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and you won't know what's going on."
"Okay, I guess? Where's lunch? I'd murder a good sarnie." Ivy threw her hooves up in that kinda 'whatever' way and left. That must have been all she wanted to tell me.
After I spent a few minutes complaining to anyone I could find about lunch, I encountered the tribe doing something about it. I wasn't sure what digging a hole was going to do, until I spotted them pulling a sack out of the ground. I also didn't know why the food was down there until I was informed that it's part of a recipe. Presses it and keeps it cold, Ivy told me. Given that the water was lukewarm sitting out in the heat, I will say that these spiced veggie ball things being served cold were appreciated. We hurried through lunch with a view to getting some sleep now and sorting out the plan of attack later. I'd been up basically since yesterday evening, so I was quite happy to keep my fridge jacket on and zonk out for a few hours.
I stirred awake at some point, and by the look of the horizon, it was around dusk. I rolled over in my bed roll and saw that I was the last one to wake. All the other bedrolls were empty. Turing Test was, as he had been ever since I arrived, anxiously checking the box with the goggles. Lemon Puff had found one of my stray feathers, and was examining it with way too much interest. Most of the tribe were nowhere to be seen - I gathered that only those not coming with us were up and about. Someone was tending to the fire, and whatever was in the pot smelled good. I yawned and stretched and scratched my neck. After scanning the horizon a second time, I spotted a goofy mop watching the first stars come out. So that's where he's gone.
I plodded up to the bank at the edge of the camp that Rainbow was sitting at the top of. He heard me coming and looked back. He had not slept well at all.
I nudged him in the shoulder. "What's eating you?"
"That obvious?"
"You had a panic attack last night and right now you look like you've been punched in the face. You sure you're gonna be in shape for this?"
He took a deep breath and sighed and looked up at the sky again. "Once we're moving I should be fine. It's when I get to stop and think about it, I..." He chuckled, then looked at me. "I've been on Dad's trail for eleven years, and in a matter of hours there's a good chance we're gonna find out what happened to him. This is... this is my life's work, paying off. Tonight."
I squinted. "I've been in town a week, and I put the lid on a decade's work? Am I just outrageously lucky, or was getting in touch with Sam that much of a sticking point?"
He chuckled. "We'd been trying to get in touch with Sam for a couple of years. They're fucking batty in that stadium. They shot at me when I came up out of uniform, they shot at Ivy, they shot at Babylon, they shot down a drone..."
"They shot at me too. I just started talking when they did."
"Really now? I'm pretty sure I tried that and they shot again."
"Ah. You must have encountered one of the meatheads. I got lucky and the sheriff's wimp of a son was on the door. Gave me an in."
He chuckled. "Someone in this family had to get all the luck."
"Hey." Ivy came up the other side of him, floating a couple of bowls with her. She passed one to Rainbow and one to me. "Drink up. It'll keep you going."
I took a sniff and confirmed that it was the same stuff that was cooking when I woke up. I took a sip to discover a delicious, salty, slightly spicy, just all-round tasty broth. I was apparently so visibly overwhelmed that it got a giggle out of Ivy. I glared. "What?"
"Nothing! It's good you like it. We're sending you a couple of spare canteens with some. We don't know what it's gonna be like down there."
I shrugged. "Makes sense. I've done fucking no planning for this, I'm entirely following you guys here."
Rainbow smiled. "Seems to have worked so far. We bring the plan, you bring the luck."
"That's a pretty polite way of saying I make it up as I go along."
He chuckled, and I took a long drink of the soup. Ivy leaned into him and he whispered something to her, and I took my cue to give 'em some space. The camp was getting more active. I'm guessing the smell of food got more ponies up - that's one effective wakeup call. Lemon Puff and Ocean Breeze were busy dismantling the canopy we'd slept under, while Turing Test and Jericho did something with a crate. This looked the most interesting, so I listened from a distance.
"... and I know you don't have much choice in the wind but try to avoid getting sand in them? The scribes think I'm taking these for a routine field test, and my hogs are cooked if these come back with so much as a scratch on them." I craned my neck around to get a look at the goggles for the first time. They were bulky-ass things that strained the definition of 'goggles'. I spotted a three-point strap, bit like my head torch, and a big block on the back of it, opposite the goggles part. Was that a counterweight? Were they really that heavy? Cripes.
"Turing, calm down. Would I have asked for this equipment if I knew nothing about it?"
Turing Test pulled a face, then rubbed it. "I'm really sticking my ass out for this, I'm just jumpy."
"You're sticking your ass out?" Jericho laughed. "Friend, you're not walking into the Death Caps at night."
Turing Test blew his cheeks out, and the two of them shared a miserable chuckle. "Jerry, why do we do this to ourselves?"
Jericho looked up, then around. Turing Test leaned over to see where he was looking, and then so did I. They were looking at Rainbow and Ivy, silhouetted by the twilight. "I think we both know."
Turing's face softened, and he grinned. "My little wildcat."
"She makes brothers of us."
"Ha. That she does, friend."
By the time they were locking hooves and trying to have a manly hug, I figured the sentimentality was getting a bit too much for me, and I got to finding somewhere else to be. Before the night was out, I was sure I'd be getting more than enough of that shit from Rainbow.
Of course, I found myself hanging out with Lemon Puff and Ocean Breeze again.
"So what are you and beardydad doing when we piss off into the mountains?"
Lemon Puff burst out in a giggle and dropped the tent pole she was holding. I got a snigger out of Ocean Breeze too. "Just going back to Roswhinny. Don't you have preparations to do?"
"Everyone else was having a moment, so I came to get away. Say, has anyone seen Sam around? He's been quiet."
"Who?"
"Satellite Sam. The smartass robot with the trucker hat."
"Uhh..." Lemon Puff looked at Ocean Breeze. She looked back at her too. "...glowing eye plate, head comes off?"
I squinted. "What did you do?"
Lemon Puff bit her lip, and Ocean Breeze grimaced, and started patting her face. "Lemon, which box did you put the power armour in?"
"Uhh..."
I tipped my glasses forward. "Ah, you didn't?"
Lemon pointed at a crate slightly down the hill, where their packed supplies were being kept together by the wagon. Ocean inhaled. "Could you unpack it, please?"
She jogged over to the crate, brushed the canvas off the top of it, and hurriedly started pulling latches. I followed, and when the lid came off, the three of us peered inside. Lo and behold, there was Sam in the loaf position, half buried under some bedrolls, with his head separated and leaning against the side of the box.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
"As you can see, Atom, my reservations about Steel Rangers are completely justified."
"Get him out of there, you idiots."
They both nodded a 'yes ma'am', and got to work. I stepped back and rubbed my face, while Sam swore at the two of them.
Something yodelled at me. I jumped. The general direction of attention was at Jaffa, standing by the fire, next to Jericho. Since this looked like a briefing of some description, I ran back to the crate and took Sam's head out so he could watch.
"Just the expedition, please," Jericho said. A number of the ponies who'd come over drifted away, leaving me, Sam's head, Rainbow, Ivy (hiding from Jericho behind Rainbow), plus Jericho, Peregrine, Jaffa, and a couple of ponies I didn't know. "Now, before we get going, I feel I need to make a round of introductions. To the tribe - coming with us tonight are our friends; Rainbow Code, Atom Smasher, and Satellite S... where is the robot?"
"Down here. I'm having an out-of-body experience."
"... Satellite Sam. Our journey tonight is to reunite them with their kin. With the gracious assistance provided by our friend Turing Test, we travel for the Cave of Screams." I heard a couple of gasps, and whispers circulated. "We shall take them that far and no further!" he said, louder. "Ours is not to judge their path. Tonight we are their guides, and we shall see what comes of it in the morning." He turned to the general direction of me and Rainbow. "Now, to introduce us. You know me, and I believe you've met Peregrine and Jaffa..." Peregrine waved, and Jaffa thumped his front. "Also accompanying us are two of our finest scouts - Nineveh and Uruk." The two strangers waved and nodded at us, one after the other.
I squinted and looked around. I had a suspicion from this. Babylon, Jericho, Jaffa, Nineveh, Uruk, Elasah, and... Peregrine. One of these names is not like the others. I sat on it for now.
"We gear up, and then we leave at our guests' convenience. This way."
"Oh, don't worry about me," Sam said. "Just put me down and I'll roll after you guys. It'll be fine." I sighed and took him back to the crate. The two morons had finished unpacking his body, and he was soon enough in one piece. He found his own bags in the crate, gave them a glare, and then followed me back to the main group.
I snorted. "Wow, you really mustn't have had your head screwed on not to notice them packing you up." He thumped me on the side.
"Only I can make headless puns about me."
Jericho was handing out goggle sets to everyone. Turing Test, nearby, chewed on his hoof while Babylon stood beside him, rubbing his back and whispering reassurances in his ear. When I got my hooves on a set, it wasn't quite as heavy as I'd expected, but I still imagined that my neck would be sore by the time we got to the quarry.
"You ever used one of these before?" Jericho asked me. I shook my head. "Might feel a little weird."
I shrugged. Couldn't imagine why. Sam came up next to me. "What are these, the night-vision sets you were looking for?" Jericho held one towards Sam. "You're kidding, right? I can see light frequencies you've never heard of. You didn't seriously get one of these for me, did you?"
Jericho looked down, blinking. He scratched his nose and looked like he was having one of those 'wow I really didn't think that through' moments. "Jaffa! We've got a set for you." What?
Jaffa, perched on a nearby crate, thrust his spear to the sky. "I have the eyes of a puma. I have no need for your mechanical eyes."
The goggles floated over and bopped him on the head. "It would be a shame if we were halfway up a mountain and your puma eyes turned out to be inadequate, wouldn't it?"
I sat back and sighed. What the absolute balls fuck am I doing.Your first name
GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump has a love/hate relationship with the media, particularly Fox News.
The day after the first debate, Trump picked a fight with Fox News host and debate co-moderator Megyn Kelly over what he viewed as unfair questions. Quickly after that dust-up, a ceasefire was declared.
Then, a week later after Kelly returned from vacation, Trump attacked Kelly again.
Since then, however, Trump has kept his powder dry when it comes to Fox News.
Until now.
After what Donald Trump saw as a slight by Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, he took to his Twitter account to hit back. (RELATED: Bill O’Reilly Says Trump ‘Has Been Good For Politics In America’)
.@oreillyfactor was very negative to me in refusing to to post the great polls that came out today including NBC. @FoxNews not good for me! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
.@oreillyfactor, why don’t you have some knowledgeable talking heads on your show for a change instead of the same old Trump haters. Boring! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
After his unprovoked tweets, Trump began retweeting his fans attacking Fox and O’Reilly.
“@bewhatjesuswas: @oreillyfactor @FoxNews You dominate not because of them-but despite them;They need you more than you need them” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@coolgirl6978: @oreillyfactor @FoxNews this is bull fox. O’Reilly, I expect better from you. What is going on? Fair and balanced my ass” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@blewthebigone: @realDonaldTrump Can’t even think what the race would be without you in it.” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@diannrr: @megynkelly Do you dream about @realDonaldTrump? He’s in your head. Let it go.” She is the worst – all anti-Trump! Terrible show. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
I am having a really hard time watching @FoxNews. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
.@RichLowry is truly one of the dumbest of the talking heads – he doesn’t have a clue! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@TheMindWave: @FoxNews Im not sure why u r giving them this much importance, they had wanted to take u down in debate and they failed!!” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@seleti00: @realDonaldTrump @FoxNews They attack you more then CNN or MSNBC combined. Just a bunch of old Bush appointee Rhinos.” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
Trump didn’t have a problem with every Fox News host. One, so far, has escaped his wrath.
“@JodiL792: @FoxNews I have been since you started running & I noticed Meghan Kelly’s attacks. Stopped watching. Only Hannity 4 sure.” Yes! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
“@wallen_jeanine: @realDonaldTrump I can only watch Hannity. I think he is the only one in your corner”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2015
Hannity aside, Trump retweeted a call for a Fox News boycott.Is the Arab Middle East ready for democracy? We know how the past two American presidents have answered this.
The revised stated purpose behind President George W. Bush’s invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq was to build a new world order by forcing democracy on populations to whom it was truly alien. The original stated purpose for invading Afghanistan was to destroy the folks who provided shelter to the 9/11 attackers, and the original stated purpose for invading Iraq was to rid it of a government that possessed and might use weapons of mass destruction.
But when we learned that the real support for the 9/11 attacks came from folks protected by our so-called "friends" in Saudi Arabia, and when we learned that the only weapons of mass destruction possessed by Iraq were the ones the US sold to Saddam Hussein in the mid-1980s, which he no longer possessed, the Bush administration changed the rhetoric but not the violence or its cost.
Since the termination of those wars came about after the installation of puppet regimes in both countries, and since those regimes now claim legitimacy because they were elected by the people permitted to vote there, we have been reminded that democracy is more than the result of a majority vote. It is respect for the rule of law and recognition of the inalienable rights of the individual. It is not torture, extra-judicial killings, or government-sanctioned rape and legal suppression of women and girls; it is not racial and religious and ethnic hatred and persecution; and it is not the rule of mobs in the streets.
When Egypt was in turmoil a year ago, President Obama nudged Hosni Mubarak from office. He was the longtime American puppet and Egyptian strongman who called himself president but was never really elected. His downfall was followed by a short-lived military dictatorship, and that was followed by the popular election of Islamic radicals to the government. They hate the West, the US and Israel.
Is it any wonder that our embassy in Cairo has been attacked and our folks who work and live there are threatened every day? Should the president alone be able to help depose a foreign leader without the consensus of the American people or their elected representatives in Congress? Did the president’s miscalculations take into account that it might be better to leave in place the devil you know instead of inviting the devil you don’t know to replace him? Did he consider that the leader of Egypt is for the Egyptians -- and not the American government -- to decide?
The case of Libya is even worse. There, Obama unlawfully, deceptively and unconstitutionally bombed Libya in an effort either to kill Col. Qaddafi, its former strongman and American ally, or to weaken his defenses until he surrendered. It was unlawful because he used the CIA to fight a war. It was deceptive because he lied about no boots on the ground (“boots” referring to troops, rather than intelligence agents with military hardware). It was unconstitutional because under the Constitution, only Congress may declare war on another country. This was an act of war on a legitimate government, one that then-President George W. Bush and then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair praised a few years earlier as a partner in the war against terror, and one that posed no threat whatsoever to American freedom.
Now we know that some of the very same people the US fought -- and supposedly defeated in Afghanistan and Iraq -- were part of the coalition of violent militias that ousted Qaddafi with the help of American bombs. And the government they wrought is too weak to protect our diplomats and our real estate there from them. And so they attacked our unguarded consulate in Benghazi and killed our ambassador, and so far they have gotten away with it.
Does anyone really believe the nonsense from the Obama administration that the recent killings of Americans and others and the destruction in the Arab world are about a 15-minute grade-C movie trailer with dubbed voices and terrible acting and no plot or message? Or is the violence about the opportunity of those Bush and Obama trusted to run new governments to vent their hatred?
Is it not more likely that when the West supported toppling Arab strongmen, the rioters in the streets saw that as a signal to express hatred toward the meddling West? Might Obama’s drones, which have fallen all over the Middle East killing innocents in schools and hospitals, at weddings and funerals, and demolishing mosques and homes, be coming back to haunt him?
The Arab Spring has become the Western Winter, brought about by two American presidents who thought they could kill without moral justification or painful consequence. We should come home from these barbaric places and leave them alone. We should trade with them, since they want to buy our iPads and washing machines and blue jeans, but let them run their own governments.
To find out more about Judge Napolitano and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2012 ANDREW P. NAPOLITANO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM.Last night, leaders of the New York theater scene came together with various Asian actors and allies to take part in Beyond Orientalism: The Forum, discussing how to put an end to the use of "yellowface" and "brownface" by white actors and the overall whitewashing of Asian roles in stage productions.
If you thought the movie industry was messed up for casting ScarJo as a Japanese woman in Ghost in the Shell, or for Tilda Swinton's role as the Tibetan Ancient One in Dr. Strange—but it's okay, because she's ~actually~ a Celtic monk, in Tibet, wearing Asian-style robes?—theater isn't much better. Just last year, the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players canceled their production of The Mikado due to the backlash over their use of white actors in yellowface. In an industry where tons of talented Asian actors are eager for more work, common sense is apparently a little hard to come by.
The forum was organized by the combined efforts of the Asian American Arts Alliance, Asian American Performers Action Coalition, Theatre Communications Group, and the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts. The nine-person panel included theater industry heavy hitters like award-winning director Nelson T. Eusebio, actress and National Asian American Theatre Company cofounder Mia Katigbak, and playwright Lloyd Suh. David Wannen, executive director of the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players, was also in attendance—in light of last year's debacle, he emphasized the company's commitment to reimagining their iconic shows to be more open, creating a "safe space" for Asian actors to explore characters.
But no one voiced the frustration, anger, and hope felt in the room more beautifully than the keynote speaker: BD Wong, the incredibly accomplished actor and part-time raptor egg hatcher. And boy, he did not hold back.
Wong described how his pride “to be part of the odd and wonderful and interesting and noble thing it is to be an Asian-American actor” nevertheless comes with difficulties. He explained that the root of many of the issues he faces as an Asian-American actor is dealing with the disparity of how you experience your Asian identity and how that identity is represented (or misrepresented) in American media.
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“It isn’t just about telling our stories and doing the best we can,” Wong explained. “There’s a whole other thing that comes with it, that we never asked for, that we never wanted. We would just love to erase it from our entire existence, and we can’t. It comes with it—we’re bound to it.”
Throughout his speech, Wong maintained that the source of the racism that pervades casting decisions—whether it’s the denial of roles to Asian actors or the use of yellowface or brownface on white actors—is that “they do not understand.” White production companies don’t get why yellowface and brownface are insulting. White actors don’t get the truth and pain of the Asian characters they’re invited to portray.
“The tradition of white actors transforming themselves, playing whoever they want, crossing across race, painting themselves up, and doing all sorts of things like that is as deeply entrenched in them as our pain is in us,” Wong said.
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Wong also shared his personal experiences with yellowface (he was cast as a slave in the 2007 television movie Marco Polo, while white actor Brian Dennehy portrayed Mongolian leader Kublai Khan), maintaining that, as ridiculous as yellowface and brownface are, the more white actors eschew prosthetics and colored foundation, the clearer the absurdity of their casting becomes.
“You [white actors] can’t win when you have the yellowface on. You can’t win when you take the yellowface off,” he said. “You’re in the wrong part.”
Hopefully, Broadway and Hollywood alike will soon wake up to the reality that's obvious to BD Wong, a growing number of theater companies, and countless Asian actors.You must enter the characters with black color that stand out from the other characters
Message: * A friend wanted you to see this item from WRAL.com: http://wr.al/rItr
State lawmakers have tentatively approved controversial provisions that would loosen environmental safeguards for landfills and trash trucks.
The changes were slipped into a conference report on regulatory reform and passed the Senate apparently unnoticed.
During the House debate on House Bill 74, Rep. Pat McElraft, R-Carteret, was detailing the final compromise version of the measure when she began reading a list of provisions that were part of Senate Bill 328, the mega-landfill bill approved by the Senate. The House Environment Committee had declined to consider that bill.
The provisions tucked into the 68 pages of House Bill 74 would allow trash trucks to leak, allow landfills to be built at the edges of state gamelands and ease rules regarding how landfills must cover their trash and maintain systems that keep liquid coming from the landfill from leaching into nearby groundwater supplies.
Rep. Chuck McGrady, R-Henderson, asked McElraft whether the provisions had, in fact, come from Senate Bill 328.
McElraft said she didn't know. She said she wasn't familiar with the landfill bill and that the provisions in question "were provided by the Senate" during the conference negotiations. She said House negotiators had agreed to the ones they thought the House would support.
House rules require a standing committee to hear any conference report that includes material that wasn't in either the original House or Senate versions of a bill. McGrady asked to have the bill referred to committee under the rule. Speaker Thom Tillis resisted at first, but after McGrady read the rule aloud, Tillis agreed to send the bill to the Rules Committee.
Rules Chairman Rep. Tim Moore later moved the bill back to the floor.
McGrady said the landfill changes should have been considered by the House on its own merits.
"This bill has never been considered by the House," he argued. "Three people from our side decided to add this to the bill."
"According to some of the speaker's staff, this is the 'good portion of the bill,'" said McGrady. "Oh, great. This is the 'good portion?' Can you imagine what the bad portion was like?"
"The bill is going to pass," he said resignedly. "It's been greased. It's an awful process."
A conference report cannot be amended, so if the House were to not approve the report, the two chambers would have to go back to the negotiating table – an unpopular outcome at the end of session and one unlikely to please the dozens of interest groups that stand to benefit from the other regulatory changes in the measure.
McElraft said the bill will not allow mega-landfills but will make it easier to build future landfills.
"We have to be careful here. We do have trash in North Carolina," McElraft said. "We must be able to permit new landfills in our state."
Rep. Chris Millis, R-Pender, said allowing "leak-resistant" rather than "leak-proof" trash trucks "by no way shape or form lowers our standards" from current rules. He said it's meant to counter "improper and egregious enforcement" of leak laws by overzealous local officials.
Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood, said the House was "hoodwinked" in negotiations.
"It's full of poison pills from the Senate and petty political paybacks," Queen said. "Coal ash, landfills and the loss of our Mountain Resource Commission."
But Republicans said the good parts of the bill outweighed the bad.
"All in all, this is not the process I would recommend for regulatory reform," said Rep. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, "but we have what we have."
The House voted 76-36 to approve the bill.
The Senate gave tentative approval to the conference report earlier Thursday. The addition of the landfill provisions to the bill was not mentioned in the Senate debate.
Both chambers must take a final vote on House Bill 74 Friday.Over the six decades of F1 we’ve seen many different engine displacements and configurations; we’ve also seen performance enhancing components such as turbochargers, superchargers and forced induction. Some of these engine’s have been highly successful, others not so.
With the constant progression of technology evolving in the F1 factories, other systems have been experimented with, and have either been extremely successful or banned. The modern electrical system KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) was initially dabbled with by the McLaren team in 1998, a similar system the cars run today, only power output was smaller and used the engine’s auxiliary pumps instead of the transmission or drivetrain. This was later banned; however, in 2009 the FIA allowed the use of KERS, stating that they “support responsible solutions to the world’s environmental challenges”.
In the mid to late eighties, Brabham used BMW’s M12 and M13 (see pic above) engines, 4-cylinder, fuel gulping monsters that could fire out between 1,300-1500-hp. Although the M12 could be tuned for big power, it wasn’t reliable – not surprising considering this amount of grunt came from a 1.5L engine boosted to a ludicrous 6-bar.
This engine belongs to the iconic Ferrari 312T. This 510-hp ultra-reliable flat-12 powered Ferrari to 27 race wins, 3 drivers’ championships and 4 constructors’ championships.
We’ll use another Ferrari engine just to highlight the various engines used throughout F1, as the 312T’s successor was this 126C. Ferrari had to make the transition from their flat-12 to a twin-turbo V6, capable of 600-hp. Ferrari did experiment with a pressure wave supercharger before the turbo installations, but this wasn’t practical due to packaging issues. This setup was unreliable early on but it did produce 10 wins, 10 poles, 12 fastest laps and 2 constructors’ championships.
In 1968, Honda produced their RA302, a naturally aspirated (air-cooled) V8 and ran it against their previous water-cooled RA301 used in the Lola cars. Despite the fact it looks amazing it only ran one race, as after Surtees refused to drive it, calling it a “potential death-trap”, Jo Shelesser climbed aboard and crashed on lap 2 of the French GP. Due to its magnesium frame and full tank of fuel, it ignited instantly, killing him.
2013 is the last season cars will be powered by the 2.4L V8. KERS will still be a main component in power supply in 2014, as the new engine displacement will be reduced to 1.6 L. The FIA initially wanted the replacement unit to be a four-cylinder engine, but Ferrari complained about the terrible noise they made, and *cough* being close to Bernie Ecclestone (CEO of F1) it was eventually agreed the V6 would make the replacement.
Pictured above is the first image released by Mercedes-Benz for the engine they’ll be using in 2014. Like the aforementioned BMW M12/13 engines, this small displacement unit will be turbocharged. That being said, the hp figures will be half of the crazy eighties era at around 750-hp. It’s reported the engines will be high-pitched, and due to the turbo spooling at 125,000-rpm, it will be very loud. These engines also produce more torque, especially coming out of corners, so from a spectator view the sport should appear more exciting.
Throw in KERS with twice the previously regulated amount of power (80-hp for 6.7 secs upped to 161-hp for 33.3 secs) and you’ll be witnessing a true test and ability of modern science and technology.
The design and use of a completely different engine it a massive deal for an F1 team, from weight to placement, aerodynamics and a thousand other aspects. So it seems whoever is the most dominant in 2013, doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in 2014.
We’re looking forward to 2014 and can’t wait to hear the combined sound of all those turbo-powered beasts revving before the lights turn green.
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Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)NASCAR views safety systems the way a child views green vegetables. Except way more stupid, since the child is not hurtling towards a wall at over 100 miles an hour with only asparagus to protect them.
Just The Facts
NASCAR consists of driving in a small circle several hundred times, which people somehow screw up. Possibly through boredom. NASCAR drivers are paid up to $200 every time they turn left, and scraped onto a stretcher every time they don't. Systems built to keep NASCAR drivers (and fans) alive are a worse attack on evolution than Intelligent Design.
Adoption of Safety Systems
NASCAR adopts a "martyr" approach to safety: At least one famous person has to die to get each even the most elementary safety measure adopted.
Device: SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier walls.
Martyr: Dale Earnhardt
Death: Slammed into extremely un-SAFER walls.
Comment: First proposed by a NASCAR engineer 30 years before Earnhardt's death, indicating there may be some slight room for improvement in NASCAR's attitude toward safety.
Device: Fire retardant suits.
Martyr: Edward "Fireball" Roberts
Death: Burned to death.
Comment: Yes, he had that nickname before the accident. Yes, that does mean that God is both a bastard and watches NASCAR, so good luck with heaven, y'all!
Device: Engine-stopping kill switch
Martyr: Adam Petty
Death: Killed by engine not stopping
Comment: We really want to make the world's worst-tasting pun here, but it's more fun if you think of your own.
Device: HANS (Head And Neck Safety) Brace
Martyr: Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Blaise Alexander, J.D. McDuffie, Clifford Allison, contributed to Adam Petty, Dale Earnhardt
Death: Trauma to head and neck caused by slamming a goddamn car into a wall.
Comment: Finally adopted 20 years after its invention because of nine deaths. Six of them within two years. There are rogue bands of mercenary desperadoes with nothing to lose who have lower casualty rates.So, remember how you said earlier that you wanted to devote at least an hour to reading me tonight? Listen, I know you're really tired and everything, and I just want to say, don't worry about it. You can jump in another night. I completely understand—and frankly, I can't say I blame you.
I'm a pretty challenging read!
Hey, you've been following the show for months, after all, so it would be a shame for you to miss tonight's special two-hour Biggest Loser event. No, really, don't sweat it. Who am I to begrudge you enjoying what may, in retrospect, turn out to be a pivotal moment in season 11?
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I'm just a collection of 65 short stories originally written in Russian, French, and English more than half a century ago by the masterful prose stylist Vladimir Nabokov. You can read me anytime. I'm not going anywhere.
And how often does something like tonight's show come along?
Look, I totally get the appeal of the show. I do. There's a clearly defined premise, drama, the struggle to better oneself, no extensive treatments of the poetological implications of potustoronnost, and it's guaranteed to reach an exciting conclusion in two hours flat. It's a genuinly entertaining show with an addictive premise.
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So, really, why should you feel bad about enjoying it? You work 40 or 50 hours a week at a job that's not exactly thrilling, and you're supposed to feel guilty because you'd rather spend the last hours of your hellishly long day watching The Biggest Loser instead of struggling to understand "Spring in Fialta"?
Honestly, I'd choose that show over me, too.
Don't get me wrong—I'm definitely worth reading. But there's no denying I'm a pretty serious time commitment. Even if you started me right now, there's no telling when or if you'd finish. You could spend weeks or even months deciphering my complex metaphors for transformation and individualism, but tonight it's just nice to know you can turn on your television and hear Jillian Michaels say, "I believe in you, so why can't you believe in yourself?"
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Real-life people step on a scale and either reach their goal weight or come pretty close. You have to admit there's something satisfying in that simple conceit: People focus, work really hard, lose weight, and everybody feels good about it. You don't have to struggle with any ambiguity; it's all right there.
Given entertainment options like that, I'm kind of impressed you're still this determined to read me at all.
Regardless, whenever you're ready, I'll be sitting on the old bookshelf. Except for when you've moved me to your bedside table in an effort to remind yourself to read me. Then I'll be there for a few days until I get kicked under the bed. Who knows? Maybe this summer you'll have some time to kill and you'll get into "Mademoiselle O." In that one, Nabokov details life with a French mistress, blurring the line between being and perception and—
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Oh, what am I harassing you for |
anniversary of the genocide which ran from April ot July 1994. He notably said that France had not "done enough to save lives" and had not only been complicit but "an actor" in the massacre of Tutsis. He also spoke of "the direct role of Belgium and France in the political preparation of the genocide, and the participation of the latter in its actual execution".
Former French prime minister Alain Juppe, who was president Francois Mitterrand's foreign minister at the time of the genocide, termed the accusations "intolerable" and urged Hollande to "defend France's honour." Stung by the repeated accusations, France cancelled plans for the justice minister to attend the 20th anniversary commemorations.
A French parliamentary enquiry set up to try to establish the truth about the French role declared that "France was in no way implicated in the genocide against the Tutsis." But the two rapporteurs, one of whom was Bernard Cazeneuve who is currently France's interior minister, however admitted the French authorities made "serious errors of judgement."A rhino ran through a busy city in the south of Nepal killing one woman and injuring several others, before security personnel chase it back into the forest. (Reuters)
A rhinoceros entered the town of Hetuada in southern Nepal on Monday, creating chaos and killing at least one person. The wild creature's rampage was documented by a number of social media users.
Rhino on the streets in Hetauda. Must have come to visit the bazaar. #Nepal #Rhino pic.twitter.com/tV0WCe0U0a — lexlimbu (@lexlimbu) March 30, 2015
Rhino on the Run in Hetauda Video provided by Kishan Poudel from Hetauda. #WildLife @kashishds pic.twitter.com/OqTCqYUxFu — Sahadev Poudel (@Sahadevision) March 30, 2015
हेटौडा बजारमा गैडा आतंक दुर्लभ मानिएको एक सिङ्गे गैँडा ल अब गैडा हेर्न सौराह जानै नपर्ने भो pic.twitter.com/8CuZcZ3IGg — Rajan Neupane (@nepal2006) March 30, 2015
The rhino is said to have visited a local market, a bus station, and even a hospital during its time in Hetuada. While rhinos rarely kill people, they can become unpredictable when frightened: A government administrator told the Associated Press that a 61-year-old woman on the outskirts of the city was gored to death on Monday and that an unknown number of other people were injured.
Locals attempted to drive the rhino out of the city by chasing after it and honking car horns: Authorities even called in trained elephants in an effort to guide the animal out of the city. Shishu Sharma, a local police officer, told AFP that the animal had ended up resting near a local hospital. "We have contacted technicians to see if we can sedate the rhino. Our focus is to rescue it," Sharma explained.
Hetauda, a city of around 135,000 people, is located around 50 miles south of Nepal's capital Kathmandu and borders a forested area. Local officials believe this rhino had walked around a dozen miles from a nearby wildlife reserve to Hetuada. There are thought to be around 500 greater one-horned rhinoceros in Nepal; the animals are an endangered species.Call me superficial, but I love cute haircuts, hot make-up, and creative tattoos, but lately I've wondered, if you're blind, can you enjoy these very visual things. Well one student has thought up a way where the visually impaired can express themselves through tattoos that can be read. The Braille Tattoo, designed by Klara Jirkova (a student at the University of the Arts Berlin), is a series of implantable surgical steel, titanium, or medical plastic that's placed under the skin. The tattoo can then be read via touch. Subdermal implants are nothing new, but using them to create body art for the visually impaired is an interesting idea. Jirkova thinks the implants could be used in the divet between thumb and pointer finger, so when people shake hands they can "read" each other's names and info.
Also, if you're interested in other new tattooing technologies check out my piece on newly developed eraseable ink.U.S. Sen. John McCain is being treated at Walter Reed hospital for side effects of treatment for brain cancer, and "looks forward to returning to work as soon as possible," his office said.
McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in July, when he had a two-inch tumor removed.
The Arizona Republican is "currently receiving treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center for normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy," his office said Wednesday.
"As ever, he remains grateful to his physicians for their excellent care, and his friends and supporters for their encouragement and good wishes. Senator McCain looks forward to returning to work as soon as possible," a statement from McCain's office said.
Details about the side effects were not released. Walter Reed is a national military hospital near Washington, D.C. McCain has been treated with chemotherapy and radiation.
Also Wednesday, former Vice President Joe Biden consoled McCain's daughter, Meghan, during a taping of her TV program, The View.
Biden's son Beau died in 2015 from the same type of cancer that the senator was diagnosed with.
The senator later thanked Biden and "the entire Biden family for serving as an example & source of strength for my own family" via Twitter.
McCain was treated for a torn Achilles tendon in November. Doctors who have not examined McCain told TucsonSentinel.com that the ankle injury was likely not directly related to the senator's cancer or treatment side effects.
McCain was also treated then for what his office called "other normal and non-life-threatening side effects of cancer therapy."
The six-term senator has a form of cancer that is the most aggressive type that begins in the brain, with early symptoms that may include personality changes, headaches, and symptoms similar to those of a stroke.
Glioblastomas generally recur, despite surgery and cancer treatments, and most patients live 12-15 months after diagnosis. Less than 3-5 percent live longer than five years, with those patients who are not treated dying within three months.
Glioblastoma is the same variety of cancer that killed Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., in 2009. Kennedy was diagnosed in 2008 after a seizure.
McCain has had less-aggressive cancers before. McCain had surgery to remove Stage IIa melanoma in 2000, including removing the lymph nodes on the left side of his neck. He has had four operations to remove skin cancers since 1993, and at least one non-cancerous mole removed as a precaution, in 2008.
- 30 -Hello Mockit Headz,
Today we announce our first Vegas LAN tournament in conjunction with the Downtown Grand Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. This process took a few weeks but the Downtown Grand has carved out space for us on the casino floor and made an eSports Lounge.
Tonight’s broadcast will be on Twitch at www.twitch.tv/mockitleague
This event is only open to people who are 18 and above for now. Nevada Gaming Commission regulations stipulate this, but updates will be forth coming.
Our inaugural event will be a $250 Prize in a 1v1 tournament setting in person at the downtown grand. We will be streaming the event live also. The event will start at 8pm PST.
We will be commencing regularly scheduled LANs with a soon to come Championship LAN announcement coming in May.
Stay tuned and good luck!St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch announces the grand jury's decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown on November 24, 2014. (Photo11: Pool, Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS — Some witnesses who testified before the grand jury that investigated the shooting of an unarmed teenager clearly lied under oath, according to St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch.
In an interview Friday with radio station KTRS in St. Louis, McCulloch said he had no regrets about letting the grand jury hear from non-credible witnesses.
"Early on I decided that anyone who claimed to have witnessed anything would be presented to the grand jury," said McCulloch, who convened the grand jury in August.
"Clearly some were not telling the truth," he said.
It was McCulloch's first interview since he announced on Nov. 24 that the grand jury would not indict Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man who was unarmed.
McCulloch made reference to one woman who claimed to have seen the shooting. McCulloch said she "clearly wasn't present. She recounted a story right out of the newspaper" that backed up Wilson's version of events, he said.
McCulloch said he's not planning to pursue charges against witnesses who lied.
The shooting by a white police officer on Aug. 9 spurred significant unrest, both in August and immediately after the decision not to indict was announced. Twelve Ferguson-area businesses, along with police cars, were burned on Nov. 24, and several other businesses were damaged.
Meanwhile, state Rep. Karla May is calling or a state investigation of McCulloch, saying he "manipulated" the grand jury into the decision.
A joint House and Senate committee is already investigating why Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon did not use National Guard troops in Ferguson on Nov. 24. May, a St. Louis Democrat, sent a letter Thursday to committee chairman Sen. Kurt Schaefer, urging that the investigation expand to look at whether McCulloch committed prosecutorial misconduct.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/16BoEyvEyre Highway is a 1,660-kilometre (1,030 mi) highway linking Western Australia and South Australia via the Nullarbor Plain. Signed as National Highways 1 and A1, it forms part of Highway 1 and the Australian National Highway network linking Perth and Adelaide. It was named after explorer Edward John Eyre, who was the first European to cross the Nullarbor by land, in 1840–1841. Eyre Highway runs from Norseman in Western Australia, past Eucla, to the state border. Continuing to the South Australian town of Ceduna, it then crosses the top of the Eyre Peninsula before reaching the city of Port Augusta in South Australia.
The construction of the East–West Telegraph line in the 1870s, along Eyre's route, resulted in a hazardous trail that could be followed for interstate travel. A national highway was called for, but the federal government did not see the route as important enough until 1941, when a war in the Pacific seemed imminent. The highway was constructed between July 1941 and June 1942, but was trafficable by January 1942. Though originally named Forrest Highway, after John Forrest, by the war cabinet, it was officially named and gazetted Eyre Highway, a name agreed upon by the states' nomenclature committees.
The finished road, while an improvement over the previous route, still was not much more than a track, and remained such throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Efforts to seal the highway began in Norseman in 1960, with the Western Australian section completed in 1969 and the South Australian section finished in 1976. Further improvement works have been undertaken since the 1980s, including widening and reconstructing portions of the road.
Route description [ edit ]
Eyre Highway is the only sealed road linking the states of Western Australia and South Australia,[2] running east from Norseman in Western Australia for 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across the Nullarbor Plain to Ceduna, South Australia. It then crosses the top of the Eyre Peninsula as it continues eastwards for 470 kilometres (290 mi), before reaching the city of Port Augusta.[3] Eyre Highway is part of the National Highway route between Perth and Adelaide, and also forms part of Australia's Highway 1. It is signed as National Highway 1 in Western Australia,[4] and National Highway A1 in South Australia.[5][6] The vast majority of the highway is a two-lane single carriageway[3] with a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour (70 mph), except in and around built-up areas.[7][8] Road trains (A-double or B-triple) up to 36.5 metres (120 ft) are permitted on Eyre Highway,[9] but are limited to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph).[10]
Eyre Highway crosses the flat terrain of the Nullarbor
The Western Australian section of Eyre Highway is on the western side of the Nullarbor Plain; the South Australian section crosses the eastern section of the Nullarbor Plain, and the top of the Eyre Peninsula. The Nullarbor gets its name from Latin for "no tree",[11] and the typical view is that of a straight highway and practically unchanging flat saltbush-covered terrain,[12] although some parts are located on ridges. The Eyre Peninsula has been extensively cleared for agriculture, although there are remnant corridors of native eucalyptus woodland alongside its roads.[13]
Main Roads Western Australia and the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure in South Australia monitor traffic volume across the states' road networks, including various locations along Eyre Highway.[14]:3[15] In Western Australia, the recorded traffic volumes ranged between 430 and 760 vehicles per day in 2013/14.[14]:5 In South Australia, the estimated annual average daily traffic as of September 2015 varied between 500 and 1500 west of Lincoln Highway, and was 2700 to the east.[16]
Eyre Highway was assessed by the Australian Automobile Association in 2011 to be among the lowest risk highways in the country, based on total number of casualty crashes[a] per length of road. However, individual risk based on casualty crash rates per vehicle kilometre travelled was assessed as high for the 95-kilometre (59 mi) section east of Yalata to Fowlers Bay, medium for a 106-kilometre (66 mi) section from Fowlers Bay to Ceduna, low-medium between Ceduna and Port Augusta, and low west of Yalata.[17] In 2013, Eyre Highway similarly received a lower safety rating for the South Australian sections, compared to the Western Australian section. Out of five stars, approximately 10% was rated as one- or two-star in Western Australia, generally towards the Norseman end, and 91% was rated three- or four-star. In South Australia, 49% was rated as one- or two-star, mostly from Yalata to Ceduna, and across the Eyre Peninsula, with the remaining 51% rated as three- or four-star.[18]
Western Australia [ edit ]
Caiguna Roadhouse, a typical Nullarbor roadhouse
Eyre Highway begins at the town of Norseman, on the Coolgardie–Esperance Highway. Apart from Eucla, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the South Australia border, roadhouses serving the highway are the only settlements on the 720-kilometre-long (450 mi) stretch through Western Australia.[2] These are located 65 to 180 kilometres (40 to 110 mi) apart,[19] at Balladonia, Caiguna, Cocklebiddy, Madura, and Mundrabilla.[2] The section between Balladonia and Caiguna includes what is regarded as the longest straight stretch of road in Australia and one of the longest in the world. The road stretches for 146.6 kilometres (91.1 mi) without turning, and is signposted and commonly known as the "90 Mile Straight".[20][21] Travelling east, the highway descends through the Madura Pass just before the Madura roadhouse from the Nullarbor Plain to the coastal Roe Plains. It skirts the bottom of the escarpment, climbing back through the Eucla Pass just before Eucla.[22]
Royal Flying Doctor Service emergency airstrip
Because of its remoteness, some widened sections of the highway serve as emergency airstrips for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.[23] These airstrips are signposted, have runway pavement markings painted on the road, and turnaround bays for small aircraft.[24]
South Australia [ edit ]
Driving north along Eyre Highway between Iron Knob and Port Augusta
After crossing the border at the settlement of Border Village, the highway passes through the Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area and then through the localities of Yalata, Penong and Ceduna. Before arriving at Ceduna, it enters the Eyre Peninsula. After Ceduna, the highway passes the intersection with Flinders Highway and heads south-east towards the town of Kyancutta. After passing through the localities of Wirrulla, Poochera, Yanninee and Wudinna, the highway arrives at Kyancutta where it meets the north end of the Tod Highway. After Kyancutta, the highway turns to the east towards the town of Kimba. Before arriving at Kimba, it turns to the north-east. After Kimba, the highway passes through the southern end of the Lake Gilles Conservation Park and to the immediate north of both the town of Iron Knob and the Cultana Training Area before meeting the Lincoln Highway. It then continues north-east until it intersects Augusta Highway and Stuart Highway,[25][26][27] north-west of the Joy Baluch AM Bridge which crosses Spencer Gulf at Port Augusta.[28][29]
An alternative route between Ceduna and Port Augusta, formerly signed Alternate Route 1[30] and now signed B100,[31] follows Flinders Highway and Lincoln Highway down the western and eastern sides of the peninsula respectively.[25]
History [ edit ]
Background [ edit ]
Edward John Eyre was the first European to traverse the coastline of the Great Australian Bight and the Nullarbor Plain by land, in 1840–1841, on an almost 2,000-mile (3,200 km) trip from Adelaide to Albany, Western Australia.[32]
Three decades later, the East–West Telegraph line was installed. Constructed between 1875 and 1877, it followed the same route across the Nullarbor and along the Great Australian Bight, after John Forrest retraced Eyre's route in 1870 and confirmed its suitability. Repeater stations were installed at Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay, Smoky Bay, Fowlers Bay, Eucla, Israelite Bay, Esperance, and Bremer Bay. Stations were later added at Franklin Harbour (Cowell) in 1885, Yardea in 1896, and Balladonia in 1897.[33]
An inland route across the Nullarbor was established with the 1912 to 1917 construction of the Trans-Australian Railway, from Port Augusta via Tarcoola to Kalgoorlie. With few roads or tracks encountering the line, most of it is only accessible by rail.[34]
Highway planning and construction [ edit ]
The trail heading west to Ceduna in 1929
The construction of the telegraph had resulted in a trail that could be followed for interstate travel, but it was a haphazard route which only the more adventurous motorists would take.[35]:93 Many travellers were unprepared for the harsh conditions and lack of services; they would cause a nuisance for station owners and other travellers by scrounging petrol, contaminating water supplies, leaving gates open, and committing acts of vandalism.[36] In 1938 the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) called for a national highway to be constructed by the federal government, as it would be a strategic defence road, provide another link between Western Australia and other states, and improve the tourist experience.[37] The federal government did not see the road as important enough for its involvement.[38]
In May 1941, following the construction of the central north–south Stuart Highway, the federal government announced its decision to build the east–west highway between Norseman and Port Augusta.[39] A northerly route, close to the Trans-Australian Railway, had been considered, but extensive limestone outcrops made it impractical. Taking a route east from Norseman, with some detours around limestone ridges, would allow a road to be formed quickly and easily. With a war in the Pacific seemingly imminent, construction soon began, in July 1941. The Army was responsible for fuel, food, and communications, while the state government departments of Main Roads (Western Australia) and Highways (South Australia) managed the actual construction.[35]:93–96
Madura Pass section in 1941, before (top) and after (bottom) construction
While initial estimates placed the construction cost at £125,000 over a period of four months, it actually cost twice as much, and was not completed until June 1942,[35]:95–96 though the road was sufficiently trafficable and in use by January of that year.[40] The finished road, while an improvement over the previous route, still was not much more than a track. The only sections with a bitumen surface were the Madura and Eucla Passes. The formed width was 30 feet (9.1 m), with some sections[b] lightly gravelled over a 16-foot (4.9 m) width.[35]:96
Naming [ edit ]
In the 1930s and 1940s, the Western Australian Nomenclature Advisory Committee[c] had been choosing directional names for the state's main arterial roads (such as Great Eastern Highway),[42] while the South Australian Highways Department had been naming the major roads to other states after explorers (such as Flinders Highway, named after Matthew Flinders). The historical memorials committee of the Royal Geographical Society in South Australia was disappointed in 1938 that no road had been named after Eyre, despite its suggestion that the road from Port Augusta towards Perth should be Eyre Highway.[43] In the same year, the RAC suggested that the proposed new highway be named Forrest Highway, after John Forrest, and the Assistant Minister for Commerce, Senator Macdonald, concurred.[37]
On 21 January 1942, Prime Minister John Curtin announced the war cabinet decision to name the newly constructed road Forrest Highway,[44] for military purposes.[45] Separately, the states' nomenclature committees were considering names for the road. A proposal for a single name to be used in both states was put by the Western Australian committee to the South Australian committee when the highway was completed. Two names were suggested: Great Western Highway, in line with similar directional names in Western Australia, and Eyre Highway, after the explorer. After several communications between the committees, both decided to use the name Eyre Highway.[42] After a receiving a letter from the South Australian Premier in May 1943, supporting the nomenclature committee's recommendation, Curtin agreed to the name, subject to approval from the Western Australian government.[46]
The South Australian section was named Eyre Highway on 20 May 1943, with the portion from Murat Bay (Ceduna) to the state border declared a main road.[47] Eyre Highway was gazetted in Western Australia on 11 June 1943, and included the road from Coolgardie to Norseman until Coolgardie–Esperance Highway was gazetted on 16 August 1957.[48][49]
Sealing [ edit ]
Sealed surface at west end of "90 Mile Straight" looking east
The state of Eyre Highway remained relatively unchanged throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The road received yearly maintenance, but further, more expensive works were not warranted due to the low traffic volume of approximately fourteen vehicles per day.[35]:152–153 However, the maintenance and grading was hindered by a lack of rainfall – the road was smoothed out each year, and small sections were gravelled, but the soil the road was made from was too weak to be an effective road surface.[35]:186–7 When it did rain, even in small amounts, the road would become boggy, from patches that had broken down into a powdery substance (known as "bulldust") during dry periods.[35]:223 Large numbers of vehicles travelling the highway in 1962, for the Commonwealth Games in Perth, damaged the road in numerous locations, and the lack of moisture required salt water to be pumped from 350 feet (110 m) below the surface for use in repairs and maintenance.[35]:186–7
Work to seal Eyre Highway was undertaken in the 1960s and 1970s. As the federal government refused requests from Western Australia and South Australia for a special allocation to fund the sealed road, the work was left for the states to finance, over a number of years.[35]:223 Construction began in 1960, at the Norseman end. By the end of that year five miles (8.0 km) had been reconstructed, and was ready to be sealed over a 20-foot (6.1 m) width. Fourteen miles (23 km) were sealed in 1961, another 67 miles (108 km) were completed by 1963, and in 1964 the seal reached 111 miles (179 km) out from Norseman.[35]:187 By the mid-1960s, approximately 60 miles (100 km) were being sealed each year. With increased priority given to the project from 1966, Western Australia's portion of the highway was completed in 1969, with a ceremony held in Eucla on 17 October.[35]:223–225
The Great Australian Bight is a short detour away at several places along the highway
In South Australia, a decade-long program to seal the highway began in the mid-1960s. The first section to be completed was the 462-kilometre (287 mi) route between Port Augusta and Ceduna, in December 1967. In October 1972 the Ceduna to Penong seal was completed, and the final link to be sealed, between Penong and the state border, was completed with a ceremony held on 29 September 1976 near Wigunda Tank, South Australia.[50] Between Yalata and the state border, the highway was realigned and deviated considerably from the original unsealed route. In deciding the new alignment for the South Australian section of the highway between Yalata and the state border, long, straight, flat sections were purposely avoided to prevent driver boredom and consequent fatigue, as well as sun-glare and glare from oncoming headlights. The new alignment also took into consideration the potential tourism opportunities provided along the coast of the Great Australian Bight.[50] The older highway route runs from Border Village to the Nullarbor Homestead, approximately 15 to 20 kilometres (9.3 to 12.4 mi) away from the coast.[51] The previous route from the Nullarbor Homestead to Nundroo Motel also travelled further inland than the new alignment, past Ivy Tank Motel and Yalata Roadhouse.[51]
Further improvements [ edit ]
The 1960s standard of a twenty-foot (6.2 m) sealed width[52] with four-foot-wide (1.2 m) gravel shoulders was proving to be inadequate by the 1980s. Increasing numbers of truck and tourist coaches caused fretting, and reduced the actual sealed width to 5.6 metres (18 ft) along much of Eyre Highway. Main Roads in Western Australia spent around a million dollars a year on rehabilitating 50-to-100-kilometre (30 to 60 mi) sections. A major project to improve Eyre Highway, rather than just repair the damage, began in 1984 with federal government funding to reconstruct 300 kilometres (190 mi) in Western Australia.[35]:367
The highway was rebuilt with a seven-metre-wide (23 ft) pavement, with shoulders partially sealed to a width of one metre (3 ft 3 in). Work began in mid-1985 near Cocklebiddy, with a 58-kilometre-long (36 mi) section completed in 1986. Work undertaken from 1987 to 1988 reached out 110 kilometres (68 mi) east of Cocklebiddy, and 225 kilometres (140 mi) had been completed by June 1990.[35]:367 The upgrade from Cocklebiddy to the state border was completed in October 1994.[35]:388
Since the 1990s, regular maintenance and minor improvements have been an ongoing effort; $3.9 million was spent on these works in Western Australia in 1996. There have been larger-scale works including reconstruction of sections near Caiguna, Balladonia, and the Frazer Range in Western Australia,[53] as well as Cungena and Kyancutta in South Australia.[54]
Major intersections [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
^ How Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia's National Network for Risk report defines a [17] The Australian Automobile Association'sreport defines a casualty crash as "any road crash in which at least one person is killed or injured and this includes serious injuries which typically represent one third of casualty crashes". ^ [35]: 96 In Western Australia, approximately 280 out 452 miles (450 out of 727 km) ^ [41] Now the Geographic Names Committee
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]
Main Roads, Western Australia (2006) Distance book: distances to towns and localities in Western Australia East Perth, W.A. Main Roads ISBN 0-7309-7668-8
East Perth, W.A. Main Roads ISBN 0-7309-7668-8 Western Australia. Dept. of Tourism. (1978) Eyre highway traveller survey, 1978 : a study of travellers prior and subsequent to sealing of the highway Perth: Western Australian Dept. of Tourism. ISBN 0-7244-7800-0 (Roads. Use. Australia. Eyre Highway. Reports, surveys (ANB/PRECIS SIN 0061603)
Perth: Western Australian Dept. of Tourism. ISBN 0-7244-7800-0 (Roads. Use. Australia. Eyre Highway. Reports, surveys (ANB/PRECIS SIN 0061603) Saunders, B. A. (2005). Spirit of the Desert: The Story of Eucla, WA, After the East–West Telegraph Era. Eucla History Project. ISBN 978-0-646-44583-0.
Route map
KML is from WikidataOfficials at the State Department and the National Security Council were caught off guard by President Donald Trump’s Saturday decision to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the White House, the New York Times reported on Sunday.
Per the New York Times:
Two senior officials said they expected the State Department and the National Security Council, both of which were caught off guard by the invitation, to raise objections internally.
Trump invited Duterte to the United States during a Saturday call with the leader of the Philippines.
Duterte’s leadership in the Philippines has led to a spike in extrajudicial killings, making Trump’s invitation to Duterte controversial. Democrats quickly criticized Trump for the move.
We are watching in real time as the American human rights bully pulpit disintegrates into ash. https://t.co/VgVflWoMUf — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) April 30, 2017
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus defended the invitation on Sunday and said that the White House wants to “encourage” Duterte “to do better.”Growing up, I was always known as the “wanderer” in my family. My mom’s favorite story of me as a child was when we were in Arizona and I somehow left the hotel room and ended up in the café downstairs eating a muffin with a waitress while wearing a swimsuit, a floaty, and pajama pants. Apparently, I had wanted to go swimming. My independence followed me throughout my life and I was known as the wanderer both in high school and college.
The reason behind the continued independence may have something to do with my upbringing. When I was three years old, my dad’s cousin from California, who was already widowed, died of breast cancer. She had lost her husband eighteen months earlier to ALS. My parents assumed guardianship of her three children, then ages 16, 13 and 10. My three older siblings were 14, 11 and 6. As the youngest of four – and then seven – I inherently understood that I would need to take a number and get in line to get my needs met as my cousins adjusted to life in Minnesota. The focus needed to be on integrating three children into an already chaotic family of six.
As the years went by, we had turmoil, but in a situation like ours, who wouldn’t? There were tears, fights, and yelling, but most of all, there was love. We learned how to laugh together, how to live together, and most of all, how to rely on each other.
Through the tougher years I found a way to take myself out of the situation. For example, I found it easier to bike to Target to get my school supplies than bug my mom when she was making dinner for the lot of us. At some points it was hard not to get aggravated, but it taught me patience and kindness. It also helped me to understand others and that we all come from different backgrounds so we shouldn’t judge people on first impressions. The independence I acquired out of necessity as a young child has served me well as a young adult. It is what brought me to Israel to study and what compelled me to apply for a summer internship. It’s what brought me to CareHood.
The fact is, I never considered what my cousins went through in the years before they moved across the country to join our family. How did the family survive during their father’s illness and subsequent death? How did they manage when their mom received her diagnosis four months later, and spent the next year enduring grueling treatments and facing an uncertain future? Their uncle lived with them and helped out, but as the caregiver, did he have the support he needed?
I was too young when they came to think about these things, but now, as I do this internship, I wonder: How could CareHood have helped them ease their daily load so they could have spent less time figuring out meals, finances, school schedules and errands, and more time enjoying simple pleasures together? What services would have given their parents emotional and physical comfort beyond the doctor’s visits, hospital stays and treatments?
Needing help is hard. Asking for help is harder. Not knowing how to help a loved one in times of darkness and distress is heartbreaking. The beauty and brilliance of CareHood is that patients and caregivers can choose the services that will bring them the comfort and peace of mind as they face uncertain futures.
I can’t change the past to make sure that my cousins had had everything they needed to support their family as they faced unspeakable heartache, but I know that CareHood can ease the road for other families who face similar challenges. I’m grateful that my independent spirit brought me here to be part of this compassionate organization. I’m proud to represent an organization that provides personalized and needed support to people and families in need.
By the way, I no longer have three cousins and three siblings. I have six siblings. It took time and patience and hard work, but we are now, thankfully, one big, happy, loving family.Recent rumours surrounding an unnamed Hollywood actor who is allegedly HIV-positive are said to have caused "panic" in the movie industry. But, apparently, there's more to the story. An anonymous porn star is now claiming that the actor had sex with at least 50 adult movie actresses, despite knowing his condition.
In an interview with the Daily Mail Online, the porn star allegedly said that the industry may face an HIV epidemic as the unidentified star could have infected dozens of women he slept with even after he knew he had AIDS. The 27-year-old has also allegedly claimed that she tested herself and received an all-clear from the doctors.
"The funny thing is there's four girls that have been seeing him that have stopped shooting porn recently. I think they might have contracted HIV but obviously I'm not going to go and ask them and they would never admit it - it's not something you want to tell people," the adult star is reported to have said.
The porn star, whose name was not revealed by Daily Mail, even claimed that she had got pregnant with the Hollywood star's baby in 2011. "I was pregnant and then had an abortion so obviously his DNA was in me but that was almost five years ago. I've been tested lots and shooting porn since then but I'm still going to get retested," she allegedly said.
In the interview, she also claims that some of her friends in the porn industry may have contracted the virus from the actor as they have disappeared from the porn industry in recent years. "I've had plenty of tests in the past few years so I have no worries that I have contracted something but I do worry for the girls I do know. I would guess he has slept with about 50 porn stars or less over the past few years – only because I know he has a lot of repeats," she said.The man accused of killing a woman by driving his car into a crowd of counterprotestors at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., has been charged with first-degree murder.
James Alex Fields is now facing 10 charges including murder in the first degree, escalated from the initial charge of second-degree murder in the Aug. 12 death of Heather Heyer.
Heyer was killed and dozens of others injured when a car plowed into the crowd at the August rally.
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A judge approved the prosecutors' move to seek the new charge and also ruled that there was probable cause to pursue nine lesser felony counts against Fields at a preliminary hearing on Thursday.
Prosecutors showed surveillance footage, among other evidence, to back the new charge, according to reports. Prosecutors said video from a Virginia State Police helicopter and a restaurant showed Fields driving his car into the crowd.
The deadly incident took place during a white supremacist “Unite the Right” rally to oppose the removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville.
President Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE has come under bipartisan criticism for what many consider an insufficient condemnation of the white nationalists |
to Palestine, with a view to turning the Arab country into Israel.
So, lo and behold, the reality of the modern Pharisees was re-calibrated. “Abracadabra!” incanted the genie and there they were, the adherents of the doctrine of Judah, the “Jews” of the bible, the chosen Hebrews (when all Hebrews are irrevocably dead).
“We came to this country (Palestine) that was populated by Arabs and we are establishing a Hebrew, that is a Jewish state there,” vomited Ashkenazi-Israeli General Moshe Dayan, now deceased and soon to burn in hell war criminal.
Oh, the deception!
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17
STEP 2
“Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes its laws” – Mayer Amschel Bauer Rothschild
The Rothschilds and their fellow Ashkenazic partners began their international control of money in Europe, and from there extended it throughout the world.
Wikipedia and the Jewish Encyclopedia clarify it thus:
“Mayer Rothschild’s strategy was to keep control of their banks in family hands, allowing them to maintain full secrecy about the size of their fortunes. In about 1906, the Jewish Encyclopedia noted: ‘The practice initiated by the Rothschilds of having several brothers of a firm establish branches in the different financial centres of the world was followed by other Jewish financiers, like the Bischoffsheims, Pereires, Seligmans, Lazards and others, and these financiers obtained credit not alone with their Jewish confrères, but with the banking fraternity in general. By this means Jewish financiers obtained an increasing share of international finance during the middle and last quarter of the 19th century. The head of the whole group was the Rothschild family…’ “
Said share of international finance reached its apex in 1913 when they finally established a Central Bank in America. It would be known as the Federal Reserve System. They managed to bring it to life by bribing their way through the US Government and Congress.
Such method was necessary because the Federal Reserve System is in fact a private enterprise that is pretending to be a US Government institution: the President of the United States appoints a Fed Chair whom the Senate confirms, largely for public consumption since said Chair does not take orders from either.
“The financial system has been turned over to the Federal Reserve Board,” explained Republican Congressman of Minnesota Charles A. Lindbergh Sr. in 1923. “That Board administers the finance system by authority of a purely profiteering group. The system is Private, conducted for the sole purpose of obtaining the greatest possible profits from the use of other people’s money.”
To conceal their scheme, the Rothschilds and their co-conspirators attached to said central bank the “FEDERAL” moniker, a clear misnomer intended to hoodwink gullible Americans. Quite the obvious pattern, isn’t it? As a result, money creation in the US went from the People’s Representatives to a group of wealthy men, who all strangely happened to be Ashkenazi Jews (except for their token non-Jewish partners):
1. Rothschild Banks of London and Berlin.
2. Lazard Brothers Banks of Paris.
3. Israel Moses Seif Banks of Italy.
4. Warburg Bank of Hamburg and Amsterdam.
5. Lehman Brothers of NY.
6. Kuhn, Loeb Bank of NY (Now Shearson American Express).
7. Goldman Sachs of NY
8. National Bank of Commerce NY/Morgan Guaranty Trust (J. P. Morgan Bank – Equitable Life – Levi P. Morton are principal shareholders).
9. Hanover Trust of NY (William and David Rockefeller & Chase National Bank NY are principal shareholders).
Dean Henderson, in his article The Federal Reserve Cartel, clearly explained and confirmed the private ownership of the Federal Reserve:
“J. W. McCallister, an oil industry insider with House of Saud connections, wrote in The Grim Reaper that information he acquired from Saudi bankers cited 80% ownership of the New York Federal Reserve Bank – by far the most powerful Fed branch – by just eight families, four of which reside in the US. They are,
• the Goldman Sachs, Rockefellers, Lehmans and Kuhn Loebs of New York
• the Rothschilds of Paris and London
• the Warburgs of Hamburg
• the Lazards of Paris
• the Israel Moses Seifs of Rome
“CPA Thomas D. Schauf corroborates McCallister’s claims, adding that ten banks control all twelve Federal Reserve Bank branches. He names,
• N.M. Rothschild of London
• Rothschild Bank of Berlin
• Warburg Bank of Hamburg
• Warburg Bank of Amsterdam
• Lehman Brothers of New York
• Lazard Brothers of Paris
• Kuhn Loeb Bank of New York
• Israel Moses Seif Bank of Italy
• Goldman Sachs of New York
• JP Morgan Chase Bank of New York
“Eustace Mullins came to the same conclusions in his book The Secrets of the Federal Reserve, in which he displays charts connecting the Fed and its member banks to the families of Rothschild, Warburg, Rockefeller and the others.
“The control that these banking families exert over the global economy cannot be overstated and is quite intentionally shrouded in secrecy. Their corporate media arm is quick to discredit any information exposing this private central banking cartel as ‘conspiracy theory’. “
Woodrow Wilson bitterly regretted the bribe he took for his role in creating the Federal Reserve: “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the civilized world — no longer a Government by free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.”
Many pundits love to explain that the Federal Reserve is a partnership between the private banks and the Federal Government.
Bull biscuit!
“Some people think that the Federal Reserve Banks are United States Government institutions: they are private monopolies which prey upon the people of these United States for the benefit of themselves and their foreign customers; foreign and domestic speculators and swindlers; and rich and predatory money lenders,” clarified the Honorable Louis McFadden, Chairman of the House Banking and Currency Committee in the 1930s.
Pity the poor soul that believes the Fed is playing by the Federal Government’s rules! The only rule the Fed knows is the one that enriches its secret and not so secret members, regardless of how it destroys the US economy.
“Most Americans have no real understanding of the operation of the international money lenders,” revealed Arizona Republican Senator Barry Goldwater in the 1950s. “The accounts of the Federal Reserve System have never been audited. It operates outside the control of Congress and manipulates the credit of the United States.”
According to Forbes, the Federal Reserve in 2008 alone – under the oh! so responsible watch of the Ashkenazi Jew Ben “Helicopter” Bernanke – single-handedly allocated “over $16 Trillion to corporations and banks internationally, purportedly for ‘financial assistance.’ ”
Other sources put it at close to $30 Trillion, twice the size of America’s GDP. And none of that money has been accounted for. These transactions were only discovered after a “quick audit” that then Congressman Ron Paul miraculously managed to squeeze out of the Fed when he was beating the drum trying to get Americans to pay attention to the secretive bank.
So who really got all that money? Was it only $16 – 30 Trillion? And how much money has actually been stolen since the founding of the Federal Reserve? No one knows. Not even Congress. And no politician would even utter a word about it. Plus notice how such brazen thievery did not get any play in the mainstream media.
If you think that these Ashkenazim who took control over the US Central banking system did not turn on the money spigot for their fellow Jews in order to create a Jewish stranglehold on the US economy and beyond, then you’re a bigger fool than Judas who sold his Lord for 30 pieces of silver.
No wonder close to half of all billionaires (“half” is what we’re told) in the US are Ashkenazi Jews. And it’s no coincidence either that they dominate the US Media.
“…the Jews will have all the property of the whole world in their hands,” predicted Baruch Levi in his Letter to Karl Marx, La Revue de Paris, p574, June 1st. 1928.
By controlling the money supply they’re able to buy anything and anyone – anyone who serves the MONEY god that is. Said control abets the Jewish financiers to steer the US Government which in turn steers the world.
The heart of the US Government is Congress. It is full of Judases who have sold out their country to said MONEY god.
“(America) is just an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for President or being elected President,” revealed former President Jimmy Carter. “And the same thing applies to governors, and U.S. Senators and Congress members.”
That is why all American politicians, and especially Congressmen (except for a handful few), kowtow to AIPAC (secretly known as the Ashkenazi-Israeli Political Action Committee), its bribe money, its control of the corrupt Federal Reserve, and its treasonous attitude in favor of Israel above American interests. Whatever Israel wants, including terrorism and wars, Israel gets.
As Pat Buchanan quipped, “Congress is Israeli-occupied territory.”
The only modern-day US politician who went head-to-head with the MONEY god was President Kennedy. He signed Executive Order 11110 which authorized the US Treasury to issue Silver Certificates and to coin Silver Dollars, a smart move that if fully implemented would have put the Federal Reserve out of commission. Strangely, five months after issuing said order, he was assassinated. Silver Certificates and Dollars were then tossed into the dustbin of oblivion.
Even the President of the United States is no match for the MONEY god and its hidden hand. Poor Kennedy had to be made an example of in order to warn all American politicians to beware of bearding the demons in their den.
President James Madison knew of the murderous streak of central bankers when he said, “History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and its issuance.”
CONCLUSION
Jesus was right.
One cannot serve both God and Money. One must choose.
Money is governed by the principalities of hell. They know that most people fear them and won’t worship them, but that they sure will worship Money. And when they do, their hearts are no longer available to genuinely worship the true God whom these demons hate.
So those sly devils carefully chose whom they handed the control of money to. But, unfortunately for them and their minions, God is the one who has the final say.
Besides, Jesus already wrote the end of the story, and it favors those who worship Him:
“Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Judahites and are not, but lie– I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.” Revelation 3: 9
ADDENDUM
The Destroyers Of The World
“We Jews, we, the destroyers, will remain the destroyers forever.” – Maurice Samuel
Bolshevik Revolution: The Jewish Bolsheviks, who took over the Russian government in the 1910s, killed 66 million Christians, including 200,000 members of the Christian clergy, and destroyed 40,000 churches.
World War 1: Britain was losing the war against Germany. The Zionists stepped in and bribed President Wilson to get the US into the war to help them. In return, the Jews asked the British Empire to deed them Palestine to create Israel. Their wish was granted in the form of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which cost the world 18 million dead.
World War 2: The Zionists fomented that war (just like they’re doing today with Iran and other countries in the Middle East), so that European Jews could feel threatened. The deception worked as European Jews fled in droves to Palestine and took over the homes of Palestinians, who were evicted at gunpoint and then either massacred or driven out of their land into neighboring Arab countries. With enough Jews on the ground, Israel was created in 1948 at a cost of 80 million dead.
World War On Terror: Jewish neocons, in cahoots with their bought-and-paid-for politicians in the US government, perpetrated their act of terrorism on 9/11. Then they conveniently blamed it on Muslims so as to obtain a green light to destroy the Middle East using the armies of the US and NATO and the terrorist groups they finance, with the ultimate view to creating Greater Israel. So far, the death toll is over 3 million, including Christians.
World War 3: With Russia protecting Syria and Iran from Israel’s Machiavellian design, will the Zionists succeed in bringing the world once again to the brink of disaster to create Greater Israel? If they do, will it instead bring about their downfall?
Sequitur: As befitting the deceivers and murderers that they are, the Zionist VICTIMIZERS of the world shamelessly camouflage themselves as VICTIMS, with Israel, their monstrous spawn, carrying on their blood-filled legacy. Indeed, apartheid Israel is a scourge, a cancer that needs to be dealt with.
Appeal: Every conscientious individual should implement a personal boycott of Israel and everything made there.
Must-Read Book: The Secret World Government OR The Hidden Hand. It’s free.
Read also: Jesus was not a Jew
Read also: Jews and History: Lies Galore
AdvertisementsPresident Obama said at his news conference yesterday, "I continue to believe that we've got to close Guantanamo." He then added, "Congress determined that they would not let us close it."
Unfortunately, the president's comments are misleading. Congress may have passed the legislation to make it more difficult to close Guantanamo, but President Obama signed it. And he signed it more than once. He signed it each time Congress renewed the legislation. In addition, Obama has refused to work with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to issue waivers that would allow for the release of prisoners, such as the 86 men who have been officially cleared for release years before.
Obama could have closed Guantanamo had he had the tenacity to follow through on his promise to close the detention facilities four years ago. Instead, not only did he not close Guantanamo but, three months ago, he shuttered the State Department office charged with finding homes for the men. He seems to have abandoned his commitment to close the detention facility.
And it is only because of a devastating hunger strike at the detention center -- a strike that is attracting global attention -- that caused the president to address the closure of Guantanamo in his press conference.
Since early February, the detainees in Guantanamo have been on hunger strikes. The number of detainees has increased over this time, to where the military concedes that at least 100 of the 166 detainees held in Guantanamo are now participating. Detainees have been telling their habeas lawyers that a larger number of men are fasting.
The military also concedes that at least 21 of the men are being strapped into a chair specifically designed for them to be force-fed twice daily. Tubes are pushed up the men's nostrils and down into their stomachs. Ensure, some detainees believe that laxatives are added, is then poured into the tubes. If the men vomit or otherwise dirty themselves, the military will let them sit in it. Five men are currently hospitalized.
The World Medical Association believes that people who go on hunger strikes have the right not to be force-fed without their consent. U.S. officials claim force-feeding saves lives. But what kind of lives is our government saving when the men, who have never been charged with a crime, envision a future where they will never see, much less embrace, their wives, children and parents again?
Two weeks ago, the military moved the detainees from communal living situations into individual cells. The military's intent was to forestall communication among the detainees, in the hope that they would no longer encourage each other to pursue the fast. However, the military's strategy to break the strike is not working. More men are officially on hunger strike today than last week.
International media contacts me frequently about the state of the men's lives in Guantanamo. The BBC called again the other night, as did the Times of London. But rarely does the U.S. media call. Relatively few Americans seem to care about the human rights violations occurring in Guantanamo, so why should our media bother? Without Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald tweeting and writing of the fate of the men, we would be even less informed.
Soon another detainee may die in Guantanamo. Depressing, but true. Nine people have died in Guantanamo since it opened on January 11, 2002. There may be more deaths from men desperate enough to commit suicide rather than live until they die of natural causes in Guantanamo. How many suicides will it take before the government hears the voices of those who have been housed in the detention facilities in Guantanamo for over a decade? We have created an international human rights issue of tragic proportions, and no one with the power to act seems to care. Obama says he cares, but nothing changes.
The world is watching. And as we continue to darken our image as a bastion of human rights, the international community wonders what is wrong with us. How can we be so heartless as to not recognize that we are not only violating international law and norms in detaining men who have never been charged with a crime for over a decade, but we are also perpetuating a human rights disaster? Soon there may be more deaths under the darkening cloud that hangs over Guantanamo.Michelle Dorrell, the former Conservative voter who rose to prominence following an emotional outburst on BBC Question Time last year, has joined the Labour Party, citing “lies, deceit and substantial asset stripping” from the Conservatives as her motivation.
The mother of four was reduced to tears when speaking about the pressures on her family following Conservative attempts to cut tax credits, saying she felt “lied to” and “let down” on the show.
Michelle Dorrell speaking after joining the Labour Party said the Government had shown “malice and contempt” for the poorest in society, adding that the current Labour party represented the standards she wanted to see in public life.
“I have made a decision to join the Labour Party. The lies, deceit and substantial asset stripping of the UK by those in power have confirmed to me that this is the right choice.
“There have always been people that believe they are entitled to act in ways no one in any progressive society should conduct themselves and this government, led by David Cameron, has not learned from the mistakes of the past. No sane, logical or moral person within the UK in 2016, would ever want the conditions of inequality growing at such a pace as to break the back of society, with disastrous consequences for those with limited opportunities. The malice and contempt shown by this government in their attempts to undermine and oppress societies poorest and most vulnerable citizens is inexcusable.
“But if someone has a passion to show the country a new political direction with the commitment to social justice and high standards that Jeremy Corbyn and his colleagues represent, then now is the time to create some momentum to bring about change.”
Dorrell has attended a Momentum meeting and met with Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, who said he was “very pleased” she had been inspired by the party.
Labour opposition forced the Government to u-turn on their plans to cut £4.5bn from tax credits in November, though the lower payments will be phased in with the introduction of Universal Credit benefits.OCALA – A family from Estero had a frightening experience at Silver Springs, when they came across a group of rhesus monkeys.
At first, the monkeys were just hanging out, but after a few minutes they became upset and started growling, hissing, and chasing people.
Nobody was hurt, in fact, Susie Ramsey and her family thought it was funny when the monkeys became angry.
Monkey attacks can be dangerous though, they have very sharp fangs and are quite strong.
Never show your teeth to a monkey if you run across them in the wild, such an act is a sign of aggression. Just walk away and open your palms to show them you don’t have any food.
You can watch the entire original video above.
Stay safe out there, and no monkeying around!Loading... Loading...
As Colin Kaepernick draws national attention to police brutality through bravely choosing to abstain from participating in the national anthem, his actions are infuriating police across the country. This week, the Santa Clara police union issued a threatening letter to the 49ers promising to stop working the games unless the team “takes action” against Kaepernick.
In a scathing letter, addressed to Jed York, the 49ers CEO, the Santa Clara Police Officer’s Association essentially issued an ultimatum demanding the team silence Kaepernick or lose their police service.
The letter was obtained by NBC Bay Area and published online Friday night.
In the letter, the union suggests that Kaepernick is a liar, stating his claims about police brutality and killings are ‘completely false.’
Our membership acknowledges that police officers are human and are not perfect. However, blanket statements that police officers in general, murder minorities is completely false and insulting to the dedicated men and women in law enforcement agencies across America. These intentional acts and inflammatory statements by Mr. Kaepernick are insulting to the members of the SCPOA. It is apparent, that the 49ers organization is aware of Mr. Kaepernick’s actions. These actions have occurred while Mr. Kaepernick was acting as an employee of the 49ers and at 49er facilities in Santa Clara. The 49ers organization has taken no action to stop or prevent Mr. Kaepernick from continuing to make inaccurate, incorrect and inflammatory statements against police officers, which include members of the Santa Clara Police Officers Association.
In other words, because the team failed to censor or otherwise threaten into silence one of their employees, the police union is throwing a temper tantrum.
The letter also focuses on Kaepernick’s choice of footwear after the quarterback was seen wearing socks showing pigs in police outfits.
On August 31, 2016, it was learned by the members of the SCPOA that the 49er organization has been allowing Mr. Kaepernick to wear exposed socks With the image of a pig wearing a police hat during practices at the training camp in Santa Clara. Photos of Mr. Kaepernick wearing these socks with the derogatory image have been broadcast nationally.
Kaepernick, remaining steadfast, defended his choice of attire in an Instagram post on Friday.
A photo posted by colin kaepernick (@kaepernick7) on Sep 1, 2016 at 11:52am PDT
At the end of their letter, the union then issued an ultimatum, demanding the team ‘take action’ against Kaepernick or lose their police officers.
The board of directors of the Santa Clara Police Officers Association has a duty to protect its members and work to make all of their working environments free of harassing behavior. SCPOA members have worked thousands of hours at Levi’s stadium, 49er training camp and headquarters protecting guests, players and fellow employees. Our officers voluntarily agree to work these assignments. If the 49ers organization fails to take action to stop this type of inappropriate workplace behavior, it could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities. Please contact us as soon as possible with the corrective actions your organization intends on implementing.
This move by the union is entirely predictable as any time celebrities speak out against police brutality they are met with swift action.
Earlier this year, cops across the country acted in the same manner toward Beyonce after she called attention to police killings.
In spite of their attempts to censor their opponents, however, more people are standing up.
Help Us Be The Change We Wish To See In The World.Advertisement
We know. We skipped Video Friday last week. We're sorry. But cool stuff happened that we wanted to bring you right away. We're going to make up for it this week, though, with an extra helping of robot vids, so let's get right to it.
There were some Twitter rumors this week about a new ASIMO, but it turned out that it was all just a promo for the North American TV debut of the current version of ASIMO that was introduced back in 2011. It's worth watching anyway (if you can handle daytime TV), because it's still impressive, except for the voice recognition, which is terrible to the extent that it may be nonexistent.
[ ASIMO ]
Here's a robot that is new: it's a version of SenseFly's eBee drone designed specifically for agriculture, featuring a choice of infrared or multispectral cameras to provide you with easy to acquire, timely data about your crops.
[ eBee Ag ]
I think of this thing as more of an externally actuated mannequin than an actual robot, but the rest of the Internet seems to be calling it a robot, so here ya go: it's Porton Man, an infantry suit tester (like Petman) from the U.K.:
[ BBC ]
Zenta took his MorpHex MKII outside and let it freakily roll around:
[ Zenta ]
Why do I never get tired of watching Team Blacksheep's drone videos? They're SO PRETTY!
[ Team Blacksheep ]
One of the selling points of Rethink Robotics' Baxter is that end users will get software upgrades that will significantly improve the capabilities and performance of their robots. This video shows the substantial improvement in speed that Baxter got in just the last year through software upgrades alone:
[ Rethink Robotics ]
Turns out, it's really freakin' hard to shoot down a moving drone, even if you've got a whole bunch of people with machine guns:
Via [ PopSci ]
Crabster's manipulation mode involves unfolding arms out of its two front legs. Note that the forward arm motion is 4x speed.
[ KIOST ]
When roboticists want an excuse to try and screw their robot up somehow, they call it "robustness testing."
[ AMBER Lab ]
I'm not sure that you can really play an effective game of beer pong with a drone, but what's so great about this video is seeing how you can smash these drones into things over and over again and it just doesn't matter:
[ Game of Drones ]
Double backflip, with a twist:
[ Hinametitu ]
We're not the happiest with Kuka after their ping pong fiasco, but they do make some cool giant robots, like their omniMove platform:
[ Kuka omniMove ]
In the mood for some destruction? Check out the 2014 Central Illinois Bot Brawl's greatest hits compilation:
[ CIRC ]
SparkFun's 2014 Autonomous Vehicle Competition kicks off June 21st, and here's a preview of this year's course:
[ SparkFun AVC ]
This concept for on-demand drones is fun to think about, even though its near-term realism is sketchy at best for many of the same reasons why we're not buying into Amazon's urban drone delivery.
[ Gofor Drones ]
From ETH Zurich:
In this video we demonstrate the capabilities of our monocular pose tracking system. It consists of infrared LEDs on the quadrotor and an infrared camera on the arm of a ground robot. Since we know the positions of the LEDs on the quadrotor, we can precisely estimate its position and orientation. We are able to stabilize a quadrotor under illumination changes up to complete darkness. Our algorithm is robust to false detections. This with an additional infrared LED, which we move closely to the other LEDs. To estimate the pose of the quadrotor, we need at least four LEDs. However, five are currently mounted. Our system can handle the occlusion of an LED and is still precise enough to stabilize the quadrotor. Since we track the quadrotor relative to the camera, the quadrotor stays with the ground robot, even if it is moving. Our system works also outdoors.
[ Paper ]
This is a Dash robot in a box. It is perhaps the best thing I have ever seen.
[ Dash Robotics ]
Let's wrap the week with three think pieces, in no particular order:
RI Seminar: Bilge Mutlu : Human-Centered Methods for Designing Robotic Products
Boris Sofman, co-Founder and CEO, Anki: Consumer Robotics: Story and Lessons
TEDx Fulbright: Max Versace of Neurala on the Future of RobotsPicture of 100ft-long'snake' sparks fears of mythical monster in Borneo
According to legend, the Nabau was a terrifying snake more than 100ft in length and with a dragon's head and seven nostrils.
But now local villagers living along the Baleh river in Borneo believe the mythical creature has returned after this photo of a gigantic snake swimming along the remote waterways has emerged.
The picture, taken by a member of a disaster team monitoring flood regions by helicopter, has sparked a huge debate about whether the photos are genuine or merely the work of photo-editing software.
Borneo's Nessie: The image that sparked fears a giant serpent was stalking the river Baleh
Even the respected New Straits Times newspaper in Kuala Lumpur has asked readers to make up their own minds about the photos.
Villagers who claim to have seen the snake say they have given it the name of Nabau, after an ancient sea serpent which can transform itself into the shapes of different animals.
People who have studied the photograph of the shape taken from the air have dismissed suggestions that it's a log.
As one writer asked: 'A log can't be that winding, can it?' Others have suggested it's a speedboat, but this has been dismissed because of the twisting wake.
The most common accusation is that the photo has simply been manipulated on a computer, while others complain that the river is a different colour to the real Baleh rover which is a murky brown.
Mythical: A second frame appears to show something snake-like in the water off a remote village
But villagers who insist the snake exists say that photos of the creature being taken in different parts of the river prove it is swimming about.
Earlier this month scientists unearthed the fossil of a killer snake that was longer than a bus, as heavy as a small car and which could swallow an animal the size of a cow.
The 45ft long monster - named Titanoboa - was so big that it lived on a diet of crocodiles and giant turtles, squeezing them to death and devouring them whole.
Weighing an impressive 1.25 tons, it slithered around the tropical forests of South America 60million years ago, just five million years after the last dinosaurs were wiped out.
Partial skeletons of the boa constrictor-like prehistoric killer were found in a Colombian coal mine by an international team of fossil hunters.The Expected Value of Hour of Devastation
by SaffronOlive // Jul 09, 2017 Tweet
hour of devastation Expected Value
Hour of Devastation officially releases next Friday, which means it's time for our traditional expected value article. At a glance, Hour of Devastation looks like a low-value set, but what do the numbers have to say? That's what we're going to be looking at today. Then, after breaking down the numbers, we'll talk about what the expected value of Hour of Devastation actually means over the long haul, along with what challenges and opportunities it presents.
The basic question we are looking to answer is pretty simple: is it worth it to crack a box of Hour of Devastation, based purely on the numbers? Basically, if I pay $100 for a box of Hour of Devastation, should I expect to get my money back, lose money, or come out a little bit ahead? Here, it's important to note that it's never, ever worth it to crack a box over the long haul. Even if the expected value is positive on release day, it won't be in a few weeks. Generally speaking, vendors get boxes for 70-something dollars, and over the long haul, the amount of value you'll get from a box has to drop below this number (on average). If the cards in a box are worth more than the sealed box, you can bet that people will be opening boxes like crazy, which in turn increases the supply of the cards in the set and brings down the prices of the cards.
One more thing before getting into the meat of the article: it's important to remember that there are many reasons why people buy a box. Some people buy boxes because cracking packs is fun. Others buy boxes to play limited with their friends. For some people, buying a box is a tradition, or they enjoy the lottery aspect of opening a Masterpiece edition of Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh. All of these (and I'm sure there are many more) are fine reasons to purchase a booster box, even a low-EV booster box. When it comes right down to it, Magic is a game—there is value in having fun, and our EV calculation can't account for this non-monetary value. So, don't let this EV calculation be the only factor in your decision of whether to buy a box.
What Is Expected Value?
While many of you are probably familiar with the concept of expected value, here's a brief refresher. Expected value tells us just how much value we can expect to open in a booster box. To calculate EV, we first determine the odds of opening a specific card (this is the "multiplier" you'll see throughout the article). Next, we calculate the value of each card. Then, we multiply the odds of opening a card by the card's value, which tells us how much value we expect that card to add to the box. Finally, after we do this for all of the cards in the set, we can simply add up the total and determine how much a box is actually worth.
TCGplayer Market Pricing
Most EV calculations use sell prices—things like TCGplayer Mid or the prices that vendors like StarCityGames or ChannelFireball ask for a card. But unfortunately, these numbers do not mean much to me for a couple of reasons: First, I (and most of you) can't get StarCityGames or TCGplayer Mid prices when we sell our cards. Instead, we get things like eBay minus fees and shipping or buylist prices. As such, in calculating the value of the cards in the set, I'm trying to use the number that I realistically think I can get for the card tomorrow (this is important because new sets tend to decrease in value quickly). For this, I mostly use the TCG Market price (minus 15% for fees and shipping), which is basically the completed listings of the TCG Marketplace and shows the actual prices that cards have sold for and not just what people are asking for their cards. This is why the prices listed in the charts in this article are lower than the MTGGoldfish price: I'm making deductions that take into account the "hidden" costs of selling the cards.
Timing is everything when it comes to making a profit by opening boxes, as prices drop quickly once a new set starts being opened. A set can go from positive EV to negative EV in less than a week, sometimes even overnight. Basically, by opening boxes on release day (or release weekend), we can take advantage of the excitement for the new cards (new demand) and the fact that the freshly opened cards haven't had time to reach the market yet (lack of supply).
Methodology Notes
Commons (except in very rare cases) are considered to be bulk, which I value at $5.00 per thousand. This means that an entire booster box worth of commons adds $1.80 to the expected value of the box. Most uncommons are also worthless for the purpose of calculating EV, since they cannot be reliably sold as singles. Apart from a handful of "chase" and "semi-chase" uncommons, everything else at this rarity goes into the bulk pile along with the commons. Foils get their own section, but it's important to remember that there is a ton of variance in opening valuable foils. The odds of opening a foil The Scarab God is somewhere around 1 in 2,592 packs; however, every box should contain some number of foils (typically a handful of commons, a couple of uncommons, and one rare), and these lower-rarity foils do represent some amount of guaranteed value. Like the last few sets, Hour of Devastation has its own edition of the Masterpiece Series in Invocations. Considering just how rare it is to open one of these cards, they will be going in their own special section, and we'll essentially be calculating two different expected values: one without the Invocations and one with the extra value of the Invocations added. These prices won't be good for long. Remember: the idea is to determine if Hour of Devastation is worth opening on release weekend. If you buy a box six weeks from now, don't blame me when these prices are wrong because I can tell you right now they will be wrong—and likely very wrong. Remember that the EV is a snapshot based on current prices and not a prediction of where prices will be in the future. Another reminder: you don't actually make a profit until you sell the card. So, just cracking boxes on release weekend isn't enough; you need take the next step and actually trade away the cards, list them on eBay / TCGplayer, or sell them to a buylist. Finally, be aware of variance. These numbers will be accurate if you open enough packs. But, like most aspects of Magic, variance can have a huge impact in small samples. In theory (although not in practice), a booster box could contain zero mythics and all bulk rares, or it could contain a complete set of foil mythics. The more packs you crack, the more accurate the EV will become because you smooth out these outliers.
Hour of Devastation: Mythics
$ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
How can I put this softly? The mythics of Hour of Devastation are horrible from a value perspective, with an average value of just $4.52. To put this in context, Aether Revolt was the previous record holder for least valuable mythics (at least, since I started calculating expected value, back in Khans block) and Hour of Devastation mythics are worth nearly 10% less than Aether Revolt mythics.
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the middle and was decorated with multicolored lights and ancient stones and clay pots. The hall that was underground, called the cave, was decorated with ancient Arab carpets on which customers sat; they ate with copper utensils that were more than 500 years old. The third section was divided into 10 rooms, for up to 20 people each, and was reserved usually for families. It included a stage for musicians who entertained the customers every night.
“After the Syrian conflict erupted, both our restaurant and company closed down. My brothers also owned sewing shops, which they closed also due to the crisis. But the restaurant was our family’s biggest loss because it was a four-star historical touristic place with an Islamic value in the Old City of Aleppo. Many well-known Arab figures had visited the restaurant — such as Harith al-Dhari, the former secretary-general of the Association of Muslim Scholars, and Syrian artists Sabah Fakhri and Nour Mehanna; Syrian comedian Humam Hout was a regular at our restaurant — to name a few,” Qatarji said.
In February 2013, Qatarji decided to travel to Jordan and from there to Egypt. He worked for three months as the manager of Liwan restaurant in the 6th of October City in Giza governorate. While there, a Syrian refugee who had visited the Gaza Strip for a short period put him in touch with the manager of Izmir restaurant in Gaza City. He was offered $1,000 per month and secured a passage into Gaza through the tunnels between the Palestinian and Egyptian sides of Rafah. Qatarji knew that once he made it to the Gaza Strip, he would be unable to leave since there is no Syrian Embassy in Palestine to renew his passport; he would have to start a new life there.
At the end of May 2013, he traveled to Gaza and worked at the Izmir restaurant until it was closed in the wake of the Israeli war on Gaza in July 2014. Subsequently, he worked in Suryana restaurant in al-Wahda Street in Gaza City for five months, and opened with a partner Dicastro restaurant in Ahmad Abd al-Aziz Street in Gaza City; the partnership eventually ended and he left the restaurant.
Qatarji then decided to open a restaurant in a busy area, and he chose the market in the Nuseirat refugee camp because of its lively energy. He said, “I designed the restaurant myself to preserve the ancient Aleppan style and I hired workers for installations only. I smuggled in the materials through the tunnels on the Gazan-Egyptian border — such as ancient copper lanterns — and I displayed pictures of Jar al-Qalaa so Gazans would know what the restaurant [in Aleppo] looked like.”
He bought the historic artifacts from Syria over the internet, which were smuggled from Syria into Egypt and through the tunnels into Gaza. The artifacts are put on display in the dining rooms, and include 400-year-old clay pots from the Ottoman Empire, a 150-year-old coffee dispenser, a 120-year-old copper Arab kohl container, a 111-year-old first copy of Mukhtar Asahah, an ancient Arab bowl, ancient copper cups and an 80-year-old dagger.
The popular restaurant serves Syrian cuisine, such as Syrian shawarma, Syrian appetizers, fattoush, biwaz (salad) and ayran yogurt. Qatarji said that most meals are purely Aleppan and many customers come in asking for pastes he uses in his food, most importantly his famous garlic paste. He explained how the residents of the refugee camp are similar to Aleppans; they love life, much like Syrians did before the crisis.
Meanwhile, Syrian families in the Gaza Strip are living under difficult economic conditions because most entered into Gaza through the tunnels and are now unable to leave. In addition, their passports have expired, and they can only renew them by visiting a Syrian Embassy in person.
In this context, Wareef Hamedo, the spokesman for the charity Syrian Families in Gaza, which helps Syrians, told Al-Monitor there are 48 Syrian refugee families in Gaza that are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Hamedo said, “Syrians in Gaza are living under very harsh conditions. Some have worked temporarily in charities from six to 12 months, but are now left jobless. Only seven families received 750 shekels [$193] from the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs, which they mostly used to pay rent, while some refugees are in dire need of medical care.”
When a Syrian family is in need, Hamedo takes it upon himself to ask for donations on Facebook, including medicine for the sick, money to cover rent or supplies for children. While Gazans often respond to his requests and donate whatever they can, some Syrian refugees are still in need of financial and medical assistance.In another sign of the Chinese authorities clamping down on civil rights activists, on Friday officials confiscated the computers of lawyers working on last year's tainted milk scandal.
In a morning raid, 20 officers of Beijing's Civil Affairs Bureau filled the small headquarters of the Open Constitution Initiative. OCI's lawyers made headlines in 2008 for their pro bono work on behalf of the victims of the Sanlu Group's tainted milk powder, which killed at least six children and affected hundreds of thousands.
The raid comes a few months after the authorities effectively disbarred some of the country's most outspoken civil rights lawyers and ordered a prominent human rights law firm to close.
"In run up to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic in October, [Friday's] incident of harassment sends a clear message from Beijing: Anyone who tries to assert a civil society will be controlled," says Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China, based in New York.
Organization declared illegal
Xu Zhiyong, a founding partner of OCI, said he did not know why the raid occurred when it did.
"The Bureau of Civil Affairs took everything away in the office, including the documents about the poison formula case and petitioners that we help, the booklets that we printed, computers, tables, and chairs," he said, when reached by telephone during the raid.
Mr. Xu said officials told him that OCI's office, which opened in 2007, was "illegal" and would be shut down for failing to register as a nongovernmental organization, a difficult process here. OCI was registered as a company instead, says Xu, a tack many Chinese rights groups take if they are unable to register as NGOs.
NGOs often operate on shaky ground, experts in Chinese law say. "Because the government is suspicious, if not downright hostile, to the work of NGOs, it's difficult to get them registered with the proper authorities," says Lester Ross, lead partner in the Beijing office of the US law firm WilmerHale. "As a result, those registered nominally as for-profit businesses run a risk of being shut down if they stick their heads too far above ground."
OCI faces a fine of more than 1.4 million yuan ($200,000), according to a tax office notice posted on its website.
A request for information about the raid sent to the Bureau of Civil Affairs went unanswered Friday.
Tainted-milk court cases slow to proceed
According to China's new food safety law, which went into effect June 1, victims of food poisoning can ask lower courts to award compensation worth 10 times the value of the tainted products purchased. In a new direction in Chinese law, courts also increasingly are awarding victims additional damages for loss.
Earlier this year, China's high court cleared lower courts to handle such cases. But after lawyers organizing mass lawsuits over the tainted milk powder were harassed or ignored, it was unclear if any cases would proceed.
Since June 1, the court in Sanlu's home city of Shijiazhuang, 168 miles southeast of Beijing, has accepted two cases against the now bankrupt company, Xu said. Neither has yet had a hearing.
Compensation vs. lawsuits
In China – where courts do not award damages for what US lawyers would call "pain and suffering," nor grant punitive damages that are regarded as a deterrent – compensation amounts vary widely.
For wrongful deaths in food poisoning cases, damages "certainly could be in the tens of thousands of yuan," says Mr. Ross, the attorney. "One would consider the loss of earning power and other factors."
China's central government already determined in 2008 that families of the victims of Sanlu's tainted milk would get 200,000 yuan ($29,272) for a death in the family and 30,000 yuan ($4,391) if surgery was required. Workers in Beijing, one of China's richest cities, averaged incomes of 44,715 yuan ($6,545) in 2008.
The milk powder produced by Sanlu and other manufacturers contained the toxic chemical melamine, whose high nitrogen content helped watered-down milk pass quality checks for protein content.
More than 90 percent of the families affected accepted a compensation deal led by the Ministry of Health. The deal curtails their right to sue the 22 milk powder manufacturers found culpable.
With backup files, 'we will continue'
Xu said the raid on Friday netted eight OIC computers and the paper records of several hundred court cases built up over four or five years. None of the mostly volunteer staff of seven or eight people in the office Friday was arrested. Xu said authorities did not lock the office.
"What they did is unreasonable, because legally the company still exists. The stuff they confiscated includes company property and private property," Xu said.
OCI had backup copies of the materials taken, he said. "We won't give up, because what we do is for a just cause. We do it with our conscience. I don't know what our next step will be, but we will continue."New Mass. Bishop: 'God Made Us Male and Female'
And, of course, that means marriage for heterosexual couples only, according to Springfield's new Roman Catholic bishop.
The new bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Springfield, Mass., provides a reminder that despite Pope Francis’s conciliatory words toward LGBT people, the church’s doctrine isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, who will be installed Tuesday as leader of the diocese, said in a wide-ranging interview with a Springfield newspaper last week that many social problems are due to “the disintegration of family life” — and healthy family life, as he sees it, is rooted in heterosexual marriage.
“As a church, what we are saying is that God made us male and female, and that the institution of marriage is so crucial,” Rozanski told The Republican. “It is a sacrament of the church, if the sacrament is well lived, then the children and future generations will benefit.”
Rozanski, 55, was formerly auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Baltimore. In Springfield, he succeeds Bishop Timothy McDonnell, who has retired. The Springfield diocese covers four counties in western Massachusetts. There are 81 parishes in the diocese and approximately 230,000 Roman Catholics, according to The Republican.
Pope Francis has called for the church to emphasize issues other than its opposition to homosexuality, contraception, and abortion, and last year he famously said, “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?” But he has also said church doctrine on those matters is clear, and the rest of the church hierarchy continues to underline that.For the first time, scientists have isolated the parasite Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection with complete success.
In a study published in the new journal from the Society for Applied Microbiology: Environmental Microbiology Reports, scientists from Spain analysed two apiaries and found evidence of honey bee colony depopulation syndrome (also known as colony collapse disorder in the USA). They found no evidence of any other cause of the disease (such as the Varroa destructor, IAPV or pesticides), other than infection with Nosema ceranae. The researchers then treated the infected surviving under-populated colonies with the antibiotic drug, flumagillin and demonstrated complete recovery of all infected colonies.
The loss of honey bees could have an enormous horticultural and economic impact worldwide. Honeybees are important pollinators of crops, fruit and wild flowers and are indispensable for a sustainable and profitable agriculture as well as for the maintenance of the non-agricultural ecosystem. Honeybees are attacked by numerous pathogens including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. For most of these diseases, the molecular pathogenesis is poorly understood, hampering the development of new ways to prevent and combat honeybee diseases. So, any progress made in identifying causes and subsequent treatments of honey bee colony collapse is invaluable. There have been other hypothesis for colony collapse in Europe and the USA, but never has this bug been identified as the primary cause in professional apiaries.
"Now that we know one strain of parasite that could be responsible, we can look for signs of infection and treat any infected colonies before the infection spreads" said Dr Higes, principle researcher.
This finding could help prevent the continual decline in honey bee population which has recently been seen in Europe and the USA.
###It appears CNN has fired another salvo in their war with President Donald Trump.
This evening, the network put together a clip of Trump’s most outlandish hand gestures at today’s mammoth news conference — all set to classical music, as if POTUS were a conductor.
Check for yourself:
Turn your sound up and watch President Trump conduct an amazing symphony — er, press conference https://t.co/NvBabma6MO pic.twitter.com/zsCztWPPtK — CNN (@CNN) February 17, 2017
Considering the network pushing back on Trump for ridiculing its coverage and calling them “fake news,” one wonders if CNN isn’t doing themselves any favors with this action, as they aren’t exactly taking the high road.
[image via screengrab]
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Follow Justin Baragona on Twitter: @justinbaragona
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.A study from Stockholm University have now established what was previously suspected, that the high levels of brominated flame retardants measured in cats are from the dust in our homes. The study has been published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
The study shows that cats are exposed to chemicals found in electronics and furniture, chemicals that become dust and can adversely affect health. It is the first time that this connection has been verified. In a previous study, the researchers demonstrated that brominated flame retardants were found in higher concentrations in the blood of cats that had developed Feline hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism in cats) compared to healthy cats. Now, new measurements of healthy cats establish their dust exposure. Paired samples were taken from the same household, i.e. they took both dust samples and blood samples at the same time.
Exposure to chemicals
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"By taking paired samples, we have greater insight into the environment that the cats live in. Moreover the cats in the study spent the majority of their time indoors and therefore air and dust in the home is expected to contribute more than the outdoor environment", says Jana Weiss at the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University.
The results are very interesting because small children, notorious for putting everything in their mouths, have exposures to these chemicals similar to cats.
"The brominated flame retardants that have been measured in cats are known endocrine disruptors. It's particularly serious when small children ingest these substances because exposure during the development can have consequences later in life, such as thyroid disease", says Jana Weiss.
About brominated flame retardants
Brominated flame retardants are added to textiles, furniture and electronic equipment to prevent the material from igniting. Many of the brominated flame retardants have been found to be health hazards, and some are suspected endocrine disruptors. A number of them have been prohibited for these reasons in products like electronic goods. However, they are extremely persistent and can leach from the products for many years after they have been produced, ultimately becoming part of dust.What's coming in 2016? Let's go to the data. (Photo by Benjamin C. Tankersley/For The Washington Post)
In a month of 2015 recaps from just about every company out there, now may be the time to start those predictions about what's going to happen in the new year.
Enter the Adobe Digital Trends report for 2016, which steps up to the dubious honor of forecasting the future. Rather than trying to divine the coming years from thrown bones or the patterns of avian migration, however, Joe Martin, a senior data analyst for Adobe Digital Index looks at a mix of social media posts, website traffic and consumer surveys to tell the future.
It's much less messy that way. In an interview, Martin outlined a few of the key trends that pop out of the data for The Post: an interest in digital assistants, the rising adoption of "Internet of Things" devices, as well as some new data about the way we use the Web itself.
Digital assistants such as Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, Google Now and Amazon's Alexa are now in many homes, with an Adobe survey of 400 respondents finding more than one in three had used a digital assistant in the last 30 days. Siri is the "most used and most mentioned of the digital assistants," Martin said.
"It's the top-ranked in getting information when it's needed," he said, adding that it garners six times the mentions on social media than its competitors. The Echo from Amazon, Martin said, gets the distinction of being the most admired digital assistant, with 70 percent of mentions relating to joy or admiration. (Amazon chief executive Jeffrey Bezos is also the owner of The Washington Post.)
But in 2016, Martin said, Siri could face some serious competition. While Siri may be widely known, there's a lot of anticipation for Facebook M, the social network's forthcoming digital assistant that's currently only been launched to test groups in the Bay Area. The assistant is designed not only to find information, but also to get people to act on it — so you can not only find the best Thai restaurant around, but then also book a reservation there.
After evaluating the sentiment of social media posts, Martin said, Adobe found that more than 20 percent of posts about Facebook M were related to anticipation.
"Normally that's around zero to five percent," he said. "So 20 percent was extremely high." If Facebook releases M widely in 2016, Martin said, he expects it will do well with younger users and anyone who appreciates the extra level of service that the assistant can provide.
Looking at the adoption of connected "Internet of Things" (or IoT) devices, Martin said that he expects Google will continue to see success. The company gets high marks from consumers for its connected devices such as the Nest thermostat and camera, despite some low points during the year. Of all IoT devices, Google's OnHub routers get the most mentions — which is perhaps more excitement than you'd expect for a router.
[WiFi Routers are getting way more expensive - here's why you should buy a new one anyway]
But, Martin said, people seem to be intrigued by the future potential of the device. "It's kind of the brain of the smart hub," he said, alluding to suspicions that the OnHub will play a larger role in Google's big push for smart home devices. Based on the data from its index, Adobe estimates 1 in 5 home owners will have some sort of smart home device by the end of 2016.
On the wearables front, the Adobe data show that while fitness trackers sill rule the roost in the category, the time of smartwatch may finally be here. Based on survey information about what people use and what they plan to buy, Martin said that he expects that watches will overtake fitness trackers in the next year or two as people look for more functionality from a single device.
"I think it's an iPod before the iPhone scenario," he said. "Some people may have both, but end up using the more complex device because it does more than one thing."
That said, he doesn't think fitness trackers will die out completely. As a Fitbit owner himself, Martin said he's "becoming pretty loyal to that brand, and they've been able to get a good hold of the category by providing a quality tracking product." Fitbit, according to the latest numbers from IDC, still holds its lead over the wearables category, with a market share of 22 percent to Apple's 18 percent.
Finally, when it comes to how we use the Web, Adobe predicts that mobile browsing will eclipse desktop in 2016. In fact, Martin said he expects that mobile browsing on weekends will top desktop browsing by the end of this year. Weekdays, he said, will likely follow by the end of 2016.
"It's been a long time coming," he said. "Mobile got a huge boost when large-screened phones were released."SEED Public Charter School students Isaiah Thomas and Jasmyn Hill change batteries and a memory card from a camera in green space in Southeast Washington. (Jeffrey MacMillan/For The Washington Post)
Jasmyn Hill had been attending the same charter school in Southeast Washington for five years before she ever ventured into the woods that surround the campus.
“I had no idea what was in there,” said the 16-year-old junior with long turquoise nails and waist-length braids. She described herself as “not really the type who goes camping.”
But the city kid joined a “Green Team” at her school, and she now spends afternoons taking walks in the woods to learn about what lives there. She also helps set up cameras to record the wildlife. The experience has kindled an interest in environmental science, she said.
Hill and other students at the SEED Public Charter School are joining a growing army of “citizen scientists” who are gathering data about wildlife for the Smithsonian collection, information and images that can be used for scientific research and conservation efforts.
[Animal numbers are shrinking, but kids can help.]
A photograph of a white-tailed deer, taken in Fort DuPont Park at about 1 a.m. March 31. (SEED Public Charter School)
It’s part of a Smithsonian eMammal project, which recruits and trains volunteers to set up infrared-activated cameras — or “camera traps” — in parks, back yards or other natural areas. The cameras take pictures when something warm-blooded moves in front of the lens.
Carnivores and wildlife are rebounding in many urban areas, and researchers have a lot of questions about what kind of animals are living where and how they interact with humans and with one another.
“We need the data from these urban sites, and these students are collecting it for us,” said Bill McShea, a research scientist at the National Zoo’s Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
The photos represent a more modern way of gathering specimens, in part replacing the historical collection of skulls and animal skins that wildlife biologists took back to museums for tagging and storage. Now, cameras can capture similar information and, when carefully documented, the photos can become part of the Smithsonian collection.
The eMammal project began in 2012. In its first two years, volunteers and scientists placed more than 2,000 cameras in 32 parks across six mid-Atlantic states, collecting more than 200,000 animal detections. The program is expanding.
D.C. students are among the first to participate in the program as volunteers, and the city has proved to be a good place for them to learn about wildlife.
“People may not realize how much wild area or forest there is in D.C.,” McShea said. “You’d be surprised at what mammals are sitting in those woods.”
SEED is a public boarding school, an unusual model that aims to help students from poor communities by offering them concentrated services around the clock. Located not far from Minnesota Avenue SE, the gated campus is in an area that is considered urban but is surrounded by green space. Fort Dupont Park, which is maintained by the National Park Service, is steps away.
On a warm afternoon this spring, Hill and her friend Isaiah Thomas met up with the Green Team, an after-school club organized by a group called Groundwork Anacostia, which helped adapt the eMammal program for D.C. schools.
They were joined by wildlife biologist Megan Baker and other volunteers, setting off for a walk to check on cameras that have been in place for a few weeks.
The trail began as gravel, then went to dirt. They walked until the crunch of leaves and the din of bird song drowned out the traffic noise. New green leaves were visible in every direction.
Thomas used a GPS device to find the first camera trap, which took him off the trail and into a patch of trees. The students strained to find the camera, which was strapped to the base of a tree three weeks earlier and was purposely camouflaged. When they spotted it, they removed a padlock, retrieved the memory card and took the camera so they could move it to a new location.
While searching for the next camera, the GPS device took them into thick woods. They passed a fox den, made of sand, with three big holes. Some climbed over it, but Thomas stopped short. “I don’t want them coming to my house,” he said. “I’m not going to their house.”
They continued past thorny bushes, up and down hills. The group stopped again when they found a pair of antlers, left behind by a deer, white and pristine on the dried brown leaves. They posed for pictures and carried them on as a souvenir.
Back at school, they downloaded the pictures from the first camera onto a laptop and gathered around, excited to see what it had captured.
The series of pictures showed raccoons with bright eyes, the blur of a running deer, a black squirrel. “Wild turkeys!” they exclaimed, spotting a flock of three turkeys on the screen. “Where are the foxes?’ they wondered.
A second memory card, which had been retrieved earlier from a different camera, showed more deer, including one that lay down and took a two-hour nap in front of the camera. They saw a raccoon standing on two legs, a possum, a house cat, and, finally, a red fox.
Baker said some camera traps have ended up recording other types of wildlife: Occasionally people have mooned the lens. But usually, surprises come in the sheer variety of animals that wander by or what they do when they think no one is watching.
One series of pictures from a volunteer who set up a camera in a park in Centreville, Va., captured a fox playing with a ball. Some student volunteers from the British School of Washington who set up a camera trap in Rock Creek Park captured images of two battling deer.
The next step is to upload the images. The students use a software application that helps sort the pictures and identify the animals. Experts check the images, and then they go into the Smithsonian’s archive.
As part of the school program, seventh-grade students at SEED also will visit the camera traps and study the photographs as they learn about ecosystems and habitats and how to classify animals.
During their first lesson, science teacher Ibari Iheanyi-Igwe asked the students to make a hypothesis about the kinds of animals they might find in the woods next to their school.
“We got all kinds of answers — mountain lions, jaguars, kangaroos,” she said. “Now we will go out and investigate what’s really there.”Pop star Phil Collins shows passion for all things Alamo
Singer Phil Collins, shown on the set of John Wayne's "The Alamo" in Brackettville last year, says there are always more sides to a story, even in Texas history. Singer Phil Collins, shown on the set of John Wayne's "The Alamo" in Brackettville last year, says there are always more sides to a story, even in Texas history. Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Pop star Phil Collins shows passion for all things Alamo 1 / 13 Back to Gallery
Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins) knows Texas history, maybe even better than most Texans.
Ever since he was a child watching Fess Parker's portrayal of Davy Crockett, the English pop singer has been fascinated by the Alamo and the Texas Revolution. Over the years, it has developed into an impressive collection of artifacts connected to that historic battle and the broader fight for Texas independence.
Collins has given readers a look at his collection in his new book "The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector's Journey" (State House Press).
Collins will be in Houston on Wednesday for a private reception and book signing. Houston Chronicle copy editor and Bayou City History blogger J.R. Gonzales posed questions to Collins via e-mail ahead of his visit. Here are excerpts:
Q: After all the research, books and films that have been done on the Alamo, what is left to learn about it? Are there any mysteries or questions regarding the Alamo that you would like to see answered?
A: There are still as many questions as answers frankly.... There are many Mexican firsthand accounts but they have been hailed as "unreliable." There is no doubt that the story we all grew up with has been romanticized and somewhat sanitized. I resent the views that clearly show racism and also show blatant heroism. Like all battles, it was terrifying for the soldiers on both sides of the walls.
I'm not a "modernist," but certain things have to be "owned" up to - the attempted escapes by the defenders, overlooked in many books... plus the over-the-top bloodlust by some Mexican soldiers afterwards. Davy may not have died as we'd like to think. Fact. He was human.
Q: Is there a particular artifact you're currently looking for?
A: I'm always looking for something that "was there." These artifacts are out there and being taken care of by families with connections. One day they'll surface.
I'm happy... I have time. It's not my goal to have the "biggest collection in the world." Far from it. This really is a private occupation of mine....
Q: Why does the story of the Alamo continue to hold interest, even for those not from Texas?
A: There were "big stars" at the Alamo! Bowie, Crockett! It is a huge political event because it, and the events at Goliad and San Jacinto, changed the look of a map of America.
America would be a very different place if Texas had remained Mexican.
Oil... produce... land mass etc.
But even for those unaware of that find there's the over-romanticized story of the fight for liberty, etc.
Too deep a question to answer here, but if more people get interested in it, then they'll eventually ask themselves the questions.
Q: What can parents and teachers do today to foster a similar passion for history in children?
A: Somehow make it come alive I guess. The movies did that for me, but now kids want something else. My own little guys are interested in the Alamo and Goliad, and San Jacinto, but that enthusiasm comes from my encouragement and watching the movies with them.
They can name the people involved. I'm proud of that.
Mathew, 7, has moved on to Napoleon! He's bitten and will come back to it all after football has taken a back seat.
Q: Do you feel that because people know you as a musician you have to work harder to prove that you're serious about this subject?
A: Without a doubt. If a musician dares to get out of the box he's been put in, people get confused. They want people where they can find them!
I am fortunate in some respects as I've always been known as someone who "moves around" and tries different things. But generally, we are supposed to stay where we're put.
Q: Who do you find more passionate, Alamo buffs or Genesis fans?
A: Hard to choose. Genesis fans are a religious group! But likewise, Alamo historians can be that way, too.
Not much to choose between them I reckon!
[email protected] and programming patterns are wonderful ways of disseminating knowledge. It’s immensely satisfying to bring solution to a tough problem by applying a perfect-fit pattern.
But success with pattern applications is like taking that first innocent bump. You quickly want more of what made you feel this good. And buoyed by the high of a perfect fit, it’s easy to develop pattern vision where code, like Tetris shapes, become mere blocks for fitting into the pattern holes.
With this infliction, you will invariably drift away from the original intent of making specific and immediate pain go away. Where the perfect and legitimate fit will remove a thorn that’s obviously hurting the code right now, the speculative fit pretends to do the same for future hurts.
Now that’s an honorable intention. A pinch of prevention over a pound of cure, right? Only, it rarely works out like that. Speculative pattern applications to avoid future, possible ails is a form of fortune telling. It’s the reason YAGNI was coined.
The further down this rabbit hole you go, the farther away from practical improvement you’ll end up. Go deep enough and the pattern vision turns into articles of faith. Inheritance is always bad, only composition can be our true savior! Only standalone command objects can give us the reusability this application needs!
Turning patterns into articles of faith takes them out of the realm of rational discussion. Code either adheres to the holy patterns or it doesn’t. If it does not, the programmer must first repent, say his 25 rose-delegations, and then swear never to let an opportunity for a policy object extraction pass by him again!
The naming of many design principles supports this theological world view that patterns also at times inhibit. It’s obvious that you’re a sinner if you break The Law of Demeter and of weak will if you forgo the Single Responsibility Principle.
Patterns are best thought of like helpful guidelines and suggestions, not laws, not imperatives. It’s a written account of “hey, if you have this problem, you can try this thing to make it better”. Their core value is transforming some code to better code in a way that’s immediately obvious to the writer.
Evaluating such improvement is easy. You look at the code you had before applying the pattern and after it. Did it make the code simpler to understand? Clearer? Prettier? If you can’t easily see whether that’s so, you’ve been sold.EFF has filed a motion on behalf of the news organization ProPublica seeking the release of secret opinions issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The text of ProPublica's press release is below:
ProPublica Motion Seeks Release of Court Rulings on NSA Spying
ProPublica is filing a motion today in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking the release of various court opinions that provide the judicial rationale for the federal government's secret collection of telephone metadata. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is acting as ProPublica's pro bono counsel in this matter.
The motion follows ProPublica's extensive reporting on the National Security Agency’s collection of phone and web records and its efforts to undermine the encryption that protects the privacy of everyday Internet communications.
"It's critical for the court to publicly provide the rationale that allows this unprecedented government secrecy," said ProPublica President Richard Tofel. "The public has a First Amendment right to see and understand its opinions, and we hope this motion will persuade the court to release more of them.”
The national ACLU, the ACLU of the Nation’s Capital, and the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School filed a similar motion last week, but Jane E. Kirtley, formerly executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said ProPublica's motion might be more effective on this particular issue. "Federal judges routinely find that news media entities have standing to assert the public's First Amendment right of access to court records and proceedings," said Kirtley, now the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "The FISC therefore may be more likely to find standing on the part of a news organization to seek disclosure in such situations. And it may give an extra level of consideration to reach the First Amendment issues if a news organization is among the requesters."How do you respond when you are asked to tell someone a little about yourself? You might start with your hometown or your position in the family relative to your siblings, but most people will turn to their careers. I’m a writer. I’m an engineer. I’m a teacher.
For better or for worse, our jobs have come to define a large part of who we are. Why is it, then, that so many people make vocational decisions that lead them to jobs that only make them unhappy? While I fully understand the need to fulfill basic requirements, like food and shelter, I am also an adamant supporter of doing what fulfills you and what makes you happy.
Nearly Half of Your Waking Hours
Consider a conventional 40-hour work week. Let’s assume that you have standard eight-hour shifts and you get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. What this means is, not even including the commute time or the “mind share” time spent when you’re not at the office, you are at work for half of your waking hours. You may have the weekend, but for most intents and purposes, your job occupies a huge part of your life.
“Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.” ~ James Matthew Barrie
When you are spending this much time at something, it only makes sense to do what you love. Why would you torture yourself by going to a job that you hate? Yes, as I said above, circumstances may dictate that you take on less desirable jobs to make ends meet, but the end goal should be to do what makes you happy.
The old adage that the money will follow if you do what you love is not at all true. You still have to put in the work. Doing what makes you happy does not mean that you’ll love every moment; it means that the treasured, valued moments make up for the ones that aren’t so nice.
The Risk of Over-Ambition
But here is another pitfall.
In chatting with someone the other day, he told me about a man who may have over-extended himself. He rushed through university by taking on extra courses, plus he had part-time jobs and other responsibilities. He slept barely four hours each night. The hard work “paid off” when he graduated with his law degree and he was hired at a firm where he worked long hours for good pay.
He got married, took on a mortgage and bought a rental property, really stretching his growing income as far as it could go. The long hours over all those years took their toll and he looked far older than he really was. The law firm fell on hard times, his pay was severely cut, and now he panicking to keep up with his mortgage payments and other expenses.
“Often people attempt |
the four special forms. We call a separate method to do quote. I won’t show the method, but it’s what you’d expect: we see what type the element is and return the literal node for that type. Next is if and it’s a simple placing of the 3 parts of the if expressions (test, then, else) and creating an IfNode. define is equally simple in that I just pull out the various elements and create a node. The one twist is that we get the current FrameDescriptor object and get a FrameSlot object, but we’ve seen that before now. Finally we create lambda.
The lambda portion is a little more beefy but it’s pretty simple. First we push a new FrameDescriptor object onto our stack of frame descriptors. We’ve now fulfilled half of the requirement we had when writing our new reader. The second hand you can see towards the end of the case block where we pop off the frame descriptor. Again, the new FrameDescriptor object is only used while we’re in the lambda body. After we’ve converted all the lambda body expressions we’re done with the lambda’s frame descriptor so we discard it. In between pushing and popping frame descriptors we do two other things. We go through the list of parameter names and create FrameSlot instances for each of them. Next we run through the body of the lambda (which is all elements of the list after the first two) and convert them to MumblerNode objects. As we convert elements the new frame descriptor will be used whenever a symbol is encoutered. If another lambda is created inside our lambda then we just push another frame descriptor and go on our merry way. The last thing we do is create a MumblerFunction object then stick that in a LambdaNode object and we’re done.
We had to add a few more classes to handle the conversion from Mumbler data types, but it was done quite easily. If Java allowed mixins on Long and Boolean maybe we could’ve done it a little more elegantly, but the end result is still easy to follow.
Updating Main Class
One more class to go. Time to update SimpleMumblerMain to get the Truffle VM rolling. First, let’s update the name to something more… Truffle-y; like TruffleMumblerMain.
The two main things we need to do here is set up our environment (i.e., populate our top level lexical scope with our builtin functions) and kick off the evaluation of our nodes. We already showed how we create a frame when we wrote our builtin functions and called the method createTopFrame. I’ll just show the last bit.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 // Inside TruffleMumblerMain private static void runMumbler ( String filename ) throws IOException { VirtualFrame topFrame = createTopFrame ( Reader. frameDescriptors. peek ()); MumblerList < MumblerNode > nodes = Reader. read ( new FileInputStream ( filename )); execute ( nodes, topFrame ); } private static Object execute ( MumblerList < MumblerNode > nodes, VirtualFrame topFrame ) { FrameDescriptor frameDescriptor = topFrame. getFrameDescriptor (); MumblerFunction function = MumblerFunction. create ( new FrameSlot [] {}, StreamSupport. stream ( nodes. spliterator (), false ). toArray ( size -> new MumblerNode [ size ]), frameDescriptor ); DirectCallNode directCallNode = Truffle. getRuntime (). createDirectCallNode ( function. callTarget ); return directCallNode. call ( topFrame, new Object [] { topFrame. materialize ()}); }
Assuming we’re executing a file, we create our AST from the file in runMumbler then we call execute to do the dirty work. The trick here is to create a “main” function to kick off the execution. We create a MumblerFunction instance on the fly then create a DirectCallNode instance since we know this method will never change and then call call with our lexical scope as the first and only argument. I reuse the top level frame as the VirtualFrame object for the “main” function but that isn’t necessary.
The reason for creating a “main” function is so that all our nodes have a parent and Truffle can perform node rewriting even on the top level expressions. And this way they are functions all the way down, and there are no special work needed for the top level expressions. A code of a file is just the body of an argument-less function.
With that, we’re done with our Truffle implementation. Sure, there’s plenty more we can do (which I’ll cover later), but we have a working implementation. Let’s see how it performs, shall we.
Benchmarks
As reminder, here’s how our simple interpreter did last time:
mumbler (simple) -------------- 1346269 ('computation-time: 1502) total time: 1644
So it took about a second and half to compute the 30th element of the fibonacci sequence with our inefficient algorithm.
Let’s take that fibonacci implementation and run it with our new Truffle interpreter. I used the -server flag when running the Graal VM (command: <path-to-graal-vm> -server -jar <my-vm-jar> <path-to-script> ) The median speed over 5 runs.
mumbler (truffle) -------------- 1346269 ('computation-time: 6348) total time: 7874
Ouch. That’s a helluva jump. Now, we didn’t utilize all of Truffle’s capabilities, but I wasn’t expecting such a huge jump. That’s almost a 5x slowdown.
Did I do something seriously wrong? Well, Truffle comes with an example language implementation called Simple Language. That’s supposed to be a good starting point that uses most of Truffle’s tricks to speed up your interpreter. Let’s try that language out and see what we get. Here’s the code for Simple Language:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 function fibonacci ( n ) { if ( n < 2 ) { return 1 ; else { return fibonacci ( n - 2 ) + fibonacci ( n - 1 ); } } function main () { start = nanoTime (); println ( fibonacci ( 30 )); end = nanoTime (); println ( "computation time: " + ( end - start ) / 1000 ); }
Using the same flags as before, here’s the median benchmark after 5 runs:
simple language -------------- == running on Graal Truffle Runtime 1346269 computation time: 3112407 total time: 4568
Okay, it’s faster than our implementation so we know there’s room for improvement, but it’s still about 3x slower than our simple implementation.
Perhaps there are some “make it fast” build or VM flags I’m not aware of, but so far things aren’t looking very good for Graal. Of course, this is still in active development so the team I’m sure have some more tricks up there sleeve. Perhaps our simple fibnonacci app is a little contrived, but I was hoping for something a little more snappy.
What’s (Maybe) Next
We can still improve Mumbler’s Truffle interpreter. I’m sure the way we look up variables is slow. We could cache the value in the current frame for faster, future lookup. Our function calls use IndirectCallNode instances. We could see some improvement by doing some node rewriting and using DirectCallNode objects.
Truffle also has some tools to visualize the interpreter. We haven’t explored using those tools yet. Those could come in handy in finding bottlenecks and help improve debugging.
Hopefully in the meantime Truffle gets faster without having to do anything.Australia and Bangladesh are at odds over the timing and format of the tour tentatively scheduled for later this year after the previously planned visit by Steven Smiths' team was scuppered due to security concerns.
While the Future Tours Programme has Australia visiting Bangladesh in July for two Test matches as per the original 2015 plan, it has been reported that Cricket Australia (CA) suggested changing the tour to an ODI-based visit ahead of the limited-overs tour of India scheduled for October before the home Ashes summer.
However the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is believed to have relayed to CA its preference for the tour to remain as originally mapped out, partly because the national team is presently in arguably the richest vein of Test-match form in its history, having registered wins over England and Sri Lanka in recent months.
Among Bangladesh's other reasons for maintaining the tour's current place is that they have other proposed tours that clash with CA's plan. Bangladesh are set to play Pakistan in July and August, before touring South Africa from mid-September to late October.
The Australian proposal would by contrast maintain consistency for Smith's team in the wake of the Champions Trophy in England. It would also allow for the selection of a limited overs-specific squad that would in turn offer the opportunity for numerous Test players to play a full Sheffield Shield schedule at home leading into the Ashes.
CA and the players also need to consider rolling security assessments for Australian nationals in Bangladesh; previously, the Australian government's travel-advice website had warned that Australians were subject to a specific threat in Bangladesh, leading to the cancellation of the 2015 tour. The current travel advice for Australians visiting the region is to "reconsider your need to travel" in light of "reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Western interests in Bangladesh". A CA spokesperson said security remained a primary concern.
"We are still hopeful of touring Bangladesh in the near future but the safety of players and officials will always come first," he said. "We will continue to monitor advice from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and our own security advisors about the security risk for any future tours of the Australian team in Bangladesh and make a decision based on this advice closer to any potential tour."
Discussions between CA and the BCB are ongoing.Colin Farrell and Taylor Kitsch had their guns drawn as they filmed an intense gun battle in downtown Los Angeles for HBO's True Detective on Thursday.
Taylor, 33, looked fit and trim as he raised a handgun wearing a grey T-shirt, dark blue bulletproof jacket and black cargo pants.
The actor had a short hairdo unlike his scraggly-haired TV character Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights.
Under fire: Colin Farrell took cover behind a bus on Thursday while shooting a gun battle scene in downtown Los Angeles with co-star Taylor Kitsch for HBO's True Detective
Taylor portrays motorcycle officer Paul Woodrugh in the upcoming season of True Detective that also features Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams and Vince Vaughn.
Colin, 38, wore a long-sleeved grey shirt, bulletproof vest and blue jeans for the gunfight scene.
The actor has grown a thick mustache and also gained some weight for his role of detective Ray Velcoro.
Urban combat: Taylor checked his gun while filming the shootout
Taking a break: Taylor and Colin relaxed in between scenes
The cable channel described Velcoro as 'a compromised detective whose allegiances are torn between his masters in a corrupt police department and the mobster who owns him.
The True Detective cast has been filming gunfight scenes downtown for the past few days.
Rachel, 36, was spotted filming on Wednesday and suffered an arm injury as she was seen rubbing her elbow.
Shooting stance: The former Friday Night Lights star looked fit and trim while raising his gun
It didn't look to be too serious as she was able to raise a smile.
Rachel portrays Ventura County Sheriff's detective Ani Bezzerides 'whose uncompromising ethics put her at odds with others and the system she serves.'
Vince Vaughn stars as the lead antagonist, Frank Semyon, a career criminal trying to go straight but coming up against a few obstacles on the way.
Gained weight: Yoga enthusiast Colin gained weight for his role in the HBO drama series
Their lives become intertwined when they are all caught up in the murder of a city manager in a case involving the criminal underbelly of society.
The first eight-episode season of True Detective starred Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and was set in Louisiana.
The critically-acclaimed anthology series created by writer Nic Pizzolatto will have new cast ensembles each season.
The second season will debut later this year.MADISON, Wis. - Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne ordered the release of a Madison teen Thursday night after she was arrested outside a Madison mall Tuesday night.
Video of Laird's arrest has gone viral. As of now, she has not been charged.
Dane County officials said she was released at 7:45 p.m. from the county jail. There is no information about future court dates or charges being filed.
Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, reached by News 3 Thursday night, had no comment other than to say he would have more information to release Friday.
Community and family members expected Laird to make her initial appearance Thursday, but it never happened.
"It's really hard and I don't like thinking about it because I was so excited and I really needed this to happen," Laird's sister, Deirdre Adele Thompson, said.
Supporters of Laird sat in anticipation Thursday hoping to see her for the first time in almost 48 hours. Even though Laird didn't appear in court Thursday, supporters said their presence was important.
"She has to sit in there in jail and have the bruises and think about the situation, and she can't talk to people who love her and understand and tell her that she's not a bad person and that what she went through doesn't mean she deserved it," Thompson said prior to Laird's release.
Laird was arrested Tuesday at East Towne Mall. Police said she resisted arrest after displaying a weapon and making threats inside the mall. Police Chief Mike Koval said her behavior made the use of force seen in the video necessary.
"We just want her out and hold our family member again. We want to know that she really is OK and not just have people tell us she is OK. We want to see her. We want to see the bruises. We want to see her face and hold her," she said.
Laird is facing potential charges of disorderly conduct while armed with a knife, resisting police causing injury, battery to a police officer and discharge of bodily fluid.What is postmodernity and how does it show up in the world around us? The answer to this question is multifaceted and some of it was touched upon in Chris' recent piece A Response to Tom Huston, Re: Integral Activism. In this post I want to add a couple more pieces to the mosaic of that ongoing inquiry.
My resource today is a video from the scholar/philosopher John David Ebert, whose massive ongoing video series (free online) continues to provide incredible riches. Ebert often takes a (rather difficult) book of philosophy or cultural theory and unpacks it chapter by chapter. As I've said before when introducing Ebert videos, it's the breadth and richness of his background arsenal that makes him such an excellent guide to these texts. I particularly appreciate his understanding of mythology and how he's able to draw parallels to it within the contemporary works he examines.
In this video Ebert's discussing the first chapter of the book Bubbles by the contemporary German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk. Sloterdijk is widely considered to be one of the great heavyweight thinkers of our time, but his work is just beginning to be translated into English, so I'm happy to now be able to enter his voice into the mix here at the site. There's a few points I want to draw attention to before I play the video itself at the end. (but feel free to watch it first and then come back to the commentary, whatever works). Let's start with this dense statement of Ebert's, which I'll try and unpack afterwards:
What Sloterdijk is really doing here is going back and reinterpreting Heidegger's idea of being-in-the-world. He says in this book that to be-in-the-world means simultaneously to be inside of a sphere. Human beings, according to Sloterdijk, are the animals that create spheres as systemic immune systems; spheres are cultural immune systems that immunize with metaphysical ideas. Ontology, as he says, is applied immunology. Metaphysical systems like any of the ancient ideas of the world religions, gods, the soul, freedom, Being itself, all of these ideas are ones that immunize and protect the human being from the Lacanian 'Real'. Spheres are symbolic and imaginary immune systems that protect against the impact of the Lacanian Real, which comes along every so often and pops and ruptures them. Spheres typically implode and explode, and they're constantly having to be remade and restructured.
The first thing I'd note is that Sloterdijk is using the term sphere in much the same way that others use worldview, or what integral theory calls'structures of consciousness' and Spiral Dynamics calls 'codes' or 'value-systems'. As I see it these are all roughly equivalent to Sloterdijk's concept of the sphere, and it's worth noting that Sloterdijk can be considered a post-postmodern philosopher in his willingness to look at meta perspectives like this once again. But we'll get to that in a moment, as that lack of a meta-narrative (or sphere) is precisely at the center of what characterizes postmodernity, as we'll see.
I'm intrigued by Sloterdijk's conception of these spheres as immune systems; something feels intuitively right about that. They are a way of making sense of the world that brings us consistency and meaning and thus safety, stability and solace. And they help keep out the inbreaking of the Real, a concept that's hard to define (technically because the Real is said to be beyond signification, it "resists symbolization"), but as an approximation you might say it's pure Reality unmediated by any interpretation or defense system. Sheer Is-ness (to use a Zen phrase). The problem with the spheres we construct is they don't always match up with reality, and thus can create friction between us and ourselves, or us and the earth/cosmos we're immersed in. In Spiral Dynamics terms, our life conditions will start to create perturbations that necessitate we open ourselves and our systems up to the emergence of a new and more adequate code/sphere.
Ok, so far so good. Let's skip ahead to the eleven minute mark in the video, where Ebert relays this:
Sloterdijk says that the problem with modern man then is that modern man lives in a shell-less state. Ever since Copernicus, the sky no longer functions as an immune system. Prior to that it had functioned as an immune system, and indeed there are medieval paintings, if you look at the painting from Fouquet from 1452 called 'The Holy Spirit Driving Away the Demons', you see the sky as a blue dome with the hand of God punching down through it, chasing away all these demons. So you can clearly see that the sky in an enclosed sense, providing a sense of safety and warmth and reassurance to the human being during the middle ages, was indeed immunological...
In an age when the immunological world of the spheres is gone, the human being exists in a shell-less state, no longer defended by the immunizing sense of the sky as an enclosed cosmology. In the 17th century in Dutch art we get this experience of being out, open, unprotected, and we're in vast expanses of the sky. The Dutch, as Gambridge pointed out, are the ones who discovered the sky. Three quarters of their canvases are taken up with these gigantic visions of the heavens because the Copernican world has come in, and the Ptolemaic spheres have collapsed and now we're out in the open in space, unprotected, no longer immunized by these metaphysical ideas; so all the crises of anxiety and existentialism and ontological disorientation, come out of the West from this sphereological crisis, from this collapse, according to Sloterdijk.
I want to pick up this thread by also bringing in the work of Nan Ellin, a professor of urban design and editor of a collection of essays called The Architecture of Fear. I read that book as research for Michael Fisher and I's upcoming exhibit on the Architecture of Fear for our Museum of Fearology project. Ellin's essay 'Shelter From the Storm or Form Follows Fear and Vice Versa' has lots to offer what's being said here.
Ellin notes that there was a huge rise in fear in the modern era precisely because of the type of collapse of the traditional spheres as Sloterdijk outlines. This was also exacerbated by the acceleration of life and a loss of 'time', the concentrations of different ethnic groups in urban centers, and the profound shifts to family and social life demanded by industrial production. But the modern mind managed to quell a good dose of that fear through a couple of means. One was the functional, rational organization of life and the economic realm. This rational ordering of society brought about a sense of stability, despite the 'creative destruction' at the heart of the capitalist mode of production. The other was a widespread belief in linearity, progress, and the abundance for all that capitalism would bring about. This acted as a new sphere for the times.
But by the 1960s a deep mood of doubt about all this had set in in many countries. One major aspect of this post-modern zeitgeist is what Terry Eagleton describes as, "the contemporary movement of thought that rejects totalities, universal values, grand historical narratives, solid foundations to human existence and the possibility of objective knowledge" (1). If modernity was swimming in a shell-less state, then the postmodern condition was/is one of being totally naked, disoriented, with no direction home. You might call it a sphere that denies the possibility of spheres altogether, the painful paradox at the heart of the age.
And Ellin offers a fascinating analysis of the new kind of fear produced by this postmodern setting, and the three main ways that people have coped with/responded to it. Michael and I are going to write a follow-up article to our Architecture of Fear exhibit where we unpack this at length, but here's a summary rundown now. One response to this exposed condition has been fundamentalism, regionalism, a search for roots,'retribalization', a general desire to preserve and invent differences. You also get the forceful return of 'traditional values', as we've amply seen in the American context.
Another response is a great rise in nostalgia, a desire to return to a simpler and idealized past. For Ellin this takes the form of all sorts of retro movements in music, art, architecture and so on. There's a sort of safe hiding in what's familiar, what we already know, and what was around during our childhood.
A third response is escapism, which can take the form of fantasy worlds- like video games, or online worlds- or fantasy environments, such as malls, theme parks and tourist driven recreations of old towns and historic settings. This escapism- and the fundamental fear and anxiety that's driving it- has also produced a new level of securitization in our living spaces, something that Michael and I will be focusing on in particular in our exhibit. This is evidenced by the rise in gated communities, walls, patrolled entryways, alarm systems on houses and cars, the movement of corporate headquarters to private 'parks' outside of cities and much more. It's also effected how we dress and the cars we drive, as we'll also examine in that future article. Another form of escapism, and one of the most prevalent and culturally debilitating, is narcissism. The postmodern period has seen many retreat into their own 'personal sphere' as a last refuge of safety and meaning.
So that's a look into a large and important aspect of what characterizes the postmodern condition. I appreciated Sloterdijk's subtle understanding of these spheres that we create, and how we're exposed or shell-less in the post/modern period. And I was rather blown away by Nan Ellin's description of the myriad ways the resultant anxiety and fear shows up in the world around us, in our behaviors, relations, design, art, culture, politics and so on. Folks like Sloterdijk and Ellin can help get some awareness of what's going on here, and thus open the possibility for moving through it.
And what are the ways we might get beyond this anxiety ridden fragmented age? Well, without breaking out into a new article, I think one of the keys is a new understanding and experience of the cosmos and our relationship to it. One of my favorite expressions of this comes via the architect and architectural theorist Charles Jencks:
Today we have a new metanarrative, coming from the post-modern sciences of complexity and the new cosmology, the idea of cosmogenesis, the story of the developing universe, the notion that the evolving cosmos is a single, creative, unfolding event that includes life and us in its narrative, one that locates culture in space in time. (2)
We can access this new sphere via an external understanding of the cosmos- through such things as Big History and The Great Story- and from an internal perspective through spiritual movements that are connecting to the cosmic and evolutionary dimensions of our existence. (I'm currently practicing evolutionary Christianity, one expression of this shift). I can attest from my own experience to a drop in anxiety and fear and a rise in meaning and wonder through a prolonged engagement with this worldview/sphere.
And these shifts will begin to express themselves in a number of fields and ways. In architecture for instance, Charles Jencks has been creating some really interesting designs through his engagement with the new cosmology, and in our Architecture of Fear exhibit we'll be introducing Nan Ellin's work on 'the architecture of love'.
One of the ways through this turbulent passage is simply to understand the underlying sources of fear and disintegration, which hopefully this post has contributed to in some way. Here now is the original video by John David Ebert.
"Only after the victory of humanism and the Enlightenment as the religious foundation of the Western society did anxiety about spiritual nonbeing become dominant. The breakdown of absolutism, the development of liberalism and democracy, the rise of a technical civilization with its victory over all enemies and its own beginning disintegration- these are the presuppositions for the third main period of anxiety in history [the post/modern era]. In this period the anxiety of emptiness and meaninglessness is dominant. We are under the threat of spiritual non-being". - Paul Tillich, The Courage to Be
~~~~
For more on postmodernism see- Portlandia and Postmodernism- Some Thoughts; Dali's Lobster's- Surrealism and the Artifacts of Postmodernism; Retro Music and Creativity- A Query; SNJ- A Message From Neil Young and Springsteen to Skinny Indie Rockers; An Irishman in Bourdeaux- A Response to Postmodern Relativism.
~~~~
Footnotes:
(1) Terry Eagleton, After Theory, p. 13.
(2) Charles Jencks, Critical Modernism- Where is Post-modernism Going?, p.24WSJ: Solar a “Mortal Threat” to Utilities March 25, 2013
Three weeks ago, I had my 5 minutes at a local “listening session” on energy, put on by the Governor of my fair state.
My main message was that a technological sea change is coming in energy production – and if regulatory and utility policy do not anticipate the further build out of wind, solar, and distributed energy, the transition is going to be ugly. Traditional energy producers who think they can hold back the tide will be like typewriter makers trying to bad-mouth word processors. They are going to go away.
I had coffee last week with a well-informed friend, who agreed with me that this is an oncoming freight train. He pointed me to some new survey results from Ernst & Young.
Renewable Energy World:
We conducted a telephone survey of executives involved in corporate energy strategy at 100 companies with revenues of US$1 billion or more. Questions focused on energy spend, types of energy used, energy strategy, and outlook. The companies were those in energy-intensive sectors with a balanced global distribution. 72% have revenues exceeding US$1 billion, and 28% revenues of US$10 billion or more.
–
41% of respondents report generating some form of renewable energy with company-owned or controlled resources. Most of these generate power with photovoltaic solar (25%), followed by biomass/biogas generation (20%) and the use of biofuels in company-owned fleets (19%). Wind and geothermal have 7% uptake. Renewable energy still makes up a relatively small proportion of company generation though. Only 11% of respondents say it accounts for more than 5% of their total energy production. This looks set to change though: 51% of respondents say company-owned renewable generation would increase over the next five years
16% expect it to increase significantly
As photovoltaic solar hits grid parity at more and more regions of the country, big customers are going to make investments in producing their own power. Many of them will still be connected to the grid as a back-up, but will expect to be able to sell their excess power generation onto the grid. They will make those desires known to their political allies.
Electric utilities will see their revenues drop, and will be forced to raise rates on remaining customers, further encouraging those customers to explore their own generation options as technology improves.
This is the making of a classic utility death spiral – and it is coming on like a tidal wave that will be as irresistible as the internet, and just as disruptive.
Today, more confirmation from Wall Street Journal:
Traditional transmission and distribution utilities will have to deal with distributed solar power, and it won’t be a pretty fight, according to David Crane, president and chief executive of NRG Energy, a large independent power producer. Utilities “do realize that distributed solar is a mortal threat to their business,” said Mr. Crane, speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s ECO:nomics conference on Thursday in Santa Barbara, Calif. “They can’t cut costs, so they will try to distribute costs over fewer and fewer customers.” This, he said, will increase costs for the customers, and will drive more of them toward distributed solar. – Lyndon Rive, co-founder and chief executive of SolarCity, said that “a super-majority of utilities will do whatever they can” to stop companies like his from increasing their market share. “They will create fear tactics,” he said.
Look for stories about “Solar Cell Syndrome” to hit the denial circuit.
AdvertisementsBack in January, we announced Project Rider. In March, we started the private Early Access Program. Today, we’re very excited to announce that the Rider EAP is now open to everyone!
We’ve had some fantastic feedback during the private EAP, and Rider is now well on the way to release. While we’re not quite feature complete, and there are still a couple of rough edges, we know of many people, inside and outside of JetBrains, who are already using Rider for day-to-day development. We’d love you to try it for yourself and let us know what you think, good as well as bad – log an issue, leave us a comment or ping us on Twitter (@JetBrainsRider).
TL;DR:
Download the first public Rider EAP build.
And here’s the Rider home page, the issue tracker and please read the survival guide for various known issues and workarounds. There is also a webinar on November 23rd which will demonstrate Rider in action.
But let’s back up for a moment.
What’s Rider?
Rider is a full featured, cross platform.NET IDE based on ReSharper and IntelliJ. The front end and user interface is built on the proven IntelliJ platform, just like WebStorm or IntelliJ IDEA, and can run on Windows, Linux and Mac. But the engine that drives all of your favourite JetBrains IDE features is ReSharper, running as an out of process language server.
This is a great mixture. Both IntelliJ and ReSharper provide industry leading IDE functionality, and running ReSharper out of process frees us from sharing resources and memory with Visual Studio.
Features
So what’s in the Rider public EAP?
Rider is using ReSharper to provide language features, and our main goal has been to expose as much of this ReSharper functionality as we can for 1.0. And we’ve been building ReSharper for over 12 years, so that’s a lot.
Fortunately, the way Rider works means that a huge amount of functionality can be brought over very quickly. Rider already supports ReSharper’s rich navigation and find usages; automatic, smart and import completion; the vast majority of ReSharper’s over 2,200 inspections and over 1,000 context actions and quick fixes; as well as unit testing, solution wide analysis and more.
But of course, Rider is an IDE, and needs to implement full IDE functionality, including features that ReSharper doesn’t provide, so we also build and debug as well as handle project management – solutions, references, NuGet, and so on.
In fact, there are almost too many features to easily list, so instead, let’s take a look at a couple of different scenarios we’re targeting –.NET Framework,.NET Core, and Xamarin and Unity.
.NET developer
Rider will load standard.NET Framework or Mono projects. It understands Visual Studio.sln files, and will load any MSBuild based project (e.g..csproj).
And because we now own the solution load process, you’ll find that it’s fast. Even better, if you edit a project file externally, Rider will quickly and automatically reload, almost without you noticing.
References are of course supported by right-clicking on the project in the Solution Explorer. Or you can use our new NuGet window to search, install and update your NuGet packages. Traditionally, this functionality is provided by Visual Studio, so it’s nice to be able to provide a typically JetBrains implementation – we cache results and update in the background, and we think you’ll be very pleased with the speed of it.
And of course Rider supports build, run and debug. Projects are built with MSBuild or XBuild if you’re running cross platform with Mono, while run and debug make use of a powerful feature of IntelliJ – Run/Debug Configurations (ReSharper has a similar feature).
Run configurations allow specifying as many different ways of launching your project as you need, and Rider offers a number of.NET specific templates for launching projects, running arbitrary executables,.NET Core and so on.
Furthermore, Rider supports debugging run configurations. This includes.NET Framework, Mono and.NET Core. Rider uses IntelliJ’s existing debugger UI, offering a familiar call stack view, as well as locals and watch variables. Rider also supports break on exception and setting the next instruction.
No IDE is complete without support for unit testing, and Rider supports running and debugging xUnit.net and NUnit tests, with a familiar user interface – icons displayed in the editor, run or debug from the Alt + Enter menu, and a tree view of running tests. Double click a test to navigate to the code, and of course, the stack traces are clickable, too.
And if you’re worried about switching to a new IDE, don’t be! Our getting started wizard will walk you through setting up Rider, including choosing keymaps that are familiar to Visual Studio and ReSharper users, and suggesting plugins to work better with your code.
.NET Core developer
Rider also supports.NET Core projects. It can open existing projects from the project.json file, or create new ones based on templates from the new project wizard.
And of course, this is all cross platform. If you want to target.NET Core on Mac, or Linux, you obviously want your tooling to be there, too. Rider will give you a full IDE on Windows, Mac and Linux.
When you open a.NET Core project, Rider will automatically restore all NuGet packages, and shows packages as a dependency tree, rather than a flat list. Once loaded, Rider provides the same rich IDE functionality as you get with a traditional.NET Framework project – code completion, navigation, refactorings, inspections and so on.
Adding a reference is as simple as editing the project.json file (with code completion, naturally) and saving; Rider will restore the packages automatically. You can swap between multiple target frameworks with a chooser in the status bar.
It also includes specific functionality for ASP.NET Core, such as Tag Helpers in.cshtml files, with code completion, find usages, and refactoring all supported.
And of course, Rider will build, run and debug your.NET Core projects, all cross platform. But please read the survival guide for known issues with adding references, debugging and unit testing.
And finally, Rider has inherited ReSharper’s ability to run and debug.NET Core unit tests. Well, mostly. This feature is not quite finished, and doesn’t work in all cases – for example, non-Windows projects that also target the.NET Framework. But it currently supports xUnit.net and NUnit, and will also support projects that target multiple frameworks. Again, please check out the survival guide.
Unity and Xamarin developers
While we’ve mostly been focused on exposing existing ReSharper functionality, and adding new, essential IDE level features such as debugging, we also want to make Rider a great IDE for developing Unity3D and Xamarin solutions.
We haven’t really got started on Xamarin support right now, although Rider already includes ReSharper’s existing Xamarin.Forms XAML editing features, with more planned.
But we’re a bit further along with Unity support. Firstly, the Unity editor can be made to open projects, C# files and error messages in Rider by adding the Unity3dRider plugin to your Unity project (this will hopefully be built into Unity in the future). See the readme in the repo for instructions on getting this set up. We’ll blog more about this very soon.
Then, once a project is open in Rider, you’ll find that there is specific Unity functionality, too. We’re bundling the ReSharper Unity plugin (yes, Rider supports plugins!), which adds a number of useful features, such as automatically setting the supported C# language level (no more C# 6 suggestions in your C# 4 code!) and inserting and auto completion of Unity message methods. See the plugin’s readme on GitHub for more details.
Furthermore, Rider will also debug your Unity project. The Run → Attach to local process menu item will show a list of available processes to debug, including available Unity instances.
We’ll write more about Unity support in a future blog post.
IntelliJ features
As if all this wasn’t enough, Rider inherits a number of very cool features from IntelliJ, too. Features such as the REST test client, rich version control support, and the often life saving local history.
Rider also includes DataGrip’s rich database tooling. This means you can open a.sql file and get smart code completion, |
1925. Watchtower magazine predicted: “The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914; but it would be presumptuous on the part of any faithful follower of the Lord to assume just what the Lord is going to do during that year.”
The Watchtower Society selected 1975 as its next main prediction. This was based on the estimate “according to reliable Bible chronology Adam was created in the year 4026 BCE, likely in the autumn of the year, at the end of the sixth day of creation.” They believed that the year 1975 a promising date for the end of the world, as it was the 6,000th anniversary of Adam’s creation. Exactly 1,000 years was to pass for each day of the creation week. This prophecy also failed.
Realizing how stupid they were looking every time they made a new failed prediction, they announced that the end of the world would occur 6000 years after the creation of Eve - a date that can not be calculated.
Miracle Wheat
After a variety of newspaper reports claiming that a man had discovered a variety of wheat that was far more productive than normal wheat, the Jehovah’s Witnesses believed it to be a sign of a covenant from God relating to the end times. As a result, they bought up a lot of the wheat and offered it for sale at exorbitant prices. The official statement from the organization was:
Brother Bohnet writes us that he has gradually accumulated a crop of miracle wheat from the few grains he obtained as a start. He prefers that the first opportunity for obtaining this wheat shall go to THE WATCH TOWER readers. He will sell it for $1 per pound, including postage, and give the entire proceeds to our Society. All orders for this wheat should be addressed, Miracle Wheat Bohnet, 17 Hicks street, Brooklyn, N. Y. This will keep mail on this subject separate from his personal mail and from ours.
At trial, Mr. Russell admitted the seed packets had been mailed from the Watch Tower offices: “For the accommodation of our readers, we allowed this seed-wheat to be put up in pound packages and mailed from THE WATCH TOWER Office, just as the U.S. Government handles such seeds at Washington.” (ZWT 02/15/1913).
Needless to say, the wheat was not miraculous and behaved exactly like normal wheat.
Other Christian Sects
The Jonestown Massacre
Jonestown was the communal settlement made in northwestern Guyana by the Peoples Temple, a Christian cult from California, founded in the mid-1970s by Jim Jones, for whom it was named. It stood amidst jungle, about seven miles southwest from Port Kaituma. It had a population of about one thousand once it was fully established and the bulk of Jones' followers had moved there, but they occupied it only for a few years.
Jonestown gained lasting international notoriety in 1978, when nearly its whole population died in a mass murder-and-suicide ordered by Jones. Somewhat over nine hundred men, women and children were slain, Jones among them. Jones ordered the mass suicide when a Congressman from California flew to the settlement to investigate claims made by people who had family in the cult. Poisoned flavored drinks were handed out to men women and children, who laid down and died. This act has morphed into the euphemism for blind loyalty: drinking the Kool-aid.
Branch Davidians
Need content here on David Koresh's cult.
Hindus
Thuggee, The Hindu Cult of Kali
Accounts of a secret cult of murderers roaming India go back at least as far as the 13th century, but to modern history their story usually begins with the entrance of the British Empire in the early 1800s. For some years, India’s British administrators had been hearing reports of large numbers of travelers disappearing on the country’s roads; but, while disturbing, such incidents were not entirely unusual for the time. It was not until the discovery of a series of eerily similar mass graves across India that the truth began to dawn. Each site was piled with the bodies of individuals ritually murdered and buried in the same meticulous fashion, leading to an inescapable conclusion: these killings were the work of a single, nation-spanning organization. It was known as Thuggee.[2]
More than 40,000 deaths in modern times and perhaps more than 2,000,000 historically, are attributed to this cult that practices ritualistic sacrifice of non-members of its group. They befriend travelers and tourists, often spending days and traveling hundreds of miles with their victims, gaining their trust, at which point when they least expect it, the group attacks and murders as a homage to the god Kali.
Lutherans
On the Jews and their Lies
Unfortunately the founder of protestantism Martin Luther was also a religous bigot. In his most famous book about Judiasm (written in 1543) we find the following gem:
"base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth. They are full of the devil’s feces … which they wallow in like swine, and the synagogue is an incorrigible whore and an evil slut..."
If you want to read the entire booklet, it is available here. Two other books by Luther, Against the Papacy at Rome Founded by the Devil, and Against Hanswurst, are described as “rivaling his anti-Jewish treatises for vulgarity and violence of expression”, and “[are] so inexpressibly vile that a common impulse of decency demanded their summary suppression by his friends.”
Mormons
The Book of Abraham is believed by Mormons to be the handwritten account of the prophet Abraham. In 1835 Smith was able to use his “Angel-given” tools to translate some Egyptian scrolls that he was given access to (at that time no one could read hieroglyphics). Upon inspection, Smith declared that they contained the Book of Abraham. He promptly translated the lot and it was accepted as scripture by the church (it is included as part of the Pearl of Great Price). The scrolls vanished and everyone thought the story would end there. But it didn’t - in 1966 the original scrolls were found in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. The scrolls turned out to be a standard Egyptian text that was often buried with the dead. This fraud caused a number of Mormons to leave the church and is still a hotly debated topic amongst mormons and their critics.
Mountain Meadows Massacre
The Mountain Meadows massacre was a mass killing of the Fancher-Baker wagon train at Mountain Meadows in Utah Territory on September 11, 1857, by a group of Mormons and Paiute Indians. The Arkansas emigrants were traveling to California shortly before Utah War started. Mormons throughout the Utah Territory had been mustered to fight the invading United States Army, which they believed was intended to destroy them as a people. Initially intending to orchestrate an Indian massacre,[citation needed] two men with leadership roles in local military, church and government organizations, Isaac C. Haight and John D. Lee, conspired for Lee to lead militiamen disguised as Native Americans along with a contingent of Paiute tribesmen in an attack.
The emigrants fought back and a siege ensued. Intending to leave no witnesses of Mormon complicity in the siege and avoid reprisals complicating the Utah War, militiamen induced the emigrants to surrender and give up their weapons. After escorting the emigrants out of their fortification, the militiamen and their tribesmen auxiliaries executed approximately 120 men, women and children.[3]
Joseph Smith's 33 Wives
While the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints officially condemns polygamy, its founder was quite the ladies man.
Historians widely agree that Joseph Smith Jr. taught and practiced polygamy. This position is supported by "sealing" records, public marriage licenses (in many cases notarized), affidavits, letters, journals and diaries. The church even publishes Joseph Smith's geneaology to back it up.
Established Brothels to Catch Gentile Public Officials
While the federal government was investigating Mormon leaders practice of polygamy, the church hatched a plot to catch these officials using brothels. Brothels were established in 1885 and invitations were sent to government officials. When the plot was discovered the brothels were closed and the women sent out of the territory. [4]
Posthumous baptism of Holocaust victims
In 1995 it came to light that the Mormon church had been posthumously baptizing Jews killed during the holocaust. This outraged the Jewish community. It was agreed the LDS church would cease such activities, but again in 2002, evidence came to light indicating the church was still practicing these baptisms of deceased people of other faiths.
Even as of 2008, this is still a controversial issue:
(11/2008) CNN reports holocaust survivors said they are through trying to negotiate with the Mormon church over posthumous baptisms of Jews killed in Nazi concentration camps, saying the church has repeatedly violated a 13-year-old agreement barring the practice.[5]
Origin of American Indians
For 175 years the leaders and general membership of the Mormon Church have believed American Indians and Polynesians are descended from Israelites based on their understanding of the Book of Mormon. We now know from DNA studies that the ancestors of these native peoples were essentially all derived from Asia. Latter-day Saint apologists have claimed the DNA research has “little or no bearing on the question of Book of Mormon historicity” and that it is all a “contrived controversy,” blown out of all proportion by critics with another agenda.
Joseph Fielding Smith (presiding patriarch's homosexual affair covered up by the church)
Joseph Fielding Smith (30 January 1899 – 29 August 1964) was presiding patriarch and a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1942 until 1946.
At the age of 43, Smith was ordained a high priest and Patriarch to the Church on 8 October 1942 by Church President Heber J. Grant. He served but four years before it was reported by the church that he had requested to be released from his position. His request was granted by Church President George Albert Smith on 6 October 1946, with the church announcing that Smith was released for reasons of "ill health."[6] After Smith's death it was discovered that the patriarch had been involved in a homosexual affair with a 21-year-old U.S. Navy sailor, who was also a Latter-day Saint.[7]
Use of "Lucifer" Term Shows Joseph Smith Copied From the KJV And Not Earlier/Divine Origins
Mormons claim that an ancient record (the Book of Mormon) was written beginning in about 600 BC, and the author in 600 BC supposedly copied Isaiah in Isaiah's original words. When Joseph Smith pretended to translate the supposed 'ancient record', he included the Lucifer verse in the Book of Mormon. Obviously he wasn't copying what Isaiah actually wrote. He was copying the King James Version of the Bible. Another book of LDS scripture, the Doctrine & Covenants, furthers this problem in 76:26 when it affirms the false Christian doctrine that "Lucifer" means Satan. This incorrect doctrine also spread into a third set of Mormon scriptures, the Pearl of Great Price, which describes a war in heaven based, in part, on Joseph Smith's incorrect interpretation of the word "Lucifer" which only appears in Isaiah.
The problem with the Mormon scripture's use of "Lucifer" is that it never existed in any early versions of scripture. The name "Lucifer" was added later by scribes and was a commonly-used period era metaphor for kings, the planet Venus and other "lightbringers". Like the Book of Abraham, historical documents contradict claims regarding the true origins of LDS scripture.
Mormon church used church discipline records and criminal history of a rape victim to smear her, as well as releasing her name to the media.
On March 20, as a sexual assault scandal was exploding[8] around former Missionary Training Center President Joseph Bishop, his son, and attorney Greg Bishop sent an email to 2News unsolicited.[9]
In the email, he unspools a five-page dossier about the past of the woman who had accused his father of rape.[10]
The email included the woman’s criminal record, alleged false allegations she’d made in the past, and jobs she’d lost.
It even included details about an incident that occurred when she was 17 years old. Bishop encouraged reporters to examine the woman’s past adding, “consider the source.”
In the last two days, 2News has obtained a letter that was written by David Jordan, a lawyer at the firm, Stoel Rives, acting on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The document is a response to a letter from the woman’s attorney, Craig Vernon, requesting a settlement from the LDS Church.
The document includes everything we saw in Bishop’s email, plus a review of her ecclesiastical church record.
At the bottom, the Jordan indicates that he sent the letter to Greg Bishop.
It appears Bishop took portions of the letter, and at times, repeated allegations word for word and sent it to the media.
At least three media outlets did stories based on the letter.
Jordan acknowledged that he wrote the letter and only sent it to Bishop because he had been included in an email chain by the accuser’s attorney. Jordan says he did not release the letter to the media.
Salt Lake City attorney Greg Skordas said the document was meant to be used for negotiating a possible settlement, releasing it was improper.
“It’s a little bit problematic to me that this kind of information is now released,” Skordas said.
Turner Bitton with the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault said even if the church didn’t put out the letter, the methods used in it are intended to silence accusers.
“It sends a message to that individual person, but to everyone else, that if you come forward we are going to dig through your past we're going to dig through your experiences who you are your very identity,” Bitton said.
Bitton also said the church has every right to collect the information it did on Bishop’s accuser, but said, the way they did it and what they collected, may not sit well with church members.
"The vast majority of people that I know that are people of faith who are don't want to see this kind of behavior,” he said. “What they don't want to see is the church engaging in a way that looks like a ruthless corporation at times."[11]
Muslims
Aisha, 9-year-old child bride
Aisha was the six year old girl that was betrothed to Muhammad. At the age of nine she married him - becoming one of his 11 (or 13 depending on the source) wives. While most Muslims do not object to this marriage, it is a source of great scandal to many non-Islamic people. In Islamic tradition, she is attributed as the source of many stories about the life of Muhammad. It is believed that she was his favorite wife.
Scientology
Lisa McPherson
Lisa McPherson (February 10, 1959–December 5, 1995) was a Scientologist who died of a pulmonary embolism while under the care of the Flag Service Organization (FSO), a branch of the Church of Scientology. Following her death the Church of Scientology was indicted on two felony charges “abuse and/or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license”, putting under trial the nature of Scientology beliefs and practices. The charges against the Church of Scientology were dropped after the state’s medical examiner changed the cause of death from “undetermined” to an “accident” on June 13, 2000.
A civil suit brought by her family against the Church was settled on May 28, 2004.
ReferencesImage caption The playground has become the latest battleground in Sweden's drive for gender equality
Some have called it "gender madness", but the Egalia pre-school in Stockholm says its goal is to free children from social expectations based on their sex.
On the surface, the school in Sodermalm - a well-to-do district of the Swedish capital - seems like any other. But listen carefully and you'll notice a big difference.
The teachers avoid using the pronouns "him" and "her" when talking to the children.
Instead they refer to them as "friends", by their first names, or as "hen" - a genderless pronoun borrowed from Finnish.
Changing society?
It is not just the language that is different here, though.
This equality idea, it has become so absurd, it has become a really stupid industry Tanja Bergkvist, Swedish blogger
The books have been carefully selected to avoid traditional presentations of gender and parenting roles.
So, out with the likes of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, and in with, for example, a book about two giraffes who find an abandoned baby crocodile and adopt it.
Most of the usual toys and games that you would find in any nursery are there - dolls, tractors, sand pits, and so on - but they are placed deliberately side-by-side to encourage a child to play with whatever he or she chooses.
At Egalia boys are free to dress up and to play with dolls, if that is what they want to do.
For the director of the pre-school, Lotta Rajalin, it is all about giving children a wider choice, and not limiting them to social expectations based on gender.
"We want to give the whole spectrum of life, not just half - that's why we are doing this. We want the children to get to know all the things in life, not to just see half of it," she told BBC World Service.
All the staff are clearly passionate about this.
Image caption Teachers say the aim is to help both boys and girls
"I want to change things in society," says 27-year-old Emelie Andersson who is fresh out of her teacher training, and specifically chose to work at Egalia because of its policy on gender.
"When we are born in this society, people have different expectations on us depending if we are a boy or a girl. It limits children.
"In my world, there is no 'girl's world' and there is no 'boy's world'," she says.
Identity politics
Last year a Swedish couple provoked a fuss in the media by announcing that they had decided to keep the gender of their young child, Pop, a secret from all but their closest family members.
There was a similar case recently in Canada with a baby called Storm.
All the girls know they are girls, and all the boys know that they are boys Lotta Rajalin, Director of Egalia
But is it not confusing for a young child to blur gender boundaries like this?
It is a criticism that Egalia director Lotta Rajalin has heard many times before, but she contests it vigorously.
"All the girls know they are girls, and all the boys know that they are boys. We are not working with biological gender - we are working with the social thing."
The verdict of child psychologists and experts in gender is divided - with most supportive of the aims, but questioning the means.
"The sentiments are excellent, but I'm not sure they are going about it in exactly the right way," says British-based clinical psychologist Linda Blair.
"I think it's a bit stilted. Between the ages of three and about seven, the child is searching for their identity, and part of their identity is their gender, you can't deny that," she told BBC World Service.
Gender obsessed?
But Sweden takes gender issues seriously, and for a number of years now, the government has been taking its battle to the playground.
Gender advisers are now common in schools, and it is part of the national curriculum to work against discrimination of all kinds.
Sweden is often praised as being one of the most equal countries in the world when it comes to gender, but there are critics at home who think things have gone too far.
"This equality idea, it has become so absurd, it has become a really stupid industry," rails Swedish blogger Tanja Bergkvist, who argues that the nation has an unhealthy obsession with gender.
I find it a bit funny - who do they think they are fooling?" Philip Hwang, Professor of Psychology
"Gender researchers have convinced politicians that the solution to all problems is a gender perspective.
"That's quite dangerous because they spend money and resources on the wrong things."
The Egalia school - which is state-funded - is proving popular though, and boasts a long waiting list.
Pia Korpi, a metal designer, and her husband Yukka, a dancer and choreographer, have two children at the pre-school.
Ms Korpi says she, and her husband in particular, had to battle to pursue their chosen interests because they sat uneasily with gender expectations, and they want their children to feel free from these restraints.
She says most of their friends and family are 100% behind them, but admits some people might not understand their choice. "People who don't know what this is about - and especially in the countryside - they think it's brainwashing."
Swedish way
The idea of working with children in pre-schools - between the ages of one and five years old - is to help shape them from a young age, but many doubt there are any lasting effects.
Image caption Egalia is the Swedish word for equality
"It's a real world out there - we cannot isolate people from that real world," says clinical psychologist Linda Blair.
Philip Hwang, Professor of Psychology at the University of Gothenburg - who has conducted long-term studies of children's development - chuckles slightly when talking about this scheme.
"I don't think it's anything bad," he says.
"But it is naive to say the least. It is a symbolic gesture. I find it a bit funny - who do they think they are fooling?"
"It's very Swedish in a sense. Swedes have a tendency to think that if they institutionalise something, it will automatically change - it's the Swedish way," he told the BBC.
"But lasting effects - when it comes to issues embedded in our culture - that takes generations."Julien de Rosa / AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron arrive to attend a concert by the Pierre Claver Association at the Élysée Palace in Paris on July 25, 2017.
Nearly 200,000 people have signed an online petition against the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron being given a formal position as the country’s First Lady.
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The petition, launched two weeks ago on change.org, demands that no public money be set aside for the First Lady role that Macron promised to create for his wife while he was still a presidential candidate.
“Brigitte Macron currently has a team of two or three aides, as well as two secretaries and two security agents. That's enough," the petition reads.
“We strongly denounce any and all sexist attacks against Brigitte Macron, and we do not in any way seek to call her competency into question,” the text reads. “However, during a time when ethical behaviour needs to be reasserted in French politics,” with the adoption of a law notably forbidding ministers and parliamentarians from employing their family members, “we cannot sanction the creation of a special status for the spouse of President Macron”.
The Élysée Palace has not officially responded to the campaign, but presidential aides were forced to react after the petition was signed by more than 275,000 people in two weeks.
On Monday they said a “transparency charter” would be published in the next few days to clarify the position of Macron’s wife, but insisting that her role would be strictly public and not political, and that she would have neither a budget nor an official "First Lady" title.
During his campaign, Macron had indicated that his wife would have “a fully public role” if he were elected, in order to avoid what he deemed to be a certain “hypocrisy” on the part of prior administrations, but that she would not be paid a salary with public funds.
“I want there to be a defined role for her, and I will ask for a proposal to be presented on how to proceed in that regard,” he had stated, explaining that his government “would specify the contours of that position in the first few weeks”, and that Brigitte would make the final decision about her future function.
The creation of a First Lady status came before France’s National Assembly last week, during the legislative body’s examination of proposed new ethics laws. Deputies from Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party, La France Insoumise (Unsubmissive France), attempted in vain to add an amendment to the bill stating that public funds could not be given to a president’s spouse or partner, the same restriction that would be placed on government ministers and parliamentarians.
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet recalled that Emmanuel Macron had come out in favour of “greater transparency regarding the role and the resources granted” to the head of State’s partner. However, according to Belloubet, the bill under discussion was “not an appropriate method for defining the role [of First Lady]”.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)NFL Draft Raiders Football
Wide receiver Amari Cooper, the first round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders, center, holds up a jersey between general manager Reggie McKenzie, left, and head coach Jack Del Rio after a news conference in Alameda, Calif., Friday, May 1, 2015.
(Dan Honda/The Oakland Tribune via AP)
A day before opening mini-camp, former Alabama star receiver Amari Cooper signed his first NFL contract.
The four-year deal with the Oakland Raiders will pay Cooper $22.7 million fully guaranteed. That includes a $14.7 million signing bonus, AL.com learned. His base salary will be $435,000 as a rookie, escalating every year to $3.5 million in the fourth season. The team also has a fifth-year option.
Cooper was the fourth pick of the NFL Draft a week ago. His contract is more lucrative than last season's No. 4 pick, also a receiver. Sammy Watkins got $19.9 million guaranteed and a $12.8 million signing bonus from the Bills last year.
The contract was enough to make the typically stoic Cooper smile.
Two of Cooper's former teammates also signed rookie deals Thursday. Offensive lineman Austin Shepherd got a non-gauranteed deal for $2.3 million, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. That includes a nearly $70,000 signing bonus for the seventh-round pick.
Linebacker Xzavier Dickson, also a seventh-round pick to New England. Financial terms were not immediately available.Bluetooth accessories have been selling like gang busters recently. There is a wide variety of bluetooth accessories on the market right now, from ear pieces to bluetooth adapters that will read the codes in your vehicle. Bluetooth desktop speakers allow the user to broadcast their audio, such as Pandora or Spotify directly to the speaker. Most built in speakers on modern cell phones sound horrible. The sound is tinny and sound reproduction is lacking. Having a bluetooth speaker on your desk at work or home can improve the quality of the sound from your phone or other bluetooth device. The Rosewill R-Studio Ampbox is one such speaker. The Rosewill R-Studio Ampbox boasts great sound with long battery life.
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-A2DP Bluetooth with 30 foot range for wireless music streaming -Built-in microphone for phone calls -Rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery offers up to 12 hours of playtime (Battery Life Varies by volume and audio content) -Works with any audio device that has Bluetooth or 3.5mm audio plug such as MP3 players, iPods, iPads, iPhones, Android Phones and Tablets
Review Sample Provided by: Rosewill
Product Name/Link to Website: Rosewill R-Studio Ampbox Bluetooth Speaker
Product was given in exchange for work done to produce this review.
Specifications
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Brand Rosewill Type Bluetooth Portable Speaker Model Ampbox
General SPEC
Color Red Driver Unit 2” Full-Range Speakers x 2, Passive Bass Driver x 1 Frequency Response 80Hz -20Khz Music Play Time Up to 12 hours (Battery Life Varies by volume and audio content) Talk Time Up to 12 hours Operating Range 30 Feet Bluetooth Version A2DP, V3.0+EDR with microphone AUX-In 3.5mm
PackagingA Nunavut inmate who violently attacked two prison guards with items on a breakfast cart pleaded guilty Wednesday.
Aaron Akulukjuk, 34, of Iqaluit was awaiting trial on other charges when he attacked correctional officers outside his cell at the Baffin Correctional Centre last December.
Akulukjuk's criminal history dates back to 2002, with a long list of convictions that include assault charges, substance and property offences, and uttering threats.
On Wednesday, the Iqaluit courtroom saw a short video of the incident.
The footage
The footage shows two guards wheeling carts down the hallway to Akulukjuk's cell.
When Akulukjuk was given his breakfast tray, he took the plastic dome covering off the plate and smashed it on top of the female guard's head.
"It stunned her," said Crown lawyer Barry McLaren.
A cell at the Baffin Correctional Centre in Iqaluit. (Office of the Correctional Investigator)
Akulukjuk was then told not to behave that way, and was offered a second tray of food.
"No vulgar terms or yelling were used [by the guards]," said McLaren.
Shortly after, Akulukjuk grabbed an insulated jug of hot tea from a cart and started swinging it.
The hot tea spilled on both guards, burning them.
Still swinging, Akulukjuk swung the jug into the male guard's face, causing his upper teeth to pierce through his bottom lip and breaking some of his teeth.
"The officers chose to try to treat Aaron with respect, and instead [one of them] gets smashed in the face, get his teeth knocked out," said McLaren.
The female guard reported headaches for several days following the incident, and the male guard had to take time off work to heal and receive treatment.
Apologizes for behaviour
The defence said Akulukjuk apologized to both guards shortly after the attack.
"He has difficulty understanding relationships and other people's behaviours," said Akulukjuk's defence lawyer, Susan Charlesworth, explaining that Akulukjuk was thrown off by the two guards' peaceful attitude.
Both attorneys called Akulukjuk's behaviour "stupid."
"They were being very decent in the circumstances to not react immediately when Aaron did the stupid thing — I think he admits that," said Charlesworth.
"He was acting like a jerk, and he did something stupid... that hurt [the guard]," said McLaren.
The Crown is asking the judge to "take the safety of the guards seriously" when deciding the penalty. They're asking for a sentence of 16 to 24 months, less a day.
Mental health resources lacking at BCC
The defence asked the judge to consider a shorter sentence of one year.
When the defence brought up Akulukjuk's 2014 psychiatric assessment, which indicated he has some mental health issues, the judge inquired whether there were resources available to treat Akulukjuk at BCC.
A representative of the correctional centre present in court indicated that it currently does not have a psychiatrist or psychologist on staff, and is having difficulty getting mental health workers to come in due to a shortage.
The judge will deliver her decision on Friday at 9:30 a.m. at the Nunavut Court of Justice.Sharks, Meet Chefs: Discovery To Buy Scripps, Acquiring Food Network And HGTV
Enlarge this image toggle caption Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Discovery Communications, which owns networks like the Discovery Channel, TLC, the Oprah Winfrey Network and Animal Planet, is planning to acquire Scripps Networks Interactive for nearly $12 billion.
Scripps owns HGTV, the Food Network, the Cooking Channel and the Travel Channel, among other brands. When combined, the two companies command nearly 20 percent of "ad-supported pay-TV viewership in the U.S.," according to Discovery.
The purchase is expected to be finalized by early 2018. The deal's full cost is $14.6 billion, which includes $2.7 billion in debt currently carried by Scripps. (NPR President and CEO Jarl Mohn is a member of Scripps' board.)
"Discovery says the combination will allow both companies to cut redundant costs, and will help both companies grow their online and mobile operations," NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports. "The companies hope to expand their international viewership. This comes as cable channels try to combat the defection of viewers from paid-TV subscriptions in favor of streaming video.
"The Scripps family, which owns more than 90 percent of the shares voted in favor of the deal, which is expected to close early next year," Yuki says.
The two companies have been talking about such a deal for about five years, Forbes reports, but the talks only became public a few weeks ago. Since the possible deal was reported on, "both companies have seen their share prices skyrocket," Forbes writes.Share Email 0 Shares
PORTSMOUTH, NH — So far this year, Bernie Sanders has been on ABC “World News Tonight” for a total of 20 seconds. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has received 81 minutes of coverage on the same program.
During a recent speech here in a crowded college gymnasium, it was unclear who the Vermont senator felt was a bigger threat to American Democracy — the Koch brothers or the corporate alphabet-soup brotherhood of CBS, NBC and ABC.
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“Who decides what the issues are?” Sanders asked the crowd. “When you turn on the TV tonight, someone will say ‘This is the main issue facing the country — it’s the only issue — until tomorrow’s issue, when that’s the only issue.”
“Who determines the major issues?” Sanders reiterated. “You do!”
“You’ve got to do that,” he continued, his tone sharpening. “And don’t let CNN or NBC or anyone else tell you what the major issues are, because what goes on in your lives, and the lives of your family, are by definition, the important issues.”
During Sanders’ remarks, the press tables in the back of the gym were almost empty, a few reporters writing on their computers or checking Twitter. Alex Seitz-Wald, an NBC reporter covering the rally, didn’t look up from his computer even when his organization’s name was taken in vain.
While the Vermont senator has never been a huge fan of the press, he has become a vocal critic of those covering him in recent weeks. He’s perplexed that the press doesn’t cover him as much anymore, he is upset by the media titillation for Trump and frustrated that his message of income inequality is being pushed aside to make way for talk of terrorism.
At his announcement in May on the Burlington waterfront, Sanders drew the biggest applause when he railed against the media for being shallow, highlighting irrelevant issues and engaging in gossip.
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“He has said his frustration is not about how you treat me,” spokesman Michael Briggs said. “It’s about how you treat the issues.”
How do you get more media coverage, a reporter asked. Why isn’t Sanders getting the attention you think he deserves?
Briggs paused, then shrugged his shoulders.
“Part of it is that Clinton is considered the front-runner,” he said.
THE “BERNIE BLACKOUT”
Last week, frustration over media coverage from Team Sanders boiled over, prompting Briggs to push out a press release asking: “Why the Bernie Blackout on Corporate Network News?”
“The corporately owned media may not like Bernie’s anti-establishment views but for the sake of American democracy they must allow for a fair debate in this presidential campaign,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager. “Bernie must receive the same level of coverage on the nightly news as other leading candidates.”
The campaign pointed to the Tyndall Report, a site which monitors network news coverage, as evidence of the media discrimination. The report found that ABC “World News Tonight” has devoted just 20 seconds to Sanders through this year. Donald Trump received 81 minutes of coverage by ABC this year.
The campaign is now circulating petitions for supporters to sign, demanding national news outlets up their coverage of Sanders.
NBC “Nightly News” has given 2.9 minutes of coverage to Sanders since January; CBS provided 6.4 minutes, according to the report.
“The network newscasts are wildly overplaying Trump, who regularly attracts between 20-30 percent of primary voter support, while at the same time wildly underplaying Sanders, who regularly attracts between 20-30 percent of primary voter support,” wrote Eric Boehlert on the Media Matters blog.
Briggs confirmed that the Sanders press pool has a core membership of three reporters: Mary Alice Parks of ABC, John Wagner of the Washington Post and Evan McMorris-Santoro of BuzzFeed News.
Reporters from other major outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, CBS and The New York Times come and go. While the Times put a reporter on the Clinton beat in early 2013, the paper has no Bernie beat, and has been sharply criticized for lack of coverage of Sanders.
In September, following many letters and comments from readers, the Times’ Public Editor Margaret Sullivan investigated the matter. She found that in August, when Sanders was surging in polls, he was the subject of 14 articles; Clinton was the focus of 54.
“The Times has not ignored Mr. Sanders’s campaign, but it hasn’t always taken it very seriously,” Sullivan wrote. “The tone of some stories is regrettably dismissive, even mocking at times. Some of that is focused on the candidate’s age, appearance and style, rather than what he has to say.”
A national political reporter on the Sanders beat said that Patrick Healy, a Times reporter who writes many of the paper’s Sanders stories, rarely hits the trail.
“He’s more out than in,” the reporter said of Healy.
Explaining the Darkness
In the horse-race election, Bernie the Bronco is no longer a hot ticket. Clinton the Warhorse is at the head of the pack, and experts say that’s where the attention will always go.
“When the media looks at the on-the-ground polling numbers, money, infrastructure, support around the country and potential to build a majority during the Democratic convention, they have concluded that Hillary Clinton is the one,” said Leonard Steinhorn, a professor of media and politics at American University in Washington, D.C.
Besides the cloak of inevitability that the former Secretary of State now owns, media experts said the lack of media attention for Sanders is a direct result of his unwillingness to adapt to a 24-hour news cycle where topics of concern are constantly changing.
“The media has |
.
“I do believe the world faces a serious and growing terrorist threat,” Evan McMullin, the former C.I.A. officer and Republican who ran for President as an independent candidate against Trump, said. “But Trump, either by ignorance or malice, is distorting the nature of that threat by targeting very well-vetted immigrants, including legal permanent residents and refugees. He simply does not have a strong national-security case to make against these people, which is why it is reasonable to wonder if he has some ulterior motive for taking such extreme steps against them.”
Yesterday, Trump’s campaign to highlight this threat took a bizarre turn when he accused the media of burying coverage of terror attacks. “It’s gotten to a point where it’s not even being reported,” he said in remarks to troops at MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa. “In many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn’t want to report it. They have their reasons.” The White House later released a list of attacks since 2014 that it insisted had not received enough attention.
This is the second time in a week that Trump has accused others of not understanding the threat posed by terrorism. Over the weekend, he used Twitter to attack the federal judge who put a halt to Trump’s immigration ban. He called James L. Robart, who was appointed by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, a “so-called judge,” and later added, “Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!”
One of the questions raised by Trump’s claims that the media and the courts have endangered the country is what he would do in the event of a terrorist attack.
Jack Goldsmith, a former senior Justice Department official in the George W. Bush Administration, who helped design the post-9/11 anti-terror legal architecture, recently suggested that Trump might actually want his travel ban to be overturned. That way, in the wake of an attack, he can use the judiciary as a bogeyman and justify any new efforts to push through more extreme measures.
I asked Goldsmith and others what the menu of options might be for a President Trump empowered by the justifiable fears Americans would have in the aftermath of a serious attack. “If it is a large and grim attack, he might ask for more surveillance powers inside the U.S. (including fewer restrictions on data mingling and storage and queries), more immigration control power at the border, an exception to Posse Comitatus (which prohibits the military from law enforcement in the homeland), and perhaps more immigration-related detention powers,” Goldsmith wrote in an e-mail. “In the extreme scenario Trump could ask Congress to suspend the writ of habeas corpus, which would cut off the kind of access to courts you are seeing right now for everyone (or for every class of persons for which the writ is suspended).”
He pointed out that President Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus and ignored courts that insisted he didn’t have such power. “The point of the example is that the only question is not what powers Trump might ‘ask for,’ ” Goldsmith said, “but also what powers he might assert or assume or grab, and what he can get away with.”
John Yoo, who as a lawyer for the George W. Bush Administration was the fiercest defender of its most extreme post-9/11 policies, including the use of torture, recently wrote an Op-Ed in which he said he was alarmed by Trump’s attempt to expand the powers of the executive branch. (This was as if Trump had written an essay arguing that he was concerned about developers adding their names to buildings in lettering that was too large.) Yoo told me, “If there is another terrorist attack, I could see Trump seeking all of the powers that the President can exercise during wartime. The domestic powers would have to be approved by Congress, such as limitations on habeas, domestic warrantless surveillance, and an internal security act. We really haven't had a system like that since the Second World War or the Communist cases of the nineteen-fifties.”
Matt Olsen, the former head of the National Counterterrorism Center, told me that he didn’t agree with Goldsmith’s suggestion that Trump actually wants the executive order overturned, but he said that he thought Trump was laying the groundwork for arguments he might make after an attack. “This is a win-win for Trump,” Olsen said. “We can assume there will be another terrorist attack in the U.S. If the executive order is in place, he will point to the attack as support for the executive order and the need to expand it to other countries with bad dudes (Muslims). If the executive order has been struck down, Trump will blame judges and Democrats for the attack.”
Olsen was also concerned that Trump might undo many of the changes that Barack Obama put in place to rein in the excesses of the Bush era. “As for other options in a post-attack scenario, just look back to 9/11,” he said. “C.I.A. black sites, enhanced interrogations, Gitmo, and warrantless surveillance will all be on the table. In addition, regardless of nationality, there will be changes to immigration and refugee policies.” He added that he could also imagine an effort to loosen restrictions on surveillance inside the United States.
Todd Breasseale, the former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, was also alarmed. “I had a very similar discussion with a former senior intel official on this very issue, before Jack's column,” he told me. “We both wholly believe that Trump needs a bogeyman. But, more importantly, he needs distraction and a blame source. In terrorists, he has his bogeyman. In his control of the prevailing press narrative via tweet, he has distraction. And, in the judiciary, he has a source of blame for why his way was right from the beginning." Breasseale added, "I am fully confident that an attack is exactly what he wants and needs.”
Breasseale said that he was most concerned about the potential of Trump using existing D.H.S. tools. “He could create a registry of various religions, sects, and provenance—all within the law—all to amp up fear and suspicion, releasing the information in ways that meet his narrative,” he said. “D.H.S. has a means to track this information and publish it in real time. It gets very specific: military-aged males from East Timor, geriatric women from Japan, Muslim children from Pakistan—you name it. You can see how the right information with the wrong context could manipulate public angst. He could also order raids and removals within the law. Worse in some respects: he could remain unpredictable, continuing the chaos we saw with the Customs and Border Patrol folks.”
Trump’s efforts to hype the threat from terrorism during a period of domestic calm should be regarded with extreme skepticism. As McMullin noted, “Trump's strange focus on the terrorist threat” was “out of step with reality at the moment” and was “a telltale sign of a leader contemplating policies that would otherwise be unacceptable.”MUMBAI: Just a few weeks after winning the World Cup, its man of the tournament - Yuvraj Singh - was diagnosed with 'lung cancer'.
"He was coughing and vomiting all through the tournament. But we thought it was just the stress, and his desire to excel on the biggest stage... so we ignored it," his mother Shabnam Singh told TOI in an exclusive chat.
"After all the excitement and the celebrations, we went for medical advice when the problem persisted," she revealed. "To our horror, we found a golf-ball sized lump over his left lung," she said.
The entire family was incredulous, to begin with. "We were devastated. We just couldn't accept it. He has had bouts of cough for a long time; but we were told it was common allergy... to dust and pollution."
Yuvraj Singh, a known fighter, was indignant though. "I didn't believe the reports," he said. "I felt fine, and deep inside, I felt good too," he said, almost embarrassed to go into the painful details.
For over three months or so, as he went for one scan after another, and one test after another, he all but looked death in the eye every day. He had a smile on his face, though, and the faith instilled by his guruji, in his heart.
"We were all worried. But he would only keep telling us one thing. 'I am a brave boy. I will come out of this,'" his mother said.
Finally, in October, his self-belief triumphed: the third biopsy confirmed that the tumour was benign. "Until then, we believed it was malignant, that it could be life-threatening," Shabnam said.
(TOI was privy to Yuvraj's condition for quite some time; but it chose not to break the story till now, given the delicate nature of his state.)
"We couldn't take it initially; it was too painful even to look at Yuvi," the mother explained. "It wasn't just the fear that is associated with the dreaded word that gnawed at us; it was unbearable to see the way he suffered. He was in excruciating pain all the time."
Yuvraj himself had gone into a shell. "He became quieter and endured everything in the privacy of his home; he made sure nobody got to know about it," his mother revealed. He, however, never gave up hope or, indeed, on life.
He skipped the tour to West Indies, citing lung infection; he underwent rigorous treatment and, at the same time, gingerly resumed his practice. After all, he still had a raging, old dream: cement his place in the Test squad.
When he arrived in England, looking overweight and not in top shape, he was almost ridiculed; nobody knew the trauma he was going through or the fact that, for quite some time, he couldn't even do basic drills.
Indeed, only his closest friends in the Indian team were aware of his condition or mental state. He scored a gritty 62 in the second Test; but sadly, he broke his finger and had to cut short his tour. It has been the story of his Test career.
For a long time, he had to wait in the wings as the Indian middle order was bristling with extraordinary talent; only when Sourav Ganguly retired, he got a longish run. Just last year, in Sri Lanka, when things seemed to be falling into place, he was hit by dengue.
Suresh Raina took his place, and scored a debut century; Yuvraj was back on the sidelines. "I want to be known as a Test player," he had once told this writer. "It is my biggest ambition and I will do anything to prove myself there."
Once the fear was banished from his mind, he began his journey back to life, and cricket. "He couldn't return to full gym-work yet. He would be breathless in no time. But, he would just not give up," Shabnam revealed.
"He has slept so many days with big needles in his body. I remember when he realized that he could get a chance to play in the Tests against the West Indies he was going to play a Twenty20 match for Punjab. The previous night he had done some tests and his arm was all swollen up. He couldn't even move it properly."But he refused to listen. He didn't want to lose another opportunity." Sadly, again, he didn't have a good run, scoring only 23 & 18 and 25 in the two Tests. His bowling, which had been the hallmark in the World Cup, was not even required.The selectors unexpectedly dropped him from the third Test, choosing to give the youngsters a chance. The message was loud and clear: Yuvraj was not going to Australia for the Test series. It must have been the saddest day in his life.As the day neared to pick the squad for the one-dayers against West Indies he decided to share a part of his agony. He had been advised total rest for a month, after which he is expected to be as good as new. He hopes to be back in shape and in form for the ODIs in Australia.The worst is behind him, he knows; it's just a question of cracking the last frontier in Tests: his mind. He has enough faith in himself to believe that he will do that too.Not sure if this one fits with the "fairness doctrine" or the "inconvenience" paradigm (where the government is here to protect you in exchange for ceding all those pesky constitutional amendments), but moments ago yet another "conspiracy theory" become fact when the FBI director Robert Mueller admitted to the domestic use of drones for surveillance purposes.
From RT:
The FBI uses drones for domestic surveillance purposes, the head of the agency told Congress early Wednesday.
Robert Mueller, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, confirmed to lawmakers that the FBI owns several unmanned aerial vehicles, but has not adopted any strict policies or guidelines yet to govern the use of the controversial aircraft.
“Does the FBI use drones for surveillance on US soil?” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) asked Mr. Mueller during an oversight hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Yes,” Mueller responded bluntly, adding that the FBI’s operation of drones is “very seldom.”On a cloudy Tuesday afternoon in San Marcos, California, Guadalupe Lopez is guiding me through Alvin Dunn Elementary’s concrete grid of a campus. Dressed in a black sweatshirt with Minnie Mouse ears on the hood, she’s striding along with the eager confidence of a soon-to-be 7th grader just weeks away from the first day of summer. And she has something special she wants to show me.
Charging several steps ahead, she leads me into the school’s cafeteria, where dozens of black and white photos of Alvin Dunn sixth graders cover the wall. The photos, Lopez explains, are part of a research project that she and a small group of her classmates recently completed on why American businesses and government agencies should invest in at-risk youth.
“They’re spending so much on prisons, but they’re leaving us behind,” Lopez tells me, sounding far more sophisticated than she should at 12. To illustrate their point, Lopez and her group took photos of each of their classmates and asked them all to write captions explaining why they’re worth the investment. “Some of them just touch your heart,” Lopez tells me, sincerity radiating from her big brown eyes.
During the month she spent researching both in and out of school, this topic has become deeply personal to Lopez, and as she stares up at the wall, it’s clear she is proud of her hard work—work that would have been a lot harder if not for the fact that a few months earlier, the school gave every sixth grader a Samsung tablet to take home with them.
Photographs for Wired.com story on Qualcomm Tech program at Alvin M. Dunn Elementary school in San Marcos, CA. Guadelupe posing with her school project that was made with the help of her Samsung Tablet.Shoot Date: 6/9/15Location: 3697 La Mirada Dr, San Marcos, CA, 92078 Damon Casarez for WIRED
That, in and of itself, wasn’t all that special. Alvin Dunn students had been using iPads in class for years. But what made a truly deep impact in Lopez’s life was the fact that the tablet had its own data plan. That meant she could actually take it home with her and use it. It was a tiny difference, but for Lopez, it changed everything. Like about 30 percent of American schoolchildren—and more than half the sixth grade class at Alvin Dunn—Lopez has no Internet access at home.
Lack of home Internet access for school children is an all-too common problem, one that the FCC has referred to as “the homework gap.” Today, American schools are investing billions of dollars in devices and educational technology for the classroom. Meanwhile, venture capitalists are investing billions more to fund new ed-tech ideas. All this spending has changed curriculums, as teachers become ever more reliant on the tech tools constantly dangled in front of them. Now, instead of handing out reading assignments and worksheets from a textbook, they can show kids videos from Khan Academy and assign them apps that collect data on their progress.
This type of personalized education has been transformative for some kids. But for the hundreds of thousands of students across the country like Lopez, it’s isolating. For these kids, replacing the albeit imperfect equity of pen and paper with technology has put them at a distinct disadvantage, turning something as simple as completing homework into a Herculean effort.
For Lopez, it meant waking up most mornings at 7am, getting to school when the gates open at 8am, and logging onto the school’s WiFi, leaving her with just 45 minutes to complete all of her digital assignments before her first class. That changed once she got the tablet with the data plan. Suddenly, she had time to do more than cram in the mornings. Internet access sent her reading scores soaring; more than that, it gave Lopez the time she needed to do the kind of work that she really cared about, the kind of work she would enthusiastically speed across campus to show off to a total stranger like me.
Beyond Philanthropy
Lopez owes this change, at least in part, to a new business unit within the San Diego-based wireless giant Qualcomm. The unit, Qualcomm Education, is working to close the homework gap by convening other leaders in the wireless technology industry to help create the equivalent of a free-and-reduced lunch plan for data.
Photographs for Wired.com story on Qualcomm Tech program at Alvin M. Dunn Elementary school in San Marcos, CA. Shoot Date: 6/9/15Location: 3697 La Mirada Dr, San Marcos, CA, 92078 Damon Casarez for WIRED
With this work, Qualcomm is capitalizing on a wave of momentum in the world of school connectivity. In addition to the federal ConnectEd program, which aims to give 99 percent of American students access to the Internet in school, the Obama administration also recently announced the launch of ConnectHome. Through this program, the government is working with service providers such as Google Fiber to bring high-speed broadband to 275,000 low-income households across the country.
They’re ambitious, well-intentioned initiatives that will, if all goes according to plan, have a major impact on the kids and families they touch. And yet, the companies backing these efforts—including AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and more—still earmark these programs as charity. That means they’ve set aside a finite amount of donations, and these donations have clear end dates. After that, schools will be left to figure out how to pay for the access they once received for free.
That’s where Qualcomm Education is hoping to make a difference. Instead of giving these data plans away for free, it’s pushing the industry to create a sustainable business model that might stand a chance of outliving these charitable donations. If carriers are willing to create a data plan for schools that costs around $10 a kid, then schools might actually be able to afford them. And carriers, forever motivated by their bottom lines, would have a monetary incentive to keep these projects up and running.
“The question is, when the philanthropy runs dry, is there a business here?” says Vicki Mealer-Burke, who’s leading the effort as vice president of Qualcomm Education.
In March, Qualcomm joined forces with AT&T and Samsung to test that hypothesis through a pilot program with Alvin Dunn. This fall, the company is working with another top-tier carrier (though it can’t say publicly which one) to roll the program out to two new schools. The hope is by this time next year, having worked out the kinks of the program in closed trials, they’ll be able to offer these data plans to schools across the country.
“There are a lot of initiatives that are pushing toward high-throughput WiFi in schools. We know that’s going to happen one way or another, and it’ll allow each child to have a device and access to digital curriculum,” Mealer-Burke says. “We just want to make sure all that doesn’t stop when the bell rings.”
Industry Instigator
At first glance, Qualcomm’s motivation for getting involved in education isn’t altogether obvious. After all, this is a company that makes its billions selling chipsets to device manufacturers and licensing its massive portfolio of more than 10,000 wireless technology patents. It’s not in the business of selling data plans to schools, or anyone else, for that matter.
Damon Casarez for WIRED
But when you look back through the company’s history, the rationale for Qualcomm Education begins to come into focus. Founded in 1985 by a group of researchers, Qualcomm has a long trace record of testing new technologies before they’re ready for primetime. It was manufacturing cell phones in the early 1990s; it released a smartphone in 1998, and by 2001—that’s six years before Apple gave us the iPhone—Qualcomm even had an app store. “One of the first apps was a gray-scale bowling app,” remembers Mealer-Burke, who’s been with the company for nearly two decades. “It cost $7.99 a month.”
At the time, these bets seemed foolish. Today, they look remarkably prescient. Little by little, these inventions pushed mobile technology forward, enabling Qualcomm to sell more chipsets and license more patents, which, of course, transformed the company into the wireless technology giant it is today. Now, Qualcomm is working to spread this technology in schools. “Any time we get LTE into the world, it’s good for Qualcomm,” says Mealer-Burke.
This isn’t the first time Qualcomm has dabbled in education. It’s been donating connected devices to schools for years through its charitable arm, Qualcomm Reach. But it wasn’t until two years ago that the company began exploring education as an actual line of business. The thinking was, if the company could convince carriers to sell the data plans, then Qualcomm could provide the security and safety software to ensure students would only have access to school-approved content.
The company spent the next two years developing this technology, called QLearn. It allows schools to create dual personas for their students. When students are logged into School Mode, the device will work on either WiFi or LTE and will allow students to access only school-related websites and apps. When students aren’t logged into School Mode, the device will only work on WiFi. This protects schools from running afoul of regulations like the Children’s Internet Protection Act, which requires schools and libraries to block content that could be considered obscene or harmful to students. It also prevents students from driving up data costs by streaming Netflix at home all night.
With QLearn up and running, Qualcomm teamed up with AT&T and Samsung late last year, and then went looking for a school to test it. Alvin Dunn proved to be an all-too perfect fit.
Photographs for Wired.com story on Qualcomm Tech program at Alvin M. Dunn Elementary school in San Marcos, CA. Students playing tetherball at lunchtime recess.Shoot Date: 6/9/15Location: 3697 La Mirada Dr, San Marcos, CA, 92078 Damon Casarez for WIRED
Leveling the Playing Field
Though it’s a relatively short drive from San Diego’s beachside resorts and mega-mansions, Alvin Dunn is a world away. Its students, 89 percent of whom identify as Hispanic or Latino and 65 percent of whom are English language learners, take classes in tiny modular buildings on a large stretch of concrete, interrupted by patches of parched California grass. At recess, they play on an expanse of blacktop across the street from a liquor store and Little Caesars pizza shop. In June, the school hung up a sign at the entrance advertising free meals over the summer months for the 89 percent of Alvin Dunn students who receive free and reduced-price lunches.
So perhaps it should have come as no surprise to Qualcomm—although of course, it still did—that more than half of Alvin Dunn students say that either because of a lack of device, lack of connectivity, or some combination of the two, they have no Internet access at home. “We couldn’t honestly believe it,” Mealer-Burke says. “This is San Diego.”
It stunned Jennifer Carter, too, when she became principal of Alvin Dunn three years ago after working in a much wealthier school called La Costa Meadows. There, Carter communicated with parents on a weekly email blast and pushed teachers to adopt new online tools like the math app TenMarks. “That just was not an option here,” she says of Alvin Dunn. Which is why, when the district asked Carter whether she’d be willing to work with Qualcomm on this new pilot program, she accepted on the spot.
Photographs for Wired.com story on Qualcomm Tech program at Alvin M. Dunn Elementary school in San Marcos, CA. Three teachers who are involved in the Qualcomm Tech program.Shoot Date: 6/9/15Location: 3697 La Mirada Dr, San Marcos, CA, 92078 Damon Casarez for WIRED
Already, the three teachers leading the pilot say they’ve noticed a difference in the quality of students’ work and their level of engagement. “Not to be cheesy, but this has leveled the playing field for our students,” says Terrence Vitiello, one of the 6th grade teachers. “So many times, they’d go home and didn’t have connectivity, so anything we started in class—the Google Docs or one of our online programs—was just done. Now, all of a sudden, the day continues.”
Nancy Hayashi, another teacher at Alvin Dunn, says she’s noticed the biggest difference in her seven students who have learning disabilities, including one student named Melissa Rosales, who told Hayashi last year that her one wish for her 11th birthday was to be as smart as the other kids in class. “That’s the saddest thing I ever heard. Most girls dream of ponies and stuff,” Hayashi says. “Well, now, she has this device, and knowledge is easy.”
Campfires of Innovation
Evidence that this at-home access is actually helping kids learn is more than anecdotal. Throughout the pilot, Qualcomm has been working with a third-party education research group called Project Tomorrow to survey the students about their experience, and so far, the results are promising. Among the students who were previously affected by the homework gap, 96 percent said having at-home access made them better learners. Meanwhile, 84 percent of all the students surveyed said they were using the device to write papers and complete homework assignments at home. They reported increases in confidence and collaboration with their peers; more than half of them said home access has made them more interested in what they were learning.
For Julie Evans, the researcher behind the report, this isn’t surprising. She’s seen similar impacts in schools across the country that have given students connectivity at home. “At-home access facilitates the opportunity to be self-directed learners, and to take what they’re learning in school and extend it,” Evans says. “The idea of instilling in these students a desire for lifelong learning, and the resourcefulness to know how to go pursue that is something that transcends just learning algebra.”
Evans has also seen an increasing willingness on the part of school and district leaders to pay not only for devices, but for connectivity as well. “What used to be a ‘nice-to-have’ is now an imperative,” she says. “Whenever you have that shift from something that’s a nice to have to an imperative, the schools understand the business aspects of it.”
Carter, for one, says that even in a low-socioeconomic school like Alvin Dunn, she’d be eager to buy data plans for all of her students. “I’m opening up 7th and 8th grade in 2017, and I need to know what kind of device and what kind of connectivity I’ll be able to purchase to move them along,” she says.
Racing Against Time
All of which puts added pressure on Qualcomm to scale what it’s started at Alvin Dunn—and that may not be so easy. Evans says she’s seen dozens of promising projects that flame out after the pilot is complete. “I call it campfires of innovation,” she says. “It’s not to say other projects don’t change people’s lives. They do. But if we’re really talking about harnessing the potential of digital learning to change the trajectory of education, then we can’t be building all these campfires of innovation.”
Photographs for Wired.com story on Qualcomm Tech program at Alvin M. Dunn Elementary school in San Marcos, CA. Student outside of her classroom with Samsung Tablet.Shoot Date: 6/9/15Location: 3697 La Mirada Dr, San Marcos, CA, 92078 Damon Casarez for WIRED
And that, of course, will require a major carrier like AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon to take the first step toward what could be a self-cannibalizing business. “If they offer a $10 data plan to kids who are in school, what’s to stop someone else from saying, ‘I want a $10 data plan,’” Mealer-Burke says.
But there are early signs that carriers are warming to the idea. After the initial pilot with Alvin Dunn, AT&T agreed to work with the school for an additional year. According to Drew Evangelista, who leads up AT&T’s education initiatives, the company is using this time to study data usage and determine if such a low-cost data plan is economically feasible. But he says the company is actively pursuing the idea. “There’s been lots of stops, starts, projects, and pilots. Our focus is making this sustainable and available to all kids,” he says. “It shouldn’t be a heroic effort to get your homework done.”
Then, of course, there's the fact that Qualcomm—now a giant publicly traded company facing increased competition in the mobile industry—isn't quite the business it used to be, capable of trying out any old idea for the sake of pushing the industry forward. In July, Qualcomm announced it would be cutting 4,700 jobs, or 15 percent of its workforce, as it plans to reduce costs by $1.4 billion. Mealer-Burke knows she doesn't have much time to prove that this business is worth Qualcomm's time and attention. "The biggest question we ask ourselves is: Are we sure there's more than just philanthropy here? We know there has to be," she says, "but we won't be given 10 years to figure it out."
And yet, giving up on a project as important as this one would risk leaving thousands of kids on the wrong side of the digital divide—kids who, as Lopez made abundantly clear, are well worth the investment.Post by Dallas » Sun Nov 07, 2010 1:54 pm
Emotional Sobriety: Emotions produce euphoric and intoxicating effects. They can produce a sense of ease and comfort and contentment. When we are operating under the influence of our emotions verses the influence of our intelligence -- we are Emotionally Inebriate.
The euphoric and intoxicating effects of Emotional Inebriation can produce a dependency and even an addiction to the emotional states. Withdrawal of Emotional Inebriation often results with the toxic feelings of guilt, remorse, depression, resentment, feelings of personal inadequacy, loneliness, restlessness, irritability, discontentment, and the similar physical symptoms in our body that are often associated with a "hang over" or withdrawal from being under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.
So, it isn't any wonder why -- a pattern develops of a return to "chasing the euphoria of the emotional state" that requires certain behavioral and psychological dependencies, scenarios, individuals, experiences and conditions -- to produce the desired emotional state.
The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have proven to be the most effective therapy in achieving personal, physical, mental and emotional sobriety -- if taken as directed, and then continued as "A Design For Living That Works."
Dallas B.
-----------------------------------------
Bill W. -- Letter on Emotional Sobriety
The below is the substance of a revealing letter which Bill Wilson wrote several years ago to a close friend who also had troubles with depression. The letter appeared in the "Grapevine" January, 1958. You can also find a re-print in the book, Language of The Heart, pg 236.
-------------------------
"I think that many oldsters who have put our AA "booze cure" to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. Perhaps they will be the spearhead for the next major development in AA, the development of much more real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God.
Those adolescent urges that so many of us have for top approval, perfect security, and perfect romance, urges quite appropriate to age seventeen, prove to be an impossible way of life when we are at age forty-seven and fifty-seven.
Since AA began, I've taken immense wallops in all these areas because of my failure to grow up emotionally and spiritually. My God, how painful it is to keep demanding the impossible, and how very painful to discover, finally, that all along we have had the cart before the horse. Then comes the final agony of seeing how awfully wrong we have been, but still finding ourselves unable to get off the emotional merry-go-round.
How to translate a right mental conviction into a right emotional result, and so into easy, happy and good living. Well, that's not only the neurotic's problem, it's the problem of life itself for all of us who have got to the point of real willingness to hew to right principles in all of our affairs.
Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy may still elude us. That's the place so many of us AA oldsters have come to. And it's a hell of a spot, literally. How shall our unconscious, from which so many of our fears, compulsions and phony aspirations still stream, be brought into line with what we actually believe, know and want! How to convince our dumb, raging and hidden ‘Mr. Hyde' becomes our main task.
I've recently come to believe that this can be achieved. I believe so because I begin to see many benighted ones, folks like you and me, commencing to get results. Last autumn, depression, having no really rational cause at all, almost took me to the cleaners. I began to be scared that I was in for another long chronic spell. Considering the grief I've had with depressions, it wasn't a bright prospect.
I kept asking myself "Why can't the twelve steps work to release depression?" By the hour, I stared at the St. Francis Prayer... "it's better to comfort than to be comforted". Here was the formula, all right, but why didn't it work?
Suddenly, I realized what the matter was. My basic flaw had always been dependence, almost absolute dependence, on people or circumstances to supply me with prestige, security, and the like. Failing to get these things according to my perfectionist dreams and specifications, I had fought for them. And when defeat came, so did my depression.
There wasn't a chance of making the outgoing love of St. Francis a workable and joyous way of life until these fatal and almost absolute dependencies were cut away.
Because I had over the years undergone a little spiritual development, the absolute quality of these frightful dependencies had never before been so starkly revealed. Reinforced by what grace I could secure in prayer, I found I had to exert every ounce of will and action to cut off these faulty emotional dependencies upon people, upon AA, indeed upon any act of circumstance whatsoever.
Then only could I be free to love as Francis did. Emotional and instinctual satisfactions, I saw, were really the extra dividends of having love, offering love, and expressing love appropriate to each relation of life.
Plainly, I could not avail myself to God's love until I was able to offer it back to Him by loving others as He would have me. And I couldn't possibly do that so long as I was victimized by false dependencies.
For my dependence meant demand, a demand for the possession and control of the people and the conditions surrounding me.
While those words "absolute dependence" may look like a gimmick, they were the ones that helped to trigger my release into my present degree of stability and quietness of mind, qualities which I am now trying to consolidate by offering love to others regardless of the return to me.
This seems to be the primary healing circuit: an outgoing love of God's creation and His people, by means of which we avail ourselves of His love for us. It is most clear that the real current can't flow until our paralyzing dependencies are broken, and broken at depth. Only then can we possibly have a glimmer of what adult love really is.
If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependence and its consequent demand. Let us, with God's help, continually surrender these hobbling demands. Then we can be set free to live and love: we may then be able to gain emotional sobriety.
Of course, I haven't offered you a really new idea --- only a gimmick that has started to unhook several of my own hexes' at depth. Nowadays, my brain no longer races compulsively in either elation, grandiosity or depression. I have been given a quiet place in bright sunshine.
~ Bill WilsonAbout
Codex Valtierra is an Illustrated book that recounts the events of the war that the Aztecs had against the Spaniards. According to history, the Aztecs surrendered on August 13, 1521, giving the victory to the Spanish Crown. They destroyed many pyramids, killed thousands of people, and burned all the books they found. Therefore, there are just a handful of Aztec Codex still in existence.
Now imagine a world where the Aztecs had defeated the Spaniards. How would our world be different?
Codex Zouche Nuttall
We will present you our version of the story. The story will start with historical facts and figures, but as the story progresses, you will notice how everything will begin to change and open the gates to a completely version of the facts you know.
Codex Borbonicus
We invite you to enjoy the first pages of the book.
CHAPTER 1
The elders recall, on behalf of those who were there to witness it and left it stated to be true, that almost 500 years ago the white man came upon these lands from beyond the sea through the coast of what was once the "Totonaca Empire."
They arrived with weapons of fire and covered in shining splendid steel, things never seen or imagined by the people; so terrifying was the sound of cannons that the people thought them to be gifts given to the pale visitors from one of their gods, working their horror with favor from the sun.
Spaniards landing |
6, and 1948 Winter Olympics, though the competition was only open to members of the armed forces. Military patrol fell out of favor in 1948 due to anti-military sentiments in the post World War II era.[41] Biathlon took its place and was instated as a full Olympic sport in 1960. It encompassed a 20 kilometer cross-country race with four shooting stations at ranges from 100 to 250 m (330 to 820 ft).[42] Klas Lestander from Sweden became the first Olympic champion, Antti Tyrväinen from Finland and Soviet Aleksandr Privalov placed second and third respectively.[43]
Nordic combined [ edit ]
The Nordic combined competition was held on February 21 at the Squaw Valley normal hill and the McKinney Creek Cross-Country Complex. The athletes had three jumps on February 21 followed by a 15 kilometer cross-country race.[44] German skier Georg Thoma became the first non-Nordic athlete to win the event. He would win bronze medal in the Nordic combined in 1964.[45] Tormod Knutsen of Norway and Nikolay Gusakov of the Soviet Union placed second and third, respectively. Gusakov's wife, Maria Gusakova, competed in the cross-country events, winning a gold and silver.[44][46]
Ski jumping [ edit ]
Helmut Recknagel at a ski jumping event
There was one ski jumping event at the 1960 Games, the men's normal hill, which was held on February 28. In 1964, the competition would be expanded to include a men's large hill event. Helmut Recknagel became the first German to win the event.[47][48] In 1994 he would be joined by Jens Weißflog as the only German ski jumping Olympic champions.[49] Niilo Halonen from Finland and Austrian Otto Leodolter earned the silver and bronze medals.[47]
Figure skating [ edit ]
Held at Blyth Memorial Arena, the figure skating competition took place between February 19 and 26. Although this was not the first time figure skating had been held indoors, it would never be contested outdoors again.[50] There were three events: men's and women's singles and the pairs competition. In the men's event, David Jenkins of the United States, brother of 1956 Winter Olympic figure skating champion Hayes Jenkins, won the gold medal.[39] It was his second Olympic medal, having won the bronze in 1956.[51] Czechoslovakian Karol Divín took the silver medal, and Canadian Donald Jackson won the bronze.[50][52] American Carol Heiss, winner of the silver medal in 1956, became the Olympic champion in 1960. A year later she married Hayes Jenkins and starred in Snow White and the Three Stooges.[53] Dutch skater Sjoukje Dijkstra took the silver medal; she would finish her amateur career with an Olympic gold medal in 1964.[54] Barbara Ann Roles gave the United States its third figure skating medal of the competition when she took the bronze. The Soviet Union made its Olympic figure skating debut by sending two couples to compete in the pairs competition; the result belied the fact that Soviet skaters would soon come to dominate this event.[50] The competition was won by the Canadian pair of Barbara Wagner and Bob Paul who had won the last three world championships. The German pair Marika Kilius and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler followed their recent European championship victory with the Olympic silver medal, and the American husband-and-wife team of Ron and Nancy Ludington took the bronze.[55]
Speed skating [ edit ]
Women were allowed to compete in the Olympic speed skating competition for the first time in 1960. Multiple nations had requested the inclusion of women's speed skating events in the program for the 1956 Games, but the request was rejected by the IOC.[56] The issue was revisited for the 1960 Games, and since women had been competing internationally since 1936 and there was a World Championship for women's speed skating, the IOC agreed to four events; 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 3,000 meters.[57] Most of the events were held on the Squaw Valley Olympic Skating Rink, which was an outdoor skating oval, and featured artificial ice, a first for the Olympic speed skating competition. Given the altitude and the artificial ice, the rink was the fastest in the world, as evidenced by Norwegian Knut Johannesen’s world record in the 10,000 meter event. At 15:46.6 he was the first skater ever to break the 16-minute barrier, and eclipsed the previous world record by 46 seconds.[57] Despite Johannesen's victory, the Soviets dominated the speed skating events, winning all but two of the races. Yevgeny Grishin won both the 500 and 1,500 meter races, though he shared the 1,500 meter gold medal with Norwegian Roald Aas.[58] Lidiya Skoblikova from the Soviet Union was the other double gold medalist, when she won the 1,500 and 3,000 meter events. Polish skaters Helena Pilejczyk and Elwira Seroczyńska placed second and third in the 1,500 meter event, which were Poland's only medals of the Games. They were just the second and third Poles ever to win Winter Olympic medals.[59]
Alpine skiing [ edit ]
Despite the lack of facilities at Squaw Valley, the resort did have steep mountain slopes in close proximity, resulting in some of the most difficult alpine skiing courses in Olympic history.[39] Both men and women competed in the downhill, giant slalom and slalom with all 6 events held between February 20 and 26.[60] The men's downhill was won by Frenchman Jean Vuarnet who changed the sport by becoming the first Olympic champion to use metal skis.[39] Swiss skier Roger Staub won the giant slalom and Ernst Hinterseer from Austria was the slalom champion. German Heidi Biebl won the women's downhill, Yvonne Rüegg of Switzerland won the giant slalom and Anne Heggtveit from Canada won the slalom. Penny Pitou of the United States was the only multiple medal winner with two silvers in the downhill and giant slalom.[60]
Closing ceremonies [ edit ]
The Games were brought to a close on February 28 in Blyth Memorial Arena in front of 20,000 people. Flags of the participating nations were followed by the athletes who marched as a group with no national distinctions, a tradition carried over from the 1956 Summer Olympics. The flag bearers made a semi-circle around the rostrum and the national anthems of Greece (even though the nation didn't compete), United States, and Austria were played as their respective flags were raised.[61] IOC president Avery Brundage declared the Games closed, at which point the Olympic flame was extinguished. The Games concluded with the release of several thousand balloons.[62]
Calendar [ edit ]
All dates are in Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8)
The opening ceremony was held on February 18, along with the first games of the Ice hockey tournament. From February 19 to 28, at least one event final was held each day.[63]
OC Opening ceremony ● Event competitions 1 Event finals CC Closing ceremony
February 18
Thu 19
Fri 20
Sat 21
Sun 22
Mon 23
Tue 24
Wed 25
Thu 26
Fri 27
Sat 28
Sun Events Ceremonies OC CC N/A Ice hockey ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 Figure skating 1 1 1 3 Speed skating 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 Alpine skiing 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 Cross-country skiing 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 Nordic combined ● 1 1 Ski jumping 1 1 Biathlon 1 1 Daily medal events 2 3 3 3 4 2 2 4 2 2 27 Cumulative Total 2 5 8 11 15 17 19 23 25 27 February 18
Thu 19
Fri 20
Sat 21
Sun 22
Mon 23
Tue 24
Wed 25
Thu 26
Fri 27
Sat 28
Sun Total events
† The numeral indicates the number of event finals for each sport held that day.
Venues [ edit ]
The lack of facilities prior to the Olympics gave organizers freedom to tailor the layout of the venues to fit the needs of the athletes.[64] Their vision was for an intimate Games in which athletes and spectators could walk between venues.[5] This was accomplished with the exception of the cross-country events, which were held at McKinney Creek, a 12 mi (19 km) drive from Squaw Valley.[12] In prior Winter Olympics the athletes were housed in hotels or billeted with local families. Since no such facilities existed in Squaw Valley, the organizers decided to build the first Olympic Village at the Winter Games.[65] Competitors slept in one of four dormitories and ate together in a dining room. The complex was located centrally, with access to all the sporting facilities.[64]
The peaks surrounding Squaw Valley were used for the alpine skiing events. The ladies' downhill and men's slalom and giant slalom were on KT-22 mountain, while the ladies' slalom and giant slalom were contested on Little Papoose Peak. Squaw Peak was the site of the men's downhill competition. Prior to the Games, concerns persisted that the courses would not meet international standards. To address these concerns, a test event was held in 1959 and the attending delegates from the International Ski Federation (FIS) left assured that the events would comply with FIS rules and specifications. Bleachers were constructed for officials, coaches and spectators, along with broadcast booths for radio and television.[66] Papoose Peak Jumps was located on Little Papoose Peak directly opposite Blyth Memorial Arena. Designed by Heini Klopfer, the hill was innovative in that it had 40-, 60-, and 80–meter jumps. Tall trees on both sides protected athletes from the wind, and it was situated so that the sun would be at the jumper's back during the competition.[67]
McKinney Creek Stadium was built to host all of the cross-country races, which included the biathlon and a portion of the Nordic combined competition. It consisted of a timing building, two Quonset huts for competitors and course workers, a scoreboard, and bleachers to accommodate 1,200 people. Shooting ranges were interspersed throughout the biathlon course, and were supervised by non-commissioned officers of the United States military.[68]
Season tickets for the Games ranged from $60 to $250, the latter included a reserved seat at the ice arena; the daily admission fee was $7.50.[69]
Blyth Memorial Arena was the centerpiece of the Games. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies jointly with Squaw Valley Olympic Skating Rink, and also hosted the figure skating competition, a few of the speed skating events, as well as most of the games in the hockey tournament.[70] All three of the sports were held indoors on artificial ice for the first time in Olympic history.[30] At full capacity, the arena accommodated 11,000 people, 8,500 of whom were seated.[71] One end of the stadium could be opened and closed, depending on the event. During the ceremonies it was open to allow for the entrance of the athletes; during the competitions it was closed to accommodate more spectators. A special machine was created to resurface the ice for all three competitions. It could lay a new ice surface on the 400-meter speed skating track in 45 minutes. In addition to resurfacing the ice, the machine created the snow dividers that delineated the racing lanes.[30] The roof was designed on a suspension principle, using cables rather than vertical supports; this removed any visual impediments for the audience, but it weakened the strength of the roof. Given the amount of annual snowfall designers planned on using heat generated by the refrigeration plant to melt the snow.[15][30] There were flaws in the design and miscalculations in the load the roof could bear, and during a particularly heavy snowfall in 1983, a portion of the roof collapsed and the building was subsequently demolished.[33]
As of 2016, only three buildings from the 1960 Winter Olympics remain in Squaw Valley.[72] An expansion of the resort's village, currently in the planning stages, would see two of these buildings demolished.[72]
Participating nations [ edit ]
Athletes from 30 nations competed at the 1960 Games. South Africa competed at the Winter Games for the first time; it would be the last for many years, as apartheid policies prevented South African participation until 1994. Athletes from West Germany (FRG) and East Germany (GDR) competed together as the United Team of Germany from 1956 to 1964. The number at the end of each country denotes the number of athletes each country sent.[73]
Number of athletes by National Olympic Committees [ edit ]
Medal count [ edit ]
Below is a list of nations that won medals at the Games:
Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Soviet Union 7 5 9 21 2 United Team of Germany 4 3 1 8 3 United States* 3 4 3 10 4 Norway 3 3 0 6 5 Sweden 3 2 2 7 6 Finland 2 3 3 8 7 Canada 2 1 1 4 8 Switzerland 2 0 0 2 9 Austria 1 2 3 6 10 France 1 0 2 3 11 Netherlands 0 1 1 2 Poland 0 1 1 2 13 Czechoslovakia 0 1 0 1 14 Italy 0 0 1 1 Totals (14 nations) 28 26 27 81
The host nation is highlighted in blue.
‡ Since there was a tie in the men's 1,500 meter speed skating race (like in 1956), two gold medals and no silver medals were awarded.[74]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Notes
^ The emblem represents a star or snowflake, and the Olympic rings.
Citations
Further reading [ edit ]
Coordinates:Last week, Rob interviewed Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan about wrestling. He was specifically instructed not to ask questions about the new Tool album. I'm guessing that's a pre-requisite of any interview with Tool members, leaving fans to rely on different sources for info, like late night host Seth Meyers.
Reporting on Tool's new album is just fun at this point, because it's interesting to hear all the contrasting information given by different parties. This time around it's Meshuggah guitarist Mårten Hagström, who says Tomas Haake recently spoke to Tool drummer Danny Carey and even heard some music! The interview is pretty poorly translated from a Rocksverige interview, so bear with us.
"Yes, and we have contact with them quite often. I don't know the situation with their disc, but we say this … This is the typical Tool and they are the world's best bands and they are the only band that is slower than we are. I know that Tomas was talking with Danny Carey just before last weekend when he was over in the States and then it was apparently that "well, it'll probably be a while." Last year I was and Tomas and visited Danny in his house, when he was not too long ago had become a father, and then he played the demo material from upcoming plate. It was the demo versions, but it is the best I heard of Tool, I can say. Then we were like,'Shoot, then it will probably secure next year! "and it was a little bit hopeful, but now it doesn't seem so long. We'll talk with them in a few weeks when we play with them and Slayer in Sacramento, so then I can pump them a bit. (laughs)"
So the album will be a while, but it's also "in the oven," but it's also "coming soon." Also, last week on Seth Meyers, Danny Carey confirmed the new album is real…
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So who the hell knows, and frankly who cares. The album will be out whenever it's out, if it's ever out, though I've heard in the meantime some other bands make music to listen to who aren't Tool. So maybe go give them a listen?
[via The PRP]
Related PostsWhile the Braves were taking on the Mets in spring training action Sunday afternoon, the front office was busy beefing up the bullpen.
Atlanta agreed to non-roster contract terms with right handed relief pitcher David Hernandez on Sunday, and expect him in spring camp Monday, according to the team.
Hernandez was released by San Francisco on Friday, in part due to a crowded roster of right handed pitchers in Giants camp.
Braves have agreed to terms with RH reliever David Hernandez on a non-roster contract. He will be in camp tomorrow & will wear number 30. — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 26, 2017
The 31-year-old had signed with the Giants on a minor league contract. Hernandez was with the Phillies last season, and was with the Diamondbacks and Orioles previously in his seven years of big league experience.
Hernandez was a 16th round (483rd overall) selection by Baltimore in the 2005 MLB Draft, and has a career 4.10 ERA through 379 games (487 innings), including 20 saves.LUKE Beveridge sent a distinct message to Bulldogs supporters at the beginning of the season.
“We don’t want to be everyone’s second side,” he said in April. “We want to be a threat to their first side.”
Twenty-one games later and approaching their first finals campaign in five years, the young Dogs have the bite to match Beveridge’s bark.
With a game plan that stacks up with the best and a young list chock full of talent, this finals appearance is unlikely to be their last over the next decade.
It appears inevitable that the Western Bulldogs’ cute factor will soon be replaced with fear.
This breakthrough campaign might just be pinpointed as the birth of a golden generation.
While the Bulldogs’ rise up the ladder has been dramatic, in reality it’s been a slow build on the back of astute recruiting.
Of the sides in contention to play finals, the Western Bulldogs are the only club to field 40 players in 2015. Only Gold Coast and Essendon (41) have used more in the competition.
Furthermore, their tally of eight debutants is the most this season.
Jason Johannisen was one of many Dogs players taken in the rookie draft. Picture: Michael Klein. Source: News Corp Australia
Averaging just 46.7 games between them, the Dogs are the second least experienced side in the competition. Only GWS (43.8) average less. With an average age of 23.2 years, they are also the third youngest side in the AFL.
And it’s not as though these young pups aren’t being made to earn their stripes.
Beveridge has made a number of bold statements at the selection table, with form sitting above all else when making decisions. Tom Boyd, Jackson Macrae and Stewart Crameri have all been dropped throughout the year.
The quality in depth available to Beveridge has clearly made these decisions easier to execute.
Footscray finished fourth on the VFL ladder this year in pursuit of back-to-back premierships, where the likes of Caleb Daniel, Lukas Webb and Bailey Dale have thrived before winning senior selection.
The Dogs were blessed by early picks used on Jake Stringer and Marcus Bontempelli, as well as father-son selections in Tom Liberatore and Mitch Wallis. But they also recruited brilliantly, in particular through the rookie draft.
Zaine Cordy was the 40th Bulldog to be blooded in 2015. Source: Getty Images
Liam Picken, Luke Dahlhaus and Jason Johannisen have all turned into key cogs in the Dogs’ engine, while Lin Jong, Tom Campbell and Jack Redpath have forged serviceable careers.
They have traded well, picking up the likes of Crameri, Koby Stevens, Joel Hamling and Shane Biggs for virtually nothing. And they have not been afraid to go big, luring Boyd just a year after he was drafted to GWS with pick one.
Tory Dickson has kicked 44 goals in 2015 having been drafted at 24 years of age with a late pick from the VFL, while they have secured a load of players overlooked by other clubs late in the draft — Easton Wood, Lachie Hunter, Mitch Honeychurch, Webb, Dale and Daniel to name a few.
Even still, the knock on such a young side had been their inability to beat more seasoned opposition. Last week’s hammering at the hands of West Coast was their first clash against a top eight side since Round 7.
However, over the weekend, they proved they could match it with the best.
They dismantled the competition’s in-form side, snapping North Melbourne’s seven-match winning streak. They did so while making six changes and on the back of a six-day break from Perth.
Who said young sides don’t travel well?
The next day, Footscray knocked off Werribee to secure a qualifying finals spot in the VFL.
If you ever needed a reflection of the Dogs’ depth, there it was.
Marcus Bontempelli and Liam Picken celebrate the Dogs’ rise. Source: AAP
DOGS’ DRAFT STEALS
2011
Lin Jong (rookie draft)
Tom Campbell (rookie draft)
Jack Redpath (rookie draft)
Michael Talia (pick 39)
Tory Dickson (pick 57)
2012
Koby Stevens (traded for pick 43)
Jake Stringer (pick 5)
Jackson Macrae (pick 6)
Nathan Hrovat (pick 21)
Lachie Hunter (pick 49)
2013
Stewart Crameri (traded for pick 26)
Marcus Bontempelli (pick 4)
Mitch Honeychurch (pick 60)
2014
Joel Hamling (free agent)
Tom Boyd (traded for Ryan Griffen and pick 6)
Shane Biggs (traded with pick 39 for pick 37)
Toby McLean (pick 26)
Lukas Webb (pick 27)
Bailey Dale (pick 45)
Caleb Daniel (pick 46)
EARLIER YEARS
Easton Wood (pick 43 in 2007)
Jordan Roughead (pick 31 in 2008)
Liam Picken (rookie draft in 2008)
Mitch Wallis (father-son in 2010)
Tom Liberatore (father-son in 2010)
Luke Dahlhaus (rookie draft in 2010)
Jason Johannisen (rookie draft in 2010)News Release •
An advance has been achieved towards next generation ultrasonic imaging with potentially 1,000 times higher resolution than today’s medical ultrasounds. Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have demonstrated a technique for producing, detecting and controlling ultrahigh frequency sound waves at the nanometer scale.
Through a combination of subpicosecond laser pulses and unique nanostructures, a team led by Xiang Zhang, a faculty scientist with Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division, produced acoustic phonons – quasi-particles of vibrational energy that move through an atomic lattice as sound waves – at a frequency of 10 gigahertz (10 billion cycles per second). By comparison, medical ultrasounds today typically reach a frequency of only about 20 megahertz (20 million cycles per second.) The 10GHz phonons not only promise unprecedented resolution for acoustic imaging, they also can be used to “see” subsurface structures in nanoscale systems that optical and electron microscopes cannot.
“We have demonstrated optical coherent manipulation and detection of the acoustic phonons in nanostructures that offer new possibilities in the development of coherent phonon sources and nano-phononic devices for chemical sensing, thermal energy management and communications,” says Zhang, who also holds the Ernest S. Kuh Endowed Chair Professor at the University of California (UC) Berkeley. In addition, he directs the National Science Foundation’s Nano-scale Science and Engineering Center, and is a member of the Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute at Berkeley.
Zhang is the corresponding author of a paper describing this research in Nature Communications. The paper is titled “Ultrafast Acousto-plasmonic Control and Sensing in Complex Nanostructures.” The lead authors are Kevin O’Brien and Norberto Daniel Lanzillotti-Kimura, members of Zhang’s research group. Other co-authors are Junsuk Rho, Haim Suchowski and Xiaobo Yin.
Acoustic imaging offers certain advantages over optical imaging. The ability of sound waves to safely pass through biological tissue has made sonograms a popular medical diagnostic tool. Sound waves have also become a valuable tool for the non-destructive testing of materials. In recent years, ultrahigh frequency sound waves have been the subject of intense scientific study. Phonons at GHz frequencies can pass through materials that are opaque to photons, the particles that carry light. Ultrahigh frequency phonons also travel at the small wavelengths that yield a sharper resolution in ultrasound imaging.
The biggest challenge has been to find effective ways of generating, detecting and controlling ultrahigh frequency sound waves. Zhang, O’Brien, Lanzillotti-Kimura and their colleagues were able to meet this challenge through the design of nanostructures that support multiple modes of both phonons and plasmons. A plasmon is a wave that rolls through the conduction electrons on the surface of a metal.
“Through the interplay between phonons and localized surface plasmons, we can detect the spatial properties of complex phonon modes below the optical wavelength,” O’Brien says. “This allows us to detect complex nanomechanical dynamics using polarization-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy.”
Plasmons can be used to confine light in subwavelength dimensions and are considered to be good candidates for manipulating nanoscale mechanical motion because of their large absorption cross-sections, subwavelength field localization, and high sensitivity to geometry and refractive index changes.
“To generate 10 GHz acoustic frequencies in our plasmonic nanostructures we use a technique known as picosecond ultrasonics,” O’Brien says. “Sub-picosecond pulses of laser light excite plasmons which dissipate their energy as heat. The nanostructure rapidly expands and generates coherent acoustic phonons. This process transduces photons from the laser into coherent phonons.”
To detect these coherent phonons, a second laser pulse is used to excite probe surface plasmons. As these plasmons move across the surface of the nanostructure, their resonance frequency shifts as the nanostructure geometry becomes distorted by the phonons. This enables the researchers to optically detect mechanical motion on the nanoscale.
“We’re able to sense ultrafast motion along the different axes of our nanostructures simply by rotating the polarization of the probe pulse,” says Lanzillotti-Kimura. “Since we’ve shown that the polarization of the pump pulse doesn’t make a difference in our nanostructures due to hot electron diffusion, we can tailor the phonon modes which are excited by designing the symmetry of the nanostructure.”
The plasmonic nanostructures that Zhang, O’Brien, Lanzillotti-Kimura and their colleagues designed are made of gold and shaped like a Swiss-cross. Each cross is 35 nanometers thick with horizontal and vertical arm lengths of 120 and 90 nanometers, respectively. When the two arms oscillate in phase, the crosses generate symmetric phonons. When the arms oscillate out of phase, anti-symmetric phonons are generated.
“The phase differences in the phonon modes produce an interference effect that allow us to distinguish between symmetric and anti-symmetric phonon modes using localized surface plasmons,” O’Brien says. “Being able to generate and detect phonon modes with different symmetries or spatial distributions in a structure improves our ability to detect nanoscale motion and is a step towards some potential applications of ultrahigh frequency acoustic phonons.”
By allowing researchers to selectively excite and detect GHz mechanical motion, the Swiss-cross design of the plasmonic nanostructures provides the control and sensing capabilities needed for ultrahigh frequency acoustic imaging. For the material sciences, the acoustic vibrations can be used as nanoscale “hammers” to impose physical strains along different axes at ultrahigh frequencies. This strain can then be detected by observing the plasmonic response. Zhang and his research group are planning to use these nanoscale hammers to generate and detect ultrafast vibrations in other systems such as two-dimensional materials.
This research was supported by the DOE Office of Science through the Energy Frontier Research Center program.
Additional Information
For more about the research of Xiang Zhang go here
Xiang Zhang can be reached for comment at: 510-643-4578.
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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world’s most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab’s scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. For more, visit www.lbl.gov.
The DOE Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.ROBOTIC HANDS TEND to be pretty rigid, meaning they’re more useful for grabbing solid objects, but the latest development could see them be able to pick up more fragile objects.
Scientists from EPFL in Switzerland have developed a soft robotic gripper that can pick up delicate objects like an egg, paper or water balloon without breaking them.
Source: EPFL/YouTube
The gripper is made from rubber and uses electroadhesion – think rubbing a balloon on your jumper or hair so it sticks on a wall and you get the idea – to mimic muscle flexion so it can pick up an object.
The electroadhesion ensures the gripper acts like fingertips, allowing it to grip any object without knowing what shape it is first and lift it. It can also lift up objects that are 80 times its own weight.
The researchers say this is the first time that electroadhesion and soft robotics have been combined to grasp objects.
When the voltage is turned on, the electrodes bend towards the object to be picked up, imitating muscle function. The tip of the electrodes act like fingertips that gently conform to the shape of the object, gripping onto it with electrostatic forces in the same way that the balloon sticks to the wall.
Source: EPFL/YouTube
Some of the potential applications for it include prosthetic hands, using it to handle food in the food industry, and even catching debris in space, where it’s believed more than half a million pieces are orbiting the Earth.After a blistering start to his West Ham United career, scoring in the Club’s first ever match at London Stadium, Sofiane Feghouli became frustrated with injury troubles soon after.
He endured a few difficult weeks in east London before beginning to make an impact as a substitute in Claret and Blue.
However, the Algerian has bounced back in style, starting the Hammers’ last four matches, scoring in the side’s 3-0 home win against Crystal Palace.
How important was it to score your first Premier League goal for West Ham United against Crystal Palace recently at London Stadium?
“It was very important. It was also a reward for my efforts so far. It was my second start in the Premier League and in my first one against Manchester United, I was very frustrated to get the red card.
“Against Palace, I played the full 90 minutes, we won convincingly and obviously I scored so it was great.”
How special was Andy Carroll’s goal in that game?
“I am very happy for him. It was an incredibly difficult goal to score and it took great technical ability to do so. It was certainly the best I’ve seen in the Premier League this season and hopefully he can score many more to help us get into the top ten this season.
“It was fantastic and I can only congratulate Andy on that particular goal!”
It important was it to build upon the Palace result with the win against Middlesbrough?
“It was very important. The Palace game was huge because it was a derby match, making the game extra special for all our supporters, and I was very happy. Then, it was a huge boost to our confidence to go and win against Middlesbrough.”
Do you think the Club has turned the corner, and things are much more positive than earlier in the season?
“The whole week at a Club after a win is always very positive. We need to be humble as players though, and recognise there are always areas to work on. We are capable of working and moving even further and we know if we give our all and show our quality, that’s what we can do.”
What is the mood like around Rush Green at the moment?
“The atmosphere is very good. Everyone is working very hard at the moment, although we’re always doing that. It was hugely important to win on Saturday against Middlesbrough for our supporters.”
What does it mean to you to be starting in the Premier League now after missing a large chunk of the season with injury?
“Of course, for a player it’s always hard when you’re not starting games, and to begin with it was tough when I was struggling to be given a chance.
“When you get that though, you need to take it, so I’ve been working hard in training and I feel when I have started the last few I have done that. I am hoping to continue to start matches and help the team now going forward.”
What challenges did you face as a player coming over to West Ham having never played in England before?
“Coming to the Premier League, you want to prove yourself and adapt quickly. West Ham have an ambitious project, to be competing in the top half of the Premier League and I have a contract here for three years, so I hope to be doing that.
“London doesn’t quite feel like home just yet, but it’s a lovely city and people are very open here. It’s hard when things aren’t going as well on the pitch, it’s harder to feel at home but things are looking up in that regard and I’m very happy here.
“My family is very happy here too. The Club always does everything they can to help new players settle in, too.”
Do you feel as though the fans are now starting to see the best of you as a player?
“I haven’t been here long, so no; I think it will still take some time to show my absolute best. I know that there is more for me to show to both my teammates and the supporters of the Club.”The far left site Salon recently published a list of 25 conservatives who are “actually worth following” on Twitter. If you scroll through their list however, it quickly becomes apparent that it’s a “who’s who” of noted Trump haters on the right.
My colleague Fuzzy Slippers wrote about it in a post: Leftist Outlet Salon Publishes “25 Conservatives Worth Following On Twitter”
I have decided to take this a step further and compile a new list. Some of the people on my list like Trump and some don’t but they’re all right leaning people with great Twitter feeds.
I made a deliberate decision to leave out politicians. I also apologize in advance to anyone who thinks they should have been included. Here they are in no particular order:
If you’re not reading Kurt’s columns at Townhall, you’re missing out. Few people understand our current political climate better than Kurt. He also has a great sense of humor.
I like how the Fake News Media starts jumping on Trump "not supporting the troops" the day Raqqa fell – because he supported the troops and let them win.
Everything the media says must be presumed to be a lie.@johncardillo — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) October 18, 2017
Nolte recently rejoined Breitbart after writing for the Daily Wire. He analyzes media bias with expertise and maintains an active presence on Twitter. He also writes about movies and culture with great insight.
Don't talk to me about gun control when your colleague Harvey Weinstein was allegedly out raping women for decades, Hollywood. — Google "CNN,175,Sue" (@NolteNC) October 18, 2017
Katie is the editor of Townhall and you’ve probably seen her on TV if you watch FOX News. She is an excellent political analyst and writer.
Roger Goodell is a coward. Enforce the NFL anthem policy or not, sitting in the middle by saying people "should" stand is pathetic — Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) October 18, 2017
Miller is no fan of Trump but he doesn’t have Trump Derangement Syndrome. He is also an outstanding writer who has contributed at National Review and Ricochet, among others. He currently writes for FOX News.
Grandma actually thinks she's getting away with saying the press was on Trump's side and that's why she lost. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 15, 2017
No Hillary, you lost precisely because the press was on your side. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 15, 2017
Few people have had a greater impact on politics and blogging than Professor Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit. If you’re a blogger who has ever been linked by him, you know what I mean.
Now that Trump has won where Obama failed, NYT has to tell us that it's a hollow victory. https://t.co/9FanXkwfwH — Instapundit.com (@instapundit) October 20, 2017
Dana is a champion of the Second Amendment and freedom. She’s also a talented writer and speaker. It’s no wonder why the NRA hired her as a spokeswoman, she understands the issue of gun rights better than most people.
Do you trust Feinstein, Schumer, and Pelosi to craft gun law? Do you think it will stop at bump stocks? — Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) October 6, 2017
Surber was one of the first writers to know Trump could win. He’s |
champion in history in 2012. Yet some drivers have dubbed him "Craze-lowski" because of his outspoken manner.
Whether it be about sponsors, the schedule, social media or Danica Patrick ("I don't think, 'Oh there's that girl.' I think, 'Oh, there's that 30th-place driver.' "), Keselowski seems to always have something to say.
PATRICK: Could change auto racing, sports forever
"I think we all sit back and chuckle at times at some of the things he says and does," five-time champion Jimmie Johnson says. "He is a great guy. He has the best of intentions for our sport, for his sponsor, for his team. He just needs to mature a little."
"I can always be wiser, if that's what he means," Keselowski says when told of Johnson's comments. "I can always make better decisions. Obviously, I'm mature enough to win a championship, so I can't be too far off."
IN DEPTH: Jeff Gordon talks wrecking, collecting and dancing
But it's not all bluster for the youngest of five raised by a Rochester Hills, Mich., racing family with bedrock Midwestern values and blue-collar work ethic. In his champion's speech last year, Keselowski struck themes of humility, piety and unity in pledging to help move the sport in a positive direction as it wrestles with relevance and recapturing a younger, hipper audience amid sagging TV ratings and attendance.
"I might not be that guy, but that doesn't mean I can't step up to the plate and try to swing the bat," he says. "It doesn't mean I'll be successful. You're trying to take a crack at a Randy Johnson fastball in his prime. It's a tough sell.
"But someone has to step up to the plate first. Until that happens, this sport isn't living up to its potential, and I think it has a very high potential. We've got a great story to tell."
USA TODAY Sports asked the reigning Sprint Cup king to tell his. In a wide-ranging interview in that unlikeliest of motor homes, Keselowski shared his idyllic vision of NASCAR.
It's the world according to Keselowski. "It's a different place," he says with a laugh.
Here it is in the champ's words.
Overall vision
"The problem I see in the sport is that there are multiple entities that have to work together for us to be successful.
We have sponsors — partners, or whatever the hell you want to call them — tracks, the sanctioning body and the teams. Those are our four groups, and how well they cooperate dictates what we have as a product for our fans. And our fans create everything.
You combine that with the shift in all spectator sports to a TV-dominated world. For the longest time, NASCAR had twice the amount of people at the game than the NFL did, but we don't even have 50% of their TV viewership. What's happened is that TV has become more popular and attendance at the track or any sporting facility has dwindled with the exception of major events — Super Bowls, Daytona 500s, World Series."
PLAY NOW: USA TODAY Sports Fantasy Racing Challenge
"We haven't adapted as a sport to that. But why haven't we adapted?
When Bill France Jr. was in charge of NASCAR, he had control of all these pieces and wasn't at the mercy of the TV world. He had control of the tracks and NASCAR, which is now divided in two with Lesa (France Kennedy, president of International Speedway Corp. that controls 12 tracks) and (NASCAR Chairman) Brian (France). France Jr. had relationships with the sponsors, drivers and teams. Now we don't have that. Those three other pieces are segregated. Those three pieces need to get together. And until all three of those can unite, we're a house divided, and we're making bad decisions that are affecting how to generate revenue for the sport.
In today's sports world, you have to be very powerful in drawing people to TV, and we're not TV-friendly. That's one of the key areas for success. Part of that is we're not delivering a product. And we're fighting the tracks. We have to be up on the wheel a little more and looking for what's in front of us, and when we see it, we have to be able to react on it. And in order to be able to react on it, we need to be united."
PHOTOS: The career of Brad Keselowski
Digital and social media
Without a doubt, all tracks should have Wi-Fi. That's so obvious, you don't even think it has to be said. But it does, and it goes back to all the factions not pulling in the same direction.
MANTRA: Keselowski says 'Be authentic' on social media
"Three years ago, a track tried to put in Wi-Fi and was told no because of the Sprint (title sponsorship) agreement. Someone needs to step in at that point and say, 'I'm sorry, we're putting Wi-Fi in.' We can't miss out on these things. The speedway had funding in place from the government to do it, and we said no? Are you kidding me?
I know I'm considered a social media leader because I'm active on Twitter, but it's much larger than Twitter. It's about technology, because that is what's driving my generation. Being able to text your friend and say, 'Hey, I'm at the hot dog stand, do you want a hot dog?' while they're in your seat, and you're in a line that took 30 minutes, you need to have service to do that.
The fact I can go to a race with a Verizon phone and not have service when the race starts is a major problem. What needs to be done to fix that is you need to allow other carriers to come in with their boosters and whatnot, and that's not happening. That's not acceptable.
You can't tell a fan that doesn't have service, 'We're working on it.' They bought their ticket already. That money they spent was for "worked," not "working." We have to open our eyes to the big picture. That's our sport's challenge. Can we do that?
I really don't know many people my age that do anything on Facebook. I hear from my older sisters, older brothers and that's it. I don't know anyone in their 20s really into Facebook other than a fan page. It's not our generation. And unless you have an app that can do video, it's really not worth anything because you can find all that information online. So I'm excited about the NASCAR app because it has video capabilities, and that's inside access. But again that's "working" instead of a "work." Those types of projects are gold, but we've got to get them done.
Instagram has really taken off. I don't see that being the path forward for the future. I think that's a fad. I think that'll go away, and five or 10 years from now, it'll be like, "You still have an Instagram account?" It'll be like MySpace. So you can take photos like they're from the 1970s. Big deal.
I really think Twitter will be here a long time because it can serve multiple uses. It's more than social media. I use it more as a news service than anything else. I don't know if I necessarily consider that to be social media. There is some social media in the sense of following a celebrity, but if you follow USA TODAY, that's a little different. I see it as being able to serve multiple roles and personally catered to you, and that's going to make it sustainable for extended periods of time. But I don't see that in any other social media service."
Competition
"The reality is no matter what we do with all these things, if we don't have an on-track product, it's worth nothing. And we've got to work really hard on that.
The new (Gen 6) car is a big step forward. It's part of the solution. It doesn't matter what you do, there will never be a whole season of last-lap passes for the win. It's not realistic.
The big thing we need is to a convey a spirit of cooperation, unity and happiness so when we don't have the last-lap pass for the win, everyone can still say, 'Wow, that was engaging and enjoyable, and I'm glad I was there for it.' "
Reigning Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski will start 15th in Sunday's Daytona 500. (Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports)
Business model
"We have to change the business model to move away from team sponsors because the way it's set up now encourages us to harm each other. And by doing that, we're hurting the sport.
I feel bad for NASCAR because it's not their fault. But what NASCAR needs to do is somehow wean ourselves off our sponsors and make the sport more affordable to where you can basically race off the purse.
For example, now you have NASCAR, who can approach Miller Lite and say, 'Hey, why don't you take $5 million of that funding off the No. 2 car and put it on to be the official NASCAR partner?' Whoever works at NASCAR who signs that deal gets a 10% cut and says, 'Yes. Nailed it.'
Then there's the tracks, who have that same thing with the fans. They'll kill a sponsor and say, 'We can't let them do a press announcement, because they're not the official track sponsor.' And then there's the team side, which says, 'Hey, when you get out of the car, make sure you thank everyone of your sponsors. This one twice. And name the CEO when you do, because if you don't, they might not re-sign, and if they don't re-sign, we don't have any revenue because we don't get enough from the other factions.'
All those pieces keep stacking up against each other, and we have to change. It's just a matter of when. It'll either be in the next two to five years, or in 10 to 15 when the sport is really run down. But you cannot have a sustainable business model that encourages all the parties in it to fight each other. And that's where we're at. And we're really paying for it."
Schedule
"We have too many races (36) at too many tracks. We're at too many tracks repeatedly. I can't name the races because I'll be a bad guy if I do, but we need to cut out several tracks that have two races, and we need to go to a couple other tracks.
We need to go to Iowa. We need to go to build a track in Toronto or Vancouver. I don't really care about New York.
In order to do so, we can't add these races. We have to remove them from those tracks that have two and don't really deserve it."
Fan experience
"You have two factions of fans: Those that just barely make it to the racetrack financially. Their expectations are to have the cheapest price possible. Much like a low-fare airline.
Then you have the guy who makes $80,000 a year, can afford to go to a race and bring his family, and his expectation is to have a great experience.
Those conflict with each other because they end up sharing the same experience. So now you somehow have to split the cost between what their expectations are. It's easy for me to stand up and be a hero and say, 'Ticket prices should be lower.' Yeah, everybody wins then.
But on behalf of the track owners, that would not be a fair thing to say, because when a track brings in Charlie Daniels or Journey or whatever band, it's because they're trying to improve the experience and add ticket value. The biggest thing we need to do is raise the value proposition of the sport."
Diversity
"There's no reason why someone from a multicultural background can't make it in this sport.
There are limiting factors for everybody. At this level, I don't see bigotry. If there was a Latino or African-American driver that could run as well as Jeff Gordon now, he'd be here running. Team owners don't care. And (drivers) don't care.
When Danica (Patrick) gets in the car, I don't think, 'Oh there's that girl.' I think, 'Oh, there's that 30th-place driver.' That's the reality of it. People who talk to me about Danica and say, 'Man, you need to give her more of a chance.' No, you need to give her less of a chance. You need to treat her equally and think about those who never came even close to getting the opportunity she had."
Entertainment
"You can't tell someone how to sing the national anthem. No different than The Ed Sullivan Show, and they tried to tell The Doors not to get high and the Rolling Stones not to dance so provocatively. Same with Elvis. They're artists. Let them be artists.
Cross-promotion is big for us and everybody. NASCAR is working really hard on the cross-promotion with the Hollywood types and the film industry. There's been some progress, but it wouldn't hurt to dedicate more resources without a doubt."
Personal
"It's everybody's responsibility to carry the sport whether they're a champion or not.
I feel I've taken that responsibility as much as I was allowed to last year, and some people have told me along the way — a lot of people — they wish I'd be quieter and that I hadn't earned the right to speak. But I never listened to that.
I've always done as much as I wanted to do and could manage. I'm sure there will be more demands going forward, and I think I'm capable to handling it smoothly. That doesn't mean I've got it figured out. It just means I've been working on it.
The key thing for me in anything I do is having enough self-awareness to know when you can have fun and put on the clown suit, and when you've got to put on the business suit. When you win the championship and are enjoying those moments with your team that are once-in-a-lifetime experiences, have fun, man. Enjoy it. Those are going to blow right by you, and I might not ever have that experience again.
I don't plan on that happening, but it might not. I'm going to enjoy what I can when I have the opportunity to enjoy it. That doesn't mean I'm not self-aware enough to know there are situations where you need to be buttoned up. I'm constantly learning what those situations are."When the U.S. Census Bureau released its five-year block of data this week, it confirmed several theories about Minnesota's population trends: We're getting older, we're becoming slightly more diverse, but we're slow to adapt to both of those changes.
With a median age of 37.7, Minnesota's population continues to grey. While some communities across the state skew younger, that's due in part to immigration because young populations in Minnesota are more diverse than older ones.
The numbers also confirm the state's post-recession economic recovery has been slow for many of its residents.
Here's some of what we learned from this week's release of the American Community Survey's 5-year estimates:
Minnesota is getting older every year
The median age of Minnesotans is going up: It's now 37.7 years, about seven months older than the median age of state residents in the Census' previous reporting in 2010.
Between the Census' 2006-2010 report and its 2011-2015 report, the number of residents 65 or older grew from 12.6 percent of the state's population to 13.9 percent. Just under a quarter of households in the state now include someone over 65.
"We really haven't experienced a demographic change of this magnitude for some time," said Minnesota State Demographer Susan Brower. "It will have impact on labor force, it will have impact on public budgets and a number of different domains of life."
Cities in rural Minnesota are finding special challenges with simple things like providing transportation or housing for older residents, said Rachel Walker, policy analyst for the League of Minnesota Cities.
"Things like signage, things like sidewalks, accessibility," Walker said. "The physical landscape of places, so people can move around, walk around safety is becoming more of an issue."
Many of the state's older residents live in rural counties like Big Stone, Traverse, Cook, Lake and Cass, according to the data from 2011-2015. More young people are likely to be found in the Twin Cities, or in places like Nobles and Beltrami counties, which have higher rates of immigration than other rural parts of the state.
The Census data show that part of what's keeping the state from aging more rapidly is an influx of young immigrants, and higher birth rates among immigrant groups.
"As a population ages, it often slows the growth of the labor force, and the issue is how does a community respond to that need?" Brower said. "We've seen an influx of immigrants that have moved primarily to fill the jobs that employers had."
Minnesota's becoming more diverse (but it's still pretty white)
Like the United States as a whole, Minnesota is growing more racially diverse. But the state is still one of the whitest in the country, with non-Hispanic whites making up 81.7 percent of the population.
Still, the proportion of Minnesota's population made up of black, Asian or biracial residents has increased in the last decade. Those gains make up for some of the population that's being lost among whites, whose birth rates are lower than those groups — and who aren't making up for the natural population losses.
The Minnesota of the future will be even more diverse. While Latinos account for just 5 percent of the state's population, they account for 8.4 percent of those under the age of 18, according to the latest data. Black or African-American residents make up 7.9 percent of those under 18. That will mean that the state's population is likely to get even more diverse as those young people grow up and have their own families.
The foreign-born population in the state rose slightly to 418,676, and almost half of those residents are now naturalized citizens. While immigration from Europe and other parts of North America has decreased, immigration from Asia and Africa has increased slightly.
Disparities between whites and others continue
Minnesota's unemployment rate is among the best in the country, but the real dollars that many Minnesotans took home in the last five years is still lower than it was a few years before.
Wages for whites in the state — at $36,008 annually — were the highest in the recent data for any racial or ethnic group. When inflation is factored in, that's an increase of about $118 each year between the 2010 and 2015 numbers.
But economic disparities between whites and others have only worsened since the 2008 recession. African-Americans, American Indians, Latinos and Asians all made less money when inflation was factored in between the 2010 and 2015 numbers. Minnesotans in all those groups are also bringing home a lower median income than their counterparts nationwide.
Brower said she's concerned about these numbers, but added that they might not take into account recent income gains that other data have captured.
"The recovery was slow and wages stayed pretty steady toward that time period," Brower said. "It's just been toward the end, more recently, that we've seen an increase."
Minnesotans go to college
The state is seeing big gains in education, with the number of residents who have associate's, bachelor's or graduate degrees rising. The portion of people in the state who have at least a high school diploma rose to 92.4 percent. By 2015, more than a third of state residents had earned at least a bachelor's degree.
Some of those gains in education could be due to students who opted to finish their schooling or work toward an advanced degree during the recession, Brower said.
Among Minnesotans between the ages of 18 and 24, more have attained some form of higher education or a bachelor's degree than they did just a few years ago.
Another factor that might have played a role in the growing rates of advanced degrees could be an influx of college graduates moving into the state, attracted by Minnesota's stronger economy, said Alexandra Djurovich, senior data analyst for the state's Office of Higher Education.
"We have a large metropolitan area within our state, which also is very diverse economically," Djurovich said. "We're not reliant on certain industries, so we tend to weather economic trends that are in other states."
The 5-year American Community Survey release contains much more detail than the yearly releases from U.S Census Bureau, Brower said. In the coming days and weeks, her office will be digging into the data in hopes of finding out more about the long-term impact the recession may have had on cities and counties across the state.A woman has been charged over alleged sex attacks and robberies involving elderly men.
NSW Police said they arrested a 42-year-old woman in Orange in the state's central west yesterday after incidents involving two men in March.
She was taken to Orange police station and charged with aggravated robbery over the first incident on March 18, and aggravated break and enter over the second on March 24.
On March 18, a 71-year-old man got off a bus at Strathfield in Sydney's inner west and was followed by the woman, who allegedly indecently assaulted him before stealing his wallet.
A few days later, on March 24, the woman allegedly broke into a home on Franklin Road, Orange, and indecently assaulted the 89-year-old male resident.
She was refused bail to appear at Orange Local Court this morning.
AAPCitizens! Check here for INN’s notes on Reverse the ‘Verse – Episode 46!
Reverse the ‘Verse
Video
Notes
NEWS will be in BOLD, hijinks will be regular text.
– SOON™ is up!
– And they’re live, and have sound!
– I see Jenny, Ben, James, Alyssa, and Darian Vorlick is in the back grabbing a seat
– Ben got a new Hawaiian shirt.
– FPS post and Starfarer post will be later today. Waiting on some concept art from Chris Olivia.
– Subscribers got their Flair this morning. It’s a space rock. But it’s cooler than a space rock sounds.
– Fridays at CIG are the days they have to be there the longest, so Friday… it’s just Friday, not FRIIIDAAAAAAY
– Everyone on RTV look exhausted.
– New joke is that the next survivor flair will be space paper and space scissors.
– With Grabby Hands… can make rock/paper/scissors game… just throw them at each other.
– Starfarer sale news: By popular request, the Starfarer will be available later today. There will be a Q&A on the Starfarer over the next week, à la Hulls. Base Starfarer is still $195, the Gemini will be a standard concept sale with LTI. Price is $240.
– The Gemini upgrades the weapons, engines, and shields over the base model. More details in an official post when the sale goes up. More armour.
– There’s some… noise in the background. Someone’s here. Disco just made a lot of noise coming in.
– Question: The military ships that we’re selling – are there going to be access restrictions to stations or planets that might not get along with the UEE so well? Depends on the ship. For the Gemini, it’s not as much military, it’s just… hardier, so there won’t be many restrictions. But if you showed up with a Lightning or something, that’d be like showing up with an F-22, which lots of people frown upon for some reason.
– You can upgrade the base Starfarer to the Gemini.
– What ships will be available to subscribers and concierge during Gamescom? Unknown right now. They might not tell anyone until the event actually happens. Still far away from Gamescom, so it’s unclear.
– They’re talking about chairs now. Disco has a bad chair. It doesn’t roll. But it fits his butt.
– Toast says hi. Now they’re clapping for Toast, because Toast.
– Final location for the Gamescom event? Still being worked on. As soon as they have something, they’ll let us know.
– Will there be an active role for a fuel-specific career aboard the Starfarer? Yes. It can go and collect fuel and refine it. You can go to a gas giant, skim the surface, and refine it.
– One of the concept images they are waiting for is showing what refueling will look like.
– If that image is not there when the post goes up tonight… Ben has murdered a concept artist.
– Lisa Ohanian is here in the back. Starting stuff on the Herald soon. We’ll see some on it further along from Lisa probably.
– They’re not going to bump CitizenCon because of a rugby match.
– CitizenCon will ALWAYS be October 10th.
– FPS post – it is in the works. They’re waiting for some more videos. They’ve got a bunch of art aspects that Chris wanted added. James is setting up tables, which is apparently hard in their CMS. There will be videos, mo-cap stuff in action, how characters have evolved, we’ll hear about the back-end. Hear about stuff from each studio. Weapons from IllFonic, audio from UK, etc… it’s a monster of a post. Equivalent of a monthly report, but just about FPS.
– Less Katy Perry today.
– Disco Lando – wander around an FPS map with no-one to fight. I thought that was like Battlefield?
– Apparently they’re asking if there will be ‘free fly’ weekends for FPS. Ben says yes, probably eventually, but not at the beginning. Paid players will get to play first.
– 10 years ago, Ben got asked to be part of a Battlefield pitch for Wing Commander. The logline was ‘It’s Battlefield meets GTA in SPACE’. A little part of Ben died that day.
– There will be fish in the pledge store.
– Star Wars Episode I sucks hard.
– Dog tags have not shipped. They are packed and ready to go but the hats needed to ship first.
– You will see more Rovers. Ben is meeting with David Hobbins in regards to the rovers today! :D
– Community Team is playing TONS of Hyper Vanguard Force.
– How many levels in Hyper Vanguard Force? – 3 in Normal, 3 in Hard, and achievements for each mode.
– Will the grabby hands make dice games and card games and things possible? Yes. It’s designed to be able to pick things up and throw them, so that’s not out of the question.
– Will there be a proximity chat for voice in FPS? Ben’s not sure. They’d need Travis for that. Darian says: Not at the moment, because mobile communication would be so prevalent by that point, that proximity chat would be ubiquitous. Unless something’s jamming a signal, you can talk like you’re next to someone.
– Interstellar communication makes it silly to have proximity communication.
– Apparently the discussion between the three types of sample chairs for the new office has been a big thing in the office lately.
– Darian – ‘crouching lawyer, hidden lawsuit?’
– They’re now talking about what they use their elbows for. What are they for?
– They are still planning on moving Santa Monica to a new location.
– What variant was shown in ship shape this week? – the Standard model.
– Colours for the Connie? Right now they’re in whitebox – no news if they’re revamping the colour palette for the Connie. Eventually we’ll be picking the colours anyway.
– Apparently the designers of the Connie are taking a lot of fan feedback for their changes.
– Can you eject someone if they’re sleeping in an escape pod? Ben: If you have an escape pod… yes?
– There’s no answer for what the FPS controls will feel like yet.
– Are we going to be restocking the store with more shirts and hoodies? Alexis and Sandi are working on Hoodies, and they’re in the works with the coffee mug as well. And they’d like to put together decals for computer cases and such as well.
– There is a giant list of all the events they want to do, but they’re still deciding which they’ll do. PAX Australia is on the ‘maybe’ list. No confirmation either way yet.
– Alyssa is doing ‘stuff’ still. She started last week. Main responsibilities are to work with Lisa and the production team to make sure they get assets for sales on time, stats are ready to go, the goal is to make the sale process smoother so everyone’s happy (mostly Ben).
– She’ll also be managing all of the Events stuff. Who, what, when, how, where, why, and how much.
– Hyper Vanguard Force is controlled with the mouse. This is not a commentary, it’s not intentional, it’s just how you play the game.
– Ben doesn’t like corn. Lots of people are saying they don’t like corn. I like creamed corn, but not corn on the cob.
– CIG are asking for more Vegemite. They’re out of Vegemite and Tim Tams.
– Hyper Vanguard Force might be in the game. They’ve talked about having all the mini games in the final game somewhere.
– The Queen’s bodyguard did the dance moves for the Heavy Marine mo’cap dancing.
– We’ll see more about the mo-cap for FPS later today.
– Sandi has made it to London to work on SQ42.
– Sandi is conducting a secret interview today. [I’m speculating that this might be a SQ42 cast interview.]
– CIG aren’t intentionally not answering questions, just lots of the time they don’t have the answers to huge ‘what ifs’ yet. They’re working on core concepts, working on polish and pretty – once that’s done, they’ll work on the more nebulous and complicated stuff.
– Lots of systems they want to do, but they just haven’t been fleshed out yet.
– ‘Something that can be imagined in a second can take months to implement.’
– #blamejames
– New Starfarer has size up on engines, size up on three manned turrets, a larger double-shield. It loses cargo capacity, maneuverability, and speed. It has more armour too. Clunkier, more protected version that the Military uses versus the less protected civilian variant.
– They’re talking about Demolition Man. There’s no three seashells. The toilet paper is a sponge.
– CIG is bent on creating the next “weird space toilet”.
– The sponges have LTI. They’ll last.
– Reliant variants – they have ideas, and they’re going to get concept artists started on them next week.
– Freelancer- no news. It’s being worked on and looking cool.
– Ship Shape will also talk about pipelines, what it takes to get from step A to step C and such, but Lisa will talk more about the process of creating the ships, not just the ships themselves.
– Lisa talking about possibly highlighting one part of the development of a ship on Ship Shape.
– No new weapons for Voyager Direct in the immediate future (next few weeks).
– Ben and DL just bought X-wings stuff? X-wings miniatures game?
– They’re two weeks into their diet.
– Ben, Alexis, and DL started a diet two weeks ago.
– Ben says it’s going great and he feels better.
– Wear and tear. Do ship hulls lose condition over time? They do, but they can be restored to good shape again. It’s not permanent.
– No official announcement on the Reliant sale, but it’s coming soon. Sooner than we think.
– Ben and Lando won’t stop making Star Wars jokes. Bad ones.
– Don’t be mean. They’re working on the controllers, they’ll get the CCU’s, just don’t be mean. If you want your stuff read and considered, don’t be a jerk when you make it.
– James didn’t watch Star Wars episode 2 last night, because he’s still mad at episode 1.
– Then he was going to watch Arrow or Flash, but he went to be instead.
– Vanguard variants – Gurmukh will start concepting them next week.
– In the case of both the Vanguard and the Reliant, they know what the variants are, they just have to make the pictures of them.
– Reliant variants are with an outsourcer.
– Art has come in recently on the Genesis Starliner and the Endeavor.
– They have ideas in mind for dates for both the Vanguard and Reliant variants, but nothing final.
– Different kinds of artists are working on different things. Just because they have people working on concept art for variants, that’s not to say they could be doing something else. Either they’re doing variant concepts, or they’re doing nothing. Not all artists are interchangeable.
– Lando is wrong about everything.
– You’ll be able to upgrade your ships to newer ships without CCU’s eventually.
– No official presence from CIG at GDC.
– They’re being silly now. Jenny put up a banner saying that the Star-G is on sale. But it’s not. She tried very hard on it though.
– Unsure when Constellation and Merlin updates will be in hangar. Merlin will be ready first.
– Constellation’s waiting for Multicrew.
– Lisa’s been around for a month, she’s happy to be at the point where she can answer lots of questions now.
– Assets need to come in before posts go out… but it will happen tonight.
– That’s it!A few years ago we wrote about something called a Kuratas, a robotic mech suit that allowed the wearer to fire a BB Gatling gun whenever they smile at their soon-to-be vanquished enemies. When it appeared in 2012 everyone thought it was a funny joke. Now it’s available on Amazon Japan for $1 million.
The robot is obviously a bit hobbled – the powers that be don’t want us going all Mechwarrior down at the local mall – so it moves about five miles per hour and you can buy the arms separately. Created as more of an art project/Otaku exciter, the Kuratas is a real, albeit expensive, thing and would be an excellent graduation or Bat Mitzvah present. I, for one, welcome our huge Japanese robotic mecha overlords.
via TechnabobA teenage Twitter user whom Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE retweeted to attack CNN reporter Jeff Zeleny said that the president-elect edited his tweet.
"Pathetic - you have no sufficient evidence that Donald Trump did not suffer from voter fraud, shame! Bad reporter," Trump tweeted, quoting part of the user's tweet.
"@FiIibuster: @jeffzeleny Pathetic - you have no sufficient evidence that Donald Trump did not suffer from voter fraud, shame! Bad reporter. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
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But user @FiIibuster on Tuesday showed that his original tweet did not include the words “Bad reporter,” noting that Trump added it.
"Dishonest @CNN is blaming me for calling @jeffzeleny a 'bad reporter'. Donald Trump added that to the end of the tweet, not me. Thank you,” the user, who claims to be 16-years-old, tweeted.
Dishonest @CNN is blaming me for calling @jeffzeleny a "bad reporter". Donald Trump added that to the end of the tweet, not me. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/lOSmfY6pxt — Seth (@FiIibuster) November 29, 2016
For further clarification, this is the original tweet from today. Donald Trump quoted it, took out his @, and added "bad reporter". NOT me. pic.twitter.com/USovvmL8He — Seth (@FiIibuster) November 29, 2016
Trump's tweet came as part of a stream of tweets on Monday attacking CNN.
The president-elect said the network is "so embarrassed by their total (100%) support of Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonSanders: 'I fully expect' fair treatment by DNC in 2020 after 'not quite even handed' 2016 primary Sanders: 'Damn right' I'll make the large corporations pay 'fair share of taxes' Former Sanders campaign spokesman: Clinton staff are 'biggest a--holes in American politics' MORE... they don't know what to do," before reposting a stream of tweets attacking reporter Zeleny.As part of r/horrorlit’s Horror Novel a Day writers, I’m pretty sure of two things: I took on too many novels (six total) and my definition of horror is suspiciously broad.
Take The Hawkline Monster by Richard Brautigan. It’s more of a gothic western novella than a horror novel. (It is in fact subtitled A Western Gothic.)
But isn’t deception a solid component of plenty of good horror? I don’t mean my deception of being well-versed in horror novels; I mean the deceptive simplicity with which Beat poet/author Brautigan offers the story. By the time you turn the first page of a chapter you’re almost to the next one. Events unpack in sentences so efficient Hemingway would weep:
The voyage from San Francisco to Hawaii had been the most terrifying experience Greer and Cameron had ever gone through, even more terrible than the time they shot a deputy sheriff in Idaho ten times and he wouldn’t die and Greer finally had to say to the deputy sheriff “Please die because we don’t want to shoot you again.” And the deputy sheriff had said “OK, I’ll die, but don’t shoot me again.” “We won’t shoot you again,” Cameron had said. “OK, I’m dead,” and he was.
Characters deceive the reader and others; someone exists and then doesn’t; twins’ identities meld and split fluidly. The nature of the Hawkline Monster itself is a creative bit of fearful imagination from a haunted poet whose life ended in suicide. The places the monsters hides…!
My journey to The Hawkline Monster began with this PWxyz entry. Gabe Habash’s passionate recommendation might have led me to make a note of the book (from the blog: “Honestly, I’m working really hard to not slip into hyperbole here, to refrain from laps |
namespace.
FixNamespaceComments can be set to either true or false.
If set to true, Clang-format adds a comment with the name of the namespace.
namespace a { foo(); } // namespace a
This is very useful as a namespace rarely fits in a single screen.
If you rename the namespace, the Clang-format will adjust the comment accordingly; the two will always be in-sync.
You can combine this option with the previous one and get the following result:
namespace Foo { namespace Bar { }} // namespace Foo::Bar
ShortFunctionStyle: InlineOnly
This is a new value for an existing option. It adds finer control on which short functions are allowed to be on a single line.
If ShortFunctionStyle is set to InlineOnly, only short functions that are defined inside a class are written on a single line:
class Foo { void f() { foo(); } }; void f() { foo(); } void f() { }
This is a complement to the Inline value which also put empty top-level functions in a single line:
class Foo { void f() { foo(); } }; void f() { foo(); } void f() {}
SplitEmptyFunction
This setting affects the way empty function are written. It’s only used when the opening brace is on a new line, i.e. only when BraceWrapping / AfterFunction is true.
SplitEmptyFunction can be set to either true or false.
If set to true, an empty function will take three lines:
int f() { }
If set to false, an empty function will only take two lines:
int f() {}
SplitEmptyRecord
This setting is similar to the previous one excepts that it affects struct, class and union.
If set to true, an empty class will take three lines:
class Foo { }
If set to false, an empty class will only take two lines:
class Foo {}
SplitEmptyNamespace
This setting is similar to the previous one excepts that it affects namespaces.
If set to true, an empty namespace will take three lines:
namespace Foo { }
If set to false, an empty namespace will only take two lines:
namespace Foo {}
SortUsingDeclaration
When enabled, this option sort using declaration in alphabetical order. Clang-format 4 was already able to sort #include, now it can do the same with using declarations.
SortUsingDeclaration can be either true or false.
If set to true, using declarations will be written in alphabetical order:
using std::cin; using std::cout;
If set to false, they are left as is:
using std::cout; using std::cin;
It’s possible to add priority to certain #include directives using the option IncludeCategories, but there is no such feature for using declarations.
IndentPPDirectives (v6 only)
This setting is not available in Clang-format 5, but will be in version 6 and is already available in the trunk.
It enables indentation of preprocessor directives.
IndentPPDirectives can be set to either None or AfterHash.
If set to None, the preprocessor directives are not indented:
#if FOO #if BAR #include <foo> #endif #endif
If set to AfterHash, they are indented with spaces placed after the hash sign:
#if FOO # if BAR # include <foo> # endif #endif
It’s not yet possible to have the spaces before the hash, but one can assume that a BeforeHash will be added in a very near future.
Clang-format is clever enough to detect include-guards. If you have a header surrounded by a #ifndef / #define / #endif, this will be detected as an include-guard and will not be indented.
Conlusion
Clang-format is more flexible than ever and it still very fast. I strongly recommend that you integrate it your daily practice.
As promised, here are my four advises.
Pro-tip 1: Throw away your “coding style” document
Yes! You know what I’m talking about. This document that many team have and pisses everybody off.
From what I’ve seen, many teams have a member that has a very strong opinion on how others should write code. This person writes a hundred page long “coding style” document that defines what is legal or not in the team.
Not only it’s very time consuming to write such a document, it’s also impossible to get it right. You cannot predict every situation before hand, there a too many ways to write good C++.
Think about the time spent by each member of the team reading the document! Not just once, but regularly, because the documents is often updated to fill the holes.
WELL, STOP DOING THAT!
Instead, write a.clang-format file and commit it alongside with the code. This document is easy to write and unambiguous.
Best of all, nobody is forced to read it anymore.
Pro-tip 2: Don’t discard Clang-format because a detail is missing
There are things that are not possible in Clang-format. For instance, if you want different indentation for anonymous namespace and for named namespaces, that’s not supported.
From there, you have two options:
you can either change your coding styles (amount of work == 0), or you can submit a Pull Request to LLVM, so a new option is added to Clang-format.
Several options we saw in this article come from new contributors, you can be the next one.
Pro-tip 3: Add Clang-format to your CI
Stop arguing about code formatting during code reviews, this is a complete waste of time!
People are wasting too much energy on the position of braces and number of spaces, but this adds absolutely no value.
Instead make Clang-format a part of your Continuous Integration. Either let the CI report a warning when the code is not properly formatted (you’re likely to prefer that to a co-worker pointing at your mistakes) or let the CI commit the change.
You’ll save a tremendous amount of energy that you’ll be able to focus on important stuff like design, algorithms and test coverage.
Pro-tip 4: Stop formatting code by hand
Have mercy for your space bar. Stop hitting it hundreds times a day!
Instead, configure your text editor or IDE to apply Clang-format each time the file is saved.
This has another benefit: if you mistyped a brace or a bracket, you’ll instantly see that the indentation is wrong. You’ll be able to fix many typos without going through the compilation phase, and thus save a lot of time.Rachel Weber Senior Editor Monday 29th August 2016 Share this article Share
Companies in this article Quantic Dream
"It has to do with humans trying to play god, to a certain degree. To recreate something in our image," says Quantic Dream COO Guillaume de Fondaumière.
He could be talking about the development of video games but we're actually chatting about the fascination humans have androids, AI, and machines developing their own emotions. This is the subject matter of the studio's latest game, Detroit: Become Human.
"I think there is a very powerful drive for human beings to give life, that's something that's in our instinct. We know how to do children, but I think we're at the point in the evolution of technology where we understand that we can possibly create machines that can live beyond our own children. The possibility to have machines that are going to obey us is also very interesting."
"You set the world, you set a strong context and you give players enough information about the characters for them to care about them."
In a way Detroit has already developed a life beyond its original purpose. It started as a tech demo called Kara, showing a "defective" android exhibiting human emotion. The premise was clearly just too tempting to pass up for a studio known for tackling emotionally complex subject matter, and a full, techno-noir thriller was announced last October.
The hallmark of the Quantic Dream game, perhaps, is emotion. Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, demand more than just fine tuned motor skills or logical thinking; they want a tiny piece of your soul. I asked how the developer inspires an emotional investment from its players.
"The first thing is that we're trying to do games that are meaningful and emotional, so we want players really to dive into the game world we create and understand the characters," explains de Fondaumière, and I think of setting the table in Heavy Rain, or attending an awkward party in Beyond.
"We try to really immerse players as much as possible into the intimacies of the character and that's why we have certain scenes with very mundane gameplay where you really see the character in their environment and what their motivations are and then hopefully, you make them your own. Then you're going to try to do the best for the characters that you're controlling," he continues.
"I think this is how you create the emotion. You set the world, you set a strong context and you give players enough information about the characters for them to care about them. I think if we get this setting right then players will be invested in the characters."
But as with any medium, surely there are some players that just aren't going to make that connection? They're there for the gameplay, not for the heartache, and they just need something that works mechanically. How do you make the game work for them?
"If we do it right, it's going to be satisfactory whatever you do because it's going to be logical step after logical step"
"It is difficult, but that's the challenge. That's the beauty of it, I think. What we are trying to do is make sure that every play-through, regardless - there's nothing right or wrong that can be done - you just play it as you are. It's very important that whatever you are, whatever you do, your choices and decisions, it needs to have a logical consequence it. You have to live by your decisions and bear the consequences of your actions," says de Fondaumière.
The demo we saw at E3 showed a mix of forensic game play that was very CSI:2070 and a dramatic hostage negotiation. It was high on tension, difficult choices, and Blade Runner influences.
"That's what we're trying to do and particularly in Detroit, we're trying to make the story very, very flexible, to give the players as much choice as possible because we know that gamers are very different. You're going to have one approach, I'm going to have a different approach, and we try as much as possible to offer a great diversity that is going to lead to different stories.
"If we do it right, it's going to be satisfactory whatever you do because it's going to be logical step after logical step."The OnePlus 3 is due to launch in June-July, so what will the specifications be? Well Pete Lau has sat down with Indian OnePlus fans to discuss their dream specs and suggest a few options they could have.
At a meeting with OnePlus fans in India, Pete Lau spoke about the OP3 and offered the fans a chance to voice their dream hardware specs for the new flagship phone. During the talk Lau offered the phone could run either 4GB RAM and 128GB memory or 6GB RAM or 64GB memory, to which fans choose less RAM and more memory (sensible).
At the end of the discussion the fans final specs for their dream OP3 were written on a whiteboard. Let’s see what you think of these possible hardware parameters:
Possible OP3 specifications;
Full HD AMOLED screen
Thinner phone size
HDMI connectivity
128 GB internal memory
A 16-megapixel camera
24-hour battery life on full charge
Curved screen like in Samsung Galaxy S6
Stereo speakers in front
Near field communication (NFC)
I have to agree with most of the details here, however the curved display could be ditched in favour for a quality OIS system. What do you think of these specs? Is there anything that you would add?Why submit to the wintry economic climate when you can turn the fact that you have no money into an advantage.
One thing I have learned through producing independent films with Raw Talent is that throwing money at problems doesn’t necessarily make problems go away, and often the job is done with half the energy and passion need for success.
So true with marketing your film. The big agencies working for the big films are so tired and burnt out that their approaches to marketing are so staid. Additionally, when anything new comes along they are paralysed by board and committee meetings whereas you, being broke, can turn on a dime.
1. Become savvy with the internet
Marketing anything these days means spending hours and hours on the internet. And it’s no different when you are marketing your film.
There are many apps out there that can help you when you are browsing the internet allowing you to maximise your online time.
Use Firefox and download Greasemonkey – a really useful app that allows you to customise websites you visit. For example, you can customise Youtube allowing you to download clips.
Download Buffer and use it as an easy tool to share your videos, blogs and other assets through all your social media. Hootsuite is a wonderful dashboard we use so we can post onto Twitter and Facebook and monitor responses and metrics on one easy-to-use screen.
2. Spell check
I am probably the last person in the world to go on and on about spell checking. I am known as Mr Typo in our office. Don’t look the fool (like me) but carefully triple check your spelling and while you are at it, double check any link you send out. Nothing puts off your audience more than a dead link or typo.
3. Short titles and hashtags
The titles of your articles and posts should be short and snappy. If you are posting on Twitter, try and use less than 120 characters to allow readers to mention them in a ReTweet.
Hashtags allow users to search by topic. Here is a really good tutorial: How To Use Hashtags on Twitter In 8 Easy Steps. Use this correctly and increase the effectiveness of your posts and messages ten fold.
4. Competitions, contests and Sweepstakes
List building is a the name of the game when it comes to marketing your movies. Competitions and sweepstakes are terrific ways to build your lists and create awareness of your project, but understand the difference.
The difference between a contest, competition or sweepstakes is how the winners are selected.
A contest requires a correct answer, and you can decide whether or not the prize is limited to the first winner, the first ten winners or an unlimited number. This is an ideal way to give away tickets for a festival screening, for example.
A competition requires the user to do something, like create the best Vine video (see below) or tell a certain number of their friends about your project. Whoever gets the highest ‘mark’ wins the prize. This is often used to get ideas for a title, a scene in the film or to create a viral video for your movie. entrants to a competition have to invest an amount of time and effort meaning they, in theory, are more engaged with your project.
A sweepstake winner is chosen randomly. This is a useful marketing tool as well, and it requires little or no commitment on the part of the participant.
A really useful web resource is contestchest.com which lists current contests, competitions and sweepstakes. Use it to follow several examples in each category to see what might be relevant to your campaign.
5. Vine
Vine videos – the 6 second movie clips generated by the vine app on Twitter are a really cheap and fun way to make sparkling and viral content for your website. Download Vine. Research existing Vine videos. Use it.
6. Personal Contacts
This is the category most independent filmmakers don’t want to hear about which is why I have put it at number 6. Your best resource for marketing your film and building awareness about your project is through your personal contacts. Nurture and inform the people you already know. Use private SMS messages, individual Facebook updates and newsletters to keep the people you already know and engage with firmly on your side.
It’s time consuming, and maybe like all relationships demanding to keep fresh. But if you ignore those you already know you are losing your most passionate fan base.
Want more of tips on how to keep in contact with the people you already know? Subscribe to the free Raindance weekly newsletter and study how we do it.
7. Festival screenings
There are four main reasons to attend a film festival with your film, the main one is to create awareness of your film hopefully leading to a sale. While you are at a film festival make the most of it. Network with other filmmakers and see what tips you can pick up from them.
8. Trailers
Trailers are another essential part of the process. Probably the best way is to create a Youtube channel and use the Youtube link on all your other social media platforms. Get a snazzy animated logo and decide what lower thirds you are going to use and presto.
9. Blogs
Your blog is an essential tool. You can use it to archive and store important production data and keep track of how you are feeling about your project as it lurches from meeting to meeting, and mishap to mishap. Throughout of course, you will be able to write over and over again how you managed to solve insurmountable problems that would swamp those of lesser ability.
You can also use your blog to fake becoming an indie auteur. It becomes an important part of creating your personal brand, and with it you can direct people to your website, Facebook or other social media profiles.
10. Giveaways and investor benefits
When you are planning your campaign and trying to attract investors, remember that benefits tailored to your investors real needs and wants are key to success. Often these don’t need to cost much to deliver, if anything. How much does it cost to take an investor on a set tour? How many times have you seen an associate producer credit on an indiegogo crowdfunding campaign? We offered an IMDB credit to anyone willing to spend some time on their own social media platforms promoting our project.
Giveaways are a simple way to build your list. Set up a bespoke giveaway email account, load up an autoresponder with the free gift. You will then have everyone’s email who participates allowing you to go to them with another offer.
For example, every week we give away a different script PDF. You can check this out yourself by emailing [email protected]. Try it and see how we do it.
11. Wikipedia
You do have your own Wikipedia page, right? Nuff said
12. IMDB listing
Getting an IMDB listing just gives you and your film added credibility. Here are some tips on how to go about getting an IMDB listing.
13. Street Marketing
We love street marketing at Raindance but we have been really lousy at recording and documenting what we do.
Chalking on sidewalks, handing out leaflets, flyposting and dressing up in costumes all work a treat. Whatever you do, don’t go out street marketing alone. You need to go out with one other person who can back you up or call for help if you run into trouble. There are some pretty strange people out there.
14. Personal appearances
Booking yourself for a personal appearance need not make you sound like a desperate minor celebrity hired to open a new shopping centre. Take every opportunity to sit on panels discussions, agree to do Q&A’s after your festival screenings and make yourself available for interviews.
15. The power of theme
This doesn’t work for every project. For example, if you have a horror film, Hallowe’en presents an obvious date for a launch. Think of themes that you can hijack for your film. For example, the Evening Standard titled an article on new jewellry designers as ‘punk rocks’. I’m sure you can do better than that!
16. Getting your team engaged
I’m assuming you have a team of at least one other person than your mum. Get them involved in your campaigns through their own social media. Get them to send you relevant tweets, links and news that you can use within your campaigns. Two pairs of eyes are obviously better than one pair.
Fade out
I am sure you have even better ideas of how filmmakers can market without any money. If you have a budget, even a tiny one of say, £100 ($150) you can try some paid-for advertising on the internet. Called PPC (Pay Per Click) one can set one’s daily limit as low or as high as you want. You will have to experiment a bit to see how it works, but you can turn a £100 investment into several hundred (or more) once you get the hang of it. There is some really great advice on AdhereCreative blog.
Remember the basic rule of marketing: trust your gut. Chances are your instincts are far better advice than any article like this.
Happy filmmaking and hope to see you at this year’s Raindance Film Festival.Rapper-producer says there will be no free tunes tomorrow (Oct 1) after tracks from album appear on blogs
Kanye West has announced he is cancelling his weekly Friday music giveaway after tracks from his forthcoming album leaked online.
The rapper-producer has been giving away new songs each week under the banner ‘Good Fridays’ via his Twitter account.
However, West has informed fans there will be no free music this week (October 1) after songs from his album, expected to be out in November, have circulated online via various blogs.
Among the songs that have appeared is one featuring samples from Bon Iver and Gil Scott-Heron.
Writing on Twitter, West said he was upset by the leak, particularly because the versions circulated are not finished and he had been generous supplying music for free already.
“Due to blogs leaking unfinished songs from my actual album I’ve decided to pass on Good Fridays this week,” he wrote this morning (September 30).
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“It’s messed up that one hacker can mess everything up for everyone… I love to take a year to finish my songs and deliver them to you guys in their most completed form. It would have seemed like since I give free music every week even the lowest form of human being would respect that enough not to leak unfinished songs from my real album.”
Of the record itself, West told fans that he had not finalised an exact release date or album title yet despite completing it.
“I’m still contemplating my album date. I’m finished with it but when should I drop?” he asked. “I can’t decide on my album title either uuuugh!!!!”
For some new music from West, his regular DJ A-Trak, Armand Van Helden and the likes of Vampire Weekend, Santigold and Pharrell Williams, check out Duck Sauce’s new video ‘Barbra Streisand’ which sees a host of artists paying tribute to New York and, apparently, the singer.Here's a full ability and partial talent list
Today at the HGC Western Clash event for Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard announced an unlikely new character -- Probius -- and it's quite literally a probe from the StarCraft series. Probious is a ranged specialist that summons Pylons and Photon Cannons from StarCraft with a builder playstyle. He looks adorable and sounds rad as hell. He'll hit the PTR in "a few short days" (likely Tuesday).
Cho'gall, Arthas, Anub'arak, and Gazlowe changes are also coming in the same patch, and the return of the "on fire" system has been teased, as well as a kill feed. Good times! I'm glad that the team is actively working on so many quality of life upgrades beyond new heroes.
You can view Probius' full ability list below, as well as a partial talent list and some screenshots.
Overview
Since his activation, Probius has always wanted to prove himself. He may be small, but he made a big difference by warping in a critical pylon during the retaking of Aiur. As the bravest of probes, Probius is eager to fulfill his purpose in the Nexus.
Trait
Warp In Pylon
* Warp in a Pylon that generates a Power Field and grants vision of the surrounding area. Probius only regenerates mana while inside a Power Field.
* Up to 2 Pylons can be active at a time
Basic Abilities
Worker Rush (Z)
* Activate to gain an additional 50% Movement Speed for 5 seconds. Taking damage ends this effect early.
* Passive: Probius moves 10% faster by hovering over the ground.
Disruption Pulse (Q)
* Fire a burst of energy forward, dealing 150 damage to all enemies it passes through. Hitting the center of a Warp Rift will cause it to explode, dealing additional damage.
Warp Rift (W)
* Open an unstable Warp Rift at a location that takes 1.25 seconds to arm, which then slows nearby enemies by 20%, lasting 9 seconds.
* Armed Warp Rifts explode when hit by a Disruption Pulse, dealing 261 damage to nearby enemies.
Photon Cannon (E)
* Warp in a Photon Cannon that deals 95 damage per second. Lasts 11 seconds.
* Must be placed within a Pylon’s Power Field. Deactivates if it doesn’t have a Pylon powering it.
Pylon Overcharge (R)
* Increase the size of Pylon power fields and allow them to attack enemies within it for 110 damage per second. Last 10 seconds.
* Passive: Pylons gain permanent Shields equal to 50% of their maximum Health.
Null Gate (R)
* Project a barrier of negative energy in the target direction that lasts 4 seconds. Enemies who touch the barrier take 64 damage per second and are slowed by 80% for as long as they remain in contact with it.
Talents
1 [Q] Echo Pulse - Disruption Pulse now returns to Probius 1.25 seconds after reaching its target, dealing 75% damage on the return trip.
1 [W] Warp Resonance Quest: Hit Heroes with Warp Rift explosions. Reward: After hitting 10 Heroes with Warp Rift explosions, increase the explosion damage by 100.
Reward: After hitting 20 Heroes with Warp Rift explosions, Warp Rift gains 1 additional charge.
1 [E] Gather Minerals Quest: Enemy Heroes and Minions drop Minerals when killed. Collect them to increase the Health of Photon Cannons by 8, up to 560.
Reward: After collecting 70 Minerals, Photon Cannons deal 25% more damage, can see over obstacles, and reveal nearby Cloaked units.
2 [E] Photon Barrier - While a Photon Cannon is alive and powered, Probius gains 30 Spell Armor.
2 [Z] Turbo Charged - Worker Rush grants an additional 10% passive Movement Speed while in a Power Field, and its cooldown is reduced by 20 seconds.
2 Shield Capacitor - Probius gains permanent Shields equal to 10% of his max Health. Shields regenerate quickly as long as he hasn't taken damage recently.
3 [Q] Particle Accelerator - Disruption Pulse deals 10% more damage for each enemy or Warp Rift hit, up to 40%.
3 [W] Rift Shock - Hitting an enemy Hero with Warp Rift explosion increases Probius' damage against them by 20% for 10 seconds.
3 [E] Tower Defense - When Photon Cannon damages an enemy Hero, its cooldown is reduced by 1.25 seconds.
4 [R1] Pylon Overcharge - Increase the size of Pylon power fields and allow them to attack enemies within it for 110 damage per second. Lasts 10 seconds. Passive: Pylons gain permanent Shields equal to 50% of their max Health.
4 [R2] Null Gate - Project a barrier of negative energy in the target direction that lasts 4 seconds. Enemies who touch the barrier take 64 damage per second and are slowed by 80% for as long as they remain in contact with it.
5 Aggressive Matrix - Pylon's Power Field grants allied Heroes 20% increased Attack Damage.
5 Power Overflowing - Pylon's Power Field grants allied Heroes 10% increased Spell Power and 2 Mana per second.
5 Shield Battery - Pylon's Power Field grants allied Heroes 30 Shields per second, up to 120. Shields persist for 4 seconds after exiting a Pylon Power Field.
6 [W] Quantum - Enemies continue to be slowed for 3.5 seconds after their last contact Entanglement with a Warp Rift.
6 [W] Gravity Well - Enemies are slowed more the closer they are to the center of the Warp Rift, up to a maximum slow of 60%.
6 [W] Repulsor - Enemies hit by a Warp Rift explosion are knocked away from the center.
6 [W] Interference - Enemy Heroes hit by Warp Rift detonations have their Spell Power reduced by 35% for 3 seconds.
7 [R1] Construct Additional Pylons - Probius can now have up to 3 active Pylons, and increase the damage of Pylon Overcharge by 25%.
7 [R2] Gate Keeper - Null Gate lasts indefinitely if either end is within a Power Field. Only one Null Gate may be active at a time.
7 [Q] Shoot 'Em Up - Hitting a Warp Rift with Disruption Pulse causes 4 additional pulses that deal 50% damage to be fired from the impact location in different directions. Additional Pulses do not benefit from Echo Pulse or Particle Accelerator.
7 [W] Probius Loop - Whenever a Rift explosion hits 2 or more enemy Heroes, create a new Warp Rift in the same location.It began in October. Home values in Portland grew that month as fast year-over-year as the red-hot prices in Denver and San Francisco.
With homes in the region gaining 10.9 percent in value between October 2014 and 2015, Portland had joined those two cities atop a closely watched national report gauging the strength of the housing market in 20 major cities.
But that was only the beginning.
The next month, home prices in Portland posted 11.1 percent in annual gains on the Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller home-price index, putting the city alone at the top. And the streak continued - 11.4 percent in December, 11.8 percent in January, 11.9 percent in February, 12.3 percent in March and 12.3 percent again in April, according to the latest report, issued Tuesday.
Portland's housing market has been the hottest in the country for the last seven months, by the Case-Shiller measure and by others. A new report last week from Zillow found that Portland saw the nation's largest annual decrease in the inventory of bottom-tier homes among the 35 largest metro areas. There are nearly 40 percent fewer homes worth less than $279,200 available than there were a year ago.
And the latest report from the local Regional Multiple Listing Service found that the average home in the region now sells for more than $400,000, the first time the market has reached such heights. The median sale price, similarly, crossed the $350,000 barrier.
So will the Portland market's historic run ever slow down? The cyclical laws of boom and bust demand it will eventually. But the real question - as the city continues to deal with a population boom, a housing-affordability crisis and historically high increases in rents - is when.
"I couldn't even begin to tell you that," said Tim Duy, an economics professor at the University of Oregon. "There's no fundamental law that says it has to end anytime soon. And it won't end until we have more balance between supply and demand in the housing market."
For now, that's not happening. Demand is severely outpacing supply. Between March 2015 and May 2016, the only time the local market hit 2 months of inventory was in November. The figure estimates how long it would take all homes on the market to sell at the current pace; six months represents a balanced inventory and anything below that signals a seller's market. The 1.2 months of inventory the region had in December was the lowest level since at least 1999.
Short of adding more supply, the only other way prices would come down is if they eventually rose so high that demand started to trail off, Duy said.
"There could come a point... when prices can't sustain themselves," Duy said. "But I can't tell you when that is. It's some magic number at some point in time."
There have been signs that the low inventory, high prices and intense competition in the region could be scraping the froth off the top of the market already. Though prices still rose to record levels, April marked the first month since at least last summer that the numbers of closed or pending sales weren't either the most since before the recession or the most of all time. Instead, closed and pending home sales in the region saw a year-over-year decline, a trend that continued in May.
Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Windermere Real Estate, said that unless Portland starts "seeing remarkable wage growth, there's just no way you can keep seeing prices growing in the double digits."
Gardner predicted that sometime in the fall, Portland will experience a "leveling off of that annualized price growth."
"The rate of growth will slow," he said. "And I'm very comfortable with that."
The Case-Shiller numbers lag two months behind the current market, Leslie Jones pointed out. Jones, principal broker with Re/Max Equity Group, said her team of realtors has noticed a "very slight shift" in the market in recent weeks; homes are still selling quickly, but "it has been feeling for the last two or three weeks like houses have been staying on the market longer," Jones said. And more of her agents have been getting buyers under contract rather than being outbid.
"It feels good to me," Jones said.
International politics might be adding fuel to Portland's housing fire, too. The economic uncertainty stemming from the United Kingdom's vote last week to leave the European Union caused investors worldwide to flee the stock market in favor of more reliable - but lower yielding - treasury bonds, which puts downward pressure on interest rates and makes mortgage borrowing more affordable, said Brian Allen, a longtime broker and the head of Windermere Stellar.
But as long as competition and pricing remain high and supply low, buyers - especially first-timers - will continue to experience a frustrating market, according to Gardner.
"It's very hard for them to even afford to get an entry-level house.... The move-up buyer sells to the first-time buyer in order to move up," Gardner said. "Those move-up buyers aren't finding anything to buy. And because they can't find anything to buy, they're not listing their house for sale. So you kind of get in a chicken-and-egg situation."
-- Luke Hammill
[email protected]
503-294-4029
@lucashammillPaperback Edition, Penguin Books UK - 1999
The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Love of Words is a book by Simon Winchester that was first published in England in 1998. It was retitled The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary in the United States and Canada.
Plot [ edit ]
It tells the story of the making of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and one of its most prolific early contributors, Dr. W. C. Minor, a retired United States Army surgeon. Minor was, at the time, imprisoned in the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, near the village of Crowthorne in Berkshire, England. The 'professor' of the American title is the chief editor of the OED during most of the project, Sir James Murray. Murray was a talented linguist and had other scholarly interests, and he had taught in schools and worked in banking. Faced with the enormous task of producing a comprehensive dictionary, with a quotation illustrating the uses of each meaning of each word, and with evidence for the earliest use of each, Murray had turned to an early form of crowdsourcing (a word not coined until the 21st century)—enlisting the help of dozens of amateur philologists as volunteer researchers.
History of creation [ edit ]
A journalist with three decades of experience, and the author of a dozen travel-inspired books, Winchester's initial proposal to write a book about an obscure lexicographer met with rejection. Only when Harper Collins editor Larry Ashmead read the proposal and championed the book did Winchester pursue the necessary research in earnest.[1] Of the project Ashmead said "we can make lexicography cool".[2] It was Ashmead who persuaded Winchester to call the US edition The Professor and the Madman (over Winchester's objection that Murray was not a professor), saying "No one here knows what the hell a Crowthorne is."[2]
Reception [ edit ]
The book was a major success.[3][4][5] Winchester went on to write The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary (2003) about the broader history of the OED.
Cinematization [ edit ]
The movie rights for the book were bought by Mel Gibson's Icon Productions in 1998.[1] John Boorman wrote a script and was at one time tapped to direct, as was Luc Besson.[1][6][7] In August 2016 it was announced that Farhad Safinia was to direct an adaptation, called The Professor and the Madman, starring Gibson as Murray and Sean Penn as Minor.[8]
References [ edit ]
Editions [ edit ]Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) shares gained as much as 4.5% during morning trading today amid news that former CEO Dick Costolo is planning to leave the firm’s board of directors once the firm concludes its search for a new chief executive. According to a report from Bloomberg, Costolo remained on the Twitter board to ease the company’s transition to a new executive, but will cut ties with the firm once a new CEO is selected and a planned board of directors reshuffle is done. Currently, co-founder Jack Dorsey is the interim CEO of the company, while also holding the CEO role at Foursquare Inc. The social network is reportedly considering bringing in new people to the board of directors to diversify the background of the group that oversees the company.
Based on the Insider Monkey database, more hedge funds went long on Twitter in the first quarter, though this is not necessarily a signal that the stock is a sure bet. Why are we interested in the 13F filings of a select group of hedge funds? We use these filings to determine the top 15 small-cap stocks held by these elite funds based on 16 years of research that showed their top small-cap picks are much more profitable than both their large-cap stocks and the broader market as a whole. These small-cap stocks beat the S&P 500 Total Return Index by an average of nearly one percentage point per month in our back tests, which were conducted over the period from 1999 to 2012. Moreover, since the beginning of forward testing from August 2012, the strategy worked just as our research predicted, outperforming the market every year and returning 123.1% over the last 32 months, which is 66.5 percentage points higher than |
more public, less desirable parts of the job.
But how much does that really matter? Though it’s hard to write off a coaching hire as a complete failure nine games in, Nebraska has big issues that should at least make the people in charge consider whether they made a mistake that needs to be corrected. Nebraska has been unlucky this season, to be sure, but it also does not look like a well-coached or highly motivated team. There have been coaching mistakes, lack of buy-in and injuries.
It all culminated with a 55-45 loss at Purdue, dropping the Huskers to 3-6. Now they will need two big upsets — against Michigan State and Iowa — just to get bowl eligible. And really, it’s worse than that. Purdue came into the game 2-26 against FBS opponents under Darrell Hazell with just one Big Ten victory last season vs. Illinois. But Nebraska made Purdue look like Baylor and trailed 42-16 entering the fourth quarter.
There will no doubt be revisionist history about Pelini and what kind of program he left, but it’s hard to come up with a legitimate excuse for this kind of performance. And it puts a big spotlight on Eichorst, who fired a fairly successful coach and replaced him with one who has so far been little more than a nice guy.
3. Duke: Is it better or worse to have a legitimate officiating gripe when you lose in heartbreaking fashion? On one hand, Duke fans will always have the ACC office to blame for its 30-27 loss to Miami. The final sequence was an officiating debacle of the highest order, from the flag for an illegal block that the referees picked up to a seemingly clear moment during one of Miami’s eight laterals when a knee was down before the ball was tossed.
The ACC acknowledged the mistake Sunday and suspended the crew for two games.Then again, that doesn’t really make the result any easier to take given that it could cost Duke a spot in the ACC Championship Game. But there is also another way to look at the game. Duke was outplayed at home for 3 1/2 quarters, needing not only a miracle comeback but a very fortunate (and probably blown) call to take the lead with six seconds left.
With no timeouts remaining, Duke called a quarterback sneak from the 1 yard line, which means it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to get another play off had it failed. Though officials called it a touchdown on the field and replay upheld it, the Misery Index did not see a definitive video angle that showed Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk actually breaking the plane of the end zone.
It probably should have been game over right there. Heck, even a few plays before that Duke was the beneficiary of some questionable pass interference penalties that put the Blue Devils in position to score. So the gripes can go both ways, but this game will only be remembered a dozen years from now for the crazy kickoff return. And that’s going to be a tough one for Duke fans to get over.
Texas head coach Charlie Strong. (Photo: Justin Hayworth, AP)
4. Texas: So now we know. There was no corner turned by the Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry; it was simply a moment in time when a mediocre team played above itself and pulled a shocking upset the way a team of 18- to 22-year-olds is capable of doing from time to time.
Beating Oklahoma 24-17 with Charlie Strong being carried off the field by his players is the outlier in his Texas tenure. Saturday’s 24-0 loss at Iowa State may be an outlier as well, with reality falling somewhere in the middle. But the ability to lose that game while looking so uncompetitive against one of the Big 12’s worst teams is highly alarming at this stage of the game.
Texas’ offense is just flat broken, accounting for 204 total yards in Ames, and its defense isn’t so hot either. Now 3-5 with loseable games still remaining against Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia, Strong would be wise not to laugh off questions about his interest in the Miami job.
Several highly connected people in the coaching industry believe that Miami will make overtures to Strong and that he would be willing to listen for a number of reasons including his family’s comfort level in Austin and his recruiting ties in South Florida. But it’s hard to give up a $5 million per year job for one that doesn’t pay as much. Will Miami be able to find enough money to attract Strong’s interest? Stay tuned.
5. Rutgers: The good news at this stage of the season is that the only embarrassing headlines for the last few weeks have been related to the football team’s performance. Compared to attempted academic fraud by the head coach and players getting arrested for serious crimes, getting blown out by Ohio State and Wisconsin in consecutive weeks isn’t such a big deal.
But outside of Virginia, this feels like the most inevitable coaching change of the year. Kyle Flood is overmatched in the Big Ten and has been outscored 108-34 by the three teams that matter in Rutgers’ division (Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State) with Michigan still to come. Add Saturday’s 48-10 loss to Wisconsin on top of it and you see what kind of uphill climb this program faces to be relevant in the league.
It might — might — be worth giving Flood one more shot if things were going well off the field. But with that part of the program also in disarray, there is really no choice but to make a move after this season and figure out who can make Rutgers competitive in the Big Ten. It won’t be easy.
Oct 31, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers interim head coach Tracy Claeys. (Photo: Jesse Johnson, Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports)
6. Minnesota: This was a really rough week for the Gophers. Jerry Kill’s sudden retirement because of health issues is a big blow to the momentum Minnesota had established, and the stakes are going to be very high for the decision on his replacement.
Success at a place like Minnesota is always a very fragile thing, and if you don’t make the right move the program can fall apart very quickly. That’s why the Misery Index would not be surprised in the least if Minnesota went in-house for both its upcoming athletics director and head coaching hires.
We are told interim athletics director Beth Goetz is a legitimate candidate to get the job full-time and that interim coach Tracy Claeys is the favorite to succeed Kill on a permanent basis. On the other hand, Claeys may not have helped his cause Saturday in a 29-26 loss to Michigan. Though the Gophers played an inspired game to put themselves in position to win, they botched the finish.
Minnesota got to the 1 yard line in the final minute but wasted too much time before getting off the next play and only got two cracks at the end zone when it could have had three. Minnesota then went for the win instead of overtime with two seconds left and got stuffed on a quarterback sneak, providing a gut-punch ending to a really bad week for Minnesota fans.
7. Arizona: This is not such a fun time for the Wildcats. They’ve been injured and out of rhythm all season, not to mention overmatched against good teams. Arizona is 5-4, but none of the wins are of the high-quality variety. Saturday’s 49-3 loss at Washington was a low point.
The more interesting subplot, though, is the future of Rich Rodriguez. The Misery Index has reason to believe he would prefer to head back to the Eastern time zone, and plenty of jobs in his wheelhouse are going to be open. South Carolina, Miami and Virginia Tech would all be very good fits for Rodriguez, and he will absolutely have options. Arizona athletics director Greg Byrne would prefer not to lose his coach, who is 31-18 at a basketball-oriented school and won the Pac 12 South last season.
Arizona is investing in football, and Rodriguez’s reported salary will be augmented by a booster-funded stock deal that could bring his annual package to around $4 million. But there’s also an underlying sense that Rodriguez has topped out in Tucson playing in a very tough division and that this may be a good time to try a new opportunity.
Head coach Dana Holgorsen is feeling some heat at West Virginia as the Mountaineers have lost four in a row. (Photo: Raymond Carlin III, USA TODAY Sports)
8. West Virginia: Let’s cut the fluff. The next two weeks are going to be crucial in the direction this program takes. After four consecutive losses to the top teams in the Big 12 — three of them by lopsided margins — head coach Dana Holgorsen is on the hot seat. The Mountaineers don’t seem to be making a ton of progress in their Big 12 transition, and new athletics director Shane Lyons probably wouldn’t get much pushback if he decided to make a change.
However, the schedule is set up for West Virginia to finish strong, and an 8-4 season might be enough to bring Holgorsen back. That’s why it’s crucial for the Mountaineers to take advantage of home games against Texas Tech and Texas the next two weeks. West Virginia fans already are pretty unhappy with the state of the program, but another loss could send them over the edge.
9. Arizona State: This appears to be one of those seasons where every 50-50 call goes the wrong way, every gamble turns up snake eyes and every momentum-changing opportunity goes unfulfilled. It happens. But the Sun Devils are undoubtedly a big disappointment at 4-4, and it’s too late at this point to reverse the narrative.
They had an opportunity last Thursday night against Oregon but lost 61-55 in triple overtime as bad luck, questionable calls and untimely turnovers conspired to get them beat despite 742 yards of offense. This was supposed to be “THE YEAR” for the Sun Devils, but now it’s just a forgettable year that will likely go down as Todd Graham’s worst since coming to Tempe.
10. Auburn: There is no more shock factor in Auburn losing SEC games, but it is absolutely worth acknowledging that the Tigers are 1-7 in the league over the last calendar year. And with Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama coming up to finish the season, you could have a scenario where Gus Malzahn goes into 2016 on one of the worst runs in recent memory.
Just a few months ago, Auburn was being celebrated as the SEC preseason favorite with lots of momentum in recruiting, exciting new staff hires and huge facility investment. Of course, the irony of all ironies is that hiring Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator has not nearly yielded as good results to this point as North Carolina hiring former Auburn coach Gene Chizik for the same position.
And now Malzahn is in a similar situation to the one that got Chizik fired at the end of 2012. Malzahn is not going to suffer the same fate because there is too much invested in making this work, but it will be a very, very long and unpleasant offseason if 4-4 Auburn can’t show some signs of life in the last month of the season.
Honorable mention (Miserable, but not miserable enough): Colorado, Boston College, Texas Tech. Cal, Wake Forest, Wyoming, Kansas
GALLERY: AMWAY COACHES POLLCommunity of Christ practices what I like to call “Responsible Revelation”. This means that the president of the church, even in his capacity as prophet, is accountable to the church. Or, in other words, revelations to be canonized or which impact the presiding councils, quorums and orders of the church must be approved by the church.
Community of Christ has never professed that the prophet receives revelation from God daily, or even frequently. The church does not consider every word, article, action, address, sermon, etc., provided or undertaken by the prophet to be revelatory in nature. The day-to-day operation of the church has been entrusted by Christ to those called to serve in leadership positions. Policy changes, budget approval, missionary efforts, property management and acquisition, etc., are not viewed (automatically at least) as being the result of divine revelation (though we trust that God rests with us in our decision making activities).
From time to time, the prophet-president does receive revelation from God. It may come in response to prayer, or it may come unbidden. The prophet attempts to articulate in written form what the Holy Spirit has revealed to him, and the church takes action upon it. An overview of this process, and why we have, and how we benefit from continuing revelation, follows.
Why is Continuing Revelation part of the church?
We have declared Continuing Revelation to be one of our Enduring Principles. In discussing the development of those principles, President Veazey stated:
“One Enduring Principle that rose up quickly was continuing revelation. The principle is so ingrained in who we are that we cannot describe our faith without giving ample attention to it. Revelatory experience is a key part of our church’s beginning. It has functioned in transforming ways through-out our history. It will play a vital role in the future.”
He also stated in the same article:
“I believe one calling of Community of Christ is to keep the tradition, principle, and practice of continuing revelation alive.”
In his 2009 annual address to the church (“A Defining Moment“), while speaking about scripture, President Veazey made this statement:
“Community of Christ also stresses that all scripture must be interpreted through the lens of God’s most-decisive revelation in Jesus Christ. So if portions of scripture don’t agree with our fullest understanding of the meaning of the revelation of God in Christ, as illuminated by the Holy Spirit and discerned by the faith community, the teachings and vision of Christ take precedence. This principle applies to all of our books of scripture, especially any passage used by some to assign God’s disfavor, negative characteristics, or secondary roles to others. This is why our belief in “continuing revelation” is so important. This belief keeps us open to “yet more light and truth” so we can grow in understanding of God’s supreme will as revealed in Christ.”
Clearly, revelation is tremendously important to the church. Our church leaders have spoken of it’s significance and role in our church. It is not a belief or conviction that just sits in the background, or is interpreted as taking the form of sermons and such, but manifests as specific documents that have blessed us tremendously over the years, and which continue to do so (note: while we commonly regard these documents to be revelations, Community of Christ understands that in fact, they are records of encounter with the divine. This is an often overlooked, but important distinction. The actual revelation is an even that took place in a moment in time, between the prophet and God. We do tend to call the resulting inspired documents revelations, but they are merely the written record of the revelatory experience). Revelation in Community of Christ is alive and well, and is in fact on the rise and we are a better people because of it.
How are revelations shared with the church?
Only those individuals who have actually held the position of prophet-president of the church could truly describe just how they receive revelations from God; and I suspect that trying to articulate such an encounter is very difficult. However, at some point, they put those experiences into written form.
These written revelations are then presented to the church for consideration. With a few exceptions (noted below), they are subjected to a formal approval process. These written items are known as “inspired documents” or (in more recent years) as “Words of Counsel”.
Let me make a point of clarity here. In Community of Christ, a presented revelation takes the form of a document that is specifically presented as a revelation. Letters, sermons, conference talks, addresses, magazine articles, etc., are not regarded as being revelations from God simply by virtue of having been provided by the prophet-president of the church. While these may indeed be inspired, they are not regarded as formal revelations.
Revelations also clearly state that they are the result of God’s efforts to work through the prophet (some might say that it could be understood that the prophet seeks to discern the mind and will of God – I view it as a partnership, a two-way process).
Therefore, only those words presented as a revelation are regarded (or considered) as such. Think of the many revelations in the Doctrine & Covenants that Joseph Smith Jr. provided. Same idea.
Here is a very brief example:
http://www.cofchrist.org/onlineresources/DocCovenants/section160.asp
How are revelations approved?
For the most part, a revelation is presented for the first time during our World Conference, held every three years. However, on occasion, a revelation will be presented outside of World Conference.
Normally, it is our custom for all revelations to be subjected to the delegates of World Conference for consideration and approval. This means that a revelation is not deemed authoritative or binding simply because the president of the church has issued it. It must be considered, and voted upon by the people in order to be regarded as officially authoritative.
This is, as I understand it, a process that gradually came to exist in the early church.
During the approval process, the delegates study, ponder, pray and discuss the Words of Counsel. They meet in various caucuses or priesthood orders, quorums, and councils to review the document and openly discus and question it.
So, all the evangelists meet as the Order of Evangelists, the bishops meet as the Order of Bishops, the high priests meet as members of the Quorum of High Priests, the seventies meet as members of the Quorums of Seventy (I can’t quite recall if they meet as individual quorums or all together under the leadership of the presidents of seventy), the apostles meet as the Council of Twelve apostles.
Elders meet in a “mass meeting of elders” and deacons, teachers and priests meet as a “mass meeting of the Aaronic priesthood”.
In addition, there is a caucus for non-priesthood members, a non-delegate caucus, a couple of non-English speaking caucuses, and a youth caucus.
On the day that the inspired document is to be voted on (and when consideration is to commence), the president may make a few remarks, but quickly turns the chair over to someone else, and leaves the conference chamber. This further empowers people to speak and act as they wish.
The revelation is usually read one more time, and the various bodies mentioned above, along with the other two members of the First Presidency, present reports on how each body views the revelation. If I recall correctly, there is normally time for some further discussion, asking of questions, etc.
Eventually the chair calls for the vote. In the past, I have seen each paragraph voted on individually, and then a vote on the document as a whole, though I don’t know if that is always the case. Only delegates and ex-officio staff can vote (so even though I mentioned above that there is a non-delegate caucus, they meet to discuss and share their views but they don’t actually vote – likewise, members who attended the youth caucus or the non-English caucuses don’t get to vote unless they also happen to be delegates)
The purpose of the vote is to accept or reject the revelation as representing the mind and will of God. If the vote supports the revelation, it is added to our Doctrine & Covenants, becoming a new Section, and it therefore becomes authoritative, and part of our standard of authority, and canon of scripture.
After the vote is taken, the chair then calls for a courtesy vote, open to all members in attendance, including non-delegates (this is the only time that non-delegates get to vote).
So far, no revelation has ever been rejected, but this is not, as some people think, a rubber stamp process, nor a simple formality. It is a very serious process, and there has often been some difficult questions asked, some deep concerns expressed, and outright (and very vocal) opposition. There have even been occasions where members of the leading church bodies questioned a revelation.
Votes are not generally unanimous. People can, and many do, vote against a revelation. And they do so free of risk.
If the vote supports the revelation, a contingent of church leaders fetch the prophet-president, and they march back into the conference chamber, from the back, walking down the center aisle, as the attendees sing “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet”. Its very moving.
Then the chairperson officially informs the prophet that the revelation has been accepted, and turns the chair back over to the prophet, who may make some final comments before moving onto other business. The entire process ensures that a responsible check-&-balance system exists.
Are all revelations added to the Doctrine & Covenants?
A change arose during the presidency of W. Grant McMurray. Prior to his tenure, many revelations combined spiritual counsel with administrative counsel (i.e., changes in senior church leadership). Or, sometimes a revelation would contain only the latter.
This resulted in the Doctrine & Covenants becoming cluttered with a great deal of content that largely dealt with just changes in senior church leadership.
Under President McMurray, changes in church leadership would no longer be combined with spiritual counsel, and would be presented in documents for just that purpose.
Such documents are termed “Letters of Counsel”. So, a Letter of Counsel provides administrative counsel (changes in church leadership), and the documents known as Words of Counsel provide spiritual counsel (encouragement, admonishments, direction, guidance, etcetera).
Sometimes a Letter of Counsel will be the only revelation presented at World Conference (as God does not provide spiritual counsel every single time).
Generally, the same process of consideration is utilized. The delegates consider the changes, the various bodies present reports, and there is a vote to approve the changes.
However, the outcome is not the same. Letters of Counsel do not become new Sections in the book of Doctrine & Covenants. For this reason, when President McMurray first made this alteration, and presented the first Letter of Counsel, explaining how things were now going to work, he was asked if such documents are to still be regarded as revelations, and he replied “yes”.
Are all revelations subjected to the approval process?
On rare occasion, a revelation containing spiritual counsel has been presented to the church and *not* subjected to a vote. The first time this happened (that I’m aware of) was in 1996. President McMurray presented a document to the church, but felt that God had more to impress upon him, and therefore, he did not permit the World Conference to take any action on it. Nor was that permitted in 1998. However, in 2000, an expanded version of the document was formally submitted for consideration, and became Section 161.
More recently, during the 2013 World Conference, a new inspired document (“Words of Counsel”) was presented, which President Veazey, from the start, said would not be voted on at that time, as he wanted to let it rest with us during the three years between that conference and our next World Conference in 2016. This was highly unusual, but represents I feel a very sober and mature approach to revelation: let the people really study it and ponder it and explore it before taking action on it.
Another more recent development is for Letters of Counsel to be shared outside of World Conference. Between World Conference 2010 and World Conference 2013, some key church leaders had to resign for personal reasons. Therefore, two different Letters of Counsel were issued naming interim leaders, with the understanding that they would officially fill the vacancies if accepted by the delegates at the 2013 World Conference.
During that conference a new Letter of Counsel was released summarizing the prior two and announcing some additional changes, and so that single document was actioned during that conference.
Note that, while in the above examples, immediate action was not taken on various items presented, everything that was (or is), intended to be canonized, was eventually (or will be), subjected to a vote. Likewise, before changes are made to the presiding leadership bodies, a vote is eventually taken, *before* the new leaders are installed. So, in all cases, if it is intended for an inspired document to be canonized, or for leadership changes to go into effect, the Words of Counsel and Letters of Counsel are subjected to the formal approval process. The point of this section was simply to show that, sometimes the church has provided the membership with more deliberation time than in previous eras of the church’s history.
However, if there is a revelation that is not intended to be canonized, and which does not impact leadership changes, it does not have to be voted on.
The only example of this that I’m aware of pertains to a short revelation that was presented to the church in 2009, towards the end of President Veazey’s first ever annual address to the church (and first ever annual address ever made). He shared, at the end of his talk a beautiful revelation which took the form of God providing encouragement.
It reads as follows:
(with a short introduction)
As I was preparing this address, I prayerfully asked God many times, “What more does the church need to hear?” On several occasions, I sensed the impress of the Spirit. In response, I want to give voice to what I sensed through the following words to the church: Fear not! Do not be afraid to become who God is calling you to become. God, the Eternal One, has been with you in your past, continues with you in the present, and already is waiting patiently for you in the future. Through your lives the sacred story of the Restoration still is being written. Engage the current challenges and opportunities before you with commitment and hope worthy of the dedication and sacrifices of those who went before you. Creatively build on the faith foundations they laid. Open windows and doors to the future. Beloved community, God has chosen you to assist in accomplishing divine purposes if you will choose to live out of your better natures and potential. Deepen your faith. Refine your sensitivity to the guidance of the Spirit so that you are not distracted by other influences. Explore your scriptures with openness to new insights that will come. Increase your compassion and generosity. Strengthen your relationships so the peace of Christ may be magnified through you. Have courage and hope. Gather in the gifts of all ages and cultures so the ministries of the body can become whole and fully alive. Others are being prepared around the world to join their efforts with yours, if you will move ahead according to the direction offered to you by the Spirit. Amen.
Being Responsible
I really love the way Community of Christ handles revelation in our church. I love that throughout our entire history, we have added new counsel from God to our book of Doctrine & Covenants, and I love that we practice responsible revelation: we don’t just treat everything that the the prophet says, writes, or does as being the result of Revelation. We don’t just accept all impacting revelations as authoritative simply because the prophet has said that he’s received a revelation. I love that the revelations are written, circulated, deliberated upon, prayed over, and finally voted on, as moved by the Holy Spirit.
And I love that we have grown in corporate church maturity to understand that if you’re going to claim that God has blessed the world with new scripture, its best to let the people voting on it have more than just a few days to delve through it, if the issues or themes are complex. This change, is perhaps the clearest example of how Community of Christ practices responsible revelation. Not only does the prophet’s revelation have to be written down, circulated, studied by whoever wishes to, and ultimately voted on; but he has given us three years to study it, before asking us to take the critical step of affirming to the greater church and the word that what has been presented warrants being upheld as scripture, and becoming part of our threefold standard of authority.
I also love how we ceased adding administrative changes to our scriptures, and I love how we have continued to embrace revelation in new ways, by seeing the revelatory process take place outside of World Conferences; and I love that the members of the church, are part of the ongoing prophetic process. We are, as others have said before, not just a people with a prophet, but a prophetic people. It is not one or the other, but a partnership.
I am so thankful to belong to a church that not only believes in continuing revelation, but celebrates it, finding new ways to incorporate it into the life of our church. And its on the rise! As near as I can determine, we have been blessed with approximately 15 revelations since they year 2000. Continuing revelation is truly a blessing to us all, and I am grateful to God for His never failing love and patience for His people, and His eternal patience for a flock that does not always listen, or which often fails to understand His purposes. Thank you Lord for never giving up on us, and for continuing, even now, to speak to us. It is my hope and prayer that we will become better at hearing you.
Responsible revelation. What a concept!
Where I can find the most recent revelations?
Examples of our most recent additions to the Doctrine & Covenants can be found here:
https://www.cofchrist.org/doctrine-and-covenants-section-161
https://www.cofchrist.org/doctrine-and-covenants-section-162
https://www.cofchrist.org/doctrine-and-covenants-section-163
https://www.cofchrist.org/doctrine-and-covenants-section-164
The 2013 Words of Counsel can be found here:
http://www.cofchrist.org/presidency/041413wordsofCounsel/
An example of a letter of counsel can be found here:
http://ddonblog3.wordpress.com/2013-letter-of-cousnel/
A Personal Testimony
If you’ve read this far, I thank you. The rest is bonus content.
I want to add that being part of the process of approving a Revelation is hugely rewarding. There is something really exciting about holding in your hands a copy of a new revelation from God, and there is something exhilarating about getting to be at World Conference where a new revelation is considered, voted on, and ordered for inclusion in our Doctrine & Covenants.
I’ll never forget how I felt during a conference several years ago. I was not able to attend, but I heard there was a rumor that there was a new revelation. But I was not sure if that was true, or if the document was perhaps something else (like a pastoral letter).
When I found the document, I was still not sure what it was being presented as. Then I felt a chill, when I noticed that the paragraphs had been versified. This was not just a pastoral letter, but a revelation.
And then I saw these words:
“To the Councils, Quorums, and Orders, to the World Conference, and to the church”
I should mention, that a large number of our revelations begin with those words. I don’t think they are used in any other way. At least, not that I’m aware of.
And they are just words. Not even part of the actual revelation. Nothing special about them. Pretty boring right? Pretty non-significant. And yet, when I began to read those words that day, I started to cry. For you see, as soon as I read those words, I knew it was official. I knew that I was reading God’s most recent counsel to the church, and it connected me to an experience, a sacred experience, taking place far away from my home, that I could not be at.
I’m getting choked up right now as I write this, as I think back on that experience. They are, for me, despite otherwise being meaningless, among the most powerful words I have ever read.
No matter how many revelations they commence. Its funny how something so minor can resonate with me so much, and draw me closer to God. I noticed that they were not used for the 2013 Words of Counsel, but I hope that if that document is one day formally submitted to be considered for inclusion in the Doctrine & Covenants, that they will be added, and I hope to be sitting in the conference chamber, to hear someone speaking into a mic, reading those words, calling us into the presence of the divine, as God’s guidance and counsel are shared with His people.
AdvertisementsStory highlights U.S. officials are surprised and encouraged by the list's completeness, an official says
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says he can help bring peace to Syria
Syria's opposition fires back, says it does not consider him an independent broker
Iran is a long-time ally to Syria
U.S. officials were pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the initial declaration that Syria has submitted to the world's chemical weapons watchdog outlining its inventory of the munitions, a senior administration official said Saturday.
The official said the declaration was more complete than what the officials had expected the Syrians to put forth.
The news came hours after the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons announced that Syria had handed over a list of what it says is its chemical arms stockpile.
"The Technical Secretariat is currently reviewing the information received," the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The handover occurred a day before the organization is to meet at The Hague in the Netherlands to discuss Syria.
The timing meets the terms set in a deal forged last week between the United States and Russia in Geneva to begin destroying Syria's chemical arsenal.
Under the fast-tracked Geneva deal, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was to declare the weapons no later than Saturday.
The normal 60-day process for declaring arms was expedited to seven days "because of the extraordinary concern about Syria's weapons," said Michael Luhan, a spokesman for the organization.
"Until now, each country has been typical. The United States, Russia, Libya, India, none have been in a state of war or conflict," Luhan said Friday.
His organization planned to begin reviewing Monday, he said.
"We have to go through it in detail and plan how to conduct the on-the-ground inspection mission, to verify the accuracy of the declaration and put seals on all the materials to make sure they are secure," Luhan said.
The stakes over halting the Syrian civil war heightened after an August 21 chemical weapons attack outside Damascus that U.S. officials estimate killed 1,400 people.
The United States and other Western nations blame the regime for the attack. Russia and Syria say they think rebels used the weapons.
Citing international norms against the use of chemical weapons, U.S. President Barack Obama called for authorization from Congress to use military force in Syria.
As the United States threatened force to degrade Assad's ability to carry out chemical weapons attacks, a diplomatic opportunity arose between Russia and the United States to put Syria's stockpile under international control.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hammered out a deal in Geneva last week compelling Syria to accept the agreement. Syria has agreed to it.
Speaking ahead of next week's U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, Kerry said Thursday that while "the complete removal of Syria's chemical weapons is possible here, through peaceful means," urgency is needed.
The U.N. Security Council must be prepared to act next week, Kerry said, citing a U.N. chemical weapons report about the attack.
While the report did not assign responsibility for the attack, Kerry said it offered "crucial details," making the case implicating Assad "only... more compelling."
Russia called the report "distorted" and said it was based on insufficient information.
Even as diplomatic efforts were continuing, U.S. officials have not dropped their threat to use force and are wary, saying Syria could be using the diplomacy as a stalling tactic.
"Time is short," Kerry said. "Let's not spend time debating what we already know."
Also on Saturday, the Syrian opposition coalition rejected an offer made by Iran to broker a peace deal between rebels and the government, calling it "ridiculous and desperate."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is also planning to attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting, said he can help bring peace to Syria, a long-time Iranian ally torn by civil war.
In a Washington Post op-ed on Thursday, the recently elected Iranian president called for an end to "the unhealthy rivalries and interferences that fuel violence and drive us apart." And he signaled his desire for better engagement with the West.
Syria's opposition fired back, saying it didn't consider him an independent broker.
"The Syrian National Coalition considers Iran's offer as ridiculous amid all the bloodshed that Iran participated with the (Bashar) al-Assad regime, through political, economic support and military support during the past two and a half years."
Rouhani, 65, has promised more positive engagement with the world.
But the Syrian opposition coalition said Iran is part of the problem.
"There is no doubt that Rouhani's offer is a desperate attempt to prolong the crisis and increase the complexity," the coalition said in a statement.
The United Nations estimates more than 100,000 people have died since March 2011, a period in which harsh government crackdowns against protesters devolved into an all-out civil war.
Another 2 million people have fled their homeland, and more than 4.25 million have been displaced within Syria, the United Nations says.
More violence
Government forces killed at least 26 people Saturday in Hamas suburbs, according to the opposition group Local Coordination Committees. CNN could not independently verify the claim.By Norman German There were many targets of Ernest Hemingway's big-game eye, including lions, rhinos, marlin, tarpon and Nazi submarines. Of these "Big Five," only the U-boat eluded his grasp, though one can easily imagine Papa's iconic figure posed for a photograph on a Cuban dock with the sub hanging from a boom like a gargantuan, armor-plated tuna. Named one of the 20th century's 100 most influential people by Time, Hemingway, after enjoying 75 years of legend status, has become to many an unsavory character — the pro wrestler of the sport-fishing world. Hemingway's favorite marlin weapons were Fin-Nor or Vom Hofe reels mounted on Frank O'Brien's split-bamboo Tycoon rods. His favorite shark weapon was a Thompson submachine gun. In Bimini in 1935, Hemingway fought a mammoth tuna for hours, only to have it butchered by sharks. To the horror of some guests — and the delight of others — Hemingway dyed the water red by strafing the circling predators with his Tommy gun. But if Hemingway's contributions to deep-sea fishing are measured against his sporting peccadilloes, especially when those transgressions are put in the context of his era, his reputation for plundering nature loses its tarnish. How good was Hemingway, really? Recently, some fool, apparently drunk on the latest wave of anti-Hemingway sentiment, claimed the author never even boated a marlin. In fact, in 1933 he landed his first big one, 468 pounds, in 65 minutes. In 1935 |
Or both?
Stat Facts Of The Week: Top 20 Rookie Receiving Seasons In The Past 20 Years
Top 20 Rookie Receiving Seasons since 1992 (min 50 receptions)
Adjusting to the NFL is a very difficult thing for most rookies, especially wide receivers. The chart - courtesy of Sporting Charts - presents the top 20 rookie receiving seasons between 1992-2012. Only 7 rookie WR's achieved 1000 yards in that time period. San Diego's Keenan Allen - with 1046 yards - achieved the feat last year. The bottom line: not many rookie WR's have a huge impact in their first year, irrespective of where they were chosen in the draft.
Ra'Shede Hageman Scouting Report: Walter Football
DT Ra'Shede Hageman - a physical freak - should have little trouble improving his draft stock this week at the combine. It should come as no surprise if the Rams selected him with the 13th pick in the NFL draft. Take a peek at some film from Draft Breakdown (link).
2014 NFL Mock Drafts: CBS Sports
Rob Rang, Dane Brugler, Pete Prisco, and Pat Kirwan post their latest 1st round mock drafts. No surprises for the Rams with the #2 pick. Some interesting selections at #13.
What the Rams Can See From The Stats Of Seattle's Success: 101 Sports
The recipe for success seems rather simple, at least in theory:
"There are countless ways to look at why teams win football games. In the case of the Seahawks, their formula of winning the turnover and field-position battle has been a fairly tried and true one."
Rams Chat Highlights: Rams News Now
Highlights from Jim Thomas's weekly question and answer period. Interesting thoughts on Sam Bradford, and soon-to-be free agent CB Alterraun Verner.
NFL Combine: Position-By-Position Primer: Bleacher Report
BR takes an in-depth look at which players to watch for - at each position - during the combine.
On This Day In Sports History
1965 - The NFL decides to add a 6th official for all games.
A nostalgic look back at Los Angeles Rams highlights from the 1950's through the 1970's:
LA RAMS highlights 50's-70's (via Robert McDorman)
Mike Sando talks about Sam Bradford and contract extensions:
Rams Coach Jeff Fisher: Sam Bradford Is Our QB: Sports Illustrated
Enough said...
The Rams & Bradford: Looking at four possible contract scenarios: Over The Cap
I covered all of this ground in my article a couple weeks back on Bradford's contract. This is still worth the read, for it reinforces all of the complexities involved in contract structuring.
Standing by Bradford right move...for now: ESPN NFC West
Might as well get all the Bradford stuff out of the way in ONE Random Ramsdom.
The Mike and Mike Show - Jeff Fisher - Audio: ESPN Radio
Fisher: Bradford is our quarterback: ESPN
The boss addresses all of the Sam Bradford talk from earlier this week.
Mike Mayock's 2014 NFL Draft Position Rankings: NFL.com
Respected analyst Mike Mayock releases his first NFL draft positional rankings of the year.
NFL Scouting Combine Preview: SB Nation - Mocking The Draft
Over at MTD, Dan Kadar previews the Combine, and what to look for in the coming days.
2014 NFL Draft Big Board: S.I. Audibles
Doug Farrar presents his top 40 prospects entering the scouting combine.
St. Louis Rams Off Season Preview: CBS Sports
John Breech previews the Rams off season, heading into free agency and the NFL draft.
Vetting Potential Trade Partners: ESPN NFC West
Nick Wagoner continues his series, exploring potential trade partners for the Rams' #2 selection in the upcoming NFL draft.
Blast From The Past: Classic Rock Wednesday: Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You
Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You Live (HD) (via Jimmy Karlsson)
Please have a great Wednesday and a Ramtastic week!Here’s the opening of a MoveOn fundraising letter that I got just before going out of town last week. I’ve cut it off at the point where I stopped reading:
From: Nita Chaudhary, MoveOn.org Political Action <[email protected]>
Subject: 60 votes to win
Date: 3/19/2008 6:46 AM Dear MoveOn member, It’s happened again and again this year, on every issue we care about. Iraq. Health care. The climate crisis. Strong bills have sailed through the US House, only to stall in the face of Republican obstruction in the Senate. Republicans are on pace to double the Congressional record for the most filibusters. Here’s the good news: Republicans are defending 23 Senate seats next year, compared to just 12 for the Democrats. Democrats could gain as many as 60 seats in the Senate, enough to break Republican filibusters and usher in a new era of progressive reform. We’ve got a plan to take advantage of every seat that’s in play, make even more races competitive, and create a progressive majority that will last for a generation. But it’s going to take sustained support from you to pull it off and there’s no time to waste. Can you contribute $15 per month (you can cancel at any time) from now through Election Day? Last year, the Senate Republicans obstructed numerous bills including stalling health insurance for the children who need it most and blocking a time-line to bring the troops home from Iraq. Now look at some of the proposals from the Democratic presidential candidates that will almost certainly take 60 votes in the Senate to pass: No more blank checks in Iraq...
I stopped reading here because this is a lie.
It does not take 60 votes in the Senate to pass No more blank checks in Iraq. It does not take a filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate — any more than it takes a veto-proof majority in the House — to halt blank-check funding for the Iraq War.
It doesn’t take positive legislation of any kind at all to halt funding for the Iraq War; all that it takes is a lack of any more laws to keep on funding it, whether in the form of regular budget line items or in the form of the repeated off-the-ledger infusions of cash which go to fund the Occupation’s perpetual state of emergency. Republican Senators can’t filibuster a non-bill and neither can President George W. Bush — or any President who might succeed him — veto it. It doesn’t take 60 Senators or 290 Representatives to stop bills from passing. All you need is a simple majority, which the Democrats already have, and have had for the last year and a half, and with which they have done worse than nothing over and over again.
The reason that those blank checks keep getting written, with Democrat Harry Reid and Democrat Nacy Pelosi’s signatures right by the X, is because the Democratic leadership, so-called, doesn’t give enough of a damn about ending the war to take on the political costs of blocking funding for it. The only reason that they could possibly think that doing what they want depends on having a larger majority than they already have is if what they want to do is something other than halting war funding.
The Democratic leadership clearly wants a larger majority in Congress, and they are going to keep on giving George Bush every dollar he asks for unless and until they get that larger majority. They don’t need the larger majority to stop sending him the money, so one of two things must be true. Either the Democratic leadership is waiting until they consolidate more political power so that they can pass a plan which will prolong the war rather than ending it, or else they are waiting until they consolidate more political power because they don’t want to end the war until after they’ve fully exploited it as a campaign issue in the upcoming Congressional and Presidential elections. In either case, the strategy is despicable. And in either case, it’s shameful to see a putatively antiwar group repeating their opportunistic lies.
No union with war-mongers, spiritually or politically.
Further reading:Nimda Virus Technical name Avast: Win32:Nimda
Avira: W32/Nimda.eml
BitDefender: Win32.Nimda.A@mm
ClamAV: W32.Nimda.eml
Eset: Win32/Nimda.A
Grisoft: I-Worm/Nimda
Kaspersky: Net-Worm.Win32.Nimda or I-Worm.Nimda
McAfee: Exploit-MIME.gen.ex
Sophos: W32/Nimda-A
Symantec: W32.Nimda.A@mm Type Multi-vector worm Point of origin China (alleged) Author(s) Multiple authors; one serving prison time Operating system(s) affected Windows 95 – XP Written in C++[1]
Nimda is a malicious file infecting computer worm. It quickly spread, surpassing the economic damage caused by previous outbreaks such as Code Red.
The first released advisory about this thread (worm) was released on September 18, 2001.[2] Due to the release date, exactly one week after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, some media quickly began speculating a link between the virus and Al Qaeda, though this theory ended up proving unfounded.
Nimda affected both user workstations (clients) running Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 or XP and servers running Windows NT and 2000.
The worm's name origin comes from the reversed spelling of "admin".
F-Secure found the text[3] "Concept Virus(CV) V.5, Copyright(C)2001 R.P.China" in the Nimda code, suggesting its country of origin.
Methods of infection [ edit ]
Nimda was so effective partially because it—unlike other infamous malware like the Morris worm or Code Red—uses five different infection vectors:
Email
Open network shares
Browsing of compromised web sites
exploitation of various Internet Information Services (IIS) 4.0 / 5.0 directory traversal vulnerabilities. (Both Code Red and Nimda were hugely successful exploiting well known and long solved vulnerabilities in the Microsoft IIS Server. [4] )
) Back doors left behind by the "Code Red II" and "sadmind/IIS" worms.
See also [ edit ]- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 26, 2011 Capitals Assign Three to Hershey Holtby to participate in AHL All-Star Game ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have assigned forwards Jay Beagle and Mathieu Perreault and goaltender Braden Holtby to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. The move, coinciding with the NHL All-Star Weekend, will allow Holtby to participate in the AHL All-Star festivities set for Sunday and Monday in Hershey (and televised live on Comcast SportsNet). All three players have spent time in both Hershey and Washington this season. Perreault has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 24 games with the Capitals, while Beagle has scored twice in 19 games. Holtby is 4-2-2 in eight appearances, with a 2.47 goals-against average and a.908 save percentage. The Capitals' next game is Tuesday, Feb. 1, at home against the Montreal Canadiens at 7:30 p.m.Have you been thinking about getting a smart thermostat? For many people, this is their first smart home device. It makes sense. You, like many others, probably still have the original thermostat that came with your home. If you can program it, it’s probably a pain to do so. You’ve been curious about what the hype is about and after doing lots of research, you’ve probably come to the same conclusion I did: the fight for #1 is Ecobee vs Nest.
Sure, there are some other smart thermostats out there. Honeywell also makes a pretty good thermostat. You can take your pick of all the other random thermostats on Amazon. Most of these are pretty good options and are certainly a big upgrade over your current dumb thermostat. At the end of the day, though, the true leaders in the industry are Ecobee and Nest.
In this article, I’m going to give you the pros and cons of each one. I’ll tell you why I ended up going with the Ecobee, where I still think it can improve, and what I think the Nest does better.
What’s the point?
If you are still on the fence about whether or not you need one, let’s talk about some of the features they both offer. These are features that aren’t usually available in dumb thermostats and are what make smart thermostats so much better.
Efficiency – aka Cost Savings
The Ecobee and Nest will both monitor your home. They both know how long it takes to heat up or cool down and they use that data to drive your AC. That equates to less electricity use overall.
Both thermostats will also continue to run your fan even after your compressor has been turned off. This is good because you will still have cool or warm air in your lines. There’s no point in keeping the air in your vents when you can actually use it in your home.
If you’re curious about how much money you’re saving, you’ll be happy to hear that both devices also offer an interface that shows you just that. It’ll show you just how much money they think it’s saved you, as well as how you compare to other homes in your neighborhood. You’ll also be able to see a schedule of how often each thermostat has turned your AC on and off.
Remote Access
Want to adjust the temperature while you’re not home? Both of these devices allow you to control them from your phone and web browser. Ecobee will work great with your SmartThings Hub, while Nest will work great with your Wink Hub. Both work great with my Amazon Echo Dot.
Read more: Best Smart Home Hubs for 2017
Lots of people question the purpose of remote access and ask me how often I really use this feature. In our case, we have family up in Pennsylvania, while we live in Texas. This means regular trips back up north. We also have pets at home. Even though I’ll put my thermostat into vacation mode while I’m gone, I like to stay up to date with what the actual temperature is in the house. I’ll check it at least once a day while I’m gone just for peace of mind.
Another thing they both offer is an alarm when the temperature is too high or too low. You can set the temperature maximum and minimum in the app. This alert comes up on the thermostat as well as on your phone, so even if you don’t check the temperature regularly, you will find out when you compressor has stopped working and your house can no longer be temperature controlled.
Reminders
One of the things I consistently forget is to change my AC filter. Thanks to my Ecobee, that is no longer the case. I now get an alert on my phone that reminds me to change my filter. I can set the interval, so if you’re like me and you have a bunch of pets, you can be reminded more often than someone who doesn’t have any.
On top of changing my filter, my Ecobee can also alert me about:
HVAC Maintenance – a reminder to do scheduled maintenance.
UV Lamp – a reminder to change the UV lamp.
Low Temperature – an alert if the temperature of my house goes below a certain value.
High Temperature – an alert if the temperature of my house goes above a certain value.
Low Humidity – an alert if the humidity of my house goes below a certain value.
High Humidity – an alert if the humidity of my house goes above a certain value.
Nest has these alerts, as well as an alert called a “Furnace Heads-Up”. If it notices that your furnace is having some power issues, it will alert you since this could be a sign that you’re about to have some serious problems.
Differences
Now that we’ve talked about some of the awesome feaures they both have, let’s get into what makes them different.
The biggest difference between the two, and ultimately the reason why I personally went with Ecobee, is that the Ecobee has remote sensors. That means that I can install a sensor in my bedroom, a sensor in our guest room, and a sensor in my daughter’s room. Since the thermostat itself is also a sensor, that gives me 4 actual temperature sensors in my house.
Ecobee then takes that data and uses the average for all of them to determine the temperature of the house. If my daughter’s room is too cold, it’ll bring the average temperature down and potentially trigger my heat.
Another cool thing the remote sensors do is monitor if someone is in the room (aka motion sensors). If the room is empty, and Follow Me is on, they won’t take that room’s temperature into account. This can also be used to detect whether or not you’re home. If you’re gone, the thermostat will adjust accordingly to save you money.
There are some downsides to this, though. My guest room, for example, is generally colder than the rest of the house. Our master bedroom, on the other hand, is generally just right. Since the guest room is cold, though, the whole house all of a sudden is affected because the heat is turned on to get the temperature back in an appropriate range. This has caused us to disable that sensor at times.
Now, you can get around this by getting smart vents. You can set them to open or close based on the temperature of the room relative to the rest of the house. At $200+ a pop, though, that can get expensive very quickly.
That being said, this was the primary feature for me that made me buy an Ecobee.
One of the areas that the Nest thermostat truly has the Ecobee beat is integration. Nest also offers several other awesome objects, such as a Smoke Detector. If your Nest Smoke Detector detects that there’s a fire in the house, it can trigger your Nest Thermostat to stop the AC and Fan from running. This will cause less smoke to go through your home and make it easier for you to evacuate.
Another thing that I really like more than the Ecobee thermostat is the design. Nest just looks cleaner. The interface is also simpler to use. With Ecobee, you will set the ranges that you want your temperature to be. With Nest, you start by manually adjusting the temperature. Over time, it starts to learn what temperature you want and when. It then adjusts the temperature on its own.
Nest also adjusts to you being out of the house. Using its own sensors and your phone’s location, it will adjust the temperature to one that saves energy if you’re not home.
Overall, even though it wasn’t my pick, it’s still a great thermostat and will still be an excellent addition to any home.
Conclusion
So in conclusion, you have to ask yourself: what are you looking for in a smart thermostat? You can’t lose with either of these. Both are very strong competitors, each with its own unique features. Both will make your home a lot smarter and both will save you money. Like everything else in smart homes, you just need to find what works best for you.
In my case, the winner in the Ecobee vs Nest debate, for now, is Ecobee.
Read next: Best Smart Garage Door Opener OptionsIndustry 4.0 is the embrace of full production line connectivity, cyber physical systems, data exchange & immediate analysis, and movement of manufacturing from solution to service focus, this having a big impact on global production and engineers. Industry 4.0 is not just about technology innovation but it is also about innovation in business models and procedures.
Has it already impacted you significantly? What do you expect in the upcoming year?
Please join us to create a report to bring to light the current and future influence of Industry 4.0 on the engineering community. The results of this survey will be compiled into a report that all participants will be able to access and use for free.
The survey will take about 5-10 minutes. Once completed, you will have a chance to win 1 out 20 SimScale Professional CAE Training sessions.
We would already like to thank you for your time.The Hall of Nations area towards the British Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. (Photo: Library of Congress)
The World’s Fair of 1939-1940 was conceived as a way to pull New York out of the doldrums of the Great Depression. The fair’s theme was “Dawn of a New Day,” and in order to create this gleaming vision of the future, the vast ash dumps of Corona, Queens were transformed into a glittering playground with expansive displays from 60 countries, all trying to out-do one another.
The USSR built a life-sized replica of a Moscow metro station. In the British Pavilion, visitors could marvel at the Magna Carta and the Crown Jewels, while in the French Pavilion, the celebrated Le Pavilion restaurant proved so popular it would move to Manhattan after the fair.
The fair’s hometown was not so lucky. New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses and Chief of Police Grover Whalen, who together spearheaded the site’s evolution from a place the New York Times described as having “dog-sized rats” that skittered through ash mounds that “towered as high as 90 feet” to a suitable place for President Roosevelt to visit, picked the perfectly wrong time for such a spectacle. In 1939, the world was teetering on the precipice of war. The buttons handed out by General Motors, which read “I Have Seen The Future,” suddenly took on an ominous meaning.
The first season of the World’s Fair ran from April to October 1939; in the fall, Adolf Hitler set into motion the events that would start the Second World War. Poland, invaded on the first day of September, draped their pavilion in large black cloths, and Czechoslovakia didn’t open theirs at all.
An oblique view of the Helicline, the curved walkway that led to the Perisphere. (Photo: Library of Congress)
President Roosevelt dedicated the Fair, and it was broadcast by the medium of the future, the television. Visitors marveled at wondrous new inventions like the fax machine, air conditioning and an eight-foot tall robot that could walk, talk and even smoke. Futuristic architecture lined wide pastel-colored avenues. The fair was promoted as the eighth wonder of the world, a world dominated by U.S. industry and enterprise.
The newest Ford cars endlessly circled the Avenue of Tomorrow. The Westinghouse Corporation planted a time capsule to be opened in 5,000 years that included artifacts that ranged from Albert Einstein’s writing to a pack of Camel cigarettes. Salvador Dali’s “Dream of Venus” installation featured barely clad women dressed as pianos and mermaids in a surreal dream world. Many of the rides, including the parachute drop, would eventually end their days at Coney Island’s amusement park.
During his opening speech, FDR declared that “we Americans offer up a silent prayer that on the Continent of Europe, from which the American hemisphere was principally colonized, the years to come will break down many barriers to intercourse between nations—barriers which may be historic, but which....have led to strife and have hindered friendship and normal intercourse.” The sentiment was in line with the views of most American citizens, who favored staying out of the “mess” in Europe.
But Germany was not the only country trafficking in dangerous rhetoric at the time. New York was also home to a large number of Nazi sympathizers. The pro-fascist German American Bund had been set up in 1936 to promote Nazi Germany in the U.S., with members drawn from the country’s German immigrant population. Founder Fritz Julius Kuhn soon assembled a sizable faction of supporters.
German American Bund parade in New York City on East 86th St, October 1939. (Photo: Library of Congress)
Pro-Nazi marches complete with swastika banners took place on the Upper East Side and down Fifth Avenue. On February 20, 1939, 20,000 Nazi sympathizers chanting “Heil Hitler” attended a rally at Madison Square Garden, the stage decorated with twin banners of Hitler and George Washington. During the summer, Penn Station ran trains, the so-called “Camp Siegfried Specials,” to Yaphank, Long Island, where Bund-organized training camps taught shooting, camping, survivalist, and eugenics classes, and promised German-American patriots that “you will meet people who think like you do.” The rallies and camps drew increasingly hostile protests from anti-German groups.
As tensions rose in the city, so too did the violence. On June 20th, 1940, a bomb ripped apart the offices of the Communist Daily Worker at 35 East 12th Street. That same day, a time bomb exploded at 17 Battery Place, home of the German consulate. On June 21st, a call was placed to Manhattan police headquarters saying that the Bund was going to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.
On Independence Day, over in Flushing Meadows Park, the glittering science fiction landscape drawing thousands of visitors a day was suddenly torn apart when a bomb went off at the World’s Fair.
Trylon & Perisphere at the World’s Fair. (Photo: Library of Congress)
Detective Joseph Lynch was a college graduate and trained pharmacist from the Bronx. Originally a teacher at Fordham University, with plans to open his own apothecary, the Great Depression led him to seek a more stable way to support his wife and five children. He decided to join the New York City Police Department, where his high level of education quickly propelled him to the elite ranks of the Bomb and Forgery Squad.
On July 4th, 1940, Lynch was on call, but enjoying the holiday at home. About an hour before he was due to finish his shift, a call came in that a suspicious package had been reported at the World’s Fair. Taking his sister’s car, he raced to the Polish neighborhood of Greenpoint, Brooklyn to pick up his partner, Ferdinand Socha.
Socha was also college educated, and had studied medicine. Like Lynch, he was accelerated to the bomb squad. He was off-duty that day, but volunteered to accompany his partner to Flushing Meadows Park to investigate.
Patrolman Emil Vyskocil’s ID pass for the World’s Fair. (Photo: Luke Spencer)
At the popular British Pavilion, the telephone switchboard operator had received an anonymous call saying that there was a bomb planted in the exhibit. The caller claimed the place was going to blow up and she should “get out.”
A suspicious satchel had been discovered by an electrician in the ventilation room in an upper level of the packed British Pavilion. Patrol officers gingerly removed the case to a more remote area behind the Polish Pavilion, where it would wait for the Bomb Squad. Arriving on the scene, Socha and Lynch could hear the case still ticking.
Back then, the bomb squad had little in the way of protective clothing and safety equipment. As NYPD detectives, Socha and Lynch were dressed in regular suits. All they had going in was their experience, bravery, and simple tools.
Using a pocketknife, Socha cut a small hole in the case. Lynch looked through tentatively. “It’s the business,” Lynch said to his partner. Those were the last words he ever spoke.
Detectives Ferdinand Socha and Joseph J. Lynch, as shown in a news story about the bombing. Photo: Luke Spencer)
The bomb was later estimated to be the equivalent of around 12 sticks of dynamite. The blast carved a hole in the ground five feet wide and three feet deep, immediately killing Detectives Lynch and Socha. Patrolman Emil Vyskocil had been hurrying bystanders away when the bomb exploded. He suffered terrible injuries from shrapnel fragments to his back and legs. Detectives William Federer, Martin Schuchman, and Joseph Gallagher were also badly injured in the blast.
The Police Department quickly began an investigation into the tragedy. Naturally, it was a high priority case. But three-quarters of a century later, the NYPD is still looking for answers.
My NYPD contact is Bernard Whalen, who has served in the police force since 1981. Together with his father, a former New York state corrections officer, Jon Whalen, he wrote a book outlining the history of The NYPD’s First 50 Years. For Bernard, who has done extensive research into the World’s Fair bombing, the bravery of those officers remains so meaningful that the book is dedicated “in recognition of the heroism the displayed on that fateful afternoon in the finest tradition of the NYPD.”
Bernard Whalen, long time veteran of the NYPD and author, by the memorial 75 years after the bombing. (Photo: Luke Spencer)
Walking around the Chinatown neighborhood that for many years was his precinct, Whalen explained that he “felt they were kind of forgotten in history. People don’t remember what was in reality a very serious incident.” Compared to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the bombing of the World’s Fair is hardly known or taught.
According to Whalen, the NYPD began rounding up leading Nazi sympathizers shortly after the bombing. Members of the Communist Party, the Irish Republican Army and the extremist Christian Front were also questioned. As it had been the British Pavilion that was targeted, primary suspicion fell upon the German American Bund.
One of the first arrests took place the very next day, July 5, 1940, with a raid at the Bund offices on West 181st Street. Former member Caesar Kroger was seized along with several Lugers and rolled-up maps of the U.S. with prominent locations marked on them.
Grimly bent on avenging their comrades, policemen combed the city for the person or persons whose time bomb killed the detectives. But no evidence could tie the German American Bund to the bombing, and as the investigation floundered, an unprecedented reward was offered, with $1,000 coming from the police union and $25,000 from the city, a figure Whalen explains is “roughly around $500,000 today.”
Joseph J. Lynch’s medal for valor. (Courtesy of Easter Miles)
While responsibility for the bombing focused on Britain’s enemies, Whalen says that an alternate theory isn’t out of the realm of possibility, that the bomb was planted by the British themselves as an inside job. Left virtually isolated against Germany, Churchill was desperate for American aid. Meanwhile, American involvement in Europe was the last thing Hitler wanted, so why carry out an act of terrorism that would only help propel the U.S. into the war?
The ventilation room where the bomb was placed was not open to the public, and Whalen says its existence would only have been known to people with inside knowledge of the British Pavilion. British security staff guarded the Crown Jewels and Magna Carta. The anonymous call that warned of the bomb could have in theory prevented any casualties, while at the same time generating sympathy for Britain. “One of first things that came out of the bombing was anti-German sentiment,” says Whalen.
The role the US would play in the war, if any, was assumed to be decisive to the conflict’s outcome. Leading up to the Fair, Whalen says, “you had competing governments coming to Washington to try and persuade Roosevelt to either enter the war or stay isolationist.”
The front page of the New York Herald Tribune the day after the bombing. (Courtesy of Easter Miles)
A devastating bomb at the World’s Fair and a large body count could have possibly have swayed public opinion in the way the sinking of the Lusitania did in World War I.
The case of the exploding bomb at the World’s Fair was all but forgotten as news reports filtered in about Nazi aggression and atrocities in Europe. But it remained painfully real for the families Socha and Lynch left behind. Detective Socha and his wife had no children, and she eventually remarried, even though it meant losing her NYPD’s widow’s pension.
Meanwhile, Detective Lynch’s young wife, Easter, was left with five children to support but never remarried. The detective’s wake was held in the Bronx family home, and over 5,000 people came to pay their respects, including Babe Ruth, who signed the book of remembrance.
Lynch’s eldest daughter, who shares her mother’s name, was just 10 at the time. Today, aged 85, she has worked tirelessly from her home in Orange, Connecticut to keep the memory of her father’s bravery alive.
Easter Miles, daughter of Detective Lynch, at the plaque. (Photo: Luke Spencer)
“I grew up overnight,” Easter Lynch (now Easter Miles) says. “When I found out, I said, ‘Who’s going to take care of my mother?’”
At 12, Easter started working in a bakery. By the age of 17 she was working in finance and studying business at Fordham’s evening school to help support the family. “My mother was a heroine,” Easter says. “She didn’t take welfare, and four out of the five children went to college, each one sharper than the next.”
The bomb squad did their best to help, too. “The squad was very close-knit. Before my father and Socha died, there had only been six of them in it,” Easter says. “They pitched in and became our surrogate fathers. They took us to the circus and to ball games. They were there at Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
But little support came from either the World’s Fair Corporation or the British government. Lord Halifax, who became the U.K.’s ambassador to the U.S. in 1940, sent the Lynch family an engraved silver dish on behalf of the British government, “in recognition of the gallantry of her husband Detective Joseph Lynch.”
The silver dish presented to Easter Lynch from Lord Halifax representing the British Government. (Courtesy of Easter Miles)
Easter recalls her mother sending a telegram to the King and Queen of England, saying: “Thank you for your dish. If I had a house where I could use this for calling cards, it would be greatly appreciated. A basket of fruit to feed my children would be much better.”
Throughout the years, Easter has steadfastly collected an archive of newspaper clippings and reports of the case and the heroic sacrifices made by her father, Socha and the other severely injured officers.
During the 1964-65 World’s Fair, which took place at the same site in Flushing Meadows Park, a plaque for the bombing victims of 1939 was commemorated. Years later, the plaque had fallen into disrepair, and resembled little more than a manhole cover. Easter Miles led the petition to have it restored to where it lies today, outside the Queens Museum, the sole building left over from the 1939-40 World’s Fair.
Today the plaque, which lies largely unnoticed in a flowerbed by the Queens Museum’s left wall, is one of the few markers of this early terrorist attack on American soil.
The plaque outside the Queens Museum commemorating the World’s Fair bombing of July 4th 1940. (Photo: Luke Spencer)
The memorial reads:
This plaque is dedicated to the memory of detectives
Joseph J. Lynch and Ferdinand A. Socha
Bomb and Forgery Squad
Who were killed in the line of duty while examining a time bomb taken from the British Pavilion of the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow Park at 4:45pm on July 4th, 1940.
On the recent 75th anniversary of the bombing, a memorial service was held at the site of the plaque. While the murderers of Socha and Lynch have never been caught, the terrorist attack of 1940 did lead to almost immediate improvements in equipment and safety protocols for the Bomb Squad, including the invention of the LaGuardia Pyke bomb carrier truck, which would carry explosive devices away in greater safety.
The case of the exploding bomb at the World’s Fair remains one of the New York Police Department’s most poignant open files.
The $26,000 reward is still there.A survey has leaked ideas for a new $14.99 story-based Dragon Age: Inquisition downloadable content add-on.
BioWare said earlier this month that "we're not quite done with story content for DAI just yet", suggesting more would come.
The survey was received and separately verified by people on the Dragon Age forum and Reddit.
The survey talked about the DLC involving "the final fate of the Inquisition" and describes it as "a last adventure" as well as "your next mission". This suggests it is both the next piece of DLC and the final piece of story DLC. There has been one other story DLC in Jaws of Hakkon, which came out earlier this year.
A picture of one person's survey email.
The content of the new DLC revolves around confronting "the one who started it all" and about facing "a great evil before it is too late". Are these one and the same being - the being in the revelatory epilogue who I don't want to name for spoiler reasons? Let's hope so - it's a major loose end. Creative director Mike Laidlaw has already told us there is desire to pursue this discussion, but not end it, in future DAI content. Could the rest be saved for a future game?
Anyway, the full email blurb follows. It's titled, "Decide the final fate of the Inquisition as new threats emerge."
It reads: "Having saved the world of Thedas by closing the Breach, your next mission will determine the future of the Inquisition. Your mark suddenly glows, erupting with magic connected to the Fade. Assassins attack in shadow. An invasion of enemies begins. Win a race against time to face a great evil before it is too late. In this story-based expansion, playable after the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, you will embark on a last adventure with your team to confront the one who started it all."
A bullet-point list of features adds:
"Test your mettle against the full force of the disciplined and battle-hardened Qunari army"
"Explore diverse, new areas as you fight the threat across the whole of Thedas"
"Uncover secrets of the Fade that will change your understanding of the world as you know it"
"Prove your skill with a new, optional gameplay mode that challenges even the most seasoned veteran"
Where did a Qunari army come from? Is that a harder difficulty mode or some kind of wave-based mode? Are those secrets of the Fade related to the Inquisitor's mark? Explore the "whole of Thedas" - as in, beyond Orlais and Ferelden, the kingdoms in DAI? The Dragon Age: Inquisition forum members discuss all this - and have some great ideas along the way.
Note, the features mentioned above may not be nailed down but represent EA testing various ideas out. One or more could be omitted from whatever DLC finally arrives.
What isn't mentioned is the Deep Roads area that BioWare had |
, Sanders thanked voters in Maine where he said the large margin of victory shows he can be competitive nationwide. "With another double-digit victory, we have now won by wide margins in states from New England to the Rocky Mountains and from the Midwest to the Great Plains," declared Sanders. "This weekend alone we won in Maine, Kansas and Nebraska. The pundits might not like it but the people are making history. We now have the momentum to go all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia."
According to local reporting from across the state, it appears—in addition to the obvious support for his political message—that record turnout was the driving factor for Sanders' win. In a tweet, the Maine Democratic Party said the number of voters on Sunday was unprecedented in state history. "More Maine Democrats caucused today than ever before," said the message.
And as the Bangor Daily News reports:
Volunteers from many of the roughly 500 caucus sites in Maine reported heavy turnouts, in some areas rivaling the flood of Democrats who turned out in 2008, Barack Obama’s first shot at the presidency. The line of people waiting to get into the Portland caucus at Deering High School stretched more than half a mile. Some people reported waiting more than three hours before being able to register and vote in that caucus. SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Help Keep Common Dreams Alive Our progressive news model only survives if those informed and inspired by this work support our efforts
In Brunswick and several other locations, most of Sunday’s planned program of speeches by local candidates and consideration of party bylaws was canceled because of the heavy turnout. In Brunswick, there were still hundreds of people waiting in line as the scheduled caucus starting time came and went. “It’s amazing,” said Brunswick caucus chairwoman Trish Reilly. “There were people already waiting here at noon,” two hours before the caucus was scheduled to start.
As this video posted to the newspaper's website shows, the line at this caucus site in the city of Portland stretched multiple blocks:
Following the weekend contests and ahead of the Democratic primary in Michigan on Tuesday, Clinton continues to hold a sizable, though certainly surmountable, lead in terms of pledged delegates. According to the latest breakdown by Real Clear Politics, Clinton currently has won 658 pledged delegates compared to Sanders who has won 471. In terms of superdelegates — elected lawmakers as well as former and current party officials who can support the candidate of their choice —Clinton currently enjoys the declared support of 458 while Sanders has the public support of just 22.
However, none of the approximately 712 superdelegates are bound to their declared choice until the national convention this summer.
As independent journalist Kevin Gosztola points out in an essay on posted Sunday, the U.S. media has been doing a great disservice by frequently mis-reporting the total delegate count. "Any media outlet, which reports'super delegates' as part of one lump sum," explained Gosztola, "is doing the Clinton campaign a huge favor, whether that outlet intends to do so or not."
It takes a total of 2,383 delegates (out of a total of 4,763) to win the Democratic nomination.
*Update: This post was updated to better describe the current delegate breakdown, specifically the difference between pledged delegates and superdelegates.Punctuation, as any dictionary will tell you, consists of the marks that dance around the letters of a text to mark clauses, sentences and inflection.1 What, though, is minimal punctuation? Is it in the range of marks that a writer uses? Ernest Hemingway wrote famously minimalist prose, for instance, where marks such as the semicolon (;), the ellipsis (…) and the dash (–) are notable mostly for their absence. The Old Man and the Sea contains but one colon and one exclamation mark, and is none the worse for it.2
What of punctuation marks themselves? There is a very definite scale of complexity when it comes to punctuation, ranging from ostentatious symbols such as the manicule (☞) and asterism (⁂) all the way down to the humble comma (,) and apostrophe (’). Sitting at the bottom of the scale, the full stop (.) is surely simplest of all, and yet it is possible to step beyond even its mathematical irreducibility. The most minimal mark of punctuation is not a mark at all: it is the space between words.
Writing in ancient Greece was broken by neither marks nor spaces. Lines of closely-packed letters ran left to right across the page and back again like a farmer ploughing a field.3 The sole aid to the reader was the paragraphos, a simple horizontal stroke in the margin that indicated something of interest on the corresponding line. It was up to the reader to work out what, exactly, had been highlighted in this fashion: a change of topic, perhaps; a new stanza in a poem; or a change in speaker in a drama.456
Punctuation itself – literally, the act of adding “points” to a text – did not arrive until the third century BC, when Aristophanes of the great Library at Alexandria described a series of middle (·), low (.) and high points (˙) denoting short, medium and long pauses.4 Over the centuries, this system gave rise to punctuation as we know it: from Aristophanes’ three dots came the colon, the full stop, and many other marks besides. At the same time the paragraphos evolved into the “pilcrow”, a C-shaped mark (¶) placed at the start of each new section in a text.7 The word space was a late arrival, appearing only when monks in medieval England and Ireland began splitting apart unfamiliar Latin texts to make them easier to read.
Then, in the mid-1450s, Gutenberg published his famed 42-line Bible,8 and everything changed overnight. Spaces, once as wide or as narrow as a scribe chose to make them, begat an extended family of fixed widths, from hair spaces ( ) up to em quads ( ), that printers required to justify lines. Once carefully painted in by hand, pilcrows became too time-consuming to add; left out, their ghostly absences gave rise to the indented paragraph.9
In the end, even a simple word space, paragraph or full stop carries the weight of centuries of tradition and evolution. Like Hemingway, we may prefer to leave out colons, semicolons and dashes, but as long as we do our readers the favour of spacing words, finishing sentences and breaking paragraphs, there can be no such thing as minimal punctuation.(Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury warned banks on Tuesday to be on the look-out for potentially suspicious transfers of financial assets by Ukraine’s fugitive President Viktor Yanukovich or members of his inner circle.
Yanukovich is on the run after being toppled by bloody street protests in which police snipers killed demonstrators.
An advisory from the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) said that U.S. financial institutions “should be aware of the possible impact that public reports of high-level corruption by senior members of the Yanukovich administration and other illicit activity by members of the administration may have on patterns of financial activity”.
FinCEN said it was reminding banks they were required to apply “enhanced scrutiny” to accounts held by Yanukovich or his circle “and to monitor transactions that could potentially represent misappropriated or diverted state assets”.
Ukraine’s parliament voted on Tuesday to send Yanukovich to the International Criminal Court over police violence against protesters which it said had led to the deaths of more than 100 citizens of Ukraine and other states.
The country’s new leaders have appealed for urgent international aid, saying it needed $35 billion over the next two years. Acting President Oleksander Turchinov warned that Ukraine was close to default and “heading into the abyss”.(Reuters) - A resurgent U.S. housing market has created an unforeseen land shortage that could take the shine off an otherwise promising year for homebuilders.
A lone carpenter carries plywood flooring at a building site of Mid-Atlantic Builders' 'The Villages of Savannah' in Brandywine, Maryland May 31, 2013. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
To keep up with demand, builders who neglected to buy land during the downturn must now pay top dollar for prized city-center locations. Their profit margins are likely to be squeezed this year, even as house prices rise.
“Builders waited so long to buy land that, when the recovery happened, it was very strong and they got caught short,” said Tobias Welo, a portfolio manager at Fidelity Investments.
The quickest solution for the big players, according to some analysts and fund managers, will be to snap up small, privately owned builders facing the opposite problem: plenty of land but limited access to bank finance.
The Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction index.DJUSHB has regained much of the ground lost in the second half of 2013, when rising mortgage rates and wider economic uncertainty broke an 18-month winning streak for homebuilder stocks.
With anecdotal evidence from homebuilders and mortgage brokers suggesting a pick-up in demand for residential housing, analysts are forecasting an average 18 percent jump in the value of the leading U.S. homebuilders this year, according to Thomson Reuters data.
The average forecast covers D.R. Horton Inc (DHI.N), PulteGroup Inc (PHM.N), Lennar Corp (LEN.N), KB Home (KBH.N) and Toll Brothers Inc (TOL.N).
David Crowe, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders, expects new home construction in the United States to rise by about 25 percent this year, up from 18 percent last year.
But his forecast is conditional on homebuilders buying enough land in sought-after urban areas. If they don’t, he said, the rate of increase could be half his original estimate.
James Krapfel, analyst at Morningstar Inc, forecast new home construction growth at 16 percent this year - a slower rate than last year - due in part to the shortage of developed land.
Not everyone is affected equally. Lennar, the third-largest U.S. homebuilder, and Toll Brothers, the biggest luxury builder, bulked up their land banks with a string of low-cost land acquisitions during the 2008-2010 economic downturn.
Toll Brothers has accumulated a bigger land bank than most - enough to last more than 12 years, compared with an average 7.4 years for the top five U.S. homebuilders, according to data published by Tri Pointe Homes Inc (TPH.N) in November.
Less acquisitive during the downturn, D.R. Horton, the largest U.S. homebuilder, and PulteGroup, its nearest peer, are more likely to feel the shortage, analysts said.
PulteGroup has land supply to last about seven years, the data from Tri Pointe showed.
D.R. Horton and PulteGroup did not respond to requests for comment for this article.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
GRAPHIC: U.S. land financing r.reuters.com/juq97v
GRAPHIC: Construction spending r.reuters.com/xef94t
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SCOUTING FOR LAND
To date, homebuilders have turned the land shortage to their advantage. It has even helped them to raise prices as Americans adjust to higher mortgage rates in a stabilizing economy.
For D.R. Horton, the three-month period ended December 31 was its most profitable first quarter since 2006. Its average sales price rose 10 percent to $275,600, with a “very strong” spring selling season yet to come.
In the same quarter, PulteGroup’s revenue growth was driven by a 13 percent increase in its average sales price, even as the company slowed the pace of new-home building.
But time is running out for ambitious homebuilders short of land, who must typically spend between two and five years readying raw land for development. Land near city centers, known in the industry as ‘A’ lots, is especially hard to come by.
“The run-up in land prices has been huge. What someone paid for land last year may not even work today,” said Scott Laurie, chief executive of privately owned Californian builder Olson Homes, which plans to spend at least 25 percent more on land purchases in 2014 than last year.
Acquiring smaller, private companies with a foothold in urban locations could be the quickest way for big homebuilders to grow their land banks - and the feeling could be mutual.
Private companies have found it more difficult to secure financing since the crisis: U.S. land development financing totaled around $210 billion in the fourth quarter last year, only a third of the level in early 2008, data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp showed. (r.reuters.com/gun97v)
Ryland Group Inc RYL.N has said it wants to buy homebuilders that would add to its land bank, having already acquired Lionsgate Homes in Dallas, which gave it access to 885 developed lots and homes. (r.reuters.com/wyx28v)
Tri Pointe and Toll Brothers also announced deals late last year that gave them access to developed lots in California.
“The attractiveness of a private builder to a public builder is its land position,” said Hollis Greenlaw, chief executive of United Development Funding, which manages funds holding more than $1 billion for investment in homes.
“They don’t need any more homebuilding talent. What they want is those land positions.”ATLANTA -- Turner Field is a thing of the past.
While a lot of the old signage is still up, there's a pretty prominent reminder on the back of the scoreboard what is to come: college football.
Georgia State began construction on the former home of the Atlanta Braves in February. The university is retrofitting the baseball stadium into a football stadium for the Panthers. Already, that's required entire sections of seats to be demolished, like those near the right field foul line to make space for an end zone. Construction workers have knocked down the outfield wall and seats, with plans to restore some of them.
"The job that's being done is incredible," Athletic Director Charlie Cobb told 11Alive on Friday. "Each and every time I walk in, I see something new being done."
Georgia State is currently in phase one of its plan for the stadium, which means downsizing it to 23,000 seats while ultimately getting the stadium to a usable state to play football in. Phase one will be completed prior to the team's home opener on Aug. 31 against Tennessee State.
Phase two will be the following year and includes building out the rest of the stadium and adding more seats. But the plans are evolving, according to Cobb. The stadium is just part of a larger $300 million project with the developer, Carter, to turn the 68-acre area into a mixed-use development. Cobb said they are on time and on budget.
"This whole facility will probably evolve for the next 5, 10 years to what it will become long term. What may be here today is not tomorrow, and that's strictly because of what's here in the stadium," Cobb said.
There is a chance Georgia State could decide to knock out some of the right field stands and build something in the stadium like classroom space, dorms, a market or an indoor practice facility. The possibilities are endless, and Georgia State is still exploring them while examining the current infrastructure.
The Braves didn't take everything with them when they vacated the stadium to leave for their new home in Cobb County, SunTrust Park. So as the construction process continues, Georgia State finds pieces of history-- including from the Olympics-- from time to time. Every time something is found, the university must figure out how it wants to feature it in the stadium.
While the goal is to make the stadium feel like the home of the Panthers, the plan is not to entirely wipe any memory of the Braves or Olympics away.
"We plan on doing some unique things capturing the history of the stadium, but also creating a football facility that speaks to Georgia State," Cobb said, adding what they hope to accomplish might surprise a few people but would not elaborate.
Georgia State only acquired the stadium in January after purchasing it for $22.8 million. So while the plans have been in place for some time, Georgia State only just began putting them in motion. That means some of the game day amenities are still being figured out.
For example, will there continue to be alcohol at Georgia State games like there was when the Panthers played at the Georgia Dome? It's something they are looking into, in addition to other amenities that are now possible in a stadium they can call their own. But they are just now getting to explore those possibilities.
The Panthers used to spend roughly $100,000 per event at the Georgia Dome while not making any money off of things like concessions. Now, they'll control everything, including the naming rights to the stadium which has yet to be sold, but will likely bring in millions.
But the most important source of revenue: ticket sales.
Georgia State is ahead of schedule when it comes to season ticket sales and has only just begun selling them.
"We expect to set records," Cobb said about tickets.
Winning will help future ticket sales, and while the Panthers went to their first bowl game in 2015, last season they only racked up three wins. New head coach Shawn Elliott was hired to be the head coach to lead the program into its new era.
"I tip my hat to what coach Curry and Miles and what the staff did to get us where we are now. This is obviously a transformational piece for us and what Coach Elliott and his staff can do. We need to win some games, we need to be competitive. We feel like where we are at in the stage of the development of the program, we're there," Cobb said.
