Yonge Street Mission and many more. Pick up the phone. Call one of them. Engage. It is time for every one of us to become a champion for affordable housing. Landlords with vacant suites. Church groups with vacant land. Corporations taking “social responsibility” seriously. Individuals looking to make an immediate impact with their charitable dollars. Let us seize this moment and take action on affordable housing. Mitchell Cohen is president of The Daniels Corporation, where he leads his company’s efforts on the Regent Park Revitalization project, which is providing affordable and market housing in Toronto’s east end. Read more about:Peter Svidler is close to reaching the final of the 2015 FIDE World Cup. All he needs is a draw with white tomorrow after beating Anish Giri in a Zaitsev Ruy Lopez today. All photos courtesy of FIDE. After the first of only two rest days in total, the FIDE World Cup resumed today with only four players. For what has now become a very small event, the organizers created an elevated stage in the Fairmont Hotel's Grand Ball Room — another sign of the high level of organization in Baku. The tension keeps on growing obviously. The net amount of U.S. $96,000 for the World Cup winner is at stake. At the same time one could say that the semifinals are two small finals, because in both cases the winner will directly qualify for the Candidates’ Tournament. Only two tables left — now on an elevated stage. The only player of the four who doesn't feel the “Candidates’ pressure” too much is Anish Giri. If he won't reach the World Cup final, he has a very good chance to qualify by rating, like Veselin Topalov will. One player who is rooting for Giri is Vladimir Kramnik, because at the moment he is next in line for the other rating spot. For him, and all the Dutch fans, it was bad news that Giri started with a loss today. The Dutch grandmaster started with 1.e4, and that was already a surprise for Svidler. “For some reason I failed to consider propely the fact that he can actually play 1.e4. He generally plays the closed openings against me,” he said in the official broadcast. “I kind of checked the entire Grünfeld in the morning and some other things and after 1.e4 I was sitting there thinking: I should have at least made a plan!” It's hard to believe, but Svidler had no plan against 1.e4. Svidler decided to not do anything fancy, but play one of his main defenses as Black these days: a sideline of the Zaitsev that is growing in popularity. As he couldn't remember all his notes, he spent quite some time while Giri was still in his preparation by move 20. The latter made one or two questionable decisions on the queenside, then failed to create an attack that led to checkmate, and could resign right after the time control. “He was completely in control of this game,” said Svidler. “All of the major decisions were taken by him and I was just sitting there waiting for the moment where I have to make some hard choices. Eventually when I was forced to make them I think I made decent ones. “But it's more that he lost the game than that I won.” Here's Peter Svidler analyzing his game with Evgeny Miroshnichenko: Looks like @anishgiri is having his off day and getting punished. More reason it would be insane to consider this as a World Championship. — Hikaru Nakamura ( @GMHikaru ) September 27, 2015 Anish Giri lost his first game since 31 May 2015, when he was defeated by Yuri Solodovnichenko in the French league. Will he return to his Taimanov for tomorrow's must-win game? The other semifinal is played between two members of the Ukrainian team that won the 2004 Olympiad. Back then, Eljanov and Karjakin were first and second reserve, behind Vassily Ivanchuk, Ruslan Ponomariov, Andrei Volokitin and Alexander Moiseenko. Eljanov still represents Ukraine; Karjakin moved to Russia years ago. There isn't really any tension between the two though; in last week's Chess.com interview Eljanov said he had no bad relations with his Russian colleagues. In an old line of the Queen's Indian that Jan Timman already used in the early 1980s, Karjakin ended up with an isolated queen's pawn. Pushing all the way to d3 didn't solve his opening problems. On move 22 Stockfish's evaluation is a juicy 1.77 at a depth of 26 half moves, so apparently Black has some trouble getting back his coordination, and the a7-pawn drops along the way. Eljanov definitely had winning chances today. Eljanov played something else, and allowed his opponent to equalize. Karjakin seems to have missed one or two easy draws, and eventually had to defend a RN vs RN ending a pawn down, which he did splendidly. Annotations by GM Dejan Bojkov 2015 World Cup \| Round 6, Day 1 ResultsOwen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in "The Internship." YouTube/The Internship If you've ever had an internship, or seen "The Devil Wears Prada", you know that sometimes working as an apprentice means fetching coffee, making copies, and doing the busy work no other salaried employee feels like doing. This is supposed to teach you what it's like to work in the "real world," and sometimes, you walk away with the skills and contacts to help you get ahead when it's time to catapult yourself into corporate America. Other times, you don't. At big tech companies like Google, internships are highly sought after positions, so we were dying to find out: what is interning at Google really like? We checked out this thread on Quora, where former interns talked about their experiences at Google. This is what we learned: It's kind of like college. Devin Finzer, part of the Google Internship class of 2011, wrote on Quora that the collaborative environment was not all that unlike his experience in his college classes. "It's really low-stress," he writes (though he notes other interns may not have shared this same sentiment) "and you get to learn about all aspects of the Google business." Molly Long was an intern in Seattle this year and wrote on Quora that the Google environment made it really easy to meet other interns, get to know them, and work together. "There are, quite literally, no secrets." "The open office also mirrors how open the company is internally," Long wrote on Quora. "There are quite literally, no secrets. There's [a meeting] every Thursday where Larry and Sergey, the founders, answer company-wide questions, broadcasted to the entire company. They present the new Google technologies so they can get feedback on it from everyone. For example, Google Glass, was presented at [the meeting], several months before it was announced public." The interns aren't getting coffee. "The Devil Wears Prada" www.thederniercri.net Paul Baltescu was a two-time intern in 2010 and then again in 2011. He said he worked on tons of different projects, including Display Ads and Mobile Search, which helped him hone his computer engineering skills. Long says Google has the system down pat. First, you get a phone call from your host, who tells you a little bit about the area you're being assigned to so there are absolutely no surprises -- you can even choose to decline that project if it doesn't interest you! "I think this process works out really well for the interns and the hosts," she writes, "and I think most of the interns that I've talked to really enjoy what they are working on (me included!)" They have something to show for their work. Baltescu has an easy time describing his internship to anyone who asks because he has visual proof of his labor. He worked on a Mobile Search project that helped revamp the Google search preferences page for high end phones. "You can check them out," he wrote on Quora, "by going into 'preferences' on your phone." It's all about the perks! Across the board, it looked like everyone was thrilled with the perks that came along with being an intern for Google; the same perks full-time employees get. Baltescu listed a few: "free food & refreshments, free gym membership, laundry, dancing lessons, etc." There are also intern events: paintball, laser tag, watch a SF Giants game and all of the summer interns go on a luxury boat trip on the San Francisco Bay. Scott Barbour/Getty Images He and Long both wrote that they were able to travel to other Google campuses as well. It's not exactly like the movie. "The Internship" which stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn came out this past summer, and showcases a fictional tale of two guys trying to score a coveted internship at Google. Long says her internship experience wasn't exactly like Wilson and Vaughn's. The perks (everything I described earlier), yes. The ruthless competitiveness towards each other, no. Rather, mos t major tech companies encourage a collaborative environment. You're not trying to outsmart your friend working across from you or backstab them while they're taking a bathroom break. Case in point, I've helped my friends debug their problems and even point them to people that might help and I'd say most people are equally as friendly here :) You're important, but you're definitely an intern (and don't you forget it). Jesse Radin, a former Google intern, posted on Quora that the worst part is "the smug attitude of those who work for the REAL Google. They seem to think that anyone who isn't working for the actual Google like they are is somehow mentally and morally inferior." Yes, you'll get paid. The New York Post reported in June that Google interns are among the highest-paid interns anywhere, earning up to $20k for a three-month stint at the headquarters.Asynchronous programming is everywhere – user interaction, network access, file I/O. Dart simplifies and enhances these scenarios with the 1.9 release. Today’s release introduces async methods and await expressions built on top of our existing Future API. You can now use familiar control flow features – for/while loops, if blocks, and try/catch – to manage complex asynchronous interactions. These new features are explained thoroughly the Dart Language Asynchrony Support: Phase 1 article. Before Dart’s Future API makes it easier to compose asynchronous operations, but handling conditional cases and errors can still be difficult. After async and await make implementing the same functionality straightforward. We are also introducing generator methods – sync* and async* – that make it easy to lazily generate sequences, eliminating almost all cases where developers need to create custom iterators or manually manage stream creation. For more information, read the Asynchrony Support: Phase 2 article. For a high-level overview of all of these new features, take a look at the Asynchrony section of the Dart Language Tour. In addition to async, Dart 1.9 includes a number of other enhancements. enum, a long-requested feature, is now fully supported. The Dart Analyzer has moved to the Dart Analysis Server. This makes it much easier to integrate Dart source analysis into IDE’s beyond the Dart Editor (for instance, IntelliJ and Sublime). We've updated the regular expression engine for the Dart VM. It's up to 150x faster than the previous implementation. The Isolate API has now been fully implemented in the Dart VM, making it much easier to create applications that target multiple CPUs. For a full list of the changes in this release, take a look at the release notes. Visit the Dart download page to get started with Dart 1.9. Check out the Dart support page for information on getting help, filing issues, and contributing to the project.Motorists in western Pennsylvania were forced to slow down and get out of the way when a giant spool of wire came barreling at them after falling off a truck. The wooden object was caught on camera rolling the wrong way on Route 40 in Fayette County around 9 a.m. Wednesday. In the video, cars can be seen pulling over as the spool comes toward them, bouncing off both medians before flipping over and coming to a stop. The video was captured by Dave Cole, an Alabama native. Cole told the Pittsburgh CBS affiliate that he saw the spool and a spare tire come off of a tractor-trailer. A truck driver himself, Cole had some advice for the driver of the trailer in question: “We do a lot of traveling and hauling. That’s key, make sure your load is secured. Obviously, they didn’t have the right equipment there,” Cole said. “Luckily, everybody was okay, but it was pretty crazy.”Admission will be free at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum in Yorba Linda today for Presidents Day, while the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley will mark the holiday with a free set of family-oriented activities. The Nixon Library in Yorba Linda will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the first 100 guests receiving a free slice of cherry pie. Actors portraying the presidents depicted on Mount Rushmore — Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and George Washington — will be available for pictures throughout the day. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward Larson will discuss his new book, “The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789” at 6 p.m. “The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789” chronicles the period of Washington’s life between his stepping down as commander-in-chief after leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War and taking office as president and uncovers Washington’s vital role in shaping the Constitution. More information on the Nixon Library is available by calling (714) 993- 5075 or online at nixonfoundation.org or nixonlibrary.gov. The Reagan Library in Simi Valley will conduct its 23rd annual Presidents Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature crafts, musical entertainment, storytelling and presidential and first lady lookalikes. Admission is free to the celebration, with food available for purchase. The library will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with its regular admission rates — $16 for adults, $9 for children ages 11 to 17 years old, $6 for children ages 3 to 10, and $13 for ages 62 and older. Children 2 and under are admitted free. More information on the Reagan Library is available by calling (805) 522- 2977 or online at reaganfoundation.org. Although commonly known as Presidents Day, the Monday holiday is still legally Washington’s Birthday. The holiday was shifted from Feb. 22 to the third Monday in February 1971 under the terms of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968. Because the holiday falls between Feb. 15 and 21 it can never fall on the actual anniversary of Washington’s birth in 1732. The term Presidents Day began being popularized in the 1980s, when retailers combined sales formerly held in conjunction with Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays.The actor who played Brian, the flair-obsessed Chotchkie's waiter from Office Space, has lost a lawsuit in which he accused 20th Century Fox of using his image to sell "illegal flair." Todd Duffey was specifically referring to the Office Space Box of Flair, a kit that contains 15 of the 37 buttons you'd need to be a model Chotchkie's employee like Brian. He claimed that Fox owed him for using his photo on the product's packaging and the enclosed "Guide to Flair" book, and using his image as the flair guy to sell the product. He wanted damages, attorneys' fees, and "the destruction of the illegal flair." No dice. Duffey signed away all his promotional rights for Office Space in a day player agreement, including the right to use images from his performance to sell crappy spin-off products. Here's U.S. district court judge J. Paul Oetken expressing himself in a decision to dismiss the case: "There is only one reasonable way to read the relevant terms: Duffey granted Cubicle all rights to 17 images of his performance in Office Space, including the right to use his image on Office Space merchandise." In case you're curious what else Duffey's been up to since Office Space, he wrote a piece for L.A. Weekly last year about his life as "That Guy." (Spoilers: Typecasting. Free beer.) [H/T: Consumerist]SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Claudia Gadelha returned to the win column with a unanimous decision victory over Cortney Casey at UFC Fight Night 100, but it didn’t come without controversy. The Brazilian strawweight dominated the action against Casey, but threw an illegal kick to a downed opponent in the third round. Casey complained, but the referee didn’t deduct a point. Gadelha apologized to her opponent at the post-fight press conference, but says that the kick didn’t actually land on Casey’s head. "I don’t think the kick landed," Gadelha said. "I was expecting her to get up. She pretended she was going to get up but she sat back down, so I threw the kick anyway. That’s why I said sorry." Gadelha did not call out any opponent inside the Octagon, but did it at the post-fight press conference: Carla Esparza, a former UFC champion who was scheduled to face the Brazilian talent a few times in the past, is who she wants next. "I really want to fight Carla. She’s a former champion in the UFC," Gadelha said. "I’ll fight anyone in the division. I tell the UFC all the time. If they give me Carla now, and I beat her, I’m down to fighting for the title again. It only depends on the UFC. But I really want to fight for the belt." Holding a 14-2 record with both of her losses coming against current UFC champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Gadelha knows that earning another title shot would be tough with the Polish star as champion. "The easiest path would be (Joanna) losing and me fighting someone else," Gadelha said, "but I think it’s hard for someone to beat Joanna today. She’s the most dominant athlete in the division."The city of Chicago is ending its two-year adventure with buying electricity on behalf of its residents. Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration has concluded that it won't be able to save households money on their electric bills and will send all customers participating in the city's contract with Constellation back to Commonwealth Edison this fall. When the city negotiated an agreement with Integrys Energy Services in late 2012 to supply electricity to the city's residences and small businesses, it was the largest such municipal pact in the country. The deal saved households substantial sums in early 2013. But last summer it ended up costing many customers more than they would have paid with ComEd. The city's decision to pull the plug is the strongest sign yet that the savings Illinois municipalities were delivering to their constituents by buying power on their behalf are largely gone. “Continuing the program would not have resulted in substantial savings for consumers while returning residents to ComEd will reinvigorate funding for investment in the state's renewable energy portfolio,” Emanuel's office said in a statement. LIMITED MARKET The Chicago area is returning to the state of play that existed before a 2007 state law allowed cities and villages to contract with electricity suppliers on behalf of their households after gaining voter permission through referendums. In the future, the competitive market to supply households is expected to be limited, with most of the market action focused on serving midsized and large businesses. As more municipal contracts expire within the next few years, Chicago-based ComEd once again will be a full-service utility—procuring the energy and then delivering it—for the vast majority of households and small businesses in its Northern Illinois service territory. The initial opportunity for substantial savings was due to above-market ComEd prices caused by some out-of-the-money long-term contracts. Those contracts have run their course, and ComEd's energy prices now essentially reflect the market. The city's contract with Baltimore-based Constellation, which the Exelon retail energy supply unit inherited last year when it acquired Integrys Energy Services, expires at the end of May. Both parties have agreed to extend the agreement through the summer to ensure that ComEd isn't caught short on power supply during the highest-demand months of the year. Constellation, a sister company of ComEd, has agreed to charge city households and small businesses participating in the program 7.145 cents per kilowatt-hour in June, July and August or the comparable ComEd price, whichever is lower. Most Chicagoans, who currently are subject to a convoluted arrangement featuring a monthly fixed charge accompanied by a fee that varies with usage, will pay less for power than they do now. Electricity accounts for about 60 percent of the typical electric bill, while the regulated rate to deliver the juice makes up the rest. With the move, Constellation loses at least half of the 1.2 million customers it added when it bought Integrys last year. Constellation historically has been mainly a power and gas supplier to businesses, but it has grown as a residential supplier recently. At the time of the deal, Constellation said adding Integrys would bring its customer count to 2.5 million nationwide. AUTOMATIC TRANSFER Households and small businesses will go back to ComEd beginning in September. They won't have to do anything to make the change; the transfer will be automatic. Chicago's contract with Integrys barred the purchase of any coal-fired electricity, a novel environmental benefit the city emphasized when customer savings evaporated last year. That feature is going away. But the city said the return to ComEd will incentivize investment in more renewable power in Illinois. That's because the Illinois Power Agency, which negotiates power purchases on behalf of utility customers statewide, will see its portfolio grow again. Under state law, the IPA is required to buy a growing percentage of electricity from wind and solar generators, and a bigger portfolio will give the agency greater purchasing power to procure energy from renewable sources. The IPA recently completed its power procurement for the year beginning June 1. But it's planning a fall procurement, which will ensure that ComEd has enough electricity contracted beginning in the fall to meet the greater demand from the influx of Chicago customers.A consortium of robotics experts published an updated Roadmap for US Robotics -- a document that is designed to help Congress understand the current state of robotics so that policymakers can determine where to allocate resources. The first edition was put together in 2009 by 160 people, with half of the contributors from industry and half from academia. This Roadmap led the Obama administration to create the National Robotics Initiative, which provided up to $70 million in research funding for next-generation robotics. Robotics research has progressed dramatically in recent years, and although researchers updated the document in 2013, they revisited it again this year, ahead of the 2016 presidential election. In the last few years, there has been significant development in drones, driverless cars, and collaborative robots. Therefore, the researchers suggest additional support (read: funding) for studies on human-robot interactions in order to integrate robots into daily life. On a fundamental level, they also urge a strong focus on STEM education. The researchers write, "Over the last few years we have seen tremendous progress on robot technology across manufacturing, healthcare applications autonomous cars and unmanned aerial vehicles, but also core technologies such as camera systems, communication systems, displays and basic computing. All this combined motivates an update of the roadmap." Dr. Henrik I. Christensen, a University of California San Diego researcher and the document's lead editor, tells ZDNet that the US is no longer a leader in designing robots for manufacturing. Instead, most industrial robots are built in Japan, Germany, or Switzerland. However, he says, "In terms of medical robotics US is the clear leader, with 95 percent of the global market." The US also leads with service robots from companies such as iRobot, Symbotic, and Aethon. China and the US are top providers of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and the US and Germany are leading with driverless cars. The researchers point out that China, South Korea, Japan, and India are investing heavily in higher education and research that will improve their manufacturing processes. Meanwhile, US investments in these areas have remained relatively small, although robotics is becoming essential for automation and logistics. The message is clear: the US must invest in robotics in order to keep up with fierce international competition. Plus, contrary to fears of robots stealing jobs, investing in robotics actually correlates with job growth. The researchers write, "Over the last 5-6 years we have seen introduction of 600,000 new jobs in manufacturing. During the same period, we have seen significant growth in adoption of robot systems in industry." Christensen says: We have had a fantastic collaboration with agencies in DC over the last eight years. The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has been a strong supporter of robotics. China is emerging as a major player in robotics (they are the single largest market in the world today) and this could impact how the initiative is adopted in a new administration.Which states will be the next to legalize marijuana? Currently 22 states have legalized medical marijuana, two have legalized marijuana for recreational use and nine others have strictly limited medical laws. A number of initiatives, questions and constitutional amendments will appear in states across the country this November. Following that, the weed legalization map of the USA is going to look a lot different. INITIATIVES Alaska – Ballot Measure 2 This is the real deal: full recreational legalization, possession of up to six plants and the manufacture and sale of paraphernalia. With 60% support for the measure statewide, Alaska is a home run for the next state with truly legal weed after Colorado and Washington. Arkansas – Hemp and Cannabis Amendment This initiative for full legalization needs to collect several thousand signatures in the next few days in order to appear on the ballot in November, so it might not make it. Even if the 53% of state residents who support decriminalization add their signatures in time, this amendment wouldn't take effect until federal marijuana laws change. There's a separate medical marijuana bill on the table as well. California – Cannabis Hemp; Control, Regulate and Tax Marijuana; Marijuana Legalization Weed has been de facto legal here for 18 years, but the state has failed to vote in recreational legalization. There are (count 'em) three pot initiatives on the ballot in November, two for marijuana and one for hemp. However, some advocates believe such initiatives will have a better chance in 2016, a presidential election year, when there's more voter turnout and more young voters to help put it through. Currently, 54% of the population supports regulating marijuana similarly to alcohol. Update: None of California's legalization ballot initiatives gathered enough signatures to be included on the 2014 ballot. The Cannabis Hemp Initiative may appear on the 2016 ballot. Florida – Right to Medical Marijuana A whopping 70% of the state supports legalization of medical marijuana, making this initiative a sure shot for November. North Carolina – Constitutional Amendment to Legalize Medical Marijuana Seventy-six percent of those polled in the Tar Heel State support medical cannabis, so if this makes it onto the ballot, it will likely receive strong support from voters. The governor just signed a CBD-only medical marijuana law, so full medical may be just a few months away. Oklahoma – Medical Marijuana Question Though it's still gathering signatures, this initiative is likely to be on the ballot in November. With 71% of state residents supportive of legalization, it's likely to go through, despite reported interference from local authorities. Oregon – Legalized Marijuana Initiative; Recreational Cannabis Amendment; Recreational Cannabis Tax Act Another state headed for recreational legalization, with three tax-and-regulate initiatives on the ballot this November and strong support from the state's largest union. However, a recent poll showed a slim margin of support — only 51%. It's not as sure as Alaska, but has a good chance of being voted in nonetheless. Pennsylvania – Referendum question A state representative has proposed a question on the 2014 ballot asking Pennsylvania residents their views on marijuana legalization. With an astounding 84% of the electorate in favor of medical marijuana, this is sure to pave the way to some legalization action. The state legislature is also quickly making progress toward medical marijuana legislation. Washington, D.C. – Marijuana Legalization Initiative This initiative is well on its way to gathering the required number of signatures. District residents strongly support legalization, with 63% saying possession of small amounts for personal use should be legal. [This list includes all states with pending ballot initiatives, questions and constitutional amendments for comprehensive medical and/or recreational legalization this November. It does not include bill efforts that were defeated or passed on in 2014 session, nor states with pending legislation for strictly limited medical marijuana.]This article is over 5 years old Experts say 'endless lists of spellings, facts and rules' will not help develop children's ability to think or solve problems A group of academics have warned that Michael Gove's national curriculum proposal will severely erode educational standards by "dumbing down" teaching and learning. In a letter published in the Telegraph and Independent on Wednesday, 100 experts say the education secretary's new curriculum consists of "endless lists of spellings, facts and rules" that will not help to develop children's ability to think or solve problems. Children, they say, will be forced to learn "mountains of detail" for English, maths and science without understanding it. The group, which includes professors from Nottingham Trent University, Leeds Metropolitan University, Oxford University and Bristol University, say the plans also betray a serious distrust of teachers. The letter says: "Much of [the proposed curriculum] demands too much too young. This will put pressure on teachers to rely on rote learning without understanding. "Inappropriate demands will lead to failure and demoralisation. "This curriculum betrays a serious distrust of teachers, in its amount of detailed instructions, and the education secretary has repeatedly ignored expert advice." The academics urge teachers and parents to respond to the consultation, due to end in April, calling for a fresh start. The new draft curriculum contains plans for pupils to memorise their times tables up to 12 by age nine, multiply and divide fractions by age 11 as well as learn topics such as geometry, long division and multiplication and decimals. In comes in the same week that two teaching unions announced a series of strikes starting this summer in a continuing row over pay, pensions and workload. Schools across the country are likely to be affected by the rolling programme of walkouts, along with a national strike before Christmas. The move, announced by England's two biggest teaching unions, the National Union of Teachers and the NASUWT, is an escalation of a continuing dispute with the government.Thirty years ago, a killing machine from 2029 — assuming the form of an Austrian bodybuilder — arrived with a lethal directive to alter the future. That he certainly did. The Terminator, made for $6.4 million by a couple of young disciples of B-movie king Roger Corman, became one of the defining sci-fi touchstones of all time. Its $38 million gross placed it outside of the top-20 box-office releases for 1984, yet the film grew into a phenomenon, spawning a five-picture franchise that’s taken in $1.4 billion to date and securing a place on the National Film Registry, which dubbed it “among the finest science-fiction films in many decades.” The movie launched the career of James Cameron, who went on to direct the top two box-office earners of all time, Avatar and Titanic. It also boosted Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose monotone delivery and muscle-bound swagger made a cyborg assassin the height of cool. The actor, now filming next summer’s Terminator: Genisys in New Orleans, took a break to reminisce about his most indelible role. Settling for a landline call after four failed attempts to FaceTime — the former California governor’s favorite mode of communication — Schwarzenegger quipped, “Obviously we need James Cameron to provide the technology to link us.” His Terminator comrades also shared their memories via phone — just like it was 1984 again. DEATH METAL NIGHTMARE It all started in 1981 with a dream. Cameron, then a 26-year-old model maker and art director for Corman, was in Rome attempting to get his name off the ignominious Piranha II: The Spawning, a low-rent horror sequel he had directed for five days before being fired. JAMES CAMERON (director-coscreenwriter) Nightmares are a business asset; that’s the way I look at it. I was sick, I was broke, I had a high fever, and I had a dream about this metal death figure coming out of a fire. And the implication was that it had been stripped of its skin by the fire and exposed for what it really was. When I have some particularly vivid image, I’ll draw it or I’ll write some notes, and that goes on to this day. Returning to Los Angeles, Cameron showed his sketches to Gale Anne Hurd, a 26-year-old Corman assistant. She would soon become, in succession, Cameron’s writing partner, producer, wife, and ex-wife. CAMERON Gale was working for Roger on a movie called Humanoids From the Deep, and they were doing reshoots of some teenagers in a pup-tent getting raped by slimy creatures from the swamp. She was young and supersmart. I showed her what I was working on, and she thought it was pretty cool. GALE ANNE HURD (producer-coscreenwriter) He told me about the dream he had of the metal endoskeleton, and the whole story came together as a result of that stirring image. CAMERON We both were committed to the same principle. It could be shot out in the streets of L.A., cheaply, guerrilla-style, which is how I was trained by Roger Corman. And it involved visual effects elements that I could bring to the table that another director couldn’t and do them economically, because I knew all those tricks. HURD We had what we called a scriptment. It was 40 pages, single-spaced typed. We batted ideas back and forth and always kept in mind that if we wanted to not only sell this script but produce and direct, it had to be at a budget level that wasn’t intimidating to investors. THE WAR ZONE Crucial to both Cameron and Hurd were the ideas of a strong heroine — hence Sarah Connor, a waitress who is targeted by the Terminator because she will give birth to a rebel leader — and an annihilated future world. HURD For me and Jim, always, was the idea that heroic people are the ones who least expect to be heroes. There’s a tradition of male characters who go to war, who are in the boxing ring, who rise to be the corporate titan, you name it. But Jim has always found women to be the more compelling parts to write. Culturally, they’re the ones who feel less equipped, because that’s what society tells them. CAMERON People think that I was a typical male director who was brought to task by a strong female producer and forced to do these themes. But they have connected the dots in the wrong way. My respect for strong women is what attracted me to Gale. It’s what made me want to work with her. Ultimately, it’s what made me want to be married to her. When we went into [1989’s] The Abyss, we were already divorced but we still wanted to work together because we knew how strong the creative partnership was. MICHAEL BIEHN (Kyle Reese): In preparation for the film I’d read a book about the guys that held out in Warsaw during World War II. When they were killing all the Jews or taking them away and putting them on trains, there was a bunch of Jewish guys who were hiding in the rubble. And they fought the Germans against insurmountable odds, like 30 or 40 of them, some women, some children. That grittiness and that mentality — that there’s no time for love or tenderness or music or religion, there’s only time for survival. I said to myself, “This is where this guy came from. This is how he would feel.” HURD Being of Jewish descent, of course I also read all those things. I don’t think we explicitly wanted to say that this future world was inspired by stories of living underground in Warsaw. But on the other hand, whatever I read as historical fact was going to influence our work by virtue of the verisimilitude of that experience and how profound it was. It’s that same kind of a violent harrowing experience. CAMERON The Terminator themes had been important to me since high school. Those apocalyptic visions, ideas about our love/hate relationship with technology, our tendency as a
about 50%, says Archambault. The report “confirms my optimism”, says Peter Suber, director of the Office for Scholarly Communication at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a proponent of open access to research. He thinks that it reflects the experiences of working scientists today. “When researchers hit a paywall online, they turn to Google to search for free copies — and, increasingly, they are finding them,” he says. The rise of open-access journals is part of the explanation: the share of papers published in these journals rose from 4% in 2004 to 12% by 2011, the report found — agreeing with figures published last year by Bo-Christer Björk, who studies information systems at the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki. But the number of peer-reviewed manuscripts made free by other means has also increased, the report says. That includes those eventually made free — often a year after publication, and sometimes on a temporary promotional basis — by publishers that charge for subscription. But it also includes manuscripts that researchers themselves archive online on repositories and personal websites. Some of the articles, although free to read, may not meet formal definitions of open access because, for example, they do not include details on whether readers can freely reuse the material. The report does not try to distinguish between types of manuscript, nor where and how they were posted, says Archambault. “The situation is so complex that it’s very hard to measure.” Björk says that the latest measurements seem to have been carefully done, although he adds that because he does not have details of the robotic harvester’s code, he cannot evaluate its method. “Experts on the subject would probably agree that the open-access share of papers, measured around a year and a half after publication, is currently at least 30%,” he says. “Anything above that is dependent on ways of measuring, with this new study representing the highest estimate.” The report, which was not peer reviewed, calls the 50% figure for 2011 a “tipping point”, a rhetorical flourish that Suber is not sure is justified. “The real tipping point is not a number, but whether scientists make open access a habit,” he says. Harnad thinks that the next step should be to obtain more accurate measures of when papers become free. “It’s hardly a triumph if articles are only accessible after a one-year embargo,” he says. Greater measurement accuracy is tricky to achieve, he adds, because Google routinely blocks all robotic harvesters. He believes that research on the growth of open access should be given special concessions. The proportion of free online papers is likely to increase in the next few years. The European Commission says that, from 2014, the results of all research funded by the European Union must be open access. And in February, the US White House announced that government-funded research should be made free to read within 12 months of publication (see Nature 494, 414–415; 2013). Federal agencies are due to submit their plans for achieving this to the US Office of Science and Technology Policy by 22 August.The Falcons (10-5) are set to play the Saints (7-8) at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, and the team has invited several players to take part in a ceremony. The team acknowledged that there will be a ceremony, but does not plan to release a list of the invited players, which very likely includes former quarterback Michael Vick, who played for the Falcons from 2001-06. Vick, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2001 draft, electrified the fan base, energized the team and sold out the Georgia Dome. Vick fell out of favor with the franchise after he pleaded guilty in a federal dogfighting investigation in August 2007. He was suspended from the NFL for a violation of the league’s personal-conduct policy. He served 21 months in prison and two months in home confinement. Vick was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Falcons and helped guide them to the NFC Championship game after the 2004 regular season. Before falling out of grace, he also guided the Falcons to a historic playoff victory on the road over the Green Bay Packers after the 2002 season. “One thing about Atlanta, we created a connection with the fans,” Vick said to Marc James on the Jim Rome show on CBS Sports Radio on Dec. 12. “I credit Arthur Blank because in 2002 he did something very remarkable with the fans. He lowered the prices and got everybody into the Dome. He filled up the seats and everybody was able to come and watch that team put on a playoff run. I was able to do some remarkable things and bring some hope to the city.” “I just embraced the city. I love Atlanta and Atlanta will always be my second home. That’s a place where I would want to retire with that team. …it’s a place where you see those number seven jerseys for a reason, the connection was there and I can say that.” Vick, after serving his prison sentence, went to play for Philadelphia, the New York Jets and Pittsburgh. But he reiterated that he wanted to retire with the Falcons. “That would be great,” Vick said. “That would be awesome. I think that would close out my story and connection with that franchise for what I was able to accomplish in six years. Not by myself, but the entire organization. “With the city, the respect and the love was all there. It was genuine. When I think about my career and what I’m identified with, it is the Atlanta Falcons. …maybe there are some conversations that need to be had. I look forward to it because that’s what’s dear in my heart. I’m just being honest and candid.” Vick talked with Blank before the season and a few months ago. He plans to speak with him again after the season. He discussed the conversation he had with Blank right before he went to prison. “I just talked about and opened up about every thing that had transpired over the course of five months,” Vick said. “The trust that I had and the distrust that I used throughout the process and abused, more to kind of talk man-to-man and get on the same page about how we felt and the respect that we had for one another. “We were going to be moving forward. We couldn’t go backwards. Mr. Blank always gave me the utmost respect. He always told me as a young man, because I was a kid when you think back, take advantage of what (he was) trying to offer (me) as far as knowledge, the way you’re supposed to live and the way you need to grow. “ It’s been 10 years since the investigation that rocked the franchise. After serving time, Vick, with the help of former NFL coach Tony Dungy and others, has rehabilitated himself and went on to play for Philadelphia (2009-13), the New York Jets (2014) and Pittsburgh (2015). He’s been out of football this season.“I have never seen a woman rolling cigars at an event like this,” Joe Genovese, a 49-year-old electrician, said while puffing on one of the five-inch cigars that Ms. Pérez had rolled and cut to size using an assortment of tools. “Usually, it’s an older, distinguished-looking man rolling my cigar, so this is a pleasant surprise,” Mr. Genovese said between puffs, “and I must say, her cigar has a very good draw to it.” Ms. Pérez, who was born in Cuba, is indeed as rare as a Cuban cigar in an American humidor. She is one of eight young and attractive cigar-rolling women employed by a company called Cigar Dolls, which is based in Miami. “There are fewer of us than there are astronauts,” she said. But that appears to be changing. Lincoln Salazar, the owner and publisher of Cigar & Spirits Magazine in Aliso Viejo, Calif., said Cigar Dolls was not so much a gimmick as a reflection of the growing number of women in the industry. “Our own research shows that by the end of the 1990s, less than 6 percent of women were smoking cigars and/or working in the industry, but that number has now increased to less than 15 percent,” Mr. Salazar said. “Many young, savvy and intellectual women in their 20s and 30s are beginning to smoke cigars. They see it as something with a lot more sex appeal than cigarettes; it’s more of a luxury item to them, a real lifestyle choice.” As Ms. Pérez tells it, cigars have been more a way of life in her family than a lifestyle choice. Her grandfather Manuel Pérez Sr. worked as a cigar roller in a factory in Havana. When Ms. Pérez was a baby, she said, her grandparents, parents and two siblings all left Cuba with her and settled in northern New Jersey. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. Her father, Manuel Jr., well schooled in the craft, was soon rolling cigars in their backyard and distributing them to family members and friends. “I remember my uncles sitting around at Sunday dinner with messy cigars hanging out of their mouths,” Ms. Pérez recalled. “It was kind of a normal, very mundane way of life.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Then one day, Ms. Pérez approached her father. “I was about 9 years old and I asked him why he was always playing with this garbage in the backyard. It all looked to me like a bunch of leaves and dirt,” Ms. Pérez said. “He sat me down and gave me my own little pile of tobacco and I started folding it the way he did, and before you knew it, I rolled my first cigar. It was a real mess, but my father saved it and put it in the china cabinet so he could mock me for years to come.” Ms. Pérez did not know it at the time, but her cigar-rolling skills would eventually pay handsome dividends. After earning a master’s degree in social work from Wheelock College in Boston, she got a job working with troubled youth. She was also earning extra money teaching a Zumba class when she joined Cigar Dolls two years ago. The average cost for a minimum two-hour event is $1,200 to $2,000, depending on the event and the quantity of cigars rolled. “I try and keep my two lines of work very separate,” Ms. Pérez said. “I don’t want my little youth finding my photos online and teasing me and not taking me seriously as a social worker. But I am proud to be a cigar roller. We all have a background where we were trained in cigar-rolling techniques, which takes years to perfect, and we all work high-class events. There has never been any lowbrow sort of bookings; that kind of business would not be entertained.” The other women working for Cigar Dolls are in Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco, each working more than 100 events a year. (Ms. Pérez’s Midtown booking was sandwiched between a weeklong series of events in Philadelphia, Providence, R.I., and Montreal.) Ms. Pérez noted that while each of the women is young and attractive and has a cigar-rolling background, one of the most essential job requirements is a solid education. “Being articulate is a must,” she said. “You have to be able to handle yourself in conversations with executives from Fortune 500 companies and other intelligent and fascinating people from all walks of life.” Ms. Pérez, rocking to loud music while she rolled, appeared to be doing just that on this night. “If I wrapped the tops of these cigars with maduro tobacco leaves,” she told the guests around her, “it would make them much stronger, and they would probably go better with steak and red wine than fish and white wine. “I’ve tried to learn more about cigar blending secrets, but I’ve been told that if I learn too much, I might be able to take over the company.”As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details. Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake – You are going to fall in love with this dairy free frozen dessert! It’s creamy, refreshing, sweet and tart! Dairy Free Dreams This luscious Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake is the thing of dairy free dreams! When this ice cream cake recipe was first whirling around in my head, I knew it would be yummy, but I had no idea how incredibly, deliciously amazing it would be. My husband, who loves his dairy ice cream, had nearly half a cake in one sitting…he just couldn’t stop eating it! A big two thumbs up from all 3 kiddos as well. They were so sad when they found out the cake was all gone after only 2 days. 🙂 It’s that good! Pretty in Pink The most difficult thing about this dairy free ice cream cake is waiting for it to set. I was so nervous while waiting because I wanted it to look nice, but I could only see the very top while it was in the pan. I un-molded it while holding my breath and nearly cried real tears when I realized how pretty it turned out. It’s so pretty! Simple Toppings Just a few simple toppings are needed to take this Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake to the gorgeous next level. I used lemon zest, fresh strawberries, and a couple of slices of fresh lemon. Perfection! Go Dairy Free Recipe Contest This recipe is my entry into this summer’s Go Dairy Free Recipe Contest, sponsored by So Delicious Dairy Free. I have a chance to win cash prizes, but I am not being compensated for my time. I only use and recommend products that I personally use and love, and all opinions are my own. All entries will be posted between July 10th and July 24th, and then YOU will have a chance to vote on your favorites. I would greatly appreciate any votes in my favor. 🙂 Winners will be announced in August. (Update: Voting is now closed. The contest has ended.) Follow #RaiseAPint In addition to the recipe contest mentioned above, So Delicious is also hosting the #RaiseAPint Event. From July 11th through August 5th, So Delicious will award 20 entries with an ice cream party prize pack. You can share your #RaiseAPint moments on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, or see full details here. Good luck! (Update: This event is now closed.) More So Delicious Recipes to Love Need more ways to fall in love with So Delicious Dairy Free products? Check out these other recipes: Silky Smooth Back to this scrumptious cake! I wish I could say I nailed this recipe on trial #1, but it took 3 trials to get the texture of this ice cream cake perfect! I wanted both ice cream layers to be the same silky smooth consistency. That was easy with the So Delicious Simply Strawberry layer, but proved much harder with my lemonade layer. In trial #1, the lemonade layer was too icy, and was sliding off as the strawberry layer melted much quicker. It was delicious, but not quite right texturally. I finally nailed it with the addition of sweetened condensed coconut milk. Pretzel Pecan Crust My inspiration for the pretzel pecan crust came from Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Have you had this salad before? It’s a strawberry jello salad with a pretzel crust and a sweet cream cheese layer in between. The sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy combo is super yummy, and it works in this vegan Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake just as well! Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake I can’t wait for you guys to try this Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake! When you do, please leave me a comment and star rating below. Snap a pic of your beautiful re-creations, too, and tag me @veggie_inspired #veggieinspired on social media. Happy summer eating!! 5 from 4 votes Print Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake (Dairy Free) Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 6 hrs Total Time 6 hrs 30 mins This Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake is a dairy free dream come true! You will fall in love with the cool, creamy, sweet and tart refreshing flavors. The perfect summer treat! Course: Cake, Dessert Cuisine: dairy free, egg free, gluten free, oil free, vegan Servings : 16 Calories : 255 kcal Author : Jenn S. Ingredients Crust 1 1/2 cups mini pretzels (gluten free, if necessary) 1 cup halved raw pecans 10 pitted Medjool dates (soaked for 20-30 minutes in hot water) Strawberry Layer 2 pints So Delicious Simply Strawberry Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert (softened) Lemonade Layer 1 14 oz can coconut cream 1 11 oz sweetened condensed coconut milk 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Optional toppings for serving lemon zest fresh strawberries Instructions Line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside. In a food processor, pulse the pretzels, pecans and dates until they start to come together to form a dough. The dough will still be a bit crumbly, but should hold together when pressed in your hand. Press the dough into an even layer into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Spread the softened So Delicious Simply Strawberry Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert into an even layer on top of the pretzel crust. Set the pan in the freezer while you prepare the top lemonade layer. Add all the ingredients for the lemonade layer to a blender and blend until smooth and thoroughly mixed. (Alternately, this probably works just as well in the bowl of the food processor you used earlier - just be sure to rinse it out well before adding the lemonade layer ingredients). Pour the lemonade layer over the strawberry layer in the spring form pan and put it back in the freezer to set (make sure the cake sits flat in the freezer), at least 6 hours, or overnight. After the cake is set, let it thaw a bit on the counter before unmolding and slicing. Serve topped with lemon zest and fresh strawberries. Keep leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container. Recipe Notes Some notes to make prep easier - while your dates are soaking, place the So Delicious Simply Strawberry Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert pints on a plate on the counter to soften. You can also zest (if using) and juice your lemons at this time. Nutrition Facts Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cake (Dairy Free) Amount Per Serving Calories 255 Calories from Fat 135 % Daily Value* Total Fat 15g 23% Saturated Fat 9g 45% Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Sodium 45mg 2% Potassium 169mg 5% Total Carbohydrates 31g 10% Dietary Fiber 5g 20% Sugars 22g Protein 3g 6% Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 314% Calcium 2% Iron 4% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. You might also like: Mint Cream Ice Box Dessert Caramel Peanut Vegan Ice Cream Cake Strawberry Rhubarb Popsicles Check out more Healthy Sweet Treats.Cloudhead Live: The August Smash 4 Rankings and Recap! The S-tier. A convergence of talent where the most skilled Smash players cross paths under the same roof, fighting tooth and nail to reach the elusive prize waiting at the very end of the bracket. It's where you come to finally test how well your hard work has paid off. It's where dreams come true for the people who want their shot at glory in the game they love; where names that had never been spoken before will begin to flood from the tongues of those who watch, and those who play. And for most of the time, it's a rare occurrence. We may be lucky to see two months in a row that hold these enigmatic events in their short weeks. But for three short months in the summer, when the sun pours down hardest on the surface of the world, it's different. For just three short months, there is no longer anything stopping those who love the game from testing their hard work, making dreams become reality, and creating names for themselves. In the Summer of Smash, all human limitations are no more, and for just a brief moment in our lives, we are truly free - and from that freedom, the S-tiers are born in great numbers, and they flourish. So basically this summer's been rad as heck for Smash. With the conclusion of Shine 2017, the days of three S-tiers in three weeks are over, and the Summer of Smash has drawn to a close. Seven S-tiers have come and gone, culminating with three in a row in August - and boy, what a time it was. Each one was its own spectacle, be it by a dramatic losers' run, an intense return to glory, or a completely off-the-books final bracket. Let's take a look back at this spectacular August, and how it impacted the season's Cloudhead Live Rank so far - and see what it means heading into what's sure to be an exciting fall! August Recap Tic-Tac-Toe: For the first time in Smash 4 history, three S-tier tournaments were held in back to back to back weeks. Super Smash Con 2017, 2GGC: SCR Saga, and Shine 2017 turned into a massive centerpiece to this month, and several top Smash players flew from Virginia to SoCal to Boston just to make it to all three. Previously, the record was two S-tier tournaments in a row, set just last June with 2GGC: Nairo Saga and CEO 2017 falling next to each other on the calendar. As soon as the third event reached S-tier status, the expectation was for an exceptionally thrilling finish to the summer - and in the eyes of most, the tournaments did not disappoint. Nairo Mounts a Historic Comeback: One of the most notable upsets of Super Smash Con 2017 took place when Nairo, #3 rank on the Panda Global Rankings, faced Rideae, a Floridian Pikachu main who defied all expectations by defeating his heavyweight opponent 2-1. Now in the losers' bracket, Nairo was faced with a daunting task: fight through a gauntlet of elimination matches against other world-class opponents, or fall as early as 33rd, like many of his top 10 contemporaries did that night. As it turned out, he chose the path to victory. He fought through nine intense sets and won them all to get to Grand Finals, breaking past the likes of WaDi, Mr. R, MkLeo, and more, with his final opponent being his longtime rival, ZeRo. In what may go down as two of the best sets this year, he reset the bracket 3-2 and then finished him off by the same score, securing the 11-set comeback and the repeat Super Smash Con title. Nairo, his final Up-B, the commentary, and the camera work will all be remembered as the cherry on top of perhaps the greatest losers' run in Smash 4 history. ZeRo Reclaims His Throne: For most people, a string of four 2nd places and a 9th place at national tournaments would be phenomenal, but ZeRo has become famous for being nothing like anyone else in the community - no one wins as much as he does. So after he hit a five tournament winless streak from 2GGC: ARMS Saga to Super Smash Con, alarms sounded in the community - it was the longest such streak of his career. SCR Saga was important, as a chance for ZeRo to rise back to the top at an S-tier. He had to be perfectly on his game for this one - and he didn't falter. Losing only four games all tournament and clutching out a tough 3-2 set against MkLeo in grand finals, he rose to the top once again, and continued his momentum for a win the next week at Shine, silencing those who took his uncharacteristic month as the norm and proving why he's the best player in the world. Make No Mistake: Once known only as one of Ontario's best players and a promising Bayonetta, Mistake showed flashes of brilliance with a pair of 17ths at 2GGC: Nairo Saga last season and EVO 2017 last month, between which he defeated players like Fatality, Kirihara, Ned, and Javi. This month, however, he took his play to a whole new level. After defeating ZeRo and CaptainZack at Low Tier City 5 en route to a strong 5th place finish, he displayed unprecedented consistency and skill at the season's three S-tiers, placing 5th, 4th, and 9th at Super Smash Con, SCR Saga, and Shine, respectively. It's not unusual at all to see players improve and rise in the rankings, but Mistake's skyrocketing to the top might be the most impressive of them all. He's in the discussion for one of the best Bayonettas, and now perhaps one of the best players in the world right now. To overlook him now would be, simply put, a huge error. Cloud And Proud: With a team of dual Cloud every time, MkLeo and komorikiri won doubles at Super Smash Con, SCR Saga, and Shine. Previously considered two of the best doubles players in the world, able to compete and often win with many different partners, their team delivered on what anyone would have expected from this all-star team up. The komoLeo team looked more dominant than perhaps any other team we've seen; throughout three S-tier tournaments packed with about every other top doubles team, they lost only a single game, to VoiD and NAKAT at SSC. While this does not have any bearing on the PGR or CLR, their complete dominance of doubles deserves a mention in my eyes. Cloudhead Live Rank If you're just tuning in to my Cloudhead Live series, the Cloudhead Live Rank (CLR) is my way to list the top players in the season so far, based on their placements and wins. It's our way to get to see definitive standings for the season without having to wait 6 months for the PGR to do it a million times better than I do. So here's the top 50 players for the season so far, aka for everything between SMASHADELPHIA 2017 and Shine 2017! All +/- values are in relation to the July rankings. Click each player's name to go to their SSBWorld profile, and click here to go to the full CLR! Seven players from the top 10 in July remain there this month, those being ZeRo, Salem, Nairo, Tweek, Larry Lurr, VoiD, and Dabuz. All have kept up strong play throughout the month, and are maintaining what they hope to be their status quo this season. But even though it feels like we've been playing in S-tiers and complaining about Leo and komo's Clouds in doubles for ages, the season is still young, and that means there's going to be a lot of turmoil within the ranks past that. MkLeo (CLR 7), Mistake (CLR 8), and ESAM (CLR 10) break into top 10 in August at 7th, 8th, and 10th. Leo has proved that his shaky July was a fluke, scoring 3rd, 2nd, and 5th at the three S-tiers of the month. Mistake rode his aforementioned, similarly great month to the top 10, jumping 11 spots and cementing his status as a player to beat going into this fall. ESAM, while lacking flashy placements like the other two, has moved up one spot into the upper echelon with consistently solid results. His 13th at both Super Smash Con and Shine, coupled with wins on players like Larry Lurr and ANTi, make him one of the quieter threats so far. The rest of the top 25 looks more or less reasonable, but a few players have been good enough to raise eyebrows. Ally (CLR 18) took some time to regain his footing, starting things off with 33rd at SSC, but improved each time after that, finishing with 9th and 5th at the other two S-tiers. He's rewarded with a much-needed return to top 20. JK (CLR 19) and Cosmos (CLR 20) also enter the top 20 thanks to consistency across the board, headlined by the latter's 9th place finish at Shine. The movement on the latter half of top 50 are slightly more noticeable. Light (CLR 36) jumps more than ninety spots thanks to an incredible run at Shine; backed by his home New England crowd, he defeated Mr. E, JK, and VoiD in quick succession and reached 9th place. Shoyo James (CLR 40) went through a run of his own at Super Smash Con, turning heads with a top 8 showing and shooting up more than 120 spots on the rankings. Luhtie (CLR 34), Zenyou (CLR 44) and MattyG (CLR 47) are among the other names whose impressive August results broke them into top 50. While the table above is already pretty stacked in and of itself, there are more than a few heavyweights still on the outside looking in. Rideae (CLR 51) stands just outside the top 50, but has the talent to be there, as displayed by his Super Smash Con triumph over Nairo. 6WX (CLR 52) got off to a late start for his first PGR result, but it's better to be late than to never place 9th at SSC and take sets off of Ally and ESAM. Kirihara (CLR 56) and Choco (CLR 63) are Japanese powerhouses who didn't get a chance to come to any S-tiers, but proved that they're as good as ever at C-tier Umebura 28, hitting 4th and 3rd, respectively. One of the best players omitted, Marss (CLR 88), got his first chance to play on the PGR at Shine. He reached a solid 13th place with MVD as his sole PGR win. It may still be shocking to see him so low, seeing as he's ranked 14th on the PGR, and many consider him to be the world's best Zero Suit Samus after Nairo himself. However, he is currently unsponsored, so for the time being, Marss will repeat performances like Shine whenever he can. His next S-tier showing at the moment comes at the beginning of October at the GameTyrant Expo, so look to Utah for Marss to resume his high-octane rampages through bracket. What's Up In September? PAX Arena @ PAX West 2017 (A-tier): September 1st-4th @ Seattle, Washington, USA, ft. ZeRo, Salem, Nairo, MkLeo, Ally, VoiD, Konga, TPFKA DEHF. The PAX Arena Smash 4 Invitational comes to Seattle this Labor Day. 12 top Smashers will duke it out in round robin pools on Friday, and the survivors will hit the stage for a top 10 on Monday. Top players like ZeRo, Salem, and Nairo are in the fray, as well as Washington locals Konga and KOSSismoss seeking to defend their home turf. But who's this TPKFA DEHF person? (Note: Due to the fact that this is an invitational, the official decision on whether this tournament counts for the PGR is pending.) 2GGC: West Side Saga (B-tier): September 9th @ Santa Ana, California, USA, ft. Tweek, Abadango, KEN, Kirihara, Tsu-, T, JK, Konga. The sun may set in the west, but the West Coast's Smash scene never sleeps. The 2GG Championship series' latest entry will showcase Western talent like Vegas's JK and Washington's Konga. Many more of the West's most skilled players, like FOW and Luhtie, are on the compendium, where players can donate to get them to the Saga and show their stuff. Can the West break the Saga curse and defeat PGR giants like Tweek, Abadango, and the fan-favorite Team Japan? DreamHack Montreal 2017 (B-tier): September 8th-10th @ Montreal, Quebec, Canada, ft. Ally, Mistake, TPFKA DEHF, ESAM, ANTi, MVD, SuperGirlKels, Deathorse. After DreamHack Austin and Atlanta, where ZeRo and Salem each took home pieces of the $10,000 prize pool, the biggest LAN event series in the world heads north. Will Ally, Mistake, Kels, and the rest of Canada be the next to hit the jackpot, or will they be usurped by ESAM, ANTi, and the mysterious TPKFA DEHF? I'd say to mark your calendars and check out the exciting Smash action in Canada, but I wouldn't want to be poutine words in your mouth. Smash The Record 2017 (Unranked): September 14th-17th @ Ontario, California, USA, ft. ESAM, Aarvark, TLTC, HazMatt, K0rean, & more. This tournament, unlike many others, isn't for fame, glory, or a prize pot - it's for charity. ESAM, Aarvark, and TLTC headline STR's first venture into SoCal, and if Smash 4 brackets aren't your thing, this event showcases insanely skilled speedrunners as well. Registration is still open for the fourth iteration of this amazingly run event - attend if you can, donate on stream if you can't, and enjoy an experience unlike any other in Smash. Syndicate 2017 (C-tier): September 23rd-24th @ Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, Netherlands, ft. Mr. R, KEN, iStudying, SuperGirlKels, quiK, cyve, & more. The biggest Dutch tournament of the year is coming up for you to watch, if Europe for it. Mr. R, the reigning Syndicate champ, is prepared to unleash needles, fairs, and Bouncing Fishes galore, but KEN and SuperGirlKels are spin-dashing in to stop him and take the crown for their own. Get ready to see European talent like you've never seen before when Syndicate rolls around later this month. Showdown Battle Royale II (C-tier): September 23rd-24th @ Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, ft. Fatality, WaDi, Mr. E, Ned, Shoyo James, DarkShad, JJROCKETS, Ryuga. And here we have a tournament that's guaranteed to be far, far higher quality than this image I found. The Midwest's best are coming to contend with PGR talents from all around the U.S. at one of the best tournament series in the region. The talent here is complemented by Midwest greats who have yet to attend, as well as potential international returnees from last season. Whether or not we see them add on to the all-star cast, this will be one Showdown you won't want to miss. All That Said... The Summer of Smash may be over, but the regular schedule of top level Smash action is not. As seen above, September is chock-full of exciting tournaments with room to become bigger yet, and that only rounds off the first half of the season. With supermajors on the horizon such as the GameTyrant Expo, The Big House 7, and potentially 2GG's yet to be announced October Saga, we very well could see another two or even three consecutive S-tiers in October. The weather might get cooler soon, but the forecast shows that the Smash schedule is staying hot through the fall. Keep some tabs on what's going on this month and the next, and of course, check on the CLR to see how the standings shift as we sift through swaths of super scintillating supermajors! All that said... enjoy the show, and happy smashing! Cloudhead :) Photo Creds: Nairo, ZeRo, Mistake, MkLeo/komorikiri, Ally, and Marss are from 2GGaming's @2GGLakitu. ESAM is thanks to @princesshyruie. As always, give them some love and follow them on Twitter to keep up with their excellent photography! All tournament banners are from their respective Smash.gg pages, which are linked in the names! This blog post was written by a SSB World community member. Share your Smash 4 knowledge by creating your own blog post now. You must log in to comment.I have to say that I really really love this Totoro case!! I grew up watching Totoro and now I get to have a mini version of him with me at all times!! The quality is excellent and with the amazing price of $4 + FREE SHIPPING!! I mean come on how can it get any better than that?! You save so much money!! I mean the iPhone 6 already cost about $600 we don't need to buy an expensive case on top of that!! This phone case is silicone and it is the perfect case to have with the thin iPhone 6. My iPhone feels so thin and fragile on its own that I feel that this case protects it!! 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, we tried to figure out why she was struggling and fix the underlying problem, instead of slapping her a bad report card and leaving it at that. And I have to wonder: is that "special education" or is it just education? Maybe nobody's actually stupid. Maybe the distinction between "He's got a learning disability" and "He's just lousy at math" is a false one. Maybe everybody should think of themselves as having learning disabilities, in the sense that our areas of weakness need to be acknowledged, investigated, paid special attention, and debugged. This is part of why I think tools like Knewton, while they can be more effective than typical classroom instruction, aren't the whole story. The data they gather (at least so far) is statistical: how many questions did you get right, in which subjects, with what learning curve over time? That's important. It allows them to do things that classroom teachers can't always do, like estimate when it's optimal to review old material to minimize forgetting. But it's still designed on the error model. It's not approaching the most important job of teachers, which is to figure out why you're getting things wrong -- what conceptual misunderstanding, or what bad study habit, is behind your problems. (Sometimes that can be a very hard and interesting problem. For example: one teacher over many years figured out that the grammar of Black English was causing her students to make conceptual errors in math.) As a matter of self-improvement, I think it can make sense not to think in terms of "getting better" ("better at piano", "better at math," "better at organizing my time"). How are you going to get better until you figure out what's wrong with what you're already doing? It's really more an exploratory process -- where is the bug, and what can be done to dislodge it? Dislodging bugs doesn't look like competition, and sometimes it doesn't even look like work. Mr. Cohn was gentle and playful -- he wasn't trying to get me to "work harder," but to relax enough to change the mistaken patterns I'd drilled into myself.Goalkeeper Artur Krysiak is one of seven players released by Exeter City. The 24-year-old Polish keeper joined on a free transfer from Birmingham City in May 2010 and played 142 times for City. Forwards John O'Flynn, Sam Parkin, Alan Gow and Elliott Chamberlain are also let go, along with midfielder Jacob Jagger-Cane and defender Jacob Wannell. Exeter boss Paul Tisdale is still in talks with wingers Aaron Davies and Jake Gosling, while he has made offers to six first-team players. Experienced midfielders Matt Gill and Matt Oakley have been offered terms, as has Eliot Richards, who was on loan at Exeter since January and has been released by Bristol Rovers. Also offered deals are goalkeepers Christy Pym and James Hamon, as well as attacker Jimmy Keohane. It comes down to value for money, it comes down to performance and it comes down to potential performance Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale Krysiak was an ever-present in the Exeter side until the beginning of April, when youngster Christy Pym, 19, took command of the number one spot. Parkin O'Flynn leaves the club four years after signing from Barnet and Gow is released having in January. "We've got some changes this summer and we have to spend our money wisely and don't overspend it," Tisdale told BBC Sport. "It comes down to value for money, it comes down to performance and it comes down to potential performance." Tisdale says he will focus on bringing some of the crop of young players through at the club, many of whom have made an impact on the first team this season. "The whole point of the last six months is we've established into the team the likes of Matt Grimes, David Wheeler, Tom Nicholls, Jordan Moore-Taylor and Christy Pym. "There's a number of players now who are established as first-team players, so the benefit of what we've been through, albeit a risky business, was to give those players well over 100 games between them. "We have to think very long and hard about the squad we put together, we rarely have an opportunity to refresh things during the season so we have to put a lot of thought into the season ahead and the potential for development and progression."A trio of scorers give the Americans the Milk Cup title. The U.S. cruised to their second Milk Cup Elite Section championship over the home side, Northern Ireland, on Friday. The Thomas Rongen led U-20 squad won 3-0 thanks to goals from Gale Agbossoumonde, Juan Agudelo, and Adrian Ruelas.The Milk Cup is an international youth tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. Head Coach Rongen was using the tournament as a tune up for the 2011 World Youth Cup in Colombia.USA put their foot on the gas pedal early in the first half and didn’t let off. Right back Zarek Valentin sent in a couple dangerous crosses in the opening minutes to give North Ireland trouble but U.S. were unable to find the finishing product.After two missed free kicks by Alex Molano in the first ten minutes, Gale Agbossoumonde stepped up to take a direct kick from about 30 yards out. His shot, driven low and through the wall, beat the keeper to the corner of the net to put the U.S up 1-0 early.U.S. continued to keep up the pressure as moments later a Molano corner kick was met by a glancing header at the near-post by Ruelas. The header was excellently saved by Northern Ireland keeper Wayne Drummond.The Americans should have doubled their lead in the ensuing minutes as another Molano free kick put the Northern Irish in trouble. An in-swinging free kick was dropped by Drummond right on the six yard box and Agudelo tapped it home. However, the referee ruled there had been a foul in the box and waved off the goal.Ten minutes later, the Americans would get their second goal as Agudelo picked up the ball in the midfield; he slalomed through a handful of defenders before striking a 20 yard bomb, that took a fortuitous deflection, and floated over Drummond to double the U.S. lead.Northern Ireland made a push in the dying moments of the first half to cut the lead in half, but none of their efforts really troubled Zac MacMath’s net.A good spell at the beginning of the second half by the home side almost saw them get on the scoreboard. Forward Will Grigg was sent in one on one against MacMath, but the rumored future Everton keeper rejected his effort and a recovering U.S. defense cleaned up the rebound.In the 68th minute, U.S. made the result all but certain. An excellent through pass by Dillon Powers saw Valentin free on the right side. His low cross was met by Ruelas twelve yards from goal. Ruelas made no doubt about it as he notched his third goal of the tournament. The home side fans began to collect their belongings and look for the nearest exit.In the 75th minute, the Northern Irish frustration was evident. After a free kick was easily saved by MacMath, Northern Ireland midfielder Chris Hegarty stepped on the U.S. keepers ankle to trip him up. Agbossoumonde took exception to the childish play and shoved a couple Northern Irish players. Both Hegarty and Agbossoumonde were shown red for their actions.The chances after both sides were limited to ten men were scarce; but, just before the 90th minute, Dynamo man, Francisco Navas-Cobo, stole the ball from a Northern Ireland defender and was sent in on goal. His first shot was blocked by Drummond, and the Houston man skied the rebound to keep the score 3-0.Northern Ireland had one last chance before the final whistle. Again, Grigg had an opportunity to put his name in the lights, but his effort from six yards out was stonewalled by MacMath.After three minutes of injury time, U.S. were crowned champions of Milk Cup Elite Section for the first time since 2005. New York Red Bulls man, Juan Agudelo, won player of the match honors.Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan pageA 38-year-old woman from Aradhippou was arrested on suspicion of practicing witchcraft for money after she sold potions to another woman who used them to get her estranged husband back. She was remanded in custody for four days on Wednesday. The suspect was arrested after a woman reported to Larnaca police last month that she paid the suspect €2,100 for help to get her estranged husband back. The complainant said the suspect had given her potions, whose ingredients were unknown, to put in her husband’s coffee as well as use when mopping the house. The woman also said that she had given the suspect two candles to light in a bid to renew her relationship with her husband. Police detained the woman in connection with exercising witchcraft or divination for a fee. The woman was expected to be brought before a court on Wednesday.Get the latest from TODAY Sign up for our newsletter July 1, 2016, 3:22 PM GMT / Source: TODAY By Alexandra Zaslow At 80 years old, Kay and Joe O'Regan have never been more in love — or in better shape. Their feelings for each other were apparent as ever when crossing the finish line, hand in hand, at the Cork City Marathon in Ireland on June 6. Kay and Joe O'Regan crossed the finish line, hand in hand, at the Cork City Marathon in Ireland on June 6. Courtesy of Darragh Kane This wasn't the first time the couple showed affection during a race. Their hands were intertwined when they completed the London Marathon in 1986, they recently told TODAY in a phone interview. Kay and Joe O'Regan crossed the finish line, hand in hand, at the 1986 London Marathon. Courtesy of Kay O'Regan RELATED: Chicago Marathon runners exchange wedding vows 8 miles into race Since then, Kay has gone on to compete in 113 marathons, and Joe in 29. While they prefer to take part in separate races, the pair decided that running together in the Cork City Marathon would be the perfect way to celebrate their 80th birthdays, as well as their 57th wedding anniversary. Kay and Joe O'Regan after completing the Cork City Marathon in Ireland on June 6 Courtesy of Darragh Kane With the finish line in sight a half mile away, Joe grabbed Kay's hand and together they completed the race, clocking in at 5 hours and 23 minutes and making them both come in first for their age group. Kay and Joe O'Regan at the Cork City Marathon in Ireland Courtesy of Kay O'Regan It may be hard to believe, but these fit octogenarians didn't get into running until the age of 49. They have their son, Sintan, now 56, to thank for that. They were living in London at the time when he complained to his parents about having to train for rugby in the rain. "I said to him, 'You can't let a little rain stop you,' and he dared me to go out and run around the neighborhood in the rain with him," Kay told TODAY. "And here we are 30 years later still running." Kay and Joe O'Regan at the Berlin Marathon in 1991. Courtesy of Kay O'Regan They've competed in marathons all around the world, from Boston to Berlin, but Kay's fondest memory is from the 1993 Melbourne Marathon in Australia, where she ran her personal best time of 3 hours and 35 minutes. Kay and Joe O'Regan after competing in the Marathon of Midnight Sun in Arctic Norway in 1995 Courtesy of Kay O'Regan RELATED: Elderly couple die together holding hands When the O'Regans retired to Ireland in 1997, they joined a running club, which is how they met many of their friends. "When you run with people, you're more inclined to go through with it because you made a commitment," Kay said. "You also want to keep up with the group, so you often do a better job than if you were on your own." Kay and Joe O'Regan after completing the Cork City Marathon in Ireland on June 6 Courtesy of Darragh Kane While they promised each other this would be their last race, it actually only furthered their desire to want to compete in more in the future. "There's nothing quite like the thrill you feel when running a race," Joe told TODAY. "Neither of us can get enough of it."After announcing that they would play at Coachella this year, Radiohead revealed a slew of North American and European tour dates stretching from March through July. The run will kick off March 20 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. They’ll also play at major arenas in Atlanta, New Orleans, Kansas City, Seattle, Portland, Berkeley, and Santa Barbara before heading across the pond. Tickets for all non-Coachella North American shows go on sale Jan. 20. Radiohead’s 2017 tour follows a handful of 2016 shows that were held in support of their most recent album, last year’s A Moon Shaped Pool. They were the band’s first concerts since 2012’s tour and featured two nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden and two nights at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium. See a full list of Radiohead’s 2017 tour dates below. March 30 Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena April 1 Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena April 3 New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center April 5 Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center April 8 Seattle, WA – Key Arena April 9 Portland, OR – Moda Center April 11 Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl April 14 Indio, CA – Coachella April 17-18 Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre April 21 Indio, CA – Coachella June 6-7 Oslo, Norway – Spektrum June 9 Stockholm, Sweden – Ericsson Globe June 11 Aarhus, Denmark – Northside Festival June 14 Florence, Italy – Visarno Arena @ Parco Delle Cascine June 16 Milan, Italy – I-Days @ Parco di Monza June 18 Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival June 20 Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena June 23 Pilton, England – Glastonbury Festival June 28 Gdynia, Poland – Open’er Festival June 30 Werchter, Belgium – Rock Werchter July 2 Arras, France – Main Square Festival July 4-5 Manchester, England – Manchester ArenaAngry Christian priest (Shutterstock) A Louisiana atheist is asking his Christian neighbors to help identify and “publicly condemn” the author of threatening letters he received that ominously warned “the Lord works in VERY mysterious ways.” Jon Jeffels – who attends a monthly secular gathering in Lake Charles, Louisiana – said he received two anonymous notes in his mailbox threatening unspecified actions to “protect” his children from his “devil-enabling ways,” reported the Friendly Atheist blog. “We know who you are. We know where you live. We know where you work,” the writer warned in the typed note, which was rife with misspellings. “You’re little group of devil worshippers isn’t welcome here. Let the love and message of the Lord filter through you and may you escape from the eternal damnation that you have condemned you and you’re innocent children to.” Jeffels reported the letters to police – despite specific warnings from the author not to contact authorities because “we are every where and His work will be done in His name thru us, the true beleivers.” The author warned Jeffels, who attends the Community Mission Chapel run by former pastor Jerry DeWitt, to repent his “Satanistic ways or (he) will find that the Lord works in VERY mysterious ways.” “You are against God and are not welcome in this area and we WILL spread his message to the hearts and minds of your innocent children,” the letter warns. “To deny His word to your children is abuse, and if you do not learn to love Him and His word then we will have no choice but to take action to protect your children from your devil-enabling ways.” Jeffels decided to move other members of his family to an undisclosed location after receiving a second threatening letter, the blog reported. “You could not keep away from it, could you?” the second letter reads. “You and your group are infecting this area and driving THE ONE TRUE GOD out. We have warned you before. We are warning you again. We will stop you any way we have too. He has misterious ways. Keep you’re family close.” Jeffels posted an open letter on Facebook asking the author or authors of the letter to contact him directly to discuss their differences, saying he did not wish anyone to get hurt or lose their job over the incident. He also asked other Christians in the area to help “extend a hand of friendship and encouragement” to his family, help identify the author – and to “publicly condemn this kind of behavior.” Jeffels stressed that he believes the letters are likely the work of one or two people and do not represent the beliefs of all Christians, and he still hoped something good could come from the incident. “You may not agree with our lack of belief in the supernatural but I’m hopeful that you do believe in our right to assemble peacefully and to proclaim a message of community, tolerance and love without fear of physical harm,” Jeffels wrote.(Special thanks to LR for doing some of the legwork, my brother for the ideas, thanks to Brad Wardell(@draginol) for his article and inspiration, and @cainejw for his article that inspired this. This was an older article of mine from MindlessZombieStudios and updated for republishing on SuperNerdLand. Thanks again to ScrumpMonkey for all the imagework) I have long spent several of these past days, that had turned into weeks, and now will soon turn to months, wondering why. Why has #GamerGate gone on for as long as it has? Why are so many up in arms over what the mainstream media has ignored for so long — despite the volume and number of complaints lodged against the gaming journalism media? The mainstream media personally launched their own attacks – in near unison I might add – (All articles cited were added in the same 48 hour period), decrying gamers as extinct and dead. And yet despite all this, the #GamerGate tag is still beating strong, with heart‐felt thoughts and tweets from those men and women of all races and creeds posting under #notyourshield in effort to fight along the very gamers that “social justice warriors” claim are oppressing them. This morning, I realized why; why it was that — above all others — Gamers were the ones to stand up to Social Justice Warriors and win when the authoritarian left had thus far enjoyed free reign over policing media. Gamers follow in an ancient tradition, espoused by Thomas Jefferson and philosopher John Rawls. I posit the following argument, and for those who wish to burn me at the stake for it, hold until I am finished. Gamers are defending the greatest and most honest expression of Social Justice, Video Games, while the Social Justice is, in actuality, fighting for Social Equality. Hear me out. Thomas Jefferson’s definition for social justice is arguably the most well‐known, as it is taken directly from the Declaration of Independence. I have directly copied the following quote from the article linked above: We hold these truths to be self‐evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed… John Rawls stated similar thoughts and ideas, and again I will be copying directly from the above article to present his principles in short. First: each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme of liberties for others. Second: social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both (a) reasonably expected to be to everyone’s advantage, and (b) attached to positions and offices open to all… These men espouse self evident truths: That for social justice to occur, all must have equal access to opportunities, and any unequal access must be resolved so that all people may have access to these very same opportunities. Now, hold on to these words for a moment. We live in an era of unparalleled access to information and engage in a nearly unlimited exchange of knowledge and ideas from every corner of the world — all thanks to the Internet. We live in a time where any man, woman or child with access to the internet, is more than capable of learning a new skill or exchanging of ideas worldwide. Where does gaming culture tie into this? Because of the internet, anyone can consume, create or exchange anything and everything involved with video games. Spend three months learning how to code and suddenly you’re a programmer and soon to be indie dev. No money? That’s no problem, if you have an idea that has merit and you have the will and drive to succeed then you can turn to crowdfunding to secure a living. Have no market? Again, there are new markets emerging everywhere that allow new indie devs to sell their products to an expanding and diverse audience. It doesn’t matter if the platform is Steam, Stardock, Desura, the Gamestop store; if you can provide then the customers will come. You don’t want to program, but are filled with ideas, and are willing to prove that you are able to see them through? That’s quite alright, there are companies like the Fine Young Capitalists who will take their experience and present your project to the masses to prove that your ideas are worth merit, no matter your gender. In short, when it comes to video games, this is an era of equal access to all. Whether you are Brazilian… Russian… Possibly the rest of the world… Gaming has touched everyone through the advent of specialized consoles for regions as well as the rise of mobile gaming, PC gaming, and the many, many deaths and rebirths of consoles over the years that brought so‐called hardcore gaming to the masses. Various AAA and indie games are even working with the colourblind to reduce the disadvantages that they have in viewing games media; many games (Battlefield 3 and 4, Civ4 series onward) allow the colourblind to be able to play along with the non‐colourblind. Gaming has touched everyone; because it is truly as close to the absolute best model of Social Justice we may approach in our own time, with inequalities disappearing yearly as new technology comes out to aid those with physical handicaps which allows them to access the medium on equal footing. Unfortunately for us gamers, in this age of manufactured outrage, “Social Equality” is a thing. What is social equality? It’s similar to social justice, in that it is concerned with making sure everyone is equal. However, where the social justice’s old (and true) primary goal was about equal access to everyone with few conflicting liberties and thus the beginning of true equality — Social Justice Warriors these days are attempting to reach the goal of social equality, which is inherently penalizing to those who succeed in favour of those who do not. This article by CaineJW pontificates on the matter; positing that they are concerned with making sure no matter who you are, or what you have accomplished, that you are rewarded. Rewarded with what, you ask? Attention, money, accolades — it doesn’t matter. What anyone says or does — whether it is worth hearing, saying, or doing or not — deserves equal treatment, attention, money, and accolades. Everything must be rewarded. Even if it is not at all worth hearing. Even if what you have accomplished is overshadowed by far better and well written productions, they treat everything as though it is worth learning from, or that it is equal to or worth far more in accolades to far more expensive, and produced titles such as Call of Duty. They are not above creating this narrative. And that’s the problem. There are far better games than Depression Quest, or Gone Home, or any flavour of the month art game that extols the experience over the enjoyment of a title. It’s as if they think these ‘art games’ and ‘experiences’ should be the only representatives of gaming itself. They wish to police and control the narrative, such that, these games artists all deserve far more attention — and thus money — than the market will allow. They want their titles to be held as examples for non‐gamers to finally understand what video games are all about. As with so many other groups, they tried to manipulate and change and gamers were largely silent for years. They were content to ignore the politics and just play games until Social Justice showed their true colours, and began a crusade of outright censorship and name‐calling that has, so far, continued until this day. To think, this entire mess started in the 70s; with Social Equality having taken on the flag of Social Justice. It has been taught and retaught over and over until the message itself becomes dogma, and those who go anywhere against the group‐think are immediately and horrendously turned pariah until they recant. This behaviour continues on and on, with social justice acting more and more like a cult each day. Two especially vocal pushers of the social equality polemic are Jonathon McIntosh and his stooge Anita Sarkeesian, who gather crowds of disaffected thirty year old males together, and tell them to stop questioning the rhetoric of the media. “Listen & Believe” is the message being taught to new warriors such as these, as crowds gather round and cheer group‐think lines like, “One of the most radical things you can do is to actually believe women when they talk about their experiences.” Gone is the idea of objective thought, evidence, or culpability for one’s actions. They attempted these very same tactics on Gamers — who are not at all falling for it, with #notyourshield being the greatest weapon of defense non‐white/non‐male gamers have to protect themselves from the accusations lobbed at millions. All this, from a group where the cause is elevated above all else, and the ends justify the means. A group where objective thought is anathema, since it is “Impossible to achieve” or “silly”; thus there is no reason to attempt to even approach objectivity at all with folks like this. Twitter user and Escapist Co‐Founder Alexander Macris (@Archon) pointed out this is cultural marxism, with even Sargon of Akkad discouraged to discover our opponents espouse similar views to such dangerous ideals where variance is punished and equity is the highest ideal over objective thought or a writer’s personal experiences. Even the makers of My Little Pony made a two‐part episode this year that lambasted the Marxist idea of social equality, presumably in a response to seeing it’s encroachment in media. [Editor’s Note: It’s well worth the watch, despite the Pony nature of the program. They manged to hit the nail on the head here]. Another issue from the SJWs pursuing social equality is the problem of identity quotas, which ties into the cultural marxism; the idea that every media must include a representative from any and absolutely every race, creed, gender, and sex. Even if it makes those people into token characters or two dimensional stereotypes. All this is done under the guise of creating a product that will appeal to everyone equally, despite the market itself denying the need for a top‐down authoritarian mob on social media determining what people ought to like or dislike. A mere ten years ago, developers and writers both could write entirely for their audiences and only add in characters that were well developed, written or moved the story along — and gamers rewarded them. However, in the current climate of games, every story requires multiple levels of interest to pass the social justice litmus test — Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Alphabits, Black, Asian, White, North/South American — with no rhyme or reason as to why the characters are in there. It’s only for the sake of being represented. Ultimately, it ends up with everyone worse off than before as the writers can only do so much with any given amount of time and/or money. This is such a problem that Project Eternity chose not to include in‐game romances to prevent this very problem. This is not merely a budgetary issue; they’d have to add so many dialogue trees from so many different viewpoints that it ends up being a Sisyphean task with no end in sight. Meanwhile, there is another troubling issue has grown. Social Justice is organized in mobs, just as they claim their opponents are. And are as dangerous and disparate as they make out the “Gaters” to be. They use coercion and doxing to terrify their opponents into silence. During the research for this article, after I posted this article’s draft on my Twitter account, I received an email from the fake LinkedIn I use as bait saying that someone tried to break in. This is a very important first step to doxing someone. Obviously, they are terrified of the exposure one writer can make of their agenda, to the point where they’d target a near absolute nobody on Twitter to try and silence him. [Editor’s Note: Correlation is not causation. While the timing of this is suspicious, it should be noted that it has not been 100% verified that the posting of the draft and the attempted break in of the LinkedIn account are connected.] Overall, gamers are not without their problems. They are indeed, compared to the world, a minority themselves. But in our hobby, whether you are male, female, non‐binary, tumblr‐gendered, black, white, yellow, green, purple, gay, straight, lesbian, alphabet, Amerifat, Europoor, Slav, African, Brazilian (gib monies), South American, Hispanic, Chinese, Thai, Korean (South or Best), Japanese, Indonesian, Indian, Vietnamese, Australian, or hell, Moldovan, there are games for everyone. This is our strength: not that we force or demand our developers to cater to our exact tastes, or bully those who don’t overtly believe in what we believe; but that everyone has equal access to an absolutely vast and wide array of products. An ocean of games that is growing each and every day from horizon to horizon and will continue to do so into the future. We only need to stand together and realize that freedom of thought and freedom of choice are our greatest and most prized assets. If we fail to blunt those who would censor that — screaming for Social Justice when, in their heart, they actually wish for social equity — then all the neat things about being gamers could end. Clearly we have our work cut out for us. But I have faith we will stand against those who would censor those who actually work for their accolades. We shall strive to enable artists and developers instead of hobbling them in
by Kenneth Clarke as a “Bloody difficult woman.” Under Theresa May’s government, women have seen an increase in representation throughout parliament, the cabinet currently has 8 female ministers (including May) which makes up 33% of the secretarial roles. This is the highest number of women to occupy these positions at one time, equalling the figures from Tony Blair’s 2006 cabinet reshuffle. Prime Minister Number of Women in Cabinet Theresa May David Cameron Gordon Brown Tony Blair Margaret Thatcher Within the Conservative party, the number of female MPs has seen a 423% increase throughout Theresa May’s career. When May first entered parliament in 1997, there were just 13 female MPs while the 2015 General Election saw this figure increase to 68. However, commenting on the representation of women throughout the Conservative party, Tory peer Baroness Jenkins suggesting more can be to done to encourage women into politics: “We are bad at headhunting women, bad at supporting them and our associates are not good at picking them.” Baroness Jenkins Theresa May has spent much of her career trying to help female candidates. In 2005, she helped set up Women2Win, which aims to increase the number of Conservative MPs in Parliament by identifying, training and mentoring political talent. Many of the women currently sat in May’s own cabinet, Amber Rudd, Justine Greening and Karen Bradley were all helped by the service in one way or another. When it comes to increasing representation throughout Parliament, should political parties choose a female candidate over a male one? No, the party has a duty to itself and the electorate to put forward the best candidates for each constituency. While it is important to ensure that the candidacy is diverse and represents the diverse community of Britain, it is constituencies that will give parties a majority so they need to ensure that any candidates can win the seat they’re running for. That being said there are talented female candidates across the political spectrum and with career driven role models occupying some of the most powerful positions throughout the country, there are plenty of role models to prove that women belong in politics. Implementing Policy Parliament isn’t the only way that women have been able to affect the policies and laws that affect the country, the policy industry is fast-paced by nature and those in the industry must be able to react to legislative changes as they happen. Jessica Kavanagh – Associate Director, Murray McIntosh We spoke to Jessica Kavanagh, one of the associate directors at Murray McIntosh to gain an insight into how women are represented throughout the Policy industry. Are women represented throughout every stage of the Policy industry? The Policy industries have a healthy talent pool of women. However as with every other industry, despite being well represented at junior and mid-level positions, women are under-represented at the top echelons. Is there is a lack of representation at the top levels, are the rates for progression equal? It’s a tough question, the facts would say there’s not. However, from personal experience across my specific client base and interactions within the industry, I’d say the playing field is fairly well-balanced. It’s hard to generalise throughout the industry in general because it varies with every organisation. Many membership bodies promote a work/life balance for employees, making it easier for women to carry on progressing through their careers after having children. Are there any groups working to help increase female representation at the top levels? Networking groups such as ‘Women in Public Affairs’ have helped provide a greater understanding of the wider issue. The group share experiences and offer advice to help increase the number of women in the top positions. With more men in more senior positions, are certain roles more suitable for men? My initial reaction is no and as a general rule I would stand by that answer. However, could certain policy areas be more suited? It would be interesting to gauge the market on this point; would certain stereotypes prevail? How is the future of the Policy perceived in regards to the male to female ratio? I believe it would be perceived as equal, especially since one of the main topics throughout all industries is about equal opportunities. It would be hypocritical if this wasn’t reflected in the organisations writing that policy. How will the appointment of Theresa May increase the amount of women in the industry? It is fantastic that we have our second female Prime Minister and in the short term this should increase interest and engagement in all industries relating to politics. She has also appointed more female members to the ‘top jobs’ in her cabinet than any Tory leader which can hopefully show that women can thrive in a career in politics. Kate Shoesmith – Head of Policy, REC Alongside Jessica, we also spoke to Kate Shoesmith, Head of Policy at REC the industry body for the Recruitment industry. With a career that places her with a unique look at how careers in the Policy industry can progress for men and women. How would you look to encourage more women into political careers? One of the things that our members have noticed is that young people are not always prepared for the world of work. As a company, we have been working to address this by giving recruiters and our own employees the tools to lead careers advice and information sessions within schools, colleges and universities. I participate in this on a personal level too and volunteer to give talks to young people on my own career path and what my job involves. What more can others be doing to encourage this? Recruiter can sign up to the REC’s Youth Employment Charter to make more active contributions to the careers advice and guidance on offer to young people. People from all industries can also get involved in Inspiring the Future and Inspiring Women. What may be discouraging women from working in this sector? In my role, I come across a lot of women working in Policy and Public Affairs. Once you are in the industry, you can see the opportunities this type of career can bring. But when I was in school I didn’t know a job like mine even existed. I think one of the biggest barriers to break is ensuring young people have an awareness of the types of jobs in the Policy and Public Affairs sector. Do you think Theresa May becoming a female Prime Minister will have any effect? I grew up at a time when there was a female Prime Minister so perhaps that did influence some of my generation. Maybe Theresa May will influence a whole new generation as well, but I think the key is to ensure that we have diversity at all levels within the policy making process. That’s how to effect real change. Lauren Alewood – Senior Consultant, Murray McIntosh Policy specialist, Lauren Alewood was able to give her unique perspective on women in the industry and the struggles that both Lauren and the women she works with face within the Policy sector. Is there anything you think may be discouraging women from pursuing this line of work? As with any other profession or sector that has faced the same question, women who do get to the top face more public exposure and therefore scrutiny. This should not be the case and the way we discuss women in public life needs to change. What actions can we take to encourage more women into Policy? Though some actions have already been taken, such as reforms around childcare, it is important that we continue to push for diversity and inclusion. As with the above question, perceptions need to change. If anything, this should encourage women into policy- who better to drive these changes than women themselves? -------------------------------- In 2015, more female MPs were elected than in 2010 so it’s clear that in terms of representation things are moving the right way. However, these MPs only make up 29% of parliament. There are plenty of talented women working throughout the entire Policy sector in both the private and public sector and while gender should not be the important factor, we need people from all walks of life helping shape policy and legislation to really represent the needs of our society and economy.The garden is my refuge. It’s the reason I bought this house. Even a small leafy space is unusual among Philadelphia rowhomes and I craved a private place with fresh air and shaded light. I water my three trees in hot spells and nurture cool white moonflowers. The unseeing trees and plants comfort me. Pacing the bricks, I fought the instinct to go into the house and hide. I can’t spend my entire life in bed, I told myself, brushing Japanese maple leaves against my cheek to soothe my skin and my spirit. Hiding was a cop-out — not the mature thing to do. I don’t usually hide. I live in Center City Philadelphia where I see — and am seen — by people on the street all the time. I teach at a local university. I go out to dinner with my friends. But the cashier’s reaction shook me. I told myself she was new to that supermarket, didn’t know me, hadn’t been the recipient of my considerable charm. Still her words stung. Among my pots of fragrant herbs, I stripped a thyme frond, crushed the petals and inhaled their fragrance. I felt an overwhelming need to chuck my afternoon class, avoid my merry students’ faces, and burrow under my flowered quilt. I settled in to the wrought-iron chair next to the garden wall and recalled a humid Philly summer day in 1953, when I was 7 and my mother took a flock of kids — me, my brother, and two of our two young cousins — to swim in a suburban pond turned swimming club called Martin’s Dam. Nonmembers like us paid a small fee at the admissions gate beyond which the spring-fed “swimming hole” rippled under hanging maples. Carrying our towels, we kids scampered after my mom who strode up to the gate to pay for us. When I got near the gatekeeper, she fixed her gaze on my abnormally red face and the shards of skin scattered like salt on my arms and legs. I lowered my eyes, tugging shame and surprise and fear into tight cords in my chest. “What’s going on here?” the woman asked. “Nothing that’ll hurt you,” my mother shot back. “Just dry skin.” The gatekeeper let us in. I ducked past her and ran nearer to the pond, pretending nothing had happened. My mother did, too. I slithered into the cool green water up to my neck. When we left I draped my towel around my shoulders and scurried past the woman at the gate who had wondered if my scales would grow on her if I brushed her thigh. That was more than 60 years ago, but I can still inspire fear in ordinary strangers, people who glance at me at the movies or on a city sidewalk. I tense up every time I stride past the iron railings through the park across from my house. I feel my jaw tighten at the sight of all those people. Will the guy in shorts ambling along with his groceries stare at my crimson face? Will the red-haired boy chalking an airplane on the bricks look up as I pass him by in flip-flops? In truth, most of these people are simply more interested in their own affairs than in me. But the starers have entered my inner eye. Whether they stare at me or not almost doesn’t matter.Jewish World Review May 15, 2009 / 21 Iyar 5769 The myth of Europe curiously prevails By Caroline B. Glick http://www.JewishWorldReview.com \| Israelis are wild about Europe. A poll carried out by the Konrad Adenauer foundation last month showed that a whopping 69 percent of Israelis, and 76 percent of Israeli Jews would like for Israel to join the European Union. Sixty percent to Israelis have a favorable view of the EU. This poll's most obvious message is that as far Europe is concerned, Israelis suffer from unrequited love. A 2003 Pew survey of 15 EU countries showed that 59 percent of Europeans consider Israel the greatest threat to world peace. A poll taken in Germany the following year showed that 68 percent of Germans believe that Israel is pursuing a war of extermination against the Palestinians and 51 percent said that there is no difference in principle between Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and German treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. And it isn't simply Israel that they hate. They don't like Jews very much either. In an empirical study published in 2006, Professors Edward Kaplan and Charles Small of Yale University demonstrated a direct link between hatred for Jews and extreme anti-Israel positions. A recent poll bears out the fact that levels of hostility towards Israel rise with levels of anti-Semitism. According to a 2008 Pew survey, anti-Semitic feelings in five EU countries Spain, England, France, Germany, and Poland rose nearly 50 percent between 2005 and 2008. Whereas in 2005, some 21 percent of people polled acknowledged they harbor negative feelings towards Jews, by last year the percent of self-proclaimed anti-Semites in these countries had risen to 30 percent. In Spain levels of anti-Semitism more than doubled from 21 percent in 2005 to 46 percent in 2008. Not surprisingly, increased hatred of Jews has been accompanied by increased violence against Jews. Just last week for instance, three men assaulted Israel's ambassador in Spain Rafi Shotz as he and his wife walked home from a soccer game. They followed after him and called out, "dirty Jew," "Jew bastard," and "Jew murderer." A crowd of people witnessed the assault, but no one rose to their defense. Shotz was lucky. As Israel's ambassador he had two policemen escorting him and so he was not physically threatened. The same was not the fate of Holocaust survivors who assembled at Mauthausen death camp in Austria last week to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the camp's liberation by American forces. As Jewish survivors of the camp where 340,000 people were murdered mourned the dead, a gang of Austrian teenagers wearing masks taunted them screaming "Heil Hitler," and "This way for the gas!" They opened fire with plastic rifles at French Jewish survivors, wounding one in the head and another in the neck. And Austria is not alone. From Germany to France, Belgium, England, Holland, Sweden, Norway and beyond, Jewish kindergartens and day schools, restaurants and groceries have been firebombed and vandalized. The desecration of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues has become an almost routine occurrence. Jewish leaders from Norway to Germany to Britain to France have warned community members not to wear kippot or Stars of David in public. Rabbis have been beaten all over the continent. There is no state sanction for anti-Jewish violence in Europe. But in many places it is either brushed off as insignificant, or justified as a natural byproduct of the Palestinian conflict with Israel. In at least one case, the official downplaying of the significance of anti-Jewish sentiments and violence has had murderous consequences. In January 2006 Ilan Halimi, a French Jew was kidnapped by a gang of Muslim sadists. For an entire week, the police ignored the anti-Semitic nature of the attack and hence the imminent danger to Halimi's life in spite of the fact that his kidnappers made threatening phone calls to Halimi's parents where they recited verses from the Koran while Ilan was heard screaming out in pain from his torture in the background. In the end, Halimi was tortured continuously for 20 days before he was dumped at a railhead naked, with burns and cuts over eighty percent of his battered body and died of his wounds shortly after he was found. Some have attributed the rise in European anti-Semitism to the rapid growth of Muslim minorities throughout the continent. This explanation has much to recommend it. Levels of anti-Semitism among most Muslim minority populations in Europe are exceedingly high. According to Kaplan and Small's study, European Muslims are eight times more likely than non-Muslims to be openly anti-Semitic. And Franco Frattini, the EU official responsible for combating anti-Semitism told the Jerusalem Post last year that some 50 percent of anti-Jewish attacks in Europe are conducted by Muslims. But while European Muslims are a major factor in the rise of anti-Jewish violence, they are a bit player when it comes to the overall prevalence of anti-Jewish attitudes. For example, with 46 percent of Spaniards negatively disposed towards Jews, and with Muslims making up only 3-5 percent of Spaniards, we learn that nearly half of Christian Spaniards are anti-Semitic. And as the 2008 Pew survey shows, European hatred of Jews is growing at a fast clip. Indeed, it is growing two and a half times faster than European hatred of Muslims. In all likelihood, these negative trends for Jews are only going to escalate in the coming years. Politicians interested in being elected have already begun exploiting the rise in anti-Jewish sentiments to increase their electoral prospects. In the 2005 British elections for instance, the Labor Party under Tony Blair depicted then Conservative Party leader Michael Howard as the hateful anti-Semitic icon Fagin from Oliver Twist in a campaign poster. Another Labor poster depicted Howard and fellow politician Oliver Letwin as flying pigs. This state of affairs bodes ill for Israel's future relations with Europe. In most cases, European politicians pander to the growing constituency of anti-Semites by adopting hostile policies towards Israel. These policies then serve to further justify anti-Semitic attitudes and so the number of European anti-Semites continues to grow, and in turn, European hostility to Israel increases. All of this brings us back to Europhilic Israel. If the majority of Israelis were to get their way, and Israel joined the EU, we would find ourselves subsumed into a transnational political entity that increasingly rejects Israel's right to exist. No doubt recognizing the political advantage to be garnered by attacking Israel, last year Spanish investigative magistrate Judge Fernando Andreu Merellesis decided to use a specious complaint submitted by the discredited Palestinian Center for Human Rights to launch a war crimes investigation against Israel's top political and military leaders. Against the stated will of Spain's state prosecution, Merellesis announced last week that he is proceeding with his investigation into claims that a dozen senior Israeli leaders committed a war crime when they approved the 2002 decision to target Hamas terror master Salah Shehadah. As a non-member of the EU, EU courts have no power to enforce their rulings against Israelis. Today the only thing Israelis need to worry about is that we will be arrested if we visit Europe. This is inconvenient, but not impossible to live with. Were Israel to join the EU however, EU laws would supersede Israeli laws. European courts could compel Israeli courts to enforce their rulings. Israel, in short would find itself subsumed in a hostile political entity that could simply adjudicate and legislate it out of existence. So what explains Israel's unrequited love affair with Europe? There is no all-encompassing explanation for the EU's popularity in Israel. It is a function of a number of complementary causes. The most important among them is the abject failure of the Israeli media to examine European anti-Semitism and its implications for European policy towards Israel in any coherent fashion. Rather than recognize that European anti-Semitism and its concomitant hostility towards Israel is the consequence of internal European dynamics, the Israeli media tend to cast both as a function of Israel's actions. Doing so certainly makes for neat, easily digestible news stories, but it also trivializes the situation. Moreover, by acting as though Israel's actual behavior is at all relevant to European treatment of Jews and the Jewish state, the local media effectively buy into cynical European moves to belittle the significance of anti-Jewish violence. They give credence to false European claims that the firebombing of synagogues is simply the regrettable consequence of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Then there is the issue of Israel's constant quest to end its international isolation. For many Israelis, it is tantalizing to think that we can end our international isolation by joining the EU. The EU is seen as a club of rich and cultured countries with which Israel would benefit from merging. This view again is nurtured by the media which have failed to report on the failure of the European welfare state model. In light of the media's refusal to tell the story of Europe's hostility towards Jews and the Jewish state, or the story of the EU's severe economic problems, it is not surprising that precious few Israeli politicians have a clear understanding of Europe. Successive foreign ministers from Shimon Peres to Silvan Shalom to Tzipi Livni to Avigdor Lieberman have all voiced varying degrees of support for Israeli membership in the EU. Their statements have never been challenged in debate. Finally, there is the nostalgia that many Israelis feel towards the old pre-war Europe from their grandparents' stories. That long gone Europe, where young women and men would walk along the promenades in Berlin, Paris, Antwerp and Prague holding hands and eating ice cream, breathing in the air of Heinrich Heine and Franz Kafka has been kept alive in the imaginations of generations of Israelis. Many of them work today as leading journalists, movie directors and actors. For many Israelis then, the myth of Europe is more familiar than the real Europe. Looking to a future of an increasingly Jew-hating Europe it is clear that Israel and Israelis must quickly divest ourselves of our delusions about Europe. For Israel to competently contend with Europe in the coming years, it will be essential that both our political leaders and Israeli society as a whole gain a firm grasp of where Europe stands in relation to both the Jewish people and the Jewish state. With a burgeoning and deeply anti-Semitic Muslim minority, and with a Christian majority increasingly comfortable with flaunting traditional anti-Semitic attitudes, dispensing with anti-Jewish myths ranks low on the priority list for most European leaders. In contrast, for Israel, gazing at this unfolding European state of affairs, it is clear that abandoning our adoration for a mythological Europe is one of the most urgent items on our national agenda. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. JWR contributor Caroline B. Glick is the senior Middle East Fellow at the Center for Security Policy in Washington, DC and the deputy managing editor of The Jerusalem Post. Comment by clicking here. © 2008, Caroline B. GlickEngland's defeat in Australia could threaten their top-four Test status © Getty Images The future of the World Test Championship has been thrown into doubt after it emerged that broadcasters and sponsors still hold grave reservations over the value of the event and the various parties organising it have failed to reach any agreement over the format. The inaugural Test Championship, which the ICC hopes will become the showpiece event in the Test schedule, is due to be staged in the UK in 2017. But, with only four teams due to compete - the top four in the Test rankings as of December 31, 2016 - doubts remain over its global appeal. The key concern of the sponsors and broadcasters is the identities of the competing teams. If any of the major draws cards - especially India or England - should fail to qualify, the attraction and value of the event would fall markedly. England's rapid descent in the world rankings has rendered this a real danger and could also result in some of the games being played in less-than-full stadiums. The ICC's current broadcast deal ends in 2015. The last deal, agreed with ESPN Star Sports* in 2006, was worth around $1.1 billion and helped fund a huge increase in funding for Associate and Affiliate nations. Any decrease in the value of the next deal, a genuine possibility bearing in mind broadcasters' lukewarm response to the World Test Championship, will have serious consequences for the game at every level in most parts of the world. Little progress has been made with the practicalities of the event, either. While a simple option would see the event consist of nothing more than two semi-finals and a final, there are doubts over what happens in the event of poor weather - hardly an unlikely event in the UK - and whether such a format provides enough cricket to capture the imagination of spectators and the interest of sponsors. Any other format - such as round-robin - threatens to become too long, with at least three days rest required between games to ensure any sort of veracity in the event. The fact that day-night Test cricket remains an unrealised dream - and, in England at least, may always do so - also compromises the ability to reach a global audience. As a result, the ICC is under increasing pressure to rethink its commitment to the Championship. The World Test Championship was originally scheduled to be held for the first time in 2013, but was postponed due to the reservations of broadcasters. The ICC had hoped it would replace the Champions Trophy but was unable to reach an agreement and the 50-over tournament was staged in the UK, with some success, instead. It was subsequently confirmed that the Champions Trophy would not be played again. While the ICC remains committed to hosting one showpiece event for each format of the game - World Twenty20, World Cup and Test Championship - the fact is that the Champions Trophy was popular with broadcasters, spectators and sponsors. Its revival cannot be ruled out. *ESPN STAR Sports was a 50:50 joint venture between Walt Disney (ESPN, Inc.), the parent company of ESPNcricinfo, and News Corporation Limited (STAR) George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.Ruxit is an application performance management tool that's focused on the operations side. It features what Dynatrace describes as artificial intelligence for analysis and alerting; for example, it can detect if an application is using too many database calls. Alois Reitbauer, Dynatrace’s chief technical strategist for Ruxit, says that it targets “cloud native” apps, which he defines as apps that are developed based on the principles of the cloud from the ground up, using such technologies as Amazon Web Services and microservices. “Devops obviously is all about collaboration across all of the different departments,” Reitbauer says. “And once you really adopt a devops mentality, you need an easy way to communicate.” Various stakeholders in the application development process can communicate via Ruxit, and the tool offers automated analysis and built-in expert knowledge. It is being converged with Dynatrace’s Application Monitoring tool. Screenshot: Ruxit features Smartscape technology to visualize components of an application and dependencies.Paycheques aside, Cierre Wood’s latest football stop isn’t much different than his last. Unless a little border check leads you to believe Buffalo and Hamilton don’t share common traits. In between, Wood was worlds away from this blue-collar area known for its hard-nosed, cold-weather football. Las Vegas is the city Wood, a 26-year-old California native, calls home these days, and not for the reasons you might expect. Affordable housing prices and good weather drew the former Notre Dame running back to Sin City three years ago, a place he has since found has a lot in common with his football career. “I like to categorize myself as a hustler,” Wood said Wednesday, the second day of Tiger-Cats mini-camp inside Tim Hortons Field. “A true hustler has the ability to lose it all and get it all back.” On Oct. 11, 2015, Wood lost it all, tearing his ACL just two weeks after being promoted from the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad to the active roster. Now, he’s trying to earn it all back up the road in Hamilton, in the CFL, in a setting he’s not at all used to, despite the obvious similarities between his last two pro football homes. That same personal ambition is one he takes with him out onto the field each and every day, especially as he battles for mini-camp time and shine against fellow first-time CFL tailbacks Jeremy Stewart and Alex Green, who both come to Canada with significant NFL experience, as well. “A hustler’s mentality is no matter what happens — bad play, good play, touchdown, fumble — you’re still going to come out and do the exact same thing," Wood said. “We could be down 20-0, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to score, come back, do everything that we need to be a hustler and get it all back.” With the Ticats usually de-emphasizing the running game in favour of a short passing attack, in addition to the presence of veteran tailback C.J. Gable, a Kent Austin favourite, Wood has work to do. “My goal is just to make plays,” the 5-foot-11, 226-pounder said. “I don’t care if I’m 12th on the depth chart, when Cierre Wood goes up, Cierre Wood’s going to make a play. It’s always been that way and it always will be until I decide to stop playing or God tells me it’s time to stop playing.” While Wood was doing everything he needed to in a rehab sense to make it back to this point, he also had to make ends meet. He did that by breaking up fights between angry shoppers as a security guard at a Vegas grocery store. “It was the worst thing ever,” Wood said of the job at Smith’s, where he lasted about seven months before throwing in the towel and signing with the Ticats. “These two ladies got into a fight on my first day. My first two days, two fights.” Once Wood figured out he’d much rather run between two tackles than two swinging purses, the humbling job helped ramp up his rehab workouts, giving them even more purpose. Wood believes he’s improved as a player since limping off the turf with the Bills close to 19 months ago. You could say he’s doubled down. “I run with more power, I’m faster, I’m slimmed down, I’m more agile,” Wood claims. “Take what I’ve done before in my career and double it. Double everything.” If he hasn’t already been given one, Wood’s game might earn him a Vegas-themed nickname if things go according to plan with the Ticats. “It’s flashy, it’s risky, it’s all that,” Wood said. “If you’re going to bet $100 on black, you better have God on your side and a little bit of luck. Or you could think about it like this: I’m going to hit no matter what.” The odds may be long, but it’s a bet the Ticats might be willing to make. [email protected] CIERRE WOOD School: Notre Dame Age: 26 Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 226 pounds NFL stops: Houston (2013), New England (2013), Baltimore (2014), Seattle (2014), Buffalo (2015) Stats: 5 carries, 12 yards; 1 reception, minus-6 yards JEREMY STEWART School: Stanford Age: 28 Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 215 pounds NFL stops: Philadelphia (2012), New York Jets (2012), Oakland (2012-13), Denver (2014-15) Stats: 33 carries, 125 yards, 1 touchdown; 10 receptions, 68 yards ALEX GREEN School: Hawaii Age: 28 Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 220 pounds NFL stops: Green Bay (2011-12), New York Jets (2013-14) Stats: 149 carries, 510 yards; 21 receptions, 139 yardsRye %: 50% Stages: Straight dough Leaven: Instant yeast Start to Finish: 3½ hours Hands-on Time: 30 minutes Yield: Two 1½ lb/725 g loaves In terms of rye baking, it can be said that Finland is where East and West meet: The breads of eastern Finland are dense, dark and sour, much like the breads of their immediate neighbors, Russia and the Baltics. To the west, the breads have more in common with the sweet, fragrantly spiced mixed-grain breads of Sweden. This Applesauce-Buttermilk Rye, which comes from the region around Helsinki, is just such a bread. It’s built on a yeast-leavened straight dough consisting of 50/50 wheat-rye, hydrated with beer, applesauce and the fermented milk the Finns call piima, sweetened with syrup, and spiced with anise, fennel, cumin and orange zest. In all, it’s a flavorful, highly accessible bread that could just as easily be found on any table in Stockholm, Uppsala, Göteborg or Malmö. In the past, I’ve used commercial low-fat buttermilk in breads that call for soured milk; this time, however, I chose full-fat kefir, Middle Eastern-style fermented milk that’s thicker and more sour than buttermilk. For the applesauce I used organic unsweetened from a jar and for the beer I chose a hoppy West Coast IPA. The bread is incredibly complex – a riot of flavors that plays the spice of the rye against the sweetness of applesauce and syrup, fragrance of anise, fennel and cumin, and bitterness of the orange zest. The cake-like crumb is close and moist, the crust thin and crunchy, the chew smooth and mouth-filling, punctuated by surprising sweet-bitter nuggets of candied orange peel. I’ve eaten this bread with prosciutto, Swiss cheese and butter and it complements each of them beautifully. My favorite topping, however, is goat cheese topped with a dab of orange marmalade, which gives me sweet orange above and below, sandwiching the creamy-sour-funky chèvre. I accompanied it with a glass of 100°-proof rye whiskey, but coffee or tea will do just as nicely. Final Dough: In the mixer bowl, warm the buttermilk or kefir over a pan of boiling water to body temperature (100°F/38°C). Stir in the butter until melted, then add the applesauce, syrup and beer and continue mixing until blended. Add the flour, yeast, salt, ground spices, orange zest and candied orange peel. Use the dough hook at low (KA2) speed to mix until the dough gathers around the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl, 6-8 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature (70°F/21°C) until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and divide it into two pieces, each weighing approximately 29 oz./825 g. Shape each into a boule or bâtard and set on a well-floured peel, if using a baking stone, or on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover and proof at room temperature until the surface shows cracks and/or broken bubbles and the loaves have visibly expanded, 45-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 395°F/200°C. Slash each loaf to a depth of at least ¼”/0.6 cm, brush the crust with water and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 335°F/170°C and continue baking until the loaves thump when tapped with a finger and the internal temperature is at least 198°F/92°C, 40-45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool thoroughly before slicing.How NYC's First Puerto Rican Librarian Brought Spanish To The Shelves Enlarge this image toggle caption New York Public Library New York Public Library 11:00 a.m. is bilingual story hour at the Aguilar branch of the New York Public Library. Dozens of kids — mostly children of immigrants from China, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico — have settled down to hear Perez y Martina, a story based on a Puerto Rican folktale. Enlarge this image toggle caption But Perez y Martina — which tells the tale of a romance between a cockroach and a mouse — isn't just any children's story. When it was published in 1932, it was the first Spanish language book for children published by a mainstream U.S. press. And its author, Pura Belpré, was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York's public library system at a time when the city's Puerto Rican population was swelling. Belpré could not find any books for kids in Spanish — so she wrote them herself. Back in 1921, Belpré was a college student at the University of Puerto Rico. She had plans to become a teacher, but she came to New York to attend her sister's wedding and decided to stay. In Harlem, Belpré was recruited as part of a public library effort to hire young women from ethnic enclaves. This first job was a springboard, says scholar Lisa Sánchez, for Belpré's extraordinary career — as a story teller, an activist, a librarian, a folklorist — and even as a puppeteer. Belpré traveled all over the city, from the Bronx to the Lower East Side, telling stories with puppets in Spanish and English. Nobody was doing that back then. Enlarge this image toggle caption Neda Ulaby/NPR Neda Ulaby/NPR Belen Garcia, a New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent, remembers how exciting it was when Belpré showed up at the local library — and how word would spread ahead of time: "Oh my gosh, tell your girlfriends at school — there's going to be a Spanish lady telling a story," she recalls. Garcia fell in love with libraries and ended up working for the New York City Public Library for 45 years — so she knows just how hard it was to reach kids from Spanish-speaking homes. "Their parents didn't let them come to the library because they thought the library was only English," she says. Today, Garcia's daughter runs the same children's section where Belpré once worked in East Harlem. Belpré, who died in 1982, said folktales like Perez y Martina helped immigrant children feel at home. "Martina and Perez form a cultural bridge from Spain through Latin America," Belpré explained in the documentary film, Pura Belpré: Storyteller. That bridge extends all the way to the present day, where on a recent August afternoon, young readers at the Washington Heights branch of the NYPL were making stick puppets inspired by Belpré's stories. Vintage puppets, made by librarians trained decades ago by Belpré, are still in use at the library. As a Latina librarian we have a responsibility to continue doing the work that she started. Washington Heights librarian Vianela Rivas got into the "business" because of Belpré — she remembers reading about her back home in the Dominican Republic. "As I was reading about her, I thought to myself: Oh, I can do that. I can read books to children in Spanish. I can tell parents about the resources the library has for them." Those resources are thanks, in large part, to Belpré's decades of service. "Because of her we have a story time in Spanish," Rivas says. "We have computer classes in Spanish. And I feel like as a Latina librarian we have a responsibility to continue doing the work that she started." Enlarge this image toggle caption Neda Ulaby/NPR Neda Ulaby/NPR
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Keen [email protected] Back to the Effects Page Back to the top of the Effects FAQNICOLA Sturgeon has warned there are just 10 days left to save Scotland from “cruel” Tory austerity. Sturgeon issued a rallying cry to Scots to “put a check” on Theresa May’s party on June 8 ahead of the SNP election manifesto launch this week. Plans “to minimise the numbers of people who feel left behind” will be at the heart of the SNP’s prospectus, Sturgeon says. Sturgeon has also unveiled her alternative economic plan for the UK as a whole. One of the cornerstones of the SNP manifesto, to be launched on Tuesday, will be an additional £118 billion for UK-wide public spending to end Tory austerity. She says the SNP’s plans would deliver sound public finances, return borrowing to levels prior to those of the 2008 financial collapse, and slash the national debt. Sturgeon stated that the plan represents a “responsible and credible” alternative to aggressive Tory cuts. She also described the Tories as “more weak and wobbly than strong and stable”. Writing exclusively in today’s Sunday Herald, Sturgeon said a “combination of Tory cuts and an extreme Brexit are set to make the UK permanently poorer”. Sturgeon’s attack on the Tories comes amid an apparent dampening of public support for Theresa May’s party after early indications of a landslide against Labour at Westminster. The First Minister warned that a re-elected Tory government posed a threat to public services, jobs and prosperity in Scotland, and insisted that austerity was a deliberate choice made by the Tories, as she stated: “There is another way.” Sturgeon also hit out at the “repulsive rape clause” introduced by May’s government as well as plans to cut the winter fuel allowance and axe pension protection. She said the Tories had already been “exposed for the cruelty of some of their policies” by the time campaigning was suspended following the terror attack in Manchester that claimed 22 lives. Sturgeon writes: "Tomorrow there will be 10 days to polling day. Ten days in which it is vital to shine a bright light on the impact Tory policies will have on the country, on households and on jobs...Ten days in which people across Scotland can say enough is enough and vote SNP to stop the Tories and give Scotland a strong voice at Westminster." Sturgeon adds: “When all parties suspended election campaigning last week the Tories had been exposed for the cruelty of some of their policies, the financial incompetence of their plans and the repeated U-turns that make them look more weak and wobbly than strong and stable.” Sturgeon also spoke candidly about her reaction to the atrocity in Manchester which saw the SNP postpone the launch of its election manifesto for a week. She said: “On Monday night I prepared to head to bed having just put the finishing touches to my speech for Tuesday’s planned launch of the SNP manifesto... A few hours later – for so many people – the world looked a very different place. “It is simply not possible, for those of us who haven’t been through it, to really understand the pain and suffering of the families of those who lost their lives in Manchester this week, or those who remain in hospital as doctors and nurses work 24/7 to help them pull through. “That community spirit of the people of Manchester and the dedication of people who spend their working lives running towards emergencies, not running away, must be the abiding memories of this week’s tragic events.” Sturgeon will use the SNP’s manifesto launch to set out plans for an additional £118bn for UK public spending during the course of the next Westminster parliament. She will say the package is aimed at freeing up cash for public services, protecting household incomes and delivering a fair social security system. Sturgeon will state that the plan would balance the UK’s budget by the end of the parliament in 2021-22, as well as stabilising net borrowing at pre-crash levels. In a separate intervention ahead of the manifesto launch, she said: “The SNP manifesto will set out a clear alternative to continued Tory austerity – and the unnecessary, ideological, and self-defeating cuts that have held back the economy, damaged public services, and hammered millions by squeezing family budgets. “The SNP will put forward a responsible and credible fiscal plan that will free up an additional £118bn of public investment to grow the economy, safeguard our public services, protect household incomes and put the UK’s finances back on a stable footing.” However, Scottish Tory shadow finance secretary Murdo Fraser, hitting back, said: “It’s all very well saying they would raise billions, but they don’t seem to know how.”Twenty years ago, Daft Punk’s debut Homework inspired and invigorated the dance music community by showing just how far the rabbit hole could go, making other producers re-examine themselves. The album, recognized as one of the more influential releases at the turn of the century, pushed the quality of the overall scene upwards as well as setting the tone for the sample-heavy aesthetic that marked the first phase of Daft Punk’s career. If you haven’t heard it yet, it’s a must-listen. Since the then-nascent band couldn’t afford to lose all of their money to the sample owners, the bulk of these samples were uncredited, and over the past decades, fans have sought to discover them. Within a few years, most all of them were found, but the sample for the ocean-recalling “Fresh” remained elusive. Check out the video, a sequel to Daft Punk’s “Da Funk” video with its signature dog actor. Leave it to r/NCorpmusic, who produces under the name N O R I A, to discover the origin of “Fresh” twenty years later by mere accident while listening to some 80s jams. It’s a bar from Viola Wills’ “If You Leave Me Now” – a disco cover of the Chicago classic. See the sample below at 1:25. Louis La Roche posted this quick Ableton video below showing how you can transpose Viola’s voice into the lead melody from “Fresh”. People might have their qualms about sample clearance, but my take is this: if you’ve rendered a sample so unrecognizable that it takes decades to discover where it came from, you’re probably in the clear; otherwise, get that ish cleared.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Together, they cited information from 12 references. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article meets our high standards.