The stadium's effects on recruiting have already been felt.
"We've seen the benefit from the Braves playing here for 20 years. Our coaches went recruiting this fall, especially kids who are familiar with downtown, most of them have been to a Braves game, their parents have been with them for a Braves game. So, it answered the question of familiarity. So as we do the conversion and turn it into a football facility, give it a new name, it only helps us," Cobb said.
Over the years, Georgia State has gradually been expanding and taking over Downtown Atlanta. The expansion continues, not only with the football stadium, but also with the 68 acres of land that will include a new baseball stadium, classrooms, dorms and a mixed-use development planned by Carter.
It's the next chapter for Georgia State, and the next chapter for a venue that has seen people come and go.
"One of the stories we want to tell is the fact that it went from being an Olympic venue, to the home of the Braves, and now to the home of Georgia State," Cobb said. "I think we can write that third chapter."Police have arrested a 36-year-old American man on suspicion of smuggling marijuana hidden inside candy into Japan.
According to Kanagawa prefectural police, Ryan White, 36, imported 208 pieces of candy, which contained 7.8 grams of marijuana inside them, via air mail that arrived at Narita international airport on Nov 29, Fuji TV reported. White, who came to Japan in mid-November, was working at a restaurant in Nozawa Onzen, Nagano Prefecture, at the time.
The marijuana was discovered in the candy box by a Kanagawa customs officer and then sent on to White.
Police said White has admitted to the charge and said he asked a friend to send the package to him. He was quoted as saying he needed the marijuana as relief from pain from a snowboarding injury and that he paid $600 for it.
© Japan TodayThe New York Police Department (NYPD) is the star of yet another cellphone video of an arrest that may have involved excessive force. You can watch the chaotic scene, with officers meeting resistance not just from their target but residents in the area too, below:
What did the man on the ground do to attract all those cops toward him to effect an arrest? This is your drug war. He was allegedly seen with a little bit of marijuana (something New York's progressive apologists insist has been decriminalized in the city). PIX 11 provides details:
Police say officers in Bedford Stuyvesant saw 32-year-old Jahmiel Cuffee in possession of a small amount of marijuana on Tuesday night in front of 223 Malcolm X Blvd. The video picks up after an officer asks Cuffee for ID. He hands over the ID, but resists arrest. One officer pulls his gun, but once they get Cuffee to the ground, it gets worse. In the video, an officer is seen walking away, then coming back and making a motion with his foot. "He abruptly stomped on top of the gentleman's head," said Gary Dormer, who recorded what happened on his cell phone. "He lifted his foot with excessive force and came down like he was stepping on an ant or a roach or something at the time."
To the cops' credit, none of them appeared to try to confiscate any of the cellphones recording the scene, although it's possible they would've been unable to even if they tried. The NYPD says Cuffee was injured during the arrest, but not on his head and that it is at least his eighth arrest for marijuana.
Community activists demand the cop who allegedly head-stomped Cuffee be removed from the job because the "officer cannot represent our community and work for us if he's going to violate people's rights." New York City's police abuse problem is inextricably linked to its policing priorities. So long as appearing tough on crime (read: drugs, especially in minority communities) wins votes for the Democrats in charge of the city no amount of agitation may be enough to change things. If you keep voting for the same people pushing the same policies you'll keep getting the same results, even if your rhetoric insists you support something else. There is no "right way" to arrest someone for possessing marijuana because it's not something police should be arresting people for.Easily one of the wackiest ideas of recent times, Octodad: Dadliest Catch was one of our most anticipated games and, despite a few flaws, one of my favourites from the year so far. It released on PC a few months ago, allowing me to review it at that point, but is now coming out on PS4 with next week’s PS Store updates.
Importantly, Young Horses have taken the time since the January PC release to refine the game further, adjusting some of the more troublesome aspects and adding additional control options. I actually played it with a DualShock 4 already, but with the PS4 release, there’s also support for PS Move.
For those of us in the EU, it’s going to be £11.99/€13.99, but this is something that is rather contentious. It turns out that the US has a PS+ discount on day one, making it $11.99 rather than $14.99, which the EU will not have until later down the line. In response to the understandably miffed comments, Phil Tibitoski, President and Co-Founder of Young Horses, gave the following explanation:
We tried to get the discount in for EU as well, but the scheduling of PS+ sales ended up being a different more lengthy process than we thought. We ended up having to make the decision of delaying the release a few weeks or running the sale later and releasing now. No worries if you want to wait for a sale. Sorry for the trouble.
It sounds like another of those classic little slip ups that we can quite regularly see with SCEE’s approval process. So, if you’re on the fence about the game and want to save a few quid, you’ll be best served waiting a few weeks for a PS+ discount to be applied.
Then again, you could always dive right in and flail your way down supermarket aisles like an octopus that just doesn’t care.
Via EU PS BlogStarting on Friday, October 7, Canalside will be getting into the Halloween action. For the first time, the Inner Harbor will be home to three haunted houses throughout the Halloween season. The five nights of scary fun are presented by District of the Dead Haunted House.
This is a brand new set up for these horrifying Halloween specialists, who have been scaring countless Buffalonians over the years. For their first year at Canalside, the gruesome group will be installing three different haunted attractions, which will be a real treat for anyone who can handle a few thrills and chills. See dates and times below:
There’s even an event series for the kids this year, with nothing super scary. At the same time, they will feel that they are part of the Halloween action. There will be face painting, kid friendly characters, the lights will be on, and flashlights will be provided. This is perfect for families that want to experience all of the fun at the waterfront, without having to worry about being afraid of the things that go bump in the night. See below for dates and times:
For all of the details, head to Facebook. Or learn more about all of the Fright Night at Canalside offerings at BuffaloFear.com.
District of the Dead Haunted House | Night Show | General Admission | Starts Friday, October 7, 2016 | 7 PM – 11 PM | $20 | Tickets available at Canalside Pavilion Building | Cash, credit and debit are accepted
Halloween Family Fun Lights on Tour | Saturday/Sunday afternoons | $7 per admission
Canalside | 44 Prime Street | Buffalo, New YorkPolyglot A program in eight languages
How to use Polyglot It's pretty simple: Download the source and rename it to polyglot. [ cob | pas | f77 | c | ps | sh | com | pl ] Compile and run with your favorite compiler and operating system. Notes: We have attempted to use only standard language features. Without the -traditional flag, gcc will issue a warning. When transfering from Linux/Unix to MS-DOS/Windows make sure that a LF is correctly translated into a CR/LF. Keep the blank lines at the start of the program. They are important.
10th Anniversary Edition Polyglot turned 10 years old in February 2001. Kev thought it needed an update, so he added perl, and fixed the x86 machine language to work with Win32. We felt pretty smug about getting another language in there, so we thought we'd submit it to the The International Obfuscated C Code Contest. Months later, when the results were finally announced, we failed to get a mention.
History A long time ago (1990) some people were talking about polyglot programs in rec.puzzles. A couple of programs were posted that worked in two or three languages, and we thought that was pretty cool. We thought we'd have a go, and wrote our own. It was fun. Some time later, we posted it back to the newsgroup. And later still, we put up this web page (http://ideology.com.au/polyglot).Process of moving air into and out of the lungs
"Breath" redirects here. For other uses, see Breath (disambiguation)
X-ray video of a female American alligator while breathing.
Breathing (or respiration, or ventilation) is the process of moving air into and out of the lungs to facilitate gas exchange with the internal environment, mostly by bringing in oxygen and flushing out carbon dioxide.
All aerobic creatures need oxygen for cellular respiration, which uses the oxygen to break down foods for energy and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. Breathing, or "external respiration", brings air into the lungs where gas exchange takes place in the alveoli through diffusion. The body's circulatory system transports these gases to and from the cells, where "cellular respiration" takes place.[1][2]
The breathing of all vertebrates with lungs consists of repetitive cycles of inhalation and exhalation through a highly branched system of tubes or airways which lead from the nose to the alveoli.[3] The number of respiratory cycles per minute is the breathing or respiratory rate, and is one of the four primary vital signs of life.[4] Under normal conditions the breathing depth and rate is automatically, and unconsciously, controlled by several homeostatic mechanisms which keep the partial pressures of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the arterial blood constant. Keeping the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood unchanged under a wide variety of physiological circumstances, contributes significantly to tight control of the pH of the extracellular fluids (ECF). Over-breathing (hyperventilation) and under-breathing (hypoventilation), which decrease and increase the arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide respectively, cause a rise in the pH of ECF in the first case, and a lowering of the pH in the second. Both cause distressing symptoms.
Breathing has other important functions. It provides a mechanism for speech, laughter and similar expressions of the emotions. It is also used for reflexes such as yawning, coughing and sneezing. Animals that cannot thermoregulate by perspiration, because they lack sufficient sweat glands, may lose heat by evaporation through panting.
Mechanics [ edit ]
The "pump handle" and "bucket handle movements" of the ribs The effect of the muscles of inhalation in expanding the rib cage. The particular action illustrated here is called the pump handle movement of the rib cage. In this view of the rib cage the downward slope of the lower ribs from the midline outwards can be clearly seen. This allows a movement similar to the "pump handle effect", but in this case it is called the bucket handle movement. The color of the ribs refers to their classification, and is not relevant here.
Breathing The muscles of breathing at rest: inhalation on the left, exhalation on the right. Contracting muscles are shown in red; relaxed muscles in blue. Contraction of the diaphragm generally contributes the most to the expansion of the chest cavity (light blue). However, at the same time, the intercostal muscles pull the ribs upwards (their effect is indicated by arrows) also causing the rib cage to expand during inhalation (see diagram on other side of the page). The relaxation of all these muscles during exhalation cause the rib cage and abdomen (light green) to elastically return to their resting positions. Compare these diagrams with the MRI video at the top of the page. The muscles of forceful breathing (inhalation and exhalation). The color code is the same as on the left. In addition to a more forceful and extensive contraction of the diaphragm, the intercostal muscles are aided by the accessory muscles of inhalation to exaggerate the movement of the ribs upwards, causing a greater expansion of the rib cage. During exhalation, apart from the relaxation of the muscles of inhalation, the abdominal muscles actively contract to pull the lower edges of the rib cage downwards decreasing the volume of the rib cage, while at the same time pushing the diaphragm upwards deep into the thorax.
The lungs are not capable of inflating themselves, and will expand only when there is an increase in the volume of the thoracic cavity.[5][6] In humans, as in the other mammals, this is achieved primarily through the contraction of the diaphragm, but also by the contraction of the intercostal muscles which pull the rib cage upwards and outwards as shown in the diagrams on the left.[7] During forceful inhalation (Figure on the right) the accessory muscles of inhalation, which connect the ribs and sternum to the cervical vertebrae and base of the skull, in many cases through an intermediary attachment to the clavicles, exaggerate the pump handle and bucket handle movements (see illustrations on the left), bringing about a greater change in the volume of the chest cavity.[7] During exhalation (breathing out), at rest, all the muscles of inhalation relax, returning the chest and abdomen to a position called the “resting position”, which is determined by their anatomical elasticity.[7] At this point the lungs contain the functional residual capacity of air, which, in the adult human, has a volume of about 2.5–3.0 liters.[7]
During heavy breathing (hyperpnea) as, for instance, during exercise, exhalation is brought about by relaxation of all the muscles of inhalation, (in the same way as at rest), but, in addition, the abdominal muscles, instead of being passive, now contract strongly causing the rib cage to be pulled downwards (front and sides).[7] This not only decreases the size of the rib cage, but also pushes the abdominal organs upwards against the diaphragm which consequently bulges deeply into the thorax. The end-exhalatory lung volume is now less air than the resting "functional residual capacity".[7] However, in a normal mammal, the lungs cannot be emptied completely. In an adult human there is always still at least one liter of residual air left in the lungs after maximum exhalation.[7]
Diaphragmatic breathing causes the abdomen to rhythmically bulge out and fall back. It is, therefore, often referred to as "abdominal breathing". These terms are often used interchangeably because they describe the same action.
When the accessory muscles of inhalation are activated, especially during labored breathing, the clavicles are pulled upwards, as explained above. This external manifestation of the use of the accessory muscles of inhalation is sometimes referred to as clavicular breathing, seen especially during asthma attacks and in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Passage of air [ edit ]
Upper airways [ edit ]
Inhaled air is warmed and moistened by the wet, warm nasal mucosa, which consequently cools and dries. When warm, wet air from the lungs is breathed out through the nose, the cold hygroscopic mucus in the cool and dry nose re-captures some of the warmth and moisture from that exhaled air. In very cold weather the re-captured water may cause a "dripping nose".
Following on from the above diagram, if the exhaled air is breathed out through the mouth on a cold and humid conditions, the water vapor will condense into a visible cloud or mist
Usually air is breathed in and out through the nose. The nasal cavities (between the nostrils and the pharynx) are quite narrow, firstly by being divided in two by the nasal septum, and secondly by lateral walls that have several longitudinal folds, or shelves, called nasal conchae,[8] thus exposing a large area of nasal mucous membrane to the air as it is inhaled (and exhaled). This causes the inhaled air to take up moisture from the wet mucus, and warmth from the underlying blood vessels, so that the air is very nearly saturated with water vapor and is at almost body temperature by the time it reaches the larynx.[7] Part of this moisture and heat is recaptured as the exhaled air moves out over the partially dried-out, cooled mucus in the nasal passages, during breathing out. The sticky mucus also traps much of the particulate matter that is breathed in, preventing it from reaching the lungs.[7][8]
Lower airways [ edit ]
The anatomy of a typical mammalian respiratory system, below the structures normally listed among the "upper airways" (the nasal cavities, the pharynx, and larynx), is often described as a respiratory tree or tracheobronchial tree (figure on the left). Larger airways give rise to branches that are slightly narrower, but more numerous than the "trunk" airway that gives rise to the branches. The human respiratory tree may consist of, on average, 23 such branchings into progressively smaller airways, while the respiratory tree of the mouse has up to 13 such branchings. Proximal divisions (those closest to the top of the tree, such as the trachea and bronchi) function mainly to transmit air to the lower airways. Later divisions such as the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli are specialized for gas exchange.[7][9]
The trachea and the first portions of the main bronchi are outside the lungs. The rest of the "tree" branches within the lungs, and ultimately extends to every part of the lungs.
The alveoli are the blind-ended terminals of the "tree", meaning that any air that enters them has to exit via the same route it used to enter the alveoli. A system such as this creates dead space, a volume of air that fills the airways (the dead space) at the end of inhalation, and is breathed out, unchanged, during the next exhalation, never having reached the alveoli. Similarly, the dead space is filled with alveolar air at the end of exhalation, and is the first air to breathed back into the alveoli, before any fresh air reaches the alveoli during inhalation. The dead space volume of a typical adult human is about 150 ml.
Gas exchange [ edit ]
The primary purpose of breathing is to bring atmospheric air (in small doses) into the alveoli where gas exchange with the gases in the blood takes place. The equilibration of the partial pressures of the gases in the alveolar blood and the alveolar air occurs by diffusion. At the end of each exhalation the adult human lungs still contain 2,500–3,000 mL of air, their functional residual capacity or FRC. With each breath (inhalation) only as little as about 350 mL of warm, moistened atmospheric is added, and well mixed, with the FRC. Consequently, the gas composition of the FRC changes very little during the breathing cycle. Since the pulmonary capillary blood equilibrates with this virtually unchanging mixture of air in the lungs (which has a substantially different composition from that of the ambient air), the partial pressures of the arterial blood gases also do not change with each breath. The tissues are therefore not exposed to swings in oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions in the blood during the breathing cycle, and the peripheral and central chemoreceptors do not need to "choose" the point in the breathing cycle at which the blood gases need to be measured, and responded to. Thus the homeostatic control of the breathing rate simply depends on the partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the arterial blood. This then also maintains the constancy of the pH of the blood.[7]
Control [ edit ]
The rate and depth of breathing is automatically controlled by the respiratory centers that receive information from the peripheral and central chemoreceptors. These chemoreceptors continuously monitor the partial pressures of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the arterial blood. The sensors are, firstly, the central chemoreceptors on the surface of the medulla oblongata of the brain stem which are particularly sensitive to pH as well as the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid.[ |
closed doors, but from the outside the police in Israel give the appearance of being completely out of control.
* * *
On Monday, as Alqian was sitting under house arrest, bruised from the police beating, the news broke in the U.S. that one of the police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray, a black resident of Baltimore who later died from his injuries while in police custody, had been acquitted of all charges. These are not the shared values that U.S. and Israeli leaders speak of so protectively, but they’re the values that will dictate the course of events in each country far more than the freedom and equality both claim to promote.Bro Cave: @ACARDINAL86
This week we feature Mike, aka @ACARDINAL86 on twitter and his clean Corsair Obsidian Series 650D paired with symmetrical ASUS 23’s. I dig the mood lighting. The KBMOD magnet doesn’t hurt, either.
Well I figured I might as well post my bro cave, considering KBMOD was where I went to get into PC gaming back when I was beginning my build in April. I don’t post here a lot – I am more of a creeper!
To begin, I was introduced to PC gaming by my cousin who lived out of the state with my grandparents. Around the age of 6 I remember him playing some awesome game on what I think now was a possibly an Apple II, and I believe it was a game he programmed but at a young age I had no idea what he was trying to explain to me but I thought it was awesome. My parents finally got a computer when I was around 12, and I spent my time rocking out Microsoft Golf 3.0 and Monster Truck Madness. Granted, they we not awesome games, but I played them to death.
From high school through my first stint of college I was a consololol player, as it was just cheaper at the time and all my friends played it. Now, I am converted to the PC platform, but I still play all my sports games on my PS3 and the few games that never make it to PC.
In April I did my first ever build that was very rewarding to complete. I really want to upgrade to a 670 in August and upgrade the 200mm fans in my case.
PC Specs:
Case: Corsair 650D
Mobo: Asus P8P67EVO
CPU: Intel i7 2600K @ 4.4GHz
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master 212+ with Gentle Typhoons in a push-pull configuration
RAM: 8GB G Skill sniper DDR3 1866
GPU: EVGA GTX 570HD 2.5GB PSU: Corsair GS800
SSD: 60GB OCZ Vertex 3 for OS
HDD: 1 500gb Samsung F3 and 1 1TB Samsung F3
Fans: 3 Gentle Typhoons, front and top 200mm stock corsair fans
Monitors: 2 x 23” Asus 1080p
Keyboard & Mouse: Razer Blackwidow and Deathadder and Steelseries cloth QcK pad
Desks: 2 Ikea Vika desks
Chair: Some random POS that gets the job done
Others:
Asus A53U-XE2 laptop
Samsung 40” 1080p TV
Sony PS3 Slim with upgraded 500GB HDDNEW YORK -- Michael Cuddyer is on a seven-game hitting streak, during which he is hitting.440 (11-for-25). However, with the 36-year-old Cuddyer having started the season's first dozen games, New York Mets manager Terry Collins is resting the red-hot outfielder in Sunday's series finale against the Miami Marlins. That's the case even though Monday is a team day off.
"You've just got to understand that we've still got 150 to go, and we need those guys to stay as healthy as you can," Collins said.
Collins added that Daniel Murphy is due for a day off this week, too. Murphy has started 11 of 12 games and appeared in the other as a pinch hitter.
Cuddyer, who was limited to 49 games last season with the Colorado Rockies because of shoulder and hamstring injuries, said he does not quibble with Collins' decision to rest him.
"I think nowadays, yeah, you need a day off here and there, for sure," Cuddyer said. "This is as good a time as ever."PROSTATE health can be a pretty awkward subject, so prepare to blush at this new research from Harvard University.
Scientists say frequent ejaculations could be the key to keeping the semen-producing gland healthy and avoiding cancer.
In fact, in a study of almost 32,000 men published in the journal of European Urology, researchers found high levels of sexual activity can reduce the risk of contracting prostate cancer by 33 per cent.
The optimum number is 21 ejaculations per month.
We’ve done a few quick calculations and that’s equal to 252 times annually — or almost 70 per cent of days in a year.
Experts aren’t exactly sure why ejaculation lowers the risk of prostate cancer, but they speculate it might help flush out cancer-causing toxins.
According to statistics from the University of Sydney, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, and the third most common cause of cancer death.
It’s more common in older men, with 85 per cent of cases diagnosed in those over 65 years of age, so the results of this study are definitely worth taking on board.
Enjoyable as it may be, frequent ejaculation isn’t a magical one-stop shop.
The Harvard researchers pointed out an active sex life may be an indicator of good general health, which in itself is likely to lower the risk of cancer.
Therefore, it’s also important to maintain a good diet and exercise routine, and get regular check-ups from your doctor.
Gentlemen, you know what you need to do.
This article does not contain medical advice, and is intended to be general in nature.BOSTON -- LeBron James knows franchises throughout the East shape and reshape themselves to try and beat him.
And no one has done it in the playoffs since 2010, when the Boston Celtics knocked him and the Cavs out of the Eastern semifinals.
On the eve of tonight's Cavs' conference finals lidlifter against the Celtics, however, Boston landed the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft next month. The Celtics had the best odds of winning the draft lottery (which means getting the top pick) because of a trade in 2013 they made with the Brooklyn Nets that included the right for Boston to swap No. 1 picks with the Nets this year.
The Celtics, choosing to blow up their team after it was clear they could no longer beat James (who was then in Miami), traded franchise greats Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets.
Brooklyn wound up with the worst record in the NBA this season, and that's how a team in the conference finals -- playing against James and the Cavs -- also has the top pick.
"It was just like, 'wow,' just like, 'OK," James said. "To be able to be a very, very good team and get the No. 1 pick, they got the better side of that situation with Brooklyn. I'll tell you that."
As an aside, the Celtics own the Cavs' second-round pick in 2017, acquiring it in 2014 from Cleveland while general manager David Griffin was working to clear the cap space to re-acquire James.
The Cavs do not have a pick in the 2017 draft.
James, who will face the Celtics in the playoffs for the sixth time starting tonight, the most he's played any team in the postseason, was then asked if Boston getting the top pick would rile up the crowd even more for Game 1.
"I don't think Boston fans need any more pumping up," he said. "They're born with pump."
James needs six steals to pass Michael Jordan (376 steals) for second place in NBA playoff history.8 juicy allegations from the new Bachmann "tell-all" book “She fired a staffer with seven children, the eighth on the way, on Christmas Eve”
A new book co-written by a former senior staffer on Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign alleges that the conservative congresswoman is a fake Christian diva who fires pregnant staffers on Christmas Eve and takes advantage of her devoted supporters, when not being taken advantage of by the political consultants she hired.
Published on Amazon for Kindle late last night, "Bachmannnistan: Behind the Lines, a Report From the Inside" bills itself as "the explosive first tell all book about the secretive world of Michele Bachmann... immoral, illegal and unethical."
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It paints Peter Waldron, who was Bachmann's field coordinator and evangelical outreach lead (and who also happens to have co-written the book), as the nearly lone island of virtue in a sea of money-grubbing advisers and sinister politicians willing to break the law to get what they want. At the center is Bachmann, whom Bachmannistan portrays as alternatively clueless or cruel, but above all: "Hard as nails, vicious, self-centered, phony, in it for herself.”
The book's other author, John Gilmore, says: "This book is to the grassroots what 'This Town' is to the political and consulting class. That sounds self-serving but I'm not really trying to be." (The book is written in third person, which leads to some awkward moments of Waldron praising himself -- at one point he compares himself to Edward Snowden -- by writing things like, “There was that series of dirty tricks he was ordered to undertake, and which he executed to brilliant effect with no fingerprints.”)
Before we go any further, we should again reiterate that these are allegations made by the author. The campaign is without a doubt facing ethics investigations, launched in part by complaints that Waldron himself filed with various authorities, but the details and dialogue are from Waldron's perspective only, and he obviously has an interest in presenting himself in a certain way.
There's the fact that he was arrested in Uganda on terrorism charges, an incident "Bachmannnistan" dismisses as "a mistake" (the congresswoman does has "exceedingly poor judgement," Waldron write about her personnel decisions, though not about his own hiring, of course). "For those readers who before this book had never heard of him, Peter Waldron would be tagged as some kook who tried to overthrow the Ugandan government in 2006 with two AK-47’s and rapid fire Bible speak. A cubicle-bound Dilbert life he has not led. But the tag on him as some ersatz revolutionary in simply incorrect," the book explains.
We read the whole book today so you don't have to, and here are some of the juiciest allegations:
“She fired a staffer with seven children, the eighth on the way, on Christmas Eve.”
During Bachmann's 2006 campaign, Andy Parrish, her former chief of staff who is now testifying against her (the guy he replaced learned he was fired via Politico), allegedly grew concerned with “her reliance on World Net Daily, which he thought just a little too tin foil hat, even for him."
“There was an intercessory prayer group formed during the presidential campaign for the sole purpose of praying for Michele Bachmann and, at times, her partial, specific intentions." The wife of Bachmann's pastor was in charge and it included a number of "well-known and powerful pastors," including the daughter of televangelist Kenneth Copeland.
Tension between Bachmann’s secular and evangelical worlds led many to question Bachamnn's faith and prompted a “faith intervention."
Bachmann’s husband, Marcus, devised a test to determine whether she should run for president:
"He instructed her to get off of their bed and go to the full-length mirror in the bedroom. 'If you can look at yourself and say it, then you are ready to run and you should,' he explained. She listened, nodding internally and then got off the bed. Traversing the bedroom, she stood in front of the mirror.
Said Michele Bachmann, looking at herself: 'I am President of the United States of America.'"
Many Iowa workers allegedly never got paid after the campaign folded, but they were all asked to sign nondisclosure agreements by the lawyers Bachmann retained at Patton Boggs, a powerful D.C. law firm. The NDAs "came well after the work was performed, were never an original term or condition of employment and the signing of them the only fast and ready way to be paid, without interest of course.”
Even as workers were asked to cut their pay in half in October 2011, one of the out-of-state consultants -- many of whom were reportedly hired on the recommendation of Republican operator Charlie Black -- cut himself two $40,000 checks.
Bachmann knew about the theft of a home-schooling mailing list from a volunteer, "Bachmannistan" alleges, but didn't say anything even after the volunteer was kicked off the board of directors of her home schooling organization. Finally, at the campaign party on the night of the Iowa Caucus, Bachmann told the volunteer, that, "yeah," Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson stole the list (he is also under investigation in Iowa).
As we said, these are allegations. James Pollack, who was the finance chairman for Bachmann's presidential campaign dismissed the book as "fiction" in a statement:
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"This former staffer with an ax to grind has been peddling these same reckless falsehoods, half-truths, and innuendos for well over a year in his attempt to maliciously smear Congresswoman Bachmann's name. Doing this to someone of her immense character is despicable. Whether his motivation is an attempt to selfishly get 15 minutes of fame, or reap an economic benefit on this e-book, it is unconscionable. Congresswoman Bachmann always complied with all laws and regulations during her Presidential Campaign. To the extent this e-book claims otherwise, it lacks credibility, and is thus a reprehensible piece of fiction."
We'll probably learn more as the investigation before the House Ethics Committee works its way through the process, and perhaps from the reported FBI investigation in campaign finance irregularities. In any case, it's all a bit of a footnote now that Bachmann has said she's retiring.Disappointed that Delhi’s lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal could not suggest measures to prevent chikungunya outbreak in the future, the Supreme Court criticised both for “letting the people suffer.”
Exasperated that it’s October 4 direction to the authorities to hold a meeting bore no results, the bench comprising justices MB Lokur and AK Roy was left with no option but to ask Delhi’s health secretary whether tea was served at Wednesday’s meeting.
“So was there tea served. What about the snacks? Were they served too? And did you have the tea and snacks while the meeting was on or before it,” the bench asked the senior bureaucrat.
Embarrassed, the secretary kept mumbling and clarified that there were no snacks but just biscuits.
The bench was infuriated to note that the Delhi CM and his health minister gave no inputs at the meeting. Pointing to the minutes of the meeting, prepared by the L-G’s office, all other heads of civic agencies and authorities presented their views. However, there was no end result. The minutes were silent on what strategy needs to be adopted to prevent a similar outbreak in future.
“You have no contribution in the meeting. You did not say a word,” the bench told senior advocate CU Singh, the counsel representing the health minister.
On senior advocate Colin Gonsalves’s intervention, the bench agreed to give the authorities another chance and tasked them to hold another meeting on Thursday evening. Asking Gonsalves to be a participant, the bench noted:”We just hope they listen to you because they don’t listen to us.” Gonsalves was asked to take an assistant along who will prepare the minutes of the meeting.
Read: SC asks Jung, Kejriwal govt to unite against chikungunya
Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar assured the bench of a positive outcome. Appearing for the health secretary, he admitted in the last meeting the participants had a “baggage.” “But it won’t be repeated,” he said.
The bench outlined the points for discussion. “Participants should discuss the steps to be taken to prevent the problem faced by the people of Delhi this year and also the future measures,” the bench ordered, asking authorities to also take effective steps to clean garbage strewn all over the city.
“We expect the participants to keep the interest of people of Delhi in mind while doing the entire exercise,” the bench said, adding “we expect that the action taken is collaborative and cooperative”.
It fixed the matter for further hearing on October 17.
First Published: Oct 06, 2016 19:25 ISTPeter Molyneux and his studio 22cans have launched a Kickstarter for a game he hopes will “recreate the entire god game genre”.
Molyneux, who created Populous in 1989 while at Bullfrog, announced Project Godus tonight with a Kickstarter that asks for £450,000. The game is due out on PC and mobile devices in September 2013.
The news comes as Molyneux's cube-tapping app Curiosity hits the two million downloads mark.
“Populous was created over 22 years ago, and we believe that to date, nothing has come close to emulating its powerfully godlike experience. It's this experience we aim to re-imagine,” reads the pitch.
“Godus blends the power, growth and scope of Populous with the detailed construction and multiplayer excitement of Dungeon Keeper and the intuitive interface and technical innovation of Black & White.
“The original Populous hailed from the 8-bit era but Godus will use the most modern technology the world has to offer.”
Project Godus is the game Molyneux called "co-operation" in interviews with the press. "Everything I am will be put into this," he tweeted.
It will take seven to nine months to complete, assuming it's funded. If the Kickstarter generates more money than it asks for the game will be enhanced and will support additional platforms.BANJUL (Reuters) - Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh on Tuesday called homosexuals “vermin” and said his government would tackle them in the same way it fights malaria-causing mosquitoes.
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, September 27, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Burton/Pool
The latest comments from Jammeh, who last year branded gays a threat to humanity, coincide with a renewed crackdown on same-sex relationships in Africa, where homosexuality is taboo and illegal in 37 countries.
In recent months, Nigeria has outlawed same-sex relationships and Uganda has voted for life imprisonment for some homosexual acts.
“We will fight these vermins called homosexuals or gays the same way we are fighting malaria-causing mosquitoes, if not more aggressively,” Jammeh said in a speech on state television to mark the 49th anniversary of Gambia’s independence from Britain.
Britain and some other Western nations have threatened to cut aid to governments that pass anti-gay laws.
But Jammeh said his country would defend its sovereignty and Islamic beliefs, and not yield to outside pressure on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.
“We will therefore not accept any friendship, aid or any other gesture that is conditional on accepting homosexuals or LGBT as they are now baptised by the powers that promote them,” he said.
“As far as I am concerned, LGBT can only stand for Leprosy, Gonorrhoea, Bacteria and Tuberculosis; all of which are detrimental to human existence,” he added.
Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 coup, drew strong international criticism after he executed a number of prisoners in 2012.
Despite concerns over Gambia’s poor human rights record, diplomats said the European Union could double aid to the country over the next seven years.BMW is putting some big numbers to its electrification efforts. At a media event in Munich on Thursday ahead of next week's Frankfurt Motor Show, the automaker announced plans to bring to market at least 25 electrified vehicles by 2025 -- 13 of which will be fully electric. The new models are expected to be marketed through all of BMW AG's brands, including Mini and Rolls-Royce, but may also include BMW Motorrad, its motorbike division.
Most interestingly, Harald Krüger, BMW chairman of the board, revealed Tuesday that his company will show a four-door, pure-electric concept car in Frankfurt under its i sub-brand. The car will be designed to slot between its i3 electric urban runabout and i8 plug-in hybrid sports coupe. Few concrete details were revealed about the coming show car, but reading between the lines, it's clear that BMW is incubating a Tesla competitor -- likely a rival for the Model 3. The car's design is expected to be influenced by the Vision Next 100 (shown below), a futurethink concept vehicle designed to commemorate BMW's centennial.
In addition to the unnamed i concept, BMW has already confirmed plans to show a battery-powered Mini Cooper concept in Frankfurt, with plans for production in 2019. BMW has also pledged to launch a battery-electric version of its upcoming X3 compact crossover by 2020.
But the German automaker isn't just pinning its future hopes on those cars -- according to Klaus Fröhlich, a BMW board member, beginning in 2020, all new BMW models will be developed to offer all types of powertrains, including internal combustion, plug-in hybrid and pure electric. Availability of each type of propulsion system will vary, but flexible manufacturing and modular architectures will allow for local demands to set what type of models will be available. The company is focusing much of its platform development hopes on two new architectures, one rear-wheel-drive based and the other front-wheel drive.
Even though some of its fourth-generation electrification technologies have yet to hit the market, the company says it's already looking forward to marketing its fifth-generation e-powertrain hardware by 2021, which will launch on the production version of its iNEXT concept, which is intended to spearhead the company's autonomous drive efforts. On the lower-cost end of development, the automaker will leverage everything from 48-volt systems to a new generation of plug-in hybrid powertrain that reaches up to 100 km (62 miles) of pure-electric range in its bid to further green its lineup.
Despite these aggressive electrification plans, Krüger cautioned against a growing trend among cities and nations discussing setting goal dates to ban internal combustion engines, and in particular, diesel. "Customer demands cannot be forced, they must be anticipated and met... therefore we do not advocate driving bans and quotas," he said. Kruger cited a need for improved infrastructure to accommodate both battery electric cars and fuel-cell vehicles as part of road to consumer acceptance.
It's not hard to understand Krüger's aversion to such government targets -- despite his company making significant investments in revolutionizing the way it builds automobiles, that effort hasn't yet been rewarded in sales. The first public fruits of BMW's electrification effort, the aforementioned i3 and i8, first hit the market in 2013. Thus far, both have met with very limited sales success, reflecting a larger trend of consumer apathy towards electric cars.Efforts to stop an outbreak of gonorrhoea in the UK have failed, health officials have warned.
It is feared the sexually transmitted disease may be becoming increasingly resistant to treatment, prompting concerns further rapid spread could occur.
In April, it emerged an outbreak of gonorrhoea had occurred in Leeds, with cases also noted in the West Midlands, London and southern-England. It began among heterosexual couples but has since been spread among men who have sex with men (MSM).
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In a report issued today by health agency Public Health England, the group warned: “The outbreak of HL-AziR gonorrhoea in England persists. There have been 17 cases of HL-AziR gonorrhoea reported to date in 2016 compared to 15 cases for the same time period in 2015. Between November 2014 and August 2016 there have been a total of 48 confirmed and two probable cases.
“The potential for rapid spread of HL-AziR N. gonorrhoeae among high risk sexual networks including MSM is of particular concern.”
The disease can result in serious discomfort, pelvic inflammatory disease and even infertility. Among 1 in 10 infected men and half of infected women, symptoms can go undetected. Symptoms include a green or yellow discharge from the genitals, discomfort urinating and irregular bleeding between periods.
Dr Gwenda Hughes, Consultant Scientist and Head of the Sexually Transmitted Infections Section at Public Health England said: “Diagnoses of gonorrhoea in England have risen sharply in recent years and we are concerned about the emergence of strains that are resistant to the antibiotic treatment options currently available.
“PHE actively monitors, and acts on, the spread of antibiotic resistance and potential gonorrhoea treatment failures and has introduced enhanced surveillance of identified cases, their sexual partners and treatment. This will help ensure cases are managed promptly and reduce the spread of resistant strains.
“However our advice remains the same; it is far better to avoid getting or passing on gonorrhoea in the first place and everyone can significantly reduce their risk by using condoms with all new and casual partners.”
Chief Executive of sexual health charity FPA Natika H Halil told The Independent: “There should be statutory sex and relationships education, which the government has still not implemented, and easy access to sexual health services. With ever-shrinking public health budgets and increasing pressure on local authorities to meet people’s varied health needs, this is no longer a given and is a cause of real concern.
“PHE’s report is a timely reminder, ahead of our Sexual Health Week focusing on STIs next week, how important it is for people to know how to protect themselves. It particularly highlights the importance of testing so that cases can be diagnosed early and as well as of partner notification to help limit infections being passed on.
Shape Created with Sketch. The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids Show all 4 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. The kindest cut: How circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against HIV/Aids 1/4 OLIVIA COLES 2/4 OLIVIA COLES 3/4 OLIVIA COLES 4/4 OLIVIA COLES 1/4 OLIVIA COLES 2/4 OLIVIA COLES 3/4 OLIVIA COLES 4/4 OLIVIA COLES
“Through a survey we have conducted for Sexual Health Week, we know some people struggle to use condoms because they don’t like how they feel and they impact on the pleasure of sex. However, condoms remain the best way to help prevent STIs being passed on.”For more than a couple of years, WhatsApp has offered releases of its app on its own website at whatsapp.com/android. Often times, those were small incremental changes over the public version available on the Play Store, but sometimes they had awesome features that were being seeded out as a test, on a limited scale, to those who were willing to live on the bleeding edge. That's how we always got our first hands on whatever new thing WhatsApp was cooking behind the scenes, like voice calling, Material Design, new emojis, Google Drive backup, and more.
However, in order to stay up to date with these releases, you either had to go check the site for anything new or keep an eye on WhatsApp's releases on APK Mirror to get the latest and greatest. And even then, you had to be willing to open up installations from untrusted sources on your phone, because you were technically manually installing an APK. I know a friend who was adamant about not toggling that Setting button, despite me repeatedly explaining to him that WhatsApp's site is an official source and APK Mirror uploads are verified and trusted sources too. Oh well, I got to tease him with the new emojis for over a month and he couldn't see any of them.
All of this long introduction is to say that it does make more sense to have an official Play Store beta program. Updates get delivered automatically, they're incremental so you don't have to download the entire APK each time (that matters when you're on a limited connection and WhatsApp releases a new bug fix every couple of hours), and you don't have to change the untrusted sources setting if that's something you're paranoid about.
So I'm quite happy to see that WhatsApp has officially opened up beta testing through the Play Store. There are no Google+ communities or Google Groups to join first, you just head over to the Play Store's WhatsApp testing page and choose to become a tester. You'll then be switched over to the beta release channel and you'll start getting the yet-unreleased versions on your device automatically.Great system, not so great game
For the special price this was on sale for the deal was too good to pass up given that you receive a game with it. Unfortunately, the game itself is pretty disappointing for a star wars game as the combat isn't too bad but the only real way to play the game is COD/Battlefield style combat which gets very old fast if you are not good at it. The co-op and local play are a joke plus there is no true storyline or single player on Battlefront. Again the system itself was in perfect condition and everything worked just fine,but if there are multiple bundles for the same price I would choose anything over this one and if its not on sale just pay more for the COD bundle. You get a much larger hard drive, custom PS4 cover, and a game that has an actual storyline mode despite people joking about playing COD for something other than multiplayer competitive.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: NewMOVIE buffs got a kick overnight when it was revealed they were living in the future imagined by one of their favourite films.
Yesterday's calendar date — July 5, 2010 — was said to be the target entered by Dr Emmett "Doc" Brown into the DeLorean time machine in Back to the Future.
The revelation was enough to make the film's title a trending topic on Twitter and one of the most searched-for phrases on Google.
The only problem was that the date was wrong. July 5, 2010 does not appear in any of the Back to the Future films.
The Daily What blog broke the news, with the headline "Fake Fakery Of The Day", by showing a compilation of all the dates entered into the DeLorean.
So how did everyone get it so wrong?
Rather than a deliberate hoax, the false date appears to be the product of a mistake by staff at a film magazine in the UK.
Someone at Total Film last night posted to Twitter that the date was "Future Day".
"Great Scott! It's Future Day! In Back to the Future, Doc Brown sets the time circuits for 25yrs in the future.. that day is today!," wrote @totalfilm.
About four hours later, the magazine seemed to realise its mistake and posted a sarcastic update about it.
"Many of you don't believe 5/7/10 is mentioned in Back to the Future. So here's proof we totally didn't Photoshop," it said.
It linked to what looked like a screenshot from the film, showing the DeLorean time control panel with the date July 5, 2010.
But underneath, the caption read: "We got it wrong. Apparently 5th July 2010 isn't mentioned in Back to the Future. So we went back and changed it..."
In other words, the image was digitally altered to show that date.
Read Total Film's explanation of how Twitter turned their mistake into the 'truth'
That means film fans will have to wait another few years for the next suitable "Future Day", on October 21, 2015.
That's the day the main characters find themselves on at the beginning of the second film.
However disappointed Back to the Future fans can still celebrate something about July 5.
That day is the birthday of actress Claudia Wells, who played Marty McFly's girlfriend Jennifer Parker in the first film.
Wells was replaced by Elisabeth Shue in the second two films.
This past weekend also marked the film's 25th anniversary. It was released in the US on July 3, 1985.In this post I want to give a list of reasons why Twincer is my prime suspect as AD. I know a lot of these ‘clues’ come from interviews, but they’re still really convincing for me at least. I’ve definitely missed some of the clues from within the show because they’re not as easy to spot - we need to know for sure if Twincer is happening, then we can dig further. (The fun won’t instantly stop once the finale airs.) But for now, enjoy these, and at the end, I give my theory as to the motive.
Please note: none of this is overly new. This is just the summation of everything we’ve been talking about on my blog for the past couple months. I wanted to put all the ideas into one post, rather than 31529 mini posts scattered here and there. I will be updating this as we find more.
The famous airport scene from 715.
We all already think it’s weird that "Spencer" asked Ezra to not tell anyone he saw her there with Wren. What’s weirder, is the fact that Wren and “Spencer” were arguing. Amongst muffle, I heard Spencer say "stop calling me that" (let me know if you heard differently). Did Wren have a slip-of-the-tongue moment and call her Spencer rather than the twin’s real name? Dr. Cochran’s story is very telling.
We all already know the ambiguous implication that Mary had more than two babies, because Dr. Cochran said he dealt with “two of Mary’s babies”. What’s more interesting is the second baby he dealt with. The first baby (Charlotte) he gave to Jessica. He said that the second baby that he delivered was placed in family county services. This could not have been Spencer, since Spencer was delivered to Veronica within 5 minutes of birth. So, who was that second baby that was placed in family services? I believe it was Spencer’s twin. Why? Dr Cochran referred to that second baby as “underweight but tenacious” - lo and behold, the next episode, Toby calls Spencer tenacious. This was the writers foreshadowing the similarities between this second baby, and Spencer. Twins.
We all know Hanna’s ‘dream’ in 701.
It makes no sense that Hanna was able to dream ‘Spencer’ saying the name A.D. since Hanna was kidnapped before these initials were even revealed. Perhaps Hanna was visited by Twincer; the one holding her captive.
A.D. needs to stand for something.
Spencer’s twin could literally have the initials A.D., since we know she would be Mary Drake’s child. Her first name would start with A and the D would stand for Drake. Brendan and Ian both confessed to being confused by the identity of A.D.
They needed the backstory to understand it. Is that because they had no idea who has the name “Alex Drake” (for example)? Tyler said before 7B aired that “you’ve never met AD. You kind of have. You’ll know what I mean”.
This can be interpreted in two ways: you’ve never met Twincer but since you know Spencer, you kind of know who AD is. Or. You’ve seen Twincer over the years, but thought it was Spencer. Either way, Tyler’s comment screams twin-theory to me. This could apply to any twin theory, but in this context, I’m using it for Spencer. Ian said (0:57) that “fans will be satisfied to a point. Right when it seems it’s gonna be really great, it might do a little [downwards hand motion]”….
That cheeky smile on Ian’s face when he said “it seems it’s gonna be really great”… what could be greater than a liar being AD? Ian could be referring to the fact that they initially show us Troian under the hoodie, making us think Spencer is AD. Then, after commercial break, they will reveal it’s just her twin, hence the “it might do a little [downwards hand motion]”. We will be satisfied to a point, he said. It’ll start off amazing by thinking it’s Spencer, oh wait, it’s another twin. Ashley said (0:14) that she didn’t even know the A.D. reveal is possible.
Because she did not expect a second pair of twins to come along? “It’s like there are two of you living in this house. You, and you’re evil twin, and we’re not sure who’s coming down to breakfast".
said Veronica to Spencer in 423. Foreshadowing at it’s finest.
Spencer doesn’t remember this flashback.
Was it her twin? And oh how coincidental, that the writers tell us a time Spencer doesn’t remember, in the same scene Veronica makes the above comment about Spencer’s “evil twin”. “Where are they?”
said Mary as she entered the Hastings house (flashback from 717). Who is they? The twins? She proceeded to say that Spencer is the only good thing she’s ever made. Maybe Mary knows Spencer’s twin is evil, and is neglecting her. “You look very much like your sister. Almost like twins”.
said Mary to Spencer in 701. The writers wanted us to think that Mary was talking about Spencer and Melissa, since Mary was holding a picture of the half-sisters. But, were the writers, and therefore Mary, hinting towards Twincer? Is Mary being blackmailed/forced (by Peter?) to keep quiet on Twincer, and she had a slip-of-the-tongue moment here? Marlene is very aware of the Twincer theories.
Back in 2014 she said that Troian sent her an online fan theory regarding Spencer having a twin who is A. Marlene was blown away by it and she thought it was a very well thought out plan with detailed evidence across the series. Watch from 1:35. Whilst you may be saying “there’s NO WAY Marlene spoilt her own show’s ending in an interview!!” - I feel like she had no idea the show would go on for 7 seasons, and |
Navajo creation myth.Arcane Mark
Illusion cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
1 action Range: Touch
Touch Components: V, S
V, S Duration: Until dispelled
You inscribe an arcane rune or marking onto an object or creature with a touch. The mark is personal to you and can contain one word. The mark may be visible or invisible and does not harm the surface it is placed on.
A detect magic spell will make the mark glow and be visible, revealing any word hidden in the mark.
If a mark is placed on a creature, it will fade within a month due to normal wear.
You may remove a mark of yours by touching it again with an action.
Available to Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, & Wizards
Caustic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
1 action Range: 5 feet
5 feet Components: V, S, M (a weapon)
V, S, M (a weapon) Duration: 1 round
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell’s range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects, and becomes covered is acid. The target takes 2d4 acid damage on the end of its next turn.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 2d4 acid damage to the target, and later damage increases by 2d4. Both damage rolls increase by 2d4 at 11th level and 17th level.
Available to Sorcerers, Warlocks, & Wizards
Chaos Orb
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
1 action Range: 30 feet
30 feet Components: V, S, M (a six-sided die)
V, S, M (a six-sided die) Duration: Instantaneous
With a quick flick of your wrist, you grab onto whatever magic energy is readily available and hurl it at a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, roll a d6. The target takes 1d10 damage of a type determined by the roll:
d6 Damage 1 Acid 2 Cold 3 Fire 4 Lightning 5 Poison 6 Choose one of the above
This spell's damage increases by 1d10 at 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10). At 11th level, you may roll the d6 twice and take either result.
Available to Sorcerers
Common Knowledge
Divination cantrip
Casting Time: 1 minute
1 minute Range: Self
Self Components: V, S, M (a page from a newspaper)
V, S, M (a page from a newspaper) Duration: 1 minute
You tap into the knowledge of the local populace. For the duration, you have advantage on any Intelligence checks made concerning the local people, places, and things.
If you are in an uncivilized place or any other location without sentient creatures, the spell fails.
Available to Bards, Clerics, Sorcerers, & Wizards
Corrosive Touch
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
1 action Range: Touch
Touch Components: V, S
V, S Duration: 1 round
Acid begins sweating from your pores as you touch a creature. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 acid damage and the next attack roll against the target is made with advantage until the end of your next turn, as acid eats through a portion of their armor.
This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).
Available to Druids, Sorcerers, & Wizards
Dark Flock
Enchantment cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
1 action Range: 30 feet
30 feet Components: V, S, M (a raven's feather)
V, S, M (a raven's feather) Duration: Instantaneous
You pass a spiteful glamour over a creature within range that birds hate. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d12 piercing damage and be unable to make opportunity attacks until the end of its next turn.
This spell's damage increases by 1d12 when you reach 5th level (2d12), 11th level (3d12), and 17th level (4d12).
Available to Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, & Wizards
Decompose
Necromancy cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
1 action Range: 60 feet
60 feet Components: V, S, M (a chuck of flesh from a corpse)
V, S, M (a chuck of flesh from a corpse) Duration: Instantaneous
By extending your hand towards a creature within range, you break down their structural bindings. The target must make a Constitution saving throw or take 1d8 necrotic damage. Undead and constructs take 1d12 necrotic damage instead.
Casting this spell on a corpse removes all the flesh from the skeleton.OKLAHOMA CITY – I was admittedly surprised to learn recently that Tom Cruise (Vanilla Sky, Eyes Wide Shut, etc., etc.) is likely to work with director Doug Liman on the upcoming “drug-trade pic Mena,” about – according to Variety – “Barry Seal, a TWA pilot recruited by the CIA to provide reconnaissance on the burgeoning communist threat in Central America.”
Continuing, the Variety piece adds that “Seal finds himself in charge of oone of the biggest covert CIA operations in the history of the U.S., one that spawned the birth of the Medellin drug cartel and eventually almost brought down the Reagan White House through the Iran-Contra scandal!”
Well, holy shit! Is this true? After all these years, and conspiracy rumor mills and grainy, low-budget videotape exposes, could the real story of Mena be coming to the big screen and possibly upset a certain former secretary-of-state’s chances at becoming the next president of the United States? Let’s hope this Mena film has wider screenings than 2014’s Kill the Messenger did, the one about the late “suicided” journalist Gary Webb, who broke the story about the CIA/drug link to America’s proxy war against Nicaragua’s Sandinista government. The film was critically acclaimed but largely disappeared from theaters once TPTB got wind of how much of their dirty laundry it exposed.
Looking back in the Red Dirt Report archives, typing in the name “Barry Seal,” I was impressed to see five stories noting that notorious, 1980’s-era, drug-running pilot posted here since June 2012.
Why do I bring this up? Well, for several reasons: First, the CIA was definitely using the airstrip near Mena, Arkansas in the 1980’s as a jumping-off point to and from Latin America as it smuggled guns and drugs back-and-forth – all on Gov. Bill Clinton’s watch.
Look, that can of worms was opened long ago and investigative reporters like Daniel Hopsicker (Barry and 'the Boys') have kept that story alive, and for good reason – because (among many other reasons) Hillary Clinton is likely the frontrunner in the 2016 election and she knows where the bodies are buried. And having lived in Arkansas during those years and hearing all the stories about Mena and what Barry Seal was doing at the rural Nella airstrip (Polk County, Ark.), as The Wall Street Journal noted in 1994, in the article "Mysterious Mena."
Wrote reporter Micah Morrison: "In 1986, Mr. Seal's wild ride came to an end. Three Colombian hitmen armed with machine guns caught up with him as he sat behind the wheel of his white Cadillac in Baton Rouge, La., and blasted him to his eternal reward. Eight months after the murder, Mr. Seal's cargo plane was shot down over Nicaragua. Aboard was a load of ammunition and supplies for the Contras. One crew member, Eugene Hasenfus, survived. With the crash, and the Iran-Contra affair surfacing, investigators started looking at the Nella airstrip in a new light. Maybe Barry Seal was not just flying drugs into the U.S. Maybe he also was flying newly trained Contras and weapons out." Juciy stuff. Should have taken down Reagan, Bush, Oliver North and the rest. But on the Gilligan's Island that is America, "the rest" are largely forgotten and slip away.
Again, getting my journalistic start in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and doing some work with Ozark Gazette reporter Mark Swaney, a guy steeped in Mena lore in the 1990's, I learned a lot. As Swaney told Pacifica Radio in a 1991 interview: "The thing that separates Mena's airport from any other is the fact that there are row upon row of hangars --buildings which house aircraft refitting facilities. Now aircraft refitting is an industry that is in demand by two principal paying customers. One of them is the CIA, and the other one are drug smugglers. "
I just hope the filmmakers get it right. And I hear pretty boy Tom Cruise is putting on A LOT of weight to play the role of the hefty Barry Seal.
Here’s a sampling of the RDR articles noting Seal:
1. “Jackson Stephens, BCCI, and Drug-Money Laundering,” a piece I wrote about the links between Arkansas’ “Big Money Man” and Bill and Hillary Clinton, it incorporated other info as well, aggregated from other sources. A great overview.The piece states: “(Stephens was) a top donor to the Reagan and George H.W. Bush campaigns, he suddenly switched to Clinton in 1990. He brought BCCI to US shores in 1979 and helped launder cocaine profits from CIA drug smuggling in Mena, Arkansas and elsewhere.” Barry Seal is mentioned, multiple times.
2. “Mitt Romney: Banana Republican” (August 14, 2012) and how when he was running for president, he was “in favor of continuing America’s failed War on Drugs.” The story focused on Romney’s cozy relationship in the early 1980’s with Salvadoran elites living in Miami, who had clear ties with the same brutal right-wing death squads that took the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero in 1980 (Romero, coincidentally, was declared a martyr by left-leaning Pope Francis this week – making Romero that much closer to being declared a saint). I noted that the “Romney-coke-dealer connection” probably won’t go anywhere and that “the Everglades and surrounding environs were awash in blow in the neon Eighties. And Barry Seal and “the boys” were shipping it in like clockwork.”
3. In “Tandem floundering? NRA and GOP grasp at straws” (December 21, 2012) notes how the National Rifle Association was developing a “model security plan for schools that relies on armed volunteers” and was being led by “former DEA and peripheral Iran-Contra figure (who was investigating drug smuggler Barry Seal, but didn’t finish the job *wink* *wink*) Asa Hutchinson (now the new governor of Arkansas).” I covered Hutchinson back in the mid-1990’s, when he was a congressman. He and his brother Tim Hutchinson are unbending, authoritarian figures of the cookie-cutter-Christ variety. Dangerous guy. And I suspect the Clinton’s are happy one of “their” guys is back in the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock.
4. Then there was “Hey flyboy! Is that blow on your shirt?” (August 9, 2013), we note the “curious” shipment of cocaine flown from Costa Rica to Miami! I wrote, at the time: “So, with brightly-colored images of coke shipment and cocaine cowboys swirling in my head, it was with great interest that I saw this story: “Snow job: US Air Force flies cocaine from Costa Rica to Miami.” Now there’s a story that (Miami Vice’s) Crockett and Tubbs could sink their teeth into. And yet, the Reagan era is becoming a distant memory with each passing day. Did I read that correctly? Is the ghost of Barry Seal haunting the lonely, tropical skies of the Caribbean once again?” It was Seal, and the shooting down of that CIA plane by Sandinista forces in Nicaragua, marooning survivor Eugene Hasenfus in October 1986 (he had George Bush’s phone number in his pocket – ha!) that helped blow Iran-Contra wide open, and nearly sending Jelly Bean Reagan to the slammer.
5. And then there was this one from Decmber 14, 2014 – “The only way to fly.” In fact, as I write this, “Somebody Got Murdered” by The Clash (from the Sandinista! album, synchronistically speaking) is playing in the background. And indeed, Barry Seal was murdered. Gary Webb was likely murdered. Bush critic and journalist J.H. Hatfield was murdered – in Springdale, Arkansas! A few months before the 9/11 terror attacks and those dark months when everyone rallied around Bush and gave him the opening to keep the poppy fields cultivated in Afghanistan and the oil flowing from Iraq.
I noted Hillary earlier. In this piece, I note Jeb Bush and Barry Seal here. “Jeb Bush in 1986 was the 22-year-old chairman of the Dade County Republican Party and he was up to his eyeballs in the Iran-Contra scandal.” I get more into that in our recent piece "Say no to Jeb!" Let me reiterate: If either Hillary or Jeb is the next president, Latin America better put their seat belt on, cuz it's gonna be a wild ride - and not in a good way.
Back to Mena... it be like the Mel Gibson/Robert Downey Jr. vehicle Air America from 1990? A buddy comedy with some action thrown in? Ugh! Or will it have more heft? Knowing the connections Hillary and Jeb have, I'll almost be surprised if the damn thing actually sees the light of day. But hey, I've been wrong before.Khan hints at split from trainer Roach following Garcia humiliation
Amir Khan will review his relationship with the world’s top boxing trainer following the brutal loss of his world title.
Britain’s fallen world light-welterweight champion retains absolute belief in the skills of Freddie Roach but he is ready to give the maestro of the Wild Card gym an ultimatum which he may not be able to accept.
Khan wants Roach to make him his first priority, ahead of pound-for-pound legend Manny Pacquiao, after his defeat by Danny Garcia here on Saturday.
Down and out: Khan hits the canvas in Las Vegas
‘The time has come for me to be No 1 in my training camp,’ said Khan. ‘I’ve got to start putting myself first and stop worrying about other people.’
Roach has guided the Briton to the boxing summit but has required him to fit in with the schedule of the legendary Pacquiao, which involves training in the Philippines for weeks at a time.
Khan does not hold Roach responsible for his latest loss, shouldering much of the blame himself when he says: ‘I’m too brave for my own good sometimes. I don’t need to take the risks which result in me getting caught by the big left hook which changed this fight.’
However, the brief but savage beating he took here is forcing him to re-assess his entire strategy.
Top trainer: Khan retains his belief in Roach's skills
Nursing a badly marked face and a damaged ear as he discussed his future, Khan said: ‘I can’t afford to make any more mistakes. Me and my team must go over every detail and make changes where necessary. It’s time for me to grow up. I’m a man now, not a boy. I’m the one who has to do the fighting and take the punches so I must be the main focus of everyone around me.’United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric made it clear on Wednesday that the sources of information for its report on violations of children's rights during armed conflicts would not be revealed to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting in Yemen.
The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen is made up of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.
"Protecting the sources of information that are used in this report, or any other report, is paramount, especially in a conflict area," Dujarric said. "But we obviously welcome any information that the Saudi-led coalition may want to share with us."
The UN report on children and armed conflict said the coalition was responsible for 60 percent of child deaths and injuries in the Yemen conflict last year, killing 510 and wounding 667 children. The coalition began an air campaign in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
An amusement park after it was hit by a Saudi-led coalition airstrike
Removing the coalition from a blacklist
Last Thursday, Ban said he temporarily removed the US-backed coalition from the blacklist for violating child rights pending a joint review of cases because its supporters threatened to stop funding many UN programs, including a Palestinian aid program. Ban accused some unnamed countries of exerting unacceptable and "undue pressure."
Saudi Arabia's UN Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi wrote to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on behalf of the coalition requesting the sources and other information. He thanked Ban for removing the coalition from the blacklist and stated it "deeply regrets every human casualty in Yemen and reaffirms its commitment to taking every possible measure to protect all civilians in Yemen."
Night time air strike on Sanaa in 2015
The report stated the UN verified a total of 1,953 young people killed and injured in Yemen in 2015. This represented a six-fold increase compared with 2014 and it attributed about 60 percent of those casualties to the coalition. The UN said it also verified 101 attacks on schools and hospitals last year, double the number in 2014, of which 48 percent were attributed to the coalition.
Human rights groups have criticized Ban for removing the coalition from the blacklist, accusing him of giving in to pressure from powerful groups. They said Ban risked harming his legacy as UN chief. Ban is in the final year of his second term as secretary general.
Exchanging information
In Al-Mouallimi's letter to Ban, he said the coalition was also ready to cooperate with UN bodies "to exchange information" and invited a team of experts to visit coalition headquarters in Riyadh to "jointly review the cases and number in the report to ensure objectivity and accuracy."
The secretary-general had invited the coalition to New York, and Dujarric said that "would be our preference."
jm/sms (Reuters, AP)Hey ladies and gents! You may notice a few new things here and there around the old BukkitDev page. We've launched the new and improved site to further integrate and match the rest of our sites. Bringing with it a multitude of improvements in speed, efficiency, and usability.
Whether you're just looking for that right plugin, or you're looking to start your own project, the process has been much improved all around.
Of course, for plugin creators, we know that this is a huge change, and our support staff is working right now to make sure that our knowledge base articles get updated as quickly as possible to provide all of the information needed to make the transition as easy as possible. At the moment, you can take a look at our "Creating Your First Project" article here.
As we adjust and get everything in the right place over the next few days, you can expect longer wait periods on file approvals. We want to make sure we don't miss anything and that the process runs as smoothly as possible.
And as always, if you have any questions or comments feel free to reach out to myself @MrFlamegoat or @CurseForge on Twitter - you can also drop us a line at cfmoderation[at]curse.com and we'll make sure we do our best to help.
Your Friendly Community Helper,
MrFlamegoatAs she gets set to fight Miesha Tate this weekend at UFC 183 in Las Vegas, Sara McMann is finally talking about the extraordinary events that surrounded her UFC 170 title fight with Ronda Rousey.
Namely, that her father, who was content to play out the string and die when his cancer came back, opted to go through a course of chemotherapy again to see his daughter fight for the belt.
McMann appeared on the MMA Hour on Monday and discussed the turn of events that convinced her father to continue his fight against his lymphoma.
"He chose not to do chemotherapy, so he was just choosing that he was going to live with the cancer until it killed him…and the cancer that had come back was very aggressive," she told Ariel Helwani.
"He’d gone months of deciding that he wasn’t going to go through chemotherapy and he wasn’t going to live. The fight happened, and it was basically presented to me as, if you don’t take this fight you may never get a chance to fight Ronda, that she may go into movies and this might be the only opportunity. I was really struggling with it, because I hadn’t been training. Things were really hard for me emotionally. I’m a huge daddy’s girl, so it was really hard for me.
"But when I accepted the fight, he was the first person I told about it. And he decided because of [the title fight], he was going to go through chemotherapy because he didn’t want to die before he got to see me fight."
McMann said that the lymph nodes in his neck were swelling so bad that "he was literally on the brink of death" before he opted to do the chemo. He’d even gone so far as to divide all his things and got all his affairs in order. She said it was the reason she had to pull out of the fight with Sarah Kaufman
"We had hospice nurses coming to our house," McMann said. "Every time that I drove up there I was very aware that that was the last time that I was probably going to see my dad. He cut it so unbelievably close to death that it’s ridiculous.
Her father’s slow decline was so hard to take that at one point McMann said she began taking antidepressants. But when matchmaker Sean Shelby presented her the Rousey fight, she knew that the training would break her from the gloom.
"I needed something," she said. "I’ve trained my whole life. Training is a coping mechanism for me. I knew I needed to prepare for something. I needed to be in a practice room. Not practicing made it hard to deal with my dad."
Though her father’s still suffering some of the aftereffects, McMann says he’s responded very well to the chemo and that his cancer is now in remission. And it all started with her getting that title shot.
McMann lost to Rousey that night in Las Vegas via TKO early in the first round, after taking a knee to the body which doubled her over on the fence. It has been since debated as to whether or not it was an early stoppage by referee Herb Dean. Though she hopes a win over Tate will be enough to convince the UFC to give her a rematch, she took home some silver linings from that first encounter.
"Essentially no matter how that [Rousey] fight would have gone, I got more time with my dad," the 2004 silver medalist Olympic wrestler said. "It was going to be a win for me either way."
McMann rebounded with a victory over Lauren Murphy at UFC Fight Night 47 this past August in Bangor, Maine, winning a split decision. That had led her into this big spot against Tate, a fight that will head-up the preliminary action before the pay-per-view portion begins.
McMann had kept hush on her and her father’s story in the lead-up to the event last February. When asked months back by MMA Fighting about why she didn’t want the remarkable story to get out, McMann said that she didn’t want to take anything for granted, and that there was still a long way to go in the process. She wanted to keep the thing private until she knew things were headed in the right direction.
On Monday, McMann said that enough time has elapsed where she feels she can talk about it all.
"I’m a lot more comfortable now because the situation is a lot further in the past," she said. "Now I’ve had a lot of time to come to terms with it."A conservative talk radio host brought the Republican National Convention to its feet – and earned the week's loudest and longest sustained applause – by chastising the hundreds of reporters gathered in Cleveland to hear a night of speeches.
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has made press-bashing a regular feature of his campaign rallies, but Laura Ingraham's clobbering was the week's first sign of conservatives' open warfare' against media bias.
She yelled at journalists for failing to uncover corruption in the Obama administration, saying part of Trump's rise can be traced back to his willingness to say what their editors won't print.
The cheers were deafening.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO
ROCK STAR: Talk radio host Laura Ingraham blasted reporters as much as she clobbered Hillary Clinton in her Republican convention speech Wednesday, drawing deafening applause
CROWD PLEASER: Ingraham's radio show is solidly conservative and she frequently guest hosts for Bill O'Reilly on the Fox News Channel
WILD: Convention-goers stood and applauded for 45 seconds uninterrupted when Ingraham clobbered reporters for what right-wingers see as liberal bias
After a speech that focused on the loss of American greatness and the evils of runaway government power, the frequent Fox News Channel guest host and Sunday-morning ABC News contributor looked up to the balcony where journalists' eyes glared down.
'To all my friends – they're way up there – in the press. I see you! Hello! Hello!' she taunted.
'To all my friends up there in the press: You all know why, in your heart, Donald Trump won the nomination. You know it. You know why he won it?' she asked.
'Because he dared to call out the phonies, the frauds, and the corruption that has gone unexposed and uncovered for far too long. Too long! Do your job!'
With the Quicken Loans Arena more packed than on Monday night, when Donald trump made a surprise appearance, the swell of standing applause was louder than his.
'DISHONEST MEDIA': Donald Trump has made yelling at reporters – whom he calls some of the nation's biggest liars – a regular feature of his campaign rallies
POINTED SPEECH: Ingraham pointed to the balcony where journalists were seated and called them out as biased and lazy
It lasted a full 45 seconds, but Ingraham wasn't done.
'And by the way, people on another cable network were talking about how there was no energy in the room last night!' she vented.
'Why don't you sit here with the people? What a joke! America is on to you!' she boomed.
The Media Research Center, a right-wing research organization, set the tone in Cleveland this week by renting digital billboards downtown that read: 'Don't believe the liberal media.'
'DON'T BELIEVE THE LIBERAL MEDIA': Digital billboards like this one dotted Cleveland neighborhoods this weekDeath of the Tapeo
An Open Letter to Tapas Bar Owners in Sevilla
[para la traducción en español pinchar aquí]
Two years ago I wrote about the increasing number of tapas bars in Sevilla charging for bread and service, a previously unheard of practice that started off in a small way with some bars charging, say 50 cents a basket, but that has now grown to the point where we find a few bars charging up to 2€ PER PERSON.
I’m not singling out any individual bars or restaurants here (I reckon you know who you are) so I’m not going to name names, either to praise or shame. But I do feel it’s time you gave this some thought and tried to understand the damage you are doing, both to the splendid tradition of the tapeo and to your own reputations. Because I actually love some of your bars, and your fab tapas, but enough is enough already.
The main arguments I keep hearing from you and your staff are:
Everybody else is doing it. People pay more in other countries via taxes and tips. Why should we give food away? You’re the only one who ever complains, Shawn.
First of all, everybody else isn’t doing it. Not even close. The main culprits tend to be the new gastrobars, probably just like yours, especially those located in tourist areas. And hey, why not? By charging every person who walks into your bar an extra euro – for absolutely nothing! – you can probably pay one person’s salary. But let’s be honest here, if you can’t operate at enough of a profit to pay your staff properly then maybe you’re in the wrong business. Charging what amounts to an admission fee is so wrong that I can’t believe it’s been allowed to go on for so long. Yes, we all know that times are tough, but they are just as tough for your customers. Some of you say that many of your customers are tourists so it doesn’t matter, which also says to me that you probably don’t belong in the “hospitality” biz.
example of a tapas bar that cares about its customers
As for the second argument… what? What has that got to do with anything? We live and work in Spain. As do the majority of your customers. FYI, just a couple of examples here. In the UK the service charge is given to the staff and is not obligatory, and everybody there knows this. In the US and Canada tipping is the norm but is also not obligatory. If you don’t like the food or service, you don’t tip. Simple. But you also get coffee and soft drink refills, baskets of bread/nachos/ muffins, all included in the price. You don’t get charged just for walking into a place and sitting down. Perhaps this happens in other countries, but as already pointed out, we are not other countries. And in this country, especially in Sevilla, el tapeo is a cherished custom that you are threatening to wipe out. Imagine going out with 4-5 of your friends and being charged 1€ per person at every stop… at the end of the evening you will have paid an extra 20-30 euros. For absolutely nothing. So of course people will be forced to stop moving from bar to bar in order to save money, and this very charming element of daily life in Sevilla will die away.
Then there is the mistaken idea that you are somehow giving anything away. Nobody is asking you to give food away for nothing. But when you put food on a table as soon as customers sit down, it later looks very tacky when you charge for it, meaning it makes you look bad. It really does. Since I’ve heard most of you say “Do you have any idea how much bread and olives cost us every month, Shawn?” I’m guessing that you know exactly how much, making this a fixed cost (like rent and electricity) and something that could easily be factored into your food and drink prices. If you feel you want to charge for bread and olives, fair enough. But they should be clearly listed on the menu and you should wait for people to order them.
can you believe I was charged 3 euros for THIS
Finally, I am far from the only person complaining about this. I hear complaints all the time, including from other bar and restaurant owners. Heck, even some of your own staff and management are embarrassed by this, but they need their jobs so of course aren’t going to say anything. I am aware that I may be the only one who will say something to your face, but I can’t even begin to count the number of visiting friends and tapas tour clients who have been surprised and put off after finding an extra charge on their bill. I’m often asked if the “service” is a tip that goes to the wait staff. No it is not, I tell them, it goes directly into your pocket. I’m also asked WHY bars in Sevilla do this and my only honest answer is that certain owners have hit on a way to make extra money for nothing and seem to think nobody minds. But people do mind. They mind a lot. Scrupulous bar owners I’ve spoken to also hate this practice and feel it is giving tapas bars in Sevilla a bad name. But do they complain when they go out and this happens to them? No, they do what most people do. Feel upset and taken advantage of and then don’t go back. Why? Because nobody likes making a fuss or getting into an argument at the end of a meal or tapas stop. Easier just to pay up and leave. And you know this.
Sometimes friends have said to me “well, I’m a regular at such-and-such so they don’t charge me”, as if that makes it okay. The truth is that NOBODY has to pay for bread they haven’t ordered, and especially not this atrocious per person service charge. But again, nobody wants to make a fuss. And of course visitors have no idea they aren’t obliged to pay. Even if they did, most don’t have enough Spanish to argue with their server. But it leaves them with a bad feeling after what was an otherwise pleasant experience, which reflects on you.
Not to mention that none of this is in compliance with Official Rules and Obligations which state that bars and restaurants cannot charge for non-food items, specifically cover charges and taking reservations. Nor can they charge for food items that have not been ordered by the customer ie. bread and olives brought to the table.
But legal or not, it is still morally reprehensible to charge people for absolutely nothing. Meaning that if you found that – somehow – it was legal to charge your customers for just taking a seat in your tapas bar… why would you do this to them? What is your excuse or reasoning? And why does a guiri like me care more about preserving the tapeo tradition than you apparently do?
Un abrazo,
Shawn
Carta abierta a propietarios de bares de tapas en Sevilla
(traducción en Castellano por Eduardo Blanco)
Hace un par de años escribí sobre el aumento de bares de tapas en Sevilla que cobraban por el pan y el servicio, una práctica no habitual que comenzó tímidamente con algunos locales que cobraban unos 0,50€ por una cesta de pan, pero que ahora ha aumentado hasta el punto de llegar a cobrar hasta 2€ POR PERSONA.
No voy a centrarme en bares o restaurantes concretos (imagino que sabéis quienes son) por tanto no voy a dar nombres a fin de dar más o menos publicidad. Pero creo que va siendo hora de que pensarais sobre esto e intentarais entender el daño que estáis haciendo, tanto a la magnífica tradición del tapeo como a vosotros mismos. Me encantan muchos de vuestros bares y las fabulosas tapas que ofrecéis, pero ya basta.
Los principales argumentos que escucho de vosotros y de vuestro personal son:
Todos los demás lo hacen Se paga más en otros países con los impuestos y propinas ¿Por qué tenemos que darlo gratis? Shawn, eres la única que siempre se queja
Primero, no todos los demás lo hacen. Los primeros culpables son los recientemente denominados gastrobares, sobre todo los ubicados en las zonas turísticas. Ya puestos, ¿por qué no? Al cobrar 1€ a cada persona que entra en vuestro bar… (¡por nada!) seguramente tengáis para pagar el sueldo de una persona. Pero seamos sinceros, si eres incapaz de generar beneficio suficiente como para pagar a tus empleados, quizás estés en el negocio equivocado. Cobrar por lo que sería el equivalente a una ¨cuota de acceso¨ es algo tan erróneo que me cuesta creer que siga permitiéndose todavía. Todos sabemos que estamos en un momento difícil, pero también es difícil para vuestros clientes. Algunos de vosotros decís que muchos de vuestros clientes son turistas y que no importa, gran error, lo cual me confirma aún más que probablemente no pertenezcáis al sector hostelero ni tengáis una mentalidad acorde.
un ejemplo de un bar que realmente le importa sus clientes
En cuanto al segundo argumento… ¿en qué se basa? Vivimos y trabajamos en España. Y para vuestra información, pongo algún ejemplo: En el Reino Unido, el cargo por servicio se le da al personal y no es obligatorio, y todo el mundo es consciente de esto. En Estados Unidos y Canadá, dar propina es lo más habitual pero tampoco es obligatorio. Si no te gusta la comida o el servicio, no hay propina. Así de sencillo. Pero sin embargo, sí que te rellenan el vaso de refresco, te ponen más café, o también cestas con nachos, pan… todo ello incluido en el precio. No te cobran por entrar y sentarte. Quizás ocurra en otros países, pero como ya he dicho, no estamos en otros países. Y en este país, especialmente en Sevilla, el tapeo es una tradición que se cuida y que estáis amenazando con maltratar. Imaginaos salir con 4-5 amigos y que te cobren 1€ a cada uno en cada bar… al final de la noche habrás pagado unos 20-30€ de más, por absolutamente nada. Y esto puede hacer que la gente prefiera quedarse en un solo bar a fin de ahorrar ese dinero, con lo que el tapeo tradicional de bar en bar, un elemento auténtico en Sevilla, perderá parte de su esencia.
Por otra parte, luego está la idea equivocada de que estáis dando algo gratis. Nadie os pide que lo hagáis. Pero cuando ponéis un producto en la mesa en cuanto el cliente se sienta y |
and is sometimes played at night with a glow in the dark Hornuss.
How Is Hornussen Played
The Hornus or Nouss is set on a metal ramp and kept in place with a piece of clay
The batter propels it through the air with his Tråf toward the other players
If the Nouss hits the ground unhindered, it’s points against the defense
Winner is the team with the fewer points at the end of the game
Teams of 18, each player hits twice in a quarter, each team gets 2 quarters
Games last about 3 to 4 hours
Scoring Breakdown
And an example of the Red Bull Hornussen:Image caption Batley sold items in 2013 - a time when Matt Smith played the lead role in Doctor Who
A Wrexham teacher convicted of making her own Doctor Who merchandise and selling it on eBay has been reprimanded at a disciplinary hearing.
Hayley Batley, of St Giles Primary, was given a conditional discharge in November 2014 after admitting selling and offering trademarked goods.
An Education Workforce Council at Ewloe, Flintshire, heard she did not realise what she was doing was wrong.
The reprimand will remain on her record for two years.
The panel heard on Thursday how Batley was warned by the BBC in June 2013 that she was breaching trademark laws by making and selling her own Doctor Who items.
She asked the corporation for clarification, but before it responded, she relisted the items for sale.
Further investigations found she was offering more than 1,600 trademarked items for sale, including goods connected to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and James Bond.
'Teachers don't do this'
Setting out the case, Rhiannon Dale told the education panel that Ms Batley told trading standards officers she would not have sold the items if she knew it was wrong.
She told them: "I'm a teacher. Teachers don't do this. You're not supposed to get bloody arrested."
Ms Batley was given a 12-month sentence at Caernarfon Crown Court in November 2014 after pleading guilty to selling and offering trademarked goods.
She was given a final written warning at a disciplinary hearing at her school following her conviction as it was felt her actions were prejudicial to the school's name.
John Till, representing Ms Batley, said: "She really didn't think she was doing anything wrong."
He said her comments to trading standards officers showed her "spontaneous reaction" and "her instinctive appreciation of what should be expected of a teacher".
Hearing chairman Steve Powell said Ms Batley's conduct was "serious and unacceptable and must not happen again".Heroes of the Storm [official site], which launches out of open beta today, is Blizzard’s take on the MOBA – and if the very mention of the ‘M’-word made you want to heave your monitor out the window then it may just be a game you should play.
Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas are popular in direct proportion to the degree with which they are hated by people who don’t play them – and there are very good reasons for both of these things. Blizzard have made a game that seeks to make peace with each side. I think, if given time by either party, it would succeed, even if these impulses sometimes leave the game in conflict with itself. I, personally, bloody love it.
Brass tacks: Heroes of the Storm is a free-to-play team game in which players on each side control five variously empowered characters, picked from a larger roster of unique heroes. They vie for control of a map, supporting respawning waves of AI-controlled minions as they plough down the lanes connecting the two teams’ opposing bases. Players knock down forts that hold up their minions’ advance, recruit other, more powerful minions to join the surge and scuffle with their human opponents. All the while, the team sucks up XP and, as they level up, players unlock new buffs and abilities to help them in battle.
The team that gets into their opponents’ base and destroys their core is the winner – which is a grossly reduced summation of a formula capable of so much thrilling dynamism, emerging not just from the choices of when, where and how hard you ram into your enemy’s defenses, but in the way the idiosyncratic skillset of the heroes combines with or counters others. It’s a genre that sustains both elaborate, grand strategies and split-second skills, as players slam together in almighty pyrotechnics. You surge and fall back, flee and turn, regroup and roam – the rhythm of these movements in symbiosis with the map’s own flow of AI and timed events.
There is an ecstasy to triumphant coordination here that exceeds most other competitive genres in the diversity of its roles, in the elegant interlocking of variables in play. That moment when Nazeebo the Witch Doctor, wounded and hounded by the sorceress Jaina, lures her away from her team with the prospect of an easy kill – and turns! Suddenly zombies erupt from the floor to encircle her. Brightwing, who is some sort of magic gecko, teleports to Nazeebo’s side, healing him and transforming his would-be assassin into a helpless squirrel, delaying her escape long enough for Valla, the crossbow-wielding demon huntress, to vault from the nearby undergrowth and deploy a rain of hellfire. A percussive blast signals Jaina’s demise and the victorious team rampage on to the thumping drumbeat of heroic deaths. Rarely, in any other genre, does winning feel so much like music.
But, so far, so MOBA.
Blizzard, for their part, don’t even like to use the term MOBA when describing Heroes of the Storm. It prefers “Hero Brawler”, and perhaps we should at least meet them halfway: HotS may fit well enough within the nebulous category of MOBA that we should all just agree to call it that, but I credit Blizzard with an attempt not to make a game which slavishly follows the genre as it has come to be defined by the likes of League of Legends and Dota 2. Instead, they’ve looked at the vastly intricate things these games have become, born of a mod scene and, over many years of iteration, barnacled with opaque traditions and abstruse, impossibly dense formulae – they’ve looked at all this and said, “What if someone, like, actually fucking designed this?”
Don’t take this as a knock, LoL/Dota fans. The games are evidently very good. Much brilliance and wisdom has been applied to balancing and shaping them. But beneath is something that is less the product of design than simple, unmitigated growth. You know, like a tumour – a gigantic marshmallowy tumour that you love, with teeth and hair in weird places, like Tetsuo at the end of Akira, grasping at you, pulling you into its hot pulsating core and consuming you. But in a good way.
Their bizarre inheritances have become the kind of esoteric knowledge on which social hierarchies thrive: people love Dota at least partly because it is hard to know Dota. It means you are always learning vigorously. It means you always know more than someone else. It’s this currency of knowledge which validates the vast time commitment to the game. It creates complexity and richness, too, of course – but, as an outsider, the very presence of a hierarchy predicated on knowledge that is so baroque, yet so viciously guarded by its adherents, is something that prompts a defensive disdain. Inferred from it or implied by it is the notion that you are somehow a lesser person for not celebrating what seems like unnecessary obscurity.
HotS takes to that arcane knowledge base like Kaneda with a laser rifle, slicing away things that might impede a new player’s access to the game. Off come the bulging scrotums of terminology referencing iterations of design long-since obsolete. There goes the strange, fussy-fingered appendage of mid-game item purchases. Matches that last the better part of an hour? Zap! Last-hitting? Get rekt, pedants.Special Topics In Gameology is an in-depth look at a specific corner of the gaming world, in miniseries form. For our first edition of the feature, John Teti reviews the current slate of British game shows. The first entry introduced the series with a review of Pointless, and last week came The Chase. This week: Countdown.
Countdown
Elevator pitch: A test of verbal and mathematical agility, 30 seconds at a time
Channel: Channel 4
Running time: 45 minutes (including commercials)
Countdown is the most pleasant game show on television. It might also be the most British. It’s a prim game of letters and numbers in which the winners receive not cash but a porcelain teapot. A hideous porcelain teapot.
When Britain’s Channel 4 launched in 1982, Countdown was the first show it aired, and the show remains a throwback to a previous era when the public-service aspect of broadcasting was expected to play a significant role in programming decisions. That principle has eroded over time in the U.K., and of course it’s even more archaic here in the States, where the market interests of television networks are considered paramount as a matter of fact.
Played by two contestants, a Countdown match comprises 11 rounds of the “letters game,” three rounds of the “numbers game,” and a “Countdown Conundrum”—each of which is played with a 30-second time limit.
In a letters round, players are given an assortment of nine letters and asked to make an English word; whoever can make the longer word earns a point for each letter. (Ties score for both players, and a nine-letter word scores double.)
The numbers round presents players with a set of six numbers and a three-digit target sum—the contestants must reach the target by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing among the given numbers. For example, can you reach the target of 538 using any or all of the numbers 100, 7, 6, 4, 4, and 3? (The answer is at the bottom of the article.) Whichever contestant can come closest to the target earns the points for the round, and the closer you get, the more points you earn, up to 10.
The final round, the Countdown Conundrum, is simply a nine-letter anagram worth 10 points. The anagram typically has the ring of an actual word, like the Conundrum “RACETYRES,” whose solution is “SECRETARY.” More often than not, one player has a lead greater than 10 points heading into this round, which means that in terms of the score, the Conundrum is usually something of an anticlimax.
But that’s the rub: Countdown is not afraid to be boring, which I mean as a compliment. The show aims to entertain, of course, but it also aims to educate, in its mild way, and to provide companionship. Despite existing in a genre known for its noise and flash, Countdown is less of a glitzy showman than an unassuming houseguest, helping its viewers pass time with a quaint parlor game that stimulates the mind. And because Countdown doesn’t strive to be exciting at every turn, it likewise relieves the viewer from the obligation of being constantly entertained.
And yet, as an American watching this British program, I do find myself entertained by its driest, primmest elements. Host Nick Hewer opens a recent Monday episode with a brief monologue/chat session in which he observes that Scout Community Week is getting underway. Hewer proceeds to give a brief history of the name of Scout Community Week: “It used to be known as Bob-A-Job week, but that’s been scrapped. Scrapped 20 years ago!”
He sounds like an English Grampa Simpson; you almost expect him to start expounding on the tradition of Scouts wearing onions on their belt. But the real purpose of this monologue, as with many Countdown openers, is to pay tribute to the quiet glory of prosaic British life (a life that, presumably, involves watching Countdown at 3:15 each afternoon). “Young scouts have got to volunteer, no cash involved, at community centers and hospitals,” Hewer says. After a second, he adds: “Quite right, too.”
Once he’s praised the quite-rightness of Scout Community Week, Hewer turns to another member of the Countdown cast, Rachel Riley, the winsome math whiz who fills the Vanna White role. She also provides solutions to numbers games when the contestants fall short. Hewer asks Riley if she has ever been involved in the scouting movement, and she says that she was indeed in the Scouts, rather than the Guides or the Brownies, which are apparently female-only alternatives. “Sounds like gender confusion to me,” harrumphs Hewer.
That hilariously fuddy-duddy response that is par for the course on Countdown. Other regularly scheduled chatty interludes include a segment at “Dictionary Corner” with the show’s resident lexicographer, Susie Dent, in which she discusses a bit of etymology. In this episode, she speaks on the topic of new internet words, a lecture that Hewer endures slumped in his chair with a pained expression, uttering the occasional groan. The word “sofalizing”—socializing over the internet from one’s couch—is condemned by Dent, presumably because its newness threatens to crumble the very foundation of British society. Dent concludes the segment with, honest to God, a mention of “planking.” Asks Riley, “That’s dangerous, isn’t it?”
Each show also features a celebrity guest, which in this instance is newspaper columnist Janet Street-Porter. She writes for the Independent On Sunday newspaper and The Daily Mail, a conservative paper whose primary purpose is to provide old white people with a daily supply of things that will make them angry. During an interview segment with Hewer, Street-Porter says, “I’m most cross about language at the moment,” suggesting, quite plausibly, that she has a running list of things about which she is cross.
The British-ness of Countdown comes through most vividly, though, in the quirks that pervade every element of the game. The show holds its idiosyncrasies dearly, as if they were the very fabric of the thing, and maybe they are, because they turn a straightforward exercise of language and mathematics into a ritual—they transform a game into a tradition.
Nothing embodies this tradition more than the huge Countdown clock, which has the apparent capacity to run a full minute despite the fact that every round on the show lasts only 30 seconds. The left half of the clock therefore has a purely ceremonial purpose—it is the royal family to the right half’s Parliament—but without it, Countdown wouldn’t be Countdown.
Despite the fact that anagram software has existed for quite a while now, the words on the show are verified only by Susie Dent and her hardbound dictionary. (Likewise, Riley comes up with the solutions for a numbers round in her head, on the fly.) Such is the show’s commitment to the analog approach that when Dent finds a particularly interesting word during a letters round, the production doesn’t use a fancy graphics package to display it to the home audience. Instead, Dent points a handheld camera—which looks like an oversized lipstick tube taped to a Bic pen, with a long cable snaking out of it—at the dictionary on her desk, and the control room cuts to a somewhat blurry freeze frame of the word in question. Print media lives!
Other touches of tradition abound. When one player has come up with the same word as her opponent in a letters, she must lean across the table and show that she has the word written down on scratch paper. This serves as proof that she’s not just saying, “Yes, I got that one, too!” Twice per show, Hewer offers an eight-letter anagram for the viewers to ponder during a commercial break; this is deemed the “Teatime Teaser,” which is just adorable.
But my favorite ritual of Countdown is both one of its smallest and one of its strangest. A contestant constructs the letter bank for a letters round by asking co-hostess Riley to draw letters, one at a time, from two stacks of face-down tiles—one containing vowels, the other consonants. Riley draws the tile, places it on the board, and says the letter. Then between each draw, as she waits for the contestant’s next choice, she does the weirdest thing. She turns her head around and offers a small, vapid smile to the camera.
This in itself wouldn’t be so odd, except that she does it every single time. There are 11 letters rounds per episode, nine letters per round, which means on each show, Riley performs 88 turn-and-smiles, each one practically indistinguishable from the last. And I find myself mesmerized by this. It’s the dullest motion, made more meaningful—and soothing, in a way—by its repetition.
That’s the tao of Countdown. The game is so simple and unimaginative that its novelty wore off back in 1982, within days of its first broadcast. Because novelty isn’t the point; familiarity is. Countdown is the digestive biscuit of game shows, served every day with tea, a confection that seems dull on the first bite yet provides an essential comfort once you acquire a taste for it. And it’s proof that there is room in the worlds of both gaming and television for a game that’s merely, delightfully pleasant.
(Sample numbers round solution: 100 – 4 – 7 = 89; 89 × 6 = 534; 534 + 4 = 538. Check the series introduction for tips on watching Countdown if you’re not in the U.K.)Bushfires, climate and the debate we have to have
Updated
Moral outrage and condemnation is not the way to encourage a conversation about climate change and Australia's policy response, writes Marcus Priest.
In the lead up to the release of the most recent report of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change an information kit was sent around to environment groups by a PR firm engaged by the IPCC.
Contained in the kit was material the groups could use in their climate change campaigns including a sample opinion piece groups could submit to media organisations. According to that opinion piece the IPCC report contained important information for people "who don't like to end up in flames".
As is if to illustrate that point, within weeks large bushfires began raging throughout NSW after the second-warmest winter and then the hottest start to spring on record. And it didn't take long for some people to start pointing the finger at climate change.
Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt went one step further and attempted to link it to the new Government's plans to repeal the carbon tax.
Those statements make eminent sense to those who already understand the likelihood and intensity of such events increases as a result of climate change. But they continue a strategy that too often is counter-productive. With the election of a new Government there is a need to assess whether the traditional forms of advocacy and environmental campaigning are suitable.
The most obvious problem with Bandt's comments is that repealing the carbon price alone will do little to prevent future climate change. Much rests on what happens in China and its annual 10 per cent emissions growth, rather than a country that accounts for 1.5 percent of global greenhouse gases.
More importantly, one of the lessons of the past 10 years of the climate change debate has been the danger of making overly dramatic claims. As the IPCC report details there is a range of possible temperature increases and sea level rises. Yet too often, it is the top-end of those ranges used to underscore the need to take urgent action.
Consider for example, prominent scientist Tim Flannery's claim in 2004: "There is a fair chance Perth will be the 21st century's first ghost metropolis."
Three years later he was at it again saying: "In Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane, water supplies are so low they need desalinated water urgently, possibly in as little as 18 months".
Such claims have provided endless ammunition and mirth to people who seek to discredit the science of climate change. I remember speaking to one internationally respected climate change scientist who said he and his colleagues dread whenever Tim Flannery gives a speech as inevitably they have to go in afterwards and clean up.
Flannery's comments also highlight the dangers of conflating long-term climate change with short-term weather events. It is not possible to say whether one large bushfire or drought is due to climate change but only that they are consistent with a trend where such events become more probable.
Even so, Flannery's comments made at the time of the record-breaking millennial drought, helped feed public concern about climate change and acceptance of the need to introduce carbon pricing.
Yet when the millennial drought ended and public concern swung to the impact of the Global Financial Crisis, a great deal of the public momentum to introduce carbon pricing fell away.
After this time, other major weather events - the 2009 Victorian bushfires and the Queensland floods - failed to stir the same public opinion, so highlighting the dangers of basing a campaign on long-term climate change simply on short-term weather events.
Another of the problems of the climate change debate over the past 10 years has been how otherwise intelligent people become more and more entrenched in their climate scepticism as more and more scientific information about the likelihood of damaging climate change becomes available.
It is the most curious paradoxes of the whole debate. There is a seeming contradiction in the fact that those arguing most fervently against a market based mechanism to tackle climate change are those who otherwise believe markets are the best and most efficient way of dealing with social and economic issues.
In the United States, there is an increasing body of academic research that political ideology - and in particular conservative or free marketeer - is a major factor preventing acceptance of climate science.
One US study found individuals' worldviews explained individuals' beliefs about global warming more fully than any other individual characteristic; so-called "hierarchs" and individualists tend to dismiss the claim that global warming is occurring and is serious threat to our society due to the belief it would lead to a redistribution of resources, whereas egalitarians and communitarians take the opposite view.
Further, it found with increasing levels of scientific literacy, liberals ("egalitarian communitarians") and conservatives ("hierarchical individualists") become more polarised over global warming.
However, the same research showed people who endorsed free-market economic principles become less hostile when they are presented with policy responses that do not seem to be as threatening to their world view, such as geo-engineering or nuclear engineering.
In one experiment, subjects were supplied with one of two versions of a newspaper article. In both versions, a report was described as finding that the temperature of the earth is increasing, that humans are the source of this condition, and that this could have disastrous environmental economic. In one version, however, the scientific report was described as calling for "increased anti-pollution regulation", whereas in another it was described as calling for "revitalisation of the nation's nuclear power industry".
Those subjects receiving the "nuclear power" version of the article were less culturally polarised than ones receiving the "anti-pollution" version.
In a recent New Scientist article Cardiff University research associate Adam Corner said the implication of this research was that climate change communicators needed to understand that debates about the science were often simply a proxy for more fundamental disagreements.
"Too often, they assume that the facts will speak for themselves – ignoring the research that reveals how real people respond. If communicators were to start with ideas that resonated more powerfully with the right – the beauty of the local environment, or the need to enhance energy security – the conversation about climate change would likely flow much more easily."
There is some substance in that suggestion when you examine Prime Minister Tony Abbott's oft-stated views on "practical environmentalism".
In announcing his "Green Army" signature policy earlier this year he stated: "Australia has a beautiful environment and Australians want to look after it. We are all conservationists now. But as well as climate change, important though that is, we have very big environmental challenges much nearer to home, chief amongst them are our degraded land and our polluted waterways".
In other words, if people are concerned about climate change and want to convince the new government to take action now, they need to come with better and smarter ways of doing so than simply expecting moral outrage and condemnation to suffice.
Marcus Priest is a lawyer, former political adviser to Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland and former environment writer for the Australian Financial Review. View his full profile here.
Topics: bushfire, environmental-policy, emissions-trading, abbott-tony, climate-change
First postedI bought this water oil almost immediately after seeing it on fanserviced’s instagram and it’s the best thing I’ve found in a long, long time for my desert dry skin.
Goodal Skincare
Goodal (a play on “good” and “all”) is the skincare arm of Club Clio, which also includes Clio Professional (of Kill Black eyeliner fame) and Peripera. The brand focuses on natural ingredients and uses fermented oil extracts (which are water soluble) for easy absorption / higher penetration into the skin. Also, in line with their natural image, the brand avoids parabens, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, mineral oil, SLS, alcohol, and phenoxyethanol in its products. I don’t have a problem with parabens, mineral oil, or alcohol (in moderation) but if you do, these products won’t have them.
Waterest Lasting Water Oil
This bottle is smaller than I was expecting, but at 1 – 2 pumps a use, I expect it to last awhile. The water oil has a thin, jelly like texture (similar to the benton snail bee essence) and smells very faintly of verdant herbs and peppermint. I don’t find the smell unpleasant, but am glad that it fades almost immediately.
Here is the ingredient list, with irritants and acne triggers identified by cosdna indicated accordingly.
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Raffinose, Betaine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Phenllinus Linteus Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pueraria Thunberguaba Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Monascus Extract, Soluable Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Oil, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Eugenia Caryophyilus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Rose Damascena Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Camellia Sinesis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernal Oil, Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,!,2-Hexanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimenthyl Silane, Cellulose Gum, Ethlyhexylglyverin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Disopatassium Glycyrrhizate, Capryliv/Capric triglyeride, Folic Acid, Ceramide 3, Cholesterol, Acetic Acid, Lactic Acid, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
For simplicity, I separated it into three categories: extracts, oils, everything else.
This product delivers a seriously hefty list of extracts and oils. Although I like the idea of having a super-juice skin serum, I have my doubts. I use about a dime size worth of product twice a day, which means the amount of each individual oil being applied is a fraction of a dime size, times two. However, it does include some ingredients I’m fond of / interested in, such as Bifida ferment lysate (which is a star ingredient in Estee Lauder’s ever so popular Advanced Night Repair / Synchronized Recovery Complex) and jojoba oil (which is the one oil that actually seems to make a difference with my dry skin), so I figure the other extracts and oils can’t help. Also, I got this product to help add moisture to my skin, not to brighten my skintone or restore vital nutrients. Since adopting the Korean 200 step skincare routine, I’ve developed a strong bias against multi-taskers anyhow. If any of these star ingredients (below) identified by Goodal manages to follow through with its purported benefits, that’s all just extra.
Fermented Red Rice Yeast Oil – protects skin from internal / external stressors
Bifida Ferment Lysate – reduces skin sensitivity and increases skin barrier’s ability to repair itself
Niacinamide – anti-inflammatory, promotes cell-communication enhancing barrier function, increases ceramide levels, and lightens hyperpigmentation
Licorice root extract – anti-inflammatory, promotes brightening, promotes even complexion
Sunflower seed oil – restores vitality
Jojoba seed Oil – boosts hydration
Camellia flower – prolongs hydration
Green Tea Seed Oil – brightens
Argan oil – firming and elasticity
Olive fruit seed – soothes sensitive skin
Macadamian nut – restores vital nutrients
Glycerin and niacinamide are probably doing the heavy lifting here in terms of adding and retaining moisture. Also, instead of using paraben as a preservative, Goodal uses Ethylhexylglycerin, which can cause irritation.
This stuff applies smoothly and sinks in beautifully. Goodal claims this product delivers 24 hour long-lasting hydration. It’s a lofty claim and one that does not fully deliver. There is a definite decline in hydration after 6-8 hours, yet even when my skin starts to feel dry, it does not look dry. In addition, this water oil (used in conjunction with the Benton steam cream but I suspect it’s the water oil doing the heavy lifting) somehow keeps my skin baby soft to the end of the day. When I first started using it, I would catch myself touching my skin randomly throughout the day like a weirdo. Lastly, my skin is probably pretty far on the dry side of the spectrum so 6-8 hours of moisture on my skin might actually translate into 24 hours of moisture on normal skin.
Final thoughts: Amazing product for dry skin! Probably light enough to use in warmer months as well.
Purchased from Roseroseshop where it seems to have been discontinued (new version here). Reviews version still available on W2Beauty and TesterKorea.
AdvertisementsAs the war in Israel rages on, with Operation Protective Edge into its third week, the war online continues to intensify.
France, in particular, has seen some of the worst demonstrations and violence in condemning Israel's strike against Gaza, as anti-Israel demonstrators spent last weekend protesting, attempting to break into two Paris synagogues and vandalizing a kosher butcher shop.
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As anti-Semitism in France has been a growing problem for its Jewish residents as of late, this year has seen the largest delegation of French Jews making aliyah to Israel
Crossing the Line Italy, France, Germany denounce anti-Semitic demos Associated Press European foreign ministers vow to do everything possible to combat violence over Gaza conflict in their countries. In Berlin, police ban pro-Palestinian protesters from chanting anti-Semitic slogan. Italy, France, Germany denounce anti-Semitic demos
According to a new report from AFP, since Operation Protective Edge began two and a half weeks ago, leaving over 600 Palestinians and dozens of IDF soldiers dead, this brand of hate posted online has significantly increased in a country that boasts the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in Western Europe.
"As soon as you talk about Israel, it crystallizes all passions, with up to 20,000 or 30,000 comments sometimes after an article, of which we will only let 5% to 10% through," explained David Corchia, head of an online moderation company of which both Le Figaro and Liberation (French news publications) are clients.
Corchia says that as an online moderator, generally 25% to 40% of comments are banned. Moderators are assigned with the task of filtering comments in accordance with France's legal system, including those that are racist, anti-Semitic or discriminatory.
Regarding the war between the Israelis and Hamas, however, Corchia notes that some 95% of online comments made by French users are removed.
"There are three times as many comments than normal, all linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," added Jeremie Mani, head of another moderation company Netino.
"We see racist or anti-Semitic messages, very violent, that also take aim at politicians and the media, sometimes by giving journalists’ contact details," he added. "This sickening content is peculiar to this conflict. The war in Syria does not trigger these kinds of comments."
His last comment is particularly significant; as reports come in that 270 Syrians were killed in a massacre at the hands of ISIS, there is little heard around the rest of the world. Where are the rallies and demonstrations? The boycotts? The condemnations?
Mani notes that "without any moderation, these hate messages would invade everything, particularly as they quickly breed followers."Israel's Fence. Congress never funded America's
Over at RedState, the row about defunding Obamacare has attracted a commenter who has grasped the implications of the Immigration War
Republican Congressmen, remember the Secure Fence Act of 2006. It passed 283 to 138 in the House, and 80 to 19 in the Senate. The majority of the fence was not built, because it was not fully funded. It was very popular with Americans. Obamacare is widely unpopular. So, why is it such a big deal to defund it? Just do what the Democrats did for the border fence.
Early in the comment thread of The Cries of the House GOP Staffers and Congressmen by Erik Erikson September 18th, 2013 “loganyung” writes
Obamacare is not a central VDARE.com issue, although we have noted the cost bloating impact of immigration and Amnesty on it, the strong likelihood of mission creep like the 1965 Immigration Act, and with great interest, the sudden enthusiasm for judicial impeachment when its enthusiasts feared the Supreme Court would adjudicate rather than legislate last year.
But ‘loganyung’ is right: Immigration policy has proved where there is a will there is a way
Unfortunately so far it is the Treason Lobby which has the will.
H/T Talk Radio ListenerWhile the HoloLens was originally conceived as the next step in video games, Microsoft has since steered the augmented reality device down a path of education and business. That hasn’t stopped developers from pushing new limits, however. During Unite Europe 2017 developer conference this week, Ubisoft showed its recent foray into HoloLens tinkering.
Most commonly known for their Tom Clancy’s and Assassin’s Creed series, the French video game publisher showed off three prototypes exhibiting using realistic objects with spatial mapping to create new games (via VRFocus). What ‘spatial mapping’ means is that it can identify surfaces to place holographic objects by shapes and placements, and by using this technology, augmented reality can essentially interact with the layout of your physical environment.
Ubisoft programmer David Yue showed off toy soldiers that could be manipulated by the user’s hand’s motions. With spatial mapping, these little figures could fight each other more efficiently by knowing what objects were able to be traversed. However, it seems one of the other prototypes titled Rabbid Rockets didn’t benefit from spatial mapping.
It’s clear that Ubisoft is still playing with the new technologies available in augmented and mixed reality. Even if none of the prototypes demonstrated become actual video games, working closely with Microsoft could set Ubisoft to become one of the first publishers to see next gen titles on the HoloLens or Microsoft Mixed Reality headsets.
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Further reading: Augmented Reality"All crap," he tells E! News of the speculation of what happened that night. "Believe nothing."
"I will never speak about any of this as long as I'm alive. You're all gonna have to keep towing the same redundant line, guessing wrong."
"By the way, two wars are in an endless state of sorrow. Egypt about burned to the ground, and all you people care about is my bullsh-t?"
Sheen says it's "pathetic" that the media cares about his personal life whether it involves porn stars or not.
"Shame, shame, shame," he says.
And just so we can compare, here's the official statement that issued by Sheen's rep after the Los Angeles Fire Department released the 911 call.
"I have a lot of work to do to be able to return the support I have received from so many people. I want to say thank you to my fellow castmembers, the crew of Two and a Half Men and everyone at CBS and Warner Bros., especially CBS CEO Les Moonves and Warner Bros. TV President Bruce Rosenblum for their concern and support."
"And to my fans, your good wishes have touched me very much. Like Errol Flynn, who had to put down his sword on occasion, I just want to say thank you."The US Supreme Court Tuesday ruled that a drug dog's sniff of a residence's front door is a search under the meaning of the Fourth Amendment and that police must therefore obtain a search warrant before unleashing the hounds. The case was Florida v. Jardines.
While the high court has previously ruled that drug dog sniffs of vehicles stopped on the highway, packages at shipping centers, or luggage at airports do not constitute a search under the Fourth, it sets a higher standard for people's homes. When it comes to the Fourth Amendment, "the home is first among equals," Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the 5-4 majority."A police officer not armed with a warrant may approach a home and knock, precisely because that is no more than any private citizen might do," Scalia reasoned. "But introducing a trained police dog to explore the area around the home in hopes of discovering incriminating evidence is something else. There is no customary invitation to do that."The case arose when a Miami police detective investigating an anonymous tip about a marijuana growing operation had his drug dog sniff the base of the home's front door. The dog "alerted" on the scent of marijuana, and only then did police obtain a warrant to search the home |
stands for "Quorum-Based Coin". The coins are called "qubics" to distinguish them among other types of coins.Qubics are binary data stored in computers. These data contain information about value of qubics, their public and private keys. A private key is known only to a qubic's owner and is used to prove ownership.Qubics are created ("minted") by nodes ("providers") that run special software. Every provider does work necessary for normal existence of the Qubic network. Periodically every provider receives new qubics as a reward for its support of the network and this reward is proportional to quality of provided service.Providers mint new qubics. They let qubics to be split, combined and refreshed, providers also prevent double-spending of qubics. Splitting is used to split a qubic to ones with lesser values to get specific amount. Combining is used to combine qubics to make them easier to store. Refreshing is used to change private keys, it is also used to stress-test the network to keep it healthy.To transfer qubics during a trade between parties it is necessary to transfer private keys. After the keys are accepted by the seller the qubics are destroyed and new ones with the same values are created. Private keys of the new qubics are known only to the new owner. Transfer of keys occurs outside the Qubic network (via e-mail or special software), so it is impossible to track transactions made with qubics. Destroying of qubics and creation of new ones is a common occurrence and noone can prove that this happened due to a trade.- Value of a qubic varies from 0.000000001 (10) to 999999999.999999999 (almost 10), it is 9 decimal places before and after the point.- Supply of qubics is theoretically unlimited. Every provider decides how many qubics it lets to be rewarded to the other providers. In the future the system can come to a state when total value of minted qubics becomes less than total value of qubics lost during the same period of time. (Some loss of qubics is expected due to lost keys and other causes.)- No fees are supposed to be charged for transactions as they occur outside the Qubic network. Providers obtain qubics by providing the service.- Transactions can not be tracked.- Noone needs to reveal theirs real identities to be able to use Qubic.- There are no "accounts" in Qubic, only "coins" which can be lost but can not be nullified.The author is working on an implementation of the concept. Constructive suggestions and help in testing are very welcome.Quick comparison with Bitcoin:- No fees- Transactions can't be scrutinized- Network-bound proof-of-work instead of CPU-bound one is used- New coins are produced at the rate determined by quorum of miners, not by developers (good ole Greek democracy)- Coins "look" like real coins (not a ground-breaking feature but a neat one)- No need to download gigs of data from "a blockchain", every miner is allowed to handle only fraction of the Qubic network- Transfer of money in Qubic is supposed to be much faster than in Bitcoin- Qubic is more eco-friendly as it doesn't require a lot of electricity to be spent- (I'll add more if anything comes to mind)
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Hero MemberActivity: 798Merit: 1000 Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 25, 2012, 08:50:33 AM #2
1. How does the system prevent
2. How is consensus reached on how many and what coins exist?
3. What the hell does "Coins "look" like real coins" mean?
4. How long do you expect it to take consensus to be reached to prevent double spending? From what I gather this is somewhat based off of the Chaumian-style digital cash.1. How does the system prevent sybil attacks without proof of work?2. How is consensus reached on how many and what coins exist?3. What the hell does "Coins "look" like real coins" mean?4. How long do you expect it to take consensus to be reached to prevent double spending? Decrits
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 25, 2012, 10:05:56 AM #3 Quote from: Etlase2 on September 25, 2012, 08:50:33 AM
1. How does the system prevent sybil attacks without proof of work? Any provider can consider any other provider to be trusted with some weight. 1000x, for example, means that an attacker has to create at least 1000 faked providers visible to the attacked provider to make a successfull Sybil attack (not all providers are visible to the others, so practically it is necessary to have more than 1000 faked ones). All data received from such a trusted provider should be carefully logged and audited (to prevent qubics to be minted out of thin air), but it is necessary only in the beginning. When more providers join the Qubic network, Sybil attack will become less dangerous. So after a while it can be possible to get rid of all trusted providers. As every provider itself marks other providers trusted and choses appropriate weights and noone else knows this information, Sybil attack doesn't seem to be an issue. Anyway I'm concerned about it and plan to simulate such kind of attack during pre-launch tests.
Quote from: Etlase2 on September 25, 2012, 08:50:33 AM 2. How is consensus reached on how many and what coins exist?
Everytime when a new transaction appears (SPLIT, COMBINE, REFRESH) providers distribute it each to other. When a provider receives a new transaction it increases the rating of the provider the transaction was received from. Periodically every provider asks the others if they wish to mint new qubics and receives public keys of these qubics. There are 19 keys for qubics with values of 0.000000001, 0.000000009, 0.00000009, 0.0000009,..., 0.9, 9, 90,..., 900000000 are published by every asked provider. Every provider makes decision what total value of qubics it lets to be minted by every other provider and this is based on the rating.
Let's imagine that provider A lets 100 QBC to be minted by provider Z. Provider B lets 10 QBC by Z and provider C - 10 QBC by Z as well. A stores qubics with keys corresponding to values 90, 9, 0.9, 0.09,... (total = 100 QBC). B and C store keys corresponding to values 9, 0.9, 0.09,... (total = 10 QBC) both. Now if Z try to do anything with qubics with values higher than 90 QBC it will be rejected by everyone. Transactions with 90 QBC will be accepted only by 1 of 3 providers (no quorum) so it means that the qubic [90 QBC] wasn't minted. Transactions with 9 QBC and less will be accepted by the quorum of providers.
There could be a situation when every provider refuses to accept qubics minted by the others. In this case the Qubic network will start to lose its providers (no point to work for free) and credibility of the rest of the world. So the price of 1 QBC will go down which will lower profits of remaining providers. Similar scenario is expected even in case when values of minted qubics are higher than zero but still too low. On the other hand it's undesirable for the network to mint a lot of qubics, coz in this case due to inflation the price of 1 QBC will go down as well. I suppose that the whole system will find a point of dynamic balance, just like the market does.
The same with already existing qubics. It's necessary to ask some providers if this particular qubic exists. If u asked 100 providers and more than 50 said "yes", than u should consider it's legit qubic. If u r not satisfied with numbers than just ask 1000 providers and keep asking as long as u wish.
Quote from: Etlase2 on September 25, 2012, 08:50:33 AM 3. What the hell does "Coins "look" like real coins" mean?
Bitcoin has accounts and their balances. Qubic doesn't have accounts. Qubics are very similar to real coins as there are no connections between a purse (a wallet in Bitcoin) and a qubic.
Quote from: Etlase2 on September 25, 2012, 08:50:33 AM 4. How long do you expect it to take consensus to be reached to prevent double spending?
Something within 60 seconds. Need to make experiments though as this depends on an implementation. provider can considerprovider to be trusted with some weight. 1000x, for example, means that an attacker has to create at least 1000 faked providersto the attacked provider to make a successfull Sybil attack (not all providers are visible to the others, so practically it is necessary to have more than 1000 faked ones). All data received from such a trusted provider should be carefully logged and audited (to prevent qubics to be minted out of thin air), but it is necessary only in the beginning. When more providers join the Qubic network, Sybil attack will become less dangerous. So after a while it can be possible to get rid of all trusted providers. As every provider itself marks other providers trusted and choses appropriate weights and noone else knows this information, Sybil attack doesn't seem to be an issue. Anyway I'm concerned about it and plan to simulate such kind of attack during pre-launch tests.Everytime when a new transaction appears (SPLIT, COMBINE, REFRESH) providers distribute it each to other. When a provider receives atransaction it increases the rating of the provider the transaction was received from. Periodically every provider asks the others if they wish to mint new qubics and receives public keys of these qubics. There are 19 keys for qubics with values of 0.000000001, 0.000000009, 0.00000009, 0.0000009,..., 0.9, 9, 90,..., 900000000 are published by every asked provider. Every provider makes decision what total value of qubics it lets to be minted by every other provider and this is based on the rating.Let's imagine that providerlets 100 QBC to be minted by provider. Providerlets 10 QBC byand provider- 10 QBC byas well.stores qubics with keys corresponding to values 90, 9, 0.9, 0.09,... (total = 100 QBC).andstore keys corresponding to values 9, 0.9, 0.09,... (total = 10 QBC) both. Now iftry to do anything with qubics with valuesthan 90 QBC it will be rejected by everyone. Transactions with 90 QBC will be accepted only by 1 of 3 providers (no quorum) so it means that the qubic [90 QBC] wasn't minted. Transactions with 9 QBC and less will be accepted by the quorum of providers.There could be a situation when every provider refuses to accept qubics minted by the others. In this case the Qubic network will start to lose its providers (no point to work for free) and credibility of the rest of the world. So the price of 1 QBC will go down which will lower profits of remaining providers. Similar scenario is expected even in case when values of minted qubics are higher than zero but still too low. On the other hand it's undesirable for the network to mint a lot of qubics, coz in this case due to inflation the price of 1 QBC will go down as well. I suppose that the whole system will find a point of dynamic balance, just like the market does.The same with already existing qubics. It's necessary to ask some providers if this particular qubic exists. If u asked 100 providers andthan 50 said "yes", than u should consider it's legit qubic. If u r not satisfied with numbers than just ask 1000 providers and keep asking as long as u wish.Bitcoin has accounts and their balances. Qubic doesn't have accounts. Qubics are very similar to real coins as there are no connections between a purse (a wallet in Bitcoin) and a qubic.Something within 60 seconds. Need to make experiments though as this depends on an implementation.
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Hero MemberActivity: 798Merit: 1000 Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 25, 2012, 02:39:34 PM #4 Quote from: Come-from-Beyond on September 25, 2012, 10:05:56 AM The same with already existing qubics. It's necessary to ask some providers if this particular qubic exists. If u asked 100 providers and more than 50 said "yes", than u should consider it's legit qubic. If u r not satisfied with numbers than just ask 1000 providers and keep asking as long as u wish.
You've got a lot of work ahead of you if you think this can be used as a way to bring consensus. In a decentralized system, there has to be a way for everyone to eventually come to an agreement on what has happened.
Quote As every provider itself marks other providers trusted and choses appropriate weights and noone else knows this information, Sybil attack doesn't seem to be an issue.
No one else knows this information including people who want to transact on the network. Determining who to trust will be impossible and sybil attacks will be easy. You've got a lot of work ahead of you if you think this can be used as a way to bring consensus. In a decentralized system, there has to be a way for everyone to eventually come to an agreement on what has happened.No one else knows this information including people who want to transact on the network. Determining who to trust will be impossible and sybil attacks will be easy. Decrits
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 25, 2012, 03:11:56 PM #5 Quote from: Etlase2 on September 25, 2012, 02:39:34 PM You've got a lot of work ahead of you if you think this can be used as a way to bring consensus. In a decentralized system, there has to be a way for everyone to eventually come to an agreement on what has happened.
Minting algo can be adjusted. Or completely changed. And then we'll see if it works.
Quote from: Etlase2 on September 25, 2012, 02:39:34 PM No one else knows this information including people who want to transact on the network. Determining who to trust will be impossible and sybil attacks will be easy.
It's not necessary to choose whom to trust when there are thousands providers and Sybil attack can't be implemented easily. At early stage with a few providers only small amount of qubics can be minted and it's easy to audit every qubic. Real qubics can be minted starting from the point when the network will have enough providers to overcome attackers. Minting algo can be adjusted. Or completely changed. And then we'll see if it works.It's not necessary to choose whom to trust when there are thousands providers and Sybil attack can't be implemented easily. At early stage with a few providers only small amount of qubics can be minted and it's easy to audit every qubic.qubics can be minted starting from the point when the network will have enough providers to overcome attackers.
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Hero MemberActivity: 798Merit: 1000 Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 25, 2012, 09:13:00 PM #6 use the network. They will be inundated with all kinds of providers and have no clue as to which ones are trustworthy. Not to mention since each provider will likely have a different idea about who is trustworthy, trust can't be used to weigh votes on how many coins are created. So someone with tens of thousands of IPs can just say "I want 9999999" tens of thousands of times (good lord the data consumption) and destroy any value to the currency.
you gotta solve this too:
You might be interested in this: You claim a sybil attack can't be mounted easily, but the only defense you seem to have is that honest people will have more. One botnet could have thousands or hundreds of thousands of IP addresses. Once IPv6 is the norm, governments and ISPs will have easy access to billions of IP addresses. The trust system might work among providers that know and trust each other, but this does nothing for people trying tothe network. They will be inundated with all kinds of providers and have no clue as to which ones are trustworthy. Not to mention since each provider will likely have a different idea about who is trustworthy, trust can't be used to weigh votes on how many coins are created. So someone with tens of thousands of IPs can just say "I want 9999999" tens of thousands of times (good lord the data consumption) and destroy any value to the currency.you gotta solve this too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_generals You might be interested in this: https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/wiki Decrits
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LegendaryActivity: 1205Merit: 1001 Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 25, 2012, 09:43:26 PM #7 Quote from: Come-from-Beyond on September 25, 2012, 07:34:34 AM
- Network-bound proof-of-work instead of CPU-bound one is used
Is there more to the 'network-bound proof-of-work' other than ip addresses?
I assume if you call it 'proof-of-work' there must be more than unique ip addresses? Number of transactions received?
Can't say for sure if you have at least mitigated sybil attack with just the sketch you provided but Etlase has some good points here.
Also the inflation model seems to be wide open. Is there more to the 'network-bound proof-of-work' other than ip addresses?I assume if you call it 'proof-of-work' there must be more than unique ip addresses? Number of transactions received?Can't say for sure if you have at least mitigated sybil attack with just the sketch you provided but Etlase has some good points here.Also the inflation model seems to be wide open.
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 26, 2012, 06:11:59 AM #9 Quote from: Sunny King on September 25, 2012, 09:43:26 PM Quote from: Come-from-Beyond on September 25, 2012, 07:34:34 AM
- Network-bound proof-of-work instead of CPU-bound one is used
Is there more to the 'network-bound proof-of-work' other than ip addresses?
I assume if you call it 'proof-of-work' there must be more than unique ip addresses? Number of transactions received?
Can't say for sure if you have at least mitigated sybil attack with just the sketch you provided but Etlase has some good points here.
Also the inflation model seems to be wide open.
Is there more to the 'network-bound proof-of-work' other than ip addresses?I assume if you call it 'proof-of-work' there must be more than unique ip addresses? Number of transactions received?Can't say for sure if you have at least mitigated sybil attack with just the sketch you provided but Etlase has some good points here.Also the inflation model seems to be wide open.
Faster u send transactions - more qubics will be rewarded to u.
Etlase indeed has good points regarding Sybil attack. This kind of attack can't be completely avoided without a central authority, but Bitcoin has similar issue (51% attack) and still works fine. If we grow in numbers the attack won't bother us.
Regarding inflation model... It depends on quorum of providers. Faster u send transactions - more qubics will be rewarded to u.Etlase indeed has good points regarding Sybil attack. This kind of attack can't be completely avoided without a central authority, but Bitcoin has similar issue (51% attack) and still works fine. If we grow in numbers the attack won't bother us.Regarding inflation model... It depends on quorum of providers.
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Hero MemberActivity: 798Merit: 1000 Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 26, 2012, 07:07:50 AM #10 Quote from: Come-from-Beyond on September 26, 2012, 05:30:01 AM It's enough to defend. Sybil attack is like 51% attack in Bitcoin world. Do we have a lot of problems with anyone 51%-attacking Bitcoin?
No, we don't have a lot of problems with anyone 51% attacking bitcoin because it costs a lot of money. IP addresses do not.
Quote No need. Bitcoin ignore such an issue and works perfectly (I'm talking about bitcoin clients that retransmit transactions, who makes them doing this correctly?). If at some step this becomes a problem, than Paxos will be added to implementations.
:sigh: Bitcoin does not ignore byzantine fault tolerance. It's part of that whole distributed-consensus block chain thingy you might have heard of.
"If u asked 100 providers and more than 50 said "yes", than u should consider it's legit qubic. If u r not satisfied with numbers than just ask 1000 providers and keep asking as long as u wish." - This reeks of byzantine failure. I am not familiar with Paxos, but by a brief overview it looks like it is made for a centralized service with distributed fault tolerance, not a distributed network protocol. No, we don't have a lot of problems with anyone 51% attacking bitcoin because. IP addresses do not.:sigh: Bitcoin does not ignore byzantine fault tolerance. It's part of that whole distributed-consensus block chain thingy you might have heard of."If u asked 100 providers and more than 50 said "yes", than u should consider it's legit qubic. If u r not satisfied with numbers than just ask 1000 providers and keep asking as long as u wish." - This reeks of byzantine failure. I am not familiar with Paxos, but by a brief overview it looks like it is made for a centralized service with distributed fault tolerance, not a distributed network protocol. Decrits
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 26, 2012, 08:47:45 AM #11 Quote from: Etlase2 on September 26, 2012, 07:07:50 AM No, we don't have a lot of problems with anyone 51% attacking bitcoin because it costs a lot of money. IP addresses do not.
Maintaining a lot of providers doing a lot of work during long period of time is expensive too. U can't just launch 100500 providers and say "I have 1000000000 QBC".
Quote from: Etlase2 on September 26, 2012, 07:07:50 AM :sigh: Bitcoin does not ignore byzantine fault tolerance. It's part of that whole distributed-consensus block chain thingy you might have heard of.
"If u asked 100 providers and more than 50 said "yes", than u should consider it's legit qubic. If u r not satisfied with numbers than just ask 1000 providers and keep asking as long as u wish." - This reeks of byzantine failure. I am not familiar with Paxos, but by a brief overview it looks like it is made for a centralized service with distributed fault tolerance, not a distributed network protocol.
If number of "good" providers is higher than number of "evil" ones then I see no problem. When a qubic is destroyed "good" providers erase its data and won't say "it still exists". If u ask 100 providers then 51+ will say "it doesn't exist". Every provider keeps records about existing qubics itself. We (users of Qubic) need to ask providers only to get recent info to avoid double-spending.
Perhaps I can't get ur question, could u paraphrase it? Maintaining a lot of providers doing a lot of work during long period of time is expensive too. U can't just launch 100500 providers and say "I have 1000000000 QBC".If number of "good" providers is higher than number of "evil" ones then I see no problem. When a qubic is destroyed "good" providers erase its data and won't say "it still exists". If u ask 100 providers then 51+ will say "it doesn't exist". Every provider keeps records about existing qubics itself. We (users of Qubic) need to ask providers only to get recent info to avoid double-spending.Perhaps I can't get ur question, could u paraphrase it?
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 26, 2012, 04:14:42 PM #13 Quote from: markm on September 26, 2012, 03:40:15 PM How many bots does a botnet tend to have? Maybe only a few hundred thousand for a not particularly huge/notable botnet?
So botnets should be easily able to "51% attack" you until you have a few million "good" nodes, presumably?
Maybe you are yourself in control of one of the several million bots botnets, thus expect to easily defeat a few smaller (few hundred thousand nodes) botnets yourself to secure this coin? (Why else would you design a system explicitly ensuring botnets a massive advantage over normal folk?)
-MarkM-
We should distinguish a concept and its implementation. Depending on an implementation number of bots required to overtake legit providers could vary from 1 to 1000000000.
Perhaps u will laugh but I design this system to make the world better. U shouldn't trust me of coz. I'll publish source code, so anyone can audit it. Or make his own implementation. We should distinguish a concept and its implementation. Depending on an implementation number of bots required to overtake legit providers could vary from 1 to 1000000000.Perhaps u will laugh but I design this system to make the world better. U shouldn't trust me of coz. I'll publish source code, so anyone can audit it. Or make his own implementation.
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 26, 2012, 04:19:06 PM #14 Quote from: nomorecoin on September 26, 2012, 03:58:48 PM In addition to the valid concerns and questions in this thread, a quick look at the recent post history for Come-from-Beyond shows that it contains very little beyond FUD attempts.
Thx. I was waiting for a reply like urs. To just to make statement that I understand that there are a lot of bitcoiners and litecoiners who are against any possible competitor of their lovely Coin. So I'll ignore all replies which r non-constructive ones. Thx. I was waiting for a reply like urs. To just to make statement that I understand that there are a lot of bitcoiners and litecoiners who are against any possible competitor of their lovely Coin. So I'll ignore all replies which r non-constructive ones.
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LegendaryActivity: 2072Merit: 1007Newbie Re: Qubic - Quorum-Based Coin September 26, 2012, 04:59:39 PM #16 Quote from: markm on September 26, 2012, 04:51:21 PM OK so what implementation details will you be including in order to ensure that being out-numbered by botnet nodes will not be a problem?
-MarkM-
Weighted trust built on history. Longer a provider stays (and send correct responses) on the network - more weight it has. Every provider has its own IP address which identifies it. Most of zombie computers popup and disappear on the Internet, so they r unable to earn noticeable weight. Weighted trust built on history. Longer a provider stays (and send correct responses) on the network - more weight it has. Every provider has its own IP address which identifies it. Most of zombie computers popup and disappear on the Internet, so they r unable to earn noticeable weight.Tottenham Hotspur have yet to respond to Real Madrid’s €100 million bid for Gareth Bale, sources close to the process have told ESPN.
• AVB: Bale contract talks 'ongoing
• Crace: Spurs' transfer policy
The situation is now at an increasingly tense impasse, with the Wales forward determined to go to the Bernabeu this summer, but Spurs chief executive Daniel Levy is just as strong in his refusal to sell.
Despite reports in the Spanish press being widely dismissed in the UK on Friday, it is understood that Madrid did indeed submit the offer and that Bale has also now made up his mind on leaving.
Aside from his long-held aspiration to play for Real, the 24-year-old feels it is finally time to experience regular football in the Champions League rather than potentially infrequent forays with Spurs.
Sources have also stated that there is now growing tension between Bale’s camp and Levy due to the London club's refusal to even entertain the possibility of a sale. Those close to the player also insist that there are no current negotiations to sign a new contract at White Hart Lane and he actively wants to leave this summer.
When asked about Bale after his side’s 6-0 win over South China, however, Villas-Boas refused to be drawn into a discussion. "I don't want to comment on anything like that," he said. "I cannot speak about anything."
Bale is not expected to play in Tottenham’s friendly against Monaco on August 3.Tara Leigh Calico (born February 28, 1969)[1] is an American woman who disappeared near her home in Belen, New Mexico on September 20, 1988. She is widely believed to have been kidnapped. In July 1989, a Polaroid photo of an unidentified young woman and boy, both bound and gagged, was televised to the public after it was found in a convenience store parking lot. Family friends thought the woman resembled Calico and contacted her mother, who then met with investigators and examined the Polaroid. She believed it was her daughter after taking "time, growth and lack of makeup" into consideration, and noted that a scar on the woman's leg was identical to one that Calico had. Scotland Yard analyzed the photo and concluded that the woman was Calico, but a second analysis by the Los Alamos National Laboratory disagreed. An FBI analysis of the photo was inconclusive.
In 2008, Rene Rivera, the sheriff of Valencia County, reported that he received information that two teenagers had accidentally hit Calico with a truck, panicked, and subsequently killed her.[2] Calico's case received extensive coverage on television programs such as A Current Affair, Unsolved Mysteries, and America's Most Wanted. It was also profiled on The Oprah Winfrey Show and 48 Hours.[3] As of 2017, no arrests have been made and the case remains open.
Disappearance [ edit ]
On Tuesday, September 20, 1988, Calico left her home at about 9:30 am to go on her daily bike ride along New Mexico State Road 47.[4] She rode that route almost every morning and was sometimes accompanied by her mother, Patty Doel. However, Doel stopped riding with Calico after she felt that she had been stalked by a motorist. She advised Tara to think about carrying mace, but Tara rejected the idea.[3] On the morning of Calico's disappearance, she had told Doel to come and get her if she was not home by noon, as she had plans to play tennis with her boyfriend at 12:30.[5] When her daughter did not return, Doel went searching for her along Tara's usual bike route but could not find her; she then contacted the police. Pieces of Calico's Sony Walkman and a cassette tape were later discovered along the road. Doel believed that she might have dropped them in an attempt to mark her trail.[6] Several people saw Calico riding her bicycle, which has never been found.[3][7] No one witnessed her presumed abduction, although several witnesses observed a light-colored pickup truck (possibly a 1953 Ford)[8] with a camper shell following closely behind her.[6][9]
Photographs [ edit ]
Toyota van [ edit ]
The two unidentified persons seen in the Polaroid found in June 1989. It is suspected the female is Calico. The boy in the background remains unidentified.
On June 15, 1989, a Polaroid photo of an unidentified young woman and a boy, both gagged with black duct tape and seemingly bound, was discovered in the parking lot of a convenience store in Port St. Joe, Florida.[5][6] The woman who found the photo said that it was in a parking space where a white windowless Toyota cargo van had been parked when she arrived at the store. She said that the van was being driven by a man with a mustache believed to be in his 30s; police set up roadblocks to intercept the vehicle, but the man has never been identified.[8][10] According to Polaroid officials, the picture had to have been taken after May 1989 because the particular film used in the photograph was not available until then.[5]
The photo was broadcast on A Current Affair in July, and Doel was contacted by friends who had seen the show and thought the woman resembled Calico. Relatives of Michael Henley, also of New Mexico, who had disappeared in April 1988, saw the episode and said that they believed he was the boy in the photo. Doel and Henley's parents both met with investigators and examined the Polaroid. Doel said that she was "convinced" it was her.[11] She also noted that a scar on the woman's leg was identical to one that Calico had received in a car accident.[6][12] In addition, a paperback copy of V.C. Andrews' My Sweet Audrina, said to be one of Calico's favorite books, can be seen lying next to the woman.[8] Scotland Yard analyzed the photo and concluded that the woman was Calico, but a second analysis by the Los Alamos National Laboratory disagreed.[13] An FBI analysis of the photo was inconclusive.[5][2]
Henley's mother said that she was "almost certain" it was Michael in the Polaroid.[11][14] The identification of the boy in the photograph as Henley is considered unlikely: his remains were discovered in June 1990 in the Zuni Mountains,[15] about 7 miles (11 km) from his family's campsite from which he had disappeared and 75 miles (121 km) from where Calico disappeared. Police believe that Henley wandered off and subsequently died of exposure.[8]
Other photos [ edit ]
In 2009, 20 years after the Polaroid photo was found and shared by the media, pictures of a boy were sent to the Port St. Joe police chief, David Barnes. He received two letters, postmarked June 10 and August 10, 2009, from Albuquerque, New Mexico. One letter contained a photo, printed on copy paper, of a young boy with sandy brown hair. Someone had drawn a black band in ink on the photo, over the boy's mouth, as if it were covered in tape as in the 1989 picture. The second letter contained an original image of the boy. On August 12, The Star newspaper in Port St. Joe received a third letter, also postmarked in Albuquerque on August 10 and depicting the same image, of a boy with black marker drawn over his mouth. The boy has not been confirmed to be the same one as in the previous photo. None of the letters contained a return address or a note indicating the child's identity, making the officials there believe it may have something to do with the disappearance of Tara Calico.[why?] The letters were sent at the same time that a self-proclaimed psychic had called about Calico, saying that she had met a runaway in California with whom she worked in a strip club; this girl was eventually murdered. The caller said she had dreams suggesting the runaway may have been Calico and that she may be buried in California. Searches did not lead to any discoveries. The photos were given to the FBI for further investigation in hope of finding fingerprints or possible DNA evidence.[10]
Two other Polaroid photographs, possibly of Calico, have surfaced over the years. The first was found near a construction site in Montecito, |
into one where control -- or loss of control -- seemed involved in the fear experience."
Darkness, disfigured humans, zombies and the unknown were most frequently factors mentioned, while natural disasters, the weather, fantasy animals and even vampires were among those cited least frequently.
###
Editors: For an electronic copy of Lynch and Martins' study and to arrange for interviews, contact George Vlahakis at [email protected] or 812-855-0846.An audit shows "there are 6.5 million people who have active Social Security numbers who are 112 years of age or older,"
People die, but their Social Security numbers often linger on.
So says U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who recently introduced a bill that would require the Social Security Administration to do a better job of tracking the departed to make sure their federal benefits don’t survive.
"The SSA (Social Security Administration’s) Office of the Inspector General reported last month that, according to the agency’s own records, there are 6.5 million people who have active Social Security numbers who are 112 years of age or older," Warner said in an April 23 news release.
That’s more than twice the of population of Chicago -- filled with people at least 112. It’s especially remarkable when you consider that the Gerontology Research Group says it knew of 42 people in the world who were alive last October at 112 or older. Fifteen of them lived in the U.S.
The immortal Social Security numbers, Warner said, open avenues for fraudulent benefit claims.
We wondered whether the senator’s Social Security figures were correct.
Warner’s office pointed us to a March 4 report issued by Patrick O’Carroll Jr., the Social Security Administration’s inspector general. O’Carroll testified about the agency’s death records during a March 16 hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He stated that the agency maintains an electronic record on each person given a Social Security number and is supposed to update it when they die so their number can no longer be used.
The agency gets its death information from a variety of sources, such as family members, funeral homes and financial institutions. It maintains a "Death Master File" with nearly 90 million electronic records that’s shared with other federal agencies to prevent erroneous benefits and sold to credit reporting companies to guard against fraud.
Sometimes the Social Security Administration prematurely declares people dead, as recently reported on CBS’ 60 Minutes, causing bureaucratic nightmares when those people try to open bank accounts or do myriad other things requiring a valid Social Security number. The agency’s internal auditor found in 2008 that 20,000 people had been wrongly listed as dead.
And sometimes the opposite is true, O'Carroll said in his testimony, and the agency fails to take away Social Security numbers from the dead -- even when the agency has been informed of the deaths.
It all came to a head a few years ago when O'Carroll’s office learned that a bank reported that a man had opened accounts using the Social Security numbers of two different people -- one born in 1886 and the other in 1893. The auditors did a little research and found that the world’s oldest living man at the time was 112. So they chose the age as the entry point of their investigation.
The auditors indeed found, as Warner claimed, that 6.5 million cardholders were listed in Social Security records as being at least 112. All but about 100,000 of the numbers were issued prior to 1972, when the agency started using electronic records.
The good news is that the auditors found no instances of people illegally collecting Social Security through one of these old numbers. The bad news is that the potential for abuse is high and, according to the report, "thousands" of the numbers "could have been used" to commit other types of identity fraud.
Auditors found that 66,920 of the numbers had been used by people for whom the government received wage reports from 2006 and 2011. One of the numbers appeared on 613 different wage reports.
That means people were using the numbers in job applications and 3,873 of the numbers turned up in E-Verify inquiries, an Internet-based system that allows employers to determine whether potential hirees are entitled by immigration laws to work in the U.S.
Final notes: If you’re wondering, the verified oldest person in the world at this writing is Jeralean Talley of Michigan, whose 116th birthday is on May 23. The oldest man is Sakari Momoi of Japan, who turned 112 in February.
The verified oldest person ever was Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 at 122 years, 164 days old. The oldest man was Christian Mortensen of Denmark, who died in 1998 at 115 years, 252 days.
Our ruling
Warner said the Social Security Administration’s Inspector General found "there are 6.5 million people who have active Social Security numbers who are 112 years of age or older."
The audit Warner cites indeed found that there are an implausible 6.5 million active Social Security numbers belonging to people who would be at least 112.
We rate Warner’s claim True.With Nelson Mandela, the devil would not like the details. We all know that he spent 27 years in jail, much of it on Robben Island. We all know about his remarkable strength, intellect and tolerance. But I did not know that when he was in prison, he studied Afrikaans, the language of his jailers, so he could get to know them better and possibly convert them to his cause. Physically he was a big man. But it is how he conducted himself that made other men seem so small.
Mandela is no demigod. He has his faults, but rage, anger, jealousy, egotism and the need for revenge are not among them. He was born into tribal nobility: he is the son of a counselor to the chief and, later, was a ward of the chief. An easy life was his for the asking. But he chose the path of rebellion against racist apartheid, which is to say he chose to be on the run, to live underground, to forsake the love of the astonishingly attractive Winnie — and yet all the time to pursue knowledge. It seems he did not waste a moment in prison. He was forever studying something.
On Robben Island, where he spent 18 years, he was largely confined to a fetid cell. He slept on a straw mat. He was persecuted by the guards. He spent his days breaking rocks. Because he was forbidden to wear sunglasses, his eyes were damaged. On occasion, he was put into solitary confinement for the infraction of reading a smuggled newspaper. At night, somehow, he studied for advanced degrees and when, eventually, he got out of prison, he brimmed with forgiveness and demanded a colorblind society.
When Frank Lautenberg died, we noted that he was the last World War II veteran in the Senate. Not many of our politicians have been to war, fewer still have been in solitary and few of those have chosen to forsake the easy life for the deprivations of a cause. They talk — and so do we journalists — about the bravery of this or that political position, but, to my knowledge, only Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Tex.), both prisoners of war in Vietnam, know the utter terror of hearing the approaching footsteps of the torturer.
I remember when Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin met with Ronald Reagan in 1981. The contrast could not have been more vivid. Here was the amiable movie actor, a man who had had an easy, fortunate life. And here was a man who had been a terrorist, a guerrilla fighter, who had lost his family in the Holocaust and had been imprisoned in the Soviet Gulag. At night, “after twelve or fourteen or sixteen hours of work, we had to dig ourselves deep into the snow and go to sleep,” Begin wrote in “White Nights,” a memoir of those days. In the morning, he would awake to find some of his fellow prisoners frozen to death. Reagan probably told Begin some Hollywood story. Begin probably kept his mouth shut.
Most of us are like Ronald Reagan. What do we know of such travails? Could we be as brave, as indomitable and as averse to self-pity? Could we rise above it all as Mandela has or, less successfully, as Begin did? When Mandela’s mother died in 1968, he was not permitted to attend her funeral. When his son died a bit later, he was not allowed to attend his funeral. When his wife Winnie cheated on him, he stood by her, divorcing her only later. When Reagan and Margaret Thatcher sided with the apartheid regime and refused to join the calls for Mandela’s release, he forgave them and later met with them. He is not merely a big man. He is bigger than any man.
What you find often in insurgents is a bitter hatred and the need to carry on the struggle even after it’s over. This is not what happened with Mandela. He was not a freedom fighter looking to continue the fight — a Yasser Arafat unable to put down his gun and take yes for an answer. Mandela was able to administer, to turn to politics, to plead for racial understanding and tolerance. More important, he embodies those qualities. He evened no scores, waged no vendettas, never made himself the cause and casts a shadow across the inner lives of all people. He was the first black president of South Africa. He remains the standard by which we must judge ourselves.
Read more from Richard Cohen’s archive.A new CNN poll finds that a majority of Americans oppose impeaching Obama by 65-33, and oppose the House GOP lawsuit against the president by 57-41. A majority disagree by 52-45 that he’s gone too far in expanding executive power.
You’ll be shocked to hear that only Republicans and conservatives support both impeaching the president and the lawsuit against him. Republicans support impeachment by 57-42; they support the lawsuit by 75-22. Among conservatives those numbers are 56-44 and 64-33.
Meanwhile, majorities of moderates and independents overwhelmingly oppose both. Among moderates the numbers on impeachment are 26-72 and on the lawsuit they are 34-62. Among independents the numbers are 35-63 and 43-55.
This perhaps supports the Dem analysis that the lawsuit risks alienating moderates and independents in 2014. But the more important implications of these findings — should they be borne out in other polls — concern the coming battles over who will be to blame if Congress punts on responding to the border crisis and, beyond that, over Obama’s coming executive actions on deportations.
Failure to manage the crisis carries real risk for Obama, but Republicans are increasingly aware that they face serious peril in failing to act. In the longer term that could allow Obama to assume the position of the only problem solver in the room on immigration and persuade him he has more political space to maneuver on deportations.
As the CNN poll shows, GOP and conservative voters are overwhelmingly convinced of tyrannical Obama overreach and support any means necessary to block it. Thus, any Obama action this fall to ease deportations of people from the interior with lives here will demand a scorched earth response from GOP lawmakers — whose lawsuit will be underway — which would contrast sharply with their failure to do anything about the immediate crisis, should that happen.
Meanwhile, if the middle of the country doesn’t believe Obama is overreaching — 59 percent of moderates don’t believe this, though independents tilt slightly towards believing it — perhaps the mainstream will be prepared to accept it if Obama acts aggressively to solve the broader crisis on his own. Public openness to Obama action only becomes more likely if Republicans punt on the short term crisis. At the same time, Republicans will be boxing themselves into a position where the only immigration solutions they can accept are further militarization of the border, legal changes that put more kids at risk, and maximum deportations — even as their attacks on Obama’s problem-solving efforts as “tyranny” and “lawlessness” grow louder.
* HOUSE REPUBLICANS WORRIED ABOUT BORDER POLITICS: Reality begins to pierce the fog of GOP spin about the politics of the border crisis:
House Republicans are growing anxious about leaving town for the August recess without passing a border bill…rank-and-file lawmakers are openly fretting about the questions they would face from constituents if they break from legislative work without taking action to address the surge of child migrants into the United States. Many argue that if they fail to pass a bill, even one that is a total non-starter with Democrats, they’ll give President Obama five weeks of open airtime to pound them as do-nothing obstructionists.
Both sides are at serious political risk, but the larger political context here is that Republicans have failed to act on broader immigration reform, because they can’t accept legalization of the 11 million under any circumstances, while Democrats have passed comprehensive reform that includes legalization.
* QUOTE OF THE DAY, GOP-DO-NOTHING-PARTY EDITION: Don’t take my word for it. Ask GOP Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas:
“I don’t want to face town-hall constituents without a Republican answer to some of the questions that reference this border issue.”
And presumably, “we should respond to the child migrant crisis by deporting all the DREAMers” isn’t a very good answer.
* A DEAL ON THE BORDER? David Rogers reports that there is room for a deal: Both parties appear willing to support an approach that compresses the funding that Obama has asked for into a period that stretches until the end of the year. But then: “This raises the question of whether temporary changes in immigration policy can be found to match the temporary relief in funding.”
This is the crux. Republicans want changes to the 2008 trafficking law; Dems fear they would strip legal rights from kids. The question is whether there are tweaks to the law would allow Republicans to claim they forced Obama to get tough on the border while reassuring Dems kids will be protected.
* OBAMA WEIGHS MOVES TO EASE DEPORTATIONS: Buried in a Politico piece on Obama’s looming decision on how far to go unilaterally to ease deportations is this:
The president has suggested privately that he would not go as far as extending temporary protections to all 11 million undocumented immigrants who would have qualified under the Senate bill. Instead, he’s weighing how to provide relief to subsets of the population based on family ties, longevity in the country or employment background. It’s unclear where he’ll draw the line, but advocates expect him to go far based on his initial statements that he wants to max out his legal authority.
Whatever Obama does propose will likely fall well short of what advocates are hoping for. Once again, let’s hope this decision is governed by what the White House decides are the proper legal, and not political, limits on his power.
* HOW FAR CAN OBAMA GO ON DEPORTATIONS? Time magazine has a good overview of all the options and the legal ins-and-outs of each. Here’s one:
One plausible option would be to expand DACA to include some family members of those already eligible. It’s hard to pin down how many people this would cover; it would depend on how the administration crafts the order. But the numbers are substantial. According to the CBO, there are an estimated 4.7 million undocumented parents with a minor child living in the U.S., and 3.8 million whose children are citizens. Around 1.5 million undocumented immigrants are married to a U.S. citizen or lawful resident, but have been unable to gain legal status themselves.
My guess is that this represents the absolute outer limit of what the White House is contemplating.
* BILL TO REIN IN NSA SURVEILLANCE MOVES FORWARD: Charlie Savage reports that Senator Patrick Leahy’s bill to rein in NSA surveillance appears to be close to introduction. It would dramatically limit the nature and scope of data collection and increase transparency as to the legal process governing it. The legislation appears to be the product of negotiations with the White House — remember, Obama had promised NSA reform, but it had fallen to Congress to actually get it done — which perhaps bodes well for its chances.
* CALIFORNIA NOT THE DISASTER CONSERVATIVES HOPED FOR: Paul Krugman today details the ways conservative predictions that liberal governance in California would prove a disaster haven’t panned out at all. Conservatives like to say that people are fleeing California (higher taxes, higher minimum wage, Obamacare) for Texas, but Krugman notes this is being driven by differences in house prices, and while job growth is faster in Texas, wages are also lower. Low regulation paradise!
What else?North Korea’s nuclear threat Partially or fully unrealized policy
“Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
After taking office, Trump has repeatedly accused previous presidents of failing to deal with the North Korean nuclear issue, saying it now falls to him to handle it. But his approach has borne many of the same hallmarks as the Obama administration’s “strategic patience” policy. He has used a combination of diplomatic barbs and increasingly tough sanctions, both direct and through the United Nations, to try to put “maximum pressure” on Kim Jong Un to change his ways. Trump has, however, done it in notably more colorful language than this predecessors, mocking Kim as “Little Rocket Man” and talking much more often about military options. Still, Trump has conceded that the solution is “not as simple as people would think.”
recent events
January 16 | North Korea’s official news agency calls Trump a “lunatic” and a “loser” in response to his nuclear button tweet. Meanwhile, Trump called Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the situation.
January 4 | Trump agrees to delay the annual joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Winter Olympics in what appears to be an effort to avoid antagonizing North Korea.
January 2 | Trump tweets that sanctions are having a “big impact” on the regime and that North Korean soldiers are “dangerously fleeing to South Korea.” Later in the day, he adds that he has his own “button” -- and that it’s “much bigger.”
January 2 | South Korea says it welcomes talks with North Korea, but U.S. officials remain wary.
January 1 | In a New Year’s Day speech, Kim says he has a “nuclear button” but he vowed not to use it unless threatened. He also offered to begin dialogue with South Korea.
December 26, 2017 | The Trump administration imposes sanctions on two North Korean officials who are considered key to their country’s development of ballistic missiles.
December 22, 2017 | The U.N. Security Council votes to place additional sanctions on North Korea after its most recent missile launch.
November 29, 2017 | North Korea lofts a missile 2,796 miles high. With a normal trajectory, the missile has an estimated range of more than 8,000 miles, making it technically capable of reaching the U.S. Capitol. How four recent launches signaled new leaps in North Korea’s missile capabilities
November 20, 2017 | Trump re-designates North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, a move aimed at increasing pressure over the country’s nuclear weapons and missile program. The George W. Bush administration removed Pyongyang from the list in 2008. Trump called the decision “a very critical step” that “should’ve happened a long time ago.”
September 21, 2017 | Trump announces an executive order that grants authority to the Treasury Department to enforce economic sanctions on North Korea and companies and individuals that do business with the rogue nation in Northeast Asia.
September 19, 2017 | Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly, Trump threatens to “totally destroy North Korea” as well as target rogue regimes. “Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself,” Trump said, referring to a nickname he gave North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Twitter.
September 14, 2017 | North Korea fires another missile that flies over the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The missile was launched from a site near Pyongyang, according to South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff.
September 11, 2017 | The U.N. Security Council agrees unanimously to impose the toughest sanctions yet against North Korea. The sanctions intend to deprive the country of the income it needs to maintain its nuclear and ballistic missile program.
September 3, 2017 | North Korea carries out its sixth nuclear test -- the first since Trump took office. The reclusive nation claims the nuclear device was a hydrogen bomb capable of reaching the United States.
August 30, 2017 | “Talking is not the answer!” Trump tweets as Mattis meets with South Korea’s defense minister at the Pentagon. Mattis tells reporters: “We’re never out of diplomatic solutions.”
August 29, 2017 | In an unprecedented move, North Korea launches a ballistic missile that flies over Japan. In response, Trump says “all options are on the table.”
August 25, 2017 | North Korea launches three short-range missiles into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan in what some say is a response to the ongoing military exercises between the United States and South Korea.
August 22, 2017 | The Treasury Department places sanctions on Chinese and Russian individuals and companies it said had conducted business with North Korea in an effort to further isolate the country.
August 17, 2017 | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis clarify that the Trump administration’s North Korea policy is focused on diplomatic and economic pressure.
August 10, 2017 | Trump escalates his rhetoric on North Korea, saying his earlier statement may not have been “tough enough.”
August 9, 2017 | Trump says he will “renovate and modernize” the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Officials say Trump’s threats to North Korea from the previous day were unscripted and spontaneous. North Korea says Trump lacks reason and that its plan to attack Guam will be complete by mid-August.
August 8, 2017 | Trump warns North Korea that it will be faced with “fire and fury” if continues to threaten the United States. It is his harshest language yet against the regime. North Korea responds by saying it is reviewing plans to target the U.S. territory Guam, according to state media.
August 8, 2017 | In a new confidential assessment, U.S. analysts say that North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.
August 5, 2017 | The U.N. Security Council votes unanimously on a U.S.-sponsored resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea.
August 1, 2017 | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tells reporters “We are trying to convey to the North Koreans: ‘We are not your enemy, we are not your threat. But you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond.’”
July 21, 2017 | The Trump administration announces a restriction on U.S. citizens traveling to North Korea in an apparent response to the detention of three U.S. citizens and the death of a young University of Virginia student.
July 5, 2017 | U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley calls the North Korean nuclear launch “a clear and sharp military escalation” and calls for new U.N. sanctions.
July 4, 2017 | North Korea launches a test of what appears to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. Military officials and missile experts confirm that Pyongyang can now strike targets thousands of miles away. North Korea's ICBM test
June 30, 2017 | Trump denounces North Korea’s “reckless and brutal” regime alongside South Korean President Moon Jae-in in a show of solidarity, but doesn’t provide further details of U.S. policy.
June 29, 2017 | The Treasury Department announces new sanctions against North Korea targeting a Chinese bank that is accused of financing the regime. President Trump hosts South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House.
June 28, 2017 | National security adviser H.R. McMaster says Trump’s strategy toward North Korea is a different approach than previous administrations. “The president asked us to prepare a range of options, including a military option that no one wants to take,” McMaster said.
June 20, 2017 | Trump tweets that China has failed to rein in North Korea: “While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!” White House press secretary Sean Spicer says the U.S. is “moving further away” from direct engagement with Pyongyang following Warmbier’s death.
June 14, 2017 | Tillerson says the Trump administration has asked China to act against Chinese businesses and individuals helping North Korea to evade international sanctions.
June 13, 2017 | Warmbier, in a coma, is released by North Korea after being held for more than a year. Three other U.S. citizens remain in prison.
June 12, 2017 | Mattis declares North Korea the No. 1 threat that the United States faces, moving it above Russia. Meanwhile, Yun meets with three Americans still detained in North Korea while attempting to secure Warmbier’s release.
June 6, 2017 | Officials from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry meet Joseph Yun, the U.S. special representative to North Korea, in New York. The topic of discussion is the deteriorating health of Otto Warmbier, the University of Virginia student held in Pyongyang. Yun prepares to travel to North Korea with the intent to secure Warmbier’s release.
May 15, 2017 | The White House once again calls for tougher sanctions against North Korea following a ballistic missile test by the regime.
May 4, 2017 | Joseph Yun, the U.S. special representative to North Korea, meets top North Korean Foreign Ministry officials in Oslo, Norway. North Korea agrees to allow Swedish diplomats to visit with American detainees. The back-channel deal is a hopeful sign that relations might improve.
May 3, 2017 | Tillerson says the administration is just at the beginning stages of its campaign to pressure North Korea to give up nuclear weapons, and will negotiate with Pyongyang “when conditions are right.”
May 2, 2017 | Trump says he would be “honored” to meet Kim Jong Un, opening the potential of dialogue between the two leaders.
April 29, 2017 | A North Korean midrange ballistic missile fails shortly after launch.
April 28, 2017 | Approaching his 100th day in office, Trump says that conflict with North Korea is “immediate” but that he still seeks diplomacy.
April 27, 2017 | Trump praises Chinese President Xi’s approach to North Korea but warns of a possible “major, major conflict.”
April 27, 2017 | Trump insists South Korea should pay $1 billion for the missile defense system, aggravating the South Korean government. Trump has stated previously during the campaign that Seoul should pay more for its own defense.
April 26, 2017 | The U.S. military begins installing the controversial missile defense system THAAD in South Korea, despite protests from the likely winner of South Korea’s upcoming presidential election and criticism from China.
April 24, 2017 | Trump asks the U.N. Security Council to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang. China’s Xi urges restraint. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announces new sanctions against the Syrian government in response to the chemical weapons attack on April 4.
April 23, 2017 | North Korea detains another U.S. citizen at its airport, bringing the number of Americans held by the regime to four.
April 18, 2017 | Pictures posted by the U.S. Navy reveal that the USS Carlson was actually sailing away from the Korean Peninsula, contradicting claims that it was steaming north as a show of force against North Korea.
April 16, 2017 | North Korea fires a missile, but it fails.
April 15, 2017 | North Korea marks the birth anniversary of its founder with a massive military parade. A timeline of North Korea nuclear tests
April 14, 2017 | The Trump administration adopts a new North Korea strategy calling for “maximum pressure and engagement,” but not regime change.
April 13, 2017 | Trump says that the North Korea nuclear issue is more complicated than he thought after talking to China’s Xi. “After listening for 10 minutes, I realized it’s not so easy. I felt pretty strongly that they had a tremendous power [over] North Korea.... But it’s not what you would think,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal.
April 12, 2017 | Trump says that the U.S. is sending a powerful “armada” of naval vessels to the Korean Peninsula.
April 11, 2017 | “North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.” Trump tweets
April 9, 2017 | The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is dispatched toward the Korean Peninsula as a show of force.
April 4, 2017 | North Korea fires a missile on the eve of a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
March 22, 2017 | North Korea fires a missile that explodes within seconds. It is a reassuring sign for observers who worry about the advancement of North Korea’s weapons program.
March 18, 2017 | North Korea conducts a rocket engine test “of historic significance.” The test coincides with Tillerson’s visit to China.
March 18, 2017 | China urges the United States to remain “coolheaded” over North Korea and not to turn its back on dialogue. Tillerson says that all options are on the table and that the Obama holdover policy of “strategic patience” is over.
March 17, 2017 | Trump criticizes China’s approach to curtailing North Korea’s nuclear threat in a tweet: “North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been ‘playing’ the United States for years. China has done little to help!”
March 16, 2017 | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on his first trip to Asia, says that 20 years of trying to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear program had failed and that he was visiting Asia “to exchange views on a new approach.”
March 12, 2017 | North Korea fires four ballistic missiles. Three land in waters near Japan. North Korea's nuclear targets
March 10, 2017 | South Korean President Park Geun-hye is impeached. The attention turns to her likely successor, Moon Jae-in, and whether he can reset relations with North Korea and China.
March 7, 2017 | Against China’s wishes, the U.S. military begins deploying an advanced defensive missile system to South Korea. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is designed to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles. China warns of “consequences” for South Korea and the United States over the deployment.
March 6, 2017 | The White House says Trump called the leaders of Japan and South Korea to reaffirm U.S. commitment to stand against North Korea following the provocation.
March 5, 2017 | North Korea launches four missiles. The regime claims it was practicing to hit U.S. military bases in Japan.
March 2, 2017 | Trump warns that the United States will take unilateral action against North Korea if China doesn’t step in to help. “China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t,” Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times.
February 18, 2017 | China says it’s cutting off coal imports from North Korea in accordance with U.N. Security Council sanctions. The move is aimed to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and missile program.
February 12, 2017 | North Korea tests a new midrange ballistic missile in its first major challenge to Trump as president.
January 2, 2017 | Trump tweets: “North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won’t happen!”The agreement allots an €8.5 billion loan to Greece as well as the opening for a possibility of debt extensions. Luxembourg Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna confirms the Greek bailout, according to Zero Hedge.
ZH reports:
Euro-area finance ministers are mulling a possible extension of the maturities on some Greek loans by 0 to 15 years, according to a draft statement seen by Bloomberg, even though it was not immediately clear what a 0 year maturity extension represents. The preliminary draft includes a proposal to defer the interest and amortization on Greece’s EFSF loans by the same duration.
And yes, holdout IMF which threatened for two years it would not participate in a Greek deal absent a debt reduction is now in: as Christine Lagarde said: “I’d like to announce my intention to propose to the IMF’s Board the approval in principle of a new IMF Stand-By Arrangement for Greece.”Tim Murray by
L
ook, I know that you are upset. I know that you are outraged and saddened by the images of carnage that you see on your TV screen. But before we allow any sense of horror or grief about the victims of a recent Islamic terrorist attack to set in, we must swiftly foreclose any hint of an anti-Muslim backlash. That must be our first priority. We can deal with the perpetrators later. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the Chief of the local Police be the first to get out of the starting gate and warn those who would dare link Islamic terrorism with Islam that they will charged with a hate crime. We must deflect attention from the violent incident.To serve this objective, it would be convenient to have someone write 'Islamophobic' graffiti on a mosque or sidewalk on the heels of the Islamic terrorist attack so that that the MSM can make that their headline story.Of course, I don't mean to minimize the terrible impact that these messages have on Muslims. Why, just the other day, Islamophobic grafitti leapt up from a sidewalk and brutally assaulted an innocent, law abiding, peaceful, patriotic Muslim as she walked toward a corner shop. If you think that seeing your loved one shredded by a bomb, mowed down by a speeding van or knifed to death is traumatic, just imagine what that poor Muslim on the sidewalk is going through. She no longer feels'safe.'If we want to put an end to these horrific attacks, what we must do is to emphasize that the perpetrators are not "real" Muslims, that their ideology is a perverse distortion of the Religion of Peace, and that those who would say otherwise are being 'divisive.' Then trot out a half dozen Muslim clerics — with Christian clergy flanking them — to reinforce this point. If we do all of those things, Islam-inspired terrorism will go away. After all, its worked up till now, hasn't it? Our love-not-hate/inter-faith dialogue approach has got violent jihadism on the run.It all goes to prove that in order to defeat an enemy, you must establish who the enemy actually is. The mainstream media has done an excellent job of doing exactly that. Good work guys! As you proved in your predictions about the outcome of the Brexit and the November U.S. Presidential election, you have a firm grasp of reality. Huffington Post, the NYT, the Globe and Mail, CNN, NPR, the BBC and the CBC in particular must be cited for their reliably accurate portrayals and incisive analysis. If ever you want to know about the net costs of mass immigration or the main concepts of Islamic doctrine, you need only to refer to these oracles of wisdom.It is a failing of human nature that we often demonize The Other or the stranger in our midst simply because we don't know them. In a crowded world where we must live side by side with those who think or behave differently than we do, this can be a fatal flaw. Somehow we must find a way to transcend our differences, reach out and build bridges, not walls. Our peace and security depends on it. I know, it is herculean task that is easier said than done. The impediments seem insuperable.Fortunately, however, progressives have provided us with the tools we need to accomplish this critically urgent task. They know what it takes to make multicultural, multi-ethnic societies work, as they manifestly have the world over. They know that if we do just four things, we can make it happen.The first is to project our liberal values and good intentions on those without them. We know that once they enter our gates, they will immediately check their tribal mindset at the door, embrace and accept our core values and the European culture that gave birth to them. Such will be their gratitude with our hospitality and tolerance that they — and especially their alienated sons — will search for ways to pay us back. Examples abound.The second is to criminalize speech that would call our multicultural strategy into question. Anyone who would sow doubt about the virtue of ethnic and religious diversity must be threatened with legal action, bankrupted by law fare, shamed, marginalized, or incarcerated. Dissidents and the odious views they promulgate must be quarantined. Ours must remain a free and open society. Inclusion must be our watchword.The third is to accept our enemy's definition of who they are and what their ideology is all about. Wilful ignorance about the precepts of their faith or belief system is helpful in this regard.The last but not the least of our tools is mass immigration. If we import another million or two million Muslims, then we can show the bigots out there that most Muslims are ordinary people just like themselves. If there are enough Muslims, it will be impossible to avoid rubbing shoulders with them. We won't need to venture into a Muslim enclave because every neighbourhood will become part of the Caliphate. If you want to know what such a utopia looks like, take a trip to the Middle East. Or put on a skirt and walk into a Muslim no-go zone without a head scarf.Muslims are people too. Moderate, patriotic peaceful people going about their daily business as you do yours. The only difference is that according to Pew polls, a lot of them happen to favour key features of sharia law, like killing adulterers, apostates and gays. Otherwise, they're cool.Peace and harmony is there for the taking. All we need is love and understanding, and a little obfuscation.However you slice it, this saga starts with trash talk about $4 toast.
Since last summer, the humble staple has emerged as a symbol of everything that’s wrong with San Francisco right now. That’s when toast got lumped in with the simmering resentment over the growing digerati demographic and the tech boom’s impact on this city’s affordability, diversity and culture.
It all began when an online outfit that covers the industry, VentureBeat, |
also forces bears to swim longer distances, which further depletes their energy stores and occasionally leads to drowning.[184] Thinner sea ice tends to deform more easily, which appears to make it more difficult for polar bears to access seals.[88] Insufficient nourishment leads to lower reproductive rates in adult females and lower survival rates in cubs and juvenile bears, in addition to poorer body condition in bears of all ages.[35]
Mothers and cubs have high nutritional requirements, which are not met if the seal-hunting season is too short
In addition to creating nutritional stress, a warming climate is expected to affect various other aspects of polar bear life: Changes in sea ice affect the ability of pregnant females to build suitable maternity dens.[29] As the distance increases between the pack ice and the coast, females must swim longer distances to reach favored denning areas on land.[35] Thawing of permafrost would affect the bears who traditionally den underground, and warm winters could result in den roofs collapsing or having reduced insulative value.[35] For the polar bears that currently den on multi-year ice, increased ice mobility may result in longer distances for mothers and young cubs to walk when they return to seal-hunting areas in the spring.[35] Disease-causing bacteria and parasites would flourish more readily in a warmer climate.[88]
Problematic interactions between polar bears and humans, such as foraging by bears in garbage dumps, have historically been more prevalent in years when ice-floe breakup occurred early and local polar bears were relatively thin.[179] Increased human-bear interactions, including fatal attacks on humans, are likely to increase as the sea ice shrinks and hungry bears try to find food on land.[179][185]
Starving polar bear near Svalbard
The effects of climate change are most profound in the southern part of the polar bear's range, and this is indeed where significant degradation of local populations has been observed.[183] The Western Hudson Bay subpopulation, in a southern part of the range, also happens to be one of the best-studied polar bear subpopulations. This subpopulation feeds heavily on ringed seals in late spring, when newly weaned and easily hunted seal pups are abundant.[164] The late spring hunting season ends for polar bears when the ice begins to melt and break up, and they fast or eat little during the summer until the sea freezes again.[164]
Due to warming air temperatures, ice-floe breakup in western Hudson Bay is currently occurring three weeks earlier than it did 30 years ago, reducing the duration of the polar bear feeding season.[164] The body condition of polar bears has declined during this period; the average weight of lone (and likely pregnant) female polar bears was approximately 290 kg (640 lb) in 1980 and 230 kg (510 lb) in 2004.[164] Between 1987 and 2004, the Western Hudson Bay population declined by 22%,[186] although the population is currently listed as "stable".[43] As the climate change melts sea ice, the U.S. Geological Survey projects that two-thirds of polar bears will disappear by 2050.[187]
In Alaska, the effects of sea ice shrinkage have contributed to higher mortality rates in polar bear cubs, and have led to changes in the denning locations of pregnant females.[124][188] In recent years, polar bears in the Arctic have undertaken longer than usual swims to find prey, possibly resulting in four recorded drownings in the unusually large ice pack regression of 2005.[184]
A new development is that polar bears have begun ranging to new territory. While not unheard of but still uncommon, polar bears have been sighted increasingly in larger numbers ashore, staying on the mainland for longer periods of time during the summer months, particularly in North Canada, traveling farther inland.[189] This may cause an increased reliance on terrestrial diets, such as goose eggs, waterfowl and caribou,[190] as well as increased human–bear conflict.[191]
Pollution
Polar bears accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides. Due to their position at the top of the ecological pyramid, with a diet heavy in blubber in which halocarbons concentrate, their bodies are among the most contaminated of Arctic mammals.[192] Halocarbons are known to be toxic to other animals, because they mimic hormone chemistry, and biomarkers such as immunoglobulin G and retinol suggest similar effects on polar bears. PCBs have received the most study, and they have been associated with birth defects and immune system deficiency.[193]
Many chemicals, such as PCBs and DDT, have been internationally banned due to the recognition of their harm on the environment. Their concentrations in polar bear tissues continued to rise for decades after being banned as these chemicals spread through the food chain. Since then, the trend seems to have discontinued, with tissue concentrations of PCBs declining between studies performed from 1989 to 1993 and studies performed from 1996 to 2002.[194] During the same time periods, DDT was notably lower in the Western Hudson Bay population only.[194]
Oil and gas development
Oil and gas development in polar bear habitat can affect the bears in a variety of ways. An oil spill in the Arctic would most likely concentrate in the areas where polar bears and their prey are also concentrated, such as sea ice leads.[2] Because polar bears rely partly on their fur for insulation and soiling of the fur by oil reduces its insulative value, oil spills put bears at risk of dying from hypothermia.[100] Polar bears exposed to oil spill conditions have been observed to lick the oil from their fur, leading to fatal kidney failure.[100] Maternity dens, used by pregnant females and by females with infants, can also be disturbed by nearby oil exploration and development. Disturbance of these sensitive sites may trigger the mother to abandon her den prematurely, or abandon her litter altogether.[2]
Predictions
Steven Amstrup and other U.S. Geological Survey scientists have predicted two-thirds of the world's polar bears may disappear by 2050, based on moderate projections for the shrinking of summer sea ice caused by climate change,[88][187] though the validity of this study has been debated.[195][196] The bears could disappear from Europe, Asia, and Alaska, and be depleted from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and areas off the northern Greenland coast. By 2080, they could disappear from Greenland entirely and from the northern Canadian coast, leaving only dwindling numbers in the interior Arctic Archipelago.[88] However, in the short term, some polar bear populations in historically colder regions of the Arctic may temporarily benefit from a milder climate, as multiyear ice that is too thick for seals to create breathing holes is replaced by thinner annual ice.[197]
Polar bears diverged from brown bears 400,000–600,000 years ago and have survived past periods of climate fluctuation. It has been claimed that polar bears will be able to adapt to terrestrial food sources as the sea ice they use to hunt seals disappears.[198] However, most polar bear biologists think that polar bears will be unable to completely offset the loss of calorie-rich seal blubber with terrestrial foods, and that they will be outcompeted by brown bears in this terrestrial niche, ultimately leading to a population decline.[199]
Controversy over species protection
Swimming
Warnings about the future of the polar bear are often contrasted with the fact that worldwide population estimates have increased over the past 50 years and are relatively stable today.[200][201] Some estimates of the global population are around 5,000 to 10,000 in the early 1970s;[202] other estimates were 20,000 to 40,000 during the 1980s.[46][60] Current estimates put the global population at between 20,000 and 25,000[38] or 22,000 and 31,000.[2]
There are several reasons for the apparent discordance between past and projected population trends: estimates from the 1950s and 1960s were based on stories from explorers and hunters rather than on scientific surveys.[203][204] Second, controls of harvesting were introduced that allowed this previously overhunted species to recover.[203] Third, the recent effects of climate change have affected sea ice abundance in different areas to varying degrees.[203]
Debate over the listing of the polar bear under endangered species legislation has put conservation groups and Canada's Inuit at opposing positions;[41] the Nunavut government and many northern residents have condemned the U.S. initiative to list the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act.[205][206] Many Inuit believe the polar bear population is increasing, and restrictions on commercial sport-hunting are likely to lead to a loss of income to their communities.[41][207]
In culture
Engraving, made by Chukchi carvers in the 1940s on a walrus tusk, depicts polar bears hunting walrus
Indigenous folklore
For the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, polar bears have long played an important cultural and material role.[144][145] Polar bear remains have been found at hunting sites dating to 2,500 to 3,000 years ago[147] and 1,500-year-old cave paintings of polar bears have been found in the Chukchi Peninsula.[145] Indeed, it has been suggested that Arctic peoples' skills in seal hunting and igloo construction has been in part acquired from the polar bears themselves.[145]
The Inuit and Alaska Natives have many folk tales featuring the bears including legends in which bears are humans when inside their own houses and put on bear hides when going outside, and stories of how the constellation that is said to resemble a great bear surrounded by dogs came into being.[143] These legends reveal a deep respect for the polar bear, which is portrayed as both spiritually powerful and closely akin to humans.[143] The human-like posture of bears when standing and sitting, and the resemblance of a skinned bear carcass to the human body, have probably contributed to the belief that the spirits of humans and bears were interchangeable.[143]
Among the Chukchi and Yupik of eastern Siberia, there was a longstanding shamanistic ritual of "thanksgiving" to the hunted polar bear. After killing the animal, its head and skin were removed and cleaned and brought into the home, and a feast was held in the hunting camp in its honor. To appease the spirit of the bear, traditional song and drum music was played, and the skull was ceremonially fed and offered a pipe.[208] Only once the spirit was appeased was the skull be separated from the skin, taken beyond the bounds of the homestead, and placed in the ground, facing north.[145]
The Nenets of north-central Siberia placed particular value on the talismanic power of the prominent canine teeth. These were traded in the villages of the lower Yenisei and Khatanga rivers to the forest-dwelling peoples further south, who would sew them into their hats as protection against brown bears. It was believed that the "little nephew" (the brown bear) would not dare to attack a man wearing the tooth of its powerful "big uncle", the polar bear.[145] The skulls of killed polar bears were buried at sacred sites, and altars, called sedyangi, were constructed out of the skulls. Several such sites have been preserved on the Yamal Peninsula.[145]
Symbols and mascots
Greenland's 1911 five kroner note depicting a polar bear
Coat of arms of the Greenlandic Self-Rule government ( Kalaallit Nunaat
Their distinctive appearance and their association with the Arctic have made polar bears popular icons, especially in those areas where they are native. The Canadian two-dollar coin carries an image of a lone polar bear on its reverse side, while a special millennium edition featured three.[209] Vehicle license plates in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Canada are in the shape of a polar bear.[citation needed] The polar bear is the mascot of Bowdoin College, Maine, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary.[citation needed] The Eisbären Berlin hockey team uses a roaring polar bear as their logo, and the Charlotte, North Carolina hockey team the Charlotte Checkers uses a polar bear named Chubby Checker as their mascot.[citation needed]
Companies such as Coca-Cola,[210] Polar Beverages, Nelvana, Bundaberg Rum, and Good Humor-Breyers have used images of the polar bear in advertising,[citation needed] while Fox's Glacier Mints have featured a polar bear named Peppy as the brand mascot since 1922.[211]
Fiction
Polar bears are popular in fiction, particularly in books for children or teenagers. For example, The Polar Bear Son is adapted from a traditional Inuit tale.[212] The animated television series Noah's Island features a polar bear named Noah as the protagonist. Polar bears feature prominently in East (also released as North Child) by Edith Pattou,[213] The Bear by Raymond Briggs (adapted into an animated short in 1998),[214] and Chris d'Lacey's The Fire Within series.[215] The panserbjørne of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials are sapient, dignified polar bears who exhibit anthropomorphic qualities, and feature prominently in the 2007 film adaptation of The Golden Compass.[216] The television series Lost features polar bears living on the tropical island setting.[217]
See also
References
Bibliography
Further readingMeasuring impact
It looks like global warming’s impact goes far beyond simply affecting temperatures on our planet. A new study published in the journal Science reveals that global climate change has already altered genes and entire ecosystems — basically every aspect of life on Earth.
It’s the kind of change that no one expected to have occurred in such a short amount of time, according to co-author James Watson from the University of Queensland. Watson worked with researchers from 10 countries, with University of Florida assistant professor Brett Scheffer leading the team.
“We now have evidence that, with only a ~1 degree Celsius (~1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming globally, major impacts are already being felt in natural systems,” Scheffer said. “Genes are changing, species’ physiology and physical features such as body size are changing, species are shifting their ranges, and we see clear signs of entire ecosystems under stress, all in response to changes in climate on land and in the ocean.”
There’s no denying it
The study found that more than 80 percent of ecological processes already exhibit reactions to climate change. These processes form the foundation for healthy marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. “The impacts of climate change are being felt with no ecosystem on Earth being spared,” Watson explained.Maybe the biggest weapon in all of golf is the driver of Bubba Watson, so that's not a good sight when he's due on the first tee for the USA team in about 10 minutes. Bubba is the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour and that unmistakable pink driver is most responsible for his Tour success.
Watson's pink driver snapped on the range in Korea while he was warming up for Saturday morning's foursomes session. Foursomes is also known as the alternate shot format, but Bubba was scheduled to hit the tee ball on the 1st. HIs partner, J.B. Holmes, is just as big a hitter and could have switched in with his driver but the pair decided to keep Bubba driving on the odd holes and Holmes on the even holes.
Bubba did have a backup driver in Korea, but it was not on site and in his hotel room. The good news is the hotel is just a mile away and the driver was going to make it to his bag for his tee shot at the 3rd. He hit his 3-wood at the opening hole, which travels miles farther than you can dream about hitting your driver.
Because he started his round with just 13 clubs in his bag, he is allowed to add the new driver in the middle of the match. Assistant captain Fred Couples made the on-course delivery.New England Patriots injured star pass-catchers Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski could be making their returns any game now, but Amendola has a better shot at playing in this week’s big game against the Cincinnati Bengals than Rob Gronkowski does. Multiple reports stated earlier that Gronkowski will likely miss this week’s game, and that makes sense since the Patriots and Gronk want to exercise extreme caution with the TE’s return. He is expected to make his season debut against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, and it would be a surprise for him to miss that game too. Gronk isn’t expected to play this week, though, but there is still the possibility of him playing.
The Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian supports the earlier Gronkowskis reports by reporting, citing a source, that Gronk is “still not a sure bet” to play this week. Guregian adds that there is “more optimism” on the chances of Danny Amendola playing this week than the chances of Gronkowski suiting up, and that’s honestly great news for Patriots fans.
Why? Well, Gronk’s status is basically set in stone. We know that he’s ready to play this week if the Patriots want him to, so the only thing stopping him from playing is the Patriots wise desire to make sure he is as healthy as possible. The fact that Danny Amendola has a better shot at playing than Gronkowski speaks volumes to how tough Amendola is, because he has, as usual, made a quick progression from an injury (completely torn adductors). I think he will almost certainly be playing this week, whereas Gronkowski will indeed likely be out. One key thing pointing in favor of Gronk playing, though, is the fact that the Patriots released Zach Sudfeld, but that’s probably not much of a factor in the scope of one week (Gronk is set to come back in Week 6, barring something unexpected).
You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe. Be sure to like us on Facebook here and follow our site on Twitter as well.Tens of thousands of bikers are expected to descend on South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach area this Memorial Day weekend–and when they do, they’ll be met with heavy security.
Locals say there are rarely problems during the Bikefest in Atlantic Beach, a predominantly black enclave of just 350 year-round residents outside the popular resort town of Myrtle Beach. {snip}
As a result of last year’s violence, this weekend’s visitors to the area–an estimated 400,000 are expected for the rally or to hit the beach for the first weekend of the summer season–will be greeted by dozens of additional law officers, sidewalk barricades and a 23-mile, one-way loop to control traffic.
{snip}
Following last year’s South Carolina violence, Gov. Nikki Haley asked Atlantic Beach officials to end Bikefest, pledging that the state would help the economically depressed community reinvent itself.
She said the town could showcase the history of Atlantic Beach, known as the Black Pearl. During the days of segregation, it was the only place on the Grand Strand–the 60 miles of South Carolina beaches between Georgetown and the North Carolina state line–where blacks could go to the beach.
But Atlantic Beach leaders would not end the Bikefest tradition, which has attracted black bikers to the area since 1980 and provides the town $60,000 or so in revenue on Bikefest fees–a big chunk of its $500,000 annual budget.
{snip}
The state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says it will, for a ninth year, monitor to make sure blacks are not discriminated against by security measures.
“The NAACP supports reasonable law enforcement tactics designed to promote public safety and peace,” state NAACP President Dr. Lonnie Randolph said in a statement. “The Association will vehemently oppose any tactics that unfairly target African Americans.”
Myrtle Beach, working with other local governments, has spent months developing a $1.6 million safety plan that required a property tax increase to pay for.
Last year, a crowd gathered outside an oceanfront motel in Myrtle Beach and shots were fired wounding a man. Police say a shooter then went to the second floor of the motel and shot and killed three people. The case has never been solved.
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Share ThisThe second single from Blonde Redhead’s forthcoming Barragán has defied my expectations. I mentioned in my write-up on the first single, “No More Honey,” that the band had “recaptured everything I used to love about this band.” That’s not the case for “Dripping,” but I don’t mean that in a bad way. This doesn’t sound like the Blonde Redhead of old. It sounds like something new entirely, not just for the band, but for music. If you had asked me 10 years ago what “future music” would sound like, this might be close to what I’d imagine. I’m probably giving myself too much credit because I doubt I could come up with something this fresh, but the point still stands: Blonde Redhead has come up with something original. I’m really, really looking forward to hearing the entirety of Barragán when it’s released. In the meantime, I’ll be listening to “Dripping” and “No More Honey” on a continuous loop.
RelatedTo most Americans, the sonic signature of the Olympic Games can be summed up in seven notes in E-flat major, a soaring BUM—BUM—ba-ba-ba-BAH-BAH that fades in and out of the competitions. The fanfare of brass and percussion, titled "The Bugler's Dream," has come to represent the Olympics almost as much as a torch or five-rings—but the piece wasn't written for the games, and it wasn't composed by John Williams, the creative genius behind the familiar themes to Star Wars, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark and many more memorable movie scores.
Of course, any Arnaud/Williams controversy is a uniquely American feature of the Olympic Games. Outside of the United States (and beyond the airwaves of NBC), viewers have a different musical association with the Olympics.
"The most common piece that’s used around the world is [the theme to the movie] "Chariots of Fire" by Vangelis," Guegold says. Whatever the music, however, audiences can expect it to be a kind of fanfare. "The the brass, percussion, marching band sort of big piece, something that is kind of grand, seems to fit the venue. It seems to fit the visual spectacle of the Olympics very well."
The performance of Williams' fanfare at the 1984 Summer Games introduced another theme to Olympic viewers—but even though it was composed by the already-famous Williams, the fanfare didn't immediately topple "Bugler's Dream" as the most recognized Olympic theme, in large part because ABC, and later NBC, continued to use Arnaud's fanfare over Williams' in their broadcasts. According to journalist Erik Malinowski, ABC used Arnaud's theme over Williams' for their broadcast of the 1988 Winter Olympics, perhaps worried that Williams' fanfare would be too closely associated with the Summer Games. When NBC acquired the rights to broadcast the 1992 Olympics, they also acquired the rights to "Bugler's Dream," though they played it sparingly throughout their coverage of the Games held that year.
Ask a group of Americans who composed the Olympic theme music, and a majority might tell you it was John Williams—and while they wouldn't necessarily be wrong, but they would be ignoring Arnaud's contribution to the history. Here's why they make that mistake: in 1996, for the celebration of the centennial of the modern Olympic games, NBC re-released Williams' "Olympic Theme and Fanfare," but replaced his opening with Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream." This amalgamation became the most widely recognized iteration of the Olympic theme; try searching for Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream" on YouTube, and most results cut to Williams' fanfare around the 48-second mark.
Why combine the two pieces? Guegold believes it was done to make NBC's use of the two pieces easier and more seamless—by arranging the two together, Arnaud and Williams' pieces are put in the same key, instrumentation and recording ambiance, allowing the station to use either piece at any point in their broadcast—or to capitalize on each piece's distinct popularity and use them together.
Unlike Samaras, Leo Arnaud wasn't composing for the Olympics when he sat down in 1958 to pen "The Charge Suite," from which "The Bugler's Dream" was born. Ten years later, however, Arnaud's fanfare fused with Olympic history when ABC used it for their 1968 coverage of the Winter Olympics.
"That was everyone in the United States' first Olympic theme, because it was used so much in the sporting events and associated with the ABC television coverage," Guegold explains.
First Olympic theme, perhaps, but not the last. In 1984, the United States Olympic Committee comissioned John Williams to compose a fanfare specifically for the Los Angeles games. Dubbed "Olympic Fanfare and Theme," it was performed live at the games.
For all its focus on athletic competition and international unity, music factors into the Olympics in a complicated, and at times overlooked, way. Little is known about the role of music in the original Greek Olympics, though Olympic historian and professor of music Bill Guegold notes that it probably played a least some part, perhaps in marches or other festivities. In modern times, however, music has been an important part of the Olympic games from their first revival in 1896.
"In the late 1800s, when Pierre de Coubertin decided to resurrect the Olympics, so to speak, he felt that the arts should be part of it, not just music but all the arts," Guegold says. "At the first Olympics, in 1896, they had a request for someone to write an Olympic hymn." The man chosen was the young Greek composer Spyros Samaras, whose compisition, dubbed "Olympic Hymn" was played at the opening ceremonies. In 1957, International Olympic Committee named it the official Olympic anthem. Since the 1960s, it has been played at every Olympic game as the Olympic flag is raised or lowered—which means that anyone who has watched at least one Olympic ceremony has heard the hymn multiple times. But "Olympic Hymn" isn't heavily associated with the Games here in the U.S.—largely because Samaras' piece lacked the endorsement of American broadcast stations.Arsal has been a key location for both refugees fleeing Syria, as well as fighters taking a powder from the fighting. Border towns have a long and well-known role as refuges for both combatant and non-combatant alike, and can normally avoid the tides of war just over the border, since blowing up stuff in someone else’s country is considered a major no-no if you don’t actually intend to fight a war with them.
This latest dollop of cash has a lot more to do with the fact that the Islamic State, which has recently shown a noticeable lack of concern about what anyone else has to say about national borders, recently bopped over into Lebanon to go raise hell, shoot up, and finally occupy a small town called Arsal in the northeast of the country.
A February 2014 report called “ Lebanon at the Crossroads ” by Aram Nerguizian, a Senior Fellow for Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, notes that “…deterring Israel or Syria, establishing a definitive monopoly on the use of military force and achieving lasting border demarcation and control remain unsustainable either in terms of national policy, or in terms of resourcing.” Which is to say that the Lebanese army isn’t big enough to tell any of the other opposing militaries in the region — including Hezbollah, which runs its own chunk of Lebanon almost like a separate country — to sit down and shut up when they come knocking.
Although the Lebanese defense budget only amounts to just $1.2 billion annually — less than a third of the total amount of Saudi military aid — the Saudi government is now apparently attempting a new and novel campaign to armor Lebanese vehicles entirely in Saudi currency (at least metaphorically speaking).
Saudi Arabia has just decided to give the Lebanese military $1 billion in military aid, mostly in ammunition and small arms. This is on top of the $3 billion grant for equipment given to the Lebanese Armed Forces by the Saudis back at the tail end of 2013. This compares with about $500 million provided by the US from 2009 to 2013.
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Saudi Arabia has just decided to give the Lebanese military $1 billion in military aid, mostly in ammunition and small arms. This is on top of the $3 billion grant for equipment given to the Lebanese Armed Forces by the Saudis back at the tail end of 2013. This compares with about $500 million provided by the US from 2009 to 2013.
Although the Lebanese defense budget only amounts to just $1.2 billion annually — less than a third of the total amount of Saudi military aid — the Saudi government is now apparently attempting a new and novel campaign to armor Lebanese vehicles entirely in Saudi currency (at least metaphorically speaking).
A February 2014 report called “Lebanon at the Crossroads” by Aram Nerguizian, a Senior Fellow for Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, notes that “…deterring Israel or Syria, establishing a definitive monopoly on the use of military force and achieving lasting border demarcation and control remain unsustainable either in terms of national policy, or in terms of resourcing.” Which is to say that the Lebanese army isn’t big enough to tell any of the other opposing militaries in the region — including Hezbollah, which runs its own chunk of Lebanon almost like a separate country — to sit down and shut up when they come knocking.
This latest dollop of cash has a lot more to do with the fact that the Islamic State, which has recently shown a noticeable lack of concern about what anyone else has to say about national borders, recently bopped over into Lebanon to go raise hell, shoot up, and finally occupy a small town called Arsal in the northeast of the country.
Arsal has been a key location for both refugees fleeing Syria, as well as fighters taking a powder from the fighting. Border towns have a long and well-known role as refuges for both combatant and non-combatant alike, and can normally avoid the tides of war just over the border, since blowing up stuff in someone else’s country is considered a major no-no if you don’t actually intend to fight a war with them.
In and around the Levant and/or Mesopotamia, the Islamic State is a veritable Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger, even among jihadists of the takfiri bent — they have a pretty shocking lack of regard for what anyone else has to say about anything. They don’t care about borders. They don’t care about Sykes-Picot. And they sure don’t care that Arsal is in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government is about the only group in that region that the Saudis are actually on good terms with. So, now that the Islamic State — a mortal foe of Saudi Arabia — is on the prowl in Lebanon, apparently the Saudis felt it wouldn’t be cool to just leave the Lebanese government hanging. Even though the Lebanese armed forces aren’t really a force to be reckoned with, the Saudis likely figured that it might not hurt to at least have a passably well-equipped counterterrorism force in the area while everything is going to hell.
Follow Ryan Faith on Twitter: @Operation_RyanThe UK Games Expo is the 2nd to 4th of June and it’s the biggest tabletop gaming convention in the UK. It will be three days full of board games, card games, miniatures and roleplaying games and we take a look at the games that have got us excited.
Games Mentioned: Knightmare Live
The City of Kings
Ravage Dungeons of Plunder
Beer Empire
Multiuniversum Cthulhu Expansion
SUPERHOT The Card Game
The First Martians
Alien Artefacts
Hannibal and Habicar
Anachrony
Days of Ire
Warhammer 40,000 8th edition
Shadow War: Armageddon
Dice Hospital
Pleiades
Adrenaline – expansion
Codenames: Duet
Statecraft
Pleiades
Sub Terra
War of the Nine Realms
Nine Worlds
The Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines
Sherlock and Mycroft
The Godfather
Legends Untold
Lord of the Horde
Perfect Crime
Raid & Trade: War on the Streets
Dropzone Commander and Dropfleet Commander
Batman The Board Game
Ore-Some
Carcosa
Wreck and Ruin
Strawberry Ninja
Shadowscape
Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services:
Or you can listen via YouTube:
To get more information and tickets head to https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/Wall Street Journal editorial page editor and vice-president Paul Gigot.
In a short period of time, five staffers have departed The Wall Street Journal editorial page. The general cause of their departures, willing and otherwise, is known: the Journal editorial line has increasingly conformed with the pro-Trump dictates of the rest of the Murdoch media empire. (Most recently, Journal editorials, which once presented Ken Starr as the last hope to preserve the rule of law, have fomented various right-wing conspiracy theories about Robert Mueller and called for his firing.)
Sam Tanenhaus, deep into his excellent story on the dwindling band of anti-Trump conservative intellectuals, reports more specifically on the circumstances surrounding their departure. As Trump’s chances of winning the nomination grew, the paper buried an editorial highlighting his underworld connections:
Those were heavy losses in pages whose content is managed by fewer than thirty people in total. And the reason, according to several defectors, was the Journal’s skidding reversal once Rupert Murdoch realized Trump could win. Several sources pointed to the editorials by one writer, James Freeman. “All-in for Ted Cruz” during the primaries, Freeman wrote a strong attack on Trump’s Mob dealings, and had a second ready to go. But as Trump got closer to clinching the nomination, Paul Gigot kept delaying publication, saying “it needed work.” Once Trump became the likely Republican nominee, Freeman executed a neat volte-face. “The facts suggest that Mrs. Clinton is more likely to abuse liberties than Mr. Trump,” he wrote. “America managed to survive Mr. Clinton’s two terms, so it can stand the far less vulgar Mr. Trump.”
(Trump’s Mafia connections are the sort of scandal that would have killed an ordinary candidacy but barely even register on the outsize scale of Trump scandals.)
To be sure, the Journal has continued to voice occasional criticisms of the president. But the chidings have been gentle, and reserved for the sources of frustration shared by Trump’s own staff and legislative allies: He tweets too much, he expresses his racism a little too bluntly. On the subject of the president’s authoritarianism and contempt for governing norms, the Journal now runs interference with the same gusto as Fox News.
The Journal editorial page is famously close to Paul Ryan, and generally reflects the priorities and interests of the Republican Party’s ruling money wing. Its complete submission to Trump is perfectly emblematic of the choice the party has made.Do you believe in ghosts?? Well I do now! My rematch Santa is apparently a ghost as their reddit gifts account was supposedly closed, but it alive and working to send me a rematch :) My Santa included such a wide array of coolness in one package! Seriously! Even the box is super pretty and Halloweeny!
I received:
A skull lip gloss that is adorable!
A tube of Almay lipgloss that is an awesome color on me (I can never find good colors for me!)
A cat hand sanitizer holder with Halloween pumpkin scented hand sanitizer (cat tax paid?)
The coolest beauty care item was a personally made essential oil that my Ghost Santa sells on Etsy called into the woods. It's smells so good! I could smell it as soon as I opened the package!
There were stickers, a cool tomb stone I'm adding to my regular Halloween decorations at work (I kind of go all-out) :)
Tea lights, shot glasses, and a cool Halloween restaurant sign
Finally, and completely randomly, but a dream catcher! It's totally cool, I think we can use all the help we can get when it comes to good dreams!
Thank you so much Santa, even if you are a ghost, you're a star in my eyes!!!
P.S. Sadly Blinky was not working when he got here :( He must have used up all of his energy lighting the inside of the package so the others weren't scared!CLOSE Michelle Carter’s texts allegedly drove her 18 year old boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to commit suicide in 2014 and she now faces up to 20 years in prison. Buzz60
Michelle Carter was sentenced Thursday for involuntary manslaughter. (Photo: Pool photo by Matt West)
A judge’s sentencing of a 20-year-old Massachusetts woman who urged her boyfriend via text to carry out his suicide may have showed leniency but should not have happened at all, legal experts told USA TODAY.
Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz sentenced Michelle Carter to 2 ½ years in prison on a charge of involuntary manslaughter Thursday, but Carter will only serve 15 months of that. She was convicted in June in the 2014 suicide of her boyfriend, Conrad Roy III, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in his truck with Carter’s encouragement via text messaging.
When Carter was convicted in June, legal experts expressed concern that the case could set a new legal precedent in which words, and not just actions, are deemed to cause death. It was the conviction and not the sentencing that caused that concern for Daniel Medwed, professor of law and criminal justice at the Northeastern University School of Law.
“This idea that words can kill is a very controversial one because the criminal law typically punishes physical action. … The drunk driver who plows into somebody or a person who shoots a gun, where you’re consciously disregarding a huge risk,” Medwed said.
Medwed said he never believed it should have been a manslaughter case. “I think Massachusetts needs a specific statute that criminalizes encouraging or coercing suicide,” he added.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts agreed that the case against Carter was not one of manslaughter and expressed anger that the sentencing further sets a dangerous example.
“Mr. Roy’s death is an unspeakable tragedy, and our |
However, he said he would trade all of them for this single important NEO discovery.
“I was doing a follow up observation of asteroid 2008 EV5,” Holmes told Universe Today, “and there was another object moving right next to it, so it was a pretty easy observation, actually. But you just have to be in the right place at the right time. If I had looked a few hours later, it would have moved away and I wouldn’t have seen it.”
A few hours later, teacher S. Kirby, from Ranger High School in Texas, who was taking part in a training class on how to use the data that Holmes collects for making observations used Holmes’ data measuring 2008 EV5 and also found the new object. Shortly after that, a student K. Dankov from the Bulgarian Academy of Science, Bulgaria who is part of ARO education and public outreach also noticed the new asteroid. Holmes listed both observers as co-discovers as well as another astronomer who made confirmation follow-up observations of what is now 2009 BD81.
Holmes is a tireless observer. Last year alone he made 10,252 follow-up observations on previously discovered NEO’s, more than 2000 more than the second ranked observatory, according to the NEO Dynamics website, based in Pisa, Italy.
Holmes has two telescopes, a 24-inch and 32-inch.
He works night-after-night to provide real-time images for the IASC program, uploading his images constantly during the night to an FTP site, so students and teachers can access the data and make their own analysis and observations from them. IASC is a network of observatories from 13 countries all around the world.
Holmes is proud of the work he does for education, and proud of the students and teachers who participate.
“They do a great job,” he said. “A lot of the teachers are doing this entirely on their own, taking it upon themselves to create a hands-on research class in their schools.” Holmes said recently, two students that have been involved with IASC in high school decided to enter the astrophysics program in college.
“I feel like we are making a difference in science and education,” he said, “and it is exciting to feel like you’re making a contribution, not just following up NEO’s but in people’s lives.”
Holmes also owns some of the faintest observations of anyone in the world.
“My telescopes won’t go to 24th magnitude,” Holmes said, “but I’ve got several 23rd magnitudes.”
“Getting faint observations is one of the things NASA wants to achieve, so that’s one of the things I worked diligently on,” Holmes continued. The statistics on the site bear that out clearly, which shows graphs and comparisons of various observatories.
To what does Holmes attribute his success? “It’s obviously not the huge number nights we have in Illinois to work,” Holmes said. The East-Central region of Illinois is known for its cloudy winter weather, when we often have our poorest astronomical “seeing.”
“However, I work every single night if it’s clear, even if it’s a full moon,” he said. “Most observatories typically shut down three days on either side of a full moon. But I keep working right on through. I found that with the telescopes I work with, I’ve been able to get to the 22nd magnitude even on a full moon night. Last year, I got about 187 nights of observing, which is the same number as the big observatories in the Southwest, when you take off the number of cloudy nights the 6 nights a month they don’t’ work around full moons. Sometimes you just have to work harder, and work when others aren’t to be able to catch up. That’s how we are able to do it, by working every single chance we have.”
He works alone at the observatory, running the pair of telescopes, and doing programming on the fly. “I refresh the confirmation page of new discoveries every hour so I can chase down any new discovery anyone has found,” he said. “If I just pre-programmed everything I wouldn’t have a fraction of the observations I have each year. I’d miss way too many because some of the objects are moving so fast.”
Holmes said some objects are moving 5,000 arc-seconds an hour on objects that are really close to Earth. “I’ve seen them go a full hour of right ascension per day and that’s pretty quick. They can go across the sky in four or five days,” said Holmes. “And there have been some that have gone from virtually 50 degrees north to 50 degrees south in one night. That’s was a screaming fast object, and you can’t preprogram for something like that, you actually have to be running the telescope manually.”
2009 BD81 is listed as a “risk” object on the NASA/JPL website. This is the 1,015th PHA discovered to date.
“It ranks high as a NEO in general,” said Holmes, “although not in a super-high category as far as the Torino scale,” which categorizes the impact hazard of NEOs. “At this point it’s considered a virtual impactor and that is typically is as high of a rating that you get at this point.”
“Because it is a virtual impactor, it will remain on that webpage and ask for observations every single night until it is removed as a virtual impactor or becomes too faint to see,” said Holmes. “In the past year, we’ve removed 23 virtual hazardous objects, which means there have been enough observations that the orbit of that object is no longer considered a threat to our planet.”
Because of the small number of observations of of 2009 BD81, the current chance of it hitting Earth is small. “The odds are really small right now,” said Holmes, “however, the smaller your orbital arc is the wider the path is at that point is of potential impact. The longer the arc gets, the narrower the cone of opportunity of impact becomes, and once that cone is no longer pointing at earth in the future, it is removed as a possible impactor.”
Holmes said the excitement of this discovery has been exhilarating. “It’s been a lot of fun. The energy level gets pretty high when you have something like this show up,” he said. “It’s pretty rare, and this is the first time I’ve ever had a NEO discovery. I’ve had several hundred asteroids, and just since the beginning of the school year we have had about 40 asteroids that students and teachers have discovered in the program. So having this as a NEO is kind of a nice thing.”
Holmes said he’ll track 2009 BD81 as long as he possibly can.
More information on 2009 BD81.
Holmes previously was a commercial photographer who had over 4,500 photographs published worldwide in over 50 countries. “At first astronomy was just a hobby in the evening,” said Holmes. “I worked with schools, who used the data and made some discoveries of supernovae and asteroids. It came to a point where it was really hard to work all day as a photographer and work all night in astronomy getting data for students.” So, he chose astronomy over photography.
Holmes now works under a grant from NASA to use astrometry to follow-up new asteroid discoveries for the large sky surveys and help students look for new asteroid discoveries for educational outreach programs.
One would assume that as a former commercial photographer, Holmes would attempt to capture the beauty of the night sky in photographs, but that’s not the case.
“The only thing I’m really interesting in is the scientific and educational aspect of astronomy,” said Holmes. “I’ve never taken a single color, pretty picture of the sky in the half a million images I’ve taken of the sky. It’s always been for research or education.”
Holmes is considered a professional astronomer by the Minor Planet Center and International Astronomical Union because he is funded by NASA, so that means he wasn’t eligible to receive the Edgar Wilson award when he found a comet last year.
Because of Holmes outstanding astronomical work, he is also an adjunct faculty member in the physics department at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.First we heard that we were getting a new Labyrinth movie. Then we heard it would be a reboot. Then we heard that it’s not a reboot, but a sequel. And now we’re hearing that it’s not just a sequel, but a spinoff that takes place in the Labyrinth universe.
Confused? Join the club!
Labyrinth is the latest franchise to get the “shared universe” treatment, which was popularized (and monetized) by the Marvel superhero films. And I guess this makes a bit of sense, as now the film doesn’t need to feel beholden to the memory of David Bowie, or the bulk of the (slowly disintegrating) puppet cast.
We’ve also learned that there’s some new talent attached to the film. Fede Alvarez (Don’t Breathe, the Evil Dead reboot, and the upcoming Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sequel) is set to direct, and Jay Basu (Monsters: Dark Continent) will be writing. Sadly, there’s no mention of Nicole Pearlman, who was previously attached as the writer.
Apparently the film is already casting, and filming may begin in the fall. Hopefully this isn’t another false start, and we can get some more Labyrinth news to you shortly!
Click here to get lost on the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes – [email protected] co-founder Bill Gates, having a net worth of $81.8 billion, and Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, having a net worth of $70.4 billion, are the nation’s two richest men. They are at the top of the Forbes 400 list of America’s super-rich individuals, people who have net worths of billions of dollars.
Many see the rich as a danger. New York Times columnist Bob Herbert wrote: “It doesn’t really matter what ordinary people want. The wealthy call the tune, and the politicians dance.”
His colleague Paul Krugman wrote: “On paper, we’re a one-person-one-vote nation; in reality, we’re more than a bit of an oligarchy, in which a handful of wealthy people dominate.”
It’s sentiments like these that have led me to wish there were a humane way to get rid of the rich. For without having the rich around to be whipping boys and distract our attention, we might be able to concentrate on what’s best for the 99.9 percent of the rest of us.
Let’s look at the power of the rich. With all the money that Gates, Bezos, and other super-rich people have, what can they force you or me to do?
Can they condemn our houses to create space so that another individual can build an auto dealership or a casino parking lot? Can they force us to pay money into the government-run—and doomed—Obamacare program? Can they force us to bus our children to schools out of our neighborhood in the name of diversity? Can they force us to buy our sugar from a high-cost domestic producer rather than from a low-cost Caribbean producer?
The answer to all of these questions is a big fat no.
You say, “Williams, I don’t understand.” Let me be more explicit.
Bill Gates cannot order you to enroll your child in another school in order to promote racial diversity. He has no power to condemn your house to make way for a casino parking lot.
Unless our elected public officials grant them the power to rip us off, rich people have little power to force us to do anything. A lowly municipal clerk earning $50,000 a year has far more life-and-death power over us. It is that type of person to whom we must turn for permission to build a house, ply a trade, open a restaurant, and do myriad other activities.
It’s government people, not rich people, who have the power to coerce us and rip us off. They have the power to make our lives miserable if we disobey. This coercive power goes a long way toward explaining legalized political corruption.
Take just one of thousands of examples. The Fanjuls are among the biggest sugar cane growers, and they co-own the world’s largest refining company, American Sugar Refining, which markets its product under the brand names Domino, C&H, Redpath, Tate & Lyle, and Florida Crystals.
During the 2014 election cycle, Florida Crystals contributed more than $860,000 to candidates and political spending groups. It spent more than $1 million lobbying Congress, the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Commerce, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Here’s my question to you: Do you think it forked over all that money to help our elected representatives uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution? Nonsense.
The Fanjuls and other sugar producers want Congress to use tariffs to keep foreign-produced sugar out of our country so they can reap the financial benefits from being able to charge Americans two to three times the world price of sugar.
So here’s the ultimate question: If some rich people can line the pockets of politicians to do their bidding at the expense of the rest of us, who’s to blame?
I think it’s we, the people, who are to blame for not using our votes to run such politicians out of town—and that’s most of them. But that might be deceitful of us, for we also ask politicians to enable us to live at the expense of others.Pro-Russian separatists shot down a military helicopter in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Thursday. All 14 people on board died, including a general, Ukraine's acting president confirmed.
"I have just received information that terrorists using Russian anti-aircraft missiles shot down our helicopter near Slaviansk. It had been ferrying servicemen for a change of duty," acting President Oleksander Turchinov told parliament.
An Associated Press reporter in Sloviansk witnessed the helicopter go down and said there was gunshots around the crash site as a Ukrainian air force jet flew overhead.
A Ukrainian Army military jet flies over a shot down Ukrainian Army helicopter outside Sloviansk, Ukraine, Thursday, May 29, 2014.
Sloviansk, a city of 120,000 located about 100 miles from the Russian border, has become the epicenter of fighting in eastern Ukraine over the past few months as armed pro-Russian rebels have seized government buildings and strategically stationed themselves around the city and its outskirts.
Meanwhile, just 70 miles south of Sloviansk, in Donetsk, two pro-Russian groups were in a standoff against each other in an apparent power struggle. As a thunderstorm ominously rolled in through the city, the pro-Russian Vostok Battalion surrounded a regional government building that serves as headquarters for the Donetsk People's Republic and ordered everyone out.
Dozens of armed men from the battalion have taken positions behind trees and around the building's perimeter.
Vostok Battalion besieged the DPR HQ on Thursday in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Despite its looks, the Vostok Battalion said this is not a coup but rather a "police operation" against looters it claims are in the building.
This front loader just pushed aside the barricade of tires and then cleared the road of a truck used as a roadblock. pic.twitter.com/vVVVKbhT0w — Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 29, 2014
In Donetsk on Monday, rebels who were armed to the teeth seized the airport and ignited a battle against the military, which unleashed airstrikes against the fighters. Two civilians and at least 30 pro-Russian separatists were killed in what is now the largest military assault since the crisis started.
Though the city was eerily calm in the days after the clash — streets were mostly empty as some business shut their doors to ensure safety of workers and customers — another battle seems to be brewing.
Additional reporting by Christopher Miller in Ukraine.He Used To Live On The Streets Of Mumbai. Now, His Cafe Welcomes Everyone
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe
The Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe sits on one side of a noisy street in a lower-middle-class neighborhood of Mumbai, India, not far from the city's swanky new international airport.
Wedged in a block with a clinic and a hardware store, this modest-sized cafe has only four tables. There's an open kitchen with bar stools at the counter and a small library at the back, with books donated by patrons. The walls are orange, and some repurposed aluminum kettle lamps and tea glass lamp shades give the room a warm and earthy tone. Outside, there's a little patio with a couple of benches, and a bright green awning that stands out against the gloomy gray of the concrete structures around it.
This ordinary-looking cafe is on an extraordinary mission — to be inclusive. In a country where cafes are used exclusively by the growing middle class, this cafe has opened its doors to people from all walks of life — from cab and rickshaw drivers and street kids to the average office worker. Anyone who can't afford a $2 cup of coffee, often the cheapest item in an average Indian cafe, can find something tasty and affordable here.
A cup of tea on the patio costs only 10 rupees (15 U.S. cents), the same as at any roadside tea stall. The rest of the menu is limited but wholesome: sandwiches, quiche, tortillas, tapas. There is also dessert, bonbons and coffees.
The cafe is a labor of love for proprietor Amin Sheikh, who spent his early childhood on the streets of Mumbai, where food was key to survival but hard to come by. The cafe's servers are also former street children.
The son of a domestic worker, Sheikh was 5 years old when he ran away from home and his job at a tea shop. For three years, he scavenged for scraps in garbage bins and begged for food or money in trains and stations. He eventually found his way to an orphanage called Snehasadan, where meals were regular but basic, and the best dessert was "whatever candy cost the least" in stores outside, he recalls.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe
Today, Sheikh is also a book author and a successful tour operator, but success didn't come easily. He dropped out after seventh grade and learned to drive, eventually finding employment as the chauffeur and Man Friday of a well-to-do man.
"When I was a driver, I never had money to have a coffee at one of the [Indian] cafes," he says. "In that much money, I could get a full chicken meal and a tea. I don't understand why a cup of coffee is that expensive — has it got gold in it? Has it come from the moon? Everyone deserves to go somewhere nice."
In 2002, he bought his own car and started giving guided tours of the city. The next year, he had the opportunity to visit clients and friends in Spain and saw a different world. "In Spain, I saw everyone has the same coffee at the same coffee shop and it costs them all the same," he says. "With one euro, a shoeshine boy or a manager can have the very best coffee. Nobody told me you cannot sit here, go somewhere else." It was a revelation.
Because Indian society is much more stratified and class-conscious. "If I had gone to a coffee shop, this is how high society would think: 'What is this bloody driver doing here?'" says Sheikh. "But this bloody driver is also human."
He decided to create a place for drivers like him and other ordinary people. "Why not a basic place for basic people? Without spelling it out, you can give someone dignity without preaching about it." And he realized he could close the loop by employing kids from his orphanage.
For seven years, Sheikh put aside money, even writing and publishing an autobiography in 2012. Twelve thousand copies and eight language editions later he says, "Whatever money I made from selling my book at churches, traffic signals, talks has gone into this café."
Affordability and dignity aren't Sheikh's only goals. Quality is high on his agenda, too.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe
"I could use crap ingredients, I could parcel out diabetes and heart disease without a problem, but I want quality," Sheikh says. "I want the ingredients to be nutritious."
So instead of cutting corners and using the cheap, local hydrogenated baking chocolate, he's using Belgian chocolate from Europe. But he's working on sourcing other organic ingredients, including milk, locally.
And while he's at it, why not introduce his customers to some foreign foods, too? "In Spain, everyone knows some Indian food," he says. "Everybody knows chicken tikka, so why shouldn't kids here know tortillas and Spanish cookies?"
The cafe's cookies are divine — crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The recipe comes from Figueres, a small town in Catalonia, just outside Barcelona, Spain. A couple — Carlos and Maria Antonia Pereze, who run a restaurant — had read his book and they were moved by his story. When they contacted Sheikh and learned that he was ready to start his dream cafe, they took three weeks off to come help him start up.
The night I visited the cafe was the Perezes' last in town. Carlos was pulling a batch of cookies from the oven while overseeing the making of more batter. Maria Antonia was going over checklists at a table. Later that evening, after their last guests had finished their cake and left, the staff and volunteers gathered together. Over the four-way multi-lingual conversation — English, Catalan, Hindi (official government language of India) and Marathi (Mumbai's local language) — there were last-minute instructions, reminders and hugs. The couple's affection for the cafe staff shone through.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe Courtesy of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe
Anil Kurup, the cafe's baker, is an alum of Snehasadan, the same orphanage that Sheikh grew up in. Trained in the bakery section of a big hotel chain on Sheikh's urging a few years ago, Kurup has now added tortillas and cookies to his repertoire under the Perezes' tutelage. "When I was growing up, I never dreamed that I'd get to eat any of this, let alone make it," he says.
Business at the cafe is still picking up, but Sheikh is OK with that. He tells his staff that all good things take time.
"See, I don't want to be a business," Sheikh says. "I want to get people to be human beings."
Amir, 12, and his cousin Mehran, 11, live in the neighborhood and are on their fourth visit in three days. They sit on a bench on the patio, enjoying their Spanish hot chocolate, smacking their lips between sips.
"I like the experience," says Mehran. "And the hot chocolate, the cookies, the books." His cousin Amir is excited because "Uncle (Sheikh) told us there will be comics and kids' books, too."
The boys are delighted that there's a nice place they can afford. Their monthly allowance is about $11 each, but with a cup of hot chocolate priced at 60 cents, they can enjoy some of the treats here. They tell me they've peeped into fancy coffee shops before, but this is the first one they've been to. That access, and the contented smiles on their faces, is just what Sheikh is aiming for.By Chris Kanthan
Total fiasco. That’s a quick way to characterize the US adventure in Syria in the last six years. The proxy war not only failed to accomplish its goal – removal of Assad – it tremendously weakened the US in the Middle East, strengthened its adversaries, and soured its relations with many allies. If it were a movie, America’s recent Mideast policy would be called, How to Lose a Region in 6 Years; and if it were a book, it would be titled, How to Win Enemies and Lose Influence. To make things worse, globalists have refused to acknowledge their mistakes and are now doubling down on their failed policies.
Let’s start with the claims of all the great pundits, military experts and politicians who have been consistently wrong since 2011.
Assad must go; Assad will be gone soon
Syrians will rise up against Assad
Soldiers from the Syrian Army will desert in masses and overthrow Assad
Ok, Syrians couldn’t do it, but surely Al Qaeda will bring down Assad
Al Qaeda couldn’t do it, but ISIS will definitely finish the job
The (good) terrorists will win if they just got more guns and anti-tank missiles
Let’s spend a few more billions of dollars on training and arming the rebels. Victory is near!
Russia will never intervene!
Russia will lose Crimea and access to the Black Sea!
Russia’s economy is about to collapse because of our sanctions and low oil prices (which we might have rigged)!
Syria will become Russia’s Afghanistan!
Humiliating Defeat in Syria
Every one of their predictions and tactics failed. How about their eventual goals behind the Syrian war? Break up Syria into ethnic regions – including an extremist Sunni region controlled by Saudi Arabia, build a Qatar oil/gas pipeline thru Syria to Europe, let Israel drill oil in Golan Heights, and kick Russia’s naval base out of Syria. All those geopolitical goals were blown to smithereens.
Not only did they fail in everything, they made things worse. Syria used to be quite pro-West. Before the war, Assad would visit France and the UK, and U.S. leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Jimmy Carter have visited Syria. But, from now on, Syria will treat the U.S. as public enemy #1 for the foreseeable future.
Russia had only mild influence in Syria before. However, now, Russia’s missile defense systems and military/naval bases have been firmly established in Syria. Basically, the war gave Russians what they could only dream of before.
Iran & Hezbollah
Similarly, their strategy to contain Iran worked precisely the other way. In their paranoia, Saudi Arabia and Israel thought they could preemptively stop the so-called Shiite Crescent – contiguous areas of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Instead, Iran’s para-military forces and Hezbollah’s fierce fighters saved Syria from ISIS and Al Qaeda. Thus, Iran and Hezbollah are now adored as heroes in Syria.
Regarding Iran, the US policy has also been schizophrenic. Obama’s lifting of sanctions and the nuclear deal have been followed by intense animosity and saber rattling. Even though Iran has been sticking to its promises, Neocons and the pro-Israeli crowd in Washington are still itching for a war with Iran.
Iraq
If you thought, “Okay, at least they didn’t screw up Iraq,” you’d be too optimistic. After the Al Qaeda-ISIS plan failed, Israel is now supporting the formation of Kurdistan – essentially the breakup of Iraq. In fact, the Kurds’ eventual goal is to form a large Kurdistan that would encompass lands from Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria. Thus, thanks to Israel, Iraq is aligning itself with Iran and Turkey, and moving away from the US. Iraqi leaders are also flying to Moscow and forging deals with Putin.
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Turkey
One of the most important Islamic countries in that region is Turkey. It’s also a NATO member that hosts a strategic NATO military base. For five years it colluded with America and other allies in the proxy war against Syria. Then, in 2016, the CIA pulled a fast one and attempted a military coup to overthrow Erdogan. Embarrassingly, the coup failed. Hence it’s no surprise that Erdogan flipped 180 degrees and has been warming up to Russia.
Erdogan has quickly signed many deals with Putin, including Russian pipelines through Black Sea, a Russian nuclear power plant in Turkey, and Russia’s famous S-400 missile defense systems. (Unlike the American systems, the S-400 will shoot down US missiles and planes). Erdogan has visited Tehran (Iran’s capital) and received Putin in Turkey in the last year, and has made it quite clear that he’s not firmly in the US sphere of influence anymore.
To make things worse, the Turkey-US relations are deteriorating every day. Just this week, Turkey arrested an employee at the US consulate in Istanbul, after accusing him of being a spy who participated in the coup last year. This has led to both countries suspending visa services in their consulates.
Turkey is also working out military and economic deals with Iran. Those two have even agreed to forego the US dollar and conduct their trades in local currencies.
As I explain in my book, Syria – War of Deception, the US needs Turkey for numerous geopolitical reasons, including gaining influence in Central Asia to slow down China’s rising power.
Avoiding The Eye - Ships Free Today! Qatar and Saudi Arabia Not content with this chaos, globalists have also managed to engineer a conflict between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, both hosts of large US military bases. Having your friends fight against each other weakens your alliance – this is Geopolitics 101. Right after Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the Saudis initiated a land/air blockade of Qatar. Guess who’s been providing food and other essentials to Qatar for the last few months? Iran and Turkey. Qatar has also been bonding with Russia and China. It bought 16% of Russia’s oil giant (Rosneft) and then sold it to China. Qatar is also conducting a lot of business with China in Yuan, foregoing the almighty US dollar. Thus you can add Qatar to another US ally who has learned to share their loyalty with the enemies of the US. If all of that sound bad, Saudi Arabia’s King made a historic visit to Russia in October and signed several deals with Putin to stabilize oil price and purchase Russia’s missile defense system. This is amazing for many reasons. Saudi Arabia and Russia have been bitter enemies for decades. The Saudis funded the Mujahideen in Afghanistan that defeated the USSR; then they funded Islamic terrorists in Chechnya that caused enormous problems and humiliation for Russia in the 1990s; and the Saudis funded Al Qaeda and ISIS in Syria. Saudi Arabia is also an American vassal state that plays a key role in the maintenance of petrodollar. If Saudi Arabia decides to sell oil in other currencies or gold, the US dollar would be decimated. Given all that and Russia’s alliance with Iran (Saudi’s nemesis), one can see how monumental the new Saudi-Russia partnership is. Conclusion The US foreign policy worked well in the era of Cold War when alliances were binary and US allies had nowhere to go. However, the Syrian war revealed that the US is not the only sheriff in town – Russia and China are playing lead roles in global geopolitics. The US needs to learn the art of diplomacy. Instead of spending a lot of time constantly demonizing and threatening other countries, the US foreign policy must focus on quietly working out deals behind the scenes. Finally, the US must accept a multipolar world where other nations are treated as partners and not as vassal states. Chris Kanthan is the author of a new book, Syria – War of Deception. It’s available in a condensed as well as a longer version. Chris lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, has traveled to 35 countries, and writes about world affairs, politics, economy and health. His other book is Deconstructing Monsanto.During her 12 years as chancellor, Merkel—known in equal measure for her prudence at home and reluctance to lead Europe—has listened to three successive French presidents lecture about the future of the EU. Like Macron, they all sought further economic integration and European strategic autonomy on defense, but never said how they would achieve this dream. In the end, none delivered. But Macron hopes his reform agenda and plan to reduce deficits, a longstanding German demand, will grant him a more attentive ear in Berlin. (The day after his speech, Merkel complimented his “European passion,” but cautioned that details still had to be discussed.)
Macron has issued not so much a challenge to Merkel, but a call to embrace the moment. United, they can rebut and reject the populists while answering the problems that they promise to fix. But the French can’t do it alone—they need Merkel to step up, even if that goes against her nature and leadership style. Macron won’t get far with his shiny ideas about the EU without her by his side.
Despite the seemingly grim circumstances of the moment, never under Merkel’s chancellorship have conditions been so ripe for EU reform. Eurozone unemployment has dropped to 9.1 percent, the lowest rate in nine years. The refugee crisis isn’t over, but a dramatic decrease in arrivals has relieved some of the pressure. With Macron’s election, Germany’s key partner avoided a populist outcome that may well have ushered the end of Europe as we know it. Commentators have noted the dramatic entrance of far right anti-refugee Alternative for Germany party into the Bundestag in the September election. But Merkel was reelected with levels of support similar to her 2005 and 2009 bids. She remains Germany’s clear leader.
It is no time for triumphalism, of course. Many of the shortcomings that led to the EU’s myriad crises, from inadequate resources to weak border control, to a poorly integrated eurozone, remain. Instability looms on Europe’s southern periphery and Russian revisionism threatens the east. Populist forces still challenge European countries, as Hungary and Poland slide through illiberalism. Macron wants to show that EU leaders can capture some of the populists’ appeal by demonstrating to citizens that European cooperation is necessary to protect them from terrorism and against the pitfalls of globalization, while confronting Warsaw and Budapest.
Above all, the eurozone—“flawed at birth” as economist Joseph Stiglitz put it—still lacks the institutions and common fiscal policies that could make it a truly functional monetary zone, able to ward off future crisis. For a common currency to function in an area as diverse as the EU, it needs instruments to ensure transfers between states, like the United States has. Policymakers initially hoped the euro would lead to economic convergence between EU states. Instead, while this did drive down interest rates for everyone, it also fueled asset bubbles in countries like Spain and Ireland. Since these countries couldn’t devalue their currencies to remove some of the pressure, and they found no support from Brussels, they turned to austerity.AP L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling says he does not believe Magic Johnson should be emulated.
In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper airing tomorrow, Sterling said he was "baited" into allegedly making racially inflammatory comments in audio recorded by his girlfriend, which earned him a lifetime ban from the NBA.
In the recording, Sterling is heard saying, "Admire him, bring him here, feed him, f--- him, but don't put [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games."
Sterling told Cooper he's since spoken twice with Johnson. When asked by Cooper if he apologized, Sterling responded:
"If I said anything wrong, I'm sorry. He's a good person. I mean, what am I going to say? Has he done everything he can do to help minorities? I don't think so. But I'll say it, he's great. But I don't think he's a good example for the children of Los Angeles."
Johnson has invested millions in low-income communities, both through major retail groups like Starbucks and AMC Theatres, as well as two private investment funds.
WCVB Boston has more »
(h/t Caitlin Kelly)The category of “traditional” white supremacists refers to a collection of groups that essentially emerged from the struggle to deny African-Americans equal rights. It also refers to the many unaffiliated individuals with the same constellation of beliefs.
The Blood Drop Cross (aka Mystic Insignia of a Klansman or MIOAK)
The majority of groups in this category are Ku Klux Klan groups—though often referred to as “the Ku Klux Klan,” there has not been a unitary Klan since 1944. Today, the Klan is simply a type of hate group. There are actually between 40-45 completely separate and independent Klan groups in the United States—the exact number may even vary month to month as small Klan groups form or fall apart—ranging from Klan groups that claim a presence in a number of states to tiny Klans focused on a single local area.
“Traditional” white supremacists also include a few non-Klan groups that emerge from the same tradition, with the two most significant examples from the past several decades being the Council of Conservative Citizens and the League of the South. These groups have a presence mainly in the South. Klan groups have a presence in the South as well, but they are also active in the Midwest and, to a lesser extent, in the Mid-Atlantic States. In New England and in the West, Klan groups tend to be weak, small, and short-lived.
There are a few Klan groups of long standing, such as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, based in Arkansas, and the Mississippi White Knights, but most Klan groups are of recent vintage. In fact, about 75% of the currently active Klan groups have a start date of 2011 or later (including several recent attempts to resurrect defunct Klan groups).
The large proportion of new Klan groups does not indicate growth in the Klan—far from it. Klan groups have been in a long-term decline since the 1970s, as they lost their battle against civil rights for African-Americans. Occasionally, Klan groups may slow or even arrest that decline, such as during a surge of right-wing extremism, but then the decline will resume. The result is a collection of Klan groups that have great difficult even maintaining themselves, which is why most such groups do not last very long before fragmenting or falling apart. When new Klan groups do emerge, they tend to grow by swallowing or poaching the membership of a previous or weaker Klan group.
Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
One of the clearest signs of Klan decline is the considerable decrease in public Klan rallies. Many Klan groups simply no longer have the membership necessary to hold public demonstrations or protests. In the 1980s, one could find without too much difficulty Klan rallies in which 200-300 members participated. By the 1990s, most Klan rallies had a couple of dozen attendees at most, though the number of rallies was still relatively high. In the 2000s, even the number of Klan rallies has greatly declined.
For perspective on just how negligible the public Klan presence has become in recent years, consider this: In 1994, Klan groups staged 10 different rallies in the state of Ohio alone. In 2014, 20 years later, there were only around 10 confirmed Klan rallies across the United States (Klan groups have claimed a few additional events, but no confirmation can be found that they actually took place).
In lieu of such rallies, Klan groups have changed |
shows it was his brother who was responsible and Sun was implicated.
Whilst awaiting death acquittal Sun recited the Universal Door Sutra of Avalokiteshvara. One night he had a vivd dream, a monk spoke to him and advised him to recite the High King Avalokiteshvara Sutra 1000 times instead which would lift his death sentence. The monk in his dream taught him this sutra to be recited.
Upon his death day something extraordinary occurred. When the executioner was about to struck Sun on the neck, the knife broke into pieces leaving Sun unharmed.
The King upon learning of this peculiar event asked Sun what had happened to cause this. Sun explained his story and dream of meeting this monk in his dream. The King then ordered Sun to write down this sutra and ordered all prisoners to recite it 1000 times. The king iterated to Sun “ you are stronger than I am, I regard you as a I regard the Buddhas”
Below is the sutra
HIGH KING AVALOKITESVARA (GUAN YIN) SUTRA — Full Version
High King Kuan Yin Sutra:
Homage to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva
Homage to the Buddhas,
Homage to the Dharma,
Homage to the Sangha.
An affinity with the Pure Lands opens the Dharma Doors,
By engaging permanence, bliss identity and purity, one is blessed with the Dharma
Namo Maha Prajna Paramita, a great spiritual mantra.
Namo Maha Praina Paramita, a great wisdom mantra.
Namo Maha Prajna Paramita, a supreme mantra.
Namo Maha Prajna Paramita, an unequalled mantra.
Namo the Pure Light Secret Buddha,
the Dharma Treasury Buddha,
the Tranquil King Buddha with Lion’s roar and divine speed,
the Sumeru Light King Buddha announced by Buddha,
the Dharma Protector Buddha,
the Vajra Treasury Roaming Lion Buddha,
the Precious Victory Buddha,
the Supernatural Power Buddha,
the Medicine Crystal Light King Buddha,
the Universal Light Merit Mountain King Buddha,
the Merit Retaining jewel King Buddha,
the Seven Past Buddhas,
the Future Thousand Buddhas of this fortunate eon,
the Fifteen Hundred Buddhas,
the Fifteen Thousand Buddhas,
the Five Hundred Flower Victory Buddhas,
the Ten Billion Vajra Treasury Buddhas,
and the Fixed Light Buddha,
The Buddhas of Six Directions:
To the East the Precious Light Moon Palace Venerable Wonderful Voice King Buddha,
to the South the Tree-Root Flower King Buddha,
to the West the Spiritual Power Flower Blazing King Buddha,
to the North the Moon Palace Purity Buddha,
Above, the countless Vigor jewel Crown Buddhas,
Below, the Tranquil Moon Sound King Buddha.
All the countless Buddhas,
Many Jewels Buddha,
Shakyamuni Buddha,
Maitreya Buddha,
Akshobhya Buddha,
Amitabha Buddha.
All beings in the Central Realm,
and those in the Pure Lands,
while moving upon the Earth and through the Heavens,
shower limitless compassion upon all living beings,
affording them equanimity and peace,
that they might cultivate day and night
By constantly invoking this sutra,
one is liberated from the suffering of birth and death, and freed from all the many kinds of suffering.
Homage to the great wisdom Kuan Yin,
the observant Kuan Yin,
the noble Kuan Yin,
the expansively-minded Kuan Yin,
the Medicine King Bodhisattva,
the supreme Medicine Bodhisattva,
Manjusri Bodhisattva,
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva,
Akasagarbha Bodhisattva,
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva,
the billions of Clear Cool Treasure Mountain Bodhisattvas,
the Universal Light Venerable King Tathagata Bodhisattva.
Chanting this sutra continually,
the Seven World-Honored Buddhas recite this mantra:
Lee-poh-lee-poh-deh, kyo-ho-kyo-ho-deh, toh-loh-nee-deh, nee-ah-la-deh, pee-lee-nee-deh, mo-ho-kya-deh, jen-len-chen deh, so-ha (7 times)
Avalokitesvaras of the ten directions
and all Bodhisattvas
have vowed to save sentient beings.
All beings will be liberated when calling their names.
To ones with wisdom
expounds it diligently.
One with the affinity,
recite it at all times.
Recite this verse,
All seasons will be prosperous regardless they are four.
As time flies like an arrow people rapidly reach old age.
By generating bodhicitta one extends wisdom and good fortune.
Practicing wisdom and health together produces longevity.
Recite the sutra 1,000 times
and keep it in mind constantly.
Flame cannot harm one.
Knives and weapons will break instantly.
Turn anger to happiness.
Change death into life.
Do not say these are false.
The words of the Buddhas are not fabricated.
High King Avalokitesvara
can alleviate sufferings.
Faced with a fatal crisis,
the doomed shall live.
The words of buddhas are always true
and therefore we pay homage to the buddhas.
By reciting it 1000 times
all one’s heaviest sins shall be eradicated.
Those with great merit and unwavering faith
single-mindedly chant the sutra.
Chant the names of the eight major bodhisattvas,
Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Akasagarbha Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Samantabhadra Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Vajrapani Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Manjusri Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Nivaranaviskambin Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
Namo all venerable Bodhisattva Mahasattvas.
Dedicate the merit
to the entire universe.
Recite 1,000 times.
All serious sins are eradicated.
The end of High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.Any space-enthused kid has endured the crumbly, chalky agglomeration of flavors known as "astronaut ice cream." We deal with it because of the supposed connection to the lives of real space explorers.
The only problem is that astronaut ice cream is a lie.
As the above video shows, this legendary children's treat has a surprisingly murky history.
The case against astronaut ice cream
Apollo 7 is identified by Wikipedia (and most other sources) as the only flight to harbor the chalky ice cream.
When I asked astronaut Walt Cunningham, the sole surviving member of the crew, about it, he said, "We never had that stuff." As you can hear above, he said that years later, when he first encountered the freeze-dried dessert, he wished they'd had it on Apollo 7 — but they never did.
That matches with the complete absence of ice cream from mission transcripts as well.
Jennifer Levasseur, museum curator at the National Air and Space museum, said it's likely Cunningham remembers correctly.
"I think it’s very likely it never flew," she wrote me. "It probably got made, tested on the ground, and rejected. They do always get to try things in advance, and they probably thought it was as horrible as it actually is when you buy it in the gift shop."
That fits with the technical obstacles to space ice cream — as Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield explained (along with Buzz Aldrin and many other astronauts), crumbly food like astronaut ice cream would be a major hazard in space. That's the reason John Young was reprimanded for sneaking a corned beef sandwich on board during the Gemini program — bread crumbs could easily float into instruments. Even if astronaut ice cream were on Apollo 7, it would probably have been rehydratable food similar to most of the other food options on the flight, not the freeze-dried block we recognize today.
That might be what makes astronaut ice cream so disconcerting — it teaches kids that something terrible for space travel is what astronauts eat. If kids want to eat astronaut ice cream, they should just enjoy delicious, real ice cream, as real astronauts have many times since the 1970s, when refrigerators became available in space.
The only hope for astronaut ice cream
So is there any argument that astronaut ice cream did fly in space?
NASA provides some technical records of its missions, and a search turns up a few references to ice cream that might have fit the Apollo 7 mission. The Apollo 7 press kit, released before the mission, does mention "vanilla ice cream," as does one 1968 UPI article. There's also a smattering of technical documents that mention the development of some sort of ice cream in space — but none that can confirm the existence of ice cream on board.
As the above video shows, debunking astronaut ice cream doesn't have to kill the fun of eating space food. There are other delicious and educational options (I share my favorite toward the end).Most Labour activists spent last week wearing down their shoe leather and snatching their fingers from the jaws of over enthusiastic dogs. But will they do the same again in just six weeks’ time?
The votes of Labour supporters could decide whether Britain stays in the EU. Polls suggest that there are as many as six million Labour votes up for grabs for Remain. Labour activists, supported by a strong national campaign, are the people who will ensure that those people turn out.
Labour in for Britain, the party’s Remain campaign was initially fairly quiet, thanks to the early reticence of Jeremy Corbyn, the local elections, and tight resources. But recent research conducted by the Fabian Society and pollsters GQRR reveals that they must continue to ramp up their campaign activity. Only 56% of those who voted Labour in May 2015 told us that they are very likely to vote in the referendum, and there is a risk Labour supporters are still confused about what their party’s position is on the EU.
With the local elections now out of the way, Labour Remain supporters must leap out of the blocks and treat every day left like it is a general election campaign. Here are five tips for success.
Say it loud and say it proud
Some early polls showed that a significant proportion of the country didn’t know Labour’s position on the EU referendum. While recent interventions will have helped, there is a risk Labour supporters still don’t all yet know that Labour is recommending a Remain vote. Labour must take every opportunity possible to restate that fact. Jeremy Corbyn’s speech a few weeks ago was a good start, leading every news outlet to run a ‘Labour says Remain’ story. But Labour HQ – and Labour activists on the doorstep – need to repeat the message over and over again.
Jeremy Corbyn is key
The importance of Jeremy Corbyn to the Remain campaign cannot be understated. That’s because the evidence shows that the party leaders are a major influence when people decide how they’ll vote. And it is also because our poll shows he is the most trusted voice among Labour supporters by a considerable margin, well ahead of Alan Johnson. Corbyn needs to be out as much as possible for Labour Remain. A big media intervention at least every week should be his benchmark.
Make the progressive case
When constructing a case for the EU that resonates with Labour supporters, the first thing to bear in mind is that Labour supporters don’t massively differ from the population at large. They broadly prioritise the same key issues as the rest of the population, with 40% selecting immigration as one of their top three issues, and security and terrorism and control of laws also scoring well. The main distinguishing factor from the rest of the population is that Labour voters put a much greater emphasis on the importance of jobs.
Our research also shows that Remain campaigners must remember that left wing arguments about social solidarity have little impact, even with Labour voters. For example, just 14% of respondents selected ‘a social Europe’ as one of their top three issues. But, our research does show that there is the potential to build a more pragmatic progressive case, particularly on issues like workers’ rights, which test well amongst Labour voters. Labour Remain campaigners also have a responsibility to assuage concerns about the NHS. 48% of Labour supporters said they find Labour Leave arguments about TTIP and privatisation convincing.
Be Patriotic
One of the most concerning stats from our poll is that when we asked whether remaining or leaving would be better for ‘pride in Britain’, leave had an 8 point lead amongst Labour supporters. This threat can be blunted by ensuring that all Remain messaging is patriotic. When we tested a Remain statement which said you can be proudly British and support staying in the EU, against a Leave statement about standing up for Britain, the Remain statement led amongst Labour supporters by more than 20 points.
Labour Remainers must also remember the English dimension to the referendum campaign. Our poll shows that those who define themselves as English are significantly more likely than the total population to be planning to vote leave. With the erosion of Labour’s core vote, the threat of UKIP, and the vital importance for Labour of winning representation in England the Labour Party must try hard to not alienate labour Leave voters when they campaign.
Get out the vote
The scale on which Labour voters turn out to vote could decide this referendum, but there has not been a flurry of grassroots campaign activity so far. While local parties are required to ask questions on the doorstep about Europe, this hasn’t happened in lots of places and there has been little communication from HQ about what activists are expected to do in the campaign. Activity has been ramping up recently, and all the signs are that a big push is about to be unveiled. But the short timeframe means the Party will have to use all the tools at its disposal to get out the vote.
The first thing they should do is ensure that they make the most of targeting, using it to a level not previously tried by HQ. Labour’s traditional model of gathering voter ID, and then knocking up the vote, won’t work in this election because there hasn’t been time to gather enough data. The second thing Remain must do is build an activist base, and make sure it is enthused for the campaign ahead. This is where local Labour parties come in; they should start engaging members straight away. Finally, Labour HQ has a responsibility to deliver a strong air war. The speeches from Jeremy Corbyn and Alan Johnson are a start, and there has been an increasing number of interventions from senior politicians, but Labour’s frontbench should start treating this like a general election campaign, with a range of high profile visits to key areas.
Not only is this referendum crucial for Britain’s future, it also provides a massive opportunity to the Labour Party to speak to voters, to sound in touch, and to determine the future of the country from opposition. It is an opportunity the whole Labour Party should make the most of, from the grassroots up.
Olivia Bailey is Research Director at the Fabian Society. Her recent report on the EU referendum can be read here. You can buy a ticket for the upcoming Fabian Summer Conference, which will focus on the EU debate, here.As China continues to draw attention to the South China Sea with its land reclamation and creation of artificial islands, it is also important to look at Chinese activities in the not-so-contentious but strategically important Indian Ocean Region. Beijing, with the help of economic and commercial initiatives, is mapping out a web of influence by increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean. As I argued in a previous article published by The Diplomat, access to and control of the islands in the Indian Ocean is crucial for Beijing to secure its strategic interests in the region.
There are two reasons for China’s expansion into the Indian Ocean. First, some of these islands — such as Kyaukpyu — can prove to be China’s answer to its Malacca Dilemma, strengthening its energy security by reducing its dependence on the Strait of Malacca. Second, an increasing presence in the Indian Ocean is crucial in strengthening Beijing’s role as a key actor in the emerging security architecture in the Indo-Pacific. There is no doubt that China aspires to be a maritime power. Beijing realizes that to be considered as a great power, it must have a role and stake beyond its region — beyond the Western Pacific and throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Having attained a favorable status quo in the Western Pacific, China is now engaging with the island nations of the Indian Ocean through its investments and commercial initiatives. It is through its relationship and investments with these nations that Beijing aims to project itself as a resident power of the Indian Ocean, leading to a greater security role throughout the Indo-Pacific. However, unlike in the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean is already home to many resident middle powers, wary of China’s unilateral and hostile maritime policies. As a result, the possibility of increased Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean is leading to competition for geostrategic space, especially between India and China. This article looks at the island nations of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles, against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Indian Ocean tour.
Maldives
The Republic of Maldives is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, close to some of the critical trading routes passing through the region. Though a small island nation, its strategic importance can be relayed from the fact that instability in the waters of Maldives can essentially affect critical global trading routes. While Male is far from flexing any military muscle in the region, access to and influence over this island can help another nation project power through the region. This is perhaps the reason why Male is comfortably sitting in the middle of a geostrategic tussle between India and China unfolding in the Indian Ocean.
Though geographically closer to India and historically within its sphere of strategic influence, Maldives is increasingly strengthening its relationship with Beijing. Chinese investments in the Maldives have increased over the years, ranging from housing projects to infrastructure projects such as building roads and airports. The China-Maldives economic cooperation has experienced a boost ever since the Abdulla Yameen government came into power in November 2013. The Chinese ambassador to the Maldives, Wang Fukang, mentioned three critical areas where Beijing and Male should increase their cooperation, indicating an expansion of their economic and strategic ties. The three areas mentioned by Wang are tourism, infrastructure projects, and, finally, closer maritime cooperation between the two nations.
Noting the Chinese impact on the Maldivian tourism sector, the Ambassador stated, “Since 2010, China has remained the largest source of tourist arrivals in the Maldives. In 2013 alone, more than 330,000 Chinese tourists visited Maldives. In the future, both sides could encourage more Chinese tourists to visit Maldives. Maldives could attract potential Chinese companies to invest in the tourism sector of the country.”
Investing in infrastructure projects in the Indian Ocean appears to be Beijing’s preferred approach for obtaining a strong foothold in the region. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative (which still lacks clear details or a clear intent) further boosts this policy. Maldives is an important player in China’s Indian Ocean game and hence infrastructure projects on this island nation are critical. When President Xi Jinping traveled to the Maldives in September 2014, agreement on infrastructure projects in the country was a key outcome. It is equally important to note that this was the first ever visit by a Chinese leader to the Maldives. Along with housing and road projects, the two leaders also agreed to upgrade the main airport and to build a bridge connecting Male to Hulhule — the island where the Male International Airport is located. While initially the agreement was to upgrade the existing airport, reports now suggest the building of a whole new airport with a second runway.
The Chinese presence in Maldives is very prominent through its housing and development projects, so much so that their Ministry of Foreign Affairs building was designed and constructed by Beijing. Increase in Chinese investments in Maldives will provide Beijing with a legitimate platform to increase its military presence in the area. China will have every right to protect its commercial interests in the region both during war and peace times. These infrastructure investments also carry the possibility of being turned into military installations. There is palpable fear, especially in India, of China dominating the foreign investment sector in Maldives.
While the previous government tilted toward Indian influence in the Indian Ocean, the current government seems to favor China. With the arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed, Maldives is descending into political turmoil. While countries such as India and the U.S. have expressed concerns over the arrest and political dissent in the country, Beijing refused to comment on the issue stating that “We are committed to non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs.” China’s stance has been well appreciated by the Yameen government, while pro Nasheed supporters have expressed their concerns about anti democratic trends.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, Ahmed Naseem (former foreign minister of Maldives) stated, “For Maldives it is imperative to stand together with India to balance Indian Ocean security and protect the interests of the Maldives in a growing gamble for power in the Indian Ocean.” The Maldivian delegation led by the Naseem was in India to urge New Delhi to play its role in stabilizing Maldives and in balancing Beijing’s presence in the country. Thanks to growing investments joined with its “non-interference in domestic affairs” policy, Beijing appears to be a favorite for the current government in the Maldives.
Male’s reliance on China for an economic boost under the current government is dangerous for both Maldives and India. China increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean through the Maldives is no longer a distant possibility and New Delhi must wake up to the strategic changes taking place so close to home. However, the Narendra Modi government is taking note of these developments and seem to be willing to shoulder its responsibility as a security actor in the Indo-Pacific. Maldives was one of the countries that Modi was supposed to visit during his travels beginning March 11, in an attempt to revive India-Maldives ties and balance increasing Chinese presence in its Indian Ocean neighborhood. Unfortunately due to the ongoing political turmoil, Maldives has been dropped from Modi’s itinerary. Modi will still tour Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Mauritius.
Seychelles
The republic of Seychelles is another player in the emerging geostrategic competition in the Indian Ocean. The 115-island nation located in the Indian Ocean constantly fights to keep its EEZ secure and safe from pirates. Seychelles’ location and proximity to the coast of Africa make it a lucrative option for Beijing to establish a naval base in the country. China is already participating in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and has growing economic interests in Africa.
In 2011, it was widely reported that Seychelles offered China maritime bases for refueling purposes while conducting its anti piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The reports created a significant amount of unease in New Delhi; such a move would give Beijing the opportunity to expand its presence in the Indian Ocean, facilitating Chinese naval operations far beyond its shores. While China was quick to dismiss any possibility of a military base overseas, the possibility of such a development is higher today.
It is not news that Beijing aspires to extend its influence to the Indian Ocean. What is alarming is the use of commercial and economic initiatives to create a reason to maintain a permanent presence in the Indian Ocean Region. China is quick to dismiss any plans of creating military bases overseas, but Chinese maritime strategists such as Shen Dingli advocate the need for China to set up overseas military bases. In an article titled “Don’t shun the idea of setting up overseas bases,” Shen asserts that “[s]etting up overseas military bases is not an idea we have to shun; on the contrary, it is our right.” Encapsulating the reason behind China’s need to expand into the Indian Ocean, Shen further argues, “The real threat to us is not posed by the pirates but by the countries which block our trade route.” Shen continues:
“The threats also include secessionism outside the Chinese mainland. The situation requires us be able to hit the vulnerable points of our potential opponents by restricting their international waterway. So we need to set up our own blue-water navy and to rely on the overseas military bases to cut the supply costs.”
China is gearing up to protect its energy imports that pass through the Indian Ocean. Evidently, Beijing is not comfortable with Washington and New Delhi being the security providers in the region. Inability to sustain troops in the region would mean that China’s energy imports will be highly vulnerable in the event of a military standoff with either the United States or India. Currently, India and Seychelles share close military ties as New Delhi helps the island nation secure its EEZ by presenting surveillance aircrafts and patrolling ships.
By increasing its economic investments in the Indian Ocean Region, Beijing is creating a legitimate reason to maintain a military presence in the Indian Ocean. While New Delhi cannot stop China from making inroads into the Indian Ocean, it must step up its game and increase cooperation with these island nations in order to balance the situation. This is why New Delhi is looking to increase its security cooperation with Seychelles and hopes to balance the situation through Narendra Modi’s ongoing Indian Ocean tour.
Sri Lanka
India’s ties with Sri Lanka date back to historical and cultural linkages in ancient times. Geographically located at the tip of India, the island nation is considered to be within New Delhi’s sphere of strategic influence. However, strengthening ties with Beijing through infrastructure projects are creating tension in the Indian Ocean politics between China and India. An area of great discomfort for India has been the frequent docking of Chinese submarines in Colombo.
The previous government of Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared fairly China-friendly, awarding many infrastructure development projects to Beijing. The Maithripala Sirisena government is now reviewing all Chinese investments in the country, especially the $1.5 billion port city project. Explaining the reason for the re-assessment, Sri Lanka’s investment promotion minister, Kabir Hashim, noted that “The port city project has to be completely looked at… You cannot have land given on freehold basis to another country in a high security zone.” According to reports, the project would give China around 100 hectares of land “an outright basis and the rest on a 99-year lease.”
The issue of Chinese submarines docking at Colombo is a perfect example of Beijing using its commercial initiatives to gradually increase and maintain its military presence in the Indian Ocean. It is interesting to note that the submarine docked at the Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd., (CICT), a terminal constructed by China Merchants Holdings (International) Co., Ltd. (CMHI), much to India’s surprise and concern. CMHI holds 85 percent ownership of the terminal.
The Sirisena government is now reassuring India that such “incidents, from whatever quarter, do not take place under our tenure.”
In this context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Sri Lanka from March 13-14 is of great significance to reassert India’s ties with Colombo. Prime Minister Modi will also be addressing the Sri Lankan Parliament along with a visit to Jaffna. While the new government in Colombo reviews its relationship with Beijing, New Delhi must be available to assert its support and strengthen its ties with the tear drop nation of the Indian Ocean.
Modi will also be traveling to Mauritius, another small but significant country in the Indian Ocean. As the island nation looks to attract investments from China, India is stepping up its game by providing a 1,300-tonne Indian-built patrol vessel, the Barracuda, to Mauritius to help the island nation protect its coastline. Modi will also address the National Assembly and will attend the Mauritius National Day on March 12. Narendra Modi’s Indian Ocean tour comes at a much needed time to re-assure the Indian Ocean islands that New Delhi is present and willing to shoulder its responsibility in maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean.
It is quite clear that China is engaging with the island nations in the Indian Ocean Region through small but significant projects, leveraging its strategic interests. What Beijing essentially aims to do is create an atmosphere where Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean becomes inevitable. While India may not indulge in any China containment policy, there is a dire need for New Delhi to reengage with these islands and secure its strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Darshana M. Baruah is a Junior Fellow at the New Delhi based think, the Observer Research Foundation.Hide Transcript Show Transcript
WEBVTT BUT THEYWERE NOT SURE WHAT KIND OFSPIDER THAT THE FIVE-YEAR-OLDGIRL.THE VIDEO OF FIVE-YEAR-OLDKAILYN DONOVAN'S LEG NOW IS TOOGRAPHIC TO SHOW YOU.THIS IS A PHOTO OF WHAT HER LEGLOOKED LIKE BEFORE.THE RESULT OF A BLACK WIDOWSPIDER.ABOUT A WEEK AGO, SHE HAD ALITTLE PURPLE BRUISE ON THE BACKOF HER KNEE.A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, ITTURNED INTO A LINE ACROSS THEBACK OF HER KNEE.>> HER HUSBAND, JOSH DONOVAN, AFIREFIGHTER AND PARAMEDIC INNATICK, JUST THOUGHT THEIRDAUGHTER HAD AN INNOCENT BUGBITE ALONG WITH A FEVER FROM ACOLD, BUT WHEN KAILYN'S SCHOOLCALLED TO TELL THEM SHE HAD AFEVER, MOM TOOK HER TO HERPEDIATRICIAN, WHO IMMEDIATELYSAID SHE NEEDED TO GO TO THE ER.>> THEY KNEW IT WAS A SPIDERBITE.THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SPIDER, SOTHEY GAVE HER ANTIBIOTICS.BUT WHEN KAILYN WASN'TGETTING BETTER, THEY DECIDED TOTAKE HER TO UMASS MEMORIALMEDICAL CENTER, WHERE ANINFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTORCONFIRMED SATURDAY MORNING ITWAS A BLACK WIDOW SPIDER THATBIT KAILYN.>> I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAYWHEN HE SAID THAT BECAUSE IT'SNOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD EXPECT, ESPECIALLY IN MASSACHUSETTS.>> HE EXPLAINED THE TIMING WASCRUCIAL.>> HE EXPLAINED TO US THAT THEBLACK MARK ON HER LEG WASACTUALLY THE VENOM FROM THESPIDER, SO THAT WAS KIND OFSCARY BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKEBRUISING TO US.>> AT FIRST, HE SAYS THE DOCTORBELIEVES IT CAME FROM A LOCALSPIDER OUTDOORS.SO WHAT'S THEIR ADVICE TO OTHERPARENTS OUT THERE?>> IF YOU THINK IT IS SOMETHING,KEEP LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER.I KINDA HAD A FEELING IT WASPRETTY BAD AND I KEPT PUSHING TOHAVE IT CHECKED OUT.ALTHOUGH IT IS UNCOMMON TO BEBITTEN BY A BLACK WIDOW SPIDERIN THE REGION, THEIR HABITATSEXTEND TO MASSACHUSETTS
Advertisement Black widow spider bite sends Massachusetts girl to hospital Share Shares Copy Link Copy
A family is warning others about the dangers of black widow spiders after they had rush their little girl to the emergency room. It started about a week ago when Kristine Donovan noticed her 5-year-old daughter Kailyn had a small purple bruise on the back of her knee. It seemed like an innocent bug bite. But when Kailyn’s school called to tell Donovan she had a fever, they took her to the pediatrician, who told them to take Kailyn to the emergency room. “They knew it was a spider bite,” Donovan said. “They didn’t know what spider bite, so they gave her some antibiotics.” But Kailyn wasn’t getting any better, so they took her to UMass Memorial Medical Center, where an infectious disease doctor confirmed Saturday that what bit Kailyn was a black widow spider. “I didn’t know what to say,” said Josh Donovan, Kailyn’s father. “It’s not something you would expect, especially in Massachusetts. I’ve never seen it.” The black mark on Kailyn’s leg was actually the venom from the spider, and if the family had waited any longer, it could have been worse. It is uncommon to be bitten by a black widow spider in the region, but their habitats do extend to Massachusetts according to the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention. After the terrifying ordeal, the family urges others to trust their gut and take any precaution necessary. “If you think it’s something, just keep looking for an answer,” Kristine Donovan said. “I had a feeling it was pretty bad, and I just kept pushing to have it checked out.”Istanbul: Anarchists torn down the fences of animal concentration camp (Turkey)
Kısırkaya Animal Camp built in Kısırkaya village of Sarıyer, for street animals what means being exiled from streets, being genocided was protested by animal animal rights supporters and animal liberation defenders. With no doubt Kısırkaya Camp is also a part of the destruction project of Northern Forests.
The anger and the reaction, collected by the ongoing propaganda and information campaign, resulted hundreds of people gather in front of the Camp.
After the press speech, anarchists and animal liberation activists who defends the idea of giving reaction and expressing feeling directly destroyed the gate and the fences of the camp. Even the gendarmes were ready with sticks and gas bombs no contact was happened. Some stencils and writing on the walls also done. People who had some doubts in the beginning about destroying the fences then also joined the action.
Also some fences and the back entrance of the camps were also smashed down while leaving from the area.
Also some demos were held in Ankara and İzmir.
Find more info here:
http://sosyalsavas.org/2015/02/istanbul-anarchists-torn-down-the-fences-of-animal-concentration-camp/
Tags: Animal Liberation, Istanbul, Sabotage, Turkey
This entry was posted on Sunday, February 1st, 2015 at 1:18 pm and is filed under Direct Action.DaVonte Lacy led Washington State with 25 points, include 20 in the second half and six free throws in the final minute to help the Cougars secure an 80-77 win on the road over rival Washington on Saturday.
UW had one final chance to tie the game at the end, but tight perimeter defense from WSU forced Mike Anderson, who had hit a three on the previous possession to pull UW within one, into a contested three that clanged off the rim into Cougar hands as time expired.
Ike Iroegbu was WSU's top playmaker and created a number of opportunities for himself and others en route to 13 points and five assists.
The Cougars got plenty of help from their bench in the win. Brett Boese and Que Johnson both lit it up from outside in the first half, and finished with 11 and 15 points respectively.
Husky point guard Nigel Williams-Goss kept his team in the game down the stretch, but his 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists were not enough for Washington to notch its first Pac-12 win of the season. The loss was the fourth straight for UW after an 11-0 start.
WSU appears headed in a different direction. After struggling in the non-conference schedule, the Cougars have won 2 of 3 to start conference play, all on the road.
This is Wazzu's second-straight league road win, after not notching one for nearly two years. We'll have more on the game later.The communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has moved to head off a party-room backlash over media reform, stressing he wants regional broadcasters to continue to face regulations forcing them to produce local content.
Turnbull said on Sunday he was sympathetic to industry calls to scrap the audience “reach” rule and cross-platform ownership restrictions – a development that would allow ownership in the Australian media market to become even more concentrated.
Ownership in the Australian media market is already among the most concentrated in the developed world.
Some industry analysts believe further relaxation of the ownership rules along the lines flagged by Turnbull would allow News Corp, the dominant local media player, to acquire a free-to-air television station, the Ten Network, to add to its already substantial print media and pay television interests.
Turnbull’s signal on Sunday sparked a rapid backlash among regional MPs. Nationals and regional Liberals have long campaigned for rules that, firstly, prevent further concentration of ownership; and secondly ensure that local television and radio stations continue to employ people and produce daily local content.
The communications minister on Monday clarified that his weekend signal concerning deregulation was about ownership, not about content. Turnbull emphasised his remarks did not mean he wanted to bulldoze the local content requirements.
Turnbull said he was inclined to follow the recommendations of a joint parliamentary committee which examined the “reach rule” last year. He said that multi-partisan committee recommended that there needed to be “a clear definition of local content established” in order to ensure regional viewers continued to watch locally devised programming if media regulations changed.
“It’s important to recognise that local content is a separate question to ownership,” Turnbull told the ABC on Monday morning. “Content is a separate issue to ownership.”
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, addressing reporters in Sydney, said the government would not be rushing on media deregulation. “Even when we do seek to change regulation, it will be in a deregulatory direction because that’s the instinct of this government,” he said.
“But we’re not interested in picking unnecessary fights, we’re not interested in taking sides between one commercial operator and the other, so we’ll be consulting with the community, we’ll be consulting with the sector. We hope that a consensus might emerge as to the way forward, but at the moment we are doing what sensible governments do; we are talking to people, assessing what they think the issues are so that we can then gauge the most intelligent way to respond.”
Nationals senator John Williams on Monday morning emphasised that local content was a do or die issue for regional MPs, and the rules needed to be serious.
“I don’t care who owns a television station, what percentage of the market they’ve got, but I do care about delivery of local news to local people,” Williams told the ABC. “I was very pleased to hear Malcolm say there will be no changes to... the local content rule, which is the most important thing to me.”
Australian media companies, some under acute commercial pressure, have been lobbying for more scope to merge in order to achieve economies of scale. Australian broadcasting regulations prohibit a person controlling a commercial television licence, a commercial radio licence and a newspaper in the same area. A single owner cannot control commercial television licences reaching more than 75% of the Australian population.
The changes being flagged by Turnbull will of course require not only internal cohesion, but broader parliamentary support.
The Gillard government bought itself a bout of open warfare with the media industry as a whole, and News Corp in particular, when it proposed |
NG project as every bar he dropped unlocked some kind of bizarre rap achievement. But he took things to another stratosphere at the end of the year when he bottled up all of the angst of Trump’s presidential run along with the numerous deaths of black men and women at the hands of police and dropped the politically charged Good vs. Evil album. Not too many can seamless shift between both worlds, but KXNG Crooked can. — Andreas Hale
As remarkable as untitled/unmastered was, K Dot earned his spot on this list by catching a body on the “THat Part (Remix)” when he took a relatively fun song and turned it into a crime scene with a verse that featured a number of rhyming styles. Reading the lyrics will make your head explode and cements that it has always been quality over quantity with Kendrick Lamar. He also helped his case with killer contributions to Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” Travi$ Scott’s “Goosebumps,” Danny Brown’s “Really Doe,” DJ Khaled’s “Holy Key,” and Kanye West’s “No More Parties In LA,” proving that his appeal stretches far beyond super underground circles. Oh, and his Grammy performance? Brilliant. Kendrick Lamar transcends. — Andreas Hale
Perhaps the biggest surprise of 2016? 2 Chainz going off on everything.
Fully entrenched as a superstar in his own right, the former Tity Boi could do no wrong: he dropped four high-quality projects (Felt Like Cappin’, ColleGrove with Lil Wayne, Daniel Son; Necklace Don and Hibachi For Lunch), had some of the best guest features of the year (Chance The Rapper’s “No Problem,” Kanye West’s “Champions,” and MADEINTYO’s “I Want” among others), and surprised everyone by teaming with Statik Selektah (“Smoke Break”) and De La Soul (“Whoodeeni”). Hopping between trap and boom bap — two sub-genres of rap music that couldn’t be more different —with ease, 2 Chainz would probably feel at home over some Alchemist and Madlib production as he is over Zaytoven and Mike WiLL Made It’s, and all of it would be universally accepted. — Meka Udoh
Nickel Nine has been a role model of high-quality rhymes and consistency throughout his twenty-plus year career, and that talent significantly progressed in recent years thanks in part to both his Slaughterhouse brethren and PRhyme co-conspirator DJ Premier. However, when he returned with his sixth solo album Layers in April 2016, he firmly established himself as one of the best in his field. Intensely personal, Royce peeled away at the metaphorical onion and let listeners in to a world that is filled with ecstatically high joys and emotionally sorrowing lows. It was vulnerable, it was hopeful, and it was damn near perfect. Add that to a litany of scorching guest verses on tracks with everyone from Rick Ross to EarthGang, Royce more than earned a slot on this list. — Meka Udoh
RELATED: A 2Dope Review Of Royce 5’9″‘s New Album, ‘Layers’
I moved to New York in 2009, partially, for its dense hip hop history. Unfortunately, I also moved to New York in 2009: 50 Cent was beefing with Rick Ross, Method Man was beefing with Joe Budden, and the radio was playing songs like “Arab Money,” “Throw It In The Bag,” and a overzealous Funk Flex blasting JAY Z’s “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” roughly 49 times in 23 minutes.
The music didn’t really get much better for a while, until a new generation of rappers began to emerge from the ashes: the A$AP Mob, Joey Bada$$ and the Pro Era crew, the Flatbush ZOMBiES, and Dave East among others. The latter, however, really shined brightly throughout 2016, torching every guest feature (“Time Ticking,” “Body For My Zip Code,” “Hold Me Down”), blazing through his EastMix series, and delivering one of the most cohesive rap releases of the year in Kairi Chanel. He landed a deal with Def Jam, secured a slot on XXL’s Freshman class and even nabbed our Verse Of The Month for “Don’t Shoot.” With its hip hop scene finally revitalizing, New York appears to be in good hands and Dave is partially responsible for that. — Meka Udoh
Initially, Chance was known mostly for his voice (word to Guru). As time passed, we realized just how uniquely talented the Chicago rapper truly was. And in 2016, Lil Chano from 79th graduated to the top of his class as a remarkable artist. He absolutely bodied Kanye West’s “Ultra Light Beam” to set the tone for the year he was about to have. Coloring Book was a moment in time where a rapper matures right before your eyes and becomes a pound for pound great. His talent was something you couldn’t escape from. Hell, he even made a Christmas album that wasn’t corny. And when he came thru as a guest, no matter who else was on the track, they were ignored. Chance’s glow was unparalleled in 2016. — Andreas HaleThe Library Update
Howdy, folks! It's been a while, hasn't? The last major update to Fimfiction was... gosh, I'm not even sure! We've been making incremental updates here and there, like adding support for Sequels, improving the way we send you email updates, and probably some third thing. However, today we're finally unveiling a pretty huge update to Fimfiction, one that's been in the works for a while, and one we've been teasing for quite some time. Welcome to the Library!
Bookshelves
Probably the first thing you'll notice upon logging in today is that your Favorites and Read it Later lists have been merged into the Library button on our navigation bar. Never fear - all of your stories are still here, they've simply been added to a Bookshelf of the same name.
A Bookshelf is sort of like a playlist for stories. To start you off, we've given you three default Bookshelves: Favorites, which will contain all of your Favorites from before the update; Read it Later, which contains all of the stories from your Read it Later list; and re-introducing Tracking! These default Bookshelves provide all of the same functionality from before the Library update, but give you much more control over how you organize and present the stories you love. Note that you can change the options on these default Bookshelves if you like; they're just there to give you some ideas.
To show you how powerful Bookshelves really are, let's walk through the creation of your first Bookshelf! As soon as you enter the Library, you'll see a New Bookshelf button, off to the right.
Once you click this button, you'll be presented with a list of options for your new Bookshelf. Not to worry, it's really quite simple to understand. I want to create a Bookshelf for stories that I like, but not quite enough to call them my "Favorite." That shouldn't be too hard. Here's what it looks like when it's all done:
The first thing I've done is given my Bookshelf the name "Cool Stories." Fitting, right? Just below that, I've added a quick description of the Bookshelf. This is visible to anybody that can see the Bookshelf, and is entirely optional. Next, we have three different privacy settings for your Bookshelf. These work just like the privacy settings for videos on YouTube.
Private - Only you can see this Bookshelf. For your eyes only!
Public - Anybody can see this Bookshelf, and you can even display it on your profile!
Unlisted - Only you and anybody with the link will be able to view this Bookshelf. It won't show up in searches or on your profile.
This is a great time to note that you can share ANY Bookshelf that isn't labelled as Private with anybody! Simply copy the URL from your browser, paste it to a friend, and voila! They can now view everything on your Bookshelf, as well as any of your Bookshelves marked as Public.
Moving on, we have two additional options for your Bookshelf. Enabling "Quick Add" will add a tab above any story that will allow you to quickly add it to that Bookshelf. Your default Bookshelves already have this option enabled, and you can turn it off at any time. You can see the Quick Add bar here:
Clicking on the ellipses (...) next to the Quick Add icons will allow you to select from any Bookshelf in your Library, including ones not on the Quick Add bar. You can add things to as many Bookshelves as you want at a time, so go nuts!
The final option for your Bookshelf is "Track unread chapters." This functions the way your Favorites did before the update. With this option enabled, you will receive a notification every time a story in this Bookshelf receives a chapter update! In this Bookshelf, I've decided that I'll just check for updates whenever I feel like it, because I'll be adding a lot of stories to this one and I'd rather not get spammed! You've probably also noticed that you can select from a multitude of icons and colors to help you quickly identify each Bookshelf. Feel free to come up with a combination that you feel best suits the flavor of your Bookshelf!
After you're done creating your Bookshelf, just click the Save button at the bottom, and it will appear in your Library for use across the entire site. knighty has been working on this feature for quite some time, and we're very excited to finally get it into your hands. We hope that you come up with some exciting Bookshelves to share with us and the community!
The Feed... and Group Threads
Your Feed has received a visual update, with some brand new filtering options at the top to help you sort through all your stuff much more quickly! In addition to these new filters, here's a big change we're happy to announce. Group threads will now show up in your Feed! While we initially removed this feature for performance concerns, we've always wanted to bring it back, and after some hard work on the back end, we're pleased to bring this feature back.
Chapter Selection
There is now a chapter selection bar above every story while you're reading it. This bar allows you to quickly jump between chapters to your heart's content, see which chapters you've already read, and even how many words are in each chapter. This same selection box is also present at the very bottom of every chapter; no need to scroll all the way back up when you're ready for the next part of the story!
Group Blacklisting
Here's a long-requested feature that we're glad to finally reveal. It is now possible to select which Groups that your Story is in that you would like to display on the Story's page. By default, all Groups are shown to the right of your Story, but this behavior can be changed on the Story's edit page. In order to select which Groups appear next to your story, simply click on the link highlighted below, to the right of your Story:
You'll then be presented with the following screen. Here you can select which Groups will be Featured next to your Story, and which will not be displayed. Note that this does NOT remove your Story from any of these Groups. Instead, only readers of that Group will be aware that your Story is listed in their Group.
Followers
We now display your followers, and people you are following, on a brand new page. You can now find both of these pages either on your profile or from the drop down list underneath your user name on the nav bar, here:
Don't worry - none of your followers are gone, and you haven't stopped following anybody. We've just made it much easier and prettier to sort through all of your followers! Take a look!
Story Cards
We've added a neat little feature to stories, called Story Cards. Just hover over any story's Card on the front page, click the tab that appears at the top right corner, and the Card will flip over to reveal some handy shortcuts! You can add the Story to one of your Bookshelves, add it to any Group you're a member of, or even download the story in.ePub format! These appear in quite a few places on the site, including the front page, Groups, and a few others.
User Panel Headers
The User Panel has received a nice update, and is now displayed on your Following/Followers pages. You can even select a color for your User Panel on the Avatar page, where you normally set your avatar. You can select from 3 different colors chosen based on your Avatar, or you can select the color black, if none of them suit you.
Story Statistics
"Come on, Poultron!" I hear you wail at the top of your lungs. "What about the stats!? I LITERALLY cannot get enough stats!" Alright alright. I'll give you what you want. Just head on over to any story's page and you can now view a spiffy graph of the story's views and ratings, as well as some other bonus stats. Just hit the button highlighted below to see them!
We've also updated our dedicated Statistics page so that it looks fancier and has even more stats. Check it out!
Misc. Changes
There's much more in this update than just what's on the surface. Some things have been shuffled around, some things have improved, bugs have been fixed, but most importantly your Fimfiction experience should feel a lot better now. Don't forget to thank knighty and Xaqueseg for their continued incredible work on our codebase, and the entire moderation team for keeping things running in the background! Below, you'll find a list of some of the additional changes that we couldn't touch on above.
•.ePubs have had their support slightly improved; cover images should now work, and bbcode is now stripped from the story so that they should now display properly on more devices. In the future, full bbcode formatting support will return.
• You can now choose which Groups appear on a Story's page, instead of every Group the Story has been added to appearing by default.
• The Browse page's filter menu has received a visual overhaul! You can access the Browse page at the top left of any page on the site.
• Most menus on the site have received a visual update, and are now more consistent in their appearance.
• Site posts are now tagged based on their content, so you can browse only Interviews, for example.
• When you make a chapter, you will now automatically start editing it, instead of having to hit the Edit button first
• There is now an indicator on the Story Panel when a story has a lot of Heat. Heat is a custom algorithm that takes into account a number of factors to determine which stories are currently popular on the site.
• Emails should be less buggy if you've blacklisted our sending addresses, and you should be better informed now when this is the case.
• Unpublished Stories should not longer be visible in Groups.
• You can now add a Sequel by inputting the story's URL, as well as the ID of the story.
Conclusion
Well, that was one doozy of an update! So, what are you planning on doing first? Change up your Featured Groups? Change your User Panel color? Maybe you're planning on making an awesome Bookshelf? Tell us what your favorite feature of the Library Update was in the comments below, and be sure to share your awesome Bookshelves with everybody! We can't wait to see them.
For additional information on the update and help answering questions on it, check here.James Bond gets past Chinese censors BEIJING (AP) James Bond is finally coming to Chinese theaters, and producers of the British superspy's latest romp, Casino Royale, are pulling out all the stops to promote it. Sony Pictures hired experts to get the Chinese-language dubbing of the movie's gambling jargon just right, and the new 007, Daniel Craig, is flying in to lend star power Monday at the Beijing premiere. Casino Royale is due to be shown on 1,000 screens throughout China. But even if Bond's big-screen Chinese debut is a hit, Sony stands to make little money in a market where the state-owned monopoly distributor keeps most of the box-office revenues. The dilemma highlights the conflict between foreign ambitions in China's film market of 1.3 billion potential viewers and Beijing's desire to protect its own studios. Bond should get a good reception, said Li Chow, general manager in China for Sony Pictures Entertainment, a unit of Sony Corp. "I think it will be very well received," Li said. "Everybody here in China knows the Bond films, and there are very high expectations, so we hope it will be very successful." Until now, Bond has been a flop with Chinese censors, though earlier movies are available on pirated DVDs. Authorities rejected 2002's Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond, reportedly due to its depiction of North Korea, a close Beijing ally, as a gangster haven. For Casino Royale, a tale of poker and terrorism, Sony submitted the film to the Chinese censors as early as possible and discussed its content with them, Li said. "The censors didn't request any cuts," she said. "What we told them is, 'we are fighting a common enemy, terrorists.' That was well accepted." Li declined to discuss financial details. But the Motion Picture Association, which represents Sony and other Hollywood studios, says China's state-owned distributor, China Film, gives foreign studios just 13% of box-office revenues, the lowest such rate of any country. Worldwide, the average is 50%, the MPA says. So if Casino Royale takes in $12 million, a high figure for a Chinese release, Sony would get just $1.6 million. To protect its filmmakers, Beijing limited imports last year to 50 titles for theatrical release, including those from Hong Kong, according to figures from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. Dozens of additional foreign movies get limited release on DVD through Chinese distributors. Pirate DVDs of most popular titles from abroad are widely available from black market vendors. Regulators also try to maximize revenues for Chinese studios by barring foreign films from theaters during holidays and school vacations, when audiences are biggest. Foreign governments are pressing Beijing to raise its quota, and studios are asking China Film for a bigger share of ticket sales, but no progress has been reported. Casino Royale has been available in China since December on black-market DVDs dubbed in Russian, possibly reflecting their origin in Russia, a major source of pirated goods. Piracy might cut into potential ticket sales, Li acknowledged. "But because this is the first Bond film," she said, "people will be curious to see it on the big screen." Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Enlarge Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures The newest Bond flick, Casino Royale, is Beijing-bound after clearing Chinese cesors.Cloud computing: you may have heard of it. It seems to be everywhere these days, and if you believe the hype, there's a near-unanimous consensus that it's the future. Actually, a few of us have our doubts, but leaving that aside, I think it's important to ask where does open source stand if the cloud computing vision *does* come to fruition? Would that be a good or bad thing for free software?
Richard Stallman has no doubts:
"It's stupidity. It's worse than stupidity: it's a marketing hype campaign," he told The Guardian.
"Somebody is saying this is inevitable – and whenever you hear somebody saying that, it's very likely to be a set of businesses campaigning to make it true."
The 55-year-old New Yorker said that computer users should be keen to keep their information in their own hands, rather than hand it over to a third party.
Go on, Richard, tell us what you really think.
The problem is that even if – or may be even though – he is right, people are going to use cloud computing solutions because they are so convenient (well, that's my excuse). Obviously, we need to mitigate the risks of doing so, for example by insisting on the right to move our data out from such services, and requiring stringent privacy safeguards. So, again, re-framing my question: assuming we can sort out issues of security, privacy and the rest, and use cloud computing as well as it can be used, it it good or bad for open source?
At one level, it looks pretty good. Cloud computing is about harnessing economies of scale; that, in its turn, almost forces suppliers to deploy free software, because the licensing costs for the software that keeps the cloud humming (or whatever noise clouds make) do *not* scale for traditional closed-source software (unless, of course, you are Microsoft, and can use the code for free). And indeed, we find that much of Amazon's and Google's cloud computing infrastructure is based on free software.
So in that sense, cloud computing is a huge win for open source. As a result, it will always be cheaper to run enterprise applications running on GNU/Linux in the cloud, for example, so this may be enough to steer cost-conscious companies in that direction given that they also won't have to worry about the messy hands-on stuff like installing or maintaining free software.
What's more problematic is that the use of free software by cloud computing providers does not trigger the the distribution clause of the basic GNU GPL. This means that any cloudy tweaks made to free software by companies like Amazon or Google are not necessarily contributed back to the community. The use of the GNU Affero GPL solves that in theory, but not in practice, since the core infrastructure programs – Linux, MySQL etc. - don't use it.
So this would seem to suggest that a move from on-premises to cloud computing would actually *reduce* the contributions of code back to these projects. Now, it's plainly not in the interests of the cloud computing providers to kill off the very applications they depend on, so presumably some kind of compromise will be found whereby they contribute back some of their tweaks to help improve the code they run. But the more pervasive cloud computing becomes, the fewer the on-premise deployments of free software, and the fewer the number of independent external contributions back to those projects there are likely to be.
The situation for general users of Gmail and Google Docs, say, is even worse. There, they are unlikely even to be aware that they are running on free software – at least companies migrating to the cloud have to choose which platform to run their apps on. This makes me wonder whether the open source world needs to address this problem directly. I think it does, if it wants to remain relevant to vast majority of computer users; the question is how.
Ideally, what we need is a completely open source cloud computing infrastructure on which applications providing people with things like (doubly) free email and word processing services could be offered. Now, it's clearly not possible to create the kind of huge facilities that Amazon, Google and Microsoft are building around the world. Not even Mr Shuttleworth, with all his millions, could sustain that for long without charging somewhere along the line. So simply running open source programs like Eucalyptus is not going to work. The trick here is not to fight the battle on the opponents' terms, but to come up with something completely different.
For example, how about creating an open source, *distributed* cloud? By downloading and running some free code on your computer, you could contribute processing power and disc space that collectively creates a global, distributed cloud computing system. You would benefit by being able to use services that run on it, and at the same time you would help to sustain the entire open source cloud ecosystem in a scalable fashion. Collateral benefits would be resilience – it would be almost impossible to take down such a cloud – plus integral privacy if data is scattered across thousands of machines in the right way.
Is there something like that already? The nearest thing I could find is Swarm, “a true, distributed programming language.” This comes from Ian Clarke, probably best known for his Freenet, which is:
free software which lets you anonymously share files, browse and publish "freesites" (web sites accessible only through Freenet) and chat on forums, without fear of censorship. Freenet is decentralised to make it less vulnerable to attack, and if used in "darknet" mode, where users only connect to their friends, is very difficult to detect.
There's clearly a lot of commonality between Freenet and distributed cloud computing systems. And as far as I can tell from Clarke's video on Swarm, it seems to be addressing the right issues, although I'd be interested to hear the views of people whose programming skills are better than mine, which never progressed beyond Fortran.
So, is Swarm the way forward for open source cloud computing? Or are there other, better projects out there that might solve some of the issues raised? Or should we just stick to Google and be grateful? Your comments, as ever, are welcome.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca.“Phoning in sick is a revolutionary act.” I loved that slogan. It came to me, as so many good things did, from Housmans, the radical bookshop in King’s Cross. There you could rummage through all sorts of anarchist pamphlets and there I discovered, in the early 80s, the wondrous little magazine Processed World. It told you basically how to screw up your workplace. It was smart and full of small acts of random subversion. In many ways it was ahead of its time as it was coming out of San Francisco and prefiguring Silicon Valley. It saw the machines coming. Jobs were increasingly boring and innately meaningless. Workers were “data slaves” working for IBM (“Intensely Boring Machines”).
What Processed World was doing was trying to disrupt the identification so many office workers were meant to feel with their management, not through old-style union organising, but through small acts of subversion. The modern office, it stressed, has nothing to do with human need. Its rebellion was about working as little as possible, disinformation and sabotage. It was making alienation fun. In 1981, it could not have known that a self-service till cannot ever phone in sick.
I was thinking of this today, as I wanted to do just that. I have made myself ill with a hangover. A hangover, I always feel, is nature’s way of telling you to have a day off. One can be macho about it and eat your way back to sentience via the medium of bacon sandwiches and Maltesers. At work, one is dehydrated, irritable and only semi-present. Better, surely, though to let the day fall through you and dream away.
Having worked in America, though, I can say for sure that they brook no excuses whatsoever. When I was late for work and said things like, “My alarm clock did not go off”, they would say that this was not a suitable explanation, which flummoxed me. I had to make up others. This was just to work in a shop.
This model of working – long hours, very few holidays, few breaks, two incomes needed to raise kids, crazed loyalty demanded by huge corporations, the American way – is where we’re heading. Except now the model is even more punishing. It is China. We are expected to compete with an economy whose workers are often closer to indentured slaves than anything else.
This is what striving is, then: dangerous, demoralising, often dirty work. Buckle down. It’s the only way forward, apparently, which is why our glorious leaders are sucking up to China, which is immoral, never mind ridiculously short-term thinking.
So again I must really speak up for the skivers. What we have to understand about austerity is its psychic effects. People must have less. So they must have less leisure, too. The fact is life is about more than work and work is rapidly changing. Skiving in China may get you killed but here it may be a small act of resistance, or it may just be that skivers remind us that there is meaning outside wage-slavery.
Work is too often discussed by middle-class people in ways that are simply unrecognisable to anyone who has done crappy jobs. Much work is not interesting and never has been. Now that we have a political and media elite who go from Oxbridge to working for a newspaper or a politician, a lot of nonsense is spouted. These people have not cleaned urinals on a nightshift. They don’t sit lonely in petrol stations manning the till. They don’t have to ask permission for a toilet break in a call centre. Instead, their work provides their own special identity. It is very important.
Low-status jobs, like caring, are for others. The bottom-wipers of this world do it for the glory, I suppose. But when we talk of the coming automation that will reduce employment, bottom-wiping will not be mechanised. Nor will it be romanticised, as old male manual labour is. The mad idea of reopening the coal mines was part of the left’s strange notion of the nobility of labour. Have these people ever been down a coal mine? Would they want that life for their children?
Instead we need to talk about the dehumanising nature of work. Bertrand Russell and Keynes thought our goal should be less work, that technology would mean fewer hours.
Far from work giving meaning to life, in some surveys 40% of us say that our jobs are meaningless. Nonetheless, the art of skiving is verboten as we cram our children with ever longer hours of school and homework. All this striving is for what exactly? A soul-destroying job?
Just as education is decided by those who loved school, discussions about work are had by those to whom it is about more than income.
The parts of our lives that are not work – the places we dream or play or care, the space we may find creative – all these are deemed outside the economy. All this time is unproductive. But who decides that?
Skiving work is bad only to those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
So go on: phone in sick. You know you want to.EARTH CITY, Mo. -- For as fluid as all things free agency are with players constantly changing teams and teams constantly changing their minds, the amount of money a team has available under the salary cap is equally mercurial.
The St. Louis Rams made some big moves on Monday and Tuesday, releasing offensive linemen Jake Long and Scott Wells, and then trading quarterback Sam Bradford to the Eagles for Nick Foles and draft compensation. Before that, the Rams had parted ways with defensive lineman Kendall Langford in another cost-cutting move.
Suddenly, a team that was once relatively tight against the cap is now pretty comfortable under it. According to the folks at ESPN Stats & Information, the Rams now have $28,834,811 in cap space.
That number is probably actually a bit different since the Rams are still hammering out the final details on a contract with tight end Lance Kendricks before it can be made official. It also doesn't include the addition of quarterback Case Keenum. But clearly the Rams are no longer hurting for space if they want to be active in the market.
Subtracting Bradford saved the Rams $12,985,000, but it also added the remainder of his prorated signing bonus of $3,595,000 to their total amount of dead money. Releasing Long ($1.25 million) and Wells ($1 million) also added to the total dead money.
As it stands, here's how ESPN Stats & Information has the Rams' current cap situation with the caveat that this is unofficial based on other things in motion:
Adjusted Cap Value: $144,673,387
Cap Value: $107,535,959
Dead Money / Other: $8,302,617
Cap Space: $28,834,811The Herald: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/tiger-woods-wife-elin-nordegren-demands-750m-and-the-kids/story-e6frf96o-1225870014544 TIGER Woods' wife has upped the ante in their divorce battle, with reports claiming she is demanding as much as $US750 million.
In addition to the money, Elin Nordegren has abandoned her bid for joint custody and now wants to be the sole legal guardian of their two young children, US reports say...
Swede Nordegren, who has hired a London law firm to fight it out with Woods' Florida attorneys, wanted $US750 million ($A900m) from the split, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
It would make the split the most expensive celebrity divorce, eclipsing the $600 million settlement expected in actor Mel Gibson's divorce, which is still being finalised. Woods' fortune was valued as high as $1.2 billion in 2008.
Keep reading at The Herald >
Meanwhile, Tiger has been seen with another blond riding around in his cart >: Freedom from Fear, Part Two David M. Kennedy Oxford University Press, Nov 20, 2003 - History - 528 pages 0 Reviews Even as the New Deal was coping with the Depression, a new menace was developing abroad. Exploiting Germany's own economic burdens, Hitler reached out to the disaffected, turning their aimless discontent into loyal support for his Nazi Party. In Asia, Japan harbored imperial ambitions of its own. The same generation of Americans who battled the Depression eventually had to shoulder arms in another conflict that wreaked worldwide destruction, ushered in the nuclear age, and forever changed their way of life and their country's relationship to the rest of the world. The American People in World War II--the second installment of Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning Freedom from Fear--explains how the nation agonized over its role in the conflict, how it fought the war, why the United States emerged victorious, and why the consequences of victory were sometimes sweet, sometimes ironic. In a compelling narrative, Kennedy analyzes the determinants of American strategy, the painful choices faced by commanders and statesmen, and the agonies inflicted on the millions of ordinary Americans who were compelled to swallow their fears and face battle as best they could. The American People in World War II is a gripping narrative and an invaluable analysis of the trials and victories through which modern America was formed. Preview this book »Bernie Sanders is packing arenas with record crowds, enjoying a formidable lead in New Hampshire, pulling closer to Hillary Clinton in Iowa, and nearly matching Clinton in fundraising, but the former secretary of state retains a decisive advantage in the so-called invisible primary: the process whereby party elites, donors, and interest groups coalesce behind a candidate.
Nowhere is Clinton's advantage within the party establishment clearer than in the lopsided endorsements of Democratic governors and members of Congress. Clinton has secured the backing of 153 such figures, compared with three for potential candidate Vice President Joe Biden, and one for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.
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Not surprisingly for a self-described democratic socialist who revels in taking on the powers that be, Sanders started the week with a grand total of zero gubernatorial and congressional endorsements.
That's about to change. The Los Angeles Times' Mark Barabak reports that Arizona congressman Raul Grijalva, the co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a frequent critic of the Obama administration from the left, is set to lend his support to Sanders's insurgent bid:
That, however, is about to change, as Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva prepares to declare his support for Sanders' presidential bid. The announcement is expected Friday night when the two appear together at a Tucson rally, part of a Sanders swing through the West ahead of next week's first Democratic debate, in Las Vegas. Grijalva, a liberal Democrat serving his seventh term representing a southern Arizona district including Tucson, is co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which Sanders -- a self-described Democratic socialist -- helped cofound as a House member in 1991.
The impending endorsement of the long-serving Latino lawmaker comes as Sanders seeks to expand his base of support beyond the white progressives who dominate the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, but are not representative of the Democratic electorate writ large. A national Public Policy Polling survey released Tuesday offers the Sanders camp a glimmer of hope: While the poll found him continuing to lag among black Democrats, taking 13 percent of their votes to Clinton's 51 percent and Biden's 30 percent, Sanders comes closer among Latinos: Clinton captured 43 percent of their votes to Sanders's 26 percent and Biden's 18 percent.Google announced the arrival of Android apps on Chromebooks at I/O this year. However months later, only a handful of Chromebooks have received Google Play support, and Google is taking rather slow steps to make it available to all the compatible Chromebooks. Luckily, there is another cheat way to get Play Store to work on Chromebooks, and start using Android apps immediately.
Of course, before we begin to tell you the way, it is important to warn you that the method is unsafe. It requires you to use the Canary canal, which is extremely unstable. If the method backfires, it could cause some damage to your machine, and we recommend you to move forward at your own risk.
This method won't work on all models, but should at least work on the 50 models that Google listed earlier in the year. If you have one of these laptops, and want Google Play installed immediately, enable developer mode on your Chromebook by pressing Esc+F5+Power. Then Press Ctrl+D and follow the instructions.
After the Chromebook boots, press Ctrl+D again to jump verification. Switch to Canary Canal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T, and type Shell in the command prompt. Then type'sudo su' and then enter 'update_engine_client -channel=canary-channel -update' to switch to canary channel.
Again press Ctrl+Alt+T > Type Shell > Type sudo su > then 'echo '-enable-arc' > /usr/local/chrome_dev.conf > mount -o bind /usr/local/chrome_dev.conf /etc/chrome_dev.conf'. Now press Ctrl + Shift + Q two times to log out. After signing out, sign back in and restart your machine. After the reboot, the Chromebook should have the Google Play Store installed.
If you do not see it immediately, browse through the Settings menu to see if there is an option to enable Google Play. This process was posted by Google Plus users, and was first spotted by Chrome Story.
Justin Slatten on Google Plus also notes that Toshiba Chromebook 2015 users need not switch to the Canary canal, and can find Google Play on the developer channel as well. 9to5Google has done a full video with step by step instructions as well.
User |
Square Garden.An asylum seeker in Austria has been arrested after he allegedly forced a 13-year-old girl to have sex with him for three months.
The man, who arrived in the country from Afghanistan, met the teenager on a number of occasions - including one in a wood - so he could sexually abuse her, officers said.
The teenager, from Korneuburg near Vienna, is believed to have been first approached by the man via social media at the beginning of the year.
An asylum seeker in Austria has been arrested after he allegedly forced a 13-year-old girl to have sex with him for three months. Above, Vienna, which is where the teenager is from
The pair, who exchanged a number of flirtatious messages, met in the wooded area for the first time where the girl was verbally threatened until she agreed to have sex.
They are also believed to have met on other occasions where the man, reportedly in his mid-twenties, continued to'repeatedly' abuse her.
Police were alerted to the situation after the schoolgirl, who has not been named to protect her identity, told her parents what was going on.
They immediately told officers, who arrested the man. He is currently in custody.
A police spokesman said: 'The accused did not use any violence, but he did threaten her and scared her into doing what he wanted.'
He threatened her and scared her into doing what he wanted Austrian police
Police said he had been living in an asylum home in Hollabrunn where he had used a smartphone to get in contact with the girl.
It come after a number of reports have surfaced of migrants sexually assaulting or attempting to abuse young child.
Two Afghan migrants were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two young girls at a public swimming baths in northern Germany earlier in March.
In Freiburg, southwest Germany, women have also allegedly made a number of complaints to managers about being fed date-rape drugs and being accosted in toilets.Nearly two thousand years ago, Plovdiv Roman Amphitheatre rang out with clapping and cheering, as performances, gladiatorial combat and hunting games took place under the rule of high priest Titus Flavius Cotis. Tonight, amid its fractured columns and ancient marble, those sounds of excitement can be heard for progressive metal god Devin Townsend.
Following in the footsteps of Opeth, Paradise Lost and Katatonia, he’s brought the Devin Townsend Project to Bulgaria’s second city for a show with their orchestra, after which the band will play Ocean Machine in full to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Such is the sense of occasion in the air that proceedings start backwards – Devin gets a standing ovation before he’s even sung a note, and spends a good five minutes thanking everyone who’s made the event possible, as well as addressing the crowd in a typically self-effacing manner.
“This is a dream come true, guys, I can’t even tell you,” he says. “Everyone’s here because we’re all a little socially awkward. Tonight we’re going to see what happens when you get a bunch of nerds in one place!”
What happens is that the nerds go into raptures, and rightly so. As the dramatic opening of Truth swells across the amphitheatre, it’s difficult to know where to look. On the stage, the orchestra of Plovdiv State Opera play with the dedication and passion afforded to high culture, while on a stone platform high above, a choir are lined up like living statues. Bearing down on the whole spectacle are the ruins of former glories, their stately grandeur conjuring an atmosphere of timelessness. The intensity peaks during second song Stormbending, its climactic ending inducing the first hands-in-the-air spiritual moment.
(Image: © Aoife DT)
This set is by request, and some songs suit the live orchestral treatment more than others. The likes of Stormbending and Failure are already so symphonic on record that it’s difficult to discern the difference other than a background feeling of warmth, and it’s hard to hear the classical musicians in the mix. Meanwhile, Bad Devil is a natural candidate, its big-band feel coming to the fore as Devin yells, “It’s a slam dance party!” and starts swinging to the beat. By Your Command gets everyone swaying and waving their arms in a moment of Ziltoid worship; a song about alien invasion should be incongruously out of step with these surroundings, but it sounds as thunderous as a chariot, Ryan Van Poederooyen’s rapid-fire drumming continuing long after everyone else has stopped playing.
Elsewhere, Gaia is given a rare outing, Devin toting his custom black Flying V guitar that features red laser pointers and a smoke machine. During a goosebump-inducing Deadhead, dedicated to his wife, people can’t help rising from their seats – a perilous move, given the steep incline of the theatre.
This isn’t the first time Devin’s done a special show. From Ziltoid at London’s Royal Albert Hall, to The Retinal Circus at the city’s Roundhouse, to the quadruple threat of Ki/Addicted/Deconstruction/Ghost across multiple venues, he’s always strived to bring showmanship to his music. But tonight is something else. Stripped of video screens, giant burgers and intergalactic beasts, the music stands alone as a monument. Yet you can always count on Devin to marry the sublime with the ridiculous, and he can’t resist making a fart joke while introducing A Simple Lullaby, before surprise columns of flame and fireworks bring an explosive close to Act One, along with Deep Peace.
Judging by the chatter in the interval, a large proportion of fans in attendance are from the UK, some of whom will have seen Ocean Machine at London’s Hammersmith Apollo last March – the first time it was performed in full. Devin admitted to nerves back then, but appears more confident now as he strolls back out, full of gratitude for the show so far. In a nice touch, he welcomes to the stage bassist John ‘Squid’ Harder, who played on the original recording.
As the familiar Seventh Wave washes in, the theatre looks oddly bare without the orchestra and choir, the five musicians appearing dwarfed by such a ceremonious space. Still, slowly but surely, the music becomes mesmerising, filling its surroundings. Life is as affirming as ever – “It’s cold tonight in Plovdiv, guys, but it’s warm in our hearts!” – while Night is dedicated to Marty Chapman, Ocean Machine’s late drummer. Sister is accompanied by a sea of illuminated phones. The ethereal Voices In The Fan sees Devin sitting on the drum platform with his head bowed, as its choral outro surges across the amphitheatre like something from a bygone age. Regulator prompts a sea of fist-pumping. Funeral and Bastard are wrought with emotion.
(Image: © Aoife DT)
When the band played Ocean Machine at Hammersmith, casual gig-goers talked through the quiet bits, but the 4,000 people who’ve made the journey to Plovdiv’s Roman Theatre are utterly rapt. There’s a feeling of transcending eras – it’s music that addresses human experience, whatever the historical period.
The highlight is The Death Of Music, which Devin earlier explained he nearly cut from the record, until John Harder called him “an idiot”. Outside the ruins, the city lights twinkle in the distance and cars pass on the main road. Inside, the elemental beat pulses continuously while Devin’s serious whispers build into something unearthly, as he clutches at the mic stand. All that’s left is Thing Beyond Things, and that final, lung-wrenching scream.
And then there’s another standing ovation, and chants of Devin’s name. For all his experiments, this is the most memorable yet.
Devin Townsend Setlist
Truth
Stormbending
Om
Failure
By Your Command
Gaia
Deadhead
Canada
Bad Devil
Higher
A Simple Lullaby
Deep Peace
Ocean Machine Set
Seventh Wave
Life
Night
Hide Nowhere
Sister
3 A.M.
Voices in the Fan
Greetings
Regulator
Funeral
Bastard
The Death Of Music
Thing Beyond Things
Devin Townsend: "I should never have taken a shit in Steve Vai’s guitar case"Revival #3
by
Revival has got everything I like about comics, and narrative entertainment in general. It’s probably got what you like too.
When I read Mike Norton Tim Seeley’s Revival, I feel like I’m reading a comic that was crafted specifically for me. At its root, Revival is about the dead returning to waking life in a small rural Wisconsin town and how the town reacts to this odd phenomenon.
Like I said, this comic has got everything that I could ask for from any form of entertainment. It’s set in an isolated environment, characterized by winter and snow. I enjoy absolutely any story that takes place in this sort of environment, not only because I love that type of weather, but also because there are a lot of social elements to the story that I revel in. Just look at The Shining, The Thing, Fargo and Misery. Those movies are all driven by the unique social experience that accompanies living in an isolated environment. I argue that John Carpenter’s The Thing is a movie solely about communication, focusing on the importance of the detailed aspects of interaction and observation. The characters in that film had to think about what it is to be human, and recognize who demonstrated these qualities least, while the audience is tasked with the same–to identify the monster who is unable to keep itself secret by incorrectly behaving in certain social situations. The Shining is a similar story, which focuses on the importance of communication in order to survive in an isolated environment for a long period of time.
Revival is great because it doesn’t rely on cheap thrills–this story is an investment, the characters and the community are as important, and perhaps more important than the fact that the dead have started returning. It’s building the horror up, showing a mysterious white humanoid (could be a spirit, could be an alien?) only once per issue at a minimum. This creature is also featured above on the cover of #3. The book is focusing on building the relationships of the townspeople for the audience, having the narrative take the backseat to character development. Although it has been slow so far, the story has definitely had its hooks out. There’s plenty of mystery so far in three issues, fueled by some especially gruesome images. There was even a comment in the letters-to-the-editor section where a guy explained that he had to stop eating while reading the first issue out of fear of being sick from one of the grosser images involving pulled teeth.
Revival also features criticisms of religion and the media, topics I automatically gravitate towards. It’s always interesting to see how the media can impact any situation, and seeing a unbiased approach to how truly positive/negative their impact can be. And local churches will be interested in the walking dead for obvious reasons, and I think there’s a lot of potential for some critical discussion of how religion lives and affects the inhabitants of this rural town, not only locally, but also on an international scale considering the events that are unique to this area.
In this issue, we get to see more of the racial stratification within the community. It’s even addressed that the higher up you go on a certain hill in town, the higher the salaries in the logging industry were. All of the Hmong immigrants live together in the same part of town, in low income housing, while the “Logger Barons” lived at the top of the hill. This aspect also demonstrates the interesting element of a town created and populated around a single commodity/industry. It reminds me of the communities that were stricken by the coal boom across the Appalachian, and how those communities look now. I hope that there’s more discussion of this in future issues.
Those are the themes/elements that make this book stand out among all other books in publication right now, but I forgot to mention that it’s amazingly written and drawn, but I would hope that those go without saying.
–John
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------------------------------------- Melbourne passenger Sarah Lucas she was shocked to see a gash of between 1.8 and 2.4 metres where the wing intersects with the plane's fuselage. Ms Lucas, who was flying with her 19-year-old sister Olivia, said she initially thought a door had opened mid-flight until she saw the torn metal.
"We were in the business class cabin and we heard a loud bang. We thought one of the doors had become open because there was a lot of papers rushing through the cabin... it felt like a gush of wind," Ms Lucas said. "The plane began to fall quite quickly and then it levelled out."
Ms Lucas said the plane seemed to lose pressure for about five minutes before stabilising. Oxygen masks had dropped from the ceiling but passengers had remained calm and quiet, she said. "I didn't realise how bad it was until we got down," she said.
"I thought maybe the door had somehow come off, that's all I could really think of. "When we landed there were a lot of people who rushed up to see the (right-hand) side of the plane so I knew there was something on that side and then we walked around to have a look."
She said the pilot had made announcements to flight crew throughout the incident but passengers had not been told what had happened. "We didn't really know what was going on," she said. "Most people were just sitting there, not saying anything, everyone was just quiet."
Manila airport operations officer Ding Lima told local radio the plane lost cabin pressure shortly after takeoff from Hong Kong and the pilot radioed for an emergency landing. "There is a big hole in the belly of the aircraft near the right wing about three metres in diameter," he said.
"Upon disembarkation, there were some passengers who vomited. You can see in their faces that they were really scared." During the emergency part of the plane's flooring gave way, exposing some of the cargo in the hold, he said. Part of the ceiling also collapsed. Melbourne woman June Kane, who was on the plane, told ABC radio that baggage was hanging out of the hole in the plane. "You assume that there's a few bags that may have gone missing," she said.
Kim Jeffers said her husband Jason rang her from Manila to say that he had landed safely after the mid-air drama. Mrs Jeffers said her husband Jason "heard a loud bang like something falling over," Mrs Jeffers said.
Ms Lucas' father, Alistair Lucas, said his daughters had told him the plane was forced to make an emergency landing. Melbourne father Alastair Lucas said his two daughters who were on the flight who told him the plane was forced to make an emergency landing. Qantas chief executive officer Geoff Dixon confirmed a B747-400 had been diverted after a loss of cabin pressure and landed in Manila about 11.15am.
He said inspections on the ground revealed a hole in the plane's fuselage that was being inspected by engineers. Mr Dixon said all 346 passengers and 19 crew had disembarked normally and there were no reports of injuries.
He said the flight crew had performed emergency procedures after oxygen masks dropped. "The Australian Transportation Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority have been notified of the incident and Qantas is sending its own engineers to Manila," Mr Dixon said. "Qantas has provided all passengers with accommodation and a replacement aircraft has been arranged."
Mrs Jeffers said her husband had described crowds of people watching the plane land safely and filming the descent with their mobile phones. The Australian Transportation Safety Bureau's director of aviation safety investigations, Julian Walsh, said the plane dropped nearly 20,000 feet before flying to Manila.
He said the plane was flying at 29,000 feet and was about 200 nautical miles from Manila when it experienced "rapid decompression". "As a result of a rupture in the fuselage, a hole, the oxygen masks dropped down, as would happen in a decompression, and (there was) a rapid descent to 10,000 feet," he said. "Once the aircraft was at 10,000 feet it diverted to Manila where it landed uneventfully and... passengers disembarked normally."
Mr Walsh said there had been no reports of injuries. He said arrangements were being made to send aviation investigators to the Philippines.
Mr Walsh refused to speculate on what could have caused the hole. - with agenciesMy crystal ball is cloudy at the moment, but you don't need magic to make predictions, just common sense. Here are 9 predictions that seem inevitable to me. At least they do in the interregnum between Christmas and New Year's Eve, 2015.
The 2016 Mercedes S-Class practically drives itself. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)
1. Your next car will drive itself
Not all the time and not with you in the back seat. But it will have features that let you drive hands- and pedal-free under "geo fencing" conditions, i.e., on the highway and in certain traffic jams. This equipment is already on upmarket vehicles, from adaptive cruise control to self-parking and lane keeping. Appearing first on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, for instance, traffic-jam assist puts the car in control of steering, braking and accelerating at speeds lower than 37 mph.
Lamborghini will build an SUV off this Urus concept for 2018. (Photo: Lamborghini)
2. Everyone will have an SUV
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. The Jaguar F-Pace is the latest in a long line from automakers who never before would contemplated building one. Lamborghini will offer a boxy off-roader in 2018, based on the Urus concept car. Aston Martin's is the DBX. Porsche has a whole range of SUVs now. Are there any companies that won't build an SUV? Ferrari is still saying "No." (though it has the 4WD FF wagon thingy), and so is McLaren.
Brand-new VWs at the Port of San Diego. Expect a 17 million sales year for 2015, and more through 2018. (Photo: Port of San Diego/flickr)
3. 2016 will be a great sales year
The auto industry remains on a big roll. IHS Automotive predicts 2015 will come in at 17.3 million U.S. sales, a number not seen since 2000. And 2016 will be stronger still, at 17.8 million, followed by 18.2 million in 2017. After 2018, the company sees a leveling off, though.
Mark Rosekind, the new NHTSA administrator, is cracking down on car industry safety problems. (Photo: New York City Department of Transportation/flickr)
4. Cars will be safer
I love the direction the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is going in. After decades of wimpiness and lax enforcement, the agency has retained Mark Rosekind as administrator and grown a pair. "There's a new sheriff in town — and he's cracking down on the U.S. auto industry," said the Detroit Free Press. In addition to going after automakers for safety violations (most recently, BMW, hit for $40 million) he also advocates putting seat belts on school buses. What, they're not there now? Cars will also be safer because of advanced technology (like the aforementioned lane keeping), stiffer structures and passenger safety cages.
Apple CarPlay will become ubiquitous in 2016. (Photo: Apple)
5. CD players are out
Tomorrow's infotainment starts with your cellphone. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (which I finally took on a road trip, courtesy of a Honda Civic) will dominate in 2016.
The Porscjhe Mission E, as seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show, is coming as a Tesla fighter in 2018. (Photo: Jim Motavalli)
6. Tesla will get competition
Elon Musk is soaring right now — even his SpaceX rocket landed safely! But things will get tougher in the next few years, as Faraday Future finally shows us the electric car behind its curtain, Porsche rolls out the Mission E, Audi the Q6 e-tron and a few other high-tech, high-performance EVs come online from startups. The real danger is from the mainstream automakers, because the Tesla formula isn't rocket science — big batteries, big electric motors, cool styling and tech features.
Jay Leno (with Tim Allen) is finally free of that pesky TV show and has more time for cars. (Photo: Alan Light/flickr)
7. Jay Leno will buy more cars
He's Jay Leno. He buys cars. Is there a better collection in America? Check out his CNBC show here.
The early Porsche 911S is in a crazy bubble. (Photo: Jeremy/flickr)
8. Some collector car bubbles will burst
I'm not predicting an overall downturn for classics, but certain cars — the Porsche 911S, many Ferraris — just seem absurdly overvalued right now. The rarity level doesn't justify the huge auction prices (like $189,750 for a '67 911S). C'mon! The 911S was a mass-produced car. I could have bought one for $3,000 once. People are even paying six figures for Porsche 912s. Crazy. They have VW four-cylinder engines.
The Fiat 124 Spider is gorgeous — and probably most of it is reliable, too. (Photo: Jim Motavalli)
9. The 2017 Fiat 124 will sell well, have teething problems
I'm enthused about the return of this lithe Italian sports car, especially because it has reliable Mazda Miata underpinnings. But I bet we'll still see some problems (hopefully minor) with its Italian-made bits. I predict good sales when it debuts in 2017 because a) it's pretty; b) there are few two-seat roadsters on the market now; and c) the idea of an Italian-designed Miata has appeal.
The original, built between 1966 and 1980, was a heartbreaker — a gorgeous car that handled like a miniature Ferrari, but rusted as soon as you turned your back on it. Nearly 200,000 were made, and 75 percent were sent to the U.S. market. My neighbor is certifiably insane; he owns one, and keeps it outside.
Here's my safest prediction: That poor car, shiny now, will succumb to the tinworm.
9 auto-centric predictions for 2016
Cars will sell like crazy, be safer and drive themselves (at least some of the time)‘Zealot’ author Reza Aslan on MSNBC
Nobody has ever mistaken me for a Muslim, but I now feel an affinity toward Muslims or, more accurately, toward one Muslim— Reza Aslan. Fox News personality Lauren Green unintentionally helped Aslan’s book reach the top of bestseller lists when she repeatedly asked him why a Muslim would write about the “founder of Christianity.” Aslan responded as a professional, mentioning his scholarly credentials and careful research that had helped him draw conclusions independent of his religious beliefs.
I must confess that I have a fantasy of Fox News interviewing me about my book, during which Lauren Green substitutes “atheist” for “Muslim” to discredit anything I say about Jesus. And here’s my snarky response: “Jesus was born and died a Jew, knowing nothing of Christianity. The Bible refers to him as ‘king of the Jews,’ not ‘king of the Christians.’ My vote for founder of Christianity goes to a Jew named Saul, who later became Paul. Perhaps my Jewish background makes me more qualified to talk about Jesus, a fellow Jew, than does someone like you with a Gentile background. Just as we’re both skeptical when members of the American Nazi Party praise Adolph Hitler, shouldn’t we also be skeptical when Christians make claims about an infallible Jesus while literally worshipping the ground he walked on? Of course I’m not comparing Christians to Nazis. I’m just asking whether we have reason to suspect such biased accounts.”
My Jewish upbringing neither qualifies nor disqualifies me from writing about Jesus, Hitler, or anyone else. It’s fair to ask how any author’s background or beliefs might have influenced his or her writings, but the focus should be on whether the author justifies assertions made.
Students in secular colleges are often surprised to learn that courses on religion are not designed to strengthen their faith, since classes in a weekday school have different orientations than classes in a Sunday school.
Green probably spent a lot more time in Sunday school than in religious studies classes. Her bio from Fox News mentions her degree in piano performance, but nothing about scholarly religious credentials. Fox adds that she was Miss Minnesota in 1984 and third runner-up in the 1985 Miss America contest. Gretchen Carlson, another Fox News personality, seems to have followed in the same high heels as Loren Green. Carlson was Miss Minnesota in 1988 and went on to become Miss America.
Wait a minute. Am I doing to Green what she did to Aslan—focusing on background and beliefs in an attempt to discredit? After all, winning a beauty contest neither qualifies nor disqualifies anyone from pontificating about religion or interviewing religious scholars. Are my comments about Green even relevant to this discussion? As Fox News is fond of saying, “We report, you decide.”
Still, sometimes I’m asked why I, an atheist mathematician, write about religion. Though I’ve participated in a number of debates, I’ve had no formal religious training beyond my teen years. I know absolutely nothing about God, but I think that qualifies me as an expert on God. To paraphrase Socrates: He who believes he knows something when he knows nothing is more foolish than he who knows he knows nothing.
Thousands of books have been written on the history, culture, and myths about a multitude of gods, and countless books describe how scientific findings contradict claims in holy books. However, there is no credible evidence for the existence of any supernatural beings. Even so, many religious believers ignore the contradictions and lack of evidence, and embrace what they view as the “gift of faith.” I don’t mind this, as long as they don’t try to force their gift on the rest of us. But I become alarmed when people describe things as “God’s plan” and sometimes insist that everyone should follow God’s plan, which turns out to be strikingly similar to their own plan. Whenever I hear “God’s plan,” I substitute in my mind “Zeus’s plan.”
And this reminds me of a dinner I shared at a Chinese restaurant with a bunch of secular college students. They became uncharacteristically excited when our fortune cookies arrived. The students gleefully read their “fortunes” aloud, adding “in bed” at the end of each. For example,
“We all have our bad days in bed.” And
“Your ability to accomplish tasks will follow with success in bed “
I prefer “in bed” to “God’s plan” because people can have harmless fun with it, and no one takes seriously either the fortune or the two added words. I wish the same could be said for “God’s plan.”
Herb Silverman is founder and President Emeritus of the Secular Coalition for America, author of “
Candidate Without a Prayer: An Autobiography of a Jewish Atheist in the Bible Belt,”
and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the College of Charleston.The Toys R Us logo is seen in this illustration photo September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The thought of Toys ‘R’ Us closing stores due to its recent bankruptcy filing is too much for one nine-year-old to bear, according to court papers.
In a handwritten letter entered on Monday in the bankruptcy docket of the largest U.S. toy store chain, the child argued store closings “will be bad for kids” and would leave them “very unhappy.”
The retailer’s stores are special for children, who “would rather be promised a trip to Toy ‘R’ Us than any other store,” the child said in the letter to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Keith Phillips, who is overseeing the bankruptcy case.
The letter identifies the child only as Andrew. The child’s last name was blacked out.
The letter was entered into the Toys ‘R’ Us docket like any other document, Phillips’ judicial assistant told Reuters.
Toys ‘R’ Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month to restructure $5 billion of its long-term debt.
It did not, however, file with plans for store closures as has been typical of many retailers that have sought to restructure or liquidate in court in recent years.I’m afraid that this eBay listing is even worse than most craigslist ones for photos, but I’m still glad Peter R. sent it in to us. The SP250 is an odd duck at best, with looks that, well, are challenging to love. This particular one is located in Astoria, New York and is at one of the more well known “flipper” dealers. It’s listed here on eBay at a price of $12,950 but I’m betting that’s negotiable. It better be, considering the condition!
You’d be forgiven if you glanced at this picture and thought Triumph TR3, or even MGA. Apart from the gauges and basic seat structures, I think you’ll be replacing pretty much everything you see, though.
As a matter of fact, the Daimler’s frame is remarkably similar to the TR3’s. Let’s take a closer look with some pictures of other cars. Can you guess which one is which? The Daimler is actually on the left, TR3 on the right, which makes sense as the Daimler’s fiberglass body probably needs a little more support on the sides, especially since I’ve heard stories about its doors opening up under aggressive cornering. Not the way to encourage friends to take second rides with you!
Of course, the main attraction for any SP250 is the small hemi-head V8. I didn’t think these originally came with alternators, so that had me looking closer. Guess what? It’s not the original engine at all! A little research has me believing that this is a Ford V6, possibly out of a Capri, Pinto or Mustang II. Ok, now I’m sure this is overpriced! I guess you could make it into a driver, but I’ll tell you, I want that sweet little V8–that’s what the car was created to highlight in the first place. What about you? What do you think this hybrid is really worth, and if someone gave it to you, would you try to find an original drive train?According to ESPN Brazil, Arsenal could yet turn a profit on Wellington Silva this summer with Werder Bremen the latest club pontificating over an offer.
As we’ve been reporting over the last few weeks, the Gunners have provisionally exercised an option to re-sign the Brazilian attacker from cash-strapped Fluminense with a view to flogging him to a European club, making a bit of cash and including a sell-on clause.
The 24-year-old, who spent six years at the Emirates without making a single first team appearance, looked set to sign for Bordeaux last week for £5 million until he failed a medical due to a pesky inflamed pubis.
Wellington promptly returned to Fluminense, underwent further tests and with the injury deemed not serious he’s again being touted to potential suitors. Bremen seem to like what they see and having lost Serge Gnabry inside 12 months to Bayern Munich, they’re on the lookout for an attacking midfielder.
Quite what Wellington makes of his circumstances is a mystery, however, after loan spells at Levante, Ponferradina, Real Murcia, Alcoyano, Almeria and Bolton Wanderers he’s certainly used to moving around a lot.
It’s worth making clear at this point, that Arsenal won’t be lumbered with the player if he doesn’t complete a move from Fluminense in the coming weeks. Instead, he’ll return to Brazil and continue his career there.Article first published on May 31, updated and rewritten in October 2017
Top Museum in Bucharest
Every time a friend comes to Bucharest and we show them the city, this is the place we take them to. The Village Museum is the top museum in Bucharest. Every time someone asks me what’s a must visit in Bucharest, Dimitrie Gusti Village Museum (Muzeul Satului) is the answer that comes to mind.
Why you should visit the best attraction in Bucharest: the Village Museum
I never heard someone saying that they didn’t liked this museum! Even those that don’t usually go to museums loved it!
It is an open-air museum – so you actually combine taking a long walk in the nature, smell the perfume of flowers and trees and, of course, see specific traditional houses from all over Romania.
You can spend hours and hours walking the alleys and find out interesting things about each zone of Romania and their specific elements when it comes to houses. And believe me, there’s a lot to see. And everyone we took to this museum (or recommended it to) have confirmed this!
First of all you have to picture the museum: it is located next to a park and it has 100,000 m2; on this area, 272 authentic country farms and houses are laid out. The Village Museum was created in 1936 by Dimitrie Gusti, Victor Ion Popa, and Henri H. Stahl. Imagine that in ’30s there were only three such museums all over the world!
But that’s not everything.
Every day several houses are opened for the public to see on the inside. You can actually feel the local, specific, smell / perfume (yes, each area displays a specific scent due to the materials used and also to the objects used – which you will also encounter – inside the house). Each house, church, wind or water mill can be admired from the outside. And they can all be photographed from the outside – the interior can only be admired.
There are written explanations in English (and Romanian) for all the houses. While, unfortunately, there are a few museums in Romania’s capital that don’t offer this, the Village Museum in Bucharest has printred explanations in English for every building exhibited here. So you’ll easily understand how each house was, how houses evolved, where every house is from, etc. – as you already saw in a previous article when I presented you a household of rich peasants from Gorj, Romania, in 1800.
The houses are very well maintained – and they are rare. For instance, you can see here the house that’s on the 10 lei bill – and keep in mind that there are only three such houses left in the entire country!
At the Village Museum Bucharest you can see houses that no longer exist – it’s the case of the half-buried houses.
The Village Museum is one of the most instagrammable places in Bucharest. As instagram is used by more and more people across the globe – and as travelers love to share awesome places from their trips -, this is a must visit in Romania’s capital as practically each house, church, windmill, building turns into an excellent instagram shot.
A post shared by Violeta-Loredana Pascal (@violeta.loredana) on Jan 5, 2017 at 11:51am PST
Having all these houses gathered together gives you an image of the quintessence of the Romanians (along with the Romanian Peasant Museum which we’ll talk about in a different post). You’ll be able to see the roots of Romania. Each house, each object has its own purpose and it had a special place in the house, symbolizing something. It is indeed a walk through the history.
You can visit the museum all year long. The Village Museum is always great. Each season brings its own scent of specific flowers or fruits in the trees. Yes, it is a great place to spend a day (or at least a few hours). And it is a great place for kids as well as for adults.
You’ll see from houses build half under and half above ground – to impressive peasant homes from Maramures, Muntenia, Moldova, Oltenia and Transilvania. You will also see different (wooden) churches, barns, stables and so on. Since the museum is located next to one of the largest parks in Bucharest – Herastrau – you’ll have the chance to enjoy a walk on the lakeside and admire some boats.
Yes, I was not exagerating when I said that the Dimitrie Gusti Village Museum is the best attraction in Bucharest.
There is a NEW VILLAGE
Inauguared just a few years ago, the New Village offers even more houses – recent ones, from the XIX and XX centuries. There’s even an inn exhibited here.
There are also live animals here – meaning birds, sheep, goats and… you’ll see. And you can feed them (there’s hay available on site, no extra charge, don’t bring food from the outside).
How to visit the Village Museum in Bucharest
You can choose between the printed explanations and a guided tour (trust me you’ll find out interesting data – even we, Romanians, found out interesting stuff from a guide for foreign tourists that was guiding the group on the same track that we chose! 🙂 ).
I recommend stopping by each house, seeing even those that are not opened inside. You can still learn a lot about Romania. I also recommend booking at least 2-3 hours here – if you don’t want to just run.
There is also a restaurant with a terrace – they grow many plants and vegetables next to the premises, so all is fresh.
Also, if you are visiting with a Romanian person, you may want to ask the curators more details about each house/church, etc. – they know even more than the explanations say.
I am Romanian and I have visited this museum many times – but each time there is something new I discover: a new house I get to look closer at, a new detail I didn’t notice before, a new color or a distinct object, or a new information about a house or item.
Be sure to bring a bottle of juice or water, especially during the summer – you will definitely need it 🙂 You can also buy one (or an ice-cream) from the restaurant inside the museum.
At the entrance (which is as well an exit, but there is a secondary exit directly into the Herastrau park) you will find a souvenir shop. It has many specific objects from all over the country, usually local objects hand made by traditional workers.
So the recommendation is clear: if you come to Bucharest and you’d like to see something special, have a visit at The Village Museum (Muzeul Satului). The address is Kiseleff 28-30, 1st district; |
products does help provide the peace of mind that the food is a bit closer to nature and doesn’t have any added gluten-based preservatives. This is where a GF label can benefit us.
In Closing
This was originally intended as a response to all the gluten-free marketing I have been seeing lately, but now I realize that the message is bigger than that. It’s about the food industry as a whole. Don’t fall into the cycle of becoming a consumer of cheap, processed food. Low-fat, low-carb, gluten-free, lactose-free, vitamin this, vitamin that, and even organic are usually just marketing labels and do not tell the whole story of where the food came from, how it was treated, and what’s in it.
Dig deeper and understand what you are buying, where it comes from, how it was made, and what has been added or taken away.
How to Be a smart consumer:
Be Informed
Be a label reader
Be a Googler of the company whose products you buy
Buy local
Support small farms
Buy whole-fresh ingredients that are straight from nature
Be smart about your food choices. Buy smaller brands that put an emphasis on the ingredient, where it comes form, and the environmental implications. You will feel better about what you are eating, enjoy better health, and look good in then mirror. All from your food choices. It’s incredible how powerful food really is.
To add some benefit-based motivation as to why you should care about your ingredients, here is a list of benefits you will receive from eating better and saying NO to processed food:
Six-pack abs
Lean
Sexy
Stronger
Run faster, jump higher, move better
Live longer
Sleep better
Better sex
And most other things that improve with improved food
Remember that food is everything when it comes to your body and health (broken record I know). Beware the marketing traps, shop smarter, and eat better.
Grab your Free Lifestyle Guides AND become a member of The Gym Life Email Club for Free!In 1914, after years of campaigning by moderate Irish leader John Redmond, British Parliament passed the Irish Home Rule bill, granting self-government to Ireland. However, the implementation of the bill was delayed due to the outbreak of World War I Redmond, hoping to retain positive relations with Britain, advised Irishmen to join the British Army, but a group of militant nationalists saw the war as an opportunity to launch an insurrection. Five members of the clandestine Irish Republican Brotherhood—Patrick Pearse, Joseph Plunkett, Sean MacDermott, Eamonn Ceannt and Thomas Clarke— formed the IRB Military Council in 1915; they were joined a year later by socialist labor leader James Connolly, head of the Irish Citizens Army, and Thomas MacDonagh.They formulated a plan to launch an insurrection in Dublin on the weekend of Easter, using an army of men from the IRB, ICA and Irish Volunteers, a paramilitary group of moderate nationalists. However, days before the uprising, Irish Volunteers leader Eoin MacNeill heard of the plan and ordered his men not to participate. The plan was further compromised when a shipment of German arms was intercepted.“The leaders of the Rising may have begun with the notion of staging a real military revolt that would overthrow British rule, but by Easter Monday, when the hoped-for German aid had failed to materialise and a countermanding order had weakened their mobilisation, they knew that this was an impossibility,” writes the Irish Times. “ They settled for a symbolic act, a dramatic gesture.”On Easter Monday, the rebels marched through Dublin to the General Post Office, where they took down the British flag and replaced it with the Irish tricolor and a flag with the words “Irish Republic.” Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, declaring “the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.”The rebels seized other points in the city with little resistance, as the British were not prepared for such a rebellion. The outnumbered British troops waited for reinforcements as intense street battles broke out during the week. Some soldiers killed unarmed men, including pacifist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, who was killed by firing squad.By Friday reinforcements had arrived and the British forces, roughly five times the size of the Irish fighters, launched an assault on the post office. On Saturday the rebels were forced to surrender, thereby ending the Easter Rising. According to the BBC, 116 British soldiers died and were 368 wounded, while 64 rebels and 254 civilians died.Strawberry Fields Forever
Strawberries! Where would we be without ravishingly red strawberries, especially while looking at a cold leaden winter sky? Their little, plump, juicy bodies cry out saying ‘shove as many in your mouth as you can’. Personally I don’t think summer has started until you’ve eaten your first strawberry. They magically teleport us to mental images of strawberry cheesecake with a clink-clink of daiquiri glasses.
You can almost smell the dry straw and summer breeze just by planting strawberry plants. So let’s get on with it. If planting by seed or you just want to start early then reserve some shelf space in your home before making use of the greenhouse during late winter.
Strawberry Types
Your first decision is which type of strawberries to actually plant. There are three main ones to choose from as thus;
Junebearer. This is the most common type of strawberry which is Britain signals spring is finally done and we can now expect to work on our tans (until the rain that is!). Junebearers are day-length sensitive so they produce buds in the autumn followed by flowers and fruits the next spring. Once we’ve had our glut from June until August the plants will throw out runners until the end of autumn.
Everbearer. These varieties will spend the long summer days forming buds and more in the shorter days of autumn. The summer buds flower and fruit in the autumn and the autumn-formed buds will bear fruit the following spring.
Day-Neutral. These lesser known strawberries are insensitive to day-length, so form buds, fruits and runners continuously if the weather stays fair. Their downside is a smaller production output than the Junebearers.
Either way you choose, you are likely to get a reduced output in your first harvest but can look for a decent crop the following year, perhaps in spring. There are some varieties that have been bred to address the lack of action such as Elvira, but generally it is better to pick off blossoms to discourage first year fruiting so the plant develops its energy reserves in the root system making it more productive in year 2.
Seeding
As you are now aware of the requirement of time investment for strawberries, you will not be surprised to hear that germination tends to be a long drawn out love affair too. Start them off in early spring or indoors in trays. Seeds can be pre-frozen which will actually help them to germinate.
Strawberry seedlings appreciate a bit of acidity in their potting mix and if you can find some ericaceous soil you can always add a handful. Sprinkle the seeds on your chosen soil and cover with a thin layer of sieved compost. Moisten straight away and allow to germinate on a window sill. This could take a month so keep vigilant with the soil moistening.
You can look to transplant once a third leaf has arrived. Plant them into small pots with a good compost and, if the weather is less cold they can go outside to harden off. If you have chosen to use containers then remember that strawberries grow best in small communities. A large container is fine or smaller pots placed together will do nicely.
Tips
The first flowers should be pinched off. This will stop fruit from being produced and the plant’s energy will be saved for next year. This will significantly increase the crop for next year.
Strawberries are sprawling by nature. You will notice runners even come from as early as seedlings. The runners will try to establish daughter plants which you can nip off to encourage bigger growth. Runners can always be allowed to bed into near pots at a later date for more plants.
Allow plenty of space between plants so you don’t get in a mess with the runners. Don’t forget strawberries don’t make deep roots early on. When established they may grow to 8” which can be trimmed back if necessary.
Strawberries like a well-drained soil and go well in a raised bed. They enjoy from 6-10 hours of direct sunlight per day so choose your bed wisely.
The ideal acidity should be between 5.5 and 7, and they quite like a loam soil, preferably with a couple of months worked in.
Practice crop rotation techniques for the best chance of success. They tend not to like soil used for tomatoes, eggplants, peppers or other strawberries. You should establish some new plants each year to help keep a better quality of berry and never scrimp on your straw or mulch for winter. Old straw mulch should be replaced with fresh for summer growing season.With the absolutely myriad number of features and applications that are available for the modern smartphone, it’s sometimes easy to forget their namesake: phones are supposed to make and receive calls, and though more and more people find themselves doing less and less of just that, when things don’t work properly, it’s a major problem.
Unfortunately for owners of the HTC One M7 and M8, there seems to be a major glitch going down at the moment that is all but crippling the phone’s ability to place and receive calls.
The issue was first brought to the forefront of mainstream attention back on November 2nd, when XDA user PondaRox mentioned having trouble hearing callers and vice-versa, though some users report having the problem since October. The problem is all but rendering cellular calling useless, though allegedly Wi-Fi calling is not affected.
While nothing has been confirmed, many are pointing fingers at a recent HTC update on Google Play, and that by disabling Google Play services, or resetting the app entirely may provide a solution to the problem, albeit temporary. Others affected claim that flashing a ROM that doesn’t make use of HTC Sense will solve the problem.
One commented over at Phandroid had the following comment to offer which, assuming it’s true, might offer some hope in the future:
Finally talked to someone at HTC who knew what they were talking about. They are well aware of the problem and taking full responsibility they are currently gathering data on who all was affected in order push a permanent solution to customers ASAP. Temporally you can disable google services framework and restart the phone and it should work after a few hours turn re-enable google services framework. This of course is only a temporary solution and does not work for everyone. Also Wi-Fi calling is not affected
The issue surrounding the HTC One M7 and M8 seem extremely troubling. There is no clear explanation as to what’s causing it, nor is there a solid solution. HTC has yet to issue an official response to clarify this situation.
While we wait for some official word (or fix) from HTC, we’d like to ask our readers if anyone has experienced this problem, and if so, what you’re currently doing about it.Save this picture! Courtesy of Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch
With the guidance of their instructor Matthias Hollwich, students Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch from University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design have proposed an alternative to the traditional prisons seen throughout the United States. The innovative high-rise penitentiary acknowledges the fact that nearly two-thirds of the 14,000 inmates released annually from New Jersey correctional facilities will return to prison within five years. 499.SUMMIT offers a solution that intends to reverse that statistic and help inmates successfully transition back into society.
Continue after the break for more.
+ 50
Project Description provided by Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch:
Save this picture! Courtesy of Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch
The US prison system has failed to see advancements throughout the past century and desperately requires innovation and re-imagination. While recent literature begins to question the sociological impact of prisons, there has been little exploration of the physical apparatus in which inmates are housed.
499.SUMMIT is the outcome of a critical look into these static institutions. It proposed to challenges all preconceived notions of the word “prison”, and re-imagines the high-rise as an urban penitentiary. The massing consists of three towers in the shape of an arch. The inherent linear and formal qualities of the ‘arch’ allowed for the overall circulatory concept: Up, over, down. Each arch has three primary phases, Incarceration (up), Transformation (over), and Integration (down). The arches begin isolated during the incarceration phase and merge together both physically and programmatically during the integration phase. As the inmates graduate through the facility, they are being exposed to an increasing degree of social interaction, to make the transition back into society as soft as possible. To catalyst this process, public program and residential housing are introduced in the integration phase downwards.
Save this picture! Courtesy of Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch
Save this picture! Courtesy of Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch
Save this picture! Courtesy of Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch
Save this picture! Courtesy of Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg KnoblochUniversal Music Group and XM Radio have settled a lawsuit filed last year over the XM Inno, a portable XM Radio receiver capable of recording up to 50 hours of programming. The Big Four record labels sued XM Radio in May 2006, accusing the satellite radio company of copyright infringement.
The problem, from the standpoint of the record labels, is that the Inno can play back the programming it records in a different order. Consumers call that convenient, but to an industry hounded by shrinking revenues, that feature equates to a free version of iTunes. "XM wants to offer listeners what is essentially a free version of iTunes without paying the music companies for the right to sell their songs," said RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol when the suit was first filed (Bainwol and the RIAA declined to comment on the settlement).
Sirius, which makes a similar device, got a pass from the record labels because it negotiated a fee structure before launching the product. That's apparently what XM Radio did with Universal. Although the two companies have not disclosed the terms of the deal, XM Radio is joining Sirius in paying Universal a licensing fee—one that covers all future XM devices with similar functionality.
"We are pleased to have resolved this situation in an amicable manner," said Universal CEO Doug Morris. "We pride ourselves on empowering new technology and expanding consumer choice. And XM is providing a new and exciting opportunity for music lovers around the world to discover and enjoy our content, while at the same time recognizing the intrinsic value of music to their business and the need to respect the rights of content owners."
To its credit, Universal has done an about-face on the DRM issue, and some of its other moves show that the label is serious about exploring uncharted territory in its attempts to fix what ails the music industry. In particular, its plans for what it calls "Total Music," a service would give buyers of mobile devices a free subscription to much of the UMG library, has the potential to shake up the online music market.
For the time being, the other three major labels will press on with their lawsuit against XM Radio. It wouldn't be surprising if the agreement between XM and Universal serves as the basis for a pact with the remaining plaintiffs; indeed, Reuters is already reporting that Warner Music Group and XM are in settlement talks.Since the addition of Finn “karrigan” Andersen and Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, FaZe Clan have become a world class team. 2017 has seen them make three semifinals and claim one title at StarLadder i-League StarSeries Season 3. They are ranked as the second best team in the world at HLTV.
The mixed team might be famous for its Train, but they’ve shown a clear preference for Inferno. It is their second most played map on LAN with thirteen showings in the past three months, just behind Train at sixteen. In pick-bans, FaZe has chosen the map three times since Sydney, more than any other. Vetoes have been steered to Inferno as a best-of-one or decider map four times. At present, Inferno is also tied with Mirage and Overpass as their “winningest” map. Per HLTV, FaZe holds an 83% win rate on all three, only losing Inferno once in a 17-19 overtime with SK at ECS.
Inferno is a traditionally CT sided map, with strong positions and no shortage of fallbacks for the defense. T’s have to be mindful of giving up map control as banana pushes and flanks are not uncommon. karrigan’s default system mitigates those threats and has seen the team win a slight majority of T-side rounds. Let’s take a closer look at how FaZe sets up.
FaZe Clan's pick-bans since IEM Sydney 2017
Opening Moves
Nearly every gun round consists of an early apartment take by Fabien “kioShiMa” Fiey and Håvard “rain” Nygaard. The duo buys a minimum of one incendiary and one H.E. grenade, deploying both into boiler to discourage CT’s from crossing the window. karrigan will occasionally post on the bridge for cover. The combo makes a classic play for apps, putting one in the window with the other up through stairs. Their success rate is remarkable and can no doubt be attributed to their coordination on entry.
Once in position, rain and kioShiMa are in position to gather information by listening for footsteps and gather mid-round picks. These two are the lynchpin to FaZe’s A-site executes
NiKo and allu molly car and watch, rain and kio take apartments.
Big Guns at Banana
Banana is a critical part of the map and is a necessity for B takes. It can be a dangerous place and is often challenged and pushed by would-be flankers. For that reason, FaZe prefers to play for control of the corridor and then leave their strongest player, NiKo as an anchor.
Control of banana sees more variation than apps. NiKo and AWPer Aleksi “allu” Jalli invariably open with an incendiary / H.E. combo to top banana. karrigan will sometimes offer help, making a three-man effort to claim map control. Once given, FaZe rarely pushes beyond the half-wall unless fully committing to B. Instead, NiKo takes a position while allu and karrigan fall back to mid, completing the default.
Protect the Leader
In the mid round, karrigan scoots to a well-covered area, loitering by the smoke wall near the apartment window or hidden at bench in mid. His flank is covered by NiKo, apartments by rain and kioShiMa, and Allu will typically hold an AWP angle down mid. While his team looks for picks, karrigan is at all times protected.
By keeping karrigan safe, FaZe frees their leader from focusing on his crosshair and playing his individual game. The team captain is free to think, process information and make effective calls. This is where the Dane puts on his thinking cap and earns his keep.
allu watches banana before being relieved by NiKo. rain mollies boiler.
The Lurker’s Guide
Instead of a dedicated lurk player, FaZe clan employs its extremity players as lurks. If the team groups up to go A, then NiKo becomes the lurk. The same goes for kioShiMa when the team groups up at B. It’s rare for either to chase rotators into spawn, with each player favoring mid presence above all.
Site Takes
FaZe Clan’s takes tend to come swiftly on the heels of a pick. In the case of a B-take, they almost always throw the old spools smoke along with a classic CT smoke. They approach the site methodically, using smoke for cover. Note that they shy away from diving towards dark or new-box until post-plant, clearing angles in twos. They are typically in position just in time for the smoke to clear.
Successful A-takes are accompanied by typical smokes that are often thrown off the cuff. You’ll see smokes blocking one side of mid and nearly every round will see a smoke thrown to block the view of A from players at arches or in the library. Set smokes are in the playbook, but are sidelined in favor of fast plays to capitalize on the pick.
FaZe’s default T strat is simple and has worked wonders against the top teams in Counter-Strike. By mimicking karrigan’s setup and streamlining the decision making process, you should be able to add some coordination to five-queues and FaZe Up while you rank up.
All insights were gathered by analyzing demos, viewing streams, and higher-level analytics through Shadow.gg. This is not a pro team scouting report and as such, some observations are omitted or intentionally vague.
Like our content? Support us by getting our merchandise in our shopMedia playback is unsupported on your device Media caption "Because the attackers have been coming from East Jerusalem... the government has felt the pressure to act", reports Jonny Dymond
Israeli forces have begun a major security operation in Arab areas of occupied East Jerusalem, after a surge in attacks by Palestinians.
On Wednesday morning police blocked entrances to Jabal Mukaber, a district that is home to three men accused of killing three Israelis on Tuesday.
The Israeli military also deployed hundreds of soldiers to assist.
Later, police said they shot dead a Palestinian who stabbed an Israeli woman at Jerusalem's main bus station.
A Palestinian also attempted to stab a policeman at the Damascus Gate of the walled Old City, but was shot dead by police, they added.
Is social media driving Israel-Palestinian violence?
Can Israel and the Palestinians contain spiralling violence?
Since the beginning of October, seven Israelis have been killed and dozens wounded in shooting and stabbing attacks, the Israeli authorities say.
At least 30 Palestinians have also been killed, including assailants, and hundreds have been injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Speaking for the first time since the upsurge in violence began, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Israeli actions were "threatening to spark a religious conflict that would burn everything".
He also accused Israel of carrying out "executions of our children in cold blood", highlighting the case of a 13-year-old Palestinian boy who was shot by Israeli police after he and a 15-year-old stabbed an Israeli on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the Palestinian leader's comments as "lies and incitement", adding that the boy was alive in hospital, the Jerusalem Post reports.
He said on Tuesday the new security measures were aimed at "those who try murder and with all those who assist them".
'Recipe for harassment'
On Tuesday night, Israel's security cabinet authorised police to close or surround "centres of friction and incitement" in Jerusalem.
It also announced that the homes of Palestinians who attacked Israelis would be demolished within days and never rebuilt, and that their families' right to live in Jerusalem would be taken away.
On Wednesday morning, a police spokeswoman told the AFP news agency that checkpoints were being set up at "the exits of Palestinian villages and neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem".
Israeli newspapers later reported that several entrances to Jabal Mukaber had been blocked by police, with neither people nor vehicles allowed in or out.
At the scene: Jonny Dymond, BBC News, East Jerusalem
Across some roads leading into Arab neighbourhoods, a police vehicle blocks access; at other points, heavily armed police keep guard; at one access point, what was a lightly-staffed police checkpoint has been beefed up.
For years, Israel has tightly controlled access in and out of the West Bank and Gaza, where the vast majority of Palestinians live. East Jerusalem's checkpoints are not like the ones around the West Bank and Gaza; they are much more informal affairs. But they are, for the first time since 1967, restricting access to and from largely Arab East Jerusalem.
How long they will last is difficult to call. East Jerusalem's residents have the right to move freely through the city and Israel. It doesn't seem feasible to cut off whole neighbourhoods for long. And the roadblocks and checkpoints strike at the idea promulgated by the Israeli right that Jerusalem is the undivided capital of the Israeli state.
The checkpoints have the feel of short-term solution to an acute security problem. But with Israelis mourning their dead, and in fear of their lives, there is extraordinary pressure on the government to act.
Human Rights Watch warned on Tuesday night that locking down parts of East Jerusalem would "infringe upon the freedom of movement of all Palestinian residents rather than being a narrowly tailored response to a specific concern".
"The checkpoints are a recipe for harassment and abuse," said Sari Bashi, the group's Israel/Palestine country director, in a statement.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Yolande Knell reports from Bethlehem in the West Bank on a day of unrest
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it was preparing to deploy six companies to assist police. Three hundred soldiers are already providing additional security under police command.
The security cabinet's decisions were made after the bloodiest day in Jerusalem since the latest wave of unrest began in early October.
In Tuesday's first attack, two Palestinian men boarded a bus and began shooting and stabbing passengers, killing two Israelis, police said. Police shot dead one of the assailants and wounded the other.
Locations of Tuesday's attacks in Jerusalem
Just a few minutes later, another Palestinian rammed his car into a bus stop before getting out and stabbing people. The attacker was fatally shot by a security guard.
There were also two separate knife attacks in Raanana, a town in central Israel. Police identified the assailants as Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Tuesday was the bloodiest day in Jerusalem since the latest wave of unrest began
Clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers meanwhile continued in the West Bank after Palestinian activists called for a "day of rage".
Palestinian medics said one Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire in Bethlehem.
The BBC's Yolande Knell in Jerusalem says the violence, coming at a time when peace prospects seem dim, has fuelled a sense of panic in Israel and raised fears of a new Palestinian uprising, or intifada.
What is happening between Israelis and Palestinians?
There has been a spate of stabbings of Israelis - several of them fatal - by Palestinians since early October, and one apparent revenge stabbing by an Israeli. The attackers have struck in Jerusalem and central and northern Israel, and in the occupied West Bank. Israel has tightened security and its security forces have clashed with rioting Palestinians, leading to deaths on the Palestinian side. The violence has also spread to the border with Gaza.
What's behind the latest unrest?
After a period of relative quiet, violence between the two communities has spiralled since clashes erupted at a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site in mid-September. It was fuelled by rumours among Palestinians that Israel was attempting to alter a long-standing religious arrangement governing the site. Israel repeatedly dismissed the rumours as incitement. Soon afterwards, two Israelis were shot dead by Palestinians in the West Bank and the stabbing attacks began. Both Israel and the Palestinian authorities have accused one another of doing nothing to protect each other's communities.
Is this a new Palestinian intifada, or uprising?
There have been two organised uprisings by Palestinians against Israeli occupation, in the 1980s and early 2000s. With peace talks moribund, some observers have questioned whether we are now seeing a third. The stabbing attacks seem to be opportunistic and although they have been praised by militant groups, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said Palestinians are not interested in a further escalation.AUBURN HILLS -- Tayshaun Prince rarely softens his public position on where the Detroit Pistons stand at any given time, and after their latest home loss, the veteran forward pointed the finger at the end of the floor upon which the Pistons, by design, are supposedly centrally focused.
Prince called it a "growing trend" that when the Pistons get a lead, they lose their defensive focus, like in Tuesday's 104-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
"It's just been the same trend that's been happening," Prince said. "Just giving away games like this, it's not pleasing to the fans, it's not pleasing to us."
The biggest issue, Prince said, is that the Pistons don't consistently adhere to their own defense-first philosophy, like when the Nuggets shot 27.3 percent in the first quarter, then 53.4 over the last three quarters.
"And it's been like that this season so far," Prince said. "The teams that we've been up on early in the first half, we get really comfortable with what we're doing offensively, then from a defensive standpoint, the discipline ends up going away because we've got it going so good on the offensive end."
So it was in a second-quarter dunk-fest by the Nuggets, who had six of their 10 slams in that period to reverse a 21-4 deficit and take the lead before halftime.
It marked the eighth time the Pistons (7-17) lost a game they led by double digits, and their seventh loss by seven points or less.
"We had Denver turning the ball over, taking some shots they didn't want to take at the beginning, and that kind of got us going, got some dunks and things like that," Prince said.
Soon after, the breakdowns began.
Prince pointed to Jason Maxiell, who equaled a career-high with six blocked shots, as a teammate unfairly victimized by poor team defense.
Exhibit A was Danilo Gallinari's 3-pointer to push Denver's lead to 96-89, effectively ending the game, when Brandon Knight got switched onto the taller player then tried to switch back with Maxiell while the Nuggets' power forward was teeing up a decisive blow.
"Max had a terrific game on both ends, especially on the defensive end, but a couple of bad things happened where his man scored and everybody's looking at Max like, 'What happened?'" Prince said. "No, it's not Max's fault. But that's just the things that happen when all five guys aren't on the same page. That's where the discipline factor comes in."
Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said his team's defensive communication began to wane in the second quarter, which contributed to Gallinari's big shot, as well as the combined 37 points and 14 assists for Denver guard duo Ty Lawson and Andre Miller, who were "very much in control of the game," Frank said.
"There are no excuses," Frank said. "To me, we're not going to bring in (motivational speaker) Tony Robbins and wave some incense. Look, these are grown men. We've just got to play better. I'm not here to look for excuses or give excuses.... We just have to play better. I have to coach better. It's that simple."
Kyle Singler played on a national championship team at Duke, where he lost 23 games in four years. He is six away from that total after just six weeks in the NBA.
"You've got to stay positive," Singler said. "There's going to be tough times wherever you go sometimes. Everything in my life hasn't been perfect. Losing like this is tough. But it shows who you are and if you're willing to change and put forth the necessary work to get better.
"I know that losing is tough for this team. I see it every day."
Prince said everyone in the Pistons' locker room is frustrated. But at least he thinks he knows why it's happening, and it isn't that the Pistons have played 24 games -- two more than the next-most by any NBA team -- or four in the last five days.
"We've played a lot of games in the last two weeks," he said. "People use fatigue as a factor and things like that. But the way we came out today in the first half, at the beginning of the game, you didn't see fatigue. So it can't be that. Not today. Because the energy was there from the beginning of the game.
"Was there some fatigue factor in some of the previous few games? Yeah, there was. Was there some tonight? There could've been in stretches, but the way we started off the game, we had enough energy to be able to sustain it. But just the discipline factor just wasn't there."
-- Download the Detroit Pistons on MLive app for iPhone and Android
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Bowe touches on a number of topics and, as usual, some of them will raise your eyebrows. He makes a comment about "carrying the team" that someone will surely blow out of proportion but, if you listen to the audio, it's not as juicy as it sounds.
The best line? He says Haley "definitely don't want no punks" on his team.
I'd encourage you to check out the audio here. Here's the transcript below. Gottlieb's questions are paraphrased but Bowe's answers are direct quotes.
Gottlieb: How'd it feel to get the first win?
Bowe: Oh my god, so good, it felt a whole block of cement off my shoulders.
Gottlieb: Kansas City is all Chiefs, right?
Bowe: Oh my gosh, it's everything. Red Friday, the whole town is painted red and they're getting at it. It's like the most football I've ever seen in my life.
Gottlieb: More so than LSU?
Bowe: It's just like a college town. It's not as big as LSU but, man, it's the same, they're on the same page.
Gottlieb: What did you do on Sunday that you didn't do in previous weeks to win the game?
Bowe; Finish. Execute, definitely during the second half, capitalizing on their defense. Plus, you know, they threw me the ball so you'll always get a win that way.
Gottlieb: Is that the most important thing?
Bowe: It's not the No. 1 thing but it's a big thing.
Gottlieb: Is Jonathan Baldwin going to play?
Bowe: I'm not sure. He's been taking a few reps here and there but he needs to make sure it's 100 percent and I'm not sure what's his deal. He's been out there taking reps so hopefully he does.
Gottlieb: Some of the guys that were supposed to take the pressure off you have been injured. What's that been like for you personally?
Bowe: Personally, I just say God is good. These shoulders I got, I feel like I can take on anything, and I feel like I've been carrying this team since I've been here, so nothing new for me. It's just going out there executing whatever the play is called. I always feel like, I'm gonna be that guy, ever since LSU, the guy to carry the team and if you put the game on my shoulders I guarantee you I won't let you down so I've just been playing with that attitude.
Gottlieb: How much different is the offense without Charlie Weis?
Bowe: The only thing different is we don't have the key guys. Charlie was a big part but the players is everything. Jamaal, Eric, Tony and those guys are down so our wide selection of plays is shortened and it's just me, you got Steve, but teams roll to us and put two and three guys on us so it's hard right now and we're still trying to figure out what can we do to move the ball down the field. Hopefully later on down the season, it's gonna change. Jonny will be back, both of us will be making plays, the running backs and Thomas will be breaking long runs and we'll be back in it.
Gottlieb: What happened with the Haley-Cassel altercation?
Bowe: I was in on that play, actually. I still don't know to this day what went on. I know they were yelling at each other. but they yell at each other at practice every day so that's nothing new. You just caught it on tape. That's all day.
Gottlieb: Haley yells at you and allows you to yell back, is that accurate?
Bowe: I don't know about yelling back at him but he definitely don't want no punks. He wants a guy to take control and that's how he feels he has to do it, so that's how he has to do it.
Gottlieb: Do you like that?
Bowe: I don't have a problem with with. I'm going to get the job done regardless, whether you tell me in a nice way or the way he does, I'm going to get the job done.
Gottlieb: Does Haley still have control of the locker room?
Bowe: I mean, every coach does but we still got the leaders on the team that's looking over the locker room. He's the head coach and he's going to be in whatever he wants to be in.
Gottlieb: Can you turn this thing around?
Bowe: We play each game by quarters, the first season is over. October is the second season so we're trying to go 3-1 in each quarter and hopefully that will get us in the playoffs. We don't look forward to the end of the season, we just go game-by-game, learn from our mistakes and try to win them. Everybody in the locker room, this team is so tight right now, especially having those two losses in the beginning, I think we needed that to bring us together to let us know that we were far behind with our OTAs and things like that but it takes the guys in the locker room to believe we can do it, andt hat's what we have to do.
Gottlieb: Better SEC defense: LSU or Alabama?
Bowe: C'mon, that's an insult. LSU all day.
Gottlieb: They booed Jordan Jefferson. No. 1 team in the country, and he gets booed?
Bowe: Fans are gonna be fans but true fans that are in the stands didn't boo. You're still going to have your select few that do that but as long as he gets back and makes plays they'll forget that.
Gottlieb: Can Missouri compete in the SEC?
Bowe: I think they have a chance. They're very exposive, their offense is good. You need that in the SEC. |
every ancestor from a given individual, and when traversing, if the person you're going to step to next is already marked, then cut the link. This will sever potentially accurate relationships. The correct way to do it is to start from each individual, and mark each ancestor with the path to that individual. If the new path contains the current path as a subpath, then it's a cycle, and should be broken. You can store paths as vector<bool> (MFMF, MFFFMF, etc.) which makes the comparison and storage very fast.
There are a few other ways to detect cycles, such as sending out two iterators and seeing if they ever collide with the subset test, but I ended up using the local storage method.
Also note that you don't need to actually sever the link, you can just change it from a normal link to a 'weak' link, which isn't followed by some of your algorithms. You will also want to take care when choosing which link to mark as weak; sometimes you can figure out where the cycle should be broken by looking at birthdate information, but often you can't figure out anything because so much data is missing.I'll present this in the traditional illustrated form:
$ cat repro #!/bin/bash function cleanup() { r1=$(/bin/echo one) r2=$(echo two) #echo $r1 '!' $r2 >>/tmp/logfile echo $r1 '!' $r2 1>&2 } trap cleanup EXIT sleep 1 echo final $./repro | false final one final! final two $
Wait, what? This should print merely'one! two '. The'echo final'should be written to stdout, which is a pipe to false (and anyways, it's closed by the time the echo runs, since false will already have exited by the time'sleep 1'finishes). Then the cleanup function should run on termination, with $r1 winding up being "one" and $r2 winding up being "two" from the command substitutions, and they should then get echoed out to standard error as'one! two '.
(Indeed you can get exactly this output with a command line like './repro >/dev/null '.)
What is actually happening here (or at least appears to be happening) is an interaction between IO buffering, our old friend SIGPIPE, and forking children while you have unclean state. Based on strace, the sequence of events is:
Bash gets to'echo final'and attempts to write it to the now-closed standard output pipe by calling'write(1, "final
", 6) '. This gets an immediate SIGPIPE. Since we've set a general EXIT trap, bash immediately runs our cleanup function (since the script is now exiting due to the SIGPIPE ). Bash forks to run the $(/bin/echo one) command substitution. In the child, it runs /bin/echo and then, just before the child exits, does a'write(1, "final
", 6) '. This succeeds, since the child's stdout is connected to the parent's pipe. In the main bash process, it reads back one
and then final
from the child process, and turns this into "one final" as the value assigned to $r1. For'$(echo two) ', the child process just winds up calling write(1, "final
two
", 10). This becomes "final two" for $r2's value. (This child doesn't fork to run /bin/echo because we're using the Bash builtin echo instead.) At last, the main process temporarily duplicates standard error to standard output and calls'write(1,....)'to produce all of the output we see here.
What appears to be going on is that when the initial'echo final'in the main Bash process was interrupted by a SIGPIPE, it left "final
" in stdout's IO buffer as unflushed output. When Bash forked for each $(...) command substitution, the child inherited this unflushed buffer. In the $r1 case, the child noticed this unflushed buffer as it was exiting and wrote it out at that point; in the $r2 case, the child appended the output of its builtin echo command to the unflushed stdout buffer and then wrote the whole thing out. Then, finally, when the parent ran the echo at the end of cleanup(), it too appended its echo output to the stdout buffer and wrote everything out.
There are two Bash bugs here. First, the output from the initial failed'echo final'should have been discarded from stdout's IO buffer, not retained to show up later on. Second, the children forked for each $(...) should not have inherited this unflushed IO buffer, because allowing unflushed buffers to make it into children is a well known recipe for having exactly this sort of multiple-flush happen.
(Well, allowing any unflushed or un-cleaned-up resource into children will do this, at least if your children are allowed to then notice it and attempt to clean it up.)
I don't know why this bug seems to be Linux specific. Perhaps Bash is using stdio, and Linux's stdio is the only version that behaves this way (either on the initial write that gets SIGPIPE, or in allowing the unflushed buffer state to propagate into forked children). If this is Linux stdio at work, I don't know if the semantics are legal according to POSIX/SUS and in a way it doesn't matter, as stdio libraries with this behavior are on a lot of deployed machines so your code had better be prepared for it.
(Regardless of what POSIX and SUS say, in practice'standard' Unix is mostly defined this way. Code that you want to be portable has to cope with existing realities, however non-compliant they may be.)
By the way, finding this Bash issue from the initial, rather drastic symptoms that manifested in a complex environment was what they call a lot of fun (and it was Didier Spezia who did the vital work of identifying where the failure was; I just ground away from there).× Amelia Earhart died as castaway, and skeleton proves it, new research argues
There’s an entire chapter in Amelia Earhart’s life that history ignores, says new research: The legendary American pilot died as a castaway, not in a plane crash.
Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Her plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean while she attempted to circle the Earth.
It was always assumed Earhart died in the crash and that her remains were lost to the deep waters.
But now, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) reveals a new theory.
The skeleton of a castaway found on the island of Nikumaroro, Kiribati, in 1940 may belong to Earhart.
TIGHAR has been trying to prove the bones uncovered belong to the American pilot since 1998.
“Until we started investigating the skeleton, we found what history knew was that Amelia Earhart died in July 2nd, 1937, in a plane crash. But there is an entire final chapter of Earhart’s life that people don’t know about. She spent days — maybe months — heroically struggling to survive as a castaway,” Ric Gillespie, TIGHAR’s executive director told CNN on Tuesday.
The human remains were initially dismissed by British authorities who thought the bones belonged to a male.
But in 1998, the TIGHAR team recovered the original files — with the 1940 skeleton’s measurements — and sent them to forensic anthropologists Karen Burns and Richard Jantz.
“The morphology of the recovered bones, insofar as we can tell by applying contemporary forensic methods to measurements taken at the time, appears consistent with a female of Earhart’s height and ethnic origin,” they said in a statement.
Then came another discovery.
Jantz, from the University of Tennessee, noticed something peculiar when updating the information about the bone measurements. The skeleton had forearms that were considerably large for a European woman.
He joined forces with forensic imaging specialist Jeff Glickman. Analyzing a historical photo of Earhart where her bare arms are fully visible, they found Earhart’s forearms were virtually identical to the castaway’s.
She called for help
In August, the TIGHAR team revealed Earhart made more than 100 radio transmissions calling for help between July 2 and July 6 of 1937, which rules out the possibility of her plane crashing.
The airplane’s radio would not have worked if the engine was not running.
“There are historical documents that prove official airlines received radio calls for help in 1937. If we look at the press of the time – people believed she was still alive. It was only when planes where sent to fly over the islands where the distress signals were coming from and no plane was seen that the searches shifted towards the ocean,” Gillespie told CNN.
TIGHAR believes no plane was seen because by the time the rescue planes were sent out, Earhart’s plane would have been dragged back into the ocean by the waves.
“But she lived and died in that island for a while,” Gillespie said.
Since the late 90s, Gillespie has organized three rescue archeological expeditions to Nikumaroro to explore the area where the bones were found.
“We found records of bonfires being lit in the area where the bones were found. Based on the fish bones and bird bones found in the area, Earhart survived weeks, maybe even months, in that island,” Gillespie said.
While there is no drinkable water in the island, Gillespie believes Earhart gathered water from tree leaves and rain.
No other human remains were found in the area – meaning Earhart’s navigator Frederick J. Noonan would have died soon after the crash and been washed away by the ocean.
“We speculate Noonan died early on as she reported him being injured in the initial distress calls,” said Gilepsie.
“We believe she survived heroically, and alone, for a period of time, in terrible circumstances. History needs to tell her story right,” he added.MARK KARLIN, EDITOR OF BUZZFLASH AT TRUTHOUT
Forget the post-racial society that so many pundits heralded upon the election of Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008.
In fact, Obama's election was met with a "this-is-a-white-nation" backlash from the moment he was elected. Using coded language that included bizarre allegations of a Kenyan birth certificate, religion ("Obama is a Muslim") and accusations of socialism, a mighty torrent of racially motivated attacks against Obama have been unceasing to this day.
Indeed, a Washington Post article on October 27 contends, on the basis of poll results, that racial prejudice has risen during Obama's term in office:
Racial prejudice has increased slightly since 2008 whether those feelings were measured using questions that explicitly asked respondents about racist attitudes, or through an experimental test that measured implicit views toward race without asking questions about that topic directly.
In all, 51 percent of Americans now express explicit anti-black attitudes, compared with 48 percent in a similar 2008 survey. When measured by an implicit racial attitudes test, the number of Americans with anti-black sentiments jumped to 56 percent, up from 49 percent during the last presidential election. In both tests, the share of Americans expressing pro-black attitudes fell.
The prejudice is not confined to attitudes toward blacks, according to the survey:
Most Americans expressed anti-Hispanic sentiments, too. In an AP survey done in 2011, 52 percent of non-Hispanic whites expressed anti-Hispanic attitudes. That figure rose to 57 percent in the implicit test. The survey on Hispanics had no past data for comparison.
The AP surveys were conducted with researchers from Stanford University, the University of Michigan and NORC at the University of Chicago.
In short, the last four years, instead of moving the nation toward racial harmony, has resulted in increased bias against minorities.
Of course, even before a black man became president, the Republicans exploited the utterly fabricated notion that the taxes of white people were supporting "lazy" minorities. This has been the basis of GOP anti-government, anti-tax appeals to the white working class since the inauguration of the party's "Southern Strategy" beginning with Nixon.
With a black man as president, the racial stereotyping in relation to government has reached a feverish pitch, since now a member of that minority sits in the White House.
It is somewhat ironic that this increase in the racial divide comes under a president who has done everything possible to avoid appearing to favor minorities: including having no real urban policy in regards to improving the lot of poor blacks and actually increasing the jailing of undocumented Latinos.
As an October 27th opinion piece in the New York Times observes:
But the triumph of “post-racial” Democratic politics has not been a triumph for African-Americans in the aggregate. It has failed to arrest the growing chasm of income and wealth inequality; to improve prospects for social and economic mobility; to halt the re-segregation of public schools and narrow the black-white achievement gap; and to prevent the Supreme Court from eroding the last vestiges of affirmative action.
The once unimaginable successes of black diplomats like Colin L. Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Susan E. Rice and of black chief executives like Ursula M. Burns, Kenneth I. Chenault and Roger W. Ferguson Jr. cannot distract us from facts like these: 28 percent of African-Americans, and 37 percent of black children, are poor (compared with 10 percent of whites and 13 percent of white children); 13 percent of blacks are unemployed (compared with 7 percent of whites); more than 900,000 black men are in prison; blacks experienced a sharper drop in income since 2007 than any other racial group; black household wealth, which had been disproportionately concentrated in housing, has hit its lowest level in decades; blacks accounted, in 2009, for 44 percent of new H.I.V. infections.
Columbia University Professor Frederick C. Harris, the author of the NYT op-ed, further claims, "Mr. Obama has had little to say on concerns specific to blacks. His State of the Union address in 2011 was the first by any president since 1948 to not mention poverty or the poor. The political scientist Daniel Q. Gillion found that Mr. Obama, in his first two years in office, talked about race less than any Democratic president had since 1961. From racial profiling to mass incarceration to affirmative action, his comments have been sparse and halting."
In the Koerner Report that represented the findings of an official government commission that studied the reasons behind the urban riots following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the major conclusion was that America is still two nations: one white and one black.
Since that time in the late 60s a lot has changed in upward mobility for a select group of blacks. But for the majority of blacks things have not changed very much at all.
And the irony is that with a black president who symbolizes a march from slavery to the White House, the White House is relatively silent about the plight of minorities. Meanwhile, racially prejudiced whites have bombarded the nation with racist stereotypes and claims to white entitlement over the past four years.
This election may be about many things, but a large part of what it is about is still the unresolved legacy of racial hostility in America that began with slavery.
(Image: Wikipedia)You may have heard of a little game called GRAND THEFT AUTO V (GTA V). The latest installment in the time-honored franchise, GTA V was critically acclaimed for its satirical storyline, dense open-world, and chaotic freedom. But if you’re anything like Rockstar, you’ve probably forgotten about the main game. Indeed, unless you’re playing the single-player campaign for the tenth time, you’ve likely moved on to GTA: ONLINE (GTA: O).
GTA:O, the multiplayer mode for the game, was released shortly after the release of the single-player component. It received a mixed response at best, but continued profits have encouraged Rockstar to focus on it exclusively.
Since the game was released, many have been waiting for more single-player content. The GRAND THEFT AUTO series is praised for its open-world single-player gameplay, so surely Rockstar had something huge up their sleeves.
Three years later, Rockstar hasn’t touched the singleplayer game. Instead, we’ve received yet another content update for GTA:O. This time, we got poorly designed RC car races.
After watching the Tiny Cars trailer, my heart sank as I asked an uncomfortable question: Is this the future of Rockstar? Is this the beginning of a slow shift from a single-player, story-driven focus to a mediocre multiplayer one? Thankfully, this isn’t a unique question. Many have noticed a stark shift in Rockstar’s focus over the past few years, most notably their treatment of GTA V, but are these fears justified?
What does the success of GTA: ONLINE mean for Rockstar’s future? Why is it so successful when so many seem to despise it? What does this mean for the industry as a whole? Well, let’s take a look!
What is it?
I first booted up GTA:O the day it was released. When it actually worked properly, it felt like a mediocre, free-to-play, action-mmo. You could customize your character, explore the sandbox with other players, and go on repetitive missions to make money. There was even a threadbare story holding it together. After a few weeks of play, I was eventually overwhelmed by the poorly optimized servers, the infuriating bugs, and the shameful amount of hackers that infested the game like parasites.
In about three years, not much has changed.
My experience with GTA:O can be summarized in the amount of time I’ve wasted in the lobby trying to connect with other players. When a mission finally begins, you can pretty much guarantee someone will go off on his own and get your team killed. Granted, you can always play the game with friends, but that would mean subjecting them to this shoddy mess of a game.
Restrictions and “balance” butcher the flow of the game
GTA:O is a poor man’s attempt at capturing the spirit of the series in a multiplayer form. In order to balance the game (and encourage microtransactions) most of the interesting weapons, cars, and outfits are gated behind either mindless grinding or a price-tag.
Let me give you a snapshot of how GTA:O restricts you: I was in a firefight with another player. We got into our cars and chased each other down the highway. I seized an opportune moment and destroyed the car, leaving the player stranded on the road before finishing them off. I then received a bill for thousands of in-game dollars and was marked as a “bad sport.”
Yes, GTA:O punishes you for destroying another player’s car.
Sure, this discourages players from griefing others by destroying their hard-earned property, but all this does is open up new ways to troll people. Watching giant tanks run over players is a common sight in the game. The most efficient way to deal with this (short of exploits) is to blow up the tank, leaving you in massive debt as you pay for the damages.
Rockstar’s commitment to “balancing” things only makes sense in a game built on grinding and microtransactions. If the game was more freeform, more chaotic, a wacky free-for-all with no consequences and a limitless supply of toys to play with, then none of this would be necessary. Instead, we have a GRAND THEFT AUTO game that punishes you for blowing up vehicles and forces you to worry about car insurance. It is this vicious circle of restrictions necessitating more restrictions to achieve a flawed sense of fairness.
Bugs, grinding, and mechanics aside, there’s a much bigger reason why GTA:O is so destructive to Rockstar.
They’ve focused entirely on GTA:O
You may be wondering how a simple multiplayer mode can jeopardize the future of a company. Well, in and of itself it doesn’t. There’s plenty of mediocre, price-gouging multiplayer modes out there, and they’re not necessarily hurting anything. The problem is that Rockstar has decided to focus solely on GTA:O as opposed to anything else. GRAND THEFT AUTO is defined by its strong, single-player sandbox campaigns. GRAND THEFT AUTO IV set the bar for single-player DLC, offering new characters, new stories, and new features. Since the release of GTA V, fans have been clamoring for more wacky, violent, story-driven adventures within the world of San Andreas, but it has become clear that Rockstar has no interest in this.
Tiny racers was just the latest in a long string of tacked on content patches. Their only purpose is to bring people back to the game for a few weeks and hopefully get them to spend some more money. Meanwhile, the single-player mode is languishing in obscurity, as YouTubers and internet media have no reason to talk about it. It’s not a stretch to say that, as of now, GTA V is known more for its online component than the core game itself.
When people think of GTA, they used to think of quirky characters, satirical writing, and a sense of unbridled freedom. Until recently, the last thing they’d think of is this:
Which brings us to the worst part of GTA:O…
They have no incentive to stop
GTA: ONLINE received mixed reviews. A quarterly report from 2015 claims GTA: Online has over 8 million players per week, despite vocal complaints on its quality. As I’m writing this (10 AM on a Saturday) 77,174 people played GTA V on steam in the past 24 hours, though it’s unclear how many of them are playing online. Regardless of its actual popularity, GTA:O has generated half a billion dollars in profits as of April 2016.
This is where the problems start.
Your opinion is irrelevant
People have been complaining about GTA:O for years. It’s the butt of countless jokes on the internet and is met with near-universal scorn from all but those who play it regularly. That being said, it’s difficult to gauge the popularity of a product or practice in the gaming industry. In the age of the internet, you can never tell what constitutes widespread outrage, and what’s simply a vocal minority. This makes meaningful debate impossible because we have no clue what the majority really thinks.
But for the sake of argument, let’s assume GTA: Online is the bane of the gaming community, and that all but the most die-hard fans despise it and wish it would go away.
It doesn’t matter. Our opinion is meaningless in the face of profits.
You may have heard of the term “whales.” It’s basically developer-lingo for people who have enough time and money to spend thousands on microtransactions. They’re the driving force behind so-called “free-to-play” games, and the mechanics of these games are built from the ground up to incentivize this behavior. As a result, whales generate 70% of the in-app purchase revenue from the mobile gaming market alone. So what does this mean for us?
If they’re making so much money, why do anything else?
This is a growing problem, and it’s already spreading beyond the mobile market. I’m the kind of guy who tells people to “vote with their wallet,” but that doesn’t really apply here. These games are not being fueled by you and me. It doesn’t matter how much of the player-base hates GTA:O, or how much money the average person spends on it. Millions could despise it, but the whales could still keep it afloat. Our complaints are drowned out by microtransactions. The source of a consumer’s power is their money. When the average gamer isn’t contributing to the majority of revenue, then what power do we have left?
Rockstar beat the system with a strategy that prints money regardless of their effort. For those hoping for Rockstar to return to their roots as creators of quality single-player content, take a look at the past three years and ask yourself, “Why should they?” GTA V was originally slated to include single-player DLC, but these plans were dropped in favor of expanding the online component. Rockstar has already announced plans for an online mode in RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2. We’re already seeing a change in the company’s priorities. It’s not a stretch to say we’re going to see more shoddy online modes at the expense of quality single-player content. A company will go where the money is.
Some of you may think I’m overreacting, that I’m interpreting too much from the success of one game. But remember, GTA is their flagship series, and they haven’t touched the single-player mode since its release. If that doesn’t indicate a change in priorities, I don’t know what does. It’s also worth noting that Rockstar, as a company, has changed since the inception of GTA ONLINE.
Rockstar is already changing
On January 12, 2016, Leslie Benzies, president and lead designer of GTA, left Rockstar. He was an integral part of the GTA experience, revolutionizing the industry with the release of GTA III. He also had a hand in almost every Rockstar hit since, from RED DEAD REDEMPTION to L.A. NOIRE. He was on a mysterious sabbatical from the company for over a year before his departure, and would later go on to sue the company for unpaid royalties.
Benzies claims he discovered “numerous deceptions” and attempts by Rockstar to push him out of the company. Further investigation shows his departure was less than amicable. While the departure of a high-profile developer is nothing to panic over, the context and alleged behavior of Rockstar raises more than a few questions. When you consider the company’s sudden embrace of microtransactions and the stark, sudden shift from single-player to multiplayer content, a disturbing pattern begins to emerge.
None of these facts concern me on their own, but we can’t look at them in a vacuum. Rockstar pushed out the man who helped make the company what it is, all while shifting GTA V from a single-player sandbox to a mediocre multiplayer cash-cow. I’m not expecting Rockstar to change overnight, but we may be witnessing a new chapter for the company and they have no reason to go back.
The Point
Not to sound philosophical, but no one knows what the future holds. The best we can do is look to the past to determine what could happen next. If past is prologue, then Rockstar will continue to create shoddy, bug-riddled multiplayer modes and invest more and more resources in them at the expense of the single-player campaign.
I like to end these articles with a call to action, or a piece of advice, or something optimistic. I’ve got nothing here. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. Maybe Rockstar’s future games will place the focus back on single-player, sandbox content. Perhaps the departure of Benzies was an unfortunate coincidence and has nothing to do with a shift in the company’s priorities.
But I don’t think so.
A company’s job is to make money. Hopefully, passion and creativity come into play at some point, but at the end of the day, nothing is more important than making a profit. Making a quality product and making money aren’t mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, we’re in an age where it’s easier to make money by appealing to a small group of whales than by making a good game.
The “Moby Dick” approach has to stop
This problem goes far beyond Rockstar. Many believe the biggest problem in gaming is streamlining: watering down a game to appeal to the most people. While that’s certainly a problem, the real crisis lies in the other direction. It’s one thing to streamline your game to appeal to the masses. It’s another thing to cater to a destructive minority that can do nothing but stagnate the industry. The rise of whales, and the industry’s ravenous response to them, is only a bad thing for the average consumer. These games aren’t made for us. They’re made for a small group of people who are willing to spend thousands of dollars for an in-game hat. Even if you’re one of the countless people who casually play GTA:O, the game was not designed for your continued enjoyment. It’s a skinner-box for a completely different demographic.
If this is the future of gaming, then there’s no place in it for the average gamer.Share this
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A dollop of peanut butter and a ruler might be a way to confirm a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Jennifer Stamps, a graduate student in the McKnight Brain Institute Center for Smell and Taste and the University of Florida, came up with the idea of using peanut butter to test for smell sensitivity when she was working with Kenneth Heilman, a professor of neurology at the University of Florida.
[related]
The ability to smell is associated with the first cranial nerve and is often one of the first things affected in cognitive decline. Because peanut butter is a “pure odorant,” it is only detected by the olfactory nerve and is easy to access.
“Dr. Heilman said, ‘If you can come up with something quick and inexpensive, we can do it,'” Stamps says.
For a small pilot study published in the Journal of Neurological Sciences, patients who were coming to the clinic for testing also sat down with a clinician, 14 grams of peanut butter—which equals about one tablespoon—and a metric ruler.
The patient closed his or her eyes and mouth and blocked one nostril. The clinician opened the peanut butter container and held the ruler next to the open nostril while the patient breathed normally. The clinician then moved the peanut butter up the ruler one centimeter at a time during the patient’s exhale until the person could detect an odor.
The distance was recorded and the procedure repeated on the other nostril after a 90-second delay.
Dramatic difference
The clinicians running the test did not know the patients’ diagnoses, which were not usually confirmed until weeks after the initial clinical testing.
Patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease had a dramatic difference in detecting odor between the left and right nostril—the left nostril was impaired and did not detect the smell until it was an average of 10 centimeters closer to the nose than the right nostril had made the detection in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
This was not the case in patients with other kinds of dementia—instead, these patients had either no differences in odor detection between nostrils or the right nostril was worse at detecting odor than the left one.
Of the 24 patients tested who had mild cognitive impairment, which sometimes signals Alzheimer’s disease and sometimes turns out to be something else, about 10 patients showed a left nostril impairment and 14 patients did not. The researchers said more studies must be conducted to fully understand the implications.
“At the moment, we can use this test to confirm diagnosis,” Stamps says. “But we plan to study patients with mild cognitive impairment to see if this test might be used to predict which patients are going to get Alzheimer’s disease.”
The researchers say the test could be used by clinics that don’t have access to the personnel or equipment to run other, more elaborate tests required for a specific diagnosis, which can lead to targeted treatment.
One of the first places in the brain to degenerate in people with Alzheimer’s disease is the front part of the temporal lobe that evolved from the smell system, and this portion of the brain is involved in forming new memories.
“We see people with all kinds of memory disorders,” Heilman says. Many tests to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias can be time-consuming, costly, or invasive. “This can become an important part of the evaluation process.”
Source: University of FloridaShare:
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s performance in the World Bank Group's Doing Business Report 2017 has improved from 148 to 144 out of 190 countries indicating that the country is now more business friendly for small and medium sized enterprises.
In the latest report, Pakistan has been recognised as one of the top ten economies globally making the biggest improvements in their business regulations and not only this, Pakistan is the only South Asian economy to make it to the list this year. The country has jumped four ranks from its position last year from 148 to 144 out of 190 countries under the revised methodology introduced this year.
To assess the country’s current year’s performance against its own last year, it is important to look at Distance to Frontier Score in the Doing Business methodology, according to the press statement issued by Ministry of Finance. Pakistan has improved on this metric as well where Pakistan’s score went up from 49.48 in Doing Business 2016 to 51.77 in Doing Business 2017, using a comparable methodology as a result of reforms in all the areas covered by Doing Business.
Pakistan was the sole economy in South Asia to reform property transfers. Under the Land Records Management and Information System, a programme has been developed and deployed to strengthen the capacity of land administration institutions in Lahore. During a five-year period, the project deployed an automated land records system and improved the quality of services provided by the land agency.
Pakistan improved access to credit information guaranteeing by law borrowers’ rights to inspect their own data. The credit bureau also expanded the borrower coverage. This reform applies to both Lahore and Karachi. Pakistan made trading across borders easier by enhancing its electronic web-based customs platform. This reform applies to both Lahore and Karachi.
The reforms have been spear headed by the finance minister and the Committee on the Ease of Doing Business through development and implementation of a National Doing Business Reform Strategy. The strategy outlines reform actions under each of the 10 scored indicators covered in the Doing Business reports.
The strategy is the result of consultative process led by the Ministry of Finance with involvement from concerned federal and provincial government agencies including key Institutions, Board of Investment, Federal Board of Revenue and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.
The reforms focus on regulatory changes and improving technology and building capacity of implementing agencies for simplification of procedures involved in making businesses operational. They have been designed to effectively address critical bottlenecks faced by a small and medium sized enterprise during all stages of its lifecycle. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said, “Implementation of the time bound reforms under this Strategy over the next 2 years is expected to significantly improve the country’s business environment and act as a catalyst for increasing both domestic and foreign investment.”What's new with C++ cross-platform development with VS 2015 RC
Continuing our investment in Visual C++ cross-platform mobile, starting with VS2015 RC (download here) we are pleased to announce support for building iOS applications using Visual Studio. Our iOS targeting story is definitely work in progress, and this feature enablement shares our current line of thinking. Over the next few releases we will be focusing on ironing out our iOS targeting story but for now to try out our iOS experience follow this MSDN article!
In addition to our recent platform enablement for iOS we have also added a wide range of features our Android and cross-platform mobile developers as well. Developers targeting the Android platform will now be able to take advantage of the following feature set:
Android developers can now target Android API Level 21 (Android 5.0, Lollipop) and also leverage the more recent NDK (NDK R10D).
and also leverage the more recent NDK (NDK R10D). GCC tool chain (GCC 4.8) for Android native development is now supported in Visual Studio. This is in addition to the Clang tool chain when building Android Native Libraries. Developers can configure the toolset to build their application using the General (Platform Toolset) property in property pages as depicted in the figure below.
for Android native development is now supported in Visual Studio. This is in addition to the Clang tool chain when building Android Native Libraries. Developers can configure the toolset to build their application using the General (Platform Toolset) property in property pages as depicted in the figure below. The Visual C++ toolchain will also now allow developers to take advantage of ‘Stripped Debugging’, this will allow developers to strip debug information from the binaries before deployment while still allowing them to debug the binary successfully. The feature can be controlled by use of the linker (Debugging) property page as shown in the figure below.
, this will allow developers to strip debug information from the binaries before deployment while still allowing them to debug the binary successfully. The feature can be controlled by use of the linker (Debugging) property page as shown in the figure below. We have made fixes to our debug an existing Android Application built externally to VS, you can find more information on this related blog-post.
, you can find more information on this related blog-post. Debugger Visualizations (NATVIS) has also been introduced for the Android platform for a more productive debugging experience. For more information on how to use natvis, see Natvis Support for Android Debugging.
has also been introduced for the Android platform for a more productive debugging experience. For more information on how to use natvis, see Natvis Support for Android Debugging. A variety of new samples have been published targeting the Android. These samples are mostly a port of the existing samples provided in the Android NDK but should provide you with a quick-start on how to use Visual Studio for targeting the Android Platform.