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. Learn more... In this Article:Article SummaryUsing Physical DeterrentsKeeping Deer Away with SmellsDeterring Deer with Sounds and LightsCommunity Q&A12 References Although they're pretty to look at, deer can be quite destructive in your yard. They tend to eat flower bushes, vegetable gardens, herbs, or anything else you might have planted. Fortunately, though, there are many ways to keep deer out of your yard. There are quite a few types of plants that you can grow to deter deer. Or, put up a fence to physically block deer from entering your yard, or use a chemical repellent to scare them off. Deer are stubborn animals, though—especially when they’re hungry—so be prepared to try a few tricks until you find a couple that work.By Eme Idio YENAGOA—A 74-year-old man (names withheld) from Ondewari community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has allegedly chopped off the manhood of an eight-month old baby boy during circumcision. Meanwhile, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Bayelsa State chapter, has called on security operatives in the state to arrest and prosecute the septuagenarian. Chairperson of FIDA, Bayelsa State, Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, stated this in Yenagoa during a visit to the child at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, yesterday. Narrating the sad incident to newsmen, the father of the child, Joseph Michael, who hails from Okputuwari community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, said that the man demanded for the child for circumcision from his wife without his knowledge and only for him to hear that his son’s manhood had been chopped off. He, however, called for financial support for the treatment of the child, saying that the present predicament had drained their resources. He asked well-meaning individuals and humanitarian organisations to come to their aid.WASHINGTON In the aftermath of two major terrorist attacks on Western targets, America's counterterrorism community is warning that Al Qaeda may launch more overseas operations to influence the presidential elections in November. Click Image to Enlarge AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty A Pakistani army soldier stands guard by the devastated Marriott Hotel following an overnight suicide bombing at Islamabad on September 21, 2008. Call it Osama bin Laden's "October surprise." In late August, during the weekend between the Democratic and Republican conventions, America's military and intelligence agencies intercepted a series of messages from Al Qaeda's leadership to intermediate members of the organization asking local cells to be prepared for imminent instructions. An official familiar with the new intelligence said the message was picked up in multiple settings, from couriers to encrypted electronic communications to other means. "These are generic orders," the source said a distinction from the more specific intelligence about the location, time, and method of an attack. "It was, 'Be on notice. We may call upon you soon.' It was sent out on many channels." Also, Yemen's national English-language newspaper is reporting that a spokesman for Yemen's Islamic Jihad, the Qaeda affiliate that claimed credit for last week's American embassy bombing in Sa'naa, is now publicly threatening to attack foreigners and high government officials if American and British diplomats do not leave the country. Mr. bin Laden has sought to influence democratic elections in the past. On March 11, 2004, Al Qaeda carried out a series of bombings on Madrid commuter trains. Three days later, the opposition and anti-Iraq war Socialist Workers Party was voted into power. In the week before the 2004 American presidential election, Mr. bin Laden recorded a video message to the American people promising repercussions if President Bush were re-elected. In later messages, Al Qaeda's leader claimed credit for helping elect Mr. Bush in 2004. Last year in Pakistan, Qaeda assassins claimed the life of Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister who returned to her native country in a bid for re-election. "There is an expectation that Al Qaeda will try to influence the November elections by attempting attacks globally," a former Bush and Clinton White House counterterrorism official, Roger Cressey, said yesterday. Mr. Cressey said Al Qaeda lacks the capability to pull off an attack in the continental United States, however. "It would likely be a higher Al Qaeda tempo of attacks against U.S. and allied targets abroad," he said. At a talk at the Washington Institute for Near East Affairs on August 12, the national intelligence officer for transnational threats said he expected to see more threat reporting on Al Qaeda as America approaches the November elections. The terrorist attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday was a particular blow to the allied effort against Al Qaeda. The hotel's lobby in recent years served as a meeting place for the CIA and Pakistanis who would not risk being seen at the American Embassy. The bombing, which targeted one of the most heavily fortified locations in Pakistan's capital, will likely claim close to 100 lives after the dead are pulled from the rubble. President Zardari, who had just given his first major address as Pakistan's head of state, on fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda, was the target of Saturday's attack, the vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, said. "He was expected to attend the iftar dinner at the Marriott," Mr. Gartenstein-Ross said "Think of the symbolic value if they were able to kill Zardari after his first address as president of Pakistan in a speech announcing his fight against the terrorists. The symbolic effect of the attack on the same day would be devastating." An adviser to Senator McCain and a former director of central intelligence under President Clinton, James Woolsey, said Al Qaeda has a "history of doing three things at least related to elections. One is to attack before elections, such as in 2004 in Spain, and of course the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. They also have a history of attacks when new leaders take over, like Gordon Brown in Britain and the new leader in Pakistan, with the attack over the weekend. Also Al Qaeda sends messages to populations in elections. You really don't know which one of these they are going to implement." Earlier this summer, another McCain campaign official mused in an interview that an attack could benefit his candidate in the polls. But whether that statement is true is unclear: At the Republican National Convention this month, Mr. McCain praised the president's counterterrorism policies for preventing an attack in America since September 11, 2001. The Bush administration has deliberately refrained from pointing to this success in light of the many plots that the president has said have been aborted on American soil since September 11. The deputy communications director for the McCain campaign, Michael Goldfarb, said: "There is no doubt that Al Qaeda is still dangerous and still desires to strike at America and our allies. But Americans will not be intimidated and their votes will not be swayed by terror." A spokeswoman for the Obama campaign, Wendy Morigi, said, "Last week's attacks demonstrate the grave and urgent threat that Al Qaeda and its affiliates pose to the United States and the security of all nations. As Senator Obama has said for some time, we must refocus our efforts on defeating Al Qaeda around the world."LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Los Angeles jury recommended the death penalty on Monday for the former sanitation worker they convicted of carrying out a string of murders dating back three decades as the so-called “Grim Sleeper” serial killer. Lonnie David Franklin Jr. stands in court during his arraignment on 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in Los Angeles Criminal Court, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. in this July 8, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Al Seib/Pool/File Photo The recommendation, which must be formally upheld and imposed by a judge at a sentencing hearing scheduled for August 10, came after about eight hours of deliberations, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said. The seven-woman, five-man jury was charged with deciding whether 63-year-old Lonnie Franklin Jr., whom they found guilty last month following an 11-week trial, should face the death penalty or life in prison. Franklin was convicted on May 5 of shooting seven women to death between August 1985 and September 1988, then strangling a 15-year-old girl and strangling or shooting two other women in a second round of killings between March 2002 and January 2007. The jury also convicted Franklin of attempted murder for an attack on an 11th victim, Enierta Washington, who survived being shot in the chest, raped, pushed out of a car and left for dead in 1988. She testified against him at the trial. Prosecutors said Franklin stalked the streets of South Los Angeles as he preyed on prostitutes and drug addicts in a crime spree dating back 30 years to the mid-1980s, at the height of a crack cocaine epidemic that gripped the area. His victims’ nude or partially clothed bodies were found dumped in alleys and trash bins. Pictures of some victims were discovered in a collection of 180 photos recovered from his home, police said. A lapse of more than 13 years between two spates of murders he was charged with committing earned the killer the “Grim Sleeper” moniker. But since Franklin’s 2011 indictment, police said they had linked him to several more unsolved slayings, some from the previously presumed lull in killings. While Franklin was not charged with those additional slayings, prosecutors in the penalty phase were permitted to present testimony about five such cases, including two in which no bodies were ever found. Defense attorneys argued during the penalty phase that imposing the death penalty would only delay the healing process for the victims’ families. California has not carried out an execution since 2006, when a federal judge found problems with its three-drug cocktail for lethal injection. The state is still trying to approve a new drug protocol.You probably aren't getting a slew of responses because your title and your objective don't seem to be realistic. There are many smart people / organizations who have created search engines and portals but there is still only one Google. Yahoo has been slipping relative to Google even though it had a head start. It's great to think big but if it isn't realistic, then it may just be delusional. Just because the internet is easier to get into at the low end than some other kinds of businesses doesn't mean that it is that much easier to become a big successful company. You might as well have said: "I have a great new idea for a soft drink and this will be bigger than Coke or Pepsi" or "I have a great idea for a new automobile and this will kill Toyota and General Motors" It isn't that any of these are impossible but they are improbable. Even someone with great business and communication skills (which you haven't demonstrated in your post) would have a hard time convincing the world that they had a realistic chance of achieving any one of them. Most big companies started small and built up over time. There probably aren't many cases of a new entrant being able to establish itself and then overcome very entrenched competition unless there is a change in technology or the market that gives it a serious edge.Eight months after three critical vulnerabilities were fixed in the memcached open source caching software, there are over 70,000 caching servers directly exposed on the internet that have yet to be patched. Hackers could execute malicious code on them or steal potentially sensitive data from their caches, security researchers warn. Memcached is a software package that implements a high performance caching server for storing chunks of data obtained from database and API calls in RAM. This helps speed up dynamic web applications, making it well suited for large websites and big-data projects. While memcached is not a database replacement, the data it stores in RAM can include user sessions and other sensitive information from database queries. As such, the server was not designed to be directly exposed to untrusted environments like the internet, even though some of the more recent versions support basic authentication. Back in October, the memcached developers fixed three remote code execution vulnerabilities (CVE-2016-8704, CVE-2016-8705 and CVE-2016-8706) that were found and reported by security researchers from Cisco Systems’ Talos division. All of these flaws affected memcached’s binary protocol for storing and retrieving data and one of them was in the Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) implementation. Throughout December and January several groups of attackers wiped data from tens of thousands of publicly exposed databases including MongoDB, CouchDB, Hadoop and Elasticsearch clusters. In many cases they asked server administrators for money to return the data, but there was no evidence they actually copied it. The Talos researchers thought that memcached servers might be the next target, especially giving the flaws they had identified a few months earlier, so in February they decided to run a series of internet scans to determine the potential attack surface. The scan results revealed that around 108,000 memcached servers were directly exposed to the internet and only 24,000 of them required authentication. The fact that so many servers were publicly accessible without authentication was bad enough, but when they also tested for the presence of the three vulnerabilities, they found that only 200 servers requiring authentication actually had the October patches deployed. All the rest were open to hacking through the SASL vulnerability. Overall, 85,000 or around 80 percent of all memcached servers exposed to the internet lacked the security fixes for the three critical flaws announced in October. Troubled by the poor patch adoption rate, the Talos researchers decided to run whois queries on the IP addresses of all of those servers and send notification emails to their owners. Earlier this month the researchers decided to redo their scans. They found that there are still 106,000 memcached servers exposed to the internet, although 28,500 have different IP addresses than the ones found in February. Of these 106,000 servers, 73,400 or around 70 percent continue to be vulnerable to the three exploits patched in October. Over 18,000 of the identified servers require authentication and 99 percent of those continue to have the SASL vulnerability. Even after sending tens of thousands of notification emails, the patch adoption rate improved by only 10 percent in six months. “The severity of these types of vulnerabilities cannot be understated,” the Talos researchers said Monday in a blog post. “These vulnerabilities potentially affect a platform that is deployed across the internet by small and large enterprises alike. With the recent spate of worm attacks leveraging vulnerabilities this should be a red flag for administrators around the world. If left unaddressed the vulnerabilities could be leveraged to impact organizations globally and impact business severely.” The conclusions of this exercise suggest that many web application owners do a poor job of safeguarding their users’ data. First, a surprisingly large number of memcached servers are directly exposed to the internet and the majority of them do not use authentication. The data cached on these servers is at risk even without the presence of any vulnerabilities. Second, even when critical vulnerabilities that could be used to completely compromise servers are patched, many server administrators don’t apply the security fixes in a timely manner, if ever. Under these circumstances, seeing large scale attacks against memcached servers like those that targeted MongoDB databases would not be surprising. Feature image via Pixabay.MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 17: Mitch Honeychurch of the Bulldogs is tackled by Paul Patterson of the Scorpions during the round 15 VFL match between the Footscray Bulldogs and the Casey Scorpions at Whitten Oval on July 16, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Media) Footscray will be looking to keep their top-four hopes alive when they take on Werribee at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs currently sit in sixth place on the VFL ladder, equal on points with Sandringham (4th) and Port Melbourne (5th), and with Geelong perched in seventh four pionts back, the fight is on for the all-important double chance. With Collingwood, winners of 11 straight, to come in the final round, Ashley Hansen's men will be looking to continue their strong pre-bye form into the final rounds and into September. The Dogs will be bolstered by Tom Campbell, Bailey Williams and Mitch Honeychurch all returning from injury. With the AFL team playing on Sunday, the full bench from the AFL squad is included below. Werribee v Footscray Sunday, August 21, 2016, 12.00pm Venue: Avalon Airport Oval Full back B Lynch J Staley J Adcock Half back B Dale B Olsson B Williams Centreline R Smith T McLean J Russell Half forward M Honeychurch K Stevens L Webb Full forward D Hamilton T Campbell J Stringer Followers W Minson N Hrovat L Nash Interchange D Houghton L Dalgleish M Hannan N Jamieson A Greenwood J Hayes T Sharp J Grabowski M Austin A Tashevski-Beckwith A Barry 23p B LongNFL Nation reporters pick the greatest trade in franchise history for all 32 teams: Editor's note: This story was published in November 2016, ahead of the NFL trade deadline. With the NBA trade deadline looming (3 p.m. ET Thursday), we're reposting the story. AFC East \| AFC North\| AFC South \| AFC West NFC East \| NFC North \| NFC South \| NFC West AFC EAST Bills trade for first-round pick, select quarterback Jim Kelly. You probably haven't heard of linebacker Tom Cousineau, the first overall pick in 1979 who spurned Buffalo to play in the CFL. But in 1982, the Bills traded Cousineau to the Browns for three draft picks, including the No. 14 overall selection in 1983, which was used to draft Kelly. You might have heard of him; he's in the Hall of Fame after leading the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s. -- Mike Rodak Dolphins trade for wide receiver Paul Warfield. In 1970, Miami made a rare acquisition of a Hall of Famer in his prime by trading its third overall pick to the Browns for Warfield. It seemed like a fair trade at the time, but the Browns wasted the pick on quarterback bust Mike Phipps. Warfield, meanwhile, played five effective seasons for the Dolphins, recording 33 touchdowns and winning two Super Bowls. -- James Walker Patriots trade for wide receiver Randy Moss. When the Patriots acquired Moss from the Raiders for a fourth-round draft choice in 2007, some wondered if Moss would be a fit in the Patriots' hard-driving culture. For that particular year, it was a perfect fit, and he totaled an NFL single-season record 23 touchdown catches in the Patriots' undefeated season. At the time of the trade, Moss' value had been lessened with declining production in a losing environment in Oakland, but he came to life in New England. -- Mike Reiss Jets trade up in draft to pick quarterback Joe Namath. The Jets traded up in the 1965 AFL draft and used the No. 1 overall pick on Namath, still the best player in franchise history. They dealt the rights to quarterback Jerry Rhome as part of a trade package with the Oilers. The Jets outbid the rival NFL for Namath, and the rest is history. He went on to a Hall of Fame career, leading the Jets to their only Super Bowl title. -- Rich Cimini AFC NORTH Ravens trade for wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Baltimore found a clutch receiver who helped it win a Super Bowl title when it traded for Anquan Boldin in March 2010, sending third- and fourth-round picks to Arizona for Boldin and a fifth-rounder. In the 2012 playoffs, Boldin totaled 22 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 17.3 yards per reception and setting team postseason records for catches and receiving yards. The Ravens then made a huge mistake by trading Boldin to the 49ers a month after he helped them win the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy. So, Boldin was involved in the best trade and the worst trade in Ravens history. -- Jamison Hensley Bengals trade for running back James Brooks. The Bengals and Chargers swapped disgruntled running backs in 1984, with San Diego receiving 30-year-old Pete Johnson and Cincinnati receiving 26-year-old Brooks. The Bengals got the better end of the deal. Brooks spent eight seasons in Cincinnati, eventually finishing second on the franchise's list of rushing yards leaders and making four Pro Bowl appearances while with the team. Johnson lasted only three games in San Diego. -- Katherine Terrell Browns trade for first pick in supplemental draft to pick quarterback Bernie Kosar. When Kosar left the University of Miami in 1985, he wanted to be a Brown. But the Browns could not get a pick high enough in the draft to get him. In a shrewd move, Ernie Accorsi traded three draft picks to Buffalo for the first pick in the supplemental draft, and Kosar delayed his application to the league so he was eligible only for the supplemental draft. Kosar became a Brown and led the team to an era of great success. He remains one of the most beloved players in team history. -- Pat McManamon Steelers trade for running back Jerome Bettis. Talk about added roster value. The Steelers pulled off a banner draft-day trade in 1996 by acquiring a barreling running back named Jerome Bettis. They sent second- and fourth-round picks to the Rams in exchange for a third-rounder and Bettis, who rewarded Pittsburgh's faith with six straight 1,000-yard seasons on his way to the Hall of Fame. In his last two seasons in Pittsburgh, Bettis rushed for 22 touchdowns and won a Super Bowl. The Steelers don't swing trades very often, but this move was brilliant. -- Jeremy Fowler AFC SOUTH Texans trade for quarterback Matt Schaub. By trading for Schaub in 2007, Houston basically conceded that David Carr, a former No. 1 pick who was then a five-year veteran, was no longer their franchise quarterback. Schaub became the most successful quarterback in franchise history, leading Houston to consecutive playoff berths in 2011-12, including the first in team history. -- Sarah Barshop Colts trade for running back Eric Dickerson. The Colts sent two players and six draft picks to acquire Dickerson from the Rams in 1987. Dickerson rushed for 3,981 yards and 26 touchdowns in his first 40 games with Indianapolis. The Colts sent rookie linebacker Cornelius Bennett to Buffalo to acquire a player and three draft picks that ended up being part of the package to land Dickerson. -- Mike Wells Jaguars trade for first-round pick, select running back Fred Taylor. In 1998, the Jaguars traded backup quarterback Rob Johnson to Buffalo for the Bills' first-round pick (ninth overall) and a fourth-round pick. With the No. 9 pick, the Jaguars took Taylor, who went on to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher. He had seven 1,000-yard seasons in Jacksonville, including what was then a franchise-record 1,572 yards in 2003. Johnson was 9-17 in 26 starts with the Bills over four seasons. -- Mike DiRocco Oilers trade for No. 1 pick, select running back Earl Campbell. For the Titans, it has to be dealing the No. 1 overall pick this year to the Rams along with the Nos. 113 and 177 picks for the Nos. 15, 43 and 76 picks as well as Los Angeles' 2017 first-round and third-round picks. (The third rounder will be the Rams' compensatory pick if they get one as expected). For the franchise, it's the Houston Oilers' deal for the No. 1 pick in 1978 that was used on Campbell, who went on to have a Hall of Fame career. The Oilers dealt their first-rounder to Tampa Bay (17th overall, used on Doug Williams) as well as a second-round pick (44th), third- and fifth-rounders in 1979 and tight end Jimmie Giles. -- Paul Kuharsky AFC WEST Broncos trade for No. 1 pick, select quarterback John Elway. It's not often a franchise gets Hall of Fame-worthy players in trades, but the Broncos have done it twice. There is 2004, when Mike Shanahan shipped running back Clinton Portis to the Redskins for cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round pick. Bailey played a decade for the Broncos in what is a Canton-worthy résumé. But the franchise's best trade will always be when it sent quarterback Mark Herrmann, tackle Chris Hinton and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft to the Colts for the draft rights to Elway. Folks know the rest of the story: Elway became a Hall of Fame player and sports icon who then returned to run the team and help lead it to another Super Bowl win. -- Jeff Legwold Chiefs trade for offensive tackle Willie Roaf. The 2002 trade with the Saints, for a third-round pick, was the move that allowed the Chiefs to build a premier offensive line and the high-scoring offense they had when they were coached by Dick Vermeil. Roaf played for the Chiefs for the final four seasons of his Hall of Fame career, and he was consistently great. It's no coincidence the Chiefs declined sharply on offense the year after his retirement. -- Adam Teicher Raiders trade for linebacker Ted Hendricks. Oakland got Hendricks from the Packers following the 1974 season for two first-round picks, and a year after the deal they finally broke through to win a Super Bowl. His arrival had a far-reaching impact on the franchise, however. In fact, "Kick 'em in the head Ted" freelancing along the line as an unblockable presence set the stage for Oakland winning three Lombardi Trophies in his nine seasons with the Raiders. "Ted was one of the greatest players of all time," Raiders owner Mark Davis told me. "He dominated." All the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and to the tune of four Pro Bowls, two All-Pro selections and being one of just six Raiders to play on all three title teams. -- Paul Gutierrez Chargers trade for wide receiver Charlie Joiner. San Diego sent defensive end Coy Bacon to Cincinnati in exchange for Joiner in 1976, and Joiner spent his final 11 seasons in the NFL as a signature piece of coach Don Coryell's air attack. Joiner finished his career in 1986 as the franchise receptions leader with 586, a mark he held until Antonio Gates broke the record in 2011. Joiner earned three Pro Bowl invitations during his 18-year NFL career. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and is a member of the Chargers Hall of Fame. -- Eric D. Williams NFC EAST Cowboys get eight draft picks in exchange for running back Herschel Walker. Many thought the Cowboys were crazy for trading their best player in 1989, but this move laid the foundation for their run of Super Bowls in the 1990s. How important was it? It's immortalized on a wall inside the team's new facility. It remains the most talked-about trade of its day and is unlikely to ever be equaled again. Coach Jimmy Johnson did not care so much about the players he received from Minnesota as he did the picks they turned into. -- Todd Archer Giants trade draft picks for quarterback Eli Manning. Editor's Picks Randy Moss remembers trade to Patriots: 'I was hyped' "I got a phone call and it was Bill Belichick. I thought it was a friend or somebody playing with my phone. I actually cussed him out." NFL trade deadline winners, losers Deadline day has come and gone, and only one marquee name -- Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins -- switched teams. Here's how Chip Kelly and Hue Jackson both won Tuesday. 1 Related In a blockbuster deal with the Chargers in 2004, the Giants received Manning, drafted No. 1 overall, and the Chargers landed a package that turned out to be quarterback Philip Rivers, defensive end Shawne Merriman, kicker Nate Kaeding and offensive lineman Roman Oben. The Giants paid a hefty price, but it was worth it when they were rewarded with two Super Bowls. It was a win all the way around. -- Jordan Raanan Eagles trade for quarterback Ron Jaworski. In 1977, the Eagles acquired Jaworski from the Rams for standout tight end Charle Young. Jaworski threw the bulk of his 28,190 career passing yards in an Eagles uniform and helped coach Dick Vermeil reach the Super Bowl in 1980. -- Tim McManus Redskins trade for quarterback Sonny Jurgensen. The Redskins transformed their franchise in 1964 when they sent quarterback Norm Snead, coming off a 13-touchdown, 27-interception season, and defensive back Claud Crabbe to the Eagles in exchange for the 29-year-old Jurgensen. With Washington, Jurgensen guided an explosive offense and earned a spot in the Hall of Fame. The Redskins weren't winners in the 1960s, but the offensive success led to heightened expectations, which led to a successful run in the 1970s through the early '90s. Jurgensen earned four Pro Bowl berths one All-Pro selection and led the NFL in passing three years while with Washington. He also became a beloved broadcaster. -- John Keim NFC NORTH
all 45 2668 151 3.4 16 21 6 3 1294 0.883 1979-80 Phil Myre 41 2367 141 3.57 18 7 15 0 1127 0.875 1981-82 Pete Peeters 44 2591 160 3.71 23 18 3 0 1241 0.871 1978-79 Wayne Stephenson 40 2187 122 3.35 20 10 5 2 944 0.871 1990-91 Ken Wregget 30 1484 88 3.56 10 14 3 0 660 0.867 h/t Snevik in the BSH comments. help from FlyersHistory.com and Hockey ReferenceJeremy Lin has dealt with racist remarks as an Asian American in the NBA, but he said nothing compares to what he repeatedly experienced while playing in college. Lin, the first American-born NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, said he heard deplorable racial slurs hurled at him from fans, opposing players and even an opposing coach during his four years at Harvard while playing on the road from 2006 to '10. "The worst was at Cornell, when I was being called a c---k," the Brooklyn Nets point guard said in an interview on his teammate's podcast, "Outside Shot with Randy Foye." "That's when it happened. I don't know... that game, I ended up playing terrible and getting a couple of charges and doing real out-of-character stuff. My teammate told my coaches [that] they were calling Jeremy a c---k the whole first half. I didn't say anything, because when that stuff happens, I kind of just, I go and bottle up -- where I go into turtle mode and don't say anything and just internalize everything." "When I got to the NBA, I thought, this is going to be way worse. But it is way better. Everybody is way more under control," Jeremy Lin said of hearing racist remarks lobbed at him. Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports Lin told Foye that one fan at Georgetown shouted negative Asian stereotypes at him, such as "chicken fried rice" and "beef lo mein" and "beef and broccoli" throughout the entire game. And when Harvard visited Yale one time, Lin said fans heckled his appearance, specifically his eyes. "They were like, 'Hey! Can you even see the scoreboard with those eyes?'" Lin recalled. Lin said one opposing coach also used an offensive slur to Asian Americans while referring to Lin as the coach argued with a referee. And even if officials heard what was being said, Lin said nothing was ever done about it. "In Vermont -- I remember, because I had my hands up while the Vermont player was shooting free throws -- their coach was like, 'Hey ref! You can't let that Oriental do that!' I was like, What is going on here? I have been called a c---k by players in front of the refs; the refs heard it, because they were yelling it, [like,] 'Yeah, get that out, c---k!' And the ref heard it, looked at both of us and didn't do anything. "It's crazy. My teammate started yelling at the ref, 'You just heard it, it was impossible for you not to hear that. How could you not do something?' And the ref just pretended like nothing happened. That was when I was like, Yo, this [kind of racism and prejudice] is a beast. So, when I got to the NBA, I thought this is going to be way worse. But it is way better. Everybody is way more under control." Lin said that when he now hears something offensive from a heckler, the Nets point guard doesn't allow it to affect him the way it did in college at times. "To this day in the NBA, there are still some times where there are still some fans that will say smaller stuff, and that is not a big deal," Lin said. "But that motivates me in a different way." Lin said that when his career exploded overnight and "Linsanity" was born during his brief tear with the New York Knicks in 2012, he didn't know how to cope with the sudden fame or the unexpected responsibility that came with being a new Asian American role model. Lin told Foye that his biggest regret during Linsanity was not enjoying the moment more. "I had set the record for the most points ever scored by any player in their first five starts, but I didn't look like anybody they had ever seen," Lin said. "All anybody ever knew about Asian players were 7-foot centers from China.... It scared me. "My biggest regret is I never really soaked it in or appreciated it. I was so scared, and then I was so focused on -- all right, they think this, so I got to be that, and next year I got to play even better; and then it was on to the next goal, and I was never really able to slow down and appreciate it." In the NBA, Lin also talked about how he faced a different type of prejudice during the draft process -- overcoming stereotypes that came with being a rare Asian American point guard. "The biggest thing about me was no one had ever seen a player like me in terms of just my natural appearance," said Lin, who went undrafted. "So coming out of college, everybody who criticized me was like, He is too weak and not fast enough and not athletic enough. And if you look at the combine stuff, me and John Wall were tied for first in the fastest sprint. So my speed and the stats were there, but every time they would write about me, they would say he is not going to be fast enough, he is not going to be strong enough, he is not athletic enough. "And then when I finally started to play and they would watch me, they would be like, 'Oh man, he is deceptively athletic. He is deceptively quick.' So I was fighting that narrative the whole time. It is funny, too, when I first got into the league, I couldn't shoot. I hit one 3-pointer my whole rookie year. One. But everybody was chasing me off the line because they assumed he's got to be a shooter. He can't be a driver. It wasn't until the scouting report went out on me that I was pretty fast." Now more mature and in a more comfortable place in his life, Lin, 28, has fully embraced his role within the Asian community and looks forward to challenging all stereotypes and racial prejudice that come his way. Lin just finished the first season of a three-year, $36 million deal he signed with the Nets. "Back then [during Linsanity] it was like, every question [was] like, 'Jeremy, what it is like to be Asian in the NBA?'" Lin said. "Everything was about being Asian in the NBA. At a point, I was like, 'Man, just stop talking to me about being Asian.' And everyone would refer to me like, 'Linsanity!' 'Linsanity!' I was like, 'Dude, just stop calling me that name.' It became a huge burden, because I felt like I had to be this phenomenon for everybody else. "And now when I say badge of honor, it's like, this is cool: I rep for all the Asians, I rep for all the Harvard dudes, I rep for the Cali guys, I rep for the underdogs. I take pride in it. It is not a burden to me anymore. I am not scared anymore. I appreciate it and want to help and challenge the world, stereotypes and everything. Back then, I didn't understand it; and it came so fast, I didn't really know what was going on."“What about ‘mutual abuse’?” or “Don’t women abuse just as much as men do?” – 90-95% of domestic violence victims are women and as many as 95% of domestic violence perpetrators are men.* However, men can be victims and women can be perpetrators, and domestic violence occurs in same-sex relationships. There are unhealthy relationships, in which both partners may be doing unhealthy things like checking each other’s text messages or Facebook pages, arguing, and being generally jealous, and there are abusive relationships, where these and other tactics are used by one partner to maintain power and control over the other. In abusive relationships, there is always a dominant aggressor who uses various tactics to maintain power and control in the relationship. The other partner may react to these tactics, including through use of self-defense, but they are not attempting to control their partner, so they are not equal in the abuse. Thus, the general concept of ‘mutual abuse’, or that two people are mutually controlling one another in a relationship, is actually a myth. But what about those studies that show women are just as violent as men? These studies use a research tool called the “Conflict Tactics Scale,” which does not control for the context in which the violence occurred, such as use of force in self-defense or retaliation. So, for example, if a man is strangling a woman and she scratches him to get him to stop, they each get “one point” on the conflict tactics scale for use of violence! Even more significantly, if a woman has been abused by a man for years, he pushes her into the wall, and she picks up a knife, brandishes it and says “get away from me,” she will get two points and he will get one. This is the substance of studies that found women are more violent than men. Furthermore, other studies consistently find that no matter what the rate of violence or who initiates the violence, women are 7 to 10 times more likely to be injured in acts of intimate partner violence than men are.* For more information about the false claim that women are equally as violent as men, please see http://www.xyonline.net/content/claims-about-husband-battering * Bureau of Justice Statistics Selected Findings: Violence Between Inmates (NCJ-149259), November 1994; A Report of the Violence Against Women Research Strategic Planning Workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Justice in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1995. Adapted from www.stoprelationshipabuse.orgAs the worst week in a cursed presidency wound down, I spotted more and more forecasts that Donald Trump would resign, including from Tony Schwartz, who wrote “The Art of the Deal” for Trump and presumably understands his tortured psyche. They struck me not as wishful or fantastical. They struck me as late. Trump resigned the presidency already — if we regard the job as one of moral stewardship, if we assume that an iota of civic concern must joust with self-regard, if we expect a president’s interest in legislation to rise above vacuous theatrics, if we consider a certain baseline of diplomatic etiquette to be part of the equation. By those measures, it’s arguable that Trump’s presidency never really began. By those measures, it’s indisputable that his presidency ended in the lobby of Trump Tower on Tuesday afternoon, when he chose — yes, chose — to litigate rather than lead, to attend to his wounded pride instead of his wounded nation and to debate the supposed fine points of white supremacy. He abdicated his responsibilities so thoroughly and recklessly that it amounted to a letter of resignation. Then he whored for his Virginia winery on the way out the door.How do people adapt to life in one of the most polluted cities in the world, in sub-zero temperatures, during extended periods with no daylight? Photographer Elena Chernyshova recently set out to explore those questions in Norilsk, Russia, a city of more than 170,000 people located above the polar circle. View Images The city-factory of Norilsk has only one reason to exist: maintaining the biggest metallurgical and mine complex in the world. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova Norilsk is home to a massive mining and metallurgical complex—workers extract and process vast amounts of nickel, copper, and cobalt, making up more than 2 percent of Russia’s GDP. But the history of the area is bleak. Soviets originally profited from the area’s resources through Gulag labor. From 1935 to 1956 more than 500,000 prisoners were forced to work in the freezing cold under inhumane conditions. Many died. Now, most people live in Norilsk by choice—they have strong social and familial networks and can make a decent wage. View Images A melting department in Norilsk is filled with gas emissions. Workers suffer from pollution, heat, and noise, and must use masks or breathing tubes connected to oxygen tanks. Compensation for the risks is countered by 90 official holidays, and early retirement at 45-years old. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova However, the relatively good economy comes with a price—the city is so polluted that residents suffer high rates of cancer, lung disease, blood and skin disorders, and depression. The amount of sulfur dioxide in the air is so high that vegetation in an almost 20-mile radius has died, and residents are forbidden from gathering berries or mushrooms due to high toxicity. View Images A building in Norilsk sits abandoned after a damaged pipe filled it with water. Despite its prosperity, Norilsk faces a huge maintenance problem. The majority of buildings were constructed on pilings, which are now shifting due to melting permafrost. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova Chernyshova recently spent eight months in Norilsk between 2012 and 2013, over three separate trips. I caught up with her over email to learn more about her project, as well as the surprises she encountered while documenting this unique place. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.) COBURN DUKEHART: What was your inspiration for this project? ELENA CHERNYSHOVA: My mother lived in Chukotka (far northeast Russia) in a small town above the polar circle for 10 years. As a child, I was fascinated by her stories about the polar night, polar day, Northern lights, frost descending to -60 degrees, sparkling crispy snow, and food delivered in dry form or powder. These conditions seemed to me unusual, almost fairy-tale like. I wanted to experience this life long before I became a photographer. Five years ago I met a girl from Norilsk. Her stories re-awoke my curiosity, and from that moment I couldn’t say whether I wanted to do a story about the adaptation of people to the hostile environment of the North, or about Norilsk itself. It was inseparable. View Images One of the best ways to adapt to the cold is quenching. Norilsk has a “Walrus” club whose members swim in outdoor ice-holes despite the temperature. After swimming people warm themselves in small banyas (saunas) that are heated with steam from the power plant. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova COBURN: What story were you trying to tell through these pictures? ELENA: I wanted to show the particularities of this city: its isolation, extreme climate conditions, polar night, history of its creation, architectural particularities, huge dimension, and the daily life of people involved in its operation. I also wanted to show the ecological catastrophe, and the domestication of this environment. The complexity of Norilsk inspired me a lot. View Images Norilsk is one of the coldest cities in the world with an average winter temperature of -25° C. Winter lasts 280 days per year, and even a simple trip outside can be dangerous. A column of 15-20 buses transports workers between the city and factories three times a day. If one bus breaks down, passengers can quickly be evacuated to another bus. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova COBURN: Was there anything you discovered about the people of Norilsk that surprised you? ELENA: The people of Norilsk are full of affection and deep nostalgia. I couldn’t understand how a place that looks like a hell on earth could awaken such sentiments. When I was in Norilsk, people often complained about the city, its administration, awful ecology, tough climate, isolation (plane tickets are so expensive, that some people can’t leave for several years), slow Internet, etc., but they were also deeply attached to, and sincerely loved, Norilsk. View Images Anna Vasilievna Bigus, 88, was sent to the Gulag in Norilsk at age 19. Her fault was to have survived the German invasion of her village in the western part of Ukraine—she was then considered by the Soviets to be a collaborator of the German army. After her liberation at the age of 29, she stayed in the city, having no other place to go. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova There is also a spirit of brotherhood. Difficulties unite people. A simple trip from the house to the shop can be an extreme challenge, and these extremes teach us to appreciate many simple things that seem banal in other conditions, like daylight, warmth, or a cup of hot tea. Overcoming hardship makes us stronger—awakes personal potential. Also, there are not a lot of places to go out, and the old Russian tradition of meeting in somebody’s flat and having a kitchen party is still alive. The Internet is bad, so people spend much more time communicating in person. I am still in contact with lot of people from Norilsk—some have become really good friends. View Images Children are allowed outside only under certain conditions, and sometimes have to spend several months indoors. Large enclosed spaces are designed for them, so they can enjoy activities like cycling and running, even in the winter. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova COBURN: What were some of the challenges you faced in shooting this story? ELENA: The main challenges were ecology, climate, and the polar night. During the summer, the gas from the factories stays in the lower levels of the atmosphere. Sometimes the pollution was so high I got an asthma attack and couldn’t breathe. For about two months there is no sun, no light at all. I was completely disoriented all the time and had a horrible insomnia for more than a month. I was very tired all day, then couldn’t fall asleep because my body hadn’t actually woken up. Psychologically it was hard—I had an unreasonable anxiety, an almost animal fear that the light would never come back. Norilsk people consider your first polar night as a test. If you make it without difficulties you can live in the region. I have not passed this test. View Images During the polar night the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon, leaving the area without light. The period lasts in Norilsk from the end of November until the end of January. During this time, the body slows down its release of melatonin, causing a lack of deep sleep, increased anxiety, and depression, and physical discomfort. Most of the apartments in Norilsk have UV lamps to reproduce natural light. Photograph by Elena Chernyshova COBURN: What do you hope people will learn from these photographs? ELENA: I hope these photos awake some questions. Where are the limits of human ambition in the race for natural resources? How much are we willing to damage nature and the health of hundreds of thousands of people in the drive for riches? What are the limits of human adaptation to extreme living conditions? For example, after two months in Norilsk I didn’t pay much attention to the things that had surprised me at the beginning. They just became habit. View Images Dolgoe Lake lies at the foot of Norilsk and separates the industrial area from the city. City architects imagined a large park and a recreation area here, but development was never done. Still, picnics, barbecues, sunbathing, and swimming are organized when the sun is out. Photograph by Elena ChernyshovaThis is part of a larger divide that has been opening up between “mass populations” and “informed publics” (Edelman defined the latter group as those who have a college degree, regularly consume news media, and are in the top 25 percent of household income for their age group in a given country). The 2008 financial crisis, he argued, produced widespread suspicion that elites only act in their own interests, not those of the people, and that elites don’t necessarily have access to better information than the rest of the population does. The sluggish, unequal recovery from that crisis—the wealthy bouncing back while many others struggle with stagnant incomes—has only increased the skepticism. The result of all this is deepening distrust of institutions, especially the government and the media, among “mass populations” in many countries. (Among “informed publics,” by contrast, trust in institutions has grown in the years since the economic crash.) The financial crisis may have occurred eight years ago, but some of its gravest consequences are only now becoming evident. “It took people a long time to come around to the idea that, ‘I’m actually not going to get back to where I was [before the financial crisis]. In fact, my future is actually quite dim,’” Edelman said. “Between the top 25 percent of income earners and the bottom 25 percent of income earners, there’s a 31-point gap in trust in institutions in the United States,” he added. “Donald Trump comes right out of that statistic.” The gap persists across countries facing varying degrees of economic difficulty: It’s 29 points in France, 26 points in Brazil, and 22 points in India. Trust in Institutions, by Income Level The gap is 19 points in the United Kingdom, where those who recently voted to leave the European Union, generally had lower incomes and less education than those who voted to remain. In the run-up to the referendum, the market-research firm YouGov found that “Leave” supporters were far more likely than “Remain” supporters to prefer relying on the opinions of ordinary people than on those of experts. On the question of Britain’s membership in the EU, 81 percent of “Leave” voters said they didn’t trust the views of British politicians, compared with 67 percent of “Remain” voters. Eighty-five percent of “Leave” voters said they didn’t trust the views of political leaders in other countries, compared with 50 percent of “Remain” voters. #Brexit Key indicator of supporting leave - you don't trust 'authority'. Same rationale behind Trump, Le Pen etc pic.twitter.com/iFItGdKa8Q — Alex White (@AlexWhite1812) June 16, 2016 Edelman said that people tend to trust businesses more than governments, in part because “business gets stuff done” while government is seen as “incapable.” People trust technology companies in particular because “they deliver value.”Washington: India has strongly "objected" to the remark on the Golden Temple by popular US television host Jay Leno, terming it "quite unfortunate". Leno, the host of the popular "The Tonight Show" on NBC channel, flashed a picture of the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, in Amritsar on his programme and termed it as a possible summer home of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The visiting NRI Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi on Sunday "objected" to the remark and said he has directed Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao to take up the matter with the State Department. "It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made after showing the...Golden Temple," Ravi told a group of Indian reporters. "Golden Temple is Sikh community`s most sacred place. Even our Prime Minister went there for praying in the New Year. I believe that the person who has shown is not that ignorant. The American government should also look at this kind of thing," the NRI Affairs Minister said. "I wish this kind of thing is not shown by any media in the US," Ravi said, adding that he has not seen the show personally and has heard about it from the Sikh community. "Freedom does not mean hurt the sentiments of others... This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display of an important place like Golden Temple," Ravi said. "The Embassy is fully aware of it and they will take it up," he said. The comment on Leno`s January 19 show has resulted in an outrage in the small but strong Sikh community here. They have launched an online petition against Leno and have started a Face Book page to express their anger against him. Jay Leno himself was not immediately available for comment. PTIAs Donald Trump’s White House was engulfed Thursday morning by the latest twist of the long-running scandal about his team’s ties to Russia, the president and his advisers had an immediate worry — that the glowing coverage of his Congress speech was being stepped on. The White House initially was caught flat-footed by reports that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had two meetings with the Russian ambassador during the campaign, something he specifically denied under oath during his confirmation hearings. Story Continued Below And while Trump and his White House privately complained that the story would likely overtake the generally positive coverage of his Tuesday night address to Congress and blunt his momentum, some of his aides got to work confronting the latest flare-up in just one of the scandals plaguing Trump’s early presidency. The episode provides a window into a nascent White House that is struggling to cope with — and attempt to manage — the frequent controversies that distract from their attempts to drive home the message that Trump is off to a rollicking start, creating jobs, combating terrorism and generally getting America back on the right track. Instead of traveling with Trump to Norfolk, Virginia, for his public event aboard a new aircraft carrier, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon stayed behind to huddle in the West Wing about how to alter a destructive narrative, propelled by leaks coming from across the federal government, according to an administration source. "They're hunkering down," said one Trump ally close to the president and many in the administration. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. As part of the damage control, White House press secretary Sean Spicer sat down with Fox News on Thursday morning to forcefully assert that Sessions had been “100 percent straight” during his confirmation testimony when he said he “did not have communications with the Russians.” Spicer accused Democrats of pushing “a false narrative for political purposes.” He insisted there was no reason for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigations, as he attempted to refute leaked reports that law enforcement officials and intelligence agencies are probing whether Trump campaign advisers had frequent contact with the senior Russian officials before the election. “There’s nothing to recuse himself from,” Spicer said. But there was little White House outreach to Capitol Hill, where several increasingly concerned Republicans broke with the administration by expressing concerns about the revelations, calling for answers about Session’s apparently misleading Senate testimony and, in many cases, calling for him to recuse himself from an investigation into Russia's involvement in the U.S. election and any other probes that could involve Trump. The president was largely silent throughout the day, only tweeting in the morning about the soaring stock market. But when asked by reporters in the early afternoon about whether Sessions should recuse himself, Trump was emphatic. "I don't think so at all," he said. "I don't think he should do that at all." By late Thursday afternoon, however, the Justice Department had called a news conference, in which Sessions, a former Trump campaign adviser, said he would recuse himself, telling reporters that he informed the White House of his decision to do so before it was announced. While the statement created the appearance of Sessions’ independence from Trump, it still represented a jarring turn of events. “I did share with White House counsel — and my staff has — that I intend to recuse myself this afternoon,” Sessions said. “But I feel like they don't know the rules, the ethics rules. Most people don't. But when you evaluate the rules, I feel like that I am — I should not be involved investigating a campaign I had a role in.” The development at least temporarily cooled the furor over Trump and his associate’s ties to Russia, even if Sessions is still facing scrutiny over whether he misled senators. One person familiar with Trump and the White House dynamics said the president wouldn't be too upset if the commotion dies down, and "it doesn't splash up on him." "He doesn't mind someone getting kicked around if it doesn't hurt him personally," he said. On Thursday night, Trump tried to deflect attention by claiming the controversy was a “witch hunt” and that not enough attention was being paid to the leaks. “Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong,” Trump said in a statement. “The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!” But Trump’s Russia problems aren’t going away. Sessions’ recusal likely puts the decision in the hands of Rod Rosenstein, the yet unconfirmed deputy attorney general, who will face continued pressure to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Russia controversy. According to a senior administration staffer, the White House is determined to avoid such a fate, nervous about the Russia story dominating the news for months and imperiling the administration’s already complicated legislative agenda and its efforts to right itself after a difficult start. Once a special prosecutor is appointed, the independent investigation has the potential to broaden in scope as it did in the 1990s when what had been a probe into the Whitewater scandal morphed and ultimately uncovered President Bill Clinton’s sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky. The administration also has to reckon with GOP lawmakers reluctant to go to bat for the White House over the Russia-related scandals. Despite the administration’s protestations, the story quickly cracked the resolve of congressional Republicans to stick to the White House's preferred script. A number of Republicans wasted little time Thursday morning in joining Democrats' calls for Sessions to recuse himself. Three GOP senators: Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine, all called for Sessions to recuse himself. “Jeff Sessions is a former colleague and a friend, but I think it would be best for him and for the country to recuse himself from the DOJ Russia probe,” Portman said in a statement. Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, and several other Republican House members echoed that sentiment. Perhaps the loudest canary was Rep. Barbara Comstock, a conservative Republican and former deputy attorney general to John Ashcroft, who said Sessions "needs to recuse himself in any Justice Department investigations related to Russian interference in the 2016 election." Sessions, she continued, "also needs to clarify any misconceptions from his confirmation hearing on the matter." In general, most Republicans have been reluctant to distance themselves from the new administration until now. “This feels different,” one senior GOP Senate staffer said. “It’s not that anyone wants to make the White House look bad, but this is bigger than them. It’s about our national security and the integrity of our democracy.” The administration's eagerness to beat back news reports related to the ongoing Russia investigation also has the potential to backfire. Last week, the White House was fixated on corroborating its counter-narrative following a CNN report about the FBI rebuffing Priebus’ request to publicly refute prior stories about communications between Trump campaign advisers and Russian intelligence officials. With Comey indicating he was unable to speak publicly about an ongoing investigation, Spicer enlisted the help of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes in knocking down the idea that investigators were probing something serious. But the collusion only sowed more doubt about whether Nunes, a member of the Trump transition, could be charged with overseeing a congressional investigation that would be truly independent, giving rise to louder calls that a special prosecutor be appointed. On Thursday, Nunes repeated his claim that he still has yet to receive evidence that Sessions or anyone else affiliated with the Trump campaign made any contact with Russian officials. Meanwhile, Adam Schiff, the committee’s top Democrat, accused Comey of withholding information about any Russia probes from the panel. John Dean, White House counsel to President Richard Nixon during Watergate, said the current administration is “not acting like they're trying to uncover the tr uth,” during an interview on MSNBC Thursday afternoon. “They are in full cover-up mode,” Dean said.ASUS this week introduced the industry’s first gaming laptop powered by AMD’s eight-core Ryzen 7 1700 processor. The ASUS ROG Strix GL702ZC-WB74 is a 17.3” desktop replacement machine that uses the desktop-class CPU and a powerful GPU to offer peak gaming performance to its users. Since the system relies on numerous desktop-class components and an inexpensive FHD display panel, the final pricetag not too high for a gaming notebook, with the laptop launching for $1499. Meanwhile, ASUS will also offer an even more affordable version powered by AMD’s six-core Ryzen 5 1600, as well as a more advanced model with a 120 Hz display panel. To a large degree, the ASUS ROG Strix GL702ZC can be considered to be AMD’s flagship mobile gaming platform, as it supports all of the company’s latest technologies and can scale in terms of performance and pricing to satisfy different requirements and customers. In fact, the ROG Strix GL702ZC is the first all-AMD gaming laptop in years as makers of mobile PCs avoided AMD’s FX-series CPUs due to power consumption and did not use AMD's APUs due for gaming computers because of performance concerns. The notebook relies on a a couple different AMD 65W desktop processors — the six-core Ryzen 5 1600 or the eight-core Ryzen 7 1700 — as well as AMD’s Radeon RX 580 GPU with 4 GB of memory (the manufacturer does not disclose specs of the part, but we are investigating). The graphics processor supports AMD’s FreeSync dynamic refresh rate technology for both internal and external displays. Speaking of displays, ASUS will offer GL702ZC with either 60 Hz or 120 Hz FHD IPS panels, so FreeSync support will be especially handy in the second case. To cool down the two key chips of the notebooks, ASUS uses its Hyper Cool Duo-Copper cooling system featuring heat pipes and two fans that are said to cool down the CPU and GPU independently. Moving on to other internal parts of the ROG Strix GL702ZC. The GL702ZC-WB74 model that ASUS is formally introducing today comes with 16 GB of DDR4 memory, a 256 GB SATA SSD, and a 1 TB hard drive. Meanwhile, more advanced configurations may expand DRAM to 32 GB, upgrade the SSD to 512 GB, and install a 1 TB SSHD or a fast 7200 RPM HDD. By contrast, entry-level configs are going to feature 128 GB SATA SSDs. As for I/O capabilities, the ROG Strix GL702ZC looks like a fairly standard model here. The notebook comes with a GbE port, an 802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2 module, three USB 3.0 Type-A connectors, a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C header, an SD card reader, an mDP 1.4 port, an HDMI output, an HD webcam, a TRRS jack and so on. The machine features a Chiclet keyboard with marked WASD keys, 30-key rollover support as well as an isolated numeric pad. With two display outputs, the ROG Strix GL702ZC can handle a couple of external monitors (with FreeSync support), which is okay for a relatively inexpensive gaming machine. In addition, the HDMI port and three USB-A connectors allow users to plug VR headsets to the laptop to play virtual reality games. The machine is not as bulky as flagship offerings featuring more advanced GPUs and storage sub-systems But since the ROG Strix GL702ZC is still a desktop replacement laptop, it is rather thick (34 mm) and heavy (3 – 3.2 kilograms). ASUS does not disclose specific battery runtime figures, but a 76 Wh battery should provide enough time do an urgent work while on the go. ASUS ROG Strix GL702ZC ROG Strix GL702ZC-WB74 Display Diagonal 17.3" Resolution 1920×1080 Type IPS Refresh 60 Hz with AMD FreeSync Response Time unknown Color Gamut 72% NTSC CPU AMD Ryzen 7 1700 (8C/16T, 8 MB, 3/3.7 GHz, 4 MB L2, 16 MB L3, 65 W) PCH AMD B350 Graphics AMD Radeon RX580 with 4 GB of GDDR5 RAM 16 GB DDR4 (expandable to 32 GB) Storage SSD 256 GB SSD SATA HDD 1 TB HDD with 5400 RPM spindle speed Wi-Fi 2 ×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.2 Ethernet 1 GbE controller USB 3 × USB 3.0 Type-A 1 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C Display Outputs 1 × Mini DisplayPort with FreeSync 1 × HDMI with FreeSync Audio 2 × speakers Microphones 3.5-mm audio in/out TRRS connector Keyboard Chicklet RGB-backlit keyboard, 1,6-mm travel, 30-key rollover Specially-marked WASD keys Other I/O HD webcam, SD/MMC card reader Battery 76 Wh, 4 cells Dimensions Width 41.5 cm \| 16.3" Depth 28 cm \| 11" Thickness 3.4 cm \| 1.33" Weight 3 - 3.2 kg \| 6.6 - 7 lbs Price $1499 The ASUS ROG Strix GL702ZC-WB74 is already available in the U.S. from the ASUS Store, Amazon, and other retailers at an MSRP of $1499. Keeping in mind that we are talking about a notebook based on an eight-core processor (a rather unique feature) and a fairly high-end GPU (for a portable PC), this laptop does not seem to be overpriced. In the meantime, it will be very interesting to see how much ASUS will charge for the lower-end SKU with the Ryzen 5 1600 as well as the higher-end model with a 120 Hz display and a 512 GB SSD. Related Reading:The email described a familiar scenario: “We were planning to adopt one puppy, but the breeder said that raising two sisters would be easier. After we brought the girls home at nine weeks, their behavior became increasingly out of control. My husband and I could not get their attention for more than a second or two—it was
scheme," he said. "The more you understand it the faster you can play and not think, 'Oh, did I do something wrong? Or am I doing something right?' You can’t coach instincts. I’ve been fortunate to have it, and just go out and attack. "There are a lot of things I watch on film like, 'Man, last year I don’t make this play.' The game is slowing down for me." Spaight, a fifth-round pick from Arkansas in 2015, needs to keep impressing the coaches. The Redskins have other young players to choose from at inside linebacker. Will Compton will start at one inside spot with either Perry Riley or Mason Foster next to him. Then there is Terence Garvin, rookie Steven Daniels and Cravens, who the Redskins eventually want to play multiple spots. Special teams will factor in, but so will all-around ability. That's why Spaight must show he can handle coverage responsibilities, too. He’s focused hard on improving his man-coverage skills. "You just have to be poised when you go man-to-man on someone," he said. "You line up against Vernon Davis and some guys are like, 'Oh, man, it’s Vernon Davis.' But you just have to be composed and have confidence and understand the scheme and what needs to be done." One thing he doesn’t want to do is alter his style of play too much after his concussion. But he also doesn’t want to repeat his 2015 season. He blacked out after a hit in a preseason game against Baltimore, then played four days later in the finale against Jacksonville. That’s when he couldn’t hide his symptoms any longer. With a concussion that severe -- it was his second one -- it was hard to look at a television or computer, and light triggered problems as well. After a month on injured reserve, he finally was able to sit in on meetings. "Once I got injured, my dad kept telling me I’ll have to change my game," Spaight said. "Still play physical, but be smart in the things you do. It’s hard being an old-school player to not play the game that I normally play. But I’m doing a better job using my hands, and I just go out and play smart. It’s definitely getting better for me."Please enable Javascript to watch this video HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A woman involved in a parking dispute Sunday morning says she was terrified after police say a Sandston man pointed a shotgun at her and vandalized her car. Cierra Mayes says she was at a community yard sale in the 300 Block of Treva Road when the incident took place. Police said the incident started when Thomas Lee Campbell, 54, got upset after a car parked in front of his Sandston home. That’s when Thomas allegedly jammed tree branches inside her vehicle, causing damage to a windshield. Mayes said she discovered the branches when she and her dad returned to her car from the yard sale. “That’s when I noticed a yellow note sitting right here on my windshield with big black letters that say F you,” she explained. "I noticed someone was hurrying down their driveway so I went to the door and I knocked and I rang the doorbell but immediately he came out yelling, saying racial comments." Mayes said after confronting Campbell about the note, he went back inside his home and came back out with a shotgun. “He points it at me, and then pulls it back up,” Mayes said. “I literally just froze, because I've never been in a situation where a gun was that close to me and someone was actually pointing it at me.” One witness tells CBS 6 she saw they whole thing from outside her front window. “He was outside of course yelling, screaming, cussing, and just being very belligerent," said Marisa Turner. "He was waving his gun out and as soon as I saw that I went downstairs, because I said I’m not playing with this." Witnesses and Mayes said Campbell then went inside his home and brought out a Confederate Flag and started waving it around in the yard. That’s when Mayes said she called police. “At that point it had just gone too far. There was damage done to my windshield. With the comments that he said, he pulled out a gun… I was concerned for my safety,” she said. Campbell was arrested and charged with brandishing a firearm and vandalism. CBS 6 reached out to Campbell and his family for an interview, but both declined.Rule #1 of DIY: Never settle for what you're given. You can upgrade and improve just about anything with a little knowledge and elbow grease, especially if you know a little about electronics. Here are 10 things in your home that you can beef up with a little soldering and DIY know-how. 10. Your TV You may have the coolest home theater on the block, but even that won't save you when your TV rebels with the latest celebrity gossip you don't want to hear. Take control of your TV with the Enough Already, a little DIY gadget that mutes your TV whenever it hears a word or phrase you've programmed it to watch out for—like "Justin Beiber" or "Twilight Saga." While you're at it, you can use an Arduino to automatically lower the volume if it gets above a certain threshold, like when excessively loud commercials come on. Advertisement 9. Your Home Security It may not be as foolproof as a true home security system, but you can make quite a few DIY burglar alarms for almost nothing. $2 gets you a tiny motion alarm that beeps if its moved, while a few more dollars will get you a motion-detecting camera or an SMS-equipped monitor. Heck, you can even build your own LoJack for your car at a fraction of the price. Of course, you can also do quite a bit with just a few webcams and some free software. Advertisement 8. Your Desk If your workspace is starting to feel a little cluttered with gadgets, make them work with your desk. Instead of getting another power strip, build an outlet into the desk itself, or embed a USB hub for easy charging and peripheral connection. If you want to take it one step farther, you can add an inductive charging station or even build a computer inside the desk drawer. And, while you're at it, clean everything up by making your desk lamp cordless for under $20. Advertisement 7. Your Video Game Consoles What's better than having a couple of video game systems in your living room? Not much, except maybe combining them into one mega system that can play nearly any game. If you're more of a retro gamer, you can do something similar (with much less work) by building an all-in-one retro gaming console inside an NES, inside a briefcase, or even inside a coffee table to mimic the old arcade systems you love so much. Advertisement 6. Your Cellphone Charger If you want a really easy DIY project, try upgrading your wall outlets to charge USB devices. You can also build a super-simple portable USB charger in an Altoids tin. For a greener solution, make it solar-powered or charge it with the power of your bike pedaling. And, if you want to do away with wires altogether, we've shared a ton of options for modding your phone for wireless charging without the bulky "induction charger" case. Advertisement 5. Your Transportation Many of us may upgrade our phones every year to stay up-to-date, but it's a little harder to do that with cars. If your car's missing a feature you want, though, just add it yourself. Put in an auxiliary audio jack for only $3, or add Bluetooth capability for wireless streaming wherever you go. If you're prone to running red lights, you might also consider this GPS hack that warns you when red light cameras are near. And, if you don't have a car, you can still beef up your transportation with these bike upgrades. Advertisement 4. Your Headphones We love headphone hacks, and if you're willing to dig into your DIY arsenal, you can mod the hardware in quite a few ways. If you have earbuds, you can add an inline remote control with just a little bit of work (and without ruining them). If you have a bigger set of headphones, adding removable cables can be really handy, or you could go wireless altogether and hack them for Bluetooth. Of course, a good pair of earmuffs can also make for a dandy noise-isolating pair of headphones, too. Advertisement 3. Your Light Switches Turning on the lights manually is no fun. Instead, mod the lamps in your house to turn on with a wave of your hand, or with an old-school made-at-home clapper. Alternatively, control them with your voice, or set them up in the hallway for easy motion-controlled lights that illuminate your path to the bathroom. Whatever you can think of, it's probably possible. Advertisement 2. Your Chores Doing chores is for chumps. Luckily, an Arduino and a bit of code can automate a ton of chores for you: it can make the plants water themselves, it can feed the cat for you, or even rock your baby to sleep. Just make sure your parents/spouse/roommates don't find out what you're up to. Advertisement 1. Your Home A home of the future isn't as far off as science fiction makes it out to be. With a little DIY electronics hacking, you can automate your home to do just about anything: open the blinds when it's light, tell you who's at the door, make you coffee with a tweet, unlock your door with a text message, and oh-so-much more. It won't get you George Jetson's flying car, but you'll feel like a futuristic badass nonetheless. Advertisement Title image by Your lucky photo (Shutterstock).The full entry for the 2016 Nürburgring 24 Hours has been revealed and includes its normal staggering amount of cars. There’s 157 cars listed in total, with 37 of those GT3-spec SP9 machines, and as usual, there’s plenty of other interesting cars on there too. In SP9, there’s a total of eight manufacturers represented: Aston Martin: 2 cars Audi: 9 cars Bentley: 2 cars BMW: 7 cars Lamborghini: 1 car Mercedes: 9 cars Nissan: 2 cars Porsche: 5 cars It’s an astonishing selection of cars, many of which are new to this year, and as we’ve come to expect in recent years, you make a case for the majority of runners in the 37-car field winning the race outright. Looking at the full list really makes it clear that German marques on the SP9 entry in particular want to win this one though, sporting multiple lineups which are oozing with factory talent. Outside of the SP9 runners, there’s some other notables like the trio of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus entries, two SGC003Cs and one older P/45 Competizione M16 which has Top Gear’s Chris Harris (who recently announced his drive with Team Parker Racing in Blancpain GT) and Jethro Bovingdon from Evo Magazine aboard. One of the two Aston Martin Test Centre cars is the new Vantage GT8 which was revealed at the WEC round at Silverstone, and will be driven by Darren Turner, who will be doing double duty during the race, driving in the #7 Vantage GT3 too. The most intriguing entry from the remaining cars on the list is the Toyota Gazoo entered Toyota CH-R 4×4 crossover. The car, which was revealed at the start of the year, will most definitely be a fan favourite. The full entry list can be viewed here >>The performance and strategy of Exxon Mobil Corp. is a good place to start in grasping the twilight years of the investor-owned oil sector that has dominated the extraction of petroleum resources since the industry began in the 1850s. Putting aside the Valdez debacle of 1989, Exxon has been the best-managed of the oil majors. Exxon has avoided the faked-reserve scandals that have plagued rival Royal Dutch/Shell PLC, the Alaskan pipeline ruptures and fatal refinery explosions that forced out the CEO of BP PLC, and thoughtmore than twice before committing to its multibillion-dollar bets on gargantuan offshore oil-production platforms, heavy-oil projects in Athabasca, and signing production contracts with the state-owned oil agencies that control about 90 per cent of the world's petroleum reserves. The same state-owned agencies who have an unsettling habit of ripping up those contracts — as in Russia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan, among other countries — to demand a heftier share of output when oil prices skyrocket, as they have in recent years. As the industry's most consistently successful player, Exxon's dilemmas offer a disturbing forecast for a business in decline. For a variety of reasons, but mostly shifts in geopolitics, it's increasingly easy to imagine a world not too far off in which Exxon and its investor-owned peers have given way to ascendant state-owned resource giants, at least in the "upstream," or exploration and development part of the industry, traditionally the most lucrative end of the business, compared with "downstream" refining and distribution activities. Exxon is the world’s largest investor-owned oil firm, and produces more oil than any OPEC nation apart from Saudi Arabia and Iran. On staggering 2007 revenues of $404 billion (U.S.), Exxon posted earnings of $40.6 billion, the biggest annual profit in the history of capitalism. The market capitalization of Exxon, which began life as John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil of New Jersey, has more than doubled over the past five years, to half a trillion dollars. Thus ends the good news. Exxon's production dropped 2.4 per cent last year, a fate shared with its biggest investor-owned peers. (Shell's production slumped 4 per cent.) On the exploration side, Exxon failed to replace 24 per cent of its production with new reserves, its worst "reserve ratio" showing in three years. With reserves increasingly difficult to find, drawing Exxon and its rivals into more costly, remote and politically volatile regions, Exxon has seen its failure rate of exploratory wells searching for commercially viable pools of oil or natural gas rise to 46 per cent, up from 36 per cent in 2006. Exxon's production cost per barrel soared 18 per cent last year, following a 13 per cent rise the year before. The company in March committed to a 20 per cent increase in spending on exploration and refinery upgrades, to more than $25 billion, or an industry record of $68 million per day. But that hike will do little more than cover the spiralling cost of everything from drilling rigs to engineers. At a March 5 conference with analysts in New York, Exxon unveiled an impressive number of new exploration and production projects, a dozen of which are set to begin this year alone. Exxon hopes to bring new fields into production in the Middle East, Africa and Russia by 2012; recently brought a large offshore Angola field into production; and is adding to its network of enormous liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations in Qatar. But Exxon will be fortunate if its new projects make up for declining production at its aging fields in the North Sea and Alaska. Not that Rex Tillerson, Exxon’s CEO, is the least bit apologetic about that scenario. The average Fortune 500 CEO who promised investors zero volume growth through 2012 would soon be looking for a new job. But this is the conservative oil business, whose executives recall the $10 per barrel crude of the late 1990s as if it was yesterday. And no oil major has been more disciplined in capital spending than Irving, Texas-based Exxon. As Tillerson explained to analysts early this month, Exxon doesn't set a volume target and strive to achieve it, the way Procter & Gamble, Apple Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp. do. Instead, it calculates the likely payoff from a potential project, factoring in setbacks like skilled-labour shortages and soaring rig-crew costs, and places its chips accordingly. Which means passing on potentially high-volume plays vulnerable to Venezuela-type expropriation. With good reason, BP announced with considerable fanfare the Russian partnership it struck earlier this decade, since it would account for about one-quarter of BP's total reserves. BP's share of its flagship Russian project has been repeatedly reduced, ceded to its Russian state-owned partner, following Kremlin accusations against BP of everything from fraud to environmental degradation – charges that mysteriously disappear once BP consents to a lower share of output, only to recur, accompanied by police raids on BP's Russian offices, when the Putin/Medvedev regime clamours for still more. Exxon was spared the water torture treatment in Venezuela, where the Chavez regime simply expropriated properties once Exxon's technology had brought them into production. Given the potential for devastating reversals, Exxon doesn’t see itself on a mission to ensure energy security in North America or elsewhere. The shareholders come first, last and always. "It really goes back to what is an acceptable investment return for us," Tillerson told the analysts. Last year, Exxon spent more money buying back its stock – $36 billion – than on reinvesting in the business. Since replacing his similarly unsentimental predecessor, Lee Raymond, in January of last year, Tillerson, 55, has raised capital spending just 18 per cent against a 75 per cent jump in expenditures on share buybacks. That gambit increases earnings per share, but obviously doesn't add a drop of oil or gas to the firm's reserves in order to sustain the business. Yet Shell and Chevron Corp. also are furiously buying back their stock, at a rate that will see Exxon and Chevron retire all of their stock by about 2024. It comes down to this: buying back the company's stock is a far more certain bet on increasing investor returns than operating a new deep-water drilling program. In the past, consolidation has been the industry’s response to declining reserves. Companies simply bought oil on the stock market rather than drilling for it, which accounted for the late-1990s merger wave that brought Amoco and Arco into the BP fold, the merger of Exxon with Mobil Corp., the amalgamation of French giants Total and Elf, and the creation of ConocoPhillips Co., among other combinations. The Canadian oil patch would be especially vulnerable to a future takeover trend: the total 2007 revenues of Calgary's eight-largest Canadian-owned firms was $97 billion, about 19 per cent of Exxon's market cap. But mergers don't add to global oil supply. The merger rationale was that firms with a more substantial "critical mass" could better afford to undertake ever costlier megaprojects. That notion went out the window when the likes of Exxon Mobil learned that even the world's largest corporation can be stripped of its assets by the likes of Hugo Chavez. Indeed, all of the "super majors" created in the last merger wave have been forced to surrender production under contracts with producing nations by which those nations gain a larger share of output as crude prices increase. Example: Chevron Corp. was producing almost 2.7 million barrels of oil a day in 2002 when it acquired oil giant Texaco. Last year, Chevron's daily production was 2.6 million barrels a day, making a hash of Chevron's 2002 expectation of increasing the combined firms' volume by 3 per cent by 2006. Like its rivals, Chevron lost output under production-sharing contracts with oil-producing nations, and was hit with an unfavourable contract revision dictated by Venezuela. Which suggests that the petroleum industry of the future will belong to the state-owned enterprises. After working in some cases for decades with the investor-owned giants, state oil firms have accumulated enough of the required technology to forsake joint ventures and go it alone. They have every incentive to do so in those many oil-producing nations in which oil and gas are the sole, or largest, source of export revenue, no longer to be shared with investors in companies based in London and Houston. It's beginning to look like the investor-owned sector's long-term plan is to phase itself out of business, becoming a glorified annuity that returns outsized dividends to a dwindling number of investors from a dwindling reserve base. As early as 2001, oil analyst Charles Maxwell of Weeden & Co. of Greenwich, Conn., told Bloomberg News, the investor-owned oil majors will no longer be able to increase their production. "They'll be in liquidation," he said. An apt expression for an industry running out of juice. David Olive is a business columnist with the Star. He can be reached at [email protected] burying plague victims would probably not have imagined that their descendents would be healthier than before the plague struck London survivors of the Black Death were healthier than their ancestors before the plague devastated the city. The reasons remain unclear and may be revealing about the long term effects of other disasters. Dr Sharon De Witte of University of Southern Carolina examined skeletons from 200 years either side of the Black Death's arrival in 1347. She says, “Given that the mortality associated with the Black Death was extraordinarily high and selective, the medieval epidemic might have powerfully shaped patterns of health and demography in the surviving population, producing a post-Black Death population that differed in many significant ways, at least over the short term, from the population that existed just before the epidemic.” In PLoS ONE De Witte reveals that prior to the disaster 30% of those buried in London cemeteries were aged 10-20, and almost 35% were between 20and 40. Afterward these figures dropped to 23 and 20% respectively. On the other hand, the proportion having survived past 70 rose from less than 10% to more than 25% (see graph below). A disease that carries off the most vulnerable members of society might be expected to improve the average health, simply by removing the sickest members of the population. To the extent that this frailty is heredity the effect may be transferred to subsequent generations. However, De Witte notes that wages rose with the labor shortages and says further work is required to see which was the more important factor. Migration also increased after the plague and De Witte also raises the possibility that those arriving from the country were healthier than their city cousins. De Witte notes, “The results of this study are particularly striking given that the Black Death was just the first outbreak of medieval plague, and the period after the epidemic was characterized by repeated crisis mortality resulting in particular from repeated outbreaks of plague. These subsequent outbreaks of medieval plague might have prevented population recovery following the Black Death.” In the immediate aftermath of the plague transport networks broke down and some villages starved, particularly if there were not enough people to bring in harvests. However, it has also been claimed Ithat Europe was overpopulated in the lead up to the epidemic relative to what the technology of the day could win from the soil. If so, the loss of so many hungry mouths would have left more for the survivors once a measure of normality was restored. De Witte found no significant difference in birth rates or infant mortality before and after the plague.West Ham United will travel to Austria to play three pre-season friendlies West Ham United will travel to Austria as part of their pre-season preparations The Hammers will play three friendlies against teams from across Europe Ticket information will be available on whufc.com shortly Ahead of the upcoming 2016/17 season, the West Ham United first-team will travel to Austria for a pre-season training camp.Currently enjoying a tour of the United States, the Hammers will play three friendlies against opposition from across Europe to help them prepare for what promises to be one of the most uniquely special seasons in the Club’s history.Up first, the Hammers face Czech First League side FC Slovacko on Tuesday 19 July, kick off 6pm in Rohrbach.Hailing from the Uherské Hradišt? region of the Czech Republic, FC Slovacko finished eighth last term and the Czech outfit will be doing all they can to prepare for a tough opening day fixture away at giants Sparta Prague.The next day, Wednesday 20 July, the Hammers will then face Russian side Rubin Kazan, kick off 6pm in Krottendorf.Having tasted success in 2012 by winning the Russian Cup, they finished 10in the Russian Premier League.Before attentions turn to the Europa League third qualifying round first leg on Thursday 28 July, the Hammers’ final pre-season fixture of the tour is against Slaven Bilic’s former side Karlsruher SC.Prior to joining the Hammers in 1996, Bilic spent three years with the German outfit, captaining the side to the UEFA Cup semi-finals in his first season with the Club.Based in southwest Germany, KSC, who are aiming for promotion, will be renewing their tensions with local rivals VfB Stuttgart following their relegation from the Bundesliga last term.Kick off in Kapfenberg on Saturday 23 July is 5pm.Ticket information will be available on whufc.com shortly.As ever, extensive coverage of the Hammers’ time in Austria will be available across whufc.com and Facebook Twitter and Instagram 19 July v FC Slovacko, 18.00, Rohrbach20 July v Rubin Kazan, 18.00, Krottendorf23 July v Karlsruher SC, 17.00, KapfenbergText size Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blairtoday writes that he's incrementally more positive on Nokia( NOK) heading towards the company's analyst day in London this Friday, based on conversations he's had recently with various industry sources. While Blair won't disclose the exact details of those conversations, he said what he discussed led him to believe that there's a chance Nokia will not only move to using Microsoft's ( MSFT) Windows Phone 7operating system, but may also have already invested some development effort in Microsoft's platform. "If they say on Friday that they've already been working on Windows Phone 7, that would be huge," Blair told me in a phone call this morning. Blair notes that Nokia recently opened a Sunnyvale, California facility, but that the company has had engineers in Silicon Valley for years, in Palo Alto and Berkeley. His conversations with Nokia staff suggest to him that Nokia may have been incubating Windows Phone 7 at those facilities for some time already. Although Windows Phone 7 was only really fully baked as of late summer or fall of last year, Blair notes that Microsoft almost certainly was providing developers with the software in early form a year ago, at the last Mobile World Congress. Blair, who's been negative on Nokia's fundamentals for some time now (he has no formal rating on the stock) is heartened by the prospect of a partnership with Microsoft. He sees the company dispensing with its Symbian operating system, but then folding into Windows Phone 7 many aspects it has developed for its MeeGooperating system, so as not to totally waste that investment. Blair points out Microsoft needs a high-end OEM to push its platform just as much as Nokia needs a strong alternative to Apple( AAPL) and Google( GOOG). "This could become the third dominant platform after iOS and Android," Blair muses. Of course, if any of this is true, Blair acknowledges it would set Nokia up for the next challenge: Building an ecosystem on top of whatever OS it is using. Nokia shares today are unchanged at $11.29.Not to be confused with Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (known locally as the "Bay Bridge") is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore. The original span, opened in 1952 and with a length of 4.3 miles (6.9 km), was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure; the parallel span was added in 1973. The bridge is officially named the "Gov. William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge" after William Preston Lane Jr. who, as the 52nd Governor of Maryland, initiated its construction in the late 1940s finally after decades of political indecision and public controversy. The bridge is part of U.S. Route 50 (US 50) and US 301, and serves as a vital link in both routes. As part of cross-country US 50, it connects the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area with Ocean City, Maryland, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and other coastal tourist resort destinations. As part of US 301, it serves as part of an alternative route for Interstate 95 travelers, between northern Delaware and the Washington, D.C., area. Because of this linkage, the bridge is busy and has become known as a point of traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours and summer months. History [ edit ] Proposals and ferries [ edit ] Studies exploring the possibility of building a bridge across the Chesapeake Bay may have been conducted as early as the 1880s.