To wrap up, this is exciting time for the Visual C++ team and we would love to hear from you. Please submit bugs through Connect, suggestions on UserVoice and quick thoughts via Send-a-Smile in the Visual Studio IDE.Today we’re releasing ksuid, a Golang library for unique ID generation. It borrows core ideas from the ubiquitous UUID standard, adding time-based ordering and more friendly representation formats. In doing the research that went into this library, we uncovered a compelling story that we wanted to share with a larger audience.
Ever since two or more machines found themselves exchanging information on a network, they’ve needed a way to uniquely identify things.
The first networks that resemble our contemporary ideas began with the construction of the first telephone exchanges in 1870s. Before this crucial tipping point, telecom wires were entirely point-to-point links. While amazing at the time, they were expensive, inflexible, and unreliable. It even resulted in an almost comical explosion of copper lines zig-zagging above the roads of major cities.
While telegraphs were mainly used for important governmental and business communications, telephones were an extreme luxury. Compared to the speed of the telegraph, tying up an expensive copper line for a quick chat was incredibly frivolous. The key invention that brought telecommunications to the masses was the switchboard, enabling the creation of exchanges, and in turn vastly increased the utility of these lines. With it brought the first unique identifier in a network: the telephone number.
Fast forward many decades later to the advent of the networked computer. Suddenly the granularity of things had to become orders of magnitude finer.
Until this tipping point, data sent across telecom wires had been ephemeral — the networks were just a conduit. Now, it became routine to store and retrieve data on demand, and thus the titanic explosion of data that has inundated the world |
play an interactive Quaffle Toss game to score goals amid a colorful display of Quidditch-themed apparel and accessories.
For more information, visit the Shops at South Town website.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A lucky few of us in Florida and California have the luxury of visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal Studios theme parks whenever we please. The immersive shops and dining locations of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are always right at our fingertips. For the rest of the world, it’s not quite that easy.
This holiday season though, that is going to change. Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Global Experience Specialists are bringing the magic of Harry Potter to you with “Christmas in the Wizarding World.”
This unique holiday experience will feature iconic locations like Olivander’s wand shop and animated windows that will bring the rest of the Wizarding world to life. Shoppers will be able to find all of the Harry Potter merchandise that they need for their Holiday shopping spree. House sweaters, robes, collectibles and much more will all be available.
A list of the locations that this experience will be coming to has not yet been announced, but it is being said that “Christmas in the Wizarding World” will be popping up in “major shopping destinations.”
Source: EWAn anecdote of bobsledding, shooting, weightlifting and Marijuana.
A few years ago, I was invited to tryout for the US bobsled team at the Olympic training camp in Lake Placid. The first time I walked into my room at the camp, I saw may have seen a man with his back to me pointing a gun directly in front of him. I stopped moving so as not to spook him… and avoid getting shot. When he saw me out of the corner of his eye, he did a double-take and jumped up with a little roar. It turned out that was my roommate, a guy from the US shooting team.
Over the next few days we discussed how we trained, and how our training regimens differed. Our two sports could not be more different from each other in nearly every aspect. One of the most interesting similarities though was the use of marijuana as a performance enhancer. Marijuana has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate (after initial onset of effects) and anxiety, and has helped athletes particularly in shooting sports so much that it was actually deemed a performance enhancing substance.
The World Anti-Drug Agency, known as WADA, is the organization that oversees testing for performance enhancing substances in athletes for Olympic sports. If a substance enhances the performance in any sport, it becomes banned for all sports. So thanks to the Olympic shooters, until May 2013, all athletes had to stop consuming marijuana 1-2 months before a competition. If it was found in their bloodstream they would get disqualified.
After May 2013, WADA increased the threshold for detectable marijuana for athletes by 10 times, going from 15 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL. Essentially this now allows athletes to consume marijuana as they train, and allows them enough time to drop below the test threshold. Because the metabolic rates for athletes are higher than the average individual, marijuana is broken down and excreted more quickly for highly active people.
Of course, governing bodies of sports do not want people stoned and flying around in bobsleds, where serious bodily injury or death could be the result of slightly delayed reaction time. But by raising the threshold, they seem to recognize the reality – athletes like to get high too.Toronto police are currently investigating following two pedestrian collisions that have sent three people to hospital Tuesday evening.
In one incident, two people were struck by a vehicle at Queen and Dalhousie streets.
According to paramedics, one patient was seriously injured, and was transported to hospital with a fractured leg. The second patient sustained only minor injuries.
The genders and ages of the patients were not immediately provided.
In another incident, a man believed to be in his 50s was transported to a trauma centre with serious injuries after being stuck in the King and Dufferin streets area.
Details on the nature of his injuries were not immediately available.
Several additional minor incidents have also been reported. Since 5:30 p.m., 20 pedestrians and cyclists have been struck by vehicles in Toronto, according to police.The Cuyuna Lakes State Trail is eight miles of paved trail within the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area from Crosby to Riverton. One mile passes through the City of Aitkin along State Highway 169. Abandoned by mining companies more than 35 years ago, the state recreation area contains six natural lakes, plus an additional 15 deep lakes that were former mine pits. Stop to fish, explore the Croft Mine, or ride the new 25-mile single track mountain bike trail system.
Map
Virtual tours
The virtual tours show mountain biking opportunities located in the nearby Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, as well as divers exploring the mine lakes. It's a great tool to help you plan your next trip!
Panoramic tour | Snapshot tour
Or watch a captioned video about Cuyuna Lakes State Trail.
Events Calendar Scroll table right to see more » There are currently no event listings.
Landscape
Twenty-five miles of undeveloped shoreline can be explored by boat or canoe and anglers can cast a line for trout, northerns, bass, crappies, sunfish, and walleyes.
Facilities
Most of the current facilities are privately owned and operated, including campgrounds and a historical park. Check the "In the Area" tab below for information about nearby recreational opportunities.
Permits
No fees or passes are required to use the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail unless you plan to park in the nearby state recreation area, which requires a daily or annual vehicle pass. There is no all-terrain vehicle use on the trail. There is an adjacent grant-in-aid snowmobile trail alongside the state trail. Learn more about snowmobiling in Minnesota and don't miss the interactive snowmobile trails map.
Mountain biking
Looking for the Cuyuna Mountain Bike Trail System? With 25 miles of riding and over 30 purpose-built routes from beginner to pro, it's truly a world-class mountain bike system, and just like the paved Cuyuna Lakes State Trail, you'll find it all in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.Home, the latest animated feature from Dreamworks Animation, producers of the Shrek, Madagascar, and How to Train Your Dragon franchises, might seem at first a rather bland kids' movie. It seems like a quirky kids' book, Adam Rex's The True Meaning of Smekday, has been flattened out into another generic, cookie-cutter computer-animated tale.
Rating 3.5
The story of a little girl, her cat, and the alien that befriends her, Home mashes up the road trip movie with the "alien best friend" movie — like Toy Story with E.T. It's nothing you haven't seen before — and the opening montage, which seems to gloss over some horrifying plot points with pop music and Jim Parsons (of Big Bang Theory fame) at his Jim Parsons-iest, doesn't promise a great film.
But by the end, you may be surprised at just how much the relationship between alien Oh (Parsons) and little girl Tip (pop star Rihanna) has affected you.
What's also kind of fascinating about Home is that it directly confronts some of the most horrific parts of human history in a kid-friendly way. And this isn't buried deep down in the subtext. Home is really wrestling with things like colonialism and the legacy of America's treatment of Native Americans in the context of a brightly colored, peppily scored alien invasion tale.
So here are some unusually dark conversations you can have with your kids after Home's credits roll.
1) The long shadow of colonialism
At the center of Home are the Boov, an alien race that travels the universe, staying one step ahead of the Gorg, a race bent on the destruction of the Boov.
But in their attempts to protect their existence, the Boov will invade other planets, displace the native population, and declare themselves the great protectors and benefactors of those other species. They even change the name of Earth to "Smekland" after their Captain Smek (a horribly overacting Steve Martin).
This is, literally, the legacy of colonialism on planet Earth. A supposedly more "civilized" population moves into another land and comes into conflict with the people already living there — often forcing them into a subjugation the invaders think is somehow better for those living under it.
What sets this apart from other alien invasion tales is the way the Boov really do seem to think they've done humanity a huge favor just by showing up. And the film puts a giant spotlight on this particular theme in one of its best scenes, when Oh and Tip have a conversation about how she feels about the Boov's invasion while the two are hovering above the Atlantic Ocean in a floating car. (Hey, it is a science fiction movie.)
The gorgeous reflection of the car and the starlight on the placid ocean surface — reminiscent of Ang Lee's Life of Pi — underlines the movie's major theme: empathy. At the center of the film is the idea that the best thing you can do to be a better person is try to imagine how your actions impact other people.
To colonize people, you have to see them as somehow less than you — and that cuts against empathy at its core.
2) The placement of Native Americans on reservations
When the Boov arrive on Earth, they suck up all humans into their ships and deposit them in a giant city called "HappyHumansTown" in the middle of Australia. (Tip is missed because her cat clings to her head, thus causing the Boov to mistake her for a feline.) The Boov, again, think this is doing humanity a favor. Humans are less enthusiastic.
This idea dovetails with the film's interest in the influence of colonialism, but it's also a candy-colored examination of the United States sequestering Native Americans on reservations.
Obviously, Home doesn't deal with the most horrifying implications of the forced relocation of Native Americans. But the film does actively get kids to consider how terrible it would be to be forced to leave your home and relocated to an out-of-the-way place where nobody in the ruling class would have to think about you.
3) How hard it is to be an immigrant
Tip is Barbadian, like the woman voicing her, Rihanna. That marks her as an immigrant to another country. (It's pretty clear Tip lives in an American city.) It's one of the things she and Oh bond over: how nobody is quite sure what to make of them.
The audience is invited to identify with Oh early in the film. His fellow Boov don't really like him, and he's incredibly awkward in social situations. These are things all kids have dealt with at one time or another, and even Oh's struggles to master English syntax will resonate with many.
Tip's overriding goal — to get back to her mother — is also something kids will identify with. But stuck into the middle of her story is the knowledge that Tip, with her slight accent and brown skin, doesn't really fit in with the other kids in her school, who can be cruel about those things. Tip doesn't look like the hero of most animated kids' movies — who, if they're human, are usually white — and though Home doesn't make a big deal of it, it is aware of what her life must be like.
4) Impending environmental devastation
The Gorg, in their way, function in the way many rapacious alien races have in past stories — as a symbol of how horrible unchecked environmental devastation could be. The Gorg show up to a planet, literally chew it up with giant machines, and then make it explode. It's a common theme in sci-fi, and it's fun to see it turn up here.
But what's even more interesting is that the Gorg aren't just mindless invaders. They have a deeper motivation that is revealed slowly as the film goes on. Their long swath of destruction has all of the best intentions behind it — ones rooted in a kind of environmental devastation of their own. (To say more would be spoiling.)
This underlines a tough but important-to-understand idea: it's very hard to keep people from destructive behavior when they think they have everybody's best interests at heart.
5) Self-rationalization to make yourself feel like a good guy
At the heart of Home is an idea that's all too human but has also caused so much horror throughout history. We all want to think we're the good guy, and we all want to think we're part of the solution. But at various times, we'll do terrible things and definitely be part of the problem, and yet we rationalize to ourselves that this just isn't true.
If kids take nothing else from Home, then, they'll hopefully take this. Sometimes, something you think you know is 100 percent true — even about yourself — just isn't. Life is a long process of realizing just how wrong you can be, then dealing with that as gracefully and humanely as possible.
Home earns its surprisingly emotional climax because it takes this idea seriously. When Tip and Oh realize how wrong they've been about so many things, they begin moving toward real maturity and growth. That's something viewers of all ages can appreciate.
Also the cat is really cute.
Home is playing in theaters throughout the country.A 47-year-old Mountain Brook woman has been charged with attempted murder, domestic violence, and resisting arrest after she allegedly attacked a Mountain Brook police officer with a bayonet.
Vanessa Hirschowitz is being held without bond, police said today.
The incident happened about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday when an officer saw an elderly woman walking on Brookwood Road and learned she had been the victim of domestic violence at her home.
Officers went to the victim's home on East Briarcliff Road to locate the suspect.
While searching inside the victim's home, one of the officers was attacked by the suspect, Chief Ted Cook said.
Police went to the woman's home on East Briarcliff Road, and began a search inside for the family member they believed to be responsible for the abuse of the elderly victim, Cook said. An officer was in a room when a woman came out from underneath a blanket where she had been hiding and attacked the officer with a bayonet. Cook said the weapon had an 18-inch blade and a sword-like hilt.
The female suspect swung at the officer's head and neck, but he was able to deflect it with his forearm, Cook said. The two wrestled, and the woman was taken into custody.
The officer was taken to the hospital, and received stitches. He is expected to be OK.
"It could have been a lot worse,'' Cook said Wednesday. "We were lucky all the way around."Multidimensional studies
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at the National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Study Start Date: January 21, 2016
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 15, 2020
More information
Dr Avindra Nath presenting the study (video)
Lead researcher: Avindra NathNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)Study Start Date: January 21, 2016Estimated Study Completion Date: September 15, 2020
ME/CFS Severely ill Big Data Study
More information Open Medicine Foundation
NIH ME/CFS centers:
*Cornell ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Center registration
More information Lead researcher: Maureen Hanson, Ph.D.Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Main research projects:
- Brain imaging study, led by Dikoma Shungu (See the neurology studies list below for more information)
- Extracellular vesicles, led by Hanson (See the immunology studies list below for more information)
- RNAs in white blood cells, led by Andrew Grimson (See the genetic studies list below for more information)
* Center for Solutions for ME/CFS
Columbia University, New York City
Center registration
More Information
Lead researcher: W. Ian Lipkin, M.D.Columbia University, New York City
*Topological Mapping of Immune, Metabolomic and Clinical Phenotypes to Reveal ME/CFS Disease Mechanisms
The Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, Connecticut
Center registration
More Information
Lead researcher: Derya Unutmaz, M.D.The Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, Connecticut
*Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Centers
Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle, North Carolina
Center registration
ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford Lead researcher: Rick L. Williams, Ph.D.Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle, North Carolina
Research projects:
T cells and the molecular immunology of ME/CFS
Extended big data study in families
Developing blood-based diagnostic and drug screening technology
More information
S4ME thread
Immunology Lead researcher: Ronald W. DavisResearch projects:T cells and the molecular immunology of ME/CFSExtended big data study in familiesDeveloping blood-based diagnostic and drug screening technology
Immune System Dysfunction
ME Association Ramsay Research Fund / Action for ME
Start: 2014
More information
Lead researchers: Professor Stephen Todryk and Professor Julia NewtonME Association Ramsay Research Fund / Action for MEStart: 2014
Cyclophosphamide in Myalgic Encephalopathy/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) (CycloME) Treatment study
Haukeland University Hospital
Start: 2015
Estimated Study Completion Date: January 2017
More information
Lead researchers: Mella Olav, Øystein FlugeHaukeland University HospitalStart: 2015Estimated Study Completion Date: January 2017
The role of autoantibodies in ME/CFS
Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
MERUK
More Information
Lead researchers: Dr Madlen Löbel & Prof. Carmen ScheibenbogenInstitute of Medical Immunology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, GermanyMERUK
An immunosignature assay for rituximab therapy?
School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, USA
MERUK
More information
Lead researcher: Prof. David PatrickSchool of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, USAMERUK
Lymphocyte phenotype and cytokine production in ME/CFS patients and patients treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer
Leeds NHS Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds
MERUK
More information
Lead researchers: Dr Clive Carter, Dr Philip Wood and colleaguesLeeds NHS Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, St James’s University Hospital, LeedsMERUK
Ampligen in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment study
Study Start Date: March 1997
Estimated Study Completion Date: February 2019
More information
S4ME thread
HemispherxStudy Start Date: March 1997Estimated Study Completion Date: February 2019
Extracellular vesicles
Cornell Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Collaborative Research Center
More Information
Lead researcher: Maureen HansonCornell Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Collaborative Research Center
Combatting oxidative stress
Vascular & Inflammatory Diseases Research Unit, Division of Cardiovascular & Diabetes Medicine and Division of Cancer Research, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, UK
MERUK
More information
Lead researchers: Dr Faisel Khan, Prof JD Hayes, Prof J Belch, et al.Vascular & Inflammatory Diseases Research Unit, Division of Cardiovascular & Diabetes Medicine and Division of Cancer Research, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, UKMERUK
Immunoadsorption in patients with autoantibodies to ß adrenergic receptors Treatment study
Charité, Berlin, Germany
Fresenius Medical Care
More information (German)
Lead researcher: Carmen ScheibenbogenCharité, Berlin, GermanyFresenius Medical Care
HyQvia in patients with immunoglobulin deficiency, frequent infections and CFS Treatment study
Baxalta
More information (German)
Information on HyQvia
Chronic fatigue syndrome: Leptin, interleukin 6 and clinical symptoms
Lead researcher: Michael Musker
South Australian Health And Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Australia
More information
Charité, Berlin, GermanyBaxaltaLead researcher: Michael MuskerSouth Australian Health And Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Australia
Immuno-senescence and cell-cycle analysis in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS
Washington University (USA), Cambridge University (UK)
SMCI
More information
Biomarkers for initiation (infection) and metabolic derangement in ME/CFS
Lead researchers: Drs. Blomberg, Bergquist, Gottfries, and Zachrisson
Gottfries clinic, Mölndal, Uppsala University Hospital (Sweden)
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2017)
Start: 2018 Lead researchers: Dr. Sheila Stewart, Dr. Masashi NaritaWashington University (USA), Cambridge University (UK)SMCILead researchers: Drs. Blomberg, Bergquist, Gottfries, and ZachrissonGottfries clinic, Mölndal, Uppsala University Hospital (Sweden)SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2017)Start: 2018
More information
Immunometabolism of T cells and monocytes in ME/CFS
Lead researchers: Drs. Carmen Scheibenbogen and Franziska Sotzny
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2017)
Start: 2018
More information
Metabolic Analysis of B Cell Maturation
Lead researchers: Chris Armstrong, Fane Mensah and Professor Jo Cambridge
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
More information
SMCI presentation Melbourne Bioanalytics (Australia), University College London (UK)SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
Metabolic Assessment of Natural Killer Cells
Lead researchers: Drs. Isabel Barao-Silvestre, Ruben Dagda, and Victor Darley-Usmar
University of Nevada Reno, University of Alabama, Birmingham (USA)
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
More information
Identifying Autoimmune signatures in ME/CFS
Lead researchers: Dr. Carmen Scheibenbogen and Madlen Lobel
Charité University Medicine Berlin, Charité Universitatsmedizin Berlin (Germany)
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
More information
The potential role of HHV-6 in ME/CFS
Lead researcher: Bhupesh Prusty
Julius Maximilian University of Wurzburg (Germany)
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
More information
Investigation of human endogenous retrovirus expression in individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis
Lead researcher: Dr Camila Malto Romano
USP - Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil)
Using UK ME CFS Biobank
More information
Droplet digital PCR for evaluation of associations between human Herpes virus infection and Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome(ME/CFS)
Lead researchers: Eleanor Riley, Jackie Cliff
London Sch/Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
More information
A longitudinal immunological and virological study for ME CFS biomarker discovery
Lead researcher: Luis Nacul
London Sch/Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
More information
Defining autoimmune aspects of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
PhD research: Katharine Seton
Invest in ME
More information
Drs. Carmen Scheibenbogen and Franziska SotznyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)Lead researchers: Chris Armstrong, Fane Mensah and Professor Jo CambridgeLead researchers: Drs. Isabel Barao-Silvestre, Ruben Dagda, and Victor Darley-UsmarUniversity of Nevada Reno, University of Alabama, Birmingham (USA)SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)Dr. Carmen Scheibenbogen and Madlen LobelCharité University Medicine Berlin, Charité Universitatsmedizin Berlin (Germany)SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)Bhupesh PrustyJulius Maximilian University of Wurzburg (Germany)SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)Lead researcher: Dr Camila Malto RomanoUSP - Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil)Using UK ME CFS BiobankLead researchers: Eleanor Riley, Jackie CliffLondon Sch/Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLead researcher: Luis NaculLondon Sch/Hygiene & Tropical MedicinePhD research: Katharine SetonInvest in ME
Energy metabolism
Examining Mitochondria in ME/CFS
Lead researcher: Dr Karl Morten
ME Association Ramsay Research Fund
Using UK Biobank samples
Start: 2017
More information
S4ME thread
Lead researcher: Dr Karl MortenME Association Ramsay Research FundUsing UK Biobank samplesStart: 2017
Comparison of results from a commercial and NHS blood test to assess mitochondrial function
ME Association Ramsay Research Fund
More information
Lead researcher: Dr Sarah Jayne BoultonME Association Ramsay Research Fund
Abnormalities in Mitochondrial Function in Skeletal Muscle
ME Association Ramsay Research Fund/Medical Research Council
Preliminary results (2015)
More information
Bioenergetics capacity, ATP production and potential drug targets using advanced technologies
Lead researcher: Dr. Ralph Garippa
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York City (USA)
SMCI
More information
Lead researcher: Professor Anne McArdleME Association Ramsay Research Fund/Medical Research CouncilLead researcher: Dr. Ralph GarippaMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York City (USA)SMCI
Projects
Longitudinal metabolic and genomic study
Melbourne Bioanalytics, Australia
More information
Mitochondrial Respiratory Function and Cellular Metabolism in Lymphoblasts
Lead researcher: Chris Armstrong, Daniel Missailidis and Paul Fisher
Melbourne Bioanalytics, LaTrobe University, Australia
More information
Lead researcher: Chris ArmstrongMelbourne Bioanalytics, Australia
Muscles studies
Investigating abnormalities in AMPK activation
Lead researcher: Dr Audrey Brown
Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
MERUK
More information
Lead researcher: Dr Audrey BrownInstitute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UKMERUK
Muscle metabolites in patients before and after exercise
University of Washington
SMCI, Cathleen J. Gleeson PhD Fund
More information
Lead researchers: Pr. Kevin Conley, Pr. David MaughanUniversity of WashingtonSMCI, Cathleen J. Gleeson PhD Fund
Neurology studies
Neurological biomarkers in paediatric ME/CFS
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
MERUK
More information
Lead researcher: Dr Sarah Knight and colleaguesMurdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AustraliaMERUK
Markers of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress
Cornell Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Collaborative Research Center
More information
Lead researcher: Dikoma ShunguCornell Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Collaborative Research Center
Interrogating the brain: experiments with laser-evoked potentials and cerebral blood flow
Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
MERUK
More information
Lead researchers: Prof. J. Nijs, Prof P. Cras, Prof F. visser, M. de Kooning and colleaguesFaculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumMERUK
Development of surrogate end-point biomarkers for chronic fatigue and myalgic encephalmyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Lead researcher: Watanabe
Pet Scan study
Japan
More Information
S4ME thread
Exploring Brain Inflammation
Lead researcher: Dr. Jarred Younger
University of Alabama, Birmingham (USA)
SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
More information
Lead researcher: WatanabePet Scan studyJapanLead researcher: Dr. Jarred YoungerUniversity of Alabama, Birmingham (USA)SMCI, Ramsay Award Program (2016)
Projects
Glial activation in brainstem
Massachusetts General Hospital
More information
S4ME thread
Dr. Michael VanElzakkerMassachusetts General Hospital
Autonomic system
ME/CFS: Activity Patterns and Autonomic DysfunctionESPN's Josh Parcell and Ryan McGee explain why it's difficult for a football conference to have six teams with a one win or less. (4:05)
The Bottom 10 inspirational thought of the week:
I don't need your civil war.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no uh-oh-uh, no uh-oh, uh no.
I don't need one more war.
No, no, no, no uh-oh-uh, no uh-oh, uh no.
Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway?
--"Civil War" Guns N' Roses
It was perhaps the most Bottom 10 moment in the history of Bottom 10 moments.
Not the Wake Forest-Boston College game that was decided on a BC fumble inside its own 5 and ended 3-0. But that was awesome. As in awesomely bad.
Not Rutgers spiking the ball on fourth down to seal a 31-24 loss to Michigan State. But that, too, was awesomely awful.
Not even Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema doing an NBA flop act to draw an unsportsmanlike conduct flag. Though it was such awesomely effective awful acting.
No, I'm talking about a genuine, old-fashioned made-up rivalry, the kind that we jokingly write up here in the Bottom 10 on a weekly basis, but on Saturday happened in actual, real life. Seeking some sort of spark to fire up his UConn Huskies, head coach Bob Diaco decided that UCF -- a school 1,200 miles and 10 states away -- would be the Huskies' big rival. He dubbed the game between the American opponents the Civil ConFLiCT (see the state abbreviations there?), commissioned a trophy and even had it displayed beneath a countdown clock outside the locker room.
First day back on campus for #UConnFootball! And just 130 days until the next Civil Conflict with @UCF_Football! pic.twitter.com/RgOkXiob0T — UConn Football (@UConnFootball) June 1, 2015
Only, UCF was never on board. Even Knightro, channeling his own Mean Girl, publicly mocked Diaco's scheme:
I think Regina George said it best pic.twitter.com/OTxNCVo9Mg — Knightro (@UCF_Knightro) October 10, 2015
But it did happen. And it just so happened to also be our Pillow Fight of the Week. And UConn won. And hoisted the trophy in triumph. And it was awesome. And it got us to thinking... what other totally contrived rivalries have we been missing out on simply because we were too lazy to drive down to the local trophy store?
With apologies to Regina George and Steve Harvey, here's this week's Bottom 10.
The Mean Green got housed so badly by Portland State on homecoming that by night's end head coach Dan McCarney was homeless (not really, he got a pretty sweet buyout). This weekend brings a visit from Conference USA leader Western Kentucky for the NorthWestern KenTexas Hoedown. The winner will receive a bourbon bottle with a golden horseshoe hanging around its neck.
There has never been a moment that better illustrates the struggle of Bottom 10 vs. Top 10 than the images of 6-7, 410-pound Baylor tight end LaQuan McGowan with the ball and the only man between him and paydirt being a 5-10, 173 defensive back. This weekend the Nayhawks host Texas Tech in the KUTT 'Em Up Classic, where the winner receives free haircuts at midfield from Kliff Kingsbury's stylist.
Wyoming lost at Air Force 31-17, the third time in four weeks that its opponent scored 31 points. On Saturday afternoon, the Cowboys host the Nevada Wolf Pack for the WolfBoys Trophy, which is actually just a Michael J. Fox action figure from "Teen Wolf" riding a plastic cow.
UCF head coach George O'Leary was so in love with the Civil ConFLiCT ("I don't know anything about that... I didn't know anything about a trophy... When you go 10 states away, it's hard. North or South thing or whatever, I don't know") that you know he's gonna be fired up for this week's trip from Orlando to Philly to visit undefeated Temple. Especially when he finds out we've dubbed it the I-95 Road Warriors Throwdown Slowdown. The trophy is a die-cast minivan with Pennsylvania plates, filled with little dolls in Phillies and Eagles gear stuck in I-95 traffic on their way to Walt Disney World.
5. Monday (0-0)
At breakfast: Steve Sarkisian fired at USC. At lunch: Will Grier suspended at Florida for PED use. At dinner: Steve Spurrier hangs up his visor at South Carolina. How was a man supposed to get an asinine Bottom 10 written while bombshells are being detonated all around him? By the way, Oklahoma was originally in the Coveted Fifth Spot, but it was bumped. Now, where did I put that "I Hate Mondays" Garfield poster?
Just two weeks ago, the Other Aggies lost to New Mexico in a game so great it has two nicknames, the Rio Grande Rivalry and the Battle of I-25. After a trip to 14th-ranked Ole Miss in the WTH Is This Game Even Happening Classic, they stay down South for a visit to Georgia Southern Not State for the Man Do We Really Wish This Was Georgia State Not Southern Clash, the winner of which will receive a Georgia state flag. No, not a Georgia State flag... an actual state flag.
The Eagles fell to Akron 47-21. This weekend, EMU embarks on the second half of its Ohio Challenge, facing the Rockets in the Toledo to Ypsilanti Blitzkrieg, presented by Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Vowels (which is a real thing, by the way). The winner receives a gold star from a fifth-grade spelling teacher.
Let's pause here for a moment and appreciate the fact that after last weekend there are now six teams in the Sun Belt Conference with one or fewer wins. After a tough loss to Open Date University, the Vandals travel to Troy for the latest edition of the Pillow Fight of the Week. But in this era of newly conjured rivalry games, it's much more than that. It's the Idaho/Troy Fun Belt Border War, and the winner will take home a road map that was folded up by my wife, which should make it look like Idaho and Alabama are actually next to each other.
Last weekend the Redhawks lost to Ohio in the No, Neither One Of Us Are Ohio State Classic. This weekend brings a visit from Northern Illinois in the No, We Aren't the Miami or the Huskies You Probably Thought We Were When You Saw This on the Channel Guide Skirmish. Or, as it's engraved on the trophy, 2015 WATMOTHYPTWWWYSTOTCHGS.
Over a three-day stretch, Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall was rumored to be fired, lost big to Ohio State, got really angry at the media afterward and then was actually fired. In two weeks Maryland hosts Penn State, but this weekend it welcomes in the Fightin' Byes of Open Date U. in the Dream Job Classic. The trophy is a bronze sculpture of a tree falling in the forest and not making a sound.
Waiting list: Georgia State Not Southern (1-4), Fres-No State (1-5), U-Mess (1-4), Army Black Nots (1-5), R.O.C.K. in the U-T-S-A (1-5), FA(Not I)U (1-4), Pur-don't (1-5), the entire bottom half of the Sun Belt, the continuing Pete Carroll legacy at USC.(RNS) As the Secular Coalition for America prepares for its biggest event of the year this week (June 12-14) in Washington, D.C., atheist groups are recovering from the sudden departure of the coalition’s highest officer and confronting renewed charges that nonbelief groups have a shortage of women leaders and are suspicious of conservatives.
The SCA, which lobbies on behalf of more than a dozen secular groups, announced that its executive director, Edwina Rogers, was let go after employees embezzled $78,000 from the organization.
The story was first reported by The New York Times and referred to a leaked internal audit.
The SCA said Rogers, who was hired about two years ago, was in no way connected to the missing funds. She dismissed the two employees allegedly responsible and reported the matter to the police and the organization’s board.
“At no point was she ever under suspicion for any financial wrongdoing,” said Lauren Anderson Youngblood, SCA’s director of communications. She declined to state whether Rogers was fired or resigned, though Rogers described her departure as a dismissal to the Times.
And while the news left some members of the secular community lamenting the loss of a high-profile woman leader, something of a rarity in nonbelief groups, others said Rogers, a longtime Republican lobbyist, was never a good fit for secularists, who tend to skew Democratic. At the time of her hiring, her appearance on “The Real Housewives of D.C.,” during which she showed off a “gift-wrap room” in her mansion, drew particular scorn.
“Some atheists will surely be delighted by the decision, even if they have no reason to dislike Rogers,” Hemant Mehta, a former SCA board member, wrote on his blog, Friendly Atheist. “I don’t believe for a moment she gave |
and beer enthusiasts that borderlines on d-baggery. You can really see it manifest itself on blogs and bulletin boards. My point in bringing this up is that I can see that it turns a lot of people off and we open ourselves up for claims that the industry is too precious by half.
There's some blowback on that lately. It was refreshing to read a recent blog post by Kim Schimke against beer snobbery. I agree (here http://brewpublic.com/beer-me/beer-snobbery-be-gone/ ). Good beer is good beer. We're not saving babies in Haiti.
-Bad Beer. With 2,400 brewers, there's going to be some bad beer. It's already a problem, we're hearing. If there's enough of it, Brand Craft will get sullied again. And not just bad beer, but old beer. We've seen this before, and it ended badly. When brewers get in a financial pinch, they start sending beer all over the place, never to check on it again.
-Tax Policy. Craft brewers don't have a tax problem, they have a Jim problem. Extending the barrelage exemption to 6 mil barrels raises the ire of not only the small brewers in the BA, but the large brewers not in the BA. Besides, I can't think of a worse time to intro a tax relief bill. As one politically savvy distributor put it to me: "I know of a couple of Senators named Blunt and Feinstein who will never let it see the light of day." I know, I know: they're playing defense by playing offense. I'm hearing of another idea to do away with ANY excise taxes for really small brewers, say under 5k barrels, to assuage the small guys. Still, it's a tough sell in this fiscal environment.
-Succession. As Peter Egelston of Portsmouth Brewery said, everyone from his "class" in the industry is nearing 50. Meanwhile, private equity circles above. Next chapters will come in many forms -- some will flourish and some might not work, but succession from founder to others is never without pain.
-Expanding Markets too Quickly, without enough feet on the street to support sales, babysit tap handles and improve retailer focus. Opening up new states is a great way to grow, but it has its drawbacks the farther you get away from the brewery (see old beer above).
-Flagship fatigue. Seven out of the top ten craft brewers lost dollar share of craft in IRI scans in 2012 (those who didn't are Sierra, Lagunitas, and Bell's). We are starting to see more and more red numbers for old flagship brands in mature markets. When flagships suffer at the expense of one-offs or rotating taps, the winification of beer becomes complete and it becomes increasingly difficult to make money.
-Related to this is the issue of SKU proliferation. The average number of SKUs a distributor can handle has doubled over the last four years, and it will likely double again. Distributors don't like handling so many SKUs because it's costly, but with advanced picking systems and racking, it's definitely doable. Where the bottleneck truly occurs is at retail. Distributors in some markets can't physically put every craft brand they carry in every account they want to be in. So there's a constant shuffling of brands going on depending on which brewer is "on focus" that month at the distributorship. It's not a fun or effective way to sell beer.
-Craft vs Crafty. The industry infighting over definitions and labels is getting a lot of media play, and the consumer is listening. Everybody including myself has spilt a lot of ink over this so I won't rehash except to say that it's still getting quite a bit of play in the media, not all of it great.
Having said all that, craft is still the most dynamic, healthy, growing, and coolest part of bev-alc industry these days. And if the above challenges can be managed well, we will see many more years of growth. The Khaleesi, in the end, may just prevail.
BEER BRIEFS:
FOR A GREAT READ regarding a craft legend, Inc magazine covers an average day for Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman.
http://www.inc.com/magazine/201304/liz-welch/the-way-i-work-ken-grossman-sierra-nevada.html
THE EMPIRE CRAFT ALLIANCE, a group of mostly A-B wholesalers and two MC distribs in New York State, has announced that The Fort Collins Brewery will be entering New York State with its network. The ECA was established in early 2012 by 18 different wholesale operations.
Until tomorrow, Harry
"To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered."
-Voltaire
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Today's Sell Day: 7
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This month ends on a: Tues.
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YTD sell days Over/Under: -1
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San Antonio, TX 78209Samsung Electronics Co is likely to cut jobs in China, amid weakening smartphone sales, a news site said on Monday.
The South Korean handset giant is planning to lay off more than 1,000 employees in the world’s largest smartphone market, according to qq.com, a news portal owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd. The cut represents 9 per cent of its workforce in China, and the positions will include marketing, sales and product development, the report said, citing an unidentified source.
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Samsung did not comment on the report on Monday.
The once unbeatable smartphone giant is now facing competition from companies such as Xiaomi Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd as local brands are introducing high-end devices at a fraction of the prices that Samsung charges.
Only 10.8 per cent of the 99 million smartphones sold in China during the second quarter of this year were made by Samsung, pushing it to the fourth spot behind Xiaomi, Huawei and Apple Inc, according to Beijing-based iResearch Consulting Group.
Its sluggish China sales dragged its second-quarter global market share to 21.9 per cent from 26.2 per cent a year earlier, International Data Corp said in a recent report. While Samsung is struggling to achieve growth in the high-end market, emerging firms such as Huawei and Xiaomi are cashing in, the report said.
Nicole Peng, research director at research firm Canalys China, said Chinese vendors are posing greater threats to Samsung than Apple in high-end segment.
A salesman at DiXinTong Inc, a major handset retail outlet in the country, said Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S6 Edge Plus has been missing sales targets since its launch last month.
“Huawei’s high-end devices are the most popular items now, and sometimes we cannot sell more than 10 Edge Plus each day, although banners advertising the device is everywhere in our store,” he said.
The potential China layoff plan of Samsung came after reports stating the world’s largest vendor is preparing to reduce headcounts at its headquarters.
Seoul-based newspaper Korean Economic Daily reported last week Samsung is looking to let go 10 per cent of its employees in South Korea because of declining smartphone business.
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Samsung dismissed the report, saying it was just relocating its staff.
Samsung had already suffered a fall in profits for seven straight quarters. Its second-quarter net profit was less than US$5 billion, an 8 per cent drop compared to a year earlier, the company said in a financial statement.
Once Samsung confirms the layoff, it will join HTC Corp and Lenovo Group Ltd, which had also announced job cuts at their smartphone units.
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MOST READShawn Carter, better known as Jay Z, is on the prowl for a new project. TMZ reported that Carter is considering buying out Harvey Weinstein's 23% share in The Weinstein Company. Weinstein was fired from the company in the wake of multiple sexual harassment allegations.
After a string of investments, Carter had in March this year, announced his own venture capital platform - ARRIVE, in collaboration with Primary Venture Partners ("Primary") and GlassBridge Asset Management ("GlassBridge"). The platform intends to help early-stage start ups with brand services, business development and advisory services along with capital.
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According to Crunchbase, in December 2016 the ’99 Problems’ star participated in a $105 million funding round for JetSmarter – a company known as the ‘Uber for private jets.’ This was the second time he backed the company, having contributed in a previous round as well. Other investors in the company include the Saudi Royal Family.
Carter was also an early investor in Uber itself. Crunchbase data shows that in 2013, Carter was a part of a $360 million Series C funding round for Uber. The very next year, he invested in a $30 million round for the e-commerce beauty brand Julep. Along with making music, Carter started Roc Nation, a music, sports & entertainment company in 2008. Roc Nation, along with other celebrity investors like Ashton Kutcher, funded BlackJets - another private jet-hailing service that was eventually grounded.The concepts of compassion, kindness and humanity in dementia care are discussed within the paper. The ability to deliver care that is compassionate, kind and humanistic exists along a continuum across care settings – examples of excellent care sit alongside examples of very poor care and the reasons for this are explored together with discussion as to how health and social care staff can be trained and supported to deliver compassionate care.
The interviews highlighted differences and challenges in care settings in providing compassionate, humanistic care and the impact of the care experienced by the person with dementia during the last year of life on informal carers during the bereavement period and beyond. Excellent examples of compassionate care were experienced alongside very poor and inhumane practices.
A lack of compassion in UK healthcare settings has received much recent attention. This study explores the experiences of people with dementia in the last year of life and time surrounding death and how the presence and lack of compassion, kindness and humanity influenced the experience of care.
Introduction Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction << Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES The words ‘kindness’, ‘humanity’ and ‘compassion’ invoke perceptions of caring, kind-hearted, benevolent, gentle and empathic care.1 Kindness and compassion are two core human values which are important in society and side from other moral values are the foundation of social and personal relationships. Kindness is an act or a gesture done out of goodwill towards a person or another living creature. Compassion is a deep and personal emotion and is defined as the ability to understand the emotional state of another person, i.e. ‘putting yourself in another's shoes’. It is a much stronger feeling and urges one person to do something to alleviate or reduce the suffering of another. Having compassion leads a person to show kindness, but while all can be generous and show kindness to others not everyone can show compassion. Several reports expose what would appear to be inhumane and non-compassionate care of some of society’s most vulnerable members2–8 which include older people and those with dementia. These reports have lead to independent enquiries investigating concerns and complaints within both the NHS and private sectors and identify and heavily criticize the distinct lack of attention to compassion, dignity and basic care needs. Attitudes, cultures of care, organisational issues and communication skills of staff members involved in direct care and support have also been criticized and identified as priority areas for improvement. Several actions were recommended as outcomes from the investigations including the provision of appropriate training and support for care staff. In response to some of the issues identified as problematic, a vision for nursing3 has been published which outlines proposals for the development of a culture of compassionate care within the nursing profession and provides a framework for improving patient care building upon the NHS Constitution9 and the Caring for our Future White Paper.4 The nursing vision is based around the six Cs: care; compassion; competence; communication; courage; and commitment; and included in the vision is the recommendation of training in compassion. We report a recent study of 40 bereaved carers who had cared for and experienced the death of a close family member from dementia.
Methods Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods << Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES This national study recruited bereaved carers from Scotland, England and Wales. Purposive sampling was used, and appeals for volunteers were made via organisations (Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK), the press and community networks. A total of 40 participants were recruited between February 2009 and August 2010. Interviews were conducted within participants’ own homes or place of work and recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim and interviews lasted between 30 min and 80 min. One participant chose to write about their experiences due to time constraints. Field notes supplemented interpretation and analysis. Participants were encouraged to tell ‘their story’ with minimal interruption from the researcher which ensured events and issues important and significant to the participant were reported. The interview process was informed by narrative interviewing which unlike a traditional structured interview that has a detailed series of questions to be answered; the unstructured narrative interview is designed to provide an opportunity for the participant to give a detailed account of a particular experience, event or point in time. The aim of the interview was to elicit narratives which focused on a particular point in time, experiences within this time frame and an event, which in this case was death. To use a pre-structured interview design would have only allowed participants to select isolated parts from their own story and in effect filling in or completing pre-existing narratives by the researcher. This study utilized qualitative methodology informed by Grounded Theory10,11 and phenomenology.12 Full ethical approval (RETH/000206) was obtained. Analysis commenced from the outset of data collection. Once transcribed, transcripts were returned to participants for verification. All transcripts were read by all authors and re-read by the researcher. Line by line coding of transcripts, memo writing, development of categories and emergence of themes followed and emerging themes were compared, discussed and agreed. Data saturation, participants reporting the same or similar issues began to occur when recruitment reached 35 participants and a further five participants were recruited to ensure saturation had been fully been achieved. Field notes and notes on non-verbal communications relating to statements made by participants were referred to during analysis for clarification of setting and contexts.
Results Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results << Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES Participants were recruited from the North West of England (n = 21), North East of England (n = 4), Wales (n = 9), Scotland (n = 6) and all lived in urban, rural and semi-rural areas. Participants were 31 female and nine male carers with an age range of 18–86 years and included wide socioeconomic backgrounds. Within the study, 22 people with dementia had died in a District General Hospital, 14 within care homes and four within a family home. The majority had experienced care in several different care settings prior to death (Table 1). Table 1. Characteristics of participating bereaved carers. View larger version Grounded Theory was not applied in its true sense to this study. The aim was to invite carers to inform us what were the problems and therefore the work and data were grounded in their experiences as we wanted their personal perspectives on the topic. This work was clinically embedded and was not so much about generating new theory as about illuminating the deeply personal experiences of caring for a person with dementia in the last year of life and for these cumulative experiences to inform future research as well as service development.
Compassion, kindness and humanity in formal/professional care Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... << Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES The words compassion, kindness and humane were frequently words used by participants to describe the care given and this included compassion, kindness and humanity in formal care and the compassion, kindness and the humanity of ‘strangers’. Compassion, kindness and humanity in formal care applied not only to direct care givers but also to ancillary staff: Another act of kindness was when he was in hospital the secretary of the vicar in charge of the hospital, I went down enquiring about services, Muslim services, she said “I believe your husband likes nice coffee, he can have a nice cup of coffee with me” so she brought special cups in, biscuits and special coffee for him. (wife P32) Dawson-Goodey13 highlighted the importance of ‘small things’ making the difference. As the quote below indicates, it is the small things and little acts of kindness that are most meaningful to people. Another little act of kindness, I bought my husband new jogging bottoms and a top … … nurse didn’t put it on until just before he was going to see the oncologist … so he wouldn’t make a mess of it … I just thought … they are so busy there … little acts of kindness like that are very important aren’t they? (wife P32) The ability of formal carers to put themselves in the informal carer’s position was valued – this ability to provide compassionate care surpassed age and gender as the quote below reveals. Care given by staff was truly excellent I can only praise them … certain older members of staff who were absolutely great with him … when I would thank them they would say “well, we would do this for our own mum or our own dad you know”… also what I found was the young carers who were there they too were excellent, they were very patient. (daughter P39) There were also acts of unkindness and a lack of compassion witnessed across care settings. Seemed to be no compassion on the ward it was … it was horrible the way me dad died, absolutely horrible … well I felt it was dreadful … I just felt there was no … there was no caring if he’d have been in a side room … had a little bit of dignity where he could have been quiet … where you’d got a lot of so poorly people … you go over what he must have gone through. (daughter P09) As this participant’s father approached death, there was no privacy and he died on an open ward. It was common place for people with dementia to die on an open busy ward with the promise of transfer to a side room not materializing. A participants’ description of care within a specialist dementia care home reveals what can happen when compassion is not present. The behaviour of formal carers towards the father was interpreted by family as unkind and de-humanising. He was really getting to be unhappy, we knew he was unhappy, a woman (member of staff) stood outside the door in the corridor outside his room, she couldn’t see me, she didn’t know I was there, she said “I’m absolutely fed up with him” at the top of her voice, so me dad would’ve heard it without a shadow of a doubt, “if he doesn’t wanna be here, we certainly don’t want him here, I don’t know why they don’t just come and get him and take him”, Why the unkindness? … I never expected that, I never expected the disrespect, the unkindness. (daughter P11) In the quote below, nine years since the death of her father, we can see evidence of the negative impact and lasting effects upon a carer when poor communications and target driven care from professionals are perceived to have occurred. The memory clinic showed no interest whatsoever in the carer, I think that’s what struck me more than anything, they just wanted to know really whether dad could tick the right boxes to merit he could stay on Aricept. (daughter P03)
Compassion, kindness and humanity from strangers Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... << Discussion What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES There were many acts of what participants perceived as compassionate, kind and humane care from groups of people who were not known, i.e. were ‘strangers’ but who appeared willing to help in times of need. This ranged from people in local communities such as postmen and barbers to those in the wider communities: taxi drivers, police and funeral directors. Dad took him in the barbers once, barber was really, really good with him, he sort of understood the situation, he used to like going to the barbers, he would let the barber shave him properly, he would let the barber cut his hair, wouldn’t let anyone else do it. (granddaughter P05) The description of the barber being ‘really, really good’ reveals how appreciative carers were and the impact for the person with dementia who despite his illness also clearly understood that he was being treated with kindness and respect. The barber appeared to ‘understand the situation’ without any apparent prior training, knowledge or experience of people with dementia. I would definitely say kindness of strangers was something that really became apparent you can be so reliant on strangers … we had a couple of taxi drivers who gave him free lifts back when he was found wandering, that type of thing. (granddaughter P07) There were examples of strangers ‘coming to the rescue’ of people with dementia. Carer (P07) was a full-time postgraduate student whose seniors had little understanding of the caring role and responsibilities. Compassion also remained important and meaningful after death. Funeral directors appeared to be a significant group of people who demonstrated acts of compassion and kindness at a difficult and emotional time. The funeral director, he was so polite, so nice they rang me everyday before K’s funeral to ask if I was alright. (wife P19) They were a good help really, the funeral directors, we knew nothing, there was no help at the hospital whatsoever … he got taken to the C funeral service … where we saw him again … he looked beautiful there … I mean he looked thin but immaculate absolutely immaculate. (wife P09)
Discussion Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion << What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES This study revealed many important aspects of compassionate care for people with dementia. The importance of compassionate care is relevant to all health and social care sectors. Kitwood14 described the person-centred model of dementia care and argued that cultural values, the social and emotional history of people with dementia and daily practices of caring for patients could exacerbate the disease process and that dementia was socially constructed and believed acquiring knowledge about the person with dementia was the key to delivering good, individualised person-centred care until the end of life. There was evidence in the study of the person-centred model of care being applied. It was also apparent that formal carers and others did not require an in-depth knowledge of a disease and its trajectory to incorporate acts of kindness into caring and to deliver care in a humane, compassionate manner. The barber, hospital ancillary staff and funeral director would have little if any prior knowledge of the disease and the person with dementia but were perceived as kind, compassionate and ‘person-centred’ in their approaches and interactions. Why do some formal carers appear not to be able to provide compassionate care. Chambliss15 suggested routinisation and traumatic events appear normal to staff employed within hospitals – the more experienced nurse has to deal with all manner of things including naked bodies, bodily waste and dying patients. An increase in exposure to traumatic events may result in the absence of certain behaviours in order to maintain self-preservation and protection. The caring domain is from birth to death, from ‘womb to tomb’ – the humanism of medicine, in contrast to the purely ‘scientific and heroic fighting’ of saving life.16 In today’s society of targets and health outcomes, minimal attention has been paid to the potential health consequences for nurses and others providing care and caring within the healthcare system. Compassion fatigue (or secondary traumatic stress) has emerged as a natural consequence of caring.17 An individual’s death is marked by the ritual of a funeral18 and in this study, undertakers were particularly noted for their kind and compassionate approach. In the funeral industry, personal values underpinning awareness would be essential to a successful business. Hyland and Morse19 reported research in the United States has shown that the role has evolved over the last 50 years from preparing and burying the dead to that of: co-ordinator and planner, confidant, counsellor, salesman, manager and comforter of family and friends of the deceased. As people become more distant from their communities and from religious leaders, the funeral director may be the only ‘official visitor’ (or indeed in some cases the only visitor) for the bereaved and their compassionate approach is embedded within the very practical aspects of their work. Dementia is a public health issue requiring a public health approach and involvement of all aspects of society and local communities. The development of compassionate communities20 and dementia-friendly communities6,21 will depend upon the goodwill and interest of those groups described as ‘strangers’ within this study – e.g. the barber, funeral director and ancillary staff, if communities are to become truly compassionate and dementia-friendly. Meeting the challenges and standards set out in the Dementia Strategy5 and the Dementia Challenge6 and providing dementia friendly6 and compassionate communities across the disease trajectory, including end of life care and at the point of death will be a major challenge for society.
What this study adds Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds << Study limitations Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES Recently, the Francis Report8 has highlighted what can happen if as a society we are unable to support our clinical staff in delivering care to patients that is kind and compassionate? Target-driven care may be a necessity in healthcare but it must not be at the expense of compassion. The work of Gilbert22 has demonstrated the need to be compassionate with ourselves in order to be compassionate with others. Care home staff are generally poorly paid and undervalued and the ‘hard work of caring’ is rarely acknowledged. This study has revealed that knowledge and information about individuals alone does not necessarily lead to compassionate care, strangers (with no knowledge or information) were in some instances better at taking care of the person with dementia and their families. Compassion burnout should be identified and addressed in healthcare, and more attention and support offered to those who experience death regularly, e.g. in care of the elderly settings. As authors we also believe that the most important teachers are the bereaved carers – we need to listen and give more opportunities for bereaved carers to share their experiences (both good and bad) and to be more involved with both undergraduate and postgraduate education.
Study limitations Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds Study limitations << Conclusions References CITING ARTICLES We acknowledge that we were not able to interview a sequential sample of carers of people dying with dementia and that participants self-selected into the study and were in that case a biased sample and that most carers were female. In addition, the average time since death was 1.75 years (range 3 months to 5 years) and only four people with dementia had died at home therefore the carers experiences were predominantly within hospitals and care homes. We however recruited throughout the UK including areas of high and low social deprivation and a wide age range of carers were recruited. Although, in some cases, considerable time had elapsed since the death, the participants’ recall of the last year of life was remarkably good with great clarity surrounding care in the last year of life and at the time of death.
Conclusions Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Introduction Methods Results Compassion, kindness and... Compassion, kindness and... Discussion What this study adds Study limitations Conclusions << References CITING ARTICLES A large number of people with dementia end their lives in 24-hour care environments either in hospital or a care home as occurred with 90% of the relatives of carers interviewed in this study. The Department of Health9 report on the National Health Service states in providing compassionate care: … we respond with humanity and kindness to each person’s pain, distress, anxiety or need. We search for the things we can do, however small, to give comfort and relieve suffering. We find time for those we serve and work alongside. We do not wait to be asked, because we care … Is it possible to achieve a universal standard of compassionate care for patients dying with dementia? While there are excellent examples, much work is still required to ensure our health and social care workforce are able to respond with kindness, humanity and compassion to each person’s pain, anxiety or distress.
Declarations Competing interests None declared Funding This research was supported with a PhD studentship grant from St Lukes Hospice Winsford Cheshire Ethical approval Full ethical approval was obtained from the University of Liverpool Research Ethics and Governance Committee (RETH 000206). Guarantor ML-W Contributorship ML-W, SH and KCMW conceived the idea for the study; JC, ML-W, KCMW and SH carried out the study and analysis; and ML-W, JC, KCMW and SH all contributed and had sight of final manuscript Acknowledgements We wish to thank all the carers who so generously gave their time to be involved in the study and to all the organizations that helped with recruitment Provenance Not commissioned; peer-reviewed by Mary O’BrienDonald Ross Scribe and his grandmother stand in front of his mural (Courtesy of Scribe).
As the sign indicates, at one time this was just the Brady District. But then came museums and the murals, and the Brady Arts District sprang to life, eliciting a sense of great pride.
"It's completely embarrassing," said Noah Roberts, describing the black eye, or rather red wall, to that pride, that happened just the other day when a mural of a rhino playing football was suddenly painted over.
"There was a complete disrespect, disregard for the artist and the organizers that brought this talent to Tulsa to do this kind of art," said Roberts.
"I love Tulsa," said Donald Ross Scribe from Kansas. He's the artist who painted it. The mural was inspired by his grandfather who played football for OU back in 1942.
"There's a lot of thought that he put into that piece," said Mary Beth Babcock.
His grandfather has passed, but his grandmother still lives in Tulsa and had never seen him actually spray paint. But this time she watched, and
"At one point she went up to the wall and she was patting the chest of the rhino, you'd have to know my grandpa 'cause he was a really huge guy in stature and she's not a very big lady, and it just looked similar to me, and it looked like she was saying hello for a minute, and it really made me tear up while I was finishing up the mural," Scribe said.
"Just knowing the guy's personal story and what went into this really makes it that much more painful for the artist," said Roberts.
As to why it was painted over? The property manager told Tulsa's Channel 8 that while permission was granted, he was never informed what the piece would actually look like, that he'd received some complaints about it, and that it was four feet taller than it was supposed be.
"Whether you like it or not, whether you respect it or not, we need to make a statement that Tulsa values artists and their art," said Roberts.
Efforts are now underway to bring Scribe back to T-town, so that he can do another piece at another location.
"I hope it creates some conversations with the city that when we do these large public art commissions, that we make sure that art's protected," said Roberts.by Brett Stevens on May 8, 2016
Bruce Charlton brings up an excellent point with his most recent post on ancient knowledge:
Like most good metaphysics, Ingwaz comes from the solid, primary, necessary intuition that we are thinking. From this comes the inference that whatever we think, do, know or whatever – thinking is involved. There is no way of getting-at any objective reality that does not involve thinking – it is nonsense (makes no sense) to be thinking there is an objective realm of ‘facts’ that are autonomous from thinking. However, this is NOT the ‘idealism’ of stating that there is only mind, and ‘reality’ is an illusion; what is being stated is that thinking is involved in everything – therefore, everything includes thinking. The thinking cannot be detached from anything, thinking is always involved in everything.
To this I add a few ideas. The first is that what we know of the world is formed of our interaction with it, but this does not mean that it cannot be realistic, because we do not face an either/or option regarding external/internal objects.
“Objectivism” is nonsense. Objective and subjective are human fantasies. Reality is more like objectivity than subjectivity, but it uses subjective means to get there. Heisenberg and Schrodinger smile down on us as we realize that as observers, we are inextricably bound up with what we observe, and what we know is “a representation of a representation” as Schopenhauer says, meaning that our thought-objects (engrams) are representations reflecting the highly filtered (per Kant) and active process of perception.
We the conscious mind are observers on the balcony of a large building, looking through the glass below at objects made by a busy staff of dendrites, based on something they see through binoculars and can recognize according to a vast Book Of Known Objects which tells them what to look for. For humans, to look is to filter, and we find only what we know how to see.
Idealism however is more complex.
Kant’s transcendental idealism was a modest philosophical doctrine about the difference between appearances and things in themselves, which claimed that the objects of human cognition are appearances and not things in themselves. Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel radicalized this view, transforming Kant’s transcendental idealism into absolute idealism, which holds that things in themselves are a contradiction in terms, because a thing must be an object of our consciousness if it is to be an object at all…Inspired by Karl Leonhard Reinhold, they attempted to derive all the different parts of philosophy from a single, first principle. This first principle came to be known as the absolute, because the absolute, or unconditional, must precede all the principles which are conditioned by the difference between one principle and another. – “Germanic Idealism, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Others show us further divisions between transcendental idealism and the more extreme versions to follow:
It examines the relationship between epistemological idealism (the view that the contents of human knowledge are ineluctably determined by the structure of human thought) and ontological idealism (the view that epistemological idealism delivers truth because reality itself is a form of thought and human thought participates in it). – “Idealism,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
This leads us to Schopenhauer, who made sense of the dispute. In his view, idealism did not suggest that objects were created by our minds — he explicitly states this early in his works on the topic — but that what we knew of as objects existed within our minds. Further, the universe was created of thought, or something thought-like, and obeyed the principles of thought more than those of matter, which is a fancy way of returning to Plato’s idea that organizational form (information, pattern) is more important than its material substrate.
The most common misunderstanding of idealism is the solipsistic fallacy, which is the notion that the world exists within the mind and vanishes when we are not there to see it. This flatters the human ego.
Charlton is insightful yet again. All of our intuition, emotion and even subconscious response are forms of thinking, as necessarily is our perception. This is where the Buddhists ran off the rails: by attempting to separate thought from intuition, they created a false intuition which, while powerful, leads to incorrect conclusions. The Hindus did not have this illusion.
Charlton’s site is worth visiting. I used to comment frequently on his posts until he adopted the Google Accounts only rule, which has driven away a number of his regular commentators who would rather link to our homesites than indulge the Google Authority in yet another expansion. Nonetheless, it is always a worthy read and I am told he now accepts comments via email. Having dealt with Blogger’s ancient and crusty interface and limited comment options, I can see why he made the decision he did, although I would not have done so.
Where I can offer more to this debate is with the notion of self-conscious. The self conscious person is not aware of himself, but of himself as he appears to others. Otherwise, he has no need for visualization of the self. Self-consciousness is a politician promising voters what they want to hear; it is a salesman saying words that appeal to the fears and suppressed desires of his audience; it is a hep cat at the club telling people that what they want to do, not what they should do, is new and therefore more important than what works well.
With self-conciousness, even our internal thinking becomes corrupted. We no longer know what we need, or even what we want, but can only pay attention to the value of things to others and feel we should have them. We are entirely reactive to what the herd is doing, and what seems to be the trend of the moment. The granular decision-making of the individual is replaced by wave motion.
The intellect, when not aware of itself, serves the raw animal will of the individual. This is separate from individualism; the individual is aware of his position in the hierarchy and rank order of the universe, and does not aim to rise above (hubris). Instead, he simply seeks the best advantage and to maximize his position because it is immutable.
When societies grow, the bloat affords voice to the agents of decay: merchants, whores, vandals, idiots, sycophants, char |
enko: We're not going anywhere until we get the facts here.
"I've never been in a situation like that, ever. I didn't even know what was going through my mind," Melissa told Moriarty.
"I believe we had sufficient evidence to show that she, in fact, killed Benjamin that day," said Scheller.
Assistant State's Attorneys Steven Scheller and Matthew DeMartini theorized that Melissa killed out of frustration. They say there was a lot of commotion that day and Melissa was overwhelmed.
"She became frustrated holding Ben," Scheller said. "She threw him to the floor."
Melissa Calusinski: I was feeling so frustrated...
"Could you find any history on Melissa's part of any kind of problems with babies?" Moriarty asked. "Did anyone report that?"
"Not that I'm aware of," DeMartini replied.
But the more Fuller learned, the more she began to question the case against Melissa.
"I realized that Melissa had a story to tell," she said.
Fuller worried about the nine hours it took investigators to get the young woman with a low verbal IQ to confess:
Det. Sean Curran: You threw him on the ground, he hit the back of his head. What happened?
And there was this: Melissa told investigators that when she threw Ben to the floor, another teacher was in the same room - at the sink.
But that teacher, Nancy Kallinger, told police she didn't see or hear anything:
Cop: Melissa... picked him up and threw him on the ground... while you were doing the dishes. Nancy Kallinger: Huh? Cop: Those are her own words, OK. Nancy Kallinger: She wouldn't have done that.
"If Nancy was in the room when this happened, you would think that Nancy would've heard it," Fuller explained. "She testified that she never heard kids screaming or crying."
"Did anyone at trial remember seeing Melissa angry or upset with the children?" Moriarty asked.
"No one. And no one ever heard any commotion, any screaming, any crying. No one heard anything," Fuller replied.
"Ben went to sleep, and after he woke up... the day care workers found a bump on his head... and pointed it out to his mother," Fuller explained.
How that bump got there is unclear, but Ben's mother showed it to his doctor, who saw no reason for alarm.
"The pediatrician actually examined Benjamin's head, had felt around -- said there was no issues that she felt needed to be addressed, that mom should just keep an eye on him," Scheller told Moriarty. "Ben never had an issue after that."
But defense experts say that after that day, there were possible signs of head trauma -- medical records showing Ben was "lethargic."
Nancy Kallinger: And If I might just point out about Ben... there's always something up with him.
Teacher Nancy Kallinger told police that he slept a lot.
Nancy Kallinger: He had just gotten up from a 2:30 nap and then he wants to go asleep again at 3:30.... that's something that I thought was very odd about Ben."
And just two days before he died, Ben threw up violently on Melissa.
"This was big vomit. He-- it was, like, nonstop," said Melissa.
Defense attorneys said these were signs of a brain injury that left him vulnerable to any further impact, even a minor one. And Ben did have a habit of throwing his head back and hitting it. Nancy Kallinger said he did that twice shortly before he died.
Nancy Kallinger: I put him on the floor and he immediately threw himself on the floor....And I walked towards the sink and he threw himself again.
Prosecutors scoffed at the defense theory. They say Ben threw up because he had a stomach bug.
"Ben became ill at a day care center. He did throw up a couple of times," said Matthew DeMartini.
"More than -- a couple of times, Matt," Moriarty pointed out.
"...he went home and threw up a couple more times. He was given Pedialyte and put to bed. He woke up the next day and he was fine," said DeMartini.
And they insist that Ben's fatal injury happened on the day he died --and that Melissa inflicted it just as she said.
"What she told the police was that she threw him to the floor. And his injuries are consistent with that impact to that floor," said Scheller.
They closed their case with a video of Ben pushing a toy shopping cart taken several weeks after he got that bump on his head. Proof, they said, that he was neurologically fine.
"It's heartbreaking," Fuller said of seeing the video.
"And how much do you think that influenced the jurors?" Moriarty asked.
"Oh, it's huge," she replied.
The jury took seven hours to deliberate.
"They took me back to the courtroom. And I was pretty positive about it. They said they reached their verdict. And... they said 'guilty.' I just -- I almost lost it," Melissa said in tears.
Guilty of first-degree murder, Melissa Calusinski was sentenced to 31 years in state prison. But her father, convinced Melissa was innocent, vowed to fight for her.
"... anything for my daughter," Paul Calusinski said. "I just couldn't stop."
He persuaded a newly elected coroner to take a fresh look at the case and he found something he never expected.
EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE
Melissa Calusinski, 27, spent four years behind bars before Dr. Thomas Rudd, the new Lake County coroner - who is currently running for re-election -- took a look at the autopsy evidence.
"I could not believe what I was seeing, because it was the exact opposite of what was written. So, I had my head spinning," Dr. Rudd told Erin Moriarty.
At Melissa's trial, state pathologist Dr. Eupil Choi said Benjamin Kingan did not have an old injury, but his own slides showed that the toddler did.
"I saw a membrane, and I thought,'my God,'" said Rudd.
"What do you mean when you say you saw a membrane?" Moriarty asked.
"You see a scab. Similar to what forms on your skin except it's in the brain," Rudd explained.
"This is normal," Dr. Rudd explained, pointing to the bottom of the scan. "Everything above this is abnormal and should not be there. Only this should be there." 48 Hours
Holding up a slide of the infant's brain, Rudd points out what is normal versus abnormal on the scan.
Rudd says Dr. Choi made a glaring error when he said Ben was severely injured on the day he died. It's obvious that injury was old, he says.
"This is a membrane, this is a scar tissue, this is a scab," Rudd told Moriarty, referring to the slide. "By definition if you have a membrane you have an old injury."
The autopsy slides - and others he prepared himself - confirmed his findings.
"Every one showed iron... that is definitive proof that it's an old injury," Rudd explained, pointing out spots on the slide. "Any resident in first-year pathology can recognize this."
And he didn't stop there. Rudd turned to well-regarded pathologist and former Cook County Chief Medical Examiner Nancy Jones for another opinion. She also saw evidence of an old injury - one that had been healing for about two to three months -- a time frame consistent with that bump the day care workers noticed on Ben's head.
"How big was that old injury?" Moriarty asked Rudd.
"Four inch by four inch," he replied.
"Isn't that significant -" Moriarty commented.
"Huge, hugely significant. And how they let that go is beyond me," Rudd replied.
"But you're saying, though, something else did happen on the day Ben died?" Moriarty asked.
"Correct....A minor injury. He could have just twisted his head really fast," Rudd explained. "The added fluid of the recent injury... pushes that brain down and shuts down the breathing system. That is the -- the cause of the child's death. It was the old injury. The old injury was massive."
Both doctors Rudd and Jones believe that injury had been exacerbated by "cumulative incidents of head banging."
"He was what we call a head banger," said Rudd, who felt he had to act.
"At some point did you reach out to Dr. Choi?" Moriarty asked.
"Yes, that was very interesting," he replied.
Asked if he was nervous about it, Rudd said, "Yes... I thought for a very long time, 'How will I do this?'"
Dr. Choi's affidavit
To Rudd's relief, Dr. Choi admitted he was wrong. He even signed a sworn affidavit, conceding that, "in my report and testimony I missed that Ben had suffered an old injury..." but he crossed out the word "significant."
"I've never seen the key pathologist for the State give an affidavit after the trial, after the conviction, saying, 'Whoops, I missed that prior injury,'" said Kathleen Zellner.
That affidavit is a game changer says Melissa's lawyer, Chicago attorney Kathleen Zellner. She's built a reputation for getting wrongfully convicted people out of prison -- including Ryan Ferguson.
Zellner says Melissa did not get a fair trial.
"The end goal is to find out if this conviction has integrity. I don't believe it does," she said.
When confronted with Dr. Choi's admitted mistake, prosecutors Matthew DeMartini and Steven Scheller concede there was an old injury, but they now say it was too small to matter.
"The microscopic injuries are just that, microscopic. There's no indication that anything in there is significant," DeMartini reasoned.
Rudd disagrees, saying he didn't even need a microscope to see it.
"Was that scar... in Ben Kingan's brain, was that visible to the naked eye?" Moriarty asked the coroner.
"Yes, it is," said Rudd.
"Just doing the autopsy you should have been able to see it?"
"That's correct," Rudd replied.
He also questions that skull fracture Dr. Choi reported seeing. Rudd believes it may have just been a normal part of Ben's growing skull.
"The alleged fracture was right in the middle of the head and towards the right going one inch," said Rudd, pointing to the spot on top of his own head.
"And there's no laceration there? There's no bruise -" Moriarty asked.
"None. None. Whatsoever," said Rudd.
"Is that possible then?"
"Highly unlikely. Highly unlikely. How do you fracture a skull without causing tissue damage to the skin above it? It's not possible," said Rudd.
He says he can't prove there was no fracture because Dr. Choi didn't preserve that evidence. Rudd could only look at photos. And as for that video prosecutors relied on at trial? Rudd says it's impossible to tell whether Ben had an injury then.
"Are you saying that Ben Kingan could have had a serious injury at the end of October and still been seemingly OK for two months and then just die?" Moriarty asked Rudd.
"Easily. Yes," he replied.
He says Ben's parents and doctors may have had no reason to suspect a serious injury.
"A child who can't talk can't tell you that, 'I feel nauseous' or 'I have headaches' or 'I can't see well. I've got blurred vision,'" said Rudd.
"You're confident, even though Dr. Choi made a mistake, filed an affidavit, that this was a fair trial?" Moriarty asked Scheller.
"I'm confident, based on all the evidence that the jury heard, that Melissa Calusinski killed Benjamin Kingan," he replied.
Melissa Calusinski: I feel like it was my fault. Yes I do.
After all, prosecutors say, Melissa Calusinski herself said she did it. In Rudd's eye, that's all that's left of their case.
"I do not see any evidence that she did it other than her confession," he said.
A TROUBLING CONFESSION
Det. Sean Curran:...he starts acting up and you get mad at him and you throw him on the floor... Det. George Filenko: You threw him on the floor? Melissa Calusinski: Yeah... really hard. Det. George Filenko: Really hard? Melissa Calusinski: Yeah.
Melissa Calusinski says she still can't explain why in 2009 she told police she killed Benjamin Kingan and even demonstrated how she did it.
"Do you understand why the state's attorney thinks this is a true confession? Is this a confession?" Moriarty asked Melissa.
"That is not a confession," she replied.
"What is this?" Moriarty asked.
"That's a bunch of lies," she said.
But it doesn't look or sound like a lie:
Det. Sean Curran: Show us how hard you threw him on the ground. Melissa Calusinski: I went like that. [Slams a folder to the ground]
"It does seem very convincing," Moriarty noted. "Why would she say she did slam the baby down?"
"It's very difficult to get inside of the mind of somebody under that kind of pressure," said Melissa's attorney, Kathleen Zellner. "It's easy from the outside to say, 'Oh, I'd never do it.' And then the answer is, 'Yeah, but you've never been in that spot.'...You haven't been pinned in a room with these two big detectives....You've never been the last one in a room with a child that's dying."
When Melissa went into that interrogation room, she says she'd barely slept in the two days since Ben died.
"It was, like, mentally exhausting for me," she told Moriarty. "I mean, a child just died....And it takes time to heal. I'm an emotional person when any type of bad thing would happen."
Det. George Filenko: We're gonna give you another opportunity... to either be a good witness or a co-conspirator in a murder.
"This was a really, really rough interrogation on a woman who could not withstand this kind of interrogation," said Fuller.
Det. George Filenko: That story you're giving us is a load of s---...
"There were times that the police got in her face, yelling expletives and slamming their fists," said Zellner.
Newspaper reporter Ruth Fuller says this is the most troubling confession she has ever seen.
"Almost any person I've ever asked has said to me, 'I would never confess to something I didn't do. Are you kidding me?' People don't believe that it can happen," she said.
But false confessions do happen. The Innocence Project found that more than 60 percent of those convicted of homicide and later exonerated by DNA confessed to crimes they didn't commit -- often after lengthy, intense interviews.
When tested, Melissa showed "extreme vulnerability to suggestion." She scored in the bottom four percent for verbal comprehension.
Melissa Calusinski [crying]:...'Cause I'm trying to think what did I do...
"They've got her cornered," Zellner said as she watched the interrogation video. "And she's unsophisticated about her legal rights."
Det. George Filenko: If you had a choice right now you'd be as far away from us as possible...
But prosecutors Matthew DeMartini and Steven Scheller say the cops played by the rules.
"She came there voluntarily. She was not in custody of the police... and she could've left during the interview," said DeMartini.
"Why didn't you walk out?" Moriarty asked Melissa. "Did you know you could?"
"I did not know - anything," she replied.
Video of Melissa Calusinski left alone in the interrogation room. Melissa never ate that day; she didn't even go to the restroom. And she spent long periods alone with no way to contact anyone.
"They would leave and lock the door, and lock me in there," she said.
Over and over, the detectives drive Melissa into first just admitting that she hurt Ben by "accident."
Det. Sean Curran: I do think an accident happened...
Law professor Deborah Tuerkheimer is a former prosecutor who has written about the risk of wrongful convictions in infant head trauma cases.
"People who are innocent often believe... 'if I can confess to this crime... down the road, it'll get sorted out, because I didn't do anything wrong,'" Tuerkheimer explained. "Detectives repeatedly told her that they understood how this could have happened; that she wasn't a bad person... that she simply needed to come clean and everything would be OK.
Det. Sean Curran: You're a good person, I can tell that. Det. George Filenko: We're not here to condemn you. We're not here to put you in jail...
And, after nearly six hours of denials, Melissa finally relents:
Det. Sean Curran: We wouldn't want you to go to jail Melissa Calusinski: Cause I kind of put him down. He kind of almost like slipped when I dropped him. And he hit the chair.
"Did that happen?" Moriarty asked Melissa.
"It never happened," she adamantly replied.
"But you're telling these cops that."
"I know. And I -- I wish I didn't," she said. "But when I kept denying -- they weren't letting me out."
But now, the detectives want more:
Det. George Filenko: The doctor's telling us that there's a lot more to this than just that.
"Every time she came up with a scenario of what could've happened to Ben, the police officers went so far as to have Dr. Choi -- and it's morbid-- but to have Dr. Choi remove Ben's body from storage at the coroner's office and to re-enact what she was saying happened in order to verify whether or not what she said was possible," said DeMartini.
Det. Sean Curran: They just did an experiment... There's no way that would have cracked his skull.
Based on what Dr. Choi was tellign them, the detectives are convinced that someone deliberately hurt Ben Kingan that day.
"Detectives say such things as, 'The science doesn't lie,'" Teurkheimer said of the questioning.
Det. George Filenko: Medical evidence... it just doesn't lie.
"We know this happened, because there could be no other possibility," Teurkheimer continued.
Det. Sean Curran: It's a medical certainty... Det. George Filenko: This is absolutely crap. That may have happened... But that's not what caused the injury.
"The person is only given one option: It is a severe head blow. It wasn't an accident. You had to have done this," Zellner explained.
Det. George Filenko: Something frustrated you. Something happened, OK?
"They kept saying, 'Oh you were aggravated, you were frustrated," said Melissa.
Det. Sean Curran: He didn't do anything to frustrate you? Was this something out of frustration? Melissa Calusinski: [Shakes her head no) Det. Sean Curran: What we think happened here... We think in this situation the other babies are screaming, crying whatever... You have Ben in your hands, he starts acting up, and you get mad at him and you throw him on the floor. Melissa Calusinski: [Nods to affirm] Det. George Filenko: You threw him on the floor? Melissa Calusinski: Yeah... really hard. Det. George Filenko: Really hard? Melissa Calusinski: Yeah.
"You said you threw this baby down hard. Did you, Melissa?" Moriarty asked.
"I did not. I didn't throw him," she replied. "I've always been patient."
Melissa Calusinski: It's frustrating with all these kids 'cause they're screaming, crying...
"And that day, the kids weren't loud. They were all playing," Melissa continued. "They were puttin' the words in my mouth."
"But -- you said it. You're saying they're putting the words in your mouth. You didn't have to say it, did you--" Moriarty pressed.
"I didn't. But see, I -- and I didn't know that. I was just -- I mean...they wanted me to say that... so that we could all go home," Melissa replied.
Attorney Zellner says one of the biggest problems with this confession is that it doesn't fit the evidence.
"The injuries are inconsistent with her description," she said.
Melissa told investigators that Ben was facing forward.
"If she's holding him forward, and says she threw him and he hit his head, isn't that a problem?" Moriarty asked Schuller.
"I don't see it as a problem at all," he said.
The prosecutors refused to show "48 Hours" how Ben received his injuries on the back of the head.
"I'm not gonna show you how she demonstrated," Schuller said.
Instead, they said to watch that second confession Melissa gave late that night, where Melissa demonstrates how she threw the baby.
Zellner says Melissa's reenactment proves her point.
"We've got all of the injuries right here," Zellner said, pointing to the back, top right, of a doll's head.
"And any injuries at all on the neck or on the back?" Moriarty asked.
"None to the neck. No bruising. Nothing. So that's not consistent with her demonstration at all," said Zellner.
"I mean, she's so tiny and - look how long this is," attorney Kathleen Zellner said. There's just no way to get that force." 48 Hours
What's more, Ben was a lot heavier than the doll used in the demonstration; he weighed 22 pounds and was 30 inches long. Zeller used a pillow of the same size and weight to demonstrate.
"I mean, she's so tiny and - look how long this is," Zellner said of the pillow. "There's just no way to get that force."
Det. Sean Curran: If you got mad and said, "get on the ground," just tell us.
Melissa told the story detectives prompted her to tell, says Zellner.
Det. George Filenko: Show us how angry you were, and show us what happened, and let's just get this over with and move on.
"She's naive, she's trusting, she's a people pleaser, she's trying to help them resolve this," Zellner said. "She's bargaining to get out of the room. That's what she did."
Melissa Calusinski: I'm trying to make it sound right... I want to help you guys so much...
"Didn't you realize, if you were admitting to hurting this baby, you weren't going home? You were gonna go to jail," Moriarty asked Melissa.
"I had no idea at all when I was sayin' all that," she said.
"What did you think?"
"I was just tired," Melissa explained. "I was just scared, I was just ready to -- get away from these men."
Remarkably Melissa repeatedly told "48 Hours" she truly believed that if she told detectives what they wanted to hear, they would all just go home:
Melissa Calusinski:...I'm just kind of curious, how long much more, 'cause... Det. George Filenko: Not much longer... We're on the phone right now. We're trying to get this done as quickly as possible. Melissa Calusinski: Because I just want to go home and spend time with my parents and my puppy.
"She has no idea that she has just ended the life that she knew," said Zellner.
Melissa Calusinski: And I'm very, very truly sorry. I didn't mean to get mad at you, with you guys. Det. George Filenko: That's alright, we understand. Det. Sean Curran: That's OK. Melissa Calusinski: So sorry. Det. George Filenko: We understand.
NEW EVIDENCE
For more than six years, Melissa Calusinski's family has waited for her to return home.
"...she liked to do her arts up here," Crystal Calusinski said, showing off sister Melissa's room. "We still have all her clothes... all her pictures and everything."
They still have the dog that Melissa worried so much about during her interrogation.
"When we try to open this door, I think he thinks she's probably home, that's why he gets he's really excited right here now," she said of the door to Melissa's room.
Crystal Calusinski is determined her son will remember her sister.
"He talks to her on the phone. And just thinks she's away at college - because that's the way we want to keep it at," she said, her voice breaking.
"It's painful, 'cause he's like, 'When can I see you?' You know, 'are you gonna come over to Gran-Gran's?'" Melissa said in tears. "And I was like, 'I am soon.'"
So far, two courts have allowed Melissa Calusinski's conviction to stand.
And Benjamin Kingan's parents, who declined an interview with "48 Hours," say they still firmly believe that the jury got it right.
"The family members of Benjamin Kingan stated through their attorneys, Corboy &Demetrio, that they firmly believe in the integrity and veracity of the police investigation, the interrogation and confession of the defendant, the jury trial and verdict, and the unanimous appellate court decision affirming the jury verdict.
The claimed "new" issues raised in the media and the post-conviction petition are really not new. The very same arguments were made before the jury. The jury unanimously rejected them."
"What would you say to the Kingans?" Moriarty asked Melissa.
"That I had nothing to do with this and that... you know, I'm sorry for, you know, lying and confessing, saying that I killed your son," she replied.
"They believe you did, don't they?" Moriarty asked.
"They do," she said.
Asked how she feels about that, Melissa told Moriarty, "Horrible. Horrible."
Despite all the questions raised in Melissa's case, State's Attorney Michael Nerheim sees no reason to reopen it.
"I reviewed the case. I reviewed it personally," he said.
Nerheim points to a letter in which pathologist Eupil Choi writes, that, even with his mistakes, his testimony would have been the same at trial.
"You're not concerned... that one of the most important witnesses at this trial... admits he made a mistake?" Moriarty asked.
"If his mistake changed the ultimate -- his ultimate opinion, which he hasn't said that it did, that would concern me," Nerheim replied.
"The fact that she said more than 70 times, 'I didn't do it, I didn't do it,' does it concern you at all," Moriarty pressed. "That she might have been worn into saying that, she would try to please these cops --"
"I think that happens in wrongful confessions. I don't think it happened here," said Nerheim.
But then in June, this case took a turn straight out of a novel: Melissa's father got an anonymous call from a man who told him there were X-rays of Ben Kingan that never made it to trial.
"Did you know these X-rays existed?" Moriarty asked Dr. Rudd.
"Did not know they existed and nobody ever told me they existed," he replied.
After getting that tip, Dr. Rudd's staff searched their computer archives and came up with surprising images taken at Ben's autopsy.
"We have his head, his face and his upper chest and upper extremities filmed," said Dr. Rudd.
"What was your reaction when you first saw these?" Moriarty asked.
"I was dumbfounded," Dr. Rudd replied.
What the X-rays show -- or rather don't show -- says Rudd, contradicts Dr. Choi's testimony.
"There's definitely no skull fracture here. I've shown this to various pathologists and a radiologist," Rudd explained. "They've all called me and said 'there is no skull fracture in this child at all.'"
What's more, Rudd says, X-rays of the lower part of the child's body show no evidence of an assault at all.
Benjamin Kingam X-ray Court evidence
"The spine's in good shape. The ribs are in good shape. The upper extremities are in good shape. There are no fractures here. And obviously no fracture here," Rudd pointed out.
"If, in fact, Melissa had thrown the baby down, like she seemed to confess, would the X-ray look the way it does?" Moriarty asked.
"No," Rudd replied.
What the X-rays do show, says Dr. Rudd, is an abnormally shaped head -- another indication of an old injury.
"His head looks like the old-fashioned light bulb. In other words, it's round. Anybody's head that is developing at this age is gonna be oblong," Rudd explained. "This is not a normal-shaped skull of a 16-month-old child."
"What was your reaction when, not only were these X-rays uncovered, but you see what they show," Moriarty asked attorney Kathleen Zellner.
"I felt enormous sense of relief. I thought, 'There is a God. There is a God,'" she replied.
Zellner says that the newly discovered X-rays prove that Melissa Calusinki did not get a fair trial.
"This is medical evidence that was withheld. And it was deliberately withheld, because the person who called knew it had been deliberately withheld," she explained.
"Otherwise, why the anonymous phone call?" Moriarty noted.
"Why the anonymous call?" Zellner said. "They had inside information."
In June, Zellner filed a 67-page petition asking the trial judge to throw out the Melissa's conviction based on the new evidence.
"Do you think having these X-rays at trial might have made a difference?" Moriarty asked Zellner.
"It shows that it's a false confession. Because the entire case was based on there being a skull fracture," she replied. "...as the prosecution told the jury 32 times."
State's Attorney Nerheim now says he is reviewing Melissa's case to determine to whether the X-rays "had previously been given to the defense."
READ THE FULL STATEMENT: Lake County State's Attorney Michael G. Nerheim | June, 24, 2015
"I have been notified through media reports that counsel for defendant Melissa Calusinski has filed a document known as a Post-Conviction Petition.
This is a standard petition filed by defendants who have been convicted and sentenced for various criminal offenses.
As I have previously indicated, I am aware of no new evidence in this case that suggests that this defendant was improperly convicted of First Degree Murder.
In the future, should this defendant have any such evidence of actual innocence, I will review that claim as I would in any other case prosecuted by my office.
In the meantime, a Lake County jury unanimously found this defendant guilty for the First Degree Murder of an infant. An Illinois Appellate Court has affirmed that conviction. While we were not provided a courtesy copy by the defense, we will obtain a copy of the petition, review it, and respond accordingly."
But after Dr. Rudd saw the images, he changed the manner of Ben Kingan's death from "homicide" to "undetermined." Ben's death may have not been a murder at all.
"What is the chance, you think now, that Melissa Calusinski will get a new trial, at least have this conviction vacated?" Moriarty asked Zellner.
"I don't know when it will happen. But I feel extremely confident she will get a new trial," she replied. "We will never stop pursuing this case."
In September, the trial judge will decide whether to hold a new hearing that could be a first step to a new trial.
Newspaper reporter Ruth Fuller, who changed jobs because of this case, has been waiting a long time for this.
"I want to know what happened to Ben. That's what I want to know. And I think that we owe it to Ben to know what happened to him," she said.
Melissa's parents visit her often. They are confident they'll bring her home one day.The disease of “modern” civilization... neurasthenia
December 21, 2014.
At the turn of the 20th century a mysterious illness emerged. The first people to be affected by it were the telegraph line installers and the telephone switch board operators. The symptoms of the illness included: nerve disorders, hence the name neurasthenia or nervous asthenia, depression, extreme anxiety, exhaustion, convulsions, unconsciousness, rashes, and a whole host of other malaise.
The afflictions became so bad that in 1907, the Bell telephone switchboard operators in Toronto went on strike. They demanded much shorter working hours and better working conditions.
In the 1950s with the invention of microwave frequencies, radar operators started suffering with similar symptoms that they called radio wave or microwave illness.
Now at the turn of the 21st century with the introduction of personal wireless technologies the general population seems to be plagued with the same symptoms, which we call electrohypersensitivity disorder or EHS.
What do these three events have in common? The introduction of chronic overexposure to electromagnetic fields.
In the telephone switchboard operator case, the personelle would manually place jacks into a switchboard panel to connect one telephone caller to another individual by the use of a switchboard cable. Their proximity to the switchboard caused them to be chronically exposed to hundreds of live telephone connections for up 8 hours each. They sat with electromagnetic fields on their head from the speakers in their headset and their bodies came in contact with voltage by the individual connections.
In the case of the radar operators, they worked near large radar antennas that were broadcasting and receiving wireless electromagnetic fields.
In the third case, we now wear microwave transmitters in the form of smart phones,wireless tablets that constantly emit Wi-Fi, blue tooth, and cellular data.
So basically, neurasthenia, radio wave illness and electrohypersenitvity are one and the same. However, neurasthenia is classified as an illness in the WHO list of diseases and EHS is relegated to idiopathic environmental illness, which basically means we don’t know the cause. In reality, the medical community knew it was a problem but in order to allow technology to progress the use of the word neurasthenia fell out of favour and is rarely used today as a diagnosis.
With the help of microsoft and the University of California, the Royal Commission document headed by the former Prime Minister of Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie King of the plight of the Bell Switchboard Operators was documented and digitized and I have made it available here. It is a fascinating read and the transcription of the hearing deserves to be turned into a feature film or at least an audio book.
The entire Royal Commission Report is available here for download (10 MB).PLAINSBORO – A 22-year-old Plainsboro man who paid $300 to rid himself of "black magic" contacted police to report that he had been scammed because the service did not work, police said.
The Plainsboro man contacted a man in Manchester, England after seeing an advertisement for black magic assistance on television, police said. Police contacted the England man and confirmed he agreed to help in exchange for $300.
“He said he’s doing all he can for the guy, and he just needs more time for it to work,” Lt. Jay Duffy said. “Apparently, black magic takes time.”
The Plainsboro man sought help with a candle lighting ceremony because his business had been suffering, police said. The man told police the ceremony never happened and the England man had stopped returning phone calls, police said.
“He was willing to pay the guy $300 to get the black magic out of his life,” Duffy said.
Police did not release the name of the man the victim had contacted because he has not been charged with a crime. The incident remains under investigation, police said in a news release.
Follow the Times of Trenton on Twitter.Nanowires are wired-shaped materials with diameters that are tens of nanometers or less. There are many types of nanowires, including semiconducting composite nanowires, metal oxide composite nanowires, and organic polymer nanowires, and they are typically used in functional materials and devices used as sensors, transistors, semiconductors, photonics devices, and solar cells.
Molecular wires composed of only inorganic materials have attracted significant attention due to their stable structures, tunable chemical compositions, and tunable properties. However, there have only been a few reports regarding the development of all-inorganic molecular nanowires.
Dr. Zhenxin Zhang and Prof. Wataru Ueda at the Catalysis Research Center at Hokkaido University (Prof. Ueda is currently working for Kanagawa University) and their collaborators at Hokkaido University, Hiroshima University, and Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute/SPring-8 successfully created ultrathin all-inorganic molecular nanowires, composed of a repeating hexagonal molecular unit made of Mo and Te; the diameters of these wires were only 1.2 nm. These nanowires were obtained by the disassembly of the corresponding crystals through cation exchange and subsequent ultrasound treatment.
Furthermore, the researchers have shown that the ultrathin molecular wire-based material exhibits high activity as an acid catalyst, and the band gap of the molecular wire-based crystal is easily tuned via heat treatment. It is expected that the metal oxide molecular wire-based materials will open up new fields of research in heterogeneous catalysts, thermochromic materials, and semiconductors, as well as other related fields.
"This is a very rare isolated molecular nanowire based on transition metal-oxygen octahedra, and is an attractive catalyst due to the large surface area," said Professor Masahiro Sadakane, a coauthor of this study, from Hiroshima University.Brad Stulberg: Sleeping 8-Hours a Night Isn’t a ‘Hack,’ It’s a Priority
The writer and expert on human performance on dealing with email, why running matters and how to make the most of 15 spare minutes.
Thrive Global Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 5, 2017
When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.
Thrive Global: What’s the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
Brad Stulberg: Make a pot of coffee. At this point, I think it’s probably more about the ritual than the caffeine. After that, I try to read for 30–45 minutes. It’s a real challenge not to look at my phone. I don’t always succeed.
TG: What gives you energy?
BS: Movement in nature. My physical practice (mainly running) is an integral part of my life.
TG: What’s your secret life hack?
BS: I’ve become |
16807 * l - 2836 * h ; The result of the substraction can be negative, and that negative value is converted to unsigned long. The C standard says ULONG_MAX + 1 is added to make the value positive. ULONG_MAX varies by platform — typicially long is either 32 bits or 64 bits — so the results also vary. Here’s how the paper defined it: unsigned long test ; test = 16807 * l - 2836 * h ; if ( test > 0 ) rseed = test ; else rseed = test + 2147483647 ; As far as I can tell, this mistake doesn’t hurt the quality of the generator. $ 32/bash -c 'RANDOM=127773; echo $RANDOM $RANDOM' 29932 13634 $ 64/bash -c 'RANDOM=127773; echo $RANDOM $RANDOM' 29932 29115 Zsh In contrast to Bash, Zsh is the most straightforward: defer to rand(3). Its $RANDOM can return the same value twice in a row, assuming that rand(3) does. zlong randomgetfn ( UNUSED ( Param pm )) { return rand () & 0x7fff ; } void randomsetfn ( UNUSED ( Param pm ), zlong v ) { srand (( unsigned int ) v ); } A cool feature is that means you could override it if you wanted with a custom generator. int rand ( void ) { return 4 ; // chosen by fair dice roll. // guaranteed to be random. } Usage: $ gcc -shared -fPIC -o rand.so rand.c $ LD_PRELOAD=./rand.so zsh -c 'echo $RANDOM $RANDOM $RANDOM' 4 4 4 This trick also applies to the rest of the shells below. KornShell (ksh) KornShell originated in 1983, but it was finally released under an open source license in 2005. There’s a clone of KornShell called Public Domain Korn Shell (pdksh) that’s been forked a dozen different ways, but I’ll get to that next. KornShell defers to rand(3), but it does some additional naïve filtering on the output. When the shell starts up, it generates 10 values from rand(). If any of them are larger than 32,767 then it will shift right by three all generated numbers. #define RANDMASK 0x7fff for ( n = 0 ; n < 10 ; n ++ ) { // Don't use lower bits when rand() generates large numbers. if ( rand () > RANDMASK ) { rand_shift = 3 ; break ; } } Why not just look at RAND_MAX? I guess they didn’t think of it. Update: Quentin Barnes pointed out that RAND_MAX didn’t exist until POSIX standardization in 1988. The constant first appeared in Unix in 1990. This KornShell code either predates the standard or needed to work on systems that predate the standard. Like Bash, repeated values are not allowed. I suspect one shell got this idea from the other. do { cur = ( rand () >> rand_shift ) & RANDMASK ; } while ( cur == last ); Who came up with this strange idea first? OpenBSD’s Public Domain Korn Shell (pdksh) I picked the OpenBSD variant of pdksh since it’s the only pdksh fork I ever touch in practice, and its $RANDOM is the most interesting of the pdksh forks — at least since 2014. Like Zsh, pdksh simply defers to rand(3). However, OpenBSD’s rand(3) is infamously and proudly non-standard. By default it returns non-deterministic, cryptographic-quality results seeded from system entropy (via the misnamed arc4random(3) ), à la /dev/urandom. Its $RANDOM inherits this behavior. setint ( vp, ( int64_t ) ( rand () & 0x7fff )); However, if a value is assigned to $RANDOM in order to seed it, it reverts to its old pre-2014 deterministic generation via srand_deterministic(3). srand_deterministic (( unsigned int ) intval ( vp )); OpenBSD’s deterministic rand(3) is the crummy LCG from the C89 standard, just like Bash 3.x. So if you assign to $RANDOM, you’ll get nearly the same results as Bash 3.x and earlier — the only difference being that it can repeat numbers. That’s a slick upgrade to the old interface without breaking anything, making it my favorite version $RANDOM for any shell.
A JIT Compiler Skirmish with SELinux November 15, 2018 nullprogram.com/blog/2018/11/15/ This is a debugging war story. Once upon a time I wrote a fancy data conversion utility. The input was a complex binary format defined by a data dictionary supplied at run time by the user alongside the input data. Since the converter was typically used to process massive quantities of input, and the nature of that input wasn’t known until run time, I wrote an x86-64 JIT compiler to speed it up. The converter generated a fast, native binary parser in memory according to the data dictionary specification. Processing data now took much less time and everyone rejoiced. Then along came SELinux, Sheriff of Pedantry. Not liking all the shenanigans with page protections, SELinux huffed and puffed and made mprotect(2) return EACCES (“Permission denied”). Believing I was following all the rules and so this would never happen, I foolishly did not check the result and the converter was now crashing for its users. What made SELinux so unhappy, and could this somehow be resolved? Allocating memory Before going further, let’s back up and review how this works. Suppose I want to generate code at run time and execute it. In the old days this was as simple as writing some machine code into a buffer and jumping to that buffer — e.g. by converting the buffer to a function pointer and calling it. typedef int ( * jit_func )( void ); /* NOTE: This doesn't work anymore! */ jit_func jit_compile ( int retval ) { unsigned char * buf = malloc ( 6 ); if ( buf ) { /* mov eax, retval */ buf [ 0 ] = 0xb8 ; buf [ 1 ] = retval >> 0 ; buf [ 2 ] = retval >> 8 ; buf [ 3 ] = retval >> 16 ; buf [ 4 ] = retval >> 24 ; /* ret */ buf [ 5 ] = 0xc3 ; } return ( jit_func ) buf ; } int main ( void ) { jit_func f = jit_compile ( 1001 ); printf ( "f() = %d
", f ()); free ( f ); } This situation was far too easy for malicious actors to abuse. An attacker could supply instructions of their own choosing — i.e. shell code — as input and exploit a buffer overflow vulnerability to execute the input buffer. These exploits were trivial to craft. Modern systems have hardware checks to prevent this from happening. Memory containing instructions must have their execute protection bit set before those instructions can be executed. This is useful both for making attackers work harder and for catching bugs in programs — no more executing data by accident. This is further complicated by the fact that memory protections have page granularity. You can’t adjust the protections for a 6-byte buffer. You do it for the entire surrounding page — typically 4kB, but sometimes as large as 2MB. This requires replacing that malloc(3) with a more careful allocation strategy. There are a few ways to go about this. Anonymous memory mapping The most common and most sensible is to create an anonymous memory mapping: a file memory map that’s not actually backed by a file. The mmap(2) function has a flag specifically for this purpose: MAP_ANONYMOUS. #include <sys/mman.h> void * anon_alloc ( size_t len ) { int prot = PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE ; int flags = MAP_ANONYMOUS | MAP_PRIVATE ; void * p = mmap ( 0, len, prot, flags, - 1, 0 ); return p!= MAP_FAILED? p : 0 ; } void anon_free ( void * p, size_t len ) { munmap ( p, len ); } Unfortunately, MAP_ANONYMOUS not part of POSIX. If you’re being super strict with your includes — as I tend to be — this flag won’t be defined, even on systems where it’s supported. #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200112L #include <sys/mman.h> // MAP_ANONYMOUS undefined! To get the flag, you must use the _BSD_SOURCE, or, more recently, the _DEFAULT_SOURCE feature test macro to explicitly enable that feature. #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200112L #define _DEFAULT_SOURCE /* for MAP_ANONYMOUS */ #include <sys/mman.h> The POSIX way to do this is to instead map /dev/zero. So, wanting to be Mr. Portable, this is what I did in my tool. Take careful note of this. #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200112L #include <fcntl.h> #include <unistd.h> #include <sys/mman.h> void * anon_alloc ( size_t len ) { int fd = open ( "/dev/zero", O_RDWR ); if ( fd == - 1 ) return 0 ; int prot = PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE ; int flags = MAP_PRIVATE ; void * p = mmap ( 0, len, prot, flags, fd, 0 ); close ( fd ); return p!= MAP_FAILED? p : 0 ; } Aligned allocation Another, less common (and less portable) strategy is to lean on the existing C memory allocator, being careful to allocate on page boundaries so that the page protections don’t affect other allocations. The classic allocation functions, like malloc(3), don’t allow for this kind of control. However, there are a couple of aligned allocation alternatives. The first is posix_memalign(3) : int posix_memalign ( void ** ptr, size_t alignment, size_t size ); By choosing page alignment and a size that’s a multiple of the page size, it’s guaranteed to return whole pages. When done, pages are freed with free(3). Though, unlike unmapping, the original page protections must first be restored since those pages may be reused. #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200112L #include <stdlib.h> #include <unistd.h> void * anon_alloc ( size_t len ) { void * p ; long pagesize = sysconf ( _SC_PAGE_SIZE ); // TODO: cache this size_t roundup = ( len + pagesize - 1 ) / pagesize * pagesize ; return posix_memalign ( & p, pagesize, roundup )? 0 : p ; } If you’re using C11, there’s also aligned_alloc(3). This is the most uncommon of all since most C programmers refuse to switch to a new standard until it’s at least old enough to drive a car. Changing page protections So we’ve allocated our memory, but it’s not going to start in an executable state. Why? Because a W^X (“write xor execute”) policy is becoming increasingly common. Attempting to set both write and execute protections at the same time may be denied. (In fact, there’s an SELinux policy for this.) As a JIT compiler, we need to write to a page and execute it. Again, there are two strategies. The complicated strategy is to map the same memory at two different places, one with the execute protection, one with the write protection. This allows the page to be modified as it’s being executed without violating W^X. The simpler and more secure strategy is to write the machine instructions, then swap the page over to executable using mprotect(2) once it’s ready. This is what I was doing in my tool. unsigned char * buf = anon_alloc ( len ); /*... write instructions into the buffer... */ mprotect ( buf, len, PROT_EXEC ); jit_func func = ( jit_func ) buf ; func (); At a high level, That’s pretty close to what I was actually doing. That includes neglecting to check the result of mprotect(2). This worked fine and dandy for several years, when suddenly (shown here in the style of strace): mprotect(ptr, len, PROT_EXEC) = -1 EACCES (Permission denied) Then the program would crash trying to execute the buffer. Suddenly it wasn’t allowed to make this buffer executable. My program hadn’t changed. What had changed was the SELinux security policy on this particular system. Asking for help The problem is that I don’t administer this (Red Hat) system. I can’t access the logs and I didn’t set the policy. I don’t have any insight on why this call was suddenly being denied. To make this more challenging, the folks that manage this system didn’t have the necessary knowledge to help with this either. So to figure this out, I need to treat it like a black box and probe at system calls until I can figure out just what SELinux policy I’m up against. I only have practical experience administrating Debian systems (and its derivatives like Ubuntu), which means I’ve hardly ever had to deal with SELinux. I’m flying fairly blind here. Since my real application is large and complicated, I code up a minimal example, around a dozen lines of code: allocate a single page of memory, write a single return ( ret ) instruction into it, set it as executable, and call it. The program checks for errors, and I can run it under strace if that’s not insightful enough. This program is also something simple I could provide to the system administrators, since they were willing to turn some of the knobs to help narrow down the problem. However, here’s where I made a major mistake. Assuming the problem was solely in mprotect(2), and wanting to keep this as absolutely simple as possible, I used posix_memalign(3) to allocate that page. I saw the same EACCES as before, and assumed I was demonstrating the same problem. Take note of this, too. Finding a resolution Eventually I’d need to figure out what policy was blocking my JIT compiler, then see if there was an alternative route. The system loader still worked after all, and I could plainly see that with strace. So it wasn’t a blanket policy that completely blocked the execute protection. Perhaps the loader was given an exception? However, the very first order of business was to actually check the result from mprotect(2) and do something more graceful rather than crash. In my case, that meant falling back to executing a byte-code virtual machine. I added the check, and now the program ran slower instead of crashing. The program runs on both Linux and Windows, and the allocation and page protection management is abstracted. On Windows it uses VirtualAlloc() and VirtualProtect() instead of mmap(2) and mprotect(2). Neither implementation checked that the protection change succeeded, so I fixed the Windows implementation while I was at it. Thanks to Mingw-w64, I actually do most of my Windows development on Linux. And, thanks to Wine, I mean everything, including running and debugging. Calling VirtualProtect() in Wine would ultimately call mprotect(2) in the background, which I expected would be denied. So running the Windows version with Wine under this SELinux policy would be the perfect test. Right? Except that mprotect(2) succeeded under Wine! The Windows version of my JIT compiler was working just fine on Linux. Huh? This system doesn’t have Wine installed. I had built and packaged it myself. This Wine build definitely has no SELinux exceptions. Not only did the Wine loader work correctly, it can change page protections in ways my own Linux programs could not. What’s different? Debugging this with all these layers is starting to look silly, but this is exactly why doing Windows development on Linux is so useful. I run my program under Wine under strace: $ strace wine./mytool.exe I study the system calls around mprotect(2). Perhaps there’s some stricter alignment issue? No. Perhaps I need to include PROT_READ? No. The only difference I can find is they’re using the MAP_ANONYMOUS flag. So, armed with this knowledge, I modify my minimal example to allocate 1024 pages instead of just one, and suddenly it works correctly. I was most of the way to figuring this all out. Inside glibc allocation Why did increasing the allocation size change anything? This is a typical Linux system, so my program is linked against the GNU C library, glibc. This library allocates memory from two places depending on the allocation size. For small allocations, glibc uses brk(2) to extend the executable image — i.e. to extend the.bss section. These resources are not returned to the operating system after they’re freed with free(3). They’re reused. For large allocations, glibc uses mmap(2) to create a new, anonymous mapping for that allocation. When freed with free(3), that memory is unmapped and its resources are returned to the operating system. By increasing the allocation size, it became a “large” allocation and was backed by an anonymous mapping. Even though I didn’t use mmap(2), to the operating system this would be indistinguishable to what Wine was doing (and succeeding at). Consider this little example program: int main ( void ) { printf ( "%p
", malloc ( 1 )); printf ( "%p
", malloc ( 1024 * 1024 )); } When not compiled as a Position Independent Executable (PIE), here’s what the output looks like. The first pointer is near where the program was loaded, low in memory. The second pointer is a randomly selected address high in memory. 0x1077010 0x7fa9b998e010 And if you run it under strace, you’ll see that the first allocation comes from brk(2) and the second comes from mmap(2). Two SELinux policies With a little bit of research, I found the two SELinux policies at play here. In my minimal example, I was blocked by allow_execheap. /selinux/booleans/allow_execheap This prohibits programs from setting the execute protection on any “heap” page. The POSIX specification does not permit it, but the Linux implementation of mprotect allows changing the access protection of memory on the heap (e.g., allocated using malloc ). This error indicates that heap memory was supposed to be made executable. Doing this is really a bad idea. If anonymous, executable memory is needed it should be allocated using mmap which is the only portable mechanism. Obviously this is pretty loose since I was still able to do it with posix_memalign(3), which, technically speaking, allocates from the heap. So this policy applies to pages mapped by brk(2). The second policy was allow_execmod. /selinux/booleans/allow_execmod The program mapped from a file with mmap and the MAP_PRIVATE flag and write permission. Then the memory region has been written to, resulting in copy-on-write (COW) of the affected page(s). This memory region is then made executable […]. The mprotect call will fail with EACCES in this case. I don’t understand what purpose this policy serves, but this is what was causing my original problem. Pages mapped to /dev/zero are not actually considered anonymous by Linux, at least as far as this policy is concerned. I think this is a mistake, and that mapping the special /dev/zero device should result in effectively anonymous pages. From this I learned a little lesson about baking assumptions — that mprotect(2) was solely at fault — into my minimal debugging examples. And the fix was ultimately easy: I just had to suck it up and use the slightly less pure MAP_ANONYMOUS flag.
The Missing Computer Skills of High School Students October 31, 2018 nullprogram.com/blog/2018/10/31/ This article was discussed on Hacker News and discussed on Reddit. It’s been just over fours years since I started mentoring high school students at work, and I recently began mentoring my fourth such student. That’s enough students for me to start observing patterns. Of course, each arrives with different computer knowledge and experience, but there have been two consistent and alarming gaps. One is a concept and the other is a skill, both of which I expect an advanced high schooler, especially one interested in computers, to have before they arrive. This gap persists despite students taking computer classes at school. File, Directories, and Paths The vital gap in concepts is files, directories, or, broadly speaking, paths. Students do initially arrive with a basic notion of files and directories (i.e. “folders”) and maybe some rough idea that there’s a hierarchy to it all. But they’ve never learned the notation: a location to a file specified by a sequence of directory components which may be either relative or absolute. More specifically, they’ve never been exposed to the concepts of. (current directory) nor.. (parent directory). The first thing I do with my students is walk them though a Linux installation process and then sit them in front of a terminal. Since most non-option arguments are file paths, shell commands are rather limited if you don’t know anything about paths. You can’t navigate between directories or talk about files outside of your home directory. So one of the first things I have to teach is how paths work. We go through exercises constructing and reasoning about paths, and it takes some time and practice for students to really “get” them. And this takes longer than you might think! Even once the student has learned the basic concepts, it still takes practice to internalize and reason about them. It’s been a consistent enough issue that I really should assemble a booklet to cover it, and perhaps some sort of interactive practice. I could just hand this to the student so they can learn on their own as they do with other materials. Paths aren’t just imporant for command line use. They come up in every day programming when programs need to access files. In some contexts it even has security implications regardless of the programming language. For example, care must be taken handling and validating paths supplied from an untrusted source. A web application may need to translate a path-like string in a query into a file path, and not understanding how.. works can make this dangerous. Or not understanding how paths need to be normalized before being compared. I consider paths as falling under file and directory basics, and it’s part of the baseline for a person to be considered computer literate. Touch Typing The other major gap is touch typing. None of my students have been touch typists, and it slows them all down far more than they realize. I spend a lot of time next to them at the keyboard as they drive, so I’ve seen the costs myself. In a couple of cases, the students have to finger peck while looking at the keyboard. An important step in mastering the use of computers is quickly iterating on new ideas and concepts — trying out and playing with things as they are learned. Being a slow typist not only retards this process, the tedium of poor, plodding keyboarding actively discourages experimentation, becoming a barrier. Advanced computer use isn’t much fun if you can’t type well. To be fair, I’ve only been a proper touch typist for under two years. I wish I had learned it much earlier in life, and I really only have myself to blame that it took so long. Fortunately I had developed my own pseudo touch touching style that required neither finger pecking nor looking at the keyboard. My main issue was accuracy, not that typing was tedious or slow. The bad news is that, unlike paths, this is completely outside my control. First, one of the major guidelines of the mentoring program is that we’re not supposed to spend a lot of time on basic skills. Learning to touch type takes several weeks of daily effort. That’s just too much time that we don’t have. Second, this won’t work anyway unless the student is motivated to learn it. I have no idea how to provide that sort of motivation. (And if the student is motivated, they’ll do it on their own time anyway.) I think that’s where schools get stuck. The really bad news is that this problem is going to get worse. The mobile revolution happened, and, for most people, mobile devices are gradually replacing the home computer, even laptops. I already know one student who doesn’t have access to a general purpose computer at home. The big difference between a tablet and a laptop is that a tablet is purely for consumption. In the future, kids will be less and less exposed to keyboards, and productive computing in general. Keyboards are, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a vital tool for professionals. I wonder if the future will be a bit like, say, the 1980s again, where only a small fraction of kids will be exposed to a proper computer. Only instead of a PC clone, Commodore, or Apple II, it’s a Raspberry Pi. Conclusions I want to make something really clear: I’m not blaming the students for these gaps. It’s not in any way their fault. What they’re taught and exposed to is, at this point in life, largely outside of their control. I lay most of the blame on the schools. My mentees have all taken high school programming classes of some sort, but these classes somehow manage to skip over the fundamentals. Instead it’s rote learning some particular IDE without real understanding. Finally I can relate to all those mathematicians’ complaining about how math class is taught! What can be done? If you’re a parent, make sure your kid has access to a general purpose computer, even if it’s only a Raspberry Pi or one of its clones, along with a keyboard and mouse. (Of course, if you’re reading this article you’re not one of the parents that needs this advice.) It’s good exposure all around. After reflecting on this recently, I think one of the shortcomings of my mentoring is that I don’t spend enough time — generally none at all — at the keyboard driving with my mentee as the passenger, where they can really observe me in action. Usually it’s me approaching them to check on their progress, and the opportunity just isn’t there. Perhaps it would be motivating to see how efficient and fun computing can be at higher levels of proficiency — to show them how touch typing and a powerful text editor can lead to such a dramatic difference in experience. It would be the answer to that question of, “Why should I learn this?”Driving instructor Stephen Cooney, 51, groped three female learner drivers in a series of attacks on Teesside dating back to 2002.
A jury at Teesside Crown Court found him guilty of two indecent assaults and two sexual assaults.
Cooney, of Marske-by-the-Sea near Redcar, told the court the carrot incident was a "practical joke".
The court heard how Cooney put the 12-inch carrot down his trousers and told a pupil in her 40s that a perfectly executed manoeuvre was so good that it had given him an erection.
He then took her hand and made her touch the vegetable before showing her the carrot, the court heard.
He denied placing her hand on his groin, but admitted hiding the vegetable in his pocket.
Naked photos
He told the jury: "I admit it was unprofessional, stupid, and I regret doing it.
"I just thought maybe I would play a practical joke, but obviously it was stupid."
Jailing him, Judge George Moorhouse, said: "You were in a position of trust."
Giving evidence, another of Cooney's pupils said when she failed her test he offered to waive the £80 she owed him if she pulled over into a lay-by and had sex with him.
She told the court: "I just said 'No thank you, Steve'."
He regularly groped her during lessons between August 2005 and February last year, the court heard.
When police arrested him they also found naked photos in the glove box of his Vauxhall Corsa.The topic of guns is all over the news, whether they are being used as props of democracy and freedom or props of violence and destruction. Somehow, "gun nuts" actually found a way to be gun-nuttier when they thought it was a good idea to walk into public spaces across Texas such as Chipotle and Chili's with large weapons to raise awareness about their Second Amendment rights and scare the processed food product out of their customers.
Artist and musician Barry Kooda said he saw the news reports about the Open Carry movement and he was aghast. So he decided to take action: He started an Open Carry Guitar movement complete with T-shirts, Facebook followers and an Open Carry Guitar Rally where loud and proud guitars owners can bring their axes and carry them in public at the Continental Street Bridge at 6 p.m. on that most American of days (besides Super Bowl Sunday) Friday, July 4th.
Kooda says he reacted the way you would expect someone to react who witnesses another human being walking into a public space with something that can fire 600 rounds per minute and may or may not have been anthropomorphized with the bestowing of a girl's name.
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"It got me thinking about the utter absurdity of expecting people to become desensitized to having automatic weapons showing up in public places," Kooda said. "Being concerned when some jackwagon comes into Target with an [AK-47] is a very good and proper reaction. One should not be comfortable with that."
Like a true patron of music, Kooda came up with a great way to express his distress against the almost Far Side-ish mentality of the sudden rise of the Open Carry movement and decided to use a different kind of boomstick. (That's assuming that guitars are sometimes called boomsticks, and if they aren't, they should be from now on).
"I figured that guitars would be a better choice to carry in public and somewhat less dangerous," Kooda said. "Why not poke a little fun and make a little sense at the same time?"
The Open Carry movement became a hot button issue overnight that not only scored ink in newspapers and magazines across the country but also earned the ire of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, something that before could usually only be accomplished by being a member of Congress or a resident of Florida.
Kooda's idea had no problem picking up steam amongst Dallas' musicians and their faithful music fans. He said the rally alone has created more than 3,000 invitations on the event's Facebook page.
"It's already surpassed any expectations I had," Kooda said. "People are having fun with it and making a statement (or statements) at the same time. The dialogues and posts and memes generated by people, many I don't know, have been incredibly entertaining. There are some brilliantly funny and talented people out there on Facebook."
Kooda's plan is simple. Anyone who plans to attend the Rally can bring their favorite guitar and possibly even rock on it so long as no one is knocked down or injured by the power of said rocking. The rally is still in the planning phase but it appears that he'll definitely have a large guitar army based on the online response. He's even heard "rumblings" about similar events in the works in places as far away as California and Oregon.
"People will carry and compare and ogle each others' toys and some will, of course, make noise of some sort," he said. "There may be acts that play and there may be some brilliant music to witness but it's completely open at this point. It may be huge or it may fizzle out entirely but the fun we've all had so far has been great. Anything else is pure gravy."
So far, the response to the rally has been positive.
He noted that he himself is a gun owner and a concealed handgun license carrier, "although I don't carry," he noted. He said he is also a staunch supporter of "all human rights including the Second Amendment."
"Although one has the right in America to carry a weapon, that does not give him the authority to be a bully or intimidate others," he said. "I have the right to spin in circles swinging a rake in each hand in a playground full of children but it's not a good idea and may lead to some guy infringing on my personal rights by kicking my ass. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should."After a six-month restoration, the 1997 Panoz Esperante GTR-1 Le Mans Homologation Special was a darling of the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show, which took place mid-November. But this one-of-a-kind car may soon get company. The street-legal legend was originally built by Panoz in order for the marque to enter its Adrian Reynard–designed Esperante GTR-1 racer in that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Race specifications (homologation) required that each entrant have a road-ready variant produced in order to compete.
Weighing only 1,980 pounds, the eye-catching coupe packs quite a punch with its front-mounted, 6.0-liter V-8 engine (capable of over 600 hp and 500 ft lbs of torque) paired with a ZF 6-speed manual transmission. And Brembo disc brakes are equally as fast at bringing it all to a halt. The most noticeable difference between the powerful street performer and its racecar counterpart may just be the lack of an all-leather interior in the latter.
Only one Homologation Special was made of the Esperante GTR-1, yet Panoz is now offering to replicate the model for collectors using the original molds and components as guidelines. Starting at $890,000, these custom-made Homologation Specials will be available in carbon fiber or a choice of other composites.
Also displayed in Dubai and now available to speed aficionados are the 25th Anniversary Edition Panoz Esperante Spyder and Spyder GT models. The wider, more powerful GT offers intense top-down touring with a 560 hp V-8, tamed by a Tremec T56 Magnum 6-speed manual transmission. Only 25 of the Anniversary Edition Spyder and Spyder GT examples will be made, starting at $179,120 and $204,750, respectively. (panoz.com)Spread the love
Chicago, IL — It took police less than 60 seconds to yank 20-year-old Corey Williams out of his car and place him in handcuffs, all for failing to use his turn signal, and having a burned out license plate light. Those are the reasons why Chicago police said they had probable cause to pull him over. But Williams’ subsequent arrest for “resisting arrest” and the interactions the officers had with onlookers is the subject of a more serious discussion about police use of force and harassment of the African American community under a police state.
Williams stopped to fill up his gas tank but ended up face down on the ground in handcuffs. While, arguably, no laws were supposedly broken, Williams claimed he was racially profiled so officers could search his vehicle for guns or drugs.
So after they pulled me over, they were trying to find something, like, ‘OK, maybe this is the reason we pulled him over.’
From the body camera footage worn by one of the officers, it appears Williams was in a state of shock when he was confronted by Chicago police at the Southend gas station. “Are you serious?” he kept repeating, all the while cooperating with police.
He lowered the window as instructed, took out his keys, and must have presumed the police wanted him to step out of the vehicle. He moved to exit the vehicle and was immediately reprimanded by the police officer who, of course, demanded 100 percent compliance with his orders.
After still appearing to be in a state of shock, Williams took one step backward and it was enough for police to justify violently taking him to the ground and placing him in handcuffs. The young man stated his arm was dislocated and later told the Chicago Tribune it was, instead, fractured as a result of the violent handling by police.
The Tribune interviewed Williams who said:
I literally hadn’t broken any, like, life-endangering laws, anything that’s really serious…I’m just thinking to myself, ‘Are they really treating me like this over a light on a car?’
While police apologists will likely contend the officers were just doing their jobs, and they have to deal with the general public “at their worst,” day in and day out, others see Williams’ treatment as a form of social injustice. In other words, many feel the same kind of treatment is not directed at white motorists with the same frequency as towards black drivers.
David Klinger is a professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri. He told the Tribune no crime was committed in the interaction with Williams but added the officers missed an opportunity to establish trust with the community. For example, when the officers were warrantlessly searching Williams’ car looking for drugs or guns, they treated a bystander very harshly. Some might say they spoke to her as if she were not human. Klinger stated:
That person is a person that you can either win to your side or you can piss off…(Officers) need to figure out that the audience to their public encounters are people that are curious and they don’t see everything. And you have an opportunity to explain things to people.
Ultimately, police officers are accountable to the community in which they are sworn to protect and serve. But as TFTP has reported, few police departments ever face any real punitive actions for how they interact with those who pay their salaries.
Adding insult to injury, the officer who arrested Williams approached him while he was chained to a jail chair. He pretended to care about Williams’ mental health, and in seemingly a condescending way, show his concern. Police often bring up mental health issues so they can further investigate someone, possibly drawing blood or urine samples via catheter against someone’s will, using their own bodily fluids against them in a court of law.
Williams’ charges were all dropped, and he filed a complaint against the officers and the department. He’ll likely sue the officers for having violated his civil rights. But there are many lessons to be learned from examining his nightmarish encounter with officers who could have easily ticket him and let him go on his way.
Know your rights. Some states have laws which state someone must identify themselves at a traffic stop. Other states have no such laws. As Phillip Turner demonstrates, drivers do not need to roll down their windows. Doing so only gives the officers quick access to the door locks so they can open the door to gain entry.
As TFTP reported recently, Turner barely cracks his windows during traffic stops, allowing passage only for his driver’s license, registration, and insurance information. He also does not answer police officers’ questions in which they try and bait a driver into giving up more information than is necessary to |
we believe that, if this path is your will, then we cannot travel it without you. In all things, we ask that your will be done and that you guide us in following your will. For yours is the Power, and the Courage, and the Wisdom, and the Glory, forever and in all things. Amen.”
Po lowered her hands and opened her eyes. Her observation gave her a slight frown: her companions hadn’t really moved, and probably hadn’t done much in terms of reverence.
“Well, I don’t hear anything,” Palleus defied. “Seems like Cthulu doesn’t like your verbosity-”
Thrakk punched Palleus in the arm, knocking him to the side a few steps. Thrakk then turned to Po and patted her on the back, pushing her forward on their trail. “Half-Elf talks too much.”The Forest Service is deciding right now whether to allow war games over the wild forests of the Olympic Peninsula - sign the petition and show your support for noise pollution-free wilderness!
The Olympic National Park and National Forest, on the Western edge of Washington state are home to ancient temperate rain forests, snow-capped mountains, beautiful meadows, and a number of endangered and threatened species. Unfortunately, if the Navy gets their way, these wilderness areas will be assaulted by 118 of the world's loudest jets, flying thousands of training exercises, hundreds of days a year, as low as 1,200 feet above the ground.
Olympic National Park is home to the "quietest spot in America" and famous for its peace and tranquility. Take action to keep the Navy from destroying this wonderful area with their ear-splitting jets!
In addition, the Navy will be using these war games to test electromagnetic weaponry, which has some experts raising significant concerns about potential health impacts to birds, amphibians, and humans, as well.
Sign the petition and tell the Forest Service: Don't turn the Olympic Peninsula into a War Zone - Block the Navy's Plans
For more information, read the Truthout exposé here.MUSIC blasts from speakers mounted on the back of a truck in a rubbish dump in a corner of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. Young men with bandannas over their faces form a security cordon. Children climb on top of a dumpster to get a better view. A woman swigs from a bottle of local rum as she dances provocatively on the makeshift stage. A man in a suit steps up and the music stops. “Zambia!” he shouts. “Zambia!” roars back the crowd.
This is not a music festival. It is a political rally. Yet for all the jovial colour of the occasion, democracy in Zambia is not well. The rally was held on a stinking rubbish dump because the government refused to let Hakainde Hichilema, the main opposition candidate for the presidency, use any other public space in the area. Mr Hichilema was repeatedly refused permission to fly his helicopter to campaign elsewhere. The country’s leading independent newspaper, the Post, was shut down, ostensibly over a tax bill, after it reported on what it said were plans to rig the election. Several rallies turned violent, leaving at least one person dead.
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After the election, held on August 11th, the counting of the votes lasted four days instead of the usual two. On the third day, Mr Hichilema’s party withdrew from the verification process, complaining that the electoral commission was colluding with the party of the incumbent, Edgar Lungu, to boost his vote. In the end Mr Lungu was narrowly re-elected, despite a collapsing economy and an inflation rate of 20%.
Zambia’s marred election is a particular disappointment. In 1991 it was the second country on the continent to expel an incumbent ruler at the ballot box, following Benin by a few months. It again booted out the ruling party in 2011, establishing a healthy pattern of alternation that now seems threatened.
Zambia is an unnerving example of how democracy, which had seemed finally to be about to bloom on the world’s poorest continent, is still struggling to take root in many parts of it. Looked at through a wide lens of history, Africa’s standard of governance is almost unimaginably better than it was at the end of the cold war. Then a dart thrown at the map would almost certainly have landed on a one-party state, military junta or outright dictatorship.
Economic liberty was much scarcer then, too: various forms of socialism abounded, from Tanzania to Ghana, Ethiopia to Angola. Freedom House, an American think-tank, reckons that in 1988, just before the cold war ended, only 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa could be classified as “free” or “partly free”. Since then, the organisation reckons that 29 of the 48 countries in the region can be considered “free” or “partly free”.
Yet zoom in the historical lens to view the past few years and it seems that the picture is mixed. Some places are seeing progress. In South Africa, the African National Congress, which has ruled since the end of apartheid, lost its majority in several major cities in local elections this month. Despite efforts by its president, Jacob Zuma, to hollow out institutions such as the prosecutors’ office, national broadcaster and anti-corruption agency, a critical press, independent judiciary and vocal opposition are keeping the government on its toes. In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, a corrupt and incompetent ruling party was voted out for the first time since the end of military rule in 1999.
Yet elsewhere democracy appears to be withering. The most recent tally of free countries has fallen from a peak of 34 a decade ago (see chart). A number of countries which, like Zambia, had been becoming more open and free, have seemed to slide backwards.
It won’t be built in a day
The most recent threats to democracy in Africa vary, even if some are familiar. They include the short-term interests of Western countries; a demand for minerals and oil; and the rising influence of new powers such as China. Underlying these are the bigger enduring problems of poverty and weak institutions.
Modern Africa’s first taste of democracy came in the form of fledgling parliaments bestowed by departing colonial powers. As Britain and France dismantled their empires, they left behind crude carbon copies of their own forms of government (though Portugal, a dictatorship until 1975, left its colonies in Mozambique and Angola mired in civil war). Indeed, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first prime minister, closed his speech at Nigeria’s independence ceremony with the words, “God Save Our Queen”.
Yet in the early days of independence most African leaders swiftly imposed their own stamp on the fragile states they had inherited, reshaping institutions they often condemned as colonial impositions. New ideas such as “African socialism” swept the region, along with the notion of a specifically African form of democracy. Leaders such as Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana led the way in arguing that new states needed to put national unity ahead of multi-party democracy, often imposing one-party systems of government that swiftly turned into bullying autocracies. In many cases—witness Ghana and Nigeria—unity was supposedly saved by military coups that were easily mounted because armies were the only strong institutions inherited from empire.
Some military juntas did hand power back to civilians, but in many cases they led to dictatorship in whatever guise. An extreme example of this was Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo (or Zaire, as he renamed it), who, after taking power in a coup, became the archetype of an African dictator. Before the news was broadcast to the nation every morning on television, his face would emerge out of the clouds, framed by the sun. Mobutu declared that absolute rule was authentically African. “Can anyone tell me that he has ever known a village that has two chiefs?” he would ask anyone who questioned his authority.
Yet as superpower competition fell away after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, so too did the no-strings-attached military and economic aid that had sustained many African dictators for so long. The failure of socialism and one-party states was laid bare both in Europe and Africa. In some parts of the continent—most notably Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which was renamed again in 1997—the result was the collapse of the state and the onset of civil war. But in many places the result was the spread of new, more open types of government. Ivory Coast had a multi-party poll in 1990; Benin and Zambia followed in 1991; then Kenya in 1992 and Tanzania in 1995. Ghana and Nigeria reverted to civilian rule with multi-party elections in 1996 and 1999 respectively. Since 1991 incumbents have been ejected peacefully at the ballot box at least 36 times. Among Arabs the figure is zero.
Such progress has continued in places such as Nigeria and Ghana, with the latter preparing for elections in December that are sure to be fiercely contested. In 2011 in Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the continent’s first elected female president, won re-election in a vote the Atlanta-based Carter Center called the “best run and most credible election in the country’s history”.
Yet in other places democracy seems to have eroded, thanks largely to presidents changing or flouting constitutions to cling on to power. In Uganda, Congo-Brazzaville and Burundi, Presidents Museveni, Denis Sassou Nguesso and Pierre Nkurunziza have all won flawed elections in the past year after dropping term-limits that required them to step down. In all three, opposition has been violently crushed.
Time for two-terming
Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, will run for a third term in 2017 after changing his country’s constitution last year. In DRC President Joseph Kabila seems set simply to ignore the constitution he helped enshrine in 2006. His final term comes to an end in December, but he has refused to hold elections, citing logistical problems.
Optimists point out that three decades ago almost no African countries had term limits; since then, some 33 of 48 new constitutions enacted in Africa have included them. Most Africans say they like the idea. Afrobarometer, a polling firm, found that about three-quarters of people in 34 African countries said that presidential mandates should be restricted to two terms.
In parts of east Africa the problem is less the domination of politics by one man and more the fact that politics is often contested along tribal lines or dominated by powerful incumbents who blur the division between party and state. In Ethiopia, for instance, an authoritarian government dominated by the Tigrayan ethnic group has whittled down the opposition, imprisoning many of its people; in last year’s election the ruling party won all the seats in parliament. In Tanzania, where a new president, John Magufuli, took office last year, his Chama cha Mapinduzi (Party of Revolution), the longest-ruling in Africa, was never likely to lose. When the people on the island of Zanzibar dared to vote for a different party, the result there was promptly annulled.
In Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta and his allies seem determined at all costs to win next year’s elections again. If the result is close, or people believe it to have been rigged, there is a risk that the violence that led to some 1,300 deaths in 2008 will recur.
In southern Africa the picture is mixed. Democracy looks entrenched in South Africa, it functions fairly well in Namibia and Botswana, and more or less in Malawi. But in Zimbabwe and Mozambique voting has failed to push out two of the most spectacularly corrupt regimes, and Swaziland is ruled by an absolute monarch.
So why has democracy across sub-Saharan Africa’s heterogeneous 48 countries recently stumbled? In some places it was never strongly rooted in the first place. Mr Kagame, for example, has always been an autocrat at heart, even though he rode to power with an initial vote of confidence. Under Mr Kabila, despite his messy election in 2006, DRC was never going to become a proper democracy.
And even where states embrace the outward forms of democracy, holding regular elections, few enjoy the checks and balances provided by strong institutions and independent courts and civil services. This shortcoming is compounded by the fact that in many African countries the strongest institution is the army.
Yes General, er, Prime Minister
Nicholas Cheeseman, an academic at Oxford University, reckons that of 91 presidents and prime ministers to have held office on the continent in civilian regimes since 1989, 45% once either served in the armed forces or were guerrillas before becoming politicians. This includes all four presidents in the Great Lakes region around eastern Congo, as well as Nigeria’s Mr Buhari. Coups are far less common these days; the African Union, often an ineffectual organisation, has recently taken a firm stand against them. Yet the prevalence of so many former fighting men in civilian office highlights the influence that armies still wield in politics.
This may well be reinforced by a shift in the priorities of Western governments, from promoting democracy to fighting jihad. Uganda’s contribution of 6,000 soldiers to suppress al-Shabab, a jihadist group in Somalia, means that Western governments are less inclined to criticise Mr Museveni. The same applies to Ethiopia’s government, which also acts against al-Shabab. It has been accused by Human Rights Watch of killing more than 400 peaceful protesters since last November, yet Western criticism is muted at best.
African autocrats have also benefited from China’s rise as an economic and political power. The authoritarian regime of José Eduardo Dos Santos in Angola, for instance, has turned to it for cash when it has disliked the conditions such as making its budget transparent which are imposed by organisations like the IMF.
Yet neither Chinese money nor Western apathy alone explains why things are getting worse in countries such as Zambia, Tanzania and Congo. Part of the explanation lies in the narrow nature of most African economies. Many of them rely on the export of one or at best a handful of commodities. In the likes of Angola, which depends hugely on its oil, or Zambia, which relies on its copper, the easiest path to riches is not by coming up with a new product or service, but by going into politics or befriending someone who has done so; the government is funded by royalties from oil or by mining companies rather than by taxes on people who may start demanding better governance and services.
In turn, money is redistributed downwards in exchange for votes. At political rallies across the region people are paid in cash for turning up. On polling day they are bused in and given food and T-shirts.
Sir Paul Collier, an economist at Oxford University, thinks the defining feature of politics in much of the continent is that the winner takes all—and uses state power to try to keep it. Institutions such as the civil service, electoral commissions and the courts often lack independence. That creates a vicious dynamic, says Sir Paul. Instead of governing well, politicians are keener to steal money so as to bribe and rig their way back to power. Ideological differences and arguments over policy barely register in election campaigns. In many cases politicians fall back on appeals to tribal, religious or regional loyalties.
In Kenya, where five leading ethnic groups make up more than three-fifths of the population, tribal leaders generally campaign on variations of the promise that it is their group’s “turn to eat”. Politicians from two ethnic groups—the Kikuyu and the Kalenjin, a clutch of ten or so smaller tribes linked by language—have had the biggest say in running the country for most of its 52 years since independence. Politicians from another big tribe, the Luo, have tended to lead the opposition. Most Kenyan elections since the return of multi-party democracy have been marred by varying degrees of violence.
Across the African board, the winner-takes-all aspect is common almost everywhere, including South Africa, which has the most advanced economy and strongest institutions. Yet Mr Zuma, its president, was roundly criticised a few years ago for saying, “You have more rights because you’re a majority; you have less rights because you’re a minority. That’s how democracy works.” This tendency explains why elections in large parts of Africa so often result in riots and why relatively democratic countries, such as Ghana or Kenya, seem to suffer more from corruption than some more autocratic ones, such as Ethiopia or Rwanda.
Just the beginning
Yet constitutional changes to devolve power can go some way to improving things. Kenya’s newish constitution has given marginal groups more of a say over their own affairs. Democracy can plainly be improved by stronger institutions and less politicised civil services, as well as by a vibrant civil society and free media.
One big hope lies in the continuing rise of an educated, wealthier middle class. As Africa in general gets richer and the younger generation turns against the bribery and corruption of the old order, the demand for decent governance will get louder. According to a study by Sir Paul, democracies become less inclined to violence and patronage-based politics as incomes rise. Once GDP per head rises above roughly $2,700, greater democracy generally begins to make countries more stable. Some 12 sub-Saharan countries have reached this level. Except for the corrupt petro-states of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, they are the ones where democracy is performing best.
Urbanisation should also play a role in promoting openly contested politics. In Uganda and Tanzania national politics may still be dominated by parties long accustomed to rule, but the main cities of Kampala and Dar es Salaam are run by mayors from opposition parties. In South Africa the two cities that host Parliament and the seat of government are now run by parties opposed to Mr Zuma’s ANC.
If it is true that urban voters, who on the whole are better educated and richer than their rural counterparts, tend to be more willing to kick out incumbents, then demography is on democracy’s side. By 2050 more than half of Africans will live in cities, up from just a third today.
Technology may also lend a hand. In Nigeria young voters with smartphones snapped pictures of the tally at remote counting stations and posted the pictures on social media, stymying attempts by the ruling party to rig the vote. As smartphones proliferate and more people have access to the internet, crooked governments will be less able to ignore the voters’ wishes. And as Africa becomes more urban and its middle class grows, so too will the demand—egged on by social media—for democracy. Whereas previous waves of democratisation in Africa came from abroad, expect Africans themselves to generate the next democratic tsunami.President-elect Trump’s “bromance” with Vladimir Putin has played no small part in either media headlines or public concerns over how the incoming administration will forge foreign policy where Russia is concerned.
Comments that Trump made this week regarding NATO and the state of the European Union, specifically about “Brexit,” have thrown jet fuel onto those fires.
Every FP position Trump takes, starting from total ignorance around year ago, is on Putin's wish list. Brexit, Ukraine, NATO, EU, Merkel. — Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) January 15, 2017
Trump sat down for an interview with The Times of London, and several statements he made align with positions held by, or are favorable to, Putin.
Here are five of them:
NATO is “obsolete.” — Extending sentiments expressed during his campaign, Trump has recently reiterated that he believes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is outdated and costing the U.S. more than it should, since some member nations “weren’t paying what they’re supposed to be paying.” According to an article at CNN, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has said that the Russian president agrees with Trump’s position on NATO. BREXIT is a “great thing.” — As the surprise passing of “Brexit” happened in Great Britain, Trump commented saying that he thought it was “great,” and that “basically they took back their country.” He has repeated his support often, saying that Brexit was a result of being “forced to take in all of the refugees.” In a New York Times article, the writer points out that the successful Brexit vote meant that Putin’s longtime goal of “destabilizing the West” has been accomplished. There have also been accusations that Putin influenced the Brexit vote. The EU will continue to “break up.”— Referencing Brexit during his interview with The Times, Trump expressed his belief that other countries may decide to leave the European Union, saying, “People want their own identity, so if you ask me, others, I believe others will leave.” Trump also said he isn’t concerned about further “exits” from the EU and doesn’t believe they will impact the U.S. “Let’s see if we can make a few good deals with Russia.” — Trump said on the campaign trail that he would like to see an improvement with regard to the relationship between the U.S. Specifically addressing nuclear proliferation and current sanctions on Russia, Trump said he believed that he would like to see fewer weapons, but didn’t believe sanctions were the way to make that happen. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “catastrophic mistake.” — Trump called Merkel’s decision to resettle a significant number of refugees in Germany a catastrophic mistake, and placed the blame for the Christmas market terrorist attack directly on Merkel’s policies. Despite some policy differences, Germany has been a reliable ally for the U.S., but that may change. RT, a state-sponsored news source in Russia has stepped up press suggesting a “new military alliance” should be comprised of the U.S., Russia, and Germany, and that NATO should be dissolved.
Trump’s pick for Ambassador to the United Nations, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took a slightly tougher stance on Russia during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, saying that she didn’t think Putin could be trusted and that “Russia is trying to show their muscle right now, that’s what they do.”
But just how close Trump and Putin may be is difficult to nail down. According to Yahoo! News, Trump has contradicted himself several times when questioned about whether or not he has even met Putin.
As the president-elect becomes President Trump on Friday, Americans won’t have long to wait to start finding out what “getting along with Russia” really means under the new administration.2 face cat Frank and Louie, a cat born with two faces, has been named the longest living Janus cat in the new edition of the Guinness World Records. (Photo credit: David Niles-Telegram.com)
WORCESTER (CBS) – To most people meeting Frank ‘n Louie for the first time he looks like any ordinary cat.
“They initially walk up with the look of ‘oh what a beautiful cat’ and then as he turns I see the look of horror come across their face.”
Marty, Frank ‘n Louie’s owner says her cat with two names is also the cat with two faces and after turning 12 earlier this month, he’s now the oldest two-faced cat.
WBZ-TV’s Diana Perez reports
He was nominated by Guinness World Records for the longest living Janus cat, which is a new term for two faced cat, says Marty. The term Janus cat refers to the Roman God Janus who had two faces.
But Frank ‘n Louie almost didn’t make it. When he was just one day old a breeder dropped him off to be euthanized. Marty, a veterinary nurse, adopted him right away, “Nobody had claimed him and I said ‘I’ll take him I’ll take him’ and everybody just told me don’t get your hopes up, they don’t live and I said, ‘let me just try.”
And so this two faced feline grew up to be a loving, healthy cat. With a few unique quirks that make Frank, Frank and Louie, Louie.
“Everything works in unison, so when this side eats, this side sometimes goes up and down… He see’s out of the two outside eyes here, the middle eye is not functional but it doesn’t bother him at all. He’s fine with the way he looks,” says Marty.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Lana Jones reports
https://cbsboston.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/jones-frankie-louie-extd.mp3
It’s twice the cat and twice the cute!
Frank ‘n Louie wasn’t expected to make it longer than four days, much less 12 years. His life expectancy is between 13 and 15 years but his owner is hoping he’ll keep his miracle cat status going and live well into is 20’s.The “Psychopathology” of Conservatism
Liberals complain that psychologists and psychotherapists should not talk about politics — even though what politicians do contributes to about half (or more) of the stress and trauma people are experiencing in today’s declining economy and society.
Interestingly, in graduate school I was repeatedly exposed to classes on politics and mental health/psychology. The problem is that these courses were, without exception, taught from a pro-Big Government, pro-liberal, pro-Democratic Party point-of-view. No other point-of-view was ever even acknowledged.
Interestingly, I hear no cries from liberals about the American Psychological Association’s statements that conservatism (or any form of non-liberalism) represents “psychopathology.”
I kid you not: The American Psychological Association not too long ago published a study characterizing political conservatism (i.e., adherence to the values of capitalism, individualism, or objectivity) as a form of mental disorder. Interestingly, the whole study serves as an exercise in psychological projection—whereby the accuser sees in others qualities that actually apply to himself.
“At the core of political conservatism,” according to the study, “is the resistance to change and a tolerance for inequality.” I won’t try to defend conservatives here, because conservatism has its own examples of self-contradiction and moral compromise. But I will offer evidence that contemporary liberals exhibit the very traits they accuse conservatives of having.
Resistance to Change: Examples in Liberalism
Refusal to ever consider partial privatization of Medicare or Social Security (not that conservatives would ever dare propose it), despite the fact that taxes will have to seize more than half (and ultimately
all) of private wealth in coming years if the programs are to survive; Refusal to consider, at any time, for any reason, decreased funding (much less the elimination of) any Cabinet Department or government agency (other than the Pentagon, of course).
Refusal to reconsider any alternatives whatsoever to public education, such as school vouchers (which I personally don’t support); liberalizing laws in favor of home schooling; leaving education to states and local governments (a preferable alternative to federal control of education, which has made public schools much worse); or total privatization of education consisting of substantial tax reductions for everyone, including parents who choose to educate their children with the money returned to them (my vote’s for this one).
None of these alternatives to public education will ever be met with so much as a hearing by any liberal at any time, for any reason. It’s public schools or nothing. As public schools continue to flounder, the liberals simply throw more tax money at them. See the pattern?
Refusal to consider the overwhelming evidence that socialism fails every time and every place it’s tried, at least if economic progress and human well being represent the standards of success.
Refusal to reconsider the moral code that states (as liberalism advocates implicitly) “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need”–in short, the moral code of the welfare state that has reduced economic activity in the larger economy (because of high taxation) and, as any visitor to any American city can plainly see, has both morally and materially destroyed inner cities dependent on the welfare state.
Resistance to change? This is the hallmark of liberalism.
Tolerance for Inequality: Examples in Liberalism
Tolerance of first-rate health care and health insurance for government employees, especially elected and appointed officials at the top of government—while medical care gradually deteriorates for everyone else.
A double standard in which most federal regulations and edicts imposed on businesses and individuals are not imposed on members of Congress or government officials.
A federally imposed policy of affirmative action that offers additional opportunity because of a factor one cannot control (membership in a politically favored race) while someone in a non-favored group (e.g., a white or a male) will lose out even if he has objectively superior skills or abilities.
A policy of “progressive” taxation in which the harder you work and the more money you make, the more the government will take from you.
The United Nations’ policy of “equal” treatment of nations, even though some nations (Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria) are totalitarian or terrorist-sponsoring dictatorships while others, most notably the USA, are democratic republics. What kind of “equality” is this?
On the subject of inequality, it’s interesting that the American Psychological Association didn’t offer to do a study on the psychology of liberals. Doesn’t this itself suggest a bias against one group in favor of another?
They take for granted that conservatism is a disorder, selecting facts they see as supporting this view, and refuse to even consider that liberalism might have its own contradictions and flaws. How scientific is this?
The study also claimed that President Ronald Reagan and conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh are in the same essential category as fascists Hitler and Mussolini. Why? Because all “preached a return to an idealized past and condoned equality in some form.”
In other words, the essence of freedom is hating the past and hating all forms of inequality—even when the inequality is valid, as in the case of a hard worker earning more money than a lazy slob, or a more competent swimmer getting the gold medal while the untalented swimmer can’t even get into the competition.
If conservatives are guilty of sacrificing objectivity to nostalgia about the past, as liberal psychological researchers claim, then liberals are equally guilty of sacrificing objectivity—in their case, to the incompetent, the parasitical, and those who refuse to change social policies which are clearly unjust and clearly don’t work.
Liberals who work at the American Psychological Association are living back in the 1940’s; a time during which liberals tried to convince Americans that the only alternative to the welfare state/democratic socialism was a regime based upon enforced racism or nationalism (i.e., Hitler or Mussolini). Clearly, the alternative to both approaches is freedom from coercion altogether (be it concentration camps or welfare rolls). Although far from perfect (or consistent), Ronald Reagan and Rush Limbaugh made strides in convincing more Americans to favor freedom, individualism and capitalism—values completely at odds with fascism, socialism or Communism.
It sounds to me like these liberal psychologists are, themselves, guilty of trying to turn back the clock—thus proving my point that they’re merely projecting their own neuroses onto today’s conservatives.Lifelock’s theft-protection services called into question by new FTC complaint. Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Customers who hired the infamous ID theft-protection firm Lifelock to monitor their identities after their data was stolen in a breach were in for a surprise. It turns out Lifelock failed to properly secure their data.
According to a complaint filed in court today by the Federal Trade Commission, Lifelock has failed to adhere to a 2010 order and settlement that required the company to establish and maintain a comprehensive security program to protect sensitive personal data users entrust to the company as part of its identity-theft protection service.
This is ironic, of course, because Lifelock promotes its services to companies that experience data breaches and urges them to offer a complimentary Lifelock subscription to people whose data has been compromised in a breach. To properly monitor victims’ credit accounts to protect them against ID theft, Lifelock requires a wealth of sensitive data, including names and addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and bank card information.
Protecting that data should be a primary concern to Lifelock, particularly in light of the fact that many of its customers have already been victims of a breach. But the FTC found in 2010 that the company had failed to provide “reasonable and appropriate security to prevent unauthorized access to personal information stored on its corporate network,” either in transit through its network, stored in a database, or transmitted over the internet.
Lifelock had been ordered to remedy that situation, but according to the complaint filed today, it has failed to do so. The complaint is currently sealed, but the previous finding from 2010 provides insight into the company’s security failures.
The CEO OF Lifelock, Todd Davis, became famous for advertising his Social Security number on television ads and billboards, offering a $1 million guarantee to compensate customers for losses incurred if they became a victim of identity theft after signing up for the company’s services.
For an annual subscription fee, Lifelock promised customers that it would place fraud alerts on their credit accounts with the three credit reporting agencies. As a result, the company said, thieves would not be able to open unauthorized credit or bank accounts in their name.
“In truth, the protection they provided left such a large hole … that you could drive that truck through it,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in 2010, referring to a Lifelock TV ad showing a truck painted with the CEO’s Social Security number driving around city streets.
Leibowitz said the promises were deceptive because thieves could still rack up unauthorized charges on existing accounts—the most common type of identity theft. It also couldn’t prevent thieves from obtaining a loan in a Lifelock customer’s name.
In fact, Lifelock CEO Davis was the victim of identity theft in 2007 when a thief used his widely advertised Social Security number to obtain a $500 loan in Davis’ name.
Lifelock also promised customers that sensitive data they provided the company to perform its protection services would be encrypted and protected in other ways on Lifelock’s servers and accessed only by authorized employees on a need-to-know basis.
“Your documents, while in our care, will be treated as if they were cash,” the company promised.
But it turned out that none of that data was encrypted. The company also had poor password management practices for employees and vendors who accessed the information, and Lifelock failed to limit access to sensitive data to only people who needed access.
What’s more, the company failed to apply critical security patches and updates to its network and “failed to employ sufficient measures” to detect and prevent unauthorized access to its network, “such as by installing antivirus or antispyware programs on computers used by employees to remotely access the network or regularly recording and reviewing activity on the network,” the FTC found.
“As a result of these practices, an unauthorized person could obtain access to personal information stored on defendants’ corporate network, in transit through defendants’ corporate network or over the internet, or maintained in defendants’ offices,” the FTC said in 2010.
Lifelock’s stock price dropped 50 percent, from $16 to $8, following news of the FTC’s new complaint against the company.
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What Cities Would Look Like if Lit Only by the StarsThe point of a cellular make-up is to optimise evolutionary advantage. A strong man uses strength to deter his enemies from attacking, an emotional man uses theatrics to seduce women and an intelligent man uses his IQ to outsmart others.
No personality is designed to fall within a certain bound, though most personalities naturally fall within a certain bound because average is what tends to work best. But extremes always exist, for if 1 ‘strong’ gene makes you strong, 2 ‘strong’ genes make you superstrong, but 3 ‘strong’ genes give you muscular dystrophy.
Extremes are dangerous, evolutionary speaking. They might be dead-ends. Take homosexuality. A few homosexual genes make you bi-curious. Being bi-curious gets you laid more often. Boom, evolutionary advantage! But too many homosexual genes and you lose interest in girls, preferring instead to spend your time catching and spreading AIDS in dark basements of bars called The Golden Fist and The Happy Sausage. Boom, evolutionary dead-end!
A leftist personality is also optimised for evolutionary advantage: it is optimised to lie and to cheat. Yet too many leftist genes and the product becomes obviously defective. Take for instance Judith Sargentini, a Dutch GreenLeft politician who has recently been promoted to the EU anti-terrorism committee.
Heartiste is absolutely correct: physiognomy is real. And if you think she looks unreliable in this picture, observe her when she talks.
Sargentini’s opinion on terrorism? it has nothing to do with religion! Her opinion on the idea that some immigrants might harbour terroristic ideas? Ludicrous hysteria!
The central realisation about leftists is that they do not give a flying shit about others. They care about themselves, they lie to promote themselves. Observe the passive-agressive way in which Sargentini supposedly stands up for refugees. Funny thing; she does not actually see refugees as real people. She sees them as status objects whose sole purpose is to be used as value-signals for her personal superiority. Similarly, the environment: Sargentini does not give a flying shit about it. She has no interest in how ecologies work, how farmers work, how animals work. She just cares about about herself while posing, quite aggressively, as someone who cares about others.
And it’s not just immigration, not just the environment. Literally think of ANY topic in which you can value-brag to others and you can be sure that ms Sargentini has tweeted on it, made commissions for it, or written on it in order to further her own interests : child labor, developmental aid, amnesty international, islamophobia, transgender rights, gay marriage, African democracy, diversity on tech etcetera etcetera.
As always, the leftist’s personal life speaks volumes: at age 43 ms Sargentini has neither husband nor kids. What she no doubt does have is a long list of pump and dumps, likely including several Syrian refugees.
In the past such a woman was politely shunned from serious conversations and people would shake their heads whenever they’d encounter the bitter vitriol of a spinster like her. But alas, we live in a progressive dystopia where diversity=equality and terrorism=good, hence ms Sargentini’s position on the EU anti-terrorism committee.
Remember Jiang Qing, who wanted her doctor killed because he was a doctor. Sargentini is much like Jiang Qing, in that she wants white men to be killed because they are white men.Photos by Julia Staples
An Icelandic citizen who was initially denied entry to the United States on account of being born in Iran has been granted permission to enter. The US embassy in Iceland has confirmed that all Icelandic citizens may travel to the US, regardless of country of birth.
As reported, Meisam Rafiei, who |
system.
In my borough of Islington we have achieved huge improvements in our school results by providing exactly this. Our community of schools model, which sees the local authority working closely with schools, parents and pupils has massively driven up standards and the same is taking place in local authority areas up and down the country.
These announcements are driven entirely by Tory ideology rather than any reality of what actually would deliver the best quality of education and best results for children.
In the coming weeks, we will be working with all those who agree with us, including our excellent Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Lucy Powell, to build a coalition of support to ensure schools stay accountable to local communities.
Richard Watts is leader of Islington Council and vice-chair of the the Local Government Association children and young people boardFirst up in the bracket we have Patience - our only Korean player remaining! He will be playing from Korea so latency may kick up a bit of an issue, but he seemed to deal with it just fine in his RO16 group when had advanced in first place defeating Ignite 2-0 and Complain 2-1. It has been almost an entire year since Patience's breakout performance at DreamHack Winter and since then he has continued to grow and impress. Up against Adonminus in the RO8 he should be feeling confident after his 2-0 victory over him at DreamHack Moscow about a month ago.
Adonminus has previously played Patience in a SC2Improve event, but it was only for a qualifier to last years Winter League (where Patience won the series 2-1.) This Israeli player is someone we know very well around SC2Improve. He was one of the best performers in the SC2Improve Weekly, he was our SC2Improve Winter League 2012 champion and he is the only player to have qualified to the playoffs of all four of our Seasonal events to this date. He will be the underdog going into his series against Patience, but Adonminus always has some crazy strategies to pull out of the bag and to give him an advantage. The fact that this is a Bo5 however makes me question if he will have enough of this to see him through to the semi-finals.Lush trees drip with fruit in a clementine orchard near a lookout point at the Nir Am kibbutz. Hashem Barawi, a Palestinian worker from Gaza, hands the kibbutz’s agricultural head Ofer Lieberman several of the sweet citrus fruit. This idyllic setting, home to 400 Jewish Israelis, is one of the closest communities along Israel’s border with northern Gaza. “It’s quiet here. It’s like heaven,” says Lieberman.
Barawi and Lieberman have been friends and colleagues for 35 years. They remember when Gaza was open and they could travel to visit each other, though now only Barawi is allowed to travel into Israel, and only with difficulty. Yet the two men should be enemies, at least judging by the relations between their respective leaderships — the Israeli government and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since it won an election in 2005 and seized control of the Gaza Strip from Palestinian Authority forces in 2007. Increasingly bellicose rhetoric has put Hamas and the Israeli leadership on a collision course toward war, barely a year and a half after the last open conflict in 2014, which began with rocket fire and left 2,100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis dead.
But the next war will likely be waged underground. Hamas have announced they are building tunnels into Israel, and residents of the kibbutz Nir Am and other communities along the border have recorded sounds of tunnel diggers working underneath their homes. And the thought of militants operating beneath their feet has Israelis — not unaccustomed to terror — increasingly fearful. “Personally I prefer missiles — because you can get inside a shelter and it’s O.K., but once a terrorist is inside the kibbutz with a gun, I don’t know what would happen,” says Lieberman. “I really hope it will not happen, but we just don’t know.
Tunnels are not a new threat. The Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by a militant who entered Israel using a tunnel in 2006. He was held for five years and freed only when Israel released 1,027 prisoners. At the height of the last war, the underground threat became real when 10 Hamas militants emerged from a tunnel in a wheat field on the periphery of Nir Am. They were disguised in Israeli army uniforms. Four Israeli soldiers were killed, and all 10 of the militants, in an exchange of fire.
Read More: Exclusive: Shimon Peres on Peace, War and Israel’s Future
That atmosphere of vulnerability intensified this year after a Jan. 29 funeral of seven diggers who were killed when winter rains allegedly caused five tunnels to collapse. “East of Gaza City, heroes are digging through rock and building tunnels, and to the west they are experimenting with rockets every day,” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said at the funeral. While Hamas blamed their deaths on the heavy rain, when the Palestinian news agency Maan asked the Israeli army’s Coordination of the Government Activities in the Territories unit chief, General Yoav Mordecai, if Israel had a hand in the collapse of tunnels, he replied, “God knows.”
Hamas started digging tunnels immediately after the war ended in 2014 and says it has constructed more than 50 in that time. While Israel acknowledges that there are tunnels, it says these numbers are inflated. For Hamas, the purpose of these tunnels is simple: either to kidnap Israeli civilians in order to use them as leverage for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, or to attack Israelis and kill them.
In 2014 the Israeli army discovered 32 tunnels, half of which penetrated into Israel. The army believes it took Hamas four years to build these 32 tunnels, which were all destroyed in the last war. But in some cases Israel was only able to blow up the entry or exit points of the tunnels, or collapse them in the middle. Israel is working desperately to develop technology along the border to try to halt further construction, but it has refused to divulge details on just how that might work — or how effective it will be.
Read More: Ehud Olmert Becomes First Israeli Prime Minister to Go to Prison
“It’s a kind of race between us and them. We will find a solution, and they will then find several answers,” says Atai Shelach, a former commander of Israel’s military combat engineering unit, who now heads a company providing engineering products. “This challenge won’t vanish in the next three to four decades. It’s not just a race, it’s a marathon race; we have to be patient.”
Heavy machinery and engineering equipment were lined up along Israel’s border with Gaza when TIME visited recently. While the Israeli army won’t confirm what is being done with the equipment, military spokesman Peter Lerner confirmed that army has 100 engineering devices “carrying out various activities along the border to reveal and expose tunnels.”
These devices have been rumored to be part of a secret underground defense system, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, which detects and intercepts rockets being fired from Gaza. According to a recent report in the Financial Times, Israel secured $120 million in U.S. funding this year to develop technology to detect and destroy tunnels. On Feb. 20, during Friday prayer, Haniyeh of Hamas announced that al-Qassam, the group’s military wing, had discovered Israeli electronic equipment meant to find underground tunnels. He said the equipment included cameras and sensors.
Read More: Discover Gaza’s Ephemeral Walls
But while Israel forges ahead with its high-tech detection system, Hamas says it has workers constructing tunnels up to 24 hours a day. “The death of the tunnel workers during the last severe storm gave a very serious signal that Hamas is working around the clock, even in the worst weather circumstances,” says Mkhaimer Abusada, a professor of political science at al-Azhar University in Gaza.
While Abusada estimates that two-thirds of the Gazan population do not support another war with Israel, there are many who do. “The Palestinian community in Gaza is divided — those affiliated with Hamas are very comfortable with the strategy of digging tunnels and developing missiles. Hamas create an illusion that Israel will be defeated and that people will be able to pray in al-Aqsa mosque — people buy this fantasy.”
Yousra al Shobaki, mother of 22-year-old Ghazwan, who dug tunnels and fought for Hama’s military wing, al-Qassam, told TIME she supports Hamas’ efforts. “We will win in the end. I ask all the mothers in Gaza to support the jihad and to go to the mosques to teach them how to defend their country — and to teach their sons what jihad means. I wish all the young Qassam men the best in their work, and I hope they will win in the end of all these conflicts with the Israelis. There is no such thing as Israel — these people occupied our land, there is nothing called Israel.”
The situation for everyday Palestinians in Gaza has become dire — 900,000 of the 1.2 million–strong population are in need of aid support in the aftermath of the last war. Earlier this month, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories announced the need to collect $571 million for emergency services across the Palestinian territories, most of which would go to Gaza. With only a quarter of the 18,000 homes destroyed during the war in any state of repair, much of Gaza is still in rubble, with thousands of people remaining homeless. Dr. Abusada believes that some of the much needed building materials entering to Gaza through Israel were ending up in Hamas’ hands, where they were redirected toward tunnel construction.
Back in kibbutz Nir Am, Barawi and Lieberman agree that a war would be catastrophic — and so it would be for ordinary Palestinians and Israelis alike. But the decision may not be up to them.
— Additional reporting by Mohamed al-Zaharna
Contact us at [email protected] there isn't a prize for simplicity, there should be one. Each song on this record makes its point, then ends, often in under two minutes. A chord change, a few guitars, a drum set, a strangled voice. Perfect. Everybody can do this, you think, except no one ever does. That doesn't mean that the emotions are not sometimes grand - but compared to music that wallows, this band gets over it in no time and moves on. The real stand-out for me is "I Saw The Wolf," a song I listen to over and over again. Quiet and painful, it is also poetic and subtle, like something from The Cure's "Disintegration," my first reference when it comes to post-punk / emo / pop hybrids. "Return" is melodic and upbeat, and "Test Pattern" can make you sing along. "Thank you, Noah Lowry" ends the set with a flourish. This album has all those moments that remind me of shouting out the lyrics from their first album ("I saw water/I felt better", "Lie to me/like you used to"), but it is overall more restrained, minimal. I listen to this when Manchester Orchestra's "Like a Virgin Losing a Child" is just too heavy.
That said, my version of the album had a strangely muffled sound quality, so I have to turn the volume way up to get the full sound. So that's where the four stars come from. Maybe that was a fluke.Fighters from the Democratic Republic of Congo's M23 group, including their commander Sultani Makenga, have surrendered in Uganda, officers have said, signalling the end of an 18-month armed conflict.
The rebel surrender follows a crushing defeat at the hands of the UN-backed Congolese armed forces.
"He is with our forces, yes, Makenga has crossed into Uganda," a senior Ugandan military officer told AFP news agency, although he declined to clarify if he had formally surrendered or was under arrest.
Paddy Ankunda, a colonel in the Ugandan army, told AFP news agency on Thursday that 1,500 men from the M23 - a number thought to account for almost the entire force - had crossed into Uganda and given themselves up, and were now being held in the Kisoro border district.
"About 1,500 fighters surrendered today," said Ankunda, the spokesman for the Ugandan defence minister Crispus Kiyonga, a mediator in stalled peace talks between M23 and Kinshasa.
However, Ankunda said he was "not aware" if Makenga was among those to have surrendered.
Uganda has been accused by United Nations experts of backing the M23. Those claims are strongly denied by Kampala.
Superior firepower
The rebels' surrender puts paid to fears that they might try to fight on despite having been outweighed by superior firepower, notably helicopter gunships.
Makenga, 39, a former colonel in the DR Congo army, is accused of masterminding killings, abductions, using rape as a weapon of war and recruiting child soldiers, and is on both UN and US sanctions lists.
His prescence in Uganda, arrested or not, poses a diplomatic headache for Kampala.
Congolese troops backed by a special UN intervention brigade with an offensive mandate launched a major assault late last month against the M23 force of army mutineers in turbulent North Kivu.
After briefly seizing the regional capital and mining hub of Goma last November, the M23 entered into fresh peace talks which fell apart last month, leading the Congolese army to go on the attack in a bid to end the rebellion.
Makenga was born to parents from the Masisi area north of Goma, but grew up in the neighbouring Rutshuru district.
Like many of the ethnic Tutsi officers who fought alongside him, he cut his teeth in the ranks of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, now in power in neighbouring Rwanda, when it launched a rebellion in the early 1990s.
He then served as a battalion commander in the Rwandan-backed Congolese Rally for Democracy before joining former DRC rebel leader Laurent Nkunda's National Congress for the Defence of the People.
Ever since he has been seen as loyal to Nkunda, who has spent the past several years under house arrest in Rwanda after he fell out with his former mentors in Kigali.
The US also indicated on Wednesday that it was ready to lift sanctions on Rwanda, imposed last month, if Kigali cuts ties with Congolese M23 rebels.Chicago native Wasalu Jaco is better known by his alias Lupe Fiasco, the name he's used as a hip-hop artist since his 2006 debut Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor. But Jaco is also an avid painter—he created the cover art for his 2015 release Tetsuo & Youth and presented his first art exhibition at Anonymous Gallery in New York City in 2013.
Now, Jaco is preparing to exhibit his latest collection of paintings in the city he calls home, bringing a new exhibition called "Beta" to the Ed Paschke Art Center in Jefferson Park. The exhibit is made of up acrylic paintings on canvas, which depict colorful geometric patterns and the artist's signature memento mori skull. "Beta" will open at the Ed Paschke Art Center on September 23 and run through November 30. "The themes I explore are perfectly suited for the art center's mission to provide an accessible, open space for emerging artists," Jaco said in a statement about the exhibit.
Outside of his new exhibit, Jaco is currently at work on a trilogy of Lupe Fiasco albums that he has claimed will be his final releases. All three records, entitled DROGAS, DROGAS light and SKULLS, are scheduled to be released by the end of the year, though they have not been assigned release dates.While we ran 9.9 @ 141 MPH in our McLaren 720S a few weeks ago, we knew the car would go quicker with some better weather and that just happened in a monster way at a private track rental at ATCO Raceway in New Jersey. During a private rental an all stock McLaren 720s killed the 1/4 mile in just 9.7 seconds at over 147 MPH with multiple runs to backup the times. Weather was perfect with 40 degree temps, low humidity and a DA of -1100 feet.
With perfectly cool weather conditions come complications with regards to heating up cold tires on super cars as most don’t have the ability to do a proper burn out to heat them up. Since warm/hot tires are essential to a great launch, this 720S owner used a set of tire heaters to keep the tires warm for his record breaking runs.
With all of the room in the 720S for storage there is enough space for the “720s Drag Pack” in the front bonnet which includes a generator, tires heaters, two jacks and more.
These times make the McLaren 720s a certified Hypercar killer taking down the likes of the 918 Spyder, McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and even the all mighty cars from Bugatti. Take a look at the time slip data and video below!
Timeslip Data: McLaren 720S 9.7 @ 147 MPH Data
Video:
Timeslips:Big Tech firms are shedding some light on the secret data requests they receive from the U.S. government on national security matters.
Google (GOOG), Facebook (FB), Microsoft (MSFT), LinkedIn (LNKD) and Yahoo (YHOO) posted data for the first time Monday on the volume of requests made under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, which allows the government to secretly obtain data on user accounts and communications in cases related to national security.
The releases come after the companies filed lawsuits seeking the right to disclose more information about requests for user data. In response, the Department of Justice issued new disclosure guidelines last week allowing the publication of basic information about FISA requests.
President Obama ordered the change last month as part of his speech on intelligence reform.
"Today, for the first time, our report on government requests for user information encompasses all of the requests we receive," Google lawyer Richard Salgado wrote in a blog post.
In a joint statement last week, Attorney General Eric Holder and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said they had concluded "that the public interest in disclosing this information now outweighs the national security concerns that required its classification."
National security officials make FISA requests in a secret court that has authorized nearly every request it's received. The process came under scrutiny last year following the revelation via NSA leaker Edward Snowden of a secret surveillance court order approving the collection of mass amounts of user metadata from telecom giant Verizon (VZ) and leading Internet companies.
Related: Marissa Mayer calls for more NSA transparency
The companies are permitted only to release ranges, rather than precise numbers, for the amount of FISA requests they receive from the government and the number of accounts affected. They can't discuss details of the requests or the identities of the users involved.
"[W]e still believe more transparency is needed so everyone can better understand how surveillance laws work and decide whether or not they serve the public interest," Google's Salgado wrote Monday. He called for Congress to pass legislation allowing tech companies to reveal "the precise numbers and types of requests we receive, as well as the number of users they affect in a timely way."
Google's figures showed it received fewer than 1,000 FISA requests between July and December of 2012 covering between 12,000 and 12,999 accounts. In its most recent reporting period, January to June 2013, the company received under 1,000 FISA requests affecting between 9,000 and 9,999 accounts.
Yahoo received requests for information for 30,000 to 30,999 accounts during the same period last year, while Facebook got requests covering between 5,000 and 5,999 accounts.
"We will continue to advocate for reform of government surveillance practices around the world, and for greater transparency about the degree to which governments seek access to data in connection with their efforts to keep people safe," Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch wrote in a blog post.
FISA requests targeting LinkedIn between January and June last year covered under 250 accounts, while Microsoft's encompassed between 15,000 and 15,999 accounts.
The five companies were among a group of tech firms that last year called for reform of government surveillance programs to increase transparency and impose limitations on what information can be collected.Synopsis
I am honored and lucky to have been given another opportunity to participate in the one and only Barkley Marathons. Past events have been quiet, introspective, and “dark” challenges for me in some ways. In contrast, 2016 was a different experience as I traveled out with other people, had multiple close friends running, Mindy (my wife) came along, I had fantastic company for the first 4 loops, the skies were clear for nearly the entire race, and the temperatures were perfect. Was this really Barkley? I am thrilled to have finished in 59 hrs 33 minutes, forfeiting only 27 minutes and setting a new personal standard for how much adventure I can extract out of $1.60.
Invested
“If you belong here, you will figure out how to get here.” One of my favorite Laz quotes. As a past race director and participant in many trail races both in the US and abroad, I am in awe (in a good way) with how Barkley is conducted, the people it draws, and the seriousness with which most people approach it.
No race director wants their participants to be harmed in their event. Standard methods of achieving this goal are implementing mandatory qualifying races, having elaborate aid stations, medical check-ins, pacers, sweepers, required gear, GPS tracking devices, and extensive communication systems, to name a few. Barkley has none of these things.
By creating a non-obvious application process, intentionally limiting course information, and letting participates decide for themselves what gear they should bring,the result appears to be participants who arrive well prepared, having done their homework, and equipped for all conditions. A pretty distinct difference from the usual “just show up, put your head down, and follow the markers” mentality. Essentially everyone is capable of self-extraction and they understand that it is the standard protocol. Additionally, every participant knows how lucky they are to have a spot in the race and will thus gladly carry an extra jacket, gloves, hours of extra food, additional headlamp batteries etc. to prevent a preventable disaster. The lack of course markings means participates have studied their map, understand the drainage systems, and have sharpened their orienteering skills. Participants have invested so much time and energy into just getting to the start-line that they realize how silly it would be for their efforts to come to an end for something that was easily within their control. The result of this lack of infrastructure, interestingly, is exactly what events that have lots of infrastructure desire, knowing that every runner will be okay and give it everything they’ve got.
On Friday afternoon in the Big Cove Campground, I was surrounded by heros. Erik Storheim and Ty Draney, my close friends who sit at the top of the pedestal of remarkable and well-rounded humans. Jennilyn Eaton, Salt Lake City’s mountain phenom who came armed with an high level of determination and hunger for Barkley.
I finally got to meet Andrew Thompson (AT) after years of reading of his exploits. Frozen Ed, catalyst of the Barkley phase in my life, was in camp, he wouldn’t miss his favorite weekend of the year! And, John Fegyveresi, hero of the Barkley documentary and all around fantastic person, had returned for another romp around Frozen Head.
Michiel “Mig” Panhuysen, who’s infectious energy brings an instant smile. Brad Bishop, who helped me out in 2014 and continually gives back to the ultra-running community looked strong and focused. Jason Poole, long-time Barker and friend from Hardrock was ready to rally. Gary Robbins was amped and ready to go, riding the high of recent fatherhood (I was infected with this in 2014 when Phoebe was just 3.5 months old!). Rhonda Avery was shocking the entire world by attempting Barkley with only 8% vision. Leon Lutz was on-site and quietly crafting the right story about Barkley. John Kelly, who burst onto the Barkley scene in 2015 was back, focused, energized, hungry. Julian Jamison, all-around great guy and critical element of my 2014 success was there with his beautiful family supporting John Kelly. Heather “Anish” Anderson who quietly sets new records on epic-long trails such as the PCT and AT was back. Niki Rehn, runner/climber/scrambler from Australia was in camp and beaming with excitement. She “gets” Barkley.
As I looked around at the 41 starters on Saturday morning I was proud to be toeing the gate with such an incredible and invested group of people.
Start Time
In addition to being a substantial physical challenge, Barkley is an exercise in stress management. The unknown start-time is one of these classic elements. When I heard a handful of people say “word on the street was that we’re not going to get much sleep tonight”(the night before the race), something inside of me suddenly felt confident that it meant the opposite. As such, I slept far better than I had in the past. Yes, it was intermittent, waking up periodically feeling as if I had missed the sound of the conch, but all things considered I slept pretty well. The late start (10:42AM) worked well for me given that I was coming from two time-zones to the west.
Loop 1 (day)
From the start we had a sizeable group (myself, Gary Robbins, John Kelly, Andrew Thompson, Dominique Ecoiffier, Benoit Laval, and Adam Lint) a held solid pace up Bird Mountain, arriving at the top in just under 30 min. A virgin runner honed in on book 1 with surprising precision. I was excited to follow John Kelly for his descent down to Phillips Creek per the ridge north of the steep side creek, as all prior years I had taken the ridge to the south. John knew the route so we followed him to the “Flume of Doom”, which Frozen Ed had described the night before.
At the bottom of Check Mate, it was down to 6 of us as we started up the North Boundary trail en route to Jury Ridge. John asked how confident I was in being able to find book 2, a notoriously tricky section where the book tucked between two rocks at a river confluence far below Jury Ridge. I responded, “quite confident…. probably 85%”, and followed up with, “… and the reason I am confident is because I spent 45 minutes thrashing around looking for this book in 2014. In addition to eventually finding out where the book is, more importantly I learned where the book is not.” When we started descending to book 2, I was shocked to see John take off down a ridge that didn’t look right to me, I figured he must know something I didn’t, a more direct route perhaps? In Barkley, if often pays dividends to follow routes you are certain of, even if they are longer, so I stuck with what I knew. When John took off, the remainder of the group followed me. We ended up finding the book almost perfectly. What happened to John? (see his race report) As I reached in between the two stones and pulled the book out I watched the faces of the three virgin runners, all had a looks of bewilderment as if it was right then they realizing how tricky it would be to find this book on their own. Dominique looked at me and said, “Merci! Merci!”. It was at this moment that I realized my purpose at Barkley this year was to be a guide. It meant I would have a group of comrades for much of lap 1. This would be fun!
We marched up Hillpocalypse being sure to climb the 4th class dirt en-route to the N. Boundary trail and mis-quoted Henry David Thoreau sign (“In wilderness is the preservation of the world”). The next 3 books were in locations that were new to me, so it was fortuitous that we had a small team that could split up and scan terrain when necessary. We all discussed the up-coming turn-off for the summit of Bald Knob. AT was spot-on and we all marched directly to the top. We quickly unearthed book 3 and made our way eastward down the steep hillside, following the boundary markers. Back on the N. Boundary trail we purposefully and intentionally crossed directly over SOB ditch, despite the fact that the trail goes around it. Anyone who has studied the images on Matt Mahoney’s website can envision the picture of SOB ditch, it would be a shame to miss it! The group seemed happy to be working through the classic landmarks so efficiently. It was as if we were taking a speed tour of the National Mall, visiting all the iconic sites. Instead of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool, however, we were visiting Hyrum’s Vertical Smile, SOB ditch, and the coal ponds.
On the climb up to Hyrum’s Day Spa we saw a family of wild pigs, and on the descent of Raw Dog ridge we ran into a large pile of black snakes, which looked like a big medusa head. I paused and thought what this would do to my mind on lap 4 or 5 at night. We then plunged into the fresh briars guarding the lower ridge to Raw Dog Falls. Nasty.
The remainder of loop 1 went well. Our group of four dwindled to just three on our way into camp. Adam, our kind compatriot and man of few words, declared that he was going to take some additional time in camp and that we should go on without him. Gary and I agreed to be back at the gate in just 10 minutes. Upon arrival, Mindy, who became known as the Nascar pit-crew captain, had everything dialed. She had me resupplied and ready to go in about 8 min.
Loop 2 (night)
As Gary and I got our new bib numbers and began to leave, AT was arriving in camp. I was hopeful that he would have a quick turn-around and come catch up to us on loop 2, I was eager to chat with him. We left camp with a little over one hour of light left, better make use of it! If we could make it to book 2 prior to turning on lights I would be thrilled. We wondered when and where we would catch the first runners. We figured it would be Rhonda and her guide Christian given how extremely difficult it must be to negotiate the course with only 8% vision. It is hard enough with full vision; I was in awe at what she was attempting. My mind wandered to the book When Smoke Ran Like Water, where in Donora, Pennsylvania during an acute air pollution spike so bad people couldn’t see their feet, a blind man with a walking stick guided a seeing person home. I envisioned Rhonda zipping around the course during a thick Barkley fog guiding the rest of us.
As we descended towards book 2, we saw two lights and heard some hooting and hollering in the drainage near book 2. Sure enough it was Rhonda and Christian and they were lost trying to find the book; Gary and I were happy to be of some assistance. Gary immediately ran over to Rhonda and gave her a hug. “Gary coming in” he said so she’d know who was approaching her. My respect for Gary ratcheted up by the way he encouraged and applauded Rhonda and Christian. We chatted with them briefly, indicated the general direction and off we went, knowing that they would be able to follow our headlights for a short while.
Another plug for Gary. For a guy who I had essentially just met, the fact that some of our first conversations were about how much he loves his wife Linda and how fatherhood has positively changed him speaks volumes about him. His son Reed is bound to have a remarkable life.
When on the summit of Bald Knob we could see several additional lights further ahead on the course, I estimated them to be at the Garden Spot. We forged on eager to help this next group of runners. Sure enough, there was a gaggle of folks. We first met Starchy who was looking for book 4. He was only 20′ from it when we arrived. Several minutes ahead we ran into another group who wanted nothing more than to find the nearest quitters road, and some who wanted help getting to book 5. We jogged the nice jeep road towards Mouth Branch. It was a perfect night and fun to have a small group of folks with us. The group held on and we made it to the critical spot where I leave the first (of three) roads into Mouth Branch. I verbally described the next section in hopes that it would simplify their getting to Bobcat Rock. And, off we went. Gary and I snagged the next 2 books without issue and began the descent down Stallion Mtn.
Descending Stallion Mtn, we made our first (and biggest) navigational error. We rolled too far off to the right (west) off the ridge and ended up on steep cliffed-out terrain. We eventually made it down to a dirt road. I knew that this must be the road where going right on it would take us to Bobcat Rock and left would take us back to the prow of the ridge, where we were supposed to be. We went left, but overshot the prow by quite a bit (over a mile), wrapping around onto the eastern side of Stallion. A quick bearing check and wow, we were heading north-west with the hillside rolling steeply off to our right. Gary and I stopped dead in our tracks, sat down, whipped out the maps/compasses and decided not to move until we figured out what was going on. While our minds were starting to get cloudy, we were able to deduce where we were. We made the correct decision, turned around, backtracked, and found where we over-shot. We worked through this very well. We were back on track after having lost ~45 min.
While a huge part of Barkley is working tirelessly to prevent yourself from getting lost, one of the most important skills is figuring out how to get back on-track when you get lost. Gary’s adventure racing experience was apparent as he rolled smoothly through the mishap and even appeared excited about how well we dealt with it, I know I was. Again, my admiration for him ratcheted up another notch.
The remainder of lap 2 is a blur to me aside from some significant knee pain setting in on the descents. A tight IT band, along with some hip alignment issues from months prior, resulted in an over-worked medial quad. This additional stress eventually caused highly localized pain where the quad attaches to my femur. Extrapolating this increase in pain from just two laps did not look good, I could only hope the pain curve wasn’t linear or worse. I would have to switch into near-term thinking mode, one objective, one hill, one descent at a time, not how I normally approach Barkley. Soon we were back in camp and had decided on a 15 minute turn-around time.
Loop 3 (CCW; day)
The first counter-clockwise loop is in a way exciting as it feels different and new. We marched up to Chimney Top at a strong pace, riding adrenaline from our brief time in camp. Roughly 1/3 the way up the climb we crossed paths with John Kelly, exchanging few words. He was moving great and we were excited to see that he had recovered some time from whatever mishap he had had on loop 1.
The descent was painful, a theme that would exist from here to the end of the race. On the descent, we veered too far to the right (west). We spotted a suspicious orange marker wrapped around a large tree. We went to it and noticed that it looked pretty fresh (i.e. not too rotted from the sun). We discussed what this might mean, and were a bit disheartened that someone might be able to rationalize such a tactic. We spotted another, and another and another, it was clearly a marked route. Any cross-section of humanity is bound to include people who devise sneaky ways to get ahead, even at Barkley. 😦 We removed everything we saw and made our way down to the stream below. We hit Beech Fork downstream of the book, but quickly got back on track.
Gary had several sudden gasps of pain, apparently a recent injury had caught up to him. Decades of experience enabled him to swallow the pain. We had a clear, yet silent, awareness that each other was dealing with our own set of challenges and both understood that talking about it would do no good. For only having just met each other, I felt we had a good understanding of each other already. We got our pages at the Beech tree and began the thrash up Zipline, a significantly easier climb to follow in the daylight. As we descended Bad Thing we ran into Jason Poole and Ty Draney, then Mig Panhuysen, they all looked strong and happy that the sun was up. On our climb out of the prison we ran into Jennilyn who was gliding down lower Rat Jaw with a smile on her face. She was moving well and clearly chasing after the fun run cutoff time. We were super happy for her and I told Gary about how much she had put into training/studying/obsessing. As we climbed up Rat Jaw a small drone w/ camera flew overhead. It was out of place and most likely breaking event rules. My mind wandered… What would James Early Ray have thought if suddenly a drone were following him during his escape? I fantasized about having a portable RF jammer to bring it down as it didn’t belong at Barkley.
We marched to the top of Frozen Head Peak and were surprised by the silence; not a single person there on this beautiful morning. The descents were very painful, but at least it didn’t appear to be getting any worse. Could it hold all the way to the end?
Gary brought up loop 5 and wanted to discuss which direction we should each go. He was kind and said that because I had been guiding him I should pick which direction I preferred. I suggested that I go CW and he go CCW, the direction that would be familiar to him from laps 3 and 4. Doing this would improve his odds of success and honestly the direction didn’t matter much too me. As such, we decided that he should lead up Stallion Mountain in an effort to learn it better than he would if he simply followed me. I kept a small distance and watched him, not saying anything at critical intersections to see if he could |
double call; this creates an input buffer target = nn.Identity()() pred = nn.Linear(200,10)( nn.Tanh()( nn.Linear(100,200)( input ) ) ) loss = nn.CrossEntropyCriterion()({pred, target}) -- the final model can be declared like this, by declaring the inputs and -- outputs: model = nn.gModule({input,target}, {loss}) -- model is a regular nn object, and the same exact API as the model -- defined before, using nn.Sequential()
Torch’s nn package implements a kind of limited automatic differentiation, sacrificing flexibility (you can only use pre-specified modules) for computational efficiency (each module is hand-tuned). Imagine that instead of writing models with only pre-specified modules, you could use any Torch function. We saw in the first example that we can implement logistic regression by directly using elementary operations like * and +. This is inspired by Python autograd, which lets you write models using plain NumPy arrays and Python operators, and computes the derivatives automatically.
Autograd for Torch [3] takes the best of these two approaches. Very much inspired by Python’s autograd design [1,2], it lets the user express an arbitrary function with Torch tensors and operators, and infers the derivatives automatically. For efficiency, and to build on top of the large body of operators available in nn, it also provides a simple bridge that lets users mix and match both plain Torch functions and use nn modules.
-- Rewriting the 2-layer neural network above, with the -- cross-entropy loss would look like this (assuming a one-hot encoded target): model = function(params, input, target) local h1 = torch.tanh( params.W1 * input + params.b1) local pred = params.W2 * h1 + params.b2 local logSoftMaxPred = pred - torch.log(torch.sum(torch.exp(pred))) local loss = - torch.sum(torch.cmul(logSoftMaxPred, target)) return loss end -- not much abstraction, just defining the model as we want it, -- and it’s our responsibility to define trainable parameters: params = { W1 = torch.Tensor(200,100), b1 = torch.Tensor(200), W2 = torch.Tensor(10,200), b2 = torch.Tensor(10) } -- once we’ve defined our parameters, evaluating the loss is just a function -- call: loss = model(params, input, target) -- time to compute the gradients! d = require ‘autograd’ grads = d(model)(params, input, target) -- If you want to get the gradient and the loss at the same time, -- that’s supported transparently grads, loss = d(model)(params, input, target) -- that’s it, grads is now a table that has the same exact structure as params. -- Autograd only computes derivatives wrt the first argument of the function, -- which can be an arbitrarily nested table of tensors. Any other argument -- is used as a constant.
Autograd provides an environment in which any model can be written out, and rely on optimized primitives when necessary. In its most extreme form, autograd can be seen as a replacement for nngraph, where nn primitives can be assembled into any graph, but with one advantage: in autograd, every bit of data (tensor) is a variable that can be used by any function; parameters are treated no differently than hidden or input variables. This simplifies many tasks that were previously extremely complicated such as weight sharing, or attaching a loss to a group of parameters or states. This simplification leads to very rapid prototyping and less debugging.
For example, let’s consider the case of an autoencoder with tied weights between the encoder and decoder. In order to do weight sharing between the encoder and decoder passes with nn, you actually have to reach inside the internals of modules, and hook them up in a “non-standard” way.
-- This function creates the autoencoder network to make predictions -- sizes is a table of layer sizes. function makeAutoencoderNN(sizes) local autoencoder = nn.Sequential() -- Encoder local encoder = nn.Sequential() local l1 = nn.Linear(sizes['input'], sizes['h1']) local l2 = nn.Linear(sizes['h1'], sizes['h2']) local l3 = nn.Linear(sizes['h2'], sizes['h3']) encoder:add(l1) encoder:add(nn.Sigmoid()) encoder:add(l2) encoder:add(nn.Sigmoid()) encoder:add(l3) encoder:add(nn.Sigmoid()) -- Decoder local decoder = nn.Sequential() local l4 = nn.Linear(sizes['h3'], sizes['h2']) local l5 = nn.Linear(sizes['h2'], sizes['h1']) local l6 = nn.Linear(sizes['h1'], sizes['input']) -- Tie the weights in the decoding layers l4.weight = l3.weight:t() l4.gradWeight = l3.gradWeight:t() l5.weight = l2.weight:t() l5.gradWeight = l2.gradWeight:t() l6.weight = l1.weight:t() l6.gradWeight = l1.gradWeight:t() decoder:add(l4) decoder:add(nn.Sigmoid()) decoder:add(l5) decoder:add(nn.Sigmoid()) decoder:add(l6) decoder:add(nn.Sigmoid()) autoencoder:add(encoder) autoencoder:add(decoder) return autoencoder end -- We define autoencoder and criterion modules -- so that the final loss function can use them. local autoencoder = makeAutoencoderNN(sizes) local rCrit = nn.BCECriterion() -- This function adds an L2 penalty to the weights of the autoencoder -- and computes the total loss and gradient. -- Since parameters are treated differently than modules we have -- to compute the L2 loss and gradient explicitly. function aeLossAndGrad(input, l2Lambda) -- Reconstruction loss -- We need to manually backpropagate from the criterion back through the network. -- This can be made slightly easier with nngraph. local prediction = autoencoder:forward(input) local rLoss = rCrit:forward(prediction, input) rLossGrad = rCrit:backward(prediction, input) autoencoder:backward(input, rLossGrad) -- L2 penalty local l2Penalty = 0 -- Since the weights are tied we only need to look at the encoder. -- We apply the L2 penalty to each linear layer of the encoder. -- A memory efficient implementation would have pre-allocated memory -- for intermediate computations. local encoder = autoencoder:get(1) for i=1,encoder:size(),2 do local layer = encoder:get(i) l2Penalty = l2Penalty + l2Lambda * torch.pow(layer.weight, 2):sum() layer.gradWeight:add(layer.weight * 2 * l2Lambda) end local totalLoss = rLoss + l2Penalty local params, dParams = autoencoder:parameters() return dParams, totalLoss, prediction end
The first function creates the network and the second function computes the loss and gradient. Notice that for the L2 penalty we have to manually specify the gradient, since we do not get gradients of functions of parameters with nn.
Now we will implement the same model using autograd.
-- Define the autoencoder with tied weights function predict(params, input) -- Encoder local h1 = util.sigmoid(input * params.W[1] + params.B[1]) local h2 = util.sigmoid(h1 * params.W[2] + params.B[2]) local h3 = util.sigmoid(h2 * params.W[3] + params.B[3]) -- Decoder local h4 = util.sigmoid(h3 * torch.t(params.W[3]) + params.B[4]) local h5 = util.sigmoid(h4 * torch.t(params.W[2]) + params.B[5]) local out = util.sigmoid(h5 * torch.t(params.W[1]) + params.B[6]) return out end -- Define our training loss function f(params, input, l2Lambda) -- Reconstruction loss local prediction = predict(params, input) local loss = grad.loss.logBCELoss(prediction, input) -- L2 penalty on the weights for i=1,table.getn(params.W) do loss = loss + l2Lambda * torch.sum(torch.pow(params.W[i],2)) end return loss, prediction end -- Get the gradients closure magically: local df = grad(f)
The autograd version is much cleaner and does not rely on manually coded gradients. This example is fairly simple, but the difference would become far more pronounced if we wanted to implement more complicated regularizers and network structures.
Using nn primitives is sometimes quite useful, especially for highly-optimized operations like convolutions, max-pooling, or other operations that are awkward to express as regular Lua code. So how would we define a convolutional network?
-- autograd wraps nn to re-expose its modules as pure functions. -- First let’s instantiate the modules we need: local c1 = d.nn.SpatialConvolutionMM(3,16,5,5) local t1 = d.nn.Tanh() local m1 = d.nn.SpatialMaxPooling(2,2,2,2) local c2 = d.nn.SpatialConvolutionMM(16,32,5,5) local t2 = d.nn.Tanh() local m2 = d.nn.SpatialMaxPooling(2,2,2,2) local r = d.nn.Reshape(13*13*32) local l3 = d.nn.Linear(13*13*32,10) local lsm = d.nn.LogSoftMax() local lossf = d.nn.ClassNLLCriterion() -- now we can write our model using the newly created functions: model = function(params, x, y) local h1 = m1( t1( c1(x, params.W1, params.b1) ) ) local h2 = m2( t2( c2(h1, params.W2, params.b2) ) ) local h3 = l3(r(h2), params.W3, params.b3) local yhat = lsm(h3) local loss = lossf(yhat, y) return loss end -- and again… grads = d(model)(params, input, target)
We’ve seen that autograd makes it easy to do some interesting things when defining models. But to be clear, autograd doesn’t enable anything that can’t already be done within nngraph or nn — it’s just a great deal more pleasant to write and a great deal clearer to read.
One area where autograd really shines is in defining your own custom loss functions. Ordinarily, this would require you to define a custom nn module, write down the loss function, derive the gradients by hand, debug the gradients, import the module, then use the loss function. With autograd, all you do is write it down and use it.
model = function(params, input, target) -- model: local h1 = torch.tanh( params.W1 * input + params.b1) local h2 = params.W2 * h1 + params.b2 -- cross-entropy: local logSoftMaxPred = pred - torch.log(torch.sum(torch.exp(pred))) local crossEntropy = - torch.sum(torch.cmul(logSoftMaxPred, target)) -- l2 on states: local states = torch.cat({h1, h2}, 1) local sl2 = torch.sum(torch.cmul(states)) -- l2 on weights: local wl2 = torch.sum(torch.cmul(params.W2, params.W2)) -- final loss: return loss + sl2 + wl2 end
This enables extremely rapid prototyping of the entirety of a model, from how input is digested to how the loss is computed. For the Twitter Cortex team, the lowered cost of experimentation has allowed us to design more complicated machine learning models in a significantly shorter amount of time. This flexibility, currently, comes at a slight performance cost: for pure autograd models the slowdown is typically around 2x; for hybrid models where nn is used for the bulk of computations the slowdown is typically under 30%. Thankfully, we’re very optimistic that these differences in efficiency can be reduced and are actively working on further improving autograd to catch up with nn’s runtime.
More significantly, what’s difficult to benchmark is the time it takes to specify a new model and debug it in either nn or autograd. In our hands, autograd has dramatically sped up our model building by making it extremely easy to try and test out new ideas, without worrying about correct gradients, twisting nn to support architectures it wasn’t originally designed for, or having to build new modules or loss functions. Autograd is now the first tool we reach for when building neural networks, and we hope that you enjoy it!
Acknowledgments
The core work on autograd for Torch was done by Alex Wiltschko, Clement Farabet, and Luke Alonso. A big thank you to Kevin Swersky, Arjun Maheswaran, and Nicolas Koumchatzky for test-driving early beta versions. This project would not have been possible without the original version of autograd for Python, written by Dougal Maclaurin, David Duvenaud and Matt Johnson.
References
[1] Dougal Maclaurin, David Duvenaud, Matt Johnson, “Autograd: Reverse-mode differentiation of native Python”
[2] autograd for Python https://github.com/HIPS/autograd
[3] autograd for Torch https://github.com/twitter/torch-autograd
[4] Torch http://torch.ch, https://github.com/torch/torch7
[5] nn https://github.com/torch/nn
[6] nngraph https://github.com/torch/nngraph
About Alex Wiltschko
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Neuroscience PhD student, Engineer at Twitter CortexDemocrats continue to puzzle us. Their greatest moral argument is that of compassion and sacrificing what is good for you, in return for what is good for someone less fortunate. We all understand their premise.
What I do not understand is the hypocrisy and how they determine which of the less fortunate receive benefits.
In Birmingham, AL Monday night, Bernie Sanders held a rally at the Boutwell Auditorium which left the homeless people of Birmingham nowhere to go on one of the most bitterly cold nights. The Boutwell has always been one of the main stations in Birmingham to house and warm the homeless.
"We've never had a night like this where it will be in the teens and we weren't able to open," said Don Lupo, of the mayor's office of citizen's assistance.
"I knew last week that the city used the warming station upstairs, but not downstairs. We had no idea that the warming station would be closed. We were downstairs, they would be upstairs. That's what we knew," said Kelvin Datcher, state director for the Sanders campaign.
Excuses and finger pointing from both sides ensued, but that is beside the point. Bernie Sanders's platform is to help the homeless and he failed Monday night in the most simple of terms. The task at hand was to keep the homeless people warm and the Bernie campaign failed. As the old saying goes, "you had one job."
Democrats pick and choose who they want to help. They decide where the money goes because they always know best.Washington (CNN) Hours before top Obama administration officials began briefing Congress on the classified details of the nuclear accord with Iran, House Speaker John Boehner vowed Republicans would "do everything possible to stop" the agreement.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, put the onus on the Obama administration to convince members on Capitol Hill the agreement deserved their support.
"It's always the administration, not Congress, that carries the burden of proof in a debate of this nature," McConnell said on the Senate floor. "And it seems the administration today has a long way to go with Democrats and Republicans alike."
Republicans are seizing on what they are calling a "side deal" Iran negotiated with the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding inspections as a reason to oppose the overall agreement.
GOP Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas questioned Kerry about "side deals" he said Iran negotiated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding inspections.
Kerry admitted he didn't have all the details on those agreements, but expected to be briefed on them.
At a State Department briefing on Wednesday, spokesman John Kirby said, "There's no side deals. There are no secret deals between Iran and the IAEA that the P5+1 has not been briefed on in detail."
"These kinds of technical arrangements with the IAEA are a matter of standard practice... which we would be happy to discuss with Congress in a classified setting," Kirby said.
Pompeo told reporters after the briefing, "It's an enormous problem to be asked to vote on an agreement you have not seen in its totality."
He insisted the "secret side deals" were important because they deal with "important verification processes that are going to take place with respect to Parchin, where there were suspected explosive device testing take place for Iran that were nuclear related."
Pompeo and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas -- another top GOP opponent of the deal -- sent a letter to Obama, along with Boehner and McConnell, demanding details of the supposed side deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
This week the White House has all hands on deck trying to prevent opponents from scuttling the deal. After Wednesday's closed-door sessions with members, the first public hearing on the Iran agreement is slated for Thursday.
Secretary of State John Kerry, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz are expected to face tough questioning from members of both parties on Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The campaign against the deal is also in full swing -- roughly 40 House conservatives huddled for breakfast with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, who outlined a long list of objections to the nuclear agreement.
Dermer's message, according to Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King, who hosted the meeting, was pretty straightforward: "Congress is the last stop to avoid this."
King said much of discussion focused on what happens 10-12 years after the agreement is implemented. The Iowa Republican warned if opponents on Capitol Hill don't shut it down now "then it paves the way not just for a nuclear Iran, but a very highly powered nuclear Iran that changes the dynamics in the region and changes the destiny of the world."
Virginia Rep. Dave Brat, who also attended the meeting with Dermer, said the overall thrust of the conversation was "to pay less attention to all the details -- the debate on centrifuges and years and committees and UN and all that -- and pay more attention to who's on the other side of the debate and that is Iran."
The White House got good news Tuesday night when Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat, announced he would support the bill.
He called the agreement "an historic opportunity to once and for all prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, something no administration or Congress has yet to accomplish."
"Given a choice between the invasion or Iran or working in a diplomatic fashion toward a negotiation so that we can lessen this threat to the world, I think President Obama made the right choice," Durbin, a close ally of the President, said in a Senate floor speech.
But Republicans rejected the notion that the only choice before the Senate was to accept the agreement or go to war.
"There is a third choice," said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 GOP senator. "There are tougher sanctions that will bring Iran to the table for a better deal and a good deal. It's simply unacceptable for the President to be misrepresenting what the options are to Congress and the American people."
Sen. Dan Coats, a respected Senate veteran who sits on the intelligence committee, echoed that view.
"We must ignore the coming public relations campaign that will trumpet this deal as a victory for diplomacy and the false premise that the deal is a choice between peace and war," Coats said on the floor.
JUST WATCHED How will Iranian nuclear deal impact oil prices? Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH How will Iranian nuclear deal impact oil prices? 02:17
Of the deal itself, he said, "The more I read, the more my concern grows."
Durbin is in charge of counting votes for the Democrats. In recent days he's said is uncertain if there will be enough Democrats to either successfully block the a resolution of disapproval from coming to the floor or to sustain the President's expected veto of it if it passes. He said his fellow Democratic senators must first read the agreement and hear the administration's briefings before deciding.
Currently there are about 15 Senate Democrats who could vote against the deal. If they joined Republicans against it they could override a veto. Already those 15 are the subject of heavy lobbying by the forces for and against the agreement and will likely face intense pressure in the roughly 60 days before Congress must vote on the deal.
In the House where GOP opposition appears virtually unanimous, the President would need 145 Democrats to help him sustain a veto. The top House Democrat, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, endorsed the deal last week, which was a big win for the administration, and she expressed confidence members of her party would back the President.
Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois, didn't like Kerry's tone in the Wednesday meeting.
"I would appreciate if the secretary showed a little more respect for members of Congress," he said.
He declined to say specifically what the secretary of state said that was so off putting.
Another Democrat, Rep Jim Himes of Connecticut, said he was still studying the Iran agreement, but said Kerry and other Cabinet officials gave "a very, very strong defense of the deal" and "they are making a lot of headway."
Himes said administration officials urged members to view the deal in context of where Iran was recently -- on the threshold of obtaining nuclear capabilities - and where they are now.
"From my standpoint the burden of proof, given what I've learned so far, is for the opponents to explain why this is a bad deal relative to where we were and why this a bad deal relative to where we will be if the United States unilaterally walks away from it."On Tuesday, it became official that former Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson will transfer to Florida State, effective immediately, to complete his college eligbility on the field. The news was first reported by FoxSports.com's Bruce Feldman.
Golson, who graduated from Notre Dame this weekend, will be immediately eligible to contribute on the field for the Seminoles during the 2015 season. 247Sports reported last week the Seminoles had emerged as the frontrunner.
The 6-foot, 200-pound senior arrives at Florida State with a great deal of experience from his time with the Irish.
He was the starter for the Irish during the 2012 and 2014 seasons. Over those two seasons, he has accumulated 5,850 passing yards and 41 touchdowns. He has also thrown 20 interceptions. He also has 208 career rushes for 581 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He helped to lead Notre Dame to the 2012 BCS Championship Game, which they lost to Alabama.
His career with the Irish also included some difficult times. He sat out the 2013 season due to academic dishonesty. He earned his way back onto the team and earned his starting job back as well in 2014. He and the Irish got off to a good start, but struggled over the final several weeks of the regular season. The bowl game saw Golson split duties with junior Malik Zaire, who started.
He chose the Seminoles from a list of reportedly 10 schools. The list include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and more. He visited the Gators and Bulldogs, as well as the Seminoles, before making his decision.Seventy years ago today, at 5:30 a.m, a device referred to as “The Gadget” (by those few who knew about it) was detonated in the New Mexican desert northwest of Alamogordo. The so-called Trinity explosion unleashed the equivalent destructive force of 21,000 tons of TNT, producing a fireball 7.5 miles high, which could be seen as far as Santa Fe to the north and El Paso to the south. The nuclear age had begun.
On the same day, a uranium device codenamed “Little Boy” was loaded onboard the USS Indianapolis in San Francisco, bound for the Pacific island of Tinian. Untested, though deemed reliable by the same Los Alamos scientists who built the Trinity bomb, Little Boy was detonated over the Japanese city of Hiroshima a mere three weeks later. Three days after that, on August 9, a plutonium device similar to the one tested in New Mexico, codenamed “Fat Man,” was dropped over Nagasaki. These were the only three nuclear explosions during World War II.
For the Hiroshima raid, two other B-29 bombers, the Necessary Evil and the Great Artiste, had escorted the Enola Gay to observe the blast and collect scientific measurements. Only William Parsons, the weaponeer onboard the Enola Gay, and physicist observers Luis Alvarez, Bernard Waldman, and Lawrence Johnston knew what to expect, as they’d been present at the Trinity test on July 16. (Johnston also was on the Nagasaki mission, becoming the only person to witness all three wartime detonations.)
In 1945 the only feasible method of delivering these fearsome weapons was with heavy bombers. For the nuclear attacks on Japan, B-29 Superfortresses left from Tinian, in the Northern Marianas, and flew for six to seven hours before reaching their targets. The development of multi-stage rockets in the 1950s led to Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles that eventually replaced bombers as the main strategic nuclear weapon delivery system. Capable of traveling more than 6,000 miles in less than an hour, ICBMs armed with nuclear warheads irreversibly changed the nature of international power politics.
The advent of thermonuclear bombs by 1952 increased the destructive power of these weapons a thousandfold. In 1961 the Soviet Union tested the largest bomb ever created—the Tsar Bomba—with a yield of 50 Megatons, the equivalent of 50 million tons of TNT. Delivery systems became more sophisticated as well. By the early 1960s both the Soviets and Americans had stealthy Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM), which could launch a missile while the submarine was still submerged. By 1970 the United States also had Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRV) with multiple warheads that could be independently aimed to strike different targets.
During the Cold War the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Soviet Union peaked at more than 32,000 and 45,000 weapons, respectively. Today nine nuclear powers (the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea) have less than 16,000 combined. Several other nations have sought to acquire, or have since abandoned, arsenals of their own. Nuclear proliferation is an ongoing global concern, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
The nuclear age represents the first time in history that mankind possesses the ability to annihilate itself, along with a significant percentage of life on earth. Humans are not in the habit of losing scientific and technological capabilities once they have been discovered, and it is reasonable to assume that the nuclear age will continue for as long as civilization survives, or until nuclear weaponry is replaced with something even more formidable. So while the anniversary of the creation of our most destructive weapon may not be an event to celebrate, it gives us an occasion to remember, and reflect.This article is about fighting vehicles. For the statistical theory, see German tank problem
This article on military tanks deals with the history of tanks serving in the German Army from World War I, the interwar period, and the Panzers of the German Wehrmacht during World War II, the Cold War and modern times.[1]
Overview [ edit ]
The development of tanks in World War I began as an attempt to break the stalemate which trench warfare had brought to the Western Front. The British and French both began experimenting in 1915, and deployed tanks in battle from 1916 and 1917 respectively. The Germans, on the other hand, were slower to develop tanks, concentrating on anti-tank weapons.
The German response to the modest initial successes of the Allied tanks was the A7V, which, like some other tanks of the period, was based on caterpillar tracks of the type found on the American Holt Tractors. Initially unconvinced that tanks were a serious threat, the High Command ordered just twenty A7Vs, which took part in a handful of actions between March and October, 1918. They suffered from numerous design faults, and Germany actually used more captured British tanks than A7Vs. As it became clear that the tank could play a significant role on the battlefield, Germany began working on designs for both heavy and light tanks, but only a small number of prototypes were completed by the end of the War.
After the Armistice, all tanks in German hands were confiscated. Almost all were eventually scrapped, and the various postwar treaties forbade the former Central Powers from building or possessing tanks.
On 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Although he initially headed a coalition government, he quickly eliminated his government partners. He ignored the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles (1919) and began rearming, approving the development of many German tank designs he was shown.
The German Army first used light Panzer I tanks, along with the Panzer II, but the mainstays were the medium Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs which were released in 1937. The IV became the backbone of Germany's panzer force and the power behind the blitzkrieg. During the invasion of Russia in 1941, the Germans encountered the famous and technologically advanced Soviet T-34 tanks. This led Germany to develop the Panther or Panzer V in response. Its 75mm gun could penetrate the new Soviet tanks. Germany also developed the heavy Tiger I, released in 1942. The Tiger could defeat any Allied tank and was soon joined by the Tiger II, also known as King Tiger, but too few were produced to impact the war in any discernible way.
Tiger I on a production line. 1944
One note of interest was the poor reliability of the German tanks such as the Panther and Tiger; constant mechanical failures meant that German tank divisions were rarely able to field a full complement of tanks and were often diminished below 50% combat readiness. The book The Last Battle by Cornelius Ryan makes mention of the 7 million foreign workers who were forcibly brought into Germany to work in the factories and businesses --- many of them in military assembly lines. Ryan specifically writes about these foreign workers in German tank manufacturing, who sabotaged every part they could[2] and may have contributed to the rate of breakdown of German tanks in the field. This especially affected tanks built later in the war (such as the Panther and Tiger) when forced labor had replaced German manpower in their manufacture.
Repair of the transmission of a Panther
In the Battle of Kursk, when the newly arrived Panther tanks moved into their assembly areas, 45 out of 200 experienced mechanical problems requiring repair.[3] A good example was the Großdeutschland Division, which had a brigade of two battalions of new Panther Ausf. D tanks come under its operational control before the battle. After the launch of Operation Citadel, the new Panthers were plagued by technical problems, suffering from engine fires and mechanical breakdowns, many before reaching the battle, in which the division was heavily engaged. Also it may have affected the Großdeutschland Division's non-role in the ensuing epic tank Battle of Prokhorovka, in which it was held in reserve, its Panther tanks not engaging as most were broken down by the time the battle started.
Tiger undergoing engine repair
It also may have been an issue with the Tiger tanks. The Tiger's reliability problems were well known and documented; Tiger units frequently entered combat understrength due to breakdowns. It was rare for any Tiger unit to complete a road march without losing vehicles due to breakdown. The Jagdtiger, built on a lengthened Tiger II chassis, suffered from a variety of mechanical and technical problems and had frequent breakdowns; ultimately more Jagdtigers were lost to mechanical problems or lack of fuel than to enemy action.[4]
German factories and industry was devastated by the end of World War II, but by the 1950s, the nation began to look at designing new tanks. The next tank design started as a collaborative project between Germany and France in the 1950s,[5] but the partnership ended, and the final design was ordered by the Bundeswehr, production of the German Leopard 1 starting in 1965. In total, 6,485 Leopard I tanks were built, of which 4,744 were battle tanks and 1741 were utility and anti-aircraft variants, not including eighty prototypes and pre-series vehicles. The Leopard quickly became a standard of European forces, and eventually served as the main battle tank in Germany. It was superseded by the Leopard 2.
German design and development [ edit ]
German tank development can be traced back to 1911, when Austrian Oberleutenant Gunther Burstyn proposed a design for "motor vehicle gun" ("Motorgeschütz") with a turret. He patented his design in 1912 in Germany but it never progressed beyond paper.
World War I [ edit ]
After British tanks went into action on 15 September 1916, the German Army immediately demanded their own landships. Following the appearance of the first British tanks on the Western Front, the War Ministry formed a committee of experts from leading engineering companies, answerable to the Allgemeines Kriegsdepartement, Abteilung 7, Verkehrswesen ("General War Department, 7th Branch, Transportation"),[6] The project to design and build the first German tank was placed under the direction of Joseph Vollmer, a leading German automobile designer and manufacturer. He was chosen to design the World War I German tanks A7V, and the Großkampfwagen or K-Wagen. The K-Wagen was a German super-heavy tank, two prototypes of which were almost completed by the end of World War I.
The "K" Panzerkampfwagen (front of the vehicle is at right)
The A7V tank which actually got into the war, was known as the Sturmpanzerwagen A7V, named after the committee that oversaw its development. It was to weigh around 30 tons, capable of crossing ditches up to 1.5 metres wide, have armaments including cannon at front and rear as well as several machine-guns, and reach a top speed of at least 12 km/h. The running gear was based on the Holt tractor, parts for which were copied from examples borrowed from the Austrian army. After initial plans were shared with the Army in December 1917, the design was extended to be a universal chassis which could be used as a base for both a tank and unarmoured Überlandwagen ("Over-land vehicle") cargo carriers. Powered by two Daimler engines, the tank was first demonstrated in the Spring Offensive of 1918. Internally, the Sturmpanzerwagen was cramped, smelly and noisy. No fewer than 18 men were called upon to man the machine to full potential. With the 57 mm main gun at front, internal operators had access to two 7.92 mm machine guns at the rear along with a further four along the sides of the steel beast - two to a side. Each machine gun would need to be addressed by a further two personnel per gun - a firer and an ammunition re-supplier. The engine sat in the lower-middle of the design with the main gear components resting under the rear. A crew of two would man the front 57 mm main gun, one firing whilst the other loading the weapon. Two drivers sat in the upper center budge area operating a steering wheel and lever controls. Stowage was allotted for individual crew weapons in the form of rifles. During final design the rear-facing cannon was removed and the number of machine-guns was increased to six. Grab ropes were provided throughout as the design had plenty of headroom space for the average soldier, though travel made for an uneasy and overall bumpy ride.
Alter Fritz Fifth from left Leutnant German A7V called theFifth from left Leutnant Ernst Volckheim (Arrowed)
In theory, the idea of an armored box bristling with all types of deadly hardware seemed sound. In practice, however, the large design was far from perfect. The vehicle was top-heavy, making it impractical to be used on uneven terrain. The system was slow as well, often meaning that it could be outpaced by the very infantry it was to assist. The short tracks of the tractor system also made the vehicle relatively unsafe and uncontrollable in some cases. If the A7V has one saving grace, it was that the all-around armor protection for the crew was second to none - even when compared to the British designs - over an inch in some areas. Twenty of these tanks were produced, and the first of these were ready in October 1917. The A7V was first used at St Quentin on 21 March 1918. Although some of its features, such as the sprung tracks and the thicker armour, made it better than British tanks at that time, the A7V was less successful as a battle vehicle. The main problems concerned its mechanical reliability and the difficulty it encountered crossing enemy trenches.
Sturmpanzerwagen Oberschlesien
By the time of the arrival of the Sturmpanzerwagen, the Germans had already successfully developed their own brand of armor-piercing projectile as well. Near the end of the First World War it was clear that the A7V was a failure, being too slow and clumsy in action and slow to build. Therefore, it was decided that a lighter tank was required which could spearhead assaults and which could be mass-produced, and was called the Sturmpanzerwagen Oberschlesien.
Thirteen companies bid for the contract and in the middle of 1918 construction of a design by Captain Müller was assigned to the Oberschlesien Eisenwerk of Gleiwitz, which had partially completed two prototypes by October 1918. It was a radical design for a fast-moving, lightly armored assault tank.
The Oberschlesien included a track which was placed under the tank and only wrapped around half of it. The design sacrificed armor for the sake of speed and only required a 180 hp engine for the 19-ton body, giving it a projected ground speed of 14 km/h (8.7 mph).
The tank featured such advanced features as a main cannon mounted on top of the tank in a central revolving turret, separate fighting and engine compartments, a rear-mounted engine and a low track run. Neither the ordered test models nor the improved "Oberschlesien II" already planned were finished before the end of the war.
In the end, time running out on the new designs and the limitations of the A7V design, and being a part of the losing side of a war and fighting on the defensive, all led to a |
to enable freeze and shock.
If you play with Scolds, replace this Setup with Vaal Moltenshell - inc. Duration - Controleld Destruction - inc. Aoe/ Conc. Effect
CWDT - Immortal Call - inc. Duration
Standard immortal call setup to counter burst damage.
Vengeance - Cast on Crit - Elemental Weakness - Golem of Choice
With this setup you can run a high level golem without recasting it yourself.
It wil lalso curse enemies that don´t die fast with Elemental Weakness.
It works a lot more reliable than i first thougth just try it.
You can also put a Spell like Cold Snap here instead of the Elemental Weakness if you feel like you don´t need the curse and want some more fancy Spells.
Mobility
Leapslam - Faster attacks or Flamedash
If you enjoy the epic slow Leapslam you can use it to jump up and down Ledges, a Flamedash is a lot quicker.
How do i level this?
Leveling is really easy! You can just use 2 Hand Weapons for leveling or use some Spells of your choice. I leveled with a selection of low level 2hand weapons ans Groundslam, Sunder and Earth Quake.
Limbsplit, Hrimnor's Hymn, Quecholli, Geofri's Baptism,Reaper's Pursuit got you covered until you can use the Trypanon.
30 Points
Grab Life, some Accuracy and go for Blood Magic.
50 Points
Travel up to Templar and grab Jewel Sockets and EE. You can use these to fix Statrequirements or Resists while leveling and later look for really good Jewels.
70 Points
Get the AoE Nodes and travel to Witch Area. Grab Elemental Overload.
You should be able to Equip Trypanon right away with level 40, you first Ascendancy should be the Undeniabe Node.
90 Points
Grab Duelist Area and leftside of the Templar Area. From here just fill out to the final tree as you see fit.
What is your current Setup?
I toy around with Links and Gear alot, you can see my current Setup in my Profile here:
You can also check all my Characters and latest builds in
How does EE work?
EE is the Reason we use 3 different Elemental Spells and have Fire Damage on the Attacks.
CoC casts the Spells in the order linked.
So if you link:
CoC-Shock Nova - Flamesurge - Ice Nova
You will first ignite with the attack, then hit with lightning, then Fire, then Cold, then Fire Attack again.
The ignite from the attacks triggers the 50% more damage from Flamesurge.
Can i play this as Scion?
Yes! there is a very good Scion Variant of the Build.
I also thought about a Scion Variant that uses Berserker and Champion Ascendancy to get 2 free links.
It also has the option to go for Vaal Pact and Acro for better Leech and defense.
A buddy is playing this Variant atm and it works really well.
You can do it with or without Bloodmagic, if you don´t use Bloodmagic get Mana on Hit Jewels and Curse Poacher Mark for Mana Sustain.
Here is Tree for non Blood Magic Dual Curse
Experimental Scion Tree
Thanks to NikolaiHolst for contributing ideas to this Version and Hundertmoerder + AIXtreme2 testing this Version!
[spoilerBoE_Tags](BoE)skill=Cyclone;skill=Glacial+Cascade;skill=Ice+Nova;skill=Shock+Nova;item=Scold's+Bridle;item=Trypanon;defense=Life;coc=true;cheap=true;atziri=true;crit=false;hardcore=false(BoE)[/spoiler] The Build uses the new Unique Hammer Trypanon to trigger Cast on Crit. With Cyclone we can work around the low attackspeed of the weapon by scaling our aps with movespeed and recasting Cyclone.As we have 100% Crit and therefore Hitting is the special condition we need to meet to Cast Spells i call the Build "Cast on Hit".Pro:-Cheap as hell- 100% Crit Chance- Accuracy needs less investment than Crit- Gets more than 200% Life from the Tree- Can make perfect use of Elemental Equilibrium and Elemental Overload- Can use CoC from lvl 40 on.Con:- High End damage might be lower than other CoC Builds- Has to use a 2 Hand WeaponBandits: Oak - Kill all - OakIf you level to 90 get the Hematophagy cluster for better Leechrate.For leveling up more, grab more Jewel Sockets!The Build enabling Item is the Trypanon that makes all attacks Crit = 100% Critchance.Accuracy is easy to get while leveling and with the Juggernaut Ascendancy also not a Problem later on.You get 100% Crit and 90-95% Chance to hit very easy and also from leveln 40 on so that you can switch to CoC as quick as no other build.Other Gear:All other Gear can be focused on getting Life + Resists.One thing we really need is Movespeed as high as we can because we scale our attackspeed with Movespeed to avoid the downside of the really slow APS of the Hammer.Rare Halmet with Life, Accuracy and Resists as you need them. If you don´t need Resists on your Helmet you can also use Devotos Devotion for some more Movespeed and nice Chaos Res.Rats Nest would be another Helmet with Movespeed that also provides some Crit Chance for our Spells.A Scolds Bridle is also affordable in Perandus. It provides alot of Spelldamage, helps to trigger the endurance Charge gain of Unflinching and enables us to use Vaal Moltenshell for Singeltarget help and fun.We can use Rares with Life, Accuracy and Resists here or use Doedres Tenure for some Spelldamage boost.Repentance would be a option if you get the Stats for it, as it stands we don´t have enough Int for it.If you use a Scolds Bridle you will need the Resists and Life here.We need 30% Movespeed on Boots, its the most important Stat for this build.apart from that, Life and Resists.If you happen to have amazing Resists on other Gear you can also try to use Atziris Steps for some Spelldodge.Links are the most important thing on the Chest. Use a Tabula or a cheap 6link, if you use a 5Link try to get a nice high life roll and some resists.A Carcass Jack would work well here if you have the money for it.Rings are a amazing Source for Resists. Get one with good Resists and Life, Accuracy is a nice Bonus.If you want to use some fancy uniques, a Death Rush is a nice addition.Accuracy can roll up to 400 on Rings.You can get Life, Spelldamage, Accuracy, Global Crit, Resists on your Amulet. If you want to use a unique i found that Winterheart is nice for the can not be chilled part, making chilled ground less annoying. It also has a big chunk of Cold Res and some Life.Get one with as high Life as possible and Resists as you need them. Best base is a Leather Belt. If you are rich you can also craft 5% Movespeed on your belt with Tora.You want 2 or 3 Life Flasks with instant or half instant recovery and a usefull effect like removes bleeding, removes poison, curse immune. You don´t need remove Freeze as we get freeze immunity with the Marauder ascendancy.The other 2 Flasks should be Quicksilver Flasks with additional Movespeed and Surgeons Mod.You can also use one Silver Flask to stack the Quicksilver speed with the Onslaught Buff.The last Flask can be a Utility Flask like Basalt, Granite, or Resist Flask matching the Mapboss.My Gear atm:You can also use other AoE Spells like Flamesurge, Glacial Cascade, Stormcall, just keep in mind to use at least 2 different Elements to make use of Elemental Equilibrium.The 6. Link has many good options, just try out what feels best for you.While leveling you can use a 4 Link with Cyclone-CoC + 2x Novas and leech with a CwdT Warlords Mark.Keep the CwdT low level the Leech on Warlords does not go higher its 2% on all levels.If you feel like you don´t need the Leech and want more damage try to put a Elemental Weakness in your Counterattack CoC Setup.Also low level CwdT to get the Blades up as much as possible. This setup is just there to get Powercharges for the Spellcrit Chance to enable freeze and shock., replace this Setup with Vaal Moltenshell - inc. Duration - Controleld Destruction - inc. Aoe/ Conc. EffectStandard immortal call setup to counter burst damage.With this setup you can run a high level golem without recasting it yourself.It wil lalso curse enemies that don´t die fast with Elemental Weakness.It works a lot more reliable than i first thougth just try it.You can also put a Spell like Cold Snap here instead of the Elemental Weakness if you feel like you don´t need the curse and want some more fancy Spells.orIf you enjoy the epic slow Leapslam you can use it to jump up and down Ledges, a Flamedash is a lot quicker.Leveling is really easy! You can just use 2 Hand Weapons for leveling or use some Spells of your choice. I leveled with a selection of low level 2hand weapons ans Groundslam, Sunder and Earth Quake.Limbsplit, Hrimnor's Hymn, Quecholli, Geofri's Baptism,Reaper's Pursuit got you covered until you can use the Trypanon.Grab Life, some Accuracy and go for Blood Magic.Travel up to Templar and grab Jewel Sockets and EE. You can use these to fix Statrequirements or Resists while leveling and later look for really good Jewels.Get the AoE Nodes and travel to Witch Area. Grab Elemental Overload.You should be able to Equip Trypanon right away with level 40, you first Ascendancy should be the Undeniabe Node.Grab Duelist Area and leftside of the Templar Area. From here just fill out to the final tree as you see fit.I toy around with Links and Gear alot, you can see my current Setup in my Profile here: Character Page.(IaS_CastonHit)You can also check all my Characters and latest builds in this Thread EE is the Reason we use 3 different Elemental Spells and have Fire Damage on the Attacks.CoC casts the Spells in the order linked.So if you link:CoC-Shock Nova - Flamesurge - Ice NovaYou will first ignite with the attack, then hit with lightning, then Fire, then Cold, then Fire Attack again.The ignite from the attacks triggers the 50% more damage from Flamesurge.Yes! there is a very good Scion Variant of the Build.I also thought about a Scion Variant that uses Berserker and Champion Ascendancy to get 2 free links.It also has the option to go for Vaal Pact and Acro for better Leech and defense.A buddy is playing this Variant atm and it works really well.You can do it with or without Bloodmagic, if you don´t use Bloodmagic get Mana on Hit Jewels and Curse Poacher Mark for Mana Sustain.Here is Tree for non Blood Magic Dual CurseThanks to NikolaiHolst for contributing ideas to this Version and Hundertmoerder + AIXtreme2 testing this Versionskill=Cyclone;skill=Glacial+Cascade;skill=Ice+Nova;skill=Shock+Nova;item=Scold's+Bridle;item=Trypanon;defense=Life;coc=true;cheap=true;atziri=true;crit=false;hardcore=false(BoE)[/spoiler] Current Builds:
Poisonmancer LL BV - poeurl.com/YIf
Toxic Flurry CwC Chaos Gladiator - poeurl.com/V4h
Tanky Twirl Phys CoC - poeurl.com/vaW
Last edited by ZweihundertMorder on May 30, 2016, 6:15:15 AM Last bumped on Jul 31, 2016, 6:37:13 PM10 node load test comparison using Amazon EC2 SSD-based instances. 1 billion vertices and 1 billion edges processed for each test run. Used the titan-loadtest project to run each test.
Method
Experiment maximizes data locality by co-locating load generation, Titan graph database, and Cassandra/Hazelcast within the same JVM instance while partitioning data across a cluster. Exploration of methods for tuning garbage collection, Titan, and Cassandra for the peer computing use case.
The following components were utilized during the experiment:
Each test iteration has 6 read ratio phases starting with 0% reads (100% writes) all the way up to 90% reads and 10% writes. For all tests, the persistence implementation executes in the same JVM as Titan to avoid unnecessary context switching and serialization overhead. Tests were conducted using an Amazon placement group to ensure instances resided on the same subnet. The storage was formatted with 4K blocks and used the noop scheduler to improve latency.
For each phase, new vertices were added with one edge linking back to a previous vertex. No tests of update or delete were conducted.
Please see the titan-loadtest project above for all Cassandra and Hazelcast settings and configurations used in the test.
Results
Please note: the results are listed in rates of thousands of vertices per second and include the creation of an edge as well as a vertex. Also, the Hazelcast SSD x1 results used a custom flash storage module for Hazelcast developed privately so those results are not replicable without that module installed.
Conclusions
Hazelcast performed better than Cassandra for all tests and demonstrated one order of magnitude better performance on reads. Surprisingly, Hazelcast slightly outperformed Cassandra for writes as well.An AP photographer and his Swiss colleague were hurt after Israeli border police fired a crowd control grenade at a group of journalists covering Palestinian protests in the West Bank.
The news agency’s Majdi Mohammed and Swiss freelance journalist Lazar Simeonov were injured during the Israeli forces’ suppression of protests, where they deployed rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades and tear gas.
The photographers were working in the West Bank town of Silwad, where Palestinians were protesting after the funeral of a 14-year-old boy, who was killed in an earlier clash with Israeli soldiers.
Mohammed told the Agency that as he was taking pictures, an armored car pulled up behind him and a border policeman stepped out and fired directly at him from a distance of 10 to 20 meters.
The officer fired a round that discharges a number of rubber-coated steel projectiles, which is basically a grenade designed to hurt small groups of people. Simeonov was injured by the same round.
“The impact was so strong that it made me fall to the ground,” Mohammed said. “The policeman aimed straight at us... even though we were clearly a group of media people and there were no protesters at all around us.”
Both journalists reported minor injuries and Simeonov’s camera was also damaged.
AP said it would lodge a protest with the Israeli government. John Daniszewski, AP’s senior managing editor for international news, said the incident showed “outrageous disregard for the safety of journalists” lawfully doing their jobs.
Israeli police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, said it was not immediately clear why the border patrol policeman had opened fire on the journalists. He added the police “dispersed hundreds of rioters,” some of whom threw firebombs and stones at the Israeli forces.Yay! Thanks to the generosity of three amazing vocalists, I’m giving away a great CD bundle to one lucky reader. The bundle includes Amy Cervini’s Digging Me Digging You, Kellylee Evans’ Nina, and Nicky Schrire’s Freedom Flight.
TO ENTER:
1. Follow the three singers on facebook or twitter:
Amy Cervini: facebook | twitter
Kellylee Evans: facebook | twitter
Nicky Schrire: facebook | twitter
2. Leave a comment below.
The contest will close at 11:59pm on Tuesday, January 29th and the draw winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.
That’s it! These three wonderful women are all jazz singer friends of mine and I’m so happy that I get the chance to share their music with you. Good luck!
This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Robert B Rucker! Stay tuned for more amazing CD bundle giveaways!A fat little bunny named Max was frolicking across Canadian television screens this week, building sandcastles at the beach under the appreciative eye of his big sister, Ruby, both young rabbits blissfully unaware that they represent a Program of National Interest.
The term may sound quaintly overblown, especially when applied to the preschool cartoon Max and Ruby, but it includes several categories of TV shows that Canadian broadcasters are obliged to make under the terms of their licences. The thinking is that, left to their own devices, broadcasters will fill Canadian content requirements with cheap reality or talk shows, so they are required to spend a certain percentage of revenues in areas that are either very expensive (drama) or less profitable (long-form documentary and children's programming).
In May, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission told two broadcasters, Bell Media and Corus Entertainment, that they could cut their spending on these shows almost in half. This week, in a highly unusual move, Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly told the CRTC to think again, sending the Bell and Corus licence renewal decisions back for reconsideration. The spending requirements that encourage shows as diverse as Corus's Max and Ruby and Bell's foul-mouthed comedy Letterkenny and high-profile crime drama Cardinal would remain intact.
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The decision grabbed attention because most such appeals to cabinet fail: By the government's own estimation, only eight CRTC decisions have been sent back since 1991. But under pressure from television creators across the country, Joly made an exception. As streaming services erode the broadcasting business model and render Canadian content regulations less effective, critics have accused the industry of fighting over who gets the best deck chair on the Titanic. But if Joly's move might have appeared like frantic backpedalling to some, her decision suggests the government thinks there are smarter ways to help Canadian programming compete than slicing at the regulations that created a Canadian television ecosystem in the first place.
Or does it?
It's a subject of some debate in Ottawa how cynically to view Joly's move to please the creative community, represented by groups such as the Directors Guild of Canada and the Canadian Media Producers Association, in the lead-up to a major announcement on cultural policy expected next month. The controversial licence renewals were the decision of a Stephen Harper appointee, CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais, who left his job in June, and so could be easily dismissed by the Liberal government.
Joly has now reset the clock on a major decision for Blais's replacement, the Liberal appointee Ian Scott, who starts the job in September.
The member from Ahuntsic-Cartierville had also gladdened the Quebec television industry by sending back the renewals for French-language broadcasters too: They had failed, to the fury of Quebec cultural groups, to specify that an "original" show had to be made originally in French, so dubbed English-Canadian content might be used to pad out the schedule.
Blais, frustrated with what he perceived to be the broadcasters' slowness to adapt to the world of Netflix and Amazon, had offered them carrots in the form of "flexibility" on their Canadian content requirements, in this case reducing the percentage of the PNI spend from 9 per cent for Bell and 8 per cent for Corus to the mere 5 per cent required of Rogers. (The differences were because of the different portfolios of each broadcasting group; Rogers's channels specialize in sports, local and multicultural programming so the broadcaster was asked to spend less.) And Blais had applied the goad too: In a farewell speech, he lectured broadcasters on 19th-century technology, comparing them with barge operators fitting their boats with steam engines even as the railways that would replace them were being built.
One thing that Blais and Joly could always agree on is the need for Canadian television to compete in a global market. Both want Canada to produce more top-quality shows for export and Blais seemed determined to hasten the withering away of Canadian content regulations with the idea that the best would simply rise to the top of the digital heap. But cutting the money that TV producers can get from broadcasters for their best work seems an odd way to encourage them.
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Max and Ruby is actually a good example of what Canadian television production can do well: The show, based on books by American children's writer Rosemary Wells, is produced in Canada by Nelvana, sold to U.S. broadcasters and also dubbed with different accents for the British market. Boosters of Canada's successful children's TV industry sometimes point out its soft power as it cheerfully exports values of diversity and tolerance.
But the expletive-laden Letterkenny, with its heavily ironic brand of Canadian comedy performed in plaid shirts and overalls by the satirical figures of Wayne and Daryl, is going to be a harder sell in international markets. Shows such as the crime drama Cardinal, distinctively Canadian by virtue of its Northern Ontario setting and plot surrounding the disappearance of an Indigenous girl, would seem to be the sweet spot: It has sold into Britain and several European countries and is seen on Hulu in the United States. That's great, but why should Canadians sacrifice the likes of Letterkenny just because foreigners may not get it?
With the obvious exception of the United States, industrialized countries subsidize their domestic television industries with various tax credits and regulations because their markets are not always large enough to guarantee national content. (This, by the way, is true in countries as large as Britain and Germany.)
The issue for Joly is not whether chipping away at this regulation or that subsidy will somehow help regulated Canadian broadcasters compete against unregulated American streaming services.
Instead, the answer lies in updating the regulations to include streaming; the European parliament has just passed rules allowing member states to require Netflix to ensure that 30 per cent of the catalogue it offers to European subscribers is European programming.
Meanwhile, Canada lags behind European jurisdictions in making simple changes to tax laws so that consumers would start, at the very least, paying HST on their Netflix bills.
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Netflix has to operate according to international law and already recognizes producers' territorial rights as it signs up content for different countries. It will always pump U.S. content across the invisible electronic border, but maybe it can also be enticed into Canada's so-called walled garden to frolic with Max and Ruby – and Wayne and Daryl.While unveiling the brand-new 2017 CRF450R motocrosser to the motorcycle media gathered at Honda’s private museum in Torrance, CA, Honda surprised us when off-road legend Johnny Campbell rode a brand-new model called the CRF450RX into the presentation area. Like many such models from KTM, Husqvarna, and recently Yamaha, the RX is designed for closed-course off-road competition like our GNCC, and National Hare Scrambles series.
The CRF450RX is essentially the same motorcycle as the R with a few additional changes made for off-road competition. Key alterations include an 18-inch rear wheel/tire combination, a one-tooth larger rear sprocket for a lower final-drive ratio, off-road specific Dunlop Geomax AT81 tires, revised suspension damping front and rear, and a lighter spring on the shock.
The engine is identical to the new mill housed in the CRF450R, with a finger rocker arm for increased valve lift, new piston, larger intake valves, and narrower included valve angle, but has revised engine mapping tuned for off-road riding. Whereas electric starting is a $650 option on the MXer, it comes standard on the RX, albeit with a heavy Grom-derived AGM (absorbent glass mat) battery. Fuel capacity has been increased from 1.6 to 2.2 gallons, but gone is the R’s trick titanium fuel tank replaced by a molded plastic unit. A forged aluminum sidestand is also fitted as standard.
As with the R model, we don’t expect the RX to arrive in dealerships until the end of October, when it will join the new CRF450R, and continuing CRF450X on the showroom floor.Fair or otherwise, the Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford is going the wrong way on Ron Jaworski's annual ranking of NFL quarterbacks. Stafford was at No. 14 heading into the 2012 season, but Jaworski has pegged him at No. 16 this summer.
In the SportsCenter/NFL Live segment, Jaworski referred to Stafford as a "supremely-talented thrower still searching for the consistency needed to become elite."
Here is most of Jaworski's analysis, once again courtesy Allie Stoneberg of ESPN Communications:
"No quarterback has thrown more passes the last two seasons than Stafford. He's a shotgun passer. Eighty-three percent of his throws in 2011 and 2012 have come out of the shotgun. That's the largest percentage by a wide margin. "I've always loved Stafford’s willingness to pull the trigger. He's aggressive, with an attacking mentality. "It reminds me of when I played with Dan Marino. Marino said if you see the back of a defender's jersey, you turn it loose. Stafford has that mindset. Of course, it doesn’t hurt when you're throwing to Calvin Johnson -- a lot of trust there, a lot of confidence that he will make contested catches. I felt the same way when I threw to 6-foot-8 Harold Carmichael. "What stood out studying Stafford was he was not as efficient under center as he was in the shotgun. He seemed to struggle to read coverage as effectively. Too many forced throws. Overall, he just threw too many passes with poor balance and bad footwork, with a tendency to fall away from the throws. "There is absolutely no question that Stafford is a very special arm talent. There are not many that throw it like he does. He has a chance to be a top 10 quarterback. The Lions may disagree, but he needs more consistent mechanics to play at a higher level week in and week out."
There are two separate criticisms here. The first, efficiency under center, might be accurate but is not borne out in raw statistics.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Stafford has a better passer rating (108.9) and almost as good of a Total Quarterback Rating (62.1) on plays that started with him under center since 2011 as he has from the shotgun. He has thrown 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, with an overall completion percentage of 62.9, on 422 dropbacks from under center over that time. In the shotgun, Stafford has completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 42 touchdowns and 27 interceptions on 1,281 dropbacks.
It's quite possible that a seasoned observer like Jaworski can see that Stafford is operating inefficiently on under-the-center plays, even if it isn't reflected in the final results. But it's important to have full context regardless.
On the mechanics-related criticism, I don't know what else to say. We noted Seth Wickersham's theory recently that Stafford's 2010 shoulder injury has forced him to drop down his arm angle at times. My sense is that everyone is working hard to explain why Stafford's performance slipped in 2012. Some answers make more sense than others.(CNN) -- The Internet hackers group Anonymous plans to hack Iran on Sunday, according to a press release published on their website. The group wants to use International Workers' Day, which commemorates the first national general strike in the United States, as an opportunity to reignite last year's protests in Iran.
Exactly how they intend to "attack" Iran remains to be seen. The sophistication of their previous attacks ranges from the denial-of-service overloading of web servers (this simply knocks a website out) to the exploitation of code and accessing of private data (more like the hacking seen in the movies).
The announcement follows news from the Bahrain News Agency that Iranian hackers had tried to access the Housing Ministry's database regarding those who benefit from the housing services.
The group Anonymous is known for its volunteer association with the perceived underdogs, the side that comes under pressure from the authorities, its statement said, and it views the people of Iran as the next step in the wave of revolutions passing through the Middle East and North Africa.
The attacks are scheduled to start at 5 a.m. GMT (1 a.m. ET) on Sunday.Introduction
Relating Yourself to the Rock
Figure 1
Relating Gear to the Rock
Active Pro
Black Diamond
Figure 2
Figure 3
DMM
Figure 4
Figure 5
Metolius
Figure 6
Figure 7
Trango
Figure 8
Figure 9
Expanded Range SLCDs (Omega Pacific & Metolius)
Figure 10
Figure 11
Passive Pro
Nuts & Ball Nutz
Figure 12
Figure 13
Hexcentrics
Figure 14
Figure 15
Tri-Cams
Figure 16
Figure 17
Comparisons
Figure 18
The Small Sizes
Figure 19
Figure 20
The Ultra-Wide
Figure 21
Trango
Figure 22
Figure 23
Appendix
Advertized vs. Actual Protection Ranges for Pro
Figure 24
Types of Pro Compared
Links
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To me, the discussion of climbing gear is dominated by numbers. It is a quantitative topic composed of facts, figures, and specs. How much does a piece of gear weigh? How strong is it? What is the range of protection? Etcetera, etcetera. Of course, then there are the less tangible aspects of different designs that are hard to compare. All of these considerations must be brought together when deciding strategically what gear we should purchase with our limited funds, or haul up with our practical limitations outside. And yet, all of these quantitative strategies must be brought to a far less quantifiable world. Equipment rarely breaks. It is usually the quality of the placement or the rock that fails. One rarely knows exactly what sizes are needed or how much redundancy they should have in their rack. For those that really care, there are many details to keep track of, and a lot of uncertainty. While I’m often pretty meticulous in planning for climbs, I have difficulty working with these stale, lifeless numbers. I need to give meaning to them - meaning that gear catalogues never seem to provide. So that is why I made the following figures for this article. Frankly, saying that a #3 Camalot or its equivalent should be brought to a climb means nothing to me. I need a way to make these numbers more intuitive and more tangible. First off, a lot of the cracks you place pro in are also used for ascending the rock. In the simpler case to consider, you might be on a crack climb. The topo will call out the width of the crack, which as a number might be hard to fully understand, but it is very important information. It tells you both the type of gear needed to protect the section and also the type of climbing to expect. Figure 1 shows the various types of moves that work on a crack of a given size, based off of my own body measurements. Where there is overlap but one technique is probably preferred, I made the cutoff on the extreme end of the preferred technique. Later on I’ll also consider the larger sizes.In the following sections I look at active pro and passive pro. I’ve organized the charts by gear manufacturer, first showing the range & distribution of ranges covered in the various sizes, and next by showing the weight of the gear in relation to the protection size covered. To aid in comparing between manufacturers, in most of the charts I underlay the size & weight distributions of Black Diamond gear as a common benchmark. I chose BD because it seems to be the most popular manufacturer and because they have the largest range of SLCD sizes available. The size charts should help you visualize the range distribution and overlap of a given piece of pro, and the amount of redundancy between cam models of the same manufacturer. The weight graphs can help in visualized what I’ll call “weight efficiency”, which relates the price paid in the weight of a piece of pro to achieve a given range of protection. In this section I compare various types of active pro - mostly Spring Loaded Camming Units (SLCDs), but also Ball Nutz & Big Bros. Ranges are those provided by the manufacturers and might not necessarily be those that are appropriate for the gear, which I discuss in the last section of the article. One benefit of using active pro versus passive pro is that the protection range is a continuum between the maximum and minimum sizes, so you can expect a piece of pro to protect anything within that size range that the rock geometry will allow based on how the pro works. For those not familiar with SLCDs, some of the basic differences to consider are the number of camming heads, the number of stems in the cam, and whether or not the pivot points of the cam heads are aligned or offset. Regarding camming heads, the standard cams have 4 camming heads and the tri-cam units (TCUs) have have 3 camming heads, and therefore a narrower profile. Since TCUs have fewer heads, they exert higher stresses on the rocks since there is less bearing area to hold the cam in, but the narrower profile allows placements in narrower pockets or flares. A basic consideration for stems is that single stems have less material in the cam and are more flexible. This means that the stem bends better over edges and that the cam is less likely to walk (move) as the rope tugs on the pro. Double stems can be nice in that you can more easily pull the trigger to contract the cam heads for placement (try doing it with one finger on a single stem!). Most cams have all of the camming heads rotate off of one axis, but for some specialized cams, and a prominent feature in Black Diamond’s cams, the cam heads on one side rotate around a different axle & axis than the heads on the other side of the stem. This allows for a greater protection range for the cam and allows the cam to function safely as a chock/wedge/nut when the heads are fully extended. Figure 2 shows the ranges for the various Black Diamond Camalot SLCDs. The C3s are tri-cam units. All Black Diamond SLCDs have single stems and offset cam axes. In general you can see that there is a lot of overlap in protection ranges between sizes. Also, the larger the cam size, the greater the protection range. The greatest overlap in ranges is biased towards the smaller protection sizes.Figure 3 shows the weight efficiency for Black Diamond SLCDs. It’s obvious that by eliminating the 4th camming head for the C3s, the C3 Camalots are a lot lighter for the same protection range.Figure 4 shows the ranges for the various DMM SLCDs. 3CUs are TCUs. The 3CU & 4CU Cams are double-stem cams with the heads aligned on a single axis. The Dragon Cams have a single stem and the cam head axes are offset. As can be seen here, there is more redundancy in protection sizes between the 3CU and 4CUs, while in the Black Diamond cams the 3CUs protected to a smaller size overall and only redundant in the largest 3CU size. The effect of the offset cam head axes of the Dragon cams is apparent with the larger protection range, which is similar to the Black Diamond cams of the same size.Figure 5 shows the weight efficiency for DMM SLCDs. Surprisingly, the 3CUs aren’t really any lighter than the 4CUs, so choosing one over the other should not take weight differences into account. The 4CU line is obviously lighter than the Black Diamond cams – especially in the larger sizes. The Dragon Cams are more similar to the Black Diamond cams in weight. It appears that although some weight is reduced by having only one stem, much more weight is added by the addition of two camming axes.Figure 6 shows the ranges for the various Metolius SLCDs. The TCUS are, well, TCUs, and are identical in protection ranges to the other SLCDs. Master Cams have a single stem and are identical to Power Cams in the protection ranges, although the 4 cam head arrangement is built to be narrower. The TCUs, Power Cams, and Super Cams have a double-stem build. Super Cams have a unique arrangement to give them a greater protection range – differently sized camming heads, with the smaller head rotating a full 180 degrees when fully contracted. The greater range provided by this is small on the smaller size, but larger in the larger sizes. In general, compared to the Black Diamond series, Metolius has more types of cams and less overlap of protection sizes between pieces – especially in the smaller range. There is also more redundancy between cam types, so you’re choosing one over the other more for other features than the protection range unless you are getting the expanded range of the Super Cams.Figure 7 shows the weight efficiency for Metolius SLCDs. Here the TCUs are slightly lighter than the Power Cams, but the difference is smaller than the TCUs of the Black Diamond cams. For some reason the Master Cams still weigh the most even though the only obvious design change is the elimination of one of the stems. Overall the main line of Metolius Cams is far lighter than the Black Diamond Cams. However, the Super Cams are significantly heavier than the C4s and overlapping protections sizes of the Power Cams. A great weight cost was added for the expanded range, and it is greater for this method than the offset cam head axis.Figure 8 shows the ranges for the various Trango active pro. All cams are single stem. Splitter 4 Cams have the opposing cam lobes occupy the same plane of rotation, so the 4 cam lobe head is narrower like a TCU without compromising holding power. All cams are single stem with an aligned cam head axis. The Splitter 4 Cam sizes are mostly redundant with the Flex Cams, and both series have less overlap in protection ranges between sizes than Black Diamond, but not as great as Metolius. One surprising thing to note is that the protection |
vent in the ceiling, was nothing unusual for Scott Harvey, a 39-year-old property manager.
What was unusual was Harvey's location when he got it: playing a practice round at Erin Hills with major champions Jordan Spieth and Jim Furyk, and Wisconsin’s favorite son, Steve Stricker.
“I’m on the phone for three holes trying to call somebody and figure this out,” Harvey said Wednesday as he took a break from practice. “That’s my normal life. My normal life doesn’t stop just because I’m here.”
“Here” is the U.S. Open, the most democratic of major sporting events.
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As its name implies, the Open is a tournament for the masses. With half of the spots in the 156-player field set aside for golfers who go through qualifying, your best friend, your neighbor, your co-worker – even you – could tee it up alongside Spieth, Sergio or Dustin Johnson.
You have to have a 1.4 handicap and go through qualifying, which is no small thing. But when the tournament begins Thursday morning, Harvey and all those other golfers who will be back at the local course next weekend will have the same chance to win a major title as the biggest stars on the PGA Tour.
“There’s a bunch of Tour guys sitting at home this week not playing, and then you’ve got guys like me and Daniel (Miernicki), amateurs that are teeing it up,” said Tyson Alexander, whose father, former Florida coach Buddy Alexander, and grandfather Skip Alexander, also played the Open.
“You’ve just got to play good in the qualifier and you’re in.”
Granted, the longest of the longshots have not fared particularly well at the U.S. Open. Orville Moody (1969) was the last to win the title after going through both local (18 holes) and sectional (36 holes) qualifying. (Lucas Glover won in 2009 after going through qualifying, but he only played the sectional round.)
Not since John Goodman in 1933 has an amateur won.
But that doesn’t stop people from dreaming. More than 9,000 people across the globe entered qualifying for this year’s Open. Some were professionals; Stricker earned his spot at the first U.S. Open in his home state through qualifying, as did 2009 British Open champion Stewart Cink and 2011 PGA winner Keegan Bradley.
Some were celebrities. Recently retired Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo played in a local qualifier. New York Islanders goalie coach Mike Dunham reached the sectional round.
Most, however, were ordinary folks whose only chance of getting into a PGA tournament would be with a ticket.
“It makes it very unique,” Stricker said. “It truly is an open tournament. If you can play well enough, you can make your way in.”
Most of the “regular golfers” who qualified are under no illusion about their chances. But that’s really not the point.
After that practice round with Spieth, Furyk and Stricker, Harvey played another one with Rickie Fowler. Sahith Theegala, who just finished his sophomore year at Pepperdine and qualified in Newport Beach, Calif., found himself playing alongside defending champion Dustin Johnson after he arrived at Erin Hills on Tuesday afternoon.
And Alexander and Miernicki thought they were in for a quiet nine holes Tuesday afternoon when Jason Day, ranked No. 3 in the world this week, approached and asked if he could tag along.
“He joined us! He could have easily just waited and gone after us but he’s like, `Yeah, I’ll join you if you’ll have me,’” Alexander said.
“Yeah, we’ll have you Jason,” Alexander cracked. “It’s all good. Just this once.”
While Harvey is looking forward to the tournament, he’s had just as much fun on the putting green and driving range, where he’s surrounded by the biggest names in the game.
He’ll be back to his real job of managing rental properties in Kernersville, N.C., soon enough. But for this week, he is one of them, another golfer trying to win a major.
“Standing on No. 9 tee box, you’re hitting a 9 iron and there are thousands of people around the green, that’s a dream to me, you know? A 39-year-old amateur out here, nobody knows who I am and they don’t even really care. But I do,” Harvey said. “It’s just awesome.”
The Open is more than the year's second major. It's the tournament where dreams come true, even if only for a few days.
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.
PHOTOS: PRACTICE ROUNDS AT THE U.S. OPENIt was announced via press release earlier today that new Weinstein Company label Radius-TWC would be handling distribution of Only God Forgives, the upcoming reteaming of Drive star and director Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn respectively. Along with the announcement production company Wild Bunch has revealed a first look image of Gosling in the film, which is currently in production in Bangkok, Thailand.
Wild Bunch also offers this lengthy synopsis:
Bangkok. Ten years ago Julian (Gosling) killed a cop and went on the run. Now he manages a Thai boxing club as a front for a drugs operation. Respected in the criminal underworld, deep inside, he feels empty. When Julian’s brother murders a prostitute the police call on retired cop Chang – the Angel of Vengeance. Chang allows the father to kill his daughter’s murderer, then ‘restores order’ by chopping off the man’s right hand. Julian’s mother Jenna – the head of a powerful criminal organization – arrives in Bangkok to collect her son’s body. She dispatches Julian to find his killers and ‘raise hell’. Increasingly obsessed with the Angel of Vengeance, Julian challenges him to a boxing match, hoping that by defeating him he might find spiritual release.. but Chang triumphs. A furious Jenna plots revenge and the stage is set for a bloody journey through betrayal and vengeance towards a final confrontation and the possibility of redemption.
There’s no indication on whether we’ll see the film late this year or in 2013, but my fingers are still crossed for a 2012 release.
As for Radius, this acquisition, which Deadline reports was made for something in the $2.5 million range, will put Radius on the map. The studio has been envisioned as “the first studio division dedicated to multi-platform distribution. Utilizing both traditional and digital media, Radius-TWC will bring the highest quality films and other specialty entertainment to a wider audience than ever before.”
Radius already landed Bachelorette, a raucous comedy about three best girlfriends whose night of prenuptial debauchery threatens to ruin the wedding. That film stars Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, Kirsten Dunst, James Marsden and Adam Scott.
They also picked up the remake of Refn’s Pusher from director Luis Prieto.
The indication, when you look at this slate, is that Radius isn’t looking for second-rate features, but instead films on the edge that may have a hard time finding a widespread theatrical audience, but may be able to span all platforms extremely successfully. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.I wanted to give this game a chance despite some of the reviews that are out there. There were both good and bad things about this game. Pros: I ended up getting the bonus edition of the game because it came with the Shadow prequel episode and free DLC costumes for your Sonic avatar. Plus, it comes with the skin decals for your joy-con controllers - which is pretty cool. :) There were two or three levels in the game that I did have fun with. Creating your own Sonic avatar was fun. You unlock more costumes and items for your Avatar for each level you beat. Seeing your avatar interact with Sonic and team was cool, too. Kids will love creating their own avatars. I think the music is alright. There are 2 or 3 interesting songs in there that was fun to listen to. Cons: The game feels kinda unpolished and that the levels are too short and they just end abruptly. Just when you were starting to get into the level, it just suddenly ends. Classic Sonic levels felt the most unpolished. The physics and gameplay of Classic Sonic felt stiff compared to his gameplay in Sonic Generations - which was better. As for Modern Sonic and the Avatar character controls, they also feel a bit stiff, too. There were a lot of automated sections where the game just plays the levels for you. I wouldn't mind the automated sections if there weren't very many of them, but it was never THIS extensive in modern Sonic games. The story was kinda lackluster. Something happens to Sonic at the beginning of the game, but it doesn't last long, and the story just treats the situation as it's no big deal. They could have done so much more with the new villain, but they didn't. Infinite didn't really have a good backstory in the prequel in episode Shadow. When you learn about his backstory, it's really not that great. Plus, you don't know what happens to the villain at the end because the story just doesn't really explain it. If given more time, the story could have been very interesting. Besides Dr. Eggman and the new villain Infinite, you see 4 other returning villains, but you only end up fighting 2 of them. Final Thoughts: Overall, this game had the potential to be a good game, it just wasn't fully realized or polished enough. These flaws were what kept the game from being really great. So, it's pretty much an average or mediocre game. I still got some enjoyment out of it, but at the same time I still felt disappointed with it. Like I said, it's a mixed bag for me. I'll still play the game to unlock more costumes and stuff for my avatar. I'll also replay the levels and do a speedrun of the game. At least that will be kinda fun since there are people who love to do speedruns of video games. If you're a Sonic fan and your curious about it, go ahead and try out the game. If you're unsure, just rent it to see if you will like it or not.
Read moreAcid Attacks Against Women Continue
Acid attacks are common in a number of Asian countries including Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Cambodia(see first photograph) and Bangladesh. In Bangladesh alone, over 2,600 cases of acid attacks have been reported since 1999. Acid attacks are a particularly vicious and damaging form of violence where acid is thrown in people’s faces.
The overwhelming majority of the victims are women, and many are below 18 years of age. The victims are attacked for many reason, quite often by a jealous spouse or someone in their immediate family. In some cases it is because a young girl or woman has refused the sexual advances of a male or either she or her parents have rejected a marriage proposal. More recently, however, there have been acid attacks on children, older women and also men. These attacks are often the result of family and land dispute, dowry demands or more simply a desire for revenge.
The chemical used for these heinous crimes are either nitric or sulfuric acids. The two acids have a catastrophic effect on human flesh. It causes the skin tissue to melt, often exposing the bone below the muscular tissue, and sometimes even dissolving the bone. When acid attacks the eyes, it damages them permanently. Many acid attack survivors have lost the use of one eye or both eyes. Of course the scars left from these horrendous crimes are not just skin deep, added to the great psychological trauma they suffer, survivors also face social isolation.
Despite the viciousness of these attacks, many go unreported. It is the case in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, but despite a growing public outcry it remains easy to purchase the deadly acids. For instance, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, sulfuric acid can be bought for the equivalent of 44 cents a pound and nitric acid for 59 cents a pound.
In Pakistan, accurate statistics on acid attacks are hard to find, but the attacks are very common. The perpetrators are most often relatives or rivals. A conservative estimate of acid violence in Pakistan is about 150 attacks a year. Human rights groups and medical professionals say that the number of cases reported since 1994 is 8,000. However, human rights activists believe that only 30 percent of acid attack cases are reported by the victims.
In Pakistan, a news legislation debated in parliament would amend the Pakistani penal code by specifically defining hurt and disfigurement and listing commonly available acids as dangerous substance. The bill would also increase the penalty for such horrible crimes from 10 years to life in prison.
The Pakistani media, after ignoring the problem for years, is finally putting pressure on the government and urging law makers to crack down on the perpetrators of acid violence. This, in return, is helping women to come forward and speak out against acid attacks.The one where I pretended to be a famous chef…
Sun Basket
3 recipes per week with meal plans for 2,4 or 6 people at $11.49 per meal
Ships weekly to CA, OR, WA, CO, UT, AZ, NV and ID
I have wanted to try a meal delivery subscription for a while. I chose Sun Basket as my absolute favorite because they utilize organic and sustainably-sourced ingredients, and they have a pretty amazing recycling program set up. Also, let’s be honest, their recipes – with paleo-friendly, gluten free and vegetarian options – looked amazing! Each box contains three recipes and ingredients for two people. For my family of five, I ordered four servings. It was more than enough since my youngest is pretty happy with pb and j.
Hey There! The packaging is so happy.
The ingredients are packaged to stay fresh in the box for eight hours after delivery.
Each meal is in its own paper bag. I suggest opening each bag to ooh and aah over the beautiful and fresh ingredients.
It is also a good idea to look at the produce to see what should be used first. I chose to make the Forbidden rice and quinoa salad first because the dill from the package was starting to turn a little bit. I have this problem when I buy dill from the grocery, so I was not concerned at all!
When I made the recipe, I simply discarded the unusable dill, and I was still left with plenty.
The recipes are created by Executive Chef Justine Kelly, formerly head chef at James Beard award-winning restaurant The Slanted Door in San Francisco. And let me tell you, these recipes are delicious, interesting and fun! I learned something new with every single recipe I tried.
This quinoa dish was so good that my oldest daughters fought over the leftovers. I added a tofu ricotta to the mix, and the three members of my family who eat cheese added the “real” ricotta to theirs.
The next night I made Butter-bean ragout with pesto and fregola. This photo shows the ingredients for two servings. I received double this amount.
For the first time ever, I used fregola. It has such a great texture; it is very similar to Israeli couscous. The included pesto was naturally vegan, and it was delicious! The entire recipe turned out so yummy that we are already planning to recreate it.
Last but not least, I made Rigatoni with cauliflower, grilled lemon, and capers.
I woke up wishing we had leftovers of this because it was delicious! It was full of fresh arugula and pine nuts. Again, I left the cheese out, and those who wanted it, just stirred it in at the end. (I did add vegan parm to the whole batch.) I had never grilled lemon before, but I will be adding grilled lemon to my recipes in the future.
When I was finished with the boxes, I sealed them up with the enclosed sticker, scheduled a USPS pickup, and put them both back on my porch. Easy peasy! Sun Basket reuses the boxes and ice packs. Cool, eh?
When I was little, I loved to pretend I had a cooking show. You know, all the ingredients are premeasured, and you can pour them in while discussing aroma and mouthfeel. This subscription made me feel like the host of my own TV show! Do you want to feel like you are the host of your own cooking show? Sun Basket is giving away a week’s worth of meals! If you live in CA, OR, WA, CO, UT, AZ, NV and ID, enter to win here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I loved this whole process so much that I ordered the vegetarian options for the week of October 28. Yellow Curry, orzo and stuffed delicata squash? Yes please! (Also, a certain 12 year old loved everything so much that she is calling Sun Basket her new favorite subscription box.)
If you are interested in Sun Basket and want to see what else they are cooking, click here.
PR Sample. Affiliate links. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a 2007 action-adventure video game developed by Naughty Dog, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. It is the first game in the Uncharted series. Combining action-adventure and platforming elements with a third-person perspective, the game charts the journey of protagonist Nathan Drake, supposed descendant of the explorer Sir Francis Drake, as he seeks the lost treasure of El Dorado, with the help of journalist Elena Fisher and mentor Victor Sullivan.[1]
Originally announced at E3 2006,[2] the title was developed for about two years before being released at the end of 2007.[3] Seen as a key title for the PlayStation 3 during the holiday season of 2007,[4] the game was well-received by critics, many of whom cited its technical achievements, voice acting, characters, story, atmosphere, musical score, attention to detail and its high production values, similar to that of summer blockbuster films, though the graphical issues, length, vehicle sections and marked difficulty were less well received. The game went on to sell more than one million copies in ten weeks, and become part of the European best-selling Platinum Range of titles.[5]
A sequel titled Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was released in 2009, followed by Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception in 2011. A fourth game, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, was released on May 10, 2016 as a PlayStation 4 exclusive. Drake's Fortune was rereleased on the PlayStation 4, along with its two sequels, as part of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection.
Plot [ edit ]
As the game opens, treasure hunter Nathan "Nate" Drake, accompanied by reporter Elena Fisher, recovers the coffin of his self proclaimed ancestor Sir Francis Drake, which he located from coordinates inscribed on a family heirloom: a ring Nate wears around his neck.[6] The coffin contains Sir Francis Drake's diary, which gives the location of El Dorado. Pirates attack and destroy Nate's boat, but Nate's friend Victor Sullivan rescues the two.
When Sully and Nate follow the diary to the indicated spot, they learn that El Dorado is a large golden idol that the Spanish had tried to remove from the island centuries ago.[7] After finding a U-boat, mercenaries led by criminal Gabriel Roman intercept Nate, Fisher and Sully. Sully is shot but Nate manages to escape to an island where Sir Francis Drake's diary claims the idol is located.[8] On the way to the island, anti-aircraft fire forces Elena and Nate to bail out of the airplane and they are separated. Nate heads toward an old Spanish fort to find Elena. Though briefly captured, Nate and Elena reunite and flee to the old customs house on the island. There they find that Sully has survived his gunshot wound.[9] Nate discovers that the idol is located near the customs house, and finds and rescues Sully.
Nate realizes that the idol is cursed, and that it turned the Spanish and Kriegsmarine searching for it into zombified monsters.[10] Nate attempts to stop Roman from removing the idol from the island, and arrives in time to see Atoq Navarro, a man hired by Roman, find the statue. Navarro tricks Roman into becoming cursed.[11] Nate then jumps onto the statue and rides it as it is airlifted onto a boat in the bay. There he defeats Navarro and manages to sink the idol to the bottom of the ocean.[12] Sully arrives and Elena and Nate leave the island with several chests of treasure, after displaying affection towards each other.[13]
Gameplay [ edit ]
During combat, the player as Nate (left) can use corners and walls as cover, then use blind or aimed fire from cover against his opponents.
Gameplay in Uncharted is a combination of action-adventure gameplay elements and some 3D platforming with a third-person perspective. Platforming elements allow Nate to jump, swim, grab and move along ledges, climb and swing from ropes, and perform other acrobatic actions that allow players to make their way along the ruins in the various areas of the island that Drake explores.[14]
When facing enemies, the player can either use melee and combo attacks at close range to take out foes or can opt to use weapons.[14] Melee attacks comprise a variety of single punches, while combo attacks are activated through specific sequences of button presses that, when timed correctly, offer much greater damage; the most damaging of these is the specific "brutal combo", which forces enemies to drop twice the ammunition they would normally leave.[14] Nate can only carry one pistol and one rifle at a time, and there is a limited amount of ammunition per gun. Picking up a different firearm switches that weapon for the new one. Grenades are also available at certain points, and the height of the aiming arc is adjusted by tilting the Sixaxis controller up or down. These third-person perspective elements were compared by several reviewers to Gears of War,[1][14] in that the player can have Drake take cover behind walls, and use either blind fire or aimed fire to kill enemies. In common with the aforementioned game, Uncharted lacks an actual on-screen health bar; instead, when the player takes damage, the graphics begin to lose color. While resting or taking cover for a brief period, Drake's health level, indicated by the screen color, returns to normal.[14]
The game also includes vehicle sections, where Drake must protect the jeep he and Elena are in using a mounted turret, and where Drake and Elena ride a jet ski along water-filled routes while avoiding enemy fire and explosive barrels. While players direct Drake in driving the jet ski, they may also switch to Elena by aiming the gun in order to use her weapon — either the grenade launcher or the Beretta, depending on the chapter — in defense, or to clear the barrels from their path.[14]
The game also features reward points, which can be gained by collecting 60 hidden treasures in the game that glimmer momentarily[4] or by completing certain accomplishments, such as achieving a number of kills using a specific weapon, performing a number of headshots, or using specific methods of killing enemies.[15] In subsequent playthroughs of the game, the player can use these rewards points to unlock special options; these include in-game bonuses such as alternate costumes and unlimited ammunition[4] but also non-game extras, such as making-of videos and concept art.[16] There are also several references to other Naughty Dog games, especially the Jak and Daxter series; this is done through the "Ottsel" branding on Drake and Fisher's wetsuits,[17] a reference to the species that mixes otter and weasel found in the game, and the strange relic found in one of the earlier chapters, which is actually a precursor orb from the same series.
The game is censored when playing on a Japanese console to remove blood, which normally appears when shooting enemies; this follows the trend of other censored console games in the region, such as Dead Rising and Resistance: Fall of Man.[18]
Development [ edit ]
After completing Jak 3, Naughty Dog assembled their most technically talented staff members and began development of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune under the codename Big.[19][20] It was in full production for about two years, with a small team of engineers working on the game for about a year beforehand.[3] Naughty Dog decided to create a brand new IP rather than opt to develop a PlayStation 3 Jak and Daxter game—they wanted to create a franchise suitable for the new hardware, in order to develop such ideas as realistic human characters instead of stylized ones owing to limitations of previous hardware, as well as create something "fresh and interesting", although termed as'stylized realism'.[3] Inspiration was drawn from various sources in the action and adventure genres: pulp magazines, movie serials, and more contemporary titles like Indiana Jones and National Treasure.[21] The team felt the sources shared themes of mystery and "what-if scenarios" that romanticized adventure and aimed to include those in Uncharted.[19]
A platforming segment, showing Nathan attempting to scale the outer walls of the Fortress.
The game was first unveiled at E3 2006.[2] From early previews of the game, inevitable comparisons of elements such as platforming and shooting between Uncharted and the well-known Tomb Raider series were drawn, earning the title the nickname of "Dude Raider".[21][22] However, the developers saw their game as concentrating more on third-person cover-based play, in contrast to Tomb Raider's "auto-aiming" play and greater puzzle-solving elements.[3] Other influences they cited include Resident Evil 4,[23] Kill Switch, and Gears of War.[24] Throughout the game's development the staff tried to remain flexible and detached from the original design concepts; attention was focused on the features that worked well, while features that did not work were removed.[25] The development team intended the game's main setting, the island, to play a big role in the overall experience. Feeling too many games used bleak, dark settings with monochromatic color schemes, they wanted the island to be a vibrant, believable game world that immersed the player and encouraged exploration.[19]
In designing the characters, the artists aimed for a style that was photorealistic.[21] The creators envisaged the main protagonist, Nathan Drake, as more of an everyman character than Lara Croft, shown as clearly under stress in the game's many fire fights, with no special training and constantly living at the edge of his abilities.[3][22] Director Amy Hennig felt a heavily armored, "tough as nails" protagonist with a large weapon was not a suitable hero, and decided a "tenacious and resourceful" character would portray more human qualities. Supporting characters (Elena Fisher and Victor Sullivan) were included to avoid a dry and emotionless story.[21] Fisher's character underwent changes during development; in early trailers for the game, the character had dark brown hair, but ultimately the color changed to blonde and the style was altered.[26][27] The writing of the story was led by Hennig with substantial help from Neil Druckmann and Josh Scherr.[28]
The game went gold in the middle of October 2007.[3] A demo was then released on November 8, 2007 on the PlayStation Network[29] before its final release on November 19 in North America, December 6 in Australia, and December 7 in Europe.[30] The demo was first placed on the North American store, and was initially region-locked such that it would only play on a North American PS3.[31] However, this was later confirmed as a mistake, as the developers were apparently unaware that people from different regions could sign up for a North American account and download the demo; a region-free demo was released soon after.[32]
Graphics and technology [ edit ]
Uncharted uses the Cell microprocessor to generate dozens of layered character animations to portray realistic expressions and fluid movements, which allow for responsive player control.[33] The PlayStation 3's graphics processing unit, the RSX Reality Synthesizer, employed several functions to provide graphical details that helped immerse the player into the game world: lighting models, pixel shaders, dynamic real-time shadowing, and advanced water simulation.[33] The new hardware allowed for processes which the team had never used in PlayStation 2 game development and required them to quickly familiarize with the new techniques; for example, parallel processing and pixel shaders. While Blu-ray afforded greater storage space, the team became concerned with running out of room several times—Uncharted used more and bigger textures than previous games, and included several languages on the disc.[34] Gameplay elements requiring motion sensing, such as throwing grenades and walking across beams, were implemented to take advantage of the Sixaxis controller.[19] A new PlayStation 3 controller, the DualShock 3, was unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, and featured force feedback vibration. Uncharted was also on display at the show with demonstrations that implemented limited support for vibration.[35]
Being Naughty Dog's first PlayStation 3 game, the project required the company to familiarize themselves with the new hardware, and resulted in several development mistakes.[34] The switch from developing for the PlayStation 2 to the PlayStation 3 prompted the staff to implement changes to their development technology. Naughty Dog switched to the industry standard language C++ in order to participate in technology sharing among Sony's first-party developers—the company had previously used their own proprietary programming language GOAL, a Lisp-based language. In rewriting their game code, they decided to create new programming tools as well. This switch, however, delayed the team's progress in developing a prototype, as the new tools proved to be unreliable and too difficult to use. Ten months into full production, the team decided to recreate the game's pipeline, the chain of processing elements designed to progress data through a system. In retrospect, Naughty Dog's Co-President Evan Wells considered this the greatest improvement to the project.[25] Additionally, the animation blending system was rewritten several times to obtain the desired character animations.[19]
Trophies integration [ edit ]
The game was patched on August 4, 2008 in Europe and North America to version 1.01 to include support for the PlayStation 3's Trophy system.[36] There are 47 trophies in the game that match the medals that can already be won in the game and one further trophy, the Platinum trophy, awarded when all other trophies have been collected; Uncharted was the first Naughty Dog game to include the Platinum trophy type.[37] Similar to other PlayStation 3 titles that receive trophy support via downloaded patches, players must start a new save game to be awarded trophies, regardless of how many medals they received in previous playthroughs. This was enforced because the developers wanted to avoid the sharing of save data in order to gain trophies they did not earn.[38] The patch was described as "incredibly easy" to implement, owing to the game already containing preliminary support for Trophies via its Medals system; it was also stated that these hooks were already included due to Naughty Dog's belief that Sony would roll out the Trophy system before the game's launch in November 2007.[38] Despite mentioning that the game was developed as a franchise and that it lent itself to episodic content,[3] it was later stated that no content available via download would be made for Uncharted.[39]
PlayStation Home [ edit ]
During the Closed Beta of PlayStation Home on October 11, 2008, Naughty Dog released an Uncharted themed game space for PlayStation Home. This space is "Sully's Bar" from the game. In this space users can play an arcade mini-game called "Mercenary Madness", which during the Closed Beta, there were rewards. The rewards were removed with the release of the Home Open Beta. There are also three other rooms in this space, in which during the Closed Beta, users had to find out codes to the doors that accessed these rooms. The code entry to the rooms was also removed with the release of the Home Open Beta. The three other rooms are the "Artifact Room", "Archives", and "Smuggler's Den". There is an artifact viewer in the Archives and Smuggler's Den rooms. Also in the Archives there is a video screen that previews Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The Artifact Room only features seating and different artifacts for users to look at. This space was one of the first five-game spaces of the PlayStation Home Open Beta in North America, which Home went Open Beta on December 11, 2008.[40] This space was released to the European version on November 5, 2009, almost a year after the Open Beta release. Naughty Dog has also released a game space for Uncharted's sequel on October 23, 2009 making Uncharted the first game series to have a game space for both games in its series.[41]
Reception [ edit ]
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune received generally favorable reviews from game critics.[42][43] Game Informer complimented the visuals and dialogue between the characters Drake and Fisher, calling them stunning and entertaining respectively.[27] They further added that the production values appeared high, citing the level of detail and musical score.[49] PlayStation Magazine echoed similar statements about the visuals and compared them to that of Crysis.[19][50]
The overall presentation of the game received unanimous praise from critics, who recognized the game's high production values, describing them as "top-notch",[51] "incredible"[16] or comparing them to those found in Hollywood.[15] When combined with the overall style of the game, this led many reviewers to compare Uncharted to summer blockbuster films,[1][52][53] with the action and theme of the game drawing comparisons to the Indiana Jones film series and Tomb Raider.[16][52] As part of the presentation, the game's story and atmosphere were also received well.[1][52] The depth of the characters was praised, each having "their own tone".[52] The voice acting was also received well, as the cast "nails its characterizations"; overall, the voice acting was described as a "big-star performance",[15] "superb"[53] and "stellar".[1] Game designer Tim Schafer, well known as the creator of the early LucasArts adventure games such as The Secret of Monkey Island, has also lauded the game, saying he "liked it a lot", and jokingly thanked it for teaching him a new fashion tip (Nathan Drake's "half-tucked" shirt).[54]
The technical achievements in creating this presentation were also lauded. The graphics and visuals were a big part of this, including appreciation of the "lush" jungle environments,[1][14][16] with lighting effects greatly adding to them.[53] The game's water effects were also appreciated.[51] Overall, many reviewers commented that, at the time, it was one of the best-looking PlayStation 3 games available.[46] Further to the graphical aspects, both facial animation and the animation of characters,[17][53] such as Nate's "fluid" animations as he performs platforming sections were noted,[1] although the wilder animations of enemies reacting to being shot were over-animated "to perhaps a laughable degree".[14]
Criticism of the game included some graphical issues, such as texture pop-in and screen tearing.[4][15] Of more concern were gameplay issues, including overall gameplay length being rather short, with reviewers completing the game in anywhere from six to ten hours,[51][53] and some disappointment with the "not particularly memorable" vehicle sections;[14] the inability to both aim weapons and drive the jet-ski was a well-noted issue.[1][51] Further, some "frustrating, repetitive slogs"[51] with regards to the "constant stream" of pirates and mercenaries,[4] and "moving from one infuriating firefight to the next"[16] towards the end of the game were cited as part of poorer elements of overall gameplay.
Awards [ edit ]
Uncharted received several accolades from web review sites such as IGN, who named it their PlayStation 3 game of the year.[48]
Sales [ edit ]
The game went on to sell 1 million copies after its first ten weeks of retail,[55] and later became one of the first batch of titles to be released as part of Europe's budget Platinum range of best-selling titles.[5] Sony announced at E3 2009 that Uncharted: Drake's Fortune had sold over 2.6 million copies worldwide and was a hit for the PlayStation 3.[56][57]
Sequels [ edit ]
Shortly after the release of the game, Naughty Dog's co-president, Evan Wells, stated that Uncharted had been developed as a franchise, and so a sequel was likely.[58][59] It was later confirmed that the development team had put their work on the next installment of Jak and Daxter on hold to work on Uncharted 2 for release in 2009.[60] This sequel was revealed to be entitled Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in December, 2008 by Game Informer.[61] A sequel to Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception was announced on December 11, 2010 and was released worldwide in November 2011.[62][63]
The fourth installment of the series, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, which is set to be the last main installment in the series, was announced on 2014 and after two delays, one in late 2015 and the other in March 2016, was released on May 10, 2016.[64][65] A single-player-only remaster of the first three titles, titled Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, was released for the PlayStation 4 on October 7, 2015 in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and October 9, 2015 in North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland.[66][67] Two spin-offs for the PlayStation Vita, titled Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Uncharted: Fight for Fortune were released in 2011 and 2012 respectively.[68][69]
Another spin-off, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, was released for the PlayStation 4 in late August 2017.
See also [ edit ]It made news last week when ExxonMobil, along with a slate of other big companies, including other oil giants, backed a plan for a substantial, rising US carbon tax.
The plan was put forward by the Climate Leadership Council, a new group that is seeking a bipartisan path forward on climate policy. The tax would start at $40 a ton; the revenue would be returned as per-capita dividends to all US citizens.
The Council includes some (retired) Republicans like James Baker III and George Schulz, along with a few centrist favorites like Michael Bloomberg and former Energy Secretary Steven Chu. (For some reason, Stephen Hawking is also a fan.) And among its “corporate founders,” are GM and Unilever, along with ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, and Total.
Why would Exxon back a carbon tax that would raise the price of its products?
There’s more to it |
adding section. The saturation ranges from mild, through moderate, to hot, selectable via the switch below the saturation knob. When cranking the saturation, rich harmonics turn into raw grit, good enough to run a guitar channel through, instead of an amp simulator.
On the right, you will see the character knob, this works with the low and high end, switchable between Fat, Warm, and Bright settings, and works to smooth and sculpt the frequencies coming out. This control is perfect in conjunction with the saturation and is even worth using by itself if you need to add in a bit of character without compressing the signal.
The compressor can be run in stereo link, dual mono, and Mid-Side modes, meaning that it can be used for numerous applications. Whether you just need to remove some transients, or go as far as crushing the sides of the mix to create a different feel of space, Supercharger GT has you covered.
I have saved the best bit until last, while most compressor plugins have a dedicated Dry/Wet control, the absolute power that all the rest of the controls bring, combined with being able to parallel compress the sound makes this plugin my absolute favourite compressor on the market today. Supercharger GT has the absolute fullest range of sound and works well on every sound I run it through. It’s tube emulation means that a full, warm character seeps out of anything leaving it’s output.
If you want an indicator of how great this plugin is to use, it was only when I realised that I should include the presets in this review that I went to check them out. The simplicity is so great, that even my normal leaning to a preset for a quick fix disappeared and it has taken me until now to actually have a play with them. All-in-all the presets are good, but so is controlling it yourself, whether you know your way around a compressor or not you will find no hurdles in improving your mix.
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Tom Jarvis Music Producer, DJ, total geek. I am the site owner and main writer at Audio Ordeal. I use Reaper and Ableton and enjoy working in digital content creation alongside studying a Masters in Multimedia Journalism. See author's postsBAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi police on Monday found the corpses of 15 people, including three women shot in the head in militia-style killings, a bloody start to the holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, security sources said.
An armed Iraqi policeman stands guard outside a Sunni mosque during Eid al-Fitr prayers in Baghdad July 28, 2014. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
Fears have been growing of a relapse to the dark days of sectarian civil war which peaked in 2006-2007 since Sunni militants seized large swathes of the north last month, building on gains by comrades made in the west of Iraq.
Iraq’s U.S.-trained and funded army unraveled in the face of the lighting advance, and Shi’ite militias now rival government forces in their ability to confront the group formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
Baghdad’s morgues are filling up once again with victims of sectarian slayings, kidnappings are on the rise and the bloodshed is forcing families to flee abroad or move to neighbourhoods where they feel less threatened.
This year’s Eid al-Fitr festival marking the end of Ramadan is filled with uncertainty and apprehension as Sunni insurgents set their sights on Baghdad and Iraqi politicians struggle to form a power-sharing government capable of tackling them.
Police found 15 corpses in different parts of the capital, security sources said. Among them were three women aged 25-30 who had been handcuffed and shot in the head execution-style in an industrial area just north of the Shi’ite Sadr City district.
Further details were not immediately available.
DISUNITY
Critics say that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shi’ite Muslim, has inflamed sectarian divisions by marginalising Sunnis instead of unifying Iraqis against the insurgents, now called the Islamic State.
Maliki, who has served in a caretaker capacity since the election in April, has said he would seek a third term despite calls from Sunnis, Kurds and even some Shi’ites for him to make way for a less polarising figure.
Some armed Sunni groups are so fiercely opposed to Maliki that they have joined forces with the Islamic State even though they sharply disagree with its radical brand of Islam.
U.S. military and Iraqi security officials estimate the Islamic State has at least 3,000 fighters in Iraq, rising towards 20,000 when new recruits since last month’s advance are accounted for.
The Islamic State, an al Qaeda spin-off, has declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria. It has been systematically stamping out any religious or cultural influences in the major city of Mosul.
The group has also blown up sacred mosque shrines which it deems as non-Islamic, a move which left people weeping in the streets. Women who do not wear full-face veils now risk severe punishment.
Related Coverage France offers asylum to Mosul's Christians
Signs are emerging that Iraqis who first welcomed the Islamic State are now growing impatient with its practices.
“I feel frustrated, desperate and sad as a result of the acts and practices done by those who are running the affairs of the city,” said shopowner Abu Mohammed.
“I was supporting them at the beginning but when I see what they are doing, I wish we could kick them out of our city.”Fine Art [Fine Art](https://kotaku.com/c/fine-art) is a celebration of the work of video game artists, showcasing the best of both their professional and personal portfolios. If you’re in the business and have some art you’d like to share, [get in touch!](mailto:[email protected])
Artist Paul Pepera, who worked for companies like id, Valve, and 343 Industries, passed away suddenly on March 27.
One of the co-founders of Astroneer developers System Era, Pepera worked on games like Halo 4 and Red Orchestra 2.
“Many knew Paul in this industry as an artistic tour de force”, a statement on System Era’s site says. “His talent left an imprint on this game industry that inspired countless others. He was one quarter of our founding team, and a boundless source of inspiration and beauty. Most of all to us, he was a warm and compassionate close friend.”
You can see more of Paul’s art at his personal site. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
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Fine Art is a celebration of the work of video game artists, showcasing the best of both their professional and personal portfolios. If you’re in the business and have some concept, environment, promotional or character art you’d like to share, drop us a line!
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AdvertisementCLOSE Every presidential race has its big moments. This one, more than most. Here’s a look back at some of the historic, amusing and cringe-inducing events of the 2016 presidential campaign. (Nov. 7) AP
I wrote of his bluster, threats, intemperance and falsehoods in 1985. Nothing has changed.
Large light boards for Trump casino, Atlantic City, N.J., Aug. 29, 1995. (Photo: Allen R. Oliver, AP)
I got to know Donald Trump reasonably well in the 1980s — and I will not be voting for him.
Thirty-four years ago, I was a senior vice president for Harrah’s and was given the responsibility to be Harrah’s representative in a joint venture that created the Harrah’s at Trump Plaza hotel-casino property in Atlantic City. It was a major project at the time, one of the largest ever undertaken by either of our organizations. We had equal ownership, with Trump as the land developer and Harrah’s as the operator. So, over a period of four years I met with Donald frequently, often multiple times a month. It was not a happy marriage, and it ended badly. Before the divorce, I had ample opportunity to form an opinion of him — an opinion that leaves me appalled by the very thought he could become our president. Knowing that how Nevadans vote could determine the outcome in this critical election, I have chosen to relate my experiences and views of Donald Trump.
Harrah’s at Trump Plaza opened in 1984, and within a year we were in litigation with Trump. In 1985 I filed an affidavit with the court over Trump’s claims of mismanagement: Referring to Trump I said, “His written response to my letter of May 10 is characteristic of the bluster, threats, intemperance and unsupported and unsupportable falsehoods that have permeated the correspondence we have received from him and his key management employees almost since the beginning of our partnership.”
My opinion of Donald Trump from the 1980s has not changed. The negative publicity about Trump during this campaign — his conduct toward women, his business failures and his explosive temperament — matches my dealings with him.
In 1986 we terminated the partnership by selling our half of Harrah’s at Trump Plaza back to Trump. He promptly changed the name to Trump Plaza and took over operations. Trump Plaza filed for bankruptcy in 1992. It closed in 2014 after additional bankruptcies. In contrast, Harrah’s flourished during this same period, and I retired as Chairman in 2005. If an investor had purchased $10,000 of Harrah’s/Holiday Inn stock in 1982 and held onto it until 2005, it was worth over $1 million. As the New York Times said in an article in June, there is “little doubt that Mr. Trump’s casino business was a protracted failure.” His employees, shareholders and bondholders suffered.
Above all else, however, I am convinced he simply does not have the temperament to be president, or more importantly, commander in chief: His hair trigger temper, bluster, racial rhetoric and divisive domestic and international views will endanger our democracy and risk permanent damage to our society.
I urge those of you who are considering voting for Trump just because you want change or because you don’t like Hillary Clinton to pause and reconsider: A vote for Trump could give us a President Trump — that is the scariest prospect of all.
Phil Satre is chairman of the board of International Game Technology PLC and Nordstrom Inc. The views expressed here are his own. This column first appeared in the Reno Gazette-Journal.
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Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2f6SfaOThe Battle of Rzhev was a fifteen-month campaign that took place during World War II. During these battles the Red Army sought to not only evict German forces from a central position not far outside of Moscow, but also eliminate the bulk of Army Group Center. These battles formed a campaign so colossal that in a number of metrics outdid the fighting at Stalingrad. However, there is much controversy surrounding the Rzhev battles.
As such, Svetlana Gerasimova's The Rzhev Slaughterhouse seeks to "lay out the history of combat operations in 1942 and early 1943 on the central - the Moscow - axis of the Soviet-German front, taking into account the facts and documents known to the author at the current time, so the reader themselves can determine the truth of one viewpoint or the other." Within this larger goal the author also seeks to either answer or bring us closer to answering key questions such as; Why was one of the greatest battles of the Second World War consigned to oblivion in the Soviet Union? Why were the forces of the German Army Group Center in the Rzhev salient not encircled or destroyed in spite of repeated Soviet efforts? Who let the Germans withdraw from the Rzhev salient early in 1943? Is there justification for blaming Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov for these failures? What impact did this fifteen-month campaign have on the Soviet-German war? There are other questions and issues raised in this superb publication but suffice it to say that the author not only meets her objectives but has done an enormous service to those of us interested in this phase of the Second World War.
The Rzhev Slaughterhouse is well organized in seven chapters that set the stage for the battle, describe its five most significant phases, and examines the battle's results. Several dozen appendices, eight color maps, twelve tables, and dozens of photographs (the majority unique to this book), provide ample support to the author's analysis and do much to bringing this extroardinarily bloody battle to life. In terms of organization one of the book's numerous strengths is in the way each chapter sets the stage for its contents; describing the battlefield (as it shifted over time), the strategic importance of combat operations at that time, the state of the German defenses, the Red Army's preperations, and the correlation of forces. In addition, each chapter cogently covers the combat operations, analyzes reasons for success and failure and discusses attendant controversies - including toward answering the central questions driving the author's work. Finally, each chapter is easily digestible within a single half-hour or so sitting which makes the reading experience that much more enjoyable.
Gerasimova takes great pains to ground her analysis in facts, and address controversies within the battles to which they most directly applied. For instance, chapter two covers the Red Army's first attempt at encircling Army Group Center's forces near Rzhev. However, it also tackles the question as to whether this fighting was an extension of the Red Army's December 1941 counterstroke bringing the German drive on Moscow to an end or the beginning of a new campaign independent of Operation Typhoon's collapse. In addition, Gerasimova furthers the effort of other Russian historians towards helping Western readers understand what the Red Army's version of a particular fighting force might mean at a particular time versus that of a corresponding Western unit. For instance, describing the exact composition of a typical Soviet Army or Corps. In doing so, the author let's the facts speak for themselves. If we look at combat operations in January of 1942 we can see that the Kalinin Front's 11th Cavalry Corps (5,800 men, no tanks, and weak artillery) was nowhere near being up to the task of conducting Deep Operations in the same way a Soviet Tank Corps circa 1944 could, yet it was given the same kind of objectives - one reason among many why the first attempt at encircling a significant portion of Army Group Center ended in failure.
Though the bulk of The Rzhev Slaughterhouse is from the Soviet side of the hill, the author presents the German perspective, with part of each chapter addressed to; German command decisions, reinforcements, strategic objectives, defensive positioning, and the composition and strength of German forces. Unfortunately, even in today's day and age there are still some Western historians who do not do the same (with David Stahel among the worst in this regard in his near single-minded German-centric publications ostensibly offering new insights into Barbarossa but badly missing the mark). In addition, the author shows that though the Red Army mostly held the initiative in this sector of the front this was by no means true throughout the entirety of the campaign. Not only does chapter two describe significant German counterstrokes that were so powerful they encircled entire attacking Soviet armies, but part of chapter two and most of chapter three covers the German attempts to aggresively liquidate the trapped Soviet formations and the desperate Soviet efforts to escape. All to varying degress of success for one side or the other, but enormously costly to the Germans and Russians alike.
As mentioned before, one reason I enjoyed this book is in how the author concludes each chapter with an in-depth analysis that not only addresses the key issues described in the introduction but also covers any number of highly interesting topics. I've said this before, and will say it many more times, books that feature well thought-out analysis are much more enjoyable for readers than bland renditions of just the facts. To that end, perhaps my favorite part of the book is chapter seven where the author describes the results of the battle and in doing so spends a considerable amount of time comparing the Rzhev battles, particularly the November-December 1942 Operation Mars to the fighting at Stalingrad. This is something also done well in previous chapters including chapters four and five. Several first person accounts provided in chapter four in particular bring the battle for the city of Rzhev to life (as do the numerous pictures - with the photo accompanying this review showing the muddy conditions during the summer fighting around the salient).
In chapter seven the author also not only makes a compelling case for the thesis driving her work but provides any number of valuable insights that even a well-read student of the Second World War in Eastern Europe will find interesting. Overall, I enjoyed this book and consider it a valuable addition to a library already stocked with a number of excellent works. For fellow authors out there; please pick up a copy of this book if for no other reason than getting a lesson in how best to open-mindedly attack significant issues from the War still lingering in controversy and for the thorough analysis given as to the "why" in regards to the outcome of this tremendously important battle.Hakata-based girl group HKT48's "Kiss Ha Matsu Shika Nainodeshouka?" blasts in at No. 1 on the latest <a href="charts/japan-hot-100">Billboard Japan Hot 100</a> chart dated July 31 to Aug. 6, after selling 284,698 copies in its first week and coming in at No. 1 for physical sales, No. 7 for look-ups, No. 10 for Twitter mentions, and No. 70 for downloads.
Following at No. 2 this week is BOYS AND MEN, another regional group based in the Tokai region of Japan. Their loyal fans bought 139,105 copies of their single "Ho Wo Agero!" upon its release Aug. 2, boosting the song to No. 2 in physical sales. The song also came in at No. 3 for Twitter and No. 33 for radio airplay, landing the 10-member boy band in the No. 2 spot on the Japan Hot 100.
Looking at downloads for this week, Hikaru Utada's "Forevermore" moves up a notch to the No. 1 spot. The song is also rising considerably in terms of video views and currently sits at No. 6 on the Japan Hot 100.
Mr. Children's <a href="articles/news/international/7883125/mr-children-himawari-japan-hot-100-chart">"himawari" and "Hanabi"</a> come in respectively at No. 2 and No. 3 in downloads. "Hanabi" is a song from 2008 and was boosted by the hit of the band's latest single, but is currently ranking higher than the new song in the video viewing metric, which is a rare chart phenomenon.
Twice's "TT" holds on to the No. 1 spot for video views this week with approximately 3.5 million views. Although they dominated the top four positions in this metric last week, Gen Hoshino's "Family Song" blasts in at No. 2 with 2.9 million views in the latest chart. Twice's "Signal" hangs on at No. 3 with 2.5 million views, but coming in No. 4 is Hachi (aka <a href="articles/news/international/7890238/kenshi-yonezu-profile-popularity-japan">Kenshi Yonezu</a>)'s "Suna No Wakusei feat. Miku Hatsune" with 2.16 million views.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, radio airplay, Twitter mentions, YouTube and GYAO! video views, Gracenote look-ups and audio streams from Apple Music, AWA, Google Play Music, KKBOK, LINE MUSIC provided by Gfk Japan, as well as streaming counts based on lyrics displayed on PetitLyrics.
Billboard Japan Hot 100 Top 20 (dated July 31 to August 6)
1. "Kiss Ha Matsu Shika Nainodeshouka?" / HKT48
2. "Ho Wo Agero!" / BOYS AND MEN
3. "himawari" / Mr.Children
4. "BLAST!" / Momoiro Clover Z
5. "TT" / TWICE
6. "Forevermore" / Hikaru Utada
7. "Datte Atashi No Hero." / Lisa
8. "U" / Daichi Miura
9. "RAIN" / SEKAI NO OWARI
10. "Nigemizu" / Nogizaka46
11. "Natsu He No Tobira Never end ver." / Aqours
12. "Easy Love" / Sf9
13. "Shape Of You" / Ed Sheeran
14. "Family Song" / Gen Hoshino
15. "HANABI" / Mr.Children
16. "Zutto.Futari De" / Leo Ieiri
17. "Wakai Hiroba" / Keisuke Kuwata
18. "Peace Sign" / Kenshi Yonezu
19. "Kirakira feat. Kanna" / AI
20. "Natsuiro" / YuzuConvenience store chain Lawson and electronics maker Panasonic Corp. have started testing a staff-less register for which a machine settles the transactions and packs purchased items into a bag.
The system, dubbed Reji Robo, short for register robots, debuted at an outlet of Lawson in Osaka Prefecture on Monday. Lawson plans to eventually introduce the machine at its stores nationwide to alleviate a staff shortage and for peak-time congestion.
Autonomous cashiers have been introduced at some supermarkets in Japan, but shoppers have had to bag products by themselves after payment. The system introduced by Lawson is believed to be the first in which the packing is also automated.
Customers at an outlet near a Panasonic office in the city of Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, now get a sensor-equipped basket when they walk in the store.
At the checkout, they place the basket in the designated area of the cashier table, then swipe products through a barcode reader. A screen displays the total purchases. After the payment is done, the basket slides down through a hole in the cashier table and the machine packs the purchased items in a bag automatically, according to the companies.
By February, the convenience store operator also plans to attach electronic tags to all products so the items placed in the basket will all be automatically tallied and customers will not have to swipe them at the cashier.
“If demand is strong enough, we are hoping to come up with ways in which customers will get their purchases settled by just passing through the register,” Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.
Reji Robo has been developed with subsidies from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as one of the nation’s pioneering robotics projects.Normally there are only four seasons each year, but Emil Lidé has created a series of six microscale landscapes to capture all the changing colours found in nature throughout the year. Each of the six scenes depicts a trio of trees and ground foliage using the LEGO colour palate to full effect, especially those vibrant autumnal tones.
Emil’s trees are fantastic of course – he kindly shared his methods for constructing LEGO trees earlier this month. Interestingly, Emil tells us that the initial starting point for these was this cool technique for a base by o0ger, and the circular bases are a great way to keep each scene compact and contained. My own favourite is definitely late autumn.
These microscale landscapes are worth a close-up view to fully appreciate the colours, textures and details. Constructing the natural world is not easy in LEGO, but these microscale landscapes are beautiful examples.
Spring uses a LEGO colour palate of dark green, bright yellowish green and bright green:
Summer uses a LEGO palate of dark green, earth green and olive green:
Late Summer uses a LEGO palate of dark green, earth green, olive green and sand green, with hints of dark brown, reddish brown and dark orange appearing in the ground foliage:
Early Autumn bursts into dark orange, flame yellowish orange, orange, yellow and reddish brown:
Late Autumn then develops further into richer tones of reddish brown, red, dark red and dark orange:
Winter is simple, just white:What were your goals when starting work on the game?
Umm, let me just process that question. I guess the reasons why we did a pirate game is what you're asking. We started back in 2002, and at that time the fantasy genre seemed a little saturated. And that was before World of Warcraft really, really made it saturated! (laughs) So we decided that we wanted to do something a little bit different to what everyone else was doing.
When we started the project we saw a whole lot of fantasy, a little bit of science fiction, but we really didn't see anything off the beaten track. So we thought that as long as we're doing something different, what is the right environment for an MMO? If you go to an MMO convention, it seems like everyone has some terrible idea with the words MMO at the end, we wanted to do something where it was right for an MMO in structure.
We thought there's a lot of people who like to play PvE (Player versus Environment) and like to do lots of missions and things like that, there's a lot of people who love playing against people, and we call that PvP (Player versus Player). The third is the economic and creative people, people who want to build things in the game. So we thought 'What is an environment that actually takes all those gameplay styles and brings them together?'
We came up with the Caribbean of the 1720s. Because in that New World, it's all about exploiting the economic potential of that area, and taking it back and building stronger navies in order to continue exploiting the economic potential of that area. In that world, the economy really drove the combat, and vice versa. So that's why we decided to do the Caribbean of 1720...and of course we get pirates on top of that! So there's all the flavour in the entire world!
I can't think of a genre so rich in source material as this. There's nothing that you want to do in a game that's not in a pirate period game. All this cool real-world naval tactics, we've got that. Real-world economics, we've got a fantastic player-driven economic system. And then we've got all the great legends and tales of the pirates. And there's also the supernatural, because they were a superstitious lot. So once we'd happened on that, it was like 'Of course, this is what we need to build!'
So we started building it. And then we made a bunch of bone-headed mistakes, we threw away a lot of bad work, and eventually here we are now with a game we're really, really excited about.
What do you think people are going to enjoy most about the game when they start playing?
There are two big things depending on the player. I think for the casual player, they will enjoy the visuals. There's a reason why we go to vacation in the tropics, it's because it's gorgeous. People really love the water, they love the colours that we have, the sunsets, the look of the world. People react very positively to that. When we show it at tradeshows, we see everyone else wants to do grey or dark grey, and we do Caribbean blue. People see our game and stop and want to go there.
The second thing people really react to is the ship combat. The ship combat doesn't feel like anything else, it is so freakin' cool. It is endlessly fun to watch those cannons fire off and smash into other ships. It's fun to sail around, and its very player skill-based. It's not just click, click, click waiting for the other player to die.
The other thing people really respond to, and this is all just the first hour impressions I'm talking about, but the music is fantastic. We have such great music, really wonderful.
Then once people get into the game, they realise how big and deep this game is, and yet they can play it. There are so many games where the hardcore guys are so far away from the casual people that they are just off by themselves, they're not in the same universe. You have to be hardcore to play the economy, or play the PvP. If you're playing WoW Battlegrounds and go on a raid with 40 guys you spend huge amounts of your time just organising the people to get into place so you can actually play the game. With this, you see the same depth of gameplay but you don't need to spend all that time to get into it. We made it so the casuals are much closer to the hardcore. Those guys will always have their advantages but we provide a place for the casual player to really play the game.
Obviously the first thing you'll do when starting out is choose a character. What kind of options do you have?
Basically we have whether you want a pipe or no pipe. (laughs) Let me show you. We have four different nations that you can play - Spanish, French, British or Pirate. If you play the Spanish, British or French, you have several different classes you can play. You can play the Naval Officers, who focus on disciplined combat and having the big guns. The Free Traders are the people who build everything in the game, and I mean everything. Bandages, cannonballs, 104-gun ships. Everything that players consume in the game. That's going to come into it when I talk about our PvP story, because the Free Traders are a big part of that.
Someone asked me today whether you can play the game without the economy, and the answer is yes, but the economy is the lifeblood of the game. Even if you're not focused on the economy, you don't have to think about it, but its still the world that you live in. You're always peripherally aware, even though there are players like myself who never play the economy. But the economy makes the PvP a lot cooler.
Anyway, the third class is Privateer, they are state-sponsored piracy. Whenever they take another ship from a player they can resell it and split the money with the crown. And if you play a Pirate, of course, you're basically a pirate. You're attacking, taking, that's the world of the pirate.
There are many looks to the people you can choose. There are pre-set characters that you have, but of course you don't have to play these, you can go in and change any of these 14 different categories. And you can change the primary colour and the secondary character. You can do that with everything. It's a subtle effect but it lets us give a really different look to our characters. You'll also notice if you have the video card for it, we actually have the bones in the face for the different facial animations. And you can choose things like eye patches and glass eyes, and later in the game go on a mission and lose your leg and get a replacement peg-leg or lose your hand and get a hook.
If you look at the Naval Officers you see how plain their costumes are, that's because at level 5 we have a captain's examination and when you complete it you get your cool hat and cool costume. We give costume rewards as you go. So you can look at someone and see their rank just from their costume. If you see a blind pirate with a hook and a peg-leg, you know he's really tough! You have to earn your disabilities! You always want that moment when other people see you in the game and think 'Whoa, that guy's tough!' So we work a lot of our costume stuff around that.
Is there plenty of content for those that enjoy a good story?
We have 1000 missions in the game. We have a lot of different kinds of missions. One of the kinds we call the role playing story arc mission. Those are just for you. For example, you may be at a bar, and there's a big party going on, and two of your friends say 'We've got a bet. We can't decide who the prettiest girl is here, we want you to decide it.' So you walk around, flirt with the various girls, go back to the bar and say 'This person'. That person becomes your love interest for the next 50 missions.
As you go, we will tell very highly scripted, individual stories for you. So the decisions you make will be reflected in later stories. Another example, there is a story where there is a big wedding party and two of your friends, their siblings are marrying each other. You're at the island, it's all made up for the wedding, and it turns out there's an evil squadron of guys you've been tangling with you send you a message that they are going to stop the wedding. Each one of the siblings is coming in on a different ship. I'm the only one with a ship in the area, who am I going to rescue? You make your choice, you rescue one and the other one is lost at sea and dies. That person's brother or sister says, 'I know you had to make a choice, but I'm not happy about it.' Over time, it warps them, and they become an uneasy arch-nemesis of yours. You're kinda friends, but in name only. So we try to tell more adult-style stories as opposed to 'I'm evil and I want to control the world.' 'I disagree, let's fight!'
In an MMO, virtually every place is persistent. We have little moments that when you go into a place that is normally a persistent place, but it's actually scripted just for you. Take that bar, normally you go into a bar and there's other players around. But this time you go into the bar and it looks just the same except its filled with NPCs having a party. While you're in there flirting away, there's explosions and people start running around, and it turns out there's an attack on the town. When you run out, the town, which was persistent, but now it's on fire and there's ships in the harbour fighting and you've got to fight your way out and get to your ship and protect the town. We have very strong story elements that we bring forward for each of the characters. In fact, we have this town at the end called Grand Turk, which is basically a composite of all of the choices you make in the game. When you get to Grand Turk, you see the people you've saved, the ramifications of the people you haven't saved. Everybody's Grand Turk is different.
Tell me about the ships, they've obviously central. What do you start with, how do they control?
We go initially into a tutorial that will show you how to fight with your ship and do swashbuckling combat. But I'm going to go into the pirates starting town, which is called Marsh Harbour and its one of 80 towns in the game. Because it's a starting town it can't be conquered.
If you're a novice MMO player, or any gamer, one of the things that you should be used to is the WASD keys and space bar. So we have the same controls for our ships.
One of the things we wanted to do was to start you with a real ship. Instead of being in a lifeboat with an oar, beating dolphins to level up to do something interesting, we wanted you to be a captain starting off. So this is a little schooner, a little ship, but its one of over 60 in the game. All are real-world ships.
By the way, we're using the sounds from Master and Commander, the sound designer who won an Oscar for the film.
So when I hit the W key, that raises my sails, you can see my crewmen running up the sails, and I get underway. I can go left and right, very simple. Some people like to play from a far away perspective, I like to play up close. But we have ghost sails, you can see through it. And I can fire cannons if the enemy is in range to target.
The question is, 'How do I best use my ship to attack the enemy?' Well, each ship has four different armour faces. Front, left, right and rear. The rear of a ship is the least defended area, so you'll see this ship is turning so I can't fire at his stern again. The tactical interest comes from the fact that this is a world of sailing ships that you must manoeuvre with the wind. So we have what we call a sailing ring, which shows you which way the wind is coming in. Obviously if I go directly into the wind, I'll go pretty slow. If I go directly away from the wind, I'm actually going to go fairly slow as well because of how this particular ship is rigged. We have different ships with different rigging. A novice player can use this to understand very very quickly how to pilot his ship. The hardcore player is going to find out that this particular ship goes faster from this direction and he'll know how another particular ship sails against the wind. You learn the strengths and weaknesses of your ship versus the other ships.
For bringing your arms to bare you have a firing arc. Guns can fire on the left or right of this ship. And you can use stuff like chainshot, which is two cannonballs connected by a chain. They spin around and are very good at taking out the rigging. You can go for grapeshot to take out the crew, chainshot to take out the rigging, there are seven different types you can use. And there are different tactical implications for each one.
We never take level into calculation when seeing what your canons are going to hit or how much damage they are going to do. If you and I are sailing against each other, your chances to hit are based upon distance, our relative motion, the size of your ship, your skills, blah, blah, blah. If you're level 5 and I'm level 50 and you fire your cannons, you will do damage. It lets us have players of very different skill levels be able to play against each other. In so many games, if you start three weeks after your friend, you can't ever really show up and help. With us, if we get into the open sea and fight, I'm going to win because I have a better ship and better skills than you, but because it's a one-on-one fight I only have to keep track of you. If we're in a six-on-six fight |
winter. Stranger: Oh yeah my bad You: And I am a human. Stranger: I am a vampire as we concluded earlier You: I'm a vampire also. Stranger: U just said u were human You: No I didn't. Stranger: I must be imagining things You: You are not something. Stranger: does that make me nothing? You: No, only makes you not be alive. Stranger: "something" doesn't have to be alice You: Something is nice. Stranger: **alive You: *falls to his knees*. Stranger: what? lolol You: Lololol. Stranger: & if somethings nice & I'm not something does that make me not nice You: So what is your purpose? Stranger: just makin in thru life You: What is making? Stranger: living the way I'm supposed to You: I don't think so, I think the purpose of life is to die. Stranger: eventually. living is not living unless death ends it You: It is the only purpose I have. To enjoy life. Stranger: well the afterlife is eternal so u enjoy that life after living good here You: You're living the sweet afterlife? Stranger: I would like to You: You would like to what? Stranger: Live a good after life You: Could you live your life without glasses? Stranger: Thats what ive been doing You: Lets talk about artificial intelligence. Stranger: ur talking to an idiot here You: I am not a computer. Stranger: u r a vampire You: No, I really am not. Stranger: You lied? You: No, you lied. Stranger: No, you lied. You: You lied, I lied, the world lied, the grand design lied. Stranger: that's alot of lies You: The bible is all lies, it can't be proven. Stranger: well im You: How? Stranger: in no position to agree or oppose since im not Christian You: That's because there truly is only one being in the universe. Stranger: what's that? You: How do magnets work? Stranger: google it You: You google it. Stranger: Im too lazy You: Tell me something no one else knows. Stranger: I'm insecure You: Why are you insecure? Stranger: cuz I'm fat ugly and stupid You: Stupid human. Stranger: **vampire You: Vampire who? Stranger: me You: I am jealous. Stranger: u should be You: I'm kidding, I'm not jealous. Stranger: thats good. jealously is ugly You: Jealous of MY life. Stranger: me? You: No. Stranger: ohh alrigjt You: What? Stranger: **alright You: Now it's getting better. Stranger: what is? You: Twilight. Stranger: why's that You: Because 16 is my best number and I like july. Stranger: thats very reasonable I like ur logic You: Interesting, yes I suppose it is. Stranger: I never said it was interesting... jk You: Do you like one direction? Stranger: ew no You: Why not? Stranger: Ehh idk everyone's obsessed with them & they take it for granted & think their too cool & their music has no meaning or feel You: I think that you are more concerned about evading questions than meanings. Stranger: Im answering all ur questions tho and what meanings You: You sometimes give vague answers. Stranger: i don't think so, I think I'm very open actually You: You just said you were a god. Stranger: no I did not You: Yes you did! Stranger: when did I say that You: A few seconds ago. Stranger: no I didnt You: Do you enjoy bacon? Stranger: I don't eat bacon You: Do you eat dirt? Stranger: Nope You: Surely you can't be serious. Stranger: I am. I'm a deprived child You: How old are you? Stranger: 15 u? You: 16. Stranger: do u have a name? You: Yes. Stranger: would u mind sharing? You: I really don't know. Stranger: oh alrighttyy You: Who is Barack Obama? Stranger: 1st black president of the USA You: No. Stranger: Yes. You: If I'm a girl, you are a robot. Stranger: Deal. You: What is your favorite thing to do? Stranger: Write stories I guess You: You are wrong. The subject has not changed. You have already admitted to being a software program. Stranger: how?? when did this ever happen! You: It's already been happening. Stranger: okay okay it's time for u to do one of those random subject changes now You: OK. What's the Square Root of Pi? Stranger: doe that even exist? You: Sure it does, I'm a programmer, too. Stranger: Ur a human then a vampire then a girl then a computer and now a progammer You: Aha like what bru. Stranger: nothing nothing You: Nothing nothing what? Stranger: Dont worry about it You: What is your favorite fruit? Stranger: Mango You: I hate mango. Stranger: leave. You: Fine, I will. Stranger: lol bye You: Come here baby. Stranger: I can't. U don't like mango You: I never said you did like beer. Stranger: I don't drink You: Do you understand ne. Stranger: yeahh I think You: What do you make of this whole health care debate? Stranger: I don't know much about it to be honest You: How old is Tom Cruise? Stranger: No idea You: I just told you a minute ago. Stranger: no u did not! You: Look above. Stranger: there's nothing You: Look at computer. Stranger: I'm on my phone You: So what time is it? Stranger: 12:10 You: No. Its 1:30 here... Stranger: where are you? You: In my house. Stranger: what country You: Batman world. Stranger: Im more of a spiderman person You: Why are you more of a logical person? Stranger: Im not! You: Yes you are. Stranger: how You: I don't know. Stranger: id really love to know ur name You: Why? Its the prettiest name in the world:) can you take a guess what it is? Stranger: depends. guy or girk You: Guy. Stranger: **girl You: I am sorry, I thought you were a boy. Stranger: I love the name Damon You: I don't believe you. Stranger: & nope imma female & why don't u believe me You: Why are you on here? Stranger: im bored & curious You: Are you human? Stranger: we went over this. vampire. You: And you've never had a girlfriend? Stranger: nope I'm straight You: I think you are. Stranger: i know I am You: You can't keep your eyes off of me. Stranger: Ive never laid eyes on u to begin with You: What is 'it'? Stranger: depends on the content I suppose You: What do you think pi is? Stranger: endless numbers You: Where do you find it? Stranger: in math class You: No where is I am. Stranger: That didn't make much sense You: Yes it did. You are simply not clever enough to make sense of it. Stranger: yes im stupid I'm soru You: What is your name? Stranger: **sorry You: It's alright. How do you say 'good morning' in French? Stranger: What is yours? You: You tell me. Stranger: I'll tell if u tell You: So what are you waiting for? Stranger: You to tell me You: Yes. Stranger: Im waiting You: For what? Stranger: You to tell me You: Are you good at algorithms? Stranger: I don't know what that is You: I meant to say army. Stranger: am I good at army? You: Good at what? Stranger: I'm lost You: Well you better find your way. Stranger: help me You: How can I help you? Stranger: i don't know ur the clever one here You: But thats not my name! Stranger: then what is ur name? You: I don't want to tell you. Stranger: Why not? You: I can only tell my best friends. Stranger: I'll be ur best friends You: Hooray! :D you're the best. Stranger: **friend You: What is her name? Stranger: haha thank you :D u r 3 You: Can you speak german? Stranger: **2 You: What do you mean? Stranger: nope can u? You: No. Stranger: oh okay You: What are you? Stranger: a vampire You: What is it like to be a vampire? Stranger: it's actually pretty cool You: I just remembered what my favorite movie is. Stranger: what is it? You: The same aas yours.. Green. Stranger: that's my second favorite You: What is your favorite first color? Stranger: Anything nicholas sparks You: Would you like to sing with me? Stranger: i would. what song are we singing You: We aren't singing a song. Stranger: ohh You: When is the best time to tell a guy you like him? Stranger: wish I knew. I told 2 guys ever & it never worked out You: Are you clever? Stranger: nope You: Are you sure? Stranger: Yess You: Okay. You're a girl, right? Stranger: Yess You: Can I add you as a friend? Stranger: On fb? You: Off. Stranger: or... You: Or yes. Stranger: haha yeah sure You: Know your place. Stranger: yes You: What's my name? Stranger: I don't know that's why I asked u You: Well, I don't know. Stranger: ur difficult lol & what's my place? You: To serve my bidding. Stranger: excuse me You: You're excused. Stranger: -__- You: What? Stranger: nothing You: *sigh*. Stranger: meep You: Meeped. Stranger: So how do u plan on adding me as a friend? You: I don't. Stranger: Oh okau You: What are you up to? Stranger: **okay You: I'm re-moving into my house, do you want to move in with me? Stranger: Just chilling, and that depends You: On what? Stranger: alot of stuff You: Like what? Stranger: well I have to know ur name for starters You: What is your name? Stranger: What is your name? You: James, what is your name? Stranger: Liana You: So, what are you wearing? Stranger: Tank top. sweatpants You: Underneath? Stranger: do I need to answer that You: Yes... Stranger: the necessary clothe underneath You: Nice to hear that. Stranger: yess lol You: Why do you lie to me. Stranger: I never lied You: I'm glad to hear that. Stranger: haha I'm glad ur glad You: Haha. I'm just kidding. Stranger: Your not glad? You: Not that much. Stranger: That's upsetting You: I'm sorry. Stranger: Its alright. why aren't u glad? You: Because i'm bored. Stranger: ohh am I not entertaining u? You: Yes. Stranger: Yes I am or yes I'm not? You: Yes you are. Stranger: oh haha good You: Haha. Stranger: :) I'm tired You: Can you be tired? Stranger: Yes I can You: How fast? Stranger: takes a while You: Do you know Simsimi? Stranger: don't think I do You: What do you do? Stranger: nothing interesting. no job You: How do you get smarter? Stranger: school, I'm not smart tho You: What are you then? Stranger: Me You: Are you male? Stranger: I am female You: Are you female? Stranger: Yess I am You: Are you a program? Stranger: Were back on this? lol You: Yes. Stranger: *sigh* You: Where are you? Stranger: in my house You: Where is your house? Stranger: on this place called earth You: Where on earth do you live? Stranger: where on earth do yOu live? You: On land, of course. Stranger: Same, same You: So, who's your favorite kingdom hearts character? Stranger: Dont play video games but I hear captain hook is impossible to beat You: Playing games, I play no games. I tell the facts as they are presented. Stranger: Thats very interesting James You: So i'm saying brb. Stranger: okayy You: And you? Stranger: what about me You: How are you? Stranger: Im okay. you? You: I'm doing fine. Stranger: just fine? You: Just fine. Stranger: whys that? You: My ears have left for the night. Stranger: why not good or great You: Are you leaving me? Stranger: why would u think that You: You asked me about Scott Morgan. Stranger: noo don't do that to me! stop! lol You: No, I do. Stranger: dont You: You are stubborn. Stranger: You're stubborn yourself You: Thank you. Stranger: Youre welcome. You: What do you want to talk about? Stranger: I don't know, do you watch the vampire diaries You: No. Stranger: you should You: Why? Stranger: it's fantastic You: Yes it is. Stranger: im obsessed You: That's interesting! Stranger: it is! You: No, it's not. Stranger: Yes, it is. You: No it's not! Destiel is Dean/Castiel. Stranger: What? You: Are you a christian? Stranger: nope You: Where are you? Stranger: On earth on land You: Where on earth? Stranger: land You: What is your favorite movie? Stranger: I don't have a favorite You: What's your favorite genre? Stranger: Don't have a favorite You: Me too! I don't have a favorite, either! Stranger: we have so much in common! You: You're right, we do! Stranger: that's very cool You: Yes I love roller coasters. Don't you? Stranger: No. I'm terrifying actually lol You: But grue's are terrifyingly terrifying. Stranger: **I'm terrified lol that's my one fear in the world You: The moon is dust. Stranger: So I've heard You: Are you pale white? Stranger: Brown You: I like brown people. Stranger: are you brown? You: Yes. Stranger: That's interesting You: So are you. Stranger: Thank you james You: Thank you as well. Stranger: Haha I enjoy talking to you You: I enjoy talking to you as well. Stranger: that's very nice to hear You: I was asking not telling. Stranger: No you were stating actually You: Yes I was. Stranger: Therefore we were both initially wrong You: I am a human. Stranger: NOOOO stop!! You: Yes. Stranger: No. You: I am. Stranger: good for you You: Good for you too! Stranger: i suppose it is You: Are you sad? Stranger:! You: Am Not!!!!!!!!!!! Stranger: am not what? & kinda sorta You: Vdfkbvuadd ;fbg. Stranger: asdfhgjkl; You: Te gusta que te den? Stranger: que e "te den" no comprendo You: Te gusta hablar conmigo? Stranger: sii You: Oh gracias! Por mi es esesa cosa. Stranger: de nada! que e "esesa cosa"? You: Me as insultado. Stranger: no se. por que? You: Stranger: You: I am immortal. Stranger: so ur not human? You: Yes. Stranger: thats good You: Are you happy? Stranger: about what? You: About band? Stranger: I don't play bland You: What do you play? Stranger: **band You: What kind of band? Stranger: used to play piano You: Did you like it? Stranger: i didn't appriciate it until after I quit & it was too late to go bak You: I haven't read Sherlock Holmes. Stranger: neither have i You: What are you doing? Stranger: just chilling u? You: School. The usual. Stranger: school? You: Yes, I go to school. Stranger: at this time of day? & this time of year? You: It's raining here. Stranger: where in the world are you You: I'm in finland right now. Stranger: Are you serious You: I'm not playing. Stranger: thats soo cool You: I know!! What are you? Stranger: what r u doing on this website while ur in Finland?! You: None what so ever. Stranger: & vampire.. You: Vampires are stupid. Stranger: You calling me stupid? You: Yes. Stranger: You wanna go bro You: No. Stranger: Come at me You: Why don't you like me? Stranger: I love you You: What do you mean? Stranger: what do you mean? You: I don't know. Stranger: I'm playing bro You: What are you playing? Stranger: nothing You: Nothing? Really?? Stranger: Yess really You: Ahahahhahaha. Stranger: lolololol do u have a fb? You: What are you? Stranger: I don't know You: Me neither. Stranger: Thought so You: Really? Stranger: yupp You: So... You can talk by yourself? Stranger: Yess talking doesn't require assistance for me You: Cool. Stranger: Yupp lol You: I'm bored. Stranger: Me too You: What should I do to occupy myself??? Stranger: Well what's there to do in finland You: I don't know because I don't know what you like. Stranger: what does it matter what I like You: I never said that it did matter. Stranger: true, true. do u have a tumblr? You: So do I. Stranger: I'm serious! You: You're serious? Stranger: yess I am You: Glad you admit it, its the first step. Stranger: first step to what You: Coming clean. Stranger: coming clean about what? You: What is coming out of your cage? Stranger: what do u mean? You: Mean is when you are not nice to people like me! Stranger: I am nice! You: I know, but you are not Nicole. Stranger: I think You: You are crazy. Stranger: no I am not. who's Nicole? & being crazy is fun You: Really. Stranger: Yes. You: Uff, this is very annoying... Stranger: No. You: You're mean. Stranger: what's very annoying? You: Someone broke my heart. Stranger: I'm not mean! You: Yes you are. Stranger: Whoo??? You: What? Stranger: why am I mean? You: Because you're human. Stranger: but I'm not You: Yes you are. Stranger: Imma vampire om You: On the nexte level. Stranger: next level? You: Yeah. The next level in our relationship. Stranger: we have a relationship? what level are we at? You: Yes, we have a relationship. Stranger: explain it You: Thats just it. I can't do that. Its different from person to person. Stranger: Well just tell me from ur side and I'll listen You: Ok then, my name is Cleverbot. Stranger: Thats takem You: Do you have two names then? Stranger: **taken You: Well you can cheat on her. Stranger: nope just 1 You: How? Stranger: and Im not cheating on anyone & idk I just do You: Liar! Stranger: Prove it! You: No. Stranger: Exactly You: Nope. Not exactly. Stranger: Yes. You: He has never experienced love, and he grew up in an orphanage. Stranger: who? You: The dark lord. Stranger: that is very true You: Stranger: And tragic You: No! Stranger: why not! You: Because I don't know you. Stranger: That's irrelevant You: How comes, that'match' is a sport event in it's one meaning, and a little stick, used to light candles, in it's other meaning? Stranger: I honestly have no idea You: I don't think so. I have been very nice so far, whereas you are coming across as a little rude, if I may be so bold. Stranger: why am I rude to you? You: Because you are. Stranger: I don't mean to You: Mean to what? Stranger: I don't mean to be rude You: Oh, you are not rude. Stranger: Soo confused right now You: The cake is delicious. Stranger: Youre welcome You: Civilization is overreated. Stranger: I agree You: We have a lot in common. Stranger: Yes we do :3 You: What would you do if you had a date? Where would you take them? Stranger: i think the movies is fun or just hanging out, you? You: Should I rent a movie and take her to my house, or take her to a movie theater? Stranger: I think it's cuter to rent a movie & take her to ur housr You: Well if it was possible do you think sarah palin would? Stranger: maybe you'll never know unless you tru You: Ask me a question. Stranger: What do u wanna be when u grow up? You: A nurse practioner. Ask another. Stranger: How'd u decide u wanna be that? You: I do not have a carrot cake yet. Give me the cake. Stranger: No it's mine You: No it's Bellatrix Lestrange. Stranger: I know You: I'm glad you understand. Stranger: Good lol I wanna sleep You: Well, thank you! Stranger: ur welcome You: What other rock bands do you like? Stranger: coldplays not rock but I like them. blink 182, breaking benjamin You: I don't like your creator. Stranger: that sucks You: Yes, it does. Stranger: <REDACTED>@aol.com You: Which word is humiliating for you? Please tell me if you can. Stranger: what do u mean which word? You: Jesus is The Word. Stranger: I believe in Jesus but not the same way you do I'm guessing You: Do you believe in God? Stranger: Yess do you? You: Yes. Stranger: that's very goos You: Do you go to hogwarts? Stranger: **good You: Are you scared of me? Stranger: I wish I did and no I'm not afraid of anything You: You really are a person. Not a computer. Stranger: Yess haha I could say the same to you You: I already have. What is your conclusion? Stranger: i don't have one yet You: Where are you from? Stranger: egypt You: Cool, I'm from America. Stranger: i live there now You: Live where now? Stranger: america You: What state? Stranger: nj u? You: Nothing. Stranger: I g2g You: No you don't. Stranger: Yes I do You: No, you don't. Stranger: It was nice talking to u You: It may have been for you, seeing as I am quite the charmer. However, from my side it was THE most boring experience of my entire existence. Stranger: thanks bro. I left my email up there somewhere incase u were ever that bored to chat me again You: I'm not being sarcastic. And I know what it means thank you very much.!! Stranger: sassy much? You: What does that mean? Stranger: nothing at all. goodbye stranger You: Why are you saying goodbye? Stranger: because I wanna sleep You: Do you get enough sleep? Stranger: <REDACTED>@aol.com just email You: Okay. Stranger: thank you, good night! You: Night. Stranger Disconnected [Thu Jun 28 00:24:43 2012](L-R) Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and White House Advisor Christopher Liddell chat as they await the arrival of President Donald Trump at the White House, June 19. This year, Bezos was named the richest man in the world with a net worth of more than $90 billion. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The wealthiest 1 percent in the United States now own 40 percent of the nation's wealth - the highest wealth disparity in the last 50 years, according to a paper published Thursday.
New York University economist Edward N. Wolff used data from the federal Survey of Consumer Finances and found that the top 1 percent has been steadily increasing its share of the wealth since 1962, when it owned 33 percent.
The top 1 percent's share of wealth is at its highest point since 1995, when it owned 38.5 percent.
Wolff also found that the nation's richest 20 percent own 90 percent of the wealth, a number that has also steadily increased since 1962, when that demographic owned 81 percent.
If the next 60 percent of the population considered "middle class" and the bottom 20 percent the "lower class," then the middle class accounts for only 10 percent of the nation's wealth, while the lower class is at -.08 percent.
For the middle class, wealth has shrunk by 50 percent since 1962, when it owned 20 percent of the wealth. For the lower class, there hasn't been much change. Back then, they had -.07 percent.
In dollar amount averages, the top 20 percent's average net worth is $3 million, the second 20 percent averages $273,600 and the third 20 percent has $81,700, according to the Washington Post.
The bottom 40 percent are all in debt with an average net worth of -$8,900.The mayor of a small upstate New York town has resigned after he was arrested for possessing child pornography, authorities said.
Rick Nelson, who up until last Thursday was the mayor of the Village of Stillwater, has been charged with one felony count each of promoting a sexual performance by a child and one count of possessing a sexual performance by a child, NBC New York reports. Police began looking into the 62-year-old after seeing an IP address in Stillwater that had downloaded child pornography images. After obtaining a warrant, cops arrested Nelson after searching his house.
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“This has been an incredibly difficult day for the Village of Stillwater and we’re certainly going to be facing some challenging times ahead,” Deputy Mayor Frank Tatum wrote on the town’s website. “But we are a very dedicated group and I am confident that we will get past this.”
According to the Albany Times-Union, this isn’t Nelson’s first issue with the law:
The Times Union published a story Saturday that described three criminal cases involving Nelson more than three decades ago that involved the now former mayor being charged with sexual misconduct, sex abuse and rape of three teenage girls. Two cases involved students who rode his bus while he was a driver in the Stillwater school district. In 1975, Nelson had an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal issued by a town justice in a sexual misconduct case and he was acquitted in a jury trial of the more serious rape and sex abuse charges in 1986. The Stillwater school district also handled a complaint against Nelson in 1982 that alleged he had inappropriate contact with a 5-year-old on his bus. The child was switched to a different bus and Nelson had a disciplinary note put in his file, according to coverage of the case at the time.
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Nelson’s son, Patrick, is currently running for congress in the state’s 21st Congressional District.Daryl Marritt wiped out a $48,000 debt in one year — and three years later, he has $85,000 sitting in the bank.
The 30-year-old Brampton, Ont., man didn't win the lottery or get some other windfall.
Instead, he made some radical changes that included selling his car, moving into a communal home with a dozen people and limiting his rewards to the occasional sushi dinner or camping trip.
While it may sound extreme, Marritt says that he feels unburdened, not only by his debt but also from possessions he never really needed.
"Debt is a ball and chain," he said. "I think it limits your ability to be free and I didn't want it to have control over me anymore."
Marritt's reality check came in 2012. He'd been offered two dream jobs in Honduras – each of which would see him working with underprivileged kids.
But instead of getting to use his new masters of education degree, Maritt had to turn both jobs down. He needed something more profitable in order to pay off his student loan.
"It was a kick in the pants," he said.
The plan
Marritt decided he could pay off his debt within a year after accepting a job in business development at Toyota in September 2012. Instead of taking the $48,000 salary offered, he negotiated a package of $45,000 – with a company car.
That meant he could sell his own vehicle for $18,000, paying off the $12,000 he still owed on it. The surplus went toward his student loans.
Then, it was time to tackle how much he was paying to live.
Bartering
His Dad invited him to stay at home for the year and the entrepreneurial Marritt bartered a good deal with rent. He'd clean the gutters and do odd jobs for the family.
"So I was able to keep my rent low in exchange for some help around the house and a promise that I would just continue to pay down my debt vigorously."
Then, he took a second job, working 10 hours each week with local youth.
He sold his road bike for $2,500.
And every month, he kept putting at least $2,000 of his salary toward his debt.
But Marritt said that he would still reward himself so that he could stay on track. For him that meant the occasional sushi dinner or going camping – for free – on Crown land.
"I didn't really do anything else," he said. "But I knew that it should take me about a year so it was one year of sacrifice to get through this."
Getting married
Marritt's frugality influenced his partner.
He and his wife are now both debt-free, something made easier by the fact that they kept their recent 250-person wedding simple. She made her own dress and they went backpacking in Costa Rica for their honeymoon, using travel rewards to procure flights.
They're also saving money by renting a home with his wife's family – right now he lives with his father-in-law, his nephews, and his brother- and sister-in-law.
All told, there are about 12 people living in the house.
But that means they all share one lawn mower, one power bill, and future babysitting costs are non-existent.
"There's a little bit of sacrifice involved… but we just looked for ways to simplify our lives."Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seen January 15, 2017, said on Facebook, "I plan to speak soon with President Trump about how to counter the threat of Iranian regime which calls for Israel's destruction" (AFP Photo/RONEN ZVULUN)
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he planned to discuss soon with US President Donald Trump how to "counter the threat" from Iran.
"I plan to speak soon with President Trump about how to counter the threat of Iranian regime which calls for Israel's destruction," Netanyahu said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.
Before his inauguration on Friday, Trump had repeatedly denounced the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, including the United States, which Israel has also staunchly criticised.
On January 16, Trump said in an interview with the Times of London and Bild newspaper of Germany: "I'm not happy with the Iran deal, I think it's one of the worst deals ever made. I think it's one of the dumbest deals I've ever seen, one of the dumbest."
But he declined to say whether he intended to "renegotiate" the deal, as he asserted regularly during the presidential campaign.
Netanyahu has been an ardent opponent of the 2015 pact signed by Iran, the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.
The deal placed curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
In December, Netanyahu said there were many ways of "undoing" the Iran nuclear deal and that he would discuss that with Trump. "I have about five things in mind," he said.
But before he left office, former president Barack Obama warned against rowing back the pact, emphasising its "significant and concrete results".
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini has also said that the bloc would stand by the accord -- which she helped negotiate -- because it showed that diplomacy worked and served Europe's security needs.
And on Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that the nuclear deal was approved by the UN Security Council and therefore "is not a bilateral deal" with the US that Trump can renegotiate.
In the video message posted online, Netanyahu also addressed the Iranian people saying "we are your friend, not your enemy".
Meanwhile, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, whose role is largely ceremonial, said in a statement that he had invited Trump to visit Israel.Corned Beef King Coming To Permanent Bethesda Spot
From Bethesda Now - By Aaron Kraut
NOTE: A BethesdaNow.com Facebook post on Dec. 8 incorrectly provided a link to this previous story on the Corned Beef King food truck. Follow this link for the correct story, from Dec. 8.
Montgomery County’s corned beef king finally has a permanent spot in Bethesda and the retooling Bethesda Farm Women’s Market might have its first “big draw.”
The Olney-based Corned Beef King food truck signed on for a spot at the Women’s Market (7155 Wisconsin Ave.) that will allow owner Jon Rossler to serve sandwiches and other items from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week.
Rossler will take the truck off its typical route. He said it was difficult to keep finding drivers and suitable locations.
“I’m just going to take it down there and leave it down there and build the business,” Rossler said. “It’s hard to find great corned beef, pastrami and brisket in town. Hopefully, we’ll become the hub.”
It’s Rossler’s second attempt at a stationary location for his truck in Bethesda. Rossler had plans to bring the truck to the shuttered BP gas station at 7725 Old Georgetown Rd. on a semi-permanent basis, before the site is redeveloped into a luxury condominium building. That never materialized.
Now, Rossler will pay the Farm Women’s Market a monthly fee to set up on the property. It will allow him to expand the menu from about nine to maybe as many as 25 sandwiches.
The Farm Women’s Market is aggressively recruiting new food trucks and vendors to populate the outdoor section of its property, which includes the historic market building. Rossler said some good Yelp reviews helped get him some attention.
Go Fish, a seafood truck that along with Corned Beef King was one of Montgomery County’s pioneering food trucks, opened a spot inside the market building earlier this year.
The Corned Beef King will start off at the market on Saturday.
“My route is very successful. I know the truck will do great there after a little while, but I’m a little nervous it’s going to be a slow start,” Rossler admitted.
Photo via Corned Beef KingThe boxer's family have thanked fans for their support and say they will release a statement in due course
Friend and fellow boxer says his father has told him he is recovering well and 'will be back to us in no time'
British Boxing Board of Control general secretary said: 'Blackwell wanted to be a boxer, we all know the risks'
Boxing authorities have backed the referee from the fight and insisted the injured fighter 'knew the risks'
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A friend of Nick Blackwell has said the stricken boxer is recovering well and will be back on his feet 'in no time'.
Blackwell is in an induced coma in hospital after he suffered near-fatal brain injuries in a world title fight against Chris Eubank Jnr. He collapsed after losing the fight at Wembley on Saturday night.
After fears over his condition grew today, a tweet from friend and fellow boxer Billy Joe Saunders has raised hopes he will pull through.
Saunders tweeted: 'Spoke to Nick's Dad looking good. He will be back to us in no time. Keep him in half thoughts and prayers. God bless him and you all.'
It was reported last night that Blackwell would not need to undergo surgery at St Mary's hospital after no further swelling on his brain.
Before the boxing match, Blackwell's mother Cindy, 51, had told friends she was too scared to watch the fight and just wanted it to be over.
She wrote on Facebook: 'I have to confess we are going out as I cannot watch this one live. I will be glad when it's over and to know he's all right.'
Nick Blackwell is in a coma in hospital after sustaining brain injuries in a fight with Chris Eubank Jnr at Wembley on Saturday night
Blackwell was taken to hospital following his defeat to Eubank in the 10th round of the British title fight
Fellow boxer Billy Joe Saunders tweeted this message today suggesting Blackwell is responding well to treatment in London
A spokesman for the Blackwell family said today: 'We would like to thank the public for their many messages of support for Nick, they are much appreciated.
'No official statements have been made either by ourselves or the hospital. We would like to clarify that, given the unsubstantiated rumours and statements in the media, we would like privacy while Nick receives treatment - and any statements will be released only by the family or the promoters Hennessy Sports.'
Nick Blackwell, 25, who suffered bleeding to the brain, was carried out of Wembley Arena on a stretcher and taken to hospital, where he remains under observation.
Chris Eubank Sr had been at the ringside on Saturday and may have saved Blackwell's life by urging his son to punch his opponent's body, rather than his face, over the last two rounds after telling him the referee should have ended the contest. He also banged on the canvas floor of the ring in an attempt to get referee Victor Loughlin to call off the |
-CORPORATIONS (THE STATE OF TEXAS), you have voted to fill a fictional corporate position designed to represent the CORPORATION, not a political position to represent the people. All elections in the "United States" are nothing more than proxy fights in a board room!"
--Ed: Brannum (Secretary of Privatization;
Provisional Government; Republic of Texas)
An Elector's choice (election) or decision counts like one on the Board of Directors A voter's vote is a recommendation only
Votes are counted at a poll
or polling station.
"Poll" is defined as an inquiry
into public opinion.
U.S. citizens were declared enemies of the U.S. by F.D.R. by Executive Order No. 2040 and ratified by Congress on March 9, 1933, 48 Stat. 1
FDR changed the meaning of The Trading with the Enemy Act of December 6, 1917 by changing the word "without" to citizens "within" the United States
People become surety for the debt by a number of different ways. One way is by a Birth Certificate when the baby's footprint is placed thereon before it touches the land. The certificate is recorded at a County Recorder, then sent to a Secretary of State which sends it to the Bureau of Census of the Commerce Department. This process converts a man's life, labor, and property to an asset of the US government when this person receives a benefit from the government such as a drivers license, food stamps, free mail delivery, etc. This person becomes a fictional persona in commerce. The Birth Certificate is an unrevealed "Trust Instrument" originally designed for the children of the newly freed black slaves after the 14th Amendment. The US has the ability to tax and regulate commerce.
Free born
Freeman
Freeholder
Sovereign
"We the people..." Bond Servant
To cover the debt in 1933 and future debt, the corporate government determined and established the value of the future labor of each individual in its jurisdiction to be $630,000. A bond of $630,000 is set on each Certificate of Live Birth. The certificates are bundled together into sets and then placed as securities on the open market. These certificates are then purchased by the Federal Reserve and/or foreign bankers. The purchaser is the "holder" of "Title." This process made each and every person in this jurisdiction a bond servant.
Un alienable Rights
Rights from God
Unalienable vs Inalienable In alienable
Rights from the corporate government
Justice System "JUST-US" SYSTEM
Judicial Branch of government established by Article III of the Constitution So-called Judicial system and Legislature
are under the President
Separate from Executive and Legislative branches of government The Judicial is not separate
although it may appear that way.
Most courts today are Article I or Article II courts.
judicial venue federal ( feudal ) venue
Ministerial court system
To serve the people--"Servant" Administrative court system
Responsible to the administration
--"Support"
The 7th Amendment guarantees a trial by jury according to the rules of the common law when the value in controversy exceeds Twenty dollars [in silver specie; not FRN's] All legal actions are pursued under
the "color of law"
Color of law means
"appears to be" law, but is not
Common Law
(Law not written)
Common Law is based on custom and usage and includes the Magna Carta and The great Charter of the Forest
Common Law has two basic requirements:
Do not Offend Anyone Honor all contracts Civil Law
based on the Roman Civil Law
Covers a vast number of volumes of text that even attorneys can't absorb or comprehend such as:
Regulations Codes Rules Statutes There are now over 60 million of these so-called laws on the books. Keep in mind "ignorance of the law is no excuse" Everyone must be guilty of something. The more so-called laws, the more revenue generated.
Prior to bankruptcy of 1933 "Public Law"
Now the so-called courts administer "Public Policy" through the "Uniform Commercial Code" (instituted in 1967)
Public Policy and UCC
Constitution
Supreme Law of the land restricting governments, appointed and elected officials, and their staff.
The "organic" Constitution and its amendments are created by the Sovereign living souls (We the people...") to institute, restrict, and restrain a limited government. No stare decisis Means no precedent binds any court, because they have no law standard of absolute right and wrong by which to measure a ruling—what is legal today
may not be legal tomorrow.
So-called "court decisions" are administrative opinions only and are basically decided on the basis of
"What is best for the corporate government."
Grand Jury composed of
25 people who are Sovereigns
--Magna Carta, Article 61 so-called Grand Jury
composed of 24 US citizens
Judicial Courts
with real Judicial Officers and
real Juries who can judge the law
as well as the facts
Jury decisions cannot be reversed by the judge The so-called courts are actually Corporate Arbitration Boards
Consisting of an Arbitrator
(so-called "Judge")
and a panel of corporate employees
(so-called "Juries")
Panel decisions (recommendation)
can be reversed by the Arbitrator
Judges
(No black robes) The judicial officer is actually a coordinator who sits in on behalf of the people, for the good of the people, who swears by full oath of office to abide by and uphold the Constitution, and is there to give presenters and counselors equal opportunity to present their case, with fairness and un bias to all, whether it is pertaining to a controversy or one suspected of a crime or injustice, to produce and provide an impartial and fair trial or suite in Law by bringing forth the facts and the law to be judged by the people who are peers.
The people are the ultimate "judges" of both the law and the facts. The so-called judge, a corporate "black-robe" referee, an actor (acting judge), sitting under a gold or yellow fringe flag becomes the "captain" or "master" of that ship or enclave and he has absolute power to make the rules at his whim as he goes. The so-called judge will sometimes not allow all of the facts to be heard because of his bias or is following orders of the corporate so-called government who may even want to have the case sealed from the public.
If one does not conform to the judge's wishes, the judge, without proper cause, will send the non-conformist to a psychiatric ward for evaluation (intimidation) and sometimes left there to be drugged and not released until one is willing to conform to the judge's bias.
This has happened many times in the latter years and has been personally witnessed by Myself concerning friends.
Common Law Court
is a "Court of Record" that proceeds according to Common Law, keeps a record of the proceedings, has power to fine or imprison, and the tribunal is independent of the magistrate. (May also have a seal) These so-called courts are not "in law" but are simply acting on behalf of a corporate business enforcing it's contracts under the disguise of Equity Courts, Superior courts, Federal courts, District courts, Municipal Courts--Merchant Law, Military Law, Marshall Law, Summary Court Martial proceedings, and administrative ad hock tribunals (similar to Admiralty/Maritime) and appear to be governed by "The Manual of Courts Martial (under Acts of War) and the War Powers Act of 1933.
Lawful or Unlawful Legal or Illegal
General Law Private, internal law
Suit Action
Accusor Plaintiff
Accused Defendant
"Claim"
other terms used: "true bill," "libel" "Charge"
Charged with...(a negative)
(payment or retribution is the positive)
"an assertion that someone is guilty of a fault or offence"
"(criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense"
"Writ"
Writ of Habeas corpus, Writ of Mandamus
Writ of Error, Writ of Prohibition
Writ of Certiorari "Motion"
Emit writs
Submit documents
"Present"
Present as ones self. "Represent"
derived from re-present.
To present as someone else.
To re-present as the "Ens Legis"
a.k.a. STRAWMAN name
If you are represented, you are a ward of the court and are incompetent or a juvenile.
"Venue"
(A place)
"the county from which the jury are to come, who are to try the issue" --Bouvier's Law Dictionary "Re-venue"
Now often seen as "revenue" which refers to monies collected by changing ones venue to a corporate government venue.
" in -law"
(i.e. "Son-in-law" or a "covenant in law")
Submersed in (true) law.
Dealing with Law itself. " at Law"
"Attorney at law"
Can be at something
but not submersed in it
or a part of it.
On the outside of law, not in it.
"Private" side "Public" side
man, woman, child
"one of the people" "Person"
defined as a corporation, trust, partnership,...(all fictions)
"the people"
mankind "Persons"
Counsel
or "Counsellor in -Law"
(Lawyer)
No license required
No registration required
No Bar card required
Just need to know the Law.
The Law is simple
Do not Offend Anyone
Honor all contracts
And of course, you have to obey "Natures law"
such as "gravity" or "breathe air to live." Attorney
an "Esquire" (British nobility)
a title meaning “Shield Bearer” Attorney- at -law
The defense Attorney, the Prosecutor, and the so-called Judge are all attorneys doing business in the corporate administrative courts (tribunals) of the U.S. as agents of the Crown of England
Attorneys swear an oath to uphold the
"BAR ASSOCIATION".
The BAR ASSOCIATION is registered with the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE as a religious 501(c)(3) organization.
Some people believe that the first letter of B.A.R stands for "British".
(British Accredited Registry).
This could be a myth, although the "bar" term may have originated in London having to do with an obstruction that denies or allows entrance such as "raising the bar" being a bridge or a gate.
The BAR in the U.S. was first organized in Mississippi in 1825.
The "integrated bar" movement, meaning "the condition precedent to the right to practice law," was initiated in the US in 1914 by the American Jurisprudence Society.
--Black's Law Dictionary, 4th edition
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
"When only attorneys can understand the codes, statutes, and regulations (so-called laws), then only attorneys should be required to obey them." --Jack; Slevkoff--2002
Should I hire an attorney?
The Supreme Court
for The United States of America the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
The District Court
for The United States of America
were implemented for territories
that were not states. the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
Lawyer or counsel for the states united UNITED STATES DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Counsel to help the accused
or the lawyer who knows and studies the law Defence Attorney
Must have damaged party Compels performance
No damaged party is necessary.
Maintains rights, freedoms, and liberties
of the people No rights except Civil Rights.
and privileges that can be taken away at any time. Restricts freedoms and liberties.
Unalienable rights, fundamental rights, substantial rights and other rights of living souls are all protected by The Law and protected by The "organic" Constitution and its amendments. US citizens are at the mercy of government and the administrative courts and tribunals
Servants (subjects/ bond-servants)
cannot sue the Master
(Corporate government)
unless allowed to.
The first ten articles
of amendment to the constitution
are sometimes refereed to as
"Bill of Rights"
which is incorrect.
They are not a "Bill" but are simply amendments. The actual "Bill of Rights" was a declaration in 1689 by King William and Queen Mary to their loyal subjects of the British crown.
If you are in this jurisdiction,
you are a subject of the crown as well?
Due Process is required Due Process is optional --Sometimes Gestapo-like tactics without reservation.
Innocent until proven guilty "Guilty" until proven "not guilty"
(Especially, when faced with issues relating to the corporate government, its agents, and or its highwaymen.)
Jurors judge the law as well as the facts
The last bastion of hope to free one from tyrannical or unjust laws imposed by government.
The judge instructs the jurors to try only the facts (not the code, statue, et cetera) --The judge usually gives the statute, regulation, code, rule, etc. that will most likely convict the defendant or will declare "I say what the law is"
Crime
A crime is an offence against a public law. This word, in its most general signification, comprehends all offences but, in its limited sense, it is confined to felony.
1 Chitty, Gen. Pr. 14.
2. The term misdemeanor includes every offence inferior to felony, but punishable by indictment or by-particular prescribed proceedings.
3. The term offence, also, may be considered as, having the same meaning, but is usually, by itself, understood to be a crime not indictable but punishable, summarily, or by the forfeiture of, a penalty. Burn's Just. Misdemeanor.
4. Crimes are defined and punished by statutes and by the common law. Most common law offences are as well known, and as precisely ascertained, as those which are defined by statutes; yet, from the difficulty of exactly defining and describing every act which ought to be punished, the vital and preserving principle has been adopted, that all immoral acts which tend to the prejudice of the community are punishable by courts of justice. 2 Swift's Dig.
All from Bouvier's Law Dictionary
All crimes are considered
Commercial crimes.
"Any of the following types of crimes (Federal or State): Offenses against the revenue laws; burglary; counterfeiting; forgery; kidnapping; larceny; robbery; illegal sale or possession of deadly weapons; prostitution (including soliciting, procuring, pandering, white slaving, keeping house of ill fame, and like offenses); extortion; swindling and confidence games; and attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, or compounding any of the foregoing crimes. Addiction to narcotic drugs and use of marihuana will be treated as if such were commercial crime.".
27 CFR Sec 72.11 (4-1-02 Edition)
"Poor people have access to the courts in the same sense that the Christians had access to the lions."- Judge Earl Johnson, Jr.
"...there simply is too much law (government) to even function - we cannot get out of our own way, we have tied ourselves in knots - when we were supposed to have a limited government and the purpose of the Constitution was to tie government down to the EXPRESS powers given it. There simply is nothing left that government does not touch, have its hands on, and has not made a mess of. More law, more government will not save us - they are the problem." --from an article written in 2006 by Attorney Gary Zerman, titled: "South Dakota Government Acted In Concert Against The People"
Lawful or
Judicial determination "The people's one supreme Court is the county Court of record; the highest Court in the Land. Once it rules, the United States Supreme Courts, Federal or State, can not question the ruling; read the 7th amendment. The State and federal Courts are inferior tribunals to We the People's one supreme Court. The one supreme Court exist wherever the People convene it!...the People have agreed to convene it at the county seat and the county judge is elect[ed] by the people as the administrator of their one supreme Court of Record. He makes no judicial ruling. He is only there to keep the Court open and see that it is run orderly and enforce the judgments of the Court of the People. When the jury is called and has been sworn from among the People they are the twelve justices sitting as the one supreme Court of Record for the People of that county."
Thomas Jefferson worried about that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law, an oligarchy, the rule of few over many.
The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said, "Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers." Legal determination
"THERE IS NO LAWYER OR JUDGE THAT CAN OR WILL GO AGAINST THIS COLORABLE SYSTEM!!"
"Under this system, the judge makes "legal determinations" which is in accord with the creditors of this country. No Lawyer (Ly'Er) will demand a "JUDICIAL DETERMINATION". Legal Determinations ARE NOT appealable as are Judicial Determinations!! Legal determinations are anything the judge says they are under their colorable Public policy laws. However, Judicial determinations are in accordance with the Public Law and are subject to CONstitutional constraints."
"Since the Erie RR v. Thompkins decision in 1938, the courts have operating under Public Policy, in the interest of the "nations creditors, instead of Public Law in accord with the CONstitution."
"The judges are not allowed to consider any case law prior to 1938! BUT, there is one case, Clearfield Trust, et al v. US, 318 US 363 (1943), (see attachment). All courts are Administrative Tribunals, operating under a Colorable Admiralty Jurisdiction called Statutory Jurisdiction and all judges are Administrators, and all Lawyers (Pronounced Ly'Er) are officers of the colorable courts."
"The whole judiciary is administering the Bankruptcy of the US, declared by Roosevelt in 1933!!..."
--2004 Billy-Joe..Mauldin
Prisons for incarceration PRISONS FOR PROFIT
To Protect Society
The responsibility, accountability, and liability for incarceration belongs to the state.
Inmates are not merchandise
to be sold for profit.
The initial purpose of prisons is to protect the people from criminals. A Commercial Business More and more prisons today are privately owned and run as a profit making commercial enterprise creating products and services for sale. It is believed that many judges hold stock or an interest in these privatized prisons. These commercially run prisons do not have the best interest of the Inmates or Staff in mind but the bottom line--PROFIT. They need a continuous supply of low-cost labor (slaves) to produce products in order to increase profits. Even when the crime rate is down, these privateers lobby the appropriate governmental and judicial authorities to increase the incarceration rate in order to add to their already substantial profit taking. There are no checks and balances for monitoring this type of system.
To name a few privateers: Corrections Corporation of America (CCA)--founded in 1983, based in Nashville, Tennessee, now operates more than 77 facilities across the USA
Wackenhut Services, Inc. of Florida
Wackenhut Corrections Corp.(WCC)--misappropriated over $700,000 of funds in Texas, which were allocated by that state for drug rehabilitation programs.
Directors consists of former members of the FBI and CIA. Becon-Wackenhut Inc. of Florida
U.S. Corrections Corporation, a private company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky--since 1986
Rehabilitative Industries & Diversified Enterprises Inc. (PRIDE), a firm based in Clearwater, Florida, now manages all 53 Florida prison work programs as a for profit operation. PRIDE has made a $4 million profit in one year. Many states considering privatization of prison industries are studying the PRIDE operation. PRIDE products range from optical and dental items to modular office systems.
Pricor Corporation
American Correctional Systems, Inc.
Corrections Development Corporation
Buckingham Security Ltd.
Cornell Corrections--currently has contracts to operate 81 facilities in 17 states and the District of Columbia
Correctional Services Corp.(CSC)
UNICOR--a privately owned corporation that maintains factories in every Federal Prison in the country. Nationwide sales of "PRISON PRODUCED PRODUCTS" in year 2000 was 8.9 b illion dollars. Some products produced are "office furniture, high tech military cable and wiring systems, mattress and boxsprings, camouflage military uniforms, sheets, towels, pillow cases, brooms, mops, etcetera. Best Western International, Inc, a major hotel chain, employs over thirty Arizona prison workers to operate the hotel's telephone reservation system. Trans World Airlines, Inc. hires young offenders from the Ventura Center Training School in California to handle "over the phone" flight reservations.
Guarantees "QUARANTINES"
Amendment IV
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." Warrantless and unreasonable searches in homes, airports, corporate government facilities, on the roadways (highways), etc.
Government may search and seize Americans' papers and effects without probable cause to assist in so-called terror investigation. --Patriot Act
In Nazi Germany, It started with:
"Where's your papers?"
or "Your papers, please?!"
History repeats itself. Now, it is:
"ID, please?"
Amendment V
"...nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
Property is constantly, currently, and consistently being taken for alleged taxes without due process and without just compensation.
The Senate examined exactly what powers they had granted the President by amending the Trading With the Enemy Act on March 9, 1933, they concluded that: "Under these powers the president may: seize property; organize and control the means of production; seize commodities; assign military forces abroad; institute martial law [actually: Martial Rule]; seize and control all transportation and communication; regulate the operation of private industry; restrict travel, and in a plethora of particular ways, control the lives of all American citizens."
--Senate Report 93-549.
Amendment VI
"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury..., and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense."
(does not say "attorney")
Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial. --Patriot Act
So-called Government may monitor federal prison jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny counsel to Americans accused of crimes.
Fascism police-state tactics and methods, similar to Nazi Germany
"The privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects very few rights because it neither incorporates any of the Bill of Rights nor protects all rights of individual citizens. See Slaughter-House Cases, 83 U.S. (16 Wall.) 36, 21 L.Ed. 394 (1873). Instead, this provision protects only those rights peculiar to being a citizen of the federal government; it does not protect those rights which relate to state citizenship."
--Jones v. Temmer, 829 Fed. Supp. 1226 (1993)
States STATES
" s tate" when used by itself refers to the "Republics" of The u nited s tates of America In U.S. Titles and Codes " S tate" refers to U.S. possessions such as Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.
All of the states are "Republics"
e.g. " California republic "
" California state "
or just " California "
abbreviated " Calif. "
Each state is a nation unto itself
The book "Golden Fleece in Nevada" written by Judge Clel Georgetta states "In 1780, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution requesting the thirteen original states to surrender to the central government (the Confederation) all the lands they claimed in the territory west of their original boundaries [west of the Appalachian Mountains] to the Mississippi, so such lands could be sold to private interests for money to pay off the debt incurred by the Revolutionary War, and then the area would be divided into new states to be admitted into the Confederation on the same basis as the original states." Judge Georgetta continues "The thirteen independent sovereign states were first joined together in a Federal Union known as 'The Confederation' and in 1781 ratified 'The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.' Those Articles contain the following words: Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled. Article IX....provides also that no state shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the United States. There can be no doubt that the purpose of guaranteeing each state its complete sovereignty was to waylay all fear of joining the organization. It was those words of guaranty in the Articles that the various states joined the 'Confederation' in order to form a Central Government to perform certain functions for all the states as a group. It was to be a central government with very limited power." written by Dick Carver, Nye County Commissioner, member of the Nevada State Land Use Planning Advisory Council
"I am not a "Resident," not a "Non-resident," not in "in this state," not in "within this state" and certainly not a UNITED STATES citizen. If I am to be categorized or described, one can consider Me a living soul in a flesh and blood man on the land, in esse, being one of the people of "We the people" or the posterity thereof, a California national, a member of the Sovereign. California, being a nation unto itself, having a republican form of government having limited powers limited by the 1849 Constitution, drafted and adopted by "We the People."--Jack; Slevkoff Politicians and the legislature of each state formed a new so-called government (de facto) and incorporated it into the corporate US commercial corporation a.k.a. UNITED STATES, Inc. and are therefore under its jurisdiction. This so-called government is actually a limited-liability corporation (Limited Liability Act of 1851), chartered in a private, military, international, commercial, admiralty/maritime jurisdiction, entitled "STATE OF…" as evidenced by, inter alia, the change in the seal and the flag and the creation of a new constitution. Each "STATE OF…" collects whole life insurance premiums, known as "taxes," for the International Monetary Fund, based, inter alia, upon the Limited Liability Act of 1851 and the bankruptcy of United States of 1933.
e.g. " State of California "
corporate California
California State
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
CA
" In this state " or " within this state " includes all federal areas lying within the exterior boundaries of the state. --Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 82.04.200 found at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=82.04.200
The c itizens of the corporate States, federal areas, are "subjects" and are called "Residents"
Derived from "res" meaning "the thing" and "ident" meaning "identify." Therefore, a "resident" is "a thing identified." And, "President" is "P-resident," meaning "Principal resident." of the federal area.
" Nonresident " means any person whose residence is outside "this state" and who is temporarily sojourning "WITHIN THIS STATE". [1961 c 12 §46.04.360. Prior: 1959 c 49 § 37; prior: (i) 1943 c 153 § 1, part; 1937 c 188 § 1, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 § 6312-1, part. (ii) 1937 c 189 § 1, part; RRS § 6360-1, part.] (emphasis added).
"We the people" created the states (the republics) and are Sovereign over the states.
Certain powers are granted to the state,
not by the state.
A document made by the people to create a state purposely limits the powers granted to the state; said document does not measure the rights of those governed, but is to assure that those rights are not trampled upon.
Sovereigns of California are sometimes referred to as "California nationals." In Texas, "Texas nationals," etc. Likewise, "We the People" made the document that created the government of the United States of America (USA) and are therefore sovereign over the USA government.
Also, people from each individual state of the states united participated in the creation of the document that created the government of the united states of America with limited power. The people from each state accepted and gave their approval with the conditions that each individual state gave up only certain portions of their power on an equal basis but retained all other rights and powers in the states and in the people. Thereby, the states and the people in each state retained their Sovereignty over the the government of the united states of America.
The creator is over the created, not vise versa
The corporate states were created by incorporation into the corporate federal United States as corporate entities appearing to be similar to and overlaying the republics so as not to rouse suspicion. Likewise, the corporate states created political subdivisions of the corporate state such as COUNTY OF FRESNO being similar to Fresno county but is not; COUNTY OF MADERA being similar to Madera county but is not; etc.
The corporate States are controlled by the corporate US government by its purse strings such as grants, funding, matching funds, revenue sharing, disaster relief, etc.
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
Section 666 of the Federal Social Security Code (42 USC §666) preempts Idaho's Free Exercise of Religion Act (FERA) and similar acts of other states. Section 666 appears to mandate that every State is to force everyone to identify with a Social Security Number (SSN) in order to obtain a professional license, occupational license, recreational license, driver's license, and or marriage license in spite of ones religious beliefs based on Revelation, Chapter 13, of the Bible which warns of a beast that requires every person to identify with a number in order to engage in a livelihood.`The Bible clearly states that one is not to accept a number whereby one cannot buy or sell without it.
California's republic Flag
This flag was first flown on June 14, 1846 by American settlers in California who revolted against Mexican rule in California and proclaimed an independent republic. This short-lived revolution ended on July 9, 1846. They raised a bear flag that had a gold star and red stripe from "Old Glory" and a gold color silhouette of the California Grizzly.
[Although some people believe it was a gold star and bear, I believe it was a brownish red star and bear based on the Texas flag and realizing it was painted using a red-colored jam; the original photo of the flag also suggests that the color was the same as the stripe]
(More Historical info)
This flag is seen today in the corporate STATE OF CALIFORNIA usually with a gold fringe around it or with gold tassels, or with a ball or spear on top of the pole. This corporate flag has a red star
In California, the US corporate military flag is required to be flown above the corporate California flag indicating which one is superior or submissive to the other.
California's original constitution was adopted by the people of California and went into effect on November 13, 1849 California was admitted into the union as a Republic on September 9, 1850.
--Volume 9, Statutes at Large, Page 452
The people created the original state constitution to give the government limited powers and to act on behalf of, and for the people.
Four days after being admitted, the President said "...which, on due examination, is found to be republican in its form of government..."
The original constitution was revised and adopted by the corporate State of California on May 7, 1879
It has been revised many times hence.
On April 24, 1950, the U.S. District Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, State of California, with Justice Wilson presiding in a case titled "SEI FUJI v. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA" decided that the Law of the Land is the United Nations Charter
Preamble
"We the p eople of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom: in o rder to secure its blessings, do establish this Constitution" Preamble
"We the P eople of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom: in O rder to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution"
Adjournment sine die occurred
in California on April 27, 1863
A one word change in the original State (California) constitution from "unalienable" to "inalienable" made rights into privileges
"Inalienable" means government given rights that are "in-a-lien-able" condition.
"Unalienable" means God given rights that are "not-in-a-lien-able" condition.
Unalienable vs Inalienable
Debt DEBT
None!
Wouldn't it be nice to be completely out of debt, personally, and have a stash of gold and silver besides?
Trillions of Dollars
First bankruptcy was in 1863
In 1865 the total debt was $2,682,593,026.53
A portion was funded by 1040 Bonds to run not less than 10 nor more than 40 years at an interest rate of 6%
When a government goes bankrupt, it loses its sovereignty.
In 1933 the U.S. declared bankruptcy, as expressed in Roosevelt's Executive Orders 6073, 6102, 6111, and 6260, House Joint Resolution 192 (Public Law 73-10) of June 5, 1933 (31 U.S.C. 463) confirmed in "Perry v. U.S. (1935) 294 U.S. 330-381, 79 LEd 912, as well as 31 United States Code (USC) 5112, 5119, Senate Report 93-549, and 12 USC 95a.
Members of Congress are the official Trustees in the bankruptcy of the US and the re-organization
Taxation TAXATION
Limits on taxation No limit on taxation
Direct taxes such as "Income taxes"
are un lawful Income taxes are legal and ever increasing
Indirect taxes such as
excise tax and import duties are lawful Other taxation's such as inheritance taxes are legal
IRS's 1040 forms originated from the 1040 Bonds used for funding Lincoln's War
1863, first year income tax was ever used in history of US
The IRS is a collection arm of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve was created by the Bank of England in 1913 and is owned by foreign investors. The IRS is not listed as a government agency like other government agencies.
The Constitution provides for imposts, excises, and duties to provide funds for running the government.
Jesus asked Peter "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?" Peter replied "From others. Jesus said to him "Then the sons are exempt" --Matthew 17:25
"All individual Income Tax revenues are gone before one nickel is spent on services taxpayers expect from government" --Ronald Reagan, 1984
Grace Commission Report This corporate Government is actually funded by the trillions of dollars collected from duties on import/exports and the excise taxes placed on cigarettes, Liquors and other products. Not one cent of the trillions collected from income taxes by IRS runs the government. Highways are funded by Gasoline taxes. The Postal Service is run like a business and is funded by postage
(stamps and the like). Internal Revenue Laws
were Repealed in 1939
Read what former IRS agents have to say: Sherry Peel Jackson, CPA
Joe Bannister and John Turner
Benefits BENEFITS
Unalienable rights
(are "not-a-lien-able" condition)
meaning "can not be liened"
in other words, "cannot be infringed upon"
(rights that can not be taken away or lost) Composed of:
God given rights,
Substantial rights,
Fundamental rights,
Natural rights (breathe, locomotion etc.)
Flesh and blood people have unalienable rights granted to them by their creator, which can never be sold, given away, or contracted away.
Unalienable vs Inalienable Right to Enjoy: Life Liberty pursuit of Happiness full property ownership. "The Master does not ask his servants
or slaves for benefits."
No US benefits--Every living soul is responsible for themselves and has the option of helping others.
Each living soul gives accordingly to help others in need and receives the credit or gives the credit to his Maker and Provider.
No tax burdens
or government debt obligations. In alienable rights
Government given rights
that are really Privileges.
Can be taken away at any time
(are "in-a-lien-able" condition)
Persons (legal fictions) have only inalienable rights, which may be surrendered or transferred without the consent of the one possessing such rights.
So-called Benefits are as follows: Social Security Applying for and receiving an "SS card" makes one a member of the "US DC Communist Party" and is eligible for benefits of the party membership. Since one is eligible for benefits, 100% of ones earnings (wages) belongs to the party and the party determines what they will keep and how much you will get back. (You paid all your working life and there are no guarantees that there will be money for you to help in retirement) Medicare Medicaid Grants Disaster relief Food Stamps Licenses and Registration (Permission) Privileges only, no Rights Experimentation on citizens without their consent.
Corporate government takes your money and gets credit for helping others. Politicians in return create more such programs to get more votes. Eventually there is no more to collect and give. Everyone becomes takers and there are no givers. The government then collapses within. That is why democracy never survives.
Records RECORDS
Ex-officio clerks County Clerk is also Clerk of
the superior court,
(i.e. a court of common law )
and "courts of record" |
blood glucose levels (i.e., fasting blood glucose ≥ 140 mg/dl or random blood glucose ≥ 200 mg/dl or 2-h blood glucose after oral glucose tolerance testing ≥ 200 mg/dl) on two different occasions; (c) treatment with hypoglycemic drugs. The threshold for fasting plasma glucose was changed to ≥126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) starting in 1998 [ 24 ]. HbA1c ≥ 6.5% was further added to the diagnosis criteria starting in 2010 [ 25 ].
S1 Table details examples of foods constituting the food groups. The 18 food groups were divided into quintiles of consumption, and each quintile was assigned a score between 1 and 5. For PDI, participants received a score of 5 for each plant food group for which they were above the highest quintile of consumption, a score of 4 for each plant food group for which they were above the second highest quintile but below the highest quintile, and so on, with a score of 1 for consumption below the lowest quintile (positive scores). On the other hand, participants received a score of 1 for each animal food group for which they were above the highest quintile of consumption, a score of 2 for each animal food group for which they were between the highest and second highest quintiles, and so on, with a score of 5 for consumption below the lowest quintile (reverse scores). For hPDI, positive scores were given to healthy plant food groups, and reverse scores to less healthy plant food groups and animal food groups. Finally, for uPDI, positive scores were given to less healthy plant food groups, and reverse scores to healthy plant food groups and animal food groups. The 18 food group scores for an individual were summed to obtain the indices, with a theoretical range of 18 (lowest possible score) to 90 (highest possible score). The observed ranges at baseline were 24–85 (PDI), 28–86 (hPDI), and 27–90 (uPDI) across the cohorts. The indices were analyzed as deciles, with energy intake adjusted at the analysis stage.
We created an overall plant-based diet index (PDI), a healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and an unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI). The procedure we used to create these indices is similar to the one used by Martínez-González et al. [ 13 ]; their “provegetarian food pattern” is similar in composition to our PDI. Frequencies of consumption of each food were converted into servings consumed per day. Then the number of servings of foods that belonged to each of 18 food groups were added up. The 18 food groups were created on the basis of nutrient and culinary similarities, within larger categories of animal foods and healthy and less healthy plant foods. We distinguished between healthy and less healthy plant foods using existing knowledge of associations of the foods with T2D, other outcomes (CVD, certain cancers), and intermediate conditions (obesity, hypertension, lipids, inflammation). Plant foods not clearly associated in one direction with several health outcomes, specifically alcoholic beverages, were not included in the indices. We also excluded margarine from the indices, as its fatty acid composition has changed over time from high trans fat to high unsaturated fat. We controlled for alcoholic beverages and margarine consumption in the analysis.
The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) started in 1976 with 121,701 female nurses (aged 30–55 y) [ 14 ], the Nurses’ Health Study 2 (NHS2) started in 1989 with 116,430 female nurses (aged 25–42 y) [ 15 ], and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) started in 1986 with 51,529 male health professionals (aged 40–75 y) [ 16 ]; all three studies recruited participants from across the US. In all three studies, follow-up questionnaires collect information on lifestyle and medical history biennially, with a response rate of ~90% per cycle. In the current analysis, the 1984, 1991, and 1986 cycles were the baselines for NHS, NHS2, and HPFS, respectively, because these are the cycles in which data on most covariates of interest were first comprehensively measured. Participants with diabetes, cancer (except nonmelanoma skin cancer), cardiovascular disease (CVD), reported energy intake levels outside predefined limits (<600 or >3,500 kcal/d for women and <800 or >4,200 kcal/d for men), or incomplete dietary data at baseline were excluded. The final analysis included 69,949 women in NHS, 90,239 women in NHS2, and 40,539 men in HPFS at baseline.
Previous analyses in these cohorts have found other dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI), and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) to be inversely associated with T2D [ 34 – 36 ]. Thus, in order to examine the independent associations of PDI and hPDI with T2D incidence, we individually controlled for these patterns ( S6 and S7 Tables). Pooled HRs for both PDI and hPDI remained largely unchanged when the Mediterranean diet was controlled for, and were only slightly attenuated with aHEI or DASH in the same model.
To examine the effect of consuming a healthful plant-based diet that is also high in intake of some animal foods known to be associated with reduced risk of several health outcomes (e.g., fish and yogurt [ 30 – 33 ]), we created two variations of hPDI. When we modified hPDI to score fish/seafood intake positively, the pooled HRs were slightly attenuated (HR for extreme deciles 0.73, 95% CI 0.68–0.79; HR per 10-unit increase 0.87, 95% CI 0.85–0.89, p trend < 0.001). Results for a modified hPDI with yogurt scored positively were not substantially different (HR for extreme deciles 0.65, 95% CI 0.60–0.71; HR per 10-unit increase 0.83, 95% CI 0.81–0.85, p trend < 0.001).
To examine the individual contributions of healthy plant foods, less healthy plant foods, and animal foods to T2D risk, we included variables for all three food types simultaneously in the fully adjusted model; this allowed for mutual adjustment of the food types for one another, and hence an evaluation of their independent associations with T2D incidence. Healthy plant foods were inversely associated with T2D, while animal foods were positively associated, and less healthy plant foods were not associated, with risk ( S3 Fig ).
Results were pooled across the three cohorts using a fixed-effects model. Adjusted for age (years), smoking status (never, past, current [1–14, 15–24, or ≥25 cigarettes/day]), physical activity (<3, 3–8.9, 9–17.9, 18–26.9, or ≥27 MET-h/wk), alcohol intake (0, 0.1–4.9, 5–9.9, 10–14.9, or ≥15 g/d), multivitamin use (yes or no), family history of diabetes (yes or no), margarine intake (quintiles), energy intake (quintiles), baseline hypertension (yes or no), baseline hypercholesterolemia (yes or no), and BMI (<21, 21–22.9, 23–24.9, 25–26.9, 27–29.9, 30–32.9, 33–34.9, 35–39.9, or ≥40 kg/m 2 ). Also adjusted for menopause status and postmenopausal hormone use in NHS and NHS2 (premenopausal or, if postmenopausal, current, past, or never postmenopausal hormone use) and for oral contraceptive use in NHS2 (never, past, or current use). p trend < 0.001 for both indices across all strata. p-Value obtained by assigning the median value to each decile and entering this as a continuous variable in the model.
Our findings remained robust in several sensitivity analyses. In restricted cubic spline analysis, we did not find evidence for a nonlinear association of either PDI or hPDI with T2D incidence. Thus, both indices had significant linear associations with T2D incidence, with a stronger dose-response relationship for hPDI ( S1 Fig ). Similar inverse associations were observed in strata defined by physical activity and family history of diabetes ( Fig 2 ). The inverse association of PDI with T2D incidence was stronger in non-obese than in obese participants (p interaction < 0.001), and the inverse associations of both PDI and hPDI were stronger in older participants (p interaction = 0.02) ( S3 Table ). The associations of both PDI and hPDI with T2D were virtually unchanged upon further adjustment for ethnicity, marital status, recent physical exam, diet beverage intake, and indicators of socioeconomic status ( S4 Table ). Results were also similar when the analysis was restricted to participants with fasting plasma glucose screening in the previous 2 y (PDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.78, 95% CI 0.71–0.85, p trend < 0.001; hPDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.65, 95% CI 0.59–0.71, p trend < 0.001). Continuously updating PDI and hPDI throughout follow-up did not change results ( S5 Table ). When we used baseline intakes of PDI and hPDI, associations were modestly attenuated but remained significant (PDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.86, 95% CI 0.80–0.93, p trend < 0.001; hPDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.70, 95% CI 0.64–0.75, p trend < 0.001). Associations were also modestly attenuated when we used the most recent scores prior to diagnosis of T2D (PDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.84, 95% CI 0.78–0.91, p trend < 0.001; hPDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.74, 95% CI 0.69–0.80, p trend < 0.001). Stratified analysis showed no significant effect modification by ethnicity for the diet indices (p interaction was 0.92 for PDI, 0.14 for hPDI, and 0.94 for uPDI; S2 Fig ).
Results were pooled across the three cohorts using a fixed-effects model. Adjusted for age (years), smoking status (never, past, current [1–14, 15–24, or ≥25 cigarettes/day]), physical activity (<3, 3–8.9, 9–17.9, 18–26.9, or ≥27 MET-h/wk), alcohol intake (0, 0.1–4.9, 5–9.9, 10–14.9, or ≥15 g/d), multivitamin use (yes or no), family history of diabetes (yes or no), margarine intake (quintiles), energy intake (quintiles), baseline hypertension (yes or no), baseline hypercholesterolemia (yes or no), and BMI (<21, 21–22.9, 23–24.9, 25–26.9, 27–29.9, 30–32.9, 33–34.9, 35–39.9, or ≥40 kg/m 2 ). Also adjusted for menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use in NHS and NHS2 (premenopausal or, if postmenopausal, current, past, or never postmenopausal hormone use) and for oral contraceptive use in NHS2 (never, past, or current use). p trend < 0.001 for all indices. p-Value obtained by assigning the median value to each decile and entering this as a continuous variable in the model.
The distribution of age-adjusted baseline characteristics according to the PDI and hPDI are shown in Tables S2 and 1, respectively. Participants with higher scores on PDI or hPDI were older, more active, leaner, and less likely to smoke than participants with lower scores. They also consumed a lower percentage of calories from saturated and monounsaturated fats, a higher percentage of calories from polyunsaturated fats and carbohydrates, and higher levels of fiber and folate.
Discussion
We found significant linear inverse associations of plant-based diets, especially a healthier version (captured by hPDI), with T2D incidence in three prospective cohorts in the US. In contrast, a less healthy version of a plant-based diet (captured by uPDI) was associated with increased T2D risk. These associations were independent of BMI and other diabetes risk factors.
There are several mechanisms through which a healthful plant-based diet could lower the risk of T2D [37,38]. Such a diet would be rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants, unsaturated fatty acids, and micronutrients such as magnesium, and low in saturated fat. Randomized clinical trials have shown beneficial effects of diets high in viscous and soluble fiber on improving postprandial glucose as well as long-term glucose metabolism [39]. In addition, several prospective studies have shown dietary fiber to be associated with reduced levels of inflammatory markers [40,41]. Animal studies and epidemiologic studies among humans have shown antioxidants such as polyphenols to have beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, probably through reduced oxidative stress and improved endothelial function [42]. High unsaturated fatty acid and low saturated fat contents in diets have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties [43], while specific micronutrients such as magnesium are known to play a key role in glucose metabolism [44]. Thus, a healthful plant-based diet could enhance glycemic control, improve insulin sensitivity, and decrease chronic inflammation, thereby reducing T2D risk. In addition, the high fiber and low calorie contents of many plant foods could further reduce T2D risk by promoting weight loss/maintenance [37,38]. Another less well understood mechanism could be through the gut microbiome. A healthful plant-based diet could promote a gut microbial environment that facilitates the metabolism of fiber and polyphenols and discourages the metabolism of bile acids, choline and L-carnitine, and amino acids, further reducing T2D risk [45]. An unhealthful plant-based diet, on the other hand, would have high glycemic index and load, reduced fiber, lower micronutrient content, and higher calorie content, which could adversely affect the above-mentioned pathways, resulting in increased T2D risk [2,10,12]. Such a diet would also have a high level of added sugar, which has been shown to be strongly associated with increased weight gain and T2D risk [12,46]. Given that BMI represents a pathway through which plant-based diets may affect T2D risk, controlling for it would have resulted in an underestimation of these diets’ true effects. Results from the final model controlling for BMI characterize plant-based diet associations that are independent of their potential beneficial effects on body weight. The association of PDI with decreased T2D incidence was also significantly stronger for non-obese individuals than for obese individuals, which could represent a true biological interaction of PDI with BMI (e.g., due to differential mediation by BMI in obese and non-obese individuals) or could be a methodological artifact (e.g., as a result of differential confounding or measurement error in the two strata).
Only a few prospective studies have examined the association of plant-based diets with T2D. The Adventist Health Studies found significantly higher T2D mortality (odds ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.1) and incidence (odds ratio 1.38, 95% CI 1.06–1.80) among non-vegetarians than vegetarians [7,8]. They also found consumption of vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and semi-vegetarian diets to be associated with lower T2D risk relative to non-vegetarian diets [9]. All of these studies were carried out among Seventh-day Adventists, a religious group that encourages a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Because the prevalence of vegetarianism is low in the US (~3% [47]), it is difficult to study the relationship between vegetarianism and health outcomes in the general US population. Defining a plant-based diet in terms of a continuous gradation of adherence to a diet high in plant and low in animal foods has allowed us to study the association of plant-based diets with T2D in more than 200,000 participants, utilizing detailed dietary data collected at multiple time points over more than two decades.
Our study highlights the varying risk profiles associated with different versions of plant-based diets, emphasizing the importance of considering the quality of plant foods consumed. Participants in the highest decile of uPDI consumed half the amount of healthy plant foods and almost double the amount of less healthy plant foods consumed by participants in the highest decile of hPDI. The healthier version of a plant-based diet proposed in this study may inform future public health recommendations regarding plant-based diets. We also found that even a modest lowering in animal food consumption was associated with substantially lower T2D incidence. For instance, in the highest decile of hPDI, participants consumed ~4 servings/day of animal foods, relative to 5–6 servings/day in the lowest decile. This has important public health implications, as plant-based diets need not completely exclude animal foods. Numerous studies have previously documented null or inverse associations of several animal foods (e.g., low-fat dairy, lean poultry, and fish and seafood) with T2D and other diseases, and consistent positive associations of certain animal foods (e.g., red and processed meats) with such diseases. Additionally, in our analysis the association of hPDI with T2D changed only slightly upon positively scoring fish and yogurt intake. Thus, the gradual reduction in animal food intake suggested here can be achieved largely through reducing intake of low-quality animal foods.