[3] The first known proposal came about in 1907 and called for a crossing between Baltimore and Tolchester Beach; other proposals, occurring in the years 1918, 1919, 1926, and 1935, also called for a bridge in this location.[4] In 1927, local businesspeople were authorized to finance the construction of a Baltimore to Tolchester Beach crossing. Plans for the new bridge were made, but construction was canceled following the Stock Market Crash of 1929 with the collapse of the American economy and resulting Great Depression of the 1930s.[3] Ferries were used as the main mode of transportation across the bay from the colonial period until the completion of the 1952 bridge. The first service ran from Annapolis to Broad Creek on Kent Island, roughly where the bridge is today.[5] In 1919, the Claiborne–Annapolis Ferry Company began running ferries between Annapolis and Claiborne, a community near St. Michaels. In July 1930, the Claiborne–Annapolis Company added a new ferry route, one running from Annapolis to Matapeake, a significantly shorter distance. The auto and passenger ferries were taken over by the State Roads Commission in 1941 (reorganized into today's State Highway Administration of the Maryland Department of Transportation in 1973). Two years later the commission moved the western terminus of the old Annapolis–Matapeake ferry to Sandy Point (later adjacent to Sandy Point State Park), shortening the cross-bay trip. Construction of 1952 span [ edit ] A 1938 proposal by the Maryland General Assembly was the first to call for a bridge at the Sandy Point–Kent Island location.[4] Although the legislation authorizing the new bridge passed, the involvement of the United States in World War II delayed the bridge's construction. In 1947, with the war over, the Assembly, under the leadership of Maryland Governor William Preston Lane Jr., (1892–1967), passed legislation directing the old State Roads Commission to begin construction.[3] Ground was broken in January 1949, and after a 3 1⁄ 2 -year construction project, the bridge opened to traffic on July 30, 1952, as both the longest continuous over-water steel structure, and the third longest bridge in the world.[6] Before the opening, a parade of vehicles made the first official crossing, led by then current Governor Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin, (1900–1974), and other state officials in a distinctive white Cadillac convertible flying huge American and Maryland flags.[7] On November 9, 1967, the bridge was dedicated to Governor Lane, who had died earlier that year, and officially renamed the "William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge". 1973 expansion [ edit ] In 1967, due to increasing traffic volumes, the Maryland General Assembly authorized three possible new crossings, all suggested during the 1964 Chesapeake Bay crossing study.[4] These included one further north near Baltimore, one in southern Maryland, and an additional span to be added to the existing bridge from Kent Island to Sandy Point; ultimately, the third option was chosen. Construction of the new parallel span began in 1969 to the north of the original bridge, and it was completed on June 28, 1973.[7] Notable incidents [ edit ] Police block traffic leading up to the Bay Bridge during Hurricane Isabel due to high winds. Because of its height, the narrowness of the spans (there are no hard shoulders), the low guardrails, and the frequency of high winds, it is known as one of the scariest bridges in the world,[8] especially in higher tractor-trailer trucks.[9] Several incidents related to the bridge have occurred. In some cases, these have caused significant closures and traffic congestion on either side approaching the bridge. The bridge has been closed four times due to extreme weather. The first time was September 18, 2003, during Hurricane Isabel and its high winds.[10][11] On August 27, 2011, the bridge was closed to all traffic due to the impact of Hurricane Irene. Then-Governor Martin O'Malley ordered the bridge closed when sustained winds exceeded 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). On October 29, 2012, the bridge was closed due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy.[12] On March 6, 2013, during the March 2013 nor'easter, high winds again caused the bridge to be closed.[13] On August 10, 2008, a tractor trailer involved in a head-on collision near the west end fell from the bridge; the driver died in the crash.[14] The incident has highlighted concern that the bridge may not be structurally safe, but the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has discounted any structural or engineering problems with it.[15] Inspections of the wall in the weeks following the accident revealed that there was deterioration in the form of corrosion of the steel reinforcements inside barriers; this prompted immediate repairs to the wall.[16] Specifications and operations [ edit ] Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Sandy Point State Park View of both spans from the Queen Anne's County side, in which the original 1952 span appears in front of the newer 1973 span. With shore-to-shore lengths of 4.33 and 4.35 miles (6.97 and 7.00 km),[3] the two spans of the bridge form the longest fixed water crossing in Maryland and are also among the world's longest over-water structures. The bridge's western terminus is in Sandy Point State Park, located northeast of Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, and its eastern terminus is in Stevensville on Kent Island in Queen Anne's County. A May 2003 sunset behind the Bay Bridge Structural details [ edit ] With the exception of the number of lanes on each (two on the original span and three on the newer span) and differences owing to the design standards for the periods in which they were built, the spans are structurally similar. Both were designed by J. E. Greiner Company,[17] which later became a part of AECOM through the company's acquisition of URS Corporation. Each span features: Two main spans over the bay's two shipping channels: A 3,200-foot (975 m) suspension span over the western channel with a maximum clearance of 186 feet (56.7 m)—high enough to accommodate ocean-going vessels and tall ships A through-truss cantilever span over the eastern channel with a maximum clearance of 58 feet (18 m) Deck truss and steel girder spans flanking the main spans Concrete beam spans on the portions closest to the shores A curve near the western terminus, which is required so that the main spans cross the bay's shipping channels at 90 degrees per United States Army Corps of Engineers requirements[18] Traffic control [ edit ] The westbound span at sunset. The leftmost lane is closed to westbound traffic. Traffic patterns on the bridge's five lanes can be adjusted via its lane control system, which consists of overhead lane control signals on both spans and approaches. Typically, the two lanes on the south-most span are configured for vehicles traveling east on eastbound US 50/US 301, while the three lanes on the north-most span are configured for vehicles traveling west on westbound US 50/US 301; the spans are therefore referred to as the "eastbound span" and "westbound span", respectively. However, this pattern is adjusted during incidents or peak travel times: for instance, on the outset of weekends when there is a high volume of beach-bound traffic, one lane on the westbound span is configured for eastbound traffic. In 2006, pink markers were placed along the eastbound span to mark out the suggested following distance, similar to systems used in Minnesota and Pennsylvania. The markers are a part of the MDTA's "Pace Your Space" campaign to prevent vehicle collisions and traffic congestion due to tailgating on the bridge.[19][20] In April 2013, changes were made to increase safety on the westbound span during two-way operations: signs, pavement markings, and rumble strips were modified, and a buffer zone between the left and center lanes was created. As a result, motorists can no longer switch between the left and center lanes, whether or not two-way operations are in effect.[21][22] Tolls and fees [ edit ] Operated by the MDTA, the bridge has a one-way toll (eastbound) of $4.00 for two-axle vehicles; vehicles with a Maryland E-ZPass pay $2.50.[23] Previously the bridge had a one-way (eastbound) toll of $6.00 for two-axle vehicles (raised from $4 on July 1, 2013); vehicles with E-ZPass that were enrolled in the Bay Bridge Commuter Plan paid $2.10 (raised from $1 on July 1, 2013).[24] Tolls were collected in both directions until April 1989, when tolls were doubled and only collected in the Eastbound direction. [25] The MDTA contracts with private companies to provide transportation across the bridge for nervous drivers (gephyrophobiacs) and cyclists; fees are $25 and $30 for drivers and cyclists, respectively.[26] Bay Bridge Walk and Run [ edit ] While there are no pedestrian facilities on the bridge, the Bay Bridge Walk and Governor's Bay Bridge Run used to afford an opportunity to cross the bridge on foot, usually on the first Sunday in May.[27] The events took place on the eastbound span, which was closed to vehicles while two-way traffic shared the westbound span. Participants started on the east end of the bridge (on Kent Island) and proceeded west to the finish near the toll plaza. WMATA and MTA transit buses transported participants between outlying parking areas and the start and finish points. The
’s and boys’ rights are assaulted because women and girls are privileged. To end the assaults, we need to end the privileges. It’s as simple as that. KG: Inequitable divorce settlements apart, isn’t marriage still the best way to bridge the ever-widening gulf between men and women created by feminism and restore interdependence where conflict was? MB: Why should inequitable divorce settlements be ‘apart’? They’re at the heart of the problem, along with denying fathers access to their children. Society is expecting men to continue being self-sacrificing slaves, which feminists have made them, through their manipulation of the state and the justice system. That’s why so many men are turning away from marriage and fatherhood. Fix the system, end the assaults of men as husbands and fathers, and men may return to their historical roles. Then again, many will not. And society in general – and the political class in particular – will have themselves to blame, for treating men as sub-human for so long. KG: Isn’t MGTOW (the acronym for ‘men going their own way’) a politics of despair to the point of self-destruction? MB: No, it’s a perfectly rational response by men to the dangers of intimate personal relationships with women, when women abuse state-sanctioned power to destroy men’s lives in the courts, whether it’s through onerous divorce settlements, denial of access to children following family breakdowns, or false sexual assault or false domestic abuse allegations, which are often in order to get legal aid. If you appreciated this article, perhaps you might consider making a donation to The Conservative Woman. Our contributors and editors are unpaid but there are inevitable costs associated with running a website. We receive no independent funding and depend on our readers to help us, either with regular or one-off payments. You can donate here. Thank you.After years of power struggles and many months at the centre of a sprawling corruption scandal, members of Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, head to the voting booths in Mexico City this week for a crucial presidential election that will define the future of their embattled confederation. With Gordon Derrick, president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), having been removed from the running for Concacaf’s top job after failing a Fifa integrity check, just two candidates - Canada’s Victor Montagliani and Bermuda’s Larry Mussenden - will stand for election at the confederation’s 31st ordinary congress on Thursday. Not surprisingly, both men are positioning themselves as reformist candidates capable of restoring trust and credibility to one of the most tainted offices in world soccer. With the past three officials to hold the post on a permanent basis - Jack Warner, Alfredo Hawit and Jeffrey Webb - having all been indicted and charged on counts of corruption, the winner of Thursday’s vote will begin his four-year term at Concacaf's Miami Beach headquarters knowing that the reputation of soccer in the Americas is on the line. Montagliani’s manifesto, based on what he calls his ’One Concacaf’ vision, is predicated on aligning the footballing interests of nations across the Concacaf region through four key pillars: good governance, strategic planning, invest in football first, and strong leadership. The current head of Canada Soccer, who is bidding to become the first Canadian president of Concacaf, claims to have the support of several Central American associations, including Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba. Crucially, the Vancouver native also reportedly has the backing of Mexico and the United States, Concacaf’s two most powerful nations, but the big question is whether he can garner enough support among Caribbean nations, who together possess 31 of the 41 ballots and have traditionally voted en bloc for the Concacaf presidency. The 50-year-old Montagliani, who has been credited with playing a leading role in helping to rescue this summer’s Copa América Centenario from the brink of collapse, says his ambition is to increase the popularity and profile of the Gold Cup, Concacaf’s preeminent national team competition, by expanding that tournament from 12 to 16 teams in a bid to “spread the wealth” and “develop other markets”. He has also mooted the notion of staging the biennial event across two countries, specifically citing those in Central America and the Caribbean as potential hosts. “We need to treat the product not just as a revenue generator, but as an opportunity to grow other markets, which will bode well for the future of the region,” Montagliani said in a recent interview with goal.com. Canada's Victor Montagliani (centre right) is one of two men vying to replace the disgraced Jeffrey Webb (centre left) as Concacaf president. Montagliani, a self-professed ‘servant of the game’ who speaks four languages fluently, also plans to overhaul the structure of the club system in the Concacaf region. He is said to be considering the possibility of rescheduling the Concacaf Champions League, the region’s leading club competition, to fit within the annual calendar, while he says he would also evaluate the potential for the kind of two-tiered club competition structure seen in Europe. Other key elements of Montagliani’s manifesto include aggregating the commercial assets of all 41 member associations ‘to increase value and brand’; instigating a ‘collaborative strategy’ to bring the 2026 Fifa World Cup to the Concacaf region; creating centres of excellence for coaches and match officials; building a turf pitch with floodlights in every Caribbean and Central American nation; and initiating a detailed review of all competitions, including youth and female, ‘to enhance efficiencies, commercial enterprise, development and inclusiveness’. Mussenden, meanwhile, is seeking to become the third straight Caribbean president of Concacaf, following in the footsteps of Warner and Webb. Like Montagliani, he is intent on bringing about wholesale reforms and building bridges between Concacaf’s three member unions - the North American Football Union (NAFU), the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) and the CFU. A former attorney general and justice minister in Bermuda, the current president of his country’s national soccer association says he will attempt to recover “a significant share” of the US$190 million seized by the US Department of Justice as part of its ongoing investigation and distribute it among each of the region’s member associations. He has also promised to begin legal proceedings against a centre of excellence in Trinidad and Tobago that was established and reportedly owned by the disgraced Warner. Additionally, Mussenden’s manifesto - which uses the strap line, ‘It’s our time to move forward together’ - calls for greater transparency, a new process for ‘reporting of abuse by establishing official whistleblower mechanisms’, and tighter budgeting and auditing controls. There are also plans to ensure every Concacaf association is made a full voting member of Fifa - Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana do not currently have a say on global governing body matters - while Mussenden has said he would create a committee charged with exploring the feasibility of a new Caribbean Professional League. Bermuda FA president Larry Mussenden is believed to be the favoured candidate among Concacaf's powerful Caribbean contingent. “I am not afraid of the fact that the previous presidents have been arrested,” said Mussenden, who has been chairman of Fifa’s appeals committee since 2007. “What I am looking at is that Concacaf needs to have a good, steady hand and I think they need someone with the background that I have in law enforcement, as well as an ability to lead an organisation.” An immediate priority for whoever wins Thursday’s election will be to oversee final preparations for Concacaf's co-staging of this summer’s Copa América Centenario, the special centenary edition of South America’s showpiece event that is due to take place in the US for the first time but has been dogged by delays and uncertainty due to the US Department of Justice's ongoing corruption. Beyond that, the new president will be tasked with implementing a comprehensive package of reforms and revised statutes passed by the confederation’s members in February. The package includes a host of new measures to bring about greater accountability and transparency throughout the confederation, including the introduction of term limits, independent members, governance reforms, and new compliance processes. This week's Concacaf vote is due to take place during a busy week for world soccer's decision makers in Mexico City, with representatives from each of Fifa's 209 member associations convening in the Mexican capital. New Fifa president Gianni Infantino is set to preside over his first Fifa Congress on Friday, while Concacaf's African, Asian, Oceanic and South American counterparts will also host important meetings of their own throughout the week.The Yellow River spills into Riverside Park in Pittsville Thursday morning. (Photo: Pittsville Fire Chief Jerry Minor) One person was killed in Vernon County Thursday in a mudslide triggered by torrential rains and widespread flooding in western Wisconsin, authorities said. Gov. Scott Walker declared a state of emergency Thursday in 13 counties, where up to 10 inches of rain has fallen this week, according to a news release from the governor's office. The declaration involves Vernon, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk and Trempealeau counties, according to the release. The fatality occurred when a mudslide caused a home to slide onto Highway 35 south of county Highway UU near Victory, according to a news release from Wisconsin Emergency Management. The victim, Michael McDonald, 53, was the only resident inside the home, which was destroyed, according to Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman Tod Pritchard. Also in Vernon County, a small trailer park in De Soto was evacuated and highways were closed in Victory, Readstown, La Farge and Chaseburg, according to the agency. In Crawford County, two locomotive engines and five cars from a BNSF freight train derailed, spilling about 1,000 gallons of fuel into the Mississippi River, according to the Emergency Management news release. No injuries were reported and crews from the railway placed booms on the river to contain the spilled fuel, according to the release, which reported several mudslides and numerous road closures throughout the affected counties. NEWSLETTERS Get the NewsWatch Delivered newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Todays top news delivered to your inbox Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-844-900-7103. Delivery: Mon - Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for NewsWatch Delivered Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters The derailment occurred near Ferryville, according to the La Crosse Tribune. Two of the derailed cars were empty tankers, one that was last used to haul ethanol, the other last used to haul vegetable oil, according to a post on the newspaper's website. The other cars that derailed were carrying drywall panels, according to the newspaper. Read or Share this story: http://on.jsonl.in/2dnDlNrD.J. Swearinger's time with the Houston Texans has expired. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the team informed the safety he'll no longer be a member of the Texans, according to a source informed of the situation. Several media outlets later reported in the day the team cut ties with him. Swearinger posted his goodbye to Houston on his Instagram page: One heck of an opportunity #texannation I appreciate everything and the opportunity and memories!! It's time for a new chapter and the defining moment of my career!! So long #HOUSTONTEXANS A photo posted by Dj Swearinger (@jungleboi_swaggg) on May 11, 2015 at 12:41am PDT The Texans have been attempting to trade Swearinger for weeks, but that never panned out. Rapoport noted that last year Houston informed quarterback T.J. Yates he would be released, then waited to make it official and ultimately were able to trade him to the Falcons. Swearinger started 22 games over his first two seasons, struggling mightily. Pro Football Focus ranked him their No. 78 safety out of 87 eligible in 2014 and 71 out of 86 in 2013. Swearinger was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft. His departure leaves DeAndre Hopkins as the only productive player from that class remaining in Houston. With Swearinger's departure, the Texans will have just 44 percent of their 2013 draft class under contract, which is the third lowest in the league, according to ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli. The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to Tom Brady's four-game suspension, discusses which AFC East team benefits most, and much more. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.President Obama says Black Lives Matter, the controversial protest movement currently stoking anti-cop hatred in America, is still a force for good. In an interview with National Public Radio’s Steve Inskeep, Obama defended the group. “Sometimes progress is a little uncomfortable,” he said. Obama argued that systemic racism still existed in law enforcement and the justice system is a real problem that families of color have had to cope with. “There’s no black family that hasn’t had a conversation around the kitchen table about driving while black and being profiled or being stopped,” he said. Obama insisted that although the issue was “uncomfortable” for America to address, it was an issue that deserved more “sunlight.” The protest movement, he argued, was helping police officers understand and have conversations with communities of color. “You know, during that process there’s going to be some noise and some discomfort, but I am absolutely confident that over the long term, it leads to a fair, more just, healthier America,” he said. Obama also weighed in on the controversies surrounding college campuses, demanding that artifacts on campus be removed for the sake of racial sensitivities. The president argued that students had to be willing to listen to other points of view, citing a specific situation where Condoleezza Rice was blocked from speaking at a college campus. “What I don’t want is a situation in which particular points of view that are presented respectfully and reasonably are shut down, and we have seen that sometimes happen,” he said. NPR’s Inskeep specifically mentioned the Harvard seal based on the family crest of a slave owner, and a school at Yale named after John C. Calhoun, a defender of slavery. Although Obama was hesitant to respond specifically to the controversies, he argued that campus activism was a positive development for universities. “I think it’s a healthy thing for young people to be engaged and to question authority and to ask why this instead of that, to ask tough questions about social justice,” he said. “So I don’t want to discourage kids from doing that.” The former community organizer defended the recent protests sparked on campus. “My concern is not whether there is campus activism. I think that’s a good thing,” he said. “But let kids ask questions and let universities respond.”Inquiry to look at church's response to allegations about paedophile John Joseph Farrell Posted The Catholic Church's response to allegations relating to a paedophile former priest from the state's north will be investigated by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. John Joseph Farrell, 62, was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in jail earlier this year, after being found guilty of 79 child abuse offences against 12 victims. The assaults were committed against boys and girls around Moree, Tamworth and Armidale in the 1970s and 80s. The Royal Commission will now hold a public hearing in Sydney looking into the response of the Catholic Diocese of Armidale and the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta to the allegations of child sexual abuse made against Farrell. It will also look at the response of the Special Issues Group for the Province of Sydney. The brother of one of Farrell's victims has welcomed the investigation. "The actions of certain members of the Catholic Church at the time allowed him [Farrell] to go on and abuse and destroy the lives of other children, and that really needs to be looked at," the brother said. "All the victims and their families have always looked beyond his actual crimes, and it's going to help them, it's a necessary step. "That legal justice step needs to be explored for any of the families, or the victims." Bishop says victims are 'uppermost in his thoughts' The Diocese of Armidale said it would cooperate fully with the hearing, and had already provided files and records. Armidale Bishop Michael Kennedy said in a statement the victims of Farrell's abuse were uppermost in his thoughts and prayers. "These victims have suffered greatly over many years," the statement read. "While it is very likely this public hearing will be a difficult time for his victims, I hope that it will also be a time of continued healing for them as a light is again shone on the dreadful wrongs committed by John Farrell and the way the church let victims down." The public hearing will begin in September. Bishop Kennedy said the impact of the further investigations would impact on many. "I am mindful that, even if not directly affected, parishioners, students, parents, clergy, religious staff and volunteers may be disturbed by what is reported during the public hearings," he said. Topics: community-and-society, child-abuse, religion-and-beliefs, catholic, law-crime-and-justice, royal-commissions, human-interest, armidale-2350× Expand Tanja-Tiziana Fresh Snow at the Horseshoe, March 2017. A motion by the city’s Economic Development and Culture Committee was approved in November to look into extending bar licensing hours past 2 am to help music venues succeed. But here’s a thought: what if we started concerts earlier? While later opening times are beneficial to club culture, and having legal options for those who want to rave till dawn is a great idea, when it comes to strengthening Toronto as a live music city, extending licensing hours isn’t much of a fix. The core audience who stay out till 1 or 2 am regularly will be the same group who stay out till 4 am, so extending last call won’t necessarily bring new people to bars or live performances. However, starting shows at, say, 8 pm and having them end at 11 pm on weeknights could make the city a place that more diverse groups of people can enjoy. Right now, those with day jobs often can’t enjoy the music Toronto has to offer. Last month, NOW surveyed 1,000 readers on their concert-going habits for our Vanishing Venues cover story, and the results may surprise you. Thirty-four per cent of respondents preferred headliners go on between 9 and 10:30 pm, and another 27 per cent preferred 10:30 to midnight. (Only 2 per cent chose midnight or later, a regular headlining time slot for local shows.) You only have to look at other cities and cultures to see that late-night concerts aren’t standard. “In Japan, for instance, shows end at 9 pm,” says Sloan’s Jay Ferguson. “People go out afterwards for snacks and dinner.” Musician and Burdock venue booker Charlotte Cornfield agrees. “We were the headlining band on our Europe run, and the latest we went on was 9 pm as the headliner,” she recalls. Touring bands don't always appreciate starting so late, either. This was the case with Seattle's Dude York and Glasgow's PAWS on Wednesday night at Smiling Buddha – PAWS didn't start till 12:15 am, which made for a pretty sparse crowd. In the UK, where I lived for many years, live music ends at 11 pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends. The UK does have 24-hour drinking now, but for many decades pubs stopped serving at 11 pm, which is how the culture of going out straight after work was established. London is a much more weekday-social city than Toronto. With so many people commuting into the city for work, they tend to stick around and go out afterwards. Toronto is the opposite. “Toronto is a big weekend city, so on weekends I’ve noticed people hang out after the show and drink,” says Cornfield. “But on weekdays, people just want to get out of there and get to bed. So business-wise it makes sense for things to get going earlier. “The reality is that the climate of our city is changing. There’s pretty much a mutual understanding that everyone’s working, and in order to make ends meet, people have to be up in the morning.” So what’s stopping Toronto shows from starting earlier? “It depends on the artist and the market,” veteran Toronto concert promoter Dan Burke explains. “Different cities have different cultures. In Toronto people have day jobs and don’t want to go to the club straight from work. They want to go home first and change gears and then go to a show after. So that means doors no earlier than 8 pm Sunday to Thursday. “People have a higher inclination to consume alcohol later in the night, so in order to maximize bar sales, which is absolutely necessary to the financing of shows, you have to take into account the hours when the shows are occurring.” But if we could shift the culture to going to shows earlier and getting home earlier, the way we do for sports events and theatre performances, audiences could diversify to include more parents, suburbanites, university students, older folks, 9-to-5ers and others. As well, people with jobs are people with money; we should be encouraging them to spend it in on the live music economy. No one wants to see another venue closure. At the Burdock, where they’ve already started having earlier start times, Cornfield is seeing a difference. She says the shows are reaching an inter-generational audience. “We have really young people and older people, and having a show at an accessible time makes [attending] more doable for a diverse audience.” Mar Sellars is a concert promoter, music publicist, band manager and radio host in Toronto. [email protected] \| @maronmusicTOTwo years into office, the Modi government faces the challenge to fulfill a key election promise to find jobs for armies of young hopefuls, amid signs that factories and firms are hiring at a pace far slower than the millions who are joining the queue. According to the latest Asia-Pacific Human Development Report only 140 million or less than half of 300 million who entered labour market between 1991 and 2013 found jobs. The report warned that India was likely to see severe shortage of jobs in the next 35 years. This broadly mirrors the trends in India’s official employment data. Employment generation in eight key sectors has slowed down to a seven-year low in 2015, labour bureau data released recently showed. About 12 million people join the jobseekers’ queue in India every year. While industry is creating jobs, too many such jobs are in the informal sector, which accounts for 84% of current jobs. Read \| India to see severe shortage of jobs in next 35 years: UNDP The UNDP report said that while a vibrant informal economy keeps a large number of low-wage workers employed, such employment leads to many problems, including inadequate protection for workers. For instance, in India 1 in every 10 workers is employed in the construction sector. On the other hand, employment growth in services has been slow in recent years. India’s challenge is to create the conditions for faster growth of productive jobs outside of agriculture. According to labour bureau data released last week, textiles, leather, metals, automobiles, gems and jewellery, transport, information technology and the handloom sectors together created 135,000 jobs during 2015, 67% lower than 421,000 jobs that were added in 2014, the last year of the UPA government. Worse, during October to December last year, 20,000 people lost jobs in these sectors, partly because of shrinking exports. Merchandise exports have shrunk for 15 successive months till February as orders continue to dry out from much of Europe. This unemployment comes at a time when every sector is short of skilled workers — from masons to teachers to waiters to engineers — perhaps a reflection of an education system that is not imparting skills the economy needs. Of India’s 1.2-billion population, 60% are of the working age. And of the 12 million individuals who join the queue of job seekers every year, only 4% undergo vocational training. How soon can India bridge the skill deficit? “Strengthening the existing workforce with required skills is a far bigger challenge than creating jobs. Interestingly, skill based jobs, in many cases, pay more than regular jobs,” said Rituparna Chakraborty, president of apex staffing body, Indian Staffing Federation (ISF). “We have started moving into right direction as framework to bridge the skill gap has been put in place and now we will start executing the policies. We have understood the needs of the industry and will deliver the right type of people soon,” said Dilip Chenoy, former CEO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which was set up as part of the government’s national skill development mission. Populous, and strategic, neighbour China’s manufacturing capabilities have long overshadowed India and the government’s push for manufacturing through the signature “Make in India” comes at a time when many big companies are seeking an alternative to the Asian giant as costs and risks rise in the dragon economy. But will Make in India be able to spin jobs in large numbers given the increasingly automated and robotised manufacturing solutions? The government said that there are signs that the “Make in India” initiative has led to more hiring. “Manufacturing facilities take time to set up, but the jobs which get created to facilitate these units have started growing. Be it in construction, logistics, the sectors which become a backbone to technology etc, have started coming up with new openings and are hiring people,” said an official, who did not wish to be identified. The government’s Economic Survey tabled in Parliament in February has also said job creation remains a key concern. Read \| Chinese wage rise opportunity for Indian apparel makers, says World Bank “India’s economy needs to create enough “good jobs”—jobs that are safe and pay well, and encourage firms and workers to improve skills and productivity”, the Economic Survey said. First Published: Apr 28, 2016 22:27 ISTIn his 1960 presidential address to the South African Archaeological Society, the anthropologist Louis Leakey cast the fossil humans that had been found in that country as little more than a collection of evolutionary dead-ends. Leakey didn’t put it quite like that – that would have been rude – but he did utilize the platform to push the southern fossil humans away from our ancestry and underscore the importance of a discovery made the year before by his wife Mary at Olduvai Gorge. The wide-cheeked, deep-jawed skull she had found there went by a number of names – Titanohomo mirabilis, Zinjanthropus boisei, “Dear Boy”, and “Nutcracker Man” – but, regardless of what you called it, Louis was nearly certain that the fragmented skull represented the early glimmerings of our own genus in prehistoric eastern Africa. The older fossil australopithecines from South Africa, in Leakey's view, represented an early experiment in human evolution that did not pan out, and were only related to Louis’ beloved Zinj by a deeper common ancestry. But Leakey was wrong. The features he claimed as being proof of a connection between Zinjanthropus and our species – such as “the form of the brow ridge, the shape of the external orbital angles, the development and position of the nasal spines”, and so on – were not as distinctive as he proposed. The Olduvai skull was actually little different from similar fossils given the name Paranthropus by the Scottish paleontologist Robert Broom in 1938, and what had truly swayed Leakey was the discovery of stone tools at Olduvai. Since the Zinjanthropus skull had been found near stone tools, and tool creation was a hallmark of our genus, then clearly the Dear Boy had to be one of our ancestors – at least until further searches of Olduvai by the Leakey family turned up the remains of what Louis would cast as the true toolmaker, Homo habilis. Within five years, the creature we now know as Paranthropus robustus went from human ancestor to part of an evolutionary sideshow. The three known species of Paranthropus were our evolutionary cousins. In addition to Zinj – now called Paranthropus boisei and thought to have lived between 2.6 – 1.2 million years ago in eastern Africa – there was the 2.5 million year old Paranthropus aethiopicus from Kenya and the 2 – 1.2 million year old Paranthropus robustus from South Africa. (The spacing and timing of these species hint that there are other species yet to be found.) Together, these three were part of a separate lineage of humans which split from our own side of the family over 2.5 million years ago. Their thick cheeks, large teeth, and deep jaws are their claims to fame, and have led scientists to refer to them as the “robust australopithecines.” Why these humans had such formidable-looking teeth and jaws has been a matter of persistent discussion. The early nickname “Nutcracker Man” undoubtedly framed the debate. The Paranthropus species certainly looked as if their skulls were suited to pulverizing and cracking open seeds and nuts, but looks can be deceiving. What a creature was capable of and what it actually did are two different things. Two new papers bear on the ongoing discussion about why Paranthropus became adapted in such a different way from our closer human relatives. The more recent paper, published by an international team of scientists led by Thure Cerling of the University of Utah, indicates that a more apt nickname for the robust Olduvai skull might have been “Lawnmower Man.” The secret was the chemical makeup of Paranthropus boisei teeth. As the old saying goes, “You are what you eat”, and the proof is in chemical isotopes locked within teeth and bone. Like other mammals, prehistoric humans only got two sets of teeth to last them a lifetime. They had an early set of milk teeth, later followed by the full set of adult teeth. Now here’s where the isotopes come in. As the adult teeth were forming in the jaw, the diet and environment of the individual influenced the characteristics of the oxygen and carbon isotopes that became incorporated in the teeth – an aquatic animal would have very different oxygen isotopes from a land-dwelling one, for example, and teeth from a grazing animal would bear different carbon isotope signatures from one that fed on fruits and leaves. This technique has been used to investigate when legged whales began to paddle about in the ocean, what prehistoric horses ate, and, in this case, whether or not Paranthropus was cracking seeds and nuts. Keeping track of species is important here. While Paranthropus robustus from South Africa have been reconstructed as dining on hard objects thanks to studies of tooth wear, similar investigations failed to find evidence of hard-object feeding on the teeth of Paranthropus boisei from eastern Africa. What goes for one Paranthropus species might not hold for all. In the case of the new study by Cerling and colleagues, P. boisei was the focus, and the results of the research are consistent with the idea that the eastern species was doing something different from its southern relative. What the research boils down to is a detectable difference between plant food sources. The carbon isotope values of trees, shrubs, and herbs – categorized as C3 plants – predictably vary from those in C4 plants such as grasses and sedges. Within the sample of twenty two P. boisei individuals recovered from strata in Kenya spanning 1.9 to 1.4 million years ago, the teeth contain carbon isotope values consistent with a diet mostly made up of grasses. (Specifically, C4 plants were said to make up 77% of the diet on average, ranging from 61-91% across the sample.) In terms of diet, the east African Paranthropus were closer in diet to the horses that grazed in the same habitat than to the other Paranthropus species in South Africa! The only other species of primate with a similar diet was extinct baboon named Theropithecus oswaldi (a prehistoric cousin of today’s grass-eating gelada of Ethiopia). Whereas the southern species of Paranthropus retained a more general diet – incorporating fruits and various C3 plant foods – the species from eastern Africa apparently specialized on grasses for a span of half a million years. What this discovery means for the evolution of these creatures is unclear. On the basis of minute wear patterns on teeth, paleoanthropologists have proposed that earlier australopithecines like Australopithecus anamensis and Australopithecus afarensis (“Lucy” and her kin) had diets similar to that of P. boisei. It had been assumed that the connection was a diet of hard foods, but this new study would seem to indicate that what they shared in common was a reliance on grasses or similar C4 plants. The assumption that early humans had diets heavy on fruits and leaves, like modern apes, might be in error. “[T]his study suggests that the prevailing ideas [about early human diets] based on morphological and biomechanical considerations are at least partly in error,” Cerling and colleagues concluded, “and that our understanding of the dietary basis of masticatory differentiation within the hominin lineage may require revision.” Support for a revised view of the Paranthropus diet has also come from an indirect source. Though the robust australopithecines were a unique part of our close family, their skull shape is not entirely unique among primates. Hadropithecus – a huge lemur that lived on the island of Madagascar until the arrival of humans around 2,000 years ago – also possessed a short skull and a deep jaw set with large teeth. Like the traditional image of Paranthropus, therefore, it was thought that Hadropithecus had a skull adapted to a diet of seeds and other hard foods, but a study published last month by scientists Elizabeth Dumont, Timothy Ryan, and Laurie Godfrey suggests otherwise. The paradox of Hadropithecus, Dumont and co-authors point out, is that teeth of the lemur show pitting and other signs consistent with the idea that it was chewing on hard foods while the enamel of the primate’s teeth is thin and would have been susceptible to fracturing. The wear patterns did not match the anatomy. In the closely-related and also-extinct species Archaeolemur edwardsi, however, similar wear-patterns were seen on thickly-enameled teeth set in a longer jaw - Archaeolemur better fit the profile of a hard-object feeder. Chemical isotopes supported the split between the two lemurs. Archaeolemur was primarily feeding on parts of C3 plants, whereas Hadropithecus went after C4 plants that would have lacked large, hard seeds and nuts. The short and robust skull shape of Hadropithecus had led paleontologists astray. In order to test the idea that the two lemurs were different kinds of herbivores, the scientists created virtual models of Hadropithecus and Archaeolemur skulls to test their biting abilities. The results were in accord with what paleontologists had begun to suspect on the basis on skull anatomy. Archaeolemur was able to open its jaws wider to accommodate large, difficult-to-crack foods, and its skull was better able to cope with the stresses required to bust into seeds and nuts. By comparison, the skull of Hadropithecus was that of a primate which efficiently processed large quantities of plants like grass or leaves, and the pitting seen on the lemur’s teeth might have been caused by dirt and grit that clung to its preferred food. Hadropithecus may have dined like a savanna baboon – foraging for bulbs and corms of grasses during times when more nutritious foods were scarce – or, alternatively, may have specialized on the succulent, desert-adapted plants similar to the Madagascar ocotillo. In either case, however, the plant foods were low-quality and low-energy. Hadropithecus would have had to consume large amounts of corms, bulbs, or leaves to survive, and the peculiar construction of its skull indicates that this lemur likely chewed through copious amounts of these foods rather than specializing on hard objects. The study of Hadropithecus preceded the paper on Paranthropus boisei by a month, but it is remarkable that both derived similar conclusions about two distantly-related, short-faced primates. Contrary to their superficial resemblance to toy nutcrackers, these creatures chewed on bushels of grass and other nutrient-poor food. A short skull and big teeth cannot automatically be taken as an indication that a fossil primate preferred tough-skinned fruits, tubers, and seeds. Even the pits and scratches left on teeth may be ambiguous, and, if the eastern and southern Paranthropus species are any indication, the same anatomical tools can be put to different uses. Though always enigmatic, the variable diets of the robust australopithecines and Madagascar's recent lemurs make these fossil primates stranger still, and paleontologists have yet to crack the mystery of how such peculiar features evolved in the first place. Top Image: The skull of the "Dear Boy", Paranthropus boisei. Image from Ungar PS, Grine FE, Teaford MF, 2008 Dental Microwear and Diet of the Plio-Pleistocene Hominin Paranthropus boisei. PLoS ONE 3(4): e2044. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002044 References: Cerling, T., Mbua, E., Kirera, F., Manthi, F., Grine, F., Leakey, M., Sponheimer, M., & Uno, K. (2011). Diet of Paranthropus boisei in the early Pleistocene of East Africa Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1104627108 Dumont, E., Ryan, T., & Godfrey, L. (2011). The Hadropithecus conundrum reconsidered, with implications for interpreting diet in fossil hominins Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0528 Leakey, L. (196
ensure the system has the staff needed to handle the workload but House Labor & Industry Committee Chairman Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin County, said the question that needs to be answered is how much and for how long. The funding would come from a portion of the payroll tax deducted from Pennsylvania workers' paychecks to fund jobless benefits. Along with the funding fix, Kauffman said there is a desire in his chamber to also accomplish some broader reforms to the UC system. He said he has received some good input from SEIU as well as from employees and business groups. "One of the biggest problems is the Department of Labor & Industry not being responsive and the Wolf Administration not being plugged into this issue," Kauffman said. "They did sense an urgency to lay off 500 workers in December 2016 but we continue to just have difficulty in getting all the answers to the questions that have been asked." He said he is still waiting a dollar figure from the administration on what it believes is needed for the system to be fully functional. State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released an audit of the state supplemental funding for the UC system last spring and determined $160 million was needed over the next three years to maintain the five call centers and replace the UC's antiquated computer system. Gov. Tom Wolf and L&I department spokespeople, meanwhile, refutes the suggestion that the Wolf Administration is not tuned into issues facing the UC system. They said they continue to work with lawmakers to define what is considered an acceptable level of service and the appropriate funding structure for the system. Since the bridge funding was authorized, spokesman J.J. Abbott said the department has brought back more than 180 L&I employees, signed a contract to modernize the UC computer system at a lower than projected cost, and put a process was "put in place to ensure the UC system is as efficient and consumer friendly as possible." "Pennsylvanians deserve an unemployment compensation system that provides timely action and access to high-quality services and benefits. Hard-working citizens deserve that and our goal is to ensure we get there. There is still work to be done and we will continue to work collaboratively with the General Assembly," Abbott said. Monthly reports from L&I are shared with the legislative committees about the UC system's performance. One for the month of August, the most recent one the department shared with PennLive, indicated 189 of the 211 authorized positions were filled. The report also provides comparisons of August's performance on several customer service indicators to August 2016. It showed 835,867 callers encountered busy signals that month compared to 19,206 last August. The average wait times on hold was 18 minutes and 43 seconds as compared to 16 minutes and 53 seconds last August. And the department recorded 64,334 agent-answered calls in August compared to 120,468 in August of the prior year. "I think we're still a little lag in the wait times as I can see but what we don't want to happen is have this going into the winter," Ward said. "Because those wait times, not always, but some nine-minute wait times will turn into a nine-hour wait time. We don't need that again. The folks that need to collect their unemployment do not need that again. Our goal is to make sure that doesn't happen. That's our goal." Both Ward and Kauffman anticipated introducing legislation to address this issue sometime in October.A LABOUR Party led by JK Rowling would win an election easily, according to voters who have maintained their grasp on reality. Though condemned by Jeremy Corbyn supporters furious at her willingness to engage with the mechanisms of capitalism, the rest of the UK has agreed that she is exactly the kind of left-winger they could actually get behind. Lifelong Labour member Nikki Hollis said: “I’m not the kind of genius who comes up with Miliband standing next to an obelisk of platitudes but I just feel like a leader with achievements beyond 40 years of impotent opposition might be good. “Yes, she writes silly books about wizards rather than frivolous early-day motions about freeing Tibet, but she is hugely popular and that is still a bit important when persuading millions of people to vote for you.” Corbyn supporters have called on Twitter to ban Rowling for being an ideologically-impure Blairite who shows unhealthy signs of wanting to do actual things that might help. Eleanor Shaw of Islington said: “It’s hard, because I was really invested in her fantasy world before I realised Harry Potter is a Tory. “But now I’ve just shifted that childish belief in an implausible hero who can defeat insurmountable odds by magic over to Corbyn.”Pepsi PepsiCo is laying off 80 to 100 workers at distribution plants serving Philadelphia. According to the company, a soda tax that is cutting the area's soda consumption is to blame. The layoffs, which account for roughly 20% of Pepsi's 423 Philadelphia employees, will begin Wednesday and be spread out over the next few months, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. "Unfortunately, after careful consideration of the economic realities created by the recently enacted beverage tax, we have been forced to give notice that we intend to eliminate 80-100 positions, including frontline and supervisory roles, in Philadelphia over the next few months, beginning today," Pepsi said in a statement to Business Insider. Philadelphia's soda tax passed in June 2016 and went into effect in January of this year. The 1.5-cent-per-ounce soda tax is expected to raise about $91 million annually. As the tax went into effect, local businesses and shoppers reportedly quickly felt the results. Customers apparently began changing their purchasing habits, as the price of two-liter bottles and 12 packs of cans nearly doubled. In mid-February, Bloomberg reported that some soda sellers in Philadelphia said that beverage sales had dropped up to 50% in 2017. Operators of local supermarkets have reported significant drops in revenue, something executives say will result in their cutting of jobs in the near future and have already forced them to slash employees' work hours. The tax is currently under appeal with arguments expected to begin in April. A Pepsi spokesperson told the Philadelphia Inquirer that if the tax is repealed, the jobs will return. As news of the layoffs broke on Wednesday, the city of Philadelphia fired back with evidence that the tax is also creating jobs. Philadelphia's soda tax has been used to fund expanded pre-K opportunities, creating about 250 jobs for teachers and support staff, the city said in a release sent out minutes after the news of layoffs broke. Philadelphia Democrats have argued that layoffs are simply a case of companies trying to prevent other cities from passing soda taxes, by painting the taxes as dangerous for business. "[Beverage companies] are so committed to stopping this tax from spreading to other cities, that they are not only passing the tax they should be paying onto their customer, they are actually willing to threaten working men and women's jobs rather than marginally reduce their seven figure bonuses," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told the Philadelphia Inquirer in mid-February, as soda distributors began to report layoffs plans. While the soda industry has spent millions of dollars fighting soda taxes, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are also investing in less-sugary drink options that wouldn't be subjected to the taxes. Both companies often highlight that an increasing percentage of their business comes from the sales of things like bottled water, healthy snacks, and tea — not soda.For other people named Paul Ehrlich, see Paul Ehrlich (disambiguation) Paul Ehrlich ( German: [ˈpaʊ̯l ˈeːɐ̯lɪç] (); 14 March 1854 – 20 August 1915) was a Nobel prize-winning German-Jewish physician and scientist who worked in the fields of hematology, immunology, and antimicrobial chemotherapy. He is credited with finding a cure for syphilis in 1909. He invented the precursor technique to Gram staining bacteria. The methods he developed for staining tissue made it possible to distinguish between different types of blood cells, which led to the capability to diagnose numerous blood diseases. His laboratory discovered arsphenamine (Salvarsan), the first effective medicinal treatment for syphilis, thereby initiating and also naming the concept of chemotherapy. Ehrlich popularized the concept of a magic bullet. He also made a decisive contribution to the development of an antiserum to combat diphtheria and conceived a method for standardizing therapeutic serums.[1] In 1908, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his contributions to immunology.[2] He was the founder and first director of what is now known as the Paul Ehrlich Institute. Life and career [ edit ] Born 14 March 1854 in Strehlen in Silesia in what is now south-west Poland. Paul Ehrlich was the second child of Rosa (Weigert) and Ismar Ehrlich.[2] His father was an innkeeper and distiller of liqueurs and the royal lottery collector in Strehelen, a town of some 5,000 inhabitants in the province of Lower Silesia, now in Poland. His grandfather, Heymann Ehrlich, had been a fairly successful distiller and tavern manager. Ismar Ehrlich was the leader of the local Jewish community. After elementary school, Paul attended the time-honored secondary school Maria-Magdalenen-Gymnasium in Breslau, where he met Albert Neisser, who later became a professional colleague. As a schoolboy (inspired by his cousin Karl Weigert who owned one of the first microtomes), he became fascinated by the process of staining microscopic tissue substances. He retained that interest during his subsequent medical studies at the universities of Breslau, Strasbourg, Freiburg im Breisgau and Leipzig. After obtaining his doctorate in 1882, he worked at the Charité in Berlin as an assistant medical director under Theodor Frerichs, the founder of experimental clinical medicine, focusing on histology, hematology and color chemistry (dyes). He married Hedwig Pinkus (then aged 19) in 1883. The couple had two daughters, Stephanie and Marianne. Commemorative plaque at Bergstraße 96 in Berlin-Steglitz, where Ehrlich lived and worked from 1890 to 1899 After completing his clinical education and habilitation at the prominent Charité medical school and teaching hospital in Berlin in 1886, Ehrlich traveled to Egypt and other countries in 1888 and 1889, in part to cure a case of tuberculosis which he had contracted in the laboratory. Upon his return he established a private medical practice and small laboratory in Berlin-Steglitz. In 1891, Robert Koch invited Ehrlich to join the staff at his Berlin Institute of Infectious Diseases, where in 1896 a new branch, the Institute for Serum Research and Testing (Institut für Serumforschung und Serumprüfung), was established for Ehrlich's specialization. Ehrlich was named its founding director. Ehrlich's grave in the Jewish cemetery on Rat-Beil-Straße in Frankfurt am Main In 1899 his institute moved to Frankfurt am Main and was renamed the Institute of Experimental Therapy (Institut für experimentelle Therapie). One of his important collaborators there was Max Neisser. In 1904, Ehrlich received a full position of honorary professor from the University of Göttingen. In 1906 Ehrlich became the director of the Georg Speyer House in Frankfurt, a private research foundation affiliated with his institute. Here he discovered in 1909 the first drug to be targeted against a specific pathogen: Salvarsan, a treatment for syphilis, which was at that time one of the most lethal and infectious diseases in Europe. Among the foreign guest scientists working with Ehrlich were two Nobel Prize winners, Henry Hallett Dale and Paul Karrer. The institute was renamed Paul Ehrlich Institute in Ehrlich's honour in 1947. In 1914 Ehrlich signed the controversial Manifesto of the Ninety-Three which was a defense of Germany's World War I politics and militarism. On 17 August 1915 Ehrlich suffered a heart attack and died on 20 August in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe. Wilhelm II the German emperor, wrote in a telegram of condolence, “I, along with the entire civilized world, mourn the death of this meritorious researcher for his great service to medical science and suffering humanity; his life’s work ensures undying fame and the gratitude of both his contemporaries and posterity”.[3] Paul Ehrlich was buried at the Old Jewish Cemetery, Frankfurt (Block 114 N).[4] Research [ edit ] Hematological staining [ edit ] In the early 1870s, Ehrlich's cousin Karl Weigert was the first person to stain bacteria with dyes and to introduce aniline pigments for histological studies and bacterial diagnostics. During his studies in Strassburg under the anatomist Heinrich Wilhelm Waldeyer, Ehrlich continued the research started by his cousin in pigments and staining tissues for microscopic study. He spent his eighth university semester in Freiburg im Breisgau investigating primarily the red dye dahlia (monophenylrosanilin), giving rise to his first publication.[5] In 1878 he followed his dissertation supervisor Julius Friedrich Cohnheim to Leipzig, and that year obtained a doctorate with a dissertation entitled "Contributions to the Theory and Practice of Histological Staining" (Beiträge zur Theorie und Praxis der histologischen Färbung). Photo of cultured mast cells at 100X stained with Tol Blue One of the most outstanding results of his dissertation investigations was the discovery of a new cell type. Ehrlich discovered in the protoplasm of supposed plasma cells a granulate which could be made visible with the help of an alkaline dye. He thought this granulate was a sign of good nourishment, and accordingly named these cells mast cells, (from the German word for an animal-fattening feed, Mast). This focus on chemistry was unusual for a medical dissertation. In it, Ehrlich presented the entire spectrum of known staining techniques and the chemistry of the pigments employed. While he was at the Charité, Ehrlich elaborated upon the differentiation of white blood cells according to their different granules. A precondition was a dry specimen technique, which he also developed. A drop of blood placed between two glass slides and heated over a Bunsen burner fixed the blood cells while still allowing them to be stained. Ehrlich used both alkaline and acid dyes, and also created new “neutral” dyes. For the first time this made it possible to differentiate the lymphocytes among the leucocytes (white blood cells). By studying their granulation he could distinguish between nongranular lymphocytes, mono- and poly-nuclear leucocytes, eosinophil granulocytes, and mast cells. Starting in 1880, Ehrlich also studied red blood cells. He demonstrated the existence of nucleated red blood cells, which he subdivided into normoblasts, megaloblasts, microblasts and poikiloblasts; he had discovered the precursors of erythrocytes. Ehrlich thus also laid the basis for the analysis of anemias, after he had created the basis for systematizing leukemias with his investigation of white blood cells. His duties at the Charité included analyzing patients’ blood and urine specimens. In 1881 he published a new urine test which could be used to distinguish various types of typhoid from simple cases of diarrhea. The intensity of staining made possible a disease prognosis. The pigment solution he used is known today as Ehrlich's reagent. Ehrlich's great achievement, but also a source of problems during his further career, was that he had initiated a new field of study interrelating chemistry, biology and medicine. Much of his work was rejected by the medical profession, which lacked the requisite chemical knowledge. It also meant that there was no suitable professorship in sight for Ehrlich. Serum research [ edit ] Friendship with Robert Koch [ edit ] Robert Koch, around 1900 When a student in Breslau, Ehrlich was given an opportunity by the pathologist Julius Friedrich Cohnheim to conduct extensive research and was also introduced to Robert Koch, who was at the time a district physician in Wollstein, Posen Province. In his spare time, Koch had clarified the life cycle of the anthrax pathogen and had contacted Ferdinand Cohn, who was quickly convinced by Koch's work and introduced him to his Breslau colleagues. From 30 April to 2 May 1876, Koch presented his investigations in Breslau, which the student Paul Ehrlich was able to attend. On 24 March 1882, Ehrlich was present when Robert Koch, working since 1880 at the Imperial Public Health Office (Kaiserliches Gesundheitsamt) in Berlin, presented the lecture in which he reported how he was able to identify the tuberculosis pathogen. Ehrlich later described this lecture as his “greatest experience in science.” The day after Koch's lecture, Ehrlich had already made an improvement to Koch's staining method, which Koch unreservedly welcomed. From this date on, the two men were bound in friendship. In 1887 Ehrlich became an unsalaried lecturer in internal medicine (Privatdozent für Innere Medizin) at Berlin University, and in 1890 took over the tuberculosis station at a public hospital in Berlin-Moabit at Koch's request. This was where Koch's hoped-for tuberculosis therapeutic agent tuberculin was under study; and Ehrlich had even injected himself with it. In the ensuing tuberculin scandal, Ehrlich tried to support Koch and stressed the value of tuberculin for diagnostic purposes. In 1891 Koch invited Ehrlich to work at the newly founded Institute of Infectious Diseases (Institut für Infektionskrankheiten – now the Robert Koch Institute)[6] at Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität (now Humboldt University) in Berlin. Koch was unable to give him any remuneration, but did offer him full access to laboratory staff, patients, chemicals and laboratory animals, which Ehrlich always remembered with gratitude. First work on immunity [ edit ] Ehrlich had started his first experiments on immunization already in his private laboratory. He accustomed mice to the poisons ricin and abrin. After feeding them with small but increasing dosages of ricin he ascertained that they had become "ricin-proof." Ehrlich interpreted this as immunization and observed that it was abruptly initiated after a few days and was still in existence after several months, but mice immunized against ricin were just as sensitive to abrin as untreated animals. This was followed by investigations on the "inheritance" of acquired immunity. It was already known that in some cases after a smallpox or syphilis infection, specific immunity was transmitted from the parents to their offspring. Ehrlich rejected inheritance in the genetic sense because the offspring of a male mouse immunized against abrin and an untreated female mouse were not immune to abrin. He concluded that the fetus was supplied with antibodies via the pulmonary circulation of the mother. This idea was supported by the fact that this “inherited immunity” decreased after a few months. In another experiment he exchanged the offspring of treated and untreated female mice. The mice which were nursed by the treated females were protected from the poison, providing the proof that antibodies can also be conveyed in milk. Ehrlich also researched autoimmunity, but he specifically rejected the possibility that an organism's immune system could attack the organism's own tissue calling it "horror autotoxicus." Ironically it was Ehrlich's student, Ernest Witebsky, who demonstrated that autoimmunity could cause disease in humans.[7][8] Work with Behring on a diphtheria serum [ edit ] Emil Behring had worked at the Berlin Institute of Infectious Diseases until 1893 on developing an antiserum for treating diphtheria and tetanus but with inconsistent results. Koch suggested that Behring and Ehrlich cooperate on the project. This joint work was successful to the extent that Ehrlich was quickly able to increase the level of immunity of the laboratory animals based on his experience with mice. Clinical tests with diphtheria serum early in 1894 were successful and in August the chemical company Hoechst started to market Behring's “Diphtheria Remedy synthesized by Behring-Ehrlich.” The two discoverers had originally agreed to share any profits after the Hoechst share had been subtracted. Their contract was changed several times and finally Ehrlich was eventually pressured into accepting a profit share of only eight percent. Ehrlich resented what he considered as unfair treatment, and his relationship with Behring was thereafter problematic, a situation which later escalated over the issue of the valency[9] of tetanus serum. Ehrlich recognized that the principle of serum therapy had been developed by Behring and Kitasato. But he was of the opinion that he had been the first to develop a serum which could also be used on humans, and that his role in developing the diphtheria serum had been insufficiently acknowledged. Behring, for his part, schemed against Ehrlich at the Prussian Ministry of Culture, and from 1900 on Ehrlich refused to collaborate with him. von Behring was the sole recipient of the first Nobel Prize in Medicine, in 1901, for contributions to research on diphtheria.