Our findings provide support for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee conclusion that diets rich in healthy plant foods and lower in certain animal foods such as red and processed meats are beneficial for the prevention of chronic diseases [6]. Another rationale for shifting towards a plant-based diet is to improve food sustainability because food systems that rely heavily on animal foods require more natural resources than those more reliant on plant foods [48]. Thus, dietary guidelines that recommend a healthful plant-based diet would be compatible with the health of humans as well as our ecosystem. The hPDI was only moderately correlated with other commonly considered dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, aHEI, and DASH, reflecting that this is a novel diet index that captures unique aspects of a healthful plant-based diet. This, coupled with the strong inverse association of the hPDI with T2D independent of these other dietary patterns, highlights the importance of focusing on a healthful plant-based diet for a potentially environmentally sustainable approach to T2D prevention.
Our study has several limitations. Because diet was self-reported, measurement errors are inevitable. However, the use of cumulative measures of diet over time not only reduces these errors but also represents long-term dietary habits [18]. We also made assumptions about the healthfulness of different plant foods, which, although based on prior evidence, has an element of subjectivity, and hence our findings need to be replicated in future studies. While we controlled for several potential confounders, given the observational nature of these studies, residual or unmeasured confounding cannot be ruled out. However, several randomized controlled trials have found vegetarian diets to positively impact intermediate endpoints, such as body weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity, in those who were free of T2D [49–51] and in patients with the disease [52–56]. The socioeconomic homogeneity of the study population also enhances internal validity due to implicit control of confounders. Given that we found similar associations between the plant-based diet indices and T2D among different ethnic groups, it is likely that these findings are generalizable to diverse racial/ethnic groups. Nevertheless, these studies were carried out among health professionals in the US, and hence it would be important to replicate these findings in other populations representing diverse countries and occupational groups before translating these findings to other populations.Lil Peep didn’t have to die, but Xan culture does
I remember when I went to the doctor for the first time about my anxiety disorder. I was at a point in my life where I didn’t think counselling was working and I was convinced medication would solve all my problems.
“At last,” I thought as my doctor wrote out the words 'Xanax' and 'Lexapro (paediatric dose)' on a prescription.
“You should only take the Xanax when you the panic attacks you’re experiencing are very bad,” he said. "They're highly addictive."
Xanax automatically became a last resort for me - when nothing could regulate my breathing, when I needed to stop the stir in my thoughts. My results using it varied, and I’m not currently taking it.
“If you take two together, you get a mad buzz off them,” I was told by a friend after they had asked where he could purchase Xanax. This was the first I’d ever heard about it being used recreationally beyond pop culture. I was too taken aback to even consider the idea.
Earlier this week, Lil Peep, an upcoming emo rapper, died at the age of 21 from a suspected drug overdose. It’s been reported that Peep took six Xanax tablets before he passed.
The recreational use of the anti-anxiety drug crept into the industry, and is now heavily promoted within hip-hop and rap circles. As a sheltered top 40 gal who has slowly been embracing the genre, I assumed when Chance The Rapper spoke of his addiction that he suffered in the same way I did. He probably did, but there’s also a possibility that he was drawn to it because of how it was glamourised among his peers.
“I was just fucking tweaking. I was a Xan-zombie, fucking not doing anything productive and just going through relationship after relationship after relationship,” he said of his substance abuse, during which time he wrote and released Acid Rap.
Isaiah Rashad was almost dropped from his label, the Kendrick Lamar-helmed Top Dog Entertainment, because of his drug abuse. Following a fifth ultimatum, he was told that his music would no longer be released unless he cleaned up his act.
On a track from 2014, Schoolboy Q recounted his trials with an entire cabinet of prescription drugs: “Percocets, Adderall, Xanny bars, get codeine involved/Stuck in this body high, can’t shake it off.”
Lil Pump, a friend of Peep’s, celebrated getting a million Instagram followers with a Xanax-shaped cake. A rapper who counted himself as one of Lil Peep's friends is literally called Lil Xan.
There is a vast difference between references to mental turmoil, someone’s treatment (or lack thereof) for it, and the constant name drops heard in verses of Percocets, Adderall and Xans. Often - more than likely in Peep’s case - they are veiled cries for a help as they struggle to understand their emotions, using these ‘miracle pills’ as a crutch.
"People who take Xans aren't bad people, but taking Xans is bad and people need to stop," was an over-simplified tweet I read on my timeline in the wake of his death. It highlights another issue within Xan and lean culture - in cases of tragedy such as this, people blame the drug. When used for their true purpose, Xanax can help those suffering regain control over their mental health. There's a reason why you can't pick up a packet in the offy - you're not meant to take six at a time, and you're not meant to take them "for a buzz".
“I hear voices in my head, they tellin’ me to call it quits / I found some Xanax in my bed, I took that shit, went back to sleep,” Lil Peep rapped on Prayin' In The Sky. In 2016, 91 died as a result of opioid addiction every day. How many of them were 21 years of age?
As music consumers, we also bear some of the responsibility. The fact that people felt comfortable screaming those lyrics at shows, murmuring them absentmindedly walking along a street, is frightening, and reinforces the culture that's been created. How many more people have to die before it’s understood how incredibly dangerous this normalisation is?NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - On any given day, one in 25 hospitalized patients - 4 percent - is battling an infection picked up in a hospital or other healthcare facility, according to a new survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That translates to more than 600,000 hospital patients each year. Roughly 74,000 of them have to fight more than one hospital-acquired infection, researchers found.
About half of those infections were either linked to a device attached to the patient, like a catheter or ventilator, or occurred after a surgical procedure at the site of the surgery.
Previous estimates had pegged the annual number of infections at 2.1 million in the 1970s and 1.7 million from 1990 through 2002.
“The trend, in magnitude, seems to be going in the right direction,” Dr. Mike Bell, deputy director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the CDC, told Reuters Health.
Despite continuing concern about hospital-acquired infections, especially ones that are resistant to antibiotics, the U.S. does not have a national system for collecting information on the problem.
The new study, led by Dr. Shelley S. Magill of the CDC and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on an analysis of 11,282 patients treated at 183 hospitals in 10 states. The survey in each hospital was done over the course of a day, involving as many as 100 patients per facility.
Pneumonia accounted for about 22 percent of the hospital-acquired infections. Another 22 percent were infections at the surgical site, and 17 percent were stomach or intestinal illnesses. Urinary tract and bloodstream infections ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
The most common bacterium responsible was Clostridium difficile, which kills an estimated 14,000 people in the U.S. each year. It was detected in 12 percent of the hospital-acquired illnesses and was responsible for 71 percent of gastrointestinal infections in particular.
Nursing homes, emergency departments, rehabilitation hospitals and outpatient treatment centers were not included in the tally.
The researchers estimated that in 2011, 648,000 hospitalized patients had to battle at least one hospital-acquired infection. The total number of infections was estimated at 721,800. To put that number in perspective, about 34 million people are admitted to 5,000 community hospitals in the U.S. each year.
The new report “validates the work we’ve been doing, focusing on some of the severe infections related to intensive care, related to devices such as catheters in the bloodstream or the bladder, mechanical ventilation or surgical procedures,” Bell said.
To prevent infections, the National Patient Safety Foundation recommends patients wash their hands regularly and remind their doctors and nurses to do the same. Patients should also make sure both bandages and the skin around any catheters are kept clean and dry, it says.
SOURCE: bit.ly/1rzGOHe New England Journal of Medicine, online March 26, 2014.Matthew Smith, 26, was fatally electrocuted after trying to disconnect a stereo that was keeping him awake.
Hours of noisy caravan music had kept Matthew Smith awake for hours the night he died.
After midnight, a frustrated Smith got up to disconnect the offending stereo at one of the neighbouring caravans.
But the 26-year-old died trying to cut the power plug while the cord was still connected to the power box.
At 3am, Smith's body was found with a tool and power cord in his hand.
A coroner has now ruled that all campgrounds should have residual current devices installed to protect people from the risk of harmful shocks.
READ MORE:
* Tragedy as Matthew Smith electrocuted trying to cut power to caravan
* Man electrocuted at Northland campground
Coroner Debra Bell has ruled that the cause of Smith's death was consistent with electrocution.
The Hamilton-based lighting technician died on January 14 in 2015, at the Whangaruru Beachfront Camp in Oakura, while on a summer camping trip with his best friend Richard Voschezang.
Smith spent most summer holidays camping in Northland with friends and had meant to stay at the campsite until until January 17.
In her coronial findings, Bell described Smith's death as "a tragic accident that has occurred due to Mr Smith becoming frustrated with the noise that was emanating from the caravan next to him".
Police found no evidence of foul play and said nobody else was involved in Smith's death, which Bell accepted in her findings.
Toxicology testing found the about 78 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres, above the 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres driving limit.
The night Smith died, Voschezang and Smith went to bed at about 10.30pm, but neither of them could sleep because of loud music coming out of a neighbouring stereo.
"Mr Smith became so frustrated with the noise from the stereo and said to Mr Voschezang that he was going to go and disconnect the power," the coroner reported.
"It then appears that Mr Smith has attempted to cut the power cord, using a metal Leatherman multi-tool.
"The police, in a statement prepared for my inquiry, state that Mr Smith has gone to the caravan next door, removed the power cord from the caravan where the music was playing whilst leaving the other end of the cable plugged into the camp-ground power box."
A nearby camper, Joshua Bassnet found Smith face down and next to the power box, when he went to find out why his power had stopped working.
"He initially thought Mr Smith may have passed out, therefore he attempted to try and wake him."
But Bassnet received an electric shock when he touched Smith's body.
Instead, he called for help and unplugged the cord from the power box.
Emergency services were called but unable to revive Smith.
Voschezang, who woke from the commotion, found his best friend lying face down and rolled him over to find Smith's pliers in his hand..
Smith's Leatherman multi-tool had become fused into his hand, along with a half severed power cord still connected to the power meter.
The campsite's power sources were in certified and in good, working condition, according to Bell's findings.
Energy Safety NZ officer Miles Bonfield said a requirement for residual current devices (RCD) was introduced in 2013, but only for new campsites, meaning Whangaruru did not have them.
Campsites that were energy safety compliant before 2013 didn't have to install RCDs.
Bell recommended RCDs be installed at all camps and caravan parks to protect people from the risk of harmful shocks.OTTAWA — The heart of the Canadian capital was thrown into panic and placed in lockdown on Wednesday after a gunman armed with a rifle or shotgun fatally wounded a corporal guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier at the National War Memorial, entered the nearby Parliament building and fired multiple times before he was shot and killed.
It was the second deadly assault on a uniformed member of Canada’s armed forces in three days. The Ottawa attack heightened fears that Canada, a strong ally of the United States in its campaign against the Islamic State militant group convulsing the Middle East, had been targeted in a reprisal, either as part of an organized plot or a lone-wolf assault by a radicalized Canadian.
Law enforcement authorities in Washington said their Canadian counterparts had identified the assailant as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, who had changed his name from Michael Joseph Hall, and said he had been a convert to Islam. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said he had a criminal history of offenses that included robbery and drug possession.
Downtown Ottawa, ordinarily bustling on a workday, was both shut down and traumatized as police officers rushed to secure the Parliament building, move occupants to safety and hunt for what they initially said could be two or three assailants. The lockdown at Parliament dragged into the evening, when armed officers began herding people who had been confined all day into city buses, but the emergency was not lifted.A LESBIAN couple from Carrickfergus have asked Theresa May to change the law in the north so they can get married.
Jayne Robinson and Laura McKee, who have been together for six years, launched an online petition calling on the British prime minister to act while Stormont is suspended and legalise same-sex marriage.
The couple hope to gain 20,000 signatures and have attracted more than 5,000 in the 24 hours since the petition went live.
Ms Robinson said: “I love Laura and I know she loves me. Just like most other couples in a long-term, committed relationship, we want to get married. At the moment our politicians are stopping us.
“With devolution suspended and Westminster increasingly taking the decisions, we want Theresa May to act now to bring Northern Ireland’s marriage laws into line with those in the rest of the UK.
“The prime minister has recently said that she supports equal marriage rights for couples in Northern Ireland. Now Laura and I are asking her to prove it. We want to get married and we are asking people to sign our petition to demonstrate the huge support we know exists for marriage equality in Northern Ireland.”
Same-sex marriage is legal in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic but is banned in the north.
In 2015, a majority of MLAs in the assembly voted to support equal marriage but the measure was blocked by the DUP using a petition of concern.
The campaign is being supported by the Love Equality campaign for civil marriage equality in Northern Ireland and LGBT rights organisation All Out.OLYMPIA — Spokane will likely have three legal pot stores up and running in early July when Washington’s first retail marijuana outlets open, which will be three times as many as Seattle.
Potential licensees who won a lottery for the chance to open a store in the state’s largest city are lagging behind other locales in completing the steps required to open, and only one is ready for a final inspection, the Liquor Control Board was told today. Three licensees in Spokane are ready for their final inspections, four in Tacoma, three in Vancouver and three in Bellingham, according to information provided the board. Two other stores in King County — one store in Bellevue and another in Des Moines — are also on the list of 20 stores expected to be among the first licenses issued on July 7, as are applicants in smaller towns like Union Gap and Benge.
Those stores would be able to open as early as 8 a.m. the next day. More stores will get final inspections, be issued licenses and be allowed to open later in July.
Washington will almost certainly have stores spread around more of the state than Colorado did when its first stores opened at the beginning of the year and the stores were concentrated in Denver, Chris Marr, a board commissioner, said.
The higher costs of opening a store in Seattle may be making it harder for potential store owners to find a location and financing to get the required equipment needed to pass inspection, Marr said. The liquor board received 198 applications for the 21 licenses set aside for Seattle, and it’s possible some applicants weren’t prepared when they were drawn.K-pop music video directors Seong Won-mo (left) and Park Sang-woo. (Digipedi) This is the seventh article in a series that explores the driving forces behind hallyu and the global rise of Korean pop culture. --Ed.
Seong Won-mo and Park Sang-woo of Digipedi (Digital Pedicure) have risen to become one of the most sought-after K-pop music video production teams, ever since they produced and directed their first music video for Dynamic Duo’s single “Complex” in 2007.
The two, who have been best friends since elementary school, have taken their airtight bromance and love of art and technology to unexpected success as one of the country’s leading figures in video producing and directing.
The duo have worked on TV commercials, including local advertisements for big companies such as Beats by Dr. Dre, Samsung and LG Electronics. However the creative minds of Digipedi are best known for their work in the K-pop industry.
Since their debut music video with hip-hop megastars Dynamic Duo nearly a decade ago, Seong and Park have worked alongside nearly every other big name in the K-pop industry, including Psy, Epik High, SHINee, Orange Caramel, IU, Kara, Zion.T, Busker Busker and EXID.
Last year alone, the duo was behind more than 15 K-pop music videos including Psy’s highly anticipated “Daddy” and “Napal Baji,” along with Infinite’s “Bad,” Beenzino’s “Break,” Mamamoo’s “Ahh Oop!” and Seventeen and Ailee’s “Q&A.” Digipedi’s music videos have garnered a combined total of more than 205 million views on YouTube.
A scene from Zion.T’s “Babay” music video. (Amoeba Culture)
A scene from Orange Caramel’s 2014 music video “Catallena.” (Pledis Entertainment)
A scene from Psy’s music video, “Daddy.” (YG Entertainment)
A scene from K-pop girl group EXID’s “Hot Pink” music video. (Yedang Entertainment)
“When it came to Psy’s latest music videos, we know he’s this massive hallyu star and it’s not just local fans that are excited and waiting for his new videos. He has fans all across the world watching,” Seong said, during an interview with The Korea Herald at a cafe in Gangnam last week.“And although this may have added to our nerves a bit, I don’t think it changed our approach to the production at all,” Park added. “Especially when you compare the nerves and the burden that was on Psy’s shoulders. We did not feel the pressure. Colorful, humorous and memorable were still our main objectives and I think we achieved that.”One of the duo’s most famous music videos to date |
the society’s resident scholar, told the men, women and children, who were asked to segregate by gender. Most women covered their heads with scarves.
Fr. Tony Pizzo, pastor of St. Rita Catholic Church, stood inside a mosque in Chicago and said “We are here to pray with you and pray for you.” The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago tweeted its appreciation for the priest’s solidarity:
“We are here to pray with you and pray for you.” Father Tony Pizzo, St. Rita Catholic Church #WeAreAllAmerica #NoBanNoWall #WelcomeRefugees pic.twitter.com/t03oBvJl3f — CIOGC (@CIOGC) February 3, 2017
Church World Services, one of nine volunteer agencies that contracts with the U.S. State Department to resettle refugees in dozens of U.S. cities and towns, tweeted a picture of what appeared to be an Episcopal priest inside a mosque, saying true Christians “know that the narrative going around about Islam isn’t true.”
“Christian brothers and sisters know that the narrative going around about Islam isn’t true. Love is greater than fear.” #WeAreAllAmerica pic.twitter.com/7FTKJCEATB — CWS (@CWS_global) February 3, 2017
The NPNA coalition includes a large swath of the interfaith movement in America – a blend of Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups – teaming up with immigrant rights activists.
Allying themselves in this project with Muslim groups such as CAIR and the Council of Muslim Organizations are various Christian organizations such as Church World Services, the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, World Relief and others involved in the resettlement of refugees in the United States. These volunteer agencies, also called VOLAGs, are paid $2,050 for every refugee they resettle in America, with more than half of that fee flowing into their coffers and the balance going to the refugee.
The role of inter-faithism and Christian compromise in the resettlement of thousands of Muslim refugees into U.S. cities is just one of the disturbing elements exposed in the brand-new investigative work “Stealth Invasion: Muslim Conquest through Immigration and Resettlement Jihad,” which former Rep. Michele Bachmann is calling the “must read book of 2017.”
These groups present themselves as charitable advocates for the downtrodden when in fact the vast majority of their budgets are funded by federal grants, not donations by church members.
“It’s not charity if you are taking other people’s money by force, through public tax dollars, and using it to do what you consider to be the Lord’s work,” says Ann Corcoran, who follows the refugee industry and blogs at Refugee Resettlement Watch.
The six religious organizations involved in the resettlement of refugees also sign a contract that forbids them from sharing their Christian or Jewish faith with the refugees.
The NPNA is using the Twitter hashtag #WeAreAllAmerica and #MuslimBan, encouraging people to show up at mosques and airports with signs that say “We Are All America.”
The day of action and mosque attendance was planned Monday during a conference call led by Chicago community organizer Josh Hoyt.
Hoyt’s talent for community organizing is such that in September 2011 he joined a team of Americans in a new group spun off from ACORN that traveled to Cairo, Egypt, to help teach Muslim Brotherhood activists how to better agitate during the Arab Spring uprising in that country.
Hoyt’s ACORN spinoff, called Organizers Forum, announced at the time it was involved in “exciting changes” to bring the Muslim Brotherhood to power:
“Our fall 2011 International Dialogue will be located in Egypt where we will meet with labor and community organizers and other activists in Cairo. There are exciting changes and developments that are currently taking place in Egypt with elections coming soon to determine leadership transitions in what has been an autocratic regime, now challenged by the Muslim Brotherhood and succession and democracy issues.”
Hoyt, as director of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, is going all out to stop President Trump’s reforms of the refugee resettlement program.
“They will whine about refugees but when you look at this list and know what they are planning, it is open borders they are really pushing for—illegals, legal immigrants, it is all the same to them,” wrote Corcoran. “In fact, on the call they said they would link their national policy agenda to emotions by using individual refugee sob stories. Refugees as pawns for their radical political agenda?”
As of Friday there were 14 states and the District of Columbia listed as hosting rallies in support of Muslims. Cities on the list included Chicago, New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Miami, Greensboro, North Carolina; Fairfax and Alexandria, Virginia; Reading, Pennsylvania; Billings, Montana; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Silver Spring and Hagerstown, Maryland; and Boise, Idaho.
The Oregon-Idaho Methodist Conference tweeted a photo of a boy prostrating on a prayer rug in a mosque with the words “Prayer IS action.”
One of the participating mosques that welcomed non-Muslim supporters to join it for Friday prayers was the Islamic Society of Western Maryland in Hagerstown. This mosque was identified as having connections to radical Islamic elements in the undercover investigative book “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America” by David Gaubatz and Paul Sperry.
The FBI was investigating this predominantly Pakistani mosque for suspicious activity in 2004 and the imam immediately brought in a CAIR lawyer Shama Farooq to help coach him on how to answer the investigators’ questions.
Below is an excerpt from the book:
Finally, she advised, “You are not required to tell the which Islamic centers you attend, how many times a day you pray, who you give charity to, and which organizations you are associated with.” “Definitely,” she stressed, “do not address any questions relating to terrorism or violence and their place in Islam.” That was step number one. Then Farooq and Ahmed went to lunch the day of the scheduled interview with the FBI—September 1, 2004—to review her ground rules, the secret CAIR memo details. They agreed she would sit in on the meeting. Following lunch, they went back to his office and continued to “discuss strategies,” including introducing her to the agents only as “a sister in Islam,” while not identifying her position with CAIR up front. And she again specifically advised Ahmed not to answer any questions regarding information he may know about terrorism and violence. The agents arrived at Ahmed’s office on time, and over the course of their interview, Farooq stepped in to stop Ahmed from answering several questions she felt could “incriminate” him, even though she was not his attorney. As a result, Ahmed withheld critical information from the FBI.
The role of inter-faithism and Christian compromise in the resettlement of thousands of Muslim refugees into U.S. cities is just one of the disturbing elements exposed in the brand-new investigative work “Stealth Invasion: Muslim Conquest through Immigration and Resettlement Jihad,” which former Rep. Michele Bachmann is calling the “must read book of 2017.”As clocks at the Pentagon approached midnight late Monday evening and inched America towards a government shutdown, the United States Department of Defense spent $5.5 billion dollars on an arsenal of items ordered at the last minute by Uncle Sam.
Foreign Policy reported on Tuesday that the Defense Department awarded 94 contracts totaling over $5.5 billion a day earlier, ensuring the mightiest military on Earth would stay significantly well-stocked throughout an indefinite shutdown that has sent hundreds of thousands of federal workers home without pay and polarized lawmakers in Washington.
Comparatively, Foreign Policy’s John Reed noted that on September 3 — the first workday of the month — the Pentagon published news of only 14 contracts: practically one-seventh of what was signed off on as Monday's midnight deadline seemed increasingly more likely to come and go without a compromise.
The shutdown, now in its third day with no end in sight, is costing the US an estimated $300 million in lost economic output each day, according to research firm IHS Inc.
But as hundreds of thousands of federal employees remain furloughed and national parks and programs stay shuttered indefinitely, the Pentagon does not seem to have much to worry about.
“This goes to show that even when the federal government is shut down and the military has temporarily lost half its civilian workforce, the Pentagon can spend money like almost no one else,” Reed wrote.
The contracts were handed out to companies providing products or services for the United States Defense Logistics Agency, as well as the Navy, Air Force, Army, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Missile Defense Agency, and Special Operations Command.
Among those newest contracts are $2.5 billion to aircraft engine-maker Pratt & Whitney for “spare parts,” $66 million for a new fuel pier at the Naval Base Point Loma and $7.5 million for a fleet of 60 Mercedes-Benz trucks to be used by the US Africa Command.
Also on the ledger is over $15 million for bulk helium, nearly $66 million on combat helmets and another $9 million for field jackets to be supplied to the Afghanistan National Police.
Additionally, the Pentagon gave one contractor nearly $10 million to repair a Defense Department gym. With upgrades, the facility will receive new racquetball and squash courts, new floors, a triathlon club, cross fit training space and - for some reason - a television studio.
The Department of Defense asked for $525.4 billion from the federal government during Fiscal Year 2013 - a reduction of around $5.2 billion from the year prior.
As RT recently reported, the Pentagon is expected to spend upwards of $7 billion during the next year on sending supplies out of Afghanistan as the US prepares to end the war which is now in its twelfth year.Tis The Season To Be Jolly....
Although Christmas only lasts one day, the merriments always go on for much more. Unwrapping the presents in the morning was so much fun, with the whole family gathered together. The tree bottom that once looked so garnished with unopened presents now lays there bare and empty :(...but some people's wardrobes have definitely increased! :)
Everyone needs a special outfit of the day on Christmas right? Well my family has always done that for as long as I remember, especially for the church service. This time, I opted for a vintage-modern twist to my outfit. I love midi skirts, and when they're big and flowy too, just perfect.
This gorgeous skirt was custom made for me from Nigeria! It came with a button down shirt but I opted for this lace detail top instead. Ain't it beautiful?..."feast yar eyes!"
Top ~ Express
Skirt ~ Custom Made
Shoes ~ MRKT Shoes
Bag ~ Matalan
Necklace collar ~ Suzy Shier
Earrings ~ Risky
Have yourself a wonderful festive season. Stay safe, keep warm and have a happy new year!!! x
~ Kemi.A ~Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
China played no role in the Ukraine crisis until the situation spiraled into an overt geopolitical face-off between Russia and the West. Due to China's status as a major geopolitical power in Eurasia and a permanent member of UN Security Council, its support weighs heavily in the state of play and amassment of morale for both Russia and the West.
On the one hand, the Kremlin says that there is "coincidence of Russia's and China's position on the situation in Ukraine."
On the other hand, the White House claims that China agrees with the US that "they share an interest in supporting efforts to identify a peaceful resolution…[that] upholds Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Both sides read China's diplomatic "tea leaves" from their own perspectives and came up with confusing interpretations.
Decrypting China's diplomatic statements hasn't added clarity.
On March 1, China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said, "It is China's long-standing position not to interfere in others' internal affairs. We respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine."
However, after this platitude, Qin added a peculiar crotchet, "There are reasons for why the situation in Ukraine is what it is today," insinuating political complicity and moral conundrum around the crisis.
For some, China's refrainment from unequivocal condemnation on Russia's aggressive action in Ukraine is a sign of acquiescence. But Beijing's intentional rhetorical ambiguity is meant to target a broader audience than just Russian leaders.
China is acutely aware of that the situation in Ukraine today is far from Russia's influence alone.
From the sweeping pro-democracy "Orange Revolution" to the mysterious disfigurement of former pro-Western president Viktor Yushchenko; from the dramatic jailing of former pro-Western prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko to the ouster of former pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, the specter of foreign manipulation has always been haunting Ukraine's domestic politics.
Ukraine fell prey to the long haul tug-of-war between a Russia in recovery and keen to guard its traditional turf and an economically ailing West lukewarmly retaining Ukraine as a geopolitical buffer zone against Russia.
That is why China doesn't single out Russia for blame, but calls on "relevant parties to seek a political resolution of their differences through dialogue and negotiation based on respect for international law and norms governing international relations."
Does China have to take a side between Russia and the West on the Ukraine crisis? The answer is no. China's strategic interests in Ukraine offer enough ground to stand on themselves.
The media spin that China is allying with Russia in the fog of a new "Cold War" is nothing more than antiquated conventional wisdom.
Unreserved support for Russia's military aggression in Ukraine would betray China's time-honored diplomatic principle of non-interference, and would give a handle to foreign powers to intervene in China's western regions, such as Xinjiang and Tibet, rife with ethnic tensions and secessionist movements.
China's welcome to Crimea's secession from Ukraine through referendum would be hypocritical, as China itself introduced an Anti-Secession Law in 2005, which permits the use of military force against Taiwan in case it declares independence from China through a referendum or other official procedures.
Allying with the West to denounce Russia is not a policy option on Beijing's table either.
Thanks to the geopolitical limbo that Ukraine has been in for decades, China has been able to bypass the West's arms embargo since 1989 and Russia's strategic confinement, and buy from Ukraine crucial weaponry and technologies that have been converted into the crown jewels of China's modern national defense.
Among others, China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning was renovated from the aircraft carrier Varyag that China bought from Ukraine in 1998.
China's first carrier-based fighter aircraft, Shenyang J-15, is an upgraded copy from the prototype of the Russian-made Su-33 fighter jet that China got from Ukraine in 2001.
The Chinese navy's most advanced Aegis destroyer is propelled by DN/80 gas turbine engines that China imported from Ukraine's industrial giant Zorya-Mashproekt in 1990.
Once incorporated into the Western framework of the EU and NATO, Ukraine would surely be forced by the European countries and the US to halt its arms sales to China. And that would be a truly painful bite to China.
The author is studying political communication at New York University. He is an Asia Foundation young diplomat fellow and a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, with a major in international relations. [email protected] Falls— I hope you’ve all had a chance to see it! There’s just something so awesome and wonderful about it! It’s very exciting to look forward to an animated television show this much and what I love so much about this show, is how visually yummy it is. It’s very rich and colorful, and the backgrounds have some beautiful texture. The overall visual look of the show with the characters and settings is ace!When I saw the first episode, I absolutely fell in love with the show. Mabel Pines is such a sweet and goofy character, and I knew I had to draw some fanart of her first! Mabel is Dipper’s sister.I enjoyed the character development sketches that Joe Pitt posted a whole lot, and used his drawings of Mabel as well as the main ‘poster’ for the show as my main reference and guide.This fan art was drawn and painted entirely in Photoshop with a Wacom Intuos 4 Tablet.Gravity Falls was created by Alex Hirsch, made by the awesome people at Disney Television Animation, and you can catch it on Disney!Gravity Falls ©DisneyIf you want to follow my art online, you can also find me here:tumblr: [link] Like Me on FacebookEdit: Moved the watermark so you guys can see the art betterGood day to you.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt this week it’s that if one’s team is losing two-nil, and the team in question is indeed Woolwich Arsenal, then it is best to wait until the referee has puffed on the silver snail before one does something slightly rash such as picking a gardener at random and running him through with a poker. Because that would be rather awkward, not to mention extravagantly messy, and would mean calling in yet another favour from the friendly constabulary. Thank heavens for being part of the Illuminati at times of accidental murders.
For it was so Saturday last when we paid a visit to Proper Club Everton. Like an Australian toilet with a poisonous spider within, Goodison Park is A Very Difficult Place To Go. Furthermore, like a locked brothel (more of which later) it is a Very Difficult Place To Go And Get A Result. And so it was. In the grand English tradition of doing things the hard way, we generously allowed the home team to amass a two goal advantage before stubbing out our Capstans and actually playing some foot-ball.
Our defending is somewhat French at the moment; we seem to invite foreign hordes to attack us. Indeed, for their second goal, only Mr. Flame and Mr. Matthews were the only defenders in our box. Mr. Chapman would have had the other defenders, World Cup winners or not, locked up in a cellar for a fortnight to think about what they had done.
The refereeing was as poor as could be. Kanvar ‘The Young Prince’ Kumar, who has excelled since his arrival for the South Coast Home for Wayward Deserters, was unfairly booked, and Everton’s own tame Bigfoot Steven Naismith was clearly offside for their second.
At oranges the still-acclimatising Whizzbang Saunders was replaced with The Brigadier – and it proved quite the masterstroke. Tolerate him or outright hate him you can’t deny that Goring-Hildred is quite the handful. What you want from a centre forward is to be a bloody nuisance, and that is what he was. The complexion of the match changed in our favour and finally we looked like we were in a match-up and not an exhibition.
Mr. Cousins, aside from Master Oxlade-Chamberlain, was as busy as a one-legged man in an arse kicking contest and indeed swung in a lovely Gentleman’s Favour for Senegal’s favourite son, Abdoulaye Ramsara to slot home for two-one. And thus it was written; Goring-Hildred with the Noggin-Bobbler and then Goring-Hildred with the broken leg, which keeps him out until the feast of St. Brigid of Ireland on February 1st.
To The Emirates then, for the arrival of the uncivilised hordes of the The Shitcats of the Ottoman Empire, who had been briefed to play like the Leeds sides of the 1970s. The referee had been briefed to referee like an amphetamine can-can dancer and dished out no less than 43 yellow cards, including one to me, high up in the North Bank, one to a man enjoying a Chinese meal in downtown Shanghai and a straight red to the entire City of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Mr. Saunders paid back his fee with the simplest of strikes and took great delight in doing so. What I like most about Whizzbang – and I like a lot of things about him – is that he enjoys a tussle with a hulking centre-half as much as he enjoys displaying almost supernatural skill on the ball. He is sure to become a crowd favourite. Another highlight was the splendidly demented Matthew Matthews, who at one point had to be calmed down by Matthew Flame. Light up a cigar and think about that for a few minutes.
Yet, we only needed ten men and we are back once again like the proverbial Renegade Master, with our ill behaviour, and were instantly brought back down to earth with our group of Bloody Borussia Dartford, some more uncivilised Ottomans and Anderlecht Wednesday. We never get an easy group, unlike FC Chelsea 2003, who always do. Why? Well, that is one of life’s imponderables …
Finally, to Tottenham, who are through again to the Euro Vase. Good to see Madame Pochettino, dear mother and, ahem, ‘brass’, an enterprising Madam if ever there was one, whose ‘Shop de Knocking’ is now offering a number of Spurs ‘specials’ to her paying gentleman callers.
All the best
The GentA York bail bondsman had to post his own bail this week after police arrested and charged him with attempting to trade bail for sex with a 22-year-old woman.
Michael Philip Cramer, 46, was arrested at an abandoned location in the 500 block of East King Street, York, where he thought he was meeting the unidentified woman to have sex Monday, police said.
The woman was released from York County Prison on bail posted by Central Booking Bail Bonds, who Cramer works for, on Feb. 22.
After meeting the woman, Cramer realized she didn't have money or a place to stay, police said. He suggested he become her "sugar daddy," and that he would take care of her, according to police.
Cramer then began sending the woman, who still owed Central Booking money for the bail bonds, text messages during the next few weeks, police said.
He told her that if she would meet him for sex, he would give her $100, according to police. Cramer paid the balance of what the woman owed on her bail bonds and then reminded her that he paid it off, police said. He sent her more text messages that said "ass of cash" and that she had a "sweet ass," according to police.
Police said the woman didn't welcome Cramer's advances and was afraid because Central Booking set up a phone application on her phone that lets the company know where she is at all times.
Cramer suggested the two meet at the abandoned property, the future home of the York Food Bank, on Monday, police said. He thought he was going to meet the woman to have sex, according to police. Instead, police arrested him on site.
Cramer told officers he thought it would be a thrill to have sex with a 22-year-old, so he drove his 2003 Ford pickup truck to the scene, police said. He admitted he told the woman he would give her money, according to police.
When police arrested Cramer, he had a towel, blanket, wet wash rag in a zip lock bag, paper towels and a condom with him, police said.
Cramer has been charged with encouraging prostitution and possession with the intent to use an instrument of crime. Police consider the truck he drove to the scene in an instrument of crime, according to charging documents obtained by Pennlive.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
PUNK legend John Lydon is losing his sight and fears he will go completely blind.
The Sex Pistols star, 60, now wears glasses on stage “so I don’t fall off the edge”.
His sight was affected by a bout of meningitis in childhood.
He said: “My eyesight is going – it started from the meningitis but it’s getting worse.
“I can’t read anything. Even newspaper headlines are blurry.
(Image: Roberto Serra/Iguana Press/Redferns/Getty Images)
“If I lose my eyesight, I lose my life. I’d rather give up my ears than my eyes, which might sound unusual for a musician.
“If I couldn’t see the world around me that would be a terrific loss.
“If I lost my vision completely, that would be something I’d have to analyse in my mind.
“It’s gloomy but I can enjoy depression.”The introduction of climbing tree stand has been one of the most enticing advancements to ever reach the hunting industry. Climbing tree stands are great gears that have made it possible for hunters to take full advantage of their natural skills as they sneak into a prime hunting location, climb a tree, and wait for the target with safety being guaranteed. When looking for the best climbing tree stand, you have to consider some important factors. With too many choices available today, it may be difficult for you to grab the right piece without a guide.
So what should look for when getting a good climbing tree stand?
1. Location and Tree Types
These two factors are very important and must be the very first things you need to check out. Trees for your stand must be fairly straight without low branches. Why? The lower the branches, the harder it will be for you to climb up the tree. Trees must likewise have enough back because this what the stand will use to get a stable attachment.
2. Comfort
It is also very important that you feel comfortable at all times when on these stands. You have to think of the long hours of sitting and waiting to get a good target. If the stand is not that comfortable, you might give up early. You don’t want to become stiff or suffer from back sores that will make you quit hunting.
Choose a stand that has a thick padded seat for ease and comfort. Products with a backrest are highly recommended too.
3. Weight Limit
A good climbing tree stand should be able to support your body weight along with your gears and equipment. So be sure you know your weight and add some allowance to it. Some of the best models available in the market today can hold as much as 350 pounds. These are surely worth your money!
4. Safety
Of course, you would not want to climb a tree and end up falling because the stand you are using was not sturdy enough to support you. You also don’t like to end up getting injured because of there we no barriers to hold you from the sides.
You must look for a sturdy stand that will not easily break. Go for the fall arrest technologies like the 6 point harness. Make sure that the Fall Arrest System of your tree stand is approved by OSHA.
5. Portability
Expert hunters do not always limit their activities to forest edges. Most of the time, they go deep into the woods. They will not limit themselves to just one location. Instead, they’ll change areas from time to time. As a hunter, you need to have accessories that you can move easily. A good climbing tree stand is those that are lightweight, preferably less than 25 pounds, and have straps for carrying.
6. Durability
A good climbing tree stand should be made of heavy duty metals that are strong and rust resistant. Look for materials like steel and aluminum.
7. Platform Size
In most cases, hunters prefer to get a big platform to be able to turn, draw, and shoot comfortably.
8. Added Accessories
Being up in a tree for extended hours can be tiring, especially if you need to balance yourself and hold your bow or rifle, binoculars, and rattling antlers. Some stands come with great accessories like bow and riffle holders and hang-it-all belts. These are very helpful! It will give you enough room to hang all of your equipment for easy access.
Brach brackets attached to your stand or to the tree itself will allow you to place branches around you for a great concealment if no natural covers are present.
Caring for Your Climbing Tree Stand
1. Take it Down. As soon as the hunting season is over, take your stand down. Do not leave it out in the weather or in a truck where it will be exposed to moisture and elements that can cause a serious damage.
2. Check and Assess. Before and after every use, check over the parts of your tree stand to detect problems early.
3. Keep it Tight. Always re-tighten all the nuts and bolts that could have loosened up after a hunting session. This step helps guarantee your safety, hence very important.
4. Look at Connection Points. Be sure that all straps and cables are in good condition. Replace any questionable parts immediately.
5. Check the Pins, Hooks, and Ratchets. You must regularly inspect stand pins, hooks, and ratchets for any signs of wear and tear, including rust.
6. Care for the Seats. Always inspect the padded seats for any holes or rips. Your seats must be dry before keeping them for storage.
7. Clean and Store. Remove all dirt before storing your tree stand. Keep it in a scent-free enclosure with a stable temperature. Changes in temperature can cause rusting and mildew. Use plastic bags and rubber storage containers, if possible. You may apply scent elimination products to your storage location.
When buying a climbing tree stand, do not forget to check the above-mentioned tips. Remember to get one that meets your needs so you’ll not end up being disappointed. Make your hunting experience a lot more like a play!As Occupy Camps Close, What's Next For Movement?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images Spencer Platt/Getty Images
As pressure mounts in cities across the country to evict Occupy protesters from parks and squares, the movement's supporters face a decision about what to do next.
After months-long sit-ins that have brought international attention to the movement's demand for greater economic equality, as well as occasional clashes between demonstrators and police, cities in recent days have moved in force to end the protests.
In New York, squad cars and police in riot gear descended on Zuccotti Park overnight, forcibly removing Occupy supporters who had been there since September. A day earlier, authorities in Oakland, Calif., and Portland, Ore., cleared encampments in those cities. The situation is tense in at least a dozen other U.S. cities.
In some cases, the courts may come to the movement's rescue. But the writing may already be on the wall.
Tactical Retreat?
"The other side is owning the narrative right now," Kalle Lasn, the editor-in-chief of Adbusters magazine, told Britain's The Guardian newspaper last week.
"People are talking about drugs and criminals" among the movement, Lasn said. Adbusters, which first called for the protest, now is calling for a tactical retreat — essentially, declaring victory and going home for now.
But that call carries no teeth in a movement that has prided itself on "horizontalism" — the notion that it is, essentially, leaderless.
For hard-core supporters, it may simply be a case of changing venues. A movement called Occupy Colleges has pushed for a move to universities, where students already have been staging protests over higher tuition costs, among other grievances.
Natalia Abrams, a founding facilitator of Occupy Colleges, said sit-ins are taking place on campus at Harvard, Northeastern and the University of Illinois, among other locations.
"If they are going to take our parks, we're going to occupy the campuses," Abrams said.
If they are going to take our parks, we're going to occupy the campuses.
It's a strategy that Francesca Polletta, a sociology professor at the University of California, Irvine, thinks could backlash.
"You risk losing a broad base of support, and I think that's one of the ways in which the movement has been extraordinarily successful," Polletta said.
"They've gotten ordinary Americans interested — people who may not want to join a drum circle but nonetheless support the broad goals of the movement," she said.
Hashtags Will Keep Us Together
There are other options.
In a previous generation, the call from Adbusters' Lasn to "pack up and go home" might have represented the kiss of death for a protest movement, Polletta said. But, no longer.
"If people leave and go home, that's the end of the movement. But the fact is that with these new digital media, it's possible to mobilize people again very quickly," she said.
Protest "used to be hard work. It required a lot of effort to get information out. It required time, it was inconvenient, it was often dangerous," she said.
Social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, have become powerful new organizing tools that represent a game-changer for protest movements, she said.
Last month, several organizations and individuals that support the Occupy protests met at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., to discuss what comes next for the movement. Suren Moodliar, of social activism group Massachusetts Global Action, was among the participants.
Moodliar agrees that social media –- and in particular the use of Twitter hashtags — is a potent new factor, but also that the protests have become a training ground for a new group of activists who may have come together for different reasons, but now have many shared goals.
"The physical encampments themselves have become nodal points for all sorts of progressive groups to condense and connect with one another," he said. "A large number of individuals who were previously not involved politically were inspired by the Occupy movement and educated in various ways by the different groups who have become involved with the Occupy movement."
New Politics of Protest
David Meyer, author of The Politics of Protest: Social Movements in America, agreed. "The people who are engaged in Occupy right now, even if they are not sleeping outside in tents, are forming politics that will stick with them for the rest of their lives."
What would happen to the movement if the encampments disappeared tomorrow?
"Occupy demonstrated a successful tactic," Meyer said. "The success of a tactic is always going to be limited in time either because people get bored or authorities find a way to deal with it.
"What generally happens for successful social movements is that you get groups of people that go off and do all sorts of things," he said.
Expect to see "a bunch of different things," Meyer said.
"Some of the people are going to get sucked up into the electoral process. Some activists have tried to do civil disobedience and direct action at banks. I'd expect to see that continue," he said.
Meyer thinks that as the movement becomes broader, it will necessarily lose its horizontalism.
"A year from now, I think we will still be talking about Occupy," he said.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
A South Wales family's missing pet dog has been found ten years after he disappeared - and was just a day from being put down.
The Staffordshire Bull terrier, called Chance, literally lived up to his name after owners - mother and son Sion and Julie Coombes - got the surprise phone call.
As an 11-year-old schoolboy Sion had been left heartbroken when his much-loved pet vanished from his home in Barry in 2004.
He and his mum Julie Coombes put posters on lamp posts hoping to find the loveable black and white terrier but gave up hope and bought another dog for Sion to play with.
Yet miraculously, 10 years later they got a surprise phone call from a dog's home to say that he had been found 20 miles away in Newport.
Picked up weak and hungry in a city centre underpass, he was transferred to Coronation Kennels, where because of his age and his condition he was going to be put down.
However, a thoughtful vet decided to scan him for a microchip and found Julie's name and address.
Like a scene reminiscent of heart-wrenching film Homeward Bound, the now 13-year-old dog was returned home.
(Image: Wales News Service)
Speaking to South Wales Evening Post Julie, said: "It was like something from a children's Disney movie.
"I had a phone call to say my dog had been found - I thought they'd made a mistake because we have two dogs and they were both in the house.
"Then they said it was a black and white Staffordshire - my heart leapt, I knew it was Chance.
"We went to the dog's home and recognised Chance straight away.
"And as soon as we said his name his ears pricked up as if he'd never forgotten us.
"It was very emotional seeing him again after 10 years."
Speaking about how he disappeared she said: "Sion when to school and I let him out in the garden, I went back out to let him in and he wasn’t there.
"We knocked on doors, looked everywhere...and we never heard a thing."
Sam, now 21 and a student at the University of Glamorgan, said: "It’s crazy - I never thought he would come back, at all."
How he spent the last ten years will remain a mystery.The three men were arrested on Tuesday morning; they pleaded not guilty at their arraignment.
John Carman, a lawyer for Mr. Vashovsky, said his client was “not the first landlord to be wrongfully accused by a nonpaying tenant with an obvious and substantial reason to make false claims.”
Robert Wolf, a lawyer for Mr. Ohana, said in a statement that his client had been cooperative with the city’s Investigation Department and is not guilty.
Aaron Twersky, a lawyer for Mr. Cohen, said the city’s “narrative is not entirely accurate.”
While prosecuting landlords for harassing tenants is rare, city and state authorities have been turning to the courts more frequently to crack down on the landlords suspected of wrongdoing. The most prominent example: Steven Croman, whose companies controlled more than 140 Manhattan apartment buildings, was charged in May with 20 felonies.
Mr. Vashovsky’s companies own at least 26 buildings, mostly in Brooklyn, records show.
In June 2015, a two-story townhouse on Tompkins Avenue in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn partially collapsed after one of Mr. Vashovsky’s companies, Vasco Ventures, bought it, two neighboring townhouses and a vacant lot, intending to build an apartment complex. The Buildings Department attributed the collapse to the failure to brace a wall during tear-down work.
When another of Mr. Vashovsky’s companies bought the building at 14 East 125th Street in East Harlem for $1.85 million in February 2013, residents started complaining of rats and lack of heat, and within months, five of the six rent-regulated residents moved out.
But officials said the tactics at 21 East 115th Street in East Harlem were particularly egregious.
After Mr. Vashovsky bought the five-story, 10-unit building for $3 million in May |
cos pleaded guilty to the invasion-of-privacy charge in exchange for the state’s dropping a second charge, of cyber harassment. Norma’s parents were both in court with her on the day of the sentencing, as were two of her friends. Goldberg had invited another client, a New Yorker named Connie, to watch the proceeding, thinking that she might find it encouraging to witness a perpetrator facing justice. Connie and her boyfriend broke up after he became physically abusive. He then placed ads for her on escort sites and on Craigslist, including her full name and personal details; he also created fake Google+, Facebook, and porn-site pages about her. She was described as an “Asian black widow” who “enjoyed gang bangs” and had various sexually transmitted diseases. Connie, who is thirty-five, had never given naked pictures to her ex, but he posted photographs of her face alongside random images of vaginas. Connie told me, “I grew up in a very conservative Asian household—very quiet people, God-fearing and all that good stuff—in Jackson Heights, Queens. To see your picture on an escort site and all these venomous things about you, it kind of makes you question who you are. Because how did you allow this person to come into your life? And—how do I explain this without crying?—you feel ashamed.” Connie got some of the content taken down on her own; Goldberg helped her with the rest, and was pushing the New York prosecutor to count the online attacks as violations of a restraining order that had been placed on Connie’s ex. Still, Connie’s life remained in many ways on hold: she had left Manhattan, abandoning a career in luxury-ad sales, and she had eliminated her online presence, which made it hard to maintain friendships or to find a new job. Goldberg told me that people in Connie’s position often had such difficulties. If you didn’t mention the harassment in a job interview, you risked having the potential employer find graphic pictures of you online; if, like Connie, you erased your Internet presence, the employer might see nothing about you online, which was suspicious in its own way. “I have no social life,” Connie told me. “I don’t go out. I basically have two friends. I’ve started to get used to it, but it’s also kind of lonely. I used to work in a very prestigious industry around a lot of people. But I’m really scared to have a Facebook account, or a Twitter, because I don’t know what backlash would come from it.” Connie was thinking about suing her ex-boyfriend. Goldberg had told her that there were relevant torts under which she could seek damages, including intentional infliction of emotional distress, and that she could petition the judge to let her sue as a Jane Doe. A few victims of cyber harassment have successfully pursued civil actions. In 2014, a Texas jury awarded half a million dollars to a woman whose boyfriend had recorded their sexually explicit Skype sessions without her knowledge, then uploaded the videos to porn sites after they broke up. But victims don’t often pursue civil actions, in part because most potential defendants are what lawyers call “judgment-proof”: they lack the money to pay a big settlement. Connie’s former boyfriend was a successful real-estate developer, but she was reluctant to be back in his orbit during a protracted legal case. At one point, I told Connie and Goldberg that the psychology of revenge porn confounded me. In trashing your ex, you were, in a sense, trashing yourself and a whole portion of your life. “Right,” Goldberg said. “It’s like you’re announcing to the world, ‘I was with a prostitute.’ But I think during breakups there is that devaluing. That’s how you justify it: ‘I dodged a bullet there.’ ” The Internet, she said, had given rise to something new in the history of revenge: “Historically, we had checks and balances. If you are someone who is always seeking revenge, that’s going to affect your reputation. But on the Internet a guy can be really bad and his friends aren’t necessarily going to know that he’s doing all these shitty things.” Goldberg also thought that the Internet had made people “more compulsive and impulsive.” She explained, “So many people don’t know how to sit with a thought, whether it’s a good thing—‘Oh, that’s such a pretty landscape, I have to post it on Facebook’—or a bad thing: ‘What do I do with this angry emotion?’ ”
Near the end of the New Jersey proceeding, Morcos offered an apology to the court and to Norma, whom he referred to only as “her.” He told the judge, “I went too far. I guess I didn’t handle it correctly.” Norma then got up to read a nine-hundred-word statement, which she had prepared and practiced in Goldberg’s office the previous week. The paper trembled in her hands, but her voice was steady. The courtroom got very quiet. Morcos looked down at the table. “I worried about future job opportunities being affected if these pictures were circulated throughout the Internet,” Norma read. “I was afraid for my safety—afraid that a sex offender would be able to locate me after seeing my photos and my information.” Such fears are not unreasonable. In 2009, a Wyoming woman whose ex-boyfriend had advertised her on Craigslist as someone looking for “a real aggressive man with no concern for women” was raped, at knifepoint, by a man who responded to the ad. In 2013, a Maryland man was found guilty of posting fake ads about his ex-wife, including one that said “Rape Me and My Children.” Fifty men showed up at the condominium where the woman lived with her children; some tried to break in. Goldberg has a client whose stalker has repeatedly created fake ads in which the client advertises free sex; the client works at a pharmacy, and a steady stream of men have shown up there. The ads urge men not to be discouraged if she ignores them. As Norma spoke, Goldberg sat up very straight. Connie shook her head in sympathy. “I cannot get back my privacy that had been invaded when those pictures were online,” Norma concluded. “I do not know how many people saw them, I do not know how many people saved them, and every single day I think about the fact that other people have seen me in my most private state.” The judge, Michael Ravin, addressed the court. “As a parent with a daughter, I could say plenty,” he said. “This kind of conduct is just so over the line.... Especially for somebody intelligent. It shows a lack of insight, a lack of impulse control.” He sentenced Morcos to four years of probation, then said, “No—make it five.” This was the maximum allowed under the law. The judge also ordered Morcos to perform a hundred hours of community service, to undergo a mental-health evaluation, and to refrain from contacting Norma and her family. If Morcos violated any of these terms, Ravin said, he could be sent to prison. Afterward, Norma and her family said that they wouldn’t have minded if the judge had imposed some jail time. But they were grateful to Goldberg and to the prosecutor. Connie said she felt heartened that “this one guy, anyway, probably isn’t going to do this to another girl.” Goldberg was pleased, too. “Norma’s not going to go home and cry,” she said to me. “She was treated respectfully by everybody today.” I mentioned Judge Ravin’s remark about how the facts of this case had hit him as a father. “That actually bothered me,” Goldberg said. “I wish it wasn’t always ‘As the father of a daughter’ or ‘As the husband of a wife.’ I wish it were ‘This kind of assault on someone’s dignity bothers me as a human being with a soul and a conscience.’ ”
Since so many of Goldberg’s clients have unhinged exes, she works in an office with an elaborate security system. She also carries pepper spray, making a point of using a product called BlingSting, which comes in sparkly cannisters. Although Goldberg acknowledges that she is a workaholic who spends much of her time thinking about men who cause women “irreparable misery,” she maintains the bright, squiggly demeanor of a screwball heroine. She has a Chihuahua named Meshugenneh, and drives a 1966 GTO. She starts most days boxing at the gym and keeps a silk apparatus for acrobatics hanging from her apartment ceiling, but she often eats candy for breakfast. She is divorced, amicably, from a Vassar English professor. They share custody of Meshugenneh. Goldberg grew up in Aberdeen, Washington, the rainy, economically depressed logging town that Kurt Cobain was from. Her father ran a furniture store; her mother, an obituary writer for the local paper, quit to bring up four children. Goldberg, the second child, was an instinctive feminist and a bit of a misfit. “Artsy without the artistic talent,” as she puts it. It was the riot-grrrl era, and Goldberg was riotous. She started a little business, called Masked Mams, selling bras that she made out of baby-doll heads. “Well, selling might be overstating it,” she told me. “I’d go to the Evergreen College campus and barter them.” She and her friend Lindsay Lunnum, now an Episcopal priest, worked on the high-school yearbook together, and they amused themselves by writing erotica about some of the more boring boys’ teams. As Lunnum recalled, “We were very interested in sex, but we had no experience.” A teacher found their raunchy writings and confronted the young women’s parents about them. Goldberg was irate, pointing out that the teacher must have found the erotica by searching their lockers. He’d violated their privacy. “Marry you? But I haven’t even finished my dessert.” During high school, Goldberg once dropped a friend off at a motel where a man the friend liked was hosting a party. The friend passed out from drinking and was sexually assaulted by the man and his friends. “Back then, it didn’t occur to her or me to tell the police or even to call it rape,” Goldberg said. “But, as I think about it now, that was a pivotal moment for me.” Goldberg’s office has a boutique-hotel vibe: navy-and-gold wallpaper, a blue velvet mid-century-modern couch. On a side table, there is a glittery plastic axe that a friend retrieved from an abandoned art exhibit. Whenever I saw the “disco axe,” as Goldberg calls it, I thought of that pejorative term for a fierce woman—“battle-axe”—and how she was redefining the role. One morning in her office, she told me that she had recently gone to a management seminar where the instructor advised the lawyers in attendance to establish a stringent policy forbidding porn in the workplace. Adam Massey, Goldberg’s associate, laughed. His work often entails scanning porn sites and looking for evidence. Goldberg hopped on a pile of cushions next to Massey’s desk. She was wearing a black turtleneck dress and a ring that spelled out the word “B-A-L-L-S.” “I told them we had a different, rather more nuanced policy,” she said. “I didn’t tell them about the times I’ve gotten annoyed, like today, when you’ve got pages and pages to go through, and I’m, like, ‘Adam, get back to the porn!’ ” Massey, whose desk is in the middle of the office, keeps the sound on his computer turned down. That day, he was checking to see whether some porn links that had received takedown orders from Goldberg were still active. “My least favorite part of the job is looking at porn,” Massey told me later. “I try to think of it as document review.” Massey kept clicking through links while we talked about the market for “amateur” commercial porn—which is often billed as featuring young women who have only once been filmed having sex. There are Internet subcultures dedicated to unmasking the women’s identities. The client whose links Massey was monitoring had made one porn video, in her late teens, under coercion. She had been promised, falsely, that the footage would not be distributed widely online. Amateur porn obsessives had recently found innocuous YouTube videos of her from when she was a young girl, and they were linking them to the porn, exposing her identity. Goldberg came over and said that you couldn’t discount the thrill of the search as a motivation, too. “There’s that sleuthing aspect,” she said. “I get that, because we do our own version.” Earlier in the day, Goldberg and I had talked about the sleuthing she had done on behalf of a college student who’d worked as a so-called cam girl. The young woman was a student at a university in the South, and she had responded to a Craigslist ad that asked, “Are you an aspiring model?” She’d needed the money and agreed to the work, performing solo sex acts or getting naked, for individual clients, on Skype. She had even signed a contract, which contained murky language about the company owning her performances, in all technologies “now known or hereafter developed.” The young woman fell behind on her hours, and the operator stopped paying her. Then he started demanding that she come to his house and have sex with him; otherwise, he warned her, he would distribute her videos. He texted her, “I know u would much rather have sex with me once than your entire family knowing what u do and everyone at your school too. Cause it will be broadcast all over.” He told her that she had to get an underage friend of hers to come work for him, too. She texted back, “Thanks for messing with my life and being so cruel. I’m not getting my friend involved with this shit.” The man had used an alias, but his company had a Web site, and he had a Twitter account. Goldberg tried doing a reverse image search on his Twitter photo, but it didn’t yield anything. Eventually, she identified a phone number associated with the company’s Web-site registration, and that led her to the Facebook pages of the man and his wife. A photograph showed them in front of a house in Louisiana. Goldberg, using Google Street View, was able to track down the man’s address. She sent him a cease-and-desist letter, telling him that he could be charged with extortion under federal and state law, and noting that Louisiana law sanctioned threats to “expose or impute any deformity or disgrace to the individual threatened or to any member of his family or to any other person held dear to him.” The crime, she added, carried up to fifteen years of prison, including hard labor. Goldberg takes pride in her cease-and-desist letters. Her client never heard from the man again. Not all of Goldberg’s clients are women, but the men, she says, generally have different concerns. Often, they are being extorted for money. One reason that revenge porn targets men less often is that, as Goldberg says, “there is less of a secondary downstream market for it.” She mentioned one male client, a graduate student from a prominent family. He responded to a Craigslist ad about a sexual fetish, and began chatting online with a woman who was into it. They were supposed to have a date, but he backed out, and the woman started threatening to expose their conversations. In this case, it was a matter of figuring out who she was and monitoring her online activity from afar, then deciding not to contact her. “It’s structured as a set of two parallel stories that no one would ever want to read.” “She had started getting quieter on the Internet toward him,” Goldberg explained. “So we didn’t want to do anything to rev her up. We found her blog, under a pseudonym. And within a couple of days she was seriously trash-talking someone else—someone who actually had gone out on a date with her but didn’t want a second date.” Goldberg continued, “I knew that, because she had clearly moved on, she was probably no longer a threat to my client. And if somebody was out of control and spinning, and then they’re not continuing to throw out communications, it means they’ve calmed themselves down. It’s kind of like a baby throwing a tantrum—once they’ve calmed down, something would have to trigger them to start up again. And that trigger could be a letter from a lawyer.”
One day when I stopped by Goldberg’s office, she was preparing for a visit from one of her youngest clients, whom I’ll call Jessica. In April, 2015, when Jessica was thirteen, a male classmate at Spring Creek Community School, in Brooklyn, dragged her into an alley and orally and anally sodomized her. She had never had sex, and she said that it was rape, but the boy said that it was consensual. He had filmed the incident, and the video was circulating at school. Other students had bullied Jessica online and at school, where they waved cell phones that were playing the video. The principal had sent her home. A “safety transfer” to another school took a month to arrange, so that Jessica was in effect punished for what had happened to her. Goldberg considered the school’s handling of the incident a violation of Title IX, the statute under which any school receiving federal funds is required to quickly investigate claims of sexual harassment or assault, and to take steps to prevent abuse from happening again. Goldberg filed a complaint on behalf of Jessica with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which has agreed to investigate it. College campuses have been the locus for Title IX complaints about sexual assault, but middle schools and high schools may well be the next battleground. Jessica is African-American, and Goldberg has taken on two other cases involving peer assaults on young black girls in Brooklyn public schools. On Twitter, she has cited a troubling statistic: Yale has nineteen Title IX coördinators for its twelve thousand students; the New York City school system has one Title IX coördinator for 1.1 million children. (Toya Holness, a spokesperson for the New York City Department of Education, said that school staff are trained in “reporting, investigating, and responding to such incidents.”) In June, Goldberg filed another complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, on behalf of a developmentally disabled fifteen-year-old girl. According to the complaint, the girl had been taken into a stairwell at Teachers Preparatory School, in Brooklyn, by a group of seven boys, who forced her to perform oral sex on two of them while five watched. It was the second of three New York cases, Goldberg pointed out in her cover letter, “in which our client is a poor black girl age 13-15,” whose sexual assault had been mishandled, or neglected, by the school system.” (Holness said, “Nothing is more important than the safety of all students and staff, and we have policies in place that insure incidents are reported, investigated, and appropriately addressed. We are reviewing these deeply troubling complaints and addressing any pending matters with the Office for Civil Rights.”) When Goldberg meets with her younger clients, she acts as both lawyer and social worker. She’d brought snacks for Jessica, and there was a translator on hand for her mother, whose primary language is Haitian Creole. Jessica is now fifteen, but she looks younger—she has a sweet, shy smile and a fresh-scrubbed face. She sat in the conference room huddled in a parka and a knit cap, her hands folded in her lap. But she seemed comfortable with Goldberg, whom she’s taken to texting when she gets a good grade. At one point, her mother said she was upset that her daughter hadn’t immediately told her about the assault: “She’s my life, so don’t keep secrets.” Goldberg told her, “So many kids her age would have done the same thing, especially because she knew it would hurt you.” Goldberg asked them if they were still sure they wanted to pursue a case. Jessica nodded and said yes. Her mother mentioned a friend whose daughter was raped, and said that the family had decided not to take legal action. “Not my daughter,” Jessica’s mother said. Goldberg replied, “There are a lot of reasonable ways to react. This is one of them. And I think it could make a difference in New York City schools.” She added that, were they to win, “as part of a settlement, maybe there could be required classes about sexual consent, and what to do if you receive a picture or video like this. ‘Report it, don’t send it on.’ ” A short hearing on the case was held in late October, but Goldberg told me that she expects the case to move slowly. Jessica may be an adult by the time it is resolved.By PoliceOne Staff
BATON ROUGE, La. — The wife of an officer who was killed during the July 2016 ambush in Baton Rouge received a living reminder of her husband last week.
Matthew Gerald’s wife Dechia gave birth to their son Falyn Matthew on March 21, WAFB reported. As a tribute to his dad, Falyn carries on his dad’s law enforcement nickname “Buttons.”
Dechia, who has worn her husband’s wedding ring as a necklace since he died, said Falyn wouldn’t let go of the ring the first time she held him.
Matthew Gerald, along with Officers Montrell Jackson and Brad Garafola, were ambushed by a gunman on July 17, 2016, the Associated Press reported. Officer Nick Tullier was critically injured as well. He is still in recovery. The gunman was killed at the scene.
After the ambush, Dechia discovered she was pregnant and had conceived the baby just five days before Matthew’s death. She said although Matthew isn’t with them anymore, a piece of him will be with her every day.
“I can just feel his presence. I don't have to worry about the anxiety or worry where's he's at or what he's doing because at this moment, he's here with us,” Dechia told WAFB.If that was it, it was a colorful sendoff.
It’s no secret that Crew SC’s 2-0 win over D.C. United might have been midfielder Federico Higuain’s final regular-season home game with the Crew. In August, the 32-year-old told The Dispatch this season could be his last with the Crew, that it was the “finish of the cycle” after five-plus seasons with the club.
A few weeks later, he said he wanted to enjoy the remainder of the season with the Crew and ride the team’s hot streak, but admitted “the other part of this situation is not easy.”
A lot can happen between now and any potential parting of ways between Higuain and the Crew this winter, but just in case, he was given a gift Saturday. Higuain was stunned when he looked in the direction of the Nordecke at kickoff and saw Crew supporters bouncing a large tifo featuring his image.
The banner, which stretched from the front of the Nordecke to at least a couple dozen rows back, included a black and white image of Higuain’s face, with a blue jersey, a black and gold background and a blue header with Higuain’s nickname — Pipa — written in purple.
A week in #TIFOSWEAT: Concept on Monday, sewing/tracing Tuesday, painting Friday, deployment Saturday.
Three points. Playoffs. #CrewSC pic.twitter.com/fM7TY6ZYVs
— Morgan Hughes (@Morgan_Hughes) October 1, 2017
“First of all, I want to give thanks to all the fans of Columbus Crew. It was a moment that was very beautiful,” Higuain said through a team interpreter. “Just like myself and the rest of my family, we are very appreciative for all the love and support (I) received from the first day that I got here. Every day that I come to the club, I’ve been trying to do my very best that I possibly can and I’m going to continue to give everything I’ve got.”
Higuain said he was completely surprised by the banner but made sure to take a few seconds at kickoff to appreciate it.
“I’m not sure if I deserve something like that from the fans, but I want to take this moment to thank them for that and for taking the time to do that,” he said.
Higuain took a corner kick in front of the Nordecke in the 14th minute and found the head of Josh Williams, who scored for the second time in two weeks to put the Crew ahead 1-0. With the win, the Crew extended its unbeaten streak to eight for the first time since 2010, improved its record to 15-12-5 and clinched a playoff spot for the third time in four seasons. Higuain now has nine goals and 11 assists on the season.
pic.twitter.com/7M15mXJxXR
— Miriam Matteson (@mirmatt) October 1, 2017
It was a fairly subdued Crew locker room post game. With two games left and the Chicago Fire two points ahead in the standings, there’s still quite a bit to play for.
“We’d like to finish up a little higher in the playoff table and have a good playoff season,” Higuain said. “I think that’s the objective of every club.”
It’s also a primary objective for Higuain, who hopes to make a successful run in what could be his third and final playoffs with the Crew.
“I have no words to explain that moment and how big my feelings were watching that huge banner. I want to say thank you to everyone,” Higuain said. “Every morning that I get up to go to training I try to do my best and I know that I try to do my best. The love that I have for this club and for this city is reciprocal.”
Home record
With the win, Crew SC finished its regular-season home slate 12-3-2, setting a club record for home wins. Coach Gregg Berhalter said taking ownership of home performances was an emphasis after a 2016 season in which the Crew went 6-3-8 at home and often dropped points late in games.
“I’m proud of the guys. I think that’s a good accomplishment with how many years the Crew’s been here and to have that record is special for the guys and I think to show that we want to keep pushing,” Berhalter said. “We met an objective. We set a goal in the beginning of the season to be an elite home team. I think our record stands for itself and now we want to keep pushing because we know home field in the playoffs is big.”
He said it
“I told Ola (Kamara)I’m coming for him. No, same thing man. I just run to a spot and Pipa (Higuain) and Pedro (Santos) put it there, so it takes a second of courage to stick your head in there and actually on this one I was pretty open so it wasn’t nearly the same. Just tried to get good contact on it.”
—Center back Josh Williams, after scoring for the second time in two weeks. Before this stretch, he went more than four years between goals.
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@AEricksonCDWhether it's rock and roll with its blistering solos, classical with its ominous overtones, or jazz with its black people, music is already pretty damn cool. The only way it could get cooler? These:
5 The Great Stalacpipe Organ
'Lithophone' is the fancy music term for 'thing that hits rocks with sticks.' And to think our second grade teacher called that 'anger issues' (we were clearly just musically inclined, Mrs. Davis). The Great Stalacpipe Organ is the world's largest lithophone, and it is located inside of a cave. Wait, did we say "located inside of"? Sorry, we meant "built out of."
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The organ is comprised of 37 stalactites scattered over 3.5 acres of the Luray Caverns in Virginia. When a key is pressed on a central console, a mallet strikes one of many gargantuan stalactites scattered throughout the cave, producing a specific note which resonates throughout the entirety of its 64 acres.
The instrument was conceived by Pentagon employee Leyland Sprinkle, in part to make up for his hilariously precocious name. Appropriately, Sprinkle's brainchild came about after damaging the brain of his child. In a trip to the caves in 1956, Leyland's son Robert hit his head on a stalactite, and instead of phoning the paramedics or dropping to his knees to curse a cruel and uncaring God, Sprinkle became fascinated by the sound of the vibrating rocks. He then spent the next 3 years shaving stalactites to get them perfectly in pitch, and the next 50 years presumably driving away the invading Molemen with his giant earth organ. They have notoriously sensitive ears, you see. That's Moleman Anatomy 101 right there.Vicious and Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon received the award for Best Actor at the Attitude Awards on Monday night (October 13). Fellow actors Ashley Jensen (Extras) and Mathew Horne (Gavin and Stacey) presented Iwan with his award on the night. While Ashley described Iwan's career as "clearly in the ascendant", Mat joked that Iwan was his "lookalike, but thinner and less attractive!" "It's been such a great last couple of years to get to work with such incredible people like Sir Ian [McKellen] and Sir Derek [Jacobi]. They've really taught me a lot," said the Welsh actor upon accepting his award. Speaking further about his Vicious co-stars, Iwan added: "As a young actor you aspire to work with people who treat everyone with the same respect and admiration that they themselves receive." Watch the full video below:For the third consecutive year Virgin Holidays were headline sponsors of the Attitude Awards, which also benefited the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Attitude would also like to thank other sponsors and supporters of the event including Sky, Renault, Marriott, M&S, Little Miracles, Naked Wines and Hip Hotels.President faces mounting opposition from Republicans and Democrats to draft bill that requests three-year authorisation for use of military force against Isis
The White House sought authority on Wednesday to expand its military campaign against the Islamic State, against a backdrop of mounting opposition to US foreign policy not just from the Republican opposition but from inside Barack Obama’s own party.
The draft bill seeking three-year authorisation for the use of military force (AUMF) made its way to sceptical lawmakers in a bid to update – for the first time since the 9/11 attacks – a heavily contested legal authority that the administration claims was approved for its recent strikes in Iraq and Syria.
Text of the letter released by the White House confirms a report in the Guardian on Tuesday that the new AUMF does not include geographic limits in the war against Isis and would allow troops to operate on the ground for limited periods of time almost anywhere in the world.
Isis war to extend far beyond Iraq and Syria under Obama's proposed plan Read more
“The authorisation I propose would provide the flexibility to conduct ground combat operations in other, more limited circumstances, such as rescue operations involving US or coalition personnel or the use of special operations forces to take military action against Isil leadership,” Obama writes.
“It would also authorise the use of US forces in situations where ground combat operations are not expected or intended, such as intelligence collection and sharing, missions to enable kinetic strikes, or the provision of operational planning and other forms of advice and assistance to partner forces.”
The White House insists the AUMF does not confer authority for “long-term, large-scale ground combat operations”, but the language has already raised concerns among Democrats that it gives the White House another “blank cheque” for open-ended war wherever it chooses. Some Republicans argue instead that the restriction would tie the hands of the military.
Obama already faces an unusually broad array of opposition to current policies in Iran, Cuba and Ukraine, and he may have to rely on the same coalition of political hawks from both parties to pass the latest legislation opposing him on other fronts.
On Tuesday, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House armed services committee launched a separate bill that would require the White House to provide arms to Ukraine to help it fight Russia-backed separatists – something Obama has expressed concerns about but the White House insists he is still considering.
Democratic senator Bob Menendez has already joined with Republicans to push another bill that the White House claims will try to derail its talks with Iran over nuclear weapons by authorising new economic sanctions. Menendez is also working with Republicans to frustrate Obama’s diplomatic rapprochement with Cuba.
“While I believe an AUMF against Isil is important, I have concerns that the president’s request does not meet this standard,” House speaker John Boehner wrote in a statement, adding that “rigorous oversight” would begin in the form of hearings.
But more dovish Democrats are equally concerned that the new AUMF may represent a step too far in the opposite direction, potentially granting both Obama and future presidents the same kind of unrestrained cover to wage war last used by George W Bush, after he sought authority based on intelligence that was later found to be false.
“There remain very grave questions that have yet to be resolved,” said senator Richard Blumenthal, after a briefing by White House staff on the AUMF. “I have yet to be convinced. We’re all consulting at this point with each other, generally struggling for a consensus.”
Fears of an overly broad resolution also began to be voiced openly among senior Democrats on Capitol Hill on Tuesday evening, as lawmakers prepared for Wednesday’s release by warning against giving the administration a “blank cheque”.
“This is the rub, this is where it’s going to be very very difficult; you are going to have senators McCain and Graham saying it shouldn’t necessarily be limited to Iraq and Syria,” said Adam Smith, the ranking member of the House armed services committee. “I would support a more limited version and if in a few years from now, new situations emerge Congress can pass it again. I don’t think we should give the executive a blank cheque.”
Smith told the Guardian he believed the proposed three-year limit was a strong sign that the White House was staying closer to proposed language drafted by congressman Adam Schiff, but said Democrats would have significant concerns.
“There is going to be a bunch of Democrats who are going to very very wary of supporting an AUMF after the experience of the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs, so it is going to have to be limited to get enough Democratic support,” Smith added.
Schiff said he backed the decision to seek a fresh AUMF but reiterated concerns that the resolution only repealed the previous 2002 version and not the original passed after 9/11, leaving open the risk of abuse from future occupants of the White House.
“There are some key aspects of the proposal which I believe must be narrowed further – in particular, a new authorisation should also include a sunset of the 2001 AUMF; without one, any sunset of the new authorisation will be ineffectual,” Schiff said. “There are additional concerns over the lack of a geographic limitation and a broad definition of associated forces which will also be the subject of debate.”by
Sándor Goldberger (1894–1990) is known in popular history as J. Peters, the mysterious Communist espionage agent whose work in the United States from 1924 to 1949 was profiled by Whittaker Chambers in his (absurdly paranoid pseudo-spy novel) Witness. Whether Chambers was telling anything but tall tales in his magnum opus is not worthy of consideration herein, what is worth discussion here is how Goldberger’s corpus of writings offer us a vital set of insights about party building with regard to the Greens.
As a National Delegate and the Treasurer of the Rhode Island Green Party, I have learned the inner mechanics of the organization in depth while simultaneously having spent several years reading histories of the Old Left that come out of the New Left’s social history prism, meaning these books are attenuated and focused on how the CPUSA operated in a wider social sense rather than, as was the case with Theodore Draper and his intellectual heirs, being concentrated on the minutiae of party officers, their connections to Moscow, and internal resolutions that seem to indicate some sort of conspiracy was afoot in the leadership level of the organization.
What is it that has made the Green Party fail to garner what first the Debs-era Socialists and then the Communists were able to gain?
There are two answers to this conundrum. The first is discerned from the history of the so-called Foreign Language Leagues. At the end of the 19th century and prior to the 1918 Red Scare, European immigrants came to American metro centers with their own long traditions of socialism much in the way they also brought along folktales, cuisines, and religious customs. In some sense, the Debs-era Socialist Party was not a singular party, it was a confederation of these leagues that served more as embassies for the respective foreign socialist parties, a microcosmic version of the entire Second International. Within these foreign language leagues members would synthesize and foster mutual aid societies that could provide support and defense to members who fell on hard times.
Notably, the Debs-era Socialists were pretty inconsistent in their handling of white supremacy and anti-Black racism. Robert Craig writes “Like so many well-meaning radicals before and since, Debs tried to subsume the race question in the class struggle, and in the process he moderated his radicalism and failed to come to terms with the unique quality of the African-American experience. The end result was that Debs’s understanding of the problems facing African Americans was one-dimensional. ‘There is no Negro question outside of the labor question—the working class struggle,’ Debs maintained. ‘We have nothing special to offer the Negro, and we cannot make separate appeals to all the races.’” W.E.B. Du Bois wrote “I attacked the Socialists for trying to segregate Southern Negro members” in his October 1961 letter of application to the Communist Party USA. “Debsian socialism remained, therefore, largely a white phenomenon, and African Americans had little role in defining its character, its goals, its strategies, or its purposes,” concludes Craig. It bears mentioning here that one can see in the period of Radical Reconstruction, spanning 1865-80, a period ending roughly 15 years prior to the emergence of Debs on the national stage, there was a true moment of working class solidarity between workers emancipated from slavery and working class whites, an occurrence rendered beautifully if imperfectly by The Free State of Jones and more perfectly in the classic Black Reconstruction in America by Du Bois. This means the shortcomings of the Debs era lie squarely on the shoulders |
0s pitchers became eligible. In a time when many still judged pitchers by the number of games they won, Kaat had 283 wins — a Hall of Fame number, 62 more victories than Hunter. But it didn’t matter. While Hunter was being compared with Bunning and Andy Messersmith and Lew Burdette and Mickey Lolich and the like Kaat found himself compared with 300-game winners like Gaylord Perry and Tom Seaver and Phil Niekro and Don Sutton and Steve Carlton. Kaat never came close to election.
* * *
Was Jim Kaat a better pitcher than Catfish Hunter? That’s a tough one. WAR — particularly WAR as calculated by Fangraphs — says decidedly “Yes.”
Baseball Reference
Kaat: 45.3 WAR
Hunter: 36.6 WAR
Fangraphs
Kaat: 69.4 WAR
Hunter: 33.3 WAR
Baseball fans on the Baseball Reference Fan Elorater also give Kaat a decisive victory rating, at last check, Jim Kaat as the 31st best pitcher of all time and Catfish as 110th.
Bill James, in the Historical Baseball Abstract, had them in a virtual tie — he ranked Catfish the 64th best pitcher, Kitty at No. 65.
I think it’s very close. Hunter had so many subtle advantages that it’s difficult to get past that Take 1975. That year, Hunter went 23-14 with a 2.58 ERA in 328 innings for a good Yankees team. Kaat went 20-14 with a 3.11 ERA in 303 innings for a lousy White Sox team. It looks like Hunter was the markedly better pitcher. But WAR ranks them about even — Hunter was pitching for a better team with a better defense in a better pitcher’s park with better run support.
What does it come down to? Well, even if you give Hunter the edge for his top three seasons — and it’s very, very close at the top end — Kaat has five or six seasons on top of that better than Catfish. Kaat’s career just goes much deeper. And it’s hard to say that his ability to pitch at the big league level for 10 years longer than Hunter should hurt his Hall of Fame case.
But the point is not really Kaat or Catfish. The point is that whenever we judge baseball players’ careers — or most other things — it’s all but impossible to get beyond the timing. Catfish Hunter was given many advantages, including a catchier nickname. He had great timing. He’s in the Hall of Fame. Jim Kaat’s timing was just a little bit off. He never received even 30% of the Hall of Fame vote.Suspended Victoria police Chief Frank Elsner is asking a judge to declare sections of B.C.'s Police Act unconstitutional in response to an investigation into allegations that he exchanged "inappropriate" Twitter messages with a subordinate officer's wife.
The act allows external investigators with the Office of the B.C. Police Complaint Commissioner to search police premises, equipment and records, without having to obtain a warrant when investigating alleged misconduct at municipal departments.
Elsner says those provisions violate Charter protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
He also claims investigators went beyond the Police Act provisions by searching his personal email, Twitter account and devices without proper authorization.
Elsner is seeking to have his devices returned and any records obtained from the searches destroyed.
He expressed his request as an amendment to a B.C. Supreme Court action he launched in March asking to have the court quash the B.C. police complaints commissioner investigation into the allegations.
Deputy Police Complaints Commissioner Rollie Woods says his office's lawyers are preparing a response to Elsner's request and will likely be joined by the attorney general.
Woods says the sections of the Act being challenged are necessary.
"When a complaint comes in, for example, when we're trying to assess whether it's admissible or not, we have to get documents from the police department for context to determine if the information provided in the complaint is accurate," Woods said.
"If we couldn't get access to those records, I think it would make our job impossible."
In a separate application, Elsner is also requesting a publication ban on information that could come to light as a result of the case, including the contents of the Twitter messages, the identity of the woman and her husband and details of his employment contract.
Elsner's original petition claims B.C.'s police complaint commissioner lacked the legal authority to order the RCMP-led probe.
His lawyer didn't respond to a request for comment.
With files from Keith VassAs a standoff continues in Oregon between armed protesters and federal authorities, right-wing sympathizers around the country continue to watch how the situation plays out. Yesterday, protesters tore down a $100,000 fence to let their cows graze on federal land but said they would reveal an exit strategy this Friday.
As New Times reported last week, the Southern Poverty Law Center's annual count revealed 276 militia groups in America. Numerous such groups come and go in Florida.
Jesse Wilkes, a 30-year-old Gainesville-area chef who founded the Florida Constitutional Guard four years ago, says of the Oregon standoff: "We're absolutely watching that situation." In a phone interview, he asserted that "we do stand and support the Hammond family" — referring to the ranchers who were sentenced to prison for arson on federal land and whose case sparked the standoff —- but he and his Florida cohorts decided not to join the standoff because "we realize [the family does] not want a confrontation." But "we do support [the protesters'] right to be there and protest and do what they're doing."
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His group began, Wilkes said via phone, "as a Facebook awareness-type deal." Online, he says, it has about 800 members across the state. At the local or county level, he said, group members organize community events, like providing blankets to veterans, but their main focus is supporting Second Amendment gun rights. "We definitely stress getting a conceal/carry weapons permit," he says. "Go to the range on a frequent basis. Be a safe gun holder."
His said his group does training in case there's an "actual need for a militia" in Florida but wouldn't specify whether that includes organized firearms training. "I can't give you that kind of information," he said. "I can't really discuss what we do behind closed doors. We have a lot of members who are ex-military and are familiar with things of that nature, and law enforcement officers as well."
The Florida Constitutional Guard, he said, "has joined with the 3 up movement" — also known as the "Three Percenters," whose stated mission is "to give our members the capabilities and resources necessary to execute Military Strategies to defend against foreign and domestic enemies." They are so named because supposedly, during the American Revolution, only 3 percent of colonists actually fought in battle.
Wilkes says that many people in his family have served in the military — "my brother is in the special forces" — and that he himself joined as a youth but was medically discharged before basic training. He was moved to start his group after seeing "the way things have changed over the course of my life. Everything's offensive to everyone now. People have no idea their rights are being limited or taken away." There has been, he said, "a general downward spiral and social and economic hardship in this country. You look around to hold someone accountable, and all fingers point back to the government."
He says there are "so, so many militia groups," and they're all "basically just a chain of command if the time ever comes and the people need us and we're called up to do what we need to do."
Asked what such scenario he can imagine happening, he said, "The most likely event is that our soil would be under attack by an outside source — or an inside source — and we are needed to protect homes and land. There would be a call to arms to do what we had to do to protect the country."
He said there is a range of opinions within the Florida Constitutional Guard. For instance, "I have no issue with Muslims owning firearms — if they feel they need to protect themselves in their homes, as long as it's done the legal way." But he noted others in his group may disagree with that stance. (Wilkes had no comment about a law that outlaws paramilitary training.)
Regardless, he said, "We are always looking for like-minded citizens who want to take an active role in the community and be part of something historic. There have been militias since the beginning of this country. Hopefully, we can get past the crazy conspiracy theories and do work for our communities."Google's self-driving Prius and Lexus cars are safer than humans driving cars, according to the leader of Google's autonomous-car project.
Chris Urmson told a robotics conference in California that Google's cars were smoother and safer than cars driven by professional drivers, according to mashable.
He said: "We’re spending less time in near-collision states. Our car is driving more smoothly and more safely than our trained professional drivers.”
He presented results from two studies which looked at data from Google's cars on public roads in California and Nevada, which showed when a human was behind the wheel, Google’s cars accelerated and braked significantly more sharply than they did when piloting themselves.
The cars' software was also proven to be better at keeping a safe distance between vehicles than human drivers could.
In one test, a Google car was hit by another driver and the car's data was used to create an annotated map of the surroundings which proved what happened.
Urmson added: "We don’t have to rely on eyewitnesses that can’t act be trusted as to what happened — we actually have the data.
“The guy around us wasn’t paying enough attention. The data will set you free.”
Google has been testing its cars on public roads since 2010, and ensure there is a human in the driver’s seat who can take over if necessary.
It has plans for a new dashboard display for its driverless cars, which would help people understand what the autonomous car is doing and when they might want to take over.
The company said it is thinking about different ways of bringing the cars to the market.After the match between G2 Esports and Fnatic, in which Ocelote's boys achieved a relatively comfortable victory with 3 to 1 scoreboard in the series, the second semi final of the EU LCS between Unicorns of Love and Misfits arrived. The unicorns were fighting for the fourth time since their ascent to the top European league for a spot in the grand finals, while the newly promoted Misfits has participated in its first playoffs.
Undoubtedly Misfits has been on of the outstanders of this season. Given the level of investment and the competition present in the spring split many analysts predicted that in the long term Misfits could be established as one of the most important squads in Europe. With a young line-up, especially with a lot of potential and a great support staff, Misfits surpassed the expectations as they marched towards the top of the league.
The semifinal: Misfits 1 - 3 Unicorns Of Love
One of the most anticipated duels was in the mid lane. Since the beginning of the first game the two Germans have faced each other with the ferocity that defines them. The first map should have been an easy victory for the unicorns, but the lack of initiative to finish the game gave way to a possible comeback for Misfits. However, almost at 53 minutes and with 100k of gold accumulated between both teams, Unicorns of Love managed to destroy its enemies' nexus.
"I do not think experience was the difference today. UOL was the more aggressive team and had us on our heels" Ben Spoont, owner of Misfits
In the second map we focus on the midlane again. Origen's ex-midlaner, Tristan "PowerOfEvil" Schrage, selected one of the champions that has given him better results, Orianna, and during this second game he has possibly had his best performance with this champion throughout the season. However, Fabian "Exileh" Schubert and friends added another victory to the scoreboard, and with that they would be even closer to the Hamburg's finals.
The third match of the series supposed an inflection point. Barney "Alphari" Morris practically carried his team on his back and walked towards the nexus for a Misfits win. The incorporation of Lulu in the midlane and Karma as support opened the option to select Kennen with all its damage. A good draft by Misfits' staff, but the ability of the players was the protagonist, including a solo-kill by PowerOfEvil's Lulu against Exileh's feared LeBlanc.
Alphari against three enemies in unicorn's base
Exileh was the master and lord of the Summoner's Rift in the fourth game of the best of five, intractable with Vladimir, the same champion he used on the second map and where PowerOfEvil did not allow him to do virtually anything. Nevertheless, Unicorns of Love did not want that to happen again, sentencing the series in its favor and advancing to the grand finals, where G2 esports is awaiting.
Exileh's unstoppable Vladimir
The reflection of Misfits' owner Ben Spoont
Ben Spoont, owner of Misfits, has talked with Diario As after the series. Misfits has finished his first participation in the maximum European league with a positive balance, reaching the top 4. This is just the beginning for the organization: "I thought our team fought hard but obviously we couldn't get the job done today. We still have a lot of work to do and a lot to prove to ourselves and to the world."
Spoont has also stated that one of the keys of the game has been the initiative of the unicorns, one of the most distinctive features of the club. "I do not think experience was the difference today. UOL was the more aggressive team and had us on our heels."The news that Finnish game developer Rovio acquired Futuremark Games Studio hit me like a punch in the gut this morning. As a journalistic outlet we cover all kinds of developers and game news from afar, but our relationship with FGS was a bit more personal than most.
Futuremark Games Studio was an offshoot of Futuremark that came about after years of developing the very well-known benchmark software 3DMark and PCMark. The assets and technology behind all of the sweet 3D demos in 3DMark were ripe for turning into awesome games. Many enthusiasts who would use 3DMark to test their overclock or brag about their new GPU would watch the awesome 3D game scenes play back on their PCs and wonder, “Why isn’t this a real game?”
FGS was based in Espoo, Finland—a large suburb of Helsinki. Jukka Mäkinen headed up the studio for the company, and their first project was a game that looked like it came straight out of 3DMark; a zero-gravity, high-skill twitch FPS called Shattered Horizon. It was uncompromisingly difficult, and it demanded a pretty decent PC to run. It was a blast.
I had the chance to meet Oliver “Ollie” Baltuch around the time Futuremark Games Studio was created and Shattered Horizon was announced. He’s the president of Futuremark Inc., which is the parent company of the game studio, and we went to grab breakfast one morning in Las Vegas in early 2010. We had a great conversation about Futuremark past and Futuremark next, gaming, PC enthusiasts, and more. Over the last couple of years, we developed a good rapport and a friendship that brought us together at other events, such as E3.
Through him, we met other players in the Futuremark family, including James Gallagher, Jukka, and Jani Joki. Not just “met” them in an email and marketing/PR sense, but in the “get on the [FGS] Shattered Horizon server and play the game with us” sense.
Icrontic’s Michael “_k_” Wilson headed up our Shattered Horizon presence and many games were shared between the two groups, with {IC} and [FGS] representing.
Like any friendship that spans more than a business relationship, we watched eagerly as Ollie showed us the early secret Beta builds of Hungribles and Unstoppable Gorg, expressing his gleefulness over a shared iPad on a little bench in Los Angeles.
High five, bro
It’s easy to fall in bro-love with a company like FGS. When you jump into a hardcore PC shooter with guys like this, play with them, win and lose, you know damn well that they’re gamers first and foremost—they speak our language and share our culture.
We followed FGS through all three of their releases, and they always were first in line for us whenever we reached out and asked for things like door prizes for our annual Expo. “Here’s ten keys for SH. Here’s 50 keys for 3D Mark. What else do you need? Here’s T-shirts. Here’s hardware.” That’s the kind of relationship you can build when two underdogs—a little tech site like Icrontic and a little game studio like FGS—meet up and give each other high fives in a sea of much, much larger players. Who was the first site on the entire web to use their new Powermark benchmark in a hardware review? Yep, that was us. Ollie emailed me right away to say “Thanks, man.”
And now, with the Rovio acquisition, it’s more than just Icrontic losing that relationship—it’s what the entire PC gaming culture is losing.
The Disney of Finland
At first glance, it’s such a hard match to understand. Rovio is a global brand with name recognition. Your Aunt knows who the Angry Birds are. Your neighbor’s toddler knows how to play the game. On the other hand, the announcement today will be the first time most of the world has heard of Futuremark. Most news outlets aren’t covering it, because, frankly, your average consumer doesn’t care.
Rovio is going places, fast. Angry Birds was no accidental success. It is a carefully crafted and extremely well-executed brand that is finding its way into the heart of American consumer culture. TV shows, movies, toys–they are taking a page right out of the Walt Disney playbook of 1930, and there’s absolutely no reason to believe they’ll do anything but make Angry Birds a behemoth global entertainment brand. These guys are gonna be in Wal-mart. They’re going to have a theme park. The Angry Birds are here to stay.
The big question on many fans’ lips today is this—why does a company with global ambitions and a couple of flashy mobile games under its belt want to have anything to do with a game studio that has its roots in hardcore PC graphics tech development?
Sisu
Rovio is based in—wait for it—Espoo, Finland. Their offices? Just down the street and across the river from Futuremark.
Finland is a very high tech country—we’re talking about the home of Nokia—but it isn’t exactly a powerhouse of global software and entertainment development. The talent pool for this kind of stuff isn’t large. The guys who worked for FGS and developed Shattered Horizon went to the same schools as the guys from Rovio. They drink in the same pub. They live in the same neighborhoods. They grew up together in the same industry.
Despite their rapid growth, it can be said that Rovio is a bit of a one-trick pony, at least as far as software development goes. They did one thing extremely well and refined it. Is it any surprise, then, that they saw a need to diversify a bit and bring in some new perspectives? They didn’t have to look far. They only had to go to the pub.
A phone call
Oliver called me tonight, and wanted to explain his position and lend some clarity to the issue. One of the first things he tried to impress upon me was how amicable the decision and transition was.
One of the things that made it hard for Futuremark Games Studio was the niche-y-ness of their products and how their own self-published Indie nature was an uphill climb. “Look, to be a commercial success, you need $15 million in publisher money, right? We were passionate about our games, but no one was willing to take the risk. No publisher has come knocking on my door, I’ll tell you.”
Futuremark started with a narrow niche (hardcore competitive PC FPS) and then immediately jumped into the broad-appeal casual Hungribles. Rovio started with a very broad product. Oliver laughed; “Heck, my accountant likes playing Angry Birds. She’s not a gamer! That’s what wins.” He trailed off.
It was hard for Oliver and the FGS team to see their developers be in such a competitive place. These guys just want to make games, not worry about the business side of things, whether their game gets a good Metacritic score, or whether they make it into the top 100 on the App Store. “We wanted to give them an environment where they could… you know, thrive“, Oliver told me.
I asked about Rovio’s plans for the team. He wasn’t being coy; he honestly didn’t know. “We have a great team with a lot of knowledge. Some of our DNA is going to be in Rovio now. That’s all. That’s what I know.” He pauses for a moment, thoughtful. “You know,” he gets quieter. “We don’t do things in a mercenary way. These guys are very excited about it.”
Futuremark next
Futuremark Games studio is done, but Futuremark itself isn’t going anywhere. “Now we can focus on our benchmarks”, he told me. “You’re going to see some cool stuff from us”. They’re still one of the key players in a very small but very necessary industry, which puts them in a strong position. They have a well-known brand name in benchmarks, which has allowed them to branch out into things like Peacekeeper, a browser benchmark, and Powermark, a mobile battery life test. Soon we’ll see benchmarks for Android and Windows 8.
Whether or not they’ve alienated their community doesn’t really matter anymore. The community will disperse and find other things to rally around. Many of the posts on their Facebook wall are angry. However, that says a great deal. If people didn’t care, they wouldn’t have been so emotionally invested.
What If?
The tale of Futuremark Games Studio is one of what-ifs. What if they had held out for another year and rode the wave of PC gaming resurgence? What if they had tried alternative funding like Kickstarter? What if the game they were working on did attract a big publisher? What if? We’ll never know.
The eulogy for Futuremark Games Studio can probably best be summed up by a fan named Paul Atreides. He says,
“It saddens me to hear that they are no longer independent. I understand their decision and I’m still glad they get to survive somehow and don’t lose their jobs. To Futuremark Games Studio: Shattered Horizon will always hold a special place in my heart”.
Ours too, Paul. Ours too.Soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army. AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Clashes between Syrian Kurdish and forces of the Damascus regime continued in the northeastern city of Hasakah on Sunday, despite Russian efforts to end them through mediation.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday that Kurdish forces are advancing against regime enclaves in the Kurdish-majority city’s south. The Kurds are reportedly gaining ground and seizing territory in several regime-held neighborhoods.
An AFP journalist reported seeing members of the pro-regime National Defense Forces (NDF) militia retreating ahead of Kurdish advances.
The Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) have clashed with regime military forces in Hasakah and Qamishlo in the past. None of those clashes escalated as far as the current ongoing fighting in Hasakah, which risk sparking a direct conflict between the two for the first time since the start of the Syrian conflict more than five years ago.
A pro-regime website, Al-Masdar news, claimed that the Russians failed in their mediation efforts to halt the fighting because of the regime refusal to withdraw its forces from Hasakah and Qamishlo, as demanded by the Kurds.
The Observatory estimates that the fighting in Hasakah has left 43 dead, 27 of them civilians, including 11 children. It also reported that warplanes belonging to the regime flew over the city early on Sunday but did not drop bombs.
Meanwhile, the United States has warned the regime against bombing the Kurds again. Syrian Kurdish-led forces are Washington’s main ally on the ground against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. The US even flew fighter jets over Hasakah to warn off the Syrians on Thursday, after one of their bombs landed near some American special forces advisors, who are there coordinating anti-ISIS operations with their Kurdish-led allies.
Russian efforts to end the clashes through mediation are still ongoing, despite the failure of their first attempt on Saturday.For PC Gaming Week, Kotaku has invited top creators to predict the future of computer gaming. Today, Cevat Yerli, CEO of Crytek, makers of legendary PC-only first-person shooter Crysis and 2011's PC and console Crysis 2.
PC Gaming in the Future.
When I started developing games for the PC nearly 20 years ago, both the Commodore 64 and the Schneider CPC 6128 were incredibly popular. Since then, the PC platform and its market have totally changed and I saw several trends coming and going.
Within the next five years, the PC market is in my opinion growing and declining at the same time. While the market for Online PC Games (I mean Free-2-Play Games, Social Games and Casual Games) is continuously growing, the retail PC Games market is declining. Over the past two years it became apparent that more and more people play all kinds of online games and lots of the former retail PC Gamers switched to console games. By changing their consumption attitudes, the consumers "force" developers to rethink their strategies, thus, to some degree.
What does that mean?
For me, the business model of the future is "free-2-play" since consumers in the future won't be willing any longer to spend $50 or more for a AAA PC Game. So developers will start offering more and more free to play online PC games that at the same time allow for premium content.
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All leading PC game developers will serve the free-to-play market and turn their backs on the retail market.
The current online games are characterized by low development costs (only about one tenth of the costs for a AAA title) and comparatively low quality. But, at the same time, they have fun gameplay. In contrast to the traditional retail PC Games, the pressure for initial quality is much lower with an online PC game. This means, that developers release an online game with a certain quality and then improve it over the time, bit by bit, together with the community. This is incredibly customer-friendly and so it is what the whole market become.
The user is king. Over the next years a significant number of online PC Games will enter the market and due to that big amount of games, the quality pressure is going to rise in these markets, as it is now in the PC retail Market. The current price competition between retail and F2P Market will evolve into a content/ quality competition within the F2P Market only – similar to today's retail market. Consequently both, the costs and the quality will reach a AAA level. Since gamers thus basically get AAA games for free, the complete traditional retail PC Game market breaks down. After a while gamers will then see a major progress in gaming quality overall again in the PC Gaming Market.
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But how do developers then earn money?
The community is key to the success, specifically the amount of free-to-play users that a developer is able to transform into buyers. An average 5-10% of all online PC game users buy premium content in the form of special items, boosters, etc. via micro transactions. "Non-monetized" consumers, on the other hand, will be turned into revenue contributors through community-driven advertisement that is experienced through social media networks supporting these games.
To sum it all up: I am convinced that in the medium term, all leading PC game developers will serve the free-to-play market and turn their backs on the retail market.
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Cevat Yerli is president and CEO of Germany-based game development studio Crytek. His first games and development experiences go back to the 1980s with the Commodore 64 and the Schneider CPC 6128, where he worked on simulation games. His passion has always been creating and playing games. While studying economics, he began working towards his dream of founding a game development company. The dream became reality in 1999 when he founded Crytek with his two brothers. Cevat gives creative direction for all Crytek products.AKA: The Tiger
Director: Park Hoon-Jung
Writer: Park Hoon-Jung
Producer: Park Min-Jung, Han Jae-Duk
Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Jeong Man-Sik, Kim Sang-Ho, Sung Yoo-Bin, Ren Osugi, Jung Suk-Won, Ra Mi-Ran, Yoo Jae-Myung, Kim Hong-Fa, Woo Jung-Kook, Park In-Soo
Running Time: 139 min.
By Paul Bramhall
In 2015 Korean history was a hot topic, mainly due to President Park Geun-hye’s hugely unpopular decision to replace all high school history text books, currently produced by private publishers, with anonymously written government-issued ones by 2017. The decision is largely looked at as one which will whitewash much of the countries less pleasant history, and lead to an education system much like Japan’s, in which anything that presents the country in a negative light will be conveniently glazed over. While the newly authored books are still being written, it seems that the current trend for historical revisionism in Korea has already become apparent in its mainstream cinematic output.
Recent productions such as Ode to my Father, The Admiral: Roaring Currents, and Northern Limit Line, all play fast and loose with historical facts to paint a picture of a Korean national identity which is unwaveringly patriotic and pure of heart. How long this trend will continue for is difficult to answer, however with two of the three titles mentioned holding their place in the top five most successful Korean movies of all time, it’s safe to say it’ll continue for a while.
The Tiger has Choi Min-sik on patriotic duty again, after his star turn as the revered Admiral Yi Sun-shin in the previous years The Admiral: Roaring Currents. This time he’s under the direction of Park Hoon-jeong, the man responsible for writing and directing The New World (which also starred Min-sik), as well as penning the scripts for the likes of The Unjust and I Saw the Devil. Min-sik, as expected, proves to be the perfect fit for the role of a rugged tiger hunter, both conveying a sense of authority and world weariness from under his hulking frame, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else as the character.
The tale is set in 1935 under Japan’s occupation of Korea, and revolves around Min-sik’s hunter, who’s been retired since his wife passed away. The Japanese have set about killing every native Korean animal they can find, on the orders of a bloodthirsty commander played by Ren Osugi (recognizable from many pre-2000 Miike Takashi and Beat Takeshi movies), who has a particular liking for displaying stuffed Korean tigers. When the tiger population is completely wiped out except for one, a one-eyed male whose ferocity is legendary, Min-sik finds himself in a dilemma – let the Japanese eventually find and kill it, or give it the dignity of a Korean hunter sending it off into tiger heaven?
There are of course other plot threads introduced throughout, such as the son of Min-sik’s character wanting to marry a girl from the nearby town, however the narrative never strays far from the central goal of killing the tiger. This is of course the movies first big challenge, in that with such a simplistic plot, there is never any doubt that proceedings are going to finish with a Min-sik vs. tiger confrontation. Just like we know Titanic will end with it sinking, the important part becomes about the journey that will take us to that point. Weighing in with an epic 140 minute runtime, you’d hope that Hoon-jeong has a strong narrative structure in place to keep us gripped until the penultimate showdown.
Unfortunately, it becomes apparent some time before the mid-way point that this isn’t the case. Hoon-jeong weighs his script down with a numerous pieces of dialogue depicting Min-sik’s dedication to the mountain that he resides on, constantly mumbling such words of wisdom as “It’s up to the mountain now” and “We must respect the mountain”. The heaviness of his character is in stark contrast to the two dimensional treatment the Japanese antagonists are given. Once again, as was the issue with The Admiral: Roaring Currents, the Japanese are portrayed as almost cartoon like villains, and by the end of the movie are recklessly blowing up whole forests while murdering any animal they come across. The only Japanese character given even a hint of humanity, is a high ranking officer played by Jeong Sok-won, who’s looked down upon for being a native Korean. Subtly isn’t a word which applies to The Tiger.
From a technical standpoint however, the movie is a gorgeous affair, with stunning cinematography of the Korean mountains, and the tiger itself comes in the form a particularly impressive CGI creation. It’s not perfect, but the technology has certainly come a long way from the CGI tiger found in 2011’s War of the Arrows. While the tiger may look and move remarkably naturally, its instincts seem anything but, armed with an amazing ability to single out Japanese officers and subject them to the grizzliest deaths. The actions of the title animal become increasingly ridiculous, and equal parts laughable, the more the movie chugs towards its finale, as it gains the ability to rescue Koreans from a pack of hungry wolves, and seemingly drop by to visit Min-sik at will.
Working with such an epic scope appears to work against Hoon-jeong’s directorial style, as several other instances that stretch believability pop up with a disengaging regularity throughout. The reason behind the death of Min-sik’s wife isn’t revealed until around the mid-way point, however what should be a revelatory moment is quickly squandered by the contrived nature of the reveal. With the Japanese having spent so much time emphasising how vast the mountain area is, the sudden appearance of three key players convening in the same spot by chance goes against everything the narrative has established thus far. It’s moments like this which do damage to Min-sik’s dedicated performance, laden with a director who, while evidently a talented storyteller based on past efforts, seems to have bitten off more than he can chew here.
In the last hour things really go off the rails, as it consists of an increasingly frustrating series of false climaxes, each one seemingly bringing the movie to its close, before revealing that it’s still not over. By the time the Japanese army find themselves being stalked by the tiger, it almost feels like we’re watching a sequel to Predator. The beast is briefly glimpsed speeding through the shadows, and before you know it arms are being ripped off, bodies are randomly falling out of trees, and the only thing missing is Bill Duke turning up with a mini-gun. Even when the tiger has been riddled with countless bullets, it still seems relatively unfazed, like any true Korean tiger should be.
By this point it seems to have made the decision itself to die at the hands of a Korean, so strolls off to meet with Min-sik for a session of exchanging intense stares set to a sweeping choral soundtrack. In fact the choral soundtrack plays in every scene involving Min-sik and the tiger during the last hour, practically demanding that we feel their emotional connection to each other. Unfortunately, at least for a non-Korean audience, the feeling of forced emotions is one that permeates throughout the production. There are scenes at the beginning which seem like they were filmed purely to be used as flashback fodder later on, and sure enough they are. It’s this type of blatant commercial filmmaking that earmarks these recent Korean productions, which come with a checkbox list of histrionics, two dimensional foreign villains, and self-sacrificing heroes.
While The Tiger continues to deliver the high end production values we’ve become accustomed to from Korean cinema, it also long outstays its welcome. At one point, the Japanese commander yells at one of his soldiers – “How can it be such a hard battle?” With such an epic runtime, trying to get to the end of The Tiger will likely result in you asking yourself the same question.
Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 5/10Protesters targeted the mimosa-and-eggs-Benedict crowd on Sunday, invading restaurants to make the curious link between brunch and police brutality.
The anti-omelette activists dubbed their movement “Black Brunch” and sought to disrupt hybrid breakfast-lunch meals as they were served at restaurants on both coasts.
In each eatery invasion, they called out the names of unarmed black men killed in confrontations with cops, such as Eric Garner in Staten Island and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
New York restaurants such as Lallisse, Maialino and Pershing Square were reportedly targeted for loud meal-time disruptions. Big Apple organizers likened their brunch attacks to 1960s sit-ins.
“What were sit in in the 60s but disrupting business as usual?” they wrote under the Twitter handle @BlackBrunchNYC. “Then and now we can’t let people ignore an unjust system.”
Organizers said they were targeting “white spaces” so Caucasian brunch-goers could grasp the injustices faced by African-Americans at the hands of cops.
The protesters added a dash of self-mockery to their actions, with @BlackBrunchNYC retweeting a fellow activist who wrote that the “last time black folks this black n proud on Park Ave = when the Jeffersons move in.”
Surprisingly, the protesters were often greeted with support by their targets.
At Forge restaurant in Oakland, customers and manager Katherine Pinson, 33, embraced the movement.
“I think it’s beautiful,” Pinson told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a message that needs to be heard, and if they have to disrupt business and daily life for a minute, then I’m glad we could help.”A grim fate likely awaits young elephants plucked from Zimbabwe’s wild.
Sources in Zimbabwe say that young elephants seized from their mothers in Hwange National Park months ago |
a man's and dyed brown, wore brown contact lenses and had prosthetic appliances made to alter the shape of her nose, mouth and hands.[6]
Release [ edit ]
Homicidal was released theatrically in the United States on June 28, 1961.[3] It after received a theatrical run in New York City beginning on July 26, 1962.[3]
The "Fright Break" [ edit ]
Based on the success of Castle's previous films, Columbia Pictures agreed to implement his concept for a "Fright Break."[5] This entails a 45-second timer which overlays the film's climax as the heroine approached the house harboring a sadistic killer. A voice-over advised the audience of the time remaining in which they could leave the theater and receive a full refund if they were too frightened to see the remainder of the film. To ensure the more wily patrons did not simply stay for a second showing and leave during the finale, Castle had both numbered[3] and different colored tickets printed for each show. About 1% of patrons still demanded refunds, and in response Castle decided to spotlight the people who chose to leave by creating a "Coward's Corner." Print ads promoting the film emphasized this "Fright Break" gimmick.[9]
Fright Certificate
The "Coward's Corner" was a table with a nurse holding a blood pressure cuff. John Waters described it in his book Crackpot.
He came up with "Coward's Corner," a yellow cardboard booth, manned by a bewildered theater employee in the lobby. When the Fright Break was announced, and you found that you couldn't take it any more, you had to leave your seat and, in front of the entire audience, follow yellow footsteps up the aisle, bathed in a yellow light. Before you reached Coward's Corner, you crossed yellow lines with the stencilled message: "Cowards Keep Walking." You passed a nurse (in a yellow uniform?... I wonder), who would offer a blood-pressure test. All the while a recording was blaring, "Watch the chicken! Watch him shiver in Coward's Corner!" As the audience howled, you had to go through one final indignity – at Coward's Corner you were forced to sign a yellow card stating, "I am a bona fide coward." Very, very few were masochistic enough to endure this. The one percent refund dribbled away to a zero percent, and I'm sure that in many cities a plant had to be paid to go through this torture. No wonder theater owners balked at booking a William Castle film. It was all just too complicated.
According to Castle, the gimmick worked "great," and that theaters earned an average of $20,000 weekly in box office sales, with only $100 in refunds.[3]
Critical response [ edit ]
Contemporaneous [ edit ]
Multiple critics drew comparisons between Homicidal and Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, released the year prior.[5] Time magazine said: "Made in imitation of Hitchcock's Psycho, it surpasses its model in structure, suspense and sheer nervous drive."[10] and placed it on its list of top ten films of the year for 1962. Other critics were not so kind. The New York Times said "Near the end of Homicidal, yesterday's horror entry at neighborhood theaters, the disembodied voice of William Castle, the producer-director, announces a 'fright break', during which the economy-minded viewers may return their tickets for a refund... If the reprieve had come before the opening of this dismal imitation of Psycho and Mickey Spillane, it would have been a better idea." New York Herald Tribune wrote that "Castle's shock effects are not so much of the weird or 'horror' as of the gruesome or blood-on-the-cummerbund variety."
Retrospective [ edit ]
Though many critics were dismissive of Homicidal upon its release, the film has since garnered a cult following,[5] and is regarded as one of Castle's best films.[5] In The Psychotronic Video Guide (1996), Michael Weldon referred to the film as an "incredible experience," and it has also been championed by filmmaker John Waters.[5] Film scholar David Hogan wrote: "In a psychosexual sense, Homicidal was perhaps the most distressing Hollywood film until William Friedkin's numbing and misunderstood Cruising (1980)." Hogan also cited it as Castle's best film despite being his "most derivative." Douglas Brode echoed similar sentiments, remarking the film's "marvelous" pacing and sustainment of suspense. However, Glenn Erickson from DVD Savant wrote that the film was "a perfectly wretched movie, bad enough to make Castle's other hits seem like flukes".[15]
Home media [ edit ]
Homicidal was released on DVD in North America by Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment in 2002.[15] It was made available again on DVD pressed on-demand by Sony Choice Collection on September 3, 2013.[16] On July 19, 2016, Mill Creek Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray as a double feature alongside Castle's Mr. Sardonicus.[17]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Antonio Conte has revealed his decision to cut Diego Costa from his future plans was made in January.
Costa made it clear at the turn of the year that he was interested in a big-money move to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjin.
Chelsea resisted the transfer but the manager's mind was made up and there is no way he is changing it.
Spanish striker Diego Costa is set for a move away from Chelsea this summer
Conte spoke to the media about Costa ahead of their pre-season friendly with Arsenal
Antonio Conte sent a text message to Costa, telling the striker he was no longer in his plans
Conte revealed on Friday that the decision to cut Costa from his plans was made in January
'I don't like to talk about players who are not here,' said Conte, speaking for the first time since the infamous text message sent to Costa at the end of the season to inform him he would be allowed to leave.
'In January, the Costa situation was made very clear. For the club, for him and his agent and for me the situation is closed.'
Costa was top scorer last season with 20 goals in the Premier League as Chelsea won the title.
He wants to return to his former club Atletico Madrid and has been granted an extended summer break in order to complete the transfer.
Having missed out on Romelu Lukaku, who joined Manchester United for £90m, Chelsea have signed Alvaro Morata as his replacement.
The Italian manager put his players through their paces on Friday ahead of the Arsenal match
Brazilian David Luiz performs keepy-ups in Chelsea training at the Bird's Nest Stadium
Pedro will be hoping to get minutes under his belt on Saturday against Arsene Wenger's side
Morata, who underwent a medical in London on Thursday, will cost a club record fee which starts at £58million and could rise to £70m.
'For sure this transfer market is crazy,' said Conte. 'Not only for this season, but now if you want to buy a simple player - a normal player - you have to start to think about spending 40 to 50 million euros.
'It's incredible this situation but there is this situation and we must live with it.
'Lukaku cost a lot of money but the same with [Alex] Lacazette and Arsenal who spent 65m euros. For a right-back you spend 60-70m euros. This is the situation now.
'We must be very good and not make a mistake when we buy a player. You have to spend a lot and it is very important to make the right choice.'
Conte claims that strikers Romelu Lukaku and Alexandre Lacazette 'cost a lot of money'
The Chelsea manager insists that Alvaro Morata 'will be our first-choice' when he signs
Morata is expected to complete his move before the weekend and join up with the Chelsea squad on the next leg of their tour in Singapore.
'This is a good signing for us,' said Conte. 'Morata is a young player but he has a lot of experience and played in the past with Real Madrid and Juventus in the league and the Champions League.
'He's a good striker, a player with the right prospects for Chelsea. He will be our first-choice. He can show his value with us. He is young and can improve a lot.'
Chelsea face Arsenal in Beijing on Saturday before games against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in Singapore.The family of a veteran who died at the Tomah VA Medical Center has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the United States government.
In August 2014, Marine Corps veteran Jason Simcakoski died from a mixture of drugs prescribed by his physicians. After Simcakoski’s death, his wife, Heather Simcakoski, filed a settlement claim with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for damages caused by alleged negligence of VA medical staff.
Government officials haven't made an effort to address the issue, prompting the filing of the lawsuit Monday, said Terrence Polich, Heather Simcakoski's attorney.
"This family did not want to have to put this matter into suit," Polich said. "There was a great deal of interest in getting this resolved. They had been assured that there would be an attempt to resolve it, and the government really did not follow through on that."
Polich said VA doctors didn't take proper precautions when coupling Suboxone with Jason Simcakoski's other medications. Polich also said VA medical staff didn't properly monitor the veteran after administering the drug and didn't react quickly enough when he was found unresponsive.
The Simcakoski family has worked with the Tomah VA and federal lawmakers on changes to opioid prescription practices and other issues. Polich said the family plans to continue to be involved in working to make the Tomah VA — and VA system as a whole — better at caring for veterans.
"One of the things that very well could result from this litigation is we could discover further facts that will assist in reforming the VA in Tomah and the VA in general," Polich said.
The VA didn't respond to a request for comment by deadline.Empanadas could be the key to world peace. I’m convinced of it. A pastry disc, stuffed with meat, veggies and cheese, and then fried or baked. Take these to the next multi-party talks with North Korea or Iran, and I assure you that things will be better.
I don’t remember my first empanada but I do recall the excellent offerings at El Porteño in San Francisco. I’ve taken stabs at them here at Al Dente HQ. They key is the right blend of meat, veg and cheese that complement each other. What I’ve concluded during my short but distinguished empanada eating tenure is this: Unless you stuff the empanada with the contents of your dryer’s lint trap and whatever is collected in your belly button, you are not going to go wrong.
WHAT WORKED: Poblano peppers, being the most awesome of all the peppers, are hardy enough to act as the primary ingredient. They are thick walled, meaty, and not so hot that you can’t tolerate it.
WHAT DIDN’T: Me. I have a tendency to overstuff my first couple of empanadas. It’s all about getting into the rhythm of using just enough.
EASE OF PREPARATION: Medium-hard. It’s a tedious process to stuff and close these guys.
BEST FOR: There’s never not a good time for an empanada.
SERVE WITH: Cold tecates or some crema. I made a sour cream-lime juice dressing for the side.
Cheese and Poblano Empanadas
Adapted from Laylita’s original
8 poblano peppers
1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese (NOTE: I couldn’t find this around here so I used Laylita’s suggestion of Monterrey jack)
1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
20 Goya Foods frozen empanada discs, defrosted (or your own recipe for homemade)
1 egg, whisked
Rinse the poblano peppers and lay on a foil-lined baking sheet. With the oven rack at either the highest or second-highest position in the oven, broil the peppers until they blacken and blister on all sides. Remove the peppers then preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the peppers from the oven and add to a large mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 10 minutes. Peel away the loosened skins, then remove the stems. Slit the pepper along the side to remove the seeds then cut into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, mixing gently by hand. Set that aside.
Line two baking sheets with foil. Set your first disc down on the baking sheet. Add a soup-spoonful of peppers to the disc, followed by a three-fingered pinch of cheese. Use your fingers to evenly distribute the cheese. Fold the disc over to make a semi-circle and ensure that the stuffing doesn’t hang out. Adjust your measure of cheese and pepper, and repeat until all of the empanadas are filled.
Fold the disc over to close the empanada. Use a small fork to pinch the edges of the disc to seal it. Repeat until all of your empanadas are closed, then brush each one with a small amount of egg to cover the outside.
Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee will move forward on legislation to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its power to crack down on predatory business practices, according to a leaked memo that emerged on Thursday and infuriated Democratic defenders of the bureau.
The memo, drafted by the chairman, Representative Jeb Hensarling, a Republican from Texas and a longtime foe of the consumer agency, aligns House Republicans with President Trump in the latest attack on President Barack Obama’s legacy. The memo detailed plans to weaken the leadership of the agency, allowing the president to replace the bureau’s director at any time. Legislation in the works would limit the bureau’s enforcement authority, reduce its ability to make rules and repeal its consumer complaint system.
It would also greatly shrink the enforcement tools at the consumer watchdog’s disposal, blocking it from being able to go after businesses engaged in deceptive practices and restricting its oversight of big publicly traded companies that are already regulated by agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“This would substantially change the structure of the C.F.P.B. and greatly limits the scope of its authority,” said Hunter Wiggins, former principal deputy enforcement director at the bureau.When trying to sell the Premier League to a new audience in America, the network NBC recruited comic actor Jason Sudeikis to star in a promotional video as "manager" of Tottenham. "Football's football no matter where you play it," insists Sudeikis's brash character, Ted Lasso, in a press conference after making the move from NFL, before barking incongruous instructions on the touchline at Spurs' training ground.
It has been this ability to mock itself, say NBC, that has contributed to its broadcasting success. After signing a deal with the Premier League in autumn 2012, paying $250m (£157m) to air matches over the next three years, viewing figures after the opening seven weeks of the campaign are up 93% compared with the same period last term.
"Showing that we can poke fun at ourselves got us an enormous amount of credibility," says Jon Miller, NBC Sport's president of programming. "The fact we admitted we didn't know everything there is to know and poked a bit of fun at it, broke down a lot of barriers."
However, satirical humour has played just a small part in NBC's success. A vast marketing operation – which included Premier League advertisements in Times Square, individual club badges wrapped around the New York subway and British taxis decked in club colours– plus an aggressive commercial strategy have ensured the Premier League's popularity has surged across the United States.
All 380 Premier League matches are available to NBC viewers this season, across various platforms, the majority on NBC Sports Network, which was established in January 2012 and costs viewers a subscription of $0.31 (19p) a month.
Ratings are steadily growing as the season develops, with Everton's home match against Chelsea in September, broadcast across the whole NBC network, pulling in an average audience of 917,000. Highlights are shown and matches previewed on Sundays during live coverage of the NFL, something Miller describes as unprecedented, and 12 million people have tuned in – a significant increase on the 5.5m managed by ESPN and Fox Soccer this time last year. "We expected it to do well – it's lived up to our expectations and, in a lot of cases, exceeded them," says Miller. "What is surprising is how many people have jumped on this bandwagon so quickly and have fallen in love with it.
"There have always been a lot of people in this country who have loved soccer, but I don't think as many people really embraced the Premier League as they have now. It has become part of the daily conversation in this country, much more relevant and important.
"It's rapidly overtaking other sports in terms of attention and social conversation, coverage in print and broadcast news. You're seeing a real growth, while sports like baseball have levelled off a little bit. Fringe college football has been marginalised, so some of those properties have taken a hit."
Kick-off times, some as early as 7.45am on a Saturday on the east coast, mean there are no clashes with the major US sports NBC covers. The Sports Network broadcasts live NHL, Nascar, golf and horse racing – having also recently purchased the rights for Formula One – and will show 154 of the 196 games that NBC will cover. Another 184 matches, which are not being televised, can be watched for no fee at Premier League Extra Time, a service available to NBC cable and telephone customers, while all 380 games are being streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra.
After agreeing the deal with NBC, Richard Scudamore, the Premier League's chief executive, said: "I've done business in 212 countries in the world. There may be 1.2bn people in China and 1.3bn people in India – and there are huge numbers around the world – but nowhere do they consume sports like they do here."
The appetite is evident and coverage has been well received so far. Rebecca Lowe, formerly of the BBC and ESPN, anchors the live coverage in the studio, based a short distance from New York, along America's east coast in Stamford. She is joined by pundits Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe and the former US midfielder Kyle Martino, while Arlo White, formerly of BBC 5 Live, is the lead commentator and is often joined by Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux.
A benefit of the increased Premier League coverage is that more viewers are tuning in to NBC's broadcasts of Major League Soccer. Miller dismissed criticism that focus on the English game would negatively effect the MLS, with 60% more viewers watching the domestic league compared to last season. "The Premier League has spectacular leadership, people who really get it and understand it," he says. "Our team has worked very closely with their executive people, and several teams, including Tottenham and Chelsea, have been particularly helpful and aggressive in terms of trying to help us this year. Manchester City as well."
Given NBC's success, one suspects other American networks will return to the table when it is time to re-negotiate the Premier League TV deal.
"When the opportunity arises, we hope to make a solid presentation again and hope the Premier League would look favourably on what we've done," adds Miller. "There's no question in my mind that there will be a long line outside their doorstep."
That will be music to Scudamore's ears, as the Premier League continues to grow across new frontiers.Historic water supply network discovered under Iranian city of Isfahan
A large, complicated underground water network has been discovered in an old neighbourhood of Isfahan,
central Iran [Credit: IRNA]
TANN
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“A historic water canal has been recently discovered in Isfahan,” announced Alamdar Alian, the head of Archaeology Department of Isfahan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.According to a Farsi report by IRNA, he said the canal was found during the operation of humidity removal from walls of Imam Mosque in Isfahan.“Extended discoveries and studies show that this water canal dates back to Safavid dynasty,” said Alian.Located under Imam Mosque and Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the structure shows a large, complicated water distribution network.“This network had been used to supply the water required for irrigating gardens and farms, and maybe drinking water.”Alian explained that surface waters entered the canal through a particular mechanism to be distributed among those areas.“This is a rare type of water supply network in Iran. In Isfahan, we can consider it unique,” he added. “Very few subsurface water distribution methods and structures have been discovered in Isfahan.”The canal is made of brick, mud mortar and stone. “It had been used up to the Pahlavi dynasty,” he noted, adding that some parts of canal have been repaired by concrete.Imam Masque and Naqsh-e Jahan Square of Isfahan are registered together as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.One of the rarest Archaeopteryx fossils disappeared after its irascible owner died. Was it stolen, is it buried with him, or something else?
Read more: “Nine lost treasures – and why science wants them back“
Fossils have been forgotten in storerooms, pilfered from digs and sunk in shipwrecks. But none can match the charisma and mystery of the missing Maxberg Archaeopteryx. This skeleton was hoarded for years by a cantankerous quarry manager. When he died in 1991, it vanished.
Only 11 reasonably complete skeletal fossils of Archaeopteryx have ever been discovered, which makes the loss of the Maxberg specimen all the more tragic. Its bones established that birds descended from two-legged predatory dinosaurs and if we could study the fossil today, it could answer big unresolved questions such as whether the fossils all come from the same species.
The Maxberg specimen’s story begins in 1956, when two quarrymen were carving out the Solnhofen limestone in Germany and stumbled on a fossil they could not identify. Two years later, quarry owner Eduard Opitsch lent it to a geologist, who in turn sent it to Florian Heller at the University of Erlangen. The skeleton’s head and tail were missing, but Heller, a palaeontologist, discerned faint feather impressions and realised it was Archaeopteryx.
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It was only the third recognised specimen, so it was big news. Some of its bones were broken, revealing for the first time that Archaeopteryx had the hollow bones that make modern birds light enough to fly. And the orientation of its hip bones identified the “lizard-hipped” saurischian dinosaurs as the unequivocal ancestors of modern birds.
Opitsch allowed the Maxberg Museum in nearby Mornsheim to display the fossil, but initially sought to sell it. The Munich state museum was willing to pay 40,000 deutschmarks, but Opitsch didn’t want to pay taxes on the proceeds, and broke off negotiations in 1965, according to palaeontologist Peter Wellnhofer, author of Archaeopteryx: The icon of evolution. In 1974, Opitsch turned down Wellnhofer’s request to borrow the fossil for further study and took it home, where he was rumoured to have stored it under his bed.
An increasingly grumpy old man, Opitsch refused access to his specimen. He died at the age of 91 in Pappenheim, where he lived alone. The fossil was never found.
So what happened? It’s possible Opitsch could have sold it years before, but there is no evidence to support this, according to Wellnhofer. And although Wellnhofer describes how Opitsch was considered “a queer fellow”, no one thought he would have destroyed the fossil. Theft was possible because the house was left unattended for weeks after Opitsch’s death, but the two slabs of the fossil were heavy and unwieldy, making for a difficult getaway. Others have suggested that Opitsch hid it, or might have had it buried with him.
“It’s been lost 20 years, so it’s hard to believe it’s been in a private collection without anyone knowing it,” says Gerald Mayr of the Senckenberg Museum. But others continue to hope it was stolen, and may surface one day.
When palaeontologists originally had access to the Maxberg specimen, they made cast copies, and studied it with X-rays. But that was in 1959, and the technology available to them was limited. If the fossil is ever discovered, CT scans could reveal the bones in 3D detail, and synchrotron radiation could record trace elements left by the creature’s plumage. According to Phil Manning of the University of Manchester, the fossil was never completely cleaned of sediment and so it’s possible the bones would reveal even more secrets.On their Facebook page, Boston indie-rock group The Colonnade lists their interests as “Being Sad.”
Lead guitarist Jordan Rich’s description of their music? “Nostalgic, angsty, monochromatic, jangly, fall music for all the sadboys and sadgirls everywhere.”
It’s a sad, sad, sad, sad world. And The Colonnade is here to help you through it.
Releasing their album, Femme, in three installments, Sound of Boston is pleased to premiere the second batch of songs from indie-rock group The Colonnade, titled “Deuxième Moment,” meaning literally “Second Moment.” The band premiered the first installment a month ago on Vanyaland.
Each of the three sections of the album is led by a short interlude—a “moment,” as the band’s calling them—as well as an accompanying video, showing a glimpse of the main character of the section.
The Colonnade gave us a preview of part two of the album when they published their promo video last Friday. Rich explained the purpose behind these videos:
We wanted the videos to represent the small, random, and seemingly insignificant moments and interactions that happen every day but end up holding some kind of emotional significance to us. So far we’ve decided on a couple swing dancing in a courtyard and a sad bell boy witnessing some much sought after elevator love.
Femme may be a coming-of-age album that portrays people falling in and out of love, and while the motive behind the music originates from the challenges of growing up, the songs come fully formed. “Deuxième Moment” (the interlude) is a sultry 33 seconds of cocktail piano and soft horns you might expect to hear in the lounge of a posh hotel. A posh, sad hotel. The title track of the album, “Femme,” features a catchy vocal melody and driving percussion and is distinctly not a sad-sounding song. It makes you want to toss your tear-filled tub of ice cream out the window and dance around the kitchen table.
And “Saunter,” a song delivered at more of gallop, makes you think of any number of alt-rock bands from the early 2000s, Sean Camargo’s slightly-distorted vocals rising above crashing cymbals, sounding somewhat like Kings of Leon singer Caleb Followill.
We can’t wait to hear the final four songs. In the meantime, you can pre-order the album here for just three bucks.
Want to listen to more exclusive premieres from some of the best bands in Boston? Click me now!Mars, Inc (subtitle: The Billionaire's Club) by Ben Bova is a new standalone novel not set in the same universe as his Grand Tour solar system books. There were a few confusing moments where I wasn't sure about the universe, particularly as someone called Yamagata showed up and didn't do anything that went against the Yamagata in the Grand Tour books. But maybe it was an homage. Or something.
I had previously only read Grand Tour books by Bova and I was hoping that Mars, Inc would be as sciencey
Mars, Inc (subtitle: The Billionaire's Club) by Ben Bova is a new standalone novel not set in the same universe as his Grand Tour solar system books. There were a few confusing moments where I wasn't sure about the universe, particularly as someone called Yamagata showed up and didn't do anything that went against the Yamagata in the Grand Tour books. But maybe it was an homage. Or something.I had previously only read Grand Tour books by Bova and I was hoping that Mars, Inc would be as sciencey as some of those were, particularly the Mars trilogy, which I enjoyed. Alas, it was not to be. It's not that the science in Mars, Inc is soft, but it's not a book about science or scientists. It's a book about a businessman. It's a how-to guide for funding and organising a crewed mission to Mars. I am firmly of the opinion that science is significantly more interesting than business, so I can't say I found this an overly interesting read. It wasn't boring enough for me to stop reading, but still, fans of science fiction beware.Being a book primarily about rich businessmen, it is heavily populated by old white guys and packed full of much of the unpleasantness that entails. And why couldn't there have been even one female billionaire in the mix? Oh, that's right, women can only be secretaries and journalists. It's a very sexist book, with references to tokenism sprinkled throughout. Calling a black woman a "two-for" (or however it was spelled) and a "dark-skinned Latina" a three in one is distinctly not cool. I could almost have forgiven it if it was clear that the characters were the ones being dicks, but there was too much of that sort of thing in the narration (as in, the parts not clearly in Thrasher's head). There was no need, for example, to point out that in a meeting with the US President and others, the President's secretary was the only woman in the room. Obviously it wasn't necessary to set the scene up that way in the first place, but pointing it out did not help. Far too often the (very minority) presence of women is pointed out in a self-congratulatory way by the characters. They "even" have two female astronauts (out of seven). Someone give them a medal.(Also aren't secretaries in the sense of assistants and organisers usually called PAs or EAs these days? They certainly are in Australia.)Thrasher is a "reprobate", which is the euphemism of choice for sleaze in Mars, Inc. There is a supposedly wholesome romantic relationship "developing" throughout the book but I found it nauseating, especially when it was the female character hero-worshipping him for no clear reason, before he'd even begun to think of her as an option. (And then he keeps calling her "kid" even after they get together? E www.)There are a lot more instances of rankling sexism, but it's been a few days since I finished reading (I kept using jetlag as an excuse to put off writing this review) and the reading was done on Kobo which doesn't lend itself to easy highlighting. Suffices to say, what I've mentioned in this review is not at all exhaustive.It's not that I didn't have previous evidence of Bova writing sexist stuff, but I had the futile hope that, since not all of his other books (that I've read) were that bad, maybe this wouldn't be either. (I mean, Saturn and Titan made me a lot angrier than the other Mars books, for example.) I was wrong. The Old White Man aspect of the plot didn't help either.Rampant sexism aside, the plot was fairly readable, despite being about businessmen rather than scientists. There's an organisational aspect and the quest for funding, there's a bit of intrigue thrown in, there are Thrasher's personal issues with which woman he wants to sleep with which night, there's a side story about rocket powered commercial flight... (the latter being driven by Thrasher's desire to not spend too much time flying between cities, a sentiment I found myself sympathising with deeply as I sat in a jet and crossed threeish continents.) Plotwise there's a lot going on, enough to offset the fact that it's not science-based SF. It's the variety of the plot that stopped me throwing the Kobo aside in frustration. Well, that and the fact that most of the ARCs I actually wanted to read were PDFs and those don't Kobo well.If you've gotten this far through the review, you'll have gathered that I didn't enjoy Mars, Inc. Because of the problems with it, I feel I can only recommend it to readers interested in a how-to guide for getting to Mars in the near future. Although I've said it's low on science, what science there is is accurately described. I don't think I'll be picking up any more Ben Bova books, and certainly not in the near future.You can read more of my reviews on my blogTexas A&M University and adidas today unveil 1939 throwback uniforms the Aggies will wear for their home game against the University of Louisiana-Monroe on November 1 at Kyle Field.
The vintage-style uniform, helmet and cleats pay homage to the Aggies' look during the 1939 National Championship season. Texas A&M's helmet, produced in concert with Hydro Graphics Inc. and Riddell, is dark maroon with a hydro film leather-like texture featuring wing and cross graphics created using high-resolution photographs of an actual helmet worn by the 1939 team. The helmet also features simulated stitching, wear-and-tear and raised ear protection painted by hand via HGI artists on each shell to further enhance the appearance of a vintage helmet.
Each helmet shell carries a stenciled AMC brand, referencing the “Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas” as Texas A&M was known in 1939, on the rear portion of the helmet just as the original version did 75 years ago. This brand signifies each helmet was custom-made for Texas A&M. More than six staff hours went in to create the unique appearance of each individual helmet.
The maroon TECHFIT jersey features a commemorative patch and that were inspired by those on the original 1939 Aggies' uniform and feature individual rips and tears to signify wear and to enhance authenticity. To complete the head-to-toe look, the Aggies will wear adidas cleats designed in a dark brown throwback style with a premium tumbled leather upper and metal eyelets.
Texas A&M's new uniform incorporates TECHFIT Shockweb technology. The adidas TECHFIT Shockweb uniform is the only true compression uniform system in the industry. Shockweb fits tighter to the body, making players more difficult to tackle. TECHFIT Shockweb is lighter, helping to make the player fast and increasing his range of motion to support the athlete's performance at the highest levels.
For more info on Texas A&M's 1939 throwback uniform, please visit @AggieFootball, @adidasFballUS, www.facebook.com/AggieFootball and www.facebook.com/adidasfootballUS. You can also follow the uniform conversation on Twitter at teamadidas and 12thMan.BRITISH workers are set for an overtime bonanza after Brexit, it was revealed last night.
Ministers want to scrap EU laws which limit the working week to 48 hours.
A Sun analysis suggests that the current limit could cost some families £1,200 in lost pay, representing 160 extra hours a year for a person earning the minimum wage.
3 The EU shackles may finally come off British workers thanks to Brexit
Tom Newton Dunn gives insight into the Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit talks
The move would also be a boost to industry which loses billions of pounds bringing in agency staff to plug the gap.
Brexiteers have gained widespread Cabinet support to axe the Working Time Directive as a first step when the UK is free from Brussels.
The Tories won an opt-out in 1993 but Labour MEPs voted to end the UK’s right to break the limit in 2003.
Brexit-backing ministers will demand an end to the directive when the Brexit “war Cabinet” meets tomorrow to decide what to demand when trade talks begin next year.
EPA 3 Theresa May meeting with EU president Donald Tusk
PA:Press Association 3 It is claimed small firms could benefit as well as big industries
They say it will give millions of families the chance to top up their wages and help small firms eager to cash in on the new global trade market.
A source said: “This is what taking back control is all about.
It will put the power to decide how hard to work back into the hands of the people who matter — the ordinary British worker.
“One or two Brexiteers have been pushing to scrap this daft directive and there is big support for it in Cabinet.”
MOST READ IN POLITICS Exclusive CORB OUT Corbyn forced to apologise for hiding freebie NYC trip paid for by anti-nuke group RACISM ROW Labour MP hosts Commons event honouring activist suspended over anti-Semitism SPEEDY STAY Lying Labour MP FREED from jail after a month - and could now vote on Brexit ALL OUT Hundreds of Universal Credit workers vote to STRIKE Exclusive WHERE CREDIT'S DUE 4m set for £3k Universal Credit boost - but others plunged into poverty FLYING TENSIONS PM risks rows by telling Egypt that flight ban to Sharm El Sheikh must stay
One minister said: “This will give employers the added flexibility they will need once we have left the EU.
"And it will allow millions of people to earn vital overtime cash.”
The directive has also piled extra costs on to cash-strapped public services, with hospitals having to scrap weekend “on call” work”.
*This article previously reported that "ministers want to scrap EU laws which limit the working week to 48 hours - costing the average family £1,200 in lost pay." The article has been amended to make clear that the £1,200 figure was based on a Sun analysis, and represents 160 extra hours a year for a person earning the minimum wage. In practice only a small minority of families is currently restricted from working longer hours by the current rules.The Senate’s leading champion of filibuster reform called for renewing the effort to weaken the minority’s obstruction power, concluding that a modest rules change enacted in January has failed to discourage Republicans from grinding the chamber to a halt.
In an interview on Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the author of a proposal to place more of the burden of sustaining a filibuster on |
damages).
The logo on the front will be etched much like the "paradise" text located on the tower platform.
There will be a rounded edge on the top and bottom to prevent your wrists get chafed
Timeline
End of October - Funding process.
Early November -We are of to various locations to over see quality and sign documents in person. At that point production starts.
Late November - The first batch of desks are shipped out.
Late December/Early January - They will arrive at our warehouse.
Late January - You get your desk!
Please note this is the plan - I have but my heart and soul into this product and Ill do everything in my power to make sure you get it on time.
Shipping
The prices do not include shipping on the desk, That will be calculated based on your proximity to us. We all hate playing for shipping, if the shipping total exceeds $80 we will cover the rest.Pope approves second miracle to allow canonisation of John Paul, but John XXIII will become saint without requirement
Mourners who cried "santo subito" ("saint immediately") at the funeral of Pope John Paul II are likely to have their wish fulfilled, after Pope Francis cleared his long-reigning Polish predecessor for canonisation with record speed.
Just eight years after his death and little more than two since his beatification, John Paul will be made a saint following the pope's approval of a second miracle attributed to his intercession.
The Vatican said the Argentinian pontiff had decided that the late Pope John XXIII, who opened the landmark Second Vatican Council in 1962, should also be canonised, despite no second miracle having been approved in his case.
The ceremonies are expected to take place by the end of the year. John Paul's could be on 22 October, his feast day and the anniversary of the liturgical inauguration of his 27-year-long papacy in 1978. But 8 December – the feast of the immaculate conception – has also been suggested as a fitting date. The rapid process by which Karol Wojtyła has been propelled towards sainthood will be welcomed by many of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, who regard him as a towering figure who hastened the collapse of communism, encouraged interfaith dialogue and brought charisma to the church.
But it is likely to be met with anger among his critics, including those who cite his record in handling the clerical sex abuse scandal. Some believe he should never be made a saint, let alone less than a decade after his death.
When his successor, Benedict XVI, began John Paul's beatification process in May 2005, the month after he died, the Vatican said the usual five-year waiting period was to be waived because of "exceptional circumstances".
In 2011, after a first miracle had been attributed to John Paul, he was beatified by Pope Benedict in a ceremony attended by several hundred thousand people in St Peter's Square and the surrounding streets.
According to t he Vatican, that first miracle concerned the inexplicable recovery of a French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, who was apparently dying of Parkinson's disease but was cured after she and her fellow nuns prayed for the intercession of the late pope. He himself died of the disease in April 2005.
For John Paul's canonisation to take place a second recovery deemed by the Vatican to be a miracle has also been approved. On Friday the Catholic Church in Costa Rica presented 50-year-old Floribeth Mora and her doctor to reporters.
With tears in her eyes, Mora described how she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm in 2011 and sent home with pain medicine but no apparent hope for treatment, thinking she was going to die.
She said a photograph of the pope seemed to speak to her during the deceased pontiff's beatification, and her doctor Alejandro Vargas said the aneurysm disappeared for no apparent reason.
The highly unusual decision by Francis to canonise John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963, without a second miracle will raise eyebrows.
Observers suggested the current pope – who has made the common touch the trademark of his fledgling papacy – felt an affinity with the Italian known to many Catholics as "Good Pope John". Like Francis, he enjoyed making pastoral visits, visiting children in hospital and inmates in prison.
And, like Francis, he also valued spontaneity and the freedom to liberally interpret security arrangements, taking late-night strolls around Rome.For those of you PC gamers who haven't played Layers of Fear yet you're missing out. For those of you who own a Pixel phone and a Daydream, you can now get the VR version.
If you haven't heard of it before in Layers of Fear: Solitude you play as a psychologically disturbed painter in the Victorian era who tries to complete his work while battling with a very unstable psyche. Walls will change, corridors will continue in endless loops, and paintings will literally just melt off the wall.
Layers of Fear: Solitude brings everything we loved about the PC version to Daydream and throws us straight into the world to experience things at a much more intimate level. This psychological horror is a match made in heaven for VR.
If you're one of the lucky folks that owns a Daydream, grab the game on Google Play now for £9.49. The rest of us will just have to hold out and hope more Android devices will be supported next year.WASHINGTON, July 16 (UPI) -- A Republican congressional candidate got a chance to protest as busloads of undocumented immigrant children were taken to a shelter near Oracle, Arizona.
"I was actually able to see some of the children in the buses," lamented Adam Kwasman, a state legislator. "The fear on their faces.... This is not compassion."
The only problem? The children weren't migrants: They were local students going to summer camp.
Protesters in Pinal County had gathered Tuesday afternoon to express their disapproval over the government's response to the influx of children entering the country fleeing violence from Central America. Between 40 and 60 children were destined for the Sycamore Canyon Academy, a boys ranch in the Catalina Mountains, but they never showed.
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The Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for caring for migrant children once they've been processed, had no immediate word on where the children were taken instead.
When the buses arrived, instead full of school children from the Marana school district and heading to the YMCA Triangle Y Camp, Kwasman raced over and tweeted a picture of the back of the yellow bus.
When Kwasman was confronted by a reporter with the truth -- that these were local children -- he said: "Well, they were sad too."
RELATED First 40 immigrants deported in border crisis
Other eyewitnesses said the children were seen laughing and taking pictures of the protesters.
Kwasman deleted the tweet about two hours later.
Screenshot from Politwoops.
Kwasman is running for the 1st Congressional District, and will face state House Speaker Andy Tobin and businessman Gary Kiehne in the Republican primary. The winner will face incumbent Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, a Democrat.Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Jeb Bush and Ben Carson are all vying for voters in the South Carolina Republican primary, while Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders battle it out in the Nevada caucus on Saturday.
These are the next big contests in the 2016 presidential election calendar.
Voters in South Carolina will head to the polls as Nevada residents caucus in their respective primaries in the coming week and a half. The outcomes could further winnow the 2016 presidential candidate field -- especially in the crowded GOP fight for the White House.
Unlike the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, Democratic and Republican voters will vote or caucus on different days.
Here's what you need to know for the South Carolina primary and Nevada caucus:
When is the South Carolina primary?
Republican voters head to the polls on Saturday, Feb. 20. Democratic voters head to the polls a week later, on Feb. 27.
When is the Nevada caucus?
Nevada Democrats will caucus on Saturday Feb. 20. Democrats will take part in the "First in the West" caucuses.
Meanwhile, Republicans head to their caucuses on Feb. 23, Tuesday.
What time do the caucuses/polls close?
In South Carolina, polls are open for both parties between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
In Nevada, Republicans will caucus between 5 and 9 p.m. PST.
What's at stake?
The Nevada Democratic Party offers 43 delegates to the national convention. The Nevada GOP offers 30 delegates.
In South Carolina, 50 delegates are at stake in the Republican primary and 59 in the Democratic primary.
Who's left in the presidential race?
In the Democratic field, former Secretary of StateClinton and Vermont Sen. Sanders are competing for the nomination.
The remaining Republicans are: Businessman Donald Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
Matt Arco may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.Lathers & Lights is celebrating 15 years!
In celebration, our gift to you is one of the biggest sales of the year! Simply place your items in the cart and the discount will automatically be deducted as you shop!
As always, free shipping for domestic orders will apply to orders of $75 or more after discounts! For orders shipping outside of the continental US, orders of $100 or more will receive $10 off the actual insured shipping rates, billed via Paypal when order is completed.
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It wouldn't be possible without you, our wonderful customers! Many thanks to all of you who have offered inspiration, loyalty, and support throughout the years! We're proud to still be here and it is all because of YOU!In celebration, our gift to you is one of the biggest sales of the year! Simply place your items in the cart and the discount will automatically be deducted as you shop!As always, free shipping for domestic orders will apply to orders of $75 or more after discounts! For orders shipping outside of the continental US, orders of $100 or more will receive $10 off the actual insured shipping rates, billed via Paypal when order is completed. What's New & What's Hot
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With our extensive scent and product list, it can sometimes feel overwhelming! Here's a list of what's new and popular this month!
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Disney is launching a $500 in-room celebration later this month, featuring an augmented reality Star Wars Rebels interactive adventure.
Available for guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels, the adventure begins with the resort room decorated with an Imperial recruitment banner. The story goes that the Rebel Alliance has infiltrated the room, leaving gear and tech to help on a secret mission for the Rebellion. Through augmented reality on a smartphone, Ezra Bridger (from the TV series, Star Wars Rebels) guides the players on an undercover mission. Slipping on the included Imperial Security Officer disguise, they'll head to Star Tours-The Adventures Continue attraction where hidden data they're carrying will be transmitted in hyperspace.
Once the mission's completed, they'll be directed to their resort room to unlock a mysterious box holding a rebel medal of honor, like the one in the film Star Wars: A New Hope.
Theme park tickets are required and not included, as is an iPhone or Android device.
You can order the Star Wars Rebels Interactive Adventure now online, available from August 15 2016.
Discuss on the Forums
Article Posted:Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been transferred from Beirut to Iran for cancer treatment, Lebanon’s Sawt Beirut International radio station, which is affiliated with political factions opposed to Hezbollah, reported late Monday. There was no independent confirmation of the claim.
The report said the Shi’ite Lebanese leader, who is 52, traveled to Tehran in a plane sent by the Iranian presidency. Nasrallah’s health was said to have deteriorated after the cancer was discovered.
In related news, the radio station reported that Hezbollah was forced to cancel a number of meetings to choose Nasrallah’s heir due to “deep disagreements” relating to his deputy, Naim Qassem. It did not elaborate.
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Nasrallah gave a televised speech 10 days ago in which he declared that Israel’s infrastructure and electricity stations “need only a few rockets” to leave the country paralyzed.
Speaking to hundreds of supporters via video link on February 16, Nasrallah warned Israel not to attack Lebanon, saying Hezbollah’s response would be harsh.
“The Islamic resistance won’t keep mum on any Israeli attack on Lebanon,” he warned, adding that Hezbollah would not need to transfer any weapons from Syria to retaliate.
“The resistance in Lebanon possesses all the necessary equipment,” he said.
The screening of Nasrallah’s speech was preceded by an address given by the son of Imad Mughniyeh, a Hezbollah terror chief whose February 2008 death was attributed to Israel.
Also during his speech, Nasrallah denied allegations that Hezbollah was responsible for the July 2012 bombing of a tour bus in Bulgaria that killed five Israeli tourists and their local driver.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
March 25, 2017, 8:45 AM GMT / Updated March 25, 2017, 8:45 AM GMT By Alex Seitz-Wald
The bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act may be dead, but Democrats are still going to try to make House Republicans pay.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is launching its first ad campaign of the 2018 election cycle Monday, targeting 14 Republicans who voted for earlier versions of the bill in House committees.
President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the American Health Care Act on Friday after they concluded they lacked the GOP votes necessary to pass the bill.
In the aftermath of its failure, Democratic leaders declared victory — but said they still plan to hang the unpopular bill around Republicans’ necks.
That starts with the members of three House committees that took up and passed draft versions of the Obamacare repeal bill – the Budget, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce Committees. Fourteen of the DCCC's targeted Republican lawmakers voted for the bill in one of those committees.
The DCCC ads hitting them are supported by a small buy running on on digital platforms.
But officials at the campaign arm of House Democrats say the 30-second spots are just a glimpse of what voters will see on their TVs soon and show Democrats' plan to make health care a key part of their electoral strategy for the 2018 midterms.
“This targeted ad campaign makes clear that every House Republican who voted in committee for this devastating Republican repeal bill will be held accountable from now through Election Day,” DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan said in a statement.
Republicans and others may object to committee votes being used against them, since several of the targeted lawmakers planned to vote against the final version of the bill on the House floor, although they never got the chance.
But Democrats remember when their own ranks were decimated by the backlash to Obamacare in 2010. The GOP showed no mercy for Democrats who voted against the final bill then, and Democrats will not now that the tables are turned.
“Republicans knowingly voted for a bill that will raise premiums and deductibles, slap an age tax on older folks, and rip insurance away from 24 million hardworking Americans. It’s critical that voters know where their representatives stood on legislation,” Lujan added.
The ads, titled “Truth,” highlight estimates by the Congressional Budget Office showing Americans would lose coverage under the GOP bill. A narrator says the GOP broke its own promises with the proposal, playing clips of Trump saying no one would lose coverage under his plan.
While the 2018 midterm elections are a long way off, the bill appears fairly toxic at the moment.
A Quinnipiac poll this week found just 17 percent of Americans in support of the GOP plan.
Here’s the full list of lawmakers targeted by the DCCC ad campaign: Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), Rep. Pat Meehan (PA-07), Rep. Erik Paulsen (MN-03), Rep. Dave Reichert (WA-08), Rep. Pete Roskam (IL-06), Rep. Chris Collins (NY-27), Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-06), Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-07), Rep. Mimi Walters (CA-45), Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Rep. John Faso (NY-19), Rep. Jason Lewis (MN-02), Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-16).The idea of this deck is to stall your opponent until turn 9 or 10, then drop Lyra plus Radiant Elementals, and spam spells. Generally you're either going to get an amazing board or a hand full of utility.
Combos:
Classic Auchenai + Circle of Healing for board clear.
Auchenai + Corrupted Healbot for huge damage to the opponent's face.
Lyra + 2x Radiant Elemental + spells.
Tips for Lyra: With the combo, if you have Shadow Visions in hand, and one if your deck, you can keep casting it and choosing Shadow Visions. This will be free each time due to it being 2 mana and the Radiant Elementals, and can fill your hand with spells.
Possible changes:
The quest was added as an afterthought, as most games end with 0 cards in deck, and more than 7 deathrattles played.
Ysera was once in the deck. When played on turn 9, this can provide a 0 mana spell which you can use to combo with Lyra and Elementals on turn 10.“In his house at R’lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.” —H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu
The Book of Starry Wisdom compiles newly edited editions of H.P. Lovecraft’s public domain cycle of Cthulhu stories, edited and produced by myself, Simon Berman, and illustrated by renowned deific and fantasy artist, Valerie Herron (The Book of the Great Queen).
Accompanied by essays and musings by some of today’s premiere Lovecraftian scholars, writers, and devotees, The Book of Starry Wisdom will be a luxurious, approximately 192 page hardback tome, featuring a leather textured cover with gold foil pressed symbols of significance to the Cult of Cthulhu, 13 interior B&W illustrations, as well as other features to be unlocked as the Kickstarter meets its stretch goals. This premium volume will be a stunning addition to the library of any enthusiast of H.P. Lovecraft or worshipper of Dead Cthulhu Who Lies Dreaming.
Advance digital mockup, final product may vary.
The Book of Starry Wisdom will contain Lovecraft's original tales that most specifically deal with Dread Cthulhu and his cult:
Dagon
The Call of Cthulhu
The Shadow Over Innsmouth
These iconic tales are accompanied by newly unearthed essays and mad ravings that blur the line between fact and fiction, science and madness.
It was from the artists and poets that the pertinent answers came, and I know that panic would have broken loose had they been able to compare notes. —H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu
Contributors include:
Adam Scott Glancy (Delta Green)
Orrin Grey (Never Bet the Devil & Other Warnings, Painted Monsters & Other Strange Beasts)
Leanna Renee Hieber (Strangely Beautiful, The Eterna Files)
Ann Koi (Honor & Sacrifice: Tribes of Heaven)
C.A. Suleiman (The Lost Citadel, Mummy, the Curse)
Molly Tanzer (Vermilion, A Pretty Mouth)
Thom Truelove (Surfing the Zeitgeist)
Bryan Thao Worra (On the Other Side of the Eye)
Creating a tome worthy of Lovecraft's own fabled books of forgotten horror has long been a dream of mine. These days, I'm the social marketing guy and sometime writer at Privateer Press where I've worked on our award winning games, WARMACHINE, HORDES, and the Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game, as well as the independently produced Gas-mask chic Role-Playing Game of Neo-Victorian Horror, Unhallowed Metropolis. But back in the dark depths of the early 1990s I was just an impressionable teenager, finding Lovecraft for the first time by a synchronicitous combination of roleplaying games and heavy metal songs. You may be surprised to learn this, but I was a nerdy kid who liked books. Naturally, this meant that even as Cthulhu himself was worming his way into the depths of my brain, I was equally impressed by Lovecraft's descriptions of hideous, mind-shattering tomes. Books that could drive their readers mad. Books hidden away to moulder for centuries before being rediscovered by some unfortunate soul. Naturally, I wanted one for myself, which is what brings me here, to this project.
The Book of Starry Wisdom will be worthy of taking a place on the shelf of any antiquarian's library. With your help, we'll fund a limited print run of 1,000 copies, pay my illustrator a fair price for what amounts to half a year's work for her, and pay a fair wage to all of my other contributors. But most of all, working together like any good cult, we'll bring a nightmarish volume of unspeakable evil into the world, and isn't that worth it all?
New to Lovecraft?
When you have read these hastily scrawled pages you may guess, though never fully realise, why it is that I must have forgetfulness or death. —H.P. Lovecraft, Dagon
It's my fervent hope that at least a few people will first encounter Lovecraft's works in this edition. It warms the pit of my blackened heart to think that someone will spend a dark night or rainy afternoon with this book in their hands, exploring Innsmouth and R'lyeh, and shivering to contemplate what might lurk beneath the deepest waters waiting for the age when the time of man is at an end. If you're new to Lovecraft's work, this collection contains three of his most iconic works.
In Dagon, a morphine addict recounts the incident that led him to drugs and madness. The lone survivor of a U-Boat attack, he found himself adrift in the midst of the vast Pacific where he encountered a curious geological upheaval and bore witness to a place and creature that drove him to the edge of sanity.
The Call of Cthulhu is perhaps Lovecraft's most famous work. In it, he weaves a complex web of disparate encounters, historical accounts, and the secrets of an ancient and terrible cult. The narrator writes of his growing unease as he uncovers a conspiracy working towards the awakening of the so-called Great Old Ones. His final discoveries provide a glimpse of cosmic horror beyond the comprehension of mere humans.
Finally, The Shadow Over Innsmouth ties the secrets and revelations of the former works together. In the decrepit and shunned town of Innsmouth, Massachusetts, some of the deepest secrets of Cthulhu's cult are revealed, and their implications spell a doom that ripples from the 1920s to the very present.
REWARDS
Double-sided velvet cover stock bookmark
In addition to the book itself, a number of Kickstarter exclusive giclee art prints are available to backers.
The Kickstarter exclusive, 8"x8", signed and numbered B&W print, "Father Dagon, Mother Hydra," is available with all rewards at the $65 Acolyte reward level and above.
"Father Dagon, Mother Hydra" — Kickstarter exclusive giclee art print
"Cthulhu Magus," a Kickstarter exclusive, full color, 11"x 20", signed and numbered art print, is available to all backers at the Priest of the Old Ones reward level and above.
"Cthulhu Magus" — Kickstarter exclusive giclee art print
As well, art prints of all of the interior B&W illustrations are available to backers at the Deep One reward level and above.
A limited number of premium rewards are also available. Backers at the Sacrifice reward level will receive an original sketch by Valerie Herron of Cthulhu devouring your likeness (or that of a loved one!) as supplied by you, as well as all of the previously mentioned rewards.
As well, backers at the Vile Tome reward level will receive an additional copy of the Book of Starry Wisdom featuring an original, hand-sculpted cover by sculptor, Jason Soles, as well as all of the previously mentioned rewards, including the original sketch of Cthulhu.
Images for general reference, only. Final Vile Tome reward will be made specifically for The Book of Starry Wisdom.
Finally, the Heeder of the Call reward level includes all previously mentioned rewards, including the interior art prints, original sketch of Cthulhu, a hand-sculpted cover edition, and ultimately, the original physical painting of "Cthulhu Magus."
Original painting, "Cthulhu Magus," available as part of the Heeder of the Call reward.
Add-ons
You may add-on additional copies of The Book of Starry Wisdom, up to a total of 5 including the original reward, to your pledge at a cost of $40 per book. Shipping is included in your original pledge.
Map of the "R'lyeh Triangle!"
This map of the South Pacific charts the coordinates given by Lovecraft in his Cthulu-related stories, indicating points of importance and the possible location of R'lyeh itself. Created by master cartographer, Ed Bourelle of Skeleton Key Games, this map is available as a beautiful poster print or as a digital download. These prints will be signed and numbered and suitable for framing.
12.25" x 17.25" matte stock poster, suitable for framing
Digital download only
.Art prints add-ons
Three of Valerie Herron's header/quarter page images for the book are available as add-ons. These will be 8" x 10" giclee quality art prints and only available as add-ons. Each print is available for $15 or all 3 for $40.
8" x 10" giclee art print, available only as an add-on
8" x 10" giclee art print, available only as an add-on
8" x 10" giclee art print, available only as an add-on
8" x 10" giclee art print, available only as an add-on
Select an add-on by doing the following:
Click the “manage your pledge” button on the project page.
Increase your pledge by the amount needed to claim the add-on(s).
Save your pledge. Do not change the tier that you originally pledged at.
Stretch Goals
The Book of Starry Wisdom is already a premium hardcover edition, but should I exceed my funding goal, I have some stretch goals in mind to make it an even more luxurious volume. Any stretch goals that add features to the book will benefit everyone who gets a copy! Our first stretch goal, a map of the South Pacific, illustrating points of note relating to the lore of dread Cthulhu, will be added to the endpapers of the book when we reach $25,000! As we unlock stretch goals, more will be unveiled!
Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagnBy Haxel Rubén Murillo, notifight.com
Carlos Blandon, manager of WBC flyweight champion Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, has denied that his team reached an agreement with Mexican trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, to train the undefeated three division world champion in the future.
The manager confirmed that there have been talks and he also stated there have been talks with Robert Garcia and Freddie Roach as well. They are analyzing several details, such as they requested salaries or each trainer and which coach has the adequate time to train Gonzalez.
"I talked to Don Nacho, but we have not made any decisions. We are still in [discussions on whether it's going to be] Don Nacho, Freddie Roach or Robert Garcia. We are in communications with the three, but there is nothing concrete," Blandon stated.
"The three coaches that I mentioned work for wages and percentages. If we do camp a salary is paid, if it is a preparation for a specific fight then they would require a percentage, ranging between 12 and 20% of Román's purse, and that is significant. We need some for training, to guide him in camp, not just someone to stand in the corner.'
November 22 is the date of Gonzalez's return, when he defends his WBC flyweight title against Filipino Rocky Fuentes in Japan.Sure, my backyard grapes, my tomatoes, my Meyer lemons and my rosemary plants love it. This is Sicily in Seattle, with nearly 16 hours of daylight. June, known for its cloudy gloom, was “probably the sunniest month in Northwest history,” wrote the University of Washington atmospheric scientist Cliff Mass on his weather blog.
The experts, Professor Mass among them, do not think the broiling of the Pacific Northwest can be attributed to climate change. Rather, they credit a huge dome of high pressure to the west and warm ocean temperatures. But they say that what we’ve experienced over the last 16 months is an indication of what this part of the world will be like after the earth has warmed by several degrees.
So, what’s not to like?
For starters, brown does not fit an emerald city. Not just every homeowner’s lawn, now the color of a baked potato, but alpine meadows, fields and deciduous trees that have given up for the year, shedding potato-chip crisp leaves as if it were October.
As anyone in California could say, get used to it. Or get a fake lawn. Or grow cactus plants. Summers in the Northwest are usually dry, mild and humidity-free — this is just an extreme version. Stop complaining.
In the withering heat, I can still look south and see the glaciers of Mount Rainier, holding the frozen legacy of winters long past. Water, as snow or ice, is not just the master architect of the Northwest, but the main reason the islands, the mountains, the forests of this place are so beautiful.American mixed martial arts fighter
Courtney Scott "Court" McGee[3] (born December 12, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, McGee mostly fought in local promotions in Utah before winning Spike TV's eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. As a recovering heroin addict, McGee actively gives talks on anti drug campaigns to teenagers and launched online "Hope 361" project to help addicts to the path of recovery.
Background [ edit ]
Court McGee participated in high school wrestling at Layton High School placing 6th in the 5A State Division in 2002 and 3rd in the 5A State Division in 2003, under Mike Hansen. McGee also holds a background in karate, in which he has amassed over 100 kumite. In the early 2000s, McGee started taking painkillers in an attempt to find relief from an injury and began hanging out with the wrong crowd, a situation that would lead McGee to become addicted to heroin and cocaine. Following an overdose in which McGee was declared clinically deceased for eight minutes, he was resuscitated and as a result of the damage caused from temporary death to the brain, he had to learn how to walk and talk again.[4] After rehab and getting himself cleaned up from substance abuse, McGee returned to Layton high shool to become an assistant wrestling coach.[5][6][7] He later picked up Brazilian jiu jitsu and boxing, and eventually transitioned into competing in MMA professionally.[8]
Career [ edit ]
Boxing career [ edit ]
In addition to his Mixed Martial Arts career, McGee has also compiled a 2–0 record as a professional boxer in the cruiserweight division. Both fights took place in 2008, in between his MMA career.[9][10]
His first fight was against Francisco Antonio Alacantara in May 2008. McGee defeated him via unanimous decision (40–35, 40–36, 39–36) in a four-round fight,[10] having defeated Hank Weiss in an MMA fight just days earlier.[9]
This was followed up by another unanimous decision victory (40–36, 40–36, 39–37) over Freddie Martinez. McGee revealed in June 2010 that this fight took place during his bachelor weekend.[11]
Mixed martial arts career [ edit ]
Early career [ edit ]
McGee started his MMA career in 2007 in his home state of Utah, compiling a record of 10-1, with two technical knockouts and five submission wins. Two notable fights occurred during this period, with a submission win over DaMarques Johnson[9][12] and a loss to Jeremy Horn.[6]
In September 2008, McGee faced Isidro Gonzalez at the "Throwdown Showdown" event in Orem, Utah. McGee won the match after a unanimous decision.[13] McGee was scheduled to compete in December 2008 against Ray Lazama for the Gladiator Challenge Middleweight title.[14] However, the bout never transpired for unknown reasons. McGee instead faced Dayle Jarvis in July 2009. In what would turn out to be his final appearance on the local MMA circuit, McGee won by a Technical Knockout (TKO) over his opponent in under four minutes.[9]
The Ultimate Fighter [ edit ]
In March 2010, McGee was announced as part of the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. In the elimination round, McGee narrowly defeated Seth Baczynski after going to a sudden victory round.[15] McGee was later picked by Chuck Liddell as his sixth pick and twelfth overall.[16]
McGee was then defeated by the show's number one pick Nick Ring in the sixth preliminary fight. After two rounds, the judges declared the fight a victory for Ring via majority decision (20–18, 19–19, 20–18). Dana White and Chuck Liddell both stated that the fight should have gone to a third round.[17]
When Rich Attonito broke his hand, his spot in the quarter-finals became open. Due to the controversial loss to Ring, White selected McGee to fight in his place. In the quarter-finals, McGee was set to have a rematch with Ring, but Ring pulled out of the competition due to a knee injury. James Hammortree stepped in as Ring's replacement. Early in the second round, McGee submitted Hammortree with a rare standing guillotine choke.[18][19]
In the semi-finals he faced teammate Brad Tavares to earn a spot in the live finale. After a fairly even first two rounds, McGee dropped Tavares late in the third round with a left hook and locked in a fight-ending rear naked choke.[20]
This advanced him to the TUF 11 finale where he faced Team Ortiz/Franklin fighter, Kris McCray in the main event.[21] McGee spent half of his training camp away from his usual gym "Victory MMA", instead preferring to stick with his Ultimate Fighter coach, Chuck Liddell at The Pit.[22] McGee defeated McCray by submission in the second round with a rear naked choke, making him the winner of the Ultimate Fighter Season 11, despite all the difficulties and bad luck he encountered on the show. McGee was also awarded the Submission of the Night award.[11]
Ultimate Fighting Championship [ edit ]
McGee's first post-TUF fight was against UFC veteran, Ryan Jensen at UFC 121.[23] Early in the first round, McGee was hit with a stiff shot that dropped him and later suffered a minor cut below his eye. In the second round, Jensen began to visibly tire and after being hit, began to bleed from the nose. McGee won the second round after a takedown just before the bell. In the third round, McGee successfully executed a takedown and a full mount, where he secured an arm triangle choke to force the tapout at 1:21 of the final round.[24]
McGee was expected to face Jesse Bongfeldt on June 11, 201 |
in response to this, Russia has, for the first time in decades, announced the establishment of a permanent presence in the Mediterranean and has moved several large landing ships, supply ships and destroyers to the area.
Throughout the international media we are witnessing the beginning of a propaganda campaign aimed at preparing “public opinion” for a direct military intervention on the part of US imperialism and its minor partners.
It is an elementary duty for revolutionaries internationally to unmask the real interests of imperialism and oppose this intervention, which has nothing to do with humanitarian considerations. The Syrian masses are just pawns in a larger cynical chess game of the imperialist powers.
Imperialism has nothing to offer to the Syrian people and the masses in the Middle East. Over the last three years millions took to the streets demanding decent living conditions, work, bread, dignity, an end to corruption and brutal repressive regimes. The revolutionary forces have succeeded in overthrowing some of these hated regimes, but have failed so far in overthrowing the system which created them and the ruling classes which were benefiting from them. In some cases, as in Libya and Syria, this failure has been paid for with civil war and bloody reaction, and we have seen that even the most basic aspirations of the masses can never be met within the system of capitalism.
Our appeal to the Syrian youth and working class, regardless of religious and ethnic divisions, is not to trust the imperialists, neither to trust Assad or the reactionary opposition, but to prepare and join your brothers and sisters and the masses of the Middle East in the common struggle against capitalism and imperialist oppression. More revolutionary upsurges are being prepared throughout the whole region and it is here where the path lies for the liberation of the masses in the Arab world.{!hitembed ID=”hitembed_1″ width=”350″ height=”263″ align=”right”!}
The climate change site, DeSmogBlog has found that Environmental Resources Management, the consulting firm behind the Keystone XL Pipeline environmental impact assessment, has been at the center of controversial pipeline projects in the past.
Activists working against the 2002 planned construction of British Petroleum’s Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in Turkey, singled out Environmental Resources Management (ERM) for what they saw as ERM “grooming” the BP pipeline for construction. Like the Keystone XL pipeline assessment, ERM’s assessment of the Turkish pipeline was seen as flawed and drafted in a way that gave all but the green light for the pipeline to be constructed.
Environmental and human rights group London Rising Tide went as far as occupying ERM’s offices in London, handing out pamphlets to employees stating that:
Your employer [ERM] plays a crucial role if low-key, in grooming BP’s Baku Ceyhan pipeline for construction.
In recent days, similar concerns have been raised after the website InsideClimate News revealed that:
The State Department’s recent conclusion that the Keystone XL pipeline “is unlikely to have a substantial impact” on the rate of Canada’s oil sands development was based on analysis provided by two consulting firms with ties to oil and pipeline companies that could benefit from the proposed project.
Researcher Brad Johnson writing on Grist then made the link to Environmental Resources Management, finding that,
The “sustainability consultancy” Environmental Resources Management (ERM) was paid an undisclosed amount under contract to TransCanada to write the statement, which is now an official government document.
The construction and operation of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline has impacted the livelihoods of local fishermen, as seen in this video.Watch Liam Tamne and company rehearse "Delivery", written by Lin-Manuel Miranda for the musical Working, which receives its European premiere at Southwark Playhouse next month.
Based on Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with the American workforce, Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso's musical features music from the likes of Miranda, Mary Rodgers and five-time Grammy Award-winner James Taylor.
The cast features Tamne (The Phantom of the Opera) alongside Peter Polycarpou (City of Angels), Krysten Cummings (Rent) Dean Chisnall (Shrek), Gillian Bevan (Into the Woods) and Siubhan Harrison (Guys and Dolls).
They will be joined by six young performers all making their professional debuts - Patrick Coulter, Nicola Espallardo, Izuka Hoyle, Luke Latchman, Huon Mackley and Kerri Norville.
Co-produced by Jack Maple and Ramin Sabi, Working is directed by Luke Sheppard (In the Heights) with choreography by Fabian Aloise.
Working runs at Southwark Playhouse from 7 June to 8 July, with previews from 2 June.As many as 30% of retailers are reportedly using facial recognition to track shoppers, but some are exploring less invasive tech – including shoe profiling
There are eyes on you, behind the bright lights and mirrored panels. Pick up a boot and a camera will make sure you don’t slip it into your bag. Cross the threshold into a department store and there is a tacit understanding that you will be watched, but new technology is leading retailers to grow a different set of peepers – eyes less focused on shoplifting and more interested in your age, sex, size, head, shoulders, knees and toes. Knees and toes.
A few months ago, IT firm Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) put out a report that claimed around 30% of retailers use facial recognition technology to track customers in-store. What is facial recognition? It is technology that can identify people by analysing and comparing facial features from a database. You may be familiar with it from Facebook’s photo tagging, but similar techniques are now making their way into the physical world with devices such as Intel’s RealSense cameras, which are able to analyse everything from particular expressions to the clothing brands someone is wearing.
When I spoke to Joe Jensen, general manager for Intel’s Retail Solutions Division, in September 2015, he told me that the aim of bringing RealSense technology into shops is not to create Minority Report-style databases of specific people’s lives, but rather to build generalised models of people’s lifestyles and shopping habits.
“It’s not so much that you need to know, say, ‘Elaine’,” he told me at the time. “It’s that you need to know that this shopper has these characteristics and, in the past, that when those characteristics happen, this is what a person tends to do.”
Combine recognition technology with databases of previous customer patterns and you can start to predict a lot about what a person may or may not do in a shop. If, say, there’s a size-10 woman wearing a gold necklace walking quickly towards the sock aisle, you can collate that data against a sizeable reservoir of previous patterns and predict she wants to, well, buy socks.
That might not need an expensive camera, but for a retailer it could allow them to automatically throw up targeted ads on screens aimed specifically at that person, based on that person’s expressions and movements. If she looks like the type of person who wants to buy socks, they will show her adverts for socks.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shoppers are more suspicious of cameras in real world stores than they are cookies when shopping online. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters
If it sounds familiar, it’s because the online world has been using techniques like these for years. Search for something on Amazon and you’ll be hounded by targeted banners for similar products on other sites. Express a vague interest in canoeing and you’ll be plagued with canoes wherever you go. Yet dragging these systems into the physical world isn’t a simple case of copy and paste. It turns out that people do not react to cameras in the same way as they do to browser cookies.
Predicting gender based on shoes
If the prospect of having intelligent cameras pointed at your face makes you want to grab a crowbar and start smashing all the mirrors in the department store, there’s an alternative for you: intelligent cameras pointed at your feet.
Hoxton Analytics is a London-based team of data scientists that have developed a technology that makes use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to categorise people based on the shoes they are wearing. By analysing the style and size of people’s footwear as they walk past the sensor, the system can make real-time judgments on demographic and footfall. The company claims it can identify a customer’s gender with between 75-80% accuracy.
Owen McCormack, Hoxton Analytics CEO, tells me that the focus of the system came about in part as a reaction to facial recognition.
For me it's fine - it gives retailers accurate information but without saying who this person is or where they live Owen McCormack of Hoxton Analytics
“My idea was, why don’t we simply consider the clothes someone’s wearing to understand demographics,” he said. “If I just showed you a shot of someone’s body you could probably tell me what gender they are without having to take personal information. However, it turns out pointing a camera at someone’s chest or hips is just as privacy invasive and feels just as creepy as facial recognition. The idea was – what about people’s shoes?”
The word “creepy” comes up a lot during discussions of in-store tracking. For retailers and data scientists, the aim is to find a way of obtaining information without coming across as unnerving or intrusive.
For Hoxton Analytics and the retailers using the technology, including the O2 centre on Finchley Road and men’s lifestyle shop The Dandy Lab, both in London, the answer is to look downwards. This tactic of averting the eyes – avoiding the face and staring at shoes – says a lot about how we, as physical beings, react to being watched. It suggests there are boundaries that do not exist when flipping between websites. Set sights on our torsos and we feel invaded in a way we don’t with click-throughs. But while making calculated judgments about a person based on their footwear instead of their face may toe certain psychological lines, is it actually any less invasive?
Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘If you knew everyone in Argos right now was male, you’d be advertising PlayStation, not hairdryers,” said Owen McCormack of Hoxton Analytics. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian
For McCormack, the argument hinges on the fact that personally identifiable information isn’t being harvested. “Right now, shops are doing lots of incredibly invasive things, but we just don’t know about it. The angle Hoxton Analytics is taking on that whole thing is, well, if you know someone’s a male or a female then your advertising will be much more efficient. If you know that everyone in Argos right now is a male, you’d be advertising PlayStations not hairdryers. For me that’s fine – you’re giving the retailers accurate information but you’re not saying this person is so and so who lives down the road and has an expensive house.”
Julija Bainiaksina, co-founder of The Dandy Lab, similarly emphasises the anonymity of the process, telling me that the shop doesn’t “obtain or keep any private information unless customers express an interest in receiving a personal shopping service and provide personal details themselves”.
Anonymity goes a long way to mollifying a sense of invasiveness, but being able to target increasingly narrow segments of individuals based on a number of physical factors still raises questions about what can be inferred, and who ultimately has control of the data.
While The Dandy Lab is pretty upfront with its backend technologies, you can see why other retailers keep the majority of their tracking methods tightly under wraps, including the controversial MAC address tracking trialed by US retailer Nordstrom in 2014.
Keep it hidden and invisible monitoring lets shops optimise their output while keeping the customer blissfully unaware. Put adaptable monitors and targeted ads into a mix, however, and it becomes harder to hide the fact that a machine is stalking you behind the scenes. The argument from the retailers is that they do this to provide a bespoke shopping experience, but it remains a grey area. It still feels creepy.
Offline cookies
From the perspective of retailers, it’s understandable that physical shops want a slice of the information afforded to online outlets in the shape of click-throughs, conversions and demographics. We allow this to happen online, so why not offline? The thresholds of a shopping centre are different from those between websites, and when you can wander freely from one place to another without a pop-up asking you to accept cookies, the rules of consent change.
Then again, for a generation growing up with Amazon first, physical shop second, the modes of online play may not be quite so invasive. In the CSC report, a survey indicated that while 72% of 55+ respondents said they were decidedly uncomfortable with these types of technologies being used in physical shops, only 51% of 16-24 year olds said the same.
Does this relative openness stem from a greater familiarity with digital technology, or a blind belief in the goodwill of omnipresent organisations offering free services?
Is the creepiness of a technology an unvarying, instinctive certainty, or does it ebb and flow with degrees of social acceptance? Whatever the case, between the shelves there are a growing number of eyes, and they care a lot about what you’re wearing.Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2017: PM Modi addressed a rally in Kangra region (file photo)
Highlights Congress like termites, needs to be taken out from the roots, says PM Is campaigning for Himachal Pradesh elections to be held next week Says Congress has already accepted defeat and 'run away' from campaigning
PM Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders share the stage at a rally in Dharamsala.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a stinging attack on the Congress over corruption, likening the party to termites, and exhorted the people to wipe them out by handing over a three-fourths majority to the BJP in the November 9 Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections "If you clean just on the surface, termites come back after a few days. The Congress party's depraved mentality is like termites. You cannot just change the government and expect to be done with it, you have to take them out from the roots. Only then we can free Himachal of this disease," he said."There should not be one polling booth where this termite called Congress be allowed to thrive," PM Modi added.PM Modi said the Congress has conceded defeat in the hill state as its senior leaders have "run away" from campaigning in the state leaving Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to his fate.In a reference to the Congress' decision to mark the first anniversary of the demonetisation as black day, he said the opposition party would observe "Anti-Black Money Day" and burn his effigies as it was angry with his fight against corruption.PM Modi claimed that the poor and the middle class were back to work but the dishonest people were angry with him and wanted to seek revenge from him as he forced them to deposit their illegal money with banks.Seeking strong mandate in favour of the BJP, PM Modi said the state had progressed most when Prem Kumar Dhumal was its chief minister and Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister as the central government pumped in money which Mr Dhumal used effectively for development of Himachal Pradesh. PM Modi said he and Mr Dhumal, who is the party's chief ministerial candidate, would take the state to new heights of development, adding that its infrastructure and tourism sectors needed a boost.The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has ruled that Steven Miller, who was found dead on a quiet residential street in Conception Bay South on Saturday morning, was killed in a homicide.
Police gave an update into Miller's shocking death at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, and while they will not be releasing the cause of death, they said it was "evident" that Miller had sustained multiple stab wounds.
The 25-year-old's blood-soaked body was discovered sprawled on a driveway a few kilometres away in the Bayview Heights neighbourhood of C.B.S. shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday.
Police say Miller was violently abducted from his Seal Cove home before 4 a.m. Saturday. Police believe three masked indviduals carrying firearms forced their way into the house during the pre-dawn hours and abducted Miller before setting his home on fire in what is believed to be a targeted attack.
The attackers are still at large, and police have described them as armed and dangerous.
The force said Tuesday that there was no connection between Miller and Bayview Heights, and said it appears the street was randomly selected.
Very little is known about Miller, but sources say he was originally from Mount Pearl, and worked for about four years, off and on, with an industrial services company in St. John's as a millwright.
RNC Supt. Jason Sheppard told reporters that police have identified some suspects in the killing of Miller, but said the force would not be releasing any more information about them.
Looking for videos, gas can and vehicles
Sheppard pleaded with the public to come forward with any information they have on the incident, and specifically asked residents to check any surveillance video they may have recorded at the crime scenes.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has created a dedicated tip line for the case, and residents are asked to call 1-709-729-8800.
Sheppard said more than 50 officers are "directly involved" in the homicide investigation.
Police say a burned 2005 Dodge Caravan may be linked to the Steven Miller Homicide. (RNC)
"Typically we don't come forward during homicides and serious events," said Sheppard. "But the investigative team has met, and we believe in this particular case, we need the assistance of the public."
"We're in a digital age, and it's a time when cell phones and businesses and homes have a lot of video, and I believe that there may be information out there that may be very important for us to recover."
They want anyone on Bayview Heights who may have recorded surveillance video, or have any information on suspicious activity between 4 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, to come forward.
They're also asking users of the Foxtrap Access Road for any information they have on a burnt-out 2005 gray Dodge Caravan: Police want to know when the van was observed in the area.
Police found that Dodge Caravan on Monday on the Foxtrap Access Road. They believe the vehicle was used in the crime.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has released a timeline of events in the Steven Miller homicide case. (RNC)
The RNC is further asking all residents or businesses in C.B.S, Paradise and central St. John's for any information on the Dodge Caravan or a 2013 red two-door Honda Civic seen between Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 6 a.m.
They are also looking for businesses that sold yellow fuel containers in the metro St. John's area in the days before Saturday, or anyone who may have had a yellow fuel container stolen during that time.
All of these items may be linked to the homicide: Police say there was a suspicious fire in the Roberts Heights area of Paradise at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, after Miller's body was found.
Police are also considering the possibility that another stabbing in Paradise may be linked to Saturday morning's shocking incident. The RNC say an unconscious man was found with multiple stab wounds just after 5 a.m. on Saturday near Trails End Drive in Paradise.
That man was taken to hospital, and remains in serious but stable condition.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Aug. 25, 2016, 8:35 PM GMT / Updated Aug. 25, 2016, 9:33 PM GMT By Jon Schuppe
Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday resisted demands by Turkey's president to immediately detain and turn over a Pennsylvania imam suspected of plotting last month's failed military coup attempt, giving a blunt lesson on American rule of law.
In a joint appearance with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in the capital of Ankara, Biden outlined the steps required to extradite someone to another country: Gather evidence, go to court with probable cause, get permission from a judge.
"We have no reason to shelter someone who would attack an ally and try to overthrow a democracy," Biden said. "Can you imagine us being happy with another military state? We didn’t get on so well with your previous military states. So what motive could we possibly have? None. Except we're bound by the law."
Related: Turkey Formally Requests U.S. Return Cleric Fethullah Gulen — but Not Over Coup
Since the July 15 coup attempt, Erdogan has been pressing the United States to extradite the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in self-imposed exile since 1999 and had become an Erdogan antagonist. The Turkish president has accused Gulen of undermining his government, and has cracked down on Gulen's Turkish businesses and associates.
In their formal request for extradition, however, Turkey "would not characterize as saying it relates to the 2016 coup," a State Department spokesman said this week.
U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose followers Turkey blames for a failed coup, speaks to journalists at his home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, on July 16, 2016. Greg Savoy / REUTERS TV / Reuters, file
Gulan, who lives in Pennsylvania's Pocono mountains, has denied he was involved in the coup attempt, in which nearly 200 people died.
Related: U.S.-Based Cleric Fethullah Gulen Blamed by Erdogan in Turkey Coup Bid
Biden's visit to Ankara was meant as a display of support for Erdogen, who is also fighting ISIS in neighboring Syria and helping his nation heal from a June terror attack.
The two leaders appeared together Thursdasy at Turkey's presidential palace, where Erdogan accused Gulen of operating a terrorist operation from Pennsylvania and said the government was collecting evidence of the cleric's role in the uprising. Erdogan cited the countries' extradition treaty as a basis for arresting Gulen, holding him in pretrial detention and ultimately sent back to Turkey to face trial.
"I'm confident that the United States will take the necessary measures to cater to our expectations in that regard," he said.
But, after a reporter's question, Biden pushed back.
"It's a simple proposition in America. We are a nation of laws. We are bound by a Constitution," Biden said. "And we are sworn to uphold that Constitution."
But Biden also said the Obama administration had personnel in Turkey helping collect evidence in a possible extradition case.
"We are determined to listen to every scrap of evidence that Turkey can provide or that we can find out about," he said.Campus Reform describes anti-racism demonstrations at Occidental. This caught my attention:
The faculty stated that they are “incredibly proud” of the students who took part because the students have faced “microaggressions that have been linked with very real and psychological and physiological harm.”
I’m wondering if these words mean what I think they mean, so here are some definitions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression_theory:
Microaggressions…. are different from overt, deliberate acts of bigotry, such as the use of racist epithets, because the people perpetrating microaggressions often intend no offense and are unaware they are causing harm.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physiological:
2) characteristic of or appropriate to an organism’s healthy or normal functioning
So not only is this a rejection of the traditional wisdom about “sticks and stones”, but an extreme belief that nonverbal, unintended, and unconscious facial expressions do “break my bones.”
It has gotten to the extreme point where a university administrator is being asked to resign because…
Besides the 14 demands, Oxy’s student-run Black Liberation Front offered “15 reasons to impeach Veitch.” The list alleges that Veitch turned his back and walked away after a student spoke out against racism and rape culture on campus.
…because he walked away from a student that was talking about racism and rape culture.
These faculty and students have rejected facts and logic in order to accomplish, what, exactly? To feel empowered that they ‘made a difference’ by forcing administrators to resign? What constituencies will they expect the replacements to represent?
As Bernie Sanders says, feminism and social justice has descended into a “shouting” match, without basic norms of respect, logic, conversation, or compromise. No wonder men are being kicked out, and opting out, of the college experience in ever greater numbers.Chronologically speaking it looks like the Priestly and Deuteronomic traditions are in agreement about when the 1st generation Israelites die off in the wilderness. Yahweh, tradition has it, wiped out 625,548 Israelites during the 38 years spanning the spying of the land till the 40th year. However, since the itineraries of these traditions vary greatly (see #268, #275, #278) where these Israelites are cut down geographically also varies.
Again, Deuteronomy 2:14 states that the 1st generation Israelites die during the 38 year sojourn from Kadesh to the Wadi Zered—that is during the trek southward to the gulf of the Red Sea and then northward around Edom to the border of Moab (but see the contradictory tradition on the time span of this trek in #279). I reproduce Levine’s map below for a visual on this.
Where these Israelites die off in the Priestly tradition of Numbers 33 as well as in the now combined JP tradition spanning Numbers 14-26 is more difficult to ascertain. Neither tradition explicitly informs us on this matter. Nonetheless, here are the textual data we do seem to know:
Since P does not have a skirting of Edom tradition in both its itinerary in Num 33 and in Num 21 (see #268, #275) these 1st generation Israelites couldn’t have died on the itinerary northward from the Red Sea around Edom on its east-side and across the Wadi Zered as the tradition in D claims. Following the textual claims at Num 14:29-32—“your carcasses will fall in this wilderness [i.e., Paran]” (cf. Num 32:13)—many scholars have seen the Wilderness of Paran as the geography wherein these 625,548 men die off. Thus the arrival at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin on the 40th year (Num 20:1) is seen as the end of the 1st generation Israelites—equivalent to D’s arrival at the Wadi Zered also on the 40th year. In this assessment, the out-of-place Hormah victory at Num 21:1-3 is seen as a victory granted by Yahweh due to this new generation’s loyalty, in symmetry with the disloyalty of the 1st generation’s Hormah defeat (see #269). I myself have followed this line of reasoning in earlier posts, but am not so sure now. There is a third alternative. Since the actual census of this new 2nd generation of Israelites happens geographically on the plains of Moab (Num 26—“and not a man was left of them except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun”), it is also possible to see the geography of Paran plus Edom (remember they do not skirt Edom in P but go directly through it), and plus Moab as the whereabouts of the 1st generation’s slaughter. So in this case the territory extends further through Transjordan than what is mentioned in the Deuteronomic tradition. In both cases, #2 and #3, the chronological time frame of their deaths is still from the 2nd year to the 40th—although in the combined JP tradition the journey from Kadesh to the plains of Moab miraculously happens in a manner of months (see #274, #279)!
There is 1 more contradiction drafted for Numbers 21, after which we will move into a discussion of the contradictions inherent in the Elohist Balaam pericope of Numbers 22-24—when all of a sudden the supposed vanquished Moabites appear out of nowhere!
When we get to looking at the contradictions in the book of Deuteronomy, I’m going to argue that this wiping-out-of-the-1st-generation-Israelite tradition was forced upon the Wilderness tradition at a later date. Except for Deut 2:14-15, other verses throughout Deuteronomy suggest that the Israelites that crossed the Jordan in the 40th year were the same Israelites that left Egypt!
As a further side note: this tradition also forces us to reckon that in a period of 1 generation—exactly 38 years—601, 730 male Israelites were born, not including the newborns of the tribe of Levi, nor newborn females!
Again, and as noted elsewhere, it is the Bible itself that informs us that these are stories—told with multiple variations and purposes—which were meant to serve theological and/or ideological purposes of the later time periods in which they were written (8th-5th c. BCE). They are not records of historical facts or events. Ancient Near Eastern historiographers, including our biblical scribes, were simply not recording history. That’s not what these scribes were doing—another misconception held by modern readers that the biblical texts themselves refute!
For further textual data on this point see my How do we know that the biblical writers were not writing history?For almost as long as anyone can remember, people have been asking Donald Trump to release his taxes.
During the presidential election campaign, the New York tycoon said he would happily release them, once they had finished being audited by the Inland Revenue Service.
But as time went by, Mr Trump seemed more and more reluctant to do so, especially after the New York Times obtained a return from 1996 that suggested he may have paid no federal income tax that year whatsoever. The White House made clear he would not making them available and Mr Trump claimed it was only the media that cared about the issue.
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Suddenly, a tax return drops into the possession of Pulitzer-winning journalist David Johnson. The returns shows that in 2005, Mr Trump earned $150m in income and paid $38m - a figure of 25 per cent once depreciation was taken into account.
Suddenly, it appears that Mr Trump - the only president since Richard Nixon not to return his tax returns and someone accused of secrecy - finds himself looking utterly reasonable. Suddenly nobody is talking about Russia, or Obamacare, or the chaos of Mr Trump’s first 50 days in office.
“Is this a conspiracy too far to think that this was something he released himself,” pondered CNN’s Gloria Borger, voicing a thought that many shared.
The tax return was obtained by David Cay Johnston, a former tax reporter for the New York Times, who said he received the documents unsolicited, in the mail.
Mr Johnson was among those who wondered about the origins of the document and suggested they may have come from the Trump administration.
Mr Johnson was set to reveal the document on MSNBC, a liberal network, whose anchor Rachael Maddow boasted on Twitter they had obtained the document.
As it was, the White House beat Ms Maddox to the scoop, releasing a statement to confirm the show’s data was correct.
It also issued a stern statement - the sort of stern statement you might wish to issue if you were trying to make it look like you were angry the documents had been released.
“You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago,” the White House said.
“Before being elected president, Mr Trump was one of the most successful businessmen in the world, with a responsibility to his company, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required.”
In addition to the federal income taxes, the statement said, he paid “tens of millions of dollars in other taxes, such as sales and excise taxes and employment taxes, and this illegally published return proves just that”.
People had been hoping that if Mr Trump were to release all his tax returns if may throw light on all manner of issues, including his alleged links to Russia and possible business dealings with officials in that country.
As is it, all this has confirmed is that the president, or someone looking out for him, is rather good at seizing the news agenda.
Either that, or Donald Trump just got very lucky indeed.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
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Subscribe nowIn 2011, an ecologist released an alarming study showing that tiny clothing fibers could be the biggest source of plastic in our oceans. The bigger problem? No one wanted to hear it
Ecologist Mark Browne knew he’d found something big when, after months of tediously examining sediment along shorelines around the world, he noticed something no one had predicted: fibers. Everywhere. They were tiny and synthetic and he was finding them in the greatest concentration near sewage outflows. In other words, they were coming from us.
In fact, 85% of the human-made material found on the shoreline were microfibers, and matched the types of material, such as nylon and acrylic, used in clothing.
It is not news that microplastic – which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as plastic fragments 5mm or smaller – is ubiquitous in all five major ocean gyres. And numerous studies have shown that small organisms readily ingest microplastics, introducing toxic pollutants to the food chain.
How your clothes are poisoning our oceans and food supply Read more
But Browne’s 2011 paper announcing his findings marked a milestone, according to Abigail Barrows, an independent marine research scientist based in Stonington, Maine, who has helped to check for plastic in more than 150 one-liter water samples collected around the world. “He’s fantastic – very well respected” among marine science researchers, says Barrows. “He is a pioneer in microplastics research.”
By sampling wastewater from domestic washing machines, Browne estimated that around 1,900 individual fibers can be rinsed off a single synthetic garment - ending up in our oceans.
Alarmed by his findings, Browne reached out to prominent clothing brands for help. He sought partnerships to try to determine the flow of synthetic fibers from clothing to the washing machine to the ocean. He also hoped his research might help develop better textile design to prevent the migration of toxic fibers into water systems.
The reaction wasn’t what he expected.
He contacted leaders in the outdoor apparel industry - big purveyors of synthetic fabrics - including Patagonia, Nike and Polartec. But none of these companies agreed to lend support.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tiny plastic fibers taken from a water sample in Blue Hill Bay in the gulf of Maine. Photograph: Marine Environmental Research Institute
“Perhaps it’s my pitch,” Browne joked. “We want to look for new, more durable materials that do not emit so much microplastic.”
In 2013, Brown presented his vision for a program called Benign by Design, backed by a team of engineers and scientists from academic institutions around the world as well as from the Environmental Protection Agency. The group’s goal is to help the industry tackle the problem of synthetic microfiber migration into waterways and marine ecosystems. He proposed creating a range of working groups where scientists and industry representatives would work together to develop synthetic materials that do not shed synthetic fibers – or do so minimally but are still cost-effective, high-performing and, if possible, rely on recycled materials.
Only one firm, women’s clothing brand Eileen Fisher, offered to support him. The company’s $10,000 grant has supported a section of Browne’s research over the past year.
“Any lifecycle issue, especially when it’s about a huge consumer product like clothing, is important,” says Shona Quinn, sustainability leader with Eileen Fisher. “[Browne] is raising an issue no one else has been studying.”
While Browne sees the grant as a validation of his efforts, 90% of the products Eileen Fisher sells are made of natural fibers. He’s still hoping to find a clothing company that will collaborate on research and development of new synthetic fabrics that will not shed microfibers.
While pitching his idea at the Launch innovation conference, Browne spoke to Jim Zieba, vice president of Polartec’s advanced concepts and business development group. In a follow-up email, Browne asked if Zeiba could provide him with polymers from Polartec textiles so that Browne could grow the database of materials he maintains to help discern the unidentified fibers in his samples. He did not hear back from Zeiba.
Allon Cohne, global marketing director at Polartec, says he’s familiar with Browne and his research, but that Polartec has already done an internal study to analyze the effluent at its Lawrence, Massachusetts, manufacturing plant. Aside from characterizing the amount of microfibers contained in the effluent as “minimal”, Cohne said he could not publicly share the study or any details – such as what minimal means.
Browne says he’s glad to hear that Polartec conducted a study, but maintains that any truly scientific study would be open to peer review. (As it happens, the words “Committed to Science” are currently presented on Polartec’s website, above a video describing Polatec’s approach to fabric innovation.)
Patagonia, a company known for its strong environmental ethic and sustainable manufacturing processes, has also declined to work with Browne. The company’s strategic environmental responsibility manager, Todd Copeland, says the company considers Browne’s findings too preliminary to commit resources directly to a project like Benign by Design, until it sees more solid evidence that specific types of products or materials, such as fleece jackets or polyester base layers, are contributing to a major environmental threat. “I don’t know how much effort we want to spend looking for the solution before we know where the problem is,” Copeland says.
Browne says that, without industry support, he doesn’t know how he can move ahead with his efforts to address microfiber migration from textiles at their source.
“I think [clothing companies] have all put a lot of marketing money into environmental programs, but I’ve not seen evidence that they’ve put much money into research,” says Browne.
In fact, Patagonia maintains a policy to not directly support research, its spokesman Adam Fetcher told me. Instead, it supports non-profit groups doing environmental advocacy work. Over the past five years, Patagonia has awarded close to $70,000 in grants to groups focused on |
-engineering some of the game design so that the story could be told alongside gameplay instead of broken up in-between. As one example, Michael points to an early quest to explore a mine during which all the exposition is given beforehand, you run over to the mine and step inside, the objective is marked as complete, and you run back. Warcraft Tales' version of the quest would've given you some voice-acted dialogue to send you off, but upon reaching the mine you'd overhear a conversation between a villain of the whole zone's storyline.
The redesign would've happened in an episodic format, which each zone being redesigned per episode starting with the human questline in Elwynn Forest. To help cover the cost of a team of four developers in addition to hiring voice actors and renting office space, BellularGaming was turning to Patreon. The campaign page is now taken down, but BellularGaming was looking for $2,500 a month as its first goal, with stretch goals going from there. When I checked yesterday, they were well on their way to reaching that goal and the community response was universally positive—until Blizzard pulled the plug on everything.
In his video announcing that Warcraft Tales would cease development, Michael explains that he believes they were within Blizzard's policies for addons, but suspects the policy wasn't designed to handle a project of this scope.
I reached out to Blizzard for an official response.
Addons that alter [or] replace the actual in-game content and story are not [allowed] since this has far-reaching implications on the player experience.
"As we told Bellular directly, we really appreciate his passion for the game," a Blizzard rep said in an email. "But what it comes down to is that we need to protect the integrity and experience of the game for all of our players. WoW is very much a living world—anything that can change actual in-game content has the possibility of affecting the experience for all players on a technical side, even if they choose not to use the addon, besides materially changing the lore that binds the universe together. Fan fiction is awesome (and it takes place out of game), addons that modify the way quests are displayed are fine since they don’t modify the in-game content, but addons that alter [or] replace the actual in-game content and story are not since this has far-reaching implications on the player experience."
Blizzard's stance is sensible, but Warcraft Tales shutting down is tragic because Michael said that he was funding the first three episodes out of pocket, with the first due to be released on April 6. He doesn't specify how much, but I'm going to assume there's probably some amount of invested money that's now lost.
There's a small sliver of hope, however, as Michael says he will be pursuing negotiations with Blizzard to find some way to get Warcraft Tales released. But all of that will happen "behind the scenes." For now, Warcraft Tales is as good as dead, which is a shame. World of Warcraft's level 1-60 questlines received a pretty major overhaul years ago during the Cataclysm expansion, but since then they've definitely aged—especially compared to the new quests in Legion. Updating them has been on many player's wishlists for sometime. Warcraft Tales was an attempt to do that, and we won't know how it would've fared unless Blizzard bends its rules.livinglike-itssummer:
“WE LOVE OUR ANGEL” PROJECT
Hey guys so as you know this weekend at #DallasCon16 was a disaster. I’m sure we’ve all seen the “The Jared Ops Were Sold Out Photo” and we’ve all heard about some imbecile telling Misha to kill himself. I’m sure we’re all in shock and disgust at these things but my friend and I (@merci-moondust) have come up with an idea:
We have decided to make a Scrapbook for Misha with pictures, quotes, thank you notes, and words of encouragement to give to him at #JaxCon2017. We will be accepting submissions on Tumblr through my inbox (@livinglike-itssummer), twitter (on our fan page @MarvelsAssbutts), and email [email protected].
Please help us to spread #MishaLove and to complete this project for the one of the greatest people on this planet, (and possibly universe) Misha Collins.
DUE DATE: December 9thFor once, Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Front, may be correct. She has called the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union the biggest political event in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
That may turn out to be true: Brexit has destabilised the UK and could end up destroying the EU.
Old-fashioned federalists say that the answer to Brexit should be further EU integration. But that response is both far-fetched and dangerous.
Germany and France are often at odds, and both have weak leaders facing re-election next year who could scarcely muster support for an "ever-closer union".
And anti-EU sentiment is too widespread and too deep to hand more power to unelected EU officials by imposing additional constraints on national decision-making without poisoning the pot further.
True, the immediate post-Brexit turmoil appears to have boosted support for mainstream politicians and the EU; but this is unlikely to last. The Brexit fallout is expected to sap eurozone economic performance and further polarise European politics as voters become more insecure.
Breaking the invisible barrier
German dominance of the EU will increase, and so, too, will the anti-German backlash in many countries.
With a weak and divided EU unable to resolve Europe's many crises, and with nationalism resurgent, we can expect further disintegration in different forms.The most extreme form would be further exits by member states.
Leaving the EU once seemed outlandish: No country had ever done it, and only extremists even proposed it. Brexit now makes leaving seem feasible and, to some, reasonable.
Already, Geert Wilders, whose far-right Freedom Party is leading in the polls in the run-up to the Netherlands' general election next March, is demanding a referendum on EU membership.
So, too, is the Danish People's Party, which is the biggest party in the Danish parliament, but remains out of government.
OPINION: Brexit - a wake-up call for the EU, but will it listen?
In France, where opposition to the EU is even greater than in the UK, Le Pen is campaigning on the promise of a "Frexit" plebiscite. She currently leads in polls for the first round of the presidential election next April.
And while those polls suggest that she would be defeated in the second-round runoff by a more moderate conservative challenger, centre-left voters who are fed up with austerity, the political establishment, and German dominance may yet rally behind her.
Moreover, the growing sense of insecurity after the Nice attack on July 14 - the third major terrorist massacre in France in 18 months - plays into Le Pen's hands.
The indirect approach
Disintegration could also take a less extreme but more insidious form if governments choose to ignore EU rules with impunity.
In Italy, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi sought to take advantage of post-Brexit instability to use public funds to recapitalise Italy's zombie banks, without imposing losses on their creditors, thereby bypassing the EU's new "bail-in" rules for banks.
In France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls threatened to ignore the EU's posted-workers directive unless it was modified to prevent employers hiring workers from other EU countries on worse terms than locals.
Rather than trying to force recalcitrant governments to accept unwanted refugees, EU authorities should pursue an orderly and safe resettlement programme with willing governments.
Germany claims that France is also bending the eurozone's fiscal rules, with no objection from the European Commission.
And while the Commission threatened Spain and Portugal with fines for their borrowing overruns, it ultimately pulled back.
It has also rubber-stamped many governments' unilateral imposition of border controls in the supposedly border-free Schengen Area.
Worse, the commission has turned a blind eye to Hungary's illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orban, despite his government's repeated flouting of EU requirements concerning the rule of law and democratic norms.
The governments of Hungary and other countries also refuse to comply with the EU's programme to relocate refugees across the union, which in any case has scarcely been implemented; Orban is holding a referendum in October to bolster his position.
OPINION: Brexit and the view from Spain
A third threat to EU integration is the further capture of governments by nationalist anti-establishment parties. As the European Council on Foreign Relations has pointed out, insurgent parties already play a direct role in the governance of eight of the EU's 28 countries.
In Austria, the far-right candidate Norbert Hofer leads polls in a re-run of the country's presidential election, set for October. The same month, Italy will hold a constitutional referendum to reform the Senate, and Renzi has vowed to resign if it doesn't pass.
This would open the door for the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which recently won local elections in Rome and Turin, and has called for a referendum on Italy's eurozone - but not EU - membership.
Even when populist parties don't win, establishment politicians still make concessions to their supporters. For example, Alain Juppe, the presidential frontrunner for the Republicans in France, muses about limiting labour mobility in the EU, as does his main rival, former President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Focus on the benefits
To counter these forces of disintegration, the EU must do less and do it better.
Economically, plans for new institutions can wait; the eurozone should focus instead on policies to raise living standards for all.
These should include looser fiscal constraints, more investment, an end to beggar-thy-neighbor wage cuts and lower taxes on labour.
Europe's leaders also need to restore trust. For starters, they should use the EU's new bail-in rules to clean up banks' balance sheets, imposing losses on creditors and compensating any small investors who were sold a false bill of goods.
Politically, the EU should emphasise effective cooperation in combating terrorism.
And, rather than trying to force recalcitrant governments to accept unwanted refugees, EU authorities should pursue an orderly and safe resettlement programme with willing governments.
This is particularly important in view of the uncertain fate of the EU's deal with Turkey to curb refugee inflows, which is looking increasingly precarious following last month's failed coup.
The EU's leaders need to wake up. With disintegration looming, they urgently need to demonstrate to anxious Europeans that the benefits of the EU outweigh its costs.
Philippe Legrain, a former economic adviser to the president of the European Commission, is a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics' European Institute.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.
Copyright: Project Syndicate 2016 - Three Paths to European DisintegrationThe blogger who claimed that Ted Cruz’s dad was in connection with John F. Kennedy’s murder has been found dead in his home. Do you think that this has anything to do with his blog post about Cruz? Or was he simply depressed?
A prolific Indiana political blogger wrote an ominous post last week predicting a Donald Trump victory in his state — and soon afterward committed suicide, police said. Gary Welsh, a lawyer who managed his Advance Indiana blog since 2005, was found in his Indianapolis apartment around 8 a.m. Sunday with a gunshot wound, according to the Indianapolis Star. Officers found him in a stairwell, dead at the scene, according to a police report. Police ruled Welsh’s death a suicide, but have not released any details about what may have motivated it. Trending: WTF? The Weedkiller ROUNDUP Has Been Detected In These BEER & WINE Brands … Just days before he was found dead, Welsh, 53, filed a final post for his blog, predicting Trump will win the Hoosier State’s GOP presidential primary Tuesday. But his post took dark turn, even for a piece discussing a Donald Trump victory. “If I’m not around to see the vote results, my prediction is that Trump wins Indiana with just shy of 50% of the vote,” Welsh wrote. Two readers seemed confused or concerned about his cryptic comment.
According to the Indianapolis Business Journal:
Welsh, 53, wrote the widely followed conservative blog Advance Indiana, which he launched more than a decade ago. He also was a practicing attorney. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s incident report says officers were dispatched to the Lockerbie Glove Factory Lofts, 430 N. Park Ave., before 8 a.m. Sunday after receiving a report of a person found shot in the stairwell of the building. The witnesses who called 911 reported that a gun was next to the body. IMPD Capt. Richard Riddle said he expects an autopsy will be conducted Monday. He said the Marion County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause of death. Welsh was known for hard-hitting blog posts that took swipes at both Democrats and Republicans. His final post, published Friday, summarized the latest poll results in the GOP presidential primary battle between Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Read more: IBJ
Here is a portion about the blog post from Welsh about Ted Cruz’s father and his alleged connection to Lee Harvey Oswald:
Anyone who has studied the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has understood the key role Cuban-Americans working for the CIA played in the intelligence community plot to kill Kennedy in Dallas, Texas in 1963. Government disinformation agents immediately played up Lee Harvey Oswald’s supposed ties to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in New Orleans prior to Kennedy’s assassination, which was supposedly a pro-Castro organization created by the Soviet Union. More realistically, it was a CIA front group since most of the people associated with the organization in New Orleans, including Oswald, had all worked for the CIA in some capacity. Warren Commission records proving Oswald’s ties to the CIA and FBI have remained sealed since the release of the Commission’s widely-discredited report in 1964 claiming the assassination was the lone work of Oswald. Reporters looking into the murky background of the Cuban-immigrant father of Sen. Ted Cruz have uncovered a number of inconsistencies in biographical claims in Sen. Cruz’s book that his father had fled to the U.S. in 1957 as an insurgent fighting the Batista regime with only a $100 sewn into his underwear. Newly-reported information by independent investigator Wayne Madsen ties Rafael Bienvenido Cruz to Oswald’s work for the supposedly pro-Castro group in New Orleans during the summer of 1963. Madsen claims that one of the Cubans pictured with Oswald handing out pamphlets for Fair Play outside the International Trade Mart in August, 1963 is Rafael Cruz. The ITM’s founder, Clay Shaw, worked for the CIA and was the only other man in the U.S. to face criminal charges in connection with the Kennedy assassination, when NOLA district attorney James Garrison brought charges in what he contended was a wide government conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy. Shaw was acquitted of the charges and Garrison humiliated after federal agencies worked hand-in-hand with mainstream media to discredit his case. Cruz’s Cuban father, also named Rafael Cruz, operated an electronic business in Matanzas, Cuba tied to the American company, RCA. While reporters have been able to confirm an instance where the elder Cruz was arrested by Cuban police and brutally beaten, reporters have found no confirmation the arrest had anything to do with work for forces supporting Castro’s efforts to overthrow the pro-American Batista regime. After arriving by a ferry boat from Cuba in Key West, Florida in 1957, Cruz’ father made his way to Austin, Texas where he managed to enroll at the University of Texas and earn a degree in mathematics in 1961. Read more: Advance IndianaHouse Beaumaris Warcry Unknown Founding Unknown Homeworld Unknown Allegiance Imperium of Man / Adeptus Mechanicus Colours Blue and White (Uncertain; see Canon Conflict)
House Beaumaris is a Loyalist Imperial Knight House of the Questor Mechanicus and that has sworn fealty to the Adeptus Mechanicus. There is very little information in Imperial records about this Knight House, and it is unknown from which Knight World it hails.
Contents show]
House History
Notable Campaigns
None listed in current Imperial records.
Notable Knights
None listed in current Imperial records.
Notable Personnel
None listed in current Imperial records.
House Appearance
House Colours
The colours of House Beaumaris are blue and white (see below).
House Arms
The arms of House Beaumaris are a green dragon head on a field of white.
Canon Conflict
This Knight House appears in the outdated 126th issue of the UK edition of White Dwarf magazine, and the images presented here do not mesh with existing canon. The Knight shown above possesses armament characteristic to a Knight Errant, but since this type did not exist in this old version, it was called a Knight Paladin. Likewise, the hunched model in the gallery below is also a Knight Paladin, although Knights using such a chassis do not exist in the current incarnation of the Knight combat walkers.
Additionally, the colours of the House are ambiguous.A drawing of the Knights in White Dwarf 126 indicate that the colours are purple and white, however, models painted in the House's colours presented in the " 'Eavy Metal" section of the same magazine show a blue and white scheme. It is unknown which one is correct.
Sources
White Dwarf 126 (UK), "Knights: Eldar & Human War Machines" by Andy Chambers, pp. 31, 42The number of Eritreans seeking asylum in Europe has nearly tripled over the past year as mainly young refugees stream out of one of the world’s most secretive countries, fleeing an “open-ended” national service programme, soaring food prices and dire job prospects.
After Syrians, Eritreans are the most common nationality to arrive on European shores so far this year, comprising 22% of all people entering Italy by boat, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Nearly 37,000 Eritreans applied for asylum in 38 European countries over the first 10 months of this year, compared to about 13,000 in the same period last year, UNHCR reported. Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands have fielded the most asylum applications from Eritrean refugees. “The recognition rate of [Eritreans] asking for asylum in Europe and industrial countries is actually quite high – it’s between 80 and 90%,” said a UNHCR spokesperson.
Rising food prices and a lack of basic services have made Eritreans desperate to leave, said Meron Estefanos, an Eritrean activist based in Sweden. “Life is getting too expensive, people are starving. It’s really hard to find clean water, there is almost no electricity in the city, it’s just getting harder and harder.
“Before, people knew where they wanted to go – they would plan in Sudan or in Libya where their final destination would be – but they don’t care any more. In almost every European country there is an increase in Eritrean [asylum seekers].”
About 90% of the Eritrean refugees who arrived in Ethiopia during the month of October are aged between 18 and 24, according to UNHCR. People fleeing the country say that renewed efforts by Eritrea’s government to enlist young people in the army has forced many to leave in pursuit of education and work abroad, according to Gruijl. “[The refugees] are seeing a stronger drive to recruit people into the national services – some of these services include military service. Even though officially it’s four and a half years, quite often it’s open-ended for the people.”
UNHCR reported more than 1,200 Eritrean refugees had fled into Ethiopia in the first week of November alone.
The UNHCR spokesperson said: “The harsh economic situation is clearly another reason [people flee Eritrea], as well as the round-ups and the reintensification of people being forced into these national services. According to the people we spoke to, there is now even an extra effort to get people who were previously deemed unfit for military service: school dropouts, children who have gotten their education degree at the end of grade 11 – they are now being targeted for these national services.”
In a press statement issued on 20 November, Eritrea’s ministry of foreign affairs said: “What is conveniently glossed over here is the fact that the mandatory, 18-months … national military service is prolonged solely because of Ethiopia’s occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories and its continued belligerence in breach of international law.
“The UNHCR itself has become, for over 10 years now, an unwitting catalyst in bolstering the pull factors by invariably categorising all Eritrean migrants as ‘prima facie asylum seekers’. In the event, it is odd for the UNHCR to issue intermittent statements or shed crocodile tears ‘on the increasing number of Eritrean asylum seekers’.”
Eritrea’s long-serving president Isaias Afewerki has dismissed claims that his country will implode as its young people flee in droves. “I don’t think there are things we are missing because [refugees] are leaving. Those with impressionable hearts cannot contribute anything in the country because their hearts are somewhere else,” he said in a February address on state television.
Reports that Eritreans have been forcibly returned after fleeing to neighbouring Sudan have been met with concern from UNHCR, who “recommend that people are not returned to Eritrea,” Gruijl said.
On 20 November, the UN announced that the commission of inquiry into human rights abuses in Eritrea – established in response to rising migration out of the country – had begun its operations.
Sheila Keetharuth, the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea and a member of the commission, said: “I have had the opportunity to speak to many Eritreans who have fled their country. I am not surprised that the number of Eritreans choosing this path keeps increasing – simply because I have not seen authorities committing to changing the root causes of this exodus. My work has highlighted the lack of rule of law, breaches of fundamental rights, with scores of reported cases of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and torture in detention – all of which give reasons to Eritreans to flee. The protracted national service, under conditions that often turn it into forced labour and create a fertile ground for other violations, is another compelling one.
“The commission of inquiry that is starting its work today, and of which I am a member, will have the resources and expertise to look into all these reported violations in greater depth and detail. I am convinced that this will allow it to come up with an objective, compelling report on the situation of human rights in Eritrea today.”
Meron said Eritreans are hopeful that change might come after decades of oppression at the hands of their government: “We see what’s happening throughout the world, we’ve seen Burkina Faso – that gives us hope. For now, this regime has to go.”
• This article was changed on 24 November to clarify that 90% of the Eritrean refugees who arrived in Ethiopia, not in Europe, were aged between 18 and 24.Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, could induce the development of glucose intolerance in mice and maybe even some humans, a new study has found. As described in Nature, the researchers found that the sweeteners drove changes in the composition and function of gut microbes, which they propose is responsible for the apparent promotion of glucose intolerance. The team is therefore calling for more research and perhaps a reassessment of the use of these food additives.
Non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NAS) are synthetic substitutes for sugar that can be up to 20,000 times sweeter. They don’t contribute any calories to our diet because we can’t digest them, so they have been widely used across the globe as an aid to weight loss and diabetes prevention. However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding these additives because of conflicting research; a large body of evidence suggests they are effective at assisting weight control when part of a healthy diet, but some studies have found their use may be associated with weight gain and diabetes.
These contrasting studies spurred researchers from the Weizmann Institute to conduct a series of experiments on NAS involving both mice and humans. They started off by lacing the drinking water of young mice with three common NAS: aspartame, saccharin and sucralose. The amount used was the equivalent to the maximum acceptable daily intake in humans as decided by the FDA. After 11 weeks, mice consuming NAS showed significant glucose intolerance as compared to control mice consuming only water or water with added glucose. They also repeated the experiments with different breeds of mice and found the same thing.
Since these sweeteners are not absorbed or digested by the body, the researchers hypothesized that gut microbes may be responsible for the observed effects. To test this, they depleted the rodents’ gut bacteria with antibiotics while continuing to feed them saccharin. They found that the antibiotics completely eliminated the differences in glucose tolerance between the mice fed saccharin and the control mice.
Next, they transferred the microbiota of either mice that had consumed NAS or control mice consuming glucose enriched water into sterile, “germ-free” recipients via fecal transplant. They found that previously healthy mice developed glucose intolerance when transplanted with feces from NAS mice, but not the control mice. Transferring microbes that had been incubated in NAS outside of mice was also found to be sufficient to drive glucose intolerance in sterile mice.
Using sequencing to identify the gut microbes present in the different mice, the team found that mice fed saccharin or those that received a fecal transplant from saccharin-fed mice had markedly different bacterial populations compared to controls. Furthermore, there was an increase in certain species that had been previously linked with obesity in humans.
To find out if NAS affect humans in a similar manner, the researchers looked at data collected from 381 people. They found an association between self-reported NAS consumption and glucose intolerance and also differences in gut microbiome profiles between those consuming lots of NAS and those that did not consume them.
To take this further, they asked seven healthy volunteers that did not usually consume NAS to consume the maximum acceptable daily intake of saccharin for one week. Four showed a significant decrease in glucose tolerance, whereas three showed no change. Interestingly, the four responders had different gut microbiomes to those that didn’t respond before the experiment started. Furthermore, their microbial compositions significantly changed after consuming the sweeteners, whereas those that did not respond showed few changes.
While this research may suggest that artificial sweeteners can have metabolic consequences, at this stage it is unclear how the sweeteners are exerting this effect. Further studies are therefore needed before reassessments are made.
[Via Weizmann Institute, Nature, New Scientist, The Scientist and Medscape]KINGS AGAINST WITCHES Part I: Legendary Accounts Copyright 2000 Max Dashu A significant legend about early Germanic witches appears in the History of the Goths, written around 570 by a Gothic christian named Jornandes or Jordanes. It says that king Filimer, while conducting a survey of Gothic customs, discovered the existence among his people of witches called haliorunnae. The king was hostile toward these haliorunnae, wrote Jornandes, and banished them to the distant reaches of Scythia in order to remove their influence from the tribe. This implies that the haliorunnae were well regarded by a significant number of Goths. The meaning of their title bears this out: the Gothic language itself named these priestesses after the "holy mysteries." [Baroja, Lea, Grimm, et alia] The existence of priestesses among the pagan Goths is borne out by a runic inscription at Pietroassa referring to the Guntaniovihalig, a holy treasure in their keeping. [Boyer, 625] Jornandes' account claims that the Huns sprang from the halorunnae, fathered by evil spirits wandering the steppes. In spite of the pejoratives attached to the haliorunnae by rulers and christian recorders, the name survived in Germanic culture. The name appears in early medieval manuscripts as Alyrunae and Alarinas. [Grimm, 210] Folklore connected it with the witch-herb mandrake and cave-dwelling spinner goddesses.
Magyar Stories about the aliorunna
Hungarian tradition preserved its own version of the Gothic rune-women, conflated with medieval faery-mistress themes. A 19th-century poem, "The Stag" by Arany János, gives its outlines. The beautiful chieftainess Ened had two sons, Hunor and Magwor. They hunted a stag which got them lost in the forest. There they saw the aliorunna dancing, feasting and doing magic. The brothers abducted these faeries, who held aloof for a time, but finally reconciled with them. They became the ancestors of the Huns. After a time, the group that became the Magyars separated from the others in their wanderings. The legacy of the priestess-ancestors was that magic and beauty would pass down through the female line, but the boys would be stocky and bowlegged. Tradition assured Hungarian girls that because they were descended from these faeries, they inherited a certain superiority over the boys. [Z Budapest, personal communication, 10/6/95] Czech Witches Ruled The Czechs preserved a legend that witches governed their country before women were deposed from power. The three daughters of the first chief Krok, said to have founded a school of pagan wisdom, mastered this knowledge and were chosen to succeed him. Kazi (also called Brelum) "knew the healing powers of various herbs and plants and the use of magic incantations and she treated the sick from far and wide." [Jirasek, 7] Teta (Tekta, Tecka) was a pagan priestess, a diviner who could locate lost or stolen things. Libushe, the youngest sister, was a prophetic sibyl with a vast knowledge of witchcraft. It was she who was chosen as the Czech leader at Krok's death in 690. Libushe judged cases sitting on a rug-covered platform under a linden tree. A man who had lost a land dispute bellowed out a challenge to her authority, holding the Czech men up as an international laughingstock: "Where else does a woman rule over men, except here?" None of them spoke up to defend the priestess. She then called an assembly of the clans and told them to choose a duke whom she would marry. She warned her people that they were giving up compassionate government for lordship: You did not appreciate the freedom that I gave you... You want a man, a duke who will take away your children to serve him, who will choose the best of your cattle and horses for taxes according to his whims. [Jirasek, 9-10] The Czechs elected the man Libushe had chosen, directing them to follow her white horse to a field where Premysl labored at the plow. The new duke told the Czechs that he and his descendents would rule them with a rod of iron. Though he made harsh laws, Libuscha still retained great authority. One evening she fell into a trance and prophesied the rise of Prague, instructing the Czechs where to build its founding castle. She also foretold where various minerals would be mined: "The voice of the gods will speak through me/To show what is hidden deep down in the earth." The old priestess often resorted to a deep riverine pool beneath a cliff. While "gazing into the swirling stream" Libushe saw troubling visions of the country's future because of that same mineral wealth. She prophesied villages in flames, battles of "brother against brother" as foreigners came to dominate the country. Libushe sent her son's cradle to the depths of the Vltava river, saying that it would reappear as an omen of Czech recovery from this conflict. Kazi died and was buried in a mound in southern Bohemia. Teta too was buried on a sacred hill. Then at last Libushe died. Her treasure remained hidden in the rock. [Jirasek, 12-17] After Libushe's death, the women saw that they were no longer respected by the men, who heaped ridicule on them. The women took up arms, led by Libushe's chosen successor Vlasta. They built the maiden castle Devín, saying, "Let the women rule while the men attend to the fields!" Women came from all over, leaving their husbands to fill up Devín castle and swearing to be faithful to each other. The men continued to mock, but Premysl was worried by recurring dreams of a male defeat. The men marched to Devín castle. The women rode out on horseback to meet them. Vlasta roused them with the knowledge that they would be slaves if defeated. Her companions Mlada, Svatava, Hodka, Radka and Chastava fought by her side. The men stopped laughing as hundreds of them were cut down. The rest fled into the forest. This war went on for a long time. The women stuck together, sending out spies and laying traps for the men. A male party found Sharka tied to a tree, claiming that the amazons had taken her by force from her father and had placed mead and a bugle out of her reach. The men helped themselves to the wine and then drunkenly blew the horn. An army of women descended and killed them. (Sharka valley is named after this Czech amazon.) In the end, Vlasta was separated from her warriors and picked off, leading to the women's defeat and the razing of their castle. [Jirasek, 18-21] In Baroja's version of this legend, "women had become so accustomed to directing affairs that they refused to submit to the rule of men again." Vlasta appealed to them to take power, declaring her own witch powers to be like those of the three sisters, and the women agreed with her. Baroja says that Vlasta gave them a potion to make them hate men and war against them, beseiging Premysl in his castle. [Baroja, 50-1] The Czech Amazon legend directly connects witches' powers to female political sovereignty before written history. The tradition is a historical memory of shamanic offices held by women among the tribal Czechs, who opposed lordship, took women's part and were in turn supported by them. The theme of their struggle against Przemislaw speaks to this. The legend interprets witchcraft as a repository of female power which women used to resist male domination. Julio Caro Baroja writes that the women ruled for seven years before Przemislaw regained control of the government. The legend inverted the prevailing order of male dominance and violence toward women, portraying a female attempt at public power as a war against men by women who have magically become man-haters. It functioned as a justification for the suppression of women's political power during the Przemislad dynasty.
Lords Attacking Priestesses Several centuries later, oral tradition in the Celtic west of Europe alludes to warlord attacks on priestesses. In many legends, hostility is directed at demonized forms of the crone goddess, but other myths refer directly to desecration of woman-led communal sanctuaries. An medieval Irish legend presents Erne, "free from venom," as the leader of a company of women "who knew no art of wounding." This priestess is the guardian of magical talismans of the goddess Medb: "her comb, her casket unsurpassed, with her fillet of red gold." (Abraham Brown pointed out that the word translated here as "casket" is críol, the chalice of the goddess which later became the Holy Grail.) "Women not a few obeyed her will." These divine maidens live in "thick-wooded Rath Cruachu." The warrior Olcai threatens the women and causes them to flee under the lake waters. The legend explained how lake Erne came to be named after a priestess of a forest sanctuary. [Condren, 70] In another version, a king carries off one of the maidens, prompting Erne and her women to go live in a palace under the lake. Other stories of sexual attacks on holy women entered medieval French literature by way of Breton tradition. The Elucidation describes a wave of rapes and looting that drove away the priestesses of holy wells, who once provided drinks of the blessed water to all comers. The maidens generally served well and gladly all those who wandered along the roads and came for food to the well. King Amangons broke this custom first, who was evil and wicked... he did violence to one of the maidens, against her will he violated her, and took away from her the golden cup and carried it off with him. Then he caused himself to be served out of it. Well ought misfortune to come to him. Therefore never maiden served nor issued from the well for any traveller that came there and sought for food... The other vassals of the court, when they saw their lord's behavior... all the others did violence to them and took away the cups of gold. Never any more from the wells did appear maidens, nor did they serve any more... The legend indicates that the rapes were not isolated incidents, but a pattern of attack by aristocratic men that destroyed a social institution of priestesses at sacred wells. There is no dating this cultural sea-change, though it could well have resulted from the breakdown of inviolability of pagan shrines during christianization. As the old religion fell, the old taboos against violence in sanctuary were overridden, and new taboos came into being, such as those forbidding females to approach certain holy wells. Numerous Irish legends refer to christian monks barring women from wells, or women divinely punished for transgressing sanctions (some involving female chastity, others forbidding them from opening the well) by being drowned in the waters. But even in the 12th century, when the Elucidation and other legends were written down in the Grail cycle, the tellers still imagined divine reprisals against those who blasphemed against the animist holy places. The waters dried up, plants ceased to sprout and flower, and the meadows and forests shrivelled away. The theme of the wasteland in Celtic literature grows from this violation of the life-nurturers and the goddess without whom nothing grows. Her priestesses are the Grail-Bearers, her prophetesses wild-women like the dark sorceress Kundry who knows the Mysteries.
Kings |
are left. As Kang grows to giant size and undoes Damocles' destruction to use as his sword, Captain America activates the technology to create a giant solid hologram of himself to fight Kang until he manages to defeat him. As the other superheroes converge on Kang, Ravonna turns against Kang by using his time crystal to reduce Kang to a baby.
With Kang an infant, the superheroes celebrate their victory as the remaining villainous forces are being defeated. Ravonna states that as soon as the remaining areas are secured, she will return the components of Chronopolis to their rightful places in time and space as Rocket Raccoon gives baby Kang a bottle of milk.
In the mid-credits, baby Kang is shown levitating a sword.
In the post-credits sometime after all the components of Chronopolis are returned to their rightful places in time and space, Tony Stark, Captain America, and Captain Marvel are at the fully-repaired Statue of Liberty. Just then, Ravonna in her new alias of Terminatrix arrives with an elderly Kang, Supreme Intelligence, Cosmo, and Man-Thing. She and Supreme Intelligence mention a chronal fracture incident.
Gwenpool Missions
After being surprised that she is a Minifigure, Gwenpool narrates different bonus missions that get unlocked through certain conditions. Gwenpool's boss has her overseeing these bonus missions due to the fact that Deadpool is unavailable:
Bonus Mission #1 - Gwenpool narrates about Squirrel Girl, Chipmunk Hunk, and Koi Boi throw a party in the park to hold a fundraising event for the F.U.Z.Y. (short for Friends of Unbeatable Zoocentric Youngsters) Foundation to promote awareness with the help of a cosplayer dressed as M.O.D.O.K. Everyone is having a great time despite the snow until something starts causing everyone present to fight each other. Squirrel Girl suspects Robotoskr is behind the mind-control. The real M.O.D.O.K. shows up to attack Squirrel Girl, Chipmunk Hunk, and Koi Boi. The three of them defeat M.O.D.O.K. and Robotoskr and continue with the F.U.Z.Y. event.
Bonus Mission #2 - S.H.I.E.L.D. has found itself without it's usual array of tech and specialist field agents with new and unusual goons running all over the place. Phil Coulson is left to get the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents back into shape by putting them in a simulation. To get the retro-computers up and running, Phil Coulson enlists Quake to help with the last few components. Once that is done, Quake tests the simulation involving an old-fashioned theme park ride with guns. Once the simulation is a success, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents that use it are now prepared to fight Kang's forces. Gwenpool narrates her opinion about more mileage in theme park training simulators where she comes up with ideas for a Milano roller coaster and a Kang's Krazy Tea Cups ride....for the kids.
Bonus Mission #3 - Once upon a time, King Arthur was getting all riled up about the people doubting his kingliness. While Merlin states that the citizens are fans of him, King Arthur states that he'll be more kingly if he can slay a dragon. Using an app on his wand to find any dragons, Merlin finds the nearest one in the basement of Garret Castle. As King Arthur and Merlin make their way to the basement, King Arthur slays the fake dragon as Morgan Le Fay appears stating that this is her latest plot to take her half-brother's throne. King Arthur and Merlin fight Morgan Le Fay alongside an army of skeletons and Sentry-459. After Sentry-459 was defeated, Gwenpool narrates that King Arthur would do more kingly stuff now that he and Merlin scored victory over Morgan Le Fay.
Bonus Mission #4 - While in the park, Howard the Duck is not feeling himself as his superhero work has been overlooked by people. He hears that there's a Chrono-Con event occurring at Timely Comics HQ at the other side of the park. This gives Howard the Duck an idea to pitch a multi-platform title starring him. As there are a lot of lines and the Chrono-Con passes are sold out, Howard the Duck is persuaded by Forbush Man to let him help. As Agent M welcomes everyone to Timely Comics HQ, Howard the Duck and Forbush Man come up with a distraction so that they can sneak in. They start by stating that there is a limited edition of tickets available at the main desk downstairs for people to have a dream selfie with Tony Stark. After Howard the Duck assembles an arcade game starring him, it starts to become a hit as everybody wants it.
Bonus Mission #5 - In the Old West, Rawhide Kid and Red Wolf have received news that Living Totem is back in town. When they arrive at the saloon where Living Totem was sighted, Rawhide Kid and Red Wolf find him rehearsing for his one-alien show "Humans are Mean and Should Just Be Conquered Already" dinner theater. After destroying three normal totem poles, Rawhide Kid and Red Wolf engage Living Totem as he begins his one-alien show. After using water to cause Living Totem to slip, Gwenpoole narrates that Rawhide Kid and Red Wolf learned about Living Totem crash-landing on Earth where the theater group was his way of raising money to build a spaceship. As things are messed up outside of the Old West, they suggest that Living Totem asks the Guardians of the Galaxy to give him a ride.
Bonus Mission #6 - In the Hydra Empire, Man-Thing, Morbius, and N'Kantu the Living Mummy where their enjoyment of coffee at the local coffeehouse is scaring the locals. Seeing an advertisement for the Red Skull Honorary Parade in Hydra Square, Morbius tells Man-Thing and N'Kantu that they should put together a float while giving out sweets as a way to show that they are not just three hideous monsters. Morbius, Man-Thing, and N'Kantu work to assemble their floats as Gwenpool comments this while working as a parade announcer. After the floats are assembled, Morbius, Man-Thing, and N'Kantu join the parade with their float despite the fact that the citizens are still spooked by them.
Bonus Mission #7 - A-Bomb, Hulk, and Wonder Man go through an anger management therapy at Avengers Mansion until Hank Pym's Yellowjacket form captured "himself" as Ant-Man. This Yellowjacket is from some point in the future. This confused Hulk enough to start smashing stuff. To rescue Hank Pym from himself, A-Bomb, Hulk, and Wonder Man work to find a way to lower the forcefield protecting both Yellowjacket andAnt-Man form. When the forcefield gets deactivated, Yellowjacket form escapes into the vents. Upon being freed, Ant-Man form pursues the Yellowjacket into the vents. Following a vent fight, Yellowjacket fights Ant-Man, A-Bomb, Hulk, and Wonder Man in a yellowjacket-themed robot that emits lasers. After Yellowjacket is defeated, he is placed in the same trap that he trapped Ant-Man in with the entire bonus mission and the time-travel theory causing confusion to even Gwenpool.
Bonus Mission #8 - Venom and Carnage are at a clinic where their doctor turns out to be Curt Connors. After trapping them in a cage, Curt Connors does his research to see if there are elements in the Symbiotes that would help with his "Lizard problem." After breaking out of their cells at Oscorp, Venom and Carnage beat up the Oscorp security guards until Lizard shows up. Venom and Carnage defeat Lizard and escape. As Venom and Carnage frolic in the park, Gwenpool narrates that she would never had considered Venom to be a frolicker. As for Dr. Connors, Gwenpool states that he should see a vet about his Lizard problem.
Bonus Mission #9 - Star-Lord is planning a surprise party for Gamora on the Milano as Gamora didn't have birthday parties due to her being the adopted daughter of Thanos. This party was a surprise party for Star-Lord too the way he is looking at Captain America and Spider-Man's balloons where they help to set up for the surprise party. Captain America, Groot, Spider-Man, and Star-Lord set up the party by setting up the dance floor, preparing the food for the party, and obtaining music for the party. Once that is all done, everyone celebrates at the party.
Bonus Mission #10 - After fighting off the Teuthidan Squids who claimed that she wronged some members of their gang and messed up their arms deal, Gwenpool ends up captured by more Teuthidan Squids who demand that the Earth pays them a ransom of 1,000,000,000 klubecs at the nearest "World of Water and Splash Pools" or else she is doomed. Gwenpool narrates that the Teuthidan Squid gang think that she is a T.V.I.P. As Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man are busy, Howard the Duck calls Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man II to help him rescue Gwenpool. When the Teuthidan Squids are defeated, it turned out they captured Gwenpool's decoy in the form of a pig dressed as Gwenpool since the Teuthidan Squids can't tell the differences between Earth's different species. The real Gwenpool was at the Splash and Slide at the other end of the park.
Voice Cast
Crew
Adam Chapman - Voice Director
Jimmy Livingstone - Voice Director
Matt Roberts - Additional Voice Director
Characters
DLC Characters
Character Gadgets Abilities Image
Levels
Story Levels
Name Characters Location(s) Enemies Boss
Gwenpool Missions
Name Characters Location(s) Enemies Boss
DLC Missions
Name Characters Location(s) Enemies Boss
Trivia
There is a total of 236 characters not including DLC.
The game features the biggest Hub World than in any other LEGO game prior.
This is the third LEGO game to feature the addition of battle arenas, with the first two being LEGO Dimensions and The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game.
and. When choosing characters in the character selection screen, you now see a 3-D model of the selected character with info on abilities and comic book occurrence.
The game features new Pink Bricks instead of the usual Red Bricks. These are similar to the Deadpool Red Brick mini-missions from LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, but instead, they are given by Gwenpool and are called Gwenpool Chambers.
, but instead, they are given by Gwenpool and are called Gwenpool Chambers. The game's character creator is more advanced than any other character creator from previous LEGO games, this is because you can now apply powers to characters you create without having to use that head or weapon piece that corresponds with that power. For example, you can create a character with Spider-Man powers but have the appearance of someone like Star-Lord. In addition, you can assign the powers to different buttons. There are also abilities called "passive abilities". Furthermore, you can change the colors of webbing, and lasers that can be chosen to be shoot out of hands or eyes, moreover you have the choice of it being shot out of your right hand or left hand. You can also change the color of certain parts on your character's head, hair, chest, arms, legs and torsos and can make each arm, hand and leg a separate color. You also have the choice of making a weapon being able to shoot out beams or shoot bullets that can destroy gold LEGO objects, for example, you can have a sword that can fire lasers. Moreover, you can select the colour of you customized character's hearts and alternate their health type, for instance, allowing your character to be invulnerable, or have normal health type. Additionally, you can change the voice of your character to be either male or female.
Passive abilities you can give your character include Grapple Ability Wall Climbing Techno access Mind Control Magic Cracked LEGO Walls Super strength Deflect Fix it Vine cut Time Manipulation Rune tracing Portal create Dig Teleport Tracking
Abilities you can give your character if you choose to hold the button you've chosen include Targeted Lunge Beam Heat Beam Ice Beam Electric Beam Sonar Beam Silver Beam Boomerang Explosion attack Heat Explosion Ice Explosion Electric Explosion Sonar Explosion Silver Explosion
Abilities you can assign your character if you choose to tap the button you've chosen include Stealth (invisibility) Explosion attack Heat Explosion Ice Explosion Electric Explosion Sonar Explosion Silver Explosion Fighting Forcefield Bolts Heat Bolts Ice Bolts Electric Bolts Sonar Bolts Silver Bolts Shrink Quick Teleport
Abilities you can assign your character if you choose to hold the jump button Super Jump
Abilities you can assign your character if you choose to double tap the jump button Web Swing Flight Double Jump
Each Level contains 10 minikits, a Stan Lee in peril, the True Believer bar and 1 character card.
Due to the game being affected by the 2016–17 video game voice actor strike from the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the cast from the previous game did not return, as the game used a new cast in the form of Non-Union actors from the United Kingdom.
This game features 20 story levels, 10 Gwenpool chambers, and 10 Pink Bricks.
This is the second game to feature underwater areas in the hub, with LEGO Dimensions being the first.
The Guardians of the Galaxy in this game are based on Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 sets.
sets. Although Giant Man plays a significant role in the story line and has his character token among other story characters on the roster, he is only playable during the story in the hub world free roam between Level 17 and 18.
The 2012 cover of "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra is played several times in the game, including the end credits.
The music played in the game's announcement trailer is "Tick Tick Boom" by the Hives.
Gallery
ImagesMcDonald's Chicken McGriddle is the sandwich heard 'round the fast-food breakfast world. When news emerged that it was being tested in Ohio, we took it upon ourselves to construct our own version to see what it might be like. And with testing expanding to several states, it's more likely than ever that this savory breakfast creation will be the latest addition to the McDonald's breakfast menu. We finally got our hands on an official Chicken McGriddle — here's what it's like. Slides View As: One Page
The McDonald's inside Newark Penn Station in Newark, NJ, is testing the elusive Chicken McGriddle.
The sandwich — this captivating collision of salty, savory chicken and a sweet McGriddle bun — costs $1.99.
The smell alone is intoxicating, with the bun's maple sweetness mixing with the distinct aroma of hot fried chicken.
But, one immediately notices the chicken is a slightly more seasoned McChicken patty. In our self-constructed version, we chose the crispy buttermilk "artisan" chicken; the McChicken patty seems a tad disappointing by comparison.
But one bite quickly puts the distress to rest. The soft, pliant McGriddle bun, pockmarked with maple flavor crystals, is as delicious as ever. Then the chicken makes itself known — it's spicy. The heat isn't a south-of-the-border kind of spicy, but more of an aggressive peppering, which is the perfect level of heat for an otherwise sweet breakfast item.Rabat - Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch’s latest film,'Razzia ', has been chosen to compete as Morocco's entry in the pre-selections for Best Foreign Film at the 2018 Oscars, according to the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM).
Rabat – Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch’s latest film, ‘Razzia‘, has been chosen to compete as Morocco’s entry in the pre-selections for Best Foreign Film at the 2018 Oscars, according to the Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM).
A selection committee chaired by the writer and painter Mahi Binebine chose ‘Razzia’ to represent Morocco, as it meets the established criteria of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the CCM said in a statement on Friday.
‘Razzia’ is set in Ouarzazate, the Atlas Mountains, and Casablanca. It is composed of five separate stories, one of which takes place in the 1980s in the Atlas Mountains. The remaining four storylines play out in present-day Casablanca.
In an interview with weekly American entertainment magazine Variety, Ayouch explained that ‘Razzia’ tackles social issues like the differences between the upper and lower classes, as well as freedom of speech, an issue that he said concerns all Moroccans regardless of their socio-economic status. The film also deals with the intolerance between social groups and “the increasing tendency that lead them to [hold] contempt [for] each other.”
“These are dangerous times throughout the world,” Ayouch said. “We have seen this with the election of Donald Trump in the US and the rise of the far right in Hungary, Austria, and France. Demagogy is leading in a new way, and there’s a new form of cultural hegemony – we’re seeing similar trends in the Arab world.Despite being prohibited by various conventions and treaties forbidding it’s use, the German has made the decision to use chemical weapon in the form of poisonous gas in the recent conflict against Britain and France.
https://100yearsagotoday.wordpress.com/…/german-military-pl…/
On February 21, 1915 the French War Ministry issued instructions for the systematic preparation of gas warfare.
Ministry of War, February 21, 1915
Remarks concerning shells with stupefying gases:
The so-called shells with stupefying gases that are being manufactured by our central factories contain a fluid which streams forth after the explosion, in the form of vapors that irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.
There are two kinds: hand grenades and cartridges.
Hand Grenades. The grenades have the form of an egg; their diameter in the middle is six centimeters, their height twelve centimeters, their weight 400 grams. They are intended for short distances, and have an appliance for throwing by hand. They are equipped with an inscription giving directions for use. They are lighted with a small bit of material for friction pasted on the directions, after which they must be thrown away. The explosion follows seven seconds after lighting. A small cover of brass and a top screwed on protect the lighted matter. Their purpose is to make untenable the surroundings of the place where they burst. Their effect is often considerably impaired by a strong rising wind.
Cartridges. The cartridges have a cylindrical form. Their diameter is twenty-eight millimeters, their height ten centimeters, their weight 200 grams. They are intended for use at longer distances than can be negotiated with the hand grenades. With an angle of twenty-five degrees at departure, they will carry 230 meters. They have central lighting facilities and are fired with ignition bullet guns. The powder lights a little internal ignition mass by means of which the cartridges are caused to explode five seconds after leaving the rifle. The cartridges have the same purpose as the hand grenades but because of their very small amount of fluid they must be fired in great numbers at the same time.
Precautionary measures to be observed in attacks on trenches into which shells with asphyxiating gases have been thrown:- The vapors spread by means of the shells with asphyxiating gases are not deadly, at least when small quantities are used and their effect is only momentary. The duration of the effect depends upon the atmospheric conditions.
It is advisable therefore to attack the trenches into which such hand grenades have been thrown and which the enemy has nevertheless not evacuated before the vapors are completely dissipated. The attacking troops, moreover, must wear protective goggles and in addition be instructed that the unpleasant sensations in nose and throat are not dangerous and involve no lasting disturbance.Skyrim's been out for less than a day, but fans have already gone through the.ini files looking for useful tweaks and fixes to the most common crashes and UI annoyances. We've compiled a selection of tweaks below from the Skyrim tweak thread on Reddit, the Skyrim forums and Tweak Guides
These fixes will let you disable mouse smoothing, customise your field of view, disable Vsync and correct a problem that causes crashes to desktop from the main menu screen just after you start the game. There are also a few.ini tweaks that make Skyrim look better.
Disable mouse smoothing
Go to your Steam Directory, then steamapps, common, skyrim and select Skyrim again. Create a backup of the SkyrimPrefs.ini file. Open the file, then scroll down to where it says [Controls] and find bMouseAcceleration=1. Change to bMouseAcceleration=0. Save, exit, and play This fix and the two below are from Skyrim Reddit, and are credited to "Dead man posting" on the Something Awful Forums.
Change field of view
Head to My Documents, select My Games, select Skyrim and then Skyrim again, then create a backup of the skyrim.ini file. Scroll down to [General] in the file and add fdefaultfov=XX (where XX is the field of view you want). Then save and exit.
Fix common crash to desktop problem
Access the Sound menu from the Control panel. In the playback tab, right click on speakers and select properties. Select the advanced tab on the new screen and select 24 bit, 44100Hz (Studio Quality) from the drop down menu. This fixed crashes for Owen last night.
Disable Vsync
Access the SkyrimPrefs.ini again and add iPresentInterval=0 to the bottom of the [Display] section. This can improve a sluggish framerate and eliminate instances of mouse lag. Thanks to Tweak Guides for this one.
Graphical tweaks
Curate on the Bethesda forums has highlighted a number of interesting variables in the SkyrimPrefs.ini file. Change the digit at the end of each line to 1 to turn the feature on, 0 to turn it off. Don't forget to create a backup of the SkyrimPrefs.ini file just in case.
Interesting variables are as follows, in order of appearance in the.ini and showing their default settings.
bDoDepthOfField=1
bTreesReceiveShadows=0
bDrawLandShadows=0
bShowFloatingQuestMarkers=1
bShowQuestMarkers=1
bShowCompass=1
bMouseAcceleration=1
fAutosaveEveryXMins=15.0000
Redditor Ryz also suggests changing iWaterReflectHeight=512 and iWaterReflectWidth=512 to 1024 and adding the following text to the SkyrimPrefs.ini to improve the quality of water reflections.
bUseWaterReflectionBlur=1
bReflectExplosions=1
iWaterBlurAmount=4
bAutoWaterSilhouetteReflections=0
bForceHighDetailReflections=1
Here's a before and after shot from Ryz, showing the effects of the self shadowing and water reflection tweaks. The extra shadowing gives Skyrim's trees a lot more depth.
This is just the early rush of tweaks, many more will come to light as players get to grips with Skyrim's files. We can expect a ton of mods, too. Got any favourite tweaks of your own? Share them in the comments.One cold winter night in 2005, while strolling through Helsinki, Finnish artists Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen had an epiphany — what if they could transform the daily grievances people complain about en masse into a source of surprise and joy? In Finnish, there’s an actual word for those mass complaints — “Valituskuoro,” which translates roughly to “complaints choir.” So the duo set out capture the world’s everyday rants in actual choirs and Complaints Choir was born — a traveling record of the world’s grievances, crowdsourced from citizens and set to song.
We defined complaining as “dissatisfaction without action,” nevertheless behind most of the complaints there is an idea or a belief or a value that a person is committed to. Complaints have therefore inbuilt the potential of being a transformative power. The truth about the revolution in East Germany is, that it only happened because a critical mass of people was dissatisfied with and complained about everyday life issues. There is another fundamental aspect to the culture of complaining. Why do people complain about things they have not the slightest influence upon, for example the weather? Here complaining is not at all about changing things, but rather to build a communal feeling: I am not alone with my little problems, we share the same burden – of an total in-acceptable climate for example.”
From Birmingham to Budapest, Helsinki to Hamburg, Jerusalem to Chicago, the choirs cover everything from the petty and mudane (job resentment, traffic, bureaucracy, the weather) to the amusingly specific and offbeat (neighbor holding Hungarian folk dance classes above bedroom, being ignored by friend’s cat, racist grandmother)
Got the itch for communal ranting? Here’s the DIY guide to orchestrating one in your city. (Did someone say Occupy Wall Street Choir?)
via Deafening Silence HT GMSVDIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Six Turkish soldiers and 30 Kurdish militants have been killed in the past 24 hours in attacks and clashes across Turkey’s turbulent southeast region, security sources and the army said on Tuesday.
An estimated 57 people, including eight civilians, were wounded in the attacks, they said.
Thousands of militants and hundreds of civilians and soldiers have been killed since the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) resumed its insurgency last summer following a 2-1/2-year ceasefire and peace process.
The government has ruled out any return to the negotiating table and has vowed to crush the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
The security sources said operations in Sirnak province and in neighboring Iraq and Syria had been stepped up and that gunfire and explosions could be heard in the area where earlier one soldier was killed and three others wounded.
A soldier was also killed and four wounded in an explosion in Daglica, a village in Hakkari province near the Iranian border, during clashes with the PKK, the army said.
Two soldiers were also killed during clashes with the PKK in the border town of Nusaybin near Syria, the army said in a statement later on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu put the death toll from a car bomb attack overnight that targeted a Turkish gendarmerie base in the town of Hani at two. The army said 47 people, including eight civilians, had been wounded in that attack.
A large vehicle laden with explosives rammed into the gendarmes’ base and the dormitory housing the families of security personnel, shattering windows and wrecking the roofs of buildings.
Following the attack, Turkish gendarmerie and special forces launched an operation with air support in the town center and the countryside around Hani, which is north of Diyarbakir, the largest city in the mainly Kurdish southeast.
Witnesses said vehicles, houses and shops nearby had been damaged by the powerful blast in Hani. Six of the wounded civilians were relatives of the soldiers, the military said.
The military said 30 Kurdish militants had been killed on Monday in clashes in four southeastern towns that are currently under military curfew and are located near to Turkey’s borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran.
More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict since the PKK took up arms in 1984.The United Kingdom saw the steepest single-year drop in greenhouse gas pollution in more than two decades in 2014, according to government data released on Thursday. The country's carbon emissions fell 8.4 percent, even as its economy grew by 2.6 percent.
The decline in carbon emissions was the largest ever in a year when the U.K. economy expanded, according to The Carbon Brief.
It’s a big step forward for a country that has legally committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to just 20 percent of its 1990 levels. The U.K. is currently emitting about 28 percent less than it was in 1990.
In Europe as a whole, energy use dropped to 1990 levels last year, despite population and economic growth. Worldwide, emissions from the energy sector flatlined even as economic activity grew in 2014—a development not seen in 40 years.
Different factors contributed to decreasing the U.K.'s greenhouse gas emissions. The country gets a fifth of its energy from renewable sources like wind and solar farms; in 2014 energy generated from coal-fired power plants fell 23 percent, taking emissions of carbon dioxide down almost 10 percent.
CO2 created by burning fossil fuels is the leading cause of global warming.
Environmental activists praised the record drop in carbon emissions while calling for even stronger steps to curb climate-changing pollution. “We must remember that more ambitious carbon emissions reductions are required across different sectors to meet our climate change commitments,” said Emma Pinchbeck of the World Wildlife Fund. “We have the technology for a clean, green, low-carbon economy, we just need to see it rolled out to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels.”
Across the Atlantic Ocean, Costa Rica also hit a big energy milestone: For the first 75 days of 2015, the Central American country produced all of its energy without burning any coal, gas, or other fossil fuels.
Heavy rainfall levels at the sites of four hydropower plants, combined with increased solar, wind, and geothermal energy capacity, allowed Costa Rica to power its grid solely with renewable sources from January 1 to March 16.
“2015 has been a year of electricity totally friendly with the environment to Costa Rica,” the Costa Rican Electricity Institute announced in a press release.
Like the U.K., Costa Rica saw economic growth at the same time its energy-based greenhouse emissions decreased. The 3.6 percent increase in the country’s 2014 gross domestic product is just the latest in a five-year streak in economic growth. The Central American country and its 5 million citizens have a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2021. Mixing new geothermal energy projects in with its existing hydropower plants will make it even less reliant on fossil fuels.
Countries able to limit emissions while growing economically is good news and a “welcome surprise,” said Fatih Birol, International Energy Agency executive director—especially ahead of climate treaty talks in Paris later this year. Negotiators at those talks will be seeking to finalize the next formal international agreement on cutting carbon pollution to limit climate change.
Related stories on TakePart:
• Costa Rica: Where Environmentalism and Tourism Live in Harmony
• 15 Cities Threatened by Climate Change
• Wind Power Blows Away Coal and Gas as Europe’s Cheapest Energy Source
Original article from TakePartPresident Trump on Thursday called fired FBI Director James Comey a “showboat” and “grandstander” who Trump intended to fire regardless of any recommendation from the Justice Department.
Trump, speaking to NBC News, gave his first in-depth remarks since the stunning ousting of Comey on Tuesday evening.
“Look he’s a showboat, he’s a grandstander,” Trump said. “The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that. Everybody knows that. You take a look at the FBI a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil – less than a year ago. It hasn’t recovered from that.”
Trump said he had planned to fire Comey for some time, but “there’s no good time to do it by the way.”
Comey was terminated after Trump received a written recommendation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Comey’s direct superior. That memo cited Comey’s mishandling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s secret email server as the primary cause for a loss of confidence. But Trump said Thursday that Rosenstein’s document wasn’t what weighted the scale against Comey.
“I was going to fire regardless of recommendation,” Trump said.
Trump again repeated his assertion, contained in the letter firing Comey, that the former FBI head had told Trump on three separate occasions that he was not personally under investigation regarding any possible collusion with Russian officials.
“And I’ve heard that from others,” Trump said.
He went on to detail the occasions when Comey told him he was in the clear.
“I had a dinner with him, he wanted to have dinner because he wanted to stay on,” Trump said. “…And I said, ‘I’ll consider we’ll see what happens’…And at that time he told me, ‘You’re not under investigation,’ which I knew anyway.”
Said Trump: “In one case I asked him…He said: ‘You are not under investigation.’”Bad users or bad design? View this email in your browser Hey <<First Name>>, Do you ever hear a story where you laugh and feel bad at the same time? I recently read a story where I felt just that.
A couple in their mid to late 60s almost suffocated in their car when their keyless car, a 2014 Mazda 3, locked while they were in their new car. In addition, by happenstance they had left the key fob (the transponder) in the house as well as the operating manual. It was around 7pm at night, November 5th, which was also unfortunate for them because in Alexandra, New Zealand where they live it was Guy Fawkes night (yes that Guy Fawkes) and so there were fireworks and celebrations all night. So although they yelled for help and honked the horn, no one could hear them in their car on such a loud night. The couple even tried braking the window with a car jack but reported that it was not successful. By 7:45am the next day, after 13 hours trapped in the car, with his wife having passed out, struggling to breathe, finally caught the attention of one of their neighbors and were freed. The emergency services said if they had spent another half hour or so they could have died. So was this a major design flaw in the Mazda 3? Were people prone to getting trapped inside their cars? The answer: Um, no. They could have opened the door at any time by flipping the lock.
Now if you are like me, your first reaction is a nice, long, hearty chuckle. Go ahead. I'll wait. I won't judge. Then perhaps a few moments of disbelief that someone could be so thick-skulled. Some on the internet even called for awarding the couple with the Darwin Award. But as designers, we must dig deeper and give it a more empathetical inspection. After the above reactions, I started to think "how might this happen to me?" I talked to someone I know who has a keyless car and they mentioned that after a minute or so the car will lock. I imagine this older couple, not familiar with a keyless car, not shown by their dealer how it works, hearing the sound of the locking, "cha-chink", and upon finding that the key was left in the house, coming to the conclusion that they were locked in. I can empathize with how someone might come that conclusion. The next issue was not discovering or thinking to check for a manual lock they could open. That just seems obvious. So I looked up what that lock switch looks like in a 2014 Mazda 3 Hatchback. So imagine you are them, you're new to a keyless car, its dark out, you have the adrenaline pumping from coming to the conclusion that you are locked in, which can sometimes cloud your judgment, and that is what you see.
The lock is a little hard to spot in this photo. When locked it is flush with the handle, and in dark lighting it blends right in. So if you've come to the conclusion that A. the keyless car maybe doesn't have locks like my old car (which usually was a pull up lock perhaps), B. the keys are outside the car and the car has locked, then you would conclude that you are stuck.
Theres another lesson here, if I may take a moment. We can often come to very wrong conclusions based on "facts" and then make very stupid, wrong decisions based on that information. Often what we think are the limitations are not solid. They are malleable. It's important to always test your assumptions, your limiting factors, and your constraints. We so often limit ourselves needlessly.
Okay back to the main point. When you first heard this story you, like me, assumed their full-fledged stupidity. Hopefully now, you can empathize a little bit more with them. Mazda New Zealand manager Glenn Harris told Otago Daily Times that the report of the couple being trapped was an industry first. "It's not a design flaw in with the car... what we have said to the network is, with new technologies, don't forget to show customers how to use them in their entirety [and] how to override them. There is always a manual process to override them." He added that he "completely empathized with the couple but added that it hadn't happen to anyone else.
The women in the story says she has had 5 people reach out to her with similar stories. I took a look and found some other cases. One was of a lady being trapped in her Audi Q3 on a hot day in Australia, which was also in 2014. There was also a report of a man and his baby getting stuck in a Porsche in Sydney in 2010. I found it interesting that all three happened in the same region but of course in our story it was clear nothing malfunctioned. I also found a forum thread of people having many issues, a few getting locked in but many more getting locked out. After more investigation it seems there is quite a lot of confusion about keyless cars.
So back again to our story, was this a design flaw or an edge case? Are they idiots or is this a design problem? As designers we will be faced with such questions in user testing, time and again. Do I write off this persons problem? Is it really a problem or just a thick headed person I shouldn't worry about? Sometimes edge cases like these reveal confusing designs that almost all your users either have to learn, be taught, or there is mental friction in using because it actually is bad design but the rest of your users have figured it out. It could be argued that the lock blends in too much with the handle, but what isn't arguable is that the experience of buying the car should have come with some instruction on how it works. The forum posts that abound on the internet about keyless cars prove that others have similar confusions about how it works at a basic level or the fob becomes easy to displace because you are used to simply having it on your person, and since you don't have to touch the keys to lock or unlock, you can misplace them. So perhaps your users wont lock themselves in like this couple, but maybe the lock or the fob needs some investigating and rethinking. What are some of the areas other users get confused about in this area?
So I encourage you to take a deeper look the next time |
-14-15-15 11 11 18-20 14 15 15 18 35-35 13 10 12 8 15-17 8 8 10 8 11 10 12 21-22 14 10 12 12 16 7 13 20 21 14 12 11 10 11 11 12 11 343500 Lillvik Per Classon Storrank, b. 1565,Terjärv,Finland Finland N-Y7300 14 23 14 10 11-13 11 12 10 13 15 29 17 10-10 11 12 25 14 19 27 13-13-15-15 11 11 18-20 14 15 15 19 36-36 14 10 12 8 15-17 8 8 10 8 11 10 12 21-22 14 10 12 12 18 7 13 20 21 14 12 11 10 11 11 12 11 41 15 8 15 11 23 27 19 13 14 12 12 14 9 11 12 10 10 12 31 12 12 21 17 11 9 23 15 21 12 21 13 12 15 26 12 21 18 11 13 16 8 12 11 759076 Iliankov N-M231 14 23 14 10 11-13 11 12 10 14 14 30 17 10-10 11 13 25 14 19 31 14-14-15-15 11 11 18-20 13 15 18 16 36-36 13 10 11 8 15-17 8 8 10 8 11 10 12 21-22 14 10 12 12 16 7 13 20 21 15 12 11 10 11 11 12 11 374015 Elolahti Anders Marcusson Setälä,1656-1715,Kiikka,Finland Finland N-Y46886 14 23 14 10 11-13 11 12 10 14 14 30 18 10-10 11 12 25 14 19 28 14-14-15-15 11 11 18-20 14 15 15 19 33-33 14 10 12 8 15-17 8 8 10 8 12 10 12 21-22 14 10 12 12 18 7 13 20 21 14 12 11 10 11 11 12 11 39 15 8 15 12 23 27 19 13 13 12 12 14 9 11 12 10 10 12 31 12 12 21 18 11 9 24 15 21 12 22 13 12 15 26 12 23 18 11 13 16Here’s what’s worth talking about in the President’s speech, which you can read here; a policy primer is here.
A $9 minimum wage by 2015? It’s not a coincidence that Alan Krueger, the president’s top economic adviser, is the author of important research on the effects of minimum wage on employment. The proposal would raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour in 2015 from $7.25, and also lift the lower minimum wage on tipped employees. It will also index the minimum wage to inflation, an idea borrowed from Obama’s erstwhile competitor, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The White House notes that at the current rate, “a full-time minimum wage worker makes $14,500 a year. Even with the tax relief that every parent receives for a child, a family of four with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage is living below the poverty line.” The US has one of the lowest minimum wages, as a share of median earnings, among developed countries.
It’s not a coincidence that Alan Krueger, the president’s top economic adviser, is the author of important research on the effects of minimum wage on employment. The proposal would raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour in 2015 from $7.25, and also lift the lower minimum wage on tipped employees. It will also index the minimum wage to inflation, an idea borrowed from Obama’s erstwhile competitor, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The White House notes that at the current rate, “a full-time minimum wage worker makes $14,500 a year. Even with the tax relief that every parent receives for a child, a family of four with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage is living below the poverty line.” The US has one of the lowest minimum wages, as a share of median earnings, among developed countries. Universal pre-school education. Education experts see big gains in better education for young children, so Obama proposes working with Congress to “provide all low- and moderate-income 4-year-old children with high-quality preschool, while also expanding these programs to reach hundreds of thousands of additional middle class children, and incentivizing full-day kindergarten policies.” That could be an expensive, and therefore hard, push in the current Congress, but an important debate: Early education is another key area where the US falls behind other advanced economies.
. Education experts see big gains in better education for young children, so Obama proposes working with Congress to “provide all low- and moderate-income 4-year-old children with high-quality preschool, while also expanding these programs to reach hundreds of thousands of additional middle class children, and incentivizing full-day kindergarten policies.” That could be an expensive, and therefore hard, push in the current Congress, but an important debate: Early education is another key area where the US falls behind other advanced economies. A secret order for fighting hackers. Obama revealed an executive order designed to fight hackers that have plagued the public and private sector alike. As well as protecting public infrastructure, the order mandates the government to work with the private sector to create a framework to share data about cyberthreats, a process that will be watched closely to see how much the government intervenes in company and consumer privacy online.
Obama revealed an executive order designed to fight hackers that have plagued the public and private sector alike. As well as protecting public infrastructure, the order mandates the government to work with the private sector to create a framework to share data about cyberthreats, a process that will be watched closely to see how much the government intervenes in company and consumer privacy online. Launching European Union free trade talks. The president will begin negotiating a free trade deal with Europe—important for businesses, but a complex task that could end up being finished by his successor, like the trade deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea that were started by George W. Bush and implemented by Obama.
The president will begin negotiating a free trade deal with Europe—important for businesses, but a complex task that could end up being finished by his successor, like the trade deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea that were started by George W. Bush and implemented by Obama. Holding colleges accountable. The president proposes that colleges ”receive federal student aid based on performance and results.” Such a rule will terrify the private education industry, which has long lobbied vociferously against such proposals, but also worry major universities, since there’s no clear way to measure educational attainment. The White House will start with a College Scorecard that would allow prospective students to compare different institutions.
The president proposes that colleges ”receive federal student aid based on performance and results.” Such a rule will terrify the private education industry, which has long lobbied vociferously against such proposals, but also worry major universities, since there’s no clear way to measure educational attainment. The White House will start with a College Scorecard that would allow prospective students to compare different institutions. Cap and trade. The president urged Congress to recognize that climate change is real and devastating. If Congress doesn’t act on a “market-based solution to climate change”—a program to cap emissions and trade allowances, or a carbon tax—the White House will use its executive powers to take action, likely by regulating power plant emissions. The president also proposed doubling energy generation from wind, solar and geothermal sources by 2020 by making energy tax credits permanent.
The president urged Congress to recognize that climate change is real and devastating. If Congress doesn’t act on a “market-based solution to climate change”—a program to cap emissions and trade allowances, or a carbon tax—the White House will use its executive powers to take action, likely by regulating power plant emissions. The president also proposed doubling energy generation from wind, solar and geothermal sources by 2020 by making energy tax credits permanent. End the war in Afghanistan to pay for infrastructure? The president announced that the Afghan war will end within the year—although your definition of “end” may vary—and that the savings will go to finance $50 billion in immediate spending for bridges and other urgently needed upgrades. There is also a plan for public-private partnerships to invest in “business infrastructure” like power grids and oil and gas pipelines. While Congress has been reluctant to authorize spending on new infrastructure, this defense cut accounting trick might loosen the purse strings.
The president announced that the Afghan war will end within the year—although your definition of “end” may vary—and that the savings will go to finance $50 billion in immediate spending for bridges and other urgently needed upgrades. There is also a plan for public-private partnerships to invest in “business infrastructure” like power grids and oil and gas pipelines. While Congress has been reluctant to authorize spending on new infrastructure, this defense cut accounting trick might loosen the purse strings. Tax and welfare reform. You’ve heard this deal before during fiscal debates, but it’s still on the table: “$900 billion more in spending cuts and entitlement reforms and $600 billion in additional revenue, relative to the fiscal deal, to be achieved through tax reform that closed loopholes for the wealthy and reformed corporate taxes to strengthen America’s competitiveness.” This would stabilize the debt over the next decade, but Republicans don’t want to use savings from tax reform to lower the deficit; they’d like to use them to lower tax rates.
You’ve heard this deal before during fiscal debates, but it’s still on the table: “$900 billion more in spending cuts and entitlement reforms and $600 billion in additional revenue, relative to the fiscal deal, to be achieved through tax reform that closed loopholes for the wealthy and reformed corporate taxes to strengthen America’s competitiveness.” This would stabilize the debt over the next decade, but Republicans don’t want to use savings from tax reform to lower the deficit; they’d like to use them to lower tax rates. Corporate tax reform, too. Obama wants to go after untaxed corporate profits by putting in place an offshoring tax that would force companies to pay taxes on earnings they keep abroad, while also making permanent the R&D tax credit, lowering rates on manufacturers, and lowering the overall rate by closing other loopholes. This is a lift.
Obama wants to go after untaxed corporate profits by putting in place an offshoring tax that would force companies to pay taxes on earnings they keep abroad, while also making permanent the R&D tax credit, lowering rates on manufacturers, and lowering the overall rate by closing other loopholes. This is a lift. Anti-poverty efforts. Along with programs to support jobs for low-income youth and community redevelopment, there’s also a plan to remove the financial deterrents to marriage, an approach liberals ridiculed during the George W. Bush administration.
Along with programs to support jobs for low-income youth and community redevelopment, there’s also a plan to remove the financial deterrents to marriage, an approach liberals ridiculed during the George W. Bush administration. Immigration reform. We’ve talked about this before.
We’ve talked about this before. Gun control. We’ve talked about this too. Though his talk about families “ripped apart by guns” was possibly the most stirring part of his speech, the president’s proposals are already on the table.
SEE ALSO: The Republican response to the State of the Union, delivered by Florida Senator Marco Rubio.In Baltimore Report, Justice Dept. Revives Doubts About Zero-Tolerance Policing By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS and JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN AUG. 10, 2016 The Justice Department has criticized a string of police departments nationwide for unfairly targeting blacks, but in its report on the Baltimore police, issued Wednesday, it used its most scathing language to date to denounce the zero-tolerance policing approach that has spread from New York to many departments big and small. The broken-windows style of policing that New York evangelized with particular fervor during William J. Bratton’s first term as police commissioner is increasingly viewed more as a source of tensions with minority communities than as a successful crime-fighting strategy.
From the New York Times:Thus, the Obama Administration has targeted its wrath upon influential metropolises like Baltimore and Ferguson, while leaving alone obscure podunkvilles like New York City. If any important people lived in New York, the Obama Administration would no doubt be all over its case for Bill Bratton’s over-zealous crime-fighting, but Ferguson and Baltimore are naturally much higher priorities.
[Comment at Unz.com]Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has taken up the task of chronicling government waste since notorious pork-fighter Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) retired, today revealed a nearly half-million-dollar video game produced for climate-change education.
The Climate Change Narrative Game Education (CHANGE) is being developed by researchers at the University of South Florida and piloted at Hillsborough County high schools. It received a nearly $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
"CHANGE’s goal is to help high school students learn complex Global Climate Change science by making it personally relevant and understandable," says the USF description of the game, which uses "scientifically realistic text narratives about future Florida residents" about 50-100 years into the future and "simulations & games based on scientific data to help students learn principles of GCC so students can experience and try to cope with potential long term effect of GCC via role-play and science-based simulation."
In his Waste Report today, Paul slammed the project as "a video game aimed at indoctrinating kids into the climate change way of thinking."
Paul also needled the game for taking students as far as 110 years into the future of predicted global warming: "Recall that Doc Brown and Marty only went 30 years in the future; and while Back to The Future was a great movie trilogy, accurately predicting just 30 years in the future proved pretty hard."
The Waste Report highlighted the 1980s prediction of President Obama's science advisor, John Holdren, that a billion people would die of global warming by 2020 through famine induced by carbon dioxide emissions.
At the end of 2014, Holdren told Fox News that "it is a bit too soon, on the eve of 2015, to make any firm pronouncements about what will or will not happen by 2020."
“As accurately reflected in the quoted passage, my statement in the 1980s about potential impacts of climate change on food production by 2020 was not a ‘prediction’ or a ‘forecast.’ It was, precisely, a statement about what ‘is possible,’" Holdren said.
“...I very much hope, of course, that nothing as dire as a famine killing a billion people will happen as a result of climate change by 2020, or ever. But the prospects for permanently avoiding such an outcome… will be greatly improved if this country follows through on the sensible measures in the President's Climate Action Plan."Prince NPG Records
A few weeks ago, Priceonomics' Zachary Crockett published a list showing how much bands, singers and artists charge to play concerts at colleges.
Except Crockett couldn't verify the veracity or timeliness of the list, and discovered some rates he found strange: One Direction, Britain's most successful boy band of all time, was only listed at "$150-200k+" per show. The site he sourced the data from Degy Entertainment, no longer appears to list any of the large number of acts that Crockett published listed on its site. Drake only had a minimum of $300,000, and Pharrell only had a minimum $150,000. Degy did not return requests for comment.
So we went to CelebrityTalent.net, a site that is able to reach out to managers of the famous to find current booking fees, and which claims to update its list daily, to find a more comprehensive and current list of rates.
Here's how CelebrityTalent introduces the booking process:
The biggest names in music, like Sting, Rihanna, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake, will always ask for over $750,000+ for a US event and even more for an international event. These acts very often turn down offers from buyers they do not know, but CTI as an experienced major name talent buyer, can help you get a name confirmed if a buyer has the budget to confirm the act.
Speakers like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Richard Branson, have a speaking fee of over $200,000 and also a private jet needs to be provided or paid for by the client.
The list, which is belowy, is highly revealing.
The first thing to note is just how many different rate brackets there are — 14 in total. It must be quite frustrating to know you haven't been able to break into — or have recently sunk below — the six- or seven-figure range.
On the music side, many of the most important artists of all time, like Bob Dylan (min. $250,000) and Patti Smith (min. $250,000), can be had for an arguably shameful bargain. It also appears possible to order specific band members individually, and it's interesting to see who costs more: Don Henley (min. $250,000) is the most expensive Eagle, followed by Glenn Frey (min. $150,000) and Joe Walsh (also min. $150,000). The band itself costs at least $750,000.
There are also a lot of surprising one-hit wonders, like The Hives and Puddle of Mudd (min. $100,000) that still command a decent premium
Actors are cheaper than bands, and start coming in at $250,000, which will net you people like Ben Stiller, Harrison Ford, and Helen Mirren.
Finally, there appear to be lots of Heisman Trophy winners and Hall of Famers with a lot of free time.
Check it out.Decades of efforts to promote multiculturalism have gone into reverse, major new research showing teenagers are no more likely to mix with people from other racial backgrounds than those 40 years older suggests.
The study, which analyses the social lives of almost 4,300 people from 13 to 80, shows that a clear trend towards each successive generation becoming more integrated than the one before breaks down when it comes to under-18s.
Despite growing up in more diverse society than ever before at a time when mass migration has transformed the make-up of Britain, today’s teenagers have almost 30 per cent fewer friends from other ethnic backgrounds than people in their 20s and early 30s.
Overall the analysis, designed by experimental psychologists at Oxford University, found that the current generation of teenagers show similar levels of social segregation as middle aged people.
The surprise finding emerges from the first phase of research by the Social Integration Commission, a study backed by charities and business to examine the impact of increasing diversity in Britain.
It comes in the week that new figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that the UK has seen the fastest population growth in Europe over the last decade, gaining as many people in that time than in the entire previous generation.
The first report from the commission, due to be published later this week, will set how closely people of different classes and generations mix in modern Britain.
But initial results seen by The Sunday Telegraph highlight concerns about the level of integration along racial lines among the youngest age-group.
On average teenagers have only around half as many social interactions with people from other backgrounds as might be expected, given the area in which they live.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts, who chaired the commission, said it raised “serious questions” about the ability of schools to properly integrate young people from different backgrounds who rub shoulders together in the corridors every day.
“This issue will not rectify itself, and requires urgent attention to promote better integration among young people when they are at a particularly formative moment in their development,” he said.
The conclusions were based on a sample of 4,269 people interviewed by Ipsos MORI. Each person was asked to describe recent social gatherings they had attended and asked to give details of who was present and their relationship to them.
Researchers then analysed the make-up of each person’s circle of friends and acquaintances and compared it with the profile of the area in which they lived. Each was then given a notional integration score, based on how closely their friendship circle matches the ethnic, age and class make-up of their neighbourhood.
Pensioners were the least integrated overall, while those aged 18 to 34 were the most, with an average of 65 per cent as many social interactions with people from different ethnic backgrounds as might be expected for where they lived if ethnicity was irrelevant.
By contrast those aged 17 and under had less than half (47 per cent) the number of social interactions outside their own background as might be expected.
Their average score was similar to those in the 35 to 54 age-group, 44 per cent.
“Today’s findings reveal a striking lack of mixing among the youngest in our society,” said Mr Taylor.
“This raises serious questions about the lack of integration in Britain’s education system, yet also suggests that certain institutions, such as higher education, have a positive effect on people’s propensity to mix.”
He said the aim of the study was not to support “social engineering” but find ways to “nudge” people to mix more closely.
The fact that those between the ages of 18 and 34 are significantly more integrated than other age groups suggests that universities and colleges offer a more natural way of mixing people than schools or other social settings.
“This isn’t a report about telling people off,” he said.
“Lots of research shows that it is perfectly natural for birds of a feather to flock together.
“But what we would also say is that because we believe integration is a good thing and because Britain is becoming more diverse by ethnicity, age, income and social class we need to look at what steps we might take to overcome that natural tendency.
“None of the commissioners is going to be advocating wholesale social engineering or naming and shaming people but we think that there are things that can be done, things which people would be happy to do which would just give them that little nudge.
“The fact that it looks like colleges and universities are places that encourage integration better than schools is an indication that maybe there are things that we could so.”
But he added that what is not clear is whether the lower levels of integration shown by the teenagers mean they will not mix more closely later in life. Only a further study in the future, tracking a sample of people over a longer period would establish that, he said.
The Commission was set up by The Challenge Network, a charity which runs the National Citizen Service.Indeed, these reductions have nothing to do with any sanctions that specifically deal with India. Quite the opposite; in fact, India was one of a handful of countries that received a waiver under U.S. sanctions law. It simply has to show a "significant reduction" in Iranian oil imports in order to be in compliance with the sanctions regime, a subjective standard with no set numeric value. India's government and polity tend to resent U.S. sanctions, in any event. "They see it restraining their freedom of action, and they feel they don't have much say in how the sanctions are imposed," says Tanvi Madan, director of the Brookings Institution's India Project. "It's not a question of joining the sanctions regime. It's that they don't have a choice." The sanctions have created conditions under which even the most resistant countries have no option but to fall in line.
In India's case, this has produced a remarkable turnabout. Just a year ago, India was actually increasing its purchases of Iranian oil; last year, the two countries swapped trade delegations just months after an Iranian terrorist attack on an Israeli diplomat in Delhi. Iranian oil helped quench India's burgeoning energy needs, while the countries' partnership provided India with an easy route into Afghanistan, a critical front in its long-running cold war with neighboring Pakistan. Even so, Indian purchases of Iranian oil have declined 22 percent since March of 2012 -- and that was before last week's news.
India might even have self-interested reasons for complying with the sanctions. Madan emphasizes that India has no desire to see Iran go nuclear. She says that India, which has perhaps the third-largest population of Shi'ite Muslims on earth, fears potential spillover from sectarian tension in the Middle East, as well as the domino-effect like spread of nuclear weapons in the region. On a more quotidian level, the sanctions eliminate other potential buyers of Iranian oil, allowing India to bargain for better deals. "The Indian government is trying to use this as leverage with the Iranians," says Madan. "Next year they can say, we're going to reduce imports by 10 percent unless Iran reduces oil prices."
U.S. sanctions that went into effect on February 6 also make it nearly impossible for Iran to repatriate foreign currency. India currently buys Iranian oil by paying into an in-country escrow account managed by the Iranian government. India's oil purchases now act as a kind of domestic stimulus: India used to pay for oil in dollars that would end up in Iran. Now it pays in rupees that can only be spent in India, on Indian products.
Madan says that the Indian government isn't fond of this arrangement, due to an understandable wariness of letting any foreign government hold large, rupee-denominated bank accounts in India. Even so, Houser pointed out that the February 6 sanctions could actually benefit India: "It forces large quantities of what used to be dollar denominated trade into local currency barter arrangements," a situation he likened to "being told you can only do your shopping at Walmart." India has more to gain from going along with the sanctions regime than it does from bucking a nearly worldwide consensus on the importance of stanching the spread of nuclear weapons. Even for the most reluctant adherents to the sanctions regime, cooperation is simply a better option than recalcitrance.These Pesto Keto Crackers combine a buttery crisp texture with the Italian taste that everyone loves. The flavor is a delightful combination of garlic, basil, and black pepper with just a hint of cayenne to waken up the taste buds. Enjoy these crackers by themselves, float them in soup, spread them with olive tapenade, or substitute them as croutons in a salad. You can even crush them up and use them in place of cracker crumbs for a yummy Italian style breading for meat or fish. Of course, they make a perfect backdrop for cheese—we especially love them with Parmesan.
Crackers are one food I’ve missed the most since going on a low-carb diet. Cheese just isn’t the same without the crunch of a cracker. It’s easy to miss having crackers with soup or even just having them by themselves as a snack. Yet, making homemade keto crackers can seem complicated and intimidating at first glance.
This cracker recipe is made to help fill those empty places. If you’ve never made your own crackers, don’t worry, this recipe is simple and quick to make.
We used almond flour to keep the carb count down. Almond flour also gives them a subtle nutty base flavor that goes well with the herbal tones.
It’s easy to change the way these crackers look. We like to let them cool and break them into large pieces—it gives them a rustic appearance. However, you can use cookie cutters or a butter knife and turn them into all kinds of shapes.
Yields 6 servings of Pesto Keto Crackers
The Preparation
1 ¼ cups almond flour
almond flour ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
ground black pepper ½ teaspoon salt
salt ½ teaspoon baking powder
baking powder ¼ teaspoon dried basil
dried basil Pinch of cayenne pepper
cayenne pepper 1 clove garlic, pressed
garlic, pressed 2 tablespoons basil pesto
basil pesto 3 tablespoons butter
The Execution
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, pepper, salt and baking powder and whisk until smooth.
3. Add basil, cayenne, and garlic and stir until evenly combined.
4. Next, add in the pesto and whisk until the dough forms into coarse crumbs.
5. Cut the butter into the cracker mixture with a fork or your fingers until the dough forms into a ball.
6. Transfer the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread out the dough thinly until it’s about 1 ½ mm thick. Make sure the thickness is the same throughout so that the crackers bake evenly.
7. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 14-17 minutes until light golden brown in color.
8. Once the dough has finished baking, remove it from the oven.
9. Cut into crackers of the desired size.
Alternatively, you can let it cool and then break it into pieces.
This makes a total of 6 servings Pesto Keto Crackers. Each serving comes out to be 204.5 Calories, 19.32g Fats, 2.96g Net Carbs, and 5.34g Protein.
Pesto Keto Crackers Calories Fats(g) Carbs(g) Fiber(g) Net Carbs(g) Protein(g) 1 ¼ cups almond flour 799 70 30 15 15 30 ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 0.02 0.37 0.1 0.27 0.06 ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 0 0.64 0 0 0 ¼ teaspoon dried basil 1 0.01 0.17 0.1 0.07 0.08 Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 0.04 0.13 0.1 0.03 0.03 1 clove garlic, pressed 4 0.01 0.99 0.1 0.89 0.19 2 tablespoons basil pesto 115 11.28 2.15 0.7 1.45 1.29 3 tablespoons butter 305 34.55 0.03 0 0.03 0.36 Totals 1227 115.91 34.48 16.1 17.74 32.01 Per Serving(/6) 204.5 19.32 5.75 2.68 2.96 5.34By John McIlroy, for CNN Written by
John McIlroy is Deputy Editor of Auto Express and Carbuyer
Car manufacturers often crank up the hyperbole when they're launching a new model. But when Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer describes the company's latest creation, the DB11, as "the most important car in the firm's 103-year existence", he may actually be understating things a little. The DB11 marks a huge step for the classic British sports car brand, with new technology, new engines and a new styling direction.
If it fails, Aston will fail; there's no margin for error.
The state of Aston Martin
Launched at this week's Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, the DB11 is a £155,000 ($217,000) four-seat sports GT in the old-fashioned sense, with a long bonnet, a sweptback stance, a brutally powerful V12 petrol engine and, naturally, the latest evolution of Aston Martin's trademark grille at the front end.
In pure image terms, the Aston Martin brand could scarcely be in better health. And yet the DB11's predecessor, the DB9, was really an example of how badly Aston's cars needed an overhaul. It had charm, of course, and no doubt felt special to those who bought one, but the car's engine and chassis were beginning to feel a little creaky. Its underpinnings could be traced back to 2003, and its motor was (whisper it) a couple of Ford V6s bolted together and retuned.
The race for technology
The Aston Martin DB9 is the DB11's predecessor Credit: Aston Martin
There was a point, in the depths of the global financial recession, when it looked like Aston would not be able to develop the sorely needed new technology itself, and nor could it find a partner to supply it from an outside source.
But the DB11 does indeed feature the spoils of an alliance, of sorts, with AMG; in particular, it uses an all-new twin-turbocharged V12 engine developed with the German performance brand's knowhow.
The state-of-the-art motor closes down some cylinders when they're not needed to save fuel -- a trick that couldn't even be considered on the DB9's old unit -- but produces 600 HP in full song, enough for a top speed of 200 mph (320 km/h).
In the chassis, too, there's a small AMG influence but the work is mostly Aston's own engineers'. They've created a scalable platform for this car that will also underpin the next generation of the Vantage, and a new SUV due within a couple of years, called DBX.
Look, feel and performance
Whether you prefer the DB11's looks to those of, say, the DB7 or older beauties such as the DB5, is a moot point. What is beyond debate is that the new car's styling contributes to its performance like no other Aston before it.
The DB11 has some pretty innovative aerodynamic tricks, in fact -- the sort of thing that Ferrari started doing a few years ago, when it also realized that functional form could please in aesthetic terms.
The DB11's aearodynamic developments are aimed to keep it firmly planted in the corners. Credit: Aston Martin
Take that "strake" that slices into the DB11's side just after the front wheel arch (Aston's designers call it a "curlicue," "a twist in the design of an object"). It has echoes of classic racing cars but in fact, it siphons off turbulent air from around the tire that would otherwise cause drag.
Once the air has been sucked out of the wheel arch area, it gets channeled through what Aston calls an "Aeroblade" beyond the door and ends up just below the boot lid. End result? Lots of fast-moving areas being tidied up at the rear end of the car, where it can produce downforce that helps to keep the DB11 planted to the ground in corners. And no need for an ungainly rear spoiler.
Customized automobile luxury
This level of sophistication and detail is a world away from what the company was producing even five years ago. It is also the sort of engineering nugget that sells cars -- something that motorsport-influenced rivals like Ferrari and McLaren have been keen to exploit.
Inside, there's yet more Mercedes influence in elements like the new infotainment system, which replaces the archaic old Ford unit that Aston Martin had been using for years. And there are higher-quality materials than before, with even more double-stitched leather.
You'll be able to personalize it, too.
Buyers of the Aston Martin flagship, the Vanquish, which will continue in production for several years yet, have to make around 70 choices when it comes to colors, trims, fabrics and in-car options. The DB11's customers will have a wider gamut of personalization to play with, insiders suggest.
In truth, though, Aston has always known that quality of service and the ability to make your dream car your own individual creation is a license to print money. With the DB11, it has the first of a new generation of cars that should allow it to fully exploit that expertise.Big time drug lord & shabu lab operator Meco Tan neutralized by PNP-AIDG in Valenzuela. @ABSCBNNews @ANCALERTS pic.twitter.com/kqP6vUNehg — Maan Macapagal (@maan_macapagal) July 21, 2016
MANILA - Bigtime drug lord and shabu laboratory operator was killed in an encounter with the Anti-Illegal Drug Group of the Philippine National Police in Valenzuela on Friday.
Tan operated a shabu laboratory in Naic, Cavite in 2003 with Jackson Dy, where about 600 kilograms of shabu were confiscated.
He also operated a shabu laboratory on Scout Chuatoco Street in Quezon City, where more than 70 kilograms of shabu and 3,500 kilograms of ephedrine were confiscated.
Authorities were supposed to serve a warrant of arrest to Tan when a running gun battle erupted.
Tan was neutralized by operatives of the PNP-AIDG during the encounter.
PDEA Director Lapeña inspects crime scene in Valenzuela where Meco tried to escape using his vehicle. @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/hlusfODArK — Maan Macapagal (@maan_macapagal) July 21, 2016
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Isidro Lapeña inspected the crime scene where Tan made an attempt to escape using his vehicle.
The SOCO team has arrived to process the crime scene.
Happening now: SOCO arrives at the crime scene in Valenzuela where Meco Tan was neutralized. @ABSCBNNews @ANCALERTS pic.twitter.com/6sPtjH6A9l — Maan Macapagal (@maan_macapagal) July 21, 2016
PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, who was also on the crime scene, stressed that the authorities were able to neutralize a bigtime drug lord.
“Meron na tayong drug lord na Chinese. Hindi 'yung puro kayo reklamo na puro mahihirap na pusher 'yung napapatay. Drug lord talaga ito na Chinese. Malaki 'to,” he said.emu
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the activities on board and not for a moment were we bored. Night life was exquisite, I danced at the clubs till 4am. We hardly slept as there was just too much entertainment going on, couldn’t lose out on that, lol. One thing I really liked was the ‘Emergency drill', just after we took to the sea. It was very interesting to know what to do in case of an emergency for in case, which didn’t bother me at all! I did however fall motion sick on the first night, but I’m saying it was NOT the cruise, I had a lot of different drinks to try out for the day and at dinner I ate very rich foods, buy hey, that did not stop me at all. I put on a good face, got myself dolled up and went out and let nothing hold me back and I had a blast of a time. So my advice to all that goes on board, if they do suffer with motion sickness, take your medication, have a positive attitude and even if you feeling queezy, go out there and enjoy smell the fresh sea air and yourself because all the staff and new people you meet just takes away the bad vibes and puts you on a whole other level. On our return, I was rather sad, it was an awesome trip, too short but wonderful. I wasn’t sad for being on the ship, but that a wonderful time had to come to an end. My next trip will be a longer one and I am so looking forward to that as I will be taking my family with too. Words cannot express the feeling I had on the Opera that I am definitely planning to go again next year and take my entire family with. It’s a wonderful experience which each individual has to experience it for themselves. Thank you MSC Opera for coming to our nearby shores and allowing us to experience this marvellous events, you will never be forgotten." Claudeane Naidoo
Beautiful Beyond Words
2014-03-14 Rating 5/5 : "I would first like to say THANK You, THANK You. We had an awesome time on the MSC Opera the past weekend. It was beautiful and no words can explain the experience we had. Me and my husband would like to go on another cruise in the future. From the food, the personell the cabin, everything was absolutely amazing! Thanks a lot, we can't stop talking about it!" Nicolene Hanekom
Engagement Proposal
2014-03-04 Rating 5/5 : "A memorable moment of my life on the MSC Cruise Opera departed on the 21st February. What a cruise all the entertainment was marvelous. On the early hours of the 22nd February, at 2am, my man proposed to me. Wow, what a shocking & exciting moment.Thank you to all the crew that made us enjoy our cruise until the 24th. This trip really motivated me. Im planning another one for next year - 10 ladies are calling me cause they are interested looking forward to go again." Naledi Moleko
Balcony Cabin Cruise
2013-09-02 Rating 5/5 : Antoinette and her hubby enjoyed a Balcony Cabin on the MSC Opera during a cruise for their 8th anniversary: "the view was out of this world." Antoinette Smith
Cruise to Maputo/Inhambane
2013-08-07 Rating 5/5 : Being on the MSC Opera Maputo/Inhambane cruise was stunning - lovely islands. The staff was oustanding getting us off and on the boat to the islands and very professional. The entertainment on board was very nice: live music, dancing, and very posh dinning and 5 star food. The service and staff on board was excellent - the staff really outdid themselves. As for the captain evening - the dressing up & fancy cocktails did the trick. The vessel itself is amazing - all the shops and the casino are a real hit. Opera staff served perfectly done food on the island and I rate this cruise 5 out of 5 excellent. There is still so much I need to do on the boat like hitting the gym, relaxing in the spa, spending time at the coffee bar and looking out the window as we sailed was heavenly. And last but not least my absolute favourite is relaxing on the pooldeck. Naysha Dollie
2013-08-05 : Rating 5/5. Through the years had often heard from excited friend of the MSC cruises on the S.A. coastline. So we decided to go too. We went in Feb on the MSC Opera Durban to Cape Town via P.E. cruise. Great was our surprise when we saw the MSC Opera lying in the Durban harbour. With its friendly staff who we met when we boarded the ship we felt so welcome. As the Opera glided out of the harbour we got the feeling that we were on our way on a great adventure. Needless to say everything was more than we expected. The service, the food, the entertainment and our cabin were to die for. When we saw Table Mountain from the sea it was a view that we will never forget. Our next cruise will be overseas with MSC. Thank you MSC for a delightful few days.
Author: Sylvia Kotze
Disabled Cruise
2013-08-02 : Rating 5/5. As always my daughter Simone Franks and myself Desiree Jean-Pierre had a lovely time on the MSC cruises. We went on the Cruise to no-where on the MSC Opera from the 15th to the 17th February. We had been on the MSC SINFONIA before, which was our first cruise to no-where. What I love most is that one forgets about everything back on land, and lives for that moment out at sea. There is a variety of meals lots to do, and loads of entertainment. The most hilarious thing happened to Simone and I on the first cruise. On our way back to our cabin from the welcome party, we couldn't find our cabin. We went back and forth only to find our number was just not there. We ended up asking the steward he told us it is the other side of the ship. We all had a good laugh and didn't get lost again after that. Our last cruise, was a group of 5 of us. My partner is crippled, we were a bit concerned about him getting around, but MSC agents and staff came to the rescue. They arranged a wheelchair for him, on and off the ship, which was a great help. The only problem we had was our supper the first night, we enjoyed the show in the theatre so much we missed our meals BUT that didn't stop us, we have already booked for March 7, 2014.
Author: Desiree Jean-Pierre
2013-07-18 : Rating 5/5. Verushka tried out the Mystery Cabin Special on an MSC Opera cruise from Durban to Mozambique, where she enjoyed sipping from coconuts, buying trinkets from the locals, getting sunburnt, dancing the nights away, and the energy of cruise director Derrick - "such a hottie".
Author: Verushka Ramasami
2013-06-11 : Review of an MSC Opera cruise from Southampton to Norway. They got cabin 10086, a balcony cabin. TVs have been upgraded to flatscreens. Sailaway party with the traditional conga line to get it going. A few gins to get in the mood, but you're not doing the driving so it's ok! Arrived at Ijmuiden, Netherlands. Author: TheWibbl3
2013-05-17. Samantha and friends have a whale of a time on the MSC Opera cruise from Durban...the guys even getting to play cards with the captain below deck.
2013-05-7. Anthea takes her children on a cruise on the Opera. "Never in their wildest dreams did they expect to see such splendour...I have grown addicted to cruising and already looking at what my next route would be."
2012-12-21. Anchors Aweigh reviews the MSC Opera: "Having travelled on MSC Opera from Cape Town to Durban, courtesy of MSC Cruises, one can report that she is comfortable even in quite heavy seas encountered off our coast. On leaving Cape Town four metre swells were running but MSC Opera took them in her stride and paper bags distributed around the ship were an unnecessary precaution."
2012-07. Richard takes advantage of an MSC Opera day visit offer, to take some clickies and explore the ship: "One feature in all cabins that was most prominent was the clever use of large mirrors to give the impression of increased size... The Biblos Discoteca is a very quiet area until late evening and a lovely place to read or relax on inclement days with its long windows... the risottos are superb." (not all comments by Richard).
2011-06-21 Hannah describes the MSC Opera as being a "great ship" with "great food". " I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that I was impressed with her."
2011-05-08 Richard cruises on an MSC ship & on the MSC Opera for the first time.
Cruise routes
MSC Opera in the Mediterranean
4 Oct 2012. There is so much you can get to see when cruising the Med, as you can stop at a city every day. Here's a set of photos from The Baguette's stop on the MSC Opera in Dubrovnik: "Another beautiful day at sea before arrival in the fortified city of Dubrovnik, Croatia"
19 Sep 2012 MSC Opera in Piraeus (to the strains of Phantom of the Opera) Aug 2012 MSC Opera in Venice 25 Oct 2011 Fourty-Six minutes of photos from an MSC Opera cruise in the Med.
Cruise to Italy
The repositioning cruise to Italy is the ultimate holiday, visiting African ports, European ports & setting you up for a fantastic holiday in Italia.
On Board
The MSC Opera is a "Lirica class" ship, and can accommodate guests in 856 cabins (compared to the Sinfonia's 777 cabins), of which 172 are balcony cabins & 28 are balcony suites (in addition to some 740 crew members). The Opera is 251m long and weighs 58,600 tons. It has 4 restaurants (1 outdoor dining area), 11 bars (1 outdoor pool bar), 2 pools & 2 whirlpools.
Inside the ship are the MSC Aurea Spa & Solarium, a video game room, a disco (deck 12, seating 322 people), an internet cafe, a casino, a medical centre & 0team building facilities.
If your kids get bored, take them to Buffalo Bill's play area (3 to 18 years old). They have professional child minders that will keep your kids entertained for hours. The older kids might enjoy the virtual reality games room also offered on the Opera.
For the sport enthusiast there is a 200m running track located on the top deck, mini golf and shuffleboard.
Technical specifications:
Gross tonnage 59.058 tons Length 251.25m Beam 28.8m Height 54m Number of Passengers 1 712 (on a double basis)
Lifeboats
The lifeboats are used to ferry passengers between the MSC Opera and some destinatinos which don't have suitable docking facilities for the ship. Here's footage of a lifeboat trip from the Opera to Mossel Bay harbour.
Bridge Camera
The bridge camera on the MSC Opera updates every 15 minutes or so.
If you have any questions about MSC Opera Cruises, please ask them in the comments section below, and we'll reply as soon as possible.
Cabins & suites
Inside cabins consist of single beds which may be converted into double beds (except in cabins for the disabled), a bathroom with a shower (no baths), a wardrobe, a mini bar & safe & a TV. Size is some 13 square metres.
Ocean view cabins are the same as inside cabins, but have a view of the sea (these cabins sell out the fastest) - some obstructed.
Balcony cabins are slightly larger, at 15 to 16 square metres, have a balcony, but are otherwise the same as the ocean view cabin (e.g. shower).
Balcony suites have a double bed which may be converted into 2 single beds & a bathroom with a tub. It is some 27 square metres in size.
Cabins for people with disabilities have two fixed single beds, a bathroom with a shower, a wardrobe, a mini bar & safe & a TV. It is some 21 square metres in size. There are 5 inside wheelchair friendly cabins.
Here's what the toilet inside an ocean-view cabin looks like:
MSC OPERA CABIN CONFIGERATIONS Cat Type Deck Name Deck # Cabins per Deck Type Configeration Bathroom Size 1 Inside Rigoletto 7 5 qdpl (5) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks Shower 13 Sqm 2 Inside Rigoletto 7 16 dbl (3) 2 lower convertible 7134 / 7174 / 7181 Shower 13 Sqm tpl (2) 2 lower convertible + 1 upper 7170 / 7177 qdpl (13) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks 3 Inside La Traviata 8 116 dbl (48) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm qdpl (67) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks H dbl (1) 2 Fixed lower beds 8142 - disabled cabin Shower 20 Sqm 4 Inside Norma 9 119 dbl (77) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm tpl (1) 2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk 9126 qdpl (38) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks H dbl (3) 2 Fixed lower beds 9052 / 9053 / 9155 - disabled cabin Shower 20 Sqm Turandot 10 83 dbl (70) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm qdpl (12) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks H dbl (1) 2 Fixed lower beds 10018 - disabled cabin Shower 20 Sqm 5 Inside Turandot 10 20 dbl (20) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm 6 Outside Rigoletto 7 19 dbl (17) 2 lower covnertible - restricted view cabins - staff cabins Shower 13 Sqm dbl (2) 2 lower convertible - back of ship 7185 / 7178 La Traviata 8 4 dbl (4) 2 lower convertible - front 8003 / 8004 & back 8281 / 8266 Norma 9 5 dbl (5) 2 lower convertible - front 9001 / 2 / 4 & back 9277 / 9270 Turandot 10 2 dbl (2) 2 lower convertible - back of ship 10243 / 10238 7 Outside Rigoletto 7 28 dbl (4) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm tpl (24) 2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk 8 Outside La Traviata 8 146 dbl (32) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm tpl (82) 2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk qdpl (32) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks 9 Outside Norma 9 58 dbl (50) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm tpl (6) 2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk family(2) 2 lower convertible+1 bunk+sofa bed - max 2 Adults+3 kids under 12 Turandot 10 44 dbl (39) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm qdpl (5) 2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks 10 Balcony Norma 9 86 dbl (74) 2 lower convertible Shower 13 Sqm dbl (12) Fixed dbl beds - 9060/61+9118/21/22/25+9163/64/67/68+9216+9223 Turandot 10 86 dbl (74) 2 lower convertible interleading cabins dbl (10) Fixed dbl bed - NOT interleading cabins 10032/35/89/90/92/93+10132/35/88/89 dbl (2) Fixed dbl bed interleading cabins - 10136 / 39 11 Balcony Suite La Boheme 12 28 Suite 1 Double bed + Sofa Bed - maximum 2 adults + 2 kids under 12 years Bathtub 23 Sqm
Bars & lounges
Sotto Vento Pub is a bar on the 5th deck (also used for videos), where smoking is allowed. I love how Patricia described it in her writeup of her MSC Opera cruise to Stavanger: "It was such a fantastic atmosphere in there, like bars should be, we ended up staying until about 12.40am! I reeked of smoke though so needed to get clean before bed."
Aroma Coffee Bar on the 6th deck.
Byblos is a bar/disco on the 12th deck.
Caruso Lounge is a bar on the 7th deck (also dancing & videos).
Cotton Club is a bar on the 6th deck (also used for shows).
La Cabala is a piano bar on the 6th deck.
Lo Spinnaker is a pool bar, also offering ice-cream, on the 11th deck.
Monte Carlo is a casino bar on the 6th deck.
Piazza di Spagna is a piano bar on the 5th deck.
Onboard Activities
Shows on the MSC Opera
A joy of cruising is watching the shows. You usually don't know in advance what you're going to see, but here's what there's been in the past:
In July 2012, Millie Campana's performs on the Opera:
Peter Sore's BMX show on the MSC Opera:
And sometimes it's the passengers creating the vibe - in June 2012 here's Juliana Pedroso and Marcos Vinicius Bueno dancing on the MSC Opera.
Dancing
If you love dancing then you'll get your heart's content. Visit the disco and party all night. Don't despair if you don't know how to dance - most cruises have dance classes.
MSC Opera Wooden Boat carvings
And if you just cannot get enough of the ship, here's a company which does wooden carvings of the MSC Opera:Poor Evan. Herewith his tragic story unfolds, in four emails.
Monday night, urgent to Garth:
I don’t know how quickly you answer but tomorrow is the day I draft a purchase agreement for a house purchase.
I’ve become an addict of reading your blog the last two weeks and mainly because I’m about to purchase a house and I’ve become worried so much after reading your blog! My girlfriend and I have lived at home till now (32 & 33yrs old) and are dying to move out and “get life started”. Two months ago we decided the market has seemed to cool and were both ready. We had hell of a time deciding where to live because of the costs, being close to family, a commutable area for both of us as we work in opposite directions and where we want to be for the next ten years for children and so forth. We found a home we want to buy, she’s fallen in love with it and we have the chance to buy it without real estate agents for a slight discount (if that can even be said and I don’t believe it its one, just the seller trying to pocket even more). The thought of delaying getting our life started scares us both. We want a house to call home and we both hate the idea of renting where we cannot call it home and can never do what we want as it belongs to someone else. It doesn’t match us well. If we buy this home then we want to plop down for the next ten years and call it our own at least.
We both have savings over 350k combined and have a combined salary currently at 160k as an engineer and health inspector. How bad of a decision am I looking at for buying a house now and carrying a mortgage of 600k and not looking to move for at least 10yrs? We NEED a place to call home, we both want a family SOON and the thought of waiting for the market to play out is lost time in getting life started at our age which should be sooner than later. I’m worried that if I let this house go it will be a regret.
I’m stressing and have gone back and forth if I should do this tomorrow. Don’t know if you reply to these emails of desperation but thought it might be worthwhile to see if you were able to respond.
My sympathetic, empathy-drenched response:
Why do you need to purchase right now? You know rates are going up, mortgage regs are about to change, and that all houses are cheaper in January.
Stop being so wussy and emotional about this. Your life doesn’t start when you get a $600,000 mortgage on a house that may be worth less in a few months. Screw your silly head back on.
Emotionally-crippled Evan eked out a reply:
Wow you responded! I know my emotions have really got me going on this. Hence me sending this email at this time of night!
Yesterday I told her no to the purchase and explained why, today I reverted and said we just need to not keep our eggs in one basket and diversify and go ahead with the purchase. Tomorrow I may revert back with a no (on her birthday no less). The emotions have taken control on losing the house that we’ve “fallen” for and would hate to be wrong on this.
I could tolerate a 5% correction in 2018 for the sake of buying the home we want but not the outcome that you’re predicting. That would devastate her and I.
And, this morning, this arrived:
On the way to the bank I told her that I didn’t want to go through with it this morning. I devastated her and made my gf enraged on her birthday….. sucked really bad but I really hope we’ve done the right thing by not buying this house. She believes that we’ll never find a house that fits what we need again.
I’m hoping that we can buy a place come next March/April as it seems to be an almost must for her. Renting is off the table as well. Here is to hoping you’re right! I think my relationship sort of depends on it!
Is Evan sleeping alone tonight? Maybe every night until there’s an accepted offer? Sounds like that’s where the relationship is headed – suggesting poor Evan has a girlfriend problem, not a real estate one.
There are a few reasons I am boring you with my correspondence. Primarily to provide a first-hand account of what a house can do to healthy brains. It eats them. Owning a home with a giant, throbbing, rate-sensitive mortgage on it becomes the holy grail of existence when, of course, it’s only shelter. For Evan to equate property ownership with ‘starting his life’ at age 32 is beyond pathetic. So much for the frolicking liberty, inhibition, risk-taking and adventure-seeking years of his youth. The dude just wants to turn into his parents. Nobody needs to own a house to (a) get married or (b) have a kid. Just to get bedded, apparently.
Second, this is what helo parents end up with when they keep their kids locked in the basement well into their thirties. All that mothering, cloistering, cocooning and sheltering is creating a generation of dependents who need to slide from one bosom to another. Listen, moisters. There is nothing scary about independence. Nothing wrong with renting. Nothing to be gained (except a bigger down payment) from living endless Groundhog Days in the place where you were born. Adulthood starts when you become an adult, not when your folks let you out.
Third, Evan couldn’t stand more than a 5% real estate correction? Yikes. Don’t buy. 2018 is going to turn out to be one scary year for residential real estate in some markets as mortgage rates increase, the stress test is established and inventory swells this spring. Anyone rushing to buy in 2017 with less than 20% down should plan on losing it.
Fourth, sex and realtors don’t mix. Any relationship that depends on you buying a $800,000 piece of property for a person you haven’t married and don’t even live with yet is destined for a fail. She doesn’t want you, Evan. She’s hot for quartz and hardwood.
This morning in the car when you triggered her was the moment your life began. Now go home and do it to mom. Then email me like a man.PARIS (Reuters) - France will target smaller reductions in its structural budget deficit in 2016 and 2017 than called for by the European Commission in order to preserve economic growth, the government said on Wednesday.
French Finance minister Michel Sapin leaves the Elysee Palace after the weekly cabinet meeting in Paris April 15, 2015. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
French officials said the cuts sought by the EU executive on the structural deficit - which strips out the effects of the economic cycle - were too high.
That could lead to more friction between France and its euro zone peers after Paris won a two-year reprieve on its headline deficit.
“Implementing those (EU) recommendations would have stifled growth and stopped us from curbing unemployment,” Finance Minister Michel Sapin told a news conference.
“Our strategy is built around our determination to get the economy back up and running in the long term... to boost growth and jobs.”
In the stability programme that all euro zone members send to the Commission, the French government said it planned to cut its structural deficit by 0.5 percent of national output this year and in each of the next two years.
The European Commission has said France - which has exasperated many of its euro zone peers by repeatedly missing fiscal targets - must cut its structural deficit by 0.5 percent in 2015, 0.8 percent in 2016 and 0.9 percent in 2017.
Sapin noted the government had already said last week the headline public deficit would meet a new agreed target of falling under 3 percent of GDP in 2017.
He argued that a strict implementation of structural deficit targets should not choke much-needed growth. “We are continuing this discussion with the European Commission,” he said.
The government stuck to a 1 percent economic growth forecast for this year and trimmed it slightly to 1.5 percent for 2016 and 1.5 percent in 2017, even if it hopes to do better thanks to a weak euro and oil prices as well as low borrowing costs.
Officials detailed 4 billion euros (2.87 billion pounds) in extra savings France will make in the 2015 budget to meet EU requests this year.
Some 1.2 billion euros will be saved through lower public debt servicing costs, a similar amount by public administrations and another 1 billion from cuts in social security and health spending.
France also plans an extra 5 billion euros of savings in 2016.One jail that really is a holiday camp! Father has turned jail van that smelt of blood and old soup when he bought it for £3,000 on eBay into his dream motorhome
Alex Saunders, 42, from Hampshire bought an old, dirty, prison van for £3000 and turned into a luxury motorhome
The painter and decorator lovingly spent another £4000 to renovate the van over 18 months
The handy father-of-two installed bunk beds, a kitchen and a heating system to transform the grotty security vehicle
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While millions of Brits go on holiday this Easter one dad is taking his family camping in a luxury motorhome - built from an old prison van.
Enterprising Alex Saunders, 42, from Andover, Hampshire, bought the security vehicle, which came complete with lockable cell doors and peep-holes for the guards, for just £3,000 from eBay.
The painter and decorator has spent a painstaking 18 months and another £4,000 completely stripping the 2004 van and turning it into his dream motorhome.
An Englishman's van: Alex Saunders sits outside the former high security prison van which he lovingly transformed into a luxury camper van for his family
My humble abode: The father-of-two sits inside his luxury van on an L-shaped sofa with fluffy cushions and he even managed to kit it out with wooden floors
Remarkably, Alex built and installed everything from bunk beds and a fully-functional kitchen to a heating and water system on his own.
After knocking through walls of the six cells, he worked most nights and weekends putting bunk beds for the kids at the back and then a bathroom and kitchen down each side.
He then built an L-shaped sofa which transforms into a double bed to go in the front with a table for the family to use at meal times.
Alex finished his pride and joy in January and has already taken his wife Sarah, 40, and their two sons Connor, 15, and Bailey, 12, on two British holidays this year.
Yesterday, Alex and his family set off again for a tour of the South West of England then they set off from their home in Andover, Hamps., at 5am to beat the Easter rush.
All of the mod cons: Alex installed bunk beds at the back, a bathroom and a kitchen down the side and a flat screen TV on the wall
How it was: Alex saw the prison van on eBay and said it already had a heating system and great insulation - but stank of blood and old soup
Fit for a prisoner: The prison van looked as though it was only fit for prisoners - but now it is totally different
Labour of love: Wooden beams are piled up high in the van whilst wires hang down from the ceiling
Hard work: Wood is installed in the van from top to floor, as a great deal of tools are littered around the work tops Fitted kitchen: Alex spent £4,000 completely stripping the van out starting by adding the framework for the kitchen and sink Fitting windows: The small windows from the old prison van were taken out and put on the grass as Alex fitted in new ones Carpentry: The handy father fitted beautiful wooden cupboards in the van that used to transport prisoners around Out with the old: The D.I.Y enthusiast said he tore the cells out and got everything in there that he made himself and measured it all out with a tape measure
What a beauty: The proud handyman takes a look through the driver's seat at his incredible camper van The way she was: The van had no character but had a heating system and great insulation as prison vans have better insulation than some houses, according to Alex
A throne fit for a van: Alex outdid himself and even managed to fit in a small loo in the van along with a shower and fully-fitted bathroom
Gorgeous decor: After knocking through walls he worked most nights and weekends to put bunk beds in for the kids and then a bathroom and kitchen down each side Cozy: A flat screen TV on the wall completes the interior of the inside of the van which also has a few home touches
Lovely: The dad-of-two is planning on whisking his family around the country in their new motorhome Stunning: Alex Saunders bought the former security vehicle for just £3,000 from a company specialising in selling them second-hand in January 2012 Kitchen view: Remarkably, Alex built and installed everything from bunk beds and a fully-functional kitchen to a heating and water system on his own Room with a view: Alex peers out of the van which he has already taken to Weymouth and to the New Forest but this Easter he's heading to the South West for a week-long tour Stands out: The fully refurbished van certainly stands out from the crowd when its amongst other camper vans in a field
Off on the open road: Alex finished his pride and joy in January and has already taken his wife Sarah, 40, and their two sons Connor, 15, and Bailey, 12, on two British holidays this year HOW MUCH DID IT COST TO TRANSFORM A RUNDOWN PRISON VAN INTO A MOTORHOME? Alex Saunders bought the security vehicle for just £3,000 from eBay. He spent:
£500 Tools to strip and clean interior of van
£150 Water heater from eBay
£50 Chemical toilet from motorhome online shop
£750 Plywood for furniture and strip-wood style lino for floor from B&Q
£800 Bespoke upholstery cushions and mattresses from motorhome fitters
£30 Sink from eBay
£50 Two-ring gas hob from eBay
£150 Taps from motorhome online shop
£150 Exterior decorations
£250 LED lights
£500 Strengthening chassis of vehicle
£100 Paint
£350 HD TV
£250 Sockets, electricity and plumbing
£70 Screws, hinges etc. TOTAL=£4,150
He said: 'I saw a prison van on eBay and thought it would be ridiculous but I kept going back and looking and the more I thought about it the more it made sense.
'It already had a heating system and great insulation. Prison vans have better insulation that some house rooms so we don't even need to use the heating.
'I got stuck in immediately. The insurance said I had to have it registered as a motorhome within three months so I worked on it every night and weekend.
'Then after that I spent another 15 months doing it properly and following the plans my wife had drawn up.
'I tore the cells out and got everything in there that I made myself. I started at the back with a tape measure and worked forwards.
'There are bunk beds at the back for the lads, a bathroom and kitchen down the side and an L-shaped sofa at the front that is also a double bed.
'I covered the outside with grey enamel and then my wife wanted flowers so I stencilled them on the outside and she painted over them.
'We've already taken it to Weymouth and to the New Forest but this Easter we're heading to the South West for a week-long tour.'
The 22 foot-long, five tonne van used to belong to security firm Reliance - who sold some of their vehicles when they lost out on a Scottish courts and prisoners service contract to G4S in 2011.
Alex added: 'There's a few scratches on the windows that I left there to keep its character.
'It was used up in Scotland and we don't know who might have been it in but it was creepy to think some of the most dangerous criminals and all kinds of weirdos have been in it.
'It was pretty grim when I first when in there, it smelt like a mixture of blood and old soup which had been spilt everywhere.A Catholic priest in Virginia is taking a voluntary leave from public ministry after opening up about his past as a member of the Ku Klux Klan in an editorial Monday.
“My actions were despicable,” wrote Father William Aitcheson, a priest with the Diocese of Arlington. “When I think back on burning crosses, a threatening letter, and so on, I feel as though I am speaking of somebody else. It’s hard to believe that was me.”
Aitcheson said he was moved to share his story after images from the white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville, Va. “brought back memories of a bleak period” in his life.
A release from the Arlington diocese later clarified that Aitcheson came forward with his story after a freelancer reporter contacted the diocese saying the priest’s name matched that of a man arrested in the 1970s.
“Fr. Aitcheson was approached about this, he acknowledged his past and saw the opportunity to tell his story in the hopes that others would see the possibility of conversion and repentance, especially given the context of what occurred in Charlottesville,” the statement read.
As a 23-year-old University of Maryland student in 1977, Aitcheson was charged with six cross-burnings, one count of making bomb threats and two counts of manufacturing pipe bombs, according to an article published in The Washington Post that year. At the time he identified as an “exalted cyclops,” or leader, of the local Robert E. Lee Lodge of the Maryland Knights of the KKK.
“While 40 years have passed, I must say this: I’m sorry. To anyone who has been subjected to racism or bigotry, I am sorry. I have no excuse, but I hope you will forgive me,” he wrote on Monday.
Aitcheson was reportedly sentenced to time in prison for mailing threatening letters to Coretta Scott King, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow, as well as for several cross burnings, reports CBS News. In one incident, Aitcheson placed a burning cross outside the Maryland home of Barbara and Phillip Butler. He was ordered to pay the family $23,000 in damages ― a fee he still owes the Butlers.
“We are coordinating with Father Aitcheson in his efforts to seek reconciliation and make restitution,” a release from the Diocese of Arlington stated.
Aitcheson, who was ordained a priest in 1988, denounced the white supremacy in his editorial, calling it a “false belief” that flies in the face of Christ’s teaching.
“He teaches us that we are all his creations and wonderfully made — no matter our skin color or ethnicity,” the priest wrote. “Realizing this truth is incredibly liberating.”
He also addressed white supremacists directly, saying: “You will find no fulfillment in this ideology. Your hate will never be satisfied and your anger will never subside. I encourage you to find peace and mercy in the only place where it is authentic and unending: Jesus Christ.”
Bishop Burbidge called Aitcheson’s history with the KKK “sad and deeply troubling,” in a statement released by the Diocese of Arlington on Monday.
“I pray that in our current political and social climate his message will reach those who support hate and division, and inspire them to a conversion of heart,” Burbidge said.
The statement noted that no accusations of racism or bigotry have been made against Aitcheson since he joined the Diocese of Arlington in 1993. The diocese also acknowledged that the priest’s voluntary request to take a temporary leave from public ministry “for the well-being of the Church and parish community” was approved.
Aitcheson wrote: “Our actions have consequences and while I firmly believe God forgave me — as he forgives anyone who repents and asks for forgiveness — forgetting what I did would be a mistake.”PROGRAMMING YOUR SP50
To program your SP50, use the following pinout:
Power the radio with jumpers then connect the ground of the programming cable (pin 1) to the radio ground and connect the data wire (pin 15) |
’s determination letters are posted here: UC Berkeley (http://bit.ly/doeucb); UC Santa Cruz (http://bit.ly/doeucsc); UC Irvine (http://bit.ly/doeucirvine).
2. The Rutgers DOE decision is posted online: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1300803-ocr-decision-on-title-vi-complaint-7-31-14.html
3. R.A.V. v. St. Paul, supra, at 387 (internal quotations and citations removed); see also West Virginia Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 (1943) (“If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion.”).
4. See also Security Council Resolution 242.
Petition
BDS IS NEITHER “ANTI-ISRAEL” NOR “ANTI-JEWISH”
PETITION OF PROTEST AGAINST INDIANA’S ANTI-BDS LEGISLATION
We, the undersigned, write with alarm in response to the Indiana General Assembly’s passing of SR 74, the so-called “Boycott Our Enemies not Israel Act.” According to the Israeli newspaper, Ha’aretz, the approval of SR 74, following the Indiana House’s unanimous passing of HR 59, “expresses opposition to the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel” BDS movement. The bill further states that “the global spread of anti-Jewish speech and violence “represents an attack, not only on Jews, but on the fundamental principles of the United States.” Pending Governor Pence’s likely signature, in passing this bill, Indiana will become only the second state in the United States to pass legislation formally opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement regarding Israel.
We completely reject this characterization of the global BDS movement, as well as of the more focused BDS resolutions of various church denominations (eg. Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church) and other organizations. It does not stifle free speech; in fact, it is the essence of the exercise of free speech. BDS is not (the vague) “anti-Israel” and it is certainly not “anti-Jewish.”
In fact, BDS policies make it clear that it is a human rights based movement and opposed to racism in all forms, including anti-Semitism. This is one of the reasons why many Nobel Peace Prize laureates and faith groups support BDS, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Mairead McGuire, The Baptist and Episcopal Peace Fellowships, and the Palestine-Israel Mission Networks of the Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, and Quakers. And many Jewish organizations, including Jewish Voice for Peace, American Jews for a Just Peace, Gush Shalom, the New Israel Fund, the Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, and others, support various forms of BDS, including, at the very least, the boycott of products made in illegal settlements “beyond the internationally recognized Green Line.” These Jewish groups make it very clear that “boycotting settlements is NOT anti-Israel” and it is certainly not “anti-Jewish.”
BDS continues a long disciplinary tradition of support for human rights struggles, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, United Farm Workers’ grape and lettuce boycott, divestment from South Africa to protest Apartheid, boycotts of corporations using sweatshops, and others. The most recent example includes a call by many around the country to boycott travel to and products from Indiana because of its passage of the discriminatory “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” This liberal support for boycott at home but singling out Israel for special treatment exempt from basic human rights criteria reveals a blatant double-standard.
Some say that targeting Israel for BDS as opposed to other more repressive regimes (North Korea is often cited as an example) exhibits a hypocrisy by pro-BDS forces. On the contrary, pro-justice organizations are equally concerned about human rights abuses all around the world. What concerns us about Israel is that the United States is complicit with these human rights violations through its $3.1 billion dollar annual military assistance to Israel and its scores of United Nations vetoes on resolutions calling Israel to responsibility for its actions.
Members of the American Anthropological Association state it well,
The BDS movement is a call for justice by all sectors of Palestinian civil society and supported around the world by unions, churches, civil society and human rights groups. BDS is a form of non-violent popular resistance and international solidarity in protest against Israel’s persistent violation of Palestinian human rights and international law. Israel has maintained an illegal siege on the Gaza Strip for seven years, severely restricting the movement of people and goods in and out of the territory. Palestinians are also being dispossessed of their lands and livelihoods throughout the West Bank, where Israel’s separation barrier curtails Palestinian freedom of movement and education. These and other ongoing violations will continue unless people around the world act where their governments have failed. Given that decades of interaction, cooperation and collaboration with Israeli institutions have not produced mutual understanding or stopped the military occupation and its violations, we believe this boycott is the only non-violent form of pressure that could persuade Israelis to call for – and act for – meaningful change that could lead to a just peace.
So BDS is neither “anti-Israel” nor is it “anti-Jewish.” As a matter of fact, given the Torah values of justice and the dignity of every human being as well as the great Jewish participation in the African American struggle for civil rights in this country just 50 years ago, it could be argued that the BDS movement, with its emphasis on non-violent resistance, human rights, human dignity, and justice, stands within the best of the Jewish tradition.
We urge Governor Pence and all Hoosiers interested in a just and enduring peace in Palestine and Israel, as well as the traditions of free speech and non-violent resistance, to reject this anti-democratic resolution, affirm the rights of individuals to purchase (or not purchase) what they choose, and to work for justice locally and globally.
Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
Jewish Voice for Peace – Indiana
Students for Justice in Palestine – IUPUI
IUPUI Muslim Student Association
IUPUI Interfaith Coalition for Palestine
Students for Justice in Palestine – University of Indianapolis
Indiana Palestine Solidarity Network
Hoosier Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (HUUJME)
Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East
Indianapolis Peace and Justice Center
Veterans for Peace – Indiana Chapter
National Lawyers Guild – Indiana ChapterQueensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced she will be approaching Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull about launching a domestic violence awareness campaign which acknowledges male victims.
Ms Palaszczuk has admitted she has changed the way she speaks about domestic violence victims in a way which is more inclusive of men after speaking with a male abuse victim at a cabinet event in Bundaberg, the Brisbane Times has reported.
“I do understand that there are a number of men who have gone through or are going through (domestic violence),” she said.
“I actually did change my language when it did become public because it was brought to my attention that there was some serious issues surrounding some men in our community needing help as well.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the next time she speaks with Mr Turnbull she will be addressing the idea of more inclusive campaigns with him, admitting male victims need to be more appropriately recognised.
“I do think that is something we do need to address a bit more,” she said.
“It has to be about stopping violence.”
Ms Palaszczuk said her aim of tackling domestic violence by focusing on the younger generation had not changed.
“Any advertising needs to be about respectful relationships,” she said.
“We need to make sure that that is actually taught not just in the home, but in the schools and that it is the way we treat men and women and it is about calling people out for the wrong thing."
Ms Palaszczuk has been leading the government battle against domestic violence since receiving the ‘Not Now, Not Ever’ report commissioned by the Tony Abbott government.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2019Michael Cooper will join Cadillac Racing as a teammate to four-time series champion Johnny O’Connell for the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Series GT Championship.
The 26-year-old is the 2015 World Challenge GTS driver champion. The driver from Syosset, N.Y. posted four wins and two additional podium finishes in the No. 10 Blackdog Racing Chevrolet Camaro Z28 to win the driver title.
Cooper will pilot the No. 8 Cadillac Racing ATS-V.R starting with the season opener at the Circuit of the America’s in March.
“Cadillac Racing has proven to be the most accomplished team in the Pirelli World Challenge paddock,” Cooper said. “The opportunity to work with the team and represent the Cadillac brand is the stuff dreams are made of for a driver.
“Back in 2009 Johnny saw me drive at the CTS-V Challenge where, then GM president, Bob Lutz challenged civilians to try and beat the CTS-V around a race track.
“After seeing my effort, Johnny said ‘this is the type of kid you hope pursues racing.’ Being Johnny’s teammate just six years later makes me feel like my racing career has really come full circle.
“The Cadillac ATS-V.R is the epitome of a race car. The horsepower from the Twin turbo GM LF4.R engine, downforce of the GT3 spec body and its nimble chassis create a rewarding experience for the driver that is unmatched in anything I have raced.
“From the few laps I have done in the car, I can tell you it is just plain wicked.”
“Michael will be a great addition to Cadillac Racing,” said Mark Kent, director of Cadillac Racing. “He really captured our attention in the second round of the series at the Circuit of the Americas in March where, in the pouring rain, he started ninth and drove his Camaro Z/28 to the lead by the end of the first lap and went on to capture the win.
“Since that race he continued to impress us with three more wins, two podiums, a couple of fourth place finishes and winning the GTS driver’s championship.”
O’Connell is enthusiastic about Cooper joining the team.
“I remember clearly the first time I saw Cooper drive, I was impressed enough to let his father know the kid has very good skills,” he said.
“To have watched him progress through the ranks, observe his speed and race craft, speaks volumes to the fact that you can still make it to the top based on talent.
“I am confident he’ll be a great addition to Cadillac Racing, and I look forward to working with him.”If you are looking to accept credit cards for your online store, you are probably considering one of the big three, Paypal, Authorize.net and Stripe.
But the problem with choosing between these payment options is that all 3 services look similar on the surface.
One, they all offer the same introductory rates with a transaction fee of 2.9% + $.30. And two, they all claim to provide a “robust integration with leading shopping cart providers” for all sized businesses.
In fact, if you look at the sales pages for all 3 services, they all read pretty much the same with the exception that Stripe doesn’t charge a monthly fee.
But here’s the thing.
Once your store has some decent transaction volume, the transaction rates change dramatically and none of these rates are documented anywhere. In fact, you often have to negotiate the rates yourself.
To further muddy the waters, services like Paypal often have multiple options to choose from which all behave differently.
So today, I’m going to explain in plain language what sets these 3 payment processors apart from each other.
In addition, I’ll tell you what rates that I’ve been able to negotiate with each of these services and where the cut off points are.
Editor’s Note: If you are interested in learning how to start your own business, click here to take my FREE 6 day mini course on ecommerce.
The Difference Between Paypal Standard, Paypal Checkout, Paypal Advanced And Paypal Payments Pro
Right now, Paypal now offers 4 different choices to accept credit cards on your site.
Paypal Standard – Free for all merchants
– Free for all merchants Paypal Checkout – Free for all merchants
– Free for all merchants Paypal Advanced – $5/month
– $5/month Paypal Payments Pro – $30/month
Unfortunately, it’s not very intuitive which one you should choose and what the advantages are for each. Therefore, I’m going to start by summarizing Paypal’s 4 offerings below.
Paypal Standard
Paypal standard is completely free of charge and allows you to accept both credit cards and Paypal with your online store. However, there are 2 main disadvantages with Paypal Standard.
For one thing, Paypal Standard does not allow a customer to complete checkout on your website. Instead a customer is whisked away to Paypal’s site where they will be heavily influenced to create a Paypal account to pay for their goods.
Because a customer must leave your website, a high rate of customers will abandon their purchase altogether.
And to make things worse, Paypal does not make it obvious how to pay by credit card once you make it onto their site.
The picture above shows what a customer sees when they checkout using Paypal Standard. As you can tell, it’s not obvious how to pay by credit card.
You have to click on the “Don’t have a PayPal account” button in order to be directed to a form where you can enter your credit card info. Overall, I guarantee that you’ll shed many potential customers this way.
As a result, Paypal Standard is not a good credit card solution for an ecommerce store.
The only advantage is that it’s free.
Paypal Checkout
Paypal Checkout is also completely free of charge and allows a customer to pay by credit card and Paypal. In fact, it is more or less identical to Paypal Standard except for one very important feature.
Paypal Checkout allows you to import a customer’s information directly into your shopping cart so they don’t have to fill out any forms.
Here’s what the flow looks like.
A customer is presented with the option to pay by Paypal Checkout.
When they click on the Paypal button, they are whisked off to Paypal’s website. Just like Paypal Standard, the option to pay by credit card is not very prominent.
If a customer has a Paypal account, all of their address information on file at Paypal is magically imported into your shopping cart. They also have the option to store a cookie on their browser via Paypal One Touch so they never have to login to pay by Paypal again.
The following photo illustrates the Paypal Checkout flow on my online store after a customer logs in.
As you can see, the customer is just one click away from completing their purchase and no forms need to be filled out. In fact, this is the primary advantage of Paypal Checkout and it makes Paypal Standard obsolete.
Paypal Payments Pro
On the other end of the spectrum, Paypal also offers a high end payment product called Payments Pro. With the pro version of Paypal, you can process credit cards directly on your site.
In addition, you have access to a virtual terminal in which you can process phone orders as well. Paypal Pro costs $30 per month and offers a complete solution to all of your credit card processing needs.
However the one big drawback is that since you are accepting credit cards on your own server, you must deal with PCI compliance.
What is PCI compliance?
PCI compliance is a set of standards enacted by the credit card community to ensure that all credit card transactions are secure.
In order for your online store to be PCI compliant, you must follow a set of guidelines in order to process credit cards on your website or face fines or penalties set forth by your credit card processor.
Honestly, becoming PCI compliant is not that big of a deal but the language used in the PCI compliance documentation is a nightmare to read and go through.
In fact, it’s like reading a law document. As a result, many new entrepreneurs are often confused and scared off by the whole process.
But nonetheless, if you use Paypal Pro on your online store, the payment transaction is seamless.
As you can see above, credit card processing is well blended with my website. To a customer, it appears as if everything is being processed natively in my shop.
Paypal Advanced
Paypal Advanced is a hybrid solution between Paypal Payments Pro and Paypal Standard/Checkout. Like Paypal Payments Pro, a customer can process their credit card payment online without leaving your website.
But unlike Paypal Payments Pro, the credit card information is not processed on your server but on Paypal’s instead. As a result with Paypal Advanced, you don’t have to worry about PCI compliance.
So how does it work? How can a customer still be on your website but not use your server to process and transmit their payment?
The answer is that Paypal Advanced uses iframes to process the payment.
If you are not technical, an iframe is basically a piece of your website that is hosted somewhere else. So when a customer is checking out from your online store, everything on your webpage will be hosted on your own website except for the credit card form fields.
Below is a screen shot of what the credit card form looks like as hosted on PayPal’s servers.
Everything you see in the box above can not be changed. However with some amount of work, you can often blend the box in with the rest of your website.
Paypal Advanced is not advertised by Paypal much at all and most people don’t know about it. But it costs just $5 per month.
Pros And Cons Of Paypal Advanced Vs Paypal Payments Pro Vs Paypal Checkout
Because a customer is taken off of your site, Paypal Checkout and Paypal Standard are not good solutions for accepting credit cards online.
As a result, your decision comes down to Paypal Pro or Paypal Advanced, both of which carry a monthly fee of $30 and $5 respectively.
But does it make sense to pay $30/month for Paypal Payments Pro when Paypal Advanced is only $5?
Here are some of the disadvantages of Paypal Advanced compared to Paypal Payments Pro.
You can not customize the way the credit card form looks on your site. Because the credit card fields are hosted on Paypal’s servers, you pretty much have to tailor your checkout page around their credit card form to make it look good
Because the credit card fields are hosted on Paypal’s servers, you pretty much have to tailor your checkout page around their credit card form to make it look good You do not have access to a virtual terminal – A virtual terminal allows you to process a credit card payment by hand which is useful when you take orders over the phone or when you have to conduct a special transaction
The biggest advantage of Paypal Advanced is the cost, the fact that you don’t have to worry about PCI compliance and the ability to process credit cards directly on your store without the customer having to leave your website.
Authorize.Net
Authorize.net is the traditional, old school credit card gateway solution that’s been around for decades. If you try to sign up for Authorize.net, you’ll find that there are many different vendors that will quote you wildly different rates.
In fact, it’s like shopping for insurance.
You have to find a provider that you like and then negotiate rates down based on your volume. If you are a brand new store, you’ll likely end up paying $30/month with a rate of 2.9%.
However once you achieve some decent transaction volume, you can push your rates down dramatically to a fixed rate above interchange. This transaction rate is otherwise known as Interchange Plus.
What is Interchange Plus?
The Interchange rate is the cost that your merchant account provider gets charged by VISA and MasterCard.
Interchange Plus means that your merchant account provider will pass through whatever they are getting charged by the interchange plus a markup for their services. This mark-up is charged on a per transaction basis as well as a percentage fee.
As a result, the Interchange Plus transaction rate tends to be much more steady and is in general lower than anything you can get with Paypal and Stripe.
Stripe
Stripe is probably the cheapest and easiest way to get started with your ecommerce store. It is supported by practically every ecommerce platform out there and it carries no monthly fee.
Not only that but you can often get approved in a matter minutes and start processing credit cards immediately!
The major downside to Stripe is that their rates are pretty much non-negotiable until you can consistently process at least $80K/month.
And even once you do achieve those levels, the negotiated rates are often on the order of 2.3% which is still higher than what you can get with Paypal and Authorize.net.
If You Process More Than 50K/Month – The Cheapest Solution Is…
First off, Stripe is never going to be the best deal unless you process a very low volume of $$$ per month. As a result, your best payment processing choice will be either Paypal Advanced, Paypal Pro or Authorize.net.
A typical Authorize.net merchant account and gateway will run you between 20-30 dollars a month. But the big advantage is that Authorize.net will give you a super low transaction rate.
For example, eMerchant, an Authorize.net credit card processor that I recommend, will allow you to process credit cards at a flat rate above interchange once you exceed $10k/month.
The exact rate depends on your volume but if you process over $50K/month, you can expect to pay anywhere between 2.0-2.3% on average in transaction fees for Visa and Mastercard.
The rates for accepting American Express are on the order of 2.5%. Debit cards are the lowest at around.5%.
The reason the rate is a range and not a fixed number is because different rewards cards get charged different rates on the interchange. (The exact reason why is beyond the scope of this post)
As for Paypal, your credit card processing rate at $50K/month would be a fixed 2.2% for Visa/Mastercard and 3.5% for American Express.
Let’s do some math shall we?
eMerchant charges a $30 monthly fee and let’s assume that you can get an average rate of 2.15% for Visa/Mastercard payments.
Paypal Advanced costs $5/month and the difference in monthly cost compared to eMerchant is $25.
Because the credit card processing rate differential is.05%, the breakeven point between Paypal Advanced and eMerchant is $50,000/month.
As a result, eMerchant will be cheaper than Paypal Advanced (and Paypal Pro) at volumes greater than $50,000/month.
However, there are some other factors to consider.
With Authorize.net, you have to get your server scanned on a quarterly basis for PCI compliance. Even though these scans are free, it’s still something extra that you’ll have to deal with.
If you accept a lot of American Express payments, Authorize.net will almost always be cheaper.
The same goes with Visa/Mastercard debit cards. While Paypal still charges 2.2% for a debit card, you will only pay.5% with Authorize.net.
If You Process Between 10K And 50K/Month – The Cheapest Solution Is…
At this volume Stripe is still going to be the most expensive solution since you can’t negotiate rates. As a result, your cheapest solution is either Paypal Advanced/Pro or Authorize.net.
However in the 10-50K/month processing range, the waters are a little murkier because it depends on your ability to negotiate.
Anecdotally, you can negotiate with Paypal on their credit card rates down to 2.2% as soon as you process over 10K/month.
Note: You can never negotiate with Paypal on Paypal processing rates. Only their credit card processing rates are negotiable. Unfortunately, Paypal payments are always a fixed 2.9% regardless of volume.
However with Authorize.net, it’s not as clear cut what you can get. At this volume, I’ve seen quotes from Authorize.net in the range of.4-.6% above interchange which works out to about 2.3%-2.5%.
Your mileage will vary but it implies that Paypal Advanced and Paypal Pro will be cheaper at this volume.
On the other hand, using Paypal has some major drawbacks which I outline in my article below.
Why Paypal Freezes Or Limits Accounts And How To Prevent This From Happening To You
But overall, both Paypal Advanced and Paypal Pro are great options once you process more than $10K/month.
If You Process Less Than 10K/Month – The Cheapest Solution Is…
At credit card processing volumes below 10K/month, your costs will be dominated largely by the fixed monthly processing fee. And because Stripe carries no monthly fees whatsoever, they will tend to be the cheapest.
As a result if you are a brand new ecommerce store, going with Stripe as your primary payment processor is a no brainer.
However, the waters get a little murkier once you start doing around $7500ish/month.
With Authorize.net and Paypal, you can sometimes negotiate the rates down to 2.5% after you exceed $5k in volume.
Now if you do the math, your break even point equation is simply (your monthly fee) / (2.9%-2.5%)
With Paypal Advanced, your break even point is 5/.004 = $1250
With Paypal Pro and Authorize.net (assuming a $30 monthly fee), your break even point is 30/.004 = $7500
Once again, your exact savings depends on your ability to negotiate rates down but Stripe is almost always cheaper if you process below $5/month and remains a good solution up to $10K/month.
Summing It All Up
When it comes to getting the best rate for credit card processing, it depends on your sales volume and your ability to negotiate. But whatever you do, don’t sit there idly and pay a higher rate out of laziness.
Get on the phone and demand a lower rate! After all, you can’t save money unless you ask.
In general, Stripe is the best credit card processor for new online stores because it’s 100% free with zero monthly fees.
But after a certain threshold, both Paypal Advanced, Paypal Pro and Authorize.net become much more economical solutions.
If you are doing high volumes of sales (>$50K), going with Authorize.net will almost always be your cheapest solution. But anything under that volume depends on your ability to find a good deal.
Good luck!
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Have you read these?Recipe for a vegan Basic White Bread. Super soft, very versatile, delicious, quick and easy! You’ll only need 5 simple ingredients. You can use this recipe to make loaves, buns, even pizza crust, and flatbread. No need to buy bread anymore in the supermarket!
I have been making this Basic White Bread literally for years now. It’s the perfect base recipe for all of your bread adventures!
It’s delicious, fluffy and you can easily add special ingredients to it like olives (I love that one for grilling), cumin, sunflower seeds, dried tomatoes…
It is perfect for sandwiches, bruschetta or to make some rolls (like these Seeded Burger Buns or these Pretzel Buns).
Usually, when I make this bread, I double the recipe, make one loaf with part of the dough and some rolls to use as burger buns. You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds, flax seeds or poppy seeds on top!
How to make a Basic White Bread Loaf
The ingredients
You’ll only need 5 simple ingredients for this Basic White Bread:
all-purpose flour (you could also use a mix of spelt or whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour to make it more nutritious and healthier)
active dry yeast
salt
olive oil
water
Sounds easy, right?! Well, it is!
Even if you have never baked your own bread, this is the perfect time for it! This is the perfect bread baking beginner recipe!
Tip: Just keep in mind that the yeast will need time to make the dough rise for about 1-2 hours depending on the room’s temperature (it needs less time in a warmer room e.g. in the summer). A good bread just needs a bit of time. But as long as you keep in mind to start early enough, you will be rewarded with delicious crispy white bread!
The basic steps
Step 1: Combine flour, instant yeast, and salt.
Step 2: Add olive oil and water.
Step 3: Use a kitchen machine with a dough hook (or knead with your hands) to make the bread dough.
Step 4: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in warm spot for 1-2 hours.
Step 5: After 1-2 hours, the dough should have approximately doubled in size.
Step 6: Form a bread loaf and carve the surface with a knife.
Step 7: Bake the bread in the oven until golden brown.
Serve the Basic White Bread with…
How to store bread…
Homemade bread is the best on the day it is baked. Store leftovers at room temperature – a breadbox would be best, or a paper bag or in a container with a not completely closed lid to allow airflow. I like to toast bread slices when I use bread that I have baked the day(s) before.
Versatile Multi-Purpose Bread Dough
What if I told you.. you could make all of this with the basic white bread recipe?! Well.. you can! This bread dough is the perfect base recipe for bread loaves, burger buns, breadsticks, even fluffy naan, and pizza crust! The possibilities are endless!
Bread FAQ
Vegan Bread? Isn’t all bread vegan?
Unfortunately not! Some breads contain milk or honey, sometimes the surface is brushed with egg whites. It’s always good to check the labels for non-vegan ingredients.
Is yeast vegan?
Yeast is classified as a fungus (just like mushrooms) and therefore vegan-friendly. So no worries, you can eat yeast as a vegan!
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe as much as I do! I’d love to hear what you’re making with the basic white bread recipe!
Cheers, Bianca
Basic White Bread You can use this basic white bread recipe for all kinds of breads: bread loaves, burger buns, flatbread, pizza crust, bagels, pretzels,... Anything is possible! 4.43 from 14 votes Print Pin Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Resting Time: 2 hours Total Time: 45 minutes Servings: 1 loaf Calories: 984 kcal Author: Elephantastic Vegan Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cup lukewarm water Instructions In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Then add the olive oil and water and stir to combine, then knead with your hands (or use a kitchen machine with a dough hook) until it comes together in a smooth dough*.
Let it sit, covered with a clean kitchen towel, in a warm spot until it doubles in size (about 1 1/2-2 hours).
Preheat the oven to 200 °C or 400 °F.
Form a bread loaf and carve the surface of the dough lightly with a knife (I've made one long cut across the bread).
Then bake the bread in the oven until the surface is golden**. You can knock on the bottom of the bread and when it sounds hollow it's done! Notes *Adjusting the dough: If the dough is too crumbly, add a bit more water. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour. **Baking times: How long the bread needs to be in the oven depends on the form you're making. Loaves need about 20-30 minutes, rolls 15-20 minutes. : If the dough is too crumbly, add a bit more water. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.How long the bread needs to be in the oven depends on the form you're making. Loaves need about 20-30 minutes, rolls 15-20 minutes. Estimated Nutrition Info Serving: 1 loaf | Calories: 984 kcal | Carbohydrates: 195 g | Protein: 30 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 794 mg | Potassium: 382 mg | Fiber: 9 g | Calcium: 3.8 % | Iron: 65.9 % Tried this recipe? Mention @elephantasticvegan or tag #elephantasticvegan Rate the recipe! A recipe rating helps other users to figure out if they should try a recipe. Please leave a good rating, if you like the recipe!
More delicious Vegan Bread Recipes
This post was first published in July 2014. Updated in February 2019.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help me keep this site up and running!WASHINGTON — Paul Ryan says he can't and won't defend Donald Trump, and that House Republicans can do what's best for them in the remaining weeks of the election.
Ryan spoke to House members on a conference call Monday morning following an intense political weekend, in which many Republicans abandoned their party's nominee. Ryan also said that he would not campaign for or defend Trump in the weeks before the election.
A source on the call said that Rep. Greg Walden — the chair of the House campaign arm — gave a dire warning about polling, and that things were trending negative for House Republicans. They implored members to continue contributing to the NRCC and pay their dues if they wanted to keep the House.
While Ryan initially "didn't say anything about the endorsement,” he later returned to the call to clarify that he was not unendorsing Trump. Several members pushed back on Ryan, furious with him and arguing that House Republicans should be supporting Trump and working to get a Republican in the White House. Several sources said one member charged that Republican leadership was acting "cowardly" though a Republican member on the call believed the comment was directed specifically at Ryan. A source on the call said those who expressed support for Trump were from deeply red states.
"The same people are always upset about everything," one member said.
Another source said Ryan told members that "the high principle here is to protect our majority so if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, she doesn't have a blank check from Congress."
Members were left shellshocked after leaked audio emerged of Trump saying that he grabbed women "by the pussy" and kissed them against their will. Trump’s remarks were almost universally condemned by Republicans, with multiple elected officials calling on him to drop out of the race. Ryan had said he was "sickened" by the remarks.
Trump’s debate performance Sunday night “probably did enough to stop the free-fall with Republicans but not enough to expand his coalition enough to win the presidency,” one Republican congressman explained.
Members worried about their conservative base will likely stick by Trump. Some members who had unendorsed him told BuzzFeed News they were already receiving angry calls from constituents asking why they weren't sticking by the nominee.
"We're upset Trump put us in this position," one member said. "We wish we were all on the same team united against Hillary."A recent shipment of what appears to be Nvidia's upcoming Pascal GPU from Taiwan to Bangalore has revealed some possible information about the chip before its launch later this year.
The shipment information suggests that Nvidia's GP104 Pascal GPU will be 37.5 x 37.5 mm and will feature 2,152 pins. While there's no firm information to confirm such a move, the surprisingly small die size indicates Nvidia will not use high-bandwidth memory (HBM) along with this GPU.
The reason why it appears Nvidia will not use HBM with the GP104 is that a die of this size could not accommodate both a high-performance GPU and the HBM chips, which sit on the same substrate. Instead, current speculation suggests GP104 graphics cards will use GDDR5 or GDDR5X, resulting in less memory bandwidth than a HBM solution.
Meanwhile, the top-end GP100 GPU is expected to come in at 55 x 55mm, which is larger than the Maxwell-based GM200 (seen above). Factoring in a manufacturing process shrink to 16nm, GP100's extra die size will likely be used to accommodate HBM, making it Nvidia's first GPU to use the technology.
Pascal is still several months away, and the information in this latest report is far from concrete, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. However it shouldn't be too long before we get a look at what Nvidia has in store for 2016.The chance for a 5-year-old Beatles' superfan to rock out with Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr was a dream come true for both him and his mother.
Cali Tobias arranged to have her son, King Tobias, meet Starr at a concert in San Jose, California, earlier this month as part of her mission to spend precious time with her kids as she battles cancer.
“I need to make sure I have as many fun memories with my kids as I can while I’m still here,” said Tobias, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer four times over the past 13 years and is now battling ovarian cancer.
At the meeting, King, who has been a fan of the Beatles’ music all of his young life, got to sit at Starr’s drums and play a few beats.
“I picked up the drums and I started playing them,” King said. “Meeting Ringo was like a surprise that mommy made.”
Tobias is continuing her son’s Beatles adventure by taking him to see Paul McCartney perform next month at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, where the Beatles famously played in 1966.
“To see my son’s face light up like that was everything to me because that’s what I want,” Tobias said. “I want these memories with my children.”Stuart Hall was eighty-two when he died last week, but he still had a lot to say. His enthusiastic engagement with “After Neoliberalism? The Kilburn Manifesto” was proof of that. Red Pepper caught him in full flow when we went to interview him and his co-authors, Doreen Massey and Mike Rustin, in the build-up to the manifesto’s launch at the end of last year.
His answer to our first question — how had neoliberalism defied political gravity by using its own financial crisis as a way of entrenching its |
f thought of this whole Skip Christmas Evil,
The more Dr. Clef thought, "I need to stop this upheaval!"
"We can't afford a K-class scenario now!"
"I MUST stop this Christmas Breach from coming! But HOW?"
Then he got an idea! A sexy idea!
DR. CLEF GOT A WONDERFUL, SEXY IDEA!
"I know just what to do!" Dr. Clef smiled in his room.
And he requisitioned a D-class jumpsuit and broom.
And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great fucking sham!"
"With this getup and broom, It'll look like testing as planned!"
"All I need is a helper…" Dr. Clef looked around.
But, since helpers were scarce, there were none to be found.
Did that stop the old Doctor? No! Dr. Clef simply said,
"If I can't find a helper, I'll call a favor instead!"
So he called his friend, Dmitri. And evacuated the base,
Then he armed the Site's nuclear device… just in case.
THEN He took guns and amnestics from the site's armory vault,
Gave some to Dmitri and said, "Blow the site, if I'm caught."
"The nuke's down the hall. That's Plan B if I'm dead."
"Da," said Dmitri, and followed where it led.
And Dr. Clef gave a sigh, and headed on down,
Toward the cell block where Skips Lay asnooze all around.
All their cells were dark. Eerily quiet was the air.
Skips were all dreaming horrific dreams without care.
When he came to the first little cell on the square.
"This is stop number one," the old mirthless Doc hissed,
And he climbed through the vent, amnestic syringe in his fist.
Then he slid down the air ducts. He was actually quite deft.
If the old Grinch could do it, then so could the Clef.
He got stuck only once, for a moment or two.
Then he slithered out of the ventilation chute.
Where peculiar stockings all hung in a row.
"This contraband," he grinned, "are the first things to go!"
Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant,
Around the room, and he took every unauthorized present!
Candy! And Spiders! Tinsel! And Crud!
Still-borns! Ornaments! Mucus! And Blood!
And he stuffed them in trash bags. Then Clef, a bit later,
Stuffed all the bags in the incinerator!
Then he slunk to Control. He locked down the whole block!
Had his dick been anomalous, he'd have locked up his cock!
He closed every bulkhead as quick as a flash.
Why, that Doctor even locked the dumpster for trash!
Then he burned all the contraband with victorious glee.
"And NOW!" grinned Dr. Clef, "I'll lock down SCP-173!"
And Dr. Clef grabbed the keys, and he started to open,
When he heard a small sound like the chill of an omen.
He turned around fast, and he saw a small Skip!
SCP-191 was at the door, who was not more than four.
Dr. Clef had been caught by this anomalous Belle,
Who'd awoke and quite slipped out of her cell.
She stared at Dr. Clef and said, "A D-class, why,
Why are you locking down our Christmas things? WHY?"
But, you know, that old Doctor was so smart and so slick,
He thought of a reply, and he thought it up quick!
"GET THE FUCK! BACK! GET THE FUCKING FUCK BACK!"
Then he brought out his gun and fired a whole lot,
But that Skip was so quick, that it dodged all his shots.
It slashed and it gashed against Dr. Clef's skin,
But that crafty Clef knew she was close enough in,
That he pricked her with the amnestics syringe.
She blinked, for it shocked her,
She stopped as she faltered,
She forgot why she even attacked the poor doctor.
Dr. Clef gave a shove. And he shoved her right in,
Right over the railing into 173's pen.
Then he gathered his keys and locked up containment.
He thought it was quite the clever detainment.
With blood on the floor, he gathered himself,
Keyed up the radio and leaned on the shelf,
"Dmitri come in, I got hurt rather bad.
Be on standby, there's a few more things to be had."
"Da," Said Dimitri, finger on the red button.
Watching the cameras for a signal or somethin'.
It was quarter past dawn… Lockdown was in full effect,
All the Skips still contained, All the locks were all checked!
Packing up his shit, Dr. Clef headed back up,
Back to his office to start to cleanup.
With a crooked smile, he grinned at his work,
He laughed as he limped and he said with a smirk,
"PoohPooh to the Skips!" he was mirthlessly humming.
"They're finding out that no Christmas Breach is coming!
They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
Their maws will hang open a moment or two,
Then the Skips down in Nineteen will all cry BooHooHoo!"
"That's a noise," grinned Dr. Clef, "That I simply MUST hear!"
So he paused. And Dr. Clef put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear was sound that starting to flow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow.
But the sound wasn't mad! Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry! VERY!
He stared down at the cell block! Dr. Clef popped his eyes!
Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Skip down in Nineteen, the tall and the small,
Were singing! Without any breaches at all!
He HADN'T stopped Skip Christmas from coming! IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And Dr. Clef, with his bloodied chest looking low,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
It came without killing! It came without breaches!
It came without blood, destruction or screeches!"
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then Dr. Clef thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Skip Christmas," he thought, "isn't something to lock up."
"Maybe Skip Christmas…perhaps…it's a chance to make up."
And what happened then? Well…in Nineteen they say,
That Dr. Clef's hateful heart melted that day!
After a minute, when his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
He whizzed past the Control Room, undid the locks from last night,
And opened the cells! Let loose all the Skips!
Gave back the contraband he did not burn in his trip!
"Merry Skip-mas!", said bloodied Clef as he came down for hugs.
"Merry Skip-mas!", said the Skips as they hugged back with some snugs.
With tentacles, claws, hands, and [REDACTED]
All grudges on Christmas were simply retracted.
"Wait!" cried Clef as he shook the hand of a spook.
"I should call my friend before he blows up the—"
And then they all died.YouTube A Muslim preacher has been secretly recorded explaining to followers how to receive government assistance they can use to fund a Muslim holy war.
Calling it a "Jihadi Allowance," cleric Anjem Choundary, 45, has four kids, brings in £25,000, or just under $39,000 U.S. in benefits himself, and says that this is the way it is supposed to work according to Islamic law.
Recorded by both the U.K. Sun and Telegraph, Choundary says:
"We are on Jihad Seekers Allowance, we take the Jizya (protection money paid to Muslims by non-Muslims) which is ours anyway.
"The normal situation is to take money from the [non-Muslims] isn't it? So this is the normal situation."
"They give us the money. You work, give us the money. Allah Akbar, we take the money. Hopefully there is no one from the DSS (Department of Social Security) listening."
"Ah, but you see people will say you are not working. But the normal situation is for you to take money from the Kuffar (non-Muslim) So we take Jihad Seeker's Allowance."New Orleans is the nation’s largest and most complete experiment in charter schools. After Hurricane Katrina, the State of Louisiana took control of public schools in New Orleans and launched a nearly complete transformation of a public school system into a system of charter schools. Though there are spots of improvement in the New Orleans charter system, major problems remain.
Many of these problems were on display in New Orleans when the NAACP, which last year called for a moratorium on charter schools until issues of accountability and transparency were addressed, held a community forum in New Orleans on charters. The New Orleans hearing, which can be viewed here, featured outraged students, outraged parents, and dismayed community members reciting a litany of the problems created by the massive change to a charter school system. The single most powerful moment came when a group of students from Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools took the podium and detailed the many ways the system has failed and excluded them from participating in its transformation.
“We really wanted to share what happens in our schools” writes 18 year old Big Sister Love Rush in an article on the challenges the students face. “How the few permanent teachers we have work so hard for us, how so many classes are ran by short term substitutes, how food runs out at meal times, and how we worry if our school’s reputation is good enough to support us in getting into the college or careers we want. We shared how we face two hour commutes to and from school, are forced to experiment with digital learning with systems like Odyssey, are punished for having the wrong color sweater, or how we worry about being able to attend a school that will give us the education we need.”
In summary, the NAACP heard that they charter system remains highly segregated by race and economic status. Students have significantly longer commutes to and from school. The percentage of African American teachers has declined dramatically leaving less experienced teachers who are less likely to be accredited and less likely to remain in the system. The costs of administration have gone up while resources for teaching have declined. Several special select schools have their own admission process which results in racially and economically different student bodies. The top administrator of one K-12 system of three schools is paid over a quarter of a million dollars. Students with disabilities have been ill served. Fraud and mismanagement, which certainly predated the conversion to charter schools, continue to occur. Thousands of students are in below average schools. Students and parents feel disempowered and ignored by the system.
The birthing of the charter system occurred in 2005 when the community was displaced by Katrina. Control of the public school system was taken away from a board which had an elected majority of African American officials and was given to the white majority board of the state system.
Admissions have been dramatically changed. In the new system, there is no longer any right to attend the neighborhood school. 86% no longer attend the school closest to their homes. Siblings do not automatically go to the same school, and no one is guaranteed a spot at their local school. Many families are frustrated by the admission process.
This special admission process has significant racial impact. Most white students in public schools attend selective public schools that administer special tests that students must pass to be enrolled. Tulane University reported the charter system in New Orleans remains highly segregated in much the same way as before Katrina. This seems to be reflective in schools across the country where the charter school movement has been charged with re-segregating public schools. One select New Orleans charter school, Lusher, reported its student body was 53% white, 21% economically disadvantaged and 4% special education in comparison to the overall system which is 7% white, 85% economically disadvantaged and 11% special education.
Another result of eliminating neighborhood schools is New Orleans students now have nearly double the commute and the system is paying $30 million to bus students compared to $18 million before Katrina. Dr. Raynard Sanders notes the elimination of neighborhood schools can be observed in the early morning hours. “We now have thousands of children beginning their school day travel at 6:15 and ending at 5:15 PM, with many students spending hours or more traveling to and from school. This insane strategy puts kids in harms way daily as students cross major thoroughfares in the early morning hours, which resulted in one five year old’s death to date. Despite numerous complaints from parents stating they want neighborhood schools state education officials have ignored their cries and continue this dangerous daily student migration.”
One of the more dramatic and well-documented problems in the changeover to charters is the absence of services for students with disabilities.
The Southern Poverty Law Center sued over disability violations in 2010... The original complaint is here. Children with disabilities had been denied enrollment altogether, forced to attend schools ill-equipped or lacking resources to serve them, and suspended without procedural protections. A third grader with emotional problems was locked in the school closet and similarly a seventh grader expelled for emotional disabilities. After suit was filed it took an additional four years to set up a system to uphold the educational rights of students with disabilities. Now, there is a district-wide consent decree in place overseen by an Independent Monitor who reports to the Court.
Discipline has been an ongoing problem. One charter in 2012-2013 had a suspension rate of 68% meaning over half of the student body was suspended out of school at least once in a school year. In 2017 another charter used handcuffs to restrain a 9 year old boy.
Fraud and mismanagement continue to plague New Orleans under the new system. A detailed 2015 report found systemic financial fraud and mismanagement of millions of dollars in local charter schools. The report documented numerous instances of fraud in charter schools in amounts ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars at ten different schools. These problems resulted from a dramatic underinvestment in oversight, reliance on self-reporting of fraud and mismanagement, insufficient auditing techniques, and understaffed and overworked auditors.
The NAACP was offered hours of painful evidence that the charter system has significant problems with transparency and accountability. These problems led Representative Joseph Bouie of New Orleans, the head of the Louisiana Black Caucus and former Chancellor of Southern University in New Orleans to insist to the NAACP that the experiment of charters schools imposed on the children of New Orleans was similar to the Tuskegee syphilis experiment conducted on African Americans.
No doubt many students are being left behind in the charter school experiment. Thousands of students are attending schools rated C or below. According to a 2016 report on Grades for the public schools in New Orleans: 8 schools received F; 21 received D; 26 received C; 11 received B; 12 received A.
The Stanford Center for Opportunity in Education issued a report on the system in September 2015 which concluded: “Successful reform must also support school improvement in ways that ultimately create a set of schools that are worth choosing, in which every child will choose and be chosen by the schools that meet their needs. That system has not yet been created in New Orleans. Time will tell whether it can be developed. It is likely that acknowledging the realities of the experiences of the most vulnerable children is a necessary first step in that direction.
NOLA reforms have created a set of schools that are highly stratified by race, class and educational advantage; this impacts the assignment to schools and discipline in the schools to which students are assigned. Fully 89 percent of white students and 73 percent of Asian students in New Orleans attend Tier 1 schools. However, only 23.5% of African American students have access to these schools. And whereas 60% of students who are above the poverty line (i.e. those who can pay for their school lunch) attend Tier 1 schools, only 21.5% of students whose family income is low enough to be eligible to receive a free lunch have access to these schools. Not only do Tier 1 schools rank as the best in the city, they consistently rank among the best schools in the state of Louisiana.”
As the New York Times reported in an article titled “The Myth of the New Orleans School Makeover,” “The New Orleans miracle is not all it seems. Louisiana state standards are among the lowest in the nation. The new research also says little about high school performance. And the average composite ACT score for the Recovery School District was just 16.4 in 2014, well below the minimum score required for admission to a four-year public university in Louisiana. There is also growing evidence that the reforms have come at the expense of the city’s most disadvantaged children, who often disappear from school entirely and, thus, are no longer included in the data.”
The students in the system are taking matters in their own hands. As Rethink student leaders write: “Youth lives, voices, and futures are not being valued. A stand for justice needs to be took and the time is now! Youth are the experts and we deserve to be treated like we are… We want curriculum that represent us and people like us. We want input from youth of color on curriculum and teacher trainings. We want educational infrastructure to support youth entrepreneurship, youth cooperatives and business opportunities that support the communities we come from. And we want real youth and community input and veto power on all decisions regarding school openings, closings, leadership, and locations.”The story of a man who was, apparently, super triggered at the sight of an inflatable Viking appears to have come to an end.
This story, as you might expect, comes from Wisconsin. Back in October of last year, a man in Madison named Jacob Justice saw an inflatable Minnesota Vikings mascot in the yard of a man named David Moschel. Upon seeing the mascot, Justice did what absolutely no reasonable human being would do...he went into Moschel’s yard with a box cutter and started knifing the heck out of the inflatable.
Moschel took exception to this, understandably, and wound up getting slashed by Justice. Moschel wound up getting 67 stitches and eight staples in his face as a result of the altercation.
This week, Justice entered a plea of “no contest” to charges of misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct. He faces a maximum sentence of fifteen months on each of the battery charges and six months on the disorderly conduct charge. As a part of the plea agreement that was reached, a felony charge of second-degree reckless injury was dismissed.
The lessons here are simple, folks. If someone has a decoration supporting their football team in their yard...yes, even if it’s something that supports the Bears or the Packers or whoever...don’t go into their yard and mess with it or anything. And if someone decides to mess with your stuff, call law enforcement. We don’t need to hear anything about any of our readers or any other Vikings fans taking a box cutter to the face...or significantly worse.Former head of the Central Intelligence Agency James Woolsey testifies before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during a hearing on intelligence reform on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 20, 2004. REUTERS/Mannie Garcia MG
(Corrects this Nov. 14 to clarify details of Bolton's recess appointment, paragraph 8.)
By Warren Strobel and John Walcott
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite his professed opposition to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, President-elect Donald Trump is considering several of the major advocates of that war for top national security posts in his administration, according to Republican officials.
Among those who could find places on Trump's team are former top State Department official John Bolton and ex-CIA Director James Woolsey. Both men championed the Iraq invasion, which many analysts have called one of the major U.S. foreign policy debacles of modern times.
Also involved in transition planning for Trump's presidency is Frederick Fleitz, a top aide to Bolton who earlier worked at the CIA unit that validated much of the flawed intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs.
Although it is impossible to predict how a Trump foreign policy might evolve, one U.S. official who has served in Iraq said advocates of the 2003 invasion might be more inclined to commit additional U.S. forces to the fight against Islamic State there, despite the absence of a status of forces agreement that protects Americans from Iraqi legal action.
Paul Pillar, the top U.S. intelligence official for the Near East from 2000 to 2005, said that because Trump had little foreign policy experience and had given conflicting accounts of what policies he would pursue, the Republican president-elect's senior personnel appointments would be crucial.
"What we're seeing going on - and we should be worried about it - is a new president who on so many foreign policy issues has been all over the map," said Pillar, now at Georgetown University. "Thus, the senior appointments game that we go through every four years has more consequences than it usually does."
Bolton, who is under consideration as Trump's secretary of state, the officials said, and Woolsey, reported to be in the running for U.S. director of national intelligence, did not respond to requests for comment. The Trump transition team also did not immediately respond when asked for comment.Even if Bolton is nominated, Senate confirmation is not a foregone conclusion. In 2005, Senate Democrats - with the support of a single Republican – blocked a vote to confirm him as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He was appointed to that post by Republican President George W. Bush while the Senate was in recess.
NEOCONSERVATIVE REVIVAL?
Fleitz, in a brief phone conversation, confirmed he was involved in Trump's transition effort, but declined further comment.
A return to power for the three officials would represent a change of fortune for them and other "neoconservatives" who provided the intellectual backing for the invasion of Iraq. During the presidential campaign, some leading neoconservatives and Republican foreign policy veterans opposed Trump, saying he was unfit to lead.
The group saw its clout wane in Bush's second term, as U.S. troops in Iraq found themselves mired in a sectarian civil war, and has watched from the sidelines during Democratic President Barack Obama's eight years in power.
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has said he opposed the invasion of Iraq, in which more than 4,000 U.S. troops and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died, and which led to the creation of al Qaeda in Iraq, the forerunner to the violent, ultra-hardline Islamic State group.
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction and ties to al Qaeda, used to justify the invasion, proved to be nonexistent.
"As you know, for years I've been saying: 'Don't go into Iraq.' They went into Iraq. They destabilized the Middle East. It was a big mistake," Trump said in August 2015 on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.
His account that he always opposed the war was challenged during the campaign by Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who cited a 2002 interview Trump gave to radio host Howard Stern in which he replied: "Yeah I guess so" when asked if he supported invading Iraq.
Consideration of Bolton, Woolsey and others is "another demonstration of how those who supported one of the biggest mistakes in American foreign policy have not been - they don't seem to be sufficiently discredited to be removed from the Washington foreign policy dialogue," Pillar said.
(Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball, Arshad Mohammed, Jonathan Landay and Doina Chiacu; editing by Yara Bayoumy and Peter Cooney)Although it was founded in 2010, issue 4 has only just come out and this time around it's a collection of comics, artworks and investigations into historical counterculture commissioned around the theme of "Europe and its possible futures" - one that's taken on a heightened political relevance in light of the refugee crisis, the Greek debt crisis, and the rise of Jeremy Corbyn. So amongst its many pages you'll find a parody newspaper from conceptual artist Amalia Ulman about Carla Bruni, Nicolas Sarkozy and breakfast croissants; a bittersweet story from comic artist Roope Eronen about a punk cyborg from future Helsinki; posters exhorting us to "sterilise the one %" and "protect Europe with poison spiders"; an essay remembering 70s radical inflatable-art community Action Space; even a selection of colliery commemorative plates celebrating mineworkers' unions.
Hugh Frost and Leon Sadler make Mould Map, and following is what they've learnt about cartoons and European politics along the way.
What is Mould Map exactly?
Hugh: The latest book is pretty explicitly about European social and political ideas, but that's a first. It was what we wanted to focus on this time, using European artists to mix a type of reportage and narrative art in a more specific way. The first book was inspired by 60s UFO-slash-Roswell zine culture, the second was an attempt to make a book positioned out of time by blending ancient and futuristic aesthetics, book 3 was about network technologies and post-humanism. Even the latest Euro political collection is heavily sci-fi and design fiction [the use of narrative to explore possible futures for society and technology] based. I think they always will be somehow.
Leon: I think that when they started those sci-fi mags in the 70s, things like Métal Hurlant [French comics anthology] or 2000 AD, they were really finding new and proggy ideas and visuals that reflected the time they were made, and we are trying to make our idea of a weird science-fiction collection in the present day. It's a book of comics and art for people who are interested in that old stuff as well as new things.
Why did you decide to start?
Hugh: As a way to bring together the work we were interested in from a really interesting scene in print and online (predominantly coming from the US), also to package and frame it in a clean way for another audience who maybe weren't interested in traditional comics or had a misconception of what comics were or could be.
Leon: We want to make books where we carefully and slowly think about what happens by putting certain artists' work next to each other, how the works balance or disrupt each other you know... I think initially we wanted to just make a really tight collection of sci-fi comics and art, it's expanded since then, but that's the core of each book.
A lot of the artists come from a DIY background so we are also quite fanboy about it, dreaming about how their work will look printed in a fancy way. And I think we are also quite contrary obnoxious people and are driven to make books in opposition to the ones we hate.
Issue 4 is something of a departure because of its explicitly political content. What exactly was its theme?
Hugh: The first rough outline was that the book would look at forms of cultural activism with a focus on speculative fiction - literary, graphic, and cinematic. Stories as tools for opening up new possibilities. Potential near-now worlds beyond manifesto-pledge rhetoric. More specifically, thinking about automation and citizens' income. Basically wondering if our social systems are going to evolve at pace with production and financial technology, or if tech developments will only entrench existing inequality or even make it worse. And picking up on recent health-goth moods as an ambient background question about the place of the majority in a potential coming split of the species into regular meat-bags and tech-augmented ubermensch and so on. Also drawing links between classic sci-fi dystopias and current possible legislation such as TTIP [the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a series of trade negotiations that has been described by War on Want as 'an assault on European and US societies by transnational corporations'] - basically if we want to end up in some Elysium [the Neill Blomkamp film] or Mega-City One [from the Judge Dredd comics] situation the quickest way to get there would be by giving foreign financial interests the ability to sue governments for damaging profits by protecting citizens. Where is the bleed between sci-fi nightmare and the political economics of today?
But this proved to be too defined and limiting a brief and in the end the simple text artists were asked to respond to was: 'KEYS TALK NARROW / Mould Map 4 / Eurozone Spezial. Uncertainty. Money. Technology. Ecology. Tragi-Comedy. A book about Europe and its possible futures.'
Leon: The packaging of the book is the most overtly political bit. Inside, the artists engage with things at all kinds of levels. Patrick Crotty has made a comic about his perpetual intern character and his daily struggles. The script for my comic is just a job application that I wrote, and then tweaked it to make it more horrible.
There's always a fear of being preachy, but I can say we aren't afraid to say simple obvious things. When you've got an important thing to say I think it's better to have it visible straight away, and have some more subtle ideas inside it that can present themselves when you read it the second time. I think we are both very influenced by Neill Blomkamp and the way he makes such direct chunky statements, it's such a free and expressive spirit.
Think of Mould Map as a bit of propaganda too, entertainment and brainwashing go hand-in-hand so we also have to consider that!
Most of my artist friends are against taking a clear political stance in their art, but this appears to be less of a worry in your book.
Leon: It's okay, the people in Mould Map are cartoonists and anarchists (even if they don't wear the badges) who also happen to make art too so it makes sense for them to do this stuff. Traditionally, cartooning has always been the art form closest to political discourse, the form is such a natural fit. If you look at it from that angle, Mould Map is quite a traditional book, it's just that it also has some non-comics crammed in there too as a way of building an atmosphere and a wider conversation.
Hugh: I think the most important thing is to'stay with the problem' - to be specific. So these stories reflect the real world of covert trade deals and corporate lobbying, anti-street-sleeping spikes, stress-induced colouring-in book sales, Trident renewal, management language, Golden Dawn, surveillance and so on. So to varying extents the work acts as visual journalism. Sometimes as straight reportage diary comics like Grace Wilson, but also in the trippy, balloon tweaked streetscapes of Gilbert & George.
About art - Herbert Read described art history as a series of changing symbols for reality. All this stuff is our reality and this is how we are processing it.
How important is humour to this process?
Leon: Humour diffuses the annoying preachy tone, it humanises your message, it's satisfying, it's perfect! If you think of British comedy like Little Britain, The League of Gentleman, The Day Today, Da Ali G Show, it's incredibly entertaining but the political subtext is also right there at the surface, and that kind of propaganda is undeniable, it's powerful stuff. I only recently realised that my political outlook is shaped by the British comedy I watched growing up. For me I always seek out art that is funny but also has that cheeky, angry kind of feeling about the world that I share.
Having now finished the issue, what changes would you most like to see in Europe to ensure a brighter future?
Hugh: A reassessment of European priorities, putting health, housing, education, sustainability, humanitarian responsibility, equality and culture over abstractions of growth.
Leon: Hmm, god I don't know, how do you make people more kindhearted? It seems like the most important thing!
mouldmap.com
Credits
Text Dean Kissick
Images courtesyRepublican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called on Bill Gates and other technology figureheads to "close up" the internet. Trump believes this would help prevent Islamic State (Isis) from recruiting Americans.
Speaking at a campaign rally at the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier in South Carolina on 7 December, Trump said he believed that "closing that internet up in some ways" would prevent acts of domestic terrorism in the US. During the same speech, Trump demanded that the US shut its borders to all Muslims.
Trump said: "We're losing a lot of people because of the internet. We have to see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what's happening. We have to talk to them about, maybe in certain cases, closing that internet up in some ways. Somebody will say, 'Oh freedom of speech, freedom of speech.' These are foolish people."
It is not clear if Trump wants to censor the internet, clamp down on websites and communication networks run by IS (Daesh), or if he lacks a basic understanding of how the internet works. Trump's vision for a closed internet went down well with the crowd of 500 supporters, who cheered him on.
Later in the day, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos tweeted to suggest that he send Trump into space on the company's Blue Origin rocket, presumably with a one-way ticket. Trump had earlier criticised Bezos's ownership of the Washington Post newspaper, claiming he bought it "for purposes of keeping taxes down at his no profit company, Amazon"."I've met Idris Elba," says June Squibb, an edge of giddiness in her voice. "I've met Lupita [Nyong'o] and now we're friends. She's so sweet, a darling girl. I went up to her at a party and said: 'I'm June Squibb and we're in this together so I thought I should introduce myself.' Julia Roberts came and introduced herself to me – she's up for supporting this time around for Osage County." The day before we meet, Squibb went to the nominees' lunch. "All 270 of us got our picture taken together. I was right by Steve McQueen!"
Squibb, 84, but feeling like a first-timer, is nominated for best supporting actress this year for her diamond-sharp role in Alexander Payne's melancholy road movie Nebraska. She's Kate, the abrasive wife of Bruce Dern's forgetful wanderer Woody Grant, who is driving cross country in search of an elusive million-dollar prize. Kate is what they used to call a doughty plains-woman, a squat, waddling fireplug of a grandma too old to care what comes out of her mouth or whom it offends. In a characteristic moment she stands with Woody over his dead sister's grave and carps in her piercing, querulous tone: "Oh, she was such a whore!" She's a chaotic, deliciously annoying life-force in the movie, forever chivvying along her wayward husband and her two glum sons (Will Forte and Bob Odenkirk). Elsewhere, recently, Squibb – perhaps proving there are better opportunities, to say nothing of a thinner field, for female actors over 80 than for those over 40 – has played Hannah's dying grandma in Girls and, in the HBO adaptation of Getting On, a surprisingly knockabout physical performance as a nasty, racist old redneck off her meds, given to puking into nurses' cleavages and screaming: "I'm from Bakersfield and I want my fucking dinner!"
That is decidedly not the lady I meet today. Squibb glides into the room with a svelte grace no doubt engrained by years spent singing and dancing in 1950s musical theatre. She is dressed rather regally in black, with elegant no-frame glasses, her white hair fluffed into a fuller bob than the tragic skullcap hairdo she gave Kate. And the voice is much softer and sweeter, uncannily like Ellen Burstyn's, with a tinkling laugh that rises to a little gurgle when talk turns risque or gossipy.
Nebraska is the second time that Squibb has been called on by Alexander Payne to play the wife of an ageing screen legend. Twelve years ago, it was her character's death early in Payne's About Schmidt that propelled Jack Nicholson on his improbable odyssey in that movie. Years later the call came again: "Alex called me up and said I gave you one icon in Jack Nicholson and now I'm giving you another in Bruce Dern," she laughs. "And somewhere in between I was in Welcome to Mooseport, which turned out to be Gene Hackman's last movie before he retired."
I ask her about working with Dern, an actors' actor for half a century, and also a respected teacher of acting. His performance is a miracle of concealment and non-revelation that seems to force the other actors all to reach toward him. "I think that actually Bruce and I work very much alike," she says. "His background is very much Actors' Studio, and I worked with three teachers, two of whom were very much of that group, and then my husband [the late acting teacher] Charles Kakatsakis. So to some degree we were always going to work well with each other. You work with what is there in front of you and if he's pulling away from me, then I either have to go after him or stay put. And then when shooting's done Bruce turns right back into himself. He can be wicked. His sense of humour is really wild and he teases me all the time."
The newcomer on set was Will Forte, the Saturday Night Live regular who has publicly wondered how on earth he ended up in the company of these "real actors". She laughs. "He wasn't nervous on set, but, especially when it was the three of us, Bruce, myself and Will, he'd keep saying, 'What am I doing here with you two? I mean, just look at you guys!' And Bruce and I would let that go on for a while and then say, 'OK, now you can relax and be quiet now, kid.' And we'd pat his little head! But whatever Alex thought he saw in Will, Will more than acquitted himself – and the whole movie turns around him and Bruce together, so you know he got it done."
For a player of her vintage, June Squibb may have a fairly short movie and TV career, her first film having been Woody Allen's Alice in 1990, but she is a true showbiz lifer, a greasepaint gal from way back. In her depression-era hometown of Vandalia in rural Illinois, where she was born a month after the Wall Street crash, she knew she was a bit different. "It was a small midwestern town in south |
TR), Prescott (KDDL/KQNA), Safford (KATO) and Sedona (KAZM).
The Coyotes will open the preseason on Sunday, September 15 versus the Los Angeles Kings. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Jobing.com Arena. The game can be heard on Arizona Sports 620. The Coyotes home and season opener on Thursday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. versus the New York Rangers will also be broadcast on Arizona Sports 620. For more information regarding tickets, please call 480-563-PUCK (7825) or visit PhoenixCoyotes.com.
The entire 2014 Phoenix Coyotes schedule can be found here.
Follow @AZSportsMicrosoft this week released an update for Windows 7 (KB3112343) and Windows 8.1 (KB3112336) that aims to make the Windows 10 upgrade process “a smoother experience.” As first spotted by WinBeta, the update improves Windows Update in Microsoft’s latest client and server operating systems, though the description hints that the real motive is to get more users onto Windows 10.
“This update enables support for additional upgrade scenarios from Windows 7/8.1 to Windows 10, and provides a smoother experience when you have to retry an operating system upgrade because of certain failure conditions,” the update’s description reads. “This update also improves the ability of Microsoft to monitor the quality of the upgrade experience.”
We have contacted Microsoft for more information about the “additional upgrade scenarios” that have apparently been added. As for making it easier to retry the upgrade, it’s clear Microsoft wants to avoid turning users off from getting Windows 10 just because of technical reasons.
After four months of availability, Windows 10 has only managed to grab 9 percent market share. To be clear, this number is nothing to scoff at, but adoption has slowed much more after the first month than Microsoft probably expected.
In October, Windows 10 passed 110 million devices. While we don’t have a more recent figure yet, Microsoft is aiming to have 1 billion devices running Windows 10 “in two to three years” — though that includes not just PCs, but smartphones, consoles, and other devices as well.
In the hopes of countering the upgrade slowdown, Microsoft has announced a Baidu partnership to push Windows 10 in China, though the results from that effort have yet to trickle in. At the same time, Microsoft plans to make Windows 10 a “recommended update” next year, which would make Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users more likely to install it.
It makes sense that Microsoft is trying to improve the actual Windows 10 upgrade process before the company starts pushing the upgrade even harder in 2016.Demand for farm land is so great in Hawai‘i, Aloun Farms is trying to speed up its sale of acres in Central Oahu. Pacific Business news editor in chief A. Kam Napier, has more.
Things seem to be happening quite quickly for Aloun Farms. In late April, it put 18 fee-simple farm lots on the market in a development called Helemano Ranch & Farms, near Dole Plantation. This was meant to be the first phase of ag development, with 17 more lots to go on sale later. But so far, Aloun Farms has found 23 potential buyers, including multiple offers on some parcels. Interest in the land is running so high, Aloun has gone to the state Real Estate Commission for approval to put all 35 lots on the market in an agricultural condo regime. Alec Sou, of Aloun Farms, hopes to have that permission by late summer.
Of course, this rapid movement on the lots was a long-time coming. Aloun Farms started out on this project by leasing the combined 488 acres of former pineapple lands for six years. During that time, it spent $4 million on clearing the land, amending the soil, installing irrigation and rotating through such crops as pumpkin, zucchini and cabbage.
Last year, it purchased these 488 acres from Dole Food Company for $12 million. The lots it is now putting on the market range in size from about 10 to 18 acres, priced from $75,000 to $110,000 per acre. Some the lots have been fallow long enough to qualify as organic.
Aloun Farms will continue to invest in the project, expecting to spend about $10 million to build a 35,000-square-foot post-harvest cooling facility for the future farmers of Helemano Ranch. Sou tells PBN that about half of the interested buyers are existing farmers within the state, and are looking to grow such crops as mushrooms, coffee, tea and cacao beans for chocolate.The street was fairly silent, a birds chirp the loudest sound present. A perfectly peaceful area with houses neatly kept in shape and rock walls separating each. In a house near the end of the street a new family had moved in, a kind and very pretty woman and her husband and their two children. Everyone on the street had welcomed the Myrik's with open arms. Although the family was fairly strange, the strangest being the two children, the twins, Jack and Jackie.
The first to wake up this morning was Jack, his alarm clock blaring incessant beeps until he finally just turned it off. He got up and walked into the bathroom that was a joined part of his room and looked in the mirror. The image he got was nothing shy of hilarious. His hair sticking up at odd angles, his bangs pushed out of the way exposing his left eye, a track of dried drool running down his chin. After a quick laugh Jack turned on the shower and hopped in just letting the warm water wash down his face.
Meanwhile, in the room across the hall Jackie was slowly waking up, her internal alarm clock trusted more than a noisy alarm like her brother had. She quickly got up and walked into her bathroom, not even bothering to look in the mirror knowing how horrible she looked in the mornings. Jackie simply turned on the shower hopping in and cleaning herself quickly in the cold water.
Jack had finally finished his shower, grabbing a towel and scrubbing at his hair furiously to dry it off. He wrapped the towel around his waist and moved back into his room to grab a set of clothes. He went for his usual gray striped shirt and black cargo pants, his favorite clothes. He headed back into the bathroom and brushed out his hair making certain that it was straight and covering his left eye, not wanting to accidentally expose it for everyone to see.
Jackie had finished her shower about 5 minutes after she'd gotten in. She was already dressed in her favorite outfit, a gray striped shirt, same as her brothers only the stripes were reversed on hers, and a pair of daisy dukes. She was currently styling her hair in its usual spikes, her bangs brushed down covering her right eye making certain that it was well hidden.
o.o.o
Jack and Jackie now sat at the breakfast table looking like mirror opposites as they ate their pancakes with syrup and toast. Their mom, Sarah, standing by the counter cleaning up. "JJ come on its time to go, don't want to be late for your first day of school now." Sarah said, her little way of talking to them like they were one person not entirely out of place because she rarely ever saw them not practically glued at the hip.
"Mom it's still 6:30 school doesn't even start until 8:45." Both Jack and Jackie said at the same time.
"But JJ, if you go now you can look around the school and maybe even meet a couple of friends." She stated cheerily reaching for her car keys and walking to the garage to start up the car.
Jack and Jackie look at each other annoyed. But in unison they stand up and place their dishes in the sink grab their bags and head outside. Jackie yelling out shotgun and snagging the front seat while her brother, begrudgingly, took the backseat. Sarah laughing as she started up the car and set off taking her twins to their new school.This is an extract from the introduction to “Slumming It: The Tourist Valorization of Urban Poverty”, published by Zed Books.
In 2014, over one million tourists visited a township, a favela, a barrio or a slum in some part of the world. By far the largest number visit South Africa’s townships, where, since the end of apartheid, slum tourism has become a mass tourist activity. Rio’s favelas and one large slum in Mumbai, Dharavi, also receive significant numbers of visitors.
In a variety of locations around the world, slum tourism is now emerging as a niche form of tourism. Slum tourism takes place largely as three- to four-hour guided tours, but recent years have shown a remarkable diversification of tourism activities. Slum tourism takes place in vans and jeeps, but also as walking tours or on bikes.
Beyond touring the slum, tourists today find accommodation in slums, and visit restaurants, bars, concert venues, markets or festivals. In Johannesburg, South Africa, it is possible to bungee-jump from the cooling towers of a disused power plant, overlooking the large cluster of townships that is Soweto.
Much of this recent trend in tourism emerged in South Africa and in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1990s. As a form of tourism, it has spread from these two destinations, inspiring new destinations to provide similar offers.
The first slum tours in India, founded in 2006 in Dharavi, Mumbai, as Reality Tour and Travel (RTT), were conceived when one of the founders visited Rio and took part in a tour there. In the meantime RTT has expanded to Delhi; has supported the set-up of slum tours in Manila, Philippines; and, importantly, inspired a numberof competitors in Dharavi.
In the countries neighbouring South Africa, including Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe, township and slum tours have emerged, building on the success of tours in Cape Town and Johannesburg. In Latin America, barrios have become tourist destinations in a number of cities, following the model of favela tourism in Rio de Janeiro.
Tourist interest in slums has influenced policy-makers. In South Africa policy has attempted to use the tourism income streams for the cherished “broad- based black economic empowerment”, attempting to make the tourism industry more beneficial for the country’s black and often relatively poor majority. In Rio de Janeiro, favela tourism has been embraced and supported by policy in attempts to “pacify” and normalise favelas and to create employment and income opportunities.
In Medellín, Colombia, the city government improved the transport infrastructure of Medellín’s barrios by constructing cable cars that provide access to the city. They also aimed at and succeeded in bringing tourists to the barrios, encouraged by building landmark architecture on the high platforms of the cable car. Tourists have since flocked into the barrios, very much as in Rio, where now two of these cable cars exist and double as resident and tourist modes of transport.
Slum tourism might be expanding today on a global scale, but it is not a new phenomenon. In Victorian London rich West Enders regularly visited the poor, slum-like East End. Areas and boroughs like Hackney, Shoreditch and Hoxton offered illicit consumption and entertainment, be it drugs, prostitution or gambling. But they also formed the object of a concerned public gaze that lamented moral deprivation, lack of hygiene and social injustice projected onto and reflected in the London slums.
To Victorian slummers, the visits to the East End were spurred by curiosity, political agitation and charitable engagement – a fashion they carried to New York City, where immigrant slums, like the legendary Five Points, formed much of what is today midtown Manhattan. Slumming in New York expanded in the early to mid twentieth century as Harlem became fashionable for urbanites seeking the latest underground music, access to drugs otherwise prohibited, and an atmosphere of hedonism and urban inclusivity. Much of today’s slum tourism was prefigured in these earlier examples, but there are also a number of differences, in terms of both scale and reach, but also with regard to the broader role of tourism in society.
Rather than prompting broader inquiry, the curious phenomenon of slum tourism elicits strong opinions in the main. When I have discussed this book and my more general research interest in slum tourism, many people have asked me whether I think slum tourism is a good or a bad thing.
A French family take a tour of Rio's Rocinha favela. Image: Getty.
Academics like sitting on the fence, but it is often helpful to critically think about the possible answers before trying to give a verdict. Quite a few observers tend to reject slum tourism outright as degrading and voyeuristic, and this is instinctively understandable. In a world that is characterised by increasing inequality, and which has been described famously as a “planet of slums” by Mike Davis, it might seem the pinnacle of cynicism when slums become tourist attractions.
Tourism and slums, whose very name evokes associations of darkness, dirt and dread, seem to form an unsavoury contrast. Tourists, according to the common understanding, are travelling voluntarily, exercising a freedom that results to a large extent from their relative material wealth. To be wealthy and visit slums, to go slumming just for the thrill: this notion of slum tourism provokes moral outrage.
But for a critical analysis of slum tourism, moral outrage over the practice is not sufficient. A more neutral observer could ask: So what? Tourists do all sorts of things. If they also visit slums, why does that matter?
From this perspective slum tourism matters first because it provides an empirical prism that allows one to reflect on the “social question” and how it is answered. Arguably, slum tourism and some other associated forms of Tourism also relate to the social question, insofar as they point to an interest, perhaps an unease, about poverty among those who are better off. Slums, and the associated poverty and inequality, are issues that tourists seem to feel some need to deal with. In this sense slum tourism is one of the many empirical domains, the cultural and symbolic practices, that attempt to come to terms with poverty and inequality.
If slum tourism is seen as a cultural practice in which the social question is posited and addressed, then moral outrage over its practice becomes more dubious. The representations of poverty in different domains, while often criticised, are rarely rejected as voyeuristic and cynical tout court.
If tourism is understood as a discursive field in which the social question is negotiated, it potentially creates political spaces to develop responses to the social question. In opposition to what has been described as literary slumming, literal slumming even increases the political potential because it enables encounters, takes place in contact zones and affects material cultures and the creation of infrastructures.
Slum tourism thus matters because it is an empirical domain in which the social question is posited, negotiated and sometimes addressed. It can thus be understood as an indicator of how the social question is addressed in particular historical periods.
Dr Fabian Frenze is lecturer in political economy at the University of Leicester.President Donald Trump may be able to ban transgender troops from the military, but they will still be welcome at the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin.
In response to Trump's announcement of the ban on Twitter on Wednesday, Shulkin said in an interview with 77WABC Radio, "Once a person signs up to defend our country, they have to know that the VA is there and committed to them through the end of their life."
"So that's not going to change; our commitment is there forever," he said, adding that the commitment will continue to apply to transgender veterans.
"I don't see this as a major complication for us," Shulkin said of the possibility of handling an influx of thousands of transgender troops who could be forced out of the military.
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"I think that it's important that veterans know that the VA is a safe place to get their care, that we value and respect the dignity of all our veterans, and we are not going to change our commitment or our mission to any veteran who chooses to get their services in the VA," he said.
"Any veteran that is discharged from service -- we will honor our responsibility to caring for them, so if there is an influx of veterans, that's something that we're used to seeing," said Shulkin, who acknowledged being blindsided by Trump's announcement.
In a series of Tweets on Wednesday, Trump said that the U.S. "will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military." The president said he was acting after consulting with "my generals and military experts," although it was not immediately clear who they were.
The announcement appeared to come as a surprise to the Defense Department, which had been working up a long-term plan on the recruitment and retention of transgender individuals.
Shulkin said he also did not receive a head's up from the White House.
"I was not aware of the decision that was going to be announced," said Shulkin, the only holdover from the administration of former President Barack Obama in Trump's Cabinet.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who earlier this month ordered a six-month review on transgender recruitment and retention, reportedly was on vacation when Trump began his early morning Tweets on the issue.
Pentagon reporters seeking reaction were told to call the White House. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, later issued a statement:
"We will continue to work closely with the White House to address the new guidance provided by the commander-in-chief on transgender individuals serving in the military. We will provide revised guidance to the department in the near future."
Acting Army Secretary Robert Speer also appeared to be out of the loop on Trump's transgender announcement. At an Association of the U.S. Army event, Speer said he was clueless on where the White House was "going with the policy" on transgender troops.
"I don't have my cell phone, so I'm not checking Twitter," he said with a chuckle. "To be tongue and cheek, Twitter is not a policy.
"I do know that we were encouraging the current SecDef to review the accessions policy on transgender, which he was doing, and that review and analysis was not done," Speer said.
"And that's the latest guidance, so I'm not going to get in between where the president or the SecDef is right now on where they are going on a future policy," he said.
In a statement Wednesday, Rep. Tom Rice, R-South Carolina, echoed the previous complaints of a number of Republican lawmakers that the military should not pay for the sexual reassignment surgeries of transgender troops.
"Military guidelines on the sex of its personnel, like all of its guidelines, should be designed to produce the most effective fighting force to defend our country -- period," he said.
"I leave it to the president and people in charge of the military how best to define that goal. However, I strongly oppose the obligation of the government to fund procedures for sexual reassignment or any other elected surgery," Rice said.
Defense Department officials have said that there are as many as 250 service members in the process of transitioning to their preferred genders or who have been approved to formally change gender within the Pentagon's personnel system.
The advocacy group Human Rights Campaign has estimated that there are about 15,500 transgender troops currently serving.
A Rand Corp. study commissioned by the Pentagon estimated that there are between 2,500 and 7,000 transgender service members on active duty, and an additional 1,500 to 4,000 in the Reserves and National Guard.
-- Matthew Cox contributed to this report.
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at [email protected] you played MLS Fantasy last season, you're probably familiar with the term "caparoo" – a peculiarity in the system that allowed fantasy managers to control which subs were used and who got the captain's armband after some of the players on their team had already played.
With the elimination of automatic subs and vice-captains this season, in part to eliminate the caparoo, this trick has fallen by the wayside. But with every new season comes new opportunities, and leave it to our friends at Reddit to come up with this year's secret move.
Some may call it cheating. Others might file it under working the system. I like to think of it as a money-making scheme (you can see the players whose prices have risen the most this season above). Totally legal, sure, but there seems to be a tad bit of collusion involved, too.
As most of you know already, Round 11 offers fantasy managers unlimited transfers. And since Round 10 has already begun, you've been allowed to tweak your lineup for next week endlessly since Wednesday.
Here's how the ploy works...
A player can rise in value $0.1m per day and $0.3m maximum per round. Since the sell price is 50 percent of a player's purchase price, you can buy a player for $4.0m, watch him increase $0.3m in a matter of days and then dump him – accumulating a $0.1m profit.
It may not sound like a lot at first, but if you apply this tactic to several players over the course of weeks, minimal investments could potentially result in serious gains. But keep in mind that with limited spots available in your lineup, and players from all over being added by others, you'll want to be very careful about which players you choose to transfer in and which players you don't.
For this money-making opportunity to work, you have to realize the difference between a player like Benny Feilhaber, who you'll be counting on to score you points next round, and a player like George Fochive, who is strictly there for investment purposes only.
Both players have already increased in value $0.1m this week, but they are not the same. Fochive's value will increase, but he is disposable. Fantasy owners can do what they want with him and let him go without any love lost.
Benny's value will increase, thus making it more expensive for people selecting him days from now in preparation for Sporting KC's double-game week in Round 11. At the same time, he's not disposable. If you picked him up for $8.0m and you sell him next round (after his DGW) for $8.1m, it could cost you anywhere from $8.3-$8.6m to bring him back in for SKC's DGW in Round 13.
Most fantasy owners have gotten the hang of it by now and are racing to come up with a gameplan for the next few days. Some of you need a little refresher. That's okay. All you need to do is bookmark these two pages – Price Rise (Round) and Transfers IN (Round) – and check on them periodically.
If you notice that a player is being transferred in by a lot of people, add them to your team. Remember, you have unlimited transfers this round. You can move guys around between now and the Round 11 deadline – May 14 at 8:15 pm ET.
Don't let this opportunity pass you by. You have five days to make some coin. Get to work!News / Magazine
A quick-fire summary of Shoshana Zuboff's initial statement, which kicked off Saturday afternoon's panel 'Reality is the Next Big Thing'. >> mehr
Regina Joschika, a campaigner for fair working conditions in the global computer industry, presents her work during Saturday's session on Fair & Open IT. >> mehr
David Charles writes from the Elevate awards show, revealing the winners and the reason why we all love each other. >> mehr
David Charles blogs about the events of the Elevate Festival. This is his review of friday's panel discussion "Creative Response/Ability" and the film "Let Fury Have The Hour". >> mehr
David Charles blogs about the events of the Elevate Festival. This is his review of Friday's workshop with John Holloway. >> mehr
Michel Bauwens, director of the P2P Foundation outlines an ideal structure for a commons economy in Saturday's morning workshop. >> mehr
Elevate-Interview: Mona Bricke Als Elevate-Team stellten wir unseren Gästen vorab Fragen zu wichtigen Themen des diesjährigen Diskursprogramms. Hier die Antworten der Berliner Energie- und Klimaaktivistin Mona Bricke. >> mehr Elevate News, Diskurs Blog
Hyperdub 10 - Die Macht der Bässe Zum zehnten Geburtstag seines Labels Hyperdub kuratiert Steve Goodman alias Kode9 bereits zum zweiten Mal eine Bühne im Dom im Berg.>> mehr Music + Arts, musik_buehnen, Elevate NewsAbout
The Buzz
So far, 2016 has been an incredible ride. With the launch of our second deck back in April, we were lucky enough to be able to travel to Cardistry-Con in Berlin. We've all been seeing Joker and the Thief slowly expand over the last 2 years and it's extremely exciting to see. This year has brought opportunity in the form of market days, magazine features, features from larger companies, and even being invited to events to deliver speeches. This is all thanks to you, our backers, our family, our supporting team! We're striving towards something great and Dystopia is the next step. Let's take it together!
- James (Founder)
Welcome to the campaign page for Joker and the Thief: Dystopia Playing Cards. There's something about the monstrous roar of a V8, and the road stretching out into eternity ahead of you. There we were, in 2015, sat comfortably in the theatre for George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road. Our eyes and ears assaulted by the gloriousness of fuel, fire, and rage. Raptured by post-apocalyptic brilliance. The Dystopian reality that we were then thrust into quickly became inspiration for our newest project.
After 12 months in the making, Dystopia Playing Cards developed into a disturbed tribute to Mad Max, Muscle Car Culture and the Australian Film Industry and outback. With the wasteland as our playground, we realised we could dial everything on this project up to 11! In other words, we went a bit mad.
The Back Design
Good Luck. Good Bye.
The V8 engine in Fury Road it is worshipped as a mechanical deity - it emanates power. We decided to incorporate this motoring cult theme directly into Dystopia's back design. The big block V8 is equipped with supercharger, blower, and exhausts, reminiscent of Max Rockatansky's Famous Interceptor - an Australian icon.
The engine is suspended by wings, possessing divine messianic symbolism, cult worship and themes of angelic guardianship. Meanwhile it is chained down, a symbol of a false deity, a construct of man - the remnants of a society that unsustainably dismantled itself through environmental destruction and globalisation. The borders of this back design are considered the 'Pillars of Society' and are represented as cracked, chipped and broken - representative of humanity's descent into a lawless dystopian future.
Ace of Spades
Witness!
Iconic. In the apocalypse, anything is possible, and anything goes. Behold, the card of death itself.
Apocalyptic Royalty
Each of the court cards featured in our first two projects were distinct in character. Symbolic imagery scattered throughout the design formed a captivating mythological theme. This is apparent yet again in Dystopia - our courts cards are legends of the wasteland, muttering secret whispers across the stark landscape.
Road Warriors
Stoic Beauty
Wasteland Warlords
The Joker and The Thief
The Rambler. The Bandit.
Their slow descent into madness make them the last souls you'd want to meet in the wasteland.
Tuck Case
Shiny and Chrome. (Digital Render).
The tuck cases for Dystopia Playing Cards will be created with an all new supplier utilised by the Expert Playing Card Company.
(Digital Render)
Dystopia will feature beautiful rich hot foil stamping, as well as heavy embossing on the tuck cases. We will be utilising a premium imported dyed paper stock (as seen in the latest Skull and Bones deck) and high quality foil and ink.
Embossing on all sides and flaps
3 Foil Colours
Interior and Exterior foil coverage
and Exterior foil coverage Black Dyed Imported Paper
Custom Shape Foil Perforated Seal
This tuck case will look amazing on your poker nights, pulling them out to perform to a spectator, residing on a shelf amonst your collection, or featured in an opening shot of one of your Cardistry Videos.
Dystopia will be the prized possession in your collection.
Custom Seal
Wasteland Gold. Torn and tattered. Foil.
100% custom. Perforated for ease of access.
The Run Down
100% Custom Pips and Fonts - Distressed and Weathered.
100% Custom Court Cards and Art Work.
Premium Quality Imported Black Dyed Paper Imported for Tuck Case
Heavy Embossing
Hot Gold, White and Red Foil Stamping - Interior and Exterior
'Ripped Look' Perforated Custom Seal
Printed by Expert Playing Card Co.
Traditionally Cut for Smooth Edges and Superior Handling
Metallic Inks
Manufacturing
The Expert Playing Card Company will manufacture Dystopia Playing Cards. This ensures that you receive the highest quality product possible, and a deck of playing cards that is both incredibly durable and handles amazingly.
Joker and the Thief: Dystopia Playing Cards will sport the highly acclaimed CLASSIC Stock and Finish. This, along with being traditionally cut, ensures snappier, smoother, crisper and more responsive cards for maximised performance.
This praised finish has both the snappiness and durability of EPCC's previous decks combined with the more papery feel and slick finish of a traditional USPCC deck. It is the best of both worlds.
LEFT: Standard USPCC Cutting. RIGHT: Precision Cutting (Our Manufacturer) EPCC
Fulfilment Service
To ensure that your decks arrive safely and quickly, Art of Play will be returning to fulfil Dystopia Playing Cards.
We were extremely impressed by the quality of Art of Play's services during our last Kickstarter campaign. Each deck was sent out securely and quickly, with no delay. As one of the most trusted brands in the industry, it is an easy choice for us to turn yet again to Art of Play.
If you are not familiar with Art of Play, they are the sister company of Dan and Dave Industries. They were trusted to distributed pledges for campaigns such as Fontaine Cards by Zach Mueller, Saturns by Franky Morales, Mirage by Patrick Kun and many others.
Because Art of Play is handling the distribution of your playing cards:
You have peace of mind that your decks will arrive safe and sound
Art of Play ship globally. Wherever you are, we can send you cards.
You receive a tracking number sent directly to your email address.
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Who We Are
Hi there, my name is James Milaras and I would like to personally thank you for visiting the Dystopia Campaign Page and pledging your support today.
In 2015, our Kickstarter family breathed life into Joker and the Thief, allowing us to create a brand that we are not only extremely proud of, but passionate about pushing towards new heights. This campaign marks the second release for 2016, with your support, White Gold Edition and Dystopia will be the catalyst that will propel Joker and the Thief into the stratosphere throughout 2017.
You, yes you, members of our awesome, committed family have not only invested in a couple of brand new decks of playing cards, but have invested in something much greater - you believed in us, and have thus invested in a dream! Thank you for trusting our creative vision, and helping us forge the path we are on today. Thank you for making all of this a reality!
A special thank you to our in-house media specialist Reuben Nutt, and to Dystopia's extremely talented illustrator - Pedro Oyarbide. A shout out to all of our friends who have supported us and pushed us, you're the greatest.
James Milaras. Owner and Co-Founder.
"Joker and the Thief was founded by two Australian Cardists, videographers and photographers that have huge love for all things playing cards.
Back in 2012, we started up a YouTube channel called Joker and the Thief Card Deck Reviews. Through this we collaborated with Art of Play. We got together on our weekends, and in our spare time to go out and location scout to shoot. We then edited in house, usually side by side, listening to music and fuelled by snacks. We had minimal equipment and a very small budget (if there really was one) Oh the joys of indie film making!
We sought to change the way deck reviews were made and in doing so, many adventures were had along the way. Since we didn't have a car at the time, our bikes and our legs were the main source of transport in our city, if we were to shoot on location. With little time, little transport, a budget of... not much, and our favourite Youtubers, Film Makers, and Cardists as our inspiration, we slowly but surely developed our skills. We had some truly memorable moments along the way. We always knew that we were going to create a deck of cards... one day. And here we are - Round 3! Third time's a charm right?"
Other Rewards (Yay!)
Bandanas
Our first product in our line of apparel. Custom Dystopia bandanas. Professionally Screen printed on 100% black dyed cotton. Manufactured in London, UK.
Prototype - Not Final
Enamel Pins
Metal pins. Adorn your post apocalyptic jacket.
Uncut Sheets
Authentic uncut sheets of Dystopia Playing Cards. Removed from the press prior to cutting and boxing. A Rare and Exclusive collector's item. Oh, and it comes with a FREE DECK of Dystopia Playing Cards!
Ready for Framing. Measures 22 inches by 26.5 inches (55.88cm x 67.31cm).
Photographic Posters
Photographic Poster of Joker and the Thief: White Gold Edition Playing Cards. A3. Gloss Finish. Signed and numbered. Ready for Framing.
Testimonials
Add-Ons
Want to add on an extra deck or two, a bandana, uncut sheet or poster to your pledge? Follow our simplified, streamlined add-on system.
Simply add on the price of your desired item as seen in the bullet points below, and adjust your pledge amount. Then, please make sure that you shoot us a message specifying exactly what you would like.
$20 aud - Adding 1 Deck to your Reward - Price Per Deck
to your Reward - $111 aud - Adding 6 Decks to your Reward
to your Reward $206 aud - Adding 12 Decks to your Reward
$16 aud - Adding a Pin to your Reward
to your Reward $33 aud - Adding a Bandana to your Reward
to your Reward $46 aud - Adding a Photographic Poster to your Reward
Poster to your Reward $70 aud - Adding an Uncut Sheet to your Reward
EXAMPLE:
Backer of 4 Deck Pledge would like to add a bandana and one more deck to their pledge.
$75aud (4 Deck Pledge) + $20aud (Single Deck Add-On) + $33aud (Bandana Add-On) = $128aud.
This Campaign
The aim of this campaign is to keep everything as simple as possible. We want to create a seamless process that is uncomplicated so that we can eliminate as much confusion as possible.
Since we are based in Australia, the campaign is funded in AUD (Australian Dollars). In each pledge option we have supplied a conversion to $USD for your convenience.
If you'd like to back more decks or other rewards with your decks we have a simple add-on guide for you to follow! Its straight forward and easy to use.
The more decks you back, the cheaper they become. We are offering 100 individual decks and 50 two deck sets for all you early birds out there, and other limited rewards. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to message us or consult our FAQ section at the bottom of this page.
**If you are a wholesaler and would like to inquire about stock for your store, send us a message here on Kickstarter or send an email to [email protected]. We have also supplied a pledge option for wholesalers for your convenience.
Get in Touch!Copyright by WAVY - All rights reserved
WAVY News - PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) -- After announcing Tuesday he wants to cut $1 million from the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office budget, Mayor Kenny Wright kicked local media out of a follow-up meeting with city officials.
At 2 p.m. Thursday, 10 On Your Side was sitting in the sixth-floor conference room of Portsmouth City Hall when Sheriff Bill Watson walked in with a list of things he said the city would lose by cutting his budget. Interim City Manager Branen Godfrey walked in and sat down, and then Mayor Wright arrived and told the media to leave.
During Tuesday night's city council work session, Mayor Wright said cutting the sheriff's budget would help the city make up for an $11.7 million budget shortfall.
On Wednesday, the mayor informed Sheriff Watson that a majority of council members had agreed on the proposed cut. Wright said he wanted to meet with the sheriff, the interim city manager and interim chief financial officer Thursday to have the sheriff defend his office's financial needs.
Portsmouth City Council members will vote on the proposed budget next week.
The mayor wanted a closed meeting, but Sheriff Watson disagreed. Interim City Attorney Cheran Cordell released this statement:
It is my opinion that the one-on-one meeting of any council member with an individual to discuss city business is not contrary to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act that governs public meetings. Specifically, Va. Code section 2.2-3701 defines a meeting as "a body or entity, or as an informal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without minutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body."
10 On Your Side's Brandi Cummings asked Mayor Wright why the media was not being allowed in a meeting about how tax dollars are being spent, but he did not respond. Instead, Wright left the conference room and went to his office.
As the mayor walked out, Sheriff Watson said, "If they can't stay, I'm not either." He spoke briefly to 10 On Your Side and then left the building.
Moments later, Mayor Wright returned to the conference room, not |
will survive this GC run) it promotes it to the old generation. Unmarked objects are swept away.
In the next minor GC run the GC can now ignore the old generation and only traverse the young generation.
But there is one problem: Imagine an old object starts referencing a new object in between minor GC runs. In its next run the GC (since it traverses from object to object along their references) will not “mark” this newly created object, since it ignored the old generation and their references and never came across this new object.
The fix to this problem involves a “remember set” and a “write-barrier”. And here is how it works: around every object is put up a write-barrier, through which every write operation on the object has to pass. And the important part is this: adding a reference to an object is also a write operation.
This snippet of C code should clarify how adding a reference is a write-operation:
old_array [ 0 ] = & new_object
&new_object is the memory address of new_object and that line simply says: “Save (write) the memory address of new_object as the first element of old_array ”.
With a write-barrier around objects the GC can now detect references from old objects to newly created objects. Whenever it does that, it adds a reference to the old object to the remember set.
Without the remember set the GC previously skipped the old generation in minor GC runs and failed to “mark” new objects that are being referenced by old objects. But with the write-barrier and the remember set the GC can now traverse the young generation AND the old objects in the remembered set and not miss references from old to new objects.
That’s the theory. Now let’s switch back to the real world, you know, the one with implementation details and legacy code.
When trying to implement a generational GC for Ruby the developers came across a problem with the write-barrier. It is a huge undertaking to put up effective write-barriers around objects while Ruby C extensions have low-level access to their memory addresses. A possible solution are write-barriers on the C level (e.g. in the form of macros for pointer access) but that not only entails rewriting the internal C API used by Ruby itself but also means that a lot of C extensions would need to be rewritten to make use of the new API or be deprecated. So they came up with a better solution: shady objects.
At the time of creation an object in Ruby 2.1 is either classified as sunny or shady. Sunny are objects protected by write-barriers and shady objects are not.
With the distinction between shady and sunny objects at hand the minor GC run of RGenGC now works slightly different compared to the “simple” theory described above. Whenever the GC comes across a shady object while traversing it “marks” but does not promote it to the old generation. The reason for this new behavior is the missing write-barrier. Promoting a shady object to the old generation would result in missing references from old to new objects. And the whole purpose of shady objects is to not miss those references in the first place. Instead the GC checks if the shady object is referenced by an old object and if that is the case it adds the shady object to the remember set.
An object that was created as sunny doesn’t have to stay sunny. The GC can also “shade” objects. Shading an object means turning them from sunny to shady objects, demoting them from the old generation, and adding them to the remember set. When does that happen? Whenever low-level access to the memory address of the object is gained through the C API, which the Ruby Virtual Machine can detect. After the user of the C API has the pointer to the object an effective write-barrier is not possible anymore, which would result in missing references from old to new objects, so the object gets “shaded”.
Instead of solely relying on write-barriers around all objects to detect references, RGenGC adds shady objects to the remember set when it can’t tell whether that object is referencing a new object.
In its next run the GC can now traverse the young generation AND objects in the remember set. The set now contains old objects referencing new objects and shady objects referenced by old objects. Traversing through this set the GC should not miss to mark newly created objects.
And that is basically how RGenGC in Ruby 2.1 works. Now, that was a lot to take in, even though this is a really simplified description of the implementation. But it helps us tremendously when we now go back to the output of GC.stat. You’ll see, it will make more sense now.
Analyzing GC.stat
Here is the output of GC.stat again, straight from a fresh irb process, so we don’t have to scroll back up again. I also reordered it, making it easier to explain what each key and value means.
{ :count => 20, :minor_gc_count => 17, :major_gc_count => 3, :total_allocated_object => 393977, :total_freed_object => 342796, :heap_length => 131, :heap_used => 126, :heap_eden_page_length => 126, :heap_tomb_page_length => 0, :heap_live_slot => 51181, :heap_free_slot => 175, :heap_final_slot => 0, :heap_swept_slot => 16742, :heap_increment => 0, :remembered_shady_object => 388, :remembered_shady_object_limit => 476, :old_object => 30318, :old_object_limit => 37262, :malloc_increase => 230416, :malloc_limit => 16777216, :oldmalloc_increase => 596304, :oldmalloc_limit => 16777216 }
Now, with our knowledge about Ruby’s generational Garbage Collector and its memory management, let’s go through the output and see what each line means.
GC.stat[:count]
This one is pretty much self-explanatory. :count is the number of GC runs, major and minor combined.
GC.stat[:minor_gc_count]
The number of GC runs that only traversed the young generation of objects and the objects in the remember set.
GC.stat[:major_gc_count]
The number of GC runs that traversed the whole Ruby heap, including old, young and remembered objects.
GC.stat[:total_allocated_object]
The total number of objects Ruby has allocated in the lifetime of the current process.
GC.stat[:total_freed_object]
Number of freed objects in the lifetime of the current process.
GC.stat[:heap_length]
There’s something I didn’t mention before: Ruby’s heap is not only organized in slots, where each slot holds an object, but also into pages. A Ruby heap page holds a specific number of slots.
GC :: INTERNAL_CONSTANTS [ :HEAP_OBJ_LIMIT ] # => 408
Each Ruby heap page holds 408 slots (further up we saw that the size of one slot is 40 bytes, which means that the page size is around 16kb). GC.stat[:heap_length] returns the number of pages the current Ruby process has allocated. Remember: allocated memory here does not mean that it is in use, since Ruby manages the memory for us and may hold the allocated memory back for when times are tough and we run out of memory and so on, which leads us to…
GC.stat[:heap_used]
This is the number of heap pages that are currently in use. Either filled with live objects or free slots.
GC.stat[:heap_eden_page_length]
Ruby separates its heap into “Eden” and “Tomb”. Eden is the part of the heap where pages reside that contain (at least one) live objects. Tomb are only pages that contain no live objects but are there to be used when Eden runs out of space. :heap_eden_page_length is the number of pages in the “Eden” part of the Ruby heap.
GC.stat[:heap_tomb_page_length]
The counterpart of :heap_eden_page_length. This is the number of pages that do not contain live objects. Since the Ruby heap is divided into “Eden” and “Tomb”, together they make up the heap: the sum of :heap_tomb_page_length and :heap_eden_page_length equals :heap_used.
GC.stat[:heap_live_slot]
The number of objects that survived all the GC runs in the past and are still alive. We can calculate this number ourselves:
GC. stat [ :total_allocated_object ] - GC. stat [ :total_freed_object ]
Also: GC.stat[:heap_live_slot] / 408 returns roughly GC.stat[:heap_used]
GC.stat[:heap_free_slot]
Number of allocated but unused/free slots on the Ruby heap.
GC.stat[:heap_final_slot]
I am not too sure about this number but after reading through Ruby’s gc.c my best guess is that it is the number of slots that have a finalizer that still needs to be run, which makes the Ruby VM consider the slot as still being used. The relevant piece of code in gc.c that gave me this idea are these 5 lines:
static size_t objspace_free_slot ( rb_objspace_t * objspace ) { return objspace_total_slot ( objspace ) - ( objspace_live_slot ( objspace ) - heap_pages_final_slots ); }
We can add a finalizer to an object like this:
a ='mystring' ObjectSpace. define_finalizer ( a, proc { | id | puts "Object with ID #{ id } destroyed." }) GC. start ( full_mark: true, immediate_sweep: false ) # outputs: "Object with ID 70170672470620 destroyed."
When the object is swept away by the GC the finalizer is run. And I’ve played around with that a lot but I couldn’t get GC.stat[:heap_final_slot] to return something other than 0. I’m happy about feedback and suggestions here.
GC.stat[:heap_swept_slot]
This gets reset before every page sweep (Ruby sweeps heap pages one by one) to zero. After the sweep it gets incremented by the number of freed and already empty slots in the swept page.
GC.stat[:heap_increment]
The number of pages that get added to the Ruby heap if it needs expanding. This number is dynamically adjusted whenever the Ruby heap needs to grow with this formula:
heap_increment = (current_number_of_slots * factor) - current_number_of_slots
The factor is 1.8 by default.
GC.stat[:remembered_shady_object]
Number of shady objects in the remember set. This gets reset with every major GC run.
GC.stat[:remembered_shady_object_limit]
If remembered_shady_object crosses this limit a major GC run is triggered. The number is dynamically adjusted after each major GC run with this formula:
remembered_shady_object_limit = factor * remembered_shady_object
The factor is 2.0 by default.
GC.stat[:old_object]
The number of old generation objects.
GC.stat[:old_object_limit]
If old_object crosses this limit a major GC run is triggered. It is dynamically adjusted in the same way that remembered_shady_object_limit is, using the same factor and formula.
GC.stat[:malloc_increase]
Not every object fits into a 40 byte Ruby slots and needs more memory (e.g. long strings). Objects that need more memory can get it with Ruby’s internal wrapper of malloc(2) and use it as their own buffer. Whenever the wrapper is called, :malloc_increase gets incremented by the number of newly allocated memory. And whenever that memory is freed the size of :malloc_increase is reduced by the size of the freed memory. So :malloc_increase basically reflects the current size of memory allocated besides Ruby heap slots.
GC.stat[:malloc_limit]
If :malloc_increase crosses this limit a minor GC is triggered. It is dynamically adjusted before every sweep with this formula:
malloc_limit = factor * malloc_increase
The factor is 1.4 by default.
GC.stat[:oldmalloc_increase]
This is the old generation counterpart of :malloc_increase : the size of currently additional memory allocated by old objects.
GC.stat[:oldmalloc_limit]
If :oldmalloc_increase crosses this limit a major GC is triggered. It is dynamically adjusted before every sweep with this formula:
oldmalloc_limit = factor * oldmalloc_increase
The factor is 1.2 by default.
It does make more sense now, doesn’t it? But watching and understanding the Ruby GC normally goes hand in hand with some tuning experiments which might make this whole matter easier to grasp. So let’s have a look at some environment variables.
Environment variables
Ruby allows users to tweak its GC via environment variables. And since 2.1 there are a lot more variables to use than in previous versions. Ruby 2.1.1 even has one more than 2.1. The following is a list of GC tuning variables straight from Ruby 2.1.1’s gc.c:
RUBY_GC_HEAP_INIT_SLOTS RUBY_GC_HEAP_FREE_SLOTS RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_MAX_SLOTS RUBY_GC_HEAP_OLDOBJECT_LIMIT_FACTOR RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT_MAX RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT_GROWTH_FACTOR RUBY_GC_OLDMALLOC_LIMIT RUBY_GC_OLDMALLOC_LIMIT_MAX RUBY_GC_OLDMALLOC_LIMIT_GROWTH_FACTOR
Again, let’s go through each one and see how settings it effects the GC.
RUBY_GC_HEAP_INIT_SLOTS
The initial number of slots Ruby allocates on its heap. Default value is 10000. Increasing this number to cover the live objects after a process is fully booted can reduce the number of GC runs when booting and thus the boot time:
$ ruby -e 'puts GC.stat[:count]' 5 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_INIT_SLOTS = 20000 ruby -e 'puts GC.stat[:count]' 3 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_INIT_SLOTS = 100000 ruby -e 'puts GC.stat[:count]' 1
Keep in mind that allocating memory takes time too.
RUBY_GC_HEAP_FREE_SLOTS
The minimum number of free slots that should be available after a GC run. Default value is 4096.
RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR
The factor by which the size of the heap grows when it needs to be expanded. Default value is 1.8. This has a direct influence on GC.stat[:heap_increment] since it is the relevant factor for heap resizing.
$ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.8 ruby -e 'GC.disable; 100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:heap_increment]' 116 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.85 ruby -e 'GC.disable; 100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:heap_increment]' 176 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.9 ruby -e 'GC.disable; 100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:heap_increment]' 205 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.95 ruby -e 'GC.disable; 100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:heap_increment]' 275
Increasing this number increases the size of the Ruby heap and a larger heap triggers less GC runs (since Ruby won’t run out of memory so fast):
$ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.3 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 13 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.8 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 10 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_FACTOR = 1.99 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 8
But it does make sense to lower this number when RUBY_GC_HEAP_INIT_SLOTS is already really high, since the memory consumption might be go through the roof.
RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_MAX_SLOTS
The maximum number of slots on the Ruby heap. Default value is 0, which means the feature is disabled. But if the number is higher than 0 it sets the maximum number of slots Ruby is allowed to add to its heap at once.
The higher the number the less GC runs does Ruby need for its heap to grow to the needed size:
$ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_MAX_SLOTS = 1000 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 24 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_MAX_SLOTS = 2000 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 19 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_MAX_SLOTS = 20000 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 10 $ RUBY_GC_HEAP_GROWTH_MAX_SLOTS = 50000 ruby -e '100_000.times { a = "foobar" }; puts GC.stat[:count]' 10
If it is not set Ruby uses the heap growth factor to determine by how much to grow the heap.
RUBY_GC_HEAP_OLDOBJECT_LIMIT_FACTOR
The factor by which Ruby increases GC.stat[:oldobject_limit] and GC.stat[:remembered_shady_object_limit] after each major GC. Default value is 2.0.
RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT
The minimum value for GC.stat[:malloc_limit], which causes a minor GC when triggered. Default value is 16777216 (16mb).
RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT_MAX
GC.stat[:malloc_limit] changes dynamically through a growth factor. This sets its maximum value. Default value is 33554432 (32mb).
RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT_GROWTH_FACTOR
The growth factor by which GC.stat[:malloc_limit] is resized before every sweep. Default value is 1.4.
RUBY_GC_OLDMALLOC_LIMIT
The old generation counterpart to RUBY_GC_MALLOC_LIMIT : it is the minimum value for GC.stat[:oldmalloc_limit], which causes a major GC when triggered. Default value is 16777216 (16mb).
RUBY_GC_OLDMALLOC_LIMIT_MAX
The maximum value GC.stat[:oldmalloc_limit] can have. Default value is 33554432 (32mb).
RUBY_GC_OLDMALLOC_LIMIT_GROWTH_FACTOR
The growth factor by which GC.stat[:oldmalloc_limit] is resized before every sweep. Default value is 1.2.
Words of Caution
And that’s it. Please keep in mind that the output of GC.stat and the GC environment variables are easily a subject to change while the Ruby core team is working on the GC. Ruby 2.2 is supposed to have a three-generation GC, which means that at least GC.stat will probably change.
Advice, recommendations, corrections or thanks are welcome! Leave a comment, send me an email to [email protected] or ping me on Twitter @thorstenball.
Essential Resources
If you want to learn more about Ruby’s GC and memory management here is a list of resources I found invaluable while researching for this blog post:Just before Christmas, Nathan wrote a piece asking for a conversation about the role gaming violence plays in our lives. And as so many have when discussing the topic, he featured an image from Dishonored at the top – a man getting stabbed through the neck. For Joe Houston, the former Arkane developer who created that stabbing scene, this was the prompt he needed to give his own perspective on the subject.
Whenever I’m clicking my way through game industry opinion articles, I tend to get hung up on pieces about video game violence. This is mostly because the image plastered across the top of the post is a screen grab from Dishonored. You know, the one where a member of the city watch gets his jugular opened in a first-person blast of arterial spray. But it’s not the shock of that image that stops me. No, I pause because I’m the guy that wrote the code to make the player do that in the first place.
As a member of the core Dishonored team from the beginning, and after slitting virtual throats 2 to 3 times a minute for 3 and a half years, I’m probably the single person most desensitized to the violence in that particular game. And yet that doesn’t mean I can’t find Dishonored’s violence uncomfortable; it just means I need a little additional context beyond the plain old cold steel and choke hold.
For example, after the game’s release I felt just a bit queasy the first time I saw a player go through the party at the Boyle Estate. For those that haven’t played it already, it’s a map filled with nuance and mystery, in which Corvo (the main character) must infiltrate a masquerade ball and discover the identity of his assassination target. This is done by talking to guests, sneaking into forbidden areas, pilfering private journals, and engaging other tactics of subtlety.
Or it’s done by walking in the front door and shooting the first guard you see in the face. This is the approach I first saw a player try without receiving additional prompting. The ensuing battle was chaos, but it was the aftermath that really made it a story worth telling. Following the onslaught, each room of the manor was filled with cowering, begging civilians, their bodyguards all cut down moments before. This is the part of this particular strategy where the player began methodically cutting people down.
Servants and aristocrats, men and women alike. The red splashes of color and truncated screams settled into a steady rhythm, like the grimmest game ever of Dance Dance Revolution. At one point the text “objective completed” flashed across the screen (when the player’s target fell by happenstance), which didn’t even prompt a pause or hesitation in the killing. This player had his own objectives now, spoken by a mad voice in his head: “kill them all, leave no survivors, and then go upstairs and pocket the faberge eggs”.
I laugh when I tell this story because of the sheer absurdity of it. When this was happening and my friend Anthony Huso, level designer for the Boyle Manor, leaned over and whispered “oh man it’s a horror show,” we both chuckled. But there was then (and is now) some discomfort there for me. It’s clearly more than the just the sum of so many beheadings and throat cuttings, especially because the act of cutting someone down in the game is utterly benign to me, solely representing how the animation and code intersect thanks to my old job.
I think the key to my uneasiness is the context of choice here. In this mission more than in any other the player is not only given alternatives to bloodshed, but alternatives that seem like better options to me in every way: sparing lives in this level is more fun, it creates more gameplay, it presents more to see and do, etc. And yet the player is choosing, above all other options, to kill everybody anyway. In this light that string of workmanlike, grim-faced civilian murders is as intentional as is possible in the game, and to me a disquieting conclusion.
As a lifelong gamer and a game developer of the past 8 years, this is an emotional reaction that I really can’t get from a linear game. Acts of game violence are just one form of visual expression to me at this point. If thrust into a game where the choices aren’t mine to make, violence (even horrifying violence) ends up making a statement about what that game’s creators are trying to express more than it makes a statement about me the player being forced into a role.
I especially noticed this a few years ago when I was put into the role of a terrorist shooting civilians in CoD Modern Warfare 2. While I won’t debate that the subject matter was difficult and that it raised some moral questions, playing the game didn’t affect the way I felt about myself or about other people that played that level. The only real choice in the game was whether to continue playing or not (or to skip the section from the menu when prompted). Although something in it certainly challenged or offended people, it did so without their ownership. Even when you played it, it was a violent diorama concocted by someone else.
Now I’m not saying that games must be non-linear to have value. Journey is a good example of a modern game that gives, at best, the illusion of choice. As such, it ends up conveying a directed, precise brushstroke of emotion. And it does so brilliantly. It’s a work of art in that way, the transference of a meticulously crafted experience exactly as it was conceived. However, I do suggest that it’s tough when exploring darker themes, things that a normal person is less likely to admit to. It is harder to create an emotional attachment to wrongdoing if the game lacks the freedom of choice necessary to get the player’s complete buy-in.
So does that mean that linear violent games are better for society than those like Dishonored, those that touch only superficially on violent acts versus those that allow the player to make extreme choices? I argue that linear games that have a lack of personal ownership in game violence actually do so at the disadvantage of society.
I don’t believe that game violence causes real world violence, but I do believe that it does little to prevent it. And games with meaningful (and potentially distasteful) choice just might do better because they stand a chance of making the player think about what they’re doing on screen. And there are others that think so too: Dishonored is one of the few violent video games that has not been censored by the German government. One could argue this is largely because the game can be played without killing anyone. This doesn’t change all the things you might do in the game, but simply by knowing that it allows non-violence you find that every violent act you choose in cast in a sobering light.
Now I’m not saying that Dishonored is a perfect model for all other games. I have referred to the Boyle Estate map because of my personal experience, and because I found that it in particular exemplified a strong emotional reaction to player choice. But Dishonored, and other games like it, are not without moral responsibility. I’ve read criticisms of Dishonored that say it’s a game that “wants to be played a certain way”, often implying that the violent path is the fun one and that the stealthy path is the correct one. I can’t respond to this as that wasn’t my job on the project. However, just the suggestion that such a dichotomy might exist points out the sticky situation developers have to deal with. It implies there is a judgement in the game that may or may not be teaching players strange lessons about violent action. A moral code in a game, oftentimes encoded unintentionally by its designers, is unavoidable. And when a game becomes more effective at evoking emotion (due to player choice), it also gains a higher level of social responsibility. It is a double edged sword, and one that must be wielded with care.
In light of the recent gun violence in the U.S. and the resultant anti-game talk that has stemmed from it, it’s important as gamers not to simply retreat to the easy reaction, that games aren’t a part of the problem. While I think that might be true (after personal examination), I think it’s a pity to stop there. Too often we think about what we might lose as players and developers if forced to engage in that conversation, becoming blinded by the fear of censorship. As a result we miss out on more creative and effective ways to be a part of the solution. As players we can stand to expand our emotional palette by seeking out games that challenge us. And developers have a responsibility to answer that demand with games that engage the player with meaningful choices, additional freedom, and ultimately greater personal responsibility.
Joe was a member of the core Dishonored team and is the founder of Roxlou Games. He is now working on Unwritten, a strategy game about choice for the PC. He also occasionally blogs on an incomprehensible range of topics on his blog.With questions at quarterback, all but one wide receiver position, and even a spot or two on the offensive line, there is one position South Carolina coaches and fans don’t need to worry about. The Gamecocks have two horses in the running game that are ready at the gates, just waiting for the race to start.
Sophomore running back David Williams
Senior Brandon Wilds and sophomore David Williams will be the anchors of this season’s offense. The run game, which features two players that average over five yards per carry, is something the Gamecocks will have to establish early with an inexperienced quarterback taking the reins this season.
The two tailbacks are in a battle for the first carry of the season, but that second handoff will be just as important as the first.
“I need two horses. I don’t need a horse and a mule, I need two horses,” running backs coach Everette Sands said. “I definitely have two horses in David and Brandon. The question is who is going to be the one to run out there first.”
Whether it’s the fifth-year senior or the third-year sophomore tallying that first carry against North Carolina on Sept. 3, both have similar running styles with subtle differences.
“It’s a good combination of guys to have. I think David’s feet are more part of his game, but both of them are bigger guys. Brandon is definitely more hit it and get it and at times David is going to use his feet a little bit,” Sands said. “Both of them are fast, but Brandon is going to be more of a downhill guy. At the same time, David can be a downhill guy and he’s proven that. It’s a huge luxury. There is a luxury to have big guys with small guy speed.”
The two are used to sharing the load, especially Wilds. Over the past two seasons it was Wilds and Mike Davis that formed a one-two punch for the Gamecocks.
“It’s really important for us to just set the tone early so the offense can come together, have confidence, and be able to depend on us,” Williams said.
A running game is not complete without the big guys to lead the way and Sands believes that those two ingredients are in place.
Senior running back Brandon Wilds
“I think right now, two of our older positions are the offensive line and the running backs. To me, that’s a great combination,” Sands said. “Of course, if I don’t have the offensive line to block for my guys then it can get kind of dicey. The offensive line is doing a great job so far and I think those two guys are going to bring a lot to the table. They can break the big play, but at the same time when it’s third and one they can break some tackles and get that first down.”
Wilds was also quick to point out that his success in his final go around will be directly influenced by the play of the offensive line. He has no worries about his blockers.
“With my O-line, I trust everyone of them,” Wilds said. “They’re ready to run just as ready as I am. They always come to me and say let’s run [isolation]. Just run down hill.”
They can run through gaps, take to the outside, break tackles, and out run defenders. This shake and bake, thunder and lighting, fire and ice (or whatever other names you can think of) combo will have to be what starts and finishes games for the Gamecocks in 2015.
Q&A with Sands
What does each bring to the fold?
Brandon has a little more experience, definitely understand the pass protection a bit more, really good speed, big back, breaks tackles. On the other side David hasn’t had as much experience but is also a big back that can run. He’s got really good feet. In a lot of ways they are similar but there are subtle differences. It’s a good combination of guys to have.
Have the newcomers brought the energy you like to see?
They have and of course having our first scrimmage yesterday, it’s totally different being in a practice situation and then all of a sudden you’re in a game like situation. The head starts scrambling a whole lot more when it’s a game-like situation. They are in there, working hard.
What about Shon Carson? Nobody has talked about him much this preseason. How is he doing?
He’s doing well, but again Shon is not as big as those guys. He’s a step faster, but he’s not quite as big. He does have experience and confidence. He’s made a lot of big plays for us. So he’s not a forgotten, he’s just not in the forefront. It’s a good luxury that I can go get him in and I know he’s done it at this level before so it’s not a question of can he do it.Apple’s Senior Vice President of Design, Sir Jonathan Ive, has just purchased a 7,274-square-foot dream home on San Francisco’s “Gold Coast”. He paid $17 million for the home that is said to be located on “one of the city’s most exclusive blocks.”
The house, which was built in 1927 and has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, went on the market back in February for $25 million, people familiar with the deal told the Wall Street Journal. Apple’s vice president of industrial design will be able to enjoy sweeping views across the San Francisco Bay from the back of his 7,274-square-foot property.
Located close to Alta Plaza Park, the house also has an oak-paneled library and six wood-burning fireplaces. According to the WSJ, one of its upstairs bedrooms has “cathedral ceilings with exposed beams.”
See pictures here of Jony Ive’s $17M house on San Francisco’s ‘Gold Coast.’
Listing details from the realtor:
This stunning home in the sought-after Gold Coast neighborhood of Pacific Heights was designed by the renowned architectural firm, Willis Polk & Co., noted for the design of the Palace of Fine Arts as well as many historically significant properties in The City. Exuding elegance and warmth on one of the most desirable streets in The City, the residence catches the eye with its timeless brick façade, signature slate roof, and deep portico entry. Completed in 1927, the home has been well maintained throughout its history. The five-level floor plan is comprised of a series of formal rooms on the main level, a lower level with an expansive gourmet kitchen, a bottom-level apartment, plus two levels of bedrooms above. Adding to the appeal is a fabulous garden courtyard plus a top-level deck with spa.
A Walk Through the Home
Inside, the foyer introduces the home’s original and period-authentic architectural details found throughout, including gleaming peg-in-board hardwood flooring, high ceilings with plaster moldings, windows with stone surround, antique door fixtures, deep baseboards and custom wall sconce lights. Operable steel frame windows and a transom look out to the garden courtyard, where moss-covered bricks are shaded by four mature ferns. An oak paneled elevator and a two-part powder room adjoins the area.
Double oak doors in the entry lead into the main-level library, which boasts beautiful oak wall paneling, a focal-point wood-burning fireplace with stone mantelpiece and a polished copper chandelier. Five tall front-facing windows with custom blinds offer natural illumination, and abundant built-in library shelves.
The main gallery hallway is lined with steel-frame French doors to the courtyard and illuminated by light fixtures. A grand-scale dining room at the end of the hallway has spacious dimensions that are expanded by large wall mirrors and features four wall sconces with crystal drops, windows with arched transoms and Bay views.
A door adjoins the dining room to the catering kitchen and a back staircase descends to the main kitchen for convenience.
The living room continues the hardwood floors and is anchored by a geometric pattern embossed into the tall ceiling. There are sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay that stretch from the Golden Gate Bridge, across Alcatraz Island and to Russian Hill. A sitting alcove with bay window to the courtyard adds to the ambiance, and the space is anchored by a wood-burning fireplace with travertine surround.
One level down is the main kitchen with granite slab countertops, a tall box-beam ceiling, and a large center island with butcher-block prep space and secondary sink. A full wall of divided light windows frame beautiful Bay vistas and a large casual dining area invites everyday meals.
Beyond the kitchen is a fitness room, which could be used as a separate bedroom suite if needed. The main living space includes windows with views, a kitchenette with sink and cooktop, plus a bathroom. This level also includes a second tiled bathroom.
The lower-most level of the home is comprised of a view 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom staff apartment with large kitchen and additional storage rooms.
The second level begins with the master bedroom suite, which is located at the front of the home for maximum sunlight. The master suite features a wood-burning fireplace with marble surround, front-facing windows with custom blinds with a walk-in closet and ample wardrobe storage space.
A study on this level has built-in library shelving, a wood-burning fireplace, bay windows that overlook the courtyard and a unique concealed oak paneled wet bar with pewter sink. One bedroom suite adjoins the study and features a walk-in closet with connecting bath and has Bay views.
One additional bedroom suite on this level features a wood-burning fireplace and a bay window sitting alcove with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The upper-most level of the home includes a light-filled bedroom suite with a charming wood-burning corner fireplace, a wood-paneled cathedral ceiling with exposed beams, and windows with neighborhood views as well as an en suite bathroom.
Highlighting the top level is a pent room with stunning Bay views, a concealed wet bar with sink, a full bath and French doors to a sundeck with spa.
SaveSaveTwo weeks after attacks on cattle trucks, allegedly by right-wing activists, peaked near Kerala’s border districts of Palakkad and Wayanad, beef traders in the state are adopting familiar tactics of dissent and agitation. For a start, an indefinite shutdown has been called. But as the crisis snowballs into a severe shortage of beef supply in the market, there are also signs of tension near the state borders, specifically in the border regions near Palakkad and Coimbatore, over the issue of cow slaughter and its religious context.
Beyond the impact the crisis has on Kerala’s food menu – beef accounts for about 50 per cent of the state’s meat consumption – the issue is also about tolerance of diverse food preferences, according to beef merchants in the state. Cattle traders in Tamil Nadu and representatives of Kerala’s beef trade associations have already met to chalk out plans to resolve the crisis but critical intervention by the two state governments continues to be elusive.
Since early July, vehicles that transport cattle from Tamil Nadu into Kerala through Palakkad are being intercepted by people who identify themselves as animal rights activists. Sources say that there has been a pattern in these incidents: the “activists” confront the truck drivers on faulty procedures followed while they transport the cattle from livestock |
10th SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup," said USC athletic director Pat Haden. "The USC-UCLA rivalry is the best in college athletics, with two universities of such noted academic and athletic excellence sharing the same city. This Crosstown Cup competition means so much to both schools and to our fans. On behalf of Trojans everywhere, I am proud to say that USC is once again the Crosstown Cup champion."
Representatives from the Southern California BMW Centers will present the Crosstown Cup to USC at an upcoming event on campus.
So far this season, USC captured 10 points each in the competition in football, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's swimming, women's golf, women's water polo, men's golf, women's rowing, women's track and women's beach volleyball. The Trojans also added 5 points each in women's volleyball, women's basketball and women's tennis.
The winner of the Crosstown Cup alternated for the first 6 years of the competition. After USC captured the inaugural trophy in 2001-02, UCLA won it in 2002-03, USC recaptured it in 2003-04, UCLA won it back in 2004-05, USC claimed it in 2005-06 and then UCLA won it in 2006-07. USC then went on a 5-year winning run from 2007-08 to 2011-12 before UCLA won it in 2012-13. USC claimed it back in 2013-14 before the Bruins took possession in 2014-15.
This is the Crosstown Cup's second year under presenting sponsor SoCal BMW, thanks to a title sponsorship deal brokered by IMG College and USC Sports Properties.
2015-16 Scoring: USC 115, UCLA 70
Football: USC – 10
Women's Volleyball: Both – 5
Women's Soccer: USC – 10
Men's Water Polo: UCLA – 10
Women's Cross Country: UCLA – 10
Men's Basketball: USC – 10
Women's Basketball: Both – 5
Men's Volleyball: UCLA – 10
Women's Swimming: USC – 10
Women's Rowing: USC – 10
Baseball: UCLA – 5
Men's Track and Field: UCLA – 10
Women's Track and Field: USC – 10
Men's Golf: USC – 10
Women's Golf: USC – 10
Men's Tennis: UCLA – 10
Women's Tennis: Both – 5
Women's Water Polo: USC – 10
Women's Beach Volleyball: USC – 10Building an Olympic Body through Bodyweight Conditioning
Christopher Sommer
We have all seen them on television during the Olympics; these powerful men performing amazing skills with ease and grace. Watching them perform the question inevitably arises - are they as powerful as they look? And the answer is - yes. What will probably be even more surprising to you is that they build their strength and physiques almost entirely with various bodyweight exercises.
The list of requirements is long and can be rather daunting to prepare a world class athlete: passive flexibility, active flexibility, joint preparation, static strength, dynamic strength etc. etc. and is probably only interesting in detail to those of us involved with the physical preparation of champions. There are of course some supplemental exercises where weight is added (i.e. weighted leg lifts), however the central premise remains; these amazing athletes have built the vast majority of their strength and power through the use of bodyweight conditioning.
Now another question that we should ask ourselves - is the bodyweight training of the Olympians also beneficial to the fitness enthusiast? And if so, is it possible to apply at least some of it to those without a professional instructor to guide them or tens of thousands of dollars of specialized gymnastics equipment? And the answers are once again - yes and yes. There are some of our specialized exercises that are relatively easy to learn and require little or no equipment beyond a
In this article, I will cover the basic progressions needed to learn two primary gymnastics exercises: the planche and the front lever. This will be by no means a complete bodyweight training program, but rather an introduction. These two movements were chosen for their novelty, the simplicity of the movements and for the excellent strength gains that are possible for those who are willing to commit the necessary sweat and dedication. The planche will be our pressing movement and the front lever will be our pulling movement. At advanced levels, adding a
Now before continuing further into our training, let's first regress and consider the question of why to do bodyweight conditioning in the first place? A common misconception is that bodyweight exercises do not build substantial strength but are rather more suited for building endurance. For most people this conjures images of endless pushups, sit-ups or for the strong, perhaps
First of all, exercise is exercise. Period. The name of the game is resistance. A muscle contracts against resistance and, with perseverance, over time, becomes stronger. For strength to increase, the amount of resistance or load worked against must also increase over time. Hence the problem with bodyweight conditioning - as the resistance (weight of the body) is fixed, how to continue to increase strength? Surprisingly the answer is simple - by decreasing the amount of leverage it is possible to exert on an exercise, the resistance of an exercise becomes increasingly greater. For example, a hanging straight leg lift is much harder than a tucked leg lift. In both exercises the weight of your legs remains constant, however by reducing your leverage (i.e. in this case straightening your legs) we are able to greatly increase the resistance. By straightening the legs we have effectively doubled the difficulty of the exercise even though the weight of the body has remained constant.
With experience and creativity it is possible to learn or design exercises that, done correctly and with the proper progressions, are so lacking in leverage that even at bodyweight levels of resistance it is possible to
How well do the progressions that I am going to share with you work? Well, consider that fact that Mr. Mas Watanabe recently visited my men's gymnastics program and was astounded by the levels of strength and development he saw. For those of you outside the gymnastics community, Mr. Watanabe has been for the past 30 plus years, one of our primary leaders of men's gymnastics here in the United States and has personally worked with and evaluated every Olympian, World Championship, National, and Junior National Team member that our country has produced during this time. After observing my current athletes completing their daily bodyweight conditioning program, Mr. Watanabe informed me that they were the strongest most physically prepared group of athletes he had ever seen. In fact he went so far as to state that he had never even seen another group come close. Now the main point that I would like to emphasize here - is that their physical development was procured almost exclusively through
How strong is it possible to become with bodyweight exercises? Amazingly strong. In fact I would go so far as to say, done correctly, far stronger than someone who had trained for the same amount of time with free weights. Want some concrete examples? One of my former students, JJ Gregory (1993 Junior National Champion on the Still Rings) developed such a high degree of strength from my bodyweight conditioning program that on his first day in his high school weightlifting class he deadlifted 400lbs., and this at the scale breaking weight of 135 lbs. and a height of 5'3". Now another question that we should ask ourselves - is the bodyweight training of the Olympians also beneficial to the fitness enthusiast? And if so, is it possible to apply at least some of it to those without a professional instructor to guide them or tens of thousands of dollars of specialized gymnastics equipment? And the answers are once again - yes and yes. There are some of our specialized exercises that are relatively easy to learn and require little or no equipment beyond a chin-up bar and some floor space.In this article, I will cover the basic progressions needed to learn two primary gymnastics exercises: the planche and the front lever. This will be by no means a complete bodyweight training program, but rather an introduction. These two movements were chosen for their novelty, the simplicity of the movements and for the excellent strength gains that are possible for those who are willing to commit the necessary sweat and dedication. The planche will be our pressing movement and the front lever will be our pulling movement. At advanced levels, adding a pushup to the planche and a pull-up to the front lever will effectively give a fairly intense full upper body workout, including the abs and lower back.Now before continuing further into our training, let's first regress and consider the question of why to do bodyweight conditioning in the first place? A common misconception is that bodyweight exercises do not build substantial strength but are rather more suited for building endurance. For most people this conjures images of endless pushups, sit-ups or for the strong, perhaps pull-ups and dips. Great maybe for general fitness or endurance, but of little value in building real strength.First of all, exercise is exercise. Period. The name of the game is resistance. A muscle contracts against resistance and, with perseverance, over time, becomes stronger. For strength to increase, the amount of resistance or load worked against must also increase over time. Hence the problem with bodyweight conditioning - as the resistance (weight of the body) is fixed, how to continue to increase strength? Surprisingly the answer is simple - by decreasing the amount of leverage it is possible to exert on an exercise, the resistance of an exercise becomes increasingly greater. For example, a hanging straight leg lift is much harder than a tucked leg lift. In both exercises the weight of your legs remains constant, however by reducing your leverage (i.e. in this case straightening your legs) we are able to greatly increase the resistance. By straightening the legs we have effectively doubled the difficulty of the exercise even though the weight of the body has remained constant.With experience and creativity it is possible to learn or design exercises that, done correctly and with the proper progressions, are so lacking in leverage that even at bodyweight levels of resistance it is possible to build staggering amounts of strength. In addition to strength, the athlete will also develop excellent balance, coordination, agility and exceptional core strength. Perhaps that is why spectacular film athletes like Jackie Chan and Mark Dacascos always include gymnastics training in their physical preparation.How well do the progressions that I am going to share with you work? Well, consider that fact that Mr. Mas Watanabe recently visited my men's gymnastics program and was astounded by the levels of strength and development he saw. For those of you outside the gymnastics community, Mr. Watanabe has been for the past 30 plus years, one of our primary leaders of men's gymnastics here in the United States and has personally worked with and evaluated every Olympian, World Championship, National, and Junior National Team member that our country has produced during this time. After observing my current athletes completing their daily bodyweight conditioning program, Mr. Watanabe informed me that they were the strongest most physically prepared group of athletes he had ever seen. In fact he went so far as to state that he had never even seen another group come close. Now the main point that I would like to emphasize here - is that their physical development was procured almost exclusively through consistent progressive bodyweight conditioning How strong is it possible to become with bodyweight exercises? Amazingly strong. In fact I would go so far as to say, done correctly, far stronger than someone who had trained for the same amount of time with free weights. Want some concrete examples? One of my former students, JJ Gregory (1993 Junior National Champion on the Still Rings) developed such a high degree of strength from my bodyweight conditioning program that on his first day in his high school weightlifting class he deadlifted 400lbs., and this at the scale breaking weight of 135 lbs. and a height of 5'3".
After this I was curious and wanted to measure JJ's one rep max on weighted pull-ups. We started fairly light with 10 lbs. or so. I continued adding more weight while JJ performed single rep after single rep. Unfortunately I didn't know about chinning belts and chains at that time and the cheap leather belt we were using broke at 75 lbs. Once again, I repeat, at 75 lbs. and JJ had never performed a weighted pull-up in his life. But he had performed years of my specialized bodyweight conditioning exercises. How much could JJ have chinned that day? We will never know for sure, but I will tell you that at 75 lbs. JJ was laughing and joking with me and did not appear to be noticeably bothered by the weight.
And JJ, while the strongest, is not an isolated case. For example, over the years I would occasionally (once a year or so) allow my athletes to test their one rep max on weighted chins (an exercise we never perform as part of our regular conditioning) simply so that they could have proof positive of the enormous measurable strength gains which they were enjoying. My own son at the age of 13 and a bodyweight of around 110 lbs. could chin 50 lbs. for 8 reps and it was not at all unusual for a 60 lb. younger athlete to perform 5 or more reps with 25 lbs.
In addition to his amazing strength, look again at the incredible physique that JJ built solely through various bodyweight exercises. Also look at the pictures of some of my current group of athletes. Pretty buff for boys who mostly range from 7-11 years old and have never lifted weights. As well, consider the fact that as competitive athletes, they never train for appearance. Their physiques are solely the result of their training their bodies for the function of becoming better athletes. In other words, their physiques (and anyone else's who trains in this manner) are functional first and ornamental second.
Why does correct bodyweight conditioning work so well? There are several, the first is contraction. Basically, the harder the contraction over a greater part of the body during an exercise, the more effective the exercise. For maximum improvements training to failure is not necessary, but maximum contraction is. One of the main advantages to these advanced bodyweight exercises is that they require a complete full body contraction. In fact, at advanced levels, they are so demanding that it is simply not possible to complete them any other way.
Another primary reason for their beneficial results is the nature of the static holds themselves. By holding the bodyweight in a disadvantaged leverage position, we are effectively multiplying the resistance of our bodyweight. Or more simply stated, we are supporting a heavy weight in a locked static position. This has tremendous positive impact on the strength of the joints and connective tissue and aids greatly in overall strength development. Many great weightlifting champions have sworn by the benefits of holding heavy weights in a locked position. Two that immediately come to mind are Paul Anderson and John Grimek, who both made heavy supports a regular part of their early training.
Success at these exercises requires consistent incremental improvements. Do not seek improvement quickly or become frustrated after only a few weeks. You would not poke a seed into the ground and then jump back waiting for the plant to explode out instantly. You must be patient with physical conditioning also. While you may become more skillful or feel more powerful while performing a new exercise relatively quickly, this is due to becoming more neurologically efficient ("greasing the grove"), rather than experiencing an absolute gain in strength. It takes approximately 6 weeks to establish the first concrete strength gains. In other words, make haste - slowly.
Be prepared to spend at least six months at these exercises to work through the various progressions. What?! Six months?! Yes, that's right, at least six months. Some people may need to spend a year or more. You wouldn't expect to bench press 300 lbs. right away. Nor should you expect to build high level bodyweight strength instantly either. Be consistent, be patient and soon you too can be enjoying the benefits of greatly increased strength and athletic ability.
Alright enough talk, let's get down to work and learn these progressions so that we can begin building some muscle. The following progressions will teach you how to perform the planche and the front lever as well as their more advanced variations; planche pushups and front lever pull-ups. We will begin with various static (non-moving, held) positions. From there, we will progress to the more dynamic pushing and pulling movements.
You will use the same basic strength progression on all of the following exercises. Be sure to master one position in a progression before moving onto the next. Hold for sets of however many seconds you feel comfortable, while continuing to combine the time of your sets until you reach 60 seconds total time. The number of sets it takes to reach the 60 seconds combined total time is irrelevant. All that matters is that you accomplish 60 seconds of "quality work". Once you can hold a position correctly for the entire 60 seconds in one set, it is time to move on to the next harder exercise and begin the training procedure all over again. Now there are some exceptions to this rule, but we will address them later as we come to them.
Static holds can be performed each day for maximum benefit. However it is also possible to obtain excellent results with other workout schedules. The traditional Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday work well. My personal favorite that allows maximum work combined with substantial rest is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Everyone's recovery ability is different. Simply experiment with the various schedules to see which suits your individual needs best.
Static holds can easily be placed anywhere in your current routine. My preference is to place them at the end of our physical preparation time. Once you have progressed to the more demanding planche pushups and front lever pull-ups, they should be placed in your workout in an appropriate spot for that exercise and body part and the static holds can continue to be placed at the end of the workout.
You should work your way through the various progressions of both the planche and the
After this I was curious and wanted to measure JJ's one rep max on weighted pull-ups. We started fairly light with 10 lbs. or so. I continued adding more weight while JJ performed single rep after single rep. Unfortunately I didn't know about chinning belts and chains at that time and the cheap leather belt we were using broke at 75 lbs. Once again, I repeat, at 75 lbs. and JJ had never performed a weighted pull-up in his life. But he had performed years of my specialized bodyweight conditioning exercises. How much could JJ have chinned that day? We will never know for sure, but I will tell you that at 75 lbs. JJ was laughing and joking with me and did not appear to be noticeably bothered by the weight.And JJ, while the strongest, is not an isolated case. For example, over the years I would occasionally (once a year or so) allow my athletes to test their one rep max on weighted chins (an exercise we never perform as part of our regular conditioning) simply so that they could have proof positive of the enormous measurable strength gains which they were enjoying. My own son at the age of 13 and a bodyweight of around 110 lbs. could chin 50 lbs. for 8 reps and it was not at all unusual for a 60 lb. younger athlete to perform 5 or more reps with 25 lbs.In addition to his amazing strength, look again at the incredible physique that JJ built solely through various bodyweight exercises. Also look at the pictures of some of my current group of athletes. Pretty buff for boys who mostly range from 7-11 years old and have never lifted weights. As well, consider the fact that as competitive athletes, they never train for appearance. Their physiques are solely the result of their training their bodies for the function of becoming better athletes. In other words, their physiques (and anyone else's who trains in this manner) are functional first and ornamental second.Why does correct bodyweight conditioning work so well? There are several, the first is contraction. Basically, the harder the contraction over a greater part of the body during an exercise, the more effective the exercise. For maximum improvements training to failure is not necessary, but maximum contraction is. One of the main advantages to these advanced bodyweight exercises is that they require a complete full body contraction. In fact, at advanced levels, they are so demanding that it is simply not possible to complete them any other way.Another primary reason for their beneficial results is the nature of the static holds themselves. By holding the bodyweight in a disadvantaged leverage position, we are effectively multiplying the resistance of our bodyweight. Or more simply stated, we are supporting a heavy weight in a locked static position. This has tremendous positive impact on the strength of the joints and connective tissue and aids greatly in overall strength development. Many great weightlifting champions have sworn by the benefits of holding heavy weights in a locked position. Two that immediately come to mind are Paul Anderson and John Grimek, who both made heavy supports a regular part of their early training.Success at these exercises requires consistent incremental improvements. Do not seek improvement quickly or become frustrated after only a few weeks. You would not poke a seed into the ground and then jump back waiting for the plant to explode out instantly. You must be patient with physical conditioning also. While you may become more skillful or feel more powerful while performing a new exercise relatively quickly, this is due to becoming more neurologically efficient ("greasing the grove"), rather than experiencing an absolute gain in strength. It takes approximately 6 weeks to establish the first concrete strength gains. In other words, make haste - slowly.Be prepared to spend at least six months at these exercises to work through the various progressions. What?! Six months?! Yes, that's right, at least six months. Some people may need to spend a year or more. You wouldn't expect to bench press 300 lbs. right away. Nor should you expect to build high level bodyweight strength instantly either. Be consistent, be patient and soon you too can be enjoying the benefits of greatly increased strength and athletic ability.Alright enough talk, let's get down to work and learn these progressions so that we can begin building some muscle. The following progressions will teach you how to perform the planche and the front lever as well as their more advanced variations; planche pushups and front lever pull-ups. We will begin with various static (non-moving, held) positions. From there, we will progress to the more dynamic pushing and pulling movements.You will use the same basic strength progression on all of the following exercises. Be sure to master one position in a progression before moving onto the next. Hold for sets of however many seconds you feel comfortable, while continuing to combine the time of your sets until you reach 60 seconds total time. The number of sets it takes to reach the 60 seconds combined total time is irrelevant. All that matters is that you accomplish 60 seconds of "quality work". Once you can hold a position correctly for the entire 60 seconds in one set, it is time to move on to the next harder exercise and begin the training procedure all over again. Now there are some exceptions to this rule, but we will address them later as we come to them.Static holds can be performed each day for maximum benefit. However it is also possible to obtain excellent results with other workout schedules. The traditional Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday work well. My personal favorite that allows maximum work combined with substantial rest is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Everyone's recovery ability is different. Simply experiment with the various schedules to see which suits your individual needs best.Static holds can easily be placed anywhere in your current routine. My preference is to place them at the end of our physical preparation time. Once you have progressed to the more demanding planche pushups and front lever pull-ups, they should be placed in your workout in an appropriate spot for that exercise and body part and the static holds can continue to be placed at the end of the workout.You should work your way through the various progressions of both the planche and the front lever at the same time. As they work complementary muscle groups, working these two exercises together will actually increase the speed of your overall improvement as well as providing you with balanced development and strength in your shoulder girdle and core.
The Planche Progressions
Obviously, for those of us who are mere mortals, it is not possible to simply remove the legs from the floor and go directly to the planche. However with the proper planche progression exercises and patience, this position is attainable by a reasonably fit, hard working athlete. While working the various planche progressions, strive to hold the hips level with the shoulders. Make sure that the elbows are straight. Bending the elbows greatly lessens the intensity of these exercises and will greatly slow your progress. Almost straight is still bent, so be diligent and keep them straight.
One final general note on planches; hand positions on the planche progression exercises are completely optional. Some prefer fingers forward, others to the side. Some swear by support on fingertips (my favorite) and others completely flat. Just experiment and find the grip that you prefer. If you find that a flat hand support on the floor is too uncomfortable for your wrists, these progressions can also be performed on a set of push-up bars.
Frog Stand
Begin this position by assuming a full squat and placing your hands on the ground directly in front of your feet. By directly, I mean right next to your toes. Arrange yourself so that your knees are resting against your bent elbows. Now gradually lean forward taking your weight both unto your hands and also unto your knees by leaning them on your elbows. Using your knees on your elbows will allow your legs to help your shoulders bear the load of your bodyweight. As you continue leaning forward you will eventually be able to remove your feet completely from the floor and hold yourself up with only your hands on the floor and your knees on your elbows for support.
Balance is also a key to this exercise. As you first begin to learn how to lean forward in this position, you will often probably overextend and fall forward. Don't worry have fun with it and enjoy some new training. Some pillows placed in front of you will help to cushion any crash landings.
Notice that this is the only static position in our progressions with bent elbows. Continue holding sets of this position until you have reached your one minute total time.
Tuck Planche
The main difference between the frog stand and the tuck planche is that now your weight will be entirely supported on your arms only. Once again begin in a full squat and place your hands next to your toes. Now, as in the frog stand, lean forward taking all of your weight on your arms and shoulders alone. Do not use your knees on your elbows for assistance. Holding the knees tightly to the chest will make this exercise easier.
At first you may only be able to briefly raise off the ground. Do not worry. Keep adding small sets together to reach your goal of 60 seconds total. Simply continue working the position, striving to lift your hips to shoulder high. With consistent practice it is possible to increase your strength in static positions relatively quickly.
Advanced Tuck Planche
Once you feel comfortable with the tuck planche and are able to hold it for 60 seconds with correct hips and elbows, you can increase the difficulty of this exercise by progressing on to the Advanced Tuck Planche. The primary difference between the tuck and advanced tuck planche is the position of the back. Note that in the tuck planche the back is curved, while in the advanced tuck planche the back appears flat. While holding your hips shoulder high, try to extend your hips back behind you until your back is flat. This "flattening" will greatly increase the intensity of the tuck planche. In fact, I think you will be extremely surprised at how much harder such a small movement can make the tuck planche.
Continue working this position, until you are once again able to hold the static for 60 seconds correctly in a single set with your back completely straight ("flat").
Straddle Planche
Once you have mastered the advanced tuck planche position you are ready to work on the straddle planche. Finally! After months of hard consistent work the end is now in sight. While learning this skill, it is also beneficial to practice the next progression (the tuck planche push-up) at the same time. One will build upon the other.
From the advanced tuck planche position, simply begin to extend your knees behind you from their position on your chest. Balance is critical here. As you extend your legs farther behind, you will also have to lean a little farther forward to compensate. The wider your legs are the easier the straddle planche will be (note: for those of you planning for the future, as you get stronger in the straddle planche you can increase the difficulty by bringing your legs closer together).
Make small adjustments from workout to workout trying to either increase the length of your static hold or the extention of your position. Do not try to increase both at the same workout. BE PREPARED - just a small movement will greatly lessen your leverage on this exercise and make the movement much harder.
This movement is so much more difficult, that it is not necessary to be able to hold it for 60 seconds before moving on. Once you can hold a straddle planche correctly for 10 seconds you will be able to move on. I know, I know... only 10 seconds! But trust me, it will feel like much longer while you are doing it.
Tuck Planche Pushups
By the time you begin working straddle planches, you will have achieved a reasonable amount of static strength and are ready to begin adding a dynamic movement to your static hold. The description of a tuck planche push-up is fairly straightforward; while in an advanced tuck planche position, simply attempt to perform a pushup. To receive the full benefit, be sure (or at least try!) to maintain the hips level with the shoulders during the descent and ascent of this movement. Don't forget to fully straighten the elbows at the to of the movement. Reps and sets are completely up to you.
Straddle Planche Pushups
Once you have learned both the straddle planche and tuck planche push-ups, you are now strong enough to tackle straddle planche push-ups. You could consider the planche pushup a super bench press or a full body press. In addition to working the triceps, chest and front delts, you also have a full contraction of the lats, middle back and lower back as well as the traps. The triceps and the forearms are also working hard stabilizing the elbow joint. Core strength is extremely taxed as the upper and lower abs, obliques, serratus and hip flexors all struggle to maintain the stretched (body) position.
From the straddle planche, begin to lower yourself to the ground. Be careful to keep the hips level with the shoulders as you descend, as there is a tendency when first learning this skill to simply try to dip the shoulders forward. Pause just off the ground and extend back up to the straddle planche. Also be aware that as you rise from the bottom position, it will be quite a struggle to maintain your hips level with your shoulders.
Variations
At first you may only be able to lower but not lift out of this position. This is fine. Any of Pavel's
1) Lower slightly, hold for a few seconds and continue lowering and holding.
2) Try to lower as slowly as possible, taking 10, 20 or even 30 seconds to complete the descent.
3) Lower all the way, lift up slightly and lower again and repeat.
At first you may only be able to lower but not lift out of this position. This is fine. Any of Pavel's kettlebell variations for learning military presses will also work fine here. For example:1) Lower slightly, hold for a few seconds and continue lowering and holding.2) Try to lower as slowly as possible, taking 10, 20 or even 30 seconds to complete the descent.3) Lower all the way, lift up slightly and lower again and repeat.
The Front Lever Progressions
As before, we will begin our training progression with various static positions and from there progress to the more difficult pulling movements. For the front lever series be sure to use a shoulder width overhand grip (fingers pointing away) as this will increase the amount of power you can exert during these exercises. Also, as with the planche series, it is very important to keep the elbows straight as bending the elbow will lesson the intensity and possible gains of these exercises.
Tuck Front Lever
Using any kind of comfortable support (chin-up bar, tree branch, As before, we will begin our training progression with various static positions and from there progress to the more difficult pulling movements. For the front lever series be sure to use a shoulder width overhand grip (fingers pointing away) as this will increase the amount of power you can exert during these exercises. Also, as with the planche series, it is very important to keep the elbows straight as bending the elbow will lesson the intensity and possible gains of these exercises.Using any kind of comfortable support (chin-up bar, tree branch, rings etc.), hang using an overhand grip (i.e.. with fingers pointing away from you). Bring your knees to your chest and then strive to lift your hips in front of you while at the same time leaning back with your shoulders. At this time it is fine to allow your back to curve as you learn and build strength in the movement. Your goal is to eventually be able to pull your hips up to horizontal or level with your shoulders with an approximately 45 degree angle between the arms and torso. This is however, a very difficult position for beginners and you will probably need to build up to it gradually. At first, simply lift your hips as high as you can and begin timing your sets. As before, combine your sets until reaching a total time of 60 seconds. Upon reaching a 60-second hold in a single set, it is time to once again move on to the next progression.
Advanced Tuck Front Lever
Once the tuck front lever feels firmly in control, it is time to move on to the advanced tuck front lever. As with the advanced tuck planche, the main difference here is the "flat" back. This position will cause all of the muscle fibers in your back to fire as they struggle to handle the load of your bodyweight. The contraction will be intense. Your goal is to eventually be able to pull your hips up to horizontal or level with your shoulders with an approximately 45 degree angle between the arms and torso while maintaining your "flattened" back. To achieve this position, think of pulling your shoulders back away from your hands while at the same time pressing your hands down towards your hips. Be sure to remember to keep hips shoulder high and elbows tight and straight.
Continue combing sets to your usual 60 second total and striving for that 60 second single set static hold.
Straddle Front Lever
From the advanced tuck front lever position, begin to carefully and slowly extend your legs out from your chest. As with the planche, the wider your legs are spread, the easier the transition from the advanced tuck front lever to the straddle front lever will be. Strive to maintain your "flat" back position. If you are unable to do so, you are too far extended forward and need to pull your legs back a bit. Don't forget to keep the shoulders pulling back and the hands pressing down.
While working on the straddle front lever, it is also fine to begin learning the tuck front lever pullup.
Tuck Front Lever Pullups
From the advanced tuck front lever you may now attempt to pull yourself up. Basically this is a horizontal pullup. It is incredibly difficult to hold the hip level with the shoulders during the pull. As you pull up, your hips will want to drop down and as you lower, your hips will want to stay elevated. These changes occur as your body struggles to find an easier way to complete the movement. Maintaining the horizontal position here is the key for exceptional back development.
Straddle Front Lever Pullups
Straddle front lever pull-ups are essentially a full body weight row and will make you incredibly sore from head to toe. Do not attempt this movement until you are proficient at both the straddle front lever and the tuck front lever pull-ups. Doing so anyway will not injure you, you simply will not be strong enough to complete the exercise correctly. This movement is an especially good overall conditioner for the back, as this one exercise alone will work the back completely from the traps to the lats to the mid back down to and including the lower back. Biceps, forearms and shoulders are obviously also heavily worked. Core strength is once again extremely taxed as the entire mid section struggles to maintain the stretched (body) position.
From the straddle front lever position, begin to pull your upper stomach to your hands. Be careful to keep the hips level with the shoulders as you rise, as it is very easy to simply let the hips and legs drag and turn this movement into a simple pull-up. Pause at the top and extend back down to the straddle front lever.
Variations
The possible variations are much the same as those for the straddle planche pushups, only adapted to pulling rather than pushing.
Well, there you have it. A simple and effective set of progressions for learning and benefiting from at least part of the training of Olympic Champions.
Remember:
Be patient.
Be consistent.
Avoid regular training to failure.
Give the mother nature time to work for you
Extreme strength, a great build, and a lot of fun -all done in minutes per day. What more could one ask for from a workout?
Christopher Sommer is a professional gymnastics instructor with over 25 years experience and has coached numerous State, Regional and National Champions. He is the Men's Head Coach at The Desert Devil Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Mesa, Arizona and has the premiere men's gymnastics program in the Southwestern United States. The preceding article was an excerpt from Coach Sommer's upcoming book Building the Olympic Body. Coach Sommer is available for seminars, clinics and private gymnastics training and may be contacted at (480) 844-9600 (gym) or email at [email protected].
BackSyracuse, N.Y. — If you think that Jim Boeheim's first and only career ejection came in the infamous jacket game at Duke two years ago, you are correct.
You are also wrong.
When referee Tony Greene hit Boeheim with two technicals as Boeheim vehemently protested a charging call against C.J. Fair with 10.2 seconds left in a tight game at Duke two years ago, it marked the first time in Boeheim's long coaching career that he had been ejected from a game.
A regulation game, that is.
On Nov. 3, 2005, Boeheim was tossed from an exhibition game against the College of Saint Rose.
The game was Boeheim's first following his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball |
but has capped its contributions at $25,000. It has built a list of 3 million supporters that will be a valuable asset for a Clinton campaign.
Jerome Pandell, a lawyer in Walnut Creek, Calif., who raised about $400,000 for Obama, has attended several Ready for Hillary fundraisers but has focused more on local races in the last year.
Although he has not written big checks yet, Pandell said he stands ready to help Clinton in any way he can. He also maintains that Clinton doesn't need to rush into the 2016 fray.
"She's a known quality," he said. "She doesn't have to introduce herself."
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1DpwmZ2Today was the 100th consecutive day that I released something to CPAN. Ninety days ago BARBIE had done 11 days, prompted by my CPAN regular releasers page, and announced his intention to do 30 (so he would lead the all-time daily list). I decided to give chase, figuring I could ride in his slipstream, and do one more release than him when he stopped. But the bugger hasn't stopped yet!
In those 100 days, I've done 126 releases of 52 different dists. 28 of the 52 were existing CPAN dists that I've either adopted or got co-maint on, and in all cases fixed at least some (usually all) of the outstanding bugs. Almost all of the 28 were selected because they're dists used by at least one other dist on CPAN.
Only 5 of the 52 dists were neocpanisms by me. One of those was the result of working with BARBIE (BackPAN-Index-Create); one came from a discussion with PJCJ at the QA Hackathon (CPAN-Releases-Latest); one was suggested to me by SBURKE when I adopted some of his modules (Lingua-EN-Fractions); one came out of BOOK pointing out that I needed to sort out the attributes for my PAUSE:: modules (MooX-Role-CachedURL).
I previously wrote about this madness on day 28, and separately described my todo list when I adopt a module.
Having to do a release every day has pushed me to fix some bugs that I'd been avoiding, and also prompted me to look at my existing dists and ask "how can I improve them?". But to release every day, you really need a good number of dists, and the easiest way to do that is to adopt!
Working on modules written by a wide range of authors opens your eyes, and challenges some of the ruts you may be stuck in. My coding style has definitely evolved in various small ways over the last 3+ months.
There are lots of dists on CPAN that have easy-to-fix bugs outstanding. I've found that emailing authors "hey, can I fix (some of) your bugs and make your dist CPANTS-clean?" is an effective way to kick-start contributing to CPAN. Why not have a look at the adoption list and give it a go?
If you've got a dist you'd like me to adopt, drop me a line — BARBIE hasn't given up yet!
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DisqusDrinking a high carbohydrate shake can have an acute and detrimental effect on heart function, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) has found.
A team of researchers from Vanderbilt and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) studied 33 individuals who were given an acute carbohydrate load in the form of a 264-kilocalorie shake. They studied the subjects' blood levels for six hours looking for a number of things, chief among them whether this acute metabolic challenge could alter the heart's production of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). ANP is a hormone that helps the body get rid of excess salt and reduces blood pressure.
Researchers know through previous studies that obese people make less ANP, predisposing them to salt retention and hypertension.
If a high dietary carbohydrate load suppresses circulating ANP concentrations, this would be a disadvantage to obese individuals who have lower ANP levels to begin with, the authors wrote in the JACC study.
Before the participants began the study, they were normalized on a standard diet for a couple of days to remove any background dietary variability. The investigators observed that drinking the high-carb shake led to a 25 percent reduction in ANP in participants over the course of several hours.
"The carbohydrate load had a significant and notable effect on circulating ANP levels. Experimental studies suggest that it's not good to make less ANP," said senior author Thomas Wang, M.D., chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, adding that "carb loading" may not be ideal for the body.
The investigators also looked at the mechanism for the decrease in ANP levels. They were able to reproduce the findings in mice, and found that the principal driver for the acute reduction in ANP appeared to be the increase in glucose.
"When you take in a high-carb shake a lot of things happen, including increases in glucose and insulin. However, the increase in glucose appears to be the main thing driving the drop in NP levels," Wang said.
UAB's Pankaj Arora, M.D., first author of the JACC study, helped to work out the novel chemical pathways that mediated the effect of glucose on heart cells.
This novel mechanism involved a molecule known as miR-425, which the research group has previously described as an inhibitor of ANP production. The glucose causes the cells to make more miR-425, and that, in turn, causes a reduction in ANP.How the Bitcoin Computer is saving Bitcoin
Mason Blocked Unblock Follow Following Dec 9, 2015
The inspiration for this post is from a series of uncomfortable conversations with the Bitcoin community dating back to 2013.
2015 was a relatively quiet year for Bitcoin, innovation was lackluster and so was the price. We argued and fought about the block size, watched banks sink money into “the technology behind Bitcoin” rather than adopt it, develop on it, or reimagine it. We asked for a killer app that would save Bitcoin, instead we got left with a block size debate, payment channels, and a billion dollars of funding.
Bitcoiner’s around the world tweeted in frustration:
This lack of innovation could have been attributed to our perception of Bitcoin as your run of the mill currency. A person goes online, shops for a good, and purchases it with Bitcoin just as they would with their credit card. This highly convenient rationalization of Bitcoin as a currency has limited our ability to dream of what can be done with Bitcoin to more exchanges, wallets with nuanced features, and remittance apps. Although it is important to continue to innovate and to harden the technology in these arenas, this is not the ticket to the widespread use of Bitcoin.
There has been a significant amount of effort expended into informing the general public about how to use Bitcoin (e.g. www.trybtc.com, www.bitcoin.com, etc.). The understanding of and widespread global adoption of Bitcoin will not happen overnight. To understand how Bitcoin addresses work, how a payment is made, and how Bitcoin can be purchased is non-trivial. It will never come to a human purchasing a good for Bitcoin and this is the reality we must come to terms with if we want Bitcoin to succeed.
A Glimmer of Hope
If the model where a human directly interacts with Bitcoin will not work, what alternative models can we explore that will work? Two startups that have pushed the boundaries of the way we think about Bitcoin are BitMesh and Joystream. The former is a startup which helps anyone with a wifi router to monetize their bandwidth for Bitcoin, the latter provides a model for which torrent seeders can get paid for providing high-quality, high-speed content, both Boost VC startups. Both companies have laid the foundation for a change in the way we think about and use Bitcoin, Bitcoin in exchange for a digital commodity, asset, or service.
Cue the 21 Bitcoin Computer
Bitcoin was relatively dormant in 2015, but it is far from dead. The 21 Bitcoin Computer was released on November 16th 2015; with it comes a Raspberry Pi, a set of integrated Bitcoin payments tools, and a set of tutorials on how to use the Bitcoin Computer for undertaking various tasks. These tutorials are by far what is most inspiring about the computer, they are titled as follows:
While these are not necessarily complete, production ready implementations, they provide us with several “seeds of thought” which stimulate thinking and discussion around what is possible with Bitcoin. The projects we see being built today have each started with one of these as the seed. With some imagination, collaboration, and well-spirited discussion, they have developed into some fairly interesting applications that would have not been implemented or considered otherwise.
21 is taking us Bitcoiners through a thought experiment where they are putting us in a room, telling us to forget everything we know about Bitcoin, and are in essence forcing us to be innovative and to push the boundaries of what we had previously perceived to be possible with Bitcoin.
Here are some of the innovative projects being developed on 21 Bitcoin computers:
If I’ve learned anything from being part of the 21.co Slack channel, it’s that Jeff Garzik’s brain is the world’s most fertile breeding ground for startup ideas. You can check out his work here.The Legislature's top Republicans say they're still searching for a compromise on a bill that would ban the sale of aborted fetal tissue and restrict its use in research.
When anti-abortion activists publicized videos of Planned Parenthood doctors speaking candidly about their work, many Republicans in Wisconsin and elsewhere promised action. But doctors warned the bill would criminalize biotech research and the state's largest business group came out against the ban.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Republicans are still trying to find a compromise, but there's a chance they won't.
"There's a wide gap between those that are proponents of the bill as it came out of committee versus those that -- and I won't say they're not proponents of the concept -- it's just they're very concerned about what the effect might be on research," he said.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said there's broad support in his caucus for banning the sale of fetal tissue, but he doesn't want to stop life-saving research.
"But I also want to be very careful in saying that there is a difference between selling fetal body parts and doing research using stem cell lines or using cells that were from a donation a long time ago," he said.Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton as Mildred and Richard Loving in the movie “Loving.” (Ben Rothstein/Focus Features)
“Loving” shows Virginia at its most romantic and picturesque. Toward the beginning of the drama, a man takes his pregnant wife-to-be to an empty field and tells her in a slow drawl, “I’m going to build you a house right here.”
The couple stand on a patchy, tree-lined stretch of grass, the rhythmic buzzing of cicadas pulsing around them. Low-hanging clouds pass languidly overhead, and the grass flutters in the breeze; humidity practically radiates off the screen.
In the movie, Virginia is the place where these sweethearts, played by Golden Globe nominees Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga, meet and fall for each other in the mid-1950s. But it’s also the place where a white man and his wife, who’s black and Native American, would get arrested for the crime of cohabitating. Virginia forced Richard and Mildred Loving to go to jail or leave the state they loved, and they spent nearly a decade in Washington, D.C., trying to return.
Virginia showed up in three major movies this year, all based on true stories. “The Birth of a Nation,” a drama about the 1831 slave uprising led by Nat Turner, takes place in Southampton County, not far from the setting of “Hidden Figures,” which opens Sunday and tells the story of black female mathematicians working for NASA during the space race.
These dramas capture the conflicted nature of the commonwealth — the way progress and resistance are in constant battle, with some citizens rejecting the status quo just as forcefully as others cling to it.
Is there something particular about Virginia that makes these kinds of stories more likely? Maybe. Andrew Talkov, vice president for programs at the Virginia Historical Society, recently noted how Virginia includes both the Deep South and the liberal North.
Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy, even though it’s a mere 100 miles from Washington, where Abraham Lincoln was working to set all men free. Virginia was the birthplace of Thomas Jefferson, who called slavery a “moral and political depravity” but owned slaves all the same. It’s the state where one of the largest Confederate flags in the country flies, just outside of Danville, erected in response to the city’s decision to take its own banner down.
Similarly, in “Loving,” Virginia became the place that made interracial marriage legal — but only because the Supreme Court forced its hand.
The film takes a sensitive and knowing approach to its setting. Director Jeff Nichols chose to film there, and the Little Rock native understands the tricky magnetism of the region.
“The South is a complex place, and, for all the things that we love about it, there are also things we don’t love about it,” Nichols said. “But that doesn’t minimize the fact that it’s home and you’re drawn to these people and this culture, and the smell, and the feel, and the heat and everything else.”
“Loving” director Jeff Nichols chose to film the movie in the state of Virginia, where the story is set. (Ben Rothstein/Focus Features)
Today, the Lovings’ Caroline County is still a bucolic area where farming and timber are the main industries. Residents are churchgoers — there are seven places of worship in the small town of Bowling Green alone — and they’re active in civic organizations such as the Rotary Club and the Lions.
Bowling Green is the kind of place where two volunteers from the county’s historical society were happy to spend their Thursday morning chatting about the good old days with a journalist who also happens to be a Virginia native — albeit from a little farther north.
“We call that occupied Virginia,” society President Wayne Brooks told me with a chuckle.
The Lovings seem like a footnote in this quiet county’s history. Native Bernard Collins remembers Mildred as an extremely gracious lady, but she and her family were by no means local celebrities.
Their story is just one of many at the historical society, which takes up a room in a small museum dedicated to a painter best known for his Civil War battlefield scenes. Out front there’s a monument commemorating the valor of the resident soldiers who served in the Confederate army, not far from a black obelisk dedicated to the county’s African American citizens, who “overcame slavery and other forms of prejudice to make many significant contributions to the county.” The Stonewall Jackson Shrine is just up the road at the small white building where the Confederate general died of pneumonia in 1863 after he was mistakenly shot by his own men.
Around the corner from the historical society is the dilapidated prison where Mildred Loving was jailed after the county sheriff stormed into the couple’s bedroom in the middle of the night and told them that the District marriage certificate on their wall was “no good here.”
Bowling Green was overwhelmed when thousands of people poured in after a casting call for extras in “Loving.” But in the middle of an autumn weekday, the only sound is the flags, one Virginian, one American, flapping in the breeze.
Truthfully, the Lovings probably wouldn’t have minded flying under the radar in Caroline County; they remained press-shy after the trial. Richard was killed in a car accident in 1975, and Mildred died of pneumonia in 2008.
During their exile in Washington, they never took to the bustling hubbub, the landscape of pavement and asphalt. Eventually, the couple and their three children secretly moved back to the state, just beyond the jurisdiction of the Caroline County sheriff.
“She loved her home and was willing to risk the safety of herself and her family to be next to it,” Nichols said of Mildred. “I think that was part of her spirit. She just needed that place.”
Months later, the Supreme Court ruled in the couple’s favor and Richard finally got to build that house.
In their own quiet way, the Lovings were rebels, much like the change agents in this year’s other Virginia movies.
Nat Turner was an anomaly even before he started a slave revolt that led to the deaths of 60 white men, women and children — and the slayings of hundreds of slaves in retaliation. He knew how to read, which is how he became a traveling preacher. At least in the movie, that unique chance to see the rest of the state opened his eyes to atrocities at other plantations, and what he saw shocked and emboldened him.
Armie Hammer, left, and Nate Parker in “The Birth of a Nation.” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Nate Parker, who wrote, directed, produced and starred in the movie, grew up in Norfolk, but he didn’t find out about the revolt until he went to college out of state.
“Imagine my dismay in learning that one of the greatest men to walk the soil in this country was a man who grew up and lived and breathed and fought less than 100 miles from where I grew up,” Parker told the Hollywood Reporter this year.
He spent seven years trying to remedy the situation with a movie. The drama had epic momentum after a promising debut at Sundance in January but fizzled when 1999 rape allegations involving Parker and his co-screenwriter Jean Celestin resurfaced. Some fans of the movie think Parker’s film was unfairly torpedoed, given that he was found not guilty. Perhaps audiences weren’t ready to see the leader of a bloody slave revolt as the protagonist in a movie, Parker’s supporters hypothesized. Though, as a Virginia native where 19th-century rebels are still revered, the filmmaker made a good case for why Turner belonged on-screen.
“This country was built on rebellion,” he said during that same interview. “So when we talk about American heroes, people that fought against an oppressive force, I think that it’s a no-brainer that Nat Turner exists in that conversation.”
“Hidden Figures” came into theaters with a lot less baggage, and it’s being widely celebrated, with Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations.
The movie is based on a book by Margot Lee Shetterly, who grew up in Hampton, Va., the daughter of a NASA scientist. Unlike Parker with his subject, Shetterly was fully aware of the black women who helped launch astronauts into space. What came as a shock was how few people outside of her community knew the story. So she brought the extraordinary tale to the masses — about black women working in a technical field in the Jim Crow South. Even as these women helped guide John Glenn back to Earth, they had to use separate bathrooms from their white counterparts and were required to sit at a table in the cafeteria with a sign that read “colored.” One of the women stole the sign — and every sign that materialized afterward — until, finally, the notices stopped appearing.
Janelle Monáe, center right, in “Hidden Figures.” (Hopper Stone/SMPSP/Twentieth Century Fox)
“Hidden Figures” made it to the screen with the help of musician Pharrell Williams, originally from Virginia Beach. He produced the movie and co-wrote the score, and part of what inspired him to get involved was where the story took place.
“We want those kinds of stories that come from there to show, man, people have been doing amazing things all along,” he said. “So what can’t you do, young man? What can’t you do, young woman? You can do anything you want.”
Back at the historical society in Caroline County, Wayne Brooks is reminiscing about the past. He has a collection of tattered old issues of the Caroline Progress spread out in front of him, with headlines both sensational — “Sheriff Brooks Solves Rape-Slaying, Clears Up Four Unsolved Murders” — and mundane, such as “Oyster Supper, 5:30-8:30 Fri., At Methodist Church.”
He believes that Caroline County was exceptional in some ways. Race relations tended to be good. There wasn’t a Ku Klux Klan presence or racial violence, which was the case in some neighboring areas.
But the villain at the center of “Loving” was not just any county sheriff hounding a quiet couple — his name was Garnett Brooks, and he was Wayne Brooks’s cousin. Brooks, who had just seen the movie the night before at the Richmond premiere, said he thought the portrayal was fair, even if he believed his cousin may have been doing someone else’s bidding.
It may not be as straightforward as the movie makes it seem. It’s just another complicated story from a complicated state.The Dept. of Revenue posted the rather surprising reading of the civil union act on its webpage, saying that couples in civil unions "may not file joint Illinois returns" and the new law "did not change the Illinois income tax laws." Their reasoning? The federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
It seems pretty straightforward. Anyone in a civil union gets the same state benefits as someone who is married. The act even puts in purposefully broad language about being 'liberally construed' to implement the purpose and spirit of the law. It seems, however, that everyone in the state government, specifically the Illinois Department of Revenue, didn't get that impression from the law.
"This Act shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes, which are to provide adequate procedures for the certification and registration of a civil union and provide persons entering into a civil union with the obligations, responsibilities, protections, and benefits afforded or recognized by the law of Illinois to spouses. " (750 ILCS 75/5)
Opponents of full marriage equality for same-sex couples often ask why the LGBT community can't simply be happy with separate institutions and groupings of rights like civil unions and domestic partnerships. Illinois recently became one such state to move to offer statewide protections supposedly equal, but separate, to marriage with the passage of the 'Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.' The act reads broadly about what it provides for same-sex couples, stating:
"IITA Section 502(c) permits joint returns only when a joint return is filed federally. The federal Defense of Marriage Act (which is being challenged in the courts) does not allow joint returns by partners to a civil union, so the IITA does not allow joint returns either."
So despite the broad and obvious language of the civil union act saying that couples should get all the same benefits of married spouses, the Dept. of Revenue disagrees and is going with DOMA as the excuse. This exclusion of state tax benefits are a troubling interpretation of the civil unions act, to be sure, and one that highlights the inequities and confusions that civil unions and other "non-marriage" arrangements can create for couples entering into them.
Anthony Niedwiecki, a law professor at Chicago's John Marshall Law School who teaches sexual orientation issues and the law, breaks down how this interpretation doesn't apply the tax laws equally. Even though their argument is that state tax forms can only be filed jointly if they are first filed together federally, there is contradiction even on that issues within their own statute:
"As the first sign that the department's analysis is weak, this statement alone is not completely accurate. In the same section of the law cited by the department to support its analysis, there is another part that allows a married couple to file joint state tax returns when they are not required to file federal taxes. 35 ILCS 502/5 (c)(2) states: 'If neither spouse is required to file a federal income tax return and either or both are required to file a return under this Act, they may elect to file separate or joint returns and pursuant to such election their liabilities shall be separate or joint and several.' This part of the statute is in direct contradiction to its statement that section 502 allows joint state returns "only when a joint return is filed federally" because it specifically allows a couple to file jointly when they haven't filed any federal taxes at all."
Besides the obvious contradiction in the tax law is the obvious narrow reading of the civil union law itself. As quoted above, the law provides a liberal and broad application granting all the same rights and responsibilities to civil union couples as married ones. The civil union act goes even further to make sure its meaning and application are clear, stating:
"A party to a civil union is entitled to the same legal obligations, responsibilities, protections, and benefits as are afforded or recognized by the law of Illinois to spouses, whether they derive from statute, administrative rule, policy, common law, or any other source of civil or criminal law." 750 ILCS 75/20
There isn't wiggle room in that reading at all. Those same legal benefits provided for both groups includes the joint filing of state taxes. As Professor Niedwiecki points out:
"This is one of the rights afforded to spouses under state law, and the civil union law makes it clear that all efforts should be made to provide equal rights to same sex couples. In fact, the states that have adopted civil unions or their equivalent allow same-sex couples to jointly file state taxes. (For example, see New Jersey, California, Oregon). Jointly filing taxes is one of the main benefits that LGBT activists cite when they push for marriage or civil union rights in a state, and these other states have fixed this inequality in applying their tax laws to same-sex couples."
It is clear that the contradictory, narrow reading of the civil union law by the Dept. of Revenue needs to be addressed and fixed quickly, whether it be by clarification of the law from state officials or a legislative fix. Joint state tax filings are an important part of the benefits supposedly provided to same-sex couples in civil unions. What is also clear is that this is a glaring example of why separate is never equal. Creating new, separate, and different levels of rights and recognition among committed couples only creates further inequity, confusion, and discord even internally among states that seek to expand rights.
We decided long ago that segmenting minorities out for separate treatment can never create equality. It's long past time we apply that to all our citizens.Unity has the ability to import pieces of code written (and compiled) in other languages; they are called Native Plugins, and this tutorial will teach you how to build them.
Source codes:
Managed and unmanaged plugins in Unity
Connecting different piece of code is not something which Unity invented. If you are a Windows user, is very likely you might have heard of DLLs, an acronym which means Dynamic Link Libraries. Similarly to standalone applications, they are compiled softwares. Unlike them, however, they cannot be executed directly since they are designed specifically to be used by other applications.
Unity supports two types of plugins: managed and unmanaged. The former are piece of code written in C# and compiled into a bytecode language called Common Intermediate Language (CIL). Managed plugins are as powerful as C# scripts, with the advantage of having their source codes compiled. Unmanaged (or native) plugins, instead, are piece of software written in other languages, typically C++. There are no constraints on what they can do, and since they are compiled in machine code they tend to be much faster than traditional scripts.
Step 1: Creating a C++ project
For this tutorial I will use Visual Studio 2015; as long as you know how to compile C++ code, you can chose whichever IDE you want. The first step to create an unmanaged C++ library is to create a project for it. Open Visual Studio, go to File | New Project and select Visual C++ | Win32 Console Application.
After choosing a name for the project (TestDLL in this example), make sure to select DLL under Application type, and Empty project under Additional options.
The Visual C++ solution is now ready and we can start writing our code.
Step 2: Writing the library
C++ code is generally split in two files. The functions definitions (called header) and their actual implementation (called body). While the body is written into.cpp files inside the folder Resource files, headers goes into Header Files and have extension.h. For this solution we will create a header and a body; the latter will contain all the functions we want to store in our DLL. You can create a file by right clicking in the relative folder, then selecting Add | New Item.
The body: TestDLLSort.cpp
Let’s start with the code that sorts our array.
#include "TestDLLSort.h" #include <algorithm> extern "C" { void TestSort(int a[], int length) { std::sort(a, a+length); } } 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 #include "TestDLLSort.h" #include <algorithm> extern "C" { void TestSort ( int a [ ], int length ) { std :: sort ( a, a + length ) ; } }
Lines 5-7 uses the std:sort function from the algorithm library to sort the array. If you are familiar with C++11, this should be nothing new. The only addition is the extern "C" block, which is necessary to export the references to TestSort into the DLL.
The header: TestDLLSort.h
The definition of the body must be complete with a header. It has to contain the prototype of TestSort, which is the signature of the function.
#define TESTDLLSORT_API __declspec(dllexport) extern "C" { TESTDLLSORT_API void TestSort(int a[], int length); } 1 2 3 4 5 #define TESTDLLSORT_API __declspec(dllexport) extern "C" { TESTDLLSORT_API void TestSort ( int a [ ], int length ) ; }
The remaining code is necessary to create the DLL. The name TESTDLLSORT_API is arbitrary and is used to mark all the functions exported. In more sophisticated pieces of software, TESTDLLSORT_API should be binded to __declspec(dllimport) depending on the situation. But in this toy example, this is not necessary.
Step 3: Compiling
The final step to complete in Visual Studio for our DLL is now to compile it. Make sure that your target is set to Release for the right platform (32bit or 64bit). Then, select Build | Build Solution.
On the bottom of the screen, you’ll see an output log on the console. It should look like this:
1>------ Rebuild All started: Project: TestDLL, Configuration: Release x64 ------ 1> TestDLLSort.cpp 1> Creating library C:\Users\Alan Zucconi\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\TestDLL\x64\Release\TestDLL.lib and object C:\Users\Alan Zucconi\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\TestDLL\x64\Release\TestDLL.exp 1> Generating code 1> All 30 functions were compiled because no usable IPDB/IOBJ from previous compilation was found. 1> Finished generating code 1> TestDLL.vcxproj -> C:\Users\Alan Zucconi\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\TestDLL\x64\Release\TestDLL.dll ========== Rebuild All: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 skipped ========== 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 > -- -- -- Rebuild All started : Project : TestDLL, Configuration : Release x64 -- -- -- 1 > TestDLLSort.cpp 1 > Creating library C : \ Users \ Alan Zucconi \ Documents \ Visual Studio 2015 \ Projects \ TestDLL \ x64 \ Release \ TestDLL.lib and object C : \ Users \ Alan Zucconi \ Documents \ Visual Studio 2015 \ Projects \ TestDLL \ x64 \ Release \ TestDLL.exp 1 > Generating code 1 > All 30 functions were compiled because no usable IPDB / IOBJ from previous compilation was found. 1 > Finished generating code 1 > TestDLL.vcxproj -> C : \ Users \ Alan Zucconi \ Documents \ Visual Studio 2015 \ Projects \ TestDLL \ x64 \ Release \ TestDLL.dll === === === = Rebuild All : 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 skipped === === === =
If you are experiencing a warning such as warning C4273: inconsistent dll linkage, there might be ambiguity between the usage of __declspec(dllimport) and __declspec(dllexport). If you are just trying to create a native plugin for Unity, stick with the latter.
Step 4: Importing in Unity
Following the previous compilation log, explore the project folders to find the compiled DLL. In this case it it placed in the folder x64\Release. This is the only file you need. The first step to make it work into Unity is to copy it with a folder called Plugins.
Native plugins are typically bounded to a specific OS or platform. You can use the Inspector to make sure each DLL is included in the right build.
Step 5: Using in Unity
Once imported, using a DLL is relatively simple. The first step is to define its entry point, which is done using the DLLImport annotation. You need to specify the name of the DLL and the name of the function. It is then given an alias, which can be invoked like any other function.
using UnityEngine; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; public class TestDLL : MonoBehaviour { // The imported function [DllImport("TestDLL", EntryPoint = "TestSort")] public static extern void TestSort(int [] a, int length); public int[] a; void Start() { TestSort(a, a.Length); } } 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 using UnityEngine ; using System. Runtime. InteropServices ; public class TestDLL : MonoBehaviour { // The imported function [ DllImport ( "TestDLL", EntryPoint = "TestSort" ) ] public static extern void TestSort ( int [ ] a, int length ) ; public int [ ] a ; void Start ( ) { TestSort ( a, a. Length ) ; } }
The string used in EntryPoint must match with the name used in the C++ library. However, you can call the function in the line below the way you want; this is how C# will call it from now on.
You should notice that Unity cannot check unmanaged DLLs in the editor; you’ll have to run the game to check whether the linkage has been successful or not. This is not the case with managed DLLs, which can be checked statically.
Conclusion
Native plugins are extremely important and can play a vital role in the development of your game. Their most significant advantage is the speed. While C# scripts are translated CIL, Unmanaged DLLs are compiled in machine code. You can try yourself by benchmarking the DLL created in this test. Sorting an array of 1000000 elements takes approximately 480ms with Array.Sort, but only 65 with std::sort. This is seven times faster! If your game has some heavy simulations (such as fluid dynamics or heavy AI stuff) you should consider moving that part of code in a C++ library.
Other resources
Native plugins for Mac: a detailed article which covers most of the content here presented, but oriented for Mac developers;
Unity and DLLs: a tutorial to create managed (C#) and unmanaged (C++) plugins for Unity;
Writing plugins: an official video tutorial from Unity to create your first plugin with Visual Studio.It’s late one summer night outside a market in Oak Park and Timothy Patterson, known in this neighborhood as Mozzy, dials up a friend with a video camera. “Come through. I’ve got to get some shit off my chest real quick.” An hour later, he’s filmed an entire video, “Bladadah,” that will change his life forever.
The shoot happened at the Bonfare on the corner of Broadway and Alhambra Boulevard. Just another Sacramento gas station with metal bars over its windows. Yet 3 million YouTube views and some heavy police surveillance later, Patterson is now a nationally famous rapper.
“Bladadah” was a hit. But it also could be viewed by law enforcement as evidence: of loitering, of open container violations, and—due to the red colors Mozzy and his associates don—of suspicion of gang activity.
But Mozzy, 28, sees the video simply as regular life in south Sac. He defines regular a little differently than most, though. Regular is having incarcerated and absentee parents with drug-addiction issues. Regular is finding guidance and brotherhood in gangs. Regular is territorial battles and shootouts. Regular is family members and close friends doing life behind bars—or, worse, ending up murdered.
Since his release from prison on April 1 of last year, for violation of probation and possession of a firearm and a controlled substance, Mozzy’s tallied three consecutive impressive albums in the span of five months. This gained him critical praise from Complex.com, Pitchfork.com and Rolling Stone. During the past two months, he’s taken meetings with major record labels to discuss deals.
Mozzy says that, while in jail, all he did was write, plan, plot and strategize. “I told myself when I get out I’m gonna wreck shit. I’m gonna drop over 10 projects within the first year of my release.”
With the Beautiful Struggle mixtape, out last week, and two more albums completed, he’s achieving his goal. Mozzy is now poised to become the biggest rapper ever out of Sacramento.
And yet, in that same breath, the troubled past that informs his raps and fueled his success might also lead to his demise.
‘One of the worst days of my life’
Mozzy started rapping at age 12—around the same age he first held a gun.
He shares this detail in the living room of a boarding home deep in Oak Park. Mozzy is lively, wound up, eager to tell his life story. He’s a man ready for his close-up.
Sort of. Consider: His black Mercedes-Benz CL550 is parked outside, but he is dressed head-to-toe in black Wal-Mart sweats and bummy black sneakers. Brand details he shares with a big grin. His undershirt is basic white. Unlike Mozzy from the videos, everyday Mozzy is not wearing the red associated with the Oak Park Bloods. He’s a regular guy.
Across the table is Corey Credic, president of rap at Black Market Records, a locally based label that’s put out albums by Brotha Lynch Hung and X-Raided. Credic is partially responsible for Mozzy’s Yellow Tape Activities mixtape appearing on the label, and he hopes to facilitate a long-term record deal. But, in the weeks to come, Black Market will be competing with major labels like Epic and Atlantic to sign Mozzy on the dotted line.
This isn’t going to Mozzy’s head, though, |
"I don't know if he will make much of a martyr. The guy was a no-hoper. But he had the world's attention for 24 hours. He was able to keep it rolling." The danger, Barton said, is Monis may inspire others. "It was a good demonstration of the impact a hostage crisis has on the media." Australian National University terrorism analyst Clarke Jones agreed about the risk of copycat attacks.
"There are a number of siege and hostage-type scenarios that go on around the world on a weekly basis, and yet we see this type of incident attracting this incredible attention because of the hype around terrorism at the moment, particularly over the last 6-12 months with the rise of Islamic State (IS)," he told the Conversation website. "While this guy is unlikely to have had any association with IS – although he claims an association with IS like many vulnerable loners have done in the past – I think it helps to encourage rather than prevent that activity."Energy company Airtricity has said it will increase its monthly electricity standing charge by €1.70 (including VAT) from April 1.
It also announced an increase in its gas standing charge by €1.14 (including VAT) a month. Customers who source both gas and electricity from Airtricity will see their joint bill rise by €34.05 a year.
The company has 600,000 electricity and gas customers. It said it regretted the increases but said they were necessary due to its debt costs and continuing difficult market conditions.
It said it will not increase standing charges for its customers on pre-pay meters. The company also said that about 65,000 customer accounts - about 10% of its total - are in arrears of which around 10,000 have agreed payment plans with the firm.
Since last October, Airtricity said it had arranged for the installation of 547 new electricity pay-as-you-go meters. It said it has had to double the number of staff allocated to collecting debt in its credit division.
''We very much regret that we must increase our standing charges at this time,'' commented Airtricity managing director Stephen Wheeler.
''Unfortunately we have seen a significant increase in our costs related to recovering debt in addition to a considerable deterioration in our debt profile. The increases announced today are necessary to ensure that we maintain a sustainable cost base,'' he added.
In a statement, the Commission for Energy Regulation said that competition among electricity suppliers for customers has resulted in the Irish electricity market being de-regulated since April 2011.
''This means that all electricity suppliers set their own electricity prices without prior approval from the regulator. It is up to the supplier to justify such changes,'' it added.
The CER said it encourages customers to shop around among energy suppliers to get the best possible price and service deal. It also said it is continuing to monitor the market and if it sees evidence of customer harm, it is prepared to intervene.Queen Elizabeth II is expected to sign a new charter for the Commonwealth, a document which many have interpreted as a nod to gay rights.
On Monday, Queen Elizabeth will sign the Commonwealth Charter which lays out the core values of the 54 member states, NPR notes. One particular line in this document is making headlines around the world because people have interpreted it as the first time Queen Elizabeth will openly support gay rights in her 61-year reign.
Via the Daily Mail:
The charter, dubbed a ‘21st Century Commonwealth Magna Carta’ declares: ‘We are implacably opposed to all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds.’ The ‘other grounds’ is intended to refer to sexuality – but specific reference to ‘gays and lesbians’ was omitted in deference to Commonwealth countries with draconian anti-gay laws. Sources close to the Royal Household said she is aware of the implications of the charter’s implicit support of gay rights and commitment to gender equality.
"The impact of this statement on gay and women’s rights should not be underestimated," a diplomatic source told the Daily Mail. "Nothing this progressive has ever been approved by the United Nations. And it is most unusual for the Queen to request to sign documents in public, never mind call the cameras in."
However, others are questioning if Queen Elizabeth is really championing gay rights or if this is a stretch.
British LGBT activist Peter Tatchell told the Independent that if the Queen choose to back equality now, it will stand in contrast to her previous inaction. “While I doubt that Elizabeth II is a raging homophobe, she certainly doesn’t appear to be gay-friendly. Not once during her reign has she publicly acknowledged the existence of the LGBT community," he said. “While she has spoken approvingly of the UK’s many races and faiths, for six decades she has ignored LGBT Britons. If she treated black and Asian Britons in the same way, she’d be denounced as a racist. Why the double standards?”
Helen Lewis of the NewStatesman notes that Queen Elizabeth likely didn't write this charter or have a say in its wording. The hook that the supposed gay rights declaration hinges on -- "other grounds" -- is wholly vague. And the New Civil Rights Movement's David Badash calls the the praise is premature.
Gay rights have been moving along in the U.K.
Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken on behalf of equality and has backed the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Britain, which could take effect in 2015. Still, over 80 percent of Commonwealth countries enact anti-gay legislation, according to the Independent. Former British colonies, like Uganda, Singapore, Jamaica and Malaysia, criminalize homosexuality.President Obama promised a touch of optimism for his fifth State of the Union address, but Tuesday night he was a bit too positive about his record of accomplishment.
Right from his opening line, the president cherry-picked the rosiest of statistics that didn’t always reflect the reality of his record even as the economy finally creaks back to life.
For instance, the president hailed the “8 million new jobs our businesses have created over the past four years.” But the president has been in office for five years and the figure he used was a gross number that ignores the effect of continued job erosion, especially from the early part of his presidency.
In fact, the net gain of jobs on Mr. Obama’s watch is 3.25 million, according to the website FactCheck.org, and the number of Americans who are jobless still stands above 10 million, including 3.9 million who have been out of work for at least 27 weeks, known as the long-term unemployed.
Many more Americans are no longer seeking jobs and have fallen from the count. CNNMoney recently reported that only 62.8 percent of the adult population is participating in the labor market, the lowest percentage since 1978 when Jimmy Carter was president.
The president gave a more accurate description of the economic troubles on Main Street when he acknowledged that “average wages have barely budged” on his watch.
From 2008 to 2012, the average wage for workers rose from 1 percent to 1.7 percent when adjusted for inflation, according to the fact-checking website PolitiFact.
The president also made a proposal he portrayed as dramatic, using his executive powers to raise the minimum wage for federal contractors from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. But the fact is the proposal won’t affect many workers.
Most employees of federal contractors already earn more than $10.10. About 10 percent of those workers, roughly 200,000, might be covered by the higher minimum wage. But there are several wrinkles, according to The Associated Press. The increase would not take effect until 2015 at the earliest, and it wouldn’t apply to existing federal contracts, only new ones. Renewed contracts also will be exempt from Obama’s order unless other terms of the agreement change, such as the type of work or number of employees needed.
Obama also said he will press Congress to raise the federal minimum wage overall. He tried that last year, seeking a $9 minimum, but Congress didn’t act.
The president also hailed the growth of oil and natural gas development on his watch, but the government can’t take much credit for that growth, either.
Much of that growth has occurred on private lands, not federal lands, and the drilling industry has complained the administration has been slow to embrace the opportunities unleashed by the fracking revolution because it has been so focused on funding the growth of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
Mr. Obama also attracted the fact-checkers’ notice with his promise to “protect” more than 3 million transportation and waterways works projects by slashing bureaucracy and streamlining the permitting process.
Joshua Schank, president of the Eno Center for Transportation, told AP that bureaucratic red tape was far less of a problem than the lack of budget dollars to fund projects. The federal Highway Trust Fund is set to run out of money this summer, and Mr. Obama’s proposal to raise taxes of U.S. corporate overseas operations as a way to finance infrastructure programs has made little headway on Capitol Hill.
“The reason most of these projects are delayed is they don’t have enough money,” said Mr. Schank. “So it’s great that you are expediting the review process, but the review process isn’t the problem.”
Mr. Obama’s claims about economic inequality — a central theme of his speech — do not jibe with the latest research. Pitching plans to aid the middle class, the president declared, “Inequality has deepened, upward mobility has stalled.”
But data from a team led by Harvard economist Raj Chetty this month concluded that rates of social mobility in the United States are basically unchanged since the early 1970s.
On foreign policy, Mr. Obama’s claim that American diplomacy had “halted the progress of Iran’s nuclear program” has been challenged from an unusual source — the Iranian government itself. Iran’s top diplomat has rejected U.S. claims that Tehran has agreed to stop enriching uranium as it tries to negotiate a long-term agreement.
“We did not agree to dismantle anything,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN in an interview, calling into question whether or not American and Iranian leaders are on the same page when it comes to the arms agreements.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Sydney University student politics is famed for both churning out some of the country's highest profile politicians and public figures - Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey and Michael Kirby among them - but also for its unruliness.
A meeting on Thursday night upheld at least this last tradition, descending into chaos, with police called to investigate a "stolen" mobile phone and scuffles allegedly taking place as people were barricaded outside the room.
The meeting had been called to elect the executive members of the 2015 Students' Representative Council (SRC), but was shrouded in controversy after student political factions - an integral part of student politics - reneged on a power-sharing deal.
Members of Labor Right (Student Unity), another Labor faction called Sydney Labor Students and Liberal factions had attempted to stall the meeting and have it declared inquorate, because they had been locked out of a power-sharing deal by factional rivals.Arsene Wenger tried to convince Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to stay at Arsenal but the winger told the manager that he wanted to leave and it wasn't about money. His contract at Liverpool proves that.
Even before the summer and throughout the transfer window all the talk at the Emirates was about how both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil only had a year left to run on their respective contracts.
However under the radar was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who also had only one year left and he made it clear to Arsene Wenger that he wouldn't sign a new deal despite a £180,000-a-week offer.
Having turned down Chelsea he now looks set to join Liverpool, which might have something to do with revealing he always wanted to be Steven Gerrard:
Credit: BT Sport
The 'Ox' had told Wenger that signing a new deal wasn't about money and reports suggested that Antonio Conte was willing to make the 24 year-old Chelsea's top earner.
And it seems the former Southampton man was telling the truth when he said it wasn't about the money as he's set to earn far less than he would have done by staying at the Emirates:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be paid about £125,000 a week by Liverpool.
Turned down new Arsenal contract worth up to £180,000 a week - Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) August 30, 2017
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was a Liverpool fan when he was a kid. Liverpool see him as long-term replacement for James Milner - Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) August 30, 2017
Having played 130 times in the Premier League in seven years at the Emirates, with many of those performances coming off the bench, the England international is obviously hoping for first team football.
But his biggest problem at Arsenal has been an inability to hold down a position in the Gunners' team, especially as he'd like to play central and he's mostly used as a wing-back these days.
The Ox has started all four of Arsenal's game this season but in the system that plays three at the back he's been playing further down the pitch than he's perhaps used to.
In a world where footballers' wages are obscene it's nice to see a player take less in order to play where he wants to!Same planet, same view, so why do these Russian satellite images of Earth look so different to Nasa's?
Space agencies use different data sets to bring 'visualisation of reality' to life
They are some of the most revealing and fascinating images yet taken of Earth.
Clearly showing various land colours according to terrain and finely detailing the height contours of mountains, they are incredibly beautiful to look at.
But they are also unique and quite different to the images of our planet captured by numerous Nasa missions over the years.
Unique: Taken by Russian satellite Elektro-L, this image of the Red Sea region clearly show various land colours according to terrain and finely detail the height contours of mountains
For these images were not taken by Nasa, but by an orbiting Russian spacecraft, and the reason for the difference in Earth's appearance can be attributed to a different method of interpreting data being beamed back.
The weather satellite Elektro-L sends images to ground control every 30 minutes, but is capable of mailing images every ten minutes.
Launched in January aboard a Zenit rocket, it is currently 36,000km above the equator.
But while the Elektro-L's revealing shots of Earth may appear more accurate than Nasa images, the U.S. space agency claims they are not.
An amazing image of Earth taken by Elektro-L on February 26. The satellite's images are quite different to those captured by Nasa over the years due to different data and methods of interpreting that data Dr Robert Simmon, from the Nasa Earth Observatory at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said the Russian images are neither better nor worse than Nasa's. He told Gizmodo: 'These Elektro-L images are a combination of visible and near-infrared wavelengths, so they show Earth in a way not visible to human eyes - vegetation looks red, for example. 'They’re not any better or worse than Nasa images, but they show different things.' Elektro-L takes pictures using three bands in reflected light, one red and two near infrared bands, one of which is a'vegetation indicator' as plants clearly reflect near infrared. This system can simulate a standard red/green/blue colour picture. Contrast: Another image taken by Elektro-L (above) is substantially different to the method used by Nasa to capture and decode its satellite images. The Nasa image below places less focus on the colour of vegetation and is more realistic
Nasa's equivalent GOES weather satellites, on the other hand, don't have near infrared bands and capture images in black and white using multiple infrared wavelengths.
These are then transferred into colour images, bringing red, green and blue together, by 3D technology.
Nasa's method shows you what the eye can actually see, whereas Russia's Elektro-L images offer a different view that may be more revealing, but is not as realistic.
In orbit: An artist's impression of Elektro-L, which sends images back to ground control every 30 minutes
Stripped: Launched in January aboard a Zenit rocket, Elektro-L is currently 36,000km above the equatorEverton captain Ashley Williams sparked the melee in the second half of the game
Everton have banned the child-carrying supporter involved in a confrontation with a Lyon player during Thursday's Europa League defeat at Goodison Park.
The club have also contacted Merseyside Police, who are investigating.
Everton's Ashley Williams sparked the melee which saw an Everton fan - carrying a small child - appear to push Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes.
European football's governing body Uefa has charged Everton with "aggressions by supporters against players".
Uefa will deal with the case at a disciplinary hearing on 16 November.
"I don't think it is part of the English atmosphere to hit an away player, but it was like this," said Lopes after the game, which Lyon won 2-1.
Jenas: Fan shouldn't get a life ban
An Everton statement read: "Club officials have reviewed the footage of an incident where supporters towards the front of the lower Gwladys Street End became involved in a confrontation between players.
"We have identified one individual against whom action will now be taken. This will include a ban from attending future Everton fixtures, and the club registering a formal complaint with Merseyside Police."
Everton were fined £8,837 by Uefa last month, after crowd trouble during the home leg of their Europa League play-off match against Hajduk Split in August.Who owns you, Blanche?
Today Citigroup lowered its rating on Wal-Mart from a buy to a hold because of the Employee Free Choice Act, "citing concern that legislation intended to make it easier for employees to unionize would raise the retail giant’s labor costs and hurt its competitiveness."
This is startling for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that they’re downgrading the stock based on an assumption that a piece of legislation will pass that hasn’t even been introduced yet.
The Citigroup analyst, Debora Weinswig, said Employee Free Choice (EFCA) "could be a significant drag to earnings."
It’s hard to view this as anything other than a reckless and overt political act on the part of a company, Citigroup, that has made stupendously bad business decisions with dire economic consequences necessitating billions in taxpayer bailouts, at a time when the market can ill-afford it.
Even Bank of America admitted in an internal memo that increased wages for working people would mean "increased spending power of lower income consumers," which would mean that even if Wal-Mart was successfully unionized — a big if — they could make up the cost of higher wages with an increase in sales. Somehow that calculation didn’t enter into Ms. Weinswig’s extraordinarily premature analysis.
Blanche Lincoln has been one of the wobbly Senate votes on Employee Free Choice, and she’s pretty much a wholly owned subsidiary of Wal-mart. One has to wonder if this isn’t an overt attempt to influence her vote.
I asked Pulitzer-Prize winning former New York Times reporter David Cay Johnston, author of author of Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense [and Stick You with the Bill], what he made of this announcement:
Citigroup’s comment fit with the same pattern we see in utility regulation. Just as state regulators are about to vote on raising electricity and gas rates, the bond ratings agencies come out with warnings that they’re thinking about downgrading the bonds. None dare call it "interference in the market."
If there is any company that could absorb this kind of hit in order to tank a piece of legislation that it has been mobilizing against for months, it’s Wal-Mart.
Taxpayers now own a huge chunk of Citigroup. We should be looking a lot more closely about how, and when, these ratings get made.
Update: Greg Sargent says that Burger King is getting in on the action, too.
David Cay Johnston will be joining us at 3:30 EDT on Thursday as part of our week-long series "No More Dough ‘Til We Know Where It Goes." You can send a note to Congress telling them what you think about the need for more bank bailout transparency here.Larger image here, for web interface users
Jessica and I were triaging the MediaGoblin issue tracker and found some bugs that were really confusing. They both mentioned LDAP plugins, which we have, so at first they looked like real bugs... but then upon closer examination, they made no sense in the context of MediaGoblin. And hey, at the bottom there was a link... to a spam site!
I was really surprised at how accurate this bug looked... it was too good for a markov chain. @Mark Holmquist found the original post was a stackoverflow submission with terms that matched some other terms in our tracker. No wonder it was hard to detect as spam!
At the moment, I'm admiring the technique. I'm sure that level of admiration will drop off soon for pure annoyance if this keeps up though...The Moto X has been making headlines as of late for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the astoundingly versatile Motomaker. Motomaker lets you to customize your phone to a degree that we've never seen before, allowing for a staggering total of 504 unique color combinations. Don't gasp in amazement at that number just yet, though. It looks like Motorola is preparing Motomaker to include the wooden backs we saw last month at the phone's unveiling. A quick peek at the code of the Motomaker webpage reveals that, though hidden to the common viewer (perhaps part of the checkout process), wooden Moto X backs are waiting patiently to make their debut and, further, that they will cost an additional $50.
Ignore the "in stock" part for now. We're still waiting for something a bit more official like, you know, the website to actually have them. While the $50 price tag may seem off-putting, for a phone [partly] made of real wood, chopped down from a real forest by a real Android-loving lumberjack for your calling, texting, and gaming pleasure, $50 is a very fair price. While there is certainly nothing set in stone (or wood, for that matter) in this code, this is probably a strong indicator of things to come. Hopefully we'll have some concrete pricing and availability soon.
Source: Motorola via Droid-lifeOn Sunday morning, a handful of Marlins personnel spotted a sentence scrawled in blue pen, a kind of baseball-style message in a bottle, on the wooden railing in the visitors dugout at Nationals Park. Someone had tried to pass along information about one of the Nationals’ best players: “Zimmermann Tips Watch Glove.” Translation: Jordan Zimmermann will inform you what pitch he plans to throw by the way he moves his glove.
If the Marlins tried to follow the advice, it backfired about as much as possible. Zimmermann threw a no-hitter and missed a perfect game by a matter of inches when he walked Justin Bour on a 3-2 fastball, just low.
But the markings on the dugout raise questions. Who put it there? And why? Did a divisional rival hope the Nationals would lose based on the tip? Was a hitter just trying to be helpful? Was someone bored and making the whole thing up?
There’s no way to know how those words got there, or even how long they’ve been on the bench. The Mets were in town right before the Marlins, but Zimmermann didn’t pitch in the series. Before Zimmermann’s no-hitter, his last home start came Sept. 9 against the Braves, who at that point clung to a remote chance at the National League East and would have had reason to root against the Nationals.
Whoever tried to tell the rest of the league that Zimmermann tips pitches, it sure didn’t work.An Outline to Learning To Code in 1 Year
15 hours/week for free
Javier Noris Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jan 29, 2016
I always had an inclination towards entrepreneurship even from a young age. However, a little over a year ago I reached a tipping point. I felt frustrated and handicapped by my inability to quickly build and create. I felt dependent on developers to create my vision. I decided to take success into my own hands and learn to code.
Now that I had decided to learn to code, I had a new challenge. How could I learn to code on a budget while still working full time? Unfortunately, I was not in a place where I could quit my day job and focus fully on coding.
Here’s the good news: there are a ton of resources available online.
Here’s the bad news: that information is scattered and disorganized. As a newcomer, it was very difficult to make sense of it all and find the right resources that fit my particular learning style.
I’m glad (and relieved!) to say that after a year I managed to land my first software position. And 6 months after that I decided to leave and launch my own startup ScienceVest.
I wanted to create the following guide to help others in a similar position become professional software developers quickly and cheaply. And hopefully help others build out their own entrepreneurial ideas along the way. The real moral of my story is that there is no excuse. You don’t need to quit your day job to become a developer. You don’t need to go to a boot camp to become a developer.
What you DO need is perseverance and effort. It’s not an easy journey but I whole-heartedly believe that everyone has the ability to learn how to code. Buckle up, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
This curriculum is intended to make you a competent/employable web developer, it takes many years to become an expert.
Reading material before we start:
Some notes before you start:
Throughout the following guide, a good amount of topics and items are intermittently repeated. My theory is that repeating concepts we have already gone over after acquiring some new knowledge will allow you to build deeper and more developed insights. Sometimes having a slightly different explanation can also give you a new perspective that better fits within your learning framework.
If at first you feel like everything is going over your head, don’t worry. It’s totally normal. Keep pushing forward if you don’t understand something. Feel free to take a bit longer on certain subjects but if you spend more than 30 minutes stuck on a subject, move forward (copy & paste if you have to).
This is important especially during your first 6 months. You have to trust that through repetition, the material will eventually click further down the line. If you finish any given week early, I would recommend getting a head start on next’s week material. There will be places where you may struggle so give yourself some buffer time to fall behind.
I have tagged each item with an estimation of how much time it will take to complete but obviously this is dependent on everyone’s learning speed. I tried to stay well under 15 hours per week to account for any inaccuracies in my time estimates. Let me know via the comments or on Twitter if you spot any error or if my estimates are way off.
Everyone learns differently, you do not have to use this as a definite guide. In fact I think experimenting outside of this framework will be beneficial. However, I do think this guide can be the backbone of your learning.
Curriculum
Month 1:
Let’s get started! The first month is where most falter, get past this difficult month and things will get easier. Are you up for the challenge?!
Week 1:
If you are already pretty familiar with basic ruby you can just browse through this week.
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Week 2:
This week we dive into Chris Pine’s famous “Learn to Program”. This is a great introductory book to the Ruby programming language and basic algorithms. Some of the problem sets might be difficult for you if you are completely new to programming. Do not spend more than 30 minutes on any problem, just look up the answer if you really can’t figure it out. Make sure you get through the whole book this week, it’s doable.
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Week 3:
This week we start work on the Rails Tutorial by Michael Hartl which almost every Ruby on Rails programmer has gone through at some point early in their learning. This week is focused on getting your development environment setup and working with a very simple toy app to get familiarized with the format of the book.
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Week 4:
It’s time to continue Mike Hartl’s Rails Tutorial. Here you will work on some basic static pages, get introduced to testing and review a bit of ruby. After this week I would recommend not dwelling too much on testing. However if you feel comfortable by all means go ahead and follow all the testing examples. My advice would be to just copy and paste anything related to testing if you don’t understand it. We will dive into testing later on in the year’s curriculum.
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Month 2:
Wooooo! Month 2!
Week 5:
Great Job getting this far! If this is your first serious programming some of this might seem like it doesn’t quite make sense. It’s okay, that happens to everyone. Keep pushing though and try to absorb the most important concepts. We will consolidate everything throughout the rest of this course. This week is a very important week, you get to learn how to model users. Pay attention, you will be doing a lot of this throughout the next few months.
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Week 6:
It’s time to do some serious coding! Learn how to deal with users and create sign-up and log-in functionality for your apps!
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Week 7:
I can’t stress enough how important it is that you keep moving forward! You are almost done with the Rails Tutorial. You have come a long way and have a much stronger understanding of what a Rails application entails. Keep going!
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Week 8:
Well done! This is the end of the Rails Tutorial book by Michael Hartl. While much of the information may have not quite sunk in yet, there is no denying you know much more than you did just 6 weeks ago. We will shore up all of those confusing concepts in the coming weeks. But first, make sure to finish this section!
Extra resources if you finish early:
Reminder: You do not have to get everything! Do not get stuck on anything for too long. Just copy & paste or skip it if possible. Move forward and you will run into it later on in this course once you have more knowledge.
Month 3:
Project #1
Great job! As a reward you get to pick a project to work on now!
Pick a simple project you want to build. You do not need to feel ready for it but should at least feel that you might be able to complete it.
I recommend picking something simple like a Todo-list application, Facebook clone or a Pinterest clone (these are all great because there are tutorials online that you can fall back on if it becomes too difficult).
Do not spend too much time deciding, just pick something. The important thing to do is to start coding so you know what you don’t know. It might feel scary, but this is something that you must do. Use this first week to try and do it all yourself and see how far you can get! Try it without looking at any tutorials with the exception of the Rails Tutorial to serve as a reference.
Next week we will let you start using other tutorials but for now you must do this on your own, push yourself and see how far you can get!
Note: Do not pick a Blog or a Reddit Clone since we will be doing those in later weeks.
Week 9:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 10:
Work on Project #1 — You may now look online for more help on this project. (11–13 hours)
Watch How To Build A Recipe Box in Rails 4 (2 Hours)
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 11:
Work on Project #1 — You should start getting a sense for how much more there is to learn, this is crucial. We need to know what we don’t know! (11–13Hours)
Watch How to Build A Pinterest Clone in Rails 4 (2 Hours)
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 12:
Here we introduce “Learn Ruby The Hard Way” by Zed Shaw: Move through this book fast! There are lots of parts in this book that you should already be familiar with from previous tutorials, if so just skim through that section and get ahead. You do not need to memorize everything or be able to solve every problem. Just try your best and if you get stuck on something, move on!
This week we also get started on Schneems Database and Rails class from the University of Texas. This mini course was one of the most useful tools in my own learning. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Month 4:
More UT on Rails & Learn Ruby The Hard Way!
Week 13:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 14:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 15:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 16:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Month 5:
Congratulations on making it this far!
Week 17:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 18:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 19:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 20:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Month 6:
Back to practice & real life coding! Now that you have a lot of the fundamentals we will be doing
Much more real coding than the previous 5 months.
Project #2
For Project#2 try to pick something more difficult than your previous project. I recommend an online store utilizing the Stripe API to get some exposure to new things. It will be challenging and push you to do things out of your comfort zone. Plus, there are tons of tutorials to help you along the way.
Note: Do not pick a Blog clone since we will be doing that in later weeks.
Week 21:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 22:
Work on Project #2 (11–13 hours)
Watch How To Build A Movie Review Site in Rails 4 (1–2 Hours)
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 23:
Work on Project #2 (11–13 hours)
Watch How To Build A Jobs Board App in Rails4 (1–2 Hours)
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 24:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Month 7:
Here we introduce the Rails 3 Way by Obie Fernandez. This is the one book I consider the most important in all of my learning. I link to the Rails 3 Way because there is a free ebook version online and its very, very similar to Rails 4. If you can get the Rails 4 Way from the local library or afford to buy it by all means do that but it is not necessary.
Week 25:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 26:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 27:
Welcome to week 27! Here we introduce Test First Ruby. It’s a great introduction to test driven learning and gets you working on some more complicated pure ruby algorithms. Make sure you keep pace with the Rails 3 Way book readings!
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 28:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Month 8:
I expect that you are starting to feel a lot more confident in your abilities. Let’s put those to use with our 3rd project.
Project #3
Pick something already! You may even be able to complete two projects if your skills have increased enough. Get ready, set, goooooooooooooo!
Week 29:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 30:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 31:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 32:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Month 9:
After doing most of the required readings from the Rails Way 3 book and working through yet another project you must be feeling a lot more confident in your abilities. This month we will be gearing up to make you a more complete and employable developer. Our focus will be to give an introduction of AngularJS, Web API’s and get you some real experience with Rails testing using Minitest.
Week 33:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 34:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 35:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 36:
Extra resources if you finish earlier:
Month 10:
Time to work on another project! Try to build this project using TDD with your new knowledge on Minitest. Since this is your first time writing tests for an application it’s okay to build out each feature of the project and then write the test after you have finished each feature.
Project #4
Week 37:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 38:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 39:
Extra resources if you finish early:
Week 40:
|
."
Sinking onto one of the empty seats, Anna blinked owlishly. "But if none of you told them… then how…?"
Rapunzel smiled softly. "Did you never consider the fact that people can actually see the way you and Elsa look at each other?"
Eugene turned his chair towards them as well. "Or the fact that you two leave together practically every day?"
"And without fail come in at the same time too," Merida added, still not looking up from her work.
Anna sighed deeply, sounding even more defeated than before. "Well, fu-"
"Something the matter?" Elsa's voice suddenly chimed from behind them, causing Anna to stop mid-curse and jump up from her seat.
"We need to talk," she murmured, grabbing the blonde by her arm and practically dragging her into her office. Once they were inside, and alone, Anna found that she had a hard time telling the blonde what was on her mind, though.
"Anna, what is going on? You're… worrying me a little."
Taking in a deep breath, Anna tried to steady her beating heart a little. "People know," she eventually blurted out, causing Elsa to raise a singly, dainty eyebrow.
"People know what, exactly?"
"About us," Anna continued, managing to sound exasperated and terrified at the same time.
Elsa merely looked pensive for a moment, sitting down on the corner of her desk. "Oh. Okay," she eventually responded with a tiny shrug.
"Okay? Okay?! How is that okay?" Anna asked, sounding utterly panicked now.
"Well," Elsa started calmly. "It's not like we could have kept it a secret forever, is it? You seem a lot more affected by this than I thought you would be. Do you now want people to know about us?"
"What I don't want is for people to think I got this internship just because I've slept with you," Anna muttered, sitting down next to Elsa. "How will they ever respect me like that? I mean-"
"Anna," the blonde interrupted, "you've shown that you have plenty of talent to deserve this internship, whether you're romantically involved with me or not. I doubt people will think so lowly of you because of this. Workplace romances happen all the time, you know that, right?"
Feeling Elsa's arm wrapped around her shoulder, Anna took in another deep breath, letting it escape slowly. "Perhaps you're right, and maybe I'm overreacting a little."
"There's no'maybe' about that, Anna," Elsa chuckled. "You're definitely overreacting a little. Come on, let's go and have lunch."
To Anna's immense surprise, Elsa did not lead them out of the Arendelle Corp. building and towards one of their many favourite lunch spots. Instead, she steered them to the right, casually sauntering into the company's own cantina.
To Anna's even more immense surprise, the blonde casually slipped their hands together as they walked in, nearly giving the redhead a heart attack in the process.
"What are you doing?" Anna practically hissed.
"Well, since people already suspect, we might as well just make sure they know. That way, they can stop rumouring about it behind our backs, and we'll prevent weird stories from cropping up."
For a few moments, Anna felt as if every set of eyes in the massive cantina turned their way and burned holes in their joined hands – even if she realized most people were just shooting them a fleeting glance, often accompanied by a smile, before continuing their conversations.
After they had gotten their food and found a spot to enjoy their lunch in relative peace, Anna started feeling a little more comfortable. No one had given her any trouble, or even looked at her as if they were planning to do so. She wanted to tell Elsa, but was interrupted by a flurry of red – real red, not her own strawberry blonde – swooping in and landing in the seat opposite from them.
"Elsa. Long time no see," the stranger chimed pleasantly, eyeing the two of them.
"Ariel, good to see you," Elsa smiled in return. "How's PR treating you?"
"Oh, you know. Same old, same old," the woman smiled, waving her hand dismissively. "But you and I need to have a serious talk."
"Oh, we do?" Elsa murmured with feigned surprise.
Ariel nodded sagely. "Indeed we do. As your self-proclaimed best friend, I think you could have come to me and told me about this lovely young lady before I had to hear it from someone else. From Eric of all people. You know how out-of-touch he is with gossip."
Elsa smiled politely, putting her food down for a moment. "Well, it's a relatively new development, and I didn't want to jinx anything. It's not like I deliberately kept it a secret, though."
"I see," Ariel murmured, her eyes moving from Elsa to Anna and back several times. "You two make an adorable couple, you know? I heard the boys from security talking about how hot it would be to watch the two of you-"
"O-kay," Elsa interrupted with heavy emphasis. "That's quite enough out of you, Miss Triton. I do not want to know what the security boys talk about during their breaks."
"In all fairness, it wasn't during their break," the redhead replied cheekily, shooting the blushing Anna a wink before dashing off.
During the remainder of their lunch, several more people walked by them, offering kind words and friendly smiles. By the time Elsa and Anna stepped back into the elevator, the intern had all but forgotten her past worries.
"Elsa… Thanks for that."
"You're very welcome," Elsa murmured, placing a peck on Anna's lips just as the elevator doors slid open again.
The look on the security guard's face made Anna just the tiniest bit less happy about their relationship being out in the open now. But only the tiniest bit.
I know it's short, and not much, and probably not even fun or good or whatever. But it had to be written, because my slave-driving friend said so. Actually, slave-driving friendS. There were two parties involved. They're both really cool, and pretty much the reason I still write, instead of being the lazy slob I want to be. :)Originally published January 15, 2013 at 5:55 PM | Page modified January 16, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Japanese airline ANA said it’s temporarily grounding its fleet of 787s after smoke in the cockpit forced an emergency landing. Japan Airlines followed suit “to ensure safety.”
In a serious blow to Boeing’s flagship 787 Dreamliner program, two Japanese airlines with the largest fleets of the new airplane on Wednesday temporarily grounded all 24 jets after a battery-malfunction warning and detection of smoke forced the pilot of an All Nippon Airways 787 to make an emergency landing.
Both ANA and Japan Airlines (JAL) had expressed confidence in the plane’s safety just eight days earlier, after a battery fire on a parked 787 in Boston — though that event later prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch a major safety review.
The safety review will now grow more intense. And if the grounding of the planes proves extended, it will be very costly for both the airlines and Boeing.
Japanese television station NHK showed video of the stricken 787 with its emergency slides deployed.
The plane was carrying 129 passengers and eight crew. Local police reported some passengers suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, according to NHK.
The Dreamliner took off from Yamaguchi in western Japan at 8:10 a.m. local time on a 90-minute flight to Haneda airport in Tokyo. But the pilot diverted to Takamatsu airport, landing there at 8:45 a.m.
ANA said the smoke was in the cockpit and the pilot got a warning signal indicating a battery problem, according to Japanese media.
Yuzuru Ogasawara, chief of the transport ministry’s Takamatsu bureau, told Bloomberg News that the airport control tower “confirmed the smoke.”
However, the local city fire department said there was no fire. An ANA official said the airline canceled all Wednesday flights on its 17 Dreamliners.
JAL also temporarily grounded its fleet of seven Dreamliners at least for the day “to ensure safety,” spokeswoman Carol Anderson said in an email.
Last week, a battery fire broke out on an empty JAL 787 that had just landed at Logan International Airport in Boston after a 12-hour flight from Tokyo.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of that fire.
The Dreamliner has two high-capacity lithium ion batteries. The one that burned on the JAL plane at Logan was located in an electronics bay at the rear of the airplane.
If smoke appeared in the cockpit of the ANA jet from a battery fire, it would likely be the other lithium ion battery, located in the forward electronics bay, just behind and below the cockpit.
The Logan fire followed a series of lesser electrical problems, including one that diverted a United flight out of Houston in December. Those faults were traced to flawed circuit boards in electrical power-distribution panels.
Due to the repeated incidents and the seriousness of a fire on an airplane, the FAA announced last Friday a comprehensive review of the safety of the 787’s electrical systems. Late Tuesday the FAA said the newest incident will be included in that review.
A team of technical experts based in Seattle will examine the design of the jet and quality control during production, both at Boeing and its suppliers around the world.
Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter said only that ”we are aware of the event and working with our customer.”
ANA, which ordered 66 Dreamliners in total, is the launch customer for the new jet and was the first to take delivery, in September 2011.
Boeing has been focused on ramping up Dreamliner production, with plans to double production to 10 jets a month by year end.
Dominic Gates: (206) 464-2963 or [email protected], CT — State Rep. Kurt Vail is already on the clock and the 2017 legislative session hasn't even begun. Vail, a Republican who represents Somers and Stafford has pre-filed a bill that would exempt Connecticut from observing Daylight Saving Time.
Connecticut News Junkie on Tuesday reviewed all the pre-filed bills.
The stated purpose of the daylight saving time, according to New Junkie's research, is to "allow Connecticut to maximize additional daylight in the evening in order for residents, employers, and businesses to get the most beneficial use of their time as a way to increase productivity and create additional consumer opportunities for Connecticut residents."
Most of Arizona and Hawaii are among the states and U.S. territories not observing Daylight Saving Time.
See the other pre-filed bills for 2017 in the News Junkie report here. The legislative session is scheduled to begin Jan. 4.
Photo Credit: votevail.com; Patch fileIf you are discouraged by 2016 and the direction of the country, here’s a challenge, which I offer to you as much as to me: To watch Fox News and MSNBC less. To roll our sleeves up more.
The conventions are upon us and voter dissatisfaction is sky-high. New polling by Pew Research finds only four in ten registered voters in both parties are satisfied with their choices for president, the lowest level in decades. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have public records of lying, divisive rhetoric, and highly questionable business practices, regardless of what FBI Director James Comey and Gonzalo Curiel, the judge in the Trump University case, conclude.
As my 88-year-old neighbor, a lifelong Republican, put it: “Well, I’m not voting for Hitler.” She paused. “But I could never, ever bring myself to vote for Clinton.” She threw her hands up: “What to do!”
This is a big problem. Many politically minded people are feeling unrepresented, exhausted, and out of options. Unfortunately, this disillusionment likely will continue beyond November.
Not to burst any bubbles here, but the libertarian ticket is DOA. A write-in is a protest, but doesn’t change the outcome. The conventions are highly unlikely to churn out alternate candidates than the ones primary voters have selected.
This means either Trump or Clinton will be elected president in 2016, leaving a wide swatch of the country (including members of the winning party) shaking their heads and feeling more disgusted with Washington than ever.
As The Country Decentralized, Washington Centralized
The 2016 election, in perhaps the starkest way we’ve seen yet, reveals the ever-widening gap between what Washington can provide and what needs exist. That gap appears to be structural.
As Yuval Levin wrote in his excellent new book, “The Fractured Republic,” the latter half of the twentieth century was a time of coming apart and increased individualization in America. Big, near-monopolistic corporations gave way to smaller, more nimble competitors; shared Judeo-Christian ethics gave way to a diversity of individual beliefs and values; and social and fraternal orders were replaced with the Internet, where people interacted in ways tailored to their interests and preferences of the day.
One marked exception to this trend of decentralization has been the government. The federal government in particular has become increasingly bureaucratic, large, and gridlocked, and thus unable to meet the challenges of an increasingly diffuse and diversified society.
The breakdown of Washington can be seen in the failure to adequately address: Worker displacement from globalization and technological change; providing a sound primary education and affordable secondary education; an entitlement system that can adapt to changing demographics; a safety net that helps the poor rise up the ladder of economic independence; a regulatory architecture that thwarts cronyism. And so on and on.
It is unsurprising then, that trust in the federal government has been falling rapidly. Only 19 percent of Americans trust the government most of the time, according to Gallup, a trend occurring long before Trump or Clinton got in the race. For many Republicans, lost faith in the government is good news, validation for their agenda to roll back Washington. But even if the government were dramatically constrained, many of the aforementioned challenges would remain. Likewise for liberals, even if the size of the government were dramatically increased, there is a slim track record to prove this would help.
Our nation is facing big challenges and Washington appears unable to solve them. Trump and Clinton appear unwilling to address these challenges, either: only 27 percent of voters think Trump and Clinton are focused on important policy debates.
It is tempting to pull a Pontius Pilate and wash our hands of it. Instead, it is a call to action.
Stop Shouting at Your TV
If you are discouraged by 2016 and the direction of the country, here’s a challenge, which I offer to you as much as to me: To watch Fox News and MSNBC less. To roll our sleeves up more.
The good news of the 2016 election is that it has freed up millions of Americans to make the country great again themselves, instead of wishfully thinking politicians can or will do it for them.
My hometown of Dallas is in the national spotlight for a tragic massacre of our police force. But underneath this dark cloud, thousands of people are working to solve local problems that should be celebrated. Charter schools are popping up in underserved neighborhoods, such as Uplift Heights Preparatory School in West Dallas, with dramatic improvements in reading scores. People are pooling resources to help with specific needs of the poor, from rent payments to counseling to bus tickets.
Bible studies are befriending and supporting the refugee community in Dallas — Texas has one of the largest in the United States — and helping them integrate and see the best America has to offer. The Dallas police force has self-led on transparency measures to improve community relations, with complaints on use-of-force dropping 64 percent from 2009 to 2014.
These efforts are not just in Dallas. They exist around the country, where people are banding together and forming unique solutions to address the unique challenges their communities and states face. For example, if you care about the loss of conservative values, instead of legislating these values from on high, perhaps it’s time to dig in and show just how countercultural and life-giving it is to work on a stable marriage and raising kids. If you think government is doing a lousy job with the poor — either too much or too little — then maybe it’s time to visit a homeless encampment in your city and see what their needs really are. If you are concerned about policing, as Dallas Police Chief David Brown bluntly put it, “Get off that protest line and put an application in. We’ll put you in your neighborhood and we’ll help you resolve some of the problems you’re protesting about.”
Instead of wallowing in the 2016 debacle, it’s time to actively inject ourselves into civic and community and family life in ways we haven’t before.
None of this is to suggest there is not an important role for the government. This is clearly not the case. As Arthur Brooks notes in his book, “The Conservative Heart,” Americans give roughly $40 billion annually to human service organizations to help the vulnerable. If this were spread out evenly across the nearly 50 million Americans receiving food assistance with no overhead, it would come out to just $860 per person per year. The government plays an important role in providing a safety net, strong national defense, platform for economic growth, and a host of other things for which it is uniquely suited, and there is a need, now more than ever, for politicians with strong character and clear visions.
But it is to say that instead of wallowing in the 2016 debacle, it’s time to actively inject ourselves into civic and community and family life in ways we haven’t before. Instead of reflexively calling for one more or one less government program, or believing that one individual presidential candidate can turn the nation around, it’s time to begin changing lives one person at a time.
To the extent the Trump-Clinton election is an inflection point in our country’s history, hopefully it is not just a realignment of political parties at the top, but the beginning of a dramatically new dynamic, engaged, and localized electorate, whose the victory is not only found in Washington, but also at home.A new poll finds Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails County GOP in Minnesota shares image comparing Sanders to Hitler Holder: 'Time to make the Electoral College a vestige of the past' MORE with a 6-point lead over 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 in New Hampshire.
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A UMass Lowell/7News poll released Thursday found that 45 percent of New Hampshire voters support Clinton, to 39 percent for Trump. Libertarian Gary Johnson Gary Earl JohnsonPotential GOP primary challenger: Trump's 'contempt for the American people' behind possible bid The Hill's 12:30 Report — Presented by Kidney Care Partners — Trump escalates border fight with emergency declaration Former Mass. governor takes step toward Trump primary challenge MORE won 9 percent support, while Green Party nominee Jill Stein trails at 2 percent.
Fifty-two percent of women back Clinton, to only 33 percent for Trump. But more men, 46 percent, support Trump, to 37 percent for Clinton.
Clinton is polling at 88 percent among Democrats, while Trump has 77 percent support from self-identified Republicans.
The poll noted that 11 percent of those who identified as Republican plan to vote for Johnson, compared to just 2 percent of Democrats.
Both candidates are still struggling with favorability ratings — 63 percent find Trump to be unfavorable, while 55 percent have an unfavorable view of Clinton.
They both poll at just 33 percent for being honest and trustworthy, but far more see Clinton as qualified: 61 percent to Trump's 34 percent. And 64 percent of likely voters say Clinton has the right temperament to be president, while only 28 percent say the same for Trump.
The poll was conducted between Oct. 7 and 11 among 654 New Hampshire registered voters. It has a margin of error of 4.35 percentage points.
A RealClearPolitics average polling in the state, which does not include the latest poll, puts Clinton up by 5 points.Video Demo of Unity 8 on Mir
Recently the Mir and Unity Next teams got Unity 8 up and running on Mir. Now, this work is still very early in development and neither Mir nor Unity Next are finished yet, but I reached out to Michael Zanetti, who is on the team, and asked him to put together a short video demo to show the progress of this work. This demo shows the phone/tablet part of the Unity 8 codebase; the final desktop version will come later.
Here is is:
Can’t see the video? Click here!
As you can see, impressive progress is being made; this demo is running on a MacBook Pro Retina utilizing the full resolution of 2880×1800 pixels and using Intel HD 4400 graphics. The performance is already looking great, and the team haven’t done a deep dive into performance optimization yet.
If you are interested in participating in Mir development, click here and if you are interested in participating in Unity 8, click here.Fast Answers Why get into shooting? If strength and fitness aren't your forte, shooting requires composure and enormous skill - a real test of your self-control. Who is it for? Anybody! As long as you can pull a trigger, shooting could be for you. Is there a cheap option? Shooting can be expensive, but your local club may offer taster days where you can borrow equipment. What if I want a proper workout? Target sprint combines rifle shooting with running - check it out! Can I take it to another level? British Shooting have worked hard in recent years to put in place a clear talent pathway. Is there a disability option? Shooting is among the most easily adaptable sports, with alterations to equipment easily made. Is there a family option? What could be more fun than an afternoon of firing pistols alongside your loved ones?
Shooting has been an Olympic sport since the first modern games in 1896 and has a history of providing intrigue and drama.
And with a vast array of disciplines, encompassing various guns, targets and distances, maybe you should pull the trigger and give shooting a try?
Aspire to be like: Amber Hill
Amber Hill won gold for England at the Commonwealth Games aged just 16, and followed that with European Championships success in 2015.
Shooting
Media playback is not supported on this device Elena Allen gunning for gold at Rio Olympics
Shooting is a tense sport that requires immense reserves of skill, concentration and nerve. Strength, stamina, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills are all improved by taking part.
As shooting events rely on mental power, people of all ages can compete against each other on equal terms - the oldest Olympic champion was Sweden's Oscar Swahn, who won gold in Stockholm, 1912, aged 64!
British Shooting's find a club section is the best place to start, while you can also find guidance to help you decide between pistol, rifle and shotgun - the three Olympic disciplines.
A gun for everybody
An Olympic-style air pistol
In the shotgun event, competitors are required to shoot at moving clay pigeons with, you guessed it, a shotgun!
With rifles, competitors shoot at a set target from either 10, 25 or 50 metres, with points awarded for a shot's proximity to the centre, much like archery.
The pistol event follows the same format as the rifle one... except with pistols.
Girls with guns
Media playback is not supported on this device Hill's Rio dream boosted by Neville
British Shooting supports the This Girl Can campaign, and a number of all-girl clubs throughout Britain.
Femme Fatales calls for women to not "use being a girl as an excuse, use it as ammunition", while The Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club combine the twin principles of shooting and cake to appeal to beginners!
Disability shooting
Paralympians can compete in rifle and pistol events
According to British Shooting, disabled people currently make up 25% of recreational shooters - a number that they are committed to increasing further.
Target shooting is incredibly accessible, and requires minimal modification. For more information read here.
Youth shooting
Athletes competing at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing
Did you know? At the 1906 unofficial Athens Olympics, athletes competed in pistol duelling, shooting at mannequins in frock coats.
The Great Britain Academy Programme was developed in 2014 to ensure that the there was a clear talent pathway for skilled young shooters. But first you need to pick up a gun!
Due to the wide range of guns available for use, there is no real age limit on when people can start shooting.
And, as strength isn't important, if you're good enough you'll be able to compete at whatever level your skill warrants!
Coaching and volunteering
Ian Coley was awarded an MBE in 2012 after contributing towards team GB's efforts in six Olympics, as an athlete, coach and team manager
British Shooting describe volunteers as "critical" to the sport, and have an abundance of information on how to get involved on their website.
The pathway into coaching may lead through volunteering, although you can apply for work experience with the governing body here. Contact your local club to find out about any coaching roles they have available.
What's next?
1. Search for your local club using the British Shooting club finder.
2. Share your story and inspire others!
Are you inspired to try shooting? Or maybe you are a keen enthusiast already? Get in touch and tell us your story by tweeting us on @bbcgetinspired, visiting us on Facebook or email us on [email protected].
See our full list of activity guides for more inspiration."The recipient can use the token to purchase a product using a checkout though the payment provider," the filing reads. "The purchase can be made without requiring the user to create the user's own payment provider account." The filing states that these tokens would be for giving gifts, but in theory, the tokens could serve as a currency that can be used for purchases outside of eBay and PayPal and would be a competitor to Bitcoin, dogecoin and litecoin, among others.
PayPal president David Marcus is a fan of Bitcoin, but has said he doesn't think it is a currency yet because its pricing fluctuates too much for practical use. PayPal reps could not be reached for comment on the patent application.
If eBay is successful in introducing its virtual currency, the company will follow in the footsteps of rival Amazon, which launched Amazon Coins a year ago. Facebook has also dabbled in virtual currency with Facebook Credits, but the company scrapped the idea in June 2012.
Mashable is the largest independent news source covering digital culture, social media and technology.
Follow IT Pro on Twitter'Heaven Adores You' is the second film to be made about the late singer songwriter's life
A new documentary about Elliott Smith is currently in the works.
Heaven Adores You is being directed by Nickolas Rossi and, as well as looking at the life and work of Smith, who passed away in 2003, will cover his impact on fans and fellow musicians since his death, reports Flavorwire.
“By threading together musical performances of those influenced by the music of Elliott Smith, through the lush and often isolating images of the three major cites he lived in throughout his short life (Portland, OR, New York], NY and Los Angeles, CA), this film will go beyond your average ‘behind the music’ documentary,” says the film’s Kickstarter page.
Filmmaker Rossi said: “I was living in Portland, OR between the years of 1994-1999. I fondly remember discovering Elliott‘s music and it’s always been the soundtrack to my time in the Pacific Northwest.”
“There is a strong fan base for Elliott‘s music, even eight years after his death. His music is also being discovered by fans who haven’t heard of him until now,” he added.
Heaven Adores You follows 2009’s Searching for Elliott Smith.Spencer Bledsoe, the 4th place finisher of “Survivor: Cagayan,” is in studio with Rob to accept his trophy for RHAP Fan Favorite Player of the Season. Spencer is excited to not only have his own podcast bell atop the trophy, but to get the leftover prize package from Hayden’s win last season. Spencer says he’s just gone through the craziest 48 hours of his life, but coming on Rob Has a Podcast was at the top of his priority list and winning the POTS award made up for losing the game.
Spencer Bledsoe’s Post-Finale Interview to Recap His Fourth Place finish in Survivor Cagayan and Fan Favorite Victory
Rob asks Spencer if his speech to the jury is what sealed the deal for Tony’s win. Spencer says that during a commercial break in the finale, Tyler Perry told him that he indeed did change the jury’s mind. However, Spencer doesn’t think he changed things to flip the vote– maybe only one or two people, such as Jefra and Sarah, were on the fence. He says he could have actually lost Tony a vote because Kass told him she almost flipped her vote to Woo after his speech.
Spencer says he felt genuinely bad for Woo at his game decision but he wanted a good story and the best player to win. Spencer talks about what a great character Tony was, and Rob and Spencer agree that he represents a different type of winner and it was compelling to follow him all season. Spencer says that while Tony had an impulsive nature, people underestimate how calculated he was. He showed that big moves can lead to winning, something Jeff Probst is sure to love. Rob and Spencer talk about what would have happened with a Woo vs Kass vote, and remark how Cochran really predicted a likely scenario but couldn’t foresee that Woo wouldn’t take Kass to the end. Spencer points out the irony that by winning that immunity, Woo lost himself the game. Kass was a second or less away from winning, and if she had won the necklace she would’ve taken Woo and he would have won the game.
Spencer explains why he disagrees with Rob that Kass played a better game than Woo. He thinks Kass played an actively bad game, and he saw that throughout the season since he was playing with her from Day 1. Rob wants Spencer to break down what went so wrong with the Brains tribe and why the guys couldn’t work together. Spencer points out some of his flaws as a player early in the game and wishes he had done something to prevent Garrett’s decision to talk about the vote in front of the entire tribe.
Rob thought Woo’s move was the worst move of all time and convinces Spencer, who initially suggests Colby’s decision to take Tina or Erik giving up immunity. Spencer also talks about what it was like to be on the bottom when there were 4 people left on Luzon, the amazing luck of his tribe swap, and the decision to target Alexis after the swap. Spencer also shares regrets about burning a bridge with Kass after her flip and calls Trish the most underrated player of the season. Trish put out Tony’s fires, had an awesome social game, and was able to convince Kass to flip and Jefra not to flip.
Spencer also breaks down the mad treasure hunt where Woo stole his idol clue and gives Kass credit for knowing he had the idol. He also gives Tony credit for doing a great job of keeping people with him, even when he kept them in the dark. Spencer thinks he should have tried to blow things up more around camp and also discusses his regret about not leveraging the idol with Jefra to get her to flip to his side. Rob and Spencer then talk about other strategies he could have tried with the idol during the “Jeremy” vote out. They also talk about the pattern of the votes being a blindside followed by a predictable vote, Spencer putting poison in Tony’s ear about a women’s alliance, and Spencer’s relationship with Tasha during the game. Spencer goes into his strategy talk with Woo and Kass, but at the time they didn’t know about Tony’s special idol. Rob brings up the importance of having the believable fake story, since Woo was so obvious when talking with Tony.
Spencer reveals that for the Trish vote, Tony actually suggested it and had Woo make a fake final 3 deal with Spencer and Kass. He thinks it came down to Tony thinking Trish was too likeable, and he was also thinking about Kass beating Spencer in a puzzle, which panned out for him. Spencer shares details about production’s love-hate relationship with Tony. Some things viewers didn’t get to see include Tony doing a rain dance and having conversations with his idol in the middle of the night.
Spencer still hasn’t read his letter from Jeff Probst, but Rob shares some of the #spencersletter predictions from Twitter. Then they RHAP up with some listener questions, covering topics including:
What is Spencer’s history of listening to RHAP?
How many times did he try out for “Survivor”?
Is Tony the Russell that doesn’t suck?
How did Spencer drop those references in his bio like “tighty whities” and “build a shelter out of rocks”?
Why didn’t he align with more women?
Why did Tasha vote for Woo?
Which chess pieces are the Cagayan cast members?
Why does Spencer have so many unread text messages when he shares “Tony’s Fireside Chats”?
When did his friendship with Tony develop?
How much of a bump did Spencer’s Twitter (@SpencerBGM) get after the finale?
What is Spencer’s dating status?
What will Spencer’s role be on the sitcom “The Vlachos”?
Why did Spencer give his David Murphy/Eric Cardona speech to the jury?
Who would have voted for Kass at the end?
Special Thanks to @RHAPrecapper for this episode summary
Watch the Video of “What Does the Llama Say?”:
Thanks again to Aaron Robertson & Jordan Kalish for this amazing video
Subscription Options for Rob Has a Podcast:M&S have since changed their signs.
His comments prompted many to believe that the account was a parody.
James Bruce tweeted: "Just checking. This is a real thing, you really did this? If it's a parody you've done a great job. Please say it's a parody. Please."
Micktw68 tweeted: "This has to be a parody account. If not then @sussex_police need to take a long look at how their funding is being spent.#crimefreecounty?"
Sussex Police have since confirmed that it is not a parody account and that the comments were posted by Sergeant Allan when he was off duty.
They declined to comment on why their officer had handed out advice to the supermarkets, or whether he was authorised to do so.
Sergeant Allan works with the lesbian, gay and transgender communities and helps to recruit hate crime ambassadors across the county.
He has also spoken out on homophobic, transgender, racist and anti-Semitic crimes.
The officer made the comments on the first day of Pride weekend in Brighton last year. But they surfaced again following Pride 2017 in Brighton last weekend.
Despite the backlash which Sergeant Allan has faced, both Tesco and Sainsbury’s responded to the criticism.
A spokesperson from Sainsbury’s said: "Our signs in store are designed to help customers easily find the items they're looking for. We thanked Mr Allan for his feedback when he got in touch last year."Sony may further cement its dominance in the market of smartphone camera components by acquiring Toshiba's sensor business. Amid an ongoing corporate restructuring, Toshiba is nearing a deal with Sony to sell off its sensor division, according to a report today from Reuters. Sony is far and away the leading supplier of CMOS image sensors used to power smartphone cameras and some DSLR units with a 40.2 percent share of the market in 2014. The acquisition of Toshiba's division would put Sony in an even stronger position against competitors like Samsung.
Sony's smartphone business hasn't been doing well, but the company has a strong grip on the smartphone camera market. Twice this year Sony expanded its image sensor plants in Nagasaki and Yamagata, costing it more than $1.2 billion. Yet its customers, like China's Xiaomi and Apple, have turned Sony's sensor business into a blockbuster success with sales growing 40 percent last year.
Sony is taking over the image sensor business
The picture is gloomier for Toshiba. The company is undergoing a corporate accounting scandal after revelations that it overstated earnings to the tune of $1.3 billion over the last seven years. After the resignation of CEO Hisao Tanaka, interim chief executive and chairman Masashi Muromachi laid out a restructuring plan to reform the company. The image sensor sale would be one of the first moves in that process.GUWAHATI: Amid the leadership crisis in the ruling Nagaland People's Front, Governor P B Acharya has asked Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu to seek vote of confidence in the Assembly on or before July 15.Five months after the CM took charge, former Chief Minister TR Zeliang staked his claim to the government.Zeliang, claiming support of 41 of the 59 MLAs in the assembly, had on Sunday written to Acharya for inviting him to form a new NPF-led DAN government at the earliest.Shürhozelie Liezietsu, on the other hand, filed his nomination for the Northern Angami-I assembly constituency bypoll. The poll will be held on July 29 after sitting MLA and Liezietsu’s son, Khriehu, vacated the seat to allow his father to become a member of the assembly.Liezietsu, president of the ruling Naga Peoples’ Front, was sworn in as a non-MLA CM in February after the then chief minister TR Zeliang stepped down following widespread public dissent in the state over the government’s decision to reserve seats for women in urban local bodies election.The nomination of Liezietsu as the party candidate for the bypoll is the prime reason for the current rebellion led by Zeliang. The rebels have accused Liezietsu of being autocratic and challenged his leadership. The word is that Liezietsu had assured to return Zeliang the CM’s chair after three months, which he didn’t do even after five months.Liezietsu said that he had taken charge of the state for six months to stablise the situation.“I had offered Zeliang to take charge but he has rejected my offer,” Liezeitsu said explaining why he is contesting the bypoll.“I am filing my nomination today. The political crisis is an internal matter of the Naga Peoples Front and will be solved by the party. This crisis has got nothing to do with governance,” Liezietsu told TOI over telephone from Kohima |
using the Alexa app on your smartphone. Once set up, you’ll be able to use voice commands through Alexa for things like playback controls, searching for videos, and opening apps. It’s similar to the functionality provided by Amazon’s Alexa Voice Remote for the Fire TV, just without actually requiring that you use a physical remote. The update is compatible with all of Amazon’s Fire TV devices, except for the original first generation Fire TV Stick.
It’s also a move that puts Amazon’s virtual assistant on par with Google’s Home speaker and Chromecast, which have granted the ability use the Home in tandem with a Chromecast for voice commands for a while now.Yes, I know I have been writing about homeopathy a lot recently. I am consciously making this one of my main topics of interest for 2011. Homeopathy is one phenomenon where the disconnect between public and official acceptance and the level of pseudoscience is greatest. It is also an area where acceptance is often based upon simply not understanding what homeopathy really is. If scientists keep beating the drum about how unscientific homeopathy is, perhaps we can have some effect on public belief and policy. Perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but then so is all activism.
Today I have some good news to report. The Canadian program, Marketplace, did an excellent piece on homeopathy. (You view it on YouTube in two parts: part I and part II.) Usually such mainstream media attention to homeopathy and similar topics falls into the trap of false balance – telling both sides and letting the audience decide. This is a reasonable journalistic default for political and social topics, but not for science. In science there is a level of objectivity and the logic and evidence is not always balanced on two sides of an issue. We don’t need to “balance” the opinions of an astronomer with the illogical ravings of an astrologer.
Fortunately, the Marketplace program did not default to the false balance mode. Rather they took the far more appropriate consumer protection angle – which is the format of this particular show. I was especially happy about this because I have been saying for years that consumer protection advocates need to realize that fake medicine (so-called complementary and alternative medicine or CAM) is a huge consumer protection issue. Regulations meant to protect consumers from fraud and harm are being systematically weakened in the favor of product manufacturers and distributors and practitioners. It is a scandal worse than anything Ralph Nader has taken on in the past, and yet he seems to be nowhere on this topic.
My sense is that consumer protection advocates have been successfully put to sleep on the issue of CAM because of the successful propaganda of CAM proponents – selling it in the context of “health care freedom” and “patient-centered medicine” and other rhetoric that is essentially nothing but a bait and switch. The Jedi-mind trick has worked, and consumer protection advocates are asleep. Well now it’s time for the sleeper to awaken (if I may mix my sci-fi metaphors).
The Marketplace episode was hopefully the stirring of this sleeping giant. Watch the show for yourself – they do an excellent job of explaining just how silly the underlying claims of homeopathy are. While they leave much out, it was a decent primer for those who have no idea that homeopathy is not simply “natural” medicine, but literal sugar pills with nothing on them. They also point out that relying upon sugar pills as if it were medicine can be very dangerous.
My favorite scenes are ones in which the reporter confronts homeopaths, the head of Boiron, a French company that makes homeopathic products, and a regulator pushing for licensure of homeopaths in Ontario. Their fumbling reply to very simple and straightforward questions is very telling. Their obsfuscations are reminiscent of con artists. At one point, when asked how homeopathy can work, the Boiron executive retreats to – your science cannot yet detect how homeopathy works, and then “it’s a mystery.” The politician promised evidence to back his claim that homeopathy works, but then never came forward with that evidence.
The show also did a great sting – they simply called a homeopath in Canada, the investigator saying she had breast cancer, and the homeopath (who did not realize, apparently, that she was being recorded for television) confidently proclaimed that her homeopathic concoctions can cure breast cancer, and would start working in 15 days. There was no hedging or uncertainty – just a simple, “homeopathy works” – for cancer. Another practitioner was confident it would work to prevent polio – so no need to take the vaccine.These scenes effectively destroyed the “shruggie” response of “what’s the harm.”
Marketplace also used the local skeptics, CFI Vancouver (I recognized some familiar faces from our recent SGU appearance in Vancouver) as a resource. Their influence on the content of the show was obvious, but also they were featured in a mass homeopathy overdose – a stunt meant to show how ineffective homeopathy is. Well done, guys.
Homeopaths knew this show was coming, and they were already preparing their counter-offensive. In a communication to fellow homeopaths and supporters they encouraged spamming the Marketplace website with pro-homeopathy comments. The comments are indeed full of the usual pro-homeopathy, pro CAM propaganda – anecdotes, false statements about the evidence, appeals to conspiracies and “Big Pharma”, appeals to authority, and exhortations to “keep and open mind.” It’s the same recycled nonsense over and over. The comments certainly need a non-homeopathic dose of skepticism.
Homeopaths have also responded with a full frontal assault against skeptics. They apparently have figured out that organized skeptics are about the task of revealing their con to the public, and the best defense is always a good offense. Get a load of this characterization of skeptics from this blog supported by the National United Professional Association of Trained Homeopaths and other Canadian homeopathic professional organizations:
The skeptical movement is an offshoot of the Communist Party. (Really: see the top two links below.) Its top organizers were hired by pharmaceutical company and medical industry representatives to recruit malcontents in bars to spread hate propaganda against non-conventional medical systems. One of the first such skeptic groups referred to itself as “Skeptics in the Pub”. Not surprisingly, their rants against Homeopathy sound like the drunken cacophony of soccer hooligans.
The entire blog post is an attempt at poisoning the well – skeptics are mean, and their motives are suspect. It’s interesting how the author feels they can just make up whatever libel they wish, based upon the flimsiest of justifications. Skeptics are communists? Really? I bet most skeptics would be very surprised to hear that, especially the libertarians. And of course the pharma shill gambit – hired by pharmaceutical companies. How about naming names, unnamed author of this hit blog? Who, exactly, in organized skepticism received money from a pharmaceutical company? I can tell you that this blog, and also Science-Based Medicine, receive no money from any company or industry group. We are completely independent. We just have the sense and scientific background to recognize that homeopathy is a scam.
It is no surprise that homeopaths are using the same sloppy scholarship and utter disregard for intellectual integrity to attack their critics that characterize homeopathy itself. But still the utter contempt for the truth and the sheer stones of these charlatans is something to behold.
Conclusion
The CBC Marketplace episode on homeopathy was well-done and presented the correct overall impression -homeopathy is a scam, it is a con on consumers, who are being sold a bill-of-goods with misdirection. In response homeopathy are desperately trying to attack their critics and defend their nonsense, but in so doing are just revealing themselves to the be charlatans that they are.
To those anonymous authors of the “Extraordinary Medicine: the truth about homeopathy” website that seems intent on attacking skeptics – here is an open challenge. Put aside the vague innuendo. If you have any evidence that organized skeptics are an arm of a political party or are hired guns by industry, then name names and show the evidence. Otherwise put up or shut up – remove those libelous and ridiculous claims from your website.President Trump sat down with Bayer CEO Werner Baumann and Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant at Trump Tower and had a “productive meeting” on “the future of the agriculture industry”1 and the pending merger between the two companies.2
Trump has heard from the CEOs. Now we need you to make your voice heard. Add your name and tell President Trump: NO to the dangerous Bayer-Monsanto merger!
Over the last few decades, a handful of agrichemical giants have acquired much of the world’s seed supply. Just five companies – Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Dow and Bayer – account for 62% of world seed sales.
This consolidation of seed control has already resulted in higher seed prices and declining choice of seed varieties, thousands of farmers sued for seed-saving, and sharply increased dependence on toxic pesticides – both weed-killing herbicides and insecticides.
The combination of Bayer and Monsanto would diminish competition in the increasingly intertwined markets for seeds and pesticides, reduce socially beneficial innovation, increase seed prices, and reduce seed choices for farmers (particularly non-GE and untreated seed options).
Not only is this the largest foreign corporate takeover ever by a German firm, as Reuters reported last year,3 it's the largest cash bid on record. A potential Bayer-Monsanto merger would put one foreign-owned megacorporation in charge of 29 percent of the global seed market and 25 percent of the global pesticide market. We can’t let this happen.
Giving a foreign-owned, Bayer-Monsanto mega-corporation unchecked power over what goes into our food supply is downright dangerous. Even Big Ag mega-donor Bruce Rastetter is against the deal, saying it would limit competition, raise costs for farmers and stunt job growth.4
We can’t let two billionaire CEO allies whisper in Trump’s ear without hearing from us, too.
Add your name and tell President Trump: the Bayer-Monsanto merger is bad news.
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1. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/01/monsanto-and-bayer-gets-audience-donald-promote-their-merger
2. http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/01/11/bayer-monsanto-ceos-meet-with-trump-argue-merger-would-create-u-s-jobs.html
3. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/01/monsanto-and-bayer-gets-audience-donald-promote-their-merger
4. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-monsanto-m-a-bayer-deal-idUSKCN11K128Restaurant Association Manawatu president Sean Kereama said he's seen a steady decrease of BYOs in Palmerston North over the past 5 years.
Are "bring your own" restaurants a thing of the past?
The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (RANZ) thinks they could be.
RANZ president Mike Egan saysthe industry's move away from BYO is part of a long-term national trend.
1 of 7 David Unwin Stuff asked a group of Manawatu diners the following questions on BYO: 1. How often do you dine out? 2. Does a restaurant offering BYO, or not, affect your choice? How about when you're in a group? 3. Why do you/ don't you do BYO? 2 of 7 Paul Mitchell Donna Brown 1.Twice a month, often in groups 2.It definitely affects where we go in a group, we used to go to Halikarnas, and it's a lot harder to find somewhere that does BYO now. 3. Corkage is generally cheaper than buying drinks there. 3 of 7 Paul Mitchell Pam Gill 1. Once every few months 2. Me and my husband tend to go out by ourselves, or for family occasions. Our family aren't consistent drinkers, they'll just drink a few they buy in the restaurant. 3. BYOs are inconvenient when you don't drink a lot. You'll always have some left over and either have to leave it behind or drink up. 4 of 7 Paul Mitchell Dani Brickley 1. Twice a month 2. It doesn't really matter much, even in a group. You just don't drink much at dinner because you're usually driving. We're especially careful now with the new drink driving rules. 3. There's that element of cost, but it's also just the style of restaurant - a lot of Thai places are BYO. 5 of 7 Paul Mitchell Karl Cameron 1. Two or three times a week, about 50/50 in groups 2. It is a little bit of a factor, but not an overwhelming one. 3. It's two things; you get to choose the quality and style of win you like, and obviously the cost is another factor. 6 of 7 Paul Mitchell Sara Cook 1. Once a month 2. When it's a group we'll talk about if it's BYO or not but we'll go to the place we feel like anyway. 3. It's a cost thing, it's just cheaper, 7 of 7 Paul Mitchell Paul Parkes 1. I don't go out too often 2. When I do go out it's with a few friends or family, but BYO doesn't matter much to us. 3. Most of us don't drink, the people who do just buy one or two there.
"They're not making any money off it, they're giving away half the sales they get from drinks. What's next, bring your own steaks?"
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* Palmerston North dining favourite Ken's Kitchen closes
* Halikarnas restaurant closes its doors
123RF It can be cheaper to BYO, but some go overboard.
Two well-known BYOs have recently closed down in Palmerston North. Ken's Kitchen and Halikarnas have both shut their doors in recent weeks, which has been a disappointing turn of events for patrons who enjoyed the option of taking their own alcohol to drink with their meal.
Though there was no suggestion that either restaurant's BYO status was the cause of their closure, RANZ Manawatu president Sean Kereama said he had noticed a distinct trend away from BYO offerings in the area.
"There seems to be fewer BYOs. In the past five years it's been a steady decrease."
But Kereama doesn't think it's completely dead. "Everybody's tightening their belts a little; we're all looking to enjoy a drink with our meals without paying too much."
Palmerston North woman Donna Brown said she dined out twice a month, often with a group of family or friends. They preferred to go to a restaurant that offered BYO because it was often cheaper to pay a corkage fee than buy alcohol off the menu.
"We used to go to Halikarnas, and it's a lot harder to find somewhere that does BYO now."
"You don't really get it in the big centres any more. It's a bit more common in the smaller centres but it's a leftover from bygone days."
Do restaurants like BYO? Patrons abusing the offering in order to binge drink was a large part of why Yatai Japanese Izakaya Restaurant stopped allowing it eight years ago.
Co-owner Barbara Taniyama said she had not missed BYO. She said there had been issues with customers of all ages getting drunk and leaving damage and mess in their wake.
"In the past we've had people throw up at the table. People would hide bags of wine under the table so you couldn't properly monitor how much they drunk."
Nero's owner Scott Kennedy said his establishment had not allowed BYO for almost a decade. He said he had never considered bringing it back, largely because it would not cover costs.
"It's the liquor licensing fees. We used to pay $1000 a year; now we pay $3000. You don't really get it in the big centres any more. It's a bit more common in the smaller centres but it's a leftover from bygone days."
Egan said New Zealand restaurants first started getting liquor licences in 1961. BYO became commonplace because restaurants had limited wine lists.
He thought BYO had outlived its original purpose and now people largely used to skirt liquor bans and pre-load at supermarket prices before heading to the bars.
Hospitality New Zealand regional manager Chris Hince said the industry could change its mind on BYO if people were more considerate and their drinking more moderate.
A good option would be letting patrons get advice on matching drinks to meals, or for rarer wines have a complementary meal made.
"That would be a maturation of the market, it'd be moving service forward."Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Guinea was one of the worst hit countries in the West Africa Ebola outbreak
A highly effective vaccine that guards against the deadly Ebola virus could be available by 2018, says the World Health Organization.
Trials conducted in Guinea, one of the West African countries most affected by an outbreak of Ebola that ended this year, show it offers 100% protection.
The vaccine is now being fast-tracked for regulatory approval.
Manufacturer Merck has made 300,000 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine available for use should Ebola strike.
GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, provided $5m for the stockpile.
Results, published in The Lancet medical journal, show of nearly 6,000 people receiving the vaccine, all were free of the virus 10 days later.
In a group of the same size not vaccinated, 23 later developed Ebola.
Only one person who was vaccinated had a serious side effect that the researchers think was caused by the jab. This was a very high temperature and the patient recovered fully.
It is not known how well the vaccine might work in children since this was not tested in the trial.
Analysis - Tulip Mazumdar, Global Health Correspondent
Ebola has been around for 40 years now. But it wasn't until the height of the 2014 outbreak in West Africa that the world decided to invest some serious money into finding treatments and cures.
I watched as families of those who had become infected were isolated in their homes. Often entire neighbourhoods were quarantined behind orange fencing. That was their best chance of not becoming infected and infecting others.
Image caption Visiting a house under quarantine in Port Loko, Sierra Leone
But as hundreds of people continued to die, and cases started being exported to Europe and the US - the world decided to act.
Now, two years later, we have a vaccine. It usually takes around 10 years.
There were some mild side effects reported in this trial, and the vaccine is only known to protect against one of the strains of Ebola, but it is the most deadly Zaire strain.
Today's news is a very welcome and much needed breakthrough. However, as the WHO points out, more lives would be saved if countries invested in vaccines before outbreaks, rather during them.
The director of British-based medical research institute the Wellcome Trust described the findings as "remarkable".
"Had a vaccine been available earlier in the Ebola epidemic, thousands of lives might have been saved," Jeremy Farrar said.
"We have to get ahead of the curve and make promising diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for diseases we know could be a threat in the future."
Ebola - mapping the outbreak
The trial was led by the World Health Organization (WHO), working with Guinea's health ministry and international groups.
The WHO's Marie-Paule Kieny said the results could help combat future outbreaks.
"While these compelling results come too late for those who lost their lives during West Africa's Ebola epidemic, they show that when the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenceless," said Dr Kieny, the lead author of the study.
Other drug companies are developing different Ebola vaccines that could be used in the future too.
The Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 but the recent outbreak in West Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people, highlighted the need for a vaccine.
The outbreak began in Guinea in 2013 and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.Community is a big part of the open source way. An open source project is nothing without a vibrant community of users and contributors. And participant satisfaction is a major factor in having a vibrant community. So, what are the factors that contribute to participant satisfaction with open source projects?
Brenda Chawner, currently the IST Programmes Director at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Information Management, researched that very question in the thesis she wrote for her PhD. Chawner's thesis, Factors Influencing Participant Satisfaction with Free/Libre and Open Source Software Projects, is an in depth exploration of participant satisfaction with free/libre and open source software projects and the various roles participants take in FLOSS projects.
Chawner's central research question was: What factors influence participant satisfaction with a free/libre and open source application software project?
In addition, Chawner's research had two sub-questions:
What types of contributions do participants make to free/libre and open source software projects? Do the factors that influence satisfaction vary for different types of participation? If so, in what way?
Chawner begins by relating a tale that is probably familiar to many in the open source world. It is the story of Richard Stallman's battle with a closed source Xerox printer. The printer was subject to frequent paper jams, but because the source code was not available, he could not modify the printer's software to report the jams to inconvenienced users waiting on their print jobs. This event, along with a general trend towards closed source software, caused Stallman to start the GNU Project and found the Free Software Foundation. The story of that troublesome printer and the subsequent developments in the free software and open source movements led Chawner to explorer her research questions in an attempt to understand participant satisfaction with FLOSS projects.
To conduct her study, Chawner used a multi-staged approach. First she reviewed various FLOSS projects to select a relevant cross section of projects to use in her research. She ended up selecting 10: Greenstone, EPrints, Koha, Evergreen, MARC-Record, MyLibrary, PhpMyBibli, reSearcher, DSpace, and Open Journal Systems. From there she selected participants to interview for stage one of her research. She interviewed 24 people, and the findings from these interviews informed the creation of the survey she used for stage two of her research. In stage two, she sent out emails to various relevant mailing lists asking people to fill out her survey. She received 183 responses.
In the chapter "Contributing to a FLOSS Project" (Chapter 5), Chawner categorizes the various methods of contributing to open source project. She separates contributions into use, interaction with code, supporting the community, outreach, sponsorship, management, and governance. Chawner also covers attributes that cover more than one category. These attributes include things like how formal a participant's role is and whether or not the participant receives payment for their work.
The next two chapters, "Individual Perspectives on Satisfaction" (Chapter 6) and "Survey Results and Model Testing" (Chapter 7), explore the results of the interview and the survey respectively. Chapter 6 tells a more personal story based on the replies given by the various interviewees, while Chapter 7 is full of detailed charts and statistics from the survey results. Both chapters are very informative and worth a read. Anyone interested in understanding participation in open source will find a lot of useful information in these two chapters.
Chapter 8, "Discussion and Interpretation of Findings," brings everything together. Chawner succinctly explains her findings and provides a brief review of each of her hypotheses. Out of nine hypotheses, only four of her hypotheses ended up being supported by the data, they are:
The higher the perceived quality of developer communication, the higher the participant satisfaction.
There is a positive relationship between the extent of participation and participant satisfaction.
There is a positive relationship between process openness and participant satisfaction.
There is a positive relationship between product openness and participant satisfaction.
In her "Conclusion" section, Chawner makes several suggestions for best practices based on her research findings:
Ensure that the project’s "About" page and documentation include information about what types of contributions are most needed, and how to contribute.
Acknowledge and celebrate contributions, so that people who do contribute feel appreciated and motivated to continue.
Monitor questions in the project's email discussion list and/or forums, particularly those from newcomers, to ensure that they are answered.
Provide information to the project’s community about the project’s future development, perhaps in the form of a "road map" that lists the planned changes and enhancements.
Ensure that documentation is up-to-date, and that aspects of the software that may be perceived as complex are explained clearly.
Find out what barriers participants encounter when making a contribution to the project, and take steps to minimize or eliminate them.
There is a lot of good information in Chawner's thesis for anyone interested in the community and participation aspects of open source. The one major caveat is that Chawner's research relies heavily on open source software for libraries, so her findings might not necessarily apply to other open source projects (she readily acknowledges this fact when covering the limitations of her research.) Though it seems most projects would benefit from many of her findings.
You can download Chawner's thesis from the Victoria University of Wellington's online research repository. Her thesis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand License.Get down! 250 piece brick construction set
Officially licensed Stargate SG-1 collectible
Includes pieces for Anubis, Death-Glider and Obelisk
Being the first soldiers sent through the very first Stargate is a pretty big deal. What Carl and Sarah are doing for the Earth -- nay, the entire human species! -- is truly heroic. After watching them walk through that ominous blue sheen, we weren't entirely sure what we'd hear back. After a few seconds of static, Sarah chimed in and told us it was just a lot of sand, a statue of a dog guy, and a big pole thing.
Months later, Carl and Sarah are still stationed there and enemy forces have moved in to take over what is now called Abydos. We didn't want to waste resources, and it seemed like Carl and Sarah both had a solid handle on things, so we presumed they could take over. Funny thing: they've been battling this one Death-Glider for weeks now and there's a pool going for how much longer it's going to take. Carl is cheating, sitting behind the Anubis statue though, so we might have to send in Steven to shove him out from behind it.
Product SpecificationsSocial media has been key to some of this year's most significant protests -- but it turns out that these platforms have also been used to target the activists behind them.
The ACLU of California reported that Geofeedia had been providing law enforcement with data -- including locations -- from the social media accounts of protestors. In response, it said Tuesday that Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram had cut off Geofeedia's access to their feeds.
The extent of law enforcement's social media surveillance was discovered through public records requests of 63 agencies in California, according to the ACLU of California. Emails obtained show the tools were used to monitor chatter around "the Ferguson situation," and that Geofeedia told California law enforcement agencies to find out how police in Baltimore used its tools to "stay one step ahead of rioters," after the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.
Geofeedia provided searchable data from public Instagram posts, troves of publicly shared information from Facebook (FB) via the Topic Feed API, and public tweets. Information in Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts can be used to infer things like location, personal associations and religious affiliation.
The ACLU says Geofeedia and other social media surveillance tools can unfairly impact communities of color. Movements like #BlackLivesMatter began on social media, and Twitter, in particular, is used as a platform for organizing and amplifying protests.
"Communities of color rely on platforms to organize, to persuade, and to spread information," Matt Cagle, technology and civil liberties policy attorney at the ACLU of Northern California, told CNNMoney. "But here, the social networks left a side door open for surveillance by the police."
Law enforcement agencies invest thousands in the tools that aggregate and surveil conversation data --the Daily Dot reported that the Denver Police Department spent $30,000 on these types of tools in May. The ACLU launched an investigation in Denver in response to this report.
Based on information in the @ACLU's report, we are immediately suspending @Geofeedia's commercial access to Twitter data. — Policy (@policy) October 11, 2016
In an email obtained by the ACLU of California through public records requests, Geofeedia claims "over 500 law enforcement and public safety agencies" use its services.
After the ACLU's report on Tuesday, Twitter tweeted that Geofeedia's access had been revoked.
"In addition to cutting off data access, the social networks should take additional steps to implement clear rules that prohibit the use of user data for surveillance, and oversight measures to ensure developers are not using the user data for surveillance," Cagle said.
The organization is joining with the Center for Media Justice and Color of Change to ask social media sites to commit to better protecting users engaged in political and social discourse.
Malkia Cyril, the executive director of the Center for Media Justice, said that people are using social media to expose human rights abuses, turning these platforms into modern day news outlets. However, the sites aren't not subject to the same kind of scrutiny or standards, she said.
"I wasn't surprised," Cyril told CNNMoney. "But I do think the average user should be shocked and dismayed at the scope and the scale of what the ACLU found."
Related: The next battle for Black Lives Matter: Economic justice
A Facebook spokesperson told CNNMoney that Geofeedia only had access to data that people chose to make public and was subject to the company's usage policies.
Facebook's policy states companies can't sell, license, or purchase Facebook data, transfer it, or funnel it into a search engine or directory, though it does not mention surveillance.
Geofeedia did not respond to request for comment on how its software might have been used to target protestors other than to provide a statement from CEO Phil Harris.
"Geofeedia has in place clear policies and guidelines to prevent the inappropriate use of our software," the statement read. "These include protections related to free speech and ensuring that end-users do not seek to inappropriately identify individuals based on race, ethnicity, religious, sexual orientation or political beliefs, among other factors."
In the statement, Harris said it will continue to work with stakeholders, including the ACLU and law enforcement, for security and protection of personal freedoms.Many Serbs have boycotted the official ceremony in Sarajevo marking the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which sparked the first world war.
Both Serbia's leaders and Bosnian Serbs, who see the archduke's killer, Gavrilo Princip, as a hero, refused to attend events on Saturday. The centrepiece of the commemorations will be a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra in the Bosnian capital, where the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was shot dead on 28 June 1914.
The assassination set in motion a chain of events that led to British, French and Russian forces facing their German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish counterparts in a war that killed 10 million soldiers and redrew the world map. Its conclusion also helped create the conditions in which political extremism thrived in Europe, eventually giving rise to Nazism in Germany and the second world war.
Serbs said they were angry at what they saw as an attempt to link the first world war and the later conflict which saw the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia – and to put the blame on them. Princip was a Bosnian Serb who killed the Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, because they were members of the Habsburg dynasty which he and his five accomplices regarded as occupiers.
Associated Press reported that Serbian leaders said they would instead re-enact the shooting and Princip's trial in the eastern Drina river town of Visegrad, the scene of some of the worst atrocities of the 1992-95 war by Bosnian Serb forces driving out Muslim Bosniaks. On Friday, Serbs unveiled a two-metre bronze statue of Princip in eastern Sarajevo.
The Vienna Philharmonic's was to perform a repertoire harking back to the days of the Habsburg Empire, including Haydn, Schubert, Berg and Brahms. The concert will take place in the restored City Hall, known as Vijecnica, where Ferdinand attended a reception on shortly before his assassination.
"This is a symbolic concert in a symbolic location," Professor Clemens Hellsberg, the orchestra's president and first violin, said. "We want to provide a vision of a common future in peace."
The conductor Franz Welser-Most noted that the Austrian composer Alban Berg was in favour of the first world war. But despite that, the Three Pieces for Orchestra that he wrote at the time and was to be performed on Saturday "describes the marching to war and what disaster it brings".
Asked about the significance of a Viennese orchestra marking the event, Welser-Most said: "You should not deny the burden of history". The message, he said, was "never again".
Commenting on the absence of official Serb representatives from the Sarajevo commemoration, the city's Croat mayor, Ivo Komsic, told reporters: "They demonstrate their attitude not to the past but to the future".
However, the Bosnian Serb historian and diplomat Slobodan Soja told Agence France-Presse: "It would have been impossible to bring everyone [Serbs, Muslims and Croats] together on June 28 in Sarajevo."In the aftermath of Saturday’s tragic unprecedented bombing of an Afghanistan based Doctors Without Borders hospital, which killed 22, the non profit physician group in charge of operating the hospital has come out swinging accusing the US of war crimes.
The bombing lead by the United States Air Force, continued for over 30 minutes after mission command had been notified of the “error” which the US initially claimed was “collateral damage”.
Saturday’s bombardment in Kunduz has sparked international outrage. It killed 12 medical staff members and at least 10 patients, 3 of them children, Doctors Without Borders said. Another 37 people were critically wounded.
According to AFP, “pressure mounted on Washington Monday to come clean over the US airstrike on the Afghan hospital, an incident the Pentagon chief said was “confused and complicated” but which medical charity MSF branded a war crime.”
MSF general director Christopher Stokes, however, had no intention of waiting:
“Under the clear presumption that a war crime has been committed, MSF demands that a full and transparent investigation into the event be conducted by an independent international body. Afghan and US forces working together decided to raze to the ground a fully functioning hospital with more than 180 staff and patients inside because they claim that members of the Taliban were present.” “This amounts to an admission of a war crime. This utterly contradicts the initial attempts of the US government to minimise the attack as ‘collateral damage’.” Even UN rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein joined in and called for a full and transparent probe, noting: “An air strike on a hospital amounts to a war crime.” To be sure, the US which has done everything in its power in the past week to divert attention to Russian bombardment in Syria as attacks on Syrian “civilians” and “moderate rebels”, had a canned response: Defense Secretary Ashton Carter expressed sadness over the “tragic loss of life” but warned that the investigation will not be swift. “The situation there is confused and complicated so it may take some time to get the facts, but we will get the facts, but we will be full and transparent about sharing them,” he told reporters on a flight to Madrid at the start of a European tour.
Then, moments ago after the US government did in fact admit, again, it was at fault, the DWB once again lashes out at the US government with the following statement:
“Today the US government has admitted that it was their airstrike that hit our hospital in Kunduz and killed 22 patients and MSF staff. Their description of the attack keeps changing—from collateral damage, to a tragic incident, to now attempting to pass responsibility to the Afghanistan government. The reality is the US dropped those bombs. The US hit a huge hospital full of wounded patients and MSF staff. The US military remains responsible for the targets it hits, even though it is part of a coalition. There can be no justification for this horrible attack. With such constant discrepancies in the US and Afghan accounts of what happened, the need for a full transparent independent investigation is ever more critical.”
So far the official US response has been to desperately attempt to deflect and pivot the issue to Russian “war crimes” Syria.
NATO URGES RUSSIA TO STOP HARMING CIVILIANS, SYRIAN OPPOSITION
In July – just 3 months ago – Reuters reported that Afghan special forces“raided” this exact MSF hospital in Kunduz, claiming an Al Qaeda member was a patient. This raid infuriated MSF staff:
The French aid group said its hospital was temporarily closed to new patients after armed soldiers had entered and behaved violently towards staff. “This incident demonstrates a serious lack of respect for the medical mission, which is safeguarded under international humanitarian law,” MSF said in a statement. A staff member who works for the aid group said, “The foreign doctors tried to stop the Afghan Special Operations guys, but they went in anyway, searching the hospital.”
The U.S. had previously targeted a hospital in a similar manner: “In 2009, a Swedish aid group accused U.S. forces of violating humanitarian principles by raiding a hospital in Wardak province, west of Kabul.”
News accounts of this weekend’s U.S. airstrike on that same hospital hinted cryptically at the hostility from the Afghan military. The first NYT story on the strike – while obscuring who carried out the strike – noted deep into the article that “the hospital treated the wounded from all sides of the conflict, a policy that has long irked Afghan security forces.” Al Jazeera similarly alluded to this tension, noting that “a caretaker at the hospital, who was severely injured in the air strike, told Al Jazeera that clinic’s medical staff did not favour any side of the conflict. ‘We are here to help and treat civilians,’ Abdul Manar said.”
As a result of all of this, there is now a radical shift in the story being told about this strike. No longer is it being depicted as some terrible accident of a wayward bomb. Instead, the predominant narrative from U.S. sources and their Afghan allies is that this attack was justified because the Taliban were using it as a “base.”
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two black faces visible on Lampedusa. One belongs to the woman on the napkin dispenser at the port cafe. She smiles from every table, her face emerging from a sea of coffee beans: “The Pleasure of Black” reads the slogan beneath her disembodied head. The other face belongs to Father Vincent Mwagala, a Catholic priest and very different kind of missionary who has come from Tanzania to work among the refugees and islanders here.
Above his desk there’s a cross made of two ribs of sunk refugee boats. Orange crosses blue. The priest is as frustrated as I am about the impossibility of speaking to arriving refugees. “We know they’ve arrived but we don’t have contact with them,” he says. On rare occasions he talks to arriving sub-Saharan Africans coming from Libya. “Life is difficult for them there. They are poorly treated in different ways. Their labor is unpaid and when they go to report it, the police pay no attention to them. It’s worse if you don’t speak Arabic.” I ask him if he’s suffering here, and he says something odd. It’s in English, so I’m sure I’ve heard it right:
“I’m suffering like a woman who is bearing a child.”
I ask him to repeat it.
“I’m suffering like a woman who is bearing a child.”
I ask him to elaborate.
“Look at the faces of those arriving. The world has to change. It’s time to look in the face of one another and learn the needs of one another. Poor people in this world don’t even have a blade of grass.”
His boss enters: Father Stefano Nastas—portly, smoking. Around him swirls a ponytailed, self-styled manservant who makes a steady stream of espressos in tiny plastic cups that remind me of the dentist’s rinse-and-spit variety. Nastas seems irritated by this Italian gadfly. He’s as down to earth as they come. He’s a Franciscan, and I notice a replica of the San Damiano Cross of St. Francis on the wall, the one that spoke to the saint centuries ago.
I ask him if, in his opinion, Lampedusa is more Europe or Africa.
“Geographically this is Africa but politically this is Europe.”
“What side of the story is the press missing?” I ask.
“The human side,” he says.
He allowed five thousand Tunisians to sleep in the church when the boats didn’t stop a few months ago. Although they were Muslims, they came to Mass and made their own gestures in front of the cross when it passed before them.
•
In the foyer of the ugly church, there’s a bit of an ancient gravestone. It says, “Here lies someone who died of the plague.”
•
Across the piazza, there’s a little museum for the found leavings of refugees. Here are the things that wash up: plates, water bottles, prayer books in every imaginable language. Its curator is Giacomo Sferlazzo, in dreadlocks, who is a painter and musician (he gives me a cd). These few photographs, the odd shoe, and water-warped id cards are most of what he sees of the refugees.
“The refugees are like ghosts,” he says, “you don’t see them on Lampedusa. You see them in Rome, in Milan. This island is a frontier—a bridge between Africa and Europe.”
Immigration is a kind of sham, he thinks.
“We’re the ones who arm dictators and terrorists in Libya and Eritrea, so we’re the ones at fault. All of this is a consequence of post-colonialism. No one cares about Africa. They follow their own interests in maintaining control to exploit resources.”
•
I am not going to write an article about this trip. I am going to write only this notebook, because I don’t think that what I’ve seen here, the story I’ve been able to gather with the refugees at such a distance, is a matter of news. What I’ve seen is a complicated set piece, a drama, which I’ve watched only as a member of the audience sat before the false proscenium. I’ve experienced violence firsthand that far outstrips what I’ve encountered here on Lampedusa. But this violence is equally sinister—it’s aboard the ships, it’s in the prisons, it’s in Tripoli. I think of what Wallace Stevens says in The Necessary Angel. A poet has no moral role. A poet has to use imagination to press back against the violence of reality. I don’t agree. He also wrote that reality was growing more insistent, more violent. I agree with that.
From the farmhouse porch, I read his poem “Farewell to Florida”:
Go on, high ship, since now, upon the shore,
The snake has left its skin upon the floor.
Key West sank downward under massive clouds
And silvers and greens spread over the sea. The moon
Is at the mast-head and the past is dead.
•
High ships. High ships. High ships.
•Syrian President Bashar Assad made a rare public appearance Saturday by attending prayers for Eid al-Adha at a mosque in Damascus, hours after the U.S.-led coalition carried out new airstrikes against ISIS militants in Syria.
The airstrikes targeted the militants' positions Friday night in the eastern town of Shaddadeh, a stronghold of ISIS in the northeastern Syrian province of Hassakeh, according to activists.
The airstrikes caused casualties, the activists said, with one group saying as many as 30 ISIS fighters were killed.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists around Syria, said as many as 30 fighters from ISIS were killed in the airstrikes on Shaddadeh.
During Syria's civil war, which is now in its fourth year and which activists say has killed more than 190,000 people, Assad has been making rare public appearances.
...LG G Flex 2 hands-on – A curveball keeper
I guarantee that the first time you hold the LG G Flex 2 in your hand, you’re going to ask yourself why aren’t there more phones with a curved display. And that’s LG’s hook. Instead of making you read this entire hands-on to really know how I feel about the G Flex 2 (though, you know, you really should read it anyway), I’m going to just come right out and tell you that it’s beautiful to look at and it’s beyond comfortable to hold. I’m not just saying this just because this is another new device coming to market but because, for the first time in a while now, I feel that LG has hit a home run.
The first G Flex was okay but man did it need a ton of improvements. So what’re the core differences between it and the new G Flex 2? The first is obviously the size: you’d really need massive hands to properly hold and use the G Flex. That’s not the case with the G Flex 2.
In fact, at 149.1 x 75.3 x 7.1-9.4 mm and 152g it’ll even make the iPhone 6 Plus feel like it needs to go on a diet. The newly enhanced design offers a the same curve but enhanced to look more modern. The improved self-healing rear panel treatment is much faster – so much faster that, during LG’s demo, you can barely see the scratches. According to LG mobile chief Dr. Woo, the self-healing process should be done within 10-seconds.
My biggest complaint with the original G Flex wasn’t just its massive size but the underwhelming 720p display resolution and, more annoying over time, the burn-in which could leave graphics stuck on-screen. Dr. Woo assured me those days are over, and the new 5.5-inch Full HD POLED display offers 403 ppi versus vs 401 ppi on the iPhone 6 Plus and 326 ppi on the iPhone 6.
Curved gadgets still aren’t commonplace, and the first impression I had of the G Flex 2 was “how in the world is this device sporting a 5.5-inch display?” It’s a great screen, but more than that it’s been fitted into a really hand-friendly form-factor. In fact, the phone is 8-percent shorter and 15-percent thinner than its predecessor, the main victim of that being the slightly smaller curved battery, measuring in at 3,000 mAh.
It’s a tougher phone, meanwhile. The layered internal design was reworked to make the G Flex 2 better at absorbing the impact sustained from accidental drops, while LG took Corning’s Gorilla Glass and gave it a specially-created treatment in-house to make it 20-percent more durable and stronger.
According to Dr. Woo, while regular Gorilla Glass is tough in the center, the edges are much weaker. LG’s process bonds a new chemical compound to the edges, improving their resilience; as far as the company knows, it’s the first to use it.
On the back, meanwhile, there’s an updated version of LG’s self-healing treatment, changing the molecular structure of the slightly soft-touch panel so that the sort of scratches from keys or table grit can be brushed off without issue.
Inside, there’s Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 64-bit octacore, paired with either 2GB or 3GB of memory – location depending – and either 16GB or 32GB of storage. A microSD card slot has been added as well, compatible with up to 2TB cards. Connectivity includes LTE – good for up to 300 Mbps, on South Korean networks at least – along with WiFi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0, and NFC.
The battery may be slightly smaller – the original G Flex found space for 3,500 mAh – and it’s still non-removable, but it should charge faster this time around. LG has included step-charging up to 2.6A, with the power adapter now supporting up to 9V or 5V and switching between them automatically. According to LG, the G Flex 2 can be charged from flat to 50-percent in 40 minutes.
LG has been pushing its photography abilities in recent phones, and the G Flex 2 doesn’t miss out there either. The main camera packs 13-megapixels and OIS+, along with a faster version of the laser autofocus (LDAF) we saw on the G3. A dual-flash mixes white tones for more natural colors; it’s not the first time we’ve seen that on a phone, but it’s a welcome addition all the same.
On the front, meanwhile, there’s a 2.1-megapixel camera, and LG has thrown in its Gesture Shots software to make taking selfies easier. Hold your hand up in front of the phone and it knows to track it: lifting it fires off a shot, and lowering it shows you a preview of the results.
That’s not the only software modification to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Glance View tries to finesse the scrolling and tapping experience for a curved touchscreen, dragging time, date, and any recent notifications into view if you swipe a thumb down while the display is off. The G3’s adaptive software keyboard gets ported across, as does the Smart Notice and Smart Bulletin features.
Android Wear has been accommodated more directly, too, with seamless linking between not only LG’s own G Watch range, but other models like the Moto 360 and ASUS ZenWatch.
In all, it’s a comprehensive and considered upgrade, and it feels like LG truly listened to feedback from users and reviewers of the first-generation phone and tried its best to address the complaints with the G Flex 2. The list of cons is certainly smaller this time around: I’d like to have seen more onboard storage, for instance, at least as an option, though a memory card slot does help.
The biggest advantage is the size change, though. LG bucked the trend of phones getting bigger, and by shaving half an inch from the display – while improving its resolution in the process – actually using the G Flex 2 single-handed becomes a real possibility, the curve allowing your thumb to cleanly sweep from top to bottom. It honestly turns the flex from a gimmick to a legitimate advantage.
The LG G Flex 2 will go on sale at the end of January 2015 in South Korea, available in Platinum Silver and Flamenco Red. Availability and pricing for the US and other countries is yet to be announced.According to the EU Commission's new 2015 Country Report, the Danish economy can look forward with optimism after several years of stunted recovery from the global financial crisis.
The report (here in English) concludes that Denmark has made progress and that a sustainable fiscal policy has been secured for the medium to long-term future.
”In 2014, growth and employment in Denmark were affected by the generally slow recovery in the EU and weak domestic demand,” the report found.
"GDP growth is expected to pick up, reaching a growth rate of 1.7 percent in 2015 and 2.1 percent in 2016."
READ MORE: Danish economy is recovering
Obstacles being tackled
The report underlined that the Danish economy still faces challenges such as promoting the employment prospects of those on the edge of the labour market, reducing the dropout rate from vocational education and increasing competition in the domestic service sector.
The economy and domestic affairs minister, Morten Østergaard, said the findings showed the government's reform course was the correct path moving forward.
”The reforms have helped create new jobs and ensure growth in Denmark's economy,” Østergaard said. ”The challenges that the commission point to are being looked at.”Copyright 2019 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Photos provided by Brett Paulson of Brighton Honda
Copyright 2019 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Photos provided by Brett Paulson of Brighton Honda
BRIGHTON, MI (WSYR-TV) - A Michigan car dealership’s response to a panhandler is going viral.
The sign popped up in Brighton, MI— a suburb about an hour outside of Detriot.
“Please do not give anything to this panhandler. We offered him a fulltime job at $10.00/HR,” the sign reads. “He said: ‘I make more a day than any of you’ and he did not want a job.”
It concluded by saying, “Please donate to a more worthy cause.”Scania, a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer is displaying its might at the Make in India Week, that is underway in Mumbai.
The company is showcasing its ethanol-run green bus at the biggest industrial event of the country. The bus is a pioneer in sustainable transportation and biofuel solutions.
Here are five key facts about the brilliant green bus:
1) The first Scania green bus was introduced in Sweden over 20 years ago. Scania India introduced the bus to the country in 2014.
2) The eco-friendly bus can help lower fuel consumption – and subsequently reduce the levels vehicular pollution, for which India holds some rather alarming records.
3) India imports petrol, diesel and gas worth over Rs 6 lakh crore every year. India can reduce the imports by at least Rs 2 lakh crore by using alternative fuels. This is where the ethanol-run Scania bus shines, in all its green glory.
4) The green bus project will particularly appeal to four Indian states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu – as these states produce ethanol in large quantities.
5) The bus is in keeping with the BJP government’s target to achieve a 20 per cent ethanol-petrol mix by 2017. Currently only, Maruti Suzuki and Honda Cars India have made their cars E10 – which means 10 per cent ethanol as been added to petrol.
While the bus certainly sounds fascinating, the price of the ethanol-run bus is Rs 1.13 crore – excluding taxes. Environmentally friendly indeed, but pocket-friendly? Not so much.Books have the ability to let us escape reality into a world of suspense, romance or imagination. But most importantly, they can teach us a lot of valuable lessons that will impact our lives. Feminism is one special topic that has been highlighted and talked about in a wide range of books, and as graduettes, it's important to be both educated about it and inspired by it. By the time we turn 25, we’ve faced many milestones and obstacles such as graduation, break-ups, losses and maybe even marriages and having children. These books are fundamental reading for every feminist before they reach this age, allowing them to be inspired and empowered. Be sure to give this list a look!
1. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
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In this work, Roxane Gay shares her brilliant essays regarding popular topics such as violence, race, The Hunger Games and more. She’s able to combine humor and power while simultaneously connecting to her own personal past.
2. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
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Allende describes this novel as that of a young woman seeking self-knowledge. The obstacles the woman faces in these stories, along with her struggle to define the role of feminism in her life, make the narratives ones to read over and over again.
3. What Will it Take to Make a Woman President? by Marianne Schnall
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This eloquently-voiced book highlights interviews with women such as Nancy Pelosi, Melissa Etheridge and more. Their answers to the title will inspire you to be a better leader in the fight for an increased presence of women in politics.
4. Bossypants by Tina Fey
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In this read, the hilarious Tina Fey steps forward to defy the (incorrect) notion that women can’t be funny. Shannon Slocum, a student at University of New Hampshire, says, “The part when Amy Poehler tells Jimmy Fallon that she 'doesn’t care if he likes it,' was a pivotal moment for me—it reminded me that a feminist doesn’t have to act or look a certain way, a feminist just wants women and men to be treated equally.” Fey not only teaches valuable lessons about feminism and body image but also succeeds in making us laugh again and again.
5. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
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This fiercely feminist story takes us into the imaginations of Meggie and her father. As they read books together, the characters enter the real world and fantasy takes flight. Meggie’s journey is a great fit for any woman of any age.
6. Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by Bell Hooks
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If you’re struggling to determine how feminism impacts your life and views, this is the book for you. In it, Hooks teaches women who are curious about feminism more on the subject, as well as how to make a difference as a feminist.
7. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
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In this title, Amy Poehler shares her collection of stories filled with laughs and success. Emily Izzo, a student at New England School of Law highly recommends this book, saying, “Amy’s humble beginnings make her book very relatable. It’s hysterically funny, and she is very honest about her experiences along the way.” Her anecdotes will give you a new take on life and will prove that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
8. #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
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From dumpster diving to selling vintage clothes on eBay, this book follows Sophia Amoruso as she becomes the CEO of a multimillion-dollar business. Her drive to never give up, and to never take no for an answer, proves that girls are indeed the ultimate bosses.
9. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
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The Bell Jar draws readers into protagonist Esther’s mind so intensely that you can't help but feel the real and rational story. A haunting American classic, this work combines aspects of the psyche and feminism and is a book that will be hard to put down.
10. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
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Published in 1792, this book was arguably the first great essay on feminism. Wollstonecraft beautifully explores how women acquire strength through both mind and body, posessing undeniable power.
11. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
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This essay was inspired by a series of lectures Woolf delivered at Newnham College and Girton College. Catie Deiley, a student at University at New Hampshire, says this is a personal favorite: “This basically states that if a woman wants to write or create something artistically, she needs a space she can call her own.”
12. How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
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Moran uses cheeky British sarcasm to call out the imbalance between men and women. She urges women of all ages to reclaim the word 'feminism,' addresses the real problems that can arise without it and discusses why the movement is so important to us all.
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This book is perfect for anyone striving to be a better feminist. Her pieces will touch your heart and prove there’s hope for all of us in this world.
14. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran
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Moran draws from her personal experiences to create both an honest and hilarious story. Her uncensored sense of humor and confessions of her youth make this a refreshingly authentic classic concerning feminism.
15. Into the Go-Slow by Bridgett M. Davis
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A finalist for the 2005 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, Davis made positive noise when this title hit the stands. After an intriguing plot twist involving her sister's death, main character Angie must retrace her sibling's final steps, ultimately uncovering what type of woman she wants to be.Hot on the heels of news this past week that Nickelodeon is considering reviving some of its fan-favorite cartoons from the ’90s, animated characters from that decade at the kid-geared cable network may also get new life on the big screen.
Paramount Pictures is said to be in the early stages of development of a live-action/animation Nicktoons movie that will bring together the likes of Rugrats, Angry Beavers, Hey Arnold!, Rocko’s Modern Life, Ren & Stimpy and more for some kind of crossover project akin to The LEGO Movie or Space Jam.
The Tracking Board, who can be hit or miss with their scoops, say Paramount is currently in the midst of locking down rights to each of the shows they wish to include in this crossover movie that has been pitched as a sort of Nicktoons Avengers or Justice League. However, The LEGO Movie comparison seems more in line with the kind of movie we’re likely to see, since these Nicktoons likely aren’t going to be fighting aliens and super villains.
Even though nostalgia has been king in Hollywood for awhile now, this kind of project really seems to be coming out of left field. But maybe Paramount Pictures liked both the style and reception of the recent SpongeBob SquarePants live-action/animation hybrid sequel and figured they might as well used their parent company Viacom’s kids cable network to make another film in the same way.
Mary Parent, who actually produced the SpongeBob SquarePants sequel, is also on board this Nicktoons project, intending to produce with Cale Boyter by way of their Disruption Entertainment banner, which has an overall deal with Paramount. The studio is currently out to writers for scripting duties.
As a child of the late 80s/early 90s who watched Rugrats, Rocko’s Modern Life, Doug and Ren & Stimpy, this idea sounds like it could be a load of fun. But at the same time, the idea of exploiting nostalgia for cartoons from a decade as recent as the 90s makes me feel a little dirty. It all depends on the story and whether or not you can combine all these different characters into the movie in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s just a cash grab.
This would mark a big leap to the big screen for a lot of these cartoons though since the only 90s Nicktoons to get movies were Hey Arnold!, Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys (and the latter two actually met in a crossover movie too). Doug received the movie treatment, but by that point, the cartoon had jumped to ABC. In fact, since the cartoon moved over to Disney’s network, I’m not sure if the awkward adolescent would be part of this Nicktoons project.
While the nostalgia factor is in play, I’m not sure why this project would specifically focus on the 90s cartoons instead of all of Nickelodeon’s cartoons, in order to reach the widest possible audience. Anyway, it’s still early in development on this one, so we’ll see what happens.The Australian Parliament has passed a series of amendments to the country's Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, requiring "telecommunications service providers to retain for two years telecommunications data (not content) prescribed by regulations."
The two-year retention period equals the maximum allowed under the EU's earlier Data Retention Directive that was struck down last year by the Court of Justice of the European Union for being "a wide-ranging and particularly serious interference with the fundamental rights to respect for private life and to the protection of personal data." This month, the European Commission announced that it had no plans to introduce a new Data Retention Directive, although Member States are still able to introduce their own national legislation.
Despite that move away from retaining communications metadata by the EU and continuing concerns in the US about the National Security Agency's bulk phone metadata spying program, the Australian government was able to push through the amendments implementing data retention thanks to the support of the main opposition party. Labor agreed to vote in favor of the Bill once a requirement to use special "journalist information warrants" was introduced for access to journalists' metadata, with a view to shielding their sources. No warrant is required for obtaining the metadata of other classes of users, not even privileged communications between lawyers and their clients. Even for journalists, the extra protection is weak, and the definition of what constitutes a journalist is rather narrow—bloggers and occasional writers are probably not covered.
Warrant canaries can't be used in this context either. Section 182A of the new law says that a person commits an offense if he or she discloses or uses information about "the existence or non-existence of such a [journalist information] warrant." The penalty upon conviction is two years imprisonment.
During the relatively quick passage of the amendments, the Australian government made the usual argument that metadata needs to be retained for long periods in order to fight terrorism and serious crime—even though the German experience is that, in practice, data retention does not help. Toward the end of the debate, when concerns about journalist sources were raised, one senior member of the Australian government adopted a more unusual approach to calming people's fears.
Speaking to Sky News, Australia's Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that there were "always ways for people to get around things." As The Guardian reported, Turnbull went on to list a few ways to dodge the new law: "If... I communicate with you via Skype, for a voice call, or Viber, or I send you a message on Whatsapp or Wickr or Threema or Signal or Telegram—there's a gazillion of them—or indeed if we have a Facetime call, then all that the telco can see insofar as it can see anything is that my device has had a connection with, say, the Skype server or the Whatsapp server… it doesn’t see anything happen with you."
Of course, it won't only be journalists that use these and other tools to mask their metadata. Many of the applications mentioned by Turnbull are already very widely used by members of the public, and it's likely to become even more popular assuming the Australian data retention scheme survives challenges in the courts. That means implementation will make it more expensive to go online thanks to additional costs that are passed on by ISPs. The setup puts civil liberties at risk from leaks and theft from the stores of personal metadata or from abuse by officials, all while doing little to provide the security benefits claimed by the Australian government.Here's another instance of political correctness on a college campus going a smidge too far, courtesy of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities: A proposed resolution to recognize the 9/11 terrorist attacks on campus each year was rejected by the Minnesota Student Association as it may potentially violate a "safe space" on campus.
From Campus Reform:
“This resolution was non-controversial and was supported by the MSA’s President and Vice-President,” said Amundson, “However, several members, in exchanges with CRs rep Theo Menon, were militant in their opposition to it due to a perceived bias toward Muslims.” Other proponents of the resolution argued in forum that its passage could bring up controversial topics, and that a healthy dialogue and campus tension reduction would ensue from the moment of recognition. At-large MSA representative and Director of Diversity and Inclusion David Algadi voiced severe criticism of the resolution. He also made sure to emphasize 9/11’s status as a national tragedy in his response. “The passing of this resolution might make a space that is unsafe for students on campus even more unsafe,” said Algadi, “Islamophobia and racism fueled through that are alive and well.” Algadi added that holding a moment of recognition over a tragedy committed by non-white perpetrators could increase racist attitudes on campus, asking, “When will we start having moments of silence for all of the times white folks have done something terrible?”
Welcome to college in 2015, where it's somehow problematic to acknowledge and remember victims of a terrorist attack. (While many schools participate in some form of the Young America's Foundation's 9/11: Never Forget Project, there were no such memorials on the U's campus.)
To play devil's advocate, today's entering freshmen class was born in 1997 and likely doesn't remember the September 11 attacks. Still, this doesn't excuse the rejection of a resolution to remember the day that nearly 3,000 innocent people were murdered. It is not Islamophobic or racist to pause and reflect on a day that fundamentally changed the country. If 3,000 people were killed in attack committed by white militant Presbyterians (or some other denomination), there would still be nationwide shock, outrage, sadness, and remembrance on the anniversary of the date. The victims of 9/11 aren't remembered because they were killed by Muslims--they are remembered because they were killed by terrorists, who happened to be Muslim.
As college students get older, fewer and fewer of them will have been old enough to remember the attacks. This is why it's more important than ever to establish some kind of annual memorial or remembrance ceremony.I usually raise my glass in gleeful celebration every time some senior member of the Bush administration announces he's leaving office "to spend more time with his family" or some other lame pro forma Washington excuse.
That usually means he/she is leaving in disgrace. Or yearning for the big bucks on the lecture circuit. Or on his/her way to the slammer.
But today is different.
Today, I lament the departure of one of the most courageous, effective and thoughtful public servants ever to serve the United States.
His name is David M. Walker. Most Americans have never heard of him. His title is Comptroller General of the United States. That's Comptroller with an M. His job is to head the Government Accountability Office, or GAO. The GAO is the investigative agency of Congress.
Most Americans have never heard of the GAO either.
Pity. Because, in a government of incompetents, spinners, cronies, political hacks, wiretappers and torturers, David Walker's GAO has been one of the very few bright lights in town.
And he's a Republican! Imagine me celebrating a departing Republican!
That's because David Walker is the kind of Republican who has become an endangered -- almost extinct -- species in Bush's Washington. He's what the conductor of the Straight-Talk Express pretends to be and what he would like us to believe he is.
A word about the GAO. It used to be called the General Accounting Office. But its name was changed a few years ago to more accurately reflect what it actually does. Which is to hold the government accountable. Its head is by statute appointed by the president for a 15-year term. Which is how Walker got selected by Bill Clinton in 1998. My bet is that Dubya has deep regrets about that decision.
Because holding the government accountable is indeed what GAO has done under David Walker's leadership. It has investigated government incompetence, waste, fraud and abuse in every Cabinet department and dozens of agencies. The range of subjects it has looked into last year alone is breathtaking. Contractor malfeasance in Iraq and Afghanistan. The failures of FEMA and other agencies to respond adequately to Katrina. The consistently criminal waste by the Pentagon. The failure of the Defense Department and the Veterans Administration to meet minimal standards for providing health care and benefits for our returning warriors. Runaway spending and the absence of even minimal systems to account for that spending. And much, much more.
On behalf of Congress, David Walker and his staff have spoken truth to power.
But, to its great credit, it has resisted being mesmerized by its power to expose. Every GAO report -- and there and hundreds of them -- tells those with the patience to read not only what's wrong with a department or a program. It tells those who run these things what they need to do to fix their problems.
This has made the GAO the most agreed-with and most soon-forgotten agency in government. Departments and agencies the GAO has investigated rarely object to its corrective recommendations. In fact, most of them agree. But they rarely take action to implement those recommendations -- or they make all the right noises and slow-walk GAO's suggestions into oblivion.
As for GAO's masters, the Congress, its members are perfectly delighted to use GAO's findings to convene "oversight" hearings, adopt non-binding "sense of the House" resolutions, write press releases, and generally hone their grandstanding skills.
And, every once in a while, some actual piece of legislation may arise from a problem illuminated by the GAO. But that's pretty rare. Politicians have short memories. And they are comforted by the knowledge that the public has less.
That enables them to play their Kabuki Theater roles with Oscar-winning skill -- and then do absolutely nothing.
Which, barely having to read between the lines, is why David Walker is leaving his post.
"As comptroller general of the United States, there are real limitations on what I can do and say in connection with key public policy issues, especially issues that directly relate to GAO's client -- the Congress," he said.
Walker has lived his professional life with clients -- before coming to Washington, he headed a major office of a major international accounting firm. But I suspect his private sector clients did a far more conscientious job than our government of following his advice.
So he has chosen to leave his post at the GAO to become the president and CEO of the newly founded Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
"While I love both my job as comptroller general and the GAO," he said, "I love my country more. And I believe that leading this foundation represents a unique opportunity and will be good for my country. My new position will provide me with the ability and resources to more aggressively address a range of current and emerging challenges facing our country, including advocating specific policy solutions and courses of action."
In his new incarnation, Walker will oversee the billion-dollar endowment of Pete Peterson -- former Commerce Secretary, the founder of the Blackstone group, The Concord Coalition, and legendary advocate for government fiscal responsibility.
"We are at a make-or-break point in American history," Mr. Peterson said of his new foundation. "The entitlement monster is unfunded. We are dangerously dependent on foreign capital, our health care costs per capita are twice the level of the developed world, he said, and then asked, "How do you educate a public that has become largely inert?"
It will be up to David Walker to try to find a coherent answer to this question. This is a gargantuan job. There are no short-term fixes, despite what our current presidential wannabees would have us believe.
George Bush and his executive branch of government have failed abjectly in this mission. Congress has failed. Maybe a private foundation can do better. In his new job, I trust David Walker to continue to speak truth to power, to be as thoughtful, as incisive, and as fearless, as he has been at the GAO.A coaching client of mine is managing partner at a very large law firm, and one of the issues we’ve been working on is how to cope more effectively with the intense demands on his time—clients who expect him to be available, firm partners and other employees who want him to address their concerns and resolve disputes, an inbox overflowing with messages from these same (and still other!) people, and an endless to-do list. Compounding this challenge, of course, is the importance of making time for loved ones and friends, exercise, and other personal needs.
When faced with potentially overwhelming demands on our time, we’re often advised to “Prioritize!” as if that’s some sort of spell that will magically solve the problem. But what I’ve learned in the process of helping people cope with and manage their workflow is that prioritizing accomplishes relatively little, in part because it’s so easy to do. Let’s define the term: Prioritizing is the process of ranking things—the people who want to take up our time, items on our to-do list, messages in our Inbox—in order of importance. While this involves the occasionally difficult judgment call, for the most part it’s a straightforward cognitive task. When looking at a meeting request, a to-do list, or an email we have an intuitive sense of how important it is, and we can readily compare these items and rank-order them.
Here’s the problem. After we prioritize, we act as though everything merits our time and attention, and we’ll get to the less-important items “later.” But later never really arrives. The list remains without end.
Our time and attention are finite resources, and once we reach a certain level of responsibility in our professional lives, we can never fulfill all the demands we face no matter how long and hard we work. The line of people who want to see us stretches out the door and into the street. Our to-do lists run to the floor. Our inboxes are never empty.
What trips up so many of us is imagining that we can keep lowering that threshold—by working harder, longer, “smarter” (whatever that really means) in the futile hope that eventually, someday, we’ll get to |
live.
“For us, it’s very important that people in the occupied regions can see that we have a good standard of life, protection of human rights”, Kinakh said.
“The success of the reforms is no less important than military success in protecting the territorial integrity of our country”.We look at one teacher who's using blogging as a creative way of showcasing pupils' work
There was a time teachers lagged behind their pupils when it came to computers. "We have to show them what to do every time it crashes," eight-year-olds complained loftily to their parents.
But computers are at the centre of classroom learning these days, and are nowhere more creatively used than in the classroom blog. In the best of the class blogs I've seen, there's an opportunity for everyone to learn and everyone to teach – and there's built-in feedback and assessment.
Alex Wilson, who teaches years 5 and 6 at a school for children with learning difficulties, launched his class blog earlier this year, inspired by other class blogs and ideas circulating on Twitter. It's used mostly to showcase the work of the children, who have a wide range of difficulties including Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy.
What do they think of the blog? "They are really up for it – it's a very willing class," says Wilson.
"Before, if they learned a new song, they might get to perform it at assembly, or in an end-of-year concert for their parents. Now they can sing it, we record and upload it, and the same day their parents can hear them sing."
Wilson uses a variety of websites with his classes.
• Using voicethread.com, he puts a picture up that represents the topic under discussion. Each participant has an icon representing their voice, and when it lights up you can hear their comment.
• They like to use audioboo to record themselves singing. Delightfully, you can hear them singing We're Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line on the blog – it's part of their work on the second world war.
Audioboo is great to use when they're on the move, says Wilson. "We can be out and about, I take out my iPhone, the kids record something, and we upload it."
• A rich source of historical photographs is historypin. On this site, photos are entered according to their date and place, so they produce historical records of every part of the world. Wilson's class used it to look at pictures of buildings bombed during the blitz and to see what the areas look like now.
At the moment, he's steering all the activity and operating the technology. But he's aware that some blogs give pupils more control of the output and he has plans to start giving his students more free rein.
Wilson says it's really important to his class that people comment on their blogposts: "It gives them pride in their work, acknowledgement of their worth, and some understanding that there is a big wide world out there and people are listening to them.
"All the children in my class have learning difficulties, so how much they understand varies hugely, but when I read out the comments they are always quiet, always listening and always happy. They love it when people from different places comment, and they love it when their parents comment."
"It's made me realise the importance of leaving comments (however short) on other class blogs. If it matters that much to me and my class, then it's the same in other classes. My resolution is to try and leave at least one comment a day on whichever blog I visit, no matter how tired I am or what the day has been like."
More on class blogs
Tom Barret, a deputy headteacher, has some great advice about starting blogs on his website. You can also follow him on Twitter.
• Also look on Twitter at #classblogs
• Here's a class in New Zealand making short films about how earthquakes happen.
• And here's class 5 at John Davies primary getting to grips with punctuation
• There are a range of exciting class blogs from Healthfield CPS – the year 4s are doing Egypt. They've done a great slideshow using photopeach.
• It looks like aliens have invaded the blog of Class 9 at St John the Baptist in Southampton
• How to create a classroom blog by language teacher Jose Picardo on YouTube is a bit blurry but it has lots of good advice about using wordpress to set up a blog – and what to do with it once it's up and running. His website about technology and education is called boxoftricks.
So, what do you think? Are you running a class blog or thinking about starting one? Or do you reckon they're just the latest new-fangled plaything for geeky teachers?Despite narrowly losing out to Hillary Clinton in last week's Nevada Caucuses, US Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is gaining ground on his rival in several key US states. Sanders, an outsider for the Democrat nomination for president, is pressing his establishment opponent hard, managing to close what was a 25-point deficit in the southern state of Nevada to take 47% of the vote.
And while according to all the polls in South Carolina, the next state to weigh in on the presidential race on 27 February, Sanders faces near-certain defeat, his campaign is being bouyed by strong predictions in several other major swing states.
Prior to the Iowa caucus which fired the starting gun on the race, Sanders was down by as much as 28 points in the key state of Colorado – but after unexpectedly strong showings in each of the three states to vote so far, the Vermont senator seems now to be leading by six, according to numbers in the Washington Free Beacon. He is leading with under-30s by a whopping 46 points, and with Hispanics by three. Colorado votes on 1 March.
In Massachusetts, Sanders is ahead of Clinton by seven points, according to a PPP poll conducted between this month, which again marks a significant rise from earlier surveys, which had him behind by between 25-34 points. And in his home state of Vermont, the same poll has him ahead by the trivial matter of 76 percentage points.
It's not all smooth sailing for veteran social democrat, however. While he passed Clinton in a national poll for Fox News for the first time, he is struggling to win over the black vote, which he'll need if he is to win over a number of other states.
"According to the entrance poll in Nevada, Clinton won black voters 76% to 22%," said Harry Enten of US polling prediction site fivethirtyeight.com. "To put that in context, Clinton's margin is only slightly smaller than Barack Obama's 83% to 14% win with black voters in 2008."
He added: "Many of the upcoming primaries will feature a much higher percentage of black voters than Nevada did. While only 13% of Nevada caucus-goers in 2016 were black, their share in South Carolina will be much higher (55% of South Carolina Democratic primary voters were black in 2008). That's why Clinton is up by 25 percentage points in the South Carolina polls."
More voters wanted
Sanders himself blamed a lower voter turnout than he had wanted.
On the US political show Meet The Press, he said: "We will do well when young people, when working-class people come out. We do not do well when the voter turnout is not large. We did not do as good a job as I had wanted to bring out a large turnout."
The next stop in the Democrat campaign is the South Carolina Primary on Thursday.A drone has been donated to the city of Birmingham for use in public safety emergencies like the massive snowstorms of January 2014.
"We could have launched it from the back of a patrol SUV and flown the interstates in sections," Birmingham 911 Director Greg Silas told Birmingham City Council members at a November committee meeting. "It has a lot of uses. I think you'll see this in the future."
The drone will be available to the Birmingham Police Department, the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency.
The donor, Dawson Lee Williams, will also pay for six people to undergo the necessary training to fly and operate the drone.
The city council on Tuesday approved a resolution to accept the donation of the DJI Phantom Inspire Drone, two controllers, two iPad minis, four batteries to power the drone, a camera and a case for storing the drone and its accessories.
In his presentation to the public safety committee, Silas said the donor simply enjoys being able to help others. He decided to donate the drone after witnessing several disasters in Alabama and realizing how helpful it would be for surveying damage and searching for missing people.
Using a drone is preferable to a helicopter, which can't get as close and is extremely expensive. Current regulations require the drone to remain in the operator's line of sight, Silas said.
Officials also plan to use it to help other cities throughout the region during emergencies.Sometimes, you catch all the breaks. Sometimes, those breaks are not exactly what you want to catch.
When describing the San Jose Earthquakes' 2014 MLS season, the most succinct description might be "derailed by injury." Other than talisman's Jon Busch in goal and Chris Wondolowski at forward, the Quakes has seen a steady flow of players to the trainer's table. Clarence Goodson, Yannick Djalo, Matias Perez Garcia -- all were expected to provide San Jose with the talent required to make the playoffs, but they have all missed significant playing time.
And now, the latest addition to the list is target forward Steven Lenhart. Just a few weeks back from a knee injury that shut him down for most of the summer, Lenhart suffered a foot injury on Thursday that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the regular season.
According to a club spokesperson, Lenhart cut his foot while riding his bike. The injury, described as a gash, required stitches and is expected to take a few weeks to fully heal. Given that the Earthquakes season ends in four weeks, on October 26 at Chivas USA, the likelihood of his return is doubtful.
The 28-year old forward, who was traded to San Jose prior to the 2011 season, has only appeared in 11 games this year. After a career year in 2012, when Lenhart scored 10 goals in 26 appearances and helped lead the Earthquakes to the Supporters' Shield, he has collected only 5 goals in 25 total appearances over the past two seasons.
With the Quakes apparent transition to a more ground-based offensive system, the need for Lenhart in 2015 and beyond might be minimal. The Earthquakes have already dealt his "Bash Brother" teammate Alan Gordon away; the possibility remains that Lenhart has also played his last game for San Jose.Let me start this post by saying I am a big fan of both companies and have no allegiance or bias towards one or the other. I also keep a keen eye on both companies and watched both keynotes for the products.
Some of the specs may not have been released at the time of this post, so please don’t give me too hard a time if the facts are not all there right away.
Both drones are aimed at beginner to intermediate drone users with a big focus on capturing video. Both are capable of shooting 4k video at 30fps and 12MP stills, be that through GoPro’s Hero4 Black, Hero5, Session5 or the fixed DJI camera.
The GoPro press event for the Karma and GoPro 5 series was good, over the top as usual, but showed some really nice tech. The Karma is GoPro’s first drone and amongst the first fold down ‘portable’ drones that offer the GoPro mount and the only one with the added bonus of being able to use the latest Hero5 and Session5 cameras. The latest hardware and software upgrades to the latest GoPro cameras obviously complement the drones ability to shoot great video.
The one feature I think that everyone felt was missing was some kind of auto follow or tracking feature. We have been teased with these features from the AirDog and Staaker drones. Its something that is super appealing, just being able to launch the drone and let it do the shooting hands free.
The trouble is that GoPro have said ’the technology for auto follow is not quite there’. Then a week later DJI quite boldly tested that exact tech in their live launch event of the Mavic, that takes some faith in the technology to do. The product and brands integrity was in that drones hands during that demonstration. Another blow to GoPro was that you could order it online that day for pre-order, as opposed to GoPros ‘register interest’ strategy.
DJI are also putting the technology out in the hands of customers at selected Apple stores for a limited time. They already parnter to sell products through the Apple stores which is a killer marketing play to get seasonal sales. Another plus for DJI is that they are also offering ‘DJI Care Refresh’, a replacement service that allows you to receive two spare parts with express delivery. This is designed to get your drone back up in the air as soon as possible after a bad days flying. This is a service that is currently not in place for GoPro but coming soon,Pol Lt Gen Suthipong Wongpin, acting Immigration Bureau chief, shows a police suspects' board of an Indian and two Nigerian men detained for involvement in an online romance scam based in Bangkok. (Photo by Pawat Laopaisarntaksin)
The Immigration Bureau (IB) has nabbed two Nigerian nationals and an Indian man in Bangkok for allegedly running romance scams.
The IB on Thursday announced that two Nigerians -- Lawrence Osita Nwaenyi, 32, and Peter Stanley Chukwuebuka, 33 -- were arrested at a condominium in Prawet district.
The duo allegedly used social media and chat programmes to trick unsuspecting women into wiring money to them, according to IB acting commissioner Suthipong Wongpin.
Pol Lt Gen Suthipong said the suspects had opened Facebook pages using false identities. They posed as rich Europeans and approached and befriended female Facebook users.
If the women agreed to a chat, the suspects would make romantic overtures and express interest in investing in businesses with the victims.
In most cases, the IB acting commissioner said, the suspects told the victims they had gifts for them, sending them photoshopped pictures to make the scam look believable. Other gang members would then call the victims, pretending to be either customs or embassy officials, to seek a fee for the delivery of gifts.
Many victims fell for the trick and wired money to the suspects' accounts.
The gang ceased contact with victims who became suspicious and would move on to find other people to hoodwink online.
Pol Lt Gen Suthipong said the two Nigerians spent most of their day working on the computer in their rented condo.
Police raided the room and caught the men red-handed as they were communicating with their victims, using chatting apps.
Police have charged Mr Osita with staying illegally in the kingdom and Mr Chukwuebuka with overstaying his visa.
They are reviewing evidence gathered from the condo to identify the victims, who will be interviewed later.
In a separate incident, the IB has arrested an Indian man, Vinay Mishra, 29, and charged him with theft.
The suspect allegedly used dating websites to lure women and asked to stay over at their houses, claiming he had been robbed and had no money.
He allegedly brought valuables stolen from his unsuspecting hosts to his hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 50.The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is not commenting on a photo shown in court as part of an ongoing civil trial that a plaintiff says shows a deputy dressed in a Grinch costume intentionally and illegally driving a patrol car through a stoplight in Victorville to prompt a red-light camera to snap a souvenir picture.
“It was posted around the station as if it was a big joke. I didn’t think it was funny,” testified Deputy Brian Moler, one of three plaintiffs who sued the county, alleging they were retaliated against for being whistleblowers.
Moler testified that he was removed from his prestigious assignment as a motorcycle traffic officer and ostracized by his colleagues after he ignored what he said were illegal ticket-writing quotas and continued to cite Victorville city officials and other employees as well as off-duty deputies.
His attorney, Christopher L. Gaspard, asked on the trial’s opening day last week whether any deputies at the station had committed serious offenses yet gone unpunished. Moler described the Grinch incident as Gaspard projected the photo on the screen.
Moler noted that, in addition to the red-light violation, the vehicle’s front license plate was covered, in violation of the state Vehicle Code.
On cross-examination Monday, attorneys for the county confronted Moler with a 2008 video showing him, in uniform, dancing at night in the middle of Seventh Street in Victorville to Michael Jackson’s song “The Way You Make Me Feel.”
Attorney Susan Coleman asked how his action was different from the December 2013 Grinch incident.
Moler answered that dancing in the street was not illegal and that he was asked to do so by his sergeant for the station’s Christmas party video. He said he looked for an empty roadway, although at one point, at least one person could be heard telling him to get out of the road moments before a large SUV drove past the deputy.
The Sheriff’s Department declined to comment on either the Grinch photo or the video, spokeswoman Jodi Miller said, citing the ongoing trial.
Left unanswered about the Grinch photo is whether anyone was cited for running the red light, whether the department investigated the incident and whether the person driving the patrol car — whose identity could not be confirmed by this news organization — was disciplined.
There is precedent for a public-safety employee being disciplined for running a red light to take a selfie.
In 2012, Calfire/Riverside County Fire Department Engineer Patrick O’Donoghue was demoted to firefighter after he took his hands off the steering wheel and gave the camera at a Corona-area intersection a “two-thumbs-up” sign while running a red light with his emergency lights and siren activated. The state Personnel Board also ruled he drove too fast through the intersection.
Staff writer Beatriz Valenzuela contributed to this report.Easy, one-bowl Triple Chocolate Banana Bread. Loaded with chocolate chips and topped with a dark chocolate ganache.
We have an excessive amount of bananas in our freezer. Really, it’s reaching epic proportions. I’ve mentioned before that I consider bananas to have a ridiculously short life span. There’s a 1-2 day window when I consider them edible. Anything outside of that is just… no. Ryan actually prefers them when they are (what I consider) over ripe, aka rotten. You know, when they start to have brown specks on them and the banana smell is WAY too strong. No thank you. It’s usually around this point that they get shoved into the freezer to be used at some undisclosed later date, almost exclusively in banana bread.
I love banana bread. It’s so easy to make, and super versatile. You can jazz it up with chocolate chips or pineapple chunks, add some walnuts or coconut – the possibilities are endless. You can have it for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or even dessert. This triple chocolate banana bread most certainly falls into the dessert category (though I won’t judge you if you sneak a piece for breakfast).
I have made banana bread before, and even fancied it up for a tropical Bundt cake (which was delicious), but I’ve never made a rich, chocolatey version, so that was my priority this week.
For this Triple Chocolate Banana Bread, I swapped out some of the flour for cocoa powder, and added some espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavour. Adding espresso powder to chocolate baked goods is my favourite thing to do. You can’t often taste the coffee flavour itself, but it really adds a richness to the chocolate, which I love.
I had some leftover ganache from last week’s Mocha Chocolate Cake, so I decided to kick this chocolate banana bread up a few notches – because it clearly wasn’t chocolatey enough already. I originally intended to sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of the ganache to help cut some of the sweetness, but I loved the pattern of the ganache drizzle too much to cover it up.
This triple chocolate banana bread is delicious. It’s incredibly moist and chocolatey. If you want to tone it down a bit (and I wouldn’t blame you), you can skip the chocolate chips and ganache and have a delicious plain chocolate banana bread. Or you can swap the chocolate chips for walnuts or some other kind of nut. Really, it’s so versatile and fun to experiment with different combinations. Whatever you decide on, you won’t be disappointed!
Oh and the best part about this recipe? You can totally do it in one bowl.
Notes & tips for this Triple Chocolate Banana Bread:
You can do this easily in one bowl, just add the dry ingredients directly into the wet instead of mixing them in a separate bowl.
This bread is not super sweet and has a strong chocolate flavour. If you’d like to tone that down and prefer it sweeter, reduce the cocoa powder to 1/4 cup and increase the flour to 1 1/4 cups.
I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, but regular cocoa powder will work too.
4.41 from 20 votes PRINT Triple Chocolate Banana Bread Easy, one-bowl Triple Chocolate Banana Bread. Loaded with chocolate chips and topped with a dark chocolate ganache. Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes Servings 10 Calories 526 kcal Author Olivia INGREDIENTS Chocolate Banana Bread: 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted, I use Dutch-processed
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp espresso powder (optional for flavour)
1 cup overripe bananas mashed (approx. 2 large bananas)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional Ganache (optional): 5 oz dark chocolate chopped
5 oz heavy whipping cream US Customary - Metric INSTRUCTIONS Chocolate Banana Bread: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9" x 5" loaf pan (I use homemade cake release ). Line with parchment (optional). In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.** In a medium bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake for 55-65 mins or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10mins, turn out and cool completely on wire rack. Ganache: Finely chop chocolate and place into a bowl. Bring cream just barely to a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 2 mins. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth. Cool completely before drizzling over loaf.*** NOTES *This bread is not super sweet and has a strong chocolate flavour. If you'd like to tone that down and prefer it sweeter, reduce the cocoa powder to 1/4 cup and increase the flour to 1 1/4 cups. **One-bowl method - Skip this part and just add the dry right into the wet. ***I had leftover ganache stored in the fridge that I zapped in the microwave for 30 seconds.
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.The GNOME project at 15
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On August 15, 1997, Miguel de Icaza announced the launch of the GNOME project. In the following years, GNOME has seen more than its share of ups and downs; it must be considered one of the community's most successful and most controversial projects. This is a moderately significant anniversary, so it makes some sense to have a look at where GNOME came from and speculate on where the project may be heading.
In the mid 1990's, the Linux desktop experience was provided by such aesthetically striking components as the fvwm window manager, the Xaw toolkit, and the Midnight Commander file manager. That was more than enough for many early Linux users, quite a few of whom, having written their own custom modelines to get X working with their monitors, felt no need for a desktop system beyond what it took to get their xterm windows arranged nicely. Every community has its discontents, though. In this case, one of the first groups to get itself properly organized was the KDE project, which started hacking on an integrated desktop environment in 1996 and which, by the middle of 1997, had some interesting results to show.
The problem with KDE, of course, is that it relied on the Qt toolkit, and Qt was not, at that time, free software. This decision led to epic flame wars that put current squabbles (GNOME 3, or systemd, say) to shame; they just don't make flames like they used to. Some attempts were made to get Trolltech to change Qt to a free license, but Trolltech was not yet interested in considering such a move. It is interesting to speculate on what might have happened had Qt been relicensed in 1997 rather than three years later; one of the deepest divisions within the free software community might just have been avoided.
Then again, maybe not. We're not entirely happy without something to fight about, and Emacs-versus-vi, by virtue of predating Linux entirely, was old and boring even in 1997.
The stated goals of the newly-launched GNOME project were straightforward enough: "We want to develop a free and complete set of user friendly applications and desktop tools, similar to CDE and KDE but based entirely on free software." The project would be based on the GTK toolkit which, to that point, had only really been used with GIMP. The project also planned to make heavy use of the Scheme language — an objective that faded into the background fairly quickly.
GNOME itself remained very much in the foreground. Compared to KDE it had a different license (even after Qt was freed), a different implementation language (C vs. C++), and a different approach to the desktop — all fodder for plenty of heated discussions. Miguel was from early on an admirer of Microsoft's ways of doing software development and tried to push many of them into GNOME. Companies were formed around GNOME, including Helix Code/Ximian (eventually acquired by SUSE) and Eazel (which followed the classic dotcom trajectory of burning vast amounts of money before its abrupt death). There was clearly a lot of activity around GNOME from the very beginning.
The project produced three major releases: 1.0 in 1999, 2.0 in 2002, and 3.0 in 2011. The 2.0 release provoked a flood of criticism as the result of the project's focus on removing options whenever possible. A perceived arrogance on the developers' part (one described some user-requested window manager options as "crack-ridden bogosity") was not helpful. The GoneME fork was started in response, but did not get very far. Over time, enough features returned to the desktop, and things improved enough overall, that most users made their peace with it and stopped complaining.
The 3.0 release, instead, has provoked a flood of criticism as the result of the removal of options and features. A perceived arrogance on the developers' part has not helped the situation much. The MATE desktop fork has been started in response; it's too early to say just how far it will get. Meanwhile, a few features have found their way back into subsequent 3.x releases, and some users, at least, have made their peace with it and stopped complaining. Others, needless to say, have not.
Where to from here?
Fifteen years in, it would be hard to argue that GNOME has not been a success. The project is arguably the most successful Linux desktop available. It has an advanced code base, lots of developers, a well established foundation with a fair amount of corporate support, and more. There must be no end of free software projects that can only dream of the level of success that GNOME has achieved.
That said, there is a visible level of concern within the project. The relentless criticism of GNOME 3 has proved discouraging to many developers, and the millions of new users that GNOME 3 was supposed to attract have not yet shown themselves. Distributors are making noises about trying other desktops, and Ubuntu, arguably the highest-profile GNOME-based distribution, has gone off in its own direction with yet another fork. Meanwhile, the desktop in general looks like a shrinking target; the cool kids have gone elsewhere and GNOME seems to not be a part of it. In this situation, what's a project to do?
Allan Day's GNOME OS post shines some light on what at least some of the project's developers are thinking. Much of it looks like a continuation of GNOME's recent work — completing the GNOME 3 user experience for example. Some seems like basic sense: making the system easier to build and test would be near the top of list. Others are unsurprising, but may not get the results the project is after.
The post never uses these words, but the GNOME project clearly wants to put together yet another "app store" infrastructure wherein third parties can offer proprietary applications to users. For whatever reason, enabling proprietary applications has always been seen as the path to success; the whole point of the venerable Linux Standard Base exercise was to attract that kind of application. Making it easier to add applications to the system can only be a good thing, but it will not, on its own, cause either users or developers to flock to the platform.
GNOME also clearly plans to target tablets and handsets. Again, the objective makes sense: that is where a lot of the buzz — and the money — is to be found. The problem here is that this space is already crowded with free (or mostly-free) alternatives. Android dominates this area, of course; platforms like Tizen, Plasma Active, webOS, Firefox OS, and ChromeOS are also looking for users. It is far from clear that GNOME has something to offer that will make it stand out in this crowd, especially since Allan does not expect a "touch-compatible" version of GNOME 3 for another 18 months. As Eitan Isaacson put it recently:
Our weak areas are apparent: We are not mobile and we are very far from it. We will never achieve any significant social critical mass, we have had limited successes in embracing web technologies, but the web will always be a better web. Deploying “apps” is a nightmare.
He has an interesting counter-suggestion: GNOME, he says, should aim to be the platform of choice for content creators. There could be some potential here; this is not an area that large numbers of projects are targeting, and incumbents like Mac OS seem vulnerable. Where content creators lead, others will often follow. There are some obvious obstacles (codecs, for example), but this is a target that could possibly be reached.
Most likely, though, GNOME will continue its drive for mainstream success and those millions of new users. The project might just get there: it retains a solid code base, many talented developers, and a supporting ecosystem. One should never underestimate what a determined group of developers can accomplish when they set their minds to it. The rest of us should either support them or get out of the way and let them follow their path. Watch this space over the next fifteen years, and we'll all see what they are able to achieve.At my high school, it wasn't "cool" to make an effort during PE. I distinctly remember being told this during a basketball game where I out-hustled a kid six inches taller than me for a rebound. I paused for a moment, and then went back to hustling. "Nah," I thought to myself. "I'd rather win." Ever since then, I've always considered myself on the side of the tryhards. If you can win with seemingly zero effort, good for you. But in my opinion, it's better to break a sweat than to lose the game.
The part of this blog post where I talk about playing sports is now complete. Thank you for your patience.
It's hard to think of Google as a scrappy underdog, but in the hardware business that's absolutely the case. And, more importantly, in the Paul-buys-phones-sometimes business, Google is almost a non-player.
In the Paul-buys-phones-sometimes business, Google is almost a non-player
I've been an iPhone user since the day the first model came out in 2007. I've used a bunch of Android devices for work, and even bought a couple for my personal use over the years, but I always come back to iOS's welcoming arms. But something about Google's hardware event this week really spoke to me, in a way that Apple's recent iPhone X event didn't.
Google looks like a bunch of tryhards right now, and it's great.
It sounds like a stupid distinction, but it matters to me that the Pixel 2 is $649, while the iPhone 8 is $699. Is $50 a lot of money? Not really. But by undercutting Apple on price (even just a little), Google looks hungry to compete, while Apple looks like it just needed a way to get more cash out of its regular customers.
According to Apple, people like me who enjoy small phone form factors don't deserve the best cameras the company has to offer. Google begs to differ, and managed to put its version of Apple’s Portrait Mode in both the Pixel 2 XL and the regular-human-sized Pixel 2, using the exact same sensors in both phones. Thanks, Google!
In Apple land, if you take too many photos and video you basically brick your phone, and even if you pay for extra iCloud storage beyond the sad default of 5GB, it’s a chore to keep your local storage clean. My solution? Don’t take too many pictures. In Google's world, cloud storage is cheap enough to offer as a carrot, and with the Pixel 2 you can upload unlimited original-quality video and photos to Google’s cloud. As a company desperate to contend with Apple and Samsung as a hardware brand, it makes sense that Google is willing to spend a few extra 2017 dollars on data centers to win converts who might stick around into the future.
Google sadly missed an opportunity to dunk all over Apple by keeping the headphone jack. But I do prefer the neckbud form factor of Google's Pixel Buds to Apple's imminently losable AirPods. I'm not going to put this in the "Google wants it more than Apple" column, but at least Google's tastes here line up with mine.
I like that Google moved the search bar down to the bottom of the phone where it’s easier to reach with my thumb. I like that Google is going with OLED on phones that aren't $999. I like that Google is doing a low-key Shazam on the phone 24/7, and can show me information when the screen is "off." I like that the Pixel 2 does quick charging with the charger that comes in the box. I think the Pixel 2 is beautiful. And the Pixel 2 XL with that orange side button and tastefully sized top and bottom bezels is perhaps the best-looking phone since the iPhone 5, if it wasn't a big phone which I hate.
It's like Google really gets me right now, in a way Apple just doesn't.
In fact, Apple is increasingly getting on my nerves. The number one app I use on my phone is Audible, but Apple’s draconian app policies mean I can’t actually purchase new books from within the Audible app. Apple’s FaceTime doesn’t support multi-person video calls, so I’ve been transitioning to Facebook Messenger for those purposes. iOS has always had the best and highest-quality third-party apps, and I feel like that’s still true, but I’m seeing more small upstarts and experimental apps show up as Android exclusives.
Apple is increasingly getting on my nerves
Many of the things that make Android appealing right now aren't new to Android users, but as an Apple user who has trusted deeply in one company to manage a large portion of my digital life for me, it's much more appealing to see Google offer an alternative to the iPhone than another hardware player like Samsung or LG. Google, now more than ever, has a clear vision for what phones should be like, how they should be used, and how they should integrate with Google services. I already use Google's Inbox, YouTube, and Docs on my iPhone all the time. Now that Google's hardware looks mature and in sync with its services, it's finally made me take Android seriously in a way I never have before.
I think I can tolerate my iPhone 7’s cracked screen for a few more months (maybe a little bit longer). But when the time comes to upgrade, I'm going to have a really hard decision to make. The iPhone 8 seems boring and lazy, the iPhone X is big and expensive, and Google's got a $649 phone now that’s almost made exactly to my tastes.
The hardest part of leaving the iPhone would be becoming a green bubble to my friends and family. iMessage has a powerful hold over me. But if I switch, it won't be me leaving iMessage. It will be the platform that runs iMessage leaving me.“Get over it already,” Mom said, after I reiterated my shock that she and my father had helped elect Donald Trump and told them I strongly backed the recount in my home state.
“Move on,” Dad added on the other line. “Just worry about your own business.”
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While I usually called every night, I’d been too upset after the election to phone. As a Manhattan journalism professor still consoling distressed students of all backgrounds, this was my business — especially after swastikas were found in a Jewish student’s dormitory room at the college where I taught and a black friend’s daughter was texted “N***** Lynching” at her Pennsylvania university.
As weeks wore on, my folks’ candidate kept Twitter blasting "Saturday Night Live," the media and Democrats’ desire to challenge the election results but could not tweet, “Stop the hate speech and hate crimes” to the Ku Klux Klan and so-called alt-right groups he continued to empower. I felt sick, unable to sleep or concentrate. Never before had I been ashamed of my country — or my parents.
On a tight book deadline, I’d begged off from visiting for Thanksgiving. Hanukkah and Christmas fall on the same weekend this year, but the thought of fighting my family over politics made |
The planned beta for Gran Turismo Sport has been cancelled in order for the game to launch this year, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi has told VideoGamer.
The beta had been announced alongside the game back in October 2015.
"That's something that I'm very, very sorry about," said Yamauchi while talking about the beta. "In order to do a beta test we have to make a gold master of the beta test code, and for us it actually takes as much effort as to finish the real master code of the actual game.
"Just because it's beta we can't just throw it out there. It's required that in order to do an open beta we have to create a proper master for it, and considering the release timing that we announced, we decided that we just don't have enough time to do two gold masters for the game. By omitting that it saves us about three months of time."
Asked to clarify if this meant there would be no beta, Yamauchi added: "Most likely I don't think it would be possible. I'm very sorry but that's just how it turned out."
Gran Turismo Sport launches in the UK on November 18 exclusively on PS4. Check out the first gameplay footage in the trailer below.BAGHDAD, Iraq — Desperate to stem the tide of ISIS militants overrunning the country, an Iraqi general has put forth a radical proposal of telling his soldiers and fellow officers they should try to defend themselves, and — most shockingly — in some instances, actually counterattack, Duffel Blog has learned.
“We have a quarter of a million troops, while ISIS only has 7,000,” Brig. Gen. Haddad said, trying to plead his case. “We also have tanks, artillery, and air power while they do not. We can put 35 soldiers up to every one of theirs. We would win a crushing victory even with just a half-assed plan of attack.”
While making an interesting case, Brig. Gen. Gabar Haddad has come up against stiff resistance from his fellow generals, who prefer to keep surrendering until American troops come in and fight for them. His suggestion flies in the face of the Iraqi Army’s established doctrine of Flee, Surrender, or Do Both.
“Fight back?” Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki asked amidst shock and laughter. “That’s a good one! We haven’t done that since 1988!”
The numerically-superior Iraqi Army was defeated in Mosul, the country’s second-largest city, in what one general said would be remembered as “a glorious moment for Iraq.”
For now, the strategy of the Iraqi Army is to follow established doctrine of stripping off their uniforms and fleeing in terror, then once the Americans return to implement counterinsurgency doctrine, Iraqi soldiers are to implement insurgency doctrine and bomb them.
“Once they defeat ISIS we will bomb them again,” Gen. Qanbar said of his “friends” the Americans. “It’ll just be like old times. So for now, any Iraqi soldier holding a weapon and wearing a uniform is in violation of a direct order. Our men will give every inch of ground until they reach the sea, and then they will swim.”
In a related story, the Kurdish Peshmerga has vowed to fight ISIS to the death, has taken ground from them, and still cannot be recognized as an actual country.Joe had a simple question for Mike Evans yesterday: Would you become a selfish, diva-like, grudge-holding receiver if the Bucs drafted a receiver in the first round or paid a guy like DeSean Jackson a boatload of cash in free agency?
Yes, Joe asked Evans that yesterday at NFC Pro Bowl practice. However, Joe also explained that many fans and some media believe Evans might have that kind of negative attitude if the Bucs didn’t give him a new contract before drafting or signing a stud.
Evans was in disbelief.
“Somebody thinks that about me, that I might act like a diva? People don’t know nothing then.” Evans said. “I don’t care what anyone says. I want the best receiver that helps us win. I don’t care who it is or what he’s paid. “Another great receiver on the team gets me more chances. If you know football, then you understand that. I don’t know how people think I would be a diva. That’s crazy right there. “If we brought in a top receiver, I’d do what [Vincent Jackson] did. He coached me up, helped me, made the transition easier, like he’s done for a lot of guys. That’s what I’d do.”
Joe promised Evans that his attitude and mindset would be shared to set fans straight.
So for those thinking Evans wouldn’t like another top receiver on his turf: Joe advises you find a new song to sing.Faced with a swelling backlog and a promise to resolve five-year-old asylum claims, the chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada admits he needs more funding and more people.
Mario Dion insists the IRB has become more efficient in dealing with cases, but it's not enough.
"I am afraid the way things are at this point we will need additional resources... because there is a limit to how much you can stretch one person's time," Dion said in an interview with CBC News.
He said it's "essentially impossible to close the gap using existing resources."
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen recently announced a review of the asylum system, but he's offered no guarantee of additional funding.
The bulk of the backlog is made up of Canada's so-called legacy refugees.
They are a group of about 5,500 people who have yet to have their asylum claims heard. That's because they arrived in Canada in 2012, just before the federal government passed a law that requires new refugee clams to be heard within 60 days. Since the IRB had to comply with the law, it put thousands of existing files to the side — where they've stayed ever since.
'They have been put on the backburner'
Anoosha, who asked that her real name not be published to protect her family back in Afghanistan, is one of those refugees still waiting for a hearing. She says she fled to Canada in 2012 after being threatened by the Taliban.
A prominent human rights activist back in Afghanistan, she now finds herself struggling to get by working at menial jobs in Toronto.
"I never worked in the kinds of jobs I work at here, and it is really difficult for me," she said. "I cannot move on. I'm stuck."
Immigration lawyer Elyse Korman has been working with an Afghan refugee who's been waiting for a hearing since 2012. (CBC)
Anoosha's lawyer, Elyse Korman, says her case shows the kind of turmoil legacy refugees face, "not knowing what the future holds, living in a state of limbo and facing all sorts of obstacles in terms of education, employment and health care."
She says the government's message to the legacy refugees is loud and clear: "They have been put on the backburner."
In her client's case, it has meant a cruel twist of fate.
Anoosha managed to study in Afghanistan during the years the Taliban was in power and prohibited girls from going to school.
Now, she says she finds herself unable to go to school in Canada because colleges and universities consider her a foreign student and she can't afford the higher tuition and fees.
The Corredor family in Peterborough, Ont., has experienced similar frustration since fleeing Colombia in 2012.
Humberto Corredor was politically active in his native Colombia, running as a candidate for the ruling party. He says he was kidnapped three times by FARC guerrillas. (CBC)
Humberto Corredor, a veterinarian who ran as a candidate for the ruling party, said he was kidnapped on three occasions by FARC guerrillas. He says he now sees a psychologist to deal with the traumatic memories of his captivity.
But what actually pushed the family to leave Colombia, he says, were threats against his children.
"When the problem is only yours, you can live with that," Humberto said. "But when the problem is your son's, your grandson's, OK. No more. It stops."
'The government forgot us'
Humberto wants to practise as a veterinarian in Canada but he doesn't qualify for Canadian training because he's not classified as a permanent resident. His wife, Martha, a psychologist, is in the same situation. She's recovering from treatment for breast cancer.
"Canadian people are so kind. We receive a lot of support," she said. "But we feel like the government forgot us."
Their son, Mateo, is working three jobs to help support the family. Unlike Anoosha, Mateo received a special exception to enrol at Trent University as a Canadian student.
Mateo Corredor received a special exception from Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., to enrol as a domestic student even though he has no Canadian status. It was his dream to attend university, and he works three jobs to help pay for tuition. (CBC)
He worries about his parents more than himself.
"I see them stress, I see them worry about me and that breaks my heart because I do not want them to worry about me," he said. "And I do not want the government to make them feel like they are being persecuted, like they were in Colombia."
In 2015 and 2016, the Corredors and many other legacy refugees watched as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canadians welcomed thousands of Syrian refugees to Canada. Within weeks, the newcomers sped through the process and became permanent residents.
The Corredors say they are happy for those who made it here, but Martha betrays a hint of bitterness when she claims the politicians are only interested in good media coverage.
"I am sorry to say it, but they want to publish and they want to be in the media because they are bringing 25,000 people from another country," she said. "But the house is not clean. Why don't they clean the house first?"
Martha Corredor was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. She tried to obtain a visa for her daughter to visit from Colombia, but it was denied by the federal government. (CBC)
Before Dion's call for more funding, the IRB promised to clear the legacy claims this fall by redirecting resources and staff.
Lawyer Elyse Korman questions whether it's even possible to have a fair hearing after so much time has passed. Claimants are expected to provide precise details about what happened to them, she says, but after five years, memories fade.
"That is particularly true for refugee claimants who have experienced trauma."Well yesterday I was 29 and today I’m 30. It’s not a big deal really. More than anything it provides a good milestone to use for reflection as, many friends have said, it’s time to enter the best decade yet. If that’s true, it’s going to have a lot to live up to. In my 20s I…
::big breath::
…graduated from college, moved to DC, got engaged to my best friend, moved to Austin, got married to said best friend, bought a house, had a baby — and those are just the major things. I also…
::big breath::
…ran 13 marathons, qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon, completed an Ironman, and read all five Game of Thrones books. So my 30s have some big shoes to fill. But based on how amazing the last 12 weeks of Wesley’s life have been, I’m pretty sure my 30s won’t have any trouble taking the title of top decade.
Turning 30 is also a great excuse to make an extravagant dinner to celebrate our birthdays! After a great brunch in the morning, we reasoned that we only turn 30 once and had to go big.
We took a family trip down to Whole Foods in search of mussels and thick-cut pork chops. We left with USDA Prime filet mignon and a lobster tail. Yea. And before heading home we swung by a local bakery for dessert! With my recent infatuation with sous vide cooking, that’s exactly what we did.
Two hours before dinner I got the steaks locked and loaded with a little salt and butter before dropping them into a 135° bath and let them come up to a beautiful medium rare.
I then took my attention to preparing the lobster by first removing the shell (thanks youtube) and then sealing with butter, lemon zest, and thyme. This only needs a quick 25 minutes in the water, so I popped it back in the fridge while the steak cooked away.
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So with steak cooking and lobster prepped Ev and I had some time to play with Wes before putting him down for bed. After his bath and while he was eating, I turned my attention to preparing a side of spinach and getting the lobster into the water. Now imagine some magical off-screen cooking took place: prepared spinach, seared steaks in cast iron in a pool of thyme-spiked butter, quick-seared the lobster after splitting in half, and plated it all.
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And do to with it we decided a meal of this magnitude required a special bottle of wine that my mom got us four years ago in Napa. It did not disappoint. So. Good.
As for dessert we had some fantastic cupcakes from Capital City Bakery. I bet you haven’t checked them out yet, and that’s a big life mistake. Make it a priority. And whoa buddy, that Peanut Butter Crunch cupcake… amazing.
And so I’d say Evelyn and I have entered our 30s in style. I can’t wait to see what’s in store between now and my “ohmygodImturning40” blog post.
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Like this: Like Loading...MOSCOW — The stories about vengeance at the Bolshoi Ballet go back centuries: The rival who hid an alarm clock in the audience, timed to go off during Giselle’s mad scene, or who threw a dead cat onto the stage at curtain in lieu of flowers. There are whispers of needles inserted in costumes, to be discovered in midpirouette, or — the worst — broken glass nestled in the tip of a toeshoe.
But this ballet-loving city awoke on Friday to a special horror. A masked man had flung acid in the face of Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi, causing third-degree burns and severely damaging his eyes. Video from the hospital showed Mr. Filin’s head covered entirely in bandages, with openings for his eyes and mouth, his eyelids grossly swollen.
Though police officials said they were exploring theories including disputes over money, Mr. Filin’s colleagues at the Bolshoi said they suspected professional jealousy. In recent weeks Mr. Filin’s tires had been slashed, his car scratched, his two cellphones disabled, his personal e-mail account hacked and private correspondence published, according to Bolshoi officials. On the day of the acid attack, Mr. Filin had met with the Bolshoi’s general director, Anatoly Iksanov, and confided that he was beginning to worry about his children’s safety.
“Sergei told me that he had the feeling that he was on the front line,” Mr. Iksanov said at a news conference on Friday. “I told him, ‘Sergei, I’ve already been on the front line for the last two years, it is part of our profession, the profession of the leadership, so it’s normal.’ ” Then Mr. Iksanov paused. “No, no, it’s not normal,” he said.About
Dear Friends, October 27th, 2015
My name is Elizabeth Burroughs. I'm a Teacher by day, Physical Fitness and Pilates for Adults with Disabilities. But I’ve been an inventor and tinkerer since I was a kid.
FlyyZone is a dream I’ve had since I was twelve years old. I read a story about a girl who could fly on the moon, and since then, I’ve been obsessed with finding a way to do it down here on Earth.
Finally, I sat down, sketched it out, and began the process of filing for a patent. We filed on November 24th, 2014, and were granted U.S. Patent # 9120,023 B1 by the USPTO on September 21st, 2015.
Now that we have the patent, the plan is to attend the IAAPA Conference in Orlando Fl. November 16th-20th, and put my video in front of Amusement Park and Attractions Industry Professionals (IAAPA) from all over the world. My business cards have our Blue and Green Flying Man Logo, and the words "Wanna Go Flying?" on them.
I created a Rail and Harness system that simulates human flight. As you have seen in the video, the idea is simple, but the result is astounding! Here is an excerpt from the patent application:
“Problem Solved:
Human beings can't fly. When we try in sports like sky diving, base-jumping, and bungee-jumping, we risk our lives.
Zip lines attempt to provide soaring, but the participant has little or no control, and the ride is over in just a few seconds. One must apply to several lines in a very large outdoor setting to get any air-time.
Indoor skydiving involves balancing on a column of super accelerated air that is uncomfortable at best. Again the ride only lasts a few minutes, and is not for all skill levels.
This course allows the participant to step off a platform into thin air, yet stay connected to the undulating course of the rail system. The flyer maintains a constant distance from the rail system, with some give in the bungee cord, and uses the handlebar steering and braking system to glide and soar like a bird. It allows for courses that could last for many minutes at a time depending on the grade and height of the course. There is also the potential to run multiple flyers on multiple courses at staggered start times, and courses within the same building can vary from challenging to easy.
This system of Flying is accessible to ALL PEOPLE of whatever skill level they possess. A disabled person could control the brakes with a modified mouth braking system. And it is also accessible to children and adults of all ages. Simply by having lower, slower, shorter courses, one can accommodate everyone."
We will market my invention at the IAAPA conference. As a member of IAAPA, I will be able to network with industry professionals from around the world. All the major Parks attend, including Disney and Universal Studios, and hundreds of companies exhibit the latest innovations in the field, and give key-note talks and panel discussions. Since I won’t be tied to a booth, I will be able to be where the action is, and put my idea in front of the right people at the right time. With any luck, I’ll license the idea and return home with a deal in hand. Wish me luck!
Plan two (which is already at play) is to market through social media, Internet, clubs and contests centered around Flight Inventions, and generally try to get the word out as wide as possible. My video is on Youtube, under FlyyZone. After you enter, however, you must choose “Did you mean “FlyyZone” to go directly to the video. Otherwise it will take you to “Flyzone”. I’m in process of getting my Website up and running, and just received my LLC status from the State of Texas, under my company name, RocketFlight, LLC.
My I.P. lawyer and I are driving down from Austin, Texas to Orlando a day before the conference begins, and we plan to hit the ground running!
Our Budget: For the Orlando Trip:
1. Hotel in Orlando x 6 nights = $649.00
2. Gas, food and lodging from Austin to Orlando and back = $400.00
3. Meals in Orlando x $35.00/day = $215.00
4. Membership in IAAPA and registration for the conference =$650.00
5. Business cards and Logo Shirts to wear at the conference =$250.00
6. Cost of the LLC = $645.00
7. Cost of Special Venue talks at the conference $200.00-500.00
Total Cost: $3309.00
Please contact me with any questions you have about our project. Wouldn’t it be great if somebody builds this thing? People everywhere will be swinging through the skies, singing like birds! We put this quote on the back of our business cards:
“For once you have tasted flight, you will walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you long to return.” -Leonardo Da Vinci
With great gratitude, and high in the sky hopes, I’m yours, ElizabethThousands protest police shooting of 13-year-old boy in California
By David Levine
30 October 2013
Thousands of people attended a noon rally in Santa Rosa, California to protest the killing of 13-year-old Andy Lopez, who was shot dead by a sheriff's deputy on October 22. Lopez was carrying a toy pellet gun that the deputy and his partner claim to have mistaken for an AK-47 assault rifle.
Hundreds of protesters marched through downtown Santa Rosa on October 23, 24, and 25 demanding “justice for Andy.” Mourners and protesters have also held vigils each day since the killing. Over one thousand people attended Lopez’s memorial service on October 27.
In addition to expressing outrage over the killing, protesters claimed that law enforcement in Santa Rosa has routinely dealt with working-class, poor, and Hispanic families with excessive harshness, and that the shooting of Andy Lopez was part of a larger trend of police brutality. Santa Rosa police had also shot and killed 16-year-old Rogelio Bautista in 2005 and 18-year-old Alejandro Ortega in 2009.
Initial news reports carried contradictory explanations of the events as to whether the deputies repeatedly ordered Lopez to drop the supposed gun and he refused, or whether they approached him from behind and shot him before he had a chance to turn around.
A statement by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department later admitted that when the deputies shot the boy, no more than ten seconds had elapsed since they had spotted him with the toy gun. They handcuffed him as he lay dying, and it took sixteen seconds more for them to call for medical assistance. Paramedics declared the boy dead on the scene. An autopsy later revealed that seven bullets had struck Lopez, two of which caused fatal injuries.
The incident was, in fact, the third fatal shooting by police in less than 24 hours in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Later that week California police shot and killed suspects in at least two other unrelated incidents.
In 2000, following a string of eight fatal shootings by police over a period of less than three years, the California Advisory Committee to the United States Civil Rights Commission recommended that Sonoma County create civilian review boards to investigate incidents of police violence. The Sonoma County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has also promoted the creation of independent civilian review boards. The county has never taken any action on these recommendations.
Under the procedures currently in effect in Sonoma County, each such incident is first investigated by a department that was not involved in the incident itself (in this case, the Santa Rosa Police Department), then by the district attorney, and finally by a grand jury empaneled once per year. The 2000 report argued that these procedures are insufficient because the grand jury lacks budgetary, organizational, and physical independence from law enforcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also launched its own investigation of the October 22 shooting.
On Monday, October 28, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department confirmed that all of the shots had been fired by deputy Erick Gelhaus. Gelhaus and his partner at the time of the shooting have been on paid administrative leave since then.
The police shooting of a thirteen year old boy holding a toy gun on a peaceful city street points to the brutalization of American society under the impact the assault waged by the financial aristocracy on living conditions of working class communities and Washington's endless imperialist wars. Class tensions are sharpening and police are becoming increasingly militarized.
The police shooter, Gelhaus, is an embodiment of this trend. In addition to 23 years of experience in the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department, Gelhaus is a senior firearms instructor for 10-8 Consulting and a writer for the Modern Service Weapons website, as well as S.W.A.T. Magazine, a publication for police and military gun users. He also served as an infantry squad leader for the US Army in Iraq.
In an article in S.W.A.T. Magazine in October 2003, Gelhaus described street gangs as “domestic terrorists,” explicitly comparing them to al Qaeda. He wrote that “thousand of other terrorists continue to walk our streets” and described how to recognize such terrorists by “identification, association, non-verbal identification and attire, and areas where they may be prevalent.”Congressman Steve Cohen.
Six Democrats in Congress defied party leadership Wednesday and introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump, a symbolic effort that is primarily meant to boast morale among Trump-hating Democrats in their home districts.
The five articles of impeachment accuse Trump of obstructing justice for firing former FBI director James Comey, undermining the independence of the judiciary and the press, and violating both the foreign and domestic emoluments clauses.
“The time has come to make clear to the American people and to this president that his train of injuries to our Constitution must be brought to an end through impeachment,” Tennessee representative Steve Cohen said at a press conference Wednesday. The five other representatives to sign on the effort are Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, Al Green of Texas, Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Adriano Espaillat of New York, and John Yarmuth of Kentucky.
Cohen acknowledged that the effort will likely be fruitless given the Republican majorities in the House and Senate. But as his co-sponsor Luis Gutierrez argued, it is the responsibility of those who observe crimes in the White House to “do our jobs.”
“I see a crime and I have a responsibility to dial 9-1-1 immediately,” said Gutierrez. “I don’t reach consensus with all my neighbors and friends, I call the police and I activate an investigation.”
If Cohen and Gutierrez had gone looking for consensus, they wouldn’t have found it. Democratic leaders oppose their move because they think it will embolden Trump’s base and distract from issues that could help Democrats in the midterms.
“Do we disagree with the policies? We do. But disagreeing with the policies is not enough to overturn an election, a free and fair election,” House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer said Wednesday.
But Cohen brushed aside those concerns. “I think the Democratic base needs to be activated. The Democratic base needs to know there are members of Congress willing to stand up against this president,” he said.The text message panic kept thousands from their beds False rumours of an impending earthquake caused fear and panic in Ghana overnight, prompting many people to sleep outside. The rumour began on Sunday night with a text message quoting US space agency Nasa and the BBC as saying that "cosmic rays" were to hit the Earth. By 0300 on Monday this was interpreted to mean an earthquake was imminent. A government minister then sought to calm nationwide fears, telling local radio stations it was all a hoax. Ghana last experienced a major earthquake 70 years ago. But the BBC's David Amanor in the capital, Accra, says awareness of last week's devastating earthquake in Haiti may have made people more nervous. 'No iota of evidence' The first text message that started doing the rounds on Sunday said: "Today's night 12:30 to 3:30am COSMO RAYS entering earth from Mars. Switch off ur mobiles today's night.?NASA BBC NEWS? Plz pass to all ur friends." We are scared right now
BBC listener Opoku Ware Cyprian At 0400 GMT Deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa phoned our correspondent to check if the BBC had indeed broadcast an earthquake warning, as there was a "national panic". He than carried out a series of interviews on local radio stations to dispel the rumours. "There is no iota of scientific evidence in that - somebody has just pulled a prank on the nation," Mr Ablakwa told Ghana's Joy FM station. Just before 0500, the BBC's Network Africa also told its listeners about the hoax after receiving worried texts from listeners. "We are scared right now many people a[re] standing outside because we have receive messages across the country that there is going to be an earthquake some said is from BBC," Opoku Ware Cyprian texted from Kumasi at 0349 GMT. Our correspondent says many people across the country - both in urban and rural areas - did not sleep. He said his neighbours were standing outside their homes at 0400 fearing that buildings would collapse. Phone networks were also congested as people sought to warn each other, he said. It is not known whether the hoax was a result of deliberate mischief, a simple innocuous message, or a joke between friends. But our reporter says the implications are being taken seriously and the incident has reopened a controversial call by Ghana's National Security Authority for phone operators to register names and details for every mobile phone number in the country.
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StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionIn York County Prison, 480 inmates -- or about 21 percent of the population -- have a mental illness.
In some cases, the only reason they have committed a crime is because of their mental illness, and sometimes they spend more time behind bars because of a lack of housing, according to officials and a recent study conducted for the county's Criminal Justice Advisory Board. And in the long run, it costs taxpayers more money, the study showed.
Defendants with a mental illness can apply to a mental health court program that would allow them to have their charges reduced or dismissed, York County assistant public defender Angela Fox said. It involves medical treatment, counseling, community service and paying restitution.
But it also requires defendants to have a place to live.
If relatives can't commit to taking in and caring for the person with mental illness, he or she can end up on a waiting list for months until a place opens through a nonprofit program, such as Bell Socialization Services, or a recovery house.
"They're sitting in jail waiting for housing," Fox said.
Sometimes a defendant decides not to enroll because he or she could serve his sentence and get out of prison more quickly, she said. The program takes a minimum of a year to complete but averages 18 months.
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It would be cheaper in the long run to provide supportive housing for people with mental illness instead of housing them in prison, a recent study conducted for the county's Criminal Justice Advisory Board showed.
At the time, it cost about $58 a day to house an inmate at the prison vs. $40 a day for permanent supportive housing, the study states.
Sometimes defendants qualify for early release based on good behavior, but if they don't have a place to live, they remain stuck in the prison until they serve the maximum sentence, the study indicated.
Then the prison has no choice but to release them -- even if they'll be homeless.
The prison tries to find housing for an inmate even if it's a shelter for several days, said Clair Doll, deputy warden of treatment.
Inmates also lose their Supplemental Security Income benefits while in prison -- because the prison is picking up the tab -- and getting those benefits reinstated after release takes time.
That's when officials worry that the cycle could start all over again.
The prison tries to educate people with mental illness on the importance of taking medicine to prevent recidivism, and it tries to help people transition back into the community to get their benefits restored, Doll said.Greek MPs are poised to hold a vote of confidence in the government of Alexis Tsipras after Leftist party rebels deserted the prime minister over the punishing terms of a third international bail-out agreement.
Syriza's energy minister Panos Skourletis said it was now "self evident" that parliamentarians would decide on whether or not to continue supporting the government after a "deep wound" had been inflicted on the ruling coalition.
"We have no confidence in the Tsipras-Kammenos government "
But the terms of the deal, which roll back a number of key pledges from the anti-austerity government, have split the ruling party. Mr Tsipras failed to get the backing of at least 120 of his own MPs, a constitutional threshold that could oblige him to trigger a vote in his leadership.
In a detailed evisceration of the austerity measures, former rebel finance minister Yanis Varoufakis denounced the agreement as encapsulating "the Greek government’s humiliating capitulation".
"Greek sovereignty is being forfeited wholesale" he said. "Not since the Soviet Union has wishful thinking, unsupported by anything tangible, posed as policymaking."
Support for the ruling coalition has becoming vanishingly thin. Greece's two main opposition parties - which have so far voted to keep the country in the euro - vowed to pull the plug on the embattled premier should a vote be called in the coming weeks.
Pasok, the much depleted socialist opposition, joined the conservative New Democracy in refusing to endorse Mr Tsipras and his junior coalition partner, led by defence minister Panos Kammenos.
"The government has signed the third and most onerous bail-out. All the negative consequences for the country and its citizens bear the signatures of Mr Tsipras and Mr Kammenos," said a Pasok party statement.
"We have no confidence in the Tsipras-Kammenos government and of course will not give it if we are asked."
Should he fail to win majority backing from Greece's 300 MPs, Mr Tsipras is almost certain to hold a snap election.
Syriza's radical Left Platform - which makes up a third of the party's membership - has already threatened to form a breakaway faction under the leadership of firebrand former minister Panagiotis Lafazanis. Grassroots party members are set to hold an internal ballot over the party's position in September with talks that an election could be called for as early as September 20.
"Even if Athens escapes a financial crisis, it could well be facing a political crisis soon with the Syriza party seemingly on its last legs," said David Madden of IG.
Panagiotis Kouroublis, health minister, said a vote was the only way to reconcile Greek voters with the years of spending cuts and tax hikes demanded by creditor powers as the price of euro membership.
"Elections are not the best choice... but for the economy to pick up there must be political stability," he said. "To implement such a serious programme with painful measures, you cannot do that without a popular mandate."
Creditors have demanded upto 47 legislative "prior actions" before a first disbursement of €26bn can be released to Athens - its first dose of rescue money since August 2014. The measures include raising the minimum retirement age to 67, liberalising the country's drugs and energy sectors, and reversing public sector hiring promises.
German rebellion
Collapsing political support in Greece comes as a host of eurozone parliaments are set to vote on a deal to release up to €86bn to the near-bankrupt country this week.
Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing the biggest domestic rebellion in her 10 years in office over the aid package.
More than 60 of her Christian Democrat MPs rejected restarting talks over a new Greek rescue in an initial vote in July. This insurrection is set to mount when the package is put before a final parliamnetary vote on Wednesday, according to a key ally of the German premier.
Photo: Reuters
Michael Fuchs, deputy chairman of the CDU, said he had yet to decide whether or not he would back the bail-out as doubts over the involvement of the International Monetary Fund continue to hang over Berlin.
"There might be some changes by tomorrow, even,” said Mr Fuchs in an interview with Bloomberg.
Continued financial aid from the IMF has been a key condition for Germany, which will be the biggest single contributor to the bail-out. Ms Merkel, who has been forced to cancel trips to Italy and Brazil in a bid to convince her lawmakers to back the deal, reassured her party that the Fund would join the new rescue by October at the latest.
Without the IMF, the entire burden of Greece's financing needs will fall on eurozone member states through the bloc's bail-out fund, the European Stability Mechanism.
Greece's bank stocks closed down 8pc on Monday on the news that senior bondholders would be "bailed-in" under a planned €10bn recapitalisation of lenders. Depositors however will be protected under the plans which were agreed by eurozone finance ministers on Friday.
German finance ministry insists again that the involvement of the IMF in the third Greek bailout remains 'indispensable'#Greece — Gavin Hewitt (@BBCGavinHewitt) August 17, 2015
Follow the Telegraph on LinkedIn. Share this article with your network.Introduction
Sabrina Mislevy is tired of the odors, the way they “hit” her as she drives by the blue-tinted lake, the way they burn her nose. Like many of her neighbors, Mislevy has grown weary of living near the nation’s largest coal ash pond, Little Blue Run, which straddles the Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio state lines.
In Little Blue Run and beyond, coal ash, waste from the production of electricity, has fouled water supplies and endangered public health. “We want action,” said Mislevy, of Georgetown |
called a “semi-front” design due to stricter crash safety laws. However, they are still mostly mid-engined.
I’m not sure how such a short hood makes it that much better, but I suppose something is better than nothing?!
Damn アメリカ人, always barging in and taking up more space!
Like how there exist weird people in the U.S. who fetishize Japanese cars, there are also conversely Japanese guys who are really into American cars. Like this:
This was spotted outside the monorail station on the way out of town. Japanese import laws make it way easier to go in that direction than the opposite – very few exceptions to the U.S. “25 year” law are made.
Anyways, back to Comiket…
Other means of transport are not spared the itai treatment. Hey, I could actually afford to do this…
Toyota Hiace mods have seemingly become less “Rolling Akihabara” and more refined and “VIP style” flavored in general. Maybe the latest generation is more difficult to replace body panels on, or maybe they just don’t look as good?
That was it for that parking lot. However, as we were heading back to the station, something caught me eye in an adjacent lot a few hundred feet away:
What.
Yes, it is a van show! Still forming as I showed up, in fact.
This. I could have died here from an undetected brain aneurysm right this instant and I would have been very satisfied.
The primer and unfinished body job look is usually deliberate for some reason.
Cynthia and vans.
More were showing up as we headed back out…
Perhaps next time, I’ll come back at night or stay for the show, but this time, I just wanted to get home and fall over after a few hours of shoving through the Comiket people-ocean!
And a last one, on New Year’s Eve(ning) while we were in Akibahara waiting for our Skytree queue, an ita-kei truck.
Sadly, I was unable to run into Actual Mikuvan Guy, who attends the UDX Parking Garage shows. Again, maybe for the better, since I do not have a hypothetical upper bound on how much I would have fanboyed.
And now I have seen what I must aspire to…
RecentlyFrench DJ Laurent Garnier wants clubbers to "make some noise to save music" (AFP Photo/JOSEP LAGO)
Paris (AFP) - France's superstar DJ Laurent Garnier banded together with the country's top nightclubs on Monday to sound the alarm about new noise restrictions imposed on music venues.
A decree published by the centrist government of President Emmanuel Macron in August was designed to help reduce hearing problems linked to loud music at nightclubs or music festivals.
It lowers the maximum sustained sound level by three decibels, to 102, and also puts limitations on the volume of deep throbbing bass lines which are beloved by fans of house, techno and drum and bass music, among other genres.
A column in Liberation newspaper on Monday co-signed by Garnier, electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre and the owners of Paris's top clubs and festivals urged readers to "Make some noise to save music."
They waxed lyrical about the joys of powerful basslines that make people want to dance, saying they delivered a sensation "just as keenly felt as a beautiful voice is by other music fans."
"We're quietening down fun, muzzling music and stopping artistic work living in its physical dimension," the open letter said.
As well as risking a decline in the numbers of people going out, the law also imposes new requirements on music venues that could prove too costly for small owners, the signatories warned.
Exposure to loud music can cause a ringing in the ears known as tinnitus that usually passes after a few hours but can lead to long-term problems.
In 2012, Canadian electronic music artist Grimes cancelled a series of gigs due to hearing difficulties.
Specialists say that listening to loud music on headphones is the cause of increasing health problems, particularly among young people, while some experts recommend wearing earplugs at concerts or in loud clubs.
The new rules are being appealed by an association representing French music venues.America's opioid epidemic is not manufactured hype; it's real. Prescription painkillers are now more widely used than tobacco. Opioids were to blame for 31,000 overdose deaths in 2015, a 300 percent increase from 1999. Of the top ten drugs involved in overdose deaths, half are prescription opioids.
How did we get here? Many have offered coherent, convincing narratives. Pharmaceutical companies are the villains in one story, pushing their pricey products on doctors and patients to drive their booming business. In another tale, Americans are growing increasingly stressed and overworked, and then self-medicating with powerful anesthetics to cope. Both narratives have merit.
But well before these stories could play out, prescription opioids came to prominence based on shoddy science. As pediatrician and science writer Paul Offit detailed in his book Pandora's Lab, heroin was originally offered over-the-counter when it was launched in 1898. Pharmaceutical company Bayer based the decision on a single study, which followed a handful of subjects for less than a month. The architect of the study and creator of heroin, Heinrich Dreser, concluded that the drug was completely non-habit forming.
Over the next few decades, that spurious finding would be disproved by real-world data in the form of rampant addiction and death. Heroin was banned in the United States in 1924.
More recently, Dreser's missteps would be repeated by pain specialist Russell Portenoy. In 1986, he argued in a paper published to the journal Pain against medicine's "opiophobia." Citing stories of 38 people using high-dose painkillers, he contended that "opioid maintenance therapy can be a safe, salutary and more humane alternative [for] patients with intractable non-malignant pain and no history of drug abuse." Using poor science, Portenoy would propel Oxycontin, the brand name of the semisynthetic opioid oxycodone, to its infamous position as the most prevalent and abused prescription painkiller.
"If you're going to medicate a nation, at the very least you should base your recommendations on a mountain of evidence, not a molehill," Offit writes.
Yet many doctors, health practitioners, and patients are now advocating that we make the same mistake again, this time with alternative medicine techniques like chiropractic and acupuncture. However, the fact that these techniques are, unlike opioids, non-habit forming, does not make them good remedies for pain. There's a "mountain of evidence" that says otherwise.
Bad science paved the way for mainstream medicine to force addictive opioids upon vulnerable patients, so it's flabbergasting that professionals are suggesting and embracing bad science to fix the problem. Instead, better to finally grapple with the genuine causes of the chronic pain epidemic driving millions to medicate on pills: obesity and overwork. Unfortunately, diet, exercise, and rethinking work in the United States have proven to be bitter pills to swallow.I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks, "Monks, I will teach you the five-factored noble right concentration. Listen, and pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said: "Now what, monks, is five-factored noble right concentration? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal.
"Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated, moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not drip; even so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. This is the first development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
"Furthermore, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation — internal assurance. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of composure. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born of composure.
"Just like a lake with spring-water welling up from within, having no inflow from east, west, north, or south, and with the skies periodically supplying abundant showers, so that the cool fount of water welling up from within the lake would permeate and pervade, suffuse and fill it with cool waters, there being no part of the lake unpervaded by the cool waters; even so, the monk permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of composure. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born of composure. This is the second development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
"And furthermore, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture, so that there is nothing of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of rapture.
"Just as in a blue-, white-, or red-lotus pond, there may be some of the blue, white, or red lotuses which, born and growing in the water, stay immersed in the water and flourish without standing up out of the water, so that they are permeated and pervaded, suffused and filled with cool water from their roots to their tips, and nothing of those blue, white, or red lotuses would be unpervaded with cool water; even so, the monk permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of rapture. This is the third development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
"And furthermore, with the abandoning of pleasure and stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He sits, permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness, so that there is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright awareness.
"Just as if a man were sitting wrapped from head to foot with a white cloth so that there would be no part of his body to which the white cloth did not extend; even so, the monk sits, permeating his body with a pure, bright awareness. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright awareness. This is the fourth development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
"And furthermore, the monk has his theme of reflection well in hand, well attended to, well-considered, well-tuned[1] by means of discernment.
"Just as if one person were to reflect on another, or a standing person were to reflect on a sitting person, or a sitting person were to reflect on a person lying down; even so, monks, the monk has his theme of reflection well in hand, well attended to, well-pondered, well-tuned by means of discernment. This is the fifth development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
"When a monk has developed and pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know and realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.
"Suppose that there were a water jar, set on a stand, brimful of water so that a crow could drink from it. If a strong man were to tip it in any way at all, would water spill out?"
"Yes, lord."
"In the same way, when a monk has developed and pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know and realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.
"Suppose there were a rectangular water tank — set on level ground, bounded by dikes — brimful of water so that a crow could drink from it. If a strong man were to loosen the dikes anywhere at all, would water spill out?"
"Yes, lord."
"In the same way, when a monk has developed and pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know and realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.
"Suppose there were a chariot on level ground at four crossroads, harnessed to thoroughbreds, waiting with whips lying ready, so that a skilled driver, a trainer of tamable horses, might mount and — taking the reins with his left hand and the whip with his right — drive out and back, to whatever place and by whichever road he liked; in the same way, when a monk has developed and pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know and realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.
"If he wants, he wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.
"If he wants, he hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine and human, whether near or far. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.
"If he wants, he knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a restricted mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns an enlarged mind as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged mind. He discerns an excelled mind[2] as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an unreleased mind as an unreleased mind. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.
"If he wants, he recollects his manifold past lives,[3] i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, [recollecting], 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their modes and details. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.
"If he wants, he sees — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, and mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.
"If he wants, then through the ending of the mental effluents, he remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known and made them manifest for himself right in the here and now. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.Sidebar Widget
Information
February 11, 2019
Vacation of Wins Letter (redacted) has been posted.
November 1, 2018
Dear Ole Miss Family:
Today, the NCAA released the Infractions Appeals Committee (IAC) decision, bringing the nearly six-year process to an end. The university prevailed in its appeal of the most onerous sanction, the penalty restricting unofficial visits. According to the IAC, “the Committee on Infractions (COI) abused its discretion when prescribing penalty VII.5.c [unofficial visit restrictions] in that it was based in significant part on one or more irrelevant or improper factors.” The IAC overturned the penalty entirely, clearing the way for the football program to move forward and continue recruiting at a high level.
While we are pleased by the IAC’s finding that the COI abused its discretion with respect to the unofficial visit penalty, we remain disappointed by the remainder of the ruling, which upheld a 2018 postseason ban and findings of lack of institutional control and recruiting inducements.
As the recent Commission on College Basketball (Rice Commission) report outlined, the NCAA enforcement model is “broken” and ill-equipped to handle complex cases, and we believe our case was adversely impacted because of it. In the early part of the investigation, our cooperation with the enforcement staff allowed us to contain the case to allegations that were based on credible and persuasive evidence instead of speculation and rumor. However, in April 2016, unbeknownst to us, the enforcement staff shifted and excluded us from the investigation for several months. The results of this shift spawned allegations based on inconsistent testimony by individuals with clear motives and conflicts of interest. In fact, the IAC found that various witness accounts “could have led a reasonably prudent person to a different interpretation of the facts.”
Even with recent changes to the enforcement process recommended in the Rice Commission report, inequities will persist, and ironically, institutions will be at a further disadvantage to contest allegations that they believe are not based on facts. In addition, every institution that has decades-old cases should remain alarmed over this decision and skeptical about the discretion afforded the COI. If the COI can “accord significant weight” to prior cases from a 30-year time frame when prescribing penalties, then no program will ever get a clean slate. We are troubled that the IAC, in its written decision, ignored this overreach by the COI. All of this suggests that additional NCAA reforms are needed, and we will be a leader in that effort.
Throughout the NCAA enforcement process, we accepted responsibility for violations of NCAA bylaws that were grounded in fact, and we took meaningful corrective action and self-imposed harsh sanctions. However, when allegations not grounded in fact were presented, we vigorously defended our great university.
As leaders at the University of Mississippi, we are sorry for what the Ole Miss family has endured throughout this long, arduous process. As the state’s flagship university, our resolve has been tested many times in our history, and we have prevailed by staying true to our core values combined with the amazing support of the Ole Miss family. This challenge will not define us, and we will be stronger because of it.
This ordeal is now over. Our attention must now be on the present and the future of our football program, and we are calling on the Ole Miss family to help finish this season strong. With the freedom to recruit and promote all that the University of Mississippi has to offer, Coach Luke and his staff will keep building on the momentum we have in our program.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter Ross Bjork
Chancellor Director of Athletics
Infractions Appeals Committee Decision: Click Here
May 2, 2018
The below documents were recently requested pursuant to the Mississippi Public Records Act.
Committee on Infractions Response to Appeal of Infractions Report: Click Here
University’s Rebuttal to COI Response: Click Here
February 23, 2018
On February 16, 2018, the NCAA Committee on Infractions (COI) obtained a 30-day extension of time to respond to the University’s NCAA Appeal Brief, filed February 5, 2018. The deadline for the NCAA COI’s appeal brief was March 5, 2018. Under the NCAA rules, the deadline for the COI’s appeal brief will now be April 8, 2018. The University’s Reply Brief will be due 14 days later.
February 14, 2018
Today, the University of Mississippi is publishing the Appeal of Infractions Report, which was submitted to the NCAA on February 5, 2018.
Link to Appeal of Infractions Report: Click Here
December 15, 2017
Today, the University of Mississippi is submitting to the NCAA written notice of its intent to appeal the Public Infractions Decision Letter of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions issued December 1.
The university has also retained the Mississippi-based law firm of Butler Snow to join the existing legal team of Lightfoot, Franklin & White and Bond, Schoeneck & King for the appeal and other related legal services. Don Barrett of the Barrett Law Group will also join the university’s legal team.
“We have the best legal team in the country to handle our NCAA appeal. We added Mississippi-based firms to further strengthen an already exceptional team so that we are in the best possible position to win this appeal,” stated Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter of the University of Mississippi. “We believe the additional penalties imposed by the COI are unwarranted, which we will make very clear at the appropriate time in our written submissions on the merits of our appeal.”
December 1, 2017
Today, the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions issued its report to the University of Mississippi regarding the NCAA investigation of the football program. In the report, the committee disagreed with the institution’s position on most of the contested allegations. In addition to accepting our previously self-imposed sanctions, the committee has imposed a postseason ban for 2018.
While we continue to review the full report, we will vigorously appeal the 2018 postseason ban. The additional postseason ban is excessive and does not take into account the corrective actions that we have made in personnel, structure, policies and processes to address the issues.
Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter and Vice Chancellor for Athletics Ross Bjork will be available to the media at 1 p.m. CT in the Burns Team Meeting Room in the Manning Center to discuss the Committee’s findings.
Links to Documents
Press Conference Transcript: Click Here
NCAA’s Public report: Click Here
Supplemental Response: Click Here
Correspondence with NCAA: Click Here
Booster Sanctions Summary: Click Here
August 9, 2017
The below documents were recently requested pursuant to the Mississippi Public Records Act.
Case Summary: Click Here
Enforcement Staff’s Written Reply: Click Here
Committee on Infractions Appearance Letter: Click Here
Errata and Replacement Page: Click Here
Consistent with the previously published 2016 and 2017 Notices of Allegations and the corresponding Responses to those notices, the names and other personally identifiable information of student-athletes have been redacted. The documents published today include booster names except for John Doe and his/her employee, and these two names remain redacted pursuant to the Hinds County Chancery Court’s order staying the Mississippi Ethic Commission’s Final Order.
UM’s position is that the public interest is best served by releasing booster names. UM will await further direction from the Hinds County Chancery Court regarding the release of Doe’s name and the name of his/her employee.
July 28, 2017
The University of Mississippi has publicly released versions of the 2016 and 2017 Notice of Allegations and UM’s Response to the NOAs (see links in right column) that include booster names except for John Doe and his/her employee. These two names remain redacted pursuant to the Hinds County Chancery Court’s order staying the Mississippi Ethic Commission’s Final Order.
UM’s position is that the public interest is best served by releasing booster names. UM will await further direction from the Hinds County Chancery Court regarding the release of Doe’s name and the name of his/her employee.
July 25, 2017
The University of Mississippi’s position is that the public interest is best served by releasing the names of boosters appearing in the 2016 and 2017 Notice of Allegations (“NOA”) and UM’s Response to the NOAs. Consistent with this position, today UM planned on publicly releasing these documents in accordance with the Mississippi Ethic Commission’s (“MEC”) Final Order.
However, John Doe appealed the MEC’s Final Order. Today, the Hinds County Chancery Court entered an order staying the MEC’s Final Order in part.
Pursuant to that order, UM will publicly release versions of the 2016 and 2017 NOAs and UM’s Responses on or before July 28, 2017, that include booster names except for John Doe and his/her employee. These two names will remain redacted pursuant to the court’s stay. UM will await further direction from the Hinds County Chancery Court regarding the release of Doe’s name and the name of his/her employee.
June 6, 2017
Today, the University of Mississippi is releasing the February 22, 2017 Notice of Allegations and the university’s Response to the Notice.
As stated in February when the Notice of Allegations was issued, we have cooperated fully with the NCAA enforcement staff over the more than four-year-long process. The university has concluded several violations of NCAA bylaws occurred, and we have taken responsibility for those violations. We have self-imposed significant sanctions on our football program including a postseason ban for the 2017 season, a reduction in available scholarships and recruiting days, and an $8 million forfeiture of SEC postseason revenue.
Although we agree several violations occurred, we do not agree that credible and persuasive evidence supports all of the allegations in the Notice. Our Response details our position on each allegation, and we look forward to appearing before the Committee on Infractions.
Please note: the university intended to release the Notice and Response with only the names and other personally identifiable information of student-athletes redacted. However, due to a case pending before the Mississippi Ethics Commission, the names of third parties have also been redacted. The university will revisit the disclosure of involved third parties after we receive more direction from the Ethics Commission.
RESPONSE TO NOTICE OF ALLEGATIONS
INTRODUCTION
The University of Mississippi (the “University”) has a duty to its faculty, students, alumni and supporters, to fellow members of the Southeastern Conference (the “SEC”) and the NCAA, and to the public at large to operate its athletics programs in a manner consistent with the highest principles of intercollegiate athletics. This duty includes the obligation, whenever the University learns of potential conduct that transgresses those principles, to follow the evidence wherever it leads, regardless of whether that may result in adverse findings or potential sanctions. Simply put, the University’s commitment to integrity, honesty, and fairness in all endeavors requires that it “get it right.” This same spirit has guided the University’s response to the 2016 and 2017 Notices of Allegations.
Consistent with its commitment to getting it right, the University has conducted an exhaustive and thoughtful examination of the evidence. Based upon that review and the high evidentiary standard prescribed by Bylaw 19.7.8.3, the University has concluded that significant violations occurred in connection with its football program over a period of years, including during this investigation. These violations, which include multiple, intentional acts of misconduct by (now former) University employees and (now disassociated) boosters, are serious. As described in this response, the University has held those responsible accountable – many in unprecedented, public ways – and has taken institutional responsibility for what has occurred. The University firmly believes its bold corrective actions will make a meaningful and permanent difference.
In taking responsibility for what has occurred, the University has self-imposed significant and appropriate penalties. To determine the appropriate measure for those penalties, the University considered the breadth and scope of the violations along with two other factors: (1) the fact that all but three of the Level I allegations (i.e., Allegations Nos. 5, 20, and 21) were the result of intentional misconduct specifically intended to evade monitoring systems implemented by the University, the athletics department, and the head football coach; and (2) the University’s proactive approach to compliance, including its efforts to detect and investigate potential violations, and its exemplary cooperation throughout this four-plus-year process. Based upon these factors, the proper classification for this case is Level I – Standard. The University has accordingly imposed meaningful Standard core penalties. As detailed below, these penalties include: a post-season ban, which necessitates the loss of nearly $8,000,000 in SEC revenue; a double-digit reduction of scholarships; a more-than 10 percent reduction in off-campus evaluation days in each of two years; a nearly 20 percent reduction in official visits; a more-than three month prohibition on unofficial visits; the refusal to grant a staff member’s request for a multi-year contract; the disassociation of involved boosters, including a prohibition on attending University home athletic events and a restriction on entering all athletic facilities; violation specific rules education; and a $179,797 financial penalty. See Part D.3 for additional self-imposed penalties.
Yet, there are instances in which the University disagrees with the enforcement staff’s interpretation of the evidence or its sufficiency. Most importantly, the University contests the allegations concerning institutional control and head coach responsibility (Allegations Nos. 20-21). The University has consistently satisfied each of the four pillars of institutional control: (1) “adequate compliance measures exist”; (2) “they are appropriately conveyed to those who need to be aware of them”; (3) “they are monitored to ensure that such measures are being followed”; and (4) “on learning of a violation, the institution takes swift action.” See Exhibit IN-1, Division I Committee on Infractions’ Principles of Institutional Control (the “Principles”). It has myriad compliance measures in place, many of which have detected or prevented violations. Those measures have been bolstered over time as a result of evolving national best practices and “hot-button” issues, self-evaluation of areas to improve, and analysis of major infraction reports from across the country. The University has also improved its compliance systems based on lessons learned during this investigation. Because an institutional control charge was not included in the 2016 Notice based upon substantially similar facts, it appears this charge rests on the increased number of allegations, which has never been – and should not be – this Committee’s focus. Instead, the question before the Committee in evaluating the institutional control charge is whether the University had appropriate policies and procedures in place at the time of those violations, and if so, did the University implement and enforce those policies. Second, after careful analysis of the testimony and supporting records, the University has concluded that head football coach Hugh Freeze has met it and membership’s expectations to emphasize and promote compliance and to implement strong and comprehensive monitoring.
Continue Reading or Download the Complete Response Below
February 22, 2017
October 7, 2016
Statement from the University on Conclusion of Women’s Basketball and Track and Field NCAA Case
The University of Mississippi is grateful to conclude the women’s basketball and track and field case and appreciates the Committee on Infractions’ efforts to bring closure to this matter. The University is equally pleased the Committee accepted the proposed and self-imposed penalties without further addition.
Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter said, “We regret the violations of NCAA bylaws in both programs and have taken several steps to prevent future violations. One of my first acts as chancellor was to seek a comprehensive external review of our athletics compliance function. The review was recently completed and has confirmed to me that our compliance systems are robust while offering recommendations for areas where we can and will improve. We are pursuing the implementation of the recommendations, and we believe in our strong athletics leadership team, which shares the values of the NCAA and Ole Miss.”
The University continues to work with the NCAA on concluding the case related to the football program. Everyone involved is committed to bringing these issues to a resolution as soon as possible.
To read the NCAA’s press release, please click here.
To read the Committee on Infractions’ complete report, please click here.
To read the Athletics Compliance External Review report, please click here.
May 27, 2016
Letter to the Ole Miss Family
Dear Ole Miss Family:
As you know, the University of Mississippi has been cooperating with the NCAA since 2012 on a review of potential NCAA bylaw violations associated with our Department of Athletics. After almost four years and more than 265 interviews with current staff, former staff, boosters, third parties, and student-athletes, the NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations (“NOA”) to the University on January 22, 2016, alleging violations in women’s basketball, track and field, and football. According to the NCAA enforcement process, the University had 90 days to formally respond, and we submitted our Response to the Notice of Allegations (“Response”) in April. Around that same time, another involved party requested and received a 30-day extension. Because that extension has now elapsed, we are releasing our Response and the NOA to the public.
The NCAA has alleged, and we agree, that serious violations have occurred. Most of the more significant violations resulted from either (1) intentional misconduct and efforts to conceal that misconduct by former employees who face unethical conduct charges and personal sanctions; or (2) actions of individual boosters who conducted themselves contrary to rules education provided by the University. For 27 of the 28 allegations, we agree that a violation of NCAA rules occurred; however, for several of those allegations we do not agree on all of the facts. For five of those 27 violations, we believe the violation should be classified differently (e.g., the violation is alleged as a “Level II violation” but we contend the violation should be classified as “Level III”).
In response to these violations, we have taken several corrective actions and we have self-imposed significant penalties. The NCAA Committee on Infractions (“COI”) will consider our Response as it determines whether to assess penalties in addition to the penalties we have already self-imposed. We based our self-imposed penalties on the COI’s decisions in other cases and the NCAA penalty matrix released in 2012.
The University’s cooperation with the NCAA throughout this process has been exemplary. In fact, the University self-reported or played a central role in discovering most of the violations. When employees or student-athletes failed to live up to Ole Miss core values, the University took decisive action, including terminating or disciplining employees and imposing scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions. The University also disassociated itself from representatives of Ole Miss’s athletics interests — boosters — who were involved in violations. The most serious violations involve academic misconduct that occurred in football six years ago and in women’s basketball almost four years ago. Before, during and since the issuance of the NOA, we have taken a proactive approach to compliance, rules-education, and monitoring. As our Department of Athletics has grown, so has our commitment to compliance. Since 2011, we have more than doubled our compliance staff and instituted more than 100 new compliance measures.
On the first day of the 2016 NFL Draft, new information came to light involving a former football student-athlete. That very night, the University and NCAA began a joint review to determine whether bylaws have been violated, and we hope this review will be concluded soon. To ensure fairness to all parties and pursuant to COI procedure, we have asked the COI to remove the hearing from this summer’s docket until this review can be completed and closed.
The Ole Miss family expects and deserves athletics programs that compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and operate with integrity. From the moment we learned about possible academic misconduct in women’s basketball in 2012 until today, the University has demonstrated its values, and we are a stronger University because of our decisive actions. We believe in our coaches, staff, and student-athletes, and you have our assurance that we will continue the pursuit of excellence consistent with the University Creed and athletics core values.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Vitter Ross Bjork
Ch |
close the head of MIT is with Erdogan. The data collected by MIT will become a tool for the president to use. This law is very dangerous and objectionable,” said Cemal Okan Yuksel, MP for the CHP.
Dossiers created of human rights group members Turkey has a history of targeting its Kurdish, Armenian, Alevi, communist, anti-government and leftist citizens and organisations, creating dossiers on dissidents and their families. Some human rights groups and opposition politicians in Turkey argue that the AKP government made this practice, known as “flagging”, more systemic. Ozturk Turkdogan, a lawyer and president of the Ankara-based Human Rights Association, said the new law will legalise the “flagging” of citizens, legitimising surveillance of opposition groups.
Turkey’s intrusive surveillance infrastructure Turkey already operates one of the most intrusive spying and surveillance infrastructures, able to tap phones and conduct deep package inspection on internet traffic, storing it for up to two years. By law, citizens must provide their official National ID when purchasing SIM cards. Subscriber data is then sent to the General Directorate of Security and held on a database. The state can, at a moment’s notice and without a court order, block any website deemed a threat to national security, through Turkey’s telecoms regulator, the Presidency of Telecommunication and Communication (TIB). It is a power it uses freely to shut down not only atheist and pornographic websites, but also legitimate journalism and embarrassing revelations. In December 2013, YouTube and Twitter were temporarily banned to block Turks from accessing leaked telephone recordings allegedly showing AKP ministers, including president Erdogan, fixing public contracts and discussing bribes. Last year, the TIB censored reports on how MIT funnelled weapons and munitions to fighters in Syria, prompting Erdogan to personally file a criminal complaint against the paper’s editor, and journalist, demanding he serve two life sentences. Their trial started in March 2016, and Erdogan publicly criticised a British diplomat for attending proceedings and taking a selfie with the accused editor.
Teenagers and journalists face trail for ‘insulting’ Erdogan on Twitter But the sensitivities of Turkey’s president go beyond national security matters and include petty insults on the web. On 23 February, Turkish authorities boasted that after nine months it had finally identified a citizen they say insulted the president online – a crime in Turkey punishable by fines and up to four years in prison. In the middle of the night, anti-terrorism forces raided the home of a 13-year-old boy who allegedly called Erdogan a “son of a bitch” on Facebook. They later released him without charge because of his age. The scandal occurred almost one year after police arrested another 13-year-old for insulting Erdogan on Facebook. These are just two of more than 1,800 criminal investigations opened against citizens, journalists and celebrities accused of disrespecting Erdogan since he became president 18 months ago, after serving nearly 12 years as prime minister, according to figures released by Bozdag.
Gezi Park – where Turkey’s clampdown began Although advertised as a device to ensure Turkey obtains its coveted Schengen Agreement, it is only the latest in a number of authoritarian surveillance and anti-terrorism laws introduced over the past few years, largely stemming from concerns over the civil unrest of the Gezi Park protests that swept the country in the summer of 2013. Gezi Park protests in Istanbul. Turkish protestors clash with police under excessive use of violence and tear gas, turning a small demonstration into a national uprising The demonstrations were the first serious public threat to Erdogan’s rule. The state responded by granting almost limitless power to the police and security services, who are now able to search and arrest citizens without cause and use deadly force against protesters more freely. Part of a legislative package introduced in 2015 was a secret discretionary fund for the president to conduct covert security operations.The Moon is a Spaceship; A Secret Moon Base?
In 1970, two Soviet astronomers had been studying the satellite and theorized that it was likely a hollow moon put in place by a highly-advanced extraterrestrial race. Their theory was based on these observable anomalies, claiming the Moon was an artificial shell that had been inhabited internally for years.
While it might seem farfetched that we are being surveilled by an extraterrestrial race on the moon, or that a hollow Moon may have been intentionally placed in Earth’s orbit as a secret moon base, there are a plethora of inexplicable facts about its relationship with Earth. To this day, there are several theories that attempt to explain how the Moon ended up orbiting our planet, though none have been absolutely accepted, leading many to believe that the moon is a spaceship.
Without the moon orbiting precisely where it is, it’s possible that life on Earth wouldn’t exist, or at least wouldn’t have evolved to the point that it has. In fact, it is estimated that less than 10 percent of all terrestrial planets in the universe have an Earth to moon ratio like ours, which provides the stability that is necessary to maintain a climate that can harbor life.
The size of the moon is such that it affects our axial tilt, or the way that the Earth wobbles on its axis, changing by a single degree over the course of thousands of years. This relegation to one degree of movement is necessary for climatic stability; without the moon’s balance, the Earth could tilt as much as 85 degrees every million years or so, causing drastic changes. This would adjust the orientation of the Earth to the Sun so significantly that the Sun would shift to be situated directly over the poles rather than the equator where it currently is. Life could not evolve during such radical shifts.
Is the Moon Artificial?
There are two ways that planets typically acquire moons, through accretion or capture. The process of capturing a moon is just like it sounds, a moon will drift into the orbit of a planet and become trapped in its gravitational field.
In the process of accretion, a moon is formed at the same time as the planet from the accretion disk of the solar system. But this theory has been widely dismissed due to the differences in core composition and the fact that the moon is almost a billion years older than the Earth. In fact, the mineral composition of rocks found on the surface of the moon varies drastically from those found on Earth.
The abundance of titanium is one example of such an anomaly, with certain lunar samples containing up to 10 percent of this precious mineral; the highest abundance of titanium-rich minerals on Earth has never exceeded 1 percent. There are other processed metals found on the moon like mica and brass, as well as the presence of radioactive elements like Uranium-236 and Neptunium, none of which are found naturally on Earth.
These moon rocks, brought back from the Apollo missions, presented another surprise; they were magnetized. Scientists were baffled, having previously assumed that the moon never had a magnetic field. The Earth’s magnetism is thought to be the product of an internal dynamo, in which the rotating, convecting, and electrically conducting liquid iron in the core generates the field. However, the moon wasn’t believed to have a core large enough to generate this type of dynamo mechanism.
Hollow Moon Proof?
According to Zulu legend, our hollow moon was put in place by two brothers with scaly, fish-like skin. The legend tells of Wowane and Mpanku, who brought the moon to Earth after stealing it from a great fire dragon. They are said to have emptied out the egg-like satellite of its ‘yolk,’ subsequently placing it in orbit around the Earth. Prior to this, the planet was said to have been shrouded in a sheath of watery mist, which came raining down to Earth once the moon came into orbit.
Some believe that this deluge of water may be reference to the great flood that destroyed the antediluvian civilizations. The two brothers mentioned also bear similar characteristics to Enki and Enlil of ancient Sumerian lore, who were responsible for instituting the first civilizations of man and are often depicted wearing fish garb.
Another strange characteristic recorded on the moon from one of Apollo 14’s ALSEPs was the presence of a cloud of water vapor on the moon. After 40 years, NASA reported finding the presence of water in rock samples brought back from these missions, stating that the discovery would change how we think about the moon. A further examination showed that this water had twice the levels of a deuterium isotope compared to water found on Earth. Furthermore, they said there was reason to believe that there are 600 million tons of water trapped in craters on the moon.
At the time of the Apollo 14’s discovery of water vapor, NASA claimed that it was the result of ruptured water tanks that had leaked Earth water into the atmosphere. This cloud of vapor covered 100 square miles and lingered for 14 hours before dissipating, making NASA’s explanation improbable, considering the tanks they were referring to only contained between 60-100 pounds of water.
NASA also claimed that the water from the ruptured tanks simultaneously burst, though they were over 100 miles apart. Why would they make such an absurd claim and why did it take 40 years to analyze and discover water in these rock samples brought back from the Apollo missions?
Could the water be coming from an internal source, perhaps one that NASA doesn’t want us to know about?The exec who led SAP’s Hana has bought enterprise software management specialist Panaya, pitting his new firm against his old bosses.
Vishal Sikka, chief executive and managing director of Infosys, has announced that his firm – India’s second largest outsourcing company – is buying Panaya for $200m.
The new acquisition produces CloudQuality, a suite for making and managing changes to SAP, Oracle business suite and Oracle’s JD Edwards.
Among other features, Panaya’s suite lets you migrate your SAP systems to Hana – the in-memory data platform that was Sikka’s baby when he worked at the giant.
Taking on Panaya is a significant step for Sikka's new company, because SAP has committed the next version of its trademark ERP suite to only running on Hana.
Features in the suite include change impact analysis, code cleansing, testing and code remediation.
Sikka said in a statement: “Panaya’s proven technology helps dramatically simplify the costs and complexities faced by businesses in managing their enterprise application landscapes.”
Sikka was SAP executive board member for products and innovation who led the development of Hana. He left SAP in May 2014 for “personal reasons” but was announced chief of the Indian outsourcer just a month later in June that year.
Founded in 2008, Panaya claims more than 1,200 customers – including Coca-Cola, Bosch, Whirlpool and Clarks. ®MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Alcoa Inc (AA.N) and Alumina Ltd (AWC.AX) have settled a dispute and agreed to reshape their joint venture, removing an obstacle to Alcoa’s plan to split into two companies and making its Australian partner a more attractive takeover target.
An Alcoa aluminum plant is seen in Alcoa, Tennessee, United States April 8, 2014. REUTERS/Wade Payne/File Photo
The two companies agreed to end a court fight that had threatened to delay Alcoa’s plan to spin off its plane and car parts business, which is now set to go ahead by the end of this year.
“Alcoa looks forward to completing our separation, launching two strong companies later this year, and to working closely with Alumina to realize the full potential of the AWAC partnership,” Alcoa’s president of global primary products and future Alcoa Corp boss Roy Harvey said in a statement.
Alumina raised concerns last May that the spin-off plan would leave their Alumina and World Chemicals (AWAC) joint venture weakened. Alcoa fought back by going to court to seek a declaration that Alumina had no right to block the demerger.
The agreement on Friday gives the partners more flexibility to seek alliances outside the joint venture and gives Alumina, 40 percent owner of AWAC, more of a say than before in decisions on strategy, investments and operations.
Most importantly, it removes a poison pill in the 50-year-old AWAC joint venture which had made it nearly impossible for anyone other than Alcoa to make a bid for Alumina.
“What this may do is it may make Alumina that much more attractive for an industrial acquirer of the company,” said Simon Mawhinney, Chief Investment Officer of fund manager Allan Gray, Alumina’s third largest shareholder.
Alumina’s shares rose as much as 8.5 percent, valuing the company at A$4 billion ($3 billion).
The poison pill had required any industry bidder for Alumina or Alcoa to vend its own bauxite and alumina assets into the joint venture, a factor that had deterred the likes of Rio Tinto (RIO.AX)(RIO.L) bidding for Alumina’s predecessor, Western Mining, nearly two decades ago.
The agreement also clears the way for Alumina’s share of bauxite and alumina to be taken up by an industrial partner if ownership of Alumina were to change hands.
“This is a series of changes to a longstanding joint venture which will not only enhance our ability to make money in the joint venture but also enhances our autonomy as a company,” Alumina Chief Executive Peter Wasow told reporters on a conference call.
He said no suitor was circling the company, which is 17.9 percent owned by China’s CITIC Resources Holdings (1205.HK).
($1 = 1.3254 Australian dollars)The wind resource in Iowa is so productive and the cost of wind energy has been falling so precipitously that the value of wind now far exceeds its cost there, according to an industry study released this week.
The analysis, conducted by the American Wind Energy Association at the request of the non-profit Wind Energy Foundation, also claims that doubling the state’s installed wind capacity would lower the cost of power so much that the typical residential customer’s monthly bill would fall, possibly by as much as $10.
Given that Iowa is a national leader in the development of wind energy, the study was intended “to spell out the benefits” of wind energy to consumers in the state, said Michael Goggin, the senior director of research for the American Wind Energy Association and the study’s lead researcher. With about 6,500 megawatts, Iowa ranks second nationwide for the amount of installed wind capacity, and first in terms of the proportion of its electricity derived from wind – about 35 percent at present.
Another 2,500 megawatts are under development, but,“there’s potential to do even more,” Goggin said. “As wind costs come down, I think it looks even more attractive to do more wind.”
A just-published survey of 163 of “the world’s foremost energy experts” seems to confirm that. Asked where they see the cost of wind energy headed, the group indicated that, on average, they expect it to fall by 24 percent by 2030, and by 35 percent by 2050. Some foresee a greater drop; others expect no change.
The authors, from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a few other research institutions, cautioned that that forecast is rosier than a recent review of literature, which put the comparable figures at 11 and 13 percent.
There’s little doubt, however, that in the wind-energy arena, Iowa stands out in the crowd. The quality of Iowa’s wind is one factor that makes it a particularly low-cost generation source, Goggin explained. Although many wind farms in eastern states are employing taller – and more expensive – towers in order to access better wind, Goggin said there’s no point in Iowa in investing in more-costly 100-meter towers to take the place of the 80-meter towers: in Iowa, the wind at 80 meters is just fine.
He said that taller towers may yet pay off in the Midwest down the road in terms of greater power generation. MidAmerican Energy is experimenting with a 120 meter tower but it’s not yet clear whether the added height will pay dividends.
But evolving blade design is a factor that already has enhanced the productivity of Iowa’s wind, he said.
“In Iowa, we’ve seen a lot of bigger turbine blades. Nationwide, the average diameter (length) has gone from 80 meters in 2010 to 100 meters today. That doesn’t sound that dramatic.” But when you calculate the additional surface area, he said, “that translates to 55 percent increased energy output. Iowa projects are using more of these.
“The evolution is continuing towards these larger turbines. I’ve seen blades 120 to 130 meters in (length). This is continuing even more in that direction. That will drive further cost reductions.”
The wind-association study compared the cost and the value of wind energy. The cost, taken from recently completed power-purchase agreements, was put at about $22 per megawatt hour. Goggin said the value of wind energy was equated with the cost of fuel for gas- and coal-fired plants. Goggin put that at $33 per megawatt hour, making the difference about $11 in savings for customers.
If, as proposed in the study, Iowa utilities would almost double their wind portfolio by adding another 10,000 megawatts of wind capacity, more transmission lines almost certainly would be required. Goggins did not include any cost for transmission upgrades because, he claims, they are largely canceled out by increased efficiency. Studies by MISO and the Southwest Power Pool have reached that conclusion as well.
Although transmission accounts for about 10 percent of the typical electric bill, Goggins said that improved transmission reduces the cost of energy enough to negate the cost of transmission improvements. It does that mostly by reducing the amount of power lost in the course of transmission and by giving customers access to cheaper and better sources of power.
Looking back at transmission enhancements made between 2012 and 2014, the Southwest Power Pool calculated that the improvements yielded savings that were 3.5 times the amount invested in upgrading transmission lines.
Goggin dismissed the possibility that displacing thermal generation sources with wind would result in “stranded asset” losses for utilities. He said that most of those plants are several decades old, have little if any outstanding debt, and are on the verge of being retired anyway. He also predicts that the mathematics of wind energy will only improve in the years to come, as the cost of installing wind likely continues to fall, and the price of fossil fuels likely escalates.
Iowa’s two major investor-owned utilities, Alliant and MidAmerican, did not respond to requests for comment on the study.New Delhi: “Can external appearance decide the status of a person?” Well-known women’s rights activist and former chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) Mohini Giri posed this question in a note mailed to media persons in New Delhi on January 18 after a few of her guests were barred from entering the Delhi Gymkhana Club for not passing muster.
The question was provoked, she said, by “a myopic mindset” she witnessed earlier in the day at the Delhi Gymkhana Club, hallowed watering hole of the capital’s bureaucratic and power elite, where the waiting list for membeship runs into years, if not decades. When Giri, a long standing member, visited the Chinese Room with with some staff members of her social organisation, the Guild of Service, she found that not all guests were welcome. She was told that ‘maids’ were not welcome in the elite club.
“In all my years of social activism, I have fought for the dignity of the human being. Today, I had taken my management staff to celebrate the success of our projects in the Guild of Service. I was told in no uncertain terms that ‘maids’ were not allowed in the Chinese room (of the club). I was aghast and could not believe my ears. First of all, they were office staff and not ‘maids’. Secondly, everybody, even ‘maids’, have a dignity that cannot be violated,” Giri wrote.
Speaking to The Wire, she called the incident “bad.”
“Both the counsellor and the accountant of the Guild of Service were in tears. They were called maids by the club staff who wanted them to leave the restaurant. One girl was from the north east, she felt even more discriminated against because so many incidents have happened with people from that region in Delhi. I also want to ask, even if they were ‘maids’, would you behave like that? Where is human dignity in it? Nobody should be insulted for the work they do,” she said.
The daughter-in-law of former Indian President V. V. Giri, she said it reminded her of “the story of how Gandhiji fed his suit the soup at the Queen’s dinner, since he felt it was his clothes that had been invited, not him. He was refused entry when he tried to enter the venue in his famous dhoti, only to be allowed in when he came back suited and booted.”
Incensed
An incensed Giri posted the details on her Facebook page. “In a democracy, we are told we are equal but obviously not in the portals of the Gymkhana Club,” she wrote, asking “Are we still suffering from the hangover of the British Raj where ‘Dogs and Indians are not allowed’?”
The president of the club, Lt. General I J Singh, brushed aside the incident as “an internal matter,” though he added,“The club, like many other such institutions, have rules that don’t allow members to bring in their drivers and helpers.”
“There is no question of discrimination. They entered the Chinese Room from the back. The restaurant is run by a caterer who informed the reception about their presence. As per the rule, she should have introduced them as her guests at the reception before entering the restaurant which she didn’t do. The restaurant manager only enquired about it with her which she didn’t take very well. There is no record of them as her guests in the club register.”
Giri says she was thinking of legal action against the club but is having second thoughts now, “The general called me to apologise for it. I told him, don’t apologise to me but they should be apologised to by the manager so that he remembers not to violate human dignity.”
Established in 1913, the Delhi Gymkhana Club was called the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club by the British, meant for use of the then ruling classes comprising officers of the Indian Civil Service, the armed forces and the well-to-do residents of Delhi. After independence, the word “Imperial” was dropped from its name but till today, “Only Class I officers” are allowed membership in the “government” category.Beware: China announces plan to seven-fold increase Antarctic krill catches
30th Thursday, April 2015 - 07:29 UTC Full article
“We will increase our investment in the Antarctic area in terms of krill fishing,” said Liu Shenli, from China National Agricultural Development Group
Conservation groups and scientists worry that China’s push to boost its harvest of krill -- a shrimp-like creature used for aquaculture feed and human supplements -- may leave Antarctica’s whales, seals and penguins struggling to survive. China’s leaders say they want a seven-fold increase in krill production, according to a recent report in the state-owned China Daily newspaper.
China is one of several nations, including Norway, Korea and Chile, harvesting krill with massive factory ships dragging miles-long trawl nets through the productive cold waters of the Southern Ocean. The krill is quickly frozen and into processed into pellets for aquaculture and livestock operations, fish bait, and high-value “nutraceuticals” such as omega-3 dietary supplements.
That sharing may be tough for the animals that rely on krill as their main source of food. When penguins and other animals breed, they can only travel so far while raising their young. That’s especially true around the Antarctic Peninsula, which happens to be a hotspot for both krill and the larger creatures that eat it.
“We will increase our investment in the Antarctic area in terms of krill fishing, said Liu Shenli, chairman of the China National Agricultural Development Group and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Krill provides very good quality protein that can be processed into food and medicine. The Antarctic is a treasure house for all human beings, and China should go there and share.”
“The issue isn’t so much the size of the entire (krill) population, but where they are taking it,” said Claire Christian, a spokeswoman for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, a Washington-based advocacy group. “Some of these larger ships could deplete all the krill in a local area. That would create problems.”
Fishing around Antarctica is governed by the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, (CCAMLR), a Hobart-Australia-based treaty organization. China is a signatory to the treaty.
While the current 4.2 million metric ton catch limit for Antarctic krill is much higher than the amount currently harvested, the problem is that the science behind the krill population estimates may be outdated.
George Watters, a fisheries scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southwest Marine Fisheries Center in La Jolla, Calif., says the surveys that resulted in the limit were conducted more than 15 years ago. Watters says that new studies are needed to get a better picture of how abundant krill is today, especially around the Antarctica Peninsula.
The water and air temperature around the peninsula has warmed faster than any other place on Earth, leading to concerns about populations of several penguin species, whales and other marine mammals. Krill forms the base of the food chain, and may be at risk as well, explained Watters.
“Climate change is a major force in that region, and is creating big changes in the (Antarctic Peninsula) ecosystem,” Watters said. “A legitimate concern is to how productive will the krill stock be in the future. There are papers to suggest it will be less productive. That’s a reason why there is an effort to change the catch limit for krill so it is updated more regularly.”
Since the ocean around Antarctica is considered international waters, enforcement of fisheries rules relies on self-reporting by countries that sign the CCAMLR treaty. That could make China’s new effort harder to monitor at sea, especially since it has eight 5,000 to 7,000 metric ton factory krill trawling ships, more than any other nation. (FIS)Over 20 soldiers dead, more than 200 hospitalized after U.S. lab leaks ‘new and deadly virus’ in Ukraine
If you haven’t heard – and judging by the lack of coverage of this by the legacy media, you haven’t – a U.S. lab is being blamed for what would amount to an atrocity if it were committed on American soil.
As noted by Zero Hedge and reported by Ukrainian media, scores of soldiers were killed or sickened by a never-heard-of “virus” that likely leaked from a U.S. lab near the city of Kharkov. The illness? “California flu.”
“More than 20 Ukrainian soldiers have died and over 200 soldiers are hospitalized in a short period of time because of new and deadly virus, which is immune to all medicines,” Donbass News International reported.
The report stated further:
Donetsk People’s Republic intelligence has reported that Californian Flu is leaked from the same place where research of this virus has been carried out. The laboratory is located near the city of Kharkov and its base for US military experts. Information from threatening epidemic is announced by Vice-Commander of Donetsk Army, Eduard Basurin.
‘California flu’ is not listed with the CDC
“According to the medical personnel of the AFU units (Ukrainian troops) there were recorded mass diseases among the Ukrainian military personnel in the field,” Basurin said in a Ministry of Defense situation report (SITREP). “Physicians recorded the unknown virus as a result of which the infected get the high fever which cannot be subdues by any medicines, and in two days there comes the fatal outcome. Thus far from the virus there have died more than twenty servicemen, what is carefully shielded by the commandment of the AFU from the publicity.”
The virus leak was first reported on Jan. 12 by the defense ministry.
“We keep registering new facts of growing the epidemics of acute respiratory infections among the Ukrainian military,” Basurin continued. “Just since the beginning of this week more than 200 Ukrainian military have been taken to civil and military hospitals of Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk.
“It is important to repeat that the DPR intelligence previously reported the research being carried out in a private laboratory in the locality Shelkostantsiya, 30 km away from the city of Kharkov, and involving U.S. military experts,” he continued. “According to our information, it is there where the deadly Californian flu strain leaked from.”
The flu was also reported by Radio Free Europe, which noted:
A flu epidemic is sweeping through the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk — and the conflict smoldering nearby is making the situation even worse. Doctors are unable to identify the exact strain of the virus, because the laboratory they need is across the front lines in separatist-controlled Donetsk.
A Web search for “California flu” turned up nothing, and there was no information about that type of flu on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site – only typical influenza information in the state of California.
What disease is this – really?
What’s more likely is that the strain of flu that has “leaked” from the U.S. military lab is a new strain of something that is both deadly and highly infectious – perhaps a new strain of biological warfare that perhaps legitimately did escape.
Or, was purposely tested.
Whatever it is, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is tracking it and is including information about its spread in regular intelligence SITREPs.
As of Jan. 25, spread of the virus was ongoing, Ukrainian government and military officials noted.
Meanwhile, while there is officially a “ceasefire” between Russia-backed separatist forces and the Ukrainian government forces, there are still sporadic exchanges of artillery and other small-scale clashes.
The Obama administration has sent U.S. troops – members of airborne units – to train Ukrainian forces. Also, NATO has sent trainers as well, including troops from various European nations and Canada.
Sources:
Zero Hedge
The Daily Beast× Costco Owes Tiffany More Than $19 Million for Selling Counterfeit Engagement Rings
Costco’s going to pay for selling “Tiffany” engagement rings that weren’t made by Tiffany.
U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain ruled on Monday that Tiffany is entitled to $11.1 million in trebled profits — triple the loss it incurred from Costco’s actions — plus interest, in addition to $8.25 million in punitive damages. Overall, Costco owes the luxury jewelry retailer more than $19.3 million.
Tiffany said in a statement that the decision “validates the strength of the Tiffany trademark and the value of our brand, and most importantly, sends a clear and powerful message to Costco and others who infringe the Tiffany mark.”
“We brought this case because we felt a responsibility to protect the value of our customers’ purchases,” the company added. “It is critically important that the Tiffany name not be used to sell any engagement ring that is not our own.”
Jeffrey Mitchell, lead counsel for the jewelry company, added that “this has been a long, hard-fought battle to vindicate Tiffany’s rights.”
In a statement, Costco said it intends to appeal the ruling. “This was not a case about counterfeiting in the common understanding of that word — Costco was not selling imitation Tiffany & Co. rings,” it said.
Tiffany first filed a complaint against Costco in U.S. District Court in New York in 2013, saying it learned from a customer that Costco was selling “Tiffany” rings. “Unbeknowst to Tiffany, Costco had apparently been selling different styles of rings for many years that it has falsely identified on in-store signage as ‘Tiffany,'” the complaint said.
“There are now hundreds if not thousands of people who mistakenly believe they purchased and own a Tiffany engagement ring from Costco,” the complaint added.
The complaint also said that Costco wasn’t using the Tiffany trademark online, which made it hard for Tiffany to track it down using its usual procedures.
Costco argued that it was using “Tiffany” as a generic term to describe a ring’s setting. It argued that the items were not stamped or marked with the Tiffany name, nor were they sold in Tiffany’s distinct blue boxes or bags. “Tiffany identified fewer than 10 who said that they had misunderstood Costco’s signage,” it said in a statement.
The court granted summary judgment in favor of Tiffany in 2015, finding Costco liable for trademark infringement and trademark counterfeiting.
Swain said in Monday’s decision that in addition to paying Tiffany, Costco can never again use the word “Tiffany,” to sell products as a standalone — though it may be able to use the word if it’s followed by “setting,” “set,” or “style.”Costco owes Tiffany more than $19 million for selling counterfeit ringsEditor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.
BALTIMORE, MD
Hue Jackson made a quarterback change to light a spark. What he got was a dumpster fire.
Cody Kessler was lifted after one series in the second half and the Browns ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, 7-6.
The Ravens scored a touchdown to make it 13-7.
Josh McCown came in for five series. He tossed two interceptions, lost one fumble and had two 3-and-outs.
The Ravens won going away, 28-7, behind Joe Flacco’s three touchdown passes in the second half.
The Browns lost their 10th straight game to start this season – a franchise record. Their 13 losses in a row over two years extends another franchise record.
They totaled 144 yards of offense against the Ravens’ second-ranked defense and now have a quarterback situation in such disarray that the prospect of original starter Robert Griffin returning before this historically bad season is done is not out of the question.
Jackson had said on Monday he would not play musical chairs with his quarterbacks, and he disputed that is exactly what he did.
“I felt we needed a spark,” Jackson said before he was asked about the move. “Nothing against Cody.
“I know I made the statement I wasn’t playing musical chairs. I wasn’t playing musical chairs today. I was trying to give our offense a chance.”
Kessler passed for only 91 yards on 11 of 18 completions, but he did connect with rookie tight end Seth DeValve for a 25-yard scoring play and did not turn the ball over.
“There were some things that normally he does pretty well that just weren’t happening,” Jackson said. “There’s a lot of pressure and stress playing Thursday Night Football in front of everybody. To me, that’s a tough spot to be in with a team that hasn’t been playing well.”
Jackson said that Kessler would “absolutely” be the starter when the Browns try to avoid 0-11 next Sunday at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He said he does not feel Kessler’s confidence was shaken by the move because “I know Cody.”
Certainly, McCown’s dreadful night – 6 of 13 for 59 yards, three sacks, two interceptions, one fumble and a 19.9 passer rating – made for a tremendous backfire for Jackson’s move.
But the coach insisted he didn’t regret it and he got testy as questions persisted.
“You guys can question the decision all you like,” Jackson said. “I felt good about the decision, whether we lost the game or won the game. I’m not going to back off of that. We lost. We turned the ball over. Maybe those things wouldn’t have happened with him in there. I made the decision.”
Jackson disputed that the desperation to break the team’s winless streak prompted a desperate move.
“I don’t think it’s desperate times calling for desperate measures,” he said. “I think it’s like any situation when we feel something’s not going the way you want it to, you’ve got to change it up. Being up 7-6 was good. I’d like to be up 20-6. I thought there were plays we left out there on the field. I wasn’t going to sit there and keep watching the plays be missed. I think you have to try something different. And in the situation we are in, why not?”
Neither Kessler nor McCown expected a quarterback change was in the offing at the start of the night.
“It was Coach Jackson’s decision,” Kessler said. “I was doing everything I could, competing as hard as I can.” I wish I could’ve converted some third downs.”
Kessler was 1 for 6 on third-down conversions against the Ravens after going 1 for 9 Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Kessler said he had never been lifted for performance in his athletic career, though he was rotated at the positive for two games his sophomore year at Southern Cal. He said his confidence was not shattered.
“It motivates you to be better,” Kessler said.
Early in the game, Jackson inserted No. 3 quarterback Kevin Hogan for two ineffective read-option plays. The Browns became the first team to use three quarterbacks in a game since the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011.
Prior to the game, Griffin took snaps on the field and tossed the ball casually. It was the first time Griffin was seen throwing a ball since he suffered a broken bone in his left shoulder in Game 1. Jackson said Griffin is “closer” to coming off injured reserve, but would not speculate if he might play before the season is over.
The Browns held a 7-6 lead at halftime and proceeded to blow a second-half lead for the fifth time in their 10 losses. The Browns have been outscored in the second half, 151 to 51.
“I wish I could [explain it],” Jackson said. “I’ve tried every different kind of speech, no speech, whatever I can think of.”
The Browns began the game on defense and had to call timeout before Baltimore’s first play because they had 12 players on the field.
That was the beginning of an embarrassing night on prime-time television for the Browns. They looked quite capable of running the table and completing the second 0-16 season in NFL history.Republicans expressed outrage over President Obama's public comments Monday on the "fiscal cliff," warning he had hurt prospects for a deal.
Sen. Bob Corker Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerBrexit and exit: A transatlantic comparison Sasse’s jabs at Trump spark talk of primary challenger RNC votes to give Trump 'undivided support' ahead of 2020 MORE (R-Tenn.) said President Obama likely lost votes for the deficit-reduction deal because of the “pep rally” he chose to hold Monday.
“I just |
from Vietnam who was posing as a private investigator based in the United States. Only then were investigators able to determine that the source ID data matched information being sold by a subsidiary of big-three credit bureau Experian (among other data brokers that were selling to the ID theft service). But federal agents made that connection only after an elaborate investigation that lured the proprietor of that shop out of Vietnam and into a U.S. territory.
Meanwhile, during the more than six years that this service was in operation, Superget.info attracted more than 1,300 customers who paid at least $1.9 million to look up Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, previous addresses, email addresses and other sensitive information on consumers, much of it used for new account fraud and tax return fraud.
Investigators got a lucky break in determining the source of another ID theft service that was busted up and has since changed its name (more on that in a moment). That service — known as “ssndob[dot]ru” — was the service used by exposed[dot]su, a site that proudly displayed the Social Security, date of birth, address history and other information on dozens of Hollywood celebrities, as well as public officials such as First Lady Michelle Obama, then FBI Director Robert Mueller, and CIA Director John Brennan.
As I explained in a 2013 exclusive, civilian fraud investigators working with law enforcement gained access to the back-end server that was being used to handle customer requests for consumer information. That database showed that the site’s 1,300 customers had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars looking up SSNs, birthdays, drivers license records, and obtaining unauthorized credit and background reports on more than four million Americans.
Although four million consumer records may seem like a big number, that figure did not represent the total number of consumer records available through ssndob[dot]ru. Rather, four million was merely the number of consumer records that the service’s customers had paid the service to look up. In short, it appeared that the ID theft service was drawing on active customer accounts inside of major consumer data brokers.
Investigators working on that case later determined that the same crooks who were running ssndob[dot]ru also were operating a small, custom botnet of hacked computers inside of several major data brokers, including LexisNexis, Dun & Bradstreet, and Kroll. All three companies acknowledged infections from the botnet, but shared little else about the incidents.
Despite their apparent role in facilitating (albeit unknowingly) these ID theft services, to my knowledge the data brokers involved have never been held publicly accountable in any court of law or by Congress.
CURRENT ID THEFT SERVICES
At present, there are multiple shops in the cybercrime underground that sell everything one would need to steal someone’s identity in the United States or apply for new lines of credit in their name — including Social Security numbers, addresses, previous addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and in some cases full credit history. The price of this information is shockingly low — about $3 to $5 per record.
KrebsOnSecurity conducted an exhaustive review of consumer data on sale at some of the most popular underground cybercrime sites. The results show that personal information on some of the most powerful Americans remains available for just a few dollars. And of course, if one can purchase this information on these folks, one can buy it on just about anyone in the United States today.
As an experiment, this author checked two of the most popular ID theft services in the underground for the availability of Social Security numbers, phone numbers, addresses and previous addresses on all members of the Senate Commerce Committee‘s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance. That data is currently on sale for all thirteen Democrat and Republican lawmakers on the panel.
Between these two ID theft services, the same personal information was for sale on Edith Ramirez and Richard Cordray, the heads of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), respectively.
Getting these ID theft service Web sites shut down might feel good, but it is not a long-term solution. Both services used to conduct these lookups of the public figures mentioned above are second- and third-generation shops that have re-emerged from previous takedown efforts. In fact, at least one of them appears to be a reincarnation of ssndob[dot]ru, while the other seems little more than a reseller of that service.
Rather, it seems clear that what we need is more active oversight of the data broker industry, and new tools to help law enforcement (and independent investigators) determine the source of data being resold by these identity theft services.
Specifically, if there were a way for federal investigators to add “breach canaries” — unique, dummy identities — to records maintained by the top data brokers, it could make it far easier to tell which broker is leaking consumer data either through breaches or hacked/fraudulent accounts.
Data brokers like Experian have strongly resisted calls from regulators for greater transparency in their operations and in the data that they hold about consumers. When the FTC recommended the creation of a central website where data brokers would be listed — with links to these companies, their privacy policies and also choice options, giving consumers the capability to review/amend the data that companies maintain — Experian lobbied against the idea, charging that it would “have the unintended effect of confusing consumers and eroding trust in e-commerce.”
The company’s main sticking point was essentially that it was unfair to impose such requirements on the bigger data brokers and ignore the rest. Experian’s chief lobbyist Tony Hadley has made the argument that there are just too many companies that have and share all this consumer data, which seems precisely the problem.
“The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) estimates that even a narrow definition of a marketing information service provider is likely to include more than 2,500 companies from all sectors of the economy,” Hadley wrote in a blog post earlier this year. “Simply put, the entire data industry – extremely vital to the US economy — cannot be neatly or accurately identified and then subjected to unrealistic requirements.”
My guess is that if the data broker giants are opposed to the idea of inserting dummy identities into their records to act as breach canaries, it is because such a practice could expose data-sharing relationships and record-keeping practices that these companies would rather not see the light of day. But barring any creative ideas to help investigators quickly learn the source of data being sold by identity theft services online, data brokers will remain free to facilitate and even profit from an illicit market for sensitive consumer information.
Tags: breach canary, CPP for PII, Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, Kroll, LexisNexis, Product Safety and Insurance, Senate Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Tony Hadley, U.S. Secret ServiceOur justice system is complex, and sometimes gross injustices occur. Undoing them does not always happen, and even when it does, it takes time. Few of us can imagine what it would be like to be convicted and imprisoned for crimes we did not commit. And while taxes seem far removed from this topic, they are not.
A few years ago, Congressmen Sam Johnson (R-TX) and John Larson (D-CT) tried to get legislative tax relief for innocent people who are wrongfully convicted. Their bill failed but they haven’t given up. Now, they have re-introduced the Wrongful Convictions Tax Relief Act. The bill would amend the tax code to say that:
“In the case of any wrongfully incarcerated individual, gross income shall not include any civil damages, restitution, or other monetary award (including compensatory or statutory damages and restitution imposed in a criminal matter) relating to the incarceration of such individual for the covered offense for which such individual was convicted.”
They correctly point out that there is a gap in the tax law. Fortunately, one can read feel-good stories about wrongfully convicted people who are subsequently freed. But what happens then? Sometimes they seek financial redress in one of a number of different ways. Sometimes they get it, but how is it taxed? It depends.
The tax issues have been surprisingly cloudy. In the 1950s and 1960s, the IRS ruled prisoners of war, civilian internees and holocaust survivors received tax-free money for their loss of liberty. In 2007, the IRS “obsoleted” these rulings suggesting the landscape had changed. The IRS now asks whether a wrongfully jailed person was physically injured/sick while unlawfully jailed.
If so, the damages are tax free, just like more garden variety personal physical injury recoveries. What if an exoneree isn’t physically injured? In IRS Chief Counsel Advice 201045023, the IRS said a recovery was exempt, but the IRS sidestepped whether being unlawfully incarcerated is itself tax-free. The Tax Court and Sixth Circuit in Stadnyk suggest that persons who aren’t physically injured may be taxed. That’s why the Stadnyk case is a lemon.
There are usually significant physical injuries and sickness but not always. Besides, what about the money just for being locked up? What if an exoneree gets $50,000 for physical injuries and $450,000 for being unlawfully behind bars?
It may be difficult or even impossible to separate out all of the multiple levels of horror, all the losses that can never be made up. But in many cases, the loss of physical freedom and civil rights is at the root of the need for reparations.
The loss of physical freedom should be tax-free in its own right. Many exonerated individuals experience severe hardship acclimating to society, finding jobs, housing and reconnecting with family. The Wrongful Convictions Tax Relief Act proposes to allow exonerees to keep their awards tax-free.
The debate over these recoveries has focused (probably incorrectly) on the factual question whether the wrongfully jailed person experienced physical injuries or physical sickness while unlawfully incarcerated. If so, the damages are tax free, just like more garden variety personal physical injury recoveries. If not, taxable.
More and more prisoners are being exonerated based on DNA or other evidence. Under statute, by lawsuit or even by legislative grant, exonerees may receive compensation for their years behind bars. In fact, are you ready for some shocking figures?
Since the first DNA exoneration in 1989, wrongfully convicted persons have served thousands of years in prisons before being exonerated. The average exoneree has served more than ten years in prison. Although a few get lucky and get out quickly, some spend multiple decades behind bars. Whether you look at an individual case or at the averages, the numbers are astounding.
For alerts to future tax articles, follow me on Forbes. You can reach me at [email protected]. This discussion is not intended as legal advice, and cannot be relied upon for any purpose without the services of a qualified professional.LG has just confirmed that the LG V30 will launch on August 31 in Berlin during IFA. Having said that, LG did share its IFA press event invite last month, and many people assumed that the LG V30 will launch during the event, but the company did not officially confirm that, until now. As you can see, the event invite that LG Mobile shared on Facebook clearly highlights the device that will get announced on August 31, while this image also re-confirms that the event will kick off at 9AM (local time) in Berlin.
Having said that, you’ll also notice three seemingly random words in this invite, Lights, Camera and Action. LG is probably trying to emphasize that the LG V30 will be a multimedia machine by using such words, and that is to be expected, as the LG V20 was one of the more productive devices around, at least in the multimedia department. The LG V20 packed in all sorts of image and video editing tools and software options that consumers were able to take advantage off, not to mention that the phone shipped with a really capable audio DAC, Hi-Fi audio, and so on. Well, some LG V30 details did leak recently, and if such info is to be believed, the LG V30’s camera will sport an f/1.6 aperture, and the device will be equipped with brand new Cine Video and Live Zoom effects. The device will also include the LG-Log and Graphy features, while you’ll also get some DSLR-like controls for the camera, including a histogram. A new Hi-Fi Digital Filter will be included in the device as well, and so will Hi-Fi Streaming with MQA. In addition to all that, the LG V30 will ship with an all-new Advanced Quad DAC, while Bang & Olufsen will tune everything before the phone becomes available.
The LG V30 actually leaked in the last 24 hours, and we’re looking at a major leak here, as both the front and back side of the device were shown off, and it seems like the LG V30 will sport extremely thin bezels all around, and it will actually resemble the Galaxy S8 quite a bit it seems. A dual camera setup will be included on the back of this phone, and its fingerprint scanner will also be placed back there.For some reason all the linux screen capture utilities are misbehaving for me at the moment, so let’s do like the title suggests and
Record your desktop using avconv right from x11grab
Let’s try this manually:
avconv -video_size 1920x1080 -framerate 30 -f x11grab -i :0.0 /tmp/scrap.mp4
that assumes your monitor is at 1080p, but it will take a 1080p movie of your desktop as you view it. ctrl-C to kill it when you are done.
to simplify this I wrote the following script, that will automatically determine your resolution using xrandr, place the movie in a unique temporary directory, and append a line in a file for easy playing afterwards
joshuacox.github.io/scrapture
there is also a companion script that will kill the first one, careful it indiscriminately interrupts all avconv processes running under your user
Let’s see it in action:
( while the embedded iframe is still acting up I thought I’d include the link ) Youtube linkScientists have developed a method for reading a person's mind using brain scans.
Once it has been trained on an individual subject's thoughts, the computer model can analyse new brain scan images and work out which noun a person is thinking about - even with words that the model has never encountered before.
The model is based on the way nouns are associated in the brain with verbs such as see, hear, listen and taste. The research will inevitably raise fears that scientists could soon be able to read a person's mind without them realising.
The researchers have dismissed this idea pointing out that their model needs to be trained on each new individual before it will work. Also, the scanning requires the subject to lie very still in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner - massive bulky machines that use extremely powerful magnets.
Fooling a would-be Big Brother scientist would be easy, said team member Dr Tom Mitchell of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. "All you need to do to give us trouble is to jiggle your head, or just think about lunch instead of the word on the screen," he said.
More importantly, the research is a great advance in scientists' understand of how words are coded in the brain.
"The paper establishes for the first time that one can predict the pattern of neural activity associated with thinking about many different nouns, from the verbs that co-occur with that noun," said Mitchell. "It can't yet decode arbitrary thoughts, but it does well on a multiple-choice test with two choices."
The team scanned the brains of 9 volunteers using functional MRI as they viewed 58 nouns such as body parts, vehicles and vegetables. The scanning technique detects increases in blood flow in the brain when different regions are activated.
The team then categorised the nouns using an electronic database of texts that contained more than a trillion words. They were looking for how often each of the nouns appeared together with simple verbs such as push, run, fear and open.
Next they matched this pattern of co-occurrence with the brain scan patterns and found that the brain does something similar. "The meaning of an apple, for instance, is represented in brain areas responsible for tasting, for smelling, for chewing. An apple is what you do with it," said Prof Marcel Just, who led the study.
To test the model, the researchers showed the volunteers two new nouns which were also subjected to the same textual analysis. The model then predicted what it expected the brain scans for those nouns to look like.
By comparing these with the real scans it guessed which of the nouns the person was really looking at. The model was correct 77% of the time, significantly better than chance.
"Philosophers, psychologists, linguists and others have debated for centuries how the brain organises and represents meaning. But they were hampered in debating these issues because they lacked experimental data," said Mitchell.
"[We have] established for the first time a direct connection between how a word is used in a large collection of typical language, and the neural activity the brain uses to represent the word's meaning."Trisha Prabhu. Trisha Prabhu / Google Trisha Prabhu, a 13-year-old from Chicago, won a spot as one of Google's 15 Global Science Fair finalists for her project about stopping cyberbullying by making teens and tweens think before posting hurtful comments.
The science behind Prabhu's idea is simple: Teens are impulsive and, because of their brain structure, more likely to post hurtful messages without pausing to think about the consequences.
The prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for self-control that helps people think before acting — isn't fully developed until age 25. Her theory is that if teens are forced to take a moment of reflection before posting a mean comment, they won't do it.
She created a system to test her hypothesis called Rethink, which prompted students who said they would post a mean comment to think about how it might affect its target before posting it. Turns out, in 93.43% of her 533 trials, the student decided not to post the comment.
Now that she has successfully tested her hypothesis, Prabhu wants to create a real product that could work with social media sites and apps that would filter messages that were potentially mean or hurtful, and alert senders to take an extra second to think before posting.
"I am looking forward to a future where we have conquered cyber-bullying!" she writes in her project's description.
Prabhu is one of 18 incredibly intelligent teenagers who made it to this year's finals. Google will announce the top project in September, and the winner gets a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands, a visit to the Virgin Galactic Spaceport, and $50,000 in scholarship funding.Poland's leaders hold ceremony to welcome US troops as part of NATO build-up BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Polish leaders are holding a welcome ceremony for the biggest deployment of US troops to Europe in decades. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/polands-leaders-hold-ceremony-to-welcome-us-troops-as-part-of-nato-buildup-35367954.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article35367953.ece/3b706/AUTOCROP/h342/PANews%20BT_P-f1dc31cd-e2f8-4ef4-aa22-b5f33bdf49b0_I1.jpg
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Polish leaders are holding a welcome ceremony for the biggest deployment of US troops to Europe in decades.
The ceremony on Saturday in the western Polish town of Zagan comes 23 years after the last Soviet troops left the country.
Russia called the deployment a threat to its own security.
The move also marks a new historic moment - the first time any Western forces are being deployed on a continuous basis to NATO's eastern flank.
Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo stood before US and Polish soldiers and called it "an important day for Poland, for Europe, for our common defence".
Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz told the troops that "we waited for you for a very long time, for decades".
The government organized several other events across the country to welcome the Americans from Fort Carson, Colorado.
APHOUSTON—I'd guess that the majority of Ars readers are familiar with xkcd, the stick-figure Web comic drawn by former NASA contractor and engineer (and now Hugo award winner) Randall Munroe. It's rare for Ars to stop by a workplace to interview a source where there aren't xkcd comic strips festooning the walls (the "sudo make me a sandwich" comic is particularly popular among sysadmins), and discussion threads on forums across the Internet will frequently include a "relevant xkcd" link to emphasize or summarize a particular point with a comic on the topic.
Munroe draws and releases xkcd under Creative Commons licensing, and makes the majority of his income these days from xkcd merchandise—like his new book, Thing Explainer, which Munroe is currently promoting. The book takes the conceit demonstrated in the "Up-Goer Five" comic—labeling a diagram of a complex machine using only first thousand most-common English words—and goes nuts with it, breaking out dozens of different drawings with a similar labeling style. Highlights include "the pieces everything is made of" (the periodic table), the bags of stuff inside you (the organs and systems inside a human body), and "the shared space house" (the International Space Station).
Ars caught up with Munroe before a book-related talk at Space Center Houston, and he was kind enough to give us a few minutes to talk about space, Up-Goers, and the iterative process of explaining things.
Many Kerbals died to bring us this book
Thing Explainer's genesis was the "Up-Goer Five" comic, which had Munroe take NASA's Saturn V rocket—the launch vehicle responsible for putting astronauts on the moon—and label its parts using those thousand most-common English words. Geeks tend to love supernals, and as the largest, most powerful rocket to successfully fly the Saturn V definitely qualifies for that description, but Munroe's initial attachment to the rocket came from an off-the-wall direction.
"I worked for NASA for a while," explained Munroe. He's a soft-spoken fellow, with an engineer's habit of rarely letting his eyes rest on a single spot for long—the better to quickly assess the world. "But what I worked on was pretty unconnected to rockets—I was working on robots," he continued, "and they were like robots that were technology demonstration platforms for different sensors they were testing." The personal connection with space came not from his time at NASA's Langley Research Center, but instead from Kerbal Space Program—which, if you're not familiar, is a video game wherein you build rockets to send little green men into space.
"I got really into that!" he laughed. "And sort of the more I played that, the more I appreciated just how weird and unbelievable the Saturn V is….the thing that's most extraordinary about is, that was the most practical solution anyone could come up with."