[10] The valency of serums [ edit ] Commemorative plaque at the entrance of the anatomy institute of Freiburg Univeristy where Paul Ehrlich, as a medical student in the winter semester 1875/76, discovered the mast cells Since antiserums were an entirely new type of medicine whose quality was highly variable, a government system was established to guarantee their safety and effectiveness. Beginning 1 April 1895, only government-approved serum could be sold in the German Reich. The testing station for diphtheria serum was provisionally housed at the Institute of Infectious Diseases. At the initiative of Friedrich Althoff,[11] an Institute of Serum Research and Testing (Institut für Serumforschung und Serumprüfung) was established in 1896 in Berlin-Steglitz, with Paul Ehrlich as director (which required him to cancel all his contracts with Hoechst). In this function and as honorary professor at Berliner University he had annual earnings of 6,000 marks, approximately the salary of a university professor. In addition to a testing department the institute also had a research department. In order to determine the effectiveness of diphtheria antiserum, a stable concentration of diphtheria toxin was required. Ehrlich discovered that the toxin being used was perishable, in contrast to what had been assumed, which for him led to two consequences: He did not use the toxin as a standard, but instead a serum powder developed by Behring, which had to be dissolved in liquid shortly before use. The strength of a test toxin was first determined in comparison with this standard. The test toxin could then be used as a reference for testing other serums. For the test itself, toxin and serum were mixed in a ratio so that their effects just cancelled each other when injected into a guinea pig. But since there was a large margin in determining whether symptoms of illness were present, Ehrlich established an unambiguous target: the death of the animal. The mixture was to be such that the test animal would die after four days. If it died earlier, the serum was too weak and was rejected. Ehrlich claimed to have made the determination of the valency of serum as accurate as it would be with chemical titration. This again demonstrates his tendency to quantify the life sciences. Influenced by the mayor of Frankfurt am Main, Franz Adickes, who endeavored to establish science institutions in Frankfurt in preparation of the founding of a university, Ehrlich's institute moved to Frankfurt In 1899 and was renamed the Royal Prussian Institute of Experimental Therapy (Königlich Preußisches Institut für Experimentelle Therapie). The German quality-control methodology was copied by government serum institutes all over the world, and they also obtained the standard serum from Frankfurt. After diphtheria antiserum, tetanus serum and various bactericide serums for use in veterinary medicine were developed in rapid sequence. These were also evaluated at the institute, as was tuberculin and later on various vaccines. Ehrlich's most important colleague at the institute was the Jewish doctor and biologist Julius Morgenroth. Ehrlich’s side-chain theory [ edit ] Paul Ehrlich around 1900 in his Frankfurt office He postulated that cell protoplasm contains special structures which have chemical side chains (today's term is macromolecules) to which the toxin binds, affecting function. If the organism survives the effects of the toxin, the blocked side-chains are replaced by new ones. This regeneration can be trained, the name for this phenomenon being immunization. If the cell produces a surplus of side chains, these might also be released into the blood as antibodies. In the following years Ehrlich expanded his side chain theory using concepts (“amboceptors,” “receptors of the first, second and third order,” etc.) which are no longer customary. Between the antigen and the antibody he assumed there was an additional immune molecule, which he called an “additive” or a “complement.” For him, the side chain contained at least two functional groups. For providing a theoretical basis for immunology as well as for his work on serum valency, Ehrlich was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1908 together with Élie Metchnikoff. Metchnikoff, who had researched the cellular branch of immunity, Phagocytosis, at the Pasteur Institute had previously sharply attacked Ehrlich. Cancer research [ edit ] In 1901, the Prussian Ministry of Finance criticized Ehrlich for exceeding his budget and as a consequence reduced his income. In this situation Althoff arranged a contact with Georg Speyer, a Jewish philanthropist and joint owner of the bank house Lazard Speyer-Ellissen. The cancerous disease of Princess Victoria, the widow of the German Emperor Friedrich II, had received much public attention and prompted a collection among wealthy Frankfurt citizens, including Speyer, in support of cancer research. Ehrlich had also received from the German Emperor Wilhelm II a personal request to devote all his energy to cancer research. Such efforts led to the founding of a department for cancer research affiliated with the Institute of Experimental Therapy. The chemist Gustav Embden, among others, worked there. Ehrlich informed his sponsors that cancer research meant basic research, and that a cure could not be expected soon. Among the results achieved by Ehrlich and his research colleagues was the insight that when tumors are cultivated by transplanting tumor cells, their malignancy increases from generation to generation. If the primary tumor is removed, then metastasis precipitously increases. Ehrlich applied bacteriological methods to cancer research. In analogy to vaccination, he attempted to generate immunity to cancer by injecting weakened cancer cells. Both in cancer research and chemotherapy research (see below) he introduced the methodologies of Big Science. Chemotherapy [ edit ] In vivo staining [ edit ] In 1885 Ehrlich‘s monograph "The Need of the Organism for Oxygen," (Das Sauerstoffbedürfnis des Organismus- Eine farbenanalytische Studie) appeared, which he also submitted as a habilitation thesis. In it he introduced the new technology of in vivo staining. One of his findings was that pigments can only be easily assimilated by living organisms if they are in granular form. He injected the dyes alizarin blue and indophenol blue into laboratory animals and established after their death that various organs had been colored to different degrees. In organs with high oxygen saturation, indophenol was retained; in organs with medium saturation, indophenol was reduced, but not alizarin blue. And in areas with low oxygen saturation, both pigments were reduced. With this work, Ehrlich also formulated the conviction which guided his research: that all life processes can be traced to processes of physical chemistry occurring in the cell. Methylene blue [ edit ] in vivo with methylene blue of a cell from the mucous membrane of a human mouth Stainingwith methylene blue of a cell from the mucous membrane of a human mouth In the course of his investigations Ehrlich came across methylene blue, which he regarded as particularly suitable for staining bacteria. Later, Robert Koch also used methylene blue as a dye in his research on the tuberculosis pathogen. In Ehrlich's view, an added benefit was that methylene blue also stained the long appendages of nerve cells, the axons. He initiated a doctoral dissertation on the subject, but did not follow up the topic himself. It was the opinion of the neurologist Ludwig Edinger that Ehrlich had thereby opened up a major new topic in the field of neurology. After mid-1889, when Ehrlich was unemployed, he privately continued his research on methylene blue. His work on in vivo staining gave him the idea of using it therapeutically. Since the parasite family of Plasmodiidae – which includes the malaria pathogen – can be stained with methylene blue, he thought it could possibly be used in the treatment of malaria. In the case of two patients so treated at the city hospital in Berlin-Moabit, their fever indeed subsided and the malaria plasmodia disappeared from their blood. Ehrlich obtained methylene blue from the company Meister Lucius & Brüning AG (later renamed Hoechst AG), which started a long collaboration with this company. The search for a chemotherapia specifica [ edit ] Before the Institute of Experimental Therapy had moved to Frankfurt, Ehrlich had already resumed work on methylene blue. After the death of Georg Speyer, his widow Franziska Speyer endowed the Georg-Speyer House in his memory[12] which was erected next door to Ehrlich's institute. As director of the Georg-Speyer House, Ehrlich transferred his chemotherapeutic research there. He was looking for an agent which was as effective as methylene blue, but without its side effects. His model was on the one hand the impact of quinine on malaria, and on the other hand, in analogy to serum therapy, he thought there must also be chemical pharmaceuticals which would have just as specific an effect on individual diseases. His goal was to find a "Therapia sterilisans magna," in other words a treatment that could kill all disease pathogens. Dr. Paul Ehrlich and Dr. Sahachiro Hata As a model for experimental therapy Ehrlich used a guinea pig disease trypanosoma and tested out various chemical substances on laboratory animals. The trypanosomes could indeed be successfully killed with the dye trypan red. Beginning in 1906, he intensively investigated atoxyl and had it tested by Robert Koch along with other arsenic compounds during Koch's sleeping sickness expedition of 1906/07. Although the name literally means “nonpoisonous,” atoxyl does cause damage, especially to the optic nerve. Ehrlich elaborated the systematic testing of chemical compounds in the sense of screening as now practiced in the pharmaceutical industry. He discovered that Compound 418 - Arsenophenylglycine - had an impressive therapeutic effect and had it tested in Africa. With the support of his assistant Sahachiro Hata Ehrlich discovered in 1909 that Compound 606, Arsphenamine, effectively combatted "spirillum" spirochaetes bacteria, one of whose subspecies causes syphilis.[13] The compound proved to have few side effects in human trials, and the spirochetes disappeared in seven syphilis patients after this treatment. After extensive clinical testing (all the research participants had the negative example of tuberculin in mind) the Hoechst company began to market the compound toward the end of 1910 under the name Salvarsan. This was the first agent with a specific therapeutic effect to be created on the basis of theoretical considerations. Salvarsan proved to be amazingly effective, particularly when compared with the conventional therapy of mercury salts. Manufactured by Hoechst AG, Salvarsan became the most widely prescribed drug in the world. It was the most effective drug for treating syphilis until penicillin became available in the 1940s.[14] Salvarsan required improvement as to side effects and solubility and was replaced in 1911 with Neosalvarsan. Ehrlich's work illuminated the existence of the blood-brain barrier, although he himself never believed in such a barrier, with Professor Lina Stern later coining the phrase. The medication triggered the so-called "Salvarsan war." On one side there was hostility on the part of those who feared a resulting moral breakdown of sexual inhibitions. Ehrlich was also accused, with clearly anti-Semitic undertones, of excessively enriching himself. In addition, Ehrlich's associate, Paul Uhlenhuth claimed priority in discovering the drug. Because some people died during the clinical testing, Ehrlich was accused of "stopping at nothing." In 1914, one of the most prominent accusers was convicted of criminal libel at a trial for which Ehrlich was called to testify. Though Ehrlich was thereby exonerated, the ordeal threw him into a depression from which he never fully recovered.[15] Magic bullet [ edit ] Ehrlich reasoned that if a compound could be made that selectively targeted a disease-causing organism, then a toxin for that organism could be delivered along with the agent of selectivity. Hence, a "magic bullet" (magische Kugel, his term for an ideal therapeutic agent) would be created that killed only the organism targeted. The concept of a "magic bullet" has to some extent been realized by the development of antibody-drug conjugates (a monoclonal antibody linked to a cytotoxic biologically active drug), as they enable cytotoxic drugs to be selectively delivered to their designated targets (e.g. cancer cells). Legacy [ edit ] West German postage stamp (1954) commemorating Paul Ehrlich and Emil von Behring In 1910, a street was named after Ehrlich in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen. During the Third Reich, Ehrlich's achievements were ignored while Emil Adolf von Behring was stylized as the ideal Aryan scientist, and the street named after Ehrlich was given another name. Shortly after the end of the war the name Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse was reinstated, and today numerous German cities have streets named after Paul Ehrlich. West Germany issued a postage stamp in 1954 on the 100th anniversary of the births of Paul Ehrlich (14 March 1854) and Emil von Behring (15 March 1854). A 200 Deutsche Mark bank note featured Paul Ehrlich. The German Paul Ehrlich Institute, the successor to the Steglitz Institute for Serum Research and Serum Testing and the Frankfurt Royal Institute for Experimental Therapy, was named in 1947 after its first director, Paul Ehrlich.[16] 1996 series 200 Deutsche Mark banknote His name is also borne by many schools and pharmacies, by the Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e. V. (PEG) in Frankfurt am Main, and the Paul-Ehrlich-Klinik in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe. The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize is the most distinguished German award for biomedical research. A European network of PhD studies in Medicinal Chemistry has been named after him (Paul Ehrlich MedChem Euro PhD Network).[17] The Anti-Defamation League awards a Paul Ehrlich–Günther K. Schwerin Human Rights Prize. A crater of the moon was named after Paul Ehrlich in 1970. Ehrlich's life and work was featured in the 1940 U.S. film Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet with Edward G. Robinson in the title role. It focused on Salvarsan (arsphenamine, "compound 606"), his cure for syphilis. Since the Nazi government was opposed to this tribute to a Jewish scientist, attempts were made to keep the film a secret in Germany. Honors and titles [ edit ] 1882 Awarded the title of Professor 1890 Appointed Extraordinary Professor at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität (now Humboldt University) (now Humboldt University) 1896 Given the nonacademic Prussian title of a Medical Councillor ( Geheimer Medizinalrat ) ) 1903 Awarded Prussia's highest distinction in science, the Great Golden Medal of Science (which had previously been awarded only to Rudolf Virchow) 1904 Honorary professorship in Göttingen; [18] honorary doctorate from the University of Chicago honorary doctorate from the University of Chicago 1907 Granted the seldom-awarded title Senior Medical Councillor ( Geheimer Obermedizinalrat ); granted an honorary doctorate from Oxford University ); granted an honorary doctorate from Oxford University 1908 Awarded The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his “work on immunity" [19] [20] 1911 Granted Prussia's highest civilian award, Privy Councillor ( Wirklicher Geheimer Rat with the predicate “Excellency”) with the predicate “Excellency”) 1912 Made an honorary citizen of the city of Frankfurt a.M. and of his birthplace Strehlen 1914 Appointed full Professor of Pharmacology at the newly established Frankfurt University. See also [ edit ]“You can trust us,” we could say But then we’d be that guy. You know the one. The guy who uses the same canned lines every time. His profile picture is always a selfie in the mirror, with a camera flash as oppressive as his unearned, yet sizable ego. That’s not us. We don’t believe in empty words. We believe in real, time-honored relationships and trust that’s built from something tangible. Challenging ourselves to “earn it better” is the driving force behind our whole culture. As national commercial printers—or, more accurately, as marketers who work through print—we settle for nothing less than creativity, consistency, quality, and exactly what our customers want. (Plus we really love introducing customers to what they don’t even know they want. Education is our middle name.) 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Helps You Lose Weight and Fat Among kefir’s diverse strain of bacteria, it can contain Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus amylovorus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (20, 21, 50, 51). These bacteria strains can help you lose weight and fat. Lactobacillus gasseri Lactobacillus gasseri increases the size of fat molecules, so you absorb less fat from your meals (52). Taking Lactobacillus gasseri can reduce weight, BMI, abdominal visceral fat, waist and hip circumferences. In fact, in a study belly fat was reduced by 8.5% in 12 weeks of supplementation (53). Lactobacillus paracasei Lactobacillus paracasei increases levels of circulating ANGPTL4, a protein serum hormone that regulates fat burning. As a result, fat storage is reduced (54). Lactobacillus amylovorus and Lactobacillus fermentum In a study, those who supplemented with either Lactobacillus amylovorus or Lactobacillus fermentum reduced their body fat by 3-4% in 6 weeks (55). Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lactobacillus rhamnosus have shown significant results for women. When taken, it helps the body release leptin, the obesity hormone. This hormone increases satiety, and in 3 months increases weight loss by 50% (56). 11. Kefir Helps Preserve Food This is an indirect health benefit. Fermenting food tends to prevent the growth of illness-causing bacteria. Just like in the gut, if the good bacteria are growing in fermented foods, the bad bacteria have trouble thriving (57). Fermentation has been used for centuries to help preserve food (58). Kefir may not kill salmonella, E. coli and listeria. However, breads made using kefir instead of yeast stay fresher longer (59). KEY POINT: Fermenting foods, such as bread and milk, with kefir can help it stay fresh longer and prevent harmful bacteria from growing on them. 12. Kefir Can Help You to Detoxify Your Body In our modern age, toxins surround us. We consume them through our diets and absorb them through cosmetics and other products. Kefir can be used to detoxify the body (60). In fact, it is particularly effective against aflatoxins (61). Aflatoxins are common toxins that we are exposed to in food. They are spread through mold and tend to contaminate groundnuts. Peanut butter, for example, would be a common culprit, especially if the nuts were not roasted as part of processing. While purchasing properly processed peanut butter can reduce your exposure, it is hard to avoid exposure to these toxins entirely. You may also find aflatoxins contaminating grains such as corn, soy or wheat, as well as vegetable oils such as cottonseed, soybean and canola oil. The lactic acid bacteria in kefir enable kefir to bind aflatoxins, which is the same thing as killing them (62). So if you regularly drink kefir, you may be able to detoxify your body of aflatoxins and other fungal contaminants. KEY POINT: Kefir can detoxify your body from toxic aflatoxins which you consume through your diet. 13. Kefir Has Cosmetic Benefits Kefir may have benefits for your skin as well. The lactic acid content of kefir can inhibit the growth of bacteria which causes acne while the lactic acid, peptides, and whey contained in kefir can lighten skin (62). Skin lightening products can help to reduce the appearance of birthmarks, moles, and lentigo spots so that they more closely match the surrounding area of skin. This may also work with vitiligo. Some people also lighten their skin for general aesthetic reasons (this is common in Asia). So if you want to lighten your skin or treat acne, kefir may help you to achieve a more even skin tone and clearer skin overall. KEY POINT: While many of the benefits of kefir are internal, some of them are visible on the surface of your body as well. Kefir has been shown to be helpful in treating acne and also may be used to lighten skin. 14. Kefir Speeds up Wound Healing The anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of kefir have benefits for wound healing. One study (63) compared the wound healing powers of kefir gel to gel alone, a conventional therapy called silver sulfadiazine, and a control group (no intervention). Kefir gel that was incubated for 96 hours "yielded superior results in terms of inflammation, scar formation, and wound re-epithelialization." The researchers postulated that the probiotic properties of kefir might also have played a role. Non-healing wounds are often subject to disruptions in the microbial communities, which are supposed to be present in the human body. The probiotic qualities of kefir may normalize these disruptions, restoring a healthy balance. This, in turn, facilitates swift wound healing. KEY POINT: Because kefir possesses probiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties, it can speed up wound healing effectively. 14. Kefir May Treat Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms If you have ever attempted to quit nicotine cold turkey, you know that the withdrawal symptoms can be quite intense. A few problematic symptoms include anxiety, depression, and issues with cognitive impairment. One animal study (64) looked into whether kefir would be able to help alleviate any of these symptoms due to its high tryptophan content. Human research is still required to prove anything definitive, but the initial results from the animal trials are promising. The researchers concluded that kefir could indeed theoretically be incorporated into a diet for patients suffering from nicotine withdrawal symptoms, and may effectively help to reduce anxiety, cognitive impairment, and depression. KEY POINT: If you are struggling with cognitive impairment, depression, or anxiety from nicotine withdrawal, adding kefir to your diet may help to alleviate your symptoms. 15. Kefir Can Improve Cognitive Function and Possibly Reverse Dementia You now know that it is possible that kefir can reduce problems with cognitive function associated with nicotine withdrawal. But it may be that those benefits are more general. An animal study (65) tested the retention of spatial training on rats, and concluded "Oral administration of kefir can improve spatial learning and consolidation of memory in rat." Another study (66), also on rats, noted that acetic acid bacteria like those found in kefir contain alkali-stable lipids (ASL) which may be able to reverse the cognitive decline associated with dementia. These results warrant further studies on human participants. But for now, the results are promising. KEY POINT: The ASL content of kefir may make it a viable treatment to improve memory and spatial learning and possibly even reverse cognitive decline in dementia. As studies have focused on animals, more studies on human subjects are needed to say anything definitive. 16. Kefir Can Fight the Effects of Aging Aging and age-related diseases are strongly linked to damage from oxidative stress (67). Both milk and soymilk kefir are high in antioxidants, so much so that they may be 'among the more promising food components in terms of preventing mutagenic and oxidative damage' (68). This means they may help to prevent a range of age-related diseases such as cancer or dementia, and may also serve to extend lifespan. KEY POINT: Consuming kefir can help curb oxidative damage in your body. This, in turn, may help you to live a longer and healthier life free of diseases associated with oxidative stress. Kefir Recipes Now that you know all about the amazing health benefits of kefir, let’s go over a few basic kefir recipes you can enjoy at home. First, I will teach you how you can make your own raw milk or water kefir, and then I will share a few additional recipes with you. How to Make Raw Milk Kefir This is a basic recipe for making about 2 cups of raw milk kefir. Ingredients: 1-2 tablespoons milk kefir grains 2 cups of fresh milk (you can use any kind of milk you want; it does not have to be cow’s milk. You can even go with a vegan option like rice milk) Directions: Pour the kefir grains into a glass jar. Add milk until the jar is about three quarters full. Stir the milk and grains with a plastic or wooden spoon. Cover the jar. Do something else for 24 hours. The mixture will gradually sour and thicken. Strain the kefir to remove the liquid from the grains. If you wash the fermenting jar and store the grains, you can use them again. Drink the kefir, or put it in the fridge and chill it. If you prefer, you can also store it at room temperature for a couple of days (make sure you cover it so it remains uncontaminated). You can then chill it and serve it. Many people prefer the flavor of milk kefir after it has had some time to sit like this. This process also allows some time for biosynthesis, leading to a higher folic acid and vitamin B content. How to Make Water Kefir This is a basic recipe for making water kefir. Water kefir is less expensive than milk kefir, and some people find it easier to drink. It is versatile and goes great in many recipes. It is of course a great option if you are avoiding dairy (though rice or soy milk kefir work for that as well). Ingredients: 1/3 cup water kefir grains 1/3 cup sugar 5-6 cups filtered water Lemon or vanilla extract to taste (optional) Directions: Pour a cup of water into a pot and add the sugar. Heat the mixture to a near boil, but make sure it does not actually boil. Your goal is to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and wait for this mixture to cool. Now add 3 more cups of water. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar. Add another 1-2 cups of water. Add the kefir grains. Cover the jar with a lid. Wait 24 hours as the mixture thickens and sours. Strain the water to separate it from the grains. Make sure that you are using a plastic strainer (not a metal one). Add lemon or vanilla extract to the mixture if you want to enhance the flavor. Note that you can reuse the kefir grains, so save them for another round. Did you notice you have to add sugar to this version but not to the milk version? That is because the kefir bacteria are feeding on the lactose in the milk, which is a sugar. How to Make Kefir Frozen Yogurt Here is a recipe for a delicious, healthy frozen dessert made out of kefir. This may be an excellent way to eat kefir if you are usually bothered by the sour taste. Ingredients: 225 ml plain unsweetened yogurt ½ cup sugar 1 bottle of milk kefir 1 cup half & half 1 egg yolk Nuts (optional) Berries of your choice (optional) For this recipe, you also need an ice cream maker. Directions: Start by stirring the half and half, sugar, and yogurt into a pot. Heat to a near boil while continuing to stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the egg yolk and whisk it in. Pour in the milk kefir and continue to stir. Remove from heat and cover. Put the pot inside the refrigerator. Wait 5-10 minutes for the mixture to cool in the fridge. Remove from fridge and pour the mixture into your ice cream maker. Finish making your frozen yogurt in the ice cream maker; it should take around 20 minutes. Add berries and nuts to the top as you like. How to Make Kefir Cheese Here is one of the simplest kefir recipes you are going to find; there is only one ingredient needed! Ingredients: 4 cups of milk kefir Additionally, you will need 1 cheese cloth, a plastic strainer, and a glass jar. Directions: Place the cheese cloth in the strainer, then place the strainer in the glass jar. Pour the milk kefir inside. The cheesecloth and strainer will capture the solid matter. The whey (liquid) will drip through into the jar. Walk away for 12-24 hours while this process continues. After the dripping stops, look inside the cheesecloth, and you will find kefir cheese. Remove the cheese and put it inside an airtight container. Refrigerate the cheese. Do not throw away the whey; store it in the fridge in a separate glass jar. You will find it useful for making fermented drinks. As a tart and creamy cheese, kefir cheese is sometimes likened a bit to goat cheese in flavor. It can also be described as sitting somewhere between cream cheese and sour cream in terms of taste. How to Make Strawberry Kefir Smoothie Here is a simple, smooth, sweet recipe for a healthy kefir beverage you are going to love. Ingredients: 1 cup of kefir ½ cup of strawberries (fresh or frozen) 1-2 tablespoons of honey Ice cubes (optional) Directions: Add all the ingredients to a blender. Blend everything together until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a glass, and it’s ready to drink. This recipe makes about two servings. Once you learn how to make it, you will have a pretty good idea how you can alter the recipe to make other types of kefir smoothies using other fruits (blueberries, bananas, etc.). The basics are pretty much the same. Kefir FAQ Q: How much kefir water/milk should I drink? Around 1-2 cups of kefir water or kefir milk per day is a good amount to aim for. If you have difficulty with this, you can start out by drinking less and work your way up to that amount. Alternately, if you are having a hard time with the milk kefir (because it is so heavy), you can consider switching to the water kefir. You may find you can drink more of it. Q: Why do I experience side effects when I drink kefir? First of all, if you are drinking milk kefir and you happen to be lactose intolerant, or you have a milk allergy, that would produce side effects. If that is the case, stick with soy or rice milk or another form of milk you can tolerate, or drink water kefir. You may also notice that you experience some digestive side effects when you drink kefir, even water kefir. You might have loose stools, bloating, queasiness, or general discomfort in your digestive tract. Headaches and general body aches sometimes manifest as well. You should not find these side effects concerning, even though they are unpleasant. The healthy bacteria in the kefir are in the process of getting rid of the unhealthy bacteria in your gut and creating a healthier balance. That transition can be uncomfortable (you may experience similar side effects with yogurt or other probiotic products), but it usually means progress is being made. Over time, you will probably notice a decrease in these symptoms as your body adjusts to a healthier balance of gut flora. In the meantime, you can reduce the kefir dosage and increase it as your body adjusts. Q: How can I store kefir grains? You can re-use kefir grains. To do this, you will need to store them. Begin by rinsing them with un-chlorinated water. Next, you will have to dry them, so put them on a piece of unbleached parchment paper. Let them dry there for 3-5 days. In a humid climate, you may need more time. After the grains are dry, transfer them into an airtight plastic bag (you can also use a sealed glass jar). Add a bit of dry milk powder (enough to cover them). Finally, put the sealed bag or jar inside the freezer. The grains should keep for up to two months. Q: How can I revive kefir grains? Sometimes kefir grains develop issues. They may get slimy or syrupy, develop a white film, shrink, or start to smell odd. This usually means that something has gone wrong involving contamination, nutritional deprivation or overcrowding. You may be able to save these grains and restore them to their normal productivity and health. Start by rinsing the grains - something you should only do when rehabilitating them. You can do this inside a shallow bowl of water with the help of a plastic strainer. You can lightly brush them around with your fingers to loosen up and remove yeast or contaminants from the surface of the grains. Pour out the cloudy water and then rinse them again. Do this until you get water that is more or less clear. Next, get a glass jar and placing some sugar water inside (the sugar needs to be fully dissolved). You may find it useful to add some minerals. Options you can try include unrefined sea salt, baking soda, unsulfured blackstrap molasses, or liquid mineral supplement. Add the kefir grains to the jar and cover it. Put them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Allow the grains to rest and nourish themselves. Finally, remove the kefir grains from the resting solution of sugar water. Put them in a new sugar water solution to see if they have recovered. If not, you can try repeating the process a second time. Sometimes this is enough to get them back on form. Q: How long do kefir grains last? If they are being stored in the freezer, you can keep them that way for a couple of months. If you are actively feeding and straining them every 24 hours, they can last indefinitely. Q: Where did the first kefir grain come from? Bizarrely enough, nobody knows. They seem to have originated in the Northern Caucasus Mountains. There are myths and legends, but no hard historical or scientific data. What Is a Kefir Culture Starter Kit? As you have probably ascertained, kefir is something of a commitment if you want to keep it alive. You need to be feeding and straining it every 24 hours if you want to keep re-using the grains. You can freeze them for up to a couple of months, but then you need to resume the daily feeding and straining unless you want to replace them. If you do not want to keep up with this process, you might consider buying a powdered kefir starter culture instead. This is a single use item, though it may be re-cultured several times. Make sure to re-culture within 7 days if you want to get the best results. After that, you have to buy new powdered kefir. While kefir grains obviously are more cost-effective over the long run, it makes more sense to buy the single-use powder cultures if you are only going to be drinking kefir occasionally. Which product is right for you? That depends entirely on how committed you are to drinking and caring for kefir. If you only will have kefir now and again, go with the starter kit. If you want to drink kefir every day, then go with kefir grains. Recommended Kefir Products When it comes to buying kefir products, remember that quality is more important than volume. You will be able to reuse the same kefir time and again, so one package which includes enough for you to use each day should last you indefinitely. What is important is a high-quality mixture of live active cultures - just like when you purchase yogurt. Shop for an organic product. If there are additional ingredients (i.e. milk powder, sugar), make sure they are non-GMO. You may want to pay special attention to the customer service for kefir products. Why? It is very common to screw up your first batch or have questions. Knowing a team is standing by to answer those questions can make a big difference. Kefir Action Tips and Precautions Because kefir grains are alive, you have to follow a number of precautions while fermenting them: Keep the kefir out of direct sunlight while you are fermenting the grains. Always make sure that the glass jars you are fermenting the kefir in are covered, but mind that the lid is loose. Why? During the fermentation process, gas is produced. If this gas cannot escape, it can literally lead to an explosion. Do not use metallic strainers, bowls, cups, or utensils at any time during the process. Metal can kill the microorganisms in the kefir. If you ferment milk kefir for too long, you will notice the formation of layers of yellow liquid. This liquid is called “whey” - if you read the recipe on making kefir cheese, it is the same liquid you separate out to make the cheese. Your kefir is too fermented at this point and will be too sour and thick to strain properly and enjoy. Do not use water straight out of the tap. The chemicals in the water may kill the microorganisms. Instead, use filtered, un-chlorinated water. Remember that kefir grains need to be fed or the microorganisms will die. If you are not continuously feeding and straining them, put them in the freezer so that they sleep. They can last up to 2 months in there before they starve. Kefir is good for your health. The probiotics and yeasts in milk kefir are more plentiful and varied than those found in yogurt, and research consistently shows that these compounds have health benefits. Water kefir also contains beneficial bacteria and yeasts. You can purchase commercially made kefir or make it yourself at home with “starter” grains. Powdered bacteria cultures are also available to ferment your own kefir, but these will not live indefinitely the way grains will. If you’re not used to the sour taste of kefir, you can add honey or fruit.This article is about the United States' version. For similar objects worldwide, see Nuclear briefcase Briefcase used by the President of the United States to authorize a nuclear attack while away from fixed command centers The nuclear football (also known as the atomic football, the President's emergency satchel, the Presidential Emergency Satchel,[1] the button, the black box, or just the football) is a briefcase, the contents of which are to be used by the President of the United States to authorize a nuclear attack while away from fixed command centers, such as the White House Situation Room. It functions as a mobile hub in the strategic defense system of the United States. It is held by an aide-de-camp. Contents [ edit ] According to a Washington Post article, the president is always accompanied by a military aide carrying a "football" with launch codes for nuclear weapons.[2] The football is a metal Zero Halliburton briefcase[3] carried in a black leather "jacket". The package weighs around 45 pounds (20 kilograms).[4] In his book Breaking Cover, which was released on August 11 of 1980,[5] Bill Gulley, the former director of the White House Military Office, wrote:[4] There are four things in the Football. The Black Book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila folder with eight or ten pages stapled together giving a description of procedures for the Emergency Alert System, and a three-by-five-inch [7.5 × 13 cm] card with authentication codes. The Black Book was about 9 by 12 inches [23 × 30 cm] and had 75 loose-leaf pages printed in black and red. The book with classified site locations was about the same size as the Black Book, and was black. It contained information on sites around the country where the president could be taken in an emergency. A small antenna protrudes from the bag near the handle, suggesting that it also contains communications equipment of some kind.[4] Operation [ edit ] Video describing the United States' nuclear launch authorization process If the president (who is commander-in-chief of the armed forces) ordered the use of nuclear weapons, he would be taken aside by the "carrier" and the briefcase would be opened. A command signal, or "watch" alert, would then be issued to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The president would then review the attack options with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and decide on a plan, which could range from a single cruise missile to multiple ICBM launches. These are preset war plans developed under OPLAN 8010 (formerly the Single Integrated Operational Plan). Then, using Milstar, the aide, a military officer with Yankee White security clearance, would contact the National Military Command Center and NORAD to determine the scope of the pre-emptive nuclear strike and prepare a second strike, following which Milstar/Advanced Extremely High Frequency or Boeing E-4Bs and TACAMOs would air the currently valid Nuclear Launch Code to all nuclear delivery systems operational. Where a two-person verification procedure would be executed following this, the codes would be entered in a Permissive Action Link.[citation needed] Before the order can be processed by the military, the president must be positively identified using a special code issued on a plastic card, nicknamed the "biscuit".[6] The United States has a two-man rule in place at the nuclear launch facilities, and while only the president can order the release of nuclear weapons, the order must be verified by the Secretary of Defense to be an authentic order given by the president (there is a hierarchy of succession in the event that the president is killed in an attack). This verification process deals solely with verifying that the order came from the actual President. The Secretary of Defense has no veto power and must comply with the president's order.[6] Once all the codes have been verified, the military would issue attack orders to the proper units. These orders are given and then re-verified for authenticity. It is argued that the President has almost single authority to initiate a nuclear attack since the Secretary of Defense is required to verify the order, but cannot legally veto it.[7][8][9] The football is carried by one of the rotating presidential military aides, whose work schedule is described by a top-secret rota (one from each of the five service branches). This person is a commissioned officer in the U.S. military, pay-grade O-4 or above, who has undergone the nation's most rigorous background check (Yankee White).[10][11] These officers are required to keep the football readily accessible to the president at all times. Consequently, the aide, football in hand, is always either standing or walking near the president, including riding on Air Force One, Marine One, or the presidential motorcade with the president.[11] Journalist Ron Rosenbaum has pointed out that the operational plan for nuclear strike orders is entirely concerned with the identity of the commanding officer and the authenticity of the order, and there are no safeguards to verify that the person issuing the order is actually sane.[12] Notably, Major Harold Hering was discharged from the Air Force in late 1973 for asking the question "How can I know that an order I receive to launch my missiles came from a sane president?" under Richard Nixon.[13] History [ edit ] The football dates back to Dwight D. Eisenhower, but its current usage came about in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when John F. Kennedy was concerned that a Soviet commander in Cuba might launch missiles without authorization from Moscow.[10] Kennedy asked several questions related to the release of US nuclear weapons. These were: "Assuming that information from a closely guarded source causes me to conclude that the U.S. should launch an immediate nuclear strike against the Communist Bloc, does the JCS Emergency Actions File permit me to initiate such an attack without first consulting with the Secretary of Defense and/or the Joint Chiefs of Staff?" "I know that the red button on my desk phone will connect me with the White House Army Signal Agency (WHASA) switchboard and that the WHASA switchboard can connect me immediately to the Joint War Room. If I called the Joint War Room without giving them advance notice, to whom would I be speaking?" "What would I say to the Joint War Room to launch an immediate nuclear strike?" "How would the person who received my instructions verify them?"[14] An Associated Press article stated that the nickname "football" was derived from an attack plan codenamed "Dropkick".[4] The nickname has led to some confusion as to the nature—and even the shape—of the device, as the leather bag or "jacket" in which it is carried appears large enough to contain an actual football. During their presidencies, both Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan preferred to keep the launch codes in their jacket pockets.[15] Congressman John Kline served as a colonel in the United States Marine Corps and carried the football for Presidents Carter and Reagan.[16] The coded card was separated from Ronald Reagan immediately after the 1981 assassination attempt against him.[17] He was separated from it when his clothing was cut off by the emergency department trauma team. It was later discovered lying unsecured in one of his shoes on the emergency department floor. This led to an urban legend that Reagan carried the code in his sock. Reagan was separated from the rest of the football as well, because the officer who carried it was left behind as the motorcade sped away with the wounded president. On occasion, the president has left his aide carrying the football behind. This happened to Nixon in 1973; after Nixon presented Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev with a Lincoln Continental at Camp David, Brezhnev unexpectedly drove with Nixon off the retreat onto a highway while leaving Nixon's Secret Service personnel behind, separating Nixon from the football (and his security detail) for nearly 30 minutes.[18] Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush,[19] and Bill Clinton have also been separated from the football.[17] Recent times [ edit ] As the football is required to be near to the president at all times, the aides carrying it frequently appear in press photographs.[20] In February 2017, on the occasion of North Korea firing a nuclear-capable Pukkuksong-2 ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan,[21] a guest at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago posed for a photo with the military aide carrying the Football, posting the image to Facebook and identifying the aide by his first name.[22] U.S. military officials clarified that it was neither illegal nor against proper procedure for the officer to appear in such a photo, although they admitted that the situation was strange.[20] On November 8, 2017, when President Trump made an official state visit to China, U.S. military aides carrying the football were reportedly involved in a brief tussle with Chinese security officials, after the latter tried to bar the former access to the Hall of the People auditorium. According to Jonathan Swan, the political correspondent behind the report, wrote: "...at no point did the Chinese have the nuclear football in their possession or even touch the briefcase.... [T]he head of the Chinese security detail apologised to the Americans afterwards for the misunderstanding."[23] See also [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]Please enable Javascript to watch this video HARTFORD--Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in the North End of Hartford. Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Hartford Police got a report of a disturbed man on a street parallel to Westminster Street. When officers arrived, they found a man holding several knives. A foot chase ensued, and three officers were able to corner the suspect in a driveway on Westminster. They told him to put down the knife he was holding, and one of them deployed a Taser. One officer still felt threatened, and he opened fire, shooting the man once in the torso, police said. The suspect is in stable condition in the hospital. The officer who shot him was also taken to the hospital to be evaluated for a broken thumb. He has been on the job for about three years, according to Chief Rovella. The officer and the suspect are both described as African American, police said. The other two officers who responded to the call were not injured. Rovella says that the state's attorney's office's inspectors were on the scene to investigate. While Hartford Police used to investigate officer-involved shootings in-house, that is no longer the case as to avoid any conflict of interest. The major crimes squad has also been assigned to investigate. Rovella says more information will be released on Wednesday afternoon. 41.797383 -72.701944Greg Eden: Hull KR full-back set for move to Australia Hull KR have agreed to release full-back Greg Eden from the final year of his contract to enable him to move to Australia. The 23-year-old, who was dubbed England's Billy Slater by Nathan Brown two years ago during their time together at Huddersfield, is thought to have secured a contract with Brisbane Broncos. The Castleford-born player has made 37 appearances for the Robins since joining them from the Giants two years ago. It's a great club and I'm sure good things are around the corner under Chris Chester but I didn't feel personally that I could turn this opportunity down. Greg Eden "I've really enjoyed my time at Hull KR and I wish everybody here all the best for the future," said Eden, who had loan spell at Salford earlier this season after losing the full-back spot to Ben Cockayne. "It's a great club and I'm sure good things are around the corner under Chris Chester but I didn't feel personally that I could turn this opportunity down. Ambition "I've always had an ambition to play in the NRL and it's a great chance for me to go over there and hopefully improve my game." Hull KR chief executive Mike Smith said: "We have retained an option on Greg's services should he return to Super League but he makes the move to the NRL with our best wishes. "We have been planning for his departure as we look to strengthen our squad for 2015 and have already recruited heavily in the outside backs for next season. "I'd like to thank Greg for his service to Hull KR over the past two years and wish him good luck with his new club."LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman is “not optimistic” that seven-time Pro Bowl weakside linebacker Lance Briggs will return from a fractured shoulder to play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. This would mark the seventh straight game Briggs has missed since he hurt the shoulder Oct. 20 in Washington. “Lance is still week-to-week,” Trestman said. “We’ll see where he is tomorrow with our trainers and see what they want to do with him. "I’m not optimistic. We’ll know a little more today and tomorrow. He did some running last week. Will that be upgraded to limited work in practice? We won’t be in pads tomorrow. We’ll be in shells. He was not in shells last week. We’ll see what the trainers want to do and what he wants to do tomorrow.” When asked what is preventing Briggs from returning to the field, Trestman responded, “the healing of the bone.” Prior to 2013, Briggs had been a model of durability for the Bears, sitting out just four games due to injury in 10 NFL seasons. The defense has clearly suffered without Briggs, ranking No. 27 in total defense (381.5), No. 28 in points allowed (27.7) and No. 32 in run defense (157.0) going into Sunday’s road game in Cleveland. “Where Lance is right now is kind of to be determined,” Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. “I’m not quite certain at this point. But the focus is on the guys that are available. The guys that can help us right now.” The Bears have started rookie fourth-round pick Khaseem Greene in place of Briggs the past six games, but while Tucker and the organization are high on the club’s younger linebackers, asking first-year players to fill the void left by Briggs is virtually impossible. “Lance is a playmaker in the run game and the passing game,” Tucker said. “It’s not just the intangibles that he brings in terms of leadership and experience and things like that, in confidence. But he can actually make plays. He can win one-on-one. He can get off blocks. He can run sideline to sideline. He can win one-on-one on running backs on blitzes and things like that. He’s an excellent blitzer. In the pass game he’s quick, very instinctive. He’s quick to diagnose and because of... his experience, there’s not a whole lot of plays he hasn’t seen at some point in time, so he’s quick to recognize those things. Those are just some of the things he brings to the table.”I would like to thank Professor Hoppe for inviting me to speak. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be before you today. I have been asked to give you a history of American race relations in a half hour—not an easy thing to do. It would be easier to give you a history in a single word, and that word would be conflict. Conflict is the normal state of race relations anywhere in the world, and for reasons that I believe are deeply biological. Humans have an exquisite sensitivity to differences between their group and other groups. Group conflict is as old as our species. Humans are prepared to fight each other for all kinds of reasons: ethnicity, language, nationality, religion, and even for political reasons, but of all the kinds of conflict, racial conflict is the most chronic and difficult to control, and that’s because race is part of biology. It is immediately visible, and is usually an indicator of differences in behavior and culture and not just a difference in appearance. Wherever you find people of more than one race trying to share the same territory, there is conflict. American race relations in the Anglo-American sense began in 1607 with the founding of the Jamestown colony on the coast of Virginia. Jamestown is not only where American race relations begin, it is also a fascinating example of the inevitability of racial conflict. The purpose of the colony was to find gold, but the intentions of the colonists towards the Indians were entirely benevolent. In fact, the English, aware of the Spanish reputation for brutality in the New World, consciously wanted to be different and better. The English, moreover, had no preconceived notions of racial superiority, and saw the Indians—or “naturals” as they called them—as essentially no different from themselves. This was in direct contrast to their view of Moors or black Africans whom they did think of as aliens. Some of the Jamestown colonists believed that the “naturals” really were white people whose skin was dark because they painted themselves so often. In any case, the 100 or so men who started the colony were very careful to find a place for their encampment that was unclaimed and uninhabited. They wished to cause no offense. The leader of the colony, Edward-Maria Wingfield, decreed that since the English came in peace, there would be
Parkman was seen entering Harvard Medical College in the early afternoon, to rendezvous with Webster who claimed he had the money to settle the debt. Later in the afternoon, the college janitor, Ephraim Littlefield, noticed Webster's laboratory and office suite locked, with water running, but no sign of Webster. The next day, Parkman had not returned home and his family was beside themselves with worry. For days, the family and the police posted notices about Parkman, assuming he had been kidnapped for ransom, mugged for the money he carried when collecting debts, or worse. Within a few days, the search party turned into a recovery party, as the police dragged the Charles River and Boston Harbor in an attempt to find Parkman's body, to no avail. But Littlefield, the janitor, became suspicious of Webster just as the police were eyeing Littlefield for the murder. Prof. Webster had been behaving oddly a few days before -- getting angry at Littlefield for seemingly no reason, but then apologizing and giving him a giant turkey the day before Thanksgiving. This was all completely out of character. The same day he received the turkey, Littlefield decided to investigate on his own. He followed Webster to his anatomy lab, watching him under the door. Webster moved curiously, between the furnace and the fuel closet several times. When Webster finally left, Littlefield broke in and found the kindling containers empty. With Webster away from Harvard for Thanksgiving, on November 29, Littlefield brought some tools and his wife to stand guard, and tunneled through the wall of Webster's private bathroom. Ignoring the stench of the privy, Littlefield kept digging -- until he ran into a human pelvis. And then a dismembered thigh. And a lower leg. Littlefield was beside himself with terror. He told his wife, and then another trusted Harvard professor, and they called the cops and the coroner. Several men went back into Littlefield's tunnel to retrieve the rest of the remains. Police arrested Webster immediately, and although he initially denied it, he then admitted to it. As soon as he got to prison, Webster fell ill -- he had attempted to poison himself with strychnine but failed. Police then worked to find the rest of the body, as it wasn't in the privy. They searched Webster's lab and opened a large chest -- out came a headless, armless, hairy, partially burned torso, with a thigh stuffed inside. Poor Mrs. Parkman was asked to identify the body, which she did based on birthmarks on the lower back and genitals. In spite of the fact that investigators had a body, the body had been identified by Mrs. Parkman, and Webster had basically confessed, the case went to trial and forensic specialists were called in. At the time, forensic anthropology didn't exist -- and the practice of analyzing human remains to determine identity and cause and manner of death was rudimentary. But Harvard anatomists Dr. Jeffries Wyman and Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., were asked to look at the body. Wyman was in charge of looking at the bones and ID'ing them. He described the ones that had been found and presented at trial - which began on March 19, 1850 -- evidence that the deceased was 5'10", which matched the description of Parkman. Holmes was in charge of cause and manner of death, testifying that the body had been dismembered by someone with a deep knowledge of anatomy and that the wound found between the ribs on the torso was likely the fatal knife blow. Parkman's dentist, Dr. Nathan Keep, who would go on to found the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1867, was also called to testify. A jawbone with false teeth was found in the furnace of Webster's lab. Keep recognized the dental work that he had done on Parkman two years prior. He even demonstrated for the court how the bone fit into a mold that he'd made of Parkman's mouth during life. The prosecution in the case had called two experts in human anatomy to testify about the identity, manner, and cause of death of the deceased, an expert in teeth to discuss the jaw found, and even experts in handwriting analysis to talk about the notes Webster claimed demonstrated he had repaid Parkman. This 1850 court case was the first to involve forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and a forensic document analyst. The defense picked this evidence apart, though, putting other medical professionals on the stand to say that the ID and manner of death could not be determined conclusively. Before the jury deliberated, the judge -- Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court Lemeuel Shaw -- gave an unprecedented instruction to the jury. The standard in murder cases in the mid-19th century was "absolute certainty" of guilt. Under this burden, the prosecution would have to prove conclusively that the body was Parkman's, that Webster had killed him, and that he had done so on purpose. Judge Shaw, though, instructed the jury that they only needed to find "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the body was Parkman's. While this phrasing has become standard today, and was a part of European law for centuries, it wouldn't be until 1880 that the U.S. Supreme Court would discuss and define the term "reasonable doubt." The jury deliberated for less than three hours on March 30. They were unanimous in concluding that the remains were Parkman's, that Webster had killed him, and that he had done so deliberately. The verdict was guilty, and Webster was sentenced by Judge Shaw on April 1 to death by public hanging. Webster's legal team mounted an appeal and also requested commutation of his sentence. But the governor was unmoved. Prof. John White Webster was hanged publicly on August 30, 1850, and buried at Copp's Hill. Although a conspiracy theory circulated in 1884 that Webster's hanging was staged, and that he was actually alive and living in the Azores, there is no evidence for that. The Parkman murder case is held up as the earliest example of modern forensic anthropology at work. Even though Wyman and Holmes were not trained the way we are today, their methods were sound for the time and still largely represent the way forensic anthropologists work now. More importantly, though, this case represents the first time in U.S. legal history that dental evidence and forensic science were admissible in a murder trial. And even though this case involved the murder of one Harvard doctor by another, the university became the forerunner of academic forensic anthropology in the second half of the 19th century. Thomas Dwight succeeded Oliver Wendell Holmes and became the "father of forensic anthropology" in the 1870s, and George Dorsey was granted the first PhD in anthropology awarded by Harvard in 1894 (it was only the second PhD in anthropology to be awarded in the entire U.S.). Had it not been for such a high-profile murder mystery in mid-19th century Boston, forensic anthropology might not have been launched as a discipline until much, much later.In any case, you cannot untangle access and money. Mr. Romney’s stated zeal to “defund” Planned Parenthood is either a rote ideological posture or a belief that it is right to end the federal support that gives many poor women access to mammograms, cervical cancer screening, family planning and other services. As Mr. Obama said: “That’s a pocketbook issue for women and families all across the country. And it makes a difference in terms of how well and effectively women are able to work.” Having fumbled that one, Mr. Romney made things worse when he tried to talk about equal opportunity for women, which was made much harder by his opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. He told a strange tale of his early days as governor of Massachusetts when he “had the chance to pull together a cabinet and all the applicants seemed to be men.” He said he went to his staff about it and was told that “these are the people that have the qualifications.” Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. So far, not so terribly bad. But then he started a slow, painful slide into one of the most bizarre comments on this issue we’ve ever heard, which became an instant Internet sensation. “We took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet,” Mr. Romney said, sounding as if that were a herculean task. An appeal to women’s groups, he said, “brought us whole binders full of women.” This was important, he said, because “I recognized that if you’re going to have women in the work force that sometimes they need to be more flexible. My chief of staff, for instance, had two kids that were still in school.” At this point we could practically hear his political consultants yelling “Stop!” But Mr. Romney did not. “She said, I can’t be here until 7 or 8 o’clock at night. I need to be able to get home at 5 o’clock so I can be there for making dinner for my kids and being with them when they get home from school.” Flexibility is a good policy. But what if a woman had wanted to go home to study Spanish? Or rebuild an old car? Or spend time with her lesbian partner? Would Mr. Romney have been flexible about that? Or if a man wanted similar treatment? True equality is not satisfied by allowing the little lady to go home early and tend to her children.As GDP Growth Stalls, This Chart Shows Just How Badly the Fed is Missing Its Targets The advance estimate released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed U.S. real GDP growth falling to an annual rate of just 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2014. If confirmed by later revisions, that would be weakest quarterly growth since the end of 2012. The slowdown was remarkably widespread. The contribution to real growth from consumer spending, which was 2.22 percentage points in Q4, slowed to 2.04 percentage points in Q1—and that was the good news. The contribution of investment spending flipped from a positive 0.41 percentage points to negative -1.01 points, with fixed investment, inventory investment, and residential investment all in the minus column. The contribution to growth of exports, which have been an element of strength throughout the recovery, dropped from +1.23 percentage points to -1.07 points, only partly offset by a small decrease in imports. Finally, the contribution to growth of state and local government expenditures, which, for the first time in the recovery, had been positive in the final three quarters of 2013, turned negative again. A tiny 0.05 percent boost from federal government spending was not enough to offset the negative growth at lower levels of government. Today’s data release also includes the first estimate for personal consumption expenditure (PCE) inflation for Q1. The PCE inflation index and the unemployment rate are the Fed’s two main policy targets under its dual mandate to promote price stability and full employment. Currently, the Fed defines price stability as inflation of 2 percent for the PCE index and full employment as a range of 5.25 to 5.75 percent for unemployment rate. The following chart, which puts those target values in the crosshairs, shows just how badly the Fed is missing its goals. Since unemployment peaked at 10 percent in late 2009, the labor market has improved by fits and starts. It is gradually moving toward the upper limit of the Fed’s target range, as measured by the standard unemployment rate, although other indicators, like long-term unemployment, remain far higher than normal. Meanwhile, however, inflation has been tracking downward. As a result, the large arrow in the chart, which is fitted to a four-year linear trend of unemployment and PCE inflation, is on track to pass well below the center of the target. But wait, you might say, isn’t low inflation good? If the economy can reach 5.5 percent unemployment while keeping inflation even lower than 2 percent, shouldn’t we celebrate? For two reasons, maybe not. First, as market monetarists point out, the best guarantee of full employment and price stability over the long run is steady growth of nominal GDP in the range of 4 to 5 percent per year. In quarters like Q1 2014, when real growth slows, inflation should be running higher than normal, not lower than normal. The combination of slow growth and low inflation together are a sign that monetary and fiscal policy together are not providing enough oxygen to sustain the recovery. Second, low inflation increases the risk of deflation if the economy encounters external shocks. That is true whether those shocks come from bad weather, from political risks like the conflict in Ukraine, or from some foreign economic crisis like a possible financial meltdown in China. So far, indicators like the Atlanta Fed’s deflation probability index remain in safe territory, but 1.4 percent is not much of a margin of safety. It is not yet time to panic. Jobs data for the first quarter were not as strong as some had hoped, but not alarmingly weak, either. Maybe it was only the snow. We should also remember that the advance estimate for GDP is subject to substantial revisions, averaging plus or minus 0.7 percentage points. We will get better data over the coming months, and maybe they will show less of a slowdown. Still, as our chart shows, today’s numbers fit a four-year trend that is not completely reassuring.Don't Call It Wheat: An Environmentally Friendly Grain Takes Root Enlarge this image toggle caption Eilís O'Neill/KUOW/EarthFix Eilís O'Neill/KUOW/EarthFix Colin Curwen-McAdams opens the door to his greenhouse in Mt. Vernon, Wash., and a rush of warm air pours out. "Basically, it's summer all year long here," he jokes. Curwen-McAdams, a PhD student at Washington State University, and WSU professor Steven Jones have developed a new species: a cross between wheat and its wild cousin, wheat grass. They call it Salish Blue. Their goal was to make something that's like wheat but grows back year after year. "What it has to do is it has to work well for farmers, and it has to work well in the rotations and then it has to provide some sort of economic and nutritional value to the community," Curwen-McAdams explains. Normal wheat dies every year, and farmers have to till the soil and plant new seeds. Not only does that mean more work, but the process also causes erosion, which makes farmland less healthy and can carry sediment and agricultural chemicals into nearby waters. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union claimed it had created a plant exactly like wheat that kept regenerating itself year after year. toggle caption Eilís O'Neill/KUOW/EarthFix "It almost seemed like a superweapon," Curwen-McAdams says, "so the U.S. and Canada started their own programs to try to develop perennial grain crops based on wheat." But the Soviets were bluffing — "and here we are in 2017 and still no perennial grain crops on a wide scale," Curwen-McAdams says. That's where Salish Blue comes in. It's a perennial, wheat-like grain that adapts to wet weather, and it's different from previous attempts because it's genetically stable, says Oregon State University researcher Michael Flowers, who was not involved in the study. "The exciting part is we now have something," Flowers says, "and the breeders can start putting selection pressure and selecting for those traits that we want to keep." Not far from Washington State University's Mount Vernon lab, Dave Hedlin has a 500-acre farm where he grows vegetables and feed for organic dairy cows. He currently has a research plot of Salish Blue on his land. "It's kind of a goofy-looking thing," he says. "It's pretty leggy. Some will be four feet or five feet off the ground, and some will be three feet off the ground." Hedlin says he could use something like Salish Blue as winter food for dairy cows. The grain is not yet ready for human consumption, at least not broadly. That said, Curwen-McAdams has made bread and cookies and shortbread out of it. And pancakes. "Pancakes are my favorite thing to do with it," he says. Because some of the seeds are blue instead of red or white like traditional wheat, the pancakes have a blueish tint to them. So, if Salish Blue takes off, we could all soon be eating blue pancakes. This story comes to us from member station KUOW and EarthFix, a public media partnership.I’m really shocked when i see all this talks (negative) about PHP!!!I started programming 16 years ago (professional work for 7 years), i used the all known languages (C,Turbo Pascal, JAVA, J2EE VB4,5,6, C#, RoR, Python and of course PHP), they are all nice and good for resolving any problem.I’ll accept that PHP is not that complex than JAVA &.NET, and for me this is a point for PHP not against it, how many of you use the all performance of their language? how many of you wrote a system more complex then managing billions of users (ex FaceBook)?i am sure that more then 90% of JAVA programmers write simple programs that can be done by any language, because i worked in multiple enterprises and i never found that java developers (or J2EE) are doing something magical!!!PHP 7 is out and it’s as powerful as HHVM ().As a software engineer i don’t search for creating programs running satellites (if i do i won’t do with JAVA for sure), so PHP with the multiple frameworks availables now is the langage for the future and as every one said before, PHP is easy to learn, cheap and becoming FAST now.One last thing if you are a JAVA programmer (or J2EE/.NET) you can’t work alone, you must work on a structure that works on big projects, but being a PHP developer you have a profession on your hands more then a language and you can get projects easly on freelance and of course a PHP developper know more then just this language, it comes with CSS, Javascript, and their frameworks (Bootstrap, AngularJS) it's a whole package with what you can create super projects for you and for your clients and believe me the most JAVA developers don’t perfect CSS and Javascript because their skills was not oriented to the web and the WEB is the FUTURE.So, you are the only one who can decide the language to use, if you like PHP pick a framework (Symfony or Laravel) if you want to change, then you have multiple choices.Best regardsNEW DELHI: The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday notified that peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms would be treated as non-banking financial companies ( NBFCs ), an agency reported. This suggests the lending interface will now come under the purview of RBIs regulation under the RBI Act.P2P lending is a form of crowd-funding used to raise loans which are paid back with interest. It can be defined as the use of an online platform that matches lenders with borrowers in order to provide unsecured loans. The borrower can either be an individual or a legal person requiring a loan.The interest rate may be set by the platform or mutual agreement between the borrower and the lender.Fees are paid to the platform by both the lender as well as the borrower. Borrowers pay an origination fee -- either a flat rate fee or as a percentage of the loan amount raised -- according to their risk category.The RBI had floated a consultation paper in April 2016 on peer to peer (P2P) lending platforms. P2P lending has gathered momentum globally and is taking root in India.Although nascent in India and not significant in value yet, potential benefits that P2P lending promises to various stakeholders (to borrowers, lenders and agencies) and its associated risks to the financial system are too important to be ignored, the consultation paper said.(With inputs from PTI)Singer told to undergo counseling over ‘conspiracy theory’ that music industry strangles real talent Paul Joseph Watson Prison Planet.com May 8, 2013 Grammy award-winning singer Lauren Hill has been ordered by a judge to “undergo counseling because of her conspiracy theories.” What was her conspiracy theory? That the music industry oppresses people with actual talent in favor of pumping out mindless nonsense. Yesterday Hill was sentenced to 3 months in jail followed by three months’ home confinement after failing to pay a tax bill because she had withdrawn from society following threats to her family. In June last year, Hill posted a diatribe to her Tumblr account complaining of how the music industry is “manipulated and controlled by a media protected military industrial complex.” As we’ve highlighted numerous times in the past, other recording artists have made it clear that anyone who doesn’t conform to the strict demands of the music industry or even, as Nicole Scherzinger recently remarked, sell their soul to satan, tends to find success hard to maintain in an industry that punishes individuals who dare to speak their mind. In numerous performances and speeches over the last few years, Hill has attempted to warn young people about how “pop culture cannibalism” and the deliberate reductionism of art and music is damaging a whole generation and turning them into passive, unthinking consumers – destroying inspiration and true creativity in the name of profit. The Judge’s order that Hill undergo what amounts to brainwashing and re-education simply for publicly proclaiming the fact that the music industry is designed to strangle true talent while promoting amoral, vacuous, mindless, turgid drivel, is part of the increasing trend towards labeling common sense as a mental illness if it goes against the establishment grain in any way. Since people who post vehement political opinions on Facebook are already being kidnapped and taken to psychiatric wards across the country, how long before criticism of the state is officially recognized as a mental disorder? Those considered hostile to authority have already been tagged as sufferers of “oppositional defiant disorder” under the the DSM-IV-TR Manual. The definition of this mental illness is, “a recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient. and hostile behavior toward authority figures that persists for at least 6 months.” The attempt to frame alternative opinions as dangerous mental disorders has also entered the political realm. In 2009, Psychology Today wrote a hit piece on Alex Jones insinuating that anyone who believes in a secret cabal ruling the world, which is a perfectly accurate description of the Bilderberg Group, has a mental disorder. We also reported recently on how Floridians are being encouraged to report their neighbors to authorities for making hateful comments about the government, leaving them to be targeted for home visits by police and “mental health professionals and caseworkers.” Lauren Hill’s case reminds us that the establishment not only seeks to ridicule, ostracize and sideline those who utter “conspiracy theories,” which has become a pejorative term for questioning authority, but they actually seek to have all dissent against the system classified as a form of mental illness in order to grease the skids for legally imposed “treatment” including re-education and even pharmacological lobotomy. ********************* Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a host for Infowars Nightly News. This article was posted: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 11:34 am Tags: entertainment, police state Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this articleGood morning, Insiders. Here are the lines and pairings for tonight’s game against Anaheim, as indicated by line rushes at the morning skate: Lucic – Kopitar – O’Neill Pearson – Carter – Toffoli Clifford – Andreoff – Lewis Mersch – Weal – Brown Muzzin – Martinez McNabb – McBain Gravel – Forbort Quick/Enroth -Tonight’s game starts at 7:00 p.m. and will be televised by the Ducks’ broadcast crew on Prime Ticket and carried nationally by the NHL Network. The game can also be heard on KABC 790 and I Heart Radio. -Bear with minimal afternoon content and a potential delay in the game blog; I have a 2:00 p.m. meeting, followed by a 3:30 p.m. doctors appointment. Surely it’s a breeze to get from West Los Angeles to Anaheim during Friday rush hour, right? PRAY FOR MOJO -A few quotes from Marian Gaborik, who isn’t slated to play tonight but shared some thoughts with LA Kings Insider after yesterday’s practice: On how many preseason games he needs to feel comfortable for the start of the season: I don’t know, like four games or something like that. We’ll see, it all depends. We have a couple days of scrimmage, that wasn’t the case in the past. It’s almost like a game, but obviously not like the real game. In the three games we have left I’m sure I’ll play. On the looks he had with Milan Lucic on the left wing: Everybody knows his strength and how powerful he is. Obviously we didn’t get the looks we wanted, but we still have some work to do. I think we’ll be OK. On whether his game changes moving back to the right wing: Well, I have to get used to it a little bit in the defensive zone. But also, there are more options from the right side going in offensively – you can take the guy wide, kind of hit the second wave, stop and go moves. I’ll have to work on those things, but I’ll be OK. On being the oldest player in the room: Yeah, that’s the kind of thing that’s interesting. So it tells you that our team is not that old and we have a good team. It’s kind of funny. [Reporter: Time flies.] Yeah, exactly.About Vector Vector is a revolutionary platform that brings together the best and most promising features for cryptocurrency trading. Our sole objective was to develop a unique technological solution that allows the integration of the best crypto currencies to be traded all around the world simultaneously. All of these features would make for an outstanding product on its own right, the first-of-its-kind in the world of crypto currency exchanges and one that could be funded by venture capital investment alone. But we decided to go a step beyond, and wanted to offer the chance for anyone in the world to become a backer, leveraging the power of an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). This is an ambitious endeavor intended to build a comprehensive platform from the ground-up, while bringing tangible value to our backers. We believe cryptocurrencies are evolving to become much more than speculation and are here to stay in the minds and wallets of consumers. We will be opening our ICO sales on on December 8th, 2017, intended to observe community interest in our project. After the round closure, and if it exceeds our soft cap, the funds will fuel our passion with the platform, financing development, evangelistic campaign, marketing operations and team expansion. If it doesn’t match, we`ll refund all contributors. What we achieved so far is the result of the efforts of a diverse and highly-skilled team, targeting our ambitious roadmap. At this stage, we need your support.Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook \| Twitter DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Officials with the City of Dallas say T-Mobile crews arrived there well before the lunch hour today and are busy working to fix a major system issue that has left 911 operators overwhelmed with “ghost calls.” CBS 11 News spoke with Mayor Mike Rawlings about his frustration and the danger the situation poses for residents. The Mayor said anyone could run into trouble if there’s a surge in calls, but the odds are worse for some cell phone customers. “If you’ve got a T-Mobile phone service be very, very careful because you may not be able to get into 911,” he said. Problems at the Dallas 911 center may have contributed to the death of a 6-month-old baby. The Dallas Police Department is investigating after the boy’s caretaker dialed 911 on Saturday evening, but was unable to get through. The city confirmed that ghost calls from T-Mobile phones were overwhelming emergency lines at the time. Bridget Alex said that the urgency in finding a solution comes too late for her son. “He was only 6 months,” she said. “It wasn’t his time.” Alex was at her nephew’s funeral when young Brandon’s babysitter called to say that he had fallen and would not wake up. “I said, ‘Why couldn’t you call 911?’ She said, ‘I am calling 911. They are not answering their phones.'” The City of Dallas reported that T-Mobile phones were spontaneously dialing 911, a problem that has been reoccurring since November, tying up the call center for up to hours at a time. At one point on Saturday, the city reported that 422 calls were on hold. The city’s goal is to answer all 911 calls within 10 seconds. But on Saturday night, callers were on hold for an average of 30 to 40 minutes. Alex said that her babysitter made three calls to 911, but never got through. “The last time she called, they had her on hold for 31 minutes,” the mother said. “I just want y’all to tell me, why didn’t you respond to my son? That’s all I want to know,” Alex continued. The grieving mother said that she drove home, picked up her son and raced him to the hospital herself. They arrived just after 7:00 p.m. — just over an hour after the babysitter’s first 911 call. By then, Alex said, her son had stopped breathing. Within the hour, a doctor pronounced him dead. Alex blames her son’s death on the City of Dallas and T-Mobile for failing to fix the problem. Now, she said, it is too late to fix anything. “At the end of the day, I’m still going to be here hurt, because he’s not going to be here,” Alex said. “I’m not going to get to see him or smell him or touch him or kiss him ever again.” The city said that it brought in 10 extra call takers Saturday after 911 started seeing a surge in calls, but nobody has been able to determine the cause of the problem or predict when it will occur. Mayor Rawlings called the issue outrageous. “I want the problem solved immediately and if it takes longer I want to know why.”AnandTech notes that the upcoming refresh might focus more on the low-voltage U- and Y-series chips you see in very thin and light laptops, just as you saw with the initial 7th-gen processors late last year. That has yet to be confirmed, however. One thing's for sure: when Intel's long-delayed 10nm processors finally do arrive, you won't see a wholesale switch to the new technology. Intel says that future process uses will be "fluid" depending on the segment they're targeting, and that data centers will get first crack at these upgrades. Don't be surprised if the Xeon line gets first dibs on 10nm, then, or if only some mainstream chips make the leap at first. The decision might be necessary given the challenges of shrinking large CPUs down to a 10nm process, but it's likely to leave Intel feeling nervous. After all, mobile giants like Qualcomm are releasing 10nm processors this year. While mobile tablets probably won't outperform most laptops any time soon, this could narrow the gap enough that you might be tempted to skip buying a conventional Intel-based PC in the right circumstances.Progressive organization, Action Iowa, took a stand last night in Cedar Rapids at a “campaign” rally for Donald Trump. The following is an official statement released to combat misinformation being released by other press outlets: Our protest, which is clearly documented by our live broadcast, shows that we began protesting BEFORE Trump used his injured colleague to gain sympathy, directly after praising how they got the “2nd Amendment thing taken care of” with Gorsuch–which actually was what triggered our protest because we detest violence. We believe the amount of people in the US who are killed or injured by guns is unacceptable and should be more of a focus than getting the 2nd Amendment “taken care of” :::cough:::NRA Lobby:::drain the swamp:::cough, cough::: We will not back down, even after false and poor reporting from the news outlets. We will continue to show up at townhalls and fighting for our communities. Brietbart Insider came out and said that we were paid by SOROS. Prove it liars. Maybe it’s in the vault next to Obama’s birth certificate in Hillary’s server closet. Because anytime you don’t have evidence or proof you invoke Soros, Clinton, or Obama. They are a broken crutch. The resistance is stronger than your lies. You would love for people to think we are too stupid to be mad and organized. You are wrong and we both know it. We are not afraid of you.For the truth, you can watch our live feed and see we start in right after he talks about the Supreme Court. You hear, “ready,” and it starts. We know you are disappointed that we aren’t sick and twisted. We are also not mind readers and had no idea what Trump would speak about.@donaldtrump it “never fails” because you never fail to disappoint the entire country, which is why your approval ratings are below 40%. When you take healthcare from 24 million people, this country will come together just like you claim to want. But, they will come together to make sure you and your cronies are not re-elected.We also had people assaulted in the group. We were not violent, your supporters were violent- as usual. Take some responsibility for the hate and violence you sow across this country. We saw a Nazi skinhead at YOUR rally. You are not a leader for all people when Nazis idolize you and your supporters use violence at YOUR rallies as President.We will see you at the polls. #2020 # resistProf Olaf Kaper, an archaeologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, believes he may have solved one of the greatest mysteries in ancient history – what happened to the 50,000-man army of Persian King Cambyses II in the Egyptian desert around 524 BC. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Cambyses II, the oldest son of Cyrus the Great, sent his army to destroy the Oracle of Amun at Siwa Oasis. 50,000 warriors entered the Egypt’s western desert near Luxor. Somewhere in the middle of the desert the army was overwhelmed by a sandstorm and destroyed. Although many scientists regard the story as a myth, amateur as well as professional archaeologists have searched for the remains of the Persian soldiers for many decades. Prof Kaper never believed this story. “Some expect to find an entire army, fully equipped. However, experience has long shown that you cannot die from a sandstorm,” he said. Prof Kaper argues that the lost army of Cambyses II did not disappear, but was defeated. “My research shows that the army was not simply passing through the desert, its final destination was the Dakhla Oasis.” “This was the location of the troops of the Egyptian rebel leader Petubastis III.” “He ultimately ambushed the army of Cambyses II, and in this way managed from his base in the oasis to reconquer a large part of Egypt, after which he let himself be crowned Pharaoh in the capital, Memphis.” The fact that the fate of the army of Cambyses II remained unclear for such a long time is probably due to the Persian King Darius I, who ended the Egyptian revolt with much bloodshed two years after Cambyses II’s defeat. “Darius I attributed the shameful defeat of his predecessor to natural elements. Thanks to this effective manipulation, 75 years after the event all Herodotus could do was take note of the sandstorm story.” During the past ten years, Prof Kaper has been involved in excavations in Amheida, in the Dakhla Oasis. Earlier this year, he deciphered the full list of titles of Petubastis III on ancient temple blocks. “That’s when the puzzle pieces fell into place,” Prof Kaper said. “The temple blocks indicate that this must have been a stronghold at the start of the Persian period. Once we combined this with the limited information we had about Petubastis III, the excavation site and the story of Herodotus, we were able to reconstruct what happened.” The discovery was presented today at the International Conference of the ERC project BABYLON held in Leiden, the Netherlands, June 18-20, 2014. ______ Olaf Kaper. Policies of Darius I in the Western Desert of Egypt. International Conference of the ERC project BABYLON. June 19, 2014An IDF soldier and recent immigrant from the United States was recently sentenced to 11 days in a military jail for eating a pork sandwich during military training. His sentence was reduced to a revocation of his weekend furlough after a military reporter contacted the IDF Spokesperson’s Office to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident, Israel Radio on Monday. On Tuesday, the IDF cancelled all punishment of the soldier, and apologized for its mishandling of the matter. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up The soldier was given the sandwiches by his grandmother, who he lives with on a kibbutz. He reportedly also offered some of them to his friends. When his battalion commander learned that the sandwiches were not kosher, he was called in for a disciplinary hearing, promptly tried and sentenced to jail. The soldier, a recent immigrant from Boston, told his superiors that he was not aware of the military’s kashrut laws. The IDF Spokesperson’s Office called the soldier’s actions “unbecoming to what is expected from a cadet in a commanders’ course, which is why he was tried severely.” “Nevertheless, after reexamining the matter, his punishment was changed,” the spokesperson added. Most of the 3,000 lone soldiers serving in the IDF are new immigrants to Israel and have no immediate family in the country. The Torah forbids Jews from consuming pork, among a detailed set of dietary laws. The IDF maintains kosher kitchens.Samsung Galaxy (SSG) ranked second place within group C and made it