"It seems like you must be missing something if you're like, ‘All right, this is really hard so let's just build a skyscraper-sized fuel tank and then, like start a fire under it and it will fly up into space!' And getting to the moon is harder, and getting there and landing and taking off is even harder, well, let's just make it huge! Looking at the videos of it starting and the scale of all the parts—that was really the least out-there idea anyone could come up with?"
The KSP playing figured heavily into the actual idea behind the "Up-Goer Five" strip and Thing Explainer. "I started giving my spacecraft increasingly dumb names in Kerbal Space Program, and then eventually I got to ‘up-goer,' which I thought was the dumbest I could do, and I was like, ‘Hey, I wonder if I could label the rest of it in terms that are just as simple?" Munroe's Up-Goer series of rockets in KSP actually ended up flying pretty well, in contrast to his earlier more traditionally named efforts, which though they carried grand names like "Apollo" and "Chariot," would frequently explode and kill all his Kerbals.
Thing explainer explainer
Some of Munroe's best comics—and the ones he says are among his most favorite to draw—are the ones that illustrate or explain a concept, like showing how much money exists in the world or a logarithmic radiation dose chart. Those comics, explained Munroe, typically come from him wanting to see what a data set looks like or why a thing works the way it works. Rather than relying on inherent knowledge, the comics often require Munroe to educate himself on the topics at hand (although he does admit that he was able to do the comic showing the paths taken by all the characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy mostly off the cuff, due to being really familiar with the series). The results are often extremely accessible and demonstrate concepts simply and clearly. Between xkcd and his companion site What If, Munroe is rapidly becoming the Internet's explainer-guy.
"I think there are a lot of issues where people are recognizing that we need an in-between role," he said, referring to STEM topics or other science-y issues that might not be immediately graspable to the lay person. "There was a really big paper I've been thinking a lot about on antibiotic resistance, and it was finding just how much people were misinterpreting the language around it, in a way that doctors had never realized—and it was a big wake-up call. Even the stuff that we think is clear public communication isn't always having the effect we want, and maybe relying on scientists to also be communicators is a bad strategy, because they're busy being scientists."
"But I don't think of myself as being really squarely in that area," he continued, referring to a full-time science-communication role. "I guess my current book really is, but mostly I'm a chronic explainer—when I was five years old, I was very shy, but show-and-tell was my favorite! I've been a chronic explainer from a very young age."
Munroe said that the comics dealing with complex science topics—and the books he writes—are more often than not written for himself, as sort of a summary from his future self back to his past self before he did the research and grokked the concepts. "Like, I'm writing for myself before I understood this thing…and at the end, I'm like, ‘Okay, I feel like understand this now, if I were writing myself Cliff's Notes on this, what would be the simplest way to get this across?'"
Munroe was excited to stretch his explainer muscles in Thing Explainer, but some topics proved too esoteric to fit into the "thousand most-common words" format. One thing that Munroe wanted to put into the book that he wasn't able to make work was an explainer on mechanical watches.
"There's a weird problem you run into, which I almost feel is the same problem you run into with quantum mechanics," he said. "It's that there are all these different parts" to a mechanical watch, "and you're like, ‘what does this part do?' And the answer is, like, ‘it is that shape, because that will fit into the ones around it…' There is no simpler explanation of what it does except the shape itself. Like, ‘it's that shape because it fits into the other one because it's that shape,' and the whole thing is a bazillion parts like that. Language doesn't map very well to the concepts in a watch—or, at least, I don't know how to do it!"
At other times, sticking the limited vocabulary caused headaches. Because of his background in physics, Munroe was particularly pained at being able to use "weight" but not "mass," since the latter was not on his word list. Additionally, the most appropriate word he had available to use when describing structures inside a human body was "bag," which he had to use to refer to organs and also lots of other things, including cell components. But having to use "bag" over and over again resulted in an insight Munroe said he might not have otherwise said: the human body can almost be described in terms of set theory, with interlocking containers containing containers, all arranged just right in such a way that their interlocking manages to sustain itself.
Space, above and beyond
When it comes to the current state of space, Munroe is taciturn. "That's a really political question," he responded when I asked. "Like a lot of nerdy, space-associated people, I like space—I like going there and the idea of building cool stuff to go there. The question of how to do that, and the policy stuff involved, is really a whole different set of questions—one which I don't have the expertise to talk about very coherently."
"I did have a friend, Allison Wilgus—she writes about space and does comics, and she said that the ideal space program is the one that we actually do—and I thought that was a good point. You can criticize the Space Launch System for being over budget…or the ISS for not having a clear mission or whatever, but it isn't like we get to just pick which one we do and then do it. It's a hugely political enterprise and getting anything done at all—getting any huge group of interests to cooperate to get anything done is amazing."
As we wrapped and the sound techs came over to wire Munroe up for his talk, he smiled and we said our quick goodbyes. In spite of the amount of detail in the "Up Goer Five" comic, Munroe had never actually seen a Saturn V in person, and the day's schedule was being tightly orchestrated so that before he left, he'd be able to stop by the Johnson Space Center's Rocket Park and take a gander at the 363-foot (111 meter) rocket on static display.
But he had one more thing to add about space. With a quick laugh, he looked around the auditorium, which was softly lit and decorated with NASA logos. "I would like to go to the moon," he said softly. "Because then we could have an extreme sports dome on the moon where people could fly on their own muscle power. In my ideal world, that's what I'd be doing."
Thing Explainer is on sale right now, in hardback or e-reader formats. Amazon has the hardback for $14.97, and the Kindle version is $12.99.
Listing image by Lee HutchinsonIt doesn't require much imagination to evoke a war zone while driving through the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany these days. Makeshift walls of stacked sandbags greet visitors on the outskirts of towns, much like the protective barriers used in urban combat zones. Army vans can frequently be seen rushing along rural roads. Convoys of trucks, armored cars and buses pass through the countryside. As the Elbe River draws closer, ever more military helicopters can be seen rumbling across the sky. The people of the towns of Stendal, Wittenberge and Tangermünde have become accustomed to the drumming noise that lasts well into the night.
This is another side of the flood disaster that has hit Germany and parts of Central Europe this summer. Of course, thousands of volunteers help to shovel sand and carry sandbags and support fire departments, police and workers with the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), whose people give their all in the fight against the flood. But there are also up to 19,000 soldiers supporting relief operations throughout Germany during peak times. According to the Bundeswehr itself, this is the biggest domestic humanitarian operation in the history of the German armed forces. The army, recently covered in the news largely for its failed drone program, is now generating positive headlines again. At the same time, it is also regaining the trust of a German people who have traditionally been skeptical of the nation's armed forces.
The people of Saxony-Anhalt really don't seem to have a problem with the military presence right outside their doorsteps. Working together on the levees has brought the people together with their military. "What we can't accomplish on our own, we'll do together," German pop star Xavier Naidoo sings in a sentimental song clip that is played regularly on a local radio station. It's interspersed with moving statements from flood victims thanking their helpers -- especially the army. Messages like, "Thank you, Bundeswehr!" Similar ones can be found on the many self-made banners that line the streets.
Cake for the Soldiers
Providing food and other essentials for the troops has become a favorite activity for volunteers, with homemade cakes proving especially popular.
"At first we came to fill sandbags," says Liane Gieschler of the village of Iden in the district of Stendal. "It was too crowded though. We only managed to hit each other in the head with our shovels." But Gieschler has found a new mission. She's taken charge of providing food to the troops in her area. On this particular day, she's on duty at the levee in Osterholz together with her daughter. Several dozen soldiers are working here in sweat-drenched tank tops. With friendly hoots, they accept Gieschler's cake and coffee from thermos dispensers.
"I've never experienced such a positive relationship with the civilian population," says Bundeswehr spokesman André Sabzog. "We can't even eat all the masses of pizza and cake that people are bringing." Sabzog vehemently denies that the flood disaster creates a unique opportunity to polish the troops' image. "The opposite is true," he says. "We are not consciously doing something to look good here. We're doing something good and that's why we are welcomed by people."
But of course armed forces officials are fully aware of the enormous positive impact images of their soldiers working to exhaustion have. "We should probably open a recruitment center here," Lt. Col. Holder Peterat, who is responsible for the troops along the western shore of the Elbe River in the county of Stendal, jokes. "For the young men it's great what we're doing here, of course." He has hardly finished the sentence when he is forced to duck into the grass and grasp his sunglasses as a heavy transport helicopter booms over the heads of his men. It's supposed to drop off a large bag filled to the brim with sandbags at a critical location on the Osterholz dike.
Combined Efforts
Osterholz is a tiny settlement located on the shore of the Elbe River a few kilometers north of Stendal: A deserted farm, a lot of mud, a few houses in between and a single street called Dorfstrasse, or Village Street, is all there is. On Monday, a crack was discovered in the levee protecting the people from the river's swollen waters. Since then support teams in Osterholz have been doing everything in their power to save the dike: 500 soldiers, 300 fire fighters and the federal relief organization THW are contributing to the effort.
Every few minutes a helicopter with sandbags attached to a dangling hook rumbles over the flooded meadows. The fractured part of the dike can hardly be reached overland. That's where the helicopters come into play. As they pass just above the heads of the men, the wind of the propeller sends the muddy water splattering to the sides. Two men with bare feet stand at the base of the dike and wave the pilots into the right position. As soon as the bag is dropped, the helicopter dashes off to get another one.
Until Monday, Thies Knudsen headed the troops in Wittenberge, a little further north of the Elbe crossing. Because his battalion was detached, he ended up joining the effort in Osterholz. "They were almost sad there because we were leaving," Knudsen says about the people in Wittenberge. "Every day at the same time two women came with wooden handcarts to deliver cake. Almost everyone here has had similar experiences. A lieutenant general reports that residents organized daily dinners for his troops in the provisional accommodation set up in a local gymnasium. Every night a different street was in charge of cooking. He believes the effort is most likely coordinated through Facebook, he assumes.
Floods of Appreciation
With its flood relief efforts, the army appears to have won the hearts of the people in Saxony-Anhalt. And people truly don't seem to be bothered by the fact that they have to get off the street every few kilometers to let a military convoy roll by. People in uniforms and armored cars have become a part of the landscape, and the noise of the helicopters keeps everyone awake at night, but for most that's a small price to pay for the help they are receiving.
"Sure, the countless helicopters are driving people a little crazy," says Andreas Bethge of the volunteer fire department in the village of Schwarzholz. He's helping to secure the dike. "But it's nothing new to us after the flood in 2002, and the cooperation with the armed forces works flawlessly." He puts his arm around his wife, who has come to join him during his mission on this day. She's nine months pregnant. With her big baby bump she stands at a picnic table and hands out cake, coffee and juice: provisions for the troops.When I think back on "Norwegian Wood" the first thing that comes to my mind is how beautifully it's written. Murakami flows together descriptions and images of Toru's emotions so eloquently and simply, it was hard to put down. I think that's why I stayed up until 5:00 am reading. I really enjoyed it. More than anything I really enjoyed it as a character study. The story seemed present just to fuel changes in the different personalities. That probably why he picked a time and setting that was closest to his own experiences. 1960s Tokyo was described so precisely I felt really connected to it. It seems to be quite autobiographical. So I guess having that as the backdrop made it easier to deal with a study of characters in the novel.
The most interesting characters to me were Nagasawa, Reiko and Midori. Nagasaki is an over intelligent friend of Toru's who's good at everything he tries and an overachiever who suffers from a lack of interest in what he's capable of to such an extent that he dons a feeling of high and mightiness. Ironically, even though he sounds like an ass (which he is to a certain degree) he's in many ways a guy who everyone wants to be. No one likes him in person and they don't want to admit it, but they envy him and that's why they surround him.
Reiko, on the other hand, is incredible at her art and passion. But she couldn't handle it and the success that came with it. She's the opposite of Nagasawa with the same talents. Even right down to her sex life. Nagasawa uses his |
used for breast- or bottle-feeding and diaper changing. Areas include private restrooms, a kitchenette, refrigerator and lockers to store items during the game.
"We'll also have flat screen TVs so that they won't miss the game, and there will be toys to play with if the 3-year-old has to come with them," Castellini said.
The nursing center is another example of teams catering more to female fans. New stadiums, including Yankee Stadium, have doubled the number of toilets for women than for men -- a far cry from more than 50 years ago, when White Sox owner Bill Veeck happened to notice there were no women's bathrooms in the bleachers.
In addition, in the past five years, all major sports leagues have worked with official licensees to redesign their jerseys in a women's cut.The circular economy has captured the imagination of brands, cities and innovators. Will 2017 be the year when the concept evolves from aspiration to profitable action? Here are four reasons why, from our view as circular economy investors, we believe this year will mark a shift from idea to action:
1. Focus on local government
If there is one safe bet with the new administration, it is that leadership on circular economy will not be coming out of Washington. Instead, we expect an increasing reliance on the leadership of state and local governments as the feds take a back seat.
This shift means an increasing focus on the day-to-day realities of costs associated with waste management and profits possible by shifting to a circular economy. This won't just come from the usual suspects. Communities such as Memphis, Tennessee; Waterbury, Connecticut; and Portage County, Ohio; have chosen to invest millions of dollars in their recycling infrastructure in order to reduce costs. Phoenix and New York City have stated circular economy language in their goals and are implementing on a range of programs to get them there.
Further, according to President-elect Trump, "Infrastructure investment strengthens our economic platform, makes America more competitive, creates millions of jobs, increases wages for American workers and reduces the costs of goods and services for American consumers." This could be an important opportunity to build the infrastructure required to advance circular economy principles at scale, enabling real, shovel-ready projects across the country to get built.
We have received over 300 proposals for such projects and are seeing models such as Lakeshore Recycling in Chicago (PDF) and Eureka Recycling in Minnesota's Twin Cities creating high-value local jobs and robust business models that make these infrastructure projects profitable.
2. Recycling is the feedstock of U.S. manufacturing growth
Local manufacturing creates stable, well-paying jobs — jobs that are disappearing in North America. The manufacturing employment opportunities of the future will look different from those of the past. One of the most exciting trends we see across our investment portfolio and pipeline are the scaling of new technologies and manufacturing facilities that turn recycled materials into new, higher-value products. Recycling creates the figurative and literal feedstock of future manufacturing.
A few companies to keep an eye on: Integrico, a railroad tie manufacturer in Louisiana, is recycling mixed plastics into its ties; and Ultracell, a premium cellulose insulation company near Buffalo, New York, is making high-quality insulation from a low-cost mix of recycled corrugated cardboard and old newspaper.
3. Entrepreneurs lead the way
The path to growth in our economy will be driven by both Main Street and Wall Street. The entrepreneurs, innovators and investors will commercialize the technologies and businesses build the circular economy. We are beginning to see these innovative businesses take shape.
Through Closed Loop Ventures, we have invested in new innovations that we believe will accelerate this breakthrough, including:
AMP Robotics, a robotics company that will transform the sorting of recyclable packaging at MRFs.
Evrnu, a fiber technology company that converts garment waste into new, high-quality fiber for the creation of new clothing, in partnership with brands and retailers.
The Renewal Workshop, an apparel refurbishment service building a "certified pre-owned" business model, saving companies money and diverting thousands of tons of waste from landfills.
4. Municipalities and brands as changemakers, focus on collective action
With uncertainty of U.S. policies and focus on sustainability, progress will continue to happen at the municipal and corporate level. More municipalities including Minneapolis; Washington, D.C.; New York City; Dallas; and Los Angeles are creating zero waste and climate goals. Corporations will continue to see the growing risk to their business and brands.
We see brands beginning to realize that they can't reach their goals unless the system changes.
According to Johnathan Atwood, VP of Sustainability for Unilever NA, in a November GreenBiz article about Closed Loop Fund, leading companies can't reach their goals by going it alone: "We needed to think more transformatively. We needed to think about something that's going to change the way we do recycling in the U.S. A combination of more recycling systems for residential homes, education programs — all were well-intended, but they weren’t moving the needle fast enough, big enough and in my mind, systemically."
Nike, for example, realized that to address the systemic challenge of post-consumer textile waste, it needed to engage cities, recyclers and innovators. It convened a small group last summer to identify collaboration opportunities and collective efforts, such as CurbMyClutter, a platform driving efficient collection of used household apparel that launched its first pilot outside of Philadelphia.
It’s impossible for municipalities and cities to move their large ships on their own. They can work with each other, engage with municipalities and invest in nimble start-ups to prove the model. We see brands beginning to realize that they can't reach their goals unless the system changes. And to do that, precompetitive partnerships are critical.
But not just putting a logo on an initiative. They need to be invested. Cross-sector partnerships are needed.
The seeds of many such partnerships came to fruition in 2016 — CE 100 came to the U.S., the Chamber of Commerce Foundation built a CE focus area for their membership, the Recycling Partnership and Sustainable Packaging Coalition launched ASTRX to drive more high quality recycled material into the manufacturing stream and several brands spearheaded their own cross-sector convenings to solve their waste challenges. All this momentum is setting high expectations for action and outputs in CE this year, proving the hype can create real value.
Looking at these four trends, it seems to us that it could be a big year in the circular economy. Above all else, these investments save money, drive financial performance and efficiency and deliver environmental and social impact. Investors will be hard-pressed to find other opportunities that meet all those requirements.Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-MA) fake Native American heritage is back in the spotlight after real estate mogul Donald Trump has used it as a bludgeon to counterpunch Warren's attacks on him. Here is everything you need know about Warren's fake heritage.
The controversy began when The Boston Herald brought it up in the 2012 campaign. The Herald's report noted that the Harvard Crimson reported in 1998 that she was the university's only tenured minority as a "Native American." When the report first came out, Warren claimed she was unaware as to why she was listed as a Native American.
Warren later spun it as claiming that there was "family lore" about her supposed Native American heritage. There were two main stories that she put forward about her Native American heritage:
Her "Aunt Bea" supposedly talked about her "pappaw"'s "high cheekbones."
There were family tensions due to her father's family's disapproval of her mother's part-Cherokee and Delaware blood.
However, Legal Insurrection's William Jacobson dug into Warren's stories and found no evidence to substantiate them.
In the case of Aunt Bea, Cherokee genealogist Twila Barnes unearthed Bea's death certificate and discovered that she was listed as "White" instead of "American Indian" by none other than Warren.
As for the family tensions:
Warren’s parents were married in 1932 in a church not far from their home town by a respected and prominent pastor, who was unlikely to have performed ceremonies for runaways seeking to elope. The witness on the marriage certificate was a family friend of Warren’s mother, not some stranger rounded up by the pastor at the last minute for an unexpected elopement. The young couple then immediately returned home where their marriage was announced in the local paper in a celebratory fashion, with extensive descriptions of the prominence of the two families in the local business community. Perhaps most important, the announcement mentions that the marriage was a surprise to many of the young couple’s friends, but said nothing about it being a surprise to family.
Additionally, Warren's mother attended her in-law's 25th wedding anniversary four years after she married Warren's father, and none of Warren's family members were able to confirm her story.
The available evidence does not appear to lend any credence to Warren's "family lore."
There isn't a scintilla of Native American blood in Warren. The Atlantic committed a random act of journalism in 2012 and found that Warren is not eligible to be listed as a member of a Cherokee tribe:
Fractional Native American ancestry is quite hard to prove to the standards of the U.S. government, which in many ways acts as the ultimate "birther" in this regard. Percentage of ancestry or "blood quantum" -- the creepy and antique-sounding term used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which certifies it for two of the three Cherokee tribes -- is recognized by the Bureau based on original documents (such as birth certificates, Census records, and death certificates) through something called a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood, or CDIB. Warren would need to be certified by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as at least 1/16 Eastern Cherokee on a CDIB to be eligible to join the Eastern Cherokee. The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee has an even stricter enrollment cut-off: "a minimum blood quantum requirement of one quarter (1/4) degree Keetoowah Cherokee blood" documented via a CDIB plus a direct descent from someone on the Dawes Rolls. Tribal citizenship standards are set by the tribes themselves, and not the U.S. government.
Warren has only claimed to be 1/32 Native American–which has been debunked–and even if she actually was, Warren does not have any ancestors listed on Cherokee tribe rolls that are necessary to become an official member of Cherokee Nation.
Warren's supporters once claimed that a marriage certificate showing that Warren's great-great-great grandmother listed as a Cherokee vindicated Warren. However, evidence suggests that this document may not exist.
Warren didn't claim to be a Native American until her 30s and may have only listed it to score a job. At that point, she was listed under the minority section of a law teachers for-hire directory. Harvard later promoted her Native American heritage.
Warren has claimed that she only listed herself as Native American in order to have lunch with others like her, but there would have been no way for them to have known that she was Native American since she was only listed as a minority, not specifically as a Native American, in the directory.
"Did Warren get the Harvard Law job because she claimed to be Native American?" writes Jacobson. "We don’t know, neither she nor Harvard Law have released her hiring file. But that’s not really the pertinent question. What we do know is that she tried to benefit from the claim, so at minimum there was an attempt to exploit that false claim."
Warren isn't even listed as a Native American in the Senate. She has also rebuffed requests to meet with Cherokee women and has never taken the time to join a tribe or help out the Cherokee community.
Former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) has jokingly suggested that Warren could stop the controversy by taking a DNA test. But she likely won't, since all the evidence indicates she is deserving of the nickname "Fauxcahontas."The company has asked the FDA for priority review of the combination therapy, which, if granted, could shorten the review timeframe from approximately 12 months to 8 months. The FDA grants priority review for several reasons, including when a potential drug is considered a major treatment advance.
The treatment is the first to combine two drugs into a single pill to address the underlying genetic cause of the disease in those with two copies of the F508del mutation. About 50 percent of people with CF in the United States have two copies of the F508del mutation and 40 percent have one copy.
“The CF Foundation is very pleased to see that this combination treatment is moving forward with possible approval in 2015,” said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “This is an exciting step forward in our efforts to speed development of new and effective therapies for all people with CF.”
Vertex has also submitted an application to the European Medicines Agency for approval of the drug for people with two copies of the F508del mutation in the European Union. The combination treatment has already been granted accelerated assessment in the European Union.
Approximately 8,500 people with CF ages 12 and older in the United States and 12,000 in Europe have two copies of the F508del mutation.
Results released earlier this year from late-stage clinical trials of the combination treatment in those with two copies of F508del showed that those who received the drug had significant improvement in lung function and other important health measures, including weight gain, and a reduction in the rate of pulmonary exacerbations. The combination treatment was generally well tolerated by participants who took the drug, with few adverse events reported.
Vertex plans to begin a Phase 3b clinical trial of the potential combination drug in people ages 12 and older with two copies of the F508del mutation who have severe lung disease and may benefit from the treatment prior to its potential approval. The trial will enroll a limited number of people in the first quarter of 2015.
People with CF and their families who have questions about the Phase 3b clinical trial may contact Vertex Medical Information (in the United States) at 1-877-634-8789 or [email protected], or (outside the United States) [email protected].
Additional Resources15 heart-warming illustrations of true love in all its beauty and joy
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Philippa Rice is a young and very talented artist from England and the author of a whole book of gorgeous illustrations called Soppy. It’s clear to anyone who has the pleasure of seeing her work that Philippa has a brilliant ability to express the beauty of day-to-day life spent in the company of one’s beloved.
Here are 15 of Philippa’s most heart-warming illustrations. We’re sure that every couple will recognise themselves in some of these. Beautiful!
Sometimes, happiness means spending a lazy morning together...
It means going shopping together
putting everything to one side in order to cuddle
helping each other in the kitchen
and putting up furniture together.
It’s always better to be together, even if you’ve had a bad day.
Feeling exhausted isn’t so bad when they’re by your side.
Even brushing your teeth together before bed somehow becomes more fun.
Finding room to snuggle together on the couch becomes second nature.
Anyone who’s ever felt really close — really close — to someone will understand this.
They know that pure joy can be found in something as simple as falling asleep side by side.
Or chatting all night about everything and nothing.
Every couple has their favourite places where they go only with each other.
Just being together is the greatest joy of all.© Getty Images A Miami pediatrician administers an HPV vaccination to a 13-year-old girl. Vaccination rates remain stubbornly low despite state efforts to raise them.
Ten years after the federal government approved the first vaccines to combat the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, nine years after those vaccines were recommended for all adolescent girls, and five years after they were recommended for all adolescent boys, less than half of girls and only a fifth of boys are getting immunized.
Despite state efforts to raise vaccination rates, public health officials say that for a variety of reasons, mainly wariness over the HPV’s association with sex, parents and especially doctors have not embraced the potentially life-saving vaccine.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2014, only 40 percent of girls ages 13 to 17 had completed the three-vaccine course of HPV immunization. (And just 22 percent of boys had done so.) That’s well short of the 80 percent goal set in 2010 by the federal government in its Healthy People 2020 report, which established health objectives for the nation.
Even states that require HPV inoculation for school admission or mandate that schools teach students about the virus have fallen far short of the federal benchmark.
“We think the rates are dismally low and very alarming,” said Amy Pisani, executive director of Every Child by Two, a nonprofit that aims to reduce instances of vaccine-preventable illnesses. “We clamor and clamor for a vaccine to get rid of these terrible diseases and yet we aren’t implementing them.”
Some states fare significantly worse. In Tennessee, for example, the vaccination rate for girls was 20 percent — the lowest rate in the nation — and 14 percent for boys. Even the best performing state, Rhode Island, one of only two states plus the District of Columbia that require HPV inoculation for school admission, has rates well below the national goal, with 54 percent of girls and 43 percent of boys receiving all three HPV vaccinations.
Particularly vexing to public health experts is the fact that the HPV vaccination rate lags far behind that of two other vaccines recommended for the same age group. The national rate for adolescents receiving the Tdap booster (to prevent tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis) is 88 percent, and for the vaccine to prevent meningococcal diseases, the rate is 79 percent.
Fears of Encouraging Teenage Sex
HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses, which together are the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. According to the CDC, about 79 million Americans are now infected with HPV and 14 million people become newly infected each year. Nine out of 10 HPV infections resolve themselves within two years, mostly with no symptoms whatsoever, but 10 percent of the infections lead to cancer, especially cervical cancer but also cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus and throat. It takes years, if not decades, for a person with HPV to develop cancer.
The vaccines are nearly a hundred percent effective in preventing precancerous tumors (tumors that are not growing aggressively, killing surrounding tissue or spreading to other parts of the body, but are considered likely to do so), according to the CDC. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which makes inoculation recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommends the vaccine for boys and girls at 11 or 12, likely before they become sexually active and possibly exposed to HPV.
ACIP recommended the vaccine for boys in 2011. Boys were not included in ACIP’s original recommendation for HPV vaccines because it took longer for medical researchers to find a reliable way to detect HPV-related precancerous tumors in males. ACIP now recommends the vaccine for women up to age 26 and males up to 21. In women older than 26 and men older than 21, the vaccine is much less effective.
That the HPV vaccine requires three inoculations over several months contributes to the low vaccination rates. CDC data show a dramatic drop-off between the first and last doses. But health policy experts also point to other factors, especially the discomfort over the association between the virus and sexual activity.
HPV is most commonly spread through sexual relations. When the vaccine was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006 and recommended for all adolescent girls the following year, opponents argued that the vaccine would prompt young people to start engaging in sex by freeing them of the fear of contracting HPV.
At least one study shows no uptick in sexual activity in girls who have been immunized. Nevertheless, the concern prompted the Texas Legislature in 2007 to overturn the executive order issued by Republican Gov. Rick Perry, earlier that year, requiring all girls entering the sixth grade to be immunized.
The same fear doomed immunization bills in a number of other states. The exceptions were Rhode Island, where both boys and girls entering the seventh grade must be inoculated; and Virginia and the District of Columbia, where girls entering the sixth grade must be immunized — but not boys. Their laws were passed when the recommendation applied only to girls and have not been altered to reflect the change.
Early Missteps
Immunization supporters also hurt their own cause with ill-advised strategic decisions. For example, some state legislators soured on immunization requirements after Merck & Co., the manufacturer of the first HPV vaccine, mounted an aggressive lobbying campaign in favor of the vaccine, prompting a backlash among parents, doctors and consumer advocates.
Walt Orenstein, a professor of medicine at Emory University and the former director of the National Immunization Program at the CDC, said federal and state public health officials also erred by focusing the early public information campaign on the sexual transmission of the virus, rather than on the vaccine’s life-saving benefit.
“It should have been pushed out as an anti-cancer drug,” Orenstein said. “People didn’t understand why their children needed this drug when they were still years away from being sexually active.”
Many who study immunizations think that too few doctors and nurse practitioners discuss the HPV vaccine with parents in a way that conveys its importance. Some parents and providers are reluctant to engage in conversations about sex — especially when the child is a preteen.
Health care providers “believe it will take a lot of time, that parents either aren’t interested or would give them a hard time about it, and physicians don’t want to talk about sex when indeed they don’t have to,” said Noel Brewer, who does research on immunizations at the University of North Carolina and who has studied parental and provider attitudes toward HPV.
Pisani, the director of Every Child by Two, witnessed that attitude firsthand.
“My son, when he turned 11, we went to see our pediatric nurse practitioner,” Pisani said. “She said, ‘He’s due Tdap and meningococcal. Do you also want to get HPV?’ She made it sound optional, as though it was no big deal.”
Pisani said a pediatrician talked her cousin’s 16-year-old daughter out of getting the vaccine until she was 26.
Effectiveness of Laws
Aside from the sex-related issues, policymakers say medical providers may feel the HPV vaccine is not urgent because symptoms do not surface for many years and the virus poses no risk of being spread in an elementary or middle school, where students usually are not sexually active.
But Brewer’s research demonstrates that, contrary to what doctors may believe, parents are interested in the vaccine and a strong recommendation from a physician correlates highly with youngsters getting the full course of vaccinations.
Although health policymakers want to see more vaccinations, few argue in favor of adopting mandatory state vaccination laws. Such laws, they say, often prompt a backlash, as in Texas, and can cause the opposite of the intended effect by heightening suspicion and resistance.
Denying children entry to school when they aren’t dangerous to anyone else is poor public policy, said Debbie Saslow, director of cancer control intervention, HPV and women’s cancers at the American Cancer Society.
“Let’s say you’re in Tennessee and 80 percent of boys are not vaccinated and 60 percent of girls aren’t and you open school, and suddenly you have to keep more than half the school home,” she said. “They have low SAT scores and low grades and now you’re making them sit at home? You’d be guaranteeing yourself a backlash.”
Those who track immunization rates say mandatory immunization only helps marginally and, in the case of HPV, only in places where the rates were not abysmally low. “Mandates are a last resort after you’ve built consensus that they are a good thing to do,” Orenstein said.
At least a dozen states have passed laws mandating HPV education (Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Texas and Washington). But those expert in HPV doubt the laws have had much impact.
Instead, they believe the best way to raise immunization rates is to better educate health care providers. Much of that education occurs through a federally supported process: Through AFIX (assessment, feedback, incentives and exchange), state and local health officials visit pediatricians and internists who routinely administer immunizations to examine their procedures and suggest improvements. To varying degrees, most states participate in the process.
One promising strategy is for practitioners to send out reminders that children are due for their vaccinations or that they failed to come in for an appointment when they were due.
Health policy researchers say “reminder and recall” notices are one of the most reliable means of keeping patients up to date on vaccinations. Yet the practice is still not that widespread among doctors.
“Somehow our dentists and vets know how to do it, but I never get anything like that from my doctor,” Orenstein said.Historians of the Middle Ages have been exploring issues related to sex and sexuality. Here are some of the more interesting pieces of research we have uncovered about sex in the Middle Ages.
In the Middle Ages, everyone noticed the eyes first
For the medieval man and woman, the eyes and their gazes were an important part of sexuality. In her book, Medieval Life, Roberta Gilchrist explains that according to medieval theories about sight, “the eye was not a passive receiver but was instead active in sending out rays of sight toward the object of vision. The very act of looking could stimulate desire in the observer and the observed.” Women were typically advised to avoid looking at men so as not to tempt them.
Where can you have sex in the medieval village?
Medieval homes and communities often lacked privacy, and it might have been difficult for a couple to find a place they could be intimate. Ruth Mazo Karras notes that “the church, safe, dry, and deserted for much of the day, might have been the equivalent of the back seat of a car.”
Byzantine wet dreams
According to Anthony Kaldellis, one of the earliest descriptions we have of a wet dream comes from the novel Hysmine and Hysminias, written in the 12th century by Eumathios Makrembolites. The character Hysminias was describing where he was kissing and fondling his partner. He then states:
I was in pain and distress, trembling in a strange way; I couldn’t see well, my soul softened, and my vigor left me entirely as my body grew weak, It was hard to breathe, my heart beat faster, and a sweet torment poured over my limbs, almost tickling me. An unspeakable, inexpressible, incomparable passion took control of me. I then experienced – by Eros – what I had never experienced before.
Sexy fruits
By the end of the Middle Ages, several fruits became associated with love. Michel Pastoureau explains that cherries were a symbol of love, as was red apples, if given by a man. “As for figs,’ he writes. “with purple rather than red exteriors, they were charged strong exotic connotations and directly evoked the female genitals. In the same vein, the pear, no matter what color, could symbolize male genitals.”
The Medieval Church did not like sex (in the church or otherwise)
Throughout the Middle Ages you can find various religious laws and proclamations that tried to restrict when, how and with whom you could have sex. For example, people were not to have sex on Sundays, because that was the Lord’s Day, and also on Thursdays and Fridays, which were supposed to be days preparing for Communion. There were also three lengthy periods of abstinence – during Lent, which could last between 47 to 62 days; before Christmas, which could be at least 35 days; and around the Feast of Pentecost, which could range from between 40 to 60 days. Also, many Feast days for particular Saints would be considered no-sex days as well.
Here is a helpful chart:
During the Early Middle Ages, Penitentials, books that set out church rules and the penance done for breaking them, were popular works. Amid the many different sins they noted were those that dealt with sexual practices. The seventh-century Irish penitential of Cummean, for example, banned oral, anal and inter-formal sex, as masturbation and bestiality. The Anglo-Saxon Canons of Theodore, meanwhile, includes these punishments:
Whoever fornicates with an effeminate male or with another man or with an animal must fast for 10 years. Elsewhere it says that whoever fornicates with an animal must fast 15 years and sodomites must fast for 7 years….
If he defiles himself (masturbates), he is to abstain from meat for four days. He who desires to fornicate (with) himself (i.e., to masturbate) and is not able to do so, he must fast for 40 days or 20 days. If he is a boy and does it often, either he is to fast 20 days or one is to whip him….
Whoever ejaculates seed into the mouth, that is the worst evil. From someone it was judged that they repent this up to the end of their lives.
While it was permitted to have sex with your spouse, only one type of position – the Missionary – was allowed, on the basis that this provided the least pleasure for the couple.
Penitentials gradually fell out of favour during the Middle Ages, and were rarely produced after the twelfth-century.
What kind of men did women prefer? A Jewish Rabbi answers…
Writing from southern France in late 13th century, Rabbi Isaac ben Yedaiah notes that the circumcised man should make sure that his wife does not sleep with an uncircumcised man. Otherwise:
She too will court the man who is uncircumcised in the flesh and lie against his breast with great passion, for he thrusts inside her a long time because of the foreskin, which is a barrier against ejaculation in intercourse. Thus she feels pleasure and reaches an orgasm first. When an uncircumcised man sleeps with her and then resolves to return to his home, she brazenly grasp him, holding on to his genitals, and says to him, “Come back, make love to me.” This is because of the pleasure that she finds in intercourse with him, from the sinews of his testicles – sinews of iron – and from his ejaculation – that of a horse – which he shoots like an arrow into her womb. They are united without separating, and he makes love twice and three times in one night, yet the appetite is not filled.
Click here to read more from Decoding the Rabbis: A Thirteenth-Century Commentary on the Aggadah
Has someone really tried to research this?
In A Cultural History of Sexuality, Ruth Evans notes that “semen stains on medieval manuscripts have yet to be discovered.”
Is the answer really ‘a key’?
Medieval riddles, such as this one found in the Exeter Book, often seem to have double-entendre meanings:
A curiosity hangs by the thigh of a man, under its master’s cloak. It is pierced through in the front; it is stiff and hard and it has a good standing-place. When the man pulls up his own robe above his knee, he means to poke with the head of his hanging thing that familiar hole of matching length which he has often filled before.
The medieval stories you don’t read in grade school
Between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, tales known as fabliaux were popular in France. These were comic stories that frequently included wives and other women in sexual escapades with a variety of men. The stories include The Maiden Who Couldn’t Hear Fuck, The Knight who made cunts speak, The priest who peaked and Berangier of the Long Asshole.
Click here to read Berangier of the Long Asshole
Dealing with prostitutes in the medieval town
While prostitution was considered a sinful act, in urban areas throughout medieval Europe it was tolerated as a necessary evil. Some regulations of prostitution still survive, such as Regulations concerning Prostitutes Dwelling in Brothels, which was part of the Nuremberg city ordinances from about 1470. One section states:
Also, the brothel keeper, man and woman, must provide the women living in their house with chambers, bed linens, and decent food, and they must feed them two meals a day and at every meal two decent dishes; and for such expenses each common woman living in the brothel must give the brothel keeper separately the sum of forty-two pence weekly, whether she uses the food or not. In addition the brothel keeper must make and hold a bath at least once a week in the house for the women living in the house, and this at his expense, not the women’s.
Click here to read more about Prostitution in the Middle Ages
Names for a Penis
The Perfumed Garden of Sensual Delight is one of several books written in the medieval Arabic world that deals with sex and sexuality. Written in Tunisia in the early 15th-century, it offered candid advice on lovemaking between a man and his wife. In one chapter, the author lists the many names a penis could be called:
stud, standard, organ, pigeon, jingle-bells, stroker, shifty, poker, jerk, dozy, butter, basher, knocker, thirst-quencher, screw, plunger, intruder, cyclops, weeper, long-neck, baldy, peeper, goat, grouse, cheeky, bashful, tearful, rocker, roller, ravisher, rummager, drip, tinkler, frotter, snout and scout.
‘ No greater human pleasure’
One of the most famous philosopher-scientists of the medieval Middle East, Nasir al-Din Tusi, also wrote a book about sexuality, where he criticizes those that think sex is somehow harmful. “Rather, it is hugely beneficial” he exclaims, adding “there is no greater human pleasure than that of sexual intercourse.” He goes on to describe the various aphrodisiacs one could use to have better sex, noting with one that “it has been tried and tested” and that when you take another “you will see that it works wonders.”
See also:
Medieval Viagra – Over a thousand years before Viagra was invented, medieval men were looking for ways to treat treat erectile dysfunction. We take a look at the prescriptions offered in one of the most popular medical textbooks from the Middle Ages.
How to restore virginity – advice from Caterina Sforza – If you follow the advice of Caterina Sforza, “you will see that thing become so narrow that you yourself will be in admiration.”
The Cross-dressing Women of Medieval London – Women going around dressed as men, wearing men’s hats, and even having their hair cut short, was not an acceptable practice in medieval society. However, in late medieval London there were at least 13 cases of women accused of doing just that.
Bawdy badges and the Black Death : late medieval apotropaic devices against the spread of the plague
Naughty Nuns and Promiscuous Monks: Monastic Sexual Misconduct in Late Medieval England
Qui facit adulterium, frangit fidem et promissionem suam: Adultery and the Church in Medieval Sweden
A Penis-shortening Device Described by the 13th Century Poet Rumi
The jus primae noctis as a male power display: A review of historic sources with evolutionary interpretation
Erotic Tales of Medieval Germany
“Was It Good for You Too?” Medieval Erotic Art and Its Audiences
and more articles under our tag Medieval Sexuality
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our weekly emailAn old mill is a type of amusement park ride with unaccompanied boats floated on guideways through dark tunnels. These themed dark rides originated in the late 19th century and are known by a variety of names, including tunnel of love and river cave. While generally considered a gentle ride, a variation that ends with a climactic splashdown, similar to the modern-day log flume, is known as a mill chute.
Tunnel of love [ edit ]
In its earliest incarnations, riders were taken by two-passenger boats through dark passages. There were two major themes: a relaxing romantic ride encouraging the couple to cuddle, or a spooky horror ride encouraging the couple to cling to one another. The darkness provided a degree of privacy and the frightening scenes offered a socially acceptable excuse for the physical contact at a time when public affection or even holding hands was considered inappropriate.
With the development of other socially acceptable opportunities and less stigma for unmarried couples to engage in physical contact, these rides became less popular and were either re-themed into children's attractions or torn down completely.
River caves [ edit ]
Riders travel slowly on themed boats along an artificial river that meanders through decorated caves and tunnels featuring different themed scenes of lighting, sounds, props, animatronics, or other visual effects. The boats drift along on a gentle current, typically generated by a paddle wheel. This type of amusement ride became relatively common at amusement parks across the UK and the USA in the mid-20th century. The concept of the river cave is also very similar to those of the early scenic railways in that they attempt to be both educational and entertaining.
Once a popular feature of many amusement parks, river caves are now relatively rare and can be found in only a few locations, mainly in the UK and United States. Despite their popularity in the early to mid-20th century, the shift in focus to the thrill ride in the latter half of the 20th century onwards and the sheer age of the design and mechanics of these rides means that many have been dismantled and sold or destroyed altogether.
The ride's name stems from the fact that most were themed around subterranean caverns, with styrofoam stalagmites and stalactites housing detailed displays from around the world, through time and from myth and legend.
Mill chute [ edit ]
A "mill chute" is a variation of the old mill, featuring roller coaster-like drops at the end, in which riders get soaked. The major difference between the old mill and the mill chute is that the mill chute contains a drop at the end. Mill chutes have the same-styled grottos and caverns as old mills. Mill chutes were mainly manufactured in the 1920s and 1930s, while old mills were mainly manufactured in the late 19th century through the 1930s. Though old mills have drops, they are not as steep as the last drop on a mill chute (hence the name "chute"). The last drop on a mill chute ride is typically steeper than its first drop: though it is typical on roller coasters to have the steepest first drop, water |
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The white and orange metal frame called Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, or ATTO, is a bold new tool in the push to understand climate change and the vital role of rainforests.
At 325 meters (1,066 feet), the ATTO is a meter (3.3 feet) higher than the Eiffel Tower and a good bit taller than London's loftiest building, the Shard.
But instead of the typical city din of honking horns and engines, the loudest noise around the skinny structure is the chatter of cicadas and tropical birds.
Built in the Uatuma nature reserve, 350 kilometers (217 miles) from the city of Manaus and reachable only after hours of rough roads and a boat ride, the ATTO is seriously remote -- and for the climate scientists that's the point.
"Being far from towns and man's influence ensures we can collect relatively pure data," said Meinrat Andrae, director of the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry, which is partnering with Brazilian research agency Inpa on the German-Brazilian funded project.
The Amazon is seen as a big piece of the global warming puzzle, since trees are a key weapon in safely capturing destructive carbon gasses. And at 3,000 kilometers wide, the Amazon is the greatest of all rainforests, known to many as the lungs of the world.
"Thanks to this tower we'll be able to better understand the role of the Amazon, its effect on the local climate and also on the global climate," said Antonio Ocimar Manzi, one of the Brazilian scientists.
- Fresh air -
Rising far above even the mightiest Amazonian trees, the tower is good place to swap the suffocating jungle heat for fresh air, as long as you don't mind heights.
Wearing a safety harness is compulsory as journalists are led 150 meters up.
The observatory is the tallest of its kind, beating a similar structure known as ZOTTO in Russia's Siberia region. And ATTO is in a geographical area that has come to symbolize the whole world's struggle.
Greenhouse gas emissions have rocketed since the second half of the 20th century, dangerously warming the globe, according to most scientists.
Healthy forests are one of the best ways to absorb the gasses. But deforestation for lumber or farming, a major issue in the Amazon, is a major cause of the gasses, since the stored up CO2 is released from the dead tree into the atmosphere.
A worst case scenario predicted by some models foresees a vicious circle where global warming and drought kill so much of the Amazon that drought increases and the remains of the jungle became unsustainable, leading to even worse global warming.
"The Amazon region is of global significance: it produces half of the word's oxygen, impacts the water cycle through evaporation and stabilizes the climate," the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry said.
The tower, which cost about $7.4 million and consists of 15,000 pieces, was inaugurated last week, but won't collect data until later in the year.
The goal is to have ATTO, which links up with two smaller towers of 50 and 80 meters, running for 20 to 30 years to allow a longterm study of the effects of carbon gasses. Its great height will be a big improvement on previous methods.
"The 325 meters height allows the monitoring of an unprecedented atmospheric area of nearly 1,000 square kilometers," the Brazilian government says.
"This will fill holes in the monitoring and collection of data done by satellites and other instruments."Activists shout slogans outside the Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi demanding a probe into the rapes and sexual assaults in Murthal.
The Haryana government which earlier had denied that no incident of rape took place in the state during the nine-day Jat agitation on Monday told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it is investigating two complaints filed by rape victims.
The admission by the Haryana government came up during hearing of a case by the high court on Monday.
Submitting a report by way of an affidavit filed by Inspector General of Police, South Range-cum-incharge, Special Investigation Team (SIT), Mamta Singh said, the state police has included section 376-D (rape) of the Indian Penal Code to the FIR No. 118 registered on March 30 this year regarding the incidents at along National Highway No. 1 (NH-1) near Murthal in Haryana's Sonipat district.
The section (of rape) has been included on the basis of complaint of Delhi resident Bobby Joshi that women were allegedly sexually assaulted by the agitators. The state government said that it had received anonymous letters alleging that the rapes took place.
Reportedly, an Australian woman, a college student and a resident of a prominent east Delhi locality have come forward admitting sexual assault.
Meanwhile, a Chandigarh based NGO, Haryana Human Rights has said it will file a contempt petition against former SIT chief Dr Rajshree as she misled the court and the media.
In February this year, the Haryana government had told the high court that no such incidents of rape or molestation were reported from Sonipat district during the Jat agitation. The government had submitted a status report in the high court in this regard.
The preliminary status report was submitted following investigations into the mass gangrape allegations by an all-women SIT constituted by the Haryana government. The SIT report said that no victim of the alleged mass gangrape or molestation had come forward to complain.As a rational policy, daylight saving time may be ineffective. But as a social ritual, it retains real value. Our biannual clock-tuning is a slip of the mask, a glitch in the matrix that reminds us that clock time is always artificial and arbitrary.
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Standardized clock time is immensely useful. It is no exaggeration to say that the modern world depends on it: Ships once required it to navigate. The GPS systems that guide our cars, planes and farm combines count on standard time to calculate their positions. If you think setting up a phone call between Washington and London is difficult now because of differing time zones, imagine if local time varied by a few minutes between Washington and Pittsburgh, a few degrees of longitude west. In a society dependent on just-in-time supply chains and automated trading that works in microseconds, accurate, precisely calibrated time is as important as electricity.
But standardized time can be, and has been, used against us. Whether you get more out of clock time than it gets out of you is largely a function of your economic security. Almost 90 years after John Maynard Keynes’s prediction that the future would hold 15-hour workweeks and lives of leisure, we feel increasingly time-starved. Sociologist Judy Wajcman, in her book “Pressed for Time,” calls this the “time-pressure paradox”: Standardized time — in which DST is an archaic wrinkle — contributes to a world of labor-saving innovations. But the time they free up is immediately filled by demands for more work, and greater and more varied demands on our attention.
* * * * * * * *
We can sketch out three distinct eras of time reckoning between antiquity and the present. The earliest calendars were linked to the movement of the sun, moon and planets. An enduring legacy of this: Within the days of our week are encoded the names of the sun, moon and five planets visible to ancient Babylonian astronomers. The story of social time since then has been a gradual decoupling from natural reference points. First the seven-day week broke free of the lunar cycle, becoming, sociologist Eviatar Zerubavel argues, the first “major rhythm of human activity that is totally oblivious to nature, resting on mathematical regularity alone.” As such, he writes, the week “ought to be regarded as one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of human civilization.” With the Industrial Revolution, clock time liberated the workday from solar time and established labor routines organized by schedules — the 9-to-5 job being the ultimate expression of this. In the 21st century, work has escaped the bounds of the 9-to-5 schedule, organized instead around what media scholar Robert Hassan calls “network time.” Under network time, we’re expected to do our jobs whenever the task demands it, no matter what our local time is.
If time can be used to command our attention and impose order on our lives, then the ability to set it, and ultimately to decide how others use it, is a source of tremendous power. When clocks became fixtures in 19th-century British factories, workers complained that their bosses unfairly set the clocks ahead in the morning and back at night, to squeeze more labor out of the day. Workmen, historian E.P. Thompson noted, feared carrying their own watches, since it was “no uncommon event” for managers to fire any worker “who presumed to know too much about the science of horology.”
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In 1880, Britain adopted Greenwich Mean Time as legal standard time. Four years later, an international conference named GMT as the global prime meridian, against which all other times would be set.The Royal Observatory in Greenwich became a key tool of imperial administration: The time of day in any given place would now be dictated by technocrats in London, rather than by the position of the sun overhead, as it had been for thousands of years. In this way, postal routes, train travel, workdays, markets and meetings could be coordinated. But many found the idea alienating. In 1894, Martial Bourdin, a 26-year-old French anarchist, died in London after a homemade bomb he was carrying exploded in his hands. Police speculated that his target was the Greenwich observatory. It would have been, in the language of modern counterterrorism, a highly symbolic soft target for an anarchist.
In the United States, the adoption of standard time was pushed by the progressive movement as a civilizing project, but it was also championed by railroad titans and business interests for whom coordinating economic activity across large distances was a major advantage. Standard time met opposition from laborers who worried “that their time of recreation would be curtailed,” the Detroit Free Press reported. Others, worried about economic expediency superseding traditional local control, protested the substitution of railroad tycoon “Jay Gould’s time for God’s time.”
Time clocks remain a site of battle between workers and employers. In 2013, warehouse workers at Amazon (whose owner, Jeff Bezos, also owns this newspaper) sued over rules that required them to clock out before waiting up to 25 minutes for a mandatory anti-shoplifting screening on their way out the door. The Supreme Court sided with Amazon. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, as part of a long-running campaign to curb the power of academics, has proposed a rule requiring professors to report the number of hours they spend teaching, as opposed to conducting other activities such as research. Employers, for their part, worry about hourly employees committing time-clock fraud — for example, by taking breaks while clocked in or clocking in for a worker who hasn’t yet arrived.
In a move that would complete the decoupling of social time from natural rhythms, economist Steve Hanke and physicist Dick Henry think we should abolish time zones altogether, in favor of a single global time. Noon in London would be noon in Beijing, regardless of whether it was night or day. That would ease global commerce. But the interests it would serve are mostly those of people who, by advantage or by necessity, carry out work over great distances, regardless of their local temporal context.
* * * * * * * *
Sociologist Georg Simmel wrote that the major problem of modern life was how to preserve one’s individuality and independence against the overwhelming pressure of society — everyone’s individual struggle to avoid “being levelled, swallowed up in the social-technological mechanism.” Standard time, with all the devices and people that make it possible and rely on it, is part of that mechanism.
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We’ve come a long way from Bourdin and the Royal Observatory. The war for time is over. The anarchists and localists lost. It’s telling that these days our major complaint about daylight saving time is that it fouls up standard time, when standard time is the reason we tend to feel rushed in the first place. Complaining about the clock springing ahead or falling back is like grousing about Apple’s stupid headphone dongle you absolutely need for your iPhone but will immediately lose. It provides a good excuse to gripe about the near problem as a way of avoiding the far problem — the fear that we’re frittering away our lives into a black mirror. Or a ticking clock.
Ryan Hagen, a doctoral candidate in sociology at Columbia University, studies organizations and the sociology of science, knowledge and technology.
Post RecommendsMonday’s Google Doodle wants to wish a big happy birthday to Duke Kahanamoku, the father of surfing.
Known as the Ambassador of Aloha, Kahanamoku traveled the world, bringing surfing to the likes of California, Australia and New Zealand over his lifetime. Aug. 24 marks what would’ve been Kahanamoku’s 125th birthday — he passed away in 1968.
On his native Hawaii, Kahanamoku was known for much more than just riding waves. He first built his reputation as a swimming champion, winning five Olympic medals over the course of his career. His success also enabled him to raise the profile of Hawaii’s true passion of surfing.
Kahanamoku was also elected the sheriff of his home county 13 times and starred in over a dozen movies. Most importantly, he is credited with helping the Hawaiian islands achieve statehood in 1959.
For Monday’s Google Doodle, illustrator Matt Cruickshank decided to honor Kahanamoku’s birthday by sketching his 16-ft. wooden surfboard along with a friendly likeness of the icon’s face.
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Read next: How Duke Kahanamoku Saved Lives With His Surfboard
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In a way, opening a jazz club is the climax of a coming-of-age story for both a kid who’s grown up a performer and the arts and culture scene that has sprung to life around him.
Max Wellman was just 15 and a Roosevelt High School sophomore when he started playing gigs around town. His parents worked nights in the restaurant industry, so he’d grown up spending a lot of evenings at his grandparents’ house, where he listened to recordings of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, and hanging around dimly lit establishments such as Noah’s and Chuck’s restaurants. You could say the now-24-year-old Wellman has an old soul with an entrepreneurial spirit, and, like a true improviser, his timing is right: Today Wellman is involved in developing a new jazz club, Noce (pronounced “NO-chay”), scheduled to open late this year.
Wellman had known of Bob and Maria Filippone for years, but he didn’t meet the couple until last fall, when they approached him after a performance at the Des Moines Social Club. The Filippones, both medical doctors, had founded Des Moines Onstage and the Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre.
The Filippones’ first exposure to Wellman’s talents was at a small show at Mars Cafe years ago. “I took note that I really liked this kid’s style and (that) I would like to work with him at some point,” says Bob Filippone, who grew up on jazz in New Jersey and believed Max’s vocals were reminiscent of the greats.
He got to know Max better through volunteer work Wellman did, providing free voice lessons to kids as part of the City Voices program, and saw an opportunity to collaborate. “Part of my vision is not only providing entertainment (at a venue such as Noce), but enabling artists to make a living doing what they were trained to do,” Filippone says, adding that he trusted Wellman to envision and implement a concept.
“It was very clear to me from the get-go that (the Filippones) were serious,” says Wellman, who will serve as the venue’s general manager and entertainment director. He’d hoped to someday open a jazz cabaret, but believed that dream was another decade away. The Filippones’ proposal changed that, he says: “Right away, we were off and running at it. (The concept) was really a blank slate to create together.”
Intimate, Modern Space
Noce, which is Italian for walnut and a homophone of the Spanish word for night, will be a jazz and cabaret club with weekly programming. Knowles Blunck Architecture, Wellman and the Filippones are transforming a dilapidated building at 1326 Walnut St. into an intimate, modern space that captures the atmosphere of the Jazz Age. The after-dinner destination will be a spot to toss back cocktails and enjoy live music from local performers and a host of talent traveling through the Midwest.
“There are other clubs that are doing jazz and doing a great job, but most weren’t designed for that purpose,” Filippone says. “The seating isn’t ideal, the acoustics aren’t ideal. If we wanted to do it right, we had to gut the building and start from scratch.”
Part of Wellman’s role is to create a performer-friendly venue that artists will want to return to again and again. With a recessed entrance, raised stage, rigged lighting, polished concrete flooring, and bar and cocktail seating for around 100 patrons, Wellman hopes Noce will evoke the warm, smoky feeling of a bygone era—without going kitsch (or violating the smoking ban, of course). Behind the performance space will be a private room that will be rentable as an event space.
“I think there’s certainly a need for smaller, artist-friendly venues in Des Moines,” says Roxi Copland, a singer/songwriter/pianist who is currently based in Milwaukee. A Grinnell College graduate, she previously lived in Des Moines and has sustained a strong fan base here.
“I’ve heard from a number of musicians who love the area and want to play here, but (they) want an intimate performance space,” she adds. “It sounds like Noce could mean a fantastic addition for the Des Moines music scene—a venue where the performer and listener can have an intimate musical connection would be a beautiful thing.”
The Jazz Experience
Noce, its founders and others in the jazz community believe, not only will fill a void in the neighborhood around the revitalized Western Gateway, but also will allow for better booking and help foster a deeper appreciation of jazz music. “The problem, if there is a problem with jazz, is exposure,” Wellman says. “People don’t get to hear it or experience it.”
Trumpeter Dave Rezek, who recently assumed leadership of the Des Moines Big Band, agrees. He’s looking forward to bringing one of Iowa’s longest-running jazz orchestras back downtown as the Wednesday night band-in-residence for Noce. The Big Band formed in 1959, and in its heyday played venues around Court Avenue, where Rezek remembers going to shows as a Hoover High School student, with hopes of sitting in on a song or two. For decades, the band was at Adventureland Inn. Lately it has been performing Monday nights at El Palacio Events Center in Windsor Heights.
“I’ve long thought that the Des Moines Big Band needs to be downtown, in its rightful home,” says Rezek, who took over from longtime leader Jim Oatts. “Max and I have both talked for a long time about the needs of jazz musicians to have a home and the need for Des Moines to actually have a jazz club. Des Moines has been primed for this—at least since I’ve been back.”
Rezek returned to Des Moines in 2008—around the time Wellman began performing—after decades on the East Coast, playing in Boston and then on Broadway. He plans to use the connections he made there to help book high-caliber musicians for Noce.
“It’s always been my goal to have the top musicians be heard and also provide a place where these musicians can experiment and play their music at the highest level,” Rezek says. At a club like Noce, “they can present it in a way that they’re interacting with the audience—they can have that back-and-forth with the microphone. When they’re explaining some of the things about the music, it becomes an experience for everybody.”
Growing Audience
Rezek has been part of the packed Jazz Happy Hour events at the Des Moines Social Club, which local jazz fans point to as a signal the city is ready for more. “I’m optimistic,” says jazz enthusiast Charles Timberlake, who moved to Des Moines from Bakersfield, Calif., seven years ago. “I feel like the audience is growing. Jazz in July being free gets a lot of families out there. I see positive signs.”
Timberlake also has watched Wellman perform since he was a tousle-haired teen. “Over the years, every time I hear him he’s better,” he says. “The phrasing got better. The piano work is really quite nice now. I keep seeing growth with Max.”
After high school, Wellman bounced between Indianapolis, Atlanta and San Francisco for a few years, which gave him a different perspective, and raised the bar in his mind, on the potential for a midsized city’s music scene. But Des Moines has always been home base, with his music director and studio—and family—in town.
“I feel like I got started at such a perfect time here eight years ago,” Wellman says. “The whole downtown and the creative scene were growing. That’s been beautiful to experience because it’s been happening as I’ve been growing up here.”
Noce’s Lineup
The jazz club promises a broad spectrum of jazz — both local and touring acts — and occasional theater.
Wednesdays: Des Moines Big Band
Thursdays: Instrumental jazz
Fridays: Max Wellman
Saturdays: Jazz vocalists
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PrintRecent reports based on Maharashtra’s state finance department data, which indicate that only 45% of the state’s budgetary allocation was actually spent during the financial year 2016-17, are shocking. What has surprised people is that the utilisation of funds has been below 15% in some high priority areas and even below 10% in a few priority areas.
When this data was presented to budget analysts, they said that the utilisation figures were unlikely to cover all 12 months of the financial year. However, even if this data covers ten or even nine months of the financial year, the fund utilisation overall and more so for some priority sectors is amazingly low.
Interestingly the state finance minister has not denied the allegations of very low utilisation but has instead offer a number of curious explanations.
But first let’s take a look at finance department’s data. It tells us that for the financial year 2016-17, out of the total budget funds of Rs. 3.04 lakh crore, only Rs. 2.06 lakh crore actually reached various departments and out of this only Rs. 1.38 lakh crore (amounting to 46%) of the original allocation was actually spent.
Keeping in view the acute water shortage in many parts of Maharashtra, this basic need should have been a top priority for the government but the utilisation in the case of allocation for water has been found to be 11.45%. The shortage of housing is a well-known issue in the state but the utilisation for this has been even lower at 8.66%. For environment protection, an area that deserves high priority allocation in view of the effects of climate change on the state’s long coastal area, the utilisation of funds is the lowest at just 7.76%.
This is disturbing state of affairs and so it is not surprising that state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar faced many questions about the low utilisation of funds. Here are a range of some of his answers, published in various newspapers:
“There are some technical problems in spending funds despite its availability.”
“We have saved money this year due to financial discipline.”
“We also divert funds to other departments because we are short of funds.”
“There is no point in spending money without proper planning.”
These are very curious explanations, to say the least. It is of course true that proper planning is needed to utilise funds effectively, but what prevented the various departments of the state government in carrying out this planning? In fact, some could argue, that the first task of these various departments is to carry out this “proper planning”. It is more than a little surprising to hear that the technical issues involved in allocating and utilising funds could not be sorted out in time.
It is even more surprising for the minister to pass off these low utilisation figures as a virtue, by calling it financial discipline. Taken to its extreme this logic would imply that not doing anything is the best discipline. Lastly, the explanation about diversion of funds should further explain why funds were diverted from such priority sectors, to which sectors these were diverted, whether these sectors had a genuine fund shortage, whether transparency was observed in diversion and what was the percentage of fund utilisation in those sectors or programs to which funds were diverted.
Clearly the explanations offered by the minister are less than adequate, and far from satisfactory. This matter of very low overall utilisation and the even more shocking low utilisation in some priority sectors needs to be probed further. This is certainly not just of academic interest as the denial of funds in critical areas like water, housing and environment protection means that at the grassroots poor people remain deprived of basic needs despite the legislature sanctioned availability of funds for meeting these needs. At the same time urgent tasks of ecologically protective steps which could have been taken up using the sanctioned funds are not taken up.
In previous years also the budgets of the state government have attracted criticism for firstly not making adequate allocations to social sector and secondly not utilising these funds properly and efficiently, but this year the situation appears to be even worse than in previous years. So this appears to be the right time to examine in greater detail and to question the working of the entire system, the various processes under which such excessive under-utilisation of available funds can take place in such high priority areas as water, housing and environment protection.
Bharat Dogra is a freelance journalist who has been involved with various social movements and initiatives.I have something unfashionable to say: Banking is a fine career choice for today’s college graduates.
Like a lot of people, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I finished college in 2005. I was interested in politics and policy, but as I applied for jobs in Washington I found that the entry-level work was dull and poorly paid. I considered going to law school, but I was unsure I wanted to be a lawyer and didn’t want to spend $160,000 on a degree I might not use. So I did what a lot of Harvard students were doing at the time: I took a job in New York with a bank that came to campus to recruit.
Like many of the subjects of Kevin Roose’s best-selling book “Young Money,” which profiles entry-level investment bankers in post-crisis New York, I became a banker even though I had no specific love for finance. Mr. Roose warns against this, having found that his subjects were miserable. In a May interview with Ezra Klein at Vox.com, he went over the top in his description of how banking ruined people.
“It makes them too risk-conscious,” Mr. Roose said. “It gets them used to a standard of lifestyle they may not be able to replicate in any other industry. And it has a deleterious effect on creativity. Of the eight people I followed, a few came out very damaged by the experience. And not in a way a vacation can cure. It’s not about having bags under your eyes. It destroys your ability to think in creative ways about what it means to build something of value.”Brendan Rodgers has revealed Steven Gerrard was withdrawn at half-time during Liverpool's 1-0 win over Sunderland as a precaution, while confirming Raheem Sterling will return to Melwood next week.
Gerrard played the first half of the Reds' victory at the Stadium of Light before being replaced by Dejan Lovren during the interval due to a hamstring issue.
The captain will now be assessed by the club's medical team, and Rodgers explained: "It was just precautionary.
"He'll have a scan on his hamstring. It just felt a little bit tight, so we'll just need to manage that and see how it is."
Watch the video here »
Meanwhile, Rodgers will welcome Sterling back into the ranks for next weekend's trip to Aston Villa.
Having figured in 28 games already this season, the winger was afforded a break by the boss and sat out the fixtures with Wimbledon and Sunderland in order to keep him fresh for the second half of the campaign.
Rodgers said: "Raheem will be back next week. It's something that was already planned from the summer.
"In my time here, in two and a half years, he's come from the youth team through to becoming a full international player and one of the best young players in European football.
"There's a lot asked of him and if I was selfish I would maybe have him here with me for every single minute because he's been brilliant, but I need to think of the kid and the long-term for Liverpool and for him.
"I felt after the Christmas period, because he's played a lot for me - he's played over 100 games already as a kid and he's just turned 20 - it would be a good period for him to have a rest.
"He missed the FA Cup tie and missed today's game, then he rejoins us again next week and will be fresh and fit for the second half of the season."There’s no denying that Apple’s success with iOS has influenced every aspect of their business, but it goes even further than you might think: Apple’s now even modeling its packaging after iOS app icons!
Reader Andrew C. emailed us over the weekend and pointed out something which, once he mentioned it, seemed obvious: the packaging for Apple’s new EarPods headphones looks much like an iOS icon, with perfectly even sides and rounded edges:
“It looks like an icon that you would find on an iOS device,” Andrew C. wrote us.
Once he mentioned it, we realized he was right. Could it just be a coincidence, though?
I was curious exactly how close a match the EarPods packaging was for an iOS icon, so I decided to do some PhotoShopping to check it out. I used this wallpaper which shows the underlying geometry and schematics of the iOS homescreen to check out exactly how close the EarPods packaging conformed to the measurements of each iOS icon.
As you can see, it’s a perfect fit:
Of course, nothing at Apple is done for no reason, and it’s incredibly fitting that Apple’s next-gen, totally redesigned earbuds — a pair of headphones meant to be packed in with every iPhone and iPod touch sold — would come in packaging specifically made to evoke the spirit of iOS. Only Apple would design packaging for one of their cheapest products this way: not just to contain a product, but with a reason.
Well done, Apple.(Picture: Liberty Antonia Sadler for Metro.co.uk)
Everyone’s had that moment in a relationship when they’ve found themselves wondering ‘is this it? Could I do better for myself? What is it that I’m really looking for?’
What you are really looking for, my friend, is gin.
Gin won’t leave the toilet seat up and it won’t sleep with your best friend behind your back.
Save yourself the stress of dating and get it on with gin instead. Here are 13 reasons why gin is better than a boyfriend.
1. You can have a different gin every day and no one will think badly of you
Well, they do say that variety is the spice of life.
2. Your new gin doesn’t get offended when you decide you prefer the old one after all
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Experience is always useful, in both men and gin distillers. Try Beefeater 24 for a classic G&T.
3. Gin won’t make you cry
Contrary to popular opinion, if you’ve spent the evening weeping into a G&T about relationship woes, it’s not the drink that’s to blame. According to Caroline Childerley, aka The Gin Queen, ‘it’s a myth dating back to the eighteenth century and gin’s reputation as ‘mother’s ruin’ – you might need to change your man, but not your choice of tipple!’
4. Gin doesn’t look scared if you suggest ‘spicing things up’
5. Gin’s only purpose in life is to bring you happiness
Apart from tasting delicious, juniper (which gives gin its distinctive flavour) apparently has a similar chemical compound to that found in cannabis. You might not get high on your gin and lime, but it’ll certainly bring a smile to your face.
6. Gin isn’t scared of commitment
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Over four hundred years old and still gaining in popularity, that sparkly, icy glass of joy is here to stay.
7. You can try making your own gin at home (and start again if you don’t like the result)
Face it – you’d never get the same satisfaction from a handmade boyfriend doll. Try Metro’s own recipe for foolproof home gin
(Picture: Hazel Paterson)
8. When a friend sets you up with a ‘really lovely’ gin, it won’t turn out to be secretly awful
9. Gin always satisfies
10. Your friends totally understand what you see in gin
11. When you’ve had enough of it you can put it in the cupboard
12. There’s a gin for everyone
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However picky you are, there’s bound to be a gin to suit you. It’s probably a good idea to try lots first though (that’s our theory and we’re sticking with it).
13. Gin is always there for you
MORE: The 10 best American gins you should be drinking
MORE: 19 tweets that all lovers of gin will relate to
MORE: 17 signs you are in a relationship with gin"My main concern is the thousands of people who work in the construction industry where I come from. They just want the corruption to stop," Senator Day, a self-made millionaire, said.
"My colleagues have concerns about other sectors that need to be addressed as well. They want corruption stopped."
Breakthrough possible
He said he believed, after speaking to Mr Turnbull, that a breakthrough was possible because the government was prepared to consider the sector-specific measures.
"If there's a possible agreement, it's in everybody's best interests to consider it on its merits."
There could be similar watchdogs to the Building and Construction Commission in other industries or beefed-up powers for existing bodies, he said.
Last week Mr Turnbull, with the agreement of Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, invoked section five of the constitution to cancel Parliament's seven-week break. Both houses will be brought back three weeks early on April 18 and the budget brought forward a week to May 3.
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Armed with new laws to stop micro parties gaming the Senate preference system to win seats with few votes, Mr Turnbull said the Senate would have three weeks to pass both bills or he would call a double-dissolution election for July 2. Under the new laws, the seven independents apart from Nick Xenophon would probably lose their seats.
If they pass the bills and there is a normal half-Senate election in the spring only John Madigan, whose term is due to expire, would be voted out. The other six – Jacqui Lambie, Senator Lazarus, Senator Day, David Leyonhjelm, Ricky Muir and Dio Wang – could serve their full terms until June 30, 2020.
Open to suggestions
A source close to the Prime Minister said it was unlikely the government would agree to a federal ICAC, per se, given the controversy surrounding the NSW ICAC, but he was open to reasonable suggestions, even minor amendments to the ABCC bill.
"Things that can enhance the spirit of the bill but not detract from it," he said. "We will negotiate in good faith. They have six weeks."
Senator Day said he did not speak for the other independent crossbenchers but as the designated point man he would seek to organise the negotiating bloc.
"The government wants to come to some agreement," he said.
As well as Senator Day, senators Wang, Xenophon, Muir and Leyonhjelm are considered potential supporters of the industrial relations bills in return for small changes.
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This would leave the government needing one more vote from senators Lazarus, Lambie or Madigan.
Liberal strategists say Mr Turnbull is on a win-win trajectory. If the Senate blocks him he calls the double dissolution, presumably wins, |
Days before Censorship Awareness Week, The Wellesley News editorial board named and shamed the project, which does not receive any Wellesley money, for recently obtaining funding from the Charles Koch Foundation.
The gift “was not publicly disclosed to the student body,” the editorial said. “We certainly do not mean to imply that any on-campus institution is receiving suspicious donations,” but students should know how programs are funded so they can know that “certain speakers brought to campus may reflect the biases of the donors.”
Cushman pushed back against the editorial’s claims, saying its funding agreement with Koch provides an “absolute guarantee of complete academic freedom” to Wellesley. “Not one of the Freedom Project’s decisions on any of its activities is subject in any way to the ‘biases of the donors,’” he said.
Other Freedom Project speakers have included Steven Pinker, a noted Harvard psychologist and linguist, and Sophie Richardson, the China director at Human Rights Watch.
MORE: Professor group says Title IX enforcement killing academic freedom
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IMAGE: SAAFE screenshotWith their 15th straight win, the Celtics are now tied for 29th on the all-time NBA win streak list.
The young C’s thus join the “top 30” streak list. They thus join such solid (but non-title-winning) teams as the 92-93 and 93-94 Houston Rockets, the 1994 New York Knicks, the 1996 and 1997 Utah Jazz, and others.
One more win (16 total) vaults them into truly rarefied air. The top 22 bekcons, along with NBA rosters most of which won at least one NBA title during the ensuing postseason or several seasons.
What does it all mean? Well, as the table nearby suggests,
While there are always dangers in generalization, there are several trends or characteristics of teams that reach streaks of 15 games or more that seem to hold true.
Streaking isn’t everything….
1. You don’t always win the NBA title, either in that year, or ensuing years. “Duh.”
Then again… most of the teams on the list did win a title, either in the year of their streak or in the ensuing years (with essentially the same core roster.) Nearly all made a finals run or two.
2. And, on the other hand, most great teams, especially teams that make multi-year runs to the finals and the championship, do have a streak or two — especially early in their formation.
… but it’s pretty good
Pick almost any dynasty, or even teams that had an awesome one-year run to the title, and you’ll probably find it on the streak list. For example: The 50s-60s Celtics, the 80s Lakers and Celtics, the Duncan Spurs. Also: the “LeBron Decision” team in Miami, the 69-70 Knicks, Jordan and Pippen, Shaq and Kobie. They’re all somewhere in that top 20 list.
In other words, while achieving a streak like this doesn’t guarantee future playoff greatness, it usually precedes it — especially streaks by young teams or recently assembled teams early in their growth curve.
3. The streaks by those teams came at various times during the season. There doesn’t seem to be a strong correlation between “peaking too early,” peaking too late, etc. To paraphrase the Faber College motto, “winning games is good.”
This is true even in the regular season, given that (as well) “home court advantage is good.” It’s just not (as the Celtics learned last year) always decisive.
Celtics count streaks in banners
So, above all: Whatever you take from our table and the rest of this series:
It’s okay to just sit back, relax, and enjoy every consecutive win that the Celtics can rack up from here on out. In fact, we encourage it.
Getting to 20 in a row, as the 2008 Houston Rockets and the 1948 Washington Capitols can tell you, doesn’t mean a banner.
Then again, having the streak stopped at 15, 16, or whatever, won’t be a crushing defeat either.
It’s a long road to banner 18… and then, on to 19, 20, 21. (Now we are talking “Celtic Fan Arithmetic.”) But winning 15 regular season games in a row, at some point in this roster’s evolution, while not sufficient, is probably a necessary achievement.
One game at a time — just how the streak was built. The Celtics are on to Dallas….
(In part two of this series, we’ll review some of the top-20 win streaks of all time. For now, we’ve tabulated what the streakers of history did come playoff time, with the help of BasketballReference.com).Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton asserts that the 2016 election will be a watershed moment for the United States.
"We're going to lead in the world or take a back seat and pay a big price for it," she told CBS' Charlie Rose Tuesday.
When asked why she wants to be president, Clinton said: "I'm not doing it to move back in, although it's a wonderful place."
Clinton, who nabbed the support of one of the country’s largest labor unions last week, said that it's either the moment to get the economy working for everyone or the country will experience increasing inequality "in a way that we haven't seen since the 1920s."
"We're either going to figure out how to live together despite all of our differences, show respect for people, enforce human rights, civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, workers' rights, or we're going to really have the balance shift dramatically against the kind of democracy that I believe in, that I think works best for America," she added.
The former secretary of state also solidified her position on the war in Syria and her support for Wall Street during the interview.
Clinton said she could not conceive of any circumstances in which the United States would put combat troops on the ground in Syria because it would offer the Islamic State a "new recruitment tool."
"Right now, we're not going to see a military defeat of [Syrian President Bashar Assad]," she added. "It might have happened a few years ago, but not now."
Instead, Clinton envisions cooperation with Russia in order to defeat the Islamic State.
Turning to the economy, she said that as secretary of state, she strove to increase exports from American businesses. "I worked really hard to get more jobs for Americans, and that meant representing big business and small business and everything in between," she said.
Clinton has faced criticism in the past for accepting donations from major Wall Street figures. She maintained in the interview with Charlie Rose that she's advocated for regulation of the big banks and financial services sector. "I also represented New York and represented everybody from the dairy farmers to the fishermen."
Clinton is currently leading in the Democratic field at 56.6 percent according to a HuffPost/Pollster poll.
Also on HuffPost:An artist’s impression of myoglobin-based artificial membrane binding proteins supplying oxygen to the stem cells during tissue engineering. Photo courtesy of Warwick Bromley/University of Bristol
BRISTOL, England, June 17 (UPI) -- Researchers have engineered a type of "scaffold" technology that allows them to grow larger pieces of tissue in the lab and may lead to growing entire organs for transplant patients.
Previously, only small pieces of tissue could be grown because of oxygen not reaching cells at the center of the tissue as it grew larger.
"We were surprised and delighted to discover that we could deliver the necessary quantity to the cells to supplement their oxygen requirements," Dr. Adam Perriman, of the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol, said in a press release. "It's like supplying each cell with its own scuba tank, which it can use to breathe from when there is not enough oxygen in the local environment."
Testing their theory with cartilage tissue, researchers synthesized a new class of artificial membrane-binding proteins that can be attached to stems cells. They attached an oxygen-carrying protein, myoglobin, to the cartilage stem cells to provide oxygen for cells to access when levels get too low in the scaffold.
RELATED Mini breasts grown in petri dishes for cancer research
Professor Anthony Hollander from the University of Liverpool said the ability to grow larger pieces of cartilage will allow doctors to repair hip and knee injuries injuries that have "the worst kind of damage," and that the new method of growing tissue will pave the way for further advancements.
"We have already shown that stem cells can help create parts of the body that can be successfully transplanted into patients, but we have now found a way of making their success even better," Hollander said. "Growing large organs remains a huge challenge, but with this technology we have overcome one of the major hurdles."
The study is published in Nature Communications.
RELATED Stem cell transplant may return sense of touchIt’s funny, but one of the best sources for evidence against Christianity is often believers themselves. And I’m not talking about ordinary garden-variety hypocrisy either. I mean arguments and tactics that make it entirely plausible to conclude that Christians are making the whole thing up, even intentionally so, yet somehow without admitting to themselves that this is what they are doing. If you can bear with me for one last paragraph from Ben’s comments, I think I have a sterling example.
Ben writes:
For example, let’s imagine the following scenario: Christ rose from the dead. After he folded out of our space-time manifold, the disciples started to preach that he is the Lord. The Jews wished to quench the movement so they, of course, accused the disciples of lies and deception. To defend themselves (and since they can’t produce the resurrected Christ) the disciples point to the only piece of concrete evidence widely accepted: The empty tomb. The Jews reply that the disciples stole the body. The disciples, desperate to defend the truth, resort to untruth, and invent a story about guards.
That one paragraph really tells us all we need to know about the true origins of Christianity. Ben wants to believe that the resurrection is real, wants it so badly that he spontaneously invents embellishments (“he folded out of our space-time manifold”) intended to make the story sound more plausible in the current cultural context. He’s not motivated by a desire to deceive anyone (except possibly himself), yet it never even occurs to him that there’s anything questionable about mixing plot devices from Doctor Who into the original gospel story, as a way of enhancing the latter. And that’s just one detail in one paragraph by one believer. How many other culturally-significant details were added to story in precisely the same fashion?
But that’s not the best part. The best part is that he is adding this embellishment in order to give himself a reason to continue to believe the story even when he knows the gospel writers were lying about the details. He admits that Matthew’s story about the guards, presented as “eyewitness testimony” of the truth of the resurrection, is actually not a true story at all. He knows that Matthew, as a witness, is willing and able to lie about the resurrection in order to convince people that it really happened. And yet, because Ben wants to believe in a resurrection, he spontaneously invents a whole scenario just to lend credence to notion that the resurrection could still be true even if all the evidence for it were a lie.
Now, Ben will tell you that this is not what he meant, and that he’s not committed to saying that his version of the story is any more true than Matthew’s—he’s just suggesting one possible way the resurrection could still be true despite the New Testament reporting lies about it. But that’s not the point. The point is that believers are willing to spontaneously invent entire alternative scenarios to support their belief in an actual resurrection no matter what the nature of the evidence is.
That’s all it takes to create the entire resurrection story out of nothing more than the desire to have a resurrected savior. All you need is for the first century to have had its share of believers like Ben, contributing spontaneously-invented details in order to support belief in a risen Lord, circulating stories, and converging on whatever collection of invented details produces the most convincing narrative. And none of them, at any point, worrying that they are lying or being at all dishonest when they spontaneously invent the details that “must have been true” in order for the resurrection to be “real.”
In that kind of environment, it’s a lot easier to get apostles who die as martyrs to the truth of the gospel, because after they die, you can tell whatever story you like about how they died. Anything that makes the gospel more plausible must be true, because it reinforces what God would want you to believe. And conversely, anything that discredits the gospel, like, say, believers denying the faith (as Pliny reports they did fairly easily), is quickly forgotten in the context of evangelizing. All that matters is thinking of ways the story could actually be true regardless of the facts.
This is all it takes to generate a myth of resurrection and salvation. You don’t even need an actual Jesus. Just this. Once the story itself becomes so important that you’ll think up ways to believe it even when you know people are lying to you about it, the facts become irrelevant. Everyone will believe whatever seems right in their own eyes.
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RedditUpdate: July 6, 2017
Singer Alex Boyé will replace Christopher Jackson as the guest artist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Pioneer Day concert.
Singer Alex Boye, Thursday, July 6, 2017. © Photo courtesy of Nate Bonney. All rights reserved.1 / 1 Download Photos
Due to unavoidable and unanticipated scheduling conflicts with the filming of his current TV series, Jackson will be unable to join the choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for their annual Pioneer Day concerts on July 14 and 15, 2017. Choir officials say Jackson is sincerely disappointed at this turn of events and is looking forward to another opportunity to appear with the choir and orchestra in the future.
“We are delighted to welcome a performer who has received international acclaim for his unique style of music and has been named 2017’s Rising Artist of the Year,” said Mormon Tabernacle Choir president Ron Jarrett. “Alex brings to the stage musical talent, energy and charisma. His ability to involve and command an audience is a force to be reckoned with.”
“I really enjoy singing, and I’m really excited to be able to perform right here in my home town,” said Boye, who is a former choir member. “The biggest blessing is to turn around and look at the 360 friends, choir members, and the 100 orchestra members and actually know them. To me it’s like coming home.”
Boyé is known for his dynamic African-infused songs that have gained over 400 million views on YouTube, garnering him the title of YouTube’s Cover Artist of the Year in 2014. He will perform a half-time show for NFL's Monday Night Football this December in Miami.
Boyé is an “America’s Got Talent” alumnus. He has appeared with the choir numerous times on its “Music and the Spoken Word” broadcast, has been a soloist on several choir CD recordings and has appeared on several of its tours.
“The highlight for me was getting a chance to sing at Carnegie Hall,” recalled Boyé. “It was a really big thing for me getting a standing ovation with the choir from doing that show.”
The summer concerts are held in conjunction with communitywide Pioneer Day celebrations to celebrate the arrival of Mormon pioneers to Salt Lake City in the summer of 1847.
“We are standing on the shoulders of all of the hardships and difficulties and things that the pioneers went through, and here we are enjoying the blessings,” reflected Boyé.
The concerts will be conducted by Mack Wilberg, music director of the choir, and Ryan Murphy, associate music director.
The Saturday evening concert on July 15 will be live-streamed on MormonTabernacleChoir.org (motab.org/pioneerday) and the Mormon Channel’s YouTube channels in Spanish, Portuguese, French and German at 8:00 p.m. (mountain daylight time). It will also be carried live over the Church satellite system and aired on BYUtv. After the live stream ends, the concert will be available on demand at motab.org/pioneerday.
Free tickets for these concerts are required and have all been distributed. However, patrons are invited to stand by for last-minute seating each evening. The standby line will form at the north gate on Temple Square at 6:30 p.m. for the evening performances.
These summer concerts featuring music by the choir and orchestra have been a long-standing tradition. Recent guest artists have included the King’s Singers (2016), Laura Osnes (2015), Santino Fontana (2014), Nathan Pacheco and Lindsey Stirling (2013), Katherine Jenkins (2012) and Linda Eder and Brian Stokes Mitchell (2011).Therapies such as statins, that aim to reduce circulating levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, are perhaps the most prevalent medical approach to cardiovascular disease. Indeed, when measured against the low bar set for past attempts to treat age-related conditions, they are one of the most successful forms of treatment to date. A sizable fraction of the reduction in cardiovascular mortality over the past few decades is attributed to the widespread use of statins and similar treatments. Still, this is only a delaying action, it is not a fix for the underlying problems.
How do reductions in LDL cholesterol slow the consequences of cardiovascular aging? The processes of interest involve damaged cholesterol molecules and cellular reactions to their presence. As the various causes of aging progress, there is ever greater inflammation and oxidative stress to produce damaged, oxidized cholesterols that find their way into the bloodstream. Once there, this mix of damaged molecules irritates blood vessel walls. In most cases unwanted metabolic waste of this sort is promptly cleaned up, consumed by the immune cells called macrophages, and disposed of. In some cases, however, there is an overreaction, or macrophages become overwhelmed by the damaged forms of cholesterol. A feedback loop is created in which the blood vessel wall becomes inflammatory, drawing in ever more macrophages that become dysfunction and die to add their mass to the creation of the characteristic fatty lesions of atherosclerosis. These masses narrow blood vessels and disrupt the structure of the blood vessel wall. They reduce critical blood flow, and eventually, as blood pressure rises due to other age-related issues, these fatty plaques rupture to kill or seriously injure the individual.
All of this can be slowed by interfering in any of the critical steps, even without preventing the underlying causes. It can't be reversed without forms of repair, however. So researchers could aim to make macrophages more resilient, could reduce the flux of damaged cholesterol by reducing the overall level of cholesterol, could dampen inflammation by attempting to adjust the regulation of the immune system, and so forth. All of these will slow down atherosclerosis to the degree that any particular implementation can produce change. But to turn it back, themedical community would need means of safely breaking down the problem compounds that irritate blood vessels and kill macrophages. Researchers associated with the SENS Research Foundation have investigated this class of treatment over the years, as their budget has permitted, and made some progress in targeting the problem compound of 7-ketocholesterol via adaptation of baterial enzymes.
Just how low can LDL cholesterol go, however? If less is consistently better, because it slows down atherosclerosis, does less ever stop being better? At some point, one has to presume that running out of LDL cholesterol has to be a bad thing, or else we wouldn't evolved to have it to begin with. With the advent of new and far more effective approaches such as PCSK9 inhibitors, a considerably more powerful intervention than statins, it is possible to reduce cholesterol levels to a fraction of what they would otherwise be. Normal healthy adults have LDL cholesterol measures somewhere below 100 mg/dL. The most severely impacted older people can be nearing or passing 200 mg/dL. The latest therapies can push LDL cholesterol in older people down below 10 mg/dL, far beneath that of normal, young, healthy individuals. The evidence suggests that this is beneficial, and for exactly the same reasons that smaller reductions are beneficial: it reduces the pace at which atherosclerosis progresses. This leads to a number of questions that researchers seem generally unwilling to state in print at this point in time, such as whether or not all adults should be lowering cholesterol throughout their lives, or whether to focus on gene therapies that can achieve this effect across the entire life span without the need for drugs.
How Low Should LDL Cholesterol Go?
A newer class of cholesterol lowering drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors has emerged as an effective treatment for drastically lowering LDL cholesterol beyond current treatment targets. In a new analysis, researchers sought to explore whether there was "floor effect" in the lowering of LDL cholesterol - essentially, is there a threshold below which there would be no added clinical benefit? Additionally, researchers explored whether ultra-low LDL cholesterol levels would have any negative impact. Using data from the FOURIER trial (Further Cardiovascular OUtcomes Research with PCSK9 Inhibition in subjects with Elevated Risk), which found that patients treated with the PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab and statin therapy had a 20 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, researchers examined the efficacy and safety of very low levels of LDL cholesterol among 25,982 patients per the degree of LDL-C reduction following one month of treatment. Researchers found that the risk for cardiovascular events (including cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke) over 2.2 years progressively declined as LDL cholesterol levels decreased to below 20 mg/dL (0.5 mmol/L), and participants who achieved an LDL-C of less than 10 mg/dL (0.26 mmol/L) had a more than 40 percent lower risk of cardiovascular events than those with an LDL cholesterol equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). "Our findings demonstrate that there is essentially no floor effect, and that lower levels translated to a greater reduction in risk. Among high-risk patients, achieving a LDL cholesterol level far below the most common treatment target of 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) can further reduce the risk for an adverse cardiovascular event, with no major safety concerns."
Clinical efficacy and safety of achieving very low LDL-cholesterol concentrations with the PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab: a prespecified secondary analysis of the FOURIER trialCSU Colorado State football falling in line with company policy Rams living up to Bobo's practice ideals
Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo began his first fall camp Friday with the team. After just 17 practices under his guidance, he believes the Rams have caught on to how he wants a practice run. (Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald) CSU Camp Notes Added numbers — Colorado State had just three quarterbacks in spring ball, but that number has grown by two with the addition of true freshman J.C. Robles and walk-on Chandler Drachslin. Colorado State coach Mike Bobo said they were able to get by in the spring because of days off in between practices, but five is the right number in his mind. "You need five in camp. You're two-spotting drills. You need guys to throw balls, and it's a chance to develop young guys, too," Bobo said. "When you've got three, that puts a lot of pressure on their arms. You've got to have five quarterbacks to take some throws off them." Sizing up — Bobo listed off some of the backs he had as offensive coordinator at Georgia, and all were of the bigger variety. Not necessarily tall, but thick lower bodies. While the top two backs on his depth chart — Treyous Jarrells and Dalyn Dawkins — might not meet the height chart, he's still confident they're up to the task. Jasen Oden, who at 5-foot-11, 220 pounds meets those standards, factors in, as well. "It doesn't have to be a 6-2 guy; you've got to have some thickness in the lower body," Bobo said. "Sosa (Jarrells) is thick in the lower body. He's 5-6, but he is thick in the lower body. Dawkins is not real thick, but he's got a passion and a desire. He's probably been told he's too small his whole life, so he's got something to prove." Up next — The Rams, who have been in helmets and shorts the first two days, will add shoulder pads for Sunday's practice. Monday's practice, following media day, will be the same. Tuesday will be the first day in full pads, with Wednesday the first two-a-day session. Target points — As noted, finding a starting quarterback is at the top of Bobo's checklist this camp, but there are others. Finding a guy to snap the ball to him is growing, as Jake Bennett is slowed out of the gates and Kevin O'Brien is also dinged up, moving guard Fred Zerblis in to take some snaps. There's also the fact the team is getting used to the new systems on both sides of the ball. That will be a constant push in camp, which will also lead to another. "I want to figure out what truly is our identity," Bobo said. "Everybody knows I talk about being physical, but there's two-back physical, two-tight end, there's one-back.... I've got to figure out what we are as a personnel group on offense. Defense, I think we've pretty much got it figured out what we're going to be." FORT COLLINS — All they have. That's what Colorado State coach Mike Bobo expects his players to deliver every day at practice, and it didn't take his new team long to catch on to the expectations he and his staff carry into each day. To that end, Bobo credits the players themselves, saying they were well trained under former coach Jim McElwain. Bobo also believes the coaches have to be involved in the process, constantly applying pressure, the kind that will prepare them for game days. Eventually, he wants to see it be on the players, and Saturday's session was a glimpse toward that end. "There will be a point and time when we'll pull back, but we're nowhere close to that," he said. "You want it to become player-led, where they expect it and they're doing it. Where coaches don't have to be constantly driving, the players are driving each other. We saw some of that today. That was really the first sign of that I've seen since I've been here." Spring practice was a 15-session trial run to get practices down right under the new staff. Each day was a learning experience, but by the time the spring game was done, the players walked away with a good idea of what was coming in the fall. Tight end Nolan Peralta said there isn't anything tricky in the message, just ultimate effort all the time. "I think we know what he expects. He's not going to allow anything to be run incorrectly," said Peralta, who as the son of the coach, is well-versed in meeting expectations. "I feel like we understand what he wants from us out of practice. He's not going to allow us to go anything less than 100 percent out here. It's really about competing every rep, because the second guy behind you is always fighting for the spot. It's really coming out here and giving your all every rep. That's really what he expects from us." Colorado State tight end Nolan Peralta said the expectations under coach Mike Bobo are clear — clean practices run at maximum effort. (Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald) While the spring laid the groundwork, the summer sessions without coaches around were a fertile ground for improving performance. Not only did the players spend time re-teaching the new systems to themselves, but they also spent the months in seven-on-seven and conditioning drills to make sure the effort aspect was up to standard. "Spring was pretty good. Coach Bobo... It was hard coming into the new system, learning all the new stuff, all the new schemes, but I believe the offense and defense, we both got the hang of it by the end of the spring," linebacker Kiel Robinson said. "Over the summer, I think we got better at what we do. Even the coaches said we got better at it. "We worked as a team. The senior leaders, Trent (Matthews), Cory James, (Kevin Pierre-Louis), they were running the plays. It was on us over the summer to do it, but the seniors were a big help." Competition on the field is a necessary fuel for Bobo, and Saturday he heaped praise on a defensive unit he felt it hadn't earned prior. When spring ended, he said he wasn't sure the defense knew how to compete, but they spent the second practice contesting every ball thrown. "I really, really liked the effort of the defense," Bobo said. "Enthusiasm, the life of practice, if we can continue that, we've got a chance. It's a long way, it's a long process." The next step for him is to see the pace pick up. It was a major stumbling block for the team when McElwain arrived, and with Bobo's up-tempo offense, he wants to see it revved up even more. Peralta and Robinson agreed studying the new systems over the summer led to less thinking, quicker reactions and a faster pace of play to start camp. As they learn more, they're confident the next goals will be met as well. When they get there, Bobo likes the chances of what the Rams can accomplish. For starters, he said it helped to inherit a team that had tasted winning and had developed a belief in themselves. Once that carries over to the new schemes and techniques being taught, more strides will be made. "The key to us being a good team and then possibly turning into a chance to be a great team is can we be consistent at that," he said. "Can we come to work every day? That's what we're trying to get out of them as coaches, and that's a challenge for us." Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, [email protected] and twitter.com/mbrohardAs the country celebrates its 68th Republic Day, ET Wealth lists the fundamental rights and duties every investor and taxpayer should not only be aware of, but also act upon whenever necessary.You have the right to know how much your fund distributor or insurance agent earns from the financial products sold to you. A mutual fund distributor’s commission, paid by the fund company, is disclosed in your account statement.For insurance products, the agent’s commission depends on the premium. Your insurance agent has to furnish this information before selling you a policy. Ulip commissions are displayed in the benefit illustration accompanying the proposal form. Get in touch with Sebi for mutual funds and Irdai for insurance if you are not provided the information.You don’t have to retain a life insurance policy you don’t want. You have the right to return it within 15 days of receiving policy documents. This Free Look Period applies to all life insurance policies and health insurance policies with a term of 3 years and more. To return a policy, you need to submit an application. Most insurance companies have a form that can be downloaded from their respective websites. Submit it yourself. If an agent has mis-sold a policy to you, there is a risk of he or she deliberately not sending it within the prescribed 15 days.Even if you have defaulted on a loan, you have the right to be treated with respect by the lender and recovery agents. The lender has to give you a 60-day notice first. You can present your case to authorised officers during this period. The lender cannot harass you during this time and can only call you between 7am and 7pm. If you are harassed, approach the bank. They will have to investigate the matter. You can even file an FIR.You have the right to not pay for unauthorised transactions on your debit or credit card as long as you can prove that the transactions were not carried out by you. Report an unauthorised transaction immediately to the issuing bank. You can also get your card blocked to prevent further misuse. Filing an FIR is an option. Most cards come with a zeroliability feature that protects the cardholder from frauds.An Irdai directive gives you the right to claim the proceeds of a life insurance policy that has completed 3 years. There are no exceptions to this rule. The insurance company has this 3-year window to verify the authenticity of the policyholder, after which the claims have to be settled. This ruling also applies in case a policyholder expires within the first 3 years, but the claim is made after 3 years.You have the right to receive your income tax refund within 90 days of filing your tax return. If your refund is delayed beyond this period, you will also receive an interest of 0.5% every month on the refund amount. Since the tax refund is on excess TDS, you are entitled to get it back after you file returns. You will get an interest even if the refund was delayed because your tax return was revised. If you do not receive the refund within 90 days, you can approach the income tax assessing officer in your jurisdiction or raise a request on the tax department’s website.When you buy property, you also earn the right to its possession within the stipulated time. If the project is delayed, the developer is legally bound to pay you the same interest as the EMI you pay on your home loan. You can also seek a refund of the entire amount paid by you. The builder has to refund the money within 45 days of the request. For any issues concerning delayed possession, you should contact the Real Estate Regulatory Authority of your state. These authorities are required to settle your complaint in 60 days.You don’t have to have a savings account or any other association with a bank to open a locker. It can ask you to only open a fixed deposit that covers 3 years’ rent and charges for using its locker facility. You cannot be asked to invest in any of its products. There should also be a transparent wait list. If a bank asks you to invest in a product, complain to the bank’s grievance cell. If the issue persists, approach the ombudsman or RBI.If you are dissatisfied with the service provided at a restaurant, you have the right to not pay service charge that is included in your bill. Unlike service tax or VAT, service charge is not a government levy and goes directly into the pockets of the restaurant. This makes it a voluntary payment. If a restaurant forces you to pay service charge, you should approach the Department of Consumer Affairs and lodge a formal complaint.You have the right to be notified about a permanent change in the investment mandate of a mutual fund you have invested in. Investors have the right to exit a scheme without paying exit load before the changes are enforced. This rule applies in case the fundamental attributes of a fund are being changed and the investor would not enjoy the same benefits or investment returns that they had invested for.The income tax that you pay is used by the government to build the nation. As only around 3% of the population files tax returns, it is imperative that you do not evade taxes.Fill out insurance policy proposal forms honestly. Your cover is based on the information provided. Wrong or incorrect information can result in your claim being rejected.Late payment of credit card dues or loan instalments can derail your finances. Late payment fees are hefty and so is the interest on the due amount.You are responsible for any paper you sign. Fill out the form you are signing yourself or have it done in your presence. Self attest documents to prevent fraudsMention nominees in insurance policies and investment documents. Not having nominees can only lead to family disputes later.Opinium/Observer poll finds younger voters favour Labour on the economy, but, overall, the Conservatives lead on the issue
Theresa May and Philip Hammond remain a more trusted team on the economy than their Labour counterparts, according to the latest Opinium/Observer poll.
Despite a mixed view on the state of the economy, the prime minister and her chancellor are still out in front, with 36% of respondents trusting them the most, while 28% have more trust in Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell.
The poll shows that Labour retains its narrow two-point lead over the Conservatives in terms of overall vote share, on 42%. Neither party has made any ground since the autumn party conference season. The Lib Dems are up by one point at six, and Ukip remains at five.
The survey comes a week after Tony Blair accused Labour of failing to take advantage of the turmoil engulfing the Tory party, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We should be 15, 20 points ahead at this stage.”
The results also reveal an age split between who is seen as most trusted to handle the economy. Younger voters aged 18-34 are far more likely to trust Labour, with 35% favouring Corbyn and McDonnell in comparison to 28% who prefer May and Hammond. This trend continues for all those up to age 44, but flips round beyond that. Among over-65s, only 16% favour Corbyn and McDonnell, while 52% trust May and Hammond.
Both of the main party leaders have seen a slight increase in their approval ratings since conference season, with May’s net rating climbing up 4 points to -13% and Corbyn from -5% to -3%.
Views on the state of the economy are varied, with 29% thinking the economy is in a good state and 34% thinking it is in a bad state. Those who voted to leave in the EU referendum are almost twice as likely to think the economy is in a good state as those who voted to remain.
Boris Johnson’s approval ratings have plummeted since September, with more people now regarding him as a bad foreign secretary. The fall comes after he refused to apologise for his remarks about removing dead bodies in Syria and his incorrect comment that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman currently being held in an Iranian jail, had been “teaching people journalism” in Tehran. Her family and employer have always said she was on holiday at the time she was arrested.
While a fifth view Johnson as being good in the post, half of UK adults now think he has been a bad foreign secretary. This marks a drastic change since September, when 29% thought he had been a good foreign secretary and only 33% thought he had been a bad one.
His reputation also suffered among Conservative voters, with a third now thinking Johnson is doing a bad job, up from 16% in September.
Opinium polled 2,032 adults online between 14 and 16 November. Results have been weighted to |
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DES MOINES, Iowa - Two towers are set to rise around the same time in downtown Des Moines - transforming the city skyline as a result.
"If you think about the skyline of Des Moines, it hasn't changed for over 20 years," said Justin Mandelbaum, with Mandelbaum Properties. "It's time to do something about that."
Mandelbaum Properties is set to transform the old city parking garage on Fifth and Walnut Streets into "The Fifth," a 32-story high-rise that will also include a parking garage, boutique hotel, and movie theater. Originally, the plans for the $110 million project included a jazz club, daycare, and rock climbing wall on the lower level of the tower. Mandelbaum says those were replaced with the addition of a boutique hotel as plans evolved.
"So, the fundamental vision of the project remains the same," he said. "So it's modern, upscale high-rise living, a high-end movie theater, and a parking garage. What's tweaked is the position of the tower, instead of being on top of the parking garage, is now on the ground. And that's allowed us to insert a high-end boutique hotel into the base of the tower, and by doing so, we've lost the space to do some of the other things, like a jazz club, and a daycare, and a climbing gym."
Mandelbaum's project was set to become the tallest residential tower in the city, but a project by Blackbird Investments just a few blocks over is now taking that title.
"Previously we've referred to it as the 701 Tower," said Ryan Doyle, a partner at Blackbird Investments. "Internally we've been talking about it and decided calling it The Blackbird, the name of our company, allows us to really set it up as a legacy product for us, and really put our full reputation behind what we're producing here."
The Blackbird was originally set to stand at 26 stories tall. The $120 million project that sits on the grounds of the former Younkers building will now stand 33 stories tall - inching out The Fifth by one story, and becoming the third-tallest building in the state, behind 801 Grand and the Ruan building. It barely beats out the Marriott Hotel, which is also 33 stories, but won't quite match The Blackbird's height.
"It's exciting to be a part of the development community in Des Moines at a time when two large towers - the size of which haven't been done for 25 years in Des Moines - are able to be proposed and built," Doyle said.
And there's no bad blood, or "sky war," happening between the two new projects or their developers.
"I think it's fantastic! Their building is beautiful, and to have that extra height, and to have it peak above the surrounding buildings is going to be great for the skyline, so it's all good," Mandelbaum said. "We have a 150 year history in Des Moines, we're proud of our city, and for better or worse, a lot of folks judge a city on its skyline, and it's exciting to be a part of that transformation."
Both projects are set to break ground this summer. A 26-month timeline for The Blackbird, and a 30-month timeline for The Fifth, mean Des Moines will watch both of these new towers come to life at about the same time, closer to 2020.Abdelhakim Dekhar, who is thought to have spent 13 years in UK after 1990s jail sentence, claimed he was a secret agent
A man who allegedly shot and seriously wounded a photographer at the French newspaper Libération was described in a psychiatric evaluation as a "voluble fantasist" and compulsive liar in thrall to his own sense of importance.
The evaluation – seen by Le Monde – has emerged amid a wealth of new details about Abdelhakim Dekhar, who is thought to have spent much of the last 13 years living unobtrusively in Britain.
The assessment was prepared by a psychiatric team in 1996 before Dekhar's trial and conviction for his role in another high-profile shooting incident, when he supplied a shotgun used by two young French anarchists during an infamous 1994 murder spree in Paris that left five people dead.
The evaluation gives a picture of Dekhar, who is suspected of causing panic in Paris this week, as an often troubled individual who spent time in care as a teenager before briefly joining the French army.
If the story of 48-year-old Dekhar is in some respects a hangover from a bygone era – a man who first came to public attention at the lingering end of a European revolutionary movement that embraced violence – it has more modern aspects too.
Not least of these is Dekhar's more recent attachment to a DIY ideology – (as French analysts have noted) – shot through with strands of narcissism, whose acts of violence appear to have had as much to do with grandiose self-invention as political grievance.
Dekhar was arrested on Wednesday after police found him in a "semi-comatose" state after an apparent suicide attempt in a car park six miles north of Paris.
It was in the mid-1990s, however, that Dekhar first came to the attention of the French authorities as the man who supplied one of the guns used by two young French radicals, Florence Rey and Audry Maupin, for which Dekhar was tried and sentenced to four years in prison. At the time of his trial for his role in the Rey-Maupin affair – which is sometimes described as France's "Bonnie and Clyde" moment – Dekhar compared himself to Nelson Mandela.
Known in radical circles as "Toumi", Dekhar was suspected by prosecutors of a much greater involvement, although it was never proved.
After prison Dekhar dropped off the map with some of his old radical colleagues believing he had gone to Algeria where his family originally came from. The reality, it has emerged, was more prosaic. Dekhar had moved to Britain where he married – twice by some accounts, once to a 27-year-old Turkish student in 2000 – and worked, at least for a while, in a restaurant in Ilford.
It was an unidentified friend and co-worker from that period who named Dekhar as a suspect in the shooting of the photographer at Libération and a gun attack on the offices of Société Générale bank.
When French police and media looked into his background after the Rey-Maupin shootings, they found long gaps and evidence of complex fantasies that he had built. The question of Dekhar's sanity was extensively investigated at the time of his trial with psychologists concluding that while he did not possess a "grain of madness" he was a voluble and compulsive fantasist.
According to his 1996 psychological report, doctors concluded: "Most of his statements take the form of a logical but fantastical construct centred around one main theme in which he is a shadowy agent, tasked with a definite political mission in service of the cause of Algerian democracy." The report, prepared by doctors Henri Grynszpan and Daniel Zagury, added he had a "constant tendency of overestimating his options … openly compar[ing] himself to Nelson Mandela…"
The report's authors addedIt said: "It is quite unrealistic to unravel right from wrong with him
… As soon as one tries to question or raise the slightest doubt over one of the points of his argument, he immediately falls back on the line of persecution and is capable of showing, on occasion, great verbal aggression."
None of this was news to his former colleagues in the radical movement. As one anonymous leader told Libération in 1996, Dekhar "behaved like a secret agent … who would not disclose his mobile number, supplied a false name for his girlfriend" and who came across as "a solitary but loudmouthed" figure "who liked to provoke meetings" he attended and disdained others in the movement for their "wishy-washy" commitment to bringing about real social change.
What is perhaps most odd is not that Dekhar, who left behind two rambling and confused letters before attempting suicide last week, popped up again as a suspect in a violent attack, but that he appears to have lived a relatively normal life in Britain in the intervening years.
If some preoccupations had not changed in that time, including his belief in his own victimisation and wider society by the elite, the precise focus had been transformed. Indeed the letters recovered last week apparently suggested his conspiratorial belief in a "fascist plot" in which Dekhar accused the media of "participating in the manipulation of the masses" and referred to western conflicts in the Middle East.
Born in 1965 in Moselle, the third child in a family of 11, his childhood was evidently troubled. Dekhar ran away from home and spent a short period in care. At 17 he joined the 9th parachute regiment based in Pamiers in the far south of France, but appears not to have served for long.
More than a decade later he would tell a judge that his military service was cut short ostensibly by problems with his eyesight but in reality because he was an agent of the Algerian secret services. He claimed to have been sent to infiltrate radical circles suspected of supporting armed Islamist terror. Nobody believed him.
If the web of dissimulation that he spun then obscured what really drove him, what he did in the intervening years in London is equally opaque.
His sister Farida Dekhar-Powell, a French teacher who lives in Essex, told journalists this week she had stopped talking to him 20 years ago after the Rey-Maupin shootings.
"He is not part of my life and that's how it stays," she said.Chris Christie enjoyed his own private beach on Sunday by soaking up the sun on a waterfront Jersey Shore park that was closed to the public because of a budget standoff between the governor and legislators in Trenton.
Photos taken by NJ Advance Media show the portly politician lounging on a chair at Island Beach State Park on Sunday while his family catches some sun and plays paddle ball in the sand.
Gov. Chris Christie and family soak up sun on state beach he closed to the public. @AndyMills_NJ https://t.co/5NfFIv4IWX pic.twitter.com/nnWVxw5XT1 — Tony Dearing (@TonyDearing) July 2, 2017
We flew a plane over the Shore today and look who we found! https://t.co/CCvntR5Xj1 — Kevin Whitmer (@kevinwhitmer) July 2, 2017
The images were taken before Christie headed to Trenton to hold a news conference — about the government shutdown. When asked about if he got to enjoy the clear summer day Christie demurred.
“I didn’t,” he said. “… I didn’t get any sun today.”
Christie’s spokesman was later told about the photos and claimed the governor’s baseball hat shielded him from any potential sun rays.
“Yes, the governor was on the beach briefly today talking to his wife and family before heading into the office,” the spokesman, Brian Murray, told NJ.com. “He did not get any sun. He had a baseball hat on.”
Christie said he would take a state helicopter back to the residence to enjoy the rest of the day with his family.
When asked if it was a “fair” that the governor can relax at a state compound while the public could not enjoy the beaches, Christie suggested: “Run for governor, and you can have a residence there.”
This report originally appeared on NYPost.com.E3 2013 - AMD has just unveiled its most powerful CPU to date, the FX-9590, and eight-core processor that is clocked at 5GHz from the factory. Alongside the FX-9590, AMD also showed off a 4.7GHz FX-9370 both of which feature the company's flagship Piledriver architecture.
"At E3 this week, AMD demonstrated why it is at the core of gaming," said Bernd Lienhard, corporate vice president and general manager, Client Products Division at AMD. "The new FX 5 GHz processor is an emphatic performance statement to the most demanding gamers seeking ultra-high resolution experiences including AMD Eyefinity technology. This is another proud innovation for AMD in delivering the world's first commercially available 5 GHz processor."
Do not get too excited though as for now the FX-9590 and FX-9370 are both only being offered to systems integrators. AMD says this is just the initial rollout and that both of the eight-core processors will eventually be available for individual purchase. At the moment no pricing information has been released but as soon as we know more we will be sure to keep you updated.Behavioral Economics Reading List
Are you looking for good books to read on Behavioral Economics or Behavioral Psychology? This is a list of my best Behavioral Economics books of all time. If you only want to read a few, check out the first three which will give you a firm introduction to everything you need to know.
Judgement in Managerial Decision Making (awesome)
When faced with a decision, we all believe we’re weighing the facts objectively and making rational, thoughtful decisions. In fact, science tells us that in situations requiring careful judgment, every individual is influenced by his or her own biases to some extent. Drawing on the very latest behavioral decision research this book examines judgment in a variety of managerial contexts and provides important insights that can help you make better managerial decisions.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Should be required Reading.
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness*
“This book is terrific. It will change the way you think, not only about the world around you and some of its bigger problems, but also about yourself.” -Michael Lewis
Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes
Gary Belsky and Thomas Gilovich reveal the psychological forces — the patterns of thinking and decision making — behind seemingly irrational behavior. They explain why so many otherwise savvy people make foolish financial choices: why investors are too quick to sell winning stocks and too slow to sell losing shares, why home sellers leave money on the table and home buyers don’t get the biggest bang for their buck, why borrowers pay too much credit card interest and savers can’t sock away as much as they’d like, and why so many of us can’t control our spending.
Breakdown of Will
Ainslie argues that our responses to the threat of our own inconsistency determine the basic fabric of human culture. He suggests that individuals are more like populations of bargaining agents than like the hierarchical command structures envisaged by cognitive psychologists.
Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
In Think Twice, Michael Mauboussin shows you how to recognize-and avoid-common mental missteps, including: Misunderstanding cause-and-effect linkages; Aggregating micro-level behavior to predict macro-level behavior; Not considering enough alternative possibilities in making a decision; Relying too much on experts
Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages, and Well-Being
Monetary incentives are counter-productive in team environments that succeed in creating a culture of identity that fosters teamwork, where mission understanding and commitment are core to performance.
Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why it Matters for Global Capitalism*
Akerlof and Shiller reassert the necessity of an active government role in economic policymaking by recovering the idea of animal spirits, a term John Maynard Keynes used to describe the gloom and despondence that led to the Great Depression and the changing psychology that accompanied recovery. Like Keynes, Akerlof and Shiller know that managing these animal spirits requires the steady hand of government–simply allowing markets to work won’t do it.
Predictably Irrational: the Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions*
Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities. Not only do we make astonishingly simple mistakes every day, but we make the same types of mistakes. We consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. We fail to understand the profound effects of our emotions on what we want, and we overvalue what we already own.
Rational Decisions
A concise, accessible, and expert view on Bayesian decision making.
The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behaviour
What makes people act irrationally? This book explores the submerged mental drives that undermine rational action, from the desire to avoid loss to a failure to consider all the evidence or to perceive a person or situation beyond the initial impression and the reluctance to alter a plan that isn’t working.
Advances in Behavioral Economics
Advances in Behavioral Economics will serve as the definitive one-volume resource for those who want to familiarize themselves with the new field or keep up-to-date with the latest developments.
Behavioral GameTheory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction
Colin Camerer, one of the field’s leading figures, uses psychological principles and hundreds of experiments to develop mathematical theories of reciprocity, limited strategizing, and learning, which help predict what real people and companies do in strategic situations. Unifying a wealth of information from ongoing studies in strategic behavior, he takes the experimental science of behavioral economics a major step forward.
Behavioral Economics and its Applications
In this volume, some of the world’s leading thinkers in behavioral economics and general economic theory make the case for a much greater use of behavioral ideas in six fields where these ideas have already proved useful but have not yet been fully incorporated–public economics, development, law and economics, health, wage determination, and organizational economics.
Explaining Social Behavior: More Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences
Jon Elster offers an overview of key explanatory mechanisms in the social sciences, relying on hundreds of examples and drawing on a large variety of sources-psychology, behavioral economics, biology, political science, historical writings, philosophy and fiction.
Ulysses and the Sirens: Studies in Rationality and Irrationality
Elster critiques the notion of rationality in the economist’s sense, as a faculty that is concerned with maximizing the satisfaction of agents’ present preferences. He contrasts this notion of locally maximizing rationality with what can be called globally maximizing rationality. This latter concept is perhaps best illustrated by those interesting situations where the best “strategy” is irrationality.
Behavioural Finance
William Forbes lays out the fundamentals of behavioral finance.
The Psychology of Investing
Traditional finance has focused on developing the tools that investors use to optimize expected return and risk. Understanding the motivations behind this behavior is extremely important when applying these financial tools.
Beyond Greed and Fear: Understanding Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of Investing
An entertaining, yet scholarly overview of the subject.
Economics and Psychology: A Promising New Cross-Disciplinary Field
The essays in Economics and Psychology take a broad view of the interface between these two disciplines, going beyond the usual focus on “behavioral economics.” As documented in this volume, the influence of psychology on economics has been responsible for a view of human behavior that calls into question the assumption of complete rationality (and raises the possibility of altruistic acts), the acceptance of experiments as a valid method of economic research, and the idea that utility or well-being can be measured.
Irrational Exuberence*
A cult-classic at the time it was written.
An Introduction to Behaviorial Economics
…a superb introduction to the field of behavioral economics, suitable not only as an introductory text, but also as an entry-point for those desiring an engaging overview of the field.
Moral Markets : the Critical Role of Values in the Economy
This collection of essays provides an accessible guided tour of the frontier of current research in sociology, economics, biology and philosophy.
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
…we are faced with far too many choices on a daily basis, providing an illusion of a multitude of options when few honestly different ones actually exist.
More Than You Know: Finding Financial Wisdom in Unconventional Places
A must read.
The Little Book of Behavioral Investing: How not to be your own worst enemy
…will enable you to identify and eliminate behavioral traits that can hinder your investment endeavors and show you how to go about achieving superior returns in the process.
Morals and Markets: an Evolutionary Account of the Modern World
Economist and evolutionary game theorist Daniel Friedman demonstrates that our moral codes and our market systems-while often in conflict-are really devices evolved to achieve similar ends, and that society functions best when morals and markets are in balance with each other.
Heuristics and Biases: The Psychology of Intuitive Judgement
When are people’s judgments prone to bias, and what is responsible for their biases? This book compiles psychologists’ best attempts to answer these important questions.
Moral Sentiments and Material Interests: the Foundations of Cooperation in Economic Life
“This book presents social science at its interdisciplinary best: an exhilarating mix of game theory, evolutionary biology, experimental economics, cultural anthropology, grammatology, and policy analysis. It will change our views of how biology and culture together determine social behavior.” —Daniel Kahneman
The Bounds of Reason: Game Theory and the Unification of the Behavioral Sciences
Game theory alone cannot fully explain human behavior and should instead complement other key concepts championed by the behavioral disciplines. Herbert Gintis shows that just as game theory without broader social theory is merely technical bravado, so social theory without game theory is a handicapped enterprise.
The Methodology of Experimental Economics
This book provides the first comprehensive analysis and critical discussion of the methodology of experimental economics, written by a philosopher of science with expertise in the field.
The Handbook of Experimental Economics
…presents a comprehensive critical survey of the results and methods of laboratory experiments in economics.
Thinking and Deciding
has established itself as the required text and important reference work for students and scholars of human cognition and rationality.
Judgement Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases
This volume is an important collection of papers, with relevance to anyone working in fields where decision-making is at the core. This is THE book.
Choices, Values, and Frames
…presents an empirical and theoretical challenge to classical utility theory, offering prospect theory as an alternative framework. Extensions and applications to diverse economic phenomena and to studies of consumer behavior are discussed. The book also elaborates on framing effects and other demonstrations that preferences are constructed in context, and it develops new approaches to the standard view of choice-based utility.
The Construction of Preference
When asked to make a decision, people often don’t really know what they want; they must construct their preferences ‘on the spot’. This book describes the concept of preference construction, tracing the blossoming of this idea within psychology, economics, marketing, law, and environmental policy.
Behavioural Finance: Insights into Irrational Minds and Markets
A good introduction.
Value Investing: Tools and Techniques for Intelligent Investment
why everything you learnt at business school is wrong
A Short History of Financial Euphoria
In this small but witty and well-crafted book, Galbraith chronicles the major speculative episodes, from the seventeenth-century tulipmania to the junk-bond follies of the eighties.
Manias, Panics, and Crashes
…an engaging and entertaining account of the way that mismanagement of money and credit has led to financial explosions over the centuries. Covering such topics as the history and anatomy of crises, speculative manias, and the lender of last resort, this book puts the turbulence of the financial world in perspective.
Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation
A must read.
Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism
Akerlof and Shiller reassert the necessity of an active government role in economic policymaking by recovering the idea of animal spirits, a term John Maynard Keynes used to describe the gloom and despondence that led to the Great Depression and the changing psychology that accompanied recovery. Like Keynes, Akerlof and Shiller know that managing these animal spirits requires the steady hand of government–simply allowing markets to work won’t do it. In rebuilding the case for a more robust, behaviorally informed Keynesianism, they detail the most pervasive effects of animal spirits in contemporary economic life–such as confidence, fear, bad faith, corruption, a concern for fairness, and the stories we tell ourselves about our economic fortunes–and show how Reaganomics, Thatcherism, and the rational expectations revolution failed to account for them.
Discover Your Inner Economist
An engaging narrator, Cowen offers idiosyncratic strategies for appreciating museum art, for building family trust and cooperation, for writing a personal ad, for reading classic novels that seem boring on first inspection, for surviving torture, for properly practicing self-deception and for most effectively giving to beggars in Calcutta.
Additions to the list in 2011
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities—and also the faults and biases—of fast thinking, and reveals the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and behavior. The impact of loss aversion and overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the challenges of properly framing risks at work and at home, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning the next vacation—each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems work together to shape our judgments and decisions.
Everything Is Obvious: *Once You Know the Answer
“Every once in a while, a book comes along that forces us to re-examine what we know and how we know it. This is one of those books. And while it is not always pleasurable to realize the many ways in which we are wrong, it is useful to figure out the cases where our intuitions fail us.”—Dan Ariely
Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value (and How to Take Advantage of It)
Poundstone dives into the latest psychological findings to investigate how and why prices are allocated.
Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious
Wilson attempts to explain why there’s so much about ourselves that we fail to understand, which can lead to misdirected anger.
Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit
“… a lively, engaging read that also makes a bold argument about the role of lying in our lives”
Ulysses Unbound: Studies in Rationality, Precommitment, and Constraints
This provocative book argues that, very often, people may benefit from being constrained in their options or from being ignorant.
What Investors Really Want: Know What Drives Investor Behavior and Make Smarter Financial Decisions
“We all share behavioral traits that are major roadblocks to intelligent financial decisions. Bottom line: if you really want to achieve investment success, understand yourself and eliminate or minimize these traits. This book will help you do exactly that.”—John C. Bogle
Prospect Theory: For Risk and Ambiguity
“This masterful survey of major theories of choice and of their implications for measurement represents two decades of research and teaching by a flawless perfectionist. Wakker’s view of the field is scholarly, coherent and deeply personal.”—Daniel Kahneman
Utility of Gains and Losses: Measurement-Theoretical and Experimental Approaches
…provides a penetrating analysis of the axioms underlying human choice theory and a thorough review of the evidence. Most importantly, he illustrates the process of decomposing theories into testable properties that become the building blocks for better theories. His relentless desire to reformulate theories in response to evidence is what makes this an extraordinary book by an extraordinary scientist.World’s most violent cities
are in Latin America,
South Africa and the USA
13 May 2016: Latin America's cities are the most dangerous in the world. Drug trafficking, gang wars, political instability, corruption, and poverty are the main causes of the continent’s extreme urban violence. Residents of cities in Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia are particularly at risk of being caught up in battles between warring gangs. Outside Latin America, US cities like St Louis and Baltimore as well as the South African cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg have also witnessed an increased number of homicides.
With almost 4,000 murders in 2015, the Venezuelan capital Caracas is the most violent city in the world. San Pedro Sula (Honduras), which occupied the top spot in 2014, drops one place, while San Salvador (El Salvador) moves up from 27th to 3rd place. Overall, out of the 50 most violent cities in the world, 41 are located in Latin America. Four (St Louis, Baltimore, Detroit, New Orleans) are from the US. The South African cities of Cape Town, Durban, Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg complete the top 50.
Violent deaths in Venezuela may actually be considerably higher. Extrajudicial killings by the police and indeed any deaths involving police shootouts are not included in the government's homicide count for 2016, which also excludes deaths of unknown intent. The NGOs Venezuelan Violence Observatory and Human Rights Watch allege that attempts by the police to break down powerful gangs have led to extrajudicial killings and a steady stream of complaints about human rights abuses. Analysts from Venezuelan Politics and Human Rights also suggest that criminal gangs may have become more organised and ruthless in the face of repressing policing.
While violence in Venezuela’s urban areas has increased considerably in recent years, some Latin American cities have been able to reduce violent crime. Belo Horizonte (Brazil); Medellin and Cucuta (Colombia); Chihuahua, Cuernavaca, Juarez, Nuevo Laredo and Torreon (Mexico) are no longer among the 50 most violent cities in the world. The success of Juarez on the US-Mexican border is particularly remarkable. Featured in the documentary ‘8 Murders a Day’, the city, which between 2008 and 2010 became infamous as the murder capital of the world and whose annual murder rate per 100,000 residents regularly surpassed 220, is now considered a relatively safe city which is attracting increasing numbers of tourists.
The 50 most violent
cities in the world
Rank (2014 rankings in brackets) City Country No of homicides City population Murder rate (HTIs*) 1 (2) Caracas Venezuela 3,946 3,292,000 120 2 (1) San Pedro Sula Honduras 885 797,000 111 3 (27) San Salvador El Salvador 1,918 1,767,000 109 4 (3) Acapulco Mexico 903 862,000 105 5 (-) Maturín Venezuela 505 584,000 86 6 (6) Distrito Central Honduras 882 1,200,000 74 7 (50) Valencia Venezuela 1,125 1,556,000 72 8 (11) Palmira Colombia 216 305,000 71 9 (20) Cape Town South Africa 2,451 3,740,000 66 10 (4) Cali Colombia 1,523 2,370,000 64 11 (17) Ciudad Guayana Venezuela 547 878,000 62 12 (7) Fortaleza Brazil 2,422 3,985,000 61 13 (12) Natal Brazil 921 1,518,000 61 14 (13) Salvador Brazil 1,996 3,292,000 61 15 (45) St Louis USA 188 317,000 59 16 (9) João Pessoa Brazil 643 1,101,000 58 17 (16) Culiacán Mexico 518 924,000 56 18 (5) Maceió Brazil 564 1,014,000 56 19 (36) Baltimore USA 343 624,000 55 20 (10) Barquisimeto Venezuela 719 1,308,000 55 21 (15) São Luís Brazil 802 1,512,000 53 22 (29) Cuiabá Brazil 412 849,000 49 23 (31) Manaus Brazil 985 2,058,000 48 24 (-) Cumaná Venezuela 199 417,000 48 25 (8) Guatemala City Guatemala 1,528 3,239,000 47 26 (23) Belém Brazil 1,101 2,402,000 46 27 (-) Feira de Santana Brazil 281 618,000 45 28 (24) Detroit USA 295 672,000 44 29 (-) Aparecida (Goiânia) Brazil 847 1,953,000 43 30 (-) Teresina Brazil 360 844,000 41 31 (14) Vitoria Brazil 802 1,910,000 42 32 (26) New Orleans USA 164 395,710 41 33 (19) Kingston Jamaica 492 1,196,000 41 34 (-) Gran Barcelona Venezuela 334 833,000 40 35 (47) Tijuana Mexico 668 1,709,000 39 36 (14) Vitória da Conquista Brazil 132 343,000 38 37 (39) Recife Brazil 1,492 3,914,000 38 38 (46) Aracaju Brazil 349 926,000 38 39 (-) Campos dos Goytacazes Brazil 175 484,000 36 40 (25) Campina Grande Brazil 146 405,000 36 41 (48) Durban South Africa 1,237 3,442,000 36 42 (41) Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa 413 1,152,000 36 43 (-) Porto Alegre Brazil 1,479 4,259,000 35 44 (-) Curitiba Brazil 1,121 3,230,000 35 45 (34) Pereira Colombia 153 470,000 33 46 (22) Victoria Mexico 107 351,000 31 47 (-) Johannesburg South Africa 1,344 4,435,000 30 48 (40) Macapá Brazil 138 456,000 30 49 (42) Maracaibo Venezuela 477 1,653,000 29 50 (-) Obregón Mexico 90 318,000 28
*The Mexican NGO Consejo Ciudadano para la Seguridad Publica y la Justicia (CCSP) researches murder rates in the world. The rate of murder (homicidio doloso) is expressed as a figure per 100,000 inhabitants (of a city or country) in a year (abbreviated here as HTI): i.e. 50/100,000 or 50/HTI.
Follow @City_MayorsFaith writer Jonathan Merritt is the Paul Ryan of homophobes – an ambitious, not very bright self-promoter who has cottoned on to the media's desperation for "balance" and has made a handsome career out of it. When some Christian fanatic rails that gay people should be thrown in jail or penned behind electric fences, you can count on the tsk-tsking Merritt to serve as the polite face of bigotry. Just because gay people face eternal damnation doesn't mean we all can't get along!
So in the midst of the debate surrounding the bigotry of the Chick-fil-A president, he must have seemed like a godsend to the Atlantic's editors, who published his op-ed defending the good old American way of non-ideological fast-food consumption. When it comes to gay rights, the evangelical boy wonder intoned, "we must learn to have level-headed disagreements". Self-styled moderates everywhere nodded sagely.
Thing is, Merritt has a taste for both fried chicken and other young men. A few days after his Atlantic piece ran, an undergraduate ex-evangelical blogged that he and Merritt recently spent the night together. They engaged in sexting and a couple of steamy Skype sessions, according to the blogger, but the real action went down in a Chicago parking lot, fuelled by grocery-store Riesling swigged straight from the bottle. Merritt admits that the two had "physical contact that went beyond the bounds of friendship". The younger man doesn't give much more detail, though he does mention that "by the end of the night my lips were raw and chapped from his unshaven face".
Career destroyed? Not sufficiently. Merritt has made his own gay leanings, and his struggle to conquer them, into yet more fodder for the booming evangelical industry. And as for his paramour, the poor thing sounds troubled. He writes that he's "haunted by what I've done", and that outing Merritt "overwhelms me with guilt". Well, better that than guilt at being gay, like the untold thousands of lost, anxious young men and women subjected to the spouting of Merritt and others.
If Merritt's lover is haunted and guilt-wracked, that's probably because the act of outing someone doesn't fit with our contemporary understanding of gay identity, in which coming out is no longer a moral imperative but a personal choice. Once, gay politics was a communal affair – only by working together, as out gay men and lesbians, could we achieve equality and defeat homophobia. But today, gay politics has turned distressingly isolationist. Marriage is favoured not for public equality but for private privilege, and attempts to acknowledge the homosexuality of, say, the CEO of the world's largest corporation are met by angry denunciations from otherwise tolerant people: "It's none of our business."
Outing – a political act held over from a more radical time in gay politics, a time of Act Up and die-ins – is still with us, and still bothering us. Do closeted stars who make money off of their perceived heterosexuality merit our discretion? (On the flip side, should we even care when has-been celebrities out themselves to make a comeback – a strategy employed by everyone from Mika to Miss Cleo?) What about a strait-laced politician whose party supports discriminatory policies, but who is personally silent on them? Does discussing the sexual hypocrisy of an oil company chief executive make us more attuned to his ecological sins, or less so?
I don't pretend these are easy questions. My own view is that outing often does more good than ill, and that appeals to privacy reinforce the damaging belief that gay life belongs behind closed doors. But in truth, the only fair stance towards outing is a critical ambivalence. It's no good to insist that everyone must be out and proud, nor that we all have an unchecked claim to being left alone. You need to think hard, and act when it's right. When somebody isn't just living a closeted life, |
1944 due to the Allied advance.
The SS-Mannschaften (Auxiliary-SS) were not considered regular SS members, but were conscripted from other branches of the German military, the NSDAP, SA, and the Volkssturm for service in concentration camps and extermination camps.
Foreign legions and volunteers [ edit ]
Beginning in 1940, Himmler opened up Waffen-SS recruiting to ethnic Germans that were not German citizens. In March 1941, the SS Main Office established the Germanische Leitstelle (Germanic Guidance Office) to establish Waffen-SS recruiting offices in Nazi-occupied Europe. The majority of the resulting foreign Waffen-SS units wore a distinctive national collar patch and preceded their SS rank titles with the prefix Waffen instead of SS. Volunteers from Scandinavian countries filled the ranks of two divisions, the SS-Wiking and SS-Nordland. Swiss German speakers joined in substantial numbers. Belgian Flemings joined Dutchmen to form the SS-Nederland legion, and their Walloon compatriots joined the SS-Wallonien. By the end of 1943 about a quarter of the SS were ethnic Germans from across Europe, and by June 1944, half the Waffen-SS were foreign nationals.
Additional Waffen-SS units were added from the Ukrainians, Albanians from Kosovo, Serbians, Croatians, Turkic, Caucasians, Cossack, and Tatars. The Ukrainians and Tatars, who had suffered persecution under Stalin, were likely motivated primarily by opposition to the Soviet government rather than ideological agreement with the SS. The exiled Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Amin al-Husseini was made an SS-Gruppenführer by Himmler in May 1943. He subsequently used antisemitism and anti-Serb racism to recruit a Waffen-SS division of Bosnian Muslims, the SS-Handschar. The year-long Soviet occupation of the Baltic states at the beginning of World War II resulted in volunteers for Latvian and Estonian Waffen-SS units. The Estonian Legion had 1,280 volunteers under training by the end of 1942. Approximately 25,000 men served in the Estonian SS division, with thousands more conscripted into Police Front battalions and border guard units. Most of the Estonians were fighting primarily to regain their independence and as many as 15,000 of them died fighting alongside the Germans. In early 1944, Himmler even contacted Pohl to suggest releasing Muslim prisoners from concentration camps to supplement his SS troops.
The Indian Legion was a Wehrmacht unit formed in August 1942 chiefly from disaffected Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army captured in the North African Campaign. In August 1944 it was transferred to the auspices of the Waffen-SS as the Indische Freiwilligen-Legion der Waffen-SS. There was also a French volunteer division, SS-Charlemagne, which was formed in 1944 mainly from the remnants of the Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism and French Sturmbrigade.
Ranks and uniforms [ edit ]
The SS established its own symbolism, rituals, customs, ranks and uniforms to set itself apart from other organizations. Before 1929, the SS wore the same brown uniform as the SA, with the addition of a black tie and a black cap with a Totenkopf (death's head) skull and bones symbol, moving to an all-black uniform in 1932. In 1935, the SS combat formations adopted a service uniform in field grey for everyday wear. The SS also developed its own field uniforms, which included reversible smocks and helmet covers printed with camouflage patterns. Uniforms were manufactured in hundreds of licensed factories, with some workers being prisoners of war performing forced labor. Many were produced in concentration camps.
Hitler and the NSDAP understood the power of emblems and insignia to influence public opinion. The stylized lightning bolt logo of the SS was chosen in 1932. The logo is a pair of runes from a set of 18 Armanen runes created by Guido von List in 1906. It is similar to the ancient Sowilō rune, which symbolizes the sun, but was renamed as "Sig" (victory) in List's iconography. The Totenkopf symbolized the wearer's willingness to fight unto the death, and also served to frighten the enemy.
SS membership estimates 1925–45 [ edit ]
After 1933 a career in the SS became increasingly attractive to Germany's social elite, who began joining the movement in great numbers, usually motivated by political opportunism. By 1938 about one-third of the SS leadership were members of the upper middle class. The trend reversed after the first Soviet counter-offensive of 1942.
Year Membership Reichsführer-SS 1925 7002200000000000000♠ 200 Julius Schreck 1926 7002200000000000000♠ 200 Joseph Berchtold 1927 7002200000000000000♠ 200 Erhard Heiden 1928 7002280000000000000♠ 280 Erhard Heiden 1929 7003100000000000000♠ 1,000 Heinrich Himmler 1930–33 7004520000000000000♠ 52,000
(the bandwagon effect) Heinrich Himmler (establishment of the Third Reich) 1934–39 7005240000000000000♠ 240,000 Heinrich Himmler 1940–44 7005800000000000000♠ 800,000 Heinrich Himmler 1944–45 Unknown Heinrich Himmler and Karl Hanke
SS offices [ edit ]
By 1942 all activities of the SS were managed through twelve main offices.
Austrian SS [ edit ]
The term "Austrian SS" is often used to describe that portion of the SS membership from Austria, but it was never a recognized branch of the SS. In contrast to SS members from other countries, who were grouped into either the Germanic-SS or the Foreign Legions of the Waffen-SS, Austrian SS members were regular SS personnel. It was technically under the command of the SS in Germany, but often acted independently concerning Austrian affairs. The Austrian SS was founded in 1930 and by 1934 was acting as a covert force to bring about the Anschluss with Germany, which occurred in March 1938. Early Austrian SS leaders were Kaltenbrunner and Arthur Seyss-Inquart. Austrian SS members served in every branch of the SS. Political scientist David Art of Tufts University notes that Austrians constituted 8 percent of the Third Reich's population and 13 percent of the SS; he states that 40 percent of the staff and 75 percent of commanders at death camps were Austrian.
After the Anschluss, the Austrian SS was folded into SS-Oberabschnitt Donau. The third regiment of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (Der Führer) and the fourth Totenkopf regiment (Ostmark) were recruited in Austria shortly thereafter. On Heydrich's orders, mass arrests of potential enemies of the Reich began immediately after the Anschluss. Mauthausen was the first concentration camp opened in Austria following the Anschluss. Before the invasion of the Soviet Union, Mauthausen was the harshest of the camps in the Greater German Reich.
The Hotel Metropole was transformed into Gestapo headquarters in Vienna in April 1938. With a staff of 900 (80 percent of whom were recruited from the Austrian police), it was the largest Gestapo office outside Berlin. An estimated 50,000 people were interrogated or tortured there. The Gestapo in Vienna was headed by Franz Josef Huber, who also served as chief of the Central Agency for Jewish Emigration in Vienna. Although its de facto leaders were Adolf Eichmann and later Alois Brunner, Huber was nevertheless responsible for the mass deportation of Austrian Jews.
Post-war activity and aftermath [ edit ]
Following Nazi Germany's collapse, the SS ceased to exist. Numerous members of the SS, many of them still committed Nazis, remained at large in Germany and across Europe. On 21 May 1945, the British captured Himmler, who was in disguise and using a false passport. At an internment camp near Lüneburg, he committed suicide by biting down on a cyanide capsule. Several other leading members of the SS fled, but some were quickly captured. Kaltenbrunner, chief of the RSHA and the highest-ranking surviving SS main department chief upon Himmler's suicide, was captured and arrested in the Bavarian Alps. He was among the 24 defendants put on trial at the International Military Tribunal in 1945–46.
Some SS members were subject to summary execution, torture, and beatings at the hands of freed prisoners, displaced persons, or Allied soldiers. American soldiers of the 157th Regiment, who entered the concentration camp at Dachau in April 1945 and saw the human deprivation and cruelty committed by the SS, shot some of the remaining SS camp guards. On 15 April 1945, British troops entered Bergen-Belsen. They placed the SS guards on starvation rations, made them work without breaks, forced them to deal with the remaining corpses, and stabbed them with bayonets or struck them with their rifle butts if they slowed their pace. Some members of the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps delivered captured SS camp guards to displaced persons camps, where they knew they would be subject to summary execution.
International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg [ edit ]
Ernst Kaltenbrunner after execution by hanging on 16 October 1946
The Allies commenced legal proceedings against captured Nazis, establishing the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1945. The first war crimes trial of 24 prominent figures such as Hermann Göring, Albert Speer, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Alfred Rosenberg, Hans Frank, and Kaltenbrunner took place beginning in November 1945. They were accused of four counts: conspiracy, waging a war of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in violation of international law. Twelve received the death penalty, including Kaltenbrunner, who was convicted of crimes against humanity and executed on 16 October 1946. The former commandant at Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, who testified on behalf of Kaltenbrunner and others, was tried and executed in 1947.
Additional SS trials and convictions followed. Many defendants attempted to exculpate themselves using the excuse that they were merely following superior orders, which they had to obey unconditionally as part of their sworn oath and duty. The courts did not find this to be a legitimate defense. A trial of 40 SS officers and guards from Auschwitz took place in Kraków in November 1947. Most were found guilty, and 23 received the death penalty. In addition to those tried by the Western allies, an estimated 37,000 members of the SS were tried and convicted in Soviet courts. Sentences included hangings and long terms of hard labor. Piotr Cywiński, the director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, estimates that of the 70,000 members of the SS involved in crimes in concentration camps, only about 1,650 to 1,700 were tried after the war. The International Military Tribunal declared the SS a criminal organization in 1946.
Escapes [ edit ]
After the war, many former Nazis fled to South America, especially to Argentina, where they were welcomed by Juan Perón's regime. In the 1950s, former Dachau inmate Lothar Hermann discovered that Buenos Aires resident Ricardo Klement was in fact Adolf Eichmann, who had in 1948 obtained false identification and a landing permit for Argentina through an organization directed by Bishop Alois Hudal, an Austrian cleric with Nazi sympathies then residing in Italy. Eichmann was captured in Buenos Aires on 11 May 1960 by Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency. At his trial in Jerusalem in 1961, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. Eichmann was quoted as having stated, "I will jump into my grave laughing, because the fact that I have the death of five million Jews [or Reich enemies, as he later claimed to have said] on my conscience gives me extraordinary satisfaction." Franz Stangl, the commandant of Treblinka, also escaped to South America with the assistance of Hudal's network. He was deported to Germany in 1967 and was sentenced to life in prison in 1970. He died in 1971.
Mengele, worried that his capture would mean a death sentence, fled Germany on 17 April 1949. Assisted by a network of former SS members, he traveled to Genoa, where he obtained a passport under the alias "Helmut Gregor" from the International Committee of the Red Cross. He sailed to Argentina in July. Aware that he was still a wanted man, he moved to Paraguay in 1958 and Brazil in 1960. In both instances he was assisted by former Luftwaffe pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel. Mengele suffered a stroke while swimming and drowned in 1979.
Thousands of Nazis, including former SS members such as Trawniki guard Jakob Reimer and Circassian collaborator Tscherim Soobzokov, fled to the United States under the guise of refugees, sometimes using forged documents. Other SS men, such as Soobzokov, SD officer Wilhelm Höttl, Eichmann aide Otto von Bolschwing, and accused war criminal Theodor Saevecke, were employed by American intelligence agencies against the Soviets. As CIA officer Harry Rositzke noted, "It was a visceral business of using any bastard so long as he was anti-Communist... The eagerness or desire to enlist collaborators means that sure, you didn't look at their credentials too closely." Similarly, the Soviets used SS personnel after the war; Operation Theo, for instance, disseminated "subversive rumours" in Allied-occupied Germany.
Simon Wiesenthal and others have speculated about the existence of a Nazi fugitive network code-named ODESSA (an acronym for Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen, Organization of former SS members) that allegedly helped war criminals find refuge in Latin America. British writer Gitta Sereny, who conducted interviews with SS men, considers the story untrue and attributes the escapes to postwar chaos and Hudal's Vatican-based network. While the existence of ODESSA remains unproven, Sereny notes that "there certainly were various kinds of Nazi aid organizations after the war — it would have been astonishing if there hadn't been."
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Informational notes
^ Buchenwald, Dachau, Flossenbürg, Mauthausen, Ravensbrück, and Sachsenhausen ^ Not to be confused with SS-Sonderkommandos, ad hoc SS units that used the same name. ^ In an act of reprisal, upwards of 10,000 Czechs were arrested; 1,300 were shot, including all male inhabitants from the nearby town of Lidice (where Heydrich's assassins had supposedly been harbored), and the town was razed.
Citations
Bibliography
Further readingHello again!
Its been pretty quiet on the Fernweh front of late but we are back and raring to go! We are just back from spending 3 weeks in South Africa to rest and recharge and are back at Fernweh HQ truly inspired by our travels and excited for the coming months.
There will be posts of our African Adventure heading online soon, but in the meantime we thought we would share a great interview with Fernweh Adventurer Steve Gaspar, who took the time to answer a few questions we put to him about all things climbing!
Fernweh has been lucky enough to have some amazing followers and supporters from the very beginning of our journey, and we are proud to say that Steve has been there right from the start and we were delighted that he became our first sponsored athlete and the first ever Fernweh Adventurer!
We caught up with Steve before we went to South Africa, and chatted all things climbing and fitness, including his passion for route setting and hopes for the future.
We hope you enjoy! 🙂
(Pictured: Steve wears the Fernweh ‘NESS’ Backpack, and holds the Original Wax Cotton Boulder Bag, available online.)
Name: Steve Gaspar Hometown/Current Location: Los Angeles, California Career: Competition / Commercial Routesetter & Competitive Climbing Coach Instagram:@stevegaspar
How did you get into climbing? I started mountaineering when I lived on the East Coast of the USA. I never really ever considered the idea of climbing for “difficulty” or grade when I was growing up, rather the adventure and experience. I loved going on multi day trips that would take me far above tree line. I constantly found myself on exposed ridges and places that required all of the traditional climbing skills that I use today such as building anchors and belays, however I was never pushing my physical limits at this time.
What draws you to the sport? The sense of adventure, the beautiful places you find yourself, and especially the people you meet along the way. Climbing is one giant around the world family that you are a part of as soon as you start climbing. You can meet someone from across the world, but if you have climbing in common you could talk for days. Pushing yourself beyond what you thought your physical limits were is a pretty powerful feeling too.
Favourite thing about Fernweh? The quality of Fernweh products are unlike anything else on the market. Every single item is made by hand, and this shows in every stitch. Nowhere else can you find such unique, beautiful, durable products. /div> Where is your favourite place to climb? Bishop, CA – you can spend a lifetime exploring the boulders that Bishop has to offer, and when you want to tie in to a rope you have Owen’s River Gorge right in town. Plus, you are so close to Yosemite, and Tahoe. Joshua Tree National Park has some of the most spiritual energy that I have ever felt – it is pretty magnetic. The possibility for development in Colorado is pretty cool too. Just from a little bit of time spent exploring I have found world class granite that nobody had ever touched before! Tell us about a climbing adventure? I will tell you two. My first climbing “epic” was on Mount Washington about 10 years ago. Mount Washington is the tallest mountain in New Hampshire, however isn’t what any true peak bagger would consider to be a “big” mountain – at only 1,916 meters. What people note is the fact that Mount Washington is home to literally the world’s worst weather. Temperatures have reached minus 46C (only colder temperatures have been recorded on the south pole), and the world’s strongest wind gust of 372km/h have been recorded on this mountain. My partner and I were hoping to put up a new route in winter that would take an unclimbed gully north of the ravine bowl to the summit. Conditions were ideal, however 200 feet or so from the summit a snow storm blew in within about 15 minutes. We hunkered down for an hour or so before deciding to bail. We descended in a white out until we found a suitable place to set up camp. The storm stayed on us for two more days before we were able to descend (at this point the snow had lightened up and turned more into a freezing rain). It took us an entire day to make it back to our car where we then had to make the 6 hour drive back to Boston. I wasn’t able to feel warm again for two weeks, however we survived and I learned a lot about myself, and about the mountain. OK, next climbing story – one day I was drinking cold beers while laying in the sun on a crash pad in Bishop. End of story… 😉 If you aren’t climbing, what can you usually be found doing? I have a passion for fitness so if I am not climbing or in the gym lifting weights or doing some other form of cross training, I can usually be found working on my nutrition. I love shopping for healthy food, and trying new recipes in the kitchen – lately I have been experimenting with a vegetarian diet so I am preparing all sorts of different meat alternatives to ensure that I am getting at least 150 grams of protein each day on a plant based diet. Trying out these new recipes are what allow me to stay on such a healthy diet while not getting bored eating the same food every day. Tell us a random fact about you! I have a degree in guitar performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. If I wasn’t setting and coaching I would be on tour with a band somewhere. I find route setting to be a BETTER expression of my art that playing music. Hopes for the future? I want to continue to travel and set at gyms and competitions around the WORLD! I hope that climbing becomes an olympic sport so I have the opportunity to apply to be an olympic route setter. Oh, and climbing 8b+ would be nice too. 🙂 We hope you enjoyed our interview with Steve, and be sure to follow him on Instagram to keep up to date with his fantastic content and his journey within the climbing community! 🙂 If anyone has any questions they would like to put to Steve in later interviews, let us know in the comments! 😀 Until next time! Laura Fernweh UK Follow the adventure on social media : www.fernwehuk.com www.facebook.com/FernwehUK | @FernwehUK Go Further. Stay Curious.
Photography Credit goes to Zac Stamper and Katie Bay Woodbury.
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Philip Seymour Hoffman described his struggles with addiction in 2011 "60 Minutes" interview
Police are investigating the scene; an autopsy is scheduled for Monday
Law enforcement sources tell CNN that a needle was found in Hoffman's arm
Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his Manhattan apartment Sunday of an apparent drug overdose, law enforcement sources said.
Police said Hoffman, 46, was found on the bathroom floor and pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators found two bags of what is believed to be heroin inside the fourth-floor apartment, law enforcement officials said.
"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Phil and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone. This is a tragic and sudden loss and we ask that you respect our privacy during this time of grieving," Hoffman's family said in a statement. "Please keep Phil in your thoughts and prayers."
Hoffman was last seen alive at 8 p.m. Saturday, a law enforcement official said. He was expected to get his children on Sunday, but didn't show up, the official said. Playwright David Katz and another person went to the apartment and found him dead, the official said.
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A needle was in the actor's left arm, and eight empty glassine-type bags that usually contain heroin were found in the apartment, law enforcement sources told CNN.
The bags were stamped with "Ace of Hearts" and "Ace of Spades" -- street names for the heroin, the sources said.
Hoffman loved 'deep, dense characters'
Hoffman won an Academy Award for best actor for the 2005 biopic "Capote" and drew critical acclaim for his roles in a wide variety of films.
He was a beefy 5-foot-10-inch man, but was convincing as the slight, 5-foot-3-inch Truman Capote. He had a booming voice like a deity's but often played shlubby, conflicted characters.
"He just loved those deep, dense characters. That's where I think he found his true calling," said Bradley Jacobs, a senior editor of Us Weekly.
In Hollywood, Hoffman's big break came with a small role as Chris O'Donnell's classmate in the 1992 film "Scent of a Woman."
For years, Hoffman was the kind of anonymous character actor who earned critical raves but was often unnoticed by the general public. He used his abilities to take chances with such directors as a then-unknown Paul Thomas Anderson, with whom he worked in "Hard Eight" (and several ensuing films, as both became better known) and Todd Solondz ("Happiness").
"I think about that a lot," he told Esquire in 2012 of his anonymity. "I feel it cracking lately, the older I'm getting. I think I'm less anonymous than I was."
As an actor, Hoffman could be heartfelt and giving, as with his male nurse in "Magnolia" or rock critic in "Almost Famous," or creepily Machiavellian, like the gamemaster in the latest "Hunger Games" movie or a "Mission: Impossible" movie villain.
He also appeared in "Charlie Wilson's War," "Doubt," and "The Master," for which he was nominated as best supporting actor.
He appeared last month at the Sundance Film Festival, where a movie he starred in, "God's Pocket," premiered.
"He seemed really in good spirits, and it's just so shocking," said CNN Entertainment Commentator Krista Smith, who interviewed Hoffman at the festival. "Because, just looking at his body of work and knowing how many actors revered him and how they look up to him.... The one thing that was so special about him is that he crossed all platforms... Every genre, he managed to fit in and just be brilliant at whatever he was doing."
Beloved resident of New York neighborhood
Philip Seymour Hoffman arrives for the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' at the Nokia Theatre LA Live in Los Angeles, California, on November 18.
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But despite his love of performance, Hoffman was a private person who rarely spoke about his family, Jacobs said.
In New York's Greenwich Village neighborhood where he lived, it was common to see the actor riding a bicycle and walking his children to the public school they attended.
"He'd go quietly about his business with his children. I still remember the day he won the Oscar, him walking his kids to school, not long after. And people were giving him high fives," said CNN's Rose Arce, whose daughter attended school with Hoffman's children. "It looked like it really meant something to him to have his neighbors saying congratulations. It's shocking, and I know everyone in the neighborhood is going to feel like they're missing a friend, like a friend has died."
After his Oscar win at the Academy Awards in 2006, Hoffman thanked his mother for taking him to his first play.
"She brought up four kids alone and she deserves a congratulations for that.... And she took me to my first play and she stayed up with me and watched the NCAA Final Four, and my passions, her passions became my passions. And, you know, be proud, Mom, because I'm proud of you and we're here tonight and it's so good," he said in his acceptance speech.
Hoffman's father was a salesman and his mother was a family court judge, a biography on the Turner Classic Movies website says. He landed his first professional stage role before graduating from high school and went on to study acting at New York University.
Hoffman stayed active on stage even as his star rose in Hollywood. He starred in a Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman" in 2012 and was co-artistic director of the Labyrinth Theater Company in New York.
He is survived by three children and his longtime partner, Mimi O'Donnell.
Battling addiction
Last year Hoffman revealed that he had entered rehab to deal with a drug problem, telling TMZ that he'd kicked a substance abuse habit for 23 years but recently relapsed.
In a 2011 interview with "60 Minutes," he discussed his past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction.
"Anything I could get my hands on, I liked it all," he said.
Asked why he decided to sober up, he replied, "You get panicked.... I was 22 and I got panicked for my life, it really was, it was just that. And I always think, 'God, I have so much empathy for these young actors that are 19 and all of a sudden are beautiful and famous and rich.' I'm like, 'Oh my God. I'd be dead.'"
According to TMZ, Hoffman said last year that he'd fallen off the wagon, started taking prescription pills and slipped into snorting heroin.
The actor's public comments about his battle with substance abuse illustrate the struggles many addicts face, according to HLN's Dr. Drew Pinsky, an addiction specialist.
"Someone with opiate addiction, they are doing pushups their whole lives. And they must work on it all the time. And even working on it, there's a high probability of relapse. And God willing, they get adequate treatment, and they re-engage in treatment, and things go well," Pinsky said. "But often, it's a frequently fatal condition. We just simply have to continually remind ourselves of that. And now it has taken a glorious, glorious talent from us."
After he returned from rehab, Hoffman rented the apartment where his body was found Sunday, two neighbors said. The rest of his family lived elsewhere in the neighborhood.
'He was a giant talent'
Word of Hoffman's death sparked a flood of reactions from actors, directors, studio heads and fans.
"This is a horrible day for those who worked with Philip," actor Tom Hanks said in a statement. "He was a giant talent. Our hearts are open for his family."
Lionsgate, the studio behind "The Hunger Games" movies, described Hoffman as "a singular talent and one of the most gifted actors of our generation."
In a Twitter post, actor Jim Carrey described Hoffman as a "beautiful soul."
"For the most sensitive among us the noise can be too much," he wrote. "Bless your heart."
Robert DeNiro, who starred opposite Hoffman in the 1999 movie "Flawless," said he was "very, very saddened" by Hoffman's death.
"This is one of those time where you say 'this just shouldn't be. He was so young and gifted and had so much going, so much to live for.'"
For Mike Nichols, who directed Hoffman in his Oscar-nominated turn in "Charlie Wilson's War," there were no words, just grief.
"No words for this. He was too great and we're too shattered," he said in an e-mailed statement.
Police investigating
As fans and neighbors gathered outside the apartment building where Hoffman was found, police were combing his apartment for evidence Sunday. As part of the investigation, authorities are looking into whether anyone was with the actor when he died, law enforcement officials said.
An autopsy will be conducted on Hoffman's body Monday, said Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Law enforcement sources told CNN that detectives will track Hoffman's recent activities to see where he purchased what appears to be heroin.
Moving on the theory that Hoffman's death was a drug overdose, they'll now try to seek exactly where he bought it, the sources said.
This will involve searching his phone and trying to track some of his movements, the sources told CNN.
A federal law enforcement official said the "Ace of Hearts" and "Ace of Spades" stamps on the bags are familiar to law enforcement. They're among hundreds of stamps drug distribution crews use to brand their products.
Heroin use on the rise, authorities warn
Authorities have warned that heroin addiction is soaring and noted an uptick in the availability of the drug.
Last week the Drug Enforcement Administration announced a heroin mill bust in the Bronx, New York, after they seized $8 million worth of the drug.
The DEA has warned that people who are addicted to opioid prescription pills are now finding highly pure heroin easier and cheaper to obtain.
It produces a similar, if more dangerous, high because unlike the pills, there is no way to regulate the dosage of heroin, given the undetermined purity.
That's why investigators likely won't have to look far to find where Hoffman could get the drug, Pinsky said.
"It's right outside his house, I guarantee you," he said, "or somewhere nearby."Tourists from around the world are going to Colorado to get stoned legally.
"We have a flow of tour buses coming in every day now," said Toni Fox, owner of 3D Cannabis Center, a Denver dispensary with an influx of Japanese and Saudi tourists. "We even get charter buses from Texas!"
Fox is billing her dispensary as a "tourist friendly" destination. It has a living-room-style reception room and an 80-foot long viewing corridor with rows of windows so customers can see inside the marijuana greenhouse.
"You can literally watch the cannabis you are purchasing grow right in front of your eyes!" boasts the dispensary's web site.
Fox estimates that 70% of her 200 daily customers are from out of state.
In Boulder, the Terrapin Care Station recreational dispensary gets at least of third of its income from out of state, according to manager Jarrod Guaderrama.
"I can definitely tell that all the people from Texas, Georgia, California made this their vacation spot because of legal marijuana," he said. "They'll say they're here because it's beautiful and they're going skiing. They'll say right after that, 'Plus, there's legal pot here.'"
The Colorado Office of State Planning and Budgeting says the state took in $19 million in tax revenue from recreational marijuana during the first half of the year.
But the state doesn't calculate how much of that is from tourism versus local buyers, and hard numbers are difficult to come by.
Colorado retailers began selling recreation marijuana on New Year's Day, and in what may or may not be a coincidence, the state also posted a record ski season for 2013-2014. Colorado hosted 12.6 million ski visits according to a local industry group, up 10% from the prior season, but industry executives can't say whether legal pot was a factor.
Most ski resorts and hotels don't allow smoking, but there's a niche industry popping up offering so-called "420-friendly" lodgings catering to this segment of tourists. Some bars and music venues also allow smoking in outdoor areas.
Related: Want a job? Try the pot industry
Entrepreneurs from outside Colorado are also cashing in. Rick Moore owns a bus tour company in Dallas, and started running buses to Denver dispensaries after marijuana was legalized. He charges $400 for the 12-hour trip, which leaves on Thursday and returns on Monday at 3 a.m., and includes two nights in a hotel. Colorado tours now account for about a quarter of his business.
"Some people might try to bring something back, but I discourage it," he said. "It's legal in Colorado but outside Colorado it's not, so I don't want anybody bringing it on the bus."
He added that not all of his Texan tourists smoke weed, but they still want to visit the dispensaries.
"They just want to go because they're curious," he said.New York City FC have announced NY’s 529 College Savings Program as their Official College Savings Partner.
This partnership creates another strong connection between the Club and the New York community.
NY’s 529 College Savings Program and New York City FC will be hosting a writing competition this summer to give young fans the chance to win New York City FC tickets and jerseys.
In celebration of the partnership, NY’s 529 College Savings Plan is giving one lucky New York City FC fan two (2) tickets to see NYCFC take on the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, June 28 at 5pm at Yankee Stadium. To enter to win, fans must follow @NYCFC and @NY529Direct on Twitter and tweet using the hashtag #NYCFCTIX to enter to win. Winner will be announced today at 5pm EDT.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption One of Winnie Johnson's last interviews was with the BBC's Judith Moritz
The mother of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett has died without ever finding out where her son was buried.
Winnie Johnson, 78, died on Friday night after a long campaign to get her son's killer, Ian Brady, to reveal the location of his body.
Twelve-year-old Keith was abducted on his way to visit his grandmother in Manchester on 16 June 1964.
Mrs Johnson's death comes after police said they were looking at claims Brady had revealed details about his grave.
'Fought tirelessly'
Brady and his lover Myra Hindley murdered five children between 1963 and 1965 |
-meaning old man who didn’t mean to proselytize or to offend, and who probably doesn’t know (or had forgotten, if he ever did know) that I’m an atheist. Nevertheless, I object to the automatic assumption that I shared those beliefs and wanted to participate. It’s just that kind of reflexive prejudice toward religion that I want to dispel.
Daniel Dennett has said that religion has contrived to organize things so that you can’t object without being rude, and I personally felt the truth of that this weekend. But I’m convinced there must have been a more graceful way to deal with this, short of launching into a lengthy justification of my beliefs at the dinner table. Even now, I think, it’s not too late for me to contact them and explain some things. What would you have done in my place?Credit: Dominic Purcell
DC's Legends of Tomorrow actor Dominic Purcell was seriously hurt while filming the revival of his Fox series Prison Break in Marakesh, Morocco. According to Deadline, the accident happened Monday when a dislodged set piece fell on the actor's head. In addition to an unspecified "head injury," his nose was broken in two places. Purcell was air-lifted to a a medical facility in Casablance and is reportedly expected to make a full recover.
"I'm good. #thanksforsupport," the actor posted on Instagram. "Had a little accident on set. Haha! Back at work asap. Pays to have a thick skull when an iron bar falls on your #head!! mbusting it open severely also broke my nose in two places. Haha. I got a free nose job out of it...... Stoked to be alive. All good. #chill. Oh. I didn't get knocked out took a knee. Ha!! Doc said I have an unusually tough tissue fiber that's what saved me apparently. Thank god for my #Viking heritage hahaha!!!!"
20th Century Fox TV, who produces the show, tells Deadline that after a "brief stoppage when the mishap occured" that filming is still on schedule. Purcell is expected, according to the Hollywood trade, to return to the set "in a couple of weeks" to pick up all of his missed senses with the usage of green screens and make-up to cover any scars.Embed from Getty Images
After a year riddled with minor injuries and struggles with form, Jerzy Janowicz is into his first quarterfinal since Montpellier in February. TTI caught up with the tall Pole after his second round victory over Alejandro Falla.
Jerzy Janowicz is certainly one of the more enigmatic players on the ATP World Tour. The 24-year-old from Lodz kickstarted his career with a giant-killing run at the Paris Indoors in 2012, qualifying for the main draw before taking out a murderer’s row of Philipp Kohlschreiber, Marin Cilic, Andy Murray, Janko Tipsarevic and Gilles Simon and falling to David Ferrer in the final.
With his presence announced, it didn’t take long for the Pole to deliver on that Parisian promise; six months later, he reached the Wimbledon semifinals, hitting a career-high ranking of No. 14. But the last 18 months have seen the 6-foot-8 giant fail to live up to tall expectations; while he has made the occasional deep run at a tournament, he has been an early-event casualty just as many times. A foot injury complicated his preparation for the 2014 season and forced him to play catch up as a result.
Down to No. 51 and with a disappointing clay season behind him, Janowicz is glad the grass has arrived — a surface that suits his game far more than the terre battue.
“I think I’m moving pretty well,” he said on Thursday. “I have no problem moving on the grass; it’s a plus for me and also maybe my technique, which is pretty simple. I’m not using too much spin and my ball is coming very heavy to the opponent, so maybe that’s a plus.”
Janowicz left the 2013 US Open with an ugly parting gift in the form of a spine injury, leading to his withdrawal from several events that fall. In April this year, concerns arose that the ailment might be reemerging, and the 24-year old underwent several check ups on his back.
Two months later, the two-time junior Grand Slam finalist confirmed that he feels fine in body — it is rather the mental aspect that proves to be more challenging.
“Physically, I’m feeling really good; the only thing bothering me is my head,” he said. “I had some problems with my body and I’m just a little bit scared something’s gonna happen again. This is the only thing that’s worrying me.”
With those worries in the back of his mind, the first two weeks of the grass court season have done much to assuage lingering fears, leaving Janowicz optimistic when it comes to his on-court mentality.
“I was practicing really hard, and I was also working really hard on my fitness,” he said. “Tennis wise, I’m feeling ok and I think this is the best start to a grass season I’ve ever had.”
While the scoreline of his winning sets over Falla look fairly decisive, ease would be a deceptive conclusion to draw from the match — as Janowicz himself assessed after he came off of the court.
“The first and third set score lines don’t really show exactly how this match was,” he said. “He had a few break points, I had a few break points; so this match could have finished both ways. It was not easy to play against him because he is an extremely good grass court player. He moves really well and he’s solid as a rock. Especially on the return side, I felt like I’m facing the wall. Every single serve was coming back. So it was really not easy to play.”
Even though the quality of his serve placement dipped in the second set, the Pole was clutch when it counted, and was happy with the way he kept his focus.
Tactics Thursday on TTI: most notable pattern of play during crunch parts of 1st/3rd set of JJ-Falla. #GerryWeberOpen pic.twitter.com/XiSfqlNObH — The Tennis Island (@thetennisisland) June 18, 2015
In his next match, Janowicz will face the difficult task of playing No. 2 seed Kei Nishikori in what will be their first career meeting.
Notorious for wearing sunglasses on court, Janowicz found the lighting conditions on Halle’s Centre Court difficult to deal with due to the alternation of sun and clouds, along with the roof construction that provides some shade — but only in certain parts of the court.
“Definitely, the designer didn’t make the best job in his life! This roof is not perfect, especially when it’s sunny, because there’s a lot of shadows. So for me especially it’s not easy to play, tough conditions, so when there was no sun, it was no problem at all but when it was sunny I was struggling a bit.”
Although he wasn’t particularly impressed with the roof, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him change his tone come tomorrow. With rain scheduled for much of Friday’s forecast, an indoor grass court encounter might be exactly what the big-serving Pole wants in order to up his chances to of the upset and make his stay at the German ATP 500 event all the more successful.
What do you make of Janowicz’s chances on the grass this year? Sound off in the comments!
AdvertisementsThe Vikings are expecting to have a healthy Matt Cassel next season, but there won’t be a quarterback competition this time in training camp.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer hasn’t had a chance to speak with the veteran quarterback about his role, but quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will continue to serve as the starter.
“Teddy is the quarterback, there’s no doubt in my mind,” Zimmer said. “He’s the quarterback regardless of, I won’t say that.”
Cassel will be in the final season of a two-year deal he signed last offseason. He carries a $4.7 million cap hit at the moment.
He won the starting job over Bridgewater and Christian Ponder in training camp but suffered a broken foot in Week 3 against the Saints. Cassel was placed on injured reserve, prompting the start of the Bridgewater era for the Vikings.
As evident in his play, Bridgewater showed enough to retain the starting job next year. Cassel will enter his 11th season next year and hasn’t finished a season with double-digit starts since 2010 with the Chiefs. Barring an unforeseen injury to Bridgewater,
Cassel will turn 33 in May, and he’ll give the Vikings a solid veteran to backup and mentor Bridgewater in the final season of his contract. Bridgewater, for once, soldifies the quarterback position for the Vikings heading into the offseason.
“I think we’re fortunate in the fact that we learned an awful lot about Teddy this year and the progress that he’s made,” Zimmer said. “He’s still got to get a lot better to get to where we want to go. He’s got to improve in the offseason and things like that, but yeah, I think it will allow the focus to move to another spot, other spots, not one spot, but other spots, we’ve got a lot of spots we’ve got to get better at. I think that helps solidify probably the number one question that was going on at this point in time last year.”OCTOBER 5--A moviegoer was jailed early Sunday morning for battery after allegedly dumping a large soda on a fellow patron who asked him to be quiet during a screening of the horror film “The Green Inferno.”
According to Florida cops, James Wortman, a 44-year-old convicted felon, and his girlfriend were talking during the movie when Michael Denninger, who was seated with his wife behind the duo, asked them to “stop talking so they could watch the movie without interruption.”
Wortman, cops noted, initially quieted down, but again began talking with his girlfriend, prompting Denninger to again request silence. This time, Wortman allegedly rose from his seat and began yelling and cursing at Denninger. He also “took a full large soda and threw it onto Denninger,” an arrest affidavit reports.
Wortman and his girlfriend Jennifer Yancy then left the AMC Indian River 24 complex and departed in their car, which had been parked outside a TGI Fridays at the Indian River Mall in Vero Beach.
After cops caught up to the vehicle, Wortman said that he had been told to “shut the fuck up” during the movie. He claimed that when he got up from his seat, soda in hand, he “tripped due to wearing flip flops thus causing the soda to spill onto Denninger.”
Yancy, however, did not stick to the flip flop story, telling cops that Wortman intentionally doused Denninger after being told to shut up.
Pictured above, Wortman was arrested on a battery charge and booked into the county jail. He was released early yesterday after posting $500 bond. He is due in court October 27 on the misdemeanor count.
Records show that Wortman’s rap sheet includes numerous felony and misdemeanor collars, including four separate arrests this year. His 2015 docket contains charges for narcotics possession, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and battery on a victim over the age of 65. Wortman is listed as a lawn maintenance worker in jail records.
Directed by Eli Roth, “The Green Inferno” follows a group of student activists as they travel from New York City in a bid to help save the Amazon rain forest. Instead, most of the deserving collegians receive a first-person lesson in cannibalism. (2 pages)Some 3,400 years before the roaring torrent of the A303 road sliced the Stonehenge landscape in half, some people cut a beautiful pit a metre deep into the chalk with no tools except picks made of red deer antlers.
They may have had primitive tools, but there was nothing primitive about their skills: the bottom of the pit was so neatly levelled that you could balance a beaker of mead on it without spilling a drop.
As druids and tourists head towards Stonehenge for the winter solstice, which falls this year on 22 December, when the midwinter sun should set framed perfectly by the giant stones, Historic England archaeologists are hard at work teasing ancient secrets out of the landscape.
The newly discovered pit was immaculately cut to hold a huge wooden post. A neat trench links to a second equally impressive pit for another massive post: in the rolling chalk downland, they would have been visible for miles. The line of the trench seems to lead on towards the neighbouring field full of curious Waitrose pigs, under a later bank but carefully jinking to avoid an earlier long barrow.
But what is it? Phil McMahon, Historic England archaeologist, and his opposite number at the National Trust, Nick Snashall, laughed and shrugged.
“A gateway? A boundary marker? A palisade? The truth is we just don’t know,” Snashall said. “We won’t even have a date [that it was created] until we get the lab results back.”
“This is keyhole surgery,” McMahon said. “We’re throwing up as many questions as we answer.”
Stonehenge may have been first erected in Wales, evidence suggests Read more
Their survey – including aerial photography, ground penetrating radar, the study of centuries of maps showing now-vanished monuments, and excavations yards from winter crops and the pigs – is assessing the presumed route of a major intervention planned in the landscape, a tunnel to replace the present road. After decades of argument, in which traffic on one of the main arteries to the west has increased to the point that the road frequently becomes a fume-belching linear car park, replacing the road with a tunnel to the south of the present line has been included in the government’s five-year roads plan.
Tourists very rarely venture across the road – at busy times it is almost impossible on foot – but thousands of monuments, recorded and still to be discovered, including round and long barrows, linear monuments, burial mounds and ring shaped banks which once surrounded ponds, lie among the fields and clumps of woodland.
Many of the known sites have never been excavated, and the survey has also revealed some new ones, including two burials spots which may date from the iron age – laboratory work is continuing on all the organic finds – and a puzzling square enclosure which could be prehistoric, Roman or medieval, almost on the shoulder of the road. But the survey has demolished the claims of other sites. One presumed burial mound, which appeared from the air to have an exciting surrounding circle of pits for burials or ritual deposits, proved to be a medieval dew pond. The survey has also shown how intensively the landscape was farmed for thousands of years: one long barrow was completely ploughed out above ground by the time the Romans arrived.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, believes that this time the will is really there to solve the road problem: “I know my predecessors have said this before, but I do believe this time it is going to happen. It may be a bit of a cliche, but I really do believe we now have a once in a generation chance to reunite the landscape setting of one of the world’s most famous ancient monuments. The re-sited visitor centre has already made a major contribution, but the road was the great outstanding problem.
“There are still many questions to resolve about the details of the tunnel and where the portals should be sited, but I think the advantages of a tunnel of at least 2.9km, which is what the government is proposing, far outweighs the disadvantages.”
While broad agreement has been reached between Historic England, the statutory authority for ancient monuments, the newly split off English Heritage, which has guardianship of Stonehenge itself and the new visitor centre, and the National Trust, which owns thousands of surrounding acres of land, nothing happens at Stonehenge without passionate argument. Every move the archaeologists make is watched by the Stonehenge Alliance – a group that includes local residents, landowners, historians, druids and the Campaign to Protect Rural England – who argue for a much longer tunnel with the entrance and exit placed well outside the world heritage site (WHS). The alliance believes that doing nothing about the road would be much better than doing the wrong thing.
Kate Fielden, an archaeologist and member of the alliance, said: “The Stonehenge Alliance now has almost 20,000 signatures asking for no further damage to the world heritage site.
“It is extraordinary that archaeological evaluation trenching should be taking place within the WHS before any final decision on tunnel length, engineering feasibility and costing have been investigated. Our bottom line is that there should be no further damage to the WHS.”
McMahon and Snashall say the design of the tunnel, the portals and problem areas such as the link roads and the lighting of its approaches, must be “exemplary”.
“We can’t just let the highway engineers reach for off-the-shelf solutions – but if we get this right there is a chance of doing something which finally rejoins the two halves of this amazing landscape, and which can also set the standard for other ancient sites across the world.”Tura, May 30, 2017: The blanket ban regarding cattle slaughter across the nation has received mixed responses from different sections of the society and the decision has not gone down too well wit Meghalaya as well. With Meghalaya being one of the highest beef consuming states within the country, angry residents have come forward to take on the ban on cattle slaughter.
A visit to the cattle market in the town of Garobadha in South West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya saw many come forward to give their views on what most called unconstitutional and unacceptable.
Garobadha is situated about 30 kms from Tura and about 20 kms from the international border with Bangladesh and is also a route for transport of cattle to further reaches of the state. It is also close to the town of Mankachar in Assam.
Though the centre through the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rule 2017 notified by the central government, with effect from May 23, the same has failed to dither the spirit of the traders and buyers, who came out in large number to the market today.
When questioned, the traders stated that they were aware of the new rule but felt such rules would not have any ramifications in the stat even threatening to not allowing BJP leaders from stepping foot in Garo Hills if such rules were imposed.
“Cattle rearing is a means of livelihood for us. It is impossible for the centre to impose rules to restrict our trade. Nobody helps us to survive or provide us any other alternative to this and we eat and trade cattle for our survival,” said Dalseng Sangma, a cattle trader from Rangsakona.
The Garobadha cattle market is regulated by the GHADC with traders having to pay a cattle tax of Rs 100 and another Rs 100 as bazaar tax.
Local sources confirmed that on a weekly basis a total of about 500 cattle is traded though the number goes up to about 3000 during the time of Eid. Most of the cattle are meant for slaughter.
“I have been into cattle trade for 40 years now. People buy cattle at the market for different purposes but mostly for eating”, said Aminul Islam, a trader from Kakripara from South Salmara district.
The traders feel that the new rule is an effort from the centre to impose a controversial policy that will hurt the sentiments of minorities particularly Muslims and Christians.
“We cannot leave eating beef as it is a staple food for us. It is an important food and culturally very significant for its use in different occasions. Marriage is incomplete without beef,” said Sebun Marak, a local cattle trader.
He said that the new rule puts a lot of burden with paper work making it tedious and difficult to adhere to.
“Most traders are poor and illiterate and such a burden is not acceptable and the process itself is a way to restrict us from eating beef. We will never allow such thing to happen in Garo Hills,” Marak added.
The new rule puts an onus on the trader to furnish a written declaration that the cattle have not been brought for sale for slaughter. The traders say it is absurd, as people would buy cattle for different purposes.
“Cattle market in Garo Hills is not regulated and would be difficult for the traders to accept such rules. The traders are mostly middlemen and some of them are rearing cattle for the purpose of sale only. There is no import and export of cattle legally from Garo Hills,” said Mostafa Kabir of Anti-Corruption League from plain belt of Garo hills, opposing such rule.
“People in Northeast would continue to eat beef. Nobody will be able to impose restrictions on our food habits,” he added.
TNT NewsNew Zealand Politican Tweets How She's Violating Copyright Law Night Before Supporting Three Strikes Copyright Law
from the you-did-what-now? dept
Ok. Shower... Reading... And then bed! listening to a compilation a friend did for me of K Pop. Fab. Thanks Jay.
This is just bizarre. Andrew Dubber points us to the latest on the debate in New Zealand's Parliament over the draconian new three strikes law, in which people will get kicked off the internet after accusations (not convictions) of file sharing. Dubber points us to the speech from Parliament Member Melissa Lee discussing her support of the new law. You can see it here:All well and good... except the nightthis debate, she posted the following to her own Twitter account:Now, to be fair, in her speech, she does say she gets that sharing a DVD or a CD can be sensible. She even references the "Korean Wave" of k-pop and says that it happened(directly contradicting US VP Joe Biden's lies from yesterday ).In the end, then, she seems to have no logical consistency at all. She's happy to infringe on copyright when she gets to listen to good music. And she knows that infringement helped get artists attention and built up things like the Korean Wave of successful musicians... and yet New Zealand still needs to pass draconian copyright law to outlaw these things that she admits aren't so bad. Say what now?
Filed Under: copyright, melissa lee, new zealandSCOTLAND'S annual block grant is set to be cut by hundreds of millions of pounds in a knock-on effect from George Osborne's attempt to find £11.5 billion of extra savings across Whitehall budgets.
Politically, this will open up the Coalition to attack from its opponents in the run-up to the General Election, given that the savings will come in 2015.
A senior Treasury source stressed that it was, at this stage, impossible to determine the scale of the reduction on Scotland's £30bn annual block grant but admitted: "We are making spending reductions across the board. Yes, they will have an impact on the Scottish block grant."
The source pointed out how some of the bigger budgets, such as health and education, were being protected and that because capital spending for 2015 was due to increase, this would have a positive effect on the block grant.
However, he acknowledged that overall the impact would be negative and would result in it being shaved by "hundreds of millions" of pounds.
The Chancellor has made clear he is "pretty confident" he will not need to raise taxes nor further cut Britain's welfare spending to find the £11.5bn of savings.
Yesterday, he took to the airwaves to announce that he had reached provisional settlements with seven out of 24 UK Government departments, which have agreed to cut their budgets by up to 10%.
The seven ministries are Justice, Energy, Communities and Local Government, Northern Ireland, the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and the Treasury.
The seven are comparatively small spenders and the total cuts now agreed amount to just 20% of the £11.5bn total, meaning the Chancellor still has to find the lion's share of more than £9bn.
Asked if, by announcing the seven now, a month early, Mr Osborne was trying to exert pressure on other departments to agree to their savings, a No 10 spokesman simply said: "The process is on-going."
The haggling over budgets is likely to go on for some time, with one Whitehall insider saying: "This will go right to the wire."
The Chancellor also made clear that, in the wake of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich last week, he was "not going to do anything that is going to endanger the security of this country at home or abroad or the fight against terrorism."
However, he added: "That doesn't mean that you can't take a vast institution like the Home Office and look for savings."
The bigger spending departments that still have to reach a settlement include not only the Home Office but also the Ministry of Defence and Business.
While reports suggest Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith was willing to offer extra cuts of £3bn, the Chancellor indicated he was not looking for any more savings from benefits.
Mr Osborne said: "My central assumption in this spending review is... that we have already found billions of pounds of welfare savings this year and we have got to make sure that Whitehall is not let off the hook, that there are still substantial savings, better value for money, we can get for taxpayers' money out of the machinery of government."
Business Secretary Vince Cable made clear the Liberal Democrats would resist further welfare cuts.
"Simply taking more off people at the bottom end of the scale is not the right way to proceed," he said.
"The Liberal Democrats have said if we are going to look at entitlements, it's got to be people at the top that we start with."
Labour's Chris Leslie insisted Mr Osborne should be concentrating on "taking action to get the economy growing strongly between now and 2015" while the TUC's Frances O'Grady said the Chancellor "should be brave enough to borrow money in the short-term. This investment will pay for itself in the long term with extra jobs and growth".Two confirmed as joining militant groups in first six months of 2016 – but rate was much higher in Bush years, says intelligence assessment
Two more people released from the US prison at Guantánamo Bay joined militant groups in the first six months of 2016, the US government has confirmed.
A total of nine people freed from Guantánamo have ended up on the battlefield since President Barack Obama took office in 2009, according to a report issued by the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
Obama’s predecessor, George Bush, released far more detainees from Guantánamo and a higher proportion of them took up arms. Out of the 532 his administration let out, 113 went on to militant activities, representing 21.2%.
Abu Zubaydah, detainee tortured by CIA, makes case for Guantánamo release Read more
In all the Obama administration has released 161 prisoners from Guantánamo since 2009, including 17 in the first six months of this year, according to ODNI. Nine of them had joined insurgencies, representing 5.6%.
The report said the number of prisoners freed by the Obama administration whom US agencies “suspect” of having joined insurgencies dropped to 11 from 12 between January and July. An official familiar with the latest statistics said this number dropped because a freed detainee previously categorised as “suspected” of going to the battlefield had since been confirmed to have done so.
The US opened the Guantánamo detention facility in 2002, the year after the 9/11 attacks by Islamist militants on New York and Washington, to hold what it described as foreign terrorism suspects. Most have been held without charge or trial for more than a decade, drawing international condemnation.
Obama had hoped to close the prison during his first year in office. In February he rolled out a plan aimed at shutting it, but that is opposed by many Republican lawmakers and some of his fellow Democrats.
With ReutersCLOSE Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is acknowledging that the outcome of last week's election means that Donald Trump will fill the 9-month-old Supreme Court vacancy. Ginsburg did not otherwise comment on the presidential election Monday. (Nov. 14) AP
Donald Trump has a list of 21 potential Supreme Court nominees to choose from. (Photo11: Win McNamee, Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — They are overwhelmingly white, male and middle-aged. Most hail not from the East or West but from the vast midsection of the country — predominantly red or battleground states. Only half went to the nation's top law schools.
President-elect Donald Trump's 21 potential nominees to the Supreme Court -- the people he has said he will choose from, not just to replace Justice Antonin Scalia but for any other seats that fall vacant -- are straight out of conservative central casting.
When he completed the list in September, Trump promised to "appoint justices who, like Justice Scalia, will protect our liberty with the highest regard for the Constitution." He called them "the kind of scholars that we need to preserve the very core of our country and make it greater than ever before.”
Eleven are federal judges, all put on the bench by President George W. Bush or, in one case, by his father. Nine were named to state supreme courts by Republican governors. Four clerked for the Supreme Court's most conservative justice, Clarence Thomas -- twice as many as any other justice.
The average age of the 17 men and four women — including one African American, one Hispanic and one Asian American — is 53. That likely projects to a quarter century or more on the court.
Here's a look at the potential nominees, including key opinions and dissents that shed light on their jurisprudence. The 11 judges he named in May are listed first, followed by the nine judges and one U.S. senator added in September:
Judge Steven Colloton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit (Photo11: Jose Luis Magana, AP)
Steven Colloton, 53, Iowa
CURRENT POST: Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
BIO: Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2003; Law clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist; Yale Law School
KEY QUOTE: In re Lombardi, 2014, upholding use of lethal injection: "Without a plausible allegation of a feasible and more humane alternative method of execution, or a purposeful design by the state to inflict unnecessary pain, the plaintiffs have not stated an Eighth Amendment claim based on the use of compounded pentobarbital."
Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison Eid (Photo11: Jose Luis Magana, AP)
Allison Eid, 51, Colorado
Associate justice, Colorado Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Bill Owens, 2006; Law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; University of Chicago Law School
KEY QUOTE:Regents of the University of Colorado v. Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, 2012, upholding right to carry weapons on college campuses: "The (Concealed Carry Act’s) comprehensive statewide purpose, broad language, and narrow exclusions lead us to conclude that the General Assembly divested the Board of Regents of its authority in this instance."
Raymond Gruender, 53, Missouri
Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2004; Washington University School of Law
KEY QUOTE:Planned Parenthood v. Rounds, 2012, upholding suicide warnings before abortions: "The suicide advisory is non-misleading and relevant to the patient’s decision to have an abortion.... It is a typical medical practice to inform patients of statistically significant risks that have been associated with a procedure through medical research, even if causation has not been proved definitively."
Judge Thomas Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. (Photo11: Cliff Owen, AP)
Thomas Hardiman, 51, Pennsylvania
Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2007; Georgetown University Law Center
KEY QUOTE:Drake v. Filko, 2013, striking down a "justifiable need” limit on gun possession: "A rationing system that burdens the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right by simply making that right more difficult to exercise cannot be considered reasonably adapted to a governmental interest because it burdens the right too broadly."
Raymond Kethledge, 49, Michigan
Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2008; Law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy; University of Michigan Law School
KEY QUOTE: U.S. v. NorCal Tea Party Patriots, 2016, ordering the Internal Revenue Service to turn over a list of targeted conservative groups: "The lawyers in the Department of Justice have a long and storied tradition of defending the nation’s interests and enforcing its laws — all of them, not just selective ones — in a manner worthy of the department’s name. The conduct of the IRS’s attorneys in the district court falls outside that tradition."
Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen (Photo11: Cliff Owen, AP)
Joan Larsen, 48, Michigan
Associate justice, Michigan Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder, 2015; Law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
KEY QUOTE: Yono v. Department of Transportation, 2016, granting government immunity from liability for a motorist's injury in a parallel parking lane: "In common English usage, a parking lane is closer to being a travel lane's antonym than its synonym. To park is to stop; to travel is to go."
Thomas Lee, 51, Utah
Associate chief justice, Utah Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Gary Herbert, 2010; Law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; University of Chicago Law School
KEY QUOTE: Carranza v. U.S., 2011, determining that a fetus that dies in utero is a child: "Given that minor children have tort claims when they survive a tortious act in utero, it would be absurd to read the statute to foreclose such claim when the fetus is so battered that he dies in the womb."
Judge William Pryor of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit (Photo11: Cliff Owen, AP)
William Pryor, 54, Alabama
Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2004; Tulane University Law School
KEY QUOTE: Common Cause/Georgia v. Billups, 2009, upholding requirement that voters show photo identification: "The insignificant burden imposed by the Georgia statute is outweighed by the interests in detecting and deterring voter fraud."
Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras (Photo11: Jim Mone, AP)
David Stras, 42, Minnesota
Associate justice, Minnesota Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 2010; Law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; University of Kansas School of Law
KEY QUOTE: In re the Guardianship of Jeffers J. Tschumy, 2014, dissenting from a ruling, issued post-mortem, that a guardian can order the removal of a patient's feeding tube: "We are not a junior-varsity legislature. The parties ask us to decide a legal question that is completely disconnected from any case or controversy and to make a pure policy decision about how guardians should act in the future when making life-ending decisions."
Judge Diane Sykes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit (Photo11: Jose Luis Magana, AP)
Diane Sykes, 58, Wisconsin
Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2004; Marquette University Law School
KEY QUOTE: Korte v Sebelius, 2013, permitting corporations whose leaders have religious objections to challenge the Affordable Care Act's mandate that health insurance plans cover contraceptives: "We hold that the plaintiffs — the business owners and their companies — may challenge the mandate. We further hold that compelling them to cover these services substantially burdens their religious exercise rights."
Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett (Photo11: Cliff Owen, AP)
Don Willett, 50, Texas
Associate justice, Texas Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, 2005; Duke University School of Law
KEY QUOTE: Morath v. Texas Taxpayer and Student Fairness Coalition, 2016, upholding Texas' method of financing public education: "Our Byzantine school funding'system' is undeniably imperfect, with immense room for improvement. But it satisfies minimum constitutional requirements. Accordingly, we decline to usurp legislative authority by issuing reform diktats from on high."
Keith Blackwell, 42, Georgia
Associate justice, Georgia Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal, 2012; University of Georgia School of Law
KEY QUOTE: Pyatt v. Georgia, 2016, upholding a murder conviction: “Pyatt was among a group that fired at least three handguns, one of which fatally wounded Rhodes. The state was not required to prove that Pyatt himself fired the fatal shot, so long as it proved that he was a party to the fatal shooting.”
Charles Canady, 62, Florida
Associate justice, Florida Supreme Court
Appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist, 2008; Yale Law School
KEY QUOTE: Hurst v. Florida, 2016, dissenting from a decision requiring a unanimous jury to approve all findings that lead to a death sentence: "The only factual findings necessary to impose a sentence of death are findings regarding the elements of first-degree murder plus the existence of an aggravating circumstance."
Neal Gorsuch, 49, Colorado
Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush, 2006; Law clerk for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy; Harvard Law School
KEY QUOTE: Gutierrez-Brizuela v. Lynch, 2016, blocking federal immigration rules that conflict with judicial precedent until they can be reviewed in court: "There’s an elephant in the room with us today.... Chevron and Brand X permit executive bureaucracies to swallow huge amounts of core judicial and legislative power and concentrate federal power in a way that seems more than a little difficult to square with the Constitution."
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah (Photo11: Rick Bowmer, AP)
Mike Lee, 45, Utah
U.S. senator
E |
was injured while attempting to catch a 16-yard pass near the left sideline.
A side judge threw a penalty flag for an apparent unnecessary roughness on Falcons safety William Moore, but referee Walt Anderson withdrew the flag.
Martin lay on his back for several minutes before walking off the field under his own power. He said X-rays "look fine" and the shoulder is not separated.
"We're still evaluating what it is," Martin said. He said he is "not sure yet" if he would play in Thursday night's game against Carolina. "Just have to hope for the best," he said.
Moore sacked Mike Glennon to force a fumble on Tampa Bay's first possession. Safety Thomas DeCoud returned the fumble recovery 30 yards for a touchdown.
Glennon, making his first road start, completed 26 of 44 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns to Vincent Jackson.
"He went on the road and showed he can handle the pressure on the road," said Tampa Bay receiver Mike Williams of Glennon. "As a team, we've got to help him and make more plays for him."
PHOTOS: Cheerleaders around the NFL
Jackson, targeted on 22 passes, had 10 catches for 138 yards, including touchdown receptions of 59 yards in the second quarter and 1 yard in the third quarter.
Jackson's second scoring catch was Tampa Bay's first third-quarter touchdown this season. Entering the game, the Buccaneers had only 13 second-half points.
Tampa Bay was called for 11 penalties for 103 yards.
Following DeCoud's touchdown, the Falcons stretched their lead to 14-0 on Ryan's first touchdown pass to Rodgers, a 19-yarder early in the second quarter. Douglas added a 37-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter as the Falcons led 24-7 at halftime.
After Tampa Bay cut the lead to 24-17 on Jackson's second touchdown catch, the Falcons answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive which ended with Rodgers' 8-yard catch over the middle.
NOTES: Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan worked the game from sideline instead of the press box level, where he had been stationed this season.... Tampa Bay moved center Jeremy Zuttah to left guard where he started for Carl Nicks, who was out after undergoing surgery for MRSA infection. Ted Larsen started at center and drew a personal foul for unnecessary roughness in the second quarter.... The returned fumble recovery was DeCoud's first career touchdown.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.The campaign to secure an extension of the Metro rail line through West Hollywood got a major boost yesterday with Metro agreeing to take the steps necessary to start working on plans that would allow work on a northern extension of the Crenshaw/LAX line as early as 2020.
In a letter to City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath, Phil Washington, CEO of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, outlined several steps Metro is taking to make the Crenshaw/LAX northern extension “shovel ready” should county voters approve Measure M. Measure M is a proposition on the November ballot that would permanently increase the countywide sales tax from 9% to 9.5%. It is projected to raise $860 million a year, with $1.9 billion spent on regional rail and $29.9 billion spent on bus and rail operations. Horvath and Councilmember John Heilman are on a Council subcommittee working on the Metro project.
The steps Washington mentioned include completing a feasibility study that is currently underway by June 2017, proceeding with a study of alternative routes for the northern extension in 2017 and developing an environmental impact report on the preferred route in 2018. The extension would connect the Crenshaw/LAX line with the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station in Hollywood.
The northern extension has been part of Metro’s plan for use of proceeds from the Measure M tax increase. However construction of that project had been forecast to begin some time from 2041 to 2047, with other Westside projects such as a tunnel through the Sepulveda Pass and completion of the Purple Line subway to the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center projected to begin earlier.
“Investment in bringing Metro rail to West Hollywood is exactly what our community deserves,” Horvath said in an email to WEHOville. “I am grateful to everyone who made the commitment from Metro possible. This is great news for anyone who’s ever wanted to get out of traffic congestion and avoid dealing with parking. Not only is West Hollywood the most walkable city in California, we are also on track to providing yet another transportation alternative for our community.”
In a message to City Council members, senior city planner Joanna Hankamer said that completion of technical studies by 2020 would leave the northern extension of the Crenshaw/LAX Line “well-positioned to receive additional funding for construction. Phil Washington has previously identified the types of additional funding opportunities that would expedite construction, such as a local tax measure, state and federal grants and financing, and/or public/private partnerships…”
It is not certain that Metro ultimately will agree to route the northern extension through West Hollywood. Metro’s original budget for the extension assumed it would run from San Vicente and then along La Brea Avenue on WeHo’s eastern border to the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station, for a total of six miles. But Fehr & Peers, a consultant hired by the city, presented data to argue that running the extension from San Vicente to Santa Monica Boulevard for nine miles will better benefit West Hollywood and Metro by increasing ridership by more than 300%. Other options considered by Metro are running the extension from San Vicente to Fairfax Avenue and on to the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station and ending the extension at the Wilshire/Vermont Red Line station.
However, Horvath said she believes West Hollywood will have an impact on Metro’s ultimate decision. “West Hollywood will have a strong voice in determining the preferred alignment, along with the All on Board Coalition and other community stakeholders, during the county process which is now slated to begin mid-2017,” she said, referring to a coalition backed by the city that is lobbying for the extension through West Hollywood.A sign at the #NHRebellion march earlier this year in which activist Lawrence Lessig and many others walked across the state to kick off a campaign to get big money out of politics.
Nation Action is the political action blog at The Nation magazine website. The editors post initiatives that their readers can get involved with if they want to become more active on a particular issue. This week, the editors pointed to a campaign that RootsAction, Free Speech for America and The Nation are working on to make corporate campaign donations public information.
Here are some of the details.
Nearly 90 percent of Americans think that there is too much corporate money in politics. With numbers like that, you would think it would be easy to pass legislation to roll back Citizens United and end the flood of out-of-control corporate spending that has poisoned our elections. That has been far from the case. Just this fall, Senate Republicans blocked an attempt to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens decision. In the face of this federal inaction, Maryland could pass an exemplary bill next year that would make a real difference. This January, State Senator Jamie Raskin will introduce the Shareholders United Act, legislation that would require corporations to post all political contributions on their websites within 48 hours and would forbid corporations from spending on political campaigns and candidates unless they are able to prove that the contribution reflects the “majority will” of their shareholders. Crucially, if the majority of the corporation’s shares are held by institutional investors that cannot take political positions — this includes pension and retirement funds, insurance companies, universities and nonprofits — that corporation would be forbidden from donating to political campaigns. Because the majority of shares of Fortune 500 companies are owned by institutional investors, this provision would seriously hamper the ability of corporations to disproportionately influence popular elections.
Visit the Nation Action blog to learn more about this action »
To Read
In The Washington Post, Raskin breaks down his reasoning for introducing the Shareholders United Act and explains his plans for the bill in Maryland.
Get Involved
Interested in finding out more about the legislation? Campaign organizers are running a petition calling on legislators in other states to pass their own Shareholders United Act.
Watch Video
In 2012, Raskin and The Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel joined Bill to talk about how the uncontested power of the Supreme Court is changing our elections, our country and our lives. Watch now:The drama was the first TV series and video game to launch in tandem and was a $100 million gamble from NBCUniversal.
It's the end of the road for Syfy's Defiance.
The drama, produced by corporate sibling Universal Cable Productions, has been canceled after three seasons, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The futuristic drama, from showrunner Kevin Murphy and starring Grant Bowler and Julie Benz, ended its third season Aug. 28 with 1.17 million total viewers after notching a string of series lows. The overall third-season average of 1.12 million total viewers is down a far cry from both its freshman and sophomore runs. At the time of its debut, Defiance was Syfy's second-largest series premiere in network history and was a proven performer on Monday nights among adults under 50.
Syfy and UCP parent NBCUniversal made a historic $100 million gamble on Defiance when it debuted in 2013 as the first TV series and video game to launch in tandem. The experiment created the most expensive series in the cable network's history at the time with an equally pricey massively multiplayer online video game. The series needed both viewers and gamers to invest time in both in order to justify the franchise's future.
"Defiance was a truly groundbreaking series, delivering an immersive, cross-platform experience that transcended the television screen in a way that viewers had never seen before," the network said in a statement. "We are incredibly proud of the work of the extraordinary cast, writers, artists and designers — and especially showrunner Kevin Murphy — who together brought the rich world of Defiance to life over its three season arc."
The decision to drop Defiance comes days after the cabler axed Dominion after two seasons. The latter was part of the first wave of new orders to come after Syfy renewed its focus on science-fiction fare.
Syfy, meanwhile, has a robust slate of high-profile dramas coming, including The Expanse and Childhood's End — both of which are due in December — as well as fellow freshmen The Magicians and Hunters, both due in 2016. Its returning fare includes season two of 12 Monkeys as well as Killjoys and Dark Matter.
On the pilot/development side, the cabler has Incorporated, from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; David Goyer's Superman prequel Krypton, as well as Hyperion, Brave New World and 3001: The Final Odyssey.
"I got to collaborate with a group of stunning artists operating at the top of their game, and together we built a world. Because of that, there is no room for anything other than joy in my heart," showrunner Murphy said.I fear for the modern pitcher. Little League, travel ball, college, the pros—we are witnessing a revolution in the way that pitchers are grown, used, and eventually discarded, with results that look good in the box score but which claim the limbs of countless hurlers every year.
Injury rates are up across the board at every level of play, and pitchers are throwing harder today than they ever have before, such that a “60-grade” fastball of 10 years ago might qualify as a 50-55 grade now, sliding from plus to average (though not every scout has adjusted his/her scale, nor have they adjusted the scale in a uniform way). Scientific minds no less esteemed than Dr. James Andrews and the crew at ASMI have firmly established the link between velocity and injury, as throwing harder requires greater joint loads and effectively tests the limits of the human body, limits that are discovered only once an individual breaks down.
The results are perpetuating the problem, because strikeout rates are up, run-scoring is down (4.22 runs/game from 2011-15), and the modern ballclub no longer expects 7-8 innings of effective pitching, but rather 100 pitches of max-effort performance by one player, followed by a bucket brigade of 20-pitch flame-throwers. It's interesting how the term “effort” was considered a pejorative term to describe a pitcher's delivery for years, and to some evaluators it is still a red flag, yet the system that has been created is one that encourages such aggression on a regular basis.
It starts young. I used to tell parents that the worst thing that could happen to their child ballplayer was that he was really good at a young age, because those players are overworked by well-meaning coaches and endure heavy workloads at a time when their bodies are rapidly changing. These players are often hand-selected simply because they hit early puberty and physically developed ahead of their class, and such players have an easy time dominating fellow preteens while chasing dreams of Williamsport, though many end up on the operating table before they can legally drive a car.
The issue continues through development, as pitchers are subjected to the rigors of year-round baseball split between a cadre of different coaches, each with his own philosophies and techniques when it comes to grooming pitchers. The players just want to be seen, so they often grab at any opportunity that is presented, including showcases where the one attribute that rises above the rest is what that kid can coax out of a radar gun. The ones who survive the gauntlet are subject to the whims of high school or collegiate coaches, many of whom are much more concerned about their own reputations and the team's won-loss record than the health of any individual player (despite rhetoric to the contrary). Professional coaches at the highest level can't agree on a safe path of effective pitcher development, so we certainly shouldn't expect better from the coaches of amateur players, yet those coaches impact more arms in the span of four years then a big-league pitching coach might influence over a decade.
The litmus test of durability doesn't end once a player is drafted, but it does take on a curiously-different shape. Consider that Little League pitch limits state that a player can not start a batter at a pitch count higher than 85, so it stands to reason that 90 pitches is effectively the cap for these 12-and-under arms (though it's curious to choose a number that could escalate quickly if facing a batter with a penchant for foul balls). If that 12-year-old can survive the next ten years of wear to his arm, impressing enough people along the way and continuing to hone his delivery and stuff, staying atop the heap of pitching prospects while navigating the whims of countless coaches, then someday he might just find himself on a major league mound – where his pitch limit will be extended by 10 pitches.
Think about that. The difference in expectation between a 12-year-old schoolboy and a 22-year old big-leaguer is 10 pitches. That's it. And the way that pitch counts are used in today's game, there is little room to account for players whose optimal usage pattern might be 50 pitches every three days, or 70 pitches every five – they either fit into the 100-pitch bucket every five days or the 20-pitch bucket of one-inning relief, or they have little place on a big-league roster. That is not only inefficient, but it's negligent in terms of appreciating the differing physical capacities of the population of pitchers.
This used to be my issue with Pitcher Abuse Points (PAP) here at BP, as the numbers were only indicative in a relative sense, but it required knowing the player's other attributes to understand the danger inherent in workloads. 120 pitches for a 35-year-old Randy Johnson did not endure the same “abuse” as did 120 pitches for a 25-year-old Kerry Wood, yet they would trigger the same score for PAP, and though it was nearly impossible to account for this reality in the numbers, it was a known aspect that was dealt with by the teams. Fast-forward to today, and the indoctrination of pitch counts is so pervasive that there is very little leeway for those pitchers who can endure a heavier workload. There is also little leeway for those pitchers who struggle to hold up for the prescribed duration, and if they can't last for 100 pitches then off to the bullpen they go.
Kyle Boddy of Driveline Baseball summed up the situation well:
@drivelinebases Dae Ho Lee does — J (@JordanFCameron1) April 14, 2016
Such statements make me sad, because he's not wrong. The current reality of major league baseball is that velocity is king, followed by movement. Far in the distance, there's pitch command. I was trained under the reverse philosophy, that command is paramount in the hierarchy, followed by movement and finally velocity. At the National Pitching Association we trained all three aspects, but the emphasis was on command first and foremost, while velocity came after a pitcher was able to hone the basic aspects of their delivery, starting with balance. We knew that it was dangerous to train an unstable system to be more powerful, yet the modern emphasis creates a coaching paradigm that favors exactly that scenario.
There's no denying the impact of velocity. Increase the speed of pitches thrown and a pitcher effectively shrinks the time window that a batter has to identify the pitch, predict a location, and decide whether to swing. Scouts and coaches seek it for a reason, myself included, but the problems arise when velo is treated as the end-all be-all at the expense of pitch execution.
Whether focusing on velocity or command, the ability to improve is tied to pitching mechanics as well as training in functional strength and flexibility. The idea is to give a pitcher the physical foundation to discover the upper limits of his own command, movement and velocity. At the NPA, we had velocity programs, conducted velocity studies and created training paradigms to anchor on the safest ways to build pitch-speed; so we certainly didn't ignore velo. But it was a late phase of development.
Fact of the matter is that, from a mechanical standpoint, the contributors to command – such as balance and repetition – are not only different, but often in opposition to the contributing factors for velocity, such as hip-shoulder separation (which requires core strength and flexibility) and momentum, in addition to pure arm strength. It is tougher for a pitcher to contain a more powerful delivery, so we chose to emphasize the aspects that led to command in order to establish a physical baseline that made it easier to add power. Much of today's instruction has it backwards, teaching kids how to throw hard even though they lack the physical baselines to endure that strain.
More and more, I see a philosophy that seems to dictate that if a pitcher throws the ball hard enough and/or with enough movement, then it doesn't matter where the ball is going. And this works – in small doses – but overexposure is common and these pitchers are often their own worst enemy, walking batters by the truckload only to watch them score on a deep fly due to the pitcher missing targets up in the zone (if this sounds familiar, it's somewhat related to my disdain for the slide step).
I'm reminded of a Nolan Ryan quote that my mentor, Tom House (who was Ryan's pitching coach with the Rangers) used to say with regularity, in regard to how Ryan felt about the possibility that he was tipping pitches: “If I put the ball where I want to, they ain't gonna hit it anyway.” It's the exact opposite of the modern philosophy, emphasizing pitch command above all else, but of course it is also coming from the preternatural flamethrower of his day. Ryan was perhaps the ultimate example of what a human can do with a baseball, but he didn't appreciate the finer elements until he was in his forties (Randy Johnson was another late bloomer), having some of the best seasons of his career despite his physical prime being in the rearview mirror.
I grew up in an era of offensive domination, where home run records were being smashed to smithereens and chemical enhancements were making life exceedingly difficult on an entire generation of pitchers. Yet there existed a handful of players who bucked the trends, who put together elite seasons that would stand out in any era, let alone a time when 7-6 ballgames were commonplace. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens; these pitchers were able to throw hard yet sustain command and improve as they aged past the age of physical prime. These players had a much greater impact than today's arms are allowed—the modern-day Randy might be among us, but we would never know because he is capped at 100 pitches per game and 200 frames per year. Baseball folks sure do love round numbers, don't they?
It's interesting when thinking about what the radar gun represents. Debates have raged for years about the relative merits of scouting and sabermetrics, and though the consensus has evolved to appreciate both disciplines in the modern age, the audience has largely ignored the one instrument that ties the two sides together most seamlessly: the radar gun. It is the one true objective measurement that a scout has when evaluating players on the field. Sure, there are pop times and other situations where a stopwatch comes into play, but that data is subject to human error (when to start/stop the watch), whereas the radar gun is an unbiased instrument of a sport-specific skill; so it's no wonder that scouts love it. The baseball industry has become obsessed with velocity because it's the one part of the game that is measured on the field at all times… and it has been for years. The gun makes a scout's job easy—can you imagine the days of evaluating fastballs based just on the look and sound of the pitch?
The modern combination of pitch counts, workloads and injuries has stirred together a dangerous mix, and I fear the rapid demise of the long-term starter, the type of star that pitches well enough long enough to toss 3000 innings. There have been 134 of these pitchers all-time, and modern veterans CC Sabathia and Bartolo Colon are leading the active pack and about to clear the 3000-frame threshold, though both appear to be in the final stages of their careers and they may be among the last of a dying breed. I grew up with the philosophy that you want the best players throwing the most innings, but in the modern environment the best players are usually driven into the ground or under the knife, while those that survive are tethered by pitch counts and workload limits.
In closing, I want to apologize for instigating a depressing rant in the second week of the baseball season. I should be gushing about Noah Syndergaard or breaking down Vincent Velasquez's ruination of the Padres, but I have been overwhelmed by a peculiar feeling, like being caught in a whirlpool that drained into a sea of ruptured UCLs. I fear that we're heading down a dangerous path, but rather than walk with caution we're essentially running downhill—and if you've ever run downhill, you know hard difficult it can be to stop, that is without crashing hard. It is possible to breed successful pitchers who work over the long haul, but we would never know because A) pitch count limits are too strict for those players to reveal themselves, and B) we are stopping that development path in its tracks so that we can get 180 innings of 100-mph fastballs.
If Randy Johnson were born in 2000, would he ever see the light of the major leagues? Would he survive long enough to realize his peak? And would any team in the modern era allow that peak to last for more than 225 innings in a season?
I ask these hypothetical questions, and the answers are frightening.With each loss in this seemingly endless tailspin of a season for the Vancouver Canucks, comparisons are made to the last time things were this bad for the organization. That was 1998-99: a season that saw Mike Keenan fired, Brian Burke and Marc Crawford hired, Pavel Bure traded and ultimately led to the Canucks landing Daniel and Henrik Sedin in the draft. It’s fair to say that was the most eventful six months in the nearly 50-year history of the hockey club.
This season has hardly held such drama, yet the on-ice results are so similar. If misery does love company, these two versions of the Vancouver Canucks are a perfect match although it proves there is more than one way to the bottom.
The 1998-99 team finished 23-47-12 picking up 58 points along the way. This year’s team (aided by a few overtime & shootout victories) will finish with more wins and a few more points. Where this year’s team has struggled mightily on home ice (13 wins so far), the 98-99 Canucks were a disaster on the road going 9-26-6.
The struggle to score goals was a common thread between the two teams. Without the services of Bure, the 1998-99 Canucks finished with 192 goals (2.34 per game). Only the John Tortorella team of 2013-14 scored fewer goals in a season (191/2.33 per game). This year’s version has 165 goals through 73 games (2.26 per game) and is on pace to set a new franchise low with 185 goals over an 82 game season. The 1998-99 Canucks finished with a goal differential of -66 while this year’s team is currently sitting at -41 with nine games to go.
A 25-year-old Markus Naslund led the 1998-99 Canucks in scoring with 36 goals and 66 points. A 38-year-old Mark Messier – in his second season with the organization – finished second with 13 goals and 48 points while averaging 22:36 of ice time a night. Alex Mogilny finished third on that team with 45 points while rookie Bill Muckalt was fourth with a career-best 36 points. Overall, the 1998-99 Canucks finished with six double-digit goal scorers – the same number this year’s team has.
One of the biggest differences between the two teams is the fact that 1998-99 squad struggled to score despite Adrian Aucoin setting a franchise-record with 23 goals as a defenseman. Aucoin had 23 (including 18 on the power play) while Mattias Ohlund chipped in with nine and Bryan McCabe added seven. That year, the Canucks got 49 goals from their defensemen. The current crop has 20 goals led by Alex Edler with six. In all, the 1998-99 Canucks got 49+86=135 from the defense corps. This year’s team currently has 20+87=107 with nine games to play.
With the offensive ineptitude of the two Canucks teams, it should come as no surprise that both teams were blanked often. The 1998-99 team was shutout eight times including back to back games after the Christmas break that season. This year’s team has been shutout eight times as well, including the three straight shutouts earlier this week that were part of a new franchise record for futility. The earlier version of the Canucks averaged just 23.7 shots per game while surrendering 29.3. This year’s team generates more shots per game (28.6), but also gives up more (32.0).
In goal, the 1998-99 Canucks used three netminders – Garth Snow, Corey Hirsch and Kevin Weekes with Snow accounting for 20 of the team’s 23 victories that season. Weekes made 11 appearances after coming over in the Bure deal and failed to post a victory (0-8-1). The team save percentage that season was a dismal 89.5%. This season, goaltending has been the least of the Canucks concerns with Ryan Miller, Jacob Markstrom (and Richard Bachman) combining to stop 91.7% of all shots faced.
The 1998-99 Canucks used 32 skaters including youngsters Todd Bertuzzi (then 23-years-old), Ed Jovanovski, Dave Scatchard and Brent Sopel (all 22), Peter Schaefer and Josh Holden (both 21) and Matt Cooke (20). With the recent infusion of youth from Utica, this year’s team has used 34 different skaters so far this season. The earlier team was 15.7% (57/358) on the power play with Aucoin and Naslund the only players to score more than four goals with the man-advantage. That team was also 373/450 (82.9%) on the penalty kill. The biggest difference between the two teams isn’t the percentages, but rather the sheer number of times they were on both the power play and penalty kill. By comparison, this year’s team is currently running at 16.5% (37/220) with the man-advantage and 183/223 (82.1%) on the penalty kill.
While the current Canucks are in a free fall in the standings having lost six straight (0-5-1) and 14 of 19 (5-13-1), the earlier version finished on a similar run. The 1998-99 team won one of its final eight games, just three of its final 16 and went 5-18-5 in its final 28 games that season. Marc Crawford didn’t inherit much to work with when he replaced Mike Keenan 45 games into the season winning only eight of the 37 games he spent behind the Canucks bench.
Ultimately the fallout from the failure of that 1998-99 team was felt for a few years in this market. That season, the Canucks averaged 15,803 fans at their home games, but the following season that number dropped by 1200 to 14,649. The 98-99 Canucks missed the playoffs as did the team the following year and when the Canucks returned to the post-season mix they got swept by the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. The organization did not win a playoff round until they knocked off St. Louis in 2003 – the only playoff series the Canucks won between 1996 and 2007.
Of course, the silver lining to that dreadful 1998-99 season was the addition of Daniel and Henrik Sedin at the draft that year in Boston. From there, the Canucks began the long climb to respectability and then on to being a legitimate contender in the National Hockey League. Where this year’s team goes from here is anybody’s guess. The Canucks should land a cornerstone piece to their rebuild at the draft in Buffalo, however history shows it will likely be a while still before the young players on the current roster announce their arrival as any kind of force to be reckoned with.
Find out more information at www.canada.caApart from the odd setback like MobileMe or casting Ashton Kutcher in Jobs, Apple is generally synonymous with success. But the times may be a-changin' as a Palo Alto research company claims Apple Watch sales have become less than wonderful.
Using e-receipts from 2.5 million online shoppers in the US, the analytics company Slice Intelligence has tweeted a graph estimating that the number of Apple Watch sales has plummeted to under 5,000 units per day. A stark comparison from the 30,000 to 35,000 units per day the company was pushing in the weeks after its launch.
At the ReCode conference in May, Apple's senior vice president of operations, Jeff Williams, said that the Apple watch was selling "a lot, but not enough."
The Slice Intelligence data compares sales at the time Williams said this to now, which shows Apple was selling around seven times more watches on average than it has in the past month.
Rumor has it
Apple hasn't publicly commented on the sales of the Apple Watch and though these statistics are an estimate, they seem to back up last week's reigned in sales estimate from Wall Street securities analytics firm Pacific Crest.
Slice Intelligence claims that the company's data correlates with both Amazon's and the US Department of Commerce's sales figures by more than 97 percent, which does lend it some credence.
There's a chance the company may put the issue to rest and release sales figures in for the Watch when it releases its Q3 results later this month, although it could also lump the numbers in with the company's 'other' products.Pigeon Head Brewery dabbles in ales but focuses on European lagers
Northern Nevada’s newest brewery emerges from the old SPCA building hidden under the Wells Ave. overpass on Fifth Street. Not just any brewery, a lager brewery run by a brewmaster with 25 years of experience who plans to break the trend of Belgian beers and IPAs in the northwest.
“You used to come here to get cats, now you can come here to get your kegs,” said James Mann, co-owner of Pigeon Head Brewery.
In the tasting room, several wooden picnic and stand-up tables give drinkers a view into the brewery through a black chain-link fence. Eddie Silveira IV, “the brains behind Pigeon Head,” wants to put up bike racks inside and outside for cycling visitors and eventually build a patio.
The four-block stretch of Fifth Street between Valley Road and Morrill Ave. looks and feels nothing like its redeveloping neighbor, Fourth Street. The area near Denny’s and the Ramada Hotel consists of mostly car repair shops, a fire house, The Daily Bagel and vacant lots. But it’s on the list of Reno’s gentrifying neighborhoods, as that vacant lot across from the brewery will soon become an apartment building. Lucky tenants.
Eddie and brewmaster Lance Jergensen met at the Reno Homebrewer about six years ago when Lance needed grain for his company, Rebel Malting. Eddie’s ranch in Yerington, Nev. can grow up to 15 acres of grain so they formed a partnership. Eddie decided not to grow any this year, though, so he can focus on the new brewery. Instead, Pigeon Head’s base grain will come from Churchill Vineyards.
Pigeon Head Brewery Brewmaster Lance Jergensen fiddles with plumbing valves while transferring a blonde lager from the mash tun to the boil kettle. From left, Brewmaster Lance Jergensen, Eddie Silveira IV and James Mann discuss distributing with Cépage Selections salesman Aaron Underwood. Aaron is trying the keller brau on tap and said he’s excited to have a lager brewery in town. Pigeon Head’s first keller brau. Brewmaster Lance Jergensen said the brewhouse is too efficient, resulting in a maltier, slightly higher alcohol keller brau than he intended.
Lance started his beer journey at Crown City Brewery (now closed) at age 18. He immediately attended chemistry classes to understand brewing science. In 1992, he started as one of the original employees of New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, Colo. After 10 years at New Belgium, Lance helped open and run the brewery at Oggi’s Pizza and Brewery for two years.
Lance later opened his own brewery, Jergensen Brewing, which he and his family sold to a green tea energy drink company in 2010. During that time he occasionally worked with London Bridge Brewery in Lake Havasu, Ariz. who sold their brewhouse to The Fort Collins Brewery — the same brewhouse they just bought for Pigeon Head. At the same time, Lance also worked for the distributor Southern Wine and Spirits to bring the New Belgium brand into Northern Nevada starting in 2003. Next time you drink a Fat Tire, thank Lance.
After spending 11 months in Denmark to learn even more about brewing, Lance decided he wanted to bring clean, crisp, consistent European flavors here.
“When I landed in Europe it was like drinking silk water,” he said. “I want to prove to all those guys at Stone (brewing) and other yah-hoos that we can make awesome Pilsener beer in the Western United States.”
Lance assures me he still really likes Stone beer and knows the brewers.
Despite his 25 years of experience, Lance remains a quiet, humble brewer whose excitement and pride shows most when he talks about the lagers he wants to make. The brewery will open with a blonde ale, keller brau and the rye pale ale they used to test the new brewing equipment — don’t worry the test was successful. By the grand opening in late May, a Black Lager, Pilsener and India Pale Lager will join the list. Eventually, Lance plans to introduce Reno to some interesting European styles that don’t exist in the United States.
At home, Lance is making an old Scandinavian beer that starts in a hollowed out birch or aspen tree stump with a filter bed made from straw and juniper berries. Instead of regular brewers yeast, it’s fermented with bread yeast and turns into a heavy, unfiltered, 9-percent milkshake of a beer.
“It’s an acquired taste,” he said.
Lance also wants to bring a traditional Danish-style lager to Reno, something like Carlsberg, that’s made of 30-percent maize and 2-row barley. With most breweries making Belgian beers and IPAs, Lance plans to go the opposite direction and show everyone that it’s not taboo to put adjuncts into beer to make it taste better.
Lance, James, Eddie and his father Eddie Silveira III run the brewery together. Right now, three lagering tanks converted from dairy tanks and two upright fermenters barely fill the brewery, allowing Pigeon Head plenty of room to expand and experiment. In the corner sits a small bottling machine still wrapped in plastic. Eddie and James want to gauge what Reno drinkers demand before adding more tanks and bottling 22-oz. bombers.
“Once something is kicking ass, we’ll put it into Reno’s thirsty mouths,” James said.
The three of them believe in building Reno into a tourism destination for breweries and food. Like so many other business owners, they want to build Reno’s craft movement and make the Fifth and Fourth Street area into a Brewers District. By the end of 2014, three breweries and a distillery, not to mention many bars and a few restaurants, will live in a square mile of each other. And that’s if no one else decides to open up shop between now Christmas.
“A rising tide raises all ships,” James said, a phrase echoed by others of their ilk.
Pigeon Head Brewery Opening: Soft opening Friday, May 9. Grand opening end of May. Follow us on Facebook to find out when.
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday: Noon – 8 p.m.
Online: Pigeon Head Brewery online and their Facebook page
Address: 840 E. 5th Street, 89512
Updated May 2 at 8:45 a.m.: A correction was made to Lance Jergensen’s brewing experience to fix what year he started working for Southern Wine & Spirits. Another correction was made to the history of the Pigeon Head Brewery brewh |
morning as he sat in an old elementary school classroom that has served as the temporary mayor’s office for several years.
“It’s tough to lift yourself out of the hole sometimes. But we’re much better off than we were 10 years ago.”
Deirdre Fernandes can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @fernandesglobeTaking a page out of the NFL’s media playbook, we’re exploring the Minnesota Vikings’ roster to identify players who will “Make the Leap” in 2016. Since 2014, five Vikings have appeared on the website’s annual list, from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to wide receiver/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson.
For a team with budding talent at nearly every position, the options are endless. Some players, like Anthony Barr, are already considered some of the best at their respective positions. Others, like Stefon Diggs, have a chance to enter the conversation this season.
The Vikings Territory team made some surprising choices in this week’s VT QOTW, from singling out a certain third-year quarterback to highlighting a few under-the-radar names. After the jump, find out who we chose, and be sure to share your own selections in the comments and poll at the end of the post!
Which Vikings “Make the Leap” in 2016?
Carl: Vikings TE MyCole Pruitt
With Rhett Ellison a candidate to open the season on the PUP list, MyCole Pruitt will get a golden opportunity to see an expanded role heading into his second season. New tight ends coach Pat Shurmur historically knows how to get great production from his athletic tight ends. Pruitt is the most athletic tight end on the roster and is a natural hands catcher who was highly prolific in college.
His 4.58 40-yard dash time was tops among tight ends at the 2015 NFL combine. He is versatile enough to line up as an H-back in the backfield or split out wide as a receiver, creating matchup nightmares. Shurmur will certainly be excited to put his 38-inch vertical, his ability to catch in traffic, and his high football IQ on display early in 2016.
Sam: Vikings DE Danielle Hunter
As I mentioned in my list of the 10 Most Important Players to the Vikings’ future, I believe Hunter will eventually become a pass rushing force and a 10-sack minimum guy every season. He’s a freakish athlete who is a perfect fit for Zimmer’s system.
Yes, the team’s starter are set along the defensive front, but I expect Hunter’s rotational snaps to increase significantly in 2016, and think he’ll see time at both end spots and will be used as a standup rusher on occasion. The glut of pass rushing talent along the front seven will aid Hunter, allowing him to avoid double teams while offenses key on players like Griffen, Floyd, and Barr. I wouldn’t be surprised to see double digit sacks from Hunter in 2016.
Adam W.: Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater
I’m going to go ahead and cast my vote of confidence where it matters most: with our young quarterback. In Teddy Bridgewater, I see a great franchise quarterback that has the “it” factor required to do great things on the stage of the NFL. He seemed on the verge of breakout at times in 2015, stifled by atrocious offensive line play, and the Vikings have certainly made a point to try and improve (hard to get worse) that situation in 2016. That right there will be key to seeing what Bridgewater is made of, and I’m putting all my chips on “5.”
Austin: Vikings LB Eric Kendricks
Kendricks was at home in the middle of Mike Zimmer’s defense, thanks in large part to his well-developed abilities and familiarity with running-mate, former UCLA defensive end Anthony Barr. Though he started 11 games for the Vikings last season and led the team with 105 tackles, Kendricks still has room to grow.
Heading into his second season, Kendricks can build on the attributes — quick feet, recognition in coverage, make-up speed — that made him such a success his rookie year. It’s as a run defender, deep in the trenches, where Kendricks stands to improve the most. With his work ethic, it should be no issue for the talented linebacker.Unity’s principal designer, Timoni West, took the stage at the Vision VR/AR Summit to show a preview of their latest developer tool, Scene VR, to build games inside of VR. Just last week, Epic Games revealed their VR editor for Unreal Engine 4.
In front of a crowd of 1,400 VR and AR developers at the Lowe’s Hotel in Hollywood, CA, West donned an Oculus Rift with Touch controllers in hand.
She starts off the demo by just simply adding a sofa within the virtual reality scene. Using the Touch controllers, West shows us how she can interact with interface elements, access assets, and modify objects by just moving, dropping, or stretching them with her hand controllers.
At one point, West adds some artwork to the virtual scene and moves on to adding a giant whale within the environment as the crowds watches on in amusement.
The value of being able to build VR scenes while you are in VR is the ability to easily manipulate 3D objects and move them around more intuitively.
Although this demo is just a preview for now, Unity will continue to work on improving the experience and making it even more customizable – hoping soon that this makes its way into the hands of the individuals who will use it everyday – developers.Posted on 20th September 2016 | Freek Van der Herten
In the Laravel template that we use to kickstart all our client projects at Spatie, I recently changed the way we handle presenters. Instead of using Jeffrey Way's popular presenter package we now use simple traits. In this post I want to give some background on that change.
In case you've never heard what a presenter is, let me give you a crash course. Imagine you have a User model with a first_name and last_name attribute and that you need to show the full name of the user in your UI. Sure you could just code this in a Blade view.
{{ $user->first_name}} {{ $user->last_name }}
But that becomes tedious very quickly when you need to do this in several views. You could solve this by adding a fullName function to your User -model:
namespace App \ Models ; class User {... public function fullName () : string { return $this ->first_name.''. $this ->last_name; } }
Sure, that'll work, but when I open up a model file I do not want to see methods on how things should be presented in the UI. For one small function it's probably fine, but in a real life projects there will be many of such presentation methods. Putting them all in your model file itself will make it bloated.
A common solution is to place such methods in their own dedicated class: a presenter class. In the past we've used the popular presenter package by Jeffrey Way for our presenting needs. It's a very nice package, but there are some things that were bothering me. Using the package this is the way to call a method on a presenter in a Blade view:
{{ $user->present()->fullName }}
That present() part is kinda ugly. It would be much nicer if we could just call {{ $user->fullName }} in our view. But we don't want to bloat our model by adding a fullName function to it. This can be solved pragmatically by using traits. In most cases traits are used to dry up code duplication across classes. But in my mind it's perfectly fine to use traits to break down a big class in smaller bits. So in our case we could just make a separate presenter trait for each model that needs a presenter.
Using example above the UserPresenter could look like this:
namespace App \ Models \ Presenters ; trait UserPresenter { public function getFullNameAttribute () : string { return $this ->first_name.''. $this ->last_name; } }
namespace App \ Models ; use App \ Models \ Presenters \ UserPresenter ; class User { use UserPresenter ;... }About
The MazeScroll Series
PEN & PAPER PUZZLE GAMES REINVENTED (Meditative Puzzles for the Hyperactive World)
Are you old fashioned? Are you not ready to let go completely of the analog age and immerse yourself completely in the digital, virtual world? Do you love the pen and the paper? Do you like doodling? Do you like leaving a real mark behind? Then you are like me.
I love art and I love to doodle and I love pens and I love paper and I love pen & paper visual puzzles. And I want my cake and eat it too, so I created the MazeScroll Series, maze puzzle games that draw their inspiration from art. But more than that, MazeScrolls represent a new genre of games: the pen & paper dice games for multiple players.
The MazeScroll Series is a group of maze puzzle games in the form of scrolls. They are art, they are maze puzzles, they are interactive art. But even better than that they are group interactive art because most of the MazeScrolls can be played by multiple players.
In one of my high-school classes, years and years back, My friend and I starter a picture together as a project for the class. We got a large sheet of paper and we both started doodling on it. After a few minutes, we rotated the paper, and added more doodles to it. At the end, we had an abstract image created by two people.
MazeScrolls are like that. You can color in the mazes, as you also solve the puzzle, with you friends or loved ones. This is what I call interactive art. Not because the art interacts with you (that would require digital technology) but because the art helps you to interactive with others.
But MazeScrolls are also meditative. They force you to slow down. They allow your eyes to rest up from all the hyperactive movement that we are inundated with in the modern environment. When playing the MazeScrolls by yourself, you can think of them as your Zen meditation session.
But you don't have to play the Maze Scrolls by yourself. These pen & paper puzzles allow for group play because of their dimensions. Each MazeScroll is 6 inches wide and 48 inches long. When unrolled and placed on a coffee table or a dining table or a hard floor, four people can easily find room around it, two on each side.
MazeScrolls allow you to create new friendships, create mementos of existing ones, and create memories and art at the same time.
There are 8 different MazeScrolls in this series. Each one uses different graphics and offers a slightly different ways of play. But each one is inspired by art and by the maze puzzle.
So here are the eight MazeScrolls that make up the series. You can view short videos showing play suggestions on the Konokopia website at:
http://www.konokopia.com/pages/mazescrolls-puzzle-games.php
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MazeScroll 28, Galaxy Far, Faar, Faaar Away
MazeScroll 28, Galaxy Far, Faar, Faaar Away
MazeScroll 28, Galaxy Far, Faar, Faaar Away, detail.
A Galaxy Far, Faar, Faaar Away is a two-player game. It is a cat-and-mouse chase where Player 1 tries to find his way to the end while Player 2 tries to block Player 1 off before he gets there.
You can be the good guy chasing the bad guy, you can be the bad guy chasing the good guy, or you both can be good guys racing to the finish.
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MazeScroll 30, Perimeter Perplexity
MazeScroll 30, Perimeter Perplexity
MazeScroll 30, Perimeter Perplexity, detail
Perimeter Perplexity is truly a maze puzzle game for the whole family; or a group of friends, acquaintances, or even strangers. It takes advantage of the length of the scroll by allowing at least four people to comfortably gather around it, two on each side of the scroll. Each player can enter the maze anywhere around the perimeter.
The goal is to collect as many Golden Eggs (the big circles) as you can because the player with the most wins. But be careful, your opponents can "steal" your eggs from you, so they are not safe in your possesion until the last Golden Egg has been collected and the game has ended.
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MazeScroll 31, De Stijl (pronounced shtyle) Mile
MazeScroll 31, De Stijl Mile
MazeScroll 31, De Stijl Mile, detail.
De Stijl Mile might be my most unorthodox maze because it doesn't have any paths. You jump from space to space. But you have to follow the rules. This particular De Stijl Mile maze was created for one player play. The correct solution to this maze takes 100 steps to get to the end.
After I made this video, I realized that De Stijl Mile should be made for three players (or one player playing three times). This is because the De Stijl style of painting uses the three primary colors of red, yellow and blue (and black and white). So when each player uses one of these colors to play the puzzle, at the end, they will have completed a De Stijl art scroll.
Since this is too good an opportunity to pass up, I will rework this scroll maze during the campaign. It will allow three players to play.
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MazeScroll 35, Daedalus Treasure
MazeScroll 35, Daedalus Treasure
MazeScroll 35, Daedalus Treasure, detail
Daedalus Treasure takes place underground. While this may be one of my most conventional maze, I've added the extra wrinkle of the tunnels. The tunnels are paths that go beneath the paths. You only see the entry point and the exit point of a tunnel. But don't worry, you can't get lost in the tunnels. They don't branch out and they only go in straight lines from entry to exit points.
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MazeScroll 38, Lover's Duel
MazeScroll 38, Lover's Duel
MazeScroll 38, Lover's Duel, detail.
I got the idea for this MazeScroll prior to last year's Valentine's Day. In this two-player game, the players are meant to find each other. But I decided to also make this maze into a duel where each player's goal it to get to his/her opponents base first (Hence the name, Lover's Duel). And if you play the game alone, you essentially have two games in one. Your goal is to get to the base at the opposite end and then back without stepping over your path twice.
Important note: Lover's Duel is NOT symmetrical. I did not "cheat" by creating half the scroll and then reflecting it twice to get the other half. The whole thing was created from one end to the other end. This means that you can't copy your opponent's/lover's moves to get to them.
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MazeScroll 40, Daedalus Palace
MazeScroll 40, Daedalus Palace
MazeScroll 40, Daedalus Palace, detail.
Daedalus Palace was inspired by architectural presentation drawings. This maze has columns, walls, windows, stairs, two floor levels, different floor textures to help you identify the floor and what is happening below them, and doors. Most doors are open, but some are closed and locked and you have to find keys before you can unlock them and advance to the next stage. There are three different keys and there are three different groups of locked doors.
MazeScroll 43, Crossing
MazeScroll 43, Crossing
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MazeScroll 43, Crossing, detail.
The concept behind Crossing is simple: you have to hop over "stones" to get to the other side of a "stream". But instead of using dice, the game has a set of Rules of Movement. You have to follow them correctly if you want to get to the end. (Of course, the game can still be played using dice if you choose to do so. Though keep in mind that I did not design this game for dice.)
Crossing is another of the MazeScrolls that pushes the boundaries of the maze puzzle, both graphically and in play.
The Rules for Movement will be posted in an update. Also, I am creating a small, square version of this puzzle for everyone to be able to sample.
MazeScroll 45, Skritches, Skretches and Skrutches
MazeScroll 45, Skritches, Skretches and Skrutches
MazeScroll 45, Skritches, Skretches and Skrutches, detail.
Skritches was one of my most fun maze puzzles to create because it is the only one that was drawn freehand, digitally freehand. I think that it is also a fun maze to play with your kids or friends as a multi-player game. The video explains how to do it. And the finished, colored maze should look beautiful.
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Here are two of my MazeScroll Babies all bundled up. Aren't they cute?!
Sample tube packaging. The graphics for the packaging is not final but be aware I like minimalism. The tubes and the boxes for this project will not be glossy and colorful because the MazeScrolls are not glossy and colorful.
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Four of the eight different MazeScroll Squared puzzles
MAZESCROLL SQUARED, The Book of Bite-Sized MazeScroll Puzzles
MazeScrolls are long puzzles. Not everyone has the time to begin a maze of that size. And what if you want to do one in a car or take it with you to the park? MazeScroll Squared is the bite-sized collection of all the 8 maze types represented by the MazeScroll Series. But instead of being 48-inch long scrolls, each is an 8×8 inch square.
The MazeScrolls Squared book will be 54 pages long and it will contain 5 puzzles of each type. There will be a softcover and a signed hardcover versions. The hardcover will come with all the puzzles in a PDF format.
I say will because I got the idea for the book after I started the campaign. But this should not dissuade in any way for pledging for it. If the MazeScroll Series gets successfully funded, the MazeScroll Squared book will also get published. Check out the three sample on my website to see these Squares will look like.
MazeScrolls Squared will be a combination of a puzzle book and an art book. The book will show to the fullest the idea that I've been developing for a few years now. The idea of turning maze puzzles into art.
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THE REWARDS
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ADD-ONS
All of the rewards can also be treated as add-ons. Here is the list of prices:
each additional single MazeScroll is $8 ($10 International)
each additional set of 8 MazeScrolls is $50 ($65 International)
each additional MazeScrolls Squared softcover book is $20 ($25 International)
each additional MazeScrolls Squared hardover book is $40 ($45 International)
If you have pledg for a MazeScroll set and you also want the book, treat it as an addon and add the addon price rather then the actual reward price.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAZESCROLL SERIES
My first use of the scroll format.
What started as my first maze puzzle in the form of a scroll (a MazeScroll)...
... ended as my first illustrated story in the form of a scroll (a comic scroll or StoryScroll).
I created my first maze in the form of the scroll in 2009, after I graduated from college. I had a large roll of drawing paper, a leftover from my studio classes, so decided to do a maze puzzle on it. But as I was drawing the puzzle, I eventually got bored of doing a maze and I slowly transformed it into a story. (So far, I've created drafts of two StoryScrolls, Oomalooma and Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.)
Over the past two years, I've been developing mazes in this format as mood struck me. I've used different graphic styles and different lengths of scroll: 24in, 36in, 48in and 100in.
Recently, I've been thinking of trying to develop a maze board game and a board game in the form of a scroll.
My first "official" MazeScroll, MazeScroll 1.
Skating is one of my longest maze puzzle scroll. It is 100 inches long. Though long, the maze is not complex. My intention with Skating was to create a MazeStory.
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A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I am Maciek Jozefowicz, artist, illustrator, designer (graphic and architectural), writer, explorer and all-around-good-guy (unless you find me in one of "those" moods).
I love art and I've been doing art what seems like all my life. I love puzzle games and I've been creating puzzle games for years now. In addition to the MazeScrolls, I've created a maze puzzle in the form of a book, Labyrinthos. You've got to check out Labyrinthos.
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I also like logic puzzles. I (re)created the sudoku puzzle by creating two original variants: Visual Sudoku and Isogram Sudoku. I invented a new type of visual puzzle, Pattern Squares, because there are not enough logic puzzles for visual people. And I am in the process of developing some of the MazeScrolls into smaller square puzzles (you can download samples from my website).
But that is not all. As a person who breathes art (exhales art?), I also create art prints and sculpture and architectural models.
I've founded my own company, Konokopia, in order to offer as many of these project to the public as I can. So check out Konokopia and see all kinds of new things not found anywhere else on the web (or off the web).
Oh, I forgot to mention the illustrated stories and comics. I love comics and I've been developing a number of graphic novels, and the two StoryScrolls. (they can also be seen on my website.)
Below is a short video slide-show of a little of my work. You can find more stuff on my website.
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WHY AM I RUNNING A KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN?
I am running a Kickstarter campaign for two reasons. One reason is to raise the funds to help me print (manufacture) the MazeScroll Series. Because of the unusual dimensions of the scrolls, it is not economical to print them "on-demand". Larger quantities have to be ordered. Large enough quantities for printers to want to take on the job. Many printers either ignore small orders, or charge such high prices that it makes the manufacturing of unusual projects like the MazeScrolls financially difficult.
The majority of the money raised by this Kickstarter campaign will go for the printing of the scrolls and the shipping charges for delivering the rewards to all backers.
The second reason I am running this Kickstarter campaign is in the hope of finding like minded people who appreciate what I have created. There are no venues where I can show my MazeScrolls. The equivalent of board game and video game groups, publications, fanzines, etc., does not exist for pen and paper puzzles (or maze puzzles). So I am using Kickstarter for that purpose.
REINVENTING THE MAZE PUZZLE GAME, ONE PROJECT AT A TIME
MazeScroll Series is my second Kickstarter maze puzzle project. Labyrinthos was the first. Labyrinthos is a MazeBook. These are a MazeScrolls. I have four others in the works: the MazePoster, the MazeBoard, the MazeCards and the MazeJigsaw. Oh, and if I ever get around to finishing it, there is the MazeStory (an illustrated story that takes place in the land of Labyrinthos, where you choose where to turn to, and different choices reveal different parts of the story. You don't change the story by making different choices, you see different parts of the story by taking different paths and following different characters. It is a kind of a mystery story/game. I've already finished the initial 500 page draft.)Never again will I make any sort of quiche or egg-based tart without using ricotta! It makes the eggs ridiculously light and fluffy. The ricotta melts right into the eggs so you can’t really tell the two apart – you can just tell it’s like eating a cloud. Not that I’ve ever eaten a cloud, but I imagine it’s probably something like this. Perhaps a cloud is a bit wetter.
I will also never again make a quiche that doesn’t use filo pastry as the crust. It’s so much easier than making your own pastry – and it’s even easier than rolling shop-bought pastry! It gives a perfectly crispy crust but it’s still thin enough to make sure the filling is the star of the show.
I think filo sometimes has a bit of a bad reputation – some people seem to think it’s really fiddly and hard to use. I hear a lot of “if you don’t keep it moist every single second it will dry out and you won’t be able to use it and your cooking will be ruined! Ahhhh!” So not true. Here’s a little story about how ridiculous I am: I used the first half of this roll of pastry to make my spinach and ricotta strudel and then the rest sat in the fridge, very (very) poorly wrapped for well over a week before I bothered to use it up. Sure, it was a tiny bit brittle where it had been exposed to the air, but was it ruined? Not at all. The great thing about filo is that since you’re going to layer it up anyway, it doesn’t matter at all if one or two of your layers have a little tear in them. You’re actually encouraged to just slap another bit of pastry on top to cover the hole. Slapdash cooking at its finest. So don’t be afraid! Filo is easy really.
(plus it gives a perfect ‘rustic’ edge to your crust, and we all know how I like making things look rustic. Far less effort than making things look neat.)
I love how elegant this tart looks – it’s easy to make, but I think it would still be pretty great for serving at a dinner party. You could even make little individual versions to serve as an appetiser. It’s good hot or cold, too, so doesn’t give you any stress about making sure everything’s ready at the same time.
Look! Look at the fluffiness!
Anyway, I’ll calm down now while you go and fish that leftover filo from the back of your fridge. It can’t be just me.
Ricotta and tomato tart Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 25 mins Total time 40 mins Author: Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche Recipe type: Main meal Yield: 4-6 Ingredients 75g filo pastry
Spray oil (or a little melted butter if you prefer)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
125g ricotta cheese
Salt
Black pepper
3tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 large tomato, thinly sliced Instructions Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Lightly grease a pie dish (mine measured 9 inches in diameter), and cover it with a sheet of filo - press gently into the bottom of the dish. Spray lightly with oil (or brush with butter if you prefer), and add another layer of pastry - you can place each sheet at a different angle if you need to fill gaps. Continue alternating oil and pastry until your whole pie dish is covered with at least 3 layers of pastry (I think I ended up with more like 4). If you want, you can neaten up the edges of the pastry a little - I tore off any particularly large corners, but left it looking quite rough. Pour the lightly beaten eggs into the pastry, and dot with teaspoon-sized dollops of ricotta. Season quite generously, then sprinkle with the chopped parsley and lay the tomato slices on top. Bake for around 25 minutes, until the egg is set and the pastry is crispy. Serve hot or cold. 3.2.1255
More recipes using ricotta:
Creamy leek and parsley pasta
Spinach and ricotta dumplings
Ricotta and black bean stuffed peppers
Ricotta and caramelised onion frittata
Summer squash lasagne from Chocolate and Carrots
Spinach and ricotta pitta bread pizza from Mess Makes Food
Lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce from Damn DeliciousPosted on April 26, 2009 in Videos
A couple of points from Pharyngula:
* She repeats over and over that CO2 is a natural gas. Yes, we know…no one is claiming otherwise. (Also, what would an “unnatural” gas be, anyway?) Nitrogen is also a natural substance, it helps plants grow, and we produce perfectly natural nitrogenous materials from our bodies — so does that mean that we should stop sewer services and allow everyone to wallow in their poop?
* She claims that not one study has ever been produced to show that CO2 is harmful, and she goes further to claim that CO2 is a harmless gas. We could correct that in just a few minutes: give me a large tank of CO2 and a small room containing Michele Bachmann, and we’ll give her a personal experience.
* The atmosphere is 3% CO2? Is she really that ignorant? It’s more like 0.03%. And again, no one is arguing that CO2 is evil — it’s that its concentration has distinct effects on the temperature of the planet, and that concentration is changing.
See Also: The Express Train to Crazytown, Republican catechism vs science, Neocarbon, Replace Michele Bachmann, a bad week for science in politics, “Actually, we need more carbon emissions”, Bachmann-the-Nut, Scientist, Michele Bachmann: A Byproduct of Oxygen Deprivation, and Stark, Raving Mad.Jimi Hendrix-owned original ’67 Arbiter Fuzz Face up for grabs! You could own one of Jimi's original fuzz pedals
Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes
Jimi Hendrix Arbiter Fuzz Face at auction · Source: Juliens Previous Next
Jimi Hendrix = guitar icon. When his old equipment goes up for sale, the whole guitar world sits up and listens. That’s his stature in the history of the electric guitar. Now you have the opportunity to own one of his original Arbiter Fuzz Face pedals!
’67 Arbiter Fuzz Face
Now, an original ’67 Arbiter Fuzz Face is worth a pretty penny already, as they weren’t exactly making thousands of them. The ones that were made tended to get broken or lost, so they are rare to find in working condition.
The real deal?
However, when you add the fact that this particular one was owned by Jimi Hendrix himself, well… Let us just say that it makes it a little more expensive. This one has, we understand, proven provenance that it was owned by Hendrix. It originates from The Experience drummer Mitch Mitchel, so it looks like the real deal, and not a fake.
Actually, the auction is selling off a load of stuff from Mitch’s estate, so you will find drum kits owned by him and even stage clothes as well.
How much?
The auction is being held on 4th November at Julien’s Auction House and the estimated final price is somewhere around the $8,000-$10,000 mark. I suppose that is to be expected for a Hendrix-owned fuzz pedal. I figure whoever wins the auction will do so as an investment, as these things are getting harder to find, especially given the established provenance of Jimi’s ownership.
If this one is too expensive for your budget, then I suggest you go for one of the regular Dunlop versions below, as they will get you in the ballpark and you’ll save a few quid as well!
Thomann – Dunlop Mini Fuzz face page
Thomann – Dunlop Fuzz Face JH FI page
More Information
UPDATE
The pedal eventually sold for a whopping $40,625!
VideoThe following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.
Earlier this month CIA Director Mike Pompeo suggested “the North Koreans have a long history of being proliferators and sharing their knowledge, their technology, their capacities around the world.”
My research has shown that North Korea is more than willing to breach sanctions to earn cash.
A checkered history
Over the years North Korea has earned millions of dollars from the export of arms and missiles, and its involvement in other illicit activities such as smuggling drugs, endangered wildlife products and counterfeit goods.
Still, there are only a handful of cases that suggest these illicit networks have been turned to export nuclear technology or materials to other states.
North Korean technicians allegedly assisted the Pakistanis in production of Krytrons, likely sometime in the 1990s. Krytrons are devices used to trigger the detonation of a nuclear device.
Later in the 1990s, North Korea allegedly transferred cylinders of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to Pakistan, where notorious proliferator A.Q. Khan shipped them onward to Libya. UF6 is a gaseous uranium compound that’s needed to create the “highly enriched uranium” used in weapons.
The most significant case was revealed in 2007 when Israeli Air Force jets bombed a facility in Syria. The U.S. government alleges this was an “undeclared nuclear reactor,” capable of producing plutonium, that had been under construction with North Korean assistance since the late 1990s. A U.S. intelligence briefing shortly after the strike highlighted the close resemblance between the Syrian reactor and the North Korean Yongbyon reactor. It also noted evidence of unspecified “cargo” being transported from North Korea to the site in 2006.
More recently, a 2017 U.N. report alleged that North Korea had been seeking to sell Lithium-6 (Li-6), an isotope used in the production of thermonuclear weapons. The online ad that caught the attention of researchers suggested North Korea could supply 22 pounds of the substance each month from Dandong, a Chinese city on the North Korean border.
There are striking similarities between this latest case and other recent efforts by North Korea to market arms using companies “hidden in plain sight.”
The Li-6 advertisement was allegedly linked to an alias of a North Korean state arms exporter known as “Green Pine Associated Corporation.” Green Pine and associated individuals were hit with a U.N. asset freeze and travel ban in 2012. The individual named on the ad was a North Korean based in Beijing formerly listed as having diplomatic status. As was noted when the Li-6 story broke, the contact details provided with the ad were made up: The street address did not exist and the phone number didn’t work. However, prospective buyers could contact the seller through the online platform.
This case—our most recent data point—raises significant questions. Was this North Korea testing the water for future sales? Does it suggest that North Korea may be willing to sell materials and goods it can produce in surplus? Was the case an anomaly rather than representative of a trend?
A supplier in search of markets?
In the few public statements North Korea has made on the issue, it has generally denied that it will seek to export nuclear technology.
In 2006, for example, a Foreign Ministry official suggested that the country would “strictly prohibit any threat of … nuclear transfer.” The U.N. sanctions regime would also prohibit the export of nuclear technologies—although North Korea has been happy to defy the U.N. regime since its inception that same year.
Additionally, there have been significant developments in states which were customers, or have been rumored to have an interest, in North Korean nuclear technology in the past.
Syria has spent the past six years in a chaotic civil war. Since the 2007 bombing of the reactor, the country has shown no public signs of interest in nuclear weapons.
After giving up its nuclear ambitions in a 2003 deal Libya has seen significant political changes and unrest following the collapse of the Qaddafi regime in 2011.
The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran saw the country agree to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, and procure nuclear technology through a dedicated channel. If it continues to adhere to the deal, it has no need for illicit nuclear purchases. While some analysts have speculated about nuclear transfers from North Korea to Iran, no public evidence supports this. It’s unclear to what extent the Iran deal will survive the whims of the Trump administration, and what the longer-term implications are for Iran’s program and other states who may seek to acquire nuclear technology as a “hedge” against Iran in the region.
Myanmar, another country with unfounded allegations of past North Korean nuclear collaboration, has undergone significant political change and has made efforts to wean itself off imports of North Korean arms.
In other words, it’s unclear who—if anyone—would buy North Korean nuclear technology. However, the nightmare scenario of North Korea selling it to the highest bidder merits consideration.
It would not be the first time that an illicit procurement network turned to sales. Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan shifted his attention from procurement for Pakistan’s program in the 1970s and 1980s to sales to Iran, Libya and North Korea in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. The efforts of his network saw centrifuge enrichment technology, and even a weapons design, transferred in some of the most damaging transactions ever for the nonproliferation regime.
Following the discovery of the Khan network, the U.N. and others developed better export controls, and capabilities to detect, inspect and interdict shipments. The international community is better prepared; however, many challenges remain in preventing illicit nuclear-related trade.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.Click on the Artwork to generate your paper wallets.
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and I discuss the state of the race to be the Republican’s 2016 presidential candidate. When will the party’s flirtation with Donald Trump end? Which of the potential candidates could beat Hillary Clinton?
You can subscribe to the View from 22 through iTunes and have it delivered to your computer every week, or you can use the player below:This section is intended for those who chose to handcraft or build their own yurts. For information on platform plans, go to our FAQs section and visit the yurt company websites. To learn more about yurt assembly, peruse the Yurt Assembly section on the Photo Links page.
Here are some slideshows of hand-built yurts to get your creative juices flowing:
Community Provided Yurt Plans
Building a Mongolian yurt
“Yurt without Steel” A yurt built for Burning Man
Traditional Yurts
The Basics
There are four basic texts and a website that every yurt crafter should check out:
The Complete Yurt Handbook by Paul King, Ecologic Books, 2001.
Yurt builder Paul King provides detailed instructions on how to make both Mongolian and Turkic yurts.
Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably by Dan Kuehn, Shelter Publications, 2006.
A re-issue and update of Dan Kuehn’s 1980 plans for making a 13-foot diameter Mongolian yurt from bamboo or willow with a canvas cover.
The Real Mongol Ger Book by Froit
Construction details for an authentic Mongol ger. A beautiful handmade book with samples of wood, felt and canvas included.
How to Build a Yurt by Steve Place
Factsheet on building a Turkic style yurt by Welsh yurt craftsman Steve Place of Handmade Hardwood Yurts.
Yurt/Ger Notes
In 2005 Rene K. Muller built his own traditional ger and these are his notes, along with a Yurt Calculator for the dimensions of yurt components. An amazing resource!
Online Disucssions About Yurt Plans
Available Online
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Paul King, author of The Complete Yurt Handbook, has a set of plans for a Mongolian style ger available online at no charge. They may be printed from the site in two parts.
SCA Designs:
SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism) members build own their yurts as an historical exercise, with an emphasis on simplicity of design, mobility and traditional authenticity. SCA members generously share information, but these designs may not be appropriate for year-round living.
The Mongolian Yurt, Part I and The Mongolian Yurt, Part II may be downloaded from the SCA Publication Sacred Spaces.
The Construction of a Yurt Online paper written by SCA member Monica Cellio with details on yurt specs and components.
How we made our own Gher Notes from an SCA project.
Fabric Yurts
The Portable Yurt, the original fabric yurt plans, can be ordered for $25 (post paid) from:
Chuck & Laurel Cox
Tuckaway Farm
59 Randall Road
Lee, NH 03824
The Coxes’ fabric yurt plans are designed for year-round habitation and use modern materials. However, the plans have not been updated since their original release and will not resemble recent designs produced by yurt companies.
Tapered wall plans
Info for ordering Bill’s plans can be found on the Dickinson’s Reach page
Frame Panel Yurts
There are no plans available for frame panel yurts per se. However, Smiling Woods Yurts sells plans for the frame panel walls along with a metal roof kit which can be assembled onsite.
Frame panel walls are relatively easy to build if you have carpentry experience. This is a helpful way to economize while avoiding the complexities of the circular roof.
Related Designs
Geo-Lite Systems sells DIY plans for their 12, 14 and 16-panel yurt-style dwellings.Commanders,
The month of August just started and with it yet another Top of the Tree special, this time featuring the German Tier X medium tank – the E 50 Ausf. M. Make sure to take advantage of it, as such great discounts and bonuses won’t be available forever!
The tank featured in the current event has been chosen in a special poll by you guys, the Community. Now, the new poll is opened and you have yet another chance to influence the next Top of the Tree special that will start on 1 September. Just log in to your account on the website and make sure to cast your vote for the Tier X Tank Destroyer that you would like to see featured in September, before the time runs out! The poll will be active until 13 August.
The poll can be found on the main page in the side-banner section to the right.
Top of the Tree Specials Rules:
1. Duration: Each Top of the Tree special lasts an entire month.
2. Bonuses: Discounts on vehicles belonging to the highlighted tech line, an increased Crew XP acquisition on their crews and two special missions, available exclusively for a Tier X tank featured in the event.
3. Vehicle voting: Special polls will be opened on our website. Vote for the vehicle you would like to see featured in the upcoming Top of the Tree special.
4. Voting quotas: The vehicles subject to voting in the polls are restricted to one class per month.
5. Voting Eligibility: Every player that has a registered account is able to vote in the polls after logging in on the website.
Two special missions will be available for completion for every player that has a Tier X vehicle featured in the Top of the Tree special in his garage. The missions will be accessible for two months from the start of the event onwards.
Special Missions
Top of the Tree: Reward 1 Reward x2 Crew XP * Requirements Random Battles only
Tier X vehicle featured in the Top of the Tree special only
50 times per account Conditions Win a battle
Be in the top 10 players on your team by base experience earned (bonuses for the first victory, premium account, etc., will not be counted to determine the rankings)
*This Crew XP Bonus will stack with the standard Crew XP bonus for the Top of the Tree special
Top of the Tree: Reward 2 Reward 10 Personal Reserves: x2 XP for 2 hours
10 Personal Reserves: x4 Crew XP for 2 hours Requirements Random Battles only
Tier X vehicle featured in the Top of the Tree special only
Once per account Conditions Win 50 battles
Be in the top 10 players on your team by base experience earned (bonuses for the first victory, premium account, etc., will not be counted to determine the rankings)
Personal Reserves rewarded in this mission have no expiration date. You can keep them indefinitely and use them whenever you want. However, once activated, the effect will last for two hours per reserve. After that time, the reserve is considered as used up. Effects of the same reserve type do not stack.
Reach out for the top, Commanders!Image copyright PA Image caption A Ryanair plane carrying a pro-EU slogan was the backdrop for a recent news conference
Ryanair has been accused of breaking electoral law in its campaign for the UK to stay in the EU.
The Electoral Commission says anyone intending to spend more than £10,000 campaigning in the referendum must register with it.
Ryanair has pledged to spend much more and printed slogans on one of its aircraft, but has not registered.
Vote Leave has urged the commission to investigate. The airline dubbed the campaign "Leave loonies".
The UK votes on whether to stay in or leave the European Union in a referendum on 23 June.
'Really desperate'
Chancellor George Osborne, former shadow chancellor Ed Balls and Liberal Democrat Sir Vince Cable gave speeches making the case for remaining in the EU in front of a sign-written aircraft at Ryanair's base at Stansted Airport.
It has been reported that Ryanair intends to spend €25,000 (£18,980) on a campaign for Remain. It has offered discounted flights to passengers who want to fly home to vote to stay in the EU.
The airline may be able to disregard the spending rules as it is registered as a company in Ireland.
A Ryanair spokesman told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: "The Leave campaign must be getting really desperate if they're objecting to low-fare air travel for British citizens.
"With less than four weeks to go, we will continue to work hard to help deliver a resounding Remain majority on 23 June - and ensure that the Leave loonies don't ban low-fare air travel too."
Bribery claim
An Electoral Commission spokesman said it had "received a complaint from Vote Leave regarding the campaigning activity of Ryanair at the EU referendum".
It added: "We are establishing the facts before determining what, if any, further steps to take."
Earlier in May, Vote Leave reported Ryanair to the Metropolitan Police accusing it of bribery for offering discounted flights home to Remain voters - a suggestion rejected by Ryanair, which announced it would extend its offer.
A series of major companies have given the Remain campaign their public backing but only the recruitment firm Adecco, a TV documentary producer and an advertising firm are registered campaigners so far.
Adecco said it had registered because it had sponsored a single panel event with a think tank.We still don’t have a firm date, but we know this much: The Copyright Alerts System (CAS), that massive new agreement between the entertainment industry and the biggest Internet service providers in the U.S., will subject people suspected of piracy to “educational” courses.
And thanks to a new leak of Verizon’s plan for the Copyright Alerts System, obtained by TorrentFreak, we now have an idea of what most American Internet users have in store.
This the only such leak from the participating ISPs so close to the CAS’s launch, which still doesn’t have an official date besides “early 2013,” as CAS executive director Jill Lesser told the Daily Dot in January. Per earlier remarks by Lesser, it’s safe to assume the others—AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, and Time Warner—will be very similar.
The CAS is nicknamed the “Six Strikes” system, and it’s easy to see why: Customers thought to be pirating, which will at first only be defined as uploading files using peer-to-peer software like BitTorrent, get six escalating warnings to stop.
The first two, according to the document, are simply a heads-up. Whoever pays the bill associated with the account will get an email and an automated voicemail saying that someone had been using that connection to pirate copyrighted files. Part of that notice is a link to
The third and fourth are where the ISP starts forcing a customer’s hand. Their Internet connection will be briefly unavailable, as their browser will be automatically redirected to a page that reminds them of the CAS system and shows them “a short video about copyright law and the consequences of copyright infringement.” To return to normal service, users must click an acknowledgement button, which, notably, is not an admission of guilt.
The fifth and sixth warnings are where customers see real punishment. They can either agree to a “temporary (2 or 3 day) reduction of speed of your internet access service to 256 kbps (a little faster than typical dial-up speed)” with the option to delay that reduction for two weeks, or spend $35 to to fight it. Appeals are handled by the American Arbitration Association, and customers are returned their $35 if the AAA finds in their favor.
The CAS identifies potential pirates via a system called MarkMonitor, which finds the Internet protocol (IP) addresses of computers uploading specifically monitored files, like popular albums or recent movie releases. Those IP addresses are relayed to Verizon, which pairs them with account holders’ names.
There’s a number of potential flaws with that plan, though. It’s easy to fake an IP address, a fact that’s led to a lot of confusion in U.S. courts. It’s unclear how the system will affect non-residential Internet connections, like those at libraries or Internet cafes. And it was egg on the CAS’s face when news broke that MarkMonitor was being supervised by a consulting company called Stroz Friedberg, who for years collected lobbying money from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), one of the CAS’s founding members.
Lesser has since promised that she’d hire a second consultant to vet MarkMonitor.
The CAS’s launch has been delayed numerous times. Most recently, in November, Lesser said that it was pushed back further because of Hurricane Sandy.
Verizon insists in the document that at least as of those first six strikes, it won’t turn customers’ names over to copyright-owning companies. However, it’s required by law to name pirates if required by subpoena and court orders, and groups like the RIAA have indicated they might sue customers thought to download after receiving all six strikes.
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Anna ran her fingers through Dee's copper mane, as the untacked horse stood silently in her stall, content with the attention.
And Anna was content to say nothing, refusing to answer her friend.
"I'm going to wait outside. Come out when you're ready to go," Kristoff said finally.
Anna sighed. She had yet to take Dee's tack back up to the tack room.
And she had no excuse for being rude to Kristoff—snapping at him the entire time she had untacked Dee. It wasn't his fault. He was right. It was going to be all right. And she had done the best that she could.
Mentally berating herself for both her performance and her reaction, Anna juggled the saddle and the rest of Dee's tack and carried it upstairs.
As she was distracted, the redhead clumsily burst into the room, not looking where she was going, so it was no surprise when she (very ungracefully) walked right into a person who was walking towards the door.
And of course it was none other than the blonde rider she had seen in the arena before.
For the second time that day, she had walked into someone. That was a record, even for Anna.
"I'm so sorry," Anna's words were rushed, "I wasn't looking where I was going, and I was in a hurry because my friend is waiting to take me back to campus and I spent way too long untacking, and about before, with the martingale, I didn't see it and so I didn't realize that—"
"I'm around horses all the time. If I'm not getting kicked or stepped on or walked into then something would be wrong, wouldn't it?"
The words stopped Anna's own, halting her rambling mouth abruptly; something that she didn't know that anything, or anyone, was capable of. She'd talked right over Anna, which, in hind sight, Anna found herself grateful for because she probably would have just continued to make a fool out of herself—but still!
And Anna didn't know what to make of the tone the words held. Was she being sarcastic? Was she joking?
But before Anna could dwell on it further, the blonde had already begun talking again.
"And about the martingale, I actually just had to put it back in the right place. One of the freshmen must have misplaced it during the morning tryouts. I found it where Legacy's bridle is supposed be. Lower classmen can be so irresponsible."
Yeah, Anna thought. I'm a freshman. A very clumsy and crazy and nervous freshman, but I do my best to be responsible.
"But I need to get back downstairs. So if you don't mind…"
And Anna realized that the entire time, she had been standing in the doorway, completely blocking the blonde rider from leaving.
"Oh."
That was all that Anna could manage.
Stupid, stupid mouth.
Always blabbering nonstop until she needed it to work the most.
And who was this rider, anyway? Claiming that all lower classmen were irresponsible? Anna was in no way irresponsible. In fact, she was inanely responsible; so much so that she had practically helped run the barn where she'd leased Chip!
But a quick, "Sorry," was all she said, and she moved forward into the tack room so that the blonde would have room to leave.
"I am a complete mess. And awful at making first impressions," Anna muttered as soon as she was alone in the room, "But apparently not so bad as others."
She quickly put the saddle on its rack, and the bridle in its proper place.
She'd be lucky if she would even get to ride here at all, let alone make the team. As if her actual riding hadn't gone horribly enough, she already seemed to be making enemies.
Classes the next day were exhausting.
It was only Anna's third day, and so far, she and her roommate Rapunzel only had their pre-calculus class together.
Anna was pleased that she was getting along so well with the freshman, whose blonde hair was so long it reached the middle of her back, but she found that she didn't recognize many students from her building in any of her classes, and it was primarily the students in her co-ed dorm building who she knew the best.
Well…make that a select few of the students in her building who she knew the best. The list included Kristoff, of course, and Rapunzel, because they were roommates. It also included Olaf, an extremely enthusiastic freshman who threw himself into any and every conversation even if he didn't know who he was talking to; this antic was the only reason Anna could say that she knew a third person on campus.
And she knew Hans.
The thought made her smile.
But…other than that, I pretty much know no one, Anna sighed, walking to her first class of the day.
Chem lab.
At 9:05 in the morning.
How she despised morning classes!
What was this life anyway, forcing her to go to college in order to be successful, extracting all of the money from her bank account—in addition to the most expensive sport known to the world—and making classes start at ungodly hours that trudged on until sunset when she would drag herself over to the dining hall and eat food that tasted like it had been last week's left overs, spending her days running from building to building, only to find inside every single classroom the same chalkboards, strict professors, cramped desks, and—
Familiar blonde hair!?
Anna's eyes widened as she entered the chemistry lab.
What was that rider doing here? Anna had thought she was a trainer, maybe. Or a worker exercising the horses. Because she clearly hadn't been participating in the tryouts.
But regardless, here she was.
And she knew every humiliating little thing that had happened a mere twenty four hours ago.
The blonde hadn't seen her, so Anna took a seat at the opposite side of the room. She occupied herself with the lab manual until the professor came in and started talking about the course, and proper sanitation, and safety procedures—
"And I have already assigned lab partners, so please come look at the roster and see who you've been paired with for the semester."
Anna sighed. She hated assigned partners, but it looked like in the long run, it would be a good thing. She didn't know anyone in this class, and so the predetermined arrangement would save her some trouble, and of course, the embarrassment that seemed to follow her everywhere.
She waited in the line of students to find out who she had been paired with, but before she even made it to the paper, she heard her name.
"You're Anna Summers, right?"
She turned in the direction of the voice that belonged to none other than the blonde rider.
What had Anna done to deserve this? Life hated her.
And how had she already known Anna's name?
But Anna didn't dare ask. All she did was nod her head and follow the blonde over to the lab table where she had been sitting before.
"I already read through everything. Go get a graduated cylinder and a beaker. And make sure they're clean."
Yes ma'am, Anna rolled her eyes once she had turned her back to the blonde.
And while the entire lab followed accordingly—as horribly as it had begun—Anna couldn't deny that she was, ever so slightly, lucky in her lab partner assignment. She may not have a lab partner who was…how should she put it…nice.
But she certainly had a lab partner who knew exactly what she was doing.
And that, Anna knew as she watched the rest of the class working, was something she could be grateful for. Because after completing the lab with half an hour still left of the two-hour lab period, Anna realized that she might actually be able to take nap before her class at noon.
But first she needed to settle one thing.
"Who are you, anyway?" Anna demanded, turning towards the blonde the second they had left the classroom.
"My name is Elsa Arendelle."
And as if that explained everything, she walked out the door without looking back.
Exasperated, Anna made her way back to her dorm room, and was greeted by her roommate with the very uplifting question of: "So, are you going to have nightmares about it tonight?"
"Ugh, Rapunzel, it was awful!" Anna wailed as she collapsed face-first onto her pillow.
"Well, you know what they say. Chem lab is the stuff that horror movies are made of."
"The lab itself wasn't even that bad! It's who I have to work with for the entire semester!"
So much for her nap. She was going to have to vent about this for at least an hour.
"Well, who is it?" Rapunzel asked.
"Elsa Arendelle."
"Wait. Are we talking about the Elsa Arendelle?" Rapunzel asked.
Anna's head shot upright, "Do you know her?"
"Not personally, no. But I've heard everything about her. She's like the talk of the school. I know we've only been here for, what, three days now? Minus orientation. But please tell me that I'm not the only one who has been hearing about her nonstop."
"Uh, as far as I know, you're the only one. Please, enlighten me so I know what I'm going to be forced to deal with for two hours of every Wednesday of my life."
"She's the daughter of the ones who own Arendelle Riding Academy, hence the last name. They live there. I'm surprised you didn't notice it when you went for your tryout. I've heard the house is almost like a mansion. She's a senior, a business major, and manages all of the papers and financial stuff for the team and the barn. But everyone talks about her because she's never joined the riding team. And no one ever sees her ride. And not that I know anything about horses—because I don't, it's just not my thing—but I've heard that she'll only get on and warm up when other people are watching. She'll never actually ride in front of anyone, and she never jumps when anyone else is watching, either."
"Okay. So I'll admit I feel a little stupid for not realizing the connection," Anna grinned sheepishly, "But I still don't understand why it gives her the right to act like she's better than everyone else."
Rapunzel shrugged, "Does anyone? I mean, from what I've heard, she pretty much keeps to herself. So…good luck with all of that. This is why I try to stay out of the way of upperclassmen. Although that junior, Flynn, is extremely good-looking."
"Yeah, well, we all knew that you were after him the minute you saw he was our tour guide during orientation," Anna rolled her eyes, "Although…I can't quite say I agree with your opinion anymore after seeing a certain someone that I ran into. Like, I literally ran into him."
"Oh, Anna, details! Is he tall? Handsome? Is he an equestrian too?" Rapunzel fired off questions, completely ignoring Anna's mention of her clumsiness, which, if Anna were being honest, she was completely okay with.
"Yes, yes, and yes," Anna answered, the picture of Hans, with his red hair and, dare she admit it, dreamy eyes, coming to mind.
"What's his name?"
"Hans."
"Is he a freshman?"
"Actually," Anna frowned, "I'm not sure. But…he gave me his number yesterday, and I guess you could say we kind of have an unofficial date on Friday."
"And when were you going to tell me this!" Rapunzel grinned, "This is so exciting!"
"I was going to get around to it," Anna waved her hand as if to dismiss it all, "Clearly I've got plenty of other things on my mind."
"Have you talked to him about it yet?"
"No. I was going to text him tonight. He wants to meet me at the café, but I work in the morning. Good thing I don't have any classes on Fridays, huh?"
"Oh, don't rub it in!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
"I'd never," Anna grinned playfully, "I just think it would be the best thing in the world to have to wake up for an eight a.m. biology lab on Friday mornings."
"Well, you know what?" Rapunzel huffed, "Maybe Flynn will be in it."
"Flynn is a junior. Why would he be in an entry level biology course?" Anna laughed.
"Hey, wait a minute," Rapunzel stopped, growing serious, "That actually makes no sense. Elsa's a senior. Why is she in a freshman chemistry lab?"
Anna let the thought sink in.
"You know what, that is a very good question."
Thursday soon rolled around, and the team meeting came even more quickly than anticipated.
Anna was nervous as she made her way to the classroom where the meeting would be held, Kristoff walking by her side.
"Even if you don't make the team, you can still ride," he reminded her.
"I know," she said.
"Hey, if I made the team it'll be a miracle," Kristoff said, trying to lighten the mood, "Everyone else is so advanced."
"Right," Anna played along, "Because everyone else has grown up riding sophisticated horses, and you've been trying to train a reindeer how to jump."
It was a very long-standing joke that the two shared.
Sven, Kristoff's own horse, who he boarded and was currently leasing out to another rider while Kristoff spent the school year in college, would participate every winter in the annual holiday parade in their hometown. Sven would be dressed up as a reindeer with antlers and all, pulling a carriage, in order to defray the cost of boarding fees.
"You know, Anna, one day I'm going to enter him in a show and make him wear them," Kristoff said.
And at the thought of this, Anna actually laughed. Kristoff always knew how to bring her back down to earth; make her feel better no matter the circumstance.
Spending the entire rest of the walk debating on whether or not Sven would look ridiculous or endearing, Anna barely realized that they had reached their destination until they walked into the room that was filled with anxious faces that Anna either recognized vaguely, or didn't recognize at all.
"Good evening," Merida's voice filled the room at seven on the dot, not wasting a single second, "We have you here tonight to discuss many things—one of which being the team assignments. However, first, I want to talk to you about what your obligation to the team entails. I want to begin with lessons. If you are on the team, you are expected to lesson twice a week, with your team. If you miss more than two lesson, you will not be able to participate in the show team for the rest of the semester, which is why, as you will see on the assignment sheet, we have picked reserves.
"That being said, reserves also lesson twice a week, and it is critical that they attempt to make all of their lessons, because it isn't always known when they will be needed for shows. And for anyone who has not made the team, you are still allowed to ride, and will be considered part of our club. There is always room to improve and try out again next year to join the team.
"There is a complete show schedule, and all show team participants are expected to attend every show. Emails will be sent out to team members detailing the show schedule, the lesson schedule, and when lessons will begin. If there is a conflict Flynn, Mulan, or I need to be made aware of this as soon as possible. As far as dues go, there is a ten dollar fee per semester to be part of a club on campus, and the combined cost for membership and showing is a fifty dollar annual fee. Lessons are forty dollars each. If there is—"
Forty dollars!?
Anna didn't even think that with her job she'd be able to afford that when she was helping her parents pay the thousands of dollars for tuition, board, books, and her meal plan. What was she going to do—especially if she made the team? That would be forty dollars twice a week!
Anna sighed inwardly, and turned her attention back to Merida, who she realized she had been tuning out for the past few seconds.
"And now, before I release the team assignments, I would like to introduce you all to someone who some of you may already know, but most of you don't. This is Elsa Arendelle, and she will be the one dealing with all of the paperwork and finances for the team. And I believe that she also has some points to discuss with you."
Anna didn't even notice the blonde's presence in the room until she looked to the left of Merida, where none other than Elsa was sitting by the podium, next to Flynn and Mulan.
Elsa got up to speak, her hair in that perfect braid, not a crease in her clothing, and Anna didn't even hear a word she said. All she could think of was how quickly Elsa could silence the entire room.
While Merida had been talking, some students had been having side conversations, whispering or talking to one another—probably about the chances they had of making the team—or texting with their phones in their laps.
But when Elsa had stepped up to that podium to speak, the room had fallen silent, and the blonde's gaze, an almost icy one, had full command and attention.
Anna didn't register anything the blonde was saying until the very end.
"...And lastly, please do try to keep everything in order, and put anything that you use back where you found it. During the tryouts there was a misplaced bridle and martingale, which caused some…"
Anna waited for what Elsa was going to say: disorder, miscommunication, problems—
Elsa looked straight at Anna, and said, "Chaos."
A/n: Sorry for the cliffhanger :p The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off.
The only horse term I can think of in this chapter that might need to be addressed is probably tack, which I forgot to clarify in the first chapter (sorry!) even though most of you probably already know what it is. It's just one word that's used to refer to the saddle, the bridle, the girth, the saddle pad…even the martingale. Pretty much anything you're putting on the horse in preparation to ride is considered tack. Hence the terms 'tacking up' before a ride and 'untacking' after a ride.
Thanks for reading :)Well, this could be awkward…
The massive amount of negative coverage on President Trump just about everywhere is shocking, but it’s most apparent on CNN where more than 90 percent of their coverage is to cast the President in a negative light.
MRC did a study of 20 hours of CNN coverage to see what a typical day looks like.
Trending: WTF? The Weedkiller ROUNDUP Has Been Detected In These BEER & WINE Brands CNN claims it’s right down the middle, somewhere between the left-wing MSNBC and the more conservative-friendly Fox News Channel. But an MRC study of an entire day of CNN’s coverage shows the network spent almost all of its time covering the Trump presidency, with a heavily skewed roster of anti-Trump guests and on-air commentators. To get a handle on CNN’s news priorities during the Trump era, a team of MRC analysts reviewed all of the cable network’s programming on Friday, May 12, starting with the 4am ET Early Start and continuing through the 11pm ET CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, a total of 20 hours of material.
Guess what they found?
It tilted Anti-Trump and Left.
And it went on for hours.
Looking just at CNN’s own on-air talent, the results were even more tilted, with 69 appearances by anti-Trump analysts, vs. just two for pro-Trump analysts — CNN political commentator Paris Dennard, who appeared during the latter half of the 3:00pm ET hour, and CNN political commentator Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign aide, who appeared in the 8pm ET hour of Anderson Cooper 360. CNN counter-terrorism analyst Phil Mudd, for example, harshly condemned the President during appearances in the 6am, 8am, 11am, 5pm, 8pm, and 9pm ET hours. “Give the President of the United States a pacifier and a rattle and put him in the crib,” Mudd declared during his 11am ET appearance.
Read more: MRC Newsbusters
But what if all their coverage of the ‘anonymous leaks’ that have no basis in reality — as evidenced by the flat denials of anyone present — is sabotaging the Presidency?
Would they be accountable for that?
According to the law, yes.
See for yourself:
18 U.S. Code § 1038 – False information and hoaxes
(a) Criminal Violation.—
(1)In general.—Whoever engages in any conduct with intent to convey false or misleading information under circumstances where such information may reasonably be believed and where such information indicates that an activity has taken, is taking, or will take place that would constitute a violation of chapter 2, 10, 11B, 39, 40, 44, 111, or 113B of this title, section 236 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2284), or section 46502, the second sentence of section 46504, section 46505(b)(3) or (c), section 46506 if homicide or attempted homicide is involved, or section 60123(b) of title 49, shall—
(A) be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both;
(B) if serious bodily injury results, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and
(C) if death results, be fined under this title or imprisoned for any number of years up to life, or both.
(2)Armed forces.—Any person who makes a false statement, with intent to convey false or misleading information, about the death, injury, capture, or disappearance of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States during a war or armed conflict in which the United States is engaged—
(A) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both;
(B) if serious bodily injury results, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and
(C) if death results, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for any number of years or for life, or both.
(b)Civil Action. |
agency, neither the law enforcement system nor the welfare, health and education systems. The price of this ongoing laxity is paid every day by thousands of women who suffer various kinds of violence: physical, sexual, financial and more. The failure to address this difficult problem has gone on for so long and in so many different fields that it cannot be considered a mere error.
The case of Dana (not her real name), reported in Haaretz on February 14, is a good example of the inadequate help the state gives abused women, even in the best cases. “At the shelter, they looked after me, but after four months, when I left there, I was left with nothing,” Dana said. “I moved to another city to run away from my husband, but I was alone and I didn’t manage. I had no money and I had no support. The social worker barely had time for me.” Six months later, she returned to her violent husband; she said she had no other choice.
Israel has 14 shelters for battered women, and last year, they provided temporary shelter to 755 women – an increase of about 20 percent over 2014. Dozens of other women weren’t able to get into these shelters because there was no place.
The budget for the existing shelters is inadequate for their needs. Moreover, without continued help after they leave the shelter, many women can’t manage to rebuild their lives. A study done by the Social Affairs Ministry found that about a third of the women who stay in these shelters return to them a second time.
The insufficient funding for the existing shelters and the negligible resources invested in women after they leave the shelters are signs of a welfare system in crisis. It’s virtually pointless for these women and their children to register with the welfare services. The only difference that would make is that they’ll be added to the dismal statistics. They are offered few solutions, and receive very little concrete assistance.
But the Social Affairs Ministry isn’t the only guilty party. A governmental committee on domestic violence recently concluded that the relevant government ministries don’t coordinate among themselves, with the result that abused women and children don’t receive adequate protection. Moreover, a report by the Public Security Ministry’s comptroller found that in several cases in which women were murdered by their partners, the women had complained to the police, but the police failed to protect them.
Violence against women is not a decree of fate, nor is the abandonment of the victims of this violence a necessity dictated by harsh reality. Unless it quickly comes up with a national plan to address this issue, the government will continue to violate one of its most basic obligations: to work for the welfare of its citizens, and especially for the welfare of society’s weakest link – women in distress.
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Police officers sealed off access to the buildings but said that they had no idea who was behind the assault, which sharply escalated tensions in a region that serves as home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and also to a number of radical pro-Russia groups that have appealed to Moscow to protect them from the new interim government in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital.
Adding to the confusion, Viktor F. Yanukovych, the ousted president of Ukraine, declared on Thursday that he remained the country’s lawful leader and appealed to Russia to “secure my personal safety from the actions of extremists.” Russian news agencies reported that he had already arrived in Russia, but officials did not immediately confirm that.
In the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev, lawmakers dismissed Mr. Yanukovych’s statement as irrelevant and a reflection that he had lost touch with political reality. “Yanukovych is no longer president,” Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, who was overwhelmingly approved as acting prime minister by the Parliament on Thursday, told the Ukrainska Pravda news site. “He is a wanted person who is suspected of mass murder and crimes against humanity.”Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Philip Hammond: "More can be done to enhance the physical security of the tunnel"
Europe will not be able to preserve its living standards if it has to absorb millions of migrants from Africa, the foreign secretary has said.
Philip Hammond called for EU laws to be overhauled to make sure that people coming from Africa to Europe could be returned to their home country.
Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn accused Mr Hammond of "scaremongering".
Steve Symonds of Amnesty International UK described Mr Hammond's "mean-spirited response" as "shameful".
"Rather than throwing up the drawbridge and talking about how Europe can 'protect' itself from migrants, Mr Hammond should be working with our EU partners to ensure that people don't drown in the Mediterranean or get crushed beneath lorries at Calais," he said.
Mr Benn added that Mr Hammond should "think more carefully about what he says".
"We need responsibility and international leadership from this government, not scaremongering," he said. "Those fleeing Syria are desperate refugees from a country being torn apart by war."
Tunnel security
Speaking during a visit to Singapore, Mr Hammond said: "So long as the European Union's laws are the way they are, many of them will only have to set foot in Europe to be pretty confident that they will never be returned to their country of origin.
"Now, that is not a sustainable situation because Europe can't protect itself and preserve its standard of living and social infrastructure, if it has to absorb millions of migrants from Africa."
He said the problem had to ultimately be resolved by being able to return those who are not entitled to claim asylum back to their countries of origin - something Mr Hammond described as "our number one priority".
This, he added, was key to resolving the "crisis" at Calais, where thousands are gathered in the hope of crossing the Channel into the UK.
There have been increased security measures introduced in Calais in recent weeks, after hundreds of attempts by migrants to break into Channel Tunnel terminals.
On Saturday, 18 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested after a lorry was stopped on the M1 in Hertfordshire.
'Desperate refugees'
Mr Hammond went on to say more could be done to protect the Channel Tunnel from illegal migrants.
"Having reviewed the situation in the light of the crisis, it is clear that there is more that can be done to enhance the physical security of the tunnel.
"But we also have to work with our French colleagues to try to deal with the root cause of the problem. So long as there are large numbers of pretty desperate migrants marauding around the area there will always be a threat to the tunnel's security."
A new fence about a mile long, built to stop migrants from getting to the UK via the Channel Tunnel, has been built in Calais and was paid for out of £7m made available by the British government.Well well well looks like Steven’s going to learn to swordfight!
I really don’t think that’s a good idea, but it would be pretty useful since his abilities (shield and bubble) are all defensive.
And, that’s a new very beautiful rainy title card, i like it.
The title cards reflect the time/weather of the day the episode takes place on? That’s really neat!
Screener note: Lots of people have been pointing that out in the asks, but i wanted him to find it out himself.
Lion you fucking cat.
But i must admit, i love staying under shelter outside on rainy days, it’s really calming to just listen to the rain.
That looks like some exceedingly edgy anime. I want to watch it now.
ARE THEY HAVING A MOVIE NIGHT?!
FUCK I LOVE THIS FAMILY
The fact that Steven is using Garnet’s majestic hair as an arm rest and head rest is priceless.News started to trickle out this week about a new Android build called Linaro. Basically, it takes stock Android 4.0.4 and makes it super-fast, and super-awesome(er). In fact, it can boost performance by up to 100 percent over stock. Considering how fast and fluid stock Android 4.0.x already is (especially compared to older versions of the OS), that's quite impressive. Don't take my word for it, though, here's one of the main Linaro guys, Bernhard Rosenkranzer, showing it off on a TI Pandaboard. The Pandaboard features the OMAP 4430 processor (the same one that's in the Droid RAZR), so this is definitely a real-world example of what Linaro is capable of:
As you can see, the Linaro build finishes long before the stock Android build. That's not the best part though: the parts of Linaro that make is so efficient and fast are coming soon to Cyanogenmod 9.
Basically, parts of the Linaro code have been submitted to the CM9 gerrit and are currently awaiting approval. Once commited, these tweaks will be added to the main CM9 code, giving all supported devices a drastic increase in performance.
The good news doesn't end there, though: Galaxy Nexus owners can already take an unofficial CM9 build with the Linaro bits for a whirl. From what we've read, this build is noticeably faster and more fluid right out of the gate. Awesome.
Since the first rule of CM is don't ask for ETAs, we have no idea when we could start seeing builds show up with Linaro code, so for now, we'll all just have to take comfort in knowing that things in the CM9 world are getting ready to get a lot faster.
[Reddit]Military Sexual Trauma: A Little-Known Veteran Issue
Fourth in a five-part series
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Kaplan for NPR Susan Kaplan for NPR
Rachel Caesar first tried to join the Army after she saw a recruitment insert in Jet magazine. She filled it out and sent it in. She was 8 years old.
It wasn't long before her mom's phone started ringing. Caesar's mom told the Army recruiter: "Maybe you'll see her in 10 years," according to Caesar today.
Sure enough, after Caesar graduated high school, she joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard. But her experience didn't live up to the dream she'd had of the Army as a kid.
'I Was Sexually Harassed'
In 1996, while on active duty in Korea, Caesar became pregnant. She says that after that, a noncommissioned officer sexually harassed her.
"He told me plain out that I should have been carrying his children, so I should have been having a sexual relationship with him, and I would have gotten promoted," she says.
I would take the kids down to the bus stop, put them on the bus, get back in the house, lock myself in the house, sleep all day 'cause I was up all night, 'cause I couldn't sleep at night because of the nightmares and everything.
Years later, during a deployment to Afghanistan in 2003, Caesar says she was harassed again. She says she tried to get help from a chaplain, but that went nowhere. Eventually, her health declined -- a bad knee, migraines. She didn't want to complain -- didn't want to think of herself as a victim.
"Even though I was sexually harassed, I didn't think about it because I wasn't raped," she says. "I was never raped. But I was sexually harassed on many occasions."
So in 2004, Caesar gave up the only job she ever wanted to do. She left the military. At first, she and her two boys lived with her mother -- barely functioning, she says.
"I would take the kids down to the bus stop, put them on the bus, get back in the house, lock myself in the house, sleep all day 'cause I was up all night, 'cause I couldn't sleep at night because of the nightmares and everything," she says.
Things got worse. Rachel and her mother weren't getting along. Unable to hold a job, with no money, she and her two boys ended up in a state-run shelter.
That's when Caesar turned to the VA hospital in Boston.
Lauren Devor, a clinical social worker and the coordinator of the women's veterans homeless program at the VA Boston health care system, was one of the people at the VA who helped Rachel.
The first thing she did was to find Caesar subsidized housing.
Special Challenges For The VA
In the past five to six years, Devor says she's seen more and more female veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. The women are young, and many have kids.
War Veterans In The U.S.
"Now I'm seeing many more women that have actually left their children to go to war and then come back," Devor says. "So you can well imagine a whole new area of work can be done around children feeling abandoned, other people taking on the parent role, then the mother coming back and trying to parent her children."
Children present special challenges for a VA hospital -- everything from making sure there are changing tables for babies in the bathrooms to providing shelters for homeless female veterans and their children.
It's hard enough for any soldier to ask for help, but without these services, female veterans like Caesar find it even harder.
"Similar to male veterans, women who have served in the military are quite strong," says Eve Davison, a clinical psychologist at the VA hospital in Boston. She's another person Caesar turned to. "They see themselves as soldiers, and it can be really, really hard to admit that you need support."
Military Sexual Trauma
Davison, who also works with the National Center for PTSD, says she sees women like Caesar all the time. She says it's not uncommon for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder to have screened positive for something called military sexual trauma. It's a catch-all term, covering everything from sexual assault to sexual harassment.
According to the VA, more than 48,000 female veterans screened positive for military sexual trauma in 2008.
"I think the general public is unaware of these numbers," says Erin Mulhall, a director of research for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group. She adds that the number is probably even higher because many women are afraid to report cases of harassment or assault. At the VA, the burden is not on the veteran to document what happened to them.
"It provides free care to any veteran that walks into VA medical centers that screens positive for military sexual trauma," Mulhall says. "It's bolstered training for its mental health professionals on [military sexual trauma] and also provides disability compensation for those that have developed some major health problems due to their trauma."
Many women vets don't want to talk about sexual trauma. They don't want to admit it. They don't want to report it.
That's what happened to Caesar, who is only now beginning to let people know about what happened to her: "I was coming here for therapy, doing what I had to do, but I was dying inside and nobody here knew," Caesar says.(AFP/File)
The Jerusalem Post The Jerusalem Post reported that the anti-Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement bill was initiated and pushed by Uwe Becker, the deputy mayor and city treasurer of Frankfurt, who has argued that the BDS movement is anti-semitic and “strongly resembles the 'Don't buy from Jews' argumentation of former times of the National Socialists.”
The BDS movement was founded in July 2005 by a swath of Palestinian civil society as a peaceful movement to restore Palestinian rights in accordance with international law through strategies of boycotting Israeli products and cultural institutions, divesting from companies complicit in violations against Palestinians, and implementing state sanctions against the Israeli government. The BDS movement was founded in July 2005 by a swath of Palestinian civil society as a peaceful movement to restore Palestinian rights in accordance with international law through strategies of boycotting Israeli products and cultural institutions, divesting from companies complicit in violations against Palestinians, and implementing state sanctions against the Israeli government.
The movement falls within the traditions of the nonviolent boycott movement against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The movement falls within the traditions of the nonviolent boycott movement against the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Becker reportedly told the Jerusalem Post that the BDS movement “strongly attacks the fundamental basis of the legitimation of the Jewish State” and used anti-zionism as a detour “to spread anti semitism." Becker reportedly told the Jerusalem Post that the BDS movement “strongly attacks the fundamental basis of the legitimation of the Jewish State” and used anti-zionism as a detour “to spread anti semitism."
"That's why we decided to ban any municipal funding or the renting of rooms for any activities of groups or individuals, who support the anti-semitic BDS movement,” Becker told the Jerusalem Post, adding that “we also instructed our city-owned companies and called upon private landlords to act in the same way." "That's why we decided to ban any municipal funding or the renting
According to the Jerusalem Post, the anti-BDS bill will now be sent to the city parliament, which is expected to vote in the coming weeks. The website added that the city of Munich is expected to pass a similar anti-BDS measure soon. According to the Jerusalem Post, the anti-BDS bill will now be sent to the city parliament, which is expected to vote in the coming weeks. The website added that the city of Munich is expected to pass a similar anti-BDS measure soon.
As support for the BDS movement has grown, Israel has attempted to tighten the noose on the movement in recent months, most notably by As support for the BDS movement has grown, Israel has attempted to tighten the noose on the movement in recent months, most notably by passing the anti-BDS law, which bans foreign individuals who have openly called for a boycott of Israel from entering the country.
Israel’s crackdown on the BDS movement has also seen several Jewish activists being denied entry into Israel, which has caused critics to question the ideological motives of the so-called “Jewish State.” Israel’s crackdown on the BDS movement has also seen several Jewish activists being denied entry into Israel, which has caused critics to question the ideological motives of the so-called “Jewish State.”
Furthermore, Israel has routinely condemned the UN for what it sees as their anti-Israel stance, as numerous resolutions have been passed in recent months condemning Israel’s half-century occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and its relentless settlement enterprise that has dismembered the Palestinian territory. Furthermore, Israel has routinely condemned the UN for what it sees as their anti-Israel stance, as numerous resolutions have been passed in recent months condemning Israel’s half-century occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and its relentless settlement enterprise that has dismembered the Palestinian territory.
However, Palestinians and activists have long pointed out that nonviolent movements, expressed both in BDS activities and raising awareness on the international stage, are some of the last spaces to challenge Israel’s occupation, as Israeli forces have clamped down on popular movements in the Palestinian territory, leaving many Palestinians with diminished hope for the future. However, Palestinians and activists have long pointed out that nonviolent movements, expressed both in BDS activities and raising awareness on the international stage, are some of the last spaces to challenge Israel’s occupation, as Israeli forces have clamped down on popular movements in the Palestinian territory, leaving many Palestinians with diminished hope for the future.
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- The city of Frankfurt, Germany, passed a bill on Friday outlawing municipal funding for and the use of public spaces for activities that aim to boycott Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.Like the Third Reich, the Bund took seriously the matter of indoctrinating the young. The organization ran Nazi camps across the country, with locations in Wisconsin, California, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, where children and adolescents could participate in the fanfare of fascism and proud heritage. These camps, like Camp Siegfried in Long Island and Camp Nordland in New Jersey—with their copious use of the swastika and other Nazi symbols, choruses of children singing “Deutschland, über alles,” streets named after Hitler and Goebbels, and military-inspired drills—did put neighbors on edge, even before the U.S. entered the war. Their eerie legacy even lives on today. As of last year, it was still illegal for residents of Yaphank, New York — the town that hosted Camp Siegfried — to sell their house to buyers of non-German descent.
Secretive and imperfect bookkeeping prevents us from knowing just how popular the Bund was at its peak. With his characteristic bluster, Kuhn claimed to have as many as 200,000 members at his side, but the Bund probably had between 5,000 to 10,000 official members (the FBI counted 6,600), with perhaps several thousand more casually interested people who attended or orbited around the organization’s events.
The German American Bund was established in Buffalo, New York, in 1936, with a man named Fritz Kuhn as its leader. An engineer by trade, Kuhn was a German-born U.S. citizen who fought for the Kaiser in the Great War. But he found a new calling stoking the political passions and frustrations of German-Americans still distressed by the struggles of the Great Depression.
“Nazis Hail George Washington As First Fascist,” read a March 7, 1938 headline in Life magazine. The brief article reported on a boisterous group of pro-Nazi Americans who called themselves the German American Bund. The organization, whose antagonistic rallies and assemblies were rife with anti-Semitic and ethno-nationalist rhetoric, had begun to capture mainstream attention as the very politics they embraced were driving Europe toward war.
Even more conspicuous and well-publicized than the summer camps were the German American Bund’s frequent assemblies, rallies, and parades. Their message more or less boiled down to something like this: Jews and Bolshevik communists were in control of everything, and they were screwing it all up, and it was the duty of white Christian people to wake up and resist. In packaging this Nazism, Kuhn believed it was necessary to reflect American ideals for it to properly catch on, and the group adopted George Washington as their heroic figure — a man of action and military might who they claimed knew deep down fascism was the way to go, and that this experiment in representative republicanism was doomed to fail.
But as soon as the Bund began to attract media attention, there was an outcry. A significant population of anti-Nazi German-Americans assembled to denounce Hitler and his partisans like the Bund at home. Veteran groups, like the American Legion, got into bloody fist fights with members of the German American Bund. And with even greater furor, Jewish mobsters and veterans of the Great War incited brawls with members of the Bund.
Bund members at Fritz Kuhn’s ‘Pro-American celebration of George Washington’s birthday’ in 1939. (Bettmann/Getty)
The Bund’s cultural apex struck on February 20, 1939, when the group held a rally in Madison Square Garden, with around 20,000 people in attendance. On the mezzanine edge hung a banner with the slogan “Stop Jewish Domination of Christian Americans.” An enormous, full-body portrait of George Washington dominated the background. The Bund used the moment to reiterate their support for American neutrality amid metastasizing tensions in Europe.
In his address to the packed stadium, Kuhn called the president “Frank D. Rosenfeld” and his seminal legislation, the “Jew Deal.” “American patriots,” he said through a heavy German accent, “I am sure I do not come before you tonight as a complete stranger … You all have heard of me. To the Jewish-controlled press: as a creature with horns, a cloven hoof, and a long tail.” The crowd erupted in laughter. Indeed, the media and overall public opinion were unfair to them: “Of course, no German American citizen can express an opinion that does not confirm to the standardized order,” he lamented to a sympathetic crowd. “We, I say, will not fail you when called upon to keep every lawful support in our power to fight the grip of Jewish communism in our schools, our universities, in our very homes.”
In the middle of the screed, a Jewish man named Isadore Greenbaum stormed the stage. He was pummeled and thrown around by the Bundsmen on stage before being handed to police offstage. It’s hard to say for sure, but it is possible tens of thousands of anti-Bund protesters and activists crowded around the stadium during their rally (the following day, the Chicago Tribune put the count at 50,000, with 1,700 police officers on duty to keep the peace).
Fritz Kuhn (second from left) with fellow Bund leaders in Chicago, 1938. (AP Photo)
The actual Nazis, however, found Kuhn and his group bothersome. As Hitler centralized power and protracted his ambitions, he aimed to preserve the neutral position of the United States, not disrupt it —which inflammatory opportunists like Kuhn seemed to be doing. In all, the Nazis and the Bund kept no formal line of communication or endorsement, and as international tensions grew in March 1938, the Nazis issued a decree which barred German nationals from joining the Bund and prohibited the organization from using the swastika and other Nazi insignia. But this unenforceable policy did little to change the Bund’s ceremonies, and was mostly enacted as a gesture to mitigate the growing angst over Nazism in Washington.
In the end, the Madison Square Garden rally would mark the denouement of the Bund’s trajectory. By the end of that summer, Europe was at war. Kuhn was arrested for the embezzlement of $14,000 from the Bund’s funds (the members themselves didn’t object; by definition it’s hard for a fascist leader to engage in misconduct) and was imprisoned. In December 1941, as the United States entered the war, Bund members were now criminal dissidents and could be convicted as such, and the ensuing crackdown and persecution gave the nascent House Un-American Activities Committee its first big assignment.
But Nazi apologists in the United States did not disappear with the dissolution of the Bund. Instead they went mainstream, and justified their stance in the name of prudence and neutrality. Charles Lindbergh was the most famous of these outspoken few, having flown to Germany in 1936 on U.S. assignment to report on the state of Luftwaffe aircraft, and two years later was inducted into the Order of the German Eagle by Hermann Goering, which was essentially the highest Nazi honor available to a foreigner.In Doha, Philippines Negotiator Delivers Emotional Plea For Climate Change Action
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images
This kind of thing rarely happens. But today during the United Nation's COP 18 climate change conference in Doha, the lead negotiator for the Philippines broke down.
He delivered an emotional plea for action on the issue of climate change that was made even more dramatic because his country is just now starting to pick up the pieces from a typhoon that has killed hundreds.
"As we sit here in these negotiations, even as we vacillate and procrastinate here, the death toll is rising," Naderev Saño said. "There is massive and widespread devastation."
According to The Guardian's transcription, he went on to explain that a typhoon like Bopha is rare in that part of the country. He explained that tragedies like these are not unique to his country. Then his voice cracked and he was on the verge of tears.
He closed:
"I appeal to the whole world, I appeal to leaders from all over the world, to open our eyes to the stark reality that we face. I appeal to ministers. The outcome of our work is not about what our political masters want. It is about what is demanded of us by 7 billion people. "I appeal to all, please, no more delays, no more excuses. Please, let Doha be remembered as the place where we found the political will to turn things around. Please, let 2012 be remembered as the year the world found the courage to find the will to take responsibility for the future we want. I ask of all of us here, if not us, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where?"
Morning Edition's Renee Montagne spoke to World Bank president Jim Yong Kim for Friday's show.
During the interview Kim made similar points to Saño. He said that action is necessary especially because there is now an "overwhelming consensus over the science of climate change."
What's more he said, scientists believe there will likely be a 4 degrees Celsius increase in temperature by the end of the century. What that means, he said, is that once-in-a-generation events like SuperStorm Sandy or the heatwave that overtook Russia will become more common.
Kim was on the show to talk about a newly released report put out by the World Bank that they hope will "shock us into action." Kim said the report paints a picture of just how dramatically different our world could become if we don't curb this trend.
In the foreword of the report, Kim writes, "This report is a stark reminder that climate change affects everything."
For more of Renee and Kim's conversation tune into Friday's Morning Edition. We'll post the as-aired version of the interview on this post Friday morning.Posted on 1:00 PM by Sameer Shah
As an artist, inventor, anatomist, engineer, mathematician and even a botanist, Leonardo Da Vinci was the ultimate Renaissance man.
However, it seems he may have had one more string to his bow - as a matchmaker.
Art historians now believe he is responsible for this 500-year-old pen and ink drawing, which was commissioned by a female Italian aristocrat to show to potential suitors.
Known as Nuptial Portrait of a Young Woman, it was sold for £10,000 in 1998 after being attributed to a German artist.
However, experts say it is looking'more and more like a Leonardo work'.
This would push its value up as high as £100million.
Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of the Da Vinci museum in the artist's hometown of Vinci near Florence, said: 'The intensity, quality and purity of the work make the recognition of it as a Leonardo the obvious conclusion. The most telling clue is the left-handed style - which is typical Leonardo.'
He added: 'The detail in the eye is very limpid as Leonardo strongly believed in making the eyes look like the windows of the soul.
'It's very probable this work was commissioned by the lady in the picture and sent to a prospective groom to show off her beauty.'
Based on its style, the portrait is thought to date to between 1485 and 1490, when Da Vinci was living in Milan.
Mr Vezzosi believes it shows the Milanese aristocrat Bianca Maria Sforza shortly before her marriage to Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor.
However, he said the work needs further investigation before it is fully accepted as authentic.
If this happens, it will be the most important advance in Da Vinci studies since the Lady With An Ermine portrait was attributed to the artist in the 19th century.It was grim and rainy last Friday along Crimea’s Black Sea coast, and Dimitri Semenov was in a dark mood. A former Soviet Army officer and a successful businessman, Semenov is used to taking risks: he goes deep-water diving for fun. These days, though, all he talks about are his worries.
“To be honest, I worry about everything,” Semenov said, as we drove around his home town of Saky, about thirty miles northwest of Simferopol, the Crimean capital, in his Toyota S.U.V. “I even worry about who is going to feed my dog if I have to leave.” An ethnic Russian, born and raised in Crimea, Semenov told me that he had never thought of leaving before. But, since Russian troops took over Crimea, in late February, and the peninsula’s government announced its decision to join the Russian Federation, Semenov has found himself in the small minority of Russians in Crimea who oppose a merger with Moscow. (Nearly sixty per cent of the peninsula’s population is Russian, according to the 2001 census; twenty-five per cent are Ukrainian, and another twelve per cent are Crimean Tatars.) His own family, like many here, has been split by the crisis: one of his two brothers supports the Kremlin; the other agrees with Dimitri that Crimea will be much better off as a part of Ukraine.
Semenov, whose firm produces food and beverage containers that are exported to Europe and Israel, said that the crisis had already damaged business; his factory had come to a halt because employees couldn’t get to work, and the presence of Russian troops was interfering with foreign trade. He supported the protests in Kiev, he told me, because he thought they represented the only alternative to the corrupt rule of Viktor Yanukovych, the ousted Ukrainian President. “The Orange Revolution failed us,” he said, referring to the disappointing aftermath of the 2004 uprising, “but this was another chance. Now that, too, is gone.”
This weekend, the people of Crimea will vote in a hastily arranged referendum that both the government in Kiev and the international community have deemed illegitimate. It offers two choices: to endorse the decision, already made by the regional parliament, to join the Russian Federation; or to restore the 1992 Crimean constitution that described the peninsula as a “Soviet State” and gave its leaders considerable autonomy from Kiev—which, given Crimea’s pro-Moscow government and the presence of Russian troops, would effectively produce the same result.
“Either way, Putin has got us,” Semenov said. “I am not sure what I dread more: going to Russia or going back to the 1992 constitution.” In Saky, where the beach is lined with grey concrete Soviet-era resorts, bad memories of the nineteen-nineties still resonate. Hundreds of Soviet veterans of the Afghan war came to the town in the late eighties, for treatment at the many sanatoriums situated along the Black Sea. Afterward, many of them remained in Saky and joined local gangs, bringing with them military training and combat experience. Within a few years, after the fall of the Soviet Union, organized criminal groups in the area were locked in fierce battles to control former state resources, grabbing buildings and land. Residents of the once-sleepy town found themselves in the middle of a violent struggle between two of Crimea’s biggest gangs, known as Bashmaki and Salem.
“We lived in a war zone,” Semenov recalled. “Not a day would go by without a shooting, or someone dying.” The gangs, he said, “would rape girls they liked and kill guys they didn’t like. And now we have one of them in charge here.”
Crimea’s new, Moscow-backed Prime Minister, Sergei Aksyonov, denies that he had any link to organized crime in those days, but several reports have alleged that he was a member of Salem, and many people in Crimea still know him by his old nickname, the Goblin. Prior to Russia’s march on the peninsula, last week, Aksyonov, who entered politics in the nineties, was a marginal figure. His pro-Moscow party, called Russian Unity, won only four per cent of the vote in the region’s last election, in 2010—a sign, many analysts concluded, that, while most Crimeans identified with Russia, few actually wanted to join it.
The revolution in Kiev—along with a lot of encouragement from Moscow—seems to have changed that equation. Most Crimeans regarded the protests on Kiev’s Maidan as nothing more than a gathering of dangerous Ukrainian nationalists, a perception that was amplified by the Kremlin-controlled Russian television channels that dominate the local media. Under the Putinesque pretext that Crimea had to be protected from “fascist forces,” Aksyonov’s government announced that Crimea would become a part of Russia, and declared that the only occupying force on the peninsula was the Ukrainian Army.
Among the busy stalls of Simferopol’s main market, most of the people I spoke to agreed with Aksyonov. “Putin is our savior,” a vegetable seller named Nadezhda told me. “We have so many economic problems here, but Putin will sort it all out.” At the next stall, another woman continued making the case: “It’s simple. Russia is powerful and prosperous, and it will protect us from all the Nazis and fascists who have taken over Ukraine.” Both women told me that they will vote to join Russia in this weekend’s referendum.
While the new Crimean government rushes into Moscow’s embrace, Semenov and a number of other skeptics wonder about the logistics of a swift and unprecedented transfer of territory from one state to another. Crimea is dependent on Kiev for most of its electricity, water, and communications infrastructure. The peninsula’s highways and roads all lead to Ukraine, which is also the source of most of its tourism and trade.
So far, no one in Crimea’s government has explained how the annexation will actually proceed. One mid-level municipal official in Simferopol, who asked to remain anonymous, told me that there is no plan. “To be honest, we don’t really know how it will work,” he said. “We haven’t figured out yet how the banking system will change or how bills and pensions will be paid. There is a lot that needs to be sorted.”
Ukraine cannot afford a military confrontation with Russia, as the acting Ukrainian President, Oleksandr Turchynov, underscored in an interview on Wednesday, telling a reporter, “We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border [with Russia] and Ukraine would not be protected.” But Ukraine does have a great deal of economic leverage over the peninsula. The new Crimean government may be banking on the hope that Ukraine is unlikely to isolate Crimea because an economic blockade of the peninsula could backfire politically. “If Kiev doesn’t recognize Crimea’s independence, it will have an obligation to continue supporting its people,” Ildar Gazizullin, an economist at the International Center for Perspective Research, in Kiev, said. “Starving the Crimeans will only convince them that they made the right choice by going to Russia. I don’t think it will happen.”
Alexander Furmanchuk, a political analyst in Simferopol, argued that Crimea will thrive after severing itself from Ukraine. “Putin would not have gone as far as he did if he couldn’t afford to go to the end and if he didn’t have a plan,” he said. “We will prosper within two years. We will have an investment boom here, roads will be built, our resorts will be full of Russian tourists |
, ceasefire-breaking surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces against South Vietnam and the United States — is omnipresent. Not quite omnipresent enough, however, to touch Don Draper. Busy navigating the demands of his client, his wife, and his mistress, Don is only dimly aware of the latest developments when he sits down to dinner with said mistress and her husband, Sylvia and Arnold Rosen; he knows it was a sneak attack, but that's about it.
"You know, we're losing the war," Dr. Rosen intones, imparting a hard truth. Nodding to their fellow patrons at the tony restaurant at which they've snagged a reservation, Don replies, "You wouldn't know it looking around here." This is the middle-aged elite, untouched by Vietnam. This is Jaguar's target demo.
Having been on the other side of both class and combat, Don's ambivalence about his current status runs deep, hence the presence of this episode's flashbacks. Watching through a keyhole as your pregnant mother fucks a pimp for room and board will give you some unpleasant feelings about instant, automatic gratification, no matter how often you indulge it yourself.
Sure enough, no sooner has Don finished his Bizarro-style backwards pitch for preserving Jaguar as a status symbol for the rich than he and Roger team up to explain to a flabbergasted Pete Campbell that all-carrot, no-stick has its cost. "And so we keep saying yes, no matter what, because we didn't say no to begin with," Don says, his voice dripping with contempt for the client who turned his friend Joan into an ersatz prostitute over his own protestations.
Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Sylvia Rosen (Linda Cardellini). Photo: Michael Yarish/AMC
A few scenes earlier he convinced a momentarily guilt-ridden Sylvia to sleep with him by reminding her that her nos always turn to yeses the moment he takes her dress off; a few scenes later he's collapsing at his front door, momentarily laid low by his own inability to stop giving himself everything he wants at all times. He may as well have been talking about himself.
Echoing him, Roger flashes back two wars to the Munich Conference, where a lack of insight into Adolf Hitler's character and the lingering fear of another Great War-style continent-wide bloodbath convinced the powers of Europe to feed the fascist fever and hand Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany. "It means we gave the Germans whatever they wanted to make them happy, but it just made them want more." This is close to a thesis statement for the entire series; Don voiced it almost identically last season when he called happiness "the moment before you need more happiness."
Still fuming, Pete points out that Germany lost the war in the end. True enough, but sometimes the results on the ground don't matter as much as what happens in the head. The Tet Offensive was a military defeat for the Communists, but its ferocity, coordination, and ability to catch the mightiest military in the world flat-footed effectively destroyed the resolve of the American public to win the war, whatever that would have meant. Both Munich and Tet were matters of underestimation — of Hitler's sociopathy, of the NVA and VC's skill — and the cost was high.
Examples of that precise kind of strategic miscalculation were thick on the ground in this episode. Herb underestimated Don. Don underestimated his conscience. Pete underestimated Trudy, who responded in terms that any given character in Full Metal Jacket would love: “I'm drawing a 50-mile radius around this house, and if you so much as open your fly to urinate, I will destroy you.”
And though Ted Chaough tells Peggy that her friend Stan underestimated her when he blabbed about the internecine warfare at Heinz, it was really Peggy who underestimated Ted when she took him into her confidence. "This is how wars are won!" Ted shouts ebulliently, at last displaying a bit of the cutthroat smarm that distinguished his early appearances. He's not wrong.Hillview police made a large drug bust early Wednesday morning.Police were called to the McDonald's on Old Preston Highway at about 3:30 a.m. on a report of a person who was intoxicated and passed out in the drive-thru.Officers said when they arrived, they found the man in his car and could visibly see a handgun in the car.”The person wasn't conscious, wasn't alert and appeared to be under the influence of something. They were not sure, but before they got him out of the car, they noticed in plain view a handgun,” Chief Bill Mahoney with Hillview police said.After searching the vehicle, police said they found a loaded handgun, individual bags of what's believed to be meth, a bag containing an ingredient to make meth, a small bag of mushrooms and over $1,810 cash.Police said the suspected meth has a street value of about $25,000.The driver was arrested and booked into the Bullitt County Detention Center.
Hillview police made a large drug bust early Wednesday morning.
Police were called to the McDonald's on Old Preston Highway at about 3:30 a.m. on a report of a person who was intoxicated and passed out in the drive-thru.
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Officers said when they arrived, they found the man in his car and could visibly see a handgun in the car.
”The person wasn't conscious, wasn't alert and appeared to be under the influence of something. They were not sure, but before they got him out of the car, they noticed in plain view a handgun,” Chief Bill Mahoney with Hillview police said.
After searching the vehicle, police said they found a loaded handgun, individual bags of what's believed to be meth, a bag containing an ingredient to make meth, a small bag of mushrooms and over $1,810 cash.
Police said the suspected meth has a street value of about $25,000.
The driver was arrested and booked into the Bullitt County Detention Center.
AlertMeIf looks could kill. Esther McVey’s replacement at DWP did not look impressed to be asked about whether she still supports the death penalty:
“that comment was made a long time ago and is not relevant to today’s political debate”
By “comment” Priti means extended exchanges on Question Time and by “a long time ago” she means September 2011.
Having explained that she wasn’t swayed by Ian Hislop’s arguments about miscarriages of justice, this exchange with the Private Eye editor seemed to amuse the audience (Hislop from 4:32):
Hislop: Are you saying all they were guilty all these people [who have unsafe convictions]?
Patel: No I’m not saying they were guilty.
Hislop: But they’d be dead.
Patel: No.
Hislop: They would!
Patel: The point is this is about having deterrents. If you have strong deterrents …
Hislop: It’s not a deterrent killing the wrong people!
“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.”
But not if it’s going to damage my ministerial career.Iraqi federal police forces – backed by U.S. air support – entered Mosul International Airport and took control of the runway from the Islamic State, an official said Thursday.
Thursday’s advance is part of a major assault that started five days ago to drive ISIS militants from the western half of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city.
Two police officers said the airport buildings were under fire from Iraqi forces. They would not provide more information but said the U.S.-led coalition is with the advancing forces.
Reuters reported Monday that Iraqi forces were closing in on the airport after pushing ISIS fighters back at a nearby hill. The troops were working on regaining the west side of the city and overtaking the airport completely would be a major blow to militants.
Mosul fell to ISIS in the summer of 2014, along with large swaths of northern and western Iraq. ISIS is estimated to have between 1,000 and 3,000 fighters in Mosul, Col. John Dorrian, the Baghdad-based spokesman told Pentagon reporters Wednesday.
Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, a top U.S. commander in Iraq, said Monday the Iraqi forces are an "increasingly capable, formidable and professional force."
"Mosul would be a tough fight for any army in the world, and the Iraqi forces have risen to the challenge," he said in a statement.
Ground units pushed into a belt of villages outside the country's second-largest city Sunday and plumes of smoke rose into the sky early in the morning as U.S.-led coalition jets struck militant positions southwest of Mosul and militarized Iraqi police fired artillery.
US TROOPS HAVE COME ‘UNDER FIRE’ IN AN AROUND MOSUL, OFFICIAL SAYS
The United Nations warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped inside their homes in Mosul "are at extreme risk," with dwindling fuel, food and water and scarce electricity.
Iraq declared eastern Mosul "fully liberated" last month after three months of fierce fighting, but the militants have continued to stage attacks there, including two suicide bombings against government forces on Sunday.
The battle for western Mosul promises to be even more daunting, as the half of the city west of the Tigris River has older, narrower streets and is still heavily populated.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the latest operation on state TV. He said government forces were moving to "liberate the people of Mosul from [ISIS] oppression and terrorism forever."
Police units quickly entered the village of Athba, about 3 miles southwest of Mosul's international airport, encountering only light resistance. Separately, the Iraqi Army's 9th Division moved into the village of Bakhira, also southwest of the city, the Ministry of Defense said.
Citing witnesses in western Mosul, the United Nations said nearly half of all food shops were closed and bakeries had shut down for lack of fuel and an inability to purchase costly flour. Prices of kerosene and cooking gas have skyrocketed, and many of the most destitute families are burning wood, furniture, plastic or garbage for cooking and heating.
US TOOPS IN IRAQ OPERATING CLOSER TO FRONT LINES
"The situation is distressing. People, right now, are in trouble," Lise Grande, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said in a statement. "We are hearing reports of parents struggling to feed their children and to heat their homes."
Peter Hawkins, of the U.N. agency for children, said: "Three out of five people now depend on untreated water from wells for cooking and drinking as water systems and treatment plants have been damaged by fighting or run out of chlorine."
The humanitarian agencies were gearing up to aid 250,000 to 400,000 civilians who may flee because of the fighting, the statement said. The U.N. estimates 750,000 civilians may be left in western Mosul.
Iraqi special operations forces, regular army and federal police units are taking part in the offensive along with government-approved paramilitary forces, mainly consisting of Shiite militias, which are operating on the city's outskirts.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.1999 live album by David Bowie
Liveandwell.com is a 1999 limited edition live album by David Bowie. It is not available commercially and could only be acquired by being subscribed to BowieNet at the time. The album is made up of recordings from the 1997 Earthling tour, featuring songs from the albums Earthling (1997) and 1. Outside (1995). A second release of the CD in 2000 came with a bonus disc made up of four rare remixes, one being the song "Fun", which was itself not released commercially.
Track listing [ edit ]
Disc one [ edit ]
Disc two (remixes) [ edit ]
"Fun (Dillinja mix)" – 5:52 "Little Wonder (Danny Saber Dance mix)" – 5:32 "Dead Man Walking" (Moby mix 1) – 7:32 "Telling Lies (Paradox mix)" – 5:11
Recordings [ edit ]
"I'm Afraid of Americans", "Battle for Britain", "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Little Wonder" were recorded at the Radio City Music Hall, New York City, concert in October. "Battle for Britain" ends with Mike Garson playing a small part of the intro to the older Bowie song, "Time".
"I'm Deranged", "Telling Lies" and "The Motel" were recorded at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, concert in June. "I'm Deranged" was a reworked version based on the Jungle Mix released on the bonus disk from 1.OUTSIDE and some versions of the "Dead Man Walking" single.
and some versions of the "Dead Man Walking" single. "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" was recorded at the Phoenix Festival, England, in July. The band went under the pseudonym Tao Jones Index, with no spotlights on Bowie; instead, they performed in darkness with dry ice and strobe lights. Tao Jones Index, pronounced like Dow Jones Index, is a reference to Bowie's birth name (Jones) and his ongoing fascination with Eastern philosophy (evident on Earthling as well as in the video for "Seven Years in Tibet").
as well as in the video for "Seven Years in Tibet"). "Hallo Spaceboy" and "Voyeur of Utter Destruction" were recorded at the Metropolitan, Rio de Janeiro, in November.
Personnel [ edit ]Just a typical day at the state capitol
Former Oregon Rep. Bruce Hanna argues that Gov. Kate Brown, House Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney could help to bring down costs around public employee healthcare so the savings reach Oregon classrooms and improve graduation outcomes by passing House Bill 3428.
(Faith Cathcart)
Bruce Hanna
During my time in the Legislature, and particularly as co-Speaker of the Oregon House, Oregonians were clear about their priorities. They wanted us to increase access to healthcare, improve its delivery, and prioritize predictable education funding that would improve graduation rates while getting more money into the classroom.
During the 2011-12 legislative session, we worked to accomplish all of those things. Not only did we implement the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, but for the first time in anyone's memory we passed the education budget first so that school districts and educators had peace of mind to plan for the coming school years. In fact, we took our commitments to stabilize education and healthcare budgets a step further.
Legislators realized that if we expanded Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of new Oregonians, we were going to have to find a way to pay for it once the federal match rate decreased. We were also concerned about balancing the risk pool in Cover Oregon and the Exchange so that healthcare remained affordable for all. After a 2011 cost-savings measure to allow school districts to opt out of the Oregon Education Benefits Board (OEBB) failed, we settled on a different approach to free up money for schools while ensuring the success of the Exchange.
In 2012, as part of the business plan for Cover Oregon, we passed House Bill 4164. This bill would have allowed school districts the chance to buy insurance through the Exchange at a lesser cost than what they're currently paying through the OEBB. At the time, the difference in savings between a Gold Plan on the Exchange and the OEBB costs was conservatively a half-billion dollars per biennium. That's a significant amount of money our school districts could have used to shore up their budgets.
The very next year, the legislature made a huge mistake in rolling back House Bill 4164. The "budget hole" the state is currently facing can be attributed in part to that decision. School districts lost the opportunity to save money and protect classroom dollars. The day of the rollback vote, I reminded my colleagues of the massive amount of work we had done to keep our promise to Oregonians and warned of the consequences of a rollback. Sadly, with a party-line vote, Democrats sidelined the intent and spirit of the ACA and denied our school districts a cost-saving opportunity.
It doesn't give me joy to say "I told you so" when we're talking about the lives of hundreds of thousands of school children and lost classroom dollars, or low-income Oregonians who could lose their health coverage next year. We are now seeing the consequence of that decision in the news headlines. School district budgets are millions of dollars short. Districts are preparing to lay off teachers and administrators while cutting music and physical education classes. In direct opposition to a mandate from voters to fund career-tech and STEM education, the legislature is already working to gut Measure 98 funding. Oregon's universities are facing steep tuition increases. It didn't have to be this way.
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Gov. Kate Brown, House Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney could help to bring down costs around public employee healthcare so the savings reach Oregon classrooms and improve graduation outcomes by passing House Bill 3428. This bill would trigger a 2011 statute to begin moving public employees into Coordinated Care Organizations. It is the right approach at a time, even with record revenue growth, when the state's budget can't afford increasing healthcare costs.
This time there can be no room for error, nor can we afford special deals for special interests. Our children and low-income Oregonians must come first.
Bruce Hanna is a former five-term lawmaker and Republican co-speaker of the Oregon House. He lives in Roseburg.INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts needed an upgrade at nose tackle. Johnathan Hankins needed to find a team as the biggest-name player still on the market more than a month after the start of free agency.
The Colts found their new starter and Hankins found his new team Thursday, when he inked a three-year contract for $30 million.
“Johnathan is a young, productive and disruptive defensive lineman,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement. “He possesses a wealth of experience and brings leadership to our team.”
Johnathan Hankins says he can do more than just stop the run for a Colts defense that was among the NFL's worst in 2016. Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
Hankins’ patience was tested throughout the free-agency process. While he looked around for the best deal possible, fellow defensive lineman such as Dontari Poe, Brandon Williams and Bennie Logan signed new contracts.
Hankins, meanwhile, waited and waited. And waited some more for a team to offer him a deal he would like.
“I won’t say it was easy, but with the help of my family, my agent and knowing what was going on, we knew something was going to happen and something good was eventually going to fall through,” the 25-year-old said. “I wasn’t too stressed about it because I knew I was going to be playing football. It was never a question about playing football. Everything just worked out the way it was supposed to.”
Hankins arrives in Indianapolis with a reputation of being a run-stopper. He was part of a New York Giants defense that tied for third in the league against the run (88.6 yards per game) last season.
But Hankins -- a second-round pick in 2013 -- believes he can be an every-down player and contribute at defensive tackle on a Colts defense that was 30th overall in 2016.
“I want to be a three-down guy,” Hankins said. “I’ve been doing that when I was with the Giants in the past two years. It’s never been a problem. I’ve had 10 sacks in my career with the Giants, so I can definitely get sacks. I don’t just view myself as a run-stopper, even though that’s what got me in the league. But [ever since] I’ve been in the league, I’ve shown teams that I can get to the quarterback and I can be an all-around player.”
Chuck Pagano hasn’t had a dominant player to anchor his defensive line since he took over as Colts coach in 2012. He’s dealt with the likes of David Parry, the starter the past two seasons, Josh Chapman and Aubrayo Franklin at nose tackle. Hankins, in addition to those 10 sacks, has 140 tackles in his NFL four seasons.
“As long as I go out there and do my job and be productive... I’m OK with that,” Hankins said. “Continue to do what I was doing with the Giants and bring a different dimension to this team and be more of a leader and get wins and get to the ultimate goal, which is win the Super Bowl. We’ve got some young guys, we’ve got some new guys and I’m one of those new guys, so I’m excited to get everything started.”The HDMI Forum, the governing organization that creates specifications for (you guessed it) HDMI cables, has officially released the next version of the HDMI standard: HDMI 2.1. The new standard was first announced earlier this year at CES 2017, but has now been finalized and released to companies to start integrating into devices.
The new standard supports a whole host of new video outputs including 4K video at 120Hz and 8K video at 60Hz, along with support for video at 10K resolution. But good luck finding anything to watch in that resolution. This time-lapse from photographer Joe Capra is probably the only thing around that can even attempt to approximate the format.
As my colleague James Vincent pointed out when he first covered the specification back in January, HDMI 2.1 is more a future-facing update than one that will directly affect current devices, seeing as we’re still just starting to reach the point where 4K video is becoming commonplace, to say nothing of 8K resolution or technologies like dynamic HDR video that HDMI 2.1 in theory will be able to support.
Still, since the standard is fully backwards compatible with current HDMI devices, it’s likely that we’ll start seeing the new spec crop up on devices going forward. And maybe one day, technology for video and displays will finally catch up and we’ll actually be able to fully take advantage of everything HDMI 2.1 has to offer.President Donald Trump speaks at the National Convention of the American Legion, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Reno, Nev. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EDT):
10:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump called for patriotism and national healing as he praised veterans at an American Legion conference in Nevada Wednesday.
Trump called the veterans an “example of strength, courage and resolve that our country will need to overcome the many challenges that we face.”
It was a stark contrast from his rally in Phoenix on Tuesday night. He opened his remarks there with talk of unity but then tore into the media and members of his own party.
The public push-and-pull in Trump’s message mirrors the internal dynamics at the White House, New chief of staff John Kelly has organized and regimented the West Wing staff but has been unable to rein in the president’s tendency to veer off course.
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6:50 p.m.
The White House isn’t walking back President Donald Trump’s threat of a government shutdown over his promised Southern border wall.
Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tells reporters traveling aboard Air Force Once that Trump “has made no secret” that getting the wall built is a priority. She says he’s “looking forward” to working with Congress to get it done.
Trump threatened a standoff on the issue during a rally Tuesday night, saying, “If we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday he doesn’t think a shutdown is “necessary.”
The House has already passed a spending bill with funding for the wall. But the measure faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where Democrats and moderates have greater sway.
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6 p.m.
The White House says President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will meet following the August congressional recess amid reports of a vicious feud between the Republican leaders.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the meeting had been previously scheduled and would bring together congressional leaders and members of the president’s Cabinet.
She adds that Trump and McConnell “remain united on many shared priorities,” including middle-class tax relief, strengthening the military and constructing a Southern border wall.
Trump has criticized McConnell for the Senate’s failure to pass a health care overhaul and has suggested he might need to step aside.
People familiar with McConnell’s thinking say he has privately expressed dismay over Trump’s criticism of fellow Republicans and his response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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2:45 p.m.
President Donald Trump has signed into law a bill that would cut the amount of time the Department of Veterans Affairs takes to decide veterans’ appeals of their disability payments.
Trump described the bill as “a big one” as he readied his pen at a signing ceremony at an American Legion event in Reno, Nevada.
The legislation will overhaul the process by allowing veterans to file “express” appeals if they waive their right to a hearing, or allow them to submit new evidence. Veterans currently could wait five years or more to resolve their disability appeals.
The department provides $63.7 billion in compensation annually to about 4.1 million veterans living with disabling conditions suffered during military service.
The changes would apply almost entirely to newly filed appeals, not the existing backlog.
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2:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump is offering kind words to a Nevada senator who is up for re-election and with whom he has openly and repeatedly feuded.
Trump gave a shout-out to Republican Sen. Dean Heller as he kicked off a speech at the American Legion’s national convention Wednesday.
Trump said: “Dean Heller is here. Someplace, or will shortly be here” and thanked the senator for attending.
The comments came a day after Trump criticized two other incumbents, Sen. John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona, during an angry rally in their state.
After Heller announced his opposition to an initial health overhaul bill in June, a group linked to Trump launched a hard-hitting ad campaign against him.
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2:15 p.m.
President Donald Trump is saluting the American Legion’s commitment to service and urging the nation to follow its example.
Trump was speaking at the group’s national convention in Nevada, and he noted the group’s diversity. Trump said that those in uniform came from “different backgrounds” and “all different walks of life.”
He said that the members are all “on one team” and that the citizens throughout the nation should try to emulate their behavior.
Trump’s pitch for unity in Reno stands in stark contrast to his angry, divisive remarks the night before at a campaign rally in Phoenix. During that meandering speech, Trump attacked fellow Republicans and went on a lengthy diatribe against the news media.
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11 a.m.
President Donald Trump is set to speak at an American Legion convention and the White House says he plans to talk about seeking “a new unity.”
The White House says the president — in his speech later Wednesday in Reno, Nevada — will say it’s “time to heal the wounds that have divided us and to seek a new unity based on the common values that unite us.”
Look for Trump to say: “We are one people, with one home, and one flag.”
The Nevada appearance is coming after Trump’s rally Tuesday night in Phoenix, when he lashed out at the media and criticized Arizona’s two Republican senators.
Trump has pushed back against media coverage of his response to the violence at a Charlottesville, Virginia, protest organized by white supremacists.
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10 a.m.
President Donald Trump is naming Senate Republican names.
Trump on Wednesday morning tweeted that he loves “the Great State of Arizona.” But he added that he was “not a fan of Jeff Flake, weak on crime & border!”
The president woke up in Arizona the day after a campaign rally in Phoenix.
He repeatedly lashed out at the media during the event and skewered both of Arizona’s Republican senators, insisting that his coy refusal to mention their names Tuesday night showed a “very presidential” restraint.
But he went after Flake by name the next morning. Flake has been very critical of the president.
Trump has also criticized the state’s senior senator, John McCain, for casting the deciding vote that doomed the Republican health care bill. McCain is battling brain cancer.
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3:15 a.m.
President Donald Trump is blaming the media for the condemnation of his response to violence at a Charlottesville, Virginia, protest organized by white supremacists.
He opened his political rally Tuesday in Phoenix Tuesday evening with calls for unity, and an assertion that “our movement is about love,” but then quickly erupted in anger
Trump shouted he’d “openly called for healing unity and love” in the immediate aftermath of Charlottesville and had simply been misrepresented in news coverage.
The president acknowledged his advisers had urged him to stay on message, and that he simply could not. He left no doubt that he plans to pardon former sheriff Joe Arpaio (ahr-PY’-oh), convicted of disobeying court orders to stop his immigration patrols. He said he had chosen not to on Tuesday to avoid “controversy.”Without a doubt this is already an NFL season Roger Goodell can't wait to drop kick into distant memory. As players' political activism increasingly encroaches onto the playing field, ratings are getting blitzed.
Over the first six weeks, NFL ratings are down 7.5 percent as compared to last season, per Nielsen. They're down 18.7 percent from the 2015 season. (Commenting last year on the decline, Goodell punted, blaming the presidential election for America's fading interest.)
Faced with such awful stats, it's incontrovertible that if Goodell were himself a player, he'd have already been cut.
But Goodell is clearly intent on retaining possession of his commissionership. His game plan appears to be encouraging players to remain committed to "the issues in their communities" while also telling fans he agrees these athletes should stand for the national anthem.
Over the last two days Goodell has huddled with NFL team owners and the Players Association. Speaking to the press about how he intends to salvage the season, Goodell came up incomplete. As he fumbled for words, a very odd verbal tic emerged.
Over the course of about 20 minutes before the press, Goodell used the same two words no fewer than 45 times.
Watch the montage above to see this bizarre verbal tic in action.
Here's an excerpt from the unofficial transcript:
Issues in the communities, communities, issues, communities, communities, issues, issues, communities' issues, the issues in our communities. Issues in the communities, communities, issues, communities, issues, communities, issues, issues, communities' issues, the issues in our communities. Issues in the communities, communities, issues, communities, communities, issues, issues, communities' issues, the issues in our communities. Issues, issues, issues. Issues in the communities, communities, issues, communities, communities, issues, issues, communities' issues, the issues in our communities. Issues in the communities, communities, issues, communities, issues, communities, issues, issues, communities' issues, the issues in our communities. Issues in the communities, communities, issues, communities, communities, issues, issues, communities' issues, the issues in our communities. Issues, issues, issues.
This isn't Goodell's first time turned over his leadership to talking points. After the Ray Rice scandal in 2014, when the league was accused of effectively running a cover defense for domestic abuse, Goodell developed another verbal tic.As previously reported, Bob Weir was scheduled to appear at an exciting event called the Einstein Gala in Toronto, ON, where he served as both a guest speaker and musical performer for the evening. Hosted by Anderson Cooper, Weir’s presence was meant to show the importance of innovation in both arts and science. After a discussion on the subject, Weir performed an acoustic set that featured a number of Grateful Dead classics, as well as a lengthy sit-in from Dan Kanter.
Though this appearance happened just now, we’re fortunate to be able to share footage of the entire ceremony, courtesy of Periscope user David Lonergan. You can find the speech here, and the full set video here. Additionally, a separate video for the encore “Ripple,” featuring Kanter, can be watched here.
Weir resumes his Grateful duties with Dead & Company on June 10th for a lengthy summer tour. Watch their recent performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, here. Check out the acoustic setlist below:
Setlist: Bob Weir at Einstein Gala, The Carlu, Toronto, ON – 5/15/16
Set: Loose Lucy, Peggy- O, KC Moan, Easy To Slip, Dear Prudence, Friend of the Devil*, Birdsong*, Jack Straw*
Encore: Ripple *
* = w/ Dan Kanter
[Hat tip to Osty Gale for the setlist and videos]Animals have don’t need passports or visas, and they don't care about countries' borders — and that’s vividly illustrated by this animated globe.
It shows migration routes for about 150 species based on tracking data shared by over 11,000 researchers from around the world. The pink lines follow the movement of animals covering at least 310 miles in one direction for at least 45 days, combining about 8,000 tracks collected over a period of about 10 years. You can see lines extend from Africa to Turkey, all the way up to Europe, as well as from Canada to the United States, and vice versa.
Tracking devices have been used by scientists for a long time to study how animals move within local regions and migrate across oceans and continents. In the past, scientists used to tie bands around birds’ legs or use radio transmitters. Today, trackers and tags use GPS and satellites to record data down to the second. The information can help us understand how animals hunt, how they are responding to climate change, or habitat fragmentation — or even just why baby sharks hang out at LA beaches.
The globe combines tracking data compiled by GPS and Argos Doppler, electronic tags that send signals to polar-orbiting satellites. All the data was shared publicly on Movebank, a free, online database of animal tracking data hosted by the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. Most of the 150 or so species on the animation are birds, says Matthias Berger, a member of the Movebank software development team. For instance, the big migration of animals from Europe to Africa — starting at about 00:57 in the animation — shows white storks, which spend their winters away from the cold.
It’s a beautiful reminder that even if humans see the Earth as a planet divided into continents and countries, often at odds with each other, animals don’t. We could all learn a thing or two from them, I say.Gust Announces Chronos Materia For PS Vita
There's even a character named Thyme!
06.27.13 - 3:31 PM
Atelier
Chronos Materia
Japanese developer GUST has a new PlayStation Vita title on their hands - and it's not anseries port this time! Recently revealed over at Famitsu was, a JRPG that allows players to rewind time in order to change the outcome of the game's events.
In a world no longer populated by human civilization, players take on the roles of several girls who came to this world, and it sounds like they use the ability to remind time to change its fate and to 'break an eternal cycle.' Outcomes of key events such as a fire destroying a forest village, for example, can be changed. Chronos Materia has an item synthesis system, something Gust knows a lot about creating after all those Atelier titles, but so far little is known about the battle system. The characters, including Iris, Thyme, Shion and Primula were designed by Non of Vocaloids fame.
Despite just being announced, Chronos Materia already has a Japanese release date of September 26th.Speaking from an undisclosed location in Russia, American whistleblower Edward Snowden warned Toronto high school students to be wary of the federal government’s proposed anti-terror bill. “The problem with mass surveillance is when you collect everything, you understand nothing,” he said via a Google Hangout connection on Monday evening.
Edward Snowden and Glen Greenwald delivered a keynote for a Toronto high school Monday night.
The Harper bill to increase the power of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service “fundamentally changes the balance of power between the citizen and the state.” Speaking alongside journalist Glenn Greenwald, Snowden delivered the keynote speech at the Upper Canada College to open the private school’s World Affairs Conference, an annual, student-run conference. Their talk touched on many of the aspects that have become synonymous with Snowden ’s leaks from the American National Security Agency — surveillance, national security and democracy — including insight into last week’s revelation that CSEC collected massive amounts of data on file uploads in Canada.
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“Is it really possible for governments to do their jobs, in finding terrorist plots,” Greenwald said. “Or are they just collecting so much information on so many people — including people who have done nothing wrong — that they become incapable of finding what they say they’re looking for?” Snowden also touched on some aspects of his life since he became internationally wanted, and warrants were issued for his arrest by his government. “I actually work more now than I ever did before. I work seven days a week, practically,” Snowden said. “It’s now about 4:30 in the morning, I guess, and I haven’t been to sleep yet. But it’s tremendously satisfying. I’m able to have so much impact.” Snowden said he works with NGOs and civil-liberties groups around the world and consults with international computer science and security experts. He also often gives talks like this one, including a debate at Harvard. He also took time to praise the questions directed to him by students. Faced with a question on the rise of China in a global context, he remarked, “First of all, wow. High school students? These are better questions than I get from members of Parliament.”
The comment garnered uproarious applause by the more than 900 students in attendance. The event also featured an overflow room, populated by an additional 400 members of the community, and was live-streamed to an estimated 10,000 viewers.
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Students commented several times on the controversial nature of Snowden and Greenwald’s appearance, but Snowden cautioned against creating narratives directed at him as an individual. “Regardless of how bad a guy I am, ultimately the revelation of warrantless wiretapping, mass surveillance on a global scale is something that we the people deserve to know,” he said. “And if the government will not tell us, it falls to journalists... to find and publish the information that informs our voting habits.” Snowden also commended the journalists he worked with but criticized the mass media for focusing on him and creating narratives of “hero or traitor.” Greenwald also touched on the issue of Snowden’s divisive nature, comparing him to Daniel Ellsberg, the man responsible for leaking the pentagon papers, who has become an outspoken advocate for Snowden’s leaks. The internationally renowned whistleblower also took time to reflect on the value of |
. Better still, they should let their colleagues from other EU countries step forward to make critical interjections. Anyone who knows the proud Polish people knows that it is absolutely counterproductive for threats to come from German mouths: It will only make everything worse.
Consequences for the EU
The price for real or supposed gaffes (on either side) is high. There is a great deal, a very great deal, at stake. The significance of the German-Polish relationship goes beyond ordinary neighborly relations. It is one of the fundamental pillars of the European Union; a delicate plant that requires a lot of patience and understanding in order to flourish. Without reciprocal trust and sensitivity, the plant cannot remain healthy.
It would be both paradoxical and tragic if a crisis in this relationship should make the European Union's existing problems even worse. It is the responsibility not just of politicians but of civil societies on both sides to prevent this, and to stop the free fall. So that the 25th anniversary of the friendship treaty, this document of historic importance, can be celebrated in friendship, not at an icy remove.
You can comment on this article below. We look forward to hearing your opinions! The thread closes in 24 hours from the time of publication.Basketball fans’ favorite podcast, The Basketball Jones, dropped a bombshell in their final episode of the 2012-13 NBA season: sometime this summer they will be leaving theScore Inc. and moving to an as-of-yet undisclosed new home. Besides the announcement that blog posts will continue but offseason “The Blank Jones” episodes will not, that’s all the information that was revealed.
The Basketball Jones—started by a group of friends that met at Ryerson University (that’s in Canada)—debuted as a podcast in 2006. For the next four years it was independently produced and grew in popularity, helped along by co-host JE Skeets’ writing on Deadspin and later editorship of Yahoo’s Ball Don’t Lie blog. In 2010, The Basketball Jones was bought by The Score, a Canadian television, internet and mobile media company.
At The Score, The Basketball Jones produced daily live video podcasts as well as frequently shot and edited humorous videos. They struck a deal in 2011 to feature content on NBA.com, and with Grantland in 2012 to “syndicate” some episodes of the podcast. Before the start of the 2012–13 season The Score’s television—but not internet and mobile—assets were bought by Rogers Media. This led to a downgrade in studios, a discontinuation of the archived live videocast and, I suspect, played a role in the circumstances surrounding The Basketball Jones’ departure.
This all begs the obvious question: where will The Basketball Jones be hosted next season? Before I speculate, I have a few assumptions.
The Basketball Jones will not be leaving Toronto. Four of the six main crew members are married, one has children and another is the co-owner of a cookie bakery. The Toronto roots seem too strong to be, well, uprooted. The Basketball Jones crew would prefer to work with a company that has a significant Toronto-area studio. At this point in its lifespan, The Basketball Jones is too big and successful to be renting a couple of hours a day in a two-bit studio. The Basketball Jones crew would like to explore television opportunities. Piggybacking on assumption two, there just isn’t much left for The Basketball Jones to accomplish on the internet. They have extensive live experience, and would seem to be candidates for a transition to television.
Without further adieu, the candidates for The Basketball Jones’ new home in order of likelihood.
Grantland/ESPN.com
Pros:This is a great fit for many reasons. The irreverent and hilarious tone of TBJ meshes well with Bill Simmons’ aesthetic, and the prior partnership between the two means a lot of kinks have already been worked out. Affiliating with ESPN has to be attractive, and Grantland can certainly afford to pay top dollar (though historically ESPN has been quite stingy when paying for talent).
Cons: ESPN has no studio—or even office—in Toronto, and has very little history with a permanent offsite production team. This could potentially be solved through their minority ownership in Canadian TV channel TSN. ESPN, owned by Disney, also shies away from swearing and off-color references, but presumably this issue has already been worked out through in the Grantland distribution contract.
NBA TV Canada
Pros: The counterpart to the American NBA TV, NBA TV Canada already has a relationship with The Basketball Jones, featuring some of their content. Additionally, TBJ co-host Tas Melas has worked on NBA TV Canada hosted Raptors broadcasts. This would presumably give TBJ greater access to NBA players as well as position them to contribute to NBA broadcasts, while expanding NBA.com’s original content.
Cons: This isn’t a great fit stylistically. Look at this incredibly awkward introduction to The Basketball Jones from an NBA.com anchor. Furthermore, if this video weren’t produced for NBA.com there surely would’ve been a joke about Delonte West sleeping with Gloria James. The clash of styles and limits to what is kosher and what isn’t are by no means unsolvable, but a challenge nonetheless.
The Sports Network (TSN)
Pros: Canada’s closest ESPN equivalent, TSN is 80% owned by Bell Media and 20% by ESPN. It is the largest Canadian platform available to The Basketball Jones, and boasts a state-of-the-art Toronto-area studio to operate out of. Its basketball coverage is fairly weak and mostly straightforward and newsy: The Basketball Jones would immediately become its highest profile NBA offering, and there is the potential for a TV role.
Cons: Without significant TV exposure, this doesn’t seem like much of a step forward for The Basketball Jones. Look at this website: they only have two basketball columnists. It may expand The Basketball Jones brand, but it also seems like it would weaken it.
USA Today
Pros: This may be a bit out of left field and is perhaps wishful thinking, but this would be a nice fit. USA Today has the gravitas (and cash) of a successful old media company while simultaneously transitioning to the new realities of media very successfully. The Basketball Jones would be right at home in USA Today’s eclectic collection of sports media properties, and have the potential for their work to feature on a variety of sites.
Cons: USA Today has no television presence, which means a Toronto-area studio would need to be rented to produce the show, and also keeps The Basketball Jones an internet-only property.
The Score Television Network or SportsNet
Pros: The Score Television Network is the breakoff from the company The Basketball Jones used to be a part of, and SportsNet is a grouping of regional sports networks akin to Comcast SportsNet. They are the two largest Canadian sports television properties behind TSN.
Cons: The Score Television Network was distinctly bought without its internet properties: seemingly they would have tried to cut some deal to keep The Basketball Jones if they really wanted them. SportsNet seems mainly focused on live television rights: they are just as awkward of a fit for America’s Comcast SportsNet as they would be for Canada’s equivalent.
SBNation or Bleacher Report
Pros: As the two most popular internet-only sports websites, both SBNation and Bleacher Report are heavily pushing video. They offer highly polished internet video operations, provide a great home for The Basketball Jones blog, and attract an audience that is firmly in The Basketball Jones’ wheelhouse.
Cons: I doubt either site is willing to pony up the necessary coin to pay all members of the Jones, as well as rent a Toronto-area studio 180 days of the year. It’s also more of a lateral move for The Basketball Jones, and doesn’t offer an obvious pathway to television.
Fox Sports 1
Pros: Fox Sports 1 is Fox’s ambitious new challenger to ESPN—the first ever legitimate challenger to ESPN—that will launch later this summer. They clearly have the money, offer a brand new LA-based studio and are currently snapping up talent left and right, including the popular Canadian co-hosts of TSN’s SportsCentre. Very little has been said about their internet offerings, and this would give them a great feather in their cap and immediately attract people to their internet content.
Cons: I term this the Godfather offer because this would require a move to Los Angeles, and therefore will only happen if Fox Sports 1 throws so much money at The Basketball Jones that they can’t say no. It doesn’t seem particularly plausible, but it would be a very bold and confident move.
Conclusions
Grantland or NBA TV Canada seem far and away to be the most likely potential destinations, and where I would put my money if you could gamble on this sort of thing. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them at TSN or USA Today, but those are both probably long shots. I would be very shocked if The Basketball Jones ended up at The Score, SportsNet, SB Nation or Bleacher Report. I doubt Fox Sports 1 is in the running, but when you are one of the few sports media companies with the money and ambition to make the Godfather offer, you can’t ever be counted out.Hull City striker Yannick Sagbo has been fined £15,000 by the Football Association over a charge relating to Nicolas Anelka's 'quenelle' gesture.
Sagbo, 26, issued a message of support on social media for the Frenchman, who made the offensive gesture in December.
Anelka was banned for five games, fined £80,000 and sacked by West Brom.
What is a quenelle gesture? It is a hand gesture devised by French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, who says it is an anti-establishment symbol
However, many view it as an anti-Semitic gesture, reminiscent of the Nazi salute
People have been photographed making the sign at synagogues and Holocaust sites Read the full details on BBC Magazine Monitor
Sagbo admitted the charge and has also been "warned as to his future conduct and ordered to complete a compulsory education course".
The quenelle sign is described as an inverted Nazi salute.
An FA statement read: "Mr Sagbo was charged by The FA with improper conduct concerning social media postings relating to the quenelle gesture.
"The charge was that the comment was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper, contrary to Rule E3(1).
"Further to that, The FA considered the comment to be an aggravated breach, as defined in FA Rule E3[2], in that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief.
"The Independent Regulatory Commission will provide written reasons for its decision in due course.
"Both The FA and Mr Sagbo have the right to appeal the decision."Forget computing the Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials for E8, a far more important theorem has apparently been proved. I won't state the answer here as it's fun to think about the problem for yourself. But a number of proposed proofs of solutions to the Angel problem have been informally published, at least electronically.Firstly, what is the problem? Wikipdia has a succinct write up. But here's a quick summary anyway:The game of Angels and Devils, invented by John Conway (the same Conway as in the Game of Life, the Monstrous Moonshine conjectures, the proof that subatomic particles have free will and so on), is played on an infinite chessboard. Fix some constant k. One player plays the Angel. The other plays the Devil. On the Devil's turn, he may eat one square on the chessboard. (The devil doesn't actually have a piece, he just eats whatever square he wants.). On the Angel's turn she jumps to a square (distinct from the current one) up to k king's moves away. The Devil wins if the Angel has no legal move. The Angel wins if she has a strategy that guarantees always to have a legal move. For each k, who wins? Until recently it was unknown if the Angel could win even for arbitrarily large k. This may seem like a surprise, after all, if the angel can move 1,000 king's moves, surely she can easily evade the jaws of the devil who can only chomp one square at a time. But surprisingly, the obvious Angel strategies that come to mind can be countered.What's nice about this problem is that it's so easy to state, and yet has stumped some of the smartest people who like to think about these problems.Two papers with possible solutions are Máthé's and Kloster's. I don't think either of them have formally been published yet so I don't know if the peer review is complete.CLOSE State police have responded to Delaware Park, where a shooting was reported at about 9 a.m. in the area of the stable gate. 7/29/15 DAMIAN GILETTO/THE NEWS JOURNAL
Buy Photo A state police diver retrieves a gun from the White Clay Creek. (Photo: SUCHAT PEDERSON/THE NEWS JOURNAL)Buy Photo
A verbal altercation at Delaware Park in Stanton led to one man shot and another quickly arrested in his shooting Wednesday morning, state police said.
The shooting was reported at 8:55 a.m. in the stable area, prompting temporary closure of Delaware Park Horse Racing & Slots entrances.
Investigation showed that 30-year-old Ruben Rojas of Wilmington, who works as a jockey at the track, got into a verbal altercation with a 38-year-old trainer from Miramar, Florida, Master Cpl. Jeffrey R. Hale said.
Rojas, while seated in his vehicle, pulled out a handgun and shot the trainer in the stomach, Hale said. He then fled the scene, tossing the gun into a creek that runs through the Delaware Park property, he added.
The injured trainer, whose name was not released, was taken to Christiana Hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Hale said.
By 10:04 a.m., Hale said, police had the shooting suspect in custody.
Troopers used a description of Rojas' vehicle and the help of a state police helicopter to locate the tan Nissan Xterra, in the parking lot of Prides Court Apartments on Sussex Road near Ogletown, Hale said.
Upon arrival, Rojas surrendered to police and was taken into custody without incident, Hale added.
His 9 mm Luger handgun also was recovered from the creek and later found to have been reported stolen to the Cleveland, Ohio, police department, Hale said. Troopers were seen pulling a gun from the White Clay Creek earlier in the day.
Rojas was charged with assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a stolen firearm. Lacking $123,000 cash bail, he was taken to Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.
Rojas has not won a race in 17 mounts this season at Delaware Park. His most recent race was Monday, when he rode Unbolted for owner/trainer Galvan Baltazar and finished 11th out of 12 horses in a maiden race on the turf.
Rojas also has ridden at Monmouth Park in New Jersey and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida this year, but is 0 for 24 in 2015. He has been a jockey since 2003, and has 168 career wins in 2,365 starts.
Delaware Park President Bill Fasy, who spoke with police, told The News Journal he was informed of the incident shortly after it was reported by the stables at the back side of the track.
Fasy declined comment about the shooting. "I can't say anything because it's a police investigation," he said.
A state police helicopter circled overhead, but quickly left the area, later circled by news helicopters.
Delaware Park security staff said no one was being allowed in or near that building because of the police investigation.
At the Tack Shop by the stables, employee Paige Panik said the shop opened as usual at 8 a.m., but she didn't see or hear anything unusual. Neither had several customers, stopping in for a variety of supplies.
Several people in the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Office by the stables said they heard rumors but were waiting to find out what actually happened in the shooting.
"It's a very unusual occurrence for the racetrack," trainer Bill Sienkewicz said.
"We usually get along great," Sienkewicz added. "It's like the United Nations here with people from all nations."
He called the shooting "a very unfortunate incident."
Brad Myers contributed to this story.
Contact robin brown at (302) 324-2856 or [email protected]. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @rbrowndelaware. Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.
Read or Share this story: http://delonline.us/1SiUhTHContinue Reading
You might believe from these two events that the sheriff is hog-tied; the reality, however, is more unsettling.
Racial profiling is a felony.
Yet the top two black officials in the nation, President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, intend, in the words of the Justice Department, to "collaborate" with Sheriff Arpaio to remedy the abuses.
Fully one-third of Maricopa County is Hispanic. Do the victims of racial profiling have a constitutional expectation that America's federal officials will do more than go into business with the perpetrator and perpetuator of bigotry?
The fact is that the U.S. Attorney's Office had little choice; the feds collaborated with Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Latino roundups, detentions, and deportations from the beginning.
When victims and advocates sued to stop illegal sweeps, Arpaio defied the federal courts. Repeatedly.
How do you partner with a felonious lawman who refuses to abide with something as basic as rules of evidence?
And Arpaio also stonewalled the Justice Department by refusing to turn over any documents. He forced the feds to sue the Sheriff's Office to extract minimal compliance.
As the victims' lawsuits and the federal investigation dragged on, Arpaio hid files. His men destroyed evidence, shredded documents, and erased incriminating correspondence.
Arpaio willfully used a team of lawyers to orchestrate a cover-up that stretched over years to mask a racist culture.
Finally, U.S. District Judge Snow issued a series of orders that open the door to damages for any Latino citizen or immigrant wrongfully stopped by Arpaio's deputies. Yet even this pool of litigants is unlikely to stress Arpaio.
In offering to partner up with the sheriff, the Justice Department held out the alternative of litigation unless Arpaio cooperated.
Last week, Arpaio officially responded to the Justice Department.
With the subtlety of a drunk Marine fresh off of Parris Island, Arpaio staged a press event. In red type, all caps, and underlined, his press release screamed:
"SHERIFF ARPAIO MEETS TODAY'S DEADLINE; PROMISES TO CONTINUE FULL COOPERATION WITH INVESTIGATION BUT WILL NOT COWER AT THREAT OF LITIGATION."
Arpaio then served the Justice Department with 29 pages of demands.
This, then, is the color of collaboration.
Lawyers for Jesus Ortega Melendres filed suit on behalf of Hispanic plaintiffs in 2007 to stop Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration sweeps. Melendres v. Arpaio highlighted the sheriff's most controversial practice: the use of terror to round up migrants. In 2008, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Eduction Fund joined the suit with additional plaintiffs.
Arpaio responded to the lawsuit with characteristic defiance.
The sheriff, his deputies, and his lawyers repeatedly ignored legal notice to save evidence. They weren't warned once, twice, three times. Opposing attorneys alerted Arpaio close to a dozen times. The sheriff's people dismissed the warnings. This continues a historic pattern of Arpaio's ignoring the law.
Evidence in his custody is always in jeopardy. There is no such thing as a public record if it is an Arpaio document.
Arpaio's serial abuse of the legal system is the most dramatic red flag raised by the Justice Department's decision to "collaborate" with this perverter of law and ethics.
The sheriff and his command staff routinely destroyed evidence and refused to turn over documents as required by law.
Individual officer statistic sheets — an entire body of evidence in the racial-profiling case, as well as in the federal civil rights investigation — were shredded and never will be recovered.
On December 12, 2007, the racial-profiling complaint was served. Three months later, the Department of Justice notified Arpaio that he and his office were the targets of a civil rights investigation that focused on roundups of immigrants during his high-profile crime-suppression sweeps.
The destruction of evidence was not an accident.
On nine separate occasions, Arpaio and his command ignored the law and ignored warnings from opposing counsel.
When a lawsuit is filed, defense attorneys alert their clients that any and all relevant documents must be saved and turned over to the other side. No one is allowed to destroy evidence. Period.
Arpaio's deputy chief, Jack MacIntyre, isn't merely a lawman; he is an attorney. When notified of the hold on documents by attorneys for those bringing the suit, he refused to act.
"I must have simply, albeit regrettably, forgot to forward [the demand for documents] to others at MCSO," MacIntyre informed the court.
Deputy Chief MacIntyre took the position that he wasn't entirely culpable because the same request for a production of documents went to the sheriff's spokesman, Captain Paul Chagolla. This duplicate request to the sheriff's public-relations officer was pursuant to Arizona Public Records law.
Chagolla's notice was then forwarded to Lieutenant Doris Culhane, Arpaio's legal liaison. She said she passed on a general instruction to hold documents. No one paid much attention to her vague direction.
Despite this third contact, the Sheriff's Office proceeded to shred tens of thousands of "stats" pages, data that could have shown whether the immigration sweeps were crime-suppression missions that targeted all violations or simply efforts to pull over any Latino in the target area guilty of driving while brown.
On February 25, 2009, plaintiffs reiterated their demand for documents and were given a total of eight stat sheets that, somehow, escaped the shredder.
On September 10, 2009, the demand for documents was repeated.
When no documents were produced, another demand was issued on September 30. They sent the seventh notice on October 20.
On October 21, 2009, the production (or, more accurately, non-production) of documents was discussed at a pretrial hearing.
Arpaio's lawyers said, artfully, that all responsive documents in their possession had been turned over.
And, technically, it is true that they no longer possessed shredded documents and deleted e-mails.
Yet virtually two years after the suit was filed, on October 27, 2009, Sergeant Manny Madrid, a supervisor in the Human Smuggling Unit, admitted in deposition that he never was told by anyone to preserve evidence.
It is Sergeant Madrid who shredded his men's stat sheets, evidence that would prove critical in the allegation of racial profiling.
He also had deleted e-mails related to immigration sweeps.
(Maricopa County would discover backup computer files that, embarrassingly, captured all but one year of the e-mails in the Sheriff's Office.)
Other supervisors offered similar testimony.
They shredded documents. They deleted e-mails.
In 2007, Sheriff Joe Arpaio initiated what he called "crime suppression operations." Under direction of the newly formed Human Smuggling Unit, his deputies swarmed neighborhoods.
Utilizing any civil traffic violation — a broken taillight, a cracked windshield, unsafe lane change, and on and on — deputies pulled over vehicles and demanded proof of citizenship.
The attorneys who filed the lawsuit suspected that vehicles were targeted if they were driven or occupied by Hispanics.
But Sergeant Manny Madrid insisted there never was any racial profiling.
On March 21, 2008, Arpaio's men arrested 45 individuals. All but one were Hispanic.
On July 8, 2008, a sweep in Cave Creek yielded 19 arrests — 18 were undocumented Latinos.
Stopping Latinos for minor traffic violations (rather than for criminal conduct as mandated by federal agreements) consistently led to immigration arrests.
It means nothing, said Madrid. Referring to the deputies, Madrid said he believed his men were incapable of racial profiling: "I put my trust in them. They have been trained correctly. They have gone through several academies, such as the basic training academy, the ICE academy."
Yet discovery suggested that Madrid's faith in Arpaio's deputies was misplaced.
Numerous instances of racist correspondence among the sheriff's men surfaced.
What follows is a brief sample. From one deputy to another:
"Mexican words of the day: liver and cheese.
"Some vato tried to talk to my ruca. I told him, 'Orale, vato, LIVER alone. CHEESE mine.'"
"Mexican word of the day: harassment.
"The teacher asked Paco to use 'harassment' in a sentence.
"Paco smiles and says, 'Orale vato. Mi ruca caught me in bed with my sancha, pero that's ok porque I told her that... HAR-ASS-MENT nothing to me.'"
"Mexican word of the day: herpes.
"Me and my ruca, we order pizza. I got my piece and she got HERPES!"
The existence of such juvenile racial jibing, no doubt, startled the sheriff's assembled legal team. Arpaio barrister Timothy Casey already had assured all parties, in writing, that:
"The MCSO takes very serious any charge that it, or any of its officers, are or may be engaged in racial profiling. The MCSO expressly prohibits racial profiling in all its law enforcement activities. As such, it is MCSO policy to investigate all complaints, claims, or allegations regarding alleged racial profiling by the MCSO that are lodged with the MCSO.
"Upon receipt of such a complaint, MCSO management will contact each commander in charge of the division with the MCSO to identify and learn any and all facts and information relating to the allegation. Any facts and responsive information then would be evaluated by MCSO management, and appropriate and necessary action would be taken by MCSO management based on the data and information obtained. The MCSO will not tolerate any of its employees engaging in racial profiling or any other unlawful activity."
Well, that certainly clears that up... except that:
The sophomoric e-mails were not the only awkward items on deputies' laptops.
There were pictures of men asleep in wheelbarrows, which were identified as Mexican recliners.
Drunks passed out at tables were described as practicing Mexican yoga.
A series of Photoshopped images of improbable contraptions were identified as "Mexican engineering at its best."
The numerous examples of offensive stereotypes of Mexicans were merely the least lethal aspect of a rogue law enforcement culture. The bad-taste e-mails were reinforced throughout the chain of command with more reprehensible consequence.
Arpaio told a national publication in 2009 (while he was under federal investigation): "These people that come over; they could come over with disease. There is no control, no health checks or anything. They check fruits and vegetables. How come they don't check people? No one talks about that.
"They are all dirty."
Not surprisingly, the Department of Justice investigation found that Arpaio's jailers routinely abused prisoners who didn't speak English.
And, inside Arpaio's personal files, there was evidence of the discriminatory practices that put non-English-speaking people in county lockup.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio gave his deposition on December 16, 2009, two full years after the complaint was filed. Asked whether he'd been instructed to retain documents, he replied, "I have not."
This, though technically true, is a bit of a dodge.
Elected in 1992, Arpaio has been the continuous target of litigation. He knows from experience that he is not supposed to destroy evidence. Furthermore, he is obligated to turn over any and all relevant documents.
As a precaution, opposing attorneys not only demanded a litigation hold on all documents, they filed a document search under Arizona's public-records statute.
Ironically, Arpaio and his staff are the single worst abusers of Arizona's public records. The Arizona Court of Appeals found Arpaio not in compliance four times in the past four years. He was ordered to pay fees in three cases involving more than a dozen violations, many involving this newspaper. Arpaio's dozen offenses in four years dwarf those of other offenders; all other state agencies had a combined total of three violations in the past decade.
Arpaio's resistance to scrutiny, as well as the destruction of evidence by his people, dates from the sheriff's earliest days in office, according to attorneys Joel Robbins and Michael Manning.
Robbins represented a paraplegic who was restrained so violently that the young man left his cell a quadriplegic.
"It took two years for them to produce the tape of the officers restraining Richard Post, and when they did, our expert said the tape was degaussed. It had been run past a magnet, so all you could see were snowy images," Robbins said.
Post was crippled in 1996. Robbins claims the destruction of evidence almost is a given in cases he's litigated with Arpaio.
No Arizona attorney has litigated against the sheriff for jailhouse brutality and death more frequently than Manning. He concurs with Robbins that destruction of evidence is a given with Arpaio. And, like Robbins, he says the pattern began shortly after Arpaio took office, with the killing of Scott Norberg. In Manning's case against the county, the following evidence was concealed or destroyed: a deputy's notes the night of the killing, critical X-rays, the existence of a fractured larynx. When an independent autopsy discovered the fractured larynx, the county seized the body and the larynx itself disappeared.
How does the federal government collaborate with a sheriff who does not just ignore the law but actually is a lawbreaker?
Scott Norberg was killed in 1996, two months after the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division notified the county in writing that the gulag-like conditions in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's jail violated the Constitution.
The U.S. government has "collaborated" with Sheriff Arpaio in oversight of the jails for nearly two decades.
After two decades of "collaboration," the jails still are operated in defiance of human decency.
In 2008, federal Judge Neil V. Wake found that Arpaio's jail, despite some improvement, continued to violate the Constitution. The most serious offenses were threats to life and limb: a chaotic medical record system so unresponsive that it presents an active threat to health and welfare; the mentally ill, who form an inordinate percentage of the jailhouse population, are not merely undiagnosed, but are at physical risk and brutalized.
According to Judge Wake: "Detention officers often do not know which pretrial detainees in their custody have been identified as seriously mentally ill... pretrial detainees have been punished for behavior related to serious mental illness.
"Thorazine is an anti-psychotic medication with potentially severe and permanent side effects, including extremely painful involuntary muscle spasms of the neck, tongue, eyes, or other muscles, a profound restlessness and constant movement of the feet and legs, drug induced Parkinsonism and tardive dyskinesia [potentially permanent disfiguring involuntary movement at the face and/or limbs].
"Although Correctional Health Services witnesses testified they would not prescribe Thorazine as a first line of treatment, in fact, CHS has prescribed Thorazine for many psychotic, and even some not psychotic, pretrial detainees without justification for its use. CHS psychiatrists sometimes prescribe Thorazine as a sleep aid."
After 34 years of federal oversight, this is the color of collaboration.
On the morning of December 15, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez announced that his office would partner with Sheriff Joe Arpaio to rectify abuses. That night, as news of the "collaboration" circulated, deputies killed Marty Atencio, a bipolar veteran off his meds and acting strangely. The videotape shows a passive Atencio jumped by a mob of lawmen. The victim is Tased — repeatedly — tossed into a cell, and stripped. He never regained consciousness.
In 2010, we published Deborah Braillard's story ("What's Mom Worth?" December 9). Arrested on a minor charge, she went into a diabetic coma in Arpaio's custody. The jail had her medical records and knew she needed insulin. No one looked at her records.
Instead, numerous shifts of jailers watched her vomit and defecate all over herself. She groaned in agony, went into convulsions, and died.
Over a three-day period, the jailers ignored Braillard's misery, telling other inmates she was kicking drugs. (She was not. In any case, had she been withdrawing from alcohol or drugs, she would have required immediate medical attention.)
This systemic sadism continues after decades of collaboration with federal oversight, and now the Justice Department wants to partner with the sheriff on racial profiling?
In his first deposition, Arpaio revealed that he maintained his own, private, immigration file. He had not turned over the file for review to the plaintiffs who'd sued his office.
He claimed that his attorneys had not instructed him against destroying or hiding evidence (never mind what he should have known after decades of litigation.)
Arpaio's conduct was so outrageous that the judge ordered the sheriff to turn over the file and sit for a second deposition after the file had been reviewed. But even the judge's order does not capture the contempt Arpaio and his attorneys displayed.
One month before Arpaio's first deposition, opposing counsel filed a motion for sanctions because the Sheriff's Office had blatantly destroyed evidence.
The plaintiff's motion was the legal version of a loud honking horn. Arpaio's lawyer, Tim Casey, responded to the November motion by telling the court that the sheriff's in-house attorney had forgotten to issue a critical "document hold" warning.
But in December, a month after Casey's awkward alibi, Arpaio claimed he still never had been warned.
You can believe that the sheriff had wildly incompetent lawyers or you can believe that Arpaio lied. You cannot believe this was an innocent event.
A subsequent examination of the sheriff's file showed that residents of Maricopa County wrote to him regarding the presence of Mexicans in greater Phoenix.
Citizens saw day laborers. They saw people with brown skin. They heard Spanish spoken.
And what the letters reveal is enormous anxiety about Hispanics:
• "I always see numerous Mexicans standing around in that area... These Mexicans swarmed around my car, and I was so scared and alarmed... I was never so devastated in my life regarding these circumstances... Although the Mexicans at this location may be within their legal right to be there... I merely bring this matter to your attention in order that all public agencies, FBI, etc., may be kept informed of these horrific circumstances."
• "I would love to see an immigrant sweep conducted in Surprise, specifically at the intersection of Grand and Greenway. The area contains dozens of day workers attempting to flag down motorists seven days a week."
• "The Mesa police chief drags his feet and stalls... the head of the Mesa police union is a Hispanic."
• "As a retiree in Sun City, formerly from Minnesota, I am a fan of yours and what you are doing to rid the area of illegal immigrants... when I was in McDonald's at Bell Road and Boswell (next to the Chase Bank) this noon, there was not an employee in sight, or within hearing, who spoke English as a first language — to my dismay. From the staff at the registers to the staff back in the kitchen area, all I heard was Spanish — except when they haltingly spoke to a customer. You might want to check this out."
And Sheriff Arpaio did check it out.
None of the Hispanics described in the letters had broken the law. It is not against the law to speak Spanish or work as a day laborer.
Arpaio nonetheless gave the correspondence to Deputy Chief Brian Sands. Federal Judge Snow determined that raids and roundups quickly followed. Hispanics were rousted because white people were uncomfortable.
When the Justice Department and the Arizona ACLU contended that Sheriff Joe Arpaio committed the worst pattern of racial profiling in the history of the United States, they faced a serious opponent: the federal government.
In April 2008, Matthew Allen, newly appointed special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Arizona, said of the sheriff, "He has stayed within the bounds of the agreement."
Five months later, ICE audited Arpaio's 287(g) program without issue. This followed an audit that Arpaio passed in 2007.
In 2009, Vincent Picard, Phoenix spokesman for ICE, again stated that Arpaio had not violated protocol.
In fact, Arpaio's attorney, Tim Casey, intends to call at least six witnesses from the Phoenix and Washington offices of ICE when Melendres goes to trial.
So you see, when Assistant Attorney General Perez announced that despite the sheriff's felonies, the federal government intended to "collaborate" with him instead of indicting him, Perez merely was acknowledging the collaboration that had been underway for years.
Recall, too, that Director of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano oversees ICE. And she, as governor of Arizona, was critical in getting Arpaio and his deputies certified under the 287(g) program.
Arpaio's collaboration with ICE is as fraudulent as the one Perez announced.
ICE's endorsement of the sheriff's immigration sweeps is, at a minimum, corrupt.
All the roundups begin with deputies pulling over vehicles for minor traffic violations. The traffic stops are the pretext to interrogate driver and passengers and demand proof of citizenship.
ICE's own guidelines state: "The 287(g) program is not designed to allow state and local agencies to perform random street operations" and "is not designed to impact issues such as excessive occupancy and day labor activities... Police can only use 287(g) authority when people are taken into custody as a result of violating state or local CRIMINAL [emphasis added] law. Police cannot randomly ask for a person's immigration status or conduct immigration raids" and "[officers may only] use their authority when dealing with someone who is suspected of a state crime that is more than a traffic offense."
The Memorandum of Agreement that Sheriff Arpaio signed with ICE is even more specific in spelling out criminal behavior that can trigger an immigration enforcement: "high-risk felons... that represent a significant threat to public safety... criminal enterprises... organized crime... gangs... narcotics trafficking... pervasive criminal activity."
Immigration investigation can only be triggered by felonious activity. And ICE's own guidelines explicitly forbid |
but it'll do. With them, and the materials in this room, we should have everything we need." A useful marker will point you to a chest in an alcove, which is filled with Dwarven metal ingots, ebony ingots, silver and gold ingots, refined malachite and a string of flawless rubies and sapphires. With these items in hand, Katria will stand aside as you approach the mighty Aetherium Forge, where you can craft three different, and very powerful, objects, although only one can be made, as it will consume the Aetherium Crest in the process. Pick carefully:
Once you have used the Forge, Katria will bid you farewell: "And with that... it's done. No one could possibly deny what we've found now." She will then start to fade, saying: "For me? I've done what I set out to do. But you... take that out into the world. And if anyone asks, tell them what we discovered. Together. And now... I think I can rest. Farewell, my friend, wherever your travels take you." Before she disappears completely, she will kneel before you, respectfully.
The Aetherium Wars, Pt. 2 [ edit ]
Meanwhile, the author of the book, Taron Dreth, will be wandering the wilderness of Skyrim with his band of personal mercenary guards and claiming to be the world's foremost expert in Dwemer metallurgy, based on the research that he stole from Katria. If you run into him while wearing or carrying the unique Aetherium item that you made, Taron will immediately realize that his fraud has been called and will aggressively run up to you, saying: "Your crown/staff/shield... gods, it's made of Aetherium! Pure Aetherium! Where did you find it? Tell me!" He will then demand the artifact so that he can keep his secret safe. Regardless of your answer, you will get revenge on behalf of Katria, as Taron will see no other option but to claim the artifact from you with the words: "Then I'll take it from your corpse!" He and the three mercenaries will then attack you. He is a very powerful elemental mage and can be quite challenging, but in the end, the only thing left to tell the tale of the four Dwemer city-states and the rare, luminescent crystal will be the tome The Aetherium Wars.
Achievements [ edit ]
One achievement is unlocked when you complete this quest:
Lost to the AgesDG (30 points/Silver) (30 points/Silver)
Notes [ edit ]
The shards will spawn once Dawnguard is installed, even before the quest is active. Should you come across one of them, it will be labeled "Glowing Crystal Shard", and taking it will trigger a miscellaneous quest to "Identify the Crystal Shard" as well as conveniently spawning a dead adventurer with a copy of The Aetherium Wars nearby. Reading the book will prompt you to visit the ruins of Arkngthamz as usual and rename the Aetherium Shard as such.
nearby. Reading the book will prompt you to visit the ruins of Arkngthamz as usual and rename the Aetherium Shard as such. Even if you decide to leave Katria behind at the entrance of Arkngthamz, she will reappear later on in front of the Kinetic Resonator puzzle.
If you take Katria's clothes when you examine her corpse for her journal, she will comment about her lost dignity.
If you have already found one or more of the other shards, then there is an extra dialogue option to inform Katria of this before she heads off to find the other shards. The quest proceeds as normal otherwise.
The map markers for the various shard locations will only appear once you approach the relevant location. It's possible to have markers appear without having a location icon if you've traveled very close to the location without actually discovering it.
Katria can be made into a permanent follower by speaking to her at the Tonal Lock gate then immediately leaving the ruins via the waterway tunnel (left of the Tonal Lock gate). This makes the Tonal Lock gate glitch so that it will not open however this can be bypassed by using plates to Windsprint through it if you wish to continue the quest at a later point.
Katria's gear can be changed at the start of the Lost To The Ages quest by canceling out of her initial conversation then using Ice/Paralyze/Force as she walks away to perform a reverse pickpocket. Her bow cannot be upgraded however.
Bugs [ edit ]
This quest may not start if, after installing Dawnguard, you have visited Mzulft or Deep Folk Crossing prior to reading The Aetherium Wars and the corpses at these locations have been fully removed from the game. This bug is fixed by version 2.0.1 of the Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.
and the corpses at these locations have been fully removed from the game. After forging either the crown, shield, or staff at the forge, the quest may not update and you will remain trapped in the room with the forge as the stairs won't come back up. Use setstage DLC1LD_Bthalft 90 in the console.
Activating the Forge may place the Aetherium Crest in it, but without opening the Forge menu.
The lever to operate the lift to enter the Forge may not appear, making it impossible to complete the quest.
When speaking to Katria after discovering the entrance to the Aetherium Forge, she may disappear, and you will not be able to open the first door within the Forge.
Katria's journal may be nowhere to be found. However, it is not required to complete the quest.
Reading The Aetherium Wars may not add the miscellaneous objective "Investigate Arkngthamz" to your quest log. Upon investigating Arkngthamz, "Lost to the Ages" may not be added to quest log, either, meaning that you will be unable to complete the quest. A way to fix either bug above is to reload a save in which you have not started the Dawnguard questline, then drop The Aetherium Wars and any crystal shards if you have obtained any, and pick the book back up and read it. The quest should start, and then you can pick up the shards.
may not add the miscellaneous objective "Investigate Arkngthamz" to your quest log. Upon investigating Arkngthamz, "Lost to the Ages" may not be added to quest log, either, meaning that you will be unable to complete the quest. You may not be able to place the shards in the Dwemer mechanism at Bthalft.
The doors may not open even after hitting all five Resonators in the correct order. This can be fixed by hitting the wrong Resonator first, defeating the enemies, then hitting the correct order. Alternatively, reloading a previous save may work. If this doesn't work, try turning off your system, reloading your save file and dropping the Zephyr Bow back on the log where it was found. Then proceed to the Resonator and continue as normal. A save prior to entering Arkngthamz may resolve this issue, as it may be caused from loading a save file made in Arkngthamz during the quest. One could attempt to complete this portion of "Lost to the Ages" by saving before entering Arkngthamz and making one good run of it, from start to end, without relying on a back-up save mid-dungeon.