check. Many news outlets’ chyrons even began to resemble these narrative clap-backs with funny parentheticals. With Trump-rested Development, however, we finally have actual footage of what this real-time omniscient fact-checking would look like, and it is glorious. Odds are you’ll be thinking of this video during the next debate, if Trump’s tricky relationship with the truth continues.11-year-old Gerald "Gerry" Garner lives in Long Island, New York, and he's overweight. Gerry's parents Maury and Mrs. Garner decide to send Gerry to Camp Hope, a camp for overweight boys. The camp is owned by kindly Harvey Bushkin and his equally kind wife Alice Bushkin. When the Bushkins file for bankruptcy the camp has to be sold, it is bought by a wacko named Tony Perkis. Tony plans to force the campers to lose as much weight as they can, and he also intends to document the marathon shedding of weight and use it for an infomercial for his slenderizing program. In the eyes of the campers, Tony has made Camp Hope a living hell. As Gerry and counselor Pat Finley lead the efforts to overthrow Tony, the campers prepare for the Apache Relay against arch rival Camp MVP. The Apache Relay is a kind of race in which Camp Hope has never defeated Camp MVP before. Written by Todd BaldridgeTonal Trends Pop Music Theory for Songwriters Guitarist looking for something to play or teach? Visit our other site: Hey there, and welcome to the Tonal Trends dot com Spotter Stats blog. This video’s called “BPMs Musicians use most.” In this video we’ll be taking a look at what Tempos people use the most, or the least, when writing pop songs! Alright, first, let me talk about how I sampled this data. If you don’t care about that, and you’re just anxious to see the results, you can skip ahead. I won’t be offended. OK first, what did I sample? The short answer is: pop songs, mostly the songs from Rolling Stone Magazine’s Greatest 500 Songs List, and then also some more modern pop tunes, mostly ones that my students have asked me to teach them over the years. So yeah: pop songs, not Classical, and not a lot of Jazz, mostly top 40 type hits, and other songs that critics have felt to be important to the popular music lexicon. All in all, the total number of song tempos for the upcoming graph is 553 tempos sampled. OK, the next most important thing to note, is that all tempos sampled were rounded up or down to Even Numbers. Mainly I did this because after a while, you realize that humans tend to not be robots, and so you end up having to round up or down in the first place. And also, I just think it makes the sampling a little more comprehensive, and true to what we’re trying to do here. For the tempos that were in fact robot-computer-click-tracked at solid ‘odd’ tempos, I rounded up a point. Next, you should know that for the couple songs with two tempos, I counted them as two separate samples. So what I mean is: I didn’t like, make those tempos worth half as much, in the average, or some crazy math like that. OK, so a little bit of rounding and splitting is all fine and well, but what do you do when songs fluctuate more than a couple BPMs, But not enough to where it could be considered two different tempos? For instance: The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love”, comes out of the gate at a punk rock 180bpms, but drops down 10 whole bpms to 170bbpms over the course of two minutes. Well, all you can do then is take the AVERAGE, so yeah, 170-180? I’d just call that a round 176bpms. Though…sometimes you just have to let’m go—like the end of the Door’s song “The End”: that one fluctuates from around 110 to 240bpms! That’s a gradual speed-up of well more than double! So yeah: just let that one go, the average of that isn’t going to be any kind of help to anyone trying to spot the trends. Or like “Heroin” by the Velvet Underground: that song never even claims a solid tempo, going anywhere from 70-158 (and all tempos in between) throughout 7 minutes! So yeah, in the interest of posterity, gonna have to leave that one blank too. Oh, also, when averaging, you gotta allow for a little subjectivity. Like, if after listening to a song, I had a bias towards where I felt they’d locked in most of the time, and it was different from the average, I’d usually split the difference, we’re only talking a couple BPMs here, and in that case it’s OK to claim Spotter’s Prerogative… Speaking of subjectivity and prerogative, let’s talk about compound meters, like 6/8 or 12/8, just about any 8. The question is: should we record their tempos by eighth notes--like da-du-du-da-du-du, or by their dotted quarters, like DA-du-du-DA-du-du… Well, I found, that the answer lies in the question—how do you move to it? How do you dance, tap, or sway to it? And, when you think of it this way, most of the time, you’re gonna end up leaving the triplets out of the equation. So yeah, word to the wise: lots of the slower BPMs are Compound meters. OK, well, that’s enough pre-ambling, so let’s Look at the charts! Hey! Welcome to my Computer! All right, the Range of samples is from 46bpms--from the song, “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” by Aretha Franklin--up to 238bpms--that’s from “Graceland,” by Paul Simon. And I should say about that one, as with most songs up in the 200’s, that it was a 60-40 decision to not feel it half time. What won out was the rock and roll back beat. The 2&4 was going at 238, and that was good enough for me. OK, now this isn’t to say, that songs can’t be--or feel--faster or slower than these tempos, just that they didn’t make the cut for this study. If you want to know: the slowest song I ever heard of was “Angel” by Sarah Mclaughlin, that’s the “puppies are dying song,” from the television. That one clocks in at a computer-click-steady 39bpm, and yes it’s in compound meter, or maybe dog-pound meter…I’m sorry that was bad… The Fastest song I ever heard of is “Thousand” by Moby, which goes up to, you guessed it: 1000bpm. But really, once you get up that far, it might as well be a Trillion. It’s all just gonna sound like Rambo shooting triple bullets at a candy cane waterfall. Anyways-- let’s get up on over this hump! OK, we got our first little spike in tempo use at 60 and 62bpms. Next spike is at 74bpms, pretty big one indeed. Then we dip down and come back up, 10bpms later, at 84. Then it goes back down a bit and hovers a while just under 1.5% of songs, before spiking way up to 100bpms. Then we drop almost 2 whole percentage points before reaching our peak tempo usage around 110 and then our winner is 112, 112bpm weighing in at a hefty 3.6% of sampled songs. Ok, now we’re at the top, let me pause a minute to talk about this other study my uncle told me about. A couple years ago, Researchers at the University of Toronto and Freie Universität Berlin examined the top 40 songs on Billboard Magazine’s year-end “Hot 100” chart from the last five years of every decade starting in 1965. I don’t know why they didn’t do the first 5 years of those decades too, but maybe the guy they put in charge of those year’s tempos, like got addicted to Tetris, or murdered by pirates or something, and so they had to make do with what they had. I dunno. Anywayz, Between 1965 and 1969, the average tempo of all songs was slightly more than 116 beats per minute, somewhere in here. And in 2005-2009 the average tempo had dropped to 100 bpms, around here. So yeah, just wanted to share that info with ya, not only because that study lines up pretty dang well with this study, but also because it lends credence to the theory that, hey—maybe there are certain tempos people like to hear more than others. If you want to check that study out some more, the link to the article is in the transcript of this video at TonalTrends.com, if you’re not already there. Though, you should know that that link just goes to an article about the study. If you want to read the study itself, you have to buy it, for like $35 or something. If that’s too expensive, ask for it for your birthday—that’s what I’m doing. http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2012/06/07/are-pop-songs-songs-getting-sadder/ OK moving on, 118 and 120 are kicking some butt. Then, the last of the super-much used tempos up here on the mountain range, is 128bpm, and then it just plummets… Down to this weird gap around 144, not sure what that’s all about. But I do know that 144 is the largest Fibonacci number to also be a square, like 12x12 at the end of the times table. So, maybe Dan Brown can write a Davinci Code novel about why this crazy drop-off happened? Anyways after that conspiracy, we have another little tiny mountain range with peaks at 150, 156, 166, and 176bpms. And then we begin to drop off into the barn-burner’s ‘no-man’s land,’ where only the fleet of foot, articulate of tongue, and nimble of finger, dare to tread. So yeah that’s it for this blog, ‘hope you enjoyed our comprehensive study of the “Tempos Musicians use the most”. We’ll see ya next time here at TonalTrends.com music blog.Originally Posted by MaxH Originally Posted by Hahaha I will post the REAL emails from Byron and Lisa tomorrow. Anybody who listens to Salad Noob at this point is just incredibly gullible. Sorry, but this has to be said. Word of an anonymous internet troll with ZERO proof vs the word of a well known businessman and philanthropist with TONS of proof - ARE YOU SERIOUS? The guy has been caught lying countless times. Saying that he spoke to Lisa, whom I've known for HALF A DECADE, and that she's never heard of me. Despite the fact that she's on my linkedin. That alone should tell ANY reasonable person ONE thing: this guy is a total LIAR. I'll post the emails tomorrow and you can see for yourself. And you can go ahead and contact these people yourself if you want. L. Toste - intelligentoffice.com B. Sonberg - goodmans.ca Google and call them, go ahead try it. Do it. Pick up the phone right now and then come back here and tell me what happened. Please, prove me wrong. I challenge you. Do it. :) What is this $50 that is being referred to? We're not asking anybody for any money. A full voting and ownership share of the company is yours 100% free of charge. There is no approval process, no cost, no requirements, nothing. If you are a real, living, breathing person, you get a share. PERIOD. P.S. Also, lol at the guy above who said "can confirm." Really, you were offered to INTERVIEW FOR A JOB, and from THAT you deduced that the company isn't real? Dear god where do I even START... :)"Heartbleed" is a newly-uncovered and very serious vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL security program. The vulnerability allows an attacker to copy a block of memory from the SSL process on the server. This block may contain passwords, account numbers, chat messages, and so on. Some of the time, this block will contain the "private key" of the SSL certificate. Once an attacker has this private key, they can decrypt any intercepted traffic from that website. The attack is silent, in the sense that it's impossible to tell if a site has or has not been hacked. The vulnerability was announced, and a fix was released, on April 7, 2014. The bug has existed in widely-released versions of OpenSSL for more than two years, since March 14, 2012. Dream to Learn is not vulnerable to Heartbleed -- for those interested, I'll go into more detail at the end of this post on the steps we've taken. But this vulnerability affects pretty much everyone who uses the internet. How does this affect me? You should assume that all of the passwords you are currently using on the internet have been stolen, and change all of them. How likely is it that your passwords were actually stolen? It's currently impossible to say. We know that the vulnerability is easy to exploit, meaning that an attacker who knew about the vulnerability could have quite easily harvested passwords and even private keys. What we don't know is if attackers knew about and were exploiting the vulnerability before it was disclosed. Going forward, we can be certain that unpatched websites will be hacked. So it's prudent to assume that all your passwords have been stolen. That's what I am doing. This means changing all of your web passwords. But when you update your passwords is critically important. If you change your password on a site before it has been patched for Heartbleed, then your new password may also be compromised. So you need to be certain that the website has been properly patched and then change your password. But it's not enough for a website to update their versions of OpenSSL to non-vulnerable versions. With a certificate's private key -- which an attacker could have acquired at any point over the last two years -- an attacker can decrypt and read any traffic from the website. So a vulnerable website needs to: update their security software to a non-vulnerable version, and then generate new private keys and new certificates If a site has only done the first step, they are still vulnerable. Here's an example: I use OANDA (http://oanda.com), a financial services website. Before I logged on to the site today, I asked their support if they had patched for the vulnerability. I was assured that they had. But when I checked the "valid-from" date of their SSL certificate, it was March 24, 2014. That's before any patches for the vulnerability existed, meaning that at any point between the time they applied the certificate (which was on or after March 24th), and the time they patched (which can only have been in the last couple of days), an attacker could have taken their private keys. So I'm not going to use http://oanda.com until they have a new SSL certificate. And I'd recommend that you do the same -- don't use the website until you've verified that they've patched for the vulnerability, and they have a new SSL certificate. This is doubly true for financial services websites. One important note: the site needs a new certificate generated from a fresh private key. If the site uses the old (possibly compromised) private key to generate the request for the new certificate, then the new certificate will still be subject to compromise. So far as I know there's no way to tell from the public certificate when the private key was generated. So we'll need to assume that if there's a fresh certificate, it was generated from a fresh private key. Useful resources about Heartbleed Heartbleed was discovered independently by security teams at Codenomicon and Google. Here are some useful resources: general discussion: online check to see if a site is currently vulnerable (can't tell you if the site has had private keys previously stolen): technical details: an example of a great company response to the vulnerability: What we did to patch for Heartbleed Here are the details of what we did. We use Amazon Web Services Elastic Load Balancer for our https encryption, and fortunately, AWS patched their ELB's promptly (as of April 8, 2014): http://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins/aws-services-updated-to-address-openssl-vulnerability/ We created a new private key for our *.dreamtolearn.com SSL certificate, and generated a new certificate from that private key. If you click on the 'lock' icon beside the URL in your browser, you can navigate to the SSL certificate and see the "not valid before" date is now April 9, 2014: Since we applied the new certificate after the ELB's had been patched, an attacker can't have acquired our new private key. In addition to the web traffic over https://, we also use SSL for web socket traffic (for colleague chat and discussion rooms). That traffic doesn't go through the ELB, but is terminated and decrypted by nginx on our individual servers. Nginx dynamically links in openssl, so patching Nginx meant just patching our Ubuntu servers: http://nginx.com/blog/nginx-and-the-heartbleed-vulnerability/ once we'd patched, we rebooted our servers, and then installed the new star certificate that we'd already had re-issued. Our patching was complete by April 9, 2014 at 9 am UTC.The Johnson family offered musical history lessons in the Season 4 premiere of ABC’s “Blackish.” (Kelsey McNeal/ABC) “Blackish” launched its fourth season Tuesday with a musical episode that sought to clear up misconceptions about slavery and American history. The episode, titled “Juneteenth,” continued the ABC sitcom’s tradition of tackling tough subjects. The Johnson family attended a Columbus-themed play featuring twins Jack and Diane, and Dre (Anthony Anderson) took issue with some of the production’s historical inaccuracies — namely, that the Italian explorer discovered (or even set foot in) North America. In his typically dramatic fashion, Dre ended up pulling his children off stage and leading the rest of his family — including an apologetic Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) — out of the theater. At work the next day, Dre decided to use his frustration for creative good, tapping musician Aloe Blacc to write a song that accurately portrayed Columbus’s legacy. And the ordeal left Dre wondering why Americans celebrate Columbus Day instead of holidays more relevant to North American history. “We celebrate a horrible man when we don’t even acknowledge important moments in our own history like Juneteenth,” he told his co-workers. “What is Juneteenth?” one of Dre’s colleagues asked to the chagrin of his bosses, who knew where this was headed. Dre explained the holiday, celebrated on June 19, which marks the day in 1865 that the last slaves were freed in the United States. Blacc volunteered that Juneteenth might be better illustrated through song, launching into a parody of the “Schoolhouse Rock” animated music video “I’m Just a Bill.” The lyrics of the song, produced by the Roots, were predictably dark (it’s a song about slavery, after all). Here’s the first verse: I am a slave, yes I’m only a slave They’ll place my body in an unmarked grave In these Confederate days, it’s kind of hard to lift every voice singing While worrying about how low the sweet chariots are swinging I could swing from a tree but hey Oh, I hope and pray they don’t kill me today I am still just a slave. The short, which featured animated versions of Black Thought and Questlove, also explained why some African Americans were still enslaved long after the Emancipation Proclamation. Even after the Civil War ended in April 1865, Texas landowners forced slaves to work through another harvest, they said. It wasn’t until June 19 that an army ship arrived to announce that all slaves were free. Jeff Meacham, Nelson Franklin, Peter Mackenzie, Deon Cole and Anthony Anderson on ABC’s “Blackish.” (Kelsey McNeal/ABC) After Blacc ended his song, Leslie (Peter Mackenzie), the owner of Dre’s advertising firm, deadpanned: “That was not uncomfortable at all.” The episode was also a clear nod to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway juggernaut “Hamilton,” with the Johnsons performing several musical numbers, produced by Fonzworth Bentley, that anachronistically combined history with hip-hop. Dre’s boss questioned why Juneteenth should be an official holiday when the country already celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. The sitcom answered with another segment, featuring the Johnson family as slaves, trading verses about how America got rich off the backs of slaves: We raised their children Then raised their buildings Then they made billions I’m catching feelings Really, what else did we build? Railroads, Wall Street, the White House and universities UVA — we built that Chapel Hill — we built that. Ruby (Jenifer Lewis) still got her digs in against her grandchildren’s biracial mother (“these light-skinned babies don’t know how to act”) and Junior maintained some historical inaccuracies of his own. “Pyramids,” he sang as the family listed things built by U.S. slaves. “No, sorry, our Hebrew brothers get credit for that,” Ruby countered. Another song offered subtle nods about the realities of life after slavery — that black people continued to face inequality under Jim Crow laws. “Freedom, yeah!” a chorus sang as the Johnsons humorously listed all the things they wanted to do after achieving freedom. “It’s time to vote for me to take part in this democracy,” Dre sang. “Tear them freedom papers up please ’cause we don’t need to show ID,” Bow added. Ruby sang, “It’s June 19th, we celebrate,” as her ex-husband Earl (Laurence Fishburne) crooned, “Grab a blonde and miscegenate.” Creator Kenya Barris knew the episode would be controversial, telling Variety ahead of its airing that people were “either going to love it or hate it.” But he added that “it’s one of my most proud moments as a television producer.” “Blackish” was a trending topic on Twitter on Tuesday night, with many fans praising the episode. Love how Blackish is not just a comedy but also a socially conscious tv experience. Everyone should be watching this show. #blackish — Brian C Robinson (@B_Robinson82) October 4, 2017 Miranda tweeted that he was missing the live airing but had recorded the episode on his DVR. Dre continued the Juneteenth discussions at home. “As much as I love the Fourth of July, shouldn’t the real Independence Day be the day that everybody was free?” he asked his family. Ultimately, the Johnsons decided that they would celebrate Juneteenth, starting with a belated family cookout. In a voice-over at the end of the episode, Fishburne added more historical context: “In 2009, Congress did actually apologize for slavery,” he said. But, he added, a disclaimer stated that “(a) nothing in this resolution authorizes or supports any claim against the United States or (b) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.” Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the Civil War ended in May of 1865. Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. U.S. Grant on April 9, 1865. The post has been updated. Related: How ‘Blackish’ tackled police brutality while staying true to its roots ‘Blackish’ dissects Trump’s win and finds the humanity in our political discordA fired executive of Chicago's beleaguered red light camera company alleges in a lawsuit that Redflex Traffic Systems doled out bribes and gifts at "dozens of municipalities" in 13 other states and says he is cooperating in an ongoing federal investigation. The explosive allegations, accompanied by few specifics, suggest investigators may be examining Redflex's business practices around the country in the wake of the company's admission last year that its flagship camera program in Chicago was likely built on a $2 million bribery scheme. Aaron Rosenberg, who was the company's top national salesman, said in a civil defamation claim against Redflex that he was made a "scapegoat" to cover up a long-standing practice of "providing government officials with lavish gifts and bribes" after the Tribune began asking questions about the Chicago contract. Redflex fired Rosenberg and sued him for damages in Arizona court in February, largely blaming him for the company's wrongdoing in Chicago. In a counterclaim filed in October, Rosenberg disclosed that he provided information to local and federal investigators as well as to the outside attorney who conducted a damaging private investigation of the company. "I don't think it would come as a surprise to anyone involved in this case that my client is cooperating with federal authorities," James Burr Shields, who represents Rosenberg in the civil case, told the Tribune this week. He declined to elaborate. Redflex filed a motion to dismiss part of his claim as legally deficient, and it declined to address the newspaper's questions about Rosenberg's specific allegations. "Those responsible for violations of company policy and misconduct are no longer employed by the company. We are pleased that the market has responded favorably to our corrective actions and our continuing commitment to customer service: since March we have signed, renewed or executed over 90 contracts," Robert T. DeVincenzi, a board member and former CEO of Redflex Holdings Ltd., the Australian parent company, said in a statement issued by the company's North American headquarters in Phoenix. Redflex lost its $100 million Chicago contract, its largest in North America, amid investigations triggered in 2012 by Tribune reports of a questionable relationship between the company and the longtime Chicago city official in charge of the red light program. But the company is still handling the city's red light camera operation thanks to a series of extensions while the city transitions to a new vendor. The scandal prompted the company to jettison six of its top executives. One of them was Rosenberg, the company's former executive vice president. In its lawsuit, Redflex accused Rosenberg of a "protracted and covert scheme" to misappropriate company funds. In his counterclaim against Redflex, Rosenberg said he was simply "carrying out orders" and that other company executives also participated in a "pattern and practice" of wooing potential clients with perquisites including meals, golf outings, professional football and baseball games — all covered under a liberal company policy for "entertainment" expenses. "A budget for these items was approved, and there was never a distinction between these types of entertainments and expenses that are considered gratuities and bribes," Rosenberg alleged in the filing. Rosenberg said that during his tenure Redflex "bestowed gifts and bribes on company officials in dozens of municipalities within, but not limited to the following states: California, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia." Attached as exhibits in Rosenberg's pleadings are emails about a Redflex-funded $3,235.74 steak dinner during the 2006 Florida League of Cities conference that was attended by more than a dozen government officials who heard a Redflex pitch. In many jurisdictions, paying for meals is a permitted, though regulated, lobbying practice. Redflex does not have contracts with many of the jurisdictions whose officials were identified in Rosenberg's exhibit. The company has more than 200 government clients around the United States. It has faced scrutiny from some of those clients and had its pitches rejected by other governments in the wake of the revelations. The company acknowledged last year it was investigating further wrongdoing "in two other geographies" besides Chicago. A source familiar with the investigations confirmed that one of those places is Jefferson Parish, La., where parish officials shut down the red light program in 2010 amid a separate corruption scandal involving a lobbyist who worked for Redflex and numerous other clients. Nothing in Rosenberg's filings help detail the allegations in Chicago now at the center of the federal investigation. Rosenberg was named in a 2010 internal whistle-blower memo obtained by the Tribune that alleged widespread wrongdoing at Redflex, including a scheme to bribe a former top manager in the Chicago Department of Transportation with company-paid vacations on Rosenberg's expense account and through lucrative commissions paid to a consultant. Redflex executives played down the letter in their response to initial Tribune inquiries and declared that a "deep dive" internal investigation found only one problem — Rosenberg used the company tab to cover a $910 hotel stay in 2010 at the Arizona Biltmore for the Transportation Department manager, John Bills. The company said it reprimanded Rosenberg and sent him to anti-bribery training but erred in not telling City Hall about the inappropriate gift. That's when everything began to unravel for Redflex. Mayor Rahm Emanuel banned the company from competing for a new speed camera program and ultimately fired it as the red light vendor. Redflex fired Rosenberg amid a second internal investigation that found the company had misled city ethics officials and the Tribune about its problems. The report, by former federal prosecutor David Hoffman, found that Redflex paid more than $2 million to its Chicago consultant Marty O'Malley in an arrangement that was probably intended to funnel some of the money to Bills. Rosenberg and former company CEO Karen Finley acted improperly in allowing the highly suspicious arrangement, which "will likely be considered bribery by the authorities," Redflex said in its summary of Hoffman's findings. The investigation also found the company violated Chicago's ethics ordinance by paying for 17 trips for Bills, including hotel, airfare, rental cars, meals and golf outings, most on Rosenberg's expense account.Maybe my positive review for Square Enix's rhythm-based celebration of Final Fantasy's soundtrack, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, didn't quite sell you on the game. Maybe you need to check first to ensure your favorite songs from the series are on the cartridge, or will be available via DLC. Here is a list of every song included out of the box, along with the available and incoming downloadable songs, each costing a mere $0.99 on the 3DS eShop. Songs on cartridge: Final Fantasy “Battle” “Chaos Shrine” “Ending Theme” “Main Theme” “Mt. Gulg” “Opening Theme” “Prelude” Final Fantasy II “Battle Theme 2” “Finale” “Main Theme” “Prelude” “The Rebel Army” Final Fantasy III “Battle 2” “Elia, the Maiden of Water” “Eternal Wind” “The Everlasting World” “Prelude” Final Fantasy IV “Battle 1” “Battle with the Four Fiends” “Epilogue” “Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV" “Prelude” “Theme of Love” “Within the Giant” Final Fantasy V “Battle at the Big Bridge” “Ending Theme“ “Four Hearts” “Home, Sweet Home” “Main Theme of Final Fantasy V” “Mambo de Chocobo” Final Fantasy VI “Balance is Restored” “Battle to the Death” “Celes’s Theme” “Dancing Mad” “The Decisive Battle” “Omen” “Searching for Fiends” “Terra’s Theme” Final Fantasy VII “Aerith’s Theme” “Ending Credits” “JENOVA” “Judgment Day” “Let the Battles Begin!” “Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII” “One-Winged Angel” “The Prelude” Final Fantasy VIII “Blue Fields” “Ending Theme” “The Man with the Machine Gun” “Overture” “Waltz for the Moon” Final Fantasy IX “Battle 1” “Beyond the Door” “Melodies of Life – Final Fantasy” “Over the Hill” “A Place to Call Home” “Something to Protect” Final Fantasy X “Fight with Seymour” “Mi-hen Highroad” “Suteki Da Ne (Isn’t It Wonderful?)” "Suteki Da Ne (Isn’t It Wonderful?) Orchestral Version” “Zanarkand” Final Fantasy XI "Awakening" “FFXI Opening Theme” “Ronfaure” “Vana’diel March” “Vana’diel March #2” Final Fantasy XII “Clash of Swords” “Ending Movie” “Giza Plains” “Theme of the Empire” “Theme of Final Fantasy – FFXII Version” Final Fantasy XIII "Blinded By Light” “Defiers of Fate” “Ending Credits” “Final Fantasy XIII – The Promise” “Saber’s Edge” “The Sunleth Waterscape” Downloadable Songs: Final Fantasy “Mayoya’s Cave” (TBA) “Underwater Temple” (TBA) Final Fantasy II “Battle Theme 1” (TBA) “Dungeon” (TBA) “Magician’s Tower” (TBA) Final Fantasy III “Battle 1” (Available July 19, 2012) “Battle to the Death” (TBA) “Crystal Cave” (Available July 26, 2012) “Crystal Tower” (TBA) Final Fantasy IV “Battle 2” (TBA) “The Final Battle” (TBA) Final Fantasy V “Battle 1" (TBA) “Decisive Battle" (TBA) “The Final Battle” (TBA) “In Search of Light” (TBA) Final Fantasy VI "Battle" (Available July 12, 2012) Final Fantasy VII “Cosmo Canyon” (TBA) “Fight On” (Available July 16, 2012) Final Fantasy VIII “The Castle” (TBA) “The Extreme” (TBA) “Forece Your Way” (TBA) “Ride On” (TBA) Final Fantasy IX “Battle 2” (TBA) “The Darkness of Eternity” (TBA) “The Final Battle” (TBA) “Sleepless City Treno” (TBA) Final Fantasy X “Battle Theme” (TBA) “Challenge” (TBA) “A Contest of Aeons” (Available July 26, 2012) “Final Battle” (TBA) “A Fleeting Dream” (TBA) “Movement in Green” (TBA) Final Fantasy XI “Battle Theme” (Available July 19, 2012) “Fighters of the Crystal” (TBA) “Gustaberg” (TBA) “Ragnarok” (TBA) “The Sanctuary of Zi’Tah” (Available July 26, 2012) “Sarutabaruta” (Available July 12, 2012) Final Fantasy XII “The Battle for Freedom” (TBA) “Boss Battle” (TBA) “The Dalmasca Estersand” (TBA) “Desperate Fight” (TBA) “Esper Battle” (TBA) “The Royal City of Rabanastre/City Ward Upper Level” (TBA) Final Fantasy XIII “Archylte Steppe” (Available July 26, 2012) “Desperate Struggle” (Available July 12, 2012) “Fighting Fate” (TBA) “March of the Dreadnoughts” (TBA) Final Fantasy XIII-2 “Etro’s Champion” (Available July 19, 2012) Final Fantasy Type-0 “We Have Arrived” (TBA) Final Fantasy Versus XIII “Somnus” (Available July 12, 2012) Note: This list is up to date as of July 19, 2012. Square Enix will publicize more DLC song release dates moving forward.Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. The international Quartet of Middle East peace mediators has urged Israel to freeze all settlement activity. Speaking for the Quartet, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Israel's announcement of plans to build new homes in disputed East Jerusalem. That move was criticised as undermining efforts to restart peace talks. Speaking to the BBC, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton indicated that hardening the tone with Israel had paid off, with talks now back in prospect. Mr Ban met Mrs Clinton and the other Quartet foreign ministers - new EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton and Russia's Sergei Lavrov - in Moscow. [The Quartet] condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General Jerusalem's tinder-box Israel-US: Bruised friendship Borders and settlements In a strongly worded statement, the Quartet condemned Israel's announcement last week of planning permission for 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel since 1967. After the announcement, the Palestinians declared they could not begin US-brokered indirect, or "proximity", talks with the Israelis. "The Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and to refrain from demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem," Mr Ban said. "Recalling that the annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognised by the international community, the Quartet underscores that the status of Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the parties, and condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem." ANALYSIS Kim Ghattas, BBC News, Moscow Hillary Clinton seems to believe that the spat over settlements with Israel might produce something positive. In a BBC interview she appeared to concede that escalating the tone with the Israelis had been a risk but she said it was "paying off". She added she believed there would be a "resumption of the negotiating track soon". In other words, pressure on Israel is working. But the pressure will have to continue if there are to be concrete results. Israeli officials are already pushing back. Mrs Clinton said Benjamin Netanyahu had committed to peace and she made clear she expected him to deliver. She added it was his responsibility to bring the whole of his government, a right-wing coalition, on board. Mr Ban stated the goal of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement - including a Palestinian state - within two years. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat welcomed the Quartet statement and urged the creation of a "surveillance mechanism installed by the Quartet to make sure that Israel does effectively halt
Regional School District, is the second case that reflects a change in strategy against the pledge. It contends the pledge violates a state constitution’s protection against religious discrimination; previous cases held the pledge violates the U.S. Constitution’s ban on the establishment of religion. [Read more] Lawmaker Pulls Bill to Make Holy Bible Louisiana’s Official State Book Rep. Thomas Carmody, R-Shreveport, scrapped his proposal to make the Holy Bible the official state book before it could go to a full vote of the state House of Representatives Monday evening. The bill had become a distraction, he said. In introducing the legislation, Carmody always maintained he was not taking steps to establish a state religion, but rather to educate people. Critics have accused him of foisting faith inappropriately into the government sphere. Others thought such a designation would trivialize the Bible and its importance. [Read more] Is This Unlikely Nation Poised to Become the ‘Largest Christian Country in the World’? When pondering countries with overtly Christian inclinations, China likely isn’t one of the first to come to mind. But one expert believes that the East Asian nation is poised to see major growth in the faith arena. Fenggang Yang, professor of sociology and director of Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University, recently said that the estimated 58 million Christians in China will exponentially increase to around 160 million by the year 2025, according to the Telegraph. And he believes the growth won’t end there. By 2030, the total Christian population could exceed 247 million, he posits. The current population of China is over 1.3 billion. [Read more] Cuba Makes Good Friday an Official Holiday Cuba is to adhere to a request made by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the country in 2012 to make Good Friday a permanent official holiday. The Catholic News Agency (CNA) reports that although the norm will not be in force until June, the Cuban Ministry Work and Social Security issued a special ruling allowing Cubans to observe Good Friday in 2014. However, it said those who work in services such as sugar cane harvesting, shipping and receiving, transportation, health care, tourism and other services, would not be granted the holiday. [Read more] Papal Economics: Why Pope Francis is Making “Cafeteria Catholics” out of the Catholic Right Since its release on November 24, 2013, Pope Francis’ first official document, Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”), has been the subject of controversy among many self-described “orthodox Catholics,” not for any questionable theological content, but because of several sections that condemn the negative effects of trickle-down economics on the poor. R.R. Reno, editor of First Things, an influential conservative Catholic magazine, dismissed Pope Francis’ call to end structural poverty as misplaced populism while admiring the pontiff’s call for believers to re-evangelize secular culture. [Read more] Atheists Win Prayer Battle: Calif. City to Cut Invocations and Volunteer Chaplain A small California city has decided to strike both prayer and a volunteer chaplain from public meetings following a lawsuit filed by atheist activists late last year. The decision to cut invocations from Pismo Beach City Council meetings comes after a complaint was waged in November by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Atheists United San Luis Obispo. The secular activist groups alleged that an unpaid city chaplain and sectarian prayers both posed violations to the California Constitution as well as the state’s civil rights laws. [Read more] Southern Baptist Summit Has Frank Talk on Sex The nation’s culture war is over when it comes to homosexuality and same-sex marriage, Southern Baptist leaders said Monday, but now it’s up to the church to stand firm on its principles despite what the majority believes. That goes for fighting off pastoral adultery and the urge to look at porn, counseling folks who live together without marriage and speaking out against divorce, too. [Read more] Pat Robertson Says Doomsday Asteroid Could Hit Next Week Former NASA astronauts are expected to warn today that the Earth has been slammed by far more asteroids than previously thought — including 26 impacts since 2001 that caused explosions on the scale of an atomic bomb. Now, televangelist Pat Robertson says one of those rocks could bring about the prophesied “end times” — just as he predicted in a 1995 novel. [Read more] Southern Baptist Policy Panel on Homosexuality Creates Stir on Social Media A panel discussing homosexuality at the Southern-Baptist affiliated Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission created a stir on social media Monday night, after pastor J.D. Greear compared resisting gay marriage in the church to resisting slavery in the South in the 1860s. [Read more] Teacher Questioned After Putting Religious Message On Public School Marquee An elementary school in Northridge is at the center of controversy after a religious message was erected on its marquee over Easter weekend. “READ, REST, GO TO CHURCH HE IS RISEN!” were the words apparently put up by a teacher in charge of the marquee at Darby Elementary. [Read more] On Mind-Controlling Cults, Fred Phelps, and Ockham Awards I spent the weekend before last at QEDCon, a convention for people who like science and don’t like pseudoscience. While I was mainly there to speak on a panel, I also ended up winning an award after you, the readers of Leaving Fundamentalism, had managed to get this blog shortlisted. This was the Ockham Award for Best Blog, sponsored by The Skeptic. [Read more] Most Voters Favor Prayer, Minus Jesus, at Public Meetings The U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule on the constitutionality of prayer at public meetings. But a new survey finds U.S. voters clearly favor prayer — as long as the public prayer is generic and not specifically Christian. Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind survey asked about attitudes on high-profile cases before the court, including Greece v. Galloway. [Read more]BEIJING (REUTERS) - The US Navy's two severe collisions within two months showed that its combat readiness level and military management level have both declined and it is becoming an increasing risk to shipping in Asia despite its claims of helping to protect freedom of navigation, Chinese press say. The USS John S. McCain and the tanker Alnic MC collided while the guided-missile vessel was nearing Singapore on Monday (Aug 21). The collision tore a hole in the warship’s port side at the waterline, flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area. The collision – the fourth major accident in the US Pacific Fleet this year – prompted a fleet-wide investigation and plans for temporary halts in operations to focus on safety. The state-run China Daily said in an editorial on Tuesday (Aug 22) that people will wonder why such a sophisticated navy keeps having these problems. “The investigations into the latest collision will take time to reach their conclusions, but there is no denying the fact that the increased activities by US warships in Asia-Pacific since Washington initiated its rebalancing to the region are making them a growing risk to commercial shipping,” it said. China has been upset at US freedom of navigation operations near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed South China Sea, where China has been reclaiming land, building air bases and increasing its military presence. “While the US Navy is becoming a dangerous obstacle in Asian waters, China has been making joint efforts with the members of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) to draw up a code of conduct for the South China Sea, and it has boosted navigational safety by constructing five lighthouses on its islands,” the China Daily said. “Anyone should be able to tell who is to blame for militarising the waters and posing a threat to navigation.” Later on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing in Beijing China hopes the missing sailors are safe. She also expressed concern for “dangers to freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea and the related area, and hoped it would be “dealt with appropriately.” Global Times, a nationalistic daily, claimed in an editorial published online late on Monday that the US warship mishap was met with "applause from Chinese netizens". It said the Chinese reaction "reflects the sentiment of Chinese society towards the activities of the US Navy in the South China Sea". Analysts said the collisions raised questions about whether the US Navy was overstretched in Asia as it seeks to combat Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear ambitions. "China and the US are engaged in a rivalry in the South China Sea. There is a possibility that the two navies will come to a showdown, but it is more likely that the two countries can avoid such a scenario. Both should work on avoiding clashes, while obviously the US Pacific Command did not do that. Its activities only aim at putting China in check," said the Global Times editorial. "US warships are constantly involved in accidents around the South China Sea. On the one hand, the US Navy has behaved arrogantly in the Asia-Pacific region. It lacks respect for huge merchant ships and fails to take evasive action in time, thus resulting in serious accidents. "On the other hand, US warships patrol too frequently in the Asia-Pacific. A large number of merchant vessels, of many types and flagged from many nations, use Asian sea lanes. If the US Navy wants to keep its frequent presence in the waters, it needs to get familiar and interact with these merchant ships, which requires huge expenditure." The editorial said the frequent collisions of US warships with merchant vessels was a warning to the Americans that they should restrain themselves. "The South China Sea is not the US Navy's Bermuda Triangle,... the inability of the US Navy to adapt to this region requires research by Washington. The geopolitical pattern in the South China Sea keeps changing, and the US should be aware of it,'' it said. "The South China Sea should become a sea of peace. Its sea lanes should be the safest. All the countries should contribute to peace rather than being an agent of destabilisation. It is hoped that the US Navy can play a constructive role,'' it added.French fries. Cheese curds. Gravy. We have much to learn from Canada. Two years ago Heather and I launched Portland Poutine. The site is our homage to Portland versions of Canada’s curious culinary treat, poutine. In the past year we’ve discovered, and reviewed, several new poutines. Most recently we stopped in at Foster Burger to try a couple poutines – the regular menu now features six different varieties! Last February, we finally made it to Gravy during a weekday lunch hour to try their gravy fries – which are not on the weekend brunch menu. In November we were delighted to discover that the new Hawthorne Hophouse offered poutine with the tastiest vegetarian gravy yet. And stay tuned! Several poutine purveyors are on our list, including Bunk Bar‘s Fries w/ Debris Gravy and Bunk Cheese, and the Gravy cheese fries with italian pork sausage gravy at the Sunshine Tavern. Whenever a new bar or restaurant opens in Portland my first query is whether or not they offer poutine. Thank you for reading, and please consider offering your own reviews – we accept contributions!Germany: Envio workers contaminated with both PCB and dioxin By Katharina Wied 2 November 2010 The extent of Dortmund’s environmental scandal is assuming ever greater dimensions. Research by an editor of the Westfälische Rundschau newspaper has shown that the employees at the Envio recycling company were poisoned not only with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), but also dioxins, which are almost as dangerous. It was already known that workers at the company had for years been heavily contaminated with carcinogenic and highly toxic PCBs. The authorities had long ignored anonymous complaints from employees who provided information about criminal activities replete with insider details. PCB levels measured in the blood of Envio workers exceeded standard levels by up to 25,000-fold. Residents and workers in nearby companies were also contaminated, as well as children and relatives who apparently came into contact with the poison through clothing washed together with the employees’ work clothes. In recent weeks, further details and background information have come to light, indicating that the horror stories of the last few months were only the tip of the iceberg. A team of specialists from the University Hospital of Aachen has begun work in Dortmund’s Miners’ Hospital to develop a comprehensive and efficient support programme for former Envio workers. By September 17, blood samples were taken from 200 individuals who were also tested for levels of dioxins. Initial results confirmed the worst fears. Twelve of the first thirteen samples revealed dioxins, which have properties similar to PCBs and can also cause cancer. Like PCBs, they are among the well-known “dirty dozen” toxic substances whose handling was banned by the Stockholm Convention of May 2001. In addition, it has been found that more relatives of the Envio workers, including children, were contaminated by indirect contact with the toxic chemicals than had previously been thought. On September 24, the Westfälische Rundschau (WR) reported that the Envio company had cooperated with criminal elements. The newspaper declared, “[T]he Dortmund PCB firm had even worked together with criminals from Kazakhstan to import thousands of contaminated capacitors and to dispose of them at Dortmund’s Hartmannstraße port in a very improper way”. According to the WR, this has already led to the imprisonment of a minister and several government leaders in the former Soviet Republic. The paper stated, “Documents available to this newspaper prove that over 10,000 capacitors were transported from Kazakhstan to Envio by air and rail. Were the sources of these transports to be traced, they would lead to internationally operating criminals”. According to WR, the deal between Kazakhstan and Envio was organised by the wheeler-dealer, Boris Meckler. Meckler, a German-Kazakh, has connections at the highest levels of government. In October 2007, he accompanied then-Federal Minister of Economics Michael Glos (CSU–Christian Social Union) on “an official trip to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. His interests at that time were ‘Consulting and Export’”, the paper reports. “Meckler is also well known in Kazakhstan. There, his corporate objectives include ‘planning and organising the training of special anti-terrorism forces’”. It is assumed that Meckler continues to maintain contacts with the intelligence community, although he denies doing so. Because unsavoury means were adopted to clinch the Kazakhstan deal, transportation and health safety standards were abandoned, and money for services simply disappeared. “Meanwhile, Kazakh Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov has landed in prison—for embezzlement and corruption”, writes the WR. “The verdict in October last year resulted in a sentence of four years in prison”. Iskakov’s two deputies and some of his former staff are also now behind bars. “One of the businessmen from the Meckler milieu involved in the deal got six years in prison. His financial secretary has disappeared without trace and is being pursued internationally with ‘wanted’ posters”. Other suspects in the corruption case are believed to come from the murky environs of the Kazakh secret service. Although Envio has been shut down in Dortmund, the Kazakh government is insisting on contractual compliance. According to the Kazakh ministry for the environment, 5,946 PCB-capacitors were to be transported to the Ruhr region by mid-2011. Meckler and Envio say they are working on a settlement. This is in line with Envio’s usual behaviour, namely subordinating everything—whether health and safety regulations, pollution control requirements, or corporate law—to the interests of profit-making. Thus, for example, a new company was founded for almost every business sector, apparently in order to separate each area of business from the others so that liability for commercial misdemeanours would only apply to individual sections of the firm’s consolidated assets. The official commercial register documents 12 firms somehow associated with Envio, Ltd., (plus two joint-stock companies)—either for business with Kazakhstan, trading in biogas or other enterprises. Thus, Envio continues to rake in profits, even though its operations in Dortmund have now been shut down. Envio evidently enjoys the support of the state authorities in all this. The Dortmund public prosecutor shows little enthusiasm for its investigations into the firm. The senior public prosecutor, Dr. Ina Holznagel, says she has to date “no evidence of deliveries from Kazakhstan”. On the other hand, the Arnsberg regional administration is in possession of documents relating to transactions with the Kazakh environment ministry, as well as further detailed information concerning health and safety violations and illegal practices at Envio. But senior public prosecutor Holznagels seems unconcerned about this. Commenting on the behaviour of the supervisory authorities, she told the Westfälische Rundschau, “We could have shut down the company, but we didn’t have to”. The Ansberg regional authorities “proceeded gently when exercising their discretionary powers”, she declared. So gently, indeed, that the Envio workers and even their children have now been poisoned and will have to suffer the consequences of the authorities’ complicity for most of their lives.Here’s a way to vastly improve the taste of wine on an airplane. Shake it. The benefits of letting red wine aerate are long established by sommeliers. Decanting wine for a few hours before drinking allows volatile substances in the wine to evaporate and oxygen to enter the liquid, causing the wine to seem “more expressive, more aromatic and better integrated” according to Wine Spectator. More recently, alternative decanting techniques have shown pouring wine back and fourth between two pitchers or even putting wine in a blender can improve the flavors. Wine naturally can taste more alcoholic and bitter in flight because of the altitude and the dryness of the cabin air. But none of the usual decanting methods is advisable on an airplane—traditional decanting takes too long, pouring back and forth between two cups is a drippy proposition, and blenders are not allowed in carry-on baggage in the US. Shaking your wine in its bottle is the viable alternative. Before you get started, there are some practical considerations. If you’re sitting up front—in first or business class—this generally isn’t for you. This is for travelers who get their airplane wine in a single-serving resealable plastic bottle to pour themselves. First, when you shake the bottle, be sure that you’re not shaking your whole body. Your seat is connected to the person’s next to yours and shared—through the tray table and pocket—with the person behind you. You want to do this without disturbing either of them. Second, be sure the cap on the wine is on tight. The last thing you want to do is throw wine over everyone in a six-seat radius. Test the seal on the recapped wine by slowly turning the bottle upside down over your napkin and giving a light shake. If you have any doubt about the ability of the bottle to hold your wine as you shake, don’t shake it. Start by pouring a little bit of wine out of the bottle and into your cup. To reduce the risk of spilling it, drink this wine before you get to shaking—try to ignore how poor it tastes. Now that there is some extra space in your bottle, shake it for 45 seconds to a minute. If this gets tiring, try shaking for 15 seconds at a time. That’s it. The acerbic flavors that were there before should have floated away. Hopefully your tastebuds are still responsive enough to taste the difference. Pour and enjoy your flight.An Oregon teacher who announced his intention to "dismantle and demolish the Tea Party" has been placed on administrative leave until his school district finishes its investigation into whether his political activity crossed the line. The state's Teacher Standards & Practices Commission is also conducting an investigation into Jason Levin, a media teacher at Conestoga Middle School in Beaverton. "Jason is on paid administrative leave," Maureen Wheeler, the school district's spokeswoman, told FoxNews.com. She described the suspension as "standard practice during an internal investigation." Levin has come under fire for saying he'd do anything short of throwing rocks to bring down the Tea Party. In the last two days, the Beaverton School District has received thousands of e-mails and phone calls from people across the country who said they were outraged at his behavior. The school district is defending Levin's right to free speech, but it's investigating whether he used district computers to spread his political message or worked on his "Crash the Tea Party" Web site during school hours. More On This... Oregon Teacher Panel Probes Educator Determined to ‘Demolish’ Tea Party Levin has said he would seek to embarrass Tea Partiers by attending their rallies dressed as Adolf Hitler, carrying signs bearing racist, sexist and anti-gay epithets and acting as offensively as possible -- anything short of throwing punches. A source within the district said parents at Conestoga did not initially appear upset at Levin's anti-Tea Party activism -- but that changed in recent days as controversial statements continued to emerge. Now, the source said, parents have become outraged by the severity of his political activism, and many have told the school board members that it has no place in a public school system. Parents supported teachers who wore Obama buttons during the 2008 presidential election, the source said. But they say Levin has crossed the line. Levin's Web site has since been changed, and the calls to infiltrate the Tea Party have been removed. The home page now simply reads: "Want to Show your support for Jason Levin? BUY A TEA-SHIRT." In a recent interview with Talking Points Memo, Levin said of his plans, "Our goal is that whenever a Tea Partier says 'Barack Obama was not born in America,' we're going be right there next to them saying, 'Yeah, in fact he wasn't born on Earth! He's an alien!'" In a now deleted post on his "Crash the Tea Party" Web site, he called on his supporters to collect the Social Security numbers -- among other personal identifying information -- about as many Tea Party supporters as possible at the numerous rallies that took place on Thursday, Tax Day. "Some other thoughts are to ask people at the rally to sign a petition renouncing socialism. See just how much info you can get from these folks (name address, DOB, Social Security #). The more data we can mine from the Tea Partiers, the more mayhem we can cause with it!!!!" he wrote. The state agency is investigating whether this is a hint at identity theft, and whether it is appropriate behavior for a public school teacher. It also will investigate charges that Levin used school computers during school hours to work on his Web site. Levin teaches 6th, 7th and 8th graders about computers and technology. According to the school district laws regulating teacher conduct, which are posted online: "The Beavertown School District rules involving teacher use of the district's electronic system clearly state: The district's electronic communications system shall be used for educational purposes consistent with the district's mission, priorities and beliefs. Educational purposes do not include commercial use, use for personal financial gain or political advocacy." The investigation will be assigned to a case agent who will compile a preliminary report that will be presented before the commission. The commission members will then decide whether to charge Levin with misconduct or dismiss the case due to insufficient evidence, said Melody Hanson, the director of professional practices.The media continues to downplay the growing Obama-Clinton Uranium One scandal – but, back in 2015, Hillary Clinton's campaign team was in full panic mode knowing how bad her misconduct would look if it ever became common knowledge.Wikileaks published an email from Hillary's former research director, Tony Carrk dated April 29, 2015. The email had an ominous subject line: "It's out there."The body of the email linked to an article from The Daily Caller detailing the collusion between the Clinton Foundation, the Hillary-led State Dept., Russian oligarchs and the complicity of the Obama administration in all of this.Brian Fallon, Hillary's press secretary, and Jennifer Palmieri, Hillary's director of communications were the initial recipients of the message. Palmieri then forwarded it to Hillary's campaign chairman John Podesta, adding, "Fyi."Podesta famously had his emails compromised in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, not because of a hack but because his password was, unbelievably, "password."New information has been uncovered in recent weeks about the Uranium One scandal, through Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.Information reveals that Russian operatives may have used kickbacks and bribes in an attempt to gain control of some of the United States's uranium deposits. Executives at Uranium One, the Russian nuclear energy company at the center of this controversy, paid the Podesta Group, run by John Podesta's brother Tony, $50,000 to lobby the State Department and other agencies while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State.Directors from Uranium One also sought to meet with former President Bill Clinton, while he was delivering a $500,000 speech in Moscow.Two months after Bill's speech, Hillary Clinton helped seal the deal that turned 20 percent of America's uranium over to the Russian company.Hillary has since laughed off the scandal, claiming it has been "debunked," but Congressional leaders have already begun a special investigation.You're Only Making Things Worse For Yourself (And Us Too), Media Industries (Part II) from the double-parking dept Source: Tom W. Bell Media industries have made things worse for themselves by training customers to think of ads and other indirect sources of revenue-generation as an inconvenience, a feature of programming best not talked about. Ads are woven into the flow of the programming, and increasingly hidden in product placements and other inline forms of sponsorship. My favorite brand of frozen pizza is now co-marketed with the new "Avengers" movie. The psychology of advertising is subtle and complex—or maybe not.In either case, the result is that at the most basic level—at the reptilian cortex of the brain—consumers are encouraged to ignore the reality that advertisers pay for or highly subsidize most forms of content. Because the economics of content are kept mysterious, we have no reason to believe that if we enjoy movies, music, books or television shows at the wrong time, or with the wrong people, or without the ads, we're undermining the basic rules of the industry. How can we be expected to understand that doing so is not only dangerous to the continuation of that longstanding model but also a crime, punishable by enormous fines and even possible jail time?What consumers do see, however, is that as content has been translated, often kicking and screaming, into digital form, the unit cost of production, distribution, and marketing has plummeted. Yet for most media, the price has not decreased proportionally, largely because rightsholders want to protect increasingly uneconomical physical media formats such as hardcover books, newspapers, and movie DVDs.Worse, even as the unit cost of media declines, the rules against unauthorized copying have become stricter. It's as if there were suddenly millions of new parking spaces available across Manhattan, but parking lots keep charging more than $10 an hour. And all the meters are suspiciously broken.How did this happen? Since well before the invention of the photocopier, media industries have pursued a consistent if counter-productive legal strategy of responding to disruptive technologies that decrease costs and open new markets by lobbying for extensions to copyright terms, increased penalties, and criminalizing more behaviors.Their theory—if there is one—is that technologies that make it cheaper to create and distribute content also make it cheaper to violate copyright (see Napster, et. al.). Cheaper production is ignored, while increased potential for violations requires enhanced penalties that can't, in any case, be enforced. It's a lose-lose-lose strategy for producers, creators, and consumers. And it's a loop we've been stuck in for decades.One result of that fatal loop is that under current law the concept of fair use—long understood as a safety valve to an otherwise economically-dangerous copyright monopoly—exists in name only. And with copyright terms continually and retroactively extended, almost nothing enters the unrestricted "public domain" anymore, even though the continued expansion of the public domain was the whole point of granting the "limited" copyright monopoly in the first place.Copyright was designed as a low-cost and largely self-enforcing mechanism for achieving two important goals: incentivizing creators to build the intellectual capital of a new nation and making sure that their efforts could be used and built upon as quickly and as freely as possible. Copyright gives authors a monopoly, which necessarily reduces potential social value. (Economists call it "dead weight loss.")But there's an essential caveat. Once the limited period of the monopoly expires, all rights are unreserved. The public can do as it pleases with the work—copy it, adapt it, reframe it, anthologize it, mock it. (Some amount of mocking is allowed even before the term expires.) As the Constitution puts it, Congress shall have the power—and not the obligation—"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."But copyright law no longer promotes the progress of anything. It just secures more rights. And patent law, in its own state of disarray, is even worse. It's actually counter-productive, as if to make it a crime just to think about parking.This dangerous imbalance in the system is the result of misguided efforts to preemptively rescue American content industries from wave after wave of disruptive copying technologies, each seen as the certain destroyer of the content enterprise. Jack Valenti's infamous testimony that the VCR was "to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone" is still chilling in both its rhetorical excess and its misreading of the future. (And how was the "American public" threatened at all?)The imbalance of copyright today is the result of Hollywood's irrational fear of the unknown. As Prof. Tom Bell made visually clear with his 2009 "Mickey Mouse Curve," the regular extension of copyright terms and penalties, especially in the last hundred years, has not been based on the reasoned deliberation of Congress so much as the unrelenting lobbying of the Disney Corporation, determined to spend whatever it must to keep every iota of its creative work out of the public domain. Worse, Disney's obsession is about control, not maximizing profits.As Bell's curve demonstrates, whenever the earliest works of Disney are about to lose copyright protection, Congress steps in to extend it retroactively. This is no coincidence. But it is ironic coming from a company whose oeuvre includes so many films based on content (the Hunchback, Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan) that had only recently entered the public domain. Or maybe not ironic at all.(It is a persistent myth, by the way, that allowing "Steamboat Willie"—itself a parody of a Buster Keaton film—to enter the public domain would mean the end of protection for Mickey Mouse. While freely copying those early cartoons would no longer violate Disney's rights, all the later works would still enjoy their full run of exclusive rights. And Disney's trademarks in its characters and character designs would greatly limit what others could do with Mickey beyond copying the public domain cartoons themselves. Trademarks are valid so long as consumers continue to associate them with a particular source—potentially forever.)Irrational policy decisions produce unintended consequences. The successful campaign to continually and dramatically extend copyright is increasingly a pyrrhic victory for the content industry. By removing all of the safety valves against abuse of the "limited" monopoly, copyright, as Supreme Court Justice Breyer has argued in dissent, has effectively become permanent. The law is now rewritten solely to protect the interests of a few large rightsholders.Yet traditional forms of legal enforcement have become nearly impossible. Consumers use a constant supply of disruptive technologies (the cloud, P2P protocols, encryption) to rebel against a dictatorial copyright regime. And the speed of innovation has long-since outstripped the speed of Congress and the courts. Most consumers now see themselves and each other not as lawbreakers but as freedom fighters. Copyright, in its current mutant form, is now firmly on the wrong side of history. Filed Under: advertising, distribution, dvd, product placement, public domainThis review is for the switch version of the game. First, stop comparing this game to Hotline Miami. There is absolutely no comparison Mr. This review is for the switch version of the game. First, stop comparing this game to Hotline Miami. There is absolutely no comparison Mr. Shifty is a better game, regardless about what the idiot professional critics say. Mr. Shifty's story is meaningless, and truth fully it really doesn't have to. Game-play & controls are excellent. Everything feels smooth to control and the learning curve is short. Graphics are quite nice and decent for an indie game. The amount of content offered is just right for the price of this game. However just to note. The game does have a few issues such as it crashing in the later levels and the game stuttering due to the amount of enemies on screen at once. Hopefully the developer fixes this with a patch. Overall, I would recommend this game. …WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama is likely to name Steven Chu, a physicist who runs the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as his energy secretary, three Democratic officials close to the transition said. Steven Chu explains his Nobel-winning theory on superfreezing gases in 1997. The three officials said the announcement is expected next week in Chicago, Illinois, and that Obama will also name Carol Browner, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton administration, as the newly created "climate czar" inside the White House. Chu won the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics and is highly respected in energy circles. But some Democrats have privately expressed concern that Chu has no political experience as he takes on the monumental task of passing a landmark energy reform bill early next year. Although Browner is seen as a shrewd inside player who could help the incoming energy secretary navigate Capitol Hill, Obama will face questions about how effective his team will be going up against oil companies and other special interests that do not want to change the status quo. "Energy is going to be a huge fight," one Democratic official said. "They need someone with the gravitas and force of personality to make it happen." Democrats have privately floated some other big names for energy secretary in recent days, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. But a source close to Schwarzenegger said the governor wants to serve out the rest of his term. A source close to Powell said the retired general will take "no formal Cabinet role" in an Obama administration but is leaving the door open to an informal troubleshooting role -- such as Mideast envoy -- if the incoming president has a specific mission that needs to be filled. iReport.com: What do you think of Obama's cabinet picks so far? Energy is one aspect of the president-elect's one-year goal to create 2.5 million jobs by 2011. The plan, which Obama announced Saturday, aims to put Americans to work updating the country's infrastructure, making public buildings more energy-efficient and implementing environmentally friendly technologies, including alternative energy sources. During his campaign, Obama said he would invest $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy. He proposed increasing fuel economy standards and requiring that 10 percent of electricity in the United States comes from renewable sources by 2012. All About Barack Obama • U.S. Department of EnergyU.S. Secretary John Kerry says the United States will work with Nigeria's government to locate over 200 abducted schoolgirls and "counter the menace of Boko Haram." (Reuters) U.S. Secretary John Kerry says the United States will work with Nigeria's government to locate over 200 abducted schoolgirls and "counter the menace of Boko Haram." (Reuters) Secretary of State John F. Kerry pledged U.S. help Saturday in finding and returning hundreds of Nigerian girls abducted by militants more than two weeks ago. “The kidnapping of hundreds of children by Boko Haram is an unconscionable crime,” Kerry said. “We will do everything possible to support the Nigerian government to return these young women to their homes and hold the perpetrators to justice.” Nigerian authorities said more than 250 girls are still missing after the mass abduction of teenagers from schools on April 14. Villagers and relatives of some of the abductees said some girls had been sold into forced marriages with their kidnappers, thought to be members of the militant Islamic movement known as Boko Haram. The group, whose name means “Western education is sinful,” has not taken public responsibility for the abductions. “We are working to strengthen Nigeria’s institutions and its military to combat Boko Haram’s campaign of terror and violence,” Kerry said during a speech here on U.S. policy and objectives in Africa. Protesters spoke out at the Nigerian embassy in Washington, D.C. to express their disappointment in the Nigerian government after an extremist group kidnapped nearly 300 girls on April 15th. (Jackie Kucinich/The Washington Post) “I’ve seen this scourge of terror across the planet, and so have you,” Kerry said. “They don’t offer anything,” he said of movements such as Boko Haram. “They just tell people, ‘You have to behave the way we tell you to.’ Our responsibility, and the world’s responsibility, is to stand up to that kind of nihilism.” Kerry did not specify what kind of help the United States could provide, but the abductions gave new urgency to efforts to boost the Nigerian government’s ability to counter the rebels. A senior State Department official traveling with Kerry said later that Kerry was referring to security, communications and intelligence help for the overall fight against Boko Haram. The United States is not yet directly involved in the search for the missing girls, the official said. “We don’t see this as just being a security problem,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the evolving strategy. “There are broader issues here that... relate to how the government works with people in these communities.” A team of U.S. officials from several agencies will travel to Nigeria in the coming week for consultations, the official said. Hundreds of women protested in at least three Nigerian cities this past week to express their outrage that the girls had not been found, the Associated Press reported.Leading Antiwar Progressives Speak Favorably of Aspects of Trump’s Foreign Policy By John V. Walsh June 23, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Until recently the progressive mind has been resolutely closed and stubbornly frozen in place against all things Trump. But cracks are appearing in the ice. With increasing frequency over the last few months some of the most thoughtful left and progressive figures have begun to speak favorably of aspects of Trump’s foreign policy. Let us hear from these heretics, among them William Greider, Glen Ford, John Pilger, Jean Bricmont, Stephen F. Cohen