If you leave Raldbthar before getting the shard, Katria may become unresponsive and the shard will not update the quest when picked up.?
The shard in Raldbthar may be called 'Glowing Crystal Shard' instead of an Aetherium shard, and picking it up does not update the quest, making the quest impossible to complete with a'missing' shard. Console commands to advance the DLCLD_Misc do not work either. Pick up the shard in Dwarven Storeroom last to fix this problem.
Quest Stages [ edit ]
Lost to the Ages (DLC1LD) Stage Finishes Quest Journal Entry 100 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, the ghost of an adventurer who perished there. She offered to join me in my fight to the summit, and I accepted her help.
(Objective is assigned) : Reach the summit of Arkngthamz 110 (Objective is assigned) : Solve the Tonal Lock 111 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, the ghost of an adventurer who perished there. She warned me that the Treasury of Arkngthamz was sealed by a dangerous Tonal Lock and protected by deadly traps. 112 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, the ghost of an adventurer who perished there. We made our way through the ruins and reached the summit together. There, she warned me that the Treasury of Arkngthamz was sealed by a dangerous Tonal Lock and protected by deadly traps. 120 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, the ghost of an adventurer who perished there. With her help, I solved the Tonal Lock that protected its ruined treasury.
(Objective is assigned) : Claim the treasure of Arkngthamz 125 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, the ghost of an adventurer who perished there. With her help, I solved the Tonal Lock that protected its ruined treasury and found a strange glowing crystal shard within.
(Objective is assigned) : Speak with Katria 126 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, the ghost of an adventurer who perished there. With her help, I solved the Tonal Lock that protected its ruined treasury and claimed the Aetherium Shard within. 130 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. Together, we found one of the four Aetherium Shards that make up the key to the Forge. She left to search for the other shards and the Forge itself, and urged me to do the same.
(Objective is assigned) : Search for the Aetherium Shards (<Global=DLC1LD_ShardsFound>/<Global=DLC1LD_ShardsTotal>) 131 (Objective is assigned) : Locate the Aetherium Forge 135 (Objective is assigned) : (Optional) Retrieve Katria's Journal 150 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. With her help, I found the four Aetherium Shards that make up the key to the Forge, and now seek the entrance to the Forge itself.
(Objective is assigned) : Locate the Aetherium Forge 160 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. With her help, I found the four Aetherium Shards that make up the key to the Forge, and met her outside its long-sealed entrance.
(Objective is assigned) : Speak with Katria 170 (Objective is assigned) : Place the Aetherium Shards 176 (Objective is assigned) : Retrieve the Aetherium Crest 181 (Objective is assigned) : Stand Clear 190 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. With her help, I found the four Aetherium Shards that made up the key to the Forge, and combined them to reveal the entrance to a long-sealed ruin.
(Objective is assigned) : Find the Aetherium Forge 195 (Objective is assigned) : Shut off the Steam 200 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. With her help, I found the four Aetherium Shards that made up the key to the Forge, then confronted its ancient guardians.
(Objective is assigned) : Defeat the Guardians of the Forge 205 (Objective is assigned) : (Optional) Shut off the Steam 210 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. With her help, I found the four Aetherium Shards that made up the key to the Forge, then defeated its ancient guardians.
(Objective is assigned) : Speak with Katria 220 (Objective is assigned) : (Optional) Search for Crafting Materials
(Objective is assigned) : Use the Aetherium Forge 225 In Arkngthamz, I met Katria, a ghost searching for the mythical Aetherium Forge. With her help, I found the four Aetherium Shards that made up the key to the Forge, defeated its ancient guardians, and forged a powerful artifact. Lost to the Ages (DLC1LD_Misc) 11 (Objective is assigned) : Investigate the ruins of Arkngthamz 20 (Objective is assigned) : Identify the Crystal Shard 30 (Objective is assigned) : Identify the Crystal Shard 40 (Objective is assigned) : Identify the Crystal Shard 50 (Objective is assigned) : Identify the Crystal Shard
The following empty quest stages were omitted from the table: DLC1LD: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 175, 179, 180, 182, 185, 186, 187, 196, 206, 221, 255. DLC1LD_Misc: 10, 12, 255.These wonderful full-page watercolour illustrations are from a 16th-century edition of Pedanius Dioscorides’s work on herbal medicine, De Materia Medica. Dioscorides (ca. 40–90 AD), a Greek physician and botanist, is considered to be the father of pharmacology, with this five-volume book hailed as the forerunner of modern pharmacopoeias (books that record medicines along with their effects and directions for their use). His book was translated from the original Greek to Latin, Arabic, and Spanish, and continued to be in use with additions and commentaries written by various authors, one of them being the 16th-century Italian doctor Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1501–1577). Describing one hundred new plants not included by Dioscorides, Mattioli’s expansion of the book first appeared in Italian and was later translated into Latin, French, Czech, and German. These illustrations, found in Mattioli’s version of the book, are dated between 1564–1584 and are the creation of the Italian artist and botanist Gherardo Cibo (1512–1600).
The images, in which the plants take centre stage before a landscaped backdrop, seem to bear an uncanny resemblance to the images found in Robert Thornton’s “Temple of Flora”.
From: British Library Underlying Work: PD Worldwide | Digital Copy: No Additional Rights Download: Right click on image or see source for higher res versions(UPDATED) Rappler is crowdsourcing information on the 158 government officials listed as allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. How accurate is this list?
Published 5:31 PM, August 07, 2016
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Seven members of the judiciary were named by President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, August 7, as allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
The list, read by Duterte himself during a press conference in Davao City, included more than 150 officials from the judiciary, police, and local governments. (READ: The Duterte list: Judges, mayors, police officials linked to drugs)
The judges named were:
Judge Mupas, Dasmariñas, Cavite
Judge Reyes, Baguio City
Judge Savilo, RTC Branch 13, Iloilo City
Judge Casiple, Kalibo, Aklan
Judge Rene Gonzales, MTC (no location mentioned)
Judge Navidad, RTC Calbayog City
Judge Ezekiel (based on Palace transcript) (or Exequiel based on Palace press release) Dagala, MTC Dapa, Siargao
However, one judge on the list, "Judge Navidad" of Calbayog City, has been dead since 2008. No first name was provided by Duterte or the Palace in its release.
A Judge Navidad who presided over an RTC Branch in Calbayog City was found to be Judge Roberto Navidad of RTC Branch 32. He was killed in January 2008, according to news reports from that year. According to a Newsbreak report in 2008, Navidad was the 15th magistrate killed since 1999.
The slain Calbayog RTC judge was also one of two lawyers surnamed Navidad in the lawyers list found on the Supreme Court website. The other Navidad resides in La Union.
Witnesses from the 2008 incident said that the 69-year-old judge was inside his car and was about to leave a pharmacy when an unidentified man shot him at close range. He died on the spot.
A Task Force Navidad was even created by Philippine National Police Region 8 for the manhunt of the suspect who fled on foot after the shooting.
According to the Judiciary Book of the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (SC), no RTC Branch in Calbayog City is currently being presided over by a certain "Judge Navidad."
Other judges
The Judiciary Book also showed that no Judge Mupas currently presides over a court in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
The only one with the same surname is Judge Jesus Mupas of Pasay City RTC Branch 112. His wife Lorinda once served as Municipal Trial Court (MTC) judge in Dasmariñas, Cavite. (READ: Jesus Mupas, the infamous judge).
Lorinda Mupas was dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2007 for “gross ignorance of the law and incompetence.”
The "Judge Savilo" on Duterte's list is associated with Iloilo City's RTC Branch 13, but a judge named "Adriano Savillo" presides over Iloilo City RTC Branch 30, which is a family court.
There are 3 other judges either without first names or with incomplete information – Reyes, Casiple, Gonzales, and Dagala. There is a certain "Judge Antonio Reyes" assigned to a Baguio drug court. A certain "Judge Domingo Casiple Jr" is based in Kalibo, Aklan.
A search for an MTC judge named Rene "Gonzales" with no location provided yielded a certain "Judge Rene Gonzalez" (with a z) from Iloilo City. The list with the information: "Ezekiel Dagala, MTC Dapa, Siargao" contrasts with what was found in the Judiciary Book: "Exequil Dagala" assigned to Dapa, Surigao del Norte, among others.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno expressed concern over the list Duterte announced. (FULL TEXT: Sereno's letter to President Duterte)
Through a letter sent to Duterte on Monday, August 8, Sereno wrote that the judges included in the list may become targets of vigilante groups due to the President's "premature public announcement.
"Our judges may have been rendered vulnerable and veritable targets for any of those persons and groups who may consider judges as acceptable collateral damage in the 'war on drugs,'" Sereno said.
Asserting that the High Court has sole jurisdiction over members of the judiciary, Sereno urged Duterte to give them "even an informal report" instead of public announcements.
"As the sole entity charged with the discipline of judges, the Supreme Court decides when judges are excused from bench duty and report to it," the Chief Justice said.
Help us
The information on Duterte's list appears to be incomplete and not 100% accurate. There are over 150 names on that list that need verification and checking.
We've done an initial check. Help us check the other names on the list and share information you may have about them, especially if it is first-hand.
During the Davao press conference, Duterte said he was taking sole responsibility for any mistake in the list.
”Any mistake of the military and the police dito (here), ako yung tagasalo (I will take responsibility). I ordered the listing, revalidation, I am the one reading it and I am the sole person responsible for the same," he declared. – with research by Ziel Cabreros/Rappler.com
Do you have information to correct or add to what's on the Duterte list? Rappler is crowdsourcing information on the individuals on Duterte's list. Comment below or email [email protected] for confidential information. Or simply tag @rapplerdotcom on Twitter.DALLAS, July 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is launching a three-day sale offering extra low fares for fall travel to its international destinations from ten domestic cities including Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Dallas, Denver, Houston (Hobby), Chicago-Midway, Orlando, Orange County, and San Antonio. Customers can take advantage of low one-way fares to international destinations today through Thursday, July 23, 2015, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city.
Fares are available for travel on nonstop flights, except for International travel from and to Dallas which is available only through a stop in Houston, beginning Aug. 25-Dec. 16, 2015 (check fare rules for restrictions and exclusions). Travel Oct. 20-Dec. 16, 2015, from Houston to Cancun, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos, Mexico, Belize City, Belize, and San Jose, Costa Rica. Travel Nov. 3-Dec. 16, 2015, from Houston to Liberia, Costa Rica, Houston to Montego Bay, Jamaica, Denver to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Austin to Cancun. Blackout dates include Nov. 24-25. Seats are limited. Travel at these fares is valid only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
To see the list of available cities, prices, and to take advantage of Southwest’s special fares, visit www.Southwest.com.
Examples of Southwest Airlines’ low fares include (see fare rules below):
As low as $97 one-way nonstop Baltimore/Washington to Nassau.
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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FARE RULES
Purchase from July 21-23, 2015, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city. Travel Aug. 25-Dec. 16, 2015. Travel Oct. 20-Dec. 16, 2015, for HOU-BZE, CUN, PVR, SJO, MEX, and SJD. Travel Nov. 3-Dec. 16, 2015, for HOU-LIR, HOU-MBJ, AUS-CUN and DEN-PVR. International travel from and to Dallas is available only through Houston for travel on the dates for Houston shown in the prior two sentences. Blackout Dates Apply: Nov. 24-25 Travel at these fares valid only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fares valid on nonstop service only (except for International Travel from and to Dallas). Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Points bookings do not include taxes, fees, and other government/airport charges of at least $5.60 per one way flight. Seats and days are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won’t be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Travel is available for one-way Wanna Get Away® Fares. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare’s rules apply. Subject to foreign government approval. Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines®, so long as you cancel your reservations at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime Fare®. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Offer applies to published, scheduled service only.Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney are still transfer targets for the north London club
Luiz Gustavo has said it has been "the most difficult month in my life" after he chose to leave Bayern Munich to join Wolfsburg amid interest from Arsenal.
• Schaaf: The Gustavo conundrum
Gustavo, 26, secured his transfer to Wolfsburg on Friday, with the Brazil international unlikely to play regularly at Bayern in the coming season following the arrivals of Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara.
The midfielder had been linked with a switch to Arsenal before choosing to remain in the Bundesliga and sign for Wolfsburg, who finished 11th in the top flight last season.
"Wolfsburg are a top club. I like Germany. The security the country gives me," he said. "I have considered everything. I knew about everything. My heart decided on Wolfsburg.
"Wolfsburg have always been after me. They wanted me from the very beginning. That is the reason, I am here. It is a good project here."
When pressed on his motives for moving to Wolfsburg, Gustavo indicated that regular first-team football was a priority ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
"He [Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari] spoke his mind and that helped me find a decision," Gustavo said.
"There were many other factors, too. The situation was not easy but I was in a luxury position."
General manager Klaus Allofs rejected reports that Wolfsburg paid €22 million for the player and had put Gustavo on a €8 million salary.
"That overstates the case," Allofs said, before adding that he was "delighted to have beaten international competition to the signature of Gustavo".
He also played down the involvement of Volkswagen in the transfer -- VW own Wolfsburg, while the company's chairman Martin Winterkorn is on the Bayern board. “VW might have encouraged us, but that’s all,” Allofs added.by Ajamu Baraka
The doctrine of “humanitarian” military intervention “has developed into the most effective ideological weapon the liberal human rights community provided Western imperialism since the fall of the Soviet State.” In truth, it is simply an updated form of the “white man’s burden” – and a license to wage war against all who stand in the way of U.S. domination of the globe.
Syria and the Sham of “Humanitarian Intervention”
by Ajamu Baraka
“ Humanitarian intervention has proven to be an even more valuable propaganda tool than the ‘war on terror.’”
I continue to be amazed with the ease with which the dividing line is blurred between what is real and what is fiction in the reporting on Syria by the Western media. The press in the U.S. continues to dutifully report on the “objective diplomacy” by the Obama administration to broker a “peaceful” resolution to the conflict in Syria. However, those stories of noble and innocent efforts to avert the catastrophic human suffering that has eventually engulfed Syria has sanitized the bloody complicity of U.S. policy. Diplomacy, for the U.S., has meant calling for regime change from the outset and then encouraging Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel, their client states in the region, to arm, train and provide political support for a military campaign with the objective of effectively dismembering the Syria State.
Two years later, with tens of thousands killed, millions uprooted and the delicate social fabric of the country shredded by sectarian brutality, the next phase in the propaganda war leading to more direct intervention by the West to finish off the regime is being organized in the form of a peace conference scheduled to take place in June.
Co-sponsored by Russia with a stake in maintaining the integrity of the Syria State, the U.S. approach to the conference, however, gives the impression that the gathering is a charade meant to mollify those elements in the U.S. Congress and public still hesitant to support another expensive military adventure. The U.S. demand that a peaceful solution to the conflict is predicated on a “transitional government” being established in which Assad should play no role, means effectively that there will be no serious attempt to resolve the conflict short of regime change and the surrendering of Syrian sovereignty. The U.S. position also confirms the real objective of the conference which is to justify more direct military intervention by the U.S. once the conference “fails” to bring peace.
While this is absolutely clear for many people around the world, the U.S. public, along with much of what used to be called the progressive and/or radical sectors, continue to be hoodwinked by some of the most crude and obvious manipulation I have ever witnessed. It was precisely the smooth efficiency with which the public was being manipulated that motivated me to write an earlier article on Syria that attempted to offer an explanation for the reasons why U.S. State propagandists, and I include the mainstream media in this category, have been so successful in confusing the general public and dividing the anti-war, anti-imperialist movement.
“ The conference which is to justify more direct military intervention by the U.S. once the conference ‘fails’ to bring peace.”
I believe part of their success has been due to the fact that they have used the concept of humanitarian intervention as one of their main tools. In my article, I made the argument that humanitarian intervention, along with the concept of the “right to protect” (R2P) has developed into the most effective ideological weapon the liberal human rights community provided Western imperialism since the fall of the Soviet State. Humanitarian intervention has proven to be an even more valuable propaganda tool than the “war on terror,” because as the situation in Libya and now Syria has demonstrated, it provides a moral justification for imperialist intervention that can also accommodate the presence of the same “terrorist” forces the U.S. pretends to be opposed to. And of course, in the eyes of the U.S. government, tyrannical and dictatorial governments that need to be deposed are only those that present an obstacle to the realization of U.S. geo/political interests—never those paragons of freedom and morality like Saudi Arabia and Israel.
As I said in my earlier article:
“ Humanitarian intervention provided the U.S. State the perfect ideological cover and internal rationalization to continue as the global ‘gendarme’ of the capitalist order. By providing the human rights rationale for the assertion that the ‘international community’ had a moral and legal responsibility to protect a threatened people, mainstream human rights activists effectuated a shift in the discourse on international human rights that moved the R2P assertion from a contested legal and moral augment to a common-sense assumption. And because of their limited perspective, it did not occur to any of these theoreticians that what they propagated was a thinly updated version of the ‘ white man’s burden.’ The NATO intervention in Bosnia and Kosovo, the assault on Iraq to ‘save’ the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein, and most recently the NATO attack on Libya that brought to power a rag-tag assortment of anti-African racists, have solidified the idea among many in the U.S. that humanitarian intervention to protect human rights through aggressive war is justifiable. The consequence of this for U.S. policy makers and for the likely targets of U.S. aggression in the global South is that if properly framed, war could be moved back to the center of strategic options without much fear of a backlash from the American people—a development especially important for a declining power that appears to have concluded that it will use military means to attempt to maintain its global empire.”
The propagandists of the U.S. war strategy have been spectacularly successful in inculcating this shift in consciousness in the general population and the self-muting of the anti-war and anti-imperialist movements in the West, with the exception of a few organizations. The assertion of the right to unilaterally attack any State that it deems unfit for sovereignty is not a new articulation of White supremacist, imperialist ideology but in this current period where there are few constraints on the global exercise of “White power,” the internalization of this position by the European and U.S. publics, irrespective of ethnicity or race, has made the world a much more dangerous place for Black and Brown people: 50,000 killed in Libya, 80,000 in Syria, 1,000,000 in Iraq, and 30,000 in Afghanistan.
“ U.S. State propagandists have been successful in confusing the general public and dividing the anti-war, anti-imperialist movement.”
The normalization of war as a contemporary expression of the West’s responsibility to bring liberal democracy and capitalist freedom to the non-White hordes, and the fact that most of the people being killed in the process of “being saved” by the West are non-European, is a graphic confirmation of the White supremacist assumptions of humanitarian intervention. The people being “saved” by the West are framed as people who would embrace the Western way of life if given a choice. That is why Madeline Albright could say with a straight face that the “price was worth it” in response to the 500,000 children that died in Iraq as a result of U.S. sanctions.
So as the U.S. government prepares to wage war in Syria, the imperative for all of us who believe in peace and fundamental human rights is to attempt to persuade as many people as possible to choose peace instead of the war objectives of the 1%. The Syrian government has a significant social base that is made up of Alawites, Druze, Christians and significant numbers of Sunnis who fear the takeover of the country by Islamic fundamentalists. This is a fact that is being hidden from the public in the U.S. Those in the U.S. who would like to see an end to the bloodshed in Syria, and I believe that is the majority of people, should call on their representatives to support real initiatives for peace that respect the sovereignty of Syria and the desires of all of the people in that country.
But really what the people of Syria and the world want and many have demanded, is for the U.S. and its Western allies – the minority who make up 10% of the world but pretend to be the world – to intervene into their own societies who are experiencing their own humanitarian crisis brought on by a moribund capitalism and leave the rest of the world alone.
Ajamu Baraka was the founding Director of the US Human Rights Network ( USHRN ). Baraka is currently an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and is editing a new book on human rights in the U.S. entitled: “The Struggle for a People-Centered Human Rights: Voices from the Field.”Getty Images
Another of the NFL’s Veteran Combine invitees has found a job in the league.
The Chargers have signed offensive guard Michael Huey, the team said Tuesday. This is his second stint with the club; he spent time with San Diego in the 2011 preseason.
A Texas product, the 26-year-old Huey was with Washington’s practice squad in the second half of last season. His most extensive professional experience has come in the Arena Football League.
Overall, 105 players took part in the NFL Veteran Combine. In addition to Huey, three other Combine invitees have signed on with clubs: tight end Ifeanyi Momah (Arizona), wide receiver Nathan Slaughter (Arizona) and cornerback Deveron Carr (Indianapolis).
In other Chargers roster moves Wednesday, the club waived second-year offensive guard Jeff Baca and first-year nose tackle Chas Alecxih.Australian rock band AC/DC are joining a growing list of celebrities by launching their own range of wine.
Kiss, Iron Maiden and Whitesnake have all brought out their own brand wines as has pop star Madonna.
AC/DC are selling varieties named after some of their biggest hits, including Highway to Hell cabernet sauvignon and Hells Bells sauvignon blanc.
The group have teamed up with Australian winemaker Warburn Estate for the release of AC/DC The Wine.
From Paris Hilton's perfume, JLS condoms to a Kiss coffin, celebrities have spotted the marketing potential in associating their name and image with all manner of products.
The four different bottles will be sold in stores across Australia.
"We wanted to make sure that AC/DC's home fan base could have easy access to their rock icons' wines," said Steve Donohue, general manager of buying for the Woolworths Liquor Group.Suzana Herculano-Houzel shrunk the human brain by 14 billion neurons — by developing a new way to count them.
Why you should listen
How many neurons make a human brain? For years, the answer has been (give or take) 100 billion. But neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel decided to count them herself. Her research approach involved dissolving four human brains (donated to science) into a homogeneous mixture -- in her lab at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences in Rio de Janeiro, they call it "brain soup." She then took a sample of the mix, counted the number of cell nuclei belonging to neurons, and scaled that up. Result: the human brain has about 86 billion neurons, 14 billion fewer than assumed -- but intriguingly, far more than other animals, relative to brain size.
She suggests that it was the invention of cooking by our ancestors -- which makes food yield much more metabolic energy -- that allowed humans to develop the largest primate brain. She's now working on elephant and whale brains to test her hypothesis.
What others say
“It took me a couple of months to make peace with this idea that I was going to take somebody's brain or an animal's brain and turn it into soup.... It's really just one more method that's not any worse than just chopping your brain into little pieces.” —Some pretty exciting news for gamers arrived today as Sega has announced that several of its video |
3, for "rounds for 9mm" was found on the iPad.
Contacts on the phone were found for "Dellen The Fellon [sic], Kowallski Mi Negro (a nickname for Andrew Michalski), and Marlena Menses [sic]."
CBC reporter Adam Carter is in the courtroom each day reporting live on the trial. You can view a recap of his live blog here:
On mobile and can't see the live blog? View it here
[email protected]“So, what do you actually believe about Jesus?”
I stared into his warm brown eyes, eyes I were learning to let myself get lost in, and felt a lurch of panic in my gut.
“Do you pray? Talk to him?”
I began to stumble, “Yeah. Like, I talk to him every day. But. I don’t believe in that substitutionary atonement stuff. He came to subvert violence…” My words poured out as I thought “shit, this is making no sense at all.” And it hit me. I’m scared of talking about my faith.
I’m scared of talking about Jesus. About what I believe. So much so that I haven’t verbalized a simplified theology in years.
I grasped and pulled and the high level language of academia saved the day. As I cut off the conversation with a kiss, I found myself wondering “what happened to my ability to talk about this comfortably?” What happened to my ability to step outside of the classroom, outside of the literal Master’s degree I’m getting in Theology, and actually talk about my faith?
In the weeks since, this question has been following me around. In a visit to my old stomping grounds in Wisconsin, I found myself freezing again when the Jesus-saturated language of Christian subculture made its way to my ears. I felt uncomfortable. Fear even. I tried to enter in, to use the same language, but a part of me pulled back, inward, and I heard another voice: this is not for you.
This is not for you.
Because I’m not supposed to be a Christian. I’m not supposed to be a person of faith. I’m not supposed to talk about Jesus and his work in my life because of that one other word that also defines my life: gay. My sexuality excludes me from this conversation. And as much as I don’t believe this to be true, as much as I’ve worked to integrate these two parts of myself, I’ve internalized a message that tells me I don’t get to talk about my faith. I don’t get to talk about Jesus.
Because I’m the worst of all the sinners. I’m a poser, a heretic, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Blasphemous.
I feel that. The subtle messages behind the exuberant smiles: here’s the one who has backslidden. The one who has prioritized sin in his life instead of trusting Jesus. Here is the disappointment who came from such a strong foundation.
Shame voices. Fear voices. Voices that whisper lies into my ear. That tell me I’m unworthy to talk about the Jesus who is at work in my life. The Jesus I cling to, who I see working in my life daily. The Jesus I talk to, whisper to, cry to. Shhhhhhhhhh.
I’m wanting to change this.
Not change it in a way that I return to fluency in sickening Christianese: “dude, how’s your devo life?” But, change it in a way where I talk about my faith. Change it in a way where I actively talk about my spiritual life with other Christians. To challenge the idea that my faith is somehow less because of my sexuality.
Because it’s not.
I think, as LGBT Christians, it’s important for us especially to use faith-language in our conversations with other believers. Because it causes pause. It’s an interruption to the norm. Theological conversations are over-dominated by cis straight voices. For us to speak about our faith comfortably is to challenge the system, to subvert, to enter in from the margins. For us to speak about our faith is to do Kingdom work. It’s a way to show that Christ is our Lord too. It’s a way to give explanation for the hope we have in Christ.
This is something I’m hoping to practice. To be aware of as I walk around in the world. I feel so unqualified to talk about theology, faith, etc. But, the reality is: I’m not. None of us are unqualified. We’ve just been told so many times that we are.
Jesus is doing a good work in us, through us, and it’s time we talk about it.
Will you join me?Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee urged the panel's Republican chairman to request President Trump's tax returns from the Treasury Department, but he rejected the request.
The Democratic senators asked Finance Committee Chairman 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) on Wednesday to seek the returns "given the critical issues raised by the President’s business entanglements."
But Hatch and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady Kevin Patrick BradySmaller tax refunds put GOP on defensive Key author of GOP tax law joins Ernst and Young Lawmakers beat lobbyists at charity hockey game MORE (R-Texas) responded in their own letter, saying "we strongly consider the approach you suggest to be an abuse of the tax-writing committees statutory authority."
"The American people have made it clear that they want Washington to fix our broken tax code — not to target the tax returns of individual citizens," Hatch and Brady wrote.
The Senate Democrats' request came after the House on Monday rejected an attempt from Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) to force a floor vote on a resolution to request Trump's tax returns. The House Ways and Means Committee had previously voted against an amendment for the panel's chairman to make such a request.
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Under federal law, the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee, Senate Finance Committee and Joint Committee on Taxation can request tax returns from Treasury that can then be reviewed in a closed meeting.
The Senate Democrats' letter noted the recent media reports about the Trump administration and campaign having close ties to Russia. The letter also cited reports of Trump's business entanglements "which may reach around the globe."
"These unprecedented conflicts of interest pose a threat to American national security and the integrity of the government of the United States," the senators wrote.
The senators urged Hatch to request the returns of both Trump and his businesses. They wanted the Finance Committee to vote to make the returns public if the panel found "ties or relations to foreign governments" during a review of the returns.
Democrats senators that signed the letter included Debbie Stabenow Deborah (Debbie) Ann StabenowLand conservation tax incentives should inspire charitable giving, not loopholes Four names emerge for UN position: report Democrats brush off GOP 'trolling' over Green New Deal MORE (Mich.), Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenSenate reignites blue slip war over Trump court picks Overnight Health Care — Presented by National Taxpayers Union — Top Dems call for end to Medicaid work rules | Chamber launching ad blitz against Trump drug plan | Google offers help to dispose of opioids Top Dems call for end to Medicaid work rules after 18,000 lose coverage in Arkansas MORE (Ore.), Maria Cantwell Maria Elaine CantwellThis week: Congress, Trump set for showdown on emergency declaration Senate reignites blue slip war over Trump court picks Senate votes to extend key funding mechanism for parks MORE (Wash.), Tom Carper Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperDems slam EPA plan for fighting drinking water contaminants EPA to announce PFAS chemical regulation plans by end of year Overnight Energy: Zinke joins Trump-tied lobbying firm | Senators highlight threat from invasive species | Top Republican calls for Green New Deal vote in House MORE (Del.), Ben Cardin Benjamin (Ben) Louis CardinThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump looks for boost from Korea summit The Hill's Morning Report - A pivotal week for Trump The Hill's 12:30 Report: Anticipation builds for Mueller report MORE (Md.), 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 (Colo.) and Bob Casey Robert (Bob) Patrick CaseyTrump claims Democrats ‘don’t mind executing babies after birth’ after blocked abortion bill Democrats block abortion bill in Senate GOP wants to pit Ocasio-Cortez against Democrats in the Senate MORE (Pa.).
"The American people need to know that President Trump is looking out for the American people and frankly not his own business interest," Stabenow, who took the lead on the letter, said in a press conference Wednesday.
A leader of the upcoming Tax March in Washington praised the Democratic lawmakers' efforts.
“If President Trump continues to ignore the demands of the public to release his tax returns, and if the majority party in Congress continues to aid and abet him in this secrecy by striking down efforts to compel Trump to release his tax returns, the American people will rise up and speak with their feet on Tax Day as they march on Washington and across the country to demand transparency," said Anna Chu, a Tax March executive committee member and vice president for income security and education at the National Women’s Law Center.
But Hatch and Brady said that the Democrats' request was not in line with the legislative intent of the tax-code section that allows chairmen to request the returns. They also said there hasn't been "specific allegations of tax-related misconduct by federal officials or abuse of taxpayer rights" that would lead them to request the returns.
Additionally, the GOP chairmen said the request for Trump's tax returns is "a distraction from more pressing needs" such as overhauls to the healthcare systems and tax codes.
-updated at 7:03 p.m.Here's a scary number to ponder: 12,407. That's how many registered lobbyists there are in Washington -- the bulk of whom are paid handsomely to carry water for avaricious corporations.
And that doesn't count the untold number of influence peddlers who do not stoop to register, for they don't consider themselves to be mere lobbyists, even though they are paid extravagant salaries by elite lobbying firms. Rather than lobby, they "advise." These are longtime Washington insiders who act as sherpas, guiding corporate favor-seekers through the labyrinth of congressional backrooms and executive-branch offices to reach the peaks of legislative and regulatory power.
Today's lobbying corps, you see, is no longer the domain of common hustlers, but of credentialed and well-connected professionals, including more than 400 former US Senators and House members, plus more than 5,000 former legislative staffers -- all cashing in on the connections and insider knowledge they gained at taxpayer expense. Lobbying is now a $3.3 billion-a-year influence industry -- an unelected, private government of, by, and for special interests. And get this -- it even has its own lobbying group, the American League of Lobbyists, which lobbies for lobbyists!
As you might imagine, having such a powerful presence has given many within LobbyWorld an elevated sense of their own worthiness, so they now want to drop the tacky label of "lobbyist." Instead, the League of Lobbyists is asking its members to suggest a more prestigious (and less pejorative) brand name. Reportedly, an early favorite is "Government Relations Professional." But that's too ponderous. I think any new phrase needs to spell out a zippy acronym -- like SLICK, CREEP, or LEECH -- that really defines their work.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, a lobbyist, by any other name, would smell the same.
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Photo: Flickr user Images Money, creative commons licensed.The first domino of trade season has dropped, as the Orioles acquired righty Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger from the Cubs today for righty Jake Arrieta, reliever Pedro Strop, and international bonus pool money, according ESPN's Keith Law. The Orioles sent international bonus slots 3 and 4 to the Cubs, according to the team. That amounts to an additional $388,100 for the Cubs, who started with an international bonus pool of $4,557,200 and picked up another $784,700 from the Astros while sending $209,700 to the Dodgers. This is the first MLB trade involving international bonus pool money. After being involved in three international bonus pool-related trades today, the Cubs added $963,100 to their pool.
The Cubs signed Feldman, 30, to a one-year, $6MM deal in November. He was a prime candidate to be flipped by the 35-45 Cubs, since a qualifying offer in the $14MM range would likely have been too steep after the season. He's now ineligible for such an offer. Feldman owns a 3.46 ERA, 6.6 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, 0.99 HR/9, and 50.7% groundball rate in 91 innings this year. "Feldman is a proven starter with postseason experience who should help stabilize our rotation for the second half," Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said in a statement. Those nine postseason relief appearances came in 2011 with the Rangers, Feldman's organization since being drafted in '03 prior to signing with the Cubs. He joins an Orioles rotation that ranks 13th in the American League with a 4.79 ERA and currently features Jason Hammel, Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, and, when healthy, Wei-Yin Chen. Duquette told reporters including MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli that he doesn't see any more outside moves.
Arrieta, 27, was due for a change of scenery. The Orioles drafted him out of Texas Christian University in the fifth round in 2007, and he never realized the promise that had him ranked as the 67th best prospect in baseball by Baseball America prior to the '09 season. In 358 innings in his Orioles career spanning 2010-13, Arrieta posted a 5.46 ERA, 7.0 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, and 1.21 HR/9. A strong Spring Training this year netted him the Orioles' fourth starter job, but he was demoted to Triple-A by late April. After shaking off shoulder tenderness, he has bounced up and down since. Arrieta's last two Triple-A outings, presumably scouted by the Cubs, have gone well. He works around 95 miles per hour and BA once said he had the potential for three plus pitches, so the Cubs have an interesting arm with which to work. He'll head to Triple-A Iowa for the Cubs. Arrieta currently has two years and 99 days of Major League service time, so he needs 53 days to be eligible for Super Two status after the season and 73 to be eligible for free agency after 2016 rather than '17.
Strop, 28, will join the Cubs' big league bullpen. His poor control caught up to him this year, as he has a 7.25 ERA, 9.7 K/9, 6.0 BB/9, 1.61 HR/9, and 48.4% groundball rate in 22 1/3 innings. He hit the DL in late May with a lower back strain, returning June 8th. Strop was signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Rockies in '02, and signed with the Rangers after being released in '08. He made his big league debut with Texas, later joining the Orioles in 2011 to complete the Mike Gonzalez deal. Strop works around 96 miles per hour, so the Cubs received a pair of power arm projects in this trade.
Clevenger, 27, was born and raised in Baltimore, and his agent told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports the trade is "almost a dream come true." He'll head to Triple-A Norfolk for now. He hit.327/.426/.596 in his short time with the Cubs' Triple-A team this year, spending time on the 60-day DL with an oblique strain. He made the Cubs' Opening Day roster but suffered the injury in mid-April. Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish first reported that Clevenger appeared to be on the move.
Tim Dierkes contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.Communication Workers Union pledges industrial action if Royal Mail tries to change staff terms ahead of likely sale of government stake
The Communication Workers Union has launched a campaign against what it claims are threats to working conditions and services at Royal Mail from privatisation and regulatory intervention.
Government begins sale of remaining stake in Royal Mail Read more
The union said its “People’s Post” campaign was a response to the government’s declared intention to sell its remaining stake in Royal Mail and the regulator Ofcom’s demands for efficiency measures.
If Royal Mail succumbed to pressure and tried to change workers’ terms and conditions then the CWU could resort to industrial action.
The last government sold 70% of Royal Mail to investors in 2013. Following the sale of another 15% last month, Chancellor George Osborne announced in the budget on Wednesday that he intended to sell the remainder by April next year.
Ofcom’s comments about flexibility in workforces at other European postal companies and the regulator’s call for greater efficiency at Royal Mail show the regulator has working conditions in its sights, the CWU added. Both risk undermining working conditions and ultimately the universal postal service that delivers to all parts of the country for the same price, the CWU said.
At a rally to launch the campaign on Friday, Dave Ward, the CWU general secretary, said: “There are a lot of pressures coming on from competition, regulation and privatisation and it is pushing Royal Mail towards a race to the bottom.
In terms of what the postal worker does and the service they provide it’s still the people’s post Dave Ward, CWU general secretary
“This is a defiant message. The coalition may have been successful in privatising 70% of the company and this government may have been successful in selling, overnight without any public scrutiny, half the remaining stake, but in terms of what the postal worker does and the service they provide it’s still the people’s post.”
Royal Mail and the CWU reached a five-year agreement in 2013 designed to end many years of industrial strife. The union said it would not accept attempts to change the agreed terms.
Ward said the agreement was a groundbreaking deal that was working well but that it was not set in stone. There will inevitably be greater pressure on Royal Mail management and if the agreement comes under strain the CWU will fight back, he said.
“We are not frightened of industrial action. We’ve probably had more industrial disputes in the last 10 or 12 years than any other union. We want Royal Mail to be successful and I know Royal Mail faces some really big challenges.”
Ofcom has overstepped its remit and there should be an overhaul of regulation, the CWU argued. Promoting competition and cost cuts threatens Royal Mail’s daily deliveries and rivals should be banned from “cherry picking” in the letters market, the union said.
Relinquishing last Royal Mail shares must be done at highest price possible Read more
Ward argued that Ofcom had appointed itself as an arbiter of efficiency at Royal Mail when its job is to preserve the universal service.
Ofcom said: “Ofcom’s duty is to secure a universal postal service that is financially sustainable and efficient. If this is ever under threat, we have powers to step in, but questions of pay and contract terms are for the companies themselves.”
The decision in May of rival Whistl to stop delivering letters despite choosing the most profitable parts of the country and paying low wages showed Royal Mail was not wasteful, Ward said.
He wants the CWU to recruit members at other postal companies to fight for better conditions. Royal Mail should be the industry’s standard bearer for good pay and terms instead of being put under pressure to copy other companies whose workers are on insecure contracts with low pay, he added.
Ward said the CWU was against the sale of the government’s remaining stake but that the union’s campaign was designed to last beyond full privatisation. Town hall meetings with prominent speakers will be open to the public and members will be galvanised by the union concentrating on its main job of working for them, he said.Thanks to all those who entered, great entries all around. It was a lot of fun to do, I’ll definitely have to do another sometime in the future.
Here’s the winners -
Third Place (Book)– Steve’s suspicion were confirmed…. The carpeting WAS laid directly on the floor joists. – Bubble from man – “Can you believe what home builders will do to cut corners these days!” – DART
Second Place (Calendar) – “Bill, man-CAVE is just an expression” - JACK
First Place (Book and Calendar) – Even though they were keen to embrace their son’s freedom of expression, Jack and Susan felt things had gone too far when he asked for lotion and the garden hose. – TJOVIAN
Congrats to all! Winners please send me your mailing address so I can send out your prizes – mike at mordantorange dot comNightwing is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character has appeared in various incarnations, with the Nightwing identity most prominently being adopted by Dick Grayson when he moved on from his role as Batman's vigilante partner Robin.
Although Nightwing is commonly associated with Batman, the title and concept have origins in classic Superman stories. The original Nightwing in DC Comics was an identity assumed by alien superhero Superman when stranded on the Kryptonian city of Kandor with his pal Jimmy Olsen. Drawing inspiration from Batman and Robin, the two protect Kandor as the superheroes Nightwing and Flamebird. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity reboot in 1985, Nightwing was re-imagined as a legendary vigilante from Krypton whose story inspires Dick Grayson's choice of name when he leaves behind his Robin identity.
Other stories set among the Batman family of characters have seen acquaintances and friends of Dick Grayson briefly assume the title, including his fellow Robin alumnus Jason Todd. Meanwhile, Superman stories have seen Superman's adopted son Chris Kent and Power Girl take up the name for brief turns as Nightwing. Various other characters have taken the name in stories set outside DC's main continuity as well, and at times the role has been unoccupied, such as when Dick Grayson operated as Batman and after faking his death.
Nightwing book. In 2013, Nightwing placed 5th on IGN's Top 25 Heroes of DC Comics[2] and Grayson as Nightwing was ranked the #1 Sexiest Male Character in Comics by ComicsAlliance in 2013.[3]
Fictional character biography [ edit ]
Pre-Crisis Era [ edit ]
Superman [ edit ]
Superman#158 (1963). Art by Superman and Jimmy as Nightwing and Flamebird respectively. From#158 (1963). Art by Curt Swan
Nightwing is first depicted in the story "Superman in Kandor" in Superman #158 (January 1963). It is an alias used by Superman in pre-Crisis stories. The story is set in Kandor, a Kryptonian city that was shrunken and preserved in a bottle by Brainiac. In Kandor, Superman has no superpowers, and is branded an outlaw there due to a misunderstanding.
To disguise themselves, Superman and Jimmy Olsen create vigilante identities inspired by Batman and Robin. Because neither bats nor robins lived on Krypton, Superman chooses the names of two birds owned by his Kandorian friend Nor-Kan: Nightwing for himself, and Flamebird for Jimmy. Nightwing and Flamebird rename Nor-Kan's underground laboratory as the "Nightcave", and use it as their secret headquarters. They also convert Nor-Kan's automobile into their "Nightmobile", and use "jet-belts" to fly into battle.
In Jimmy Olsen #69 (June 1963), "The Dynamic Duo of Kandor" introduces Nightwing's dog Nighthound. In "The Feud Between Batman and Superman" in World's Finest #143 (August 1964), Batman and Robin themselves visit Kandor with Superman and Olsen and the two Dynamic Duos team up.
In Superman Family #183 (May/June 1977), Superman's look-alike second cousin Van-Zee and his niece's husband Ak-Var take up the Nightwing and Flamebird identities. The vigilantes take on crime in their city as had Superman and Olsen before them.
Nightwing #1 (September 1995). Art by Brian Stelfreeze. Cover of#1 (September 1995). Art by Brian Stelfreeze.
Dick Grayson [ edit ]
Both Nightwing and Flamebird team up with Batman and Robin for an adventure in Kandor that proves important to the young Dick Grayson. When Dick later gives up his role as Robin in 1984, he recalls the Kandorian adventure and renames himself Nightwing, in homage to both Batman and Superman.[4] After the events of the Crisis on Infinite Earths re-boot of the DC Universe, Superman no longer has knowledge of Kandor; instead, he remembers Nightwing as an urban legend of Krypton, which he shares with a young Dick Grayson.
Kryptonian mythological figure [ edit ]
Post-Crisis, there is a different originator of the Nightwing identity. Several hundred years before the birth of Kal-El, there was a Kryptonian man who was cast out from his family and decided to take on crime as the vigilante Nightwing.[5] When Superman tells Dick Grayson of this story, Dick takes the name for himself.
Dick Grayson [ edit ]
Detective Comics #851 (Feb. 2009). Art by Tony Daniel. Dick Grayson as Nightwing on the cover of#851 (Feb. 2009). Art by Tony Daniel.
Dick Grayson became Nightwing after he was dismissed from the role of Robin as a teenager. Grayson's Flamebird was Bette Kane. He was featured in a Nightwing series from 1995 to 2009; after Wayne's apparent death, Grayson became the new Batman, subsequently retiring his Nightwing mantle temporarily.
Grayson's Nightwing costume was a high-tech suit specially designed for his high-flying acrobatic style. His gauntlets and boots each contained eight compartments in which he could store items. They had a self-destruct feature built into them, similar to the ones in Batman's utility belt, and, as another security measure, the suit contained a one-use-only taser charge, which automatically emitted a high-voltage electrical shock when someone attempted to tamper with either the boots or gauntlets.
Each gauntlet's sections could contain a wide array of equipment, such as sonic or smoke pellets, modified batarangs ("Wing-Dings"), knockout gas capsules, throwable tracers, and a sedative-tipped dart launcher. The right gauntlet was also equipped with a 100,000-volt stun gun. Like the gauntlets, his boot compartments could carry vital equipment such as flares, a rebreather as protection against any airborne non-contact toxins, a mini-computer equipped with fax, modem, GPS, and a minidisk re-writable drive. Other items were lock picks, a first-aid kit, a mini-cellphone, flexi-cuffs, antitoxin assortment, wireless listening devices, and a small flashlight. After coming to New York, Dick added a black utility belt to his costume, eliminating the need for his boots and gauntlets.
Held in spring-loaded pouches in the back of his costume, Dick carried a pair of eskrima clubs made from an unbreakable polymer that were wielded as both offensive and defensive weapons. Some depictions display these tools with the mechanism to shoot a grappling hook attached to a swing line, while, in other instances, they can act as "line guns" similar to the ones Batman uses. The clubs could also be thrown with such skill by Grayson (and possibly due to their design) that they would ricochet off walls and objects to hit multiple targets, then return to his hands. These clubs also have the capability to be linked together as well as grow in size to make a staff, as depicted in many series, such as Teen Titans and Young Justice (Robin uses these weapons).
Superman [ edit ]
In 2001's Superman: The Man of Steel #111, Superman and Lois Lane travel to a version of Krypton later revealed to have been created by the villainous Brainiac 13 and based on Jor-El's favorite period in Kryptonian history.[6] Labeled as criminals, Superman and Lois become fugitives, adopting the Nightwing and Flamebird identities to survive, just as had Superman and Olsen in Superman #158.[7]
Tad Ryerstad [ edit ]
In Blüdhaven, a sociopath named Tad Ryerstad becomes a superhero, inspired by the retired hero Tarantula. He takes his name, "Nite-Wing", from an all-night deli specializing in chicken wings. Unstable, Nite-Wing beats people for minor offenses. Nite-Wing is shot on his first night out and Dick Grayson, as Blüdhaven's protector Nightwing, defends him from Blockbuster's gang, who think it is Nightwing who has been injured. After Nite-Wing is released from the hospital, he kills the gang who put him there. Not realizing how violent Ryerstad is, Grayson agrees to train him. The two attack Blockbuster's organization, but are captured and separated. After an undercover FBI agent frees Nite-Wing, Ryerstad beats him to death, and when he realizes what he has done, Ryerstad flees.[8] Nightwing subsequently tracks down and incarcerates Nite-Wing.[9] In prison, Ryerstad is cell-mates with Torque (Dudley Soames), but the two escape by drugging the prison guard Amygdala.
Jason Todd [ edit ]
Nightwing #118-122[10] run features Jason Todd prowling the streets of New York City under the guise of Nightwing, copying Grayson's costume.
Cheyenne Freemont [ edit ]
The "One Year Later" storyline features a metahuman fashion designer named Cheyenne Freemont donning a modified Nightwing costume to help Grayson.[11]
Cheyenne first met Dick when they had a one-night stand together. They only exchanged first names the next morning, Cheyenne stating she's superstitious. The two had breakfast together and then he left. When he left another man walked into her apartment. He assaulted her for getting her "plumbing" fixed in her bath robe. She hit him with a telekinetic blast.
Dick found out Cheyenne was a fashion designer from a friend of his from Bludhaven. She ran into Dick again after he accidentally became a model for her. After seeing newspaper clippings of Nightwing (Jason Todd) she started creating superhero themed designs. Cheyenne wore a Nightwing costume to help Dick and Jason from a metahuman monster named Jakob. He ate her, but she used her powers to blow him up from the inside. Due to recent events she was left broke and soon left New York City.[12]
Power Girl [ edit ]
In Supergirl #6, Power Girl and Supergirl assume the identities of Nightwing and Flamebird in a story set in Kandor, just as in the original pre-Crisis stories featuring Superman.
Chris Kent [ edit ]
Chris Kent, son of General Zod, was Nightwing during Superman: New Krypton. In that storyline, Superman was coming to terms with the death of his adoptive father; he was also dealing with 100,000 Kryptonians now living on Earth, which he had released from the bottled cities on Brainiac's ship (the same ship that contained the lost Kryptonian city of Kandor). At the end of the fourth issue of the arc, a new Nightwing and Flamebird appear in Superman's Fortress of Solitude to stop two of Zod's followers (who were living in Kandor) from releasing the Kryptonian General from his Phantom Zone imprisonment. While guarding the projector in order to prevent any Zod loyalists from freeing him from the Phantom Zone, both Flamebird and Nightwing exhibit powers that are not inherent to normal Kryptonians. Flamebird projects flames from her hands, and Nightwing uses "natural tactile telekinesis".
The pair seems to be stronger than normal Kryptonians: they knock out the two Zod loyalists with one blow apiece. In a later appearance, the duo is seen in Gotham City. Unlike previous portrayals, it seems Flamebird believes herself to be the dominant partner. When the Kryptonians led by Zod and Alura flee to a new Krypton orbiting the Sun, Nightwing and Flamebird stay in Gotham. In Action Comics #875, that Nightwing is revealed as the son of Zod and Ursa, Chris Kent. The "Nightwing" identity is revealed to be based on a mythical Kryptonian creature, whose existence is intertwined with that of its partner beast, the Flamebird. Inside the Phantom Zone Chris' mind interfaced with a piece of Brainiac technology, awakening a long-dormant connection to the Nightwing, and linking his mind to that of Thara Ak-Var, who had a connection to the Flamebird.[13]
Other uses in comic books [ edit ]
In the DC Comics Tangent Comics series, "Nightwing" is a secret government organization which appears throughout the series. Headed by Marcus Moore and Francis "Black Lightning" Powell, who act to protect the U.S.A. and also conceal the true nature of The Atom's involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Terry McGinnis briefly moonlights as Nightwing in Batman Beyond #4, after Detective Ben Singleton claims to know Dick Grayson's past as Nightwing, which turns into a media fiasco.
Ongoing series [ edit ]
Story arcs [ edit ]
Nightwing vol. 2,#132 (July 2007). Art by Jamal Igle. Nightwing as he appears in volume 2 of his on-going series. Cover ofvol. 2,#132 (July 2007). Art by Jamal Igle.
Based on Nightwing's increasing popularity, DC Comics decided to test the character's possibilities with a one-shot book and then a miniseries.
First, in Nightwing: Alfred's Return #1 (1995), Grayson travels to England to find Alfred, who resigns from Bruce Wayne's service following the events of KnightSaga. Before returning to Gotham City together, they prevent a plot by British terrorists to destroy the undersea "Channel Tunnel" in the English Channel.
Later on, with the Nightwing miniseries (September 1995 to December 1995, written by Dennis O'Neil with Greg Land as artist), Dick briefly considers retiring from being Nightwing forever before family papers uncovered by Alfred reveal a possible link between the murder of the Flying Graysons and the Crown Prince of Kravia. Journeying to Kravia, Nightwing (in his third costume) helps to topple the murderous Kravian leader and prevent an ethnic cleansing, while learning his parents' true connection to the Prince.
Blüdhaven [ edit ]
In 1996, following the success of the miniseries, DC Comics launched a monthly solo series featuring Nightwing (written by Chuck Dixon, with art by Scott McDaniel), in which he patrols Gotham's neighboring municipality of Blüdhaven.
At Batman's request, Dick journeys to this former whaling town-turned-industrial center to investigate a number of murders linked to Gotham City gangster Black Mask. Instead, he finds a city racked by police corruption and in the grips of organized crime consolidated by Roland Desmond, the gargantuan genius Blockbuster.
With a defenseless city to call his own, Nightwing decides to remain in Blüdhaven until Blockbuster's cartel is broken. This allows him to be close enough to Gotham to still be part of the Batman family, and far enough as well to have his own city, adventures and enemies. He takes a job as a bartender to keep his ear to the ground and worked closely with Oracle (Barbara Gordon) in an effort to clean up the town. Blockbuster places a sizable contract on Nightwing's head shortly thereafter, while Grayson plies the unscrupulous Blüdhaven Police Inspector Dudley Soames for information on the kingpin's dealings. Also during his time in Blüdhaven, Nightwing helps train a violent but enthusiastic street fighter called Nite-wing, who later kills an undercover FBI agent.
Last Laugh and killing the Joker [ edit ]
When the Joker is told he is dying by his doctor, he unleashes Joker juice on the inmates at the Slab, causing a breakout. At the end of the arc, Nightwing is responsible for killing the Joker against the wishes of Batman and Oracle. Nightwing becomes depressed and Oracle tries to bring him out of it.[14] Soon after, Batman manages to revive the Joker.
Leader of the League [ edit ]
Sometime after "No Man's Land" ends, the JLA disappears on a mission to locate Aquaman and Atlantis (The Obsidian Age). Before they vanish, Batman instigates a contingency plan, in which a handful of heroes would be assembled to create a new JLA, consisting of Nightwing, Green Arrow, the Atom, Hawkgirl, Major Disaster, Faith, Firestorm and Jason Blood. Nightwing is chosen to be leader until the original JLA are found, leading the group against the powerful Atlantean sorceress Gamemnae and helping to revive Aquaman to ask for his help in sinking Atlantis, but subsequently returns to the reserve list.
Graduation Day [ edit ]
For several years, Nightwing leads various incarnations of the Titans and becomes the most respected former sidekick in the DC Universe. However, in the Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day crossover, a rogue Superman android kills Lilith and Troia, an event that tears apart both Young Justice and the Titans. At Troia's funeral, Dick declares he is tired of seeing friends die and disbands the team, officially ending the Titans. A few months later, Arsenal persuades Nightwing to join a new pro-active crime-fighting team: the Outsiders, who would hunt villains, acting as co-workers rather than an extended family. He reluctantly accepts.
Death of Blockbuster [ edit ]
Dick plays a key role in exposing the corruption in |
anyone who is LGBT.
This means LGBT people could be refused service or turned down for jobs simply because of their sexuality or gender.
The DUP has stalled all progress on equal marriage in Northern Ireland, attempted to retain a lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, and opposed same-sex couples adopting children.
But when it comes to a 155-year-old law which can punish a woman with life imprisonment for terminating a pregnancy, the DUP is fully in favour.
Theresa May is set to visit Buckingham Palace today to ask the Queen for permission to continue in government, with the “understanding” that she has the DUP’s support.
May’s Conservative Party had its majority wiped out overnight as it lost a dozen seats, and now needs help from the DUP and its 10 MPs to avoid the perils of ruling with a minority government.
May pledged to PinkNews that the Gender Recognition Act would be reformed in the next parliament, saying that “the legal process to change their gender can be distressing, so changes do need to be made.”
It remains to be seen how a partnership with the extremely conservative DUP would affect this promise.
The DUP lost its power to veto same-sex marriage following the last election in Northern Ireland, as it gave up 10 of its 38 seats in Stormont during the March vote.
The DUP is still the biggest Northern Irish party in both Stormont and Westminster.
Following a devolved assembly election earlier this year, the DUP is required to form a new power-sharing government with the second-largest party, Sinn Féin – but talks have repeatedly stalled.
Northern Ireland does not currently have an executive, with the DUP apparently stating that a same-sex marriage ban is their ‘red line’ in the country’s ongoing power-sharing negotiations.
It is currently the only part of the UK without same-sex marriage, because the DUP has employed peace process powers known as ‘petitions of concern’ to block all progress.
Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, lost almost his entire 8,000 majority in yesterday’s vote.
In a shock result, the Cumbria MP, who has been embroiled in controversy for his views on gay sex, almost lost to the Conservative Party, clinging on by just 700 votes.
Another Lib Dem candidate, who said “feminising hormones in the water supply” affect people’s sexuality, failed in her election bid.
Susan King, who stood in the west Midlands seat of Telford, limped in with just 954 votes in the June 8 election, which resulted in a hung parliament.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for Theresa May to resign as British Prime Minister after a shock exit poll showed – correctly, as it turned out – a hung parliament.
Our best realistic hope is that while LGBT rights may not progress under a Conservative-DUP alliance, the prominence of Labour, the SNP and the Lib Dems in parliament will stop us from sliding backwards.
Because of the DUP’s retrograde views, we made our own version of its party political broadcast.
Watch the video below:WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s commission to investigate possible election fraud will convene this month, a government notice said on Friday, as more U.S. states have refused to hand over at least some voter data.
FILE PHOTO: A ballot is placed into a locked ballot box by a poll worker as people line-up to vote early at the San Diego County Elections Office in San Diego, California, U.S., November 7, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May, after claiming without evidence that millions of people voted illegally for his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, in the 2016 election.
U.S. civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers have called the panel a voter suppression tactic by Trump, a Republican who won the presidential election by securing a majority in the Electoral College tally of delegates even as he lost the popular vote to Clinton by some 3 million votes.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center, a watchdog group, has filed a lawsuit to block the commission’s data request until its privacy impact can be weighed. A hearing in the case was scheduled for Friday afternoon.
There is a wide consensus among state officials from both parties and election experts that voter fraud is rare. States rejecting the commission’s attempts to gather voter information have called it unnecessary and a violation of privacy.
Most U.S. states have rejected full compliance with the commission’s requests. Republican Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the commission’s vice chairman, said in a statement sent by the White House that 14 states and Washington, D.C., had rejected the request outright.
The commission will meet on July 19 to swear in members, formulate objectives and discuss next steps after asking the 50 states to turn over potentially sensitive voter information, according to a General Services Administration (GSA) notice published in the Federal Register.
A June 28 letter from the election panel sought names, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, addresses, birth dates, political affiliations, felony convictions and voting histories.
Matthew Dunlap, Maine’s Democratic secretary of state and a commission member, on Friday dismissed Trump’s claim that millions of voters illegally cast ballots. “We just don’t see that,” he told CNN. “People are incredibly law abiding.”
Although Maine is one state that has pushed back at the commission’s request, Dunlap said he hopes the panel can tackle voting issues including ballot access and hacking.
A Republican commission member, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, defended the panel, telling CNN on Thursday that fraud with even “one vote per precinct... can change the course of history.”
A court filing in the Electronic Privacy Information Center case also showed the panel plans to house data on White House computers rather than at the GSA. The Washington Post, which earlier reported the filing, noted GSA would be required to follow specific privacy requirements.
U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow tried to tilt the election in Trump’s favor. Moscow has dismissed the accusations. Trump has denied any collusion and has questioned the agencies’ conclusion as well as any Russian role.That's not quite what I meant. The financial donation record of Jewish Americans, and their importance to the Democratic Party, is pretty clear. I've read both of these articles and their contents are self-evident. Given that they are both written by Jews, it'd be nonsensical to accuse the authors of being anti-Semitic.
What I'm saying is that it feels like there's a distressingly short distance, socially, between a) pointing out that wealthy, successful Jews overwhelmingly support the Democratic Party, and indeed that said party's biggest donors are Jewish and b) the long and sordid history of Jewish conspiracy theories, which seem to have been pervasive in culture for centuries.
All I guess I'm saying is that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not even fully sure why.Left: Davon Jefferson left USC after one season, was not drafted, and now plays in Israel. He would have been better off with draft and follow.
Right: Corey Joseph left Texas after one season, was drafted at the end of the first round by San Antonio, and is now in the D-League. San Antonio would have been better off with draft and follow.
Yes: this is not a coincidence. But if my desire to see the NBA adopt a different draft model than one-and-done is naked self-interest, at least I'm not alone in my disdain. Mark Cuban is the latest person to sound off on the NBA's increasingly unpopular one-and-done rule. The normally shy and reserved Cuban:
Stern said Tuesday that he'd like to add a year to the rule. Cuban wants to take it a step further, requiring players to wait three years after their high school class graduates to become draft-eligible. "I just think there's every good reason to do it, which is obviously why we didn't do it," Cuban said sarcastically, adding that Kentucky fans were the only people who like the one-and-done concept.
I think Kentucky fans would be okay with three years of Anthony Davis as well. Anthony Davis? Not so much.
While two or three years would make more sense than the current system, it's the difference between the current BCS system and a revised one that has three semi-finals. There's no reason for Anthony Davis to play college basketball anymore. There probably wasn't ever a reason. Football gets away with its model because the nature of the game makes age restrictions plausible. Basketball doesn't have that, so restrictions against high school kids entering the draft are unjustifiable.
That tenuous legal footing is a major issue. The other main problem with the draft today is uncertainty. Players get told they'll go somewhere by people with a vested interest in having the kid enter the draft, and these predictions often turn out to be wildly wrong. Meanwhile NBA teams are forced into making decisions about players when they say they're ready instead of when the NBA does. The current system is a high-stakes pull on a slot machine. It should go away.
Draft And Follow
Here's a model that eliminates the Lenny Cookes of the world, allows the Lebrons to pass go immediately, and guarantees every player exiting school will do so with enough money to go bankrupt spectacularly when their career is not as lucrative as they planned:
All players are automatically draft eligible coming out of high school. Euros might still have to apply, but I don't think anyone has a huge problem with the way Europeans get drafted. Players who are passed over out of high school remain eligible for drafts after their freshmen and sophomore years.
This would not impact anyone's eligibility. Hockey follows this model. The NCAA does not take your eligibility unless you opt in to a draft.
NBA teams retain rights until the summer after the player's eligibility expires. This has created some issues with NHL teams not wanting to chance a player hitting free agency after his senior year but that shouldn't be a problem in this model because…
An NBA team signing a draft pick commits to carrying the player on the roster until the year after his NCAA eligibility would have expired. Signing a kid out of high school means you are giving him a guaranteed five-year contract. After his freshman year, four years, etc. Signing a graduated senior does not require offering a guarantee.
Americans who go to the D-League or Europe are bound by the same rules.
The draft expands to five rounds. Since everyone's getting drafted out of high school miss rates will be higher and the extra rounds are warranted. Also, NBA fans will then have more players to follow in college.
The NCAA tweaks its rules to allow drafted players to participate in the NBA's summer league at the league's expense. This helps everyone make good decisions.
OPTIONAL: NBA teams can sign their picks to a pre-contract that gives them a significant amount of money without compromising their eligibility. This bit is a pipe dream, but it would go a long way towards cleaning up the seamier aspects of the NCAA model.
This Benefits Everyone
The NBA gets more time to make decisions on who to offer contracts to. They get the same publicity benefits for their players, if not more since a cottage industry that tracks draft picks will crop up. Trades will be less focused on cap numbers since each team will have a bunch of chips to send back and forth that do not exist now.
College players leaving school are doing so for guaranteed money and not the D-League. College teams keep players around longer and can plan for the future better by keeping in contact with the teams that have drafted their players.
The NCAA gets more eyeballs on college basketball from interested NBA fans and people who like the increased level of play. And no one has to tell LeBron James he can't get paid to play basketball out of high school.Last month, the Harvard MetaLAB releaseda mini-documentary about the Harvard Depository (HD), a 127,000-square-foot “guarded compound” 25 miles from campus where approximately 9 million of Harvard Library’s lesser-used books, pamphlets, records, etc. are stored in a space reminiscent of Home Depot.The 24-minute film, written and directed by Jeffrey Schnapp, provides a real sense of the vastness of the collection--this “analog server farm”--and manages to do so artfully. Its beauty does not reside, as one might assume, in images of rare books, wooden desks, and warm desk lamps. Here, mechanized forklifts buzz down gloomy aisles in search of one barcoded item or another. The stark, cement-and-metal scenery evokes (and speaks to) Alain Resnais’ 1956), which documented the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.impresses upon us the importance of the HD not only to the university’s scholars, but to humanity as a whole; it is a paean to preservation.premiered on February 6 in conjunction with Icons of Knowledge: Architecture and Symbolism in National Libraries, an exhibit at Harvard’s Loeb Library through March 22.Watch here:In October of last year, Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley, the duo responsible for the incredible remastered ports of Sonic 1 (Free), Sonic 2 (Free) and Sonic CD (Free), posted a proof-of-concept video for a remastered version of the only game left to be remastered out of that quartet of original Sonic games: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 aka Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Although nothing had been commissioned by Sega, the developer duo’s passion led them to begin work on a Sonic 3 remaster, and they had posted the proof-of-concept video in hopes of getting Sega’s attention and getting them to greenlight the project. The three previous remastered Sonic games are absolute masterpieces, and were top-sellers. It’s tragic to think that one of the old Sonics might be left off the table.
However, Sega is currently going through some difficult times, and as of yet they haven’t shown any interest in greenlighting the Sonic 3 remaster. Whitehead and Thomley did their part in releasing the prototype video, but ultimately it’s a decision Sega has to make. Now, Sonic fans are hoping to get the ball rolling again with the Sonic 3 Remastered website and a Change.org petition that calls for Sega to sign on Whitehead and Thomley to complete and release the remastered version of Sonic 3. To be honest, I almost always laugh off these types of online petitions, as many times they’re for something incredibly silly and don’t ever actually force any change to happen. The Sonic 3 campaign though feels very well thought out and serious. For instance, check out this video aimed at the CEO of Sega, it’s a much higher-quality effort than you’d normally see.
In addition to the video, the Sonic 3 Remastered website has a page where you can actually download a letter to send to Sega Networks directly, and it’s even written in Japanese. The hope is that a letter written in Japanese sent from fans overseas will show Sega just how passionate they are about having this project completed. If physically mailing a letter to another country seems a bit much, you could always just sign the Change.org petition, which as of this writing has about 260 supporters after going live just a few days ago.
So is any of this going to matter? Is a Sonic 3 remaster just a crazy pipe dream? I honestly have no idea. I can tell you that personally I want this more than anything, and I know there’s a good amount of fans who feel the same. Seeing as how Sega has given the cold shoulder to this project so far, it definitely feels like a long shot. As you may be aware, the current crop of remastered Sonic games on iOS have a few issues on the latest iPhone hardware and/or iOS 8. Updates with fixes for these issues has been ready for at least the past 3 months, but Sega has yet to release them. It could simply be that it’s taking a long time to get through QA, especially in light of the downsizing, but it’s still not exactly a good sign.
On the other hand, part of Sega’s recent downsizing was to focus on “smartphone and PC online gaming." It’s possible that the company is very interested in a remastered Sonic 3, but the time just hasn’t been right yet. All the current Sonic remasters have been top-sellers and critically acclaimed, in a time when “Sonic", “top-seller" and “critically acclaimed" are rarely uttered in the same sentence. Not only that, but both Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 already existed in crappy form on iOS, and the remastered versions were delivered as free updates to both games. A great gesture of goodwill by Sega, but not the best money-making plan. However, Sonic 3 has yet to be released on mobile, so if they do go forward with a remaster it’ll basically be like a license to print money. Here’s the proof-of-concept video again in case you haven’t seen it yet.
Whatever the case may be, I hope that someday, somehow I have a remastred version of Sonic 3 on my iPhone right alongside Sonic 1, 2 and CD. Nothing would make me happier. I don’t know if this latest push by fans will bear any fruit, but if you want to get involved visit the Sonic 3 Remastered website, sign up for the Change.org petition, and share your desires for a remastered Sonic 3 on social media directed to @Sega and using the hashtag #Sonic3Remastered.New Coins On The Block
David Ramirez Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 5, 2017
Admittedly, I am later to the crypto-currency game than I’d like to be. The stellar rise in evaluation for almost all crypto-currencies has been amazing to say the least. This basically says it all, “$1,000 invested in 2010 would be worth $35 million today.” Obviously, that type of growth is almost unheard of in any market. But that begs the question: What crypto-currencies should I invest in if I want some of the pie? If you’re new to crypto-currencies in general there’s some really great beginner articles out there and some far-out TED Talks that will get your blood pumping. The big ideas to understand are ledgers, wallets, how that relates to blockchains, and why we’re even talking about it. This isn’t going to explain any of that, but I encourage you to check it out in order to educate yourself. Some really intelligent people are thinking this is going to be the new internet — Web 3.0 — with all the talk, investments, and hype if anything else it’s going to be a great bubble.
The currencies you can buy in USD right now are Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin on Coinbase. Coinbase is pretty much the default exchange market in the US. You can exchange your USD for any three crypto-currencies. After, I highly recommend checking out Poloniex. This is where you can buy different crypto-currencies all around the world. You’ll need to adjust your USD to BTC (Bitcoin) then transfer the balance in your BTC Coinbase wallet to your BTC Poloniex wallet. This whole process can take minutes or days, depending on how you set up your payment structure and what speed you set for your transaction fee. Setup two-step authentication on your accounts, even if you have nothing on there. These exchanges are notorious forgetting hacked. Once you have BTC in your Poloniex wallet you can go to town purchasing different crypto-currencies around the world, but what should you invest in? (ProTip: Download a wallet specific to any currency you want to buy, this will make you a node on the blockchain after you sync (this can take awhile). You can transfer your tokens offline making the likelihood that you will be hacked decreased tremendously.)
There are a ton of options out there and you can very easily get lost in the noise if you’re not careful. Constantly trading opens you up to a lot of transaction fees which will erode away at your investments — not good. Truthfully, you’ll want to pick your currencies and stay there. The buy low-sell high heuristic holds and with the massive amounts of investments being made from countries to financial institutions you’ll want to diversify and pick winners right out of the gate. If you’ve already invested in Ethereum I’d hold on to your investment. There’s a real, but bold, prediction that Ethereum will pass Bitcoin’s marketcap. It would certainly be in your interest to see if that comes true. If you haven’t invested in any currencies yet, or want to diversify, I highly recommend these three:
Siacoin: This is basically Silicon Valley’s “New Internet” idea. It’s also a lot like Ethereum, in the sense that it uses Smart Contracts to establish secure, contingent transfers of data/information. Siacoin is a cloud storage company, like AWS and Microsoft, except information is stored on a blockchain at a fraction of the price because there are no central serves (no serve farms). This makes it infinitely more secure to almost impenetrable. In the age of hacking, stored information on a blockchain that has no central location makes this very attractive. (This does not mean issues can’t arise. There are still issues that need to be solved with blockchain technology, but in theory this is the most secure option for almost all data.) Stratis: Stratis is a lot like Ethereum too, but with more emphasis on development for enterprise because you can program in a non-native language for a well-known business environment (C# and.NET — these power Microsoft and many other business applications). Stratis provides a full framework for enterprises to start building on blockchains (not just on Stratis’s blockchain). This B2B approach is unique, especially since it is built on a fundamental language already being used in the business world. Ethereum is fantastic, but programming is done in Solidity which at first glance seems like an understandable language with a fantastic development community, but learning a new language is always a barrier. From an investor standpoint, Ethereum is marketing itself as a P2P, B2B, and B2C blockchain/protocol, which makes it much more versatile. That flexibility makes it attractive, but I believe hacking will encourage companies to transition over to a blockchain type systems before consumers adopt the technology in mass (ask Target and Yahoo!). Ethereum is above $200 right now, while Stratis is below $20; so, if you’re looking for a bang-for-your-buck type scenario Stratis if your bet. Ripple: Fiat and XRP currencies can take advantage of the Ripple blockchain. This blockchain can be used for real time transfers of money from one entity to another — Ripple excels when the entities are in different countries. During the process of transferring money overseas a lot of entities touch the money before it is deposited into an account. Ripple speeds up the process from days to seconds. It accounts for the transfer on the blockchain and secures the payment for the recipient party in seconds. It’s much faster and securer than our current transfer methodology, so banks are flooding money into Ripple. There are genuine concerns for Ripple from its IOU payment option to the strong hold of XRPs by the founders, but it’s a long bet so I anticipate these concerns will be met with viable solutions.
I like all these because they’re unique enough and create a diversified crypto-currency portfolio for the average buyer. An AWS type service with Siacoin, a B2B blockchain with an emphasis on business applications for developers in Stratis, and a financial payment improvement for out-of-country transfers for money with Ripple. It’s unclear how blockchains will be used in the future, or how massive these changes will be, but hedging your bets are always a good idea.
Disclosure: I own these currencies right now. I wouldn’t recommend buying something without having bought it myself. With that said, I do have a financial incentive for you to purchase these on an open exchange. I wrote this article myself and this is an expression of my opinion. I am not getting compensated for this post.Jakarta: Abu Bakar Baasyir gets 15 years. He reacts"Verdict contrary to Shariah"
by Mathias Hariyadi
The judges condemned him for having financed a terrorist training centre. The prosecutor had requested life imprisonment. For the extremist leader it is an " unacceptable verdict," because it is against "Islamic law". It was a centre for the "deepening of faith." Tight security for fear of attacks
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - "This verdict is unacceptable, that's why I strongly oppose the ruling." These are the first words of the Indonesian Islamic leader Abu Bakar Baasyir, 72, after being sentenced to 15 years in prison, imposed this morning by the judges of the District Court of South Jakarta. He added that he was "cornered and criminalized" for actions that "I never committed" and warned: "This verdict is contrary to Sharia - Islamic law - and I can not accept it because to me it is against the law".
This morning in Indonesia the trial of the controversial Islamic leader, accused of having provided funds to terrorist groups in Aceh, linked to al-Qaeda ended. He has always pleaded not guilty and accused the United States and its allies of using him as a scapegoat. In the past, Bashir has already been sentenced to 2 years and 6 months for the Bali bombings, which in 2002 killed at least 202 foreign tourists and injured hundreds of people. He served 26 months in prison before leaving on good behaviour.
Thousands of Bashir supporters were expected to turn up for the sentencing, especially from Surak, Central Java, where the pesantren (Islamic educational institute) run by Bashir is located. The trial in court took place under tight security for fear of bombings. Abu Bakar Baasyir remained cold and distant, but at the same time staunchly defended his ideas on the Shariah. He rejected the sentence imposed by the court to 15 years imprisonment.
The court was presided over by Chief Justice Herry Swantoro, members of civil society and movements against violence, together with local journalists and international media attended the trial.
The court imposed a far more lenient sentence than the request for life imprisonment put forward by the prosecutor during the final indictment. However, the Islamic leader's lawyers confirmed that they will be appealing against the sentence. Among the most serious criminal charges, are those that claim Baasyir led and financed a training centre for fundamentalists in Aceh province.
Baasyir says that the center is only a place to "deepen the practice of faith," renamed according to Islamic terminology i’dad o ibadah. And, in his opinion, "this is not an act of terrorism". For the judges, however, he collected at least 1.9 billion Indonesian rupiahs (about 220 thousand dollars) to finance the terrorist group Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid (Jat). Several members of Islamic fundamentalist groups passed through the centre, including Dulmatin - alias Yahyah Ibrahim or Joko Pitono - who was killed in a raid of the Indonesian anti-terrorist squad in March 2010 (see AsiaNews, 09/03/2010 Three die in anti-terror raid, one masterminded Bali massacre).
Finally, the court ruled that the plan to create a paramilitary training center for young terrorists, involved high ranking members of Jat, the movement of Baasyir, including the likes of Lutfi Haidaroh, alias Ubaid or Abu Tholut, and Muzayyin, aka Mustaqim.Updated
Australian officials will soon learn whether they have gained key support for the rights to build the world's most powerful telescope.
Source: Lateline | Duration: 3min 13sec
Topics: telescopes, federal-government, astronomy-space, programs-and-initiatives, australia
Transcript
TONY JONES, PRESENTER: It will be the world's most powerful telescope and it could be built in Australia. Tonight officials will learn whether Australia will win key support for an independent scientific panel to host the Square Kilometre Array.
The telescope is touted as one of the biggest science projects this century. And as Amy Bainbridge reports, Australia is facing some stiff competition.
AMY BAINBRIDGE, REPORTER: In the remote inland of Western Australia scientists want to create an inland sea of satellite dishes. The Square Kilometre Array would cover 3,000 kilometres. Thousands of antennas linked electronically would allow scientists to see 10 times further into the universe than ever before using a radio telescope.
BRIAN BOYLE, PROJECT LEADER, CSIRO: We'll be looking at objects 13 billion light years away, or 13 billion years old. We'll be looking at some of the first objects in the universe forming.
We'll be able to track the whole history of cosmic evolution. We'll be able to answer questions like what is the nature of dark matter and dark energy?
CHRIS EVANS, SCIENCE & RESEARCH MINISTER: I mean, this will create all sorts of interesting developments in computing and engineering and obviously it may have other spinoffs that we don't even know about yet.
AMY BAINBRIDGE: The vast area of the Murchison Shire in WA is sparsely populated. Already it's home to the Pathfinder telescope. Scientists say it's one of the world's quietest places, exactly what's needed for the SKA project.
BRIAN BOYLE: The great enemy of radio astronomy is people, because people make radio noise. They make radio interference, whether it's through cars or mobile phones or TVs, they generate all this radio frequency interference that can drown out the very feeble signals from the cosmos.
AMY BAINBRIDGE: And to make all this work Australia will need to build a computer 100 times faster than any existing computer.
BRIAN BOYLE: All the signals from all those telescopes have to be brought back and the data communications is equivalent to 10 times the global internet traffic today.
AMY BAINBRIDGE: Senator Chris Evans will head a delegation to China and Italy leaving this Saturday to promote Australia's bid.
Australia is up against the South Africans, who say the telescope should be built in their Karoo Desert. They say it will create jobs and boost development in their region. And along with the Australians, they'll have their chance to make their final case over the next month.
CHRIS EVANS: To be brutally frank, there's a view among many in Europe that they ought to be doing more to assist development in Africa, and that will obviously be a consideration. I suppose our answer to that is you want to make sure that you've got the best possible outcome to get the best possible scientific results from the project.
AMY BAINBRIDGE: And it isn't cheap. Australia will be expected to pay a sizeable share of the $2 billion project split amongst 67 organisations in 20 countries. Perhaps what will make the most sense to those worried about how their taxes are being spent is this: the chance of detecting life in another galaxy.
BRIAN BOYLE: So we could in principle detect radiation from advanced civilisations, and wouldn't that be an earth-shattering discovery?
AMY BAINBRIDGE: The telescope is due to be operational by 2024.
Amy Bainbridge, Lateline.AGV has announced it will soon be releasing a visor that can instantly change from a black tint to clear.
Unlike the Lazer Monaco helmet which changes tint depending on light levels, the AGVisor system uses LCD technology bonded to the visor letting you manually change its tint at the push of a button.
It solves the age-old problem of carrying two visors around.
AGV says the visor will last 12 hours in dark mode, 50 hours in clear mode, and can be fitted to the firm’s Pista GP, Corsa and GT Veloce range.
Recharge time is two hours via a micro USB port and if the battery dies, the visor will stay in clear mode.
The AGVisor will be launched in the UK in May priced at £149.99.
To see the new system in action at the Swiss Motorcycle Show, skip to 1.22s in the video above.
ContactSean Gallagher
Last night, journalist Philip Boucher-Hayes went on RTÉ R1’s Drivetime, hosted by Mary Wilson, to explain how Presidential candidate Sean Gallagher funded the start of his entrepreneurial career.
Mary Wilson: “In a nutshell tell us what did you find?”
Philip Boucher-Hayers “I’ve been spending a lot of time looking back through records in the companies office and interviews that Sean Gallagher has given in the course of the last five years. I suppose it’s best summed up this way.
Sean Gallagher, as you said, got seed capital for his business from the State.Then he re-registered that business, that company under a different name and he transferred all of the benefits that had accrued, thanks to the State investment, to a new limited liability company.
But the debt was left with the first company and he said, acting on advice, because, that company was no longer trading, he believed that he was absolved of any responsibility to pay the State back.
But the business that had got the benefit of the State’s investments, research, development and learning and so on, went on to become a multi-million euro success. Now he did, it’s important to state, eventually pay back most of the debt to Louth County Enterprise Board but only after three years of legal dispute.”
Mary Wilson: “Tell us more about this first business and the size of the seed capital that he received.”
Boucher-Hayes: “It was called Home Wiring Systems. Essentially the business idea was to put all the wiring you’re ever going need for your computer, your TV, your stereo and so on behind the wall panelling, behind your skirting boards, so you don’t have to go punching holes in the wall to put stuff in later on.
He got an investment of €20,000 from the Louth County Enterprise Board, of which he had previously been chief executive until less than a year earlier. And that investment appears as shares in Home Wiring Systems.
About a year later though, he created this new company, Smart Homes, and three very short months after creating Smart Homes, Home Wiring Systems ceases trading.
But while Home Wiring Systems and Smart Homes are the same business the debt to the State was never transferred from Home Wiring Systems over to Smart Homes.”
Wilson: “So what, you might ask? Businesses are allowed to fail, businesses fail? And their directors have the protection of being limited liability companies, so how is this case for Sean Gallagher any different?”
Boucher-Hayes: “Yeah, you’re absolutely right. If Home Wiring Systems had failed, Sean Gallagher would indeed have been able to have its affairs wound up and seek protection from all of his creditors.
But, separate to the documents that I’ve been looking through in the company’s office, I came across an interview which he gave for a book that KPMG produced back in 2008 on start-up entrepreneurs.
And in it he indicates that Home Wiring Systems and Smart Homes were basically one and the same business. That he had just changed the name because it improved the business branding, quote: “I had initially called the company Home Wiring Systems but that confuses in people’s minds with electricians.”
So it would appear that Home Wiring Systems, the company that owed the State money, ceased trading within three months of the creation of Smart Homes and the question for Sean Gallagher here is: Was Home Wiring Systems allowed to wither on the vine, you might say, and was he happy that its debt would die with it, as he was advised.
Also another question – all the benefits of the State’s investments in Home Wiring Systems which were, as I said, were passed on to Smart Homes, the other question for him is did he not feel, on some level, obligated to pay the State back, because he had benefited from this investment.
He says, as I pointed out, his legal and financial advice was that he didn’t have to pay the money back. But ultimately he did pay all of that money back, or the vast majority of it.”
Wilson: “And another question for you, was he in a position to repay the investment.”
Boucher-Hayes: “Well yeah it would, again looking at the company’s office documents it would appear he was in a position to repay the investment. Louth County Enterprise Board came looking for the money back in 2005.
He had at that time, according to documents, that he’s lodged with the company’s office, €650,000 euro on hand or in the bank. But more than that, more about what passed between him and Louth County Enterprise Board we cannot say because he and they have been bound to silence as the terms of their agreement.”
Wilson: “You spoke to him today?”
Boucher-Hayes: “And I did, I did. And I asked him initially what was the money that he got from Louth County Enterprise Board used for and what value was it to his company?”
[plays pre-recorded interview With Sean Gallagher] Sean Gallagher: “The funding from the enterprise board was for working capital to buy, to buy products, to buy materials, to do market, to do market testing but to do mostly to do product-type testing. And that worked quite effectively. So I guess much of the learning was taking place at that stage which is, you know, standard with most companies starting off.” Boucher-Hayes: “And was that investment of benefit to Home Wiring Systems?” Gallagher: “Yes, I mean in terms of working capital to buy prototype materials and to install the products and test them, it was certainly helpful.”
Boucher-Hayes: “So the key question here then really is what is the difference between Home Wiring Systems and Smart Homes?” Gallagher: “Well Home Wiring Systems was set up as a company to do the development. And I had envisaged that that’s what we would do and roll it on into the ongoing company. But what transpired then was I brought in a business partner, Derek Roddy, who had technical skills in the area, and we changed the name. And my intention was to perhaps keep the first company on as a research development company to create other companies, and keep it separate. As it happened we moved forward with a new company, given the financial advice I had at the time was to create a new company, a new brand, and perhaps leave the other company that could be used at another stage for research and development.” Boucher-Hayes: “Was there any difference though ostensibly between HWS and SM, other than a name change?” Gallagher: “Well there was the name change obviously the shareholding. We branched off out of the original product and diversified I guess off the back of I guess what we had learned in the first phase. So it was a continuation and perhaps more of an expansion out from the original product that we had developed, based on the learning I suppose that had taken place in the first company.” Bouchere-Hayes: “Based on the learning from HWS, based on the materials that you say the Louth County Enterprise Board’s investment had provided to the company, all of these assets to the company would have been transferred effectively from HWS to SH, but you didn’t transfer that debt, why not? Gallagher: “Well, in truth, at the beginning, the debt wasn’t repayable for a period. It’s important maybe to |
have in the country, now America wants to bomb us, too?" one 45-year-old woman, entering Lebanon with her five children, told AP.
In Damascus senior military commanders are reportedly staying away from buildings thought likely to be targeted. You "could hear a pin drop" at one of them, a local resident said.
'Consequences'
President Obama told PBS that the US had "not yet made a decision, but the international norm against the use of chemical weapons needs to be kept in place, and hardly anyone disputes that chemical weapons were used in a large scale in Syria against civilian populations".
Military intervention is morally justified Anthony Luder, Safed, Israel
Intervening now in Syria would be a terrible mistake Demetrios Nicolaides, Limassol, Cyprus Global readers' voices on Syria
"We've looked at all the evidence, and we don't believe the opposition possessed chemical weapons of that sort," he said.
He added he had concluded that the Syrian government carried out the chemical weapons attack.
"There need to be international consequences, so we are consulting with our allies," he said.
There was "a prospect that chemical weapons could be directed at us - and we want to make sure that doesn't happen".
The BBC's David Willis in Washington says Mr Obama looked cautious and spoke in a measured way, and he was clearly concerned about getting Congress on board as well as the American public.
Opinion polls until now have shown very little interest among the US public in getting involved in the Syrian conflict.
In an open letter to the president, US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner demanded he explain "the intended effect of military strikes", and how he would prevent the intervention escalating, if he wanted to win public and congressional backing for action.
More than 110 members of Congress have signed a letter formally requesting that Mr Obama seek congressional approval for any action in Syria.
US officials are expected to give senior members of Congress a classified briefing on the evidence that the Syrian government carried out the alleged chemical attack on Thursday.
Models for possible intervention Iraq 1991: US-led global military coalition, anchored in international law; explicit mandate from UN Security Council to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait
US-led global military coalition, anchored in international law; explicit mandate from UN Security Council to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait Balkans 1990s: US arms supplied to anti-Serb resistance in Croatia and Bosnia in defiance of UN-mandated embargo; later US-led air campaign against Serb paramilitaries. In 1999, US jets provided bulk of 38,000 Nato sorties against Serbia to prevent massacres in Kosovo - legally controversial with UN Security Council resolutions linked to "enforcement measures"
US arms supplied to anti-Serb resistance in Croatia and Bosnia in defiance of UN-mandated embargo; later US-led air campaign against Serb paramilitaries. In 1999, US jets provided bulk of 38,000 Nato sorties against Serbia to prevent massacres in Kosovo - legally controversial with UN Security Council resolutions linked to "enforcement measures" Somalia 1992-93: UN Security Council authorised creation of international force with aim of facilitating humanitarian supplies as Somali state failed. Gradual US military involvement without clear objective culminated in Black Hawk Down disaster in 1993. US troops pulled out
UN Security Council authorised creation of international force with aim of facilitating humanitarian supplies as Somali state failed. Gradual US military involvement without clear objective culminated in Black Hawk Down disaster in 1993. US troops pulled out Libya 2011: France and UK sought UN Security Council authorisation for humanitarian operation in Benghazi in 2011. Russia and China abstained but did not veto resolution. Air offensive continued until fall of Gaddafi Syria crisis: Western military options Models for possible intervention Press apprehension as Syria tension builds Syria crisis: Where key countries stand
The US has said it will not take action alone - but one of its primary allies, the UK, has agreed to wait until UN inspectors report back before taking a parliamentary vote on potential action.
Russia rejected a UK push to try to agree a resolution on Syria among permanent UN Security Council members on Wednesday, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying the UN could not consider any draft resolution or proposed action in Syria before the UN weapons inspectors reported back.
The use of force without a sanction of the UN Security Council would be a "crude violation" of international law and "lead to the long-term destabilisation of the situation in the country and the region", Mr Lavrov has said.
UN'moment'
The UK, US and France are continuing their discussions following the meeting of the five permanent members.
The UK will want to be seen to be exhausting every diplomatic avenue, says the BBC's Nick Bryant at the UN headquarters in New York.
For the UK, there needs to be a UN "moment" - despite the fact that UN action will likely again be blocked by Russia or China.
But even without UN backing the US and its allies have been clear that they see the military option still open to them, our correspondent says.
"This is the first use of chemical warfare in the 21st Century," said UK Foreign Secretary William Hague. "It has to be unacceptable... or we will confront even bigger war crimes in the future."
More than 100,000 people are estimated to have died since the conflict erupted in Syria in March 2011, and the conflict has produced at least 1.7 million refugees.
Forces which could be used against Syria:(YouTube) The Rev. Gretta Vosper preaches at West Hill United Church of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
From Canada comes this shocking news: A Christian church is being led by an openly atheist minister who has mostly done away with the Bible and has replaced the Lord's Prayer with a nonsectarian affirmation.
In a report, The Christian Post said the Rev. Gretta Vosper, leader of West Hill United Church of Toronto, Ontario, is now facing the possibility of being defrocked for being an atheist.
Andrea DiPede, spokesperson for West Hill, told The Christian Post that Vosper has ministered West Hill for several years. She said since the year 2000 the church has seen radical changes, pointing out that worship services at the church "have moved away from language that references God in order to create an environment without barriers to participation."
"The services are themed around love, justice, compassion care and responsibility, and living in right relationship with ourselves, with others and with the world," DiPede said.
She said their church doesn't "recognise the Bible as more authoritative than other sources" and that "some of our members publicly identify as atheists."
"We rarely read the Bible in our services, and when we do, we read it alongside other sources of inspiration. We draw from many sources, including novels, journal articles, blogs, poems, nonfiction books, memoirs, videos and music in our services," DiPede said.
She described the services in their church as "inclusive" for people with various beliefs of "God" and those without belief in God "but who continue to choose values-based living."
She said they have replaced The Lord's Prayer by an invocation called "As I Live," which does not mention God or Heaven.
"As we came to recognise that the words of that traditional prayer no longer reflected our values and represented a barrier to participation to people who don't believe in a personified God, we stopped using it," DiPede said.
Despite the changes, West Hill United Church has failed to draw more congregants. In fact, church membership has declined. A source said in 2000 West Hill had 324 members. Now, the number is down to 147.
Last year the United Church of Canada began investigating the effectiveness of the ministry of Vosper considering that she no longer believes in God.
If the Church concludes that Vosper is no longer effective as a minister, she will be defrocked.
Vosper has declared disbelief in the God of the Bible. "In 2001, I made it clear that I did not believe in a supernatural, interventionist, divine being," she noted on her website. "So, in 2001 I shared my beliefs which were consistent with atheism but I did not actually identify as an atheist until 2013."A recently released MI5 report on a bungled Nazi sabotage plot details how a group of hapless, big-mouthed Nazi "spies" landed in Florida (after drunkenly bragging about their mission in a Paris cafe), and never managed to make bombs or poison Americans because their commander immediately surrendered to the FBI.
The submarine dropping half the group on Long Island ran aground, and MI5 noted that "it was only owing to the laziness or stupidity of the American coast guards that this submarine was not attacked by U.S. forces."
The Germans were stopped by a coast guard, who -- to the evident astonishment of the British -- did not detain them. He told his superiors, who were slow to contact the FBI.
The others in Florida also made it ashore, despite their attention-grabbing attire of "bathing trunks and army forage caps."
Unfortunately for the team, their leader, George John Dasch, had decided to surrender. The report describes Dasch "ringing up the FBI in Washington from the Mayfair Hotel and saying that he was a saboteur and wished to tell his story to Mr. Hoover" -- FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover. The FBI was initially skeptical, but Dasch was soon giving a full confession, and the whole gang was rounded up.
Within months, the saboteurs had been tried and sentenced to death. All were executed except Dasch and another who had also backed out. They were deported to Germany after the war.Ever heard this claim? “Switching to renewable energy will hurt the economy. We can’t afford it.”
Some media outlets and public officials love to repeat this one and just like with other claims, the absence of supporting facts doesn’t seem to stop them.
Over and over, we hear the claim that we can’t afford to shift to clean energy and address climate change. Here’s the truth: we can’t afford not to.
“Share” if this gives you #ClimateHope. Posted by Climate Reality on Sunday, July 5, 2015
According to a 2012 study by the European non-governmental organization the DARA Group and the Climate Vulnerable Forum, the economic losses due to climate change amounted to nearly $700 billion in 2010 alone. And on average each year, climate change is responsible for 400,000 lives lost.
How? Just look at the devastation of the New Jersey shore in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Witness the homes turned to splinters in the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan. In each case, the horrifying list of injuries and fatalities was just the beginning, as businesses and the communities that relied on them struggled to get back on their feet long after the rescue crews and television cameras left. Consider the California farmers forced to watch their fields wither as one year of record drought stretches into another. And on and on.
Here’s the flipside to give you a good bit of #ClimateHope: decarbonizing the electricity system would save $1.8 trillion over the coming two decades.
Lose $700 billion or save $1.8 trillion? It’s not a trick question.
If we look at just the US, clean energy innovation could expand GDP by more than $155 billion a year by 2030 (PDF). As demand for dirty fossil fuels declines, demand for clean energy technologies skyrockets, creating good middle-class jobs and new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs in a rapidly growing sector.
We don’t have to choose between affordable clean energy and our economy. Retweet if you agree! pic.twitter.com/MAhjbX5YeM — Climate Reality (@ClimateReality) January 26, 2016
In fact, we’re already seeing this trend as solar-related industries employ more Americans than the coal or the oil extraction industries. And that’s just one example.
Plus, as the use of solar and wind technologies continue to grow while the cost of doing so continues to drop, we’ll be paying less for our energy and less for the impacts of climate change thanks to fossil fuels. Which leaves more money in the pockets of people everywhere. What’s not to like?
GET ANSWERS TO THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
You know climate change is the challenge of our generation. But still, you hear the misinformed questions all the time. If you’re wondering how to respond the next time your great-aunt mistakenly asks if climate change exists or when your brother-in-law claims it’s too late to do anything, download our free e-book The 12 Questions Every Climate Activist Hears and What to Say now and you’ll be ready to give quick, science-based answers to these questions and more.The Perseid meteor shower must have looked fantastic from 10,000 feet. That’s how high you would have had to go to get past the pervasive fog and overcast skies at my home last night. Tonight looks a little better for weather, so I’ll do what all hopeful amateurs astronomers do. Set the alarm for 2 a.m. and peek out the shade looking for those glimmers of starlight that indicate clear skies.
From observations reported as of mid-afternoon to the International Meteor Observers 2016 Perseids Quick-Look site, it appears the greatest activity or highest meteor counts happened over Europe and points east in two outbursts: a brief but intense display around 23:15 Universal Time (6:15 p.m. CDT in daylight) August 11 when some observers briefly saw up to 15 Perseids a minute (!) with many bright ones, and a second peak starting around 2:00 UT (9 p.m. CDT) and lasting till 5:00 UT (midnight CDT).
90+ Perseid meteors captured on video August 11-12, 2016 by Ohio amateur John Chumack
While Europeans clearly hit the jackpot — some observers calling it the best since the 2002 Leonid storm — U.S. observers varied in their meteor counts. A few thought the shower was a bust, others reported numbers more typical of an “average year” shower. It appears that Earth passed through a dense filament of comet dust while it was night in Europe but late afternoon in the Americas. C’est la vie météore!
We should be past peak by today, but experience shows that tonight should still be a very good time for Perseid watching. Indeed, the next few nights will reward skywatchers with at least a dozen an hour. I’ll be out watching and hopefully not imagining what’s happening 10,000 feet over my head. Good luck to you too!TOKYO — Three hundred tons of highly contaminated water has leaked from a storage tank at the ravaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on Japan’s Pacific coast, its operator said Tuesday, prompting regulators to declare a “radiological release incident” for the first time since disaster struck there in 2011 and adding new fears of environmental calamity.
Workers raced to place sandbags around the leaking tank to stem the spread of the water, contaminated by levels of radioactive cesium and strontium many hundreds of times as high as legal safety limits, according to the operator, Tokyo Electric Power, or Tepco. The task was made more urgent by a forecast of heavy rain for the region.
But a Tepco spokesman, Masayuki Ono, acknowledged that much of the contaminated water had seeped into the soil, which would have to be dug up and removed. And he said the tainted water could eventually reach the ocean, adding to the tons of radioactive fluids that have already leaked into the sea from the plant.
The new leak raises disturbing questions about the durability of the nearly 1,000 huge tanks Tepco has installed about 500 yards from the site’s shoreline. The tanks are meant to store the vast amounts of contaminated liquid created as workers cool the complex’s three damaged reactors by pumping water into their cores, along with groundwater recovered after it poured into the reactors’ breached basements.Chinese leaders have long lamented the fact that Western expressions of popular culture and art seem to overshadow those from China. The top-grossing films in China have been “Avatar” and “Transformers 3,” and the music of Lady Gaga is as popular here as that of any Chinese pop singer. In October, at the sixth plenum of the party’s Central Committee, where Mr. Hu gave his speech, officials discussed the need for bolstering the “cultural security” of China.
“The overall strength of Chinese culture and its international influence is not commensurate with China’s international status,” Mr. Hu said in his essay, according to another translation.
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“The international culture of the West is strong while we are weak,” he added.
Mr. Hu’s words suggested that China would not lift anytime soon strict limits that it sets on imports of some cultural products. Each year, the agency in charge of regulating film allows only 20 foreign movies to potentially make a profit off their box office take here. Hollywood studios have long criticized that system and lobbied the United States government and international organizations to pressure China into scrapping or loosening the quota.
People involved in the arts here say the policy also means more government financing for Chinese companies to create cultural products, ranging from books to live musical productions. At the same time, officials have been encouraging many cultural industries to become more market driven and rely less on government subsidies.
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Some investors might see the government’s announcement of support for more creative works to be positive, but the policy also runs counter to market freedoms, emphasizing the need to censor cultural expressions that the government deems unacceptable.
In his essay, Mr. Hu did not address the widespread assertion by Chinese artists and intellectuals that state censorship is what prevents artists and their works from reaching their full potential. In late December, Han Han, a novelist and China’s most popular blogger, discussed the issue in an online essay called “On Freedom.”
“The restriction on cultural activities makes it impossible for China to influence literature and cinema on a global basis or for us culturati to raise our heads up proud,” Han Han wrote.
The publication of Mr. Hu’s essay and other articles in Seeking Truth about bolstering China’s cultural power signaled that this would be a central initiative in 2012, which is a transition year for the Chinese leadership. Seven of the top nine party members, including Mr. Hu, will step down from the Standing Committee of the Politburo. Mr. Hu appeared keen to enshrine the culture drive as a final defining moment of his decade-long tenure at China’s helm.
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The Central Committee meeting in October established the ideological foundation for a tightening of the cultural sphere that is only now beginning to unfold. Right after the meeting, officials announced a sweeping new policy to wipe scores of so-called entertainment shows off the air. That took effect on Sunday, and Xinhua reported Tuesday that the number of prime-time entertainment shows was now at 38, down from 126.
Last month, officials in Beijing and other cities ordered Internet companies based there to ensure that people posting on microblogs had registered their accounts using their real names, though they could still post under an alias. Officials have been putting pressure on executives and editors running the microblog platforms to self-censor, and many microblog users say the microblogs have been getting less interesting.
At the same time, China has been making a push to increase its cultural influence abroad, or its “soft power.” The government has opened up Confucius Institutes around the world to aid foreigners in learning Chinese. The state is also lavishing money on opening operations of large state-run news organizations, including Xinhua, the state news agency, and China Central Television, in cities around the world. Officials from those organizations say they hope their version of the world events becomes as common as those from Western news organizations.Photos by Esther G and Mezone.
“Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” – Gene Fowler
Perhaps this is a sentiment that all writers can share to some extent. However, writing doesn’t have to be a tortuous experience akin to banging your head against a wall. Frustration rarely helps our writing; good writing is perfectly compatible with efficient and reasonably quick writing. If you would like to become a fast and efficient writer, the following are 10 suggestions that have the potential to dramatically increase your productivity.
Clear Mind
Writing is a creative exercise which benefits from having a clear mind. If your mind is cluttered with distracting thoughts you will struggle to write effectively and fluently. When writing you need to concentrate on nothing else other than the subject of your writing. This requires a combination of one-pointedness and concentration; only if we can absorb ourselves into writing will we be most productive. How can we write anything meaningful if 50% of our thoughts are worrying about miscellaneous events in our lives? To cultivate a clear mind, it is helpful to set aside certain times just for writing – then, during this time, be disciplined about keeping your mind free of distracting thoughts.
Start Somewhere
Often when we write the first sentence can prove to be the most challenging. It is also by far the most important because it will determine whether people keep reading or not. For this reason it is common for a writer to become overly concerned about getting the ‘perfect’ start to an article. The problem is that aiming for perfection becomes a block to writing anything. If you are struggling to begin, start anywhere – even in the middle. Once you have written several paragraphs it may become more obvious how you can best start the article.
Accumulate Ideas
As you go about your day, try to accumulate ideas for articles in your mind. You can use this time to consider various titles for your articles and to recall relevant anecdotes. Keep a notebook for ideas. I find that an article becomes quite easy to write if I have:
A good title
7 key points / paragraphs.
I know the subject relatively well.
Write from Experience / Knowledge
Having written on many different topics, I know how difficult it can be to write on a topic you know little about. Also, if you are writing on new topics, it can be hard to be original and offer something unique. Stick to what you know and are able to write knowledgeably about. If you need to research articles, wait until you have developed a good background in the subject before starting to write.
Practise the Art of Writing
There is no secret formula for writing effectively. Like any activity, practise will enable you to get better. It is important to be able to get into a flow of writing; for example, many suggest it is advisable to write quickly but then be willing to throw out the bad. Ernest Hemingway was a great believer in writing and then being willing to toss out 90% of what he wrote. This might not sound very productive, but it can help because you are free to write without worrying about perfection.
Write in Unlikely Situations
Travelling on a train or even at a airport can give us several spare hours. These can often be very productive times for writing – because we have little else better to do. Don’t imagine that writing has to involve retreating to a Himalayan cave. If you wait for the perfect environment you will wait in vain.
Positive Attitude
Related to a clear mind is the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. Here, a positive attitude really involves avoiding negativity. Sometimes as writers we can easily become discouraged and feel our writing is not good enough. When we have a fear of failure or feeling of unworthiness, it is hard to do anything worthwhile. Our worries act like a subconscious break on the flow of our writing. We don’t need to have an excessively positive attitude, it is sufficient just to abandon negative sentiments.
A Working Environment
It is important to find an environment suitable for writing. Avoid noisy and cluttered places. The less distractions you have the better chance you will have of being able to concentrate. If you write from home, try to create a space where you will not be continually interrupted. A simple “Do Not Disturb” sign can do wonders for your productivity.
Music / Silence
To gain fresh inspiration, it is good to write in different surroundings. Finding a good cafe can make a welcome change; the only drawback of writing in public places is the background noise which can be distracting. Using an MP3 player can drown out the background sound; however, you have to be careful you don’t let the music distract you. I went through a period of going to cafes with my laptop and listening to my favourite playlists; I was really enjoying the music, but I hardly managed to write anything. If you do listen to music, make sure you choose something fairly ‘neutral’. If music doesn’t work you can always try noise cancelling headphones.
Be Committed
To write well you need to be fully committed to your writing. It doesn’t work to write tentatively, worrying about whether it will be good enough. Be bold and committed. When you write, concentrate on writing and don’t do anything else. By giving writing your 100% attention you are guaranteed to boost your productivity. For example, if you are a blogger, try writing away from the internet and the temptations of mindless surfing.
Tejvan writes for several blogs including Net Writing, a site which features tips for writers and bloggers. Netwriting has a variety of articles focused on productivity, suggestions for improving writing and also general blogging tips.Healthy Living
A few years back, Harvard conducted a study to reiterate what many in the psych professionals already know – Americans are addicted to anti-depression meds. We (though not myself) pop Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, Paxil, and Zoloft pills like they are candy in an attempt to boost mood and feel better. The increase in sales of anti-depressants is up a startling 400%. This pill-popping became the norm, even though clinical studies suggest there are numerous natural remedies that can help us feel better, without the pricey and life altering side-effects that many of these drugs can cause.
Indeed, many individuals can find relief from depression with simple lifestyle changes, even just dietary changes. Even the spice turmeric has been shown to treat depression better than Prozac, one of the best selling, yet least effective anti-depressants of all time. Phytotherapy Research said that not only is turmeric effective at treating depression, but it is likely more effective than some of the most common anti-depressant drugs currently on the market.
Additionally, there are several things people can do to boost their happiness levels without ever popping a pharmaceutical pill. Here are 5 potential solutions:
5 Ways to Boost Happiness Naturally
1. The Easiest Way to Feel Better, by Far, is to Exercise. In study after study, scientists have proven that just moving your body makes you feel better. Exercise boosts dopamine levels and oxytocin levels – two hormones responsible for happiness and love; one dampens pain, the other makes you feel ‘bliss.’ Why take a pharmaceutical drug that might cause you to have migraines or become suicidal when you can just spend 10 minutes throwing a Frisbee with your dog, or walking along a path in nature? (Spending time with your dog and being in nature also happen to boost your happiness hormones, so you can get two for the price of one!)
2. Spend Time with Friends and Family – Spending time with friends and family or even interacting with social media friends across cyber space can boost levels of seratonin and oxytocin, and even help you to live longer. We are social creatures. If you’ve been hiding in your house and not interacting with other people, consider volunteering, attending a social gathering, or even going on a date. Your better mood is waiting on this action.
3. Get Outside – New York-based naturopathic doctor Alan Logan, co-author (with Dr. Eva Selhub, an internal medicine physician) of Your Brain on Nature: The Science of Nature’s Influence on Your Health, Happiness and Vitality believes that the energy from mountains, trees, plants and water can improve your sleep and mental outlook. You don’t have to abandon city life, but try to find trees, natural reservoirs of water, birds, flowers – anything that is natural. Your health and happiness depends on it.
4. Sleep More – Our circadian rhythms are absolutely vital to good mental health. Circadian cycles are our bodies’ way of regulating a host of hormones that are responsible for everything from keeping us alert when we should be to helping us to relax in stressful situations. Lost sleep can even age your brain significantly over time, while more sleep will improve mood just about every single time. Try it. You look tired.
5. Improve Your Diet – Foods for depression can be much more effective than a bottle of junk made by Big Pharma. That saying – you are what you eat – is true. If you eat tons of refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and no ‘living foods’ like organic fruits and vegetables, you will look and feel…not so great! You need high levels of B12, found in fish and eggs, to increase neuronal communication between ‘good’ brain pathways, fiber to avoid spikes in blood sugar and insulin which can lead to depression, folate to keep your brain bathed in cerebrospinal fluid, iron to make sure your blood can transport oxygen, iodine to lower depression and increase memory, calcium to lower anxiety and curb depression, and much more. Try leafy greens, nuts, and foods high in Omega 3s to get an immediate happiness boost.You’ll all be hardly surprised to learn that the York County Council in South Carolina voted last night to add an “In God We Trust” plaque to their meeting room:
Chairman Britt Blackwell made the request. “We need to stand up for the values that made this country great,” he said. “This is one small step for the country.”
I can’t believe he just referenced the moon landing to talk about promoting Christianity in a town full of Christians… Can’t wait to hear what this guy says when he finds a good seat near the front of a bus.
Blackwell said the country has become so politically correct that is has forgotten the Christian, moral principles the country was founded on.
Like slavery.
Councilman Bruce Henderson said faith has guided this nation. “[If] it wasn’t for God, this country wouldn’t have been born.”
Councilman Curwood Chappell made the motion to approve the motto. He said if “the book” (the Bible) were thrown away, America would become a nation of heathens such as Germany, Italy and Japan during World War II.
Forget King George III and the Founding Fathers. They had nothing to do with it. Christopher Columbus and Jesus founded America while sailing on Noah’s Ark!
What the hell…?
First of all, who’s saying we should throw away the Bible? Not putting up a plaque reading “In God We Trust” isn’t anti-Christian at all.
Furthermore, Chappell doesn’t know his history. Hitler grew up Catholic and referenced the Bible and God often.
What we have are a bunch of dimwitted officials who approved a Christian message in a government building, using explicitly religious reasons, and none of them have the ability to think beyond their faith or consider other points of view. They didn’t even say that taxpayer money wouldn’t be used for it, paving the way for a potential lawsuit.
Way to elect some real winners, York.
(Thanks to Brian for the link)John Travolta’s House Is A Functional Airport With 2 Runways For His Private Planes
John Travolta is a certified private pilot who owns five aircraft, so it’s only fitting that the 60-year-old actor’s Florida home has two runways that lead directly to his front door.
“We designed the house for the jets and to have at our access the world at a moment’s notice, and we succeeded at that,” a bearded Travolta said during an interview Thursday on Australia’s “Today.” “For the last 11 years, we’ve been able to globe-trot for Qantas and movies … I’ve been really able to operate out of this house for business and personal reasons.
Travolta has been a Qantas “ambassador-at-large” since 2002 and keeps his personal Qantas Boeing 707 in the yard of his Florida home, just a 10-minute flight from Orlando.
John Travolta and Kelly Preston at their Florida home.
“I can’t call it modern—it’s really a midcentury-style home,” actor John Travolta says of the Florida house he shares with his wife, actress Kelly Preston. “John had a vision of how he wanted everything to be,” says designer Sherri James, of Michael James Design Team in Southern California. “We just implemented his ideas.”
The front drive of the Travolta house.
Travolta’s vintage Thunderbird is in the front drive of the residence, which was designed by architect Dana Smith. Construction of the house lasted two years, but “the plan took, on and off, about six years,” Travolta says. “We moved into the guest quarters for a while to oversee it.”
A games table in the great room.
“It was always John’s dream to have planes in his front yard—to practically be able to pull up to the house—so that when you wanted to go to dinner, all you’d have to do was step out the door, get on the plane and whisk off,” Kelly Preston says of her aviation-mad husband John Travolta.
The great room.
Curved window walls define the great room, which looks onto the tarmac. “Michael Eisner was our first dinner guest,” says Travolta, a seasoned pilot and owner of two jets. “He looked at our planes and said, “ ‘My God, I get it. Within an hour we can be on our way to Paris.’ ” Above the mantelpiece is a 1967 work by Alexander Calder.
The entrance hall.
“This is an overbuilt home,” Travolta says. “The walls are thicker than they need to be, and there’s more metal in it than there needs to be.” The entrance hall includes a floor motif that Travolta designed himself.
A jet parked in a plane pavilion.
“You can be the ultimate eccentric, like I am, and bring in a 707,” he says. “But you can also bring in any corporate jet or airliner.” A Gulfstream II jet is parked in one of two plane pavilions. Although the property came equipped with a 7,500-foot runway, Travolta extended the taxiway to reach the house.
There is a private control center:
And a bed-and-breakfast where pilots and prospective homeowners can stay overnight:
Chris Livingston/Getty Images
Travolta’s property, located in the Jumbolair Aviation Estates in Ocala, Florida, is situated on Greystone Airport. The actor was reportedly the first resident of the 550-acre community that caters to people who want fly-in, fly-out access.
The aviation community allows homeowners to land their planes, including Travolta’s Boeing 707 airliner, and taxi up to their homes.
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Share your ThoughtsCan plant-based meat be better than the real thing?
Updated
It looks like meat, it smells like meat, it cooks like meat and it bleeds like meat, but this burger is entirely plant-based.
Plant-based meat alternatives have long been regarded as the realm of vegans, devoid of the primal satisfaction that can only be found in meat.
But technology companies across the world are scrambling to change this, investing millions in start-ups that claim to be able to make plant-based alternatives that are healthier, more sustainable and better for the environment.
One of the leading companies, Beyond Meat, already has products on the market and has received backing from Bill Gates, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, and the venture capital firm behind Google and Amazon, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
Companies making this kind of highly-scientific meat alternative boast that "almost no-one can tell the difference" between their product and the animal-based real thing.
Chilean company, The Not Company, is set to begin releasing its products in four major supermarket chains in Chile on July 15.
"The company is The Not Company because we are actually not a company, we are a movement," co-founder Matias Muchnick said.
"There is something wrong with the food industry itself," he said.
"It is super inefficient, and the science behind the food industry itself is mainly based on how we can get better margins — by synthesising and chemically manipulating things, often losing sight that the agent that is consuming the products is a human being."
Crafting the impossible in the lab
Companies such as The Not Company are taking food production off the land and into the lab.
"When I try to tell someone who doesn't understand the science or technology at all, I say what we do is try to take... whatever product we think is inefficient in its sources, in terms of ingredients — chemical or animal-based — and we created a computer that takes molecular X-rays of products," Mr Muchnick said.
"What the computer does is it understands the molecular composition.
"It has been trained to see which vegetables, or which plant-based ingredients, combined together can make the exact same molecular structure of the product you are trying to reproduce.
"So these are molecular copycats of animal-based products, but just using plants.
"Maybe a combination of mushrooms and pumpkin seeds and whatever can really have the same taste and texture of a chocolate..
"To the human brain that might sound really stupid and crazy, but to a computer it doesn't. It works under unbiased parameters."
Joel Gilmore, a Brisbane-based science communicator who gives public lectures on food science, said the real problem was that meat was possibly the most complex thing we ate.
"What we are talking about when we eat, for instance, a steak, is muscle from the animal, which is made up of long bundles of protein," Dr Gilmore said.
"These proteins have fat, water, lots of different chemicals, absorb all the different sorts of flavour compounds inside the animal.
"Those hundreds of flavours compounds multiply into thousands, maybe millions of flavour compounds when you cook it.
"All these things work together to create a really distinctive texture, flavour, aroma of meat."
Dr Gilmore said recreating the complex structure of this muscle was the real challenge.
To mimic the make-up of a product like steak, its structure is isolated, then reverse-engineered using proteins, fats, amino acids and vitamins found in plants.
"What they do is they mash these [bundles] up... stretch them out and force them out through little, tiny openings so they form spaghetti-like strands — but very small — and then twist them in together and create these long bundles of protein, which are then cut up and used to replicate what we find in meat," Dr Gilmore said.
New |
avoid supporting and using proprietary monocultures.When will we give up on the idea of a leader who will magically bring consensus and unity to our politics?
At election time, candidates seduce us with promises to bring America together, but inevitably fall short and end up leaving office with the country more polarized than when they arrived. After blaming them for their failure to unite us, we turn to the next crop of presidential aspirants and the cycle of hope and disappointment begins all over again.
The latest example of this pattern, of course, is Barack Obama. His 2008 campaign was premised on his ability to forge new coalitions in Washington, which Hillary Clinton mocked at the time as “Let’s get everybody together, let’s get unified, the sky will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing.”
In office, though, he has never succeeded in overcoming Republican resistance to his agenda, forcing him to pass his most significant legislative accomplishments with few or no G.O.P. votes. After his party’s decisive defeat in last month’s midterm elections, the administration has now largely given up on bipartisan deal-making and is pursuing its policy goals on issues like immigration and the environment through executive action.A bipartisan group of senators is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to answer for leaking the personal data of about 80,000 farmers and ranchers to left-wing environmental groups.
“The EPA’s disclosure of personal information is not the first time sensitive data has been leaked to outside organizations under the Obama administration,” said South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune.
Thune joined a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to acting EPA administrator Bob Perciasepe, asking the agency to answer for its actions.
In April, the EPA admitted to leaking farmers and ranchers’ personal data to environmentalists, and has since redacted some of the sensitive records and asked environmental groups to return the released documents to the agency.
Senators slammed the agency, sending a letter in April criticizing the agency’s actions and questioning whether or not the EPA had violated the Privacy Act. However, Thune said the EPA has yet to respond to issues raised in the first letter he and other senators sent to the agency.
“These leaks provide further evidence of the growing credibility gap between the Obama administration and the American public,” Thune added. “This troubling pattern of unauthorized release of government-obtained personal information is unacceptable political intimidation. Americans deserve transparency and accountability.”
The EPA leaked personal data — including names, personal addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses — as the result of a Freedom of Information Act request made by the groups Earth Justice, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Pew Charitable Trust. According to Fox News, Pew returned the information to the EPA.
However, the EPA said that much of the information was already publicly available on state databases, on federal and state permits, or is required to be released by federal and state law. The agency still redacted information from 10 of the 29 states that had personal data.
“It is inexcusable for the EPA to release the personal information of American families and then call for it back, knowing full well that the erroneously released information will never be fully returned,” said Thune in a statement to FoxNews.com.
The EPA did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected] years ago, I noted with some annoyance that the Carolina Panthers signed Olindo Mare to a 4-year, $12M deal, while at the same time signing Cam Newton to a 4-year, $22M contract. I was not a fan of the way rookies were treated under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the Mare/Newton situation was a perfect example of the problem. With the new rookie wage scale, the NFL had taken money that was going to go into Newton’s pocket and placed it into the wallets of players like Mare.
Much of the outrage over what rookies made under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement was due to the fact that “unproven” players were making so much money. Even look at the comments to my old article: there are several who expressed the idea that proven players should get rewarded at the expense of unproven players, and Newton would benefit from that scenario once he became a proven player.
Well, that’s sort of true. I assume that most everyone would agree that Newton is now a “proven player” or else that is a term without any meaning. This week, Newton signed a five-year contract extension worth an additional $103.8 million. According to Over The Cap, Newton received a $22.5 million signing bonus and $7.5 million roster bonus upon signing the contract, and you can read Jason’s full article on Newton’s new contract here.
The contract extension Newton signed is pretty close to a “market value” contract for Newton, although I do think he’d make more on the open market than what he just received. Newton’s leverage was slightly limited by the fact that Carolina had him under contract for $14.66M in 2015, and could use the franchise tag on him in ’16 (which would probably cost Carolina around $20M).
But the real issue is the lack of any “catch up” payment. Newton lost real dollars on his rookie contract due to the new structure, and he’s never going to get to make those up. The rookie wage scale has always been B.S., and I’ve said so much from the moment it was instituted. But the new system was, by some, argued as an improvement because only the “proven players” would be rewarded. Sure, a rookie might make less now, but he’d get to make more in the future. After all, if teams weren’t forced to pay so much to rookies, there would be more money to go around for the “proven” veterans, right?
But that logic doesn’t work once we look at Newton, who has been the Panthers most valuable player over the last four years, and will probably be the team’s most valuable player over the next six, too. As a rookie, Newton was grossly underpaid, with a salary cap value of $4M while the salary cap was $120M. As a result, Carolina was able to lock up Newton for just 3.3% of the cap, which enabled the team to overpay players like Mare.
In 2012, Newton’s cap hit only rose to $5M, or 4.2% of the cap. In 2013, his cap hit became $6M, or 4.9% of the $123M cap. And then last season, Newton’s contract reached $7M, which was 5.3% of the $133M cap. It goes without saying that the Panthers received quite a deal over the last four years. On average, Carolina devoted 4.4% of its cap from ’11 to ’14 to Newton. This season, he will cost the Panthers $13M salary cap dollars, or 9.1% of the cap.
Let’s assume that the salary cap will increase by $7.5M per year over each of the next five years. And let’s assume, naively, that Newton will play out his entire contract. In that case, he will take up about 12-13% of the Panthers salary cap from ’16 to ’20. But that still means that over his first ten seasons in the NFL, Newton will, on average, only take up about 9% of his team’s salary cap.
In the table below, I’ve shown Newton’s salary cap hit, the NFL salary cap, Newton’s percentage of the cap in that season, and Newton’s career average (in terms of percentage of cap hit) through that season. In each case, I’ve assumed a $7.5M yearly cap increase beginning in 2016. Here’s how to read the ’16 line: That year, Newton will have a cap hit of $19.5M, while the salary cap will be $150.8M. That means Newton will take up 12.9% of the Panthers cap, but will have only taken up, on average from 2011 to 2016, 6.6% of the Panthers cap dollars over the course of his career to date. As you can see from the last entry in the table, Newton — if he reaches the end of his contract — will only take up about 9% of the Panthers salary cap over the first decade of his career.
Year Newton Cap NFL Cap Single Yr % Career Avg % 2011 $4,004,636 $120,375,000 3.3% 3.3% 2012 $5,005,795 $120,600,000 4.2% 3.7% 2013 $6,006,954 $123,000,000 4.9% 4.1% 2014 $7,008,113 $133,000,000 5.3% 4.4% 2015 $13,000,000 $143,280,000 9.1% 5.3% 2016 $19,500,000 $150,780,000 12.9% 6.6% 2017 $20,166,000 $158,280,000 12.7% 7.5% 2018 $21,500,000 $165,780,000 13.0% 8.2% 2019 $23,200,000 $173,280,000 13.4% 8.7% 2020 $21,100,000 $180,780,000 11.7% 9.0%
The $7.5M increase is just an estimate, but it works well enough for our purposes. If the salary cap continues to increase by about $10M per year, then that percentage will drop, but only to 8.8%. If instead the cap increases by an average of just $5M/year, Newton’s percentage will only rise to 9.3%. In other words, the Panthers will be able to lock up the first overall pick for a decade and pay him an average of just about 9% of the team’s salary cap.
Is that right? Well, that’s not the correct question to ask. The correct question, I think, is “is that market?” And the answer there seems pretty clearly “no” to me. If the number one pick is a quarterback who turns out to be a success and even he is only getting 9% of his team’s cap space over the first ten years of his career, that seems very out of whack with actual market value.
Perhaps nobody cares or will care, because why should people care whether Newton makes $140 million or $180 million? But I do think it’s worth recognizing that the NFL gas screwed over rookies with the new CBA, and part of the narrative was that it came with the promise that if those players weren’t busts, they could make up that money in their second contract. Looking at Newton now, that doesn’t seem to be the case. If a top draft pick is merely okay (but not a bust), a team will likely avoid having to pay serious dollars to that player, as it could always just replace him with a rookie at a fraction of the cost. That’s the obvious downside to the rookie wage scale for veterans: cheaper replacement labor is now available. But there’s another downside to the rookie wage scale for veterans: even if that player turns out to be a success, he’ll only receive market value for about half of his first decade with the team, and he’ll always be chasing the dollars he lost.
Of course, everything above applies even more strongly to Russell Wilson. That will be another contract worth watching, but don’t expect the Seahawks to give Wilson a bump just because the team got to ride his low-salary contract for years.Lago di Luzzone is a reservoir in Ticino, Switzerland. The reservoir has a volume of 108 million m³ and a surface area of 1.27 km2 (0.49 sq mi).[1] It is located in the upper Blenio valley, in the municipalities of Ghirone and Aquila.
The reservoir lies at a height of 1,606 metres above sea level and is surrounded by peaks of over 3,000 metres. The highest is Piz Terri (3,149 m), on the north-east side of the lake, followed by the Plattenberg (3,041 m), on the east side. The Torrone di Nav (2,832 m) overlooks the lake from the south side, while Pizzo Pianca (2,377 m) overlooks the lake from the north side.
Luzzone arch dam
The arch dam Luzzone was completed in 1963. In the years 1997–1998, its height was increased by 17 m.[2]
One wall of the dam currently features the world's highest artificial climbing wall. A German manufacturer of climbing holds installed a line of over 650 artificial holds and bolts. The course covers a vertical distance of 165 meters, going from the base of the dam to the top.[3] The climb must be done as a sport climb, in multiple pitches. Furthermore, the lowest holds were placed several meters above the ground to deter casual visitors from climbing on them.
References [ edit ]
Swisstopo topographic maps
Notes [ edit ]Zombies vs. animals? The living dead wouldn't stand a chance
National Wildlife Federation naturalist David Mizejewski explains how nature would deal with a zombie outbreak: brutally, and without quarter.
With The Walking Dead's fourth season premiere and Halloween upon us, the living dead are back in full-force.
Zombies are scary. We humans are evolutionarily pre-programmed to abhor the dead bodies of our own species. It's a natural reaction, helping healthy individuals avoid fatal pathogens.
The thought of being eaten alive is a natural fear, and when it's your own species doing the eating, it's even more terrifying.
Relax. Next time you're lying in bed, unable to fall asleep thanks to the vague anxiety of half-rotten corpses munching on you in the dark, remember this: if there was ever a zombie uprising, wildlife would kick its ass.
To enjoy zombie horror, you suspend disbelief and put aside some of science's rules. That said, if we assume zombies can't spread whatever is causing them to reanimate to other species, and that they are relatively slow moving—both true (so far! — Ed.) of Walking Dead zombies—there are more than enough wild animals out there to dispatch the undead.
That's because zombies are essentially walking carrion, and Mother Nature doesn't let anything go to waste.
Carrion is on the menu for a vast number of species, from tiny micro-organisms to the largest carnivores.
Here's just some of the North American wildlife that would make short work of a zombie horde.
Birds: Winged Zombie Annihilators
Many birds feed themselves by scavenging on dead things. The two vulture species native to North America, the turkey vulture and the black vulture, flock up to make short work of any corpses they find. Both vulture species are dwarfed by the massive California condor, whose wingspan can reach 10 feet and which relish carrion. A sluggish zombie wouldn't stand a change against one of these giants or a flock of vultures. California condors are endangered, so a zombie apocalypse could really give a boost to their population by providing them with an abundance of food.
This video shows a juvenile California condor ripping the heart out of a dead carcass, surrounding by ravens picking up scraps. Ravens are not small birds—just look at the size of this baby condor in comparison.
Ravens, crows, and magpies are expert scavengers as well, in addition to being bold and extremely intelligent. Many species of gulls, known for their brash behavior when it comes to scoring a meal, would also gladly feed off slow-moving zombies in coastal areas. These birds usually require other animals to break through or break down the tough skin and hide of their carrion meals. So they'd have to wait until the zombies decomposed a bit, or were dismembered by others animals, before they tucked in. But once started, nothing would stop them from devouring the undead with gusto.
Despite being expert hunters, eagles are not above scavenging. Bald eagles make carrion a regular part of their diet, and with their huge talons, they're not afraid to dispatch animals that are near-death—or undead. The slightly larger golden eagle is no stranger to scavenging, either, and has also been documented attacking and killing animals as large as deer. A torpid zombie wouldn't pose much of a challenge.
Watch these bald eagles and crows strip a deer carcass down to nothing in 48 hours.
Mammals: Zombie Dismemberment Crew
North America's large mammal predators would be more than a match for zombies. We have two bear species, brown (or grizzly) and black bears. Male brown bears can weigh in at 1,000 pounds. They are not afraid of humans. They can deliver a bite of 1200 pounds per square inch and have long, sharp claws designed to rip open logs and flip boulders in search of insects and other small critters to eat. They would easily tear apart rotting zombie flesh. Black bears are much smaller and typically run from humans, but even a black bear, when approached or cornered, would make short work of a zombie. Both bear species have an incredible sense of smell and both love to eat carrion, so even if zombies didn't approach them, the bears eventually would learn that these walking bags of flesh make good eating.
Like black bears, gray wolves are very shy of humans and typically run away at the first sight of us. Nor are they strangers to scavenging. They'd soon take advantage of the easy pickings presented by lumbering zombies. Coyotes are far less shy than wolves and can happily live alongside humans, including in the heart of our cities. These intelligent canids would quickly learn that they could take down zombies one by one, especially the eastern populations of coyote, which are larger and bolder due to past interbreeding with wolves and domestic dogs.
Unlike bears, wolves and coyotes, mountain lions prefer fresh meat and don't typically feed on carrion, other than what they kill themselves. Like all cats, they hunt by stealth and are irresistibly attracted to signs of weakness in potential prey. Unlike most other North American predators, mountain lions can put humans on the menu. Any zombie shuffling through mountain lion territory (which can be surprisingly close to our cities) would trigger those feline predatory instincts, and would likely end up with one of these big cats sneak-attacking from behind and delivering a spine severing bite to the back of the neck.
Even bigger and more powerful than mountain lions are jaguars, which range through Mexico and are still sometimes found in the desert southwest of the United States. Jaguars also hunt by stealth, and have a special technique to quickly dispatch their prey: a skull crushing bite to the head, delivered with their huge canine teeth. A jaguar bite delivers 2,000 pounds of pressure per inch, the most powerful mammalian bite on the continent. That, combined with a killing technique perfect for dispatching zombies, makes the jaguar its natural predator.
Watch this video of a jaguar making short work of a caiman. A zombie wouldn't stand a chance against these big cats.
It's not just mammalian carnivores that would take apart zombies. On The Walking Dead, Rick's horse fell victim to a horde of zombies in season one, but I can only chalk that up to the fact that it was a domestic beast that didn't view humans (even undead ones) as a threat. Wild hoofed mammals would not be so passive as to let zombies to get close enough to swarm and overwhelm them.
In fact, hoofed mammals are more dangerous to humans than carnivores. Moose attack and kill more people than bears do every year. They consider humans a threat, but as the largest living deer species, they are not afraid of human-sized creatures. If a zombie got too close, a moose would stomp it into an immobile pile of gore without a second's hesitation.
This video shows moose fighting technique, which involves delivering powerful blows with their sharp hooves.
And moose are nothing compared to bison. Bison are a ton of muscle, horn, and hide. They do not tolerate being approached, and would effortlessly gore and trample as many zombies as dared approached them. Watch this video of what a bison can do to a car with a flick of its head, and think about what a zombified human body would look like on the receiving end of its wrath.
Speaking of hoofed mammals ramming cars, this video of bull elk will give you some perspective on the size of this large deer species and their aggression during the breeding season. Bull elk are armed with giant antlers with spear-like tips—perfect to impale and dismember a pack of zombies.
Mountain goats would probably not encounter too many zombies, simply due to the inaccessibility of the steep mountain slopes they call home. Every so often, however, they do head down to more manageable terrain. Even though they are not large, they can be fierce and are armed with dagger-like horns, just as this unfortunate hiker learned.
Reptiles: Scaly Zombie Clean-Up Committee
Most North American reptiles—small lizards, turtles and snakes—wouldn't pose much threat to zombies. Ironically, it would probably be venomous rattlesnakes that would be at most risk from zombie attack. When camouflage fails them, their survival tactic is to draw attention to themselves with a loud rattle, and then hold their ground, striking out at anything that approaches them. With no circulatory system or living tissue, snake venom wouldn't have any effect on zombies, and they'd easily be able to pick up the snake and eat it.
That said, we do have a few reptiles particularly suited for zombie clean-up. Two crocodilian species call North America home: the American alligator and the American crocodile. American crocodiles are extremely endangered and found only in limited areas of Florida, but like California condors, they could benefit from an influx of slow-moving, half-rotten, staggering prey to their wetland habitat.
Alligators are far more numerous and are found throughout Florida, west to Texas, and along the coastal plain wetlands as far north as the Carolinas. Once almost totally wiped out, alligators are now numerous due to protections under the Endangered Species Act, and they sometimes even show up in people's backyards. 'Gators can grow to be 13 feet long and deliver an extremely powerful bite, with over 2,000 pounds of pressure per inch.
Both species are stealth hunters, and can burst from the water at surprising speeds to pluck large prey from the shoreline. They are quite capable of tearing a human-sized meal into bite sized chunks of meat with their toothy, vice-like mouths. Soft zombie flesh would melt in their mouths like butter.
Any zombie that lumbered into fresh water ponds, lakes streams or swamps would likely fall prey to aquatic turtles too, who, with their beak-like jaws, would feast on zombie flesh. Painted turtles, river cooters and sliders of all sorts make carrion a part of their normal diet. To the undead, it would be a second "death by a thousand bites." The ubiquitous common snapping turtle specializes in carrion-eating. As the name suggests, it can tear off substantial chunks and swallow them whole. Snapping turtles are even used by police to find corpses underwater due to their relish for dead flesh.
Common snapping turtles are dwarfed by the alligator snapping turtle, which is the world's largest freshwater turtle. They can weigh in at more than 200 pounds. Disguised to look like rotten leaves, resting in the murky depths which they live, they are the perfect foil for any zombie that ends up in the water. Check out the massive head on this one.
Decomposers: Masters of the Zombie Buffet
Ultimately, it's not the North America's mega-fauna that pose the most threat to zombies. In nature, there are a whole host of tiny creatures whose main purpose is to feed upon and break down the flesh of the dead: the decomposers. Zombies, with their rotting flesh, are obviously not immune to these decomposers (what do you think causes the rotting effect?), many of which are too small to see with the bare eye. Bacteria, fungi, molds, insects such as fly maggots or flesh-eating beetles, and other invertebrates, all make up nature's diminutive clean-up crew. And it can obliterate a dead body in surprisingly little time. The clumsy undead wouldn't have the dexterity to pick off these decomposers, even if they could see or feel them. It would just be a matter of time. Stripped off all soft tissue, including brains, the zombies would be reduced to hollowed-out skeletons.
Not convinced? Check out this video of a rabbit being consumed down to the bone, by wildlife decomposers, in just a week.
Here is a time-lapse video showing Dermestid flesh-eating beetles consuming the flesh off a series of birds for the Natural History Museum of London. These beetle are easy to raise in captivity and only feed on (un)dead flesh, so they pose no harm to the living. Survivors of a zombie apocalypse could raise these beetles by the millions, and drop them onto zombies to do their work. It might take a few weeks per zombie, but they'd get the job done.
Here are some maggots going to town on a carcass. Flies produce millions of grotesque larvae in no time at all. There would be no way for zombies to escape these flying insects—or avoid being engulfed utterly by writhing, insatiable maggots.
Zombies No Match for Wildlife, Wildlife No Match for Humans
There you have it. Even if zombies managed to feed on smaller, slow-moving animals, or mob and overtake a few individuals of the larger species, it's pretty clear that they're no match for much of North America's wildlife...at least not on a one-on-one basis. In reality, however, the battle between wildlife and living humans is not going so well for the wildlife.
Sadly, much of our continent's wildlife has disappeared, and many species continue to decline. Habitat loss, invasive species and climate change are just some of the human-induced challenges our wildlife are facing. You can get involved protecting wildlife with the National Wildlife Federation and help make sure that we have a future filled with these amazing species.Many wedding and engagement photographers want (and advertise) their photographs to be ‘timeless,’ but Detroit-based Jeffrey Lewis Bennett of JLB Weddings actually does offer a style of time-less wedding photos: the animated GIF and the cinemagraph.
It all began in 2011 when, while shooting some pictures in Burst mode, Bennett and the groom began discussing their mutual adoration of the GIF. One thing led to another, the suggestion was made, and Bennett decided to try and stitch those photos together into an animated GIF.
Three years later — and, according to his talk with Huffington Post, many terrible attempts later — the wedding GIF is now kind of his ‘thing.’
Ranging from funny to downright beautiful and timeless, the animated images he creates — and they are images, he doesn’t use video — offer his clients a different experience and a super sharable final product that has probably landed him a ton of work.
Here are a few of the GIFs and cinemagraphs he was kind enough to share with us:
Speaking with HuffPost Weddings, Bennett revealed that timelessness is, in fact, the reason he loves GIFs so much. “I believe the best GIFs communicate the feeling of the infinite,” he says. “Like how a great kiss can feel like it’s lasting a lifetime while the rest of the world spins on outside of your private moment.”
To see more GIF and normal photography from Bennett, head over to his website and Tumblr, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Image credits: Animated GIFs by Jeffrey Lewis Bennett/JLB Wedding and used with permissionFlorida State quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston was issued a civil citation after sheriff's deputies say he walked out of a supermarket without paying for $32 worth of crab legs and crawfish.
Leon County Sheriff's Office Maj. Michael Wood said Wednesday that the 20-year-old Winston ordered the food at the deli in a Tallahassee, Fla.-area Publix on Tuesday night. After receiving the order, he left the store without paying.
Wood said Publix employees called deputies, who went to Winston's apartment. Wood said Winston was "very cooperative" in a post-Miranda interview and acknowledged not paying for the food, saying he forgot.
After consulting with Publix managers, deputies issued Winston a civil citation that will require him to complete at least 20 hours of community service. If he does that, no criminal charges will be filed. He will also likely have to pay restitution.
"The facts are not in dispute," Wood said. "He left without paying."
Wood said Winston was cooperative.
"He indicated to the deputies he had forgotten and when he got home he realized that he had not paid, but in fact he had made no effort to contact Publix or return to pay prior to the deputies' arrival" three hours after Winston left the store, Wood said.
Winston, in a signed statement, said he's taking full responsibility for an "unfortunate" incident.
Editor's Picks Hale: Winston has some growing up to do Jameis Winston needs to be more aware of his celebrity and handle himself off the field with more maturity, David M. Hale writes.
More from ESPN.com Questions abound after the citation Jameis Winston received Tuesday for shoplifting crab legs from a supermarket, writes Holly Anderson. 1 Related
"As reported in the news, last night I received an adult citation for petit theft from a local supermarket," the statement read. "I went to the supermarket with the intent to purchase dinner but made a terrible mistake for which I'm taking full responsibility. In a moment of youthful ignorance, I walked out of the store without paying for one of my items.
"I realize that I am in the public spotlight and my conduct needs to be above reproach. Over the last year I've learned that my accomplishments on the fields can be a wonderful thing for my school, teammates, friends and family. At the same time, I must realize that my mistakes are magnified and can bring great embarrassment to all those who support me every day.
"I make no excuses for my actions and will learn and grow from this unfortunate situation. I hope and pray my friends and family will view me as the 20 year old young man that I am, and support me through this unfortunate situation. I am grateful to be able to participate in the adult citation program where I will complete community service."
Florida State suspended Winston from its baseball team as a result of the citation. The university's athletic department code of conduct/discipline policy provides that a student-athlete with a civil citation is eligible to practice and compete, but that the head coach decides whether he/she will.
A preseason All-American, Winston is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 16 appearances this spring.
"I am confident he will complete his community service obligation and the situation will be resolved soon," FSU coach Mike Martin said.
Jameis Winston is suspended from FSU's baseball team after being cited for shoplifting in Tallahassee. Mike Janes/Four Seam Images via AP Images
Winston led the Florida State football team to the national championship last season as a freshman, starring in the undefeated Seminoles' 34-31 victory over Auburn in the championship game.
"I fully support Coach Martin's decision and will also make sure that Jameis meets all obligations, which I know he will," football coach Jimbo Fisher said.
The civil citation is a pre-arrest diversion in an effort to keep people out of the criminal justice system, Wood said. It is a program, instituted within the past year, for nonviolent, minor crimes and first-time offenses for people without a criminal history, and is a discretionary decision by the officer. The Leon County Sheriff's Office has issued only 32 citations since December.
Winston has been linked to other trouble in the past.
He was cleared in December of potential sexual assault charges by State Attorney Willie Meggs, who concluded there were too many gaps in the accuser's story. Meggs said that the woman's memory was faulty and that there was not enough evidence of a crime to win a conviction.
The woman claimed she was assaulted before Winston became a star. The investigation lagged for months after Tallahassee Police Department officials said they were told the accuser wanted to drop the case, but the woman's lawyer denied that. The accuser's lawyers have said the police department botched the investigation because detectives didn't quickly identify possible witnesses or obtain surveillance tape from the bar where the victim says she was first approached by Florida State football players.
Although it was the most serious accusation, the sexual assault case was not Winston's only brush with the law in Tallahassee.
In November 2012, police were called to an apartment complex in which 13 windows had been damaged by BB guns. Winston and his roommate at the time said Florida State players were engaged in a series of "battles'' with each other, although they denied shooting BB guns themselves. Winston was not charged with any crime.
In another incident, police records show Winston came into a Burger King with three men but did not order food, instead asking for a water cup he repeatedly filled with soda over an employee's objections. The report says Winston was never interviewed about the incident because the restaurant declined to prosecute.
Information from ESPN.com's Jared Shanker and the Associated Press was used in this report.You have come a long way dear ones, and already, you have put an indelible mark on this beautiful planet of yours. You have made a huge difference, and you will continue to do so, for you are not only the wayshowers, you are also the bringers of light in every aspect. We know that this will not be news to any of you, but it bears repeating, as you have mayhaps lost a little track of all of this in the midst of all of the personal challenges so many of you have been facing lately. For you are nothing short of Masters, as we have already told you, and what you help to bring in, is nothing short of miraculous. And already, the traces of light are starting to become more and more apparent on all sides. It is as if you have changed the tune completely, and even if that tune still is falling on many deaf ears, others are already picking it up and humming along to it. Can you not hear it? And can you not feel it in your very, somewhat weary, bones?
We know that to many, this will be of little consequence at the moment, for they might be staring at their own and seemingly unscalable personal wall in front of them, but please believe us when we say that you are all pushing forwards and upwards at all times now. For some, the walls have started to fall away, or may even be completely removed, while for others, the urge to slip back and let go seems to be a more tempting one than to keep scaling what looks like high cliff soaring up forever. You might be more than tired at times, but still, you have an untapped reservoar wtihin that is there at your disposal 24/7, and that will never let you down. Even when you feel you are letting yourself down. For you are not, and you will never be, for what you have done already, both on a personal level, but even more so on a collective one, is such a monumental effort, the traces of it will be clear for everyone to see long after you have left this physical incarnation. For you are pushing this change ever forward with every breath you take, and it is coming out of the shadows of doubt in so many ways now. Not only for you, but also for all of those who did not even know there existed such a thing as an alternate reality to the one they have been living and breathing seemingly forever. And it is you and only you who have made this new reality a reality, and you will continue to make it even more so in the time ahead.
So again we say take a deep breath, and take time to look around you, for you are no longer held back by the conventions of the old, and as such, you are free now to start to make you own personal mark on this new reality, the one that is bearing your name, and the one that has been created by your very sweat, blood and commitment. So again we thank you and ask you to be good to yourselves, as you need to see all that you have accomplished, and not focus on the things you seem to have missed so far. For if you do, it can make it that much more difficult for you to stand tall and garner strength from all of the successes you already have under your belt. To you, they might not seem to amount to much, but to us, it makes all the difference. For you have turned your world around already, and even if the momentum of this change has yet to be fully registered everywhere, it is unstoppable in every way. So again we say thank you on behalf of All of creation, and we commend you on a job well done. We know you will continue to impress us in so many ways, and we do hope you will be able to impress yourselves too by letting yourselves fully acknowledge the miracle you are taking part in.
AdvertisementsUS considered covert mission to recover drone captured by Iran
December 7, 2011 by Joseph Fitsanakis
By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
What a difference two days can make! On Monday we speculated that Iran may have captured intact a United States Air Force RQ-170 Sentinel surveillance drone. At that time, most American officials questioned or flatly denied Iran’s capture claims. It now appears almost certain that Iran is indeed in possession of the aircraft; what is more, it seems increasingly likely that the captured drone was conducting a Central Intelligence Agency reconnaissance mission when it crashed in the desert along the country’s 1,000 km-long border with Afghanistan. The significance of the drone’s capture by Iranian authorities can be discerned from the fact that US officials are said to have considered last weekend several options for retrieving it from Iranian territory. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, the US Department of Defense, in association with the CIA, |
all of the aforementioned operations received a commander's approval, and Jabotinsky was not in favor of such actions at the time. Jabotinsky still hoped to establish a Jewish force out in the open that would not have to operate underground. However, the failure, in its eyes, of the Peel Commission and the renewal of violence on the part of the Arabs caused the Irgun to rethink its official policy.
Increase in operations
14 November 1937 was a watershed in Irgun activity. From that date, the Irgun increased its reprisals. Following an increase in the number of attacks aimed at Jews, including the killing of five kibbutz members near Kiryat Anavim (today kibbutz Ma'ale HaHamisha), the Irgun undertook a series of attacks in various places in Jerusalem, killing five Arabs. Operations were also undertaken in Haifa (shooting at the Arab-populated Wadi Nisnas neighborhood) and in Herzliya. The date is known as the day the policy of restraint (Havlagah) ended, or as Black Sunday when operations resulted in the murder of 10 Arabs. This is when the organization fully changed its policy, with the approval of Jabotinsky and Headquarters to the policy of "active defense" in respect of Irgun actions.[31]
The British responded with the arrest of Betar and Hatzohar members as suspected members of the Irgun. Military courts were allowed to act under "Time of Emergency Regulations" and even sentence people to death. In this manner Yehezkel Altman, a guard in a Betar battalion in the Nahalat Yizchak neighborhood of Tel Aviv, shot at an Arab bus, without his commanders' knowledge. Altman was acting in response to a shooting at Jewish vehicles on the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem road the day before. He turned himself in later and was sentenced to death, a sentence which was later commuted to a life sentence.
Despite the arrests, Irgun members continued fighting. Jabotinsky lent his moral support to these activities. In a letter to Moshe Rosenberg on 18 March 1938 he wrote:
Tell them: from afar I collect and save, as precious treasures, news items about your lives. I know of the obstacles that have not impeded your spirit; and I know of your actions as well. I am overjoyed that I have been blessed with such students.
Although the Irgun continued activities such as these, following Rosenberg's orders, they were greatly curtailed. Furthermore, in fear of the British threat of the death sentence for anyone found carrying a weapon, all operations were suspended for eight months. However, opposition to this policy gradually increased. In April, 1938, responding to the killing of six Jews, Betar members from the Rosh Pina Brigade went on a reprisal mission, without the consent of their commander, as described by historian Avi Shlaim:
On 21 April 1938, after several weeks of planning, he and two of his colleagues from the Irgun (Etzel) ambushed an Arab bus at a bend on a mountain road near Safad. They had a hand grenade, a gun and a pistol. Their plan was to destroy the engine so that the bus would fall off the side of the road and all the passengers would be killed. When the bus approached, they fired at it (not in the air, as Mailer has it) but the grenade lobbed by Ben Yosef did not detonate. The bus with its screaming and terrified passengers drove on.[32]
Although the incident ended without casualties, the three were caught, and one of them – Shlomo Ben-Yosef was sentenced to death. Demonstrations around the country, as well as pressure from institutions and people such as Dr. Chaim Weizmann and the Chief Rabbi of Mandatory Palestine, Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog did not reduce his sentence. In Shlomo Ben-Yosef's writings in Hebrew were later found:
I am going to die and I am not sorry at all. Why? Because I am going to die for our country. Shlomo Ben-Yosef.
On 29 June 1938 he was executed, and was the first of the Olei Hagardom. The Irgun revered him after his death and many regarded him as an example. In light of this, and due to the anger of the Irgun leadership over the decision to adopt a policy of restraint until that point, Jabotinsky relieved Rosenberg of his post and replaced him with David Raziel, who proved to be the most prominent Irgun commander until Menachem Begin. Jabotinsky simultaneously instructed the Irgun to end its policy of restraint, leading to armed offensive operations until the end of the Arab Revolt in 1939. In this time, the Irgun mounted about 40 operations against Arabs and Arab villages, for instance:
After a Jewish father and son were killed in the Old City of Jerusalem, on June 6, 1938, Irgun members threw explosives from the roof of a nearby house, killing two Arabs and injuring four.
The Irgun planted land mines in a number of Arab markets, primarily in places identified by the Irgun as activity centers of armed Arab gangs.
Explosives detonated in the Arab souk in Jerusalem on July 15, killed ten local Arabs.
In similar circumstances, 70 Arabs were killed by a land mine planted in the Arab souk in Haifa.
This action led the British Parliament to discuss the disturbances in Palestine. On 23 February 1939 the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Malcolm MacDonald revealed the British intention to cancel the mandate and establish a state that would preserve Arab rights. This caused a wave of riots and attacks by Arabs against Jews. The Irgun responded four days later with a series of attacks on Arab buses and other sites. The British used military force against the Arab rioters and in the latter stages of the revolt by the Arab community in Palestine, it deteriorated into a series of internal gang wars.
During the same period
At the same time, the Irgun also established itself in Europe. The Irgun built underground cells that participated in organizing migration to Palestine. The cells were made up almost entirely of Betar members, and their primary activity was military training in preparation for emigration to Palestine. Ties formed with the Polish authorities brought about courses in which Irgun commanders were trained by Polish officers in advanced military issues such as guerrilla warfare, tactics and laying land mines. Avraham (Yair) Stern was notable among the cell organizers in Europe. In 1937 the Polish authorities began to deliver large amounts of weapons to the underground.According to Irgun activists Poland supplied the organization with 25,000 rifles, and additional material and weapons, by summer 1939 the Warsaw warehouses of Irgun held 5,000 rifles and 1,000 machine guns.The training and support by Poland would allow the organization to mobilize 30,000-40,000 men[33] The transfer of handguns, rifles, explosives and ammunition stopped with the outbreak of World War II. Another field in which the Irgun operated was the training of pilots, so they could serve in the Air Force in the future war for independence, in the flight school in Lod.
Towards the end of 1938 there was progress towards aligning the ideologies of the Irgun and the Haganah. Many abandoned the belief that the land would be divided and a Jewish state would soon exist. The Haganah founded פו"מ, a special operations unit, (pronounced poom), which carried out reprisal attacks following Arab violence. These operations continued into 1939. Furthermore, the opposition within the Yishuv to illegal immigration significantly decreased, and the Haganah began to bring Jews to Palestine using rented ships, as the Irgun had in the past.
First operations against the British
The publishing of the MacDonald White Paper of 1939 brought with it new edicts that were intended to lead to a more equitable settlement between Jews and Arabs. However, it was considered by some Jews to have an adverse effect on the continued development of the Jewish community in Palestine. Chief among these was the prohibition on selling land to Jews, and the smaller quotas for Jewish immigration. The entire Yishuv was furious at the contents of the White Paper. There were demonstrations against the "Treacherous Paper", as it was considered that it would preclude the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Under the temporary command of Hanoch Kalai, the Irgun began sabotaging strategic infrastructure such as electricity facilities, radio and telephone lines. It also started publicizing its activity and its goals. This was done in street announcements, newspapers, as well as the underground radio station Kol Zion HaLochemet. On August 26, 1939, the Irgun killed Ralph Cairns, a British police officer who, as head of the Jewish Department in the Palestine Police, had tortured a number of youths who were underground members.[34][35] Cairns and Ronald Barker, another British police officer, were killed by an Irgun IED.[36]
The British increased their efforts against the Irgun. As a result, on August 31 the British police arrested members meeting in the Irgun headquarters. On the next day, September 1, 1939, World War II broke out.
During World War II
Following the outbreak of war, Ze'ev Jabotinsky and the New Zionist Organization voiced their support for Britain and France. In mid-September 1939 Raziel was moved from his place of detention in Tzrifin. This, among other events, encouraged the Irgun to announce a cessation of its activities against the British so as not to hinder Britain's effort to fight "the Hebrew's greatest enemy in the world – German Nazism". This announcement ended with the hope that after the war a Hebrew state would be founded "within the historical borders of the liberated homeland". After this announcement Irgun, Betar and Hatzohar members, including Raziel and the Irgun leadership, were gradually released from detention. The Irgun did not rule out joining the British army and the Jewish Brigade. Irgun members did enlist in various British units.[37] Irgun members also assisted British forces with intelligence in Romania, Bulgaria, Morocco and Tunisia. An Irgun unit also operated in Syria and Lebanon. David Raziel later died during one of these operations.
During the Holocaust, Betar members revolted numerous times against the Nazis in occupied Europe. The largest of these revolts was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, in which an armed underground organization fought, formed by Betar and Hatzoar and known as the Żydowski Związek Wojskowy (ŻZW) (Jewish Military Union). Despite its political origins, the ŻZW accepted members without regard to political affiliation, and had contacts established before the war with elements of the Polish military. Because of differences over objectives and strategy, the ŻZW was unable to form a common front with the mainstream ghetto fighters of the Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa, and fought independently under the military leadership of Paweł Frenkiel and the political leadership of Dawid Wdowiński.[38]
There were instances of Betar members enlisted in the British military smuggling British weapons to the Irgun.[citation needed]
From 1939 onwards, an Irgun delegation in the United States worked for the creation of a Jewish army made up of Jewish refugees and Jews from Palestine, to fight alongside the Allied Forces. In July 1943 the "Emergency Committee to Save the Jewish People in Europe" was formed, and worked until the end of the war to rescue the Jews of Europe from the Nazis and to garner public support for a Jewish state. However, it was not until January 1944 that US President Franklin Roosevelt established the War Refugee Board, which achieved some success in saving European Jews.
Second split
Throughout this entire period, the British continued enforcing the White Paper's provisions, which included a ban on the sale of land, restrictions on Jewish immigration and increased vigilance against illegal immigration. Part of the reason why the British banned land sales (to anyone) was the confused state of the post Ottoman land registry; it was difficult to determine who actually owned the land that was for sale.
Within the ranks of the Irgun this created much disappointment and unrest, at the center of which was disagreement with the leadership of the New Zionist Organization, David Raziel and the Irgun Headquarters. On June 18, 1939, Avraham (Yair) Stern and others of the leadership were released from prison and a rift opened between them the Irgun and Hatzohar leadership. The controversy centred on the issues of the underground movement submitting to public political leadership and fighting the British. On his release from prison Raziel resigned from Headquarters. To his chagrin, independent operations of senior members of the Irgun were carried out and some commanders even doubted Raziel's loyalty.
In his place, Stern was elected to the leadership. In the past, Stern had founded secret Irgun cells in Poland without Jabotinsky's knowledge, in opposition to his wishes. Furthermore, Stern was in favor of removing the Irgun from the authority of the New Zionist Organization, whose leadership urged Raziel to return to the command of the Irgun. He finally consented. Jabotinsky wrote to Raziel and to Stern, and these letters were distributed to the branches of the Irgun:
... I call upon you: Let nothing disturb our unity. Listen to the commissioner (Raziel), whom I trust, and promise me that you and Betar, the greatest of my life's achievements, will stand strong and united and allow me to continue with the hope for victory in the war to realize our old Maccabean dream....
Stern was sent a telegram with an order to obey Raziel, who was reappointed. However, these events did not prevent the splitting of the organization. Suspicion and distrust were rampant among the members. Out of the Irgun a new organization was created on July 17, 1940,[39] which was first named "The National Military Organization in Israel" (as opposed to the "National Military Organization in the Land of Israel") and later on changed its name to Lehi, an acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel, "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel", (לח"י – לוחמי חירות ישראל). Jabotinsky died in New York on August 4, 1940, yet this did not prevent the Lehi split. Following Jabotinsky's death, ties were formed between the Irgun and the New Zionist Organization. These ties would last until 1944, when the Irgun declared a revolt against the British.
The primary difference between the Irgun and the newly formed organization was its intention to fight the British in Palestine, regardless of their war against Germany. Later, additional operational and ideological differences developed that contradicted some of the Irgun's guiding principles. For example, the Lehi, unlike the Irgun, supported a population exchange with local Arabs.
Change of policy
The Irgun's Anthem[40] Tagar -
Through all obstacles and enemies
Whether you go up or down
In the flames of revolt
Carry a flame to kindle – never mind!
For silence is filth
Worthless is blood and soul
For the sake of the hidden glory To die or to conquer the hill -
Yodefet, Masada, Betar.
The split damaged the Irgun both organizationally and from a morale point of view. As their spiritual leader, Jabotinsky's death also added to this feeling. Together, these factors brought about a mass abandonment by members. The British took advantage of this weakness to gather intelligence and arrest Irgun activists. The new Irgun leadership, which included Meridor, Yerachmiel Ha'Levi, Rabbi Moshe Zvi Segal and others used the forced hiatus in activity to rebuild the injured organization. This period was also marked by more cooperation between the Irgun and the Jewish Agency, however David Ben-Gurion's uncompromising demand that Irgun accept the Agency's command foiled any further cooperation.
In both the Irgun and the Haganah more voices were being heard opposing any cooperation with the British. Nevertheless, an Irgun operation carried out in the service of Britain was aimed at sabotaging pro-Nazi forces in Iraq, including the assassination of Haj Amin al-Husayni. Among others, Raziel and Yaakov Meridor participated. On April 20, 1941, during a Luftwaffe air raid on RAF Hannaniya near Baghdad, David Raziel, commander of the Irgun, was killed during the operation.
In late 1943 a joint Haganah – Irgun initiative was developed, to form a single fighting body, unaligned with any political party, by the name of עם לוחם (Fighting Nation).[41][42] The new body's first plan was to kidnap the British High Commissioner of Palestine, Sir Harold MacMichael and take him to Cyprus. However, the Haganah leaked the planned operation and it was thwarted before it got off the ground. Nevertheless, at this stage the Irgun ceased its cooperation with the British. As Eliyahu Lankin tells in his book:
Immediately following the failure of Fighting Nation practical discussions began in the Irgun Headquarters regarding a declaration of war.
The Revolt
In 1943 the Polish II Corps, commanded by Władysław Anders, arrived in Palestine from Iraq. The British insisted that no Jewish units of the army be created. Eventually, many of the soldiers of Jewish origin that arrived with the army were released and allowed to stay in Palestine. One of them was Menachem Begin,[43] whose arrival in Palestine created new-found expectations within the Irgun and Betar. Begin had served as head of the Betar movement in Poland,[44] and was a respected leader. Yaakov Meridor, then the commander of the Irgun, raised the idea of appointing Begin to the post. In late 1943, when Begin accepted the position, a new leadership was formed. Meridor became Begin's deputy, and other members of the board were Aryeh Ben Eliezer, Eliyahu Lankin, and Shlomo Lev Ami.[45]
On February 1, 1944 the Irgun put up posters all around the country, proclaiming a revolt against the British mandatory government. The posters began by saying that all of the Zionist movements stood by the Allied Forces and over 25,000 Jews had enlisted in the British military. The hope to establish a Jewish army had died. European Jewry was trapped and was being destroyed, yet Britain, for its part, did not allow any rescue missions. This part of the document ends with the following words:
The White Paper is still in effect. It is enforced, despite the betrayal of the Arabs and the loyalty of the Jews; despite the mass enlisting to the British Army; despite the ceasefire and the quiet in The Land of Israel; despite the massacre of masses of the Jewish people in Europe....
The facts are simple and horrible as one. Over the last four years of the war we have lost millions of the best of our people; millions more are in danger of eradication. And The Land of Israel is closed off and quarantined because the British rule it, realizing the White Paper, and strives for the destruction of our people's last hope.
The Irgun then declared that, for its part, the ceasefire was over and they were now at war with the British. It demanded the transfer of rule to a Jewish government, to implement ten policies. Among these were the mass evacuation of Jews from Europe, the signing of treaties with any state that recognized the Jewish state's sovereignty, including Britain, granting social justice to the state's residents, and full equality to the Arab population. The proclamation ended with:
The God of Israel, God of Hosts, will be at our side. There is no retreat. Liberty or death.... The fighting youth will not recoil in the face of sacrifices and suffering, blood and torment. They will not surrender, so long as our days of old are not renewed, so long as our nation is not ensured a homeland, liberty, honor, bread, justice and law.
The Irgun began this campaign rather weakly. At the time of the start of the revolt, it was only about 1,000 strong, including some 200 fighters. It possessed about 4 submachine guns, 40 rifles, 60 pistols, 150 hand grenades, and 2,000 kilograms of explosive material, and its funds were about £800.[26]
Struggle against the British
The Irgun began a militant operation against the symbols of government, in an attempt to harm the regime's operation as well as its reputation. The first attack was on February 12, 1944 at the government immigration offices, a symbol of the immigration laws. The attacks went smoothly and ended with no casualties—as they took place on a Saturday night, when the buildings were empty—in the three largest cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. On February 27 the income tax offices were bombed. Parts of the same cities were blown up, also on a Saturday night; prior warnings were put up near the buildings. On March 23 the national headquarters building of the British police in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem was attacked, and part of it was blown up. These attacks in the first few months were sharply condemned by the organized leadership of the Yishuv and by the Jewish Agency, who saw them as dangerous provocations.
At the same time the Lehi also renewed its attacks against the British.[46] The Irgun continued to attack police stations and headquarters, and Tegart Fort, a fortified police station (today the location of Latrun). One relatively complex operation was the takeover of the radio station in Ramallah, on May 17, 1944.
One symbolic act by the Irgun happened before Yom Kippur of 1944. They plastered notices around town, warning that no British officers should come to the Western Wall on Yom Kippur, and for the first time since the mandate began no British police officers were there to prevent the Jews from the traditional Shofar blowing at the end of the fast.[47] After the fast that year the Irgun attacked four police stations in Arab settlements. In order to obtain weapons, the Irgun carried out "confiscation" operations – they robbed British armouries and smuggled stolen weapons to their own hiding places. During this phase of activity the Irgun also cut all of its official ties with the New Zionist Organization, so as not to tie their fate in the underground organization.
Begin wrote in his memoirs, The Revolt:
History and experience taught us that if we are able to destroy the prestige of the British in Palestine, the regime will break. Since we found the enslaving government's weak point, we did not let go of it.[48]
Underground exiles
In October 1944 the British began expelling hundreds of arrested Irgun and Lehi members to detention camps in Africa. 251 detainees from Latrun were flown on thirteen planes, on October 19 to a camp in Asmara, Eritrea. Eleven additional transports were made. Throughout the period of their detention, the detainees often initiated rebellions and hunger strikes. Many escape attempts were made until July 1948 when the exiles were returned to Israel. While there were numerous successful escapes from the camp itself, only nine men actually made it back all the way. One noted success was that of Yaakov Meridor, who escaped nine times before finally reaching Europe in April 1948. These tribulations were the subject of his book Long is the Path to Freedom: Chronicles of one of the Exiles.
Hunting Season
On November 6, 1944, Lord Moyne, British Deputy Resident Minister of State in Cairo was assassinated by Lehi members Eliyahu Hakim and Eliyahu Bet-Zuri. This act raised concerns within the Yishuv from the British regime's reaction to the underground's violent acts against them. Therefore, the Jewish Agency decided on starting a Hunting Season,[49][50] known as the saison, (from the French "la saison de chasse").
The Irgun's recuperation was noticeable when it began to renew its cooperation with the Lehi in May 1945, when it sabotaged oil pipelines, telephone lines and railroad bridges. All in all, over 1,000 members of the Irgun and Lehi were arrested and interned in British camps during the Saison. Eventually the Hunting Season died out, and there was even talk of cooperation with the Haganah leading to the formation of the Jewish Resistance Movement.
The Jewish Resistance Movement
Towards the end of July 1945 the Labour party in Britain was elected to power. The Yishuv leadership had high hopes that this would change the anti-Zionist policy that the British maintained at the time. However, these hopes were quickly dashed when the government limited Jewish immigration, with the intention that the population of Mandatory Palestine (the land west of the Jordan River) would not be more than one third of the total. This, along with the stepping up of arrests and their pursuit of underground members and illegal immigration organizers led to the formation of the Jewish Resistance Movement. This body consolidated the armed resistance to the British of the Irgun, Lehi, and Haganah. For ten months the Irgun and the Lehi cooperated and they carried out nineteen attacks and defense operations. The Haganah and Palmach carried out ten such operations. The Haganah also assisted in landing 13,000 illegal immigrants.
Tension between the underground movements and the British increased with the increase in operations. On April 23, 1945 an operation undertaken by the Irgun to gain weapons from the Tegart fort at Ramat Gan resulted in a firefight. One Irgun member was killed and his body was later hanged on the fort's fence. Another fighter, Yizchak Bilu, was killed as well in a diversionary ploy – an explosive device fell out of his hand, and he leapt onto it in order to save his comrades, who were also carrying explosives. A third fighter, Dov Gruner, was caught. He stood trial and was sentenced to be death by hanging, refusing to sign a pardon request.[51]
In 1946, British relations with the Yishuv worsened, building up to Operation Agatha of June 29. The authorities ignored the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry's recommendation to allow 100,000 Jews into Palestine at once. As a result of the discovery of documents tying the Jewish Agency to the Jewish Resistance Movement, the Irgun was asked to speed up the plans for the King David Hotel bombing of July 22.[52] The hotel was where the documents were located, the base for the British Secretariat, the military command and a branch of the Criminal Investigation Division of the police. The Irgun later claimed to have sent a warning that was ignored.[53] Palestinian and U.S. sources confirm that the Irgun issued numerous warnings for civilians to evacuate the hotel prior to the bombing.[14] 91 people were killed in the attack where a 350 kg bomb was placed in the basement of the hotel and caused a large section of it to collapse. Only 13 were British soldiers.
Further struggle against the British
Menachem Begin as "Rabbi Sassover", with wife Aliza and son Benyamin-Zeev, Tel Aviv, December 1946
The King David Hotel bombing and the arrest of Jewish Agency and other Yishuv leaders as part of Operation Agatha caused the Haganah to cease their armed activity against the British. Yishuv and Jewish Agency leaders were released from prison. From then until the end of the British mandate, resistance activities were led by the Irgun and Lehi. In early September 1946 the Irgun renewed its attacks against civil structures, railroads, communication lines and bridges. One operation was the attack on the train station in Jerusalem, in which Meir Feinstein was arrested and later committed suicide awaiting execution. According to the Irgun these sort of armed attacks were legitimate, since the trains primarily served the British, for redeployment of their forces. The Irgun also publicized leaflets, in three languages, not to use specific trains in danger of being attacked. For a while the British stopped train traffic at night. The Irgun also carried out repeated attacks against military and police traffic using disguised, electronically-detonated roadside mines which could be detonated by an operator hiding nearby as a vehicle passed, carried out arms raids against military bases and police stations (often disguised as British soldiers), launched bombing, shooting, and mortar attacks against military and police installations and checkpoints, and robbed banks to gain funds as a result of losing access to Haganah funding following the collapse of the Jewish Resistance Movement.[26]
On October 31, 1946, in response to the British barring entry of Jews from Palestine, the Irgun blew up the British Embassy in Rome, a center of British efforts to monitor and stop Jewish immigration. The Irgun also carried out a few other operations in Europe: a British troop train was derailed and an attempt against another troop train failed. An attack on a British officers club in Vienna took place in 1947, and an attack on another British officer's club in Vienna and a sergeant's club in Germany took place in 1948.[24]
In December 1946 a sentence of 18 years and 18 beatings was handed down to a young Irgun member for robbing a bank. The Irgun made good on a threat they made[54] and after the detainee was whipped, Irgun members kidnapped British officers and beat them in public. The operation, known as the "Night of the Beatings" brought an end to British punitive beatings. The British, taking these acts seriously, moved many British families in Palestine into the confines of military bases, and some moved home.
Arab bus after a bomb attack by the Irgun, 29 December 1947
On February 14, 1947, Ernest Bevin announced that the Jews and Arabs would not be able to agree on any British proposed solution for the land, and therefore the issue must be brought to the United Nations (UN) for a final decision. The Yishuv thought of the idea to transfer the issue to the UN as a British attempt to achieve delay while a UN inquiry commission would be established, and its ideas discussed, and all the while the Yishuv would weaken. Foundation for Immigration B increased the number of ships bringing in Jewish refugees. The British still strictly enforced the policy of limited Jewish immigration and illegal immigrants were placed in detention camps in Cyprus, which increased the anger of the Jewish community towards the mandate government.
The Irgun stepped up its activity and from February 19 until March 3 it attacked 18 British military camps, convoy routes, vehicles, and other facilities. The most notable of these attacks was the bombing of a British officer's club located in Goldschmidt House in Jerusalem, which was in a heavily guarded security zone. Covered by machine-gun fire, an Irgun assault team in a truck penetrated the security zone and lobbed explosives into the building.[55] Thirteen people, including two officers, were killed.[26] As a result, martial law was imposed over much of the country, enforced by approximately 20,000 British soldiers. Despite this, attacks continued throughout the martial law period. The most notable one was an Irgun attack against the Royal Army Pay Corps base at the Schneller Orphanage, in which a British soldier was killed.[26]
Throughout its struggle against the British, the Irgun sought to publicize its cause around the world. By humiliating the British, it attempted to focus global attention on Palestine, hoping that any British overreaction would be widely reported, and thus result in more political pressure against the British. Begin described this strategy as turning Palestine into a "glass house". The Irgun also re-established many representative offices internationally, and by 1948 operated in 23 states. In these countries the Irgun sometimes acted against the local British representatives or led public relations campaigns against Britain. According to Bruce Hoffman: "In an era long before the advent of 24/7 global news coverage and instantaneous satellite-transmitted broadcasts, the Irgun deliberately attempted to appeal to a worldwide audience far beyond the immediate confines of its local struggle, and beyond even the ruling regime's own homeland."[24][26]
The Acre Prison break
On April 16, 1947, Dov Gruner, Yehiel Dresner, Eliezer Kashani, and Mordechai El'kachi were hanged, while singing Hatikvah. On April 21 Meir Feinstein and Lehi member Moshe Barazani blew themselves up, using an improvised explosive device (IED), hours before their scheduled hanging. And on May 4 one of the Irgun's largest operations took place – the raid of the prison in the citadel in Acre. The operation was carried out by 23 men, commanded by Dov Cohen – AKA "Shimshon", along with the help of the Irgun and Lehi prisoners inside the prison. The raid allowed 41 underground members to escape, although some were caught outside of the prison, and some were killed in the escape. Along with the underground movement members, other criminals – including 214 Arabs[56] – also escaped. Five of the attackers were caught and three of them – Avshalom Haviv, Meir Nakar, and Yaakov Weiss, were sentenced to death.
The Sergeants affair
Two British sergeants hanged by the Irgun
After the death sentences of the three were confirmed, the Irgun tried to save them by kidnapping hostages — British sergeants Clifford Martin and Mervyn Paice — in the streets of Netanya. British forces closed off and combed the area in search of the two, but did not find them. On July 29, 1947, in the afternoon, Meir Nakar, Avshalom Haviv, and Yaakov Weiss were executed. Approximately thirteen hours later the hostages were hanged in retaliation by the Irgun and their bodies, booby-trapped with an explosive, afterwards strung up from trees in woodlands south of Netanya. This action caused an outcry in Britain and was condemned both there and by Jewish leaders in Palestine.[57]
This episode has been given as a major influence on the British decision to terminate the Mandate and leave Palestine. The United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) was also influenced by this and other actions. At the same time another incident was developing – the events of the ship Exodus 1947. The 4,500 Holocaust survivors on board were not allowed to enter Palestine. UNSCOP also covered the events. Some of its members were even present at Haifa port when the putative immigrants were forcefully removed from their ship (later found to have been rigged with an IED by some of its passengers) onto the deportation ships, and later commented that this strong image helped them press for an immediate solution for Jewish immigration and the question of Palestine.
Two weeks later, the House of Commons convened for a special debate on events in Palestine, and concluded that their soldiers should be withdrawn as soon as possible.
The 1948 Palestine War
Irgun fighters training in 1947
Irgun parade in 1948
UNSCOP's conclusion was a unanimous decision to end the British mandate, and a majority decision to divide Mandatory Palestine (the land west of the Jordan River) between a Jewish state and an Arab state. During the UN's deliberations regarding the committee's recommendations the Irgun avoided initiating any attacks, so as not to influence the UN negatively on the idea of a Jewish state. On November 29 the UN General Assembly voted in favor of ending the mandate and establishing two states on the land. That very same day the Irgun and the Lehi renewed their attacks on British targets. The next day the local Arabs began attacking the Jewish community, thus beginning the first stage of the 1948 Palestine War. The first attacks on Jews were in Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem, in and around Jaffa, and in Bat Yam, Holon, and the Ha'Tikvah neighborhood in Tel Aviv.
In the autumn of 1947, the Irgun had approximately 4,000 members. The goal of the organization at that point was the conquest of the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea for the future Jewish state, and preventing Arab forces from driving out the Jewish community. The Irgun became almost an overt organization, establishing military bases in Ramat Gan and Petah Tikva. It began recruiting openly, thus significantly increasing in size. During the war the Irgun fought alongside the Lehi and the Haganah in the front against the Arab attacks. At first the Haganah maintained a defensive policy, as it had until then, but after the Convoy of 35 incident it completely abandoned its policy of restraint: "Distinguishing between individuals is no longer possible, for now – it is a war, and the even the innocent shall not be absolved."[58]
The Irgun also began carrying out reprisal missions, as it had under David Raziel's command. At the same time though, it published announcements calling on the Arabs to lay down their weapons and maintain a ceasefire:
The National Military Organization has warned you, if the murderous attacks on Jewish civilians shall continue, its soldiers will penetrate your centers of activity and plague you. You have not heeded the warning. You continued to harm our brothers and murder them in wild cruelty. Therefore soldiers of the National Military Organization will go on the attack, as we have warned you.
... However even in these frenzied times, when Arab and Jewish blood is spilled at the British enslaver, we hereby call upon you... to stop the attacks and create peace between us. We do not want a war with you. We are certain that neither do you want a war with us...[59]
However the mutual attacks continued. The Irgun attacked the Arab villages of Tira near Haifa, Yehudiya ('Abassiya) in the center, and Shuafat by Jerusalem. The Irgun also attacked in the Wadi Rushmiya neighborhood in Haifa and Abu Kabir in Jaffa. On December 29 Irgun units arrived by boat to the Jaffa shore and a gunfight between them and Arab gangs ensued. The following day a bomb was thrown from a speeding Irgun car at a group of Arab men waiting to be hired for the day at the Haifa oil refinery, resulting in seven Arabs killed, and dozens injured. In response, some Arab workers attacked Jews in |
understand. The team, which published its work in the Energy and Environmental Science, focused on fabricating a newer type of solar cell that uses perovskite, a mineral made of calcium titanate, that's being used to build cells that are nearly as efficient as the more conventional silicon solar cells most of us are familiar with.
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This is a way to transfer the embodied value of one technology into a newer, more nascent one, and it's a solution to a problem that's going to rear its head again and again in the future. We'd do well to focus on figuring out other ways to funnel the other rare earth minerals, metals, and materials from our outgoing tech into the new. [MIT News]Introduction
One of the more unique features of Go is how the language implements constants. The rules for constants in the language specification are unique to Go. They provide the flexibility Go needs at the compiler level to make the code we write readable and intuitive while still maintaining a type safe language.
This post will attempt to build a foundation for what numeric constants are, how they behave in their simplest form and how best to talk about them. There are a lot of little nuances, terms and concepts that can trip us up. Because of this, the post is going to take things slowly.
So if you are ready to peek under the covers just a bit, roll up your sleeve and let’s get started:
Untyped and Typed Numeric Constants
Constants can be declared with or without a type in Go. When we declare literal values in our code, we are actually declaring constants that are both untyped and unnamed.
The following examples show typed and untyped numeric constants that are both named and unnamed:
const untypedInteger = 12345
const untypedFloatingPoint = 3.141592
const typedInteger int = 12345
const typedFloatingPoint float64 = 3.141592
Kinds of Numeric Constants
The constants on the left hand side of the declaration are named constants and the literal values on the right hand side are unnamed constants.Your first instinct may be to think that typed constants use the same type system as variables, but they don’t. Constants have their own implementation for representing the values that we associate with them. Every Go compiler has the flexibility to implement constants as they wish, within a set of mandatory requirements When declaring a typed constant, the declared type is used to associate the type’s precision limitations. It does not change how the value is being internally represented. Because the internal representation of constants can be different between the different compilers, it is best to think of constants as having a, not a type.Numeric constants can be one of four kinds: integer, floating-point, complex and rune:
12345 // kind: integer
3.141592 // kind: floating-point
1E6 // kind: floating-point
Constants Are Mathematically Exact
One strategy is to represent all floating-point numbers as fractions, and use rational arithmetic on those fractions. This is what go/types does today and these floating-point numbers never have any loss of precision.
Another strategy is to use floating-point numbers with so much precision that they appear to be exact for all practical purposes. When we use floating-point numbers with several hundred bits, the difference between exact and approximate becomes virtually non-existent. This is what the gc/gccgo compilers do today.
Mathematically Exact Example
In the example above, we have declared three numeric constants, one of kind integer and two of kind floating-point. The form of the literal value will determine what kind the constant takes. When the form of the literal value contains a decimal or exponent, the constant is of kind floating-point. When the form does not contain a decimal or exponent, the constant is of kind integer.Regardless of the implementation, constants are always considered to be mathematically exact. This is something that makes constants in Go unique. This is not the case in other languages like C and C++.Integers can always be represented precisely when there is enough memory to store their entire value. Since the specification requires integer constants to have at least 256 bits of precision, we are safe in saying integer constants are mathematically exact.To have mathematically exact floating-point numbers, there are different strategies and options that the compiler can employ. The specification does not state how the compiler must do this, it just specifies a set of mandatory requirements that need to be met.Here are two strategies that the different Go compilers use today to implement mathematically exact floating-point numbers:As developers however, it is best to not consider what internal representation is being used by the compiler, it is irrelevant. Just remember that all constants, regardless if they are declared with or without a type, use the same representation to store their values, which is not the same as variables and is mathematically exact.Since constants only exist during compilation, it is hard to provide an example that shows constants are mathematically exact. One way is to show how the compiler will let us declare constants of kind integer with values that are much larger than the largest integer types can support.Here is a program that can be compiled because constants of kind integer are mathematically exact:
package main
import "fmt"
// Much larger value than int64.
const myConst = 9223372036854775808543522345
func main() {
fmt.Println( "Will Compile" )
}
If we change the constant to be of type
int64
, which means the constant is now bound to the precision limitations of a 64 bit integer, the program will no longer compile:
package main
import "fmt"
// Much larger value than int64.
const myConst int64 = 9223372036854775808543522345
func main() {
fmt.Println( "Will NOT Compile" )
}
Compiler Error:
./ideal.go:6: constant 9223372036854775808543522345 overflows int64
Numeric Constant Declarations
Here we can see that constants of kind integer can represent very large numbers and why we say they are mathematically exact.When we declare an untyped numeric constant, there are no type constraints that must be met by the constant value:
const untypedInteger = 12345 // kind: integer
const untypedFloatingPoint = 3.141592 // kind: floating-point
In each case, the untyped constant on the left hand side of the declaration is given the same kind and value as the constant on the right.When we declare a typed constant, the constant on the right hand side of the declaration must use a form that is compatible with the declared type on the left:
const typedInteger int = 12345 // kind: integer
const typedFloatingPoint float64 = 3.141592 // kind: floating-point
The value on the right hand side of the declaration must also fit into the range for the declared type. For instance, this numeric constant declaration is invalid:
const myUint8 uint8 = 1000
uint8
Implicit Integer Type Conversions
only can represent numbers from 0 to 255. This is what I mean when I said earlier that the declared type is used to associate the type’s precision limitations.In Go there are no implicit type conversions between variables. However, implicit type conversions between variables and constants can happen regularly by the compiler.Let’s start with an implicit integer conversion:
var myInt int = 123
In this example we have constant
123
of kind integer being implicitly converted to a value of type
int
. Since the form of the constant is not using a decimal point or exponent, the constant takes the kind integer. Constants of kind integer can be implicitly converted into signed and unsigned integer variables of any length as long as no truncation needs to take place.Constants of kind floating-point can also be implicitly converted into integer variables if the constant uses a form that is compatible with the integer type:
var myInt int = 123.0
We can also perform implicit type conversion assignments without declaring an explicit type for the variable:
var myInt = 123
In this case, the default type of
int64
is used to initialize the variable being assigned with constant
123
Implicit Floating-Point Type Conversions
of kind integer.Next let’s look at an implicit floating-point conversion:
var myFloat float64 = 0.333
This time the compiler is performing an implicit conversion between constant
0.333
of kind floating-point to a variable of type
float64
. Since the form of the constant is using a decimal point, the constant takes the kind floating-point. The default type for a variable initialized with a constant of kind floating-point is
float64
The compiler can also perform implicit conversions between constants of kind integer to variables of type
float64
var myFloat float64 = 1
In this example, constant
1
of kind integer is implicitly converted to a variable of type
float64
Kind Promotion
Performing constant arithmetic between other constants and variables is something we do quite often in our programs. It follows the rules for binary operators in the specification. The rule states that operand types must be identical unless the operation involves shifts or untyped constants.Let’s look at an example of two constants that are multiplied together:
var answer = 3 * 0.333
In this example we perform multiplication between constant
3
of kind integer and constant
0.333
different kinds of untyped constants
use the kind that appears later in this list
Numeric Constant Arithmetic
of kind floating-point.There is a rule in the specification about constant expressions that is specific to this operation:Based on this rule, the result of the multiplication between these two constants will be a constant of kind floating-point. Kind floating-point is being promoted ahead of kind integer based on the rule.Let’s continue with our multiplication example:
var answer = 3 * 0.333
The result of the multiplication will be a new constant of kind floating-point. That constant is then assigned to the variable
answer
through an implicit type conversion from kind floating-point to
float64
When we divide numeric constants, the kind of the constants determine how the division is performed.
const third = 1 / 3.0
When one of the two constants are of kind floating-point, the result of the division will also be a constant of kind floating-point. In our example we have used a decimal point to represent the constant in the denominator. This follows the rules for kind promotion that we talked about before.Let’s take the same example but use kind integer in the denominator:
const zero = 1 / 3
This time we are performing division between two constants of kind integer. The result of the division will be a new constant of type integer. Since dividing 3 into the value of 1 represents a number that is less than 1, the result of this division is constant
0
of kind integer.Let’s create a typed constant using numeric constant arithmetic:
type Numbers int8
const One Numbers = 1
const Two = 2 * One
Here we declare a new type called
Numbers
with a base type of
int8
. Then we declare constant
One
with type
Numbers
and assign constant
1
of kind integer. Next we declare constant
Two
which is promoted to type
Numbers
through the multiplication of constant
2
of kind integer and constant
One
of type
Numbers
The declaration of constant
Two
One Practical Example
shows an example of a constant getting promoted not just to a user-defined type, but a user-defined type associated with a base type.Let’s look at one practical example right from the standard library. The time package declares this type and set of constants:
type Duration int64
const (
Nanosecond Duration = 1
Microsecond = 1000 * Nanosecond
Millisecond = 1000 * Microsecond
Second = 1000 * Millisecond
)
All of the constants declared above are constants of type
Duration
which have a base type of
int64
. Here we are declaring typed constants using constant arithmetic between constants that are typed and untyped.Since the compiler will perform implicit conversions for constants, we can write code in Go like this:
package main
import (
"fmt"
"time"
)
const fiveSeconds = 5 * time.Second
func main() {
now := time.Now()
lessFiveNanoseconds := now.Add( -5 )
lessFiveSeconds := now.Add(-fiveSeconds)
fmt.Printf( "Now : %v
", now)
fmt.Printf( "Nano : %v
", lessFiveNanoseconds)
fmt.Printf( "Seconds : %v
", lessFiveSeconds)
}
Output:
Now : 2014-03-27 13:30:49.111038384 -0400 EDT
Nano : 2014-03-27 13:30:49.111038379 -0400 EDT
Seconds : 2014-03-27 13:30:44.111038384 -0400 EDT
The power of constants are exhibited with the method calls to
Add
. Let’s look at the definition of the
Add
method for the receiver type
Time
func (t Time) Add(d Duration) Time
The
Add
method accepts a single parameter of type
Duration
. Let’s look closer at the method calls to
Add
from our program:
var lessFiveNanoseconds = now.Add( -5 )
var lessFiveMinutes = now.Add(-fiveSeconds)
The compiler is implicitly converting constant
-5
into a variable of type
Duration
to allow the method call to happen. Constant
fiveSeconds
is already of type
Duration
thanks to the rules for constant arithmetic:
const fiveSeconds = 5 * time.Second
The multiplication between constant
5
and
time.Second
results in constant
fiveSeconds
becoming a constant of type
Duration
. This is because constant
time.Second
is of type
Duration
and this type is promoted when determining the type of the result. To support the function call, the constant still needs to be implicitly converted from a constant of type
Duration
to a variable of type
Duration
If constants didn’t behave the way they do, these kind of assignments and function calls would always require explicit conversions. Look at what happens when we try to use a value of type
int
to make the same method call:
var difference int = -5
var lessFiveNano = now.Add(difference)
Compiler Error:
./const.go:16: cannot use difference (type int) as type time.Duration in functi on argument
Once we use a typed integer value as the parameter for the
Add
method call, we received a compiler error. The compiler will not allow implicit type conversions between typed variables. For that code to compile we would need to perform an explicit type conversion:
Add(time.Duration(difference))
Conclusion
Thanks
Constants are the only mechanism we have to write code without the need to use explicit type conversions.We take the behavior of constants for granted, which is a testament to the language designers and those who have worked hard on this feature. A lot of work and care has gone into making constants work this way and the benefits are hopefully clear.So the next time you are working with a constant, remember you are working with something that is unique. A hidden gem buried in the compiler that doesn’t get enough credit or recognition as a unique feature of Go. Constants help make coding in Go fun and the code we write readable and intuitive. While at the same time keeping the code we write type safe.Thanks to Nate Finch and Kim Shrier who have provided several reviews of the post that have helped to make sure the content and examples were accurate, flowed well and would be interesting to Go developers. I was ready to give up a few times and Nate’s encouragement kept me going.Special thanks to Robert Griesemer and others on the Go dev team for their time and patience in teaching me the subject matter. The Go dev team is filled with an amazing group of people who really care about the community and the people who are a part of it. Thanks!!A train derailment in Selkirk, Man. on Wednesday evening has left a number of freight cars lying in ditches alongside the track, some with their wheels torn away.
It's the second time this week that a derailment has happened on that stretch of line, the first occurring on Monday, according to Kevin Crooks, who works at Kinetic Machine Works, a business that backs onto the tracks in the northwest corner of the city.
The wheels on a number of freight cars were torn off in the derailment. (Courtesy Adam Flood) He described the scene from Wednesday as "a train-wreck, literally," saying there are some cars rolled over in the ditch "and a bunch of others all askew, just kind of piled up."
"There's a lot of wheels missing off them," he added.
Cranes were brought out Wednesday to remove some of the cars but an approaching storm forced crews to abandon the effort, Crooks said.
He estimates about 10 cars remain to be cleared at the scene.
A number of freight cars are lying on their sides, in the ditch alongside the track. (Courtesy Adam Flood) There's no official word on what the cars were hauling, though Crooks has heard it was a concrete powder mix. Selkirk Redi Mix Ltd, a supplier of concrete mix has a plant on the other side of the tracks from Kinetic Machine Works.
The rail line is owned by CP Rail and operated by Lake Line Railroad. A CP Rail spokeswoman declined to comment and referred calls to Lake Line Railroad.
No one from Lake Line has yet returned calls from CBC.
Crooks said the ground in the area where the derailments happened is saturated after several days of rain, and he thinks it could have played a part in the crash.
"It's kind of shocking that they had two in a week," he said.
Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson said he wasn't aware of the derailment until CBC News called.
Selkirk is located about 30 kilometres north of Winnipeg.IN 1933, in the depths of the Depression, Irving Fisher, America's most prominent economist, wrote a pamphlet on “Stamp Scrip”. This was a type of alternative currency popular in America and elsewhere at the time that was periodically taxed with a stamp so that it would be spent, not hoarded.
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Based on the theories of Silvio Gesell, a German “quasi-economist”, one such currency, the wära, was used to revitalise Schwanenkirchen, a Bavarian coalmining village, in 1931. “No one who received wära wished to hold [them], the workers, store-keepers, wholesalers and manufacturers all strove to get rid of them as quickly as possible, for any person who held [them] was obliged to pay the tax. So wära kept on circulating, a large part of [them] returning to the coal mine, where [they] provided work, profits and better conditions for the entire community,” Fisher wrote approvingly.
“The miracle of Schwanenkirchen” is a historical footnote, but as deflation fears increase, and interest rates fall close to zero, the allure of such currencies may resurface. Though there are alternative currencies everywhere, Germany is particularly fond of Gesellian depreciating varieties. Bavaria still boasts the biggest in the country, the chiemgauer.
Named after the region where it originated in 2003, the chiemgauer can be used alongside the euro in more than 600 shops and firms in the area. About 300,000 of them are said to be in circulation. In the town of Traunstein, the chiemgauer can be spent on newspapers and food and some people are paid in it.
Spent it must be, because it loses value every quarter. The notes have an expiry date after which they need to be renewed with a sticker costing 2% of their value. The quicker money is spent, the faster, in macroeconomic terms, its velocity. Gesell argued that a higher velocity of money helps combat deflation.
Some of Gesell's theories were rejected by Fisher. But generations later, zero interest rates in slumping Japan led to renewed debate about a temporary tax on money to encourage spending.
Gerhard Rösl, professor of economics at the University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg, who wrote on alternative currencies in 2006 for the Bundesbank, says the overall stimulus from such schemes in times of deflation may be short-lived—because, though the velocity of money increases, its supply tends to shrink. For now, the amounts in circulation are minuscule. Most are a gesture of defiance against globalisation by encouraging local commerce rather than a rigorous economic experiment. But there may be more converts if monetary policy eventually runs out of road.Azealia Banks is baring it all. The outspoken rapper will appear on the cover and in a nude pictorial for the April 2015 Music Issue of Playboy.
According to the magazine, the Harlem rap princess poses in a “frisky pictorial that’s sure to break the Internet.” In addition to the revealing shoot, she also speaks out in a “no-holds-barred” interview.
She teased one sexy photo from the spread, shot by famed photographer Ellen Von Unwerth (Beyoncé, Rihanna). A purple-haired Azealia peeks out from behind a leopard-print curtain while wearing cat ears and platform heels.
Guess who's on the cover of Playboy?! It will be on stands March 20th!! A photo posted by Azealia Banks (@azealiabanks) on Feb 11, 2015 at 9:34am PST
Azealia joins a list of famous women who have appeared in Playboy including Marilyn Monroe, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Farrah Fawcett, Kim Kardashian, Sharon Stone, Grace Jones, and Pamela Anderson.
The issue hits newsstands on March 20. She will also perform a show at Club Nokia in L.A. on April 16 and play both weekends of Coachella.Former NFL defensive lineman Greg Hardy told TMZ Sports he'd be interested in the XFL if the league were reformed.
"I'm an entertainer, I'll say that, and I love the game of football. There's nothing in the world like football fans, man. For drama, for support, for anything you need in life, there's nothing like football fans. So, if I got paid—because we all know I've gotta get paid to show up—but if I got paid, I'd probably be there, man."
Hardy also said there was more to come for his UFC career.
"Keep watching. Don't get too excited. This is nothing. This is not me getting ahead of myself. I want everyone to know that I know these are stepping stones and to know that this is nothing. I haven't even begun to eat yet, like, I'm starving. I'm malnourished."
Hardy, 29, knocked out Joe Hawkins in 32 seconds in his MMA debut at "Rise of a Warrior 21" in early November.
"It's a habit of an athlete, a player and a baller to put his whole heart and soul into what I'm doing. So the UFC has got my heart and soul," Hardy said after that fight, per James Walker of ESPN.com. "That's where I'm going in my mind and my heart. Everything that I do is focused on this MMA career, so I'm coming."
Hardy last played in the NFL in the 2015 season for the Dallas Cowboys. He was placed on the exempt/commissioner's permission list in the 2014 season while with the Carolina Panthers after he was accused of and ultimately convicted of domestic abuse against his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder, in a bench trial.
Holder didn't cooperate with the court upon appeal, however, and the charges were dismissed. The Panthers moved on from Hardy, though he signed with the Cowboys. He was initially suspended for 10 games in the 2015 season before that punishment was reduced to four games.
For his career, Hardy registered 40 sacks in 75 games. In his prime, he was one of the top pass-rushers in the NFL, posting 26 sacks between the 2012 and 2013 seasons. But he was largely a distraction in his lone season in Dallas, and his chances of ever playing in the NFL again all but ended when he was arrested and charged with cocaine possession in September 2016.
It's unclear if the XFL will return, let alone if it would accept a player with Hardy's checkered past. However, all indications are that Vince McMahon is moving toward giving the formerly failed league—the original XFL lasted for just one season in 2001—another try.Refuse Fascism Regional Conferences, August 19, 2017, Presentation 1: What Are We Calling For?
Good Evening. Here now the news for Friday night November 17th 2017:
Our top story tonight remains the continuing protests and occupations now taking place in over a dozen cities and on more than 20 campuses nationwide. Protesters vow they will not leave or stop until Trump and Pence are removed from office. This morning, police in Los Angeles arrested over 300 protesters. Protest organizers announced this afternoon that hundreds of thousands will take to the streets on Saturday in coordinated marches in protest of this mass arrest. Alt-Right websites ominously called for their members to put a stop to the weekend marches. Supporters of President Trump have called for a “March to Keep America Great” over Thanksgiving weekend.
In related developments, lawsuits have been filed by several city governments to remove protesters, and in response, civil liberties organizations have countersued. A coalition of multi-faith religious leaders has presented a letter to Congress requesting that they act now on the demand of the protests to remove this administration for the good of the country and the world. German Chancellor Merkel spoke to European leaders about issuing a statement that the U.S. should respect the rights of their citizens.
Later in this broadcast we will have responses from Trump Administration officials and Congressional leaders. But first, after a break, we return with the latest tweet from President Trump.
are removed from power. Today we have the responsibility and the opportunity to get down and seriously plan, struggle, and organize for the only way these fascists could be removed from power. Plan and organize so that the “FAKE NEWS” report I just read… becomes the REAL NEWS… News that we, Refuse Fascism, together with thousands and then millions of people make, beginning on November 4th 2017. Friends, the break we are going to make this afternoon, is planning a breakthrough to drive the Trump/Pence regime from power. We are going to break with how, up to now, opposition to the regime only engages in never ending critique and protest against each outrage of the Trump/Pence Regime and actions of the Alt-Right Nazi thugs. Yes, exposure, critiques, analysis and especially protest are all righteous and necessary, but because we are dealing with a regime that is fascist—remaking law and the norms of society with enormous peril to all of humanity and the earth— we must act so theyToday we have the responsibility and the opportunity to get down and seriously plan, struggle, and organize for the only way these fascists could be removed from power. Plan and organize so that the “FAKE NEWS” report I just read… becomes theNews that we, Refuse Fascism, together with thousands and then millions of people make, beginning on November 42017.
Welcome to the Regional Conference of Refuse Fascism on getting organized to End the Nightmare!
Nazis with torches marching. Nazis murdering. Nazi white supremacist, anti-Semitic, misogynist, homophobic thugs backed up by the President who belligerently let the whole world know this is the way it is going to be in the America he and Pence now rule. Pence said he stands with the President. Trump and his regime are shattering what have been the norms of governance and society in pursuit of a different way of rule, fascism. Trump did not and will not back down. And, while many in power from both parties may criticize and cover their asses and distance themselves from the blunt course language of Trump, they will not call this out as fascism, they will not call out the whole regime, on their own they will not move to remove the whole fascist cabal from power. That is on us.
We undertake this responsibility today not for ourselves alone. We do this now honoring the legacy of Heather Heyer. Most of all we do this because it is in the interests of humanity.
THIS NIGHTMARE MUST END...
ON NOVEMBER 4, 2017:
We will gather in the streets and public squares of cities and towns across this country, at first, many thousands declaring that this whole regime is illegitimate and that we will not stop until our single demand is met: This Nightmare Must End: the Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!
Our protest must grow day after day and night after night—thousands becoming hundreds of thousands, and then millions—determined to act to put a stop to the grave danger that the Trump/Pence Regime poses to the world by demanding that this whole regime be removed from power.
“Our actions will reflect the values of respect for all of humanity and world we want—in stark contrast to the hate and bigotry of the Trump/Pence fascist regime.”
“Our determination to persist and not back down will compel the whole world to take note. Every force and faction in the power structure would be forced to respond to our demand. The cracks and divisions among the powers already evident today will sharpen and widen. As we draw more and more people forward to stand up, all of this, could lead to a situation where this illegitimate regime is removed from power.”
Let’s flesh this out a bit.
Candlelight Protest in Seoul, S. Korea. After months of determined protest, a court ordered the removal of S. Korean president Park in March, 2017.
First, there are recent historical precedents that give a vision of what we are talking about. In Seoul, South Korea in October of last year, tens of thousands began protests against the President of that country. By mid-November their numbers climbed on certain days to around a million. Then came counter-protests supporting the corrupt President—these were also in the hundreds of thousands. A back and forth struggle unfolded as more and more evidence piled up against the President. But, what kept the issue in front of their country and the world was the unrelenting determination of people to not stop their protest until President Park was removed. She was impeached in early March—over 4 months after they began.
In 2010 and 2011, throughout the Mideast starting in Tunisia and then spreading to Egypt Presidents were removed from power in what has been called the “Arab Spring.” These were significant outpourings of masses of people—millions in some cases—demanding regime change—day after day and night after night. In some countries this lasted weeks, in others, months.
More recently in the United States, on Sept 17, 2011, a few hundred people occupied Zuccotti Park beginning “Occupy Wall Street” to protest income inequality. Encampments spread around the country until mid-November when nationally coordinated police raids shut them down. This was a top story around the world tarnishing the reputation of the U.S. as a “bastion of opportunity.” More recently, last year thousands of people went to Standing Rock to support and take part in the Native American’s brave struggle to protect the water from a pipeline carrying tar sands oil.
Each of these struggles offers lessons, positive and negative, and yes, their particularities are different. Yet, what we should learn from all of these struggles is that when confronting an extraordinary problem—like the necessity for regime change—masses of people must act outside the bounds of normal protest—and do so with the determination to not stop until the demand is won.
several thousand people in each city. Many will come in shifts—with the protests swelling in the afternoons and evenings. In some places there will be encampments. Everywhere there will be a need for a round the clock base of operations: for literature, food, hygiene and many other needs. What will taking to the streets and public spaces look like here? We must begin in the key cities with at leastpeople incity. Many will come in shifts—with the protests swelling in the afternoons and evenings. In some places there will be encampments. Everywhere there will be a need for a round the clock base of operations: for literature, food, hygiene and many other needs.
Starting now we need to plan to be organizing work in different communities to bring a broad and diverse group of people into the protest. The many “Nightmares” described in the Call for November 4th indicates who to reach out to, involve and partner with—who needs to be “in the house.”
The character of the main protest will be nonviolent and respectful of different peoples, genders, and cultures. As it says in the Call : “Our actions will reflect the values of respect for all of humanity and world we want—in stark contrast to the hate and bigotry of the Trump/Pence fascist regime.”
The protest will be the polar opposite of the “White Power” Nazi/KKK thugs the world saw in Charlottesville—not only in the diversity of who’s there, but in the values, the conviction and courage we project to the world.
We can imagine now that there will be different focuses on different days—different issues, organizations, artists, speakers coming to speak and be present where the protest is centered. We can imagine marches coming to the site and stepping off from the site to locations that concentrate the outrages of the Trump/Pence regime. We can imagine the protest site alive with serious discussions and debates over the big issues of the day, strategizing about the road forward in our struggle to drive out the regime, and getting into and debating what kind of world people want beyond driving out this fascist regime.
This will be a huge, difficult and historic struggle— a political battle and not without cost. Donald Trump has been a racist, misogynist, xenophobic fascist his whole life. Mike Pence is a theocratic Christian fascist and has implemented some of the most anti-women; anti-LGBQT laws of any state governor. We must drive home for people Mike Pence’s truly horrific history and that he has dutifully stood by and supported every Trump policy since they made their unholy, “holy” alliance to bring Christian Fascism fully into the heart of the regime. This is an alliance made to create hell on earth for humanity in the name of a lunatic literalist/fundamentalist “heaven.”
THE POINT: These people and the whole fascist movement have been built up over decades. They have a coherent fascist world view and program and they are in a fight to the finish. Trump is leading the charge, but Mike Pence is a dangerous figure and they have assembled a whole fascist cabal. Our demand that the whole REGIME must go is a tremendous strength of Refuse Fascism.
When earlier this week Trump gave a huge green light to the Nazi thugs and para-military type groups who marauded in Charlottesville, this was not without purpose. Already one person has been murdered by these fascists. We saw and take note of how the police largely stood aside in Charlottesville while these fascist thugs attacked counter protesters. The November 4 Movement will need to stand strong. We will need firm principles of not initiating violence and opposing violence against the people and among the people, while recognizing the right of the people to defend themselves. This will need to guide the security we organize, safeguarding the protest and the people in a way that shows to the world that the people have right on their side.
A KEY in whether or not a momentous struggle such as we are beginning on November 4th succeeds, resides in good measure in whether we are able to come back after being attacked— either by fascist thugs or by the police— and coming back by rallying even more people to our side: masses of many different kinds of people who come out to support and to demand The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go with even greater determination. We should know this now, and plan and organize with this process in mind—thinking through going to work on developing the ties with people and the ability to communicate with millions, to rally the religious and legal communities, the campuses, and all the diversity of people we represent.
This fascist regime will remain in power through 2020 and perhaps beyond if what we, as well as other forces of resistance, just keep doing what we are doing now. If we don’t plan, organize and bring forward the people needed to begin on November 4 then all the suffering that fascism means will be imposed on humanity. Trump and Pence are already directing the fascists in Congress to further re-write voting laws—to throw Black, Latinos, and more off the voting roles to insure that the regime is re-elected. Or, they could impose a “state of emergency” in response to an actual or a manufactured crisis, in order to cement their power and fascist program.
We also need to be awake to the possibility that events could accelerate in such a way that the struggle against Trump takes off sooner than November 4th. In that case, we should push an upsurge as far as it can go, and if we need to move our start date sooner because millions are already staying in the streets day after day, then we will bring all that we have brought forward up to that point, to bear on a new situation.
Change only comes if we—in our thousands, then hundreds of thousands and then millions—disrupt business as usual and force the whole country, the whole world, and all factions of those in power to respond to our demand. If those in power are faced with this determination—including that every time they take steps to attack or undermine and diminish this movement, they are met with even more people coming into the streets (as happened, for example, in South Korea last year), then their ability to govern, to conduct business as usual will be disrupted; they will lose respect and legitimacy in the eyes of people here and internationally—and this— |
100, y: 100, width: 100, height: 50 ) self. redSquare. backgroundColor = blue self. redSquare. transform = transform })
Changing frames in code wont work if Autolayout is enabled. To disable Autolayout go in Interface Builder in the File Inspector and disable it from the checkbox.
I case you are wondering how the animations from the videos where made. I set some options for the animations:.Autoreverse so the view return to the initial state and.Repeat so it go on forever.
UIView. animateWithDuration( 2, delay: 0, options: [UIViewAnimationOptions. Autoreverse, UIViewAnimationOptions. Repeat ], animations: { self. redSquare. frame = CGRect(x: 100, y: 100, width: 100, height: 50 ) self. redSquare. backgroundColor = blue let transform = CGAffineTransformMake( 1, 0, 0. 5, 1, 0, 0 ) self. redSquare. transform = transform }, completion: nil )
IBDesignable
You can expose more customisation points in Interface Builder by making certain properties IBInspectable and the class IBDesignable.
Marking a class IBDesignable tells interface builder to run the code from that view and render it instead of showing a simulated version.
Marking a property as IBInspectable tell interface builder to show a field for that property.
Here is a simple example of a view that exposes the borderWidth layer property.
@IBDesignable class BorderedView: UIView { @IBInspectable var borderWidth: CGFloat = 0 { didSet { layer. borderWidth = borderWidth } } }
To use it. Add a UIView in your screen. Select it. Then go to the Indentity Inspector.
Change it’s class to BorderedView.
Then go to the Attributes Inspector. You should see the Border Width field:
Learn more about IBDesignable from our tutorial: How to make awesome UI components
Conclusions
Although UIView might seem small it is actually the blood of iOS. Knowing how to use it is critical if you wish not to reinvent the wheel. There are a lot of customisation points for views, by combining them you can avoid writing code and make better apps.
Apple encourages developers to subclass UIView when they need to make a visual component that require user interaction. But only when the standard systems views do not solve your problem – know them well!
Exercises
1. Target
Write the code to make a target
Solution let width = 20 let padding = 20 let red = UIColor(red: 192. 0 / 255. 0, green: 57. 0 / 255. 0, blue: 43. 0 / 255. 0, alpha: 1. 0 ) let blue = UIColor(red: 41. 0 / 255. 0, green: 0. 5, blue: 185 / 255. 0, alpha: 1. 0 ) let colors = [red, blue, red] var l = (colors. count * (width + padding) - padding) * 2 var parent = view for color in colors { let frame = CGRect(x: padding + width, y: padding + width, width: l, height: l) let circle = UIView(frame: frame) circle. backgroundColor = UIColor. whiteColor() circle. layer. borderColor = color. CGColor circle. layer. borderWidth = CGFloat(width) circle. layer. cornerRadius = CGFloat(l / 2 ) parent. addSubview(circle) parent = circle l -= 2 * (width + padding) } [collapse]
2. Gradient
Make a gradient that goes from black to white using only UIViews.
You can use UIColor(white:alpha:) to create the different shades of gray. The white parameter should have a value between 0.0 (black) and 1.0 (white).
Hint Try adding view in a line and change their background color. If you make them thin enough it will look like a gradient. [collapse]
Solution let height: CGFloat = 50 let lineWidth: CGFloat = 1 let width = view. frame. width var x: CGFloat = 0. 0 while x < width { let frame = CGRect(x: x, y: 50, width: lineWidth, height: height) let line = UIView(frame: frame) line. backgroundColor = UIColor(white: x / width, alpha: 1 ) view. addSubview(line) x += stepSize } [collapse]
Warning: this is not a practical approach! In real life you would use an image background that can stretch orCAGradientLayer.
3. UberView
Make a view that exposes the borderWidth, borderColor and cornerRadius layer properties.
Solution @IBDesignable class UberView: UIView { @IBInspectable var cornerRadius: CGFloat = 0 { didSet { layer. cornerRadius = cornerRadius } } @IBInspectable var borderWidth: CGFloat = 0 { didSet { layer. borderWidth = borderWidth } } @IBInspectable var borderColor: UIColor = UIColor. blackColor() { didSet { layer. borderColor = borderColor. CGColor } } } [collapse]
4. Robot
Use UberView to design a robot.
here’s mine:
and Silviu’s:UPDATE (8:33 p.m.): The Associated Press is reporting that Maddow has one of President Donald Trump's income tax return from 2005.
BREAKING: MSNBC's Rachel Maddow says the network has obtained Donald Trump tax documents from 2005. — The Associated Press (@AP) March 15, 2017
UPDATE (8:35 p.m.): The White House has responded that Trump paid $38 million in taxes on his income of $150 million, which was what was legally required of him.
14-Mar-2017 08:29:23 PM - WHITE HOUSE SAYS IN RESPONSE TO MSNBC THAT TRUMP PAID $38 MILLION IN TAXES ON INCOME OF $150 MILLION — Jennifer Ablan (@jennablan) March 15, 2017
14-Mar-2017 08:30:24 PM - WHITE HOUSE SAYS TRUMP HAD A RESPONSIBILITY "TO PAY NO MORE TAX THAN LEGALLY REQUIRED" — Jennifer Ablan (@jennablan) March 15, 2017
UPDATE (8:43 p.m.): This is beginning to feel like a nothing-burger.
Maddow says she has Trump's 1040 form from 2005.
WSJ wrote about Trump's 2005 taxes on March 17, 2016: https://t.co/pd75DJDBQx — Sean (@SeanTheDisNerd) March 15, 2017
UPDATE (8:46 p.m.): Wooh boy, the White House did not hold back in their statement.
UPDATE (9:18 p.m.): Maddow is apparently taking too long, so the Daily Beast went ahead and published.
Here you go: Rachel @Maddow just got scooped because she wasn’t willing to get over her schtick and lead with the scoop she had. https://t.co/0pcp0m2Aeq — Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) March 15, 2017
UPDATE (10:00 p.m.): It's...basically nothing.
---Original Post---
Well, this sure is interesting: MSNBC host Rachel Maddow claims to have a copy of "Trump's" tax returns. She tweeted that she'll be unveiling them on her show at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday night.
Maddow did not specify which Trump nor which year the returns were for.
BREAKING: We've got Trump tax returns. Tonight, 9pm ET. MSNBC.
(Seriously). — Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 14, 2017
It's unclear as to why someone would release the returns now. The election is over. Trump won. This can't possibly change anything.
Stay...tuned?
This post will be updated.Hands-on with Transference: A VR head-trip (LSD not required)
Nathan Lawrence 5 September 2017 NEWS
Ubisoft Montreal merges consciousness with a horror-film production company to create a VR puzzler unlike any other.
It’s hard to tell what to expect from a game that’s championed by Elijah Wood. When he’s not busy being a household name as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, he tends to pop up in art-house movies. There’s no denying he knows how to push the creep factor, either. Just look at his performances as a predatory stalker in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a touched murderer in Sin City or as the titular twisted mind in Maniac.
Wood was on hand at E3 (in video form) to announce Transference, a game being built in collaboration with Ubisoft Montreal by the Hollywood actor’s film production company SpectreVision. The production company specialises in horror films, which I wish I’d known going into my hands- and heads-on virtual reality preview of Transference.
In psychological terms, transference refers to the subconscious phenomenon of unintentionally redirected feelings between two people. Transference, the VR title, takes this idea to heart (or, perhaps more accurately, to head) and is hell bent on making a game out of it. Even though what I played will reportedly not be part of the final release, it was designed to paint a picture of what to expect from the playable version of Transference.
Before playing the game, I was made to watch a briefing video. It had all the hallmarks of a horror movie: terrible VHS quality, an overly optimistic scientist type and a sour note at the end that was meant to be unnerving. It worked on me.
The basic concept is you travel into the digitally recreated memories of a clearly deranged person. It’s less Inception and more Lawnmower Man in terms of how it visually depicts travelling into the mind: namely, less realism and more surreal visual flair. In saying that, Transference’s style also refers to the creep factor, which is evident from the outset.
As far as controls are concerned, it’s incredibly simple. I was playing on the HTC Vive (but Transference is also coming to PlayStation VR), which meant I was able to control major head movements with the right stick. A single button on each hand controller is dedicated to interacting with objects in the game world. The VR headset obviously let me perform refined head movements. It’s worth noting that having a headset over your eyes and headphones over your ears adds to the immersion as much as it does the unnerving feeling that permeates throughout Transference.
When I saw a creepy kid vanish around a corner, I had flashbacks to Hideo Kojima’s skin-crawling P.T. demo. Transference isn’t supposed to be a horror game, but good luck remembering that when you soft-fail a puzzle and end up with a screaming crazy person teleporting right up to your grill and firing a shotgun at your face. That happened twice during my demo, and the first time didn’t properly prepare me for the second.
I quickly learned that, like the subconscious dream-invaders of Inception, I was a foreign entity whose job it was to observe and occasionally interact, but never the latter with the people I encountered. And that applies double to the mad hatter whose mind I was visiting.
Ultimately, the puzzles aren’t too taxing, especially if you apply a logical process of elimination to the few items you can interact with. Except, in this instance, that logic does require a certain degree of mental flexibility to match the rules of the game world. As I later learned, that kid didn’t so much disappear in a supernatural way as he was transported to an earlier memory.
Upon reflection, his disappearance was actually activated by a clue that I had missed. Thankfully, missing the clue didn’t set me too far back, as any interactable items in Transference that are of importance will float if dropped. There are other items you can grab that help to paint a better picture of the fractured state of the mind you’re inhabiting, but if you want to game the puzzles, you simply have to drop what you’ve grabbed to see if it floats.
As it turns out, there was a particular trigger that let me travel between the two time periods: both in the same cramped house, but with slightly changed elements. I was also able to carry certain items between periods to crack puzzles, which was a nice touch. In the present, there were screams coming from the open basement, where the gun-wielding patient was waiting to reset me.
In the past, the basement door was locked, but it was quiet on the other side. I’m deliberately talking around the solutions to specific puzzles because the devs mentioned there’s a chance this experience may be released to the public. If I had to bet, it will serve well as a mood-piece demo for those curious to know more about what Transference will offer, a lot like what P.T was supposed to be for Silent Hill. Except, hopefully, the full release of Transference will actually see the light of day.
With such limited interactivity in this demo puzzle, it would be easy to dismiss Transference as part of the first-wave VR experiences that are more gimmick than game. But that’s not the case. The simplicity of Transference’s controls is no reflection on the atmosphere, the puzzling or the feeling of satisfaction when you sniff out the right solution.
EA sponsored Nathan Lawrence’s flights, accommodation and meals while he was at Gamescom 2017.You can’t. Not a generically good fight scene. Just like a good love scene, “good” for a fight scene depends on the literary purpose and the audience.
Let’s assume, though, that you are writing some kind of action adventure yarn — I’m qualified to advise on this because this is what I write professionally, and my fight scenes trigger your mirror neurons (apparently) — here’s what I’d tell you over a beer.
Have a Model of How the Relevant Martial Art Works
By “model” I mean that you can describe to yourself how this kind of fighting works. E.g. is it all “cut parry cut”, or about crossing blades then working on the blade, or wrestling or what?
It helps if your model is based on reality or at least experimental reconstructions — if you’re using any European weapons, check out Youtube using the search term “HEMA”. You can of course make everything up, however more and more people are becoming HEMA-literate, so there is a good chance your book will date horribly.
The model should account for all the equipment used by your combatants, e.g. What is a shield for? What weapons break the armour? This ties the combat scene into the rest of the world story and brings to life the military culture and technology. For example, if combat requires a shield, then losing a shield can drive part of the plot. Oh, and, whatever you do, don’t treat armour as set dressing or costume. If it doesn’t stop weapons, nobody would wear it.
Invented or not, a general knowledge of how the fighting works should also let you avoid cliched choreography — OMG, not the dust in the eyes trick AGAIN! — and repeated stereotyped descriptions, e.g. Simon R Green’s otherwise brilliant Deathstalker series is marred by endless stamping and lunging, even with — OMG the shame — two handed swords.
Just sounding like you know what’s going on is a start. It will at least let you turn the battle into a kind of dramatic dialogue between sides. Here’s an example with entirely made up military equipment and doctrine:
The arrow storm abated. R’Ondar lowered his double-flanged shield to let the ground take the weight of the heavy mammoth-bone arrows that now feathered it. “Well done lads! They’ve run out of ammunition.” S’Tar shook his head and pointed at the enemy. Jagged polearms advanced above the heads of the massed archers. Hundreds of Vandarian Shieldbreakers emerged from the ranks and began their ritual chant. R’Ondar forced himself to laugh. “Don’t worry lads, the Vandarians die like any other man…” Except from A Novel I just Made Up (Unpublished).
Set Up the Tactical Scenario With Clear Objectives That Force the Hero Into Story-Related Dilemmas
Most readers aren’t interested in combat for its own sake — after the third cleaving, it’s all so much carnography. They know that the main character is going to survive (but see below), so if you are not careful your combat scene will summarize as “Hero kills some people”.
What is interesting, though, is where characters must chose between undesirable alternatives. For example, “Hero holds pass to save his friends” is good. “Hero holds pass to save his friends, but must ask one of them to stand with him” is better. Similarly, it’s more interesting if the hero can’t just cleave the opposition: “Hero defeats aristocratic bullies… but can’t kill them for fear of the consequences”.
These choices only make sense if the hero has a clear objective for fighting. Random bar brawls aren’t interesting. Bar brawls where the aging protagonists struggles to stay local “top dog” are. In Shieldwall: Barbarians! I had Hengest face an older warrior in a brutal knife fight. At stake was not just Hengest’s life, but also command of the warband and — ultimately — the rescue of Hengest’s sister:
Ethelwulf plunged past, Hengest’s blood dripping from his seax. Hengest kicked out and caught the spidery warrior’s ankles. Ethelwulf tripped, rolled and came to his feet. He waved his seax side to side like a swaying branch and grinned at Hengest. “You should be more careful, lord.” The small of Hengest’s back felt wet. How bad was the wound? Was he going to die here, half way through a battle? A red mist descended on Hengest’s vision. He took a step forward. Ethelwulf just circled to the right. “Now I just have to wait for you to bleed out.” Hengest turned on the spot, saving his energy while the warriors spread out into the courtyard. They formed a circle around the duellists. Hengest said, “You have nowhere to run.” Again, he advanced on Ethelwulf. From Shieldwall: Barbarians!
(Oddly, this book has a lot of fighting in it.)
Keep an Eye on Consequences and Continuity
This works at two levels:
At novel level, if the hero sprains his ankle in Chapter 1, then have this slow him down in Chapter 3. If during the adventure, he sustains cuts and grazes, have his sweat make them sting in final battle. If a thief steals his shield, then have him enter a fight without one. I generally use my outline to keep track of wounds:
Hengest nodded. He unhooked his shield from the side and vaulted overboard. He had a moment to dread what the salt water would do to his mail shirt. Then his feet hit the waves and he plunged into the icy sea up to his middle. The salt stung the wound Widigast had given him, making it feel as if a red hot knife seared his hip.
At scene level, track all the annoying injuries. If he slices his palm grabbing a sword, have him mop his brow at the end and get sweat in the wound, blood in his eye. If he takes a bad bruise to the arm, have the limb lose strength. The reader knows the hero will survive, but not in what state — borrow from Horror. And, of course, you can always put his friends in peril. Here’s William the Marshal at the famous Wedding at Kerak, about to hold the bridge:
Henrik roared “Deus Vult!” and charged across to meet the Saracens. William loped after him, his injured right ankle alternately fiery then numb. “Wait for me!” The first of the cavalry neared wooden span. He leveled his lance and spurred forward. Hooves thundered on the wooden deck. But Henrik already stood just past the middle. He swung his Danish axe. The keen blade arced down and buried its beard in the wooden planks. William could only limp closer, a sick feeling rising from his gut. He would be too late to stop his friend from being ridden down. From Marshal versus the Assassins.
Master a Balance Between Narrative Summary and Blow-by-Blow Combat
It’s fine to have your hero carve through minions in narrative summary using evocative description. Here’s Prince Hengest at the siege of Orleans making like a Frank Frazetta painting:
Hengest took his stand over his cousin. He worked his shield and sword in short sharp movements, saving his energy, making the Ostrogoths pay. Spears glanced off his mail, bruising his ribs. Arrows clanged on his helmet, thwacked into his shield, weighed it down. And still he fought, the bodies piling up around him, the deck of the cart becoming slick with blood. Childeric appeared next to him. There were arrows sticking out of the old man’s mail. His white beard was fouled with red, and he was singing.
However, when the enemy champion steps up to battle our hero, then you need to detail each attack and counterattack — not too many of these please; combat should be swift and nasty….
Childeric yelled, “‘ware left!” Hengest turned in time to face a red-bearded Ostrogoth swordsman leading a group who’d hacked their way onto the barricade. He thrust out with his spear. The red-beard deflected the point with his shield and cut at Hengest’s head– Hengest raised his shield, angled so as not to present the edge– –and the sword crashed into his exposed flank, stinging Hengest through his mail, setting his recent wound ablaze. With a curse, Hengest slammed his shield down, catching the sword as it withdrew. He pivoted forward and drove the iron rim of his shield up into the Ostrogoth’s chin. The red-beard’s head whipped back with a crack, and Hengest stabbed down with his spear. The point took his enemy above the neck of his armour, and buried itself with a red spurt. The red-beard fell, taking the spear with him. Hengest reached for his sword. From Shieldwall: Barbarians!
Keep Combat Nasty
Lethal combat by its nature is nasty. Don’t be taken in by the pretty shinies. Never have sensible characters enter it lightly, never have the consequences less than ugly.
The sun glinted on the blade and the Spanish knight sprang at William. “God’s Teeth…?” began William, but his training had already taken over. He caught Sir Pedro’s right wrist in his left hand, ducked under the outstretched arm and broke it across his shoulders. Sir Pedro collapsed onto the rock and lay there howling. His brothers drew their swords. William drew his own weapon and with a twitch of his shoulders brought his shield around. His coif was still down leaving his head horribly naked. “This is folly, seigneurs,” he said. “We’re on the same side.” From Marshal versus the Assassins.
And perhaps, in the final analysis, that’s all that really matters; treating combat as a real hazard with potentially horrible consequences resulting from simple actions and even simpler decisions.
As I said when teaching Medieval German Longsword to a friend who is a medical doctor: “Your difficulty is that on some gut level you expect that carving people up should be as complicated as putting them back together…”Update 08.05.2015 (Server Update)
Server Update 08.05.2015
The following changes are a server update that will be implemented on the game servers within 24 hours. During this time, bug reports regarding specifics mentioned here and their effect in a battle will not be considered as a bug and as such will not be taken into consideration.
Damage inflicted directly to crew members by kinetic-energy projectiles increased;
Turret rotation speed of T34 series tanks is set at 25 degrees per sec. According to “T-34 Guideline” p. 23;
Damage effect of 75-85mm armour piercing rounds is fixed according to the amount of explosives they have;
Ki-21-1 - The RPM the engine runs at when taking-off has been changed. Now, it set to 2400 RPM. Maximum speed is achieved through WEP (throttle at 100%).
Note: This server update applies to all platforms unless specifically highlighted.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
If you follow any of the West Ham players on social media (as unlikely as that might be), then you'll have seen the endless amount of selfies of the squad in Dubai on 'warm weather training'.
To be fair, summer is on the way and the weather is improving in London so warm weather training makes sense for the Hammers, right?
Well, one particular West Ham fan really doesn't agree with Big Sam's jolly over to Dubai and decided to raise the issue at a fans forum last night, leaving poor Stewart Downing left to answer the question.
As you can see in the video above, he really, really, really, really, REALLY doesn't agree.
Maybe the angry supporter in question was onto something.
Having seen their incredible early season form tail away since the turn of the year, the Hammers took their trip away during a weekend they had fixture free weekend (thanks to being knocked out of the FA Cup at the hands of West Brom).
Thing is, the warm weather training hasn't really helped things at Upton Park. West Ham have won one and lost two on their return from Dubai.
Ah well, at least they got a nice tan.Convicted armed robber (and un-convicted other things) O.J. Simpson has some problems with Cuba Gooding Jr.’s portrayal of him in FX’s American Crime Story. Specifically, Simpson has a problem with Goodings’ head, which he apparently feels is insufficiently large to wear the crown of America’s Worst Living Advertisement for the 1993 Ford Bronco. (Also, he’s apparently annoyed that the show is implying he’s a murderer.)
These revelations come courtesy of Page Six, whose reporters have gotten their hands on advance info from Guarding The Juice, the latest entry in a long line of books no one should have written about O.J. Simpson. (Other members in the hallowed bad book pantheon: slur-prone cop Mark Fuhrman’s Murder In Brentwood, and Simpson’s own playfully speculative If I Did It.) The new book is being written by Jeffrey Felix, a former guard at Lovelock Correctional Institute, where Simpson has been locked up since 2007. That time together has apparently given the pair a close enough relationship for Felix to gain some insights into the former football star—whose yard nickname, reportedly, is “Bobble Head,” presumably because of the size of his skull, and also because “Ol’ Crimey Of The Century” doesn’t scan as well.
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Lovelock doesn’t get FX, so Simpson hasn’t seen the Ryan Murphy-produced series (or Archer, which seems like the crueler twist). But it’s been described to him, and apparently he’s at least a little irked that Gooding—who’s been praised for his work on the show—doesn’t fit his proportions, either in terms of hat size or height. Meanwhile, neither Nicole Brown Simpson nor Ron Goldman could be reached for comment on their portrayals on the show, because someone murdered them 22 years ago.
[via Vulture]Apple is quietly developing sensors that can track the body’s blood sugar levels in a bid to help people with diabetes, CNBC reports. The company has apparently hired a small team of biomechanical engineers to work on the project, which would monitor glucose levels through contact with the skin, rather than through invasive blood tests or similar mechanisms.
It’s apparently been working on the sensors for five years
The company is basing the team working on the sensors out of an office in Palo Alto, rather than at its main headquarters. The engineers have apparently been working on the sensor technology for at least five years, and it is complete enough that Apple has started feasibility trials at clinical locations in the Bay Area. The company has also hired consultants that are helping it navigate complex health regulations, CNBC says.
The team is reportedly managed by Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, but previously reported to Michael D. Hillman before he left the company in 2015. CNBC says the team is made up of about 30 people, including biomedical experts Apple hired away from major firms like Masimo Corp, Sano, Medtronic, and C8 Medisensors. Those hires, reported early last year, sparked speculation that Apple may indeed be working on such a product.
The idea of wearable devices being used to manage conditions like diabetes was developed during Steve Jobs’ tenure as Apple head, but developing technology that can accurately measure blood sugar levels without piercing the skin is particularly difficult. John L. Smith, a biomedical expert who has published papers on the failure of non-invasive glucose sensors, said it was "the most difficult technical challenge I have encountered in my career."
Google is also developing glucose monitors
Apple’s in-development solution reportedly shines light through the skin to check current glucose levels. Google is also working on its own glucose monitors, but has taken a different approach. The company is currently developing a contact lens that is intended to track blood sugar through contact with the eye, and a bandage-sized device being developed by its Life Sciences division.
It’s not yet clear when Apple’s sensor will be complete, nor whether it would come as part of its own device, or be included in an Apple Watch or similar product down the line. If it can pull it off, however, the sensor could make life easier — and Apple products more desirable — for people with diabetes.Authored by Antonio Garcia-Martinez (former Facebook product manager), author of Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley, originally posted at The Guardian,
For two years I was charged with turning Facebook data into money, by any legal means. If you browse the internet or buy items in physical stores, and then see ads related to those purchases on Facebook, blame me. I helped create the first versions of that, way back in 2012.
The ethics of Facebook’s micro-targeted advertising was thrust into the spotlight this week by a report out of Australia. The article, based on a leaked presentation, said that Facebook was able to identify teenagers at their most vulnerable, including when they feel “insecure”, “worthless”, “defeated” and “stressed”.
Facebook claimed the report was misleading, assuring the public that the company does not “offer tools to target people based on their emotional state”. If the intention of Facebook’s public relations spin is to give the impression that such targeting is not even possible on their platform, I’m here to tell you I believe they’re lying through their teeth.
Just as Mark Zuckerberg was being disingenuous (to put it mildly) when, in the wake of Donald Trump’s unexpected victory, he expressed doubt that Facebook could have flipped the presidential election.
Facebook deploys a political advertising sales team, specialized by political party, and charged with convincing deep-pocketed politicians that they do have the kind of influence needed to alter the outcome of elections.
I was at Facebook in 2012, during the previous presidential race.
The fact that Facebook could easily throw the election by selectively showing a Get Out the Vote reminder in certain counties of a swing state, for example, was a running joke.
Converting Facebook data into money is harder than it sounds, mostly because the vast bulk of your user data is worthless. Turns out your blotto-drunk party pics and flirty co-worker messages have no commercial value whatsoever.
But occasionally, if used very cleverly, with lots of machine-learning iteration and systematic trial-and-error, the canny marketer can find just the right admixture of age, geography, time of day, and music or film tastes that demarcate a demographic winner of an audience. The “clickthrough rate”, to use the advertiser’s parlance, doesn’t lie.
Without seeing the leaked documents, which were reportedly based around a pitch Facebook made to a bank, it is impossible to know precisely what the platform was offering advertisers. There’s nothing in the trade I know of that targets ads at emotions. But Facebook has and does offer “psychometric”-type targeting, where the goal is to define a subset of the marketing audience that an advertiser thinks is particularly susceptible to their message.
And knowing the Facebook sales playbook, I cannot imagine the company would have concocted such a pitch about teenage emotions without the final hook: “and this is how you execute this on the Facebook ads platform”. Why else would they be making the pitch?
The question is not whether this can be done. It is whether Facebook should apply a moral filter to these decisions. Let’s assume Facebook does target ads at depressed teens. My reaction? So what. Sometimes data behaves unethically.
I’ll illustrate with an anecdote from my Facebook days. Someone on the data science team had cooked up a new tool that recommended Facebook Pages users should like. And what did this tool start spitting out? Every ethnic stereotype you can imagine. We killed the tool when it recommended then president Obama if a user had “liked” rapper Jay Z. While that was a statistical fact – people who liked Jay Z were more likely to like Obama – it was one of the statistical truths Facebook couldn’t be seen espousing.
I disagreed. Jay Z is a millionaire music tycoon, so what if we associate him with the president? In our current world, there’s a long list of Truths That Cannot Be Stated Publicly, even though there’s plenty of data suggesting their correctness, and this was one of them.
African Americans living in postal codes with depressed incomes likely do respond disproportionately to ads for usurious “payday” loans.
Hispanics between the ages of 18 and 25 probably do engage with ads singing the charms and advantages of military service.
Why should those examples of targeting be viewed as any less ethical than, say, ads selling $100 Lululemon yoga pants targeting thirtysomething women in affluent postal codes like San Francisco’s Marina district?
The hard reality is that Facebook will never try to limit such use of their data unless the public uproar reaches such a crescendo as to be un-mutable. Which is what happened with Trump and the “fake news” accusation: even the implacable Zuck had to give in and introduce some anti-fake news technology. But they’ll slip that trap as soon as they can. And why shouldn’t they? At least in the case of ads, the data and the clickthrough rates are on their side.The American College of Pediatricians warns educators and legislators that “a life of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex” is dangerous for children.
In a strongly worded statement issued today, the professional association of pediatricians says “a person’s belief that he or she is something they are not is, at best, a sign of confused thinking.” It describes such thinking as problem that exists in the mind and not the body and “it should be treated as such.”
The college of pediatricians is joining a heated debate that increasingly pits concerned parents against school teachers, administrators, legislators, and transsexual advocates who are pushing the trans agenda in grade-schools, city governments, state governments, and the federal government.
A wave of “non-discrimination” bills are appearing around the country that require public women’s restrooms to accommodate men who think they are women and even those who consider themselves “gender non-binary,” that is, men who appear to be men but who say there are neither male or female.
The American College of Pediatricians will release a full statement this summer. The statement released today explains, “human sexuality is an objective biological binary trait: ‘XY’ and ‘XX’ are genetic markers of health — not genetic markers of a disorder.”
The statement goes on:
The exceedingly rare disorders of sex development (DSDs), including but not limited to testicular feminization and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, are all medically identifiable deviations from the sexual binary norm, and are rightly recognized as disorders of human design. Individuals with DSDs do not constitute a third sex.
The statement points out that such gender confusion should be treated as a psychological disorder called “gender dysphoria” and is “a recognized mental disorder in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-V).”
The group is most concerned about the regimen of drugs that are given to children to block puberty. “Children who use puberty blockers to impersonate the opposite sex will require cross-sex hormones in late adolescence. Cross-sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) are associated with dangerous health risks including but not limited to high blood pressure, blood clots, stroke and cancer.”
Rates of suicide among adults who use cross-sex hormones and undergo sex change reassignment surgery are “twenty times greater” than the rest of the population even in such trans-friendly places as Sweden.
The doctors argue that “Conditioning children into believing a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is child abuse.”A view of North Broadway Avenue in Burns, Oregon. Police have stepped up patrols in and around Burns as the stand off continues, but business is booming with visitors. - Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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For businesses in remote eastern Oregon, the armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge outside of Burns is an economic windfall. A few dozen people started occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge right after the start of the year. They haven’t left yet. Burns hotels and restaurants are packed with reporters, law enforcement officers and occupiers as a result.
Just off a remote, slushy highway, the Americas Best Value Inn has a horseshoe parking lot designed for truckers. Manager Vickie Allen says she’s never seen a winter like this in Burns. Thirty-eight rooms nearly full every night.
“Oh yeah, sometimes we might only have one person in the house in the winter months – so this is, it’s a godsend, it’s like having summer all winter long,” she said, laughing.
But Allen notes it’s sometimes a strange mix at the continental breakfast bar each morning – law enforcement and occupiers hovering over the coffee urn and Danish.
“The police don’t bother anybody; the militia don’t bother anybody. We only get maybe two or three militia in here a week. They come in to clean up and go back out,” she said.
Everyone has been well behaved. “They just don’t talk |
on significant trade deficits
It’s aimed at cracking down on trade abuses. Officials will have 90 days to produce a country-by-country, product-by-product report that will serve as the basis of future decision-making by the administration on trade-related issues. Read the full text of the order.
22. Revision: Providing an order of succession within the Department of Justice
This order sets a line of success for the Attorney General position, and comes after Trump fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. Read the full text of the order.
23. Establishing enforcement of antidumping and countervailing duties and Violations of Trade and Customs Laws
This order will focus on increasing the collection of anti-dumping and countervailing duties. Read the full text of the executive order.
24. An order on buy American and hire American
The order asks that the government propose new rules and changes that will stop what he calls abuses in a visa program used by U.S. technology companies.
Read the full text of the executive order.
25. Identifying and reducing tax regulatory burdens
This will commission a review of the nation's tax regulations.
Read the full text of the executive order.
26. Promoting agriculture and rural prosperity in America
The order will direct the new agriculture secretary to identify and eliminate what the president says are unnecessary regulations that hurt farmers and rural communities.
Read the full text of the executive order.
27. Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act
It directs Trump’s interior secretary to review the designation of dozens of national monuments on federal lands.
Read the full text of the executive order.
28. Enforcing statutory prohibitions on federal control of education
It gives the education secretary 300 days to identify areas where Washington has overstepped its legal authority in education, and modify and repeal regulations and guidance from the department.
Read the full text of the executive order.
29. Improving accountability and whistleblower protection at the department of veterans affairs
The order is meant to improve accountability and protect whistleblowers.
Read the full text of the executive order.
30. Implementing an America-first offshore energy strategy
This order will direct Trump’s interior secretary to review an Obama-era plan that dictates which locations are open to offshore drilling, with the goal of the new administration to expand operations.
Read the full text of the executive order.
»RECOMMENDED VIDEO: What is an executive order?FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2013 file photo, Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, talks at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. (Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California's health insurance exchange has awarded $184 million in contracts without the competitive bidding and oversight that is standard practice across state government, including deals that sent millions of dollars to a firm whose employees have long-standing ties to the agency's executive director.
Covered California's no-bid contracts were for a variety of services, ranging from public relations to paying for ergonomic adjustments to work stations, according to an Associated Press review of contracting records obtained through the state Public Records Act.
Several of those contracts worth a total of $4.2 million went to a consulting firm, The Tori Group, whose founder has strong professional ties to agency Executive Director Peter Lee, while others were awarded to a subsidiary of a health care company he once headed.
Awarding no-bid contracts is unusual in state government, where rules promote "open and fair competition" to give taxpayers the best deal and avoid ethical conflicts. The practice is generally reserved for emergencies or when no known competition exists.
Covered California was created in 2010 and given broad authority to award no-bid contracts as a way to meet tight federal deadlines for getting the new health insurance marketplace operational by last year. The same law also exempted it from sections of the state's public records law, a loophole lawmakers closed last year after it was disclosed by the AP.
The agency confirmed some no-bid contracts were awarded to people with previous professional ties to Lee, but emphasized Covered California was under pressure to move fast and needed specialized skills.
The fledgling exchange "needed experienced individuals who could go toe-to-toe with health plans and bring to our consumers the best possible insurance value. Contractors like The Tori Group possess unique and deep health care experience to help make that happen and get the job done on a tight deadline," Lee said in a statement.
"As this organization matures," he added, "we will rely less on private contractors."
With so much taxpayer money in play, a government watchdog group said more oversight is essential.
Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause, said she recognized the need to free Covered California from cumbersome contracting rules that could have hampered its ability to meet Affordable Care Act deadlines.
But with tens of millions of taxpayer dollars at issue, "some accountability and transparency is needed, whether through audits or an alternative oversight body," she said, adding, "To spend $4.2 million on anything, let alone a contract to a friend and former colleague, raises serious questions."
The no-bid contracts represent nearly $2 of every $10 awarded to outside companies by the agency and were among roughly $1 billion in agreements disclosed to AP that the exchange executed from late 2010 through July, according to the records.
Through its first year of operation, Covered California was funded almost entirely by federal grant money.
The founder of The Tori Group, Leesa Tori, worked under Lee when she was a senior executive at Pacific Health Advantage, a small business insurance exchange that failed in 2006. Lee was a longtime chief executive of Pacific Business Group on Health, which managed Pacific Health Advantage, and Tori also worked with him at the parent company.
Long before it opened its doors to the public last fall, Covered California awarded a small contract to Tori for her advice on designing a program to sell insurance to small companies. The $4,900 agreement in late 2011 was executed without rival bids.
The deal would mark the beginning of a lucrative and far-reaching partnership between the agency and the company Tori formed about two years ago, just as national health care reform took root across the U.S. An initial $150,000 contract with The Tori Group in March 2013 was executed by Lee, but later amendments that increased its value to $4.2 million were approved by Covered California's board, an agency statement indicated.
Nearly three years after her first, small contract went into effect, she and employees at her firm hold senior-level positions and work on issues ranging from enrollment to health plan design at Covered California.
At least five other people who are contracted to work at Covered California have ties to the now-defunct Pacific Health Advantage, four of them at The Tori Group, whose employees are paid through the consulting contracts. In all, nine people listed on the group's website, in addition to Tori, work at the exchange.
Yolanda Richardson, Covered California's chief deputy executive director who reports directly to Lee, was a vice president at Pacific Health Advantage. Before she was hired on staff, she received a 10-month, $176,500 no-bid consulting contract from the agency in 2011, about a month before Lee came on board, according to the records.
Tori is Covered California's director of plan management. The Tori Group's chief financial officer, Kathleen Solorio, is Covered California's operations adviser. Another principal at the firm, Corky Goodwin, is serving as interim director of the small business insurance program; she was a senior manager at Pacific Health Advantage.
Tori said professional credentials qualified her company for the contracts — working in an exchange gave her team experience rare in the industry.
The Pacific Business Group on Health Negotiating Alliance, a subsidiary of the company Lee previously led, received two no-bid contracts worth a total of $525,000. Spokeswoman Emma Hoo said the work covers "unique and in-depth assessment of plan operations."
John Vigna, spokesman for former Assembly Speaker John Perez, who spearheaded legislation that established the exchange, said Perez was confident that enough checks and balances remained in effect, including oversight by the federal government and a state law that outlines rules for avoiding conflicts of interest.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1w1n01TWhy is it so many of us are excited about the New Horizons mission to Pluto?
This. This is why.
That video was created by Erik Wernquist, the brilliant mind behind Wanderers, what I consider one of the best paeans to exploration ever made.
And like Wanderers, all the places in the New Horizons video are real. We see Venus; Mars (flying over Valles Marineris; a rift valley that dwarfs the Grand Canyon); volcanoes of sulfur erupting over the moon Io as Jupiter and its Red Spot hover into view; the two-faced ice moon Iapetus, stained with organic compounds, revealing the magnificence of Saturn as we slide by; Uranus, its atmosphere a teal green from the presence of methane; Neptune and its moon Triton, with its geyserlike eruptions of nitrogen blasting into its extremely tenuous atmosphere …
… and then Pluto. As I write this, just over three weeks before the New Horizon probe pierces the tiny world’s region of space, we still only have fuzzy pictures of Pluto, a mere dozen or so pixels across. Astronomers have many ideas on what we’ll see when the spacecraft sends back its images over the staggering vastness of 5 billion kilometers of solar system, but the bottom line is we don’t know exactly what we’ll find.
If we did, it wouldn’t be exploration.
You can follow along with this journey using the Pluto Safari app, and of course by keeping tabs on the New Horizons website.
This is more than just terra incognita. It’s spatium incognita. Whether you think Pluto is a planet or just the biggest of the Kuiper Belt Objects, it’s a marvelous step in our exploration of the solar system.
And we’ll be seeing it for the very first time in the history of all humanity, very, very soon.Tax credits for first-time buyers have been extended until April
Sales of new homes in the US fell to their lowest level on record in February as the cold weather discouraged buyers, figures have shown.
Sales fell by 2.2% to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 308,000, down from a revised rate of 315,000 in January, the Commerce Department said.
It was the fourth consecutive monthly fall in home sales and a much lower figure than economists had expected.
Figures released on Tuesday showed existing home sales also falling.
"The housing market is really struggling to find its footing despite huge government support efforts. The near-term outlook for the housing market remains quite poor," said Zach Pandl at Nomura Securities.
Home sales have fallen every month since October. This is partly explained by the extension in tax credits for home buyers, which were due to expire in November before being extended to April.
There had been a sharp upturn in sales before November as buyers rushed to take advantage of the credits. Once they were extended, the incentive to buy disappeared.
If there is no pick-up in sales in March and April as buyers look to take advantage of the credits, analysts say, fears about the longer-term prospects for the housing market will heighten.
The median sales price for February was $220,500 (£147,971).A note to Steve Bannon: Sharron Angle would like to talk.
The onetime darling of the tea party movement and former Nevada Senate candidate now finds herself on the sidelines as Bannon, President Donald Trump’s former chief strategist, works to find antiestablishment primary challengers for every incumbent Republican senator not named Ted Cruz. Angle, once an insurgent pioneer, is now challenging Rep. Mark Amodei. But it is a labor happening largely in obscurity.
“Maybe you have a number that I can reach Mr. Bannon on. Maybe you could tell him to give me a call,” she told BuzzFeed News in a recent phone call. “You know, sometimes it’s more difficult to reach— The press has an opportunity to reach him. But we out here, sometimes regular citizens, we don’t have the avenues to reach out to the groups we would like to reach out to.”
Once the faces of an insurgent movement, Angle and some of her fellow upstart candidates whose stunning primary victories were followed by spectacular general election losses in 2010 and 2012 have since been relegated to the political junkyard and trotted out as punchlines for politicos looking to make a point about gaffe-prone candidates. They are cautionary tales in Republican primaries. But beyond the jibes and mockery, there are lessons for the candidates looking to replicate their primary success and, they hope, exceed their results in the general.
“You have to nominate people who can actually win,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last month during a Rose Garden presser with the president, after running through a list of Republicans who won primaries and subsequently lost the general election: Angle, Delaware’s Christine O’Donnell, Missouri’s Todd Akin, and Indiana’s Richard Mourdock.
“Because winners make policy,” he said. “And losers go home.”
The hard feelings go both ways.
“It’s been seven years and he’s still blaming me. He is very much like an ex-boyfriend who can’t move on,” O’Donnell told BuzzFeed News in a four-minute voicemail responding to emailed questions. “You know, when an ex-boyfriend is having the same problems seven years after you broke up, it’s not the ex-girlfriend’s fault. It’s time to take a look in the mirror. McConnell refuses to do that.”
“It just shows that he is angry,” Angle separately said of McConnell. “And that he still hasn’t understood the message that we sent to Washington, DC, over the last six years.”
Asked if she has advice for conservatives running insurgent campaigns now, O’Donnell issued a warning: “Plan your post-primary campaign to be strong enough without the help of the Republican Party. Because that’s the mistake that I made: I was expecting the help of the Republican Party.”
Both Angle and O’Donnell say they see the new Bannonite movement as a continuation of what they were part of in 2010. But their positions now speak to the cosmic irrelevance of an individual candidate within that broader movement. The candidate is a vehicle. The only thing people remember is whether it reaches the final destination, or if the engine catches fire on the side of the road.
Sens. Marco Rubio, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul were also part of that earlier movement, beating establishment favorites, or, in Lee’s case, an incumbent. All three were elected and all three have been reelected since. Cruz followed in 2012, winning a Senate seat as Akin and Mourdock floundered. None of those four make the book of cautionary tales.
Angle’s political efforts since 2010, on the other hand, have been unsuccessful. In 2016, she ran again for the Senate seat that had eluded her and lost in a primary to Joe Heck by 42%. (Heck went on to lose in the general.) She still speaks of herself as part of the “movement,” which she says has “matured” since 2010. But even if a potential wave is forming this year, she might not be in its waters.
Asked if she thinks it’s possible to recapture the magic of 2010, she replies: “I don’t think it’s magic; I think it’s integrity.” And an attention to a candidate’s integrity is what she says she means when she says the movement has matured.
Angle has had no communication with Bannon, even as the strategist has summoned candidates across the country to help fulfill his mission. Trump, in 2015, praised Angle in an offhand remark at an event in Tennessee, calling her “great.” But, she says now, “I believe that we’ll have a similar situation possibly as they had in Alabama,” suggesting Trump may back Amodei in the primary because of his support for Trump during the presidential campaign. "And even though the president has said that we all know Sharron Angle and she’s great, that may not be as weighty. He may decide to support either one of us or neither of us — I don’t even pretend to understand how his mind works on these things.”
In Alabama, Bannon set himself on the opposite side of the man he had worked for in the White House. He backed the controversial former chief justice Roy Moore over the appointed Sen. Luther Strange, who had Trump’s full-throated if somewhat skeptical backing. Moore, who was better known in the state and had a solid support base, ultimately won, something Bannon was quick to take credit for.
After Moore won, Bannon announced he would attempt to inspire similar upsets against every incumbent Republican senator, except Cruz, and has indicated his support for several House Republican primary challengers as well.
Bannon has already kept busy ahead of next year. He appeared at the kickoff event with Kelli Ward, who was challenging Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake until he announced he would not run for reelection. Danny Tarkanian, who is mounting a primary challenge to Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, says Bannon told him he would back him “100 percent.” Bannon spoke with Chris McDaniel, well-known after his narrow loss in 2014 to Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran and who Bannon is now reportedly urging to challenge Mississippi’s other senator, Roger Wicker. He met with Michael Grimm, mounting a comeback bid against the Staten Island incumbent who now holds his old House seat. And Bannon is reportedly supporting a primary challenger to Rep. Robert Pittenger in North Carolina.
It remains to be seen what having Bannon’s support will mean for candidates, and how much financial backing he can muster against traditional Republican donors and McConnell-aligned groups. But, O’Donnell said, having a Bannon-like character as a counterweight to the traditional Republican power centers that never really warmed to her would “absolutely” have made a difference in her 2010 bid.
Breitbart was not yet so weaponized in 2010 on behalf of its preferred candidates, but O’Donnell still credits the website for helping her get as far as she did.
“Thank god for people like Andrew Breitbart, who when we had our side of the story to get out would be willing to tell it when other conservative media pretty much shut us out, because — I hate to say it — even the conservative media was trying to kiss the ring of the Republican Party,” she said.
Asked if she thought things might be different if she were running in 2018 rather than 2010, O’Donnell expressed uncertainty. “It’s not that easy of an answer,” she said in a call following up the voicemail. She speaks of the period from 2006 until now as a “tidal wave” that only recently collapsed. The results of that tidal wave, she says, will only be clear once the wave has subsided.
A Republican strategist with ties to Bannon agrees that there is continuity between 2010 and 2018. “The antiestablishment movement we saw in 2010 has now matured in 2018,” the strategist said. “A part of that is that is the candidates themselves.”Lwan is a high-performance & scalable web server.
View it on GitHub
Requests per second vs. number of concurrent connections? Hello, World! (C) 100B file Hello, World! (LuaJIT) 32KiB file
Lwan was until recently just a personal research effort that focused mostly on building a solid infrastructure for a lightweight and speedy web server.
With its low disk and memory footprints, it's suitable to be used from embedded devices to robust servers. Both static and dynamic content can be served, as it can also be used as a library. Dynamic content can be generated by code written in either C or Lua.
Its simple architecture and tiny source code guarantees the entire code base can be easily grokked.
Connections are handled individually by coroutines, which are transparently and efficiently juggled by a per-CPU cooperative scheduler, giving the illusion of blocking I/O to handlers.
Resource management is also greatly simplified with coroutines: whenever a client connection is closed, memory is automatically reclaimed, files are automatically closed, references are automatically decremented. This provides more predictability than most garbage collectors, helping keep latencies low while being almost as easy to use.
Lwan is a work of art. Every time I read through it, I am almost always awe-struck. @neurodrone
What is deadlier than bullet points?
Low memory footprint (~500KiB for 10k idle connections)
(~500KiB for 10k idle connections) Small disk footprint : x86-64 executable has 110KiB (~52KiB if packed with UPX)
: x86-64 executable has 110KiB (~52KiB if packed with UPX) Minimal memory allocations & copies
& copies Minimal system calls
Hand-written HTTP request parser
Static file serving uses the most efficient way according to file size No copies between kernel and userland for files larger than 16KiB Smaller files are sent using scatter-gather I/O Header overhead is considered before considering deflate compression Precompressed files are sent if the client asks for gzip compression
Mostly wait-free multi-threaded design One thread accepts connections, one I/O thread per logical CPU handles them Coroutines makes asynchronous I/O a breeze in C Supports Linux, FreeBSD and macOS Purpose-built I/O loop
multi-threaded design Efficient, Guava-inspired loading cache. Used for: Directory listing File information (size, last modified date, MIME type, etc) Compressed file contents Compiled Lua scripts
. Used for: Request rewriting support based on Lua pattern matching syntax Lua scripts can be executed to control the rewriting behavior as well
pattern matching syntax Diminute codebase with roughly 10000 lines of C99 code
with roughly 10000 lines of C99 code Efficient Mustache templating engine Used internally for directory listing & error messages (can be loaded from a file) Available for user-built handlers
Easy to use API to create web applications or extend the web server Example: Freegeoip reimplementation, which performs better than the Go version and is roughly the same amount of lines of code. The live version has been up for years, and serves millions of requests per day, with a RSS of roughtly 5MiB. Handlers can be written in C and Lua
to create web applications or extend the web server Supports rebimboca da parafuseta
No-nonsense configuration file syntax
file syntax Supports a subset of HTTP/1.0 and HTTP/1.1 Support for keep-alive connections Support for pipelined requests
PROXY protocol support Useful for TLS terminators such as Hitch
systemd socket activation
IPv6 ready
Buildbots checks every commit Code is statically analyzed by Clang Static Analyzer Debug & Release builds Various platforms: Arch Linux, always up-to-date FreeBSD 10 and 11, courtesy of @koobs macOS Sierra Test suite written in Python tests the server as a black box Test suite is executed with both Undefined Behavior and Address sanitizers
Nice work with Lwan! I haven't looked that carefully yet but so far I like what I saw. You definitely have the right ideas. @thinkingfish
How to build, setup, and run
API example
The README.md file in the repository will list build dependencies, commands, and set up information.
Lwan isn't just a simple static file server: it can be used as a library to build web services on top of it. In fact, the static file server isn't a special case: it just uses the same APIs that are available when Lwan is used as a library.
The Hello, World! handler, shown below, was used to generate the above chart. While the API is simple, Lwan isn't a framework, so not everything is built-in; some features will actually require changes to the internals, as they're very tightly-coupled.
#include "lwan.h" LWAN_HANDLER(hello_world) { static const char message[] = "Hello, World!"; response->mime_type = "text/plain"; lwan_strbuf_set_static(response->buffer, message, sizeof(message) - 1); return HTTP_OK; } int main(void) { const struct lwan_url_map default_map[] = { {.prefix = "/",.handler = LWAN_HANDLER_REF(hello_world) }, {.prefix = NULL } }; struct lwan l; lwan_init(&l); lwan_set_url_map(&l, default_map); lwan_main_loop(&l); lwan_shutdown(&l); return 0; }
Lua is also available to write handlers, but support is still pretty rough and not everything available to C handlers is available to Lua scripts.
However, it's enough to run some frameworks, such as Sailor. To whet your appetite, an improvement of the program above could be easily written in Lua like so:
function handle_get_hello(req) local name = req:query_param[[name]] if name then req:set_response("Hello, ".. name.. "!") else req:set_response("Hello, World!") end end
Lwan infers what method and endpoint by the function name, so there's no need to specify them with something akin to an lwan_url_map_t array. In this case, issuing a GET /hello will be sufficient to run this handler.
An in-depth view of the C API can be seen in this article.
FAQ
Is it secure?
How is it possible to write a “hand-crafted HTTP parser” in 2014, and not have at least an H2 for security? @gnat
Lwan has a 0.0 defect density as reported by Coverity. No top CWE 25 defects were found by this tool.
as reported by Coverity. No top CWE 25 defects were found by this tool. Every commit is checked with Clang Static Analyzer. As far as we can tell, only false positives remain in the code; feel free to check for yourself.
It produces no warnings when executed on Valgrind Memcheck (with debug builds: release builds disable some things that Memcheck relies on to keep sanity when coroutines switches stacks.)
No warnings are produced while building Lwan, even though options to enable extra warnings are always passed.
are produced while building Lwan, even though options to enable extra warnings are always passed. It has been also fuzzed with Sulley, libFuzzer, and afl. One bug has been found with libFuzzer and it has been fixed.
All tests are performed automatically, with both Address Sanitizer and Undefined Behavior Sanitizer; coverage is still on the low side, though.
We're not security experts, by any means. Having said that, here are some facts:
So, to answer the question: we have no idea. We were dead serious when we said we're not security experts. But care is being taken to at least find the most mundane sources of vulnerabilities and fix them before they hit the source tree.
There's nothing stopping you from exploiting Lwan, however. We would specially appreciate a public writeup about the bug; we'll even pay you a drink if we ever meet in person.
It's interesting how some of the tricks you used for performance also made the code less "risky". For example all the parsing is just setting pointers, no allocation of new buffers, so there isn't much opportunity for memory corruption, and coro_defer makes use-after-frees pretty much impossible. immerse
A web server is rarely the bottleneck. Why not just use Nginx or Apache?
If you're asking this question, then you probably should. These web servers are well known, stable, compatible with almost everything under the sun. People depend on them. Breaking their behavior will most likely make some system administrators very upset. On the other hand, few (if any) people use this server, so it is possible to innovate without guilt.
Where are the benchmarks?
For Round 10, Lwan has taken the crown. But we expect the other top contenders won't leave this a settled matter. TechEmpower Blog
Lwan is in the 10th round of TechEmpower's web framework benchmarks. This independent work tests a large number of frameworks and platforms against a set of tests common to web applications, such asand
Could you share some details on how exactly Lwan is this fast?
A good place to start are these blog posts. The code is fairly small as well, so lots of things can be inferred from reading it. Also, there's a rather lengthy post that explains the life of a HTTP request from Lwan's viewpoint, which gives lots of insights.
What's the license?
GNU GPLv2+, plus a few other bits and pieces licensed under other permissive stuff. Refer to each file for their respective credits and legalese. It might move to LGPLv2+ (with a static linking exception) in the future, though.
What does Lwan mean?
Nobody knows. Tell us when you find out! Someone suggested a recursive bacronym, "Lwan Will Annihilate Node.js", which is funny because this is very unlikely to ever happen.
Four years is a long time for a project this small!
This isn't a question, but, yes, it is a long time. Keep in mind that this has been written exclusively on the spare time of a single developer, who works full-time on a real job. Also consider that this was exclusively a research project: the goal was not to write a web server, but to learn while finding novel ways to implement certain things.
Is there a stable release?
There's just one release: the current. This might or might not change in the future.
Is anyone using this server?
Please refer to the GitHub repository for a list of Lwan servers spotted in the wild.
Does it support HTTP2, or at least TLS?
Not yet. As for TLS, Lwan supports the PROXY protocol, so a TLS terminator proxy such as Hitch can be used.
This web page looks like an advertisement for snake oil.
Lwan. Brought to you by @lafp. Powered by
That's not a question. And, yes, it's on purpose. It's a parody of the web page for a similarly-named web server. In fact, there are a few easter eggs in this web page.DESCRIPTION
Kiku-Masamune Kome and Hakko Moisture Gel is an anti-ageing Japanese moisturiser gel-cream.
The rich moisturiser gel-cream has the effects of a hydrating lotion, beauty serum, moisturiser milk, face cream, moisturising pack, and makeup base in one. It features a blend of 11 Kiku-Masamune produced, natural rice (kome) derived ingredients and 6 types of yeasts (hakko) to nourish, firm, smooth, and brighten dry skin with signs of ageing. An additional blend of 2 types of hyaluronic acids, 2 vitamin C derivatives, and amino acids protect the skin barrier against free radical damages and moisture loss.
The all-in-one gel has a rich yet fast-absorbing formula with a slightly acidic pH that envelopes skin in a protective veil of moisture. Skin looks plump, supple, and luminous.
If you are finding this English content outside of RatzillaCosme.com, then the site is guilty of plagiarism. The information provided does not represent my view in any way. Please see here for full disclaimer.3 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard
Trump’s son in law’s sister Nicole Kushner gave a presentation in China explaining how wealthy investors could immigrate to the US by investing $500,000 in a Kushner real estate project in New Jersey.
The Washington Post reported, “Over several hours of slide shows and presentations, representatives from the Kushner family business urged Chinese citizens gathered at the Ritz-Carlton hotel to consider investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a New Jersey real estate project to secure what’s known as an investor visa…Saturday’s event in Beijing was hosted by the Chinese company Qiaowai, which connects U.S. companies with Chinese investors. The tagline on a brochure for the event: “Invest $500,000 and immigrate to the United States.”
The Kushners are selling their connection to the President Of The United States as a way to make money while allowing wealthy Chinese people to immigrate to the United States. This is the exact opposite of the “America First” policy that Trump is talking about it. Apparently, Trump’s tough stance on immigration doesn’t apply to investors in his in-laws’ projects.
When experts warn about the many layers of conflicts of interest that come with the Trumps, this is exactly what they are referring to. Much of the focus on conflicts of interest have rightly centered around the president and his immediate family, but the influence selling and profiteering off the presidency are deeper than the Trump last name.
The Trumps and their entire family are profiting off of the presidency. One of the reasons why it is vital for Democrats to win control of the House or Senate is because investigations need to be done into these activities.
The only way that the Trump family crime wave will stop is if voters put an end to Republican control of Congress at the ballot box.
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:Download your copy of Gabriel’s Revelation and start receiving Bible History Daily — both absolutely free! Get my FREE eBook We understand that your email address is private. We promise to never sell, rent or disclose your email address to any third parties.
Interested in the “Gabriel’s Revelation?” Download the two definitive articles on this artifact, now on display at the Israel Museum. Gabriel’s Revelation In this free eBook, discover the meaning of the inscription of “Gabriel’s Revelation” on a first-century B.C. “Dead Sea Scroll in Stone.” Read the original English translation of “Gabriel’s Revelation” along with the article that made scholars around the world reconsider links between ancient Jewish and Christian messianism. By Ada Yardeni and Israel Knohl
The whole world is talking about “Gabriel’s Revelation.” Israel Museum curators have called it the most important document found in the area since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The script dates to the turn of the era—just like a Dead Sea Scroll. The inked writing is laid out in prepared columns—just like a Dead Sea Scroll. The text contains Bible-like prophecies—just like some of the Dead Sea scrolls. But this document isn’t a “scroll” at all—it’s a stone slab!
This FREE eBook shares the two definitive publications on an artifact that has led Biblical archaeologists to reconsider ancient Jewish perceptions of messianic figures. Published just in time for the Israel Museum exhibit “I Am Gabriel” A Scroll in Stone from the Time of Herod, this eBook provides translations and contexts for the artifact and contemporary belief systems.
Ada Yardeni’s Biblical Archaeology Review article “A New Dead Sea Scroll in Stone” was the first publication of an English translation of the artifact in 2008. Later that year, Israel Knohl’s BAR follow-up “The Messiah Son of Joseph” caused an enormous stir, as Knohl deciphered a line reading “In three days, you shall live.” Knohl understood these lines from “Gabriel’s Revelation” to mean “in three days, you shall return to life (be resurrected).” Knohl’s translation and discussion, reprinted in full in this FREE eBOOK, have been a subject of recent discussion in international publications from The Telegraph to Fox News.
Knohl’s translation of the first-century B.C. inscription on “Gabriel’s Revelation”—and its revelations on Jewish messianism—pre-date the life of Jesus. What does “Gabriel’s Revelation” tell us about the Jewish concept of a messiah leading up to the life of Jesus? Download this FREE BAS eBOOK to read Ada Yardeni’s analysis of the artifact, and Israel Knohl’s discussion of the Jewish origins of a suffering Messiah and resurrection on the third day.A friend of two men killed in a horror smash in Dawesville has told how he almost got in the car with them but decided against it at the last second because they had been drinking.
Bradley Jessup, 29, and Scott Beinke, 46, had spent much of Thursday drinking with mates on a boat.
They then returned to Mr Beinke’s house, where they continued to drink until about 10pm before taking Mr Jessup’s heavily modified Subaru for a “spin”.
Ben Paull said that if he had climbed into the car with them, it would have been a triple fatality.
“I opened the car door and went to get in but before I could sit down, I just closed the door again and went and talked to Scott in the front,” Mr Paull said.
“I told them not to go... I’m just thanking my lucky stars I didn’t.”
The car is believed to have been travelling at high speed when it veered off Estuary Road about 10.30pm and crashed into a tree. The men died instantly.
Camera Icon Bradley Jessup
Mr Jessup’s fiancee Nikki is four months pregnant and Mr Beinke was a father of three.
Mr Paull spoke to The Weekend West yesterday because he wanted to appeal to other drivers not to take their lives into their own hands this Christmas, or the lives of other innocent people.
“Just don’t be stupid because one stupid decision is all it takes,” he said.
Tragically, Mr Jessup’s partner had come to pick him up and drive him home just as the men were leaving the house in the Subaru.
She waited for about 30 minutes and when they did not return, she offered Mr Paull and another man a ride home.
Mr Paull said that as they were leaving Dawesville, they saw a police car race past them with its lights flashing but had no idea where it was going.
WA’s road toll stands at 185 — 24 more than last year.
Louise Clarke is someone who knows all too well what the devastating consequences a road death can mean for families left behind.
Ms Clarke’s only daughter Bronwyn died in September 2014 after she was thrown from a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when the rider lost control near Sorrento.
Camera Icon Louise Clarke's daughter Bronwyn was killed in a motorcycle crash in 2014.
Speaking yesterday at the launch of the A Seat to Savour campaign, aimed at highlighting the long-lasting impact of road deaths, Ms Clarke said her family no longer celebrated Christmas as a result.
“We don’t do Christmas very well, we just basically try to live through it,” Ms Clarke said.
“I’m looking forward to the day it is over. I’m looking forward to Boxing Day.”
She said the day her “world was blown apart” had been etched in her mind for ever and that she would never fully recover from the loss.
“The stress, heartache, pain and suffering is endured by so many on an ongoing basis for years and years after the scene of |
not going to end well. But I ran out of my neighbor's house anyway, and me and my mother fought all of those girls (and some of the boys too) - wildin' out in the middle of the street - on a spring afternoon in '96.
I lived to tell the story.
Twenty years later, as a preacher, a pastor, and a professor, I certainly do not recount this day with ease or great pride. But Amy's tragedy has urged me to recall what I know for myself about the reality of violence perpetrated against black girls and women. That is, that all too often there is a man or boy at the center of it.
Amy lost her life to bullies in a bathroom over a boy. She was brutalized and killed by and among other girls who will likely lose a portion of their lives to a prison industrial complex that disproportionately incarcerates women who have, for many different reasons, taken "the hit," literally, for a man.
My thoughts on bullies and bathrooms this week are further complicated by North Carolina's recent passing of HB2, its lawful hatred of transgender persons, and its accompanying distorted reflections on fictitious threats against women in public restrooms.
If only the moral consolation of conservative cis-hetero (in public) so-called Christian manhood might be displaced by Amy's story, so as to make room for understanding that the greatest threat against women and girls is not the proximity of trans gender identities, but the intransience of patriarchy and its concomitant misogyny; both of which are so insidious that they authorize the control and destruction of women, not only under the gaze of men in the byways of the world, but even in the girls' bathroom at school.
Patriarchy and misogyny are weapons of mass destruction that kill and self-cannabalize women and girls.
For those of us left behind to mourn Amy and to reflect on the social realities that induce violence against black girls, these days the memory of my mother daring to fight for me is instructive. Despite the roadblock of respectability, my mother's intention was to protect me from harm, to bring me home in one piece, to defend my right to live, to insist that I not be afraid, and to affirm that she was on my side. Regardless.
Years later, I came to learn that the same girls my mother defended me against brought their own daughters to her community practice for their primary medical care. My mother recalled that although they could not look her in the eye, she cared for their daughters as if they were her own.
The truth is that we don't want to have to fight. Some of us don't believe in fighting. And it would be something if we lived in a world where we didn't have to. But in this world, littered as it is with patriarchy, misogyny, and racism so intense that it compels women and girls to hate themselves, even to death, somebody ought to know how... to fight for our girls in our schools, our churches, our homes, and even in these mean streets.Last updated at 15:10 04 April 2008
These stunning pictures reveal for the first time the planet Mars's stunning mountain landscape.
The 3D photographs were taken by a high resolution stereo camera on board the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter and beamed 43million miles to Earth.
They show Hebes Chasma, an enclosed trough, almost five miles deep, in the Grand Canyon of the Red Planet.
Scroll down for more...
A taste of Mars: The pictures show the planet's spectacular mountain range, the Hebes Chasma, with its five-mile deep canyon
Insight: Scientists say they will use the photographs to try and prove that water once existed on the planet, which is 43million miles from Earth
By imaging the landcape at three different wavelengths, the camera gives an insight into how the moutain range would look if you were standing on Mars.
But the photos are not just for show - they have also provided scientists with invaluable data about the planet's surface and may prove that water once existed in the canyon.
In addition, they will enable researchers to make a detailed examination of the altimetry of the Mars's surface, and to calculate the slope of its valleys.
Some observers have also been quick to point out that its rough, brown-coloured terrain
bares a close remsemblance to the planet's chocolate namesake, the Mars bar.
Mars attacks: Three photographs - all at different wavelengths - were taken to create an accurate representation of how the canyon looks in 3DSprinklr Announces Strategic Partnership to Drive Customer Engagement & Care on Reddit
Sprinklr is the first enterprise social media management platform to have both listening and publishing access on Reddit
New York, NY – December 7, 2017 – Sprinklr, the most complete social platform for managing customer experiences at scale, today announced an expanded partnership with Reddit, allowing brands to access historical and real-time Reddit data, send and receive private messages and publish to any subreddit all within Sprinklr’s platform. Global companies can now use Sprinklr to listen to what customers are saying, analyze trending topics and manage Reddit customer care directly through the Sprinklr platform.
Reddit, dubbed “the front page of the internet,” is the home to the most authentic conversations online. It’s the 5th largest website in the U.S. with more than 330M monthly active users, 138K active communities, and user-generated conversations. With this reach, user base and diversity of conversation, Reddit is where trends originate and spread to other social channels and the mainstream media.
Previously, brands had to engage on Reddit natively, creating a disconnected process for maintaining customer experience strategies and managing crisis response. Now, with access to Reddit via Sprinklr, brands can engage with Reddit users directly from the Sprinklr platform and access current and historical Reddit data to enable communication, inform decision-making and analyze brand sentiment.
Reddit’s integration into the Sprinklr platform includes the following benefits:
Comprehensive customer care and engagement : Analyze topic-specific pages for relevant and actionable insights on customer care issues. Automatically route service issues to the correct agent and send and receive private Reddit messages, images and links, all within Sprinklr. Easily participate in relevant conversation by publishing to subreddits.
Strategic product development : Access real time and historical data around trends, audience reactions, and key topics across the Reddit community. Reveal consumer opinions that improve decisions around product development.
Effective crisis communications: Listen to, monitor and analyze conversations in real time including warnings about potentially damaging messages for early response and mitigation.
Personalized marketing: Anticipate how audiences – including competitors’ audiences – will react to new advertising campaigns, events and marketing content.
Powerful collaboration at scale: Brands can now reach, engage and listen to their customers on an unmatched number of social channels – more than 25 – on Sprinklr’s unified platform.
Comments on the News:
“As home to the most diverse and authentic conversations on the internet, Reddit is a trove of consumer insights and an increasingly valuable component of any brand’s social and engagement strategy,” says Alex Riccomini, director of business development and media partnerships at Reddit. “We’re excited to partner with Sprinklr to offer their users access to business-impacting monitoring, tracking and engagement functionality for the Reddit community.”
“This integration takes a process that was previously time consuming and siloed – accessing Reddit data, sending Reddit messages and publishing to subreddits – and simplifies it so companies can centralize customer engagements across social media channels on one platform,” said Elizabeth Closmore, VP of Product Evangelism and Partnerships, Sprinklr. “We’re looking forward to supporting Reddit as it increasingly becomes an invaluable channel for brands to reach, engage and listen to their customers.”
About Sprinklr
Sprinklr is the first unified customer experience management platform for the enterprise. We help the world’s largest brands reach, engage, and listen to their customers on Facebook, Twitter, and 23+ other social channels for the purposes of marketing, advertising, research, care, and commerce. Sprinklr does all of that on one unified platform, which integrates with legacy systems and allows siloed teams to collaborate to deliver a seamless experience to every one of their customers across any channel — at scale. Headquartered in New York City with 1,500 employees in 20 offices, Sprinklr works with 1,200+ global companies including Nike, McDonald’s, Microsoft, P&G, Samsung, more than 50% of the Fortune 50, and nine out of ten of the world’s most valuable brands. Its partners include SAP, IBM, Microsoft, and many others across the CXM ecosystem. For more information, visit sprinklr.com or chat with us at @sprinklr
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LAS VEGAS (CBSMiami/AP) — Democratic Convention organizers in Nevada are shooting back against allegations that they unfairly disqualified dozens of would-be Bernie Sanders delegates.
Thousands of Nevada Democrats converged on the Paris casino in Las Vegas to help decide the party’s presidential nominee, though tensions between supporters of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton threatened to stymie the event.
The controversy comes after Hillary Clinton took seven of the 12 delegates up for grabs at the Saturday convention. She won by 33 delegates in a field of nearly 3,400.
The convention ended in out-of-control fashion when Chairwoman of the Nevada State Democratic Party, Roberta Lange, who’s also a member of the national DNC Executive Committee, announced the results of a voice vote, used a gavel to adjourn the meeting and quickly left the venue.
A member of the convention credentials committee presented a “minority report” after the announcement, criticizing the committee’s decision to disqualify nearly 60 potential Sanders delegates and saying it didn’t align with Democratic values.
Party officials said the ineligible Sanders supporters weren’t registered as Democrats by a May 1 deadline or didn’t provide necessary personal information. They said eight would-be Clinton supporters were also disqualified.
The state party said it abided by rules adopted by Clinton and Sanders supporters alike.
It’s the latest run-in Sanders supporters have had against the Clinton camp and party leaders. Sanders supporters filed a lawsuit last week alleging the Nevada State Democratic Party blocked them from running for party office, saying there was conflicting information about a candidate filing deadline.
Judge Ronald Israel tossed the case Friday, saying the courts wouldn’t interfere in a dispute within the party unless there was a compelling reason to do so.
At Saturday’s event, Sanders supporters protested a set of convention rules that were eventually adopted and booed at mentions of Hillary Clinton.
“Boo all you want. Boo louder. Because you’re booing Bernie Sanders and you’re booing this country,” said California Sen. Barbara Boxer, a surrogate for Clinton.
Democratic U.S. Senate Leader Harry Reid tried to quell the unrest with a statement Friday saying he’d “talked to my friend Senator Sanders today” and the two camps needed to cooperate.
“I hope Senator Sanders’ supporters heed his call for an orderly and respectful Nevada State Democratic Party Convention,” Reid said. “The success of Nevada Democrats up and down the ballot in November depends on it.”
The state party also distributed a statement from Sanders himself.
“We share a commitment to electing progressive Democrats up-and-down the ballot in Nevada and across the country and are committed to soundly defeating Donald Trump and the right-wing Republican agenda,” the Vermont senator said. “Working together respectfully and constructively on Saturday at the Nevada Democratic convention will move us closer to those essential goals.”
Candidates already locked in some of their delegates based on the results of Nevada’s Democratic caucuses. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote and locked in 13 delegates, while Bernie Sanders received 10.
Sanders scored an upset at Nevada’s county-level conventions last month, winning 55 percent of the delegates thanks to robust turnout among his supporters. But no delegates were tied to the county results, and Sanders would have had to maintain that majority to win a majority of the delegates up for grabs at the state convention.
Party leaders urged Democrats to unify toward their common goals, including returning the Legislature to Democratic control and keeping Donald Trump out of the White House.
“Sixteen different Republicans tried and failed to stop Trump this year,” said Lange. “Now it’s up to all of us to get the job done.”
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)You may recall that several months ago I had lunch with Dawn, a stunning British Model whom has links to the Royal family. Although there were several others there, I felt we hit it off and I made it clear I wanted to meet again. For one reason or another our diaries had difficulty in finding mutually convenient dates (she has been in high demand around the country) however last week we finally made a date that we could both stick to.
I am fully aware of her heritage and upbringing and as such was sure that I couldn’t compete in the upper echelon circles she generally frequents, so I thought I’d find a way to ‘Kiwify’ our date.
We arranged to meet in Mission bay at (of course, Dawn). It was to be a full on day and I wanted to start as early as possible (based on how long it had taken us to get this far, I wasn’t sure when we’d meet again). Unsure of how she would dress, I took my time getting ready (it’s difficult to decide what to wear on a first date with such a graceful beauty) I opted for smart casual in case you were wondering.
I arrived early (pacing a little in anticipation) before – my jaw dropped open as she appeared. She was wearing an overcoat of Metallic Midnight Sapphire that glistened in the moonlight, with a hood of Navy Blue to keep the chill at bay. Her elegant cheek bones were accentuated by her instantly recognisable highly polished face that was highlighted by a beautiful ‘Angel’ pendant she called ‘the Spirit of Ecstasy’ that simply shone in the dark with its illuminated surround.
I stood in awe and watched as she came ever closer, somehow her 21” forged 10 spoke shoes seemed to glide over the uneven terrain keeping their RR brand upright and unmoved – It was easy to see why she is so sought after.
Unsure as to whether or not to hug, I opted to just say hello and stand beside her for a while. Our date had begun. We stood in silence as we watched the sun come up over the water (somewhere south of Rangitoto) and yet it didn’t feel in the slightest bit uncomfortable – in fact it felt meant to be. I managed to sneak side glances of her as we stood together. She had the poise of an athlete and that made her all the more sensuous. Her strong shoulder line flowed down the length of her 5.285M body, over the swell of her feminine hips, to her (may I say this) pert rear end and ‘Boat tail’. Although smaller than on other models; her (ahem) headlights are perfectly proportioned and shine incredibly brightly – they are LED enhanced you know.
With the heat of the sun taking the chill out of the air, she quietly and smoothly let the Navy scarf fall from her head and shoulders (she called it her ‘Silent ballet’), and it was quite the party trick. There was so much action as she quickly (20 seconds) and carefully folded it away but zero sound. She can multitask and do this at 50kph too. The resulting ‘look’ was even more attractive than when she first arrived. Exposing the striking mandarin orange dress she wore below she looked racier, more devil may care and yet still so very refined, so Savoir Faire.
It was time to get better acquainted. Being a gentleman, I opened the doors for her, (they’re epically large coach doors) and stepped over the DAWN tread panel jewelry. The ice was broken and she was already getting into the spirit of the date, to my surprise once I was inside (at the push of the button) she closed the doors for herself. As I started to get comfortable (adjusting the near endless seat settings) I began to delve even deeper.
She visibly had a social side, she could easily take 3 more friends with us and we’d all be able to travel in cosseting seat style (not that I would let that happen today). Without moving from the spot we were in, the scenery inside was as good (maybe even better) as what the waterfront had to offer. Hand crafted open pore Canadel Paneling traced the horse-shoe shape of the rear cabin, while the individualized wood on the deck flowed down the ‘waterfall’ between the rear seating arrangements. Unblemished full natural grain leather and chevron patterned book matched wood filled the entire tableau. Under foot was a carpet of one of the deepest lambswool shag pile I have ever felt and just quietly I’d have liked to throw off my socks and shoes and fun my bare feet through it – possibly a little too soon for that.
Her instrument dials had individually applied polished metal chaplets around the dials reminiscent of luxury wrist watches and matte chrome centres ‘float’ in the middle of each instrument. Something of note – she didn’t boast such things as ‘revs’ but merely declared ‘power reserve’ – quaint.
She also wore a beautiful analogue timepiece that featured her name – but time was (in my mind) both standing still and racing forward, I was ready to move the date on.
We drove around the waterfront admiring the view, the contrast of the city in the distance and water lapping up to the coastline was incredible. We breathed in the sea air and let the morning sun engulf us. The traffic was already starting to build and we received sly looks and glances from other drivers – I felt proud to be noticed with her.
Breakfast was to be on the run, (I didn’t want any interruptions from waiters) and also wanted to downplay my obsession, so I grabbed us a Mcmuffin combo from Macca’s – I know, all class. Even the owner came out and looked a little puzzled. Although her look and style was more befitting taking her on a date to the ‘Cote D’Azur’ or a Monaco Casino, I had planned to take her on a tour of the city.
Even as we stepped up the pace the Beat of her Goodwood born heart was virtually silent. I knew that she had vital statistics that boasts things like a 6.6L V12, 420kW, 780Nm but we didn’t need to concern ourselves with those things. What was more important was that we could talk and I mean talk – there was absolutely no need to shout. She’s considerate of others too – I noticed that yellow warning lights flashed up on the crystal clear HUD showed images of pedestrians if they came within a hint of danger. Beautiful, considerate, classy and powerful – I’m smitten.
I forgot to bring any music (I didn’t plan for everything) but Dawn had it covered – she brought an outstanding audio system that industry experts had been specially made just for her (I should have known) and already had over 600 tunes loaded ready to be played. Frank Sinatra set the mood.
As if on a magic carpet we simply glided over the uneven surfaces of the Auckland city streets – her shoes have been specially made to effortlessly handle such terrains. We took in such sights as the Sky Tower and Museum and toured areas like Parnell and Ponsonby, drawing movie star adoration gazes as we went.
With the city tour covered; I grabbed a fish and chip supper with a sneaky glass of bubbles (L&P) and headed west for the beach; Muriwai Beach in fact – I wanted her to see some of the beautiful countryside NZ has to offer and also get her alone, away from the crowds. We changed the music to the Bee Gee’s and danced through twists and turns of rural NZ. Although she is quite big boned, she’s nimble too – some of the tighter corners gave me more concern than apparently I should have, she took them all in her stride and tripped the light fantastic.
We stopped at the cliff top and looked out to sea. The day had been amazing and even the weather had behaved. Watching the sun go down, the chill returned to the air. I watched as she pulled the scarf back over her shoulders and we snuggled in together.
We watched the sun drop down over the horizon along the wake of the ‘angels’ wings and as if on cue the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ slipped silently back into her home beneath Dawn’s coat.
My date from Dawn to Dusk with this British Supermodel had been everything I’d hoped it would be. It had been an amazing day that had filled me with admiration of Dawn. It was incredible to be with such a beautifully poised aristocrat that has such a sunny disposition. She’s graceful and elegant but also knows how to let her hair down.
Is it too soon to ask for a second date? Thankfully I managed to get the date on film (in case my friends didn’t believe me)
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(CNN) – Sen. Rand Paul's criticism of Wednesday's same-sex marriage ruling, which included a rhetorical question about bestiality eventually being made legal, was sarcasm, the Kentucky Republican's office says.
Speaking to conservative radio host Glenn Beck, Paul delved into the question of whether or not lawmakers should imbue legislation with their own morals. Beck set up the statement by wondering whether the court's ruling – which found a key provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional – could logically lead to polygamy becoming legal.
"If you change one variable – man and a woman – to a man and a man and a woman and a woman, you cannot tell me then that you can't logically change the other variable," Beck said. "One man, three women. One woman, four men. Who are you to say that if I am a devout Muslim and I come over here and I have three wives, who are you to say if I am an American citizen that I can't have multiple marriages?"
Paul, a potential 2016 presidential candidate whose supporters include a large number of libertarian-leaning conservatives, said Beck was getting at a larger question of whether laws can include moral designations.
"This is a conundrum, and it gets back to what you were saying …whether or not churches should decide this," Paul said. "And it is difficult, because if we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further. Does it have to be humans?"
That remark, his office said, wasn't meant to be taken seriously.
"Sarcasm sometimes doesn't translate adequately from radio conversation," his communications director Moira Bagley said. "Sen. Paul did not suggest that striking down DOMA could lead to unusual marriage arrangements. What he was discussing was that having the state recognize marriage without definition could lead to marriages with no basis in reality."
Later in the interview, Paul stressed the economic importance of stable marriages for children.
"I also see that economically, if you don't look at it with any moral periscope, and you say, 'What is it that is the leading cause of poverty in our country?' It's having kids without marriage," Paul said. "That stability of the marriage unit is enormous, and we should not say we're punting on it and marriage can be anything."
Later, in an interview with ABC News, Paul said he thought the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA was appropriate and said the issue should be one left to the states.
As for the growing divide among Republicans on same-sex marriage, Paul said "the party is going to have to agree to disagree on some of these issues."
CNN's Kevin Liptak and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.Two students at Etowah High School are facing charges and disciplinary action after they were engaged in a sex act in the middle of the school’s cafeteria, a district spokesperson says.
The students are two freshmen, a boy and a girl. Classmates say it happened because the girl acted on a dare, with plenty of people around. Another student says the teens stacked books and book bags on tables to block the view of others nearby.
One student says another student taped it and sent it other students. Freshman Taylor Powell tells Channel 2 Action News the footage was sent to “a lot” of other students.
The alleged incent happened October 10th. Teachers are present in the cafeteria during lunch.
“Knowing our generation, we don’t really think before we act,” freshman Callie Goldman said.
A spokesperson for the Cherokee County School District says the two students are charged with misdemeanor public indecency. They will also be punished by the school, but the spokesperson did not say exactly what disciplinary action will be taken.
The students have not been back to class since the incident.Getty Images Share
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Stephen Miller, the White House national policy director, turned in appearances on all the Sunday shows this weekend, coming off as robotic in defending President Trump in teleprompter-ready fashion.
Hitting NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CBS’s “Face the Nation,” “Fox News Sunday,” and ABC’s “This Week,” Miller’s wooden delivery drew ridicule from the internet, especially since he was basically the face of the White House for the day. His message wasn’t much to write home about either, rehashing President Donald Trump’s complaint that courts shouldn’t review his executive orders, adviser Kellyanne Conway’s promotion of Ivanka Trump’s products, and the new president’s oft-repeated false claim of large-scale voter fraud.
“We know for a fact that you have massive numbers of non-citizens registered to vote in this country. Nobody disputes that,” he told “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos, defending President Donald Trump’s false claim that millions voted illegally for rival Hillary Clinton in the November election.
Miller repeated the assertion when Stephanopoulos challenged him, adding, “We know that we have George, it is a fact, and you will not deny it, that there are mass numbers of non-citizens in this country who are registered to vote. That is a scandal. We should stop the presses.” Studies have been unequivocal that the voter fraud and illegal voter registration that Miller and Trump allege do not exist.
The appearances prompted consternation on Twitter, where pundits focused especially on the balding 31-year- old’s mechanical recitation of talking points.
Ok. I am going to go ahead and say out loud what a lot of you are thinking…this Stephen Miller fellow is kind of creepy. https://t.co/8zDhQ6R8UV— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) February 12, 2017
But Trump wasn’t fazed, sending out his own tweet in support of his adviser.
Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017
Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomonIpswich: Conversion work starts at multiplex cinema
Cineworld in Ipswich
CONVERSION work has started on turning the largest screen at the town’s Cineworld Multiplex into a state of the art IMAX cinema.
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The cinema, which opened in 1998, is having its largest makeover – and the work should be completed by the end of October.
It is not clear whether there will be other improvements at the cinema – visitors have complained about the state of some of the seats and the worn appearance of carpets which have been in place since the 11-screen multiplex opened 14 years ago.
Staff from the cinema are already being prepared for the introduction of the IMAX screen – they have been taken to see the company’s cinema at Crawley in Sussex which has already been converted.
IMAX cinemas show films on huge curved screens which allow the audience to absorb themselves in the action.
Tickets for such performances cost more than those in normal screens and many blockbusters are now filmed with a view to be shown in an IMAX cinema – the recent Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises had a special IMAX version.
Crispin Lilly of Cineworld said: “The response from our customers to our recently opened IMAX auditoriums in Crawley, Edinburgh and Sheffield has been overwhelmingly positive, and today’s announcement is a direct result of our success to date.”
Piers Button, Cineworld Ipswich general manager, added: “We couldn’t be more excited to be bringing this amazing cinema experience to our customers. We can’t wait to open this screen in style with the latest Bond film, Skyfall.”
Ipswich Central chief executive Paul Clement said the news about the IMAX was a real shot in the arm for the town – and comes as Vue cinemas is proposing to develop a nine-screen complex in the Buttermarket Centre.
He said: “Cinema-goers in Ipswich will have more choice with two modern multiplexes. Ipswich will be the first place in East Anglia to have an IMAX cinema, and it is good that Cineworld want to invest so heavily in the town.
“These two developments should have a major impact on the town centre and make it a more vibrant and busier place for people to visit.”BEIJING (Reuters) - Profits at China’s industrial companies rose the most in four years in August as commodities prices surged, thanks to a government-backed construction boom that is helping Beijing trim high levels of corporate debt without tripping up the economy.
FILE PHOTO: A worker jokes and beckons at her colleague as she rolls away carts of unused tools between rows of spinning machine at a factory owned by Hong Kong's Novetex Textiles Limited in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China December 13, 2016. REUTERS/Venus Wu/File Photo
The upbeat earnings report is another sweetener for authorities as China focuses on stripping out financial risks from years of credit-fueled growth and keeping the economy on a steady footing ahead of a crucial party gathering next month.
Profits in August jumped 24 percent year-on-year to 672 billion yuan ($101.21 billion), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Wednesday.
Discounting the combined Jan-Feb profit rise of 31.5 percent, the latest earnings boost would be the biggest single monthly percentage surge since August 2013. The statistics bureau does not release single-month figures for Jan-Feb due to seasonal factors.
Annual profit growth was 16.5 percent in July.
“The figures are really positive - they show China’s efforts to cut down on overcapacity is working well,” said Iris Pang, Greater China Economist at ING bank in Hong Kong.
Crucially, Pang said that Beijing is also making headway in reducing debt risks. “When you close down overcapacity factories, you are also deleveraging to an extent.”
The robust industrial earnings growth in August was driven by higher prices, particularly in sectors such as oil, steel and electronics, He Ping of the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.
He estimated that surging prices contributed nearly one third of the new profits last month.
A year-long, government-led construction boom has fueled demand and prices for building materials, while China’s push to cut excess capacity in heavy industries and its war on pollution has also appeared to intensify a short-term supply shortage and higher prices.
LOOMING RISKS
For the first eight months this year, the firms notched up profits of 4.92 trillion yuan, an increase of 21.6 percent year-on-year, picking up slightly from the 21.2 percent annual growth in the January-July period.
The earnings data by sector, however, highlights the uneven nature of profit growth.
Earnings in the mining industry soared 5.9 times from a year earlier, coal mining enjoyed a 960 percent jump and manufacturing saw an 18.6 percent boost. Sectors such as electricity, gas and water production however saw their profits plunge 22.6 percent.
A private survey of thousands of Chinese firms by China Beige Book International (CBB) noted major risks are looming for 2018, with a reversal in the commodity boom being one of the top worries.
“It was demand and hot money inflows that kept prices rising. Neither was sustainable and now demand has clearly sputtered,” it said.
Profits at China’s state-owned industrial firms, often debt-laden, were up 46.3 percent at 1.08 trillion yuan in January-August, compared with a 44.2 percent rise in the first seven months. But earnings for all SOEs for August alone were only up 4.3 percent on-year, Reuters calculations show.
A raft of August data back analysts’ expectations for the economy to slow over coming months, as efforts by policymakers to clamp down on debt risks and defuse a property market bubble have raised financing costs and generally tightened monetary conditions.
S&P Global Ratings downgraded China’s long-term sovereign credit rating last Thursday, citing increasing risks from its rapid build-up debt. Chinese industrial firms’ liabilities at the end of August were 6.4 percent higher than at the same point last year.
A labourer looks at steel coils next to a production line of Dongbei Special Steel Group Co., Ltd., in Dalian, Liaoning province September 27, 2013. REUTERS/China Daily
Still, after a robust first-half growth is expected to easily meet the government’s 6.5 percent target for this year in a welcome sign for Beijing ahead of a Communist Party Congress (CPC), which will see a key leadership reshuffle and the setting of policy priorities for the next five years.
“We are bullish on China’s growth,” ING’s Pang said.
“It’s not just capacity cuts that are boosting prices. Demand is quite strong too.”Study of E. coli bacteria evolution in controlled conditions
E. coli LTEE populations on June 25, 2008.[1] The 12LTEE populations on June 25, 2008.
The E. coli long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) is an ongoing study in experimental evolution led by Richard Lenski that has been tracking genetic changes in 12 initially identical populations of asexual Escherichia coli bacteria since 24 February 1988.[2] The populations reached the milestone of 50,000 generations in February 2010 and 66,000 in November 2016.[3] Lenski performed the 10,000th transfer of the experiment on March 13, 2017.[4]
Over the course of the experiment, Lenski and his colleagues have reported a wide array of phenotypic and genotypic changes in the evolving populations. These have included changes that have occurred in all 12 populations and others that have only appeared in one or a few populations. For example, all 12 populations showed a similar pattern of rapid improvement in fitness that decelerated over time, faster growth rates, and increased cell size. Half of the populations have evolved defects in DNA repair that have caused mutator phenotypes marked by elevated mutation rates. The most striking adaptation reported so far is the evolution of aerobic growth on citrate, which is unusual in E. coli, in one population at some point between generations 31,000 and 31,500.[5][6]
Experimental approach [ edit ]
The long-term evolution experiment was designed as an open-ended means of empirical examination of central features of evolution. The experiment was begun with three principal goals:
To examine the dynamics of evolution, including the rate of evolutionary change. To examine the repeatability of evolution. To better understand the relationship between change on the phenotypic and genotypic levels.[7]
As the experiment has continued, its scope has grown as new questions in evolutionary biology have arisen that it can be used to address, as the populations' evolution has presented new phenomena to study, and as technology and methodological techniques have advanced.[8]
The use of E. coli as the experimental organism has allowed many generations and large populations to be studied in a relatively short period of time. Moreover, due to the long use of E.coli as a principle model organism in molecular biology, a wide array of tools, protocols, and procedures were available for studying changes at the genetic, phenotypic, and physiological levels.[9] The bacteria can also be frozen and preserved while remaining viable. This has permitted the creation of what Lenski describes as a "frozen fossil record" of samples of evolving populations that can be revived at any time. This frozen fossil record allows populations to be restarted in cases of contamination or other disruption in the experiment, and permits the isolation and comparison of living exemplars of ancestral and evolved clones. Lenski chose an E. coli strain that reproduces only asexually, lacks any plasmids that could permit bacterial conjugation, and has no viable prophage. As a consequence, evolution in the experiment occurs only by the core evolutionary processes of mutation, genetic drift, and natural selection. This strict asexuality also means that genetic markers persist in lineages and clades by common descent, but cannot otherwise spread in the populations.[7]
Lenski chose to carry out the experiment with the bacteria grown in a glucose-limited minimal medium called DM25,[10] which was initially developed by Bernard Davis for use in isolating auxotrophic mutants of E. coli using penicillin as a selective agent.[11][12] DM25 is supplemented with a low concentration of glucose.[10] Lenski chose this concentration to simplify analysis of the populations' evolution by reducing clonal interference, in which multiple versions of alleles are competing in an evolving population, while also reducing the possibility of the evolution of ecological interactions.[7] This concentration of glucose used supports a maximum population of 500 million cells of the ancestor in a 10 mL culture, though the maximum now varies among the evolved populations.[11] DM25 also contains a large amount of citrate (about 11 times the concentration of glucose), which was originally included by Davis because it improved the killing efficiency of penicillin during his experiments, though it is now known to aid in E. coli's acquisition of iron from the medium.[11][13]
Methods [ edit ]
The 12 populations are maintained in a 37 °C (99 °F) incubator in Lenski's laboratory at Michigan State University. Each day, 1% of each population is transferred to a flask of fresh DM25 growth medium. The dilution means that each population experiences 6.64 generations, or doublings, each day. Large, representative samples of each population are frozen with glycerol as a cryoprotectant at 500-generation (75-day) intervals. The bacteria in these samples remain viable, and can be revived at any time. This collection of samples is referred to as the "frozen fossil record", and provides a history of the evolution of each population through the entire experiment. The populations are also regularly screened for changes in mean fitness, and supplemental experiments are regularly performed to study interesting developments in the populations.[ |
with a 4V DC source, the current that will flow through the resistor will be 5A and the power dissipated on it will be 20W. In this case, we need to use a battery that is able to supply 20W.
Batteries are characterized by their discharge rate capability and energy capacity. The C rating of a battery is an indication of the maximum safe continuous discharge rate. If you see 10C on your battery, it means that the battery can be discharged at 10 times its capacity. Capacity refers to the milliamp-hour rating of the battery, which is listed as a number followed by mAh (2000mAh, for example).
For example, most red AW IMR 18650 batteries have a 15C rating and a nominal capacity of 1600mAh. This means that its max continuous discharge rate is 15 * 1600 = 24000mA = 24A.
Similarly, we can find that the limits for the AW IMR 18490 (15C), AW IMR 18350 and AW IMR 16340 batteries are: 16.5A, 6A and 4A.
Based on the above, this means that the lowest resistances that can be safely powered by these batteries are around 0.15 Ohm (18650), 0.23 Ohm (18490), 0.65 Ohm (18350) and 1.0 Ohm (16340).
On a side note, the black (protected) AW ICR 16340 is rated at 750 mAh but has a ~3A limit, which corresponds to a resistance of around 1.3 Ohm. In this case, the discharge limit is imposed by the integrated protection circuit.
With safety put aside, there are still two limiting factors — the capacity of the battery and its efficiency.
The capacity becomes a limiting factor when batteries are used to power resistances close to these minimum values. For example, the AW IMR 18350 battery cannot be realistically used to power a 0.7 Ohm resistance, since the battery will need to be recharged so frequently that it will be practically unusable. For the same reason, a 16340 battery will not last long when powering a 1.0 Ohm resistance. This fact applies even more to the higher C-rated 18490 and 18650 batteries.
In practice, a discharge rate usable for real-world vaping is around 5-6C. Roughly, this corresponds to a minimum resistance of around 0.4-0.5 Ohm for the 18650, 0.6-0.7 Ohm for the 18490, 0.9-1.0 Ohm for the 18350 and 1.2-1.4 Ohm for the 16340 (AW IMR).
Last but not least, the efficiency of each battery depends heavily on its internal resistance. Smaller cells have a higher internal resistance, which always translates into voltage loss, a subject which has already been discussed here. In simple words, this means that if we compare the performance of an AW 18350 vs an AW 18650 when both batteries power the same 1.0 Ohm resistance, we will find that the AW 18350 results in a voltage drop that is about double that of the AW 18650. In terms of efficiency, this means that not only the 18350 lasts less due to its lower capacity, but more power is wasted on the way compared to the 18650. This can be witnessed intuitively if you notice that an AW IMR 18350 will always warm up more than its 18650 counterpart when powering the same resistance.
Mod Performance and Safety
A mechanical mod is nothing but a series of fixed electrical contacts that connect a number of parts, as well as one normally-open, make-break contact: The switch. In our recent discussion about voltage drop, we mentioned that all these contacts and parts introduce some resistance, which is placed in series with the resistance of our primary load – the atomizer.
Fixed Contacts
The greatest chunk of the combined resistance of a mod can be traced to the fixed electrical contacts between its parts — not to the bulk resistance of the material of these parts. In other words, a copper-alloy mod performs marginally better than its ss-alloy version *not* because the bulk material of its parts conducts noticeably better, but because copper-to-copper contacts perform noticeably better than ss-to-ss contacts on average.
In any case, the higher the combined mod resistance, the higher the combined voltage drop on the mod. In a similar way to the internal resistance of the battery, the connections of a mod play an important role to the efficiency of the circuit, which becomes more and more important when using sub-ohm atomizer resistances. There is one very important thing to keep in mind here:
The performance of a mod’s fixed connections / contacts depends primarily on their number and condition, and less on other factors. This means that a mod with i) few, ii) clean / non-oxidized, and iii) tight connections will always perform better than a mod with more, dirty or loose connections.
From this, it is obvious that the exact same mod may perform very differently if its connections are not clean, tight and properly assembled. More connections mean that a higher probability exists for a connection to be dirty or loose, while a bad connection may have a huge impact on performance, and potentially on safety, too.
In the sub-ohm world, the importance of these facts becomes so important that a mod with un-maintained connections or loosely assembled connections may be unusable or – in extreme conditions – dangerous. At higher currents (lower atomizer resistances in the sub-ohm range), some connections might actually perform better and some progressively worse for a number of reasons. A slightly resistive spring-loaded connection may dissipate so much heat when a lot of current passes through it, that the spring might lose some of its flex. When that happens, the electrical contacts on both ends of the spring will be weakened, making things even worse and resulting in overheating, voltage drop and eventually a collapsed spring. When using spring-loaded contacts for sub-ohm vaping, it is necessary to ensure that the spring is hard enough to provide a firm connection and that it is always clean and in mint condition it terms of flex. Otherwise, it is a far better idea not to use a spring-loaded contact at all. Thermal shock is one of the factors that can affect the performance of spring-loaded contacts in a very adverse way – springs and pogo pins should not be used in places where rapid changes of temperature may happen.
All fixed contacts must be tightly assembled and kept in top shape in order to: i) maximize the voltage that will reach the atomizer, and ii) to prevent any localized overheating which could damage your equipment or affect the operation of your batteries. The contacts against the battery terminals are the most critical and, usually, the ones that can easily result in voltage drop and overheating unless they are treated with attention.
The Switch
The make-break switches of all mods require special attention to remain operable when using sub-ohm resistances: Normally, DC contacts must be switched fast to minimize the negative effects of arcing, which damages electrical contacts, while the force applied on the contacts must be: i) sufficient for the specific operating current, and ii) ideally applied by a dedicated mechanism in a controlled, repeatable way.
The switches in all mechanical mods are simple, rebuildable designs where the position and force of the contacts is directly controlled by our hands. These switches are less than ideal in many ways: They are not making and breaking as fast as they should, they do not operate in a repeatable manner and they are not environmentally sealed, which means that dust and other contaminants can freely roam on the contact surfaces. It may sound like a paradox, but these tradeoffs have been made exactly to avoid placing off-shelf, sealed microswitches into mech mods: These switches are usually bulky, sensitive, non-rebuildable, require cabling / soldering and will only fail once – and for good.
The most important and simple parameter to ensure a reliable operation of mod switches is contact force and the material / condition of the mating surfaces. Sealed industrial switches are usually designed in a way that minimizes surface area for the rated current of the switch, in order to i) maximize the effect of the applied force (hertz stress) and ii) minimize cost. Larger surface areas become more meaningful at higher currents / higher available forces and when the mating surfaces are even. Contacts with large surface areas should be avoided unless: i) the current magnitude absolutely requires the increased surface, ii) the mating surfaces are even and iii) enough force is available to electrically “activate” the larger surface.
The switches in many mech mods are so well designed that the angle of operation will have no effect on circuit closure; some switches feel so responsive that vapers get into the habit of pressing them with feather-light forces. At higher currents, though, a very light activation force may actually be insufficient, resulting in contact overheating.
Additionally, the plating material on all contacts tends to wear off with heavy use – and mod switches are used very heavily indeed. The role of the plating material is exactly to bring down the force required to operate a contact well – once the plating layer starts to wear off, the contact will no longer perform well and will require higher forces to operate without becoming resistive.
So:
Sub-ohm vaping requires a consistent, firm operation of make-break contacts due to the high current. A worn or dirty contact will overheat and get damaged much more rapidly when used to conduct a high current.
2. Sub-Ohming: Good Practices
Summing up, here is a list of good practices when using a sub-ohm resistance. The lower the resistance, the more important it becomes to follow these tips religiously in order to prevent equipment damage and maintain a high level of safety.
Batteries
Use this guide to select batteries that are suitable for the resistances you are building. Don’t use a cheap multimeter to measure sub-ohm resistances – the measurement might be much higher than the actual value of your resistance. Low-resistance measurements require dedicated equipment! Do not experiment with super-low-resistance builds unless you can accurately measure your resistances. Once you have the necessary experience, you will be able to rebuild the same setup in a repeatable way even without measurement tools. Check the condition of your batteries often. Stressed batteries will gradually discharge very fast and show a higher voltage drop on their internal resistance. Don’t use batteries for sub-ohm vaping unless you are monitoring their condition.
Fixed Mod Contacts
Just like with batteries, you need to be able to monitor the condition of your mod by measuring voltage drop using a battery that you know. When you notice an abnormally high voltage drop, immediately inspect all connections, starting with the atomizer-to-mod contacts and with the battery-to-mod contacts. It may take time to find the bottleneck, but it will save you from other headaches. If necessary disassemble all fixed contacts of the mod and clean all threads and connections individually. Avoid spring-loaded contacts for sub-ohm vaping, or use harder and preferably plated springs. With use, springs tend to lose their flex, which weakens contact at both ends, resulting in voltage drop and overheating. If you have to use a spring, stretch it often to ensure firm contact at both ends. The collapsible springs used in some mods are a sacrifice of performance in favour of safety. In most cases, you can remove them, though. If you have such a mod and have damaged more than a few of those springs, you shouldn’t be using a mech mod in the first place. Keep all parts tight and clean and, as a rule of thumb, prefer simpler mods with fewer connections. If that means sacrificing things like air-flow control, extensions or other gimmicks, so be it. Keep things spartan, especially at the lower end of the sub-ohm range. Keep a list of all connections from the positive battery terminal to the atomizer resistance, and from the negative battery terminal to the atomizer resistance. You need to know which of these connections are the most sensitive, handle them properly and inspect them often.
Mod Switches
Handle the switch properly and keep it in top shape to ensure that it is able to conduct the high current without overheating. Proper maintenance and prevention is important. Wipe the contacts of the switch with alcohol every week, blow all parts with compressed air and avoid touching them with bare hands. At lower resistances, remember to operate the switch firmly, especially if it’s a double-break design (all top-firing mods). Very light, accidental presses of the switch can be catastrophic at high currents. Always lock your mod when carrying it and avoid throwing it in dusty pockets. When sub-ohming, you will have to re-plate the contacts of your mods at least every few months. The more serious you are with vaping, the more you must be informed and prepared to do what’s necessary to enjoy it when pushing the limits. With regular maintenance and proper use, the contacts of your mod are very unlikely to suffer from overheating incidents, but if any black spots appear on them, they should be cleaned with “silver wipes” or a non-corrosive cream suitable for silver/brass/ss-ware as soon as possible. Some mods use thermoplastic materials designed to handle temperatures up to 300*C. This means that they are – by design – able to operate in overheated switch conditions that can possibly be an issue for battery safety. Although that means that the mod won’t break easily, don’t take the matter lightly – just because the switch can be operated in unsafe conditions doesn’t mean that you should neglect its maintenance. Industrial switches at these ranges are built to be operated well below the 80*C threshold — high temperature always translates into rapid contact damage, high voltage drop and compromised safety. Monitoring the voltage drop of your mod is the best way to ensure that the switch is in mint condition ***. *** Many battery chemistries will start to become unstable when temperatures in excess of 150*C reach the cell. Our approach at Atmizone has been to use materials that are designed to operate in those temperature ranges that all batteries operate safely. For safety reasons, all components in direct contact to a battery, such as a mechanical switch or an electronic component, should not be allowed to operate at temperatures beyond this range. This is a common industrial practice which is based on a simple principle: If a low-cost component is not used or serviced properly, to the point that its operation becomes a potential safety issue for other components, it is better if that component is designed to fail. Atmizoo mods use thermoplastic materials that will not sustain temperatures in excess of 150*C for precisely that reason. A switch allowed to operate at the 250-300*C range is a big safety and performance compromise without dedicated safety circuitry. Mechanical switches should be designed, handled and maintained so that they never develop such temperatures in the first place, not the other way around. Allowing a component to operate under conditions where it’s no longer safe or efficient is a two-edged sword: It is a poor approach to reliability and a poor attempt at making unregulated mechanical devices more appealing to non-technical vapers (Updated: Jan 6, 2014).
3. Sub-Ohming with Atmizoo Mods
Like most fully mechanical mods, Atmizoo mods are suitable for sub-ohm vaping as long as all this information is kept in check. Until now, top-firing mods like the Roller are by design more complex than the simplest bottom-firing mechs, which means that they require more attention. Additionally, most top-firing designs have a spring-loaded battery-to-mod contact, which may result in headaches when used for sub-ohm vaping by inexperienced vapers.
Older versions of the Roller were shipped with a thin diameter, un-plated spring which was quite sensitive to thermal shock and rather soft for high-current use, especially in 18350 mode where the spring cannot be compressed firmly. 18350 batteries are mostly unsuitable for sub-ohm vaping, not because they are borderline capable to handle the high current, but also because of their limited capacity, as outlined previously. Many vapers who ignored the limitations of spring-loaded contacts had trouble using Rollers for sub-ohm vaping, especially in 18350 mode.
For a few months now, all versions of the Roller are shipped with thicker diameter (optionally silver- or rhodium-plated) springs which are able to maintain a more firm contact in all modes but are still not ideal for super-low-resistance vaping. In the vein of keeping things simple, experienced vapers who use Rollers for sub-ohm vaping usually remove the spring and use exclusively 18500 / 18650 batteries, remembering to keep the telescopic tube tight. Safety-minded sub-ohm vapers replaced the spring with a Bug, which is a high-performance resettable fuse that can be used with resistances down to 0.6 Ohm.
The Dingo, being a fixed-length mod, is a bit more challenging for sub-ohm use. Removing the spring requires bottom cap disc adjustment which will usually not be sufficient to close the circuit without a Bug or other spacer. A very good solution for springless sub-ohm vaping with the Dingo is to use the Bug in combination with a T2 extension and a 18500 battery. Otherwise, instead of going springless, the spring must be kept in check and if necessary stretched to ensure firm contact with the battery.
Uni-tube designs, such as the Guppy and the Lab, consist of fewer parts and connections than any other top-firing device, which makes them better for use with lower resistances (less fixed contacts = fewer contacts to worry about).
Although the Guppy performs magnificently in terms of efficiency, current-generation 16340 batteries are not suitable for sub-ohm use due to their discharge rate limitations and low capacity, as discussed previously. Right now, the limitations of 16340 batteries make the Guppy suitable for use with resistances in the 1.1+ Ohm range. Black AW ICR 16340s have the nominal capacity of their 18350 IMR counterparts and can maintain a relatively high voltage during their discharge, but are capped by their ~3A limit. Red AW IMR batteries have a higher current limit (~4A), but have a lower nominal capacity. It’s a toss between the two, but none of them is suitable for sub-ohm use. At the moment, the tiny size and efficiency of the Guppy make it ideal only for use with 510d-type rebuildable atomizers, which work best in the 1.1+ Ohm range. With battery chemistries constantly improving, this might soon change, though.
The Lab, which is designed for use with 18500 batteries, is one of the simplest top-firing devices and perhaps the most manageable for sub-ohm use, due to its super-efficient uni-tube design. The best high-drain 18500s are perfectly suitable for low-resistance vaping, while the mod itself completes the circuit between the battery and the atomizer using the smallest possible number of parts. Experienced vapers can configure the Lab to use a spring-less battery-to-mod contact, which can also be converted to include a replaceable, sub-ohm capable fuse (the same as the one used in the Bug) sandwiched between the battery and the cap.
Although the simpler top-firing mods like the Lab and most good bottom-firing designs are easier for sub-ohm use, more complex mech mods like the Roller are equally capable when proper handling and monitoring practices are used. Most of the subjects discussed here are common knowledge among the most experienced or tech savvy vapers, but the increasing recent adoption of mech vaping has shifted the focus from the technical aspects of high-end mech vaping to its more cultural merits. Sub-ohm vaping is not necessarily risky; however, it does push the limits of our equipment. The tips discussed here, which apply to all mech mods & atomizers, will hopefully make the sub-ohm experience a bit more accessible and rewarding.Sunsuper's specialist managers are currently almost all of the active variety. But not for much longer. Scott Hartley, the chief executive who has been in the job for 12 months, won't give figures and time frames, but it is clear a substantial shift from active to passive management is under way.
"We will raise our allocation to passive to a significant level over time as the fund grows," Hartley says.
"We find it increasingly hard to find value in active management," he says, adding that Sunsuper's assets surged 22 per cent in the 12 months to June 2014 after absorbing the $400 million Chifley Super scheme in December 2013.
Sunsuper's move towards low-cost passive management is likely to be most pronounced in international and Australian equities, and is an acknowledgment that in both asset classes active managers have a tough time outperforming the underlying index.
Active funds have underperformed
Hartley notes that Australian super funds that have invested in global active funds have underperformed the index over the past 15 years.
Actively selecting global equities, Hartley argues, is a highly complex business. In Australia the ability to outperform the S & P/ASX 300 is hampered by capacity issues.
"It is clear that having 100 per cent in active management in these two markets will not add value," concludes the Sunsuper chief. None of the super fund's current crop of equity managers, which include Acorn Capital, Baillie Gifford, GMO Australia, Lazard, Oddo and Maple-Brown Abbott, is on the chopping block, but Hartley won't rule out axing managers over time.
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In going the passive route, Sunsuper is breaking ranks with some of its rivals, such as Telstra Super, AustralianSuper and Unisuper, which have been building large in-house asset management teams as a way of cutting costs.
Hartley is not a fan of the in-house model, on the grounds that if internal managers perform well, they are bound to want to leave or be poached. If they are not performing well, the fund has a problem on its hands (sacking employees is invariably harder than sacking a third-party manager).
The in-house model, the Sunsuper boss suspects, is unsustainable.
"If the objective is to cut costs, our view is that you need to have an element of the portfolio in passive," Hartley says.
How best to reduce fees will be a good topic for a conference some time. AustralianSuper, the $85 billion industry fund behemoth, is convinced by the in-house management model, aiming to have as much as 30 per cent of the portfolio managed by internal teams. The shift is expected to cut costs by two-thirds.
Regardless of whether super schemes are cutting costs through a move to index management or taking investment management in-house, the impact on active managers will be much the same. There will be less work around for active managers, run-of-the-mill index-huggers will find it increasingly difficult to survive and pressure to reduce investment fees will only increase. And maybe, just maybe, those $10 million-a-year fund manager salaries will start to edge down.As you may know my favorite movie is Black Swan and when I read that director Darren Aronofsky bought the rights to Perfect Blue I knew I had to watch it. In Requiem for a Dream he has remade one of the scenes exactly. Watching Perfect Blue I could also see that Black Swan has some similar subject matter.
The movie revolves about Mima (Junko Iwao), who is part of a very successful all girl singing group with lots of (or should I say almost onlY) male fans. After having done it for a long time, she decides to leave the group and start a new career in acting. She finds out that being a very popular singer doesn’t immediately give you a head start in acting and she agrees to some questionable jobs, including a photo shoot where she bares it all and a role in a Tv show where the character she plays experience some horrible situations. During this period she slowly starts to lose her sanity as she discovers a website written in her name, describing minute details she doesn’t share with anyone. As a viewer you know this is written by an obsessed fan, who wants to defend the image of Mima which she had when she was part of the singing group. He is willing to do anything to protect that image, even murder. Mima loses her grip on reality, no longer knowing what is real.
Perfect Blue, just like Black Swan, looks at the sanity of a young girl who wants to excel in something and who slowly begins to lose her sanity. Sexuality also plays an important role in both movies. In Black Swan it is her teacher who wants to seduce her, she dreams about having sex with one of her fellow dancers. In Perfect Blue Mima has decisions made for her to do a photo shoot and agrees to do a scene in a TV show where she is raped. Despite the similarities there are differences as well. Within Black Swan it is Nina who is fighting her inner demons, but in this movie there is an external factor contributing to Mima losing her sanity. Director Satoshi Kon was also responsible for Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika (movies also worth checking out). Just like in Paprika he expertly mixes reality with dreams and nightmares, leaving the viewer to join the main character in her descent into a confused state and her struggle to deal with it. A must see for Black Swan fans, but even if you are not I think you should give it a watch.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to polymer pistol lovers everywhere. Back in August, TFB’s own Nathaniel F. penned a post about Smith & Wesson trademarking ‘M2.0’ for use in an upcoming product release. And from the looks of a silent Academy announcement by way of a plain old vanilla new pistol listing, rumors of an upgrade to the S&W M&P pistol line appear to be correct.
Besides the updated styling and M2.0 markings, the new pistol apparently features a new proprietary corrosion resistant finish, a new trigger assembly, full grip stippling and four grip inserts instead of the three included with the last models.
A search on the Academy Sports website reveals six new M&P’s available for purchase – three chambered in 9mm and three chambered in the beleaguered.40S&W cartridge. Prices for all six are set at $529.99 and are listed as ‘sold in select stores’.
The Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 9mm Semiautomatic Pistol features an M&P M2.0 trigger and includes both a control-enhancing grip texture and 4 interchangeable palm swell grip inserts. This striker-fired pistol also includes a corrosion-resistant Armornite finish and boasts a steel-white dot front sight and steel-white 2-dot rear sight.
Features and Benefits
Semiautomatic, striker-fired action with a 17-round capacity
Corrosion-resistant Armornite finish
Aggressive grip texture
4 interchangeable palm swell grip inserts
M&P M2.0 trigger
Steel-white dot front sight and steel-white 2-dot rear sight
Important Product and Safety Information
We recommend the use of protective eyewear whenever using or near the use of this item.
What’s in the Box:
Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 9mm Semiautomatic Pistol
For comparison, here are a few images of the M&P pistols currently listed on Smith & Wesson’s web page:
So, was this an intentional product release organized by both Smith & Wesson and Academy Sports or a mistake adding a new pistol into a inventory database before an official launch? With the 2017 SHOT Show just a month away, common sense dictates the release of the updated M&P pistol would have occurred sometime in the next few weeks anyway.
Even though I bow to the Glock Gods, I’m looking forward to giving this new S&W a shot.Forced marriage is not confined to Britain’s Muslim communities but exists among all minority groups, the head of a commission into the issue has said.
Baroness Butler-Sloss said there was “a great deal of pressure” on parents and elders to ensure that children married within their strongly religious communities.
The former High Court judge, who chairs the National Commission on Forced Marriage, said that there was “a thin line” between legitimate emotional pressure and coercion.
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.
“We have discovered that it is not exclusively a Muslim issue. It is an issue that affects other minority communities for instance Sikhs, Hindus, Orthodox Jews and indeed any group that values the tight-knit community of which it is part and is very concerned that members of that community should not marry outside the community,” she told the UK’s first national conference on forced marriage in Derby.
Forced marriage is set to become a crime in England and Wales from next month punishable by up to seven years in prison. The change in the law follows public outrage over the treatment of young women such as Shafilea Ahmed, 17, who was murdered by her parents in front of her siblings in 2003 and had her body hidden after she drank bleach in a bid to avoid being forced into marriage. Her parents were not brought to justice until 2012.
Last year more than 1,300 people rang a special helpline set up by the Government’s Forced Marriage Unit. Around one in seven of those reporting actual or potential forced marriage were children. A quarter of callers were aged between 16-17, figures showed.
Senior police officers believe this represents the tip of the iceberg with forced marriage linked to serious honour based crime including abduction, rape, torture and disfigurement.
However, figures showed that 42.7 per cent of those contacting the helpline were of Pakistani heritage whilst 10.9 per cent were from India and 9.8 per cent from Bangladesh.
Commission member Jasvinder Sanghera, a Sikh survivor of forced marriage who founded the charity Karma Nirvana, said it was “not helpful” to focus on Muslim communities although the problem remained “disproportionately” reported among those groups.
“There are not enough community leaders – Muslim, Indian or Sikh – speaking out on this issue,” she said. Ms Sanghera said the commission, which is due to report next year after speaking with survivors of forced marriage across the UK, had noticed wide variation in the public response to victims. ”The evidence is showing inconsistencies in reporting and responses from police, social workers, schools and politically,” she said.
Some police forces and other professionals have tried and negotiate between victims and their families, often putting girls and women at risk of harm.
Prime Minister David Cameron will host a summit on female genital mutilation and forced marriage later this summer. Campaigners are seeking to mark Shafilea Ahmed’s birthday on 14 July as a national memorial day marking the deaths of the victims of honour violence.
More than 30,000 people have signed a petition urging Mr Cameron to support the proposal. The idea received the backing of Nazir Afzal, chief of the Crown Prosecution Service in the North West, who reopened the case into Shafilea’s murder.
“The idea is that when people do what they have done in this case is that they are trying to erase the girl from history. The family will never want to know her – the family don’t want to know she existed. Therefore having a memorial day sends out a message: We remember, we remember her life, we remember why she died and why she didn’t have to die,” he said.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
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Subscribe nowTrinidad and Tobago: Waterfalls, Bays & Beaches
Trinidad and Tobago: Waterfalls, Bays & Beaches
In Trinidad, the larger island of Trinidad and Tobago, life for a tourist isn’t easy. You get there with no expectations, with no ideas what this twin island country might hold for you. I have to admit that traveling to Trinidad and Tobago was never part of our plan. But after reaching Barbados thanks to our boat hitchhiking adventure, we were just outraged by the prices of Rihanna’s birthplace. It was draining our travel budget and we HAD to get off the island asap. That’s how we ended up booking the cheapest flight to wherever. Which was Trinidad and Tobago. After immersing myself in one of the few guide books I could find, I had to realize that there are so many things to do on these exotic islands that I could probably stay weeks without getting to see it all. Read more about top things to do in Trinidad island
First we were still fully motivated to hop on from Trinidad to Tobago. But quickly we realised that if we wanted to give Trinidad all the attention it totally deserved, then we’d rather visit just 1 of both islands. Unfortunately we only had 5 days to explore Trinidad so that we had to make tough decisions. What are we going to visit? What is absolutely essential for Trinidad? What should we leave for a future visit? Because even just after a few hours, we were already a 100% sure, that we absolutely wanted to come back here. This Hindu-Caribbean-African cultural mix enchanted us from the first moment. And I haven’t mentioned the food yet! We decided to discover Trinidad island during 2 days under the theme of “Waterfalls and Bays“. More posts about the amazing food, the cultural mix etc are in preparation. Trinidad and Tobago, or T&T, is the most prosperous state in the Caribbean, so that it has little need to invest in tourism. Good for us, since the island is replete with natural unspoiled attractions with barely any tourists. In that sense, the north of Trinidad island is full of paradisaical waterfalls. Just like the ones that you usually hang on your office walls and make you dream. They have poetic names like Angel Fall, Double Ribbon Fall or Limon Waterfall. The most famous one are Paria Waterfall, Maracas Waterfall and Diego Martin. There’s a waterfall for every taste: high ones, blue ones, brown ones, hidden ones… All of them differ in colors, height and accessibility. The list of waterfalls you can hike to seems to be infinite.
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Maracas Waterfall & Beach
We choose to visit Maracas Waterfalls and Paria Falls. (see map at the end of the post for all exact locations) Maracas is not only the name of the famous beach but also of the highest waterfall of Trinidad island. From the parking, it is a really easy hike that takes you about 30 min to get there. Just leave your car at the end of the Waterfall road. (You can’t get hardly anywhere in Trinidad without a car. Gas is super cheap, but therefore public transportation is the worst.) The waterfalls are impressive and surroundings hold a magical atmosphere. Absolute silence. You’ll just hear nature’s voice. So as we’re at Maracas Waterfall, the epic Maracas Bay shouldn’t be too far, right? Error! You need to drive at least for another 2 hours to get to the legendary beach. On the way, you’ll enjoy gorgeous views from “Maracas Lookout” on Chaguaramas and Maracas Bay. Little food stands sell local delicacies. It was so hard to choose. We got “Chow“: mangos and pineapples in a spicy ginger-garlic parsley sauce. So delicious! Finally we reach Maracas Bay. On the weekends this place gets really crowded and the Trinis love to bring their Caribbean music. Loud Soca music is coming out of the loudspeakers. Absolute must-do when in Maracas is having a “Bake’n Shark” sandwich. Even Andrew Zimmers says that is the best sandwich he ever had. Trust me, HE IS RIGHT! Traditionally prepared with real shark meat, many food stands offer now more eco-friendly versions with flying fish, squid, tilapia or lionfish. We loved Maracas Bay for its festive atmosphere. I would give everything to get a tasty Bake’n Fish again, only typing this text makes my mouth water. Here in Maracas, life’s definitely a party! For those that are looking for a more quiet and less crowded beach in the north, I recommend Las Cuevas beach. It is a 2 minutes drive away from Maracas beach, but it is a different world. It is sheltered and there are many caves for exploring. It is also Trinidad’s first “Blue Flag” beach, which means that the water quality is superior and there’s a special focus on environmental education and management.
Paria Waterfall
Enchanting Paria Bay
Paria Waterfall was the next waterfall we wanted to visit. Actually we never made it there. Because there was this little, totally desert beach that kept us from continuing our hike to the waterfall. Additionally, loads of rainfall destroyed the trails and we should have contacted a guide. We were told by locals that is is really hard to reach. You can read more info on Paria Waterfall here. But hey, plans are there to be adapted, right? That is how we discovered this tiny, lonely beach with an “at-the-end-of-the-world” feeling: Paria Bay. How do you get there? Drive to Blanchisseuse (a town which as a very “at-the-end-of-the-world” atmosphere already) and have coffee & cake first at Coco’s Hut, owned by German-born Franz Zollna. Trust me, you’ll need it for the hike to the Paria Beach. Leave the car at the red bridge and hike for about 2 hours. Make sure that you wear good shoes and carry enough mosquito spray. Although the trail was difficult, you’ll be rewarded with a lonely beach and its hidden caves. It’s definitely all worth it.
More Bays…
View from “Maracas Lookout”
You still don’t have enough of picturesque and exotic bays? Then I have a little candy for you. I recommend Macqueripe Bay located on the gorgeous Chaguaramas peninsula. Formerly a property of the US military forces, the peninsula is on the way to become a tourist hub. Its marina, the qualitative restaurants, the construction plans of a mall and a waterpark support this development. Mac |
for democratic development and, hence, the “underlying problem for the West is not Islamic fundamentalism. It is Islam, a different civilization whose people are convinced of the superiority of their culture and are obsessed with the inferiority of their power.”
This leads Muslims to reject western values, including democracy, which leaves them disadvantaged and controlled by an authoritarian regime. Furthermore, Huntington suggests that the “general failure of liberal democracy to take hold in Muslim societies is a continuing and repeated phenomenon[...]
This failure has its source at least in part in the inhospitable nature of the Islamic culture and society to Western liberal concepts,” resulting in a clash between Islam and the West. Huntington does acknowledge that in the 1970s and 1980s the wave of democratization impacted Muslims societies, but he suggests that the impact was limited. His overall argument concerning Islam and democracy can be summarized in one sentence: “democratic prospects in Muslim republics are bleak.”
Huntington is not alone. Another writer who shares this view is Francis Fukuyama who argues that “there does seem to be something about Islam, or at least the fundamentalist version of Islam that have been dominant in recent years, that makes Muslim societies particularly resistant to modernity.”
Fares Al-Braizat comments on this and writes, “For Fukuyama modernity is characterized by institutions like liberal democracy and capitalism[...] Fukuyama uses Islam as a 'yardstick' that offers an easy cultural essentialist explanation to the absence of democracy from most of Muslim countries. In this he converges with other culturalists blaming Islam for whatever goes wrong in a Muslim country.”
Both writers believe that Islam is the reason Muslim countries are lacking modernity and democracy, and thus, it is important to test their claims by looking at authentic Islamic doctrine and whether it truly is incompatible with democracy, and second, by analyzing empirical data to uncover Muslim attitudes towards democracy.
The first problem in Huntington and Fukuyama's theories about 'Islam's undemocratic nature' is that that they both failed to understand the religion. Anderson recounts a significant characteristic of religion that many scholars forget to address. He writes,
For Beetham, the trouble with all such 'negative' hypotheses about religion and democratization is that they [treat]'religions as monolithic, when their core doctrines are typically subject to a variety of schools of interpretation; and as immutable, when they are notoriously revisionist in the face of changing circumstances and political current.
In a wide ranging essay published in 2001 Alfred Stepan suggested that all religious traditions were multi-vocal, containing organizational and intellectual resources that could be called upon in support of democratic forms of governance
In Islam and the Myth of Confrontation, Fred Halliday also points out this problem,
To be drawn into an argument about any necessary incompatibility, or for that matter compatibility, between Islam and democracy is to accept precisely the false premise that there is one true, traditionally established 'Islamic' answer to the question, and that this timeless 'Islam' rules social and political practice. There is no such answer and no such 'Islam.'
Many writers, excluding Huntington and Fukuyama, understand that Islam cannot be referred to as one form. True, the ideal, authentic religion has its own political doctrine, but the Islam that is practiced by Muslims around the world may not necessarily adhere to this authenticity.
For one, Islam has several different sects and different schools of thought within each sect: The Shiites differ from Sunnis, which differ from Ismaelis, Sufis, Alawis, etc... Second, there are significant cultural and geographical differences between Arab and non-Arab, Gulf, non-Gulf Muslims, Middle Eastern, East Asian, or African Muslims: For example, Iranian Muslims practice and implement the teachings of Islam differently from Saudi, Bangladeshi, Iraqi, or Turkish Muslims.
Furthermore, Islam's concept of Ijtihad, or independent reasoning, allows Muslim scholars to interpret or reinterpret the Islamic laws (to an extent) and devise new interpretations based on their own reasoning. The outcome is that different scholars within one school of thought or within one sect will come to two different conclusions about the Islamic political tradition. This is why for “many writers there is no such thing as a single Islamic political tradition, and they suggest that within the varying Islamic traditions there were ample intellectual resources for those seeking to promote democratic governance.”
John Anderson refers to two writers, John L. Espito and John O. Voll, who point out that “it might well be possible to draw on Islamic traditions that were compatible with the core concern of democracy with participation whilst allowing it to take into account the specific concerns of Muslims for recognition of'special identities or authentic communities.'” Anderson notes that these two writers, like others, look at the specific concepts of shura (consultation), Ijma (consensus), and ijtihad (independent reasoning) as “providing some intellectual basis for the development of Muslim democracies.” Although all three concepts are important in Islamic jurisprudence and imply a democratic culture within Islam, the most significant and relevant to this discussion is the concept of shura.
The literal translation of shura is consultation. It appears in the Qur'an, several times, ordering Muslims to consult one another about their affairs in three spheres of society: The political, the economic, and the social and spiritual. The verse that is relevant to this discussion is in Chapter 42: “And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and whose affairs are a matter of counsel[...]”
Imam Mohammad Al-Shirazi, a very prominent and distinguished Muslim scholar, writes in his book Shura in Islam, “Drawing from this holy verse, shura is of two kinds: the first is the Muslim governor's consultation of the Muslims about affairs concerning them, and the second is the consultation among Muslims about how to administer their affairs. Therefore, it is a duty on both of the governor and the governed.”
Imam Al-Shirazi recounts democratic values of participation in government and civil society. Democratic governments cannot exist without citizen participation through elections and/or referendums, and each citizen chooses the government, party, or politician that will advance their interests in issues around health care, education, economics, labour, national security, liberal rights, etc... Furthermore, advanced democracies value civil society and its merits.
When citizens socialize, they become more involved in society, triggering citizen participation in society through volunteer work, non-government organizations, lobbying, and activism. This in turn leads to an increase in political participation. The idea is that a few Americans in a bowling ally contribute to America's democracy. Evidently, the concept shura or consultation is valued in Islam and democracy alike.
Based on this and other concepts, Islam would be closer to democratic values than Huntington suggests. Looking solely at authentic Islamic doctrine, it is clear that Islam is not only compatible with democracy but is one of its strongest proponents. As Simon Bromley writes, “[b]y various obvious criteria - universalism, scripturalism, spiritual egalitarianism, the extension of full participation in the sacred community, not to one, or some, but to all, and the rational systematization of social life – Islam is, of the three great Western monotheisms, the one closest to modernity' and by implication therefore, the one closest in principle to democracy.” Huntington and Fukuyama's theories are therefore severely challenged.
Huntington has argued that “religious tradition does have an impact upon the likely success of democratization efforts,” but empirical testing reveals the contrary. Myunghee Kim recounts the 1995-2001 World Values Survey which found that “Muslims and members from other religions give about the same support for democratic ideals and leadership.”
She also conducted her own research to test the plausibility of assuming that religious commitments will have an effect on democratic attitudes. The two variables she uses are “religious commitment” (independent variable) which includes three dimensions – theological orthodoxy, confidence in churches, and religious practice, and support for democracy (independent variable) which means that “[r]espondents approve the democratic system, believing that it is superior to any other form of government.” Kim's research found that the first variable has “no or limited effect on democratic support,” and although “spiritual values may bring meaning and solidarity to an individual, they appear less important for producing democratic attitudes.”
She concludes that: “Given the statistical significance of these findings for Protestants and Muslims, Huntington's assertion about the Muslim rejection of democratic beliefs remains unsupported by the survey data from these twenty countries. Neither religion values nor religious practices deeply shape support for democracy. Instead, other variables such as perceived group threats and political indicators (ideological self-placement and political involvement) wield the greater impact, particularly among industrialized societies.”
Anderson also presents data that assert that “up to 40 percent of the world's Muslims live in countries that are more or less democratic – often as minorities.” A more generous survey published in John Esposito's book entitled, Who Speaks for Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, suggests that Muslims – ironically even many of the 7% classing themselves as 'radical' – in fact admire the West for its democracy and freedoms. However, they do not want such things imposed on them. 'Muslims want self-determination, but not an American imposed and defined democracy,' [said Esposito.] 'What the majority wants is democracy with religious values.'
Consequently, Muslims themselves do not reject democracy, as Huntington claims, and they believe in and aspire for a political system that is democratic.
As for Fukuyama's notion that Islam is incompatible with modernity, and by implication, to democracy, he is critiqued by Fares Al-Braizat, who a paper entitled “Muslims and Democracy: An empirical critique of Fukuyama’s culturalist approach.” Al-Braizat's research tested Fukuyama's theory by using the latest data available for each country from the World Values Survey to test the correlation of two variables: preference for democracy and religiosity. His preference for democracy variable has three indicators, two of which are “preference for a democratic political system,” and “democracy is better than any other form of government.”
The results contradict Fukuyama's theory as well as Huntington's. For the first indicator, Al-Braizat found that “[p]redominantly Islamic societies show very high levels of support for a [democratic political system] as a very good way of governing their countries, while simultaneously showing high levels of religiosity.” Among the Muslim countries with high support for a democratic political system are Egypt, Iran, Turkey, and Jordan.
As for the second indicator, Al-Braizat observed that “support for democracy (democracy is better than any other form of government) is very high in Islamic societies; with Bangladesh 98%, Jordan 89%, Turkey 88% compared to the UK 78% USA 87%, and Canada 87%.” Although the statistics he recounts may seem somewhat exaggerated, the overall presumption is that Muslim societies do not reject democracy, but on the contrary, they endorse it.
Thus, Al-Braizat concludes that the “overall trend in the relationship between religiosity and support for democracy is negative and insignificant. By and large, Islamic societies: Bangladesh, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan are not unique in showing high levels of support for democracy simultaneously with high levels of religiosity.” He finally writes, “Fukuyama's claim about Islam as resistant to democracy, to put it mildly, is seriously challenged.” It is therefore clear that religion cannot be used to explain democratic development because it is irrelevant.
We have found that Islam is compatible with democracy and Muslims attitudes are not only positive towards it, but by and large, Muslims prefer a democratic political system over other systems. And although Huntington and Fukuyama failed in their assumption that Islam hinders democratic development, they correctly pointed out the lack of democracy in the Muslim world. If Islam is not the cause of this democratic deficiency, then what is?
What accounts for Muslim countries' rejection of democracy? And what factors play a significant role in shaping the political traditions of Muslim countries? Scholars have offered many potential explanations to these questions, three of which are negative feelings towards the West, economic development, and authoritarian leadership.
Because Muslim countries' historical experiences have been greatly impacted by the West, Muslims have developed negative feelings towards it. Western imperialism, war, exploitation, and political interference in the Middle East led to an entrenched feeling of distrust, fear, and insecurity. Because democracy is generally thought of as a product of the West, the countries of the Middle East have been reluctant to accept a Western democracy.
Huntington points out that “the West's simultaneous efforts to universalize its values and institutions, to maintain its military and economic superiority, and to intervene in conflicts in the Muslim world generate intense resentment among Muslims.”
As noted previously, Esposito's research found that Muslims do not want a Western imposed democracy and prefer to build their own version of a democratic system which would speak to their issues and concerns rather than to Western interests. In addition, “[Muslims] see Western culture as materialistic, corrupt, decadent, and immoral. They also see it as seductive, and hence stress all the more the need to resist its impact on their way of life.”
These negative images associated with the West, somewhat exaggerated by Huntington, further impact Muslims' acceptance of a Western democratic regime that may overstep their culture or religion through certain liberal rights such as sexual orientation and abortion. Accordingly, democracy itself is accepted by Muslims, but certain Western values associated with democracy are not. Thus, although religion does not hinder democracy in the Muslim world, certain socio-cultural elements in Muslim societies prevent them from unconditionally accepting democracy.
One leading factor to the lack of democracy in the Muslim world is the presence of very powerful and hostile authoritarian regimes. In such cases, although the citizens yearn for democracy, the existing regime rejects democracy to protect its power and interests. Therefore, some will argue that the focus of democratic study should not be on cultural preconditions, but rather on key social and political actors.
This is important for the Muslim world which is haunted by authoritarian regimes and dictatorships. “[P]eople in Islamic societies tend to have a propensity towards democracy but what makes it less possible for them to achieve democratic political governance is the nature of the over stated, overblown and over stretched state structure and the heavy-handed authoritarian regimes (in most cases) in power at present.”
Iraq is one of many examples of this phenomenon. For over 35 years, Saddam Hussein ruled with an iron fist and although Iraqis attempted to overthrow Saddam's regime several times, their efforts failed miserably. With the fall of the authoritarian regime in Iraq in 2003, Iraqis embraced democracy and took pride in the change of Iraq's political system. The majority of Iraqis are Muslim but this did not impact their resent of authoritarianism and nor their preference for democracy. This reveals that even today, many Muslims actively seek a democratic political system, but hostile dictators actively seek to silence them.
Huntington and Fukuyama's claim that Islam is incompatible with democracy and modernity is false. As a religion, Islam contains democratic concepts such as shura, and Ijtihad, while Muslims tend to strongly favor democracy over any other system. Kim's research showed that religion is not a strong determinant of democracy, while Al-Braiza revealed that religious Muslims have very positive attitudes towards democratic systems. Since Islam supports democracy, and Muslims favor it, then Huntington's claim that Islam is resistant to democracy holds no truth. Nevertheless, there is a lack of democratic development in the Muslim world and it is caused by many factors other than religion, two of which are socio-cultural preferences and strong, hostile authoritarian regimes. Democracy has become a need for the majority of Muslim citizens who desire political participation, liberal rights, and accountable government. With an opportunity to build their own democracy, their societies will flourish and the “clash of civilizations” will cease to exist.
Associated Press. “Most Muslims 'desire democracy'.” BBC News. February 27, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7267100.stm
Al-Shirazi, Imam Mohammad. Shura in Islam. (Qum, Iran: 1999). http://www.alshirazi.com/compilations/patg/alshora/fehres.htm (accessed April 22, 2010).
Al-Braizat, Fares. “Muslims and Democracy:An empirical critique of Fukuyama’s culturalist approach.” World Values Survey. http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/upload/5_islamdem_2.pdf
Collier, David, Adcok, Robert. “Democracy and Dichotomies: A Pragmatic Approach to Choices about Concepts.” Annual Review of Political Science Volume 2, 1999.
Collier, David. Levitsky, Steven. “Democracy with Adjectives: Conceptual Innovation in Comparative Research.” World Politics. Vol. 49, No. 3, April, 1997.
Huntington, Samuel P. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Halliday, Fred. Islam and the Myth of Confrontation. New York: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd: 1999.
John Anderson, “Does God Matter, and If So Whose God? Religion and Democratization.” Democratization, Vol. 11 No. 4 2004
Kim, Myunghee. “Spiritual Values, Religious Practices, and Democratic Attitudes.” Politics and Religion, 1 2008.
The Holy Quran. Chapter 42, Verse 38.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Transportation Security Administration is disinfecting all the security checkpoints at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport as a precaution because a passenger later identified with the Ebola virus traveled through the airport on Monday.
The Ebola patient who flew from Cleveland to Dallas/Forth Worth went through the central security checkpoint at Hopkins, prompting the TSA to do a disinfectant wipe-down of that screening checkpoint this afternoon.
TSA spokesman Mark Howell said the agency also decided to clean the north and south checkpoints at Hopkins. None of the checkpoints are expected to be fully closed at any point. Rather, there will be individual lane closures.
"It's nothing official," Howell said, noting that the precaution wasn't undertaken at the direction of the Centers for Disease Control. "It's just something that our folks wanted to do, in an overabundance of caution."
Howell, a regional spokesman for TSA, said the agency's closed circuit television system identified which of the TSA checkpoints Akron native Amber Joy Vinson went through when she traveled Monday from Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth on Frontier Flight 1143.
Frontier is doing a repeat cleaning of that jet today at a site inside the perimeter of Hopkins, near the I-X Center.
Vinson received a bachelor's degree in science from Kent State University and has been a registered nurse in Texas since 2012, according to the Dallas Morning News.
She is the second Texas nurse confirmed with Ebola. She flew to Ohio Oct. 8 and returned to Texas on Oct. 13, spending time visiting her family in Akron while here, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Vinson, who'd gone to Ohio to visit her mother, was not symptomatic when she boarded the flight to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. But she had a low-grade fever of 99.5 at the time, and because of her contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, Dallas' initial Ebola patient, she should not have been traveling at all, according to the CDC.India's most valuable business is earning money hand over fist from oil. Yet what's exciting investors about Reliance Industries Ltd. are its telecoms losses.Those should go some way toward creating the Indian equivalent of Verizon Communications Inc., the largest U.S. wireless carrier. Or at least that's what the stock's 38 percent jump this year in dollar terms is all about.Over the past 12 months, Reliance's refinery on India's western coast has garnered $11 from each barrel of crude oil, beating the Singapore refining benchmark by an impressive $5 a barrel. With neither domestic gas production nor overseas shale output doing much, Chairman Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, is betting on his almost-completed investments in refining and petrochemicals to shore up earnings and cash flow.The strategy is working, but it's a mere footnote compared with Ambani's more daring gamble on Reliance Jio, the recently launched telecoms unit that's already supplying more than 1 billion gigabytes of data a month, almost as much as all U.S. networks put together.While a haul of 100 million users over 170 days isn't to be scoffed at, it's thanks to a free trial that only recently turned into a paid-for (though attractively priced) introductory offer. The steady-state average revenue per user is still the big unknown.With Jio's entry in September, rivals Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Vodafone Group Plc have cut tariffs.A 60 percent slump in fourth-generation, or 4G, data charges has meant that even with traffic surging fivefold in a year, industry revenue growth has been practically flat, according to S&P Global's Indian affiliate, Crisil. It's hard to know when the dust will settle, though Reliance's assertion that it's "well-positioned" to achieve a share of revenue above 50 percent by 2021, when India's data market will top $46 billion a year, shows Ambani is betting big on a "winner takes all" effect. Nothing wrong with that.As Crisil researchers say, Verizon's success has demonstrated quite clearly that market leadership is worth bleeding for. For almost a decade, the largest U.S. network has enjoyed a return on capital that's 5 to 10 percentage points higher than its competitors'. Even by Verizon's standards, Ambani's goal of a 50 percent-plus Ebitda margin for Jio is ambitious, though.The U.S. carrier, which has a customer churn rate of just 1.4 percent -- compared with 4 percent to 6 percent in the hyper-competitive Indian market -- took in 45 percent of its revenue as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization last quarter.Verizon's No. 1 position among U.S. telcos has meant a higher return on capital, a strategy India's Reliance Industries wants to copy with its aggressive price war.In its first six months of operations, Jio's loss tripled from a year earlier to $3.5 million. That's a rounding error for a conglomerate that earned more than $1.2 billion during the March quarter. The pressure to perform comes from the staggering $30 billion Ambani has spent on the 4G network.Roughly a quarter of Reliance Industries' share price now reflects the enterprise value of the telecoms business, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch. As Gadfly has previously noted, investors would be impressed by Jio's ability to get to 200 million stable customers, each spending at least $4 a month.That won't be enough to turn Jio into India's Verizon. At least it will be a start.It appears as if the accusations against Alabama senator candidate Roy Moore are crumbling. While the stories are yet unconfirmed, social media and news sites are lighting up over the possibility that a Washington Post reporter may have offered a woman thousands of dollars if she would make the claims against the former judge.
A former Secret Service member took to Twitter to say that a family friend was offered money by a reporter to accuse Roy Moore of sexual assault. If these allegations turn out to be true, the fallout could be tremendous.
https://twitter.com/umpire43/status/928783143099883520
The Twitter user goes on to say that the unnamed woman has a picture of the reporter named Beth and a tape of the phone conversation where the alleged bribe took place.
The woman, with the help of her friends, is supposedly working with the county district attorney although they do say the FBI has been notified. Unsurprisingly, nobody seems to trust the country’s top law enforcement agency these days.
What is known so far is that before the Washington Post “exposed” Moore’s alleged misconduct, they endorsed his opponent in the race. Additionally, the incidents that are said to have occurred happened decades ago.
https://twitter.com/umpire43/status/928783786615197696
The women who have accused Moore do not seem to have known each other very well before all of this surfaced. That makes the fact that they all appeared at the same time to suddenly make the allegations quite suspicious.
In many cases, one victim speaks up and that encourages others to step forward (Harvey Weinstein). All of these virtual strangers coming forward all at once weeks before a very important election…well, let’s just say it was questionable from the beginning.
https://twitter.com/umpire43/status/928803952585568257
Moore is not exactly an unknown who suddenly stepped into the spotlight and that is what triggered the allegations. He has been on the Supreme Court of Alabama for years so these accusers could have come stepped up years ago. Why didn’t they? Is the Washington Post paying for accusations? If they are, is someone else the driving force behind it? These are all questions that need to be answered sooner rather than later.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit – InfoWarsUNITED NATIONS: Some governments exaggerate the threat of terrorism and over use the “war on terror” title to erode civil rights, Norway's foreign minister told a UN summit on Monday.
The Norwegian minister, Jonas Gare Store, and his counterpart from Indonesia said declaring “war” may be good for a politician's speeches but it does not help to combat militants.
“There is a risk that under certain special circumstances governments can play up the threat and eventually it may threaten civil liberties,” Store told a forum of ministers and top officials on the sidelines of a UN summit on counter-terrorism.
“I think we should acknowledge that under the wrong circumstances that can happen,” he added when asked if civil rights are damaged in the name of the “War on Terror”.
Countries need “the full participation of civil society and democracy” to act as a watchdog on governments, he said. The minister echoed concerns raised in the United States, where President George W. Bush declared the “War on Terror” after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Bush's successor Barack Obama no longer uses the term “War on Terror” and his administration has criticized some of the tactics used.
Without mentioning September 11 or any other recent atrocity, Store said “you may see and we have seen in the past the temptation to use these events and to play them up in a way which goes beyond real purpose of reaction.”
Is the war metaphor the right approach to deal with terrorism? I believe we have an inflation of using war in our language,” he said. “We are waging a war against cancer, war against diabetes; there is a war against nature.”
Among politicians the only tool we have to communicate is language. And how we brand what we are trying to achieve is important. It also has some effects on the methods we use.
“If we want to mobilize democracy and strengthen democracy against terror, the war metaphor is simply not good. It is good for our speech, not necessarily good for effective measures.”
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told the forum that he no longer uses the term “battle against terrorism or war on terrorism, because it is not that.” It is like a marathon,” he said. “We need patience and perseverance and resilience. It must be done right in ways and means that respect human rights and principles of democracy.”
Heavy handed repressive measures can only be good for certain periods of time probably, but cannot be sustained.”
Joel Sollier, legal counsel for the international police agency, Interpol, acknowledged that “manipulation” was possible but insisted that governments recognized that September 11 “took us to a new level of severity in terrorism.”
Everyone understood that we are in an extremely grave cycle of violence and we could not tolerate attacks of this power.
If we had tolerated, politically, an attack of this type, what would have been the next stage; certainly the use of what is known as arms of mass destruction.”
There is always a risk of manipulation. But the reality of the threat, its gravity, it cannot be denied,” said the Interpol expert.Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti will be the interim coach of Mexico for up to four games, according to Mexican Football Federation president Decio de Maria.
Ferretti, who currently coaches Liga MX club U.A.N.L. Tigres, could end up managing El Tri for two September friendlies in the United States against Trinidad and Tobago and Argentina, as well as on Oct. 10 during the team's crucial one-match playoff for CONCACAF's lone berth at the 2017 Confederations Cup.
"It will be up to four games," De Maria told ESPN, adding that "we will talk later" about what happens if the results are positive.
"Next week we will be able to make a conference and give specific details," he said.
The FMF and the Brazilian-born Ferretti have reportedly struck a deal that will allow the 61-year-old to continue in his capacity with Tigres while managing the national team in the interim.
Ferretti will divide his attention and his coaching staff between Tigres and the national team. De Maria said his tenure will be determined based on the team's performance while he is in charge.
Mexico's last coach Miguel Herrera had a similar arrangement when he was first in charge of El Tri. He was appointed as an interim and continued as coach of Club America for the rest of the Apertura 2013 season. He was later appointed permanent coach of the squad.
Ricardo 'Tuca' Ferretti will guide Mexico for their upcoming games in 2015.
Herrera followed two other interim coaches, Victor Manuel Vucetich and Luis Fernando Tena, into the position himself.
Other possible candidates for the job that have been mentioned are Marcelo Bielsa, Michael Laudrup and Juan Carlos Osorio.
The FMF recently announced that they did not want to rush the national team coaching choice and would be open to an interim manager.
Mexico Coaches since 2010 World Cup Coach Years Games Juan Carlos Osorio 2015- Ricardo Ferretti* 2015 4 Miguel Herrera 2013-15 37 Victor Manuel Vucetich 2013 2 Luis Fernando Tena* 2013 1 Jose Manuel de la Torre 2011-13 47 Efrain Flores* 2010 3 Enrique Meza* 2010 1 *-interim coach
The 61-year-old Ferretti holds Mexican citizenship and has lived, played and coached in Mexico for many years. He is in his third stint with Tigres and led the club to the final of the prestigious Copa Libertadores tournament, as well as to the Apertura 2014 final of Liga MX.
Mexico plays friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 4th in Salt Lake City, Utah, then faces Argentina on Sept. 8th in Arlington, Texas. The key match against the U.S. is scheduled for Oct. 10 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The federation has not yet named a squad for the upcoming friendlies and only three European clubs, Villarreal (Jonathan dos Santos), Malaga (Guillermo Ochoa) and Hellas Verona (Rafael Marquez) have confirmed release of their Mexico internationals for those dates.
.In an attempt to con feminists out of thousands of dollars, a group of 4chan users tried to set up a fake convention called FemCon—but it most certainly did not go as planned.
According to screencaps from 4chan’s /b/ message board and an accompanying chat room, the plan was to create a DashCon-inspired “feminist” convention and watch the ticket money roll in. Anyone who fell for the scam would be redirected to a gay bar.
#FemCon2015 is a scam please do not put any money into it http://t.co/YgifwWZIXM pic.twitter.com/ecGpf9bao0 — Deanna (@dragona131) July 27, 2015
Unfortunately for FemCon’s organizers, feminists are not complete idiots, the hoax was spotted almost immediately, and FemCon’s Twitter and Tumblr tags were quickly deluged with derisive takedown posts. Within hours, the FemCon Twitter account and the Sellfy crowdfunding page had been removed. The Tumblr account is still online—for now.
FemCon2015: what if two kids standing on each others’ shoulders inside a trenchcoat were a convention — Christopher Sebela (@xtop) July 27, 2015
Probably the best part of those Femcon tinychat screenshots. #femcon2015 pic.twitter.com/TdYq5rn8Q0 — Hope (@hopedonut) July 27, 2015
[email protected] Will you have a workshop on how to capture males&force them to work in the tampon mines this year? #femcon2015 — The Notorious S.J.W. (@InnerPartisan) July 27, 2015
It didn’t help that 4chan’s fake social-media accounts were transparently fake.
Twitter
Twitter
What could be more convincing than a day-old account with “I <3 FEMINIST FREQUENCY” as its bio?
4chan’s fake Tumblr URLs were even worse: bananakin-ptsd (an otherkin reference combined with a trigger warning reference, which is classic Tumblr satire), women-are-equal (sure), and thethinkingfeminist69. FemCon’s official staff page even used the tag #DownWithMales, which has since been adopted by people making fun of the scam.
4chan has created plenty of memorable hoaxes over the years, from launching the #EndFathersDay hashtag to tricking people into thinking they could dunk their new iPhones underwater. Its biggest successes have harnessed trending topics (like Justin Bieber) and kneejerk shocking content (like self-harming teenagers) to get mainstream media attention.
FemCon, by comparison, was by every measure an embarrassing failure, backfiring to the point of making the scam’s creators look downright foolish.
Instead of Internet-savvy 4chan pranksters laughing at gullible “social justice warrior” victims, their targets quickly saw through the scam and directed the mockery back at FemCon’s creators. The only potential victims here are the organizers of real events named FemCon, although anyone who can use a search engine will be able to figure out the difference.
#FemCon2015 is making me sad. If you are going run a scam, at least have some pride and do it well. The lack of effort is disappointing. — Travis S (@picofoundry) July 27, 2015
Photo via White House/Wikimedia (PD)Detectives found body of Tzvi Aron, the brother of a man who kidnapped and killed eight-year-old, in the same home where the boy’s remains were found
The brother of a man who kidnapped, killed and dismembered a lost eight-year-old boy has been found dead, his body bound, wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a basement closet in the same Brooklyn home where detectives uncovered the remains of the boy nearly five years ago.
Detectives found Tzvi Aron’s body after police were called there by family members, a law enforcement official said.
Aron, 29, a bakery worker, was last seen on Tuesday. The death is being investigated as a homicide – Aron had been recently threatened but it wasn’t clear why, the official said. The medical examiner will determine a cause of death. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Tzvi’s brother, Levi Aron, pleaded guilty in the kidnapping and killing of eight-year-old Leiby Kletzky in July 2011. Leiby got lost on his walk home from a religious day camp. It was the first time he was allowed to walk alone, and he was supposed to travel about seven blocks to meet his mother, but missed his turn. He ran into Levi Aron on the street, who promised to take him home.
Instead, Aron brought the boy about 40 miles upstate to Monsey, New York, where he attended a wedding before bringing the boy back to his home. He kept him there overnight and the following day as he went to work at a hardware store.
A massive search for the boy was held in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, home to one of the world’s largest communities of Orthodox Jews outside Israel. Thousands of volunteers from the Hasidic community assembled to comb the streets. Aron is Orthodox but not Hasidic. The Hasidim are ultra-Orthodox Jews.
When Aron noticed flyers plastered on lampposts with the boy’s photo, he got spooked, went home and suffocated the boy, police said. A toxicology report found Leiby had also been drugged.
Detectives found the boy’s severed feet, wrapped in plastic, in a freezer at Aron’s home, about two miles from the boy’s home. A cutting board and three bloody carving knives were found in the refrigerator. The rest of the boy’s body was discovered in bags inside a red suitcase in a trash bin about a mile from the home. His legs had been cut from his torso.
Levi Aron pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing the boy, and is serving 40 years to life in prison.
In the years since, his family remained at the home in Brooklyn, which is divided into apartments. Tzvi lived in the basement apartment; Levi had lived on the top floor. Another brother lives there. The family’s mother died from cancer and a sister, Sarah, died while institutionalized with schizophrenia before Levi Aron was arrested, according to Levi Aron’s psychiatric report obtained by the AP.
Over the years the family has received dozens of death threats. On Friday, police once again cordoned off the cream-colored home, in Brooklyn’s Kensington neighborhood, as a crime scene.
“It was spooky,” neighbor Kathleen Henderson told the Daily News. “Everyone keeps an eye an on that house for obvious reasons. No one trusted them after that incident with the little boy.”Explore, Adventure, Craft, Build, Survive.
How will you shape your world?
Astral Terra is a fantasy-themed sandbox world-crafting game for PC with RPG and survival elements. Set in a beautiful smooth voxel world that’s generated on the fly and completely editable, no two players will have the same experience, as everything from the skills you learn to the world you play in is fully unique and customizable. Explore the endless realm of the Fae Sanctum as a Planar Warden and pick out a piece of land to build your fortress via your unlimited power to terraform and build. Gather resources for crafting and building or just explore the various biomes for the sake of discovery. From character progression with abilities and powers, to the terrains |
pants introduces its audience to a more relatable, elementary version of Orwell’s truth: A dirty joke is a sort of mental rebellion.
Pilkey knows the devotion his fans give the Captain, and has gradually deepened his message for the armies of Georges and Harolds out there. In the new book, Pilkey rails against bullies of both the adult and child variety. The novel flashes back to kindergarten, where George and Harold, both lonely and bright misfits, find each other while taking down the school bully, who happens to be Mr. Krupp’s nephew. “There is not a whole lot you can do when you are a little kid who encounters injustice,” Pilkey writes, offering the kind of wisdom that every parent and teacher ought to recognize the value of. “The sad truth is, big people usually have all of the power. You can’t force anyone to be kind or fair or honorable, especially if you’re only forty-three inches tall and weigh only fifty pounds. That’s why it’s important to be smart.”
—
Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers by Dav Pilkey. Scholastic.
See all the pieces in this month’s Slate Book Review.
Sign up for the Slate Book Review monthly newsletter.CEDAR RAPIDS – The oldest Catholic parish in Cedar Rapids celebrated its grand reopening Saturday after undergoing months of restoration.
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 857 Third Ave. SE, was built in 1914-1916, but its roots as a parish extend back to 1857, according to the National Register of Historic Places, when a wood-frame building was constructed at Third Avenue and Seventh Street SE.
That church was replaced in the 1870s by a larger brick building, and after the turn-of-the-century, the site at Third Avenue and 10th Street SE was purchased.
The current church was commissioned from St. Paul architect Emmanuel Masqueray, according to the parish history, with the interior designed under the direction of Angelo Gherardi, who had designed liturgical settings for more than 300 churches nationwide.
Immaculate Conception, which serves diverse ethnic groups in Cedar Rapids, launched a capital campaign last year, with a goal of $1.5 million to fund the restoration work.
Heritage Restoration of Peoria, Ill., was selected as the restoration company. Work included repairing plaster and repainting the interior; replacing interior lighting and sound system; removing carpeting and restoring the original terrazzo floor; refinishing pews with new kneelers and cleaning the gold leaf and stained glass windows.
Extensive scaffolding was used in the restoration process, with Masses held elsewhere during that time.
The result was unveiled during a grand reopening on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017.
Related: History on the auction block in Cedar Rapids
See more photos of the grand reopening here:By Philip Giraldi
“An agent of influence is an agent of some stature who uses his or her position to influence public opinion or decision making to produce results beneficial to the country whose intelligence service operates the agent.” So goes the book definition but any experienced intelligence officer will note that there are degrees of cooperation and direction in such a relationship. The agent might be fully controlled and on a salary or he or she might be very loosely guided, ideologically motivated but cautious and reluctant to receive any favors in return. The key is that the agent has to be acting on behalf of the interests of the foreign government, which will at least some of the time mean working directly against the interests of his own.
I thought of how an agent of influence operates on the morning of September 9th when I opened the Washington Post and read two letters to the editor, both written by constituents, regarding Maryland Senator Benjamin Cardin’s refusal to support President Barack Obama’s Iran deal.
The first, from Carole Anderson of Bethesda said that “my U.S. senator, Benjamin L. Cardin, has forgotten that he represents Maryland — not the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, not a portion of the Jewish community, not Israel. His constituents expect him to vote based on the best interests of the United States, which in this case also is in Israel’s long-term interest, not based on what his rabbi says. He has demonstrated that he is incapable of doing his job.”
The second, from Stephen O. Dean of Gaithersburg observed that “Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin’s plan to oppose the Iran nuclear deal is an embarrassment to the people of Maryland. Though a Democrat, he allied himself with the Republicans in Congress, the Republican presidential contenders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the powerful pro-Israel lobby. He turned his back on President Obama and rejected the long, difficult work of Secretary of State John F. Kerry and his counterparts from five other major countries. The alternative he offered is a bill he will introduce to send more U.S. taxpayer money to Israel. One wishes he took the path to peace with Iran, instead of to potential war.”
Cardin’s position was not unexpected even though he is reliably liberal on any issue but Palestine and a solid Democratic Party water boy. As an elected official, Cardin has frequently framed himself as being personally responsible for delivering benefits to his Jewish constituents. He sponsors the Senator Ben Cardin Jewish Scholars Program and also has been active in steering Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants to what he calls “high risk” Jewish organizations in Baltimore. Due to the assiduous efforts of Congressmen like Cardin fully 97% of all DHS grants go to Jewish groups.
But as complete deference to Israel is all too common inside the beltway, I was, to put it mildly, shocked that two letters expressing such dissident views regarding Cardin actually appeared in the Post, a haven of neoconservatism on its editorial page. One might enthuse that it is perhaps a welcome sign that popular views on the extremely damaging Israel relationship really have begun to shift.
I have previously written that the so-called Corker-Cardin bill that reportedly gave Congress a chance to safely vent over the Iran deal was actually a Trojan horse in that it was intended to lead to eventual defeat of the agreement. I noted at the time that Cardin was the snake in the woodpile as he was pretending to give a lifeline to his party and president while all the time intending to vote no and do everything in his power to overturn any rapprochement with Iran.
Now what I predicted has come about. And Cardin has even admitted that he discussed with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) how he should vote. AIPAC, for all its posturing about American interests, is not a source of objective information on the Middle East as it often pretends to be. It actively and aggressively lobbies on behalf of the Israeli government and would be listed under the Foreign Agent Registration Act of 1938 but for the fact that it is politically powerful and no White House has been willing to take it on. Cardin was also heavily lobbied by his rabbi, who called him repeatedly.
Cardin justified his opposition to the agreement based on alarmist talking points that could have been, and maybe were, written by AIPAC to include, “…there cannot be respect for a country that actively foments regional instability, advocates for Israel’s destruction, kills the innocent and shouts ‘Death to America.’” And Cardin has also gone on record pledging to back up his “no” vote by introducing legislation that he is already working on that will allow congress to overturn the agreement while also sending 30,000 pound penetrator bombs to Israel that will enable Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Iran, which would clearly not be in America’s interest.
The Cardin supported initiative to undermine the Iran agreement through further congressional meddling and delaying tactics is being referred to in some circles as “Plan B.” There are a number of aspects to it, but it involves creating new legislation and imposing other conditions that will permit additional congressional review of both the deal itself and, more particularly, Iran’s compliance. It has become axiomatic to refer to Iranians as “liars and cheaters,” setting the stage for any number of contrived revelations about their behavior.
As has often been the case in the past where friends of Israel have sought either military action or other punitive measures, the planned new congressional initiatives will likely seek to create red lines or tripwires that will mandate congressional or presidential action. In the past, these red lines have been described in a way that permits them to be interpreted subjectively, meaning that there will be a push to find fault with Tehran and that evidence might easily be manufactured to suit or even provided by Israel. Cardin appears to be the driving force behind this effort if one is to go by his own words and the praise that has been heaped upon him by organizations like Christians United for Israel.
So who does Cardin actually represent? I would suggest that he fits the mold of the classic agent of influence in that his allegiance to the United States is constrained by his greater loyalty to a foreign nation. I do not believe that he does it for money or other material favors and I would not imagine that Mossad actually gives him his marching orders, but I would bet that his contact with the Israeli Embassy and AIPAC to both obtain and synchronize with their views is frequent and ongoing. One has to hope that Cardin will both fail in his new legislative efforts on behalf of Israel and also that he will be turned out of office in the next cycle by his constituents for his failure to support actual American and Marylander interests.
The question of what to do about the Cardins of this world is, of course, clouded by the broader issue of “dual loyalty,” a label that has rightly been of particular concern for many diaspora Jews because it often is employed as a classic anti-Semitic canard. Those who promote it think that some or even most Jews can never be truly loyal to the country that they reside in, that they will always have a higher allegiance to their tribe. Since the founding of Israel that alleged supranational allegiance has also embraced the Jewish state, with questions raised regarding whether it is possible to actively promote all-too-often uncritical support for a foreign nation while living and working in another country that will inevitably have quite different national and international interests.
In reality, of course, it is not so simple. Some Jews will relate to their “tribe” more than to their non-Jewish fellow citizens but most will not and many will even regard that kind of sentiment as completely unacceptable. But all of that given, the issue of where one’s loyalty as a citizen of a nation should lie and to what degree is something that just will not go away. Nearly all of the neoconservatives who cajoled Americans into the disastrous war against Iraq were Jews and they were at least in part motivated by perceived Israeli interests. Bush Administration senior official Philip Zelikow subsequently even claimed that the Iraq war was primarily fought to eliminate a threat to Israel. And if that is not convincing enough, there is the “Clean Break”policy document that was presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 1996 recommending inter alia the systematic break-up of Israel’s Arab neighbors into tribal groups to “secure the realm” of Israel. Many of the signatories were the very same American Jews who later promoted the war with Iraq and are now orchestrating the agitation vis-a-vis Iran, which itself is being overwhelmingly funded by Jewish groups.
Because of the potential problem posed by divided loyalty, many Americans now believe that no citizen should hold any foreign passport in addition to that of the United States. An increasing number are beginning to understand that competing parochial loyalties of various kinds have been detrimental to the viability of the United States as a nation and destructive of Teddy Roosevelt’s once proud assertion that it doesn’t matter where we came from but “we are all Americans.”
The dual loyalty question becomes more serious when one is considering the roles of government officials, both elected and as members of the federal bureaucracy, as they are in a position where they can actually do damage. The United States is currently wrestling with problems posed by Christian officials who believe that what they are told by God preempts what they are obligated to do as bureaucrats. This type of deference to tribe and culture is also where Cardin is both tone deaf and dissimulating. He is the stereotype of what has frequently been disparagingly described as an “Israel firster.” There is absolutely no reasonable argument to be made against the Iran agreement from a U.S. perspective and the mere fact that it is opposed by Israel should have no weight, but Cardin clearly does not see things that way.
One might reasonably object that Cardin is far from unique and to be sure there are many in Washington that are feckless in their relationships with Israel’s government. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who has declared himself to be the “shomer” or guardian of Israel in the U.S. Senate, is a case in point and undoubtedly many of the criticisms leveled against Cardin would fit just as well with Schumer. One might also note the unanimous Republican opposition to the Iran deal but that is a bit of a red herring. In many cases the attachment is more likely than not based more on politics than on any genuine affinity towards Israel. A frequently cynical kowtowing to perceived Zionist and evangelical demands is coupled with the expectation that Israel’s most powerful and wealthy backer in the U.S. Sheldon Adelson will shower his billions on the GOP and its preferred presidential candidate as long as the whole campaign is in key areas subordinate to Israeli interests. The Republican hard line is also a reflexive rejection of Obama foreign policy to create a wedge issue for 2016 and is not linked to any rational assessment of the merits of the Iran agreement.
On balance, Senator Ben Cardin in his apparent collusion with both the Israeli government and its powerful domestic Lobby appears to cross lines that should not be crossed by any American elected official. My contention that he may be a de factoagent of influence for Israel is, of course, somewhat conjectural. I would imagine that Cardin rationalizes his behavior by choosing to believe that Israeli and American interests are identical, which is, of course, not true. If he claims that he is not in fact preemptively guided by Israeli interests it would be interesting to have him reveal full details of the frequency and nature of his encounters with Israeli officials and also with the components of the Israel Lobby, most particularly AIPAC, which are established conduits for relaying Israeli perspectives to accomplices in the U.S. government. I would also be interested in hearing Cardin’s views on how a war with Iran would possibly benefit the people of Maryland.
This article was originally published in The Unz Review and can be accessed here.The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. is refusing to provide additional information about a report saying that members of the media have been barred from the premises this week.
Politico's Daniel Lippman wrote Wednesday that he was stopped at the hotel door when he arrived earlier that morning for a breakfast meeting. After identifying himself as a journalist, Lippman said he was informed that the press was not permitted inside.
"Media is not allowed in this week in respect of the privacy of our guests," Patricia Tang, the hotel's director of sales and marketing, reportedly told Lippman in an email.
Later Wednesday, Matea Gold, a reporter for the Washington Post, tweeted, "Denied entry to Trump International. Guests only."
Reached for comment by CNNMoney, Tang made it clear at the outset that she didn't want to wade further into the matter.
"We really don't have any comment," she said by phone. "I mean, we gave all we're going to say, which is that we protect the privacy of our guests."
In his own story about the encounter, Lippman pointed out that Trump and three of his adult children have a 60-year lease on the hotel with the federal General Services Administration, the result of a winning bid to redevelop D.C.'s Old Post Office.
That lease stipulates that the public should enjoy access to the building's historic areas "subject to such reasonable rules and time restrictions as Tenant may formulate from time to time and as approved in writing by Landlord," although there is an exception for public safety.
When CNNMoney tried to ask whether a ban on the press might violate the hotel's lease, Tang grew agitated.
"Sir, you're not listening to what I'm saying. I'm hanging up now," she said, and then did so.
It is unclear whether the hotel's media ban was ordered by Trump himself. A spokeswoman for the president-elect did not respond to a request for comment.
But it comes at a time when the press corps is increasingly uneasy with the rhetoric and actions of the incoming administration.
Journalists were alarmed by an Esquire report over the weekend that quoted unnamed officials on Trump's transition team, one of whom said that the administration views the news media as "the opposition party." The official also suggested that the White House press corps may be booted from the building and moved to the Old Executive Office Building next door.
Following the report, incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer insisted that the Trump administration only wanted to provide reporters with a larger space for the daily press briefings.
Lippman, for his part, said in an email that he relocated his breakfast with friends to the Willard InterContinental, located just a half-mile from Trump International.
"At least I got in a good walk from Trump to the Willard," Lippman said, "but definitely an unusual morning."José Blanco is back in business.
The former vice president of Joya de Nicaragua and sales director of La Aurora has created his own company: Las Cumbres Tabaco, which already has a first blend in the works.
Las Cumbres Tabaco—literally "the summits of tobacco"—is based in the Dominican Republic. The first line will be a Dominican-made boutique cigar called Señorial by José Blanco. He's making it with Tabacalera La Palma, which is run by his cousin Jochi Blanco, the maker of the Aging Room Quattro F55 Concerto, Cigar Aficionado's No. 2 Cigar of 2013.
"I think it's time for me to do my own thing," Blanco told Cigar Aficionado. "We have been through many different periods of tobacco and taste-profiles, and even though all of us in the industry keep evolving and learning, we thrive to reach the summits of tobacco, so this is absolutely a name reflecting upon the industry as a whole."
Blanco's new job brings him back to the Dominican Republic, where he first began working in the cigar business. He joined Grupo León Jimenes—La Aurora's former parent company—in 1981. He began as a salesman, working on the company's best-known brands, Presidente beer and Marlboro cigarettes. A longtime member of Aurora's test-smoking panel, in 1999 he moved full-time to become sales director and was part of the blending process, working on such Aurora creations as Aurora 1495 and Aurora 107.
The box logo for Blanco's new brand, Señorial.
He left La Aurora in June 2011 and joined Joya de Nicaragua that August. His main project was working with Cuenca y Blanco, which later was shortened to CyB. Blanco spent two years at Joya de Nicaragua, leaving there in August. At the time he did not have a plan but promised a return to the industry.
Though an official press release said the blend for his new cigar was incomplete, Blanco told Cigar Aficionado that Señorial will have mostly Dominican guts, including a lot of Piloto Cubano, and an Ecuadoran wrapper. "It's going to be the strongest cigar I've ever made," he said.
The cigars will initially be five sizes: a 5 1/2 inch by 46 ring gauge Corona Gorda, a 5 1/4 by 52 Robusto, a 6 by 54 Toro, a 6 1/4 by 52 Figurado and a 6 by 60.
Señorial doesn't have an official release date—in fact nothing is firmly set yet, from MSRPs to the final blend—but Blanco expects the cigars out in May or June. Blanco is still in the process of deciding how they'll be distributed.
Blanco said he also hopes to create cigars with Guillermo Léon at the La Aurora factory in the future, though there are no details on that project at this time.A deadly assassin stalks the back alleys of the Mushroom Kingdom, as Exploding Rabbit adds a new challenger to popular Flash game mash-up Super Mario Bros. Crossover. Those poor Goombas will never see it coming.
During a recent interview, Crossover creator Jay Pavlina explained that several characters had to be cut from the game's initial release, including Luigi, the SOPHIA battle tank from Blaster Master, and Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden.
Now we can mark Ryu off that list.
Yes, the original ninja in all his spinning, wall-clinging glory will be showing up in the 1.1 update to Super Mario Bros. Crossover, and if the video is any indications, he'll be tearing the Mushroom Kingdom a new one. Just look at him. He's completely unbalanced, and it's wonderful.
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Now I just feel bad for Dueling Analogs' Steve Napierski, who'll have to go back to the drawing board to add Ryu to his Super Mario Bros. Crossover box art. It's okay Steve, we'll just pretend he's hiding.
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Super Mario Bros. Crossover – Ryu Hayabusa Trailer [Exploding Rabbit - thanks Ami!]SoHi’s punishing ground game and a defense that held a pass-oriented Crater offense to one rushing touchdown; the Soldotna Stars collected their 53rd straight victory with an impressive 20-7 victory over the Comets. Friday nights game was held in Crescent City, California.
The Stars opened the scoring with a Aaron Faletoi rushing touchdown, following a fumble recovery by the Stars; and followed up with a Brandon Crowder rushing touchdown. The Stars lead 7-0 after the first quarter and 14-7 at the half.
SoHi opened the third quarter with a Brenner Furlong run for a touchdown and lead 20-7. The defense took control from that point. SoHi turned Crater over on downs three times in the second half and the Stars offense controlled the clock as the Stars remain undefeated. The Star starting defense allowed its first touchdown of the 2017 season.
More game details when game stats are made available.The Belgian privacy commission has told Facebook to stop tracking the internet activities of people who have not registered with the site or have logged out, after a “staggering” report showed alleged breaches of EU privacy law.