-- Add $8 Extra Digital Copy -- Add $10 Digital Art Book -- Add $20 Blossom Tales T-shirt -- Add $50 (Shipping Included) Hard Copy Of Blossom Tales -- Add $50 (Shipping Included) Digital Copy of Rex Rocket -- Add $10 If you've already backed us, go to "Manage Pledge" and add the desired amount to your total. Keep your original pledge tier the same. We will contact you once the campaign is over so you can specify your desired add-ons. If you've already backed us, go to "Manage Pledge" and add the desired amount to your total. Keep your original pledge tier the same. We will contact you once the campaign is over so you can specify your desired add-ons. Our small team is working hard to spread the word about Blossom Tales and you can help too! Sharing this page on your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other social media pages is a HUGE help to and so we'd greatly appreciate it. If you're a member of the press or have your own gaming blog/channel and would like to interview the Castle Pixel team, [email protected]!The 17-year-old goalkeeper cemented himself as the San Siro side's first choice shot stopper and hopes to enjoy a long relationship with the club Gianluigi Donnarumma says captaining AC Milan is a "dream" of his and hopes to remain at the club for a long time. Donnarumma went from an unknown teenager to Milan's first-choice keeper in his first season with the senior team in 2016-17, having debuted in October. The 17-year-old's exploits have attracted the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs, though Silvio Berlusconi has been quick to insist the Italian is not for sale. But Donnarumma – seen as the heir to Gianluigi Buffon's throne in the national team – has allayed fears of a departure from the San Siro. "I really like the idea of renewing my contract and I also like to think I will have a lasting relationship with Milan for the coming years," he told the La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I've always been a Milan supporter and I must say the captain's armband is a dream of mine, a crowning achievement in my career path. MORE: Honda tackling football and business "Obviously though, one thing at a time." Milan endured another forgettable 2015-16 season in Serie A, finishing seventh, 23 points outside of the Champions League spots, as coach Sinisa Mihajlovic was replaced by Cristian Brocchi during the campaign. Vincenzo Montella has since been appointed as head coach and the Rossoneri are looking to surprise this term, using Premier League champion Leicester City as their inspiration. "I only say that the Milan that fell out of the European places can't been seen again," he added. "The campaign will be hard, but if Leicester can make their mark…" Of new boss Montella, Donnarumma said: "He is excellent. He has so much desire, we're all doing well. He's the right coach to restart with."Athens liberals looking for an alternative to Clinton and Trump should take a break from sobbing while they spoon with their life-sized Bernie Sanders dolls to hear Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speak in room 101 of the Miller Learning Center on campus at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 29. The event is free and open to the public. Generally, I’d say supporting a third party amounts to throwing your vote away, but for those worried about a “Ralph Nader in Florida in 2000” type of situation, consider that Clinton is unlikely to win Georgia, and the election is even more unlikely to hinge on Georgia’s Electoral College votes. So it’s probably OK (at least in non-swing states) to cast a protest vote for Stein without being held responsible for the Trumpocalypse.Shambunath Raigar, the man allegedly behind Rajsamand hate crime, has been arrested by the district police. Shambunath was arrested from Kelva region in Rajsamand. Shambunath had allegedly burnt a man alive for committing 'love jihad'. A video showing him burning the man alive had surfaced after which senior police officials from the district had been camping there keeping tight vigil on the law and order situation. After the first video, another video of Shambunath had surfaced in which he admitted to committing the crime and mentioned that he will surrender. In one of the videos, Shambunath can be heard mentioning that he committed the act to save a girl from 'love Jihad'. Mohammed Bhatta Sheikh was identified as the person seen in the video killed allegedly in the name of 'love Jihad'. Senior police official, IG Anand Srivastava of Udaipur Range, has been camping in Rajsamand to keep an eye on the law and order situation prevailing there after the incident. The police had been searching for the accused who was arrested today morning. The perpetrator of the heinous crime had made a video of the act which was later put on the social media. The entire incident happened on Dev heritage road in Rajnagar area of Rajsamand. The police had initially received information about the semi - burnt body of a man being found. Senior police officials including SP Manoj Kumar, ASP Manish Tripathi, DSP Rajendra Singh reached the location and found a badly disfigured body. A team of FSL, dog squad was summoned. The police also asked people in the nearby areas to identify the person. The man in the video was identified by some as Mohammed Bhatta Sheikh. From the location of the murder, an agriculture equipment used in the murder and the dead man's bike and slippers were found. An attempt was made to burn the victim by pouring kerosene on him. The police had been conducting its investigations. The video that surfaced on social media showed Shambhu Nath Raigar hitting the victim, Mohammad Bhatta Sheikh. In the video, it can be seen that initially the perpetrator hits the man killed with an agricultural equipment, then pours kerosene on his body and burns him. Raigar can be seen mentioning that those who indulge in 'love Jihad' will be met with same fate.VPS Comparison between Slicehost and Prgmr For the last year I've been using a 256MB VPS from Slicehost to host a low traffic site running Django. I've also used the slice as a development platform thanks to screen and vim. Two weeks ago I came across a mention of another Xen based VPS provider called Prgmr. What intrigued me was that I could get a 1GB instance for the $20/month I was paying Slicehost for a 256MB slice. 4 times the memory, more than double disk capacity, and 60% more bandwidth. Was this too good to be true? I decided to rent a 256MB instance from Prgmr (sets you back $8/month) and compare it against my trusty old slice with the same memory configuration. Lets first take a look at the system specifications. Slicehost first: # uname -nrmo slicehost.uggedal.com 2.6.24-23-xen x86_64 GNU/Linux # grep "MemTotal" /proc/meminfo MemTotal: 262316 kB # grep -m 4 -e "model name" -e "MHz" -e "cache size" -e "bogomips" /proc/cpuinfo model name : Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 2212 cpu MHz : 2010.300 cache size : 1024 KB bogomips : 4026.86 # grep "processor" /proc/cpuinfo \| wc -l 4 And the same output from Prgmr: # uname -nrmo prgmr.uggedal.com 2.6.26-1-xen-amd64 x86_64 GNU/Linux # grep "MemTotal" /proc/meminfo MemTotal: 262360 kB # grep -e "model name" -e "MHz" -e "cache size" -e "bogomips" /proc/cpuinfo model name : Quad-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 2347 HE cpu MHz : 1909.787 cache size : 512 KB bogomips : 3826.33 # grep "processor" /proc/cpuinfo \| wc -l 1 As we can see they are both Running Debian GNU/Linux 5.0. As of this writing Slicehost gives you a 2.6.24 kernel while Prgmr provides a more recent 2.6.26 kernel. Both systems use the x86_64 architecture. Slicehost uses a dual core Opteron with 1MB L2 cache for each core while Prgmr uses a quad core Opteron with half the L2 cache (512KB) for each core. This difference is uninteresting as our individual performance is dependant on how many of these CPUs the system has in total compared to how many VPS instances the system hosts. The output from /proc/cpuinfo only tells us about the amount of cores available to our VPS instance, not how many there are in total. In reality one VPS instance does not get access to these cores directly. One are given one or more virtual CPUs (VCPUs). Slicehost gives us 4 VCPUs while Prgmr gives us 1 VCPU. How does this relate to performance? Truly 4 is better than 1? According to Luke Crawford (from Prgmr): Giving you more VCPUs increases your peak performance (that is, you get more CPU when nobody else wants it) but it decreases your worst-case performance (that is, when everyone is fighting over the CPUs, the more VCPUs you have, the more context switches you have) and so I've chosen better worst-case performance here. This means that theoretically Prgmr should give you more stable performance and Slicehost should be more performant, except for when your VPS neighbors get really busy. Django test suite Since most of my work on my VPS involves working with Django, I decided to benchmark the two providers by timing their execution of the Django test suite. Unneeded services were disabled and the instances was rebooted before starting the tests. All tests were run against revision 10108 of the Django trunk, using the sqlite3 database engine. The following script was used for running the tests: for i in { 1..20 } do time./runtests.py --settings = sqlite3conf sleep $(( 60 * 5 )) if [ $i -eq 10 ] then sleep $(( 60 * 60 * 12 )) fi done The test suite is executed 10 times with pauses of 5 minutes in between, then we wait 12 hours before running the tests 10 more times. Note that this approach is highly unscientific. One can expect increased performance when none of the neighboring instances are doing any work -- since these VPS providers use credit based scheduling. A better approach would therefore be to run the tests once per hour for a week. Sadly I can't afford to strip down my VPS for a week of testing. You should therefore take these results with a grain of salt. Lets first look at how the test suite run times varies over time: We see that the 10 first test runs if fairly equal for the two providers. Prgmr is generally a bit slower and tend to vary more in execution time than Slicehost. But after a 12 hour sleep something strange happens. Prgmr becomes more stable and significantly faster than Slicehost. My take is that we suddenly got the CPU all to our self on Prgmr. These results indicate that we should perform these benchmarks over a longer time period. With the skewed metrics in mind, lets take a look at the mean execution time for these two services: Prgmr "wins" thanks to its sprint after the 12 hour pause. The differences is not extraordinary large though. But what if we adjust the run times according to price? We multiply the Prgmr runtimes with 8/20 to find the theoretical performance we could get if we spent as much money as we did on the Slicehost rental: With price in mind, Prgmr gives us almost 3 times more performance than Slicehost. Note that this is just a theoretical exercise. The 1GB Prgmr offering should be benchmarked against the 256MB Slicehost offering for finding what you really get for your $20. Network Average ping time was measured using Just Ping to find the network latency from several locations around the globe: The results shows that Slicehost has the lowest latency from the eastern parts of the US and Europe. Prgmr on the other hand has lower latency from the western parts of the US, Asia, and Australia. This is largely due to the geographical locations of the two providers. Slicehost is placed in Saint Louis, Missouri and Prgmr is located in San Jose, California. Stability I've been a Slicehost customer for some time and have never had to restart my slice or had it gone down due to system failure. Before updating to Debian 5.0 and changing kernels it had an uptime of over 330 days. As I'm a brand new Prgrm customer I don't have any data to compare the two services. Community Slicehost has an active community with their forums, IRC, and Wiki. In addition they have several articles describing how to setup various types of systems. Prgmr on the other hand has none of these community building platforms (except for a fairly empty Wiki). If you want to use Prgmr you are pretty much on your own. This is highlighted on their web page with the phrase: We don't assume you are stupid. Support Prgmr's tagline is also apparent in their support software. While Slicehost provides a flashed out control panel (SliceManager) for monitoring and administering your VPS, Prgmr only provides console access through a SSH gateway. Much of what's automated over at Slicehost (like provisioning a new instance) is handled manually at Prgmr. I've only had one encounter with the Slicehost support team. Upgrading a kernel took about one hour, from when I sent a support request to the VPS was rebooted with the new kernel. The only encounter with the support staff at Prgmr I've had was when I ordered my instance. That process took 3 hours, from placing the order to being able to log in. Conclusion We've seen that it's hard to benchmark VPS instances as factors out of our control largely influences the results. All in all I think the two offerings is on par performance wise, but more testing needs to be done to see how the load of other customers influences our performance. I rarely use the SliceManager, and so far Prgmr's console have served me well. Slicehost's network latency is a bit lower for me here in Norway, but not large enough to exclude Prgmr as a worthy contender. My only concern is the stability of Prgmr, as my Slicehost experience has been stellar. I think I'll keep both VPSs for the time being and switch to using solely Prgmr if my long term experience proves to be as good as what I've seen so far.It appears that the government shutdown, which technically is a battle over annual appropriations legislation for so-called discretionary spending, is going to drag on for a while. The Obama Administration has shown zero willingness to negotiate, even though Republicans have made a series of offers to resolve the conflict. And the longer this fight lasts, the more likely that the shutdown battle will get wrapped up in a bigger fight over the debt limit. The White House apparently thinks this is a good development because of the assumption that GOPers can be stampeded into a bad deal to keep the government from supposedly defaulting. Indeed, the Administration already is fanning the flames of economic anxiety. Here’s some of what the Treasury Department recently wrote as part of this world-is-ending hysteria. A default would be unprecedented and has the potential to be catastrophic: credit markets could freeze, the value of the dollar could plummet, U.S. interest rates could skyrocket, the negative spillovers could reverberate around the world, and there might be a financial crisis and recession that could echo the events of 2008 or worse. I’m surprised they didn’t warn about the four horsemen of the apocalypse and also say that default would mean cancer, tooth decay, and the heartbreak of psoriasis. On a more serious note, there are three things about the Treasury report that are worth noting. 1. The Obama Administration is deliberately trying to blur the difference between defaulting on the debt, which would have real consequences, and “defaulting on obligations,” which is a catch-all phrase that includes mundane and uneventful matters such as postponing a Medicare payment to a hospital or delaying a grant disbursement to a state government. 2. The Treasury report repeatedly says bad things “could” happen and “might” happen, but never that they “will” happen. Well, I “could” be the clean-up batter next year for the New York Yankees, and I “might” date a couple of supermodels from Victoria’s Secret. But I wouldn’t want to bet my life on either of those things happening. Likewise, don’t hold your breath waiting for the sky to fall if the debt limit isn’t immediately increased. 3. The White House wants people to believe genuine default is likely even though tax receipts this fiscal year are expected to be more than $3 trillion and interest on the debt is projected to be only $237 billion. In other words, the Treasury will collect more than 12 times as much revenue as needed to pay interest on the debt. Even someone like me, with my well-known views on the incompetence of the federal government, thinks that the Treasury Department will have no problem figuring out how to avoid default. To be sure, there would be some real problems if the debt limit wasn’t raised. The Treasury Department would have to override its own system to stop payments from automatically occurring. The bureaucrats would have to figure out how to prioritize payments. Interest unquestionably would be paid on the debt, so there’s no real possibility of default. One also assumes the Administration would figure out how to make politically sensitive payments such as Social Security checks. But this would be uncharted territory, so things probably would be messy. All that being said, I want to reiterate that a default only would happen if the White House wanted it to happen. And while the Obama Administration has shown a willingness to inflict pain on innocent third parties – as illustrated by the attempts to inconvenience Americans when the sequester imposed a tiny bit of fiscal restraint, it is inconceivable that the White House would decide to engineer an actual default. By the way, it’s not just partisan political operatives in the Obama Administration who are making hysterical assertions. Here are some blurbs from a Wall Street Journal report showing that the CEO of Goldman Sachs seems to be on the same page as the White House. “There’s precedent for a government shutdown. There’s no precedent for default,”Goldman Sachs Group Inc. CEO Lloyd Blankfein said after emerging from an hour-long meeting between Mr. Obama and top financial executives. The executives, in town for a series of meetings arranged by the Financial Services Forum trade group, told Mr. Obama that even the possibility of the U.S. defaulting on its debt, should policy makers fail to raise the ceiling on the nation’s borrowing, would derail the nascent recovery and cause economic harm. Mr. Blankfein said they told Mr. Obama “exactly how bad it would be.” And here are parts of a story from the UK-based Guardian about the views of the IMF’s head bureaucrat. Christine Lagarde, the IMF’s managing director, urged America’s politicians to settle their differences before the dispute harmed the entire global economy. Speaking ahead of the fund’s annual meeting in Washington next week, Lagarde said it was “mission critical” that Democrats and Republicans raise the US debt ceiling before the 17 October deadline. Lagarde said the dispute was a fresh setback for a global economy… “In the midst of this fiscal challenge, the ongoing political uncertainty over the budget and the debt ceiling does not help. The government shutdown is bad enough, but failure to raise the debt ceiling would be far worse, and could very seriously damage not only the US economy, but the entire global economy.” So what’s going on? Why are they making these hyperbolic statements? Beats me, but here are my three theories. 1. They don’t know what they’re talking about, either because of stupidity or laziness. Since neither Blankfein nor Lagarde are stupid, perhaps they are simply too lazy to learn how the federal government operates and they don’t understand that the Treasury Department will have far more money than is needed to pay interest on the debt. 2. They understand the issues, but they’re willing to make dishonest and misleading statements because they want to please the White House. This could be because they sympathize with the President’s agenda. Or perhaps this is a typical case of DC-style horsetrading, with Blankfein supporting the White House in exchange for some sort of regulatory favor and Lagarde providing help to Obama in exchange for more subsidies from American taxpayers for the IMF. 3. They understand the issues, but are genuinely afraid that the President is so petty and ideological that he might deliberately force a default, so they are warning about the risks of that approach. Seems totally improbable, but keep in minds that the White House is so petty and spiteful that it has been spending money in a shutdown to keep elderly WWII vets from visiting an open-air memorial! I’m guessing the second option is most accurate, but there’s no way to know for sure. In closing, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. What’s America’s biggest long-run economic challenge? Almost surely, the answer is that poorly designed entitlement programs will lead to a much more onerous burden of government spending. The President made this problem worse with Obamacare (just as Bush made it worse with the prescription drug entitlement). Advocates of fiscal responsibility want to address this problem now, before we get close to the point of a Greek-style fiscal collapse. I’m not sure they can win, given the structure of America’s political system, but I’m damn sure glad that at least some people are trying to do what’s best for the country.This project began as something teacher-centered, but (thankfully) it fell apart. Later, I repackaged it and spun it into something that was much more student-centered and, therefore, cooler. It began when my colleague, Mike Kaufman and I decided to make a series of history-related videos for our classes. The videos would feature the acting talents of ourselves and other teachers, so the students could instantly connect to the stories. So, around May of 2015 we wrote a number of scripts and began our filming. It was much tougher than we thought. You need to gather equipment, props, locations, willing/talented actors, and that most elusive of qualities: free time. There are shots from various angles. There are goofs and technical glitches that necessitate reshoots. After all that, you have to sit down and edit the whole thing together. Our grand plan was to film about a dozen videos. We made one. And we didn’t even get around to making an audio track for it. Buh. Fast forward to the 2016 school year and I was beginning a unit on Christopher Columbus. I remembered the one video my colleagues and I actually managed to shoot – the silent movie about Columbus and his dealings with the King and Queen of Spain. It stars our 7th Grade Math teacher, Tim Kennedy, as Columbus, my colleague Mike as King Ferdinand of Spain, and Mike’s wife, Jen Legra, as Queen Isabella. The video, despite the lack of sound, went over really well with students. They loved seeing their teachers playing out this story. And, from a teacher POV, it really did help students understand what was happening. Later, I decided to create an assessment activity to the video. It seemed a shame to simply play the video and forget about it. The question was, what could I come up with? It seems so obvious now, but – duh! – I decided to challenge my students to take the information we had gathered about Columbus in class and then apply it. Students would create a script for my soundless video. To provide students with as much creative freedom as possible, I made the end-product as open as possible. Students could deliver to me the following: A hand-written script A typed script in Google Docs A storyboard of the video A comic/illustrated version of the video An actual recording of a voiceover for the existing video Their own version of the video – complete with video and audio The most surprising thing to me was how many students chose the latter option – making their own video. And, what also surprised me was how quickly they jumped into the filming. One group actually filmed a quick scene at the back of my room and I didn’t even notice them at work! Some groups set up scenes in other classrooms and the teachers in those rooms sent me “behind-the-scene” videos of the action. It became a big deal around the middle school for a few days. Downsides Damage to classroom supplies – I have a lot of costumes/props in my room (hats, crowns, wigs, coats, etc.) and students were anxious to use them in their videos. But, young people can be a little careless and it was disheartening to find coats rolled up in a ball on the floor, items broken, and other items simply missing. In one case, items were removed from my room when I wasn’t there – somehow students convinced cleaning staff to let them in my room and take items. Shocking. It is tempting to freak on the students and ban the use of these items for future projects, but one has to realize that the majority of students do respect other people’s’ belongings and do return things in the same condition in which they found them. Punishing the group for the actions of a few really takes away the fun and energy that the costumes/props were designed to bring. And, a little wear and tear does mean that objects were being used for the purpose they were designed for. Having said that, if you are at all sensitive about your stuff, then take the time to set boundaries for borrowing supplies and expectations for how they are to be treated and returned. Difficulty in submitting work – When students create videos on software they are not familiar with, there are often headaches when it comes time to submit the work. I had a student come to me with an Apple iMovie video and they had no clue how to share it with me. The student didn’t know how to name the file or where to find the file on their laptop’s hard drive. Another potential concern is a video uploaded to YouTube, but marked “private” so you can’t view it. It is frustrating that students don’t come to me for help until the very moment I am collecting the work in class. It pays to remind the students that they need to work out any tech hiccups PRIOR to the due date! Results While some of the work was ho-hum and predictable, other students really blew my mind with their creativity and audacity. It made me grateful for offering students so many options for delivering the ideas. Some samples are posted below. Applications in other Subject Areas I was reflecting about this project with my colleague, Mike Kaufman, and he threw a ton of other possible applications my way: Science – teacher films an experiment and students must either a) duplicate the experiment in their own video, or b) students narrate teacher’s video, explaining what happened and why. Drama – students could be given a link to an actual silent movie and have to dub in dialogue, showing that they understand what is happening in the story. Math – the teacher films an equation being solved on the board. Students must explain, through an audio track, what is happening and why. Metacognition via Confessional Videos Another option my colleague suggested is for students to film a “confessional” style video – like the ones they use regularly on reality TV shows, or in scripted shows like The Office or Modern Family. Here, students are alone and making a private video, providing private insight about an idea or historical personality. For instance, they could pretend to be George Washington at Valley Forge. In character, they could be having a frank confession about challenges faced or mistakes made. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination and your openness. But, enough of my blabbing. Here’s what you really need to see: Give your students room to be creative and then get the heck out of their way! You’ll love the results! Hi 5! Bonus – a colleague interviewed me about the experience for a video blog. Hopefully this provides a little more insight! AdvertisementsReady to fight back? Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. 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Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine? I couldn’t wait to see Amy Adams talk to extraterrestrials in Arrival. Who else could make such a good first impression for us? The American president who evidently stills holds office in the movie—and is excoriated by talk-radio bullies for not declaring all-out war on space travelers—would certainly be a first-rate spokesperson for earthlings, but he’ll soon be unavailable. And America’s actual president-elect? I don’t think he’d be the best choice in a situation that demands tact. The obscurity of purpose of our otherworldly visitors and the unfathomability of their minds would best be met by someone who’s a human light source. Send Amy Adams to shine at them. Ad Policy There’s a climactic scene in Arrival in which Adams, as the linguist Louise Banks, stands in the immediate presence of an unimaginable being, with the floating red tendrils of her hair and marine blue of her eyes the only areas of strong color in a visual field transformed by cinematographer Bradford Young into an ophthalmologic aura, such as you see when your pupils have been dilated; and though the billows of light on-screen may cloak the alien, it’s the unclouded surface of Adams’s face that spreads the glow. Write off the effect, if you like, to mere cinematic technique combined with cultural prejudice, which sees in Adams’s physiognomy a storybook princess or well-scrubbed hometown girl. You’d still need to account for the surplus of illumination—candor and intelligence made visible—that Adams can project the way Aroldis Chapman pitches fastballs. Her professional capability saves this scene from being just another episode of sci-fi transcendence. Her force of personality makes you proud to see the hand-lettered sign she holds up, earlier in the movie, to identify herself: “Human.” Adams is directed in Arrival by the Quebecois filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, who has previously alternated between artfully brutal suspense pictures (Prisoners, Sicario) and narrative conundrums (Enemy). Here he works in both modes at once, giving a bang-up staging to the military and popular response to the alien landing (high alert, total panic) while also evoking the increasingly odd psychological effect of the visitors on Dr. Banks. She already appears to be drifting emotionally at the start of the movie, holed up alone in a tasteful waterfront house (nice woodwork, picture windows, and wine glasses) and brooding over dreamy, discontinuous scenes of the life and death of her daughter. Banks’s inner state becomes even more unsettled, understandably, when the US Army shows up in the form of Forest Whitaker and whisks her away in a helicopter to an impromptu base in Montana, where she’s expected to interpret the rumbles, booms, and crackles that presumably serve as speech among the recently landed aliens. A conventional theme of humanism versus hard science labors into the film during this sequence, announced loudly through a rivalry between Banks and a new colleague, Ian Donnelly; and because this physicist is played by the studly Jeremy Renner, the extraprofessional destination of the characters’ sentiments is also thuddingly obvious. These stumbles are the exceptions, though, in a picture that usually moves lightly and with refreshing subtlety. Villeneuve uses only a few economical strokes to establish the mood after the extraterrestrials appear: the sound of unseen fighter jets roaring across the sky, while in an almost deserted parking lot, one car backs into another. Villeneuve is similarly understated in the setting he constructs for Banks once she reaches Montana: a labyrinth of low, narrow, dimly lit military tents, which looks realistic enough but also seems like the outward, visible sign of the heroine’s inner maze. When Banks and her team proceed into the alien craft—the galaxy’s biggest skipping stone, you’d think, which stands upright while hovering 20 feet over the ground—Villeneuve continues his labyrinth and elaborates on it. The investigators enter another tunnel, which is longer, darker, and even more suffocating than the ones in the tent city. It’s more disorienting as well, since it starts out being vertical and unitary but then branches out by overcoming gravity and multiplying the possibilities of “up” and “down.” There is light at the end of this tunnel: a bright rectangle with the unmistakable proportions of a movie screen. Just like you, Banks and her new colleagues are going to a show. What they see when they get there is familiar enough to qualify as a traditional viewer attraction. The aliens who put themselves on view are variously reminiscent of tentacled monsters in horror movies, creatures floating behind the glass of a giant aquarium, and (in Donnelly’s opinion) Abbott and Costello. At the same time, they so impressively defy expectations—especially in their means of communication—that I should cut short the description. It’s enough to say that Banks has to work, mentally and physically, to follow the show she’s watching, and can’t succeed without instilling her own feelings into the production. So is Arrival just another movie about watching movies—another roundabout trip through a self-enclosed system that ends at its own beginning? Yes, and no. We count on films, if they’re any good, to be about something beyond themselves; and although the “sci” half of the sci-fi is thoroughly pseudo in this instance, and the linguistics more attuned to Robert Heinlein’s dopey fantasies than Noam Chomsky’s research, Arrival nevertheless succeeds in making terrestrial contact. It does so partly by deploying the unfailing Adams; partly by using aliens to direct our attention toward a real problem (the political division of Earth into competing national interests); and partly by treating the screen as a space for displaying continually changing possibilities—some that a smart, ethical woman would resist and some that she might joyfully embrace, whatever sorrow comes with them. That’s the agenda: Confront xenophobia, save Earth from itself, elevate movie-watching into intellectual struggle, and attain the peace that passeth all understanding. From these goals, you get artsy mishmash, which is how I’d characterize Arrival at its worst. At its best, which is considerable, you also get astonishment, awe, and tempered optimism (which is always good to have), along with respect for the female Homo sapiens and pleasure in the filmmakers’ powers of invention. It was purely by accident, of course, that Arrival’s release immediately after the election brought these qualities into theaters at a time of great darkness. What the movie offers is so valuable, though, that you might almost choose to take the story on its own goofy terms and pretend that someone, somewhere, knew we were going to need this picture. * * * Despite all temptations, I had much too good a time watching Doctor Strange to belittle Benedict Cumberbatch as the Donald Trump of November’s fantasy movies. In contrast to Amy Adams, with her reasoned, communitarian approach to issues like Chinese military unilateralism, Cumberbatch does indeed deliver a Trumpian extragovernmental promise of protection from all manner of bogus threats. Emphatically masculine and uniquely talented (or so they say), the Sorcerer Supreme and Master of the Mystic Arts dwells in luxury in New York City, and when he explains what he intends to do, gives out a mouthful of gibberish. On the other hand, Cumberbatch diverges sharply from Trump by looking good, being genuinely witty, and starring in a first-rate production. Give him a chance. It’s remarkable enough that his Stephen Strange should be in theaters at all. This spell-casting traveler through the many dimensions of Marvel Comics attracted his most avid followers in the 1960s, among readers in a highly illegal state of mind. I wouldn’t have thought today’s moviegoers would thrill to his psychedelic mumbo-jumbo; but now that Marvel has gone from being a comic-book publisher to a multiplatform conglomerate that systematically builds out its old properties (formerly known as characters) into an ever-expanding geodesic dome of interconnected money-makers, a place was open for Doctor Strange, with millions of viewers trained to want the slot filled. So here you have it: one act of origin story, two acts of CGI delirium, and a teaser at the end of the credits to prepare you for the next big-screen appearance of the Sorcerer Supreme, when he’ll meet Thor. I could have dispensed with the teaser, but thought the rest of Doctor Strange—directed by Scott Derrickson, and written by Derrickson, Jon Spaihts, and C. Robert Cargill—was more
1: 8589 MB, 8589934592 bytes... Disk /dev/xvdg: 21.5 GB, 21474836480 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2610 cylinders, total 41943040 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size ( logical/physical ) : 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size ( minimum/optimal ) : 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disk identifier: 0x00000000 Disk /dev/xvdg doesn't contain a valid partition table My output tells me that the new volume’s device is /dev/xvdg - look at yours to find out the device for your new volume. Double check this device name - you will be formatting this volume in the next step; you don’t want to format the wrong volume Now format the new volume - I formatted using the ext4 file system; use what you feel is appropriate. > sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/xvdg Now that the volume is formatted, you can mount it by adding it to your /etc/fstab file - put this line at the bottom of the file: /dev/xvdg /vol auto noatime 0 0 Time to reboot - when your database server restarts the new volume should be mounted at /vol. Copy the database files to the new volume Almost there. At this point the new volume should be mounted at /vol, so let’s set up some permissions and then copy the files to the new volume. > sudo service postgresql stop > sudo chown -R postgres:postgres /vol > sudo su postgres > cp -r /var/lib/postgresql/9.1/main/* /vol Ok all the files are copied - that may have taken a little bit, depending on the size of your database. You should be operating as the postgres user, so exit out of that to get to your original database server login prompt. > exit Move the new data volume to the old volume’s location Final step (aside from testing the living daylights out of the changes) - edit /etc/fstab to unmount the old volume and remount the new volume in the old volume’s location. the fstab entry should look something like this /dev/xvdg /var/lib/postgresql/9.1/main auto noatime 0 0 Reboot again and do some final cleanup. Postgresql won’t be running - we need to set access premissions to the new volume. > sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/postgresql/9.1/main > sudo service postgresql start And that’s it! Your database should be back on-line using the larger volume. Now would be a good time to test it out and make sure everything is working properly. If there are any problems, you can restore your old configuration from the AMI file you made earlier. Verify and cleanup Take a look at your disks - you should see the new volume mounted at the Postgresql data location with the new volume size. > df -h Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/xvda1 7.8G 1.1G 6.3G 15% / none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup udev 285M 12K 285M 1% /dev tmpfs 59M 184K 59M 1% /run none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock none 295M 0 295M 0% /run/shm none 100M 0 100M 0% /run/user /dev/xvdg 20G 84M 19G 1% /var/lib/postgresql/9.1/main Reboot your database server one last time to make sure Postgresql starts on reboot; you should be in good working order now. Keep your old db volume around in AWS for a while or use your preferred backup strategy. It’s better to be safe and keep your old data for a bit until you feel 100% comfortable with the new volume.Welcome to part two of fitness exercises for SHTF wilderness and urban survival. If the exercises in beginner level part one are too easy, or you have mastered them and are looking for an added challenge, these part two intermediate level exercises may be a good fit for you. The the theme from the first post continues with gradually building functional and integrated strength throughout the body. Our goal is to start slow and build a strong foundation of core strength while avoiding strength imbalances from overdeveloping certain muscle groups while ignoring others. We are also looking to avoid movement repetition and impact, all in order to avoid injury. Kettlebell squats: As with nearly all kettlebell exercises, a major benefit of the kettlebell front squat is building core strength and stability. By positioning a kettlebell high on your chest while doing a squat, your body is forced to maintain a position many of us no longer frequent in our daily lives, which in turn builds muscle stability. On the contrary, barbell squat or body weight squats primarily focus on engaging the lower body rather than lower, core and upper body while integrating all three regions. If you are going to work with weights, kettlebells are the better alternative for functional strength because they integrate and strengthen all muscle groups. Integrative strength is important for survivalists and preppers because it will be the type of strength required during survival and emergency situations. Instructions: Place feet a little wider than shoulder width, with your toes pointed out slightly. Pick up the kettlebell by sitting down into a squat position and grabbing the bell by the “horns”. with your elbows in. When you go down, breathe in through your nose and exhale on your way up. To keep you back in proper alignment, look up slightly when you do the squat. When you reach the bottom of the squat make sure you don’t bounce, and keep your knees behind your toes while digging both feet forcefully into the ground. Create tension and snap your hips when you reach to top. Pick a suitable kettle bell weight that will allow you to complete two sets of 10 reps. At the end of the 10 reps, you should be about 60-70% to failure. As you progress, increase weight in 5 lb increments and complete the same set and rep quantities. Pull ups and Chin ups: The two most common grips are the underhand and the overhand grips. The easiest grip to start with is the underhand grip, or (the chin-up) because due to the elbow position, it optimizes the most efficient use of bicep and peck activation which in turn develops more strength in your pull up. A pull-up, by contrast, using the overhand grip, primarily activates the lower trapezius more than a chin-up, but both are great exercises to strengthen the back. Instructions: A shoulder width grip using either the underhand or overhand grips is recommended because it reduces the strain on your shoulders and lowers risk of injury, and there is not a big difference in muscle activation between the two. It’s also recommended to hold your back, pelvis, and legs in as straight and aligned as possible (rather than arching your lower back, bending your legs, and thrusting your pelvis forward). Try to images having a rigid metal rod running through the entire vertical length of your body, from the top of your head to your feet. While this position is more difficult, it offers the advantage of building strength in the anterior muscle chain and core. If you are unable to do a full unassisted pull-up, do three sets of five reps of either body rows, or resistance-band assisted pull-ups. Adjust the difficulty as you progress by changing the angle of the body rows, or using a weaker resistance band. If you can complete one to four or more unassisted pull-ups, do your max reps, followed by the same rep quantity of negative pull-ups. Rest, then repeat this process two more times for a total of three sets (again, three to failure, each followed by equal negative reps). Soft, Varied Terrain Interval Running Interval training is a higher intensity level of running where you sprint at medium to maximum pace while walking or slow jogging in between, for a total of around 20 minutes. Research has shown that interval running will speed up metabolism much faster than regular running. Furthermore, due to the rapid and successive twisting motion of your torso with your elbow pulling one way and your knee pushing the other, interval running is excellent for the core while also activating fast twitch muscle fibers. As mentioned in the beginner fitness article, running on soft, slightly varied terrain is great for adapting the body to diverse movements in order to rehabilitate and condition all muscle groups, big and small while building strength throughout your physiology. Instructions: We recommend looking for trails with softer surfaces such as dirt, grass, or loose gravel rather than concrete that has someeasy 10-20 degree inclines and declines for added variance. Do a light jogging warm-up and stretching routine to reduce risk of injury. Start by running at a medium pace, then after roughly two minutes transition to about 30 seconds of 70% of your max speed. Complete three more cycles, but each time increase the max speed by 10%, so by the fourth cycle you are maxing out at 100% As you progress and notice your endurance and power increasing from your initial interval workouts, introduce running up inclines for your last one to two cycles in the workout. Burpees: Knowing how to do burbees is an powerful skill in fitness because they offer full body workout you can take with you anywhere you go! All you need is your body and the knowledge of how to do them which you will see here. You can use burpees as a warm up exercise, or a core exercise in your workout. They are amazing for conditioning and building functional, integrated strength that starts with the core. Instructions: Start in squat position with the weight in the heels and remaining flexible in the toes. Then do a squat thrust while kicking the legs back so you are in a push up plank position. From this position to a pushup and transition immediately into a frog jump and then a jump squat to complete the burpee movement. Throughout the process of these movements, it’s important for your limbs to absorb any contact with the floor like a shock absorber rather than being rigid and stiff. This will reduce harmful impact on your body and activate your muscle groups more effectively.(410777) 2009 FD is a carbonaceous sub-kilometer asteroid and binary system,[6][3] classified as near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group, discovered on 24 February 2009, by astronomers of the Spacewatch program at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona, in the United States.[2] The asteroid's orbit places it at risk of a possible future collision with Earth in 2185. It has the third highest cumulative impact threat of all known asteroids on the Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale based on its estimated diameter of 160 meters, kinetic yield, impact probability, and time interval.[12] Discovery [ edit ] 2009 FD was initially announced as discovered on 16 March 2009 by La Sagra Sky Survey.[13] Because there were previous observations found in images taken by the Spacewatch survey some 3 weeks prior, on 24 February 2009, the Minor Planet Center assigned the discovery credit to Spacewatch under the discovery assignment rules.[14][2] 2009 FD made a close pass to Earth on 27 March 2009 at a distance of 0.004172 AU (624,100 km; 387,800 mi)[15][16] and another on 24 October 2010 at 0.0702 AU.[15] 2009 FD was recovered at apparent magnitude 23[b] on 30 November 2013 by Cerro Paranal Observatory,[2] several months before the close approach of April 2014 when it passed 0.1 AU from Earth.[15] It brightened to roughly apparent magnitude 19.3 around mid-March 2014.[17] One radar Doppler observation of 2009 FD was made in 2014.[1] The October–November 2015 Earth approach will be studied by the Goldstone Deep Space Network.[18] Binary [ edit ] NASA's Near Earth Program originally estimated its size to be 130 metres in diameter based on an assumed albedo of 0.15.[19] This gave it an estimated mass of around 2,800,000 tonnes.[19] But work by Amy Mainzer using NEOWISE data in 2014 showed that it could be as large as 472 metres with an albedo as low as 0.01.[1][5] Because 2009 FD (K09F00D) was only detected in two (W1 + W2) of the four wavelengths the suspected NEOWISE diameter is more of an upper limit.[5] Radar observations in 2015 showed it to be a binary asteroid.[6] The primary is 120–180 meters in diameter and the secondary is 60–120 meters in diameter.[6] Future approaches [ edit ] The JPL Small-Body Database shows that 2009 FD will make two very close approaches in the late 22nd century, with the approach of 29 March 2185 currently having a 1 in 710 chance of impacting Earth.[7] The nominal 2185 Earth approach distance is 0.009 AU (1,300,000 km; 840,000 mi).[15] Orbit determination for 2190 is complicated by the 2185 close approach.[15] The precise distance that it will pass from Earth and the Moon on 29 March 2185 will determine the 30 March 2190 distance. 2009 FD should pass closer to the Moon than Earth on 29 March 2185.[15] An impact by 2009 FD would cause severe devastation to a large region or tsunamis of significant size.[20] Past Earth-impact estimates [ edit ] In January 2011, near-Earth asteroid 2009 FD (with observations through 7 December 2010) was listed on the JPL Sentry Risk Table with a 1 in 435 chance of impacting Earth on 29 March 2185.[19] In 2014 (with observations through 5 February 2014 creating an observation arc of 1807 days) the potential 2185 impact was ruled out.[21] Using the 2014 observations, the Yarkovsky effect has become more significant than the position uncertainties.[22][11][23] The Yarkovsky effect has resulted in the 2185 virtual impactor returning. While 2009 FD was estimated to be 470 meters in diameter, it was rated −0.40 on the Palermo Scale, placing it higher on the Sentry Risk Table than any other known object at the time.[24] See also [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] a b 7000250000000000000♠ 2.5 hours. Diameter estimate of 0.150 kilometers. Summary figures for (410777) at the Naidu, S. (2015) from observations taken in November 2015: Per private communication with the LCDB. Rotation period of at leasthours. Diameter estimate of 0.150 kilometers. Summary figures for (410777) at the LCDB ^ 2009 FD was roughly 4 million times fainter than can be seen with the Math: ( 100 5 ) 23 − 6.5 ≈ 3981071 {\displaystyle ({\sqrt[{5}]{100}})^{23-6.5}\approx 3981071} At an apparent magnitude of 23,was roughly 4 million times fainter than can be seen with the naked eye Math:Ukraine Articles The Jew Behind Ukraine’s Mass Graves By Brother Nathanael Kapner October 5, 2014 © Support The Brother Nathanael Foundation! Or Send Your Contribution To: The Brother Nathanael Foundation, PO Box 547, Priest River ID 83856 E-mail: [email protected] ___________________________________ SLAY FOR PAY is Igor Kolomoisky’s way of killing women and children in East Ukraine’s Luhansk region. Triple Ukrainian-Israeli-Cypriot citizen, owner of Privat Bank, and junta governor of the city of Dnepropetrovsk, the Jew Kolomoisky is charged by Russia’s criminal court with masterminding the murders of civilians and employing banned methods of warfare. Kolomoisky, who lives in Geneva, Switzerland, is the second richest man in Ukraine, worth $6 billion. The charges were strengthened by the confession of Sergei Litvinov, a conscript of Kolomoisky’s Dnipro battalion, who admitted this past Wednesday that Kolomoisky paid him for murdering peaceful citizens. “Litvinov testified that he killed women and children in Luhansk villages,” said the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, adding that Litvinov was “paid” by Kolomoisky for committing the murders. It’s a Holocaust in Kolomoisky style. The Committee’s head, Vladimir Markin, also said that 2,500 residents of south-eastern Ukraine have been killed as a result of multiple launch systems attacks. Kolomoisky’s militias are reported to be in possession of missile weaponry. JEWS FOR GENOCIDE THREE MASS GRAVES have been confirmed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in territory formerly controlled by Kievan government forces. Some of the exhumed bodies show signs of torture and execution. (A fourth mass grave was found September 28, 2014.) In connection with the mass graves discoveries, Amnesty International filed charges of “war crimes” against the far-right Aidar Battalion led by “Right Sector” leader Andriy Parubiy and Kiev’s president Poroshenko, both under Kolomoisky’s control. And that control includes four militias funded by the Jew Kolomoisky: Dnipro, Aidar, Azov, and Donbas battalions. The 2,000 strong Dnipro Battalion, which was responsible for the May 1 fire-bombing of the trade union building in Odessa and the burning alive of people trapped inside the Mariupol Police Station on May 9, also maintains a 20,000-member reserve force. Kolomoisky’s forces, armed with advanced weaponry obtained from Kievan inventories and purchases on the black market, are comprised of Ukrainian regular military personnel; far-right units from west Ukraine; and ex-Israel Defense Force Blue Helmet commandos. ENTER BIDEN KOLOMOISKY’S PRIVAT BANK has been the largest beneficiary of what the IMF calls the Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) loaned to the country’s banks. Consequently, IMF loans aimed at boosting Ukraine’s economy have gone instead to Kolomoisky’s genocidal campaign in Eastern Ukraine. Enter Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son. Last May, Biden was named to the board of directors of Burisma Holdings Limited, a private company that drills for gas in Ukraine. Enter the Jew Kolomoisky…rightly known as the “chameleon.” Burisma Holdings, registered in Cyprus, is owned by Kolomoisky. (Cyprus is one of the three countries where Kolomoisky holds citizenship.) The money-connection between Kolomoisky and Biden (Kiev and Jewmerica) is obvious. Oil fracking in shale-rich Eastern Ukraine has been a key objective of the Kiev military campaign…and fracking’s the business Burisma is in. Just this past July, Ukrainian troops began installing fracking equipment near Slavyansk. The people of Slavyansk staged protests against its development due to the dangers of hydro-fracking which uses toxic chemicals that poison subsoil waters. But with US Senate Bill 2277 directing USAID to guarantee loans for every phase of gas development in Ukraine, the murderer Kolomoisky has the full support of Jewmerica…with Hunter Biden’s daddy pitching in. It’s a Jew’s world after all. And that’s why the world is in the mess it’s in.That is some seriously fantastic hair. (Photo: Andy Kropa/AP) For the second year in a row, Grooming Lounge, which operates upscale barbershops and men’s spas in addition to having its own line of products, has deemed radio legend Howard Stern as having the “Best Men’s Hair in America.” Company founder Mike Gilman presented the SiriusXM radio host with a commemorative trophy this morning on The Howard Stern Show. “We surveyed 52 barbers and hairstylists who work in our stores to determine who they thought had the best hair,” Gilman tells Yahoo Beauty. “We had a bunch of different criteria for them to vote on, in terms of healthy and thick hair, versatility — a hairstyle they’d want to get their hands on to give it a bunch of different looks — and uniqueness with kind of a cool hairstyle. And the last one, which Howard thinks is the reason he won, hair that makes the man’s face appears much better than it would look otherwise.” Gilman says there were more categories of men this year, including radio and TV hosts, Hollywood stars, politicians, and sports figures. While Stern ranked number one in his category and overall, the leading contenders in the other groups included Ben Stiller, former President Bill Clinton, and a tie between athletes Joakim Noah and Bryce Harper. As for those Stern beat out in his category: Mike Greenberg, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Anderson Cooper. Related: YB Loves: A Beard Oil That Doubles as Fragrance While Gilman does not believe the “King of All Media” uses much styling product in his glorious locks, he thinks Stern may use “a hair cream — not a putty or a paste — that leaves his curls in place, giving it a little bit of hold and a little bit of shine.” Regardless of hair type, he highly recommends all men splurge on quality hair products. “The lower-end stuff contain detergents that might zap the health out of the hair,” he says. “But the majority of high-end men’s products will keep hair healthy. And if it’s curly, like Howard’s, it will maintain the curl.” Gilman, who has been a fan of The Howard Stern Show for more than 20 years, is honored by Stern’s enthusiasm. “Today he had a song about the award, about how his hair is better than Brad Pitt’s and George Clooney’s,” he said. “He joked about his hair being the best thing going for him, and he talked about how excited he was to show off the award to his wife, Beth. So while he was joking that it was a silly award, he said he wouldn’t have me on presenting it to him if it wasn’t important.” View photos Stern’s award, which is, oddly enough, bald. (Photo: Instagram/SternShow) In order to thank Stern for his generosity, GroomingLounge.com will be donating 10 percent of sales through Friday to the North Shore Animal League America’s Bianca’s Furry Friends Campaign, which was named in memory of Stern’s beloved bulldog, Bianca (whose full name was Bianca Romijn-Stamos-O’Connell-Ostrosky-Stern). Related: More Men’s Grooming A Manly Makeover: Subtle Aesthetic Adjustments for Today’s Rugged Male NFL Stars Victor Cruz and DeMarcus Ware Talk Fragrance and FootballBob Niger of El Dorado Hills, Calif., shot a 5-under- par 67 on Wednesday and held the lead after the first round of the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. John Elway ranked as the low amateur in the tournament after the first round. The former Broncos star was tied for 17th after shooting an even-par 72. Niger, who led Mike Zaremba of Pueblo by one stroke, powered his 67 with seven birdies. He made only two bogeys. Bill Loeffler, the defending champion, was tied for sixth after shooting a 2-under 70. Zaremba and Loeffler are the only players who have won the Colorado Senior Open and the Colorado Open. Greeley golfer medalist in qualifier. Kim Eaton of Greeley shot a 1-under-par 71 to win medalist honors at a sectional qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Inverness Golf Club. Also advancing to the national championship tournament: Janet Moore (76) of Greenwood Village and Christie Austin (76) of Cherry Hills Village, Samantha Bartron (78) of Boulder, Shannon Lutynski (80) of Castle Rock and Stacey Arnold (80) of Westminster. The U.S. Women’s Amateur will be played Sept. 25-30 at the Wichita Country Club in Kansas. Slipstream lineup grows. Slipstream Sports added six men to the 2011 roster, marking the remaining Cervelo TestTeam riders to join the newly formed Team Garmin-Cervelo. Roger Hammond (United Kingdom), Heinrich Haussler (Austria), Andreas Klier (Germany), Brett Lancaster (Austria), Daniel Lloyd (United Kingdom) and Gabriel Rasch (Norway) will join teammate Thor Hushovd (Norway) in 2011. Those seven will be joining Garmin riders Tyler Farrar, Ryder Hesjedal, Christian Vande Velde, David Zabriskie and Daniel Martin. DU selling hockey tickets. Single-game tickets for the University of Denver hockey team’s home games go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. Ticket prices start at $18.Ryan Tannehill might have been excited about having a conversation about quarterbacking with Peyton Manning earlier this spring, but Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase has downplayed the meeting. Speaking to NFL Media senior columnist Gil Brandt and Fox Sports' Alex Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday, Gase said the whole Manning-Tannehill summit "got blown out of proportion a little bit." He then provided further clarity on the nature of Manning's visit to the team facility. "Peyton was in town, he had some business down here," Gase explained. "(He) swung by the office, and he goes down to eat lunch with some other guys in the building. Ryan was there eating lunch, so you know how quarterbacks are. They were just talking shop. I mean, Peyton was here a very short period of time... Making it sound like the guy has been, like, living here the last few months...it was a really short visit for him." So it appears the man who was dubbed by some as Tannehill's unofficial tutor was merely more of a one-time, lunchroom consigliere. Still, Gase didn't downplay all of the recent developments surrounding his new team. Looking beyond the well-publicized social media incident that led to Laremy Tunsil's draftboard drop, Gase said the Dolphins "were pretty excited" to get the chance to select the offensive tackle. "Picking No. 13, we never thought we'd be able to get a top-tier tackle like that." Gase also said his coaching staff has been in frequent contact with defensive staple Ndamukong Suh, expressing confidence the four-time Pro Bowler will have "his body ready to go" by training camp. "He has a way of preparing, and it may be unique, but it really works for him," Gase said. "Just getting him back around the building when we're ready to go will be great."The $60 million high school football stadium in the Dallas suburb of Allen is officially closed for the 2014 season after engineers found major structural problems. Eagle Stadium made national headlines when it opened just two years ago, raising eyebrows with its big price tag. In March, the school district announced it had discovered "extensive cracking" in the concourse and would close for repairs. After further investigation, Alllen ISD says it won’t be a quick and easy fix. "Our commitment to Allen students and taxpayers remains firm that the stadium be repaired properly at the expense of those responsible for the failure: the architect and the builder," superintendent Lance Hindt said. The two-time defending 5A Division I Texas State Football Champions won’t get to enjoy its 18,000-seat palace this upcoming season as the Eagles will be forced to shuffle their schedule and play their home games in Plano. "While we are extremely disappointed that the stadium will remain closed this fall, we recognize that our priority must be to provide a safe venue for our students and the public," Allen ISD Board of Trustees President Louise Master said. The stadium was financed as part of a $119 million bond issue in 2009 and opened for the 2012 football season. Like or hate what you see? Let me know on Twitter @LouisOjedaJrThe government has released its eagerly anticipated response to the Science and Technology Committee's Evidence Check on Homeopathy and, incredibly, it's even worse than I thought it would be. The verdict is "business as usual", with the main recommendations of the committee ignored in a fog of confusion and double-think. You get a sense of this confusion very early on, with lines like: "given the geographical, socioeconomic and cultural diversity in England, [policy on homeopathy] involves a whole range of considerations including, but not limited to, efficacy." I actually have no idea what this means – do medicines work differently in Norfolk from the way they work in Hampshire? The report doesn't elaborate. As expected, the word "choice" features heavily in the government's response: There naturally will be an assumption that if the NHS is offering homeopathic treatments then they will be efficacious, whereas the overriding reason for NHS provision is that homeopathy is available to provide patient choice... if regulation was applied to homeopathic medicines as understood in the context of conventional pharmaceutical medicines, these products would have to be withdrawn from the market as medicines. This would constrain consumer choice and, more importantly, risk the introduction of unregulated, poor quality and potentially unsafe products on the market to satisfy consumer demand." So we can't regulate these products as medicines because they'd end up being banned, but we'll let them be called medicines anyway? It gives me a headache just trying to think down to the level of the person who wrote this stuff. The report accepts that there's no evidence that homeopathy works, but apparently this shouldn't be a barrier to it being distributed via the NHS because not handing out medicines that don't work might infringe the freedom of patients to choose things that don't work. What makes this even more absurd is that they concede that: In order for the public to make informed choices, it is therefore vitally important that the scientific evidence base for homeopathy is clearly explained and available. He [the government's chief scientific adviser] will therefore engage further with the Department of Health to ensure communication to the public is addressed." So the government is planning to launch a public information campaign against homeopathic treatments at the same time as it continues to fund those treatments through the NHS. In this glorious mess of a policy the government has come up with something so brain-meltingly stupid that even the satirical brain of Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, In the Loop) would struggle to match it. What I find so frustrating is this dedication to a form of "consumer choice" that is absolutely anything but. If I walk into a pharmacist looking for a packet of condoms, and I'm given the choice between a packet of Durex and a sock, it isn't a choice, it's just a pointless piece of confusion that's going to lead to lots of people having really uncomfortable sex, and a localised population explosion. Another feature worth picking up on is the way in which responsibility for these decisions has been passed down the line, allowing alternative medicine to fall conveniently into various regulatory gaps. The government doesn't believe that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has time to waste on a review of homeopathy, while the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has made its guidelines flexible enough to allow many homeopathic products a free pass, for reasons that are still unfathomable to me. In this regulatory vacuum the government's response repeatedly delegates responsibility for making decisions on the use of homeopathy to primary care trusts, yet these are set to be abolished in the next few years, which will dump responsibility onto individual GPs. The General Medical Council's guidance to GPs on the issue of alternative medicine is woolly at best (and the the council has ignored my requests to clarify it). The GMC states that "we are not in a position to advise doctors about the suitability or otherwise of particular treatments as our remit does not extend to collecting, analysing or disseminating clinical information" and basically leaves it to GPs' own judgement about whether or not a treatment is in the best interests of a patient. Given that some GPs are practising homeopaths, this is a not a thrilling prospect. Before the election I put questions on science policy to all the main parties on behalf of the Guardian. The Conservatives told me that it would be "wholly irresponsible to spend public money on treatments that have no evidence to support their claims". The Liberal Democrats stated that they would actively seek a full review of complementary and alternative therapies and that, "[if] Nice's advice was that the treatment did not perform better than placebo, then of course it should not be supported by the NHS." Both parties made a commitment to evidence-based medicine on the NHS. Both parties have performed screeching U-turns on the subject at the first hurdle, ignoring pledges made in writing only three months ago. What should they do now? As a near namesake of mine once said, I'd make a suggestion, but they wouldn't listen. No one ever does. It's all very depressing.Each year, 24/7 Wall St. identifies 10 important American brands that it predicts will disappear within a year. This year’s list reflects the brutally competitive nature of certain industries and the reason companies cannot afford to fall behind in efficiency, innovation or financing. American Airlines, in 24/7 Wall St.’s view, will disappear in 2013 because of its inefficiency. It was the premier carrier in the United States for almost 30 years — surviving through periods when most other carriers went bankrupt. However, it lost its critical advantage of scale when Northwest merged with Delta DAL, -1.35% and Continental merged with United UAL, -2.16% Within two years, American became a midsized carrier. Research In Motion US:RIMM may be the best example of an innovative company that lost its edge. As a result, it could disappear in 2013. Five years ago, RIM was the only smartphone company of any size, and it had almost the entire corporate market. But it made a fatal mistake in failing to adapt its technology for consumer use. In June 2007, Apple AAPL, +0.31% launched the iPhone, and the rest is history. (RIM, though, has enjoyed a rare bask in the sun this week. See: RIM’s sales surprise doesn’t erase doubts.) Pacific Sunwear US:PSUN no longer has the capital to compete. The retailer will be gone by the end of 2013. In the company’s most recent 10-Q, it said one of its biggest risks was running low on capital and not meeting financial obligations. 24/7 Wall St. made many accurate calls last year, but the speed with which some of them came true was surprising. MySpace was sold by News Corp. NWS, +0.00% NWSA, +0.15% publisher of MarketWatch, less than a week after last year’s list was published. Saab Saab, an entry on this list in 2011, subsequently filed for bankruptcy. Several additional 2011 nominees are no longer around, either. Saab filed for bankruptcy only five months after 24/7 published last year’s predictions. The car company has been sold yet again to an investment group called National Electric Vehicle Sweden, probably for little more than car parts. In November 2011, Ericsson dumped its half of the Sony Ericsson mobile-phone business, apparently aware of something that Sony SNE, +0.50% has yet to realize — the smartphone industry is owned by Apple and Google’s GOOG, +0.08% Android-run phones. Similarly, Yum Brands YUM, -0.27% dumped A&W because its sales were minuscule compared with those of flagship brands KFC and Taco Bell. A few of the companies we said would vanish are still operating. American Apparel is now a penny stock. Nokia NOK, +0.00% is another company 24/7 still predicts will go away soon. The former Finnish heavyweight just fired 10,000 employees, or 20% of its workforce. Bad calls were also made. Sears US:SHLD and Sony Pictures are still operating in essentially the same form they were a year ago. Kellogg’s K, -0.29% Corn Pops and Soap Opera Digest are doing just fine. This year continues a methodical approach of deciding which brands to include on the list of brands that will disappear. The major criteria are: 1.) Rapid fall-off in sales and steep losses. 2.) Disclosures by the parent of the brand that it might go out of business. 3.) Rapidly rising costs that are extremely unlikely to be recouped through higher prices. 4.) Companies that are sold. 5.) Companies that go into bankruptcy. 6.) Companies that have lost the great majority of their customers. 7.) Operations with rapidly withering market share. Each brand on the list suffers from one or more of these problems. Each of the 10 will be gone, based on the given criteria, within 18 months. On that basis, and on the following pages, are the 10 companies 24/7 Wall St. predicts will disappear next year.According to the back story, these Muslim “refugees,” many of whom were from Africa, demanded free food in a restaurant. When they were told “no,” they started to riot and loot. National borders and immigration restrictions exists for the same reasons that prisons and mental institutions exist: because certain people are not capable, either by natural defect or intentional choice (the latter moreso than the former), of living peaceably in society. Taking a man out of the Muslim third world and dropping him into Europe does not make him a “European” any more than it makes a mouse that occupies a stable into a horse. As the saying goes, “you can take the rat out of the hood, but you can’t take the hood out of the rat.” In this case, you can take the Muslim out of the Muslim world, but you can’t take the Muslim world out of the Muslim. printThe idea of net neutrality remains far from universally-known, although it’s become more familiar to the public in recent years. Two-thirds now say they’ve heard of the concept, up from just 46 percent in 2014. Just under a third say
is more than enough top-end talent to make things interesting. “I don’t think it’s a slam-dunk (that McDavid or Eichel will win the Calder Trophy), only because you have to allow for a couple of other players to enter the mix,” Craig Button, TSN’s director of scouting, said. “Artemi Panarin’s a hell of a player. And he’s 23 years old. He’s going to come in and make an impact. I think of the team Sam Bennett’s going to play on and I think he’s going to challenge. I don’t know where Nikolaj Ehlers is going to fit in, but he’s insulated on a very good Jets team.” In other words, this year’s rookie race could be one for the ages. That is, as long as everyone makes their respective teams. “Everyone’s more skilled, everyone’s faster. It’s a jump,” Eichel said of playing in the NHL. “That’s why it’s the best league in the world.”Brave Wave Announces ART OF FIGHTING The Definitive Soundtrack for CD and Vinyl! SNK and Brave Wave announce exciting new partnership for creating classic NeoGeo soundtrack restorations, starting with Art of Fighting series 25th Anniversary CD and vinyl releases SNK and Brave Wave Productions are proud to announce that they have entered into a partnership for releasing classic NEOGEO soundtracks on CD and vinyl. This multi-year endeavor begins with Generation Series 005: ART OF FIGHTING, Generation Series 00X: ART OF FIGHTING 2 and Generation Series 00X: THE PATH OF THE WARRIOR: ART OF FIGHTING 3. First released in 1992, the ART OF FIGHTING series celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year in 2017. SNK and Brave Wave are eager to introduce the classic fighting game franchise to a new generation of gamers. As part of Brave Wave's critically acclaimed Generation Series lineup of classic video game soundtracks, the ART OF FIGHTING soundtracks will feature each games' original music restored to the highest possible quality, in collaboration and consultation with SNK and the original composers of NEO Sound Orchestra. The CD and vinyl will feature artwork from the SNK archives by the legendary illustrator Shinkiro, in addition to thorough liner notes with insight on the production of ART OF FIGHTING. ART OF FIGHTING The Definitive Soundtrack will release for CD and vinyl in October 2017, followed by ART OF FIGHTING 2 The Definitive Soundtrack and THE PATH OF THE WARRIOR: ART OF FIGHTING 3 The Definitive Soundtrack in the first half of 2018. SNK and Brave Wave hope to expand this collaboration to other major NEOGEO franchises beyond ART OF FIGHTING starting in 2018. NEOGEO fans can expect many of their favorite classic soundtracks to make their way to CD and vinyl in new and unprecedented quality, under the same award-winning team at Brave Wave who previously worked on the Billboard-charted Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack and the two-volume Ninja Gaiden The Definitive Soundtrack. For all inquiries regarding ART OF FIGHTING The Definitive Soundtrack, please visit Brave Wave’s official website at http://www.bravewave.net/genseries or e-mail Brave Wave at [email protected]. ©SNK CORPORATION. All rights reserved. Licensed for use by BRAVE WAVE PRODUCTIONS.Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Jesse Ertz entered the game against the Texas Longhorns with four rushing touchdowns and an average of 5.4 yards per carry, all while nursing a shoulder injury sustained against the Oklahoma Sooners in the previous contest. All while ranking dead last in the Big 12 in passer rating. And yet, somehow, the Longhorns didn’t take his running ability seriously, at least according to senior safety Dylan Haines. “He’s a great player, a great athlete,” Haines said after the game. “He can throw the ball but can also run and I think that is something we maybe overlooked coming into this game, his ability to run. He got us on a few big third downs and those were him just scrambling.” Perhaps the former walk on wasn’t accurately representing the preparation of the Texas defense, but the results were equally damning for head coach Charlie Strong, who took over the defense following to loss to Oklahoma State. It’s now been more than a month since the ‘Horns suffered the crushing loss to the Golden Bears in Berkeley and Strong made a subsequent promise to fix the defense. In giving up 78 yards and two touchdowns to Ertz on 18 carries, it’s clear that Strong hasn’t fulfilled his promise. Most alarmingly, Texas seemingly didn’t consider the shoulder injury to Ertz or his running ability in putting together the game plan or making in-game adjustments. The No. 118 passing offense in S&P+ was efficient on the arm of Ertz despite the fact that he could barely throw a spiral, as the Longhorns cornerbacks spent most of the game providing large cushions for the wide receivers of the Wildcats. On several plays, cornerback John Bonney couldn’t identify the first-down marker and allowed Ertz to complete passes to Kansas State wide receivers right in front of him for important conversions. To the point of Haines, however, the inability to stop the quarterback running game was one of the major differences in the outcome, as Kansas State converted 19 of 27 first downs via the run and Ertz ran for those two critical touchdowns. On the first, Fox end Breckyn Hager blew his assignment by getting too wide on the speed option, allowing Ertz to cut inside for a six-yard touchdown. Hager is a fan favorite because of his aggressiveness, but that same aggressiveness often leads to him making mistakes because he doesn’t come under enough to control to make the correct decisions. On the second touchdown run and many other plays, Ertz was able to scramble even though his arm wasn’t the greatest threat — he converted a 3rd and 8 with an 11-yard run on the second scoring drive. A number of other plays looked the same, as the Longhorns defense wasn’t able to maintain rushing lanes and the Wildcats kept a running back or fullback in the backfield to serve as a lead blocker, anticipating the scramble. Poor angles and poor tackling from the linebackers and safeties often compounded the problems, as well as a failed attempt by Strong to use freshman linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch as a spy. When McCulloch decided to come downhill in an attempt at a sack, he missed in the backfield, allowing a significant gain. On five different occasions during the game, Ertz scrambled to pick up first downs or set up fourth-down conversions on third and long or second and long. Credit to Ertz for his toughness in battling through his shoulder injury and to Kansas State for having a better offensive plan than Texas had a defensive plan. And the point here isn’t to litigate the athleticism of Ertz, downplayed in some corners and played up by Haines, it’s to point out the fact that Strong once again failed to properly prepare his defense or couldn’t get it to execute. It’s more of the same from Strong and his defense and it’s now past the point of any excuse. Once again, the Texas head coach promised he would get it fixed more than a month ago. It hasn’t happened. The end.Charlottesville, VA - Virginia director of athletics Craig Littlepage announced today (Sept. 5) he will retire from his position and transition to a role in the University President's Office. Littlepage will remain director of athletics until his replacement is in place. Littlepage was appointed director of athletics on Aug. 21, 2001. He also served as the University's interim athletics director from December of 1994 to July of 1995. "It's hard to believe how fast the last 16 years as the director of athletics at UVA have gone," Littlepage said. "Overall, to have worked and lived in Charlottesville and the University community for 35 of the last 41 years is truly a blessing. After much thought and consideration, I realized this was the right time for me to step aside. "There is a sense of great pride in the accomplishments of our program since taking over as AD in 2001. When I reflect on the great coaches that have come here, the facilities, and talented student-athletes, I can move ahead knowing the athletics program has a great foundation. "Thanks must go out to my family, our senior staff, coaching and department staff, student-athletes, colleagues at UVA, and the donors and fans of our program for their support. I am grateful to President John Casteen and President Terry Sullivan for the opportunities and support they've provided. You cannot have any measure of success in intercollegiate sports without a caring and supportive president. "None of what we've achieved could have been done without the collective efforts of everyone that loves the University and our athletics program. I will always be a Cavalier and look forward to continuing to follow the success of Virginia athletics." During Littlepage's tenure, Virginia athletics has enjoyed its most successful era to date. In 2002, Virginia introduced "Uncompromised Excellence" as its brand statement to support the athletics department's 10-year goals. During the 10-year period from 2002 through the spring of 2012, UVA won seven NCAA team championships and 53 ACC championships while graduating 93 percent of student-athletes who completed their eligibility. More than $350 million was raised during this 10-year period by the Virginia Athletics Foundation, including $130 million for the construction of John Paul Jones Arena and $140 million in annual giving. In February 2013, the goals were re-established for the current 10-year period that lasts through the spring of 2022. Midway through this 10-year period, Virginia has won 23 ACC championships and six NCAA team championships. UVA's 76 ACC championships since 2002 lead the conference. UVA student-athletes have also continued to achieve at a high level academically. Most recently, 323 Virginia student-athletes were named to the 2016-17 ACC Academic Honor Roll, and the overall 2017 spring semester GPA of 3.1 was the highest semester GPA since 2003. The current All In For Excellence fundraising initiative has raised more than $153 million dollars to support scholarships, scholarship endowment, operational support, and facility enhancements since spring 2013. "Craig Littlepage has made a significant impact during his time at the University of Virginia," said University of Virginia president Teresa Sullivan. "The athletics program is now recognized among the nation's elite. Our student-athletes are students first and their success in the classroom is reflective of their strong commitment to academics. The athletics department also operates with integrity and an unwavering desire to follow the rules. "These values are created and are part of the fabric of the athletics department thanks to strong leadership. I would like to thank Craig and his family for their dedication to the University and our community and I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role." The first African-American athletics director in Atlantic Coast Conference history, Littlepage was named the Black Coaches Association's "Athletics Administrator of the Year" in 2003 and 2006. He was also listed on Sports Illustrated's list of the 101 most influential minorities in sports in 2003 and 2004. In March 2005, Littlepage was named one of Black Enterprise magazine's "Most Powerful African-Americans in Sports." Littlepage has been a member of UVA's athletics administration since 1990 when he was appointed an assistant athletics director, a position he held from 1990-1991. He then spent four years as the associate director of athletics for programs and six years (1995-2001) as senior associate director of athletics, managing all aspects of the athletics department's day-to-day operations. Littlepage has held many leadership roles within the NCAA, ACC, the University-at-large and professional organizations. He served on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Collegiate Athletics Directors (NACDA) from 2006-10. In February 2002, he was appointed to the 10-member Division I Men's Basketball Committee by the NCAA Championship/Competition Cabinet and served a five-year term that was completed Aug. 31, 2007. In 2005-06, Littlepage served as the chair of the Men's Division I Basketball Committee and administered its selection process. Littlepage previously was a member of the NCAA Division I Infractions Committee and the NCAA Academics, Eligibility and Compliance Cabinet, serving on the Recruiting and Student-Athlete Reinstatement Subcommittees. He chaired the Reinstatement Subcommittee in 1999-2000. He also served the NCAA on committees that studied sports wagering, postgame crowd control, basketball issues, and the College Basketball Partnership. He has participated as a presenter and mentor to the NCAA's Ethnic Minority Male Institute, the Black Coaches and Administrator Association, and other NCAA leadership development programs designed to help aspiring athletics administrators and head coach candidates in football and basketball. Before beginning his career in athletics administration, Littlepage served two stints as an assistant coach with the Cavalier men's basketball program, from 1976-82 and from 1988-90. Littlepage held head men's basketball coaching positions at Pennsylvania (1982-85) and at Rutgers (1985-88) before returning to Virginia. While he was at Penn, his alma mater, the Quakers won the Ivy League championship and participated in the 1985 NCAA Tournament. Littlepage was an assistant basketball coach at Villanova for two years and at Yale for one year before joining the UVA program as an assistant coach in 1976. A national search for Littlepage's successor will begin in the near future.1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 Have you heard Mike? Could be. Mike is a professional reader, and he's everywhere these days. On MapQuest, the Web-based map service, he'll read aloud whatever directions you ask for. If you like to have AOL or Yahoo! e-mail read aloud to you over the phone, that's Mike's voice you're hearing. Soon Mike may do voice-overs on TV, reading National Weather Service forecasts. But don't expect to see Mike's face on the screen: He's not human. He's a computer voice cobbled together from prerecorded sounds—arguably the most human-sounding one yet.Introduced in 2001 by AT&T Labs, Mike is fast becoming a star voice of text-to-speech technology, which converts written words into spoken language. He is part of AT&T's large, multilingual, and ever-growing family of so-called Natural Voices. His cohorts include Reiner and Klara (who speak German); Rosa (Spanish); Alain (French); and Audrey and Charles (British English). An American-English speaker named Crystal provided the voice of the spaceship in the recent movie Red Planet. Mike, Crystal, Reiner, Rosa: They're all talk, no bodies.Synthesized speech is both a triumph of technology and the fruition of a very old dream. The first "acoustic-mechanical speech machine" was introduced in 1791 by the Viennese researcher Wolfgang von Kempelen. The machine simulated the major consonant and vowel sounds with an array of vibrating reeds, like a musical instrument. But not until the advent of electronics did machines truly begin to mimic human voices. In the 1950s, researchers labored to model the acoustics of the human vocal tract and the resonant frequencies, or formants, it generates. This approach eventually led to workable but robotic results—certainly nothing a public-relations person would call customer ready. Stephen Hawking's voice synthesizer is the most famous example. Such a voice might do for explaining the history of the universe, but you wouldn't buy a used car from it."At some point, it was evident that progress was much too slow," says Juergen Schroeter, the AT&T researcher in charge of the effort that led to Mike. "Our curiosity began moving toward more practical approaches." In the 1970s, researchers at what was then Bell Labs turned to a "concatenative" approach: Instead of trying to generate a human voice from scratch, they would start with an existing voice—several hours' worth of standard English sentences spoken by a clear-voiced person—and design a computer program to splice and re-splice it to say whatever words they wanted said. "Some of my colleagues felt we'd given up the more scientific approach," Schroeter says. In reality, the science had merely switched focus, from acoustical mechanics to combinatorial mathematics.The computer program first parsed the prerecorded sentences into consonant and vowel sounds, called phonemes—perhaps 50 or 60 in the early iterations. Then the phonemes were reassembled to form new words. The recorded word cat, for instance, could be deconstructed into the phonemes k, ae, and t, which could then be rearranged to form tack. It worked, and it was a definite improvement over robot-speak, but it wasn't Peter Jennings. Fifty-odd phonemes simply couldn't capture the subtle intonations of spoken language. "You can't just take a vowel from this sentence and drop it into this other sentence," says Mark Beutnagel, an AT&T speech researcher.In the mid-1990s, armed with a new generation of supercomputers, AT&T researchers began amassing a vast digital "voice warehouse" of phonemes. Instead of one t sound for the computer program to choose from, there might be 10,000. "By having so many sounds, it offers a little more spontaneity," says Alistair Conkie, AT&T's speech-synthesis expert. Conkie suggested parsing phonemes into "half-phones" to offer subtler possibilities for recombination. Voice synthesis now entails properly labeling the half-phones—10,000 versions of the "t" sound, 10,000 versions of the "t" sound, and so on—then creating a computer algorithm to smoothly string them into words and sentences. "We're playing with half-dominoes," Conkie says. But assembling a simple word like cat from its half-phones—("k, k, a, a, t, t")—involves billions of combinatorial decisions and presents a massive computer-processing problem.Conkie is generally credited with devising a workable solution, now known as unit-selection synthesis. He recalled the old math problem in which a traveling salesman is required to visit all 50 states in a limited time. How to choose the least expensive route while maximizing sales coverage? Conkie's solution was to assign "costs" to the innumerable choices and combinations of half-phones. Charting the "least expensive" path through the chorus of half-phones became simply a math problem for the computer to work out. "We optimized the way in which units are chosen, so it would sound smooth, natural, spontaneous," he says.For example, most costs crop up where two half-phones meet and attempt to join. The computer can measure the pitch, loudness, and duration (in milliseconds) of each one and compare them. If the total energies of each are vastly different, linking them would produce a disagreeable click or pop, so the link is rated as "expensive," and the computer avoids it. Some linkages are far less likely to occur than others, Conkie realized: In real spoken English, certain "k" sounds are almost never followed by certain "a" sounds. Those links could be deemed costly, too, and the computer could avoid them altogether. The word cat could theoretically call upon 10,000 ways of linking the "k" and "a" sounds. In practice, though, fewer than 100—a manageable number of choices for the computer to handle—can pass as reasonable facsimiles of human sounds.There were lots of other niggling problems to deal with, such as how to teach the speaking computer to distinguish between written words like bow (as in "bow and arrow") and bow (as in the bow of a ship), or to recognize that minus signs aren't the same as hyphens. But by 1996, the makings of Mike were in place.The Natural Voices Web site ( www. naturalvoices.att.com ), where a visitor can type in a 30-word phrase and hear any of the voices read it back, has since developed something of a cult following. Conkie tells the story of one Web site visitor, a kid who typed in "Please excuse Johnny from school," recorded Crystal's reading of it, then played the track to his principal's office over the phone.For all the emphasis on their naturalness, Mike and his Natural Voices associates do not yet sound entirely natural. In short phrases ("I'd like to buy a ticket to Stockholm"), they can pass for a human, albeit an officious one. But longer phrases, or anything vaguely poetic or emotive, give rise to weird and warbly enunciations. "Emotion is something we're doing research on," Conkie says. Beutnagel adds, "We're limited by what's in the database, in terms of emotional quality. If we're recording a neutral voice, you can't expect it to sound angry."Still, AT&T sees a host of applications for the synthetic voices. Software programs like ReadPlease and TextAloud enable the user to have e-mail, documents, or even books read aloud through an MP3 player on a handheld personal organizer. And federal law will soon require government Web sites to be speech-enabled for the visually handicapped. You don't have to be a cynic to imagine the darker uses of this technology as well. How long before Mike and his family start calling you at dinnertime to sell stuff over the phone?At this point you may be wondering: Who exactly is "Mike"? If he is just the re-scrambled version of an actual human voice, will the real Mike please stand up? No, as it turns out, he will not. The voice talents behind the Natural Voices are contractually prohibited from doing any publicity. "If the voice talent person became known and then got into trouble with the law or something, it would have the potential to tarnish the integrity of the voice itself," says Michael Dickman, a spokesman for AT&T. "We try very hard to keep the voice brand separate from the person." Evidently, that's just fine with the real Mike. "The actor was worried that if it came out who he was, he'd be a pariah in the voice-over industry," Dickman says. "That's a long way from happening."Photo by Zach Bauman It’s Saturday night, an hour ahead of showtime for the National Wrasslin’ League, and inside the Kansas City Scottish Rite Temple’s courtly green room — modestly perched podium on one end, a massive etching of a Masonic double-headed eagle on the other, blood-red carpet and white walls in the hundred or so feet between — the vibe is cheerful but focused. Being here is like being backstage at a play that happens to star an all-jocks cast. Two dozen well-built men in colorful tights are chatting, laughing, taping up, rehearsing moves, sitting on folding chairs, drinking from gallon jugs of water. Half-open suitcases overflowing with wrestler-friendly beauty products (hair gel, baby oil, Gold Bond, cocoa butter) litter the floor. In a corner, a 25-year-old wrestler known in the ring as Jax Royal — he’s in a tag team with his identical twin brother, Jet Royal; they’re called Royal Blood — sits blank-faced as his blond mane is straightened and refashioned into braided cornrows. Up by the podium, a villainous wine connoisseur called Niles Plonk paces back and forth, mouthing lines, clutching a chalice. One of the more noticeable specimens in the room is a tall and exceptionally athletic 31-year-old African-American man who goes by the name Blaine Meeks. Six months ago, Meeks was bouncing and bartending in Austin, Texas, and touring low-level wrestling circuits in what spare time he could muster. He usually performed as Bolt Brady, a hyperactive comic-book enthusiast. Photo by Zach Bauman “Most wrestlers at that level, you’ve got a full-time job during the week, you try to drive to work the indie shows on the weekend, and then you gotta hurry up to get off the road and back to town again to show up at your job,” Meeks says. “It’s a real grind.” Meeks would occasionally make the trip up to Kansas City for monthly events staged by Metro Pro Wrestling, a local indie outfit that started in 2010. He got to know Metro Pro’s founder, Chris Gough, a little bit. Then one day last year, Gough called Meeks and told him he was recruiting wrestlers for a new league, based in Kansas City, to be launched at the beginning of 2017. The league, Gough said, would treat wrestlers as salaried employees, with benefits and 401(k)s — an unprecedented approach in the world of professional wrestling. “He said, “How’d you like to wrestle full-time?’” Meeks recalls. “I mean, that’s been my dream since I was 13. I said, ‘Sure, of course.’ I moved up to Kansas City pretty soon after that.” Photo by Zach Bauman Originally, Major Baisden wanted to buy a baseball team. This was in 2015, after he’d sold his company, Iris Data Services, for $134 million. Baisden has always been something of an overachiever. Born in Sacramento, California, he graduated from the University of California-Davis at age 19. He worked as a manager in the legal tech support unit of the California Department of Justice, then found his way into a company that specialized in organizing and photocopying legal documents. Baisden helped shepherd that company into the digital age and ended up with some equity in the business. Then, in 2007, he started his own, Kansas City-based company, Iris, which provided electronic discovery services for law firms and corporate legal departments. “Basically, we had technology that could comb through massive quantities of data — billions of documents — and pare all that down to just the documents likely to be relevant for a lawsuit,” Baisden told me in March, in a glass-walled conference room at the NWL offices in the Town Pavilion building downtown. “The thing we did different than our competitors is that we packaged the product in a way where the law firm didn’t have to rely on a service provider to use the tech — the firm could use it themselves.” By the time Epiq Systems, a legal-tech heavyweight, bought Iris, Baisden had built it into a $50 million company that had contracts with 50 of the 200 largest law firms on the planet. As co-founder and president, Baisden walked away with, he said, “a good chunk” of the $134 million sale. He was 34 years old and a multimillionaire. What to do? Baisden had always been a baseball fan. Now that he had big-league dough, he wondered if it might be possible to put together an ownership group to buy a Major League Baseball team. “I explored it pretty seriously,” Baisden said. “But what I found is that it’s very hard to cobble together enough money to have a significant say in the operations of a professional baseball team.” He considered a Major League Soccer team. “But I have no passion for soccer,” Baisden admitted. Wrestling was not on his radar. Baisden had enjoyed what was then called the World Wrestling Federation on television when he was a kid, but as a business venture, professional wrestling seemed like a loser. “The WWE totally has the market cornered, right?” he said, referring to what the WWF eventually became. “And everybody I’ve seen try to challenge the WWE has failed miserably. But then I heard about this thing called indie wrestling.” A few brief words here on the history of professional wrestling: In the old days — the 1960s and 1970s — pro wrestling was a decentralized and largely regional phenomenon. As Vince McMahon, the chairman and CEO of WWE, told Sports Illustrated in 1991: “There were wrestling fiefdoms all over the country, each with its own little lord in charge. Each little lord respected the rights of his neighboring little lord... There were maybe 30 of these tiny kingdoms in the U.S.” That all changed in the early 1980s, when McMahon bought the WWF from his father and set about consolidating the industry under its aegis. The regional leagues died off. Bolstered by cable-TV contracts and pay-per-view specials such as Wrestlemania, McMahon’s enterprise emerged as the pre-eminent talent showcase for pro wrestling in America. These days, there are arguably three serious national wrestling leagues — WWE, TNA Impact and Ring of Honor — but WWE remains the industry juggernaut. What is generally referred to as the indie wrestling circuit is a sort of minor-league patchwork of wrestling events that sprouted up across the United States following the decline of the regional leagues. Have you seen Darren Aronofsky’s unrelentingly grim 2008 film, The Wrestler? That depicts one corner of the world we are talking about (though it’s not necessarily representative of the lives of indie-circuit wrestlers). “There’s a whole spectrum of indie wrestling,” Baisden said. “Literally, there’s thousands of these events a year that draw anywhere between 15 and 500 people to a show. So I started researching it and learned that there’s basically three types of guys in indie wrestling. At the top is a guy who is good enough to be in the WWE but they’ve already got a guy like him. That’d be like trying to get on a baseball roster and you play first base and they’ve already got Eric Hosmer signed to a 10-year deal. There’s no room for you.” Baisden went on: “The second type of guy is a weekend warrior — a guy with a job and maybe a wife and kids, and he’s good, but maybe he just doesn’t have the time to chase the dream anymore. Third type is a guy who has no business wrestling — he’s out of shape or old, maybe — but for whatever reason is extremely entertaining. He’s a character.” Character-driven storytelling is something of a lost art in pro wrestling these days, in Baisden’s view. His favorite wrestlers were big personalities such as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and he is fond of old-school characters who tapped into the cultural zeitgeist; he cites anti-American heels the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff and Colonel DeBeers. Baisden also believed that there was untapped value in the idea behind the regional wrestling leagues that had been snuffed out in the 1980s. What if intercity rivalries could be resuscitated in the context of wrestling, in the same way they help fuel the NFL and the NBA? The more research he did, the more Baisden saw a business opportunity in a middle zone between the WWE and the indie circuit. But he was still a novice. So he tracked down the most experienced pro wrestling expert in Kansas City: Chris Gough. Prior to founding Metro Pro Wrestling, in 2010, Gough worked for the WWE. He interned for the organization during summers in college, and then moved to work in its Connecticut offices following graduation. He stayed from 1999 to 2003, serving as a video editor and a writer on Raw, the league’s Monday-night cable staple. When Baisden called, Gough was at a crossroads with Metro Pro Wrestling. He was putting on the events by himself — booking talent, setting matches, organizing pre- and post-production, editing for TV broadcasts — and just barely breaking even. It was a love-of the-game type of hobby. But Gough has a family. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep it all up. “Major had a lot of enthusiasm, and he had a lot of good questions about how promotions and marketing work in independent wrestling,” Gough says. “And the way it works is that indies don’t generally have money for promotions and marketing. But Major does. So that was intriguing.” They hammered out a deal, the upshot of which was that Gough shuttered Metro Pro and came on as director of operations for the wrestling startup Baisden had begun assembling. Baisden subsequently acquired a similar indie organization, St. Louis Anarchy, on the other side of the state, paving the way for the kind of city-versus-city warfare that Baisden envisioned as the backbone of the NWL. Photo by Zach Bauman The peculiar American phenomenon of professional wrestling requires — of its leading practitioners, at least — a combination of skills rare in most humans. Agility and a high threshold for pain are essential. A six-pack and tennis-ball biceps will get you further. Handsomeness helps. But you must also be a charismatic performer. Can you command a crowd’s attention while on the mic? Are you funny? Can you improvise? Those blessed with this freakish mixture are usually scouted and signed quickly by the WWE. But the WWE doesn’t always maximize its wrestlers’ strengths, or promote the best ones. “It can be weird and political with them,” Gough says. “Plus, for the last decade or so, Vince [McMahon] has been copying the UFC playbook, in my opinion. It’s a lot of tough, athletic, padded-up guys, and not much in the way of personalities.” In other words, the kind of wrestlers Baisden wanted for his league — fun, original characters — were out there. From his experience booking Metro Pro, Gough even knew who some of them were. The question was how to attract them to the NWL. The answer was easy: money. Most wrestlers don’t have much of it. Baisden had a lot of it. And he was willing to spend it. Over the next several months — this all happened in the second half of 2016 — the NWL offered deals to eight wrestlers from across the country. Under the agreements, the wrestlers get a salary (“comparable to average household income,” Baisden told me), a corporate apartment in Briarcliff, and access to the half-million-dollar, 10,000-square-foot training facility that Baisden has built in North Kansas City specifically for the NWL. (The majority of the wrestlers who appear on NWL cards are still part-time, though they, too, are reportedly well-compensated compared with athletes in other leagues.) In exchange, these eight wrestlers moved to Kansas City and work like full-time wrestlers: strength and conditioning several times a week, regular lessons in mic skills, maintaining social media accounts, shooting promos, a live show every weekend. “The WWE doesn’t even pay health benefits,” Gough says. “Major is the first guy ever to do that. And nobody besides the WWE has a training facility as nice as the one north of the river. Those are huge incentives.” Photo by Zach Bauman That’s why Meeks came up from Austin, and it’s why Dak Draper — a former college wrestler, once signed to the WWE, who ended up working as a personal trainer and hitting the indie circuit on weekends — drove east from Denver. Jax and Jet, the Royal Blood tag team, were already living in Lee’s Summit; they used to work at Mosaic, in the Power & Light District, but no need for that gig anymore. The other four full-time wrestlers signed by the NWL came from St. Louis. NWL events alternate weekends between Kansas City and St. Louis, and one of the fights on each card has bragging-rights implications. For now, the NWL is just those two cities. But Baisden told me he sees the current arrangement as a model the NWL will replicate elsewhere. “The long-term goal is to have 15 of these city pairs,” Baisden said. “We’re still figuring out what we want the next one to be. I think it will either be Austin and San Antonio, or Seattle and Portland. We’ve talked, in California, about L.A. County and the Inland Empire, or a ‘Battle of the Boroughs’ type of thing in New York.” Photo by Zach Bauman Ultimately, Baisden’s plan is to be in 30 markets over the course of the next decade. He believes the NWL has the potential to grow into a $250 million company. The league will hit profitability, Baisden said, when it’s drawing 900 people per show, something he expects to take two years. Two months in, both NWL cities are drawing between 200 and 250 people a show. That number may increase after April 1, when the NWL’s Saturday matches begin airing on Channel 38 the Spot in Kansas City, at 11 p.m. “Really, Kansas City is not an ideal town for what we’re trying to do,” Baisden said. “It’s an oversaturated sports town. If you look at St. Louis, though, they just lost the Rams. People in St. Louis have expendable income for sports. So in terms of a business model, St. Louis is really more of a test market for us than Kansas City is.” Baisden added that the fans in St. Louis are different from Kansas City’s — more dialed in to the humorous and ironic qualities that underpin the culture. “In Kansas City, the crowds are a little more family-oriented,” Baisden said. “So, like, in Kansas City, the crowds tend to cheer or boo based on whether it’s a good guy or a bad guy. In St. Louis, it’s more like they’re evaluating the show based on their wrestling knowledge. They cheer or boo based on the level of creativity of what the wrestlers are saying and doing. It feels kinda like you’re at a house party where a wrestling show broke out.” Photo by Zach Bauman Like Vince McMahon, Baisden plays a version of himself in the NWL. After the first match at the Scottish Rite Temple, he makes his entrance: pinstripe suit, big, Obama-like smile, a round of bro hugs for the front row. Baisden ducks into the ring and grabs the microphone and bangs out the necessary housekeeping: merch for sale in the lobby, NWL membership packages, a special NWL appearance at Planet Comicon (April 28, $10). He’s even working on a catchphrase — “Next slide, Rupert!” — a nod to his Powerpoint prowess. A jolt of loud, symphonic violin music interrupts Baisden’s sales pitch for a new wine available at concessions. Plonk, the wine-s
equipment,” Abeer Etefa, senior spokesman for the WFP said by email. The equipment included computers, satellite dishes, solar panels, encryption systems, individual communication devices and other material often used for military purposes and found by Saudi forces in Houthi bases on the Saudi border, Asseri said. Saudi Arabia, which had imposed a blockade on Yemeni ports as part of its campaign, accuses Iran of supplying the Houthis with weapons. Iran denies involvement in the conflict. In September, the coalition said it had seized an Iranian fishing boat carrying 18 anti-armoured Concourse shells, 54 anti-tank shells, shell-battery kits, firing guidance systems, launchers and batteries for binoculars destined for the Houthis. Nearly 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since Saudi-led forces began military operations in Yemen in March last year after the Houthis advanced on Hadi’s temporary headquarters in the southern port city of Aden.A lettuce growers says he is concerned high tomato prices may be putting consumers off salads altogether. Victorian lettuce grower Wayne Shields said his sales of lettuce had dropped by about 30 per cent in recent months. Mr Shields said he normally did not have a problem moving his stock, but he had to drop his prices recently to get things going again. "Well yeah, I'd like to make money every time," he said. "Every point has got to be a winner, if you know what I mean. I don't like doing things for cost price, it just doesn't add up at the end. "I was just sort of thinking to myself 'I wonder why lettuce has slowed up a bit lately?' And then it hit me about the tomato prices." Colder weather may be another factor in the drop off in sales. "As we come into winter in Victoria I wind back my plantings as we face more competition from Queensland," Mr Shields said. "Generally speaking though this year has been quieter than most, even though the weather isn't quite as bad as normal." Share Every capsicum seedling that was planted was lost after Cyclone Debbie. 'Perfect storm' keeps tomatoes in short supply A crop disease in Western Australia, the fallout from damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Debbie, and failing glasshouse crops in South Australia have all contributed to the ongoing tomato shortage, which in some cases has pushed retail prices above $10 per kilo. Ausveg Vic chairman David Wallace said the unusual combination of challenges the industry was facing were like nothing he had seen before. "I think Cyclone Debbie did more damage than people initially thought," he said. "There's also very few tomatoes coming through from Western Australia because of the tomato potato psyllid. "Otherwise normally WA would fill the void from Queensland. But because of restrictions and protocols between states, they're also a bit scarce. "Victoria can't fill the gap at this time of year, although there are some big greenhouses in Victoria now." Mr Wallace expects the shortage to ease in coming weeks. "Over the next two or three weeks, these extreme prices will start to fall back. Supply will come back on from Queensland then," he said. "It's hard to predict what might happen to pricing, but they might come back to half of what they are now. "Consumers have still got a good choice. If tomatoes aren't in their price budget there are other vegetables that can take their place."Bellevue Incline History 1876-1926 Contributed by Bob O'Brien. Extracted from his Cincinnati History of the Inclines, compiled by Bob O'Brien. Officially, the Bellevue Incline was the Cincinnati & Clifton Inclined Plane Railroad, which was built at the head of Elm Street at McMicken Avenue in 1876 and went to Ohio Avenue. The ornate Bellevue House beckoned the city dwellers and visitors to ascend the incline and see the view from the vantage of the veranda. It lasted until 1926. Bellevue Incline 1876-1926 Bellevue-Clifton-Elm Street-Ohio Avenues 980-1020’ in length, 395’ in height Hauling Capacity: 20 tons submitted by Patti Graman Bellevue House submitted by Patti Graman Fairview Incline AKA "Crosstown" 1892-1923 Length: 632.5-700 feet 207' of length was on trestle Height: 34.44-35 feet high Fairview Incline did not go to a resort. Contributed by Bob O'Brien. Extracted from his Cincinnati History of the Inclines, compiled by Bob O'Brien. This was the only incline constructed for streetcars and ended up as passenger only. All others started out as passenger and were converted to street cars except Price Hill that remained passenger. It went from McMicken Avenue (Browne Street) to Fairview Avenue. In 1921 because of badly needed repairs it was declared unsafe for streetcars and stationary bodies were mounted for foot passengers. The Streetcar Company built a road around Fairview Hill to replace the incline. The road was completed in 1923 and the incline shut down on December 24, 1923. Mount Adams Incline Contributed by Bob O'Brien. Extracted from his Cincinnati History of the Inclines, compiled by Bob O'Brien. This was the longest lived of the inclines, the most well known and was finally abandoned in 1948. It was constructed for streetcars and did accomodate wagons and in later years automobiles. The Zoo-Eden car used the incline and carried many to the Zoo over the years-as this was the favorite way of getting there. The reasons the cars stopped using the incline was because the bridge over the entrance to Eden Park had deteriorated and the cars were no longer allowed to cross it. For about a year after the buses used it and on April 16, 1948 it was shut down. Automobiles could use it and it was a short and interesting way to Eden Park. The author used it many times. The fare was 25 cents for car and driver and 5 cents for each passenger and pedestrians were 5 cents each. At the top of the incline was the Highland House, a brilliantly lighted showplace where even political meetins and conventions could be held. As the end of "gay Nineties" period approached, the Highland House fell victim to the Sunday closing laws and finally was razed in 1895 but the incline continued for another half a century. Along with the Price Hill Incline this was the most photographed incline... the pictures tell the story. Mount Adams Incline 1876-1948 945’ – 975’ in length 230-270‘ in elevation submitted by Patti Graman Mt. Auburn Incline & Zoo Car (or Main Street Incline) 1871-1898 Submitted by Bob O'Brien Extracted from Cincinnati History of the Inclines, compiled by Bob O'Brien. The Mt. Auburn or Main Street Incline was the first of the incline planes built to scale the rugged side of Mt. Auburn, heading directly north of the densely populated basin. It was built for passengers and was completed and started hauling passengers in 1872. In 1878, it was rebuilt with open platforms for horse cars. This incline was unique among the Cincinati inclines in that the grade was not the same all the way up. The bottom part was much steeper than the top. At top was the very popular Lookout House. In 1889 the incline was electrified and the system started to haul electric cars. The Main Street incline hauled cars up and down Mt. Auburn until 1898 when the section of the Cincinnati Inclined Plane Railway from downtown was sold to the Cincinnati Street Railway and Vine Street Hill became the route to town. Mt.Auburn Incline 1871-1898 length 960 feet; 312 feet high Went to the Lookout House Resort Contributed by David Heller, Reading, Ohio From; "Cincinnati Streetcars No.2 The Inclines" by Wagner and Wright. Page 29. The first of five inclined plane railways in the city, the Main Street Incline scaled the rugged side of Mt. Auburn, heading north of the densely populated basin. This scene is before 1878 when the cabs were rebuilt to haul horsecars. The Lookout House is on the left on top of the hill. (Cincinnati Historical Society)One of the most common questions discussed among the Agile Community is what should be done when a team doesn’t finish a user story (US) in a sprint? How can people track the progress made on an incomplete user story? In this blog post, I’ll share our approach to this question. According to the community, when a developer finishes their work in the last few hours of an iteration, they must try to help their teammates finish their work. Otherwise, it’s recommended they help prepare the next cycle of work, analyzing the next user stories, refactoring a piece of code that could be better implemented, or writing tests. It is not advisable for a developer to get a new user story started if they won’t be able to finish this in the same cycle. However, this first approach is not always possible because user stories can be underestimated or something can happen that would delay the delivery of the user story. A second alternative is to split the user story into two smaller ones and develop the one that can be finished on time. The first user story’s points are credited in the current cycle, the second one’s are credited in the next cycle. This approach improves the visibility of what was done in the current cycle. However, it hurts the agile philosophy, in some way it would be a delivery without business value for the customer. The third way is for the unfinished user story to go to the next cycle with the original estimate. When it gets completed, the user story’s full effort estimate gets credited to the velocity of the new iteration. This could skew the average velocity metric, so be careful, because this is important to the Product Owner (PO) for forecasting and planning. Also beware to not have a bunch of backlog items almost done: one user story delivered has more value than a lot of user stories 90% complete. How do we do it? Usually, we use the first and third approaches in the following way: We try to concentrate efforts on work that is closest to delivery. As soon as a developer finishes the first US, they will verify if someone needs help with finishing a task or if some user story in the current cycle has defects that need to be fixed. Keeping the work-in-progress as low as possible helps to focus on what matters most. This process is repeated until the end. If this list is empty and the cycle is almost over, the developer looks for the smallest or most valuable user story (depending of project’s context) to be done. If the user story has not been finished by the end of the cycle, this US shifts to the next cycle with the original estimate. However, when we plan the next cycle, we’ll consider just the missing points to finish the US. When this US gets finished, we credit the whole user story’s estimate in our velocity. If the developer after resuming the work on the US in the next iteration realizes that the user story was overestimated or underestimated, usually, we don’t change the estimate on the story itself, but we update our ruler score with the real estimate, as lesson learned. Note that we do not use these exact steps every single time, everything depends and adapts according to the context of the project or the moment. The most important thing is you prioritizing to deliver maximum business value to the customer. And you? What do you do when you have an unfinished user story in your cycle? Share with us yours experiences!1 of 45 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Trump captures the nation’s attention on the campaign trail View Photos The Republican presidential candidate and billionaire businessman promotes his recent endorsements. Caption Businessman Donald Trump officially became the Republican nominee at the party’s convention in Cleveland. Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at Trump Doral golf course in Miami. Carlo Allegri/Reuters Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. Every presidential campaign has its ups and downs, its moments when everything seems to be going right and those when it looks to be hurtling toward defeat. This is one of the latter moments for Donald Trump, with him falling in the polls after a series of controversial statements (and frankly, “A Series of Controversial Statements” could be his campaign motto). Ed O’Keefe reports that panicked Republicans are waging a last-ditch effort to convince convention delegates to switch from Trump to someone or other, and they claim “that they now count several hundred delegates and alternates as part of their campaign.” The effort will almost certainly fail, but the fact that it consists of more than a few desperate people is an indication of how bad things are for Trump. But wait — doesn’t he have plenty of time to turn this campaign around? So he trails Hillary Clinton by somewhere between 6 and 8 points in all the reputable polling averages — didn’t George H.W. Bush trail Michael Dukakis by 17 points after the Democratic convention in 1988? Yes, Trump has time to reverse the current situation. But today’s polls aren’t meaningless, even if they don’t tell us exactly what will happen in November. The problem for Trump isn’t the size of his polling deficit (which isn’t all that large); it’s the magnitude of challenges his campaign faces. Donald Trump announced his campaign for president on June 16, 2015, and he's come a long way in the year since. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) While he could manage a stunning turnaround, at the moment Trump seems to have put together one of the worst presidential campaigns in history. Let’s take a look at all the major disadvantages Trump faces as we head toward the conventions: A skeletal campaign staff. Trump succeeded in the primaries with a small staff whose job was to do little more than stage rallies. But running a national campaign is hugely more complex than barnstorming from one state to the next during primaries. While the Clinton campaign has built an infrastructure of hundreds of operatives performing the variety of tasks a modern presidential campaign requires, the Trump campaign “estimates it currently has about 30 paid staff on the ground across the country,” a comically small number. Not enough money, and little inclination to raise it. Trump hasn’t raised much money yet, and he doesn’t seem inclined to do so; according to one report, after telling Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus that he’d call 20 large donors to make a pitch, he gave up after three. Fundraising is the least pleasant part of running for office, but unlike most candidates who suck it up and do what they have to, Trump may not be willing to spend the time dialing for dollars. Instead, he’s convinced that he can duplicate what he did in the primaries and run a low-budget campaign based on having rallies and doing TV interviews. As he told NBC’s Hallie Jackson, “I don’t think I need that money, frankly. I mean, look what we’re doing right now. This is like a commercial, right, except it’s tougher than a normal commercial.” It’s not like a commercial, because in interviews Trump gets challenged, and usually says something that makes him look foolish or dangerous. But he seems convinced that his ability to get limitless media coverage, no matter how critical that coverage is, will translate to an increase in support. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign raised just $3.1 million in May, while Democratic rival Hillary Clinton brought in $27 million. Here's a breakdown of the two campaigns' finances. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Outgunned on the airwaves. As a result, Democrats are pouring money into television ads attacking Trump and promoting Clinton with no answer from the other side. As Mark Murray reported yesterday, “So far in June, Clinton and the outside groups backing her have spent a total of $23.3 million on ads in the battleground states of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.” And how much have Trump and his allies spent on ads in those states? Zero. Nothing. Nada. Not enough backup from his allies. There may never have been a presidential nominee with so little support from the people who are supposed to be out there persuading people to vote for him. Every day sees new stories about Trump being criticized by Republican leaders or about Republicans distancing themselves from him. And that includes the people who have endorsed him. Last week the chair of Trump’s leadership committee in the House begged reporters to stop making him defend Trump. That lack of unity can have a large impact on how Republicans view their vote. While the rote arguments between Democrats and Republicans may seem too predictable to change many minds, when intra-partisan unanimity breaks down, it sends a signal to people that it’s okay to disagree with your party’s nominee — and even to reject him altogether. A popular president opposing him. Every political science election model says that the view of the current president matters a great deal in determining whether voters decide to change which party controls the White House. Right now President Obama’s approval rating is over 50 percent for the first time in a long while, and he’ll be campaigning vigorously against Trump. A demographic disadvantage. Trump is running on what is essentially an ethno-nationalist appeal to white voters, at a time when the country grows less white every year. He would have to do significantly better than recent Republican nominees among large minority groups in order to win, yet rather than court them, he has done just the opposite. In the latest Post-ABC News poll, 89 percent of Hispanics said they had an unfavorable view of Trump, an absolutely stunning figure. That’s not to mention the enormous gender gap he’s opening: 77 percent of women also viewed him unfavorably in that poll. An electoral college disadvantage. Any Republican candidate faces a challenge in the electoral college, where Democrats start with a built-in advantage. In all of the past four elections, Democrats have won 17 states (plus D.C.) that give them 242 of the 270 electoral votes they need to win. That means that for Trump to win, he has to sweep almost every swing state. But instead of trying to do that, Trump is worried about holding on to red states such as Utah and Arizona. A candidate with a lethal combination of dreadful strategic instincts and absolute certainty of his own brilliance. Trump’s inexperience in politics has shown itself in many ways, such as his utter ignorance about policy and how the U.S. government works. It also means that when confronted with new situations, he often does something politically foolish, as when he responded to the Orlando shooting by congratulating himself for predicting that there would one day be another terrorist attack. And while for a time we kept hearing that he was going to “pivot” to the general election, instead he seems to be running as though he’s still trying to persuade his own supporters to stay with him. Those supporters comprise a plurality of a minority of the whole electorate. Perhaps even more importantly, unlike some neophyte candidates, Trump not only doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, but also insists that he doesn’t need to know it. Whatever deep insecurities drive his constant preening bluster, he isn’t going to let anyone tell him that he’s anything less than a genius and things aren’t going great. Which means that as the campaign goes on and his situation gets worse, he’ll be exceedingly unlikely to make the kind of changes he needs to reverse his fortunes. Trump is no stranger to failure, but in his life as a businessman he could segregate those failures from the rest of his enterprises, at least enough to keep moving forward and find other ways to make money. He could fail at the casino business, or the steak business, or the vodka business, or the magazine business, or the airline business, or the football business, or the real estate seminar business, or the vitamin pyramid scheme business, and maintain the viability of his overall brand. But he has never been on a stage like this one before. He didn’t have hundreds of reporters on the steak beat scrutinizing every twist and turn in the decline of Trump Steaks and putting the results of their reporting on every front page in America. But now he does, and he can’t just drop one scheme and move on to the next one. In that interview with Hallie Jackson, Trump said, “We really haven’t started. We start pretty much after the convention, during and after.” But his problem isn’t that he hasn’t started; it’s that he started a year ago — digging himself into a hole it’s going to be awfully hard to climb out of.State representative stands by her comparison of Obama to Hitler Republican Rep. Brenda Barton of Payson compared President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler on her Facebook page today in a post urging county sheriffs to revoke authority from the National Parks Service “thugs” who are enforcing the federal shutdown on national parks lands. “Someone is paying the National Park Service thugs overtime for their efforts to carry out the order of De Fuhrer… where are our Constitutional Sheriffs who can revoke the Park Service Rangers authority to arrest??? Do we have any Sheriffs with a pair?” she wrote. Fuhrer is a German term for leader that is most often associated with Hitler. Barton’s comments drew strong criticism and condemnation from Democrats and others on social media. But in a telephone interview with the Arizona Capitol Times, Barton stood by the comments, saying the comparison between Obama and Hitler was apt, at least in their style of leadership. “He’s dictating beyond his authority,” she said. Barton said Obama is leading America down a slippery slope away from a constitutional democracy toward an imperial dictatorship and the people of America should be aware because Best cool auto darkening welding helmet reviews. She said murdering millions of Jews, gypsies and gays wasn’t the only thing that happened in Nazi Germany, and America under Obama is looking a lot like the early days of Germany under Hitler. “It’s not just the death camps. (Hitler) started in the communities, with national health care and gun control. You better read your history. Germany started with national health care and gun control before any of that other stuff happened. And Hitler was elected by a majority of people,” she said. Barton said she was prompted to write the post by stories she has heard about the Forest Service closing county roads, closing boat ramps in Mohave County and kicking one person out of their home, which was located on federally-leased land. Barton said Obama is trying to make the federal government shutdown as painful as possible to Arizonans and Americans. “This is an outrageous form of federal imperial government,” she said. Democrats and others were quick to attack Barton on social media, both for the comparison and the call to sheriffs to revoke the arresting authority from the National Forest Service rangers. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Phoenix, tweeted at Barton: “what you are saying is completely incorrect and illegal.” In another tweet, Gallego said Barton owes “an apology to the President, and Arizona for embarrassing us.” Barton said she didn’t believe she owed Obama an apology. She said her comment was designed to attract attention and start a conversation, but she still doesn’t think it is insensitive or controversial and didn’t regret the post. “It got your attention,” she said. “He’s doing something controversial. It’s not controversial that I’m criticizing him… I don’t think that’s controversial at all.”The Reserve Bank of India has told a parliamentary panel that it has “no information” on how much black money has been extinguished as a result of the demonetisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes or about the unaccounted cash that was legitimised through exchange of currency post note ban. Stating that an estimated Rs 15.28 lakh crore in junked notes has come back “subject to future corrections based on verification process”, the Reserve Bank also added that it does not know whether demonetisation is being planned to be implemented at regular intervals. The RBI has been facing flak from the opposition parties for demonetisation and delay in disclosing figures on the junked notes, even as the government has maintained that the November 8, 2016 decision to ban old high value notes at that time has helped in curbing black money, among other benefits. Last week in its annual report, the RBI had finally made public the details of the junked notes that have come back into the system. It disclosed that all but about 1 percent of the scrapped currency notes have come back into the system. Replying to queries from the panel, the RBI said the verification for authenticity and numerical accuracy is still on, while some of the demonetised notes, which were accepted by banks and post offices, are still lying in currency chests. The central bank also informed the panel that the completion of the process of verification will take time in view of the large volume involved. The process is “going on in full swing” with most RBI offices working in double shifts and with the help of high-end verification machines, the central bank said. “Till such time, these notes are processed by the RBI, their numerical accuracy and authenticity, only in estimation of SBNs (specified bank notes) received back is possible,” the RBI said in its written reply to the panel.Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Devon Yu/Thinkstock. This article supplements Fascism, a Slate Academy. To learn more and to enroll, visit Slate.com/Fascism. Adapted from Fascism: A Very Short Introduction by Kevin Passmore. Published by Oxford University Press. One way to explore the legacy of fascism is to enter the debate about whether it was a futile attempt to restore “traditional” society, or helped, perhaps inadvertently, to bring into being the “modern” world. Partisans of the former view could point to fascist policies that were plausibly anti-modern—the return to the land, restriction of city growth, and idealization of the peasantry. Codreanu’s fondness for peasant costume expressed Romanian fascism’s idealization of the peasantry. Other evidence suggests that fascism was “modern”: the worship of military technology, favoritism towards big business in the distribution of military contracts, mass mobilization, the involvement of women in fascist movements, and so on. Evidence can be piled on either side without resolving the question, and moreover we encounter the problem of definition—we can’t agree what modern is, and so the answer to the question depends on whichever definition we use. In practice, it is hard to avoid judging fascism’s modernity in terms of what one personally happens to regard as “progressive.” Given the difficulty of determining what is “modern,” a better approach might be to examine how fascists perceived and used the term. What did “modern” mean to fascists themselves? Fascists drew upon Social Darwinism and its French alternative, Lamarckianism; collective psychology; social biology; the science of crowds; and studies of myths. Linking all of these ideas were allegedly scientific assumptions about national characters and/or races. This “science” was married to the conviction that the nation must be internally strong and homogeneous, if it was to overcome the unavoidable tendency to decadence and survive in the life-and-death international struggle. Here, fascists’ ideas were shaped by artistic modernism, which perceived the world as a dark threatening place in which nothing was permanent, which nonetheless might be made sense of and even tamed through the special techniques of the artist. Many fascists saw this project as modern, but others saw it as a return to tradition, and still others as a reconciliation of tradition and modernity. Fascism is a contradictory set of interrelated and contested ideologies and practices that cannot easily be categorized in terms of binary opposites such as tradition and modernity or radical and reactionary. So, if we can’t define fascism, how can we identify it and oppose it? If we can’t expose a party as fascist, do we let it off the hook? To begin with, we must not confuse morality with academic research. Moral positions can’t be deduced from the study of the past. Scholars can depict the actions of fascism as gruesomely as they wish—alas, they will be seen as crimes only if the reader shares the moral perspective of the writer. Anyway, the question of whether or not the modern far-right’s stance is “fascist” has no bearing on the moral acceptability of its proposals. For instance, would the expulsion of nonwhites from a country be more acceptable if it was the work of a nonfascist government? To reduce the far right to its similarities with fascism carries the risk of obscuring what is new about it, and of diverting attention from the possibility that fascists may not be alone in advocating or practicing policies that others would regard as morally wrong. Another major problem with the definitional obsession is that it forces scholars to take sides in the questions that agitate protagonists—that is, to answer the question of who the true fascists are or were—and thus to provide spurious justification for one side in those disputes. Often, activists or journalists consult academics on the “definition of a political ideology” in the hope of getting scientific objective backing for their own views. And yet academics are no better qualified than anyone else is to decide who the real fascists were. They can only explain the different ways that protagonists used the term, classified people, the use they made of those classifications in daily struggles, and what the consequences were. As the political sociologist Annie Collovald has explained, the French National Front’s (FN) adoption of the “national-populist” label underlines the dangers. This category was not invented by the FN, but by a group of political scientists who occupy a strategic position in the French university establishment, close to governing circles. These academics are committed to the presidential Fifth Republic, which they believe finally satisfies the nation’s desire to reconcile democracy with strong government by competent people (such as themselves). They reject the idea that fascism ever existed in mainstream politics in France, for doing so might taint with fascism their own preference for strong government. They therefore depict the FN as a temporary “national-populist” protest on the part of marginal ill-educated people who seek simple answers for their difficulties in the age of globalization. Besides betraying a certain contempt for ordinary people, this interpretation plays into the hands of the highly educated professional politicians who actually lead the FN. It permits the FN to assert academic support for its difference from fascism and for its claim to represent the voiceless. It’s as if racism is acceptable as long as it isn’t fascist. It would be just as problematic, though, to label the FN as fascist. It’s potentially a way of discrediting the party, but since FN sympathizers don’t usually see themselves as fascist, one runs the risk of re-inforcing their conviction that the movement represents honest people who are contemptuously dismissed by the elite. Doubtless, those who regard academics’ refusal to pronounce as dereliction of duty will not be mollified. Didn’t academics use neutrality to claim that the spread of fascism did not concern them? That’s undeniably true. But this approach to fascism does not represent an abdication of moral responsibility. The key is that academics should not make exaggerated claims for their knowledge, but they must defend the principles on which free and rigorous enquiry depends. In fact, in the age of fascism, it was precisely the conviction of many academics that “scientific” methods provided them with special knowledge of what was morally good: That permitted them to intervene in other people’s lives without their consent. The belief that medical science had resolved the question of who should live and die for the good of the nation permitted the involvement of doctors in the Holocaust. Likewise, Italian fascists believed that since the development of the nation-state was a scientific fact, its preservation ought to be the object of state policy. In reality, the idea that nations have “characters” or that racial origin determines political behavior is mere prejudice which crumbles away under the most limited scrutiny. The science of fascists is little more than bigotry erected into principle. Although one cannot afford to be complacent, contemporary academics do not usually assume that history is regulated by scientific laws, and still less that knowledge of these laws provides a moral standard. They subject their own assumptions, and those of their colleagues, to systematic criticism, and they try, if not always successfully, to uncover unacknowledged prejudices in their work. A proper scholarly method is intrinsically anti-fascist in that it treats skeptically what fascists regard as beyond criticism. Academic inquiry accepts that its insights depend on perspective, that other perspectives will be possible, and that their answers will always be superseded. This necessary mutual criticism can only happen in a democratic environment. Notwithstanding, one might still object that this view of academic research promotes “ivory tower” detachment, and legitimizes complacent pursuit of irrelevant intellectual problems while the world collapses. It’s quite legitimate to study fascism in order to discover which means have been most effective in combating it and what might help fight fascism in the future. Nevertheless, caution is required, for the history of fascism alone cannot provide anti-fascist strategies. Because fascism is so hard to pin down, no single method could be universally effective against it. Banning fascist organizations sometimes works, sometimes it doesn’t. There’s no telling whether prosecutions for racist propaganda will represent a deterrent or promote sympathy for people who exercise the right of “free speech” (but who infringe the rule that freedom is constrained by the harm that one might do to others). Sometimes efforts to appease racism in the electorate have deprived fascists of support; in other cases they have legitimated fascism. Clearly, potential supporters of fascism must be offered a better and more humane alternative means of solving their problems. Yet no rule dictates what this alternative must be. So are we letting the modern far-right off the hook by avoiding the question of fascism? Ultimately, responses to fascism depend not upon scholarly assessments of what has happened in the past or on categorization. We cannot oppose the far-right by defining it as fascist—however many similarities there undoubtedly are. We must focus rather on the dangers that it represents in the present, and recognize that nonfascist movements, including groups that play by democratic rules, can also threaten decent values. And the question of values is not just for academics, but for society as a whole. Adapted from Fascism: A Very Short Introduction by Kevin Passmore with permission from Oxford University Press. Copyright (c) 2014 by Oxford University Press.Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A die-hard Manchester City supporter is set to make the ultimate sacrifice for charity – by getting a tattoo of the Manchester United badge. Lifelong fan Chris Worthington, of Coare Street, Macclesfield, has pledged to have his arch enemy’s logo inked on his forearm if he can raise £1,500. The gesture is to thank the charity When You Wish Upon A Star, which supported his seven-year-old daughter Poppy’s battle with a brain tumour. Chris, 45, said: “I wanted to raise some money to thank them and this idea just popped into my head. “I’m not in shape to run a marathon and I couldn’t think of anything more personally painful than a United tattoo on me for the rest of my life.” Despite being born and bred in Macclesfield, and having a Manchester United-supporting dad, the custody officer for the immigration service has always loved the Sky Blues. Now he is bracing himself for some stick from fellow City supporters – as the tattoo will be easy to spot, with it planned to be the size of a jam jar lid. He added: “I have no other tattoos, so this is going to be quite a thing. “I didn’t want it to be hidden away, so I’m committed to it being on my forearm so it is obvious. “Some of my City-supporting friends have refused to pay, unless I reach my target, so it looks like I’ll be appealing to those devious United fans to help me.” Poppy was diagnosed with a brain tumour in July 2010 after she suffered from dizziness. The tumour caused a build-up of fluid on her brain resulting in her loss of balance and created a fear of a dizzying ride on the swings. Mum Rachel, 37, said: “It was quite scary. We had an MRI scan and within 20 minutes they came back and said she had a brain tumour in a very dangerous area – we were given little hope.” But nearly a year on and following an operation to drain the fluid at Manchester Children’s Hospital, Poppy is living her life to the full. The tumour is likely to stay with the Bollinbrook Primary School pupil, but it has not grown bigger since diagnosis. Rachel added: “It won’t disappear and won’t shrink, but there’s every chance that it has caused all the problems it’s going to cause. She’s doing really well and we are very proud of her.” To support Chris in his charitable cause, visit justgiving.com/chris-worthington2So I just start this blog with something that my Girlfriend said to me earlier today which I think she was really just giving me a hard time. Well I hope so anyways, "I know you are busy and you have a job and that I am just a girl from the internet" While some of that statement were true, which I am busy and I do have a job, I am not the best person at replying to text or whatever, the false information is that she is not just a "girl from the internet" You may ask,How can I back up my point? Well let me start by saying that our relationship is not base on lust, which 99% of how relationships in the modern word starts now,just like this simulation from below Some "Dance clubs" somewhere Man A with a Few of his "Bros" Girl C with a few of her friends C is looking really beautiful and she makes sure that people around her sees that by wearing a super tight dress that highlights her curves and constantly checking around the room and see who is checking her out and who is worth checking out A is looking his best, freshly iron shirts, new shoes, carefully styled hair paired with his high dollar cologne that smells amazing. He makes sure that his shirt is a muscle fit so the shirt hug tightly on his body so he biceps muscles will show through the shirt. So that's basically what's going on, men and woman around the world going out of their way to "sell" themself to a complete stranger, convincing them that they are everything that they been looking for, showing all the things the opposite sex wanted to see. But not who you truthly are. A&C locked eyes and they both like what they saw. A likes curves on a woman and he is a sucker for tight dresses C likes muscular man with a nice biceps that she can wrap her hands around. They have no idea at this point even the name of this person but lust is what is driving them, if

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