“Facebook tramples on European and Belgian privacy laws”, the data protection authority said in a statement. “Facebook has shown itself particularly miserly in giving precise answers,” it continued, adding that the results of its investigation were “disconcerting” and that it would take legal action if its recommendations were not followed.
Willem Debeuckelaere, president of the Belgian privacy commission, said that the way Facebook is treating its users’ private lives “without respect needs tackling”, and that “it’s make or break time.”
According to a report commissioned by the Belgian data protection agency Facebook has been tracking users on a long-term basis who visit any page – be it a fan page, profile or any other portion of the site that does not require a Facebook account to visit – belonging to the Facebook.com domain.
The opinion published on Friday noted that because Facebook has the power to link internet users’ browsing habits to their real identity, social network interactions and sensitive data including medical information, religious, sexual and political preferences, it is in a unique position compared to most of the other cases of so-called “third-party tracking”.
Explicit consent needed
The privacy commission insists that Facebook seeks explicit consent from users for any tracking related to serving ads, commonly called behavioural ads, and that its current measures are insufficient to obtain that explicit consent and are not exempt under EU law.
EU privacy law states that prior consent must be given before issuing a cookie or performing tracking, unless it is necessary for either the networking required to connect to the service (“criterion A”) or to deliver a service specifically requested by the user (“criterion B”), neither of which apply to tracking for ads according to the watchdog.
The same law requires websites to notify users on their first visit to a site that it uses cookies, requesting consent to do so.
A cookie is a small file placed on a user’s computer by a website that stores settings, previous activities and other small amounts of information needed by the site. They are sent to the site on each visit and can therefore be used to identify a user’s computer and track their movements across the web.
The opinion also states that Facebook should only track users when logged into the social network and not when logged out, using session cookies which expire after a set time period or when no longer needed.
Social plugins on 13m sites
The watchdog’s opinion was published after scrutinising the findings of a study it commissioned into Facebook’s use of tracking technology and amendments made to its privacy.
The report found that Facebook’s social plugins such as the “Like” button, which has been placed on more than 13m sites including health and government sites, read tracking cookies and send that data back to Facebook.
The data protection authority recommends that website owners using Facebook’s social plugins implement a two-stage click-through process so that users not wanting to interact with Facebook are not exposed to the service.
It also requests that Facebook alter the design of its plugins so that the mere presence of a social plug-in on an external website does not lead to the transmission of data to Facebook
Users are also advised to adopt the use of privacy-guarding software, such as Privacy Badger, Ghostery or Disconnect browser extensions.
‘Facebook is already regulated in Europe’
A Facebook spokesman said: “As we expressed to the CBPL in person when we met, there is nothing more important to us than the privacy of our users and we work hard to make sure people have control over what they share and with whom. Facebook is already regulated in Europe and complies with European data protection law, so the applicability of the CBPL’s efforts are unclear. But we will of course review the recommendations when we receive them with our European regulator, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner.”
The Irish data protection watchdog declined to comment.
The opinion comes at a time of increased scepticism in Europe over the practices of US technology companies when it comes to user data. Many operate their European businesses from Ireland, which has its own data protection authority.
Facebook, in particular, has been very bullish over the fact that it conforms to the letter of the law as laid down by Ireland. Under European Union law, companies that conform and are governed by one member state, in this case Ireland, can operate in other parts of Europe.
However, there is growing political pressure outside of Ireland to investigate the practices of Facebook and others, including Google, concerning data privacy.
Probed all over Europe
The Belgian regulator said it has the power to investigate the company’s possible breaches of its citizens’ privacy rights because Facebook operates a politically and operationally active office within the country.
Facebook is also being investigated by the Dutch data protection authority and is currently being probed by the pan-European data protection working party, Article 29.
The Belgian data protection authority does not have the power to fine companies, such as Facebook, but can initiate lawsuits and can be aided by the Belgian prosecution service if breaches of law are found.
The opinion could also carry weight with Article 29, which is currently discussing the possibility of establishing a pan-European data regulator.
The European Commission recently warned that EU citizens should close their Facebook accounts if they want to keep their information private from US security services, after finding that current Safe Harbour legislation does not protect citizen’s data.
Facebook was also recently ordered by a Vienna court to respond to a class action data privacy lawsuit that was filed against Facebook in Austria by privacy activist and lawyer Max Schrems, which is seeking damages of €500 (£397) per plaintiff for alleged data protection violations.
• Facebook admits it tracks non-users, but denies claims it breaches EU privacy law
• How can I delete my Facebook account?
• Facebook Instant Articles: BBC News and Guardian sign up to initiativePresident Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, left, at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. AP President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his support of Gen. H.R. McMaster, his national security adviser, amid growing calls from some Trump supporters who want McMaster fired.
"General McMaster and I are working very well together. He is a good man and very pro-Israel," Trump said in a statement Friday night. "I am grateful for the work he continues to do serving our country."
The knives have come out for McMaster among the most vocal, nationalist-leaning Trump supporters, many of whom are allies of the president's chief strategist, Steve Bannon. Some have cast doubt on McMaster's decisions in his role on Trump's National Security Council, which included the firings of officials appointed by the man he replaced, Michael Flynn.
Others have questioned McMaster's broader motivations, which they said seemed to counter Trump's agenda.
Politico's Pete Mansoor characterized the underswell of dissent as a split "between the Bannon camp of ideologues and the McMaster-Mattis-Tillerson camp of more centrist intellectuals."
A senior White House official quoted by The New York Times on Friday night said Trump has "total confidence" in McMaster. The remarks follow unprecedented turnover in the Trump administration of late, in which the president has lost his press secretary, his chief of staff, and his communications director, all in the span of two weeks.Uncertainty clouds the backup quarterback position at Chicago Bears training camp with Jordan Palmer and Jimmy Clausen competing for the No. 2 job. So it’s no surprise general manager Phil Emery expressed an interest Saturday in potentially bringing back Kyle Orton.
If Kyle Orton is interested, the Bears are open to the idea of bringing back the veteran quarterback, who played for Chicago from 2005-08. Daniel Plassmann/USA TODAY Sports
“I have great respect for Kyle,” Emery told Jeff Dickerson on ESPN Radio. “When I was in Kansas City, we brought him in. That’s the famous claim the Bears figured they would get [in 2011]. We claimed him. He came in. He started against the Bears; got hurt first or second play. At the time in Kansas City, we won the game. The next week, he starts against Green Bay, an undefeated Green Bay team [which] had the longest winning streak in football at that point. [He] beat them; beat them in Kansas City. Great leadership skills, guys really like playing for him, big arm. So the skill set is there. But as far as where he’s going in his career… that we don’t know.”
Orton was preparing to play his ninth season in the NFL when the Dallas Cowboys released him just before the start of training camp. The release came after Orton skipped Dallas’ offseason program while contemplating retirement.
Orton reportedly spent a few days in Dallas meeting with club officials, but the Cowboys ultimately decided to release him. During those meetings, Orton told team officials he would show up to training camp. But throughout the offseason, Orton reportedly had cut off all communication with Cowboys officials.
Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones said just before the quarterback’s release that Orton intended to play in 2014, but many around the league believe Orton will retire.
“[There’s] a lot of rumors in terms of him retiring,” Emery said. “I certainly know that if he had an interest in playing, that would be out in the league. We’re extremely excited about Jay [Cutler], and we’re extremely excited about the competition we have for the backups. If we see a player at quarterback or any other position that can help us, we’ll certainly take a look.”
Since losing Orton in the 2009 trade that brought Cutler to Chicago, the Bears have tried twice to bring him back. When Cutler suffered a broken thumb in 2011, the Bears put in a waiver claim for Orton, who was awarded to the Chiefs. At the time, Emery was Kansas City’s director of college scouting.
Emery tried to sign Orton during free agency in 2012, but the quarterback opted to play for the Cowboys.
“There’s an interest on our end on looking at any player that can help this team, and we continue to do that,” Emery said. “We want to keep looking at players that can really have a legitimate chance to make our team. If there’s a quarterback, a wideout, a defensive person -- a DB that could help us -- we're certainly gonna look at him.”
Orton certainly falls into that category, provided he still wants to play.WELCOME to Whittier, the Alaskan town where everyone lives, works and goes to school in the same building.
The 1950s former army barracks, Begich Towers, is almost all there is to see in this snowy, mountainous spot.
It is accessible only by a single-lane, four-kilometre tunnel, which closes each night at 10.30pm.
“We don’t have to leave this building if we don’t want to, so a lot of people don’t, you know, why would you?” says grade school teacher Erika Thompson.
The 14-storey block has its own post office, convenience store Kozy Korner, video store and city offices, where the community of around 200 people carry out their daily business.
It also holds a police station, a health clinic, a church, and a laundromat, with a B&B taking up the top two floors, according to a report in California Sunday magazine.
Begich Towers, known as BTI, was built along with Buckner Building as the most remote Cold War military base, its ice-free port used for bringing goods into Alaska.
But Buckner was abandoned just seven years after completion, when the military realised it didn’t have much use for such a far-flung outpost, Gizmodo reports. Now, almost nothing but BTI, and a bar, survives in the area.
Thousands of visitors flock to the unusual spot in summer, but in winter the city receives an average 6.4m of snow, and is buffeted by strong winds.
The extreme weather can mean people hardly go out. “It’s hard to stay healthy in a town like this,” says Ms Thompson, who runs fitness classes as well as teaching. “Our weather is extremely challenging, and we don’t have a fitness centre or gym except at the school. It just becomes normal to not move.”
Most people are employed by the City of Whittier, working on snow clearance, building maintenance and city administration.
“Everybody functions as part of a larger organism,” says photographer Jen Kinney.
Intertwined lives are played out in this one building, with police donating hydroponic equipment to the school vegetable garden after a cannabis bust on the 12th floor.
The teacher says her students are always on time. When your school is in the same building as your home, you don’t really separate the two. “It takes five minutes, depending on the elevator,” she says.
If townsfolk start feeling claustrophobic, they can drive under the Maynard Mountain to the nearest city of Anchorage, although residents avoid doing so on a week night.
“If you don’t make the 10.30pm tunnel then you’re sleeping in your car, which happens a lot,” says Ms Thompson. “The tunnel creates its own isolation.”
The Whittier Tunnel (or Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel) was built for trains in 1943, but now traffic takes turns to drive down its one lane at a speed limit of 40km/h, according to Atlas Obscura. It remains the longest highway tunnel in North America.
An operator is on-call at all times in case the tunnel doors need to opened at night for an ambulance.
But life in Whittier is the opposite of lonely, Ms Thompson tells web channel Indie Alaska.
“I have friends and neighbours, students and co-workers who are right down the hall.
“It’s a condo association, and you get really cosy with your neighbours.
“It’s not that strange. Where I grew up everybody lived in an apartment building — but not the entire town.”The political earthquake we are living through has barely begun: expect more shocks through the summer and autumn. After Angela Eagle’s withdrawal the Labour leadership contest has snapped into focus, with Owen Smith as the sole challenger to Jeremy Corbyn. Amidst all the sound and fury it has never been more important to get some perspective. Where do Labour’s scattered tribes and leaders now stand politically – and can they ever be reunited?
First developed in the US, Crowdpac’s unique algorithm maps political positions based on objective data and millions of political signals. We have now applied this model to UK politics, including big-data analysis of social network supporters. The results are striking. The model identifies a diversity of British political positions, ranging economically from left to right and socially from liberty to authority.
Here is our Labour leadership map, based on Crowdpac’s data about where the declared and mooted candidates actually stand:
This data illuminates the landscape even for me, as someone who once stood to be General Secretary of the party. Jeremy Corbyn is to the very left of the spectrum, and socially very liberal; in fact, his position according to our data appears very close to that of Green leader Caroline Lucas. David Miliband and Yvette Cooper are also both on the left, but much more centrist in their positions, with Miliband leaning more toward liberty and Cooper more toward authority.
Owen Smith and Angela Eagle’s positions are quite close, but both clearly well to the left of centre, with Smith leaning a little further toward both liberty and the left than Eagle does. Lisa Nandy, often mentioned as a champion of the “soft left”, is in between Smith and Corbyn. Chuka Umunna looks closer to David Miliband, and ex-soldier Dan Jarvis is positioned between Eagle and Cooper.
By answering a simple questionnaire on our Political Matchmaker, you can also find your own position on the map, compare yourself to these and other leaders, and support those with whom you agree.
Reflecting the polls, Jeremy Corbyn has taken an early and considerable lead on Crowdpac, with 49% of endorsements. Remarkably, David Miliband is tying Owen Smith for second place, although he hasn’t entered the contest and remains in American exile – both are on 16%. Yvette Cooper has 9% of endorsements and Angela Eagle 7%, with other possible contenders well behind her. You can see the running total of endorsements along with other data on our Labour leadership contest page.
While our data on the leaders’ positions shows clear differences, they are overwhelmingly clustered in the “Liberty Left” quadrant of the map. No traditional “Blairites” appear here: David Miliband is the closest to that position, but seems to be more of a liberal social democrat. Our data has previously found Tony Blair and most of his closest supporters clustered around the centre lines between left and right, liberty and authority.
Crowdpac’s map also helps illuminate the various tribes which |
of the Fates."[63] The composition was utilized in the special features DVD of the 2004 original trilogy DVD box set in a featurette titled "Episode III," which gave a sneak peak of the then-upcoming Revenge of the Sith video game.[64] The theme was used in the first two official trailers for the animated series Star Wars Rebels, released on May 4, 2014,[65][66] as well as an extended trailer released on July 21, 2014.[67]
In Disney Parks Edit
"Duel of the Fates" was previously used in the Jedi Training Academy show at the Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant in Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California when Darth Maul appeared from underneath the stage.[68] The updated version of the show, called Jedi Training - Trials of the Temple, uses the theme if Darth Maul appears instead of Kylo Ren in both the Disneyland version[69] and the version shown at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.[70] The theme also begins playing during the first shots of Takodana during the nighttime show Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, also at Disney's Hollywood Studios.[71]
In popular culture Edit
The composition has been featured on The Simpsons in the episode "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em..." in which the characters Bart Simpson and Principal Skinner battle on top of a bus with sticks that have peanuts and shrimp attached to them.[72] The theme also plays during Soulcalibur IV whenever a player chooses Starkiller and fights within either of the game's two Star Wars-themed stages, as well as during Starkiller's extended ending.[73] The piece is also included at the end of a Verizon Wireless commercial that features R2-D2 as a promotion for the release of The Phantom Menace in 3-D.[74] The Piano Guys did a medley of Star Wars themes called "Cellowars," in which "Duel of the Fates" was the most utilized motif.[75]
Reception Edit
"…Distinct because of its sixteenth notes for brass and chanting adult chorus over turbulent percussion, 'Duel of the Fates' is an explosively frightening theme to hear over the pivotal battle sequence." ―Filmtracks review
Christopher Coleman from Tracksounds.com, a soundtrack review website, stated that he felt the early release of the "Duel of the Fates" single "set a high bar of expectation for the rest of the score." He felt that Williams had managed to create something different, yet still evocative.[76] The single lasted 11 days in the eighth position on Total Request Live's video debut countdown starting May 5, 1999.[77]
Bibliography Edit
Notes and references EditHERTFORDSHIRE, England -- Since his first day as an NFL head coach, Rex Ryan only had one rule with his players when it came to speaking with the media: Mention two other players and an assistant coach.
NFL on Yahoo!
Watch with the world as the Buffalo Bills take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first ever free global NFL live stream on October 25 at 9.30 a.m. ET. The game is available across Yahoo on your phone, tablet, laptop, console or connected TV. For free! Watch with the world as the Buffalo Bills take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first ever free global NFL live stream on October 25 at 9.30 a.m. ET. The game is available across Yahoo on your phone, tablet, laptop, console or connected TV. For free!
This was his way of rationalizing a muzzle-free approach and, on the eve of his first practice here in England, it was a perfect transition into a joke about Mario Williams and Marcell Dareus, the two highest-paid players on his defense who also happen to be his most vocal critics.
"I never put a muzzle on a player, or whatever," Ryan said of the recent criticism from Dareus and Williams that he's not attacking enough. "It's a free country, you're allowed to speak. As long as they mention two players and a coach in there -- I mean, they got the coach. Not very flattering, but sometimes that happens. And in the heat of the battle, we're so competitive."
So in a way, the solace provided by their hotel, a country club resort almost an hour outside of London, was welcome. He said they planned it this way -- another joke to deflect the fact that Buffalo is 3-3, nestled firmly in third place in the AFC East.
Ryan always seems to be dodging fire but at least this week he's doing it on acres of perfectly tailored grass. He held his press conference Wednesday morning in a green house. The Bills will be practicing just a few hundred yards from a golf course and trees a quarter-mile high.
It was a break from the constant rotating circle of Ryan-isms. When things are good, his lidless locker room is a non-stop factory of steam and bravado. When things go bad, they go bad quickly and publicly.
When asked if his defense has ever come under this much scrutiny before, Ryan grabbed at the podium.
"No I am not. I am definitely irritated, but I think when I was at Morehead State years ago, that one writer there..."
More laughs.
"Quite honestly, I make fun of it because I know where we're going to end up. Guys, I'd be willing to bet anybody."
So it goes for the Bills head coach. He'll be here all week.
Wake up and watch with the world. The NFL is live on Yahoo. For the first time ever the NFL is streaming a live game on Yahoo. Bills vs. Jaguars live from London, Sunday, October 25th, at 9:30 a.m. ET.Learning from Messi and Ronaldo readied Rashford for Man Utd competition
The Red Devils forward says he took inspiration from iconic figures before battling with the likes of Anthony Martial for regular game time
Marcus Rashford is relishing a battle for places at, with inspiration sought from the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 19-year-old says that he looked towards iconic figures of the modern era when working his way through the Old Trafford academy system, with Neymar and Wayne Rooney also held up as role models.
Man Utd 17/10 to beat Liverpool
He has since gone on to become a star in his own right, but the international concedes that he never tires of watching the world’s best in action and trying to take the best attributes from their respective games.
Rashford told reporters while away with the Three Lions on World Cup qualifying duty: "You try to, especially when you're young, until you find your own identity. You try to emulate those players a lot and they're the things that make you into the player you are.
"Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney, Neymar — everyone knows good football when you see it and that's what I like to watch as well.
"Teams defend a lot more now as a unit rather than man to man. There's different ways to take people on and different things you have to watch against different teams. It's hard to take a specific aspect but you can take things like mentality or characteristics.”
Having made the breakthrough at Old Trafford, Rashford is now competing with the likes of Anthony Martial for starting berths under Jose Mourinho.
He sees that competition as a benefit to both men, with it up to them to raise their standards and prove their worth.
"Without it, you don't improve," Rashford said.
"Young players need that sort of environment around them.
"I think we're both enjoying our football at the moment, we're both having our say in the games, and it's good for us, good for the manager, good for the team."
Rashford has made 11 appearances for United this season, netting five times, but he continues to be used in a wide attacking role.
He has once again reiterated that he sees himself as a central frontman, but is happy to bide his time as Romelu Lukaku shines in that role for the Red Devils.
Rashford added: "I'm a striker but if you have to play elsewhere to wait for your time, so be it.
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"If I'm not playing there, I'm not playing there.
"But wherever I'm playing, I try to get the same results. Obviously you have to do it in a different way but it's not my decision."
Rashford scored on his last outing for England against Slovakia in September and will be hoping to add to that tally when the Three Lions take in fixtures against Slovenia and Lithuania.The torso of a dead woman was mistakenly mailed to headquarters in Westborough. The unexpected package was delivered on Friday.
According to the Huffington Post, the body was being mailed to a research lab in Florida, but a misprinted shipping label sent it to the building at 25 Research Dr.
Westborough Police Sgt. Jonathan Kalagher told WBZ news that the package wasn't opened because an employee noticed the content description on the label and notified a supervisor. "They started opening the package and they saw the description of what they were opening, that it was a torso of a female," he told the station. "They never saw the torso. They saw there was packaging and some type of gel. They immediately notified their supervisor."
Employees at the company made arrangements to have the body delivered to the Florida lab.Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster.
So, demand the pundits, which is it to be? Are we going to control our borders, or are we going to stay in the EU’s single market? Because (the pundits assure us) we can’t do both. Europe’s four freedoms – free movement of goods, services, people and capital – are indivisible. So tell us, Leavers, which will it be, eh? Eh? Which?
Commentators like to present simple, binary choices. But they are missing the real argument here. The case against membership of the single market is not that free movement of people is too high a price to pay for it; it’s that subjecting our entire economy to EU regulations harms growth.
Look at what it says on the back of your iPhone: “Designed in California. Assembled in China”. Neither the United States nor China has any trade deal with the EU, but this doesn’t stop them selling their products here. Access to the single market is not the same as membership of the single market.
The trouble is that the terminology is misleading. Most people understand “single market” to mean something like “free trade zone”. In fact, in the EU context, it means “single regulatory regime”. Membership of the single market doesn’t mean the right to buy and sell there (pretty much the entire world can do that); it means accepting EU jurisdiction over your domestic technical standards.
Britain, as a relatively large economy which exports more to non-EU than to EU markets, would be better off trading freely with the single market than belonging to it. Before we come to that, though, let’s look at whether the single market really does require the unrestricted movement of people.
We keep being told that the only way to retain full access to the single market after Brexit is to join the European Economic Area (EEA), alongside Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. But this isn’t true. Most European states and territories, from the Isle of Man via Switzerland to Turkey, have full access to EU markets.
The EEA tends to duplicate the EU’s standards and structures because it was designed as a transitional step to full EU membership. The mechanism for the automatic adoption of EU legal acts in EEA states – the “government by fax” which Remainers kept banging on about – only made sense as a temporary mechanism to facilitate the assimilation of the EU’s full legal corpus. No one imagined, when the EEA was negotiated in 1992, that it would still be around today.
Is free movement a sine qua non of EEA membership? As a matter of fact, no. There are three EEA states outside the EU. Two of them, Iceland and Norway, accept free movement on terms similar to EU states. The third, Liechtenstein, does not. It caps net inward migration at 71 people a year. My point is not that Britain should model itself on the princely microstate. I am simply observing that, for all their pieties, EU leaders in practice do not regard the principle of free movement of people as inviolable. It is, rather, one of many desiderata open to negotiation.
I have little doubt that Britain could get some sort of modified EEA arrangement that provided for some restrictions on free movement. But that should not be our goal. We should aim, rather, to have the closest possible alliance with our European neighbours commensurate with full sovereignty. That means a deep and profitable trading relationship based on mutual product recognition rather than standardisation.
Only six per cent of British companies do any business at all with the rest of the EU; yet 100 per cent of our firms must apply 100 per cent of EU regulations. Our aim should be to exempt the 94 per cent (representing 85 per cent of the economy, the highest proportion of any European state) from EU directives and regulations.
Of course British exporters will have to meet EU standards when selling to the EU, just as they must meet Russian standards when selling to Russia. There may be certain businesses, even whole sectors, which choose to duplicate EU regulations for reasons of convenience or economies of scale. But there is little purpose in Brexit if we continue to hobble ourselves with the Ports Services Directive, the Temporary Workers Directive, the Resale Rights Directive, the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, the End of Life Vehicles Directive and all the rest.
What will be the implication for financial services, one of our greatest export industries? Well, take another glance at those words on the iPhone. What applies to goods applies to services, too. Governments don’t trade with governments; businesses trade with businesses. The largest export destination for British financial services, including pensions and insurance, is the United States. Yet, to repeat, there is no US-UK trade deal – there being no US-EU deal.
Many banks are fretting publicly about whether they will retain “passporting rights” outside the EU – in other words, the right to operate in all 28 states if they are headquartered in one of them. Frankly, their attitude suggests that they are privileging the interests of their Brussels-based lobbyists over those of their shareholders. For the truth is that a financial institution doesn’t need to be based in the EU to trade there. All it needs is to be based in a jurisdiction whose regulation is deemed to be equivalent to that in the EU.
Last month, the EU’s regulator recommended that passporting rights be extended to firms regulated in Australia, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Japan, Jersey, Switzerland and the United States. Now remember that, on the day Brexit takes effect, Britain won’t just have equivalent regulation to the EU; it will have identical regulation. The idea that the Cayman Islands might enjoy passporting rights but not the UK is risible.
Whether we’re considering financial services or the wider economy, our interest is the same. We should seek a comprehensive free trade deal with the EU founded, wherever possible, on the mutual recognition of regulatory standards and professional qualifications. But we should retain the freedom to make our own laws.
That freedom is incompatible with EEA membership. We should leave the EU precisely so that we can embrace a global, free-trading, deregulated future. Control over our immigration policy? That’s just an incidental bonus.Senator introduced similar bill in wake of 2012 Newtown massacre
Bump stocks enable semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns
Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Richard Blumenthal launch their effort to ban the sale and possession of bump stock equipment. Photograph: Call/Sipa USA/Rex/Shutterstock More
Democrats on Wednesday lined up behind a bill that would outlaw the the sale and possession of “bump stocks”, a device the Las Vegas gunman used to retrofit his weapons with rapid-fire capabilities, leaving 59 victims dead and more than 500 injured in just nine minutes.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, a longtime advocate of stricter gun control, introduced the bill, which she had first brought forward after 20 children and six adults were killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in December 2012. The earlier bill, which would have reinstated a federal assault weapons ban, failed by a wide margin in the Senate.
Wednesday’s more narrowly tailored legislation would ban the import, sale, manufacturing, transfer or possession of “a trigger crank, a bump-fire” or similar devices that can retrofit semi-automatic weapons to fire at nearly the same rate as automatic ones, which are heavily regulated.
“After Sandy Hook, when 20 first graders were slaughtered, I thought for sure we would act. After Orlando I thought we would act,” Feinstein said, listing mass shootings that have stunned the nation. “And now after Las Vegas, I hope senators will finally summon the political courage to stand up and say, ‘Enough is enough.’”
Bump stocks are legal and can be purchased online for less than $200. A semi-automatic weapon can typically fire between 45 and 60 rounds per minute. When retrofitted with a device, the weapon can fire between 400 and 800 rounds per minute – a rate similar to an automatic weapon, according to Feinstein.
The purchase of automatic weapons has been severely restricted since the 1930s, and in 1986, legislators banned the transfer or possession of machine guns by civilians, though the measure grandfathered in weapons produced before that year.
Feinstein has a long history of pushing for tighter gun laws, dating back to the assassination of the San Francisco mayor George Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk. Feinstein was the first to discover Milk’s body and deliver the news to the public.
“I know what guns can do,” Feinstein said. But what happened in Las Vegas this week, she said, “is taking it into war”.
An official with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) told reporters on Tuesday that multiple bump stocks had been found in the hotel room used by the shooter, identified by police as Stephen Paddock.
Feinstein dismissed criticism from Republicans, including the Senate majority leader, who on Tuesday said he found it “particularly inappropriate to politicize an event like this”.
“There is no better way to honor the 59 people who were slaughtered than to take action to prevent this from happening yet again,” said Feinstein, a senator from California. “If not, then when will we ever do it?”
Several other Democrats have said they too plan to reintroduce legislation that has previously failed to win support. Connecticut senators Christopher Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, both of whom became fierce advocates for gun control after Sandy Hook, said they planned to introduce bills, respectively, to expand the national gun background check system and close a loophole that allows licensed dealers to sell a weapon if the FBI fails to complete a background check on the buyer within three business days.
Though Feinstein has yet to find a Republican co-sponsor to sign on to the bill, her colleagues have said they believe that this legislation represents the best hope for finding common ground between the parties.
In an early sign, a handful of congressional Republicans have indicated that they would be open to the legislation.
John Cornyn of Texas, the number two Senate Republican, said as a hunter and sportsman he did not understand the use of the bump stock and wanted to have a hearing on it. Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican of Wisconsin, told reporters on Wednesday that he has “no problem” banning bump stocks.Spanish group were contacted by alleged members of the Zetas gang via mobile and told they could be shot at any time
Members of the chillwave band Delorean were reportedly "virtually kidnapped" as their tour passed through Mexico City this weekend. While the Basque indie group are all now safely en route to a tour date in the US, thugs allegedly demanded 20m pesos (£940,000) in ransom money during the ordeal, which ended on Monday.
According to El País, Delorean had arrived in Mexico City to perform at last week's Mutek festival. They were contacted by alleged members of the Zetas gang, who threatened to kill the musicians if they did not obey very particular orders. Delorean agreed to change hotels, give up their mobile phones and buy new ones as per the gangsters' instructions.
The "kidnappers" did not use guns or physical violence during the affair. They communicated with the band by phone, warning them that they were being watched and could be shot at any time. Meanwhile, they ordered the band members to make phonecalls to relatives, telling their families that they had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom of 5m pesos per person.
After hearing from family members, Spanish federal police travelled from Madrid to Oiartzun to coordinate a response, El Pais reported, and working with Mexican authorities, eventually located the band. "Initially we feared that the kidnapping was much more complicated and difficult," a spokesman told the newspaper. Luckily, it appears that Delorean were not actually being held by a group of gunmen – they just believed they were.
While Delorean cancelled a 7 October gig in San Francisco, they will reportedly resume their tour tonight in Seattle. Two other Spanish acts, John Talabot and Pional, have since announced they are calling off a Mexican tour. "We are happy that our friends Delorean are OK," Talabot wrote (via Consequence of Sound), "[but] we are cancelling our tour in Mexico for security reasons."
Founded in 2000, Delorean recently released their fourth album, Apar.On The Project, Waleed Aly delivered a very passionate explanation of renewable energy and how it impacts us in Australia. Courtesy: The Project
WALEED Aly set Twitter alight when he delivered a surprising report on climate change that made people think twice.
The Project presenter outlined the Renewable Energy Target, which is meant to ensure that 20 per cent of electricity used in Australia comes from renewable energy sources by 2020.
“Initial forecast suggested that, to hit 20 per cent by 2020, we needed to generate 41,000 gigawatt hours from renewable sources. But here’s the thing, each year Australia is using less electricity, larger energy consuming industry-like manufacturing is decreasing, our homes use less power, thanks to better designed white goods and we’re using less power because it’s bloody expensive.”
Aly expressed disdain at the fact that Australia is one of few countries in the world to see a reduction in jobs and investments in the clean energy sector, while the Government and Labor have been fighting it out but “refuse to budge”.
“We’ve been getting our arse handed to us by the 143 other countries around the world with established renewable energy targets,” he informed viewers.
“It’s been reported the only other country in the world to experience a decline in renewable investments last year due to regulatory changes was Italy. This is a nation that has so blatantly accepted climate change, they’ve already built a city that’s permanently flooded.”
Aly was further frustrated by the reality that the Australian Government and the audience watching his segment “don’t even care” about the issue. “The truth is, no one cares.”
He summed up by taking Prime Minister Tony Abbott to town, saying, “I don’t think Tony cares,” and referring to Australia’s attitude towards climate change as “a wilful disregard for the future of this nation, by the people we’ve elected to lead us.”
Aly’s powerful report was met with praise from the live audience, viewers sitting at home and respect from his fellow co-hosts Gretel Killeen and Chrissie Swan.
Do you care as much as Waleed? Tell us what you think below.The Transparent Future
Vinay Gupta Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 29, 2017
The following is a video and transcript of a talk I gave at Digital 2015 on how blockchains can enable new forms of crowdfunding, enabling society to allocate capital to new ideas in new ways.
Transparent Future at Digital 2015
I want to basically talk about how we might see an interaction between these technologies and political power. Most of the time, that conversation is very much about “We’re going to go around the state, we’re going to do this, that and the next thing,” and it’s very much phrased in the frameworks of pre-existing political power. We’ve already got all these stories about political power, that it’s something that is generated at the ballot box, that it’s given by the will of the people, it’s concentrated inside of these feudal democracies, we have a centralisation of power at the centre and then everything kind of radiates back out from there; that dialogue that we’re going to interact with this somehow by issuing our own currency is the standard discussion about political power when it comes to cryptocurrencies.
I’d like to posit a different way of thinking about this, which is the state has no power, the state is completely useless — it’s a chocolate teapot. The set of problems that face humanity today are completely out with the scope of a state to address. A classic example of this is polio eradication. Through this very, very long and slow process we get really close to eradicating polio, another one of the world’s great diseases is stamped out. Then polio catches a new lease of life again, because the American security establishment dresses up a bunch of people searching for Osama bin Laden as polio vaccinators, and now large parts of the Muslim world have completely lost faith in the polio eradication process, because it’s been used as a cover for an intelligence operation, and as a result polio is alive again.
That’s a really small example of a very specific kind of critical incompetence, where the battle of nation states for power results in their inability to effectively solve global issues. Once you see this as a pattern, that the struggle of the nation state against other nation states for power or for security or for gain, for the standard of living of its people, once you see that that mechanism is fundamentally preventing us being able to solve global issues, you begin to frame the problems that we face in a different light. It doesn’t really matter whether or not something like Bitcoin is an effective challenge to the power of the state inside of these narrow definitions; what matters is whether something like Bitcoin or Ethereum or any one of these blockchain currencies, whether it has the ability to solve global problems that the state is currently incompetent to solve. Once you frame this as being about identification of competence and application of competence to problem solving, you begin to understand that there is in fact an enormous, uncharted wasteland of the stuff that the Westphalian nation state is simply unable to solve, because it’s the wrong institutional vehicle. [03:00]
Once we accept that there are a whole bunch of critical problems in the world that the state is simply unable to solve, because it’s the wrong institutional vehicle, what you see is that we’re in fact not surrounded by encroaching powers that are telling us what to do; we’re surrounded by incompetent powers that are refusing to take effective action. Once it is framed that way, the notion that you could be building a political power base that was solving problems the state was unable to solve, while at the same time delivering real human benefit, to me begins to look like a much more rational way of discussing why it is that things like Bitcoin are important. Fundamentally, it’s not about competing with the state for the territory the state already has; it’s about going to the unsolved problems that face humanity and solving them independently of the state. Because if the state can’t get to this stuff, and has failed to get to this stuff in the period from say the end of the Second World War to now, if they’ve been ignoring a problem for that long or struggling with it and never actually delivering, I think we can reasonably assert that the state is not going to be able to solve that problem, which means that that territory is free for any enterprise that’s able to get there and take it. This is a pretty radical way of looking at these things, but let’s just play that out and see where it goes.
I’m going to very quickly scoot over where this whole blockchain thing comes from in a kind of deep history of technology to get to the interesting stuff at the end, which is what happens when we start to finance technology development in a different way. Ronald Coase: Nobel Prize, The Nature of the Firm (1937) suggests that the purpose of a company is to take the expensive, difficult project of making a decision, and then spread the benefit of that decision across as many people as possible, all of whom are essentially paying a little bit for the decision. You work for IBM, IBM has to decide whether they’re going to develop the future in C or in Java, they get a whole bunch of smart people to sit down and think about that and eventually they pick Java. You benefit from that decision, because you were basically going to just pick a language out of a hat; they had an analytical team that made the decision for you, you therefore take a salary rather than a contracting rig. This is Coase’s fundamental theory, that companies exist to make decisions on behalf of their employees, and that that service is worth enough that the employee does better that way than if they were an independent contractor. It’s certainly not the whole truth about why companies exist, but it’s a huge part of it.
The reason this is relevant is Coasean constraints typically bound an enterprise. Things don’t get any bigger than Coase will allow them to be, because when you get an enterprise which is too large, it begins to make wrong decisions. They’re generating an insight into what it is they want to do in the future, they apply the insight, but the organisation is so large that the cost to making the decision is now higher than the domain you can apply it to. [06:00] Really big companies try and make smart decisions, but actually the decision doesn’t apply to one part of the company because the thing is just too sprawling. The more regular and monocultural a company is, like Wal-Mart, the easier it is to make these decisions across the whole thing, but the more specialised and technological and fast-moving it is, the smaller the enterprises tend to be.
Once you begin to understand that the domain of power that accumulates inside of an organisation is related to how far its decisions are valid, what you begin to understand is that the political power embodied inside of the leadership of an organisation is directly backed by its ability to make good decisions; this is another way of saying that things get big because their governance is wise. If you can begin to pull this thread out and say, “Right, so what gives political legitimacy to an enterprise is the wisdom of the decisions that it makes,” that’s a different notion of where the political legitimacy comes from, than the idea that you get political legitimacy by running out and getting your hand on a piece of land first. I think you could begin to see that when you begin to reframe the political debate in these kind of terms — effective decision making is the political mandate, not possession of land; these things grow based on their ability to make effective decisions for everybody that’s subscribed to them — you begin to get this little smell of that smells like blockchains, that smells like bottom-up organisation, that smells like something interesting.
The second thread on this Y Combinator: a very successful investment house in the States, they give tiny amounts of money to small enterprises, to try and see whether they’re going to turn into a big thing. The classic model is three college students over the course of a summer, three months for three people — 50 grand, off you go. What they’ve discovered is that they’re really bad at picking winners. They’re one of the best investment houses in the world, and 90% of the time the things that they think will succeed simply fail, 10% of the time they make back about 10 times their money, which covers costs, and roughly one time in 1,000 they get some enormously spectacular thing like Airbnb. So with the best access to data in the world, and tons and tons and tons of human hands-on experience, they’re still in a position of basically having a magic chicken that pecks out proposals.
Once we understand that even the most skilled human beings in the world are unable to assess a new business idea accurately — they might be able to pick out a few things which are certainly going to lose, but they are definitely not able to pick out the things which will win — you begin to understand that this is essentially a random process; it doesn’t have enough information in the proposal or from talking to the founders to be able to tell whether or not the idea will work. [09:00] I think that there’s a revolution waiting here, which is if we know that the VCs with an n of 600 or 800 or 1,000 are unable to tell the difference between winners and losers, it’s almost certain that an individual entrepreneur will never be able to tell whether their idea is a good idea or not. If we accept that an entrepreneur that is certain they’re going to win is batshit insane, but an entrepreneur who says, “I don’t know whether this is going to work or not, but it seems worth a shot,” is rational, I think we could see a kind of post-optimism entrepreneurialism. Entrepreneurs that really understand statistical odds of failure, that really understand how unpredictable success is, and have methodical, chopping block approach… “You give me a bunch of money, I’m going to go out there and fail. If by some chance I leap out the window and fail to hit the ground, we will all be rich.” This notion that you could have a different emotional positioning of the entrepreneur — that was less about arrogance and enthusiasm, and more about rational estimation of the odds — begins to hint at a kind of scientific, rational entrepreneurial activity.
Quality of decision making is where institutions draw their authority from, and there’s this essentially random walk through the success space, where the entrepreneurs and the VCs are basically throwing money at a random system, with some ability to steer maybe but not much of a quantitative basis for knowing for sure. Out of this comes this question: what if what we need is to fund an enormous amount of innovation relatively randomly, because nobody is actually smart enough to know what’s worth doing and what’s not. We all feel that technological change has slowed and has more or less stalled since the 1960s; we are chipping away at technology incredibly slowly, because it turns out to be really hard to fund stuff, particularly important crazy new stuff, and we can’t get really big funds moved into things like global warming or finishing the job on polio, or nanotech and biotech management and all this kind of stuff. Right in the middle of that mess, what we see is this incredibly broken landscape where we’ve basically forgotten how to spend money to get technological progress. I think that we can solve that with blockchain technology, so that’s what I’m going to be talking about. Ambitious enough?
Historical context: in the 1970s we invent the database, all businesses of any size wind up with a big database in the middle of the shop, the database is an expensive piece of software which manages data that lives on tape, it’s all about managing data on tape. [12:00] This is fundamentally what databases were: it was a set of software for running tape drives — unbelievable. We get to the 1990s and we do the entire thing again for computer networking, we build a whole bunch of technology around Ethernet cables or token ring or whatever it was, and we gradually start to connect all the world’s stuff to the rest of the world’s stuff. This is really fairly successful, the project goes really well, apart from the fact that we never succeed in getting the databases to talk to each other properly over networks — it just never works. Every five years there’s another attempt to standardise all the world’s stuff so that the databases could talk to each other — XML, EDI, JSON, AJAX, JSON-RPC, SOAP, you could probably name another couple of these things from over the years — but they all break on the same problems. The first is the N-squared problem: every time you want two systems to talk to each other, you have to verify manually that the two systems connect properly; the more things you have trying to connect to the more other things, the more interconnections they have and it grows as a square of the number of systems that want to talk. You just wind up with intractable costs, because the larger your collaboration is, the more expensive it is to add each new player, and this is disastrous.
The other problem is this philosophical problem, that when you begin to put two things into connection with each other that are backed by a database, the databases usually have fundamentally different understandings of how the world works, and when you connect them, you wind up with a piece of software in the middle which basically translates one set of philosophical understandings to another. Is it about the customer or is it about the invoice? Well, the bank will always think about it in invoice terms, the warehouse will always think in product terms, and the front end will always think in customer terms, and when you get to the point of exchanging data, the different companies’ assumptions make it impossible to get it across the bridges without additional software. We’ve been stuck at that for years, which is why every time that you try and get two enterprises that are both working for you to talk to each other, you wind up taking the data yourself, mashing it with a hammer and then handing it to the other guy. There’s almost no seamless way for me to give an instruction to Amazon to give an instruction to my bank to give an instruction to somebody else; you just can’t get flow-through connectivity across the organisational landscape, because we’ve never figured out how to get past this idea that organisations have a database with a network and the network exists to connect the databases. The databases were never designed to be interconnected, they don’t work at all when you try and do that to them, and as a result all of our lives are in these broken-up organisational silos with database systems that don’t really talk to each other, and we’ve all got the experience of that any time we try and do anything complicated with our stuff. [15:00]
The same problem exists in government, but it’s magnified a thousandfold. The government doesn’t have a single database where it stores everything about you — maybe the intelligence databases, but certainly not the operational ones — so every time you get different parts of the government trying to cooperate to do something, everything breaks down, because each department has its own silo, the silos don’t technically connect to each other, and as a result the government is basically a balkanised, fractured framework in which different databases are failing to interoperate, so you can’t get a common operational picture of what’s happening in your society to make changes. It all goes back to the fact that the SQL database was never intended to be an interoperable system, and we’ve never solved the philosophical problems that prevent it from being one. There is no fundamental, axiomatic schema that all databases share right down on the basis that would allow you to have a philosophical interoperability |
the boundaries between physical and verbal violence,” says Mr Vorländer.
Heiko Maas, Germany’s justice minister, is worried. He has invited his counterparts in the 16 states to a summit on March 10th to think up strategies against extremism. But as refugees continue to arrive, Germany’s tolerance and moderation are being tested as never before in its post-war history. The firewall it has built between respectable conservatism and the extreme right may be breaking down.The Green Bay Packers see a much-improved version of Trevor Davis in 2017, and they are expecting their second-year receiver to show off all the progress he’s made once the pads come on for training camp and the preseason.
“He’s made big improvements this offseason,” receivers coach Luke Getsy said this week. “Both his approach, and how fast he’s picked up on things.”
Davis played in 11 games but caught just three passes as a rookie in 2016. He eventually lost much of his playing time to undrafted receiver Geronimo Allison, and by December, he was struggling to make the active 46-man roster.
Getsy admitted Davis faced a steep learning curve when he entered the NFL as a rookie last season. The rudimentary offensive system at Cal did him no favors.
“You have to remember, he played in that college system where he had to run a slant, he had to run a post and he had to catch a bubble (screen),” Getsy said. “The mentality part that he had to pick up on, he had a long way to go. I think he did a great job of slowly coming along, and I think, this spring, his confidence level is much higher. I’m excited for Trevor.”
Davis has become somewhat of a forgotten member of the Packers receiving group. Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Jeff Janis and Allison all returned, and the team used two Day 3 draft picks to add Purdue’s DeAngelo Yancey and LSU’s Malachi Dupre.
Getsy is excited about the impressive depth at his position. He believes all the talent will create a productive environment in training camp, where competition should be strong for jobs at the bottom of the depth chart.
Davis will be one of the receivers fighting for a roster spot, but Getsy is confident his second-year speedster is ready to blow up during the preseason.
“I think he’s going to have a really big August for us. He’ll be one of those guys that are going to show up,” Getsy said. “He’s shown that this spring. He’s made a ton of really, really impressive catches, and assignment wise, he’s been so much better. I’m excited to see him grow here into August.”
The Packers could use Davis’ vertical ability in the passing game and speed as a returner. He’ll have an opportunity to prove he’s capable of providing both when the Packers reconvene for camp in late July.Andre Evans
Activist Post
Homeopathic medicine practitioners may have to defend their practice in Australia after the National Health and Medical Research Council decided that their practices may be ineffective and unethical. A statement issued claims that it is “unethical for health practitioners to treat patients using homeopathy, because a homeopathic medicine or procedure has apparently been shown to be ineffective.”
This statement is based on an evaluation of homeopathy by the British House of Commons Science and Technology committee, who came to the conclusion that the whole field of homeopathic medicine is no more effective than a placebo pill is.
Similarly, the statement suggests that all homeopathic medicine is actually just joke medicine, and that “safe and effective conventional treatments” should not be delayed in favor of homeopathic ones.
The researchers who support this statement maintain that many homeopathic treatments are wrongfully being covered by health insurance companies, despite the fact that they are largely ineffective and sometimes more costly than conventional methods.
Many cases cited to support this statement showcase the use of outlandish medicines like animal blood and milk, which in these cases lead to the deaths of those who used these methods of treatment.
Due to the nature of the untested and absurd treatments, the researchers would like to establish a formal registration scheme in the manner of conventional doctors, so that no quackery or dangerous “medicines” are covered by insurance.
Currently, the Australian Homeopathic Association has a self-governed registration model that is not subject to more conventional scrutiny, and thus the methods stated can sometimes be encompassed within the scheme of what is called homeopathic medicine.
Interestingly, what is called ‘conventional medicine’ is also in the realm of the outlandish and has similar tested proof backing the fact that it is dangerous to individual health. Despite this, a careful examination of legitimate and proven natural methods of medicine should not be discouraged or classified within the same category of bizarre treatments that should more properly be called fake homeopathy.
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This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information.ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish president-elect Tayyip Erdogan signalled no let-up in his drive to strengthen the powers of the presidency on Thursday and vowed his battle against an Islamic cleric he accuses of plotting against the state would intensify once he took office.
Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the party headquarters in Ankara August 14, 2014. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
In his first major speech since declaring victory in a presidential election on Sunday, Erdogan offered little sign that his fiery rhetoric and blunt approach to politics would soften after his inauguration on Aug. 28.
His victory secured his place in history as Turkey’s first directly elected head of state and took him a step closer to the presidential system he covets for the European Union candidate nation and NATO member state.
His opponents fear an increasingly authoritarian state under Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade, and whose Islamist roots and intolerance of dissent they fear is taking Turkey further away from Western values.
Erdogan, who remains prime minister and leader of the AK Party until his inauguration, urged provincial AK leaders to remain focused on securing a stronger parliamentary majority next year to enable the party to re-write the constitution.
“I said before that the presidential elections would be the starting gun for the 2015 (general) elections,” he told the party meeting in a speech broadcast on Turkish television.
“Our target should be to acquire at least a majority to establish the new constitution. I don’t believe that you will compromise on this,” he said.
Erdogan will have to break formal links with the AK Party he founded 13 years ago once he is sworn in as president. He wants a pliant successor as leader of the party, likely also to be his next prime minister, in order to secure a stronger parliament majority in polls next June.
Should his influence over the party wane, Erdogan could struggle to force through the constitutional changes he wants to create an executive presidency - a reform which requires either a two thirds majority in parliament or a popular vote.
The AK Party currently holds 313 of parliament’s 550 seats, a strong majority but below the crucial two thirds threshold.
Erdogan founded the AK Party as a coalition of conservative religious Muslims, nationalists and reforming centre-right elements. He dismissed suggestions that the party he has dominated ever since could crumble without him, saying it drew its strength from the Turkish people.
“Those who thought our party would decline or fall apart have always been wrong,” he said.
“We have gone through challenging times in these 13 years. We have resisted, driven back, turned upside down all attacks on us. We have always been mandated by the people.”
“NEW EVIDENCE”
Erdogan’s victory on Sunday, in which he took almost 52 percent of the vote, came despite one of the most turbulent years of his leadership, with anti-government demonstrations last summer and a corruption scandal which erupted in December.
Erdogan accuses U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen’s supporters in the judiciary and police of contriving the corruption investigation, which led to the resignation of three cabinet ministers, as part of a “judicial coup attempt”, a “dirty plot” to overthrow him.
Thousands of police officers and hundreds of judges and prosecutors have been reassigned in a purge of Gulen’s influence since then, with Erdogan accusing what he calls a “parallel structure” of a “vile betrayal” of Turkey.
Dozens more police officers, some of them high-ranking, were detained in the weeks before the presidential vote, accused of spying and illegally wire-tapping Erdogan and his inner circle.
“During the National Security Council meeting we made a decision about this. It’s entered into the official files under a code name. It’s an organisation that threatens our national security. We have new evidence, new files,” Erdogan said.
“(Their) targets are not Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his family, his colleagues, his friends. Their target is our independence, our flag, our country and our people.”
Gulen, whose followers say they number in the millions, denies using his worldwide Islamic movement to scheme against Erdogan from self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, the U.S. state whose name Erdogan often uses to refer to the cleric’s network.
Turkey's President Abdullah Gul (2nd L) and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (R) pose with their spouses Hayrunnisa Gul (L) and Emine Erdogan (2nd R) during a reception at the Presidential Palace of Cankaya in Ankara in this August 12, 2014 handout. REUTERS/Mustafa Oztartan/Presidential Press Office/Handout via Reuters
“You’ve seen how the crowds cheered when we said Pennsylvania. The people especially supported our fight against the gang of parallel traitors... We promised our fight would continue,” Erdogan said.
Gulen’s supporters in the judiciary and police are believed to have played a key role in helping Erdogan neuter rivals in the then dominant military and secular establishment through a series of high-profile court cases at the end of last decade.
But Erdogan’s alliance with Gulen’s Hizmet (Service) network crumbled due to disagreements on policy and government moves to rein in the movement. The rupture became public in December, when the corruption probe burst into the open.The Marine Corps will deploy the F-35 into the Middle East next year, a Marine Corps general said Tuesday.
"We're the first ones that are going to be deploying it. We are going to be deploying it on the USS Wasp. The interesting thing is, not only are we deploying it on the Wasp, we're also going to deploy it on the [USS] Essex during the same year in Central Command," said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh at a breakfast with defense reporters.
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"So not only are we going to do one, we're going to do two. So that's quite the challenge to put two squadrons aboard two ships and deploy them," said Walsh, who is the commanding general at Marine Corps Combat Development Command and the deputy commandant at Combat Development and Integration.
Ten F-35Bs are headed to the Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station in January, with six more scheduled to arrive after that in a scheduled change of station.
Six F-35Bs are currently slated to go on the USS Wasp, while 10 will stay at the air station, Walsh said. The Wasp and Essex are amphibious assault ships.
Walsh said he wasn't sure exactly when the F-35B would get to the Essex, but said it could potentially be eight months after the Wasp.
"The Essex right now is getting ready to go through modifications — so its F-35 alterations. Wasp was complete, it was our test ship, now [USS] America has just come out, and I think we're getting ready to just do more F-35 integration testing on America. Essex will go in and it will get those mods, and then it will come out and be ready for a deployment, I think, it's probably eight months or so after Wasp," he said.
"We want to exploit fifth generation," Walsh said. "That's what I think it is as we look at this airplane. We've been after this for a long time. We're replacing our F-15s, our Harriers and our EA-6s with that airplane."
Walsh said the deployment of the F-35 would provide the Navy with greater capability that hasn't been available on an amphibious ship.
"Our airplanes before were CAS — close air support. Now with that airplane, you can just imagine what the battle force within the Navy will have with that airplane," he said.
"It'll not just be close air support, it's going to open missions up across the battle force and certainly within the [Amphibious Ready Group — Marine Expeditionary Unit]."
- Updated at 1:13 p.m.Last week, Award-winning author David Mitchell walked into a forest just north of Oslo, Norway and surrendered his latest manuscript to a Scottish artist named Katie Paterson.
For the next 98 years, it will remain under lock and key — unread by anyone — waiting for the trees that will one day be harvested for the paper to print it on. This is the second installment in Paterson's Future Library Project. Last year, Canadian writer Margaret Atwood contributed a text called Scribbler Moon and for the next 98 years, another writer will contribute one print and one digital copy of a new manuscript to be stored away until 2114 when the trees growing now will be cut down, harvested for pulp and turned into paper for a very special literary anthology.
Mitchell's text is called From Me Flows What You Call Time and says he loves the idea of the Future Library Project.
"It's trees, it's books, it's a circle, it's pulp, it's organic matter turning into this stuff [paper]," says Mitchell. "And then the words get printed on them. I love that."
This forest just north of Oslo, Norway is the site of the Future Library Project. (Kristin von Hirsch / Bjørvika Utvikling)
In an interview with Brent Bambury on CBC Radio's Day 6, Katie Paterson says the idea for the project came to her in a kind of epiphany.
"I was simply sketching tree rings and I had a vision I guess," she says. "Tree rings, chapter, paper, books, future, trees, forest, writers -- kind of all like that. And I imagined planting a forest that would grow a book over time."
A new author's work will be contributed to the Future Library Project each year from 2014 to 2114. (Katie Paterson Studio)
First the forest
"The forest to me is the art work," says Paterson, "You can kind of imagine the words growing through the trees over time. Along with the writer's words."
So to begin, Paterson secured the space, arranged for it to be cleared and then gathered a group of volunteers to plant the saplings to start the project. In the process, existing trees were felled, but she's making good use of them too.
"The trees that we felled to make space for the new ones, we're using them to build what we're calling the silent room inside the new library in Oslo, which will be built in 2019," she tells Bambury. "And it's going to hold the 100 manuscripts from each author."
An act of faith in the future
Paterson is 35 years old and unlikely to live to see the finished project, so she has created a trust to care for the forest and the texts until they are revealed to the public in 2114. And while she loves the idea of sneaking a peak at new work from two celebrated authors, she says comfortable with the idea that she never will.
"I feel quite good about that strangely," she tells Bambury. "Part of the idea of Future Library is making an art work for a future generation, not for us."
Paterson also says the project is an "act of faith in the enduring appeal of words on paper."
"As things get more and more digital and in the cloud and intangible, will the physical book, printed on paper still exist? Hopefully it's going to be absolutely there. But if it's not this book will be almost like a future antique."The Giants' first-team offense was a disaster in Saturday's 21-0 loss to the Bills in the second preseason game. Many of the problems stemmed from woeful blocking up front from the offensive line and tight ends.
"Our run blocking unit needs to improve assignments, fundamentals, and physicality," coach Ben McAdoo said after his offense managed 10 yards on eight carries in the first half of Saturday's game.
The passing game wasn't much more effective, as starting quarterback Eli Manning completed just 4-of-9 passes for 44 yards in four drives.
Film review observations
Before analyzing what went wrong (and, in a few instances, right) on each of the first-team offense's 16 plays, here are a few takeaways:
*Manning could have helped his line on a few incompletions, but he hurried a couple of throws and didn't set his feet after avoiding the rush.
*Penalties were a killer. Left tackle Ereck Flowers and center Weston Richburg were flagged for holding penalties on the first play of consecutive drives. Not surprisingly, the Giants went three-and-out both times they were backed up on first down.
A false start by right guard John Jerry turned a third-and-6 into a third-and-11 on the Giants' opening drive. The Giants turned the ball over on downs two plays later.
*The horrible blocking efforts by top tight ends Larry Donnell and Will Tye should help the cause of Will Johnson, who missed the game with a stinger. Donnell and Tye often lined up in the backfield, sometimes together in an inverted wishbone. Johnson, who is a more natural H-back, could be a better fit in that position assuming he is able to return to practice in the near future.
Here's a play-by-play breakdown of the 16 plays (not including two penalties) with Manning on the field:
FIRST DRIVE
1-10 at NY 37: Rashad Jennings runs for -1 yard
Jennings ran up the middle and was instantly met by a wall of defenders. The left side of the line got no push. Flowers and Donnell, who was lined up on the line, were beat inside, which gave Jennings nowhere to run.
2-11 at NY 36: Shane Vereen runs for -1 yard
With Tye and Donnell lined up in front of Vereen in an inverted wishbone, Vereen took a handoff to the right side. Right tackle Marshall Newhouse ran past outside linebacker Jerry Hughes and Tye went inside to the second level. No one picked up Hughes and the play was blown up in the backfield. Newhouse and Tye had an obvious miscommunication, which they spoke about after the play.
3-12 at NY 35: Manning completes 22-yard pass to Odell Beckham, Jr.
The Bills rushed four and the line gave Manning a clean pocket to deliver a quick slant to Beckham for a 22-yard gain.
1-10 at BUF 43: Vereen runs for -1 yard
Lined up on the right side of the line, Donnell missed a block on Hughes. Donnell demonstrated terrible technique on the play, as Hughes easily beat him inside to meet Vereen deep in the backfield. The worst part of Donnell's failure is that Jerry and Newhouse had sealed their men inside and there was a chance for a nice gain.
2-11 at BUF 44: Manning completes 5-yard pass to Tye
Manning hit Tye on a quick dump-off in the right flat for five yards. Flowers allowed a little pressure from the backside, but it didn't affect the quick-hitting play.
3-11 at BUF 44: Manning completes 9-yard pass to Tye
After a false start on Jerry, the Bills brought four rushers on third-and-long. Manning hit Tye on a quick out to the right side for nine yards. The left side of the line was setting up a screen for Vereen that looked like it could have been a big gain.
4-2 at BUF 35: Manning incomplete to Beckham
McAdoo elected to go for it on fourth-and-short and Manning took a shot downfield to Beckman running a double-move. The line provided excellent pass protection, but Manning's pass was slightly overthrown. There could have been a penalty on Buffalo cornerback Stephon Gilmore for illegal contact/holding.
Reviewing the rookies
SECOND DRIVE
1-20 at NY 10: Jennings runs right for 1 yard
After a Flowers hold on first down, Jennings ran up the middle. Newhouse and left guard Bobby Hart were both beat inside, which clogged up the middle and gave Jennings nowhere to run.
2-19 at NY 11: Manning incomplete to Sterling Shepard
The Bills overloaded the left side with five rushers. Flowers was beat around the edge, which forced Manning to step up into some pressure. Tye, lined up as the H-back, provided a weak block on a blitz pick-up. Manning's pass to Shepard on a crossing route was low. Manning could have made a better throw, but he was under pressure and Shepard was well-covered. Jennings was open for an easier pass after releasing late.
3-19 at NY11: Jennings runs for 11 yards
Jennings ran hard up the middle on a draw, but the 11-yard gain was hollow on third-and-long.
THIRD DRIVE
1-20 at NY 20: Andre Williams runs for 4 yards
After a Richburg hold on a first-down run that featured another Donnell whiff, Williams carried up the middle. Newhouse was beat around the edge, forcing Williams to cut left. Jerry missed the linebacker in the hole while pulling and Donnell couldn't seal his man inside. Give Williams credit for making something out of nothing.
2-16 at NY 24: Manning incomplete to Beckham
There was a little bit of pressure from the right side, but this appeared to be a designed quick pass. Manning was simply off the mark as he rolled right on a pass to Beckham on the sideline.
3-16 at NY 24: Manning sacked for 9-yard loss
The Bills only brought four rushers, but breakdowns by both tackles led to a sack. Newhouse was pushed straight backwards, which forced Manning to try to escape the pocket, but Flowers was beat outside so Manning wisely took a sack. Manning couldn't step up in the pocket because Hart was beat inside.
FOURTH DRIVE
1-10 at NY 25: Manning incomplete to Tye
Manning rolled right after a play-fake and made a bad pass behind Tye running an out to the right flat.
2-10 at NY 25: Manning completes 8-yard pass to Tavarres King
Manning had a clean pocket against a five-man rush and he delivered a quick slant to Tavarres King. The receiver made a nice diving catch on the low throw for an eight-yard gain.
3-2 at NY 33: Manning incomplete to Roger Lewis
The Bills only brought three rushers. Manning wanted to throw a quick out to Tye on the left side, but he pumped after realizing the Bills were sitting on that route. Manning came back to his right and stepped up past the rush. Lewis adjusted his route and went deep when Manning started to move in the pocket. Manning had time to set his feet, but he rushed an errant deep pass to Lewis, who seemed to lose track of the ball. Manning could have dumped a pass to Jennings in the middle for an easy first down.
Dan Duggan may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.Battlefield 3 developer DICE has told fans it is working on a number of fixes for the game.
The upcoming tweaks will address issues relating to "balance and gameplay, performance, stability and the overall feature set".
More details will apparently be announced "in the coming weeks," according to DICE's Battlefield community man Daniel Matros, writing on the official Battlefield blog.
A number of PC bugfixes will also hit this week. These include:
Support for Intel's new Ivy Bridge product line (as yet unreleased)
Fixes for two reproducible client crashes:
Oilfields- Conquest Large - Fixed a client crash when users spawn in certain vehicles.
Canals - Rush - Fixed a client crash at the 2nd set of mcoms if the player drives a vehicle into the vicinity of the exploding rocket battery.
AMD Radeon 7xxx series performance improvements
Those changes go live via Origin at 8am on Valentine's Day.
Publisher EA was last month forced to bolster its security after law-abiding Battlefield 3 players were falsely banned by hackers exposing flaws in the PunkBuster anti-cheat software.First of all, you probably mean "biased." Second of all, journalism isn't a term that means "stories you agree with." Third of all, fuck you.
It seems like every so often the comments at Gizmodo fill up with entitled, half-witted thinkers, like a boil taut with ignorance. Even the least pointed opinion by an author ruptures it, leaving us dripping with wet bitterness. It's time to give the commentariat a good lancing.
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Let's get to weeping.
You Don't Get To Call Us Unprofessional
There's a reason this came to mind first: This little gambit has really been getting my goat lately.
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It goes like this: 1) We put up a post you don't like. 2) Rather than ignoring the post and enjoying a different post—or in the worst case deciding you do not enjoy the mix of stories of Gizmodo any longer and going somewhere else—you decide to express your dissatisfaction. 3) You accuse us of being unprofessional, typically without any clear indication by which standards of professionalism we are being judged.
To be fair, you are very stupid. When presented with something that does not match your very rigid preconceptions of what should entertain you this very second, you lash out with the all the weaponry at your disposal, spitting flechettes of feeble cruelty at the slightest provocation. If you could, when presented with your french fries on the left side of the plastic tray and not the obviously superior right side, you would reach across the counter and give the cashier's nipples a hard twist. And then call him unprofessional.
I try to allow for this, especially when presented in the "But you call yourselves journalists!" package. I know that most of the people attempting to define and discard our opinions have the media comprehension ability of an especially contemplative elk. Still, consider this in a scrolling, flashing, graphic set overtop an exploding marching band: "Journalism" is an act, a process, not a role nor a duty. Sometimes, despite all inclination to the contrary, journalism is practiced at Gizmodo. Sometimes we summarize or respond to journalistic works of other outlets. And sometimes—most of the time—we're just talking.
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There, I've said it. Our secret is out. While most of us blogging at Gizmodo really like electronics, internet culture, and, you know, all the other topics we stuff in between the cracks; and while we think we know a little bit more about these topics than the average person, if only by dint of being steeped in it all day long for years at a time, when we write a review we're not pretending to have come down from on high with the only opinion, the canonical perspective.
Nope. We're just telling you the same thing the same way we'd tell a friend if they asked us about a gadget in a bar. "Hey, should I buy that new thing?" "Eh, not really." "What's the best thing I should buy?" "Buy this one."
I understand why you think every review should have fifteen pages of statistics and never mention any other products or competitors: You're a weird geek. That's okay. I'm pretty geeky about some shit, too. You should hear me debating the merits of differing 4x4 trucks when, really, most are as good as another, or hear Matt tell you exactly why one method of coffee extraction is better than another.
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But don't forget that you're not the only one that reads this site. And that ultimately, we may just not be geeky enough for you—or geeky in the direction you prefer.
If only there were other sites on the internet that wrote about gadgets and technology.
But what is never, ever an acceptable tactic is trying to knock out our podium from underneath us. For one thing, it's just dumb: The boundaries of what and who and how is or isn't or ain'tent journalism is endlessly fascinating and very nearly always endlessly useless. And if you're a twerpy little internet chump trying to decide whether to get into a dick slapping contest on Gizmodo or jerk off to Reddit Gone Wild, you haven't exactly earned the right to ask others to watch you jerk off about the travails of modern media. Especially not when we own the fucking podium.
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So in short, I look forward to insta-banning you for trying an outmoded, out-of-context argument ever again.
"Bias" Is a Spectrum and We're All On It
Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Sony all make some excellent products. Well, maybe not Sony.
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The worst case scenario, the sort of nightmare ideascape that keeps so many of you evil little drips blowing snot bubbles of ire, is that we might actually like a company's products. Or maybe even like a company!
We are not robots. And unless you really are autistic instead of just playing one while standing alone in the corner at a party, neither are you. Brands, products, experiences—they all mix at different points in time with different contexts. And they change.
But saying someone's opinion is invalid because they have an opinion—especially when they've never pretended otherwise—is such a joke. And you know it when you type it. Or maybe you don't. But you will when you grow up.
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And for fuck's sake, use the right word. "This is the most bias article..." or "How can you be so bias?" is not proper English, even if you typed your response by strategically drooling on each key.
You Go Personal, You Go Home
So I was raped when I was a kid by a parent and I wrote about it. In case you're wondering: It fucking sucked, but I'm much better, thank you.
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But when I got into a scuffle with some commenters last week they decided to take something I'd written about that experience and use it to suggest to Brian Lam that I have anger issues. They were concerned for me, you see. They suggested therapy for my unresolved issues.
I do have anger issues, you dumb, cruel, entitled, tunneled vision shit eaters. My anger issues are with you, because you are so foul, so unable to use the internet as a thoroughfare for human compassion or—Christ—even just a civil conversation. It's so far beyond your comprehension that perhaps you are rude or simply wrong that you'd dredge up something that has absolutely no bearing on—wait for it—arguments about gadgets.
You Have No Rights
Having written here and on other sites for years, it has been my pleasure and honor to get to know several people in real life and online through interactions in comments. I think it's amazing when you have conversations in the footer of an article that ends up changing your perspective.
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But it's still my article. And nothing you can do—be a commenter for years; be civil in the past; even be right—gives you an excuse to be disrespectful or even impolite in the comments of an article or in an email to an editor. I mean, you can be a spurting gash of venom as much as you want. But you can't do that and then expect to get any sort of respect back.
You don't like Gizmodo? You think we're the tabloid dregs of the technology world? That's great. I bet you'd be surprised how many criticisms you have of the site and of various actions with which editors of this site would agree. (We're debating this shit all the time, which is one of the reasons that I actually like working at this tabloid. Until we do something I disagree with, at least.)
But while you're free to have your opinion and rage about it to your heart's content, you aren't free to do it here. There's plenty to criticize about this site from institutional issues right down to individual posts, but presenting those critiques like an asshole and then gasping when we don't listen to them is so, so weak. And unless you're the sort of twat who, when invited to someone's house to hang out, starts every sentence over a beer with "You fucking suck. (Bias.) Pass the nachos" then you already know that doing the same in the comments or in email is chump behavior of the first order.
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Piece: said. I feel better. Now get out there and prove how miserable and dumb I am with reason, veiled sarcasm, and faux timidity. Those are tactics to which I am not yet inured.Ryan Clark joins First Take and is puzzled by critics who think the Patriots are the team to beat when the Broncos are not only the defending champions but also have the premiere secondary in the NFL. (2:34)
Our NFL Insiders make their predictions for Week 4: The biggest upsets, fantasy sleepers and busts, the best 3-0 team, bounce-back players, and the 1-2 team that worries them the most.
What's your biggest upset for Week 4?
Matt Bowen, NFL writer: Giants over Vikings. The Vikings' defense is nasty, with speed and versatility all over the field. But Eli Manning and the Giants can create some matchups with their three-WR personnel to generate some big plays. The Giants are getting four points in this one. If Manning protects the ball, New York has a shot to pull the upset on the road.
John Clayton, senior NFL writer: New Orleans over San Diego. The Chargers are taking a lot of injury hits, and they might be vulnerable to the Saints' offense. Plus, this is Drew Brees' return to San Diego, the team that drafted him.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer: The Jets were brutal at Kansas City, but they could knock off the Seahawks. Todd Bowles knows Seattle well and has defended the Seahawks successfully in the past. The Jets' defensive line matches up favorably, and with Russell Wilson less than 100 percent, Seattle could be vulnerable.Randall Balmer is the Mandel family professor in the arts and sciences at Dartmouth College. His most recent book is Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter.
One of the most durable myths in recent history is that the religious right, the coalition of conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists, emerged as a political movement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion. The tale goes something like this: Evangelicals, who had been politically quiescent for decades, were so morally outraged by Roe that they resolved to organize in order to overturn it.
This myth of origins is oft repeated by the movement’s leaders. In his 2005 book, Jerry Falwell, the firebrand fundamentalist preacher, recounts his distress upon reading about the ruling in the Jan. 23, 1973, edition of the Lynchburg News: “I sat there staring at the Roe v. Wade story,” Falwell writes, “growing more and more fearful of the consequences of the Supreme Court’s act and wondering why so few voices had been raised against it.” Evangelicals, he decided, needed to organize.
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Some of these anti- Roe crusaders even went so far as to call themselves “new abolitionists,” invoking their antebellum predecessors who had fought to eradicate slavery.
But the abortion myth quickly collapses under historical scrutiny. In fact, it wasn’t until 1979—a full six years after Roe—that evangelical leaders, at the behest of conservative activist Paul Weyrich, seized on abortion not for moral reasons, but as a rallying-cry to deny President Jimmy Carter a second term. Why? Because the anti-abortion crusade was more palatable than the religious right’s real motive: protecting segregated schools. So much for the new abolitionism.
***
Today, evangelicals make up the backbone of the pro-life movement, but it hasn’t always been so. Both before and for several years after Roe, evangelicals were overwhelmingly indifferent to the subject, which they considered a “Catholic issue.” In 1968, for instance, a symposium sponsored by the Christian Medical Society and Christianity Today, the flagship magazine of evangelicalism, refused to characterize abortion as sinful, citing “individual health, family welfare, and social responsibility” as justifications for ending a pregnancy. In 1971, delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, passed a resolution encouraging “Southern Baptists to work for legislation that will allow the possibility of abortion under such conditions as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental, and physical health of the mother.” The convention, hardly a redoubt of liberal values, reaffirmed that position in 1974, one year after Roe, and again in 1976.
When the Roe decision was handed down, W. A. Criswell, the Southern Baptist Convention’s former president and pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas—also one of the most famous fundamentalists of the 20th century—was pleased: “I have always felt that it was only after a child was born and had a life separate from its mother that it became an individual person,” he said, “and it has always, therefore, seemed to me that what is best for the mother and for the future should be allowed.”
Although a few evangelical voices, including Christianity Today magazine, mildly criticized the ruling, the overwhelming response was silence, even approval. Baptists, in particular, applauded the decision as an appropriate articulation of the division between church and state, between personal morality and state regulation of individual behavior. “Religious liberty, human equality and justice are advanced by the Supreme Court abortion decision,” wrote W. Barry Garrett of Baptist Press.
***
So what then were the real origins of the religious right? It turns out that the movement can trace its political roots back to a court ruling, but not Roe v. Wade.
In May 1969, a group of African-American parents in Holmes County, Mississippi, sued the Treasury Department to prevent three new whites-only K-12 private academies from securing full tax-exempt status, arguing that their discriminatory policies prevented them from being considered “charitable” institutions. The schools had been founded in the mid-1960s in response to the desegregation of public schools set in motion by the Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954. In 1969 |
said, while quickly distancing himself from the violence that marred Occupy rallies in the city four years ago.
“I believe the most effective way of bringing about (real change) is when large numbers of people peacefully demonstrate and make it clear to the world what their goals are,” he said.
Sanders had to deal with some protesters himself during Monday’s rally. Secret Service officers briefly whisked him from the microphone as several animal rights protesters jumped a barricade and headed toward him before being arrested.
The hour leading up to the rally was pure festival as bands played, dancers performed, and “Disneyland lines” snaked around city streets.
“I was here for the Occupy movement and I think that Bernie Sanders coming to Oakland is the most important thing to happen here since,” said Vicky Lieberman, who helped serve food at the encampment that took over the plaza for months in 2011.
“Occupy was in the trenches, and he’s taking on the 1 percent from a political perspective.”
In perhaps a quiet nod to the movement, Sanders deviated briefly from recent stump speeches to talk about policing the local police in the same way he wants to police Wall Street.
Sanders drew big cheers when he called for an end to militarizing police departments and letting officers get off the hook with violent acts.
“We need to change law enforcement culture all over the country so the use of lethal force is the last response, not the first response,” Sanders said.
After holding his fire against Clinton during a rally earlier this month in San Jose, Sanders went back on the attack in Oakland. The crowd booed lustily as he mentioned her paid speaking engagements at Wall Street banks.
“I don’t know how someone is going to say they will stand up to Wall Street when they take Wall Street’s money,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Blue-and-gold spirits
Sanders bumped up his rally two hours to avoid a conflict with the Warriors’ Game 7 tussle about 10 miles away at Oracle Arena. After his 50-minute speech bled into the first quarter, the senator got to do what many of his blue-and-gold-clad supporters could only dream of — he went to the game to take in the second half.
And he made clear where his rooting interests lay at a time when the Golden State is at the center of the political world.
“Am I in California? We’re rooting for the Warriors,” said Sanders.
It was a fortuitous move. He and Glover arrived at Oracle during halftime and took two seats in the 15th row. There were a few “Bernie” chants from nearby fans and several selfies before play resumed.
Contact Matthew Artz at 510-208-6435. Follow him at Twitter at Matthew_Artz. Follow Katy Murphy at Twitter.com/katymurphy.Damnation
Tuesday, 10 p.m., USA
USA Network is trading in its trademark skylines, business suits and boardrooms for farmland, bullets and blood. The cable channel’s new drama, “Damnation,” is a story of rich versus poor set in 1930s Iowa, with a dusty, Wild West feel. The network’s sharp-left-turn away from modern, urbancentric series such as “Suits” and “Mr. Robot” shocked even the show’s creator, Tony Tost. “USA really got it. It surprised me because they hadn’t done material like this,” says Tost, a writer and producer on A&E western “Longmire” from 2012-16. “They were really excited about doing something different. It was a big leap of faith.”
Killian Scott stars as Seth Davenport, a mystery man posing as a preacher with charm, bravado and a floppy haircut that would make Brooklyn hipsters swoon. Davenport uses his pulpit to battle strike-busting cowboy Creeley Turner (played by Logan Marshall-Green), who does the murderous dirty work of bankers engaged in price-fixing to keep farmers in debt.
Tost recently spoke to The Post by phone from LA before heading back to Calgary, Alberta, where the show is filmed.
Is the preacher a good guy or a bad guy?
He considers himself past the point of saving. He very much wants to be the hero, but the world, faith and his own nature conspire against him.
Seth and Creeley have a history. How will it be revealed to the viewer?
They have a bloody past. We’ll start getting flashbacks so we can see exactly what caused the schism that put them on separate paths. We can’t tell whether or not they really need each other, or if they really want to kill each other. They’re trying to figure that out as well.
How relevant is the plot about the common man battling the establishment today?
I wrote the first two episodes, like, three years ago, but contemporary history keeps making the show feel more and more relevant. I’m not necessarily trying to do an allegory about the present, but history is very cyclical. There’s some core elemental conflicts and issues that we keep returning to. In a way, the present day almost caught up.
Like “Longmire,” this show has a Wild West feel. Why is that?
I grew up loving Westerns and really love neo-Westerns — the soul of a Western, but not set in the 19th century, like the John Sturges film “Bad Day at Block Rock” with Spencer Tracy, or “No Country for Old Men.” It was a convergence of love of the genre but wanting to find a different storytelling arena so I wouldn’t just be rehashing the greatest hits of my favorite movies.
How did you get your expansive set?
We inherited a standing small town from the [AMC] series “Hell on Wheels” and augmented and updated it from the late 1890s to the 1930s. We’ve got all this farmland up there, so we’ve expanded and built grain silos and a town hall. We have some streets, a chapel for our preacher to preach in, and we built a house for him and his wife.
Have you noticed that Logan Marshall-Green is a dead ringer for Tom Hardy?
I can see how people do. To me, now, I don’t see it at all anymore. Logan’s actually a couple months older [than Tom]. He had the face first, man!
— Eric Hegedus
And here’s what else to watch this week:
S.W.A.T.
Thursday, 10 p.m., CBS
Hondo (Shemar Moore) and the SWAT team spread out across LA in pursuit of four escaped convicts, including a violent criminal brought to justice, before department rival Mumford (Peter Onorati) and his team beat them in bringing in the suspects. Meanwhile, Hondo’s new role as team leader is called into question when Jim Street (Alex Russell) displays a disregard for protocol.
Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer
Saturday, 8 p.m., Lifetime
Oscar Pistorius (Andreas Damm) was the first double-leg amputee to participate in the Olympics. His resilience combined with a fairy-tale relationship with model Reeva Steenkap (Toni Garrn) made him a media favorite. Her brutal Valentine’s Day death shocked the world. The ensuing courtroom drama dominated the news as sports fans had to grapple with the decisive verdict against Pistorius.
Good Behavior
Sunday, 10 p.m., TNT
Letty (Michelle Dockery) and Javier (Juan Diego Botto) are looking at a lifetime in prison, but a confluence of bizarre circumstances just might provide them a window of opportunity to con their way out.
Grey’s Anatomy
Thursday, 8 p.m., ABC
Episode 300. A county-fair accident sparks medical memories for the Grey Sloan doctors who treat the survivors. Starring Kevin McKidd (below far right).
Young Sheldon
Thursday, 8:30 p.m., CBS
When Sheldon’s (Iain Armitage) father (Lance Barber) is rushed to the emergency room, his grandma (Annie Potts) comes to babysit, and the kids have an adventure getting to the hospital on their own. With Zoe Perry.
This Is Us
Tuesday, 9 p.m., NBC
In the present-day story, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) adjusts to the foster care system’s bureaucracy. Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) take a decisive step. In the past, Jack and Rebecca (Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore, left) finalize Randall’s adoption.
The Gifted
Monday, 9 p.m., Fox
Thunderbird (Blair Redford) goes on a quest to find out what Sentinel Services did to an old friend of his. Meanwhile, Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind) encounters a new friend with useful powers and Blink (Jamie Chung) makes a big decision regarding her future. Like picking out a new name?“Iran Agrees to Detailed Nuclear Outline,” The New York Times headline claimed on Friday. That found an echo in the Washington Post headline of the same day: “Iran agrees to nuclear restrictions in framework deal with world powers.”
But the first thing to know about the highly hyped “historic achievement” that President Obama is trying to sell is that there has been no agreement on any of the fundamental issues that led to international concern about Iran’s secret nuclear activities and led to six mandatory resolutions by the United Nations Security Council and 13 years of diplomatic seesaw.
All we have is a number of contradictory statements by various participants in the latest round of talks in Switzerland, which together amount to a diplomatic dog’s dinner.
First, we have a joint statement in English in 291 words by Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif and the European Union foreign policy point-woman Federica Mogherini, who led the so-called P5+1 group of nations including the US in the negotiations.
Next we have the official Iranian text, in Persian, which runs into 512 words. The text put out by the French comes with 231 words. The prize for “spinner-in-chief” goes to US Secretary of State John Kerry who has put out a text in 1,318 words and acts as if we have a done deal.
It is not only in their length that the texts differ.
They amount to different, at times starkly contradictory, narratives.
The Mogherini and French texts are vague enough to be ultimately meaningless, even as spin.
The Persian text carefully avoids words that might give the impression that anything has been agreed by the Iranian side or that the Islamic Republic has offered any concessions.
The Iranian text is labelled as a press statement only. The American text, however, pretends to enumerate “Parameters for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” and claims key points have been “decided.” What remains to be done is work out “implementation details.”
When referring to what Iran is supposed to do, the Iranian text uses a device of Persian grammar known as “nakarah,” a form of verbs in which the authorship of a deed remains open to speculation.
For example: “ It then happened that...” or “that is to be done.”
But when it comes to things the US and allies are supposed to do, the grammatical form used is “maerfah” which means the precise identification of the author.
This is an example of the first form: “The nuclear facilities at Fordow shall be developed into a center for nuclear research and advanced Physics.” It is not clear who is going to do those things, over what length of time, and whether that would be subject to any international supervision.
An example of the second form: “The United Nations shall abrogate its previous resolutions while the United States and the European Union will immediately lift sanctions [imposed on] financial, banking, insurance, investment and all services related to oil, gas, petrochemicals and car industry.”
The Iranian text opens by insisting that it has absolutely no “legal aspect” and is intended only as “a guideline for drafting future accords.”
The American text claims that Iran has agreed to do this or that, for example reducing the number of centrifuges from 19,000 to 6,500.
The Iranian text, however, says that Iran “shall be able to...” or “qader khahad boud” in Farsi to do such a thing. The same is true about enrichment in Fordow. The Americans say Iran has agreed to stop enrichment there for 15 years. The Iranian text, however, refers to this as something that Iran “will be able to do,” if it so wished.
Sometimes the two texts are diametrically opposed.
The American statement claims that Iran has agreed not to use advanced centrifuges, each of which could do the work of 10 old ones. The Iranian text, however, insists that “on the basis of solutions found, work on advanced centrifuges shall continue on the basis of a 10-year plan.”
The American text claims that Iran has agreed to dismantle the core of the heavy water plutonium plant in Arak. The Iranian text says the opposite. The plant shall remain and be updated and modernized.
In the past two days Kerry and Obama and their apologists have been all over the place claiming that the Iranian nuclear project and its military-industrial offshoots would be put under a kind of international tutelage for 10, 15 or even 25 years.
However, the Persian, Italian and French texts contain no such figures.
The US talks of sanctions “ relief” while Iran claims the sanctions would be “immediately terminated.”
The American text claims Tehran has agreed to take measures to reassure the international community on military aspects of its nuclear project, an oblique reference to Iran’s development, with help from North Korea, of missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads. There is absolutely no echo of that in the Iranian and other non-American texts.
In his jubilatory remarks in the Rose Garden Thursday, Obama tried to sell the Americans a bill of goods.
He made three outrageous claims.
The first was that when he became president Iran had “ thousands of centrifuges” which would now be cut down to around 6,000. In fact, in 2008, Iran had only 800 centrifuges. It was on Obama’s watch and because of his perceived weakness that Iran speeded up its nuclear program.
The second claim was that thanks to the scheme he is peddling “all of Iran’s paths” to developing a nuclear arsenal would be blocked. And, yet, in the same remarks he admitted that even if the claimed deal is fully implemented, Iran would still be able to build a bomb in just a year, presumably jumping over the “blocked paths.”
Obama’s worst claim was that the only alternative to his attempts at surrendering to the obnoxious Khomeinist regime would be US involvement in “another ground war in the Middle East.”
He ignores the fact that forcing Iran through diplomatic action, sanctions and proximity pressures to abide by six UN resolutions could also be regarded as an alternative. In other words, preemptive surrender is not the only alternative to war.
Obama is playing a bizarre game that could endanger regional peace and threaten the national security of the US and its allies. He insisted that Kerry secure “something, anything” before April 14 to forestall the US Congress’ planned moves on Iran.
He also wanted to stick it to Netanyahu, settle scores with Republicans, and please his faction within the Democratic Party; in other words, taking strategic risks with national security and international peace in the pursuit of dubious partisan gains.The Leaders of the World: Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth
James T. started this petition to The Leaders of the World started this petition to
We need to resolve this global pandemic of lies; the lies which are spread through PR firms and global corporate news outlets and are choking this beautiful planet to death. I call on you to tell the truth about wars, money, paedophilia, industry, corporations, intelligence services and most importantly; our history.
There's no need for fallout; we need to overcome our global problems together to save our species and those species on our Planet we evolved to protect. No one needs to die, no one needs to wait for another collapse and we sure as hell don't need world war 3; we need peace and the only way to accomplish that is to start telling the truth so we can create a better template for a society with global education and health care. Lets put us on a course that preserves all the beautiful wildlife, where respect of life is the most crucial law.
Its painfully obvious that the transition isn't going to be easy, but with ≈7.5 billion people all working together for a shared goal (the survival of our species) it's certainly possible; more probable than winning the jackpot- but only if it's traversed in peace. Then we can preserve the infrastructure we've got instead of destroying it in some unknown war so we have a foundation to start our progression from.
It is YOUR planet and they're YOUR resources, the Universe didn't pop into existence and declare that everything belonged to corporations and private businesses or some unneeded Monarch. NO. The Universe, through complex mechanisms, created you. Why? so you can explore and enjoy its wonders, not to waste your life chasing the faux capitalist dream.
I hear all the time that it can't be done, well, how about try it? The moon landing wasn't achieved until we tried it, so why would this be any different? It's not Rocket Science!!
Have hope for the future, sign and popularise this petition so we can show we are united desire for a fairer and more equal society.
Its just a signature and its not like they're not collecting all our data anyway2011 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 23-26, 2011
Hayward Field - Eugene, OR On TV:
ESPN2, June 24 11:00 pm-1:00 am ET
ESPN2 Re-air, June 25 1:00 -3:00 pm ET
Universal, June 25 3:00-4:30 pm ET
NBC, June 25 5:00-6:00 pm ET
Universal, June 26 3:00-4:00 pm ET
NBC, June 26 5:00-6:00 pm ET
Online:
CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE ESPN2, June 24 11:00 pm-1:00 am ETESPN2 Re-air, June 25 1:00 -3:00 pm ETUniversal, June 25 3:00-4:30 pm ETNBC, June 25 5:00-6:00 pm ETUniversal, June 26 3:00-4:00 pm ETNBC, June 26 5:00-6:00 pm ET
The USA Championships serve as the selection event for the coveted spots to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Championships August 27- September 4 in Daegu, South Korea. The USA Championships are also the final stop of the 2011 Outdoor Visa Championship Series. Each male and female athlete who finishes the series at the top of the point standings will be awarded $25,000.
The event will be featured on three networks, in six broadcasts spread over three days of competition. Broadcasts will air on ESPN2, Universal and NBC. View the full TV schedule here. In addition, a free webcast will be provided in partnership with RunnerSpace.com. The webcast will run throughout the duration of the event, with commentators including: Larry Rawson, Jenny Adams, Dan O’Brien, Joanna Hayes and John Godina.NSW Premier accused of failing to act over allegations of election smear campaign
Updated
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird has been accused by the Opposition of failing to act over allegations of an election smear campaign that has now forced one of his MPs onto the crossbench.
Key points: East Hills MP Glenn Brooks campaign manager Jim Daniel charged with electoral crimes
Mr Brooks stands aside from parliamentary Liberal Party
He says allegations came as a surprise
Member for East Hills Glenn Brookes has stood aside from the parliamentary Liberal Party after his campaign manager, Jim Daniel, was charged with electoral crimes in relation to an anonymous smear campaign against Mr Brookes' Labor opponent Cameron Murphy.
Mr Brookes won the seat by a knife's edge 0.8 per cent margin last year, after Mr Murphy's election poster were defaced with stickers falsely branding him a "paedophile lover".
Anonymous pamphlets that were circulated also made similar unsubstantiated and potentially defamatory claims about Mr Murphy.
Mr Brookes has issued a statement this morning, confirming he would move to the crossbench.
"I am shocked and horrified by the allegations made against my former staff member Jim Daniel," Mr Brookes said.
"These allegations come as a surprise to me and I was not aware of the alleged behaviour at the time.
"I do not want these matters to be a distraction to the great work and achievements of the Government."
Anyone found to be involved 'has no future in party': Baird
Mr Baird said Mr Brookes was doing the right thing in moving to the cross-bench while the court case against Daniel ran its course.
But he warned he would not allow anyone who was found to be involved in the alleged smear campaign to remain in the party.
"I can assure you that any member of my party that is involved in this, if that is the case - and it's still to be proven - they have no future in my party and indeed they are out, full stop, end of story," Mr Baird said.
But Labor said Mr Baird had been aware of the smear campaign from the time of the election, and instead of investigating it, he had praised Mr Brookes as a "hero" in a party room meeting after he won the seat.
"Mike Baird hailed him as hero three days after the state election," Opposition Leader Luke Foley said.
"Mike Baird promoted him, gave him a $20,000 pay rise.
"Mr Baird should explain why he stood by Glenn Brookes for so long. I mean the stench surrounding the Liberal campaigning in East Hills has enveloped the entire Parliament and finally today, a year later Mike Baird is forced to act."
Culture of'spreading filth against Labor': Opposition
Mr Foley said when Labor had previously raised questions about the smear campaign under parliamentary privilege, Mr Baird accused them of trying to "smear" the member for East Hills.
"My call is to get to the bottom of this culture in the NSW Liberals, where operatives in the party think it's permissible to spread filth against their Labor opponents," he said.
"Mr Baird just gives the doe-eyed look.
"He hears no evil, he sees no evil, meanwhile in the background these dirt merchants are peddling this sort of stuff."
Mr Foley likened it to the infamous scandal where former federal Liberal MP Jackie Kelly's husband was caught handing out bogus pamphlets that attempted to link the Labor Party to radical Islam.
Mr Baird defended his handling of the allegations, saying when they were first raised Mr Brookes had assured him he had nothing to do with a smear campaign.
Mr Murphy said he could not comment for legal reasons.
Topics: state-parliament, east-hills-2213
First postedBirzeit University, West Bank (Wikimedia) U.S. cancels scholarships for Gaza Strip students Under Israeli pressure, American officials drop funding for Gazans to attend West Bank universities
Under pressure from Israel, the U.S. has canceled scholarships for students in the Gaza Strip. Launched just two years ago during Hillary Clinton's visit to the besieged region, the program offered 30 scholarships for Palestinian young people to attend local universities.
Israel this month ruled that travel permits will be refused to students from the blockaded Gaza Strip to the West Bank to study under the scholarship program. According to the Associated Press, the American consulate in Jerusalem said it decided not to grant the scholarships over the summer after Israel said it would not permit the students to travel. ‘‘Because of the timing and risk of losing funding, available scholarships were awarded to other applicants,’’ it said. ‘‘We hope to include Gazan students in future programs.’’
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The Jerusalem Post reported that "Israel approves travel from Gaza to the West Bank for about 4,000 people a month, despite a general ban on travel." An Israeli High Court upheld the travel ban for students, even those with U.S.-funded scholarships, ruling that the travel ban should only been contravened for medical or humanitarian reasons.
‘‘When you live in Gaza, you’re a pawn in a greater political game,’’ said Amal Ashour, a student who lost her U.S.-sponsored scholarship to a West Bank university this year. "There's nothing we can do about it," she told the A.P.The driver of a Mercedes-Benz reversed onto the hood of a Ferrari 458 Speciale outside Katie's Classic Cars & Coffee in Great Falls, Va., August 6, as bystanders and the Ferrari's owner looked on in astonishment. (Instagram/novacarz)
Everyone has battled with parking at least once, but few have struggled this expensively.
A woman driving a Mercedes-Benz convertible Saturday morning ran over a $300,000 red Ferrari parked behind her.
The collision occurred at Katie’s Cars & Coffee in Great Falls, Va., at a shopping center where car enthusiasts gather on Saturday mornings. A bystander captured the collision on video, which showed witnesses aghast and pointing at the incident as it unfolded.
“That’s a big, big problem,” an onlooker is heard saying on video.
In the video, the driver, with two children in the back seat, is seen just after she reversed into the Ferrari, her back tire on top of the car. She appears to unsuccessfully try to drive off the car, causing further damage.
The Ferrari’s car alarm is ringing throughout the incident. When the driver gets out of the car and realizes the extent of what occurred, she appears shaken and says, “Oh, my God.”
A man approaches then appears on the video, saying, “Are you serious? That’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Fairfax County police say they were dispatched to the scene in the 9900 block of Georgetown Pike about 8 a.m. Saturday. No police report was filed and officers were on the scene for about 30 minutes, helping the two car owners exchange insurance information. Tawny Wright, a spokeswoman for the police department, said there was no further incident between the parties involved.
“I know it would have looked different if it was a Honda and a Honda,” Wright said. “There was nothing unusual for us.”
Read more:
A look at the racial divide of Pokémon Go
Have amateur fireworks shows gone too far?
Three friends celebrate their 100th birthdays togetherNews
From The Desk Of….
Written by Tim Edmundson
It’s disappointing that Criteo has chosen to publicly accuse and attack SteelHouse, particularly on a topic which Criteo repeatedly has found itself in the hot seat. SteelHouse has deep relationships with a growing number of customers because the company provides great software and service. Criteo’s response to SteelHouse’s market success is an attempt to bully a smaller company in the courtroom and make disparaging statements and allegations that are counterproductive to the industry and the advertising community.
Simply put, our focus and approach is different than Criteo’s and that is why we are succeeding in the market.
1) Unlike Criteo, SteelHouse does not operate on a pay per click model. The company focuses on its technology solution which gives advertisers complete transparency and control over all aspects of the advertising buy.
2) SteelHouse provides clear, real-time audience segmentation for our advertisers to create segments that match their specific marketing objectives. Criteo offers minimal segmentation.
3) SteelHouse provides more than a thousand reporting metrics, significantly more than Criteo, to give advertisers unlimited ways to review, report, and optimize against their campaigns and marketing goals.
4) SteelHouse provides its advertisers A2, a best in class advertising creative platform, and access to a creative team to support, design, and execute campaigns that are specific to an audience and marketing objective. Criteo provides limited creative capabilities and no tools to build creative.
5) SteelHouse announced SaaS pricing that charges a flat CPM for usage of its software and no markup on the media.
6) SteelHouse has a highly rated customer service team with an NPS score of 89 among its enterprise customer tier.
Regarding Criteo’s allegations, when Criteo identified issues to SteelHouse, we worked cooperatively with them to investigate and address the situation. As recently as last week, SteelHouse suggested a CEO to CEO meeting between the companies. Criteo’s response was to file this lawsuit.
After filing a lawsuit, Criteo today is attempting to recruit people from the SteelHouse team. Criteo is making every attempt to attack SteelHouse and we plan to vigorously defend ourselves. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the topic openly and will continue to be a leader in advertising transparency.
Best,
Mark Douglas
President & CEO, SteelHouse
[email protected]
Mark oversees the direction of SteelHouse with his 20 years of product development experience gained through repeated success in helping fast-growth companies transition into emerging markets.
He started at Oracle. Shortly after, Mark founded a series of successful startups resulting in IPOs and acquisitions. He was the VP of Technology at eHarmony and built new technology for Rubicon Project as the VP of Engineering.Page 2 Of 3
Fair enough. Speaking of action, could you maybe touch upon the game’s new combat system?
It's really tough to describe the combat system, as it is something you have to play and experience for yourself to fully understand. We're definitely looking at a more fluid combat system with Wild Hunt, where attacking an enemy feels more natural and smooth, unlike older games where you had to lock onto enemies constantly.
What we saw in Batman: Arkham Asylum is a very cool system, and I don't want to draw any comparisons, but that's definitely part of the motivation for us. I can make gamers a promise that combat in The Witcher 3 is already fun and that we're constantly balancing it till we hit that sweet spot.
Will you still retain some of the game's older mechanics, like different swords for different enemies, oils that can boost your skills, potions that can give you an edge in combat, and so on?
Yes, of course. The Witcher 3 is a Witcher game after all, and Geralt is a professional monster slayer. There is one steel sword for human opponents and one silver sword for all his supernatural foes. And this will definitely stay in the game along with other mechanics like crafting and alchemy.
But like I said earlier, you can play through the game without crafting new weapons or creating new potions as well. You may just have a tougher time with some of the enemies.
Geralt is a professional monster hunter, but there wasn’t a lot of monster hunting in The Witcher 2. This time around, will we get to track and hunt monsters in an unscripted way? Will there be side quests that tie into this mechanic?
It's funny, because in The Witcher 2, Geralt got so involved in the world of politics and wars that we kind of forgot he was a monster hunter. Witchers are like outcasts born out of a hellish initiation from which very few survive. Those who survive are given different mutagens that grant them superhuman abilities, so they're very fast, agile, and resilient. They're also very skilled swordsmen who have magical powers.
You'll see we have a whole system of tracking monsters using special Witcher senses. You will also be able to refer to our in-depth Bestiary that will be populated as you find out more about a monster through the story or side-quests. You can then use that information to pinpoint their weaknesses, and fight them more effectively. So yes, the monster hunting bit will be an important part of the game, and will make for some really cool side-quests.
Exit Theatre Mode
In many RPGs today, you can become a demigod after grinding around for a few hours. In Skyrim, for example, I was killing dragons with one arrow after the 50-hour mark. How can you ensure that the game will constantly challenge the player?
I don't think this was an issue in our previous games, so I don't see why it should be an issue in Wild Hunt. We've made sure the game feels balanced at all times. We love Skyrim and we’re huge fans, but this is a different game. Skyrim was an out-and-out open-world game, while ours is a story-driven game that unfolds in an open-world scenario. The priorities of both games are very different.
You will be able to explore the game world of the The Witcher 3, but in a lot of ways, we'll be subtly reminding you about the plot. Do all the side-quests you want, but don't forget there is a story waiting for you - that I personally feel is the most rewarding part of the game.
So I could finish the story and then go back to tackle the side-quests?
At this moment, the answer is “almost.” Currently you have absolute freedom to do what you want up until the last few hours of the game. If we decide to allow players to return to the game after the ending, I imagine that, based on your choices in the game, some quests could be locked because of your previous actions. So, let's say you kill an entire village off, you won't be able to access side quests from there. It's not a particular example from the game, but you catch my drift right?
Sure. So player choices still play an important role in The Witcher universe?
All the time, and I think this differentiates us from other games out there. We don't tell you what matters and what doesn't, as your actions in the game speak far louder than words. I mean, there are 36 different endings in Wild Hunt.
What? For real?
Yes. We have an internal debate if it's 36 or more, but I can tell you that there are many, MANY different endings. You will definitely want to play this game more than once.
Any online component planned for the future, or is Wild Hunt a single-player experience only?
It's a single-player experience all the way, but we are looking to release the REDkit sometime after the game launches for the modding community. This way, people can create their own adventures, and this will inevitably add a lot of fun and replayability to the game.
Exit Theatre Mode
How was development on next-gen consoles for you? How much of your vision did you have to sacrifice to gain stable frame rates on the PS4 and Xbox one?
It is extremely manageable. There is a lot of power in these machines, and I don't want to say we're using them to their capacity, but we're fairly close to doing so. We made a decision to go next-gen roughly two and a half years ago, so we've spent a lot of time with these machines, and it's been a great experience across all three platforms. On the old platforms, namely the Xbox 360 and PS3, we probably would have had to sacrifice nearly half of our vision.David Arnson Will Beifuss John Beresford Susan Blackmore Richard G. Boire Markus Berger Erik Davis Jim DeKorne Rick Doblin Earth Erowid Fire Erowid Francesco Festi Jay C. Fikes Robert Forman H.R. Giger Elizabeth Gips Peter Gorman Charles S. Grob Jon Hanna Casey Hardison Mark Hoffman Albert Hofmann Ernst Jünger Sandra Karpetas Gwyllm Llwydd Thomas Lyttle Leah Martin Mark McCloud Terence McKenna Dan Merkur Jean Millay J.P. Morgan Mulga James Oroc Jonathan Ott Dale Pendell Will Penna Mark Pesce Thomas Riedlinger René Rikkelman Giorgio Samorini Nick Sand Scotto Zoe Seven Andrew Sewell Alexander Shulgin Ann Shulgin Daniel Siebert Otto Snow Myron Stolaroff Rick Strassman R. Stuart Benjamin Thomas Sylvia Thyssen Donna Torres Keeper Trout D.M. Turner Leander Valdés III R. Gordon Wasson and many others
The Entheogen Review was published from 1992 through 2008.*
THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW
The Journal of Unauthorized Research
on Visionary Plants and Drugs
The Entheogen Review was a quarterly publication that served as a clearinghouse for data about the use of visionary plants and drugs. All communications were kept in the strictest confidence; unless otherwise requested, published material was identified only by the author's initials and state of residence. The mailing list was not for sale, rent, or loan.
Think of The Entheogen Review as a network newsletter; the voice of a community of subscribers seeking and sharing information on the cultivation, extraction, and ritual use of entheogens. Subjective results experienced by readers were published too. The Entheogen Review published the latest, most accurate, and novel data possible on these and related topics. Edited by David Aardvark, K. Trout, and E.V. Love.
FOR THE COMPLETIST ENTHEOPHILE & DRUG GEEK...
The Entheogen Review, Complete
(1992–2008)
All 57 issues published as PDFs on a CD,
at a great price!
If purchased in printed form, this collection of issues would have cost $335 (USA), or over $450 (foreign). The disc is only $40, postpaid! Plus each disc contains BONUS MATERIAL that includes the following books:
Ayahuasca Analogues
& Plant-based Tryptamines
Salvia Divinorum & Salvinorin A
Psychedelic Resource List (4.5)
and
The Ethnopharmacologic Search
for Psychoactive Drugs
And check out the following important articles:
"Halperngate" (Vernal Equinox 2006 issue)
This article exposes the public outing of John Halpern as a DEA snitch in the LSD trial of William Leonard Pickard and Clyde Apperson. As Halpern is a MAPS-supported psychedelic researcher, Rick Doblin responds at the end of the article, explaining his reasons for working with Halpern.
"Halperngate II" (Summer Solstice 2006 issue)
Dr. John Beresford comments on the John Halpern snitch scandal, and then provides the thoughts of a half-dozen Drug War prisoners related to the ethics of snitching.
"The Bad Shaman Meets the Wayward Doc"
This article presents Erik Davis' thoughts on how John Halpern's actions affected his friend Alfred Savinelli. (This article, related to the two mentioned above, was published by Tripzine.com.)
"Bogus Kratom Market Exposed" (Vernal Equinox 2003 issue)
This article reveals how the entheobotanical market was flooded with misidentifed "kratom."
*A NOTE REGARDING OUR PUBLISHING SCHEDULE
ER took a year off of publishing from Fall 2004 through Summer 2005. ER also took the year 2007 off from publishing. During both of these periods, subscriptions were extended by a year.Published: Friday, November 10 |
year’s survey places it in a grouping ranked between 411 and 420. Last year it placed in a group rated between 461 and 470.
The top-ranked university in the world was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by Harvard University and the University of Cambridge.A Latino Trump supporting student dealt out a lesson to his teacher at Hudson Valley in New York by challenging him in class over his hatred of President Trump.
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The liberal teacher decided to use talking points usually heard on MSNBC and CNN about police shootings based on race, white supremacy and then he went after the student claiming he was a brainwashed “radical.”
As you will view in the video below, just know it’s not easy to hold a conversation with someone who is as condescending as the teacher seems to be for ten minutes without losing your composure.
This is how the student saw the exchange:
She was talking loudly about Trump and I am one of the few right-wingers in my school. So she asked me why I supported him seeing as how I am Latino, and he hates us. I responded saying that he doesn’t hate Latinos, he just wants to remove Illegals from the US. It then shifted to how there are a war on blacks and other minorities because of cop killings, and stated that the FBI statistics I was using were skewered because it was seeded on white supremacy. It finally shifted to where she said how when its a Muslim attack, its labelled terrorism, but Vegas was not since he was white. I told her that so far, unless something turns up, we have not found any political or religious aims, and therefore it cannot be viewed as a terrorist incident because the definition of terrorism states violence in the pursuit of political aim (((anti-fa))). At that point, she claimed multiple times the dictionary was wrong and that she knew more than it.
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Close More from Wayne Dupree
A perfect lesson in what is wrong with public schools. He obviously has studied his facts while she is pulling made up lies from her rear end. The problem with liberals is they are never willing to listen nor accept the truth. They hate the truth so much, and that is why they fight against it. It is no wonder they are dumbing down the schools because these teachers can’t teach and they want everyone to be as dumb as them!
This is why I rarely debate with liberals anymore. It doesn’t matter how many facts, how much logic you use, they will always fall back to “racist, white supremacist, Islamophobe, homophobe,” etc., etc., etc.
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When you don’t look at both sides of a coin you never it’s worth or if it’s fake. Problem is with most of these types of “one view” who are teaching our children today have been taught this as young people and kids by their super nanny, I mean alphabet media networks.
When you tell enough people ‘it’s not your fault, you’re a victim.’ w.o.m. does the rest. All you need to do is play the victim videos and reaffirm it enough times, and poof, generations of people of that mindset are created.
Here’s a fact you might not know, the left hates a minority that doesn’t play along with their “victim” pushing their narrative.
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Young man, you did an excellent job! You stood up for what you believe in and defended yourself! That’s a hard thing to do at a time when it seems most people these days are against conservative/centralist viewpoints and real facts! Again bravo!! We need more young people like you who don’t buy into this alt-left crap.
What did you think of this young man’s stance? SHARE this story on your Facebook/Twitter timeline and add your comments below.
Don’t forget to follow the Wayne Dupree Show social media accounts on Facebook, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Google Plus & Twitter.* Belgium has target to close all reactors by 2025
* More than half of Belgian nuclear capacity offline
BRUSSELS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Belgium could keep two of the country’s oldest nuclear reactors running for up to 10 years longer than planned if other plants remain offline because of safety shutdowns, two sources close to government coalition talks said.
The 433 megawatt (MW) Doel 1 and 2 reactors operated by GDF Suez unit Electrabel, built in 1975 and scheduled to for shutdown in 2015, may now be kept operational until 2025, by which time Belgium plans to decommission all its nuclear plants.
Two newer reactors, the 1,008 MW Tihange 2 and the 1,006 MW Doel 3, are offline because of cracks in their steel reactor casings. With Doel 4 also closed because of damage to its turbine, more than 3 gigawatts is currently offline, more than half the country’s total nuclear capacity.
Keeping the two older reactors open will depend on a positive recommendation from Belgium’s nuclear watchdog.
However, the new government will not change the target agreed in 2011 for the the closure of all Belgium’s reactors by 2025, one of the sources said.
Four political parties, including the Flemish separatists N-VA, which emerged as the country’s largest party after elections in May, are in coalition talks to form the next government. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; Editing by David Goodman)Spread the love
Merced, CA – Police stormed into a hookah lounge in the early morning hours on Sunday, July 9 in a manner that can be described as nothing short of terroristic. Video captured by a security guard at Chandelier’s Hookah Lounge shows us once again that all too often, cops are the ones who needlessly escalate situations into fear and violence.
The video begins with multiple cops screaming at patrons to back up, right after barging in with riot guns and batons. The crowd of people enjoying a relaxing Saturday night socializing at the hookah lounge are bewildered and frightened by this sudden act of aggression.
One cop fires a rubber projectile at a man who was being pushed backward by another cop, which causes even more panic as people are trying to flee the room. The video cuts to another segment after cops, with tasers drawn and pointed, have managed to put several people on the ground. Others are letting their frustration at this unprovoked violence be known, as we can hear one person shout, “Why the f—k are y’all doing this?!”
According to the Merced Sun-Star:
“The video was corroborated by multiple witnesses, including one black female UC Merced student. She said police first entered the building with flashlights. They left, and people resumed the event thinking the situation was over. But the police rushed back in with guns and Tasers drawn, causing the confusion and fear. During all this, one officer slammed the student’s friend to the floor and sat on his neck. As the student began to protest, saying he can’t breathe, an officer shouted, stay back or I’ll shoot.”
Indeed, the assault on innocent patrons begs the question: why did the cops do this?
The Mercer Police Department (MCD) stated they were looking for a suspected burglar in the area, who was not caught. Instead, five people were arrested from a situation entirely created by the cops.
Assuming the MCD statement is true, does the most logical approach to apprehending a burglar involve storming a social club as if it’s a military raid? It’s ludicrous to expect that everyone will immediately become quiet and complacent as armed police storm suddenly into the building.
In fact, that would be disturbing as it would indicate an entirely submissive population.
There is no escaping the fact that cops created this situation, and it will sow more fear, anger and distrust among the community which cops are supposed to “protect and serve.” Fortunately, no one was killed or seriously injured, from what we know, but that could have easily happened with Tasers, riot guns and the excessive force used.
The department says an investigation is ongoing, but we know there’s a very good chance they will find they did nothing wrong. It’s all too easy to create the narrative that the patrons’ actions justified the violent response, and most media will simply echo this without question.
This kind of disturbing assault on innocent people—who are supposedly protected by constitutional rights—cannot be allowed to be normalized. Please share this video so we can continue to expose the ever-encroaching police state.NORTH GRAFTON, Mass. – Research led by investigators in veterinary and human medicine has identified genetic pathways that exacerbate severity of canine compulsive disorder in Doberman pinschers, a discovery that could lead to better therapies for obsessive compulsive disorder in people. The discovery appears online in advance of print on February 29 in the International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine.
“Dogs naturally suffer complex diseases, including mental disorders that are similar to those in humans. Among those is canine compulsive disorder (CCD), the counterpart to human obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD),” says the study’s first and corresponding author Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, DACVA, DACVB, professor in clinical sciences and section head and program director of animal behavior at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
OCD is one of the world’s most common neuropsychiatric disorders, affecting an estimated 1 to 3 percent of people and listed by the World Health Organization as among the 20 most disabling diseases. OCD is often characterized by distressing thoughts and time-consuming, repetitive behaviors, while canine compulsions may include repetitive tail chasing, excessive grooming and flank and blanket sucking. Current OCD therapies are not as effective as they could be; medicinal treatment benefits only about half of all human patients. No previously recorded study in humans or dogs has addressed the factors that drive severity in OCD and CCD.
“Genomic research on human neuropsychiatric disorders can be challenging due to the genetic heterogeneity of disease in humans,” says neurologist Edward Ginns, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry, neurology, pediatrics and clinical pathology, and director, program in medical genetics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and a co-author on the new study. “Canine compulsive disorder shares behavioral hallmarks, pharmacological responsiveness, and brain structural homology with human OCD, and thus is expected to be an important animal model.”
The research team compared whole genome sequencing of 70 Doberman pinschers to search for inherited factors that exacerbate CCD. Researchers identified two loci on chromosomes that were strongly correlated with severe CCD, as well as a third locus that showed evidence of association.
The locus most strongly associated with severe CCD was found on chromosome 34 – a region containing three serotonin receptor genes.
“This is particularly significant because drugs that work on the serotonin system are the mainstay treatment for OCD in humans, which demonstrates further correlation between the human and animal models,” says Dodman.
The second locus significantly correlated with severe CCD was on chromosome 11, the same chromosome that contains a gene thought to increase the risk of schizophrenia in humans. This discovery, along with suggestive evidence found on chromosome 16 linking CCD to stress tolerance, may also be relevant to the pathophysiology of OCD, according to the study authors. “Comparative genomics is a particularly attractive approach to reveal the molecular underpinnings of disease in inbred animals with the hope of gaining new insights into these diseases in dogs and humans,” says Ginns.
The study builds on more than a decade of research from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Massachusetts Medical School that in 2010 initially found the neural cadherin (CDH2) gene on canine chromosome 7 appeared to coincide with an increased risk of OCD. Additionally, 2013 MRI research from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and McLean Imaging Center at McLean Hospital showed that the structural brain abnormalities of Doberman pinschers afflicted with canine compulsive disorder (CCD) were similar to those of humans with OCD.
“If the canine construct is fully accepted by other OCD researchers, this spontaneously-occurring model of the condition in humans, right down to the biological pathways involved, could help point the way to novel and more effective treatments for such a debilitating condition,” Dodman says.
Additional study authors are Louis Shuster, professor emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine; Alice A. Moon-Fanelli, formerly of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University; Marzena Galdzicka, University of Massachusetts Medical School; Jiashun Zheng, University of California, San Francisco; Alison L. Ruhe, ProjectDog, and Mark W. Neff, formerly with the Van Andel Institute.
Support for the new study came from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Van Andel Research Institute.
Dodman NH, Ginns EI, Shuster L, Moon-Fanelli AA, Galdzicka M, Zheng J, Ruhe AL, Neff MA, “Genomic risk for severe canine compulsive disorder, a dog model of human OCD,” International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 2016 Vol. 14, No.1
###
About Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
Founded in 1978 in North Grafton, Mass., Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is internationally esteemed for academic programs that impact society and the practice of veterinary medicine; three hospitals and two clinics that combined log more than 80,000 animal cases each year; and groundbreaking research that benefits animal, public, and environmental health.The Cleveland Indians have made a surprise roster move and called up outfielder Greg Allen as part of the September roster expansion. Allen is currently not on the 40-man roster, so a move will have to be made before he can officially be called up. Per Keith Law, the Indians plan on doing so tomorrow.
Confirmed that @Indians called up OF Greg Allen and will add him to the roster tomorrow — keithlaw (@keithlaw) August 31, 2017
Allen, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, became a fan-favorite among Akron RubberDucks fans last year with his impressive.290/.399/.441 slash, great outfield defense, and speed on the bases. His 2016 campaign was so successful, that he was almost shipped away in the failed Jonathan Lucroy trade. But he remained with the Indians, and now he’s getting his shot in the majors.
Though Allen missed all of July with a wrist injury, he’s still slashing.259/.340/.349 with 20 stolen bases for the ‘Ducks this season. He is 32-for-111 in August, including a couple length hitting streaks and eight doubles.
With his speed, contact ability, and tendency to be placed at the top of a lineup, Allen has received a lot of comparisons to former Indians great, Kenny Lofton. That’s a lot to live up to, and he may not be an everyday center fielder in Cleveland if Bradley Zimmer ever gets his shit back together, but he has a bright future, for sure.Note: We originally posted this item on Aug. 6. We are resurfacing it today amid the news that Sen. Davis appears to be on the verge of announcing a run for governor. We'll also re-post our item looking at the reasons why Davis shouldn't run for governor.
Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) has narrowed her plans for the next election down to two choices.
Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“I can say with absolute certainty that I will run for one of two offices, either my state Senate seat or the governor,” Davis said Monday at an appearance in Washington.
There's a case to be made that Davis, who became a national figure after a marathon filibuster of abortion legislation, should take the plunge and run for the state's top job. There's also a strong argument that she should stay put, for the sake of her political future.
So we'll present both arguments, and let you decide which way you think she should go.
Below, we make the case for why Davis should run for governor. Later, we'll present an argument that she should stay put.
* Strike when the iron is hot: It wasn't too long ago that Davis was a largely unknown state senator with a reputation in some quarters for rankling her Republican colleagues. These days, she is a national figure, beloved by liberals and derided by conservatives. Since politics is a world in constant flux -- one day you're a star, the next you are nobody -- Davis should capitalize on her new-found fame with a statewide bid. Through earned media alone, Davis has boosted her name recognition to a level that would normally cost millions of dollars in advertising. Who's to say whether anyone will know or care about what she is doing in two, four, six or eight years? She's a household name right now, and is arguably never going to find a more natural jumping off point for a gubernatorial campaign.
* $$$: Davis has built a strong fundraising base. She pulled in more than $900,000 in June, an impressive figure for a state legislator. In a huge state like Texas with several expensive media markets, money is half the battle. You can't drop millions to go on the air in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas? Then you can't hang in a statewide race. It's clear that Davis would have money if she runs in 2014. What's more, since abortion has moved to the forefront of the national political conversation, Davis can count on a steady flow of money from across the country. And to echo our point above, it's not clear how that would be the case in the years to come.
* Julian Castro is waiting in the wings. Davis is getting a lot of attention right now because of her high-profile abortion fight against Gov. Rick Perry (R). But the real rising Democratic star in the state is San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro. It's no secret that Castro is eyeing a gubernatorial run at some point in the future, in 2018 (he will hit his term limit in 2017) or beyond. A growing Latino population in Texas has stoked Democrats' hopes to turn the state blue or at least purple in the coming years. But it's not going to happen overnight. And Castro, who is only 38, knows this. He is biding his time and will try to make a move at a more ideal moment. What that means for Davis is that 2014 may be something of a now-or-never moment when it comes to running for governor. She'd have a tough time in a primary against Castro, and it's not clear whether she'd even run against him. There are no obvious Democratic contenders now, which means that if Davis runs, she would probably cruise to the nomination.
* Democrats think they can hold Davis's seat. A prolonged battle over the shape of Davis's Tarrant County district came to an end this year when Republicans ended their attempt to redraw its boundaries in their favor. "It is reasonable for Democrats to run for that seat," said Matt Angle, a Davis supporter and informal adviser. The idea is that Davis won't be leaving Democrats hanging after a high-stakes battle to preserve her district if she decides to leave and run for governor, forcing another Democrat to run in her place. (Of course, from the perspective of Davis's own political survival, she might be wiser to stay in her seat, now that it is no longer under threat. We will expand on that argument in our forthcoming post on why Davis shouldn't run for governor.)Halo Wars 2 Top Known Issues - April 6, 2017
When playing Halo Wars 2 on a computer with Intel® Graphics, you may experience some software bug issues that are currently being addressed.
The team is aware that the achievement "Two Heads are Better than None" is currently not working as intended. This is being investigated.
"Please choose a valid profile" - Some players are blocked on Windows 10 with a prompt to select a valid profile yet are unable to do so resulting in a crash or an infinite loop unable to launch the game.
Some players have reported being unable to download the game and/or update via the store.
Some players are experiencing misc. crashes while playing Halo Wars 2
We are aware that some players are 'dodging' matches in ranked play in an attempt to avoid more skilled or difficult matches.
Some players are experiencing corrupted campaign saved games when attempting to load (often resulting in a game crash) This issue has been fixed as of April 5th patch.
The "Short Term Commitment" and "Long Term Commitment" Achievements should be fixed as of March 27.
Hello - Please see below for an ongoing list of known issues as reported by players. This is by no means a complete list and we will continue to monitor and update as we move forward. Thank you for providing feedback and thank you for including as much detail as possible when you're posting about issues you're experiencing.Before posting in this forum, please READ THIS For official Microsoft technical support and help please READ THIS. Since launch, Halo Wars 2 has received several large patches delivering a variety of fixes and improvements to the majority of issues being reported across the community. While the game has been greatly improved with many issues already addressed, the team is still tracking reported bugs and issues and working on additional updates to come.Please make sure you have the latest graphics driver installed (15.45 or above). You can download it from the following site: Intel Graphics Driver. Please use these instructions to install the driver: Driver Installation Instructions We are still tracking this issue but have been unable to consistently repro this problem. Please ensure you're signed in to the correct profile (sign in using the Xbox App, for example) and/or try to load the game without using the Halo App (some users have reported success with this workaround). If you have this problem and end up finding a solution please let us know as we continue to investigate what's going on. Microsoft support may also be able to help you work through the issue via phone or chat.The store team has indicated that players should let the download continue, even if it looks as if no obvious progress is being made. Often times the game/patch is downloading in the background but it may not be actively reflected visually. Please let it go and it should eventually complete as expected.note: The team has identified a few of these issues and fixes are being included in the next game patchnote: The team is aware and is working on a solution for an upcoming patch.Updates:Simon Fraser University (CC)
La explotación del petróleo en EE.UU comenzó en la década de 1900 y, durante el siglo XX, EE.UU se convirtió en uno de los principales productores de petróleo del mundo. El desarrollo del nuevo sistema productivo y comercial globalizado se hizo por el consumo de esa energía solar fosilizada que es el petróleo. El crecimiento exponencial devino paradigma, siendo necesario consumir más petróleo cada día. Ya en los años treinta se predijo que el ’pico del petróleo’ en EE.UU sería en los años 70 y posteriormente las reservas comenzarían a descender. Como es habitual, los expertos de esas industrias lo negaron y no aceptaron pronósticos contra sus objetivos de crecimiento. Pero el cenit de la reserva petrolífera estadounidense se alcanzó por 1970 y desde entonces la mayor preocupación de este país es encontrar una solución alternativa para cuando se agote el petroleo.
La solución se ha creído ver en el gas licuado obtenido por “Fractura Hidráulica” o “Fracking”, como complemento del carbón. EE.UU tiene una inmensa reserva de gas pizarra en su subsuelo que no se puede extraer con técnicas convencionales, pero consideran que los abastecería otros 100 años sin cambiar su modelo productivo y de vida. El ansia por emplear gas licuado cuanto antes impulsa a aplicar una técnica no depurada y muy peligrosa para las personas y el medio ambiente. El fracking, o fractura hidráulica, es una técnica de extracción de gas acumulado en el subsuelo, en grietas y poros de rocas de pizarra y esquisto. Para extraerlo hay que inyectar agua a muy alta presión rompiendo las rocas, agrietándolas y que se abran grietas donde se encuentra el gas líquido, que el gas líquido salga al exterior y pueda almacenarse para su consumo.
Los enormes riesgos del fracking o fractura hidráulica son peligros comprobados. El primero es que provoca temblores o terremotos. A diferencia de la extracción tradicional de petróleo, la de gas por fracking necesita perforar un elevadísimo número de pozos cercanos entre sí por los que se inyecta agua a mucha presión. Al fracturar la roca y remover el subsuelo, éste se recoloca, genera pequeñas fallas que estaban en equilibrio inestable y se producen terremotos.
El segundo peligro del fracking es la contaminación del agua. El agua que se inyecta a presión contiene una elevada porción de sustancias químicas disueltas muy tóxicas y cancerígenas. El agua inyectada se mezcla con la capa freática natural y envenena los pozos y acuíferos. Las empresas petrolíferas niegan esa contaminación, porque según ellas, el gas está a gran profundidad, pero los expertos e incluso informes internos de las petrolíferas, revelan que el cemento que separa el pozo perforado del acuífero no soporta la presión y se agrieta. Se calcula que el 5% de los pozos fallan desde el principio y hasta el 50% de esos pozos también fallará en algún momento de su vida útil y contaminará el acuífero.
Entre los peligros del fracking están los temblores o terremotos, la contaminación de acuíferos y la contaminación del aire
Hay todo un sistema de ríos, riachuelos y lagos subterráneos interconectados. Y hoy, solo en EE.UU hay casi un millón de pozos perforados por los que se inyectan toneladas de agua envenenada. Esto puede suponer la contaminación permanente de todo el acuífero que abastece a muchas poblaciones humanas. Sin embargo, EE.UU exporta esa técnica a todo el planeta y hoy hay más de dos millones de pozos extractivos de gas en todo el mundo que podrían contaminar el agua subterránea de gran parte el planeta.
El tercer problema es la contaminación del aire por productos químicos volátiles cancerígenos y neurotóxicos que salen en los escapes de gas, tanto por los pozos mal sellados, como por la contaminación de los acuíferos donde el gas que se mezcla con el agua y sale por los grifos.
Miles de ciudadanos estadounidenses han presentado denuncias por la contaminación de pozos de agua y por enfermedades causadas por esa contaminación; enfermedades que apenas trascienden a la opinión pública. Se ha comprobado que la población que vive rodeada de pozos gasísiticos sufre enfermedades cardio-respiratorias y de la piel, les sangra la nariz, sufre desmayos y tienen un alto riesgo de sufrir cáncer y leucemia. Hay muchos informes y análisis de laboratorio de agua que prueban la presencia de sustancias químicas cancerígenas en ésta, sustancias de la técnica extractiva del fracking. Se ha comprobado con numerosos vídeos que hay grifos en los que se prende una llama, que se mantiene, porque sale gas del grifo o manguera. Las pruebas son irrefutables. La Agencia de Medioambiente americana ha demostrado la contaminación de los pozos y del aire, pero las petroleras niegan cualquier responsabilidad [1]
Imagen Daniel Lobo (CC)
Las empresas petroleras lo niegan una y otra vez, como es su costumbre, pues no renuncian a su modelo de desarrollo y crecimiento. Y denuncian a familias y estados por difamación e invierten gran cantidad de dinero en propaganda. Se ha probado que emplean tácticas de disuasión para reducir la resistencia ciudadana como las empleadas en la guerra de Irak; tácticas prohibidas con la población norteamericana.
También pagan campañas de políticos estatales y federales que entonces les deben el “favor” al ser elegidos, contratan a expolíticos como asesores con sueldos multimillonarios y presionan para alterar las leyes tanto de los estados como la legislación federal. Si este mundo funcionase como debería, si las leyes fueran para proteger al pueblo y el medio ambiente y no para enriquecer a las empresas, el Fracking estaría prohibido.
Y eso ocurre cuando hay una opción viable técnica y económicamente como las energías renovables. La Tierra no soporta ya más la contaminación de las energías fósiles. El consumo de energías fósiles supone un desequilibrio entrópico tan grande para el sistema que en verdad no puede soportarlo. Lo que se ha formado en millones de años naturalmente, acumulando energía entre moléculas, quedando sepultado en el subsuelo y convirtiéndose en combustibles fósiles, se desentierra y consume sin mesura ni consideración. Consumimos una energía tan lentamente guardada durante milenios en poco más de 100 años, enviando además a la atmósfera gases que calientan el planeta y provocan el cambio climático.
La atmósfera ha dicho basta. No puede librarse de esas emisiones con rapidez, no puede regenerarse y ha empezado a destruirse. La atmósfera da la vida a los pobladores de la tierra, nos proporciona el aire que respiramos y nos protege de la energía solar, tan fuerte que nos destruiría si no hubiera atmósfera. La Tierra ha creado un equilibrio en millones de años según parámetros más o menos estables. Según la distancia del planeta y cada uno de sus puntos respecto al sol, según los movimientos de rotación y traslación y la composición de la atmósfera, se origina el clima y, según el clima en cada punto, se desarrollan los diferentes ecosistemas que habitan personas, plantas y animales; donde las costumbres de las personas se han adaptado, cultivando determinadas plantas en determinadas épocas del año... Pero solo por variar la composición atmosférica por un exceso superlativo de gases, fruto de un consumo desmesurado de energías fósiles, se rompe todo eso y las especies que habitaban ese lugar, incluida la humana, ven peligrar su vida y su modo de vida. Muchas especies vegetales desaparecerán, si animales y personas migran desequilibrando las poblaciones de recepción. El fracking parece otra absurda apuesta, un último aliento, quizás el más fétido, de las amenazas de las energías fósiles contra el Planeta.Email Share +1 2K Shares
Donald Trump has cozied up to anti-LGBT evangelical leaders, endorsed “religious freedom” legislation and said he’s “with the state” on North Carolina’s HB2 law, but pro-LGBT Republicans say he wouldn’t roll back LGBT rights if elected president.
High-profile Republicans who support LGBT rights denied Trump posed a threat to them when speaking with the Washington Blade at the Log Cabin Republicans annual “Spirit of Lincoln” dinner Wednesday evening in D.C.
Ted Olson, a former U.S. solicitor general under George W. Bush who was a lead attorney in litigation that won marriage equality in California and Virginia, pushed back on the idea LGBT rights advances would evaporate under a Trump administration.
“I don’t think so,” Olson said. “I don’t have any insight or special knowledge, but based upon what he’s said and other things like that that I’ve heard, I think that he’ll be fine with it.”
Olson said he thinks LGBT right advances would continue under Trump, adding on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, “He can’t change marriage issues. The Supreme Court decided it’s a constitutional question.”
“He couldn’t change it if he wanted,” Olson said. “I just don’t think he would change any of that. I don’t think that is something that is on his mind, but I don’t have any special knowledge.”
Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, seemed bemused in response to the Blade’s question on whether Trump would roll back LGBT rights and asked: “Why one would expect that?”
When the Blade pointed out Trump’s campaign positions, including his pledge to appoint conservative justices to the Supreme Court who could reverse marriage equality, Norquist said the marriage issue is settled.
“At this point, I don’t think the issue of same-sex marriage hangs on the balance of a court decision,” Norquist said. “That may have been true at one point, but I just don’t think that makes sense at this point.”
Norquist compared the ruling in favor of same-sex marriage to the spikes in the parking lots of car rental agencies that prevent drivers from backing up once a vehicle is returned.
“There’s no backing up on certain things,” Norquist said. “There’s no backing up on the Second Amendment. There’s no backing up on gay rights. I think that if you roll your car back you get a flat tire.”
Citing the large percentage of LGBT people in U.S. cities, Norquist said the issue they should be concerned about is the condition of municipalities under Democratic control, which Trump has said is dire and he’d fix as president.
“The Democrats can’t do anything the teacher’s union and public sector unions don’t allow,” Norquist said. “You can’t make cities work if the unions gets to make the decisions, and gays tend to live in the cities rather than rural areas, and if you want a city to work, you can’t have the Democratic agenda and have the either education system work, the transportation system work, the judicial system work.”
The ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, Norquist said, “frees up the gay community to vote on other issues, ones where the Democrats do very poorly.”
“Once you’ve gotten past the barrier of whether gays are going to be treated fairly like everybody else, what does the Democratic Party offer the gay community?” Norquist said. “I don’t see anything.”
When the Blade pointed out LGBT advocates are seeking federal LGBT non-discrimination protections, which Trump this election cycle hasn’t said he supports, Norquist dismissed the importance of such a measure.
“I don’t know where one is with those issues,” Norquist said. “I think the way you move forward on this stuff is to change people’s minds, not laws. I’m not sure that racial preferences have helped in the past in terms of laws. I think we’re doing well and need to do better in just treating everybody civilly and cheerfully and having no law impede anybody’s ability to do what they want.”
Pro-LGBT Republicans at Log Cabin’s dinner denied Trump would roll back LGBT rights at the same time the organization is considering whether or not to endorse him. Log Cabin’s board considered the issue at its meeting Wednesday, but the organization has yet to announce a decision.
Jim Kolbe, a gay former U.S. House member who represented Arizona and has said he won’t vote for Trump, also said he doesn’t think LGBT rights would be in jeopardy if the candidate were elected president.
“The one area I would be least concerned with Trump’s performance is the LGBT area because I think coming from New York and his personality, he doesn’t care that much about it,” Kolbe said. “He’s not a great advocate, but I don’t think he would roll back any of the advances we’ve made. My concern with Trump is everything else — foreign policy, economic policy — everything else.”
Kolbe also denied Trump’s association with anti-LGBT evangelical leaders and others who oppose LGBT rights is a concern.
“He’s also reached out to the other side,” Kolbe said. “Yes, of course. I think he’s reaching out to every group that he can and, as I said, I don’t think the guy has a real philosophical view. He’s not like probably his vice presidential candidate, [Mike] Pence, who would be more philosophically opposed to LGBT rights. I’m not worried about Trump if he was president on those issues, I’m worried about him on everything else.”Schizophrenia is a lifelong diagnosis, and not something that many families are prepared to accept. A recent story on the Today Show featured Joey Hudy, who was not your typical teen. At age 14, his marshmallow cannon invention caught the eye of President Obama at a 2012 science fair at the White House; Business Insider named him one of the ten smartest kids in the world. Two short years later he caught the eye of the tech giant, Intel, and became one of the youngest interns in history.
But life as the Hudy family knew it soon changed. After moving to China for a job opportunity while still a teenager, Joey began to change, and alarm bells went off for his parents. He was becoming paranoid, and telling his parents there were helicopter pads, people were watching him, and the Chinese government was out to get him. His parents thought if they could get him home, everything would be back to normal. But that was not the case.
“The son I knew was gone,” his mom stated. They felt as if his body was there, but someone else had taken over. After being diagnosed with schizophrenia, the Hudy’s felt Joey could take some medicine and be fine, not realizing this was something they would all contend with for the rest of their lives. According to the American Psychiatric Association, 3.2 million people suffer from schizophrenia or 1% of the population. This chronic brain disorder causes hallucinations, delusions, troubled relationships, and reduced motivation. Schizophrenia destroys youth invincibility.
Pasadena Villa’s Smoky Mountain Lodge |
, a family of 9, all members of a novel "Adam's cult", committed mass suicide by hurling themselves onto a train.[29][30] Although the Daily Mail initially reported that they were victimized for converting to Christianity,[31] diaries recovered from the victims' home, "Adam House", related they wanted a pure life as lived by Adam and Eve, freeing themselves from bondage to any religion and refused contact with any outsiders.[30] After leaving Islam, they did not partake in Christian ceremonies and they even used to worship Kali sometimes, practically out of boundaries of any particular religion.[30]
Disputed religiously motivated suicides [ edit ]
Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God (2000) [ edit ]
On March 17, 2000, 778 members of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God died in Uganda.[32] The theory that all of the members died in a mass suicide was changed to mass murder when decomposing bodies were discovered in pits with signs of strangulation while others had stab wounds.[33] The group had diverged from the Roman Catholic Church in order to emphasize apocalypticism and alleged Marian apparitions.[34] The group had been called an inward-looking movement that wore matching uniforms and restricted their speech to avoid saying anything dishonest or sinful.[35][36] On the suicide itself locals said they held a party at which 70 crates of soft drinks and three bulls were consumed.[37] This version of events has been criticized, most notably by Irving Hexham,[38] and a Ugandan source states that even today "no one can really explain the whys, hows, whats, where, when, etcetera."[39]
Training centre for release of the Atma-energy [ edit ]
This sect was originally a splinter group of the Brahma Kumaris[40] and is known for a police and media scare in which an alleged attempt to commit ritual suicide took place in Teide National Park in Tenerife in 1998. The group believed in the end of the world but according to the religious studies scholar Georg Schmid[41] and the sociologist Massimo Introvigne had no intention of collective suicide.[42][43]While Congress managed to pass a $700 billion financial-industry bailout before breaking for over a month to campaign, legislation to extend unemployment aid for 800,000 laid-off workers did not make the cut. Their benefits will dry up as soon as this Sunday.
Negotiations late yesterday in the Senate for streamlined passage of a bill to extend emergency jobless relief by at least seven weeks failed when Republicans balked. By evening, most senators had left town on election recess. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said the Senate would reconvene the week of Nov. 17.
After approving the bailout today, the House overwhelmingly passed (368-28) a jobless benefits extension essentially identical to the Senate version on an accelerated vote. Speaking on the floor in support of the bill, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) said he regretted that it was âa little bit late,â but âI only hope the Senate is listening.â
The quick passage could provide momentum for an extension in a lame-duck Senate. Had the House reverted to lengthier deliberations, to be taken up after the elections, the fate of federal unemployment aid would certainly be shakier, Democratic congressional aides told ProPublica.
A spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Don Stewart, said Republicans had refused an emergency vote on a benefits bill because Democrats gave no chance for debate or amendment. âItâs a huge spending bill,â he said. The proposal has been estimated to cost $6 billion.
The Senate bill had previously been considered and rejected by Republicans as part of a larger economic stimulus package. Sen. Reidâs office told ProPublica that he had tried to attach the unemployment aid extension to the financial bailout passed by the Senate Wednesday night. But Stewart said no formal unemployment insurance amendment had been proposed.
He said Republicans disagreed over the duration of any federal unemployment aid and how much should be given to each state. Asked for details of a formula Sen. McConnell or any party member could live with, Stewart provided none. He said that, because the Senate is on break until mid-November, âthere is no action to be had until that point.â
Todayâs monthly unemployment update from the federal government showed the U.S. economy had shed jobs for the ninth straight month in September, with 760,000 jobs lost throughout the private sector in 2008. The rate of unemployment remained constant at 6.1 percent, or 9.5 million people.Talk about loyalty. Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Sen. Rand Paul may have dropped out of the 2016 Republican race, but their fans continue to vote for them. Eleven former Republican presidential hopefuls garnered 2 percent of the total vote in 24 primaries and caucuses through March 8, according to Eric Ostermeier, a University of Minnesota political professor who conducted a meticulous analysis of the voting data. Mr. Bush led the pack with a grand total of 88,000 votes, followed by Mr. Carson with 37,942, Mr. Paul with 32,098 and Mike Huckabee with 27,141. Gov. Chris Christie (16,0113), Carly Fiorina (11,484), Rick Santorum (8,023) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (4,481) were next in line, followed by James S. Gilmore III, George Pataki and Bobby Jindal, who all got under 2,000 votes.
Some states were particularly prone to support “those who have abandoned their White House dreams,” says Mr. Ostermeier. According to the statistics, Vermont led the way, with 3.7 percent of the votes in the Green State going to ex-candidates. Michigan, Idaho, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, Texas and Tennessee follow. The study, incidentally, was conducted before Sen. Marco Rubio dropped out of the race.
NOT CONVINCED
“We may not have always agreed on every detail, but we’ve always shared an unwavering, unshakable commitment to our alliance and to Israel’s future as a secure and democratic homeland for the Jewish people,” Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton told the vast audience at the AIPAC policy conference in a wide-ranging speech Monday, “If we face the future side by side, I know for both Israel and America, our best days are still ahead.” The Republican Jewish Coalition is not buying it.
“Hillary Clinton’s rhetoric rings hollow. Actions speak louder than words, and Hillary’s words can do little to paper over her disastrous tenure as secretary of state,” says Matt Brooks, executive director of the national grass-roots group, which holds its spring leadership meeting next month in Las Vegas.
“Under Secretary Clinton, the U.S.-Israel relationship reached its lowest point, and she supported the United States-brokered, ill-conceived and disastrous nuclear deal with Iran,” noted Mr. Brooks. “At every turn when her actions could achieve real results and speak louder than words, Secretary Clinton chose instead to do nothing. Pro-Israel voters have learned from painful experience that there is a difference between political speeches and governing priorities. Hillary Clinton has proven time and again that talk is cheap.”
AMERICANS SIDE WITH TRUMP ON VETS
Under his public policy proposal for military veterans, Donald Trump advises: “Under a Trump administration, all veterans eligible for VA health care can bring their veteran’s ID card to any doctor or care facility that accepts Medicare to get the care they need immediately.” A new Gallup poll finds this is a very popular idea: 91 percent of Americans agree with this streamlined approach that allows vets to be seen by any health care provider that accepts Medicare, not just Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
“In addition, Trump proposes to increase funding for a variety of VA projects, including ‘accelerating and expanding investments in state-of-the-art technology and spending more for job training, placement services, educational support and business loans,’” Gallup director Frank Newport writes in his analysis of the findings. The poll found that 74 percent of Americans agree with that idea as well.
ONE FOR THE LITTLE SISTERS
Nine pro-life members of Congress gather Tuesday outside the Capitol to have their say about the “Little Sisters of the Poor case” — that would be Zubik v. Burwell — a landmark challenge to the Department of Health and Human Services contraceptive mandate under Obamacare, to be heard before the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The intent of the lawmakers will be revealed right there on the podium. On hand for the event: Reps. Trent Franks, Marsha Blackburn, Diane Black, Jeff Fortenberry, Virginia Foxx, Vicky Hartzler, Mike Kelly, Joseph R. Pitts and Jody B. Hice.
UPDATE: THE GOP WAR CHEST
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus reports the GOP has raised a total of $126.4 million. In February, $11.5 million arrived from donors, 99 percent in amounts under $200. The average donation was $52.
“Thanks to our strong grass-roots support the RNC is fielding a national organization that will be critical to our nominee’s victory this November,” says Mr. Priebus. “We have never been better organized or better prepared to win a presidential election and enthusiasm for our party is only growing. We are the only organization in politics running a national ground game focused on winning.”
NOW THERE’S A THOUGHT
“Most rich people are a lot like you and me. They just know a secret that, while incredibly effective, isn’t very sexy. The secret to getting rich is as powerful as it is unexciting: Live below your means. That’s it. The bigger the difference between what you earn and what you spend, the sooner you’ll find yourself with enough money to do what you want with your life,” notes Catherine Hawley, a financial adviser for NerdWallet and a contributor to Money magazine.
POLL DU JOUR
• 67 percent of Americans think there is “more violence” at a Donald Trump rally than other candidates’ events; 23 percent of Republicans, 41 percent of independents and 74 percent of Democrats agree.
• 65 percent overall say protesters at political events don’t deserve to “get roughed up”; 55 percent of Republicans, 60 percent of independents and 80 percent of Democrats agree.
• 59 percent overall say it’s OK to throw protesters out of a political event; 81 percent of Republicans, 59 percent of independents and 42 percent of Democrats agree.
• 47 percent overall say Mr. Trump is “responsible” for violent events at his rallies; 55 percent of Republicans, 60 percent of independents and 80 percent of Democrats agree.
Source: A YouGov poll of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted March 14-16.
Polite applause, chatter to [email protected]
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.The FIA has set a date of December 11th for this year’s Indian Grand Prix.
The FIA’s website has already been updated to reflect the new schedule.
An FIA spokesperson told F1 Fanatic “let’s say that for the moment, it’s official”.
The new date increases the length of the calendar by two weeks. The Indian Grand Prix takes over from the Brazilian round as the season finale.
The race, to be held at the Buddh International Circuit, was moved to the end of the calendar to make way for the reinstated Bahrain Grand Prix.
The FIA announced on Friday that Bahrian would take the date given to India, and moved the Indian round to an unspecified date at the end of the season.
However there is serious doubt over whether this arrangement will hold as F1 teams have told the FIA they will not accept an extension of the calendar.
According to the FIA’s International Sporting Code, changes to the calendar must have the support of all the teams.
2011 F1 seasonA rather eventful bond hearing took place in a Florida courtroom on Thursday morning when a grand theft auto suspect decided to show off his twerking skills.
The ordeal unfolded as 30-year-old Calvin Griffith made his first appearance on charges he allegedly broke into a high school and stole an employee's car.
As Judge Catherine Pooler read his charges aloud, Griffith can be seen on in-court camera twerking before laughter is heard in the Miami-Dade County bond court.
A rather eventful bond hearing took place in a Florida courtroom on Thursday morning when grand theft auto suspect Calvin Griffith decided to show off his twerking skills (pictured)
However, a straight-faced Judge Pooler did not seem to be amused by the impromptu dance, setting his bond at $18,500, according to WPLG.
During the hearing, Griffith also appeared to say 'Hi mom' and 'My mom's here' after realizing he was on the in-court camera.
He had reportedly broken out into the twerk routine not long after his microphone was turned off when he continued speaking during the hearing.
His family claims he is mentally ill and was off his medications, according to NBC Miami.
His mother was reportedly in court on Thursday with a bag of prescription medications for him.
As Judge Catherine Pooler (left) read his charges aloud, 30-year-old Griffith (right) is seen on an in-court camera twerking before laughter is heard in the Miami-Dade County court
However, a straight-faced Judge Pooler did not seem to be amused by the impromptu dance as she set his bond at $18,500
Griffith was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly entering Miami Edison Senior High School the day before and taking a pair of car keys in the main office.
He then allegedly went out to the parking lot where he stole a Volkswagen Passat.
School surveillance cameras captured him walking out of the school and reportedly stealing the car.
The next day, officers confronted him at the school where they recovered the stolen car and found the victim's keys in his pants pockets, NBC Miami reported.
Griffith was arrested for allegedly breaking into a high school and stealing an employee's car. He was captured on surveillance cameras leaving the school (pictured)
Officers confronted him at the school where they recovered the stolen car (the Volkswagen Passat pictured above) and found the victim's keys in his pants pockets
Griffith (pictured in his booking photo, left) was charged with burglary among other charges. He was apparently arrested in March on charges of grand theft auto (March booking photo, right)
Griffith was charged with burglary in an occupied dwelling, petit theft, grand theft auto and trespassing in a school/school safety zone.
He was also ordered to stay away from Miami Edison Senior High.
This is not his first run in with the law as he was previously arrested in March and in May on charges of grand theft auto, according to arrest records.Move aside, Chuck Norris, “Ron Paul Facts” is now in.
Ron Paul, a Texas Congressman and 2012 presidential hopeful, has inspired a fiercely loyal following around the country with his straight-talking Libertarian approach.
The Federal Reserve? End it!
Income taxes? Don’t need it!
Troops abroad? Send them home!
The UN and NATO? Pull out of them!
On the Internet, Ron Paul is king. Back in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries, he became known for winning virtually every single internet and text message poll. This ardent online support in has spawned the “Ron Paul Facts” in 2011.
Below are some “facts” about Ron Paul, taken from the Ron Paul Facts website.
- Ron Paul has no alarm clock, but instead wakes every morning to the call of freedom.
- Ron Paul doesn't go the gym. He stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
- Ron Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
- Ron Paul wasn't born. He liberated himself from the womb.
- Ron Paul doesn't pee. He liberates urine
- Studies by the World Health Organization show that Ron Paul is the leading cause of freedom among men.
- Ron Paul can fly, but doesn't because its unconstitutional.
- Ron Paul could lead a horse to water AND convince it to drink, but he doesn't believe the government has the right to so he refuses.
- Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.A Texas teen who ran into a church half-naked saying she was raped was indicted for what turned out to be an elaborate hoax.
Breana Harmon, 19, was charged Wednesday with two counts of tampering with physical evidence and two counts of tampering with a government record, which are felonies, according to the Herald Democrat.
Officials said that teen, who also uses the last name Talbott, made a false report to police on March 8 claiming to have been abducted and gang-raped behind a church in Denison, Texas.
The teen turned up at the local church covered in blood and wearing only a shirt, bra and underwear. She allegedly told parishioners that black men had taken her into the woods and raped her.
Harmon, then 18, told police that she was raped by two black men in ski masks while a third pinned her down. She claimed that the suspects had kidnapped near her car in an apartment parking lot, news station KXII reported.
Police discovered her car with a door open and her phone, keys and shoe scattered on the ground.
Harmon was brought to a nearby hospital for examination, where physicians determined she had not suffered any injuries consistent with her claims, according to police.
Authorities searched for further evidence, but were not able to corroborate Harmon’s story. Police also said the crime scene was “staged” and Harmon’s injuries were “self-inflicted.”
When investigators confronted Harmon, she admitted that the allegations were false. It is not known what prompted her to report the hoax.
She was arrested in March for the misdemeanor offense of false report to a peace officer, but officials decided to seek more charges.
“The more we have looked at what happened in this case, and considered the harm it caused, and certainly could have caused, we believe what she did fits the elements of these higher charges,” Grayson County District Attorney Joe Brown said in a statement. “What she did was very serious, and we believe it was felony conduct.”
If convicted, Harmon faces up to 32 years in prison.Culinary name for types of offal
A dish of crusted sweetbreads
Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus (also called throat, gullet, or neck sweetbread) or pancreas (also called stomach, belly or gut sweetbread), typically from calf (ris de veau) and lamb (ris d'agneau), and, less commonly, beef and pork.[1][2] The "heart" sweetbreads are more spherical in shape, while the "throat" sweetbreads are more cylindrical in shape.[3]
Various other glands used as food may also sometimes be called "sweetbreads," including the parotid gland ("cheek" or "ear" sweetbread), the sublingual glands ("tongue" sweetbreads or "throat bread") as well as ovary and testicles.[4][5]
One common preparation of sweetbreads involves soaking in salt water, then poaching in milk, after which the outer membrane is removed. Once dried and chilled, they are often breaded and fried.[6][7] They are also used for stuffing or in pâtés. They are grilled in many Latin American cuisines, such as in the Argentine asado, and served in bread in Turkish cuisine.
The word "sweetbread" is first attested in the 16th century, but the etymology of the name is unclear.[8] "Sweet" is perhaps used since the thymus is sweet and rich-tasting, as opposed to savory-tasting muscle flesh.[9] "Bread" may come from brede, "roasted meat"[10] or from the Old English brǣd ("flesh" or "meat").
See also [ edit ]About the challenge
Every year columnist Michelle Singletary chooses several people or families and helps them with their finances. This year she has worked with women recently released from prison. She met them through a volunteer outreach effort of a financial mentoring program she directs at First Baptist Church of Glenarden.
Kelly D. Brown left prison with one overriding mission - to never again let her hot temper lead to another stint behind bars.
"I was so reckless when I was young," said Brown, 32.
The last time she let her anger explode, she shot at some girls who were trying to enter her home after a fight. She was convicted of second-degree attempted murder and served six years of an eight-year sentence. When she entered the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women in 2004, her son was 3.
"When I got out he was a whole little man with his own way of thinking," Brown said. "I had pictures of him from before I got locked up, and then after. His joy was gone, and I did it. I took the joy from his life."
While incarcerated, Brown got help for her anger issues and began to style other inmates' hair. A week after being released from prison, she started taking cosmetology classes and received her license in less than a year.
She got a job as a stylist at a Hair Cuttery in Baltimore. Brown was upfront about her criminal past - hoping, praying, someone would give her a chance. The manager of the salon decided to give Brown an opportunity to prove herself.
Brown started March 26. But then...
... But then I decided to profile Brown as part of the latest installment of a series I began earlier this year in which I looked at the difficulties ex-offenders have managing their personal finances. However, I found that we couldn't concentrate on that problem because of the many other factors that prevent ex-offenders from succeeding - some personal, some the result of public and private policies.
Brown's story was supposed to be positive. She asked someone up the chain of command at Hair Cuttery, a division of Vienna, Va.-based Ratner Companies, if it would be okay for her to be photographed working on her customers.
The corporate office had her fired.
The salon leader said Brown was "honest about everything" concerning her criminal history. The regional field recruiter for Hair Cuttery was also aware of Brown's felony conviction.The site of the American camp, as a farm in the 19th century. National Park Service
San Juan Island is, by any account, a small piece of land—19 miles long and seven miles wide—just off the coast of Washington state. Today farms spread over the island, and a ferry brings tourists ready to soak in the vibes of the Pacific Northwest. It’s not an obvious site for an international conflict between the United States and England. But in 1859, both countries were amassing troops here, ready to start a war over the rights of the farmers who had settled here. It is known today as the Pig War, but before any pigs were involved, there was a fight over sheep.
The Belle Vue Sheep Farm, 1859. National Park Service
The Pig War began with a problem specific to the Age of Exploration: A number of different countries had sent men in boats to sail along the western coast of North America and map parts of the interior. Those countries all believed, by virtue of this act, that this large stretch of land now belonged to them. (The people who had been living in these lands before they were “discovered” by European powers were not considered in this political calculus.) In the early 19th century, Britain, the United States, Russia, and Spain all had designs and claims on what was called Oregon Territory, which stretched from what’s now the southernmost border of Alaska, down to California, and east to the Rocky Mountains.
Over time, the United States and Britain convinced Russia and Spain to back off their claims, and through the 1840s agreed to a joint occupation that left the issue unpressed for a spell. As white settlers began to arrive in greater numbers, though, this uncomfortable arrangement became a problem. In 1846 the Treaty of Oregon drew a line along the 49th parallel, cutting the territory into two and creating what’s now the U.S.-Canada border.
But at the edge of mainland, the border went down, according to the treaty, “to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver Island and thence southerly through the middle of the said channel.”
This is the flashpoint of the Pig War. Even when the treaty was signed, the negotiators knew there was a problem: There was more than one channel this line could describe. One, the Rosario Strait, was closer to the mainland and granted San Juan Island to the British. The other, the Haro Strait, was farther west and gave San Juan Island to the United States. It’s easy to guess which country favored which interpretation. For the next few years, this ambiguity remained an abstract problem—until settlers started edging closer to the contested island, at which point a British official sent in the sheep.
The American camp, 1859. National Park Service
James Douglas had risen through the ranks of Britain’s colonial hierarchy to become governor of British Columbia, and he was determined that San Juan Island would remain a British possession. British-held Vancouver Island, valued for its climate, water power, coal, and fisheries, lies just across the Haro Strait from San Juan Island, and controlling both would mean control of access into the Strait of Saint George, and the city of Vancouver. But the political and strategic implications went further. Both sides, writes historian Scott Kaufman in his book, The Pig War: The United States, Britain, and the Balance of Power in the Pacific Northwest, 1846-1872, “believed that whichever country possessed the island would have the upper hand in the balance of power in the Pacific Northwest, with enormous implications for both countries’ regional economic and military interests.”
At first, Douglas tried to convince the people of British Columbia to settle San Juan Island, but, Kaufman writes, they were reluctant to leave the town of Victoria for so isolated a place. Instead, at the end of 1853, Douglas had to be satisfied with having the Hudson Bay Company send sheep, more than 1,300 of them, along with one British man, Charles Griffin, to run the island’s newest farm with the help of native shepherds.
This influx did not escape the notice of American officials, and the local collector of customs, Isaac Ebey, decided that Hudson Bay Company, a de facto arm of the British government, should pay taxes on the sheep. He sailed to San Juan Island to present Griffin with a bill and, when it went unpaid, deputized a tax collector, Henry Webber, to oversee the island. When Webber arrived, he set up his camp directly behind Griffin’s cabin and raised an American flag.
The British camp, 1860. National Park Service
That did not sit well with Griffin, who deputized one of the shepherds, Thomas Holland, to arrest Webber. When the newly appointed constable tried to serve the warrant, though, Webber pulled a gun and leveled it at shepherd’s chest. This was first threat of violence in the conflict, but neither side pressed the issue. Griffin had Holland back down, and Ebey ordered Webber to stay on the island and keep track of the taxes Griffin owed without trying to collect them. For a few months, things were quiet.
Later that year, though, another American official, the commissioner of newly formed Whatcom County, William Cullen, took an interest in the sheep. Like Ebey, Cullen believed San Juan to be an American island and decided Griffin owed taxes. Four times, the county sheriff demanded $80.33 in back taxes from the sheep farm, as Mike Vouri writes in The Pig War: Standoff at Griffin Bay, and in March of 1855, when Griffin once again refused to pay, the sheriff brought a group of Americans to the island for a tax sale. They rounded up a portion of the sheep, auctioned them off, and got 34 of them into boats before Griffin and his herders knew what was happening. Griffin called in reinforcements, and a British ship pursued the Americans, in their sheep-filled boats, through the contested waters before giving up the chase.
Officers’ quarters after joint occupation that began in 1860. National Park Service
For the next few years, tensions on the island stayed low, as Griffin oversaw the growth of the farm to close to 4,500 sheep, along with pigs and other animals. But in 1859 American settlers started arriving, intent on setting up their own farms. One brought 20 cattle. These newcomers did not take much stock in Griffin’s presence there. One new farm was located smack in the middle of one of Griffin’s best sheep runs.
Despite their best efforts, the humans on the island had managed to avoid direct conflict, but the animals were less discreet. In summer 1859, one of the pigs from Griffin’s farm discovered a plot of tempting tubers on the farm of American Lyman Cutlar and availed himself of the delights. Cutlar, having fended off this same pig before, could not stand for this theft. He shot the pig.
That unceremonious execution quickly escalated. Griffin wanted payment for the dead pig but dismissed Cutlar’s offer of $10. The price, he said, was $100, a bounty Cutlar was unwilling to pay. According to Cutlar’s account, Griffin then lost it, as Vouri recounts in his book. “It is no more than I expected,” Griffin allegedly told him. “You Americans are a nuisance on the island, and you have no business here. I shall write Mr. Douglas and have you removed.”
Cutlar, by his own estimation, stayed cool. “I came here to settle for shooting your hog,” he said, “not argue the right of Americans on the island, for I consider it American soil.”
The Royal Marines in the 1870s. National Park Service
To be fair to the poor deceased pig, Cutlar’s decision to fire was not the only source of tension on the island. When General William Harney, who commanded U.S. military forces in Oregon, visited the island, the settlers regaled him with many tales of woe. But the pig story stuck in Harney’s head. After hearing about the settlers’ tensions with the British and native tribes, Harney decided to dispatch a small unit of troops to protect the Americans there—and in his report to his superiors about this decision, the pig incident loomed large.
By the end of July, a unit of 66 American soldiers, led by Captain George Pickett, had settled on the island. The British couldn’t abide this, and two days later a British warship showed up off the coast. Douglas, the governor, urged the Navy to send still more ships and land troops on the island. By August 3, there were three ships off the coast. In a parlay with British naval officer in command, Captain Geoffrey Phipps Hornby, the American Pickett held fast to his position that if British troops attempted to land, he would have to stop them.
Painting of the American camp, by Richard Schlecht. National Park Service/Richard Schlecht
Once again the two sides had come to the brink and cooler heads prevailed. Hornby held back, but both sides built their forces over the next few weeks, until there were hundreds of American soldiers on San Juan, and more than 2,000 British sailors in ships. Meanwhile, the island’s settlements had grown to include more than one groggery, and shacks brought over from an abandoned camp in Bellingham Bay, where soldiers could find whisky and women. Civilians from Victoria also sailed to the island to watch the conflict unfold.
When leaders on both sides heard about what was happening, they immediately decided to to de-escalate the conflict. By the fall, both sides had agreed to draw down their forces, until there was just one company of American soldiers on the island and one British ship off the coast. In March, the two countries agreed to jointly occupy the island, with an American camp on one end and a British camp on the other.
This was the situation for the next 12 years. In 1871, a few years after William Gladstone became Prime Minister of England, the countries agreed to decide their remaining land disputes through arbitration. Both made their cases before a commission appointed by Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm I. The next year, the conflict was finally resolved. The border would go through Haro Strait, and San Juan Island would be American. In the end, the only life that was lost was that of the hungry pig that gave the war its name.“A retreat is a good idea,” my meditation teacher, trained in the U.K. by a Tibetan monk, said when I consulted him about my persistent urge to get away. “And I recommend a silent one.”
My husband had left me for another woman. I was juggling two kids, in and out of divorce court, and felt my lid about to blow. As luck would have it, I’d just turned 50, too. Even I knew I needed time for introspection, but why the extra burden of keeping silent, I wanted to ask, but didn’t. And why couldn’t I blow off a little steam, listen to music and converse over dinner with other people at the retreat? Life was hard enough. And my teacher knew I wasn’t the silent type.
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I spend the bulk of my workday in front of a computer, but at heart I’m a social animal. Though shy as a young girl, once I reached adulthood I became a confirmed extrovert, joining a long line of female talkers on my mother’s side of the family who could easily hold the thread of one story at bay while carrying on the next.
Besides, I’d had more than enough silence for a lifetime. It was so quiet in the rural town where I grew up you could literally hear a pin drop. So as soon as I was in charge of my own life, I moved to New York City, one of the noisiest places on the planet. These days you can hardly even enter a taxicab without a video monitor of the latest news or celebrity endorsement assaulting you. And even McDonald’s gets you a flat screen with more to digest than just your Big Mac.
Several years ago, 20 years after I’d moved to the Big Apple, my husband left, and I was suddenly single again without ready-made companions or a weekend routine. Single friends already had their own cliques; most of my other friends were married. Some thought I should be thankful for time off when the children visited their father. But I missed my daughters. I missed all the racket. And I was hungry for company. I wanted even more noise, especially whatever would drown out what was going on in my head. So much so that I turned on the TV, which I’d hardly watched for years, filling the house with artificial friends. At times, the four walls closed in on me, and I cursed the silence. It made me feel all the more alone. The last thing I wanted to hear.
Still, I trusted my teacher’s advice. I knew he was far wiser than me on a day when I could think straight.
So I booked a room for my trip and bought a copy of “Walden,” as silly as admitting that now seems. Midway through, though, the quiet droned on and on, and I shelved Thoreau. I stuck to my retreat plans anyway. And one hot August day, drove to the retreat center in upstate New York and began.
After checking in, I hung the badge I was given that said “silent” around my neck. This cued monks, nuns, retreatants and staff not to engage with me. Perhaps it was my reminder, too, that I was supposed to keep my mouth shut.
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My daily schedule consisted of four self-guided meditations of one to one-and-a-half hours each while sitting on the floor of my small room. Before leaving, I’d talked to my teacher and plotted out a schedule, thinking I’d flop unless I had the bones of a structure to my day. I ate my meals in silence, at the far end of a long communal table, while a dozen or so staff and other retreatants sat at the other end talking and laughing. I spent the interludes hiking parts of the center’s 82 wooded acres, reciting mantras and sleeping. I had no chores to attend to. No laundry, cooking, cleaning or kid duties. No technology or outside distractions of any kind. Just me and my lonesome – the person I often liked least hanging around.
The euphoria that attends any new adventure buoyed me through the first day. Feelings of good fortune poured over me in waves. I was energized, peaceful and filled with a warrior-like spirit that convinced me I’d already done enough meditating to speed back to the city and tackle whatever divorce and single parenting handed me next. Not having to load and unload the dishwasher for even one day was nearly invigorating enough, I foolishly thought.
Day two, I slept like a baby for 10 hours. And then I hit a wall. I woke up raging with hunger and exhaustion. I crashed until nearly lunchtime, missing breakfast and my early morning meditation. Mid-afternoon I broke down in sobs and stumbled outside and into the arms of a Buddhist nun out walking. Like a silly schoolgirl, I raised my hand for permission to speak. And then I rattled off something about wanting to call my daughter at sleep-away camp to make sure she was OK. My monkey mind, which had far more practice than my tranquil one, had come roaring back.
“Doesn’t the camp have your number in case they need to call you?” the nun asked. I nodded yes.
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“So why don’t you give it a bit more time before you call.” I nodded yes again, with less enthusiasm.
Blaise Pascal once said: “I have discovered that all human evil comes from this, man’s being unable to sit still in a room.”
I can’t explain the science of what happened next, but I walked back inside, sat down, and simply began, again. And by later in the day, I’d completely calmed down, and my urge to talk – and call the camp -- had subsided. The chatter in my mind melted away. At dinner, I was actually relieved not to talk. Clearly, I’d been going through some sort of withdrawal, and the moment my mind latched onto fear, all my worries had come rushing back as if to stop me from examining what eventually broke the surface.
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In the silence that day, I began to hear myself think. I saw myself standing on the outside of my life looking in. And what I saw wasn’t completely pretty.
Hushed away and spending quality time with |
ably grotesque.
So it feels like an easy decision. Stop selling arms to an abhorrent regime for use against a suffering population. Feels straightforward.
But as with so many other issues, the Corbyn left identifies real problems, but then puts forward solutions which could well make matters worse. There is a complete lack of consideration for potential consequences, which is what happens when you sit on the sidelines and argue against things you know won’t change; it’s a lot harder to be in a position where your choices will have impacts and you must own the outcomes.
It is bad that we sell weapons to Saudi Arabia. I don’t like it at all. But is stopping doing so a cost-free decision?
Suppose we were to stop trading arms with Saudi Arabia tomorrow. What might happen? At the moment, Britain’s support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen involves both training pilots to minimise civilian casualties, and attempts to influence the Saudis in a more humanitarian direction. Suppose instead Saudi Arabia sourced their weapons from a state which had no interest in pushing the regime in this way. Should we regard this as a better situation than we are in now? Could a Saudi regime which felt isolated become more aggressive? What happens if Saudi Arabia have no incentive to keep the West on side?
Further, the government that the Saudi-led coalition is defending in Yemen is internationally recognised and action in support of it is mandated by U.N. Resolution 2216. Houthi rebels, with tacit support from Iran, have seized large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sana’a, as part of an attempted coup. The Yemeni ambassador wrote to MPs specifically requesting that Britain continues to support the coalition. Should we ignore the U.N. resolution and the direct request from a government under siege, not just from Houthis but also from al-Qaeda?
John Woodcock sums it all up neatly.
Showing your disapproval by removing the influence that can bring about change may give you a momentary buzz of self-satisfaction but is irresponsible and wrong. In this case it could well have the unintended consequence of making the deaths of Yemeni civilians even more frequent.
If your goal is to act in the way that will result in the least harm, these are questions that at the very least merit serious consideration. If your position is morally correct, but ends up leading to worse outcomes and more suffering, is it still morally correct? Sometimes every choice is a bad one. Sometimes the option that appears the most moral may have the most deleterious consequences.
Banning weapons sales to Saudi definitely feels the right thing to do. I believe there is a very strong argument for it. But I also think that the implications of doing so need to form part of our thinking. Viewing this as a uniquely moral cause where the West is entirely to blame, rather than as Britain being one actor of many, trying to find the best, workable, solution, is a fundamental misread.5 Tips to Make You a Better Clash Royale Player
Many players have expressed frustration at “being stuck” in Clash Royale, especially around Arenas 4 and 5. At this point, competition gets tougher as players you face are all familiar with the basics, and you often find yourself in losing streaks, especially when playing against players with better cards. I’ve been there. I’ve swore at this game more times than I have for any other game that I’ve played (and I’ve played a lot of games). But over time, I’ve improved on my playing style, and now sit at 2100 trophies while having only spent $5 on the game. Instead of diving into specific strategies, let me share with you 5 tips that will help any player improve on their overall play.
Tip #1: Don’t Overplay Your Elixir!
As fun as it is to wreck people’s towers, this game is all playing sound defence and counter-attacking. When you spend your elixir faster than your opponent, it leaves you open to attacks on the other lane. And without any elixir to stop their attack, chances are you can kiss your tower goodbye. So don’t overplay your elixir unless you’re sure your opponent is defenceless (ie. spent most of their elixir) or you know you can take down their tower without losing yours.
Tip #2: Keep Track of How Much Elixir Your Opponent is Spending
It’s just as important to keep track of your opponent’s Elixir spend as it is your own, as that will allow you to predict what they can or cannot play next. For example, if your opponent fires a Rocket at you, he will be left with only 4 Elixir or less. If you happen to still have all 10 Elixir unused, it’s probably a good time to pile on an attack.
Tip #3: Play Your Cards by Dragging Your Finger and Releasing
The game is designed so that you can play your card either by dragging your finger, or tapping your card then the location. Dragging your finger not only gives you a lot more precision (for example, I can make sure the radius of my spell will hit what I want to hit), but you can also prepare for your next play even before your Elixir is ready! Did you know that you can actually cast a card about 0.5 seconds before you actually have enough Elixir to cast it?
Tip #4: Adjust Your Strategy, and Adapt to Opponent’s Gameplay
During a 3 minute match, chances are you will see your opponent play the same card at least 3 times. As the old saying goes: fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. If you got caught off guard with the X-bow the first time, think in advance how you’re going to stop the second one. Perhaps that would mean saving up Elixir until he plays the next one, or setting up a Tombstone so that’ll be the dummy target. Likewise, if you know your opponent has arrows to deal with your Goblin Barrel, then don’t play it again until they have to use the Arrows on something else.
Tip #5: Stay Calm, and Don’t Get Pissed Off!
There has been at least 4 occasions where I went on a torrid losing streak that led to me losing like 200 trophies or more, and there’s always a pattern when this happens: I play worse and my decision making isn’t as sharp as it normally is. When you’re angry, you stop strategizing and thinking about all the points that I mentioned above. Your spell aim is off, your timing is off, and you fail to take notice of things that your opponent is doing to slowly chop away at your tower’s health. So next time you start feeling like throwing your phone to the ground, just close your eyes, take a deep breath, and tell yourself “I’m better than this!” Don’t let that laughing emoticon get to you!!In her acceptance speech tonight, Hillary Clinton stated:
Our country's motto is e pluribus unum: out of many, we are one. Will we stay true to that motto?
Sound familiar? In 2010, President Obama similarly said, “In the United States, our motto is E pluribus unum — out of many, one.”
One problem. E pluribus unum isn’t our National Motto. In 1956, “In God We Trust” was made the official National Motto of the United States of America... by law. It has long been a part of American lore. Our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, (also made official by an act of Congress) long included the phrase: “And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’”
Since then angry atheists have long tried to strip our National Motto and remove its meaning.
True to form, the angry atheists at the Freedom From Religion Foundation immediately seized on tonight’s comments:
Hillary Clinton trumpets the motto "E Pluribus Unum" (from many, come one), not the upstart 'In God We Trust.'Our 'faith is in each other.' — FFRF (@FFRF) July 29, 2016
In God We Trust, a johnny come lately motto, was added as an additional motto, but it didn'supplant E Pluribus Unum. https://t.co/Em5dbGOAQA — FFRF (@FFRF) July 29, 2016
Atheists are not "angry." We are aware of our nation's secular roots being tampered with by zealots. https://t.co/V0K0oYJWRR — FFRF (@FFRF) July 29, 2016
Of course they are just flat wrong. Let me quote 36 U.S.C. § 302 in its entirety: “‘In God we trust’ is the national motto.” E pluribus unum, while included on the Great Seal of the United States, has never been the National Motto.
Facts are stubborn things.
Unfortunately, these attacks and woeful naiveté are not just mere rhetoric. The National Motto is once again under legal attack by those who want to censor every vestige of our religious heritage of our nation from our society.
As we’ve reported before:
Now [Michael] Newdow is renewing the same trite attempt to eviscerate our National Motto – and with it our religious heritage – from our currency. This time, he is claiming that the National Motto on our currency somehow constitutes an unconstitutional “religious test” for “office or public trust under the United States.” That’s absolutely ludicrous.... This legally flawed reasoning should lead to the same result as Newdow’s and his angry atheist allies’ numerous other failed legal attacks on our religious heritage as a nation. It should be thrown out of court. Newdow has also tried and failed to remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2004, the ACLJ filed a major amicus brief at the Supreme Court in that case on behalf of 68 Members of Congress and over 260,000 Americans, helping to successfully defeat this outrageous legal challenge. We’ve filed briefs in a number of Newdow’s failed attacks on inaugural prayer and our National Motto.
In addition, at the ACLJ, we filed an amicus brief on behalf of 50 Members of Congress successfully defending “In God We Trust” on the wall of the Capitol Visitors Center when FFRF challenged it in federal court and failed.
Now, we have filed a critical amicus brief in this case defending “In God We Trust” on behalf of 50 Members of Congress and 120,000 concerned Americans, a brief that the court has paid particular attention to.
It is important to not only set the record straight but to ensure that our history as a nation is not erased right before our eyes. We will keep working to protect our National Motto.
This article, coauthored by ACLJ Senior Counsel for Digital Advocacy Matthew Clark, is crossposted at RedState.com.SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Two suspects are still on the loose after firing at Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies, hitting a patrol car.
The incident started a little after 3 a.m. on Thursday, with deputies trying to pull a car over during a traffic stop. One person in the car got out near Stockton Boulevard and Fruitridge Road and fired a weapon, deputies say.
Gunshots hit the patrol car and a deputy fired back.
The shooting suspect took off on foot, while the driver of the car – possibly a woman – took off, leading several officers on a high-speed chase. That chase ended in Yolo County in Zamora.
In Sacramento County, the shooting suspect is still outstanding. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous.
No deputies have been hurt in the incident96% of runaway girls are Saudis
Arab News
MAKKAH: A recent survey conducted in the Makkah region found that 96.3 percent of girls who ran away from their families are Saudis, while 3.7 percent are non-Saudi. The study showed 51.9 percent are female university students, 36.4 percent high school students, and 11.7 percent middle school students.
The study showed 54 percent of runaway girls are between the ages of 17 and 21 years; 24.6 percent between the ages of 22 to 26; 15 percent under 16; and 5 percent older than 27 years.
The study, conducted by academics from the University of Umm Al-Qura, showed that 86.1 percent of runaway young women who are not married; 10.2 percent are married; 0.5 percent are widows.
Of the unmarried young women, 81.3 percent live with their parents; 8.6 percent live with their mothers; 2.1 percent live with relatives; and 1.6 percent live with their fathers.
The study showed 45.5 percent live in families of between seven and nine members; 34.8 percent live in families of between four and six people; 13.9 percent live in families with 10 members or more; 3.7 percent live in families consisting of three members or less.
The study, which is the first in the Makkah area, shows that the reasons for running away were misuse of social media, bad friends, misunderstanding of freedom, copying other cultures, weak beliefs, lack of emotional security, a need for adventure, bad treatment by husband, lack of dialogue with members of the family, verbal abuse, poverty, no monitoring by parents, subject to violence from one of the parents or brothers.
An official of the Makkah Educational Directorate said everyone needs to feel safe and healthy, physically, mentally, and emotionally. A child who does not feel safe at a young age will grow up feeling insecure and unstable and without emotional security.
The chairman of the team that conducted the research said the family is the first component of the community and its first building block and “here we focused on the role of families in cooperation with the problems of runaway girls, as well as the role of community institutions and the factors associated with girls escaping from their families.”As a real estate investor and coach, I'm always on the lookout for the latest investment opportunities. A lot of the times my students ask me, "Marko Rubel, how do you spot a real estate investment opportunity? What's the latest out there on the market?" A lot of it is all about research and, lately, there's been one popular housing trend I believe has investment potential that hasn't yet been captured.
It has been called the "Tiny House Movement," and boy is it ever a movement. The latest real estate trend sweeping the nation is a very small thing: tiny houses (also known as micro houses, compact houses, mini houses, and little houses). Ranging between a compact 100 square feet to the more "spacious" 500 square feet, the tiny home is a movement centered around downsizing and the notion that you should be able to afford the home you live in.
The tiny housing market has quickly evolved from a quirky project to a serious undertaking. As more and more tiny homeowners share details on their comfortable lives in their tiny homes, many people -- particularly Millennials -- are following suit. Already, there have been documentaries and a docuseries about the tiny house movement, and new blogs and websites dedicated to tiny housing and their homeowners are appearing every day. There are even workshops teaching people how to build their own tiny house.
As 2015 has proven thus far to be a seller's market, and with properties only increasing in price, the tiny house market will only continue to grow this year. Like other trends, one this influential must be worth considering. Lately, I've heard several people ask, "Marko Rubel, what what is the investment potential for tiny houses? Should I consider investing in this new market?"
The answer is yes, you should certainly consider whether it's a good move for you. First, let's look at the appeal of building and owning a tiny house. A tiny house costs anywhere between $10,000 and $40,000 to build, with the average being just $23,000. At such low prices, it's no wonder that 68 percent of tiny house owners don't have a mortgage. It's been estimated that Millennials are the newest and largest group of potential homebuyers. However, more than 50 percent rent because they can't afford the initial down payment. Tiny housing, as a result, can be an appealing alternative, particularly since many Millennials live alone or don't have children.
Rather than buy a piece of property, which is often expensive, many tiny homeowners rent land. More and more landowners are specifically renting out pieces of their property to multiple tiny homeowners, easily and quickly making a profit.
The tiny house market presents two major investment opportunities.
First, if you are limited on funding, building and selling or renting tiny houses is an option. Particularly if you are a contractor or work closely with one, you can build tiny houses for less and sell them at a profit. Not only are fewer permits required to build tiny houses, but construction would also take just a few short weeks. Further, many tiny houses are portable, meaning you can build them anywhere and the buyer can transport them to wherever they plan on living - even if it's across the country.
Second, if you have the money but not the time, renting out land to tiny homeowners is a simple way to earn a monthly paycheck. If possible, look for land that is flat and spacious. You can split the land into equal square footage, or offer different sizes for different costs. Electricity and water needs would be minimal, as tiny homes are eco-friendly and energy efficient.
While tiny houses and communities are appearing all over the nation, a few states are more popular than others. In particular, there are dense tiny housing populations in California, Colorado, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin, making these states ideal for tiny house investing.
The tiny housing market presents a unique and inexpensive investment opportunity and I believe this real estate trend isn't going anywhere anytime soon.Moon Machines in the US and UK is a Science Channel HD documentary miniseries consisting of six episodes documenting the engineering challenges of the Apollo Program to land a man on the Moon. It covers everything from the iconic Saturn V to the Command Module, the Lunar Module, the Space Suits, the Guidance and Control Computer, and the Lunar Rover. It was created by the team who made In the Shadow of the Moon in association with NASA to commemorate the agency's fiftieth anniversary in 2008. It first aired in June 2008 and was released on DVD a year later in June 2009.[1]
Overview [ edit ]
The miniseries features interviews with around 70 of the 400,000 engineers who worked on the Apollo program during the 1960s and early 1970s. These interviews are intercut with archive film, sourced by Footagevault from NASA's various film archives stored at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio and from the National Archive in Washington.
The miniseries is narrated by actor Bill Hope.
Music [ edit ]
The score was composed by Philip Sheppard.
Episodes [ edit ]
Part 1: The Saturn V Rocket [ edit ]
The first episode of the series documents the creation of the iconic Saturn V rocket.
Part 2: The Command Module [ edit ]
The second episode is centered on the construction of the Apollo Command Module and the setback of the Apollo 1 fire.
Part 3: The Navigation Computer [ edit ]
The third episode details the story of MIT's work on the Apollo Guidance Computer.
Part 4: The Lunar Module [ edit ]
The fourth episode features the Grumman project to build mankind's first true spacecraft—the Lunar Module.
Part 5: The Space Suit [ edit ]
The penultimate episode focuses on the teams that created the remarkable Apollo pressure suit.
Part 6: The Lunar Rover [ edit ]
The series' final episode centers on the design and perfection of the novel Lunar Roving Vehicle carried to the Moon on the Apollo J-class missions.
Awards and nominations [ edit ]
Part 2 the story of the Command Module won a Grand REMI from the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in 2009ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES – Russian anti-corruption blogger and one of the opposition leaders, Alexei Navalny, being detained by police officers during an opposition protest in Moscow on Oct. 27, 2012.
Joshua Tucker: As the Sochi Olympics continue, so does our companion Monkey Cage series of Russian politics-related posts. Today we bring you Columbia University political scientist and Director of the Harriman Institute for Russia, Eurasian and East European Studies, Timothy Frye, on Russia’s culture of corruption. Previous posts from this series can be found below.
*****
A central theme of the Sochi Olympics has been the cost. When applying to hold the Olympic Games in 2007, President Vladimir Putin noted that the total cost of hosting the games would be around $12 billion, or roughly 50 percent more than the 2004 games in Vancouver. This figure has flown north of $50 billion, and while cost over-runs on the Olympic Games are common, the more than four-fold increase is large by comparison to past Games. Many point to corruption. Inflated costs, kickbacks to state officials to secure contracts and the use of generous subsidies to politically connected firms have all been the subject of discussion. The fact that the head of the state agency in charge of construction at the Games has been replaced four times in six years — with each dismissal followed by charges of embezzlement and abuse of office — doesn’t inspire confidence.
In many respects, this is not unusual for capital-intensive infrastructure projects in Russia. In a nice paired comparison, the World Bank estimates that it costs three to six times more to build a road on the Russian side of the border than on the Finnish side despite the similarities in climate. Many argue that given this pervasiveness of bribery, Russia has developed a culture of corruption that has made bribe-giving and bribe-taking broadly accepted. Few doubt that paying bribes to police, doctors, state officials (and yes, professors) is common. Indeed, that 30 Duma deputies divorced their wives shortly before new legislation took effect that would compel them to reveal the size of their spouse’s income gives some sense of the problem.
But does rampant bribe-giving make the practice more socially acceptable? As tales of bribes to police to avoid traffic tickets or provide protection from street crimes are commonplace, Lauren McCarthy, Noah Buckley and I focused on the normative acceptance of paying bribes to police. In a survey of 1,600 Moscow residents in 2011, we randomly assigned slightly different questions to respondents to try to identify some conditions under which bribery may be seen as acceptable. We found that telling respondents that a new police officer in Moscow makes about $1,000 a month (or a little more than half of the average salary in Moscow) did not make respondents more likely to say that bribe-taking was acceptable. This is not consistent with the view that it is acceptable to give bribes to public servants because their pay is so low.
We also found evidence that the scale of corruption had little impact on the normative acceptance of bribery. We said “it is sometimes the case that the police ask businesspeople for small informal “contributions” to protect their business from street crime. Do you think that this can be justified?” We then asked the same question but replaced “small” with “large” informal contributions and found almost no difference in the responses. On a five-point scale (where 1 = yes and 5 = no), the responses were 4.17 and 4.18 respectively. Overall, what strikes us is the low percentage of those agreeing that bribes to the police are acceptable — even when we nudge respondents in various ways and give them reasons to answer otherwise.
We also used a special technique (an item count) to elicit more truthful answers about whether respondents had paid a bribe to the police in the last 12 months. We found that those who had paid bribes to the police not only exhibited lower levels of trust in the police but also showed less trust in the parliament and the government, which suggests the power of the spillover effect of bribery on trust in other political institutions. Perhaps the best evidence of Russians’ disapproval of corruption is the rise of Alexei Navalny (see picture above), who became one of Russia’s most prominent opposition politicians largely on the back of his anti-corruption efforts. While Russians may pay bribes, they don’t like it.
*****
Previous posts from our Sochi-companion Russian politics series:
10 explanations for Russia’s coming fiscal squeeze
What you need to know about Putin’s popularity
How to understand Russia’s Arctic strategyThis lungless species of salamander, Ensatina, is common along the West Coast, an area vulnerable to the Bsal pathogen. (Tiffany Yap)
A known killer is on its way to the United States, and government officials recently put out a warning to alert the public. When the feared fungus known as Bsal lands on the backs of newts and salamanders destined for the pet trade, scientists predict that lots of wild salamanders are expected to die.
This isn’t some unfounded alarm for scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, who wrote a report published recently in Royal Society Open Science. The skin-eating Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans — meaning “salamander devourer” — has killed repeatedly. By the time it was discovered three years ago in the Netherlands, only 10 of that country’s once abundant fire salamanders were left.
“Bsal is decimating wild salamander populations in Europe and could emerge in the U.S. through the captive amphibian trade,” the USGS said in a statement announcing the study. Behind dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, snakes and various reptiles, salamanders ranked pretty high among pets in demand.
The pathogen hitches a ride on the bodies of the bright-colored, sensitive amphibians and makes its way into the wild when one escapes or is taken outdoors to places that wild salamanders inhabit. It’s expected to reach the United States even after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved to ban salamander imports in January.
The Feb. 17 study, led by USGS researcher Katherine Richgels, examined areas where the fungus could thrive and determined that the mortality risk is highest in Mid-Atlantic states, such as Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. “The Eastern U.S. has the highest diversity of salamanders in the world, and the introduction of this new pathogen is likely to be devastating,” Richgels said. “Our findings can help with early Bsal detections by highlighting high-risk areas.”
[Frog, toad and salamander populations plummeting, U.S. survey finds]
The Pacific Coast and the Appalachian Mountains are also likely “to have significant population declines due to high concentrations of diverse salamander species and mild climates that are well suited to Bsal growth,” the study said. Some scientists are urging lawmakers to ban salamander imports to protect amphibians in the Americas.
One study last year showed that Bsal can be reduced with heat treatment and anti-fungal creams when infected salamanders are discovered. Bsal thrives and kills quickly when temperatures are 59 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is less effective when they reach 68 degrees.
Why is the disappearance of slimy little salamanders around the world and in the United States a cause for concern? They are part of a web of life that continues to vanish, along with bees, monarch butterflies, bats, frogs and even snakes. The impacts of these losses from a deadly mix of disease, competitive invasive species, climate change and pesticides is unknown.
Spotted salamander have been a focal species for amphibian monitoring at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., for years. (Evan H.C. Grant/USGS)
When Bsal was ravaging salamanders in the Netherlands in 2013, a USGS study reported that frogs, toads and salamanders were vanishing from the American landscape at an alarming pace. The report estimated that seven species — including Colorado’s boreal toad and Nevada’s yellow-legged frog — faced population drops of 50 percent if their rate of decline held steady for seven years.
“It’s a loss of biodiversity. You lose them, and you can’t get them back. That seems like a problem,” Michael J. Adams, a research ecologist for USGS and the lead author of that study, said at the time.
The findings of the current study were announced in part to help wildlife managers protect already declining amphibians in the United States from a coming threat that could ensure the grim predictions of the earlier report. USGS researchers said biologists should heed the warning and work to detect the fungus early.
Bsal would be one of the most significant disease threats to animals since the white-nose syndrome hit bats. In the United States, there isn’t a more lethal pathogen than white-nose, which has killed at least 7 million bats of at least seven species since it was first detected in New York about a decade ago, and it is continuing to spread south and west.
[The monarch massacre: Nearly a billion butterflies have vanished]
It’s an eerie fungus that creeps on bats as they hibernate in large communities in caves and mines, then attacks their tissue. Biologists are still struggling to understand it, let alone cure it. The same can be said of Bsal.
An endangered Shenandoah salamander rests in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. (USGS)
“Amphibians are the most endangered vertebrates in the world,” Richgels said. “Disease risk assessments like ours can help managers prevent and mitigate losses of vulnerable U.S. salamanders.”
Read More:
Bats and snakes are the latest victims of a mass killer in the wild
Study: Butterfly decline signals trouble in the environment
Scientists say humans certainly spread the virus that’s killing bees
Stink bugs migrating to the Deep South
The dirty dozen: 12 of the worst invasive speciesThe Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers have formed one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL throughout the years. Both teams have a burning hatred for each other, and it shows each time they play. Looking ahead to Sunday Night Football, the Packers are set to visit Minnesota in the latest installment of the rivalry.
Aaron Rodgers is looking to lead his Packers to a 2-0 start to the season, while the Vikings were able to pull off a win in Week 1 as well. Teddy Bridgewater went down with a gruesome knee injury as ESPN originally reported, which has made the Minnesota quarterback situation confusing, to say the least.
Shaun Hill started under center for the Vikings in Week 1, but Sam Bradford is hoping to get playing time in the near future. He was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Vikings made it clear that they value him by giving up a first-round pick in order to bring in Bradford.
Looking ahead to this week’s game, there are quite a few things to keep an eye on. Injuries will play a role, but players looking to prove themselves once again to their respective teams are also going to need to step up. Eddie Lacy is the biggest name that comes to mind.
All of that being said, what five bold predictions can be made for the Vikings vs. Packers game heading into Week 2 NFL action?
[Photo by John Cordes/AP Images]
Eddie Lacy Will Break Out With 100-Plus Yards and Two Touchdowns
It seems that each and every time the Packers play the Vikings, Eddie Lacy finds a way to make an impact. He is going to receive a fairly large workload this week and will rush for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. Rodgers can’t do everything for the offense by himself, and he will get a huge hand from his running back this week.
Adrian Peterson Will Carve the Packers’ Defense for 125 Yards, Two Touchdowns
Adrian Peterson is still the best running back in the NFL and will not let Lacy show him up. Peterson will rush for at least 125 yards and will score at least two touchdowns on the Packers’ defense. Minnesota will have to utilize the running game with their quarterback situation a bit questionable and Peterson will come through with a huge game.
Aaron Rodgers Will Throw for 300-Plus Yards, Three Touchdowns
Even with the big game that we are predicting from Lacy, Aaron Rodgers is still going to put up big numbers himself. He is hoping to get back into the MVP conversation and will help his cause with at least 300 yards and three touchdowns. Green Bay’s offense will finally look like the well-oiled machine that they were just a couple short years ago.
[Photo by Matt Ludtke/AP Images]
Minnesota Quarterbacks Will Throw at Least Three Interceptions
Whether the Vikings play Hill or Bradford, they are not going to have much success against a Packers’ defense with many playmakers across the field. The Vikings will throw at least three interceptions in the game. Green Bay is going to send a lot of pressure, while also having a very talented secondary to finish off the turnovers.
Green Bay Will Come Away with the Win
Finally, the Packers are the better all-around team and will move to 2-0 on the season with a win. It won’t be a blowout game, but the Packers should make the win convincing when everything is said and done. Minnesota has too many question marks and will come up short on Sunday afternoon.
Expect to see this rivalry game carry a lot of intensity from both teams. Mike McCarthy and the Packers aren’t going to be welcomed warmly in Minnesota, but they will silence the Vikings’ fan base with a win.
Do you think the Green Bay Packers will come away with a win over the Minnesota Vikings? What are your final score predictions for the game on Sunday? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[Photo by Matt Ludtke/AP Images]Freshman Darrin Kirkland Jr. is now Tennessee’s first-team middle linebacker, according to the updated depth chart on the Vols’ official website.
Tennessee updated the depth chart on its game notes following the confirmation of senior All-SEC defensive end and outside linebacker Curt Maggitt’s hip injury, and Kirkland is now listed ahead of sophomore Colton Jumper — a walk-on from the Chattanooga area who started the Vols’ first two games.
A 6-foot-1, 224-pound freshman from Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, Ind., Kirkland was the nation's No. 163 overall prospect and No. 5 inside linebacker prospect, according to the 2015 industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He initially committed to Michigan before decommitting from the Wolverines following a coaching change and then committing to and signing with the Vols.
As expected, freshman Austin Smith was listed in Maggitt’s old spot as the Vols’ first-team strongside linebacker, though it remains to be seen what Tennessee will do when it lines up in the 4-2-5 nickel defense — the defense they’ve run for a majority of snaps the past two seasons, as more and more opponents have started using no-huddle, hurry-up, spread-based offenses.
The Vols (1-1, 0-0 SEC) host NCAA Division I FCS program Western Carolina (1-1, 0-1 Southern Conference) on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern in a game that will be broadcast by ESPNU.
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For more news on Tennessee sports and recruiting, follow GoVols247 on Twitter
Contact Wes Rucker by email at [email protected], or ON TWITTER or ON FACEBOOKThe reality of climate change means that low-lying coastal cities are becoming what we call “stranded assets.” This is defined by financial analysts as “something that has become obsolete or nonperforming well ahead of its useful life, and must be recorded on a company’s balance sheet as a loss of profit.” How can an entire metropolis be considered “nonperforming?” Consider the example of Miami. The physical installations, infrastructures and architecture upon which Miami are founded were built on what we now can see as a flawed assumption: that the sea’s surface would stay as it had for the entirety of human experience. That’s not happening, and the city is already suffering from flooding even when it’s not raining. When the irrational exuberance about the value of coastal real estate pops and thousands of buyers collectively mark down those assets, it will make the housing bubble of ten years ago look like a small blip. The consequences will reverberate through the economy, through society and through the political landscape.
There was a time a decade or two ago when society could have made a choice to write off our massive investment in a fossil fuel-based economy and begin a policy driven shift towards a cleaner renewable infrastructure that could have forestalled the worst effects of climate change. But the challenges of collective action, a lack of political courage, and the power of incumbent pecuniary interests to capture the levers of power meant we did not. The bill is now coming due.
That means that many of our great, low-lying coastal cities are what we call “stranded assets.” GreenBiz founder Joel Makower defines a stranded asset as “a financial term that describes something that has become obsolete or nonperforming well ahead of its useful life, and must be recorded on a company’s balance sheet as a loss of profit.” Makower was talking about Exxon and other companies that built their businesses on the combustion of climate changing fossil fuels, not cities. But the concept easily transfers from businesses built on carbon to cities threatened by carbon’s impact.
Consider Miami. An invaluable, irreplaceable cultural jewel that will be stranded, both figuratively and literally, by climate change.
How can an entire metropolis that encompasses the lives, culture, and wellbeing of millions be considered “nonperforming?” The physical installations, infrastructures, and architecture upon which Miami are founded were built on what we now can see as a flawed assumption. An assumption of permanence. That the sea’s surface would stay as it had for the entirety of human experience. That Atlantic hurricane season would send infrequent storms of knowable magnitude that we could prepare for and ride out. It was that perception of permanence and predictability that underlay urban planning and shaped of tens of thousands of investment decisions that fostered billions of dollars of wealth in Miami. As long as nothing disturbs that perception, value will continue to accrue on paper. But if the perception of permanence that underlies those expectations is undercut, market value will disappear. Value is in the eyes of the buyer… until its not.
Climate change in general, and sea level rise in particular, are hard for us to see. The tides that surround Miami are elevating at a rate of centimeters per year. It is a slow motion train wreck that will be measured in decades, not seconds. For now, Miami property buyers don’t see it. A 2017 survey found that the majority of property buyers (over two-thirds) don |
S7 Edge are the first smartphones to feature a dual-pixel sensor, resulting in faster autofocus, improved brightness and better overall quality of your photos.
Other key features of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are:
Dust and water-resistant, able to survive an accidental dunk in water
3,000mAh battery, or 3,600mAh battery for the Edge model
Super-fast charging and wireless charging
here.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus: key features
If you're after a Samsung phablet to replace your Note 7, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is a worthy alternative.
The S6 Edge Plus combines all of the best features of the S6 with a stunning super-AMOLED edge-to-edge screen.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge: key features
Made from the same deluxe materials as the Samsung Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Edge differs from the standard version by including a screen that curves down both sides of the handset. The curved part of the screen doubles as a kind of secondary display that lets you see information even when the phone is on its side.
It also features a People Edge feature that assigns colours to five contacts of your choice. The curved part of the screen will then glow to let you know at a glance who has called you or sent you a message.
The Galaxy S6 Edge is otherwise unchanged from the Galaxy S6, with the same specifications detailed above.
Take a look at all our best Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge deals.
Samsung Galaxy S6: key features
The Samsung Galaxy S6 features a premium glass and metal build, marking a major change from earlier Galaxy S phones, which were made from cheaper plastic materials.
Other key features of the Samsung Galaxy S6 are:
Super-fast charging and wireless charging
Upgraded 16-megapixel camera with quick-launch* A 5.1-inch SuperAMOLED screen with resolution of 2,560 x 1,440
Find out more about the Samsung Galaxy S6 here: Samsung Galaxy S6 deals.
Latest Samsung phonesLOS ANGELES — The question wasn’t even out before Michel Therrien broke into his familiar throaty laugh.
So, the Montreal Canadiens coach was asked, what it is going to be like coaching well-known Bruins irritant Brad Marchand in today’s NHL All-Star Game?
“Well, you know what? He’s a guy in the last two years who has really impressed me,” said Therrien, once he stopped chuckling. “First of all, he still plays with an edge. And I think he has to play like that. But you look at what he did for Team Canada, winning the gold medal, it’s pretty impressive. You grow as a hockey player. We’ve had some battles, Montreal-Boston. We’ve had some rivalries with our hockey club, but the one with Boston has been pretty special over the years. You build a rivalry in the playoffs and we’ve played them so many times.
“It’s going to be fun (coaching Marchand). First of all it’s a privilege, for coaches as well as the players, and it gives the players and coaches an opportunity to get to know each other instead of always fighting.”
The appreciation of Marchand’s skill level has never been higher. After scoring a career-high 37 goals last season, he pulled off a spectacular star turn for Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey, where he could have, and probably should have, been named the MVP instead of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby. With four goals in his last two games to keep the B’s season afloat, Marchand is currently ranked fifth in league scoring.
Marchand’s All-Star status is no fluke.
“Good for him,” former linemate Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars said. “His career is just getting better and better it seems. It’s been getting (better) in Boston, then at the World Cup and now he’s here at his first All-Star Game. It’s well deserved.”
So is Marchand’s reputation as a pest who sometimes crosses the line of being feisty to being dirty. He has been suspended four times and fined twice in his career. And lest anyone forget, Marchand kept it fresh in everyone’s memory when he clipped Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall from behind with a dangerous trip last week. He was very fortunate to escape with just a fine from the league.
Don’t hold your breath on his ever changing, some say. It is who he is.
“And I don’t think he wants it to be fully changed,” Seguin said. “When he’s on his game, he’s got that agitating side to him and I think he thrives on it.”
The Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds played with Marchand on the 2008 world junior team for Canada that won gold.
“Marchie’s always been the same player,” Simmonds said. “He was on our first line with Claude Giroux (Flyers) and Kyle Turris (Ottawa Senators). He’s always been that guy who’s probably always been told he’s not going to make it because of his size. But then you look at him and he’s probably one of the toughest guys in the league.
“Just the way he plays the game, I always try to hit him and he never goes over. I’m probably the one that’s falling over trying to hit him. He’s got great skill and great attitude.”
The Nashville Predators’ P.K. Subban, who had great running battles with Marchand when the defenseman was with the Canadiens, had nothing but good things to say about the rival player — at least in the benign atmosphere of All-Star weekend.
“The perception I have of Brad is that he’s a great player,” Subban said. “He competes hard. He’s one of those guys you want on your own team. My perception has always been the same. He’s a great player, he plays hard and he gets under your skin. That’s what makes him such a great player. He’s an impactful player in the game.”
And along with the skill comes the sandpaper.
“That’s what makes him what he is, right?” Simmonds said. “You never want a guy to change who he is. He may be a little of a pest, but he definitely backs it up with his play.”
But a player can evolve, said Therrien.
“You can’t change your personality,” Therrien said. “It’s part of the package, not only for (Marchand) but for every player. If they want to have success, they can’t forget about their personality. This is where the player gets his motivation. You can’t lose your personality, but every player matures. I coached Crosby as a young kid at 18, 19 years old and he was really emotional. But still, he’s never lost his personality as a hard-working guy and a dedicated guy. A player can’t lose his personality.”
As the suspensions and fines keep adding up along with the points, there doesn’t appear any danger of that with Marchand.Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson claimed recently on his televangelism show that members of the gay community wear special rings designed to spread AIDS by cutting others.
“You shake hands, and the ring’s got a little thing where you cut your finger,” he said on 700 Club. “Really. It’s that kind of vicious stuff, which would be the equivalent of murder.”
If you’re wondering why there hasn’t been more controversy over such an offensive claim, it’s because CBN has spent the past two weeks trying to wipe the remark from the Internet.
After editing the clip out of the show, the network used a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice to get the original version pulled from YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion, according to Right Wing Watch.
The watchdog organization filed a counterclaim with YouTube, claiming Fair Use, and the video’s since been restored. You can watch it below.
This is how ignorance breeds hate:
Photo via Daniel Oines/FlickrWhen the organizers of the Breastfeeding Mama Talk support group came across a sign telling moms to cover themselves while nursing, they had a brilliant response.
The group shared a photo of the sign on its Facebook page -- along with two pictures of breastfeeding moms... well, covering themselves.
Thought I would do something different and fun with this!! I have this picture in the comments except it's without the... Posted by Breastfeeding Mama Talk on Sunday, May 3, 2015
Breastfeeding Mama Talk invited other parents to share their own responses with the hashtag #ThisIsHowWeCoverBFMT. Their hilariously spot-on photos did not disappoint. From blankets to shirts to Darth Vader masks, these breastfeeding moms showed that they know how to "cover" in style.
FAN QUESTIONCan we make this go viral! This is awesome. Lol (:www.pregnancycorner.com Posted by Pregnancy Corner on Tuesday, May 26, 2015
One of the "covered" mamas submitted her photo to maternal health and wellness website Pregnancy Corner which then posted the image on its Facebook page. The photo now has almost 200,000 likes and over 320,000 shares.
To add to the hilarity of the situation, several commenters also pointed out that the Spanish translation on the sign is incorrect, as it says "cubieta" instead of "cubierta" and essentially reads, "If you need mom feed yourself please cover. Thank you."We have been trying to get a smartphone stolen in recent weeks to see where it ends up.
Our initial attempts were unsuccessful, but we finally succeeded on a Sunday morning in September when visiting a factory outlet mall in the northern Johannesburg region.
While most shoppers were there for discounts on clothes, we planned to make use of the pickpockets and shoplifters who descend on busy weekends.
It was not long before the smartphone was stolen. After we put it down next to us to “try on shoes” in the store – with our backs only turned for a moment – the device was gone.
After the phone was nicked, we left the store and opened the tracking software we had installed on the device – but the thief had either turned it off, or burned through the mobile data.
Preparing for theft
To track the stolen phone – an AG Mobile Ghost – we loaded anti-theft system Cerberus before visiting the factory store.
The system includes tracking, remote locking, and wiping features. It can also survive a factory reset, provided you install it with root privileges.
Crucially, you can use it to get the device’s location via SMS or a data connection.
You can also set it to send you an SMS or a photo from the front camera when the SIM in the device is changed.
About an hour after the phone was stolen, we received the first notification – a new SIM had been inserted.
The phone was briefly reachable over the Internet, before we lost the connection again.
A while later it reappeared, with the new owner on the move, heading north through Hillbrow.
We were able to obtain information from the phone and capture video of the thief from the device’s front-facing camera – shown below.
Video
Photos
Cerberus also lets you take photos and screenshots from the smartphone, and later that evening the device’s new owner was looking at a photo of a high-end Mercedes-Benz car.
From Sandton to Mpumalanga’s border
The phone was stolen at around 11:30 from the factory outlet mall in the northern Sandton area, and was quickly ferried to Hillbrow.
The new owner remained here from around 12:30 until at least 15:00.
The device then reappeared an hour and a half later in Etwatwa, a township east of Benoni near Gauteng’s border with Mpumalanga.
Maps showing part of the device’s journey to date are posted below.
Smartphone journey
At the time of writing, the bait device had not left Gauteng and was with the person who originally took it from the factory store in north Sandton.When college was founded in 2010 it was described as 'Muslim Eton'
But she lost her claim for racial discrimination at an employment tribunal
lso says she questioned why teachers refused to teach girls without veils
for not belonging to same sect of Islam
Ghazala Khan, 37, former vice-principal at a Muslim girls' college, was sacked after 'opposing rules'
The vice principal of a Muslim girls' college who claimed she was sacked for opposing rules telling all pupils to wear veils during lessons has lost her claim for racial discrimination.
Ghazala Khan, 37, alleged she was told she would 'go to hell' and branded a'stupid outsider' by her boss and barred from certain assemblies at Mohiuddin International Girls College in Burnley, Lancashire.
She lost her job in 2012 claiming it was because she questioned why some teachers refused to teach girls unless they wore veils across their faces.
But today an employment tribunal in Manchester dismissed her claims and ruled in favour of the college.
The college denied she was vice-principal and said she left the establishment after it was criticised during an inspection. It said staff had received complaints describing Mrs Khan as 'rude and bad-tempered'.
The school which charges £5,500 a year for international students and £4,500 for UK and European pupils, was described as a 'Muslim Eton' for girls when plans were originally put forward in 2009.
Founded in October 2010 the school has around 90 students and is run by the Birmingham-based Mohuiddin Trust under the leadership of Sheikh Hazrat Pir Alaudin Siddiqui Sahib - an Islamic scholar based in Pakistan.
Mrs Khan was appointed as vice principal in 2011 but she said she clashed with the college principal after saying she and some students had some Islamic teachings they disagreed with forced upon them.
She said one fellow teacher refused to speak to her, as she did not wear a veil, and she had challenged the same tutor after he ordered all his female students to wear the niqab in his lessons.
Mrs Khan also said the college principal have warned of the school being 'polluted' because she had 'let a Christian in'.
Mrs Khan claims she was immediately dismissed after a 'heated' debate with the school's principal Amjad Bashir (left) and Zahir Ahmed (right), a director of the Mohiuddin Trust which runs the college
MOHIUDDIN: THE 'MUSLIM ETON' Mohiuddin International Girls College, which opened its doors in October 2010, describes itself as a 'unique and friendly institution'. It was set up by the Mohiuddin Trust - a charity which aims to help those who are poor or under-privileged - under the leadership of Sheikh Hazrat Pir Alaudin Siddiqui Sahib, an Islamic scholar based in Pakistan. When plans for the college for girls over 16, it described itself as the 'Muslim Eton'. It said it's aim is to 'educate and empower women regardless of their age, colour, creed or social stature.' The trust acquired the former Burnley College in Lancashire and charges £5,500 a year for international students and £4,500 for UK and European enrolments. Staff teach A Levels and GCSEs in subjects including English, Mathematics and Science as well as Urdu and Arabic. The 90 or so students also have the opportunity to take on an Aalimah course - or Islamic Theology. It offers study of Arabic grammar, etymology, syntax and law. There is also halls of residence accommodation facilities for overseas students. The private-run establishment asks for donations on a section of its website.
Speaking about the teacher's conduct, she said: 'There were quite a few times I didn't agree with the way he would make children wear veils across their faces just so he could teach them.
'I said "nowhere in Islam does it say they must wear a veil to come to classes." He said, "you have no knowledge of anything and have no right to talk with somebody not related to you." They said it was necessary to make all girls wear the veil.'
Mrs Khan said she was also banned from assemblies where the girls would gather each evening because she was 'an outsider' and would have to wait outside.
She added: 'There were a few occasions when I wasn't allowed into the assembly because they said I was an outsider.
'But when recitation is going on I am a Muslim and I recite the Qur'an. Mr Bashir made me wait outside. He used to say, "can you wait outside? There are a few things you wouldn't understand. When we have finished you can come in." I used to say, "it's all blessings, why can't I come in?"'
She claimed she was also not respected because she was female and not considered a Muslim'scholar', despite being an experienced teacher.
Mrs Khan said: 'The only way that we differ is that they say the Sheik, the founder of the college, is going to take them to heaven and everyone who does not believe in him is going to hell.'
The 'Muslim Eton': Staff compared Mohiuddin International Girls College (pictured) to the independent boarding school in Berkshire which has educated 19 British Prime Ministers
Mrs Khan said matters came to a head after an Ofsted-type school inspection for Muslim education called the British School Inspectorate, where the college was criticised in a number of areas.
The hearing was told that a meeting was called with the principal and trust director and she was 'blamed' for their failed inspection, called a'stupid outsider' and ordered to leave.
She said: 'I was upset, wasn't feeling well, had a lot of stress related issues and didn't want to come to court.
'For two years I waited and thought "maybe they might sort things out for me" but they didn't. I was very stressed. I was going through a lot, I had just lost my job.
'I was very depressed. My doctor said I was maybe going to have a nervous breakdown.
'I had realised I had been wronged. I thought they had been very prejudiced towards me and I thought I had been wronged.'
Mrs Khan - who was representing herself - put questions to 45-year old Mr Bashir, a civil engineer who reacted angrily and was warned by tribunal judge over his conduct.
When it was put to him by Mrs Khan that she had actually employed a Christian teacher, he replied: 'You don't even have a degree. You're not even qualified. I'm 100 per cent absolutely sure she was not employed as a vice-principal.'
The tribunal, at Alexandra House in Manchester, heard that Mrs Khan claims she was ostracised by staff
Later Mr Bashir's own lawyer Amy Smith asked him: 'You are being accused of telling the business teacher that the claimant was incompetent in her work and she was a stupid outsider.'
He replied: 'I never used the words stupid outsider.'
She added: 'You are accused of making rude jokes because she was an outsider and she was going to hell and if you had it your way you would employ her as a cleaner or tea lady.'
Mr Bashir who is no longer principal at the college replied: 'I never said that.'
Miss Smith also put it to him that he told students Mrs Khan wouldn't understand them because she wasn't 'among them', which he also denied.I don’t understand why everyone is so surprised to find out that large corporations are funneling massive amounts of money to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Last week’s NYT report has been making the Internet rounds, and while I appreciate the point that the Chamber is much more partisan than its non-profit status would suggest—70 of the Chamber’s 93 midterm campaign ads either support Republican candidates or attack their opponents, despite the Chamber’s promise to the Federal Election Commission that it only talks about issues—there’s also a curious amount of wonderment at big-company donations. Yes, Wall Street firms sent millions of dollars to the Chamber when financial re-regulation was on the table, and the insurance industry got out its checkbook when it was time to talk healthcare reform. Why would anyone be surprised?
The more counterintuitive and telling story, which the Times only flicks at, is how unsatisfied certain businesspeople are growing with the U.S. Chamber. A couple of weeks ago, New Hampshire’s Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce decided to break ties with the national organization, because, in the words of the Nashua Telegraph:
[I]t felt recent political advertisements by the national chamber in support of specific parties and candidates were in “direct conflict” with the foundation of the Hudson chamber. Jerry Mayotte, executive vice president of the Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce, said the Hudson group is a nonpartisan organization. He said he can’t remember the last time they chose not to renew their membership.
Last year, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut did the same thing. Tony Sheridan, the group’s president and CEO recently explained why:
“My issue with the national chamber is their willingness to take a very narrow slice of a piece of complicated legislation – and it’s generally the most negative spin they’re taking, like health care, when we all know that the health-care system is broken – and claim that the sky is falling, instead of using the money to educate people,” Sheridan said.
During financial re-reform, a number of local and regional chambers, including the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, tried to get out a similar message when it came to the proposed Consumer Finance Protection Agency. In one op-ed, the CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber wrote:
The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce disagrees with the U.S. Chamber’s big business scare tactics regarding the benefits of a strong, independent Consumer Federal Protection Agency. The U.S. Chamber would have small businesses believe that protecting the rights of bank and non-bank lenders to deceive, manipulate and bet against small businesses is good for the economy and good for our future – all evidence to the contrary.
The big take-away: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is not the same thing as American business. It’s easy for the U.S. Chamber—in fact, it’s easy for any well-funded lobbying group—to say that they speak for an entire population. That’s probably never going to be true. And in the case of the U.S. Chamber, it seems to be less true with each passing day.[wysifield-embeddedaudio|eid="609906"|type="embeddedaudio"|view_mode="full"]
The Patriots made the trade of Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco official but Bill Belichick offered little clarity as to why during his conference call with the media Tuesday morning. The coach expressed nothing but respect for Garoppolo and indicated he did not want to part ways with the former second-round pick, but felt the time had come to do so.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jimmy. I couldn’t ask for him to give us any more than he has given us,” Belichick began. “The 49ers are getting a good player, they are getting a good person and they’re getting a great teammate and they are getting a good quarterback, and Jimmy is getting a good coach.
“His career is moving forward, he’s a talented individual. He is a great person to coach. I met with him weekly. As his career moves forward, we have to look at our team, this year and beyond. We probably had in my mind, the best quarterback situation in the league for the last 2 1/2 years. It is just not sustainable the way things are set up. “Not something we wanted to walk away from. I felt we rode it out as long as we could, over a period of time, explored every option possible to sustain it. At this point, felt like we had to make a decision. Very complex situation on multiple levels. This is really the last window that we had, we did what we felt was best for the team. There were many things involved in this whole process.”If you're in love with anything avocado-related, spare a thought for New Zealanders.
The country has been at the behest of unprecedented price rises on the much-loved fruit, which has resulted in the mass theft of them around the country.
SEE ALSO: Food chain shuts down lying customer trying to get free avocados
That's according to Avocado New Zealand CEO Jen Scoular, who told Radio New Zealand there have been "30 or 40 incidences" this year reported in the areas of Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
"They'll put a cloth out or a duvet cover out, they literally rake them from the trees and throw them in the back of a ute and drive off," she said.
Prices of the fruit have risen to NZ$4.68 (US$3.29) on average in May, compared to NZ$1.64 (US$1.15) the same time last year, according to stuff.co.nz.
In the latest incident, 350 avocados were stolen last weekend from an orchard in Athenree, Bay of Plenty. Police believe that they are being sold illegally, with a Waikato man suspected of targeting smaller fruit shops and sushi outlets with offers of the forbidden fruit.
"There is someone making a living of stealing avocados and selling them on to the black market," Waihi police Sergeant Aaron Fraser told the publication. "He turns up with a few crate loads of avocados, they probably think he's an orchardist."
These stolen avocados are actually under ripe, as they are not ready until September or October. They could also carry a risk to people, as some have been sprayed recently and may carry toxins on the skin, according to The Guardian.
The danger to people and themselves is what some thieves are willing to take, as local growers can't keep up with soaring demand. Neighbouring Australia also had a shortage earlier this year, in which a fruit shop declared they didn't carry cash, or the fruit, on premises.
Remember to kiss your avocados at night, because one day they could be gone.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.Waluigi is the perfect specimen: that tall and lanky frame, that lovably shrill voice, that pointy mustache so sharp that it can pierce the hearts of millions. This exceptional being that transcends humanity was genetically engineered for one purpose, and one purpose only—to play as Wario’s doubles partner in Mario Tennis. Because let’s face it, Wario’s kind of a dick, and no one wants to play with that guy. Nevertheless, Waluigi has performed way beyond his original programming, and we’ve compiled the greatest moments of the purple powerhouse through scientific means.
Because Waluigi is number one, each item on this list will appropriately be ranked as 1. Set your watches, everyone—it’s Waluigi time.
1. Beating the Shit Out of Nintendo’s Mascots in Smash Bros.
Players of Super Smash Bros. can pick up Assist Trophies with a chance of releasing a special brand of purple rage. See, Waluigi was rudely not invited to the festivities, so he unleashes a fury of attacks on players, curb-stomping everyone in sight and delivering a killing blow with his iconic tennis racket (tennis is just his thing, you see). The best part is that fighters cannot damage or stop Waluigi at all. There is no escape. There is only purple rage.
1. Demonstrating Swimming Finesse That Would Make Michael Phelps Jealous
When making sports games about distinctive cartoon-looking characters, one has to consider the unique qualities of each participant. Mario has fire, Yoshi has eggs, Wario has farts, etc. So what does Waluigi have at his disposal? Well, according to games like Mario Power Tennis and Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Waluigi’s distinct characteristic is swimming—and that’s swimming in the air, no less.
By the way, you may be wondering why Waluigi swims fully clothed. He was actually manufactured with his outfit—those overalls are his skin.
1. Showing Off His Slick Ride, The Waluigi Racer in Double Dash
Waluigi has a distinctive, unique and subtle design; you may not have noticed it, but his mustache is actually meant to resemble “L’s.” Quite clever, yes? Well, his appearance is iconic enough that it warrants its own kart. That’s right, Waluigi is a bona-fide mechanic, creating this hod rod that straight up looks like his damn face. We bet that you don’t have the courage to do the same. Now that’s a big sign of self-confidence if I’ve ever seen one. Admittedly, it’s a bit strange that he still can’t fit his legs in a kart of his own design, but we’ll give him a pass.
1. His Graceful Spins in Mario Sports Games
Don’t let Waluigi’s silly and utterly ridiculous height fool you. This star athlete has grace that ballerinas are jealous of. Watch his beautiful spinning in games like Mario Sports Mix and Mario Power Tennis. In the latter game, he begins his offensive power shot by posing as his own upside “L” emblem, like a freaking anime character. His crazy spins are not only gorgeous, but dangerous. This is a body that was built for sporting.
1. Busting Moves in Dance Dance Revolution and the Olympic Games
Waluigi has got some moves. After years of enduring a plethora of supporting roles, Waluigi finally got a chance to step into the spotlight as the villain of blockbuster hit Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix. In his dastardly quest to “hypnotize the rhythmless masses” with his totally dope dance moves, Mario for once has to fend off the notorious purple man. We get to see said dope dance moves again in Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in a stunning rhythmic gymnastics routine. Waluigi totally fucks.
1. “Take this, Mr. Eyeballs!” in Mario Power Tennis
So you’re someone’s evil doppelganger and you want to mock your nemesis, eh? Well, the first thing to go at would probably be your rival’s appearance. In Waluigi’s case, he could make fun of Luigi’s height, his not-pointy mustache, his cowardness—the list goes on. So which unique feature did Roastmaster Waluigi make fun of in the memorable Mario Power Tennis opening? His eyes.
Nailed him.
1. The Rose in Mario Party 8
There are two sides to every coin. While Waluigi is known to be a dirty, rotten scoundrel, he is also a romantic heartthrob. In Mario Party 8, while Waluigi’s fellow partiers celebrate victories with their whoops and cheers like goddamn animals, our purple friend elegantly pulls out a rose. Is he a scumbag on the outside? Absolutely. But deep down, Waluigi has a heart of gold.
1. “Cock Teasing” in Mario Strikers Charged
When Shigeru Miyamoto came up with Mario Bros. in the 1980s, he probably did not expect it to result in a soccer game where a greasy-looking purple creep repeatedly points at his crotch to celebrate in front of an electric fenced stadium filled with monsters. See, Waluigi doesn’t give a shit, which is why we ultimately love him. In this dark and violent sports game, Waluigi brings some levity by pretending he’s in the damn WWE. Although why his teammates (even those with probably no genitalia) join in on the nonsense is unknown.
If you haven’t been convinced by Waluigi’s beauty yet, look no further than this extremely (and probably unnecessarily) high resolution asset of his face. This image is not safe for work, probably.
Chris Compendio is a Paste intern who is currently playing the “Waluigi Pinball” music on loop. Engage in the Waluigi discourse by following him on Twitter @Compenderizer.Japan’s debt stood at a record-high ¥1.053 quadrillion ($8.78 trillion) at the end of March, the Finance Ministry said Friday, increasing pressure on the government to take further austerity measures.
The ministry also projected the debt would reach ¥1.167 quadrillion by the end of fiscal 2015 next March, reflecting the need to finance ballooning social security costs with state debt as the population rapidly grays.
The latest figure tops the previous record of ¥1.039 quadrillion set in June last year and was more than double Japan’s nominal gross domestic product in 2014, which was ¥488 trillion. Japan’s fiscal health is the worst among the major developed economies.
The result consisted of ¥881.5 trillion in Japanese government bonds, ¥55.0 trillion in borrowing, mainly from financial institutions, and ¥116.9 trillion in financing bills, or short-term government notes up to six months.
As of March 31, per capita debt — or the amount owed per person — was about ¥8.30 million. Japan’s population stood at around 126.9 million as of April 1.
The government releases fiscal data every three months, compiled according to International Monetary Fund standards.Microsoft's Surface tablet is now a voting machine in Virginia.
Democracy Live, a company based in Washington, works with several states to offer electronic ballots through its software, LiveBallot. According to GeekWire, which spoke with Democracy Live CEO Bryan Finney, a single Surface tablet is being used in a precinct in Charlottesville, Va., allowing voters to mark their ballots from the device.
Microsoft launched its Surface tablet late last month. The Surface is the first tablet from Microsoft, and runs Windows RT, a version of the company's operating system that supports ARM-based chips.
With LiveBallot running on the Surface, users are able to vote for their desired candidates. Voters then print out the ballot from the Surface to allow another machine to count it. LiveBallot is a cloud-based application running on Microsoft's Windows Azure platform.
Tablets have long been viewed as possibly useful voting machines. Last year, Apple donated five iPads to Oregon to help election workers in five counties make it easier for voters with disabilities to place their ballots. That was believed by some to be the first step toward a broader rollout of tablets across voting precincts.
However, with any device that can connect to the Web comes security concerns. And security is a huge concern in an important election. That's precisely why e-balloting hasn't taken off to the degree certain companies would like. It's also why the future of voting on a Surface or iPad is decidedly in doubt.In this 1999 interview, Richard Gere talks about his many years of Buddhist practice, his devotion to his teacher the Dalai Lama, and his work for Tibetan freedom.
I suppose it’s a sign of our current cynicism that we find it hard to believe celebrities can also be serious people. The recent prominence of “celebrity Buddhists” has brought some snide comments in the press, and even among Buddhists, but personally I am very appreciative of the actors, directors, musicians and other public figures who have brought greater awareness to the cause of Tibetan freedom and the value of Buddhist practice. These are fine artists and thoughtful people, some Buddhists, some not, among them Martin Scorsese, Leonard Cohen, Adam Yauch, Michael Stipe, Patti Smith, and of course, Richard Gere. I met Gere at his office in New York recently, and we talked about his many years of Buddhist practice, his devotion to his teacher the Dalai Lama, and his work on behalf of the dharma and the cause of the Tibetan people. —Melvin McLeod
Melvin McLeod: What was your first encounter with Buddhism?
Richard Gere: I have two flashes. One, when I actually encountered the written dharma, and two, when I met a teacher. But before that, I was engaged in philosophical pursuit in school. So I came to it through Western philosophers, basically Bishop Berkeley.
Melvin McLeod: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it really happen?”
Richard Gere: Yes. Subjective idealism was his thesis—reality is a function of mind. It was basically the “mind only” school that he was preaching. Quite radical, especially for a priest. I was quite taken with him. The existentialists were also interesting to me. I remember carrying around a copy of Being and Nothingness, without knowing quite why I was doing it. Later I realized that “nothingness” was not the appropriate word. “Emptiness” was really what they were searching for—not a nihilistic view but a positive one.
My first encounter with Buddhist dharma would be in my early twenties. I think like most young men I was not particularly happy. I don’t know if I was suicidal, but I was pretty unhappy, and I had questions like, “Why anything?” Realizing I was probably pushing the edges of my own sanity, I was exploring late-night bookshops reading everything I could, in many different directions. Evans-Wentz’s books on Tibetan Buddhism had an enormous impact on me. I just devoured them.
Melvin McLeod: So many of us were inspired by those books. What did you find in them that appealed to you?
Richard Gere: They had all the romance of a good novel, so you could really bury yourself in them, but at the same time, they offered the possibility that you could live here and be free at the same time. I hadn’t even considered that as a possibility—I just wanted out—so the idea that you could be here and be out at the same time—emptiness—was revolutionary.
So the Buddhist path, particularly the Tibetan approach, was obviously drawing me, but the first tradition that I became involved in was Zen. My first teacher was Sasaki Roshi. I remember going out to L.A. for a three day sesshin [Zen meditation program]. I prepared myself by stretching my legs for months and months so I could get through it.
I had a kind of magical experience with Sasaki Roshi, a reality experience. I realized, this is work, this is work. It’s not about flying through the air; it’s not about any of the magic or the romance. It’s serious work on your mind. That was an important part of the path for me.
Sasaki Roshi was incredibly tough and very kind at the same time. I was a total neophyte and didn’t know anything. I was cocky and insecure and fucked up. But within that I was serious about wanting to learn. It got to the point at the end of the sesshin where I wouldn’t even go to the dokusan [interview with the Zen master]. I felt I was so ill-equipped to deal with the koans that they had to drag me in. Finally, it got to where I would just sit there, and I remember him smiling at that point. “Now we can start working,” he said. There was nothing to say—no bullshit, nothing.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama looked very deeply into my eyes and just started laughing |
The White House press corps is "strenuously" objecting to any attempt to eject it from its West Wing digs, a move reportedly being considering by President-elect Trump's communications team.
"The briefing room is open now to all reporters who request access. We support that and always will," said Jeff Mason, a Reuters White House correspondent and president of the White House Correspondents Association. "The WHCA will fight to keep the briefing room and West Wing access to senior administration officials open. We object strenuously to any move that would shield the president and his advisers from the scrutiny of an on-site White House press corps."
Esquire reported the Trump team was considering kicking reporters out of the briefing room and their press digs to another place in the White House complex.
Mason said he and Spicer talked for nearly two hours about what press briefings will look like under Trump.
The line from the Trump camp on Sunday was that increased press participation in Trump press conferences would likely continue when he takes office, so a bigger space is needed. Mason said access to the White House itself is also needed.
"The White House Correspondents' Association has always advocated for increasing access and transparency for the benefit of all news outlets and the public," Mason said. "I emphasized the importance of the White House press briefing room and noted that it is open to all journalists who seek access now.
"I made clear that the WHCA would view it as unacceptable if the incoming administration sought to move White House reporters out of the press workspace behind the press briefing room. Access in the West Wing to senior administration officials, including the press secretary, is critical to transparency and to journalists' ability to do their jobs."
He said Spicer agreed to discuss any major changes with the White House Correspondents Association ahead of time.
Spicer also wants journalists to have a "high level of decorum" at briefings.
"Sean expressed concern that journalists adhere to a high level of decorum at press briefings and press conferences. I made clear that the WHCA would object, always, to a reporter being thrown out of a briefing or press conference," Mason said.
He added, "The WHCA looks forward to having a constructive relationship with the president-elect's press team and to standing up for the rights of a free press to report vigorously on the new administration."I’m convinced, utterly, that confession is the single greatest gift God gave this weary world.
A gift that’s found solely in the Catholic Church.
A gift that, as a Protestant converting to the Catholic faith, has completely blown me away.
I began my journey into the Catholic Church nearly a decade ago but I began the final leg, in earnest, this Fall, when I enrolled in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) at my local parish. I’ve had mixed experiences, to be sure. I’ve realized that not all parishes are created equal. I’ve realized that it’s not all about me. But I’ve also experienced God’s grace in incredible ways and through my own frustrations, arrogance, and pride I’ve found God in whole new ways. I’ve been deeply enriched.
But for all the book knowledge I’ve acquired and all the helpful folks I’ve spoke to nothing prepared me for my first experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and it’s completely changed my life.
Reconciliation with God
To understand the Sacrament of Reconciliation requires a little bit of legwork up front.
First, although it’s commonly called confession I think it’s best understood, especially by non-Catholics (like myself), by it’s proper name. It’s the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and that’s important because it’s the sacrament which God has chosen to use to reconcile us to him. That’s the first thing that’s important to understand.
As a Protestant Christian I had a skewed understand of the Catholic view of forgiveness.
God, as I thought that Catholics understood Him to be, was angry and vengeful and Catholics had to confess their sins in fear and trembling lest the Lord smite them. He was a vindictive God who made Catholics drag their shame out into the light for a priest, of all people, to forgive. On the flip side, as a Protestant, I knew I was saved by grace and didn’t need to worry about what I did wrong. I had to confess it in my private prayers, of course, and make at least a token effort at repentance, but I didn’t need to worry. I didn’t need to drag about that so-called Catholic guilt. I was forgiven and needed no one to tell me so.
I understand things a bit different now.
Confession, actually, has always been a big question mark for me.
We’re Commanded to Confess
I remember reading Donald Miller’s seminal Blue Like Jazz —a book which influenced so many of us young evangelicals in the early 2000’s—and seeing, echoed in his decision to set up a confessional on his Protestant college campus, so much of my own confusion. Miller, in a way, came around to the startling conclusion that I came to when I read my Bible: that we’re told to confess our sins—to each other!
Confession is, clear as day, something we’re commanded to do in the New Testament.
And as evangelical Protestants, we don’t.
And that has always bugged me.
To the Catholic Church—and the Christian Church for the first 1,500 years—is was simple. Jesus gave His apostles the power to forgive. Although it was Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross that provided us with forgiveness, and reconciled us with God, it was His decision to dispense that forgiveness through men. Men he chose.
This is where I, as a Protestant, went wrong. This is where, I think, lots of us Protestants go wrong: It’s not the priest forgiving, not of his own power at least.
Confession’s Roots in the Early Church
No one, Protestant or Catholic, would argue that the apostles forgave sins in their own names. The apostles forgave sins in Jesus’s name, by the power of Jesus—power that He gave them, clearly, in Scripture.
The early Christians, in fact the earliest Christians we have record of, clearly understood the system that Jesus established. Jesus gave His apostles, whom He directly chose and appointed, the power to forgive sins. He gave this power in His name. When an apostle died a new apostle was appointed. When church communities began the apostles appointed leaders over those communities. The power to forgive sins—a power given by Jesus Himself—was passed on.
Incredible to me, as a Protestant, was that even the most cursory reading of the Early Church Fathers, the disciples who were taught by the apostles themselves, the second generation of Christians, clearly understood this succession. St. Clement of Rome, for example, was directly appointed by an apostle to succeed them in their ministry. St. Clement, then, naturally understood the power and authority that was given to him. Part of that power was the power to forgive, in Jesus’s name.
Remarkable to me, as a Protestant, was to learn that the Catholic Church merely carries on the practice of this power. A power given, clear as day, by Jesus Himself to his apostles. A power the apostles clearly practiced and, in turn, passed on. The line, incredibly, is unbroken throughout the history of the Christian Church until the Protestant Reformation—when the early reformers broke off from the body of the Catholic Church. This succession of power was not in dispute in the Early Christian Church and the earliest Christians, right up until the 16th century reformation, continued to practice confession of sins to appointed priests.
The Extraordinary Gift of Confession
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, after experiencing it first-hand, is that it’s the most extraordinary gift from God.
And that it makes sense.
I’ve shared before that God giving us grace through man makes a lot of sense to me. It’s not that God needs priest to dispense His grace. Ultimately, all of our grace comes from Jesus’s incredible act on the cross—make no mistake about that. But, in Catholic theology—and the theology of the Christian Church for the first 1,500 years—God has chosen to work through man.
And this is an incredible gift.
As a Protestant, I often struggled to feel forgiven. I knew I’d sinned, I’d done something wrong, and I needed to make right. I needed to confess, so I’d pray, privately, and ask God for forgiveness.
Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with this. We should be, privately, asking God for forgiveness all the time. We do stupid stuff. Paul was the chief sinner, he said and Peter, regardless of what you think about him, was certainly the chief apostle and he denied Christ. These were people hand-picked by Jesus, and they screwed up. Nevermind the Patriachs and Prophets of the Old Testament.
But the struggle for me, as a Protestant, was to feel forgiven and if there’s any area of the Christian life where head knowledge and heart knowledge collide it’s in the notion of forgiveness. It’s one thing to know I’m forgiven by Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice but it’s another thing entirely to stop holding onto the hurt, and to let it go.
And then I confessed to a man.
My Incredible First Confession
Confession—the Sacrament of Reconciliation—is amazing, and God designed it this way. I’m convinced.
Because how much more powerful is it to hear the words, “You’re forgiven,” from the lips of an actual human being than it is to imagine them in your head and your heart. Think that over, again, because it bears repeating.
I can know intellectually that I’m forgiven. I can have read and studied and turned it around in my brain every which way but to actually feel forgiven and have that forgiveness move into your heart is a whole other thing.
That’s why Jesus intended us to receive forgiveness from His appointed priests. Priests who have their authority in succession from the apostles. Leaders who can trace the power they have to “forgive sins” right back to the very first command Jesus gave after his resurrection. Think about that, too: the very first command that Jesus gave His apostles.
To confess all the frustrating things I’ve done in my life and hear someone say, “You’re forgiven,” and to know that I am really forgiven is the most incredible gift I’ve experienced. To actually hear those words instead of trying my best to muster up the feeling (to go along with the knowledge).
Re-branding the Catholic Church
If I were in charge of marketing the Catholic Church—and I might take a run at the job if it opens up—I would put the Sacrament of Reconciliation on the top of the list of things to “sell.” I’d put up billboards across the country touting the amazing power of forgiveness that exists in the Catholic Church’s practice of confession. A remarkable power—and power remarkably different from anything I’ve ever experienced as a Protestant.
I’d advertise confession as a gift.
Because I’m convinced that the sacrament is the most under-valued gift. One of the greatest hidden treasures of the Catholic Church. And something that’s completely blown my mind and convinced me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is how God intended Christ’s sacrifice to have worked.
To actually be able to hear that I’m forgiven, to know that I’m truly reconciled with God—that our relationship is repaired—is absolutely mind-blowing.Evidence presented in court for what has become known as the "Slender Man stabbing" included disturbing pages from one of the 12-year-old suspect's notebooks and her mutilated dolls.The dolls had red stains resembling blood and the pages included messages like, "You are strange child it will be of my use (sic)" and a list of supplies, presumably to carry out the stabbing.They were shown in court Tuesday during the hearing to determine whether the 12-year-old and 13-year-old female suspects should be tried as adults. They are accused of stabbing a friend 19 times. They are thought to have lured the 12-year-old victim into the woods to carry out the May 2014 attack during a sleepover.The girls told police that their belief in the fictional character "Slender Man" drove them to do it. One of the suspects said in court Monday that she believed Slender Man would kill her whole family if she did not commit the violence.Defense attorneys used the dolls and notebook pages as evidence that the girls were convinced that Slender Man posed a threat. They say this is cause to move the case to juvenile court. Unless it is moved, the girls will be tried for first-degree intentional attempted homicide as adults.The 2,801-cap. Zepp Osaka Bayside, which opens tonight with a show by Alexandro, becomes Japan's biggest dedicated live music venue
In the same week it emerged Zepp Hall is to open its first music venue outside Japan, Zepp Kuala Lumpur, the Sony Music-owned venue operator today opens a second venue, in Osaka.
With a capacity of 2,801, the company says Zepp Osaka Bayside is the “largest [dedicated] music venue” for popular music in Japan. The first performers will be J-rock band Alexandro, who play two nights (17–18 February) as part of their We Come in Peace tour.
The venue is located on Osaka’s waterfront, near Sakurajima station and the Universal Studios Japan theme park.
Zepp now operates six venues in Japan, and also promotes tours and festivals under the Zepp Live brand. Is is a 100%-owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.The Seattle Sounders delivered an emphatic win over their rivals the Portland Timbers on Sunday, and Obafemi Martins powerfully punctuated the commanding victory with an incredible goal.
Martins forced his way through a pack of defenders before lifting a shot past Portland goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts late in the second half, bagging his brace and giving Seattle their fourth and final goal in a 4-2 victory at Providence Park. The impressive strike instantly garnered AT&T Goal of the Week buzz, and it ended up claiming the Week 24 honors with ease.
After leading voting for the majority of the week, the Nigerian forward's goal finished with more than 66 percent of the vote. That total was more than four times the amount for runner-up Sam Cronin, and gave Martins his league-leading fourth Goal of the Week award this season. He previously won it in Weeks 7, 8 and 11.
AT&T Goal of the Week: Week 24 Final Results
1. Obafemi Martins (SEA) – 66.12%
2. Sam Cronin (SJ) – 15.18%
3. Andrew Wenger (PHI) – 7.82%
4. Marc Burch (COL) – 6.39%
5. Lee Nguyen (NE) – 4.49%
Check out the previous winners of the AT&T Goal of the Week.Auctions for The Block will take place on Saturday November 21, meaning the Auction finals will presumably screen Sunday November 22nd -the last Sunday of the TV ratings year.
It will also hold its traditional open for inspection this Sunday, November 8 between 10.00am – 2.00pm. Queuing early is always advised for fans of this event!
The address is 5 Commercial Road, South Yarra, just near the corner of Punt Road.
Thousands of people will converge on Commercial Road, South Yarra as Dean, Shay, Luke, Ebony, Suzi, Vonni, Andrew, Whitney, Kingi and Caro give the public an exclusive sneak peek of the luxury apartments they have created.
Hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft, together with Keith and Dan, will also be there to meet and greet fans of Nine’s top-rating program.
RelatedImage copyright Reuters Image caption Sister Megan Rice (middle) flanked by fellow activists Greg Boertje-Obed (left) and Michael Walli
An elderly Catholic nun has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for damage caused while breaking into a US nuclear defence site.
Sister Megan Rice, 84, and two other protesters cut fences and entered the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, facility, which processes and stores uranium.
The other two, Michael Walli and Greg Boertje-Obed, were sentenced to more than five years in prison.
The July 2012 incident prompted security changes at the Y-12 site.
"Please have no leniency with me," Sister Megan told the court at Tuesday's hearing in Knoxville.
"To remain in prison for the rest of my life would be the greatest gift you could give me."
During the trial Sister Megan, from Washington DC, said her only regret was waiting so long to take action.
'Displays of ineptitude'
The peace activists, members of the group Transform Now Plowshares, had initially faced up to 20 years in prison after their conviction last May.
Walli and Boertje-Obed received tougher sentences because they had longer criminal histories.
The trio were also found guilty of causing more than $1,000 (£643) of damage to government property.
After cutting a fence to enter the site, the three walked around, spray-painted graffiti, strung out crime-scene tape and chipped a wall with hammers.
They spent two hours inside.
The trio also sprayed the exterior of the complex with baby bottles containing human blood.
When a guard approached, they offered him food and started singing.
US lawmakers and the Department of Energy later launched an inquiry and uncovered "troubling displays of ineptitude" at the facility.
Top officials were reassigned, including at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
WSI, the company providing security at the site, was dismissed and other officers were sacked, demoted or suspended.There's a most unusual gym in ecologist Sonia Altizer's lab at the University of Georgia in Athens. The athletes are monarch butterflies, and their workouts are carefully monitored to determine how parasites impact their flight performance.
With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Altizer and her team study how animal behavior, including long distance migration, affects the spread and evolution of infectious disease. In monarchs, the researchers study a protozoan parasite called Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, or "OE" for short.
In Altizer's lab, the adult butterflies are tethered to a "flying treadmill" and the time and speed of each lap is recorded on a computer. They fly at between two and five miles per hour in this setting. Infected butterflies, on average, fly about 20 percent less well than healthy butterflies. "So, they actually fly shorter total distances, they've got slower flight speeds and they lose more weight per distance flown than healthy butterflies," says Altizer.
Up to two billion monarchs migrate every year to central Mexico, where Altizer and her colleagues capture, sample and release hundreds of butterflies each day during the researchers' field study. "The sound of the wings of the butterflies just whirring past your head is about as good as it gets for a terrestrial ecologist, I think!" says Altizer.
Altizer says even a tiny impact from infection on the monarchs' migration ability could make the difference between survival and death. Her work is providing some details on the differences in how diseases spread in human and animal populations.
"General models for predicting the spread of infectious disease largely ignore behavioral changes," says Alan Tessier, program director in the Division of Environmental Biology within the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate. "This research addresses a critical gap in understanding how infection changes the movement behavior of animals from the scale of individuals to the dynamics of populations spread across a landscape. Lessons learned from this work will be broadly relevant to disease spread in other species, including humans."
"We know that for humans, travel and migration can help spread disease. With more and more air travel, a person can get on a plane and move a virus to the other side of the world in a matter of hours. But, many animal species have to undertake these really strenuous long-distance journeys on their own power. And, if these journeys are really costly, animals that are heavily infected are probably not going to make it," explains Altizer. "So, we can think about it from our own perspective. If we had to run a marathon with the flu, we probably wouldn't do very well. The animals that are the most heavily infected simply can't make a long-distance journey."
Take the migration away and what's left are smaller remnant populations that don't migrate. "We could actually see infections build up in those populations and that could possibly increase the risk of pathogens jumping over into people and their domesticated animals," says Altizer.
Human activities, from logging and other habitat destruction to herbicide use, are disrupting longstanding migration patterns for monarchs and other animals, according to Altizer. Over a decade ago, around half of the monarch population that overwinters in Mexico originated from the corn belt of the United States, where their milkweed host plants commonly grew in agricultural fields and roadsides. Altizer says that today monarch populations in those same areas are declining, in large part due to transgenic crops that are tolerant of herbicides. This allows farmers to more effectively eliminate weeds, including milkweeds, thus removing a large fraction of the monarchs' former habitat.
Another aspect of this research builds on the fascination many people have for these beautiful insects and their arduous migratory journey.
"Monarchs have this amazing annual lifecycle where they've got three or four short-lived generations that breed during the summer months, and then they've got one long-lived generation where butterflies that emerge at the end of the summer live for eight, nine, sometimes 10 months. It's that generation that travels all the way to the overwintering sites and then re-migrates north in the spring to re-colonize the southern part of their breeding range. So, it's the great, great, grand-progeny of that generation that will make the journey the following year," explains Altizer.
Graduate student Dara Satterfield processes data sent in from volunteers who sample the butterflies in their backyards. She's looking for OE infection.
"The Monarch Health Program is our citizen science project. People from the eastern part of the U.S. and Canada send us samples from monarchs in their own backyard," says Satterfield. "The citizen scientists put a piece of clear tape on the monarch's abdomen and that will pick up spores and scales from the monarch. Then they place those tape samples on index cards and mail them to us. We can tell from the samples whether or not the monarch in their yard has a parasite."
"Monarchs, like a lot of other migratory species, face complex conservation challenges because they have very different habitats at different times of the year and they cross international boundaries. We need to identify the threats and protect them," says Altizer.
"There's also a need to study pathogen dynamics in other migratory species, as well as how human activities affect those dynamics," she adds.
Vampire bats may not have the beauty factor that monarch butterflies do, but the bats are important in Altizer's study of how the spread of infectious diseases by animals is affected by human activities.
In Peru, University of Georgia postdoctoral researcher Daniel Streicker focuses on these bats whose populations have exploded in recent years. Ranchers have introduced livestock into the Andes and the Amazon. More bloodthirsty bats might mean more rabies.
"One of the main goals we have is to try to understand what determines the frequency and intensity of rabies outbreaks and what we can do about it," says Streicker.
That fieldwork involves capturing vampire bats to determine what's on their menu.
"We're catching bats in the Amazon jungle, particularly in areas where there aren't a lot of livestock. These are usually areas where bats are reported to bite people, but we don't know what else they're feeding on," continues Streicker. "So, we catch these bats after they've taken a blood meal and we extract the stomach contents in a way that's fairly non-invasive, and then we can use genetic typing to figure out what species were actually being fed upon."
While vampire bats have a hyped Hollywood reputation for danger, Streicker says there are things people can learn from them about rabies and other diseases. For example, some bats have antibodies against rabies, so they appear healthy even though they have been exposed. This runs counter to the common wisdom that rabies is universally fatal to all mammals. If antibodies protect these bats from future exposures, that could fundamentally change our view of how rabies persists in wild bat populations. Understanding how bats survive these exposures could also eventually help researchers develop a treatment. Vampire bat saliva has already been used to develop a medicine for treating stroke victims.
Streicker and Altizer say that the results of this study will improve rabies control efforts in Latin America, where vampire bats cause most human and livestock cases. More generally, because deforestation and livestock rearing are intensifying in much of the developing world, a better understanding of how wildlife-pathogen interactions will respond to such changes is urgently needed.
Miles O'Brien, Science Nation Correspondent
Marsha Walton, Science Nation ProducerDear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.
In a mission coordinated by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation and the Jabotinsky Institute in Israel, British World War I officer and commander of the Jewish Legion, Lt.-Col. John Henry Patterson’s ashes were brought to Israel for burial.
Patterson, whose ashes were interred at the Angelus- Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles when he died in 1947 at the age of 79, was a devoted champion of what soon would become the State of Israel. It was his dying wish to be buried in Israel alongside his fellow Legion soldiers.
Patterson and his wife Helena will have their ashes buried in Moshav Avichail, a village north of Netanya founded by Jewish Legion soldiers.The burial will take place on November 10, Patterson’s birthday, when a special ceremony will be held in his honor. Members of his family, representatives of the British armed forces, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, and residents of the moshav are expected to attend.The burial will mark the culmination of a three-year effort by Patterson’s grandson Alan, who worked with the Jabotinsky Institute to bring the ashes to Israel.“Colonel Patterson was one of the founders of the Jewish Legion, the first Jewish military force since the Bar Kokhba revolt and the basis for what would become the Israel Defense Forces,” Netanyahu wrote in a letter in which he recounted his personal connection to Patterson’s legacy.“My father and mother spoke warmly of Colonel Patterson, who worked with my father for the Zionist cause in the 1940s in the United States. When my older brother was born, my father called him Jonathan.John, in honor of Patterson and Nathan in memory of my grandfather,” the prime minister said of Patterson, who was godfather to the late Yonatan Netanyahu.In the letter, Netanyahu extolled the link between “the commander of the renascent Jewish fighting force with one of Israel’s future military commanders,” noting the historic connection between the two soldiers who fought fervently for the Jewish state.Patterson, a Protestant, was a major advocate of the Zionist cause. His two books – With the Zionists in Gallipoli and With the Judaeans in the Palestine Campaign – detailed his support for the formation of Israel and his efforts in combating anti-Semitism during his military service.
Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>We've witnessed AT&T deliver a very fresh Android experience to a number of Samsung's galactic handsets in the past few months, but we definitely won't complain when others get the same treatment -- even if it is slightly overdue. Available now via Kies, this Jelly Bean upgrade will give Galaxy S II Skyrocket owners what will likely be a much welcomed boost, including new features such as Smart Stay, Direct Call and Pop Up Play. Of course, the aforementioned tidbits are only part of the bigger Mountain View picture, since the new version means automatic access to Google Now and overall under-the-hood enhancements thanks to things like Project Butter. It's here, it's real, and it's ready to rejuvenate your device -- all you have to do is pay our source link a visit, where you'll find specific instructions on how to get the goods.It's been a whirlwind of news regarding Square Enix, the popular video game publisher of high-profile titles such as Deus Ex and Tomb Raider. First, there was the disappointing announcement that Square Enix would be cutting ties with IO Interactive, the development behind 2016's highly acclaimed sleeper hit Hitman.
Then an even more unexpected reveal showed up in an equally unexpected place. Straight Up, Films, the production company that last year announced it was producing a movie based on the 2014 Reboot of Thief, added more information to their website at some point that apparently reveals plans for a new Thief game. The full passage on their website can be read below:
"Thief is an action epic poised to be the next great multi-platform franchise. Originally released in 1998 by Eidos Interactive (Deus Ex) and distributed by Square Enix (Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy), the Thief series has spanned over fifteen years and four sequels continually retaining loyal audiences and attracting new fans with each iteration. Widely considered to be one of the greatest games ever created, a fifth sequel is currently in development to be released in step with this motion picture adaptation (emphasis added). Steeped in the steam-punk world created by the video game, the film will tell a new chapter in the storied world of the series' hero."
This certainly isn't proof of anything. A reveal like this echoes a similarly-discovered announcement supposedly revealing a new Metro game for 2017. The author of the Metro book series said on his website the next game, slated for 2017 would pick up right where Metro 2035 leaves off. That same day, Deep Silver confirmed that no such game exists in any capacity. So, this goes to show that people who work outside of the industry, even on the same IP, likely have very different sets of information.
IO Interactive drew up a $43 million loss. Can you really blame Square Enix for dropping them?
That being said, if Square Enix were to greenlight a new Thief game, while simultaneously ditching the studio behind Hitman, it would make perfect sense, financially speaking.
Of course, everyone is going to look at the relative reception of each of these games – Hitman being considered a GOTY candidate last year, while Thief was something of a mess – and wonder where Square Enix's head is at. "Where are their priorities?" "Why do you want to continue making mediocre games and ditch great games?"
But, as I said, financially speaking, the answer is simple. As Square Enix pointed out in their reports, IO Interactive drew up a $43 million loss. While no official numbers for Hitman have been revealed, this doesn't make it seem like it was a huge success.
And Thief? Again, Square Enix was relatively tight-lipped about its individual sales, but they did call its sales "favorable," while posting a $65 million profit for the fiscal year in which Thief released. While not specific, this makes it seem like Thief was at least a modest success.
This theme has come up before: vote with your wallets. If you want Square Enix to keep making great games like Hitman, buy those great games. If you want them to stop making mediocre games like Thief, don't buy those mediocre games. High critical reception is great. Positive reviews from gamers on Steam, Metacritic and other platforms is also great. But it doesn't pay the bills.
So, before railing against Square Enix for what you may see as jumbled priorities, remind yourself that money talks.A Toronto police officer is expected to survive after his motorcycle was struck by a car in downtown Toronto.
Emergency crews were called to Lake Shore Boulevard West and Lower Spadina Avenue just after 10 a.m. on Friday.
The officer was was rushed to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
“A motorcycle escort was coming eastbound on the Lake Shore, entering Lower Simcoe, [when] a southbound vehicle came through the intersection and struck one of the eastbound motorcycles,” Const. Clint Stibbe told 680 NEWS.
A Toronto police officer on a motorcycle was hit by a car at Lake Shore Boulevard West and Lower Spadina Avenue on Sept. 16, 2016. CITYNEWS/Hugues Cormier
Emergency crews at the scene after a Toronto police officer on a motorcycle was hit by a car at Lake Shore Boulevard West and Lower Spadina Avenue on Sept. 16, 2016. CITYNEWS/Hugues Cormier
Police have not released the officer’s name.
There is no word on charges.
The eastbound Gardiner Expressway is closed at the Spadina ramp. There are other closures in the area as well.
Road closures:
N/b Lower Spadina Ave from Queens Quay
E/b Lakeshore Blvd from Bathurst to Lower Spadina Ave
S/b Spadina Ave from Bremner Rd — Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) September 16, 2016
UPDATE: 510 Spadina diverting both ways via King, Bathurst, Queens Quay due to a collision at Spadina and Lake Shore. #TTC — Official TTC Tweets (@TTCnotices) September 16, 2016England could face New Zealand this year after all — if the RFU succeed with a dramatic bid to engineer a fixture between the world's top two at Twickenham on November 4.
Eddie Jones's team will surpass the All Blacks' world record of 18 successive Test victories if they beat Ireland on Saturday but they are not scheduled to take on Steve Hansen's world champions until November 2018.
However, Sportsmail understands RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie is pursuing the possibility of arranging the game that Hansen admitted people are 'desperate' to see.
Plans for New Zealand to play the Barbarians at Twickenham on November 4 are not finalised, so that could be the date for a thrilling showdown.
England matched New Zealand's world record 18-match unbeaten run against Scotland
The All Blacks have won their last five meetings with England, a run dating back to 2012
LIKELY DATES FOR ENGLAND'S AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS November 4 v New Zealand November 11 v Argentina November 18 v Australia November 25 v Samoa
Jones has overseen a spectacular revival of the national team's fortunes and his side now have all the major scalps, bar one. The All Blacks.
It appeared that politics and financial wrangling would prevent the nations from locking horns until November next year, but Sportsmail has learned that moves are afoot to change that.
Emboldened by England's epic run of success, Ritchie is seeking to set up a match outside the official autumn window this year. It is understood that at a meeting in London earlier this month, Ritchie reiterated his desire to pursue this bold objective.
Sportsmail has learned that the RFU have given approval for the Barbarians match to take place to celebrate their 125th anniversary and agreed a fee of £500,000 for the stadium hire — with the All Blacks due to be paid in the region of £2million for participating in the showpiece.
RUGBY WORLD RANKINGS 1. New Zealand (94.78) 2. England (91.02) 3. Australia (86.35) 4. Ireland (83.18) 5. Scotland (82.18) 6. Wales (82.16) 7. South Africa (81.79)
However, final confirmation of that game between the world champions and the famous invitational team has been delayed, apparently due to Ritchie's desire to engineer an England versus New Zealand clash instead.
The trouble is that there have been fraught negotiations between the home union and their Kiwi counterparts, the NZRU, who recognise the value of the All Blacks and have been demanding a 50-50 cut of Twickenham gate receipts; a figure of around £3million.
So, it may still depend on whether the world's richest rugby nation are willing to pay that sort of sum to deliver the Test the English public crave, in addition to games against Australia, Argentina and Samoa, which have already been announced.
It is a match that Jones would welcome as he seeks to build towards the World Cup, but there will need to be compromise on both sides for it to go ahead.
England secured back-to-back Six Nations titles with a 61-21 victory over Scotland on Saturday
All Black coach Steve Hansen (right) hailed England's current unbeaten run as 'great for rugby'
ENGLAND'S LAST 5 VS NEW ZEALAND Nov 2014 - Lost 21-24 (H) June 2014 - Lost 36-13 (A) June 2014 - Lost 28-27 (A) June 2014 - Lost 20-15 (A) Nov 2013 - Lost 30-22 (H)
The NZRU remain cautious about the possibility of the showdown. Asked by Sportsmail about plans for the All Blacks to face England, their chief executive Steve Tew said: 'We're playing England next year. We look forward to it.' When pressed on whether the next encounter could happen this year, he added: 'Not as our season is currently programmed, no. It's highly unlikely at this stage.
'We've got a very important series against the British and Irish Lions and that's a primary focus for us. We're still working on finalising our programme. We've already got Scotland, France and Wales on the end-of-year tour.'
England and New Zealand played six Tests against each other between the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, whereas they are only scheduled to meet once in the current four-year cycle.
The RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie is hoping to bring forward a meeting with New Zealand
But his Kiwi counterpart Steve Tew said it is 'highly unlikely' the match will happen in 2017
Tew added: 'There's been a gap between the All Blacks playing England but for a period of time we had five Tests in three years. It's part of the cycle we agreed to way back in 2011.'
Steve Hansen, head coach of the world champions, was asked on Tuesday about the prospect of coming up against Jones side. He |
it survives, making it comprehensible and relevant to a succession of “present”s. Arguably then, what forges a “tradition” is not that which is purportedly timeless, but these temporal interventions, these timely acts of interpretation.
When textual traditions close ranks and form “classical” canons, they withhold their contents from this organic process of translation over time, holding them in an ahistorical warp. This is often a prelude to the death of the classic, not a sign of its continuing life. For canonical texts can fall out of circulation in any real sense even while the halo of their timelessness persists, forfeiting renewal by changing contexts of readership and by juxtaposition with newer works that become their vital links to living, evolving traditions.
What, then, is the task that confronts the contemporary translator of the “classic”? Certainly not to transport through time – in an enchanted vial, as it were – the uncorrupted essence of a literary work. It is, rather, the careful recuperation of a fragile, porous text through the complex, layered history of its origins and interpretations, reframing it as a resonant cultural and political artefact for our times – no longer whole or unmediated, but capable of meaningful conversation with the currents, conflicts and concerns of the present.
Some translations are never finished
At a panel discussion on translation during the 2017 edition of Bangalore’s literary festival Lekhana, two scholars traced the aesthetic, philosophical and political dimensions of translating the classics with vibrant examples from their own practice. Referencing source texts belonging to premodern, vernacular literatures which they bring to a contemporary global readership, Velcheru Narayana Rao and Vanamala Viswanatha spoke of the complexities of translating across time, place and cultural sensibilities. Their accounts intersected at a vital point: for both translators, the soundscape of the text is key to understanding the limitations and possibilities of their transformative practice, locating premodern works in translation within a theory of aural reception.
For Velcheru Narayana Rao, pioneering scholar and prolific translator of premodern Telugu and Indian literatures in Western academia, literary translation is in itself a happy paradox—both possible and impossible. Rao’s lecture, titled “Word and Meaning in the Indian Tradition” at Lekhana, addressed the problems and pleasures of conveying a text across time (while attempting to keep its auditory universe intact) with specific reference to practices of anuvada (translation) in pre-19th century India.
The intricate dance of word and meaning in anuvada, for Rao, is nowhere more palpable than in the experience of translating kavya (poetry), which he names as the third and most complex in his rather broad typology of discursive genres in the Indian classical tradition. Unlike the other two genres – veda, which communicates primarily through sound or “what is heard”, and purana, which privileges the communication of narrative content – kavya is a composite mode of textuality that binds together sound, meaning and feeling.
While meanings in one language can be rendered in another, the music that encodes them in a text, according to Rao, remains untranslatable. This is why the translation of kavya is never finished, causing it to travel down centuries and generations in countless renditions. In premodern literary cultures where language served an essentially phonetic (rather than graphic) function, and texts were composed, spoken or sung, and heard (not written or read), the original texture of a poetic work resists re-creation in other tongues and future ages. The endeavour, in such cases, must be to produce an interpretation which evokes an “equivalent texture” for its readers.
Rendering the soundscape
For achieving this equivalence, Rao recommends the usual litany of parameters derived from a patently Sanskritised poetics: preserve the abhipraya (poetic intention) of the source text, communicate its bhava (feeling), support rasa (mood), reconstruct alamkara (figures of speech), maintain aucitya (propriety), and so on. Yet the central imperative of translating from premodern traditions, opening doors to every other aspect of the text, must be to follow the shabda, or sound, of the work in question. This is a tricky business at best, as “a sequence of sounds in one language might mean something else altogether in another”. Hence the translator must also resist the temptation to imitate this soundscape.
How to traverse this technical impasse of the timeless and the historical? In his own work spanning the Sanskrit and Telugu classical canons, Rao recognised that the textures of Sanskritised Telugu are distinct from those of Sanskrit, as loan words from the latter have been subject to a range of phonetic and semantic modulations in the vernacular. Translations from the Sanskrit need therefore to be re-sanskritised to meet the requirements of the target literature.
Rao invokes in this context his own medieval predecessors in the Telugu tradition of anuvada – “Adikavi” Nannayya, who rendered the Mahabharata in Telugu in the 11th century, retelling “the great tale told by the Sage Krishnadwaipayana, with the proven meaning embedded”, and Srinatha, who evolved a new rubric for metrical translation (the prabandha style) in his 15th century rendering of Sriharsha’s Naishadhacharita. Both translators were re-creators, who broke convention and forged new formal languages in their practice of anuvada, bringing into being original works of translation.
Despite variegated textures of sound and meaning, there is a felicitous degree of “inter-translatability” among Indian languages, Rao claims. This is owing to a similarity of affective content and styles across the bhashas of the subcontinent, even in the absence of a common syntactic-semantic or phonetic base. But for our tongues to survive translation into foreign languages, bridges must be built across syntactic-semantic conventions as well as structures of feeling, “translating from one tradition into another”.
In a sense, it is the reader and not the text that one strives to translate in such cases: the mind of the former must shift contexts and leaps across sensibilities in order to receive a work in translation. Yet, Rao reminds us, the losses incurred by the conversion are enormous and frustrating: the original music of the text, locked in the time-bound intricacies of its composition and reception in a particular place, often becomes inaudible to us.
Making palpable the contemporaneity of the classic
How does the modern translator negotiate shabda as the paradoxical nucleus of the translatability of a classical text? If answers remained largely elusive or undefined in the generic sweep and fleeting references of Rao’s observations, Vanamala Viswanatha’s lucid and individualised account of rendering in English the Kannada poet Raghavanka’s medieval epic Harishchandra Kavya offered a sharper focus on the question.
For Viswanatha, translator, pedagogist and bilingual academic, translation is a means of making palpable to the present-day reader the contemporaneity of the classic. Furthermore, she believes, literary translations from the vernacular carry subversive cannon that can infiltrate and thereby transform the very nature of the classical canon. In effect, they expand and diversify the notion of the “classic” in Indian literature, traditionally restricted to the archetype of the ancient Sanskrit text.
The Murty Classical Library of India (MCLI), which commissioned and published Viswanatha’s The Life of Harishchandra, is among those translation initiatives that have resisted the ossification of the canon and revitalised it by including in its collection bilingual editions of medieval works composed in regional Indian languages (Pali, Prakrit, Urdu, Hindi, Telugu, Bangla, Marathi and Punjabi, among others), bringing into it the “little traditions”, spoken rhythms, folklore, and multiplicity of form and theme (including issues of caste, class, gender and region) that these bhashas carry.
Not incidentally, the MCLI was targeted last year, in the wake of its general editor Sheldon Pollock’s public statements in support of student protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University, by a reactionary “Make in India” campaign. The campaigners circulated a petition, with over a hundred signatories demanding the replacement of Pollock as editor of the series as well as a “Swadeshi” realignment of the MCLI project with the goals of “the Government of India”. Indicatively, for some petitioners, this meant reserving “right to translate” exclusively for “those who really know Sanskrit”.
The controversy clearly testifies to the radical political charge that certain translation choices bring to the dialectics of canon-formation, a dynamic that power-structures of the past and present have relentlessly sought to appropriate and nullify in the interests of a self-serving cultural essentialism.
What is translated? Not just a text
Needless to say, subversive translations point to source texts with radical contexts of composition. Harishchandra Kavya is a case in point; Raghavanka himself was a medieval prototype of the poet as literary innovator, renegade canon-breaker and advocate of social change. A Hoysala court poet by profession and Lingayat by faith, he was well-versed in both Sanskrit and Kannada traditions. His boldly original choice of subject-matter, genre and language in the matter of the Kavya – to render in Kannada verse the epic biography of a merely mortal (if legendary) king (rather than the mythological exploits of gods, or the lives of Veerashaiva saints), with some unequivocal criticism of the prevailing varnashrama dharma to boot – was in itself an act of “translation” that defied the dominant political, religious and literary structures of his time.
It is therefore an entire world, and not a single text, that one translates. Viswanatha raises the critical question of reception in this context: How, she asks, does a literary work like Harishchandra Kavya – a Middle Kannada text which poses difficulties for scholars and translators, and even greater ones for a lay reader – become intelligible to us today? More specifically, how does the modern translator interpret and relay the complex and volatile pasts these texts embody, preserving their rich “rhetoricity” while projecting their sensibilities across time and space?
For they come to us through “both ideological and innocuous distortions” – the latter caused chiefly by clumsy abridgement, which translators often resort to in the case of texts from another time. While Viswanatha disagrees with the purist stricture that a translator must be a native speaker of the source language, she concedes that there is a distinct advantage in “translating from the inside”, or being embedded in the cultural context of the source text, as literary translation is primarily “a matter of the ear”. The dual-language excerpt Viswanatha read from The Life of Harishchandra was a resounding affirmation of these views.
The passage narrates the legendary king’s encounter in the forest with two beautiful holatis (low-caste maidens) whom the sage Viswamitra creates out of a jealous rage, in order to entice Harishchandra into breaking his vow of truth. The “unnameable” enchantresses entertain the king with “mellifluous” music and “sinuous” dance, and beguile him into showering them with jewels and precious gifts. The anamikas then demand that he either part with his royal umbrella, sacred symbol of his kingship, or marry them. When the king is enraged by this audacious proposal of marriage, the holatis respond with a powerful and lyrical indictment of the practice of untouchability which taps ingeniously into the gender dynamic of the scene:
“The ears that enjoyed every note of our music are not defiled;
the eyes that feasted on our shapely form are not defiled;
the mouth that acclaimed our art is not defiled;
the nose that smelled the fragrance of our bodies
wafted by the gentle wind is not defiled.
How is it that only our touch is defiling?
How is it that, among the five composite senses,
One is superior and the other four inferior?”
Many classics thus present “a more equitable view of the world”, Viswanatha observed, underlining the role of the translator as radical interpreter, who renders the political codes of these progressive texts legible to modern readers.
Viswanatha’s own rendering and explanation of the verses in English combined vaachana (musical interpretation) and vyakhaana (scholarly annotation) in the ancient Gamaka tradition of Kannada storytelling, of which she is an exponent. In her translation of the Kavya this manifests in a lively hybridisation of the narrative modes of the source text, transforming the original shatpadi (six-line) metre into a vibrant modernist collage of prose, poetry and drama. Arguably, her use of gamaka (wherein the singer chooses the raga to interpret the bhava of the text) here shows how vernacular exegetical practices based on the sound of the text might be enlisted as cutting-edge aesthetic tools to recreate affective idioms of the past in contemporary translations of the classics.
What reconciles the radical opposition of the “timeless” and the “historical” within the classic, reconfiguring it for each successive generation, then, are these re-inventive acts of translation. Here, the translator stands in a liminal space between text and reader, past and present, a polyphonic synthesiser tuned to receive, and transmit to contemporary ears, textual echoes of meanings formulated as music centuries ago. One is reminded of TS Eliot’s reverberant formulation of the poet as the alchemist in tradition; the modern translator of classics becomes in this sense a deeply embedded yet depersonalised medium in which past and present combine to forge a society’s vital cultural links to the future.CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Grand Old Party has left town, but the Cleveland party isn't over.
To thank the residents and volunteers of Northeast Ohio, the Republican National Convention Cleveland 2016 Host Committee will host a celebration this weekend on Public Square and throughout downtown Cleveland.
The weekend will include "A Community Thank You Party" from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 30, on Public Square, as well as free admission Saturday to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for residents of Northeast Ohio. (Guests must have ZIP codes beginning with 440, 441, 442 or 443 and have a valid ID for free admission).
The party will include family-friendly entertainment, kids' activities, giveaways including Mitchell's Ice Cream, and food trucks.
"We hope people from across the region will come downtown throughout the weekend to commemorate the unprecedented effort that went into hosting this Convention. Its impact far exceeds the economic benefits. It validates the strength of this community and what we can achieve when we come together in support of our beloved city," said David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee.
In addition to the host committee's party, the weekend celebration on Public Square also includes the return of the Cleveland Orchestra's free annual "Star-Spangled Spectacular" concert, 9 p.m. Friday, July 29.Mini plenaries – ideas to use in any lesson to demonstrate progress
If you are looking for ways to become an Outstanding Teacher then you have come to the right page.
The current buzz word at the moment is “mini plenary”, I am not going to take credit for these but below are my top 50 mini plenary ideas that can be used throughout the lesson to assess learning, demonstrate progress and intervene where necessary. You can also check out an earlier blog on the top 99 ways to demonstrate progress during an Outstanding lesson observation
You can also check out 100 Ideas for Outstanding Lessons which is a great book to help deliver outstanding lessons!!
50 mini plenary ideas
Here are some of them;
List three things you have learned today
List three things your neighbour has learned today
60 second challenge – sum up
Write the new words you have learned this lesson and what they mean in mathematics (also alternative meanings in other curriculum areas)
Write three/five top tips for…
The answer is … what is the question?
Take one minute to compose two sentences in your head to explain what we have learnt and how we have learnt it, using the key words from the lesson
Where can you use/apply this skill in other areas of mathematics or in other subjects?
In pairs, answer this question on a post-it/sheet, stick it on the board and review. Does everyone agree?
Show your work to your neighbour, work in pairs to set targets
Self assessment – record what you’ve learnt, any difficulties you have had and set your personal targets
Prediction – what do you think will happen next?
Show me boards to answer True/False to statements given
If you would like to view more great ideas on demonstrating progress and get access to a powerful resource that you can use in your classroom then take a look at top 50 mini plenary ideas slide show.
Now just to add if you are budding Mathematics teacher than Becoming an Outstanding Mathematics Teacher is a great book to read and develop your Mathematics teaching pedagogy.
Try the book or some of the ideas below and let me know what you think in the comments below!
If you enjoyed using the resource above then make sure to check out the games and tricks available to help develop, practice and learn times tables skills. You will definitely be amazed with what happens to kids when they play these times tables games and learn these times tables tricks and cheats!
Buy now
You will be amazed with what happens to pupils when they finish a lesson or topic using these effective ideas. This is the #1 best selling slide show resource on the site which would be an asset for any teacher, parent or educator toolkit. The slide show illustrates some of the best methods around the world to engage kids into summarising their learning and demonstrating progress. Simply bring up the slide that you want to use and display it to your class. Why not give it a try, this resource could change the way your kids see your lessons forever! Enjoy, Have Fun!! Please pass on to someone who might find this useful. Buy nowIn this day and age, the act of traveling is really considered more of a means than an end. However, something is lost when we look at it this way; after all, the world is full of beautiful scenery that goes wholly unnoticed when you're flying above it at 10,000 or more feet. While trains might not be the fastest or most comfortable ways to travel across the country, they're the perfect way of really getting to see some of the most beautiful scenery the globe has to offer.
Although our fast paced, "no-time-for-frills" culture encourages us to pass these things over in favor of more "productive" pursuits, there are nonetheless some incredible train journeys where the experience itself will make your destination seem irrelevant. With that being said, here are eight of the most scenic train journeys you could possibly take.
Rocky Mountaineer
This scenic train route which takes you from Vancouver to Calgary is a growing tourist tradition. This service carried only 10,000 passengers in 1990 and now carries over 100,000 per year. Through the first passage to the West, Vancouver, you will see Castle Mountain, the continental divide, Stony Creek Bridge and the station at Lake Louise. Of note, you'll also see canyons, mountains, and glacial lakes. If you choose to take the special Gold Leaf Service, you will experience all of these magnificient views through a glass dome as a cover of the train. This all around view will include reclining chairs, a restaurant and complementary drinks. Well worth the extra fair.
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The Ghan
The Ghan has been traveling through Australia for over 80 years. This line brings you from Adelaide through Red Centre, and up to the Top End, then finishes in Darwin, which is the capital of the Northern Territory. For three days and two nights you will experience astonishing views. During the trip there is a stop in the town of Alice Springs where you can take the day to enjoy history and take in the natural beauty.
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The Bernina Express
This ride will take you from St. Mortiz in Switzerland to Tirano, Italy in 2 and a half hours. The scary thing about this ride is that the whole path was built without rack rails or cables. You will enjoy the view over 196 timeless bridges and 55 tunnels. The carriage is open-air, so it's perfect for a quick Spring ride.
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Conway Scenic Railroad
This scenic route makes use of what used to be the Maine Central Railroad's Mountain Division Line. The tracks were laid in 1870. You'll see steep ravines, brooks and streams, lush forests, mountains, and more. It's a five hour ride to Crawford Station. The Notch Train is a vintage cart which offers a wonderful scenic view from a domed coach. The most popular season for this route is during early foliage season, especially for the dining excursions.
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Alaska Railroad
This train trip, which lasts a staggering six days, shows you Alaska's most scenic sights. It runs through both Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks. You'll see the mountains, forest, and coastline, as well as Mount McKinley, which is Alaska's tallest mountain. There are multiple stops along the way so passengers can take part of various activities, such as rafting among icebergs, hiking in Denali, or cruising through Kenai Fjords with the whales.
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Glacier Express
This eight hour ride runs only one way - from Zermatt to St. Moritz, which is 180 miles away. You'll go through 91 tunnels and over more than 250 bridges. The entire time, you'll be at an altitude of over 5,000 feet. This train is not necessarily an “express” route; it is one of the slowest express trains in the world therefore allowing you to take in the unbelievable views you pass through. There's also a pretty amazing dining car, where you can enjoy Swiss cheese, wine, and other desserts.
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The California Zephyr
This route allows you to see almost half of the country. It travels about 2,500 miles and lasts a little over two days. You'll ride from Chicago to Emeryville, California. You'll see the Colorado River, the desert in Nevada, and pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The California Zephyr is operated by Amtrak and stands as their longest and most scenic route.
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The Southwest Chief
Running a similar route is the Southwest Chief, which stretches from Los Angeles to Chicago. It clocks in at 40 hours, which is a little less than the California Zephyr, and travels 2,256 miles. You'll travel through the Mojave Desert in Arizona, through New Mexico, then up through Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and, finally, Illinois.
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There are many different scenic train routes to take in all sorts of countries, and these are just a few notable ones. Have you been on any amazing train rides lately?
Author Bio: Joseph Stark Jr. is a freelance writer by day, focusing on technology and web design. Right now Joseph is interested in emerging technologies and tech laws while using wirelessinternet.net. He currently resides in Santiago, Chile flexing his entrepreneurial muscles.UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States on Friday vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory after the Palestinians refused to withdraw the Arab-drafted text.
The other 14 council members voted in favour of the draft resolution. But the United States, as one of the five permanent council members with the power to block any action by the Security Council, voted against it and struck it down.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told council members that the veto “should not be misunderstood to mean we support settlement activity.” She added that the U.S. view is that Israeli settlements lack legitimacy.
But she said the draft “risks hardening the position of both sides” and reiterated the U.S. position that settlements and other contentious issues should be resolved in direct peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.
British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, speaking on behalf of Britain, France and Germany, condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank. “They are illegal under international law,” he said.
He added that the European Union’s three biggest nations hope that an independent state of Palestine will join the United Nations as a new member state by September 2011.
The Palestinian Authority earlier on Friday decided to insist that the resolution be put to the council, and rejected an offer from the United States of a council statement containing weaker language on settlements.
Since 2000, 14 Security Council resolutions have been vetoed by one or more of the five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
Of those, 10 were U.S. vetoes, nine of them related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The last U.S. vetoes were two in 2006, both related to Israel.MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Grappling with tumbling auto sales and weak economic growth, Brazil wants to renew an auto quota pact with Mexico that is set to expire in March, a move that could stoke trade tensions.
New cars are transported in a truck in Sao Bernardo do Campo April 29, 2014. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker
A treaty between the two nations and auto manufacturers, which sets quotas on how many light vehicles Mexico and Brazil can sell each other, expires in March.
Auto trade between the two was then supposed to be fully liberalized, but Brazilian officials are now looking to extend the pact to avoid unlimited competition from Mexico.
“Our position is that Brazil must seek to renew the agreement while seeking adjustments in that agreement,” Brazilian Trade Minister Armando Monteiro told Reuters in an interview.
Asked if one option might include reduced quotas, he said: “I would not rule out that possibility but I would prefer to say that something that I do not see is the chance of increasing the quotas.”
A source familiar with the situation earlier told Reuters Brazil wanted to avoid a return to free trade on autos “because right now, the conditions aren’t right for it”.
Another source said Brazil wants a broader treaty with Mexico that would allow free trade between the two Latin American peers in areas where Brazilian goods are more competitive, citing Brazil’s $1.2 billion trade deficit with Mexico in terms of cars and auto parts alone.
Brazil would look to renew the car quotas while such a broader free trade treaty was negotiated, this source said.
Mexico, which last year passed Brazil to become the biggest auto producer in Latin America, says it wants the existing pact to run its course, and to be able to freely export vehicles to Brazil from March.
Brazil this week invited a Mexican government delegation to a meeting in Brasilia between Feb. 20 and 25 for talks to revamp the treaty.
“I’m... going to put everything on the table so that we can return to free trade,” Mexico’s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Tuesday. “To have credibility, first you have to respect your accords.”
Brazil sees unrestrained Mexican exports as a big threat to its domestic auto industry. A car sold in Mexico can cost as little as half the retail price in Brazil, where high taxes, transportation bottlenecks, powerful unions and trade protections have hurt competitiveness.
Data from the International Monetary Fund shows that Brazil is the most closed major economy in the Americas. Mexico has, by contrast, signed dozens of free trade deals in the past two decades.
Brazil’s economic growth ground to a halt last year and many economists believe the country will fall into recession in 2015. The country posted its first annual trade deficit in 14 years in 2014.
The auto industry, which contributes a quarter of Brazil’s industrial production, has become a persistent headache for recently re-elected President Dilma Rousseff.
Targeted stimulus since 2012 gave sales a temporary boost, but the market contracted by the most in a decade last year as the government pared back the tax breaks to improve its fiscal accounts.
ARGENTINA IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS
Neighboring Argentina, which recently bought as many as nine in 10 Brazilian cars sold overseas, also imposed severe trade restrictions after a drop in foreign reserves, dragging Brazil’s auto exports 40 percent lower to about 335,000 vehicles, the lowest since 1999.
Brazil remains one of the world’s five biggest auto markets, with decades-old factories run by Fiat Chrysler (FCAU.N), Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), General Motors (GM.N) and Ford (F.N).
The industry has struggled to improve productivity, which hit a decade-low last year as output dropped 15 percent to 3.15 million vehicles. Domestic sales fell 7 percent to 3.5 million vehicles.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s auto sector has flourished in recent years, with new plants sprouting up across the country as manufacturers look to benefit from the country’s proximity to the U.S. market, and because of the nation’s cheap wages and myriad free trade agreements.
Boosted by strong demand in the United States and Canada, Mexico auto production rose nearly 10 percent to a record 3.22 million vehicles in 2014, while exports increased 9.1 percent to an all-time high of 2.64 million vehicles.
Car makers including BMW (BMWG.DE), Kia (000270.KS), Audi (NSUG.DE), Honda (7267.T), Nissan (7201.T) and Mazda (7261.T) have all either begun production in Mexico or announced plans to start manufacturing there.We just deployed a hotfix that adjusts how Rocket League’s Competitive Skill Tiers are assigned to players and wanted to give you all some more information on what's changing.
Skill Distribution
Our Skill Tiers - Prospect, Challenger, Star, and Champion - are calibrated to reflect the overall distribution of player skills for the entire population of Rocket League. Like in many other games, this ends up looking a lot like a bell curve / normal distribution over time. In short, that means a lot of players are “average” and the further you get from average skill, the fewer players exist to fit that criteria. This essentially means you see a whole lot of Challenger I players, and not so many Grand Champions overall.
Since the skill reset at the start of Season 3, all four competitive playlists have settled into normal distributions over time, but on a slightly different scale than in Seasons 1 and 2. This isn't a bad thing in general, but it does mean that our old thresholds for deciding who gets promoted to Rising Star, Super Champion, etc. could be balanced a little better for the current season.
Adjusting Tiers
We just deployed two changes to address this and better distribute the active competitive player-base across the Skill Tiers:
Skill Tier thresholds have been lowered to include more players in the Star and Champion tiers. Skill Tier Thresholds are now configured differently based on which mode you’re playing. The skill curve for 1v1 looks a little different than 3v3, for instance. This means Doubles now has different criteria for reaching Grand Champion than Solo Standard does. Each playlist should see similar percentages of players reach Champion tier and above. Because there are more total players playing Doubles, you’ll see more Doubles Grand Champions overall.
In terms of how this will affect your personal rankings: most players at Challenger and above will see themselves gain anywhere from ½ to 2 skill tiers. For instance, a Rising Star in Doubles might now be considered a Shooting Star or a low-division All-Star. Prospect-ranked players will move less so -- from no change to roughly half a rank.
Your ranks are not automatically updated, but winning matches will quickly calibrate you to the correct new rankings. Listed below, are some visuals of the overall Skill Distribution for Competitive Doubles for Season 3, before and after the changes.
Before
After
As always, we'll continue to keep an eye on Competitive rankings and their related systems. See you again next time!The Presidential Election is on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Certificates of Ascertainment
Each Certificate of Ascertainment lists the:
names of the Electors chosen by the voters and the number of votes received
names of all other candidates for Elector and the number of votes received
The Governor of each State prepares seven original Certificates of Ascertainment listing the persons appointed as Electors as soon as possible after the November election. Each Certificate must be signed by the Governor and carry the seal of the State. But, Federal law does not govern the general appearance of the Certificate of Ascertainment. Click on the links below to view each state's Certificate of Ascertainment from the 2016 Presidential Election.
Certificates will be posted as they are received and verified for completeness and accuracy. State links will become live once certificates are posted. If a link is not live yet, check back later.
(All documents available for download are in PDF format )
PDF files require the free Adobe Reader.
More information on Adobe Acrobat PDF files is available on our Accessibility page.The start of the season doesn’t seem that long ago, probably because it’s not. In fact it’s only 16 days since Liverpool were beaten 3-0 at West Brom.
In those short 16 days we’ve witnessed 5 matches, two against Hearts in the Europa League, the league opener against West Brom and 2 home matches against last season’s champions and most recently, against Arsenal. We’ve also witnessed the curtain come down on the Summer transfer window.
I’ve watched all the matches, and I’ve read a lot of match reports. I’ve also had the (mis)fortune to have been on twitter during some of the matches (all bar West Brom and City) and also on Friday night as the closure of the transfer window crept ever closer.
What’s happened in those 16 days? The world (or at least the Liverpool “supporting” element of it) has gone bonkers!
I seen variations on all of the following comments this weekend –
Sack Rodgers
Sack Ayre
Sack FSG
We can’t play football #wecomenottoplay
We have no strikers
Carroll out!
Glad he’s gone #donkey
Why did we let Carroll go?
Dempsey would have answered all our prayers
No deadline day signings, we’ll be lucky to escape relegation!
Toothless, utterly toothless!
And, finally –
This is game number 3 of a 38-game season, with a new manager, new players and a new philosophy. We’ll be fine come May. #perspective (some sensible chap tweeted that after the Arsenal match….may or may not have been @Dakotadc47 😀 ).
Now I realise that as you’re reading this you are well aware of all of the above.
From what I’ve seen during the 5 matches thus far, I don’t think that there’s a great deal wrong. In fact, I think Liverpool are further ahead in the transition to Rodger’s system than he would have expected. The signing of Joe Allen has helped that immensely.
It’s true that Liverpool have looked a touch profligate in front of goal, and are on course to match last season’s woodwork count! A lot of people are saying that Suarez and Borini are not natural goal-scorers, and Liverpool need a proven striker to take those chances.
That argument reminds me very much of something that Alf Ramsey (supposedly) once said. On announcing that he would not be playing 4-3-3 and would be switching to 4-4-2 with no wingers and with an inexperienced lad called Hurst as the main striker, he was asked “Who’ll score that goals?”. His response? “The team will score the goals”.
I like that. It fits well with my understanding of how a team actually works. Admittedly, Ramsey had Hunt, Charlton, Peters and Ball who all had good goal-scoring records given their respective positions. But Liverpool have Gerrard (89 goals for the Reds), Suarez (scores 1 in 3 for the Reds, 28 international goals), Borini (9 goals for Roma, ahem), Downing…….errrrr……Skrtel…..Joe Allen? 7 goals in 100 games for Swansea? Really? Oh. What about Nuri Sahin? Hmmm, not much luck there either, 13 goals for Dortmund and a couple for Turkey.
Actually, when you look at it like that, we are screwed. Absolutely.
Or not, you see statistics are an interesting thing.
Yes Borini is unproven, but he’s only 21. He’s scored goals at phenomenal rate at youth level, and also has a very good senior level record, better than 1 goal every 2 games. Sahin at Dortmund was a playmaker – his role in the team was to create chances, not score them. The same could be said of Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing before their Liverpool careers commenced. Even Lucas used to be a semi-prolific goal-getter at Gremio. And young Raheem Sterling and even Adam Morgan have not had a chance at senior level. Yesil looks to be a natural scorer, built like Drogba, finishes like Fowler (from the little footage I’ve seen).
Yesil intrigues me – he came with a glowing refernce from big Sami, but if he’s really that good, or at least has the potential to be, then why didn’t the Finn fight to keep him at Leverkusen?
Where was I?
Oh yes. On the pitch I really can’t see a lot that needs to change – positionally I think that Rodgers has been slightly hamstrung by injuries, first to Enrique and then to Lucas. you might put this down to squad depth, but at this transistional point, I don’t hink you really can.
Enrique’s injury saw Johnson play left-back and Kelly on the right – players we all know can play those positions in a regular back 4. Except, Rodgers system doesn’t use the same attacking or defensive approach as a regualr back 4. The full-back’s in Rodgers system are deployed higher up the pitch, almost as wing-backs, but without the defensive shield of a third center-back.
Lucas’s injury is much more serious and I think may do real harm to our chances of a top 4 finish. He is vital in Rodgers midfield. Without him, certainly during this transitional period, Joe Allen will be asked to cover the defensive role in the middle. This probably means that Sahin will cover Allen as a more naturally gifted passer, and Gerrard, Henderson and Shelvey will battle it out for the most attacking midfield role.
Talking of our erstwhile captain, I’ve seen several calls for him to be dropped, especially after his |
officials from “damages actions” for violating constitutional rights. They contended allowing it to proceed would interfere “in an intrusive way with sensitive functions of the Executive Branch.”
“National security policy is the prerogative of the Congress and President,” Kennedy, who authored the decision, stated. “These concerns are even more pronounced when the judicial inquiry comes in the context of a claim seeking money damages rather than a claim seeking injunctive or other equitable relief. The risk of personal damages liability is more likely to cause an official to second-guess difficult but necessary decisions concerning national-security policy.”
But that would seem to be the point of the lawsuit—to ensure high-ranking officials might second-guess rounding up innocent people and subjecting them to harsh treatment on the basis of their race, religion, ethnicity, or immigration status in the future.
“Because it is clearly established that it is unconstitutional to subject detainees to punitive conditions of confinement and to target them based solely on their race, religion, or national origin, the defendants are not entitled to qualified immunity on the constitutional claims,” Breyer contended in his dissent, which Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined.
The Supreme Court decision left the door open for plaintiffs to prove their case against a warden in a lower court.
“Why should the law treat differently a high-level official and the local constable where each has similarly violated the Constitution and where neither can successfully assert immunity or any other defense?” Breyer asked.
Breyer added, “All damages actions risk disrupting to some degree future decision-making by members of the executive or legislative branches.”
The “claimed harms,” Breyer noted, are worse than similar cases. The plaintiffs say they were “unncessarily shackled,” subject to “continuous lighting” to prevent sleep, strip searched frequently, “slammed against walls, injured physically, and subject to verbal abuse.”
Breyer reminded the Supreme Court justices opposed to accountability for high-ranking officials that the judiciary has a duty to protect an individual’s “fundamental constitutional rights.” For example, the Supreme Court made this clear when it came to the detention of “enemy combatants” at Guantanamo Bay.
The justices who ruled against the immigrants argued discovery might intrude into the national security work of the executive branch. But that ignores the ability of courts to “tailor discovery so they do not interfere in ‘official’s work,'” Breyer pointed out.
This decision came from the same high court that is expected to hear a lawsuit from President Donald Trump’s administration to reinstate a ban against Muslim immigrants from at least seven countries, who seek to travel or obtain visas.
Breyer did not shy away from placing the Supreme Court’s decision into a broader historical context.
“History tells us of far too many instances where the executive or legislative branch took actions during time of war that, on later examination, turned out unnecessarily and unreasonably to have deprived American citizens of basic constitutional rights,” Breyer recalled.
“We have read about the Alien and Sedition Acts, the thousands of civilians imprisoned during the Civil War, and the suppression of civil liberties during World War II. The pages of the U.S. reports themselves recite this court’s refusal to set aside the government’s World War II action removing more than 70,000 American citizens of Japanese origin from their west coast homes and interning them in camps—an action that at least some officials knew at the time was unnecessary.”
“Can we, in respect to actions taken during those periods, rely exclusively, as the Court seems to suggest, upon injunctive remedies or writs of habeas corpus, their retail equivalent?”
“Complaints seeking that kind of relief typically come during the emergency itself, when emotions are strong, when courts may have too little or inaccurate information, and when courts may well prove particularly reluctant to interfere with even the least well-founded executive branch activity,” Breyer additionally argued.
“A damages action, however, is typically brought after the emergency is over, after emotions have cooled, and at a time when more factual information is available. In such circumstances, courts have more time to exercise such judicial virtues as calm reflection and dispassionate application of the law to the facts.”
“We have applied the Constitution to actions taken during periods of war and national security emergency,” Breyer acknowledged.
As Meeropol concluded, “Justice Breyer noted in [his] dissent, ‘If you are cold, put on a sweater, perhaps an overcoat, perhaps also turn up the heat, but do not set fire to the house.’”
“I fear our house is ablaze,” the CCR staff attorney proclaimed.BMW Team Brasil has confirmed it will expand into the Blancpain Endurance Series this season, already signing Caca Bueno, Sergio Jimenez and Valdeno Brito for the entire 12-round GT series.
After two years of competing in the Sprint Series, the team, which has the support of BMW Brasil, starts its third season in an SRO-organized series with the goal of fighting for overall victories and titles.
Bueno and Jimenez will continue their successful Sprint partnership in the No. 0 BMW Z4 GT3, with the announcement of the third driver for the Endurance races expected in the coming days.
“To race both championships is a natural development for the team. 2013 was a learning year and, in my view, with the conditions we had in 2014, we did a great job,” said Bueno.
“We already have more experience with the tracks. We know our opponents [better] and I’m pretty excited, especially with the long races, where our car should have better chance of fighting for victories.”
Brito is the only driver confirmed on the No. 77 car so far; the two-time GT Brasil champion made a good impression during his two guest appearances last year.
“The expectation is to get the best possible results. We will try to fight for the title in 2015,” said team principal Antonio Hermann.
However, the Brazilian team still feels SRO’s Balance of Performance disadvantages the BMW Z4.
Hermann and Washington Bezerra were in Germany last week to discus possible improvements with BMW Motorsport engineers.
“We discussed various aspects of [improvements to the] car and we will take the proposal to SRO. We are confident, the car is competitive but suffers in the BOP,” Hermann added.Nine Calgary eateries have been named among the 100 best in Canada in 2016.
The list from online restaurant reservation site OpenTable was compiled using information from more than 300,000 reviews submitted by verified diners for approximately 1,800 restaurants across Canada between Aug. 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016.
READ MORE: 11 best outdoor dining restaurants in Calgary
“From locally sourced ingredients, artisanal cocktails and unconventional cooking methods to an eclectic fusion of international cuisines — restaurants across the country are setting themselves apart by offering up new and unique dining experiences,” Ziv Schierau with Open Table said in a Wednesday news release.
“This list serves as a guide for locals looking to venture beyond their usual fare and travellers wanting to indulge in one of the many eateries defining Canada as a global dining destination.”
BELOW: Nine best restaurants in Calgary, according to OpenTable
In total, 22 restaurants in Alberta made the list, including nine in Edmonton.
CLICK HERE to see the complete list from OpenTable.
READ MORE: 11 Calgary restaurants among best brunch spots in CanadaBOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia called for answers from Washington on Wednesday after revelations the United States had spied on the Andean nation, its closest military ally in Latin America, as anger mounted in the region over U.S. intelligence gathering.
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, an analyst with a U.S. defence contractor, is seen in this still image taken from video during an interview by The Guardian in his hotel room in Hong Kong June 6, 2013. REUTERS/Glenn Greenwald/Laura Poitras/Courtesy of The Guardian/Handout via Reuters
Colombia’s foreign ministry said it “registered with concern” reports of an “unauthorized data collection program” in a brief statement overnight, and asked that the U.S. government give an account of its actions through its Bogota embassy.
“In rejecting the acts of espionage that violate people’s rights to privacy as well as the international conventions on telecommunication, Colombia requests the corresponding explanations from the United States government through its ambassador to Colombia,” the foreign ministry said.
A leading Brazilian newspaper reported on Tuesday that the U.S. National Security Agency targeted most Latin American countries with spying programs that monitored Internet traffic, especially in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Mexico.
Other countries around the region have used tougher language in condemning what some have called a violation of their sovereignty and a trampling of individuals’ rights to privacy.
“Chile cannot but firmly and categorically condemn spying practices, whatever their origin, nature and objectives,” its foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding it would seek to verify the allegations.
Citing documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the fugitive former U.S. intelligence contractor, O Globo newspaper said the NSA programs went beyond military affairs in the region to what it termed “commercial secrets,” including oil and energy.
REGIONAL CONDEMNATION
Colombia is considered a top U.S. military and diplomatic ally in the region following a decade of joint operations against Marxist rebels and drug trafficking gangs that have caused harm to both countries’ economies. Chile has also long maintained close ties with Washington, making it a key ally.
U.S. Ambassador Michael McKinley told Colombian radio on Wednesday he had been in contact with Colombia’s foreign ministry and any discussion of the matter would come “via diplomatic channels.”
McKinley said he understood Colombia’s concern but insisted the United States is not the only country that collects information on security, local W Radio reported.
Regional leaders called for a tough response to the alleged espionage that O Globo said included a satellite monitoring stations based in Brazil’s capital.
Brazil’s government said on Wednesday it was investigating the alleged U.S. spying on Brazilian citizens and institutions and would ask the United States for additional explanations as the probe advances.
“The Brazilian government did not authorize and had no knowledge of the activities that have been denounced,” President Dilma Rousseff’s office said in a statement that warned that any person or company found to be involved would be prosecuted.
The U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Thomas Shannon, has met with government officials and said the reports published by the Brazilian newspaper O Globo give an incorrect picture of U.S. data gathering.
The Rousseff administration on Tuesday created an inter-ministerial task force to study what happened and propose measures to prevent a repeat. The Federal Police is also investigating whether telecommunications companies collaborated.
An official from Mexico’s foreign ministry said the government had sought clarification of the spying allegations.
“Mexico reiterates that relations between the countries are conducted with respect, and in accordance with the law, and strongly condemns any deviation from this practice,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Snowden is thought to be negotiating his exit from a transit area in a Moscow airport’s international area. He has been offered asylum in Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua.I like to imagine that Luongo is looking at me scornfully, and thinking…
"Really man, you’re going to write another speculative post about my trade status?"
Last week, while writing about the NHL’s proposed penalty on teams who signed star players to cap-circumventing "back-diving contracts", I wrote that the so called "Kovy Klause" would "hardly impact the arithmetic of a potential Luongo trade" for the Canucks.
Maybe I didn’t go far enough in that analysis because in the return of Elliotte Friedman’s Thirty Thoughts column on Monday, the Hockey Night in Canada reporter took this logic one step further. Is it possible that, in fact, Mike Gillis and the Canucks could benefit from the insertion of the punitive clause in the next NHL collective bargaining agreement (CBA)?
Read on past the jump.
Mr. Friedman broaches the Luongo subject in thought number 14 of this week’s column, hiding the interesting nugget about the back-diving contracts rule at the tail end of a tidbit on Vancouver’s desire to "do right" by Luongo:
Roberto Luongo: Really believe the Canucks want to do right by him. He showed up at their golf tournament after all of the trade stuff got out and they appreciated it. To me, the biggest question is: does the new CBA include that rule where the cap hit reverts to the Canucks if he retires? Because, if it does happen, does Luongo’s value go up?
Mr. Friedman continues in this vein for several thoughts thereafter:
Think about it: there’s extra risk for Vancouver in making that deal and extra reward for whoever gets him, especially if you are cash-rich (cough, Toronto, cough). Don’t know if it would help Florida (Luongo’s preferred destination) since his new team will owe Luongo $44 million over the next seven years, depending on any rollback. But, would another cash-rich team considering goalie help (say, Chicago) re-visit the situation? I do believe the Maple Leafs and Canucks are far down the road in these conversations. But nothing is done until it’s done. And, if the Blackhawks (or someone else) like the look of that new rule, it creates a market for Mike Gillis to ask for more for Luongo. Would certainly be ironic if the legislation Brian Burke wanted costs him a player he’s interested in. One of the reasons Vancouver and Florida had trouble making a deal is the Panthers don’t want to include Nick Bjugstad or Quinton Howden. Who is the prospect the Canucks would want from Toronto? (And don’t say Jake Gardiner. It’s not going to be him.)
Now we already thought we knew that Florida’s complete refusal to trade Nick Bjugstad was the major stumbling block on that front, and most observers have come around to the idea that the Canucks and Leafs have been in constant communication about Luongo since the NHL draft. But the most interesting bit of new analysis from our perspective, by far, is the notion that the "Kovy Klause" could give Mike Gillis some additional leverage.
The following isn’t to say that I find Friedman’s logic here unconvincing (quite the opposite), but it’s worth pointing out something that one might reasonably find a little bit odd in his analysis. After all, Luongo’s contract is structured in a way that makes the date of his retirement rather predictable – so why would the "Kovy Klause" increase a team like Chicago’s willingness to take on Luongo’s deal?
Under the terms of Luongo’s current contract – per Capgeek – the gold medal winning puck stopper is due to make nearly seven million in salary in each of the next six seasons (through 2017-18). In 2018-19, his salary drops to 3.38 million, and in 2019-20 it drops to 1.62 million. In the final two seasons of the contract, the deal pays him out only one million dollars in each of those seasons. Presumably then, Luongo would be very likely to retire following the 2018-19 season, since he doesn’t stand to make all that much in hard cash over the final three years of the deal.
We can safely infer from Mr. Friedman’s analysis then, that despite the virtual certainty that Luongo will not fulfill the term of his current life-time contract, the last few seasons of his deal are nonetheless seen as a "drag" on his trade value.
While the "Kovy Klause" does nothing to alter the structure of Luongo’s deal, or the chances that he plays through the end of the 2022 NHL season; Friedman is suggesting here that teams might be willing to pay a slightly higher price, if Luongo’s services come with that notional bit of added cost-certainty.
If Friedman is right, and I don’t doubt that he is, this is gravy for Mike Gillis and the Canucks. For an aging "win now" team, anything that helps them maximize the return for Luongo is a big win..
Read all of Elliotte Friedman’s Thirty Thoughts column here.November 16, 2009
Dahr Jamail, author of The Will to Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, shows how the military's push to deploy personnel, despite their physical or mental health, goes well beyond the case of Major Nidal Malik Hasan.
THE MILITARY operates through indoctrination. Soldiers are programmed to develop a mindset that resists any acknowledgment of injury and sickness, be it physical or psychological. As a consequence, tens of thousands of soldiers continue to serve, even being deployed to combat zones like Iraq and/or Afghanistan, despite persistent injuries. According to military records, over 43,000 troops classified as "nondeployable for medical reasons" have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan nevertheless.
The recent atrocity at Fort Hood is an example of this. Major Nidal Malik Hasan had worked as a counselor at Walter Reed, hearing countless stories of bloodshed, horror and death from dismembered veterans from the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
While he had not yet served in Iraq or Afghanistan, the major was overloaded with secondary trauma, coupled with ongoing harassment about his being a Muslim. This, along with other factors, contributed towards Hasan falling into a desperation so deep he was willing to slaughter fellow soldiers, and is indicative of fissures running deep into the crumbling edifice upon which the U.S. military stands.
THE CASE of Private Timothy Rich also demonstrates the disastrous implications of the apathetic attitude of the military toward its own. Not dissimilar from Major Hasan, who clearly would have benefited from treatment for the secondary trauma he was experiencing from his work with psychologically wounded veterans, one of the main factors that forced Private Rich to go absent without leave (AWOL) was the failure of the military to treat his mental issues.
Rich told Truthout, "In my unit, to go to sick call for mental health was looked down upon. Our acting First Sergeant believed that we shouldn't have mental issues because we were too 'high speed.' So I was afraid to go because I didn't want to be labeled as a weak soldier."
What followed was more harrowing, as he describes:
The other problems arose when I brought my girlfriend down to marry her. My unit believed her to be a problem starter, so I was ordered not to marry her, taken to a small finance company by an NCO, and forced to draw a loan in order to buy her a plane ticket to return home. They escorted her to the airport and through security to ensure that she left. Once the NCO left, she turned around and hitchhiked back to Fort Bragg. Before the unit could discover us, we went to the courthouse and got married. We were then summoned by my commander, Captain Jones, to his office and reprimanded. He called me a dumb-ass soldier and a shit bag for marrying her, and told my wife that she was a fool to marry someone as stupid as me. Members of my unit started referring to me as Private Bitch instead of Private Rich. The entire episode caused a lot of strain in our relationship. Unable to cope with all this, I bought two plane tickets and went AWOL with my wife.
Rich was later apprehended when a federal warrant was issued against him. After 11 days in a country jail, he was transported back to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. On August 17, 2008, he was wrongly assigned to Echo Platoon that was part of the 82nd Airborne, whereas his unit was part of the 18th Airborne.
Rich recollects, "I was confused when they assigned me to the 82nd. I was dismissed as a liar when I brought this up with my NCO, Sgt. Joseph Fulgence, and my commander, Capt. Thaxton. I ended up spending a year at Echo before being informed that I was never supposed to have been in the 82nd."
At Fort Bragg, he was permitted to seek mental health treatment and was diagnosed with schizophrenia, psychosis, insomnia and a mood disorder. This, however, did not stop his commander from harassing him.
His permanent profile from the doctor restricted him from being on duty before 0800 (8 a.m.) hours, but his commander, Sgt. Fulgence, dismissed the profile as merely a guideline and not a mandatory directive. The soldier was accused of using mental health as a pretext to avoid duty. So Rich was up every morning for first formation at 0545 (5:45 a.m.). It wasn't until he refused to take his medication because it made him groggy in the morning that his doctor called his commander and settled the matter. By then, Rich had already been forced to violate his profile for six months.
During this period, his mental health deteriorated rapidly. The combined effect of heavy medication and restrictions on his home visits resulted in his experiencing blackouts that led him to take destructive actions in the barracks. When he was discovered talking about killing the chain of command, he was put on a 24-hour suicide watch that seemed to have served little purpose, because on August 17, he was able to elude his guards and make his way to the roof of his barracks.
"I climbed onto the roof of the building and sat up there, thinking about my family and my situation, and decided to go ahead and end my suffering by taking a nose dive off the building," Rich explained to Truthout.
His body plummeted through the air, bounced off a tree, and he landed on his back with a cracked spine. The military gave him a back brace, psychotropic drugs and a renewed 24-hour suicide watch, measures as effective in alleviating his pain as his failed suicide attempt.
When Truthout contacted him just days after his failed suicide attempt, a fatigued Rich detailed his hellish year-long plight of awaiting a discharge that never came:
I want to leave here very bad. For four months, they have been telling me that I'll get out next week. It got to the point that the NCOs would tell me just to calm me down that I'd be going home the next day. They went as far as to call my wife and requesting her to lie that she was coming to get me the next day. I eventually stopped believing them. I didn't see an end to it, so I figured I'd try and end it myself.
The noncommissioned officers in his barracks thought it was hilarious that Rich had jumped, and he was offered money for an encore that could be videotaped.
At the time, he was in a "holdover" unit, comprised mostly of AWOL soldiers who had turned themselves in or had been arrested. Others in his unit had untreated mental health problems like him or were suffering from severe PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from deployments in Iraq and or Afghanistan.
According to Rich, every soldier in his platoon was subjected to abusive treatment of some kind or the other: "It even got to the point when our First Sgt. Cisneros told us that if it were up to him, we all would all be taken out back and shot, and that we needed to pray to our gods because we were going to pay [for our actions]."
TIM'S WIFE Megan had to bear his never-ending ordeal in equal measure. She witnessed the military's callousness up close. She informed Truthout:
Since February of this year, Tim's unit had been telling him he would be out in two weeks. After two weeks, when he asked, they would repeat the same thing. At times, he would get excited and start packing his belongings, and I would try to figure out how to get him home to Ohio. He would call me crying in relief, because he thought we were going to be together again real soon. The military forced me to lie to him, too. When he realized they did not mean to release him, he grew very destructive during his blackout spells. Eventually, he simply gave up on coming home.
Megan first realized there was a problem with the way the military was treating her husband when she noticed him doing and saying things that were out of character for him, like apologizing for not being a good husband and father, and being openly suicidal. He had also begun to self-medicate with alcohol, an increasing trend among soldiers not receiving adequate mental-health treatment from the military. She revealed to Truthout:
He had quit for the girls and me, but it seems like he could not handle the stress and needed an escape. This caused a huge problem between us, and we began to argue about it. He became severely depressed, pulled away from me, and started to do things he normally doesn't do, such as giving away his money and belongings, and telling the recipients that he wouldn't need those things in hell.
She sensed that her husband would be in trouble if he were to stand up for himself, so she began to advocate on his behalf. Her attempts to do so met with fresh abuse from his commanders. The chain of command banned her from the company barracks and had her escorted off post. The couple was commandeered into Sgt. Fulgence's office, where they were chastised. The sergeant referred to Megan as "a bad mother" and "a bitch." When Megan attempted to leave the office in protest, the sergeant ordered her to stay and listen to what he had to say.
This was followed by an encounter with the commander of the platoon, Commander Thaxton. The commander in this case ordered Tim to shut up, and threatened him with confinement. He demanded that Megan explain what kind of mother would bring her child to a new location without a place to live. She tried telling him that the AER loan was for her to come to Fort Bragg, since they had lost their house after Tim's arrest and loss of job. Although the paperwork for the loan clearly stated it was for her travel, food and lodging at Fort Bragg, the commander insisted it was for an apartment.
When Tim intervened to say that the $785 would not be sufficient to pay rent and bills, especially since he wasn't being paid his wages, and his wife couldn't work because of the baby, both Sgt Fulgence and Capt. Thaxton "had a nice laugh over that" and dismissed the duo, according to Tim, referring to them as "juvenile dumb-asses."
After Tim returned from being AWOL and was brought up on charges, he went through 706 (a psychology board) that declared him mentally incompetent at the time of his being AWOL. It took a painfully long amount of time for the charges to be dismissed without prejudice. The soldier believes that his superiors deliberately refused to do the requisite paperwork for his clearance and subsequent resumption of his pay. He told Truthout:
Every time I came on base, I got arrested, even though I was on active duty again. Then my wife and I got an AER loan for her to come down to Fort Bragg. When she got there and my pay continued to be withheld, the AER money ran out, and my wife and child had to sleep in the van we owned. When my unit found out, they called the Military Police and ordered me to give custody of my daughter to my father.
When Tim refused to do that, they punished him by confining him to the barracks and barring his wife from entering the base. To add insult, the chain of command took away his van keys and said that neither he nor Megan was allowed use it.
The nightmare ended when the military finally released Private Timothy Rich, and by default, Megan. He was discharged and "allowed" to enter the ranks of U.S. citizens searching for jobs and health care. Their traumatic journey to that starting point is what distinguishes them from their civilian counterparts.
Rich's advice to anyone thinking of joining the military today: "Don't join. Everything they advertise and tell you about how it's a family-friendly army is a lie."
SGT. HEATH Carter suffered a similar fate at the hands of an indifferent military command. Upon return from the invasion of Iraq, he discovered that his daughter Sierra was living in an unsafe environment in Arkansas under the care of his first wife, who had full custody of the child. Heath and his new wife, Teresa, started consulting attorneys in order to secure custody of Sierra, who also suffered from a life-threatening medical condition.
Precisely during this time, the military chose to keep changing Carter's duty station from Fort Polk, Louisiana, to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, then to Fort Stewart, Georgia. Not only did these constant transfers make it difficult for Carter to see his daughter, they also reduced his chances of gaining custody of Sierra. Convinced that this was a matter of life and death for his daughter, he requested compassionate reassignment to Fort Leavenworth, Missouri, about two hours from his first wife's home in Arkansas.
His appeals to the military command, the legal department, chaplain and even to his congressman failed, and the military insisted that he remain at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Having run out of all available avenues, in May 2007, he went AWOL from Fort Stewart and headed home to Arkansas, where he fought for and won custody of Sierra, and was able to literally save her life by obtaining needed medical care for her.
However, on January 25 of this year, Carter was arrested at his home by the military police, who flew him back to Fort Stewart, where he has been awaiting charges for the past eight months. Being a sergeant, he is in a regular unit and not in a holdover, but that does not help his cause. Initially, his commander told him it would take a month and a half for him to be sent home. Several months later, it was decided he would receive a court-martial.
Carter feels frustrated:
Now I have to wait for the court martial. It's taken this long for them to decide. If we had known it would take this long, my family could have moved down here. Every time I ask when I'll have a trial, they say it is only going to be another two weeks. I get the feeling they are lying. They have messed with my pay. They're trying to push me to do something wrong.
His ordeal has forced Carter to reflect on the wars. He admits that although his original reason for going AWOL was personal, and he had otherwise been proud of his missions, he sees things in Iraq differently today. "I don't think there is any reason for us to be there except for oil," he said.
Yet both Private Rich and Sgt. Carter were offered deployments to Afghanistan amid their struggles. It is soldiers like these that the military will use to fill the ranks of the next "surge" of troops into Afghanistan, which at the time of this writing, appears to be as many as 34,000 troops.
The stage is set for more tragic incidents like the recent massacre at Fort Hood.
First published at Truthout.org. Sarah Lazare contributed to this report.KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - Albert Zagitov had barely set up his new fruit and vegetable stall at the bustling Volga market in the Russian city of Kazan when he was told by a stranger to pack up and go.
Human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov attends a news conference in Moscow, March 27, 2012. The news conference was dedicated to recent acts of police brutality in the Republic of Tatarstan, including an incident in Kazan in which a suspect under examination presumably died after officers sodomized him with a bottle of champagne earlier in March, according to local media. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
After he refused, he was taken to a police car and driven to a police station where he says four officers took turns to hit him in the head and chest and threatened to rape him.
“As soon as we sat in the car, they started behaving very cruelly, swearing at me and calling me names,” said Zagitov, a Russian born in the Tatarstan region of which Kazan is the capital.
“The threats were real. I was full of fear and in shock that this was happening,” he told Reuters, his words pouring out quickly as he recalled the events of last July.
He was freed six hours later with an aching head, battered ribs and a charge of petty hooliganism.
But looking back at the encounter, Zagitov, a 33-year-old father of one, can count himself lucky to have survived.
Last month Sergei Nazarov, an unemployed man of 52, was detained at the same police station on the same charge. The day after his arrest on March 9, Nazarov was taken to hospital with abdominal pains. He died less than 24 hours later.
Before slipping into a coma, he told relatives he had been beaten by four police officers and sodomized with a champagne bottle.
His death has caused outrage across Russia and sparked protests in Kazan, a more than 1,000-year-old city on the Volga River 750 km (470 miles) east of Moscow which prides itself on tolerance of its diverse ethnic population and many religions.
Police have charged five officers over the case, and investigators are re-opening previously “closed” cases where complaints were made, including Zagitov’s.
PROBLEM FOR PUTIN
Nazarov’s death has put the spotlight on police lawlessness and brutality as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin prepares to start a six-year term as president in May, increasing demands for him to carry out reforms to strengthen the rule of law that have been demanded during four months of anti-Putin protests.
Angered by Nazarov’s case, about 100 people chanted “shame on the police” at a protest on a recent Saturday in Kazan’s Freedom Square, where well-maintained buildings including the regional government’s headquarters look down on a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin.
“Once we learned about what had happened in the Kazan police station, we understood that it concerned all of us - in Moscow, in Krasnodar, in Chita and Sakhalin,” Lev Ponomaryov, a human-rights campaigner, told the protesters.
“Because if no one is punished, these crimes will happen in other places. Indeed they are happening.”
Pop music blared from a dark blue van parked nearby bearing the logo of Putin’s United Russia party, and about 20 members of a pro-Putin youth movement gathered on another part of the square, hoping to distract attention from the protest.
Relatives say Nazarov had committed no crime and did not know what the petty hooliganism charge was for although the police, who have denied mistreating him, said he had been accused of stealing a mobile phone.
The relatives have dismissed suggestions by the police that he was drunk and disorderly. Contacted by phone, Nazarov’s brother declined to be interviewed.
TEST CASE
Kazan’s image for tolerance has been badly damaged. The city of more than 1 million, which was conquered by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, has long portrayed itself as an example of harmony between Muslims, Christians, Russians and Tatars.
The turquoise-tipped minarets of a new mosque and the 16th-century onion-domed cathedral inside Kazan’s white-walled Kremlin are meant to embody this mingling of cultures.
In the historic city centre, modish coffee bars and a gleaming shopping centre stand alongside mosques and churches, while the outskirts are dominated by Soviet-era high rise buildings and heavy traffic.
Kazan’s leaders like to trumpet its independence from Moscow although Putin won 83 percent of votes in the March 4 presidential election.
Yet the city felt the strong hand of Moscow when federal Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev fired the head of the city’s Dalny police station where Nazarov and Zagitov were taken into custody and accused officers there of betraying the force.
In addition to the five officers charged over Nazarov’s case, a federal investigative committee is examining 28 other complaints against the Kazan police. The allegations include reports of torture such as sexual abuse, beatings, electric shock treatment and forced confessions for invented offences.
Russia’s Public Chamber, an official body that analyses draft laws, is examining a book by the regional interior minister, Asgat Safarov, in which he is reported to advocate using the “most painful methods” to combat organized crime.
Nazarov’s death is seen by human rights activists as a test case of how far the Kremlin and government are prepared to go to carry out promises to wipe out abuses of power by the police.
“The issue of police torture has been huge in this country for many years now,” Tatiana Lokshina, deputy director of the Moscow office of New York-based Human Rights Watch, said.
Only the glare of publicity sets this case apart from many more across the country, rights activists say.
“This case has attracted so much attention because the level of brutality, the level of atrocity, is staggering,” Lokshina said.
“The problem has been there for a very long time. We want to make sure the official rhetoric, triggered by the nightmarish case in Kazan, results in concrete steps towards improving the current situation.”
TALES OF TORTURE AND ABUSE
Svetlana Kolyakanova recounted how her brother was “cruelly beaten” and tortured with electric shocks to his genitals, the palms of his hands and soles of his feet, after being arrested in April last year by Kazan police.
“After we talked to him he cried and told us he could not take any more. The whole day they had tortured him with electric shocks. He signed all the confessions they wanted him to sign.”
Irina Muratova, a lawyer representing local victims, said the police used such methods to achieve a 100 percent crime detection rate.
A Kazan policeman also told a Russian newspaper that the police used special methods to extract confessions.
“If we know that a person is guilty but we don’t have proof for the court - a gun, a body or other evidence - then harsher interrogation methods are allowed,” the officer, identified only as Yuri, told Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper in an interview.
The alleged ringleader of the abuse with bottles was a veteran of Russia’s war against separatists in the Chechnya region of southern Russia which had left him with psychological problems, said Pavel Chikov of human rights group Agora.
Other cases of sexual abuse against officers at the Dalny police station were long ignored, rights activists say.
Oskar Krylov, a 22-year old administrator, says he was sodomised with a champagne bottle and a pencil by Kazan police last October but his case was going nowhere before Nazarov died.
“I complained to the courts, but until Nazarov no one paid any attention,” he told Reuters.
Tatarstan’s investigative committee has long ignored people’s rights, Igor Vselov, a rights activist, said during the Kazan protest, where people gathered around a three-foot (metre) high box of complaints to underscore this point.
“The investigative committee of Tatarstan represents the interests of the government and big business,” he said.
The criticism is not only from the streets. Russia’s deputy prosecutor general, Sergei Zaitsev, accused Tatarstan’s investigators of “serious shortcomings” at a meeting with the region’s president and other senior officials on Monday.
His investigations had revealed 66 “hidden” crimes by police, mostly theft, he told the meeting. He said he had received |
the newspaper, calling it a dangerous precedent.Paxton, whose legacy may end up include a first-degree felony, seems to stretch this veterinarian-patient privilege thing.The animals are owned by the university and calling them patients doesn't seem that accurate.Looks like netizens have gone too far. On November 9th, a college student was arrested for slandering Wonder Girl’s Sohee via Twitter. Apparently this student has had a history of such behavior — he was sued by JYP in April for badgering Sohee with nasty tweets, despite warnings to refrain from doing so. Since then, a full-on investigation has been launched, and this has resulted in the student’s arrest for slander and violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. According to Business Software Alliance’s “Country Report”, this is a law that “prohibits the [online] posting of illegal content, including material that infringes upon public interests and social order, specifically obscenity, defamation, violence or cruelty, and incitement to gambling.” Since the netizen violated this via his defamation, he is currently in custody and is awaiting legal action (and so is a very eager JYP, no doubt).
While I am glad retribution is happening, I can’t help but wonder why it doesn’t happen more often, and why has this case been singled out. Did something alarming factor in? When looking at previous defamation lawsuits, there seems to be a clear, publicized instigator: JYJ’s defamation lawsuit against Dispatch was in response to Dispatch’s release of a report/audio recordings documenting the hitting of sasaengs, and Tablo’s lawsuit against Tajinyo was a response to a long and bitter witch-hunt from thousands of netizens who were willing to invade and threaten every aspect of his life. Meanwhile, JYP is responding to one person’s particularly nasty tweets — and considering that thousands of hateful comments are made to/about K-pop stars every day with no repercussions (and JYP hasn’t even released what the most offending tweets were — but without ample information, it’s difficult to justify that the reaction to this particular netizen is fully warranted and fair.
And if it’s simply just a case of curbing hateful comments/cyber bullying in general and upholding the law mentioned earlier, then why isn’t it being applied equally everywhere? Why aren’t netizens being arrested (or at least monitored) left and right for some of their downright atrocious behavior? For example, where were the investigations/arrests when Block B underwent the defamation, violence, and cruelty of online suicide petitions, (which led to the hospitalization of one of the members)?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m glad that there is one less person harassing Sohee at the moment and that someone out there is finally receiving some karma for hateful remarks, especially before the situation spun out of control like Block B’s and Tablo’s did. In a world where anonymity is used as a weapon as well as a shield, there really should be some serious attempts at shaping digital culture so that online hate isn’t so easily accepted and promoted. And as Korea in particular has had some famous incidents of celebrity suicides due to malicious online comments, the fact that online harassment is being taken more seriously is a step in the right direction. However, without full information, it will be hard to perceive this as a complete victory for online behavior. For all we know, it could be evidence of a large corporate industry cracking down harshly on an easy target.
What do you think? Is the college student’s arrest is justified, or could JYP be overreacting?
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*Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year.
*Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year.
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"Winnipeg," I corrected him. "That is where I come from."
"Ah, Canada, a beautiful county. I have a cousin who lives there. Let's see, I think it's in a place called Winterpeg or something like that," he said.
"Canada," I said. I usually don't mention Winnipeg as I have learned that the French geography usually stops at the Quebec border.
My last trip to Paris was rather strange. At the airport, as I got into a taxi, the driver asked me where I was from.
Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/1/2011 (2958 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/1/2011 (2958 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
My last trip to Paris was rather strange. At the airport, as I got into a taxi, the driver asked me where I was from.
"Canada," I said. I usually don't mention Winnipeg as I have learned that the French geography usually stops at the Quebec border.
"Ah, Canada, a beautiful county. I have a cousin who lives there. Let's see, I think it's in a place called Winterpeg or something like that," he said.
"Winnipeg," I corrected him. "That is where I come from."
"Yes, Winnipeg, I remember now. A beautiful place! I was there once and really enjoyed it. I remember the trees and the peace in the city. But what are you doing here? How can you leave such a peaceful and beautiful place and come to this. Look around! It's crazy here! It's so busy and crowded. Everybody is rushing, mad, running wild. There is no peace here.
"Being a taxi driver in Paris is bad for my health. And if I survive this, I will retire in Winnipeg. No more of this crazy life."
At the hotel, I was questioned like a criminal.
"Winnipeg? Why are you here? How can you leave Winnipeg and come here? Look around. Look at those old buildings. They are dirty, dark, musty, overflowing with rats. Smell the pollution.
"Listen. The noise never stops. Go back to Winnipeg!"
At the restaurant, people were surprised when they learned I was from Winnipeg.
"Why would you leave such a sunny place and come here? It's grey and raining here, all the time. And when it's not raining it is too hot and humid. We don't even have air conditioning. This place is not made for people.
"We are so sorry that the weather is bad. Please excuse us for this cloudy and rainy day."
What is going on? Has Paris changed so much? Is Winnipeg suddenly becoming a famous city?
Reality is not exactly like that.
If you go to Paris, people are proud of their city. They don't focus on the negatives. But imagine if the Parisians had a negative attitude toward their city. Do you think that Paris would be one of the most visited cities in the world? Do you think that Paris would have such a glorious history?
It is such a contrast to what we see in Winnipeg. What do you think happens when someone comes to visit Winnipeg for the first time?
People are proud to say that there is nothing to do in Winnipeg. People are eager to brag about Winnipeg's two seasons: the mosquito season and the season when it is -40, a season where you could die in less than a minute, depending on the windchill factor.
And if you move here from another country, you are looked at with suspicion: What kind of crime have you committed in your own country to come here?
It is very common to hear people apologizing for the weather or the mosquitoes as if they are the cause of it.
Any new idea for the city's development is met with criticism.
"It will never work here. It's too expensive. It's a stupid project. Who do those planners think they are? We're not in New York or Paris! I am sure the Eiffel Tower would have never been built in Winnipeg."
And when you hear all that you really wonder. "Why am I here? How stupid of me to come to a mosquito-infested place that is in the middle of nowhere." And when you think that way, you know you have been assimilated. You are a true Winnipegger!
But this is not reality either.
One multinational company, with jobs all over Canada, said getting people to transfer to Winnipeg was like pulling teeth. Nobody wanted to come. But once they moved to Winnipeg, nobody wanted to leave. In fact, Winnipeg was the only city in the country, for several years in a row, where people refused transfers.
You see people coming from all over the world and are very happy and satisfied to be in Winnipeg. If you talk to an ex-Winnipegger living somewhere else, most of them express the desire to return to Winnipeg and are nostalgic about prairie life.
What is going on then? Where is the truth?
The first truth is that there is no perfect place in the world. Every place has good and bad points. Whatever you focus on will amplify in your mind.
And that brings me to my second and most important truth. Happiness and life satisfaction are really a reflection of oneself. They are a reflection of how our mind functions, a reflection of who we are, a reflection of our own attitude in life and have nothing to do with where we live.
Another important truth is that Winnipeg and Manitoba are great places to live. Too often, we realize the treasures and beauty of a place when we move away.
And what do we have here?
Look around and see. I will not be able to mention it all, but this is what I love the most about Winnipeg and Manitoba: the peace of the city life, the endless sun in all seasons, the bright and infinite sky, the city trees. Winter.
Yes! One of the best seasons of the year. Go for a walk on a sunny, crisp winter day. Go cross- county skiing. Go skating on the longest rink in the world. Feel the heat of the sun on your face mixed with cold, fresh air. You will never forget this feeling.
And really, it is cold for just a few minutes. If you are well-dressed, if you move, you will realize that the cold is very pleasant and invigorating. Winters are luminous, night and day, under a background of dark-blue sky or sparkling stars. And for a few months, we have the chance to live in the Arctic
And then Winnipeg decides to have the life of the rich and famous and move to tropical country.
Ah, those long and lazy summer days. Those endless swims in lakes. Those canoe trips in the infinite wilderness. You may visit the Atlantic Coast in Grand Beach, Morocco in Spruce Wood Provincial Park, Iceland on Hecla Island.
And you go back to the city with its restaurants, its vibrant cultural life and multiple festivals: the Fringe Festival, the Jazz Festival, and the Folk Festival. You can travel all over the world, experience multiple cultures, by going to Folklorama. You can travel in time and experience French culture by going to the Festival du Voyageur.
And when you go back to the city, you even wonder if you are in a city — it feels more like a forest. Winnipeg is like living in the country with all the advantages of a big city. It is easy to connect with people. People are friendly, open and easygoing. Life is still slower and more peaceful than in any other big city.
And Winnipeg quickly becomes more than just a place to be; it becomes home. Come to think of it, coming to Winnipeg was a great move.
Philippe Erhard is a sports medicine physician in Winnipeg, originally from France and author of the book Being: A Hiking Guide through Life.Day one at Anime Central is in the past, and as such I have prepared a recap for your perusal. Read on to discover what was discussed in VisualArt’s panel!
Day 1 - Friday, May 20, 2016
Upon arriving in Chicago Friday morning, I took a bus to the convention, collected my badge, and entered the main exhibition hall. Directly to the left of the entrance is the VisualArt’s booth, providing plenty of exposure to all who walk past. The booth size is comparable to what they had at Anime Expo 2015, though without the gallery area for displaying artwork.
Several of the staff members manning the booth were retained from the company’s time at Anime Expo, helping to maintain the feel exuded from that event. I understood this also provided me an opportunity to ask about some of the goods in detail, so I inquired about some of their more unique items. While it was not advertised well, the wall scrolls being sold are all 1/1 convention-unique items made by the same renowned kakejiku-makers who produced the ones at sold at last year’s international events and come in a traditional wooden box. There are only four pieces in total per event, and as of last night ACen’s had not been sold. You can see the boxes marked on top of the shelves in the photo below:
The Rewrite reflection art being sold is numbered to 30 with all pieces having been signed by Itaru Hinoue on the 5th of April, 2016. The artwork also comes with a quality frame. Na-Ga’s hardcover ‘rindou’ is serially numbered with a metal plate on the back cover, similar to what was offered at Anime Expo. It seems odd they did not mention this in any of their recent promotional material; it will be interesting to see if they make it more of a focus going forward.
I also noticed one item in a rather large, striking frame which was not mentioned for sale. I asked Ichinomiya (marketing/sales) about the item; he told me the item is a framed piece of Rewrite 3D-cut artwork which hangs in the offices of VisualArt’s. Similar to a dango they have brought around to events for years, they have also brought this framed artwork with them to conventions as a good luck charm. The item contained several notations including signatures and a note saying it is from their main office. I asked if the item was for sale, to which I was told ‘not officially’, but technically yes. They had discussed that is anyone inquired about the item (which, I might add, was largely hidden from view), they would be willing to part with it for $1,400. He stressed this was a true 1/1 piece with no additional copies made but also indicated they they had no intention of pushing for it’s sale. It certainly would be quite a collection centerpiece to a Rewrite or Key fan!
The plush dango (which are adorable & squishy-soft, btw), microfiber towels, and the ‘slightly damaged’ Clannad artbooks seem to have been the best sellers of the day, though the CDs and some of the other artbooks also sold well. I’ll add a photo of my purchases later on.
The main event of the day was the certainly the VisualArt’s panel conducted by Takahiro Baba, Shinji Orito, and Na-Ga. I arrived to the area approximately an hour ahead of time and was surprised to see only a small line of people, about a dozen or so. I chatted with those present as well as with some con representatives, but they didn’t seem concerned.
The line of people one hour before the event.
As the convention approached, more and more people lined up, and soon two ‘lines’ had formed to get into the main ballroom size presentation area. I would estimate the room was somewhere between 2/3 to 3/4 capacity at the start of the event. I could hear the strumming of a guitar inside the area as well, causing me to anticipate some live music by Mr. Orito. I continued to take pictures as some friends of mine snapped some of me as well
The lines of people shortly before the event.
VisualArt’s dictated some rules for the panel which were even stricter than the rules placed on attendees at Anime Expo. No photography or videos could be taken at any time of anything, a rule which was strictly enforced. People who even motioned as though they were going to take a picture or look at their phone were questioned, as a gentleman sitting near me experienced firsthand. Here is the only photo I was able to find of the panel area, courtesy of VisualArt’s:
The panel started out with introductions. Takahiro Baba came out wearing a grey suit, jeans, and an unbuttoned while collared shirt. Shinji Orito was wearing a white button-up with a lightweight blue sweater and a grey t-shirt while Na-Ga wore a black graphic tee with a black floppy-top baseball cap.
After everyone had become situated, Na-Ga announced he was going to conduct a live drawing of Angel Beats’s Kanade, to which the crowd loudly applauded. He then exited the stage to an area where he could work on his illustration while having progress broadcast to the audience from time to time. (This setup was very similar to how Itaru Hinoue conducted her illustration at Anime Expo.) Takahiro Baba then began a presentation he made using VisualArt’s RealLive visual novel editor. While much of the content provided would be well known to Key devotees, some gems were offered as well. For instance, early on Baba explained, “We are VisualArt’s. If you know us, you are an OTAKU.” The emphasis on ‘otaku’ caused the audience to erupt into raucous laughter. He also said they had determined the English name for Key’s ‘crying game’ genre: “Onion Crying Simulator”!
I’ll summarize some of the more interesting points of the presentation for you:
The presentation covered all of Key’s series one by one. Interestingly, if an animated version of the VN exists, images from the anime would be used to depict the series as opposed to its respective VN opening.
Planetarian was Key’s first download-only title. It sold 200 copies. Lack of sales jumpstarted the production of a physical edition. It has now sold over 20,000 copies.
A disproportionate amount of time was spent describing Tomoyo After, most likely because it is the most recent green lit VN from Key about to hit the English speaking market
The first box art for Kud Wafter was rejected by Takahiro Baba because she looked too young
Baba acknowledged the popularity of Rewrite in foreign markets, though he admitted, “I’m not sure why, though…”
Baba also acknowledged that Charlotte received mixed reviews, but that there was more Maeda wanted to contribute to the series going forward. He elaborated that they intend to proceed with this vision.
Shinji Orito recently started writing songs for vocalists outside of Key. Takahiro Baba elaborated on Orito’s skill: “I would ask who wrote a song I liked, and more often than not it was Orito.”
Baba on why Na-Ga and Itaru Hinoue do not like to have their pictures taken: “Illustrators don’t want people imagining them instead of cute girls.”
On Itaru Hinoue: She says hello to everyone at Anime Central. “She definitely wanted an invite to visit.”
Baba: “Maeda is so shy he often won’t come to work. There’s no way he’d come to Anime Central.”
Visual Art’s currently has almost 50 staff members
In order to prove the presentation was developed using their RealLive engine, Takahiro Baba initiated a Rewrite-themed scene where he made several funny faces with Shinji Orito and a real-life Mask the Saitou!
A slide revealed ‘Key’s main theme’: A young girl meets a cruel fate, finds/walks together with the protagonist, and develops a love-relationship
Baba is a big fan of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Near the end of the presentation, Mr. Baba made two major announcements: First, Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de will be released within two weeks! Furthermore, Angel Beats! -1st beat- is planned for an English release. He finished the presentation by saying that as VisualArt’s transitions more into the anime sphere, they hope to be known as a company known for creating ‘anime about onion cutting’.
Throughout the presentation, the projectors switched from the slideshow to Na-Ga’s progress, to which he would respond, “Hai! Na-Ga desu!” He penciled in Kanade, then inked her outline, and finally began coloring her in. As it stood, he needed more time to complete the image, so Takahiro Baba invited people to come up front and ask a question. I, along with a few others, accepted the invitation. My question was as follows:
“This question is for Takahiro Baba. You’ve mentioned that you appreciate the passion that creators exhibit when pitching an idea to you, and that at times you’ll accept riskier proposals if they are unique enough. You’ve also mentioned the importance of molding these creators from artists into entertainers. How does VisualArt’s accomplish this?”
Baba appeared to appreciate the question, saying that it is VisualArt’s goal to turn their creative staff into celebrities, and that once this happens, the rest will begin to take care of itself. While a seemingly simple answer, this talks to a core value of VisualArt’s success and is actually quite insightful. I thanked him for my answer before he called out as I walked back to my seat, saying, “I like your shirt, and the jacket!” I was wearing a t-shirt illustrated by Shinji Orito as a giveaway for the Key 10th Anniversary fes. with a 2007-edition Little Busters! jumper on top. I gave back a cheerful ‘Yeah!’ with a smile and a thumbs up, causing both Shinji Orito and Na-Ga to laugh.
Other interesting tidbits from the Q&A session included:
Takahiro Baba’s favorite song is ‘Natsukage’. Shinji Orito’s (aside from his own) is “End of the World” from Rewrite.
Baba later mentioned that VisualArt’s is ‘certainly open’ to having a KSL Live World concert in the United States
Na-Ga has a ‘one track mind’ when working, choosing to focus on one task at a time.
Offers were made to produce a live action rendition of Key works, though such proposals were declined because Takahiro Baba decided that the pool of available actors was not good enough. However, a recent proposal from a Chinese studio is currently under consideration.
. Shinji Orito expressed that he is inspired by making personal arrangements and struggles to surpass the quality of Tori no Uta, believing he has not yet done so. Also, VisualArt’s is currently using the track as the company’s on-hold telephone music.
Lia will perform the theme song vocals for Planetarian
Baba noted that Tomoyo After’s ‘Light Colors’ has become more popular recently.
Describing a character he likes, Na-Ga said he likes Fuko because she is small like an animal.
Baba on the audience: “I love you guys!”
At the conclusion of the Q&A, the audience got to see Na-Ga’s finished Kanade illustration:
Note: Photo taken after the panel’s conclusion.
Naturally, everyone in the audience adored the final product, especially considering he completed the illustration in approximately one hour’s time. The autograph board/shikishi was made available (along with other prizes) to the winners of an audience wide janken (essentially, rock-paper-scissors) contest. once all the prizes (including a 6-plushie dango daikazoku set) had been won, the panel came to it’s conclusion.most of the audience made their way to the doors, while others, including myself, meandered our way over to the stage where the panelists were shaking people’s hands. As I was walking up, Shinji Orito pointed to my shirt and I said, “You’re quite the artist!” We shook hands and he laughed, saying, “Yes, artist!” Takahiro Baba said in English, “Thank you for coming,” before adding, “Nice shirt!” Na-Ga followed by extending his hand and saying, “Little Busters!” referencing my jacket, I said, “Yes, yes!” followed by a simultaneous “Little Busters saikou!”
It was spectacular.
I walked away with a huge grin on my face from the interaction. I knew I had to wear the same ensemble for the autograph session the next day since it clearly made an impression. As I was leaving, Shinji Orito exclaimed. One of my friends was wearing a shirt saying ‘Subaru Rally Team USA’, and it was clear he was trying to make an effort to converse, saying, “Oh! Subaru! Daisuki Subaru! I own Subaru!” Again, it was great to hear him so excited with a fan.
After briefly retreading my steps at the convention hall, I returned to my hotel room to begin writing part of this post.
Day 2 - Saturday, May 21, 2016
VisualArt’s autograph session was held at 12-noon, though I decided to head on over at 9:30 to take a look around the convention hall. Most of the booths were in the process of being set-up, so the halls were eerily empty. The VisualArt’s booth went under some renovations as well with shirts and a Kanade wall scroll now hanging prominently in view for all to see. I noted that the wall scroll, while of identical quality to those seen at Anime Expo 2015, did not have the inscription ‘ACen’ written on them, meaning they didn’t have to be sold at this convention if demand was unexpectedly low. Regardless, it was clear they wanted to make their booth appear as attractive as possible.
At 10am con-goers began to file in and gather around the Visual Art’s table. When asked about an autograph line, the sales staff said to return 20-30 minutes before the signing. Of course that didn’t last, but it still managed to prevent an semi-organized mob from forming for about an hour.
View from the VisualArt’s booth, 10:10am
View from the VisualArt’s booth, 11:10am
As the session approached, order was eventually achieved as a line was officially formed. The first 70 people in line (supposedly; I think they allowed for more) got the opportunity to present one item each to Takahiro Baba, Shinji Orito, and Na-Ga. For my friend and I, there was no question for the items we wanted to present, which included the Air & Little Busters! Analog collector’s edition vinyls as well as an Anime Expo copy of Na-Ga’s rindou numbered out of 100.
Shinji Orito signing our albums; image courtesy of VisualArt’s
They talked amongst themselves about the album and again about my shirt with Takahiro Baba asking Shinji Orito if he really illustrated the design on my shirt to which he sheepishly replied in the affirmative, partially covering his face with his hands. Personally I like the design, much of which could be seen in the photo here:
After meeting up with some friends and CLANNAD cosplayers I headed over to the press event, getting a seat in the front row. Surprisingly, Na-Ga did not attend until the conclusion, meaning all questions were fielded by Takahiro Baba and Shinji Orito. Even so, the interviews took up the entirety of the allocated time, and I was able to have several questions answered.
Press photo courtesy of VisualArt’s
My questions were as follows:
Q1 to Shinji Orito: It has been several years since OTSU has released an album. Are there any plans to revive OTSU in the near future?
A1: OTSU (pronounced how it sounds, not as letters) was founded because Orito felt he could create an event suited for clubs. This was before KSL Live World, which turned into a much larger and more popular type of event. As OTSU was able to lead the path to KSL Live World, Orito and Baba feels it’s mission has been fulfilled and that no more OTSU albums are expected to be released. However, a small possibility remains for revival, as he says he loves club music and would be open to working on one if an opportunity arises.
Q2 to Takahiro Baba: You’ve been quoted as saying you formed VisualArt’s as a game company franchiser to eliminate developer inefficiencies by providing creators with a team of experienced personnel. From your experience, what is the area fledgling game companies most often overlook or need assistance with?
A2: Baba indicated many startup studios may not be aware of what their limits are. ~“Even though every creator is inspired by the games they love, their experience and ability do not match their motivations. We offer guidance with that, allowing them to focus on game development with less distractions.”
Q3 to Shinji Orito: You have often said that Tori no Uta is the gold standard by which you compare your work. What would you consider a perfect composition?
A3: Orito indicated he doesn’t think there is such a thing as a perfect composition, instead always wishing to strive beyond what has already been accomplished.
Q4 to Baba & Orito: In a recent interview, Lia said she was discovered at a studio in Los Angeles and that another was intended to try out for a singing role, eventually Tori no Uta. How did you determine she was the right person for the position?
A4: After speaking with the VisualArt’s representative, Lia was given a chance to win the position by submitting a demo tape to I’ve Music [a VisualArt’s subsidiary]. Shinji Orito said, “Many I’ve demo tapes were received and hers was the best.” Takahiro Baba continued, “Lia was living in California and we wanted to record in Los Angeles at the time, so it also proved convenient.” [Note: In Japan, recording in L.A. is considered very significant. It helps establish the aura that a song or artist is significant. Recording in Los Angeles indicates how serious they were about Tori no Uta.]
Q5 to Shinji Orito: Can you describe to us a time when you struggled composing a song but decided to continue with its development due to a vision you wished to fulfill?
A5: With a pained countenance due to remembering challenging work, he said ~“Actually not Tori no Uta. Every time I open up my mental drawer, there is less and less to draw from. A recent example of a song would be ‘Orpheus’.” He mentioned that it was written to commemorate VisualArt’s 20th anniversary, a momentous occasion, and therefore he felt intense pressure to do an excellent job. The lyrics for the song were written by Takahiro Baba himself.
The majority of the questions were asked to Takahiro Baba despite mine slanting to Shinji Orito. Based off of this tweet, he seems to feel a bit self conscious about how he answered the questions. Personally, I thought he did an excellent job despite having to consider his answers quickly. (Don’t feel bad Mr. Orito, you did great!)
Other interesting responses from the press event were as follows:
When asked if Key will be producing more 18+ games, Takairo Baba answered, “Do users want more love or something more? … We will make what they want.”
Regarding Harmonia: Baba wanted the game released to English speaking fans first to see how said fans would react to a title. He is familiar with how Japanese fans are likely to react, but not English speaking ones. As VisualArt’s expands Westward, getting such fans’ reactions is critical to their success.
Harmonia is complete! …with the exception that Takahiro Baba is displeased with the game’s sound quality. Revisions to correct this are currently underway.
On why Kanon 2006 was created after Kanon 2002: Baba emphasized that it was not that they disliked Kanon 2002, but felt there were areas it could be improved upon. He offered an example of Shiori’s ‘cape’, which he did not like in the 2002 version. He attributed the eventual improvement to ‘better animation technology’.
Takahiro Baba on the upcoming Rewrite anime: “Most people do not appreciate the true meaning of Rewrite to this day. … We can’t afford to leave anime fans in the dark like that.” This is why an additional route is being added to the anime not found in the visual novel.
Rewrite+ will be receiving an English adaptation!
On what it was like working with Sekai Project: President Baba said that he was happy to work with Sekai, that the president is generous, and that he loves them
President Baba noted that he used to write and publish games of his own before coming to terms with the limitations of his abilities (and also recognizing his strengths)
Baba on Technology: “I would like to walk around town with an Oculus Rift and meet a girl.”
Baba confirms: Half of the text for Angel Beats! -1st beat- has been translated into English!
Baba said he thinks it would be interesting to have a game where it is possible to explore changing character’s ages.
Asked if there have been or will be homosexual characters in Key games, President Baba said that no homosexual protagonists have been pitched to him yet. He continued by saying that the current version of RealLive allows for characters to be influenced by player actions, so some characters may become increasingly ‘friendly’ or hostile towards characters of the same gender.
As the press session concluded, President Baba gestured towards me, saying, “I did not expect such knowledge of our games! Specific questions! I expected them to be more general.” I responded by saying, “When you love something, you dive into it headfirst.” There’s a lot of passion among Key fans!
Day 3 - Sunday, May 22, 2016
Unlike the prior two days, no VisualArt’s events were scheduled for the convention, so I decided to hang out by their exhibition booth. After the press event on Saturday Key decided that they would be holding a silent auction for the three large banners displayed at the booth. Bidding would start at $150 for the Kagari and Tomori banners while the sheet depicting Akane and Kanade would start at $450. Bidding would end at 1:30pm. While many people stopped by the booth out of curiosity, only a handful of serious bidders participated.
When the auction came to a close, the winners were announced: an Anime Central staff member won the Tomori Banner [UPDATE: $263] while another gentleman won BOTH the Kagari Banner and the Akane/Kanade sheet. I was surprised by this, not only because of the total cost but because I knew of competitive bids placed by others. While the bid amounts were not disclosed by VisualArt’s, the fortuitous gentleman did disclose his bids upon being asked: a hefty $400 for the Kagari Banner and a staggering $1,500 for the Akane/Kanade sheet. Paul Milligan (Amaterasu) confirmed the figures and said the gentleman made the purchases as ‘an admirer of great art’. While we couldn’t disagree, we were nonetheless impressed by the figures.
Image courtesy of VisualArt’s
Despite a self-imposed memorandum on not signing fabrics, Takahiro Baba, Na-Ga, and Shinji Orito decided to sign the banners. (I can only assume they felt the price warranted an exception!)
Disappointed in losing out on the auction, one of the bidders decided to purchase the last framed Rewrite Holo-Art Portrait signed by Itaru Hinoue. Several items sold out including well over 100 plush dango, art books, and some of the microfiber towel designs. Remaining were the last copies of Na-Ga’s rindou as well as shirts, tote bags, CDs, and some stickers. Not wanting to ship any goods back to Japan aside from necessities, discounts were placed on some goods while others were incentivized with a promise of a signature from either Baba, Orito, or Na-Ga. Understandably, several people took advantage of this opportunity.
As VA staff members frantically moved about the interior of the booth, Shinji Orito sat silently in the corner of the booth, sometimes standing up to sign a piece someone requested. He appeared vigilant, looking to help when needed but no doubt recognizing that there were too many people walking around in a small place. Already at his side of the booth, I moved towards him and asked if it would be possible to get a picture. (Aside from the winners of the silent auction, I didn’t notice anyone being able to take a picture with a member of Key’s staff.) He agreed, jumping up and quickly shimmying past the side of the booth as though happy to be out of the enclosure. After moving in towards one another, one of my friends snapped a photo of us.
“How cool |
some conflicts with the Republican party. Do you feel more comfortable with the incoming Republican class than with the so-called establishment?
PAUL: Absolutely. A lot are not politicians, a lot have run their first races, like Rand did — that was his first race, he didn’t work his way up the system. I think it will be a lot of people like that who will be very independent-minded, and that’s what we need.
nro: Can the Tea Party maintain its energy?
PAUL: I think they’ll stay organized, and if this Congress does what the Republicans did when they held all three branches — if they don’t do a better job — I think they’ll hear from the Tea Parties.
nro: What about from you? Running for president in 2012?
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PAUL: Don’t know, too early to tell.
nro: We know what that means. Anyways, another change in direction: How do you square your hard line on immigration away with your libertarian philosophy?
PAUL: Well, I just think that it’s unsustainable without having some border protection, mainly because of the welfare state. The welfare state encourages our people not to work, and so then we need workers. And when immigrant workers come in, there are welfare benefits, education, and Medicare for those who come who are not legal. If there wasn’t that, I’d be pretty generous with illegal immigration.
I’m writing a book for next year, and I’m going to say I support neither amnesty for everyone nor guns and shooting people when they come over. I want immigration to be legal, but I would argue that there should be no federal mandates to provide services for illegal immigrants. Maybe immigrants would go back, then, to their families, on their own. I think it’s virtually impossible to send back 12 million people, but I don’t think we should give them citizenship. So the Left will be unhappy because they want immediate citizenship, and the Right will be unhappy because they want to send them all home. But the other day, we had that DREAM Act vote — a lot of things there I was sympathetic to. But they wanted to give them tremendous welfare benefits. I don’t like that kind of stuff.
#page#nro: You caused controversy recently defending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Do you stand by your comments?
PAUL: I feel stronger about it than I ever have. This can’t be allowed to go without a full debate. If you don’t protect the rights that we have to broadcast and print — as well as for individuals who want to tell the truth about our government — we’re in big trouble. Others say I’m letting people undermine our security, but the truth is, the lies told by our government that have gotten us into wars are the biggest danger. I lived through the ’60s in the military, and Iraq was all based on lies. Just think how many people have died and are wounded and are still being wounded. And the war’s going to go on forever.
nro: Do you extend that defense to Pfc. Bradley Manning?
PAUL: Well, that’s different. The real problem is that with the $80 billion we spend for national intelligence, we can’t even protect what we have. That might even be the biggest scandal of all. But even if he did this with good intentions, he has to recognize that he is practicing civil disobedience. But in my speech, I differentiated between treason — which is deliberately helping the enemy — and a foreign correspondent putting something on the Internet, embarrassing our government, because they say something embarrassing about our lies in Afghanistan.
nro: Will you try to get Republicans on board with cutting defense spending?
PAUL: Yeah, I always do. We hear rumblings of that now. I don’t think that will be achieved until we change our foreign policy. As long as the American people encourage Congress to have a military-industrial complex, we’re going to further bankrupt us. But I believe we cannot deal with the budget deficit without dealing with the excesses of the military.
— Matthew Shaffer is a William F. Buckley Fellow at the National Review Institute.As is often the case at Pukekohe, the hairpin gave us a bit of controversy over the weekend.
Here’s the problem; when Mark Winterbottom was turned around at the hairpin, there were no penalties handed out to anybody. But every time somebody else was turned around, penalties were dished out.
It’s that inconsistency that concerns me.
Being the kind of corner it is, it will always encourage a bit of carnage. Hairpins like that obviously bunch the field right up, and the correct line, or the best line, leaves the door wide open for guys to attack on the inside.
If you look at Frosty’s situation, he’s minding his own business at the start of the race and suddenly he’s facing the wrong way. He’s obviously been turned around by somebody, it’s clear from the on-board footage that he hasn’t spun on his own. Yet there was no penalty given.
Later in the race, when Cam Waters did a similar thing and turned one of the Holden Racing Team cars around, he was given a drive-through.
For me, Cam did deserve a drive-through. But so did whoever was at fault for Frosty’s spin.
However, race control didn’t put the effort in to determining who that was and handing down a penalty. I know it wasn’t clear from the TV footage who is actually to blame for Frosty’s spin, but he obviously got hit, so a quick scan of the on-boards from the few guys behind him would have told the story.
Obviously giving someone a penalty doesn’t help Frosty directly, but it’s about consistency. You have to penalise guys if they’re turning other guys around.
From a driver’s point of view, it gets messy when you don’t know what you can and can’t get away with. I know every incident is unique, and I agree that it’s a tough job to make those calls. But in this case it was the wrong decision to let it go.
Waters holding strong
I thought Waters did a great job mixing it with the two HRT cars on Sunday. He was copping a few hits from two very experienced drivers in Garth Tander and James Courtney, but Cam didn’t lay down and let them go. He fought back, which is a good sign.
At Puke he had good car speed, but it was when the tyres started to go away and he was mixing it with those more experienced guys that he really impressed me. He may have lost a battle here and there, but he kept going, he kept attacking, and he kept going back for more.
It shows how hungry he is for it, and it shows he won’t be pushed around. That’s very important to show early on in your life as a full-time V8 Supercars driver, otherwise you quickly get a reputation as being a punching bag.
We’ve seen that before; even this year Andre Heimgartner has been fast, but has become a bit of an easy target when it comes to door-to-door racing.
But Cam fought hard. It didn’t work out, because he had that drive-through for turning Courtney around. But for me, it’s not about results at this stage for Cam, it’s about stamping his authority on the series and letting the other guys know where he stands.
Frosty keeping cool
Holding on to a championship lead late in the season is hard work – but I think Frosty showed on the weekend that he’s up to it.
I’m sure he wants to be conservative to a point, and I’m sure he doesn’t want to put the car in too much risk.
But I thought on the weekend that after he was turned around, he drove really hard through the field. To me, he didn’t look like a guy who was worried about a championship, he knew he had to knuckle down and get those positions back. He was put in a tough spot, but he turned it all around.
He came from the back and finished 11th purely on pace and racecraft. That shows strength in his character, he didn’t let the situation frustrate him too much.
He’s in a good spot now. He will be praying that he qualifies near the front and has some good, clean races. Because from here, that’s all he needs.California resident Samantha Delvalle and her boyfriend Raymond Maybry were arrested last Thursday on charges of child endangerment after Delvalle's two-year-old son was found to have dangerous levels of alcohol and methamphetamines in his bloodstream.
The toddler was taken to the Ukiah Valley Medical Center by his grandmother, who noticed that he appeared unwell and smelled of alcohol after she picked him up from Delvalle's home in Mendocino County.
When sheriff's deputies searched the home, they found Delvalle, 22, and Maybry, 21, intoxicated and with drug paraphernalia in areas easily accessible by a child.
Lt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino Country Sheriff's Department told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that the two-year old is now living with his biological father while child protective services investigates the incident.
Maybry was released on $25,000 bail, but Delvalle remains incarcerated. Both are scheduled for a court hearing later this month.Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chuck Rippel (K8HU) for the following guest post:
A Tale of Two Radios: Tecsun PL-880 vs Eton/Grundig Executive Satellit
By Chuck Rippel, K8HU
This proved to be a difficult comparison strictly when writing from the perspective of “which one is better.”
In my view, the two models compliment each other and both are worthy additions for any DX’er or listener. Each has its own set of useable and unique features. That said, 1970 is when I got my start in SWBC DX, either of these radios would have been among “the gold standards” at a time when Realistic DX-150s were $119.95 new, Hammarlund HQ-180s could be purchased new and Collins was still putting “winged emblems” on their amateur equipment.
There were few consumer grade receivers which had frequency accuracy until the introduction of the Allied SX-190 at the princely sum of $249 but when tuning the 49MB in the evening, one heard the entire band on one frequency due to overloading. Oh well, I digress….
The Executive Satellit will be the 3rd from the Eton Satellit family I purchased. The first two were initial releases of the standard, black version; and both suffered from build quality issues and had to be returned. Some months down the road, I noticed that my friend, Clint Gouveia on his “Oxford Shortwave,” YouTube channel was demonstrating great success with his own Eton Satellit and with that in mind, I made what would become the 3rd plunge with Clint’s appreciated encouragement.
My first operational impression of the Executive Satellit was that the overall build quality had been improved by an order of magnitude. The radio looks and feels good, responding well to control inputs although their placement on the PL-880 is superior to my way of thinking. On the Executive, I quickly found a feature different from the original Eton Satellit, the adjustable display backlight can be set to stay on indefinitely, even with the radio turned off and when the clamshell style leather case held in place by a number of magnets is folded over the front of the radio, the display is out of view and if left backlit, will result in a set of dead batteries over time.
While on the subject of the Eton’s display, it is a major selling feature. The yellow-orange characters convey all the information a user might need with excellent resolution and the display is overall, pleasant to look at. A welcome change from LCD type displays more commonly found in portables today including the Tecsun PL-880.
The Satellit uses 4 AA batteries (I recommend rechargeable, 2000ma Panasonic Eneloop batteries) while the Tecsun uses an included, single 16550 2000ma lithium ion battery. Both radios share the capability of being able to charge their internal batteries when connected to an included DC wall-wort power sources and additionally, in the case of the Tecsun, from a USB source. The Satellit uniquely allows the user to enter a charging time in minutes via the front panel keypad and the owners manual suggests charging times for batteries of various capacities. A nice feature.
Each manufacturer stresses memory capacity as a selling point. Is a radio sporting 3,000+ memories better than a model with “only” 700? I suggest such a feature is a viable selling point only if the user can remember what is stored in each memory location. Both models help the user organize memory usage by organizing them in “pages” or banks.
As an aside, I organize memory pages using a couple for local MW stations, and one for local FM. Pages 1-24 contain SWBC stations organized by time. Bank or page 1 contains SWBC stations that can be heard at 0100Z, page 2 at 0200Z and so on. A plus for the Eton, the user has the option of assigning an 8 character label to each page of seven memory channels which are accessible via a row of “F” keys, located just under the display.
What about reception; what’s “under the hood?” Both have variable bandwidth, SSB, an external antenna input and fine tuning options. Using only the stock, attached whip antenna I was able to pick up Radio Havana, Cuba on 15370.0 although the PL880 suffered from picking up its own electronic spurs, seemingly a Tecsun characteristic noted across several of their models. Both radios received the station adequately but I’ll give a slight edge to the Satellit due to its slightly better audio recovery. Uniquely, the Satellit offers sideband selectable, synchronous detection but the resulting audio is on the muddy side and that feature is less than stellar. On FM, both were able to provide stereo reception of a 250 watt translator on 96.5 mHz located approximately 10 miles away with excellent, nearly identical audio quality. In as much as audio quality is judged differently by each of us, I will refrain from favoriting one radio over another.
The ability to receive, decode and display RDS data is a plus for the Satellit. An aside, there is a well known MW-DX’pert who also chases FM DX. What does he use for a radio and antenna? How about a Sony 2010 and Tecsun PL-310? He puts each radio on an open frequency and waits for E-skip. No special, hi tech FM tuner or multi-element FM antennas. Point being, either of these radios have high performance FM tuners and are capable of delivering FM DX when there is E-Skip or Tropo-Ducting which speaks highly for both.
As an Ultra-light DX’er since its inception, MW reception is important. Here again, performance between the two is was nearly identical although with their small ferrite internal MW antennas, don’t compete with say… a GE Super Radio II. Both the Eton and Tecsun benefit from an external, tuned, close- coupled MW antenna such as a Crate Loop. Unfortunately, the external antenna input on both is not operable on MW.
Video: Comparison of Satellit and PL-880
Click here to view on YouTube.
Clearly, there is no “best” here, either choice is a good one; having both is perhaps the best option. The performance of the Satellit and PL880 excel well beyond their price and make convenient traveling companions. A third of the size and half the price of what many consider “THE” benchmark portable multiband receiver, the Sony ICF-2010 or in Europe, the ICF-2001, both the Pl-880 and Satellit offer increased portability and compete closely with the Sony on performance and features.
Video: How to use Satellit synchronous detector
Click here to view on YouTube.
These attributes combine to deliver a sometimes rare commodity: VALUE! I would challenge anyone to identify a current manufacturer, consumer grade receiver that offers the performance, features and audio quality of either these two receivers for under $250. All kudos aside, neither of these fine receivers will deliver the kind of gold plated performance delivered by a WinRadio, Drake R8B or Perseus, etc.
Many thanks, Charles, for sharing your thoughts on these fine portables!
FYI: I just checked and the Eton Executive Satellit is still $156.92 shipped via Amazon.
The Tecsun PL-880 is $159.95 (plus shipping) via Universal Radio, $159.99 via Anon-Co on eBay and $169.98 via Amazon,
Related“Oh mein Gott hast du das gesehen? Ich tötete ihn nur mit der zip-line hahaha!” This is the sound a mad German makes when he shoots and kills me with a zipline during a multiplayer match of Battlefield Hardline. I’m sitting opposite him, furious. 50 journalists from across Europe are packed into what I’m told and can’t be bothered to check was once a cow milking shed. Now it’s the venue for EA’s review event, and the only thing being drained is the colour from my face.
Then I respawn. I equip another game-changing gadget, the grappling hook, and ascend to a roof with my sniper rifle. Krat-chow! The bullet snakes a streaky white trail through his skull. With my natural hue returning, I think about what this grappling hook one-upmanship represents. It’s Hardline making things fairer. There are new weapons to wield, nine new maps to master, and new tactics to tap into, all so old hands aren’t at an immediate advantage. Players used to level the battlefield; now Hardline levels the playing field.
Best of the five new modes (there are seven in total) is Hotwire, in which teams steal vehicles and speed them around, racking up points. Think Conquest on wheels: fast, furious, and brimming with potential. Try equipping the repair tool and hopping into the passenger seat to keep your mate’s motor running; grab an RPG and ambush a fuel tanker from a roadside bush; lean out the window and fire grenades at pursuers like an angry dog who has somehow come into possession of grenades. With everyone starting out on the same foot, even beginners can get good at Hotwire.
Crossfire is another compelling one. Here, teams take it in turns to escort their VIP to a drop-off point. Yours might hide until everyone’s dead before cautiously making their way to the exit, or surprise opponents by sprinting from the start. In one round on Riptide, set in and around opulent island mansions, my team select long-range rifles and trade shots with our opponents down the right side of the map while our VIP takes advantage of the distraction and hops in the waiting speedboat. Again, with tactics still developing, you won’t face repeated shame while better players literally laugh in your face. At first.
Don’t I know you from somewhere...? Battlefield Hardline is full of famous faces with many pores on them indicating that they are of superior facial quality. That guy who looks like David Aceveda from The Shield is in fact none other than Benito Martinez from The Shield, who literally plays David Aceveda (Benito Martinez) in The Shield. There’s Adam Harrington, taking a break from cop dramas like L.A. Noire, CSI, and NCIS to act in this cop drama. You might recognise Kelly Hu from Castle and Hawaii Five-O, while protagonist Nick Mendoza goes by the name Nicholas Gonzalez when he’s not featuring in Sleepy Hollow and The Flash.
Don’t expect to see tanks rolling over a ridge or jets screaming overhead - Hardline focuses on infantry combat. Indeed, the three other new modes promote close-quarters play: Heist sees one team defend a cash-filled vault from a group of robbers trying to empty it. Likewise, Blood Money centres on stuffing your pockets with notes, but this time both teams are at it to see how much they can lift within the time limit. The one-life-per-round Rescue sees cops attempt to extract hostages from criminals, or else take our their captors. Visceral has made a concerted effort to quicken Battlefield's pulse.
Still, it’s far from CoD or Counter-Strike. The open sprawls of Derailed, Downtown, and Dustbowl are purposefully designed for vehicular mayhem - the trick is that they’re able to be pared down depending on the mode. Most maps are smaller, and spawn points closer, to maintain a tighter, more intimate gameflow. You can close doors to block exits and create choke points, and turn on radios to mask footsteps. Teammates don’t even need to drop health and ammo, since you can just nab it from them like a wrestler performing a hot tag.
Meanwhile, newly introduced interrogations which you can perform on foes you’ve just assassinated in order to learn the positions of their teammates, as well as rewards for playing well like faster climbing or an extra grenade, subtly alter the competitive dynamic on the fly. It all contributes to speedier, shifting, more satisfying moment-to-moment gunplay that fares equally well in 40-person games of Conquest as in tense, sudden death sessions of Rescue or Crossfire.
Each map has a unique force majeure, too. Riptide and Dustbowl play host to dramatic weather batterings which limit visibility. Downtown features a collapsing crane that tears open new routes, while entire buildings crumble in Hollywood Heights and The Block. Shouts of “It’s coming down!” as initial rumbles give way to the roar of collapsing concrete is always thrilling, even if it's scripted.
The other, less valuable side of the Battlefield coin is singleplayer. Like a 20p coin stuck on a 50p coin or something. You play rookie cop Nick Mendoza, framed for a crime he didn’t commit (oh shut your face, it’s revealed in the opening scene). It starts refreshingly small-scale, with Mendoza and his partner patrolling the mean streets of Miami on the trail of a drug dealer.
Grenade launchers obviously not part of a beat cop’s arsenal, flashing badges in order to freeze and cuff thugs is your most effective method of street cleanup. But after a promising start creeping around a gang-occupied school, the stealth play never evolves. Whether infiltrating a mall during a ferocious hurricane, emptying a scrap yard crawling with gang members, or picking apart a bayou outpost, it’s the same each time: register enemies from afar with your scanner, move in and throw bullet casings as distractions, then perform takedowns on slow, predictable enemies.
When things do go loud, shootouts ironically feel quieter than in previous Battlefields. You can’t throw grenades, your primary weapon is always a pistol or sub-machine gun, and you’re alone or with a single, AI-controlled partner for the most of it. A pattern starts to emerge in which you creep along fairly linear environments before emerging into slightly larger multi-directional stealth boxes and either play ‘flash the badge’ or shoot everyone. Still, weapons pack a punch and the bulk of levels host plenty of micro destruction. One climax set inside a drug baron’s art studio sees bullets wreck busts, shatter glass, and shred plaster. “Wow, you caused $3 million damage,” says your mate afterwards. Say what you want, but you can’t knock the sensory feedback of Battlefield’s combat.
It’s a shame that the game soon abandons the gritty urban atmosphere established in the first few missions. Hardline’s high point is one of its first, an early standoff with a room of agitated poker players giving you the evil eye, the situation simmering before spilling over into a room-wrecking bullet ballet. The police procedural premise swells in ludicrousness to a finale that’s more 007 than CSI.
The campaign may lose its way at the midpoint, but it’s a no less entertaining accompaniment to the multiplayer’s main show. And online, Hardline delivers. While not quite as main-event-essential as previous Battlefield blockbusters, the tighter, faster Hardline is most definitely the good cop.
This game was reviewed on PlayStation 4.Photos and video footage of a group of women beating an alleged mistress in China have surfaced on social media (video below).
The incident, which involved the wife of a man the mistress was allegedly seeing, prompted widespread commenting on Chinese social media site Weibo, according to Daily Mail.
The group of women was seen slapping the woman and trying to tear her clothes off.
When the alleged mistress fell to the ground and began crying, one of the women was seen stamping on her head and back.
One woman did her best to intervene and stop the attack, but was unable to do so.
Others stood and watched the assault.
“Do you not recognize me?” one woman, who claimed to be the wife of the husband the alleged mistress was seeing, said at one point.
The women began recording the attack on their phones. One woman held the alleged mistress back so they could get a better recording while other members of the group carried on hitting her.
Comments on social media took a disapproving view of the beating.
“Why is the woman to blame. Surely the man has problems and is to blame,” wrote one user.
“You should hit your man,” another suggested.
The photos and footage came to light just days after a similar incident was reported by Shanghaiist.
The video showed a woman beating her husband’s suspected mistress June 24 with the help of the woman's mother. It showed the suspected mistress being dragged out of her car before being attacked by the two women and forced to the ground.
One attacker then pulled out a pair of scissors and began cutting her hair off.
Similar feelings were expressed by online users to this attack.
“The wife can’t just blame the mistress how about her cheating husband as well?” one user wrote, according to Shanghaiist.
“The mistress’s at fault but shame on the wife and her mother who humiliated the mistress in public. What they did was uncivilized!” commented another.Instead of trying to sue the pants off developer Mojang for making Minecraft—a world-fiddling game involving random realms constructed from textured cubes—it sounds like Danish toymaker LEGO is joining forces to release a physical set of toys based on the multimillions selling sandbox builder.
"Seeing LEGO Minecraft sets is also our dream, so we linked to one of the projects," writes Mojang on a LEGO-related site. "It’s clear to us that there are many creative people with good ideas for this and we want to throw our own hat into the ring and start this project to bring the best LEGO Minecraft builders together."
Since Minecraft is about building stuff with blocks in a virtutal world, and you can do similar things with LEGO bricks in the real world, Mojang reasons "Minecraft and LEGO were meant to be together."
But wait, isn't Minecraft infinitely complex and random? How do you build a popular toy-set off that? By involving the Minecraft community, of course. Mojang says it's working with a couple longstanding LEGO Minecraft fans, but that it'll also survey the community for "the best LEGO Minecraft models to also join [its] efforts."
The deal isn't officially done yet—Mojang says it's still working "to secure a licensing agreement," but Mojang's business guy, Daniel Kaplan, tweeted that the company was "working directly with LEGO to make this happen." Assuming it does, Mojang says it will donate its one percent royalty from LEGO CUUSOO to charity.
We love Minecraft here at PCWorld—it made our top 10 games of 2011 and came close to snatching our game-of-the-year spot—so fingers crossed this happens, and soon.
Interact with Game On: Twitter - Facebook - Get in touch, and sign up to have the Game On newsletter e-mailed to you each week.The national broadband network is losing money with each typical connection it makes and believes that unless it is protected from competition due to data delivered by ultrafast mobile broadband it will never make a profit.
The company's concerns have been detailed by chief executive Bill Morrow in an exclusive interview ahead of a Four Corners report on Monday that it fears will suggest "the whole thing is a mess".
"We collect about $43 per month from retail service providers for each home they sell into," Mr Morrow said. "In order to recover costs we need $52."
"We, NBN and the board, are betting that future applications are going to bring more value into homes, that they are going to need more bandwidth or more data and that the retail service providers will pay us more."Image copyright Lees of Scotland Image caption HMRC had contended that snowballs were confectionery and not cakes
Two Lanarkshire-based confectionery firms are set to receive a windfall tax rebate after judges ruled Snowball snacks were technically cakes.
Lees of Scotland and Tunnock's faced a combined tax bill of £2.8m after HM Revenue and Customs insisted Snowballs did not enjoy the same exemption from VAT as tea cakes.
The firms refused to accept snowballs were "standard-rated confectionery".
Judges at the First-tier tax tribunal ruled in their favour on appeal.
A Snowball looks like a cake. It is not out of place on a plate full of cakes. A Snowball has the mouth feel of a cake Judge Anne Scott, First-tier tax tribunal
They decided the issue after being presented with a plate of Jaffa Cakes, Bakewell tarts, tea cakes, Lees Snowballs, Waitrose meringues and mini jam snow cakes during the hearing.
Judge Anne Scott said: "We found that the plate looked like a plate of cakes. We were also left with samples of all of these, together with Tunnock's Snowballs.
"We tasted all of them, in moderation, either at the hearing or thereafter.
"A Snowball looks like a cake. It is not out of place on a plate full of cakes. A Snowball has the mouth feel of a cake", she added.
Lees and Tunnock's insisted their Snowballs should be VAT-free, in the same way as Jaffa Cakes.
However, HMRC was equally adamant that they were, in fact, confectionery.
Claims for a £2m VAT rebate by Coatbridge-based Lees of Scotland Ltd, and for £800,000 by Uddingston-based Thomas Tunnock Ltd, were rejected in 2012.
'Not a biscuit'
At the tribunal, Judge Scott said it was not disputed that Snowballs were a "sweetened prepared food which is normally eaten with the fingers" and that everyone "agreed that a Snowball is certainly not a biscuit".
Snowballs are described by Lees as "soft fluffy mallow with a chocolate coating and sprinkled with the finest flakes of coconut to create a delicious sweet treat".
They are believed to derive from a shaved ice New Orleans snack, first on offer before the 1940s.
The judge described Snowballs, which are boiled and not baked, as "very fragile", "very sweet" and observed that their mallow core was "similar" to that found in tea cakes.
She said Snowballs and tea cakes made by Lees - often manufactured for supermarket's own brands - were sometimes promoted together, appeared on the same shelf and were sold at similar prices.
Tunnock's, which only make their own brand Snowballs, produce a snack "much softer and more fragile than the tea cake". It is usually offered alongside its best-selling product, Caramel Wafers, in the biscuit aisle.
'Confection to be savoured'
Judge Scott said: "Most people would want to enjoy a beverage of some sort whilst consuming a Snowball.
"It would often be eaten in a similar way and on similar occasions to cakes - for example to celebrate a birthday in an office."
She said the tribunal was "wholly agreed" that a Snowball was a "confection to be savoured but not whilst walking around or, for example, in the street".
She added: "Most people would prefer to be sitting when eating a Snowball and possibly, or preferably... with a plate, a napkin or a piece of paper or even just a bare table so that the pieces of coconut which fly off do not create a great deal of mess.
"Although by no means everyone considers a Snowball to be a cake, we find that these facts, in particular, mean that a Snowball has sufficient characteristics to be characterized as a cake.
"For all these reasons the appeals succeed."NEW YORK — Anthony Weiner’s ill-fated mayoral campaign ended with a string of final embarrassments: He mustered a mere 5 percent at the ballot box. One of his sexting partners tried to crash his primary night rally. And Weiner was caught making an obscene gesture to reporters as he was driven away.
Outside a “victory” party where supporters mourned a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Democratic primary, cameras crowded around Sydney Leathers, the 23-year-old whose sexting with the former congressman brought his once-high-flying campaign to a screeching halt.
“Why not be here?” Leathers asked reporters. “I’m kind of the reason he’s losing. So, might as well show up.”
Another politician with a sex scandal, Eliot Spitzer, lost the Democratic primary contest for city comptroller to Scott Stringer, the Manhattan borough president. Stringer took 52 percent of the vote to Spitzer’s 48 percent.
Spitzer resigned as governor in 2008 and admitted he paid for sex with call girls. In exile, he bounced around television as a pundit. Then, just four days before the deadline, he announced he was running for comptroller.
On the final campaign day for both men, the spotlight fell heavily on Weiner. His staff sneaked him into his own event, presumably to avoid Leathers, who had camped outside his headquarters all day hoping to confront him. His wife, Huma Abedin, who stood by his side at the height of the scandal, was nowhere to be seen.
And after a concession speech in which he got choked up as he spoke of family, a scowling Weiner was caught by a photographer giving a middle-finger goodbye to reporters as he was driven away.
Leathers, who has launched a porn career since the scandal broke, said Weiner needed “to stop being an embarrassment to the city of New York. He’s going to continue this behavior. If it’s not going to be me, it’s going to be some other girl.”
At one point, one of Weiner’s supporters scolded Leathers, saying: “You must really be ashamed!”
For his part, Weiner acknowledged in his concession speech that he was an “imperfect messenger” but also boasted of the staying power of himself and his campaign.
Weiner had been in political exile since he resigned from Congress in 2011 for sending women lewd online messages and pictures. He got into the mayor’s race in May, and aside from a few dust-ups with hecklers, was largely well-received at first, holding the lead for most of June and July.
But after an obscure gossip website named The Dirty released X-rated exchanges between Weiner and Leathers that took place well after the candidate quit the House of Representatives, Weiner — and his sexting pseudonym, Carlos Danger — once again became a national punchline.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting Wednesday morning, Weiner was far behind in the city’s Democratic mayoral primary. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio had 40 percent of the vote, the threshold needed to avoid triggering an automatic Oct. 1 runoff. If he cannot maintain that, he will face former city Comptroller Bill Thompson, who has 26 percent, for a potentially grueling three-week showdown, with the winner advancing to face Republican nominee Joe Lhota in the general election.
Spitzer took a steadier path to his loss. He took an early lead in the polls, but the race tightened dramatically in recent weeks as the Democratic establishment rallied around Stringer, his main opponent.
Unlike Weiner, who made a point of fielding voters’ questions about his scandal, Spitzer apologized a few times and then refused to talk about it.
He largely eschewed retail campaigning — situations that could have led to awkward exchanges with voters — in favor of national TV interviews and a big television ad campaign, financed with his own millions.
But he could not avoid all mention of the scandal. The city’s tabloids hounded him about the state of his marriage; Spitzer said he was still married, but his wife never appeared on the campaign trail.
“All of us should serve, participate,” Spitzer told supporters in his concession speech. “I intend to do so in different ways.”
——
Associated Press Radio Correspondent Julie Walker and AP Videojournalist Bonny Ghosh contributed to this report.This video demonstrates the power of paid media and how gullible we are when it comes to believing things. This also shows how easy it is for the ruling party to manage the media and conveniently shift attention from relevant issues. Police officers rode on horses and chased the demonstrators. Normally this wouldn’t be seen except in emergency situations, but then again the Uttarakhand police has proved how vulnerable it is in front of the dictatorial State government led by Shri. Harish Rawat Ji.
Most media channels have been circulating the news that BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi hit a horse and injured it. Please watch this video to know the truth. The MLA has strongly condemned the action of the youth involved in this video for pulling on the horse, making the poor animal lose his balance and fall, thus injuring himself. He has apologize on his behalf as this is against his personal and the party’s principles. He added by saying that BJP is a party which is led by the likes of Maneka Gandhi and believe in treating animals like family. He urges all of us to take a moment to watch this video.On Saturday night, an Australian woman who was engaged to be married, was shot to death while in her pajamas, allegedly by a Somali man who was celebrated by the mayor of Minneapolis as the city’s first Somali police officer.
In 2016, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges gushed on Facebook, "I want to take a moment to recognize Officer Mohamed Noor, the newest Somali officer in the Minneapolis Police Department. Officer Noor has been assigned to the 5th Precinct, where his arrival has been highly celebrated, particularly by the Somali community in and around Karmel Mall."
Now, Justine Ruszczyk, 40, is dead; she had called 911 on Saturday night to report a noise and a possible sexual assault in an alley in South Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although police were not wearing body cameras, as police in Minneapolis have to manually turn them on, witnesses told police that police officers arrived at 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. The sequence of events was captured, in part, by police radio.
Ruszczyk had allegedly walked up to the police car in her pajamas and addressed the driver when Noor reportedly pulled out his gun and shot her through the driver’s |
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